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the present invention is directed to providing a voltage reference circuit that can be used to generate various selected reference voltage values with temperature independence , and embodies an improved circuit architecture combining a commonly used band - gap voltage reference circuit with a cascode current mirror to cancel the temperature coefficient of the preferred reference voltage . in the preferred embodiment shown in fig1 the circuit includes a combination of cmos and bipolar transistors and a number of resistors connected between a supply voltage v cc , typically of a value of 3 . 3 or 5 v , and ground . the band - gap voltage reference circuit portion involves three pmos transistors , p1 , p2 , and p3 , connected to supply voltage v cc and with their gates coupled to operational amplifier 10 and 11 . p1 and p2 are also coupled to an operational amplifier 12 and respectively to resistor r1 and pnp transistor q1 , and pnp transistor q2 , which transistors have their bases grounded . p3 is connected between supply voltage v cc and nmos transistor n1 , which is coupled to ground through resistor r2 and the base of pnp transistor q3 . ( transistor 11 can be replaced with a resistor ). the band - gap voltage reference v bg output 13 , typically of a value of about 1 . 26 v , is connected via the emitter of pnp transistor q3 . the cascode current mirror portion of the circuit for outputting the selectable voltage reference v ref includes a pair of matching pmos transistors p4 and p5 , connected between supply voltage v cc and a pair of matching nmos transistors n2 and n3 with commonly connected gates . p4 and p5 have their gates commonly connected to the gate of pnp transistor p6 , which is connected between supply voltage v cc and the reference voltage v ref output 14 as well as to ground through resistor r4 . transistor n2 is coupled to band - gap voltage reference v bg output 13 , and to ground through transistor q3 , while its matching transistor n3 is coupled to ground through resistor r3 . as indicated the values of the matching sets of transistors are n2 = n3 and p4 = p5 . the value of p6 may be equal to that of p5 , or p5 × n where n is an integer multiple related to the values of resistors r3 and r4 , but in either event 0 & lt ; v ref & lt ; v cc . an analysis of the band - gap voltage reference circuit portion shows that the grids of transistors p1 , p2 and p3 are all connected to the amplifier 12 output terminals and thus their respective current i1 , i2 and i3 are equal . furthermore , based on the characteristics of the feedback operational amplifier , v1 = v2 . thus , ## equ1 ## where , v be1 , v be2 and v be3 are the base - emitter voltages of transistors q 1 , q 2 and q 3 and have negative temperature coefficients . v t is the thermal voltage with a positive temperature coefficient . m is the ratio of the emitter areas of pnp transistors q 1 and q 2 . i s0 is the emitter unit area current dependant on the si material used . v bg is the band - gap reference voltage independent of temperature . an analysis of the cascade current mirror circuit portion shows that voltages v bg and v 5 are equal . moreover , their respective passing current i 4 and i 5 are equal . in addition , due to the connection of grid terminal of p5 and p6 , current i 5 and i 6 are equal . based on the above relationship , the following equations can be derived . ## equ2 ## based on equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), in the present invention novel circuit , the desired reference voltage v ref is a function of the temperature independent band - gap voltage v bg and is therefore also temperature independent . its value is a function of the values of resistors r 3 and r 4 from which it can be varied . while the present invention has been described in an illustrative manner , it should be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in a nature of words of description rather than of limitation . furthermore , while the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment , it is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art will readily apply these teachings to other possible variations of the invention . the embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following claims .
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the elements of a typical embodiment of the present invention are depicted in fig1 , fig2 , fig3 , and fig4 . referring in particular to fig1 , the invention includes a flat mirror 10 . in the preferred embodiment , mirror 10 has an area of at least 2 inches by 2 inches which should be self supporting , but neither a specific mirror size nor a self supporting feature are required . the reflective surface 11 of mirror 10 should face lens 21 , in the preferred embodiment said reflective surface 11 should be between 3 and 4 inches from lens 21 of cell - phone 20 . cell - phone 20 must include a camera and be position so as to be capable of capturing an image from the reflective surface 11 of mirror 10 of water whose qualities are desired . cell - phone 20 must be able to transfer said captured image to the digital processor in cell - phone 20 . said processor has the capability of receiving said captured image , the ability to run c # programming application , and be capable of outputting the results of said c # computer application to cell - phone display 22 . a . receiving and storing standardized pixel lookup table containing values assigned to a photograph of water - quality samples with known water - quality characteristics , b . receiving and storing a test pattern image , jj c . display said test pattern image on cell - phone display 22 , d . input and store said captured image , e . processing said captured image to assign pixel color and intensities to said captured image , said assignment is made by matching the pixel color and intensity of the captured image against the closest color and pixel intensity of the element of the pixel lookup table , f . store said processed pixel color and intensities of said captured image , g . compare said processed image pixel color and intensities to said standardized pixel lookup table , h . based on said comparison assign a water quality characteristic to said captured image , and i . display said water quality characteristic assigned to said captured image on cell - phone display 22 . said c # computer application calls a first subroutine having the capability of creating said standardized pixel lookup table by a . retrieving and storing a digitized color image of a water sample with known water qualities , b . processing said digitized color image to assign pixel color and intensities to said digitized color image , c . retrieving and storing the known water quality characteristics associated with said digitized color image , and d . store in said standardized pixel lookup table said water quality characteristics associated with said assigned pixel color and intensities . the completed standardized pixel lookup table facilitates the rapid assignment of water quality characteristics to said captured images of water whose qualities are desired . said c # computer application calls a second subroutine having the capability of creating , storing , and displaying eight equal sized rectangles on cell - phone display 22 . in the preferred embodiment said rectangles are displayed side by side , but any shape may be displayed so long as the area of each shape is equal . in the preferred embodiment each rectangle is of a constant color , hence emitting a constant light wavelength . said test pattern image is capable of emitting a minimum wavelength between 430 and 470 nanometers and a maximum wavelength between 640 and 670 nanometers . said rectangles each display a unique wavelength which about 30 nanometers greater than the wavelength displayed by any rectangle which is contiguous . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , a . the first rectangle of said test pattern image displays a wavelength of 445 nanometers , b . the second rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 475 nanometers , c . the third rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 505 nanometers , d . the fourth rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 535 nanometers , e . the fifth rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 565 nanometers , f . the sixth rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 595 nanometers , g . the seventh rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 625 nanometers , and h . the eighth rectangle of said test pattern image displays wavelength of 655 nanometers . to use the present invention , fill plastic bag 30 with water whose water qualities are desired . place mirror 10 three to four inches from plastic bag 30 so that said reflective surface 11 of mirror 10 is parallel to and facing the length of plastic bag 30 . position cell - phone 20 between reflective surface 11 and plastic bag 30 such that display 22 is parallel to , and approximately one inch from plastic bag 30 ; and lens 21 is approximately two or three inches from reflective surface 11 . activate cell - phone 20 ; in the preferred embodiment this is accomplished by touching the appropriate area of cell - phone 20 keypad . activate said c # computer application ; in the preferred embodiment this is accomplished by touching the appropriate area of cell - phone 20 keypad . said activation automatically displays said test pattern image , and subsequently captures the color image of water whose water qualities are desired . cell - phone 20 subsequently uses said c # computer application and displays the desired water qualities on cell - phone display 22 . in the present invention the preferred embodiment displays the following water qualities simultaneously : alkalinity , ammonia , dissolved oxygen , turbidity , ph , coliform bacteria and e . coli . accordingly , the present invention is a faster , simpler , low - cost , more available device suitable for water testing throughout the world . present invention can be used to determine alkalinity , ammonia , dissolved oxygen , turbidity , ph , coliform bacteria and e . coli in 5 seconds to 2 minutes , as compared to the time of 2 minutes to 18 hours to determine alkalinity , ammonia , dissolved oxygen , turbidity , ph , coliform bacteria and e . coli levels for existing devices and methods . present invention does not require a skilled operator ; rather any user capable of operating a cell - phone can use the present invention . present invention can be secured for the cost of a mirror , cell - phone , and plastic bag which is significantly less than the cost of devices and methods capable of determining alkalinity , ammonia , dissolved oxygen , turbidity , ph , coliform bacteria and e . coli . present invention is composed of elements which are widely available throughout the world , where as existing devices and methods capable of determining alkalinity , ammonia , dissolved oxygen , turbidity , ph , coliform bacteria and e . coli . while the preferred embodiment utilizes one cell - phone 20 and mirror 10 , alternate embodiment improving the confidence level to 95 % or greater for inorganic qualities , and 80 % or greater for organic qualities . in an alternate embodiment , two cell - phones 20 and one plastic bag 30 are used . the cell - phones 20 straddle the plastic bag 30 , with one cell - phone 20 emits luminescence while the other cell - phone 20 captures , processes and displays water quality . in an additional alternate embodiment , a personal computer could be substituted for cell - phone 20 in the preferred embodiment . the present invention should not be construed as limited to water quality . the principles disclosed may be applied in alternative embodiments to assess qualities of other translucent fluid substances such as vinegar or other aqueous solutions , an translucent solids , for quality - control and analyses . although the description above contains many specifications , these specifications should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention but these specifications are merely provided to illustrate some of the present inventions preferred embodiments of the present invention . thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , rather than by the examples given .
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in the existing art , thermosetting construction techniques are used to join ink jet components . the present invention replaces these thermosetting construction techniques with a thermoplastic construction technique . this is accomplished by replacing epoxy with sheet plastic during the lamination process . referring to fig1 a and 1b , prior art exploded views of ink jet components are illustrated , joined in accordance with the thermosetting construction technique of the prior art . a charge plate 10 , catcher 12 , and catcher plate 14 , shown in fig1 a , are joined with thermosetting layers 16 and 18 . thermosetting layers 16 and 18 typically comprise epoxy . the primary ink jet components 10 , 12 , and 14 are precisely registered to one another after the epoxy is applied . the epoxy is then cured with elevated temperatures . similarly , referring to fig1 b , droplet generator 24 and orifice plate 26 are joined with thermosetting layer 28 . again , the thermosetting layer 28 is typically comprised of an epoxy . polymer screens are required to appropriately distribute the epoxy upon application of the epoxy . unfortunately , these screens tear frequently and must be remade , as well as require cleaning between each use with hazardous solvents . the present invention , illustrated in fig2 a and 2b , replaces the prior art thermosetting construction techniques illustrated in fig1 a and 1b , with a thermoplastic construction , according to the present invention . this is accomplished by replacing the epoxy with a flexible lamination thermoplastic adhesive material during the lamination process . the flexible lamination thermoplastic adhesive material may comprise any suitable lamination material such as sheet plastic , plastic film stock , or thermoplastic stock . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the flexible lamination layer comprises thermoplastic adhesive film . to bond parts together with such an adhesive , the adhesive film is placed between the parts , pressure is applied to the parts , and the temperature is raised above the softening temperature of the material . the non - curing thermoplastic adhesive stock preferably comprises a thermoplastic adhesive having a softening temperature between 90 ° c . and 200 ° c ., and even between 120 and 140 degrees . typically , the thermoplastic material needs to be kept at the bonding temperature ( slightly above the softening temperature ) for only a few seconds after which it can be cooled to room temperature . unlike b - stage epoxy film adhesives , the preferred thermoplastic film adhesives are non - curing . therefore , the material will again soften when heated above the material defined softening temperature . while those skilled in the art will recognize that a variety of suitable flexible laminates are commercially available , one preferred flexible laminate material is 3m thermo - bond film 845 eg . this material , which has a modified polyolefin base resin , has been found to be compatible with the high ph (& gt ; 9 ) aqueous inks used in our printers . in selecting an appropriate thermoplastic adhesive , it is necessary to select ones having softening temperatures significantly above the expected temperatures to be encountered by the product . in a preferred embodiment , therefore , the non - curing thermoplastic adhesive stock comprises a non - curing thermoplastic adhesive stock that is resistant to high ph inks . the softening and bonding temperature should also be below the temperature at which any part is damaged or degraded . the 3m thermo - bond film 845 eg has a softening temperature about 129 ° c ., which is acceptable for our applications . while the material softens above its softening temperature , it still remains quite viscous . therefore , there is essentially no undesirable wicking flow of the material . unlike the epoxy used in the prior art , the 3m thermo - bond film 845 eg remains sufficiently flexible as it cools down from the bonding temperature to prevent the differenctial thermal expansion from distorting the assembly . the desired thickness of the flexible laminate is in the range of approximately 0 . 0025 ″. while the thickness of the flexible laminate may vary without departing from the scope of the invention , the purpose of this thickness selection is to keep the catcher assembly thickness similar to the existing catcher assembly thickness that uses an epoxy layer . the thermoplastic stock is elastic by nature , and so reduces lamination stress between components . during the lamination process , the thermoplastic stock exhibits high viscosity , reducing material flow into areas that degrade printhead performance . an advantage of using thermoplastic stock is that the thermoplastic stock can be taken back through its glass transition and made soft again . once the primary ink jet components 10 , 12 , and 14 , and 24 and 26 , are laminated or otherwise joined , the parts can be repositioned if needed by reapplying heat and moving the parts into their desired positions before cooling the thermoplastic . to disassemble the ink jet components , heat can be reapplied to the separate pieces with minimal effort . consequently , in fig2 a , the charge plate 10 and the catcher 12 are joined with a thermoplastic film layer 34 ; and the catcher 12 is likewise joined to the catcher plate 14 with a second thermoplastic film layer 36 . similarly , in fig2 b , the droplet generator 24 is joined to the orifice plate 26 with a thermoplastic film layer 40 . with the construction of the present invention , the delicate screens used in the prior art constructions to apply epoxy to the various components , are not required in the joining of the ink jet components constructed according to the present invention . a further advantage of the thermoplastic construction of the present invention is that the thermoplastic sheets can be stored at room temperature , and do not have a shelf life , unlike epoxy which requires storage in a freezer to ensure shelf life and viability . the thermoplastic film around five times thicker than prior art epoxy . epoxy cannot be made thicker because the additional material would overflow during the lamination process into areas that would degrade ink jet performance . the thermoplastic film does not flow at bonding / lamination temperature and hence can be used in a “ thicker ” state . this additional thickness of the thermoplastic creates thermal isolation between precision ink jet components . thermal isolation facilitates better temperature control and promotes condensation removal from the charge plate . the flexible laminate layers 34 , 36 and 40 , can be supplied in limitless stamped configurations immediately ready for use . the sheet thickness , shape , heat and pressure are easily controlled so that displacement of material during lamination is minimal . in accordance with a usual application of the present invention , the components will be heated to 250 degrees fahrenheit , with a pressure of approximately 10 psi . when epoxy is used to bind an ink jet catcher / charge plate assembly together , as in the prior art , the charge plate and catcher thermally grow through the heating cycle , along with the epoxy . the charge plate and catcher are fixed together at the expanded state when the epoxy cross - links . as the assembly cools , the thermal differential between the catcher and charge plate create an undesirable bow across the charge plate face and its mounting plane . these bi - directional bows are detrimental to ink jet printhead performance . with the construction of the present invention , bonding is with thermoplastic film , therefore negating the bow in a finished assembly . the thermoplastic film is elastic and therefore does not cause the assembly to bow during the curing process , yet constrains the ink jet hardware to the desired level of precision . this elimination of lamination distortion is an additional advantage to the construction proposed by the present invention . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof , but it will be understood that modifications and variations can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention .
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this invention relates to compounds which are useful as high solvating plasticizers and compositions , such as polyvinylchloride ( pvc ) plastisols including the plasticizers , as well as methods of making and using the plasticizers and plastisols . the plasticizers fuse at lower temperatures than expected , gel at lower temperatures , and have lower than expected viscosity . these improved properties come while retaining plasticization efficiency based on shore a hardness of the fused pvc . unless otherwise indicated , all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients , properties such as , reaction conditions , and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “ about .” accordingly , unless indicated to the contrary , the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention . at the very least , each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques . further , the ranges stated in this disclosure and the claims are intended to include the entire range specifically and not just the endpoint ( s ). for example , a range stated to be 0 to 10 is intended to disclose all whole numbers between 0 and 10 such as , for example 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , etc ., all fractional numbers between 0 and 10 , for example 1 . 5 , 2 . 3 , 4 . 57 , 6 . 1113 , etc ., and the endpoints 0 and 10 . also , a range associated with chemical substituent groups such as , for example , “ c 1 to c 5 hydrocarbons ”, is intended to specifically include and disclose c 1 and c 5 hydrocarbons as well as c 2 , c 3 , and c 4 hydrocarbons . wherein r and r ′ are different and represent a straight chain or branched c 1 to c 13 alkyl group , a straight or branched c 2 to c 13 ether group , a cycloalkane group , or an aromatic group , and when both r and r ′ are an alkyl group the total number of carbons in both alkyl groups is less than 18 . according to an embodiment , the alkyl group can be straight or branched and could include methyl , ethyl , propyl , n - butyl , isobutyl , mixed pentyls , mixed hexyls , mixed heptyls , 2 - ethylhexyl , mixed octyls , mixed nonyls , mixed decyls , mixed undecyls , mixed dodecyls , and mixed tridecyls . examples of an ether group include diethylene glycol monobutyl ether , propylene glycol isobutyl ether , and dipropylene glycol monoethyl ether . examples of cycloalkanes include cyclohexyl and methylcylcohexyl . moreover , examples of useful aromatics include benzyl and tolyl . in an embodiment , a plasticizer composition includes a 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate diester . these compounds can be derived , for example , via an esterification reaction or a trans - esterification reaction . for example , the compounds may be derived from the reaction of 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid ; and mixtures of alcohols . the reaction can result in a mixture of diesters . for example , the reaction can result in a mixture of the cis and trans isomers of the mixed ester ( i . e . where each ester is different ) and the cis and trans isomers of the same esters . moreover , suitable alcohols include straight chained or branched methanols , ethanols , propanols , butanols , pentanols , hexanols , heptanols , octanols , nonanols , decanols , undecanols , dodecanols , and tridecanols . the alcohols can also be aromatic or cyclic . alternatively , the compounds may be derived from the reaction of dimethyl cyclohexane - 1 , 4 - dicarboxylate and a mixture of alcohols . in one embodiment , the composition includes a mixture of 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate molecules . for example , the composition could include a mixture of the cis and trans isomers of the mixed ester and the cis and trans isomers of the dibutyl and dibenzyl esters . for example , the composition can have mixtures of dibutyl 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate ( dbcd ), dibenzyl 1 , 4 - cylcohexane dicarboxylate ( bzcd ) and butyl benzyl 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate ( bbcd ). moreover , the various esters can be present in the mixture in various ratios . for example , the composition can include a mixture of from about 0 to about 80 weight % dbcd , from about 0 to about 50 weight % bzcd , and from about 20 to about 80 weight % bbcd or 10 to about 60 weight % dbcd , from about 10 to about 40 weight % bzcd , and from about 20 to about 60 weight % bbcd . according to one embodiment , the compounds can be produced by contacting 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid or dimethyl cyclohexane - 1 , 4 - dicarboxylate and at least one alcohol in the presence of a catalyst . the catalyst can be , for example , a lewis acid or lewis base catalyst such as , for example , a titanate or potassium hydroxide . the catalyst can be present in an amount of from about 50 ppm to about 5000 ppm ; from about 100 ppm to about 4000 ppm ; or from about 200 ppm to about 3000 ppm . the reaction mixture can be run at a temperature of from about 65 ° c . to about 220 ° c ., from about 140 ° c . to about 210 ° c . or from about 170 ° c . to about 200 ° c . moreover , the reaction can be run at a pressure of from about 20 torr to about 800 torr , from about 500 torr to about 780 torr , or from about 700 torr to about 760 torr . in one embodiment volatiles can be distilled at a vapor temperature of from about 65 ° c . to about 130 ° c . moreover , after sampling for completion any excess alcohols can be remove at a temperature of from about 150 ° c . to about 220 ° c . and a pressure of from about 10 torr to about 100 torr . upon completion of the reaction , the reactor can be adjusted to atmospheric pressure and cooled to a temperature of from about 40 ° c . to about 100 ° c . or 40 ° c . to about 100 ° c . according to one embodiment , the completed reaction mixture can be washed up to three or more times with a wash solution , such as , for example , 2 . 5 % naoh in water , discarding the lower layer after each wash . the completed reaction mixture can also be washed up to three times or more with distilled or deionized water after which any residual water can be removed via , for example , a vacuum . heat can be applied to the vacuum ( up to about 150 ° c .) to facilitate water removal . additional purification steps include carbon purification and filtration to remove the carbon . for example , a plasticizer according to the present invention can be produced by charging 1 mole of dimethyl cyclohexane - 1 , 4 - dicarboxylate to an excess of n - butyl alcohol ( 3 - 12 moles ) along with 50 - 5000 ppm of a lewis acid or lewis base catalyst ( preferably a titanate or potassium hydroxide ). this is heated while distilling volatiles at a vapor temperature of 65 - 115 ° c . benzyl alcohol ( 2 - 4 moles ) is added and heating is continued while distilling volatiles at a vapor temperature of 118 - 170 ° c . after sampling for completion , the excess alcohols are removed at 150 ° c . and 50 torr and the reactor is adjusted to atmospheric pressure . the reactor is then cooled to 85 ° c . and three 2 . 5 % naoh in water washes are added with the lower layer being discarded after each wash . three washes with distilled or deionized water are then performed after which 50 torr vacuum is applied to the reactor and the reactor is heated to 150 ° c . to remove residual water . carbon is added and the mixture is stirred one hour . the mixture is filtered through a filter aid to remove the carbon . an embodiment according to the present concerns a plastisol which includes the high solvating plasticizers . plastisols can be prepared using a high , low or combination intensity mixers , such as ribbon blenders , conical screw , planetary , cowles , morehouse , or any other suitable mixer . ingredients used in making plastisols include pvc , acrylic or other polymeric resins ; primary or secondary plasticizers ; fillers ; pigments ; heat stabilizers ; solvents ; and other ingredients known in the industry . according to one embodiment , the plasticizers can be added to the plastisols at a range of from about 1 . 0 weight % to about 60 weight %, or at a range of from about 5 . 0 weight % to about 40 weight %, or even at a range of from about 10 . 0 weight % to about 30 weight % by weight depending on the efficiency of the plasticizer and the desired properties of the final product . the order of ingredients , shaft rpm , mixing times , and temperature all play a role to the producing a plastisol with reproducible quality . typically plastisol temperature during mixing is maintained at less than 95 ° f . ( 35 ° c . ), or even less than 80 ° f . ( 27 ° c . ), though in some cases where for instance a higher viscosity is desired , the maximum temperature can be higher . air is both incorporated in the mixing process and may also be introduced from the surface of the dry ingredients . if necessary , it can be removed by deaeration under reduced pressure either during or after mixing . some of the air will be released if a plastisol is stored . in one embodiment , the present plasticizers may be incorporated into vinyl chloride resin , along with or without other additions , by any suitable process such as , mixing or kneading of the ingredients . a desirable procedure involves forming a vinyl resin dispersion which can be cast in a film or thicker body , and then heated to form a homogeneous body of plasticized resin . such dispersions are suspensions of vinyl chloride resin particles in nonaqueous liquids including the plasticizer which do not dissolve the resin at ordinary temperatures but do at elevated temperatures . if the liquid phase consists only of plasticizer , the dispersion is often termed as “ plastisol ,” whereas if the dispersing liquid also contains volatile organic solvents or organic components which evaporate upon heating , the dispersion is often termed as “ organosol .” both plastisols and organosols may include other additives , including stabilizers , normally used in vinyl chloride resin compositions . the term “ plastisol ” as used herein is intended to include both plastisols and organosols . the plasticizers according to this invention may be added at any time and in any convenient manner to the pvc plastisol . if desired , the pvc plastisol and viscosity reducing compounds may be mixed simultaneously , for example , in conventional mixing or blending equipment . the plasticizers according to this invention may be used to make numerous products . for example , the plasticizers can be used in adhesives and sealants , coated fabrics , wire and cable coatings , foams , footwear , gaskets , inks , cosmetics , and medical . pvc based applications include floor coverings , wallpaper , roofing membranes , tubing , inks , calendared film , polymers that have used plasticizers include pvc , polyurethanes , polyesters , cellulosics , polystyrene , polyvinyl alcohol , epoxies , rubbers , and polyamides . products which employ the plasticizers of the present invention can be prepared or manufactured via numerous known processes . for example , the products or articles can be made or manufactured by hot or cold dipping , slush molding , or cavity molding ; direct or reverse roll coating , knife coating or laminating adhesive ; various spray processes or any other process known in the industry . the following examples are submitted for a better understanding of the invention . the formulation used in the examples detailed herein for a pvc plastisol is shown in table 1 . plastisols were prepared using geon ™ 121a pvc resin ( 1 micron dispersion grade ), jenkinol ™ epoxidized soybean oil ( eso ) or drapex 6 . 8 eso and akcrostab ™ lt4798 heat and light stabilizer and the plasticizer of interest . the plastisols ( 60 parts per hundred ( phr ) plasticizer and 3 phr eso and heat stabilizer ) were prepared using a flacktek dac 150 speedmixer ™ at 2000 rpm for two 45 sec intervals with a rest period in between such that the plastisol temperature did not exceed 35 ° c . ( 95 ° f .). plastisol fusion properties were determined on 60 ml of plastisol with an intellitorque plasti - corder ™ 7150 brabender ™ torque rheometer with conical twin - screw roller blades co - rotating at 32 rpm and a 10 ° f ./ min ( 5 . 7 ° c ./ min ) temperature ramp from 95 to 375 ° f . ( 35 - 195 . 5 ° c .) with 1 minute holds at the beginning and end . table 2 contains brabender data showing the results for a diisononyl orthophthalate ( dinp ) and the cyclohexane dicarboxylate analogue ( dinch ). the orthophthalate fuses and gels at lower temperatures than the cyclohexane dicarboxylate analogue . gel temperatures were calculated two ways . the first uses the temperature at which the tangent to the inflection point on the brabender curve intersects with the baseline . the second gelation temperature method uses a temperature gradient bar and a method very similar to that documented in spi - vpd method be146 , except that an 8 mil drawdown was used and allowed to sit for 10 minutes before applying the aluminum foil , rolling from the hot end to the cold end and then removing . the gel temperature with this method is the temperature of the bar just before where plastisol is observed on the foil . table 3 shows the unexpected results for the 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate analogues of the butyl benzyl terephalate , butyl benzyl orthophthalate and dibutyl tere - and ortho - phthalates . unlike the comparative example for the 1 , 2 cyclohexane dicarboxylate and orthophthalate , the 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate and terephthalate examples show no difference in fusion or gel temperatures . the viscosity of the plastisol containing the 1 , 4 - cyclohexane dicarboxylate ( cd ) is lower and more stable with respect to increasing shear than that of the analogous orthophthalate . the viscosity of a bbp containing plastisol increases dramatically while that for the cd analogue is lower and quite stable with increasing shear rate as shown in fig3 . the stability with time for the two plastisols is the same and shown in fig4 . the viscosity of the cd plasticizer is lower than for the analogous orthophthalate . for instance , bbcd and bbp have viscosities of 3000 and 4300 cp , respectively at shear rates of 10 - 100 / sec . in addition the bbcd containing plastisol is readily deaerated while the analogous one containing bbp is very difficult to deaerate due to the stability of the bubbles . the hardness of pvc is a measure of the efficiency of the plasticizer . for equal amounts of plasticizer , a softer pvc indicates it contains a more efficient plasticizer . shore a hardness of 67 was measured for both a 60 phr bbcd pvc and a 60 phr bbp pvc . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention .
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in fig1 platform 5 is shown in ocean attached to sea bed with legs 6 . fig1 also shows the main working parts of the device . a lever arm 20 is attached to the platform 5 at pivot point 7 . a float 13 is attached to one end of the lever arm 20 at pivot point 17 and a piston rod 23 is attached to the other end at attachment point 24 . on one end of the piston rod 23 is the a piston head 25 . the piston rod 23 goes into cylinder 31 thru air tight membrane 34 in cylinder top 33 . this cylinder 31 is attached to the platform at a connection point 32 , which is a certain fixed distance from pivot point 7 . the cylinder 31 is attached to the platform at an angle relative to the movement of the piston . top air duct 42 is attached to cylinder 31 at top cylinder outlet 36 . bottom air duct 43 is attached to cylinder 31 at bottom cylinder outlet 37 . fig4 shows better the air duct connections . top air duct 42 is connected to top turbine 53 and to top air release duct 48 which connects to top air vent 50 . bottom air duct 43 is connected to bottom turbine 54 and to bottom air release duct 49 which connects to bottom air vent 51 . top generator 57 is connected to top turbine 53 by shaft 55 and power cable 59 is attached to the top generator . bottom generator 58 is connected to bottom turbine 54 by shaft 56 and power cable 60 is attached to the bottom generator . fig2 . shows the working mode of the device . in this depiction the platform 5 is a floating barge that is heavy enough that it only moves minimally with the up and down motion of the ocean &# 39 ; s waves . the lever arm 20 acts as a see saw . the float 13 is in direct communication with the water at the bottom of the float 14 . as waves move into the float area the wave crest pushes the float up which causes the lever arm 20 to pivot at pivot point 7 and the top of the lever arm 24 goes down pushing the piston 23 and the piston head 25 down thru the cylinder 31 . fig3 shows the device as the wave trough moves into the float area . the float drops vertically causing the lever arm 20 to pivot at pivot point 7 and the top of the lever arm 24 goes up pulling the piston 23 and the piston head 25 up thru the cylinder 31 . as piston 23 and piston head 25 move up and down in the cylinder 31 , it is in direct contact with the cylinder walls . fig6 shows a neoprene 0 - ring 26 that is attached to piston head 25 . this allows for an air tight seal between piston head 25 and the walls of the cylinder which further allows for all the air in the cylinder to be pushed out of the cylinder thru either the top or bottom outlet holes . fig8 shows the piston 23 and the piston head 25 moving down thru the cylinder 31 , shown by arrow e . the direction of the air that is pushed in front of the piston head is indicated by arrow b . the air is forced out bottom cylinder outlet 37 thru bottom duct 43 thru bottom turbine 54 thru bottom air release duct 49 and bottom vent 51 to outside air . this action causes bottom turbine 54 to spin . as the falling piston head 25 pushes the air down thru the cylinder a vacuum in created behind the piston head . arrow a shows the direction of air being sucked into the vacuum that is created . from the outside , air goes thru top vent 50 and top air release duct 48 thru top turbine 53 on thru top duct 43 and into cylinder 31 via top cylinder outlet 36 . this action causes top turbine 53 to spin . fig7 shows the piston 23 and piston head 25 being pulled up thru the cylinder 31 , shown by arrow f . as the piston head 25 rises the air is pushed up and as indicated by arrow c the air is forced out top cylinder outlet 36 thru top duct 42 thru top turbine 53 thru top air release duct 48 and top vent 50 to outside air . this action causes top turbine 53 to spin . as the rising piston head 25 pushes the air up thru the cylinder 31 a vacuum is created behind the piston head . arrow d shows the direction that this air travels as it is sucked into the vacuum that is created by this rising piston head . from the outside , air travels thru bottom vent 51 and bottom air release duct 49 thru bottom turbine 54 on thru bottom duct 43 and into cylinder 31 via bottom cylinder outlet 37 . this action causes bottom turbine 54 to spin . in the described embodiment air travels thru both the top and bottom turbines in both directions as it is either being pushed out or sucked in . the use of the wells turbine allows for the turbine to spin in only one direction irrespective of which direction the air flows . fig4 shows the top turbine 53 in direct connection to top generator 57 thru connection 55 . as top turbine spins , it spins top generator and produces electricity . this electricity is then sent through cable 59 under water to the power grid . bottom turbine 54 is in direct connection to bottom generator 58 thru connection 56 . as bottom turbine spins , it spins bottom generator and produces electricity . electrical power from bottom generator runs thru bottom cable 60 and on to the power grid . as the up and down motion of the ocean waves is continuous , so to is the see saw action of the lever arm and the up and down motion of the piston pushing and sucking air thru the wells turbines producing constant electrical power . the float 13 must maintain contact with the ocean waves to assure this . fig5 shows hinged float connection to lever arm . bearings 17 a and 17 b are attached to the top of the float 13 . bearing shaft 18 goes from bearing 17 a thru lever arm 20 at bushing hole 19 to bearing 17 b . this assures the float 13 is always in direct contact with the water . it also provides for a place where a disconnection of the device can be accomplished . by removing shaft 18 the float 13 can be removed during storms or extremely rough seas . without the float to drive the lever arm the device will stop . as with rough seas , adjustments to the device can also be implemented at times of calm seas . fig5 shows the pivot point connection to lever arm 20 . the pivot is a connection much like the connection of the float 13 to lever arm 20 . bearings 9 and 9 a are attached to the platform 5 . pivot bearing shaft 10 goes from bearing 9 thru lever arm 20 at bushing hole 11 to bearing 9 a . at times of the calm seas the whole pivot bearing assembly can be moved and pivot bearing shaft 10 can be moved to bushing hole 12 in lever arm 20 . at the same time bearings 9 and 9 a are moved to and attached to platform 5 at a connection point 8 . this will allow the piston to still travel the same distance thru the cylinder even through the float is now moving a shorter vertical distance . as more air flows thru a turbine larger turbines can be used making larger amounts of power . the amount of air flowing thru the turbines of this device is in direct correlation to the diameter of the cylinder as well as the height of the cylinder , more specifically the distance the piston head travels thru the cylinder . as more air is displaced in front of the piston head and behind the piston head as it moves thru the cylinder , more air is directed thru the turbines . in order to achieve the maximum amount of air movement thru the turbines a mechanical advantage is employed . this device is designed to operate at various wave heights , with optimal heights being seas of 4 ′- 8 ′. fig1 shows length of lever arm 20 between pivot point 7 and float 13 being a distance x . the distance between pivot point 7 and piston connection to lever arm 24 is distance 4 x . this allows the piston to move thru the cylinder 16 ′- 32 ′ in seas of 4 ′- 8 ′. while this is the shown embodiment , even greater mechanical advantages could be used . when greater mechanical advantages are used both the weight of the float and the size of float have to be adjusted . both the weight and size of the float and its relationship to its distance from the pivot point are governed by well understood principles of physics . while the above is the preferred embodiment of the invention , many modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art and these should be considered within the scope spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims .
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directing attention to fig7 , the present invention provides chair 100 having a seat 102 that is manipulated through a large number of different angular motion paths . the seat moves in a synchronized motion path employing two or more degrees of freedom , depending on the embodiment . this motion system consists of two drive wheels 104 , 106 . drive wheel 104 is driven from gear motor 108 . drive wheel 106 is driven by chain 110 connected to drive wheel 104 ( fig9 ). the ratio between the diameters of drive wheels 104 , 106 determines the motion paths for seat 102 . if the diameters of drive wheels 104 , 106 are equal , a circular tilting pattern will occur and the seat will never be in a horizontal position . thus , in a preferred embodiment , drive wheels 104 , 106 are of different diameters to generate a periodic path of varying ellipsoidal tilting motions . the number of tilting motion iterations per repeating pattern is determined by the ratio between drive wheels 104 , 106 . if the ratio is not equal the seat of the chair will be horizontal or nearly horizontal two times during each period . in a preferred embodiment , the present invention utilizes a ratio of 7 : 6 between drive wheels 104 , 106 . a useful range of ratios is about 1 : 20 to about 20 : 1 , excluding the ratio of 1 : 1 . a ratio close to 1 : 1 will make the number of roll to pitch tilts per repeating motion paths more equal . directing attention to fig8 , in an embodiment , seat 102 supported by support 112 connected to universal joint 114 ( fig1 ). universal joint 114 allows seat 102 to pivot about a central point . eccentric member 116 is connected to drive wheel 104 to provide an off - center connection point for linkage 118 that is connected between eccentric member 116 and a side mounting point of seat 102 . the front of seat 102 is driven by crankshaft 120 that is supported by idler bearings 122 . at the end of crankshaft 120 , eccentric member 124 provides an off - center connection for linkage 126 . linkage 126 is connected between eccentric member 124 and a mounting point beneath the front of seat 102 . both eccentric member 116 and eccentric member 124 may have a plurality of off - center mounting points located at different radii from the center of rotation , to provide adjustments to the magnitude of vertical change to seat 102 by linkages 118 , 126 , respectively . while in a preferred embodiment , drive wheels 104 , 106 are sprockets that are connected by a roller chain , in alternative embodiments , drive wheels 104 , 106 can be pulleys and chain 110 can be substituted with a drive belt connecting drive wheels 104 , 106 . in another embodiment , drive wheels 104 , 106 can be gears that interface directly with each other , or through intermediate gearing . in yet another embodiment , drive wheel 104 and crankshaft 120 can be independently powered by separate drive motors that turn drive wheel 104 and crankshaft 120 at respective rotational speeds to achieve the same motion paths generated by drive wheels 104 , 106 having the range of diameter ratios between about 1 : 20 through 20 : 1 . the motion paths generated in the present invention cause seat 102 to tilt between a level , horizontal position and various tilted positions . the deterministic and repeatable complex angular motion path generated by the present invention allows seat 102 to tilt in a much larger range of positions than the circular path methods of the prior art . this complex angular path is illustrated in a graphical plot in fig1 . as shown in fig1 , seat 102 is moved in accordance with a lissajou pattern . to generate the path in fig1 a drive wheel ratio of 7 : 6 was used . this path consists of six cycles . a more detailed graphical representation of each cycle of this path is shown in fig1 through fig1 . directing attention to fig1 ( 5 ) the x indicates the location where seat 102 is level . with a ratio of 7 : 6 the seat becomes level twice during the six angular path cycles this ratio generates . this ratio metric angular motion path has the ability to reverse direction without reversing the direction of the motor . in fig1 ( 2 ) the direction of the angular motion changes from clockwise to counter clockwise and reverses again to clockwise in fig1 ( 3 ). comparing fig1 to the angular path of the prior art in fig1 it should be obvious the angular path of this invention provides a much larger range of angular motions than the prior art circular motion method . while ratio of 7 : 6 was used in this invention , a much larger set of other ratios will generate many desirable angular motion paths . different ratio metric ratios will produce different repeating angular paths and a different number of cycles before the pattern repeats . in an embodiment , motor 108 ( and thus the motion of seat 102 ) is controlled by speed control mechanism 130 , which is adjustable by speed adjustment mechanism 132 . in an embodiment , motor timer 134 is included to also provide periods where motion of seat 102 is temporarily suspended . this allows the motion to be stopped when seat 102 is level and thus constant postural changes are not required . returning to fig9 , in an embodiment , the present invention detects when seat 102 is level with respect to pitch and roll . to detect when seat 102 is level , two horizontal seat sensors are disposed proximate to drive wheels 104 , 106 . sensor 136 determines when seat 102 is horizontal with respect to left / right tilt . in an embodiment , sensor 136 utilizes a stationary , mechanically activated electrical switch such as a limit switch . sensor 136 is triggered when a lobe on cam 138 makes contact with sensor 136 . cam 138 is attached to protrude radially from drive wheel 104 and revolves as drive wheel 104 rotates . the lobe on cam 138 is positioned to contact sensor 136 when seat 102 is horizontal with respect to left / right tilt . a similar sensor and cam are disposed proximate to drive wheel 106 to determine when seat 102 is level with respect to front / back tilt . in an embodiment , sensor 140 utilizes a stationary , mechanically activated electrical switch such as a limit switch . sensor 140 is triggered when a lobe on cam 142 makes contact with sensor 140 . cam 142 is attached to protrude radially from drive wheel 106 and revolves as drive wheel 106 rotates . the lobe on cam 142 is positioned to contact sensor 140 when seat 102 is horizontal with respect to front / back tilt . when both sensors 136 , 140 are activated , seat 102 is level with respect to pitch and roll . in an embodiment , when motor timer 134 is in the seat on mode , motor 108 is powered on and drives drive wheels 104 , 106 . when motor timer 134 is in the seat off mode and horizontal seat sensors 136 and 140 are triggered , motor 108 is powered off . in an embodiment , motor timer 134 contains logic that allow an adjustable interval during which sensors 136 and 140 are serially activated and motor 108 is powered off when seat 102 is in a position that is close to level with respect to pitch and roll but contains a slight tilt in either pitch , roll , or both . this is especially useful for accommodating individual needs such as an injury where the seated person finds comfort in a slightly off - level position . since the motion of seat 102 can be stopped , chair 100 may be used as a regular level chair . the motion of seat 102 can be automatically stopped for periodic level seat time out periods . while the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a drive wheel ratio of 7 : 6 ( gearing 14 : 12 ), reversing this ratio to 6 : 7 will yield similar results . while chair 100 is illustrated herein as a conventional chair , chair 100 is also particularly useful when incorporated into the design of a wheelchair , and is also useful in vehicles such as automobiles , airplanes , or any other application where a person remains seated for prolonged periods of time . while in the preferred embodiment linkages 118 and 126 are attached to the bottom side of the seat and the bottom front of the seat respectively , in an alternative embodiment , linkages 118 , 126 are connected directly to support 112 rather than to seat 102 . in this alternative embodiment , linkages 118 and 126 are still orthogonal with respect to each other . in this alternative embodiment , the seat motion is the same as in the preferred embodiment . in this alternative embodiment , motor 108 , sprockets 104 , 106 , eccentric 116 and chain 110 are rotated 90 degrees to assume a horizontal orientation . eccentric 124 is attached directly to drive wheel 106 . crankshaft 120 and bearings 122 - 1 , 122 - 2 are replaced by an idler bearing . while various embodiments of the dynamic chair of the present invention have been described and illustrated in detail , it is to be understood that many changes to the embodiments can be realized without departing from the spirit of the invention .
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fig1 illustrates a touch screen system 10 formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the touch screen system 10 includes a system processor 12 which performs overall control of the touch screen system 10 , including implementation of applications for various industries . the system processor 12 communicates over a bus or bi - directional links 14 and 16 with a touch screen control module 18 and a display control module 20 , respectively . the touch screen control module 18 transmits control signals to and receives sensor signals from a touch screen overlay 22 . by way of example , the control signals transmitted from the touch screen control module 18 may include timing signals , ultrasound drive transmissions , optical drive signals and the like . the sensor signals supplied from the touch screen overlay 22 may represent touch events , release events , streaming / drag touch events and the like . a touch event occurs when a user &# 39 ; s hand or finger or an instrument contacts a touch sensitive pad or is placed in sufficiently close proximity to the touch screen overlay to be detected by the sensing mechanism ( e . g . optical sensors , ultrasound sensors and the like ). a release event occurs when the user &# 39 ; s hand or finger or an instrument is removed from a position in contact with , or close proximity to , the touch sensitive pad or touch screen overlay . a drag event occurs when , after a touch event and before a release event , the user &# 39 ; s hand or finger or the instrument is held in contact or close proximity with the touch sensitive pad or touch screen overlay and moved across the surface of the touch sensitive pad or touch screen overlay . the sensor signals also include coordinate information indicative of the position at which the touch event , drag event or release event occurred . the information may constitute a pixel location , a row and column combination , an x and y coordinate combination within the coordinate system of the touch screen overlay 22 and the like . the display control module 20 controls presentation of graphical information on the display 24 . the graphical information may represent one or more windows or screens having associated therewith one or more active areas . active areas may be graphically represented as buttons , icons , drop - down menus , text / numeric entry boxes and the like . the display 24 may represent , among other things , a personal digital assistant , a point of sale terminal , an automated teller machine , a user interface of a medical system , and the like . the system processor 12 coordinates operation between the touch screen control module 18 and the display control module 20 such that the graphical areas presented on the display 24 are defined as active areas by the system processor 12 by correlating the active area with one or more functions . examples of functions include , among other things , entry of a numeral or letter corresponding to a button on a key pad , entry of an enter - command , a shift command , a control command and the like . other examples of functions include the functions performed upon receipt of operation commands from a computer mouse when performing a left single click , left double click or right click operation . in accordance with at least one exemplary implementation , the display control module 20 may present on display 24 icons , a toolbar containing buttons , folders and the like . for example , when the display 24 is controlled to present a window associated with an e - mail package , the window may include a toolbar containing options such as “ file ”, “ edit ”, “ view ”, “ tools ”, and the like . in addition , the window may be bifurcated into a folder list along one side and a listing of the individual e - mail stored within a currently selected folder along the other side . each individual folder , e - mail entry , tool bar button and the like may have one or more functions associated therewith . a single click operation ( e . g ., touching and / or releasing the left button on the computer mouse ) may initiate different operations depending upon which item is selected . when a single click operation is performed on an individual e - mail item in a list , the item is highlighted to indicate that the e - mail item has been selected . hence , the function associated with the single click operation and the e - mail item is to “ highlight ” the e - mail item . when a single click operation is performed upon a folder entry , the folder entry is highlighted and a listing is generated itemizing the e - mail stored within the selected folder . hence , two functions are associated with the single click operation and the folder entry , namely to highlight the folder and open the folder . when a single click operation is performed upon a button on the toolbar , a drop down menu is presented with various follow - up functions . hence , the function generates a drop - down menu to present follow - up functional options . when a double click operation ( e . g ., consecutively touching and / or releasing the left button on the computer mouse twice within a relatively short period of time ) is selected for an individual e - mail entry , the function of opening the e - mail entry is performed . the buttons on the toolbar may not necessarily have unique double click functions associated therewith . the folder entries within the e - mail folder list may have double click functions associated therewith , such as exhibiting subfolders within the folder list or closing previously displayed subfolders from the displayed folder list . the system processor 12 may also assign right click functions to individual e - mail entries ( e . g ., when touching and / or releasing the right button on the computer mouse ). when a right click operation is performed with respect to an e - mail entry , a drop - down menu is presented displaying functions that may be performed in connection with the selected e - mail entry ( e . g ., open , print , reply , forward , view attachments , and the like ). fig2 illustrates a block diagram of the functional modules within the touch screen control module 18 that distinguish and interpret touch and release events and produce therefrom operation commands formatted to be understood by the system processor 12 . the touch screen control module 18 receives inputs over line 26 from the system processor 12 and outputs signals over line 28 to the system processor 12 . within the touch screen control module 18 , a micro - controller 30 directly communicates over a bi - directional link 32 with the sensors of the touch screen overlay 20 . the touch screen control module 18 includes a position and touch status comparator module 34 and an interval timer module 36 . the comparator module 34 and timer module 36 are not generally discrete hardware components , but instead represent functional modules carried out by or under the direction of the micro - controller 30 . the touch screen control module 18 outputs operation commands , such as a left click or left button down output 38 , a right click or right button output 40 , and a double left click output 42 . the outputs 38 , 40 and 42 represent operation commands formatted based upon the input parameters of the system processor 12 . the outputs 38 , 40 and 42 may be formatted to resemble the operation commands output by a computer mouse to enable the touch screen control module 18 and touch screen overlay 22 to be easily implemented with conventional off - the - shelf computer systems , such as personal computers , controlled by off - the - shelf operating systems . as explained below in more detail , the micro - controller 30 identifies touch events ( e . g ., when a finger or instrument contacts the touch screen overlay 20 ). the micro - controller 30 also identifies drag events and release events ( e . g ., when a finger or instrument is removed from the surface of the touch screen overlay 20 ). the micro - controller 30 , in addition to identifying the touch , drag and release events , also identifies the position at which the associated touch , drag or release event occurred . the type / status of event and the location of the event are processed by the controller 30 in cooperation with the comparator module 34 and timer module 36 to identify input actions . optionally , the system processor 12 may perform one or more of the functions associated with the internal timer module 36 , position and touch status comparator 34 and outputs 38 , 40 and 42 . further , the touch screen control module 18 and system processor 12 may both perform the same function in parallel , such as associated with one or more of the position and touch status comparator 34 , internal time module 36 , and outputs 38 , 40 and 42 . line 26 enables the system processor 12 to modify and update the interval timers , as well as other control criteria , the size and shape of each click function box , the functions associated with each function box and the like . a function box represents a bordered area , in which a series of touch , drag and / or release events should be sensed to constitute a valid single click , double click or right click input action . fig3 illustrates a block diagram of select functions that may be performed during initialization . at step 100 , the system processor 12 may obtain or define the user interface views to be presented during a particular application , as well as the active areas within each view . examples of active areas include icons , buttons on a toolbar , alpha numeric keys , items listed in menus , and the like . at step 102 , the system processor 12 assigns functions to the active areas . the functions associated with a particular active area represent a functional set . for example , one button on a task bar may have a first functional set associated therewith when a single left click occurs , a second functional set associated therewith when a double left click occurs and a third functional set associated therewith when a right click occurs . it is understood that every active area need not include the same number of functions nor the same functions . at step 104 , one or more timing intervals are selected that are associated with each single , double and right click input action . a timing interval may represent the maximum time between consecutive touch events , the time between a touch event and a subsequent release event , the time between a first touch event and a third release event , the time between consecutive release events and the like . as one example , three timing intervals may be selected , where the first timing interval corresponds to the maximum time between consecutive touch and release events to constitute a valid single click input action . as another example , a separate timing interval may be selected as the maximum time between first and second touch events associated with a valid double left click input action . a third timing interval may be selected to be used in connection with a right click input action . the timing interval associated with a right click input action may correspond to the maximum interval between the first and second consecutive touch events , and correspond to the maximum interval between the second and third consecutive touch events . it is understood that the present implementation is not limited to the above examples , but instead other options may also be utilized , such as a double click of the right mouse button , a triple click of the left mouse button , a triple click of the right mouse button and the like . in addition , input actions may be defined entirely un - related to the operation of a computer mouse , such as the shift operation command upon a keyboard , the control operation command , the alt operation command and various combinations and permutations thereof , as well as others . returning to fig3 , at step 106 , the system processor 12 sets the function box size and shape associated with each of the function boxes identifiable by the touch screen control module 18 . the box size and shape associated with a single left click or button input action need not be the same as the box size and shape associated with a right click or button input action . fig4 a - 4d illustrate a logic flow diagram to identify a triple touch or triple click input action . a triple click input action occurs when a user consecutively touches the touch screen overlay 22 three times in succession within predefined time intervals between each touch event , all within a common triple click box . once the user “ triple clicks ” or triple touches a desired active area on the display 24 , the touch screen control module 18 generates a right button output 40 ( fig2 ) to the system processor 12 . in fig4 a , operation begins at step 200 , at which a first touch event ( 1 st t / e ) is detected , along with the position at which the touch event occurred on the touch screen overlay 22 . at step 202 , the touch screen control module 18 generates a “ left button down status ” and the location of the touch event . the left button down status corresponds to a left click output 38 which is output to the system processor 12 ( fig2 ) as an operation command . at step 204 , the touch screen control module 18 sets the center of a triple click box ( tr / cl / bx ) at the location of the first touch event . the comparator module 34 ( fig2 ) utilizes the triple click box position set at step 204 in subsequent operations ( as explained below ) to determine whether subsequent touch and release events fall inside the triple click box . in this manner , the comparator module 34 determines whether subsequent touch and release events correspond to a valid triple click input action . in the event that subsequent touch and release events fall outside of the triple click box , the triple click identification operation is restarted . at step 206 , the interval timer within timer module 36 is initiated to monitor the touch - event - to - touch - event time . at step 208 , it is determined whether a release event ( r / e ) has occurred . so long as no release event occurs , control passes to step 210 , at which the timer module 36 is checked to determine whether the timer has expired or “ timed out ”. if the timer module 36 has timed out , it is determined that the preceding touch event does not constitute part of a valid triple click input action and processing is stopped and returned to step 200 . in the alternative , if at step 208 a first release event ( 1 st r / e ) does occur prior to the timer module 36 timing out , flow passes to step 212 , at which the position of the release event is analyzed to determine whether the release event coordinates are inside the triple click box ( tr / cl / bx ). the comparator module 34 performs the analysis at step 212 . when the first release event is not inside the triple click box , flow passes to step 214 . at step 214 , the touch screen control module 18 outputs a “ left button up ” status to the system processor 12 along line 28 ( fig2 ). after step 214 , the search for a triple click input action is stopped and flow returns to the initial step 200 . alternatively , if at step 212 , the first release event is determined by the comparator module 34 to be inside the triple click box , flow passes to step 216 at which a “ left button up ” status is sent to the system processor 12 . following step 216 , at step 218 , the timer module 36 is reset to begin looking for the second touch event ( 2 nd t / e ). flow passes from step 218 in fig4 a to step 220 in fig4 b . fig4 b illustrates the sequence carried out during the portion of the triple click validation process in which the second click is validated . at step 220 , a second touch event is detected and the position of the second touch event is identified by the micro - controller 30 ( fig2 ). at step 222 , the comparator module 34 determines whether the second touch event is located inside the triple click box . if no , flow passes to step 224 at which a “ left button down ” status ( e . g ., output 38 ) is sent to the system processor 12 along with location data identifying the position of the second touch event . following step 224 , the triple click validation process is stopped and flow returns to step 200 . if at step 222 , the second touch event location is determined to be inside of the triple click box , flow passes to step 226 . at step 226 , the timer module 36 determines whether the second touch event occurs before the interval timer times out . if the second touch event occurs after the interval timer times out , flow passes along path 228 and the triple click validation process is stopped . alternatively , if the second touch event occurs before the timer times out , flow passes to step 230 at which the timer module 36 next determines whether a second release event occurs before the timer 36 module times out . if a second release event occurs before the timer module 36 times out , flow passes to step 232 . at step 232 , a “ left button down ” status ( e . g ., output 38 ) is sent to the system processor 12 along with the location of the second touch event . thereafter , the triple click validation process is stopped . alternatively , if at step 230 , the second release event occurs before the timer times out , flow passes to step 234 at which the comparator module 34 determines whether the second touch event location is inside of a double click box . if the second touch event location is inside of the double click box , flow passes to step 236 and a flag is set denoting that a valid double click input action has been identified . the process of fig4 a - 4d continues because the current sequence of touch and release events may ultimately result in a valid triple click event , but at least as of step 236 , a valid double click input action has been confirmed . continuing to step 238 , it is determined whether the second touch event location is inside of the triple click box . the double click box and the triple click box may or may not have the same shape and size . if the second touch event is not located inside of the triple click box , flow passes to step 240 at which the flag associated with a valid double click input action is analyzed . if the double click flag is set ( as in step 236 ), the touch screen control module 18 ( fig2 ) sends a double click output 42 to the system processor 12 . following step 240 , the triple click validation process is stopped and control returns to step 200 . alternatively , if at step 238 , the second touch event location is inside of the triple click box , flow passes to fig4 c . in fig4 c , at step 242 , the second release event is analyzed to determine whether the second release event is inside of the triple click box . if no , flow passes to step 244 . at step 244 , the micro - controller 30 ( fig2 ) determines whether the double click flag was set at step 236 and if so a double click output command 42 is sent to the system processor 12 . following step 242 , the triple click validation process is stopped and control returns to step 200 . at step 242 , if the second release event is determined to be inside of the triple click box , flow passes to step 246 at which the timer module 36 ( fig2 ) is reset . at step 248 , the micro - controller 30 searches for a third touch event ( 3 rd t / e ). if a third touch event does not occur before the timer times out , flow passes to step 250 . at step 250 , if the double click flag has been set , a double click output 42 is passed to the system processor 12 . alternatively , if the micro - controller 30 detects a third touch event at step 238 , before the timer times out flow passes to step 252 in fig4 d . in fig4 d , at step 252 , the micro - controller 30 determines the position of the third touch event . at step 254 , it is determined whether the third touch event is inside of the triple click box . if not , flow passes to 256 , at which it is determined whether a double click flag was set . if a double click flag was set then at step 256 , a double click output 42 is passed to the system processor 12 . at step 258 , a “ left button down ” status ( e . g ., output 38 ) and the location of the left button down status is passed to the system processor 12 . the triple click validation process is stopped following step 258 . alternatively , if at step 254 , the comparator module 34 determines that the third touch event is inside of the triple click box , flow passes to step 260 . at step 260 , the micro - controller 30 searches for the third release event ( 3 rd r / e ). if the third release event does not occur before the timer times out , flow returns to step 256 . if the third release event occurs before the timer times out , flow passes to step 262 , at which the comparator module 34 determines whether the third release event is inside of the triple click box . if the third release event is not inside the triple click box , flow passes to step 264 , at which the micro - controller determines whether the double click flag was set , and if so a double click output command 42 is sent to the system processor 12 . following step 264 , the triple click validation process is stopped . returning to step 262 , if the third release event is determined to be inside of the triple click box , flow passes to step 266 , at which a valid triple click input action is identified . in the exemplary embodiment , a triple click input action is associated with a computer mouse right click output 40 . thus , at step 266 , a right click input output 40 is sent to the system processor 12 . it is understood that the above processing steps are only exemplary and may be performed in different orders , may be replaced with alternative equivalent operations removed entirely and the like . optionally , the triple click validation process may output a command other than a right click computer mouse command . as a further option , more than three consecutive touch and release events may be searched for in connection with a valid right button mouse click . optionally , in addition or in replace of touch or release events , a drag event my be used . in a drag event , the user touches the screen and drags a finger along the screen , such as in a drag and drop operation . optionally , the triple click box associated with the touch event may not be coextensive with the triple click box associated with release events . instead , partially overlapping or separately distinct triple click boxes may be associated with one or more of the touch events and one or more of the release events . while the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims .
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the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an intergenerational lifetime interactive diary / journaling / advice book system . referring to fig1 , a block diagram of an exemplary structure of a system implementing the invention , a user &# 39 ; s computer 10 interacts with the system computer 14 , for example via the internet or other suitable communication link 12 . a vault 13 may be provided on the central computer for storage of information as noted hereinbelow . one or more product vendors 16 or professional assistance providers 18 are also suitably linkable to the system computer , either by interactive communication therewith , or by entry in a database of contact information or an information library . plural other users 10 ′ may also suitably interact with the user 10 . the system computer may be provided by an internet service provider , as an interactive web page , for example , accessed by a browser , whether operating on a computer , a phone , a pda device , or the like . the system is suitably accessible via the internet or world wide web , for example . in use , the system as presented to the user is structured in a manner similar to the progress of a person &# 39 ; s life , which may be provided in plural volumes or books . therefore , the system begins with a first volume which may be called , for example , the great event , presenting the beginning of a person &# 39 ; s life . this first volume in the series possesses a fundamental difference from other “ baby books ” indicative of the uniqueness the system of the present invention brings to a crowded market . the system is structured with the concept that an individual &# 39 ; s history begins not with birth , but with conception , and that the record of a life must include the nine months of pregnancy . this first volume moves from conception through birth , following all the amazing milestones of early childhood and ends just at the very beginning of the school experience , that first big step away from home and into the big world . the first seven years of life &# 39 ; s experiences are recorded through the use of interactive prompts that parents can respond to alone or with their child . product sponsors may offer special discounts to users of the system , so in this first volume the new parent might find pages with coupons for diaper services , learning toys and children &# 39 ; s furniture . the professional services links may suitably connect them to experts on breastfeeding , attachment parenting , how to deal with stubborn toddlers and whatever else the learning parent needs , just as he or she needs it , any time of the day or night . this volume may be completely self - contained , yet also completely integrated with its companion volumes , discussed hereinbelow . hereinbelow are lists of exemplary questions as employed in a preferred embodiment , related to pregnancy , labor and delivery , and the like . 18 . things mom did while pregnant ( working , playing , exercising , hobbies , travel , holidays ) 23 . how mom and dad prepared for birth , incl . special classes , breathing exercises , nutrition , physical exercises , books read 25 . describe what is happening to mom &# 39 ; s body ( including measurements ) weekly / monthly 27 . as the baby &# 39 ; s mother , my hopes are ( perhaps written to baby as letter ): 28 . as the baby &# 39 ; s father , my hopes are ( perhaps written to baby as letter ): 1 . how we want it to be : ask yourself . . . . where are you when contractions start ? what time of day is it ? what positions would you like to labor in ? what position would you like to deliver in ? what medications ( if any ) are acceptable to you ? what objects do you want to make sure you have with you during labor / delivery ? who do you want to be present through labor and / or delivery ? how will you get to the place you plan to give birth ? what will you wear during labor and delivery ? what will you eat and drink after your baby is born ? how long will you stay at the place you plan to give birth ? what help will you receive at home after the baby arrives ? 2 . will you prepare a birth plan , so those assisting you will know exactly what you want and expect ? 3 . how did you spend the days just before the time came ? 4 . what did you do to get prepared / packed / ready to go ? what special things will you take with you to enhance the birth ? 5 . describe the start of labor or the trip to the hospital / birthing center 6 . the labor story ( how long , who was there , how mom felt , etc .) 7 . the delivery story 8 . what was the hospital stay like visitors gifts 9 . what does baby look like ? length , weight , hair , eyes , who does baby resemble ? 10 . when baby first saw mom and dad first hugs first impressions 11 . first days of baby &# 39 ; s life 12 . name of doctor or midwife 13 . baby &# 39 ; s name and why we chose it girls &# 39 ; names we liked , boys names we liked , top 5 of each 1 . snapshot of the world on the day of baby &# 39 ; s birth 2 . headlines ; world leaders ; world stage ( politics ) 3 . pop culture : sports heroes ; best movies ; best books ; best music / performers ; actors / actresses ; popular tv shoes , incl . what mother and father watched ; fashions ; cars ; fads . 4 . headlines 5 . what things cost ( benchmark items like average annual salary ; minimum wage ; average home price ; new car ; a gallon of gasoline ; a few things everyone owns like tv , computer , etc . ; groceries , i . e . gallon of milk / candy bar / loaf of bread / cup of coffee ; postage stamp ; 1 . coming home : day / date / time , what was the weather like , what were you thinking on the car ride home , what did baby wear 2 . meeting brothers and sisters , other relatives ; what they did , what baby did 3 . first : smile , laugh , coo , lifted head , rolled over , found toes , played peek a boo , responded to name , slept through night , tooth , had all teeth by , sat up alone , started reaching for objects , crawled , stood up holding on to someone , stood up alone , cruised , danced , sang , ate solid food ( what was it ), fed self , haircut , word , started talking , walked , threw ball , baby initiated hug / kiss , first time child shows kindness / affection to a friend . 4 . first outing : when and where , with whom describe other “ first ” outings , i . e . first trip to park , zoo , relatives house , playgroup / playdate , party , etc . 5 . first big trip in the big world : plane , train , bus , car or boat ? 1 . place for weekly picture of baby and developmental update ( ongoing stats ) 2 . growth chart ( height / weight ) 3 . baby &# 39 ; s sleep patterns at 1 , 3 , 6 , 9 , 12 , 18 and 24 months 1 . family tree 2 . favorites : sights and sounds , foods , songs and stories ( update these each year ) 3 . special toys , loveys , blankies , comforts 4 . baby &# 39 ; s dislikes 5 . “ early discoveries and bright sayings ” what did baby do early and well ? 6 . medical / immunization records 7 . baby &# 39 ; s pets 8 . baby &# 39 ; s travels 1 . christening / briss / blessing way describe ceremony , who attended , gifts . how will you bring up baby in your religion / belief system 1 . for each birthday who was invited / attended , themes , decorations , games played , cake , gifts received 1 . about mom : i was born . . . what was happening that year . . . my own childhood favorites . . . pets i had . . . about my family . . . 2 . about dad : i was born . . . what was happening that year . . . my own childhood favorites . . . pets i had . . . about my family . . . where / when / how mom and dad meet ? describe their first date . what did each of them do for a living at the time they met ? what are their shared interests ? what do they most like and love about each other ? 1 . collected words of wisdom from relatives a sort of time capsule to collect family wisdom and stories 2 . baby facts to teach to new big brother or sister ( how to be one ) 3 . family “ lingo ” the special language of your family 1 . month based pregnancy groups groupings of women / men / couples due in a particular month , so that they can make the journey of pregnancy together , sharing friendship , support and information along the way 2 . mother to mother connection , both before and after birth 3 . father to father connection , both before and after birth 4 . post partum depression / experts / counseling 5 . how to find childcare in your town — what options are there — what public entities are in place to help — who can provide me with background and information about providers 1 . birth announcements 2 . first year calendar 3 . scrapbooks either created / stored 100 % on the web or computer , with digitized photos completely integrated to the pages ; pages designed on computer to add photographic prints to ; or designs printed out and glued to acid free paper and photographic prints added . 1 . daily updates of your unborn baby &# 39 ; s or born baby &# 39 ; s development 2 . daily updates on change in mom &# 39 ; s body 3 . mom &# 39 ; s and baby &# 39 ; s dietary needs and how to meet them , complete with recipes 4 . birth flower ( meanings ), birth stones ( meanings ), birth signs ( reference book our baby album , published by burnes yellow book w / teddy bears / bunnies on cover 5 . freebies 6 . coupons 7 . fetal development calendar customizable to your individual baby , based on projected delivery date 8 . tooth chart ( web interactive , like a chart to fill out ) 9 . parental coaching / reference ( i . e . how to stimulate your child &# 39 ; s brain for maximum development 10 . best childrearing books ( for example , the system advantageously includes the option to purchase these books right off the displayed page , for example , such as an amazon books partner or the like , to provide additional revenue stream ). site could provide book rating system by subscribers to the great event ( a - f , with space for comments ) diapers , formula , photographic film , camera manufacturers , clothing manufacturers and stores , toy manufacturers and stores , retail stores . 1 . adoption ( as detailed in area of pre birth / preparation process as biological child section ) 2 . loss of a child here are some example prompts as employable in a preferred embodiment of the system : 1 . news headlines , political figures , popular entertainers , popular songs , big names in sports , popular movies , best selling books , popular tv shows , fashions and fads m . baby let mom and dad know his or her likes and dislikes : n . the first time baby sat up alone was at age : r . baby pulled self up and stood with aid of furniture : v . the very first word spoken was . . . and it was said at age . . . a . toys , pets , stories , songs , nursery rhymes , food , games , playmates , activities , places e . these are the tastes i like , and some of the stranger things i &# 39 ; ve tried to eat : f . this is when mommy began feeding me , and what i like : g . i try to touch everything . these are the things i like to touch : i . during my first year the things i went to sleep with , and my favorite playthings were : j . here are the words i could say before i was two , and some of the things i thought about the world : 1 . mom thinks our baby will come about : ( write in the date ) 2 . what do mom and dad say you were like when you were a baby . 6 . this is what other people in my family said when mom told them about our baby : 15 . people say babies never remember what it was like living inside their moms before they were 17 . what does mom say you did when you were inside her ? 22 . when mom and our baby come home i can help by : 23 . this is what i saw at the hospital during the delivery : a chart may suitably be provided to record the baby &# 39 ; s tooth development . an exemplary chart is shown hereinbelow : dates teeth appeared upper left right lower left right 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 1 . any habits that might affect later development of teeth : 2 . record of visits to the dentist 3 . visits dates 4 . dentist &# 39 ; s comments 5 . dates and comments about loss of teeth as indicated above , each particular section or book may including inserts with information on particular topics , sponsorship data noting particular sponsors who have made an association with the book ( which might be paid sponsors or public service sponsors ), links , which will provide links to websites or other items of interest or having relation to the particular book section , products , services which would be available relevant to the particular section ( e . g . diaper services or the like ) and advice , support and coaching related inserts , which would have information in general about such coaching or advice , support or references to or advertising from specific coaching / advice / support providers . at the end of the first phase of this system discussed herein above , denoted “ the great event ”, a next volume may suitably be provided , representative of the next phase in the person &# 39 ; s life , school days . beginning in kindergarten , this volume suitably provides prompts that describe the complete educational experience , from finger painting and story books to the day the student throws his or her mortarboard into the air and heads out into the world to begin life as an adult . school days is conventionally divided into three phases , including elementary school ( kindergarten through sixth grade ); middle school ( seventh through ninth grade ); and high school ( tenth though twelfth grade ). the school days portion includes content designed and crafted by the very individuals it is targeted to . content contributors in their teens and early 20s provide the ever - evolving volume with content so that it remains relevant and appropriate for its audience . subscribers to school days will have opportunities to assume the role of spokesperson for their own history , as well as meet others their own age , discuss pertinent information , enter contests , get help with homework , e - mail , send photos , build their own web pages and receive offers for great deals on youth - oriented products . the utility of this book surpasses any diaries or memory books currently offered to this segment of the market , through the use of multiple media . presented below are exemplary prompts and pointers raised in the particular embodiment in the school days section . 1 . explore your own feelings about certain situations by imagining a letter asking for help , and answering the letter , advice column style . 3 . your age at the start of the school year — height and weight at beginning and end — what i wore on the first day of school — my teacher — my best friends — favorites ( book , video , animal , cartoon , tv show , game , thing to wear , outdoor activity , food , color , school activity )— what i want to be when i grow up — best memory of the year — best field trip — favorite sport — things i &# 39 ; m good at ( i feel great about myself when i . . . )— ways i ′ d like to improve myself 5 . each year , note some of the biggest events in the world you heard being talked about on the news and at school 6 . you and popular culture ( explore pets , hobbies , sports , music , movies , books , magazines , etc .) 1 . school data , compiled for each year of middle school / junior high 2 . your age at the start of the school year — height and weight at beginning and end my class schedule for the year — my favorite subject ( s )— my favorite teacher ( s )— my best friends — favorites ( book , movie , music , tv show , outfit , shoes , band , food , magazine , hero , hang out , school event , hobbies , things to collect , after school activity )— what i want to be when i grow up — best memory of the year — favorite sport — things i &# 39 ; m good at ( i feel great about myself when i . . . }— ways i ′ d like to improve myself . things are really different in jr . high school because . . . the hardest thing to get used to has been . . . 5 . if i could be anyone i wanted to be , it would be . . . 6 . advice i &# 39 ; d give to a kid in the 1st grade 10 . coming of age scrapbook : ask older friends and relatives to share the piece of advice they wish they had received upon becoming a teenager 12 . biggest local , national and international news stories / events of each year 13 . i &# 39 ; d like to be better at _ . so i plan to . . . 14 . you and popular culture ( explore — pets , hobbies , sports , music , movies , books , magazines , etc .) 17 . high school is coming soon for me . i am excited about that because . . . what i think high school will be like . . . 2 . your age at the start of the school year — height and weight at beginning and end — my favorite classes — favorite teachers — hardest classes — snack — my signature — drink — my best friends — favorites ( stars , world figures , heroes , food , tv show , movie , music , school activity , place to go on a date , car )— what i want to be when i grow up — best memory of the year — best school dance of the year — favorite after school activity — my biggest accomplishment of the year — things i &# 39 ; m good at ( i feel great about myself when i . . . )— ways i &# 39 ; m involved in school . things are really different in high school because . . . 4 . biggest local , national and international news stories / events of each year 7 . if i could be anyone i wanted to be , it would be . . . 8 . if i were in charge of the school , i would . . . 9 . advice i &# 39 ; d give to a kid in the 7th grade 11 . i &# 39 ; d like to be better at _ , so i plan to . . . 12 . how high school has been different from junior high or middle schools : what is completely cool ? what do i miss ? what is really hard ? i know next year will be better because . . . 13 . coming - of - age scrapbook : ask older friends and relatives to share the piece of advice they wish they had received upon starting high school 14 . what i like to do before school , during lunch and after school 16 . my classes : most challenging ; most enjoyable ; most flat - out fun ; strangest assignment ; best book i read the whole year . 17 . five years from now i hope to be . . . ten years . . . twenty years . . . 18 . you and popular culture ( explore pets , hobbies , sports , music , movies , books , magazines , etc .) 19 . my stats as an athlete — my goals — personal bests — most memorable moment etc . 20 . great parties of the year where they were who was there what i did how i felt about it 22 . concerts : i went to see — i went with — the venue — we stayed out until — you wouldn &# 39 ; t believe what happened 24 . weekends : what i like to do — i sleep until — my family and i — i hang out with my buds at — i like to shop at — favorite thing to do on a saturday — i work at — my boss is — my co - workers are — i earn — my uniform — i work x hours a week — what i do with my money 25 . dating : best date i &# 39 ; ve been on — worst date i &# 39 ; ve been on — dates that were just for fun — i have gone out with — i want to go out with — i fell hard for — how we met — how we got to know each other — favorite memories 26 . moments i want to hold on to : proudest — most embarrassing — funniest — scariest — happiest — saddest — best — most unforgettable — bravest — rowdiest 1 . prom : theme , the night , where it took place , the band , my date , how i asked him / her or how s / he asked me , dinner , how we got there , what we wore , our flowers , who we went with , what we did after , members of the court , scariest moment , what time we got home 2 . graduation : senior trip — baccalaureate details — graduation date — where — when — theme — valedictorian — salutatorian — speakers — honors & amp ; awards — what i did — who i walked with — reception parties — my thoughts on the day 3 . coming - of - age scrapbook : ask older friends and relatives to share the piece of advice they wish they had received upon graduating from high school . ( plastics .) 4 . what i might be doing this time next year . . . what i think i will be doing in 5 years . . . 10 years . . . 20 years . . . career goals — outlook on marriage — family plans — where i will live — car i will drive — i &# 39 ; d like to earn $ xxx , xxx someday . 1 . write down some things you &# 39 ; ve learned and memories you &# 39 ; ve collected from your relatives . what are some things you know about your family ? 2 . adults in your life : whom do you like to spend time with ? why ? with whom do you talk most about important stuff ? what do you value in your relationships with these people ? 3 . feelings : one of the keys to learning more about who you are and who you want to be is listening to the clues you give yourself — the things you think about , the ways you feel . take time to write down some of the most important things you thought about today . 4 . when have you felt most . . . proud ? ashamed ? happiest ? saddest ? surprised ? etc . 5 . write your own story , an autobiography of your life so far 6 . jot down the fads and average prices of some basic necessities each year to see how the world changes economically during your school years ( average annual salary ; minimum wage ; average home price ; new car price ; a gallon of gasoline ; average price of a new tv , computer , a gallon of milk , candy bar , loaf of bread , cup of coffee , soda , postage stamp ) ( what &# 39 ; s out — what &# 39 ; s in — world snapshot ) 8 . how do you like to look / dress ? what is your style ? do you like your style , or do you wish it were different ? 10 . your friends : which friend have you known longest ? known shortest ? your funniest friend — kindest friend — friend who is most like you — friend who is most opposite of you — best advice giver — most trustworthy — wildest — craziest — smartest — most fun — most creative — most stylish — best in a crisis — friend who is most like your brother or sister . 11 . what makes a good friend ? how i met my friends . . . what i like about them . . . what i admire most about them . . . we are alike . . . we are different . . . things we do together . . . why we fight . . . favorite memories . . . will we be friends forever ? 12 . list your friend &# 39 ; s favorite : stars , singers , song , cd , tv show , color , food , place , hobby , pets , sports , athletes , teacher , school subject , writer , animal , dessert , drink , season , game , possession , expression , store , magazine , etc . 1 . homework help 2 . preparing for the arrival of a new baby in the family 3 . preparing for adolescence 4 . sex and development 5 . friends — how to be one , how to make them , how to keep them 6 . how to make major decisions ( consulting “ experts ” in your life , writing a list of pros and cons , researching the issues ) 7 . how to change bad behavior that is not working in your life 8 . how do you deal with peer pressure ? 1 . senior year memory / scrap book 2 . senior prom memory / scrap book 3 . virtual autograph book a place where friends can go and write the kind of things they might write inside the front and back cover of a yearbook 1 . getting involved — in your neighborhood , city , or bigger ( like a park that is to littered and filthy to play in , or a neighbor that could use some help , or some need that needs filling — model after zoom into action ) 2 . who are you / what &# 39 ; s your style ? ( links to pages about mapping your personality , i . e . myers - briggs , the enneagram , zodiac , chinese zodiac , etc .) 3 . explore your creativity 4 . learning games for all ages , preschool - 12 th graders 5 . postcards from the world of you — send a message that let &# 39 ; s you say hard things you need to say 6 . having fun 7 . your personal address book 8 . birthdays and other important days 9 . social issues : racism , inequality , global pollution , etc . 1 . film / camera manufacturers , clothing manufactures , credit card companies , banks , other financial services , clothing retailers , all commodities considered too hip or cool for people over the age of 20 to grok 1 . teen age pregnancy 2 . loss of a sibling / death in the family 3 . loss of a friend 4 . moving away 1 . i was born ( where ), ( when ) . . . 2 . if i could choose a nickname , i would want it to be . . . 3 . my favorite number is . . . 4 . my lucky number is . . . 5 . what was the name if your first cat or dog ? 6 . what did it look like ? 7 . what did you call it ? 8 . how did you like to play with it ? 9 . could it do any tricks ? 10 . did you ever lose a pet ? 11 . if you were given a chance to write something memorable in wet cement , what would it be ? 12 . do you remember the first big city you ever visited ? 13 . would you rather live in a big city , a small town , or something in between ? why ? 14 . have you ever had a bad cut ? how did it happen ? what did you have to do about it ? did it leave a scar ? 15 . what do you do when you get money ? do you save it or spend it ? do you have a bank account ? are you saving for something special ? 16 . what is your favorite thing to eat ? what is your least favorite thing to eat ? what are some types of food you have always wanted to try ? what is something you &# 39 ; ve always wanted to learn to cook ? what is your favorite flavors ) of ice cream ? do you prefer to have it in a dish , on a plain cone , or on a waffle cone ? have you ever made homemade ice cream ? do you remember a special occasion when you had ice cream ? 17 ; if you were king or queen of the whole world , what is a law that you would make right away ? 18 . what were your favorite halloween costumes ? were they store bought , or did you make them ? what do you think you might like to dress as in the future ? 19 . are you a morning person or a night person ? 20 . did you ever stay up all night ? why ? was it fun ? 21 . what does your room look like ? is it big , or little ? is it comfortable ? did you get to make decisions about what it looks like ? what is your favorite thing about your room ? what don &# 39 ; t you like about it ? what is the view outside your window ? 22 . if you could make a time capsule and put it away to be discovered by your grandchild , what would you put in it ? it should be something ( s ) that are important , wonderful , and / or something that might change that child &# 39 ; s life . 23 . what is your favorite way to spend a summer day ? 24 . did you ever go to summer camp ? what is your favorite camp song ? camping place ? campfire story ? if you were lost in the woods and it got dark , what would you do ? 25 . what are three things for which you feel really thankful ? 26 . if you could become invisible , where would you go and what would you do ? 27 . what are some things that really bug you ? 28 . what would you do if you had a magic wand ? 29 . what talents do you have ( don &# 39 ; t be modest !)? 30 . finish this sentence : the best thing about today is . . . 31 . if you had to move and could take only three things with you , what would you take ? 32 . write about a time when you felt very proud of yourself . 33 . what makes you laugh ? 34 . if you could receive a sixth sense , what would you want it to be ? 35 . share one of the happiest days of your life . share a time in your life when you were embarrassed . 36 . what do you like most about yourself ? 37 . what is the most sentimental possession that you have ? 38 . my favorite family story so far is about when . . . 39 . i love the smell of / i love the feel of / i love the sound of / i love the taste of / 40 . my favorite place is . . . 41 . i show people i care by . . . i know people care about me because they . . . 42 . my favorite movie so far is . . . because . . . 43 . after school i usually . . . 44 . my favorite animal is . . . because . . . 45 . my favorite relative is . . . because . . . 46 . my favorite babysitters . . . 47 . i don &# 39 ; t like _ because . . . 48 . i love my bike . this is what it looks like : 49 . i love playing _ with _ . 50 . when i want to be alone , i . . . 51 . i like the name ( s ) _ . i wish my name was _ because . . . 52 . the breakfast i love most is . . . 53 . my favorite crayon colors are . . . 54 . i think i do these things well . . . 55 . when it comes to magazines , i read these every month : 56 . the most important person i know is : 57 . when i feel quiet , i like to . . . 58 . my favorite musical instrument to listen to is . . . i play music on . . . 59 . i think the best invention ever made is . . . 60 . today at school i learned . . . 61 . i &# 39 ; m really upset . the reason is . . . 62 . the scariest thing that ever happened to me is . . . 63 . a hero can be a woman or man , girl or boy , or an animal . who is a hero to me ? 64 . my theme song should be . . . because . . . 65 . a favorite artist is . . . because . . . 66 . one of the places i &# 39 ; ve been that i &# 39 ; ve really , truly loved is . . . because . . . 67 . the best place i ever lived was . . . because . . . the worst place i ever lived was . . . because . . . 68 . here &# 39 ; s a list of important turning points in my life : 69 . if i were to choose one that i think altered my sense of myself , i would pick . . . because . 70 . here is a short list of some things i have wanted during my life and have gotten / achieved : 71 . my favorite story to tell about myself is . . . 72 . when did you go on your first airplane ride ? what kind of airplane is the first you recall seeing ? 73 . what kind of animal are you afraid of ? why do you think you react badly to it ? what do you do when you are faced with it ? 1 . the very first job i ever had was . . . i earned $ xx an hour , and spent my money on . . . 2 . in school , my favorite subject is . . . because . . . 3 . my least favorite subject is . . . because . . . 4 . my favorite new year &# 39 ; s eve was in . . . that night i . . . 5 . if i could choose a nickname , i would want it to be . . . 6 . my favorite number is . . . 7 . one of the most ( peculiar , dangerous , caring , adventurous , funny , etc .) things i did in middle school was . . . 8 . life skills middle school might / could / should teach : understanding / accepting people who are different ( sexuality , race , religion , color , etc . ); social skills ; manners ; conflict resolution / communication skills ; how to fix things ; cooking ; cleaning ; finding a job ; driving ; how to play sports ; self defense ; “ character education ”: caring , respect , personal responsibility . 9 . have you ever been to camp ? where did you go ? what is your favorite campfire story ? camp song ? 10 . who is your favorite teacher ? what was your favorite class ? what was your favorite school memory ? 11 . what are three things for which you feel really thankful ? 12 . if you were lost in the woods and it got dark , what would you do ? 13 . if you could become invisible , where would you go and what would you do ? 14 . what is something that really bugs you ? 15 . what would you do if you had a magic wand ? 16 . what talents do you have ( don &# 39 ; t be modest !)? 17 . if you could go anyplace in the world for a vacation , where would it be ? 18 . finish this sentence : the best thing about today is . . . 19 . if you had to move and could take only three things with you , what would you take ? 20 . write about a time when you felt very proud of yourself . 21 . what makes you laugh ? 22 . if you could receive a sixth sense , what would you want it to be ? 23 . if you could be in a big parade , what would you like to do ? march in a band , ride a beautiful horse , sit on a float . . . 24 . share one of the happiest days of your life . 25 . what do you like most about yourself ? 26 . what is the most sentimental possession that you have ? 27 . share a time in your life when you were embarrassed . 28 . talk about a situation that made you very irritated . how did you resolve it ? 29 . what is your favorite book you &# 39 ; ve read in middle school ? 30 . who is your all time biggest hero ? 31 . where is your favorite hideaway ? 32 . what do adults sometimes do that make you angry or frustrated ? 33 . have you had any personal experiences with racism ? sexism ? 34 . what do you think about the job your parents are doing ? if you could say anything to your parents about what kind of a parenting job they are doing , what would it be ? who do you know who you think is the very best parent you &# 39 ; ve met ? 35 . who is the best source in your life for support and guidance ? how do you know them ? 36 . in watching adults and peers around me , i find the following attributes to be admirable : 37 . i would be so embarrassed if : 38 . i spent my summer vacation : 39 . i was ( or was not ) glad to come back to school this year because : 40 . my first day back at school i : 41 . i once lost a very important friend . i felt . . . i made a new friend . i like him / her because . . . my favorite thing about him / her is . . . something i don &# 39 ; t like about him / her is . . . my favorite things we do together are . . . something i learned from him / her is . . . something i taught him / her is . . . 42 . i just started a new hobby / sport / activity . it is . . . i like it because . . . i do it this often . . . some things i had to buy to do this were . . . 43 . my main form of transportation is ( car , but , taxi , walking , bike ) 44 . i got my first bike . . . it looked like . . . i received / bought it from . . . how i had take care of it . . . mistakes i made . 45 . do you get regular physical exercise ? what physical activity do you most enjoy ? how long have you been doing it ? what do you like about it ? what do you hate about it ? how have you gotten better at it ? what classes have you taken ? 46 . computers are a big part of my life . my experience with computers started . . . my skill level is . . . my favorite ways to learn computers . . . my favorite websites . . . my favorite computer games are . . . my skill level at them . . . 47 . my self - image : who i think i am ; who i really hope to become ; who i ′ d like to be in my wildest dreams ! 48 . i would describe my “ style ” as : 49 . the way i fit in : 50 . the ways i &# 39 ; m special : 51 . some things i ′ d really like to be able to do . . . what steps i need to take to actually do those things in my lifetime . . . 52 . this is what i feel / think about the ( fill in adult issues ) i am facing : 53 . my reaction : 54 . this is how i affect my : family . . . church . . . school . . . circle of friends . . . community . . . world . 55 . i wish i could : if i had a million dollars , i would : 56 . my idea of the perfect boy / girl is : 57 . here is how i feel about : my planet . . . ecology / nature . . . war / world conflict . . . religion . . . sex . . . children 58 . my favorite : person . . . activity ; study . . . way to relax . . . friends . . . weekend activities . . . summer activities . . . winter activities 1 . i was ( or was not ) glad to come back to school this year because : 2 . my first day back at school 1 : 3 . how would you define joy ? 4 . the first time i ever drove a car was . . . the hardest part about learning to drive was . . . when i took my driving test , i felt . . . i got my license ( date ) . . . i remember , the first time i ever drove a car alone i felt . . . i went . . . 5 . once i got in an automobile accident : circumstances , feelings , injuries , what i learned . 6 . i bought / got my first car ( make , model , year ) on . . . what i liked about it . . . what i didn &# 39 ; t like about it . . . what i had to do to take care of it . . . mistakes i made . . . 7 . describe the “ ideal ” life : 8 . complete the statement : “ a new world opened up to me when :” 9 . share a big let down in your life : 10 . what makes a house a home ? 11 . what happened the first time you put a dent in a car ? was it your car ? or your family &# 39 ; s car ? did you get in trouble ? could the car be fixed ? was anybody hurt because of the wreck ? what did you learn from the experience ? 12 . if you were convinced that reincarnation was a fact , how would you like to come back ? 13 . how do you feel when someone laughs at you ? 14 . if you could take only 3 people with you on a trip around the world , whom would you take ? 15 . what is one of your hobbies ? 16 . if someone could give you anything in the world for your birthday what would you like it to be ? 17 . who is your favorite teacher ? what was your favorite class ? what are some of your favorite school memories ? 18 . what is something you can do very well ? 19 . what does being an american mean to you ? 20 . discuss one of your bad habits : 21 . what is your favorite party game ? 22 . describe a “ good neighbor ”. 23 . what would you do if you wanted to be a friend to someone whom could not speak english ? 24 . tell what makes a happy family . 25 . write about a funny experience in a way that will make people laugh . 26 . what are your favorite foods ? 27 . what tv or movie star would you like to invite to your birthday party ? 28 . what would you do if you found $ 1 , 000 in a vacant lot ? 29 . tell about a time when you felt proud of yourself . 30 . how do you feel about war ? do you think war is ever justified ? 31 . what do you think it &# 39 ; s like after you die ? 32 . sadly , many relationships with friends , boyfriends and girlfriends will come to an end over the course of your life . writing about the situation can help you deal with your feelings . at the end of a relationship : what will you miss most about the relationship , and about the person with whom you were involved ? what you will not miss ? what was your role in causing the problems in the relationship or in assisting the relationship to fail ? what lessons has this experience taught you ? what are you sad about concerning this relationship ? what you would do differently if you had it to do over again ? what relationship skills do you need to develop or perfect in the future ? what did you gain from the relationship ? how are you richer , deeper or wiser because of the experience ? what did the relationship give you that you are grateful for ? what did your “ ex ” give you that you are grateful for ? what things are you willing to forgive ? what do you want to be forgiven for ? what are you willing to forgive yourself for ? 33 . a few lessons i learned at home that i &# 39 ; m glad i learned include . . . i think i could have gotten along just fine without learning . . . 34 . some people who strongly influenced my life are . . . they did it — either positively or negatively by . . . 35 . if i were casting someone to play me in the movie of my life , i would choose . . . because . . . 36 . if i could be anybody in the world , past or present , i would choose to be . . . because . . . 37 . if i were living my life as an animal , i would be . . . because . . . 38 . here &# 39 ; s a list of important turning points in my life . . . if i were to choose one that i think altered my sense of myself ; i would pick . . . because . . . 39 . a recurring theme or experience in my life seems to be . . . 40 . here is a short list of some things i have wanted during my life and have gotten / achieved : 41 . when people talk about sex , i feel . . . the one thing i ′ d like to be free to talk to someone about regarding sex is . . . things that make me feel guilty are . . . i encountered peer pressure in this situation . . . . the way i handled it was . . . messages i have received from society about sex are : . . . and they made me feel . . . i feel they apply / don &# 39 ; t apply to me because . . . 42 . who gave the best hugs when you were little ? did you get lots of them ? did you wish for more ? 43 . do you remember a time when you helped someone with a difficult task ? why did you decide to do that ? did it make a difference in their life ? are you glad you helped ? would you do the same thing again ? 44 . do you remember being very sick as a child ? what made you sick ? what did you have to do about it ? what did your family do to take care of you and help you get better ? did it have any lasting effects ? 45 . who told the best jokes in your family ? do you remember any ? 46 . what luxury did you always wish you could have ? why did it seem so wonderful to you ? who did have it ? did you ever get it ? or do you think you might still get it ? 47 . what was the happiest letter you ever received ? when and where were you when it arrived ? what answer did you send ? how did it change your life ? 48 . what do you know about the countries your relatives came from ? are you curious about them ? have you ever done any genealogy research ? have you tried to collect family data from your oldest relatives ? 49 . how do you define “ success ”? what would be the sign of a truly successful life ? do you think success will be easy to achieve ? do you have any plans in place to achieve that success ? 50 . what do you do when you feel zany ? do you make others laugh ? do you plan how to do that ? or does it just happen spontaneously ? what is the funniest joke you ever pulled on someone ? did you ever play a prank on someone and have something bad or hurtful happen as a result ? did it change your feelings about playing jokes on people ? after the end of school days , the next phase in a person &# 39 ; s life is typically living on their own , so an “ on my own ” volume is provided . this volume is not only a system providing an interactive journal of prompts to present questions and solicit input from the user so as to interactively build the journal or diary but also a primer of being on one &# 39 ; s own . links to experts and services range from finances to housework to relationships , getting the first job to furnishing one &# 39 ; s first apartment . advice ranges from the very practical to the more metaphysical , such as : how do you make friends outside of the controlled atmosphere of school ? how do you keep them ? how do you keep in touch with the friends you are leaving behind ? how do you select a roommate ? what actual steps do you need to take to make your dreams come true ? this is an especially poignant time to record a life , as the child becomes an adult and begins to learn and accept who he or she truly is . on my own ends when the individual begins the transformation from ‘ me ’ to ‘ we ’. on my own transitions a couple - oriented journal called living together . living together begins with whatever form a couple &# 39 ; s permanent commitment takes , whether marriage or something else , and chronicles their times and “ firsts ” together , such as first apartment , home , vacation , etc . links to couple counseling and other pertinent services will be provided to chronicle this important time . living together segues from a couple &# 39 ; s permanent relationship together into a family oriented journal called the family book . the family book moves through the transformation from a couple into parents , from two individuals to a family . the volume follows the family &# 39 ; s development and encourages interaction through prompts . in accordance with this system invention an interactive website is suitably available to the user wherein the user can go to the website and access a so - called “ family vault ” ( see vault 13 of fig1 ) which offers virtual safety deposit boxes wherein online participants can securely and confidently keep their own journals , private information , and photos . as a community , members encourage each other using instant messaging , online chats , video chats , and e - mail . ever - expanding technology will allow families separated by great distance to meet online around the virtual kitchen table and share dinner while they chat . online coaching will be instantly available to the frustrated mother whose newborn won &# 39 ; t stop crying or whose 11 year - old didn &# 39 ; t make the all - star team , for example . professional help can also be secured through subcontractors who can provide trained parental coaching or even serve a counseling function . the next phase , which may be denoted on my own , again , is also suitably provided and enables the user to examine the time in life when many individuals whose identity has been predominantly that of parent or partner find themselves abruptly finished with that role , and face the opportunities and struggles of re - building a new life . for the first time in decades , attention moves inward . it is a time of tough questions and new decisions : who am i now ? what do i have to offer ? what makes me happy ? interactive prompts along this line gently help with this internal examining and external rebuilding to create a record of a time rich with new understanding and possibilities , as well as providing encouragement , coaching and inspiration . topics in the on my own module in a preferred embodiment include : 3 . how to buy , drive , and maintain a car so that it is in top shape 4 . don &# 39 ; t end up with a lemon : taking your time , doing your homework 7 . maximizing your car &# 39 ; s mileage 8 . basic self maintenance and the maintenance schedule you should try to keep 12 . how to find a mechanic who won &# 39 ; t rip you off 5 . after you get hired how to keep the job and thrive in it 2 . the basics of cooking preparation of staple foods ( i . e ., how long to boil an egg , how to cook rice and beans and vegetables and meat a primer ) 5 . first recipes and cookbooks you can &# 39 ; t live without ( recipe exchange ) 7 . financial hardships what to do ? ( which bills always get paid first , how to become a saver , how to trim your budget even further , emergency funds , how much credits cards really cost ) 8 . establishing credit the right way ( how does credit work , what to watch out for , your credit report , credit mistakes , what is a co signor ?) 3 . housewarming kit providing the basics you need for every room in your first house ! 1 . interest and values assessment tests to help choose your college , major and careers 6 . http :// www . nees . ed . gov / ipeds / cool / college opportunities on line ( cool ) department of education database of 9000 u . s . colleges 10 . http :// www . usnews . com / usnews / edu / college / coh ome . htm us news &# 39 ; us college rankings based on a range of criteria 1 . donation agencies ( goodwill , salvation army , etc . ), frozen foods , monster . com , department stores , home repair , decorating and hardware stores , discount stores , chain retailers , fast food chains , restaurant chains , public libraries , exemplary prompts for the on my own module are provided below : 1 . what careers interest you most ? do you know someone who does that job ? try to arrange to have a conversation with that person . take a list of questions you have . 4 . what kind of college do you want to attend ( small , large , liberal arts , specialized study , community college , trade school ?) 1 . what is the first impression you give to other people ? 3 . what was the most important success and / or failure in you life ? 4 . you have just been told that you have six months to live . what would you do in that time ? 5 . if you suddenly won one hundred thousand dollars in the lottery , what would you do with it ? 6 . if you had one month and adequate funds to take a trip , where would you go ? why ? 7 . if you could have any kind of job , what would it be ? 8 . what do you plan to do when you retire ? when will that be ? 9 . where will you be living twenty years from now ? why ? 10 . what is the most adventuresome thing you have ever done ? 11 . what did you want to be most when you were a child ? 12 . what is the one thing you can do better than any other ? 16 . complete the following statement : i feel best about myself when . . . 18 . complete the following statement : i would consider it risky . . . 19 . tell about the missed opportunity in your life you regret the most 22 . have you ever been fired ? have you ever quit a job ? what did you learn from those experiences ? 23 . do you find it easier to give orders than to take orders ? 26 . do you like the work you are doing , i . e ., your profession ? 29 . do you feel you are fairly paid in your present position ? 30 . do you enjoy a good working relationship with your boss ? subordinate ? peers ? 31 . do you feel you are fairly paid in your present position ? 32 . do you enjoy a good working relationship with your boss ? subordinate ? peers ? 2 . what incompleteness are you experiencing in your life right now ? 3 . what key that would unlock the puzzle in your life ? 5 . what do you see as the first step in your healing process ? what actions do you need to take this step ? 14 . what feelings do you have that you don &# 39 ; t allow yourself to express ? 18 . do you ever catch yourself withdrawing from your surroundings and not relating as a result ? expand on that . 19 . what have you ever done to successfully reverse that process ? 22 . how have your attempts to “ keep it together ” and maintain control in your life intensified your pain ? do you see places in your life where you do not have control ? 24 . what is the heart of the problem you are struggling with ? 27 . what has been the scariest thing that has happened to you in intimacy ? did it cause you to close yourself off from future intimacy ? 28 . what does living well mean to you ? are you living well ? can you love well ? 31 . is your life different from how you thought it would be when you were a kid ? how is it different ? 33 . what do you want from life that you don &# 39 ; t currently have ? what are some real steps you might take to get it ? 34 . how do you express yourself spiritually ? are you happy with that ? would you like to become more spiritual ? 35 . what is it time for right now in your life ? the family book includes facilities whereby families and groups can record their stories and experiences for the benefit of other family members , future generations , friends and associates . even the most mundane and seemingly trivial bits of information become a treasure when they pass down the line to future generations . 1 . and two become one . . . 2 . and baby makes three . . . 3 . we are a family 4 . our family traditions 1 . good books to read 2 . family decorating techniques 3 . building holiday traditions 4 . framing family pictures 5 . making memories 6 . dates to remember 7 . family real estate 8 . family medical histories 2 . as i saw more of you , what really made me fall in love was . . . 3 . i knew that you just might be the one when . . . 4 . an obstacle in the path of our romance early on was . . . 5 . our families were different and similar in these ways . . . 9 . here &# 39 ; s what family and fiends had to say about us as we became a couple . . . 11 . these things symbolized our growing love ( special song , place , poem , etc .) . . . 13 . special pre marriage milestones i remember are ( first meeting , fast date , first kiss , etc .) 15 . some of the things we both believed in were . . . 1 . the cast of wedding party members , and why they were chosen , included . . . 2 . the wedding location , and why it was chosen , was . . . 4 . this is how our finances were set up early on . . . 5 . living together taught us these new things about each other and our habits . . . 8 . these are some ways we took care of each other . . . 1 . a memorable hobby or project we worked on together was . . . 4 . our relationship evolved over the years in this way . . . 1 . when our children became adults , it changed our lives as a couple by . . . 4 . after all these years , i learned this new aspect about you . . . 6 . these are the reasons i am thankful for you . . . 7 . as our bodies grow older , this is how it affected our relationship ( hearing loss , etc .) 8 . we mourned the loss of this dear person / people together . . . 9 . a lesson or two about marriage i ′ d like to share with the next generation is . . . 10 . this is a story i love to tell about us to others . . . 4 . what do you remember about your oldest relative you knew personally ? 5 . what do you know about your family &# 39 ; s values , philosophies and religious beliefs ? 6 . what memories do you have of your mother during your childhood ? 7 . what memories do you have of your father during your childhood ? 8 . what is the happiest memory that you have of your childhood ? 10 . what are the most important things you learned growing up ? 2 . do you know why you were given your name , and does it have a special meaning ? 5 . describe the homes and neighborhoods in which you grew up . 6 . describe your family &# 39 ; s economic conditions , and the other factors that affected your lifestyle . 7 . tell about your other siblings , and your relationships with each of them . 9 . what were the genetic , hereditary and primary health issues in your family ? 11 . what were your greatest fears , when you were a child and at present ? 1 . list your best friends . give a thorough description of each of them . 2 . what were some of the fads when you were a teen ? 3 . what did you like best and least about your appearance during these years ? 5 . describe your relationship with your parents during your teens . . . who did you turn to for advice ? 9 . tell a story about something funny and embarrassing that happened to you . 10 . did you have a nickname ? what was it and how did you get it ? 11 . what was the most historic event that took place , and how did it affect you as a teenager ? 13 . did you go to college ? where ? why did you choose it ? what did you study ? did you earn a degree ? 7 . were you ever in combat ? if so , describe some of your experiences . 9 . did you win any medals or decorations , and for what ? 10 . what was it like for you when the war ended , or when you left the service ? 11 . altogether , how long did you serve , and what was the highest rank you obtained ? 1 . write about the jobs you &# 39 ; ve had , and what you &# 39 ; re doing now . 3 . what were your dreams and goals during your first years of independence ? 4 . do you have any interesting work related stories to tell ? 5 . what has been your motivation to achieve or succeed in your career ? 1 . brothers and sisters 2 . their names and nicknames 3 . whom they were named for 4 . their good and bad sides 5 . their hobbies 6 . what they do for work 1 . i got my first pet . . . 2 . i was in a contest . . . 3 . i was in a play . . . 4 . i learned to dance . . . 5 . i had my first date . . . 6 . i had chicken pox . . . 7 . i had my tonsils out . . . 8 . i broke my . . . 1 . the silliest thing i ever did . . . 2 . the dumbest thing i ever did . . . 3 . the smartest thing i ever did . . . 1 . the best vacation i ever had growing up . . . 2 . the best year i enjoyed in school . . . 3 . the best car we ever owned . . . 4 . my first , best sweetheart until i was 10 . . . 5 . my next , best sweetheart until i was 20 . . . 6 . my best , best sweetheart since . . . 1 . my favorite color . . . 2 . my favorite food . . . 3 . my favorite animal . . . 4 . my favorite after shave . . . 5 . my favorite season . . . 6 . my favorite day of the year . . . 7 . my favorite time of the day . . . 8 . my favorite musical instrument . . . 9 . my favorite song . . . 10 . some of my best friends before i was 10 . . . 11 . some of my best friends as a young man . . . 12 . some of my best friends for life . . . 13 . the happiest holiday that i remember as a child . . . 14 . the happiest holiday that i remember in my teens . . . 15 . the happiest holiday that i remember all grown up . . . 16 . the holiday i would rather forget . . . 1 . places i have visited . . . 2 . places i have always wanted to visit . . . 3 . places i never want to visit . . . 1 . the three nicest good deeds others have done for me . . . 2 . the three nicest good deeds i have tried to do for others . . . 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as an adult 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a adult 1 . brothers and sisters 2 . their names and nicknames 3 . whom they were named for 4 . their good and bad sides 5 . their hobbies 6 . what they do for work 1 . i got my first pet . . . 2 . i was in a contest . . . 3 . i was in a play . . . 4 . i learned to dance . . . 5 . i had my first date . . . 6 . i had chicken pox . . . 7 . i had my tonsils out . . . 8 . i broke my . . . 1 . the silliest thing i ever did . . . 2 . the dumbest thing i ever did . . . 3 . the smartest thing i ever did . . . 1 . the best vacation i ever had growing up . . . 2 . the best year i enjoyed in school . . . 3 . the best car we ever owned . . . 4 . my first , best sweetheart until i was 10 . . . 5 . my next , best sweetheart until i was 20 . . . 6 . my best , best sweetheart since . . . 1 . my favorite color . . . 2 . my favorite food . . . 3 . my favorite animal . . . 4 . my favorite perfume . . . 5 . my favorite season . . . 6 . my favorite day of the year . . . 7 . my favorite time of the day . . . 8 . my favorite musical instrument . . . 9 . my favorite song . . . 10 . some of my best friends before i was 10 . . . 11 . some of my best friends as a young woman . . . 12 . some of my best friends for life . . . 13 . the happiest holiday that i remember as a child . . . 14 . the happiest holiday that i remember in my teens . . . 15 . the happiest holiday that i remember all grown up . . . 16 . the holiday i would rather forget . . . 1 . places i have visited . . . 2 . places i have always wanted to visit . . . 3 . places i never want to visit . . . 1 . the three nicest good deeds others have done for me . . . 2 . the three nicest good deeds i have tried to do for others . . . 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as an adult 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a adult 1 . brothers and sisters 2 . their names and nicknames 3 . whom they were named for 4 . their good and bad sides 5 . their hobbies 6 . what they do for work 1 . i got my first pet . . . 2 . i was in a contest . . . 3 . i was in a play . . . 4 . i learned to dance . . . 5 . i had my first date . . . 6 . i had chicken pox . . . 7 . i had my tonsils out . . . 8 . i broke my . . . 1 . the silliest thing i ever did . . . 2 . the dumbest thing i ever did . . . 3 . the smartest thing i ever did . . . 1 . the best vacation i ever had growing up . . . 2 . the best year i enjoyed in school . . . 3 . the best car we ever owned . . . 4 . my first , best sweetheart until i was 10 . . . 5 . my next , best sweetheart until i was 20 . . . 6 . my best , best sweetheart since . . . 1 . my favorite color . . . 2 . my favorite food . . . 3 . my favorite animal . . . 4 . my favorite after shave . . . 5 . my favorite season . . . 6 . my favorite day of the year . . . 7 . my favorite time of the day . . . 8 . my favorite musical instrument . . . 9 . my favorite song . . . 10 . some of my best friends before i was 10 . . . 11 . some of my best friends as a young man . . . 12 . some of my best friends for life . . . 13 . the happiest holiday that i remember as a child . . . 14 . the happiest holiday that i remember in my teens . . . 15 . the happiest holiday that i remember all grown up . . . 16 . the holiday i would rather forget . . . 1 . places i have visited . . . 2 . places i have always wanted to visit . . . 3 . places i never want to visit . . . 1 . the three nicest good deeds others have done for me . . . 2 . the three nicest good deeds i have tried to do for others . . . 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as an adult 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a adult 10 . some of my best friends before i was 10 . . . 11 . some of my best friends as a young man . . . 13 . the happiest holiday that i remember as a child . . . 14 . the happiest holiday that i remember in my teens . . . 15 . the happiest holiday that i remember all grown up . . . 1 . the three nicest good deeds others have done for me . . . 2 . the three nicest good deeds i have tried to do for others . . . 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as an adult 1 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a child 2 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a teen 3 . the one time in my life i would most like to live over as a adult after the on my own again / family phase , a volume directed towards the end of life , called before i go , is provided . this last book in the series takes a person through the natural order of aging and coming to grips with the end of his or her existence here . foremost , it is a chance to try to encapsulate and pass on the accumulation of wisdom and understanding of an entire lifetime , to let it live past the end of that life and be carried on to successive generations . questions and prompts are designed to lead individuals to a passage of peace , with the knowledge that they took care of the loose ends and unfinished business and told their story as best they could . this volume is suitably constructed so that it is appropriate for and works as well for those who face dying prematurely as for those whose life has been long . a lifetime is full of events , tragedies , passions , achievements and adventures , but so often our parents , grandfathers , grandmothers , and all manner of kin leave this world without sharing many of their stories with us either verbally or in writing . this book is designed to prompt an individual to reveal their inner self to their loved ones by telling important life stories of their beginnings , bits and pieces of growing up , adventures of adult achievements and so much more . these prompts not only provide a written legacy for the next generation , but also the opportunity for transcendence in the release of painful memories and the experience of forgiveness and mercy . 1 . birth date , birth place , marriage ( s ), divorce ( s ), children born to you 1 . from as far in the past as possible , to the present day ( preferably including as many portraits you can collect ) 1 . place of origin for as many relatives as you can ascertain , history of passage from the old country to the new , collected customs and practices kept alive within your family 11 . things i always wanted to do and wish i had done : 25 . favorite : colors , foods , smells , sounds , tactile feelings , visual experiences , movies , songs , cars , piece of furniture , books , objects , pets , people , friends , truths 28 . when i was young , we did this way , and now it is done this way . 31 . spiritual beliefs / thoughts / adventures during my life : what i have believed in the past , and what i believe now 36 . wild stories and things i did that might be hard to believe : 39 . my desires regarding memorials or services after my passing . . . 1 . my final thoughts ( to include : amends , confessions , letters to relatives / friends , love stories , legal will and testament , painful stories , etc ). 3 . help dealing with family members as your life winds down 5 . remembering that you and all significant people in your lives are a part of this event 1 . storage boxes and durable envelopes to hold valuable papers , letters , and objects destined to pass on to someone after death . 2 . custom death announcements that can be completely personalized to your situation in addition to the above volumes or journals , other optional sections are also suitably provided . one such volume , book of days , serves as a companion piece to help manage time and keep track of goals and projects . this electronic book includes a family calendar , address book , concise daily journal , daily schedule , bulletin board for notes , and reminder service . information can be downloaded into hard copy . users can store virtual copies of important documents in the electronic safety deposit boxes . by linking to a central database , certain information can be automatically updated , for instance contact information for old friends . services may be offered to help old friends stay in touch , in groupings ranging from two people to a large segment of one &# 39 ; s graduating class , for instance , or to aid in finding new friends or romantic interests in a new and unfamiliar city . in addition to the book of days , the system also provides other “ inserts ” focusing on the areas of adoption , death and divorce , since not all lives neatly follow the regular structured pattern described thus far . these areas are to be developed by knowledgeable professionals and by people who have lived through the particular experiences . each of the segments has tie - ins in a number of areas . ancillary products can be offered , such as templates for scrapbooking and so on , boxes , time capsules , hope chests and other tangible places to hold treasures and memory - laden objects , informative books about how to deal with some of the challenges particular to each segment , and others that can be created as markets seem open to them . each book described above includes areas that address life &# 39 ; s most joyous moments as well as its most difficult passages , for example the course of receiving a child during adoption , the heartbreak and process of divorce , the poignancy of watching a parent become fragile , and vast other elements that affect one &# 39 ; s life . the system is designed to operate via online interaction with users , but can alternately be downloaded into a hard copy version of each user &# 39 ; s own design , created from resources available as part of the online system . these include scrap book and manuscript templates , as specific examples . users can have videos available on member websites , for example , where a family can have video to be viewed by distant family members or friends , showing a child &# 39 ; s performance , family event , sports games , etc . each member is able to keep a personal journal under “ lock and key ” so that access is restricted . different levels of service are available , with varying storage amounts or services ( e . g ., still picture presentation and storage might be provided at one level , while video storage and access might be provided at another ). scrapbook templates , book publishing tools , borders , designs , boxes , family totem boxes and the like may be provided . the book publishing tools provided enable the user to easily turn their writings into a book form , for publication , for example . the electronic safety deposit box concept can allow storage of important papers , which are then easily accessed from anywhere . living wills can be stored , for example . the system can provide , in the book of days , for example , an index of keywords or dates , and links to the particular entries related thereto , of the person &# 39 ; s entries . the various volumes or books can cover age ranges in a preferred embodiment as follows : the great event , conception to 7 years old school days — kindergarten through high school subdivisions thereon : age 5 through 11 ( grades k - 6 ) age 11 - 13 ( grades 6 - 8 ) age 13 - 17 ( high school ) on my own — 18 years and beyond , up to the point where the commitment to another book ( i to we ) would take over on my own again ( after children move away , or divorce or other separation occurs ) also , a “ book of days ” may be provided which includes a calendar , address book , personal history , footnotes , daily journal , reminders , notes and the like . thus , in accordance with the invention , an interactive journal / diary system is provided , which includes life coaching or advice capabilities . products and services appropriate to a stage of life or particular issue in the user &# 39 ; s life can be suitably presented to the user , and may be provided through the system . products and services simultaneously pertinent to multiple generations , such as life insurance or photographic film , may also be offered . journaling storage boxes , which may comprise shoe - box or cigar box size storage containers up to hope chests or the like , may also be provided and offered as an add on product for sale to users , for storing personal items or collectibles that have meaning to the user . by providing the association with specific products and service providers that are appropriate and which may be timely and desirable to a user of the journal system , a more useful journal is created that provides not only a place to store thoughts and memories , but also a place to go to in order to seek guidance and needed information and products at a specific time in a user &# 39 ; s life . the overall system can be sold as a stand alone software product , in separate modules or volumes or as an entire set . alternatively , access is provided on a subscription or membership basis , whether by selling use time increments , or by the day / month / year , etc . products and benefits and services that can be associated with and incorporated into the system include : coaching , diaper service , doctor referral , on - line support groups , medical information and referral , classified ads , name banks ( random name generators ( for naming children or pets , for example )), furniture manufacturing , collecting box mementos , photo and video posting , message centers , calendars , announcements , party supplies , rituals , big brother / big sister programs , latest scientific research , year you were born , sponsors , community buildings , online interaction and archiving , online support , professional help and support , sponsorship partners , corporations , volunteers , organizations , list serves , garage sales , block parties , neighborhood watches , neighborhood moderators , classmates , alumni associations , corporate sponsors for different sections , coupons , product rating , no identifying data collection , music — archivist , photo collection , advising center for school days , job finding for on my own and on my own again , genealogy links , higher education assistance scholarships , info ., vacation planning for book of days / family financial advice from corporate sponsors , on my own budgeting , on my own again retirement planning , family book college fund assistance , workshops on use of the journaling system ( hints , tips , ideas ), medical info / referral / supply , clothing manufacturers , furniture manufacturing , party supplies , latest scientific research health / will , dieting / diet , calendar , secure age appropriate chat rooms , training / skill / relationship building , life time phonebook to forever keep in touch , one line zines , contests , mentoring / peer training , college / vacation prep , personal bulletin boards , central / virtual message center , virtual family / friend get togethers , holidays , meals , special occasions , graduations , birthdays , family reunions , email , holiday ordering of gifts special prices , hope chests , photo album , souvenir / scrap books , frames , great event specifics , name book , time capsule , on line birth support for mom and dad , diaper service , dr . referrals , medical info and referral ( for all books ), birth announcements , ritual contracts ( for all books ), big brother / sister advice / info , family book specifics , family calendar , birthdays , anniversaries , recitals , graduation , photo / video gallery , central messaging center — accessible by voice mail , homework / tutoring / research help , cool school nominations and contests , student exchange annotate memories when saving , real - time memory exchange - baby pictures birth broadcasts real - time ( parent to kid — we have to talk about this bill and show the bill after scanned ) discussion — groups birth announcements wedding albums exchange of vows special events celebrations , real - time memory search of journal / prompt responses , “ the perfect memory ” internal journal / prompt response search , for example . the system can suitably be implemented as an add on content or subscription option for internet providers while a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects . the appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention .
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the embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings . the present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in japanese patent application no . hei 3 - 191344 ( filed on apr . 25 , 1991 ), which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . fig1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus according to this invention . as shown in fig1 and fig2 a visual field mask 10 for extracting parts of an object to be photographed is disposed in the vicinity of a focal plane in which an image of an object is formed by a photographic lens . on this mask 10 , three focus detecting zone openings 11 , 12 , 13 are formed which determine the visual field of the focus detecting system . the focal plane is disposed in an optically conjugate position to a film if the focus detecting apparatus is used in a photographic camera , and to an image sensor if it is used in an electronic camera . this plane is also in an optically conjugate relation to a focusing screen in the optical finder system of the camera , not shown . the focus detecting zones comprise a central detecting zone 11 on an optic axis of the photographic lens , and two peripheral detecting zones 12 , 13 oriented parallel to the sagittal direction of the lens and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central zone 11 . a light beam which has passed through two regions e1 , e2 arranged horizontally on pupil e of the photographic lens and through the central detecting zone 11 is deflected through 90 ° by a first mirror 20 , and separated by a pair of separating lenses 30 , 31 so as to form an image pair on a line sensor 41 of a sensor unit 40 disposed in a reimaging plane . the pupils of these separator lenses are in optically conjugate positions to the pupil e of the photographic lens . light beams which have passed through two regions e3 , e4 arranged vertically on pupil e and through the peripheral detecting zones 12 , 18 are each deflected through 90 ° in turn by second and third mirrors 21 , 22 so as to change the orientation of the images , and the resulting images are each separated by pairs of separating lenses 32 , 33 , and 34 , 35 so as to form image pairs on line sensors 42 , 43 . since the optical path length between the center zone 11 and the sensor 41 is different from that between the peripheral zones 12 , 13 and the sensors 42 , 43 , separating lenses of different focal lengths are used . focusing areas in the image finder corresponding to the focus detecting zones in the focal plane are provided for the convenience of the user to observe the focus detecting zones . a focus detecting circuit detects the focusing status of the photographic lens using the outputs of the line sensors corresponding to the object selected by the user or by a camera circuit . as the optical path is deflected by the mirrors , the central detecting zone 11 and the peripheral detecting zones 12 , 13 may be arranged perpendicular to each other on the visual field mask 10 disposed in the focal plane , as shown in fig3 while the line sensors 41 , 42 , 43 are simultaneously arranged in a straight line on the sensor unit 40 , as shown in fig4 . the exit pupil of the photographic lens is spherical . orientation of the peripheral detecting zones perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central detecting zone therefore makes it less likely that vignetting of the lens will give rise to eclipsing . if the peripheral zones were oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the central zone , there is a strong possibility that the edges of the image would be eclipsed by vignetting , leading to a reduction of the amount of light from the image and making accurate focus detection difficult . further , by arranging the line sensors in a straight line , the focusing status of three detecting zones can be detected by a single sensor . in this case , the sensor is divided into three regions corresponding to the detecting zones and each of these regions is divided into two parts . fig5 shows the detailed construction of the aforesaid embodiment . all components from the visual field mask 10 to the line sensors 41 , 42 , 43 are assembled as a single module housed in the camera . behind the mask 10 are arranged a cover glass 50 , a condensing lens 60 which acts as a relay lens , an auxiliary lens 70 , a separating lens group 30 &# 39 ; and a sensor unit 40 . as shown in fig6 convex parts of the condensing lens 60 corresponding to the three detecting zones are formed in a one - piece construction . moreover , as shown in fig7 the separating lens group 30 &# 39 ; comprises six lenses 30 to 35 formed in a one - piece construction on a substrate . by forming the condensing lens 60 and the separating lens group 30 &# 39 ; in a one - piece construction , there is no need to adjust the positions of the individual lenses and the efficiency of assembly is improved . fig8 - 10 show a second embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . according to this embodiment , the focus detecting zones on the visual field mask 10 disposed in the focal plane comprise a central detecting zone 11 situated in a central position not intersecting with the optic axis of the photographic lens , and two peripheral detecting zones 12 , 13 on either side of the central zone 11 . the longitudinal direction of the central detecting zone 11 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the focal plane 10 , while the peripheral detecting zones 12 , 13 are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central zone 11 . the sensor unit 40 of the apparatus in the reimaging plane comprises three line sensors 41 , 42 , 43 of which the picture elements are oriented in the same direction . instead of these sensors being arranged in a straight line as they are in embodiment 1 . however , the central sensor is offset with respect to the other two . the remaining construction is - similar to that of embodiment 1 . as described hereintofore , according to this invention , the line sensors on the sensor unit can be freely arranged independently of the arrangement of the detecting zones in the focal plane . optimum positional relations may therefore be selected . fig1 to 15 show a third embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . according to this embodiment , there are provided three focus detecting systems in the same manner as embodiment 1 and two focus detecting systems for detecting the focus status of the apparatus with respect to objects situated further towards the outside areas than the areas detected by said three focus detecting systems in the longitudinal direction of the focal plane . in this embodiment , as shown in fig1 , a central detecting zone 11 and two pairs of peripheral detecting zones 12 to 15 are provided on the visual field mask 10 . as shown in fig1 , the sensor unit 40 comprises a first line sensor group 40a consisting of line sensors 41 , 42 , 43 for detecting light beams from the three inner detecting zones 11 , 12 , 13 , and a second line sensor group 40b consisting of line sensors 45 , 46 for detecting light beams from the two outer detecting zones 14 , 15 . these two line sensor groups 40a , 40b are arranged parallel to one another on the sensor unit 40 . the light beam from the inner peripheral detecting zone 12 is reflected by mirrors 21 , 22 , and separated by separating lenses 32 , 33 so as to form image pair on the line sensor 42 . the light beam from the outer peripheral detecting zone 14 is also reflected by mirrors 21 , 22 , and separated by separating lenses 36 , 37 so as to form image pair on the line sensor 45 . mirrors are also provided for the peripheral detecting zones 13 , 15 on the reflecting side but are not shown in the drawing . the x - y - z axes in fig1 will now be defined . the x - y plane is parallel to the visual field mask 10 , and the y - z plane is parallel to the front surface of the sensor unit 40 . the projection of the second mirror 21 in the y - z plane is inclined at 45 ° with respect to the optical paths of the light beams arriving from the detecting zones 12 , 14 . as shown in fig1 , therefore , distance δy between these two light beams is equal to distance δh between them after they have been reflected by the mirrors 21 , 22 , and this interval is also the distance between the two line sensor groups 40a , 40b . in this embodiment , as in embodiment 1 , either or both the condensing lens and separating lens may be formed in a one - piece construction . fig1 shows a condensing lens formed in a one - piece construction , and fig1 shows a separating lens formed in a one - piece construction . fig1 to 19 show a fourth embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . in this embodiment , two detecting zones 11 , 16 are provided in the center of the picture , the remaining construction being identical to that of the aforesaid embodiment 3 . the light beam from the detecting zone 16 is reflected by a mirror , not shown , and separated by separating lenses 301 , 302 so as to form images on a line sensor 44 . fig1 shows the arrangement of detecting zones on the mask 10 , and fig1 shows the arrangement of line sensors in the sensor unit 40 . fig2 to 23 show a fifth embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . in this embodiment , light beams from detecting zones 12 , 14 on the periphery of the picture are reflected respectively by second mirrors 21a and 21b , and reflected again by a third mirror 22 so as to impinge on corresponding line sensors . the remaining construction is the same as that of embodiment 3 shown in fig1 . further , the arrangement of detecting zones on the visual field mask and the arrangement of line sensors in the reimaging plane are substantially the same as those of the embodiment illustrated in fig1 and fig1 . in this embodiment , as shown in fig2 , the provision of two second mirrors makes it possible to set distance δh between the light beams arriving at the line sensors from the detecting zones 12 , 14 smaller than distance δy between the detecting zones 12 , 14 themselves . the distance between the line sensor groups 40a and 40b can therefore be set smaller than that in embodiment 3 , and the sensor unit occupies less space . fig2 and 23 illustrate specific examples of the mirrors 21a and 21b . in the example shown in fig2 , the mirrors are respectively attached to staggered inclined surfaces , while in the example shown in fig2 , the mirrors are coated onto staggered inclined surfaces . fig2 shows a sixth embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . in this embodiment , light beams from detecting zones 12 , 14 on the periphery of the picture are both reflected by a second mirror 21 , and reflected again respectively by third mirrors 22a and 22b so as to impinge on corresponding line sensors . the remaining construction is the same as that of embodiment 3 shown in fig1 . fig2 to 28 show a seventh embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . in this embodiment , light beams from five detecting zones 11 to 15 are made to impinge on a single line sensor group 40a . the light beams from the detecting zones 12 , 14 are separated by separating lenses 32 , 33 , 36 and 37 so as to impinge on a line sensor 42 . similarly , the light beams from the detecting zones 13 and 15 are separated by separating lenses 34 , 35 , 38 and 39 so as to impinge on a line sensor 43 . to deflect the light beams after they have passed through the separating lenses 32 to 39 , a light beam deflecting means is required . further , as focus detection cannot be performed if light beams from two detecting zones are received simultaneously on the common line sensor , means to obstruct one of the beams is also required . fig2 is a schematic drawing in the x - z plane illustrating an example of such an obstructing means and deflecting means . behind the visual field mask 10 , there are provided a cover glass 50 and condensing lenses 60 . an opaque screen 80 which slides in the z direction so as to obstruct one of the light paths is provided between the condensing lenses 60 and the auxiliary lenses 70 . a light beam which has passed through one of the auxiliary lenses 70 and either of the separating lenses 82 , 87 then passes through either of prisms 91 , 92 which act as deflecting means so as to impinge on the line sensor 42 . fig2 shows another example of an obstructing means and deflecting means . in this example , liquid crystal shutters 81 , 82 are installed in both light paths between the condensing lenses 60 and auxiliary lenses 70 . these liquid crystal shutters are rendered either transparent or opaque by switching an applied voltage on or off . in this example , one of the liquid crystal shutters is rendered transparent and the other is rendered opaque so as to select a light beam which impinges on the line sensor 42 . in the example of fig2 , the selecting lenses 32 , 27 are decentered with respect to the optic axes of the light beams so as to cause the beams which have passed through the lenses to impinge on the line sensor 42 . fig2 shows an eighth embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . in this embodiment , six focus detecting zones 11 to 16 are provided on a visual field mask as in the example illustrated in fig1 . light beams from detecting zones 11 , 16 impinge on a line sensor 41 . light beams from detecting zones 12 , 14 impinge on a line sensor 42 , and light beams from detecting zones 13 , 15 impinge on a line sensor 48 . the remaining construction is the same as that of the preceding embodiment 7 . fig3 shows a ninth embodiment of the focus detecting apparatus of this invention . in this embodiment , light beams from five detecting zones 11 to 15 are all made to impinge on line sensors 41 to 48 arranged in a straight line . fig3 shows the arrangement of sensors in this embodiment . the light beam incident from the detecting zone 12 is reflected by a second mirror 21 and a third mirror 22a so as to impinge on the line sensor 42 . the light beam from the detecting zone 14 is reflected by the second mirror 21 and a third mirror 22b so as to impinge on the line sensor 47 . the third mirrors 22a and 22b are set at different angles in the x - y plane and x - z plane . according to this embodiment , the light beams from all five detecting zones can be detected simultaneously by one line sensor .
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in reference to the drawings , fig1 and 2 show the information flow that occurs in a method and system ( hereinafter “ method ”), indicated at reference character 100 in fig1 , for preventing of piracy of a given software application via a communications network , such as the internet 8 . both fig1 and 2 illustrate the process by which a user would attempt to activate a given software application . as shown in fig1 , the user 1 successfully installs a given software application 5 ( hereinafter “ software ”) on the data storage element 4 of the user &# 39 ; s system 2 . the user system 2 is generally defined as the user &# 39 ; s computer terminal , which typically consists of a central processing unit , or cpu ( not shown ), a data storage element 4 , an element for storably receiving transmitted data 3 , an element for transmitting data 6 , and a monitor and keyboard . while the software 5 may utilize various anti - piracy measures , two such measures , are especially worth noting in relation to the present invention , and are discussed in greater detail below . the first measure is a program code sequence that identifies the specific software 5 ( hereinafter “ identification code ”), while the second is an additional program code sequence that would be needed to activate the software 5 ( hereinafter “ activation code ”). it is preferred that transmission of both of these code sequences , between the user 1 and remote service system 9 , would be accomplished over the internet 8 . as used herein , a “ user ” can be an individual entity or collaborate entity , such as a business , family , or even friends , who legitimately acquired a license and / or right to use the given software 5 . furthermore , the remote service system 9 can be the software manufacturer or an independent company , working in conjunction with the software manufacturer , to prevent software piracy . upon an initial attempt to access the installed software 5 , user 1 will be informed that the software 5 requires online activation before it can be operational . online activation will render the given software 5 operational , subject to receiving the activation code from the remote service system 9 . this requires that the software 5 be designed wherein it is either partially or completely dysfunctional prior to receiving the activation code , as will be discussed below . by connecting to the remote service system 9 through the internet 8 , a user who is not pirating the software 5 will be able to have the software 5 activated online . although the internet 8 is used herein when referencing a communications network , the present invention is intended to include all forms of communications network environments known to one skilled in the relevant art . thus , method 100 is equally applicable to all interconnected computer systems capable of transmitting and receiving data , preferably digital data , which allow users of the network to communicate . in this regard , a communications network includes , but is not limited to , all telecommunications networks such as the internet , i . e . the world wide web and bbs systems , hardwire telephony , wireless networks including cellular and pcs systems , satellite networks , etc . furthermore , communications networks include localized and regional networks such as intranets and local area network ( lan ) systems which interconnect a relatively few number of user systems or terminals , typically by means of a centralized server . once user 1 establishes an online connection to the remote service provider 9 , user 1 enters and transmits user data 7 , via an element 6 for transmitting user data , to the remote service system 9 over the internet 8 . the user data 7 is subsequently received by the remote service system 9 via an element 10 for storably receiving user data , and stored in the data storage element 12 of the remote service system 9 . although the transfer of user data 7 to the remote service system 9 would preferably be initiated by user 1 , this need not always be the case . once user 1 connects to the remote service system 9 via the internet 8 , the user data 7 may be automatically detected by an element 11 for detecting user data of the remote service system 9 . in this case , the detected user data 7 will likewise be received by the remote service system 9 via element 10 , and subsequently stored by the data storage element 12 of the remote service system 9 . it is notable that the term “ user data ” is defined and understood herein and in all the claims to mean any information originating from and / or available to the user of the software 5 . this includes , but is not limited to personal identification information such as user name , address , location , phone number , etc . additionally , user data 7 may consist of any information relating to the software 5 which identifies and distinguishes it from other “ same type ” or distinct software applications . this can include , but is not limited to information such as an “ identification code ” ( as noted earlier ), a product serial number , name , and / or version number . it is worthy to mention that the software 5 should preferably contain an identification code , which is a program code sequence comprised of alphanumeric characters , that would serve to identify each authorized copy of a software application . given its function , the identification code may be synonymous with a product &# 39 ; s distinct serial number . preferably , the identification code will be unique to each software application sold , and will be disclosed to both user 1 and remote service system 9 . the advantage of a unique identification code is that it will allow the remote service system 9 to recognize and keep track of each authentic copy of a software application sold . although the identification code could consist of an elongated alphanumeric code sequence , such as a “ program file ( s )”, it is preferred that it consist of a short code sequence of alphanumeric characters , e . g . xjr - u89k - rj2p1 . a short identification code sequence will allow the software 5 to be simply and easily identified . it should finally be noted that user data 7 may also refer to information identifying the user system 2 such as serial and model number as well as the type , function , and performance of the various system hardware components . after receiving and storing user data 7 , the remote service system 9 processes the user data 7 via an element 13 for processing user data . element 13 may be , but is not limited to , software , hardware device ( s ), or a combination of these two , which would allow for processing of the user data in the manner noted herein . additionally , element 13 , used to process user data , may likewise include the remote service system &# 39 ; s personnel staff who would be able to manually initiate processing of the user data , in the manner noted below . processing of the user data may include , but is not limited to an “ archiving ” event wherein a wide range of information that is received by or made available to the remote service system 9 is sorted , arranged , and organized into retrievable data files . archived data stored in the data storage element 12 of the remote service system 9 may consist of , but is not limited to , a mass assortment of receivably stored user data ( e . g . “ identification codes ”), service data ( discussed below ), and promotions , etc . here , the archived data would relate to distinct users , various software applications , and potential advertisements ; all of which may exist independently of one another . second , archived data may also consist of information indicating the amount of user online activation attempts recorded for each identified software 5 . finally , archived data may include all other information that might be of use to the remote service system 9 in preventing piracy of a given software application . processing of the user data 7 may also consist of an “ associating ” event wherein the currently transmitted user data 7 is compared to archived data contained in the data storage element 12 of the remote service system 9 . it is important to note that “ associating ” the currently transmitted user data 7 to archived data will allow the remote service system 9 to determine if the user 7 is attempting to activate a pirated version of the software 5 . here , the “ product identification code ” of software 5 , along with other user data 7 currently being received from the user system 2 , will be compared to existing archived data . if the archived data establishes that the software 5 is legally registered to a completely distinct user , such may indicate that the user currently online is trying to activate a pirated version of the software 5 . this result will occur if the archived data referencing the software 5 does not match the user data 7 currently being transmitted by the user system 2 , and / or if the archived data indicates that there have been repeated and numerous attempts to activate the same software 5 . multiple online activation attempts of the same software 5 , regardless if such attempts are by distinct or the same users , would naturally indicate that the software 5 was pirated and distributed to a multitude of different users . in this situation , the remote service provider may contact the registered user ( s ) to investigate into potential piracy . additionally , the remote service system 9 may “ blacklist ” the specific software 5 , as referenced by its identification code . blacklisting of a given software application would mean that the identified software would be prohibited from receiving any future activation codes from the remote service system 9 . for all intents and purposes , such an event would render the identified software void and permanently dysfunctional . this is because the software , as sold to the user , would need the activation code in order to function . absent this code , the identified software would be inoperative and no longer subject to piracy . when it is determined by the remote service system 9 that user 1 is not a pirator of the software 5 , service data , such as the activation code 17 , may be transmitted to the user system 2 . the software 5 and / or the user system 2 are responsive to such service data . as used in this invention , the term “ service data ” is defined and understood herein and in all the claims to mean any data that the remote service system 9 may legitimately transmit to the user system 2 during the online activation process for the software 5 . service data 16 may include , but is not limited to instructions , promotional messages , and an activation code ( s ). the instructions may guide user 1 through the steps for activating the software 5 , while a promotional message program code sequence may offer and display a particular product or service for sale . the activation code 17 , as noted earlier , is a program code sequence that will serve to activate each individual software application , which absent the activation code 17 , would be dysfunctional . the activation code may either be unique to each individual software 5 sold ( hereinafter “ unique activation code ”) or unique to a group of software ( hereinafter “ common activation code ”) that relate to a common software program , manufacturer , brand name , or version , etc . of the two , the preferred embodiment would be the “ unique activation code ” which is unique to each individual software 5 sold . one of the main advantages of using a unique activation code is the drastic curtailment of software piracy . each authorized copy of software application 5 is designed to be responsive to a distinct activation code . as such , an attempt to pirate distinct software applications would entail a tedious and time consuming task requiring the hacker to uncover the activation code of each individual , authorized software product . furthermore , a unique activation code will not allow for the activation of any “ general ” copy of the software which would otherwise be responsive to a common activation code . as an alternative to a unique activation code , a common activation code would activate all “ same type ” software applications . developing “ same type ” software to be responsive to a common activation code may be advantageous given the potential for reducing confusion and troubleshooting errors which could arise during the software manufacturing and online activation stages . it is noteworthy to mention that , similar to the identification code , the activation code may likewise consist of either a long or short program code sequence . as noted earlier , a short code sequence would consist of a concise sequence of alphanumeric characters , e . g . ht3 - gy2k - wrop , while a long code sequence would consist of a small or large arrangement of alphanumeric data that result in a “ program file ( s )”. use of a long code sequence would be the preferred method of constructing the activation code . this is because a long code sequence ( i . e . a program file ) would be much harder to replicate than a short code sequence . software application 5 can initially be supplied missing certain program files necessary for software application 5 to function . only after these missing program files ( e . g ., the activation code ) are transmitted from the remote service system 9 to the user system 2 , will the software 5 be functional . an activated software application will be fully operational and allow the user complete access to it . although not required , activation code 17 preferably remains undisclosed to user 1 . the need for the activation code will compel user 1 to register the software 5 online with the remote service system 9 . furthermore , and more importantly , having the activation code 17 only known to the remote service provider and its business affiliates ( such as the software manufacturer ) will prevent piracy of the software 5 . this is because users who wish to pirate the software 5 will not be able to replicate the activation code and distribute it along with a medium ( e . g . cd rom ) containing a copy of the software 5 . activation code 17 is preferably designed to be immune from discovery by computer hackers and sophisticated programmers . the objective is to prevent these individuals from “ breaking in ” to the software 5 and either re - writing or discovering the undisclosed activation code . as noted earlier , this may require constructing the activation code as a long code sequence which results in a program file ( s ). additionally , other measures may include code encryption as well as any other programming methods known to those skilled in the relevant technical art . before software application 5 can be activated , the appropriate service data must be processed and transmitted to the user system 2 . processing of the service data 16 requires that it be either extracted or generated from the archived data stored on the data storage element 12 of the remote service system 9 . extraction or generation of the service data 16 is accomplished by an element 14 for processing service data , as referenced in method 100 of fig1 . element 14 may be , but is not limited to , software , hardware device ( s ), or a combination of the two , which would allow for processing of the service data , in the manner described herein . additionally , element 14 , used to process service data 16 , may likewise include the remote service system &# 39 ; s personnel staff who would be able to manually initiate processing of the service data 16 , in the manner described herein . extraction of service data 16 from the archived data entails a selection process wherein only the appropriate and necessary service data is singled out from the total archived data and made available for transmission to the user system 2 . extraction of the service data is necessary given the variety of software applications , and the multitude of distinct service data entries , that may be stored and archived by the remote service system 9 . for example , the activation code “ abc - 123 ”, contained in the archived data , would only be extracted when a user 1 who possesses the specific software referencing the identification code “ abc - 123 ” attempts to activate it online . stated differently , service data containing an activation code relating to microsoft word 2000 would not be extracted for a user trying to activate a norton anti - virus software application . the reason for this is that different users will require different service data , depending on the requirements of the specific software that they are attempting to activate . alternatively , the second embodiment for processing the service data 16 pertains to an event which causes the service data 16 to be generated . this event entails a process wherein pre - existing archived data may be formulated into the appropriate service data upon request from the remote service system 9 . generation of service data can be advantageous , as this method will permit the remote service system 9 to manipulate various data components , existing in the archived data , in order to formulate the service data 16 . for example , the remote service system 9 may combine personal identification information belonging to user 1 with promotional data to formulate a personalized advertisement directed at user 1 . additionally , the remote service system 9 could combine user data ( such as the directory file location of the user system 2 that contains the installed software 5 ) with the appropriate activation code , to formulate a self executing program file which , upon an access event , would automatically install the service data 16 into the correct file location of the user system 2 . formulation of the service data may include , but is not limited to , a series of calculations , combinations , and / or sorting out of the appropriate archived data . generation of the service data may occur at any time prior to or after the remote service system 9 determines that user 1 is not a pirator of software 5 and is eligible to receive the service data 16 . once the service data 16 is extracted or generated via element 14 ( i . e ., the element for processing service data ), the remote service system 9 transmits service data 16 to the user system 2 . transmission of the service data 16 may be accomplished in a number of ways . the first two methods involve an event wherein the service data 16 is uploaded into the user system 2 , while the third method requires user 1 to download the service data 16 into user system 2 . in the first embodiment for uploading the service data 16 , the remote service system 9 initiates an uploading event in which the service data is automatically transferred from the remote service system 9 to the user system 2 wherein it is storably received via storage element 3 for storably receiving service data 16 . it may be necessary for the remote service system 9 to determine the appropriate file directory location on user system 2 in which to upload the service data . determination of this location may be accomplished by , but is not limited to , manual selection by user 1 , as transmitted by the user ( e . g . user data ), or via an interactive search of the file directory of user system 2 . in the second embodiment for uploading of service data 16 , remote service system 9 manually transmits the service data 16 to the user system 2 . manual transmission of the service data 16 allows remote service system personnel to decide when the transfer sequence should be initiated . furthermore , manual transmission enables such personnel to manually enter and transmit needed service data 16 which may not have been processed by element 14 within remote service system 9 . finally , in a third embodiment , the service data 16 is made available to user 1 for downloading into user system 2 . the remote service system 9 transfers the archived data 16 into a file that can be downloaded by user 1 . the downloaded file contains service data and possibly some elements of user data . as noted earlier , it is preferred that the file contain a self - executing installation program that is triggered upon an access event by the user . for example , as a result of successfully downloading and accessing the file , service data 16 may automatically be installed into the appropriate file directory of the user system 2 . following successful upload or installation of the service data 16 ( e . g ., the activation code 17 ) into the user system 2 , the software 5 will gain full functionality . complete activation of the software 5 will allow user 1 to freely utilize it to its full potential . preferably , user 1 will never need to go through the online activation process ( as mentioned herein ) again unless user 1 attempts to install the software 5 on another user system , or attempts to re - install it on current user system 2 . although many different scenarios can arise during the online activation process of a given software 5 , fig2 illustrates , in block diagram form , one possible “ real time ” cycle run of the present invention . starting from block 18 , user 1 successfully installs a given software application on user system 2 , at block 19 . following an initial access event of the software 5 , as indicated by block 20 , the software 5 proceeds to block 21 , and informs user 1 that online activation is required in order for it to function . if user 1 decides to register the software 5 , user 1 must connect online to the appropriate remote service system 9 , as shown at block 22 . at this point , the remote service system 9 may request user 1 to enter and transmit user data 7 to the remote service system 9 , as indicated by block 23 . the remote service system 9 may also attempt to detect any user data 7 that can be detected by virtue of the online connection between the user system 2 and remote service system 9 , as represented by block 24 . if the appropriate and necessary user data 7 is entered and transmitted by user 1 , at block 25 , or detected by the remote service system 9 , at block 26 , then such user dated is stored and processed by the remote service system 9 as indicated at block 27 . it should be noted that , if user 1 fails to provide and transmit the appropriate and necessary user data 7 , and / or if remote service system 9 is unable to detect the appropriate and necessary user data 7 , the cycle will repeat and be taken back to block 23 of fig2 . the processing of user data 7 allows remote service system 9 to determine if the user is a pirator of the software 5 . if remote service system 9 determines that user 1 is not a pirator , at block 28 , then service data 16 is processed , at block 29 . at this point , remote service system 9 transmits service data 16 to user system 2 , at block 30 . transmission may be accomplished via uploading or downloading methods as described earlier . after service data 16 is storably received by user system 2 , at block 31 , the software 5 will be active and fully operational subject to successful activation by service data 16 , as indicated by block 32 . in the event that service data 16 is not properly received by user system 2 , or fails to activate the software 5 , the cycle will repeat , starting from block 18 . finally , it is noteworthy to mention that , in the event that remote service system 9 determines that user 1 is pirating the software 5 , remote service system 9 may refuse to transmit the service data 16 , as shown by block 33 . additionally , it may investigate into the possibility of piracy , at block 34 , as well as blacklist the identified software 5 , as shown by block 35 . the program code sequence , and all other technical aspects described above , are all conventional and known to those skilled in the art and need not be described in detail herein . furthermore , the term “ element ”, as stated in the specification and all the claims herein , may be construed in the singular and / or the plural tense . the above - described embodiments of the present invention are to be considered in all respects as illustrative , and not restrictive ; the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein .
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referring now to the illustrations , fig1 and 2 depict a compound bow 20 equipped with a fall - away arrow rest 22 , an optical sight 24 , and a modular stabilizer 26 . bow 20 is of conventional construction . it has a riser 28 , upper and lower limbs 30 and 32 , cams 34 and 36 at the far ends of limbs 30 and 32 , buss cables ( collectively identified by reference character 38 ), a bow string 40 , and a cable slide 42 mounted on an elongated guide 44 . bow sight 24 includes a basic unit 46 ( fig2 ); an optional add - on or accessory 48 ( fig3 ) which provides an additional sighting capability ; and a second , also optional , add - on or accessory 50 . this accessory is employed to adjust torque and cant . the basic unit 46 is assembled directly to the riser 28 of bow 20 ( fig2 ). if the torque and cant compensation accessory 50 is added , the add - on is assembled to the basic unit ; and it is a mounting component of the accessory which is mounted to bow riser 28 . referring now most particularly to fig2 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , and 10 , the basic bow sight 46 includes a mounting bracket 54 and a complementary component 56 which functions as a housing and as a support for optical components of the sight . the two components 54 and 56 are connected by a slot - and - dovetail arrangement 58 and a threaded fastener 60 . the latter clamps the two legs 62 and 64 of bracket 54 together to securely assemble components 54 and 56 . the two legs 62 and 64 of mounting bracket 54 are attached to the riser 28 of bow 20 as by the headed and threaded fasteners 66 and 68 shown in fig2 to mount sight 24 to the bow . a plate 70 located therebetween integrates the legs 62 and 64 of mounting bracket 54 into a unitary structure . the support / housing component 56 of bow sight 24 and the components housed in and supported from that component are best shown in fig2 , 3 , 3 a - 3 c , 4 , 7 , and 8 . referring now to these figures , it was pointed out above that optical bow sights embodying the principles of the present invention employ vertically - spaced apart sight pins , each of these pins corresponding to a different bow - to - target range . the sight pins of bow sight 24 are identified by reference characters 74 . . . 82 . the sight pins are composed of optical fibers encased in protective housings that are preferably made from a metallic glass . housings fabricated from the preferred materials are highly resistant to corrosion in contrast to the rust - susceptible metallic pin components of conventional bow sights . reference characters 82 f and 82 h in fig3 a and 38 respectively identify the optical fiber and housing of representative sight pin 82 . the sight pins 74 . . . 82 are mounted to a pin support 83 , forming a sight pin assembly 85 ( see fig3 c ). assembly 85 is housed in bow sight housing / support component 56 , which also supports the casing 84 of an optics unit 86 . the assembly 85 can be removed from component 56 as a unit , which is advantageous from the viewpoints of manufacturability , serviceability , and interchangeability . in the currently preferred sight pin assembly shown in fig3 e , sight pins 74 . . . 82 are installed in a selected two of three vertical slots 88 , 90 , and 92 in sight in support 83 , slot 88 being nearest the front of the support and slot 92 being nearest its rear . alternate pins are installed in slots 88 and 90 , pins 74 , 78 , and 82 thus being installed in front slot 88 and pins 76 and 78 being installed in center slot 90 . rear slot 92 provides a protected path for the optical fibers . the distal ends 94 . . . 102 of the sight pin optical are exposed ( see fig7 ). it is these exposed , dot - like features of the sight pins with which a target is acquired . the sight pin housings are curved such that the optical fibers are supported from pin support ( or frame ) 83 with sight features 94 - 102 facing the archer . the array 104 of sight pins 74 . . . 82 is surrounded by a shroud 106 , also to protect the pins from damage . shroud 106 is an integral component of support / housing component 56 . as shown in fig2 , the optical fibers of sight pins 74 . . . 82 are trained through bow sight component 56 to the optics unit 86 of the bow sight . there , the fibers are coiled , one above the other , against the inner side 108 of optics unit casing 86 . the lowermost optical fiber 109 ( of sight pin 82 ) is shown in fig9 . the casing 84 of optical unit 86 has inner surfaces , described below , which are elements of a light trap 110 ( fig8 and 13 ). the casing supports a light collecting lens 112 directly above , and in axial alignment with , light trap 110 at the open end 114 of casing 84 . light trap 110 is a one - piece , typically injection molded component ( see fig1 ). the light trap includes : the inner surface 115 i of the bottom wall 115 of casing 84 ; the inner surface 116 i of casing side wall 116 ; and a conical , cored - out , integral element 117 with : ( a ) a uniform wall thickness “ i ”, ( b ) a base 118 , ( c ) an apex 119 , and ( d ) a convex external surface 120 . the light trap may be made from any appropriate polymer as by injection molding , for example . the light trap surfaces are coated by vapor deposition or otherwise treated to make those surfaces highly reflective . lens 112 gathers light from a field which encompasses almost an entire hemisphere . light reaching light trap 110 through lens 112 may fall on the external surface 120 of conical element 117 , the optical fibers in and coiled against the wall 116 of casing 84 , the inside surface 116 i of wall 116 , or the inner surface 115 i of casing bottom wall 115 . light that does not directly strike the optical fibers is reflected and / or redirected onto the fibers . therefore , essentially all of the incident light reaches and is loaded into the fibers ; and the optical unit is highly efficient in collecting light from the ambient surroundings and in insuring that the collected light reaches the optical fibers for transmission through the fibers to the sighting dots 94 - 102 at the ends of the fibers . lens 112 is not a mandatory component of optical bow sights embodying the principles of the present invention . even without a lens , light will fall on and into light trap 110 and be loaded into the optical fibers housed in casing 84 essentially in the manner discussed above . turning now primarily to fig3 , 5 , 8 , and 10 the torque and cant adjustment accessory or add - on 50 includes two brackets , 121 and 122 , connected by a vertically - extending hinge pin 124 and a mounting bracket 126 which replaces the mounting bracket 54 of the basic bow sight 46 . mounting bracket 126 is assembled to bracket 122 with threaded fasteners 128 and 130 ( fig5 ). the optical components of sight 46 are attached to mounting bracket 126 of accessory 50 in the same above - discussed manner and with the same type of slot - and - dovetail coupling and threaded fastener that are used to attach those components to basic bow sight 46 . a variety of factors , such as a particular archer &# 39 ; s grip , the balance of the bow , the angle of a shot , whether the archer is shooting from a tree stand or other elevated position , shooting uphill , etc . causes the archer to impose torque — that is a force pivoting the bow to the left or right about a vertical axis — on the bow . an important feature of accessory 50 is that it can be employed to provide compensation for the torque . specifically , by tightening setscrew 132 , bracket 121 and the optical components carried by that bracket , especially the sighting pins , are shifted to the right , i . e ., in the direction indicated by arrow 132 in fig5 . conversely , by tightening complementary setscrew 136 , bracket 121 is shifted in the opposite direction to move the supported optical components to the left . the fastener 128 securing the mount 121 of accessory 50 to optical unit - supporting bracket 126 extends through a laterally oriented adjustment slot 138 in the bracket ( see fig1 ) and is threaded into mount 121 . the cant of the optical sight is adjusted by loosening fasteners 128 and 130 , rotating optical unit support 126 about the lower fastener 130 until the bubble 140 of a level 142 mounted on the bottom of sight pin shroud 106 ( see fig1 ) is centered , and then retightening fasteners 128 and 130 . this cant compensation adjustment can contribute significantly to accuracy . turning now most particularly to fig3 , 5 , and 6 , it was pointed out above that the optional add - on or accessory 48 is employed to provide a sight pin for a range typically greater than those ranges for which sight pins 74 . . . 82 are intended . accessory 48 is bolted or otherwise mounted to the basic bow sight unit 46 in the location shown in fig3 and 4 . accessory 48 includes a sight pin 144 mounted to a support 146 , a carriage 148 , and an elongated , threaded member 150 supported from , and rotatable in , the carriage . the threaded member is rotated by a knob 152 fixed to member 150 by setscrew 154 . carriage 148 has end plates 156 and 158 . posts 160 and 162 extend between and are mounted at their opposite ends to end plates 156 and 158 . threaded member 150 is located equidistantly between posts 160 and 162 as shown in fig6 . sight pin support 146 can be moved vertically up and down on posts 160 and 162 as indicated by double - headed arrow 164 in fig6 . specifically , elongated member 150 is threaded through an internally - threaded extension 166 of sighting pin support 146 . consequently , as the threaded member 150 is rotated , the support 146 and sight pin 144 are moved vertically up ( or vertically down ) to locate the aiming point 168 at the end of the sighting pin at the height appropriate for a selected bow - to - target range . the support is locked in place by rotating knob 170 . the aiming feature 168 of sight pin 144 can be moved in and out of sight pin mount 146 to align aiming feature 168 with respect to the aiming features 94 . . . 102 of sight pins 74 . . . 82 . this is accomplished by loosening a screw 171 threaded into pin mount 146 , shifting the sight pin into or out of support 146 as indicated by double - headed arrow 172 , and then retightening the screw . as is best shown in fig3 and 4 , there is a dimple 174 at the bottom of sight pin shroud 106 . this increases the distance over which the sighting end 168 of sight pin 144 can be displaced with a concomitant increase in the ranges for which sight pin 144 can be used . another important feature of the present invention , employed whether or not it is the basic sight 46 that is involved , or that sight with one or both of the accessories 48 and 50 discussed above , is an elastomeric shock and vibration damper 176 . in the case of the basic unit , the damper is mounted on that vertical wall 178 of bow sight component 56 opposite mounting bracket 54 ( see fig2 ). if accessory 48 is also present , damper 176 is instead mounted on that side of the accessory opposite the basic bow sight 46 ( see fig3 and 4 ). damper 176 makes a significant contribution to smooth and quiet operation of bow 20 ; and it reduces the possibility that shock and / or vibration might damage bow sight 24 . it is advantageous to be able to control the light which reaches light trap 110 . this can be done with , for example , an apertured elastomeric boot 182 as shown in fig1 and 15 or an adjustable shutter mechanism 184 as shown in fig1 and 17 . boot 182 has a side wall element 186 and an integral diaphragm 188 with a central aperture 190 . the boot is slid down over optics unit casing side wall 116 and retained in place by friction . the size of aperture 190 controls the light reaching light trap 110 . by exerting a downward , arrow 192 force on the boot , the diaphragm 188 can be stretched , increasing the size of aperture 190 and , consequentially , that proportion of incident light reaching trap 110 . the shutter mechanism 184 shown in fig1 and 16 has a cylindrical casing 196 , a stationary plate 198 , and a complementary shutter 200 . plate 198 and shutter 200 have arrays 202 and 204 of complementary trapezoidal apertures 206 and 208 . plate 198 is fixedly mounted in the upper end of casing 196 , and shutter 200 is mounted above plate 198 for rotation about a vertical axis 210 . rotating shutter 200 about axis 210 changes the fraction of incident light that can reach light trap 110 through apertures 206 and 208 . with shutter 200 rotated relative to plate 198 as shown in fig1 , the apertures 206 in plate 198 and the apertures 208 in shutter 200 are nearly aligned ; and most of the incident light passes through aperture 208 and then aperture 206 to light trap 110 . when shutter 200 is rotated about axis 210 to the orientation shown in fig1 , imperforate areas 209 of the shutter span the major parts of the apertures 206 in plate 198 . this reduces the size of the aperture 206 , 208 light passages , and , consequentially , substantially reduces that fraction of the incident light which can reach trap 110 . light controlling shutter mechanism 184 is assembled in any convenient manner over the open upper end 114 of optics unit casing 84 . the light controlling mechanism shown in fig1 - 17 can be employed irrespective of whether or not the optics unit of the associated bow sight has a lens . the invention may be embodied in many forms without departing from , the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention . the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description ; and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein .
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a diesel fuel sample ( 6 grams ) is separated into its aromatic and non - aromatic fractions by passing (@ 500 ml ./ minute ) the fuel down a silica diamine column connected in series to a silica gel column using hexane as the solvent on a waters div . millipore , milford , mass ., model 500a high performance liquid chromatograph . the saturate fraction is collected off the end of the column and the hexane mobile phase is removed by rotary evaporation . the aromatics are then back flushed from the column by reversing the flow and substituting methylene chloride as the solvent . the solvent is again removed by rotary evaporation . the near infrared absorbance spectra of the non - aromatic and aromatic fractions ( or known proportions thereof ) are measured on an nir systems , inc ., model 6500 spectrophotometer at 1672 nm and assigned concentrations of 0 % and 100 % aromatics by weight , respectively . an equation of the form y = mx + b is calculated from beer - lambert law , where y is the aromatic concentration , x is the absorbance , m is the slope of the regression line , and b is its y - intercept . the absorbances of a series of five unknown diesel fuel samples are measured and , using the above equation and the sample &# 39 ; s absorbance at 1672 nm , aromatic concentration of each sample is calculated and the correlations are plotted together as fig7 . note the near perfect correlation in the preferred bands of the invention . when the techniques of example 1 are employed using fiberoptic probes to measure flowing streams and side streams in a refinery diesel fuel stream , accuracy approximately as good as obtained in the batch - process of example 1 is achieved . fiber optical probes preferably use the nir range of 1650 and 1700 nm because of the cost and difficulty in obtaining non - absorbing fiber probes which transmit in the range of 2124 to 2252 nm . fig3 schematically shows an important process control application of this invention . new diesel fuel regulations require that highway fuel produced after october , 1993 , meet a maximum sulfur content specification . an nir instrument calibrated as according to this invention , very close control of hydrotreater operation can be attained at minimum severity and hydrogen consumption . raw feed , stream 300 , flows through fired heater 310 , feed / effluent exchanger 340 , is admixed with hydrogen stream 320 , through an adiabatic hydrotreating reactor 330 , to tankage . the absorbance spectrum of the stream is measured by nir probe 350 , and this information provided to the process control computer 360 . conversion of spectrum to estimated sulfur content is made by the computer , and the flow of fuel stream 370 to the fired heater is adjusted as necessary by control valve 380 . this on - line control allows rapid , very close control of product quality and eliminates present problems with production of off - spec finished products in quantities because corrections are implemented much sooner . this also results in a close - specification diesel fuel which is in much demand in today &# 39 ; s marketplace . additional process control advantages of the invention are exemplified in fig5 . for the same hydrotreating scheme shown in fig3 ( example 3 ), this invention can allow maximum use of aromatic components in diesel fuel such as fcc lco while operating the hydrotreater at maximum severity when aromatic / cetane limits are reached . maximum use of fcc lco ( light cycle oil , high in aromatics ) in diesel is advantageous to the refiner due to its relatively low value , but it is a major contributor to the aromatics content of the diesel pool . in fig5 on - line nir analysis allows maximum fcc lco flow by maintaining constant analysis of the product diesel stream , providing information to the aforementioned process control computer 360 which adjusts fcc lco flow 390 through flow control valve 400 such that the product stream just meets the required aromatics / cetane specification . this application is particularly attractive in that hydrotreating catalyst deactivation will be automatically compensated by the control loop by reducing the quantity of fcc lco blended as the catalyst activity declines over the normal aging cycle . manufacture of low odor base solvent ( lobs ) is accomplished by the control schematic of fig3 . an nir probe , properly calibrated for 0 - 5 % aromatics , is used to directly control product quality ( low aromatic content ) to meet the specification level , by hydrotreatment . blending also can be controlled by nir , preferably using feed - forward of the aromatics content of the feed as measured by nir . using the same apparatus and using methods similar to those of fig3 and 4 , the invention is used to control the sulfur in the final product diesel fuel existing from a hydrotreater using feed - back ( feed - forward can be used to substitute for feedback or both feed - back and feed - forward control systems can be used , utilizing the invention as the primary sensor or sulfur ). recent u . s . government regulations will require a maximum of 0 . 05 wt . % sulfur in diesel fuels , so removal of sulfur by hydrotreating and close control to avoid excess consumption of hydrogen or off - spec high - sulfur diesel fuel have become increasingly critical to the refining industry . an important feature of the invention is the discovery that sulfur , at least predominantly , is usually present in diesel fuel and heavier hydrocarbons as a derivative of benzothiophene . surprisingly , the c : s band of these thiophene or similar aromatic molecules can be observed by the nir spectra of the present invention , despite the expectation that c : s would give a weak signal in comparison to c : h , due to the relative similarity of the carbon and sulfur molecular weights . since there may be other aromatics present , e . g . mono , di , and tri aromatics , the ratio of aromatics to sulfur in any given petroleum feedstock , e . g . diesel fuel , can vary substantially because some of the aromatics will contain sulfur and is primarily present as derivatives of benzothiophene , a correlation can be made between the sulfur content and the aromatic content for any given feedstock . showing this , the techniques of measuring and controlling sulfur are essentially the same as those utilized in example 4 for controlling aromaticity by the invention . once the ratio of total aromatics to benzothiophenes is known for each of the different feedstocks to be handled , measuring the aromatic content of the individual feedstock and applying the relationship between aromatics and thiophenes can be used to give a reliable measure of the sulfur content of a blended product . the invention can alternatively be used to directly compute the sulfur contained in each individual feedstock , or in the product if feed - back is being used , by monitoring the sulfur band itself which appears between 1584 and 1642 nm , and in some instances in the region 2036 - 2282 nm . as shown in fig9 this is a region where there is also almost perfect correlation with aromatic content . thus , through there may be a distinct sulfur band in the 2036 - 2282 region , it appears that it is interfered with by the strong aromatic band , but this is not yet determined due to the difficulty in band assignments . there is a second overtone of the benzothiophene absorption band at about 1100 - 1150 nm , and a third overtone at about 850 - 900 nm , and these can be used , either directly or by mathematical conversion to provide a measure of sulfur in diesel fuels and heavier hydrocarbon streams , through these overtones may also sulfur from the aromatic combination band interference . there may well be distinct sulfur bands in the primary , secondary and tertiary overtone combination regions . a combination of the primary band and these overtones may , in some instances , be valuable for analytical measurement of sulfur . referring to fig5 on - line nir analysis in the benzothiophenic band determines sulfur in the product diesel oil stream , providing information to the process control computer 360 which adjusts fcc lco flow 390 through flow control valve 400 so that the product stream just meets the required maximum sulfur specification . as with aromatics control , this application is particularly attractive because the hydrotreating catalyst &# 39 ; s gradual deactivation will be automatically compensated for by the control loop reducing the quantity of fcc lco fed to the unit . preferably , with sulfur , we have found wavelengths in the ranges 850 - 900 1118 - 1162 , 1584 - 1642 , 2036 - 2088 , 2110 - 2152 , or 2196 - 2282 nm to be analytically useful for determining sulfur content . the statistical method is more fully set forth in example 7 . table a shows calibration results by forty samples which include one feed sample and 39 samples that have been hydrotreated at different severity . these samples span a diesel range of from 0 . 015 to 1 . 016 wt . % sulfur in diesel fuel . sulfur was first determined by analysis by a leco sulfur analyzer using astm d1552 procedure for high sulfur samples , and for low sulfur samples , sulfur was determined by a dohrmann sulfur microcoulometer using analytical procedures of astm d3120 . these results are listed in table a under &# 34 ; lab %&# 34 ;. using the data of table a , a correlation is developed against the laboratory test data . the nir absorptions are measured and correlated using the wavelengths of 1620 nm , an analytical waveguide for benzothiophenic sulfur , and 2120 nm , combination band for aromatic and / or sulfur . a correlation &# 34 ; multiple r &# 34 ; of 0 . 9935 is obtained . that is an excellent correlation and is further confirmed by the regression constant k ( 0 ) equalling - 0 . 177 , remarkably close to 0 , indicating a near absence of analytical interference . similar results are obtained with diesel fuel , jet fuel , kerosene , lube oil , and fcc feedstock . table a______________________________________nirsystems calculated percentsspl no . lab % nir % residual______________________________________ 1 1 . 016 1 . 006 -. 010 2 . 243 . 225 -. 018 3 . 172 . 160 -. 012 4 . 089 . 085 -. 004 5 . 051 . 035 -. 016 6 . 023 . 038 . 015 7 . 105 . 073 -. 032 8 . 030 . 055 . 025 9 . 035 . 056 . 02210 . 027 . 039 . 01211 . 255 . 276 . 02112 . 159 . 174 . 01513 . 157 . 155 -. 00214 . 110 . 099 -. 01115 . 079 . 057 -. 02316 . 166 . 141 -. 02517 . 074 . 082 . 00818 . 075 . 081 . 00619 . 078 . 086 . 00920 . 056 . 085 . 02921 . 349 . 363 . 01422 . 236 . 271 . 03523 . 193 . 189 -. 00424 . 139 . 155 . 01625 . 079 . 063 -. 01626 . 201 . 169 -. 03227 . 081 . 087 . 00628 . 078 . 084 . 00629 . 077 . 087 . 01130 . 052 . 071 . 01931 . 235 . 219 -. 01632 . 096 . 108 . 01233 . 074 . 068 -. 00634 . 068 . 045 -. 02335 . 036 -. 003 -. 03936 . 100 . 077 -. 02337 . 030 . 035 . 00538 . 028 . 026 -. 00339 . 023 . 027 . 00340 . 015 . 040 . 025______________________________________ a diesel fuel sample ( 6 grams ) is separated into high sulfur and low sulfur fractions by passing (@ 500 ml ./ minute ) the fuel down a silica diamine column connected in series to a silica gel column using hexane as the solvent on a waters div . millipore , milford , mass ., model 500a high performance liquid chromatograph . the low sulfur fraction is collected off the end of the column and the hexane mobile phase is removed by rotary evaporation . the high sulfur fraction is then back flushed from the column by reversing the flow and substituting methylene chloride as the solvent . the solvent is again removed by rotary evaporation . the high sulfur and low sulfur fractions are mixed in known proportions to prepare 7 known standards containing 0 . 023 - 0 . 201 wt . % sulfur . the near infrared absorbance spectra of the 7 known standard fractions ( or known proportions thereof ) are measured on an nir systems , inc ., model 6500 spectrophotometer at 2128 nm using their known concentrations as the dependent variable . alternatively , we have found it acceptable to substitute a derivative of the absorbance spectra for the absorbance spectra . a plot of the correlation with sulfur versus wavelength is shown in fig9 and the calibration plot ( actual sulfur vs . predicted sulfur ) is shown in fig1 . an equation of the form y = mx + b is calculated from beer - lambert law , where y is the sulfur concentration , x is the samples absorbance at 2128 nm , m is the slope of the regression line , and b is its y - intercept . a correlation of 0 . 9999 and a standard error of 0 . 0011 wt . % sulfur is obtained during the calibration using the beer - lambert law . the absorbances of a series of 39 unknown diesel fuel samples are measured and , using the above equation and the sample &# 39 ; s absorbance at 2128 nm , the sulfur concentration of each sample is calculated . note the near perfect correlation with sulfur content in the preferred bands of the invention for the calibration data . a series of color standards are prepared by visually matching a series of diesel fuel samples diluted with paraffin oil to the visual color standards used in astm d1500 to determine astm color . the colors ranged from 1 . 0 - 5 . 5 in increments of 0 . 5 . the liquid visual standards produced in this manner were correlated against their visible absorbance spectra at 594 and 500 nm . the correlation coefficient obtained was 0 . 999 with a standard error of 0 . 075 . the agreed quite well with the 0 . 5 intervals which were determined by the primary test method and gave correct test results when measured on 39 unknown test samples . specific compositions , methods , or embodiments discussed are intended to be only illustrative of the invention disclosed by this specification . variation on these compositions , methods , or embodiments are readily apparent to a person of skill in the art based upon the teachings of this specification and are therefore intended to be included as part of the invention disclosed herein . reference to documents made in the specification is intended to result in such patents or literature being expressly incorporated herein by reference including any patents or other literature references cited within such documents .
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referring first to the forms shown in fig1 and 2 of the drawings , this example of the invention embodies two adjacent bag segments . a decoy bag segment 10 has a pocket 12 mounted to a side wall 14 . the pocket 12 is formed by a flap 16 which is permanently mounted at its bottom to the side wall 14 . the permanent mounting may be accomplished by stitching or a metal fastener or glue or such other means as those with skill in the art would use . the top of the pocket 12 is releasibly secured to the side wall 14 by an attaching means 18 . the attaching means 18 may be a snap or velcro ® or the like . velcro ® is a hook - and - loop - type fastener and is a registered u . s . trademark , e . g ., reg . nos . 1 , 027 , 417 or 1 , 303 , 907 ( velcro ® v ). a valuables pouch 20 is appropriately sized to fit within the pocket 12 . a hand strap 22 is permanently attached to the valuables bag 20 . the decoy bag 10 has a carrying strap 24 attached to it . fig2 shows the flap 16 disengaged from the mounting means 18 . the valuables bag 20 is shown separate from the decoy bag 10 . in normal use , the fully assembled handbag appears to be conventional . the handbag holder drapes the carrying strap 24 over his or her shoulder and lets the bag hang down to a comfortable position ( usually about the hip or rib cage area when walking or riding normally ). the pocket 12 and valuables bag segment 20 should be positioned so that they are immediately adjacent to or resting against the body of the handbag holder . consequently , the valuables bag segment 20 is hidden from view . the handbag holder then inserts his or her hand through the handstrap 22 to secure the valuables bag segment 20 . should a thief attempt to snatch the handbag by grabbing and then exerting an extraordinary pulling force upon the readily available decoy bag segment 10 , the decoy bag segment 10 will break away from the valuables bag segment 20 . in normal operation , the valuables bag segment 20 will either slide out of the top of the pocket 12 , or , exert sufficient force against the pocket to disengage the reattachable mounting means 18 and open the flap 16 . as defined herein , extraordinary pulling force is the force that a thief exerts on a handbag or purse in the course of a purse snatching incident . thus , when the thief grabs the decoy bag segment 10 with the carrying strap 24 and pulls , the handbag holder is left holding the valuables bag segment 20 which has been secured to the handbag holder &# 39 ; s wrist by means of the handstrap 22 , while the thief runs off with the decoy bag segment 10 . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the pocket 12 and the valuables bag segment 20 are smaller in size than the decoy bag segment 10 and remains hidden from view . an advantage of this sizing arrangement is that the borders of the decoy bag 10 protrude out beyond those of the valuables bag segment 20 . when a thief grabs the decoy bag segment 10 , the thief &# 39 ; s hand will grab only the protruding decoy bag segment 10 . furthermore , an oversize decoy bag segment 10 will camouflage the fact that the handbag holder is holding or otherwise securing the smaller valuables bag segment 20 . referring now to the forms shown in fig3 and 4 of the drawings , this example of the invention is similar in many respects to the example shown in fig1 and 2 except that the pocket 12 &# 39 ; is formed from a flap 16 &# 39 ; which is capable of going up , over , and around the top of the decoy bag 10 &# 39 ;. the valuables bag segment 20 &# 39 ; fits into the pocket 12 &# 39 ; and the flap 16 &# 39 ; is folded over the top of the decoy bag segment 10 &# 39 ;. the handstrap 22 &# 39 ; projects sidewardly out of the pocket 12 &# 39 ;. the wraparound strap 16 &# 39 ; offers the advantage of almost completely concealing the valuables bag segment 20 &# 39 ;. occasionally , a handbag holder may drape the carrying strap 24 or 24 &# 39 ; around his or her neck so that the carrying strap 24 or 24 &# 39 ; lies across the chest or abdominal region in diagonal fashion . if the thief grabs or pulls the carrying strap 24 or 24 &# 39 ; and the carrying strap 24 or 24 &# 39 ; is permanently secured to the decoy bag segment 10 or 10 &# 39 ; the handbag holder may be dragged along by the thief . fig5 illustrates an example of a carrying strap 26 which is reattachably mounted at both of its ends to the decoy bag 10a . the male portion of a snap 28 is reattachably mateable with the female portion of the snap 30 and forms a means for detachably securing the carrying strap 26 to the decoy bag segment 10a . fig6 illustrates an example of a carrying strap 26 &# 39 ; permanently attached to the decoy bag segment 10a at one end 32 by such means as those with skill in the art would normally use and reattachably attached at the other end by means of the male snap portion 28 &# 39 ; and female snap portion 30 &# 39 ; if a thief grabs and pulls the fully detachable carrying strap 26 , the carrying strap 26 will detach at one or either both of the points at which the carrying strap 26 is attached to the decoy bag segment 10a . when both ends of the carrying strap 26 release , the thief will abscond only with the carrying strap 26 . if one end of the carrying strap 26 &# 39 ; is permanently attached to the decoy bag segment 10a , a thief grabbing the carrying strap 26 &# 39 ; will abscond with the carrying strap 26 &# 39 ; and the permanently attached decoy bag segment 10a . the advantage of a detachable carrying strap 26 or 26 &# 39 ; is made apparent under these circumstances because without a releasing mechanism , the handbag holder would be dragged along as the thief pulls the carrying strap or the decoy bag segment . in any case , all the above - described carrying straps may be made adjustable in length by any such means are known to those with skill in the art . for example , as can be seen from fig7 an adjustable carrying strap 34 may be made adjustable by means of a buckle assembly 36 and holes 38 , or , as is shown in fig8 an adjustable carrying strap 34 &# 39 ; may be made adjustable by means of a sliding release buckle 40 . in an alternative embodiment of the instant anti - theft handbag the flap 16 or 16 &# 39 ; may be removable at all points of attachment . fig9 illustrates an embodiment substantially similar to the embodiment shown in fig1 except that the flap 16 is not permanently mounted to the side wall 14 . each point of attachment to the side wall is releasably accomplished through attaching means 18 . therefore , if a thief grabs the decoy bag segment 10 or the carrying strap 24 , a properly secured valuables segment 20 will either slide out of the top of the pocket 12 , or , exert sufficient force against the pocket 12 to disengage any or all of the reattachable mounting means 18 and open all or part of the flap 16 , thus releasing the valuables bag segment 20 from the decoy bag segment 10 . a reattachable mounting means 18 may be placed near the center of the bottom of the flap 16 to prevent the valuables bag segment 20 from sliding through the bottom of the pocket 12 . similarly , fig1 illustrates the same principles in an embodiment similar to fig4 . as above , the flap 16 &# 39 ; is reattachably mounted at all connection points by reattachable mounting means 18 &# 39 ;. while the description herein highlights the benefits and advantages of the present invention under the circumstances of a theft , the inventive concept also applies to situations that occur when the carrying strap or decoy bag is inadvertently hooked to a passing or stationary object . in such situations , the present invention functions as a safety device . for example , a fast - closing subway door may inadvertently close on a victim &# 39 ; s handbag . the instant invention would function as previously described , i . e ., separating at the aforementioned attaching means and leaving the victim safe and secure with their valuables . in the case of a moving bicycle rider who inadvertently catches the invention would function as above to produce the same safe result . in all the embodiments of this invention , the bag segments may exist in varying sizes and shapes such as square , rectangular , circular , or any other shape which may be convenient or pleasing to the eye . it is also contemplated that the present inventive concept also encompasses larger size shoulder bags . furthermore , the bag segments may open and close to reveal storage areas contained within the bag segments . such opening and closing means may comprise zippers , flaps or any other mechanism which may seal the bag segment that those with skill in the art may apply . the examples and embodiments depicted in the specification are not intended to be limitations on the inventive concept herein . accordingly , other modifications in the shape , size , form or interchangeability of bag segments may be made which are intended to be covered by this invention .
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in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment , reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural , logical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present inventions . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense , and the scope of the present inventions is defined only by the appended claims . numbering in the figures is usually done with the hundreds and thousands digits corresponding to the figure number , with the exception that the same components may appear in multiple figures . signals and connections may be referred to by the same number or label , and the actual meaning should be clear from the context of use . in fig1 a home entertainment system is shown generally at 110 . external to the home entertainment system , a satellite 112 , which in one preferred embodiment is a hs601 model , operated by hughes at a 101 degree west longitude geosynchronous orbital location , transmits signals comprising 150 channels of modulated digital video , audio and data signals at a frequency of about 12 ghz . the satellite signals are received by the home entertainment system 110 by an antenna 114 containing a low noise block converter amplifier . the antenna is preferably about 18 inches in diameter and receives left and right hand circularly polarized signals between 12 . 2 and 12 . 7 ghz . the antenna provides a “ downconverted - spectrum ” signal between 950 and 1450 mhz via a coaxial cable or other suitable communication medium 116 to a system device 118 , such as a personal computer or other system or circuitry capable of processing data . suitable antennas are already being manufactured and sold by rca corporation by direct sales and through numerous major retail chains such as radio shack . the system 118 contains circuitry and software to further processes the signals from the antenna , generally demodulating and decoding the signal to produce a vga signal . the vga signal is provided via a standard vga compatible monitor cable 120 to drive a large screen data quality monitor 122 suitable for viewing in a family room or entertainment type room environment . the system 118 provides for user input by means of remote controls 124 and 126 . remote control 124 comprises a handheld size device with standard television controls and numeric keypad , and in one embodiment , vcr controls and a pointing device . it provides rf ( radio - frequency ) or ir ( infrared ) control signals received by the system 118 . remote control 126 is a full function personal computer keyboard , with additional standard television and vcr controls , pointing device which is preferably in the form of a touchpad , and it also provides rf control signals to the system 118 . rf control signals were selected over ir or hardwired in one embodiment due to the home entertainment environment . it allows the system to be in a different room from the monitor 122 , or if in the same room , a clear line of sight is not required . in another embodiment , ir control signals were selected because of the availability of many standard circuitry at low cost . further detail of the remote control devices is provided below . the monitor cable 120 is a standard type cable typically used on vga display devices , and comprises up to fifteen electrical conductors , interfacing with the monitor 122 in a d series shell connector indicated at 210 in fig2 . the fifteen leads , some of which are blank , end in pins in the connector which is a molded over , shielded , triple row , 15 position , subminiature d , straight male plug . the leads are labelled and identified in a table indicated generally at 212 next to the representation of shell connector 210 . the monitor contains a suitable female connector for receiving the male shell connector 210 . the monitor 122 in fig1 is preferably capable of displaying at least vga quality data and video . at least 640 by 480 pixels of resolution are displayable on the monitor . alternative monitors of higher quality , such as svga providing an even greater number of pixels are also used in a further embodiment . many common graphics cards support multiple such formats , providing great flexibility . the tube size is 33 inches with a diagonal viewing size of 31 inches . an alternative tube size of 29 inches with 27 inch viewing area is lower cost and more suitable for an entry model entertainment system . monitor 122 preferably contains an analog tube with an aspect ratio of 4 by 3 , supports vga input , has a dot pitch of approximately 0 . 8 to 0 . 95 millimeters for the 33 inch tube and 0 . 65 to 0 . 8 millimeters for the 29 inch tube with a misconvergence of 1 to 1 . 5 millimeters , a bandwidth of 15 mhz , a brightness of about 33 fl . one crt which may be used is manufactured by mitsubishi , having a model and type number of m79kkz111x . the above specifications may easily be modified for larger tube sizes , but are designed to provide optimal viewability from a distance of less than two to about four meters for a combination of data and high quality video . if the viewing distance is desired to be less , the tube size and dot pitch should be decreased . if the tube size is not decreased , more pixels would need to be displayed for adequate viewing of data . svga monitors providing more lines would be more appropriate . standard digital monitor controls to control brightness , contrast , vertical and horizontal sizing and positioning , on / off ( rest / resume ) are also provided , with both a user accessible manual control panel , and circuitry for receiving control information from personal computer 18 in via monitor cable 120 . further embodiments of monitor 22 include larger displays of 35 and 40 inches viewable and lcd large projection screen type displays . both aspect ratios of 4 : 3 and 16 : 9 , commonly referred to as wide screen are supported . further detail of the functional blocks of system 118 are shown in fig3 . a processor 310 resides on a system board containing an industry standard pci bus 312 . a random access memory 314 is coupled to both the processor 310 for direct access , and to the pci bus 312 for direct access by other components also coupled to the pci bus 312 . the other components comprise a receiver 316 , video graphics adapter , vga converter card 318 , sound card 320 and modem 322 . an rf receiver 324 is coupled to standard keyboard and mouse ports , which in turn are coupled through a standard keyboard / mouse adapter to an isa bus 326 to processor 310 . both keyboard 126 and handheld remote 124 transmit rf signals identifying the key pressed , as well as a signal identifying the source of the key signal . the rf signals are typically in the megahertz range , but can also be ir or other suitable form of radiation . rf signals have the advantage over infrared “ ir ” signals in that they are not interrupted by someone walking between the remote and the receiver . this is especially important during a drag and drop type of activity . if the signal is interrupted for example , a needed document might be dropped on a trash can icon , causing the document to be unintentionally deleted . light source interference and jamming of other ir receivers is minimized by using rf signals . it may also be used in a different room from the receiver . rf receiver 324 receives the rf signals , which provide indications of the keys being pressed along with the identity of the remote control device sending the signal . rf receiver 324 comprises an isa board or module plugged into both standard keyboard and mouse ports . the board contains rf receiver circuitry which receives the rf signals , decodes them and routes them to the appropriate port for processing . a system controller program running on processor 310 supervises software drivers which are programmed to distinguish between the sources , and control which program the remote key signals affect . if the handheld remote is activated , the key signals usually would control what channel is being displayed , or cause a recorded program to fast forward , play or reverse . it could however be selected to move to the next image in a program designed to display pictures taken on a digital camera . keyboard keys are more likely to control a computer program application such as a word processor , spread sheet or electronic mail program . however , the television like controls might be used to override the remote hand held television controls in channel selection . further elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention include a tape drive 330 for backup of data and storage of video information , such as a movie or other program , a fixed disk drive 332 for storing programs and data , a cd rom drive 334 , and a diskette drive 336 , all as commonly known in the personal computer art . a pair of speakers 338 and 340 are also provided . a power supply and associated control circuitry is indicated at 342 , and is coupled to the rf receiver 324 to receive signals representative of power on and power off commands from the remote control devices . power circuitry 342 maintains power to the rf receiver 324 even when the rest of the system is shut down to ensure that the power on signal is received and executed . to avoid accidental powering off of the system , two consecutive power off signals must be received before the system is powered down . in one preferred embodiment , processor 310 is a 100 mhz pentium processor , ram 314 comprises a minimum of 16 megabytes , disk drive 332 is a 1 . 5 gigabyte ide hard drive , the cd rom drive 334 is a quad speed , 3 disc changer , and the fax / modem is a standard 28 . 8 k bits - per - second ( or “ kbaud ”) modem . it should be noted that components in personal computers are getting faster , smaller and cheaper with higher capacity . it is easily anticipated that larger memories and faster modems and processors will be preferable over the next 20 plus years . in an alternative preferred embodiment , a very high speed processor 310 is used , and receiver 316 simply comprises circuitry to transform received signals into a digital format . the remainder of the functions of the receiver 316 and vga card 318 are performed by software routines to receive , tune multiple simultaneous channels , decompress , perform error checking and correction and convert the digital signals into digital vga format . the vga card 318 in this embodiment simply comprises a digital to analog converter . receiver 316 is shown in further detail in fig4 . a tuner 410 receives the direct broadcast signal from antenna 114 via standard coaxial cable 116 . the broadcast signal is 150 channels of high - quality television , including data , compressed in accordance with motion picture expert group , mpeg - 1 standards with mpeg - 2 expected to be available in the near future . the information is carried on an approximately 12 gigahertz carrier , and the receiver 316 selects channels from the carrier and performs analog to digital conversion of the signal . a demodulator 412 is coupled to tuner 410 for demodulation of the digital signals . forward error correction is provided via standard viterbi and reed - solomon algorithms at block 414 . the output of block 414 comprises an encrypted digital signal , in one embodiment encrypted in accordance with data encryption standards “ des .” while it is not important to precisely reproduce the video signal , it is much more important to get the data such as computer programs and financial information accurately . the above error correction algorithms are designed to reduce the error rate for data to 10 − 2 errors per byte of data . for video and audio , an error rate of 10 − 8 is acceptable . the error corrected encrypted digital signal is supplied to a decryption and demultiplexing block 416 . block 416 is coupled to a conditional access card 418 which provides the key for decrypting the digital signal . upon separating the multiplexed digital decrypted signal , it is provided as digital mpeg conforming signals via a connector 420 to pci bus 312 . in operation , when processor 310 executes a command , such as changing a channel , it sends the command over the pci bus 312 to receiver 316 , where tuner 410 tunes in a different channel , and the video signals are processed and sent on to vga card 318 and sound card 320 . once on pci bus 312 , the digital mpeg signal may follow several different courses . in one embodiment , a buffer is allocated from ram 314 to hold a user selected amount of compressed video data or information comprising computer programs . the same buffer concept may be applied to disk drive 332 , which is useful for holding an even larger amount of information . tape drive 330 is preferably an 8 millimeter tape device , and is useful for storing entire programs of data or mpeg compressed video / audio information . the tradeoffs for each storage device are clear , with the cost of storage per megabyte increasing with the speed with which it may be retrieved . hence , while ram provides very fast access , it is a limited resource , and does not make sense to use for much more then a few seconds of video related data . also , it is a transitory memory in that it does not persist if power is removed . it is most useful for buffering about 10 seconds worth of video information . while it is not possible to predict how long a block of data will play when converting to video , 10 seconds is about 15 megabytes of data . the tape drive 330 is the cheapest form of data storage , but is not randomly accessible . in other words , it can take some time for the tape to move to the right place before desired data can be retrieved for playing . however , it does provide the most cost effective storage for linear playback of movies and television shows . a disk drive 332 is has an average access time of about 10 milliseconds , making it a nice tradeoff between tape and ram for buffering portions of video information and allowing the user to select and quickly play back desired buffered video . it , like tape is also persistent . when the mpeg data is buffered , a fifo type of buffer is used , with new information written over the oldest information when the buffer is full . through use of the television and vcr remote controls on handheld remote 124 and keyboard 126 , vcr - like instant replay functions are provided from the buffered mpeg data . the buffered data is sent back under processor 310 control via the pci bus 312 to the vga card 318 for display on monitor 122 . the vga card 318 is now described with reference to fig5 . in fig5 a controller 510 is coupled to the pci bus to receive mpeg encoded video , and other normal personal computer display information such as graphics and text . if controller 510 detects mpeg data on pci bus 312 , it routes it to a decoder 512 with associated dynamic random access memory of 2 megabytes , dram 514 . decoder 512 decodes the mpeg data in accordance with mpeg standards . a commercially available chip from sgs - thompson microelectronics , part number sti3520 is one such decompressor chip which performs the decompression . dram 514 is used as a buffer to assist in the decoding , since large amounts of data are required at one time to decode mpeg data . audio information from the decoded mpeg data is provided to a header 516 for transmission to the sound card 320 . the decoded video signal in yuv color encoding is provided back to controller 510 which then places the video information into a dynamic random access memory or video random access memory , vram 518 . a converter 520 retrieves the information from vram 518 and generates standard analog vga display signals on a cable adapter 522 which mates with shell 210 in fig2 for display . other audio video inputs are provided on vga card 318 , including a standard cable connector at 524 coupled to a video tuner circuit 526 . tuner 526 provides both an audio output on line 528 to header 516 , and an audio video signal to a video decoder 530 via line 532 . line 532 is also coupled to a video multiplexer 540 , which selects one of at least two ntsc compatible audio video signals it receives to an audio video out panel connector 542 . video decoder 530 also receives audio video inputs from further panel connectors , comprising rca jack 544 , s - video pin 546 and a second rca jack 548 . the video signals provided on these lines are decoded by decoder 530 into yuv video output on line 550 , which also receives decoded mpeg signals from decoder 512 . both these signals are available for display by vga display via controller 510 without conversion to ntsc . an alternative is to route the signals on line 550 to a yuv to ntsc converter 552 , which feeds video multiplexer 540 for display on a standard television of ntsc signals . however , conversion to ntsc results in an inferior picture being generated from what is received in either s - video or from the antenna 114 as represented by the mpeg signals on pci bus 312 . by not converting to ntsc , the entire transmitted image may be displayed . prior art ntsc conversion lead to a cropping of the image to ensure that the image presented was not degraded at the edges . the present invention provides the ability to scale for provision of the entire transmitted image without quality loss at the edges , since it provides a digital video signal . no overscan is required as is needed to ensure smooth display borders for ntsc analog transmissions . sound card 320 is shown in further detail in the functional block diagram of fig6 . both fm synthesis and wavetable synthesis are provided at 610 and 612 respectively . their outputs are mixed or multiplexed at 614 and provided to a mixer and coder / decoder 616 which provides a line out 618 containing soundblaster compatible output for connection to standard speakers if desired . in a further embodiment , surround sound compatible output is provided . mixer 616 also has a microphone input line 620 , a cd audio digital line in 622 one embodiment , and a cd audio analog line in 624 . a multiplexer 626 also multiplexes multiple input lines into mixer 616 . a line in 628 and two audio / video lines 630 and 632 are multiplexed by multiplexer 626 , as are signals received from header 516 via lines 634 and 636 . line 634 is coupled through header 516 to tuner 526 , providing an audio signal from channels on cable connector 524 . header 516 is also coupled to mpeg decoder 512 to provide mpeg pcm ( pulse - code modulation ) audio through digital to analog converter 640 to line 636 . lines 636 and 634 are also coupled through a further multiplexer 642 to provide a line out of vcr compatible audio on a line 644 . fig7 shows multiple ports available on the back panel of the personal computer 118 , and on the cards shown in fig4 and 6 . the back panel connections are shown generally at 710 . the audio video inputs comprise rca jack 544 and audio left and right speaker connectors 630 for receiving audio video input from a vcr or game machine , s - video pin 546 and auxiliary rca jack 548 for receiving audio video input from a vcr , camcorder or laserdisc and left and right audio connectors 712 . audio video out connectors 542 and 644 are available on the back panel 710 for coupling to a vcr for recording . sound card 320 contains connectors 618 , 620 and 628 on the mounting bracket , plus a game port 720 . vga card 318 contains the coaxial cable connection 524 and the vga output port 522 . digital receiver card 316 contains the coaxial cable connector to coaxial cable 116 , and a slot for the conditional access card 418 indicated at 720 . slot 720 may be a standard pcm / cia slot ( also referred to as cardbus or pc card ), or any other type of connector desired , such as one specified by news datacom , who is providing such digital satellite system ( dss ) cards for settop boxes . by providing the above connectors and ports on the back side of the personal computer , they are accessible for easy wiring , but also out of view in the home entertainment center . the dss signal on coax cable 116 also contains data relating to television programming scheduling and closed caption information . in some video broadcast services , the closed caption information is contained in the vertical blanking interval of video signals . this information is captured by the receiver 316 and separated out from the video and audio signals , and provided on the pci bus to ram 324 where it is accessible to processor 310 . it can also be stored on any other storage device capable of storing text or other digital data . as shown in fig8 the text is stored directly into a database 812 on ram 324 or disk drive 332 . in one preferred embodiment , database 812 comprises flat files of the entire text provided by receiver 316 . no organization is applied to it other than sequential as received . a search engine 814 running on processor 310 accepts user queries indicated at 816 in the form of key words . all standard commercial database query functionality , such as proximity searching , query by example , wildcard letters , etc are applicable . search engine 814 then applies the query to the database 812 and supplies the results back through the vga card 318 for display . the data is preferably formatted as specified by the user , most likely in terms of the title of the program , the time that it will be on , and the channel that it will be on . further information , such as descriptions of the program , and at least partial credits including director and actors may also be specified to be provided by the user . closed caption information is stored separately from the programming information and may be queried separately . where a separate data channel contains all the closed caption information for the channels containing video information , it is easy to store the closed caption information for all the channels . however , if it is required to decode each video mpeg channel , then only the closed caption information from one channel at a time is stored . an auto surf function cycles through desired channels , picking up portions of closed caption information , which can then also be searched . this is very useful when looking for current event type programming . perhaps a user is interested in a particular place , or when a particular feature on a desirable topic starts . a query to review all the current and past mentions of the place or feature during live programming can quickly alert the user to broadcasts satisfying the query . where closed caption is not supported , the sound track from video is fed into a speech recognition program 820 running on processor 310 which recognizes at least a few words from current television programming , and will improve with time and advancement in linguistic parsing . for now , only the words that are recognized are fed into yet another partition of the database which can be independently searched . various views of the hand held remote control 124 are shown in fig9 a , 9 b , and 9 c . a 19 millimeter optical trackball 910 is integrated into the remote , and functions just as any other pointing device for personal computers , generating cursor control signals that are transmitted to the personal computer 118 . in a further preferred embodiment , the cursor control device is a miniature joystick shown at 911 in fig9 c , that is operated by a finger being placed on top of the stick and pushing in the direction of desired cursor movement . selection buttons , or mouse clickers are provided at 912 for the user to press to select functions on the personal computer that the cursor is touching . an additional trigger like selection button is provided at 913 , which is convenient for use by an index finger if holding and pointing the remote in a natural position . it is also useful as a pseudo trigger for many games , and for one handed dragging and dropping of icons . in one embodiment , as shown in fig9 c , a microphone 1244 , an earphone 1242 , and an rf transceiver are included in remote control devices 124 , providing a cordless - telephone functionality , with pc 118 being the base unit and remote control 124 being the remote unit . in another such embodiment , as shown in fig1 , a microphone 1244 , a speaker 1242 , and an rf transceiver are included in remote control device 126 , providing a cordless - telephone functionality , with pc 118 being the base unit and remote control 126 being the remote unit . phone calls can be received or initiated by activating a “ phone ” function by pressing one or more of the control buttons on the phone , such as simultaneously pressing buttons 922 and 928 , which , in one embodiment , toggles function between tv and phone , thereby automatically muting the audio of the tv when phone function is desired . a power switch is provided at 914 to provide power - on / off functions for the monitor 122 and resume / rest for personal computer 118 . channel control buttons 916 provide the familiar television / vcr up and down channel control functions . volume controls 918 are also provided , as is the standard number keypad in television remote controls indicated generally at 920 . further provided are mute button 922 , channel recall 924 , fav ( favorite channel or menu ) button 926 and tv button 928 , which serves to cycle the display through full screen display of a television program , to putting it in a window , to hiding it completely . an additional function set control button 930 is used to select functions provided by an operating system beyond those normally provided today . much as the “ ctrl ” and “ alt ” keys are used to select different functions , the function set button 930 is similarly used on the hand held remote 124 to select the functions defined by the operating system . fav button 926 may be unique to each family member , and comprise a listing of the users favorite television programs , games , computer application programs , home pages on internet , or other interfaces into the electronic world . hand held remote 124 also contains rf generating circuitry coupled to all the keys and pointing devices for generating rf signals corresponding to the buttons pressed for reception by rf circuitry 324 . the power of the rf signal is adjustable via a thumbwheel indicated at 934 , which is coupled to further power adjusting circuitry shown in fig1 . power is provided by a standard 9 volt cell 936 , or multiple double “ a ” batteries , accessible via a removable panel 940 . remote keyboard 126 , shown in further detail in fig1 , is very similar to a mf ii keyboard , except that the numeric key pad has been replaced with television / vcr like remote control buttons , and a touchpad indicated at 1010 . in addition , it contains a pair of function set keys 1012 and 1014 for invoking the same functions as button 930 on handheld remote 124 . the television / cr buttons include a power button 1016 , volume controls 1018 , channel controls 1020 , tv / vcr button 1022 , mute button 1024 , a favorite channel / function button 1026 and a channel recall button 1028 . in addition , selection keys 1030 and 1032 are provided to select function indicated by the cursor as controlled by touchpad 1010 . touchpad 1010 is integrated into the remote keyboard , and permits easy manipulation of the cursor by simply moving an object , such as a pen , stick or finger / finger nail across the pad in the desired direction . it can be useful for performing signatures to validate transactions , or restrict access to files . by integrating touchpad 1010 directly in the remote keyboard 126 , there are no external connections , or sliding drawers to contend with , which could easily become clogged with grease , butter , sugar or any of the other messy things people eat while being entertained in a family entertainment center . the portion of the keyboard containing the television / vcr remote controls is preferably sealed , and impervious to being affected by such foods and drinks as are commonly found in a family room . since the keyboard is more likely to be heavily used , a higher number of double “ a ” batteries are used . four to eight provide a suitable length of operation . they may be rechargeable , and an external power jack 1042 is provided to allow the keyboard to be plugged into standard electrical utility power supplies . as with the handheld remote 124 , the keyboard remote 126 comprises rf generating circuitry 1040 to provide rf signals for reception by rf circuitry 324 in personal computer 118 . rf circuitry 1040 also adds on a keyboard identifier with the signals it transmits , which identifies each keystroke as originating from the keyboard . in one embodiment , it is a set of bits that is unique to the remote device . this helps prevent inadvertent interference from other owners of similar home entertainment systems from inadvertently controlling the users system . in another embodiment , the frequency is shifted slightly from that emitted by the handheld remote , and rf circuitry 324 detects the bits , or the frequency shift and identifies the keystrokes as originating from either the handheld remote , or the remote keyboard which is associated with the system . in yet a further preferred embodiment , multiple remotes are provided , each with its own identifying frequency or code , including joysticks for controlling games . in this manner , each individual in the room can be controlling their application or program in a window , or be playing different parts in a game . since all remotes would be sending the same signals to represent the same functions , the drivers for such remotes running on processor 310 need not differ . they need only be designed to handle multiple different sources of the keystrokes , button strokes , mouse , stick or touchpad signals . a high level flowchart showing how commands issued from different remote control devices are interpreted by processor 310 to control different applications is shown in fig1 a . when an application is started in a windows 3 . 11 or 95 environment , it is initialized as shown at 1110 to be associated with a particular remote . the keys or buttons from such remote are identified in groups of either “ keyboard ” or “ tv ” or “ game ” type keys . game type keys would be those associated with the stick , trackball or mouse type of pointing devices . thus , an application could be associated with game keys from the handheld remote for one player of a game , and game keys from the keyboard remote for a second player . further remotes , or different groups from a remote could be used for further players . when rf circuitry 324 receives signals from a remote , it identifies the command , such as what key was pressed , and which remote device it came from to processor 310 at step 1112 . processor 310 then identifies the application in a window to which is should be applied . if it is a presentation type of command , such as enlarging a window or opening a window as determined at 1116 , the command is routed to the window manager for execution at 1118 . if not , it is executed on the application that the group it is associated with was initialized to at step 1110 . in further preferred embodiments , individual keys are associated with applications , however , at least one group or key is always associated with the underlying operating system to prevent a user from being locked out of other applications . one further use of the above system is to assign tv / vcr controls to television programming associated with a window . in this manner , no cursor need be present in the window , blocking the television programming in order to perform channel selection . in addition , if someone else is watching a program in a different window , their channel selection controls will only affect their window . a block diagram in fig1 b represents tables formed by a program manager to associate remote control devices and the input devices on the remote control devices to programs . programs , as used herein refer to computer application programs and television programs , both of which are controllable by remote control devices . a first program 1122 is associated with a first remote controller , r 1 , whose input devices d 1 and d 2 control the first program . d 1 and d 2 correspond to the alphanumeric keys , such as a computer keyboard keyset , or subset thereof , or a cursor control device , or even the television control pad previously discussed . second , third and fourth programs 1124 , 1126 , and 1128 are also associated with remote control devices , and in some instances multiple remote control devices . fourth program 1128 is controlled by input device sets d 1 and d 2 of remote r 1 , and d 1 and d 2 of the second remote r 2 . the low level granularity of associating sets of keys to applications provides great flexibility for a multi - user home entertainment system . in a further embodiment , fm earphone headsets are provided to enable each person to hear only the sound that is associated with their own window of programming . the sound associated with each program is either assigned to one of several standard fm frequencies and broadcast in low power , much like that in a drive - in movie theater , and each headset is tunable to the frequencies broadcast . in another embodiment , each headset is tuned to a different single frequency , and the user selects the windows whose sound will be broadcast on which frequencies . the top most window in such a set of windows will have its audio so broadcast . further detail of rf circuitry in the remote control devices is shown in fig1 . an input device , comprising the keyboard or hand held remote is indicated at 1210 . when a key , touchpad command , trackball etc command is activated , it is provided to a decoder 1212 , which decodes the command into a signal representative of the command to be transmitted . it also adds a header and check bits to the signal to be transmitted , indicating a unique identification of the remote . the identification in one embodiment is a digital signal which is unique for each remote control for one system and stored on an ee - prom , while in a further embodiment , the code is an eight bit , or a 16 bit code which results in over 64 , 000 different combinations , making it unlikely that neighbors within range will have remotes with codes that will control a user &# 39 ; s system . the unique identifier may also be represented by selecting a different frequency for each remote control device . the system uses this unique identification as described above to determine which program should be affected by the particular command issued from the particular remote that issued it . the decoder 1212 provides a decoded signal to an fm signal source and modulator 1214 , which in one embodiment generates a desired rf signal in the 900 megahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum . this signal is provided to a power amplifier 1216 , which amplifies the rf signal and provides it to an antenna 1218 for transmission to the system . the power amplifier 1216 consumes most of the power in the remote control device . a potentiometer 1222 is provided to reduce the gain of the amplifier so that it is not always amplifying the signals at the highest power level . since users will vary the distance they are from the system , there is no need to always transmit at the maximum power level . if a user is close to the system , the user may adjust the power level downward by turning the thumb wheel on the remote in the appropriate direction until the system no longer receives the transmissions . in one embodiment , the receiver in the system detects the signal strength received , and provides visual feedback on the display to assist the user in setting the power level to a level where no errors in transmission due to low power signals are likely to result . such signal power level detectors are well known in the art , and one example is shown in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 193 , 210 . in a further embodiment , the t rf receiver 324 also comprises an rf transmitter , and provides an rf signal representative of the power level back to the remote , which is received by a receiver antenna 1224 . antenna 1224 is coupled to a receiver / demodulator / decoder 1226 which decodes the signal and provides a digital signal representative of transmitted signal strength back to a power control circuit 1228 . power control circuit 1228 is coupled to the potentiometer 1222 for adjustment of the gain of power amplifier 1216 based on the signal strength feedback from the system . power control circuitry 1228 is also coupled to the input device , to sense when commands are entered . it is also coupled to the other components to control when they are supplied power . during touchpad and trackball operation , power is supplied continuously to all the electronics . however , after a predetermined period of time , approximately 1 second , with no further commands being sensed , the power control circuitry 1228 cuts off power to most of the other circuitry , and only turns it back on within milliseconds when activity on the input device 1210 is detected . when other circuitry is powered off , the power control circuit remains active , along with the receiver 1226 . the power control circuit 1228 buffers commands until the other circuitry is ready to process the commands . since it turns back on quickly , there is no perceptible delay by the user . in a further embodiment , each input device command transmitted is acknowledged by the system with an echo of the command . when no acknowledgement is received , the power control circuitry 1228 instructs the decoder to send the signal again , while increasing the power level until the system properly acknowledges the command . all other commands are buffered in the power control circuitry until successful transmission of the command , whereupon they are transmitted at the new adjusted power level . in one embodiment , the times for rebroadcast are randomly chosen , and prevented if the receiver 1226 detects transmissions from another remote control device or the system to prevent interference . this is not done if each remote has its own transmission frequency , which is set , in one embodiment , by a dip switch 1240 . in yet another embodiment , the remote control devices are used as a “ speakerphone ,” a hands - free intercom - like connection to the telephone system . in conjunction with the modem telephone functions , the rf circuitry 324 transmits and receives in a manner equivalent to the base unit of a cordless phone . a speaker 1242 on the remote control device is coupled to the receiver 1226 , which receives rf voice from the rf circuitry 324 , and provides the received sound . a microphone 1244 is coupled to the decoder 1212 for transmitting sound created by the user . receiver 1226 and decoder 1212 operate in conjunction as the handset of a standard cordless phone . in a further embodiment , the earphone headsets are used in place of the speakers for privacy . in one embodiment , a headset jack is provided in the remote control device as part of the block indicating speaker 1242 and standard headsets may be used . when the user receives a telephone call , a message appears on the display with the identity of the calling source if caller id is provided by the telephone service selected . this allows easy interface into available databases to “ pull ” up further information about the caller stored on the system . a key 931 on the remote is used to answer the call . the keypad is used to enter numbers , with the modem providing standard dtmf ( dual - tone , multiple - frequency ) tones . the remotes 124 and 126 also contain jacks 942 and 1044 for game controller input . a standard personal computer analog game port is provided , or in conjunction with the rf transceiver capability of the remote control devices , a bi - directional digital port is provided from jacks 942 and 1044 . one example of the advantages of having a full function computer operating in conjunction with broadband video is that it opens up the power of a personal computer to control the video streams and advanced user functions . the interface to the broadband video is much more user friendly . in fig1 , one example is shown , with a standard television like schedule indicated generally at 1310 . it comprises a timeline across the top , starting at 8 pm and progressing to midnight . four channels , a , b , c and d are shown , but many more may be available . other programs , such as games and word processors which may be selected in standard double mouse click fashion are also shown . both the time frames and the number of channels shown may be modified by the user enlarging the window using standard windows based navigation techniques . multiple cells , or programs are shown on each channel , and are represented as a suffix of the channel letter for discussion herein . in actuality , program titles and descriptions appear be inserted in each cell . by clicking on a cell with the right mouse button , further details appear in an expanded version of the cell . several icons are tied to functions controlled by the system . a record icon 1320 is tied to either a separate video cassette recorder , the tape drive , or the disk drive to record selected channels . a program cell may be indicated for recording by dragging the cell with a mouse control and dropping it onto the record icon . similarly , a reminder may be set by dropping a program cell onto a remind icon 1322 . if a pay per view program is desired , one simply drags the program cell , which is perhaps outlined in green , over on top of a buy icon 1324 . the buy icon is also used when viewing a home shopping channel , or a catalog in a similar manner . to view a primary program , a user either double clicks on a cell , or drags a cell to a view icon 1326 and drops it there . to place a program into a picture in picture format , a user drags a cell onto a pip icon 1328 . the picture in picture window may then be resized like any other window , or moved to another area of the display . all the icons may also be arranged in an l - shape surrounding a primary channel being viewed so that the icons do not interfere with the video images being displayed from the primary channel . in one embodiment , each remote control device controls a different cursor , shown as r 1 and r 2 on the screen in fig1 . when the cursor is used to select a program , it becomes the primary controller for that program . the keys on the remote are automatically mapped into the program selected . the keyboard however , retains control of the task list , and is capable of selecting a program and becoming the primary control device for that program to the exclusion of the hand held remote control device . in fig1 , icons e 1 and e 2 represent remote earphones . the personal computer sound card 320 also contains a multi frequency fm transmitter 646 with antenna 648 , and has the capability to generate separate sound tracks for each window being displayed on the monitor . it assigns each to one or more sets of earphones and transmits a local fm signal or broadcast ir or rf which is received and played by the earphones set to the right channel . the earphones have tuning circuitry that allows them to be set to a desired channel , or they may be fixed to different frequencies . the user drags the appropriate icon over to the program having the desired sound track , or to the remote that the user is controlling and drops it . if dropped on a program , the sound card transmits the sound for that application on the frequency associated with the earphones which are tuned to that frequency . if it is dropped on a remote control device , the top window associated with that remote has the sound associated with it transmitted . a first screen display provided on monitor 122 to users is shown in block diagram form in fig1 a . the display comprises a set of icons which are tied to underlying functions in a microsoft windows95 or down level version operating environment . this front end is specifically designed to be a replacement shell for the normal windows operating environment to make it user friendly to a family . it acts as an application manager , allowing the user to launch other applications and utilities from within it . the front end is organized into the following areas , each of which leads to further menus : entertainment , information services , productivity , and logon / help / configuration controls . the front end utilizes win32c application program interfaces , and operates both as a shell and as a stand - alone application . it supports drag and drop and is win95 logo compliant . further icons on the first screen comprise a logon icon for bringing up a dialog box asking for the user name and password and a help icon for bringing up a context sensitive help engine with a data file which is related to the screen where the help icon was selected . the dialog box for the logon contains an option for a default , or family logon which may not require a password . the front end splits the integrated video processing , audio processing and data processing functionality of the entertainment system into different areas of similar functionality as show in the block diagram of fig1 b , comprising an entertainment icon 1410 , an information services icon 1412 and a personal productivity icon 1414 . each of these icons , when activated by clicking , or from a task list invoke further menus . an entertainment menu in a window on the monitor is shown in fig1 c , comprising selections such as microsoft home theater , cd audio , digital video , ir blaster and games , all of which may be launched from this window . the games icon provides a user configurable games menu , which has the capability of being user aware , provided the user identified himself or herself at login . the person logged on is also noted at the bottom of the window . each user is then above to have their favorite games listed when they are logged in . a home icon or control button is active , and takes the user back to the main menu . help controls are also active , and take the user to context sensitive system and help information . the information services icon 1412 leads to a further information services menu as shown in fig1 d . many commercially available information services are launchable , as well as telephony related functions tied to the modem , such as voice messages , fax viewing and mail readers . the personal productivity icon 1414 leads to a personal productivity menu in fig1 e , where personal productivity software is launchable . while shown as a text based list , the applications may also be represented by icons . a configuration menu is shown in fig1 f and is found through the first screen display . cancel is the active button in this menu due to the potential to adversely affect the look and operation of the entertainment system . a user can change the front end to essentially a computer program based interface , change the clock of the system , browse the secondary storage for other applications which can be dragged and dropped onto different menus , and remove applications from different menus . one embodiment , implemented on a circuit card or cards for providing video conferencing via a public switched telephone network is shown generally at 1510 in fig1 . broken line block 1511 implements an industry standard , such as the proposed itu - t ( international telecommunications union - telecommunications ) standard , and each element described hereinafter within block 1511 implements the standards that are identified in the element block . input / output devices comprising a microphone 1512 and speaker 1514 are coupled to a signal converter 1516 . converter 1516 converts signals from the microphone to digital signals , and digital signals to analog speakers for driving the speaker 1514 . converter 1516 is coupled to an echo cancelling device 1518 for reducing feedback between the speaker and microphone . an audio coder / decoder 1520 is coupled to both the cancelling device 1518 and converter 1516 , and to a delay circuit 1522 , which in turn is coupled to a multiplexor / demultiplexor 1524 for processing the audio signals . multiplexor 1524 is in turn coupled to a modem 1526 , which has capability for both sending and receiving data on a public switched telephone network (“ pstn ”) indicated at 1528 in either analog ( such as a modem connected to an analog “ pots ” or plain old telephone system ) or digital ( such as a digital isdn connection ) form . a video camera 1532 ( which can be a stand - alone video camera , a commercially available camcorder , or other imaging device ) is coupled to suitable video inputs on back panel 710 , and is used to provide a video feed to a color space convertor / graphics display module 1535 , which provides a further video signal to a video coder / decoder 1536 , which is coupled to the multiplexor 1524 . video signals received from the camera are compressed by the codec ( coder / decoder ) 1536 , and then transmitted over the telephone network by modem 1526 . video signals received from the network by modem 1526 are demultiplexed , decompressed and turned into signals ( in one embodiment , into vga signals ) for display on a monitor . in addition to providing the ability to perform video conferencing with other compatible systems over a telephone network , several data - exchange protocols are supported at a data converter 1540 , which is coupled between the multiplexor 1524 and a data storage device 1542 containing data generated by a user application . a system control icon 1544 represents the ability of the operating system of a computer , such as the computer comprising the home entertainment system , to control the elements of the video conferencing circuitry . system control 1544 is coupled to a system control block 1546 , which implements standard h . 246 and in turn is coupled to both the multiplexor 1524 and modem 1526 to provide operator control thereof . a further embodiment of a video conferencing aspect of the home entertainment system is shown in fig1 generally at 1610 . common components of the home entertainment system are numbered the same as in previous figures . in this implementation , a plain old telephone system (“ pots ”) connection 1612 ( which is alternatively a digital connection such as isdn into the pstn ) can also is used for the video , sound and data signal transmission . other users to be connected by video conference are represented at 1614 . a camcorder 1616 ( which can be a stand - alone video camera , a commercially available camcorder , or other imaging device ) is used to provide the audio / video feed via the back panel inputs 710 , where the video and audio are then provided . to the sound 320 and converter 318 cards for digitization . the digitized signals are then sent through the system bus to the modem 322 for transmission . received signals via the modem are sent to the cpu , sound card , and video card for decompression and / or playing on monitor 122 and / or a stereo / speaker combination 1620 . elements indicated with broken lines , are advanced features which are easily implementable . they include a voice capability coupled to the sound card 320 and modem 322 for providing a separate voice channel when video conferencing is not desired . a set of amplified speakers are indicated at 1624 which are driven directly by the sound card 320 with no need for independent amplification . a digital camera with microphone indicated at 1628 is coupled directly to a digital signal processor ( dsp ) with mixing and decoding functions indicated at 1630 . the dsp 1630 is coupled directly to the system bus 312 . finally , a video cassette recorder 1632 is coupled to the converter card 318 for recording . while the system has been described in terms of a personal computer , it is easily modified to encompass a settop box version , where all the circuitry is integrated into one or two cards in a box designed to sit on top of a television having vga input . in another version , all the circuitry is included inside of the television chassis . in one embodiment , full multi - media signal sourcing and destinationing of audio / video / digital - data ( a / v / d ) broadcasts is provided for . referring to fig1 one embodiment of signal 116 from satellite dish 114 provides digital a / v / d signals from such sources as directtv or primestar . in another such embodiment , signal 116 provides analog a / v such as ntsc antenna signals . in another such embodiment , signal 157 from camera 156 provides analog a / v such as ntsc audio / video signals . in further embodiments , signal 175 from cable source 174 provides analog and / or digital a / v / d . i further such embodiments , signal 163 from pstn 162 provides data or phone signals such as isdn or pots signals . in one set of such embodiments , computer 118 is programmed to automatically record analog signals , such as television programming , onto recordable media , such as video tape , in vcr 172 coupled to cable 173 . in another such set of such embodiments , computer 118 is programmed to automatically record digital signals , such as digital television programming or cd - rom - type audio , onto recordable media , such as recordable compact disks , in cd jukebox 168 coupled to cable 169 . cd jukebox 168 also plays cds or cdroms for use elsewhere . in another such embodiment , signals are sent to stereo - surround sound system 158 for audio output to one or more speakers 160 , and on cable 151 to tv 150 . in one such embodiment , earphones 154 on cable 155 and gamepad 152 on cable 153 provide additional input / output through remote control 126 . home network 164 is “ smart wiring ” used to transmit data and control within the home , coupled by cable 165 to computer 118 . videoblaster 170 provides video - signal processing on cable / connector 171 . cables 175 , 116 , 163 , 157 , 151 , 173 , 171 , 169 , 155 , and 153 can be wired coupling or wireless ( such as rf or ir signals without wires ). it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative , and not restrictive . many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description . the scope of the invention should , therefore , be determined with reference to the appended claims , along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled .
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fig1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention . a network processor 1 comprises processing means 2 . two features of the processing means 2 are in this presentation referred to as a first and a second resource r 1 , r 2 . a resource as understood in this presentation can be any of a large amount of different types of features , and a few examples are given herein . in addition , in general , the processing means can present more than two resources , see below with reference to fig3 . one or more of the resources r 1 , r 2 can be processing elements , adapted to process data . alternatively , one or more of the resources r 1 , r 2 can be performance parameters related to the processing means 2 . in this embodiment of the invention , both performance parameters are performance parameters . more specifically , the first resource r 1 is the bit rate capacity of the processing means 2 , and the second resource r 2 is the packet rate capacity of the processing means 2 . the processing means 2 can be any of a variety of known types , including an asynchronous processing pipeline , as described in said international patent application no . pct / se2005 / 001969 , incorporated herein by reference . thereby , any or all of the resources r 1 , r 2 can be performance parameters related to the processing means 2 , or processing elements of the processing pipeline , the amount of which can be considerably larger than two . any of such processing elements can be an access point for access to a processing device , or engine , as describes in wo2004 / 010288 , included herein by reference . alternatively , the processing means 2 can be a risc ( reduced instruction set computer ) processor , microcoded engine , hardcoded engine , or a combination of multiple processing means of one type or many types . data traffic is forwarded from left to right in fig1 . data packets d 1 , d 2 , d 3 enter the processor through a data input interface comprising an input port 3 , and are stored in an input buffer 4 before admitted to the processing means 2 in a manner described below . after exiting the processing means 2 , the packets are stored in an output buffer 6 before being transmitted through an output port 7 . admission to the processing means 2 is determined by a first and a second shaper s 1 , s 2 , in the form of a bit rate shaper s 1 and a packet rate shaper s 2 , respectively . the bit rate shaper s 1 limits the bit rate to the processing means 2 . the limitation property of the bit rate shaper s 1 is chosen based on the first resource r 1 , i . e . the bit rate capacity of the processing means 2 . the packet rate shaper s 2 limits the flow of data packets to the processing means 2 . the limitation property of the packet rate shaper s 2 is chosen based on the second resource r 2 , i . e . the packet rate capacity of the processing means 2 . the shapers s 1 , s 2 can be provided in any suitable form , for example as a software program , or part thereof , or as digital or analogue circuits of electrical , optical or mechanical components . reference is made to fig2 . both shapers s 1 , s 2 use token bucket algorithms , so that admittance of data is based on a respective value cs 1 , cs 2 of a credit parameter . each of these values cs 1 , cs 2 , herein also referred to as credit values cs 1 , cs 2 , are compared to a respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . if any of the credit values cs 1 , cs 2 is below the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 , no data traffic is allowed to pass the respective shaper . if neither of the credit values cs 1 , cs 2 is below the respective first limits l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 in the token buckets of the shapers s 1 , s 2 , the next packet d 1 in turn in the input buffer 4 is admitted to the processing means 2 . when the packet d 1 is admitted to the processing means , the credit value cs 1 of the bit rate shaper s 1 is reduced by an amount corresponding amount of bits of the packet d 1 , and the credit value cs 2 of the packet rate shaper s 2 is reduced by an amount corresponding to the number of packets admitted , i . e . one packet . as an alternative , the credit value cs 2 of the packet rate shaper s 2 can be adjusted as described in said international patent application no . pct / se2005 / 001969 , incorporated herein by reference . accordingly , each data packet d 1 , d 2 , d 3 can comprise a header with information , and the packet rate shaper s 2 can be adapted to read the information , which can be related to the cost of the data packet , i . e . to the longest time that the respective data packet d 1 , d 2 , d 3 keeps any processing element of the processing means 2 busy from accepting new data packets . alternatively or in addition , such header information can be used to establish the identity of the resource , i . e . the processing element , to be engaged in processing of the respective packet d 1 , d 2 , d 3 . further , the header can also include information about the size of the respective data packet . when the packet is admitted to the processing means , the credit value cs 2 of the packet rate shaper s 2 is reduced by an amount corresponding to the header information , e . g . cost information . a second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 of the respective shaper s 1 , s 2 is higher than the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 , as indicated in fig2 . alternatively the second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 of the respective shaper s 1 , s 2 can be identical with the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . if the credit value cs 1 of the bit rate shaper s 1 is below the second limit l 2 s 1 , the credit value cs 1 is periodically , e . g . every clock cycle of the processor 1 , incremented by a fixed credit amount . the value of the fixed credit amount is based on the frequency of the periodic increments ( e . g . every clock cycle ) and the first resource r 1 , i . e . the bit rate capacity of the processing means 2 . similarly , if the credit value of the packet rate shaper s 2 is below the second limit l 2 s 2 , the credit value cs 2 is periodically incremented by a fixed credit amount , which is based on the frequency of the periodic increments and the second resource r 2 , i . e . the packet rate capacity of the processing means 2 . preferably , the shapers s 1 , s 2 use a so called loose token bucket algorithm , i . e . the first limits l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 are zero , and when the both credit values cs 1 , cs 2 are non - negative , the next packet d 1 in turn in the input buffer 4 is admitted to the processing means 2 . if the credit value of any of the shapers s 1 , s 2 is below the first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 , the credit value of the other shaper s 1 , s 2 is not incremented above a respective second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 . limiting the credit value of any of the shapers s 1 , s 2 to the respective second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 , if the credit value of any other of the shapers s 1 , s 2 is below the first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 , will reduce buffer capacity requirements of the processing means 2 . this is explained by the following example : independent shapers , allowing unlimited increase of credit levels regardless of credit levels in other shapers , can not prevent the situations described as follows : after a sequence of packets consuming a relatively large amount of the first resource r 1 and a relatively small amount of the second resource r 2 , i . e . in this example relatively long data packets , the credit value of the second shaper s 2 will reach a relatively high level . if such a packet sequence consuming a lot of the first resource r 1 and little of the second resource r 2 is followed by a sequence of packets consuming a relatively small amount of the first resource r 1 , i . e . in this example relatively short data packets , a burst of packets will be permitted until credit value cs 2 of the second shaper s 2 falls below the first limit l 1 s 2 . correspondingly , after a sequence of packets consuming a lot of the second resource r 2 and a only a little of the first resource r 1 , i . e . in this example relatively short data packets , the credit , value of the first shaper s 1 will reach a high level , allowing a burst of a following sequence of packets consuming a relatively small amount of the second resource r 2 , i . e . in this example relatively short data packets , until credit value cs 1 of the first shaper s 1 fails below the first limit l 1 s 1 . the invention will prevent a build - up of large credit values during data sequences consuming a large amount of one resource in relation to another resource of the processor . this will significantly reduce burst sizes , which in turn will allow lower downstream buffer capacity requirements . in the case of the processing means 2 being an asynchronous processing pipeline , as described in said international patent application no . pct / se2005 / 001969 , the invention will reduce requirements on processing element buffers , in the form of a fifo buffers , provided before the processing elements . as mentioned , the shapers s 1 , s 2 preferably use a loose token bucket algorithm , but alternatively , any other suitable admittance algorithm can be used . in case a so called strict token bucket algorithm is used , the first limits l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 can be positive , and the packet d 1 is admitted to the processing means 2 when the credit values cs 1 , cs 2 are at least as large so as to correspond to the respective first limits l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 . where a strict token bucket algorithm is used , the first limit l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 of any or all of the shapers can be predetermined and identical for all data packets passing the respective shaper s 1 , s 2 . alternatively , the first limit l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 can be individual for each packet , in which case the respective shaper s 1 , s 2 is adapted to read , before admittance , header information ( e . g . of the type described above ) of each data packet d 1 , d 2 , d 3 , and set the first limit l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 based on the header information . for example , the header information of the respective data packet d 1 , d 2 , d 3 could include a cost c 1 , c 2 , c 3 , corresponding to a first limit value l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 of one of the shapers , s 1 , s 2 . thus , from the header information of the first packet d 1 in the input buffer 4 , the cost c 1 is read , and the first limit value l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 is determined as l 1 s 1 ( or l 1 s 2 )= c 1 . further , where a strict token bucket algorithm is used , the second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 , ( above which the credit value of the respective shaper s 1 , s 2 is not incremented if the credit value of the other shaper s 1 , s 2 is below its first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 ), can either be identical with or higher than the first limit . l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . in the latter case , the second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 can be set individually for each packet to a value exceeding the first limit l 1 s 1 , l 1 s 2 by a predetermined amount . fig3 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention . the processing means 2 presents more than two features in the form of resources r 1 , r 2 . . . rn , which each can be any of a large amount of different types of features . for example , a first and a second resource r 1 , r 2 can be the bit rate capacity and the packet rate capacity , respectively , of the processing means 2 , and further resources can be processing elements , adapted to process data . admission to the processing means 2 is determined by shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sn , the amount of which is the same as the amount of processor means resources r 1 , r 2 . . . rn . the limitation property of the first shaper s 1 is chosen based on the first resource r 1 , and the limitation property of the second shaper s 2 is chosen based on the second resource r 2 , etc . preferably , each shaper s 1 , s 2 . . . sn uses a token bucket algorithm , so that admittance of data is based on a respective value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csn of a credit parameter . if a credit value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csn is below a first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sn , no data traffic is allowed to pass the respective shaper . admittance of data traffic is carried out in a manner corresponding to what has been described above with reference to fig1 and 2 . thus , if the credit value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csn of any of the shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sn is below the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sn , the respective credit value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csn is periodically , e . g . every clock cycle of the processor 1 , incremented by a respective fixed credit amount . the value of the respective fixed credit amount is based on the frequency of the periodic increments ( e . g . every clock cycle ) and the respective resource r 1 , r 2 . . . rn . if the credit value of any of the shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sn is below the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sn , the credit value of the other shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sn is not incremented above a respective second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 . . . l 2 sn . the second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 . . . l 2 sn can be above or identical with the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sn . in the embodiments described with reference to fig1 - 3 , the data packet d 1 , d 2 , d 3 , the admission of which is based on the value cs 2 of the second credit parameter , is identical with the data packet , the admission of which is based on the value cs 1 of the first credit parameter . however , as exemplified below with reference to fig4 , the invention is also adaptable so that admittance of a first data packet to the processing means 2 is based on a value of a first credit parameter , the value of the first credit parameter being increased in dependence on a value of a second credit parameter , based on which a second data packet is admitted to the processing means , the second data packet not being identical with the first data packet . in the example in fig4 , the first and second data packets enter the processor through separate interfaces . referring to fig4 , a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated . a network processor 1 comprises processing means 2 in the form of an asynchronous processing pipeline 2 , as described closer in said international patent application no . pct / se2005 / 001969 , included herein by reference , including asynchronous processing elements p 1 , . . . pk and a synchronous element 8 , with elastic buffering 9 , 10 . as in the case of the embodiment described with reference to fig1 and 2 , the processing means 2 can alternatively be provided in another form , for example as provided in a risc - processor . as described closer in said international patent application no . pct / se2005 / 001969 , included herein by reference , data packets d 11 , . . . d 1 m enter the processor through interfaces each comprising an input port 31 , 32 , . . . 3 m , and are stored in respective input buffers 41 , 42 , 4 m , in addition to which a pipeline arbiter 11 , s 1 , s 2 , . . . sm comprises a scheduler 11 and a plurality of shapers s 1 , s 2 , . . . sm . in particular , for each pair of input port 31 , 32 , . . . 3 m and input buffer 41 , 42 , . . . 4 m , a shaper s 1 , s 2 , . . . sm is provided . admission to the pipeline 2 is determined by the shapers s 1 , s 2 , . . . sm and the scheduler 11 , which operates according to a round robin algorithm , access to the pipeline being given to the shapers s 1 , s 2 , . . . sm in a continuous sequence of pollings by the scheduler 11 . besides the round robin algorithm , alternative scheduling disciplines could be used , for example weighted fair queuing , deficit round robin , deficit weighted round robin , strict priority queuing , earliest deadline first , and first - come first - serve . preferably , each shaper s 1 , s 2 . . . sm uses a token bucket algorithm , so that admittance of data is based on a respective value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csm of a credit parameter . if a credit value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csm is below a first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sm , no data traffic is allowed to pass the respective shaper . if the credit value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csm of any of the shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sm is below the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sm , the respective credit value cs 1 , cs 2 . . . csm is periodically , e . g . every clock cycle of the processor 1 , incremented by a respective fixed credit amount . the value of the respective fixed credit amount is based on a resource of the processing means 2 , for example the packet rate capacity thereof , the frequency of the periodic increments ( e . g . every clock cycle ) and the amount of input ports 31 , 32 , . . . 3 m . the resource of the processing means 2 , on which the fixed credit amount increments of the shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sm are based , can alternatively be the bit rate capacity of the processing means 2 , or any other performance parameter thereof . as a further alternative , the fixed credit amount increments of different shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sm can be based on different processing elements p 1 , . . . pk , 8 to which traffic from the respective shaper is addressed . if the credit value of any of the shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sm is below the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sn , the credit value of the other shapers s 1 , s 2 . . . sm is not incremented above a respective second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 . . . l 2 sm . the second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 . . . l 2 sm can be above or identical with the respective first limit l 1 s 2 , l 1 s 2 . . . l 1 sm . this prevents a build - up of a large credit in a shaper at an interface not receiving traffic , or receiving a relatively small flow of traffic for a period time , so that data burst from such an interface can be avoided when such a time period has passed . ( it should be noted that in this presentation , a shaper being provided at an interface or an input port , indicates that it is either physically provided by , or functionally connected to the interface or the input port .) still referring to fig4 , it should be mentioned that at each of the interfaces or input ports 31 , 32 , . . . 3 m a plurality of shapers can be provided as described above with reference to fig1 - 3 , the credit of the shapers at each interface being respectively adjusted based on respective resources of the processing means . thus , if the credit value of any of the shapers is below the respective first limit , the credit value of the other shapers at the same interface is not incremented above a respective second limit . alternatively , if the credit value of any of the shapers is below the respective first limit , the credit value of ail other shapers , including the ones at other interfaces , is not incremented above a respective second limit . alternatively or in addition , any of the embodiments described above with reference to fig1 - 4 can be adjusted so that if any of the input buffers 4 , 41 , 42 , . . . 4 m is empty , the credit value of the shaper ( or shapers ), adapted to receive traffic from this input buffer 4 , 41 , 42 , . . . 4 m , is not incremented above the second limit l 2 s 1 , l 2 s 2 . . . l 2 sm . this prevent a build - up of a large credit in a shaper at an interface not receiving traffic , or receiving a relatively small flow of traffic for a period time , so that data burst , from such an interface can be avoided when such a time period has passed .
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the invention consists of providing a service or distribution box opening system that can be used in two different ways . the first consists of the box lid opening in a traditional manner by means of a system similar to that of hinges and the second manner of opening consists of completely extracting the lid . the manner of fitting the lid to the box is carried out by means of a cylindrical pin located on one side of the box , serving to keep the lid fixed to the box in addition to being able to rotate said lid with respect to the cylindrical pin or axis . the hinges are constituted of a determined number of semicylindrical bodies , joined to the lid at one end and to the semicylinder next to it at the other end through a tab of the same material . between two semicylinders or hollow hinges , there is a space that after exerting pressure on the lid and exerting force on the pin , the previously mentioned spaces will be occupied by the pin or pins . to completely extract the lid , an upward , vertical force must be exerted on the tab joining the hinges or semicircles . the flat tab joining the semicircles is also intended to prevent the lid from involuntarily coming off the spin axis when it rotates on the pin . to facilitate the understanding of the extraction and opening system of vehicle distribution box lids , different drawings are attached to the present patent application for the purpose of better understanding the fundamentals on which the invention concerning us is based and the better understanding of a preferred embodiment of the invention , keeping in mind that the character of the drawings is illustrative and non - limiting . fig1 shows the arrangement of the cylindrical pin placed on the box and the arrangement of the hollow , semicylindrical bodies with the flat tab joining them . fig2 shows the lid and box joined as well as an assembly section . fig3 shows how to exert the force for fitting the lid on the box . fig4 shows how to exert the force for extracting the lid from the box . one embodiment of the proposed invention , the extraction and opening system of vehicle distribution box lids , consists of manufacturing a hinge system in which the two methods of opening the electric distribution box lid are compatible . it consists of placing a cylindrical pin 1 on one side of the box 5 , being responsible for the lid 2 remaining fixed and also being able to rotate in relation to this pin . the hinges 3 are constituted of four hollow , semicylindrical bodies whose purpose is to fit perfectly on the cylindrical pin 1 , thus the lid 2 and the box 5 being perfectly coupled . the ends of the semicylindrical bodies are joined to the lid 2 at one end , and the other end is joined to a tab 4 joining the four semicylindrical bodies 3 . the function of the tab 4 is to act as a butt for the lid in the moment of rotating and to also serve as a point of exerting the necessary force for the lid 2 assembly or disassembly . the manner of coupling the lid 2 to the box 5 is by means of pressure , since the four semicylindrical bodies 3 are of a plastic material , upon exerting downward pressure 6 on the tab 4 , the semicylindrical bodies are deformed , permitting a perfect anchoring between the semicylindrical bodies 3 and the cylindrical pin 1 once these are introduced on the pin 1 . to disassemble the box , the inverse operation of that previously described occurs , the only variation with respect to the previous is the force that must be exerted on the tab , in this case being upward 7 .
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with reference to fig1 , a method 10 is depicted of treating a polymeric surface 12 to resist non - specific binding of biomolecules and attachment of cells . in an initial step 30 , a charge is provided to the polymeric surface 12 of a vessel or receptacle to produce a charged surface 14 . the vessel may be of any known configuration , such as a test tube , vial , flask , etc . preferably , the polymeric surface 12 is the surface of a multiwell plate . more preferably , the polymeric surface 12 is a surface of a well of a multiwell plate . it is further preferred that the multiwell plate conform to conventional multiwell plate standards ( e . g ., the standards of the society of biomolecular screening ) so as to be usable in drug assay handling equipment ( e . g ., high throughput screening ( hts ) equipment ). the term “ polymeric surface ” as used herein refers to any suitable such polymeric surface known to those skilled in the art . suitable examples of polymeric surfaces include those obtained from polymeric hydrocarbons . as used herein , the term “ polymeric hydrocarbon ” is intended to refer to those polymers and copolymers obtained from repeating monomer units which are composed of carbon and hydrogen . the polymeric hydrocarbons may be saturated or unsaturated , and substituted or unsubstituted . substituents may include atoms other than hydrogen and carbon , as long as they are present in an amount that does not detract from the substantially hydrocarbon nature of the polymer . such substituents include acetal , halo , hydroxy , cyano , alkoxy , amino , amido , carbamoyl , and carbamido groups . typical examples of a polymeric hydrocarbon surface include those made from substituted and unsubstituted polyethylene , polypropylene , polystyrene , abs , pvc , polytetrafluoroethylene , polyvinylidene , and mixtures thereof . in a preferred embodiment , the polymeric hydrocarbon surface is polystyrene . the term “ polymeric surface ” is also intended to include surfaces obtained from those polymers containing one or more heteroatoms such as oxygen , nitrogen , or sulfur , in addition to carbon and hydrogen . typical examples of such polymeric surfaces include surfaces obtained from substituted and unsubstituted polyethers , polyesters , polyamides , polyamines , polyimines , polyurethanes , polyrureas , polyacetals , polycarbonates , polyacrylates , polysulfides , polysulfones , and polysulfides . also contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention are surfaces obtained from polymers with backbones composed significantly of heteroatoms , such as silicones . any known technique can be used to impart the charge to the polymeric surface 12 to produce the charged surface 14 . preferably , plasma treatment or corona discharge treatment may be utilized . with this process , a charge is imparted to the polymeric surface 12 by disposing the polymeric surface 12 into a substantially gas - free chamber , introducing a gas into the chamber , and exciting the gas . as a result , plasma is formed and applied to the polymeric surface 12 to produce the charged surface 14 . a high - frequency generator may be used to ionize the gas into a plasma . in addition , the plasma may be generated using conventional plasma conditions such ac or dc power levels up to about 200 watts , radiofrequency ( rf ) excitation of about 0 . 1 to about 50 megahertz , for a durations of about 0 . 1 to about 30 minutes , with a gas pressure of about 0 . 1 to about 3 . 0 ton . a conventional plasma chamber may be used , although it is preferred that the chamber be evacuated during use . although an rf excited plasma is preferred , any other method of generating a gas plasma may be used , for example a glow discharge or a corona discharge . for example , microwave frequencies may be employed instead of , or in addition to , rf excitation . gases typically used with plasma treatment and introduced into the plasma chamber include ar , he , ne , he , he / h 2 , o 2 , n 2 , nh 3 , and cf 4 . in one embodiment of the invention , the charged surface 14 may be negatively charged . a negatively charged surface is specifically designated with reference numeral 14 ( a ) in fig1 . preferably , oxygen gas is used in the plasma treatment process to produce the negatively charged surface 14 ( a ). alternatively , in another embodiment , the charged surface 14 may be positively charged . a positively charged surface is specifically designated with reference numeral 14 ( b ) in fig1 . preferably , ammonia gas is used in the plasma treatment process to produce the positively charged surface 14 ( b ). specifically , subjecting the polymeric surface 12 to ammonia gas plasma treatment creates a number of nitrogen containing , positively charged functional groups on the surface , providing the positively charged surface 14 ( b ). in a next step 32 of the method 10 , the charged surface 14 is exposed to a nitrogen - rich polymer to form a polymerized surface 16 . the negatively charged surface 14 ( a ) may be exposed to the nitrogen - rich polymer without any intervening steps . however , before the positively charged surface 14 ( b ) may be exposed to the nitrogen - rich polymer , the positively charged surface 14 ( b ) is preferably first exposed to one or more suitable linkers . a variety of linkers , commonly referred to as “ cross - linkers ” may be used . suitable linkers include : dialdehydes , diesters , diimidoesters , nhs - esters , hydrazides , carbodiimides , and aryl azides . also contemplated as being within the scope of the invention are heterobifunctional linkers , i . e . those which have different functional groups on each end . for example , a suitable heterobifunctional linker would be one having an ester on one end and an aldehyde on the other end . in a preferred embodiment , the linker is a dialdehyde having the structure : wherein r 1 is a c 2 to c 30 alkylenyl . in a more preferred embodiment , the dialdehyde is glutaraldehyde . preferably , the positively - charged surface 14 ( b ) is exposed to a solution of the linkers . any suitable solvent or suitable mixture of solvents known to those skilled in the art may be used with the linkers . suitable solvents include water , buffers , methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , and dimethylsulfoxide ( dmso ). once readied , the charged surface 14 is exposed to a nitrogen - rich polymer to form the polymerized surface 16 . the term “ nitrogen - rich ” is intended to refer to polymers bearing pendant amino groups such as n ( r 2 ) 2 and ═ nr 2 , wherein each r 2 is independently h or c 1 to c 10 alkyl . as used herein , the term “ alkyl ” intended to refer to branched and straight - chained saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals having the indicated number of carbon atoms . alkyl groups may be unsubstituted , or substituted . suitable substituents include c 1 - 5 alkyl , amino , amido , cyano , carbamoyl , phenyl , heteroaryl , halogen , c 1 - 5 alkoxy , c 1 - 5 alkyl - c ( o ) h , co 2 h , and co 2 - c 1 - 5 alkyl . the term “ alkylenyl ” is intended to encompass diradical variations of alkyl groups . preferably , the nitrogen - rich polymer is a polyalkylenimine such as polyethylenimine . another class of nitrogen - rich polymers suitable for the present invention is polymeric amino acids . the term “ polymeric amino acid ” is intended to refer to a string of repeating amino acids . accordingly , any suitable peptide may be used as a nitrogen - rich polymer . the string of amino acids may contain a string of identical amino acids or a string of different amino acids , and in either case may be natural or man - made . nitrogen - rich polymers based on amino acids such as lysine and arginine possess sufficient nitrogen character so as to be good examples of suitable nitrogen - rich polymers . a synthetic polymeric amino acid particularly useful in the present invention as a polymeric amino acid is poly - lysine . in a more preferred embodiment , the synthetic polymeric amino acid is poly - d - lysine . typically , the charged surface 14 will be exposed to a solution of the nitrogen - rich polymer , forming the polymerized surface 16 . any suitable solvent or suitable mixture of solvents known to those skilled in the art may be used . suitable solvents include water , buffers , methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , and dimethylsulfoxide ( dmso ). in the next step 34 , the polymerized surface 16 is exposed to an aldehyde - bearing polymer , thereby providing aldehyde surface 18 . any polymer bearing pendant hydroxyalkyl groups can serve as the aldehyde - bearing polymer . preferably , the alcohols on such a polymer are oxidized to aldehydes , with the aldehydes being receptive to coupling with both the nitrogens of the polymerized surface 16 and the nitrogens of an outer layer discussed below . however , because the aldehyde surface 18 must be biologically benign , it is preferred that the alcohol - bearing polymer not be toxic to biological or cell cultures . preferably , the aldehyde - bearing polymer is an oxidized polysaccharide in which the pendant alcohol groups have been converted to aldehyde groups . suitable oxidized polysaccharides include oxidized polysaccharides such as oxidized amylose , oxidized amylopectin , oxidized cellulose , oxidized chitin , oxidized guaran , oxidized glucomannan , and oxidized dextran . among these , oxidized dextran is particularly preferred . in a preferred method , the polysaccharides are oxidized by adding sodium m - periodate ( naio 4 ) to the polysaccharide solution , with the resulting solution being incubated at room temperature in the dark for 4 hours , followed by removal of the sodium m - periodate ( e . g ., by dialysis ). typically , the polymerized surface 16 will be exposed to a solution of the aldehyde - bearing polymer to form the aldehyde surface 18 . any suitable solvent or suitable mixture of solvents known to those skilled in the art may be used . suitable solvents include water , buffers , methanol , ethanol and isopropanol . the aldehyde surface 18 is further treated , as shown in step 36 , which may involve one step or two sub - steps , in forming a stabilized surface 20 . in one embodiment , the polymerized surface 18 may be exposed to a reducing agent , thereby producing the stabilized surface 20 , specifically designated for this embodiment as stabilized surface 20 ( a ) in fig1 . preferably , the reducing agent is a boron - based reducing agent such as nabh 4 or nacnbh 3 . alternatively , in another embodiment , the polymerized surface 18 is first exposed to an amine - terminated polymer . preferably the amine - terminated polymer is an amine - terminated hydrocarbyl polymer or an amine - terminated polyether . the term “ hydrocarbyl polymer ” is intended to be synonymous with the term “ polymeric hydrocarbon ” as discussed hereinabove . in a more preferred embodiment , the amine - terminated polyether is amine - terminated polyethylene glycol . typically , the amine - terminated polymer will be dissolved in suitable solvent when exposed to polymerized surface 18 . any suitable solvent or suitable mixture of solvents known to those skilled in the art may be used . suitable solvents include water , buffers , methanol , ethanol and isopropanol . reaction of the aldehyde surface 18 and the amine groups of the amine - terminated polymer forms a reversible schiff base linkage which can then be stabilized with a suitable reducing agent , thereby producing stabilized surface 20 , specifically designated for this embodiment as stabilized surface 20 ( b ) in fig1 . the suitable reducing agent is as described above with respect to the stabilized surface 20 ( a ). a polystyrene surface is exposed to oxygen gas plasma treatment , creating a negatively charged surface . the negatively charged surface is exposed to a solution of 1 % polyethylenimine for 2 hours . the polyethylenimine coated surface is exposed to a solution of 10 mg / ml oxidized dextran for two hours . the dextran coated surface is exposed to a solution of amine - terminate polyethylene glycol for 1 hour . the polyethylene glycol surface is exposed to a solution of 1 mg / ml sodium borohydride for 1 hour . a polystyrene surface is exposed to ammonia gas to create a positively charged surface . the positively charged surface is exposed to a solution of 10 % glutaraldehyde for 1 hour . the glutaraldehyde activated surface is exposed to a solution of 1 % polyethylenimine for 2 hours . the polyethylenimine coated surface is exposed to a solution of 10 mg / ml oxidized dextran for 2 hours . the dextran coated surface is exposed to a solution of 1 mg / ml amine - terminated polyethylene glycol for 1 hour . the polyethylene glycol coated surface is exposed to a solution of 1 mg / ml sodium borohydride for 1 hour . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , the subject invention provides polymeric surfaces which will resist non - specific binding of biomolecules and attachment of cells . the stabilized surface 20 provides such resistance . with reference to fig2 , data is presented relating to the non - specific binding of igg on two different surfaces : surfaces not treated by the method of the subject invention and surfaces which have been treated by the subject invention . in this demonstration , a 96 - well polystyrene plate was treated using the method of example a . another 96 - well polystyrene plate was not treated and was used as a reference . the surfaces in the wells of both of the plates were brought into contact with 5 μg / ml of anti - mouse igg for 2 hours followed by washing with pbs ( phosphate buffered saline ). then the surfaces were brought into contact with mouse igg - hrp ( horseradish peroxide ) conjugate ( concentration ranges from 0 . 01 μg / ml to 0 . 33 μg / ml ) for 1 hour followed by washing with pbs . thereafter , the surfaces were brought into contact with tmb ( 3 , 3 ′, 5 , 5 ′ tetramethylbenzidne ) solution for 8 minutes followed by adding 2n hcl to stop the reaction . the amount of anti - mouse igg and the associated mouse igg - hrp conjugate bound on the surfaces was quantified by the intensity of the color ( detected at 450 nm ) produced by the oxidized tmb . as can been seen in fig2 , negligible amounts of immunoglobin g were absorbed by the treated surfaces . experiments have been conducted relating to the attachment of various types of adherent cells on two different surfaces : surfaces not treated by the method of the subject invention and surfaces which have been treated by the subject invention . in the following described experiments , a 6 - well polystyrene plate was treated using the method of example a . another 6 - well polystyrene plate was untreated and used as a reference . in a first experiment , ht - 1080 ( human fibrosarcoma cell line ) cells were cultured on both untreated and treated surfaces of 6 - well plates under the same culture condition ( incubation at 37 ° c . in growth media ). cell attachment and spreading on the surfaces were analyzed and microscopic images were taken following several days of cell culture . the ht - 1080 cells attached to the untreated surface and spread on the surface as expected . however , the ht - 1080 cells remained un - attached to the treated surface and formed cell aggregates floating in the media . the treated surface remained free of cells after removing the media , demonstrating the ability of the treated surface for resisting ht - 1080 cell attachment . in a second experiment , mouse embryo fibroblasts ( nih / 3t3 ) were cultured on both untreated and treated surfaces of 6 - well plates under the same culture condition ( incubation at 37 ° c . in growth media ). cell attachment and spreading on the surfaces were analyzed and microscopic images were taken following several days of cell culture . the fibroblasts attached to the untreated surface and formed a monolayer on the surface as expected . however , the fibroblasts remained un - attached to the treated surface and formed cell aggregates floating in the media . the treated surface remained free of cells after removing the media , demonstrating the ability of the treated surface for resisting fibroblast attachment . in a third experiment , canine chondrocytes were cultured on both untreated and treated surfaces of 6 - well plates under the same culture condition ( incubation at 37 ° c . in growth media ). cell attachment and spreading on the surfaces were analyzed and microscopic images were taken following several days of cell culture . the chondrocytes attached to the untreated surface and spread on the surface as expected . however , the chondrocytes remained un - attached to the treated surface and formed cell aggregates floating in the media . the treated surface remained free of cells after removing the media , demonstrating the ability of the treated surface for resisting chondrocyte attachment . experiments have been conducted relating to the formation of embryoid bodies from embryonic stem cells . the formation of embryoid bodies was successfully achieved using the 6 - well polystyrene plates treated by the method of the subject invention . untreated 6 - well polystyrene plates were used as controls and embryoid bodies did not form due to the attachment of embryonic stem cells to the untreated surfaces during the long incubation time ( up to 7 days ). with the treated surfaces , attachment of the embryonic stem cells was generally avoided , and the embryonic stem cells remained in suspension during incubation . as such , without attachment , the embryonic stem cells generally avoided attachment - mediated differentiation , thereby permitting later enhanced embryoid body formation . the subject invention may have applicability in various contexts . by way of non - limiting examples , the subject invention can be used to prepare polymeric surfaces to obtain the following advantages : maintaining cells in solution in suspended , unattached states ; preventing stem cells from attachment - mediated differentiation ; permitting enhanced formation of embryoid bodies from embryonic stem cells ; preventing anchorage - dependent cells from dividing ; reducing binding of serum proteins ; and , enhancing signal - to - noise ratios in homogenous assays , such as scintillation proximity assays .
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to enable a better understanding of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention , conventional semiconductor devices each with a prom will be briefly reviewed with reference to fig1 and 2 . in the devices of fig1 and 2 , an initialize input init ( barred init ) is used in place of a clear or preset input . prom or initial data is set in an output register in response to an initialize input signal . in the device of fig1 the prom data is multiplexed by address bits a0 to a2 . the multiplexed prom data is supplied to an initial word and is generated therefrom . in the device of fig2 prom data and separately supplied initial data are multiplexed by the input init and address bits a0 to a2 , and the multiplexed prom or initial data is output . a semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig3 . this semiconductor memory device comprises : an address buffer 11 for receiving an address signal consisting of bits a0 to an ; a decoder driver 12 connected to the address buffer 11 through an address bus ; a program circuit 13 for receiving the address signal from the address buffer 11 ; a real memory cell 14 connected to the decoder driver 12 and the program circuit 13 and storing the prom data ; a multiplexer 15 connected to the address buffer 11 through the address bus and receiving an output from the memory cell 14 ; a switch 16 receiving an initialize input signal init and switching an output from the multiplexer 15 ; a master flip - flop ( f / f ) 17 receiving a set of output from the switch 16 ; a switch 18 for transferring the signal from the master flip - flop 17 in response to a clock ( clk ) signal ; a slave flip - flop ( f / f ) 19 receiving the set of outputs from the switch 16 and outputs from the switch 18 ; an output buffer 20 receiving an output from the slave flip - flop 19 ; and an initial data memory cell 23 connected to the program circuit 13 and supplying output to the switch 16 . the data from the real memory cell 14 is read out as an output ( bits q0 to q3 ) through the multiplexer 15 , the master flip - flop 17 , the switch 18 , the slave flip - flop 19 , and the output buffer 20 which are all selected in response to an address signal when the signal init is set at high ( h ) level . the master and slave flip - flops 17 and 19 constitute the output register 170 . when the signal init is set at low ( l ) level , the switch 16 is operated to transfer the initial data from the memory cell 23 to the master or slave flip - flop and is output through the output buffer 20 . the memory cells 14 and 23 are accessed to write the data therein . in this case , a write signal is supplied to the output ( bit q0 to q3 ) terminals to write the data in the memory cell 14 or 23 through the program circuit 13 . the memory cell 14 or 23 is selected by the signal init . a detailed arrangement of part of the semiconductor memory device of fig3 is illustrated in fig4 . fig4 shows a one - bit output register , its peripheral circuits , logic circuits 31 , 32 , and 33 and a one - bit initial data memory cell m . the logic circuits 31 , 32 constitute the switching means 16 which generate an output signal in accordance with the content of the memory cell m and in response to the signal init . diodes d1 , d2 , d3 , d4 , d5 , and d6 also constitute the switch 16 . outputs ( ml1 and mr1 ) from the real memory cell 14 and outputs ( ml2 and mr2 ) from the initial memory cell 23 are selectively coupled to the flip - flop . a flip - flop ( f / f ) 35 is one element of the master flip - flop , and a flip - flop 36 is one of the elements of the slave flip - flop . the slave f / f is composed of a pair of transistors t1 and t2 , diodes d11 , d12 , and d13 , and schottky diodes d21 and d22 for super - high switching . a pair of resistors r ( a1 ) and r ( a2 ) having a high resistance may be connected between the base and grounded emitter of transistors t1 and t2 , respectively . the resistors r ( a1 ) and r ( a2 ) are useful for absorbing the transient current , since , when the master mode is switched to the slave mode , the destruction of the slave data information may occur in the course of the switching transfer . fig5 a , 5b , 6a and 6b show the logic circuits and the initial data memory cells as well as their truth tables , respectively . fig5 a and 5b show a case for writing data in the initial data memory cell m ( a ), and fig6 a and 6b show a case for writing data in the initial data memory cell m ( b ). when the program circuit 13 writes data in the initial memory cell m ( a ), the diode is turned on , so that the memory cell m ( a ) is equivalent to the memory cell m ( b ). by using the logic circuits , i . e ., nand gates 31 and 32 , the signal init is commonly supplied to the first input terminals thereof . an output from the nand gate 32 is supplied to the second input terminal of the nand gate 31 , and the second input terminal of the nand gate 32 is connected to the memory cell m . logic outputs having levels shown in fig5 b appear as outputs ( ml2 ) of the nand gate 31 and as outputs ( mr2 ) of the nand gate 32 in accordance with the logic level ( h or l ) of the signal init . more specifically , when the signal init is set at low level , the ml2 output is set at high level and the mr2 output is also set at high level . however , when the signal init is set at high level , the ml2 output is set at high level , and the mr2 output is set at low level . the circuit of fig6 a is substantially the same as that of fig5 a except that the memory cell m ( b ) is used in place of the memory cell m ( a ). as is apparent from the truth table of fig6 b , when the signal init is set at low level , the ml2 output is set at high level and the mr2 output is also set at high level . however , when the signal init is set at high level , the ml2 output is set at low level , and the mr2 output is set at high level . fig7 a , 7b and 7c show a circuit arrangement and its truth tables ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) when the circuits of fig5 a and 6a are used to drive a flip - flop 34 . the flip - flop 34 is a combination of the master and slave flip - flops 17 and 19 of fig3 . an inverter 33 is connected to input terminals of the nand gates 31 and 32 , and the signal init is supplied to the input terminal of the inverter 33 . truth table ( 1 ) ( fig7 b ) shows a state wherein the memory cell does not store data , i . e . the memory cell m ( a ) is connected , and truth table ( 2 ) ( fig7 c ) shows a state when the memory cell m ( b ) is connected . more particularly , when the memory cell m ( a ) is connected and the signal init is set at low level , an output q from the flip - flop 34 is set at low level . however , when the signal init is set at high level and a d input to the flip - flop 34 is set at low level , the output q goes low at the leading edge of the clock signal ( clk ), i . e ., at a transition from low level to high level . when the signal init is set at high level and the d input is set at high level , the output q goes high at the leading edge of the clock signal . however , when the memory cell m ( b ) is connected and the signal init is set at low level , the output q goes high . when the signal init is set at high level , the operation is the same as in the case wherein the memory cell m is connected . a conventional circuit corresponding to the circuit of fig7 a and its truth table are illustrated in fig8 a and 8b . in this conventional circuit , the prst and clr inputs are now replaced with the init input . referring to fig7 b , 7c and 8b , reference symbol x denotes an indefinite level , and an upward arrow indicates rising from low level to high level . fig9 is the summarized truth table explaining the entire operations of the device shown in fig3 . in the figure , receiving the output from the real memory cell , a pair of two outputs h and l are produced from the real memory cell . in response to the potential level of prom data , the signals ml1 , mr1 and ml2 , mr2 vary . in respect to the upper two l signals of init , the content of the initial memory cell is output , while in respect to the lower two h signals , the content of the real memory cell is output . no mark in the column of initial memory cells denotes regardless of non - destruction or destruction of information and the suffix of h or l denotes the value of voltage . in summary , the output from the initial data memory cell through the switch and the output from the real memory cell through the multiplexer are connected to the input of the output register through the diode respectivly so that the diodes constitute a diode matrix . and the voltage of the low level output signal from the initial memory cell is 0 . 4 volt which is lower than that from the real memory cell 1 . 2 volt . therefore , when the control signal init is l , the low level output signal from the initial memory cell set the output register regardless of the output signal from the real memory cell . fig1 is a block diagram of the program circuit 13 . a writer signal externally connected to output bits q0 to q3 is supplied to each block of the program circuit in units of bits . the write signal is supplied as parallel data to selectors 45 and 46 . the selector 46 selects one of bit lines bit0 to bitn in response to address bits a0 to an , respectively . the selected address data is supplied to the real memory cell 14 . the detailed circuit arrangement of the selector 45 is illustrated in fig1 . when the signal init is set at low level , the write signal is supplied to the initial data memory cell . while the signal init is kept low , the address signal is blocked to disable the selector 46 . as a result , the write signal is not supplied to the real memory cell . fig1 shows the initial data memory cell m and its equivalent circuit diagram . referring to fig1 , the memory cell m comprises a p - type substrate ( p - sub ), an n (+)- type layer , an n (+)- type epitaxial ( n - epi ) layer , a p (+)- type layer , and an n (+)- type layer , which are stacked from the lower side to the upper side . reference symbols svg and iop denote insulating layers , respectively . an electrode 51 is connected to the program circuit ( pr ), and an electrode 52 is grounded . fig1 shows a sectional view of the real memory cell and its equivalent circuit diagram . an electrode 53 is connected to a bit line ( bl ) extending from the program circuit , and an electrode 54 is connected to a word line ( wl ). other arrangements are the same as those of the memory cell m . fig1 shows a detailed arrangement of the circuit for receiving an output from the real memory cell and generating the signals ml1 and mr1 . in this circuit , the signals ml1 and mr1 are set at a potential of 1 . 2 v in accordance with the logic level of the prom data , as shown in a potential change table of fig1 . fig1 shows a detailed arrangement of the logic circuits 31 , 32 , and 33 of fig4 . this circuit receives the signal init and the signal from the initial data memory cell and performs the operation of the logic circuits of fig4 . the outputs mr2 and ml2 are set at a potential of 0 . 4 v in response to the high level and low level of the output from the initial data memory cell , as shown in a potential change table of fig1 . the potential of the signals ml1 and mr1 is different from that of the signals ml2 and mr2 , and thus the switch 16 can comprise a simple circuit . in the circuit of fig1 , the init input is used in place of the prst and clr inputs , and the initial data memory cell is arranged . a11 &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; data are written in the initial data memory cell , so that the memory cell is operated in the same manner as in the case wherein the prst or clr signal is received . when arbitrary data are written in bits of the initial data memory cell , respectively , desired data can be set in the output register in response to the init signal . since the initial data memory cell is isolated from the real memory cell , an output from the initial data memory cell need not be supplied to the multiplexer 15 , i . e ., one of the nine bits need not be selected . furthermore , since the two input signals for controlling the diodes as a switch have a potential difference , the switch can be simplified . the initial data memory cell comprises a junction short - circuit fet which has a high degree of integration and high reliability .
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fig1 diagrammatically illustrates a fluid actuated diesel fuel injection system 10 with which this invention may be used . in particular , the fuel injection system includes a plurality of fluid - actuated injectors 12 , which may be unit injectors as illustrated or unit pumps injectors ( not shown ), powered via a variable delivery , fixed displacement fluid pump 14 in accordance with this invention . actuation fluid is supplied to the pump 14 via an inlet 16 . high - pressure actuation fluid is supplied from the pump 14 to the unit pump injectors 12 via a manifold or common rail 18 . a conventional fuel transfer pump 20 supplies fuel to the injectors 12 via a common fuel rail 22 . the fuel system 10 illustrated in fig1 preferably includes heui ™ fuel injector available from caterpillar inc , preferably having a nozzle check valve operable independent of injection pressure , such as the injectors described in commonly - owned u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 463 , 996 , 5 , 669 , 335 , 5 , 673 , 669 , 5 , 687 , 693 , 5 , 697 , 342 , and 5 , 738 , 075 . of course , one skilled in the art will recognize that the injectors 12 may be hydraulically actuated fuel injectors having other configurations , such as those illustrated in patents granted to sturman industries and / or oded e . sturman ( for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 460 , 329 ) or otherwise using one or more high speed spool valves . similarly , the pump 14 according to this invention may be used with conventional high pressure common rail systems or with the amplifier piston common rail system ( apcrs ) illustrated in the paper “ heavy duty diesel engines — the potential of injection rate shaping for optimizing emissions and fuel consumption ”, presented by messrs . bemd mahr , manfred dürnholz , wilhelm polach , and hermann grieshaber ; robert bosch gmbh , stuttgart , germany , at the 21 st international engine symposium , may 4 - 5 , 2000 , vienna , austria . the pump 14 in accordance with this invention may also be suitable for use with fuels other than diesel fuel , such gasoline for example in a gasoline direction injection ( gdi ) application with reference to fig2 through 7 , the actuation fluid pump 14 is generally an axial , swash plate - type piston pump . the pump comprises an integral housing and barrel 24 that defines a plurality of cylinders 30 therein . each cylinder 30 has slidably received therein a portion of a piston 32 , and a spring 34 is trapped between each piston 32 and the base of its corresponding cylinder 30 . each piston 32 is connected at one end by a spherical mounting arrangement to a fixed angle swash plate 36 . more particularly , each piston 32 includes a spherical head 38 received within socket in a shoe 40 slidably mounted to the swash plate 36 by a hydrostatic bearing . as the swash plate 36 rotates , the pistons 32 are caused to move through a reciprocal stroke within the cylinders 30 . the cylinders 30 and the pistons 32 cooperate to define a plurality of variable volume fluid compression chambers 42 . each fluid compression chamber 42 has a delivery outlet 44 that is closed during the intake stroke by a conventional , but preferably cartridge - type , spring - biased check valve 46 . each fluid compression chamber 42 also has a fluid inlet 48 to allow fluid to be drawn into the chamber 42 during the intake stroke . the fluid inlet 48 is preferably an inlet slot in the swash plate 36 that opens to ports in the heads 38 of the pistons 32 . the delivery outlets 44 each open to a common delivery gallery 50 in fluid communication with the outlet 52 of the pump . each fluid compression chamber 42 has a vent port 54 opening therefrom . as apparent , the vent ports 54 are operable to vent fluid from the fluid compression chambers 42 during a portion of the reciprocal stroke of the piston 32 . each piston 32 has associated therewith a concentric sleeve 56 that is positioned to close the vent port 54 therein during portion of the piston stroke . the relative position of the sleeves 56 determines the effective pumping stokes of the pistons 32 and thus the output pressure of the pump . to provide a compact structure , the sleeves 56 are connected via a linkage 57 with a control shaft or member 58 located centrally between the pistons 32 and extending parallel to their axes of reciprocation . the pump 14 also include a pilot control stage or control circuit , generally designated 60 , that is used to control axial movement of the control shaft 58 and thus control the position of the sleeves 56 . fig8 illustrates diagrammatically the control circuit 60 shown in fig2 through 7 . with reference to fig2 through 8 , high pressure oil from the pump delivery gallery 50 ( or alternatively the pump outlet 52 or another high pressure area ) is directed through a hydraulic passage 62 that leads to a conventional spool - type or other suitable pressure reducing valve , generally designated 64 , which is well known in the art and not described in detail herein . the valve 64 reduces the oil pressure in the control circuit 60 to a predetermined control circuit pressure significantly less than the maximum pump outlet pressure . for example , for pumps having a maximum outlet pressure on the order of 28 - 30 mpa , it is desirable to reduce the pressure in the control circuit 60 to around 4 mpa . the reduced pressure oil from the reducing valve 64 flows through a relatively - unrestricted passageway 65 and acts on a first control surface 66 forming part of or connected to the control shaft 58 . the oil also passes through a relatively - restricted passageway or control orifice 68 that creates a pressure differential whereby lower pressure oil acts on a second control surface 70 that is opposed to the first control surface 66 . the pressure differential between the first and second control surfaces 66 , 70 creates a force imbalance that moves the control shaft 58 to the right . a spring 72 provides a force to move the control shaft 58 to the left . the direction of motion of the control shaft 58 is determined by the larger of the resultant fluid pressure force or the spring force . the control circuit 60 includes a control valve , generally designated at 74 , that is used to change the amount of oil that flows through the control orifice 68 . the control valve 74 comprises a solenoid or piezo actuator 76 that moves a pin 78 that is in contact with a conventional ball valve 80 . of course , a poppet or spool valve could also be used . by varying the current to the valve actuator , the position of the ball valve 80 is varied , thus varying the amount of oil that is allowed to flow around the ball valve 80 . as the amount of oil flowing through the control valve 74 changes , the force imbalance on the control shaft 58 changes to control the motion of the control shaft 58 . in short , the specific current applied to the solenoid or piezo actuator 76 determines the amount of oil that flows through the control orifice 68 , which in turn determines the force differential on the control shaft 58 , which in turn determines the effective displacement of pistons 32 , which in turn determines the pump output . fig1 illustrates , diagrammatically , the relationship between the current i that is applied to the control valve 74 and the output q of the pump . with reference now to fig9 and 11 , an alternative embodiment 160 of a control circuit is shown diagrammatically . high pressure oil from the pump delivery gallery 50 is directed through a hydraulic passage 162 that leads to a conventional spool - type or other suitable pressure reducing valve , generally designated 164 . the valve 164 reduces the oil pressure in the control circuit 160 to a predetermined control circuit pressure significantly less than the maximum pump outlet pressure . the reduced - pressure oil also passes from a control line 165 through a relatively - restricted passageway or control orifice 168 that acts to reduce the fluid pressure from the predetermined pressure set by the reducing valve 164 . the oil then acts on a control surface 166 on the control shaft 58 . a force from spring 172 is applied opposite to the fluid force applied to control surface 166 . the force differential between the force applied to the control surface 166 and the spring force creates a force imbalance that moves the control shaft 58 . the direction of motion of the control shaft 58 is determined by the larger of the fluid pressure force applied to control surface 166 or the spring force . the control circuit 60 includes a control valve , generally designated 174 , that is used to change the amount of oil that flows through the control orifice 168 . by varying the current to the valve actuator , the amount of oil that is allowed to flow through the control valve 174 changes . as the amount of oil flowing through the control valve 174 changes , the force imbalance on the control shaft 58 changes to control the motion of the control shaft 58 . fig1 illustrates , diagrammatically , the relationship between the current i that is applied to the control valve 174 and the output q of the pump . prior pump designs of similar sleeve - metering configuration use full pump pressure to move the control shaft , and as a consequence , require a very small ball valve to allow only a small flow through the control valve . because the present designs relies on a reduced pressure , a larger ball valve can be used , which eases manufacture and improves pump control . moreover , the pump can be operated using displacement control , for which there is a single pump output associated with each current level applied to the solenoid or piezo actuator . thus , if a rail pressure change is needed , the current corresponding to the desired pressure is sent to the solenoid or piezo actuator to directly set the rail pressure that corresponds to the displacement set by the applied current . this is compared to prior designs , which are not admitted to be prior art , that utilize pressure control by sensing pressure in the rail and adjusting the sleeve position until the desired pressure is sensed in the rail . the pump configuration according to this invention also provides a compact and efficient package , in part as a result of the central positioning of the control shaft 58 and the end attachment of the control valve 60 . this invention is illustrated in the context of a sleeve - metered pump is which the metering sleeves are movable relative to the pumping piston . however , one skilled in the art will recognize that this invention is also applicable to other pump configurations , including a pump configuration such as that illustrated in commonly - owned laid - open german patent application 199 60 569 . 6 , filed on dec . 15 , 1999 , which illustrates a pump in which the relative positioning of the pumping pistons with the “ metering sleeves ” is controlled by moving the pump swash plate with respect to the “ metering sleeves ”. in addition , while this invention is illustrated in connection with a fuel injection system , those skilled in the art will recognize that this invention is equally applicable to use with other hydraulic engine systems , such as engine valve actuators and / or compression release retarders . although the presently preferred embodiments of this invention have been described , it will be understood that within the purview of the invention various changes may be made within the scope of the following claims .
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an illustrative aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 to 10 . fig1 is a side sectional view showing a schematic construction of a laser printer 1 as an image forming apparatus of this illustrative aspect . the laser printer 1 is a so - called direct tandem type color laser printer including four photosensitive drums 30 corresponding to respective colors of , for example , black , cyan , magenta and yellow . in a body casing 2 ( one example of “ an apparatus body ”) of the laser printer 1 , a paper feeding part 4 for feeding paper 3 as a recording medium , a scanner part 18 which exposes the above described photosensitive drum 30 , an image forming unit 20 for forming an image on the fed paper 3 , a paper conveying part 35 which conveys the paper 3 to the image forming unit 20 , a belt cleaning unit 41 as a belt cleaning device and the like are included . in this illustrative aspect , the paper conveying part 35 is attachable and detachable from a later - described opening 2 a of the body casing 2 as a belt unit , and the belt cleaning unit 41 is also attachable and detachable from the opening 2 a . note that in the following description , the right side of the paper surface in fig1 is set as “ front , front side ” of the laser printer 1 . the paper feeding part 4 includes a paper feeding tray 7 as a supply tray attachably and detachably mounted on a bottom portion inside the body casing 2 , a separation roller 8 and a separation pad 9 positioned above a front end portion of the paper feeding tray 7 , a pickup roller 10 positioned behind the separation roller 8 , a pair of paper powder removing rollers 11 and 11 disposed above the front side of the separation roller 8 , and a pair of registration rollers 12 a and 12 b positioned above the paper powder removing rollers 11 and 11 . the paper feeding tray 7 forms a shallow box shape with its top face opened to allow the paper 3 for forming an image to be stacked therein . a front wall 13 positioned at a front end portion of the paper feeding tray 7 is disposed at the lower side of a front cover 6 in the front surface of the body casing 2 , and by pulling the front wall 13 to the front side , the paper feeding tray 7 can be horizontally drawn out forward of the body casing 2 . a paper pressing plate 7 a on which the paper 3 is mountable in a stacked state is positioned on a bottom surface of the paper feeding tray 7 , and the paper pressing plate 7 a is rotatably supported at a rear end portion , and is biased in the upward direction at the front end portion by a spring not shown . thereby , the paper 3 stacked in the paper feeding tray 7 is in the state in which its front end side is biased upward . the paper 3 on the uppermost position of the paper feeding tray 7 is pressed toward the pickup roller 10 by the biasing force of the paper pressing plate 7 a , and is started to be conveyed toward a position between the separation roller 8 and the separation pad 9 by the rotation of the pickup roller 10 . then , the paper 3 is handled one by one when caught between the separation roller 8 and the separation pad 9 , and is fed by the rotation of the separation roller 8 . the separated paper 3 is conveyed to the registration rollers 12 a and 12 b , after the paper powder removing roller 11 removes paper powder or dust thereon . the registration rollers 12 a and 12 b are constructed by the drive roller 12 a and the follower roller 12 b , and convey the paper 3 after resisting it to turn it onto a transfer belt ( paper conveying belt ) 38 of the paper conveying part 35 which will be described later via a paper feed path 14 forming a u shape which is folded to the rear from the front . a scanner part 18 as exposure means is positioned at the uppermost portion inside the body casing 2 . the scanner part 18 irradiates a laser light l based on a predetermined image data onto the surface of the corresponding photosensitive drum 30 with high - speed scanning . four laser lights l corresponding to the respective colors are emitted diagonally downward from a bottom surface of the scanner part 18 . the optical paths of the respective laser lights l are disposed with constant distances spaced longitudinally from one another in parallel with one another . above the paper feeding tray 7 in the front of the body casing 2 , the opening 2 a is formed so as to be openable and closable by the front cover 6 pivotally supported at the lower end portion . in the body casing 2 , a unit housing part 19 , which communicates with the opening 2 a at the lower side of the scanner part 18 , is positioned , and the image forming unit 20 which is capable of being drawn forward and attachable and detachable is housed in the unit housing part 19 . the image forming unit 20 includes a frame 21 , and in this frame 21 , the drums 30 as image carriers , which can be photosensitive drums , chargers 31 as charging means , which can be scorotron chargers , four development cartridges 22 as developing devices , and cleaning brushes 33 are held . since these constructions corresponding to the respective colors of black , cyan , magenta and yellow are all of the same structures , reference numerals are assigned to only the one at the left end of the paper surface , and those of the others are omitted in fig1 . the four development cartridges 22 are mounted to be attachable to and detachable from the frame 21 , and respectively correspond to the respective colors of black , cyan , magenta and yellow . the development cartridge 22 includes a box - shaped housing case 23 with a lower side opened , and a toner housing chamber 24 in which a toner t ( polymerized toner , developer ), which can include one nonmagnetic component with positive electrostatic property of each color , is formed at an upper portion inside the housing case 23 . an agitator 24 a is positioned in the toner housing chamber 24 , and the agitator 24 a is rotationally driven by input of the drive force from a motor not shown , thereby agitating the toner t therein . at a lower side of the toner housing chamber 24 , a supply roller 25 , a development roller 26 as a developer carrier and a thickness restricting blade 27 are positioned . the supply roller 25 is rotatably supported at the housing case 23 of the development cartridge 22 , and can be constructed by covering a roller shaft of a metal with a roller formed by a conductive foamed material . the supply roller 25 is rotationally driven by input of the drive force from a motor not shown . the development roller 26 is rotatably supported at the housing case 23 of the development cartridge 22 in the state in which it is in contact with the supply roller 25 in such a manner as to be compressed by each other , in a diagonally lower rear side of the supply roller 25 . the development roller 26 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 30 to be opposed to it in the state in which the development cartridge 22 is mounted on the frame 21 . the development roller 26 can be constructed by covering a roller shaft of a metal with a roller body formed by conductive urethane rubber or silicon rubber including fine carbon particles . a coat layer of urethane rubber or silicon rubber containing fluorine can be coated on the surface of the roller body . developing bias is applied to the development roller 26 at the time of development . the development roller 26 is rotationally driven by input of the drive force from a motor not shown . the thickness restricting blade 27 includes a pressing portion semicircular shape in section formed by insulating silicon rubber at a tip end portion of the blade body formed by a metal plate spring material . the thickness restricting blade 27 is supported at the housing case 23 above the development roller 26 , and the pressing portion is in pressure contact with the development roller 26 by an elastic force of the blade body . at the time of development , the toner t released from the toner housing chamber 24 is supplied to the development roller 26 by the rotation of the supply roller 25 , and at this time , it is triboelectrically charged to positive polarity between the supply roller 25 and the development roller 26 . the toner t supplied onto the development roller 26 advances into between the thickness restricting blade 27 and the development roller 26 with the rotation of the development roller 26 , where it is triboelectrically charged sufficiently , and is carried on the development roller 26 as a thin layer of a uniform thickness . the photosensitive drum 30 is formed into a cylindrical shape and includes a drum body of a metal which is grounded , and can be constructed by covering its surface layer with a photosensitive layer of a positive electrostatic property made of polycarbonate or the like . the photosensitive drum 30 is positioned rotatably around a drum shaft by the drum shaft of a metal as the shaft , which extends along a longitudinal direction of a drum body in an axial center of the drum body , being supported at the frame 21 . the photosensitive drum 30 is rotationally driven by input of the drive force from a motor not shown . the scorotron type charger 31 is disposed to be opposed to the photosensitive drum 30 spaced at a predetermined distance so as not to be in contact with the photosensitive drum 30 , at a diagonally rear side above the photosensitive drum 30 . the scorotron type charger 31 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 30 to positive polarity , by causing corona discharge from a charging wire of tungsten or the like . the cleaning brush 33 is disposed at the rear side of the photosensitive drum 30 to be opposed to and in contact with the photosensitive drum 30 . the surface of the photosensitive drum 30 is uniformly charged positively to , for example , + 900 v by the scorotron charger 31 first at the time of its rotation . thereafter , it is exposed by high - speed scanning of the laser light from the scanner part 18 so that the surface potential is partially made , for example , + 100 v , whereby an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image to be formed on the paper 3 is formed thereon . next , by rotation of the development roller 26 , the toner t which is carried on the development roller 26 and is positively charged to , for example , + 450 v is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 30 when it is opposed to and in contact with the photosensitive drum 30 . thereby , the electrostatic latent image of the photosensitive drum 30 is converted into a visible image , and the toner image ( developer image ) by the reversal development is carried on the surface of the photosensitive drum 30 . thereafter , the toner image carried on the surface of the photosensitive drum 30 is transferred to the paper 3 by transfer bias ( for example , − 700 v ) of negative polarity which is applied to the transfer roller 39 while the paper 3 ( conveyed by the later - described transfer belt 38 ) passes through the transfer position between the photosensitive drum 30 and the transfer roller 39 . the paper 3 , to which the toner image is thus transferred , is conveyed to a fuser 42 next . the paper conveying part 35 is disposed under the image forming unit 20 mounted on the unit housing part 19 . the paper conveying part 35 can include a pair of belt supporting rollers 36 and 37 positioned with spaces at the rear side and the front side to be parallel with each other , and a transfer belt 38 ( one example of “ a belt ”) looped over both the rollers 36 and 37 . the transfer belt 38 circulates ( revolves ) by the belt supporting roller 36 at the rear side being rotationally driven by the drive force of the motor . the belt supporting roller ( drive roller ) 36 at the rear side can be a roller formed by covering a substantially cylindrical metal tube material surface of aluminum or stainless steel with a rubber layer , or applying a coating layer to it , for securing a gripping force with the belt inner surface . the belt supporting roller ( tension roller ) 37 at the front side is a roller that can be formed by applying plating to a substantially cylindrical metal tube material surface of aluminum or stainless steel for prevention of abrasion of the surface due to friction with the belt inner surface . the transfer belt 38 is an endless belt made of a resin material of , for example , of polycarbonate or the like , and its width dimension is not less than the width dimension of the maximum printable paper size ( for example , a4 size in this illustrative aspect ). at the inner side of the transfer belt 38 , the four transfer rollers 39 , which are disposed to be opposed to the respective photosensitive drums 30 of the aforementioned image forming unit 20 , are aligned at constant spaces in the longitudinal direction . transfer belt 38 is positioned or in moveable contact between the respective photosensitive drums 30 and the corresponding transfer rollers 39 . each of the transfer rollers 39 is constructed by covering an elastic member formed by a conductive rubber material around a roller shaft of a metal , so that transfer bias of negative polarity is applied thereto at the time of transfer . a belt cleaning unit 41 having a cleaning roller 40 for removing extraneous matters such as the residual toner t and paper powder adhering onto the transfer belt 38 ( explanation may be made with the residual toner t cited as a representative example in the following description ), is positioned at the lower side of the transfer belt 38 . the paper 3 which is fed out from the aforementioned resist rollers 12 a and 12 b passes through the paper feed path 14 , abuts on a portion in the vicinity of the front end of the top surface of the transfer belt 38 , where it is electrostatically attracted to the top surface of the transfer belt 38 , and is conveyed rearward with circulating movement of the transfer belt 38 . the fuser 42 is disposed behind the paper conveying part 35 in the body casing 2 . the fuser 42 is constructed by a heating roller 43 , and a pressure roller 44 or the like which are positioned opposite to each other , and fuses the toner image transferred onto the paper 3 to the paper surface by heat . the paper 3 subjected to heat fusing is conveyed to a paper discharge roller 46 disposed at an upper portion of the body casing 2 by the conveying rollers 45 disposed at a diagonally rear side above the fuser 42 . a paper discharge tray 47 with its front end side substantially horizontal and its rear end side inclined downward to the rear is positioned on a top surface of the body casing 2 , and the paper 3 after image formation which is discharged from the paper discharge roller 46 is stacked on the paper discharge tray 47 . fig2 is an enlarged side sectional view showing the paper conveying part 35 and the belt cleaning unit 41 . the belt cleaning unit 41 includes a box - shaped case 50 slim and long in the longitudinal direction , and the case 50 is positioned at the lower side of the transfer belt 38 . in this case 50 , an opening 51 is formed at a front end side of a top surface , and the cleaning roller 40 as a cleaning member is rotatably positioned inside the opening 51 . the cleaning roller 40 is a silicon foamed roller which can be constructed by covering a roller shaft of a metal with a roller body formed by a conductive foamed material . for example , a metal roller 52 ( one example of “ metal roller ”) formed by a hard material such as a metal is rotatably positioned at a diagonally lower rear side of the cleaning roller 40 so as to be in pressure contact with the cleaning roller 40 . further , a scraping blade 53 , or a scraping member , can be made of rubber and be positioned at a lower side of the metal roller 52 . scraping blade 53 further includes a rear end portion which is connected to a holder 55 , or a holding member , which can be made of metal . further , scraping blade 53 includes a front end portion which is a free end is in pressure contact with a lower surface of the metal roller 52 by an elastic force of the blade body . in order to bring scraping blade 53 into contact with the metal roller 52 with a uniform force over the substantially entire length in the longitudinal direction , the rear end portion of the scraping blade 53 is fixed with a force which is strong . to achieve this substantially uniform force , holder 55 can be made of a metal with relatively high strength . further , a backup roller 54 formed by a conductive member such as a metal is rotatably positioned above the cleaning roller 40 with the transfer belt 38 vertically nipped between the backup roller 54 and the cleaning roller 40 . as shown in fig2 , at the time of a cleaning operation which is carried out during the period before the paper 3 is discharged by the paper discharge roller 46 ( after , for example , the paper 3 with an image formed there on passes through the fuser 42 ), the cleaning roller 40 is rotationally driven . cleaning roller 40 can be driven in a direction opposed to the transfer belt 38 circulating in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing in the contact surface with it ( that is , in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing ), by the drive force from a motor not shown . also , at the same time , the metal roller 52 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in the drawing . meanwhile , the backup roller 54 rotates together in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing with the circulation movement of the transfer belt 38 . the roller shaft of the backup roller 54 is grounded , and at the time of a cleaning operation , negative polarity bias of ( one example of “ bias voltage ”), for example , − 3 kv is applied to the cleaning roller 40 . further , a negative polarity bias ( one example of “ bias voltage ”) of , for example , − 3 . 5 kv is applied to the metal roller 52 . thereby , the residual toner t adhering to the transfer belt 38 moves to the cleaning roller 40 by a bias attraction force and a contact force of the cleaning roller 40 at a region in the vicinity of the opposing position of the cleaning roller 40 and the backup roller 54 . the residual toner t carried by the cleaning roller 40 moves to the hard metal roller 52 by the bias attraction force , and the residual toner t carried by the metal roller 52 is scraped by the scraping blade 53 , and finally collected into the case 50 . in the laser printer 1 of this illustrative aspect , a pressing force changing mechanism 60 is included , which causes the pressing force of the backup roller 54 to the cleaning roller 40 to differ at the time of the above described cleaning operation and at the time of the non - cleaning operation . more specifically , the pressing force changing mechanism 60 positions the backup roller 54 at a separation position separated from the transfer belt 38 during the image formation time ( non - cleaning operation time ) in which , for example , a start command for image formation is initiated . as the paper 3 is moved onto the transfer belt 38 from the paper feeding tray 7 , a toner image is transferred onto the paper 3 , and the toner image is fused by heat with the fuser 42 . on the other hand , during a cleaning operation , force charging mechanism 60 positions the backup roller 54 into contact with the transfer belt 38 , so that the transfer belt 38 is also positioned into contact with the cleaning roller 40 . namely , this illustrative aspect has the construction in which the backup roller 54 is pressed against the cleaning roller 40 to ensure the pressure required for cleaning only during a cleaning operation . thus , even in a configuration which is always rotationally driven during a cleaning operation and also during a non - cleaning operation , there is no fear of applying travel load to the transfer belt 38 . as a matter of course , the backup roller 54 does not always have to be moved to the position completely separated from the transfer belt 38 during a non - cleaning operation , and it may be in light contact with the transfer belt 38 within the range in which travel of the transfer belt 38 is not hindered . in short , if a travel load to the transfer belt 38 can be reduced , as compared to the travel load during cleaning operation , contact is suitable during a non - cleaning operation . fig3 is a perspective view showing the belt cleaning unit 41 and the pressing force changing mechanism 60 ( the front side of the laser printer 1 , or the opening 2 a side of the body casing 2 , is in the lower right direction of the paper surface of the drawing ). fig4 is a left side view showing the belt cleaning unit 41 and the pressing force changing mechanism 60 , and the front side of the laser printer 1 ( the opening 2 a side of the body casing 2 ) is in the right direction of the paper surface of the drawing . the hollow arrow in the drawing indicates the rotational direction of each gear . as shown in fig3 , the backup roller 54 is rotatably held by a pair of moveable holding arms 61 and 61 which are respectively disposed at both of its left and right ends . as shown in fig4 each of the moveable holding arms 61 has a front end portion made moveable up and down around a rear end portion pivotally supported at a support shaft body 61 a which is parallel with the backup roller 54 and positioned at the body casing 2 side . each of the moveable holding arms 61 has its rocking end portion ( front end portion ) pressed downward ( the belt cleaning unit 41 side ) by a pressing spring 62 as a biasing mechanism . in fig3 , the backup roller 54 , a pair of moveable holding arms 61 and pressing springs 62 are mounted on the paper conveying part 35 constructed as a belt unit ( but the transfer belt 38 is omitted in the drawing for convenience to facilitate understanding ). the cleaning roller 40 has both end portions of its roller shaft bore positioned to protrude from a left and a right wall of the case 50 , and a rotary gear 41 a is integrally positioned at one of the end portions ( for example , the left end portion ). the metal roller 52 has both end portions of its roller shaft bore positioned to protrude from the left and right wall of the case 50 , and a rotary gear 52 a is integrally positioned at one of the end portions ( for example , the left end portion ) and is meshed with the above described rotary gear 41 a to be gear - connected thereto . an input gear 63 is positioned behind the rotary gear 52 a , the input gear 63 is meshed with the rotary gear 52 a to be gear - connected thereto , and is meshed with an output gear 64 at the body casing side in the state in which the belt cleaning unit 41 is mounted in the body casing 2 . the output gear 64 is disposed at a diagonally lower rear side of the input gear 63 , and is rotationally driven by receiving the drive force from a motor not shown . the motor rotates by a start command for image formation , for example , and the drive force is transmitted to the rotary gear 41 a and the rotary gear 52 a via the output gear 64 and the input gear 63 , thereby rotationally driving the cleaning roller 40 and the metal roller 52 . a metal shaft body 65 as a rotary shaft body which is parallel with the cleaning roller 40 and has both end portions positioned to protrude from the left and right wall of the case 50 is positioned in front of the cleaning roller 40 . the metal shaft body 65 includes a gear 65 a having a pair of tooth portions symmetrically disposed is integrally positioned at one of the end portions ( for example , the left end portion ) of the metal shaft body 65 . a pair of protruded portions 66 and 66 are disposed symmetrically about the shaft center at a position near to a center in the metal shaft body 65 . a rotary shaft body 67 a parallel with the metal shaft body 65 is positioned in front of the metal shaft body 65 , and an engaging arm 67 is integrally positioned at the rotary shaft body 67 a . when the tooth portions of the gear 65 a are at the rotation position opposed to the rotary gear 41 a , a claw at a tip end of one end portion ( end portion facing the rear side in fig3 ) of the engaging arm 67 is engaged with one of a pair of protruded portions 66 and 66 . the engaging arm 67 is caused to abut on a solenoid switch ( not shown ) at the other end portion ( end portion facing to the front side in fig3 ), so that when the solenoid switch receives a start command signal for an image forming operation or a start command signal for the cleaning operation , the solenoid switch performs an on operation to release engagement of the engaging arm 67 and the protruded portion 66 . when the engagement is released , the metal shaft body 65 is forcefully rotated to the position where the tooth portion of the gear 65 a is meshed with the rotary gear 41 a by a coil spring 68 as a biasing spring . further , the metal shaft body 65 is integrally provided with a pair of cams 69 and 69 having larger end portions ( the left side is at the inner side of the gear 65 a ) respectively . in the state in which the belt cleaning unit 41 is mounted in the body casing 2 and the above described paper conveying part ( belt unit ) 35 is further mounted thereon , the end portions of the pair of moveable holding arms 61 and 61 are positioned on the peripheral surfaces of the pair of cams 69 and 69 . next , the operation of the pressing force changing mechanism 60 will be described with reference to schematic views shown in fig5 and 6 in addition to fig3 and 4 . fig3 shows the state in which each of the cams 69 has its large diameter portion faced upward , the tooth portions of the gear 65 a are in the rotational position where they are opposed to the rotary gear 41 a and are not meshed with it , and the metal shaft body 65 is held by the engaging arm 67 . in this state , as shown in fig5 , the rocking end portions of the moveable holding arms 61 and 61 located at both left and right sides of the transfer belt 38 and placed on the large diameter portions of the respective cams 69 are pushed upward against the biasing force of the pressing springs 62 , and thereby , the backup roller 54 is placed at the above described separation position . at this time , the transfer belt 38 is in the separation state such that the cleaning roller 40 and the backup roller 54 separated from each other , when such cleaning pressure is not applied . at this time , even if the transfer belt 38 is in contact with the cleaning roller 40 which rotates in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing , the cleaning pressure is not applied thereto , and therefore , a cleaning operation is not performed . when a start command signal for a cleaning operation is sent to the solenoid switch in the separation state shown in fig3 and 5 , engagement by the engaging arm 67 is released , and the gear 65 a is meshed with the rotary gear 41 a and is rotationally driven . thereby , as shown in fig6 , each of the cams 69 has the large diameter portion faced downward , the tooth portions of the gear 65 a are in the rotational position where they are opposed to the rotary gear 41 a and are not meshed with it , and the metal shaft body 65 is brought into the state where it is held by the engaging arm 67 again . in this state , the end portions of the moveable holding arms 61 and 61 are pressed downward by the biasing force of the pressing spring 62 , whereby the backup roller 54 is displaced to the contact position , and is brought into the contact state with the cleaning roller 40 and the transfer belt 38 therebetween . thereafter , a start command signal for an image formation operation is sent to the solenoid switch again , and thereby , they are returned to the separation state in fig3 and 5 . the metal shaft body 65 can be made of a metal in order to provide rigidity corresponding to the forces which are loaded respectively to move the cams 69 and 69 in synchronism with it in the operation of the above described pressing force changing mechanism 60 . as described above , at the time of a cleaning operation , the transfer belt 38 is in positioned between or in moveable contact with the backup roller 54 and the cleaning roller 40 , and during an image forming operation such as transfer and fusing to the paper 3 , the backup roller 54 and the cleaning roller 40 are separated from the transfer belt 38 . accordingly , the turning load of the transfer belt 38 during an image forming operation is reduced to make stable movement of the paper 3 possible , and deterioration of the cleaning roller 40 by contact with the transfer belt 38 in the state where contact pressure occurs can be reduced . & lt ; construction for eliminating backlash and preventing current leak of belt cleaning unit & gt ; as shown in fig3 and 4 , in the belt cleaning unit 41 , a pair of columnar front side support protruded parts 70 and 70 are positioned on a left and a right side surfaces of the front end side of the case 50 , and a pair of columnar rear side support protruded parts 71 and 71 are positioned on a left and a right side surfaces at the rear end side of the case 50 . meanwhile , front side support members 72 and 72 which receive the respective front side support protruded parts 70 and 70 , and rear side support members 73 and 73 which receive the rear side support protruded parts 71 and 71 are fixed and positioned at left and right opposing walls of the unit housing part 19 of the body casing 2 . each of the front side support members 72 is formed into a u - shape opened upward in section , and each of the front side support protruded parts 70 is housed therein . each of the rear side support members 73 is formed into an l - shape opened upward and forward in section , and the rear side support protruded part 71 is mounted on its bottom surface . fig7 is a perspective view showing the belt cleaning unit 41 and a part of a bias supply part 75 ( the front side of the laser printer 1 is in the upper right direction of the paper surface in the drawing ). fig8 is a top view showing the belt cleaning unit 41 and a part of the bias supply part 75 ( the front side of the laser printer 1 is in the upper direction of the paper surface in the drawing ). in fig7 and 8 , illustration of the transfer belt 38 is omitted as in fig3 . as shown in fig7 and 8 , the bias supply part 75 is fixed and disposed behind the belt cleaning unit 41 mounted inside the body casing 2 . in the bias supply part 75 , a pair of output terminals 76 a and 76 b are positioned laterally side by side at its front surface ( for example , at the position to the left in this illustrative aspect ) and can be formed into rod - like shapes . biasing springs 77 and 77 , which function as biasing mechanisms which bias the output terminals 76 a and 76 b forward , are respectively positioned at their base end sides . the output terminal 76 a outputs the above described negative polarity bias to the cleaning roller 40 , and the output terminal 76 b outputs the above described negative polarity bias to the metal roller 52 . meanwhile , in the belt cleaning unit 41 , a pair of input terminals 78 a and 78 b are positioned laterally side by side at the rear surface of the case 50 ( the position to the left in this illustrative aspect ). each of the input terminals 78 a and 78 b can be configured as a metal member in a long plate shape folded in an l - shape to turn onto the top surface from the rear surface of the case 50 . both of the input terminals 78 a and 78 b can be positioned inside the groove formed on the case 50 , and in the position recessed lower than the outer surface of the case 50 around it . in the state in which the belt cleaning unit 41 is mounted inside the body casing 2 , the input terminal 78 a is in contact with the above described output terminal 76 a , and has aids in the transfer of the negative polarity bias to the cleaning roller 40 . further , the input terminal 78 b is in contact with the above described output terminal 76 b , and has aids in the transfer of the negative polarity bias to the metal roller 52 . fig9 is a top view of the enlarged input terminal portion of the belt cleaning unit 41 ( the front side of the laser printer 1 is in the upper direction of the paper surface of the drawing ). fig1 is a perspective view of the enlarged input terminal portion of the belt cleaning unit 41 ( the front side of the laser printer 1 is in the diagonally lower right direction of the paper surface of the drawing ). in the input terminal 78 a , its front end portion is fastened to the case 50 with a screw 80 with one end portion of a lead wire 79 positioned therebetween . as shown in fig1 , the rotary shaft of the cleaning roller 40 and the metal shaft body 65 are received by a common shaft - receiving member 81 formed by a conductive plastic ( synthetic resin or the like ). the shaft - receiving member 81 is fastened to the case 50 via screw 82 with the other end portion of the above described lead wire 79 positioned therebetween . by such a construction , the negative polarity bias from the input terminal 78 a is transferred to the roller shaft of the cleaning roller 40 via the lead wire 79 and the shaft - receiving member 81 , and the metal shaft body 65 is made at the same potential as the roller shaft of the cleaning roller 40 by the shaft - receiving member 81 . accordingly , the shaft - receiving member 81 is one example of “ the second connection member ”. the case 50 of the belt cleaning unit 41 is constructed by a plastic ( synthetic resin or the like ) having insulating properties as a matter of course . the front end portion of input terminal 78 b is in contact with the holder 55 , and is fastened to the case 50 with a screw 84 with one end portion of a lead wire 83 positioned therebetween . the roller shaft of the metal roller 52 is received by a shaft - receiving member 85 formed by a conductive plastic ( synthetic resin or the like ), and the shaft - receiving member 85 is fastened to the case 50 via screw 86 with the other end portion of the above described lead wire 83 positioned therebetween . by such a construction , the negative polarity bias from the input terminal 78 b is transferred to the roller shaft of the metal roller 52 via the leadwire 83 and the shaft - receiving member 85 , and the negative polarity bias from the input terminal 78 b is directly applied to the holder 55 , thus making the roller shaft of the metal roller 52 and the holder 55 at the same potential . accordingly , the lead wire 83 and the shaft - receiving member 85 are one example of “ the first connection member ”. ( 1 ) since the rotary shaft of the cleaning roller 40 and the metal shaft body 65 are made at the same potential , occurrence of current leak is prevented , and both of them can be positioned close to each other . here , as the rotary shaft of the cleaning roller 40 and the metal shaft body 65 are farther away from each other , the arm length of the moveable holding arm 61 from the support shaft body 61 a becomes larger , and the cam which abuts on its end portion cannot displace the backup roller 54 between the above described separation position and the contact position unless the diameter of the cam is made larger . on the other hand , in this illustrative aspect , the rotary shaft of the cleaning roller 40 and the metal shaft body 65 can be positioned close to each other , the backup roller 54 can be displaced between the separation position and the contact position with the cam 69 having the relatively small diameter . since the roller shaft of the metal roller 52 and the holder 55 are made at the same potential , occurrence of current leak is prevented , and they can be positioned close to each other . thus , a smaller protrusion length of the scraping blade 53 from the holder 55 can be realized , and the residual toner t adhering to the metal roller 52 can be scraped off by the stable pressure contact . from the above , reduction in size of the belt cleaning unit 41 , and reduction in size of the entire laser printer 1 can be achieved . ( 2 ) the belt cleaning unit 41 is supported by the front side support member 72 and the rear side support member 73 as described above . however , the front side support member 72 requires a certain degree of clearance with respect to the front side support protruded portion 70 for making the belt cleaning unit 41 attachable and detachable . because of this , there is the fear that the belt cleaning unit 41 cannot clean the transfer belt 38 with high backlash precision only utilizing the front side support members 72 and the rear side support members 73 . this is especially true when the roller shaft of the cleaning roller 40 inclines relative to the traveling direction of the transfer belt 38 , thus arising the possibility of applying a skew force to the transfer belt 38 to make it meander . in this case , a certain amount of pressure is needed to provide reliable electrical connection of the output terminals 76 a and 76 b and the input terminals 78 a and 78 b . thus , in this illustrative aspect , the biasing force ( the dotted line arrow x 1 in fig4 ) of the biasing springs 77 , which bias the output terminals 76 a and 76 b , is used for securing the contact pressure . thus , elimination of backlash of the belt cleaning unit 41 with respect to the body casing 2 and the transfer belt 38 is realized . the belt cleaning unit 41 receives a rotational force of the output gear 64 , which is connected to the input gear 63 and receives a force in the diagonally lower direction to the front side , namely , a force in the direction ( the dotted line arrow x 2 in fig4 ) with the pressure angle considered with respect to the tangential line at the meshing position of the input gear 63 and the output gear 64 . further , the belt cleaning unit 41 receives the reaction force ( the dotted line arrow x 3 in fig4 ) from the cleaning roller 40 rotationally driven in contact with and opposed to the transfer belt 38 at the time of a cleaning operation . accordingly , by the resultant force of these three forces x 1 , x 2 and x 3 , the belt cleaning unit 41 is strongly pressed against a front wall 72 a ( one example of “ an opposing portion ”) of the front side support member 72 , and thereby , backlash of the belt cleaning unit 41 can be reliably suppressed . the belt cleaning unit 41 is pressed against the bottom surfaces of the front side support members 72 and the rear side support members 73 by the component force in the lower direction of the force x 2 and the biasing force of the pressing spring 62 , and thereby , the belt cleaning unit 41 is positioned in the vertical direction . the present invention is not limited to the illustrative aspect described in accordance with the above description and the drawings , but , for example , the following illustrative aspects are also included in the technical range of the present invention . ( 1 ) in the above described illustrative aspect , the belt cleaning device is attachable to and detachable from the body casing 2 as a unit , but the belt cleaning device is not limited to this , and may be configured to be incapable of being attached to and detached from the body casing 2 . ( 2 ) in the above described illustrative aspect , the construction including the cleaning roller 40 and the metal roller 52 is adopted as the cleaning part , but the cleaning part is not limited to this . a construction in which only the cleaning roller 40 is included and the scraping blade 53 is in contact with the cleaning roller 40 may be adopted . in this case , the holder 55 is desired to be at the same potential as the cleaning roller 40 . at this time , the construction which performs short - circuiting connection of the cleaning roller 40 and the scraping blade 53 and short - circuiting connection of the cleaning roller 40 and the holder 55 respectively by separate connection members may be adopted , or the construction which performs them by an integrally formed common connection member may be adopted . ( 3 ) in the above described illustrative aspect , the construction which performs short - circuiting connection of the cleaning roller 40 and the metal shaft 65 , and the holder 55 and the metal roller 52 respectively by using the lead wire 83 and the shaft - receiving members 81 and 85 as the connection member is adopted , but the present invention is not limited to this . the construction which makes the cleaning roller 40 and the metal shaft 65 at the same potential by applying negative polarity bias at the same potential separately to them from the bias supply part 75 via the separate input terminals may be adopted .
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in order to achieve the above objective , the present invention provides manufacturing method of implant prosthesis and the method for implant procedure that uses abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap wherein the artificial crown and abutment is adhered simultaneously in both inner and outer part which have inclined angles to provide free range for prosthesis to widen the adhesive area of abutment and artificial crown . during the processing stage , there is no need for milling and the cap is placed on top of the abutment of the present invention in order to be used as healing abutment which eliminates the need for healing abutment . implant method of the present invention is to form an installation groove by using a drill or other equipments to place the fixture into the alveolar bone with the missing tooth wherein the fixture is placed into the installation groove and abutment of the present invention is placed into the fixture to prevent foreign substances from infiltrating the area . abutment cap is placed above the abutment wherein gum on lateral area is stitched in order for upper part of the abutment cap to be exposed to finish the first part of the surgery . after three to five months , cap placed on the upper part of the abutment is removed wherein impression cap is put in its place . impression material is used to create a dental impression wherein impression cap and stiffened dental impression is sent to the processing room . implant analog that has the same shape with the alveolar bone that will undergo the treatment is used to create working model made of plaster wherein artificial crown is sculpted with wax on top of analog of the working model and the sculpted wax crown is inserted into the dental investment material to create the cast of artificial crown or the wax artificial crown can be scanned to create artificial crown by using the cad / cam . abutment cap inside the mouth of the patient is removed and the artificial crown is adhered on top of the abutment with cement as part of the implant procedure . the present invention provides esthetic prosthesis and keeps foreign substances out as there is no gap between the abutment and periodontal tissue which in turn prevents bone resorption caused by periodontal disease and can firmly withstand pressure from the top and the sides during mastication as adhesive area is located in both inner and outer part that prevents abutment and artificial crown from falling off even after prolonged use . the present invention can manufacture durable artificial crown even when the size of the crown is so small that abutment of prior art cannot be used as it manufactures core type of artificial crown simultaneously adhered both inner and outer part with cement . moreover , as adhesive area of the artificial crown is small and has a very small exposed area outside the gum , there is no need for milling process or special abutment . with the cap on the upper part of the abutment of present invention , it can be used as healing abutment which simplifies the treatment and manufacturing process as well as making it more affordable . abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the embodiment of present invention has the following structure as illustrated in fig1 and fig3 wherein a connecting screw 2 is inserted into the central through - hole 31 of the abutment 3 that penetrates middle area of the abutment 3 from the upper portion to the lower portion thereof to connect it to the fixture 1 and the abutment cap 4 is placed in the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 wherein the crown 5 is adhered with cement on the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 that forms the border of the central through - hole 31 of the abutment 3 , the inner upper portion 32 of the abutment 3 and the lateral upper potion 36 of the abutment 3 which is classified from the lateral lower portion 35 of the abutment 3 into upper portion and lower portion on the basis of a vertex projecting from the side surface of the abutment 3 . incline ( a ) for the lateral upper portion 36 of the abutment 3 is manufactured within the range of 5 to 45 and the inclination in the outer portion is necessary for prosthesis to be in several directions and the range of the angle can be clinically occur . incline for the inner upper portion 36 of the abutment 3 is manufactured within the range of 1 to 30 and inclination in the inner portion is to compensate for the difference of angles in two implant fixtures when two or more implant prostheses are placed after being merged into one . length ( l ) of the lateral upper portion 36 , 36 - 1 of the abutment 3 is manufactured within the range of 0 . 5 mm to 3 . 5 mm . length ( l ) is necessary as it needs to be minimally exposed in order to be used as healing abutment and it needs to be short as possible in order to manufacture it for the prosthesis without milled abutment and also when height of the artificial crown is less than 4 mm . abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the embodiment of present invention has the following structure as illustrated in fig6 wherein it comprises a groove 31 - 1 formed at a central upper portion of abutment 3 - 1 , a fixture connecting part 38 with screw thread protruding downward that connects to the fixture 1 , an abutment cap 4 - 1 mounted on the upper part 39 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 and the crown 5 adhered with cement to the upper part 39 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 , an inner upper portion 32 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 and side 35 - 1 , 36 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 . fig7 is illustrates various application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the embodiment of present invention . artificial crown of the present invention can be manufactured through casting or by making use of cad / cam to be adhered directly to abutment of the present invention . in case of single stage procedure surgery , installation groove is installed to place the fixture to the alveolar bone where tooth is missing with drill or other equipments . after fixture is placed in the installation groove , abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap is put in place wherein abutment cap is placed on its upper portion and the gum on the lateral area are stitched to prevent fissure . after three to five months , abutment cap is removed and impression coping is put in its place wherein dental impression is made for teeth that are nearby and the area that impression coping was placed . then , the dental impression and impression cap are sent to the processing room . by making use of stiffened dental impression , implant analog , which is a replacement for the fixture , is used to create working model made of plaster to be inserted in the same spot as fixture in the mouth . wax sculpted artificial crown is placed on top of implant analog of the working model wherein sculpted wax crown is placed in dental investment material to make a cast artificial crown or wax artificial crown is scanned to create the artificial crown by using the cad / cam . abutment cap inside the mouth of the patient is removed and the artificial crown is adhered on top of the abutment with cement as part of the implant procedure . in case of two - stage procedure surgery , installation groove is installed to place the fixture to the alveolar bone where tooth is missing with drill or other equipments . after fixture is placed in the installation groove , installation groove is installed to place the fixture to the alveolar bone where tooth is missing with drill or other equipments . after fixture is placed in the installation groove , closing screw is used in order to prevent foreign substance from infiltrating the fixture . the gum is completely covered and stitched to complete first part of the surgery wherein incision is made on the gum three to five months after the surgery to remove the closing screw , place the abutment and abutment cap on top wherein gum on both sides are stitched with upper part of the abutment cap to complete the second part of the surgery . after two to three weeks , abutment cap on top of the abutment is removed wherein impression cap is put in its place . impression material is used create a dental impression wherein impression cap and stiffened dental impression is sent to the processing room . implant analog that has the same shape with the alveolar bone that will undergo the treatment is used to create working model made of plaster wherein artificial crown is sculpted with wax on top of analog of the working model and the sculpted wax crown is inserted into the dental investment material to create the cast of artificial crown or the wax artificial crown can be scanned to create artificial crown by using the cad / cam . abutment cap inside the mouth of the patient is removed and the artificial crown is adhered on top of the abutment with cement as part of the implant procedure . detailed explanation in reference to drawings of the present invention is as follows . fig1 is a diagram that illustrates application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention and the fig2 is a diagram that illustrates detailed view of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention . fig3 is an exploded view that illustrates abutment accommodating core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention , fig4 is a process drawing of implant of the prior art , fig5 is a process drawing that illustrates abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention , fig6 is another example that illustrates abutment accommodating core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention , and fig7 and 8 illustrates application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention , wherein they depict fixture 1 , connecting screw 2 , abutment 3 , 3 - 1 , abutment cap 4 . 4 - 1 , 4 - 2 , crown 5 , central through - hole 31 of the abutment , inner upper portion 32 , 32 - 1 , 32 - 2 of the abutment , lateral lower portion 35 , 35 - 1 of the abutment , lateral upper portion 36 , 36 - 1 of the abutment , fixture connecting part 38 , upper portion 39 , 39 - 1 , 39 - 2 of the abutment , attachment area ( a ) for artificial crown , gum penetration area ( b ), and fixture securing part ( c ). structure of the abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the embodiment of present invention illustrated in fig1 and fig3 is as follows . the structure comprises a central through - hole 31 of an abutment 3 that penetrates middle area of the abutment 3 from an upper portion to a lower portion thereof , an upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 that forms the border of central through - hole 31 , an inner upper portion 32 of the abutment 3 that is formed at the inner lower portion of the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 and whose range of the slope is from 1 to 30 and the length ( l ) is within the range of 0 . 5 mm to 3 . 5 mm , a lateral upper portion 36 and a lateral lower portion 35 which are slantly formed upwardly and downwardly on the basis of a vertex projecting from the side surface of the abutment 3 and whose range of the slope is from 5 to 45 , and an abutment cap 4 which is mounted on the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 . abutment that accommodates core crowns manufactured in various angles wherein the crown 5 is adhered with the cement to the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 , the inner upper portion 32 of the abutment 3 , the lateral upper portion 36 of the abutment 3 and functions as healing abutment with the cap can be used for the following procedure . the structure may comprise a connecting screw 2 which is inserted into the central through - hole 31 of the abutment 3 that penetrates middle area of the abutment 3 from the upper portion to the lower portion thereof , an abutment cap 4 placed in the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 , and the crown 5 adhered with cement on the upper portion 39 of the abutment 3 , the inner upper portion 32 of the abutment 3 and the lateral upper potion 36 of the abutment 3 which is classified from the lateral lower portion 35 of the abutment 3 into upper portion and lower portion on the basis of a vertex projecting from the side surface of the abutment 3 . fig6 a is another example illustrates abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention wherein the structure is comprised of groove 31 - 1 formed at a central upper portion of abutment 3 - 1 , upper portion 39 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 that forms the border of the groove 31 - 1 , inner upper portion 32 - 1 of abutment 3 - 1 formed at the inner lower portion of the upper portion 391 - 1 , lateral upper and lower portion 36 - 1 , 35 - 1 formed at the side surface of abutment 3 - 1 , a fixture connecting part 38 with screw thread protruding downward , an abutment cap 4 - 1 mounted on the upper part 39 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 and the crown 5 adhered with cement to the upper part 39 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 , an inner upper portion 32 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 and side 35 - 1 , 36 - 1 of the abutment 3 - 1 . fig7 illustrates the application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention . fig8 a illustrates the application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention when the occlusal vertical dimension is less than 4 mm . fig8 b illustrates the application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention and showing that it can be used without milled abutment . fig8 c illustrates the application of abutment that can accommodate core crowns manufactured in various angles and functions as healing abutment with the cap according to the present invention in case wherein angle of the fixture and prosthesis is different . fixture 1 , connecting screw 2 , abutment 3 , 3 - 1 , 3 - 2 , abutment cap 4 , 4 - 1 , 4 - 2 , crown 5 , central penetration pipe of the abutment 31 , groove 31 - 1 , inner portion of upper part of the abutment 32 , 32 - 1 , 32 - 2 , side of lower part of the abutment 35 , 35 - 1 , side of upper part of the abutment 36 , 36 - 1 , fixture connecting part 38 , upper part of the abutment 39 , 39 - 1 , 39 - 2 , attachment area for artificial crown ( a ), gum penetration area ( b ), and fixture securing part ( c ).
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fig1 shows a cross - section of an embodiment of a carrier 5 which may be used in the inventive method . carrier 5 consists of a carrier plate 10 with an insulation layer 11 and a first junction electrode 12 . the insulation layer 11 does not fully cover the junction electrode 12 , but leaves a contact electrode 13 uncovered . a substrate 15 is placed onto this carrier 5 , and a second junction electrode 20 is placed over it . placing and removing second junction electrode 20 may be made automatically via a means 22 schematically illustrated which may cause establishing a contact of substrate 15 with the second junction electrode 20 and removing the second junction electrode 20 after an electrostatic charging process of the first junction electrode 12 and the second junction electrode 20 with charges of opposite polarity . charging is caused by a means for applying a voltage 24 , and the charging voltage may range from 200 volts to 3000 volts , for example . in one embodiment , the voltage is applied to the first junction electrode 12 and the second junction electrode 20 only until a fixing of substrate 15 is established on carrier 5 . afterwards , the voltage is disconnected such that charges through which substrate 15 remains fixed via its formed dipoles remain on the first junction electrode 12 . the second junction electrode 20 , which may also be referred to as a counter electrode , is then removed so that it is possible to process substrate 15 from the side opposite to carrier 5 . embodiments of the present invention further include one or several steps of processing substrate 15 in the state fixed on carrier 5 . such steps may be coating , lithography , drying and heating processes , patterning processes , thinning , grinding and the like , for example . in a further embodiment , the means for applying voltage 24 between the first junction electrode 12 and the second junction electrode 20 may permanently maintain a potential . after the second junction electrode 20 has been removed and substrate 15 is fixed on carrier 5 due to the electrostatic attraction , substrate 15 may be processed , or treated , in further steps , as has been set out . the connection between substrate 15 and carrier 5 may be detached by re - applying second junction electrode 20 and subsequently discharging first junction electrode 12 and second junction electrode 20 . the discharging causes disappearing of the electrostatic attraction , and , consequently , also canceling the fixing of substrate 15 on carrier 5 . the second junction electrode 20 may be embodied as a flexible foil electrode or as a rigid body . in any case , removing the second junction electrode 20 should be performed in such a manner that substrate 15 remains fixed on carrier 5 and does not adhere to the second junction electrode 20 . this may be achieved if removing is made such that no full - area force acts on substrate 15 , but only a force acting in some points or lines . in the case of a flexible second junction electrode 20 , this may be made by peeling off , and in the case of a rigid second junction electrode 20 , this may be made by tilting . tilting , or peeling off , causes a high stripping force along a line and not along an area , such as with horizontal lifting off . thus , it may be ensured that substrate 15 will not remain adhered to the second junction electrode 20 when lifting off the second junction electrode 20 . for an inventive functioning , it is thus important to ensure that the stripping force substantially acts only on junction electrode 20 and not on substrate 15 . in another embodiment , however , an adhesion of substrate 15 at the second junction electrode 20 may be advantageous for a further step of the method . this is the case , for example , if , after processing substrate 15 , removal of substrate 15 from carrier 5 is to be made . for this purpose , an electrostatic attraction between the second junction electrode 20 and substrate 15 may be caused by applying a corresponding voltage between the first junction electrode 12 and the second junction electrode 20 , whereupon the charges are left on the second junction electrode 20 and not on the first junction electrode 12 . thus , the second junction electrode 20 may be removed from carrier 5 , including substrate 15 . in a further embodiment , second junction electrode 20 may also be embodied as a foil junction electrode . in this embodiment , the second junction electrode 20 is flexible , facilitating peeling off , so that such an embodiment may be advantageous . the second junction electrode 20 may be a metal foil or a foil with a conducting coating , for example . in principle , the area of the first junction electrode 12 and / or the second junction electrode 20 may be larger or smaller than substrate 15 . however , it may be advantageous for the area of the second junction electrode 20 to be slightly smaller than the disposed substrate 15 , so as to avoid electrical breakdowns , for example . advantageously , the first junction electrode 12 is slightly larger than the area of substrate 15 . in further embodiments , the first junction electrode 12 and the second junction electrode 20 may have another shape , that is , substrate 15 does not need to be covered over the full area . likewise , insulation layer 11 does not need to be part of carrier 5 . insulation layer 11 may be part of substrate 15 , for example , or insulation layer 11 may completely be omitted for substrates 15 of certain materials , or with a certain thickness . this is possible if an electrical breakdown , or secure fixing , may also be ensured without insulation layer 11 . finally , insulation layer 11 does not need to be fixedly connected to carrier 5 , but instead may be loosely laid on carrier 5 or substrate 15 . in further embodiments , substrate 15 may also comprise thin , pliable glass or ceramic substrates , apart from plastic foils and thin semiconductors . furthermore , in further embodiments , the action of electrostatic fixing ( applying a voltage between the electrodes ) may be also be made under vacuum conditions , for example , it may be performed within a vacuum chamber . for example , this may be advantageous in that air bubbles which might otherwise be enclosed between substrate 15 ( foil ) and carrier 5 may thereby be avoided . with contacting under air ( outside a vacuum chamber , or under usual air pressure conditions ), such bubbles cannot be precluded and may lead to cambers , which is disadvantageous for later processes ( e . g . sputtering , plasma etching ) under vacuum conditions . additionally , a reversible joining of the edge region between the foil and carrier 5 may be performed in further embodiments , which may be particularly advantageous with regard to basin processes . for example , a polyimide foil may be electrostatically fixed and spun - on with polyimide . subsequently , the layer may be baked at 300 to 400 ° c ., for example , so that the foil edge would be joined . subsequent to that , carrier 5 might also be deployed in basin processes ( cleaning , photo technique etc .). while this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments , there are alterations , permutations , and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention . it should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .
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this invention uses three layers of materials to bond steel to fiberglass fibers ( see fig1 ). the reaction in accordance with the present invention must be carried out at a temperature which is high enough to bond the fiberglass fibers to the steel . it is also important , however , that the reaction temperature is not so high that is melts the fibers . persons skilled in the art know , or can readily determine , appropriate temperatures for particular materials employed in the practice of the invention . reaction parameters — such as the temperature employed , the quantity of reactants , and so on — are determined empirically based on the size and geometry of the part being bonded to the fiberglass fibers . the layer adjacent to the steel is composed of a mixture of titanium powder , nickel powder , and carbon particles . these are preferably fine powders , as described in us 2007 / 0235126 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . a typical molar ratio of ti : c : ni in this layer is 1 : 0 . 7 : 0 . 5 , although persons skilled in the art can readily determine other suitable molar ratios for these ingredients . the layer of initial powder mixture is typically from 1 to 3 millimeters in thickness . this layer will react with sufficient energy to melt iron and bond to the steel as it forms titanium carbide / nickel composite . the intermediate layer is composed of nickel powder and aluminum powder . a typical molar ratio of ni : al in this layer is 1 : 1 , although persons skilled in the art can readily determine other suitable molar ratios for these two ingredients . this layer provides a low ignition temperature ( 660 ° c .) to the three - layer system . the layer of initial powder mixture is typically from 1 to 3 millimeters in thickness . when this layer ignites , it will generate sufficient heat to make the first layer also react , also exothermally , and create an inter - metallic nickel / aluminum composite . the top layer is composed of alumina powder with ends of the fiberglass fibers pressed against it . fiberglass fibers used in the present invention typically have diameters in the range 10 - 100 microns . typically , there will be from 10 2 to 10 5 fiberglass fibers per square centimeter in the bonding layers of the present invention . the fiberglass fibers can be provided by any suitable method . for instance , a fiberglass fabric having fiberglass fibers perpendicular to its surface can be pressed into the aluminum layer . the layer of alumina and fiberglass fibers is typically from 1 to 5 millimeters in thickness . neither the fibers nor the alumina are reactive under the processing conditions used in the present invention . however , the alumina is heated and melts as a result of the heat generated by the two layers described above . the molten alumina wets the fiberglass fibers and bonds to them . it is noted that fiberglass fibers comprise silicon dioxide . the liquid aluminum also bonds to layer 2 , and layer 2 bonds to layer 1 , as illustrated in fig1 . the resulting thickness of the join is typically less than 1 millimeter . fig3 schematically illustrates a steel - carbon composite hybrid article in which the bond between the steel and the carbon composite is a cermet ( having three layers as described above ) to which is adhered glass fibers which facilitate extremely strong bonding between the cermet - coated steel inner part and the carbon composite housing . it should be noted that the depiction in fig3 is not to scale . the thickness of the join is typically less than 1 millimeter . in accordance with the present invention , this three - layer system is ordered according to the coefficients of thermal expansion (“ cte ”) of the materials selected for the layers , in order to avoid de - bonding due to cte mismatches . indeed , in the above example , the graded changing of aluminum concentration between layers 2 and 3 and of nickel concentration between layers 2 and 1 provides graduated change of cte through the joining layer . see fig1 . the present invention is especially suitable in the manufacture of metal / composite constructs , in which critical features such as bolt holes are made of metal and much of the remainder of the construct is made of carbon composite . for instance , as illustrated in fig2 a - 2c , a metal / composite piston housing can be manufactured with a steel skeleton which provides bolt holes . employing the process of this invention , the steel skeleton , illustrated in fig2 a , is bonded into a carbon composite housing which serves to hold the steel skeleton in place , to facilitate its manipulation during assembly of the complete piston housing , and to protect it from damage by the environment in which it will be used . fig2 b conceptually illustrates the carbon composite in schematic form so as to facilitate understanding of the manner in which it surrounds the piston housing skeleton . fig2 c shows a realistic view of a finished product made in accordance with the present invention . the surface of the fig2 c piston housing is primarily composite , but steel bolt hole protrude through the composite to permit access to the bolt holes . another type of final product construct that can be made in accordance with the present invention is high performance wheels , for instance , aircraft nose wheels and wheels for race cars and high end automobiles . in these wheels , the bolt holes for receiving the lugs would be present on a metal ( e . g ., magnesium alloy ) skeleton , and the remainder of the wheel would be made of carbon composite . the present invention has been described herein in terms of several embodiments . however , modifications and additions to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts upon a reading of the foregoing description . it is intended that all such obvious modifications and additions form a part of the present invention to the extent that they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto .
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the above halogen - containing thin transparent film and perpendicular magnetic thin transparent film may have various crystalline structures . namely , they may take amorphous , crystalline or metastable state . since their interatomic bonds do not give substantial influence to the 3d orbital , they do not give any large influence to the magnetic characteristics of the transparent films . the above thin films show therefore metallic and ferromagnetic properties and these films have optical transparency owing to the halogen element or elements , has transparency to light . owing to their metallic nature , they can give large reflectivity . by the addition of rotations of light - deflecting angles both at the surface of the films and inside the films upon reflection , they exhibit large kerr rotation angles . the above films having the large kerr rotation angles are applicable as optical modulators , which make use of the magneto - optical kerr effect in magneto - and in integrated optical circuits such as optical switches , optical isolators and circulators . in magneto - optical disk memories making use of the magneto - optical kerr effect , kerr rotation angles can be increased further by using a multilayer structure which exhibits both magneto - optical kerr effect and faraday effect in combination . in view of such high applicability , they are indispensable for the present and future optical technology . as properties characteristic to the halogen - containing thin transparent film of this invention , the following properties may be mentioned . ( a ) its chemical bonds do not cause any substantial chemical shift of the lα ray peak in a soft x - ray emission spectrum even if the element f is contained as much as 50 at .% or so . ( b ) accordingly , it can produce large magnetization . as a material capable of showing optical transparency , its magnetization is at least 60 emu / g at an f content of about 50 at .%. the average magnetic moment μ b per fe atom is about 1 μ b . ( c ) kerr rotation angle increases in proportion to the content of f . at an f content of 50 at .%, a rotation angle of 0 . 5 ° is shown in the wavelength range of he - ne laser . a rotation angle as large as 0 . 7 ° was exhibited at 700 - 800 nm . the perpendicular magnetic thin transparent film of this invention has the following property ( d ) in addition to the above - described properties ( a ) through ( c ). ( d ) a film having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy can be formed by adjusting its production conditions , i . e ., the ultimate vacuum of the backing pressure , the partial pressure of ar , the sputtering temperature and the sputtering power . the above properties ( a )-( d ) will hereinafter be described in further detail . ( a ) halogen atoms react with any metal and also react with many non - metals . of such halogen atoms , f is most reactive . the reactivity decreases as the atomic number increases . this high reactivity of the element f is attributed to the low energy of an f -- f bond , its extremely strong oxidizing power and its high electronegativity . due to this vigorous reactivity , halogen gases have not been contained at varied contents in metals . they have been used primarily as reactive gases in the dry etching technique or as carrier gases in the chemical vapor deposition process . when bonded chemically with a metal , a halogen element is converted into crystals having optical transparency . it is however the general characteristics of halogen compounds that like fef 2 and fef 3 shown in fig1 a considerable peak shift of lα is observed along with an increase to its peak width , significant influence is given to the 3d level of the electron state of fe , and antiferromagnetism or parasitic ferromagnetism is exhibited . it is a characteristic feature of the production process of this invention that the lα peak shift is small . the profiles of lα and lβ peaks in a soft x - ray emission spectrum of fe in the halogen - containing thin transparent film of this invention are shown for various halogen contents in fig1 . fig2 illustrates the shifts of lα and lβ peaks , the ratios of lα peak heights to corresponding lβ peak heights , namely , lβ / lα ( height ratio ), and the f - content dependence of the half widths of the lα peaks , in comparison with the corresponding data of fe , fef 2 and fef 3 . as apparent from fig1 and fig2 the halogen - containing thin transparent film of this invention , for example , the fe - b - f film shows the same lα and lβ peak positions and peak half width as fe and the height ratio of lβ / lα increases as the content of the element f becomes higher . it is hence appreciated that no lα peak shift occurred unlike fef 2 or fef 3 . this means that the chemical bond fe - f are formed between their respective outermost orbitals and the inner orbital which affects considerably the magneto - optical effect , namely , the 3d orbital is not affected . the halogen - containing thin transparent film of this invention is therefore ferromagnetic and exhibits large magneto - optical effect owing , for example , to the action of the magnetic moment of the electron on the orbital of the 3d level . ( b ) fig3 shows the fe dependence of the saturation magnetization ms of the fe - b - f film and that of the average magnetic moment μ fe ( μ b per iron atom ). owing to the existence of such an electron state as described above in ( a ), good optical transparency and high magnetic characteristics are exhibited even at an f content of about 50 at .%. the element f is an amorphous - forming element , and no large variations take place with respect to curie temperature and crystallization temperature even when the f content increases . however , the saturation magnetization ms becomes smaller as the f content drops . when the fluoride begins to grow in the amorphous phase , the degree of decrease of ms is reduced . μ fe ( at 77 k ) decreases in the amorphous phase as the f content increases . however , μ fe reaches about 1μ b when a fluoride phase appears . this is a typical reflection of fe - f bonds . ( c ) owing to such a characteristic electron state of metal - gas elements as described above , the quantity of reflected light is large , the kerr rotation angle increases as the content of f increases . at f contents of 40 - 50 at .%, high kerr rotation angles were exhibited , namely , θ k = 0 . 5 ° in the wavelength range of he - ne laser and θ k = 0 . 7 ° at 700 - 800 nm . fig4 shows the wavelength dependence of the kerr rotation angles θ k of fe - b - f films by way of example . the films depicted in fig4 are in - plane magnetizable films . regarding their dependence on magnetic field , their rotation angles at 633 nm increase as the magnetic field becomes stronger . the higher the content of f , the higher the θ k . θ k tends to become still higher on the side of longer wavelengths . the special fe - f bond and the optical transparency of the element f seem to be combined together so that the resulting rotations at the surface of the film and inside the film probably contribute to the production of a large kerr rotation angle . in the case of oxides , kerr rotation angles by reflection without reflective plates are usually extremely small . the film of this invention shows a large kerr rotation angle without any reflecting plate . ( d ) turning next to the perpendicular magnetic thin transparent film , it is an in - plane magnetizable film . it can however be obtained as a transparent film having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy provided that film - forming conditions are chosen suitably . in fig5 m - h hysteresis curves of an fe 40 f 60 film is shown by way of example . out of the in - plane and perpendicular directions , anisotropy is shown clearly in the perpendicular direction . vertical magnetic anisotropy energy has a positive value . the process of this invention for the production of the halogen - containing thin transparent film makes use of reactive film formation process . this process is carried out in a state in which at least one of the components of a compound to be formed in the form of a thin film is contained in a vapor phase . a reactive rf , dc sputtering apparatus may be used by way of example as a production apparatus . this reactive sputtering involves both physical sputtering and chemical sputtering . on a substrate , a thin film is formed at a low temperature and in a state that the energy of bombardment to the substrate is low . because of reactive sputtering , it is possible to vary the gas partial pressure and the output to the target so that optically - transparent films of various structures , namely , in amorphous , crystalline and metastable forms can be obtained . it is also possible to adjust the degree of chemical bonds ( ionization degree ) into various levels . a halogen compound is decomposed in the production process of this invention , whereby a halogen gas and its compound gas are produced as reactive gases . these halogen gases are then reacted with a metal plasma which may contain the same kind of halogen gas , so that the resulting compound is allowed to deposit as a thin film on the substrate . this process has merits that the danger of introduction of a highly - reactive halogen gas through a piping system is avoided and inclusion of impurities is also prevented . the present invention will hereinafter be described specifically by the following examples . an opposing - target dc , rf sputtering apparatus depicted in fig6 was used . fe 90 b 10 ( at .%) was attached to opposing dc targets 1 , which were cooled with water . an rf target 2 had been produced by press forming a halogen compound , fef 3 . after evacuating the interior of a vacuum compartment 3 to 5 × 10 - 7 torr , ar gas was introduced to raise the interior pressure of the vacuum compartment to 1 × 10 - 2 torr . there are also shown a dc power supply 4 , a substrate 5 , a feed port 6 for the argon gas , a pumping port 7 , a water cooled substrate holder 8 , an rf power supply 9 , and a matching circuit 10 . by setting the rf output for the production of the halogen gas at 300 w for example and changing the dc output of the opposing dc fe 90 b 10 targets 1 , it was possible to vary with ease the contents of b and f in an optically - transparent film to be formed on the substrate 5 . their crystalline structures were amorphous at f contents of 25 at .% and lower but peaks corresponding to fluoride crystals appeared in x - ray diffractions at f contents above 25 at .%. fig7 shows the fe dependence of the kerr rotation angles of sputtered fe - b films and that of the kerr rotation angles of fe - b - f films produced from fe 90 b 10 , both , in he - ne laser . at about 50 at .% fe , θ k of 0 . 5 ° was exhibited . the value of θ k can be improved by incorporating co and / or one or more of the elements recited in the claims in the fe - b - f film . using such a sputtering apparatus as depicted in fig6 the water - cooled substrate holder 8 was turned over 180 ° so that the substrate 5 was set on the side of the rf target 2 . the rf target 2 was produced by press - forming the halogen compound , fef 3 , by way of example . after evacuating the interior of the vacuum compartment 3 to 5 × 10 - 7 torr , ar gas was introduced to raise the interior pressure of the vacuum compartment to 5 × 10 - 3 torr . by setting the rf output of the press - formed fef 3 target at 250 w for example , a sputtered film was allowed to deposit on the substrate 5 . magnetic characteristics of the thus - obtained sputtered film were measured by vsm ( vibrating sample magnetometer ). as a result , there was obtained a film having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy , namely , large anisotropy in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the film as depicted by way of example in fig5 . in addition , the magnetic field dependence of the kerr rotation angle upon reflection by the fe - f film was determined . a θ k - h hysteresis curve as shown in fig8 was obtained . the value of θ k was found to be 0 . 32 ° in he - ne laser . this value was improved further on the side of longer wavelengths . it was also improved when a reflective plate was attached . the faraday rotation angle of an fe - f film upon transmission of he - ne laser therethrough and the magnetic field dependence of magnetization were then determined . a θ f - h hysteresis curve was obtained as shown in fig1 . the faraday coefficient was found to be 2 . 2 × 10 4 deg / cm the shape of the θ f - h hysteresis curve was similar to that of the m - h curve for m ⊥, which is shown above the θ f - h hysteresis in the same figure . a θ k - h hysteresis curve was also obtained with a reflective plate . the value of θ k was found to be 2 . 20 ° in a magnetic field of 7 koe . the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy and θ k can be improved by incorporating one or more of co and other elements , which are recited in the claims , in the fe - f film . in the same manner as in example 2 , nif 2 was press - formed as an exemplary halogen compound to provide the rf target 2 . after depressurizing the interior of the vacuum compartment 3 to 5 × 10 - 7 torr , ar gas was introduced to adjust the interior pressure of the compartment to 5 × 10 - 3 torr . while maintaining the rf output of the press - formed nif 2 powder target , for example , at 250 w , a sputtered film was allowed to deposit on the substrate 5 . magnetic characteristics and faraday rotation angle of the resultant sputtered film were measured . there was obtained a perpendicular magnetic film which had positive perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy in the perpendicular direction of the surface of the film as illustrated in fig1 . in addition , the magnetic field dependence of the faraday rotation angle of the ni - f film at he - ne laser light source was determined . the magnetic field dependence of θ f is shown in the lower part of fig1 . it has a similar figure as the m - h hysteresis curve for m ⊥ illustrated in the upper part of fig1 . a reflective plate was applied to the ni - f film and the kerr rotation angle was measured . it was found to be 1 . 21 ° in he - ne laser . the kerr rotation angle was found to be 0 . 7 ° at h ═ 0 . the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy and θ k can be improved by incorporating one or more of fe , co and other elements , which are recited in the claims , in the ni - f film . shown as examples in the following table are the compositions of thin film samples , which contain halogen elements , fall in composition within the composition recited in claim 1 , show optical transparency and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and have large kerr rotation angles , along with their kerr rotation angles . table______________________________________ kerr rotationexample composition , at . % angle , degree______________________________________4 fe . sub . 30 ni . sub . 10 co . sub . 10 f . sub . 50 0 . 6 ° 5 fe . sub . 30 ni . sub . 30 f . sub . 40 0 . 9 ° 6 ni . sub . 40 co . sub . 20 f . sub . 40 0 . 8 ° 7 fe . sub . 30 bi . sub . 5 co . sub . 5 f . sub . 60 1 . 2 ° 8 fe . sub . 25 bi . sub . 10 ni . sub . 5 f . sub . 60 1 . 4 ° 9 ni . sub . 35 si . sub . 5 f . sub . 60 0 . 5 ° 10 ni . sub . 30 si . sub . 10 f . sub . 60 0 . 7 ° 11 co . sub . 30 al . sub . 10 f . sub . 60 0 . 4 ° 12 co . sub . 30 al . sub . 5 bi . sub . 5 f . sub . 60 0 . 6 ° ______________________________________ using the sputtering apparatus shown in fig6 a glass or resin disk of 200 mm × 35 mm × 1 . 2 mmt depicted in fig9 were set on the water - cooled substrate holder 8 . the disk was rotated at 20 - 200 rpm from the outside of the vacuum compartment 3 . fef 3 powder containing fine particulate metals such as co , bi and te was placed by way of example on the rf electrode , so that an optically - transparent and perpendicular magnetic film was caused to deposit to 500 å on the glass disk . thereafter , tbfeco was placed on the rf electrode so as to deposit it to 1500 å on the film . a protective plate of sio was then caused to deposit to 100 å on the tbfeco film . a magneto - optical disk produced in the above manner had the following characteristics . a θ k - h hysteresis curve of a perpendicular magnetic film of tbfeco alone is shown in fig1 . the hysteresis of θ k has a similar figure to the figure of the ms - h hysteresis curve measured by vsm , thereby indicating that the tbfeco film was a perpendicular magnetic film . its kerr rotation angle θ k was 0 . 2 ° in he - ne laser . an optically - transparent and perpendicular magnetic film of 500 å according to this invention was then caused to deposit in advance on the disk , followed by deposition of a tbfeco film having a thickness of 1500 å . the θ k - h hysteresis curve of the thus - produced film substantially reflected the hysteresis of the θ k - h curve of tbfeco as shown in fig1 . its θ k was found to be 0 . 7 ° in the wavelength range of he - ne laser . this value increased further on the side of longer wavelengths . the s / n ratio of the thus - produced magneto - optical disk was then determined . an led ( wavelength : 800 nm ) was used as a light source . the s / n ratio was found to be at least 60 db . as has been demonstrated above , the opticallytransparent and perpendicular magnetic film of this invention is effective in enhancing the kerr rotation angle so that the value of θ k increases . use of an optically - transparent and perpendicular magnetic film of this invention as an optical recording medium will next be described by way of example . fig1 schematically illustrates a system making use of the medium of this invention , which permits writing by a perpendicular magnetic head and optical reading ( perpendicular magnetic recording and magneto - optical reading system ). numeral 11 indicates a glass disk or a resin disk . designated at numeral 12 is the optically - transparent and perpendicular magnetic film of this invention . designated at numeral 13 is a perpendicular magnetic film of a rare earth element - fe - co system . this film may not be required in some instances . there is also shown a plate 14 , which serves not only as a reflective plate but also as a plate for lubricating the slide of a perpendicular magnetic recording head 15 . the above system will next be described in detail . this system has been developed in order to improve the drawbacks of the present magneto - optical recording system . the optical disks 11 - 14 are rotated at a high speed of 1 , 000 - 1 , 800 rpm . the perpendicular magnetic head 15 is spaced with a gap of about 50 å from the protective plate 14 . high - frequency writing is performed in the films 12 , 13 as recording layers by the head 15 . although numeral 13 indicates the perpendicular magnetic film of the rare earth element - fe - co system , the film 12 has the same properties as the film 13 . information may therefore be written primarily in the optically - transparent and perpendicular magnetic film 12 . written magnetic domains are more stable when written in the multilayer film . the thus - written magnetic domains are then read out by a laser beam as shown in fig1 . the laser system is used exclusively for reading . accordingly , the output of a semiconductor laser may be low and the stability of the laser beam source is high . in addition , the temperature of the recording medium does not increase substantially because it is no longer required to perform recording at the compensation or curie point . the stability of the recording medium has hence been improved significantly compared with the present magneto - optical recording system . since it is a recording method not accompanied by thermal diffusion , the writing , reading and over - writing speeds can be increased to those of current hard disks . it is also possible to solve the drawback of the perpendicular magnetic recording method . it is the drawback of the vertical magnetic recording method that a high s / n ratio may not be fully ensured upon reading when writing bit areas are rendered smaller . the system making use of the present invention however permits use of small bit areas because the reading is performed magneto - optically . the recording density can therefore be maintained at substantially the same level as those of magneto - optical systems presently in use . as has been described above , the use of the optically - transparent film of this invention , which has perpendicular magnetic anisotropy , makes it possible to complete a highly stable recording system which features high - speed and high - density writing , high - speed reading and high - speed erasing . having now fully described the invention , it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth herein .
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the invention accordingly provides polyurethane urea fibers ( elastan fibers ) with increased chlorine resistance comprising at least 85 % of segmented polyurethane urea , wherein the polyurethane urea fibers contain 0 . 05 to 10 wt . % of finely divided hydrotalcite , in particular hydrotalcite of the general formula ( 1 ) m 1 - x 2 + al x ( oh ) 2 a ′ x / n n − . m h 2 o ( 1 ), m 2 + denotes magnesium , a n − denotes an anion having the valency n from the list comprising oh − , f − , cl − , br − , co 3 2 − , so 4 2 − , hpo 4 2 − , silicate , acetate or oxalate , in particular oh − , f − , cl − , br − , silicate , acetate or oxalate , 0 & lt ; x ≦ 0 . 5 and 0 ≦ m & lt ; 1 or hydrotalcite of the formula ( 2 ) mg 1 - y al y ( oh ) u ( a 2 − ) y / 2 . w h 2 o ( 2 ) wherein 0 . 20 & lt ; y & lt ; 0 . 35 , u is a number from 1 to 10 , w is a number from 0 to 20 and a 2 − is an anion from the list co 3 2 − , so 4 2 − or hpo 4 2 − , in particular co 3 2 − , characterized in that the hydrotalcites are coated with 0 . 2 to 15 wt . % of a metal fatty acid salt . the amount of the hydrotalcite coated with metal fatty acid salt that is contained in finely divided form in the polyurethane urea fibers is 0 . 05 wt . % to 10 wt . %, preferably 0 . 5 wt . % to 8 wt . %, particularly preferably 1 . 5 wt . % to 7 wt . % and most particularly preferably 2 wt . % to 5 wt . %, referred to the weight of the polyurethane urea fibers . in the elastan fibers the hydrotalcite content may be distributed within the elastan fibers and / or on the fiber surface . the hydrotalcites are in particular preferably those that are represented for example in the formulae ( 3 ) and ( 4 ): mg 6 al 2 ( oh ) 16 ( a 2 − ). w h 2 o ( 3 ); mg 4 al 2 ( oh ) 12 ( a 2 − ). w h 2 o ( 4 ) in which a 2 − and w have the meanings given above in formula ( 2 ). particularly preferred examples of hydrotalcites are those of the formulae ( 5 ) and ( 6 ): the described metal salts of fatty acids are used to coat the hydrotalcites in an amount of preferably 0 . 2 to 15 wt . % referred to the weight of the hydrotalcite . hydrotalcites that are coated with from 0 . 3 to 12 wt . % of fatty acid metal salt are particularly preferably used . hydrotalcites that are coated with 0 . 5 to 8 wt . % of fatty acid metal salt are most particularly preferably used . the metal salts of fatty acids that are used are those in which the metal is selected from main groups i to iii of the periodic system , or zinc . the fatty acids may be saturated or unsaturated , may contain at least 6 up to at most 30 carbon atoms , and may be monofunctional or bifunctional . the metal salts of fatty acids are particularly preferably lithium , magnesium , calcium , aluminum and zinc salts of oleic , palmitic or stearic acid , particularly preferably magnesium stearate , calcium stearate or aluminum stearate , and most particularly preferably magnesium stearate . the process of coating the hydrotalcites may be carried out by spraying and / or mixing in the metal fatty acid salt jointly or separately in an arbitrary order preferably before and / or during a final grinding of the hydrotalcite . in this connection it is irrelevant whether the metal fatty acid salt is added during the production of the hydrotalcites to existing moist filter cakes , pastes or slurries before the drying , or whether it is added in a suitable way , for example by spraying , to the dry material immediately before the final grinding or , in the case of a steam - jet drying , it is added to the steam immediately before being fed into the jet mill . the metal fatty acid salt may optionally be converted into an emulsion before the addition . the production of the hydrotalcites per se is carried out for example according to methods known in principle . such methods are described for example in published applications ep 129 805 - a1 or ep 117 289 - a1 . the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt are preferably produced from their starting compounds , for example from mgco 3 , al 2 o 3 and water in the presence of metal fatty acid salt and a solvent , such as for example water , a c 1 - c 8 - alcohol or of chlorinated hydrocarbons , following by drying , for example spray drying , in turn and optionally followed by grinding , for example in a bead mill . as regards the use of the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt as fiber additive , there are preferably employed coated hydrotalcites with a mean diameter ( numerical mean ) of at most 5 μm , particularly preferably those with a mean diameter of at most 3 μm , most particularly preferably those with a mean diameter of at most 2 μm , and especially preferably those with a mean diameter of at most 1 μm . the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt may be added to the polyurethane urea composition at any convenient point in the production of polyurethane urea fibers . for example , the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt may be added in the form of a solution or slurry to a solution or dispersion of other fiber additives and then mixed with the polymer solution upstream in relation to the fiber spinnerets or sprayed into the polymer solution . the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt may of course also be added separately as dry powder or as a slurry in a suitable medium , to the polymer spinning solution . the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt may in principle optionally also be used as a mixture with uncoated hydrotalcites or with hydrotalcites coated with known coating agents ( for example fatty acids or polyorganosiloxane or a mixture of polyorganosiloxane and polyorganohydrogensiloxane ) for the production of polyurethane urea fibers corresponding to the procedure described above if the aforedescribed disadvantages of the known coated hydrotalcites can be tolerated in the mixture . the polyurethane urea fibers according to the invention may contain a plurality of further various additives for various purposes , for example matting agents , fillers , antioxidants , dyes , coloring agents and stabilizers against heat , light , uv radiation and vapors . examples of antioxidants and stabilizers against heat , light or uv radiation are stabilizers from the group comprising sterically hindered phenols , hals stabilizers ( hindered amine light stabilizer ), triazines , benzophenones and benzotriazoles . examples of pigments and matting agents include titanium dioxide , zinc oxide and barium sulfate . examples of dyes are acid dyes , disperse dyes and pigment dyes , and optical brighteners . the aforementioned stabilizers may also be used in the form of mixtures and may contain an organic or inorganic coating agent . the said additives should preferably be used in such amounts that they do not have any adverse effects on the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salts . depending on the circumstances hydrotalcites agglomerate , as described , in the introduction in polar solvents such as for example dimethylacetamide , dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide , that are conventionally used in dry or wet spinning processes for the production of polyurethane urea fibers . for this reason difficulties due to blockages of the spinnerets may arise during the spinning process in the case of spinning solutions with incorporated hydrotalcites , resulting in a sharp rise in the spineret pressure and / or breakage of the freshly formed fibers before or during the winding on a bobbin . if hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt are incorporated into polyurethane urea spinning solutions corresponding to the invention , then no agglomeration takes place in the spinneret and the mean grain size of the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt remains unchanged . this improves the service life of the spinnerets and consequently the operational reliability and economy of the dry or wet spinning process of the polyurethane urea fibers according to the invention . consequently , as shown hereinafter in example 1 , the resistance of the resultant filaments to degradation induced by chlorine - containing water is also improved compared to fibers that are obtained from agglomerate - containing spinning solutions or polymer melts . the invention also provides a process for the production of polyurethane urea fibers in which a long - chain synthetic polymer containing at least 85 % segmented polyurethane is dissolved in an organic solvent , for example dimethylacetamide , dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide , in an amount of 20 to 50 wt . % with reference to the polyurethane urea composition , preferably in an amount of 25 to 45 wt . % with reference to the polyurethane urea composition , and this solution is then spun through spinnerets according to the dry or wet spinning process into filaments , characterized in that hydrotalcite coated with a metal fatty acid salt is added in an amount of 0 . 05 wt . % to 10 wt . %, preferably in an amount of 0 . 5 wt . % to 8 wt . %, particularly preferably in an amount of 1 . 5 wt . % to 7 wt . % and most particularly preferably in an amount of 2 wt . % to 5 wt . % referred to the weight of the polyurethane urea fiber , to the spinning solution and is distributed within the filaments and / or on the filament surface . if less than 0 . 05 wt . % of the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt is distributed within the filament or on the filament surface , the effectiveness against the degradation of the polymer due to chlorine is in certain circumstances less satisfactory . the dispersion of substantially more than 10 wt . % of the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt within the filament or on the filament surface may lead to disadvantageous physical properties of the fibers and is therefore less recommended . the improved polyurethane urea fibers according to the invention comprise segmented polyurethanes , for example those that are based on polyethers , polyesters , polyether esters , polycarbonates and the like . such fibers may be produced by methods that are known in principle , such as for example according to those methods that are described in the following patents : u . s . pat . no . 2 , 929 , 804 , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 097 , 192 , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 428 , 711 , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 553 , 290 or u . s . pat . no . 3 , 555 , 115 . in addition the polyurethane urea fibers may be comprised of thermoplastic polyurethanes whose production is described for example in ep 679 738 . the segmented polyurethanes are in principle produced in particular from a linear homopolymer or copolymer with a hydroxy group at the end of the molecule and a molecular weight of 600 to 4000 , for example from the group comprising polyester diols , polyether diols , polyesteramido diols , polycarbonate diols , polyacryl diols , polythioester diols , polythioether diols , polyhydrocarbon diols or a mixture or copolymers of compounds of this group . furthermore the segmented polyurethane is based in particular on organic diisocyanates and chain extenders containing several active hydrogen atoms , such as for example diols and polyols , diamines and polyamines , hydroxylamines , hydrazines , polyhydrazides , polysemicarbazides , water or a mixture of these components . some of these polymers are more sensitive than others to degradation induced by chlorine . this is evident for example by comparing the results in the following example 1 . accordingly , polyurethane urea fibers consisting of a polyurethane urea based on polyether are substantially more sensitive than polyurethane urea fibers consisting of a polyurethane urea based on polyester . for this reason the improvements achieved by the present invention are especially beneficial with respect to polyurethane urea fibers that comprise polyurethane ureas based on polyether . the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt constitute additives that do not contain any heavy metal and are harmless from the toxicological aspect , and are therefore preferred . in this way it may be ensured that , in the further processing of the polyurethane urea fibers , such as for example dyeing , no waste waters are formed that impair or destroy the function of a biologically operating clarification plant . the service life of spinnerets and the duration of the continuous spinning process is a decisive fact with regard to the operational reliability and economy of dry and wet spinning processes . as is demonstrated in example 2 , by incorporating the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt into polyurethane urea spinning solutions corresponding to the invention , the service life of the spinnerets and consequently the operational reliability and economy of the dry or wet spinning processes are improved . furthermore , as is shown in example 3 , the addition of antiblocking agents , for example magnesium stearate , in order to adjust the adhesion value as a measure of the adherence of the filaments to the bobbin can be reduced when using hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salts . by reducing the amount of antiblocking agent added to the spinning solution blockage of spinnerets can be reduced and the operational reliability and economy of the dry and wet spinning processes can be improved . the invention furthermore provides textile goods , in particular knitwear , hosiery or wovens , produced using the polyurethane urea fibers according to the invention , preferably mixed with synthetic hard fibers such as polyamide , polyester or polyacrylic fibers and / or natural fibers such as wool , silk or cotton . the test methods described hereinafter are used to measure the various parameters that are required for the evaluation of the advantages of the present invention . in order to determine the maximum tensile force extension and the fineness strength a simple tensile test is performed on elastan filament yam under temperature controlled conditions . the test method is carried out in accordance with din 53834 part 1 . the prepared test specimen is wound in the form of a loop around the hook of the measuring head and around a 10 mm loop clamp with a pretensioning force of 0 . 001 cn / dtex . the clamping length is 200 mm . a small lug formed from aluminum foil is suspended exactly at the height of the light barrier . the carriage travels at a deformation speed of 400 % per minute ( 800 mm draw - off length ) until the thread breaks , and returns to its original position after the measurement . 20 measurements are made per test specimen . in order to test the resistance of the elastan fibers to chlorine - induced degradation , a 60 cm long yarn sample ( for example four - filament yarn , total count 40 denier ) that has been produced from the fibers is subjected to a “ chlorine water fastness test ” in accordance with din 54019 . in this test a 60 cm - long length of yarn is secured free of tension on special specimen holders . before the actual “ chlorine water fastness test ” a blank coloration is carried out at ph 4 . 5 ( acetate buffer ) at 98 ° c . for 1 hour . the specimen is then treated five times and ten times at room temperature , each time for 1 hour in the dark in the test solution consisting of a buffer solution ( 51 . 0 ml of 1 . 0 n naoh , 18 . 6 g kcl and 15 . 5 g boric acid are dissolved in distilled water and made up to 1000 ml ) and chlorine water with a chlorine content of 20 mg / l at ph 8 . 5 . after each treatment the specimen is washed with distilled water and dried in air . after completion of the fifth treatment and tenth treatment , the physical properties of the specimen are measured as described in the preceding paragraphs . the behavior of the yams in this “ chlorine bath water test ” corresponds to the behavior of corresponding yearns in swimwear fabrics that are exposed to the chlorine present in swimming pools . the chlorine concentration in the “ chlorinated ” water is defined here as that chlorine concentration that is able to oxidize iodide ions to iodine . this concentration is measured by a potassium iodide / sodium thiosulfate titration and is given as ppm “ active chlorine ” ( cl 2 ) per liter of test solution . the titration is carried out by adding 1 g of potassium iodide , 2 ml of phosphoric acid ( 85 %) and 1 ml of a 10 % starch solution to 100 ml of chlorinated water that is to be analyzed , and the mixture is titrated with 0 . 1 n sodium thiosulfate solution to a starch / iodine end point . the adherence of the thread to a bobbin is determined by first of all cutting off the thread from the bobbin weighing 500 g up to 3 mm above the bobbin sleeve . a weight is then suspended on the thread and the weight which causes the thread to roll off the bobbin is determined . the adherence determined in this way is a measure of the processability of the bobbins . if the adherence is too high , then the processability into two - dimensional textile goods may be compromised on account of thread breakages . if on the other hand the adherence is too low the thread may become too loose on the bobbin in the coiling process on the dry spinning shaft or in the further processing into textile fabrics , may be pulled off , and may therefore no longer be able to be processed further . the invention is described in more detail hereinafter by examples , without however being restricted thereto , and in which all percentage figures refer to the total weight of the fibers unless specified otherwise . in examples 1 to 3 polyurethane urea fibers were produced from a polyether diol consisting of polytetrahydrofuran ( pthf ) with an average molecular weight ( number average ) of 2000 g / mole . the diol was capped with methylene - bis ( 4 - phenyldiisocyanate ) ( mdi ) in a molar ratio of 1 to 1 . 65 and then underwent chain extension with a mixture of ethylenediamine ( eda ) and diethylamine ( dea ) in dimethylacetamide . following this a stock batch of additives was mixed with the polymers . this stock batch consisted of 55 . 3 wt . % of dimethylacetamide ( dmac ), 11 . 1 wt . % of cyanox ® 1790 antioxidant (( 1 , 3 , 5 - tris ( 4 - tert .- butyl - 3 - hydroxy - 2 , 5 - dimethyl - benzyl )- 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine - 2 , 4 , 6 -( 1h , 3h , 5h )- trione , from cytec industries , inc . ), 7 . 6 wt . % of aerosol ot 100 surfactant ( from cytec ), 26 . 0 wt . % of a 30 % spinning solution , and 0 . 001 wt . % of the dye makrolexviolett ( bayer ag ). this stock batch was added to the spinning solution in such an amount that the content of cyanox ® 1790 in the finished fibers was 1 wt . % referred to the solids content of the fiber polymer . a second stock batch consisting of 30 . 9 wt . % of titanium dioxide rkb 3 type ( kerr - mcgee pigments gmbh & amp ; co . kg ), 44 . 5 wt . % of dmac and 24 . 6 wt . % of a 22 % spinning solution was added to this spinning solution in such an amount that the titanium dioxide content in the finished fibers was 0 . 05 wt . % referred to the polyurethane urea polymer . a third stock batch consisting of 13 . 8 wt . % of the hydrotalcites specified in table 1 , 55 . 2 wt . % of dimethylacetamide and 31 . 0 wt . % of a 30 % spinning solution was added to this spinning solution in such an amount that the content of hydrotalcites specified in table 1 in the finished elastan fibers was 3 . 0 wt . % referred to the polyurethane urea polymer . a further stock batch was now added to this spinning solution . this further batch consisted of 5 . 3 wt . % of magnesium stearate , 5 . 3 wt . % of silwet ® l 7607 silicone fluid ( crompton specialities gmbh ), 49 . 6 wt . % of dimethylacetamide and 39 . 8 wt . % of a 30 % spinning solution , and was added in such an amount that the magnesium stearate content was 0 . 3 wt . % referred to the polyurethane urea polymer . the production of a polyurethane urea solution based on a polyester diol was carried out according to the following procedure : a polyester diol with a molecular weight ( number average ) of 2000 g / mole , consisting of adipic acid , hexanediol and neopentyl glycol , was capped with methylene - bis ( 4 - phenyl diisocyanate ) ( mdi bayer ag ) and then underwent chain extension with a mixture of ethylenediamine ( eda ) and diethylamine ( dea ). in order to produce the polyurethane urea composition 50 wt . % of polyester diol with a molecular weight ( number average ) of 2000 g / mole was mixed with 1 wt . % of 4 - methyl - 4 - azaheptanediol - 2 , 6 and 36 . 2 wt . % of dimethylacetamide ( dmac ) and 12 . 8 wt . % of mdi at 25 ° c ., heated to 50 ° c . and maintained at this temperature for 110 minutes , in order to obtain an isocyanate - capped polymer with an nco content of 2 . 65 % nco . after cooling the polymer to a temperature of 25 ° c . 100 parts by weight of the capped polymer were rapidly mixed with a solution of 1 . 32 parts by weight of eda and 0 . 04 parts by weight of dea in 187 parts of dmac so as to form a polyurethane urea composition in dmac with a solids content of 22 %. by adding hexamethylene diisocyanate ( hdi , bayer ag ) the molecular weight of the polymer was adjusted so as to produce a viscosity of 70 pa · s ( 25 ° c .). after the production of the polymers described in the preceding paragraph , a stock batch of additives was mixed with the latter . this stock batch consisted of 65 . 6 wt . % of dmac , 11 . 5 wt . % of cyanox ® 1790 (( 1 , 3 , 5 - tris ( 4 - tert .- butyl - 3 - hydroxy - 2 , 5 - dimethyl - benzyl )- 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine - 2 , 4 , 6 -( 1h , 3h , 5h )- trione , ( from cytec ), 5 . 7 wt . % of tinuvin ® 622 ultraviolet light stabilizer ( polymer with a molecular weight of ca 3500 g / mole , consisting of succinic acid and 4 - hydroxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - 1 - piperidine ethanol , ciba geigy ) and 17 . 2 wt . % of a 22 % spinning solution and 0 . 001 wt . % of the dye makrolexviolett b ( bayer ag ). this stock batch was added to the spinning solution in such an amount that the cyanox 1790 content was 1 . 0 wt . % referred to the total solids content in the polyurethane urea composition . this spinning solution was mixed with a second stock batch consisting of 31 wt . % of titanium dioxide ( tronox ® tio 2 r - kb - 3 , kerr - mcgee pigments gmbh & amp ; co . kg ), 44 . 5 wt . % of dimethylacetamide and 24 . 5 wt . % of a 22 % spinning solution in such an amount that the titanium dioxide content in the finished thread was 0 . 05 wt . % referred to the finished polyurethane urea fibers . this spinning solution was now mixed with a further stock batch . this stock batch consisted of 5 . 3 wt . % of magnesium stearate , 5 . 3 wt . % of selwet ® l 7607 ( crompton specialities gmbh ), 49 . 6 wt . % of dimethylacetamide and 39 . 8 wt . % of a 30 % spinning solution , and was added in such an amount as to produce a magnesium stearate content of 0 . 45 wt . % referred to the polyurethane urea polymer . the finished spinning solutions were dry spun through spinnerets in a typical spinning machine into filaments with a count of 15 dtex , in each case three individual filaments being combined to form coalescing filament yams with a total count of 44 dtex . the fiber preparation consisting of polydimethylsiloxane with a viscosity of 3 cst / 25 ° c . was applied via a preparation roller , ca . 4 . 0 wt . % referred to the weight of the fiber being applied . the fiber was then wound at a rate of 900 m / min . the test results of the measurements to determine the resistance of elastan fibers to degradation induced by chlorine water are shown in table 1 . in this connection 5 polyurethane ureas based on polyethers and polyesters , as well as various stabilizers and accelerators , were used . it is found that the highest percentage proportion of the original maximum tensile force remains in particular in the samples 1 - 7 according to the invention . the stability to degradation induced by chlorine water is thus , as desired , very good in these samples . in order to evaluate the service life of spinnerets and the duration of the continuous spinning process , uncoated and coated hydrotalcites listed in table 2 were added to polyurethane urea compositions based on polyether and processed into a polyurethane urea fiber by a dry spinning process as described hereinbefore . by incorporating the hydrotalcites coated with metal fatty acid salt into polyurethane urea spinning solutions , the service life of the spinnerets and consequently the operational reliability and economy of dry or wet spinning processes can be improved , as is shown in example 2 . in order to evaluate the thread data and in this connection in particular the adherence of polyurethane urea fibers , the coated hydrotalcites mentioned in table 3 were added to polyurethane urea compositions based on polyether and spun as 44 dtex f3 . the thread data were determined according to the previously described test protocols . as is shown in table 3 , the adherence largely depends on the substance used to coat the hydrotalcite . for example , an adherence of 0 . 20 to 0 . 25 cn is required for the successful processing of elastan fibers in circular knitting . in order to adjust this value the elastan fiber , which contains an hydrotalcite coated with polyorganosiloxane , must contain an additional amount of antiblocking agent , for example magnesium stearate . however , increasing the amount of antiblocking agent in the spinning solution can lead to a fairly rapid blockage of the spinnerets and adversely affect the operational reliability and economy of the dry and wet spinning processes .
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in a sample stage according to an embodiment of the invention that is driven by an ultrasonic motor including piezo electric actuators disposed at angles symmetric about a surface to be driven while stopping in positioning , after positioning conditions are satisfied , a phase difference in the variation of a drive voltages applied to the piezo electric actuators is kept for a predetermined time o . alternatively , in the same sample stage while stopping in positioning , after positioning conditions are satisfied , a drive voltage is fixed at a time when a phase of the variation of a drive voltage applied to each of the piezo electric actuators becomes a predetermined phase . further , this cutoff phase is determined according to the positioning stop coordinates and moving direction of the stage immediately before the stop in positioning . further , a sample stage includes a piezo electric actuator that presses a drive tip against the surface to be driven , and a piezo electric actuator that moves the drive tip in a driving direction . after positioning conditions are satisfied while stopping in positioning , an applied voltage is fixed at a time when a phase of a voltage applied to the latter piezo electric actuator becomes a predetermined phase . further , the cutoff phase is a phase corresponding to a point where a deformation response to the applied voltage by the piezo electric actuator intersects with a deformation convergence line of the piezo electric actuator . further , in order to control the sample stage that is driven by the ultrasonic motor , the electron microscope includes a phase difference oscillating circuit that controls a phase difference of a variations of a voltages respectively applied to a pair of the piezo electric actuators of the ultrasonic motor , and a delay circuit and a hold circuit for maintaining the phase difference of the variations of the applied voltages for a predetermined time after positioning conditions are satisfied and then fixing the phase difference . further , the electron microscope further includes a memory circuit that stores a phase difference value to be added to an input of the phase difference oscillating circuit in association with a moving direction of the stage and a positioning coordinate . alternatively , electron microscope includes a similar phase difference oscillating circuit , and a synchronization circuit and a hold circuit for fixing the applied voltages at a time when the applied voltages reach predetermined phases after positioning conditions are satisfied . further , the electron microscope further includes a memory circuit that stores a phase difference value to be added to an input of the phase difference oscillating circuit and a cutoff phase to be input to the fixing circuit in association with positioning coordinates and a moving direction of the stage . further , an electron microscope includes a sample stage that is driven by a linear drive source , such as an ultrasonic motor or a linear motor . the electron microscope has a mechanism , in which steps for ( 1 ) positioning the sample stage , and ( 2 ) evaluating a stage drag while stopping in positioning are performed for the positioning from both directions of a moving axis at points of a plurality of coordinates that are disposed within a movement stroke of the sample stage , so as to measure the distribution of a stop drag of the stage within the movement stroke and then based on the measurement result , drift during the positioning of the stage is reduced . alternatively , an similar electron microscope has a mechanism , in which steps for ( 1 ) positioning the sample stage , ( 2 ) evaluating drift after stop , and ( 3 ) compensating a control parameter of the stage are repeated at points of a plurality of coordinates that are disposed within a movement stroke of the sample stage , so as to reduce drift of the stage within the movement stroke . in addition , the mechanism for reducing the stop drift may be automatically performed by issuing an operation command . an embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to drawings . meanwhile , a length measuring sem is exemplified as an aspect of an sem in the following description , but the invention is not limited thereto . for example , the invention may be applied to a review sem that has been described above , particularly , a general charged particle beam apparatus that performs fine measurement , inspection , processing , observation , and the like . fig1 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a length measuring sem according to an embodiment of the invention . the length measuring sem according to the embodiment of the invention includes a charged - particle optical system 1 , a sample chamber 2 that keeps a wafer ( sample ) 7 in a vacuum , and a sample stage that moves the wafer 7 . the length measuring sem scans the wafer 7 with a charged particle beam that is emitted from the charged - particle source and thinly focused on the wafer , obtains a scanned image of the wafer 7 by detecting secondary electrons that are emitted from the wafer 7 , and measures the dimensions of fine patterns formed on the wafer from signals of the scanned image . the sample chamber 2 is kept in a vacuum state , which corresponds to a vacuum pressure of about 10 − 4 pa , by a vacuum pump ( not shown ) or the like . the sample stage disposed in the sample chamber 2 is a mechanism that moves and positions an arbitrary portion of the wafer to a length measurement position , onto which electron beams are irradiated , at high speed . fig2 shows the basic configuration of the sample stage . the sample stage mainly includes a base 13 , a y table 15 that is moved on the base 13 , and an x table 14 that is moved on the y table 15 . a chuck mechanism 16 , which fixes the wafer 7 , is provided on the x table 14 . each of the tables is supported so as to be moved on rails 19 , and is moved and positioned by ultrasonic motors 18 . the ultrasonic motors 18 are positioned to sandwich each of the tables so as to stably accelerate , decelerate , position , and fix the table . the structure of the ultrasonic motor 18 is shown in fig3 . the ultrasonic motor 18 includes a pair of piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b that is fixed to form an angle therebetween , and the ends of the piezo electric actuators are fixed to a common drive tip 24 . the end face of the drive tip 24 comes in contact with a drive face formed on the side surface of the table that is an object to be driven . accordingly , the table is driven by the vibration of the drive tip 24 . if voltages varying with the same phase are applied to the piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b as shown in fig4 , the drive tip 24 causes displacement in a direction perpendicular to the drive face by the expansion and contraction of the actuators . further , if the voltages having opposite phases are applied to the piezo electric actuators , the drive tip causes displacement in a slide direction of the stage . accordingly , the ultrasonic motor may be used as an ultrasonic linear actuator by using the displacement . if drive voltages , which include sinusoidal voltages having different phases , are applied to the piezo electric actuators , the trajectory of the displacement of the drive tip has a shape similar to an elliptical shape that corresponding to the lissajous waveform of the voltages as shown in fig5 . when the phase difference is 90 °, this trajectory has a circular shape . the rotational direction of the drive tip is reversed according to the correspondence of the phase difference . since the transverse moving speed of the most protruding portion is large in this state , it may be possible to drive the stage at high speed . if the phase difference between the applied voltages is decreased , the trajectory has the shape of an ellipse elongated in a vertical direction . since the transverse moving speed of the most protruding portion is decreased , the moving speed of the stage is decreased . when the phase difference is 0 °, the drive tip is vibrated only in a direction perpendicular to an object surface to be fed , so that a driving force is not generated . meanwhile , it is preferable that a driving frequency be 20 khz or more . like in the case of a known resonant ultrasonic motor , when the drive tip recedes , the contact between the drive tip and the object surface to be fed is not maintained during the vibration in this band . as a result , the drive tip drives the object surface by the transverse displacement speed in an area close to a protruding end of the lissajous waveform . fig1 is a view illustrating a relationship between the dispositions of the two piezo electric actuators in three dimensions . the relationship between the dispositions in fig1 is only illustrative , and may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . when being seen in three dimensions as shown in fig1 , the two piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b are disposed so that the expansion - contraction directions of the piezo electric actuators correspond to third and fourth straight lines , respectively . the third and fourth straight lines are positioned in a plane ( an x - y plane in fig1 ) including a first straight line that is a line perpendicular to the drive face ( a y - z plane in fig1 ) and a second straight line that is a y axis in fig1 . further , the third and fourth straight lines are disposed symmetrically about the first straight line . according to the above - mentioned disposition , it may be possible to press the drive tip 24 against the drive face or to separate the drive tip from the drive face by the cooperation of the piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b . fig6 shows an example of a drive control circuit of the ultrasonic motor . in this example , so - called trapezoidal speed control is used for the positioning movement . accordingly , when the table starts and when the positioning of the table is stopped , the moving speed of the table is linearly changed with time . in order to achieve speed control , as shown in fig6 , a speed command value is converted into a phase difference command value δφo by a speed - phase difference converting circuit with the change of the phase difference so that the phase differences are suppressed , and piezo electric actuator driving signals vd 1 and vd 2 having the same phase difference as δφ 0 are generated by a phase difference oscillating circuit . a hold circuit is provided to fix applied voltages vp 1 and vp 2 when the table reaches a target position . accordingly , if the applied voltages are fixed , the ultrasonic motor 18 stops the vibration and the table is fixed by the ultrasonic motor 18 . the peculiar drift generated by the piezo electric actuator will be described below . fig7 is a view showing the general characteristics of the residual deformation of the piezo electric actuator used in the ultrasonic motor 18 , and a horizontal axis represents elapsed time and a vertical axis represents the deformation δl of the piezo electric actuator . if a voltage is applied or removed to or from the piezo electric actuator , the piezo electric actuator expands or contracts . since the response speed of the piezo electric actuator is very high , the piezo electric actuator is instantaneously deformed by the application of the voltage . however , there has been widely known that residual deformation is gradually generated according to the elapsed time thereafter although not much . since the polycrystal orientation of the actuator is rotated due to an electric field that is generated inside the piezo electric actuator by the application of a drive voltage , the deformation of the piezo electric actuator is generated . however , since internal friction is applied to the rotation , hysteresis occurs in an applied voltage - deformation graph . this relationship is shown in fig8 . the graph plots a loop where the deformation does not correspond to the same value when the applied voltage is increased and decreased . if an applied voltage is fixed at a point c on the loop in fig8 , the rotation of the crystal orientation , which is restricted without reaching a stable point due to internal friction , is gradually released due the thermal motion of molecules with time . as a result , the piezo electric actuator is gradually deformed to extend and finally converges to a point d that is a stable point . meanwhile , this stable point is determined depending on the electric field that is generated by an applied voltage , and forms a linear graph . accordingly , the linear graph is referred to as a deformation convergence line herein . it can be seen from the graph as follows : for example , if a voltage is fixed at a point b while the applied voltage is decreased , residual deformation is generated on the lower side of fig8 in contrast to the case of the point c . the piezo electric actuators of the ultrasonic motor 18 are provided with an angle therebetween not to be parallel to a pressing direction where the ultrasonic motor is pressed against the surface to be driven . accordingly , if the piezo electric actuator has the residual deformation after the positioning , displacement is generated in a direction where the drive tip 24 fixing the table moves the table , which causes drift . however , the piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b are symmetrically disposed . accordingly , when the same residual deformation is generated , the drive tip 24 generates the displacement only in the pressing direction , so that drift is not generated . if the table reaches near a positioning point in a normal positioning operation , the table is stopped at the positioning point by the position servo . however , since the motor generates a thrust due to a residual friction force in this case , the voltages applied to the piezo electric actuators are not same as in normal case . in this example , after the table reaches near the positioning point , the phase difference between the applied voltages vp 1 and vp 2 is kept at 0 ° for a short time δ . then , after the deformation hysteresis of the piezo electric actuators is kept evenly , the drive is cut off and the applied voltages are fixed . since the voltages applied to the piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b are equal to each other for the time δ , residual deformation becomes equal after drive cutoff . if about several cycles of the driving frequency or 1 / 100 or less of a normal positioning time is delayed , δ is sufficiently effective . meanwhile , if driving is performed immediately before the positioning while the phase difference is kept at 0 ° without employing the position servo unlike the invention , a deviation of about 1 μm or less occurs in the position of the table due to the residual friction force and the like . however , as described above , as for the stage mechanism of the electron microscope that is used to inspect and measure a semiconductor , a permissible value of drift in positioning accuracy is stricter by 1000 times or more . accordingly , the deterioration of this positioning accuracy does not affect the performance of the apparatus , and it may be possible to achieve the inspection and measurement accuracy caused by the reduction of the drift . meanwhile , it may be possible to prevent the piezo electric actuator from being deformed in the slide direction by the above - mentioned method , but residual deformation is generated in the pressing direction perpendicular to the slide direction . however , the support stiffness of the table is high in the direction perpendicular to the slide direction . in this example , the ultrasonic motors 18 are provided on both sides of the table so that the table is provided between the ultrasonic motors . accordingly , the residual deformation is cut off in the pressing direction , and the movement of the table is not caused . another method of reducing the drift of the table in the same apparatus as example 1 will be described with reference to fig9 and 10 . positioning accuracy has deteriorated due to the residual friction force in example 1 . however , since the positioning accuracy significantly deteriorates if the residual friction force is large , this is not necessarily preferable . accordingly , a method of reducing drift by controlling the phase of drive cutoff without the deterioration of the positioning accuracy is used in this example . fig9 shows a method of controlling the residual deformation by using a cutoff phase in the same graph ( a graph showing a relationship between deformation and the voltage applied to the piezo electric actuator ) as fig8 . oblique dotted lines in fig9 are tangent lines that are tangent to the deformation characteristic graph and parallel to the deformation convergence line . in order to prevent the positioning accuracy from deteriorating during the positioning , the ultrasonic motor needs to generate a thrust of which the magnitude is equal to the magnitude of the residual friction force . however , there should be a phase difference between the applied voltages vp 1 and vp 2 that are applied to the piezo electric actuators . in this case , points representing the stare of each of the piezo electric actuators on the characteristics graph have positional deviations . in a normal control method , the control is cut off as soon as positioning conditions are satisfied . accordingly , the piezo electric actuators have different residual deformation , so that drift is generated . in this example , this problem is solved by limiting the timing of the control cutoff . a point a and a point b are shown near a contact point in fig9 . if the points disposed on both sides of the contact point are drive cutoff points , it can be seen that it may be possible to make the residual deformation be the same even though there is a phase difference . further , it can be easily seen through simple consideration that the only two contact points of fig9 satisfy this condition if the phase difference between the points a and b is small . in this example , phase values φt 1 and φt 2 satisfying the above - mentioned condition are previously calculated , and the drift is reduced by performing the drive cutoff of the ultrasonic motor 18 under this condition . fig1 shows an example of a drive circuit that achieves this . an additional phase value φr , which is used to generate the thrust corresponding to the residual friction force , is added to a phase difference command value δφo that is an output of the same speed - phase difference converting circuit as that of example 1 . further , after a positioning - condition satisfying signal sp is input to a synchronization circuit , the synchronization circuit generates a signal that is delayed from an oscillation synchronizing signal soc synchronized with vp 1 by a delay time corresponding to a cutoff phase φt , and the applied voltages vd 1 and vd 2 are fixed by the hold circuit . as a result , when “ phase φt 1 = φt ” is satisfied , the control for performing drive cutoff is always achieved for vd 1 . further , when “ phase φt 2 = φt + φr ” is satisfied , the control for performing drive cutoff is always achieved for vd 2 . since the residual friction force is determined depending on the characteristics of a distortion or sliding mechanism of the rail , the residual friction force may have coordinates dependence and directional dependence . for this reason , if the residual friction force varies according to the positioning coordinates or direction when the positioning is performed by the above - mentioned method , drift may not be sufficiently reduced by using the fixed additional phase value φr or cutoff phase φt . accordingly , it is preferable that the cutoff phase is stored in association with the moving direction and the coordinates to be used during the positioning . an example of a circuit , which performs this control , is shown in fig1 . in fig1 , the additional phase value φr and the cutoff phase φt are previously stored in association with a stage coordinate value p and a moving direction signal dr , and are read out according to the stage coordinate value p and the moving direction signal dr . the additional phase value φr is added to the phase difference command value δφo through a da converter , and the cutoff phase φt is sent to the synchronization circuit . meanwhile , the stage coordinate value p may be input momentarily . however , if the stage coordinate value is fixed at a target position at the beginning of the positioning operation , it may be possible to perform a stable control . this example provides a method of reducing drift when a serially disposed ultrasonic motor is used unlike in examples 1 and 2 . fig1 a and 12b are views showing a structural example and modification of the serially disposed ultrasonic motor . the ultrasonic motor 18 includes an expandable piezo electric actuator 23 a , a shearing piezo electric actuator 23 b , and a drive tip 24 that are stacked on a pedestal 22 . like the ultrasonic motor of the above - mentioned example , the trajectory of the drive tip 24 may be controlled by a phase difference between the applied voltages that are applied to the piezo electric actuators . as shown in 12 a and 12 b , the expandable piezo electric actuator 23 a operates to press the drive tip 24 against the drive face , and the hearing piezo electric actuator 23 b sliding in the moving direction of the stage operates to move the stage in the moving direction of the stage . the sample stage is moved in a predetermined direction by the cooperation of the two piezo electric actuators . the same stage as the stage of example 1 may be used as a stage on which the ultrasonic motor 18 of this example is mounted . further , the circuit shown in fig1 or 11 may be used as a circuit used for drive . meanwhile , a relationship between a phase difference and driving speed is slightly different so that maximum speed is obtained at a phase difference of 90 ° and the driving speed becomes 0 at a phase difference of 0 or 180 °. however , there is no essential difference in a driving method . in this example , the piezo electric actuator 23 a , which expands or contracts only in the pressing direction , does not affect the drift in the slide direction . only the piezo electric actuator 23 b , which is sheared in the slide direction , affects the drift in the slide direction . accordingly , there is a demand for the control that makes the residual deformation of the piezo electric actuator 23 b be 0 . in fig8 , the graph , which shows a relationship between the voltage applied to the piezo electric actuator and deformation , intersects with the deformation convergence line at an intersection a or a 1 . in this example , a cutoff phase is determined so that a voltage applied to the piezo electric actuator 23 b is fixed at the intersection . since the deformation at the time of fixing the applied voltage corresponds to a final deformation convergence value at the intersection a or a 1 , residual deformation is almost not generated and it may be possible to effectively reduce the drift of the table . there has been already described in example 2 or 3 that the additional phase value φr and the cutoff phase φt need to be previously stored in the memory circuit in order to accurately reduce drift by the circuit of fig1 . an example of a specific method thereof will be described in this example . fig1 is a view showing a procedure for calculating φr and φt on the basis of the measurement of a stop drag caused by a residual friction force and storing φr and φt in the memory circuit . first , the table is moved to a measurement position , is moved in a positive direction , and is then positioned at the measurement position . after that , a stop drag is measured . in order to measure the stop drag , there may be considered a method that provides a function of measuring a generated reaction of the ultrasonic motor 18 in the pedestal 22 . more simply , there may be used a method of performing the stop by a positioning servo and obtaining a thrust , which is required for the stop , from the phase difference between the voltages that are applied to the piezo electric actuators 23 a and 23 b at this time . φr and φt , which satisfy the conditions having described in examples 2 or 3 , are calculated from the measured stop drag , and are stored in the memory circuit . after the procedure corresponding to the positive direction is completed , positioning is performed in a negative direction and storing is performed . the procedures corresponding to both directions are performed for all measurement points , so that storage scanning on the memory circuit is completed . fig1 is a view showing a procedure for determining the additional phase value φr and the cutoff phase φt on the basis of not calculation but actual measurement . the difference between fig1 and 14 is as follows : positioning is repeated in the same direction while parameters φr and φt are adjusted , a value is determined so that the drift is equal to or smaller than a permissible value , and is stored . as compared to the procedure of fig1 , it may be possible to expect more accurate reduction of drift . meanwhile , the measurement or compensation needs to be performed for each of the x and y axes in a stage mechanism including two ( x and y ) axes . however , it may be possible to achieve the accurate reduction of drift by setting measurement points , which are disposed in the form of grid points , on the x - y plane , and performing measurement or compensation on each of the points . it is considered that the stop drag caused by the residual friction force or the like is changed due to the temporal change caused by the abrasion of parts of a sample stage mechanism , or the service such as maintenance . accordingly , it is preferable that the contents of the memory circuit of fig1 be automatically updated . for this reason , it is preferable that a command of an apparatus for performing the measurement or compensation is provided , and the memory contents be automatically changed by a command issued by the operator . further , in examples 1 to 3 , there has been described a method of reducing drift in consideration of the residual deformation of the piezo electric actuator of the sample stage using the ultrasonic motors . however , even in the case of other linear drive sources such as a linear motor , drift is generated due to a stop drag that is caused by the residual friction force after the positioning . accordingly , the reduction of the drift , which is caused by the measurement of the stop drag or the compensation of the control parameter in this example , is available in the case of a sample stage using other linear drive sources . in this case , for example , in the case of the drive of the linear motor , a value of holding current flowing through a field coil may be employed as a control parameter in order to maintain a constant thrust after the positioning . meanwhile , the invention has been described herein by an example where the invention is applied to a scanning electron microscope ( sem ) for inspecting measuring a wafer ( sample ). the stage apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention is not limited to an sem . the invention may also be applied to general charged particle beam apparatuses , such as an electron beam drawing apparatus and an fib , that include stage devices for picking up a sample and moving the sample in two ( x and y ) directions . in addition , the invention is not limited to the charged particle beam apparatus , and may also be applied to an optical inspection apparatus that inspects foreign materials or defects by light scattering . further , the sample to be held is not limited to a wafer , and may be applied to inspect and measure a sample having fine patterns , such as a reticle for lithography and a mask . the invention may be suitable for a charged particle beam apparatus such as an electron microscope for inspection and measurement in a field of manufacture of a semiconductor device , and a sample stage mechanism used for the charged particle beam apparatus .
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referring to the accompanying drawings , a preferred embodiment of an fsk ( frequency shift keying ) signal modulator according to the present invention will be described in detail . first , with reference to fig1 , an illustrative embodiment of an fsk signal modulator 10 according to the present invention is provided in a transmitter 14 adapted for receiving desired information to be transmitted on its input 12 and for modulating the information to be transmitted to transmit a resultant binary fsk signal . the transmitter 14 has its output 20 connected to a receiver 22 by a transmission channel 20 . the receiver 22 is provided with an fsk demodulator 24 for demodulating the binary fsk signal , and develops the demodulated information on its output 26 . in the following description , parts or components not directly relevant to understanding the present invention will not be shown nor described . the binary fsk signal modulator 10 , provided in the transmitter 14 , includes a counter 30 for receiving and counting the information to be transmitted 12 , and a threshold value decision circuit 34 . the threshold value decision circuit is connected to an output 32 of the counter 30 and adapted for determining the output value of the counter 30 with respect to a threshold value to transmit an output representative of to the result of decision in the form of binary fsk signal from the output 20 . in the description , signals are denoted by reference numerals designating connections on which they appear . the counter 30 functions as taking a plurality d of count values ranging from integer values “ 0 ” to “ d − 1 ”, where d is a positive integer exceeding two , for example , as will be described below in more detail . more specifically , the counter 30 is an adding and holding circuit for adding values b and c , which correspond to input binary information values “ 0 ” and “ 1 ”, respectively , to a count which is held in the counter 30 and obtained one sampling period before , and holding a resultant value from the addition as a current count value . if the resultant value from the addition would be equal to or greater than the value d , then the counter 30 subtracts the value d from the resultant value and updates a current count value to a resultant value of the subtraction . specifically , the counter 30 operates in line with a rule or periodicity which will be described below . let fq_if [ hz ] ( hertz ) be the center frequency of an input modulation frequency component of the fsk demodulator 24 , and also let fq_m [ hz ] and fq_s [ hz ] be the frequency of fsk signals corresponding to binary information signals “ 0 ” and “ 1 ” respectively . additionally , sb [ sps ] ( symbol per second ) denotes the symbol rate of modulation signal , spf [ hz ] denotes the input sampling frequency of the fsk demodulator 24 , data denotes information for transmission taking a binary value “ 1 ” or “ 0 ”, t denotes the sampling time of the counter 30 and cnt ( t ) is a count value in the counter 30 . the counter 30 will be designed in the following manner . first , integer values a , b and c , are found out which satisfy the following condition : then , an integer value d , is determined which satisfies the following condition : using these values a , b , c and d , the counter 30 is established which satisfies the following conditions : the counter 30 constitutes an adder counter adapted for adding the value b or c , and holding the plurality d of count values , where d is a natural number exceeding two , i . e . not less than three and , more advantageously , not less than four . the counter 30 is adapted , as seen from the expressions ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 5 ) and ( 6 ) to add , at each sampling time , the value “ b ” or “ c ” corresponding to the information signal entered to the counter 30 , i . e . input data “ 0 ” or “ 1 ”, respectively , to a count held in the counter 30 and obtained at one sample period before , and to renew its current count to the result of the addition . if the resultant value of the addition would exceed the value “ d ”, then the counter 30 subtracts this value “ d ” from the resultant value of the addition , and updates and holds a value resultant from the subtraction as a new current count . the threshold value decision circuit 34 is adapted for verifying which of the output 32 of the counter 30 and a threshold value is greater , and producing an output “ 0 ” or “ 1 ”, representing the result of the decision , to transmit the output over the transmission channel 20 in the form of binary fsk signal . the threshold value decision will proceed in the manner described below . the threshold value is set to a value equal to 2 / d . out of the plurality d of values that can be taken by the counter 30 , the half plurality ( d / 2 ) of consecutive values are allotted to one binary value “ 1 ” or “ 0 ” of one - bit information to be entered to the fsk demodulator 24 , while the remaining half plurality ( d / 2 ) of values are allotted to the other value “ 0 ” or “ 1 ” of the one - bit information , respectively . thus , a bit of quantized input signal is formed which is directed to the fsk demodulator 24 . more specifically , when the threshold value decision circuit 34 determines that the count value cnt ( t ) is equal to or smaller than the threshold value d / 2 , it allots the value cnt ( t ) to a bit “ 0 ”. when the threshold value decision circuit 34 determines that the count value cnt ( t ) exceeds the threshold value d / 2 , it allots the value cnt ( t ) to a bit “ 1 ”. the threshold value decision circuit 34 outputs the so allotted “ 0 ” or “ 1 ” in the form of binary , quantized fsk signal 20 . meanwhile , if the value d is an odd number , the remainder obtained on division of the value d by two may be rounded down or up and the resulting value may then be used as the result of calculations . the operation of the binary fsk signal modulator 10 of the instant embodiment will now be described with reference to the flowchart of fig2 . meanwhile , the counter 30 holds a count cnt ( t ) which is resultant from applying values a to d determined in accordance with the above expressions ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) to the above expressions ( 3 ) to ( 6 ) defining the rules of addition . initially , in a step 200 , it is verified whether or not the input data is of a value “ 0 ”. if the input data is of the value “ 0 ”, then the processing transfers to a step 202 . otherwise , the processing transfers to a step 204 . in the step 202 , the value b is added to the count cnt ( t − 1 ) which is of one sample before , and the result of addition thus obtained is set as a new current count cnt ( t ). in the step 204 , the value c is added to the count cnt ( t − 1 ) of one sample before , and the result of addition thus obtained is set as a renewed current count cnt ( t ). in a step 206 , following the steps 202 and 204 , it is verified whether or not the current count cnt ( t ) has exceeded the value d . if the current count value cnt ( t ) exceeds the value d , that is , if the condition cnt ( t )≦ d is not met , the processing transfers to a step 208 . if the current count value cnt ( t ) does not exceed the value d , that is , if cnt ( t )≦ d is met , then the processing transfers to a step 210 . in the step 208 , to which the processing transfers if cnt ( t )≦ d is not met , the value d is subtracted from the current count value cnt ( t ). the result of the processing thus obtained is set as a new current count value cnt ( t ). the processing then transfers to the step 210 . in the step 210 , threshold value decision processing for the current count value cnt ( t ) held by the counter 30 is carried out by the threshold value decision circuit 34 . specifically , the current count value cnt ( t ) is compared to the value d / 2 . if the current count value cnt ( t ) is equal to or smaller than the value d / 2 , then the processing transfers to a step 212 . if the current count value cnt ( t ) exceeds the value d / 2 , then the processing transfers to a step 214 . when the processing transfers to the step 212 , the threshold value decision circuit 34 outputs the value “ 0 ” in the form of binary fsk signal . when the processing transfers to the step 214 , the threshold value decision circuit 34 outputs the value “ 1 ” in the form of binary fsk signal . it is noted that the outputs “ 0 ” and “ 1 ” in the steps 212 and 214 may be reversed from each other . when the binary fsk signals are output in this manner , the processing reverts to the step 200 to initiate the input processing for the next sampling time . in this manner , the binary fsk signal quantized on the bit - by - bit basis will be transmitted to the fsk demodulator 24 on the receiver 22 . for a better understanding the invention , reference will be made to fig3 which shows a conventional fsk modulator . an fsk signal modulator directly connectable to an input of an fsk demodulator needs to be provided not only with an fsk baseband modulator 300 for producing a multi - value baseband modulation signal , but also with a frequency converter 302 for converting the frequency component of the output signal of the modulator 300 and a one - bit converter 304 for converting the frequency - converted signal into signals each of which corresponds to one bit . the frequency converter 302 is provided with a frequency signal generator 306 for generating a multi - value frequency signal required for the one - bit conversion , and with a multiplier 308 for multiplying an output signal of the modulator 300 with the multi - value frequency signal . the multiplier 308 executes two multiplication operations , that is , multiplication operations on the real - number and imaginary - number axes . hence , with the conventional fsk signal modulator , the circuitry is so bulky that it is difficult to simplify the circuit configuration . by contrast , with the binary fsk signal modulator 10 of the instant embodiment , it is possible to produce the binary fsk signal with a simplified circuit structure including the counter 30 and the threshold value decision circuit 34 . the entire disclosure of japanese patent application no . 2005 - 377447 filed on dec . 28 , 2005 , including the specification , claims , accompanying drawings and abstract of the disclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . while the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiment , it is not to be restricted by the embodiment . it is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention .
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now , the present invention is more specifically described with reference to accompanying drawings , wherein similar constituent elements are designated by similar reference numerals . referring to fig5 a sdram according to a first embodiment of the present invention is generally designated by numeral 1 and composes an address / command input section 2 , a control section 3 , a y - address latch / decode section 4 , an x - decoder and row control section 5 , a dynamic memory cell array 6 , a data amplifier 7 , a save register 13 , a save data selection section 14 , a data - out latch 8 , a data - out buffer 17 , a data input section 9 , and a write buffer 10 . in short , the sdram of the present embodiment comprises the save register 13 and the save data selection section ( selector ) 14 in addition to the configuration of the sdram of fig1 . the address / command input section 2 operates in synchrony with a clock signal 1501 transferred through a clock signal input terminal 15 , receives addresses and / or commands input through address / command input terminals 11 , and outputs addresses and / or commands to the control section 3 . the control section 3 controls the operation of the sdram 1 . the y - address latch / decode section 4 latches , in synchrony with the clock signal 1501 , y - address signals 301 output from the control section 3 , and outputs the latched signals to the memory cell array 6 . the x - decode and row control section 5 receives x - addresses and control signals 302 output from the control section 3 , and selects an x - address of the memory cell array 6 . the memory cell array 6 receives an x - address and a y - address from the x - address and row control section 3 and the y - address latch / decode section 4 , respectively , and operates for reading or writing of data therefrom . the data amplifier 7 amplifies data read out from the specified memory cell in the memory sell array 6 . the save register 13 receives an output signal 701 from the data amplifier 7 , operates in synchrony with the clock signal , and latches the output data from the data amplifier 7 . the save data selection circuit 14 selects either the output signal 701 from the data amplifier 7 or the output signal 1301 from the save register 13 , and outputs the selected one to a data - out latch 8 . the data - out latch 8 operates in synchrony with the clock signal , receives the output signal 1401 from the save data selection section 14 , and outputs the same in synchrony with the clock . the data - out buffer 17 receives data 801 from the data - out latch 8 , and outputs the same to data input / output terminals 12 . the data input section 9 receives data input from the data input / output terminals 12 in synchrony with the clock signal . the write buffer 10 writes the data input from the data . input section 9 into the specified memory cell in the memory cell array 6 . referring to fig6 there is shown a signal timing chart of exemplified operation of the present embodiment , wherein r1 to r12 shown on the row of yad + cmd ( 11 ) are read commands input through the address / command input terminals 11 , and w1 to w10 are write commands . in a read cycle , a read command r1 , for example , is latched in the address / command input section 2 in synchrony with the clock signal clk input through the clock input terminal 15 , and the y - address signal for the read command r1 is delivered to the address bus 301 via the control section 3 . the y - address signal input to the y - address latch / decode section 4 specifies the y - address y1 in the memory cell array 6 at the next clock cycle , and delivered to the memory cell array 6 via address line 401 . the memory cell in the memory cell array 6 , specified by the y - address y1 together with the x - address not shown in fig6 and having data cr1 , outputs read data dr1 to the data amplifier ( d . a .) 7 . the read data dr1 is latched in the data - out latch 8 at the next clock via the save data selection circuit 14 . the data latched in the data - out latch 8 is output through the data input / output terminals 12 via the data - out buffer 17 . in a write cycle , a write command w1 , for example , input through the address / command input terminals 11 is latched in the address / command input section 2 in synchrony with the clock signal clk . the control section 3 outputs the y - address signal for the write command w1 to the address bus 301 . the y - address latch / decode section 4 latches and decodes , at the next clock , the y - address signal , then outputs the obtained y - address y1 to the signal line 401 to specify the y - address in the memory cell array 6 . since , in this example , the command immediately preceding the subject write command w1 is a read command r4 , the output signal from the data amplifier 7 which is halfway read at this stage of the clock signal is stored in the save register ( latch ) 13 , and the memory cell array 6 interrupts the read operation . as shown in fig6 after the write command w1 is input , the save register 13 stores the half - way read data dr4 supplied from the data amplifier 7 , whereas the data - out latch ( buf ) 8 still stores the read data dr3 . at the clock having a clock edge denoted by t1 , data dw1 is written in the memory cell as a write data cw1 within dram cell , based on the data dw1 input through the data input / output terminals 12 or i / o ( 12 ). since a next read command r5 is input through the address / command input terminals 11 succeeding the write commands w1 and w2 in this example , the read operation based on the read command r4 is restarted . specifically , the read command r5 is latched by the address / command input section 2 , ad the y - address signal in the read command r5 is delivered to the address bus 301 via the control section 3 . subsequently , at the next clock signal , the y - address y5 is received by the y - address lach / decode section 4 and delivered to the memory cell array 6 . then , data is read based on the read command r5 , and amplified by the data amplifier 7 . the save data selection circuit 14 operates to select the output from the save register 13 in synchrony with the next clock after the write operation based on the write command w2 preceding the read command r5 is completed . as a result , the data - out latch 8 latches the stored data dr4 of the save register 13 , and outputs the data through the data - out buffer 17 and the data input / output terminals 12 . subsequently , the save data selection section 14 is controlled to select the output data from the data amplifier 7 , in synchrony with the next clock . the data dr5 read out from the memory cell in the memory cell array 6 based on the read command r5 is then latched by the data - out latch 8 through the data amplifier 7 and the save data selection . section 14 . the latched data dr5 is output through the data - out buffer 17 and the data input / output terminals 12 . in the example of fig6 the read data dr6 succeeding the read data dr5 remains to be stored in the data - out latch 8 and waits for the input of a next read command , that is r7 in this example . this is because the write data dw3 is input succeeding to the read command r6 from the data input / output terminals 12 based on the write command w3 before the output of the read data dr6 is completed . referring to fig7 there is shown a sdram according to a second embodiment of the present invention , wherein the present invention is applied to a sdram having an internal data bus operating for dual directions of data flow . the dual - direction internal buses includes bus 901 and bus 1101 in this embodiment , and other configuration is similar to that of the first embodiment . referring to fig8 there is shown a practical example of the first embodiment of the present invention , wherein the control of the save register 13 and the save data selection section 14 is controlled based on the internal clock signals . the sdram of fig8 comprises a clock buffer 16 for receiving the external clock signal 1501 to supply an internal clock signal 1601 for controlling the overall operation of the sdram , a read clock signal 1602 for controlling a read cycle , and a write clock signal 1603 for is controlling a write cycle , all of which are in synchrony with the external clock signal . the output of the read clock signal 1602 and the write clock signal 1603 to each section is controlled by the control section 4 . referring to fig9 there is shown a signal timing chart of the sdram of fig8 . the control section 3 , on receipt of a read command or a write command , outputs a save data latch signal denoted by rclk ( 303 ) to the save register 13 and a data selection signal sel ( 304 ) to the save data selection section 14 . the save register ( latch ) 13 latches the output from the data amplifier 7 by responding to the save data latch signal 303 . the save data selection section 14 selects either an output signal from the data amplifier ( d . a .) 7 or an output signal from the save register 13 depending on l - level or h - level of the data selection signal 304 and supplies the selected data to the data - out latch 8 . when a write command w1 is input following a read command r4 , the save register 13 saves the read data dr4 now under a halfway read operation , by responding to the clock signal rclk ( 303 ), to thereby allow a write operation based on the write command w1 to be performed . after a next read command r5 following the write commands w1 and w2 is input to the sdram to end the write cycles , the output of the read data dr4 is performed by the save data selection section 14 selecting the output from the save register 14 in synchrony with the clock signal . referring to fig1 , there is shown a practical example of the second embodiment of the present invention having a dual - direction bus , wherein the save register 13 and the save data selection section 14 are controlled based on the internal clock signals . this example operates similarly to the example of fig9 and the description thereof is omitted herein for avoiding duplication . since the above embodiments are described only for examples , the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications alterations can be easily made therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention .
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for the exemplary embodiment , it is assumed that in a network lan two terminal devices e ( 1 ), e ( 2 ) establish a session s for a video - telephone communication link in order to bidirectionally transmit respectively at least one multimedia data stream mmd after the establishment of session s — alternatively a session for a unidirectional transmission can also be established . for example , such a communication link can be a video conference between two parties or their terminals e ( 1 ), e ( 2 ) or conferencing devices . for example , a standardized sip protocol sip ( session initiation protocol ), currently according to the rfc standard 3261 , is provided as the network protocol for establishment of a session for a video - telephony session identified as session s in the following . other network protocols for the transmission of multimedia data mmd are possible as alternatives . for example , a standardized session description protocol sdp , currently according to rfc standard 4566 , is provided for the description or administration of properties and transmission parameters of the multimedia data streams mmd of a session s . the transmission parameters of the multimedia data streams mmd negotiated using the sip protocol sip are described and administered for the duration of a session s using the session description protocol sdp . below , an example of a protocol excerpt from a session description protocol sdp is shown , in which the transmission parameters according to the invention are inserted for ticker information ti to be transmitted : v = 0 1 ) o = alice 2890844526 2890844526 in ip4 alice . enterprise . com 2 ) s =− 3 ) c = in ip4 192 . 0 . 2 . 1 . 101 4 ) m = audio 49172 rtp / avp 0 5 ) a = rtpmap : 0 pmcu / 8000 6 ) m = video 4200 rtp / avp 111 112 34 7 ) a = rtpmap : 111 h264 / 90000 8 ) a = rtpmap : 112 h264 / 90000 9 ) a = fmtp 111 profile - level - id = 428010 ; packetization - mode = 0 1 ) specifies the protocol version 2 ) describes the origin of a session and defines the session ; 3 ) s = name of session , no name in exemplary embodiment 4 ) c = connection data : in indicates internet network type , 49172 = port number ; rtp / avp = real - time protocol is transport protocol for audio and video conferences , 0 = payload type 0 ; rtpmap : 0 pcmu / 8000 is payload type 0 as well as coding parameters for audio data stream ; 7 ) m = two video type data streams with payload type 111 and 112 ; 4200 is port number ; rtp / avp = real - time protocol is transport protocol for audio and video conferences , 111 , 113 = payload type 111 , 113 ; h264 / 90000 is the first video data stream in standardized form h . 264 ; h264 / 90000 is the second video data stream in standardized form h . 264 ; 10 ) fmtp : 111 format - specific parameter for payload type 111 profile level id = 428010 indicates the profile that supports the codec for decoding the compressed video data stream and indicates the highest level of the signaled profile ; packetization mode 1 indicates the packet assembly mode for the video data stream formatted according to h . 264 ; 11 ) like 10 ) however for payload type 112 ; 12 ) m = ticker 4299 udp 555 666 777 888 , m = ticker data stream ( indicates that the following attributes relate to a ticker type of data stream , the ticker type data stream is an additional type of data stream to the previously specified audio type and video type data streams ); 4299 is port number ; udp 555 666 777 888 = standardized transmission protocol is the user data protocol udp with the different payload types 555 666 777 888 , 13 ) a = rtpmap : 555 ticker_xml is a dynamic payload type 555 that is an xml - formatted ticker data stream ; 14 ) a = rtpmap : 666 ticker_xml is a dynamic payload type 666 that is an html - formatted ticker data stream ; 15 ) a = rtpmap : 777 ticker_plain text is a dynamic payload type 777 that is an ascii code - formatted ticker data stream ; ( additional ticker data stream formats are possible as well ( not shown in embodiment )); 16 ) a = rtpmap : 888 ticker_video is a dynamic payload type 88 that is a ticker data stream provided in video format . 17 ) fmtp 666 url = news . enterprise . com / ticker the following payload - specific parameters are specified for payload type 666 : universal resource locator url indicates the source or information source of the ticker data stream or ticker information ti from which the ticker information ti is delivered or provided in html format . the url constitutes an address or identifier in a network with ip protocol in particular . the ticker information ti can be also retrieved by a terminal device e at this url and for example correspondingly included or inserted in a video image on a display unit in the area of the terminal or in the terminal - for example a monitor screen of a conferencing unit . the payload types 555 , 666 , 777 , 888 are specified in the example , that is , in the specific case only one of the payload types in the session description protocol sdp is displayed together with one of the sources of the ticker information ti source information . for the embodiment example , it is assumed that the ticker information ti or the ticker data stream is provided by a ticker device te on the internet and is transmitted as a ticker data stream to the terminal device e of the network lan or to a conferencing device . in addition , for the embodiment it is assumed that a session s is initiated from the first terminal device e ( 1 ) through an enterprise system es ( not shown ), for example , a server structure in the local network lan . moreover , an invite message invite is generated in the first terminal e ( 1 ) according to the sip protocol sip and transmitted to the enterprise system es . in a sip message invite generated according to the rfc standard 3261 , primarily information about the message type , target address , sip version , sip address , port number and the transport protocol for the responses to the message is specified . in the session description protocol sdp embedded in the sip protocol sip , the transmission parameters , in accordance with the preceding explanations , are described for the multimedia data streams mmd — video and audio data streams — for the session s with video - audio data transmission — shown in the figure by the label invite ( sdp ). according to the invention , in addition the transmission parameters for the transmission of ticker information ti are inserted in the session description protocol sdp , where a ticker device te on the internet is addressed by the universal resource identifier uri . the enterprise system es transmits the invite message invite including the embedded session description protocol sdp through the local network lan to the second terminal device e ( 2 )— shown in the figure by an arrow designated invite ( sdp ). in the second terminal e ( 2 ) a 180 ringing message 180 ringing is generated according to the sip protocol sip and transmitted via the enterprise system es to first terminal e ( 1 )— shown in the figure by an arrow designated 180 ringing . through this 180 ringing message 180 ringing , it is indicated to the enterprise system es or the first terminal e ( 1 ) that the second terminal e ( 2 ) or a conferencing device on the second terminal e ( 2 ) ( not shown ) could be detected in the local network lan . subsequently , a 200 ok message 200 ok is generated in the second terminal e ( 2 ) according to the sip protocol sip and transmitted via the enterprise system es to first terminal e ( 1 )— shown in the figure by an arrow designated ok 200 . through these 200 ok messages 200 ok , it is indicated to the enterprise system es and the first terminal e ( 1 ) that the second terminal e ( 2 ) has accepted an initialization of the signaled session s . as a result , an ack message is generated in the first terminal e ( 1 ) according to the sip protocol sip and transmitted via the enterprise system es and the local network lan to the second terminal e ( 2 ). as a result , the transmission of the 200 ok message ok 200 is confirmed by the second terminal e ( 2 ). using the now negotiated addresses and the transmission protocols as well as transmission parameters , session s is established and the bidirectional transmission of the multimedia data streams mmd can begin . according to the example , the ticker information ti is provided from a ticker device te and is transmitted to the second terminal e ( 2 ) via the local network lan , according to the transmission protocol specified in the sdp protocol sdp and the negotiated transmission parameters . due to the fact that the ticker device te is located on the internet in the example , it is assumed in the embodiment that the internet can be accessed by the local network lan ( not shown ). alternatively , the ticker device te can also be located on the local network lan . the ticker information ti advantageously establishes a logical connection to the ticker device te on the internet using the universal resource locator url available on a second terminal e ( 2 ) and retrieves the provided ticker information ti from there . alternatively , the ticker information ti also can be provided by one of the two terminals e ( 1 ), e ( 2 ) and distributed to or retrieved by one of these terminals e involved in the communication link , wherein the terminal e that is providing the ticker information ti is described as the source in the session description protocol sdp . in the second terminal e ( 2 ), for example a conferencing device , the multimedia data streams mmd are reconstructed as a video image on a display device or a monitor screen . the ticker information ti is usually inserted as a linear ticker crawl on the running video image of the display device or monitor screen , as may be seen from fig2 . an insertion method can be provided that is already used for the insertion of ticker information ti on television screens . alternatively , any configuration of insertion of ticker information is possible , for example , non - linear , a specified area of the screen or on the entire screen . the invented method is not limited to the example , but also can be used for the retransfer of additional information in terms of ticker information — for example televoting in video conferences — from one terminal to the terminals involved in the communication link . also , the ticker information can be sent to other ip addresses or terminals and devices such as telephones or personal computers , where the other devices perform like a ticker device . additionally , display information may be inserted as transmission parameters in the session description protocol that cause an adjustment of the display devices upon playback of the ticker information , e . g . formatting information , rendering information , filter information and speed adaptation information .
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an embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to fig1 and 2 . fig1 is a pictorial perspective view of an embodiment of the image forming apparatus provided with the sheet post - treatment apparatus of the present invention ( which is of the double sequence type using two sorting apparatuses connected together ), and fig2 is a view schematically showing the construction thereof . the reference numeral 1 designates a sheet output apparatus , and the reference numeral 2 denotes a first sequence sorting apparatus ( hereinafter referred to as the &# 34 ; sorter &# 34 ;) connected to the sheet outlet a side of the sheet output apparatus 1 . the reference numeral 6 designates a second sequence sorter connected next to the first sequence sorter 2 . the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 are series - connected together by a removably mounted connecting member 50 with a predetermined spacing interposed therebetween . the reference numeral 3 denotes a first intermediate conveying unit for bridging the sheet outlet a of the sheet output apparatus 1 to the first sequence sorter 2 , and the reference numeral 5 designates a second intermediate conveying unit for bridging the first and second sorters 2 and 6 together . this sheet post - treatment apparatus comprises the two sorters 2 and 6 connected together , but third and subsequent sequence sorters similar to the second sequence sorter may be coupled in series to the second sorter by connecting members 50 as indicated by dots - and - dash lines in fig2 to thereby increase the number of sorters . the sheet output apparatus 1 herein is a press printing apparatus , but may be any one of a printing machine , a copying machine , a collator , etc . briefly describing , in the interior of the apparatus 1 , there are an impression drum supported by a shaft serving also as an ink supply pipe , having a perforated master wound around the outer peripheral surface thereof , and rotatively driven in a clockwise direction , a press roller for pressing a sheet ( printing paper ) conveyed by a paper supply device against the outer peripheral surface of the impression drum to thereby effect printings and a peeling pawl for peeling the sheet from the outer peripheral surface of the impression drum ( all being not shown ), and the printed sheet is discharged out of the apparatus through the sheet outlet a by discharge means 1a . the first sequence sorter 2 is an apparatus of the bin unit moving type having a number of sort bins . the reference numeral 7 designates a bin unit having a plurality of sort bins 8 1 to 8 n disposed in vertically multiple stages therein and made vertically movable relative to the sorter body . the bin unit 7 is moved up and down relative to the sorter body by an ascend / descend drive portion 9 including a motor m , a lead cam 17 , etc . a stapler unit 14 as sheet bundle binding means is disposed at a level corresponding to the position of the uppermost first bin 8 1 of the bin unit 7 in its home position in which it has been lowered to a predetermined descent position . the first sequence sorter 2 is provided with a first intermediate conveying unit 3 for bridging the sheet outlet a of the sheet output apparatus 1 to the first sequence sorter 2 , and a second intermediate conveying unit 5 for bridging the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 together . the second sequence sorter 6 , like the above - described first sequence sorter 2 , is an apparatus of the bin unit moving type , and has a plurality of sort bins 8 1 to 8 n disposed in vertically multiple stages , a bin unit 7 vertically movable relative to the sorter body , a bin unit ascend / descend drive portion 9 including a motor m , a lead cam 17 , etc ., a stapler unit 14 , etc . a forwardly inclined ( inclined inwardly of the apparatus body ) slope portion 10 is provided on the rear surface plate of the body of the second sequence sorter 6 . as shown in fig3 a and 3b , the first intermediate conveying unit 3 for bridging the sheet output apparatus 1 and the first sequence sorter 2 together is provided on the first sequence sorter 2 side , and is provided with an intermediate conveying portion 31 of the belt conveyance type as connection means for the sheet output apparatus 1 and the first sequence sorter 2 which is driven by a motor 40 , and a sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort located above it . the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is changed over and moved to a first changeover position as shown in fig3 a wherein it is moved down to a predetermined position relative to the sheet output apparatus 1 by an ascend / descend mechanism 4 and a sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort receives sheets outputted from the sheet output apparatus 1 correspondingly to the sheet outlet a of the sheet output apparatus 1 , and a second changeover position as shown in fig3 b wherein it is moved up to a predetermined position and the intermediate conveying portion 31 takes over the sheets outputted from the sheet output apparatus 1 correspondingly to the sheet outlet a of the sheet output apparatus . the intermediate conveying portion 31 and the sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort are disposed in a frame 35 vertically movable relative to the body of the sorter 2 by a vertically elongate guide slot 33 and a guide pin 34 formed on the main body of the sorter 2 , and the frame 35 is connected to a chain 38 wound between upper and lower sprockets 36 and 37 and is vertically moved with the forward and reverse rotations of the chain 38 caused by the lower sprocket 36 being forwardly and reversely driven by a forwardly and reversely rotatable motor 39 . the intermediate conveying unit 3 descends to a descent terminal regulated by the lower end of the vertically elongate guide slot 33 and the guide pin 34 by the motor 39 being forwardly rotated , and when the descent thereof is detected by a first sensor ( non - sort position sensor ) si , the forward rotation of the motor 39 is stopped and locked , and the intermediate conveying unit 3 is held in the aforedescribed first changeover position of fig3 a . on the other hand , by the motor 39 being reversely rotated , the intermediate conveying unit 3 ascends to an ascend terminal regulated by the upper end of the vertically elongate guide slot 33 and the guide pin 34 , and when the ascent thereof is detected by a second sensor ( sort position sensor ) s2 , the reverse rotation of the motor 39 is stopped and locked , and the intermediate conveying unit 3 is held in the aforedescribed second changeover position of fig3 b . the sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort can be opened and pivotally moved about a hinge shaft 41 relative to the frame 35 as indicated by dots - and - dash lines in fig3 b , whereby the work of removing any jammed sheet in the intermediate conveying portion 31 can be done easily . when the tray 32 is opened and pivotally moved , a third sensor s2 is turned off , whereby it is detected that the tray 32 has been opened and pivotally moved . the reference character 32a designates a side guide provided on the sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort . the ascent and descent of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 to the first and second changeover positions are controlled by serial communication from the control device ( cpu ) of the sheet output apparatus 1 to the cpu of the sorter . as shown in fig4 the second intermediate conveying unit 5 for bridging the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 together has its upstream end portion with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance supported for pivotal movement about a shaft 30 below the lowermost sort bin 8 n relative to the unit frame of the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 . also , a guide roller 19 is provided on the downstream end portion of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance , and the guide roller 19 is received by the aforementioned forwardly inclined slope portion 10 provided on the rear surface plate of the sorter body of the second sequence sorter 6 . accordingly , the second intermediate conveying unit 5 has its weight supported divisionally by the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 and the slope portion 10 of the second sequence sorter 6 . this second intermediate conveying unit 5 is comprised of a conveying portion body 23 , plural rollers 20 disposed at the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying portion body 23 with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance , a plurality of endless belts 21 extended between the rollers at said upstream and downstream sides and each having a plurality of openings in the surface thereof , a suction fan 22 disposed in the lower portion of the conveying portion body 23 , etc . the conveying portion body 23 is integrally comprised of a flat box type housing 25 and a top plate 24 . the shafts 28 and 30 of the rollers 20 are rotatably supported on the conveying portion body 23 , and their shape is a crown shape , and the endless belts 21 always keep the same position . the drive force of a motor -( not shown ) is transmitted to the ends of the shafts through a timing belt ( not shown ), whereby the endless belts 21 are rotatively driven in the direction of sheet conveyance . a first jump bed 26 and a second jump bed 27 provided by the top plate 24 of the conveying portion body 23 being upwardly bent are formed in the downstream end portion of the top plate 24 with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance . the first jump bed 26 is for giving sheets ( particularly of a large size ) rigidity in a direction horizontal relative to the direction of conveyance and discharging the sheets smoothly in the sort bins 8 , and it has been found from an experiment that the angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane may desirably be 5 to 15 degrees . on the other hand , the second jump bed 27 is bent in a direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance relative to printing sheets and is for substantially adjusting the printing sheet discharge angle to the sort bins 8 to thereby prevent the rubbing between the printing sheets . a plurality of suction ports 29 are disposed near the second jump bed 27 of the top plate 24 so as to strongly adsorb the printing sheets to the endless belts 21 and enhance the kick - out force when the printing sheets are discharged into the sort bins 8 . the guide rollers 19 , as previously described , are provided on the downstream end portion of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance and bear against the slope portion 10 of the second sequence sorter body 7 . the second intermediate conveying unit 5 is rotatably supported about the shaft 30 below the lowermost sort bin 8 n relative to the unit frame of the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 , and is removably mounted on the shaft 30 . when the second sequence sorter 6 is absent , this unit 5 is unnecessary and is therefore not mounted . also , when third and subsequent sequence sorters similar to the second sequence sorter 6 are successively coupled in series to the second sequence sorter 6 by connecting members 50 to thereby increase the number of sorters , means similar to the case of the second sequence sorter 6 is adopted for the unit frame of the bin unit 7 of each added sorter except the last sorter . that is , below the lowermost sort bin 8 n , the second intermediate conveying unit is supported and mounted for pivotal movement about the shaft 30 and the guide rollers 19 on the downstream end portion with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance are supported by the slope portion 10 of the rear surface plate of the next - stage sorter body , and the respective sorters to be connected together are connected together . the aforedescribed first intermediate conveying unit 3 which connects the first sequence sorter 2 and the sheet output apparatus 1 together is also similar in structure conveying unit 5 ( but does not have the guide rollers 19 ). fig5 a is a side view of the stapler unit 14 , and fig5 b and 5c are plan views of the stapler rocking unit during its rocking movement . the stapler unit driving system is comprised of the stapler unit 14 and the stapler rocking unit 15 . the stapler unit 14 comprises a staple motor 61 and a staple operation home position sensor 62 . the staple motor 61 is controlled by a driving signal from the cpu of the sorter , and as regards the staple operation home position sensor 62 , a state in which a sensor is on is the home position , and the staple operation is performed while a cam ( not shown ) makes one full rotation . also , the presence or absence of paper ( sheet ) is checked up by a staple position paper sensor 63 , and a no - needle sensor 64 checks up the presence or absence of a needle , when foreign matters come into the staple position in a bin . when the staple unit 14 is in the staple position , the rocking sensor 68 is off and a stapler position set sensor 67 is on . an actuator ( not shown ) is raised and a safety switch 65 is opened . the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 are such that an electrical control portion ( cpu ) on the sorter side and a control portion ( cpu ) on the sheet output apparatus ( press printing apparatus ) 1 side are electrically connected together through an electric circuit . when this mode is selected , the first intermediate conveying unit 3 for bridging the - sheet output apparatus 1 and the first sequence sorter 2 together is changed over to and held in the first changeover position . that is , as shown in fig3 a , the sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort in the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is held in its lowered position for receiving the sheets outputted from the sheet output apparatus 1 correspondingly to the sheet outlet a of the sheet output apparatus 1 . the belt driving of the intermediate conveying portion 31 and the driving of the suction fan 22 are not done . in this state , the sheets successively outputted from the sheet output apparatus 1 are all successively kicked out and piled on the sheet discharge tray 32 for non - sort in the first intermediate conveying unit 3 . when this mode is selected , the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is changed over to and held in the second changeover position . that is , as shown in fig2 and 3b , the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is held in its elevated position for taking over the sheets outputted from the sheet output apparatus 1 . then , the belts 21 of the intermediate conveying portion 31 become driven and the suction fan 22 becomes driven . 1 ) in the present embodiment , it is to be understood that when printing is started , the sort mode using the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 is selected on the operating board ( not shown ) of the sheet output apparatus 1 ( there is also a sort mode using the first sequence sorter 2 alone ). the bin units 7 of the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 are both initially set to a state in which they have been lowered to the predetermined lowermost home position relative to the sorter body , as shown in fig2 . in this state , the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 stands by in a state as shown in fig2 wherein the sort bin 8 1 in the first stage ( the uppermost stage ) corresponds to the downstream end portion ( hereinafter referred to as the &# 34 ; sheet kick - out portion &# 34 ;) of the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance . the second intermediate conveying unit 5 descends with the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 when the latter descends to its home position , and the guide rollers 19 on the downstream end portion ( hereinafter referred to as the &# 34 ; sheet kick - out portion &# 34 ;) of the second intermediate conveying unit with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance are lowered and supported below the slope portion 10 of the second sequence sorter - 6 and are in substantially the same inclined posture as the sort bins 8 1 to 8 n of the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 . 2 ) when printing is started in the sheet output apparatus 1 , a printed sheet discharged out of the apparatus by the discharge means la through the sheet outlet a rides onto the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 and is conveyed to the first sequence sorter 2 while being sucked onto the endless belts 21 by the suction fan 22 . thereafter the sheet is conveyed into the sort bin 8 1 along the angle of the sort bin 8 1 in the first stage of the bin unit 7 of the sorter 2 while being rigidified by the first and second jump beds 26 and 27 of the sheet kick - out portion . the bin unit 7 of first sequence sorter 2 is upwardly driven by an amount corresponding to each one stage of the sort bins by the operation of the ascend / descend unit including the motor m , the lead cam 17 , etc . in synchronism with the printing by the sheet output apparatus 1 and also , at the position of the sheet kick - out portion of the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 , the frontage between predetermined adjacent bins is opened , thus becoming ready to receive the sheet . when the feeding of the sheet into the sort bin 8 1 in the first stage is terminated , the bin unit 7 is moved up by an amount corresponding to one stage of the bin , and at the position of the sheet kick - out portion of the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 , the frontage between the sort bins 8 1 and 8 2 in the first and second stages is opened and thus , the next sheet is fed into the sort bin 8 2 in the second stage . the ascending operation of such a bin unit 7 by each one bin stage and the opening operation between adjacent bins are successively executed , whereby the feeding of the sheets into the sort bins 8 1 to 8 n of the bin unit 7 is done sequentially . fig6 . shows the state during the feeding of sheets into the sort bins in intermediate stages . 3 ) when the feeding of a sheet into the lowermost sort bin 8 n is terminated , the bin unit 7 is further moved up to its uppermost position as shown in fig7 wherein the upstream end portion of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 with respect to the direction of sheet conveyance corresponds to the position of the sheet kick - out portion of the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 . also , the sheet kick - out portion of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 ascends along the slope portion 10 of the second sequence sorter 6 against which the guide rollers 19 on said sheet kick - out portion side as the bin unit 7 is moved up , and when the bin unit 7 is moved to its uppermost position , said sheet kick - out portion ascends completely along the slope portion 10 and arrives at a horizontal portion 10a on the top of the slope portion 10 . thus , the second intermediate conveying unit 5 assumes a substantially horizontal posture between the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 and comes to bridge the two sorters 2 and 6 together , and the weight of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 is completely divided into two , i . e ., the first and second sequence sorters . also , in this state , the sheet kick - out portion of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 comes to correspond to the uppermost first sort bin 8 1 of the bin unit 7 which has been lowered to its predetermined lowermost home position in the second sequence sorter 6 . 4 ) thereafter , the second intermediate conveying unit 5 is driven and a sheet outputted from the sheet output device 1 is conveyed from the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediated conveying unit 3 to the first sequence sorter 2 , passes through the first sequence sorter 2 without stopping , rides onto the second intermediate conveying unit 5 , is conveyed to the second sequence sorter 6 thereof and is fed into the first sort bin 8 1 of the bin unit 7 thereof . 5 ) thereof , as in the case of the first sequence sorter 2 , the ascending operation of the bin unit 7 by each one stage of sort bin and the opening operation between adjacent sort bins are successively executed in the second sequence sorter 6 , whereby the feeding of sheets to a sort bin in the stage corresponding to a predetermined number of sheets , as shown in fig8 . 6 ) the feeding of a sheet of the second page into each bin is effected by the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 and the bin unit 7 of the second sequence sorter 6 being lowered from - the state of fig8 to the predetermined lowermost home position as shown in fig2 thus being returned to their initial state . the second intermediate conveying unit 5 descends with the descent of the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 and the guide rollers 19 on the sheet kick - out portion thereof descend along the slope portion 10 , and when the bin unit 7 descends to the first home position ( fig2 ), the guide rollers 19 also descend and return to the first lower position of the slope portion 10 . then , the classification and reception of the second sheet are again effected from the first stage sort bin 8 1 of the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 . 7 ) the operation cycle described in above items 2 ) to 6 ) above is repetitively executed a predetermined number of times , whereby a predetermined number of sheets are piled , classified and contained in the sort bins of the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 corresponding in number to the predetermined number of ( one ) sheets . the sheets fed into the sort bins 8 of the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 are rigidified by the first jump bed 26 and second jump bed 27 of the sheet kick - out portion of the intermediate conveying portion 31 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 , whereby they are neatly piled on the sort bins 8 . also , the sheets fed into the sort bins 8 of the bin unit 7 of the second sequence sorter 6 are rigidified by the first jump bed 26 and second jump bed 27 of the sheet kick - out portion of the second intermediate conveying unit 5 , whereby they are neatly piled on the sort bins 8 . in the present embodiment , the sheet output apparatus 1 is a printing apparatus and therefore , after - one sheet distributing operation has been terminated to the sort bins of the respective sorters 2 and 6 corresponding to a predetermined number of stages and before the next sheet distributing operation is started , the operation of once lowering back to the bin units 7 of the respective sorters 2 and 6 to the home position is performed ( from fig8 to fig2 ). thereby , the time for drying the ink on the printed sheets distributed onto the sort bins is earned to thereby prevent the rubbing of print caused by the frictional contact with the next distributed sheet . if the sheet output apparatus 1 is a copying . apparatus or the like which does not require such disposal , when one sheet distributing operation is terminated to the sort bins of the respective sorters 2 and 6 corresponding to a predetermined number of stages , the bin unit 7 of the second sequence sorter 6 may be sequentially lowered by an amount corresponding to each one stage of sort bin , whereby the next sheet distributing operation may be started from the last sort bin , and the sheet distributing operation sequence to the sort bins of the sorters 2 and 6 can be set arbitrarily . when this mode is selected , the last sheet to the last bin is fed as shown in fig8 whereafter the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 and the bin unit 7 of the second sequence sorter 6 are lowered from the state of fig8 to the lowermost home position shown in fig2 and are returned to their initial state and operated . then , in the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 , the respective bin units 7 thereof are upwardly shifted by an amount corresponding to each one stage of bin and the stapler unit 14 is operated , whereby the binding process is executed sequentially from the sheet bundles contained in the first stage bins of the bin units 7 of the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 . when the binding of the sheet bundles in all bins into which the sheets are distributed is thus terminated , the bin units 7 of the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 are stopped at their elevated position as shown in fig8 . thus , the operator can easily take the bound sheet bundles out of the respective bins without stopping . also in the case of a sort mode in which the sheet bundle binding process is not effected , when the sorting operation is terminated , the bin units 7 of the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 are stopped at their elevated position as shown in fig8 whereby the operator can easily take the sorted sheet bundles out of the respective bins without stopping . after the sheet bundles are taken out of all bins into which the sheets have been distributed , the bin unit 7 of the first sequence sorter 2 and the bin unit 7 of the second sequence sorter 6 are respectively lowered from the state of fig8 to the predetermined lowermost home position as shown in fig2 and are returned to their initial state and operated . in fig9 a and 9b which are block diagrams showing the circuit construction of the control device of the first sequence sorter 2 , the first sequence sorter 2 is provided with a control device comprising a central processing unit cpu 30a , a read only memory rom 31a , a random access memory ram 32a , an input - output port 33a , etc ., a control program is stored in the rom 31a , and input data and data for operation are stored in the ram 32a . various motors including a shift motor 34a ( m ) and solenoid driving means are connected to the - output port of the input - output port 33a , and sensors 40a to 49a including an intermediate convey pass sensor 39a and a switch are connected to the input port of the input - output port 33a , and the cpu 30a controls each portion connected thereto through a pass in accordance with the control program stored in the rom 31a . also , the cpu 30a has a serial interface function and effects serial communication with the cpu of the sheet output apparatus body and controls each portion by a signal from the sheet output apparatus body . in fig1 which is a block diagram showing the circuit construction of the control device of the second sequence sorter 6 , the control device comprises a central processing unit cpu 30b , a read only memory rom 31b , a random access memory ram 32b , an input - output port 33b , etc ., a control program is stored in the rom 31b , and input data and data for operation are stored in the ram 32b . various motors including a shift motor 34b ( m ) and solenoid driving means are connected to the output port of the input - output port 33b , and sensors 40b to 48b including an intermediate convey pass sensor 39b and a switch are connected to the input port of the input - output port 33b , and the cpu 30b controls each portion connected thereto through a pass in accordance with the control program stored in the rom 31b . also , the cpu 30b has a serial interface function and effects serial communication with the cpu 30a of the first sequence sorter and controls each portion by a signal from the first sequence sorter . the mode treatment which is the general treatment of the present embodiment will first be described with reference to fig1 . at a step s101 , the presence or absence of a &# 34 ; sorter start signal &# 34 ; indicative of the sheet discharge from the sheet output apparatus body being started is discriminated , and if the signal is present , advance is made to a step s102 . on the other hand , if at the step s101 , the &# 34 ; sorter start signal &# 34 ; is absent , the on / off of the manual staple key is checked up at a step s112 , and if the manual staple key is on , a staple treatment step which will be described later is executed , and if the manual staple key is off , the treatment is returned to the step s101 . at steps s102 to sill , the discrimination of the mode regarding the reception of the sheets discharged from the sheet output apparatus is effected and advance is made to respective treatments which will be described later , i . e ., in the case of the non - sort mode , non - sort treatment which will be described later ( steps s102 and s103 ), in the case of the sort mode , sort treatment which will be described later ( steps s104 and s105 ), in the case of the group mode , group treatment which will be described later ( steps s106 and s107 ), in the case of the continuous mode , continuous treatment which will be described later ( steps s108 and s109 ), in the case of the staple non - sort mode , staple non - sort treatment which will be described later ( steps s11o and s11 ), and in the other case than the above - mentioned cases , advance is made to manual staple treatment ( steps s112 and s113 ). the treatment is returned to the step s101 . describing the operation in the aforedescribed non - sort mode with reference to fig1 , the motor 39 of the ascend - descend unit 4 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is switched on to thereby lower the first intermediate conveying unit 3 to the non - sort position ( the first changeover position of fig3 a ) which is the home position ( step s201 ). whether the first intermediate conveying unit 3 has come to the non - sort position sensor is checked up by a sensor s1 , and if it is in the non - sort position , sheets are discharged from the sheet output apparatus body onto the non - sort tray 32 . also , when the manual staple key is depressed during the non - sort mode operation , the bin units are returned to the home position as the initialization of the bins of the sorters , and staple treatment is effected from the first one of the sort bins 8 . if the sorter start signal is off , non - sort treatment is terminated . describing the operation in the aforedescribed sort mode with reference to fig1 a and 13b , the motor 39 of the ascend / descend unit 4 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is first started ( step s301 ) to thereby move the intermediate conveying unit 3 to the sort position ( the second changeover position of fig3 b ) ( step s302 ). also , the presence or absence of a &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; from the sheet output apparatus body is checked up ( step s303 ), and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is absent , advance is made to a step s305 , and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is present , advance is made to a step s305 , and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is present , advance is made to a step s304 . at the step s304 , as the initialization of the bins , the bin units are lowered to the home position which is the first bin . at the step s305 , the intermediate convey motor 40 in the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is started , and at a step s306 , the intermediate convey fan 22 is started , and then the check - up of on / off is effected by the intermediate convey pass sensor ( step s307 ). if at the step s307 , the intermediate convey pass sensor is not turned on , advance is made to a step s310 , and if the intermediate convey pass sensor is turned on , at a step s308 , the bin units are shifted by an amount corresponding to one bin while the sheets discharged are placed on the bins and at the same time , the aligning operation of a step s309 is performed . if the &# 34 ; sorter start signal &# 34 ; is off , advance is made to a step s311 , where the intermediate convey motor 40 is stopped , and at a step s313 , the intermediate convey fan 22 is stopped . subsequently , the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is moved to the non - sort position ( fig3 a ) by the ascend / descend unit 4 , thus terminating the nonsort treatment . describing the operation in the aforedescribed continuous mode with reference to fig1 a and 14b , the motor 39 of the ascend / descend unit 4 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is first started ( step s401 ) to thereby move the first intermediate conveying unit 3 to the sort position ( fig3 b ) ( step s402 ). also , the presence or absence of the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; from the sheet output apparatus body is checked up ( step s403 ), and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is absent , advance is made to a step s405 , and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is present , advance is made to a step s404 . at the step s404 , as the initialization of the bins , the bin units are lowered to the home position which is the first bin . at the step s405 , the intermediate convey motor 40 in the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is started , and at a step s406 , the intermediate convey fan 22 is started , and then the check - up of on / off is effected by the intermediate convey pass sensor ( step s407 ). if at the step s407 , the intermediate convey pass sensor is not turned on , advance is made to a step s410 , and if the intermediate convey pass sensor is turned on , at a step s408 , the bin units are shifted by an amount corresponding to one bin while the discharged sheets are placed on the bins and at the same time , the aligning operation of a step s409 is performed . if the &# 34 ; sorter start signal &# 34 ; is off , advance is made to a step s411 , where the intermediate convey motor 40 is stopped , and at a step s413 , the intermediate convey fan 22 is stopped . subsequently , the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is moved to the non - sort position by - the ascend / descend unit 4 , thus terminating the non - sort treatment . describing the operation in the aforedescribed group mode with reference to fig1 a and 15b , the motor 39 of the ascend / descend unit 4 of the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is first started ( step s501 ) to thereby move the first intermediate conveying unit to the sort position ( fig3 b ) ( step s502 ). also , the presence or absence of the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; from the sheet output apparatus body is checked up ( step s503 ), and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is absent , advance is made to a step s505 , and if the &# 34 ; bin initial signal &# 34 ; is present , advance is made to a step s504 . at the step s504 , as the initialization of the bins , the bin units are lowered to the home position which is the first bin . at the step s505 , the intermediate convey motor 40 in the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is started , and at a step s506 , the intermediate convey fan 22 is started , and subsequently , at a step s507 , the check - up of on / off is effected by the intermediate convey pass sensor . if at the step s507 , the intermediate convey pass sensor is not turned on , advance is made to a step s510 , and if the intermediate convey pass sensor is turned on , at a step s508 , the bin units are shifted by an amount corresponding to one bin while the discharged sheets are placed on the bins and at the same time , the aligning operation of a step s509 is performed . if the &# 34 ; sorter start signal &# 34 ; is off , advance is made to a step s511 , where the intermediate convey motor 40 is stopped , and at a step s513 , the intermediate convey fan 22 is stopped . subsequently , the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is moved to the non - sort position ( fig3 a ) by the ascend / descend unit 4 , thus terminating the non - sort treatment . this is staple non - sort in which the non - sort mode and the auto staple mode are permitted and parallel operations are made possible . describing the operation of the aforedescribed staple non - sort with reference to fig1 , the motor 40 of the ascend / descend unit 4 in the first intermediate conveying unit 3 is first actuated ( step s601 ) to thereby move the first intermediate conveying unit 3 to the non - sort position ( fig3 a ). during the movement of this intermediate conveying unit 3 , the bin units in the sorters are moved to the first bin which is the home position . at a step s605 , the presence or absence of sheets on the bins is checked up , and if at the step s605 , sheets are present , staple treatment is effected , and at the step s605 , sheets are absent , at a step s607 , the check - up of the manual staple key is effected . consequently , if the sheets discharged from the sheet output apparatus 1 when the first intermediate conveying unit 3 has been set at the non - sort position are discharged onto the non - sort tray 32 of the intermediate conveying unit 3 and at the same time , sheet bundles are discharged into the plurality of sort bins 8 of the sorters 2 and 6 , staple is made possible by the stapler units 14 in the sorters 2 and 6 . staple treatment will now be described with reference to fig1 which shows the flow of the staple treatment . first , at a step s702 , the initialization of the bin position for a series of staple treatments is effected . the initialized bin position is moved to the first bin which is the home position . next , the staple executing treatment of a step s703 is designated by mode data sent from the body by the aforedescribed serial communication . the details of this staple executing treatment step s703 will be described later ( fig1 ). when staple is terminated at the step s703 , the program proceeds to a step s704 , where whether the bundle which has been stapled is the last bundle in the series of staple treatments is judged . if it is the last bundle , staple treatment is terminated , but if it is not the last bundle , one bin shift is effected , whereafter return is made to the step s703 , where the treatment is executed . fig8 shows the detailed flow of the above - described staple executing treatment step s703 , and at a step s801 , whether there is a needle in the stapler is judged . the stapler 14 is used in the binding operation , and a no - needle detecting sensor 64 is used for the judgement of the presence or absence of a needle . if there is a needle , the program proceeds to a step s802 , where the sheet bundle is held down by an aligning rod so as not to deviate . the program then proceeds to a step s804 , where stapling is effected , and at a step s805 , the aligning rod is retracted , thus terminating the staple treatment . however , if at the step s801 , it is judged that there is no needle , the program proceeds to a step s803 , where a no - needle alarm is outputted to the body , thus terminating the treatment . when there is no needle , the treatment can be terminated without the staple treatment being effected , thereby changing over the mode to a mode in which the staple treatment is not effected . the manual staple operation will now be described with reference to fig1 . the manual staple is a mode in which sheet bundles inserted into the bins by the user are stapled , and the stapling of one bin only is effected in this mode . at a step s901 , the stapler 14 is moved to a staple position . when the movement is completed , whether there is paper at the portion of the stapler is judged by a staple paper sensor located near the stapler . if there is paper , the program proceeds to a step s903 , where stapling is effected by the stapler . if at a step s902 , it is judged there is no paper at the portion of the stapler , or after at the step s903 , stapling is terminated , the program proceeds to a step s904 . at the step s904 , the stapler is moved to its retracted position , thus terminating the treatment . next , in the first and second sequence sorters 2 and 6 , there is a case where the stapler cannot be driven depending on the thickness of the sheet bundle when the stapling of the sheet bundle is effected , and a flag ( not shown ) occurs as needle jam in the control device in the sorters . the flag is transferred to the sheet output apparatus body by serial communication . the flag of the needle jam remains on in the control device in the sorters and therefore , the staple mode , etc . from the sheet output apparatus cannot be controlled . consequently , the flag of a needle jam release signal is stood up from the control device of the sheet output apparatus , and the flag of the needle jam is cleared by the control device of the sorters through mutual serial communication . by the flag of the needle jam in the sorters being cleared , the mode , etc . from the sheet output apparatus can be controlled . in the above - described embodiment , the sorters are not restricted to those as shown in the embodiment . further , the sheet bundle binding means is not restricted to the stapler , but may conveniently be , for example , means having perforating means and means for forming perforations in the perforating means and fitting a binding tool in the perforations , or means using paste . the construction of the first and second intermediate conveying units 3 and 5 is neither restricted to that of the embodiment .
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referring now to the figures and , in particular , to fig1 there is shown a filter bag assembly 10 having a top collar or ring 12 which is completely covered by a filter bag 14 . the filter bag 14 may be fabricated from any suitable material having a porosity consistent with the micron rating of the particles to be filtered out of a liquid flowing therethrough . preferably , the material is between 0 . 060 to 0 . 080 inches in thickness ( 0 . 152 to 0 . 20 centimeters ) and may be fabricated from numerous materials presently available . the material 16 used for the filter bag 14 preferably may be tubular in shape having both ends open or may be provided on bolts which are cut in fixed lengths , not shown , which are then folded in half and stitched with a plurality of stitches 18 along its longitudinal axis to form a tube . one end 20 of the tube may be stitched or preferably heat - sealed or welded forming a closed , stitch - free weld joint 22 . the stitching 18 may also be replaced by a weld joint , especially if the bag is fabricated from a fluorocarbon material which may readily be subjected to sealing or cold heat flow with the application of the proper amount of heat and pressure applied thereto . the collar or ring 12 includes a pair of rings 24 and 26 as shown in fig2 and 3 , respectively . fig4 is a cross - sectional view in elevation , along the line 4 -- 4 of fig2 and it can be seen that ring 24 includes a flat top portion 28 and a depending vertical portion 30 , which is provided with a shelf portion 32 disposed proximate the flat top portion 28 and is terminated by an inwardly extending lip portion 34 . lip portion 34 is provided with a pair of integrally molded handles 36 and 38 that extend inwardly and may be raised to an essentially vertical position as shown in fig6 when removing the filter bag assembly from its location in a filter vessel or housing , not shown . the lip portion 34 may be provided with an upwardly extending protrusion 40 together with a downwardly extending protrusion 42 provided on the shelf portion 32 to help retain the ring 26 provided by the channel bounded by the shelf portion 32 , vertical depending portion 30 , and lip portion 34 , which will be explained hereinafter . fig3 is a top plan view of the other ring 26 and fig5 is a cross - sectional view in elevation taken across line 5 -- 5 of fig3 showing the essentially rectangular cross - section of ring 26 . referring now to fig6 which is a greatly enlarged cross - sectional view taken along the line 6 -- 6 of fig1 . ring 26 has filter bag 16 wrapped around it and inserted into the channel 44 with both ends of the tubularly formed bag 16 remaining open . once the ring 26 and bag 16 is inserted into the channel 44 , it is retained therein by virtue of the dimensions selected therefor and the aid of the protrusions 40 and 42 . the other end 20 of the filter bag 16 is then pulled over the top portion 28 and externally extending lip portion 29 of ring 24 , totally encompassing the external portion 29 , and pulled taut and placed together . the end 20 may then be stitched as at 18 or preferably welded as at 22 , thereby maintaining the integrity of the filter bag 16 . using completely welded seams throughout will permit the micron rating of the filter bag to remain identical to the micron rating of the filter material used to fabricate the filter bag 16 . thus , by utilizing a pair of rings as shown in fig2 and 3 to form the rigid collar assembly utilized on filter bag assembly 10 , no stitching need be used to hold the filter bag 16 to the ring or collar 12 . preferably , the rings or collar 12 are fabricated from a fluorocarbon such as polypropylene , teflon , or polyetheline . in operation , the filter bag is assembled in the manner just described and may be inserted into a filter housing , not shown . with the configuration as disclosed herein , the filter bag assembly provides sealing of the area surrounding the bag so that liquid flowing in the filter housing is prevented from by - passing the filter bag 16 at point 46 which is a corner provided on a shelf of a filter vessel or housing , not shown . a lip 48 provided on a filter cover 50 applies pressure to the filter bag 16 , sandwiching the bag between the externally extending lip portion 29 at the lower surface 48 of the filter vessel cover portion 50 . a third seal is provided between the outer circumference 52 and the inner surface 54 of the depending vertical portion 30 . thus , an effective filter bag assembly is provided for high pressure applications while maintaining the integrity of the filter material rating . a template in the shape of the end 20 of filter bag 16 may be utilized in order to insure that the shape of the bag is uniform from bag to bag . hereinbefore has been disclosed a filter bag assembly suitable for use in high - pressure filter vessels and a method for the assembly thereof which maintains the integrity of the micron rating of the filter material selected and is capable of being removed from a filter vessel with the aid of integrally provided handles . it will be understood that various changes in the details , materials , arrangement of parts and operating conditions which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles of scope of the instant invention .
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fig1 depicts the readout operation of a generic page - based optical data storage system 100 ( e . g ., implemented holographically , diffractively , etc ). optical medium 110 is illuminated by light source 120 , providing a plane 130 of modulated signals representing the stored data . the modulated signals and the optical heterodyne reference signals 134 are made collinear by using beam steering optics ( e . g ., using the beam - splitter 136 ). then , they are coherently interfered and detected by the photodetector array 140 , which is optimized for phase detection in page - based optical data storage . from the photodetector array , the data readout 150 is transferred out to the controlling firmware 160 . the controlling firmware also transmits control feedback signals 170 to the photodetector array , directing it on how to adjust its optical detection parameters . the photodetector array 140 also transmits feedback control signals 170 to the feedback control system 190 . the feedback control signals provide information about the misalignment ( e . g ., by conveying a voltage signal with amplitude proportional to the amount of misalignment , and a sign proportional to the direction of the misalignment ). the feedback control system 190 uses the feedback control signals to adjust the relative alignment between the modulated signal beam 130 and the reference beam 134 ( e . g ., by realigning the beam - splitter 136 ). the details of the operation of the page - based optical data storage system are readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art . fig1 illustrates page - based data readout in general . it is appreciated that the invention may be implemented in other ways differing from that shown in fig1 . an optically phase modulated bit signal read out from a two - dimensional page at row i , column j , can be represented by e ij = η e 0 2 exp [ ⅈ ( 2 π nct λ - 2 π n λ k ^ ij · z ^ + ϕ ij ) ] + c . c . where | e 0 | is the amplitude of the optical beam used for readout , η is the amplitude modulation efficiency of the storage medium , λ is the wavelength of light , c is the speed of light in a vacuum , n is the index of refraction of the medium , is the cosine of the angle between the direction of propagation of the signal beam and the direction of the detector 30 with reference to fig2 , and φ ij is the pixel phase modulated by the optical storage medium . fig2 illustrates a differential heterodyne detector at 20 , where the signal beam 22 is combined with a heterodyne reference beam 24 in a beam - splitter 26 . the combined beam is then imaged towards one ( simple heterodyne detection , not specifically illustrated ) or two ( differential heterodyne detection , illustrated in fig2 ) output sensor arrays 30 and 32 . the laws of conservation of energy dictate that the signals 34 and 36 at the output ports of the beam - splitter must be 180 ° out of phase , requiring the calculation of the signal difference 30 and 32 , but providing 3 - db gain and common - mode noise rejection . when the heterodyne reference wave is sufficiently coherent with the signal wave , the output voltage for pixel ij is given by ν ij 1 = α { e r 2 + e 0 2 4 n + e r e 0 2 n cos [ ϕ ij - 2 π n λ ( k ^ ij - k ^ r ) · z ^ ] } where α is a constant of proportionality , n is the number of pixels on the spatial light modulator ( slm ), | e r | is the amplitude of the reference wave ( with a spatially flat phase , assumed to represent the zero phase ), and is the direction of propagation of the reference beam ( aligned by adjusting the beam - splitter ). in the case of perfect alignment , ν ij 1 = β 1 i dc + β 2 cos φ ij where β 1 and β 2 are proportionality constants and i dc is a constant dc intensity that should be filtered out , or which is cancelled out by the differential detection . in the case of differential detection , there is an intrinsic 3 - db gain due to the phase difference between the two arms of the heterodyne interferometer 20 , yielding note that cos φ ij =± 1 , and this provides a bipolar signal representation instead of the unipolar signal provided by amplitude modulation . in order to keep all of the pixels in the photodetector aligned with the reference wave , the system must have a maximum angular misalignment δ given by where p is the pixel pitch and , for p = 5 μm , the system must have δ & lt ;& lt ; 20 arc sec . note that this is about the same order of magnitude of the angular resolution required for the angular multiplexing of holograms used in holographic data storage , putting it within the range of capabilities of commercially available galvanometers used for angular control of optical components , but requiring active control of the alignment . with reference to fig3 - 4 , the preferred embodiment of the invention comprehends a number of features in a photodetector array that optimize the sensor for holographic data storage using phase detection . as best shown in fig3 , a sensor 50 ( preferably a cmos aps array ) includes an active pixel area 52 . sensor 50 includes symmetric and diametrically opposed detectors 54 , 56 , 58 , 60 . the detectors feed differential amplifiers 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 . in this way , the detectors provide a voltage difference proportional to the cosine of angular difference in the x - axis ( detectors 54 and 58 feeding differential amplifier 64 , or detectors 56 and 60 feeding differential amplifier 68 , or a combination of detected signals ) and y - axis ( detectors 54 and 56 feeding differential amplifier 62 , or detectors 58 and 60 feeding differential amplifier 66 , or a combination of detected signals ). more specifically , when the angular misalignment between the heterodyne reference and signal beams is small ( less than a wavelength ), the difference signals from the differential amplifiers 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 can be used by a feedback control system 190 to align the reference beam with respect to the signal beam . in a preferred approach , the detectors 54 , 56 , 58 , 60 are larger and may be slower than the photosensors in the active pixel area 52 . uniform illumination by the reference beam alone can be used to calibrate the gain of the alignment detectors , triggered by an external calibration trigger 70 . in addition , each detection pixel in sensor 50 may be configured to perform on - chip filtering of the dc bias resulting from the use of heterodyne detection . the filtering can be done prior to analog - to - digital conversion , thus better using the available dynamic range of the analog - to - digital converter . the chip also decodes the detected data , preferably using coherent phase - shift keyed binary detection . as best shown in fig4 , the preferred embodiment of the invention may utilize two detectors 30 , 32 and a beam - splitter 26 . in this way , the invention comprehends a compact module suited for differential heterodyne detection with less degrees of freedom required for alignment . in a preferred approach , on - chip gain controlled by an external input signal is provided . this feature may be used to balance a differential heterodyne detection and to cancel out the dc offset , with the added benefit of removing common - mode noise ( e . g ., relative intensity noise of the laser source , fluctuations of the electrical power supply , etc ). with continuing reference to fig4 , the reference beam is indicated at 24 while the signal beam is indicated at 22 . differential detection system 40 calculates the differences between the outputs of the first and second heterodyne detectors and processes the data to determine the most likely correct value of the bits read . in a preferred embodiment , and as best illustrated in fig4 , in a calibration step a phase ramp 42 is used to scan over about a wavelength of phase difference in the reference beam while capturing multiple data points of a signal beam that is known a priori . the phase ramp can be produced , for example , by a pockel &# 39 ; s cell , or by a piezo - mounted mirror which alters the optical path length . this causes the interference fringes to shift over the surface of any detectors , assuring that each pixel captures at least one valid data point . prior knowledge of the correct pixel values used in the calibration step is used to determine the correct phase difference at which each pixel value should be read . this phase difference is individually detected and recorded for each pixel location . next , when an unknown signal beam is read , the phase is once again ramped and each photodetector pixel is read whenever the phase ramp reaches the same phase difference pre - recorded in the phase calibration step . this allows for the compensation of imperfections over the phase front of the diffracted wave , as well as for alignment compensation over a wider range of angles . it is appreciated that embodiments of the invention provide a number of features for phase detection in page - based optical data storage . these various aspects of the invention may be used individually or in various combinations to achieve improved sensors optimized for phase detection in page - based optical data storage . while embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention . rather , the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation , and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
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a block diagram of an am stereo transmitter embodying the invention is shown in fig1 . supplied left ( l ) and right ( r ) stereophonic audio - frequency input signals are coupled to the inputs of stereo matrix 10 as shown , where they are combined to form an l + r stereo sum signal and an l - r stereo difference signal . the l - r signal is coupled to the inputs of lowpass filter 11 and high - pass filter 12 . these filters have essentially equal 6 db cutoff frequencies as shown in fig2 where curve a represents the amplitude - vs - frequency response of low - pass filter 11 and curve b represents the amplitude vs frequency response of high - pass filter 12 . the output of high - pass filter 12 is coupled to variable - gain amplifier 13 , whose function will be described shortly . the outputs of variable gain amplifier 13 and low - pass filter 11 are coupled to adder circuit 14 where they are combined to form the ( l - r ) signal which is coupled to the l - r input of am stereo encoding and transmitting unit 16 . when variable - gain amplifier 13 operates at its maximum gain , the low - frequency and high - frequency l - r components applied to adder 14 are combined to produce an ( l - r ) output from adder 14 that has essentially the same amplitude - vs - frequency characteristic as the l - r signal coupled to the inputs of filters 11 and 12 . delay circuit 15 in fig1 may be required to equalize the delays in the l + r and l - r signal paths , since filters 11 and 12 in the l - r signal path may introduce sufficient delay to adversely affect stereo separation . the l + r and ( l - r ) signals applied to the am stereo encoder and transmitter unit 16 are encoded in accordance with a desired system of am stereo transmission , such as the kahn / hazeltine independent sideband ( isb ) system , and transmitted in accordance with the signal format for the am stereo system being used to broadcast . the output of transmitter 16 is coupled to antenna 17 . a probe , 18 , which picks up a signal representative of the signal radiated by transmitter 16 , is coupled to the input of out - of - band detector 19 . out - of - band detector 19 is essentially a radio receiver which rejects the desired transmission of transmitter 10 ( the desired transmission normally covers a frequency band ± 15 khz on either side of the carrier frequency ) and receives and amplifies a predetermined bandwidth of undesired emissions from the transmitter on one or both sides of the desired band of emissions . for example , the out - of - band detector might be designed to receive emissions in the range of 15 khz to 30 khz above or below the transmitted carrier frequency , or both . in some instances , it may be necessary or desirable for the range to extend more than 30 khz above or below the carrier in order to detect all significant out - of - band emissions from transmitter 16 which exceed the maximum specified limit and which interfere with the operation of am stations operating on adjacent channels . the signal picked up by probe 18 is band limited in out - of - band detector 19 , and may , if required , be amplified . the out - of - band signal is then detected to provide a control signal for controlling the gain of variable gain amplifier 13 . in the absence of undesired emissions from transmitter 16 , no control signal is developed , and variable - gain amplifier 13 operates at a maximum gain . if , however , undesired emissions do occur , the control signal developed by out - of - band detector 19 acts to reduce the gain of variable - gain amplifier 13 sufficiently to cause the out - of - band emissions to be reduced in amplitude to a level at or below the specified maximum limit . the cutoff frequency , f c , for filters 11 and 12 in fig1 and illustrated in fig2 is chosen to enable the operation of the invention to keep out - of - band emissions from exceeding the specified maximum limit . since am stereo signals for some am stereo systems inherently have more out - of - band emissions than others , the choice of filter cutoff frequency f c is , therefore , governed by the characteristics of the am stereo system being used to broadcast . for example , for the motorola system to handle 100 % l - only or r - only modulation without any out - of - band emissions which exceed the fcc limit , the cutoff frequency , f c is approximately 3 . 75 khz , whereas the corresponding required cutoff frequency for the kahn / hazeltine independent sideband am stereo system is slightly below 7 . 5 khz . for convenience in describing other embodiments of the invention , units 11 - 14 and 19 in fig1 will be referred to as control circuitry 20 ( shown with a dotted box in fig1 ). a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in fig3 . in the embodiment of fig1 there may be sufficient time delay in out - of - band detector 19 and variable - gain amplifier 13 to permit a brief transient of excessive out - of - band emission to occur before the control voltage applied to variable - gain amplifier 13 effects a reduction of the out - of - band emission to an acceptable level . the embodiment shown in fig3 has provision for causing the control voltage applied to the variable - gain amplifier in control unit 20 to take effect before actual undesired transients of out - of - band emissions can occur . in the fig3 embodiment , units 10 through 17 and 19 function as previously described for the embodiment shown in fig1 . in fig3 however , the signal applied to the out - of - band detector in control unit 20 is not derived from the output of transmitter 16 . instead , the l and r stereophonic input signals are coupled to an auxiliary low power stereo encoder and transmitter 30 which includes matrixing , am stereo encoding and a low power level am stereo modulated rf output , and which , except for the lower power level , duplicates the broadcast signal output of main transmitter 16 . alternatively , unit 30 may be constructed to simulate the functions described using software , firmware or analog techniques instead of actual encoding and transmitter circuitry . the output of auxiliary transmitter 30 is coupled to the out - of - band detector in unit 20 which develops a control signal that is used to reduce the high - frequency l - r gain of the variable - gain - amplifier in unit 20 , and , thereby maintain out - of - band emissions from main transmitter 16 at or below the specified maximum limit . in order to insure that the control of the variable - gain amplifier in unit 20 becomes effective soon enough to preclude the occurrence of transient out - of - band emissions from main transmitter 16 , delay in the audio - frequency paths of the main transmitter may be required , as illustrated by the delay functions designated as blocks 31 and 32 in the l and r input signal paths in fig3 . the delays of these networks must be sufficient to provide gain reduction in the variable - gain amplifier in unit 20 prior to , or at least coincident with , the time at which excessive out - of - band emissions from main transmitter 16 would otherwise occur . delay networks , such as designated by blocks 31 and 32 , are well known to persons skilled in the art . the dashed outlines of these blocks indicate that their position shown in the circuit is not critical . the necessary delay could be introduced instead in the l + r and l - r signal paths at the outputs of matrix 10 or the inputs of transmitter 16 , for example . furthermore , the l - r filters in unit 20 , and the compensating l + r delay network 15 could be designed to introduce sufficient delay so as to eliminate the need for separate delay networks 31 and 32 . fig4 shows a simplified control unit 20 which may be used in place of the control unit 20 shown in fig1 and 3 . in fig4 the combination of amplifier 41 , resistor 42 , capacitor 43 and voltage controlled resistor 44 forms a voltage controlled attenuator which attenuates only the selected higher frequencies of the input signal as shown in the diagram of fig5 . while the embodiments described thus far have been in the environment of am stereo transmitters , it should be recognized that the present invention is equally applicable for controlling out - of - band radiation from monaural transmitters , as will be seen from the embodiments shown in fig6 and 7 . the monaural embodiments of fig6 and 7 correspond to the stereo embodiments shown in fig1 and 3 , respectively , and operate in the same manner except that monaural transmitter 60 replaces stereo transmitter 16 . similarly , miniature monaural transmitter 70 replaces miniature stereo transmitter 30 , and , like unit 30 , may be simulated using software , firmware or analog circuitry instead of an actual miniature transmitter . the input signal to unit 20 , in the case of the embodiments shown in figs . 6 and 7 , is a monaural audio signal instead of the l - r stereo signal used in the fig1 and 3 embodiments . while there have been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention , those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention , and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the true scope of the invention .
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as noted above , the method of the present invention involves the use of cementitious filling materials to form an improved seal against migration of bacteria . this method provides a superior therapy for cavities found in the teeth of mammals , including humans , as well as other vertebrates . in another preferred embodiment , the cement composition contemplated by the present method comprises a portland cement having a blaine number falling within a certain range . however , the present invention is not limited to use of portland cement or any particular composition thereof . thus , the principal component of the present cement composition by weight is calcium , which is present in the form of calcium oxide ( cao ) on an average of about 65 weight percent . on the other hand , it is believed that a range of cement compositions having a calcium component is compatible with the present method wherein the calcium component is present by weight in an amount of about 50 - 75 %. another important component of the present composition by weight is silicon , which is present in the form of silicon dioxide ( sio 2 ) in an average of about 21 weight percent . again , it is believed that a suitable range for this component within the present cement composition is about 15 - 25 weight percent . in addition , the combination of the above calcium and silicon components is present on an average of about 86 weight percent . it appears that an acceptable range for these two components of the present cement composition is 70 - 95 weight percent . although not all of the cement compositions falling within these ranges had been utilized in test involving the present method , it is believed that such cement compositions could be effectively utilized . typically portland cement is combined with aggregate and water to form concrete . the cement and water coat and bind to the aggregate , filling the spaces between the aggregate particles to form a ceramic composite material . the cement composition of the present invention , however , does not require the use of aggregate , but utilizes portland cement with water . the process of making portland cement is well known and it can be purchased from any number of manufacturers under various trade names . the basic raw materials for portland cement are lime ( cao ), silica ( sio 2 ), alumina ( al 2 0 3 ) and iron oxide ( fe 2 o 3 ). these components are appropriately proportioned to produce various types of portland cement . in manufacturing portland cement , the selected raw materials are crushed , ground , and proportioned for the desired composition then blended . the mixture is then fed into a rotary kiln where it is heated to temperatures of up to 1400 °- 1650 ° c . in this process the mixture is chemically converted to cement clinker which is subsequently cooled and pulverized . a small amount of gypsum ( caso 4 . 2h 2 o ) is added to the cement to control the setting time of the concrete . the resulting cement consists principally of tricalcium silicate ( 3cao . sio 2 ), dicalcium silicate ( 2cao . sio 2 ), tricalcium aluminate ( 3cao . al 2 o 3 ), and tetracalcium aluminoferrite ( 4cao . al 2 o 3 . fe 2 o 3 ). calcium oxide is thus the principal component of portland cement and typically comprises in excess of 60 % by weight of the overall composition . in general , as defined for its typical use , there are five basic types of portland cement . these are identified by the standard specifications promulgated by the american society for testing of materials ( astm ). type i is called normal portland cement and is a general purpose cement suitable for all uses when the special properties of the other types are not required . type i portland cement is more generally available than are the other types of cement . type i , or ordinary , portland cement is typically used in assorted construction applications . in its normal applications , a type i cement is used when the concrete is not subject to special sulphite hazard or where the heat generated by the hydration of the cement will not cause an objectionable rise in temperature . such conditions are typical of the mouth , which would normally not necessitate the use of astm types ii through v . thus , the cement composition utilized of the present invention requires none of the special properties of type ii - v cements , and the preferred embodiment comprises an astm type i portland cement , although it is believed that such other types are within the scope of the invention as being suitable for the purposes described herein . of course , the practitioner will recognize in certain circumstances that the special characteristics of other astm types may be desirable . type ii cements are used when the cement will be exposed to moderate sulfite attacks , and where a moderate heat of hydration is desired because the cement is being used in a large structure , and may be subject to cracking due to uneven cooling . type iii portland cement is used when early strength is desired , which may be suitable for certain applications where early strength may be advantageous . type iv is a low heat of hydration cement useful when the heat of hydration is critical , for example , in extremely large structures such as dams . it would typically not be required in anatomical structures , but it may be criteria , for example , if an additive were used that may be adversely affected by a higher heat of hydration . type v is a sulfite resistent cement useful when the cement is exposed to high sulfite attack . the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a type i portland cement having the following approximate composition : ______________________________________component percentage______________________________________sio . sub . 2 21 % al . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 4 % fe . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 5 % cao 65 % mgo 2 % so . sub . 3 2 . 5 % alkalies ( na . sub . 2 o , k . sub . 2 o ) 0 . 5 % ______________________________________ this preferred portland cement is commercially available as the colton fast - set brand of the california portland cement company . the suitability of a particular cement composition for a given purpose is typically determined by a combination of its chemical composition and its physical attributes , i . e . the manner and degree to which the cement is ground ( granulation ) and the resulting particle size . the fineness of a cement is indicated by the cement &# 39 ; s blaine number , which represents the ratio of the cement &# 39 ; s particle surface area to its weight ( square centimeters of surface per gram ). portland cements generally have a blaine number in the range of 3 , 200 to 5 , 500 cm 2 / g or greater . faster setting cements , like that preferably utilized in the present invention , have a blaine number in the range of 4 , 000 - 5 , 500 cm 2 / g . the most preferable cement utilized in the present invention has a blaine number in the range of 4 , 500 - 4 , 600 cm 2 / g . in this formulation , the cement composition comprises a powder consisting of fine particles which are hydrophilic and which set in the presence of moisture . hydration of the powder results in a colloidal gel which solidifies to a hard rock - like substructure in less than four hours . the characteristics of the cement composition depend upon the size of the particles , the powder - water ratio , temperature , presence of water , and entrained air . after setting , the composition has compressive strength equal to that of amalgam . portland cement is combined with water to form the cement composition of the present invention . depending on the particular application , various amounts of water may be utilized to form the cement composition . enough water is added to the cement to give it a putty consistency , which then solidifies to a rock - like hardness . in using the preferred cement composition as a retrograde filling material , the water content is in the range of 10 to 40 weight percent , and most preferably three parts cement are used with one part water , or 25 weight % of the cement composition is water . the fact that water is the principal reactant in the hardening reaction offers a significant advantage over many of the filling materials commonly used by allowing the cement to set in the moist environment of the body . portland cement hardens by reactions with water , which are called hydration reactions . these reactions are complex , but principally involve the reaction of tricalcium silicate ( 3cao . sio 2 ) and dicalcium silicate ( 2cao . sio 2 ) with water . when these compounds react with water during the hardening of the cement , the principal hydration product is tricalcium silicate hydrate . this material is a colloidal gel of extremely small particles ( less than 1 micron ). the tricalcium silicate hardens rapidly and is most responsible for the early strength of portland cement . the dicalcium silicate has a slower hydration reaction and is mainly responsible for strength increases beyond one week . tricalcium aluminate , which plays a lesser role in the hardening process , hydrates rapidly also and contributes to early strength of development . portland cement is not radiopaque , but a radiopaque component may be added to render it radiopaque for purposes of dental diagnostics . bismuth oxide ( bi 2 o 3 ) has been found to be a suitable such compound . depending on the degree of radiopaqueness desired , various ratios of additive may be used . in the preferred form of the cement composition , one part bismuth oxide is used per four parts portland cement . in addition , other additives or adjuvants could also be combined with the present cement composition to help facilitate and modify its beneficial therapeutic behavior . for example , small amounts of preservatives could be added , as well as stabilizers and desensitizers . in many dental applications , the ultimate success of the treatment often depends on the adaption of the filling material to the tooth walls , and the resultant seal between the filler and the remaining tooth structure . an ideal seal will prevent the migration of bacteria and other byproducts into the cavity . the sufficiency of the seal is particularly important where the pulp chamber is to be sealed . the clinician will recognize that adaption and sealing ability of a filling material can be measured in various ways . any test of adaption and sealing ability attempts to determine the filling material &# 39 ; s ability to seal the cavity from bacteria and other organisms that can promote further decay . therefore , the filling material &# 39 ; s effectiveness can also be directly determined by clinical studies ; however , these are subject to many variables and require significant time and expense . to simulate the clinical function , the filling material can be evaluated by a dye penetration test . various dyes have been used to measure the sealing ability of materials to tooth structure , including the use of rhodamine - b fluorescent dye as a tracer . a tandem scanning reflected light microscope (&# 34 ; sem &# 34 ;) is used to determine the degree of dye penetration . this method of measuring the adaption and sealing ability is well known to the clinician . see , e . g ., tronstad , l ., trope , m ., doering , a . and hasselgren , g . ( 1983 ), sealing ability of dental amalgams as retrograde fillings and endodontic therapy , j . endodontics 9 : 551 - 53 ; chung , b . s ., pitt ford , j . r . and watson , t . f . ( 1991 ) the adaptation and sealing ability of light - cured glass ionomer retrograde root fillings , int &# 39 ; l endodontic j . 24 : 223 - 32 . in dye penetration tests , the cavity is first prepared and filled with the material to be tested . this test allows a comparison , under controlled conditions , between the sealing ability of standard filling materials , such as amalgam , and the cement composition contemplated by the method of the present invention . after the outside of the tooth is coated to prevent dye leakage through anywhere but the cavity being tested , the tooth is immersed in a solution of the dye . the tooth is then sectioned and examined under the sem , and the degree of dye leakage along cavity walls measured . such leakage is expressed in terms of the distance ( millimeters ) travelled by the dye . in one such test , root canals for thirty single - rooted extracted human teeth were prepared using the standard step - back technique . the canals were obturated with gutta percha and grossman sealer using the lateral condensation technique . the roots were then wrapped in moist gauze pads and kept in 100 % humidity for a week prior to root end preparations . nail varnish was then applied to the entire external surface of each root and allowed to dry . about 3 - 4 millimeters of the apical segment of each root was removed at a 90 ° angle to the longitudinal axis of the root . the resected surface was acid etched , and a thin layer of pitting and fissure sealant was applied to prevent dye penetration through the exposed dentinal tubules . the roots were then divided into three groups of ten , and the retrograde cavities were filled with one of the three retrograde filling materials : amalgam , eba and the cement composition of the preferred embodiment . the roots were then placed in wet pieces of gauze and allowed to remain in 100 % humidity for 24 hours . next , the roots were totally immersed in an aqueous solution of rhodamine b fluorescent dye for 24 hours . by using a slow - speed diamond saw , each root was sectioned into two halves parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tooth . the extent of leakage along cavity walls was then observed under the sem . the results , expressed in millimeters , are shown in table i below . table i______________________________________initial leakage dye penetration test results : highest score offluorescent dye leakage ( mm ) along cavity walls ofretrograde filling . sample amalgam eba cement composition______________________________________1 3 3 02 3 2 03 3 1 04 3 3 & lt ; 1 * 5 3 2 06 3 2 07 3 1 & lt ; 18 3 1 & lt ; 19 3 1 010 3 1 & lt ; 1______________________________________ * less than onethird of root end cavity depth . thus , in the case of retrograde cavities , the cement composition of the present invention performed significantly better than either amalgam or super eba cement . in various tests on retrograde fillings , amalgam allowed dye penetration all the way to the end of the retrograde cavity , which is typically 2 - 3 millimeters . such cavities filled with super eba cement leaked less than those filled with amalgam , but significantly more than the cement composition of the present invention . thus , based on this dye penetration test and associated visualization , the cement composition associated with the present invention performs excellently as a filling and sealing material . although direct extrapolation and relevance of such dye leakage studies to clinical practice has been questioned , such tests are the oldest and easiest method to test new restorative filling materials . furthermore , when the filling material does not allow penetration of small molecules , such as those exhibited in the dye , it logically has the potential to prevent leakage of large molecules such as bacteria and / or by - products . the adaption and sealing ability of a filling material can also be examined microscopically using the sem to observe voids and gaps between the filling material and the tooth structure without the benefit of the dye leakage . when examined under the microscope , teeth filled with the preferred cement composition exhibited virtually no gaps or voids , and significantly less than that exhibited by either amalgam or super eba . the application of the cement composition in filling and sealing teeth are numerous . the practitioner will realize that there are many suitable applications which fall within the method of the present invention . examples are shown in fig1 through 7 and discussed below . fig1 shows an example of an anatomical structure with which the present invention may be used . fig1 depicts a longitudinal section of a healthy single - rooted tooth 10 with pulp tissue 12 , dentin 14 and enamel 16 . fig2 depicts root canal therapy in a single - rooted tooth after apicoectomy and retrograde filling . the retrograde cavity 18 is shown filled with the cement composition . substantially all of the remainder of the pulp chamber 20 is filled with standard obturating material such as gutta percha . in order to provide additional sealing , the pulp chamber may also be sealed at the coronal end 22 with the cement composition as shown in fig2 . the remainder of the tooth cavity is filled with a standard amalgam 24 or other permanent filling material . the retrograde filling is performed in the standard manner , and the cement composition is applied using a suitable dental carrier . the preferred length of a filling or seal provided by the present cement composition is 2 - 3 mm , although other dimensions are possible . the incision may be closed upon completion of the retrograde filling , and the cement composition will harden sufficiently in vivo . prior to preparation of the cement composition , the portland cement to be used therein may be sterilized , including gas sterilization , autoclaving or other suitable method . when the cement composition is used as an orthograde cavity filler , as well as a pulp sealer , as shown in fig2 the preferred method is to utilize a temporary filler for the remainder of the cavity 24 for twenty four hours to allow the cement composition to harden sufficiently . the temporary filling can then be replaced with the desired permanent filling material . fig3 is a further example of the environment in which the present invention may be used . fig3 depicts a longitudinal section of a healthy lower molar tooth 27 with pulp tissue 26 , dentin 28 and enamel 30 . use of the cement composition to seal a tooth where decay has penetrated through the enamel and dentin is shown in fig4 . the decay has been removed , and the cement composition has been used as a base 32 for a permanent filling 34 of any suitable material . again , a temporary filling should be used for at least 24 hours to allow the cement to harden . fig5 shows a longitudinal section of a molar tooth 27 where the decay 36 has reached the pulp 26 . use of the portland cement composition to seal a tooth where decay has reached the pulp is shown in fig6 . the decay 36 has been removed , and the portland cement composition has been used to cap 38 the pulp 26 , and the filling is completed with a permanent filling 40 of any suitable material . the portland cement composition is also useful to repair any perforations which may occur during endodontic treatment . for example , fig7 shows a perforation 42 in the furcation 44 which has occurred during root canal therapy . as seen in fig8 the perforation 42 has been repaired with the present portland cement composition 46 after root canal therapy . the remainder of the root canal therapy is standard wherein the canals have been obturated with gutta percha 48 or other suitable material , and the filling has been completed with a permanent filling material 50 . in conclusion , the present invention , through the use of the cement composition of the invention , embodies a novel method of filling and sealing human and veterinarian teeth . the described examples of how the dentist or endodontist can use the cement composition to seal teeth is illustrative , and not meant to be restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description . furthermore , the present invention may utilized in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics .
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the control device , shown in fig1 , principally comprises a shaft 2 that can move in rotation in a bore 44 made in a structure 10 and connected in rotation at its end by a coupling 3 and 4 to a crank 5 ending in a crank pin 6 and a slider 1 that can move in translation in a sleeve 9 integral with the structure 10 . this control device allows electrical powering of a motor entraining a load such as a shutter , a door or any other element . the shaft 2 and the structure 10 interact in order to produce means for switching the current upon rotation of the shaft 2 in the structure 10 . as shown diagrammatically in fig4 , the shaft has terminals 45 along its longitudinal axis that are designed to come into contact with terminals 42 arranged axially in the bore 44 , or with terminals 43 arranged axially in the bore 44 , depending on the direction in which the shaft is turning . the position a , shown in fig4 a , in which the terminals 45 and 42 are in contact , allows closure of an electrical circuit so as to power the motor ( not shown ) in order to turn it in a first direction of rotation . the position c , shown in fig4 c , in which the terminals 45 and 43 are in contact , allows closure of an electrical circuit so as to power the motor in order to turn it in a second direction of rotation . the position b , shown in fig4 b , in which the contacts 45 are not in contact with any other , allows opening of the circuit powering the motor . the shaft 2 has , at one of its ends , a hollow hexagonal form 3 receiving a crank 5 provided with a male hexagonal form 4 and with a crank pin 6 . the shaft 2 and the crank 5 are connected in rotation by these complementary forms 3 and 4 . it is also possible for the shaft not to have any electrical contact and to consist of a simple transmission shaft , the purpose of which is to position a switch , for example a switch incorporated into the motor , as a function of the position of the crank pin 6 in the slider . the slider 1 is in a sliding relationship in the sleeve 9 . its translation axis is perpendicular to the axis of rotation 7 of the shaft 2 . the slider 1 and the sleeve 9 have , respectively , a lug 12 and a lug 11 , each provided with a hole . the ends of a spring 8 allowing the slider 1 to be returned to the bottom of the sleeve 9 are articulated in these holes . the slider 1 has another lug 13 opposite the lug 12 . this lug 13 , also , is provided with a hole by means of which , as shown in fig3 , it is possible , by means of a rod 14 , to apply pulling forces to the slider 1 so as to displace it in translation counter to the action of the return spring 8 . the slider 1 is provided with tracks 20 and 21 in which the crank pin 6 is displaced . a leafspring 17 returns the slider 1 counter to the crank pin 6 so that the latter is permanently displaced to the bottom of the tracks 20 and 21 . these tracks 20 and 21 have different levels relative to the axis of rotation 7 of the shaft 2 . the crank pin 6 is able to move from the lower level , into which it is displaced in fig1 , to the upper level , into which it is displaced in fig3 , by virtue of a ramp 27 . in point of fact , when the crank pin is displaced in the lower track and arrives in contact with the ramp 27 by means of the displacement of the slider 1 through the effect of a pulling force on the rod 14 , the action of the crank pin 6 contacting on the slider 1 pushes the latter back counter to the action of the spring 17 . in this way , the crank pin 6 is able to scale the ramp 27 . the crank pin 6 is also able to move from the upper level , into which it is displaced in fig3 , to the lower level , into which it is displaced in fig1 , by virtue of the steps 24 a and 24 b shown in fig2 . in this case , it is the spring 17 that returns the slider 1 into a position in which the crank pin 6 is at the bottom of the track 21 . the slider 1 has a rocker 15 that can move in rotation about an axis parallel to the axis 7 of the shaft 2 . this rocker 15 has two symmetrical stable positions relative to the axis of translation of the slider 1 . it consists of two side arms and a central arm . as shown in fig2 , it allows the crank pin to be steered into the track a by virtue of the contact of the crank pin 6 on its central arm , and then it rocks into its other stable position when the crank pin 6 passes into the track a by means of contact of the crank pin 6 on its side arm closing off the track a . in this way , when the crank pin 6 next passes over the ramp 27 , said crank pin will be steered into the track b . the transverse displacements of the crank pin 6 in the tracks of the slider 1 give rise to rotations of the shaft 2 in the structure 10 so as to cause the motor to be powered in order to turn it in a first direction , or cause the motor to be powered in order to turn it in a second direction or to cause stopping of the motor . the slider comprises three zones a , b and c , shown in fig5 b and in fig1 , in which the crank pin occupies a position such that the switching means are in extreme positions a , c or intermediate position b . reference is now made to fig5 a through 5 l , which represent the path the crank pin 6 will follow at the time of three successive actions on the rod 14 . in fig5 a , the crank pin 6 is in its intermediate position b relative to its rocking movement about the axis 7 of the shaft 2 . this position corresponds to the stopping of the motor . in this position , a pulling force f is applied to the slider 1 via the rod 14 . this results in displacement of the slider 1 relative to the sleeve 9 and , consequently , the displacement of the crank pin 6 relative to the slider 1 . through the action of this force f , the crank pin 6 passes over the ramp 27 and comes into contact with the central arm of the rocker 15 , as shown in fig5 b . still through the action of the force f , as shown in fig5 c , the crank pin 6 is displaced along a ramp 22 a and causes the rocker 15 to rock into its other position of equilibrium . once the crank pin 6 has arrived at the end of the ramp 22 a , the pulling force f is stopped . as shown in fig5 d , the slider 1 is entrained by the spring 8 exerting a return force r and resulting in the crank pin 6 coming into contact with the ramp 23 a . the crank pin is displaced over this ramp 23 a until it is located in the position shown in fig5 e . as the spring 8 is still applying a return force , the crank pin 6 is displaced , passing over the step 24 a until it arrives in the stable position shown in fig5 f . in this position , the motor is powered and rotates in a first direction of rotation . when it is desired to stop the motor , a pulling force f is again applied to the rod 14 , as shown in fig5 g . the crank pin 6 then comes into contact against the step 24 a and is displaced against the latter and then against the ramp 25 a as far as its end , as shown in fig5 h . this step constitutes a means that makes it possible to permanently divert the crank pin steering toward the track above the step . at this time , the pulling force is stopped , and through the effect of the return force r the crank pin comes into contact with the ramp 26 a and is displaced along the latter , as shown in fig5 i . having arrived at the end of this ramp 26 a , the crank pin 6 is located in its stable position of fig5 a . in this position , the motor is not powered . when a new pulling force f is applied to the slider 1 by means of the rod 14 , the crank pin 6 again passes over the ramp 27 and comes into contact with the central arm of the rocker 15 , as shown in fig5 k . at this time , the crank pin 6 will follow a path that is symmetrical , relative to the axis of sliding of the slider , to the path described for fig5 a through 5 j , resulting in different powering of the motor so as to turn it in a second direction of rotation . when the element entrained by the motor arrives at the end - of - travel point or at an obstacle , means known to a person skilled in the art make it possible to position the switching means in their “ stop - motor ” state . this is achieved by means of a rotation of the switching means about the axis 7 of the shaft 2 and results in the displacement of the crank pin 6 in the slider 1 , as shown in fig5 l . the slider is consequently provided with a track 103 having substantially the shape of an arc of a circle , passing via the three stable positions of the crank pin in the slider . the crank pin is then located in a stable position , shown in fig5 j . in this embodiment , the tracks define three stable positions that may be occupied by the crank pin when the slider is returned toward its position of rest and that correspond to the three positions of the switching means . these tracks have substantially the form of inverted vs : a first wing 100 of the v serving to displace the crank pin transversely relative to the slider when the latter is displaced in a first direction , and the second wing 101 serving to displace the crank pin transversely relative to the slider in the same direction when it is displaced in the other direction . according to the nature of the switching means and , in particular , as a function of their ability to remain stable in a position into which they have been brought , the ends of these tracks may or may not have means for holding the crank pin in position at the end of the track . these means may , for example , consist of dishes 102 , such as those shown in fig1 . the crank pin comes to be positioned in said dishes when it arrives at the end of the track . the slider could also be returned into its position of rest by forces other than that of an elastic element . in particular , it could be returned under its own weight or by means of an action on the part of the user via the rod . a first variant of this embodiment is shown in fig6 and 7 . the control device 40 shown in these figures differs from the device described above in that the slider 1 is not returned into contact with the crank pin . in fact , in this case , it is the crank 41 that is formed from elastic leaves allowing the crank pin 6 to be returned to the bottom of the tracks of the slider 1 . a second variant of this embodiment is shown in fig8 and 9 . the control device 50 shown in these figures differs from the devices described above in that the tracks 52 of the slider 1 have only one level . consequently , means for returning the crank pin 6 and the tracks 52 relative to one another are no longer necessary . however , flaps 51 a and 51 b articulated about horizontal axes and consisting of tabs produced from an elastic material are added into the tracks 52 . they are designed to replace the steps 24 a and 24 b of the devices described above . in effect , these flaps 51 a and 51 b allow the displacement of the crank pin in only one direction in the two vertical side channels of the slider 1 shown in fig9 . it should be noted that the tabs may also be articulated about axes parallel to the bottom of the tracks 52 . these tabs constitute means that make it possible to permanently divert the crank pin steering toward the tracks located above the tabs . a third variant of this embodiment is shown in fig1 . the slider 1 of the control device shown in this figure differs from the slider described above in that it has no flap . however , it has ramps 75 a and 75 b that make it possible , after having applied a force to the slider 1 , to bring the crank pin 6 into a stable position such that when there is further action on the slider 1 the crank pin 6 comes into contact with one of the ramps 76 a or 76 b and then into contact with one of the ramps 77 a or 77 b so as to bring it into its stable position corresponding to the stopping of the motor . when the crank pin 6 is in its stable position allowing powering of the motor and the element entrained by the motor arrives at the end - of - travel point , the switching means are brought into their “ stop - motor ” position , and the crank pin 6 acts on the ramp 78 a or on the ramp 78 b and displaces the slider 1 counter to the action of the return spring 8 in order to escape from its “ power - motor ” position of equilibrium . the slider 61 and the crank pin 70 of a second embodiment are shown in fig1 to 13 . this crank pin 70 differs from the crank pin of the devices described above in that it has a shoulder 71 . the slider 61 differs from the sliders described above in that the tracks have three levels : a track 62 at a lower level , two tracks 63 and 64 at an upper level , and a track 65 at an intermediate level . the slider 61 has a ramp 66 allowing the crank pin 70 to move from the track 62 to the track 63 , and a ramp 67 allowing the crank pin 70 to move from the track 65 to the track 64 . the slider 61 has a step 68 allowing the crank pin to move from the track 63 to the track 65 , and a step 69 allowing the crank pin 70 to move from the track 64 to the track 62 . the operating principle of a device of this type is explained with reference to diagrams 14 a through 14 i . in fig1 a , the crank pin 70 is in contact with the track 65 . after action on the slider 61 , it is displaced and passes over the ramp 67 , and is displaced transversely until it arrives in the position shown in fig1 c , in which the motor is powered in order to turn in a first direction of rotation . the action of the return spring then brings the crank pin into a stable position shown in fig1 d . a further action on the slider 61 allows the crank pin 70 to be brought into a position of equilibrium , shown in fig1 h , in which the motor is not powered . the crank pin is then in contact with the track 62 . a further action on the slider 61 makes it possible , as shown in fig1 i , to steer the crank pin toward the ramp 66 and to displace the crank pin 70 transversely so as to power the motor in order for it to turn in a second direction of rotation . it should be noted that the shaft 2 that can move in rotation in the structure 10 may be stable in the three “ power motor in a first direction ”, “ power motor in a second direction ” and “ stop - motor ” positions . in such a case , when it is in a position in which the motor is powered , a force of the slider on the crank pin is necessary in order to rock it into the position in which the motor is stopped . in such a case , use may be made of a slider that is not returned into a position of rest . it is then necessary to effect a back - and - forth movement with the rod in order to change the position of the switch .
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the present invention is generally a system for facilitating the gathering of patient medical treatment data useful for generating an accurate patient chart note , producing a billing claim , and for storing the raw data in a relational database format that lends itself to producing outcome studies useful for determining the efficacy of current and new medical treatments . the system of the instant invention populates patient records by use of evidence - based evaluation systems , which compare the medical practitioners diagnoses to predetermined responses , including those of experts in the field , to produce accurate patient chart notes and the integration of stored and generated data into clinical and administrative medical record keeping and billing . the system , in one aspect , provides a secure , homogeneous user friendly network for recording medical treatment , practice management , and claim transactions among diverse users some of whom have medical knowledge and some that do not using a single communications link between a user and a server ( s ). the system is fully integrated , allowing medical practitioner and staff automated interface to perform the following tasks : starting a medical record / medical history for a patient file ; taking chart notes / creating medical records ; billing ; maintaining inventory / office supplies ; and prescriptions ; and outcome studies . the medical practitioner , on the basis of selecting a diagnosis , which can be anatomically directed , can generate an expected and / or predicted set of subjective symptoms verbalized by a patient as well as a set of expected medical practitioner based observations from stored medical analysis retained in a relational data base . once accepted by the medical practitioner , this informational data is then used to auto - populate medical records . by identifying the location and diagnosis of the complaint the chart notes and reports cascading from there can be populated with a minimal of additional input . it will be realized that the “ relational aspect ” of the instant invention is predicated on information flow generated around a diagnoses . the present system operates on the discovered fact that for every diagnosis there exist a unique subset of symptoms , from the set of all symptoms that describes the condition that must be present for the condition to be identified . the present system also operates on a similar assumption that for every diagnosed condition , there exists a unique subset of objective observations , from the set of all objective observations , that describes the objective observations that must be present to identify the condition since a diagnosis is based upon the presenting of observed conditions supported by the verbalization of various symptoms , when multiple symptoms or conditions are present , it may be possible that some symptoms overlap , or it may be possible that additional symptoms may appear as secondary or even tertiary effects . it is the latter case that presents the most difficulty in handling , as the symptom is a result of an interaction of the ailments and is not a symptom that uniquely supports the diagnosis . as set forth above , the present invention handles this scenario in two ways . first , the set of secondary or tertiary effects is lumped into a set of common symptoms , which can be added to the standard set of symptoms extracted for each diagnosis when more than one diagnosis is presented to the system . second , an alarm warns the medical practitioner that two or more non - reconcilable presented symptoms are present and the possibility of the presence of additional non - verbalized symptoms . for commonly grouped conditions these symptoms are well understood and can be handled automatically . for all other cases the physician is warned and presented with the list of common interaction symptoms . in these cases further investigation is indicated before accepting the data presented by the system . to support the detailing of information that is specific for the particular patient , items such as temperature , size of tumor , angle of fracture , lab results , etc , the system defines a data relationship ( a fact ) that defines the parameters for the information to be collected . parameters define the units of measurement , range of value , a label for identification of the data , a default value and preferred means of inputting the information through the user interface . not all parameters are necessarily applicable for each fact . the value of a fact may pull a trigger that is a level limit for the fact such as a blood pressure reading which results in presentment of additional queries and or related information . another relationship , a finding , relates a fact to a given diagnosis , treatment , or “ diagnosis - treatment ” combination , as further described below . for a given diagnosis , a subset of findings is defined , from the set of all findings that includes all the diagnosis specific findings that must be collected to accurately record the symptoms and observations to support the diagnosis . this relates to a specific medical specialty . likewise , for a given treatment , a subset of findings is defined , from the set of all findings that includes all the treatment specific findings that must be collected to document the treatment . an example of the above would be a diagnosis which results in a prescribed treatment regimen comprising medication . the findings would include the medication name , dose , quantity , sig , etc . a finding allows diagnosis - specific data to be collected for a given treatment . for example , if the treatment is an x - ray , then the findings will prompt for fracture information if the diagnosis is a limb fracture , or percent lung damage if the x - ray is of the chest for a diagnosis of lung cancer . as can be seen , a matrix is provided such that anatomy based information or disease based information is used by the system to “ interpret ” results . in a further aspect , the relational database relates a finding to the data that is actually input for a specific patient episode . this episode finding includes all the findings that were collected for documenting the specific patient case . a case relationship is defined as that which relates the actual occurrence of a specific diagnosis for a patient . a case includes the date the patient was diagnosed , the diagnosis , the medical practitioner , and other information . other relationships , case treatments , case findings , case anatomy , case supplies define the actual treatments , findings , affected anatomy , and supplies used , respectively for each patient visit related to a specific case in progress . an episode journal record is then generated by the system to track the date of the episodes in a patient case to be used for charting the progress of a patient &# 39 ; s treatment . it will be realized by the skilled artisan that diagnoses actuated databases are based on presenting symptoms and observations which relate to specific medical specialties . thus , orthopedic surgeons and cardiologists have a differing diagnostic database . the data making up the core information that defines a medical specialty is referred to here as the specialtycore . the group of specialtycores making up each specialty comprises a medicore data group . the data in each specialtycore can be further grouped into a data set comprising fundamental components . examples of some of these data components are anatomy , diagnosis , fact , phrase , supply , and treatment . database identifiers are established for each component such that it is referenced as a data grouping or entity . for example , an anatomy group defines a name and tissue type ; a diagnosis entity defines a name , billing code , and tissue type ; a fact entity defines a name , range of value , and units ; a phrase defines a tag ( a unique name ), descriptor , and lexical ; a supply ( any medical supply such as syringes , cotton swaps , etc ) defines a name and billing code ; and a treatment entity defines a name , type , and billing code . these examples define the minimum set of fields contained within a group , and it is understood that an actual implementation will contain more detail . a set of entities comprises a first grouping or group “ a ”. more complex entities are built from the base group a . a second , more complex grouping , group “ b ” ( entities ) relationships , represent the next level of complexity in the hierarchy . these tables define a higher order of information that establish relationships , as well as , include other additional unique information . examples of group b tables include , but are not limited to , body view , finding , macro , plan , region , risk , tray , view , and vocab . it will be realized by the skilled artisan that table hierarchies can be built in the system , each with a relation to a subset of the lower tables to add functionality and capability to the system . for example , a body view relates to a set of anatomy regions visible from a related view ; a finding relates diagnosis , treatment , and one or more facts which together define a default value ; a macro relates to phrase and defines formatting rules and special circumstances which are discussed in more detail later ; a plan ( the set of treatments selected by a practitioner to treat a diagnosis ) relates a treatment - set to diagnosis , and a weighted factor based on “ best practice ” guidelines ; a region defines a body location and relates to anatomy by defining a set of contents ; a tray defines a name , relates to treatment , and relates to supply by defining a set of contents ; and a vocab that relates diagnosis to phrase , treatment to phrase , finding to phrase . to record the actual data gathered during an episode , another group of data is defined , called the practicecore , ( the set of tables that is specific to storing the case specific treatment information , patient and practitioner demographics , practice information ) exists outside the specialtycore and relates specific patient information to the specialtycore , the most basic element of which is the case . as explained earlier , a case includes the date when a diagnosis is made , and contains the set of records that include all treatment information for each episode related to the case . in addition , a case encapsulates a diagnosis - anatomy - temporal set of transactions . an episode encapsulates , for example , a patient office visit . a case is supported by the additional sub elements — case anatomy , case findings , case treatments , and case supplies . a case anatomy defines the specific region - anatomy , journal record identifier , and case identifier . flexibility is provided to allow for changes to the affected anatomy during the course of treatment . for example , for a patient being treated for a skin condition as the affected region changes , the changes are documented with each visit . case findings document the specifics related to the case that can not be assumed . some examples of these measurements are temperature , blood pressure , white blood cell count , size of an ulcer , etc . case findings also allow for structuring data for use in outcome studies , where treatment is correlated to measured changes , or for demographic studies in which the occurrence of certain diseases is related to geographic region , patient gender , age , etc . case treatments record the treatments applied during each office visit . a case treatment is the record of treatment for the office visit . a case treatment relates a journal record identifier to a case identifier and treatment identifier . the set of case treatments for a given episode provides the set of codes used for producing a billing claim . an episode journal table contains the information that links the patient table , episode date , and appointment to the case table . a given episode corresponds to a single journal entry . root entities in the specialtycore are defined in a hierarchal order , referred to as parent - child relationships . a child is able to inherit or override attributes of the parent in much the same manner as object oriented programming languages , such as c ++. the hierarchy is particularly powerful for building and maintaining the specialtycore . the system employing a database portioned wherein a medical knowledge base , patient treatment repository , claims history repository , and practice management repository are linked , allowing users having medical knowledge and users having no medical background , using a uniform system protocol , to route transactions to document patient care . a medical knowledge base ( mkb ) comprised of ordered data sets and relational links provides the core data that is used to assemble a medical chart record . the medical knowledge base is partitioned into specialty specific databases , hereafter referred to as the specialtycore , and practice specific data referred to as the practicecore . the combined set of specialtycores that comprise the knowledge base for each specialty makes up the medicore . the medicore is the master database that unifies all the medical specialties , such that overlapping knowledge between specialties is not redundantly identified . the system offers the “ best practice ” for treating for each diagnosis by relating a subset of preferred treatments from the set of all treatments as recommended by the prominent authorities in each specialty . the medical service ( the application that implements the means to select a patient from an appointments list , input anatomical location , diagnosis , and treatments , and generates the patient chart note ) component controls the entry and routing of requests from users having medical knowledge to the mkb , while the practice management component controls the entry and routing of requests from users with no medical background to the mkb . the system employs a security protocol that prevents unauthorized users from viewing sensitive patient medical history of treatment data as specified by the hipaa act . patients are assigned to a primary care provider within a practice . the primary care provider controls access to the patient medical records and an assign temporary access to other providers . other users with no medical background can be assigned additional privileges in order to complete billing tasks . based on the anatomic location , a constrained list of diagnoses is queried from the database . advantageously , a user having medical knowledge selects a diagnosis from the constrained list of diagnoses related to the anatomy . a list of related or differential diagnoses is queried based on the selected diagnosis . the user having medical knowledge can select any additional diagnoses from this additional list . where an additional diagnosis is required due to payer requirements , the additional diagnosis is also indicated with an explanation for the inclusion . if the user having medical knowledge selects any of the differential diagnosis , a modifier rule used for billing will trigger when the claim is assembled at a later stage . other embodiments allow the user having medical knowledge to enter the diagnosis through other means such as through hand writing recognition , voice recognition , or typing . letter matching can be employed to display the constrained list as the user types , or through voice menu prompts . it is understood that the means of data entry can be any means . based on the primary diagnosis , a query is made to produce a list of treatments . a “ best practice ” treatment can be indicated as a guide or teaching tool . a past treatment can be indicated if the patient has any treatment history from a prior visit . from the constrained list of treatments related to the diagnosis , a treatment is selected . as in the case for specifying the diagnosis , any means of data entry can be employed for specifying the treatments . the user having medical knowledge can also specify a planned treatment for a subsequent visit to reflect the choices discussed with the patient . special treatments under the exam category allow the user to enter additional findings that more accurately document the patient &# 39 ; s specific condition . exams trigger rules in the billing component to add modifiers that change the way the office visit is billed . a list of required findings is queried based on the chosen anatomy , diagnosis , and treatments . the findings are additional facts that help to detail information specific to the patient and its diagnosis and treatment . facts also include triggers . triggers are relational rules for preset limits on the data range . fact triggers based on the finding data prompt the user for still additional findings , while macro triggers based on the data cause the report description to vary . for example , a high temperature reading may alert the user to take a blood pressure reading , and in the report the patient would be indicated as having fever as opposed to a normal temperature . findings are entered through a variety of user interface means such as , check list box , radio buttons , slider , drop list box , calendar , dictation box , hand writing control and more . turning to fig1 , there is shown a relational diagram between the indicated treatments in accordance with a diagnosis protocol . a care provider examining a patient renders a diagnosis in accordance with subjective verbalized symptoms and objective observations and / or study data and selects a diagnosis as previously described ( not shown .) the system based on the diagnosis suggests a “ best practice ” treatment schema comprised of surgery , medication , further examination , further study , or an additional procedure . the physician then has the option , based upon the “ best case ” treatments , which are ranked according to evidence based outcomes . the physician then can choose the treatment indicated which most closely is aligned with the diagnosis . fig1 , thus , shows the classification of treatment groups which share a common characteristic to allow for definition of default behavior which is common to the class . for example , all prescription medications require data for dose , refills , quantity , and sig ; all surgery automatically generates a task to remind office personnel to verify patient insurance before the scheduled surgery ; studies include labwork , radiology , ultrasound , etc . exam includes anatomy system examinations , such as a biomechanical exam , or vitals exam , and evaluations , such as a current medication use assessment , allergies assessment . thus , each treatment generates a generic database of related tasks which populates the records to accomplish that treatment . thus , treatment object relationships are built on a parent child basis , wherein the root parent type of treatment defines behavior for all the treatment classes . the procedure module defines a baseline for all treatments of type procedure , etc . parent - child relationships can then exist to any level within each treatment class . fig2 shows the relationship between the specialtycore tables anatomy , region , and view . anatomy defines the entire set of anatomy structure specific to a given medical specialty . view defines the entire set of perspective views of the body specific to a given medical specialty . region defines the entire set of regions portioned from the body in every defined perspective view . the tables anatomy - region and region - view are relational tables . anatomy - region defines the entire set of anatomies contained in each region , by relating anatomy id to region id . anatomy - region relates the entire set of regions contained in each view . fig3 shows the relationship between the specialtycore tables anatomy , diagnosis , treatment , and fact . diagnosis contains the entire set of diagnoses related to the medical specialty . treatment defines the entire set of treatments for the medical specialty , wherein each treatment is classified into one of the treatment groups as shown in fig1 . fact defines the entire set of raw facts for the medical specialty . the tables anatomy - diagnosis , plan , and finding are relational database look up tables . anatomy - diagnosis defines the entire set of diagnoses that are possible for each anatomy . additionally , diagnosis defines the specific type of anatomy tissue to which each diagnosis relates . plan defines the regimen of treatments that are useful for treating each diagnosed condition in the specialty . in addition , those treatments that are the preferred for each diagnosis are flagged along with the statistical efficacy defined as a percentage of each treatment as it relates to each diagnosis . findings define the set of facts that are related to each diagnosis , diagnosis - treatment pair , or treatment . fig4 shows the entire flow path of tasks that occur in the process of patient treatment and the relationship of patient , physician , and payer . a patient makes an appointment for a specific location , has symptoms , receives treatments , submits payment , and has an insurance policy . a physician ( or physicians office ) schedules a patient for a specific location , makes note of patient &# 39 ; s symptoms , performs treatments , updates the patient case file , consults the patient case file for medical history information , submits a claim , and receives payment . payer services the patient policy , reviews claim information , and makes payment . this system is the framework in which the instant system operates . turning to fig5 , there is shown the work flow path for generating a patient chart file update in accordance with the invention . the work flow of the inventive system and method operates within the information scenario as shown in fig4 above . a healthcare provider logs on the system by use of a practitioner id and providing a security credential . he then selects a patient either from an appointment slot or from the list of patients defined for the practice . based upon that selection , a case is opened or retrieved depending upon the activity . a physician then selects the anatomical location corresponding to the location of the chief complaint ( subjective symptom ). from a constrained list of possible diagnoses , generated from the table anatomy - diagnosis ( shown in fig3 ), the healthcare provider selects the hypothesized ( working ) diagnosis . then , the healthcare provider enters any information into the set of diagnosis - related findings , where those findings related to subjective and objective observations have default values that correspond to what should be observed and verbalized for the selected diagnosis . the set of treatments administered for the episode are then checked off from the list of acceptable treatments for the given diagnosis . those treatments that are defined as the “ standard of care ” are selected by default by the system , but can be changed by the healthcare provider . next , a treatment regimen or plan is presented and again accepted or modified by the healthcare provider . where the treatment is case related , the system default continues previous treatments . next , information for the treatment related findings is entered . finally , a timeframe is selected for the next episode or , alternatively , the physician can schedule the patient directly for the next appointment .
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turning now to the drawings and initially fig1 , a schematic illustration of a multiple drive system 10 of the type known in the prior art includes a plurality of drives 12 coupled to an industrial control network 14 such as , for example , controlnet . each drive 12 is in communication with a motor 16 . in such systems 10 , one of the drives 12 is typically designated as the main controlling drive while the remaining drives are designated as followers . in such applications , typically the main controlling drive is responsible for the control of the speed while the followers are configured to assist in providing torque to the motors 16 of the system . motion control data is transferred between the drives 12 by way of a dedicated drive - to - drive communication network 15 , while configuration data for the drives 12 and for their communication on drive - to - drive communication network 15 is communicated over the industrial control network 14 . the network 14 may be shared with other controllers and drives . the system 10 further comprises a system controller 20 such as , for example , a programmable logic controller ( plc ). the system controller 20 is generally configured to manage the flow of data over the drive - to - drive communication network 15 and to communicate with other elements of the control system over the industrial control network 14 . the system 10 of the prior art further includes an operator interface 18 , which may comprise a computer adapted to allow a user to configure the system 10 for various applications . in this system 10 , each drive 12 can transfer data between the controlling drive and drive followers by going directly through the drive - to - drive communication network 15 , however in the event of failure of this drive - to - drive communication network 15 or any drive 12 communication must be had with the system controller 22 by way of the industrial control network 14 . a physical break in either the industrial control network 14 or drive - to - drive communication network 15 can cause the complete system to fault and thereby halt the process it is currently operating . turning now to fig2 , a schematic diagram of a media access control unit ( macu ) 30 of the present invention includes a first communications module 32 and a second communications module 34 . each communication module 32 and 34 includes a transmitter 29 converting a outgoing electrical signals from the macu 30 to optical signals to be received by first optical fiber 35 a and 37 a , respectively , and a receiver 33 receiving optical signals from optical fiber 35 b and 37 b respectively to convert them to electrical signals communicated with the macu 30 . the macu 30 communicates with the mv drives 12 of the present invention to communicate data therewith . each macu 30 further includes a set of routing switches , 31 a , 31 b , 31 c , and 31 d . switch 31 d joins the output of receiver 33 in module 34 with the input of transmitter 29 in module 32 . switch 31 c joins the output of receiver 33 in module 32 with the input of transmitter 29 in module 33 . switch 31 b shunts the output of receiver 33 and the input of transmitter 29 in module 33 . likewise switch 31 a shunts the output of receiver 33 and input of transmitter 29 in module 32 . the switches 31 and receivers 33 and transmitters 29 may be directly connected devices , without the intermediary processing of computer circuitry and thus provide extremely low latency communication for example from fiber 35 b to fiber 35 a when switch 31 d is closed . as will be understood the fibers 35 may be replaced by copper conductors for lower speed operation . now referring to fig2 and 3 , and initially to fig2 , a plurality of macus 30 operably coupled to one another to form a dual ring network 42 . in the system 40 of the present invention , the second communications module 34 of each macu 30 ( for example in drive 12 b ) is coupled to the first communications module 32 of an adjacent macu 30 ( for example 12 c ) for each of modules 12 a , 12 b , 12 c , and 12 d to form a primary ring 44 . for each of these modules switches 31 d and 31 c are closed and switches 31 a and 31 b are open . for module 12 e , switch 31 a is closed and switch 31 d and 31 c are open terminating the primary ring 44 . the second communications module 34 of the module 12 e is then coupled to the first communications module 32 of module 12 a to create a secondary ring 46 . the electrical connections between each of the communication modules of the macus 30 are electrical switches contained in a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) that will change operating conditions of the system 40 depending on the configuration of the link . these switches aid in reducing the costs of the device by eliminating the need for optical switches between fiber optic transmitters and receivers . the configuration of the switches may be set by data communicated on dual ring network 42 from a link keeper as will be described . in normal operation of system 40 , data flows around the primary ring 44 , and the secondary ring 46 remains idle . when idle , the light source is removed by the macu transmitters thereby creating a digital high level at the adjoining receiver . preferably , system 40 initializes to this configuration automatically upon the application of power to the system 40 . the system 40 will preferably contain at least one mv drive 12 configured to operate as the link keeper 12 a and the remaining drives 12 will be designated as link followers 12 b . in addition , one of the link followers 12 b may be designated as a redundant link keeper 12 c . the redundant link keeper 12 c will generally operate as a link follower 12 b unless a failure of the link keeper 12 a is detected or the original link keeper 12 a requests to transfer its role to a link follower 12 b , upon which the redundant link keeper 12 c will be configured to take over operation as the link keeper until commanded to transfer the role of link keeper by either the end user of the system controller . in operation , the link keeper 12 a controls of the state of the routing switches 31 in each of the link followers 12 b - e . upon initialization the link keeper 12 a will have all of its switches 31 open and will only use the second communications module 34 for transmitting and receiving messages between the link followers 12 b on the primary link at 44 . all link followers 12 b - f excluding the final link follower 12 e will have switches 31 c and 31 d closed , effectively creating low latency repeaters along the primary ring 44 . depending on the type of fiber - optic used , this can allow a distance between drives in the order of kilometers . the last drive 12 e will have switch 31 a closed due to sensing an idle condition in the second communication module 34 , thus closing the entire primary ring 44 . turning now to fig4 , a break in the fiber optic cable 35 and / or 31 between modules 12 c and 12 d may occur compromising communication on the primary ring 44 . in response to this break , the system 40 of the present invention is automatically reconfigured by the link keeper 12 a or by devices 12 d and 12 e to communicate on the secondary ring 46 in order to reach the devices 12 d , and 12 e isolated by the break in the primary ring 44 . a break in the primary ring 44 is preferably detected by monitoring the electrical level of the receiver in the adjacent devices 12 c and 12 d for an idle condition . alternatively , a break in the ring is detected upon the failure to respond on the part of an adjacent link follower ( e . g . 12 d ) to a link keeper &# 39 ; s message . in this latter case the link keeper will turn on transmitter 37 in its second communication module 34 placing the secondary ring into an active state . device 12 e will detect this change in state and reconfigure its routing switches accordingly . as shown in fig4 , when the physical break is between devices 12 c and 12 d , upon detection , the final drive 12 e will open its switch 31 a and close switches 31 c and 31 d to allow throughput of data from the secondary ring to isolated device 12 d . in addition , it will then take its secondary ring transmitter out of the idle state . upon detecting this , the link keeper will then use both communication modules 32 and 34 for messaging . as such , the fourth drive 12 d will then assume the state of the last drive on the secondary ring 46 and open up switches 31 c and 31 d and close switch 31 b . the third drive 12 c now assumes the state of the last drive on the primary ring 44 will open switches 31 c , and 31 d and close switch 31 a , thus completing the primary ring 44 . now referring to fig5 , after the failure of a macu 30 the system 40 reconfigures itself as noted previously to communicate along the secondary ring 46 in order to bypass the failed macu 30 . in this case , the second drive 12 b will assume the state of the last follower on the primary ring 44 and open switches 31 c and 31 d and close switch 31 a . as before , the link keeper 12 a can close switches 31 c and 31 d for peer to peer messaging if supported . turning now to fig6 , if there is a failure of the link keeper 12 a , then assuming drive 12 b was designated as the redundant link keeper 12 c , the redundant link keeper 12 b takes over the operations of the link keeper 12 a automatically and the system 40 operates without interruption . in the illustrated scenario , only the primary ring 44 will be utilized . if there are any additional breaks or failures in the network , the network will fail as it cannot be reconfigured to use the secondary ring 46 . as such , a third optional communication module may be added to the system 40 as an external component . the addition of a third communication module would effectively disconnect the secondary ring 46 from the second communications module 34 in the original link keeper 12 a and switch it to the first communication module of the new redundant link keeper 12 c . preferably , such a configuration would comprise an optical switch . in addition , the system 40 the present invention may be configured to detect in the addition of a new drive 12 to the primary ring 44 . accordingly , the newly added drive 12 is provided with a location known to the system 40 and specifically to the link keeper 12 a and the redundant link keeper 12 b . during power up , each link follower will be assigned a node id and port id depending on their respective location to the link keeper . node ids and port ids differ in that node ids are used for addressing during messaging , and port ids are used for detecting the location of a physical break in the system 40 . as such , port ids are fixed after power on configuration , while node ids may change depending on a change in link keeper &# 39 ; s 12 a . in addition , all configuring and reconfiguring of the system 40 of the present invention is accomplished by the drives 12 themselves preferably , this occurs automatically , thus eliminating the need for system controller such as , for example , a plc , or through a set of commands coming from a system controller . it is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein , but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims .
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apparatus and methods for performing an audit of a transaction are provided . the transaction may involve an acceptance of a payment instrument by a merchant . the transaction may involve a credit , debit , prepaid , automated clearing house , or any suitable payment method involving the transfer of funds from one tp to another . the transaction may be a transaction in any state of completion . the transaction may be a prospective transaction . the prospective transaction may include the customer presenting the payment instrument to pay for the product . the prospective transaction may include the merchant collecting payment instrument information from the customer . the transaction may be a pending transaction . for example , a transaction may be pending prior to receiving authorization from the issuer . the transaction may be pending during a time between receiving the authorization and settlement . the transaction may be pending during a time prior to collection , by the issuer , of the purchase amount from the customer . the transaction may be an executed transaction . executing the transaction may include a first tp passing the transaction along to a second tp . an executed transaction may include a transaction that has been authorized and settled . the transaction may be associated with one or more tps providing transaction services . each transaction service may be performed by a tp . in some circumstances , a participant may perform more than one of the services . each participant may charge a fee for providing the service . the fee may be charged to one or more of the other participants ( as shown in fig1 ). table 2 shows illustrative tp types . more than one participant of a given type may be available to participate in the transaction . different participants of the same type may have advantages and / or disadvantages relative to the other participants of that type . for example , one issuer may be a member of a lending consortium while another is not a member , one transaction processing network may require payment of a relatively small interchange fee while another network may require payment of a relatively large interchange fee , and the like . the payment instrument may include a credit card and / or other forms of payment instruments . such other forms of payment instruments may include : cash , a check , a debit card , an instrument or device that includes a contactless chip , such as an iso14443 - compliant contactless chip , a smart phone , a tablet computer , a transponder or any other suitable electronic purchasing devices . payment instruments may store data in a magnetic strip , a bar code , a silicon chip , non - volatile computer readable media or any other suitable data storage device or format . the merchant may provide a point - of - sale (“ pos ”) terminal that is configured to receive data from , provide data to , or exchange data with the payment instrument . the payment instrument may be presented to the merchant by the customer as payment for the product . a transaction cost may be associated with acceptance , by the merchant , of the payment instrument as a form of payment . the transaction cost may be an acceptance cost associated with the payment instrument . the acceptance cost may include a fee a merchant pays to other tps . the fee may enable the merchant to accept a payment instrument as form of payment for a product . payment of the fee may enable the merchant to transmit / receive payments to / from a transaction network or acquirer associated with the payment instrument . a tp ( hereinafter “ tp ”) that pays transaction fees to other tps may impose a surcharge to recoup one or more transaction fees . the surcharge may correspond to an amount charged in addition to a product price . the surcharge may be associated with a particular payment instrument . the tp may impose the surcharge to generate a revenue stream . the tp may impose the surcharge on any other suitable tp . for example , the tp may impose the surcharge on a customer or acquirer . the surcharge may be defined by one or more surcharge attributes . the surcharge attribute may be any suitable attribute of the surcharge . for example , a surcharge amount may be a surcharge attribute . the surcharge amount may correspond to an amount charged by a tp to accept a payment instrument . the surcharge amount may be charged to a customer that pays for a product using the payment instrument . the surcharge amount may be charged to the customer by a merchant that accepts the payment instrument as a form of payment . the surcharge amount may correspond to all or a portion of the merchant discount paid by the merchant . the surcharge amount may be determined based on a percentage of the purchase amount . the surcharge amount may be determined based on a percentage of the transaction cost . the surcharge amount may be a flat fee . the surcharge amount may be a combination of a flat fee and a percentage of the purchase amount . the surcharge amount may be any suitable monetary amount . for example , a surcharge imposed by a merchant may be associated with surcharge attributes corresponding to a surcharge amount , a region , a mcc and a payment instrument . based on the surcharge attributes , a surcharge may be imposed on a purchase made within the region at the location associated with the mcc using the payment instrument . the surcharge attribute may include a surcharge fraction ( hereinafter “ sf ”). the surcharge amount may be determined based on the surcharge fraction . the surcharge amount may correspond to a fractional portion of the transaction cost . the surcharge amount may correspond to a fractional portion of the purchase amount . the fractional portion may be a product of the sf and the transaction cost . an exemplary sf may be defined by 0 ≦ sf ≦ 1 . for example , if the sf is 0 . 3 , the fractional portion may be approximately ⅓ of the transaction cost . the sf may be determined based on a performance metric . the sf may be associated with a transaction attribute . the sf may be one . when the sf is one , the surcharge may correspond to the entire transaction cost . the sf may be zero . a sf of zero may correspond to no imposition of a surcharge . when the sf is one , the customer may bear the transaction cost . when the sf is zero , the merchant may bear the transaction cost . when the sf is between zero and one , the transaction cost may be shared by the merchant and customer . the surcharge attribute may include a type of the payment instrument . the type of payment instrument may correspond to a brand associated with the payment instrument . the brand may correspond to a transaction processing network that processes transactions initiated using the payment instrument . the type of payment instrument may correspond to a product - type associated with the payment instrument . the product - type may correspond to a “ rewards card ” or other suitable features of the payment instrument . the tp may impose a surcharge based on specific attributes associated with the brand and / or product - type . the transaction may be associated with one or more transaction attributes . the transaction cost may be based on the one or more of the transaction attributes . the transaction record may include one or more surcharge attributes . a surcharge attribute may include one or more characteristics of a transaction attribute . a transaction record may be generated based on transaction attributes received and / or available at a time of purchase . each transaction record may include one or more fields . each field may include an attribute associated with the transaction . the attribute may be represented by a value . the value may be stored in the field of the transaction record . apparatus and methods may include one or more non - transitory computer - readable media storing computer - executable instructions . the computer executable instructions , when executed by a processor on a computer system , may perform a method for determining a surcharge compliance score . the methods may include receiving a surcharge compliance record (“ scr ”). the scr may be received from a mobile device . the methods may include receiving a proof - of - compliance record (“ pocr ”). the pocr may be received from the mobile device . the pocr may include proof of information in the scr . the methods may include determining a compliance score based on the scr and / or the pocr . the compliance score may be made available to the public . the compliance score may be posted on a website . the scr may include a plurality of compliance attributes . each compliance attribute may be represented by a value . the compliance attributes may correspond to a surcharge amount , a purchase amount , a payment instrument identifier , a merchant identifier or any suitable transaction attribute . the compliance attribute may correspond to a transaction attribute . for example , a customer may purchase a product from a merchant . the merchant may impose a surcharge on credit card transactions that occur at a merchant location . the merchant location may be any suitable location such as a “ brick and mortar ” location or an e - commerce website . after purchasing the product and paying the surcharge , the customer may report whether the surcharge was properly imposed on the transaction . to create the scr , the customer may open an application on a mobile device . the application may present a digital form to the customer . the application may present the digital form to the customer based on a detected location of the customer . for example , the location of the mobile device may indicate that the customer is at the detected location . based on the detected location , the customer may be prompted to complete the digital form . based on the detected location , the customer may not be prompted to enter a location where the transaction occurred . location information may be pre - filled in the form when the customer opens the form . as a further example , a customer may pay for a purchase by presenting credit card information stored on a mobile device . the mobile device may transmit the credit card information to a merchant &# 39 ; s point - of - sale device . after the customer confirms the transaction , the mobile device may prompt the customer to complete a scr . the mobile device may present the digital form to the customer . the digital form may prompt the customer to confirm whether the surcharge was properly determined . the digital form may prompt the customer to enter one or more surcharge attributes . the digital form may prompt the customer to confirm whether the merchant posted signs informing patrons that a surcharge will be imposed on a transaction . the customer may complete the digital form and transmit the form . by submitting the form , the customer may indicate that the merchant or other tp has properly imposed a surcharge . the digital form may include pre - filled information . the pre - filled information may include one or more transaction attributes . the pre - filled information may be determined based on a detected location of the mobile device . the pre - filled information may be determined based on a detected time , such as a time of submission of a completed form . in some embodiments , the customer may swipe a credit card , or other payment instrument , at a merchant &# 39 ; s point - of - sale terminal . in some embodiments , the customer may enter credit card information into an online form when checking out of an e - commerce website . the digital form may be presented to the customer as part of the checkout process . the digital form may display the maximum allowable surcharge and prompt the customer to confirm that the merchant has not imposed a surcharge greater than the maximum . the customer confirmation may be a compliance attribute . the form may be received by an entity that tracks surcharge compliance . the entity may be a tp such as an acquirer or a third party . to support the customer &# 39 ; s confirmation that the surcharge is proper , the pocr may be attached to the scr . the pocr may include an image , a location stamp , a time stamp or any suitable information . for example , the customer may photograph a sign posted by the merchant . the sign may display one or more surcharges currently in effect at a merchant location . the sign may display a surcharge that will be imposed at a future time . the customer may photograph a receipt issued by the merchant . the receipt may include one or more transaction attributes . for example , the receipt may include a payment instrument and surcharge amount imposed on the transaction . the methods may include identifying a segment of the image . the methods may include extracting information from the segment . the extracted information may correspond to a transaction attribute . for example , a customer may obtain an image of a receipt . the receipt image may include a plurality of segments . a segment may be demarcated by a label . the label may indicate what type of information may be obtained from the segment . if a segment includes a “ time ” label , a transaction attribute corresponding to a time value may be extracted from the segment . determining the compliance score may include comparing a compliance attribute of the scr to a transaction attribute extracted from a segment of the proof - of - compliance record . for example , a customer may assert in the scr , that at a specified merchant location , a surcharge has been properly imposed on a transaction . a segment of a receipt image may be identified . the segment may correspond to an address . the extracted address may be compared to the specified merchant location . the extracted address may confirm that the receipt was issued at the specified merchant location . the methods may include determining an authenticity score based on the comparing . the methods may include determining the compliance score preferably only when the authenticity score is above a threshold . determining the compliance score may include receiving a first surcharge attribute . the first surcharge attribute may be received from a tp or any suitable party . the methods may include comparing a second surcharge attribute to the first surcharge attribute . the second surcharge attribute may be extracted from a segment of the proof - of - compliance record . the second surcharge attribute may be extracted from a segment of the image . for example , the customer may assert in a scr that a merchant has imposed a proper surcharge amount to a transaction . a segment of a receipt image may be identified . a payment instrument type may be extracted from the segment . based on a set of surcharge rules the extracted payment instrument type may be identified as being surchargeable . based on a set of surcharge rules the extracted payment instrument type may be identified as being unsurchargeable . the set of surcharge rules may include one or more surcharge rules . a surcharge rule may be any requirement imposed on a transaction . the surcharge rule may be any rule that effects a determination of one or more surcharge attributes . the surcharge rule may be set by a tp or a third party such as a federal or state government . based on the extracted payment instrument type , the scr assertion may be corroborated . for example , credit cards may be surchargeable and debit cards may be unsurchargeable . if the customer submits a scr and the extracted payment instrument type corresponds to debit card , the scr may be disregarded . the methods may include determining the surcharge compliance score based on comparing the second surcharge attribute to the first surcharge attribute . when the first surcharge attribute corresponds to the second surcharge attribute , the surcharge indicated in the scr may be classified as “ compliant .” when the first surcharge attribute does not correspond to the second surcharge attribute , the surcharge indicated in the scr may be classified as “ non - compliant .” a compliant surcharge may be assigned a higher score than a non - compliant surcharge . a scr that is not corroborated by an attached pocr may be disregarded and may have no effect on the compliance score . determining the compliance score may include identifying a reported surcharge . the reported surcharge may be identified based on the scr and / or the pocr . the reported surcharge may be identified based on information extracted from the segment of an image . to identify the reported surcharge , the methods may include identifying a plurality of transaction attributes . the transaction attributes may be identified based on the scr and / or the pocr . the identified transaction attribute may correspond to a surcharge amount . the reported surcharge may include the identified surcharge amount . the methods may include determining a maximum allowable surcharge . the methods may include comparing the reported surcharge to the maximum surcharge . the compliance score may be determined based on whether the reported surcharge is greater than or less than the maximum surcharge . the maximum surcharge may be determined based on a transaction attribute . the maximum surcharge may be determined based on a set of surcharge rules . a transaction processing network may define a surcharge rules . a government agency may define surcharge rules . the surcharge rules may define one or more surcharge attributes . the maximum allowable surcharge may be determined based on a plurality of transaction attributes and the set of surcharge rules . exemplary transaction attributes may include a transaction location , payment instrument or a merchant category code (“ mcc ”). the methods may include adjusting a compliance rating . the compliance rating may be associated with a tp . the compliance rating may be associated with a merchant . the compliance rating may be associated with a merchant location . the compliance rating may be based on a plurality of compliance scores . the compliance rating may be determined based on the compliance score . the compliance rating may be published and made available to the public . for example , a merchant may submit an entry to an online surcharge registry . the entry may assert that the merchant will not surcharge transactions . customers may submit scrs confirming that the merchant does not surcharge . customers may submit scrs asserting that the merchant is imposing a surcharge . based on the submitted scrs , the merchant &# 39 ; s compliance rating may be adjusted . if the scrs confirm that the merchant is not surcharging , the merchant may receive a first compliance rating . if the scrs indicate that the merchant is surcharging the merchant may be assigned a second compliance rating . the adjustment to the compliance rating may depend on a number of scr received . the adjustment to the compliance rating may depend on corroborating information included in a number of pocrs attached to the scrs . apparatus may include an article of manufacture that includes a non - transitory computer usable medium . the computer usable medium may have computer readable program code embodied therein . the program code , when executed by a processor may cause a computer to certify a surcharge behavior . the surcharge behavior may be exhibited by a tp . monitoring the surcharge behavior may include tracking one or more surcharge attributes associated with a surcharge . for example , monitoring the surcharge behavior may include monitoring the surcharge fraction imposed by a merchant on one or more payment instrument transactions . the surcharge behavior may correspond to a surcharge schedule . the surcharge schedule may be implemented by a tp . for example , a merchant may impose the surcharge schedule on customers that shop at one or more merchant locations . the one or more merchant locations may be “ brick and mortar ” locations , online locations , mobile locations or any suitable location . for example , a merchant may deploy sales agents at a location . the location may be a trade show , an entertainment event , a political rally or other temporary venues . the merchant may process transactions at the temporary venue using a mobile device . the merchant may offer special or promotional pricing scheme at the temporary venue . the promotional pricing may include no surcharging at the temporary venue . the surcharge behavior at the temporary venue may be associated with a transaction attribute corresponding to a geographic region . the surcharge behavior at the temporary venue may be associated with a transaction attribute corresponding to a mobile device configured to process transactions at the temporary venue . the surcharge schedule may include imposing the surcharge at a designated time . the schedule may include defining a price of a product if payment is made by a payment instrument . the schedule may indicate a “ turn on ” time and a “ turn off ” time associated with the surcharge . the merchant may “ turn on ” a surcharge during morning hours , “ turn off ” the surcharge during afternoon hours and “ turn on ” the surcharge during evening hours . the merchant &# 39 ; s surcharge behavior may correspond to the surcharge schedule . the surcharge behavior may be monitored during a time period . the program code may cause the computer to receive a transaction record from a merchant . the program code may cause the computer to determine a maximum surcharge . the maximum surcharge may be determined based on the transaction record . the maximum surcharge may be determined based on one or more transaction attributes of the transaction record . the maximum surcharge may be determined based on a plurality of transaction attributes . the plurality of transaction attributes may include a location , a time , a payment instrument or any suitable transaction attribute . the program code may cause the computer to identify a payment instrument attribute within the received transaction record . the program code may cause the computer to determine a transaction cost associated with the payment instrument attribute . the program code may cause the computer to determine the maximum surcharge based on the transaction cost . the program code may cause the computer to receive a surcharge schedule from the merchant . the program code may cause the computer to identify a plurality of payment instruments associated with the surcharge schedule . the program code may cause the computer to determine the maximum surcharge based on a plurality of transaction costs . each of the transaction costs may be associated with one of the plurality of payment instruments . each transaction cost may be set by a transaction processing network affiliated with the corresponding payment instrument . for example , a merchant may accept payment instruments associated with four transaction processing networks . a surcharge rule may state that a merchant not impose a surcharge that is greater than a transaction cost associated with any one of the four transaction processing networks . the transaction cost may be the lowest cost transaction processing network . the maximum surcharge may be determined based on the transaction cost corresponding to the lowest cost payment instrument . as a further example , a first surcharge rule may state that a merchant may not treat payment instrument “ a ” different than a debit card transaction . government regulations may forbid the merchant from imposing a surcharge on debit card transactions . a second surcharge rule may state that the merchant may not treat payment instrument “ b ” different than payment instrument “ a .” the merchant may violate the first surcharge rule and impose a surcharge on transactions associated with payment instrument “ a .” because the merchant violated the first surcharge rule , the merchant will not violate the second surcharge rule if the merchant imposes a surcharge on transactions associated with payment instrument “ b .” apparatus and methods may be configured to ignore surcharge violations resulting from a violation of the first surcharge rule . apparatus and methods may be configured to identify surcharge violations associated with the second surcharge rule . as yet a further example , the merchant may select a first transaction processing network to route a transaction . the transaction cost charged by the first transaction processing may allow the merchant to charge the greatest surcharge amount . the merchant &# 39 ; s selection of the first transaction processing network may be based on violating one or more terms of an agreement with a second transaction processing network . apparatus and methods may be configured to ignore surcharge violations resulting from a violation of an agreement between the merchant and the second transaction processing network . apparatus and methods may be configured to ignore surcharge violations resulting from a violation of an agreement between the merchant and a tp other than the customer . apparatus and methods may be configured to identify surcharge violations resulting from a violation of an agreement between the merchant and the customer . the program code may cause the computer to identify a payment instrument attribute within the received transaction record . the program code may cause the computer to determine a transaction cost associated with the payment instrument attribute . the program code may cause the computer to determine the maximum surcharge based on the transaction cost . for example , the payment instrument attribute may correspond to a payment instrument associated with a transaction processing network . illustrative payment instrument attributes are shown below in table 6 . the program code may cause the computer to determine an imposed surcharge . the imposed surcharge may be determined based on the transaction record . the program code may cause the computer to compare the maximum surcharge to the imposed surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to transmit a surcharge certification . the surcharge certification may be transmitted when the imposed surcharge is less than the maximum surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to print the surcharge certification . the surcharge certification may be printed on a receipt . the receipt may be issued to a customer . for example , a printed surcharge certification may state : “ the surcharge amount displayed on this receipt is certified compliant by tp ‘ a .’” the program code may cause the computer to display a barcode . the barcode may be a two - dimensional barcode . the barcode may be a quick response (“ qr ”) code or any other suitable barcode . the two - dimensional barcode may encode the surcharge certification . the two - dimensional barcode may be readable by a mobile device . the two - dimensional barcode may convey that the receipt includes a certified surcharge amount . the two - dimensional barcode may convey that the receipt includes a surcharge amount that has been certified by a tp or third party audit . the program code may cause the computer to monitor a number of surcharge certifications associated with the merchant . a surcharge certification may be issued for each transaction that complies with a set of surcharge rules . the program code may cause the computer to monitor a number of transactions associated with the merchant . the number may correspond to transactions processed by a tp during a pre - determined time period . the computer may determine whether each transaction processed by the tp meets a requirement for a surcharge certification . the program code may cause the computer to determine a compliance score based on the number of certifications . the program code may cause the computer to determine a compliance score . the compliance score may be based on a ratio of the number of surcharge certifications issued and the number of transactions . the compliance score may reflect a compliance rate of a tp with the set of surcharge rules . the program code may cause the computer to upload the compliance score to a website . the program code may cause the computer to display the compliance score on the website . the program code may cause the computer to receive a receipt . the receipt may be a transaction record . the receipt may be issued by a tp . the receipt may be issued by a merchant as a proof of purchase . the receipt may include a surcharge amount . the surcharge amount may correspond to an amount of funds paid by the customer for using a specific payment instrument to pay for the purchase . the program code may cause the computer to determine a transaction cost . the transaction cost may be determined based on the received transaction record . the program code may cause the computer to compare the transaction cost to the surcharge amount . a first surcharge rule may require that a surcharge amount not be greater than a transaction cost associated with a payment instrument . a second surcharge rule may require that a surcharge amount not be greater than a maximum surcharge amount . the maximum surcharge amount may be less than the transaction cost . the program code may cause the computer to transmit the surcharge certification when the surcharge amount is less than the transaction cost , and the surcharge amount is less than the maximum surcharge . apparatus may include an article of manufacture comprising a non - transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein . the program code , when executed by a processor may cause a computer to generate a surcharge compliance report . the program code may cause the computer to receive a request for a surcharge compliance report . the request may be received from a mobile device . the compliance report may include the compliance rating . the compliance report may include the compliance score . the compliance report may include an assessment of a tp &# 39 ; s surcharge behavior . the compliance report may include a current surcharge imposed at a merchant location . the program code may cause the computer to determine a location of the mobile device . the location may be determined based on a gps signal received by the mobile device . the location may be determined based on signal triangulation . the program code may cause the computer to correlate the location to a plurality of merchant locations . for example , a merchant may be required to register with a central authority prior to imposing surcharge . the merchant may submit to the central authority merchant locations where a surcharge will be imposed on transactions . based on the location determined by the mobile device , the computer may determine if the mobile device is at a registered location . the program code may cause the computer to receive a confirmation from the mobile device . the confirmation may correspond to at least one of the plurality of merchant locations . for example , the mobile device may be in a vicinity of multiple registered locations . each registered location may be associated with a different merchant . the mobile device may be located in mall that includes a plurality of registered locations . in response to a request for a surcharge compliance report , the mobile device may receive a list of registered merchant locations . the list may include the plurality of merchant locations . a user of the mobile device may select one of the registered locations . the user of the mobile device may sort the list of registered locations . the list may be sorted from highest surcharge to lowest surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to generate a surcharge compliance report associated with the at least one of the plurality of merchant locations . the compliance report may be generated for the selected merchant location . the program code may cause the computer to transmit the surcharge compliance report to the mobile device . the request may include a plurality of surcharge attributes . each surcharge attribute may be associated with one of the plurality of payment instruments . the plurality of payment instruments may be stored on the mobile device . the surcharge compliance report may include a plurality of compliance scores . each of the compliance scores may be associated with a merchant . each of the compliance scores may be associated with a merchant and one of the plurality of payment instruments . for example , the mobile device may store information corresponding to three payment instruments . a user of the mobile device may pay for a purchase by transmitting payment instrument information to a point - of - sale device of a merchant . the user may wish to receive a compliance report that includes information relating to each of the three payment instruments held by the user . the user may wish to receive a report that includes a compliance score or compliance rating corresponding to a merchant &# 39 ; s surcharge behavior with respect to at least one of the three payment instruments . the program code may cause the computer to receive a surcharge compliance rating from the mobile device . for example , the user of the mobile device may submit a scr and / or pocr in response to receiving a surcharge compliance report . the user may wish to confirm that the merchant is properly applying a surcharge . the user may wish to inform the central authority of an irregularity in a surcharge behavior of a merchant . the irregularity may correspond to a surcharge violation . when a request for a surcharge compliance report is a first request , a response to a second request for the surcharge compliance report may be based on the surcharge compliance rating . for example , a surcharge compliance report may include an option for the viewer to submit feedback on the report . when a user of the mobile device transmits feedback to the surcharge compliance report , a subsequent surcharge compliance report may be based on the feedback received from the user . the feedback may include reporting a surcharge violation . the feedback may include reporting surcharge compliance . apparatus may include an article of manufacture comprising a non - transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein . the code when executed by a processor causes a computer to determine a maximum surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to receive a transaction record from a merchant . in response to receiving the transaction record , the program code may cause the computer to receive a first surcharge from a first transaction processing network . in response to receiving the transaction record , the program code may cause the computer to receive a second surcharge from a second transaction processing network . the first and second surcharges may be received from a transaction broker . the first surcharge may be the largest magnitude surcharge that may be imposed under a surcharge rule imposed by the first transaction network . the second surcharge may be the largest magnitude surcharge that may be imposed under a surcharge rule imposed by the second transaction network . the program code may cause the computer to compare the first surcharge to the second surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to set the maximum surcharge equal to the first surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to set the maximum surcharge equal to the first surcharge when the first surcharge is greater than the second surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to set the maximum surcharge equal to the second surcharge . the program code may cause the computer to set the maximum surcharge equal to the second surcharge when the second surcharge is greater than the first surcharge . in response to receiving the transaction record , the program code may cause the computer to receive a plurality of surcharges . the plurality of surcharges may be received from a plurality of transaction processing networks . each surcharge included in the plurality of surcharges may be the largest magnitude surcharge allowed by a corresponding transaction processing network . the plurality of surcharges may be received from a transaction broker . the program code may cause the computer to rank the plurality of surcharges . the plurality of surcharges may be ranked in order of magnitude . the magnitude may include a surcharge fraction . the magnitude may include a fixed fee . the program code may cause the computer to select the surcharge having the greatest magnitude . the program code may cause the computer to set the maximum surcharge equal to the surcharge having the greatest magnitude . apparatus and methods for reporting a surcharge violation are provided . the surcharge violation may correspond to an imposed surcharge that does not follow a surcharge rule . the surcharge rule may be one of a set of surcharge rules . the surcharge rule may be set by a tp , such as a transaction processing network . for example , the surcharge rule may state that all payment instruments accepted by a merchant must be identically surcharged . the surcharge rule may state that credit card transactions may only be surcharged in the same manner as a debit card transaction . the surcharge rule may state that an imposed surcharge not exceed a transaction cost associated with a payment instrument used in the transaction . the surcharge rule may be any suitable surcharge rule . the surcharge rule may be set by a government or a government agency . for example , a state may pass a law that forbids imposing a surcharge on credit card transactions . the surcharge violation may correspond to a surcharge being imposed on a credit card transaction in the state . a federal government may pass a law that forbids imposing a surcharge on a debit card transaction . the method may include receiving an image of a transaction receipt . the image may be received from a mobile device . the method may include determining one or more surcharge attributes . the one or more surcharge attributes may correspond to a location , a time , a total surcharge amount , a surcharge fraction , a fixed fee , a purchase amount , a payment instrument , a merchant or any suitable surcharge attribute . determining the one or more surcharge attributes may include extracting information from the image . the information may be extracted from a segment of the image . the information may correspond to a payment instrument identifier , a merchant identifier , a surcharge amount , a purchase amount or any suitable information . for example , a customer may purchase a product through an e - commerce website of a merchant . the merchant may transmit an electronic receipt to the customer . the electronic receipt may include a surcharge amount imposed on the transaction . the surcharge amount may be extracted from the electronic receipt . the method may include comparing at least one surcharge attribute to at least one surcharge reference value . the method may include identifying the surcharge violation based on the comparing . the comparing may include comparing at least three of the surcharge attributes to at least three surcharge reference values . the one or more or more surcharge reference values may correspond to a first surcharge cap . the first surcharge cap may be associated with a payment instrument identifier . the first surcharge cap may be based on a transaction cost associated with the payment instrument identifier . the one or more or more surcharge reference values may correspond to a second surcharge cap . the second surcharge cap may be associated with a merchant identifier . the first and second surcharge caps may be set by a one or more surcharge rules . the first and second surcharge caps may be set by one or more government regulations or laws . a surcharge reference value may correspond to a maximum surcharge . the maximum surcharge may be defined by one or more surcharge rules . the maximum surcharge may be equal to the lesser of the first surcharge cap or the second surcharge cap . the maximum surcharge may include a surcharge fraction . the maximum surcharge may include a fixed fee . the surcharge reference value may correspond to a maximum surcharge amount . the maximum surcharge amount may be determined based on the maximum surcharge and the purchase amount . for example , when the maximum surcharge corresponds to a surcharge fraction , the maximum surcharge amount may be a product of the surcharge fraction and the purchase amount . the comparing may include comparing the maximum surcharge amount to the surcharge amount . the surcharge violation may be identified when the surcharge amount exceeds the maximum surcharge amount . a surcharge amount that exceeds the maximum surcharge amount may violate one or more surcharge rules . the method may include receiving a surcharge notice . the surcharge notice may be received from a merchant , an acquirer or any suitable tp or third party . the methods may include determining an advertised surcharge . the advertised surcharge may be determined based on information contained in the surcharge notice . the surcharge notice may include one or more attributes of an advertised surcharge . for example , the surcharge notice may include a surcharge schedule . the surcharge schedule may include one or more surcharges imposed during a period of time . the surcharge notice may include a surcharge fraction associated with each surcharge . the surcharge notice may include a time when each surcharge may be imposed . the surcharge notice may include a payment instrument that may trigger imposition of a surcharge . the method may include comparing the advertised surcharge to one or more surcharge reference values . the method may include identifying the surcharge violation based on the comparing . the surcharge violation may correspond to an imposed surcharge that is different from the advertised surcharge . the advertised and imposed surcharge may differ with respect to any suitable surcharge attribute . for example , an imposed surcharge may include a fixed fee that is greater than the fixed fee associated with the advertised surcharge . the imposed surcharge may have been imposed on a transaction during a time period when the advertised surcharge would not have been imposed . as a further example , the imposed surcharge may have been imposed on a payment instrument that is not associated with the advertised surcharge . the method may include transmitting the surcharge violation to a tp . for example , the surcharge violation may be transmitted to a customer . upon being informed of the surcharge violation the customer may be offered an option to abort the transaction . the method may include transmitting a disable signal in response to a surcharge violation . for example , when a surcharge violation is detected , a disable signal may be transmitted to the device that detected and / or transmitted the surcharge violation . the device may be a point - of - sale device . the device may be any suitable device for determining a surcharge . the disable signal may prevent operation of the device . a device that receives a disable signal may be re - enabled when a method for determining the surcharge has been corrected . the method may include monitoring a number of surcharge violations . the number of surcharge violations may be associated with a tp . for example , the number of surcharge violations may be associated with a merchant . the number of surcharge violations may be associated with a network of merchant locations . the number of surcharge violations may be associated with a checkout lane in a merchant location . the number of surcharge violations may be associated with a credit card transactions submitted via an e - commerce website . the method may include determining a surcharge violation score . the surcharge violation score may be determined based on the number of surcharge violations . the surcharge violation score may be determined based on a ratio . the ratio may correspond to a ratio of the number of surcharge violations and a total number of transactions . the ratio may represent a number of surcharge violations per transaction . the surcharge violation score may represent a likelihood that a transaction will include a surcharge violation . the method may include adjusting a transaction cost . the transaction cost may be adjusted based on the number of surcharge violations . the transaction cost may correspond to a merchant discount . for example , if a merchant generates a large number of surcharge violations over a period of time , a transaction processing network may raise the transaction cost charged to the merchant to process the merchant &# 39 ; s transactions . apparatus may include an article of manufacture comprising a non - transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein . the program code when executed by a processor may cause a computer to register a surcharge violation . the surcharge violation may be registered with a central authority . a registered surcharge violation may be published . a registered surcharge violation may be posted on a website . the program code may cause the computer to receive a surcharge violation notice . the scr may include the surcharge violation notice . the violation notice may be transmitted from a mobile device . the surcharge violation notice may be transmitted by a customer that has been surcharged . the surcharge violation notice may include one or more surcharge attributes . the surcharge violation notice may indicate why a surcharge is in violation . a surcharge violation indication may be selectable for review by the surcharged customer . the surcharge violation notice may include a receipt . the surcharge violation notice may include an image . the image may include a sign displaying one or more surcharge attributes . the image may include a transaction receipt . the second location may correspond to a street address . the street address may be extracted from the receipt . the program code may cause the computer to determine a distance . the distance may correspond to distance between a first location and a second location . the first location may be determined by a mobile device . the second location may be a point of reference associated with a merchant location . the second location may be derived from the surcharge violation notice . the first location may correspond to a global positioning system (“ gps ”) coordinate . the first location may be determined by the mobile device at a time an image is captured by the mobile device . the first location may correspond to a location stamp associated with the image . the first location may be determined by the mobile device simultaneous to payment instrument information transmission . the payment instrument information may be transmitted from a mobile device to a point - of - sale terminal of the merchant . for example , the first location may be a longitude / latitude coordinate . the coordinate may be determined at a time a customer obtains one or more surcharge attributes . the customer may obtain a surcharge attribute by photographing a displayed surcharge . the surcharge may be displayed on a transaction receipt . the surcharge may be displayed on a sign proximate to a merchant location . the surcharge may be displayed on a website . the program code may cause the computer to register the surcharge violation . the surcharge violation may be registered when the distance between the first location and the second location is less than a threshold value . when the distance is less than the threshold value , the surcharge violation notice may be associated with a merchant location . for example , the threshold value may correspond to a radius extending from the second location . the radius may extend from a merchant location . when the first location determined by the mobile device is within the radius , the first location may be in or near the merchant location . being in or near the merchant location may provide corroboration that the surcharge violation notice is likely associated with the merchant location . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to receive a surcharge violation notice . the surcharge violation notice may be transmitted from a mobile device . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to generate a surcharge record . the surcharge record may be generated based on the surcharge violation notice . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a surcharge violation . the surcharge violation may be identified based on the surcharge record . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify the surcharge violation based on comparing one or more attributes of the surcharge record to one or more surcharge reference values . the surcharge violation notice may include an image . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a plurality of segments in the image . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine one or more surcharge attributes based on information extracted from the one or more of the plurality of segments . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify the surcharge violation by comparing the one or more attributes of the surcharge record to one or more surcharge reference values . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to register the surcharge violation when the one or more attributes of the surcharge record do not correspond to one or more of the surcharge reference values . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to compare a location associated with the surcharge violation notice to a merchant location . the merchant location may be submitted by the merchant . the merchant may submit a list of locations at which surcharging may occur . the list may be submitted to the central authority . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a surcharge rule . the surcharge rule may be in effect during a time associated with the surcharge violation notice . the time may be a time stamp associated with the surcharge violation notice . the time stamp may be determined by the mobile device . the time stamp may be determined at a time that the surcharge attribute is obtained . the time stamp may be determined at a time an image of the surcharge is captured by the mobile device . one exemplary surcharge rule may include imposing a surcharge based on a payment instrument attribute . for example , the surcharge rule may only forbid imposing a surcharge on a rewards card associated with a particular transaction processing network . another surcharge rule may forbid imposing a surcharge on a payment instrument based on the issuer associated with the payment instrument . another surcharge rule may forbid imposing a surcharge on a debit card or a prepaid card . another surcharge rule may forbid imposing a surcharge in a geographic location . the geographic location may correspond to a zip code , state borders , an area code or any suitable geographic region . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to register the surcharge violation when the location is within a predetermined distance of the merchant location and the one or more of the surcharge attributes do not conform to the surcharge rule . the surcharge violation may correspond to an improper surcharge amount . a surcharge amount may be improper if it results in a breach of an agreement with one or more tps . the surcharge violation may correspond to an incentive offered at a point - of - sale . the incentive may include a discount on the purchase price if payment is made using an alternative payment method . the incentive may include offering a variable surcharge that is dependent on the issuer associated a payment instrument . the surcharge violation may be a surcharge that violates a law . the surcharge violation may correspond to placement of a sign . disclosure requirements associated with a surcharge may require that a merchant inform patrons of a surcharge before the patrons enter a merchant location . disclosure requirements may require that a merchant inform patrons of a surcharge at a point - of - sale . a customer may photograph an entrance to a merchant location . the photograph may show that there is no surcharge signage present at the entrance . a photograph of a point - of - sale may show that the surcharge displayed at the point - of - sale differs from a surcharge charged to the customer . the surcharge violation may correspond to a double surcharge . for example a surcharge rule may state that a single surcharge may be imposed on a transaction . the tp may impose two surcharges on a transaction . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to transmit the surcharge violation to an online registry . the registry may form a repository of surcharge violations . the registry may include surcharge violations associated with a plurality of tps . the registry may be searchable . a user may search the registry for surcharge violations associated with a tp , such as a merchant or issuer . a user may search the registry for surcharge violations based on a transaction attribute such as a payment instrument , a location or a time . a user may search the registry for surcharge violations based on any suitable criteria . apparatus and methods for performing an audit of a transaction record are provided . apparatus may include an article of manufacture comprising a non - transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein . the program code when executed by a processor may cause a computer to audit the transaction record . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to receive the transaction record . the transaction record may be transmitted from a tp . the transaction record may be transmitted from a merchant . the transaction record may be transmitted from an acquirer . the transaction record may be transmitted from a mobile device . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a surcharge attribute . the surcharge attribute may be determined based on the one or more transaction attributes . the transaction record may include the one or more transaction attributes . the transaction record may include the surcharge attribute . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to compare the surcharge attribute to a surcharge reference value . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to detect a surcharge violation . the surcharge violation may be detected when the surcharge attribute does not correspond to the surcharge reference value . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a payment instrument identifier . the payment instrument identifier may be included in the transaction record . the payment instrument identifier may correspond to a particular payment instrument . the payment instrument identifier may correspond to a payment instrument brand or product . a merchant identifier may be identified in the transaction record . the merchant identifier may correspond to a merchant . the merchant identifier may correspond to merchant location . the merchant identifier may correspond to a mcc . a purchase amount may be identified in the transaction record . the purchase amount may correspond to a sub - total . the sub - total may not include a surcharge amount . a surcharge amount may be identified in the transaction record . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a first surcharge - cap associated with the payment instrument identifier . the first surcharge - cap may correspond to a transaction cost associated with the payment instrument identifier . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a second surcharge - cap associated with the merchant identifier . the second surcharge - cap may correspond to a transaction cost associated with the merchant . the second surcharge - cap may correspond to a transaction cost associated with a transaction processing network . for example , the second surcharge - cap may correspond to a product of 1 . 8 and the sum of : ( 1 ) an average interchange rate ( e . g ., 1 . 2 %, 2 %, ( 2 %+ 10 ¢), etc . . . . ), charged by the transaction processing network and ( 2 ) average network fees ( e . g ., 5 ¢, $ 1 , $ 1 . 25 , etc . . . . ) charged by the transaction processing network . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a maximum surcharge . the maximum surcharge may equal the lesser of the first surcharge - cap and the second surcharge - cap . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a maximum surcharge amount based on the maximum surcharge and the purchase amount . for example , the maximum surcharge amount may include a sum of a fixed fee and the purchase amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to detect the surcharge violation when the surcharge amount is greater than the maximum surcharge amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine whether a plurality of stored transaction records include the surcharge violation . the plurality of stored transaction records may be previously executed transactions . the plurality of stored transactions may be pending transactions . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a correlation between two more stored transaction records . the correlation may be determined using any suitable technique . for example , the one or more transaction attributes may be linearly , or non - linearly , regressed upon the surcharge violation , modeled on the surcharge violation , predicted from the surcharge violation or estimated from the surcharge violation . the correlation may be performed utilizing a multivariate statistical model or a neural network . the correlation may include determining a correlation coefficient that indicates a degree of correlation between a transaction attribute and the surcharge violation . each stored transaction record may include the surcharge violation . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a surcharge violation pattern based on the correlation . the computer may identify a pattern among the plurality of stored transaction records . the pattern may suggest a trend . the pattern may represent a statistical relationship . the pattern may be used to derive a performance metric . for example , based on a correlation the computer may determine that within a geographic region , the surcharge violation is correlated with a purchase of a particular item purchased at a specific time of day . each stored transaction record that “ fits ” into the pattern may be more likely to include a surcharge violation than other transaction records . as a further example , based on a correlation the computer may determine that , when a payment processing device is used to calculate a surcharge , the surcharge is likely to be calculated incorrectly . the manufacturer and users of the device may be timely informed of the surcharge calculation error associated with the payment processing device . the surcharge registry may be updated based on the detecting of a surcharge violation . the surcharge registry may maintain a list of each surcharge violation detected . the surcharge registry may maintain an association linking the surcharge violation to one or more transaction attributes . for example , the registry may link a surcharge violation to a merchant location where the transaction occurred . the registry may link a surcharge violation to a payment instrument or to a customer . the surcharge registry may include the correlation and / or patterns derived from the correlation . the registry may display a graphical representation of the correlation and / or patterns . the registry may display the graphical representation in response to a query . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a surcharge violation pattern . the surcharge violation pattern may be determined based on a plurality of surcharge violations included in the surcharge registry . the surcharge registry may include a plurality of surcharge violations . each surcharge violation may be associated with a different transaction attribute . the pattern may correspond to a transaction attribute that is likely to be associated with a surcharge violation . the pattern may correspond to a surcharge violation that is likely to be associated with a transaction attribute . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine a refund amount . the refund amount may be associated with a transaction record . the refund amount may be associated with a transaction record that includes a surcharge violation . for example , a surcharge violation may involve a merchant charging a customer a surcharge amount that exceeds a maximum . the refund amount may correspond to a difference between the maximum allowable surcharge amount and the surcharge amount charged by the merchant . the surcharge violation may correspond to a surcharge amount that is in breach of an agreement with one or more tps . the surcharge violation may correspond to a double surcharge . the double surcharge may occur when a merchant imposes two surcharges on a single transaction . as a further example , a double surcharge may result from a failure of the merchant to correctly calculate a surcharge refund due when an item is returned to the merchant . a customer may purchase two or more items in a transaction . the customer may pay a surcharge based on a total purchase amount . at a later time , the customer may return one of the items purchased . a surcharge rule may require that the merchant return a pro - rata portion of the surcharge in addition to the price of the returned item . a failure of the merchant to return the pro - rata portion of the surcharge may result in a double surcharge violation . if the purchase is processed as a single transaction the merchant may only charge one surcharge . the refund amount may correspond to the surcharge imposed on the extra transaction . the extra transaction may be the transaction that occurs first in time . the extra transaction may be the transaction that occurs second in time . the extra transaction may be the transaction associated with a greater surcharge than the other transaction . the extra transaction may be the transaction associated with a lesser surcharge than the other transaction . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to transmit a surcharge violation notice . the surcharge violation notice may be transmitted to a point - of - sale terminal . the surcharge violation may be transmitted to a point - of - sale terminal in response to a detection of the surcharge violation . the surcharge violation notice may inform a customer at the point - of - sale that a surcharge violation has been detected . the customer may be offered an option to abort the transaction . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to waive the surcharge in response to the detection of the surcharge violation . for example , a merchant may program a surcharge calculation device to waive a surcharge if a surcharge violation is detected when calculating the surcharge . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to transmit a transaction denial notice . the denial notice may inform a tp that a surcharge amount will not be charged to a customer account associated with the payment instrument . the denial notice may be transmitted in response to detection of the surcharge violation . when a surcharge violation is detected the issuer may authorize the purchase amount exclusive of the surcharge amount . the surcharge amount may be denied . when a surcharge violation is detected the issuer may deny the entire transaction . the surcharge violation notice may include the denial notice . in response to detection of a surcharge violation , a tp may restrict an ability of the merchant who imposed the wrongful surcharge to process transactions . the restriction may be imposed for a time period . a certification process may be required to remove the restriction . the certification process may include the merchant submitting to a transaction audit . the transaction audit may be performed prior to transmitting a transaction record for authorization . the transaction audit may be performed prior to authorizing the transaction . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to associate the transaction record with the surcharge violation . the transaction record may be associated with the surcharge violation when the surcharge attribute corresponds to a geographic location and the geographic location is within a jurisdiction that forbids imposing a surcharge on a credit card transaction . when the surcharge attribute corresponds to a jurisdiction that forbids imposing a surcharge , the surcharge amount may be denied . when the surcharge attribute corresponds to a jurisdiction that forbids imposing a surcharge , the purchase amount may be denied . apparatus may include an article of manufacture comprising a non - transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein . the program code when executed by a processor may cause a computer to perform a surcharge violation audit . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a first plurality of transaction records . the first plurality of transaction records may include one or more records associated with a first surcharge violation . each record in the plurality of records may be associated with the first surcharge violation . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a second plurality of transaction . one or more records in the second plurality may be associated with a second surcharge violation . each record in the second plurality may be associated with the second surcharge violation . the second plurality of transaction records may be a subset of the first plurality of transaction records . one or more records in the second plurality may be associated with the first and the second surcharge violations . when the first surcharge violation is detected in a plurality of records , it may be likely that the plurality of transaction records also include a second surcharge violation . a correlation may be determined that associates the first surcharge violation with the second surcharge violation . when the first surcharge violation is detected in a plurality of transaction records , the correlation may show that it is likely that the plurality also includes the second surcharge violation . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to generate a plurality of surcharge records . the surcharge records may be generated based on the first plurality of transaction records . each surcharge record may include a first surcharge attribute . each surcharge record may include a second surcharge attribute . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify the first surcharge violation . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify the second surcharge violation . the first surcharge violation may be identified if the first surcharge attribute does not correspond to a first surcharge reference value . the second surcharge violation may be identified if the second surcharge attribute does not correspond to a second surcharge reference value . the first and / or second surcharge violation may correspond to a surcharge that is in breach of an agreement with a tp . the first and / or second surcharge violation may correspond to a double surcharge . the first and / or second surcharge violation may correspond to a surcharge amount that is determined based on an unauthorized surcharge fraction . the surcharge fraction may be unauthorized with respect to the payment instrument , the merchant or with respect to any suitable transaction attribute . the surcharge fraction may be unauthorized because it is associated with a surcharge amount that exceeds a maximum . apparatus may include an article of manufacture comprising a non - transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein , the code when executed by a processor may cause a computer to perform a chargeback audit . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to receive a chargeback record . the chargeback record may be generated when a customer requests a refund for a purchase amount previously charged to an account associated with a payment instrument . the chargeback record may be generated when a customer attempts to a return a purchased item to a merchant . the chargeback record may be generated when an acquirer attempts to obtain funds from an issuer and / or transaction processing network . the chargeback record may include one or more features of the transaction record . the chargeback record may include a chargeback amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine the chargeback amount . the chargeback amount may correspond to a refund amount requested by a customer . the chargeback amount may correspond to a refund amount entitled to be credited to a customer account . the chargeback record may include one or more chargeback attributes . a chargeback attribute may correspond to a transaction attribute . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a surcharge associated with the chargeback record . the computer may identify the surcharge based on detecting one or more chargeback attributes . for example , a chargeback attribute may correspond to a barcode associated with a purchased product . the barcode may be scanned when the customer returns the product . based on the barcode , a transaction record may be identified . the transaction record may correspond to a purchase of the product . the transaction record may include one or more surcharge attributes associated with the purchase . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to calculate a surcharge refund . the surcharge refund may correspond to a surcharge amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine whether the chargeback amount includes the surcharge refund . when a product is returned to a merchant , the computer may determine whether the customer has received a refund of the surcharge amount charged at the time of purchase . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a transaction record corresponding to the chargeback record . the corresponding transaction record may include transaction attributes available at the time of the purchase . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify in the corresponding transaction record , a purchase amount , and a surcharge amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to associate the chargeback record with a surcharge violation when the chargeback amount does not correspond to a sum of ( a ) the purchase amount and ( b ) the surcharge amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a geographic value in the corresponding transaction record . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine if the geographic value corresponds to a jurisdiction that forbids imposing a surcharge on a credit card transaction . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to associate the corresponding transaction record with a surcharge violation when the geographic value corresponds to the jurisdiction , and the corresponding transaction record includes a surcharge amount . when the corresponding transaction record includes the surcharge amount , a surcharge had been imposed on the transaction at the time of purchase . because the corresponding transaction record indicates that the transaction occurred in a jurisdiction that forbids surcharging , under the law of the jurisdiction the surcharge is unlawful . when the corresponding transaction record is associated with a surcharge error , the computer may determine a surcharge refund amount . the surcharge refund amount may correspond to all or a portion of the surcharge amount associated with the corresponding transaction record . the surcharge refund amount may correspond to a difference between an allowable surcharge amount and an erroneously calculated surcharge amount . the surcharge violation may be any suitable surcharge violation . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify , in the corresponding transaction record , a transaction attribute corresponding to time - of - sale . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to identify a surcharge in effect at the time - of - sale . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine the surcharge refund based on the surcharge and the purchase amount . the purchase amount may correspond to a purchase amount of a single item . the purchase amount may correspond to a purchase amount of a plurality of items . for example , having determined a surcharge fraction in effect on a date associated with a past purchase , the refund amount may be determined based on product of the surcharge fraction in effect on the date and the purchase amount . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine the chargeback amount based on the purchase amount and the surcharge refund . the chargeback amount may correspond to a sum of a purchase price paid for a product and the surcharge amount imposed at the time of purchase . the computer readable program code may cause the computer to determine the chargeback amount based on one or more transaction attributes in a transaction record . the transaction record may correspond to a transaction record generated at a time of purchase . the transaction attributes may include a total purchase amount , a per - item purchase amount and a surcharge attribute . for example , a customer may purchase a plurality of items . the customer may wish to return less than all of the plurality of items . the surcharge refund amount may be determined based on apportioning the surcharge amount in the transaction record . the apportioning may be based on a ratio of : ( 1 ) a total of the purchase amounts of each of the items the customer wishes to return , and ( 2 ) a total of the purchase amounts of all of the plurality of items purchased . illustrative embodiments of apparatus and methods in accordance with the principles of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings , which form a part hereof . it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural , functional and procedural modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art , the invention described herein may be embodied in whole or in part as a method , a data processing system , or a computer program product . accordingly , the invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software , hardware and any other suitable approach or apparatus . furthermore , such aspects may take the form of a computer program product stored by one or more computer - readable storage media having computer - readable program code , or instructions , embodied in or on the storage media . any suitable computer readable storage media may be utilized , including hard disks , cd - roms , optical storage devices , magnetic storage devices , and / or any combination thereof . in addition , various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of electromagnetic waves traveling through signal - conducting media such as metal wires , optical fibers , and / or wireless transmission media ( e . g ., air and / or space ). fig2 is a block diagram that illustrates a generic computing device 201 ( alternatively referred to herein as a “ server ”) that may be used according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention . the computer server 201 may have a processor 203 for controlling overall operation of the server and its associated components , including ram 205 , rom 207 , input / output module 209 , and memory 215 . server 201 may include one or more receiver modules , server modules and processors that may be configured to receive transaction records , apply surcharge rules , identify surcharge violations , compare values , establish correlations and perform any other suitable tasks related to determining the transaction cost . input / output (“ i / o ”) module 209 may include a microphone , keypad , touch screen , and / or stylus through which a user of device 201 may provide input , and may also include one or more of a speaker for providing audio output and a video display device for providing textual , audiovisual and / or graphical output . software may be stored within memory 215 and / or storage to provide instructions to processor 203 for enabling server 201 to perform various functions . for example , memory 215 may store software used by server 201 , such as an operating system 217 , application programs 219 , and an associated database 211 . alternatively , some or all of server 201 computer executable instructions may be embodied in hardware or firmware ( not shown ). as described in detail below , database 211 may provide storage for customer information , transaction cost information , transaction records , transaction attributes , surcharge records , chargeback records , thresholds , merchant information , surcharge rules , payment instrument information and any other suitable information . server 201 may operate in a networked environment supporting connections to one or more remote computers , such as terminals 241 and 251 . terminals 241 and 251 may be personal computers or servers that include many or all of the elements described above relative to server 201 . the network connections depicted in fig2 include a local area network ( lan ) 225 and a wide area network ( wan ) 229 , but may also include other networks . when used in a lan networking environment , computer 201 is connected to lan 225 through a network interface or adapter 213 . when used in a wan networking environment , server 201 may include a modem 227 or other means for establishing communications over wan 229 , such as internet 231 . it will be appreciated that the network connections shown are illustrative and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used . the existence of any of various well - known protocols such as tcp / ip , ethernet , ftp , http and the like is presumed , and the system can be operated in a client - server configuration to permit a user to retrieve web pages from a web - based server . any of various conventional web browsers can be used to display and manipulate data on web pages . additionally , application program 219 , which may be used by server 201 , may include computer executable instructions for invoking user functionality related to communication , such as email , short message service (“ sms ”), and voice input and speech recognition applications . computing device 201 and / or terminals 241 or 251 may also be mobile terminals including various other components , such as a battery , speaker , and antennas ( not shown ). terminal 251 and / or terminal 241 may be portable devices such as a laptop , smart phone , tablet , or any other suitable device for storing , transmitting and / or transporting relevant information . any information described above in connection with database 211 , and any other suitable information , may be stored in memory 215 . one or more of applications 219 may include one or more algorithms that may be used to receive transaction records , identify surcharge violations , apply surcharge rules , determine refund amounts and perform any other suitable tasks related to determining a transaction cost . the invention may be operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations . examples of well - known computing systems , environments , and / or configurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include , but are not limited to , personal computers , server computers , hand - held or laptop devices , mobile phones and / or other personal digital assistants (“ pdas ”), multiprocessor systems , microprocessor - based systems , set top boxes , tablets , programmable consumer electronics , network pcs , minicomputers , mainframe computers , distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices , and the like . in a distributed computing environment , devices that perform the same or similar function may be viewed as being part of a “ module ” even if the devices are separate ( whether local or remote ) from each other . the invention may be described in the general context of computer - executable instructions , such as program modules , being executed by a computer . generally , program modules may include routines , programs , objects , components , data structures , etc ., that perform particular tasks or store or process data structures , objects and other data types . the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by separate ( local or remote ) processing devices that are linked through a communications network . in a distributed computing environment , program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices . fig3 shows illustrative credit card transaction settlement flow 300 . at step 1 card holder 301 may offer a payment instrument , such as a credit card , as payment for $ 100 of goods sold by merchant 303 . card holder 301 may present information associated with the credit card at the merchant &# 39 ; s point - of - sale terminal ( not shown ). the information may be presented via the payment instrument , a loyalty card or any other suitable device or method . based on the information presented by card holder 301 , surcharge engine 305 may determine an offset amount . the surcharge engine may determine one or more surcharge attributes . the offset amount may be based on the surcharge fraction . the offset amount may be added to the $ 100 price charged by merchant 303 . the $ 100 price may include the offset amount . a total amount may be determined . the total amount may include the price , offset amount , sales tax and any other suitable costs associated with the purchase of the goods . the information presented by card holder 301 , may be transmitted via electronic communication network 309 to transaction network 311 . the information may include a transaction record . transaction network 311 may receive the information presented by card holder 301 via electronic network 309 . based on the received information , transaction network 311 may transmit an authorization , via electronic communication network 309 , to merchant 303 . transaction network 311 may communicate with issuer 307 . transaction network 311 may verify that card holder 301 has not exceeded a credit limit associated with the payment instrument . the authorization may include an indication that the transaction network has approved a charge of the total amount to an account associated with the payment instrument . authorization services may be provided by a third party such as a transaction broker . card holder 301 may acknowledge the total amount . the acknowledgement may include an agreement by card holder 301 to place the charge on the account associated with the payment instrument . the acknowledgement may include a commitment by the card holder to pay the total amount to issuer 307 . at step 2 , issuer 307 may prepare a statement for card holder 301 . the statement may include the total amount owed to issuer 307 . the statement may include interest or other fees owed to issuer 307 . issuer 307 may bear an expense of collecting the total amount , interest and fees from card holder 301 . a portion of the transaction cost may flow to issuer 307 to fund collection efforts of issuer 307 and offset a risk of default of card holder 301 . at step 3 , merchant 303 may present the acknowledgment of card holder 301 and / or the associated authorization by transaction network 311 to acquirer 313 . acquirer 313 may transfer funds to merchant 303 prior to actual collection , by issuer 307 , of the total amount from card holder 301 . acquirer 313 may offer funds to merchant 303 prior to settlement between acquirer 313 and issuer 307 . acquirer 313 may deduct a merchant discount from an amount of funds transferred to merchant 303 . the offset amount determined by surcharge engine 305 may offset , at least in part , the merchant discount paid by merchant 303 . the offset amount may correspond to transaction costs charged by transaction network 311 . the offset amount may include transaction costs charged by acquirer 313 and issuer 307 . in flow 300 , the merchant discount is 2 % of the $ 100 price . without an offset , merchant 303 receives $ 98 of the $ 100 price . at step 4 , acquirer 313 settles the transaction with issuer 307 . acquirer 313 may utilize transaction network 311 to settle the transaction . acquirer 313 may utilize broker 315 to settle the transaction . broker 315 may offer settlement services at a lower transaction cost than transaction network 311 . broker 315 may offer the lower transaction costs as a result of aggregating transactions from different acquirers . each of the aggregated transactions may require settlement between issuer 307 and acquirer 313 . step 4 shows that at least a portion of the merchant discount flows through transaction network 311 from acquirer 313 to issuer 307 . step 4 also shows that transaction network 311 may receive a network fee from acquirer 313 . step 4 also shows that transaction network 311 receives a network fee from issuer 307 . acquirer 313 and issuer 307 may pay transaction network 311 network fees for facilitating settlement of the transaction . table 7 shows net positions of the parties to flow 300 . fig4 shows illustrative apparatus 400 . apparatus 400 includes mobile device 407 configured to process instructions from an exemplary mobile device application (“ application ”). the application may instruct device 407 to display options 401 , 403 and 405 . options 401 , 403 and 405 may be utilized by a user of the mobile phone . using option 401 , the user may view surcharge compliance and violation information . mobile device 407 may receive instructions from the application to access surcharge compliance and violation information stored in an online surcharge registry . using option 403 , the user may use mobile device 407 to report a surcharge violation . option 405 allows the user to report surcharge compliance using mobile device 407 . fig5 shows illustrative apparatus 500 . apparatus 500 includes mobile device 407 following selection of option 401 ( shown in fig4 ). in response to the utilization of option 401 , mobile device 407 displays options 501 - 509 . options 501 - 509 allow the user to view surcharge compliance / violation information . options 501 - 509 allow the user to view surcharge compliance / violation information based on various criteria . for example , option 501 allows the user to view surcharge compliance / violations associated with a merchant . the user may enter a merchant name or identifier into field 511 . drop - down arrow 513 allows the user to select a merchant from a plurality of pre - populated choices . the pre - populated choices may be determined based on a location of the mobile device . for example , the pre - populated choices may include merchant locations within a radius of the mobile device . option 503 allows the user to view surcharge compliance / violation information associated with a payment instrument . the user may enter payment instrument information . the payment instrument information may include a brand , product or any suitable payment instrument attribute . the user may choose from one of a plurality of pre - populated payment instrument choices . the pre - populated payment instrument choices may be determined based on the merchant identified in option 501 . for example , the pre - populated choice may include payment instruments accepted by the merchant identified in option 501 . option 505 allows the user to view surcharge compliance / violation information associated with a merchant category code (“ mcc ”). the user may enter the mcc . the user may select from one of a plurality of pre - populated mcc choices . the pre - populated mcc choices may be determined based on the merchant identified in option 501 and / or the payment instrument identified in option 503 . for example , the pre - populated choice may include mccs associated with the merchant identified in option 501 . option 507 allows the user to view surcharge compliance / violation information associated with a merchant location . the user may enter the location . the user may choose from one of a plurality of pre - populated choices . the pre - populated choices may be determined based on the information entered using options 501 , 503 and / or 505 . for example , the pre - populated choice may include locations that accept the payment instrument selected in option 503 . the pre - populated choices may include merchant locations that offer products categorized in the mcc selected in option 505 and where a payment instrument selected in option 503 is accepted . the user may use option 509 to transmit the request to for surcharge compliance / violation information . the submitted request includes any user selection made using options 501 - 507 . fig6 shows illustrative apparatus 600 . apparatus 600 includes mobile device 407 following selection of option 509 ( shown in fig5 ). apparatus 600 displays an illustrative surcharge compliance / violation report . the report may be generated based on criteria entered into options 501 - 507 ( shown in fig5 ). the report identifies merchant 601 . the report includes compliance score 602 and violation score 603 . using option 607 the user views detail regarding surcharge violations associated with merchant 601 . the user may select option 609 to sort the compliance / violation information associated with merchant 601 based on payment instruments accepted by merchant 601 . the user may use option 611 to submit a compliance / violation report associated with merchant 601 . apparatus 600 may display tip 613 . tip 613 may display a surcharge promotion being offered by merchant 601 . fig7 shows illustrative apparatus 700 . apparatus 700 includes mobile device 407 following utilization of option 611 ( shown in fig6 ). in response to the utilization of option 611 , mobile device 407 displays an illustrative digital form for reporting a surcharge violation . the digital form includes options 701 - 711 . option 701 allows the user to input a transaction . the selected transaction may include a surcharge violation . the use may enter a transaction identifier into text box 713 . using drop - down arrow 715 , the user may choose a transaction from a list of transactions . the list of transactions may include transactions that have been initiated using the mobile device . the list of transactions may include transactions associated with merchant 601 ( shown in fig6 ). in some embodiments , using drop - down arrow 713 may present a list of transaction attributes . the user may select the transaction based on a time , a location or any suitable transaction attribute . using option 703 the user may attach an image or record to the violation submission . using option 705 the user may input a violation type . for example , the user may specify that the violation observed corresponds to an unlawful surcharge . using option 707 the user may input a merchant associated with the surcharge violation . the user may also input a payment instrument associated with the violation using option 709 . the user may submit the digital form using option 711 . based on the information input into the digital form via options 701 - 709 , a system ( not shown ) may attempt to identify and / or confirm a surcharge violation . fig8 shows illustrative apparatus 800 . apparatus 800 includes mobile device 407 following utilization of option 405 ( shown in fig4 ). in response to the utilization of option 405 , mobile device 407 displays an illustrative digital form for reporting surcharge compliance . the digital form includes options 801 - 805 . the user may input a merchant using option 801 . the user may input a payment instrument using option 803 . the user may input a location using option 805 . the user may attach corroborating information using options 807 - 811 . the corroborating information may support the user &# 39 ; s assertion that the merchant has imposed a compliant surcharge . the user may attach a digital receipt using option 807 . the digital receipt may be an image of a receipt . the digital receipt may be a receipt received in response to purchasing a product using mobile device 407 to present payment instrument information . the user may submit the digital form using option 813 . fig9 shows illustrative receipt image 900 . image 900 includes illustrative segments 901 - 913 . each of segments 901 - 913 may correspond to a transaction attribute . information from segments 901 - 913 may be extracted from image 900 . the information extracted from image 900 may be used to identify a surcharge violation . the information extracted from image 900 may be used to confirm a reported surcharge violation . segment 913 shows an illustrative surcharge certification . segment 913 may show that image 900 has been certified as being “ compliant .” segment 913 may show that surcharge amount 911 has been certified as being compliant with one or more surcharge rules . segment 913 may show that image 900 has been certified as being “ in violation .” segment 913 may show that surcharge amount 911 has been certified as being in violation of one or more surcharge rules . fig1 shows illustrative scenario 1000 . scenario 1000 may include display 1003 . display 1003 may be positioned at a point - of - entry to a merchant location . display 1003 may present surcharge information to customer 1005 . display 1003 may show special surcharges or ranked surcharges being offered by a merchant . display 1003 shows the surcharges ranked from lowest to highest . display 1003 shows that the merchant is offering “ surcharge free ” purchases if the customer utilizes a self - checkout line . display 1003 shows that a surcharge may be based on the issuer associated with a payment instrument . display 1003 shows that the surcharge may be based on the transaction network associated with a payment instrument . customer 1005 may possess one or more payment instrument in purse 1007 . upon viewing the surcharge information present by display 1003 , customer may decide whether or not to make a purchase at the merchant location . upon viewing the surcharge information presented by display 1003 , customer may decide which payment instrument to use to make a purchase at the merchant location . customer 1005 may make a purchase at the merchant location using a credit card associated with bank 1 . customer 1005 may be charged a surcharge amount that is based on a surcharge fraction of 0 . 02 %. the surcharge amount may be printed on a receipt , such as receipt 900 ( shown in fig9 ) issued to customer 1005 . customer 1005 may submit a surcharge violation report using a digital form shown in fig7 . customer 1005 may obtain an image of sign 1003 using a mobile device . customer 1005 may attach the image of sign 1003 to the surcharge violation report using option 703 ( shown in fig7 ). the attached image of sign 1003 may corroborate the claim that the surcharge fraction associated with credit cards issued by bank 1 should have been 0 . 01 %. the mobile device may associate the image of sign 1003 with a time and / or location stamp . the time and / or location stamp may corroborate that the image was obtained at a time and location associated the merchant location where customer 1005 claims a surcharge violation occurred . the image of sign 1003 may demonstrate that the merchant has violated a disclosure requirement associated with imposing a surcharge . fig1 shows illustrative surcharge schedule 1100 . schedule 1100 shows surcharges s 1 - s 4 . each surcharge is associated with a weekday . schedule 1100 shows that surcharge s 1 is scheduled to be imposed on tuesday the 16 th . schedule 1100 also shows that surcharge s 1 is associated with a notice time of monday the 1 st . on monday the 1 st , one or more surcharge attributes associated with surcharge s 1 may be presented on one or more displays . the notice time associated with s 1 corresponds to nine weekdays . schedule 1100 shows that surcharge s 2 is scheduled to be imposed on wednesday the 17 th and is associated with a notice time of thursday the 4 th . on thursday the 4 th , one or more surcharge attributes associated with surcharge s 2 may be presented on one or more displays . the notice time associated with s 2 corresponds to seven weekdays . schedule 1100 shows that surcharge s 3 is scheduled to be imposed on tuesday the 23 rd and is not associated with a notice time earlier than the day the surcharge is imposed . on tuesday the 23 rd , one or more surcharge attributes associated with surcharge s 3 may be presented on one or more displays . s 3 may correspond to a reduction of surcharges s 1 and / or s 2 . schedule 1100 shows that surcharge s 4 is scheduled to be imposed on wednesday the 24 th and is associated with a notice time of tuesday the 2 nd . on tuesday the 2 nd , one or more surcharge attributes associated with surcharge s 4 may be presented on one or more displays . the notice time associated with s 4 corresponds to thirteen weekdays . fig1 shows illustrative surcharge notice 1200 . surcharge notice 1200 may present surcharge information . the surcharge information may include payment instrument brands 1203 , surcharge 1205 and surcharge exceptions 1207 . surcharge notice 1200 includes four exemplary brands 1203 . a payment instrument may be associated with one or more of the four brands 1203 . a brand may correspond to an issuer of the payment instrument . a brand may correspond to a transaction network affiliated with the payment instrument . each brand is associated with a surcharge 1205 . for example , bank 2 is associated with a first surcharge and a second surcharge . the first surcharge includes a surcharge fraction of 1 / 100 . the first surcharge is imposed on all purchases . the second surcharge includes the surcharge fraction and a fixed amount of 50 . the second surcharge is imposed on purchases valued less than $ 10 . surcharge notice 1200 indicates that each brand 1203 may be associated with a surcharge exception 1207 . the surcharge exception 1207 may indicate that , under certain conditions , a payment instrument may be exempt from the surcharge . for example , surcharge notice 1200 shows that payment instruments issued by bank 2 are exempt from the surcharge if the payment instrument is associated with transaction network t . transaction network t may be the transaction network that processes transactions associated with payment instruments issued by bank 2 . fig1 shows illustrative transaction record 1300 . transaction record 1300 may be generated based on transaction information received and / or available at a time of purchase . the transaction record may include point - of - sale (“ pos ”) attributes 1301 . pos attributes 1301 may include transaction information , customer information and merchant information . exemplary pos attributes 1301 may include a date , a time , a check - out lane indicator or any suitable transaction attribute available at a point - of - sale . transaction record 1300 may include surcharge attributes 1303 . exemplary surcharge attributes 1303 may include a surcharge amount , maximum surcharge amount , surcharge fraction , transaction cost or other suitable surcharge information . transaction record 1300 may include synoptic attributes 1305 . synoptic attributes 1305 may include attributes derived based on other transaction attributes . synoptic attributes 1305 may include attributes derived based on other transaction attributes . the synoptic attributes may be determined based on a pattern detected in a plurality of transaction records . exemplary synoptic attributes may include a merchant transaction statistic , a market statistic and an issuer statistic . the synoptic attributes 1305 may be concatenated to transaction record 1300 . synoptic attributes 1305 may be concatenated to transaction record 1300 after execution of the transaction . fig1 shows illustrative pos attributes 1401 and illustrative synoptic attributes 1403 . pos attributes 1401 may include location 1404 . location 1404 may be associated with a pos terminal . location 1404 may be associated with an address . pos attributes 1401 may include time 1413 and date 1408 . pos attributes 1401 may include amount 1410 and number of items 1412 . amount 1410 may correspond to a price of the product . number of items 1412 may correspond to a number of items purchased by a customer in a transaction . pos attributes 1401 may include state / province 1414 . state / province 1414 may be associated with regulations governing imposition of a surcharge . pos attributes 1401 may include checkout number 1418 . a merchant may impose a different surcharge at different check - out lines . the merchant may offer no or a reduced surcharge if a self - checkout line is utilized . the self - checkout line may be associated with a checkout number 1418 . pos attributes 1401 may include credit card type 1420 . credit card type 1420 may correspond to the payment instrument presented by a customer to pay for a purchase . a surcharge schedule or surcharge amount may be associated with credit card type 1420 . pos attributes 1401 may include merchant category code (“ mcc ”) 1422 . mcc 1422 may group merchants that supply similar products . some merchants in mcc 1422 may impose a surcharge , while others may not . merchants within mcc 1422 may surcharge at different rates or amounts . fig1 includes synoptic attributes 1403 . synoptic attributes 1403 may include transaction volume 1421 , total sales 1423 and fiscal period 1425 . fiscal period 1425 may be determined based on a time associated with transaction record 1300 . transaction volume 1421 and total sales 1423 may be associated with fiscal period 1425 . for example , transaction records may be sorted by date 1408 and location 1404 . a first number of transaction records may include the month of september and an address on main street . the first number may be appended to each transaction record that includes the date in september and the address on main street . the first number may correspond to transaction volume 1421 . the first number may be a synoptic attribute . a second number of transaction records may include a date in the month of august and the address on main street . the second number may be a synoptic attribute . the first number may be compared to the second number . a result of the comparing may be a synoptic attribute . the first number may be concatenated to transaction records that include the date in september . the second number may be concatenated to transaction records that include the date in august . a result of the comparing may be concatenated to transaction records that include either the date in august or the date in september . synoptic attributes 1403 may include credit card payment ratio 1427 . credit card payment ratio 1427 may include a comparison of a number of purchases made using a credit card to a number of purchases made using alternative payment methods . the ratio may be computed for a particular merchant , mcc , time / date , location credit card type or other suitable transaction attribute . synoptic attributes 1403 may include transaction frequency 1429 , total transactions per credit card type 1433 and average transaction cost 1435 . average transaction cost 1435 may be calculated for a plurality of transaction records . for example , each transaction record that includes a particular pos attribute , such as a purchase made at location x , may include a variable transaction cost y . transaction cost y may vary based on transaction attributes present in a transaction record . the transaction cost y may correspond to a surcharge attribute ( shown above in table 4 ). average transaction cost 1435 may correspond to an average transaction cost associated with location x . average transaction cost 1435 may be appended to each transaction record that includes the attribute corresponding to location x . synoptic attributes 1403 may include credit risk 1437 . an issuer may associate each authorized transaction with a credit risk . the issuer may append the credit risk to the transaction record . the credit risk may be determined based on a credit history associated with credit card type 1420 . the credit risk may be determined based on a credit history associated with the purchasing customer . fig1 shows illustrative surcharge record 1500 . surcharge record 1500 may include surcharge attributes 1503 - 1521 . each of attributes 1503 - 1521 may correspond to a value . each of attributes 1503 - 1521 may be identified in a transaction record such as transaction record 1300 ( shown in fig1 ). a surcharge violation may be determined based on comparing one or more of attributes 1503 - 1521 to surcharge reference values 1501 . surcharge reference values 1501 may include values that correspond to surcharge attributes 1523 - 1537 . surcharge reference values 1501 may be determined based on one or more surcharge rules . for example , max allowable surcharge fraction 1529 may be compared to surcharge fraction 1511 . if surcharge fraction 1511 exceeds max allowable surcharge fraction 1529 , surcharge record 1500 may be associated with a surcharge violation . fig1 shows illustrative scenario 1600 . scenario 1600 shows customer 1607 at a point - of - sale . at the point - of - sale , customer 1607 may place purse 1609 on counter 1611 . counter 1611 may include a transceiver ( not shown ). the transceiver may communicate with one or more payment instruments inside purse 1609 . the transceiver may receive payment instrument information from the one or more payment instruments . based on the payment instrument information , display 1605 may present surcharge information to customer 1607 . fig1 shows that display 1605 is informing customer 1607 that a surcharge violation has been detected . in response to the surcharge violation , customer 1607 may abort the transaction . in response to the surcharge violation a merchant may waive the surcharge associated with the received payment instrument information . fig1 shows illustrative chargeback record 1700 . chargeback record 1700 may include a plurality of chargeback attributes . chargeback record 1700 may be associated with transaction record 1701 . chargeback record 1700 may be associated with transaction record 1701 . chargeback record 1700 may be associated with transaction record 1701 based on one or more attribute shared by records 1700 and 1701 . for example , chargeback record 1700 may be associated with transaction record 1701 based on transaction id 1703 . based on transaction attributes included in transaction record 1701 , a surcharge refund amount may be determined . the surcharge refund may be determined for one of a plurality of items 1707 included in transaction record 1701 . for example , a customer may wish to return a product corresponding to item id 1705 . the product corresponding to item id 1705 may be one of the plurality of items 1707 . surcharge refund amount 1709 may be determined for item id 1705 . surcharge refund amount 1709 may be determined based on total surcharge amount 1711 and items purchased 1707 . surcharge refund amount 1709 may be determined based on any suitable transaction attributes . one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps shown and described herein may be performed in other than the recited order and that one or more steps illustrated may be optional . the methods of the above - referenced embodiments may involve the use of any suitable elements , steps , computer - executable instructions , or computer - readable data structures . in this regard , other embodiments are disclosed herein as well that can be partially or wholly implemented on a computer - readable medium , for example , by storing computer - executable instructions or modules or by utilizing computer - readable data structures . thus , systems and methods for determining compliance with surcharge rules in connection with a transaction between two or more transaction participants have been provided . persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments , which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation . the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow .
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in the following detailed description of sample embodiments of the invention , reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific sample embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments maybe utilized and that logical , mechanical , electrical , and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense , and the scope of the invention is defined only by the appended claims . the present invention provides a multiprocessor computer system configuration and functionality that enable removal of hardware from the computer system while the computer system is operating . the invention provides the user with increased availability and less intrusive serviceability for the system by allowing removal of a partition with a hardware failure , such that the defective hardware can be removed , fixed or replaced , and be reinserted . the present invention includes modified functionality for various system components such as cache management , reset control , and physical connection that enable removal and insertion of partitions within a running partitioned multiprocessor computer system . partitions can be any division of hardware within the multiprocessor system , as long as each partition is capable of running its own copy of the operating system , and can in effect operate as a smaller independent system . although partitions could be created such that a partition contains a single processor , the purpose of partitioning to enable removal and replacement of hardware dictates that a full node be replaced in the preferred embodiment . where a node that includes multiple processors is physically located on a single circuit board , the node is the minimum useful partition size . but , larger partitions containing several nodes each can also be useful in that they facilitate more efficient sharing of data within the partition and still provide the ability to shut down and restart a single partition . removing one of these larger partitions would however require shutting down a greater number of nodes than is physically necessary to replace hardware . fig1 illustrates one example of a processor node , which will be used to explain the operation of several components of a multiprocessor system . the node contains four processors p 1 through p 4 as are shown at 101 , and illustrates cache c 1 through c 4 associated with each processor . although four processors are shown here , any number of processors , including only one processor , may be present in any node . the cache also need not be associated with each processor independently , but can also be shared among all or some processors within the node . controller 103 provides node control logic and regulates access to memory 104 and communicates with cache controllers that comprise a part of cache 102 . the memory 104 is associated with directory 105 , which maintains directory entries for each cacheable block of memory 104 . the controller 103 also in some embodiments manages the data link between the node illustrated in fig1 to other nodes . in a distributed shared memory system , the memory 104 contains data addressable by any processor , and cacheable by any processor . for each block of memory stored in cache , a directory entry in directory 105 indicates what caches have copies of the data and how the data is shared , so that changes to the data can be properly managed . this configuration is just one example of a node architecture consistent with the present invention , and other configurations are to be considered within the scope of the invention . traditional distributed shared memory systems allow multiple copies of data to be stored in various caches throughout the multiprocessor system , so that several processors can have local and relatively fast access to the data . alternatively , a single cache can be assigned exclusive read access to a data location , meaning the cache contains the only cached copy of the data and can write or modify the data . the changed data is then copied to main memory , and is either invalidated in caches containing old copies of the data or new data is broadcast to all caches containing old copies of the data . such a cache is said to be coherent , meaning that all reads return the most recent value stored in a memory location and all writes are handled such that the last value written to a memory address is the effective value of the memory address . this cache coherency is established by monitoring and recording in a directory the state of each cache , and ensuring the cached data is properly managed . in the present invention , the task of cache management must be modified from typical cache management methods to ensure that the loss of cache within a partition does not cause the remainder of the system to lose track of the proper value of memory blocks . for example , if a cache in a local partition is removed and has exclusive read access to data so that it can modify the data and write the modifications to cache , there exists a risk that the cache will be removed before the newly written data will be copied from cache back to memory . solutions include requiring reconciliation of all outstanding shared memory data before shutting down the partition , or eliminating the risk that the only known valid copy of data will be held in cache . because the latter solution is less problematic to manage , a preferred embodiment of the present invention prohibits caches from executing exclusive reads to memory outside its partition . further embodiments include modifying cacheable read functions such that a cached read is in effect a snapshot of memory outside the local partition , but such copies are not maintained across partition boundaries . when a cache write is executed to a cache block that is a copy of memory in a block in a remote partition , some embodiments of the invention convert the write operation to a non - cached write . this eliminates the chance that data written to cache will be lost before being sent to memory . also , some embodiments of the invention simply allow only uncached writes in which writes are done directly to memory , bypassing cache . both methods prevent writing data to cache rather than to memory , and so effectively ensure changed data is not lost in a cache that may be disconnected . the data in both embodiments may however be written to cache simultaneously or after writing the data to memory , because such a method guarantees the value in cache is not the only good copy but simply reflects the updated value stored in memory . cacheable reads can result in population of a local cache with data that is a snapshot of data in the memory blocks being read , but in some embodiments of the present invention the snapshot cached blocks are not recorded in the cache directory . the cached blocks in such embodiments are invalidated by cache management processes after use , at a control logic - determined barrier point . the barrier point in such embodiments is the point at which data that has been the subject of such a snapshot caching may again be written or updated . the cache management logic can therefore ensure that the snapshot cached data remains valid and reflects unchanged memory data until the barrier point is reached , at which time the snapshot cached data becomes invalid and must be refreshed or discarded . fig2 illustrates a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention , to demonstrate how such a system may be partitioned . at the center of the example system are two routers , which link node controllers to each other and link to other routers . individual processors are shown at 104 and identified by a circled letter “ p ” in fig2 and are managed in groups of four by controllers 105 . up to four controllers are linked to each router , such as router 1 at 101 . the controllers like controller 1 shown at 105 are numbered 1 - 8 , each linking four processors to a router . router 1 shown at 101 and router 2 shown at 102 are linked by link 103 , and so serve to link controllers 1 - 4 to controllers 5 - 8 . other topologies with between nine and sixteen processors require only a single router to link the four or less controllers , and topologies with between eight and five processors require only a direct link between two controllers . topologies with four or less processors require only a single controller , and are so not partitionable . finally , topologies with more than 32 processors require a greater number of routers , with some embodiments including multiple connections to each router and routers that serve to link other routers . a node is shown at 106 , which in some embodiments and for purposes of this example is the smallest physically removable piece of hardware in the multiprocessor system . a minimum partition size is therefore a four processor node with a controller , as shown at 106 . smaller partition sizes are implementable consistent with some embodiments of the invention , but would require removing more than one partition each time hardware maintenance was performed , making these smaller partitions impractical . larger partitions comprising more than one node are also possible , but would require shutting down an entire partition with more hardware than the minimum amount of hardware necessary to repair a single hardware failure . the process of removing a partition from an operating system in many embodiments requires more special functionality than simply modified cache management . the operating system is also brought down on the partition to be removed via a control module , and hardware is tristated so that it does not lock up or latch invalid data . when the partition is brought up , local resets are constrained to resetting hardware within the partition , and the operating system is restarted on the partition . hardware i / o lines that communicate between the partition and other controllers , routers , or other multiprocessor system components are driven with tristate drivers , so that they can be tristated or brought to a neutral state before disconnecting the hardware . for example , connection 107 between the node controller 105 and the router 101 in fig2 is tristated in some such embodiments , so that the connection can be safely electrically broken . control logic causes the drivers to enter tristate mode during the removal process , and controls other aspects of the partition removal process . for example , control logic prevents local reset signals from propagating past partition boundaries upon insertion of a new partition into a running computer system . the control logic may be implemented in what is known as a reset fence , which in some embodiments takes the form of a router register that is set on boot of the operating system . because reset signals normally propagate across all nodes within a system , a special global reset or skeleton key reset is provided in some embodiments to restore the ability to reset a partition from outside the partition . such functionality allows resetting another partition such as when the other partition becomes locked up and is not capable of resetting itself . the control logic and other functionality described herein facilitates management of partitions in a partitioned multiprocessor system so that a single partition may be removed from an operating computer system or inserted into an operating computer system . variations on the control methods and apparatus described herein may achieve similar results , and are to be considered within the scope of the invention . the present invention provides the ability to service hardware within a partition without requiring shutting down other partitions within a multiprocessor system , thereby increasing computer availability . although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein , it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown . this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the invention . it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims , and the full scope of equivalents thereof .
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broadly , the present invention contemplates the use of an activating inhibitor in a stabilized chlorine dioxide mixture to make possible the lowering of the ph of the chlorine dioxide mixture at the time it is used in the mouth . clinical observations by the inventor have led to the discovery that an activating inhibitor phosphate such as disodium hydrogen phosphate , sodium dihydrogen phosphate , or , preferably , trisodium phosphate , will allow the stabilized chlorine dioxide to remain stable and effective at a lower ph than has been thought possible . in addition , the phosphate is a detergent which , when used in place of the detergent sodium laurel sulfate , provides a nonsudsing toothpaste . nonsudsing toothpastes are preferred for use with electric toothbrushes because electric toothbrushes tend to spray sudsing toothpastes about the room during use . further , people tend to quit brushing when a mouth full of suds accumulates in the mouth ; a nonsudsing toothpaste does not cause this psychological event . the first step in the formation of plaque on a clean tooth surface is the formation of acquired pellicle . studies by others have shown the following to be part of the acquired pellicle formative process . glycoproteins of salivary and other mucous gland origin are attached to the hydroxyapatite crystals . ( roukima , p . a . and nieuw amerongen a . v ., sulphated glycoproteins in human saliva ; saliva and dental caries ( sp . supp . microbiology abst .) 1979 , pp . 76 , embery , g ., the role of anionic glycoconjugates , particularly sulphated glycoproteins in relation to the oral cavity , saliva and dental caries . ( supp . microbiol abstr . ), information retrieval 1978 , pp . 105 - 111 ). sulphated glycoproteins have a strong affinity to the calcium anion ( ibid ., pp 105 - 108 ). most major salivary secreted glycoproteins may be bound to certain ester sulphates ( ibid ). these sulphated glycoproteins have been related to bacterial agglutination or clumping ( ibid ., pp 108 ). clinical observations by the inventor have led to the discovery that the process of acquired pellicle can be inhibited by the use by humans of stabilized chlorine dioxide . through such observations it has been learned that the chlorine dioxide reacts with the sulphated glycoproteins to inhibit pellicle formation . this process results primarily from , but is not limited to , oxidation of the sulphide bonds . since acquired pellicle is the first step in plaque formation , this initial inhibition alters the sequence of events to follow . the second step , bacterial adhesion , and subsequent steps are consequently retarded . no disulphate enzymes capable of cleaning the sulphate moieties of glycoproteins are known . bacterial agglutinigation includes the conversion of sucrose to glucans and fructrans by enzymes known as glycosyltransferases . these enzymes are of bacterial origin . the plaque mass becomes a complex extra cellular ( of microorganisms ) matrix containing sulphated glucosamineglycans , proteglycans , glycoproteins , sugar , proteins and lipids , which aid in the process of bacterial agglutination ( schluger , s ., yuodelis r . and page r ., periodontal disease , chapter 6 , pp . 135 to 166 , 1977 , lea and febiger , phila , pa . newbrun e ., polysaccharide synthesis in plaque ; microbiol aspects of dental caries , vol iii ( supp . microbiology abstr . ), 1976 , pp 649 - 664 .) these compounds include the presence of sulphur and become unstable in the presence of high oxygen compounds . the oxygen splits the sulphide bonds to form sulphates or so 2 . clinical observations by the inventor have led to the conclusion that all of these biochemical compounds are attacked to a greater or lesser extent by stabilized chlorine dioxide . since these compounds may be used as nutrients for bacteria , the reduction of the compounds will inhibit bacterial growth . more specifically , the stabilized chlorine dioxide oxidizes carbohydrates , chondroitin sulphates , glucosaminglycans , glycoproteins , proteins and lipids . since these compounds arise as bacterial byproducts and debris from dead and dying cells , are of salivary origin and are the mechanism of agglutination of the plaque mass , their degradation / oxidation retards plaque growth . the initial bacterial residents of the plaque mass are aerobic , oxygen using organisms . the saliva bathing the plaque provides the source of oxygen . as the plaque thickens and the oxygen using bacteria increases in numbers , the deeper layers have a reduced oxygen content . the greater the aerobic population of plaque matrix , the lower the oxygen level in the saliva . this permits the deeper layers of the plaque matrix to develop an anaerobic population of bacteria ( globerman , d . y ., and kleinberg , i ., intro - oral po 2 and it &# 39 ; s relation to bacterial accumulation on the oral tissues : saliva and dental caries . ( sp . supp . microbiology abstr .) 1976 pp . 275 - 292 ). clinical observations by the inventor lead to the discovery that the use of stabilized chlorine dioxide with an activating inhibitor in an oral health preparation such as a mouth wash or toothpaste will raise the level of oxygen in the saliva . the raised level of oxygen within the plaque matrix will inhibit anaerobic bacterial growth . as periodontitis is caused by anaerobic bacteria , the potential for the development of periodontitis is reduced by stabilized chlorine dioxide . the inhibition of acquired pellicle formation , the prevention of bacterial agglutinization and the oxidation of the plaque mass through the use of chlorine dioxide with an activating inhibitor phosphate in a mouth wash or toothpaste are independent of the germicidal capacity of such mouth wash or toothpaste . furthermore , these factors in combination with the bacteriocidal capacity of chlorine dioxide in the mouth wash or toothpaste renders the mouth wash or toothpaste an effective pellicle and plaque inhibitor . the permeability of sublingual mucous tissue within the mouth is increased substantially by exposure to hydrogen sulfide ( h 2 s ) and methyl mercaptan ( ch 3 sh ). ( gaffer and rizzo papers referenced in &# 34 ; effect of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan on the permeability of oral mucosa &# 34 ;, j . dent res . 63 ( 7 ), jul . 1984 , pages 994 - 997 ). accordingly , the toxic bacterial products attendant plaque which produce these compounds have a related effect on tissue permeability . since chlorine dioxide breaks the disulphide bonds of both these compounds , the use of chlorine dioxide with an activating inhibitor phosphate in a toothpaste would reduce the penetration potential of pathogenic materials . evidence exists that endotoxin and lipopolysaccharide from gram negative bacteria are the worst of the products to penetrate the tissues . application of endotoxin to gingiva has caused gingival inflammation . ( ibid ). chlorine dioxide used in treatment of plaque acts upon attendant gram negative bacteria . thereby , the inventor has learned through experimentation and observation that chlorine dioxide with an activating inhibitor phosphate in a mouth wash or toothpaste can be a preventative product leading to oral health . the us and efficacy of this composition is described below . the stability of chlorine dioxide at ph 6 . 8 in the presence of phosphate . 1 . purogene ( 2 % clo 2 ), lot # 8907 . 41 , 1 gallon , manufactured by bio - cide , international , p . o . box 2700 , norman , okla . 73070 . a 10 % solution of monobasic sodium phosphate was prepared in distilled water . ten ml was placed into each of four beakers . one of each of the four beakers received 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , and 10 ml of chlorine dioxide concentrate ( 2 % clo 2 ), respectively . all solutions were diluted to 90 ml with distilled water , adjusted to ph 6 . 8 with 1n naoh and 1n hcl , diluted to 100 ml and placed in screw cap bottles . solutions containing dibasic and tribasic sodium phosphate and a distilled water blank control were prepared in a similar manner . chlorine dioxide content and ph was determined for each solution on days 0 , 7 , 14 , 21 and 28 in accordance with standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater , 17th edition , 1989 . as shown in table 1 , the content of chlorine dioxide was stable in all sodium phosphate solutions and distilled water control over the 28 day test period . the ph of all samples ranged from 6 . 1 to 7 . 6 . the stability of chlorine dioxide in various toothpastes at ph 5 . 0 . 5 . 5 , and 6 . 0 . stabilized chlorine dioxide in alkaline solutions is present as sodium chlorite . acidification of sodium chlorite results in the liberation of chlorine dioxide gas which is very reactive against organic material . 1 . tartar control crest toothpaste , original flavor , lot # 9342tk , manufactured by procter and gamble , cincinnati , ohio , 45202 . 2 . aquafresh for kids fluoride toothpaste bubblemint flavor , lot m292b , manufactured by beecham products , usa , pittsburgh , pa ., 15230 . 3 . generic toothpaste without a detergent ( unlabeled ), supplied by perry ratcliff , dds , 7125 east lincoln drive , scottsdale , ariz . 85253 . 4 . trisodium phosphate , na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o . fisher scientific , fair lawn , n . j . table 1__________________________________________________________________________results showing the stability of chlorine dioxide solution at ph 6 . 8 indistilled water and 1 % sodium phosphate , monobasic , dibasic , andtribasic day theroetical 0 7 14 21 28solution % clo . sub . 2 ph % clo . sub . 2 ph % clo . sub . 2 ph % clo . sub . 2 ph % clo . sub . 2 ph % clo . sub . 2__________________________________________________________________________distilled water 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 6 . 9 0 . 02 6 . 9 0 . 02 6 . 5 0 . 02 6 . 5 0 . 02 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 9 0 . 05 6 . 9 0 . 05 7 . 1 0 . 05 6 . 9 0 . 05 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 6 . 9 0 . 1 7 . 0 0 . 1 7 . 7 0 . 1 7 . 6 0 . 1 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 7 . 2 0 . 2 7 . 2 0 . 21 % na . sub . 2 hpo . sub . 4 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 6 . 1 0 . 02 6 . 7 0 . 02 6 . 7 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 ( disodium 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05hydrogen 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 6 . 9 0 . 1 6 . 9 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1phosphate ) 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 21 % nah . sub . 2 po . sub . 4 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 6 . 7 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 6 . 7 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 ( sodium 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 6 . 9 0 . 05dihydrogen 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 6 . 9 0 . 1 6 . 9 0 . 1phosphate ) 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 21 % na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 6 . 8 0 . 02 6 . 4 0 . 02 6 . 9 0 . 02 7 . 0 0 . 02 ( trisodium 0 . 05 6 . 8 0 . 05 7 . 0 0 . 05 7 . 1 0 . 05 6 . 9 0 . 05 7 . 0 0 . 05phosphate ) 0 . 1 6 . 8 0 . 1 7 . 5 0 . 1 7 . 5 0 . 1 7 . 0 0 . 1 6 . 9 0 . 1 0 . 2 6 . 8 0 . 2 7 . 0 0 . 2 7 . 1 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2 6 . 9 0 . 2__________________________________________________________________________ 5 . purogene , ( 2 % chlorine dioxide ), lot # 8907 : 41 , manufactured by bio - cide international , inc ., p . o . box 2700 , normal , okla . 73070 . each toothpaste was divided into three 50 g portions and placed in plastic jars with lids . one portion of each toothpaste was adjusted to ph 5 . 0 , 5 . 5 , and 6 . 0 , respectively , with 1n naoh and 1n hcl . subsequently 5 ml 2 % chlorine dioxide was added to each portion and mixed thoroughly , yielding a chlorine dioxide concentration of approximately 0 . 15 %. toothpaste was dispensed into four jars , 50 g per jar . jars were divided into groups of two each . jars in the first group each received 1 . 2 g na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o ( 1 % na 3 po 4 ) while jars in second group each received 2 . 3 g na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o ( 2 % na 3 po 4 ). one jar from each group was adjusted to ph 5 . 0 and 6 . 0 , respectively . subsequently 5 ml 2 % chlorine dioxide was added to each portion and mixed thoroughly , yielding a chlorine dioxide concentration of approximately 0 . 15 %. the ph and chlorine dioxide content of all jars was determined . jars were stored in the dark at @ 20 degrees c . and reassayed for ph and chlorine dioxide content on days 7 , 14 , 21 and 28 . as shown in table 2 , the ph values of crest and generic toothpaste with 1 % and 2 % trisodium phosphate were stable during the twenty - eight day test period . in sharp contrast , the ph values of aquafresh toothpaste increased from 0 . 4 to 1 . 0 units during the 28 day test period . table 3 shows the percentage of chlorine dioxide remaining in the various toothpastes on days 0 , 7 , 14 , 21 , and 28 . chlorine dioxide in crest toothpaste gradually decreased during the 28 day test period . on day 28 , 6 % of the original chlorine dioxide was remaining in crest toothpaste at ph 5 . 0 . in sharp contrast , 54 % of the chlorine dioxide was present in crest toothpaste at ph 6 . 0 , nine fold greater than at ph 5 . 0 chlorine dioxide content in aqua fresh toothpaste remained stable for the first 21 days ( 78 - 100 % of clo 2 remaining ) at all ph levels . a sharp drop in chlorine dioxide concentration occurred on day 28 ; the reason for the decrease is not clear . chlorine dioxide content in generic toothpastes containing 1 % and 2 % trisodium phosphate at ph 5 . 0 gradually decreased during the 28 day test period . on the 28th day , 5 to 27 % of the chlorine dioxide remained , respectively . in sharp contrast , generic toothpaste containing 1 % and 2 % trisodium phosphate at ph 6 . 0 remained relatively stable during the 28 day test period ( 80 to 100 % chlorine dioxide remaining ). this is three to 20 fold greater retention of chlorine dioxide than at ph 5 . 0 . of all the toothpastes tested , generic toothpaste with either 1 % or 2 % trisodium phosphate at ph 6 . 0 appears to be the most compatible with chlorine dioxide . table 2______________________________________results showing ph values of toothpastesduring the twenty - eight day test period daytoothpaste 0 7 14 21 28______________________________________crest 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 5 5 . 5 5 . 5 5 . 5 5 . 5 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0aqua fresh 5 . 0 5 . 6 5 . 7 5 . 9 6 . 0 5 . 5 5 . 7 5 . 7 5 . 8 5 . 9 6 . 0 6 . 2 6 . 3 6 . 4 6 . 6generic w / 1 % 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 0 5 . 1na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 1generic w / 2 % 5 . 0 5 . 1 5 . 0 5 . 1 5 . 2na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 0 6 . 1______________________________________ table 3______________________________________results showing the stabilityof chlorine dioxide in toothpastesat various ph levels duringtwenty - eight day test period percent chlorine dioxide remaining on daystoothpaste ph * 0 7 14 21 28______________________________________crest 5 . 0 100 56 38 19 6 5 . 5 100 60 47 40 27 6 . 0 100 85 77 62 54aqua fresh 5 . 0 100 86 86 93 43 5 . 5 100 89 89 78 22 6 . 0 100 100 100 100 17generic w / 1 % 5 . 0 100 55 25 10 5na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4 6 . 0 100 100 100 93 80generic w / 2 % 5 . 0 100 73 87 33 27na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4 6 . 0 100 82 82 88 82______________________________________ * ph day 0 . 1 . purogene ( 2 % chlorine dioxide ), lot # 8907 : 41 , manufactured by bio - cide international , inc ., p . o . box 2700 , norman , okla . 73070 . 2 . test organisms : streptococcus mutans ( atcc # 27152 ), streptococcus sanguis ( atcc # 10556 ), and candida albicans ( atcc # 18804 ) 10 . mcfarland nephelometer tube no . 1 . density of this tube is equivalent to a bacterial suspension of 3 × 10 8 organisms per ml . 13 . sodium dihydrogen phosphate , nah 2 po 4 . 7h 2 o . ( fisher scientific , fair lawn , n . j . 14 . trisodium phosphate , na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o . albright & amp ; wilson , p . o . box 80 , oldbury , narley , west midlands , b694ln , england . 15 . sodium monofluorophosphate , na 2 fpo 3 , ref no . ob 12837 , manufactured by albright and wilson , p . o . box 80 , oldbury , narley , west midlands , b694ln , england . dpd reagent and phosphate buffer reagent were prepared in accord with standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater , 17th edition , p . 9 - 54 ( 1989 ). a ten percent sodium dihydrogen phosphate solution was prepared in distilled water . ten ml was placed into each of five beakers . one of each of the five beakers received 0 , 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , and 10 ml of chlorine dioxide concentrate ( 2 % clo 2 ), respectively . all solutions were diluted to 90 ml with distilled water , adjusted to ph 6 . 0 with 1n naoh and 1n hcl , diluted to 100 ml and placed in screw cap bottles . solutions containing 0 ppm chlorine dioxide were filter sterilized prior to use . solutions containing trisodium phosphate and sodium monofluorophosphate were prepared in a similar manner . suspensions of each organism were prepared in butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer from 48 hour agar cultures and turbidity adjusted to a mcfarland tube # 1 . subsequently 0 . 1 ml of this suspension was diluted in 50 ml of saline . the diluted microorganism suspensions were now ready for use . one ml of test suspension was aliquoted into each of five sterile 16 × 125 mm screw cap tubes . each of the five tubes received 4 ml of a solution containing either 0 , 200 , 500 , 1000 , or 2000 ppm chlorine dioxide in 1 % sodium dihydrogen phosphate . each tube was shaken for ten seconds and immediately inactivated with 0 . 25 ml 15 % sodium thiosulfate . solutions containing 1 % trisodium phosphate and 1 % sodium monofluorophosphate were handled in a similar manner . one ml of test suspension was dispensed into two sterile 16 × 125 mm screw cap tubes . each tube received 4 ml 2000 ppm chlorine dioxide in 1 % sodium dihydrogen phosphate . the first tube received 0 . 25 ml sodium thiosulfate , while the second tube received none . subsequently each tube was tested for residual chlorine dioxide by adding 0 . 3 ml phosphate buffer reagent and 0 . 3 ml dpd reagent to each tube . neutralized tubes were colorless , while nonneutralized tubes were pink . solutions of trisodium phosphate and sodium monofluorophosphate containing 2 , 000 ppm chlorine dioxide were handled in a similar manner . one ml test suspension of each organism was treated with 4 ml butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer and 0 . 25 ml 10 % sodium thiosulfate as a negative control . sterility tests on all reagents were run parallel to experiments by plate counted method . the plate counted method and sterility tests were conducted in accord with standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater , 17th edition , p . 9 - 54 ( 1989 ). as shown in tables 4 , 5 and 6 , 99 - 100 % of the organisms were killed when challenged with 2 , 000 ppm ( 0 . 2 %) chlorine dioxide in either 1 % sodium dihydrogen phosphate or trisodium phosphate . in sharp contrast , only fifty percent of s . mutans were killed when challenged with 2 , 000 ppm chlorine dioxide in sodium monofluorophosphate . s . sanguis and c . albicans were 99 - 100 % killed when challenged with 1 , 000 ppm ( 0 . 1 %) chlorine dioxide in either 1 % sodium dihydrogen phosphate or trisodium phosphate . in sharp contrast , s . mutans was killed 24 and 76 %, respectively , when similarly challenged . 1 , 000 ppm chlorine dioxide in 1 % sodium monofluorophosphate yielded a 12 % kill when used against s . mutans . chlorine dioxide concentrations of 200 ( 0 . 02 %) and 500 ppm ( 0 . 05 %) in the presence of phosphates demonstrated marginal bacteriocidal activity against s . mutans , s . sanguis , and c . albicans ( 6 - 66 % kill ). table 4______________________________________results showing the bacteriocidalactivity of chlorine dioxide inphosphate solutions at ph 6 . 0 againststreptococcus mutans . phosphate solutionclo . sub . 2 negative ( ppm ) control * nah . sub . 2 hpo . sub . 4 na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4 na . sub . 2 fpo . sub . 3______________________________________ 0 17 , 000 ** 16 , 000 ( 6 )*** 18 , 000 ( 0 ) 14 , 000 ( 18 ) 200 nd 15 , 000 ( 12 ) 16 , 000 ( 6 ) 14 , 000 ( 18 ) 500 nd 15 , 000 ( 12 ) 15 , 000 ( 12 ) 14 , 000 ( 18 ) 1000 nd 13 , 000 ( 24 ) 4 , 100 ( 76 ) 15 , 000 ( 12 ) 2000 nd 2 ( 99 ) 120 ( 99 ) 8 , 500 ( 50 ) ______________________________________ * butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer ** organisms / ml *** percent kill nd = not done table 5______________________________________results showing the bacteriocidalactivity of chlorine dioxide inphosphate solutions at ph 6 . 0 againststreptococcus sanguisphosphate solutionclo . sub . 2 negative ( ppm ) control * 1 % nah . sub . 2 hpo . sub . 4 1 % na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4______________________________________ 0 29 , 000 ** 22 , 000 ( 24 )*** 25 , 000 ( 14 ) 200 nd 22 , 000 ( 24 ) 19 , 000 ( 34 ) 500 nd 16 , 000 ( 45 ) 11 , 000 ( 62 ) 1000 nd 360 ( 99 ) 0 ( 100 ) 2000 nd 0 ( 100 ) 0 ( 100 ) ______________________________________ * butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer ** organisms / ml *** percent kill nd = not done table 6______________________________________results showing the bacteriocidalactivity of chlorine dioxide inphosphate solutions at ph 6 . 0 againstcandida albicansphosphate solutionclo . sub . 2 negative ( ppm ) control * 1 % nah . sub . 2 hpo . sub . 4 1 % na . sub . 3 po . sub . 4______________________________________ 0 95 , 000 ** 64 , 000 ( 33 )*** 55 , 000 ( 42 ) 200 nd 58 , 000 ( 39 ) 64 , 000 ( 33 ) 500 nd 47 , 000 ( 51 ) 32 , 000 ( 66 ) 1000 nd 250 ( 99 ) 0 ( 100 ) 2000 nd 17 ( 99 ) 5 ( 99 ) ______________________________________ * butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer ** organisms / ml *** percent kill nd = not done the stability of chlorine dioxide at ph 6 . 8 in the presence of 0 . 02 % phosphate . the following is an example of how to test the stability of chlorine dioxide at ph 6 . 8 in the presence of 0 . 02 % phosphate . 1 . purogene ( 2 % clo 2 ), lot # 8907 . 41 , 1 gallon , manufactured by bio - cide , international , p . o . box 2700 , norman , okla . 73070 . a 0 . 2 % solution of monobasic sodium phosphate is prepared in distilled water . ten ml is placed into each of four beakers . one of each of the four beakers receives 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , and 10 ml of chlorine dioxide concentrate ( 2 % clo 2 ), respectively . all solutions are diluted to 90 ml with distilled water , adjusted to ph 6 . 8 with 1n naoh and 1n hcl , diluted to 100 ml and placed in screw cap bottles . solutions containing dibasic and tribasic sodium phosphate and a distilled water blank control are prepared in a similar manner . chlorine dioxide content and ph is determined for each solution on days 0 , 7 , 14 , 21 and 28 in accordance with standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater , 17th edition , 1989 , in order to determine the stability of chlorine dioxide over time . the stability of chlorine dioxide in various toothpastes having a 0 . 02 % and 0 . 05 % na 3 po 4 at ph 5 . 0 . 5 . 5 , and 6 . 0 . the following is an example of how to test the stability of chlorine dioxide in various toothpastes having either 0 . 02 % or 0 . 05 % na 3 po 4 . stabilized chlorine dioxide in alkaline solutions is present as sodium chlorite . acidification of sodium chlorite results in the liberation of chlorine dioxide gas which is very reactive against organic material . 1 . tartar control crest toothpaste , original flavor , lot # 9342tk , manufactured by procter and gamble , cincinnati , ohio , 45202 . 2 . aquafresh for kids fluoride toothpaste bubblemint flavor , lot m292b , manufactured by beecham products , usa , pittsburgh , pa ., 15230 . 3 . generic toothpaste without a detergent ( unlabeled ), supplied by perry ratcliff , dds , 7125 east lincoln drive , scottsdale , ariz . 85253 . 4 . trisodium phosphate , na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o . fisher scientific , fair lawn , n . j . 5 . purogene , ( 2 % chlorine dioxide ), lot # 8907 : 41 , manufactured by bio - cide international , inc ., p . o . box 2700 , normal , okla . 73070 . each toothpaste is divided into three 50 g portions and placed in plastic jars with lids . one portion of each toothpaste is adjusted to ph 5 . 0 , 5 . 5 , and 6 . 0 , respectively , with 1n naoh and 1n hcl . subsequently 5 ml 2 % chlorine dioxide is added to each portion and mixed thoroughly to yield a chlorine dioxide concentration of approximately 0 . 15 %. toothpaste is dispensed into four jars , 50 g per jar . the jars are divided into groups of two each . jars in the first group each receive 0 . 24 na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o ( 0 . 02 na 3 po 4 ) while jars in second group each receive 0 . 6 g na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o ( 0 . 05 % na 3 po 4 ). one jar from each group is adjusted to ph 5 . 0 and 6 . 0 , respectively . subsequently a sufficient amount of 2 % chlorine dioxide is added to each portion and mixed thoroughly to yield a chlorine dioxide concentration of approximately 0 . 15 %. the ph and chlorine dioxide content of all jars is determined . the jars are stored in the dark at @ 20 degrees c . and reassayed for ph and chlorine dioxide content on days 7 , 14 , 21 and 28 , in order to determine the stability of the various toothpastes . the following is an example of how to test the antimicrobial effectiveness of chlorine dioxide in 0 . 02 % phosphate solution . 1 . purogene ( 2 % chlorine dioxide ), lot # 8907 : 41 , manufactured by bio - cide international , inc ., p . o . box 2700 , norman , okla . 73070 . 2 . test organisms : streptococcus mutans ( atcc # 27152 ), streptococcus sanguis ( atcc # 10556 ), and candida albicans ( atcc # 18804 ) 10 . mcfarland nephelometer tube no . 1 . density of this tube is equivalent to a bacterial suspension of 3 × 10 8 organisms per ml . 13 . sodium dihydrogen phosphate , nah 2 po 4 . 7h 2 o . ( fisher scientific , fair lawn , n . j . 14 . trisodium phosphate , na 3 po 4 . 12h 2 o . albright & amp ; wilson , p . o . box 80 , oldbury , narley , west midlands , b694ln , england . 15 . sodium monofluorophosphate , na 2 fpo 3 , ref no . ob 12837 , manufactured by albright and wilson , p . o . box 80 , oldbury , narley , west midlands , b694ln , england . dpd reagent and phosphate buffer reagent is prepared in accord with standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater , 17th edition , p . 9 - 54 ( 1989 ). a 0 . 2 percent sodium dihydrogen phosphate solution is prepared in distilled water . ten ml is placed into each of five beakers . one of each of the five beakers receives 0 , 1 , 2 . 5 , 5 , and 10 ml of chlorine dioxide concentrate ( 2 % clo 2 ), respectively . all solutions are diluted to 90 ml with distilled water , adjusted to ph 6 . 0 with 1n naoh and 1n hcl , diluted to 100 ml and placed in screw cap bottles . solutions containing 0 ppm chlorine dioxide are filter sterilized prior to use . solutions containing trisodium phosphate and sodium monofluorophosphate are prepared in a similar manner . suspensions of each organism are prepared in butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer from 48 hour agar cultures and turbidity adjusted to a mcfarland tube # 1 . subsequently 0 . 1 ml of this suspension is diluted in 50 ml of saline . the diluted microorganism suspensions are then ready for use . one ml of test suspension is aliquoted into each of five sterile 16 × 125 mm screw cap tubes . each of the five tubes receives 4 ml of a solution containing either 0 , 200 , 500 , 1000 , or 2000 ppm chlorine dioxide in 1 % sodium dihydrogen phosphate . each tube is shaken for ten seconds and immediately inactivated with 0 . 25 ml 15 % sodium thiosulfate . solutions containing 1 % trisodium phosphate and 1 % sodium monofluorophosphate are handled in a similar manner . one ml of test suspension is dispensed into two sterile 16 × 125 mm screw cap tubes . each tube receives 4 ml 2000 ppm chlorine dioxide in 0 . 02 % sodium dihydrogen phosphate . the first tube receives 0 . 25 ml sodium thiosulfate , while the second tube receives none . subsequently each tube is tested for residual chlorine dioxide by adding 0 . 3 ml phosphate buffer reagent and 0 . 3 ml dpd reagent to each tube . neutralized tubes are colorless , while nonneutralized tubes are pink . solutions of trisodium phosphate and sodium monofluorophosphate containing 2 , 000 ppm chlorine dioxide are handled in a similar manner . one ml test suspension of each organism is treated with 4 ml butterfield &# 39 ; s buffer and 0 . 25 ml 10 % sodium thiosulfate as a negative control . sterility tests on all reagents are run parallel to experiments by plate counted method . the plate counted method and sterility tests are conducted in accord with standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater , 17th edition , p . 9 - 54 ( 1989 ), in order to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of chlorine dioxide in 0 . 02 % phosphate solution . it will be seen from the foregoing that the mixture of stabilized chlorine dioxide and phosphates as part of a mouth wash or toothpaste has an improved shelf life , and is effective as a bactericide superior to other compositions used today . both stabilized chlorine dioxide , and phosphates , have been used for many years in other areas and extensive study in animals and in man have demonstrated the compounds , low toxicity and safety . it will be obvious that various changes , alterations and modifications to the method and process described herein may be made , to the extent that such changes , alterations and modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims therein intended to be encompassed herein .
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referring now to the drawings in fig1 - 4 , wherein similar parts of the invention are identified by like reference numerals , the device 10 is employed in combination with countertop cooking or slow cooker devices such as a rice cooker 18 as in fig1 . as graphically depicted in fig2 , the device 10 and method herein are configured to operate combined with a countertop style cooker such as a crock pot , or a rice cooker 18 , and generally employ a microprocessor 12 which serves to control the heating temperature during cooking as provided by an electric heating element 14 . such heating elements are conventionally located below the cooking cavity 16 of cookers such as the depicted rice cooker 18 , to provide heat to the cooker to raise it to an initial temperature level high enough for boiling the liquid contents to cook the rice , whereafter the temperature is reduced below the boiling point to allow the rice to simmer and cook for a long duration at low temperatures . as noted , most such cookers do not provide the ability for users to initially cook food such as meat or fish , at higher temperatures prior to cooking another food at a lower temperature in order to provide a flavor stock to the subsequently added food . instead , the user must cook the high - temperature cooked portion of the food elsewhere , and then add it to the cooking cavity 16 as the rice or other food is simmering therein . cookers that do allow the user to cook at different and higher temperatures conventionally adjust manually . thus , they require the user to remember and then to manually change the cooking temperature , by using a control as shown in fig3 . if forgotten , even after liquid is added , the food in the cooker will continue to cook at high sauteing temperatures after the fluid has been added , and ruin the food . employing the device 10 and method herein , a first phase of cooking at a higher initial temperature is provided upon energizing the cooker for stir frying , or sauteing food in the cooking cavity 16 . this food from the first high temperature phase , is used to flavor the subsequently added rice or other food which is cooked at a lower temperature and simmers therein . during this first phase the heating element 14 raises the temperature in the cooking cavity 16 to a saute &# 39 ; or searing temperature in the range of between 140 - 160 degrees centigrade . this is conventionally hot enough for a high temperature phase which allows for searing , or sauteing the food within the cavity 16 . once the user determines subjectively , that the duration of the food being cooked at the higher temperature is finished , and the food so cooked at high temperatures is ready to provide the flavor stock for the subsequently added rice or pasta or other simmer - cooked food added to the cooking cavity 16 , a second phase temperature is initiated . this second phase is initiated by the user determining by sight , smell , taste , or other subjective means , that the variable time for the high temperature cooking phase is over , whereupon the user adds liquid to the cooking cavity 16 . along with the liquid may be rice , and of course other foods requiring similar cooking at lower temperatures , may be employed in the second phase lower temperature phase , and such is anticipated . at this point in the process , once the user determines the end of the first phase by adding liquid to the cooking cavity 16 , the second phase of cooking begins where liquid added to the cavity 16 and the formerly high temperatures in the cooking cavity 16 is lowered and remains in the second phase for the longer cooking of the rice at lower temperatures . such cooking for rice or other added foods for low temperature cooking is conventionally substantially 100 degrees centigrade or in a range of 90 - 110 degrees centigrade . the method and device 10 herein , provides a means to automatically reduce the temperature in the cooking cavity , without the user adjusting the device 10 or any temperature or other controls . instead , the cooking temperature is reduced automatically when the user subjectively determines the first high temperature phase is complete by the act of the user adding liquid to the cooking cavity 16 which is normally done at the cessation of the first phase . rather than requiring the user to manually take action to change the heat produced by the heating element 14 , to lower the temperature in the cooking cavity 16 , the device 10 and method herein employ a novel manner to automatically switch to the phase two cooking temperature and duration alleviating any error by the user forgetting to switch temperatures and which would cause the food to be burned or overcooked . in providing for the user determined transition to phase two , a means to sense a sudden drop in the temperature in the cooking cavity 16 , in the form of sensor 20 which is a heat - sensitive means for generating an electric or manual temperature signal corresponding to the temperature in the cooking cavity , is in communication with the cooking cavity 16 during the first and second cooking phases , and in operative electronic communication with the microprocessor 12 or other switching means capable of lowering the heat communicated to the cooking cavity 16 . the end of the first phase of cooking , which can vary widely in duration depending on what is being cooked , is determined by the user by the adding a portion of liquid to the cooking cavity 16 for simmering and absorption of the rice or other food deposited therein with the liquid . this addition , of a volume of liquid to the cooking cavity 16 , lowers the temperature in the cooking cavity 16 substantially immediately . upon sensing the sudden drop in temperature in the cooking cavity 16 , caused by the addition of liquid thereto by the user subjectively determining the end of the high temperature phase , the sensor 20 communicates an electronic signal to the microprocessor 12 which is adapted with software to cause a lowering of the temperature output of the heating element 14 , to a level to produce heat in the cooking cavity 16 at the level for phase two , for simmering the liquid and additional rice or other food in the cavity for a duration of time to cook it . a timing element of the microprocessor 12 software or engaged thereto may also be included to limit the duration of the second phase of cooking and heating by the heating element 14 to heat the cooker 18 . in operation , as noted , the user having determined subjectively that the duration high temperature cooking such as sauteing food in the cavity 16 is over , will add liquid , such as water or broth thereto , for simmering of added food for the duration . the substantial and sudden drop in temperature caused by the addition of liquid to the cavity 16 , will be ascertained by the sensor 20 which will communicate a signal the a controller capable of regulating the temperature of the heating element 14 , such as a microprocessor 12 , which will cause a lowering of the electrical current or supply to the heating element 14 . this can be done with a separate controller or microprocessor - controlled switch 21 or using other means to throttle the electrical supply to the heating element 14 . thereafter , the temperature in the cavity 16 will be lowered to a predetermined lower temperature for a second cooking phase automatically by the control or microprocessor 12 . a timer 13 may be employed to determine and to time , the duration of this second phase lower cooking temperature along with an automatic switching by the controller or microprocessor 12 , to a third or warming phase to maintain the food in the device in a warm state . optionally but preferred , a means for feedback of the automatic temperature drop is provided to provide the user notice that phase two of cooking has begun . the device 10 as depicted in fig1 , 2 , and 4 , provides leds which will illuminate during their respective phase one or phase two periods . thus , once the saute or higher temperature period is determined by the user as finished , and phase two is started at lower temperatures , the first led 31 adjacent to the term saute will be darkened and the second led 33 adjacent to the term simmer will illuminate . other means may be employed to provide the user feedback as to the phase of cooking . as noted above , while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof and steps in the method of production , a latitude of modifications , various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures , it will be appreciated that in some instance some features or steps in formation of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims . all such changes , alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims . further , the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enable the u . s . patent and trademark office and the public generally , and especially the scientists , engineers , and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology , to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application . any such abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application , which is measured by the claims , nor is it intended to be limiting , as to the scope of the invention in any way .
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the substrate of the tft - oel panel of the present invention can be any conventional substrate for flat panel displays . preferably , the substrates are glass , plastics , and transparent resins . more preferably , the plastic substrate can be a substrate made of the polycarbonate ( pc ), polyethylene terephthalate ( pet ), cycloolefin copolymer ( coc ) or metallocene - catalyzed - coc . the cathode of the tft - oel panel of the present invention can be made of any typical conductive electrode material . preferably , the cathode of the present invention is made of a low - resistance metal . most preferably , the cathode of the present invention is made of aluminum , silver , an aluminum - magnesium alloy or a silver - magnesium alloy . the anode of the tft - oel panel of the present invention is made of any typical electrode material . preferably , the anode of the tft - oel panel of the present invention is made of a transparent conductive material . most preferably , the anode of the tft - oel panel of the present invention is made of indium tin oxide ( ito ) or aluminum zinc oxide ( azo ). it is preferable that the source and the drain of the tft - oel panel according to the present invention are made of the same material , and more preferably , ltps . the tft - oel panel has a typical organic electroluminescent medium . the organic electroluminescent medium of the panel of the present invention can be either made of small molecules or polymers . preferably , the organic electroluminescent medium optionally includes an electron transport layer , an electron injection layer , a light - emission layer , a hole transport layer or a hole injection layer wherein the electron transport layer , the electron injection layer , the light - emission layer , the hole transport layer or the hole injection layer is interposed between the first display electrode and the second display electrode . it is preferable that at least one passivation layer should be formed between the first conductive lines and the second conductive lines of the tft - oel panel according to the present invention . the passivation layer can be any conventional passivation layer . preferably , the passivation layer is a polyimide layer , an acrylic resin layer , a fluororesin layer , an epoxy layer or a silicon oxide layer . the relative arrangement of the gate , the source and the drain of the tft - oel panel according to the present invention can be any typical arrangement ( e . g . bottom - gate arrangement or top - gate arrangement ). preferably , the gate is interposed between the source ( or the drain ) and the substrate ( that is , bottom - gate arrangement ). it is preferable that an isolation layer should be formed between the source and the gate of the tft - oel panel according to the present invention . the tft - oel panel according to the present invention may further comprise a buffer layer , if it &# 39 ; s necessary . the buffer layer is mounted on the surface of the substrate to protect the substrate from moisture , oxygen or ions . preferably , the buffer layer is made of silicon nitride , silicon oxide or oxysilicon nitride . in the method for fabricating the tft - oel substrate according to the present invention , any conventional processing step of forming α - si on the substrate can be used . preferably , α - si is formed on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ). in the method for fabricating the tft - oel substrate according to the present invention , the conventional processing steps are used to pattern the source , the drain , the ldd ( lightly doped drain ) layer and the channel layer . preferably , photolithography , ion - doping and ion implantation are used for forming pattern the source , the drain , the ldd layer and the channel layer . most preferably , an excimer laser is used for annealing and activating the source , the drain , the ldd layer and the channel layer after photolithography , ion - doping and ion - implantation . the method for fabricating the tft - oel substrate according to the present invention can optionally further include processing steps of forming a patterned isolation layer on each transistor element for separating the patterned sources or drains from the patterned gates . it is preferable that the tft - oel panel of the display devices according to the present invention is formed as a display panel having an array of a plurality of red , green and blue light - emitting pixels to display an image , and also , the tft - oel panel of the display devices according to the present invention may be formed as a monochromatic display panel having an array of light - emitting pixels , if it &# 39 ; s so desired . the tft - oel panel of the display devices fabricated according to the present invention can be applied to any environments or apparatus for displaying images , graphics , characters and text . preferably , the tft - oel panel of the display devices fabricated according to the present invention is applied to the display interface of televisions , computers , printers , monitors , vehicles , to the display device of signal machines , communication apparatus , telephones , lamp equipments , headlights , interactive electronic books , microdisplay , fishing devices , personal digital assistant ( pda ), game means , airplane equipments or head mounted display . the present invention will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the oel device and method for fabricating the same . referring to fig1 and 3 , fig1 is a schematic view of the present invention . the oel panel for a display device is a substrate 100 having a plurality of pixels 110 . each of the pixels 110 has a transistor element 200 and a display electrode element . the transistor element 200 is a tft switch unit having a source 210 , a gate 230 and a drain 220 . in this preferred embodiment , the transistor element 200 is fabricated by photolithography and doping of the cmos process on a substrate . the patterned sources and drains of the transistor elements 200 are formed through the processes of the conventional ltps treatment , excimer laser annealing and activation . as shown in fig1 the display electrode element of the pixels is formed on the surface of the substrate 100 . at least two electrode layers 310 , 320 and an organic electroluminescent medium 330 are also formed on the substrate for emitting light . in the structure of these electrode layers , the layer over the substrate surface is a cathode 310 . an anode 320 is formed above the cathode 310 by sandwiching an organic electroluminescent medium 330 in - between . the cathode 310 and the anode 320 sandwich the organic electroluminescent medium 330 . in this preferred embodiment , the cathode is made of aluminum , silver , an aluminum - magnesium alloy , a silver - copper alloy or a silver - magnesium alloy . the anode is a transparent ito electrode or azo . the cathode 310 of the display electrode element of the pixels is connected to the drain 220 of the transistor element 200 of the pixels so as to provide an electric current sufficient to drive the organic electroluminescent medium layer 330 of the display electrode element for luminance when the electric current flows through the source 210 to the drain 220 . a plurality of stripes of conductive lines are formed between the pixel display units 110 on the panel . the conductive lines can be divided into two sets . the first set of the conductive lines is a source conductive line 410 consisting of conductive lines being arranged parallel to one another . in this preferred embodiment , the conductive lines are formed as stripes parallel to each other . each of the first set of the conductive lines is connected to the source 210 of the transistor element 200 of the pixel display units 110 to transmit a display signal . in this preferred embodiment , the first set of the conductive lines and the cathode 310 of the display electrode element are made of the same material . preferably , they are made of aluminum , an aluminum - magnesium alloy , a silver - copper alloy or a silver - magnesium alloy in this preferred embodiment . the second set of the conductive lines is a gate conductive line 420 consisting of conductive lines being arranged parallel to one another . in this preferred embodiment , the conductive lines are formed as stripes parallel to each other . each of the second set of the conductive lines is connected to the gate 230 of the transistor element 200 of the pixel display units 110 to transmit a signal . according to the method for fabricating oel devices of the present invention , an α - si layer is formed on the substrate 100 . in this preferred embodiment , the α - si layer is formed on the surface of a glass substrate by cvd . then , the transistor element 200 is formed on the α - si substrate in accordance with the cmos process of the present invention . the tft element 200 can be made either by forming gates first or by forming sources ( or drains ) first . the sequence for formation of gates or that of sources ( or drains ) depends on the type ( e . g . top - gate or bottom - gate ) of tfts on the substrate . in the present embodiment , the tft elements 200 are bottom - gate tfts . the tft element 200 is formed by the cmos process of the present invention includes the step of forming patterned gates by sputtering ( or evaporation ) and photolithography . the photolithography at least includes photoresist - coating , exposure , development and etching . after the gates are formed , a layer of isolation material is deposited , and the isolation layer is patterned by photolithography . then , a ldd layer is patterned by photolithography , doping or ion implantation . the patterned sources and drains of the panel of the present invention are formed through sputtering ( or evaporation ) and photolithography . then , the patterned source and drain are further annealed by excimer laser , and thus both patterned sources and drains are transformed from α - si into polysilicon and the activation of dopants are achieved by radiation of excimer laser ( e . g . from the bottom side of the gate ) simultaneously . according to this process , the dopants implanted into the α - si layer in advance can act as seeds to reduce the activation energy of crystallization and increase the efficiency of crystallization in the excimer laser annealing . therefore , the thermal budget for fabricating the ltps oel tft switches ( or tft elements ) can be greatly reduced . then , gate conductive lines 420 ( the second conductive lines ) are formed by photolithography . further , a layer of the source conductive lines 410 and a material of the cathodes 310 are deposited wherein the main composition of the material of the source conductive line 410 and the cathode 310 is identical . in this preferred embodiment , the source conductive line 410 and the cathode 310 are made of the same material such as aluminum or silver , and the source conductive line 410 and the cathode 310 are patterned by photolithography . the source conductive lines 410 ( the first conductive lines ) are connected to the polysilicon sources 210 or drains 220 . the drains 220 are connected to the cathode . therefore , transistor elements 200 having the patterned gates 230 , sources 210 and drains 220 are formed on the substrate . then , the cathode 310 of the pixel , the source conductive line 410 , the gate conductive line 420 of the panel are also formed on the substrate . subsequently , an adhesive dielectric layer 350 is deposited on the substrate surface for covering the surface areas except the cathode 310 . the adhesive dielectric layer 350 is formed and patterned by photolithography for protect the transistor elements 200 . then , at least an organic electro luminescent medium layer is formed on the surface of the cathode of the pixel . the organic electroluminescent medium layer can be made of small molecules or polymers . the organic electroluminescent medium layer can optionally includes a hole injection layer , a hole transport layer , an organic electroluminescent medium layer , an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer . the organic electroluminescent medium layer is formed by evaporation in this preferred embodiment . after forming the organic electroluminescent medium layer , an anode 320 is formed on the top surface of the organic electroluminescent medium layer . in this embodiment , the anode 320 is a transparent electrode of ito . after all the cathodes and anodes are formed , a layer of passivation 340 is deposited for protecting the whole layers and all the elements on the substrate of the oel display panel . the oel device of the present invention combines conventional steps of the formation of the cathode material and the bus line of the ltps panel into one processing step for coating a cathode film and the bus line of the ltps panel on the oel panel at the same time . therefore , the formation of the present invention is different from the conventional ltps tft panel process since the steps of masking in the manufacturing process are reduced . further , the oel device according to the present invention use a low - resistance material such as aluminum ( or an aluminum - magnesium alloy ) or silver ( or a silver - magnesium alloy ) as the material of the bus line and the cathode so that the effect of rc delay can be effectively reduced . compared with the typical ltps tft panel using chromium or molybdenum bus line , the effect of rc delay of the panel made through the method of the present invention is much less . finally , the oel devices of the present invention adopt a design of top light - emitting structure to significantly reduce the adverse effects such as interference , scattering and refraction caused by the disordered transmission path of the emitting light in the layers of a panel and increase the luminescent efficiency and aperture ratio when the cathode is close to the substrate . although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed .
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referring to fig1 a multiplexed computerized data acquisition system includes a microprocessor 50 and n channels connected to remote locations t 1 , t 2 , . . . t n where sensors are deriving analog data at respective measuring points . the present invention will be described in the context of temperature measurement and , typically , of sensing with either thermocouples , or resistance thermometer devices ( rtd ). an isolation and multiplexer circuit 110 provides isolation between the differential inputs on line 1 , 2 from each measuring point and the analog and digital treatment side of the computer for each channel ch 1 , ch 2 . . . ch n . any such channel includes an analog - to - digital ( a / d ) converter 10 responsive to the differential input of lines 11 , 12 from multiplexer 110 when selection by line 15 from the microprocessor to the multiplexer has selected the particular channel and initiated the a / d conversion process by the associated a / d converter 10 . converter 10 outputs on line 17 , digital information for treatment by the microprocessor . in accordance with the present invention , a microprocessor 50 is associated with a number of channels located in proximity , for instance channels 1 , 2 . . . n , for the sake of simplicity of description . the microprocessor 50 is used for calibration initially of any particular measurement at any given measuring point t 1 , t 2 . . . t n . the microprocessor is actuated via line 14 by a test command . a reference voltage source 40 is used in common by all the measuring points of the particular group ch 1 , ch 2 , . . . ch n in the instance shown ), and a switching interconnector 60 insures proper communication between reference voltage source 40 , microprocessor 50 and any of the input lines 1 , 2 of the channels of the group . as will be explained , hereinafter , when an autocalibration and testing procedure is chosen microprocessor 50 establishes through the switching interconnector 60 , a particular circuit by which reference voltage source 40 is substituted at the input of the channel for analog data at the chosen measuring point between lines 1 and 2 . microprocessor 50 also communicates back and forth with the a / d converter which is selected by lines 16 , 17 whereby data derived from the measuring point when the voltage source 40 is applied on lines 1 , 2 can be used by the microprocessor for offset error correction and gain adjustment during calibration of the particular channel . once the testing procedure is terminated , the microprocessor transfers from th calibration mode into the measuring mode . referring to fig2 a simplified diagram shows for one channel ch n the switching interconnector 60 in the instance of a thermocouple th as sensor at the measuring point . one cable line 1 from the thermocouple is connected via a resistor r to ground . the other cable line 2 goes through a grounded protection and filter circuit pfc to the non - inverting input of an operational amplifier oa 1 . a time and temperature stable reference voltage source 40 is connected by lead 5 via a switch s 3 to ground , and via a resistor r &# 39 ; and a switch s 2 by lead 6 to the inverting input of operational amplifier oa 1 . lead 2 which normally carry the thermocouple analog voltage to operational amplifier oa 1 is connected to ground through a switch s 1 by line 7 . the output of operational amplifier oa 1 is connected to another operational amplifier oa 2 by means of an isolation circuit isc via lines 8 and 9 . the output 11 , 12 of oa 2 is leading to the a / d converter of fig1 ( not shown here ). a relay combination circuit 60 is actuated by the microprocessor 50 according to a three - step logic defined on lines 51 , 52 . for calibration , the microprocessor first causes relay circuit 60 by line 64 to place switch s 2 into position ii , whereby line 6 is connected to ground on line 5 . at the same time by line 63 switch s 1 is closed , whereby line 2 is connected via line 7 also to ground on line 5 . when this is done , the input on amplifier oa 1 are zero . therefore , the output on line 8 should be zero . if , however , an offset b appears on line 8 , the microprocessor , by line 17 , stores the digital amount of the offset . in a second step , microprocessor 50 causes relay circuit 60 to actuate switches s 1 , s 2 , s 3 in such a way that by line 63 switch s 1 remains closed , by line 65 switch s 3 is closed , and by line 64 switch s 2 is in position i . as a result , the known voltage between lines 5 and 6 becomes applied between the two inputs of operational amplifier oa 1 . therefore , a definite voltage y 0 appears on line 8 representing the known input x 0 from reference source 40 . since the offset b is known from the first step and has been stored in the microprocessor , the equation : due to the amplifier configuration during the second step , a value m + 1 is stored for m . a third step involves normal measurement from lines 1 , 2 and the thermocouple th . the measuring mode is achieved when switch s 1 is open , switch s 2 is in its second positions ii and switch s 3 is open . the unknown voltage at the input provides an output y 1 which is measured , and from the stored values m and b the microprocessor computes which is the measured value at location # 1 , . . . or # n . such measurements and calibrations are effected for all the channels of a group e . g . which are common to the same reference voltage source 40 , and microprocessor 50 . the relay circuit 60 , however , which is associated with the microprocessor controls separate sets of switches such as s 1 , s 2 , s 3 in each channel . lines 51 , 52 are multiplexed between all the channels of a group . the elements of a group are part of a module which combines up to four channels , typically . the isolation circuit isc is also associated with a group . switch sw &# 39 ; of fig2 typifies channel selection by the central microcomputer between all channels . switch sw chooses between lines 9 outputting from the isolation circuit isc to an output amplifier oa 2 for the particular module , whereas switch sw &# 39 ; selects from the microcomputer the particular module , or group of channels . the local microprocessor 50 is connected to the output from output amplifier oa 2 to receive data representing m , or b , during autocalibration via line 17 . the microprocessor outputs on lines 51 , 52 , the logic of which determines the pattern to be assumed by relay circuit 60 . within relay circuit 60 are coil relays which control contacts s 1 , s 2 , s 3 . the measurement method implemented by the embodiment of fig2 allows for accurate absolute temperature measurements and for very accurate relative temperature measurements . the error in absolute temperature measurement depends upon the stability of the reference voltage source 40 and upon the non - linearity of the gain of the isolation amplifiers oa 1 , oa 2 and isc . relative temperature measurement is effected with vary good accuracy when the same reference voltage source 40 is used in the automatic calibration of each channel of the same group , since any change in the reference voltage will be common to all channels , leaving the relative measurement unaffected . with the proposed system , the thermocouple signal line of lines 1 , 2 is always connected , e . g ., never disconnected . the invention is also applicable to a resistance thermometer device ( rtd ) type of sensor at any location t 1 . . . t n . referring to fig3 at the sensing point of the particular channel a resistance thermometer device ( rtd ) is used , rather than a thermocouple . these devices , as generally known , require a stable current source feeding into the internal resistance of the device . the problem here resides in lead resistance variations with temperature which would result in significant measurement error . fig3 illustrates circuitry by which such an error is totally eliminated . as generally known , the rtd device is interfaced with the analog - to - digital converter symbolized by operational amplifier oa 1 and with the current source cs through a three - wire connection . terminal ta goes through line 101 to the current source cs , while terminal tb goes through line 103 to ground g . the lead resistances are symbolized by a resistor r 1 for lead 101 and r 3 for lead 103 . for the measurement , terminal t a is connected via line 102 to the input of line 6 to operational amplifier oa 1 and terminal t b is connected via line 103 to the grounded input of line 2 . the lead resistance of line 102 is symbolized by a resistor r . according to the prior art such three - wire arrangement is connected in a bridge so that the effects of lead wire resistance variations with distance and temperature are cancelled thereby to provide accurate measurement of temperatures . the bridge requires selection of resistors in circuit and initial adjustment whereby a null condition is established before each measurement by a differential amplifier . in accordance with the present invention , there is no need to use a bridge . a switch sw allows to connect line 6 of the input of operational amplifier oa 1 to either line 101 in position a , line 102 in position b , or line 103 and ground in position c . three successive measurements are made . first , with sw in position a , a voltage v ac 1 is measured on line 8 between points a and c which leads to the following voltage : where i is the current carried from the current source . the assumption is made that 101 , 102 and 103 are leads having the same wire type , gauge and length and , therefore , have the same resistance . therefore , ir 1 = ir 3 . the method steps used with the assist of a microprocessor according to the present invention , for lead cancellation are illustrated by the flow chart of fig4 . first at 111 the switch sw is set into position a . accordingly , v ac 1 is measured and saved by the microprocessor . then at 112 switch sw is set into position b , v b 1 is measured and saved by the microprocessor . the values so saved are used for the calculation at 114 of v rtd = ir 2 = 2v bc - v ac 1 . however , switch sw is immediately brought back to position a . the value v ac 2 derived in the third step should be the same , or at least within a limit ε , not much different from v ac 1 . the value of v ac 2 measured at 113 is saved and used at 115 in order to raise the question whether v ac 1 - v ac 2 has exceeded the limit ε . if it has exceeded the limit , the reason may be either that a short term variation in the current i or in the temperature affects the truth of the algorithm , or that switch sw is not properly returned to position a . in such case , at 116 an alarm is set to cancel the information derived and make another trial . if , however , the value detected as ( a ac 1 - v ac 2 ) does not cause an alarm , the system is in a proper condition , first , to use the value v rtd at the interface with the computer monitored digital system , then , to proceed with another measurement step from the particular resistance thermometer device rtd . therefore , the method of fig3 and 4 requires three measurements to allow for the cancellation of the effect of lead resistance and variations affecting the current source . accordingly , an accurate temperature measurement is made possible with an rtd without having to use a bridge circuit . this scheme requires no adjustment , or component selections . it is also observed that , with the arrangment of fig3 when the switch is in position c , the zeroing mode is obtained , thereby allowing elimination of an offset error .
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an overall block diagram is shown in fig1 of one presently preferred embodiment of a programmable energy load controller system 10 . a central facility 11 , shown generally to the left of the vertical broken line , comprises a microcomputer 12 , such as a standard intel mds - 800 microcomputer , containing a central processing unit ( cpu ) 12a ; read - only - memory ( rom ) means 12b ( of about 6kilobyte capacity ); read - write random - access - memory ( ram ) means 12c ( of about 16 kilobyte capacity ); and an input / output ( i / o ) means 12d . the microcomputer also contains suitable multi - wire signal path structures , commonly known as a data bus 13a , an address bus 13b and a control bus 13c , interconnecting the cpu , rom , i / o and ram means , and an i / o bus 13d coupling the cpu and i / o means . the various parallel bus structures 13a , 13b and 13c are coupled to a mass data storage means 14 , which may be a magnetic tape transport and controller , a magnetic disk , data cassette transport mechanism and the like , for storage of large quantities of data which may be written into and read from data storage means 14 via data bus 13a , under control of cpu 12a . data storage means 14 may be physically located within microcomputer 12 or adjacent thereto , with proper coupling of the data , address and control buses thereto . the data bus 13a is of the bidirectional type , whereby data may be read from data storage means 14 into temporary data storage means such as ram 12c , or vice - versa , under control of cpu 12a and programs executed therein , in manner known to the computing arts . data may be received in the microcomputer 12 via a parallel and / or serial input bus ( or buses ) 15 from sources external to the microcomputer . also contained within microcomputer 12 is a real - time clock module 20 , utilizing a high - stability crystal element 21 , to continuously and accurately establish the time - of - day ( tod ) and day - of - week ( dow ). real - time clock means 20 is coupled to bidirectional data bus 13a at clock data port 20a , to address bus 13b at clock address port 20b , and to control bus 13c , at clock control port 20c , to facilitate entry of clock starting time data upon energization of the load controller system of the present invention , and to facilitate reading the tod and dow data from clock means 20 when the clock means is interrogated with address codes , at port 20b , corresponding to the unique address codes previously assigned to the clock . real - time clock means 20 is advantageously fabricated upon a printed circuit board , or other like means , of similar size as that used for mounting the components of the other portions of the microcomputer , and the real - time clock means , along with its timing element 21 and a rechargeable battery means 29 , is physically positioned within the confines of the microcomputer at the central facility . a power supply means 25 is coupled to the ac power line 26 in the building housing the central facility and is coupled to the microcomputer 12 , via connections 27 and 28 , to provide the required operational voltages and currents . dc power connection 28 provides the real - time clock with operating power derived from the commercial power means , and is coupled to a back - up battery 29 via a battery charging circuit 30 which allows charging current to flow easily in the direction of the battery such that in the event that ac mains power is lost for any reason , the battery is isolated from means 25 and remains coupled only to real - time clock 20 to assure that the timekeeping function of the clock is maintained . upon reestablishment of mains power , a bootstrap program directs the cpu to place on address bus 13b the sequential addresses of the clock portions storing tod and dow data such that the system will then implement the load energization pattern required for that particular time . an operations console and interface 35 , such as a general electric terminet 30 ® data terminal and the like , is generally physically located near the central computer and is coupled to the i / o bus via bus portion 15a and thence to i / o means 12d of the computer . console 35 allows system personnel to load , debug and / or modify system programs as well as perform computer diagnostic routines , as required , and in manner known to the art . a telephone interface means 37 , such as a standard at & amp ; t 407a data set and the like , receives tone - coded serial data , coupled via bus 38 to a telephone line 39 , which may be a dedicated telephone number in a building - wide telephone system and the like , and decodes this data prior to coupling the data via a portion 15b of the i / o bus to the computer , in manner known to the art . the central facility is substantially completed by an interface driver circuit 40 serving to couple a portion 15c of the i / o bus to transmission media 45 serving to carry signals representative of data to and from the central facility and the inputs of each of a plurality of remotely - located load control processors 50 - l through 50 - m . media 45 is preferably a cable running between interface driver 40 and each of the parallel inputs of the load control processors 50 . in our preferred embodiment , transmission medium 45 is a pair of twisted wires , although a coaxial cable may be equally as well utilized . each load control processor 50 is assigned an address unique to that load control processor ( lcp ), even if more than one load control processor is physically located at the same location within the facility . each of load control processors 50 , when properly addressed and enabled , decodes function data transmitted from the central facility thereto , for energization of combinations of the lcp output lines 51 to enable or disable one of a plurality ( n ) of loads 52 coupled to each lcp . additionally , in our preferred embodiment , each lcp is configured to not only enable and disable energy consumption by one of the n loads coupled thereto , but also , when our energy load controller system is utilized for controlling lighting functions and the like , to enable each lighting load ( a single fixture , bulb and the like ) to one of a plurality of different energized conditions . thus , where a single lighting fixture contains a lighting load capable of being switched between the &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; condition , a low - light &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; condition and a high - light &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; condition , the load control processor associated with each such load is configured to properly place that specific load in the desired one of the plurality of possible energy consumption states . in our preferred embodiment , each of the mxn loads is a latching relay associated with either the on - off function or a high lighting level / low lighting level function of each one of a plurality ( mxn / 2 ) of lighting fixtures provided in at least one building to be controlled by our novel system . the number of fixtures controlled by a single lcp is related both to the number of states of energy consumption definable per fixture ; the number of bits in a data word defined for the particular cpu utilized in computer facility 12 ; and the number of function words to be transmitted in a single message to the paralleled plurality of lcps . in the embodiment herein illustrated , the intel mds - 800 microcomputer utilizes the well - known 8080 cpu integrated circuit , for which the data word is defined as being 8 bits ( 1 byte ) wide . we have arbitrarily chosen to send only two data words be sent in serial fashion to each uniquely addressed one of the lcps ; each lighting fixture requires information contained in two binary data bits ( the &# 34 ; on - off &# 34 ; function bit and the &# 34 ; high - low &# 34 ; function bit ) whereby the &# 34 ; on / off &# 34 ; states of a set of eight fixtures are controlled by a first data byte and the &# 34 ; on - hi / on - lo &# 34 ; states of the eight fixtures are controlled by the second byte of the preferred two - byte sequential data function message . of course , it should be understood that other cpus may be utilized , whereby a particular data word may have more or less bits and that a single data word , or more than two data words in succession , may be as easily transmitted to the paralleled multiplicity of lcps ; other microprocessors cpus are well known to the art , having four , twelve or sixteen bit data words , and minicomputers and large mainframe computers having data words up to at least sixty - four bits are also known - these cpus may be utilized within the intent and spirit of the present invention . it should also be understood that other specific load control coding arrangements may be utilized , e . g . a lighting load having an &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; and three &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; conditions ( such as a common three - way incandescent bulb and fixture therefor ), which four energy utilization state combinations may be coded with the appropriate ones of the four possible combinations available from two sequential binary digits . similarly , other common non - lighting types of energy consumption loads may be controlled to a lesser or greater degree of possible states , e . g . air conditioning duct dampers may be controlled to one of eight air - flow positions , including zero air flow , by suitable choice of combination of three binary digits in a data word , and so forth . referring now to fig2 interface driver circuit 40 couples to the preferred twisted - pair media 45 both a data signal , having a binary one level of about + v volts and a binary zero level of about 0 , or ground potential , volts as well as a power saver ( psvr ) signal which is a negative voltage of about - v volts for the purpose of turning off a major part of each load control processor 50 . each of the data and powersaver signals is received by an identical input section 101a or 101b , utilizing optical coupling techniques between a current - limited photodiode 102a or 102b and an associated phototransistor 103a and 103b . the emitters of both phototransistors 103 are coupled to the negative potential (- v ) bus 104 , while the collector of the first phototransistor 103a is coupled via a load resistor 105a to the positive potential (+ v ) bus 106 , and the collector of the second phototransistor 103b is coupled via another load resistor 105b to the ground bus 107 . the collector of each phototransistor is coupled through a dc amplifier transistor 108a and 108b , respectively , with its associated load resistance 109a and 109b , respectively , to provide isolated and amplified data and power saver signals e d and e p , respectively , to the media driving circuitry 110 and powersaver driving circuitry 111 . in the absence of a psvr input , driving voltage e d is coupled to the input of the darlington amplifier 114 coupled between the positive bus 106 and output resistor 115 . the driving signal is also coupled via emitter follower 117 ( comprised of transistor 117a , base resistor 117b , zener diode 117c and emitter resistor 117d ) to an output stage 118 , comprised of a transistor 118a , its base resistor 118b and a collector diode 118c , with the collector diode - transistor collector - emitter circuit coupled across output load 115 . a binary one ( positive true ) signal at input 110a causes darlington amplifier 114 to saturate , while causing transistors 117a and 118a to enter the cut - off state , whereby the interface means output 40c is forced to a voltage approximating the + v potential , in logic one condition . when a data zero signal appears at data input 40a , a logic zero signal appears at amplifier input 110a , driving darlington 114 to the cut - off state and allowing the voltage at output 40c to fall to approximately ground potential . the foregoing is true if the powersaver input 40b does not have a powersaver signal present , whereby the input voltage e p at both the powersaver amplifier input 111a and the data amplifier auxiliary input 110b is a binary zero level of approximately - v volts , cutting off the powersaver amplifier darlington transistors 111b and 111c to prevent any interaction thereby with the data levels across output load 115 . the large negative voltage at auxiliary data amplifier input 110b biases the associated transistor 119 , via its base resistor 119a , into the cut - off condition , whereby transistor 119 does not affect the voltage at data amplifier input 110a . when a powersaver signal is present at powersaver input 40b , the signal e p has a binary one voltage of approximately ground potential . this ground potential at powersaver amplifier input 111a causes saturation of the darlington transistors 111b and 111c and pulls the interface means output 40c to the negative voltage - v . simultaneously , transistor 119 is saturated , placing a negative voltage signal at data amplifier input 110a to place both the darlington output circuit 114 and the pull - down transistor 118a in their respective cut - off conditions , removing all influence thereof on the voltage state of the output . collector diode 118c is now utilized to prevent damage at the collector electrode of the reverse - biased transistor 118a . thus , it is seen that the psvr signal takes precedence over all data signals and prevents transmission of the latter over the system media 45 . the data input to interface driver circuit 40 may be best understood by referring now to fig3 . when data is present , data is transmitted to the receivers / decoders , of the individual load control processors , over the dedicated two - wire transmission link at a high data transfer rate of about 2400 bits per second , with a high noise immunity being achieved by utilizing a complementary - redundant error - detecting code . the data transmission format thus transmits the two - byte address code commencing with the low - order byte ( as required by the particular data format of the 8080 microprocessor utilized in the illustrated embodiment ) which low - order byte is first transmitted as 8 bits of complementary data in time interval t 1 and is followed by the eight bits of the low order address byte transmitted as true ( or non - complemented ) data in time interval t 2 . the high order eight - bit address byte follows with the complement of the eight data bits being first transmitted in time interval t 3 and followed by the eight bits of the high order byte transmitted in data - true manner in the fourth time interval t 4 . thus , if the sixteen - bit address of a particular receiver / decoder to be addressed is 47af h , or 0100011110101111 in binary , the transmitted address will be 01010000 in time interval t 1 ( the complement of the low order byte ), followed by the eight bit true low - order byte 10101111 , in time interval t 2 , followed by the high - order byte complement eight - bit pattern 10111000 , in time interval t 3 and ending the address portion of the transmission with the high order byte data - true eight - bit pattern 01000111 . the following two bytes of data are also transmitted with the low - byte in complementary form during time interval t 5 followed by the low - order byte in true - data form during time interval t 6 , and then the high - order byte in complementary data form during interval t 7 with the true - data representation of the high order bit following time interval t 8 . a few random data bits are transmitted during a shortened time interval t 9 to act as a reset at the end of the address - data transmission . the output of the interface driver circuit 40 is coupled to media 45 . referring now to fig4 a and 4b , the data input from transmission media 45 is received at each load control processor input 50a of the paralleled plurality of lcps . the data is coupled to receiver logic circuitry 200 , preferably comprised of some signal conditioning means , including low pass filtering means for removing high frequency interference from the incoming signal and means , such as a schmitt trigger and the like , for restoring sharp leading and trailing bit edges . transmission of a psvr signal to the paralleled receiver - decoders is considered with reference to fig4 b . each load control processor 50 includes a power supply circuit 280 coupled to the ac power line and including a power transformer 281 and transient suppression means 282 and noise suppression means 283 generally located across the primary of transformer 281 . coupled to the secondary of transformer 281 is a rectifier means 284 and a filter means 285 , yielding some dc voltage at the junction therebetween for coupling to the relays and relay driver circuits 270 . additional filtering 286 and overvoltage protection means 287 are utilized to establish two additional dc voltages v a and v x , of positive polarity in the illustrated embodiment . the powersaver circuit 290 includes a darlington amplifier , 91 , comprised of first and second darlington transistors 291a and 291b , with a protection diode 291c having its cathode coupled to the base of transistor 291a . a zener diode 292 has its anode coupled to data line input terminal 50a and its cathode coupled to the anode of signal diode 291c . a resistor 293 is coupled between the junction of diodes 291c and 292 and the + v x power supply output . a series - pass darlington switch 295 includes darlington pass transistors 295a and 295b coupled between the power supply + v a output and a filter capacitor 296 , in parallel with the input terminal 297 a of a voltage regulator 297 . the power supply switch circuit 295 also includes a resistive biasing network comprised of resistors 295c and 295d , coupled between voltage v a and the output of the darlington transistors 291 . the output of the voltage regulator , at terminal 298 supplies the positive voltage necessary to operate the integrated circuits utilized to implement the logic of the lcp . in operation , the data transmitted to lcp data input terminal 50a is of the positive - true type , i . e . a binary zero level generally corresponding to a voltage level of about zero volts and a binary - one logic level generally corresponding to some positive voltage level ( typically on the order of + 15 volts for cmos logic ). during normal data transmission , it will be seen that the voltage at terminal 50a is never less than zero , whereby the voltage on the anode of signal diode 291c , and hence across the base - emitter junctions of darlington transistors 291a and 291b , is always positive . hence , the darlington transistor base - emitter junctions are forward biased and the magnitude of resistor 293 is adjusted to place the darlington pair in saturation , with the result that the end of resistor 295d furthest from transistor 295a , is substantially at ground potential . the resistive divider comprised of resistors 295c and 295d is chosen such that the darlington switch transistors 295a and 295b are in saturation whereby substantially the full magnitude of voltage v a appears at the input 297a of the voltage regulator . the magnitude of voltage v a is chosen to be larger than the required logic voltage v logic , such that regulator 297 operates and the proper logic voltage is available at output terminal 298 to allow proper operation of the lcp . the zener voltage of diode 292 is chosen such that when the negative magnitude psvr signal is received , the sum of that negative voltage plus the positive zener voltage is such that a negative voltage still appears at the anode of signal diode 291c . the base - emitter junctions of both darlington transistors 291a and 291b are reverse - biased and the transistors are then in the cut - off condition , placing each of the darlington transistors 295a and 295b also in the cut - off condition , whereby current does not flow to the input 297a of the voltage regulator . the magnitude of the logic voltage at regulator output 298 falls substantially to zero , and not only prevents operation of the receiver / decoder but also prevents any substantial power consumption by the circuitry of the lcp . as previously explained hereinabove , the negative dc voltage level utilized for the powersaver function is removed to again provide a non - negative voltage at data input 50a and allow the receiver / decoder logic circuitry to be re - powered and readied for subsequent receipt of new data transmissions . while one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed herein , various modifications and variations will now become apparent to those skilled in the art . it is our intent , therefore , to be limited only by the appending claims and not by the specifics of the single embodiment presented herein .
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fig2 a illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a voip software - based model and fig2 b illustrates an extension of the model shown in fig2 a in accordance with the principles of the present invention . referring to fig2 a , the model 200 shown is an extension of known network models , such as the emc smarts common information model ( icim ), or similarly defined or pre - existing cim - based models and adapted , herein , for the voip network . emc and smarts are trademarks of emc corporation , inc ., having a principle place of business in hopkinton , ma , usa . the emc model is an extension of the well - known dmtf / smi model and a discussion of the emc model &# 39 ; s application to networks is presented at least in commonly - owned u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 263 , 689 , now u . s . pat . no . 7 , 107 , 185 , issued on nov . 1 , 2005 to yemini , y ., et al . in addition , the application of the emc model to voip networks is discussed in commonly - owned u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 325 , 109 , the contents of both of which are incorporated by reference herein . referring to fig2 a , an exemplary abstract model 200 of the voip infrastructure section of network 100 ( fig1 ) is shown . the existing icim model 210 includes at least the elements softwareservices 212 , softwarereducdnacygroup 214 , n - tierapplicationservice 216 , which represent elements of a network system . for example , the object softwareservices represents the attributes and properties associated with a collection of services that represent operations such as call processing , music - on - hold , etc . in addition to the known objects , model 210 includes at least the objects voipsoftwareservice 230 , voipsoftwareserviceredundancygroup 236 , and voipapplicationservice 240 . the element voipsoftwareservice 230 represents attributes and properties associated with a collection of services that comprise a voip application subsystem . voipsoftwareserviceredundancygroup 236 represents a collection of services that provide resilient voip services to some set of ip telephones or other voip signaling entities . voipsoftwareservice 230 , voipserviceredundancygroup 236 , and voipapplicationservice 240 , objects represent configuration , i . e ., network , non - specific representations of the attributes and parameters of the associated hardware and further inherits the attributes and parameters of associated class and subclass . similarly , the exemplary model shown is not related to any specific configuration and the illustrated relationships between the objects are not associated with any specification voip configuration . objects associated with voipnetworkservices 232 and voipvoiceservice 234 , which are related to the attributes associated with the network features to support a voip service and the voice aspects of the voip service . for example , managing the physical gateway is a network service , as shown in block 270 , and voice mail service is associated with the voice service , as shown in block 280 . devices providing either voice services or acting as client endpoints in the voip system are considered voipvoiceservices , whereas elements involved in the transmission and / or routing of voice data traffic are considered voipnetworkservices . for example , object h323devices represents codecs and tools for conducting multimedia conference calls and object ctidevices represents computer telephony integration services , such as conducting phone calls in coordination with another application ( e . g . : integrated whiteboard and audio conversations ). model 210 further includes object voipsystem or unitarycomputersystem 218 , which describe attributes and properties associated with a system or host running one or more applications that support voip . object voipsystem or unitary computer system 218 , describes attributes and properties of the physical elements , i . e ., processors , and processing systems , of the network . for example , host object 218 . 1 represents a processing system , i . e . computer , server , router , etc ., upon which aspects or functions of the voip service or application reside . such processing systems may be based on , for example , pentium processors . pentium is a registered trademark of intel corporation . to represent or model services other than voice calling services over a voip network , the voip_applicationservices object 240 is extended to include new objects voip voicemailservice 240 . 1 and voipvoiceconferenceservice 240 . 2 ( see fig2 b ). the voicemailservice 240 . 1 object represents attributes and properties associated with a voice mail service that may be implemented using a voip network . the voipvoiceconferenceservice 240 . 2 object represents attributes and properties associated with a conferencing service ( i . e ., multiple locations ) that may be implemented using a voip network . further illustrated is application_service object 218 . 2 which resides on host 218 . 1 . application_service object 218 . 2 represents applications that are used to provide general services within network . for example , application_service object may represent services such as it support , enterprise resource planning ( erp ) system , business services and erp within an enterprise ( sap ), customer relationship management ( crm ), email service , web service , etc . these applications associated with voip services may be represented as itservices 218 . 31 , erpservices 218 . 32 , crm services 218 . 33 , webservices 218 . 34 and supportsystem 218 . 35 . each of the objects represents the properties and attributes of the associated service . for example , an “ erpservice ” object represents an enterprise resource planning system that is used to integrate the data and processes in an enterprise . a crmservice object represents a customer relationship management system that is used by an enterprise to manage relationships with their customers . an emailservice object represents an email server that is providing emails to clients . this service may be integrated with voip services to enable more user related experiences . fig3 illustrates an exemplary causality graph associated with the voip service model shown in fig2 b . in this illustrative example , when a host fails or becomes non - operational ( i . e ., a down condition ), then a host : down symptom , voip - applicationservice :: down symptom and voip_applicationservice :: down symptom may be generated . similarly , if an applicationservice were non - operational ( i . e ., not running properly ) than an applicationservice :: down , and a voip_applicationservice :: down symptoms may be generated . a similar analysis may be used to determine the impact upon the system ( i . e ., what elements are effected ) when an element is indicated to be in a down condition . fig4 a illustrates an exemplary causality matrix associated with the exemplary model shown in fig2 b and the causality graph shown in fig3 for determining a root - cause of an observed event or symptom . in this form , the mapping illustrates the relationship along which observed events propagate from causing events , wherein the relationship value ( i . e ., “ 1 ”), indicates that a symptom is caused or generated by the corresponding event . although the relationship value is shown as deterministic ( i . e ., 100 percent probable of occurring ), it should be recognized that the value may also represent a probability of an event causing a symptom to occur . hence , the value may also be probabilistic . from this exemplary matrix it can be recognized that when an indication of “ down ” is observed , the cause of such an indication may be associated with one or more of the host , the applicationservice or the voipapplication service being in a down condition . similarly , if an indication of application_service being in a down condition is observed or detected , then the cause may be associated with one or more of either the host or the applicationservice being in a down condition . in some aspects of the network processing , although a failure may occur , symptom ( s ) may , or may not , be generated to indicate that a component is experiencing failures or has failed . the root - cause correlation described herein is powerful enough to be able to deal with scenarios in which symptoms are generated , or not generated , to indicate the cause of the failure . an analysis , e . g ., a root cause analysis , of the voip network , similar to that described in the aforementioned related us patent application may be used to determine from the exemplary causality or behavior model ( s ) shown , herein . root cause analysis by the determination of a measure of the elements of the causality matrix shown in fig4 may be used to determine the most likely root cause of the one or more of the observed symptoms . such root cause analysis is described in detail in commonly - owned u . s . pat . no . 7 , 107 , 185 , issued on nov . 1 , 2005 to yemini , y ., et al ., the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein . in one aspect , a most likely causing event may be determined by determining a minimum hamming distance between a plurality of observed events and the causing events . fig4 b illustrates an exemplary impact analysis based on the model shown in fig2 b . in this illustrated example , when a host is determined to be in a down condition , the applicationservice and the voip applicationservice are shown to be impacted . impact analysis using the behavior models described herein is more fully described in the aforementioned us patent and patent application and need not be discussed in detail herein . in another aspect , the impact of failures may be projected to determine the impact of a degradation on a higher level function . the examples provided herein are described with regard to root - cause analysis and impact analysis , it would be recognized that the method described herein may be used to perform a system analysis may include : fault detection , fault monitoring , performance , congestion , connectivity , interface failure , node failure , link failure , routing protocol error , and / or routing control errors . fig5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system 500 that may be used for implementing the principles of the present invention . system 500 may contain one or more input / output devices 502 , processors 503 and memories 504 . i / o devices 502 may access or receive information from one or more devices 501 , which represent sources of information . sources or devices 501 may be devices such as routers , servers , computers , notebook computer , pdas , cells phones or other devices suitable for transmitting and receiving information responsive to the processes shown herein . devices 501 may have access over one or more network connections 550 via , for example , a wireless wide area network , a wireless metropolitan area network , a wireless local area network , a terrestrial broadcast system ( radio , tv ), a satellite network , a cell phone or a wireless telephone network , or similar wired networks , such as pots , internet , lan , wan and / or private networks , e . g ., intranet , as well as portions or combinations of these and other types of networks . input / output devices 502 , processors 503 and memories 504 may communicate over a communication medium 525 . communication medium 525 may represent , for example , a bus , a communication network , one or more internal connections of a circuit , circuit card or other apparatus , as well as portions and combinations of these and other communication media . input data from the sources or client devices 501 is processed in accordance with one or more programs that may be stored in memories 504 and executed by processors 503 . memories 504 may be any magnetic , optical or semiconductor medium that is loadable and retains information either permanently , e . g . prom , or non - permanently , e . g ., ram . processors 503 may be any means , such as general purpose ( e . g ., intel corporation pentium processor ) or special purpose computing system , such as a laptop computer , desktop computer , a server , handheld computer , or may be a hardware configuration , such as dedicated logic circuit , or integrated circuit . processors 503 may also be programmable array logic ( pal ), or application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), etc ., which may be “ programmed ” to include software instructions or code that provides a known output in response to known inputs . in one aspect , hardware circuitry may be used in place of , or in combination with , software instructions to implement the invention . the elements illustrated herein may also be implemented as discrete hardware elements that are operable to perform the operations shown using coded logical operations or by executing hardware executable code . in one aspect , the processes shown herein may be represented by computer readable code stored on a computer readable medium . the code may also be stored in the memory 504 . the code may be read or downloaded from a memory medium 583 , an i / o device 585 or magnetic or optical media , such as a floppy disk , a cd - rom or a dvd , 587 and then stored in memory 504 . similarly the code may be downloaded over one or more networks , e . g ., 550 , 580 , or not shown via i / o device 585 , for example , for execution by processor 503 or stored in memory 504 and then accessed by processor 503 . as would be appreciated , the code may be processor - dependent or processor - independent . java is an example of processor - independent code . java is a trademark of the sun microsystems , inc ., santa clara , calif . usa . information from device 01 received by i / o device 502 , after processing in accordance with one or more software programs operable to perform the functions illustrated herein , may also be transmitted over network 80 to one or more output devices represented as display 592 , reporting device 590 or second processing system 595 . as one skilled in the art would recognize , the term computer or computer system may represent one or more processing units in communication with one or more memory units and other devices , e . g ., peripherals , connected electronically to and communicating with the at least one processing unit . furthermore , the devices may be electronically connected to the one or more processing units via internal busses , e . g ., isa bus , microchannel bus , pci bus , pcmcia bus , etc ., or one or more internal connections of a circuit , circuit card or other device , as well as portions and combinations of these and other communication media or an external network , e . g ., the internet and intranet . while there has been shown , described , and pointed out fundamental novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the apparatus described , in the form and details of the devices disclosed , and in their operation , may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention . it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements that perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention . substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated .
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the composition of major elements in the alloy may be the same as the composition of all alloys usually used in aeronautical construction . iron and silicon are preferably kept below 0 . 15 % to prevent the formation of intermetallic compounds that reduce toughness . for alznmgcu alloys , zirconium is preferable to chromium or manganese as an anti - recrystallizing agent since it is less sensitive to quenching and is therefore better for toughness . for thicker products , the content must be at least 0 . 05 % if it is to have any effect on recrystallization , and shall be less than 0 . 18 % zr , or more preferably less than 0 . 13 % zr , in order to avoid sensitivity to casting problems . the concentrations of titanium and boron in the alloy depend on the grain refining method employed . in general grain refining approaches are characterized by the use of nucleant particles that are present in the liquid at the moment of solidification ( e . g . tib 2 , tic , particles ) and by the use of an element restricting grain growth ( e . g . ti ). if an altib master alloy is used for refining the grain during casting , the most frequently used is at5b alloy with about 5 % of ti and 1 % of b , and at3b alloy with 3 % of ti and 1 % of b . grain refinement also depends on the nature of the raw materials in the melting bed , the recycled metal , particularly production scrap , leading to an increase in the content of ti and b . in a preferred embodiment of this invention , this content should remain between 0 . 01 % and 0 . 03 % for ti and between 1 μg / g and 10 μg / g for b . the grain is refined by the formation of dispersed particles of tib 2 that act as nucleants for the fine crystallization of the alloy during solidification . the grain size during casting does not depend solely on the ti and b contents related to the composition and the content of refining agent introduced into the liquid metal and the nature of the melting bed , but on many other factors such as the method of introducing the refining agent , its dispersion in the liquid metal , the other elements present in the alloy which may have growth restricting effects ( e . g . zn , cu ), or solidification conditions , for example such as cooling rate . the as - cast grain size is measured on a polished sample observed between crossed polars which has undergone a barker &# 39 ; s etch . the intercept method described in astm e 1382 is used . the process according to the invention comprises casting a product ( e . g . a billet or an ingot ) in which the as - cast grain size is controlled at between 300 and 800 μm , whereas the normal as - cast grain size for alloys of this type is between 100 and 250 μm . the as - cast grain size must be kept below 800 μm to prevent difficulties with casting and a reduction in the elongation properties and the resistance to stress corrosion . the cast ingots are homogenized at a temperature greater than 430 ° c . and more preferentially greater than 450 ° c . or even 470 ° c ., and are then hot deformed by rolling , forging or extrusion . the temperature of this transformation must be sufficiently high to limit recrystallization . the recrystallization rate , measured in the part between one quarter thickness and mid - thickness of the final product , must be kept below 35 %. it is measured by image analysis on micrographs , since the surface fractions of recrystallized grains can be seen in a light color on the dark unrecrystallized matrix . after deformation , the products are solution heat treated at a temperature between 450 ° c . and 500 ° c ., and are then quenched , usually in water , by immersion or by fine spraying , possibly followed by stress relaxation by controlled tension or compression , and finally annealed . the microstructure of wrought products according to the invention is different from the microstructure of wrought products according to prior art obtained from ingots with a typical as - cast grain size of less than 250 μm . the wrought products have a less recrystallized structure . the recrystallized areas form a network of a dimension related by a geometrical transformation to the size of the original as - cast grains . for example , a rolling reduction by a factor of two of a spherical cast grain of diameter a will generate a largely unrecrystallized grain whose geometry can be approximately characterized by an ellipsoid of axes 2α ( l direction ), α / 2 ( st direction ), α ( lt direction ). the periphery of such a grain consists of an incomplete necklace of recrystallized grains . intermetallic precipitates are observed at the heart of recrystallized areas , and probably act as nucleants for partial recrystallization . the distribution of these precipitates is more homogenous when the as - cast grain size is large . it has been found that this microstructure of the wrought products has an influence on the product failure mode . fractographic observations show that the failure mode for products according to the invention is principally transgranular , in particular for the t - l and l - t directions , whereas it is predominantly intergranular for thick products according to prior art . it could be assumed that this difference between failure modes is the cause of the significant improvement in the toughness , without affecting the mechanical strength or other physical properties necessary for aeronautical construction . the products according to the invention can be used advantageously as thick plates for airframe structures , such as spars and ribs or wing skin plates . they can 2 0 also be used as extrusions for airframe structures , such as stringers in general , and particularly wing stringers . they can also be used as forged parts for airframe structures . however , the applications of the products of the present invention are not limited to the aeronautical field . ingots of cross section 500 mm × 1600 mm made of aa7050 alloy with the position given in table 1 were cast : samples were taken from the as - cast ingots at a quarter of the thickness and a third of the width for measuring the grain size , and test pieces were taken from the same location and were homogenized at 478 ° c . for 20 h , with a heat - up in 12 h . test pieces were hot worked at 430 ° c . they were quenched in water , either at 100 ° c . at a cooling rate of 4 . 5 ° c ./ s to simulate industrial quenching of thick plates , or at 20 ° c ., and were then solution heat treated for 3 h at 478 ° c . and stress relieved by compression in the st direction with 1 . 5 % deformation . they were then artificially aged in two steps of 6 h at 120 ° c . and then 21 h at 165 ° c . two tensile test pieces in the tl direction and two toughness test pieces with b = 12 . 7 mm ( so - called short bar specimens for the determination of k sb , as described in metals handbook , 9 th edition , vol 8 “ mechanical testing ”, p . 471 , published by the american society for metals , metals park , ohio ), in the t - l direction , were taken from the deformed part of each test piece . the result of the various measurements is given in table 2 . the toughness results as a function of the grain size are shown in fig1 . there is a clearly defined correlation between these values . it is also clear that there is no correlation of tensile yield strength with as cast grain size , and thus the identification of a mean of improving toughness of a given alloy composition with no loss in strength . two industrial - scale casts of ingots of dimension 500 mm ( st )× 1600 mm ( lt )× 3000 mm ( l ) of 7050 alloy were performed : the first corresponding to a control specimen , the second to a composition according to the present invention . these casts were practically identical except for the refining practices , which were in both cases by addition of 0 . 5 kg / t of at5b rod , but for plates a and b into an alloy containing a total of 0 . 0326 % ti , plates c and d a total of 0 . 0138 % ti . from each of these two casts , two ingots were selected for transformation to 152 mm ( 6 ″) employing an identical standard plate fabrication route , including homogenization , pre - heating , hot rolling , solution heat treatment and cold water quenching , stretching , and aging to the t7451 condition . the compositions and mechanical properties of plates a and b ( prior art ) and c and d ( invention ) are presented as tables 3 and 4 respectively . plain strain fracture toughness was determined according to astm e 399 . all the plates show practically identical strengths but significant differences in fracture toughness ( see also fig2 ). improvements in fracture toughness are observed in all three testing directions . the most significant improvements are observed in the s - l and t - l directions ( respectively + 4 . 5 and + 4 . 3 mpa { square root } m on average ), but a significant improvement is also observed in the l - t direction (+ 2 . 6 mpa { square root } m on average ). [ 0049 ] table 4 properties of plates for example 2 . tensile testing toughness testing elonga - orienta - uts tys tion orienta - k ic plate tion [ mpa ] [ mpa ] [%] tion [ mpa { square root } m ] a l 505 441 9 . 2 l - t 28 . 6 ( prior art ) lt 511 433 7 . 7 t - l 25 . 1 st 492 412 7 . 6 s - l 26 . 0 b l 513 452 8 . 6 l - t 29 . 4 ( prior art ) lt 514 436 7 . 0 t - l 24 . 3 st 500 424 6 . 6 s - l 27 . 3 c l 500 437 9 . 9 l - t 32 . 6 ( invention ) lt 508 429 7 . 8 t - l 29 . 3 st 490 414 7 . 1 s - l 31 . 5 d l 502 437 9 . 6 l - t 30 . 7 ( invention ) lt 510 433 6 . 7 t - l 28 . 6 st 489 407 7 . 0 s - l 30 . 7 the distribution of recrystallized zones in wrought products according to the present invention is characteristically different from that in classical 7050 thick products . as can be observed in fig5 ( obtained from test piece number 5 in table 2 ), the characteristic distance between recrystallized regions of the invention product is significantly larger than that of prior art ( test piece number 4 in table 2 ). this can be quantified by image analysis of etched l - st micrographs . any etch that generates contrast in the unrecrystallized regions can be exploited ( e . g . chromic etch , keller &# 39 ; s etch ). the approach used is described schematically in fig4 . for lines randomly placed in the l - direction of a micrograph obtained in the l - st plane , individual intercept distances between recrystallized regions are measured ( see intercept 1 , intercept 2 , intercept 3 , intercept 4 in fig4 ). a stable and representative mean of such intercepts is obtained for several thousand measurements , and this mean is taken to be the average intercept distance . typical average intercept distances are presented as table 5 for products considered in example 1 . a graphical representation of these results is presented as fig3 . it is clear that this parameter is well correlated to fracture toughness . higher values of this average intercept give higher t - l toughnesses . values greater than 250 μm , or preferably 300 or even 350 μm , are characteristic of the improved product . it is clear that greater hot reductions will tend to elongate the structure to a greater extent in the l direction . however , the higher recrystallization rates typical of greater hot reductions will tend to compensate for the increased stretching of the microstructure in the l direction . it appears that in general , for plate thicker than approximately 100 mm , intercept distances greater than 250 μm , or preferably 300 or even 350 μm , will give improved toughness compared with conventional plate .
| 2 |
a temporary diaper storage container or diaper pail constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in fig1 and includes an outer container or shell , indicated generally at 20 . outer shell 20 includes side walls 22 , a bottom wall 24 , a top opening , indicated generally at 26 , and a hinged lid 28 providing selective access to the interior of shell 20 . in one of the embodiments shown in fig1 - 3 , outer shell 20 is fabricated from corrugated paper provided with a wax coating or other moisture - proof barrier . it is conventionally manufactured from a single cut blank which provides a folded double thickness for extra support in bottom wall 24 and includes a plurality of folds 30 forming vertical reinforcing ribs between the plural side wall sections 22 forming an octagonal shape . this shape is best seen in the configuration of bottom wall 24 as seen in fig3 . this particular material and configuration is chosen primarily for its relatively inexpensive cost , yet it possesses sufficient strength to support a very satisfactory number of diapers for the intended use . a convenient capacity for the user relative to the weight of a container full of soiled diapers is estimated to be at least about 30 to 45 medium - sized diapers . such capacity would require removal of the diapers from the storage container no more than typically once a week on the average . the diapers removed would normally be transferred to a plastic garbage bag or the like and appropriately sealed for ultimate disposal with the other trash and garbage . however , the outer shell container may have a different specific configuration and be made of other moisture proof materials appropriate to perform the intended function without departing from the present invention . such materials include a plastic suitable for the intended purpose . the storage container 20 is provided with a removably mounted liner 32 capable of adsorbing an effective amount of the noxious odors emanating from soiled diapers to eliminate or dramatically reduce the offensive sensation of such odors to the user . in the preferred embodiment shown in fig1 liner 32 comprises a mat or pad formed from non - woven synthetic fibers . the liner pad 32 is impregnated with an amount of activated carbon particles using well - known conventional techniques to provide effective adsorption of the noxious gaseous products emanating from soiled diapers and the like . the effective odor adsorbing life span of the liner pad 32 depends upon the amount of activated carbon contained within the pad up to the practical limits of the impregnation process . the liner pad 32 is also impregnated with binders and stiffening agents to impart a reasonable degree of rigidity to render the pad generally self - supporting within the limited practical size useful in a diaper pail constructed in accordance with the present invention . liner pad 32 is initially manufactured in flat sheets . the sheets are cut and scored to a selected size and then formed into a hollow , tubular configuration to fit within outer shell 20 . the degree of stiffness or rigidity referred to above is sufficient to enable one to slideably insert liner pad 32 , fully within the outer shell 20 with a light interfering or snug fit in contact with the inner surfaces of walls 22 without significant deforming of the pad or causing it to collapse . of course , the snug fit is not so great as to prevent slideably inserting or removing a pad 32 with relative ease as necessary . further , the light interference fit permits the soiled diapers to be removed by merely turning the container 20 upside down to empty the contents into a trash bag or the like for permanent disposal , without inadvertently disturbing the position of the liner 32 . liner 32 is preferably manufactured in sheet form of the desired thickness . after drying , the sheets are scored and cut to size . the they are formed into a cylinder like or tubular configuration by joining opposing ends and fixing an opposing pair of ends together by heat sealing or an adhesive . in the preferred embodiment shown in fig1 - 3 , a plurality of vertically extending pleats , such as 34 , are formed by a conventional heat sealing process and spaced to conform to the ribs 30 of the outer shell 20 . this permits liner 32 to better conform to the configuration of the inner walls of outer shell 20 for the light interfering fit desired . if the inner wall surface of shell 20 has a round or other configuration , liner 30 would be made to conform accordingly to relatively snugly engage the side walls 22 . in using the diaper storage container of the present invention , the user may locate the outer shell 20 containing the liner pad 32 in the most desirable location conveniently in or near the area used most often for changing diapers . closure lid 28 is provided with a downturned lip portion 36 which extends over a portion of outer shell 20 to completely close opening 26 . lip 36 also provides means for easily manipulating lid 28 to an open position . once the soiled diaper is placed within the container and the lid is closed , the noxious odors are substantially confined within the container . over a relatively short period of time , the odors generated are adsorbed by the activated charcoal in liner 32 and entrapped therein . upon opening lid 28 , tests indicate no unpleasant odor can be observed by the user . tests results have shown that even after several soiled diapers have been placed into container 20 , over an extended period of time , no noticeable odor is present upon opening lid . further no unpleasant or noxious odor is noticeably present in the immediate area of a container 20 loaded with several soiled diapers . the gaseous products responsible for the unpleasant odors appear to be very effectively adsorbed and contained within the activated carbon in the liner . these results contrast sharply with comparable results using conventional scented or unscented diaper pails or the like . typically , after storage of merely a few soiled diapers , a very strong , repugnant odor is present upon opening the lid of the conventional diaper pail . such odors overcome the masking scent present in the scented pails . the unpleasant odor which escapes upon opening the pail is also noticeable for several minutes in the surrounding area , particularly if it is relatively small , such as a typical nursery . further , once a conventional diaper pail has been used , even after unloading the contents and cleaning the container , the empty used pail retains a lingering noxious odor . liner pad 32 is preferably impregnated with activated carbon using conventional well - known processes . a quarter - inch thick pad 32 , loaded with about a two hundred weight percent of activated carbon based upon the unimpregnated weight of the pad , has effectively adsorbed odors for between three to four months . this effective life is based upon a typical average usage of diapers for one infant during the same period . near the end of that period , the user will begin to notice a slight degree of lessening of the liner pad &# 39 ; s effectiveness . when odors begin to become slightly noticeable , this signals that a new pad 20 should be installed . the old pad 32 is then simply removed and discarded , and a new pad 20 replaced to return the storage container to its original odor adsorbing efficiency . while activated carbon appears to be the most economically efficient material for impregnation of pad 32 , other materials , such as zeolite , which are effective to adsorb the odors of soiled diapers may be used alone or in combination with activated carbon without departing from the spirit of the present invention . now referring to fig4 another embodiment of the present invention is shown . the embodiment of fig4 is identical to the embodiment shown in fig1 - 3 except for the addition of a retaining lip 40 on the inner surface of outer shell 20 and a latch mechanism 42 provided for lid 28 . in fig4 identical reference numerals are used for identical components as shown in fig1 - 3 . the retaining lip 40 consists of another layer of the identical material used to construct outer shell 20 which extends downwardly from the top edge of shell 20 only a short distance sufficient to form an inwardly extending protrusion . lip 40 may be formed continuously around the interior of shell 20 or it may consist of a plurality of spaced ledges or lips individually connected to the inner surface of walls 22 in the same vertical plane . liner 32 - a is modified in its vertical dimension to extend from the underside of lip 40 to the bottom wall 24 of outer shell 20 . lip 40 functions to provide means for more positive retention of liner 32 - a when fully inserted , particularly when one inverts container 20 in order to dump its contents . preferably lip 40 is at least no wider than the cross - sectional dimension of liner 32 - a so as not to unreasonably inhibit the initial insertion or the intentional removal of liner 32 - a from outer shell 20 . when employing the embodiment including retaining lip 40 , the degree of the interfering fit between the liner 32 - a and the inner surface of side walls 22 may be slightly relaxed as lip 40 functions as a positive retaining means to prevent inadvertent removal of the liner 32 - a . insertion of liner 32 - a may be accomplished in a similar manner with relatively easy maneuvering of liner 32 - a in a folded relationship along one or more of the pleats or fold lines 34 through top opening 28 and past lip 40 . once liner 32 - a is partially inserted past lip 40 , the user merely pushes downwardly and outwardly on the inner surface of the liner 32 - a with the pleats 34 aligned with riles 30 . in this manner liner 32 - a may be slideably inserted fully into container 20 in engagement with the inner surfaces of side walls 22 . to remove a used liner 32 - a , the user must first pull or otherwise work the upper edge of liner 32 - a free of lip 40 and then simply pull the remainder of the liner outwardly through top opening 28 . still referring to fig4 a latch mechanism 42 is provided to more securely close lid 36 in a closed position . a resilient male latch member 44 is fixed to the inner lower edge of lid 36 and is conformed to mate with a female member 46 fixed within one of the side walls 22 of outer shell 20 . as seen in fig4 pulling outwardly on male latch member 44 releases a right - angled corner portion from engagement with the indented female member 46 to permit unrestricted opening of lid 36 . appropriate alignment permits the male latch member 44 to automatically re - engage itself with female member 46 upon closing lid 36 . it should be noted that other conventional forms of a light latching mechanism could also be employed to achieve a similar positive closure of lid 36 . while certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in detail , it is to be understood that various modifications may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims .
| 1 |
the present invention relates to the use of 4 - thio - 2 ′- oligodeoxyuridylic acids , preferably ranging in length from 12 to 82 nucleotide units ( referred to as 12 mer or 82 mer ), preferably 35 nucleotide units ( 35 mer ) for the inhibition of the growth , replication and / or elaboration of hiv in humans , and thereby for the suppression or cure of aids and aids related symptoms . it further relates to the use of these compounds in topical application for the prevention of aids , due to their ability to inhibit the entry of hiv into the cells . the research data on which this invention is based demonstrate the activity of these compounds as inhibitors of the replication of both drug - sensitive ( wild - type ) and drug - resistant hiv , in particular , strains of hiv which are resistant to nrtis , for example , zidovudine , lamivudine , didanosine , zalcitabine and stavudine , among others and nntris , for example , nevirapine , delaviridine and loridine , among others . the 4 - thio - 2 ′- oligodeoxyuridylates are modified 2 ′- deoxyribonucleic acids in which the normal base components of dna are replaced by 4 - thiouracil . these compounds are schematically represented in fig1 where n = 10 to 80 . in one specific example of this invention , n = 33 , i . e ., the compound is a 35 meric oligo - nucleotide , which is named “ suligovir ”. this is the preferred compound according to the present invention . compounds according to the present invention are 4 - thio - 2 ′- oligodeoxyuridylates as set forth in attached fig1 where n is 10 to 80 . pharmaceutically acceptable salts of these oligodeoxyuridylates are clearly contemplated by the present invention . pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention comprise a therapeutically effective amount ( anti - hiv effective amount ) of one or more of the compounds according to the present invention , alone or preferably in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient , additive or carrier . methods according to the present invention are directed to administering to an hiv , aids or other patient in need of such therapy a therapeutically effective amount of one or more pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention to inhibit the growth or replication of hiv in the treated patient and ultimately to treat , eliminate or reduce the symptoms associated with aids . in addition , methods according to the present invention are directed to the topical or vaginal / cervical administration of pharmaceutical compositions containing 4 - thio - oligodeoxyuridylates to healthy individuals in such form and amount as required to prevent their infection with hiv . the following terms shall be used throughout the specification to describe the present invention . the term “ patient ” is used throughout the specification to describe a human patient , to whom treatment , including prophylactic treatment , with the compositions according to the present invention is provided . for treatment of those infections , conditions or disease states which are specific for a specific human patient , the term patient refers to that specific patient . the term “ effective amount ” is used throughout the specification to describe concentrations or amounts of compounds according to the present invention which may be used to produce a favorable change in the disease or condition treated , whether that change relates to the inhibition of the growth , replication and / or elaboration of the retrovirus ( preferably , hiv ), including , reducing the likelihood of or preventing a patient contracting an hiv infection or a reduction in severity or elimination of the symptoms associated with a condition or disease state , whether that condition or disease state is an hiv infection or aids certain of the compounds , in pharmaceutical dosage form , may be used as prophylactic agents for preventing a disease or condition from manifesting itself or substantially reducing the likelihood that a disease will manifest itself in a patient . in certain pharmaceutical dosage forms , the pro - drug form of the compounds according to the present invention may be preferred . the present compounds or their derivatives , including prodrug forms of these agents , can be provided in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts . as used herein , the term pharmaceutically acceptable salts or complexes refers to appropriate salts or complexes of the active compounds according to the present invention which retain the desired biological activity of the parent compound and exhibit limited toxicological effects to normal cells . nonlimiting examples of such salts are ( a ) acid addition salts formed with inorganic acids ( for example , hydrochloric acid , hydrobromic acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid , nitric acid , and the like ), and salts formed with organic acids such as acetic acid , oxalic acid , tartaric acid , succinic acid , malic acid , ascorbic acid , benzoic acid , tannic acid , pamoic acid , alginic acid , and polyglutamic acid , among others ; ( b ) base addition salts formed with metal cations such as zinc , calcium , sodium , potassium , and the like , among numerous others including tertiary amines and related compounds . base additional salts of the phosphate functionality of compounds according to the present invention are those which are clearly preferred for use in the present invention . sodium and potassium salts of the present compounds are preferred . modifications of the active compound can affect the solubility , bioavailability and rate of metabolism of the active species , thus providing control over the delivery of the active species . further , the modifications can affect the anti - hiv activity of the compound , in some cases increasing the activity over the parent compound . this can easily be assessed by preparing the prodrug form and testing its anti - hiv activity according to known methods well within the routineer &# 39 ; s skill in the art . the compounds of this invention may be incorporated into formulations for all routes of administration including for example , oral and parenteral including intravenous , intramuscular , intraperitoneal , intrabuccal , topical , transdermal , intracervical or intravaginal and in suppository form . parenteral administration and in particuarly , iv administration is particularly preferred in the present method because hiv is a blood - borne disease and iv administration results in the compounds being adminstered at or near the site of infection . pharmaceutical compositions based upon these novel chemical compounds comprise the above - described compounds in a therapeutically effective amount for treating or preventing retroviral infections and other related diseases and conditions which have been described herein , optionally in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable additive , carrier and / or excipient . one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a therapeutically effective amount of one of more compounds according to the present invention will vary with the infection or condition to be treated , its severity , the treatment regimen to be employed , the pharmacokinetics of the agent used , as well as the patient treated . in the pharmaceutical aspect according to the present invention , the compound according to the present invention is formulated preferably in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . for therapeutic purposes , it is preferable to administer the pharmaceutical composition in parenteral , most preferably intravenous form , but a number of formulations may be administered via oral , parenteral , intramuscular , transdermal , buccal , subcutaneous , suppository or other route . intravenous and intramuscular formulations are preferably administered in sterile saline . of course , one of ordinary skill in the art may modify the formulations within the teachings of the specification to provide numerous formulations for a particular route of administration without rendering the compositions of the present invention unstable or compromising their therapeutic activity . in particular , the modification of the present compounds to render them more soluble in water or other vehicle , for example , may be easily accomplished by minor modifications ( salt formulation , etc .) which are well within the ordinary skill in the art . it is also well within the routineer &# 39 ; s skill to modify the route of administration and dosage - regimen of a particular compound in order to manage the pharmacokinetics of the present compounds for maximum beneficial effect to the patient . in certain pharmaceceutical dosage forms , the pro - drug form of the compounds may be preferred . one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize how to readily modify the present compounds to pro - drug forms to facilitate delivery of active compounds to a targeted site within the host organism or patient . the routineer also will take advantage of favorable pharmacokinetic parameters of the pro - drug forms , where applicable , in delivering the present compounds to a targeted site within the host organism or patient to maximize the intended effect of the compound . the amount of compound included within therapeutically active formulations according to the present invention is an effective amount for treating the infection or condition . in its most preferred embodiment , the present compounds , and in particular , the 35 meric oligo - nucleotide suligovir , are used for treating hiv infections and aids related symptoms . in general , a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of the present preferred compound in dosage form usually ranges from slightly less than about 0 . 025 mg ./ kg . to about 10 g ./ kg . or more , preferably about 2 . 5 - 5 mg / kg to about 250 mg / kg of the patient or considerably more , depending upon the compound used , the condition or infection treated and the route of administration , although exceptions to this dosage range may be contemplated by the present invention . administration of the active compound may range from a preferred continuous ( intravenous drip ) to several oral administrations per day ( for example , q . i . d .) and may include oral , topical , parenteral , intramuscular , intravenous , sub - cutaneous , transdermal ( which may include a penetration enhancement agent ), buccal , vaginal , and suppository administration , among other routes of administration . intravenous administration is clearly the preferred route of administration . to prepare the pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention , a therapeutically effective amount of one or more of the compounds according to the present invention is preferably intimately admixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier according to conventional pharmaceutical compounding techniques to produce a dose . a carrier may take a wide variety of forms depending on the form of preparation desired for administration , e . g ., oral or parenteral . in preparing pharmaceutical compositions in oral dosage form , any of the usual pharmaceutical media may be used . for parenteral , intravenous formulations , the carrier will usually comprise sterile water or aqueous sodium chloride solution , though other ingredients including those which aid dispersion may be included . of course , where sterile water is to be used and maintained as sterile , the compositions and carriers must also be sterilized . injectable suspensions may also be prepared , in which case appropriate liquid carriers , suspending agents and the like may be employed . the present compounds may be used to treat human patients with an hiv infection , including aids patients . these patients can be treated by administering to the patient an effective amount of one or more of the compounds according to the present invention or its derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof optionally in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent , either alone , or in combination with other known pharmaceutical agents , depending upon the disease to be treated ). this treatment can also be administered in conjunction with other anti - hiv agents . alternatively , the present compound can be used on healthy persons who are potentially exposed to hiv infection . in such case , it is preferred to use the composition in a pharmaceutical formulation as a suppository or as an ointment . the active compound is included in the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent in an amount sufficient to deliver to a patient a therapeutically effective amount for the desired indication , without causing serious toxic effects in the patient treated . the compound is conveniently administered in any suitable unit dosage form , including but not limited to one containing 1 to 10 , 000 mg ( 10 g . ), preferably 5 to 500 mg or more of active ingredient per unit dosage form . the concentration of active compound in the drug composition will depend on absorption , distribution , inactivation , and excretion rates of the drug as well as other factors known to those of skill in the art . it is to be noted that dosage values will also vary with the severity of the condition to be alleviated . it is to be further understood that for any particular subject , specific dosage regimens should be adjusted over time according to the individual need and the professional judgment of the person administering or supervising the administration of the compositions , and that the concentration ranges set forth herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope or practice of the claimed composition . the active ingredient may be administered at once , or may be divided into a number of smaller doses to be administered at varying intervals of time . synthesis of 4 - thiolated oligodeoxynucleotides . the thiolated oligonucleotides were prepared and characterized according to our earlier described method based on the original procedure of ueda and co - workers ( miura et al , j . biochem . 73 , 1279 - 1284 ( 1973 ); miura et al , chem . pharm bull , 28 , 3415 - 3418 , ( 1980 ) and miura et al , biochim biophys . acta , 739 , 181 - 189 ( 1983 )]. briefly , 1 . 5 - 3 . 5 mg of oligodeoxycytidylate ( dc n , where n = 20 , 30 and 35 ) was dissolved in aqueous pyridine and treated with liquid h 2 s for 9 days at 55 ° c . the concentration of modified oligonucleotides was determined measuring the phosphate content of the stock solution [ tokes and aradi , febs lett . 396 , 4346 ( 1996 )]. all of the unmodified oligodeoxycytidylate used as starting materials were synthesized in our laboratory using a gene assembler plus ( pharmacia ) automated dna synthesizer on 1 . 3 μmol or 10 . 0 μmol supports . it is obvious by those trained in the art that the 4 - thiolated oligodeoxynucleotides themselves can be synthesized by alternative methods , in particular by automated direct synthesis [ oligonucleotide synthesis ; a practical approach , gait , m . j . ed ., irl , wash . d . c ., ( 1984 ); uhlmann et al , chem rev ., 90 , 544 - 584 ( 1990 ); sonveaux , v ., biorg . chem ., 14 , 274 - 325 , ( 1986 ); sonveaux , v ., methods mol . biol ., 26 , 1 - 71 ( 1994 )] using a solid support and a commercially available 4 - thio - 2 ′- deoxyuridylic acid properly protected as the phophoamidite derivative , e . g . 5 ′- dimethoxytrityl - 2 ′ deoxy - 4 - 4 ( 2 - cynaoethylthio )- uridine , 3 ′-[ 2 - cynaoethyl )-( n , n - diisopropyl )]- phosphoamidite . stability of 4 - thiolated oligodeoxynucleotides . the stability of 4 - thio - modified oligodeoxyuridylates was determined by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after incubation of each compound for 0 , 12 and 24 hours in tissue culture media containing 10 % fetal calf serum bands of oligonucleotides and their breakdown products were visualized using a silver stain kit ( pharmacia ) according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instruction . as shown in fig2 suligovir was surprisingly stable under these conditions , while its ( dc ) 35 analog was significantly degraded after 24 hours . anti - hiv activity of the 4 - thiolated oligodeoxynucleotides . two types of assay systems were used to study the anti - hiv activity of the 4 - thiolated oligodeoxynucleotides . all experiments were performed in triplicate at least twice . in some studies , the inhibitory activity of the 4 - thiolated oligomers against hiv was determined using a reverse transcriptase assay employing supernatants from the culture media of the human t cell culture line , mt - 4 , infected with hiv - 1 ( iiib ) ( hoffman et al , virology , 147 , 326 - 335 , ( 1985 )]). briefly , 2 . 5 × 10 5 mt - 4 cells were infected with virus stock containing 100 tcid 50 ( tissue culture infectious doses that establishes a productive infection in 50 % of the parallel cultures ) per ml . after 96 hours of growing the infected cells at 37 ° c . in a % 5 humidified co 2 atmosphere in rpmi 1640 media containing 10 % fetal calf serum ( complete media ), the cells were removed by centrifugation and the reverse transcriptase activity was determined in 50 ml aliquots of the supernatants using poly ( a ). poly ( dt ) 16 as the template primer and [ 3 h ] dttp as the monomer substrate . the radioactive product was collected by filtration and quantified by liquid scintillation counting . the oligonucleotide inhibitors were added to the cultures of mt - 4 cells 1 hour post infection or as indicated . appropriate control samples were prepared without inhibitors . in other inhibition studies , a syncytium - forming microassay was used to quantify the amount of infectious hiv in supernatant fluid of virus infected human cem - ss cell cultures [ nara et al , aids res hum retroviruses , 3 , 283 - 302 ( 1987 ); toth et al , j . virol , 69 , 2223 - 2232 ( 1995 )]. individual wells of a 96 - well microtiter plate were coated with 50 μl of a 50 μg / ml ploy - l - lysine solution ( pll ), allowed to stand at room temperature for 1 hour , after which residual pll was removed by two washes with pbs . cem - ss cells suspended in complete rpmi 1640 were plated into each well at a final concentration of 5 × 10 4 cells / well . the cells were allowed to attach for 30 min at 37 ° c . following this , supernatants were removed from the wells and replaced with 100 l fresh complete media . the wells were examined for the presence of adherent syncytium - forming units ( sfu &# 39 ; s ) at 4 days post infection . control cem - ss cells were always included as a reference source when evaluating syncytium formation . in preliminary experiments we treated mt - 4 and cem - ss cells with 20 μg / ml of suligovir four hours before infection resulting in essentially complete inhibition of viral replication determined 96 hours after infection . the oligonucleotide did not affect the proliferation and morphology of either cell type cells . in order to optimize and study the effect of schedule of the treatments , suligovir was added to the culture of mt - 4 and cem - ss cells in two concentrations ( 1 and 4 μg / ml ) at various time points as compared to the infection . the results of these experiments are summarized in tables 1 and 2 . even at 1 μg / ml ( 88 nm ), suligovir was very effective , inhibiting viral replication by more than 90 % if it was added prior to infection or at the same time of infection . when 1 μg / ml was added 24 hours post - infection of mt - 4 cells , only weak inhibition was observed ( 15 %). the higher drug concentration ( 4 μg / ml ) completely inhibited the replication of hiv showing a similar dependency on the schedule of treatment as in the case of the lower concentration . these results prove unequivocally that the 4 - thiouridylate containing oligonucleotides have pronounced anti - retroviral effect . 1 ) inhibition of reverse transcriptase the 4 - thiolated oligodeoxyuridylates are competitive inhibitors of the purified hiv - 1 reverse transcriptase with respect to the template primer , fulfilling the requirement for an antitemplate inhibitor , i . e . the inhibitory oligonucleotide interacts with the free enzyme , competing for the template - binding site with its natural counterparts [ tokes and aradi , febs lett . 396 , 43 - 46 ( 1996 )]. in line with this mode of action , the inhibitory activity of the 4 - thiolated oligodeoxyuridylates on purified reverse transcriptase depended on the chain length . clearly more of the smaller molecules than of the larger molecules are required to fully occupy the templates site . to study the chain length dependency of the inhibition of hiv replication by 4 - thiolated oligodeoxyuridylates , we synthesized the 20mer , 30mer and 35mer ( suligovir ). their inhibitory potential were determined in mt4 cells measuring the reverse transcriptase activity in the supernatant of the infected cell cultures ( fig3 a and b ). the shorter oligonucleotides were less active against hiv . in fig3 a , the concentration of oligonucleotides were given on the basis of mass . in this case the total length of the added oligonucleotides in the assay system was essentially the same . when the concentrations were 88 nm ( corresponding to 1 μg / ml of suligovir ) the difference in inhibitory activity was even more pronounced ( fig3 b ). when the chain length dependence of reverse transcriptase inhibition was studied on purified enzyme [ tokes and aradi , febs lett . 396 , 43 - 46 ( 1996 )], the inhibitory pattern was similar . 2 ) inhibition of hiv - 1 attachment and entry into target cells . in addition to the reverse transcriptase inhibition effects , further studies conducted at serquest showed that suligovir is a very potent inhibitor of hiv - 1 attachment and entry into target cells ( table 3 ), 500 times more potent than the standard used in this assay , the polymer california sky blue ( csb ). suligovir inhibited virus entry ( as measured by an attachment assay utilyzing the expression of the β - galactosidase enzyme measured by chemiluminescence in viral infected hela cd4 ltr β - gal cells as a measure of viral entry ) with an ic 50 of 2 ng / ml , which corresponded to approximately 0 . 2 nm . when evaluated as an inhibitor of gp120 binding to cd4 in the same system ( but measuring the amount of viral p24 antigen associated with the cells as a read - out ), the ic 50 of suligovir was 3 ng / ml ( 0 . 3 nm ). in a different cell - to - cell fusion assay ( in the absence of virus ) employing hela cd4 ltr β - gal and hl2 / 3 cells , the ic 50 of suligovir was 8 . 75 μg / ml ( 875 nm ). the data strongly suggests that suligovir is targeting an event early in virus - cell association , before or at gp120 - cd4 interaction . cytotoxicity . the toxicity of suligovir to mammalian cells was determined by studying the effects of this drug on the colony formation of human granulocyte - macrophage progenitor cells , which are a major target of agents that can damage bone marrow . cytotoxicity was measured using the an automated tetrazolium - based colorimetric assay as previously described [ pauwels et al , j . virol . methods , 20 , 309 - 321 ( 1988 ); ikeda et al , antiviral res , 29 , 163 - 173 ( 1996 )]. as shown in fig4 suligovir did not considerably affect colony formation of granulocyte - macrophage progenitor cells , even at doses as high as 180 μg / ml . effect on drug - resistant mutants . since the 4 - thiolated oligodeoxynucleotides are inhibitors of reverse transcriptase , the range of effects of suligovir on different mutants of hiv was determined compared to nucleoside - type reverse transcriptase inhibitors ( nrti ) represented by azt , and to non - nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors , ( nnrti ) represented by nevirapine . viral cytopathogencity was determined by serquest inc ., a division of southern research institute , gaithersburg md . using the tetrazolium - based calorimetric assay , and the data were analyzed using a program developed by the southern research institute . a number of viruses were used in these studies , which include some that are resistant to both the nnrtis and nrtis . none of these viruses was resistant to suligovir as shown in the summary tables 4 and 5 . this series of thiolated oligonucleotides are chemically well - defined molecules that inhibit the replication of hiv by either or both of the following two mechanisms : 1 ) by inhibition of hiv reverse transcriptase at the template binding site ; 2 ) inhibition of the entry of hiv into cells . they show a broad range of activity against various hiv mutants and therefore should be useful in the treatment of drug - resistant aids . in addition , they may be used in topical formulations as a prophylactic agent to prevent the spread of aids . [ 0047 ] table 2 inhibition of hiv replication by ( s 4 du ) 35 ; effects of various protocols of treatments in the presence of 1 and 4 μgf / ml inhibitor as determined by syncytium - forming microassay time of syncytium - forming units a , b treatment ( hour ) per 100 μl concentration 1 μg / ml 4 μg / ml − 4 152 ± 29 41 ± 11 − 4 , + 24 138 ± 36 18 ± 7 − 1 52 ± 11 21 ± 4 − 1 , + 24 84 ± 27 26 ± 8 0 42 ± 7 22 ± 7 0 , + 24 67 ± 19 28 ± 4 + 24 1986 ± 227 1693 ± 177 [ 0048 ] table 3 inhibition of attachment , fusion and gp120 / cd4 binding by suligovir antiviral activity ( μg / ml ) assay a compound control ic 50 tc 50 ti attachment csb b + 1 . 19 & gt ; 10 8 . 4 suligovir 0 . 002 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 50 , 000 fusion csb + 0 . 67 & gt ; 10 & gt ; 15 suligovir 8 . 75 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 11 . 4 gp120 / cd4 csb + 1 . 2 & gt ; 10 8 . 3 binding suligovir 0 . 003 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 33 , 000 [ 0049 ] table 4 summary of antiviral results azt ( μm ) nevirapine ( μm ) suligovir ( μg / ml ) virus ic 50 tc 50 ti ic 50 tc 50 ti ic 50 tc 50 ti nl4 - 3 0 . 06 1 18 0 . 06 10 177 7 . 8 100 13 k103n 0 . 005 1 53 3 . 2 10 3 . 1 25 . 4 100 4 y181c 0 . 01 1 100 1 . 03 10 9 . 78 6 . 7 100 15 l1001 0 . 003 1 312 0 . 15 10 69 22 100 4 . 5 4xazt — 1 — 0 . 05 1 21 35 100 4 iiib 0 . 003 1 312 0 . 03 10 312 4 . 38 100 23 dsp - r 0 . 02 1 47 — 10 — 10 . 5 100 9 . 6 [ 0050 ] table 5 fold resistance azt nevirapine suligovir ic 50 fold ic 50 fold ic 50 fold virus ( μm ) resistance ( μm ) resistance ( μg / ml ) resistance nl4 - 3 0 . 06 na 0 . 06 na 7 . 78 na ( wild type ) k103n 0 . 02 s 3 . 2 53 ( r ) 25 . 40 3 . 3 ( s ) l100i 0 . 0032 s 0 . 15 2 . 6 ( s ) 22 . 2 2 . 8 ( s ) 4xazt 1 . 0 16 ( r ) 0 . 05 s 24 . 5 3 . 1 ( s ) yi81c 0 . 01 s 1 . 03 17 ( r ) 6 . 65 s hiv iiib 0 . 0032 na 0 . 03 na 4 . 38 na ( wild type ) dps - r 0 . 02 6 . 7 ( mr ) 10 333 ( r ) 10 . 5 2 . 3 ( 5 ) ( y181c )
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the present invention can be best understood by reference to the drawings , in which fig1 is a front perspective view of a gun caddy of the invention . there , belt 1 has an interior base portion 2 and exterior loop 3 . the belt is generally about from 3 / 4 to 3 inches wide , an preferably about two inches wide . the exterior loop can be formed with fixed rivets or preferably through the use of adjustable cleat 4 . for overall stability of the caddy , the spacing between the edge of the pocket and the cleats or clasp that define the loop should be less than about 1 / 2 inch on either side . the belt is adjusted to provide a spacing of about from one to three inches between the base portion and the exterior loop , and preferably about from 11 / 2 to 2 inches . this spacing permits the easy insertion of the butt of the firearm . the use of an adjustable cleat , as shown , permits the installation of the caddy on the user &# 39 ; s right or left side , as desired . typically the belt will be provided with a positive clasp . the pocket 5 , which has a generally u - shaped configuration , depends from the exterior loop and the interior base portion of the belt through loops 6 sewn in the pocket . the pocket can be about from one to eight inches deep , and preferably about from four to six inches deep . those pockets having a greater depth provide increased stability for the butt of the gun , and preferably have side walls 7 and 7a extending for a distance of at least about one inch from the bottom of the pocket . those pockets having side walls or a shallower depth prevent the butt of the rifle or shotgun from slipping through the sides of the pocket while it is being carried . the pocket is generally about from four to six inches wide , and is preferably prepared from a woven or knitted elastic fabric . it has been found particularly beneficial to form the pocket from fabric that is elastic in substantially only the vertical direction as the caddy is worn . a particularly satisfactory fabric is one having an elasticity of about from 75 % 100 % in the warp direction and less than about 20 % in the weft direction . the gun caddy of the invention is further illustrated in fig2 which is a side view of the caddy . in that figure , front panel 5a of the pocket is shown to be continuous with back panel 5b , and are joined by side walls 7 . the side walls , when used , should extend at least about one inch from the bottom of the pocket , and provide additional protection , particularly in deeper pockets , against the butt of the rifle slipping out through the sides . fig3 is a top view of the caddy , showing the spacing between the interior base 2 of the belt and the exterior loop 3 .
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the present invention relates to fluid treatment systems and , in particular , relates to a fluid treatment system that has multi - function end caps , fig1 illustrates a fluid treatment system 20 in accordance with the present invention . the system includes a reverse osmosis ( r / o ) unit 30 connected to an input conduit or feed conduit 32 through which feed water to be purified is communicated to the r / o unit . the r / o unit 30 also communicates with output conduits 40 and 43 through which “ permeate ” and “ concentrate ” are discharged , respectively , from the r / o unit . the r / o unit 30 includes a pump 70 for pumping the feed water through the r / o unit and a semi - permeable membrane 80 for processing the feed water into concentrate and permeate . the membrane 80 may constitute an r / o membrane or a nanofiltration membrane . according to the reverse osmosis principle , feed water supplied through the feed conduit 32 as indicated by arrow a is applied to the membrane 80 at a pressure greater than the osmotic pressure . water passes through the membrane 80 and becomes permeate that is released into the permeate conduit 40 as indicated by arrow b while dissolved solids in the feed water remain on the application side of the membrane and are eventually discharged from the concentrate conduit 43 and into a drain conduit 60 as indicated by arrow c . as shown in fig1 , raw feed water is fed to the r / o unit 30 through the feed conduit 32 . a valve , such as a solenoid valve 34 controls fluid communication between the feed conduit 32 and the r / o unit 30 . a drain opening 218 in the r / o unit 30 directs the concentrate out of the r / o unit and to the drain conduit 60 , where the concentrate flows , to a drain or waste ( not shown ). a valve , such as a solenoid valve ( not shown ), or other flow regulating structure , may control fluid communication between the r / o unit 30 and the drain conduit 60 . alternatively , the concentrate may be fed to at least one more membrane ( not shown ) in serial and / or parallel connection with the membrane 80 in order to process the feed water in a cascading fashion . a permeate check valve 42 controls fluid communication between the r / o unit 30 and the permeate conduit 40 . the permeate check valve 42 allows fluid to flow from the r / o unit 30 to the permeate conduit 40 but prevents reverse flow . the permeate conduit 40 connects the r / o unit 30 to an atmospheric storage tank 46 or a pressurized storage tank 47 . for purposes of illustration , it is presumed that the permeate conduit 40 connects the r / o unit 30 to the atmospheric storage tank 46 . the permeate check valve 42 between the r / o unit 30 and the permeate conduit 40 therefore controls fluid communication between the r / o unit and the storage tank 46 . the atmospheric storage tank 46 stores permeate exiting the r / o unit 30 . a supply conduit 50 provides fluid communication between the storage tank 46 and a process demanding permeate , such as a faucet 52 . a pump 48 maintains the permeate in the supply conduit 50 under pressure . a permeate rinse conduit 54 taps into the supply conduit 50 and fluidly connects the storage tank 46 back to the r / o unit 30 . a permeate rinse valve , such as a solenoid valve 56 , controls fluid communication between the storage tank 46 and the r / o unit 30 through the rinse conduit 54 . a check valve 58 allows fluid to flow from the storage tank 46 to the r / o unit 30 but prevents reverse flow . a controller 90 ( not shown , see fig2 ) in the rd wilt 30 controls operation of the inlet valve 34 and the rinse valve 56 as well as operation of the pump 70 . in operation , when it is desirable for fluid treatment to begin , the controller 90 activates the pump 70 and opens the inlet valve 34 to allow feed water to enter the r / o unit 30 through the feed conduit 32 as indicated at a . the feed water may be supplied by an external source ( not shown ) that supplies the feed water under pressure at about 50 - 70 psi . the pump 70 forces the feed water through the semi - permeable membrane 80 via reverse osmosis , thereby separating the teed water into concentrate and permeate . flow regulating discs 406 and 412 in the r / o unit 30 restrict the flow of fluid through the r / o unit , thereby creating the necessary back pressure required to perform reverse osmosis on the feed water . a low feed pressure switch 400 monitors the pressure of the feed water entering the r / o unit 30 via the feed conduit 32 . if the feed pressure falls below a predetermined amount , the controller 90 deactivates the pump 70 and turns off the inlet valve 34 , thereby shutting down the r / o unit 30 . as long as the inlet valve 34 remains open and the pump 70 remains activated , the permeate is forced out of the r / o unit 30 through the permeate check valve 42 and into the permeate conduit 40 . the permeate flows through the conduit 40 in the direction b and into the storage tank 46 where it is collected . permeate also fills the supply conduit 50 and the rinse conduit 54 . since the rinse valve 56 is closed , the pump 48 maintains the permeate under pressure within the supply conduit 50 and the rinse conduit 54 . once the supply conduit 50 and the rinse conduit 54 are filled with pressurized permeate , the storage tank 46 begins to till with permeate . the volume of the storage tank 46 is monitored by the controller 90 via a switch , such as a float switch positioned within the tank 46 . when the volume of the storage tank 46 reaches a predetermined level or it is otherwise no longer necessary to generate more permeate , the controller 90 closes the inlet valve 32 and deactivates the pump 70 to cease the flow of feed water into the r / o unit 30 . the controller 90 concurrently opens the rinse valve 56 . since the permeate in the supply conduit 50 and the rinse conduit 54 is under pressure , opening the rinse valve 56 causes the permeate within the rinse conduit , the supply conduit and the storage tank 46 to pass through the rinse valve , the check valve 58 , and into the r / o unit 30 as indicated by arrow d . in the case of the pressurized storage tank 47 , the pump 48 is omitted and the pressure within the tank forces the stored permeate through the rinse conduit 54 . in either case , permeate enters the r / o unit 30 and is flushed though the membrane 80 for a predetermined time to remove built up particulates and debris , thereby promoting longevity of the membrane . the controller 90 then closes the rinse valve 56 to cease permeate flow from the rinse conduit 54 . the inlet valve 32 can then be opened and the pump 70 activated to reinitiate the fluid treatment process . this process can be repeated as required or desired . instead of using the pressurized storage tank 47 or the storage tank 46 to flush the membrane 80 , a separate flush accumulator 51 or storage tank may be provided . a fluid connection 63 having a check valve 65 fluidly connects the flush accumulator 51 with the permeate conduit 40 in order to fill the flush accumulator with permeate exiting the r / o unit 30 . a fluid connection 67 fluidly connects an output of the flush accumulator 51 with the rinse conduit 54 leading to back to the r / o unit 30 . a valve 59 on the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 is operable to prevent permeate from entering the storage tank while cooperating , with the check valve 65 to pressurize the flush accumulator 51 . when the flush accumulator 51 supplies pressurized permeate to flush the membrane 80 , portions of the supply conduit 50 , illustrated by phantom arrows 53 and 55 , extending from the storage tanks 46 and 47 , respectively , are omitted or isolated from the fluid connection 67 on the flush accumulator 51 . fig2 - 5 illustrate the r / o unit 30 in accordance with the present invention . as shown in fig2 - 3 , the r / o unit 30 includes a first tube 100 and a second tube 150 . the first tube 100 includes a first end 122 that has an opening 124 and a second end 126 that has an opening 128 . a passage 130 extends the length of the first tube 100 and connects the opening 124 in the first end 100 to the opening 128 in the second end 126 . the second tube 150 includes a first end 152 that has an opening 154 and a second end 156 that has an opening 158 . a passage 160 extends the length of the second tube 150 and connects the opening 154 in the first end 152 to the opening 158 in the second end 156 . the first tube 100 and the second tube 150 may have any shape such as , for example , circular , square , rectangular , triangular , etc . the first tube 100 and the second tube 150 may be constructed of metals , plastics or combinations thereof . the pump 70 is used to force the feed water through the r / o unit 30 and is sized to fit within the passage 130 of the first tube 100 . the pump 70 may be a submersible ground water well pump and is connected to a motor 170 that supplies power to the pump . a flexible coupler 71 connected to the pump 70 helps to secure the pump within the r / o unit 30 and absorbs pump starting torque and loads experienced during shipment of the r / o unit . the motor 170 is also sized to fit within the passage of the first tube 100 . the pump 70 and the motor 170 , however , do not occupy the entire passage 130 of the first tube 100 to allow feed water to be collected within the first tube . the membrane 80 used for processing feed water into permeate and concentrate is sized to fit within the passage 160 of the second tube 150 . the membrane 80 has a generally rolled , cylindrical shape and includes a first end 82 and a second end 84 . the membrane 80 , however , does not occupy the entire passage 160 of the second tube 150 to allow incoming feed water to collect within the second tube . the membrane 80 may constitute any conventional membrane commonly used in reverse osmosis units . alternatively or additionally , the membrane 80 may use a nanofiltration element in order to , for example , desalinate the fed water . in conventional fluid treatment systems , the reverse osmosis membrane and the pump supplying feed water are provided in separate , spaced apart units requiring additional plumbing connections and floor space . since both the pump 70 and the membrane 80 of the present invention can be housed in compact tubes 100 and 150 within the same r / o unit 30 , respectively , the present invention provides a very small footprint which is beneficial in both commercial and residential applications . the present invention also eliminates the need for additional plumbing connections between the membrane 80 and the pump 70 . furthermore , since the pump 70 , the motor 170 for operating the pump , and the membrane 80 are provided in two adjacent , tubes 100 and 150 in fluid communication with one another , any heat generated by the motor during operation of the fluid treatment system 20 is transferred to the feed water , which improves the permeate production rate . a suction end cap 200 receives and retains the second ends 126 and 156 of the first and second tubes 100 and 150 , respectively , and a pressure end cap 300 receives and retains the first ends 122 and 152 of the first and second tubes , respectively . when the suction end cap 200 and the pressure end cap 300 are secured to the first and second tubes 100 and 150 , the pump 70 and the motor 170 become retained within the first tube and the membrane 80 becomes retained within the second tube . an o - ring 180 is provided at the first end 122 and the second end 126 of the first tube 100 in order to fluidly the seal the first tube with the pressure end cap 300 and the suction end cap 200 . likewise , an o - ring 190 is provided at the first end 152 and the second end 156 of the second tube 150 in order to fluidly the seal the second tube with the pressure end cap 300 and the suction end cap 200 . a plurality of support rods 194 extend between the suction end cap 200 and the pressure end cap 300 . the support rods 194 are positioned around both the first tube 100 and the second tube 150 and help stabilize the r / o unit 30 . a plurality of rails 430 may be secured to the suction end cap 200 in order to give the r / o unit 30 stability when standing on the floor . alternatively , the rails 430 may be omitted and wall mount brackets may be secured to the suction end cap 200 and the pressure end cap 300 to mount the r / o unit 30 to the wall . the r / o unit 30 may be protected by a removable cover ( not shown ) that extends over the pressure end cap 300 . the cover may be made of a durable material , such as a polymer , and may include openings or other structure for vertically or horizontally mounting the cabinet and , thus , the r / o unit 30 . a plurality of feet or rolling casters may be secured to the suction end cap 200 or the cover . the suction end cap 200 provides an efficient means to route and distribute all fluid flow into , e . g ., feed water and permeate rinse water , and out of , e . g ., concentrate and permeate , the r / o unit 30 while minimizing plumbing connections and , thus , the likelihood for leakage in the r / o unit . in particular , the inlet valve 34 for controlling the flow of feed water into the r / o unit 30 the suction end cap 200 by a nipple 422 and the feed conduit 32 is coupled to the inlet valve . the pressure switch 400 for monitoring the pressure of the incoming feed water is also mounted to the suction end cap 200 . alternatively , the inlet valve 34 is mounted in a portion of the suction end cap 200 ( not shown ). the drain fitting 410 for directing concentrate from the r / o unit 30 is also mounted to the suction end cap 200 and the drain conduit 60 is coupled to the drain fitting . if a valve is provided for regulating the concentrate flow to the drain conduit 60 the valve may be mounted in a portion of the suction end cap 200 ( not shown ). a flow regulating disc 412 regulates the flow of concentrate through the drain fitting 410 and out of the suction end cap 200 and thereby helps to create the back pressure in the r / o unit 30 required to perform reverse osmosis . the permeate check valve 42 for controlling the flow of permeate out of the r / o unit 30 is connected to the suction end cap 200 by a fitting 404 and the permeate conduit 40 . the controller 90 for controlling the inlet valve 34 , the pump 70 , and the rinse valve 56 is mounted to the pressure end cap 300 by a nipple 444 . alternatively , the rinse valve 56 is mounted in a portion of the pressure end cap 300 ( not shown ). a first wiring harness ( not shown ) is disposed within an electrical conduit 426 that extends from the controller 90 and is connected to the inlet valve 34 by a fitting 432 . the first wiring harness electrically connects the controller 90 to the inlet valve 34 to enable the controller 90 to control the inlet valve . a second wiring harness 428 extends from the pump motor 170 to the controller 90 to enable the controller to control the motor and thus , control the pump 70 . a temperature switch 450 for monitoring the temperature of the feed water is also mounted to the pressure end can 300 . furthermore , a pressure gauge 452 for monitoring the pressure of the feed water flowing between the pump 70 and the membrane 80 as well as the permeate rinse valve 56 controlling the flow of permeate rinse into the r / o unit 30 from the rinse conduit 54 are secured via fittings 57 to the pressure end cap 300 . fig6 a - d illustrate the suction end cap 200 in accordance with the present invention . the suction end cap 200 has a generally rectangular shape and is constructed of any substantially rigid material such as metal , plastic or combinations thereof . the suction end cap 200 includes a first recess 202 for receiving the second end 126 of the first tube 100 and a second recess 210 thr receiving the second end 156 of the second tube 150 . the first recess 202 and the second recess 210 are positioned on the same side of the suction end cap 200 . the first recess 202 and the second recess 210 may be circular in shape or otherwise constructed to accommodate the second end 126 of the first tube 100 and the second end 156 of the second tube 150 , respectively . a chamfer 230 extends around , and is coaxial with , each oldie first and second recesses 202 and 210 . the chamfer 230 around the first recess 202 guides the second end 126 of the first tube 100 and the o - ring 180 into the first recess to provide the sealed connection between the first recess and the second end of the first tube . the chamfer 230 around the second recess 210 guides the second end 156 of the second tube 150 and the o - ring 190 into the second recess to provide the sealed connection between the second recess and the second end of the second tube . the first recess 202 includes a feed opening 204 that places the first recess in fluid communication with a blind passage 205 that extends away from the first recess to a feed passage 206 extending through a peripheral side of the suction end cap 202 . in other words , together the blind passage 205 and the feed passage 206 may have a substantially l - shaped pathway through the suction end cap 200 . the feed opening 204 , the blind passage 205 , and the feed passage 206 may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular , rectangular , square , etc . the feed passage 206 receives the nipple 422 connected to the inlet valve 34 . accordingly , when the inlet valve 34 is open , feed water flows from the feed conduit 32 and through the inlet valve into the suction end cap 200 via the feed passage 206 . the feed water then flows through the feed passage 206 , the blind passage 205 , the feed opening 204 , and finally into the first recess 202 . this causes the first tube 100 to fill with feed water from the second end 126 towards the first end 122 , thereby submerging the pump 70 and the motor 170 . the o - rings 180 prevent feed water from leaking out of the first tube 100 while the pump 70 and the motor 170 are submerged . it is the feed water supplied by the feed conduit 32 and collected in the first tube 100 that is pumped by the pump 70 to the membrane 80 to undergo reverse osmosis . the second recess 210 includes a permeate opening 212 that places the second recess in fluid communication with a permeate passage 214 that extends away from the second recess and through a peripheral side of the suction end cap 200 . in other words , the permeate passage 214 ma have a substantially l - shaped pathway through the suction end cap 200 . the permeate opening 212 and the permeate passage 214 may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular rectangular , square , etc . the second recess 210 , the permeate opening 212 , and at least a portion of the permeate passage 214 are sized to accommodate the membrane 80 . the permeate passage 214 receives the permeate fitting 404 connected to the permeate conduit 40 and the check valve 42 . accordingly , when the inlet valve 34 is open and the pump 70 is activated , feed water is pumped from the pomp to the membrane 80 . the feed water then undergoes reverse osmosis , allowing permeate to pass through the membrane 80 and leaving the concentrate behind . the permeate exits the second end 84 of the membrane 80 , flows through the permeate opening 212 , the permeate passage 214 , and finally out of the suction end cap 200 into the permeate fitting 404 . the o - rings 190 prevent permeate from leaking out of the second tube 150 during the reverse osmosis process . once permeate enters the permeate fitting 404 , the check valve 42 allows the permeate to flow through the permeate conduit 40 and into the storage tank 46 . the second recess 210 also includes a drain opening 216 that places the second recess in fluid communication with a drain passage 218 that extends away from the second recess and through a peripheral side of the suction end cap 200 . in other words , the drain passage 218 may have a substantially l - shaped pathway through the suction end cap 200 . the drain opening 216 and the cram passage 218 may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular , rectangular , square , etc . the feed passage 206 , the permeate passage 214 , and the drain passage 218 may all extend to and through the same peripheral wall of the suction end cap 200 . alternatively , one or more of the feed passage 206 , the permeate passage 214 , and the drain passage 218 may extend to and through different peripheral walls of the suction end cap 200 from one another . the drain passage 218 receives the drain fitting 410 connected to the drain conduit 60 and the drain opening 216 receives the flow regulating disc 412 to regulate the flow of concentrate out of the drain passage and thereby create the back pressure required to perform reverse osmosis . accordingly , during the reverse osmosis process in the second tube 150 , concentrate from the feed water is maintained in the gap between the membrane 80 and the second tube . the concentrate then flows through the drain opening 216 and the drain passage 218 . since the flow regulating disc 412 is positioned in the drain opening 216 , fluid flow through the drain passage is restricted . in other words , the flow regulating disc 412 provides a restricted orifice relative to the drain passage 218 such that back pressure is created . it is the back pressure in the drain passage 218 that helps to facilitate the reverse osmosis process within the second tube 150 . the concentrate flows through the flow regulating disc 412 and into the drain fining 410 . the concentrate can then be directed via the drain conduit 60 to a drain or fed to another membrane as described above to cascade the reverse osmosis process . the second recess 210 may further include an opening 220 that places the second recess in fluid communication with a recycling passage 222 that extends away from the second recess and into fluid communication with the blind passage 205 and the first recess 202 . the opening 220 thereby places the second recess 210 into fluid communication with the first recess 20 and , thus , into fluid communication with the first tube 100 . in operation , some of the concentrate that otherwise would be expelled from the second tube 150 to the drain conduit 60 via the drain opening 216 and the drain passage 218 instead flows through the opening 220 and into the recycling passage 222 to be passed through the blind passage 205 and the first recess 202 . the concentrate is therefore recycled back to the first tube 100 in fluid communication with the first recess 202 and thus , back to the pump 70 . the recycled concentrate is then pumped back through the membrane 80 in order to further separate permeate from the concentrate . a flow regulating disc 406 ( see fig4 ) is secured within the opening 220 via an e - clip 408 . the flow regulating disc 406 regulates the flow of concentrate through the recycling passage 222 and thereby helps to generate the back pressure required to perform reverse osmosis in the membrane 80 . as shown in fig6 b - d , since the recycling passage 222 is in fluid communication with the blind passage 205 , the recycling passage is also in communication with the feed passage 204 . a pressure monitoring passage 226 formed in the suction end cap 200 is in fluid communication with the recycling passage 222 and extends toward the peripheral wall of the suction end cap 200 . a plug ( not shown ) seals the pressure monitoring passage 226 at the peripheral wall of the suction end cap 200 . a pressure monitoring opening 227 formed in the top of the suction end cap 200 with the first and second recesses 100 and 105 is in fluid communication with the pressure monitoring passage 226 . a pressure switch 400 ( see fig4 ) is mounted in the pressure monitoring opening 221 and monitors the pressure of the pressure monitoring passage 226 and , thus , the feed passage 204 . in particular , the pressure switch 400 monitors the pressure of the feed water entering first tube 100 from the feed conduit 32 . if the pressure falls below a predetermined amount , the pressure switch 400 communicates with the controller 90 in order to close the inlet valve 34 and deactivate the pump 70 in order to shut down the r / o unit 30 . the opening 220 in the suction end cap 200 is also in fluid communication with a auxiliary passage 224 that extends away from the blind passage 205 and to an auxiliary opening 225 in a peripheral side of the suction end cap . the auxiliary passage 224 and the auxiliary opening 225 are in fluid communication with the recycling passage 222 . the auxiliary passage 224 and the auxiliary opening 225 may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular , rectangular , square , etc . the auxiliary opening 225 receives a plug ( not shown ) to seal the auxiliary opening and the auxiliary passage 224 . fig7 a - d illustrate the pressure end cap 300 in accordance with the present invention . as with the suction end cap 200 , the pressure end cap 300 provides an efficient means to route and distribute fluid through the r / o unit 30 and , in particular , between the pump 70 and the membrane 80 while minimizing plumbing connections and , thus , the propensity for leakage . as noted , the suction end cap 200 and the pressure end cap 300 cooperate to retain the membrane 80 within the second tube 150 . although the pressure end cap 300 is illustrated as being constructed of a single piece , those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the pressure end cap could be configured such that a portion 301 ( see fig3 ) is removable in order to access the interior of the second tube 150 . the removable portion 301 of the pressure end cap 300 is received in an opening 303 in the pressure end cap and is held against the membrane 80 and within the end cap by a retaining ring 305 that fits within an annular grove 307 in the end cap . by providing access to the interior of the second tube 150 , the membrane 80 within the second tube can quickly and easily be removed and replaced . although fig3 illustrates that the pressure end cap 300 includes the removable portion 301 those having ordinary skill will contemplate that the suction end cap 200 may alternatively or additionally include a removable portion for accessing the membrane 80 without removing the suction end cap . the pressure end cap 300 has a generally rectangular shape and is constructed of any substantially rigid material such as metal , plastic or combinations thereof . the pressure end cap 300 includes a first recess 302 and a second recess 330 positioned on the same side of the suction end cap 200 . the first recess 302 is ring - shaped and configured to receive the first end 122 of the first tube 100 . the second recess 330 is circular in shape or otherwise configured to receive the first end 152 of the second tube 150 . a chamfer 340 extends around , and is co - axial with , each of the first and second recesses 302 and 330 . the chamfer 340 around the first recess 302 guides the first end 122 of the first tube 100 and the o - ring 180 into the first recess to provide the sealed connection between the first recess and the first end of the first tube 100 . the chamfer 340 around the second recess 330 guides the first end 152 of the second tube 150 and the o - ring 190 into the second recess to provide the sealed connection between the second recess and the first end of the second tube . the pressure end cap 300 further includes a pump connection hole 304 . the pump connection hole 304 is configured to receive a threaded portion ( not shown ) of the pump 70 and constitutes a threaded bore positioned inward of the ring - shaped first recess 302 and . the pump connection hole 304 is in fluid communication with a blind passage 311 that extends away from the pump connection hole and through the interior of the pressure end cap 300 . the second recess 330 includes a connection opening 332 that places the second recess in fluid communication with a connection passage 334 that extends away from the second recess and into fluid communication with the blind passage 311 . in other words , the connection passage 334 may have a substantially l - shaped pathway through the pressure end can 300 . the connection opening 332 and the connection passage 334 may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular , rectangular , square , etc . the second recess 330 also includes a membrane connection hole 336 that is configured to receive the first end 82 of the membrane 80 . in particular , the membrane connection hole 336 may constitute a blind bore that may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular , rectangular , square , etc . since the connection passage 334 is in fluid communication with the blind passage 311 , the connection passage and , thus , the connection opening 332 is in fluid communication with the pump connection hole 304 . accordingly , the first tube 100 is in fluid communication with the second tube 150 through the pressure end cap 300 . due to this configuration the feed water within the first tube 100 is pumped by the pump 70 and exits the pump and the first tube through the pump connection hole 304 . the pumped feed water then flows through the blind passage 311 , the connection passage 334 , through the connection opening 332 , and into the gap between the second tube 150 and the membrane 80 . the feed water submerses the membrane 80 in the second tube 150 and subsequently undergoes reverse osmosis as described . due to the close proximity between the first tube 100 and the second tube 150 , any heat generated by the motor 170 is imparted to the feed water as it flows from the first tube , through the pressure end cap 300 , and to the membrane 80 within the second tube . heating the feed water increases the rate of permeate production . in other words , since the pressure end cap 300 internally routes the feed water from the first tube 100 to the second tube 150 , there are no external plumbing connections required to supply the feed water from the pump 70 to the membrane 80 . the lack of plumbing connections ensures that the first tube 100 and the second tube 150 are in close proximity to one another and , thus , the feed water surrounding the motor 170 remains heated by the time the feed water reaches the membrane 80 . the lack of plumbing connections in the r / o unit 30 also reduces the likelihood of leakage . the pressure end cap 300 further includes a temperature monitoring hole 308 located on a side of the pressure end cap opposite the first recess 302 and the second recess 330 . the temperature monitoring hole 308 may constitute a threaded bore and is in fluid communication with the blind passage 311 and , thus , the pump connection passage 334 . the temperature monitoring hole 308 receives the temperature switch 450 ( see fig3 ) for monitoring the temperature of the feed water flowing between the pump 70 in the first tube 100 and the membrane 80 in the second tube 150 . a permeate rinse opening 312 is located on the periphery of the pressure end cap 300 and is in fluid communication with a permeate rinse passage 314 . the permeate rinse passage 314 extends substantially perpendicular to the blind passage 311 and is in fluid communication with the blind passage and , thus , the connection passage 334 . the permeate rinse opening 312 receives a fitting 57 , such as a tee shaped fitting . the fitting 57 is connected to the pressure gauze 452 ( see fig3 ) for monitoring the pressure of the feed water flowing between the pump 70 in the first tube 100 and the membrane 80 in the second tube 150 . the controller 90 communicates with the temperature switch 450 and the pressure switch 400 and ma shut down the r / o unit 30 if the temperature and / or the pressure reaches undesirable , i . e ., high or low , levels . the fitting 57 is also connected to the permeate rinse valve 56 , the rinse conduit 54 ( see fig1 ), and the check valve 58 ( not shown ). since the rinse conduit 54 is in fluid communication with the fitting 57 and , thus , the rinse opening 312 , the rinse conduit is also in fluid communication with the connection passage 334 extending to the connection opening 332 . in operation , once the r / o unit 30 has been shut down , the rinse valve 56 is opened to allow the rinse permeate supplied by the storage tank 46 to flow through the rinse valve and into the rinse opening 312 in the pressure end cap 300 . the rinse permeate then flows through the rinse passage 314 , the blind passage 311 , the connection passage 334 , and out through the connection opening 332 into the second tube 150 in order to flush the membrane 80 . flushing the membrane 80 removes built up particulate and debris on the concentrate side of the membrane , thereby lengthening the useful life of the membrane . a check valve ( not shown ) integral with the pump 70 prevents the permeate rinse from flowing backwards through the pump during flushing of the membrane 80 . when flushing of the membrane 80 is complete , the controller 90 closes the permeate rinse valve 56 to shut of the supply of rinse permeate from the storage tank 46 . if desired , the inlet valve 34 can be opened again and the pump 70 activated to reinitiate the reverse osmosis process . a control box receiving hole 316 is located on the periphery of the pressure end cap 300 and is in fluid communication with a control box receiving passage 318 . a portion of the control box receiving passage 318 extends substantially perpendicular to the pressure monitoring passage 314 and another portion of the control box receiving passage extends substantially parallel to the blind passage 311 . in other words , the control box receiving passage 318 may have a substantially l - shaped pathway through the pressure end cap 300 . the control box receiving hole 316 receives the controller 90 to mount the controller to the pressure end cap 300 . as noted , the second wiring harness 428 ( see fig3 ) connects the pump motor 170 to the controller 90 . in particular , the second wiring harness 428 extends from the motor 170 and within the first tube 100 to the control box receiving passage 318 . a pass through section ( not shown ) on the second wiring harness 428 seals to the wires and to the passage 318 to prevent feed water from getting into the controller 90 . the second wiring harness 428 then extends through the control box receiving hole 316 and into the controller 90 . the temperature monitoring hole 308 , the blind passage 311 , the pressure monitoring opening 312 , the pressure monitoring passage 314 , the control box hole 316 , the control box passage 318 , the connection opening 332 , and the connection passage 334 may be circular in shape or may have an alternative shape such as triangular , rectangular , square , etc . it is clear from the above that the suction end cap 200 and the pressure end cap 300 eliminate a multitude of external plumbing connections ( see fig8 ) that are present in conventional fluid treatment systems . for example , the suction end cap 200 and the pressure end cap 300 internally provide all the necessary fluid connections between the r / o unit 30 and the input / output fluid lines , e . g ., the feed conduit 32 , the permeate conduit 40 , the permeate rinse conduit 54 , the concentrate conduit 43 , and the drain conduit 60 . the connection opening 332 and the connection passage 334 in the pressure end cap 300 that provide fluid communication between the pump 70 and the membrane 80 also eliminate conventional plumbing connections ; as does the integral recycling passage 222 in the suction end cap 200 and the permeate rinse passage 314 in the pressure end cap 300 . by reducing the amount of plumbing connections , the present invention reduces both cost and the likelihood for leaks within the fluid treatment system 20 . the present invention also reduces the overall size of the fluid treatment system 20 , thereby saving floor space . in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention , the fluid treatment system and in particular the r / o unit may include more than one membrane for separating permeate and concentrate from feed water in a cascading manner . such fluid treatment systems may operate with a single pump or multiple pumps . fig9 a - 9c illustrate several configurations for such a cascading fluid treatment system . features in fig9 a - 9c that are substantially identical to features in fig1 - 8 are referred to by the same reference number and similar features are given the suffix . where the same feature is provided multiple times , each instance of that feature is given the suffix “ a , b , c ,” etc . fig9 a illustrates a fluid treatment system in which the feed conduit 32 supplies feed water to a first membrane 80 a and a second membrane 80 b configured in series with one another . in other words , the concentrate exiting the first membrane 80 a through the drain opening 216 becomes the feed liquid for the second membrane 80 b . the concentrate exiting the second membrane 80 b is in fluid communication with the drain conduit 60 and the recycling passage 222 for recycling concentrate back through the first membrane 80 a . permeate from the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b flows through the permeate opening 212 and the permeate passage 214 into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 ( not shown ). the serial connection between the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b allows the concentrate exiting the first membrane that otherwise would be discarded to be further purified by the second membrane in order to salvage or generate more permeate . fig9 b illustrates an alternative fluid treatment system in which the feed conduit 32 supplies feed water to a first membrane 80 a and a second membrane 80 b configured in parallel with one another . in other words , the feed conduit 32 supplies feed water to both the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b at substantially the same time . permeate from the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b flows through the permeate openings 212 a and 212 b , respectively and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . the concentrate from the first membrane 80 a and the concentrate from the second membrane 80 b exit the respective drain openings 216 a and 216 b and combine to act as the feed liquid to a third membrane 80 b . the third membrane 80 c is therefore configured in series with the first and second membranes 80 a and 80 b . the concentrate exiting the third membrane 80 c is in fluid communication with the drain conduit 60 and the recycling passage 222 for recycling concentrate back through the first membrane 80 a and / or the second membrane 80 b . permeate from the third membrane 80 c flows through the permeate opening 212 c and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . fig9 c illustrates an alternative fluid treatment system in which the feed conduit 32 supplies feed water to a first membrane 80 a and a second membrane 80 b configured in parallel with one another . in other words , the feed conduit supplies feed water to both the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b at substantially the same time . permeate from the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b flows through the permeate openings 212 a and 212 b , respectively , and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . the concentrate from the first membrane 80 a exits the drain opening 216 a and acts as the feed liquid to a third membrane 80 c . the third membrane 80 c is therefore configured in series with the first membranes 80 a . the concentrate from the second membrane 80 b exits the drain opening 216 b and acts as the feed liquid to a fourth membrane 80 d . the fourth membrane 805 is therefore configured in series with the second membrane 80 b . the concentrate exiting the third membrane 80 c is in fluid communication with the drain conduit 60 and the recycling passage 222 for recycling concentrate back through the first membrane 80 a and / or the second membrane 80 b . permeate from the third membrane 80 c flows through the permeate opening 212 c and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . the concentrate exiting the fourth membrane 80 d is in fluid communication with the drain conduit 60 and the recycling passage 222 for recycling concentrate back through at least one of the first membrane 80 a , the second membrane 80 b , and the third membrane 80 c . permeate from the fourth membrane 80 d flows through the permeate opening 212 d and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . although the fluid treatment systems illustrated in fig9 a - 9c are illustrative of the configuration of the respective membranes only , those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the fluid treatment systems in fig9 a - 9c may have more than one recycling passage 222 and may include one or more permeate rinse passages 314 in order to flush one or more membranes . furthermore , those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of membranes 80 can be configured in any number of parallel and / or serial connections in accordance with the present invention . accordingly , the suction end cap 200 and pressure end cap 300 may also be configured to accommodate any number of membranes 80 in order to provide the same compact , efficient fluid treatment system having minimal plumbing connections in accordance with the present invention . fig1 - 13 illustrate an r / o unit 30 that has the four membrane 80 a - d configuration shown in fig9 c . the r / o unit 30 ′ includes a pump 70 and a motor 170 retained within a first tube 100 . each of four membranes 80 a - d is retained in a second tube 150 . the first and second tubes 100 and 150 are closed at their ends by a suction end cap 200 ′ and a pressure end cap 300 ′. although the suction end cap 200 ′ and the pressure end cap 300 ′ each appear to be made from separate pieces connected together , the suction end cap and / or the pressure end cap may each be made as a single , unitary piece . the pressure end cap 300 ′ may be provided with a removable portion , illustrated by phantom 301 , corresponding with each membrane 80 a - d in order to access and remove each membrane from each second tube 150 a - d without completely removing the pressure end cap . a controller not shown ) controls operation of the r / o unit 30 ′. the r / o unit 30 ′ may also include some or all of the fittings , sensors , gauges , etc . that the r / o unit 30 includes . in operation , the controller opens the inlet valve 34 to allow feed water to enter the r / o unit 30 ′ through the inlet conduit 32 . as with the r / o unit 30 , the feed water may be supplied to the r / o unit 30 ′ under pressure at about 50 - 70 psi . the pump 70 forces the feed water through the connecting passage 334 a and the connecting passage 334 b in the pressure end cap 300 ′ in order to supply feed water to both the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b in parallel . permeate from the first membrane 80 a and the second membrane 80 b flows through the permeate openings 212 a and 212 b , respectively , out of the suction end cap 200 , and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . in particular , permeate from the first membrane 80 a flows through the permeate opening 212 a , into the permeate passage 214 a , and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . permeate from the second membrane 80 b flows through the permeate opening 212 b , into the permeate passage 214 b , into the permeate passage 214 d , through a permeate transfer element ( illustrated schematically by arrow 490 in fig1 a - b ), into the permeate passage 214 c , and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . the permeate transfer element 490 ma a tube or pipe or any structure capable of directing permeate flow from the permeate passage 214 d to the permeate passage 214 c . concentrate from the first membrane 80 a exits the drain opening 216 a and acts as the feed liquid to the third membrane 80 c . in particular , concentrate from the first membrane 80 a flows through the drain opening 216 a , the drain passage 218 a connecting the first membrane 80 a to the third membrane 80 c , and into an inlet end 462 of a first transfer pipe 460 that extends upwards to the pressure end cap 300 ′ ( see fig1 ). the first transfer pipe 460 terminates at an outlet end 464 within a transfer passage 480 c in the pressure end cap 300 ′, which is in fluid communication with the third membrane 80 c via the connection passage 334 c . the third membrane 80 c is therefore configured in series with the first membranes 80 a . likewise , concentrate from the second membrane 80 b flows through the drain opening 216 b , the drain passage 218 b , and into an inlet end 472 of a second transfer pipe 470 that extends upwards to the pressure end cap 300 ′ ( see fig1 ). the second transfer pipe 470 terminates at an outlet end 474 within a transfer passage 480 d in the pressure end cap 300 ′, which is in fluid communication with the fourth membrane 80 d via the connection passage 334 d . the second membrane 80 b is therefore configured in series with the fourth membranes 80 d . both of the transfer passages 480 c , 480 d extend through the periphery of the pressure end cap 300 ′. although the transfer passages 480 c , 480 d are illustrated as being plugged with plugs 486 , those having ordinary skill will contemplate that one or more of the plugs may be omitted such that concentrate may pass from the transfer passage ( s ) to for example , additional membranes . likewise , the drain passages 218 a , 218 b extend through the periphery of the suction end cap 200 ′ and are plugged with plugs 486 , although one or more of the plugs may be omitted to allow concentrate to pass from the drain passage ( s ) to , for example , additional membranes . concentrate exiting the third membrane 80 c is in fluid communication with the drain conduit 60 via the drain opening 216 c and the drain passage 218 c . concentrate exiting the third membrane 80 c is also in fluid communication with the recycling passage 222 via the opening 220 c for recycling concentrate back to and through the first membrane 80 a . permeate from the third membrane 80 c flows through the permeate opening 212 c and the permeate passage 214 c to the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . concentrate exiting the fourth membrane 80 d is in fluid communication with the drain conduit 60 . concentrate from the fourth membrane 80 d may flow through the drain opening 216 d , the drain passage 218 d , and into a connection passage , illustrated by phantom lines 217 in fig1 b , that is in fluid communication with the opening 220 c via a connection opening 219 . concentrate from the fourth membrane 80 d and , thus , the second membrane 80 b may therefore flow to the drain conduit 60 via the drain opening 216 c and / or through the recycling passage 222 via the opening 220 c . permeate from the fourth membrane 80 d flows through the permeate opening 212 d , to the permeate passage 214 d , and into the permeate conduit 40 leading to the storage tank 46 . from the above configuration , it is clear that a single recycle passage 222 , a single permeate conduit 40 , and a single drain conduit 60 in the suction end cap control fluid processing of all the membranes 80 a - d in a simple , compact , and efficient manner . this is advantageous for the reasons discussed . fig1 illustrates an r / o unit 30 ″ in accordance with another aspect of the present invention . features in fig1 that are substantially identical to features in fig1 - 8 are referred to by the same reference number . the r / o unit 30 ″ in fig1 includes an adjustable flow control element 500 for regulating the flow rate and pressure within the r / o unit . more specifically , the flow control element 500 regulates the flow rate and pressure of concentrate passing through the recycling passage 222 to be recycled by the membrane 80 a as well as concentrate passing through the drain passage 218 to be drained out of the r / o unit 30 ″ via the drain conduit 60 . the flow control element 500 may be positioned within or integral with the suction end cap 200 or may be positioned outside of the suction end cap . as noted , concentrate residue leftover from the permeate passing through the membrane 80 a passes through the opening 220 in the suction end cap 200 as a single stream before it is divided between concentrate re - circulated back through the membrane or waste sent to drain . the flow control element 500 receives the single stream from the opening 220 and divides it evenly or unevenly into two streams , namely , a stream passing to the recycling passage 222 and a stream passing to the drain passage 218 . integral with the flow control element 500 are , two fluid resistance elements such as first and second orifices 502 , 504 that provide resistance to each of the streams heading to the recycling passage 222 and the drain passage 218 . each of the orifices 502 , 504 is adjustable to vary the resistance to flow of the respective concentrate stream to the recycling passage 222 and the drain passage 218 . the orifices 502 , 504 may be separately or simultaneously adjusted . the resistance value for one orifice 502 or 504 may be the same as or different from the resistance value for the other orifice 502 or 504 at any given time . the combined resistance value of the two orifices 502 , 504 may be constant over the adjustment range . the constant total fluid resistance serves to maintain a constant flow rate from the pump 70 . in one aspect of the present invention the adjustable flow control element may comprise a continuously variable flow control element 500 as shown in fig1 . the flow control element 500 may have a rotary motion adjustment configuration and includes an outer sleeve 510 , an inner sleeve 530 positioned within the outer sleeve , and a flange 550 that connects the inner sleeve to the outer sleeve . the outer sleeve 510 may have a cylindrical or conical shape and extends along , a longitudinal axis 512 . the inner sleeve 530 may have a cylindrical or conical shape and extends along a longitudinal axis 532 aligned with the axis 512 of the outer sleeve 510 . the outer sleeve 510 and inner sleeve 530 may have any shape so long as the outer sleeve and inner sleeve have the same shape . the outer sleeve 510 and inner sleeve 530 mate sealingly with one another ( not shown ) to ensure that no fluid passes in between the inner and outer sleeves . for example , the inner sleeve 530 may have a flexible zone that when energized from the incoming fluid pressure serves to enhance the sealing engagement between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve 510 around the orifices 502 , 504 . as shown in fig1 a - 16b , the outer sleeve 510 includes a first opening 514 and a second opening 516 that extend entirely through the outer sleeve . the first and second openings 514 , 516 are located around the periphery of the outer sleeve 510 . the first and second openings 514 , 516 may be axially aligned with one another or may be offset . the first opening 514 is configured to direct fluid to the recycling passage 222 of the suction end cap 200 and the second opening 516 is configured to direct fluid to the drain passage 218 of the suction end cap . the first and second openings 514 , 516 each have a rectangular shape but may alternatively have any shape such as circular , square , triangular , etc . an inlet opening 518 extends through the outer sleeve 510 and is in fluid communication with the opening 220 in the suction end cap 200 . the inlet opening 518 receives concentrate from the opening 220 leftover from the reverse osmosis process through the membrane 80 a . the outer sleeve 510 further includes a groove 520 that extends around a portion of the periphery of the outer sleeve 510 at the top of the outer sleeve as viewed in fig1 . the groove 520 is configured to mate with a portion 560 of the flange 550 to secure the outer sleeve 510 to the flange . the inner sleeve 530 is configured for rotation within and relative to the outer sleeve 510 about the axes 512 , 532 when the inner and outer sleeves are connected to the flange 550 . the inner sleeve 530 ( fig1 c - e ) includes a first opening 534 and a second opening 536 that extend entirely through the inner sleeve to an interior 540 of the inner sleeve . an inlet opening 538 extending through the inner sleeve 510 and into the interior 540 is axially and radially aligned with the inlet opening 518 in the outer sleeve 510 and , thus , the inlet opening 540 is in fluid communication with the opening 220 in the suction end cap 200 . each of the first and second openings 534 , 536 has a shape with a variable cross - section , such as a wedge or triangular shape . the first and second openings 534 , 536 may have the same shape or different shapes . as shown in fig1 and 16 c - d , the first and second openings 534 , 536 may have the same triangular shape and are positioned about the periphery of the inner sleeve 530 such that each of the first and second openings tapers inwardly , i . e ., becomes narrower , in a direction extending away from one another around the periphery of the inner sleeve . alternatively , the first and second openings 534 , 536 may have any shape whose width increases in a controlled manner in a radial direction around the inner sleeve 530 , e . g ., frustoconical , parabolic . the first opening 534 in the inner sleeve 530 is axially and radially aligned with the first opening 514 in the outer sleeve 510 to form the first orifice 502 ( fig1 ). more specifically , the upper and lower boundary edges of the first orifice 502 are defined by the rectangular opening 514 in the outer sleeve 510 and the lateral boundary edges are defined by the variable cross - section opening 534 in the inner sleeve 530 . the second opening 536 in the inner sleeve 530 is axially and radially aligned with the second opening 516 in the outer sleeve 510 to form the second orifice 504 . more specifically , the upper and lower boundary edges of the second orifice 504 are defined by the rectangular opening 516 in the outer sleeve 510 and the lateral boundary edges are defined by the variable cross - section opening 536 in the inner sleeve 530 . the first and second opening 534 , 536 may be defined by edges of the inner sleeve 530 that are raised in the radially outward direction to increase the localized sealing force on the inner surface of the outer sleeve 510 at the resulting orifices 502 , 504 . the upper portion of the inner sleeve 530 includes an adjustment device 542 ( fig1 c - e ) for rotating the inner sleeve to control the radial position of the openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve relative to the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 . the adjustment device 542 may receive a tool such as an alien wrench or screwdriver to facilitate rotation of the inner sleeve 530 relative to the outer sleeve 510 . as shown in fig1 f - h , the flange 550 has a generally rectangular shape and receives both the outer sleeve 510 and the inner sleeve 530 . a plurality of mounting holes 554 are provided in the flange 550 to secure the flange and , thus , the flow control element 550 to the suction end cap 200 or other portion of the fluid treatment system 30 ″. the flange 550 includes a passage 352 for slidably receiving the adjustment device 542 of the inner sleeve 530 and a projection 560 that mates with the groove 520 on the outer sleeve 510 to secure the outer sleeve to the flange . when the inner sleeve 530 is inserted into the flange 550 a plurality of teeth 544 on the inner sleeve 530 engage a plurality of mating teeth 558 on the flange 550 . the adjustment device 542 is axially movable relative to the flange 550 such that the teeth 544 of the inner sleeve are releasably engageable with the teeth 558 of the flange 550 to allow the inner sleeve to move to any one of a plurality of radial positions relative to the flange and the outer sleeve 510 . the flange 550 further includes indicia 556 corresponding with predetermined radial settings or positions of the inner sleeve 530 relative to the outer sleeve 510 . the indicia 556 terminate at positions indicated at 557 that correlate with the maximum travel of the adjustment device 542 relative to the outer sleeve 510 and , thus , maximum rotation of the inner sleeve 530 relative to the outer sleeve in either direction . the flow control element 500 includes structure for limiting rotation of the inner sleeve 530 relative to the outer sleeve 510 to define the radial positions at which the end positions 557 reside . the inner sleeve 530 includes a projection 546 that cooperates with a groove 562 in the flange 550 to limit rotation of the inner sleeve in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions relative to the outer sleeve 510 . when the adjustment device 542 is positioned within the passage 552 of the flange 550 the projection 546 on the inner sleeve is positioned within the grove 562 on the flange . the adjustment device 542 may rotate in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to the outer sleeve 510 until the projection 546 engages an end stop 564 at either end of the groove 562 , thereby preventing additional rotation of the inner sleeve 530 in either direction . the inner sleeve 530 is rotatable relative to the outer sleeve 510 via the adjustment device 542 to align different portions of the variable cross - section first and second openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve with the constant cross - section first and second openings 514 , 516 , respectively , in the outer sleeve . at least a portion of the opening 536 in the inner sleeve 530 is always in radial alignment with a portion , however small , of the opening 516 in the outer sleeve 510 . the opening 534 , however , is configured such that the opening 534 can be completely out of alignment with the opening 516 . moreover , the inlet openings 518 , 538 in the outer and inner sleeves 510 , 530 are always at least partially aligned regardless of the radial position of the inner sleeve relative to the outer sleeve . the openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 are configured such that when the inner sleeve rotates relative to the outer sleeve 510 the size of the openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve aligned with the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve varies . as the inner sleeve 530 rotates clockwise relative to the outer sleeve 510 in the direction indicated at r ( fig5 ), the size of the portion of the opening 534 aligned with the opening 514 in the outer sleeve increases while the size of the portion of the opening 536 aligned with the opening 516 in the outer sleeve decreases . the change in size of the openings 534 , 536 is due to the tapered , non - uniform cross - section of the openings . likewise , as the inner sleeve 530 rotates counterclockwise relative to the outer sleeve 510 the size of the portion of the opening 534 aligned with the opening 514 in the outer sleeve decreases while the size of the portion of the opening 536 aligned with the opening 516 in the outer sleeve increases . alternatively , the orientation of the openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 may be reversed such that clockwise rotation of the inner sleeve causes the size of the first opening 534 aligned with the opening 514 in the outer sleeve to decrease while the size of the second opening 536 aligned with the opening 516 in the outer sleeve increases , in any case , the total area of the openings 534 , 536 aligned with the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 remains substantially constant . since the openings 514 , 516 have a fixed cross - section the total area of the orifices 502 , 504 is therefore substantially constant . likewise , the combined fluid resistance through the orifices 502 , 504 remains substantially constant regardless of the radial position of the inner sleeve 530 relative to the outer sleeve 510 . the openings 514 , 516 and 534 , 536 in the sleeves 510 and 530 provide the only means by which fluid may exit the fluid control element 500 . the variable cross - section openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 therefore dictate the flow rate and pressure of fluid flowing to the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 and , thus , flow out of the flow control element 500 . by aligning larger or smaller sized portions of the openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 with the uniformly sized openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 the flow control element 500 provides continuously variable flow proportion outputs . since the variable cross - section openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 provide continuously variable flow proportions through the orifices 502 , 504 , the adjustment device 542 may be set to any position between and including the end positions 557 of the indicia 556 corresponding with predetermined flow proportions through the flow control device 500 . the fineness or amount of mating teeth 544 , 558 on the inner sleeve 530 and the flange 550 dictate the amount of positions between the end positions 557 in which the inner sleeve 530 can be locked relative to the outer sleeve 510 . as more mating teeth 544 , 558 are provided the number of different configurations for the alignment of the openings 534 , 536 with the openings 514 , 516 increases and , thus , the variability in controlling the flow output through the flow control element 500 increases . one end position 557 of the indicia 556 correlates with a position at which a predetermined minimum of the opening 536 in the inner sleeve 530 is aligned with the opening 516 in the outer sleeve 510 . the other end position 557 of the indicia 556 correlates with a position at which the opening 534 in the inner sleeve 530 is completely out of radial alignment with the opening 514 in the outer sleeve 510 . therefore , the adjustment device 542 can be set to positions in which at least a portion of both openings 534 , 536 are aligned with the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 or positions in which only the opening 536 is aligned with the opening 516 in the outer sleeve . this ensures that at least some fluid always flows through the orifice 504 to the drain passage 218 regardless of the position of the adjustment device 542 to prevent excessive pressure build up and damage to the membrane 80 a . in operation , the concentrate residue from the membrane 80 a flows through the inlet openings 518 , 538 into the interior 540 of the inner sleeve 530 . the concentrate is then split by the flow control element 500 according to the preset proportion via the adjustment device 542 in order to direct the concentrate out of the flow control element through the first orifice 502 , i . e ., the aligned openings 514 , 534 , to the recycling passage 222 in the suction end cap and through the second orifice 504 , i . e ., the aligned openings 516 , 536 , to the drain passage 218 . since the adjustment device 542 may vary the flow proportions through each orifice 502 , 504 by adjusting the size of the openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 radially aligned with the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 the flow control element 500 may continuously vary the flow proportions to the recycling passage 222 and the drain passage 218 depending on desired performance criterion in accordance with the present invention . as noted , the combined resistances to fluid flow through the orifices 502 , 504 remains constant regardless of the particular flow proportions through the orifices dictated by the adjustment device 542 . fluid pressure within the flow control element 500 biases the inner sleeve 530 into any one of a plurality of locked positions relative to the flange 550 and thus , relative to the outer sleeve 510 to prevent the inner sleeve from drifting relative to the outer sleeve once the desired flow proportions have been set by the adjustment device 542 . the teeth 544 on the inner sleeve 530 are biased into engagement with the teeth 558 on the flange 550 such that the inner sleeve can be releasably locked relative to the outer sleeve 510 at an position between and including the end stops 564 dictated by the position of the adjustment device 542 . to overcome the bias of the fluid pressure the adjustment device 542 is forced downward slightly to disengage the mating teeth 544 , 558 and then rotated accordingly to place the inner sleeve 530 is the desired position relative to the outer sleeve 510 . the downward force on the adjustment device 542 is then released to allow the fluid pressure to bias the mating 544 , 558 back into engagement with one another , thereby locking the position of the inner sleeve 530 relative to the outer sleeve 510 . in another aspect of the present invention the variable cross - section openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 may be replaced with a series of spaced - apart openings having incremental sizes ( not shown ). in this configuration , the flow control element provides discrete variations in flow pressure and rate to the recycling passage 222 and drain passage 218 rather than continuously variable flow pressure and rate . the openings 534 , 536 in the discrete flow control element may each constitute a plurality of openings that increase and decrease , respectively , in size around the periphery of the inner sleeve 530 such that the sizes of the aligned openings are inversely related while maintaining a constant total flow area through the flow control element . the teeth 544 on the inner sleeve 530 and the teeth 558 on the flange 550 are spaced and configured such that the adjustment device 542 can only be locked to the flange in radial positions that place one of the sets of openings 534 , 536 in alignment with the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 to allow concentrate to flow out of the fluid control element 500 . in other words , the inner sleeve 530 cannot be locked in a radial position relative to the outer sleeve 510 that prevents concentrate from exiting the flow control element . similar to the variable flow control element the indicia 556 on the discrete flow control element may correlate with predetermined flow pressures and rates to the recycling passage 222 and the drain passage 218 in the suction end cap 200 . for example , the indicia 556 may correlate with the relative flow proportions shown in table 1 : the values in table 1 represent relative flow proportions of concentrate directed to the recycling passage 222 , i . e ., recirculation , and concentrate directed to the drain passage 218 , i . e ., waste , by the orifices 502 , 504 in the flow control element . table 1 illustrates that the cumulative flow of concentrate directed by the discrete flow control element remains constant regardless of the setting or flow proportions . in use , the adjustment device 542 is depressed slightly to overcome the fluid pressure within the flow control element in order to disengage the mating teeth 544 , 558 on the inner sleeve 530 and the flange 550 . the adjustment device 542 is then rotated to vary the site of the discrete openings 534 , 536 in the inner sleeve 530 aligned with the openings 514 , 516 in the outer sleeve 510 until a desired flow pressure and rate through the orifices 502 , 504 is achieved . visual verification of the flow proportion through the orifices 502 , 504 is achieved via the indicia 556 . the downward force on the adjustment device 542 is then released to allow the fluid pressure in the flow control element to bias the teeth 544 of the inner sleeve 530 back into engagement with the teeth 558 on the flange 550 . the inner sleeve 530 is thereby locked in a desired radial position relative to the outer sleeve 530 corresponding with desired concentrate flow proportions to the recycling passage 222 and the drain passage 218 in the suction end cap 200 . fig1 - 18 illustrate a pressure end cap 300 ″ in accordance with another aspect of the present invention . in fig1 - 18 a pump end bell or adapter 600 is used to secure the pump 48 to the pressure end cap 300 ″ instead of the threaded pump connection hole 304 illustrated in fig7 d . the adapter 600 is configured to provide resistance to rotation of the pump 48 relative to the pressure end cap 300 ″. the adapter 600 has a cylindrical shape that includes a head portion 604 and a body portion 620 . the head portion 604 includes an annular recess 610 for receiving an o - ring or seal 611 to help seal the adapter 600 within the pressure end cap 300 ″. at least a pair of projections or shoulders 614 extends from the body portion 620 . each shoulder 614 includes a threaded passage 612 that extends through the body portion 620 into an inner chamber 624 defined by the body port on . the outer surface of the body portion 620 includes threads 622 configured to threadably engage a casing of the pump 48 in order to seal against water leakage and resist / inhibit unscrewing of the pump casing from die adapter 600 . a cylindrical retaining portion 630 is positioned within the inner chamber 624 of the body portion 620 and is configured to receive a portion of the pump 48 in order to further secure the pump to the adapter 600 . the head portion 604 of the adapter 600 is received in a first cavity 700 in the pressure end cap 300 ″ and the body portion 620 of the adapter is received in a second cavity 702 . the first cavity 700 and second cavity 702 are in fluid communication with the connection passage 334 leading to the membrane 80 and the permeate rinse passage 314 ( not shown ). together , the surfaces defining the first and second cavities 700 , 702 in the pressure end cap 300 ″ substantially mirror and mate with the head portion 604 and the body portion 620 of the adapter 600 to prevent relative rotation between the pressure end cap 300 and the adapter 600 and thus , between the pressure end cap and the pump 48 securely fixed to the adapter . a series of passages 706 having a counterbore 708 extend through the pressure end cap 300 ″ and are configured to correspond with the number and positioning of the threaded passages 612 in the adapter 600 . the passages 706 terminate at recesses or surfaces 704 of the pressure end cap 300 ″ configured to mate with the shoulders 614 on the adapter 600 to prevent relative rotation between the adapter , the pump 48 , and the pressure end cap 300 ″. to secure the adapter 600 to the pressure end cap 300 ″, the head portion 604 is positioned within the first cavity 702 in the pressure end cap such that the seal 611 in the annular recess 610 seals with a surface 710 defining the first cavity . a plurality of fasteners 720 , such as threaded bolts , are fed through the passages 706 in the pressure end cap 300 ″ and threaded into the threaded passages 612 in the adapter 600 until the head of each fastener abuts the counterbore 708 of the passage to securely fix the pressure end cap to the adapter . o - rings or seals 730 may be positioned around the shanks of the fasteners 730 to help seal the connection between the fasteners and the passages 706 in the pressure end cap 300 and allow a small amount of axial free play of the pump 48 . when the adapter 600 is secured to the pressure end cap 300 ″ the pump 48 in is fluid communication with the inner chamber 624 of the adapter 600 , which fluidly communicates with the first cavity 700 in the pressure end cap and , thus , fluidly communicates with the connection passage 334 leading to the membrane 80 . the pump 48 may thereby pump the incoming feed water through the adapter 600 , through the pressure end cap 300 ″ and into the second tube 150 having the membrane 80 therein . from the above description of the invention , those skilled in the art will perceive improvements , changes and modifications . such improvements , changes and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be covered by the appended claims .
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the wireless air - volume damper control system is shown in fig1 as an assemblage of components and is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 . included in the wireless damper control system 10 is at least one damper unit 12 , a handheld remote controller 14 , a low voltage power supply 16 that connects to the damper unit 12 for powering adjustments to the unit , and an auxiliary hand control box 18 for direct connection and adjustment of the damper unit 12 . in the preferred embodiment a flow measuring device 20 is part of the damper control system , however , other means may be employed for measuring the volume of air flow in an air balancing process , which is the primary use of the described system . in the wireless air - volume damper control system of fig1 , the motor driven damper unit 12 , shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 , has a duct housing 22 with a flow control mechanism 23 including a pivotally adjustable damper blade 24 having a pivot shaft 26 connected to a drive mechanism 28 . the pivot shaft 26 has an indicator flag 30 that provides an external visual indication of the position of the damper blade 24 within the housing 22 . the drive mechanism 28 is mounted to an interconnecting bracket structure 32 that interconnects the conduit housing 22 with a receiver box 34 which contains the electronics for remote controlling and operating the drive mechanism 28 for adjusting the damper blade 24 in the damper unit 12 . as shown in fig1 , the low voltage power supply 16 includes a wall transformer 36 which can be plugged into any ac 120 volt outlet for transforming the 120 ac voltage to a 12 volt dc supply in a power cable 38 and jack 40 that plugs into a socket 42 in a power connector box 44 . a low voltage power supply line 46 extends from the conveniently located power connector box 44 to the receiver box 34 of the damper unit . the low voltage wall transformer is sized to accommodate up to 100 damper units that are interconnected in series . an example of a simple low voltage power supply network 48 is shown in fig2 for a simple conduit network 50 having four damper units . in the damper control system of fig1 , the handheld remote controller of 14 is shown with a jack cable 52 that inter connects the handheld remote controller of 14 with the flow measuring device 20 . the handheld remote controller , shown in greater detail in fig6 , has input controls 53 including a rocker switch 54 with an accompanying indicator light 56 for indicating whether the battery powered controller is on or off . in addition , the handheld remote controller 14 includes a series of ten rocker switches 58 for coding in the id of the damper unit that is remote controlled by the controller . control buttons 60 and 62 are operated to respectively close and / or open the damper blade 24 of the damper unit 12 remotely . it is understood that the jack cable 52 is only employed for the convenience of the operator and transfers the control button operation from the handheld controller to a rocker switch 64 a support handle of the flow measuring device 20 . referring to fig2 , the wireless damper control system 10 is schematically shown installed in a building structure 68 . the simple ducted network 50 includes a supply air duct 70 and a return air duct 72 . it is understood that the supply and return air ducts 70 and 72 are part of a ducted network that connects to a central air system ( not shown ) that may heat , cool or simply cycle and circulate air throughout the building structure 68 . in the schematic illustration of fig2 , the supply air duct 70 includes three terminal discharge ducts 74 or terminals 75 , that terminate at ceiling diffuser vents 76 . a balancing damper unit is installed in each terminal 775 to regulate the volume of air flow in the terminal 75 . in the ducted network 50 of fig2 , the return air duct 72 has an intake duct 74 connected to a damper unit 12 at a ceiling intake vent 78 . typically , the vents 76 and 78 are similar in appearance and function and are generally defined as part of the terminal 75 or simply , the terminal 75 . each damper unit 12 is powered by a low voltage power supply 16 , which in the preferred embodiment , comprises the ac / dc wall transformer 36 that is plugged into a conventional wall outlet 80 for supply of low voltage power through the cable 38 that connects to a low voltage power line 46 at a power connector box 44 . in the system of fig2 , the four damper units 12 connected in series by the low voltage supply circuit 48 . in the schematic illustration of fig2 , a testing operator is shown holding a flow measuring device 20 against a vent 76 allowing the air flow through the vent to be measured . the operator 82 is wearing the handheld remote controller 14 on a belt 84 . the remote controller 14 is connected by the jack cable 52 to the flow measuring device 20 to allow the operator to adjust the proximate damper unit 12 by the handle controls as previously described . in this manner , a single operator can quickly measure air flow at each of the vents 76 and 78 and simultaneously adjust the associated damper unit 12 to balance the air flow system . as noted , this may require one or more measurements and adjustments at each vent since change in a damper unit setting may affect previously adjusted dampers requiring resetting . once the damper units 12 , in the terminals 75 of the conduit network 50 are properly adjusted , the wall transformer 36 and jack 40 at the end of cable 38 are removed thereby interrupting the power supply to prevent unauthorized tampering with the balanced air system after adjustment is completed . referring now to the enlarged view of the damper unit 12 of fig3 , the drive mechanism 28 is shown to include a gear motor 86 having a drive shaft 88 on which is mounted a worm gear 90 . the worm gear 90 engages a complimentary concentric gear 92 on the pivot shaft 26 of the damper blade 24 . use of the worm gear 92 provides for self braking and is a preferred means for maintenance of the position of the damper blade 24 when the motor 86 is deactivated by interrupting the power supply 16 . to limit the rotation of the damper blade 24 , a pair of limit switches 94 are mounted to the bracket structure 32 and are selectively activated by a lever 96 projecting from an end fitting 98 on the pivot shaft 26 . the lever 96 as shown in fig4 , is fan - shaped and can selectively activate a limit switch on the 90 degree travel of the damper blade 24 from a fully closed to a fully opened position . the bracket structure 32 is mounted on the receiver box 34 which includes a door 100 with a hinge 102 and latch 104 . projecting from the receiver box 34 is an antenna 106 for receiving radio frequency identity code and control signals from the remote controller 14 . as noted , direct control of the motor 86 is provided by use of the hand control box 18 , which is shown in fig7 . the hand control box 18 includes a cable 108 and jack 110 that plugs directly into the jack socket 112 on the side of the receiver box 34 of fig3 . referring now to fig5 , the receiver box 34 is shown with the door 100 opened to reveal a panel 114 having a set of codes switches 116 that are set to identify this damper unit 12 from others in the damper control system 10 . in addition to the code switches 116 , the receiver box 34 includes a relay 118 and internal circuit connectors 120 for operating the gear motor 86 . an external power connector 122 provides for convenient connection of a compatible connector in the low voltage supply circuit 48 . the integrated electronics of the receiver unit 124 are contained under the panel 114 and are provided as a conventional component by a supplier . once coded the damper unit 12 will respond only to a signal from a remote controller that is addressed to the matching damper unit . referring to fig6 a and 6b , the handheld remote controller 14 is shown with the previously described on / off rocker switch 54 and indicator light 56 , code switches 58 and control buttons 60 and 62 . the control buttons 60 and 62 are marked with a “ c ” for close and “ o ” for open , respectively . the remote controller 14 has a jack connector 126 for the jack cable 52 when used in conjunction with the flow measuring device 20 as shown in fig1 . a panel cover 128 provides for access to a 9 volt battery ( not shown ) for powering the remote controller 14 . for the convenience of the operator , the remote controller includes a belt clip 130 on the back 132 of the remote controller 14 for convenient attachment of the remote controller to the belt in 84 of an operator 82 , as shown in fig2 . in fig7 , the hand control box 18 is shown and includes the cable 108 and jack 110 for connecting the hand control box directly to the damper unit 12 as previously described . the box is shown partially in cross section to reveal the internal 9 volt battery 130 of the type preferred for use in the remote controller 14 . the hand control box 18 includes an on - off switch 132 and controller buttons 134 and 136 for closing and opening the damper blade when the control box 18 is connected to a damper unit 12 . referring now to fig8 , the general circuit diagram for the wireless damper system 10 is shown . the wall transformer 36 is plugged into a conventional wall outlet and provides power to the power connector box 44 by cable 38 . the low voltage power line 46 connects the power supply 16 to a damper unit 12 . the damper unit 12 has an internal electronic circuit 136 for operating the damper unit 12 under direction of the receiver unit 124 as controlled by the remote controller 14 . as noted , a portable hand control box 18 , shown in fig7 may be connected to the damper unit 12 at jack socket 112 for direct control of the damper blade through internal switch circuit 138 . in the diagrammatic illustration shown in fig8 , the handheld remote controller 14 is illustrated transmitting a signal from the internal transmitter unit 134 to the receiver unit 124 of the damper unit 12 identified by the settings of the manual rocker switches 58 of the input controls 53 . the damper blade 24 of the selected damper unit is opened or closed as desired by the operator 82 . when the damper blade 24 reaches the fully open or fully closed position , the lever 96 contacts a switch 94 , cuts power to the gear motor 86 and creates an audible signal at sound generator 140 . in an air balancing operation using the preferred air flow measuring device 20 , the jack cable 52 is connected to the handheld remote controller 14 and to the flow measuring device 20 as shown in fig1 . a short jack cable 142 connects the extended handle 66 to an internal circuit ( not shown ) in the base portion 144 of the flow measuring device 20 allowing the rocker switch 64 at the end of the handle 66 to control the balancing damper for the inlet or outlet being tested . during the test , the hood portion 146 of the flow measuring device 20 is held up against a terminal 75 , such as the supply vent 76 as schematically illustrated in fig2 . the flow measuring device 20 has a step switch 148 and meter 150 to provide the operator with a real - time measure of the volume of air flow . while viewing the meter 150 the operator adjusts the target damper unit 12 until the desired flow volume is achieved . the operator continues to test the terminals 75 and adjust the associated air balance damper unit 12 until the system is performing as desired . as noted , this process may require testing and adjusting the same terminal and damper unit more than a single time to assure compliance with a desired result . while , in the foregoing , embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the invention , it may be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such detail without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention .
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in the drawings , fig1 illustrates the general principle involved in the system of the invention . the principle is sometimes known as electro - hydraulic . the electro - hydraulic effect is described in terms of following events in time , starting with the discharge of stored energy into a liquid volume 10 and the space around a center electrode 12 ( in the case of a coaxial electrode arrangement as illustrated ). at the moment of the closure of a discharge switch ( not shown ), the current at the surface of the center electrode 12 begins to heat up the liquid . when the boiling point of the liquid is reached , a blanket of steam starts forming on the electrode surface . until that time , no pressure increase is generated in the liquid and the energy used so far is lost as far as the desired effects are concerned . as the steam blanket expands out from the electrode 12 , the electrode surface is increasingly insulated from the conducting liquid . this effect is accelerated by the fact that the current is driven ( although continuously increasing at this point in time ) in a &# 34 ; current driving mode .&# 34 ; therefore , the electrical conduction shifts from the insulated parts of the electrode to areas that are still in contact with the liquid , heating these regions even faster . when the entire electrode tip is covered by steam , the steam blanket breaks through electrically and the electrical discharge generates a plasma region 14 that becomes heated up very fast by the ionic current . since the current flows from the electrode against the plasma - liquid interface , more liquid is ionized at that interface due to the ion bombardment and the pressure in that region rises quickly . the electrical resistance of the plasma is much higher than that of the liquid , and therefore most of the supplied energy is deposited there . at this point the plasma region is a source of intense light , much of it in the uv region , that irradiates the liquid volume 10 according to the specific radiation - absorption condition of the liquid , the chemical compounds dissolved in it , etc . the power levels desired are quite high , and can be approximately two gigawatts per liter , and for all practical purposes it can be said that the matter in the entire volume 10 is temporarily ionized at some time or another during the discharge . as the plasma region 14 expands , it generates a shock wave 16 that propagates through the volume and compresses the liquid in the zone 18 behind it . depending on the discharge circuit , its timing elements ( circuit inductance , storage capacitance , etc .) and the conductive properties of liquid and plasma , part or all of the firing chamber volume is irradiated while the compression takes place ; and that process might continue during the propagation of the rarefaction zone 20 following the compression wave . since the turbulence in the shocked material is very high , and since the photon flux keeps the material ionized , it is believed that the electrical bonds between the molecules and atoms are canceled , with all chemicals going into the free - ion state . after the radiation ceases to exist and the plasma cools off , recombination occurs according to chemical reactions possible by the elements present ; however , it is observed that nonreactive elements precipitate out not in molecular form but in micron - sized particles . that is thought to be the case because of the turbulence going on while some elements are still partially ionized and therefore electrically positive - charged , while others are temporarily negative - charged by the free electrons present and therefore electrically mutually attracted . particles as large as 100 microns have been observed , and the lower limit observed is limited by the resolution of analytical instruments ( microscope , particle spectrometer ). the forming of the relatively large solids particles is important for the commercial aspect of this method , since these particles can easily be filtered from the liquid by mechanical means . fine - mesh filters work well , but centrifugal filtering is industrially more convenient . after the shock waves hit the container wall ( not shown ), some of its energy is reflected and some propagates through the material of the process vessel ( not shown in fig1 ). the vessel has to be constructed to withstand the pressure generated ; depending on discharge energy and timing it is on the order of a few hundred thousand psi . fortunately , the wall material ( e . g . steel ) has a tendency to work harden and even some permanent volume compression of the firing chamber &# 39 ; s steel wall has been observed , probably due to the elimination of microscopic voids in the material . also , a self - compression loading effect takes place on the inside surface of the process container ( firing chamber ), prestressing its inside surfaces . firing chambers are illustrated in later figures . as far as electrode materials and insulating materials are concerned , a certain burnup rate has to be expected , and these materials have to be replaced , either by dismantling the firing chamber ( a hydraulic lock of the invention , discussed below , makes that arrangement practical to use in an industrial environment ) and exchanging the used parts , or they can be continuously replaced . the central electrode can be fed into the firing chamber as it burns up , and the insulation around it can be extruded by an extrusion device mounted next to the electrode feed mechanism . depending on liquids to be processed , frequency of machine use , operating conditions , etc ., the polarity can be either negative on the center electrode 12 , causing electrolytic transfer of some material from the container wall and the concentric electrode 22 ( which is in electrical contact with the container wall ), or negative on the container wall , using up the center electrode more rapidly . two opposing electrodes are also possible ( shown in later figures ); these can be adjusted externally by a mechanism as they are consumed , giving greater efficiency to the process but requiring a relatively complex feed mechanism . what firing chamber design is used , what electrode arrangement and what materials are used in the process are subject to economic considerations , such as what liquids are to be processed , operating costs , permissible frequency and duration of service intervals , and so on . since all chemical compounds in the process liquid are being ionized , this method has a wide range of applications . examples are the destruction of toxic waste , mineral recovery from waste , sewage waters and geothermal brines , the desalination of liquids , including the removal of nutrients that could cause bacterial growth , the processing of sewage water into irrigation water , etc . the machine can be used as a catalyst for chemical reactions and the photon flux can supply the energy for endothermic reactions . typical power levels are on the order of 20 to 25 kilowatts for a flow rate of approximately 40 gallons per minute through a machine , resulting in an overall operations cost of the equipment between 0 . 2 cent / gallon ( high ) and 0 . 05 cent / gallon ( low ), depending on the wear of the equipment . these costs are important for the commercial applications of the process and the principal objective of the invention is directed toward bringing costs down per unit of production . since the conducted charges are quite high ( for a 50 , 000 gallon / day machine they may be on the order of approximately 750 , 000 coulombs the difficulties experienced with this type of electrical discharge equipment have to do with the burnup of electrodes in the firing chamber and in the discharge switch serving the chamber . therefore , the design of easily exchangeable electrodes in these parts is important for the usefulness of the electro - hydraulic process in commercial applications . one aspect of the present invention is the use of solid state shock wave generation by transducers and the selective photolytic dissociation of molecular bonds by coherent light ( use of lasers for ionization ). the invention also contemplates the use of solid state switching devices , and more efficient firing chambers , as made from nonconducting materials such as quartz , ceramic , etc . with these features , operations cost can be brought down by approximately two orders of magnitude , making economic desalination of seawater possible . it also should be pointed out that the energy efficiency of the process increases with the firing chamber volume , and that machines in accordance with the invention can be built in any size . a prototype built for a throughput of 50 , 000 gallons / day ( at power consumption of 27 kilowatts ) requires approximately $ 100 to $ 200 per day in cost of electrical power and spare parts . this makes a basic embodiment of the invention suitable for all the applications described , except for economic mineral recovery from seawater and its use for irrigation . ii . firing chamber , electrode / chamber erosion , and attenuation of shock waves ( fig2 ) fig2 shows an example of a liquid processing system ( lpx ) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . other configurations are possible and are discussed below . the firing chamber body 24 in this embodiment may be designed for approximately 50 , 000 to 100 , 000 psi static pressure , and 500 , 000 psi dynamic pressure . a firing chamber &# 34 ; lid &# 34 ; 26 or grounded electrode is held against the firing chamber body 24 by external hydraulic pressure ( by structure discussed below in reference to fig4 and 5 ) or mechanically bolted to the firing chamber body ( as by spring - loading , threads , bolts , etc .). a bushing 28 comprising an electrical insulating sleeve is concentrically located inside the grounded electrode 26 . within the sleeve 28 is the center electrode 30 , which may be stainless steel , nickel alloy , heavy - metal or copper - heavy metal alloy , depending on lifetime desired . this electrode can be fed into the chamber , together with a sacrificial sleeve 28 or independent of it , or the arrangement can be fixed and replaced periodically . an o - ring seal 32 provides a liquid seal against process fluid leakage to the exterior of the preferably cylindrical firing chamber 34 . at a process fluid inlet 36 there is a flow restriction 38 . adjacent to the inlet restriction 38 is a pressure equalizing volume 40 allowing pressure to equalize around the annulus of a gap 42 formed between the grounded electrode 26 and the firing chamber wall 44 . as indicated by a broken line 46 in fig2 a sacrificial volume or burnup volume 48 is included in the electrodes and sleeve 28 and also in the firing chamber wall 44 . this is the amount of material that can be lost without compromising the firing chamber performance . the firing chamber 34 preferably includes a conical shock wave reflector 50 for reflecting the moving wave front and keeping it in the chamber 34 as much as possible . the process fluid exits the chamber through a fluid channel 52 , and a shock attenuator 54 comprising a 90 degree sharp bend is included in the channel . a threaded fitting 56 with a conical inlet 58 may be rated for 5 , 000 to 10 , 000 psi operating pressure . a transfer line 60 leads from the fitting 56 , and , depending on length , may have a burst pressure rating of 10 , 000 to 20 , 000 psi . an air ( or nitrogen ) supply line is shown at 62 , for feeding pressurized gas into a shock absorber vessel 64 , which may be designed for about 800 psi maximum pressure , at operating pressures of between 50 and 150 psi . at 66 is a liquid outlet ( or inlet ) fitting ( the flow through the firing chamber can be in either direction ). proper damping of the generated shock wave energy in the process of the invention is crucial for the functioning of the system , since the equipment can be destroyed by unattenuated shock waves in a very short time . the hydraulic shock absorber structure 64 in fig2 forms a part of the system of the invention . a second , similar hydraulic shock absorber ( not shown ) is used upstream of the liquid inlet 36 . the functioning of the hydraulic shock attenuation system is as follows : the flow direction of the liquid through the firing chamber 34 has very little to do with the generation and attenuation of the shock waves from the discharge . the propagation speed of shock waves is large as compared to the speed of the moving fluid . fluid ( wastewater , sea water , brine , etc .) enters the firing chamber through the inlet port 36 , from a shock absorber which may be identical to that shown at 64 . the space 40 is provided to give a uniform flow of liquid through the gap 42 . a conical section 68 of the electrode 26 helps attenuate the shock wave energy to an extent , along with the fact that the shock is generated in the opposite direction . this enables a fluid connection rated at about 1 / 20 that of the pressure rating of the firing chamber body to be used . in the forward direction , the conical section 50 of the firing chamber reflects most of the shock wave back at different angles , and so avoids nodes of concentrated pressure from reflected waves . ( this is for pulses generating pressure waves which are short as compared to the firing chamber dimensions .) in fact , the shock wave energy is attenuated by multiple reflections inside the firing chamber 34 and is generally turned into a &# 34 ; white noise .&# 34 ; the channel 52 together with the 90 degree angle at 54 , provides for a very high flow resistance for fast pulses of &# 34 ; water hammer ,&# 34 ; and at the walls of the space 54 the rest of the shock energy coming down through the channel 52 is reflected back into the chamber . moreover , the attenuation of the primary shock is not the only item of concern . gases generated by the electrolytic action of the current and by the chemical reactions of the compounds dissolved in the fluid generate expanding gas bubbles that accelerate the fluid out of the firing chamber . this amounts to a secondary &# 34 ; shock ,&# 34 ; smaller in amplitude , but longer in time . so as not to disrupt the flow of the liquid by this action , differential flow resistance is built into the design . ( if enough gas is precipitated , the firing chamber could be acting as its own pump because of the difference in dynamic pressure in the feed lines in and out , and the inertia of the water columns .) the flow resistance of the gap 42 increases dramatically with the liquid velocity . at the 90 degree bend 54 there is also an increase in resistance , but to a lesser degree . therefore the liquid has a tendency to move from point 38 to the fitting 56 as shown on the drawing , and not in the other direction . the pressure rating of the inlet and outlet feed lines 60 depends to a great extent on their length . the pressure drops approximately linearly from the point 54 to the end of an input tube 70 in the shock absorber 64 . the liquid level 72 is held near the tube end by a small supply of gas ( air , but nitrogen if the oxygen is detrimental to the gases generated by the reactions ). the high liquid level 72a shown in the drawing is for the input shock absorber design , while the low level 72 is indicated for the output side . through the gas supply 62 the external gas is supplied at a quantity or flow rate large enough to cover the loss of gas by turbulence in the container body 74 , i . e . by mixing or dissolving of the gas into the liquid . since the flow resistance from the end of the tube 70 to the liquid surface is small , the tube back pressure is essentially the same as the gas supply pressure . at 66 is shown the output ( or input ) connection fitting to the system , running at a constant 100 to 150 psi depending on flow resistance of the firing chamber - hydraulic connections , etc . any primary shock wave energy coming down the lines is dissipated in the large volume of liquid in the shock absorbers and at the liquid surface therein . the hydraulic fittings on the firing chamber have to be conically enlarged , as shown at 58 , in order to prevent axial loading of the threads , that have been shown to fail if ordinary stepped fittings are used having a shoulder at this location . by using a chamfered bore , however , the dynamic pressure expands the fittings slightly and actually has a tendency to swage them in even tighter . it should be pointed out that several pounds of the firing chamber material can be lost due to erosion and electrolytic action without compromising system performance . if the center electrode is held at negative potential , the lifetime of the entire arrangement is greatly enhanced . this is desirable for fixed mounted center electrodes 30 , and sacrificial sleeves 28 . for continuously replaceable center electrodes and fed sleeves or long lasting composite sleeves , a positive polarity on the center electrode prevents electrolytic erosion of the firing chamber body and of the lid 26 . depending on service intervals allowable and the design selected , either electrode material or firing chamber material can be selectively sacrificed . therefore , if a fixed center electrode 30 is used , of heavy and corrosion - resistant construction , this electrode should generally be negative , with the firing chamber walls having the positive polarity where wear will occur . on the other hand , with a continuously fed electrode and surrounding insulative sleeve , the center electrode can be positive . in order to keep the process functioning properly , the discharge from the energy storage bank must be prevented from overswinging in a negative direction ; otherwise , both electrodes will be depleted electrolytically , and the lifetime of the equipment will be greatly reduced . therefore the discharge circuit ( is inductance and damping resistance ) must be properly adjusted to the conductivity of the liquid and its plasma . in one embodiment , i . e . a prototype , a fixed electrode 30 is used , and insulating bushings 28 are made from quartz or nylon , and therefore the center electrode 30 ( tungsten ) is run at negative potential . the shock absorbers in the one preferred embodiment of the machine are about eight inches in diameter , and the liquid volume of the firing chamber may be 1 / 20 gallon . the gas volume in the shock absorbers 64 is approximately 5 times the volume of the firing chamber , and that arrangement has been found to work very well . the schematic diagram of fig3 shows one preferred embodiment of the overall system of the electro - hydraulic liquids processor . fig3 a and 3b show coaxial electrodes , wherein the firing chamber body is normally grounded to the outer electrode ; and an alternative arrangement wherein a pair of opposed positive and negative electrodes are both in the form of rods . fig3 c , 3d and 3e show arrangement of components in an actual assembly . referring to fig3 power from a power main 76 is stepped up in a high voltage power supply ( hvps ) 78 , and charges an energy storage bank 80 . this can be a capacitor bank ( as shown ) or an inductive store , or the energy can be supplied by an electromechanical pulse generator . when the bank 80 is charged , a trigger generator 82 fires the discharge switch 84 , and the bank discharges its energy through the electrode 86 into a small volume of liquid 88 around the tip of the electrode . the generated plasma expands , creating a shock wave 90 and a burst of light , which propagates through the liquid volume . all electrical bonds between the molecules of the compounds dissolved in the liquid and the liquid itself are in essence temporarily canceled . the generated turbulence from the shock and the shock wave itself and its rarefaction zone precipitate dissolved solids out as insolubles ( unless they are directly reactive with the liquid itself , or with each other ). in the rarefaction zone , the solid compounds congeal into micron - sized particles that can be removed by simple filtering techniques . the flow restrictions in the firing chamber , in and out , provide for the reflection of the shock wave energy as discussed above , and the hydraulic shock absorbers 64 attenuate the rest , preventing damage to pipes and pumps of the system . since the discharge pulses are in the order of tens of microseconds ( at a discharge current between 10 and 300 kiloamperes for a chamber volume of 1 / 20 gallon to one gallon ), the wave length of the shock wave is on the order of a few inches . therefore , no valves are needed to close the firing chamber , and a continuous liquids exchange can be used . as a pump 92 pumps the liquid through the firing chamber ( constructed to withstand several hundred thousand psi peak pressure ), the precipitated particles are carried by the advancing liquid stream into a centrifugal separator 94 ( or any other kind of filtering device ), where the solids are separated from the liquid and the liquid is then discharged at 96 and the solids ( approximately 50 % to 70 % liquids content ) are collected ( 98 ). a level control line keeps the liquid level in the shock absorbers constant . the air lines 62 contain orifices to limit flow rate of air ( or other gas ) into the shock absorbers 64 , and air is constantly being passed out of the shock absorbers with the liquid flowing through ; the pressure inside the vessel is always less than the supply pressure from the air compressor . the pressure drop of the firing chamber of the embodiment illustrated is approximately 50 psi , and the pressure drop in the separator 94 may be set to 60 psi . in tuning of the firing chamber , experimental results have shown that different energy levels ( and different discharge lengths ) favor the precipitation of different chemical compounds from a mixture of all compounds , as should be expected by such a photolytic process . in experiments performed with the illustrated embodiment , the shock front 90 traveled throughout the liquid volume while the discharge from the electrode was still active . the peak discharge current occurred at approximately 3 / 4 the traveling distance of the shock front along its longest path length . fig3 c , 3d and 3e show in plan , end elevation and side elevation views a preferred assembly of a liquid processing system of the invention . these views show arrangement of most of the system components shown schematically in fig3 with principal components labeled . different engineering approaches to the firing chamber design are possible and are encompassed by the invention . the electro - hydraulic assembly 100 as shown in fig4 and 4a is intended for industrial applications of the machine ; variations are contemplated for increased machine performance and for various operating modes . the liquid processing system ( lpx ) may be run with two different types of insulators , one from nylon and one made from quartz . a nylon electrode sleeve 102 is shown in fig4 . shown in the drawing of fig4 is the firing chamber assembly of the machine of this embodiment , and the mounting arrangement or assembly arrangement of the accompanying components . by lifting an hydraulic piston 104 to an upper position as indicated in solid lines , the entire firing chamber assembly 106 can be lifted from a lower cradle 108 , and the center electrode 110 and connected anvil 111 and insulator 112 at a head end of the assembly can be replaced in a matter of a few minutes . a load transfer plate 114 may be biased by retraction springs 116 ( four may be provided ) toward an upper position ( shown in lower position ), moving the piston 104 up as it rises . with this movement , hydraulic fluid moves out of an hydraulic cylinder 118 , exiting through an inlet port 120 . with the piston 104 retracted , this leaves the components at the top of the firing chamber 122 available for removal and replacement . a frame 124 ( as of structural steel ) supports these components and provides a rigid framework against which the hydraulic force acts . the fluid lines used are flexible hydraulic high pressure hoses and need not be disconnected for this service operation . this &# 34 ; hydraulic lock &# 34 ; of the firing chamber structure is an important feature of the invention , since it provides operator convenience and time savings , on a machine in operation . the illustrated arrangement may be called the electro - hydraulic assembly , and comprises the most highly stressed part of the system of the invention . the liquids processing takes place in the liquid volume space 126 of the firing chamber 122 . the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic ram or piston 104 not only holds the firing chamber closed against the explosive pressure generated by the plasma arc , but also provides the liquid seal between the firing chamber body 128 and the grounded electrode 130 ( a seal is provided at 131 ), between the grounded electrode 130 and the coaxial insulator and pressure seal 112 , and between the insulator / pressure seal 112 and the anvil / electrode holder 111 . also , this arrangement provides the contact pressure necessary for electrical connections between the lower cradle 108 and the firing chamber body 128 ( for the grounded electrode ) and between an electrical power connecting plate 132 and the anvil 111 ( for the center electrode ). an electrical insulator pad 133 insulates the power plate 132 from the load transfer plate 114 above . another important feature of this arrangement is in the self - aligning of the assembly with the hydraulic cylinder 118 , by the use of a nylon disc 134 that liquefies under the hydraulic pressure and allows for self - centering and axial alignment of the force applied by the piston 104 . this prevents side loading and wear of the piston in the cylinder 118 , and assures an equal pressure necessary for a positive sealing action of the firing chamber parts around their circumference . manufacturing tolerances , i . e . variations from part to part , are taken up in this way . the retracting springs 116 hold the upper assembly in place , i . e . they retain the cylinder 118 against an upper cradle 136 ( retained to the frame 124 by bolts 138 ), and the load transfer plate 114 against the lower end of the piston , as discussed above . the described hydraulic firing chamber lock assembly is especially useful for constructions wherein the electrodes have to be replaced manually and are not fed automatically into the firing chamber , since frequent refurbishing might have to take place . another feature of the hydraulically operated firing chamber is that the firing chamber components are preloaded by the external pressure , and therefore the alternating , internal pressure does not fatigue the firing chamber body 128 as much as it otherwise would . the heavy assembly frame 124 shown in fig4 and 4a helps to keep down vibrations caused by the operation of the firing chamber . the firing chamber is also designed in such a way that the weight of the firing chamber body approximately equals the weight of the &# 34 ; lid &# 34 ; ( i . e . the parts 111 , 112 and 130 as well as the electrodes and insulator themselves ) and the plate 114 , thus resulting in cancellation of the vibration generating forces in the up - and - down direction , and keeping the frame steadily at the same location . the following further components are shown in the schematic assembly views of fig4 and 4a : a pair of lifting eyebolts 140 secured to the frame 124 ; a pressure pad 142 ( e . g . brass or copper plate ) between the frame 124 and the upper cradle 136 ; process fluid inlet and outlet ports 144 and 146 in the firing chamber body 128 , communicating with the liquid process volume 126 ; a manifold volume 148 in the firing chamber / process volume , for evenly distributing the input process fluid ; a shock wave attenuator gap 150 in the firing chamber , as discussed above ( fig2 ); a grounded electrical power connection 152 in electrically conductive connection with the firing chamber body 128 ; a bottom pressure pad 154 ; and bottom connecting bolts 156 . v . variations of lpx firing chamber ; electrode feed mechanism , flat plate transmission line and methods for generating faster pulses ( fig5 a , 5b ) the drawing of fig5 shows an alternate configuration 160 of the lpx type firing chamber . in this case an external liquids manifold 162 is used . when the hydraulic ram 164 is withdrawn ( generally as discussed above ), the firing chamber body 166 can be lifted off the manifold and carried elsewhere for rebuilding without the need to disconnect hydraulic lines . in this embodiment the firing chamber is connected both at top and bottom by pressure seals ( o - rings are shown at 168 , top and bottom ), providing for easy disassembly of the parts . coaxial connections to flat plate power transmission lines 170 and 172 , via spring contacts 174 , are easily released when the hydraulic ram 164 is withdrawn , leaving the &# 34 ; lid &# 34 ; ( grounded electrode 176 ) free . for the center electrode 178 , a conductive disc 180 transfers current to the electrode via the spring contacts 174 , as shown . in this arrangement the center electrode 178 is fed into the chamber by an external mechanism ( e . g . a cylinder actuator as in fig5 a ), but the insulating sleeve 182 is not . the insulating sleeve is made from a composite material of high temperature resistance ( e . g . carborundum , quartz ) and a carrier material that absorbs the mechanical shock and substantially liquefies under shock wave pressure ( e . g . teflon , polyolefins ). fig5 b shows schematically the assembly of the composite insulator 182 and the center electrode 178 . the insulator 182 absorbs and attenuates the shock . its carrier material melts and evaporates at the surface 194 . the quartz or sapphire particles then form a burnup - resistant film on the surface 194 , so that insulator life is extended without &# 34 ; feeding &# 34 ; an insulator into the chamber . as indicated by arrows 184 , flow of process liquid in this embodiment is from an inlet port 186 to an annular inlet channel 188 into the chamber , then out through a central exit channel 190 and an exit port 192 . the drawing of fig5 a shows an lpx type firing chamber 196 and frame 198 fitted with an electrode feed mechanism 200 in accordance with the invention . this may be in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 202 as shown , capable of adjusting the position of the electrode rod 178 reaching down into the firing chamber . an insulating sleeve extruder as shown at 204 ( with associated extruding equipment 206 ) provides a continuous replacement of the insulated sleeve component , as both the center electrode and the sleeve around it are used up . in this way , the down time of the machine can be reduced greatly , making a more profitable operation possible . also with this arrangement , higher discharge currents can be used ( using the flat plate transmission line 170 , 172 ) resulting in hotter plasma operation , shorter wave length of light with greater ionization - potential , and therefore more efficient operation and savings in energy . ( the entire light spectrum of the arc is shifted more toward the ultraviolet due to hotter operation .) the electrical connection to the center electrode is made by two spring - loaded metal blocks ( not shown ). the insulating sleeve flows around them under the pressure of the extruder . this arrangement is located inside the connector 208 of the center electrode . vi . opposed electrode arrangement ; conductive coolant fluid as trigger ; fixed and extruded insulator sleeves ( fig6 ) for nonconductive fluids and / or for greater firing chamber efficiency , opposed electrodes should be used . because of the inductance of such an arrangement , higher operating voltages have to be generated . the higher voltages are also necessary to break through the gap in the case of nonconductive process fluids ( hydrocarbons , etc .). since the shock wave and the light energy can spread out in all directions , here an increase in efficiency of about a factor of two can be realized . shown in the drawing of fig6 is a firing chamber 210 designed for a flow rate of , for example , two million gallons per day , using fed electrodes 212 and extruded thermoplastic insulating sleeves 214 . the position of the electrode tips is electronically sensed and the feed mechanism driven accordingly . the feed rate of the extruded insulating sleeves is adjusted by driving the extruder 216 motor ( or piston , etc .) at the proper rate . the sleeve extrusion material 215 is forced through a flow chamber 217 as shown . ( chamber held to electrode holder using threads and nut 230 ). high power connections are made at the outside of an insulating seal 218 , using laminated contact springs ( multilam connections ). the discharge current may be approximately 300 kiloamperes peak for this operation , and the energy used per gallon of fluid ( the space indicated at 220 ) may be about 16 kilojoules . because of the skin effect occurring at this high discharge current , the electrodes must be internally cooled and are therefore hollow , with a bore of about 3 / 8 inch diameter ( see fig7 ). the fluid to be processed enters through two opposing process liquid ports at 221 , passes through a narrow gap 222 ( e . g . 6 inch diameter ) between the firing chamber wall and a conical electrode holder 224 , and arrives at the process space 220 , where it is irradiated . the fluid then leaves through an identical output arrangement with outlet ports 226 , as shown in the drawing . the firing chamber body 228 preferably is constructed from steel with a yield strength of 180 , 000 psi ; the electrode holders 224 may be type 416 heat treated stainless steel with replaceable protective threaded nuts on their tips ( not shown ). a spring - loaded washer 234 preferably is used between a nut 232 and the firing chamber body 228 , at the outer end of the electrode holder as shown . the fluid used for electrode cooling is the same as the process fluid . a small amount is diverted and pumped through the hollow electrodes 212 by a high pressure pump , and it exits the electrodes into the process volume . operating voltage for this arrangement may be 20 to 40 kilovolts , depending on the process fluid . in the case of a nonconducting process fluid , the electrode cooling fluid can be made conductive ( salt water , etc .) and can act as an initiator for the plasma discharge , or it can be doped with certain elements emitting light at a selected wavelength - peak for specifically exciting certain chemical bonds . attenuation of the shock wave energy is achieved by the fact that multiple reflections occur between the electrode holders 224 and the converging space of the firing chamber , as shown in fig6 . by the time the shock front reaches the flow gap 222 , it has lost most of its energy . the converging / diverging flow channel also guides the fluid into the process region 220 without causing great turbulence and mixing between already processed and new incoming fluid , avoiding wasting of energy by having to process some of the fluid volume twice . schematically , the machine is identical to the system described above , except for the higher - power feature , requiring a larger power supply , storage bank , etc . the incoming and outgoing fluid passes through external hydraulic shock absorbers in the same manner as explained above ( not shown in this drawing ). with this type of firing chamber layout , i . e . with opposed electrodes , a further increase in efficiency can be realized by using larger - diameter , thin - walled electrodes in combination with vary fast pulses , as shown on the drawing of fig7 . vii . plasma compression chamber and short wavelength generation ( fig7 a , 7b ) different chemical compounds and elements require different dissociation energies . however , in a bulk process like the arc - generated electro - hydraulic process , much of the radiated energy ( approximately 1 / 2 of the supplied energy into the arc ) is in the infrared region . the energy associated with these photons might be too low to ionize the compounds / elements in question . therefore , it is apparently desirable to use plasma temperatures as high as possible , since the radiated light has a tendency to decay toward the longer wave lengths in any event . therefore , unless one wants to excite certain bonds and not others , which would require irradiation at narrow light bandwidths , higher plasma temperatures would correspond to greater system efficiency . referring to fig7 the plasma temperature can be raised by a &# 34 ; theta pitch &# 34 ; type plasma compression . in that process a cylindrical plasma structure collapses inwardly on itself , as at 140 , building a fine , highly compressed filament having a high temperature . the kinetic energy of the magnetically driven imploding plasma ring 240 is converted into extra heat during the compression phase . the principle behind this process is that the increasing magnetic field associated with the discharge current through the opposed electrodes 242 , 244 , and driven by the discharge current itself ( the movement of the ionized matter ) results in a motoring force that accelerates the ions inward in a radial direction . there are two shock fronts generated by this process ( shown in fig7 a ). depending on the discharge current waveform , a primary shock front is generated by the exploding outer plasma shell , at a time when a magnetic field is still relatively weak . following this primary front is a secondary , very steep shock wave caused by the explosion of the collapsed plasma ring that occurs when the radially accelerated plasma atoms bounce off each other in the center 246 between the two electrodes . to provide a strong enough magnetic field for this process , the electrical pulses must be very short in order to provide the required discharge current ( at a given energy per pulse ). the hollow electrodes 242 , 244 used to generate the plasma ring would be too small in diameter and too long ( from the connection to the discharge in the middle of the firing chamber ), resulting in too high a circuit inductance and resistive losses . approximately 10 nanohenries inductance is allowable for the 500 kiloamperes to 1 megaampere current . therefore the current is carried by a coaxial sleeve 248 to the front end of the electrode . sliding contact springs 250 carry the pulse current to the electrode 244 . the insulation 252 for the coaxial system is provided by extruded material ( nylon , teflon , etc .) which is fed into the system as shown previously . the hollow electrode 244 is cooled as explained before -- a pump pushes coolant fluid ( which may be electrically conducting ) through the electrodes and cools the coaxial transmission line 248 as well as the electrodes . for a 500 kiloampere pulse system , a few kilowatts of cooling power are required , depending on the pulse width ( in the microsecond region ) and the surfaces of the transmission line ( silver / rhodium plating reduces the skin effect losses greatly ). it should be pointed out that the energy required to drive such a system is actually less than for the same system operating in a non - theta pinch mode ( also referred to as &# 34 ; plasma bounce &# 34 ;); approximately 2 kilojoules per liter of fluid would be an average value . there is also a shock wave traveling down the length of the bore of the electrode 244 , but its attenuation at the electrode end is not a problem . energy for such a system can be supplied from a capacitor bank through a flat plate transmission line ( not shown in fig7 ), which feeds into the coaxial electrode holder / transmission line 248 just outside the extrusion - mechanism . the system is quite similar to the opposed electrode - arrangement described earlier , that operates in a regular non - compression mode of operation . the specifics of the plasma - bounce arrangement are as follows : the protective nut at the tip of the electrode holder , which is a replaceable item since material loss is to be expected there ; the better electrical parameters tailored for faster pulses ; higher current discharge switches must be used ; and the sleeved electrode arrangement keeps the inductance and skin resistance down . the drawings of fig7 and 7b show how the plasma ring is compressed into a thin , very hot filament 246 that radiates in the far ultraviolet region ( fig7 b ), and how the extrusion process provides the required electrical insulation for the electrodes . the insulating sleeve is continuously extruded between the electrode holder and the high current conductor , and through a narrowing conical space toward the electrode tip . the high current is carried not through the entire length of the electrode , but through the high current conductor ( generally on its outer skin ) and then through the contact springs , as explained above , into the electrode itself . in this way the full length of the electrode under high current conditions is avoided . this avoids the high inductance and resistance which would be encountered if the full length of the electrode were used for current conducting . to keep the current from electroplating material off the firing chamber walls and the electrode holder , the electrical system is insulated from the firing chamber , which is at ground potential . in order to make the electro - hydraulic principle useful for industrial processing , high discharge currents have to be switched repetitively from the energy storage bank , preferably a capacitive storage bank , into the firing chamber . although commercially available switches such as ignitrons , thyratrons or spark gaps could be used , the price and lifetime of these components is still not adequate at the present time to make them useful for the high - current , high repetition - rate duty required here . the system of the preferred embodiment of the invention , for example , may run at a repetition rate of 12 / second , which is not too high for ignitrons or thyratron - firing , but the cumulative switched charge makes frequent replacement of tubes necessary , which is costly and results in much down time for the equipment . in the case of the two million gallon / day larger processing system whose firing chamber was discussed previously , the switching conditions are even more severe -- the best available thyratron would have to be replaced every few weeks and a whole bank of them would be needed , resulting in high circuit inductance in addition to the high cost , so that the processing system would be very difficult to use in an industrial environment . solid state devices are being continuously developed for higher currents and show great promise for the furture , since they would never have to be replaced in ordinary service . however , at the present time only a bank of them could switch the discharge current required for an average size liquid processing system of the invention . accordingly , a discharge switch has been developed as a part of the present invention , that is based on the principle of easily replaceable electrodes . plasma gaps are known as the highest current carrying devices constructed so far , but their physical arrangement required a lengthy replacement procedure in the past , when their electrode material was used up . that made them unsuitable for firing chamber operation as in the present invention . the idea behind the new development is in the fact that no matter how the electrodes are arranged , a certain amount of electrode material is always lost at each firing . however , the amount lost per unit of charge conducted is directly dependent on the current density to which the switch electrodes are subjected and goes down rapidly if the same switch current is spread over a large surface area . that principle has been used in the past in the construction of rail gaps and rotating - arc devices , both involving the concept that the electrodes should be kept as cool as possible during the discharge . in the new design of the present invention , a rail gap has been constructed that has a large amount of electrode material built into it to begin with , and nearly all of that material can be burned off without disturbing the operation of the device . in addition , it uses heavy - metal electrodes that are not fixed and bolted to the transmission line , carrying the current , but are mounted on a contact slide that pulls out from the high current conducting block in a matter of seconds and enables a new electrode pair to be inserted . both these features increases the usefulness of the device substantially , so that no technically skilled personnel are required for the servicing of the rail gap , and the down time for maintenance is very short . laminated springs provide a low - resistance contact , all along the length of the rail gap , assuring equal current density at each point of the rail . a blower extinguishes the arc as soon as the current ceases to exist and restores the insulation feature of the device , ready for the bank to build up its charge again without keeping the switch conducting . for a typical rail gap of this construction the operating voltage may be quite low , about ten kilovolts in the case of examples described herein . to assure equal ignition of the entire plasma sheet all along the rails , a fast ignition generator has been provided , that uses 50 kilovolts ( 75 kv maximum ) to ignite the rails that carry only ten kilovolts . the ignition arcs are current driven through drop off resistors from a fairly large storage - capacitor and a number of them are distributed all along the rails at about 11 / 8 inch intervals . this ignition works regardless of whether there is power in the rails , making very low operating voltages possible . this is a distinctive feature of the new rail switch , since normally rail gaps and spark channels have been ignited with an ignition voltage equal to or even 1 / 2 of the operating voltage . in the case of the rail gap of the present invention , the ignition occurs in a time period so short that any variation of ignition timing from one part of the rail to another is negligible in comparison to the power - current rise across the rails . ( at 40 kiloamperes , the maximum normally used discharge current in a system constructed as a prototype of the invention , the current reaches the 10 kiloampere point in 10 microseconds . at 85 kiloamperes ( the maximum allowable discharge current ), it reaches the same 10 kiloampere point in about three microseconds ). the ignition current reaches its maximum in approximately 0 . 1 microsecond , so that a possible 10 percent variation of that would be quite inconsequential for the current distribution along the rails . the importance of equal current distribution on the rails is of course that it provides the longest lifetime of the rail electrodes . to further aid that principle , the current to and from the rails is carried by a number ( e . g . 16 ) of coaxial lines , all equal in length and balanced in their conductance at the connecting points at capacitor bank and firing chamber . any increase in current through one line would result in a decrease of switched voltage in the rest of the rails ( the resistance of the center conductors of the coaxial balances against the negative resistance of the arc ) and therefore the system balances itself into a steady state , with the current density the same at every point along the rails . the drawings of fig8 through 8d show the rail gap 260 assembly in accordance with the invention , in a construction which can be operated up to about 500 kiloamperes . the drawing shows the electrode arrangement , with the main or rail electrodes 262 easily replaceable by sliding operations . as can be seen in the drawings , the design of the rail gap and the ignition circuit is quite simple . the value of this arrangement is in the ease of operation , the simplicity of the circuit and the fact that the heavy metal electrodes can be burned away completely before they must be replaced . in the design built for the preferred embodiment of the present invention , i . e . the liquid processing system described , pure tungsten electrodes 262 are used , which are nickel plated for solderability . the switch electrodes 262 may be assembled from six pieces each , about three inches long soldered with lead - tin solder to the sides ( left and right ) so as not to distort the straightness of slides 264 and affixed rails 262 when the solder solidifies . ignition electrodes 266 ( which may be 16 in number ) are held by an insulating rod 268 ( fig8 b ) that is clamped on both ends against front and back plates ( back plate 270 visible in fig8 b ) of a plenum 272 . as the electrodes 266 burn up , the holder 268 is pushed upward by adjustment as needed . about 1 / 2 year &# 39 ; s operation can be had from one set of 161 / 8 inch diameter tungsten ignition electrodes 266 , each 12 inches long . ignition wires 274 make contact to the ignition electrode rods via contact springs located inside of hollow bolts 276 , through which the electrodes 266 pass , so that these electrode rods 276 are slidable inside the bolts 266 . a blower 278 on the bottom of the plenum 272 applies an air stream 280 through the switch gap 282 that extinguishes the arc as soon as the current stops flowing , to provide quick restoration of the insulation of input and output side . there is enough air supplied to move the entire arc one inch away from the rail electrodes 262 in less than a millisecond , during which time the voltage increase from the main power supply is only a few volts -- not enough to jump the gap . during ignition and during firing the continuous air flow moves the arc also , of course , but the discharge time is so short that during the entire discharge time period the arc moves only approximately 0 . 05 inch at the most . as explained earlier , the contact from and to the electrodes 262 is made by spring loaded laminations 284 , between the slides 264 and slide holder structure 286 , that provide very little contact resistance and a good tight fit of the slides 264 in their holders so they do not move , despite the vibrations of the blower motor , and of the entire liquid processor . the burn products ( tungsten oxide , etc .) are exhausted in the air stream , that is , channeled through a duct 288 away from the machine . the ignition circuit ( fig8 d ) is self firing and does not require any electronic timing elements or trigger for its operation . power for the ignition generator may be supplied by a 75 watt 75 kilovolt dc power supply that is regulated down to 50 kilovolts . the capacitor c1 ( fig8 d ) is charged via r1 to about 40 kilovolts . at that voltage , the gap gp40 breaks over and charges the ignition electrodes 266 via the balancing resistor ( s ) r2 . since the ignition circuit inductance and capacitance is quite small ( only about one microhenry and approximately 100 pf line capacitance is present ), the voltage rise on the ignition electrodes 266 is fast , and they fire almost simultaneously , discharging c1 . after c1 is empty , the circuit balances itself against the low - impedance power circuit through r3 and remains neutral . then the gap gp40 cools off and c1 charges again for the next pulse . by adjusting the gap at gp40 and choosing a suitable drive voltage for the 50 ( 75 kv ) power supply , the pulse repetition rate of the discharge , and therefore that of the firing chamber , can be selected . although the circuit is built to run at 40 kilovolt ignition voltage , it works well and fires smoothly and continuously from 15 kilovolts up . this type of ignition circuit was chosen for the liquid processing system of the invention , because of its simplicity and its lack of semiconductors and low - level electronics , which have shown a tendency to fail in high - voltage type applications , especially where high discharge currents and therefore high levels of generated rf are present . the slides 264 and the slide holder 286 shown in the drawing are manufactured from steel , nickel plated , and the coaxial cable 290 ( fig8 b , 8c ) ground line connection rods 292 ( fig8 b ) are made from brass and insulated with teflon ( ultraviolet resistant ). the plenum is a fiberglass box , painted with uv - absorbing paint to prevent molecular damage . the slides 264 can be refurbished with new electrodes indefinitely . although tungsten is used in the preferred embodiment , other metals and metal alloys have shown to work quite well . hastalloy ( nickel alloys ) works quite well as electrode material with somewhat reduced lifetime , but is much less costly . ordinary stainless steel electrodes last quite well , and can be used for low cost and infrequent operation . continuously run they last about one day , depending on the discharge current . ix . coaxial plasma switch for higher - current operation and for self interrupting discharge circuit ( specially suited for high flow machines and plasma compression chamber operation ) ( fig9 ) the rail gap construction 260 above has an insertion and built - in self inductance of approximately 12 nanohenries . this is more than adequate with the operation of the small liquid processing system of the invention , and even in systems quite larger than that illustrated in the drawing . also , several of these rail gaps can be used in parallel . for the use of very - high current systems , especially the ones requiring fast risetimes such as necessary for theta pinch operation , the rail gap inductance is still somewhat high . therefore , another plasma switch of the invention has been developed that uses a coaxial design throughout , and its insertion loss into a parallel plate transmission line and its self - inductance is only about three nanohenries . this is shown in fig9 . the electrodes 296 and 298 of this coaxial plasma switch 300 are very massive ; about 10 pounds of the electrode material can be burned up before the electrodes have to be replaced , and the physical arrangement is such that , as in the case of the easily serviceable rail gap , no technically skilled personnel is required and the exchange of the electrodes can be done in approximately 15 seconds . to exchange the burned up parts , all that is required for the embodiment shown is to loosen a contact bolt 302 on the transmission line ( generally shown at 304 ) and drop down the old device . a new unit can be inserted in its place , pulled up against the transmission line contact with the bolt 302 , making the contact to the center electrode 296 . a contact ring 306 makes contact to the second , ring electrode 298 , via spring contacts 308 , completing the assembly and the operation can be restarted again . the contact ring 306 is in electrical contact with one flat plate conductor 310 of the transmission line 304 . for better heat conduction away from the ring electrode 298 via the contact ring 306 , the ring 306 can comprise a split design which is tightly pulled onto the ring electrode 298 , with appropriate contact made to the plate 310 ( not shown ). the drawing shows the switch 300 with its plug assembly 312 for the ignition cable 314 , and a section of transmission line 304 carrying the switch connecting means . the arc burns in a ring type fashion between the center electrode 296 and the outer ring electrode 298 , spreading over the entire inner surface . ignition occurs at a section in the center of the center electrode , using a fast discharge generator as described earlier ; the ignition voltage is equal to or higher than the operation voltage of the plasma switch itself . the electrode materials can be tungsten or copper - tungsten , if so desired for increased service intervals . however , the ease of replacement of this switch type makes it possible to use ordinary iron as electrode material . if it is run in an inert gas atmosphere , the lifetime is quite adequate . at a certain current flow , this coaxial switch 300 shows a self - interrupting capability . the magnetic field in the space between the electrodes has a tendency to expand outwardly , and if it is strong enough , it blows out the arc by disconnecting it from the rim of the electrodes . this feature can be used to shorten the tail end of the discharge pulse that normally would be slowly decaying . however , during that time no more electro - hydraulic action is desired anyway . the shock front has already been generated and has expanded through the liquid and the radiation is no longer necessary . if the current flow could be interrupted at this point , that remaining energy can be saved in the capacitor bank for the next pulse . this type of pulse shortening cannot be accomplished by using a rail gap , since the rail gap stays conducting until there is no more current to support the arc . the coaxial switch interrupts itself , if run in the correct operating region . therefore , no blower need be used , and the switch case can be either filled with inert gas required for its operation ( using iron electrodes ) and then hermetically sealed off ; or it can be connected to an external gas supply to keep it pressurized . by adjusting the gas pressure , the switch insulation resistance can be selected . there is a further operation mode possible . by setting the gas pressure at a certain value , either at a permanently sealed switch or an externally regulated one , the switch can be self - igniting at a certain operating voltage . connected to a capacitor bank and to the firing chamber , automatic operation is possible , eliminating the need for the ignition generator altogether . when the bank voltage has reached its desired value , the switch breaks down , firing the process chamber . at the point of highest current the switch interrupts and the bank starts charging up again from the power supply . this type of operation results in less flexibility in the operation of a general purpose system such as the liquid processing system described , but can be used in the construction of a dedicated system that is laid out for specific operation , such as for a fixed - site sewage treatment plant or mineral recovery plant . such a system can substantially reduce the amount of energy used , and such systems are also less costly to build . it is estimated that about 20 to 30 percent of the energy supplied to the firing chamber is not useful but wasted during the current decay , and for a large scale operation the cost savings in energy can be substantial -- with the self interruption switch - operation described herein . presently there is no other device available that can act as a repetitive fast interrupter for currents in the range between about 300 kiloamperes and one megaampere . experimentation has been done with photoelectric devices in the high current region , but no useful and inexpensive switch has yet been constructed , particularly as would be suitable for use with the present invention . the switch case 314 , as shown in the drawing , is built as a spherical container large enough to hold a substantial amount of gas and also large enough to accommodate the quantity of residue 316 generated by electrode burnup . several of these switches have been built with different electrode materials using tungsten , copper , iron and thoriated tungsten . a process station has been constructed that provides the means to assemble these devices , clean them under vacuum conditions and fill the switch cases with purified gases before the cavity is sealed . the switch 300 shown in the drawing is an example of the remotely triggered coaxial type having very low self - inductance . this type has been built with a switch case diameter of 8 inches and a ring electrode ( 298 ) diameter of 6 inches . the switch shown in the drawing is of the permanently sealed type . the illustrated switch 300 can be exchanged for a replacement switch in a few moments by pulling the ignition cable 314 out of the bushing 318 and loosening the bolt 302 at the top ; this is done by turning the attached handle 320 . a ball bearing 322 aids in achieving a good contact between the upper plate conductor 324 of the transmission line and the center switch electrode 296 . the other electrode 298 has a sliding contact arrangement with the contact ring 306 and the band of contact making springs 308 , as shown and as briefly described above . in the discharge circuit , the center electrode 296 is the anode and the surrounding electrode 298 is the cathode . the reason for this is that the anode becomes hotter and is cooled by contact with the transmission line plate 324 , which in turn can be cooled by air flow against it . the cathode is cooled through the switch case 314 , which conducts the heat away and can be forced - air cooled also . for a 30 pulse / second ( pps ), 200 kilo - amperes operation of 4 kilojoules , the heat loss is a few hundred watts , so that simple air cooling is quite adequate . the switch shorts the transmission - line conductors 310 and 324 to each other when fired . an epoxy seal 326 is protected from the uv generated by the arc by a ceramic ring 328 , but it has been discovered that a mixture of epoxy and alumina powder works as well for the construction of the seal 326 , eliminating the need for the ceramic ring 328 . as described earlier , the switch can blow out its own arc , if the magnetic field between the center electrode 296 and the ring electrode 298 is strong enough , causing self - interruption . the field drives the arc downwardly until it is put far enough away from the electrodes that it is extinguished . ignition is accomplished by rapidly charging an ignition electrode 330 with high voltage , with the space between the electrodes 330 and 296 acting as a capacitor . when the ignition arc breaks over , this capacitor discharges , giving a strong ignition current , whose rise time is quite fast . this causes an rf pulse that ionizes the gap between the elements 330 , 296 and 298 and the power arc jumps over and the switch starts conducting . as shown in the drawing , much of the electrode material can be burned away and the switch will still operate , because the gap distance remains the same . a good safe ignition voltage for this operation is about 100 to 150 kilovolts . the burn residue 316 falls to the lower part of the spherical switch case , where it accumulates as shown in the drawing . switches such as shown in the drawing are easily manufactured and refurbished . a solder seal at 332 can be melted as often as desired , and a new electrode pair can be soldered in . the ignition electrode 330 can be exchanged by unscrewing a small flathead screw 334 in the center of the assembly , but the ignition electrode outlasts many power electrode changes . the ignition cable 314 may be a stripped coaxial cable of the type rg220 - u or similar . the illustrated switch is held in place by the bolt 302 only , on the transmission line assembly 304 . if it is desired to have greater cooling through the transmission line contact , as stated above the ring 306 can be split and clamped tight against the ring electrode 298 , giving good thermal contact at this location . in this particular switch , the electrodes are made of regular construction steel tubing , and the ignition electrode 330 from ss304 . the switch case 314 is a thin wall stainless steel sphere , nickel plated for solderability . a bushing body 336 at the bottom of the sphere is brass and bushing insulator 318 is polycarbonate which is resistant to uv radiation . epoxy is used at 340 as well as at 326 . the connections at 332 and 342 are soft solder joints . shown at 344 is a copper tube , pinched off after gas fill . the transmission line 304 can be constructed of plated steel or aluminum ; it is desirable to use heavy material , since during the discharge the electromagnetic forces have a tendency to separate the two conductors . a dielectric at 346 in the transmission line is polycarbonate sheet ; in the case of a 20 kilovolt firing chamber operation , 1 / 8 inch material is used . this type of coaxial switch can switch 500 kiloamperes at 30 pulses / second with the switch used alone ; but it is better to use a number of the switches in parallel , since the switches ganged in parallel will produce an increase in the lifetime of the switches that is significantly greater than a succession of single switches used alone . in other words , additional switch lifetime can be realized by spreading the switched charge out among a number of separate switches , at each firing . the reduced stress on each switch increases its lifetime in a manner approximating an exponential function . operation of the liquid processing system as a modular concept for the building of medium size processing plants is illustrated in the drawing of fig1 . ( such a system may handle from about 50 , 000 gallons / day to about 1 to 2 million gallons / day . for higher flow rates , machines using the larger , opposed - electrode type firing chamber are more energy efficient , but such systems are also more costly to construct . the liquid processing system of the invention is an open frame construction with exposed wiring , and high voltage components . the system has to be operated in an enclosed area ( for safety considerations ; and access should not be possible while the machine is under operation or while any of the capacitors are still charged after shut down ). a safety system has been designed ( not described herein ) that automatically locks out access and shuts the machine down if personnel access is required . the operational controls are located away from the machines on remote control panels , located outside the machine room . up to three machines can be located inside a cubicle . as shown in the drawing , which is a top plan view , the various pipes and cables that manifold all machines 350 together run lengthwise through all cubicles ; all machines are run in parallel . exhaust ( air from switches and cooling air ) is conducted through a central duct 356 , collecting discharge air from all cubicles . xi . narrow band operation ; resonating chamber ; catalytic operation ; laser irradiation ; transducer - induced shock waves ; self - breakdown of arc lamp ( fig1 ) a significant part of the operation &# 39 ; s cost of an electro - hydraulic system results from the need to replace machine parts frequently . the firing chamber electrodes as well as switch electrodes have a high specific current load ( amperes / surface area ), since the discharge currents are quite high . also , it seems desirable to be able to selectively excite certain electrical bonds between molecules or atoms by tuning the light frequency to just these excitation frequencies . this need comes not so much into play for the use of this method in the wastewater / water sterilization or mineral recovery area , where a wide spectrum of compounds might want to be excited . selectivity might be desirable , however , in the event that the mixture of chemical compounds dissolved in the process liquid would give rise to unwanted reactions , if all chemical compounds are indiscriminately broken down at the same time . also , in the catalysis of reactions one might selectively want to excite certain chemical bonds , but not others . if that can be achieved , a lot of energy can be saved in the process , since only the type of radiation really required would have to be supplied . a processing chamber that is based on that principle is described herein . the turbulence ( believed to be necessary ) in the chamber ( for the formation of larger particles of the precipitated insoluble compounds ), and the excitation radiation are supplied separately and coupled into the processing chamber . even if wide band radiation from an electrical discharge not taking place within the firing chamber is supplied , the problems of material loss from the process chamber walls due to electrolytic transportation can be avoided , making the device last longer . also , by using certain elements in the discharge arc even with a simple discharge lamp , matching of wavelength could be achieved . if coherent light ( laser source ) is used , selective photolytic processing is possible . to achieve the required intensities , the discharges are pulsed as before and synchronized with the shock wave generator ( transducer ). a suitable transducer can be constructed from a stack of piezoelectric plates , that are coupled to a capacitive discharge machine . this is done to avoid the high excitation voltages , as would be required for a single crystal possessing equal electrostrictive parameters . the processing chamber can be made from a high q material such as quartz or sapphire , so that any shock wave energy not used can be coupled back into the transducer in phase , and no energy is wasted . another important feature is the possibility that flat wave fronts can be used , giving uniform processing conditions throughout the entire liquid volume , and the dimensions of the processing chamber can be tailored to the reaction wanted ; i . e . the useful depth in which the radiation is still active ( depending on the optical absorption of the process material ). such a &# 34 ; solid state &# 34 ; processing chamber ( or cell ) would greatly increase the operating efficiency of the system and would have a lifetime that might be indefinite . one feature of the internally driven firing chamber ( as described earlier ) is that , in the case of water based processed fluids at least , it is always electrically conductive . that is the reason why the energy from the storage bank has to be switched into the chamber using a separate switch . in the case of a separate light source , that would run in an ( inert ) gas atmosphere instead of conducting liquid , the need for a separate switch is eliminated , if the discharge lamp is triggered when the energy bank reaches its desired charge . there are many designs and variations possible , using different discharge lamp configurations , piezoelectric or magnetic transducers , laser excitation or x - ray irradiation . only the basic idea of separate generation of irradiation energy and turbulence and their coupling into a resonating process chamber is discussed here . the accompanying drawing of fig1 shows one device possible , where the process volume 400 is enclosed by a transparent envelope 402 and irradiated from the outside ( radially ). piezoelectric transducers 404 supply sonic energy into the volume ( axially ). shown on the drawing is approximately one - half of the unit ; it is symmetrical about x and y axes . the piezoelectric stack 404 is backed up by a ( resonating ) mass 406 which acts as a reflector of the sonic waves also . this unit 406 , depending on wave requirements , can be made from a solid piece ( of high q material ), or a stack of quarter wave plates ( having different sonic propagation speeds ) can be used ( not shown ), acting as a sonic multilayer mirror , for the shock wave fronts . the entire assembly is held together by a frame , a portion of which is shown at 408 , that preloads the components with a mechanical force to prevent separation of the components . each transducer stack 404 comprises a solid , integrated unit by itself , fabricated from wafers of quartz ; lithium niobate , lithium tantalate or ceramics can be used , but quartz has been used in experiments . the plates ( cut in the &# 34 ; x &# 34 ; crystal axis direction ) are deposited with silver alloy for conductivity and mechanical strength , then stacked and melted together under vacuum and applied pressure . ( an assembly station has been constructed for this purpose .) the electrical connections 410 are made on the sides of the stack 404 . the rest of the components of the processing assembly are held in place just by the pressure exerted by the frame 408 , which balances the hydrostatic pressure in the process chamber via the spherical alignment bearing 412 ( hydraulic bearing ) and 414 ( bearing shell ). this bearing - assembly is designed to allow the transducer - lens - unit to be tilted in any direction by approximately 11 / 2 ° of arc and then clamped into place . the illumination source is built around the chamber and is liquid cooled from both sides ( 416 , 402 ). process fluid cools the inside ( via inlets / outlets 426 and manifolds 428 ), and the outside is water cooled using heat sinks 416 . since the lamp electrodes 430 ( 16 pieces for 8 lamp - assemblies ) are fed into the arc chamber 431 for longer service intervals ( feed mechanism not shown ), burnup products must be carried away . therefore , a flowing ( recirculating ) gas process is used ( gas inlets / outlets 418 conduct gas into / out of the chamber ). the window 402 and the mirrors ( eight pieces ) 420 have to be kept clean from burn products and the geometry of the discharge space and the gas flow ( recirculated ) accomplish this . the gas is directed along the envelope of the window 402 and mirrors 420 ( 8 pieces ) by a gas deflection plate / radiation shield 422 . the gas flow is along the surfaces of these elements , and particles are drawn into the flow and carried out of the chamber . the assembly as shown can basically operate in any kind of pulse or cw mode , depending on the requirements of the chemicals to be processed . it also should be pointed out that , depending on the optical line widths required , the discharge gas and the gas pressure can be chosen as appropriate . a higher gas pressure can be used to give a broadband discharge , while a narrow band operation can be accomplished by using low gas pressure ( in combination with metal vapors for certain spectral lines if required ). a further feature of this embodiment lies in the arrangement of the transducers with respect to each other . the transducers 404 transmit the sonic energy via a lens 424 that has a corrective curvature ( drawn exaggerated in fig1 ) incorporated on the contact surface with the process liquid ( as shown ), or between two sections having different wave propagation speeds ( not shown ). this surface is shaped in such a way that the reflected waves coming back from the opposite lens surface ( on the other side of the envelope 402 ) coincide with the transmitted wave after a number of cycles , spatially . if both transducers ( top and bottom as viewed in fig1 ) are driven in phase , then the piezoelectric stacks 404 can induce a sonic standing wave into the process volume , consisting of a number of nodes . the processing of the fluid can be done at elevated hydrostatic pressure ( which helps conduction of the wave through the liquid ), in which the static pressure applied to the bottom of the resonating mass 406 is canceled by the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the space 400 . the frame 408 balances the forces . by using this method ( of generating standing waves and of biasing the pressure by accurately aligning the transducers / lens assemblies toward each other with bearings 412 and 414 ) the case can be avoided wherein the transducer assembly can undergo high negative pressure anywhere within itself and therefore very high wave front pressures can be transmitted into the liquid without creating a rarefaction zone in the transducer / lens / resonating mass assembly , which would destroy the unit . hydrostatic biasing in the embodiment shown might be a few tens of thousands of psi , while the wave front pressures may reach a few hundreds of thousands of psi . the lens and transducer material cannot be overloaded , of course , but a sapphire lens should be able to withstand at least 1 to 11 / 2 million psi surface pressure . as far as processing energy is concerned , the hydrostatic biasing does not require any energy , the fluid is brought up and down in pressure via a pump driven by its own pressure against the other side of its piston . only initial pressure has to be supplied , and some energy to make up for friction losses . the liquid manifold 428 is bolted to the hydraulic frame 408 ( connection not shown ). shown at 432 are the electrical connections to capacitors ( eight pieces -- not shown ), and at 434 is seen a sliding contact spring for the electrodes 430 . a fluid connection 436 is shown for the hydraulic biasing pressure into the bearing 412 . a flexible ring 438 is soldered to the resonating mass 406 that holds the transducer assembly ( 424 , 404 , 406 ) at the correct position within manifold and bearing . the ring 438 provides for slight axial movement of the transducer assembly , which in the case of a standing wave setup in the liquid volume , would have a tendency to locate itself at a point of minimum pressure with respect to the nodes in the liquid . this self locating feature helps in the alignment and correct operation of the unit ( under the condition of wandering of operating frequency ), since it is a self stabilizing feature that minimizes material stress on the surface most likely to undergo erosion . the transducer driven processor shown in fig1 may have an inside diameter ( of the envelop 402 ) of four inches and an overall diameter of about 191 / 2 inches from heat sink to heat sink ( 416 ). it may be designed to process 150 thousand gallons per day and would have an approximate power consumption of 60 to 75 kilowatts , depending on the excitation necessary for processing different types of liquids . dimensions are shown ( in inches ) in some of the drawings discussed above ; these dimensions should be understood as examples only , for the exemplary process throughput rates discussed in connection with some of the figures , and to show relative sizes , radii of curvature , etc . of various components . the dimensions are not to be taken as limiting the invention to any particular size . also , the terms &# 34 ; up ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; down ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; above ,&# 34 ; &# 34 ; below ,&# 34 ; etc . are intended only as references for understanding the subject matter of the drawings , and not as limiting with respect to circulation of system assemblies or components of the invention , since nearly all components can be in different orientations from what is shown . the above described preferred embodiments illustrate the principles of the invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention . variations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims .
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fig1 shows a functional block diagram for a tunable laser 100 based on external cavity laser ( ecl ) technology . the tunable laser is acousto - optically tuned with wide tuning range . the laser can be continuously tuned or discretely tuned at 25 ghz and 50 ghz spacing on the standard itu grid when integrated with a wavelength locker . the tunable laser as it is configured now can cover easily 100 channels ( 40 nm ) and is provided to move down to 12 . 5 ghz spacing in the future . the tunable laser includes a laser diode chip 105 to function as a light source . the laser diode chip 105 is a fabri - perot chip laser with broadband , ir emission spectrum . it is the gain cell of ecl laser resonator that is commonly applied in ecl configuration for emitting laser beam to pass through a first collimating lens 110 to project the laser beam onto a main frequency - tuning device 120 . the frequency - tuning device 120 is configured as an acousto - optical cell that includes two crystals 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 . the acousto - optical crystals have a narrow - band optical filtering bragg grating . after passing through the acousto - optical cell 120 , the laser beam is projected to a high reflection mirror 125 driven by a pzt assembly to reflect the beam back to the acousto - optical frequency - tuning cell 120 again to project through the first collimating lens 110 and a second collimating lens 130 . the collimated beam is then projected to a first beam splitter 135 that separate a major portion of the beam to an output fiber 140 and a remaining portion of the beam is projected to a second beam splitter 150 . from the second beam splitter 150 , a first portion of the beam is projected to a first photo - detector 155 and a remaining portion of the beam is projected to a wavelength monitoring locker , e . g ., an etalon 160 , then monitored by another photo - detector 170 . the tunable laser 100 of this invention is configured as an ecl - based tunable laser that has the advantages of high output power , narrow laser oscillation line - width , superior mode quality and high side mode suppression ratio ( smsr ), low rin noise , and low manufacturing costs . two electrodes 180 - 1 and 180 - 2 are connected to the acousto - optical crystals 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 to control the frequency - tuning function of these two ao crystals . the acousto - optical crystals are provided with diffraction phase gratings for intra - cavity narrow - band wavelength filtering ( namely aotf : acousto - optical - tunable - filter ). specifically , both crystal cells are aligned to the bragg &# 39 ; s angles for high diffraction efficiency in the first order diffraction . as will be further described in more details in a co - pending patent application , the aotf of this invention is implemented with a non - collinear ao design in which the acoustic wave propagates almost perpendicular to the light - wave , therefore , this aotf is enabled to take advantage of the high frequency diffraction effect to achieve narrow filtering bandwidth while using a very small crystal size (& lt ; 5 mm in length ). furthermore , by using a second crystal as disclosed or a second column as shown in fig3 , the frequency shift is corrected with the second crystal or crystal column functioning as a second aotf . the gratings can also be implemented as surface acoustic wave ( saw ) grating and the tunable laser can be implemented as a saw - based tunable laser . the saw grating is similar to that of the embodiments as shown above instead the surface acoustic wave ( saw ) grating is reflective . the center optical frequency of the acousto - optical gratings is tuned electrically by means of rf signals . the second crystal acts as a second order filter and a wavelength shift compensator . therefore , the double pass through the second order optical narrow - band filter will result in superb optical oscillation line - width . as oppose to other designs of aotfs that are large and inefficient in terms of power consumption , the aotf design implemented in the tunable laser and further described , in a separate patent application is much smaller in size and consumes as little as & lt ; 200 mw of rf power . thus , this enables the integration of the aotf into a telecomm standard 18 pin - butterfly package ( 1 ″× ¾ ″× ½ ″) for industrial use . further studies , as that described in a co - pending patent application , indicate the tuning range can be as high as 120 nm covering 300 channels of the 50 ghz spacing itu grid . with high - speed electronics , the tuning speed is in the order of microseconds . the improvements of the tuning speed described above are achieved because , unlike the conventional technologies , the turning speed of the aotf is no longer the limiting factor . compared to the conventional systems , tuned by mems or thermal tuning elements the aotf of is invention can provide higher tuning speed . therefore , the tuning speed of the tuning electronics such as the locking speed of the phase lock loop ( pll ) of an rf source now becomes the limiting factor of the tuning speed , and for this reason , the tuning speed is significantly improved . the acousto - optical ( ao ) crystals 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 are acting as volume gratings . when driven by an rf signal , the crystal lattice oscillates in accordance with the frequency of the rf signal resulting periodical variation of optical refractive index of the crystal . the physical length of a period ( pitch ) defines the grating &# 39 ; s diffraction resolution as that of the fixed pitch grating , and is related to the frequency of the rf signal and the acoustic wave traveling speed inside of the crystal , the faster the speed , the longer the grating pitch . on the other hand , the oscillation strength defines the diffraction efficiency and that relates directly to the product of driven signal strength ( rf power ) and the ao crystal &# 39 ; s figure of merit . the higher the figure of merit , the lower the driven rp power needed for the same level of ao grating diffraction efficiency . in addition to the general properties of regular volume gratings , the ao crystal gratings do provide means for very high efficiency of first - order diffraction . it is because of the nature that , the wave vectors of the traveling acoustic wave , incident optical wave and the diffracted optical wave must satisfy the phase matching condition according to the braggs law of diffraction . therefore , with proper design of the crystals , this invention makes use of the highly efficient property of the first - order diffraction as a narrow band optical filter . the details for designing the acousto - optical crystals , as narrow band filters for laser tuning are further disclosed in another co - pending patent application filed by a same co - inventor of this patent application . the general operational principles are described below for better understanding of this invention . because of a traveling wave nature of the ao diffraction grating , the diffracted light is frequency shifted by the amount of the acoustic frequency . the direction of the shift is dependent upon the relative direction of the acoustic wave and the incident light wave and can be understood by the analogy of doppler shift . therefore , in a resonant laser cavity with one crystal and a reflective mirror after it , the reflected light after the forward pass and reverse pass of first order diffraction , as they are being “ color ” filtered , result in double shift of the light frequency away from the incident light . and this will not result in a highly efficient maintainable laser oscillation . in order to overcome this problem , this invention uses two of such crystals . for practical applications , in order to reduce the production costs , the two crystals are manufactured as one crystal with two cells as one preferred embodiment implemented in one of the products based on the configuration disclosed in this invention . when the first order diffraction from the first crystal enters into the second crystal it is frequency - shifted . again the shift is a first order diffraction shift but with an opposite frequency shift after the second crystal . this double diffracted light incident onto a reflective mirror results in a zero net frequency shift . the reflected light when transmitted through the two cells the same manner and enters back into the laser gain cell with zero frequency - shift and being filtered four times . to a specific crystal , the figure of merit defines its responsiveness to a driven rf signal . for meaningful acousto - optical interactions , high figure of merit crystals are of interests , these include crystals composed of lithium niobate ( linbo 3 ), tellurium dioxide ( teo 2 ), etc . and with rf excitation , two acoustic oscillation modes exist that derives different applications . these modes are longitudinal mode and share mode ( transverse mode ), and are dependent on the cut orientation relative to crystal principle axes . for tellurium dioxide , which is one of the preferred embodiments of this invention , the longitudinal mode is relative easy to excite and with fast acoustic speed . it has low acoustic attenuation but relatively low figure of merit , and therefore , requires relatively high rf power . in share mode , its velocity is very slow which results in very high , e . g ., easily by 2 orders of magnitudes , figure of merit . therefore , a share mode teo 2 is used as the crystals for configuring the acousto - optical filter . other than these materials discussed above , for the purpose of implementing this invention , any birefringent crystals that have high acousto - optical figure of merit may be employed to form the aotf . for the purpose of overcoming the difficulties of mode hopping , two moving mechanisms are provided . one is tuned with rf frequency to tune the ao crystals 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 and the other with a piezo - electric actuator for driving the reflection mirror 125 . in the meantime , for the consideration of tuning speed , the moving range of the piezo - electric actuator needs only to cover the ¼ of free - spectrum range of the cavity mode , which is about 0 . 4 um . therefore , with the design , as disclosed in this invention , the tunable laser as now configured can be a high speed tunable laser that is virtually mode hope free . at each itu grid ( an optical frequency ), the aotf is set to the optical frequency by means of applied rf signals . however , the cavity length and its effective refractive index define the cavity resonant mode , e . g ., optical frequency , natural resonant mode . the cavity resonant mode is not necessarily aligned to the center frequency of the aotf . the filtered laser resonant mode is the result of the competition between the aotf center frequency and the natural resonant modes of the laser cavity . and when the center frequency of aotf moves to near the middle of two nearby natural resonant modes during tuning , the resonant mode will become “ unstable ” as being one of the two competing results of the neighboring modes with the pass band center frequency of the aotf . mode hope occurs , which is described as the laser oscillation mode hopes from one mode to the adjacent . the end result is abrupt discontinuity of laser power and wavelength . with the use of pzt , the reflection mirror can be moved . therefore , when the aotf is tuned to an itu grid , the pzt can be adjusted to move the natural resonant cavity mode to the center of the aotf pass band thus eliminating the instabilities , and ensuring a mode hope free operation at the itu grid . fig2 a shows a configuration essentially the same as fig1 except that it eliminated two beam splitters 135 and 150 and etalon for cost cutting purposes . in some applications , there are no requirements for internal monitor of wavelength and laser intensity and cost savings can be achieved by removing the beam splitters , etalon and photodiodes . first beam splitter take a small portion of main output beam and second beam splitter splits it into two parts : one goes to intensity monitor detector , the other goes through an etalon for wavelength monitor . as a variation of this embodiment , it is also possible to use the beam splitter 135 to reflect a portion of the main output beam to monitor either the intensity or the wavelength of the output beam . fig2 b show another configuration to achieve tunable lasing as that achieved by a tuning laser shown in fig2 a with cost savings by removing the beam splitters and detectors from the configuration as shown in fig1 . the tuning - laser system shown in fig2 b is implemented based on the fact that there are two ways to use the crystal aotf for tunable laser . the first way is the “ front - facet ” approach as shown in fig1 and fig2 a wherein the front facet of the laser diode has to be coated with partial reflection so that part of the light can be leaked out as lasing light output . the back facet is ar coated ( anti - reflection ) and there is no resonance within the laser cell itself . the resonance happens between the laser front facet , lens l 1 , a 1 & amp ; a 2 and the high reflection mirror m . this is why such laser tuning system is named as an external cavity laser , i . e ., ecl . fig2 b is implemented with a second approach wherein the front facet of the laser diode is coated with a highly reflective (˜ 100 %) coating while the back facet is coated with an ar coating . there is no resonance within the laser cell itself . the resonance happens between the laser front facet , lens 110 , 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 and the high reflection mirror 125 . the laser output can be collected from the zeroth order grating diffraction ( as 1 st order is used for laser resonance ), as indicated as the straight through light passing through lens 130 . there is always some zeroth order light in any grating . even with bragg &# 39 ; s grating , one can only achieve as high as 90 % 1 st order efficiency . so still 10 % is in zeroth order . with other gratings , 1 st order light sometimes is dominant one . fig2 c is another embodiment similar to that shown in fig1 with the monitoring of the laser output intensity and wavelength from the back facet zero - order output beam . fig2 d shows another embodiment where the back facet zero - order output beam is implemented as the main laser output . when coating front facet to 100 % reflectivity , there is always imperfectness . it may go as high as 99 . 8 %, or one may purposely coat it to 98 % with 2 % leakage for wavelength and intensity monitor as done with beam splitters , etalon and photo detectors as one alternate arrangement from a configuration shown in fig1 . fig3 a is a side cross sectional view of the acousto - optical cell 120 that combines two crystals 115 - 1 and 115 - 2 into one crystal with two columns . the electrodes are then connected to the bottom surface . the configuration has the advantages that the manufacturing processes are simplified because one optical assembly process is no longer required and additional effort of optical alignments are eliminated . fig3 a shown an alternate embodiment of the acousto - optical cell 120 similar to fig3 a but the acoustic wave propagation angle is no longer zero degrees from the [ 110 ] direction as that shown above , but was designed and manufactured with a small angle (& lt ; 10 degrees typically ) off the main axis [ 110 ]. when crystal is cut , the pzt electrodes platting surface is cut , instead of perpendicular to , but a mall angle ( qa ) from the crystals [ 110 ] axis . all crystals have three principle axis [ 100 ], [ 010 ] & amp ; [ 001 ] as designated in [ xyx ] axes for optical interactions . for homogeneous crystals , all optical properties are the same along all three axes . for inhomogeneous crystals , optical properties along different principle axis may behave differently as that of birefringent crystals . however , acoustic waves may not necessarily travel along the optical axis . there are two types of acoustic traveling waves : longitudinal and share . the longitudinal wave is a compression wave and the share wave is simply to the light wave oscillating up / down while traveling horizontally for example . for “ on - axis ” share wave teo2 , it travels along [ 110 ], in z plane and along the diagonal of x and y axes . for “ off - axis ” share wave , it typically refers to what variation # 2 depicts , a small angle off [ 110 ] and z plane . for angles larger then 10 degrees , it is often referred to as “ far off axis designs ”. the off axis combination as shown may eliminate the need for tilted crystals . it may improve optical degeneracy , which happens often with symmetrical designs as that of the configuration shown in fig3 a wherein the - crystal - can be used with either surfaces functioning as the “ front ” surface . according to fig1 - 3 and above descriptions , this invention discloses an external cavity tunable laser that includes a frequency - tuning device configured as an acousto - optical cell and a reflection means for forward and backward transmitting an optical beam through the acousto - optical cell for generating an optical bean with zero - wavelength shift and at least twice filtered by the acousto - optical cell . in a preferred embodiment , the acousto - optical cell further includes a first and a second acousto - optical crystal . in another preferred embodiment , the acousto - optical cell further comprising a first and a second acousto - optical diffraction means disposed in an acousto - optical crystal . in another preferred embodiment , the acousto - optical cell further comprising a first and a second acousto - optical diffraction columns respectively disposed in an acousto - optical crystal . in another preferred embodiment , the first and second acousto - optical cells are formed as a first column and a second column respectively in a birefringent crystal having a predefined responsiveness to an radio - frequency ( rf ) driven signal . in another preferred embodiment , the first and a second acousto - optical cells having the narrow - band optical filtering bragg grating further comprising a surface acoustic wave ( saw ) grating . in summary , this invention further discloses an external cavity tunable laser that includes a frequency - tuning device configured as a non - collinear acousto - optical cell having an acoustic wave propagates almost perpendicular to an optical transmission therethrough . in essence , this invention further discloses a method for tuning a laser that includes a step of tuning the laser by a frequency - tuning device configured as a non - collinear acousto - optical cell having an acoustic wave propagates almost perpendicular to an optical transmission therethrough . in a preferred embodiment , the method further includes a step of forming the frequency - tuning device as a first and a second acousto - optical diffraction cells . although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that such disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting . various alternations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above disclosure . accordingly , it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alternations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention .
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preferred embodiments of the present disclosure predictably shape and distribute weight about a leg , allowing the user to have resistance weight on the legs for kick - training , without having to separately strap on ankle weights . therefore , according to the present disclosure , with the removable weights inserted , the weight is substantially evenly distributed , as desired , across the calf area of the leg to avoid stress on the ankle , or any single area of the leg . the user is therefore able to substantially simultaneously kick a heavy bag or other apparatus , etc . as the shin / instep is sufficiently padded , while adding resistance through resistance training for the purpose of increasing kick force , kick speed / velocity , leg strength , muscle stamina , etc . particularly advantageous to the design of preferred embodiments , the present disclosure contemplates merely removing the weights from the protective device , but keeping the protective device on , as the user progresses from a training session against , for example , inanimate objects , to sparring with human participants . the present disclosure further relates to a weighted shin - instep / shin guard . specifically , the present invention contemplates a shin - instep / shin guard that is shaped , supported and padded with integral removable weights inserted into cavities . the cavities or chambers are preferably positioned on the back of strap elements attached to the main body segment , such that , when the straps are fastened in place , the weight is distributed over the generally dorsal ( back ) side of the back of the leg , causing a desired , predicted and pre - selected increase in resistance on the leg when kicking . alternatively , the cavities or chambers may be added to or may be integral with the sleeve . according to still further embodiments , the shin - instep / shin guard of the present disclosure can be dimensioned to extend beyond the ankle to the foot to cover the instep , or it can be restricted to the shin area . according to embodiments of the present disclosure , fig1 a and 1 b show the front view and back view respectively of one embodiment of the invention with strap elements secured in place . as shown in fig1 a , weighted shin - instep / shin guard 10 comprises a cushioned section , or upper segment 12 that substantially covers at least the lower portion of a shin integral with , or otherwise connected to a flexible cushioned lower section or segment 14 that substantially covers at least the instep of a wearer . fig1 b shows the back of weighted shin - instep / shin guard 10 with strap elements 16 , 15 , and 18 secured in place via integrated attachment means , such as , for example a velcro ™ strap ( not shown ). the back side of lower section 14 shows foot strap 20 . fig2 shows a view of the inside and back of the weighted shin - instep / shin guard 10 with straps opened . strap elements 16 and 18 each comprise chamber 22 for receiving at least one weighted element 24 . as shown , chamber 22 comprises a zippered element 23 that can be closed to help maintain the weighted element 24 in place within chamber 22 . additional support strap 15 is shown . the inner surface of strap elements 15 , 16 and 18 comprise a surface ( shaded area ) for facilitating attachment to a complementary strap element . the surface preferably comprises a velcro ™- type material , or any loop and hook - type , or other type of securing material or securing means as would be readily understood . leg sleeve 36 is attached to the inside of section 12 of weighted shin - instep / shin guard 10 . it is understood that leg sleeve 36 is dimensioned to accommodate a lower leg , preferably in a snug fit . therefore , leg sleeve 36 preferably comprises a resilient and stretchable material . a wearer &# 39 ; s foot and lower leg would be inserted into sleeve 36 . complementary straps elements 30 , 34 , and 32 preferably comprise a layer of a velcro ™- type material on the side ( not shown , but indicated by the area bounded by the dotted line ) that will contact the shaded area of straps 16 , 15 and 18 when the straps are in position around a leg . any loop and hook - type securing material , or other type of securing material or securing means may be used , as would be readily understood . complementary strap elements 30 , 34 and 32 would then be brought around the back of the wearer &# 39 ; s lower leg and into contact with sleeve 36 . strap elements 16 , 15 and 18 would then be brought around the back of the wearer &# 39 ; s lower leg , engaging complementary strap elements 30 , 34 and 32 respectively . fig7 shows a side view of the shin - instep / shin guard 10 of fig1 a . fig3 shows a close - up view of the inside of shin - instep / shin guard 10 , showing a portion of leg sleeve 36 , support strap 15 , and strap elements 16 and 18 . strap element 18 shows a chamber 22 ( with zippered element 23 ), dimensioned to receive at least one weighted element 24 . the inside of support strap 15 , and strap elements 16 and 18 each have a surface ( shown as a shaded region ) 26 for facilitating attachment to a complementary strap element ( not shown ). the surface preferably comprises a velcro ™- type material , or any loop and hook - type securing material or other type of securing material or securing means , as would be readily understood . fig4 shows a view of the inside of shin - instep / shin guard 10 , showing leg sleeve 36 and showing chambers 22 on strap elements 16 and 18 in a zipped / closed position . fig5 is a close up view of strap element 16 showing chamber 22 in a zipped / closed position . in fig6 , weighted elements 24 are only shown in chamber 22 of strap element 16 . it is understood that chamber 22 is dimensioned to completely receive weighted elements 24 into a secure position within chamber 22 . indeed , embodiments of the present invention contemplate the presence of dividers and / or other securing means ( not shown ) within the chamber for retaining the weighted elements in a desired orientation within the chamber , such that the weighted elements undergo a minimum of movement or shifting , and are instead held in a substantially fixed position within the chambers . fig8 shows a view of one embodiment of the present invention where shin - instep / shin guard 10 comprises straps 16 , 15 , 18 and sleeve 36 . straps 16 and 18 each comprise a chamber 22 that in turn comprises a removable pouch or container 80 dimensioned to receive one or more weights 24 . container 80 is further dimensioned to fit inside chamber 22 . in this embodiment , the weights 24 are held more securely in their desired orientation and are less prone to slippage and movement within the chamber 22 , especially when the shin - instep / shin guard is in use . as shown , the inside of straps 16 and 18 comprising chambers 22 further comprise a protective flap 82 , preferably having a velcro ™- type material such that protective flap 82 may engage a surface of straps 16 , 18 to protectively cover zipper pull tabs 23 when the zipper is pulled to its “ closed ” position , closing chamber 22 . fig9 is a close - up view of container 80 showing the weights 24 held in place . fig1 shows an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure . shin - instep / shin guard 100 comprises straps 102 , 104 and 106 each attached to sleeve 108 . sleeve 108 comprises integral sleeve chambers 120 , 122 and 124 into which weights 126 may be inserted and retained . sleeve chambers 120 , 122 and 124 comprise a securing flap 130 , 132 and 134 respectively . flaps 130 , 132 and 134 comprise a velcro ™- type material indicated by a shaded region . sleeve chambers 120 , 122 and 124 also comprise a velcro ™- type material indicated by shaded regions 136 , 138 and 140 respectively that each mate with the velcro found on the underside of flaps 130 , 132 and 134 . it is understood that protective flaps , zippered closures or other closure means , etc . may be used to retain , or further retain the weights 126 in place within chambers 120 , 122 and 124 . straps 102 , 104 and 106 preferably comprise a layer of velcro ™- type material 128 . according to the apparatus shown in fig1 , a leg would be inserted into sleeve 108 , sleeve 108 providing a snug fit . the foot would preferably extend beyond sleeve 108 and rest adjacent flexible segment 110 . foot strap 112 is integral with , or otherwise attached to , flexible segment 110 , and is designed to surround a foot to securely hold flexible segment 110 to a foot instep . with the leg and foot positioned in this way , straps 114 , 116 and 118 are brought around the leg ( behind the calf ). layers of velcro ™- type material on the sides of straps 114 , 116 and 118 that are not shown in fig1 then come into contact with the velcro ™- type material 128 as straps 102 , 104 and 106 are brought around the leg ( behind the calf ). the apparatuses and methods of the present disclosure are useful in increasing and otherwise developing speed / velocity , increasing force , strength and stamina , such as , for example , in the user &# 39 ; s leg strikes , etc ., by adding resistance in kick - training . according to the present invention , the shin - instep / shin guard of the present invention conveys significant additional benefits as the device is a substantially simultaneously protective device to the user and a resistance weight - training device when weights are in place , and is also a fully functional protective device with the weights in or out of place . embodiments of the invention contemplate having a varying numbers of pockets or chambers that may vary in dimension as desired , for housing the removable weights . preferably varying - sized guards may have varying sized or varying numbers of weight pockets and weights . preferably , individual pockets or chambers are sewn into the back of supporting straps to house each removable weight , preferably with a zipper closure , but any other secure closure means and methods are also contemplated . the zipper is preferably positioned on the inside of the strap , and preferably covered , so that it is not exposed , and therefore avoids any cutting or abrasions when the shin - instep / shin guard is used in sparring against an opponent with or without the weights . the weights are preferably positioned to rest on the calf area of the leg but could be applied to the sides of the leg or at any other location as desired . preferably , the weights are solid metal or metal shot , but further embodiments of the present invention contemplate using water , sand , or any other dense material , etc . alone or in combination . the padding on the front of the weighted shin - instep / shin - guard is meant to protect the wearer and opponent / other participant from impact when sparring / kicking an opponent . according to still further embodiments , the present invention comprises an integral instep protector that is joined to , and extends from , the main body of the guard that substantially covers and protects the wearer &# 39 ; s foot as well as the opponent from impact from the wearer &# 39 ; s foot . the integral instep protector preferably incorporates a strap located on the underside , into which a foot may be placed for stability . the integral instep protector is located proximate to , or otherwise joined to the main body of the guard by a flexible padded part to allow intended mobility of the foot relative to and separate from the leg . according to embodiments of the present disclosure , the padding protects the bones in the shin , the ankle and the foot . the present disclosure further contemplates a design that would substantially cover only the shin area , with the shin area protected with padded material . still further embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate a protective multi - purpose training device for use with other appendages of the body including arms and hands . the padded material may be made from any material suitable to provide padding benefits , and being able to sustain and absorb significant repetitive impact . such materials include latex foam , polyurethane ( pu ) foam of varying densities , injection molded foam , open - cell foam and gel padding , capcell polyethylene sheet foam , etc ., and ethylene vinyl acetate foam ( eva ), with eva foam being particularly preferred . it is understood that the entire outer front and side covering of the preferred embodiments of the present invention may be any natural or synthetic material selected for its usefulness and durability relative to being able to sustain significant repetitive impact and to preferably contain an inner padded material . such materials include natural and synthetic leather ( pu and polyvinyl chloride ( pvc ) leathers ), neoprene , canvas , etc ., with leather for the top / outer portion and polyester fabric for the inner liner that is in contact with the wearer &# 39 ; s skin being particularly preferred . according to still further embodiments , the user can adjust the amount of resistance by either increasing or decreasing the number of removable weights inserted into the weighted shin - instep / shin guard . preferably , velcro ™ straps are used to secure the weighted shin - instep to the leg , along with an integrated elastic sock backing or sleeve into which a leg would be inserted . however , the present disclosure also contemplates a version of the shin - instep / shin guard where removable weights are inserted into chambers present in the sleeve , and where no securing straps are required . other methods to secure the weighted shin - step to the leg are contemplated , as would be readily apparent to one skilled in the field , however , an elastic sleeve and straps are thought to create a more secure fit to hold the shin - instep / shin guard in place so that it does not move , for example “ spin ”, or otherwise rotate from its desired positioning on the leg , especially with the weights inserted , upon impact . the sleeve is preferably made from an elastic material that is preferably sturdy , such as , for example , neoprene , etc . the only requirement for the sleeve material is that it can position and maintain the shin - instep / shin guard securely on the lower part of the leg , and restrict its movement during activities , such as , for example , sparring , kick - training , etc . numerous other aspects of embodiments , embodiments , features , and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings . in the description and / or the accompanying drawings , reference is made to exemplary aspects of embodiments and / or embodiments of the invention which can be applied individually or combined in any way with each other . such aspects of embodiments and / or embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention . reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the full scope of the invention .
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a prior art butterfly valve disc is illustrated at 20 in fig1 having a sealing ring 21 wrapped therearound in a groove 22 &# 39 ; shown in fig3 . ring 21 is held in place by a pin 22 . as shown in fig3 before legs 23 and 24 of pin 22 are bent to the position shown in fig3 ring 21 is wrapped around disc 20 in groove 22 &# 39 ; so that holes 25 and 26 in ring 21 become aligned with holes 28 and 27 , respectively , in disc 20 . with pin 22 looking much like a staple , the legs thereof are then inserted in succession in holes 27 , 26 and holes 28 , 25 . pin 22 is then formed to the position shown in fig1 and 3 . as shown in fig4 pin 22 has legs 29 and 30 that extend through ring holes 25 and 26 , respectively . valve disc 20 is also shown in fig4 . as will be noted in the legends , fig1 , 3 and 4 disclose portions of a prior art butterfly valve disc . the present invention , or one embodiment thereof , is shown in fig5 including a butterfly valve thereon having an inlet passageway 32 and a butterfly valve disc 33 . valve 31 may be entirely conventional except for the seal thereof , the location of the seal , and the manner of operation of the seal . the seal includes a ring 34 which is received in a groove 35 of passageway 32 as shown in fig6 . valve disc 33 is provided with an annular surface at 36 which is a portion of the surface of a sphere . ring 34 bears against surface 36 . some of the foregoing may be better understood with reference to fig7 which shows groove 35 with ring 34 therein . note will be taken that ring 34 is split at 37 . the split could be anywhere in the circumference . ring 34 has a notch 38 to receive a projection 39 . see fig7 . valve disc 33 may take a preponderance of pressure as indicated by an arrow 40 in fig8 a or by an arrow 41 shown in fig8 b . before ring 34 is assembled in groove 35 , it would appear as shown in fig9 . ring 34 is mounted in groove 35 by taking one end thereof and depressing the same into groove 35 at distances further and further apart from the said one end until the ring is positioned as shown in fig1 . when the ends of ring 34 mate , as shown at 34 &# 39 ; in fig1 , ring 34 is kept in a position in groove 35 such that the same cannot be removed from groove 35 without great difficulty . special tooling and provision for removal in the body are required to remove the ring . tolerances are rather small . further , there is an effect at 34 &# 39 ; similar to column loading . thus , the sealing ring of the present invention does not break , nor is it carried downstream as in the case of prior art seals . alternative embodiments of the sealing ring of the present invention are shown at 42 , 43 and 44 in fig1 , 12 and 13 , respectively .
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hereunder the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail , with reference to the accompanying drawings . in view of the problem that most optical lens in the prior art are designed mainly with the aim to improve imaging quality without due consideration of tolerance limit , the present invention puts forward a micro camera lens which has high imaging quality and improved tolerance limit . the micro camera lens provided in the present invention comprises three aspheric lenses and a diaphragm , wherein , the three lenses have positive diopter , negative diopter , and positive diopter , respectively , and meet the following expression : where , vp 1 and vp 2 are abbe numbers of the first lens and second lens , respectively . here , the three aspheric lenses are defined as first lens , second lens , and third lens , when counted from the object side to the image side . by selecting the lens types and diopter values appropriately and determining the conditions met by vp 1 and vp 2 , the chromatic aberration and vertical axial aberration can be reduced significantly , and the imaging quality as well as the tolerance limit can be improved . in the present invention , there is no special restriction to the abbe number vp 3 of the third lens , that is to say , the third lens can be any ordinary lens in the field , as long as it is an aspheric lens with positive diopter . in the present invention , there is no special restriction to the position of the diaphragm . preferably , the diaphragm can be mounted between the first lens and the second lens , so as to reduce the aberration and improve imaging quality . in the present invention , there is no special restriction to the shapes of the aspheric lenses , that is to say , the aspheric lenses can be in an appropriate shape , respectively , as long as the above requirements for diopter and abbe number are met . for example , the aspheric lenses can be convexo - convex lenses , convexo - plane lenses , bi - concave lenses , meniscus lenses , or bow - shaped lenses . however , for improving the imaging quality , preferably the first lens is a meniscus lens , the second lens is a meniscus lens , and the third lens is a bow - shaped lens . more preferably , the convex side of the first lens faces the object side , the convex side of the second lens faces the image side , and the central convex part of the third lens faces the object side . in general , tolerance limit is a complex problem , and is affected by many factors . though a large quantity of experiments , the inventor finds out that the functional relation between focal length and radius of curvature of lens has very important influence on the tolerance sensitivity . when the focal length and radius of curvature of lens are in the following relation with each other , the tolerance sensitivity of the lens can be reduced significantly , and the tolerance limit of the produce can be improved . where , f 1 is the focal length of the first lens ; f 2 is the focal length of the second lens ; p 1 r 1 is the radius of curvature of the first lens at the object side ; p 1 r 2 is the radius of curvature of the first lens at the image side ; p 2 r 2 is the radius of curvature of the second lens at the image side . more preferably , the radius of curvature of the respective lens should meet : 0 . 4 & lt ;( p 1 r 2 − p 1 r 1 )/( p 1 r 1 + p 1 r 2 )& lt ; 0 . 5 . when the above condition is met , the tolerance limit of the lens can be further improved . fig2 shows the structure of the micro camera lens in embodiment 1 of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the micro camera lens comprises three aspheric lenses . in addition , when counted from the object side to the image side along the optical axis , the elements include : a first lens e 1 with positive diopter , a diaphragm e 4 , a second lens e 2 with negative diopter , a third lens e 3 with positive diopter , a filter e 5 , and an imaging plane e 6 . in this embodiment , the first lens is a meniscus convex - concave lens , with the convex side facing the object side and the concave side facing the image side ; the second lens is a meniscus concave - convex lens , with the concave side facing the object side and the convex side facing the image side ; the third lens is a bow - shaped convex - concave lens , with the convex side facing the object side , the concave side facing the image side , and the central convex part facing the object side . the abbe number vp 1 of the first lens e 1 is vp 1 = 56 . 1 , and the abbe number vp 2 of the second lens e 2 is vp 2 = 23 . 0 . in addition , to further improve the imaging quality , in embodiment 1 , a diaphragm e 4 is mounted between the first lens e 1 and the second lens e 2 ; alternatively , the diaphragm can be mounted at a different position . in this embodiment , the focal length f 1 of the first lens is 2 . 50 , the focal length f 2 of the second lens is − 3 . 79 , and the focal length f 3 of the third lens is 4 . 53 ; the focal length f of the entire lens assembly is 2 . 79 . the radius of curvature p 1 r 1 of the first lens at the object side is 1 . 2000 , the radius of curvature p 1 r 2 of the first lens at the image side is 3 . 4500 , and the radius of curvature p 2 r 2 of the second lens at the image side is − 1 . 4682 . based on the values of focal length and radius of curvature described above , the following results are obtained : | f 2 / f 1 | is equal to 1 . 516 , | p 2 r 2 / p 1 r 1 | is equal to 1 . 2235 , and ( p 1 r 2 - p 1 r 1 )/( p 1 r 1 + p 1 r 2 ) is equal to 0 . 4838 . hereunder the micro camera lens in the embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings and tables , to make the above characteristics and advantages of the present invention understood more clearly and easily . table 1 and table 2 list the relevant parameters of the lenses in embodiment 1 , including the surface type , radius of curvature , thickness , material , effective diameter , and cone factor of the lenses . counted from the object side in parallel to the optical axis , the lenses are numbered consecutively ; the sides of the first lens e 1 are denoted as s 1 and s 2 ; the diaphragm surface is denoted as s 3 ; the sides of the second lens e 2 are denoted as s 4 and s 5 ; the sides of the third lens e 3 are denoted as s 6 and s 7 ; the sides of the filter e 6 are denoted as s 8 and s 9 ; the imaging plane is denoted as s 10 . table 2 lists the high - order aspheric coefficients a 4 , a 6 , a 8 , a 10 , a 12 , a 14 , and a 16 of the first lens e 1 , second lens e 2 , and third lens e 3 , shown as follows : fig3 - 6 show the optical curves of the micro camera lens in embodiment 1 of the present invention ; these optical curves represent the chromatic aberration , astigmatism , distortion , and chromatic aberration of magnification , etc . of the micro camera lens in this present invention . it is seen clearly from the figures : the micro camera lens in embodiment 1 of the present invention is significantly improved in the aspects of chromatic aberration , astigmatism , and distortion , etc ., and the imaging quality of the micro camera lens is greatly improved . in addition , fig7 shows a monte carlo yield analysis chart of the micro camera lens in embodiment 1 of the present invention . it is seen from fig7 : the yield rate of the lens can be up to 92 . 5 % at ½ nyquist frequency , which is apparently higher than the yield rate of lens ( 77 %) in the prior art . fig8 shows the structure of the micro camera lens in embodiment 2 of the present invention . as shown in fig8 , the micro camera lens in this embodiment comprises three aspheric lenses . in addition , when counted from the object side to the image side along the optical axis , the elements include : a first lens e 1 ′ with positive diopter , a diaphragm e 4 ′, a second lens e 2 ′ with negative diopter , a third lens e 3 ′ with positive diopter , a filter e 5 ′, and an imaging plane e 6 ′. in this embodiment , the three aspheric lenses are in the same shapes as the lenses in embodiment 1 , i . e ., the first lens is a meniscus convex - concave lens , the second lens is a meniscus concave - convex lens , and the third lens is a bow - shaped convex - concave lens . the abbe number vp 1 of the first lens e 1 ′ is vp 1 = 56 . 1 , and the abbe number vp 2 of the second lens e 2 ′ is vp 2 = 23 . 0 . the focal length f 1 of the first lens is 3 . 15 , the focal length f 2 of the second lens is − 5 . 06 , and the focal length f 3 of the third lens is 5 . 77 ; the focal length f of the entire lens assembly is 3 . 45 . the radius of curvature p 1 r 1 of the first lens at the object side is 1 . 42704 , the radius of curvature p 1 r 2 of the first lens at the image side is 4 . 253 , and the radius of curvature p 2 r 2 of the second lens at the image side is − 1 . 721408 . based on the values of focal length and radius of curvature described above , the following results are obtained : | f 2 / f 1 | is equal to 1 . 606 , | p 2 r 2 / p 1 r 1 | is equal to 1 . 2062 , and ( p 1 r 2 − p 1 r 1 )/( p 1 r 1 + p 1 r 2 ) is equal to 0 . 4975 . hereunder the technical efficacies of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and tables , to make the above characteristics and advantages of the present invention understood more clearly and easily . table 3 and table 4 list the relevant parameters of the lenses in embodiment 2 , including the surface type , radius of curvature , thickness , material , effective diameter , and cone factor of the lenses . counted from the object side in parallel to the optical axis , the lenses are numbered consecutively ; the sides of the first lens e 1 ′ are denoted as s 1 ′ and s 2 ; the diaphragm surface is denoted as s 3 ; the sides of the second lens e 2 ′ are denoted as s 4 ′ and s 5 ; the sides of the third lens e 3 ′ are denoted as s 6 ′ and s 7 ; the sides of the filter e 6 ′ are denoted as s 8 ′ and s 9 ; the imaging plane is denoted as s 10 ′. table 4 lists the high - order aspheric coefficients a 4 , a 6 , a 8 , a 10 , a 12 , a 14 , and a 16 of the first lens e 1 ′, second lens e 2 ′, and third lens e 3 ′, shown as follows : fig9 - 12 show the optical curves of the micro camera lens in embodiment 2 of the present invention ; these optical curves represent the chromatic aberration , astigmatism , distortion , and chromatic aberration of magnification , etc . of the micro camera lens in this present invention . it is seen clearly from the figures : the micro camera lens in embodiment 2 of the present invention is significantly improved in the aspects of chromatic aberration , astigmatism , and distortion , etc ., and the imaging quality of the micro camera lens is greatly improved . in addition , fig1 shows a monte carlo yield analysis chart of the micro camera lens in embodiment 2 of the present invention . it is seen from fig1 : the yield rate of the lens can be up to 91 % at ½ nyquist frequency , which is apparently higher than the yield rate of lens ( 77 %) in the prior art . in conclusion , the micro camera lens provided in the present invention not only has outstanding optical performance and high imaging quality , but also has favorable tolerance limit , and can meet the demand for mass production ; in addition , stable quality can be maintained in the mass production , and therefore the production cost can be reduced greatly . while the principle of the micro camera lens provided in the present invention is described above in embodiments , those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations on the basis of the embodiments , without departing from the spirit of the present invention . however , any of such modifications or variations shall be deemed as falling into the protected domain of the present invention . those skilled in the art shall appreciate that the above description is only provided to elaborate and explain the object of the present invention , instead of constituting any confinement to the present invention . the protected domain of the present invention shall only be confined by the claims and their equivalence .
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in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention a method for reducing a detection error due to a cod value in a graphic decoder ( e . g ., a h . 263 decoder ) is provided . accordingly , a variable length coding is performed to fixing a cod flag of a macroblock , at a first value ( e . g ., ‘ 0 ’) and detecting an error by checking , for example , a cod flag arranged at the first value , although an error is not detected in a previous macroblock . referring to fig6 , a vlc 203 determines at step s 601 whether a picture type of a frame in which a present macroblock is included is a p - picture or an i - picture on the basis of a mode control signal received from a coding controller 202 . if it is a p - picture , a certain value is written on a cod flag as shown at step s 602 . for example , when there is no motion information in a present macroblock and the blocks do not have texture information ( i . e ., ‘ 0 ’), the cod ( coded macroblock indication ) flag is set to a predetermined value , such as ‘ 1 ’, for example . otherwise , the cod fag is set to a default value , such as ‘ 0 ’, for example . if the inputted frame is a p - picture , the cod flag is written . however , when the inputted frame is not a p - picture , at step s 604 , the mcbpc flag is written as described in further detail below . if the inputted frame is a p - picture , then it is determined if a cod flag is of a predetermined value ( e . g ., 1 or 0 ), for example , as shown at step s 603 . if the cod flag is ‘ 1 ’, for example , then the cod flag is written as ‘ 0 ’, a mcbpc flag is written as ‘ 1 ’, and a cbpy flag is written as ‘ 11 ’. in some embodiments , a mvd flag is written as ‘ 0 ’. that means a present macroblock is almost the same as a macroblock at the same position of a previous frame , and that the macroblock can be used as it is . in more detail , in order to facilitate error detection in a radio channel , in a variable length coding process as a final step of coding , the cod flag indicating coding or non - coding is fixed at a certain value ( e . g ., ‘ 0 ’), for example , and a flag value about a macroblock layer is written as shown at steps s 610 – s 613 . if the cod flag is of a ‘ 0 ’, for example , the inputted frame is an i - picture . after writing a mcbcp flag and a cbpy flag as shown at steps s 604 and s 605 , a dquant flag is written , for example . if a mode of a macroblock is an inter mode or an intra mode , when a dquant is 0 , it is skipped without being written as shown at steps s 606 and s 607 . afterward , a motion vector difference value is written . when a macroblock is in the intra mode , the mvd flag is written . however , if a macroblock is in the intra mode , there is no need to write as shown at steps s 608 and s 609 . in the coding method in accordance with the present invention , because a cod flag can not be ‘ 1 ’, a decoder can detect an error by checking the cod flag . if an error occurs in a previous macroblock and is not detected ( i . e ., in some embodiments it is assumed 0 and 1 have occurrence probability of % 50 in a bit column ) error can be detected as 50 % probability , for example , with 1 bit of the cod flag of a present macroblock . coding efficiency may be slightly lowered according to increase of a bit quantity ( about 1 %). as such , more accurate error detection can be performed , error restoring performance in radio environment can be improved , and accordingly better picture quality can be obtained . in the variable length moving picture coding method in accordance with the present invention in video communication using , for example a h . 263 moving picture codec , by fixing - coding a certain flag , such as the cod flag in a length variable coding process , it is possible to detect an error occurred in a radio channel , and accordingly data restoring performance can be improved .
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the objective of this invention is to obtain a recombinant protein corresponding to the capsid protein of dengue virus , which generates a protective response against the infection with the lethal virus when is inoculated in mice . the gene codifying for the capsid protein of dengue virus was inserted into a plasmid containing the phage t5 promoter . the cells xl - 1blue , transformed with the recombinant plasmid , expressed high levels of the resulting protein . this protein was purified approximately till a 40 % of purity , and was adjuvated in aluminum hydroxide to be inoculated in balb / c mice . a month upon the last dose the antiviral antibody response was measured . at the same time the lymphoproliferative response in spleens stimulated in vitro with the dengue virus was determined . as a result no antiviral antibodies were induced while a significant lymphoproliferative response was detected . in parallel , in not bleeding mice , the protection assay was done . a lethal doses corresponding to 100 ld 50 of dengue virus was inoculated , the disease symptoms and death were observed during 21 days . as a result a 44 % of survival - immunized mice were obtained while in the negative control group all mice died . this is the first evidence of a protective response against dengue virus by the immunization only with the capsid protein . later , a high - resolution purification process was conducted , obtaining a 95 % of purity of the recombinant protein . both preparations , the semi - and purified ones , were analyzed by hplc to know the aggregation state of the protein in each sample . in the semipurified preparation was detected a fraction with lower retention times , while in the purified sample a retention time corresponding to the dimeric form of the molecule was detected . to obtain an aggregation state in the purified variant , an in vitro particulation process employing low quantities of oligonucleotides was done . as a result of the process , particles of 21 nm of diameter were obtained . the dimeric and particulated preparations , both with more than 95 % of purity , were inoculated in mice . the dimeric preparation was adjuvated with freund adjuvant and aluminum hydroxide , while the particulated variant was adjuvated only with aluminum hydroxide . similar to the semipurified preparation , high levels of lymphoproliferation were detected . in the protection assay a 40 and 20 % of survival were obtained with the dimeric preparation adjuvated with freund and aluminum , respectively ; however , the particulated protein adjuvated with aluminum induced a higher protection percentage . these results together with those obtained with the semipurified protein showed the capacity of the capsid protein of inducing a protective response in balb / c mice and demonstrated the superiority of the particulated form of the protein , letting it to be used to humans in the future together to the aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant . additionally , not inducing an antiviral response would eliminate the phenomenon of antibodies dependent enhancement as a risk factor for the occurrence of the most severe form of the disease : the dengue hemorrhagic fever . with the aim to determine the possible mechanism of protection , which it is not related to the induction of abs due to its demonstrated absence , a study of cd8 + cells depletion was made . as a result , the protection reached with pure proteins of each variant was dependent of the presence of the cells that present this marker , since eliminating them the induced protective effect disappear . similarly , a study was made to know if the combination of the particulated recombinant capsid with antigens inducing humoral response does not affect the generation of the lymphoproliferative response and to count with a mixture of immunogens able to contribute to both branches of the immune response . to this end , the purified particulated variant of the capsid and a fusion protein containing the iii domain of the envelope protein of the dengue - 2 virus was inoculated in mice , which is able to generate a serotype - specific immune response diminishing the phenomenon of ade ( hermida l , rodriguez r , lazo l , silva r , zulueta a , chinea g , lopez c , guzman m g , guillen g . 2004 . a dengue - 2 envelope fragment inserted within the structure of the p64k meningococcal protein carrier enables a functional immune response against the virus in mice . j virol methods . 2004 january ; 115 ( 1 ): 41 - 9 ). when administering three doses and analyzing the raised abs , it was demonstrated a higher induction of antiviral serotype specifics abs . as well , a lymphoproliferative response higher than that induced only by the capsid and significantly higher than that induced by the fusion protein was detected . in parallel , to know whether it is possible to obtain the combination effect using a genetic fusion of both antigens , a plasmid containing the iii domain of the envelope protein of den - 2 virus fused to the n - terminal of the capsid protein gene was constructed . the resulting protein , with a 40 % of purity , generated in balb / c mice a lymphoproliferative response higher than that induced by the capsid alone and a serotype specific antibodies response higher than that induced by pd5 . fig1 . cloning strategy of the capsid protein of den - 2 virus to generate pdc - 2 . den2 c : fragment of the capsid protein of den - 2 . fig2 . analysis by sds - page at 15 % of the pdc - 2 semipurification process . 1 . rupture supernatant . 2 and 3 . fraction not adsorbed to q sepharose ff . 4 . fraction eluted with nacl 1m . fig3 . analysis by sds - page at 15 % of the pdc - 2 purification process . 1 . rupture supernatant , 2 . fraction not absorbed to the gel , 3 . washed ( 350 mm nacl ), 4 . eluted fraction ( 750 mm nacl ), 5 . fraction in tris 10 mm , edta 1 mm . fig4 . chromatographic profile in superdex 200 of the semipurified ( a ) and pure ( b ) preparations of pdc - 2 . fig5 . electronic microscopy pictures of the pure pdc - 2 preparation before ( a ) and after ( b ) the treatment with oligonucleotides . fig6 . cloning strategy of the capsid protein of den - 1 virus to generate pdc - 1 . den1 c : fragment of the capsid protein of den - 1 . fig7 . analysis by sds - page at 15 % of the pdc - 1 semipurification process . 1 . molecular weight marker . 2 . rupture supernatant 3 . fraction not adsorbed to q sepharose ff . the nucleotide sequence that codes for amino acids 1 to 99 of the capsid protein from den - 2 virus ( sequence no . 3 ), was amplified with the oligonucleotides identified in the sequence list as sequence no . 1 and sequence no . 2 from the den - 2 virus strain genotype jamaica ( deubel v ., kinney r . m ., trent d . w . nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of the nonstructural proteins of dengue type 2 virus , jamaica genotype : comparative analysis of the full - length genome . virology 1988 . 165 : 234 - 244 ). the vector was created by digestion of the plasmid pqe - 30 with bamhi / hindiii , which contains the phage 15 promoter and a 6 - histidine tail in the n - terminal region ( sequence no . 6 ). upon ligation , the potential recombinants were analyzed by restriction enzyme digestion and positive clones were sequenced to check up the junctions . competent cells xl - 1 blue ( hanahan d . 1983 . studies on transformation of escherichia coli with plasmids . j . mol . biol . 166 : 557 - 580 ) were transformed with the selected clone called pdc - 2 ( fig1 and sequence no . 4 ). the transformed e . coli strains were cultivated in luria bertani medium ( lb ) supplemented with ampicilline 50 μg / ml for 10 h at 37 ° c . isopropyl - b - d - thiogalactopyranoside ( iptg ) to a final concentration of 1 mm was used for the induction of the promoter . upon growing the colony , an sds - page of the cellular lysate was done . as a result , a 15 - kda band was obtained . the protein was recognized by an anti - den - 2 hyperimmune ascitic fluid ( hmaf ). this protein was denominated pdc - 2 ( sequence no . 5 ). the biomass obtained from the e . coli strain transformed with pdc - 2 and grown at 37 ° c . was disrupted by french press . the recombinant protein was obtained equally distributed between the soluble and insoluble fractions . the soluble fraction was subjected to an anionic interchange chromatography , using a q sepharose ff column and the buffer tris 10 mm ph 8 . the protein in the non - absorbed fraction was obtained with 40 % purity and was used for the immunological studies ( fig2 ). three groups of 30 balb / c mice were used . two of them were immunized with 10 ug of the recombinant protein by intraperitoneal route , using freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant ( fa ) in one of the groups and aluminum hydroxide in the other . the soluble fraction resulting from the rupture of the pqe - 30 - transformed cells was used as negative control adjuvanted with fa ; 10 animals were bled 15 days after the third dose and the antibody titers against den - 2 were determined by elisa . after the immunization with the recombinant protein , formulated in either adjuvant , no antibody titers were obtained . table 1 . antibody titers against den - 2 from the sera obtained upon immunization of mice with semipurified pdc - 2 . for the evaluation of the protection conferred to mice against challenge with lethal homologous den virus by the immunization with the described variants , 10 mice were used from each of the groups immunized with the recombinant protein adsorbed in aluminum hydroxide and with the control preparation . each animal received a dose of 100 ld 50 of lethal den - 2 virus by intracranial inoculation and was observed for 21 days to obtain the percentages of lethality in terms of death by viral encephalitis . as a positive control , a group of 10 mice immunized with infective den - 2 virus ( 10 4 pfu ) was used . all mice in the positive control group survived , while in the negative control group all mice were sick by day 7 - 11 after challenge and 100 % mortality was obtained by day 21 . finally , the group immunized with the recombinant protein pdc - 2 presented 44 . 4 % protection ( table 2 ). the rest of the animals from the group immunized with the capsid protein adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide were sacrificed 30 days after the last dose . then , their spleens were extracted and the lymphoproliferative response to den - 2 was studied . the results in table 3 show the stimulation indexes obtained . the biomass obtained from the e . coli strain transformed with pdc - 2 and grown at 37 ° c . was disrupted by french press . the recombinant protein was obtained equally distributed between the soluble and insoluble fractions . the soluble fraction was subjected to a cationic interchange chromatography , using an sp - sepharose ff column and the buffer tris 10 mm , tween 0 . 5 %, urea 7m , ph 8 . the column was washed with buffer diethanolamine 30 mm , nacl 350 mm , ph 10 . 3 . the elution of the protein of interest was done with buffer diethanolamine 30 mm , nacl 750 mm , ph 10 . 3 . once eluted the protein , the buffer was exchanged using g - 25 columns . finally , the protein was obtained with 96 % purity in buffer tris 10 mm , edta 1 mm ( fig3 ). with the aim of characterizing the state of aggregation of the semipurified and the purified preparations , gel filtration chromatographies were done using the tsk - 5000 column ( tosoh bioscience , japan ). after applying the semipurified sample , a homogeneous and major peak was obtained , with a retention time ranging from 15 to 20 minutes , evidencing the presence of high molecular weight species ( fig4 a ). contrarily , in the sample from the highly purified fraction of the capsid protein , retention times of 30 minutes were detected , corresponding to the dimeric form of the molecule ( fig4 b ). in order to reparticulate the pure capsid protein in a dimeric form , the buffer was exchanged to hepes 25 mm , kac 100 mm , mgac2 1 . 7 mm , ph 7 . 4 . after heating the protein and the mixture of oligonucleotides for 1 min at 37 ° c ., they were incubated in an equal volume for 30 min at 30 ° c . as a negative control of the experiment , the protein was incubated without the oligonucleotides . when both preparations were observed with an electron microscope , a large quantity of particles of approximately 21 nm diameter , were observed in the sample of protein previously incubated with the mixture of oligonucleotides , while in the control sample no particles were observed ( fig5 ). five groups of 20 balb / c mice were used . two of them were immunized with 10 ug of the dimeric purified recombinant protein by intraperitoneal route , using aluminum hydroxide and freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant . another group was immunized with 10 ug of the purified and particulated capsid protein adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide . the soluble fraction from the rupture of xl - 1 blue cells transformed with the plasmid pqe - 30 and subjected to the same purification steps than pdc - 2 was used as negative control , adjuvanted with freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant . the fifth group was immunized with den - 2 virus as positive control . one month after the last dose 10 animals from each group received a dose of 100 ld 50 of lethal den - 2 by intracranial inoculation and were observed for 21 days to obtain the percentages of survival . all mice in the positive control group survived , while in the negative control group all mice were sick by day 7 - 11 after challenge and 0 % mortality was obtained . finally , from the groups immunized with the recombinant protein , the group immunized with pure dimeric pdc - 2 presented a 20 % protection when immunized with aluminum hydroxide and a 40 % protection when freund &# 39 ; s adjuvant was used . additionally , in the group that received the reparticulated pure protein adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide . 90 % of mice were protected ( table 4 ). the rest of the animals from the groups immunized with the capsid protein ( 10 animals ), either dimeric or reparticulated , adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide , were sacrificed 15 days after the last dose . then , their spleens were extracted and the lymphoproliferative response to den - 2 was studied . the results in table 5 show the stimulation indexes obtained . twenty animals were inoculated with the mixture of 10 ug of the particulated pure capsid protein and 20 ug of protein pd5 ( sequence no . 23 ) in three doses spaced fifteen days apart . a group immunized with 10 ug of the pure capsid protein , a group immunized with 20 ug of protein pd5 mixed with the equivalent volume of pdc - 2 but obtained from a negative control run , and a group immunized with protein p64k , the carrier protein present in the construction of pd5 , were used as controls . in all cases , aluminum hydroxide was used as adjuvant . fifteen days after the last dose , the animals were bled and the sera tested for antiviral antibodies by elisa . as shown in tables 6 and 7 , the group immunized with the mixture developed serotype - specific antibodies with titers higher than those of the group immunized only with protein pd5 and , at the same time , titers in these two groups were higher than those in the group immunized with protein pdc - 2 , where no abs against den - 2 virus were detected . on the other hand , 10 additional animals were taken from each group for lymphoproliferation assays . the cells from the spleens of these animals were extracted and stimulated with the infective den - 2 virus . as shown in table 8 , in the group immunized with the mixture the stimulation indexes were higher than those in the group immunized with the capsid protein only . the lowest stimulation indexes were obtained in the group immunized with protein pd5 . the reparticulated and the dimeric capsid proteins were inoculated in balb / c mice to obtain some evidence of induction of cellular immune response . a preparation obtained from cells transformed with the plasmid used to generate pdc - 2 , and by a purification process similar to the one used for the protein pdc - 2 , was employed as a negative control . three doses of the protein ( 20 ug ) were administered to groups of 20 animals , using aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant . one month after the last dose , 1 mg of a rat anti - mouse cd8 mab , able to deplete the cells of the mouse immune system containing this marker was administered to half of the animals of each group . on the next day , all the animals were challenged with 100 ld 50 ( median lethal doses ) of den - 2 virus . they were observed for the onset of signs of disease and deaths were recorded . in the case of the immunized non - treated groups , 20 and 80 % protection was obtained in the groups immunized with the dimeric and the reparticulated capsid , respectively . parallely , in the treated groups the percentage of protection was lower than in the non - treated groups : 0 % protection for the dimeric pdc - 2 and 10 % protection for the reparticulated protein . in the case of the negative control group no protection was obtained in either the treated or the non - treated animals . the nucleotide sequence that codes for amino acids 1 to 100 of the capsid protein of den - 1 virus ( sequence no . 7 ), was amplified with the oligonucleotides identified in the sequence list as sequence no . 8 and sequence no . 10 from the den - 1 viral strain . the vector was generated by digestion bamhi / hindiii of the plasmid pqe - 30 , which contains the phage t5 promoter and a 6 histidine tail in the n - terminal region ( sequence no . 6 ). upon ligation , the recombinants were analyzed by restriction and the positives clones were sequenced to check the junctions . competent cells xl - 1 blue ( hanahan d . 1983 . studies on transformation of escherichia coli with plasmids . j . mol . biol . 166 : 557 - 580 ) were transformed with the selected clone called pdc - 1 ( fig6 y sequence no . 10 ). the e . coli strains transformed were cultivated in lb supplemented with ampicilline 50 μg / ml for 10 h at 37 ° c . isopropyl - b - d - thiogalactopyranoside ( iptg ) to a final concentration of 1 mm was used for the induction of the promoter . upon growing the colony , an sds - page of the cellular lysate was done . as a result a 15 - kda band was obtained . the protein was recognized by an anti - den - 1 hmaf . this protein was denominated pdc - 1 ( sequence no . 11 ). the biomass obtained from the e . coli strain transformed with pdc - 1 and grown at 37 ° c . was disrupted by french press . the recombinant protein was obtained equally distributed between the soluble and insoluble fractions . from the soluble fraction an anionic interchange chromatography was done , using a q sepharose ff column and the buffer tris 10 mm ph 8 . the protein in the non - absorbed fraction was obtained with 45 % of purity , and was used to the immunological studies . two groups of 30 balb / c mice were used . one of them was immunized with 10 ug of the recombinant protein by intraperitoneal route , using the aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant . the soluble fraction resulting from the rupture of the pqe - 30 - transformed cells adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide was used as negative control . a part of the animals ( 10 mice ) were bled 15 days after the third dose and the antibody titers against den - 1 were determined by elisa . after the immunization with the recombinant protein , no antiviral antibody titers were obtained . for the evaluation of the protection conferred to mice against challenge with lethal homologous den virus by the immunization with the described variants , 10 mice were used from each of the groups immunized with the recombinant protein adsorbed in aluminum hydroxide and with the control preparation . each animal received a dose of 100 ld 50 of lethal den - 1 by intracranial inoculation and was observed for 21 days to obtain the percentages of lethality in terms of death by viral encephalitis . as a positive control , a group of 10 mice immunized with infective den - 1 virus ( 10 4 pfu ) was used . all mice in the positive control group survived , while in the negative control group all mice were sick at day 7 - 11 after challenge and 100 % mortality was obtained at day 21 . finally , the group immunized with the recombinant protein pdc - 1 presented 50 % of protection ( table 11 ). the rest of the animals of the group immunized with the protein pdc - 1 were sacrificed 15 days after the last dose . then , their spleens were extracted and the lymphoproliferative response to den - 1 was studied . the results in table 12 show the stimulation indexes obtained . the nucleotide sequence that codes for amino acids 286 to 426 of the envelope protein from den - 2 ( sequence no . 12 ), corresponding to the region of the domain 111 of the protein , was amplified with the oligonucleotides identified in the sequence list as sequence no . 13 and sequence no . 14 from the den - 2 virus strain genotype jamaica ( deubel v ., kinney r . m ., trent d . w . nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of the nonstructural proteins of dengue type 2 virus , jamaica genotype : comparative analysis of the full - length genome . virology 1988 . 165 : 234 - 244 ). the vector was created by digestion of the plasmid pdc - 2 with bamhi / bamhi , which contains the phage t5 promoter , a 6 - histidine tail in the n - terminal region and the region corresponding to 100 amino acids of the capsid protein of den - 2 virus . upon ligation , the potential recombinants were analyzed by restriction enzyme digestion and positive clones were sequenced to check up the junctions . finally the clone selected was named pdc - 2 dom iii ( sequence no 15 ). competent cells xl - 1 blue ( hanahan d . 1983 . studies on transformation of escherichia coli with plasmids . j . mol . biol . 166 : 557 - 580 ) were transformed with the selected clone called pdc - 2 domiii . the e . coli strains transformed were cultivated in lb supplemented with ampicilline 50 μg / ml for 10 h at 37 ° c . isopropyl - b - d - thiogalactopyranoside ( iptg ) to a final concentration of 1 mm was used to the induction of the promoter . upon growing the colony , an sds - page of the cellular lysate was done . as a result , a 30 - kda band was obtained . the protein was recognized by an anti - den - 2 hmaf . this protein was denominated pdc - 2 dom iii ( sequence no . 16 ). the biomass obtained from the e . coli strain transformed with pdc - 2 domiii and grown at 37 ° c . was disrupted by french press . the recombinant protein was obtained equally distributed between the soluble and insoluble fractions . from the soluble fraction an anionic interchange chromatography was done , using a q sepharose ff column and the buffer tris 10 mm ph 8 . the protein in the non - absorbed fraction was obtained with 40 % of purity , and was used to the immunological studies ( fig2 ). five groups of 30 balb / c mice were used . one of the groups was immunized with 10 ug of the recombinant protein by intraperitoneal route , using aluminum hydroxide as adjuvant . the soluble fraction resulting from the rupture of the xl - 1 blue cells transformed with the plasmid pqe - 30 was used as negative control , adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide . another two groups were included as controls . one of them was immunized with the protein pdc - 2 and the other with the protein pd5 ( this protein contains the domain iii region of the envelope protein of den - 2 virus ). ten animals from each group were bled 15 days after the third dose and the antibody titers against den - 2 were determined by elisa . as shown in tables 13 and 14 , the group immunized with pdc - 2 dom iii developed high titers of serotype - specific antibodies against den - 2 , higher than those induced by the protein pd5 . these results demonstrate that the genetic combination with the capsid protein enhances the antiviral immune response elicited by the domain iii of the envelope protein . on the other hand , 10 additional animals were taken from each group for the lymphoproliferation assays . the cells from the spleens of these animals were extracted and stimulated with the infective den - 2 virus . table 15 shows that in the group immunized with the combination , the stimulation indexes were higher than those in the group immunized with the capsid protein only . the stimulation indexes in the group immunized with protein pd5 were the lowest . incorporated herein by reference in its entirety is the sequence listing for the application . the sequence listing is disclosed on a computer - readable ascii text file titled , “ sequence_listing . txt ”, created on jul . 23 , 2008 . the sequence_listing . txt file is 44 kb in size .
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the present invention relates to the management of nested monitor locks within a multi - threaded software program . the method of nested monitor lock management allows an internal software module to release an outer monitor lock whenever a known sequence of processing steps precedes the outer monitor release , and it is known by context that it is safe to release the outer monitor . to facilitate this , a thread &# 39 ; s processing state is preserved and restored whenever an internal software module releases and then reacquires an outer monitor lock . it will be obvious , however , to one skilled in the art , that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention . because java ™ applications require mi and mo cooperation , an aspect of the invention is to prevent deadlock situations where threads wait indefinitely for the release of mi and mo , which because of processing logic never occurs . the following embodiments describe a method for managing nested monitors in a multi - threaded application . in one embodiment , fig2 a shows a block diagram showing the processing operations of a custom class loader that leads to an eventual deadlock 200 . as shown in fig2 a , multiple threads of operation are running on computer system 102 because a custom class loader has created parallel class loading threads . thread 1 begins a processing operation 202 which can acquire the mo of classloading library 104 multiple times . then thread 1 begins a processing operation 204 that acquires the mi of jvm 106 . after thread 1 has updated the internal object claiming ownership ( i . e ., lock ) of an action , thread 1 releases the mi . thread 1 then begins a processing operation 206 which issues a wait ( ) with a timeout parameter thereby freeing all copies of the mo of classloading library 104 and causes thread 1 to be in a waiting state until it receives a notify ( ) or it receives a timeout notification . after thread 1 exits processing operation 206 , thread 2 begins a processing operation 208 which can acquire the mo of classloading library 104 multiple times . thread 1 may then begin a processing operation 210 which attempts to acquire the mo of classloading library 104 before , during , or after thread 2 has begun a processing operation 212 . processing operation 212 first acquires the mi of jvm 106 . then thread 2 in processing operation 212 queries the internal object to determine the owner for an action . because java ™ permits only one thread to process a class / class loader pair at a time , thread 2 needs thread 1 to complete its action before thread 2 can process its class / class loader pair . thread 2 then issues a wait ( ) that releases mi of jvm 106 . after time 5 , thread 2 is waiting for thread 1 to complete its transaction while thread 1 in turn is waiting for thread 2 to release the mo of classloading library 104 . thread 1 will never receive the mo of classloading library 104 . since both threads are deadlocked , the application fails to continue execution . in one embodiment , fig2 b illustrates a block diagram of the processing operations performed by a custom class loader to complete processing without a deadlock 300 . as shown in fig2 b , multiple threads of operation are running on computer system 102 because a custom class loader has created parallel class loading threads . although not illustrated in fig2 b , the processing operations of times 1 through 4 are the same as in fig2 a . thread 1 begins a processing operation 302 which attempts to acquire the mo of classloading library 104 before , during , or after thread 2 has begun a processing operation 304 . processing operation 304 first acquires the mi of jvm 106 . then thread 2 in processing operation 304 queries the internal object to determine the owner for an action . as used herein , the term “ action ” shall mean the update of any critical path of code or any update to any critical data structure . because java ™ permits only one thread to process a class / class loader pair at a time , thread 2 needs thread 1 to complete its action before thread 2 can process its class / class loader pair . after processing operation 304 has completed , thread 2 begins a processing operation 306 which can release the mo of classloading library 104 multiple times , i . e . the total number of times that thread 2 has acquired mo . once the mo of classloading library 104 is released , thread 1 begins a processing operation 308 which acquires the mo of classloading library 104 . after thread 2 releases mo in processing operation 306 , thread 2 begins a processing operation 310 which issues a wait ( ) on mi thereby releasing the mi of jvm 106 . once thread 2 has completed processing operation 310 , thread 1 begins a processing operation 312 that acquires the mi of jvm 106 . after the mi of jvm 106 has been acquired , thread 1 completes its action and updates the internal object recording completion . thread 1 then releases the mi of jvm 106 by issuing a notify ( ). after the mi of jvm 106 has been released , thread 2 then begins a processing operation 314 . because of the thread 1 notify ( ), thread 2 receives the mi of jvm 106 that thread 2 had previously issued the wait ( ) for in operation 310 . thread 2 then begins a processing operation 316 which releases the mi of jvm 106 . after thread 1 issues the notify on mi in processing operation 312 , thread 1 then begins a processing operation 318 which releases the mo of classloading library 104 . once thread 1 has completed operation 318 , thread 2 begins a processing operation 320 which can reacquire the mo of classloading library 104 the saved number of times thread 2 released the mo of classloading library 104 earlier in operation 306 . after the mo of classloading library 104 has been acquired , thread 2 then begins a processing operation 322 which acquires the mi of jvm 106 . after this , thread 2 queries the internal object to verify action completion . if the action has not completed , thread 2 will loop back to processing operation 306 . otherwise , thread 2 will begin a processing operation 324 which will release the mi of jvm 106 . after processing operation 324 completes , thread 2 will begin a processing operation 326 that releases the mo of classloading library 104 . once time 17 has completed , neither thread 2 nor thread 1 is waiting for the release of either the mo of classloading library 104 or the mi of jvm 106 . therefore , the jvm is not deadlocked and the application can continue to execute . in one embodiment , encapsulated operation 303 illustrates features of the invention that facilitate the management of nested monitor locks . within encapsulated operation 303 , two unexposed jvm apis are provided that permit thread 2 to release and reacquire the mo , restoring the original number of times the lock was acquired , without invoking a wait ( ). to facilitate this , the jvm apis retain and restore the recursion lock count information of a thread which temporarily releases an mo . this is important because a thread can only wait on a single monitor , and the thread needs to wait on the internal monitor in this case of nested monitors . by doing this , a wait for both nested monitors can be simulated in a manner permitting the thread to continue processing at the point where it temporarily stopped once both monitors are reacquired by the thread . the order of lock release and acquisition in encapsulated operation 303 is also important , to ensure that the thread follows the lock ordering rules to not cause further deadlock problems . in accordance with one embodiment it is assumed that this internal release is a safe operation because custom class loading follows a known sequence of steps and these steps preceded the release of the mo . this mechanism can only be applied where it is known from context to not break processing logic . since the new jvm api is not exposed , a user is unaware of the internal apis that enable operations performed by the jvm . this prevents the possibility of users breaking code by accessing the jvm api . by doing this it is possible to release the lock that caused a deadlock situation . fig3 is a flowchart showing a method 400 for managing nested monitor locks with a custom class loader in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in an initial operation 402 , preprocess operations are performed . preprocess operations can include , for example , the conversion of bytecodes into machine language and other preprocess operations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art . in operation 404 , the definition of custom class loading is initiated using a first and second thread . encapsulated within operation 404 is the sequence of operations which a custom class loader will follow , which cause the mo to be acquired by a second thread that did not initiate the class loading actions . in operation 406 , the second thread running in the jvm releases the mo the total number of times it has acquired it , and releases the mi via a wait ( ) operation . this allows the first thread to continue processing as illustrated in operation 408 . after the first thread completes its processing , the first thread issues a notify ( ) as illustrated in operation 410 . after the notify ( ) is received by the second thread , the second thread explicitly releases mi in order to follow the lock ordering rules . this sequence is illustrated in operation 412 . the first thread releases the mo in operation 414 . with both mo and mi released by the first thread , the second thread is free to reacquire both monitors to continue processing . this is illustrated in operation 416 . specifically , the second thread must reacquire mo the same number of times it was originally owned . as shown in operation 418 , a check is then made to see if the first thread &# 39 ; s action has completed . if the first thread &# 39 ; s action has completed , the second thread will complete it &# 39 ; s actions and release both mo and mi as shown in operation 420 . otherwise , the process will loop back to operation 406 . the new process allows the release of a caller module &# 39 ; s mo by a callee module in order to allow progress by another thread . in the embodiment illustrated by fig2 b , the callee module releasing the mo is the jvm 106 and the caller module is the classloading library 104 . to facilitate the process , a thread &# 39 ; s processing state must be preserved before the mo is released . when a thread temporarily releases the mo completely , the recursive lock count indicates how many nested mo acquisitions have occurred . later , the paused thread may continue its processing at the point where it had previously stopped by using the recursive lock count information . this permits thread 2 to continue its processing under the expected safety of the mo lock . therefore , the jvm apis retain the recursive lock count when a thread completely releases a monitor and restores the recursive lock count when the thread , reacquires the monitor . by calling these apis , when it is identified by context to be safe , a thread operating in the jvm 106 may safely release the mo of classloading library 104 . embodiments of the present invention may be practiced with various computer system configurations including hand - held devices , microprocessor systems , microprocessor - based or programmable consumer electronics , minicomputers , mainframe computers and the like . the invention can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a wire - based or wireless network . with the above embodiments in mind , it should be understood that the invention can employ various computer - implemented operations involving data stored in computer systems . these operations are those requiring physical manipulation of physical quantities . usually , though not necessarily , these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored , transferred , combined , compared and otherwise manipulated . any of the operations described herein that form part of the invention are useful machine operations . the invention also relates to a device or an apparatus for performing these operations . the apparatus can be specially constructed for the required purpose , or the apparatus can be a general - purpose computer selectively activated or configured by a computer program stored in the computer . in particular , various general - purpose machines can be used with computer programs written in accordance with the teachings herein , or it may be more convenient to construct a more specialized apparatus to perform the required operations . the invention can also be embodied as a computer readable code on a computer readable medium . the computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data , which can thereafter be read by a computer system . examples of the computer readable medium include hard drives , network attached storage ( nas ), read - only memory , random - access memory , cd - roms , cd - rs , cd - rws , magnetic tapes and other optical and non - optical data storage devices . although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding , it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications can be practiced within the scope of the appended claims . accordingly , the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive , and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein , but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the invention .
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fig1 shows a block diagram of the invention generally labeled 10 . a probe 12 ( fig2 a , b ) is placed in contact with the fluid or vapor to be tested . first and second light sources 14 , 16 , ( fig3 ) respectively , each provide light of a preselected wavelength to probe 12 through first and second input cables 24 , 26 respectively . preferably , first and second light source 14 , 16 are photo - diodes while first and second input cable 24 , 26 are fiber optic cables . in the preferred embodiment the photo - diodes are chosen to have specific emission frequencies for the particular fuel to be analyzed . these preselected wavelengths have been experimentally determined to yield optimum results in determining the quality of the fluid that is tested . experience has shown that for most fluids , the wavelength of light used ranges from 0 . 4 micrometers , which is in the visible range , to 5 micrometers which is in the mid - infrared range . in analyzing ordinary motor oil , for example , it has been found that wavelengths of 450 nm and 550 nm yield the most accurate determination of the quality of the motor oil . alternately , in analyzing jp - 10 jet fuel vapors , the fuel used in missile and rocket propulsion , the wavelength of 1500 nm has been found to be particularly effective . although photo diodes are the preferred light source 14 , 16 for the instant invention , any other source of light which is able to produce selected wavelengths such as standard leds , srleds , or laser diodes are within the scope of the invention . additionally , lasers at the preselected wavelengths , monochromatic incandescent light sources , or filtered light which produces light at the preselected wavelengths may also be used . these examples are merely exemplary and not intended to be limiting . the important thing is that light , including possibly modulated light , of preselected wavelengths is made available . the preselected wavelengths may be either fixed wavelengths or preselected bands of wavelengths which may be scanned . first and second input cables 24 26 are attached on their opposite ends to probe 12 as shown in detail in fig2 a . cables 24 , 26 are fiber optic cables . as can be seen , the first and second input cables 24 , 26 , enter probe 12 through a connector 48 . connector 48 is in turn attached to bulk head 49 . the fiber optic cables of first and second input cables 24 and 26 extend through connector 48 and bulk head 49 and exit bulk head 49 through first and second emission fibers 36 , 46 , respectively which are also fiber optic cables . also extending out of the end of bulk head 49 are first and second detection fibers 32 , 42 also comprised of fiber optic cables . in the preferred embodiment , each light source has its own fiber optic cable carrying that light to and from the fluid reservoir . a first and second gap 34 , 44 separates the emission fibers 36 , 46 and detection fibers 32 , 42 respectively . first and second gaps 34 , 44 allow the fluid or vapor of interest to move between the respective emission fibers 36 , 46 and detection fibers 32 , 42 . depending on the fluid to be analyzed , the gap 34 , 44 between respective emission and detection fibers 36 , 32 and 46 , 42 may be quite small , possibly even being as small as a millimeter . table 1 shows the length of the gap 34 , 44 found to be most effective in analyzing the corresponding fluid or vapor with the respective wavelength of light . also shown is the type of analysis possible and whether the analysis is qualitative or quantitative . table 1______________________________________ wave - length gap type offluid / vapor range length analysis______________________________________oil base lubricant 400 - 700 nm 1 - 20 mm qualitative ( fluid ) hydraulic oil ( fluid ) 400 - 700 nm 1 - 20 mm qualitativebrake fluid ( fluid ) 400 - 700 nm 1 - 20 mm qualitativetransmission fluid 400 - 700 nm 1 - 20 mm qualitative ( fluid ) coolant or radiator 400 - 700 nm 1 - 20 mm qualitative ( fluid ) organic , carbon 800 - 2000 nm 10 - 20 cm quantitativebased fuel ( vapor )( example - gasoline ) organic , carbon 800 - 2000 nm 10 - 20 cm quantitativebasedsolvents ( vapor ) ______________________________________ first and second detection fibers 32 , 42 extend through bulk head 49 and connector 48 to exit probe 12 through first and second output cables 25 , 27 respectively . output cables 25 , 27 are also made of fiber optics , and are connected to spectrometer 18 . a screen 35 surrounds first and second emission fibers 36 , 46 and first and second detection fibers 32 , 42 . this screen 35 prevents debris from entering first and second gaps 34 , 44 and disrupting the light path between the respective emission and detection fibers . in addition , a wall 37 , shown in side view in fig2 a and in top view in fig2 b , is placed between the respective pairs of emission and detection fibers 36 , 32 and 46 , 42 . this wall 37 prevents stray light from one of the emission fibers 36 , 46 from being diffracted into the other pair &# 39 ; s detectors 42 , 32 and thereby affecting the light signal detected across respective first and second gaps 34 , 44 . spectrometer 18 comprises detectors 15 , 17 and analyzes the absolute strength or intensity of the light received from first and second detection fibers 32 , 34 which has been passed on to spectrometer 18 through first and second output cables 25 , 27 . spectrometer 18 determines this absolute light strength for each frequency of light received from the respective first and second detection fibers 32 , 34 . in essence , spectrometer 18 converts the light signals of varying amplitude into a proportional electric signal of varying electrical amplitude . cadmium sulfide ( cds ) or lead sulfide / lead selenium ( pbs / pbse ) detectors 15 , 17 have been found to be particularly adapted to perform this conversion . because two wavelengths of light are passed through the fluid to be tested , and because the light of different frequencies interact with the fluid differently , it is desirable to avoid having light at one wavelength scattered through the fluid into the detector corresponding to the other wavelength . this unwanted scattering is avoided by alternately &# 34 ; pulsing &# 34 ; or activating the respective light emitters 14 , 16 and simultaneously activating the corresponding detectors 15 , 17 within spectrometer 18 . this &# 34 ; pulsing &# 34 ; is done by modulator 28 which is a timer connected to a switch which alternately activates and deactivates the respective light emitters 14 , 16 and corresponding detectors 15 , 17 . an rca - lm555cn timer and ge - cd4066 quad - bilateral switch have been found to produce an excellent modulator 28 . in this way , any scattered light of one wavelength which may be received by the other wavelength &# 39 ; s fiber optic cables due to scattering through the fluid , impinges on an inactive detector . because the detectors 15 , 17 is inactivated by modulator 28 , no &# 34 ; false &# 34 ; reading for the non - activated wavelength is created . additionally , the &# 34 ; pulsing &# 34 ; or modulation of the emitters and detectors helps eliminate noise and drift , whether electronically or environmentally induced , which has been found to be present in long term , precision measurements . after electrical signals corresponding in strength to the light received by respective first and second detection fibers 32 , 34 has been determined , the analog voltage signal produced by each detector is filtered through filter 19 to improve the signal quality . filter 19 may be any analog or digital voltage filter which suppresses spurious noise in the voltage signal from the detectors . for example , filter 19 may include an a to d converter followed by a digital filter followed in turn by a d to a converter . as another example , filter 19 may include a phase locked loop . such filters are well known in the art . the resulting filtered signal is now a &# 34 ; clean &# 34 ; signal free of spurious noise . this &# 34 ; clean &# 34 ; signal may be amplified by amplifiers 23 a , b to produce an appropriate signal strength as needed . the amplifiers 23 may be standard op - amps . the outputs of amplifiers 23 , a , b are passed to log converters 55a , b which determine the log of each wavelength &# 39 ; s signal strength . log converters 55a , b are diode feedback type log converters or log / antilog amps such as ge - 1cl8048 which are well known in the art . the outputs from log converters 55a , b are then divided by analog divider 57 to produce a voltage based on the ratio of the outputs of amplifiers 23a , b . this voltage is indicative of the fluid quality . analog divider 57 may be an analog divider / multiplier such as the burr - brown mpy100ag . this establishes the ratio of the determined logs according to the formula : ## equ1 ## in another embodiment , a central processing unit may be appropriately connected to the outputs of amplifiers 23a , b to calculate , according to preprogrammed instructions , the ratio of voltages and produce a voltage or digital signal indicative of the ratio . in the preferred embodiment , and in the alternate embodiment where a voltage representative of the ratio is produced , when the ratio and consequently voltage moves outside of preselected values , control signals are generated . the determination that the ratio is outside the preselected values is done by a comparator stage generally labeled 56 . comparator 56 may be a dual op amp or part of as standard quad op amp configured to operate in a window . in the alternate embodiment containing a central processing unit , the determination that the ratio is outside of the preselected values and the generation of control signals may be done by the central processing unit in response to preprogrammed instructions . these control signals in turn activate signaling mean 60 for alerting the operator that the fluid has moved outside the range of acceptable operating parameters . these signaling means 60 include , in the preferred embodiment ( fig4 ), led &# 39 ; s 62 , activated through a multiplexer 64 connected to comparator 56 , which visually indicate that the fluid is outside the acceptable operating parameters . alternatively , or in addition , an audio alarm , or additional visual alarm means such as flashing lights , as well as the possibility of interacting with a computerized control system may also be used . in the preferred embodiment , bulk head 49 also includes threads 39 which allow probe 12 to be inserted into the wall of a container containing a reservoir of the fluid or vapor to be tested . o - ring 38 is seated in bulk head 49 so that probe 12 will be in sealing contact with the wall of the container containing the fluid or vapor to be tested . fiber optic input cables 24 , 26 from the light sources 14 , 16 themselves may then be attached to the appropriate fiber optic cables of the probe 12 , or the light sources 14 , 16 may themselves be attached to the ends of fiber optic cables of the probe 12 . also in the preferred embodiment , a power supply 66 ( fig4 ) is provided which is connected to an alternating current source 68 such as a wall socket . power supply 66 converts alternating current to direct current for powering the electronic components of the device 10 by means well known in the art . in an alternate embodiment , a handle may be attached to bulkhead 49 to allow for manual placement of the probe 12 directly into a fluid or vapor to be tested . this embodiment of the invention will be particularly suited for testing samples of fluid in a spot - check fashion . in this embodiment , the spectrometer 18 , filter 19 , log converters 55 , comparator 56 , analog divider 57 and signaling means 60 , as well as first and second light source 14 , 16 may all be contained in a single portable unit which is connected to probe 12 by first and second input and output cables 24 , 26 and 25 , 27 , respectively . in this embodiment , power supply 66 is preferably a battery to render the device 10 more portable . however , the power supply of the preferred embodiment may also be used in this embodiment . while the instant invention has been described in relation to fluids , it works equally well when addressed to the analysis of vapors . when used in this context , vapors instead of fluid is present in the gap 34 , 44 between the fiber optic cables . while the instant invention has been described in what is considered to be the preferred embodiment , as well as alternative embodiments , it is to be understood that these descriptions are given by means of example only , and not by means of limitation . it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the description given and still be within the scope of the invention . further , it is clear that obvious changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art .
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fig1 illustrates a prepared ground surface 10 on top of which an engineered base course 20 has been constructed to provide stable ground support for a liquid storage tank assembly comprising a circular primary tank located generally concentrically inside a circular secondary tank in accordance with the present disclosure . base course 20 will typically be a multi - layered soil structure , and as shown by way of non - limiting example in fig1 a may comprise a layer of compacted granular material 22 placed over ground surface 10 , then finished with a sand layer 24 which can be levelled and compacted to provide a smooth and dense surface . in one embodiment , granular layer 22 may comprise at least a two inches of ½ - inch ( 12 . 7 mm ) crush compacted to at least 100 % of standard proctor maximum dry density . however , the appropriate design and construction of base course 20 for a given installation will preferably be determined having regard to the geotechnical properties of the subsoil where the tanks are to be built . base course 20 will preferably extend radially outward beyond perimeter of the secondary tank by a distance selected to geotechnical requirements and to provide adequate working space during tank construction . for example , for an embodiment of the dual - tank system including a 1 . 25 million usg (≈ 4 . 7 million liters ) primary tank having a diameter of 135 feet (≈ 41 meters ) and disposed within a secondary tank having a diameter of 148 feet (≈ 45 meters ), base course 20 preferably will cover a circular area having a diameter of approximately 200 feet (≈ 61 meters ). base course 20 is preferably covered with a base course protection layer 15 , which in one embodiment may be a double layer of a suitable geotextile . as illustrated in fig2 , the next step in the tank construction process is to provide a flexible , impermeable secondary tank liner 30 , sized and configured to cover the circular base area of the secondary ( i . e ., outer ) tank and to extend upward and over the inside face of perimeter wall of the secondary tank . secondary tank liner 30 is laid out over base course 20 ( and base course protection layer 15 ) so as to cover a generally circular area within the intended circular perimeter of the secondary tank . a suitable liner protection strip 52 is preferably provided over secondary tank liner 30 along a circular path corresponding to the intended perimeter of the primary tank , to provide a surface upon which the walls of the primary tank can be constructed without causing localized damage to the underlying portion of secondary tank liner 30 . liner protection strip 52 may be provided in any form suitable for this purpose , such as ( by way of non - limiting example ) a double ring of geocomposite or geotextile material . in a preferred embodiment , liner protection strip 52 comprises a double layer of geotextile having a felt layer on the top and bottom . either before or after liner protection means 52 has been placed , a flexible , impermeable primary tank liner 40 , sized and configured to cover the circular base area of the primary tank and to extend upward and over the inside face of the perimeter wall of the primary tank , is laid out over secondary tank liner 30 so as to cover a generally circular area within the intended circular perimeter of the primary tank , but the outer portion 40 a of primary tank liner 40 that will ultimately be extended up and over the primary tank wall is rolled up like a tarpaulin such that the rolled - up wall portion 40 a is temporarily positioned a convenient distance radially inward from the intended perimeter of the primary tank . for example , for a primary tank having a diameter of 135 feet (≈ 41 meters ), primary tank liner 40 will preferably be rolled out such that the diameter of rolled - up wall portion 40 a is approximately 90 feet (≈ 27 meters ), in order to provide ample working clearance from the area where the primary tank is to be erected . fig3 illustrates a plurality of curved modular tank wall panels 62 that have been erected over liner protection strip 52 to form the walls of a primary tank 60 . persons skilled in the art will understand that the erection of primary tank wall panels 62 may and typically will entail the use of temporary bracing ( not shown ) to stabilize panels 62 . temporary bracing may be of any suitable type , and may be provided exterior and / or interior to wall panels 62 . suitable protective means should be provided to protect secondary tank liner 30 from damage that might otherwise be caused by the installation of temporary bracing . in an alternative ( and unillustrated ) embodiment of the present tank system construction process , an outer portion of secondary tank liner 30 may be partially rolled up , with the rolled - up portion is positioned fairly close to the perimeter of primary tank 60 , such that exterior temporary bracing can bear directly onto base course protection layer 15 over base course 20 without impinging on secondary tank liner 30 . after all wall panels 62 have been erected to form an inherently stable primary tank 60 , all temporary bracing will be removed . fig4 illustrates the placement of liner protection strips 54 over vertical joints between adjacent primary tank wall panels 62 to protect against localized physical damage to wall portion 40 a of primary tank liner portion 40 when it is extended up and over wall panels 62 , such as liner damage that might occur as a result of movement across vertical joints between adjacent wall panels or panel misalignments due to fabrication and / or erection tolerances . for similar purposes , a continuous liner protection strip 56 is preferably placed along the interior perimeter of primary tank 60 where it rests upon secondary tank liner 30 over base course 20 . it should be understood , however , that liner protection strips 54 and 56 are not essential , and the practical need for same will typically be determined on a case - by - case basis subject to an assessment of the likelihood and potential significance of joint movements and / or tolerance issues . fig5 illustrates a completed primary tank 60 , with wall portion 40 a of primary tank liner 40 deployed to cover the inner surfaces of primary tank wall panels 62 and with an outer edge portion 40 b of primary tank liner 40 extending over the top of wall panels 62 and secured thereto by suitable removable clamp means 45 . fig6 illustrates a plurality of curved modular tank wall panels 72 being erected on top of base course protection layer 15 over base course 20 to form a secondary tank 70 . as shown in fig6 , the outer portion 30 a of secondary tank liner 30 that will ultimately cover the inner surfaces of the secondary tank wall assembly has been rolled up so that it is inside the perimeter of secondary tank 70 , and preferably as close as possible to primary tank 60 to maximize the working room for erecting secondary tank 70 . although not illustrated , temporary bracing will typically be used during the erection of secondary tank wall panels 72 , generally as described above with respect to the erection of primary tank wall panels 62 . in cases where the radial distance between primary tank 60 and secondary tank 70 is not large ( as in the illustrated embodiment ), typically only exterior bracing will be used during the erection of secondary tank wall panels 72 . in alternative embodiments of the tank construction process , secondary tank wall panels 72 could also be temporarily braced against the completed primary tank structure 60 . after all secondary tank wall panels 72 have been erected so as to form an inherently stable secondary tank 70 , all temporary bracing can be removed . liner protection strips ( not shown ) may be placed over vertical joints between adjacent secondary tank wall panels 72 and along the interior perimeter of secondary tank 70 where it rests upon base course 20 , generally as described previously with respect to primary tank 60 . fig7 illustrates a completed secondary tank 70 , with wall portion 30 a of secondary tank liner 30 deployed to cover the inner surfaces of secondary tank wall panels 72 and with an outer edge portion 30 b of secondary tank liner 30 extending over the top of wall panels 72 and secured thereto by suitable removable clamp means 35 . the tank assembly is now ready to receive ancillary equipment and appurtenances ( e . g ., tank inlet and outlet piping ; tank level gauges ; catwalks and access platforms ). fig8 and 9 illustrate non - limiting examples of curved modular tank wall panels 62 ( or 72 ), each comprising a horizontally - curved tank wall plate 63 ( 73 ) reinforced by a plurality externally - mounted , horizontally - curved structural stiffeners 64 ( 74 ), and with secondary vertical stiffeners 66 ( 76 ) extending between vertically - adjacent horizontal stiffeners 64 ( 74 ). the spacing of horizontal stiffeners 64 ( 74 ) preferably becomes smaller toward the bottom of wall panel 62 ( 72 ), thus reducing the vertical span of wall plate 63 ( 73 ) in order to minimizing wall plate thickness requirements while keeping flexural stresses in wall plate 63 ( 73 ) within safe limits as hydrostatic pressures exerted against wall plate 63 ( 73 ) increase toward the bottom of wall panel 62 ( 72 ). an edge stiffener 65 ( 75 ) is provided along each vertical side edge of wall panel 62 ( 72 ). in the illustrated embodiment , and as shown in detail in fig9 , edge stiffeners 65 ( 75 ) are provided with bolt holes for receiving bolts 68 which will be installed in the field to structurally connect adjacent wall panels 62 ( 72 ). however , the illustrated panel connection detail is by way of non - limiting example only , and persons skilled in the art will appreciate that wall panels 62 ( 72 ) can be structurally interconnected in various different ways , and that the selected structural connection details have no material bearing on the disclosed tank construction systems and concepts . fig1 illustrates the completed dual - tank system in operation , with primary tank 60 filled with liquid . in the event of a leak developing in primary tank liner 40 , any escaping liquid will be retained by secondary tank liner 30 within secondary tank 70 . when the tank system is no longer needed on site , it is a simple matter to disassemble tanks 60 and 70 and to remove their respective liners 40 and 30 and all related components , by essentially reversing the various steps described above . the site can then be landscaped as desired to restore the site to a substantially natural and environmentally undisturbed condition . it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications to embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the scope of the present teachings , including modifications using equivalent structures or materials hereafter conceived or developed . it is to be especially understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to described or illustrated embodiments , and that the substitution of a variant of a described or claimed element or feature , without any substantial resultant change in functionality , will not constitute a departure from the scope of the disclosure . in this patent document , any form of the word “ comprise ” is to be understood in its non - limiting sense to mean that any item following such word is included , but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded . a reference to an element by the indefinite article “ a ” does not exclude the possibility that more than one such element is present , unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one such element . as used herein , relative or relational terms such as but not limited to “ vertical ” are not intended to denote or require mathematical or geometric precision . accordingly , such terms are to be understood in a general sense rather than a precise sense ( e . g ., “ substantially vertical ”), unless the context clearly requires otherwise . wherever used in this document , the terms “ typical ” and “ typically ” are to be understood in the sense of representative or common usage or practice , and are not to be understood as implying invariability or essentiality .
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a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig2 . the high speed water jet blocker 10 includes a main housing 18 , with a projecting portion 16 . the main housing 18 and the projecting portion 16 include cavities with a connecting passageway for housing a rotary actuator 32 , a blocking bar 22 , an output shaft 30 , a pivot arm 28 , vertical pins 26 and a collar 24b . the main housing 18 and projecting portion 16 are preferably composed of a high density polypropylene , such as delrin ®. for the purposes of this detailed description , the high speed water jet blocker 10 shown in fig2 is in an upright position with a top and bottom where the projecting portion 16 of the water jet blocker 10 is attached to and flush with the base of the main housing 18 . also , the views of fig1 a and 1b are toward the bottom of the water jet blocker 10 . within projecting portion 16 is a downwardly extending counterbore cavity 19 that opens at the top of the projecting portion 16 . the open upper end of the counterbore cavity 19 receives a nozzle 14 attached to the discharge end of a high pressure water line ( not shown ). the nozzle 14 supplies ( discharges ) a very fine , high pressure , high speed fluid or water jet 12 in a vertically descending direction into counterbore cavity 19 . a small opening 20 at the base of counterbore cavity 19 provides an opening for the high speed water jet 12 to exit projecting portion 16 for the purpose of cutting products located below the blocker 10 . small opening 20 is large enough to avoid interfering with the flow of water jet 12 . also , a disk - shaped carbide insert 23 surrounds small opening 20 , protecting it from wear due to high pressure deflected fluid . also located within counterbore cavity 19 of projection portion 16 is the distal end of a pivotal blocking bar 22 . the pivotal blocking bar 22 has two operational positions within the counterbore cavity 19 . as shown in fig1 a , the first operational position is a water jet blocking or interrupting position . blocking bar 22 provides interruption of the flow of the water jet 12 because of its location over small opening 20 . as shown in fig1 b , the other operational position is a cutting position since blocking bar 22 is dislocated laterally from small opening 20 thereby providing an uninterrupted flow of water jet 12 . as shown in fig1 a , a lateral passageway 24a creates a path from the counterbore cavity 19 to a lower cavity 25 within main housing 18 . lower cavity 25 creates an opening at the base of main housing 18 and extends vertically to a level higher than passageway 24a , but lower than the top of projecting portion 16 , as shown in fig2 . blocking bar 22 is disposed within passageway 24a and supported by a collar 24b to extend into lower cavity 25 . collar 24b is preferably composed of stainless steel and press fit within the passageway 24a . an o - ring seal 24c is used to prevent water from entering lower cavity 25 . the o - ring seal is seated within a groove formed in the internal diameter of the collar 24b . the internal ends of the collar 24b are beveled allowing the bar to pivot freely side - to - side , as discussed more fully below , without interference with the collar . the proximal end of blocking bar 22 that extends into the lower cavity 25 extends between a pair of spaced apart pins 26 extending transversely downwardly from the distal end of a pivot arm 28 . the proximal end of pivot arm 28 is securedly connected to an output shaft 30 . as shown in fig2 output shaft 30 extends through a vertical opening 31 at the top of lower cavity 25 from a rotary actuator 32 contained in an upper cavity 33 formed within main housing 18 . the upper cavity has a base that is approximately at the same vertical elevation as the top of projecting portion 16 . the upper and lower cavities are approximately equal in diameter and both have a larger diameter than the diameter of counterbore cavity 19 . also , upper cavity 33 is open at the top of main housing 18 . both cavity openings are closed by corresponding cavity caps 39 . as shown in fig1 a , the output shaft 30 , pivoted by the rotary actuator 32 , is at a maximum counter - clockwise position . when the output shaft 30 of rotary actuator 32 is in such maximum counter - clockwise position , pivot arm 28 is also at a maximum counter - clockwise position , thereby pivoting the blocking bar 22 in a clockwise direction about collar 24b to block the flow of water jet 12 . as shown in fig1 b , rotary actuator 32 rotates the output shaft 30 and pivot arm 28 to a fully clockwise position . correspondingly , the blocking bar 22 is pivoted in a counter - clockwise direction about collar 24b , thereby retracting the blocking bar 22 out of the path of the water jet 12 to allow the water jet to flow through the water jet blocker 10 . the total range of rotation of the output shaft 30 and pivot arm 28 is approximately forty - five degrees with somewhat equal rotation relative to a longitudinal centerline 46 extending between the centers of small opening 20 and output shaft 30 . as shown in fig1 a and 1b , the longitudinal centerline 47 of passageway 24a is offset slightly from longitudinal centerline 46 . passageway 24a is offset so blocking bar 22 covers small opening 20 when the output shaft 30 and pivot arm 28 are in the fully counter - clockwise position and so blocking bar 22 does not block small opening 20 when the output shaft 30 and pivot arm 28 are in the fully clockwise position . an exhaust port 44 provides a lateral opening from counterbore cavity 19 at a position on the counterbore cavity 19 diametrically opposed from passageway 24a . the base of exhaust port 44 is shown at the same elevation as blocking bar 22 . exhaust port 44 provides a route for fluid to escape counterbore cavity 19 during water jet interruption . a further aspect of the present invention is illustrated in fig1 a , 1b and 2 . an annular cavity 40 is defined by the internal diameter of the upper cavity 33 and a metallic sleeve 43 . ideally the sleeve 43 is composed of aluminum or similar metal . sleeve 43 includes a cylindrical body portion 43a and upper and lower flanges 43b and 43c that extend radially outwardly from the upper and lower ends of the sleeve . the sleeve body portion 43a snugly surrounds the lower portion 41 of the actuator , and the outer circumferences of the flanges 43b and 43c snugly engage against the inner surface of the main housing 18 that defines the outer diameter of the annular cavity 40 . it will be appreciated that the upper , lower and inner walls of annular cavity 40 are formed by the flanges 43b and 43c and body portion 43a , respectively , of the sleeve 43 . also , sleeve 43 occupies the space in upper cavity 33 below an upper portion of rotary actuator 32 not occupied by the lower portion 41 of rotary actuator 32 and annular cavity 40 . an inlet port 38 leads into the annular cavity 40 , and a pair of outlet ports 35a and 35b leads away from annular cavity 40 . the input port 38 is located at the lower portion of the annular cavity 40 along longitudinal centerline 46 . input port 38 is connectable to a pressurized air source . also , input port 38 is located on the main housing 18 distally opposed from projecting portion 16 . exhaust ports 35a and 35b are located approximately equidistant from longitudinal centerline 46 . the exhaust ports connect to air passageways 42a and 42b leading between annular cavity 40 and counterbore cavity 19 . air passageways 42a and 42b extend down main housing 18 angled slightly towards projecting portion 16 . within projecting portion 16 , air passageways 42a and 42b extend horizontally at an elevation approximately equal to the elevation of passageway 24a . the horizontal sections of the air passageways 42a and 42b angle toward the center of counterbore cavity 19 to deliver , through openings in counterbore cavity 19 , high pressure air on either side of blocking bar 22 . when an air source is attached , pressurized air follows air path 36 and enters inlet port 38 , travels through annular cavity 40 , exits through exhaust ports 35a and 35b , travels through passageways 42a and 42b , and enters counterbore cavity 19 to blow excess or deflected fluid out of counterbore cavity 19 through exhaust port 44 . pressurized air continuously flows thus providing a cooling effect on sleeve 43 which conducts heat away from rotary actuator 32 . as noted above , sleeve 43 in addition to defining portions of annular cavity 40 , also serves to seal the lower portion 41 of the rotary actuator 32 from moisture . such moisture may be latent within the air supplied to the jet blocker 10 through input port 38 . also , the moisture may originate from the water jet 12 and may &# 34 ; back up &# 34 ; into the cavity 40 through the air passageways 42a and 42b and exhaust ports 35a and 35b . rotary actuator 32 is a device that converts electric energy into a controlled rotary force that is quickly reversible in the rotary direction . the rotary actuator can pivot the pivot arm 28 into the path of the water jet 12 and reverse direction to retract the pivot arm out of the path of the water jet in as little as 9 milliseconds . electrical energy is provided to a rotary actuator 32 from a power supply through power cord port 37 located above input port 38 , as shown in fig2 . the water jet blocker 10 is controlled by and used in various systems . as shown in fig3 the present invention uses some form of processing unit or computer 49 to supply the rotary actuator 32 with a controlled electrical energy supply . processing unit 49 , with predefined routines , controls an electrical signal sent to rotary actuator 32 , thereby controlling the cutting pattern of water jet blocker 10 . multiple waterjet blockers can be used in conjunction with a computer controller for performing simultaneous high speed interactive cuts . some systems that incorporate the blocking device of the present invention are designed to operate continuously or with very little down time thereby requiring a cutting device with effective and efficient maintenance . due to the destructive force of high speed water jet 12 , blocking bar 22 is eventually eroded away , thereby reducing the efficient feature of the system . one solution is a bar adjustment mechanism 27 and 29 within the water jet blocker 10 . a knurled lead screw 29 controls the longitudinal position of an adjusting backstop 27 . as shown in fig1 a , 1b and 2 , screw 29 is sealed with respect to housing 18 by an o - ring in a through hole located below input port 38 at approximately the elevation center of lower cavity 25 . also , the thread , leading portion of screw 29 extends into lower cavity 25 to a position free from interfering with pivot arm 28 . backstop 27 is positioned within lower cavity 25 . the backstop includes a rear portion that includes an upwardly extending abutment wall having a threaded opening formed therein to receive the complementarily threaded lead portion of screw 29 . the backstop also includes a front or leading end that abuts against the proximal ( rear ) end of blocking bar 22 . rotation of screw 29 adjusts the longitudinal ( forward and rearward ) position of backstop 27 , thereby correspondingly adjusting the longitudinal position of blocking bar 22 . adjustment of the longitudinal position of the bar within the blocker 10 , provides multiple water jet contact locations along the length of the bar , effectively delaying failure of the bar . another solution is a quick and efficient bar rotation or removal . under normal operating conditions , blocking bar 22 maintains its longitudinal as well as its rotational position relative to water jet 12 . this lack of &# 34 ; walking &# 34 ; movement of the bar causes water jet 12 to consistently strike blocking bar 22 at the same spot on the bar . as can be appreciated , eventually the water jet 12 erodes away enough of the bar 22 to cause the bar to sever or otherwise fail . quick and convenient rotation of the bar provides extended bar life , thereby improving the maintainability of the bar . bar composition is also important in reducing maintenance time . the bar could be composed of titanium which is highly resistant to erosion by the high pressure water jet . the bar alternatively could be composed of a carbide core covered with a stainless steel cover sized to impose a high compressive load on the core . applicants have found that although the stainless steel cover may erode rather quickly , the loaded carbide core is highly resistant to erosion , much more so than if the stainless steel cover were not used . while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described , it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
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turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate the parts , fig1 and 2 disclose perspective views for mixing and conveying machine 10 in accordance with the invention . the mixing and conveying machine includes a base frame 2 a hopper 14 mounted on the base 12 and a mixing and conveyor frame 16 behind carries a mixing and conveyor system 18 . the base 12 is mounted upon a set of wheels to facilitate transport as shown in fig1 . the mobile hopper 14 has an openable port 20 on the lower end of the hopper to allow flowable material to be released . the hopper is preferably designed with square side walls 20 with generally inverted pyramid base 22 , a slidable gate 24 to selectively deliver an admixture from the hopper into the mixing and conveying system 18 the hopper side walls 20 are supported at the corners by angle iron legs 28 that are pivotally mounted to the base 12 as at 30 . the angle iron legs 28 are in turn pivotally connected to the side walls of the hopper 20 as at 32 . at approximately a mid portion of the conveyor frame is a cable winch 34 which may be hand operated or power driven as desired to raise and lower the hopper 20 in an operative manner that will be discussed below in connection with fig9 . the conveyor frame 16 serves to support a mining and conveying system 18 . this conveying system includes a base end wall 36 and side walls 38 which join into an arcuate base to form a trough , note fig2 and 5 . a drive shaft 42 is journaled at each end within the trough and is operably connected to a prime mover 44 such as a hydraulic or electric variable speed motor . the motor is geared to the shaft at a base or proximal end of the conveyor beneath the hopper 14 . the drive shaft 42 operably carries a flight of auger blades 46 that serve to advance and mix material dropped into the trough from the hopper 14 . the rate of advancement can be adjusted by varying the speed of the drive system motor 44 or transmission connected between the motor 44 and shaft 42 . in one embodiment the auger flights are mounted upon collars that are slid serially onto the drive shaft 42 and each segment is keyed to the shaft to rotate with the shaft . however , the pitch of each segment of auger blades may vary and thus the rates of advancement and mixing of the materials within the trough can be varied along the length of the trough . fluid can be added during the mixing and blending operation within the trough by a fluid line 50 , note fig1 and 8 and a spray or drizzle nozzle head 52 , a valve 54 , which can be handled or remotely operated , serves to control the rate of fluid addition such as water to an admixture of concrete , solvent to a mixture of plastic particles , binder to sand for molding , and the like . a distal end 56 of the mixing and conveying auger is supported by a hand adjustable stand 58 , note fig3 and 7 and an a - frame 60 terminates in a trailer hitch or eye opening 62 to facilitate transport of the unit on and to a job site . the distal end 64 of the mixing and conveyor system 18 is open and fluidized admixture are evicted from the trough by gravity through the a - frame 60 to a desired work location . in operation the machine 10 is transportable to a worksite via conventional towing and is typically stationed as shown in fig9 a . prior to beginning the loading operation for the movable delivery hopper 14 the stabilizer arms 60 are lowered and locked into ground engaging position as shown in fig9 b . the mobile hopper 14 is then lowered from a parked position to a loading position as shown in fig9 b thru 9 d via the cable winch system 34 . once the hopper has been loaded with dry ad mixture the winch system 34 is employed to return the hopper 14 into the parked or delivery position shown in fig9 e . also as shown in fig9 e and 9 f the towing hitch 60 can be removed , as an option , to allow free delivery of a hydrated ad mixture from the distal end 64 of the mixing conveyor 18 . in the broadest sense the inventive machine is a general purpose mixing and delivery vehicle that mixes and conveys a delivery product to a useful port at the end of an auger . such a machine finds ready utility in the manufacture of hydrated cement which undergoes initial hydration as the mix , which is initially dry , traverses the conveyor toward the distal delivery end of the system . by providing the various machine elements described in the foregoing paragraphs a ready mix cement product is produced in small and variable quantities as needed with the machine retaining the capability to supply large projects by either operating continuously or by continuing to supply batches or runs in quick succession so that a continuous pour or placement is accomplished . the instant inventive machine provides a solution to the problem of correct batch mix proportions by using a pre - mixed dry mixture that is received or loaded into the delivery hopper 14 . prior attempts to accurately and carefully meter out the proportions of sand , gravel and portland cement at the exit point for hopper systems present complicated arrangements that are not required in this machine . either an off - site mixed dry mix is used or a separate dry mixing machine ( not a part of this invention ) is used to provide a properly proportioned dry mix . of course , the invention is not limited to use in mixing and delivering concrete as other admixtures of sand and binder , plastic pellets and solvent , plaster of paris and water , and other mixtures can be made with the subject invention . once the dry mix is loaded into the delivery hopper the hopper is moved to the delivery position , fig9 e , and with the conveyor auger 46 rotating . the hopper delivery gate 24 is opened sufficiently to establish a continuous flow of dry mixture to fall by gravity onto the proximal end of the mixture and conveyor system . the hopper delivery gate 24 is manually operated by a lever arm 27 connected to a pivot and a linkage that connects to the slidable delivery gate 24 . as the dry mix is further mixed by the lifts on the conveyor screw or helicoidal mixing element 46 , a liquid supply system 50 - 52 provides the aqueous or other fluid component by way of a delivery hose joined to a quick connector on the delivery piping 50 . a control valve 54 provides for graduated metering of the aqueous component that exits the liquid supply system at a delivery port 52 which is optionally fitted with a nozzle to disperse the aqueous component onto the traveling dry mix . as the mixing continues along the transporter trough the hydration step is accomplished and a ready fresh mix of cement for mortar or concrete exits the delivery port at the distal end 64 of the conveyor frame 16 . as has been inferred , the machine has a drive system to cause the auger 18 to rotate to deliver product . in this drive system the prime mover 44 which is optionally an internal combustion engine connected to a transmission and then to a prime sprocket gear on the proximal end of the auger shaft . the prime mover or drive engine produces the rotational forces to turn the auger . this rotational force producing prime mover is not limited to an internal combustion engine but could be an hydraulic or electric motor . the output shaft of the prime mover delivers high speed rotational forces via a drive pulley which typically accommodates a v - belt or a grooved belt to deliver force to the transmission input shaft . the flexible belt provides frictional engagement to the surfaces of the drive pulley and is trained around an input pulley that resides on the transmission input shaft . the transmission or gear box is a gear set or input - output variation device to reduce the high speed revolutions of the prime mover to make a suitable speed drive for rotating the auger . a gear shift lever 70 extends from the transmission to allow suitable speeds to be selected . an output sprocket resides on the transmission &# 39 ; s output shaft and has an endless multi - link flexible chain trained around it and the prime sprocket gear to transfer the rotational forces from the transmission output shaft to the proximal end of the auger shaft 42 . the movement of the hopper is controlled by a cable winch system 34 which provides a mechanical connection between the auger frame 16 and the moveable delivery hopper 14 to urge the movement of the delivery hopper from a loading position shown in fig9 d to a delivery or parked position above the proximal end of the conveyor frame via a cable that is attached to the hopper by a hook eye . the dual parallelogram geometry of the hopper support arms 28 and arm stops control the center of gravity for the hopper to prevent travel over center allowing the cable winch system 34 to lower the hopper into the loading position by action of gravity . in describing the invention , reference has been made to a preferred embodiment and illustrative advantages of the invention . those skilled in the art , however , and familiar with the instant disclosure of the subject invention , will recognize additions , deletions , modifications , substitutions and other changes which fall within the purview of the subject invention .
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fig1 is a cross section of an illustrative prior art actuator taken from fig6 of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 512 , 871 . the actuator consists of a magnetized disc 102 which is glued to a ferromagnetic yoke 112 and thus constitutes the movable device 100 , which is connected to a coupling shaft 110 . the stationary part 108 comprises a stationary stator assembly . a thrust ball bearing 104 is necessary to limit the axial movement of the moveable device 100 toward the stationary stator assembly 108 . it is to be noted that the yoke rotates with the magnetized disc and thus introduces the problems mentioned above with respect to the prior art such as in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 512 , 871 issued apr . 30 , 1996 and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 313 , 553 the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety herein for all purposes . fig2 is a view of a prior art stator circuit and shows the stator poles 206 mechanically pressed into a stator base 200 . the four stator poles 206 each have a pole shoe 202 at the level of their heads in order to reach the maximum angular travel as close as possible to the ninety degree theoretical travel , which in the case of this prior art actuator is approximately only 75 degrees . the electric supply coils 204 used for generating the magnetic flux for the actuator are placed on each of the four stator poles 206 . when saturation appears at high currents for the desired creation of high torque , most of the coil 204 flux does not pass through the rotor magnet , which would create the torque , but instead closes itself on the neighboring coil 204 . fig3 shows a general view of the actuator 10 in an embodiment in accordance with the principles of this invention . the actuator comprises first and second like overmolded stator assemblies 12 and a coupling belt 14 and other components all as further described in fig4 . fig4 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention 10 . the actuator comprises first and second overmolded stator assemblies 12 , a coupling belt 14 and a magnetized disc rotor 16 . disc rotor 16 is attached to shaft 18 by coupling member 20 to apply its rotation to the shaft . the rotor 16 is located in an airgap between the two stator assemblies 12 defined by the coupling belt 14 by an inward facing lip 22 and bearing surfaces 24 and 26 which are illustrated in fig8 , 11 and 12 . the first and second bearing surfaces 24 and 26 against which both stator assemblies 12 are seated defines the airgap e . coupling belt 14 in one embodiment is configured as a sufficiently rigid circular belt as will become clearer hereinafter . it has cutout ears 28 with openings for engaging clips as will be described below . the stator assemblies 12 are positioned in the belt from opposite directions and seat on the corresponding bearing surfaces 24 and 26 , as shown , in a manner which defines a magnetic airgap e for disc magnet rotor 16 which is positioned with respect to the bearing surfaces 24 and 26 . the dimension e1 and e2 are the distances from the stator pole end faces 36 ( see fig5 ) to the facing surface of the rotor . in typical embodiments , disc magnet rotor 16 is located in the center of the magnetic airgap e equally spaced from the stator assemblies , that is , e1 equals e2 . it is understood that the shaft 18 is axially fixed with respect to the stator assemblies 12 , and that the rotor 16 is also axially fixed and coupled on the shaft 18 so that when the unit is assembled the rotor 16 is in an axially fixed position within the magnetic airgap e . in typical applications , the rotor 16 will be maintained without any net axial force due to the symmetry of the magnetic forces provided by equal spacing and axially symmetrical like stator assemblies on each side of the rotor . however , in certain applications of the invention such as when there is a vibration environment , it may be advantageous to introduce an axial force on the rotor 16 to resist vibration in one direction and thereby to help maintain the application &# 39 ; s load in its axial location . to resist vibration in one direction , the location of disc magnet rotor 16 on the shaft 18 can be axially adjusted , toward either stator assembly 12 , to provide the desired axial force on the rotor 16 , with no reduction of output torque . another means for inducing an axial force on the rotor 16 is described below with reference to fig1 a - 18 c . this adjustment of the axial force on the rotor can be implemented in both the 2 pole and the 4 pole configuration . it is to be noted that in the applications for which this invention is intended , a high dynamic response capability is an important requirement in order to position the application in as short a time as possible . a measure of the ability of the actuator to produce the required torque and to position the application to its commanded position is provided by the use of figures of merit , and herein , a figure of merit ak is defined which has an absolute numerical value equal to or greater than about 1 , 000 and is calculated by the ratio of motor steepness divided by motor inertia j m , where motor steepness is equal to the square of the motor constant k m . k m describes the motor &# 39 ; s ability to produce output torque based on input electrical power and is an intrinsic figure of merit useful to compare different motors . k m is proportional to the ratio of output torque ( t ) to the square root of input power ( w ), i . e . j m is the sum of the rotor 16 inertia and the shaft 18 inertia and the coupling member 20 inertia as can be seen in fig4 . motor constant k m . motor steepness , motor inertia j m , torque t and input power w are terms and figures of merit known to those skilled in the art of motor design . an exemplary actuator of a 2 pole configuration as described herein may be constructed with parameters as in table 1 to provide the figure of merit ak at least equal to 1 , 000 . in the example given : fig5 is a view of the stator structure 30 of the present invention which advantageously may be made by the sintered powder metal process . in this exemplary version , the stator structure 30 has two poles 32 and a base 34 . the poles 32 have end faces 36 . the stator structure 30 defines a u - shaped configuration . fig6 is a view of a stator circuit 40 of a 2 pole configuration of the present invention showing coils 42 wound on molded bobbins 44 and terminated in pins 46 to provide access for electrical connection . the bobbins 44 are mounted on the poles 32 of the stator structure 30 . fig7 is a view of the overmolded stator assembly 12 of the present invention for a 2 pole configuration . in this view stator pole end faces 36 and coil connections 46 are visible . the overmolding material 44 may be a thermoplastic polymer of the liquid crystal polymer ( lcp ) type , a commercial example being zenite , or a thermoplastic polyamide formulation , commercially known examples being stanyl and zytel . the overmolding 44 makes it possible to provide a mechanical connection of the overmolded stator assembly 12 with the belt 14 or a cover 48 ( fig1 ) by the presence of fastener elements in the form of protruding grippers or clips 50 on which mating fastener elements in the form of cutout ears 52 ( fig1 ) of the coupling belt 14 or the cutout ears 54 of the cover 48 ( fig1 ) are fastened . while the mating fasteners hold the parts together , it is the lip 22 ( fig1 and 12 ) that defines the precise dimension of the airgap e . the airgap e is the distance between facing stator pole end faces , or between stator pole end faces on one side and a passive stator on the other side of the rotor as will be described in more detail below . in the present embodiment , because the overmolding is coplanar with the stator pole end faces , the dimension e is determined by the width of the lip 22 having its bearing surfaces 24 and 26 bearing on the overmolding of the stator assemblies . in any configuration the width of the lip may be adjusted to ensure that the dimension e is the distance between pole end faces or pole end faces and a passive stator as the case may be . it should be noted that in addition to the mechanical connection of the stator assemblies 12 with the coupling belt 14 , there is a magnetic axial force between the stator assemblies 12 and the rotor 16 which contributes to holding the actuator 10 together and in particular to cause the stator assemblies 12 to firmly seat on the bearing surfaces 24 and 26 of the lip 22 . fig8 is a cross section view through 8 - 8 of fig7 . in this view , the u - shape of the cross section through the stator poles 36 is evident . the magnetic airgap e is determined by engagement of the lip sides 24 and 26 with the overmolded stator assemblies 12 . the magnetic flux circuit fc flows efficiently through the stators . fig9 is a schematic view along arrow a of fig3 of the stator structure 30 showing the u - shaped cross section and defining key dimensions d and h . dimension d is the spacing between the poles 36 and is in the range of about 2 to 5 times the magnetic airgap e , and preferably is about 4 times the magnetic airgap e providing sufficient spacing to prevent electromagnetic flux leakage between the energized coils . dimension h is the height of the stator pole 36 above the base 34 and is less than about 8 times the magnetic airgap e and preferably about equal to or less than 6 times the magnetic airgap e allowing the energizing coil to have sufficient copper volume for operation of the invention . it is also to be noted that prior art rotary actuators may also be equipped with angular position sensors . this type of configuration is often called a servo - actuator . such a sensor requires an additional magnet mounted on the rotating yoke and a sensor receiver attached to the actuator cover . a feature of actuators in accordance with the principles of this invention is the absence of the additional magnet . a sensor receiver is located in a position in the belt 14 in energy coupling relationship to the magnetized disc magnet rotor 16 as is discussed below . fig1 a is view showing a non - circular magnet rotor 56 functioning as the magnetic emitter for the sensor receiver 58 to determine rotor angular position . the sensor 58 is mounted in the belt 14 . the use of a non - circular , for example elliptical , rotor creates a varying distance between the rotor 16 and the sensor receiver 58 whereby the consequent varying magnetic field strength information is utilized to determine angular position information . the non - circular configuration is illustrated by the dimension d1 being greater than the dimension d2 . fig1 b is another way to provide the varying magnetic flux signal to the sensor 58 . in this embodiment , a portion 60 n and 60 s of each pole is magnetized with a progressively or discretely varying changing magnetic field strength as the magnetic emitter so that the sensor 58 receives the varying flux as a varying signal , the dash lines schematically depicting the variation . fig1 and 12 are views of the belt 14 . the belt material may be of a thermoplastic polyester , such as dupont crastin pbt . the central lip 22 spaces the stator assemblies 12 apart to fix the magnetic airgap e as seen in fig8 . cutout ears 52 are used to clip onto grippers 50 of the stator assemblies 20 . electrical connections to the stator circuit coil pins 46 are carried out in the areas 62 . if a sensor receiver 58 is mounted in the belt 14 , areas 62 may also be used for its electrical connections . the lip 24 is shown as a continuous element , but it could be discontinuous so long as there are enough portions of the surfaces 24 and 26 to maintain the airgap e . this is illustrated in fig2 in which lip segments 64 are spaced apart . fig1 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the present invention 10 where the angular position receiver 58 is mounted to a printed circuit board or leadframe 66 in the cover 48 and a magnetic field emitter 68 is mounted to the end of shaft 18 . cutout ears 54 mechanically fix the cover 48 to the stator assembly 20 by clipping onto grippers 50 . fig1 a and 14 b show schematic views of the magnetic poles of the stators 36 a and 36 b and the two pole pairs 70 of rotor 16 in the various operating positions for a 2 pole con figuration . the demarcation or transition of the magnetic pole pairs in the rotor 16 is shown at 72 . in fig1 a the rotor 16 is in a ready position relative to the stators 36 a and 36 b , which in an initial ready state are not energized . the ready position is at nominally − 45 ° to the center of the pole 36 a . the rotor 16 is at one end of its useful stroke because of its connection to one extreme position of the user application , e . g . an air valve “ fully open ”. as seen in fig8 , to operate the actuator the stators 36 a and 36 b will be energized as n and s poles respectively and the stators 36 c and 36 d will be energized as s and n poles respectively . that will cause the rotor to rotate in the direction of the arrow r . this will rotate the shaft 18 to operate the user application . fig1 b shows the position of the rotor 16 after rotation to the other end of its useful stroke , to a final position at nominally + 45 ° to the center of the pole 36 a which is the other extreme position of the application , e . g . an air valve “ fully closed ”. if the current is removed from the coils , a mechanical means such as a spring may be employed to cause the actuator to return to the first ready position . typically the application equipment will provide the return spring , although the actuator can have it built - in . fig1 is a graph of a 2 pole rotary actuator according to the invention that is , 2 stator poles on each side of the rotor and the rotor having 2 pole pairs . in the graph , the 90 ° useful stroke has substantially constant torque , and the torque is proportional to the applied current , and in the art is taken as a constant torque actuator . fig1 a - 16 c illustrate a 4 pole configuration 74 of the invention ; that is 4 stator poles on each of the stator assemblies 76 a and 76 b on each side of the rotor 78 and the rotor 78 having 4 pole pairs . although the belt 14 is not shown in this figure , when installed it would define the airgap space e . fig1 b shows the start position for the 4 pole configuration , at nominally − 25 ° from the center of the stator pole , and fig1 c shows the final position at nominally + 25 ° from the center of the stator pole . typically the 4 pole configuration has a useful stroke for constant torque of approximately 50 to 65 degrees . fig1 is a graph of a 4 pole rotary actuator according to the invention . in the graph a 50 ° useful stroke of constant torque is depicted . fig1 a - 18 c show an asymmetric embodiment 80 of the invention . in the asymmetric embodiment as shown by comparing fig1 b and 18 c , the stator poles 82 on one side of the rotor 16 are larger than the stator poles 84 on the other side . this results in an axial attraction force on the rotor 40 toward the larger stator poles , which is useful to resist vibration from the user application . although a 2 pole configuration is shown , the asymmetry can be similarly implemented in a 4 pole configuration . fig1 shows another embodiment 90 of the invention in which the rotor 16 has a stator assembly 12 on one side of the airgap e and a passive stator assembly 94 exemplified with a ferromagnetic plate 96 on the other side . this embodiment provides a lower cost actuator but with lower torque . the passive stator can be constructed in any form that has a surface opposite the end faces of the active stator assembly . for example a 2 pole stator without coils could be used . it can appreciated that with a passive stator the airgap dimension e is the distance between the end faces of the active stator poles and the opposite surface of the passive stator . this is shown in fig1 in which the stator assembly 12 is on one side of the rotor 16 and a passive assembly 94 is on the opposite side with the plate 96 serving as the passive stator . the actuator may be attached to an operated device of the type in which the equipment directly drives the application in a rotary movement , or converts the rotation of the shaft to linear motion . fig2 schematically shows the actuator 10 attached to an operated device 100 of the type in which an operated part 102 is directly rotated by the rotation of the shaft 104 , along with a stop mechanism 106 . this would be exemplified by an on - off butterfly air valve . either of the types of equipment , rotary or linear , can be used with the servo actuator version of the invention in which the amount of rotation or linear movement of the equipment and the amount of rotation of the rotor is sensed by the sensor and commands are given by a control system to change the rotational position of the rotor and consequently of the served equipment . examples of rotary control applications using the actuator &# 39 ; s output torque are air or exhaust gas recirculation ( egr ) control valves , turbocharger variable geometry vane or waste gate control , or throttles utilizing a “ butterfly valve ” configuration . rotary - to - linear motion may be accomplished via a “ crank and slider ” mechanism or by a rotating cam with a roller follower producing the linear motion and force . egr valves of the pintle type and variable geometry turbochargers are examples of automotive applications that can utilize this invention . these applications typically have a “ home ” position , maintained with no power applied to the actuator , and a powered end - of - stroke position where the application is at its maximum value . the invention will be controlled to take a position anywhere along the stroke , and will rapidly move back and forth along the stroke as commanded . a “ fail safe ” return spring is often incorporated in the application to return the actuator to its home position in the event of a power failure and when power is purposely shut down . in the absence of a return spring , the actuator can hold its end - of - stroke position , at either end , without power being applied . fig2 illustrates an integrated version of the invention in which the overmolding 44 of the stator assembly is molded commonly with the belt 14 to create an integrated part 110 that is , the belt and stator assembly as an integrated structure . in this embodiment , the shaft , the rotor and the opposite stator assembly are conveniently assembled to the integrated part 110 . this enables easy assembly and eliminates one dimensional tolerance variation in establishing the airgap space e . fig2 illustrates the embodiment of the belt 14 in which the lip is discontinuous as shown by the spaced apart lip segments 64 . the foregoing detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law . it is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form or forms described , but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation . the possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art . no limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances , feature dimensions , specific operating conditions , engineering specifications , or the like , and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art , and no limitation should be implied therefrom . this disclosure has been made with respect to the current state of the art , but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration of those advancements , namely in accordance with the then current state of the art . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims as written and equivalents as applicable . reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean “ one and only one ” unless explicitly so stated . moreover , no element , component , nor method or process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element , component , or step is explicitly recited in the claims . no claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 u . s . c . sec . 112 , sixth paragraph , unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “ means for . . . ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step , or steps , are expressly recited using the phrase “ comprising step ( s ) for . . . ”
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referring first to fig1 , an actuator assembly 100 usable in an aircraft is shown . the actuator assembly 100 includes an actuator housing 110 . an input shaft 120 is coupled to an output shaft 130 in a coaxial relation . providing a connection between the input shaft 120 and output shaft 130 is a no - back device 140 . the output shaft 130 is locked by the no - back device 140 to prevent external loads from back driving the actuator assembly 100 into a potentially hazardous position in the event of a structural failure or disconnect of the input shaft to the actuator . the input shaft 120 may be driven either clockwise or counterclockwise . when the no - back device 140 is functioning properly and the input shaft 120 is stationary , the output shaft 130 is automatically locked against back driving , in either the clockwise or counterclockwise directions . no - back devices are known and a person having ordinary skill in the art would be able to select a no - back device appropriate for the particular application . positioned adjacent an external surface of the no - back device 140 is a no - back output gear 142 , such as a sun gear for example . a reaction gear 146 is coupled with the no - back output gear 142 . in one embodiment , the reaction gear 146 is directly coupled to the no - back output gear 142 . in an alternate embodiment , the reaction gear 146 is indirectly coupled to the no - back output gear 142 through a planetary gear assembly 144 having at least one additional gear . a check device 150 engages the reaction gear 146 , such that rotation of the check device 150 while the output shaft 130 is locked determines whether the no - back device 140 is functioning properly . in a first embodiment of the invention , shown in fig2 a and 2b , the check device 150 includes a drive feature 152 , extending through a hole 114 in the actuator housing 110 , allowing rotation between a first position and a second position . a first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 is accessible from outside the actuator by a person , such as a mechanic for example . the first end 152 a is positioned adjacent the outer surface 112 of the actuator housing 110 . in one embodiment , this first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 includes a head , such as a hex head , that allows a mechanic to easily apply a rotational torque to the drive feature 152 . a stop device 144 , such as a lock washer for example , is disposed between the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 and the actuator housing 110 to prevent unwanted rotation of the drive feature 152 when a mechanic is not checking the functionality of the no - back device . the body of the drive feature 152 between the first end 152 a and the second end 152 b includes a first groove 156 . an axial retention feature 157 , such as a c - clip for example , connects to drive feature 152 and is positioned within the first groove 156 to prevent the drive feature 152 from sliding vertically relative to the actuator housing 110 . disposed along the body of the drive feature 152 between the first groove 156 and the first end 152 a is a circumferential second groove 158 . a seal 159 fits between the second groove 158 and the actuator housing 110 to prevent moisture from entering the actuator assembly 100 . the second end 152 b of the drive feature 152 includes an eccentric feature that extends into a slot 148 in the reaction gear 146 . in one embodiment , the drive feature 152 is an eccentric pin , wherein the central axis z of the first end 152 a of the pin is offset from the central axis y of the second end 152 b of the pin . when a rotational force or torque is applied to the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 , the eccentric feature of the second end 152 b moves with respect to the slot 148 . this movement of the second end 152 b creates a rotation of the reaction gear 146 which in turn causes a magnified rotation of the no - back output gear 142 . in an alternate embodiment of the check device 150 , shown in fig3 a - 3c , a threaded insert 160 is threadably engaged with hole 114 of the actuator housing 110 . the threaded insert 160 includes a flange attached to a body having a plurality of threads on an external surface 162 of the threaded insert 160 . the threaded insert 160 extends substantially from the reaction gear 146 to the actuator housing 110 such that when the threaded insert 160 is seated in position , the top surface of the flange is substantially flush with the outer surface 112 of the actuator housing 110 . disposed within the threaded insert 160 is a drive feature 152 having a first end 152 a accessible from the actuator housing 110 and a second end 152 b extending into a slot 148 of reaction gear 146 . coupled to the drive feature between the first end 152 a and the second end 152 b is a bearing 164 to minimize the drag of the drive feature 152 as it rotates within the threaded insert 160 . a seal 158 is located between the threaded insert 160 and the actuator housing 110 . an additional seal exists between the threaded insert 160 and a cover plate 170 of the check device 150 to prevent moisture from entering the actuator assembly 100 . a cover plate 170 having at least one fastener 172 attaches to the outer surface 112 of the actuator housing 110 . positioned between each fastener 172 and the housing 110 may be a washer 174 . removal of the cover plate 170 from engagement with the actuator housing 110 exposes the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 . a stop device 144 is incorporated into the cover plate 170 . the surface of the cover plate 170 facing the drive feature 152 includes a protrusion 144 having a shape complementary to the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 . in one embodiment , the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 is square . when the cover plate 170 is attached to the actuator housing 110 , the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 aligns with the inner edge of the protrusion 144 such that the first end 152 a is confined within the protrusion 144 and is thereby prevented from freely rotating . to check the functionality of the no - back device 140 , an aircraft mechanic first adjusts the actuator assembly 100 such that the output shaft 130 is locked and the input shaft 120 is free to rotate . the mechanic then removes the stop device 144 of the check device 150 so that the drive feature 152 can rotate . in the illustrated embodiments , removal of the stop device 144 includes removing either a lock washer or a cover plate from engagement with the drive feature 152 . the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 is then rotated clockwise ninety degrees from a normal to a first “ check - clockwise ” position . after the mechanic performs a check of the no - back device 140 with the drive feature 152 in the first position , the first end 152 a of the drive feature 152 is rotated back to the normal position . the mechanic then rotates the drive feature 152 ninety degrees in counterclockwise to a second “ check - counterclockwise ” position where the mechanic again evaluates the functionality of the no - back device 140 . after the functionality of the no - back device 140 has been verified in both the clockwise and counterclockwise positions , the drive feature 152 is returned to the normal position , and the stop device 144 is re - engaged . the rotation of the drive feature 152 to each of the first and second positions results in a specific amount of rotation of the reaction gear 146 . dependent on the gear ratio between the reaction gear 146 and the no - back output gear 142 , the generally small amount of rotation of the reaction gear 146 will result in a substantially magnified angular rotation of the no - back output gear 142 . this rotation of the no - back output gear 142 is used to verify the functionality of the no - back device 140 . if the no - back device 140 has no lost motion , braking of the no - back output gear should result if the no - back device 140 is functioning correctly . if the no - back device 140 includes lost motion , the no - back output gear 142 must be sufficiently rotated beyond the lost motion threshold for braking of the no - back output gear 142 to result , thereby demonstrating the proper functioning of the no - back device 140 . if , however , the no - back device 140 is not functioning properly , regardless of whether it includes lost motion , rotation of the no - back output gear 142 will result in visible rotation of input shaft 120 , and service is required . while the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments , it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments . rather , the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations , alterations , substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described , but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention . additionally , while various embodiments of the invention have been described , it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments . accordingly , the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description , but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims .
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embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a circuit diagram of a voltage regulator having an inrush current protection circuit according to a first embodiment . the voltage regulator of the first embodiment is constituted of a reference voltage circuit 101 , a differential amplifier circuit 102 , an output transistor 104 , resistors 105 and 106 of a voltage - dividing circuit , an inrush current protection circuit 103 , and an output voltage detection circuit 213 . the output voltage detection circuit 213 is formed of pmos transistors 202 and 203 , a constant - current circuit 204 , an amplifier with offset 201 , and a capacitor 205 . the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit 102 is connected to one terminal of the reference voltage circuit 101 , while the non - inverting input terminal thereof is connected to the connection point of the resistors 105 and 106 , and the output terminal thereof is connected to the gate of the output transistor 104 and the output terminal of the inrush current protection circuit 103 . the other end of the reference voltage circuit 101 is connected to a ground terminal 100 . the amplifier with offset 201 has a non - inverting input terminal thereof connected to one terminal of the reference voltage circuit 101 , an inverting input terminal thereof connected to the connection point of the resistors 105 and 106 , and an output terminal thereof connected to the gate of the pmos transistor 203 . the pmos transistor 203 has a drain thereof connected to the input terminal of the inrush current protection circuit 103 and a source thereof connected to a power supply terminal 150 . the pmos transistor 202 has a gate thereof connected to the input terminal of the inrush current protection circuit 103 , a drain thereof connected to the power supply terminal of the amplifier with offset 201 , and a source thereof connected to the power supply terminal 150 . the constant - current circuit 204 has its one terminal connected to the input terminal of the inrush current protection circuit 103 and one terminal of the capacitor 205 and its other terminal connected to the power supply terminal 150 . the other end of the capacitor 205 is connected to the ground terminal 100 . the operation of the voltage regulator according to the present embodiment will now be described . the resistors 105 and 106 divide an output voltage vout , which is the voltage of an output terminal 180 , and output a divided voltage vfb . the differential amplifier circuit 102 compares an output voltage vref of the reference voltage circuit 101 with the divided voltage vfb to control the gate voltage of the output transistor 104 such that the output voltage vout remains constant . if the output voltage vout is higher than a predetermined voltage , then the divided voltage vfb will be higher than the reference voltage vref . further , the output signal of the differential amplifier circuit 102 ( the gate voltage of the output transistor 104 ) will be high and the output transistor 104 turns off , causing the output voltage vout to fall . thus , the output voltage vout is controlled to remain at a constant level . if the output voltage vout is lower than the predetermined voltage , then a reverse operation from the above is performed to increase the output voltage vout . thus , the output voltage vout is controlled to remain at the constant level . the following will describe the operation at the startup of the supply voltage of the voltage regulator according to the present embodiment . immediately after the power is turned on , the voltage at the output terminal of the output voltage detection circuit 213 is a ground voltage , so that the pmos transistor 202 turns on , supplying power to the amplifier with offset 201 . the output voltage vout has not yet risen , so that the divided voltage vfb is lower than the reference voltage vref , and the amplifier with offset 201 outputs a hi signal , causing the pmos transistor 203 to turn off . this causes the capacitor 205 to be charged with the current of the constant - current circuit 204 , gradually increasing the voltage at the output terminal of the output voltage detection circuit 213 . the inrush current protection circuit 103 operates to prevent an inrush current as long as it receives a lo signal from the output voltage detection circuit 213 . the startup time of the output of the output voltage detection circuit 213 depends on the current value of the constant - current circuit 204 and the capacitance value of the capacitor 205 . the startup time is set to be longer than the startup time of the voltage regulator such that the operation of the inrush current protection circuit 103 will not stop while the voltage regulator is being started up . the operation of the inrush current protection circuit 103 is stopped when the output of the output voltage detection circuit 213 has risen to a certain level and no longer consumes current after the voltage regular has been started up . further , the pmos transistor 202 of the output voltage detection circuit 213 turns off to stop the operation of the amplifier with offset 201 , so that no current will be consumed after the voltage regulator starts up . the amplifier with offset 201 adds an offset to the non - inverting input terminal such that the divided voltage vfb becomes higher than the reference voltage vref . this makes it possible to prevent the inrush current protection circuit 103 and the output voltage detection circuit 213 from repeatedly turning on / off when the divided voltage vfb reaches a level in the vicinity of the reference voltage vref . as described above , the voltage regulator according to the first embodiment is capable of isolating the inrush current protection circuit promptly and timely immediately following the startup of the voltage regulator , thus making it possible to reduce current consumption by interrupting the supply of power to the output voltage detection circuit after isolating the inrush current protection circuit . fig2 is a circuit diagram of a voltage regulator according to a second embodiment . the voltage regulator according to the second embodiment differs from the one illustrated in fig1 in the provision of an output voltage detection circuit 513 , which has a different configuration from that of the output voltage detection circuit 213 . the following will describe the configuration of the voltage regulator according to the second embodiment . the description of the same part as that of the first embodiment will be omitted . a pmos transistor 203 has a drain thereof connected to the input of an inrush current protection circuit 103 , a source thereof connected to a power supply terminal 150 , and a gate thereof connected to a source of an nmos transistor 506 and a drain of an nmos transistor 507 . a pmos transistor 202 has a gate thereof connected to an input of the inrush current protection circuit 103 , a drain thereof connected to a gate of the nmos transistor 506 and one terminal of a constant - current circuit 508 , and a source thereof connected to the power supply terminal 150 . the other terminal of the constant - current circuit 508 is connected to a ground terminal 100 . a constant - current circuit 204 has one terminal thereof connected to the input of the inrush current protection circuit 103 and one terminal of a capacitor 205 , and has the other end thereof connected to the power supply terminal 150 . the other end of the capacitor 205 is connected to the ground terminal 100 . a constant - current circuit 501 has one terminal thereof connected to a drain of the nmos transistor 506 and the other end thereof connected to the power supply terminal 150 . the nmos transistor 507 has a gate thereof connected to a non - inverting input terminal of a differential amplifier circuit 102 and a source thereof connected to the ground terminal 100 . the operation of the voltage regulator according to the second embodiment will now be described . a constant - current source 501 and the nmos transistor 507 constitute a single - ended amplifier . an inversion threshold value of the single - ended amplifier is set to be slightly lower than a feedback voltage vfb . immediately after the power is turned on , the voltage at the output terminal of the output voltage detection circuit 513 is an earth voltage , so that the pmos transistor 202 turns on . the voltage at the gate of the nmos transistor 506 becomes high , so that the nmos transistor 506 turns on , thus activating the single - ended amplifier . the voltage at an output terminal 180 is also the earth voltage , so that the single - ended amplifier outputs a hi signal , turning the pmos transistor 203 off . hence , the current from the constant - current circuit 204 charges the capacitor 205 , gradually increasing the voltage at the output terminal of the output voltage detection circuit 513 . the inrush current protection circuit 103 operates to prevent an inrush current as long as it continues to receive a lo signal from the output voltage detection circuit 513 . the startup time of the output of the output voltage detection circuit 513 depends on the current value of the constant - current circuit 204 and the capacitance value of the capacitor 205 . the startup time is set to be longer than the startup time of the voltage regulator such that the operation of the inrush current protection circuit 103 will not stop while the voltage regulator is being started up . when the voltage at the output terminal 180 further increases until the feedback voltage vfb exceeds the inversion threshold value of the single - ended amplifier , the output of the single - ended amplifier inverts and the lo signal is issued . the pmos transistor 203 turns on , causing the voltage at the output terminal of the output voltage detection circuit 513 to be switched to a hi level , which in turn causes the inrush current protection circuit 103 to turn off . at the same time , the pmos transistor 202 also turns off , so that the voltage at the gate of the nmos transistor 506 is brought to the earth voltage by the constant - current circuit 508 . the pmos transistor 202 and the nmos transistor 506 turn off , and therefore , the output voltage detection circuit 513 no longer has a current path and therefore stops consuming current . as described above , the voltage regulator according to the second embodiment is capable of isolating the inrush current protection circuit promptly and timely to interrupt the supply of power to the output voltage detection circuit after isolating the inrush current protection circuit , thus making it possible to reduce power consumption .
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refer to fig1 a block diagram schematically showing the architecture of an electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function according to one embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 of the present invention comprises a detection unit 11 , a vital - sign recording unit 15 , a calculating / processing unit 12 , a display unit 14 , a transmission unit 13 , and a power unit 16 . the detection unit 11 detects first vital - sign information . the user uses the vital - sign recording unit 15 to input second vital - sign information manually . the calculating / processing unit 12 connects with the detection unit 11 and the vital - sign recording unit 15 and processes the first vital - sign information or the second vital - sign information . the display unit 14 connects with the calculating / processing unit 12 and displays the first vital - sign information or the second vital - sign information . the transmission unit 13 connects with the calculating / processing unit 12 and transmits the first vital - sign information or the second vital - sign information to a cloud database 20 . the power unit 16 connects with the detection unit 11 , the calculating / processing unit 12 , the display unit 14 , the transmission unit 13 and the vital - sign recording unit 15 , and provides power for these units or charges the system . in one embodiment , the vital - sign recording unit 15 is realized by a function button , which can be pressed or rotated to adjust the value so as to input one or more types of the second vital - sign information . in one embodiment , the vital - sign recording unit 15 is realized by more than one function button , which can be pressed or rotated to adjust the value so as to input one or more types of the second vital - sign information . in one embodiment , the vital - sign recording unit 15 is realized by a touchscreen . the user clicks on the option items of the touchscreen to adjust the value so as to input one or more types of the second vital - sign information . in one embodiment , the transmission unit 13 is a wired transmission interface , such as a usb port or an rs232 port . in one embodiment , the transmission unit 13 is a wireless transmission interface , such as a 2 . 4g or wifi transmission interface . in one embodiment , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 is connected with an id scanner , such as a bar - code scanner , a card reader , an rfid ( radio frequency identification ) reader , or an nfc ( near field communication ) device . in one embodiment , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 is a pulse , heart rate and blood pressure measurement system . the detection unit 11 detects the pulse or heart rate information of a patient or a testee . the calculating / processing unit 12 processes the pulse or heart rate information to obtain an electrocardiograph , a heart spectrum or a blood pressure . the user may use the vital - sign recording unit 15 ( such as a touchscreen or one or more function buttons ) to input one or more pieces of information of respiration rates of patients or testees . the obtained information of pulse , heart rate , electrocardiography , blood pressure , or respiration rate is transmitted via the calculating / processing unit 12 and the transmission unit 13 to the cloud database 20 for fully automatic integration and analysis of the vital - sign data and personal data . the cloud database 20 is an ordinary cloud database , a cloud his ( hospital information system ) or a cloud nis ( nursing information system ). after receiving the vital - sign information , the cloud database 20 undertakes data processing and establishes records , which are to be browsed by testees , family members , physicians or nursing personnel . the obtained information of electrocardiographs , heart spectra , blood pressures , and or respiration rates can be presented on the display unit 14 , such as an lcd device or an led display device . the power unit 16 is an alkaline battery assembly , a rechargeable battery assembly , a capacitor or a power supply device , providing power for these units or charging the system . besides , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 may be a single - function vital - sign measurement system or a multi - function patient monitor . refer to fig2 a block diagram schematically showing the architecture of an electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function according to another embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 of the present invention comprises a detection unit 11 , a calculating / processing unit 12 , a connection interface 17 , a power unit 16 , and an external electronic device 18 able to transmit information . the detection unit 11 detects first vital - sign information . the calculating / processing unit 12 connects with the detection unit 11 and processes the first vital - sign information . the connection interface 17 connects with the calculating / processing unit 12 . the power unit 17 connects with the detection unit 11 , the calculating / processing unit 12 and the connection interface 17 , and provides power for these units or charges the system . the external electronic device 18 is able to transmit information and connected with the calculating / processing unit 12 via the connection interface 17 . the user uses the external electronic device 18 to input second vital - sign information manually . further , the user uses the external electronic device 18 to transmit the first vital - sign information or the second vital - sign information to a cloud database 20 . in one embodiment , the external electronic device 18 able to transmit information includes a function button , which the user uses to input one or more types of the second vital - sign information . in one embodiment , the external electronic device 18 able to transmit information includes more than one function button , which the user uses to input one or more types of the second vital - sign information . in one embodiment , the external electronic device 18 able to transmit information includes a touchscreen , which the user uses to input one or more types of the second vital - sign information . in one embodiment , the external electronic device 18 able to transmit information is a notebook computer or a tablet computer . in one embodiment , the external electronic device 18 able to transmit information is pda ( personal digital assistant ) or a smart phone . in one embodiment , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 is connected with an id scanner , such as a bar - code scanner , a card reader , an rfid ( radio frequency identification ) reader , or an nfc ( near field communication ) device . in one embodiment , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 is a pulse , heart rate and blood pressure measurement system . the detection unit 11 detects the pulse or heart rate information of a patient or a testee . the calculating / processing unit 12 processes the pulse or heart rate information to obtain an electrocardiograph , a heart spectrum or a blood pressure . further , the user uses the external electronic device 18 able to transmit information to input the respiration rate of a patient . for example , the external electronic device 18 is realized by a touchscreen or one or more function buttons , which the user uses to input one or more pieces of information of respiration rates . the obtained information of pulse , heart rate , heart spectrum electrocardiograph , blood pressure , or respiration rate is transmitted via the calculating / processing unit 12 , the connection interface 17 and the external electronic device 18 to the cloud database 20 for fully automatic integration and analysis of the vital - sign data and personal data . the cloud database 20 is an ordinary cloud database , a cloud his ( hospital information system ) or a cloud nis ( nursing information system ). after receiving the vital - sign information , the cloud database 20 undertakes data processing and establishes records , which are to be browsed by testees , family members , physicians or nursing personnel . the obtained information of pulse , heart spectrum , electrocardiograph , blood pressure , or respiration rate can be presented on the external electronic device 18 , such as an lcd device or an led display device . the power unit 16 is an alkaline battery assembly , a rechargeable battery assembly , a capacitor or a power supply device , providing power for these units or charging the system . besides , the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 may be a single - function vital - sign measurement system or a multi - function patient monitor . as described hereinbefore , the present invention adds a function of manually inputting second vital - sign information and a function of transmitting information to an ordinary electronic vital - sign system . thereby , the present invention can instantly provide the vital - sign measurement data of patients , elders or other testees who need routine healthcare or immediate medical assistance . further , the cloud database 20 enables the testees , family members or nursing personnel to track vital - sign information in a wired or wireless way ( such as via the internet ), whereby is realized a far - end healthcare system . the present invention proposes an electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 , which can fast and precisely detect and record vital - sign data of patients , elders or testees who need routine healthcare or immediate medical assistance and can instantly provide the vital - sign data for family members , telecare centers , personnel of nursing stations or physicians . suppose that an abnormal state appears in a patient whose vital signs are being continually monitored by the electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function 10 , such as a blood pressure monitoring system , a blood oxygen monitoring system , a blood glucose monitoring system , a patient monitoring system or an electrocardiograph monitoring system . in such a case , the related personnel should enquire the patient about his feeling as soon as possible and instantly input the abnormal vital - sign values into the system manually . the related personnel should send the patient to a large - scale hospital or medical center for further examination if necessary . in conclusion , the present invention proposes an electronic vital - sign system with a manual vital - sign data input function , wherein a vital - sign detection function , an information transmission function , a manual vital - sign data input function and a far - end healthcare function are integrated in a system to provide appropriate assistance for patients , elders and testees .
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as noted above , an animal may be cloned ; however , the ability of a cloned animal to make a particular antibody having a particular specificity is a learned response . furthermore , the cloning process has not been demonstrated to also transfer the immunologic memory from the founder animal to the cloned animal . therefore , in order to increase the odds in favor of producing a cloned animal with the capability to produce the desired antibody having a defined specificity , a different methodology must be utilized such as that of the present invention . in particular , the present invention encompasses a method whereby lymphoid cells or lymphocytes ( e . g ., from whole blood , blood - derived cells , peripheral blood lymphocytes , splenocytes , lymph node lymphocytes or bone marrow cells including stem cells ) may be obtained from an animal ( i . e ., the founder ) having a desirable immunological profile ( e . g ., the demonstrated ability to produce an antibody having a particular specificity ). a founder animal is one that is known , following experimentation , to produce a unique immune response that is difficult to duplicate in other animals of the same or different species . fresh whole blood or cells derived from blood , lymphatic tissue or bone marrow are then suspended in freeze media containing nutrients ( e . g ., fetal calf serum ) and dmso ( dimethyl sulfoxide ) as a cryoprotectant and stored frozen in liquid nitrogen . once a cloned animal is available ( created by using the founder animal ), it may then be injected with fresh or preserved cells from the founder animal . since the transfused cells are genetically identical to the clonal host or founder animal , they should not invoke immune rejection and are expected to successfully repopulate the lymphoid organs in the host or cloned animal . as such cells contain immunologically competent memory cells , the stimulation thereof in the cloned animal , by in vivo challenge , will produce the desired anamnestic immune response of the founder animals . the need for the present invention is significant . such a need may be , for example , illustrated as follows : an essential and critical component of a diagnostic assay for t4 is sheep anti - t4 serum that is immobilized onto a solid phase ( e . g ., microparticles ). in combination with a conjugate made up of t3 ( triiodothyronine , an analog of t4 ) and alkaline phosphatase , the sheep serum confers basic critical quality attributes required to generate a distinct standard calibration curve and allow for an estimate of ft4 in patient samples . the serum is developed by immunizing sheep with t4 - tg complex . thyroxin ( t4 ) is coupled onto a protein carrier molecule ( porcine thryoglobulin or tg ), then emulsified in an adjuvant prior to injection into sheep . this is a classical approach to raising needed immune responses in experimental animals . historically , however , this method of immunization produced antibodies recognizing t4 molecules ; yet , in the great majority of instances , the resulting sera does not perform adequately in diagnostic tests . success of adoptive transfer requires that the source and the destination animals either be genetically compatible ( as in identical twins , clones , highly inbred species as is the case in some mice ) or the recipient animal ( destination ) be immunologically suppressed through the use of chemical agents and radiation . it is not readily understood if such a rare and unique immune response is dictated solely by the animal &# 39 ; s genetic background or to what degree the response is confounded by a variety of presently unknown factors . on the basis of theory alone , however , a large contributor to the uniqueness of such a response is the genetic make up of these responders . the low efficiency and unpredictable response is an obstacle to providing long - term resources and reagent safety stock and therefore jeopardizes the availability of test material . however , if an immunologic responder animal is cloned , in accordance with the present invention , the probability of raising a clone with immunologic potential similar to that of the founder animal is significantly enhanced . moreover , the adoptive transfer of immunologically competent lymphoid cells from the founder to the clone will further enhance the opportunity of duplicating the immune competency of the founder animal without the risk of immune rejection . in view of the above , one purpose of the present invention is to produce a cloned animal with the same immune capacity and immunological identity , as the founder animal with respect to a specific antigen . the transfusion may be preceded by , followed by or concurrent with immunization and / or boosting by an immunogen that has been demonstrated to illicit a particular immune response to yield the desired antibody specificity . other manipulations may also be attempted to increase the likelihood of producing the needed antibody depending on the success of this transfusion approach . for instance , one possible manipulation is to boost a sheep which has previously been immunized using t4 - tg immunogen , with t4 coupled to a different carrier molecule such as klh ( keyhole limpet hemocyanin ). the antibodies produced by the cloned animal may be used for many purposes . for example , the antibodies may be utilized in diagnostic assays as well as for therapeutic purposes . the present invention therefore will allow for the production of an endless supply of such antibodies without the concern of maintaining the desired immunological response of the founder animal . the present invention may be illustrated by the use of the following non - limiting examples : initially , fucosyl transferase transgenic mice ( or a group of animals of the same species ) are immunized with an antigen such as t4 - tg . the immunized mice are then cloned using fibroblast cells as nuclear donors . at adulthood , the cloned mice are then divided into two groups . immune splenocytes from the immunized mice are then obtained and transferred to the group i mice ( adoptive transfer group ). in contrast , naïve splenocytes are obtained from un - immunized mice and transferred to group ii ( negative control group ). both groups of mice are challenged with t4 - tg antigen . the antibody response or titer produced against the t4 hapten is measured in both groups and compared . if adoptive transfer is successful , group i mice ( animals transfused with immunologically trained cells ) show a secondary immune response ( high titer specific ) while group ii mice ( animals transfused with immunologically naïve cells ) show only a primary immune response ( low titer and less specific ), such as in vaccination . in particular , a vaccine is designed to train the immunologically naïve cells to become “ educated ” immune cells . once immune ( or educated ) cells counter a real infection , they respond more rigorously ( e . g ., higher antibody level , i . e ., higher titer ) and more specifically than an otherwise un - educated or naïve cell .
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this cooling tunnel system is useful for rapid cooling objects with a shortened tunnel length . it &# 39 ; s useful for cooling foods such as , fruits , vegetables , meat and poultry . the tunnel simply uses an appropriate conveyor belt for each object cooled . the tunnel system is most advantageous for eggs where processors demand effective cooling of eggs though high - velocity packaging lines . although the cooling system is useful for rapid cooling multiple objects , the figures illustrate the cooling tunnel for eggs . in fig1 a cooling system 10 is schematically shown and comprises an egg sorting head 12 , a cooling tunnel 14 and a carton loading / closing mechanism 16 . a conveyor system 18 receives eggs from sorting head 12 and carries them into cooling tunnel 14 in file arrangements . more particularly , egg conveyor 18 is arranged so that the sorted eggs enter cooling tunnel 14 as a plurality of files and ranks , much like a group of soldiers marching in parallel files . egg conveyor 18 is constructed so that the individual eggs are continuously rotated as they are conveyed through cooling tunnel 14 . a plurality of fans 20 are positioned within cooling tunnel 14 and enable recirculation of the coolant employed therein . most advantageously , the conveyor 18 enters and exits through the top of the cooling tunnel 14 . this reduces the amount of atmospheric gases , including water vapor , infiltrating into the cooling tunnel 14 . referring to fig2 and 3 , details of cooling tunnel 14 are illustrated that are not shown in fig1 . more particularly , cooling tunnel 14 comprises a tunnel enclosure 22 on which are mounted a plurality of fan motors 24 which drive fans blades 26 . a pair of conveyors 18 are positioned within tunnel enclosure 22 and are identical in structure . each conveyor 18 is enclosed by a shroud 28 that exhibits : ( i ) an open bottom portion 30 that communicates with a lower plenum 32 ; and ( ii ) a slotted portion 34 that is adjacent to and communicates with an upper plenum 36 . slotted portion 34 , comprises a plurality of slots 38 , with each slot 38 oriented along and parallel to the length of cooling tunnel 14 . when cooling other foodstuffs , the slots may have alternative shapes , such as circular , helical or slotted perpendicular to the belt . most advantageously , the slots direct and accelerate cooling fluid toward an aligned file of objects traveling on the conveyor 18 . each slot 38 has an opening orifice positioned directly over a file of eggs being moved therebeneath . slots 38 preferably are comprised of an opening 40 ( see fig3 ) that communicates with a pair of opposed walls 42 that lead to an outlet 44 . outlet 44 is positioned directly over a file of eggs 46 so as to enable a cryogen coolant exiting therefrom to impinge directly upon eggs 46 . as above indicated , conveyors 18 are constructed so as to enable the cryogen coolant to pass therethrough into lower plenum 32 . there , under the influence of fan blades 26 , the cryogen coolant moves up through flow region 48 and into upper plenum 36 , pressurizing upper plenum 36 , passing through slots 38 and down past the eggs 46 on conveyor 18 . to achieve proper cryogen snow / vapor velocities through slots 38 , the positioning of fan blades 26 is important . it is preferred that fan blades 26 be positioned in approximately the same plane as the plane that defines the upper surface of slotted portion 34 of shroud 28 . this positioning enables fan blades 26 to provide a cryogen vapor flow into upper plenum 36 that achieves a substantially uniform cooling across the width of conveyor belts 18 . it has been found that if fan blades 26 and the upper surface of the slotted portion 34 of shroud 28 are raised too high , velocity of the cryogen snow / vapor off the tips of the blades produces a high pressure region at the outermost walls of upper plenum 36 . this uneven pressure distribution results in higher vapor velocities flowing through the outermost slots 38 , as opposed to the slots 38 that are closest to the fan blades . in addition to the importance of vertical position of fan blades 26 , the width of slots 38 , where the high velocity cryogen vapor escapes from upper plenum 36 , affects the distribution of the cryogen vapor through the innermost and outermost slots 38 . the narrower the slot ( i . e ., the spacing between walls 42 ), the more back pressure is created in upper plenum 36 . this tends to even out the flow in the system . but if the slots are made too narrow , the back pressure can be too high . this degrades the system &# 39 ; s efficiency by demanding higher fan horsepower requirements . in addition , if slots 38 are made too narrow , they may have a tendency to collect water and to eventually plug up with ice . it has been found that slots 38 should exhibit a width of greater than 0 . 25 inches ( 0 . 64 cm ). in the structure shown in fig1 - 3 , maximum heat transfer is realized when sufficient cryogen snow / vapor velocities impinge on eggs 46 to wipe away the warm boundary layer that normally surrounds eggs passing through cooling equipment . it is preferred that the cryogen snow / vapor velocities escaping from slots 38 fall within a range of about 10 meters per second to 20 meters per second , with a most preferred value being about 15 meters per second . at these flow rates , direct impingement of the cryogen snow / vapor on the eggs is ensured . furthermore , when the lengths of slots 38 are oriented above associated files of eggs , approximately equal impingement flow velocities are experienced by all eggs in a file . the distance from outlet 44 of a slot 38 and the top of the eggs to be cooled has a direct bearing on the cryogen snow / vapor velocities seen by the eggs and the rate of cooling thereof . it is preferred that these distances be adjustable and tuned in accordance with the amount of cooling required for the eggs , considering the residence time of the eggs in cooling tunnel 14 . the arrangement of slots 38 and the eggs ensures that complete and continuous high velocity cryogen snow / vapor impingement occurs along the entire length of cooling tunnel 14 . it is preferred that the residence time of the eggs in the cooling tunnel be less than two minutes and , preferably , 80 seconds or less . the cooling tunnel 14 operates with cryogenic and mechanical types of refrigeration . when using mechanical types of refrigeration , it is advantageous to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere . the carbon dioxide appears to protect against egg degradation . advantageously , the direct impingement of a cryogen such as solid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen enhances heat transfer . referring to fig4 a , 5 and 5 a , three methods for the introduction of a carbon dioxide cryogen into the conveyor region will be described . referring first to fig4 a conduit 60 carries a liquid carbon dioxide supply . liquid carbon dioxide is fed to an injector 62 and then into a “ snow ” tube 64 . as the liquid carbon dioxide exits from injector 62 , it experiences a first pressure expansion to create a flow of carbon dioxide snow and vapor . a further expansion of the carbon dioxide occurs at ejection end 66 of snow tube 64 , which , in this case , is positioned within slot 38 and directly above a file of eggs . accordingly , a combination of carbon dioxide snow and vapor is directed upon the eggs passing beneath slots 38 . the arrangement shown in fig4 maintains the velocity of the carbon dioxide snow / vapor and the resulting higher velocities cause improved heat transfer , but only in a localized region due to the confining effect of nozzle 66 . referring to fig4 a , the design shown in fig4 has been altered so as to move nozzle portion 66 from within slot 38 and to position it just beneath upper panel 70 of upper plenum 36 . this arrangement enables the carbon dioxide snow / vapor to disperse throughout upper plenum 36 . since the carbon dioxide snow is allowed to spread above slots 38 , impingement is spread out over a greater linear length of slots 38 than for the arrangement shown in fig4 . while the arrangement of fig4 a does not achieve the same impingement velocities as the arrangement of fig4 it does provide more uniform cooling along the entire length of a file of eggs . velocities of the carbon dioxide snow particles are still substantial , since they are accelerated through slots 38 by fan generated cooling vapor flow . referring to fig5 most advantageously , a series of tubes 64 injects cryogen directly adjacent a plurality slots 38 and eggs 46 . the cryogen exits through a plurality of openings or micro - holes in tubes 64 through the slots 38 . these micro - holes inject solid and vapor carbon dioxide in the direction of vector 65 . furthermore the fans ( not illustrated ) direct the cryogen along vectors 71 into slots 38 . although it is possible to align tubes 64 perpendicular to the direction of the belt or in any other direction , most advantageously , these tubes have a longitudinal axis parallel to the belt &# 39 ; s direction . referring to fig5 a , tube 64 advantageously injects 300 psig ( 2 mpa ) liquid carbon dioxide 71 through a plurality of openings or micro - holes 73 into a plenum having a pressure of 0 psig ( 0 . 1 mpa ) forms a stream of solid and vapor carbon dioxide 75 . advantageously , the stream 75 flows toward and directs cryogen at the warm objects , such as food items to improve impingement . the velocity of the stream 75 allows the impingement cooler &# 39 ; s fans to operate with a lower speed . this in turn introduces less energy into the cooler and serves to increase the cooler &# 39 ; s efficiency . the micro - holes advantageously operate with a diameter of 0 . 001 in . to 0 . 050 in . ( 0 . 025 mm ) to ( 1 . 7 mm ) and a length of at least three times diameter . most advantageously , the micro - holes have a 1 inch ( 2 . 54 cm ) pitch and a diameter of about 0 . 006 inches ( 0 . 015 cm ). it is to be understood that various snow tube configurations can be utilized with this invention . in this regard , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 765 , 394 , entitled “ system and method for cooling which employs charged carbon dioxide snow ” discloses a nozzle arrangement wherein carbon dioxide snow and vapor is brought into contact with a conductive surface within the snow tube . the snow thereby achieves a charge as a result of frictional engagement with the conductive surface . a reference potential is applied to the conveyor and attracts the carbon dioxide snow to aid in the impaction thereof on the foodstuffs being cooled . a further nozzle arrangement is described in co - pending u . s . pat . no . 5 , 868 , 003 , entitled “ apparatus for producing fine snow particles from a flow of liquid carbon dioxide ”. there a nozzle described that is provided with a porous member that includes multiple pore - size pathways for passage of liquid carbon dioxide into a region of lower pressure . in the preferred embodiment , the carbon dioxide enters both the solid and vapor phase within the porous member , thereby enabling the solid phase to exit as a fine snow particulate . the disclosure of the two aforementioned patents is incorporated herein by reference . turning now to fig6 and 7 , further details of conveyor 18 will be described . fig6 illustrates a pair of conveyor rollers 72 and 74 that form a portion of conveyor 18 . the edges of rollers 72 and 74 are conveyed along support rails 76 and are thereby caused to rotate as they move through cooling tunnel 14 . the rotation of conveyor rollers 72 and 74 cause a continuous rotation of eggs supported therebetween throughout the entire length of cooling tunnel 14 . accordingly , all surfaces of the eggs supported by conveyor rollers 72 and 74 are subjected to the high velocity cryogen snow and vapor that exits from slots 38 . [ 0051 ] fig7 shows further details of rollers 72 and 74 and their method of interconnection via chains 78 and 80 . each conveyor roller includes a plurality of indented regions 82 which , in combination with similarly aligned indented regions 82 of an adjoining conveyor roller , act to support eggs in file and rank arrangements . chains 78 and 80 are operated to move conveyor rollers 72 and 74 along in lock - step over support rails 26 so that the eggs positioned between indented regions 82 are both confined to their respective files and are rotated as the respective conveyor rollers rotate . referring to fig8 the arrangement of fan blades 26 and top panel 70 enable the cryogen flow to bounce off panel 70 so that velocities and mass flow are balanced at slots 38 . however , to achieve a more precise balance of flows through slots 38 , baffles ( or spoilers ) 80 may be mounted to upper panel 70 directly above the discharge region of fan blades 26 . the angles of baffles 80 can be used to divert or bounce the main vapor velocities back towards either the inner slots 38 or the outer slots 38 , to balance the flow . [ 0053 ] fig9 illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein , in lieu of the provision of cryogen injection nozzles , a pair of refrigeration coils 82 are introduced into cooling tunnel 14 to provide the source of refrigeration for cooling vapors present therein . either cooled air or expanded carbon dioxide can be introduced into cooling tunnel 14 and , thereafter , maintained at a cryogenic temperature by the action of refrigeration coils 82 , as the vapors are recirculated by fan blades 26 . [ 0054 ] fig1 illustrates apparatus configurations that both minimize air infiltration into cooling tunnel 14 and allow advantage to be taken of the density of the cold cryogenic vapors and their tendency to pool . as shown in fig1 , conveyor 18 enters cooling tunnel 14 via a three - sided vapor dam 90 and then proceeds downwardly into the accumulated cryogenic vapor region . an exhaust pick - up 92 draws cryogenic vapors from within cooling tunnel 14 and prevents an inflow of air thereinto . a baffle 94 is positioned between the upper and lower sections of conveyor 18 to further isolate the interior of cooling tunnel 14 from external air infiltration . [ 0055 ] fig1 is a graph showing the performance of a cryogenic egg cooling arrangement , as described above , in comparison to a traditional carbon dioxide cooling tunnel ( designated “ u4 ”). the graph of fig1 charts heat removed versus dwell time of the eggs within the cooling tunnel . using a computational fluid dynamics analysis , with cold vapor only and ignoring solid carbon dioxide impingement , curves 100 , 102 and 104 are predicted relationships between heat removed and dwell time for vapor flow velocities of 5 meters per second , 10 meters per second and 15 meters per second , respectively . when solid carbon dioxide impingement is considered , the curves should exhibit at least about 10 to 20 percent higher heat removal . [ 0056 ] fig1 illustrates a similar chart to that shown in fig1 , except that it is assumed that the carbon dioxide vapor exhibits a temperature of − 110 ° f . (− 79 ° c .). in addition to air infiltration , there are typically 3 additional areas of concern with respect to cryogenic cooler designs . they are : accumulation of excess cryogen in an inactive area of the cooler ; taking advantage of the cold vapor refrigeration value ; and fan horsepower requirements . the major operational problem of a typical cryogenic carbon dioxide freezer is an accumulation of excess amounts of carbon dioxide snow . this accumulation usually occurs in low pressure areas of the freezer ( e . g ., the freezer floor ) due to a lack of vapor flow . dry ice has a temperature of − 109 ° f . (− 79 ° c .) thus , as a freezer &# 39 ; s operational temperature drops below − 95 ° f . (− 71 ° c . ), there is a tendency to deposit carbon dioxide snow in the lower velocity areas of the freezer . the prior art ( e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 5 , 444 , 984 ) has utilized a second set of lower fans to keep the amount of carbon dioxide snow accumulation in check . the invention described above makes efficient use of centrally located fans to address this carbon dioxide snow accumulation problem . any snow that falls to the floor of cooling tunnel 14 is subject to exposure to a relatively high velocity vapor flow that moves along the floor of lower plenum 32 . this action tends to recirculate any free snow back around through the blower system , through upper plenum 36 and back down through slots 38 , directly to the eggs therebeneath . note that while the above description describes the use of cryogenic carbon dioxide , the invention is also usable with liquid nitrogen . the design of cooling tunnel 14 and the apparatus present therein makes good use of the available btu &# 39 ; s in the sublimated carbon dioxide or vaporized liquid nitrogen . this is especially true when nitrogen is used because of the high btu content of the cold vapor . using high velocity impingement vapor flow , warmer freezer temperatures ( e . g ., − 80 ° f . (− 62 ° c .) versus − 95 ° f . or (− 71 ° c .)) can be used to obtain similar heat transfer , when compared to those designs that do not have high velocity flows available . the invention delivers heat transfer on the order of 5 , 625 btu &# 39 ; s per hour per square foot ( 17 , 743 w / m 2 ) of active conveyor belt . this is a 50 % increase of heat transfer performance as compared to the traditional cryogenic tunnel freezer example above . a 2 horsepower ( 1 . 5 kw ) fan motor may be required every 1 . 5 feet ( 0 . 46 m ) along the length of cooling tunnel 14 to achieve optimum performance . calculations similar to those described above will indicate that such an arrangement enables 14 , 465 btu &# 39 ; s per hour ( 4 . 24 kj ) of heat transfer performance for every one fan horsepower ( 0 . 75 kw ). the objective of this example was to evaluate the heat transfer performance of impingement egg cooling for test - scale operation . the pilot tunnel was designed to enable the c0 2 vapor to “ pool ” in the cooling chamber , thus improving performance efficiency . it incorporated the sintered metal injection and linear high velocity vapor nozzle designs . two separate belts and drives allowed the production from two packing heads to be cooled with separate operating conditions . the active cooling length of the unit was 12 ft . ( 3 . 66 m ) and the overall length was approximately 15 . 5 ft . ( 4 . 72 m ). fig2 shows the cross sectional design of the pilot tunnel . the parameters that were varied for this series of tests were operating temperature , fan speed and dwell time . standard large table eggs were heated in a water bath for at least one hour to about 95 ° f . ( 35 ° c .). four eggs were used per calorimeter test and were placed across the test belt leaving the innermost and outermost positions empty . each calorimeter point is an average of the performance across the belt — tests conducted on a 6 ft ( 1 . 8 m ) prototype tunnel indicated that the egg position across the conveyor was not a significant factor effecting the cooling rate . for each data point the cooling tunnel operating parameters were set and stabilized , the eggs were carried from the water bath in an insulated box and then placed directly on the conveyor . one side was used for the tests with direct snow impingement and the other operated with only cold vapor . the results of the calorimeter tests are also listed in table 1 . the test results are summarized in fig1 and 14 . the heat transfer rates at two operating temperatures with the fans operating at about 100 % ( 3450 rpm ) are summarized in fig1 . as expected , the data indicate that the rate increases as the operating temperature is lowered — operating at − 100 ° f . (− 73 ° c .) resulted in a faster cooling rate than operating at − 90 ° f . (− 68 ° c . ), 77 vs . 89 seconds . this assumed that 44 btu / lb ( 102 kj / kg ) was removed to cool the eggs from 95 ° f . ( 35 ° c .) to 42 ° f . ( 5 ° c . )— this is considered the maximum . [ 0068 ] fig1 confirms an increased heat transfer rate due to direct impingement with solid and gas versus cold vapor . these data indicate an 8 to 9 % increase in heat transfer rate results from the direct impingement of solid co 2 plus vapor impingement in comparison to sole co 2 vapor impingement . it should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention . various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention .
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in the following description , for purposes of explanation , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention . it will be apparent , however , to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these specific details . reference in this specification to “ one embodiment ” or “ an embodiment ” means that a particular feature , structure , or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention . the appearances of the phrase “ in one embodiment ” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment , nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments . moreover , various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others . similarly , various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments . broadly , embodiments of the present invention disclose a field programming method for programming a magnetic memory device . as used herein , the term “ magnetic memory device ” refers to a broad class of memory devices that use a magnetic storage element or bit for data storage . a magnetic random access memory ( mram ) device that uses a mtj as the magnetic storage element is one example of a magnetic memory device and will be the exemplary device used in the rest of this description to illustrate aspects of the present invention . however , it is to be understood that the aspects of the invention thus disclosed may equally be applied to any other type of magnetic memory devices from the class of magnetic memory devices . as will understood by one skilled in the art , a mram device , when it leaves a production line will typically comprise an array of magnetic storage elements ( mtjs ) coupled to addressing logic and read / write circuitry . typically all the magnetic storage elements will have a default resistance defined by the properties of the magnetic storage elements . thus , it is expected that all the magnetic storage elements will have the same default resistance . one skilled in the art will also understand that each of the magnetic storage elements will have the same threshold operating voltage . generally , during operation the threshold operating voltage is never exceeded . in one embodiment , the programming method disclosed herein comprises selecting a subset of the magnetic storage elements / cells of a mram device / circuit and deliberately subjecting those cells to a programming voltage ( vpp ) that exceeds the threshold operating voltage . the programming voltage is applied for a predetermined amount of time and the effect is that irreversible breakdown of the magnetic storage elements that are subjected to the programming voltage ( vpp ) occurs . because of this irreversible breakdown , the magnetic storage elements that were subjected to the programming voltage ( vpp ) will now have an altered resistance that is different than the original default voltage . advantageously , the resistance of the magnetic storage elements , whether default or altered , can be sensed be a simplified / compact read circuit that comprises a single diode connected in series to each magnetic storage element . aspects of the programming method of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig2 of the drawings , which shows a mram array 200 , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . the mram array 200 comprises a 3 × 3 array of magnetic storage elements . it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a 3 × 3 array as other array sizes are possible . the array 200 comprises a plurality of magnetic storage elements / memory cells , e . g . the cell 202 shown in fig2 . each cell comprises a magneto - resistive element . in accordance with difference embodiments of the invention , the magneto - resistive element may comprise a giant magnetoresistance ( gmt ) stack or a tunnel magnetoresistance ( tmr ) stack . in fig2 , the gmr or tmr stack is shown as variable resistor 204 . as will be seen , each stack is connected in series with a diode shown as 206 , which forms part of a read circuit ( not shown ). the 3 × 3 array comprises three word lines ( 208 , 210 , 212 ) and three bit lines ( 214 , 216 , 218 ) disposed so that a memory cell lies at each of the intersections of word lines and bit lines . the magnetic memory cells as fabricated each have a fixed or default resistance which can be sensed by a read circuit as a logical high or a “ 1 ”. when a voltage above a critical or threshold operating voltage , typically above 3v , is applied across the selected memory cell for a predetermined amount of time , the resistance value of the magnetic memory cell is reduced or altered . cells with the altered resistance can be read by passing a read current through the read circuit as a logical low or a “ 0 ”. for writing to memory array , the cells that need to be sensed as a logical low are selected and then the programming voltage is applied to the selected cells as described above . the memory cell 202 is written by applying a voltage above the threshold operating voltage between line 210 and line 216 where line 216 is at ground potential . the unselected lines 208 and 208 can have zero volts applied to them . at the same time zero volts is applied to line 216 , whereas lines 214 and 218 can be left floating . when the voltage above the threshold operating voltage is applied to line 210 , the default resistance value exhibited by magnetic stack ( resistor 204 ) in bit cell 202 undergoes reduction . since the programming method disclosed herein is voltage - based as opposed to current - based , the circuitry required to apply the programming voltage to the selected cells is much simpler than current drivers used in traditional mram memories . this results in smaller and more cost effective mram memories . one additional benefit of memory disclosed herein is that the operating voltage can be applied across a selected magnetic stack during the write operation from a pin other than vdd . another high voltage pin , such as vpp , may be employed to provide the programming voltage . this allows for scaling down of regular vdd supply voltage , without compromising higher voltage requirement for write operations . the voltage used during read operations are similar to that used for write operations , except that bias voltage applied to selected word line 210 is of lower value , typically about 1v . sensing circuitries are well known in the art , which can detect change of resistance to determine “ 0 ” or “ 1 ” state of bit cell . the voltage for write and read operations described herein are one illustration of how to implement this invention . it will be obvious to those knowledgeable in the field that same invention can be easily implemented by different variants of voltage conditions . the programming method disclosed herein is ideally intended to by used only once . however , in the case of programming errors , it may be possible to “ erase ” or “ reset ” the memory so that the programming method may be applied de novo , to erase / reset the memory , a first programming voltage is applied to the remainder cells in the memory array that were not selected during the first write operation . thus , all the cells will now have a new default resistance . the programming method can now be applied to apply a new and higher programming voltage to selected cells , as described above . embodiments of the present invention also cover a magnetic memory circuit / device that includes cells with data programmed in accordance with the programming method disclosed herein . embodiments of the present invention also cover electronic devices with a control element ( micro - controller or central processing unit ( cpu )) coupled to a magnetic memory circuit / device that includes cells with data programmed in accordance with the programming method disclosed herein . examples of such electronic devices include mobile phones , tablet computers , laptop computers , digital cameras , desktop computers , etc . although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments , it will be evident that the various modification and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit of the invention . accordingly , the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive sense .
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fig1 shows a partially cut - away exploded view of a steering wheel assembly generally indicated by reference numeral 10 . the steering wheel assembly 10 is adapted to be snap fit onto a hollow steering column shaft 12 . the steering column shaft 12 includes splines 14 at its top end and a groove 16 . a circular snap or split ring 18 is inserted in the groove 16 and includes a sloped engagement surface 22 and extending flange 20 . split or snap rings such as 18 are circular springs which can be compressed inwardly and then spring outwardly to its unstressed configuration upon removal of the load . the steering wheel assembly includes a steering wheel 30 having a central hub 32 defining a central opening 34 and a plurality of ribs 35 extend outwardly from the hub 32 to a rim 36 . the steering wheel assembly 10 includes an air bag housing 38 formed integrally with the hub 32 . the air bag housing 38 includes side walls 40 upward from the hub 32 . a frangible cover 42 having sides 44 is attached to the side walls 40 . the cover 42 includes a tear seam 46 of known construction and hinge portion 48a , b . an air bag 50 is stored in a folded condition within the steering wheel beneath the cover 42 . upon inflation of the air bag the cover is torn at its seam and parts of the cover rotate about the hinges 48a , b . the steering wheel assembly further includes a hollow insert 60 having a hollow , narrow , protruding , center part 62 . the insert may be formed integral with the hub or as a separate part . the center part 62 includes a flanged portion 63 defining an inflator receiving center opening 66 . the center part also includes a first fastening part such as internal threads 64 or for example a bayonet mount . the insert 60 additionally includes a radially extending flange 70 having a flat first surface 72 matingly engaging a flat second surface 74 of the hub . an axially extending walled portion 76 of the insert 60 includes a plurality of splines 78 which matingly engage the splines of the column 12 . as can be seen the diameter across the splines 78 is greater than the inflator receiving opening 66 . as can be appreciated other means can be provided to interlock the insert and column splines such as a bayonet mount or a keyed interface . positioned below the insert 60 is a collar 80 having a ) a first radial portion 82 abutting a corresponding radial part 84 of the insert , b ) an axial extending part 86 positioned about the walled portion 76 of the and c ) an inwardly extending end cap 88 including an inwardly directed circular flange 90 ending in a blunt edge 91 . the circular flange defines an additional opening 92 in which an inflator and sleeve are received . the collar 80 and insert 60 are removably secured to the hub 32 by a plurality of thread fasteners 92 such as bolts . a pyrotechnic cylindrically shaped inflator 100 is received and supported within the insert 60 . as in known inflators for air bags , provide inflation gas by the burning of solid propellant such as sodium azide , or provide heated inflation gas as in the case of a hybrid inflator or gas as a result of combusting burnable fluids . the inflator 100 includes a plurality of gas exits ports 102 situated at an end 104 thereof . the inflator also includes a fastener portion such as threaded portion 105 engagable with the threads 64 or other type of fastener used on the insert 60 . the cylindrical lower body 106 extends outwardly from the insert 60 and is protected by a plastic , reinforced plastic sleeve 108 . the sleeve 108 is shown is cup shaped metal but can also be an open ended cylinder . as can be seen only the narrow upper part 104 of the inflator 100 extends into the hub advantageously resulting in a small package ( cover , air bag and part of the inflator ) size . the propellant , inflation gas or liquid is typically stored in the body 106 . the sleeve , in addition to protecting the exterior of the inflator 100 , also protects the ignition wires 110 . as is known the ignition wires serve to communicate an electric signal to activate the inflator . in the embodiment shown the wires extend upwardly between the sleeve and the body of the inflator and exit through an opening 112 in the axial part 86 of the collar . one advantage of the present invention is that during assembly the air bag 50 and cover 42 may be attached to the steering wheel 30 independent of the inflator 100 . the inflator 100 may if desired be installed during the last phases of assembly . the air bag is attached to its housing or to the hub and folded in compact configuration . thereafter the cover 42 is attached to the air bag housing 38 by fasteners or other known means . the inflator is threaded into the insert 60 and the collar 80 is slid over the inflator body and the insert 60 . if the insert is a separate part from the hub , the insert and inflator are fitted into the center opening 34 of the hub 32 . the clearance between the insert and the hub can be one of a press fit , interference fit or a loose fit . thereafter the collar 80 is positioned about the insert 60 . the fasteners 92 are received within openings in the collar and insert and received within a threaded tapped holes in the hub and secure the collar , insert and inflator to the steering wheel completing the assembly of the steering wheel assembly . thereafter the steering wheel assembly is attached to the steering column 12 . this is accomplished by inserting the extending portion of the body 106 of the inflator into the hollow body of the steering column and aligning the splines 78 of the insert and the splines 14 of the column . as the steering wheel assembly is pushed down upon the column the flange 90 engages and compresses the sloped surface 22 of the snap ring 18 . further movement of the steering wheel pushes the slit ring into the groove 16 permitting the flange 90 to slide passed the ring 18 . once the end cap 88 of the collar is positioned below the split ring 18 the ring expands locking the steering wheel in place . after assembly , if the steering wheel or inflator need to be removed from the column this can be accomplished without having to compress the split ring . as can be appreciated from the above , the steering wheel can be removed simply by removing the fasteners 93 and lifting the steering wheel upwardly away from the collar . to reinstall the steering wheel and inflator the process is reversed . many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can , of course , be carried out without departing from the scope thereof . accordingly , that scope is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims .
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as was noted above , it is an objective of the invention to overcome the disadvantages described above and to provide a binding apparatus for binding the front of a shoe or boot onto a ski . the binding is preferably for use in cross - country or mountaineer skiing wherein the skier lifts or raises his heel in the course of moving his legs . the binding is generally characterized by the fact that the front of the boot is connected to the ski by a flexible flexion element . a pivot means ia also provided which is journalled to pivot around a transverse axis . the pivot means may comprise an abutment shoulder or surface to block the pivoting thereof at the end of a certain extent of lifting of the heel . further lifting of the heel results in flexion of the flexible flexion element . according to one aspect of the invention , the first phase of the lifting of the heel occurs freely , and is accompanied by rotation around a transverse axis . however , rotation or pivoting beyond a certain extent is blocked by a shoulder , and further lifting of the heel results in flexion of the flexion element . it is another characteristic of the invention that the flexion and rotation occur beyond the front end of the boot . according to other aspects of the invention , the flexion element can be either journal - mounted on the ski or be attached to the ski in a rigid manner , in which case it is the boot which is journalled with respect to the flexion element . the first phase of the lifting of the boot occurs freely without consuming the energy of the skier ( the extent of lifting may be 0 - 2o ° with respect to angular lifting ). subsequently , lifting of the heel occurs against the elastic force of the flexion element which exerts a frontwardly directed moment on the ski , which is necessary for proper skiing . in this way , the ski is pressed against the snow as a result of the lifting of the heel , once the heel has been lifted beyond a predetermined extent . thus , the desired effect is achieved without tiring the skier by requiring him to work against flexional forces throughout his entire gate . fig1 - 6 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , binding apparatus 1 for connecting the front of the boot 2 to ski 3 comprises a binding 4 , shown as being mounted on a level surface of the ski , in cooperation with he front portion 5 of the boot . binding 4 comprises a movable and flexible flexion element 6 positioned in a base plate body 7 attached to the ski by virtue of screws 80 . flexion element 6 is substantially parallelpipedic and extends from the front to the rear of base plate body 7 . the base plate has two uprights , or lateral walls 70 and 71 extending vertically on both sides of the lateral edges of the flexion element . the flexion element is at least partially deformable and is mounted at its front portion to pivot around a transverse axis s . however , the pivoting of element 6 is angularly limited , as will be noted below . the front of the boot is secured onto element 6 by a retention apparatus 9 . the retention apparatus is described in french patent application no . 2 , 447 , 731 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference , and need not be described in detail , particularly since this apparatus is given by way of example only . it need only be noted that element 6 extends rearwardly and comprises a support element 10 extending upwardly and that the front end 5 of boot 2 comprises a frontal support zone 11 as well as a latching element 12 which is spaced from the zone and extends in front of the boot . furthermore , a movable latch 13 is connected to element 6 by a stirrup 14 which may be journalled . the upper portion 15 of stirrup 14 is positioned in slot 16 comprising an elastic element 17 . slot 16 is formed in movable latch 13 which is pivotably mounted on stirrup 14 around upper portion 15 . insertion of the boot into the binding occurs by introduction of support element 10 between latching portion 12 and support zone 11 of the boot , and the retention is achieved by action of latch 13 on latching portion 12 , which thus forces support zone 11 against abutment zone 18 of support element 10 . fig1 illustrates the apparatus in the inactive position before insertion of the boot , and fig2 - 4 illustrate the apparatus in the active position with the boot inserted where the boot is to be retained . fig5 and 6 illustrate two phases of movement during lifting of the boot heel . the first phase involves a rotation around axis 8 , which is followed by a second phase which is accompanied by flexion of the flexion element . to pass from the first phase to the second phase , an abutment system is provided which blocks rotation beyond a certain extent . to achieve this , the front end of the flexion element comprises an abutment surface 19 which is inclined upwardly ( relative to the front of the binding ). fig5 illustrates the end of the first phase of movement during which the boot is lifted along direction f 1 by rotation around axis 8 until abutment surface 19 abuts against upper surface 20 of plate 21 of base plate body 7 . further pivoting of the flexion element is thus no longer possible , and any further lifting of the foot along direction f 1 results in flexion of the flexion element , as is shown in fig6 . movement along the direction f 1 thus occurs by pivoting of the flexion element around axis 8 , and subsequent movement along f 2 is accompanied by flexion of the flexion element . fig6 - 12 illustrate an alternative abutment system . in this embodiment , the same elements are against present ; namely , flexion element 6 &# 39 ; on which the boot is attached by virtue of the same apparatus as was previously described . flexion element 6 &# 39 ; is pivotably journalled around transverse axis 8 of base plate body 7 &# 39 ; which is attached to the ski . body 7 &# 39 ; comprises two lateral walls , 70 &# 39 ; and 71 &# 39 ;, which support pivot axis 8 and are connected at their upper portions by a horizontal wall member 72 . as may be seen from fig8 horizontal upper wall member 72 is upwardly spaced by a distance h from upper surface 60 of flexible element 60 &# 39 ;. this spacing allows for the free pivoting of element 6 &# 39 ; around axis 8 until upper surface 60 abuts against portion 73 of wall 72 ( see fig1 ). further pivoting is then blocked , and further movement of the boot occurs by flexion of flexion element 6 &# 39 ;. movement along f 1 thus occurs by pivoting of flexion element 6 &# 39 ; around axis 8 , and movement along direction f 2 occurs by flexion of flexion element 6 &# 39 ;. fig1 - 16 illustrate another embodiment in which it is not the flexion element which is journalled on the ski , but rather the end of the boot which pivots with respect to the flexion element . to achieve this , flexion element 6 &# 34 ; is attached to the ski at its front end by a body 7 &# 34 ; and a screw 8 . at its rear end , flexion element 7 &# 34 ; comprises a shaped element having a rounded slide surface 60 which is transverse and in the shape of a semi - circle of radius &# 34 ; r &# 34 ;. movable latch 61 is journalled around a transverse axis 62 . latch 61 is in the form of a stirrup which is configured and made of steel spring wire having a circular cross - section whose free ends 63 and 64 act as a journal axis for the upper portion 65 , which serves as a manipulation element . the free end of the boot comprises projection 30 , whose lower portion comprises a shaped slide member which has an arcuate surface extending in the transverse direction 31 , and has a shape which is complementary to the configuration of surface 60 and which cooperations therewith . the upper portion comprises a groove 32 which is adapted to receive horizontal arms 66 and 67 of latching element 61 . the lower frontal portion comprises an abutment surface 33 constituted by a surface which is inclined upwardly and frontwardly . fig1 illustrates the boot in the inserted position . movement along direction f 1 occurs by rotation of the boot with respect to the flexion element around the fictional transverse axis xx &# 39 ;, which passes through the center of the shaped projection having radius &# 34 ; r &# 34 ;. when surface 33 abuts against upper element 60 &# 39 ; of the flexible element , further rotation is no longer possible , and movement along direction f 2 occurs by flexion of the flexion element ( see fig1 ). fig1 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which flexion element 6 is definitively rendered integral with the boot , and remains permanently affixed thereto . it is thus possible , according to the invention , to provide for the flexion element to be either permanently or detachably secured to the boot with respect to each of the embodiments discussed above . the example set forth above illustates a number of ways of achieving such attachment although other techniques for accomplishing this aim are obviously possible . in all of the embodiments shown above , the binding is mounted on a level surface of the ski . also , the pivoting and flexional movements occur around real or virtual axes which are transverse and perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry . however , it is self - evident without going beyond the scope of the invention , that the journal axes . could also be skewed ( non - transverse angle ), as shown in french patent application no . 82 , o7758 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . thus , the invention is not limited to the transverse pivot axes disclosed and may be used with bindings having pivot axes which are other than transverse to the general logitudinal orientation of the ski , boot , and binding . it should also be noted that although an attempt has been made to include reference to all shoes and boots used in the manner of the invention , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any one particular shoe structure and extends to all equivalents within the scope of the claims . likewise , the application refers to &# 34 ; pivoting &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; flexion &# 34 ; as representing two different types of motion . it is to be understood , however , that what these terms intend to imply is that during &# 34 ; pivoting &# 34 ; there is a relatively free lifting of the heel , while during &# 34 ; flexion &# 34 ; the flexion element presents a resistance to further lifting which results in a moment forcing the front tips of the skis downwardly . finally , although the invention has been disclosed and described with reference to particular means , embodiments , and materials , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particulars disclosed but extends to all equivalents within the scope of the claims .
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referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference , fig1 - 5 disclose a sun tracking solar collector platform 10 comprising a stationary base 11 , a secondary support 12 pivotally mounted to base 11 , a collector mounting frame 13 rotatably mounted to secondary support 12 , an optical sensor element 14 mounted on the frame 13 , an electrical control box 15 , actuating motors 16 and 17 and a motor control swtich 18 . base 11 comprises a horizontal member 19 , an inclined member 21 , two vertical members 22 and 23 and two horizontal feet 24 and 25 . vertical members 22 and 23 are perpendicularly secured , respectively to the centers of feet 24 and 25 . member 23 is somewhat longer than member 22 . horizontal member 19 has one end secured to the top of member 22 and its other end secured to the side of member 23 at an elevation equal to the height of member 22 . inclined member 21 has one end secured with the one end of member 19 to the top of member 22 ; the other end of member 21 is secured to the top of member 23 . members 19 - 23 thus form a vertical framework held upright by feet 24 and 25 . the inclined top member 21 serves as a base for secondary support 12 . support 12 comprises a long horizontal member 26 and two short vertical members 27 and 28 . member 27 is perpendicularly attached to one end of member 26 and member 28 is perpendicularly attached to the other end of member 26 . member 26 is positioned directly over member 21 of base 11 in parallel relationship therewith and the end of member 26 to which member 28 is attached is pivotally secured to the elevated end of member 21 by means of a hinge 29 . through the action of the hinge 29 , member 26 may be permitted to rest driectly upon member 21 , or its free end may be raised vertically in a pivoting motion about hinge 29 . frame 13 comprises a rectangular frame 31 , an axle 32 and a sensor mounting bar 33 . axle 32 is secured to the underside of frame 31 along the longitudinal centerline of frame 31 and bar 33 is secured to the top side of frame 31 along the lateral centerline of frame 31 . the ends of axle 32 extend somewhat beyond the ends of frame 31 and are rotationally mounted between the upper ends of members 27 and 28 of support 12 . frame 31 is thus rotatable with axle 32 between the upper ends of members 27 and 28 . frame 13 serves as a mounting platform for any of the various types of solar collectors . sensor element 14 as shown most clearly in fig4 comprises a printed circuit board 34 , a directional light pickup tube 35 and an enclosure 36 . mounted on board 34 are a number of electronic components including a photo - transistor 37 . tube 35 comprising a cylindrical shell has a coaxial inner cylindrical tube 39 mounted to extend within its free end . tube 39 is considerably shorter in length and smaller in diameter than the shell of tube 35 and is held in a centered position in one end thereof by means of an open - centered insert or plug 41 . the end of tube 39 may extend a short distance beyond the end of tube 35 . enclosure 36 is of a rectangular configuration having board 34 mounted therewithin in parallel relationship with its base 42 . the photo - transistor 37 is mounted on the top side of board 34 near its center with tube 35 extending perpendicularly through an opening in the center of the top surface 43 of enclosure 36 . its lower end is arranged to extend to board 34 and envelop the body of photo - transistor 37 . when tube 35 is directed toward a light source , rays of light 44 pass through tube 39 and downwardly along the axis of the tube to strike the optically open top surface of photo - transistor 37 . as noted from fig1 of the drawing , the sensor element 14 is mounted at the center of bar 33 with the base 42 of enclosure 36 secured to bar 33 and with tube 35 extending perpendicularly upwardly from the center of frame 13 . actuator motor 16 is secured to the underside of member 19 of base 11 , as shown in fig3 and is positioned directly under the free end of support 12 with its rotor 45 coupled to the end of member 26 by means of two interconnected levers 46 and 47 . as noted , the free end of lever 46 is secured to rotor 45 and its other end is pivotally connected to a first end of lever 47 . the second or free end of lever 47 is pivotally secured to the side of member 26 . motor 16 is designed to turn at the rate of one revolution per minute when energized with the outer end of lever 46 traversing a circle as it is rotated by motor 16 . the lower end of lever 47 follows the circular path taken by the end of lever 46 to which it is coupled . the upper end of lever 47 responds by moving up and down along an arc 49 which is centered at hinge 29 , its total excursion being equal to twice the length of lever 46 as measured between rotor 45 and pivot pin 51 securing the outer end of lever 46 to the lower end of lever 47 . the outer or free end of support 26 is thus moved cyclically up and down with the attached upper end of lever 47 as motor 16 is operated . actuating motor 17 is secured to the underside of a horizontal mounting bar 52 which extends perpendicularly from the side of member 26 at a point near the attachment of hinge 29 . as shown in fig2 the rotor 53 of motor 17 is coupled to frame 13 by means of two pivotally coupled levers 54 and 55 in a manner identical to that provided by levers 46 and 47 for the coupling of motor 16 to support 12 . when motor 17 is energized the outer end of lever 54 traverses a circular path and carries with it the pivotally attached lower end of lever 55 . the upper end of lever 55 , which is pivotally attached to frame 13 , moves responsively up and down causing frame 13 to be cyclically pivoted about axle 32 . the outer edge of frame 13 moves up and down along an arc 56 with the length of arc 56 being determined by the length of lever 54 and by the point of attachment 57 of lever 55 to frame 13 . motor control switch 18 is secured to the top surface of bar 52 at a point near its outer end . as the right hand end of frame 13 , as shown in fig2 approaches the low point of its cyclical excursion , its underside comes into physical contact with the plunger of switch 18 causing switch 18 to close . switch 18 remains closed until the end of frame 13 passes its lowest point and begins its upward motion . the closed condition of switch 18 thus coincides with a period of a few degrees of rotation of motor 17 . control box 15 is attached to the side of base 11 adjacent member 23 with the electrical and electronic controls of frame 10 accomplished by means of its control circuit 60 shown in more detail in fig5 . control circuit 60 comprises motors 16 and 17 , switch 18 , a timer 61 , d - c power supply 62 , an electronic control circuit 63 and a motor control relay 64 . timer 61 receives 50 or 60 hertz power from a utility power source through a cord set 65 and delivers the same voltage at timed intervals to a pair of conductors , 66 and 67 . power supply 62 comprises a step - down transfomer 68 , a bridge rectifier 69 and a filer capacitor 71 . transformer 68 has its primary winding 72 connected between lines 66 and 67 . its secondary winding 73 is connected to the a - c terminals 74 and 75 of bridge rectifier 69 . capacitor 71 is connected across the d - c terminals 76 and 77 of rectifier 69 . the positive terminal 76 is also connected to the positive supply terminal 78 of circuit 63 and the negative or ground terminal 77 is connected to the ground terminal 79 of circuit 63 . electronic control circuit 63 comprises the photo - transistor 37 , an amplifying transistor 81 , a signal relay 82 , a base driver resistor 83 and output terminals 84 and 85 . relay 82 has a coil 86 and a set of normally - open contacts 87 . transistor 37 is an npn photo - transistor and transistor 81 is an npn bi - polar transistor . the collector ( c ) of transistor 81 is connected to terminal 78 and its emitter ( e ) is connected through coil 86 to ground terminal 79 . resistor 83 is connected from the collector to the base ( b ) of transistor 81 . transistor 37 has its collector ( c ) connected to its base and its emitter ( e ) connected to ground terminal 79 . one side of contact 87 is connected to output terminal 84 and its other side is connected to terminal 85 . relay 64 hs a coil 88 and a set of normally - open contacts 89 with coil 88 connected between line 66 and terminal 85 of circuit 63 . terminal 84 of circuit 63 is connected to line 67 . motor 17 is serially connected with contacts 89 of relay 64 across lines 66 and 67 , and motor 16 is serially connected with switch 18 across motor 17 . the timer 61 , power supply 62 and the realy 64 may be housed in control box 15 with circuit 63 mounted on board 34 of sensor element 14 . in the operation of circuit 60 , cord 65 is first connected to an alternating voltage source , typically 120 volts at 60 hertz . timer 61 is set to turn on at sunrise and to turn off again at sunset so that 120 volts a - c is available across lines 66 and 67 during the period of daylight . power supply 62 accepts the 120 volts at the primary 72 of transformer 68 and delivers a filtered d - c voltage at terminals 76 and 77 , the d - c voltage having an amplitude of approximately 24 volts . if no light rays 44 are striking the junction area of transistor 37 , this transistor will exhibit a high impedance between its collector and emitter terminals . current from terminal 78 flows in this case through resistor 83 into the base of transistor 81 turning transistor 81 on so that current from terminal 78 also flows through transistor 81 and through coil 86 to terminal 79 . the excitation of coil 86 causes contacts 87 to close with the result that coil 88 of relay 64 is energized by an a - c current flowing from line 67 through contacts 87 and coil 88 to line 66 . with the energizing of coil 88 , contacts 89 close connecting motor 17 across lines 66 and 67 . the resulting energization of motor 17 causes frame 13 to rock slowly back and forth about axle 32 as described earlier in an altitude mode . for a brief period during each oscillatory cycle of frame 13 about axle 32 , switch 18 is closed causing motor 16 to be energized . during the brief period in which motor 16 is energized , it turns a few degrees at a rate of approximately one - half revolution per minute , thereby raising or lowering support 12 a lesser number of degrees than the movement of frame 13 in an azimuth mode which is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the path of rotation of frame 13 . in this manner , the sensor element 14 is caused to sweep the sky moving back and forth from east to west , advancing at the end of each sweeping cycle to a higher or lower elevation until at some point in the sweeping action a ray of light from the sun will be captured by tube 39 . the captured ray 44 striking transistor 37 causes transistor 37 to switch to a low impedance state whereupon the current from resistor 83 is by - passed through transistor 37 to ground terminal 79 . thus robbed of base current , transistor 81 turns off , coil 86 is de - energized and contacts 87 open to de - energize relay 64 and motors 16 and 17 . as the sun moves westward , the alignment of sensor element 14 with the sun will be lost with the result that insufficient light 44 strikes transistor 37 to sustain its low impedance condition . as transistor 37 turns off , transistor 81 again turns on to energize relays 82 and 64 and motor 17 . if motor 17 has reached the appropriate part of its cycle , frame 13 will begin rotating toward the west and the sun &# 39 ; s rays will be recaptured ; if an eastward rotation occurs , the frame 13 will be rotated to its eastward limit and will then rotate westward until recapture is achieved . subsequent directional corrections will progress westward in the desired manner . it will be recognized that a specific directional orientation of the base 11 is appropriate . in the northern hemisphere the lower or left - hand end of base 11 as shown in fig3 will be directed toward the south . in the winter season the left - hand end of support 12 will have to be lowered to capture the sun ; as the season progresses toward summer support 12 will gradually be raised for sustained solar alignment . at the end of each day the timer 61 will turn off power leaving the sensor 14 directed toward the setting sun . at daybreak the timer again energizes circuit 60 causing frame 13 to rock eastward until capture occurs . at the first adjustment the sensor moves eastward past the sun , then returns westward until recapture is achieved . successive adjustments throughout the day are in an appropriately westward direction . elevational adjustments occur whenever an east - west sweep fails to achieve capture of the sun . a solar collector mounted on frame 13 is thus appropriately directed at all times toward the sun . an extremely simple yet functionally effective mechanical and electrical arrangement is thus provided for continually directing a solar collector toward the sun in accordance with the stated objects of the invention , and while but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims .
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fig2 shows a circuit diagram of a buck converter circuit including a mosfet of top drain construction 15 , a synchronous mosfet 25 , the synchronous mosfet 25 being of a directfet ™ type , a flip chip type ic 94 , controlling mosfets 15 and 25 in a pwm mode to obtain a constant output dc voltage , an inductor 10 and a capacitor 11 . the buck converter circuit , sometimes known as a step down converter , is commonly used to reduce voltages . therefore , the input voltage v in is greater than the output voltage v out . the mosfet die 15 , the mosfet die 25 , and the ic die 94 are arranged in a common housing 21 . the die 15 , 25 , 94 are arranged in a planar fashion on a lead frame 20 or other substrate which is both thermally and electrically conductive . the thermal conductivity of the lead frame or other substrate is needed to assure effective transmission of heat away from die 15 , 25 , 94 and toward one or more heatsinks ( not shown ) below the lead frame or other substrate . the electrical conductivity of the lead frame or the substrate is needed to permit electrical connections between the ic 94 and the mosfets 15 , 25 , as will be described in more detail , and to allow transmission of the input voltage v in and an output voltage v 1 , ( see fig2 ), to and from the common housing 21 , respectively . substrates other than lead frames which are thermally and electrically conductive include direct - bond copper ( dbc ), printed circuit boards ( pcb ), printed wiring boards ( pwb ), and flexible circuits . referring to fig3 , ic 94 is directly bonded to the lead frame 20 or other substrate by solder or conductive epoxy ( not shown ). ( as used herein , the term “ flip chip ” denotes a chip which is attached with a surface down directly to the lead frame or other substrate without any wire bonding , the flip chip having appropriately prepared bond pads .) lead frame 20 has contact areas 30 and 31 which receive a gate electrode 32 and a drain electrode 33 , respectively , of the mosfet 15 . the lead frame 20 also has source contacts 40 and 41 to contact source electrodes 43 and 44 , respectively , of mosfet 25 . in addition , the lead frame 20 has a gate contact area 42 to receive the gate electrode 45 of mosfet 25 . the lead frame 20 or other substrate also has traces 52 , shown schematically , patterned in the lead frame or other substrate , connecting the ic 94 to gate contact areas 30 , 42 . gate contact areas 30 , 42 are in turn connected to gate electrodes 32 , 45 , respectively , through solder or conductive epoxy 58 and through solder or conductive epoxy 54 , respectively . likewise , referring to fig5 , source contact areas 40 and 41 are connected to source electrodes 43 and 44 , respectively , through solder or conductive epoxy 62 and solder or conductive epoxy 60 , respectively . the drain contact area 31 is connected to the drain electrode 33 through solder or conductive epoxy 66 . mosfet 25 is of directfet ™ construction manufactured by international rectifier corporation . thus , referring to fig5 , mosfet 25 is passivated on the surface 70 of the die , on which the source and gate electrodes 43 , 44 , 45 are located , in order to prevent shorting between source and gate electrodes and to protect them from moisture and other contamination . the drain contact 74 of mosfet 25 is connected to the source electrode 78 of mosfet 15 through the conductive t - pac type packaging structure 50 , which also provides a pathway to conduct the output voltage v 1 , shown in fig2 , to lead frame 20 or other substrate , as shown schematically in fig5 . in addition , the use of the t - pac type packaging 50 provides improved thermal management . the t - pac type packaging structure 50 is comprised of a connective portion 80 and a web portion 82 . the web portion 82 is connected to the lead frame 20 or other substrate by solder or conductive epoxy 84 . the connective portion 80 is connected to drain contact 74 of mosfet 25 by conductive epoxy or solder 86 , 88 ( see fig4 ), and is also connected to source contact 78 by solder or conductive epoxy ( not shown ). the connective portion 80 and the web portion 82 are integrally formed into a unitary body . in order to implement the circuit of fig2 , both source contacts 40 and 41 are grounded , as shown schematically in fig5 , and v in is supplied , through the lead frame 20 or other substrate , to drain electrode 33 , as also shown schematically in fig5 . a conventional molded housing 90 of resin or other conventionally nonconductive material encapsulates the t - pac packaging structure 50 and all the other components of the circuit package above the lead frame 20 or other substrate . it should be noted that the connective portion 80 of the t - pac packaging structure covers the entire area of the lead frame 20 or other substrate , while the web portion 82 is of sufficient dimension to only make contact with a portion of the upper surface of lead frame 20 or other substrate , the contact portion being shown as a hatched area 92 in fig3 . ( the plan view of fig3 is taken with the t - pac type packaging structure 50 removed in order to simplify the view .) it should be understood , furthermore , that the lower surface of the connector portion 80 is above the upper surface of flip chip ic 94 , and that the nonconductive material 90 composed of resin or other non - conductive material electrically isolates the flip chip ic 94 from the t - pac packaging structure 50 . the extension of the connector portion 80 of the t - pac packaging structure 50 over the entire area of the lead frame 20 or other substrate may provide improved thermal management of the heat generated by the die over other conventional planar , stacked , or superimposed arrangements of die in common housings . additional improvements in thermal management may be obtained by including ridges 96 in the top surface of connector portion 80 of the t - pac packaging structure 50 , as disclosed in fig8 a of u . s . publication no . 2004 / 0061221 a1 , and also shown in fig6 herein . such ridges may not only help dissipate more heat , they may also help connector portion 80 adhere better to nonconductive material 90 . although only the mosfet die 15 , the mosfet die 25 , and the ic die 94 have been described previously as being arranged in a planar fashion on lead frame 20 or other substrate , it can easily be conceived that the inductor 10 of the buck converter circuit of fig2 can also be located on lead frame 20 or other substrate . in such a case , the inductor 10 can be connected to drain contact 74 of mosfet 25 , by traces patterned in the lead frame 20 or another substrate and by the t - pac type packaging structure 50 or other packaging structure , thus implementing yet another portion of the circuit shown in fig2 , without the need for wire bonding . finally , the capacitor 11 could also be placed on the lead frame 20 , and appropriate traces patterned in the lead frame 20 to connect the capacitor 11 to the inductor 10 and to the source contacts 40 and 41 , thus contacting the source electrodes 43 and 44 , respectively , of mosfet 25 , again without wire bonding . the addition of inductor 10 and capacitor 11 to lead frame 20 would complete the implementation of the entire buck converter circuit shown in fig2 on a single lead frame or other substrate . although the foregoing disclosure has focused on the planar packaging of the semiconductor portion of a conventional buck converter circuit in a common housing , it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular arrangement . on the contrary , the invention can generally be applied to arrange flip chip devices , which are the semiconductor portions of various circuits , in a planar fashion in a common housing without the necessity of wire bonding . in addition , the use of a t - pac packaging structure for the package may allow for improved heat management of the package . it should be understood , of course , that insulating barriers or layers will be present , as needed , in the lead frame 20 or other substrate to prevent shorting between and among contacts of any semiconductor components of the circuit , any t - pac or other packaging structure , and any passive devices on the lead frame 20 or other substrate . although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof , many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art . it is preferred , therefore , that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein , but only by the appended claims .
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various implementations of the invention , which are now described , replace an original uniform resource locator (“ url ”) included in a text message ( embedded or otherwise ) with a replacement url in order to detect and / or prevent access to unwanted , inappropriate or malicious content . fig1 illustrates a text messaging system 100 in accordance with various implementations of the invention . in some implementations of the invention , text messaging system 100 includes a gateway 130 and a carrier network 140 . in some implementations of the invention , carrier network 140 is a wireless carrier network that provides various wireless services to one or more mobile devices 150 ( illustrated in fig1 as a mobile device 150 a and a mobile device 150 b ). carrier network 140 may be a terrestrial cellular network or a satellite network or other carrier network as would be appreciated . carrier network 140 may provide wireless services including voice services and / or data services , including text messaging services , as would be appreciated . in some implementations of the invention , gateway 130 provides entry to carrier network 140 from sources external to carrier network 140 . gateway 130 provides a mechanism by which such sources may provide content to mobile devices 150 , either directly via multimedia messaging (“ mms ”) or other ip based messaging technology or indirectly , such as via a url embedded in a mobile or text message 110 ( illustrated as a text message 110 a and a text message 110 b ) or other mechanisms ( e . g ., urls embedded as a two dimensional image , a bar code , a q - code , etc .). in some implementations of the invention , gateway 130 may provide a connection point to carrier network 140 ( although other connection points to carrier network 140 may exist ). in some implementations , gateway 130 may be operated carrier network 140 or by a third party ( as illustrated ). in some implementations , gateway 130 may be external to carrier network 140 ( as illustrated ) or may be internal to carrier network 140 or may be some combination of external and internal components to carrier network 140 as would be appreciated . in some implementations , gateway 130 may include one or more servers ( not otherwise illustrated ) and related hardware configured to perform various functions as described herein . in some implementations of the invention , some or all of the various functions of gateway 130 may be incorporated into a mobile application operating on mobile device 150 to operate solely with carrier network 140 or in connection with gateway 130 . according to various implementations of the invention , text message 110 may be sent to a user ( also referred to herein as a mobile subscriber ) of mobile device 150 using sms . in some implementations of the invention , text message 110 originates from outside carrier network 140 . in some implementations of the invention , text message 110 originates from inside carrier network 140 . in some implementations of the invention , gateway 130 , as a connection point or entry point to carrier network 140 for external sources , intercepts text message 110 destined for mobile device 150 . in some implementations of the invention , gateway 130 intercepts text messages 110 internal to carrier network 140 as would be appreciated . in some implementations of the invention , gateway 130 intercepts text messages 110 from sources both external and internal to carrier network 140 as would be appreciated . fig2 illustrates a text message 110 with a body 210 of the text message and and an original url 220 embedded within body 210 . with sms , body 210 of text message 110 may include up to 140 characters . as would be appreciated , greater or fewer characters may be included in other text messaging systems or with other messaging protocols . according to various implementations of the invention , before being transmitted over carrier network 140 to and received by mobile device 150 , original url 220 is replaced in body 210 of text message 110 with a replacement url 320 as illustrated in fig3 . according to various implementations of the invention , replacement url 320 has a length less than or equal to a length of original url 220 ( i . e ., replacement url 320 has a length not greater than that of original url 220 ). in some implementations of the invention , original url 220 and replacement url 320 are stored in a data storage 135 . for example , gateway 130 , upon intercepting text message 110 , may create a data record 410 ( or other data structure ), such as that illustrated in fig4 . data record 410 may be stored in a database in data storage 135 . in some implementations of the invention , data record 410 includes a destination url value 420 and an original url value 430 to store replacement url 320 and original url 220 , respectively . in some implementations of the invention , additional information may also be stored in the data record . for example , in some implementations of the invention , a destination address value 440 corresponding to the mobile address or mobile number of mobile device 150 ( also referred to as a destination address ) to which text message 110 is sent may also be stored in data record 410 . in some implementations of the invention , the destination address may be a sim card number , a mobile device number , a device address , an ip address , an email address , a username , a user account , or other destination address identifying mobile device 110 . in some implementations of the invention , an originating address value 450 corresponding to originating address ( or other originating number ) of a source of text message 110 may be stored . in some implementations of the invention , the originating address may include an originating number , an originating virtual number , an originating ip address or other originating address ( e . g ., sim card number , mobile device number , device address , ip address , email address , username , user account or other originating address ) as would be appreciated . in some implementations of the invention , replacement url 320 points to content ( e . g ., a web page or other content ) other than that of original url 220 . in some implementations of the invention , replacement url 320 points to content for rendering on mobile device 110 . in some implementations , the content informs the user that original url 220 was generated by a source outside of carrier network 140 or points to other content outside of carrier network 140 . in some implementations , the content to which replacement url 320 points includes user friendly instructions for proceeding ( or not ) to content linked via original url 220 . in some implementations , the content includes warnings regarding original url 220 . in some implementations of the invention , the content to which replacement url 320 points includes a number of user selectable actions ( e . g ., options , links , etc .) that may be taken by the user . in some implementations , one of the user selectable actions may be to designate and / or report text message 110 ( which may include original url 220 ) as spam . in some implementations , one of the user selectable actions may be to delete and / or close text message 110 . in some implementations , one of the user selectable actions may be to proceed to original url 220 . in some implementations , other user selectable actions may be presented to the user as would be appreciated . in some implementations of the invention , the user &# 39 ; s selection is stored and tracked for purposes of analyzing user behavior . in some implementations of the invention , the user &# 39 ; s selection is stored and tracked for purposes of identifying certain text messages 110 as spam . in some implementations of the invention , the user &# 39 ; s selection is stored ( potentially along with other activity ) and tracked for purposes of identifying malicious urls . in some implementations of the invention , the user &# 39 ; s selection is stored and aggregated with selections made by other users to characterize urls ( i . e ., benign , malicious , etc .). according to various implementations of the invention , once replacement url 320 has replaced original url 220 in body 210 of text message 110 , text message 110 is transmitted over carrier network 140 and delivered to / received by mobile device 150 . in some implementations of the invention , after text message 110 is received by mobile device 150 and upon the user selecting replacement url 320 in body 210 of the received text message 110 , the content referenced by replacement url 320 is rendered on mobile device 150 . when the user opts to proceed to original url 220 , original url 220 is retrieved from data storage 135 using replacement url 320 , and the browser of mobile device 150 is redirected to the retrieved original url . in some implementations of the invention , after replacement url 320 is selected by the user , the destination address ( i . e ., mobile number , etc .) of mobile device 150 associated with replacement url 320 is retrieved from data storage 135 and compared against an address of the mobile device currently attempting to access replacement url 320 to confirm that these mobile devices are the same . in some implementations of the invention , if these destination addresses are different ( i . e ., different mobile devices ), access to replacement url 320 ( and hence the originial url ) may be denied . in some implementations of the invention , if original url 220 is determined to be malicious or include inappropriate content ( e . g ., adult content not appropriate for minor users , etc . ), mobile device 150 may be prevented access to original url 220 either by blocking original url 220 from access by mobile device 150 , removing original url 220 from text message 110 and / or from data storage 135 , or otherwise preventing mobile device 150 with access to original url 220 . in some implementations of the invention , original url 220 may be modified ( either before or after storing it in data storage 135 ), for example , by updating , adding or modifying various name - value pairs within original url 220 or other modifications . for example , various services are available for tracking user click behavior on the internet . these services typically rely on passing name - value pairs in the url strings ( typically at the end ) as would be appreciated . this technique is an important way for advertisers and others to share data and consolidate user activity data at a single collection point . such modifications are well known , as are the purposes for doing so . however , in the context of text messages , one or more iterations of these modifications ( i . e ., of modifying original url 220 ) on a url embedded in a conventional text message may result in the url consuming too many of the allotted 140 characters or being truncated , and hence unable to be resolved . accordingly , some implementations of the invention , through the use of replacement url 320 , permit original urls to approach and / or exceed the 140 character limit of conventional text messages and further to dynamically modify the original url with values observed from the mobile device when it accesses the replacement url 320 or previously known about the mobile device and stored in the name - value pairs . some implementations of the invention scan text message 110 to determine whether text message 110 includes a url . some implementations of the invention scan text message 110 for specific syntax beginning with “ http ://” or “ https ://”. some implementations of the invention scan text message 110 for custom url schemes supported by various mobile devices 150 . for example , such custom url schemes may launch a web browser on the device when clicked , or they may launch other applications available on or accessible to mobile device 150 . some implementations of the invention determine whether original url 220 may be replaced without disrupting such custom url schemes . some implementations of the invention determine whether original url 220 conforms to a valid url based on conventional url syntax requirements . some implementations of the invention determine whether original url 220 corresponds to a known malicious site or known malicious scheme . some implementations of the invention resolve original url 220 to determine a type and / or nature of the content accessed by original url 220 . some implementations of the invention resolve original url 220 to determine whether the content accessed by original url 220 is appropriate for minors or other types of users of mobile device 150 . in some implementations of the invention , original url 220 is evaluated to determine whether to permit access to original url 220 , to automatically prevent access to original url 220 ( e . g ., in the event of known malicious content , etc . ), or to prevent access to original url 220 in some circumstances ( e . g ., prevent access by minors to adult content , etc .). in some implementations of the invention , in addition to replacing original url 220 with replacement url 320 in text message 110 , the originating address may also be replaced with a replacement originating address or code to obscure the originating address from the user of mobile device 150 . in these implementations of the invention , mobile device 150 may be prevented from responding directly to the source of text message 110 , thereby inadvertently revealing their identity to the source . fig5 illustrates a process 500 for handling text messages with embedded urls according to various implementations of the invention . in an operation 510 , gateway 130 receives a text message 110 addressed or otherwise directed to mobile device 150 . in an operation 520 , gateway 130 scans text message 110 to determine whether body 210 includes original url 220 . if so , in an operation 530 , gateway 130 replaces original url 220 with replacement url 320 . in an operation 540 , gateway 130 stores at least original url 220 and replacement url 320 in data storage 135 . in an operation 550 , gateway 130 forwards text message 110 including replacement url 320 to mobile device 150 . in an operation 560 , after a user of mobile device 150 selects replacement url 320 ( and a browser operating on mobile device 150 renders that replacement url ), gateway 130 provides a content ( e . g ., a web page ) that may be rendered on mobile device 150 thereby presenting the user of mobile device 150 with a number of user selectable actions . in an operation 570 , after the user of mobile device 150 selects an option to proceed to the destination ( e . g ., web page ) of original url 220 , gateway 130 redirects mobile device 150 ( in some implementations , its browser ) to the destination via original url 220 . while various implementations of the invention are described above with regard to text messages , the invention may also be applied to various mobile messages including , but not limited to sms , mms , im , chat , social network posts / messages and other mobile messages . while various implementations of the invention are described above with regard to a carrier network , the invention may also be applied to various mobile messages delivered by private messaging communities and accessed via external gateway or api . while various implementations of the invention are described above with regard to urls embedded in text messages , the invention may also be applied to two dimensional bar codes , qr - codes , or other similar image codes that may be captured or scanned by mobile device 150 . any of these image codes may be replaced with a corresponding replacement url to provide similar functionality to that described above with regard to embedded urls as would be appreciated . while the invention has been described herein in terms of various implementations , it is not so limited and is limited only by the scope of the following claims , as would be apparent to one skilled in the art . these and other implementations of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the disclosure provided above and the accompanying figures . in addition , various components and features described with respect to one implementation of the invention may be used in other implementations as well .
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in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments , reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific illustrative embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical , mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense . fig1 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . memory device 100 includes array 102 of cells 104 . array 102 includes a number of word lines ( wl ) and a number of digit lines . the digit lines are provided in complementary pairs as is well know in the art . each cell 104 is coupled to a word line and a digit line such that each cell is independently addressable . each cell 104 includes access transistor 106 and capacitor 108 . a gate of access transistor 106 is coupled to a word line . a first source / drain region of access transistor 106 is coupled to a digit line . a second source / drain region of access transistor 106 is coupled to a first node of capacitor 108 . a second node of capacitor 108 is coupled to cell plate 110 . cell plate 110 is maintained at a substantially constant voltage by voltage generator 112 . typically , voltage generator 112 provides a bias voltage of approximately one - half of the supply voltage as is known in the art . memory device 100 further uses word line decoder 114 and digit line decoder 116 to determine which cell 104 of array 102 is to be accessed . word line decoder 114 first determines the word line that is coupled to the selected cell . further , word line decoder 114 includes circuitry that activates the word line for the selected cell . digit line decoder 116 determines the pair of digit lines to be used for accessing the selected cell . digit line decoder 116 provides this information to sense amplifier 115 . sense amplifier 115 passes data between input / output circuit 118 and array 102 . control circuit 120 is coupled to voltage generator 112 to selectively establish the amount of drive current provided to cell plate 110 . control circuit 120 is also coupled to word line decoder 114 , sense amplifier 115 , digit line decoder 116 and input / output circuit 118 . in operation , memory device 100 stores data on capacitors 108 of cells 104 . prior to normal operation , memory device 100 is tested to identify cells with defective capacitors . various data patterns , known to a person of ordinary skill in the art , are written to and read out from array 102 during the testing operation . based on the output of these tests , defective cells are repaired out with redundant word lines or digit line pairs of array 102 . to aid in the early detection of defective cells , voltage generator 112 provides two different drive currents to cell plate 110 . during normal operation , voltage generator 112 provides a first , higher current level . and , during at least a portion of the test mode , voltage generator 112 provides a second , lower drive current . for example , voltage generator 112 can provide a drive current during test mode that is one - half as much as the normal drive current . advantageously , the lower drive current of voltage generator 112 used during at least a portion of the test mode amplifies the affect of a short circuited capacitor on the cell plate voltage so that cells that will provide unacceptable data during normal operation are identified more quickly during the test . the manner in which the lower drive current amplifies the affect of the short is described with respect to storing a high logic value in an unacceptable cell . when a high logic value is written to the cell , input / output circuit 118 receives the high logic value over the data lines . sense amplifier 115 drives the digit and digit complement lines of array 102 to voltages substantially equal to the power supply and ground potential . word line decoder 114 drives access transistor 106 of cell 104 to pass the voltage on the digit line to capacitor 108 . thus , assuming that the power supply voltage is approximately 3 volts , the voltage on the first node of capacitor 108 is 3 volts . if there were no shorted capacitor in the area of the cell , the voltage on the second node of capacitor 108 ( e . g ., cell plate 110 ) would be one - half of the power supply voltage , or 1 . 5 volts . thus , capacitor 108 would store the high logic value as a 1 . 5 volt difference between the first and second nodes . since there is a short circuited cell in the area , the voltage on cell plate 110 moves from its normal voltage when sense amplifier 115 is active . when this happens , the voltage stored on capacitor 108 will vary from its expected range . the drive current from voltage generator 112 affects the amount by which the short circuit can move the voltage on cell plate 110 . for example , by cutting the drive current of voltage generator 112 in half during the test mode , the shorted capacitor might move cell plate 110 by one volt or more as compared to less than half a volt with the normal drive current . with this change in the voltage of cell plate 110 , the voltage stored on capacitor 108 is reduced to 0 . 5 volts or less ( compared to 1 volt using typical drive current levels ). thus , the decreased drive current allows the test to identify this cell as defective more quickly . fig2 is a schematic diagram of a voltage generator , indicated generally at 200 , that can be used to provide the variable drive current of voltage generator 112 of fig1 . voltage generator 200 includes first and second voltage generators 202 and 204 . first voltage generator 202 includes p - channel transistor 206 and n - channel transistor 208 that are coupled in a voltage divider configuration . the gates of transistors 206 and 208 are coupled together and are coupled to a common node 210 with a source / drain region of transistor 206 and a source / drain region of transistor 208 . a source / drain region of transistor 206 is coupled to the power supply , v cc , and a source drain region of transistor 208 is coupled to ground . second voltage generator 204 includes p - channel transistor 212 and n - channel transistor 214 that are coupled in the same configuration as first voltage generator 202 . a gate of transistor 218 is coupled to receive a control signal from , for example , control circuit 120 of fig1 . a first source / drain region of transistor 218 is coupled to node 210 of first voltage generator 202 . a second source / drain region of transistor 218 is coupled to node 224 as an output of voltage generator 200 . transistor 220 is configured in a similar manner as transistor 218 . a first source / drain region of transistor 220 is coupled to node 216 . a second source / drain region of transistor 220 is coupled to output node 224 . a gate of transistor 220 is coupled to an output of inverter 222 . inverter 222 inverts the control signal from , for example , control circuit 120 of fig1 such that only one of transistors 218 and 220 is on at a given time . in operation , voltage generator 200 selectively applies the output of first and second voltage generators 202 and 204 to output node 224 to drive , for example , the voltage of cell plate 110 . when the control signal from control circuit 120 is high , voltage generator 202 is coupled by transistor 218 to provide the output current . when the control signal from control circuit 120 is low , voltage generator 204 is coupled by transistor 220 to provide the output current . by selecting appropriate widths for the transistors in first and second voltage generators 202 and 204 , the drive current provided by voltage generator 202 can be set as a percentage of the drive current of voltage generator 204 . this allows voltage generator 200 to provide lower drive current during test mode of a memory device so that defective cells can be identified faster and with less strenuous tests . fig3 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a voltage generator indicated generally at 300 and constructed according to the teachings of the present invention . voltage generator 300 includes p - channel transistor 302 and n - channel transistor 304 that are coupled in a voltage divider configuration . transistors 302 and 304 are fabricated such that the voltage at node 306 is approximately one - half of the power supply voltage ( v cc ). voltage generator 300 further includes gating transistors 308 and 310 . a source / drain region of each transistor 308 and 310 is coupled to node 306 . further , a second source / drain region of each transistor 308 and 310 is coupled to output node 312 . a gate of transistor 308 is coupled to receive a first control signal from , for example , control circuit 120 of fig1 . similarly , a gate of transistor 310 is coupled to receive a second control signal from control circuit 210 of fig1 . in operation , voltage generator 300 provides an output voltage that is a percentage of the power supply voltage with a variable drive current . first and second control signals from control circuit 120 selectively activate transistors 308 and 310 . for example , transistor 308 can be sized to provide sufficient drive current during normal operation . thus , the control signals from control circuit 120 turn transistor 308 on and transistor 310 off during normal operation . further , during test mode , the control signals turn on transistor 310 , which is sized to provide reduced drive current , during at least a portion of a test mode so that defects may be more readily identified . alternatively , with appropriate sizing of transistors 308 and 310 , transistor 308 can provide the drive current during normal operation and transistor 308 and 310 can provide the drive current during at least a portion of a test mode . although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein , it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown . this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention . for example , the teachings of the present invention are not limited to the voltage generators shown and described with respect to fig2 and 3 . other arrangements can be used that provide a variable drive current to the cell plate during normal and test mode operations . further , the cell plate can be maintained at a voltage other than v cc / 2 as specified in fig2 .
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the present invention is applied to an fm receiver , wherein it is constructed such that the receiver can receive an fm character multiple broadcasting called darc ( data radio channel ) mainly developed by the institute of broadcasting technology of nhk in japan in recent years . the fm character multiple broadcasting of this darc system is a system in which data such as character information or the like are multiplexed to a program of normal audio broadcasting through an fm broadcasting and transmitted . fig1 is a circuit block diagram for showing the receiver for this fm character multiple broadcasting , wherein reference numeral 10 denotes an fm receiver circuit constructed like a synthesizer system , a received signal from an antenna 11 is supplied to an antenna tuning circuit 12 of an electronic tuning system and then a broadcasting wave signal srx of a frequency frx is taken out . then , this signal srx is supplied to a mixer circuit 14 through a high frequency amplifier 13 , an oscillation signal sl0 with a frequency fl0 , for example , where , fif is an intermediate frequency , e . g . fif = 10 . 7 mhz is taken out of vco 21 , this signal sl0 is supplied to the mixer circuit 14 as a local oscillation signal and the signal srx is converted in its frequency into an intermediate frequency signal sif ( an intermediate frequency fif ). further , this intermediate frequency signal sif is supplied to an fm demodulation circuit 16 through an intermediate frequency amplifier 15 so as to cause an audio signal to be demodulated and this signal is supplied to a speaker 18 through an amplifier 17 . at this time , vco 21 constitutes pll 20 together with circuits 22 to 25 . that is , the signal sl0 from the vco 21 is supplied to a variable frequency dividing circuit 22 , its frequency is divided into a frequency of 1 / n , this divided frequency signal is supplied to a phase comparing circuit 23 and at the same time an oscillation signal with a reference signal , for example , a frequency of 100 khz is taken out of the oscillation circuit 24 , this oscillation signal is supplied to a comparing circuit 23 , its comparing output is supplied to the vco 21 as its control signal through a low - pass filter 25 . in addition , an output voltage of the filter 25 is supplied to the tuning circuit 12 as a tuning voltage . accordingly , under a normal state of the device , since a frequency dividing signal obtained from a frequency dividing circuit 22 and an oscillating signal of the oscillation circuit 24 are equal to each other in their frequencies , a frequency fl0 of the oscillation signal sl0 at this time becomes accordingly , if the frequency dividing ratio n is changed from 653 to 793 , the local oscillation frequency fl0 is changed in an interval of 100 khz in 65 . 3 mhz to 79 . 3 mhz , so that a received signal frequency frx is changed by a frequency step of 100 khz in a frequency band of 76 . 0 mhz to 90 . 0 mhz and also in correspondence with a frequency dividing ratio n . further , this fm receiver is provided with a control means , i . e . a micro - computer 30 acting as a system control . this micro - computer 30 is comprised of a cpu 31 , a rom 32 for a program , a ram 33 for a work area , a memory 34 for holding data and a ram 35 for a receiver buffer for character programs . then , the memories 32 to 35 are connected to the cpu 31 through a system bus 39 . in this case , the rom 32 has a main routine 100 shown in fig2 and 3 , for example . although a detailed content of this main routine 100 will be described later , the part not related to the present invention is eliminated in fig2 and 3 . further , the rom 32 has a data table dtbl as shown in fig4 for example , as a data base for frequency data for an area call . that is , in the case of the data table dtbl shown in fig4 the entire area of japan is divided into 14 areas of &# 34 ; hokkaido &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; tohoku 1 &# 34 ; . . . , &# 34 ; kyusyu 2 &# 34 ;. then , this data table dtbl has a data timei indicating a name of area for every divided area and also has a data kyoku indicating a name of broadcasting station capable of practically receiving a program at a certain area . further , this data table dtbl has a data freq of a frequency applied for a broadcasting by the broadcasting station ( a master station ) and a data freq for a frequency applied for a broadcasting operation by the satellite station corresponding to the master station . the frequency data freq has a master station at its leading end and subsequently a satellite station is set . the satellite stations are arranged in an order from a low frequency to a high frequency . more practically , although there is a case in which it can not be discriminated what broadcasting station corresponds to the master station and what broadcasting station corresponds to the satellite station , in such a case as above , its representing broadcasting station is selected as the master station and other stations are selected as satellite stations . in addition , the rom 32 has character data required for various kinds of displays . further , the memory 34 is a rom capable of performing a data deletion and a data writing electrically or a ram backed up with a battery cell , although not shown , that is , the memory 34 is a non - volatile memory and even if a power supply is turned off , the written data can be held and various kinds of data which are required to be held are accessed even if the power supply is turned off . then , this memory 34 , as shown in fig5 for example , has data areas a1 to a7 in correspondence with the tuning key to be described later and the data freq of the frequency of the broadcasting station preset to the tuning key and the data kyoku of a name of the broadcasting station can be stored in each of the data areas a1 to a7 . in addition , to the bus 39 are connected ports 36 , 37 and an interface circuit 38 . then , a frequency dividing ratio n is set from the cpu 31 to the variable frequency dividing circuit 22 through the port 36 so as to perform a tuning and a receiving signal for the receiver circuit 10 . in addition , a demodulated signal from a demodulation circuit 14 is supplied to a decoder circuit 19 , data of the character program is decoded , corrected for its error and taken out of lmsk ( level controlled minimum shift keying ) signal , and this data is accumulated in the ram 35 for the receiving buffer through the port 37 . in addition , to the interface circuit 38 are connected cursor keys ( down - key and up - key ) kd and ku , a determination key ke , a menu key km , a set key ks and seven tuning keys p1 to p7 . the keys kd , ku , ke , km , ks , p1 to p7 are comprised of non - lock type push switches . further , to the bus 39 is connected a font rom ( a character generator ) 41 having font data for converting character data sent by an fm character multiplex broadcasting into display data and at the same time a display controller 42 is connected to it . then , a displaying memory 43 is connected to the controller 42 and an lcd 50 acting as a display element is connected to it . in this case , the lcd 50 is an element for displaying characters or the like under a proper combination of dots , and this has a size of 15 . 5 characters × 4 . 5 lines ( lateral 248 dots × vertical 72 dots ) as shown in fig6 for example . then , an area of the upper - most 0 . 5 line ( vertical 8 dots ) is defined as a header area and an area of the remaining 4 lines ( vertical 64 dots ) is defined as a main area for displaying a text . further , the memory 43 is of a bit - map system in correspondence with a dot displaying system of the lcd 50 and has a capacity of one screen of the lcd 50 . then , either data held at the ram 35 for a receiving buffer or data prepared in advance in rom 32 is read out by the cpu 31 , the read - out data is converted into displaying data under application of the font data in the rom 41 and the displaying data is written into the memory 43 through the controller 42 . at this time , the displaying data of the memory 43 is read out in repetition under an operation of the controller 42 and concurrently the data is converted into a displaying signal and supplied to the lcd 50 . accordingly , at the lcd 50 is displayed either a character of character data read out of the ram 35 by cpu 31 or a character with character data prepared in the rom 32 . with such an arrangement as above , various kinds of processing such as a displaying operation is carried out as follows under the operation of the cpu 31 . in this paragraph , an operation ranging from a turning - on of the power supply of the receiver to a key input waiting under a normal state of the receiver will be described . that is , when the power supply of the receiver is turned on , the processing at the cpu 31 is started to operate from a step 101 in a routine 100 and subsequently at a step 102 , an initialization at each of the sections is executed . for example , a frequency dividing ratio n of a last channel ( a receiving frequency received when the power supply is turned off in a previous time ) is read out of the memory 34 and set to the variable frequency dividing circuit 22 . in addition , the data held in the memory 34 is applied to cause either a name of broadcasting station of the last channel or its frequency to be displayed at the lcd 50 . accordingly , the last channel is received at this time and its audio is outputted from the speaker 18 . subsequently , the processing is advanced to a step 103 and at this step 103 , a satellite flag sflg is set to &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;. when the master station is pre - set to the tuning key , this satellite flag sflg is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and in turn when the satellite station is preset , this satellite flag sflg becomes &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;. then , subsequently , the processing is advanced to a step 104 , and at this step 104 , a key input waiting operation is carried out . in this case , if the character multiplex broadcasting is being performed at the last channel , the data of the character program is decoded , corrected in its error and taken out of the decoder circuit 19 and the data is accumulated in the ram 35 for the receiving buffer . then , under this key input waiting state , if a user performs a key inputting operation , each of the processes is carried out as follows in response to the key input . this operation corresponds to the case in which an optional character program is selected from total contents of the programs displayed at the lcd 50 and displayed . in this case , at first the menu key km is depressed . then , the processing at the cpu 31 is advanced from the step 104 to the step 111 and at this step 111 , it is checked whether or not the satellite flag sflg is &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;. in this case , since sflg =&# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; is attained due to the step 103 , the processing is advanced from the step 111 to the step 112 , and at this step 112 , it is checked whether or not the key inputted at the step 104 is the tuning keys p1 to p7 . then , in this case , the key is the menu key km , so that the processing is advanced from the step 112 to the step 120 , wherein at the step 120 , the total contents of the character program ( main menu ) are displayed at the lcd 50 in response to the character data of the ram 35 . then , when either the down - key kd or the up - key ku is depressed , the cursor moves forward or rearward between the items of the total contents displayed at the lcd 50 in response to the keys kd and ku . then , the cursor is moved up to an item to be target of the items of the total contents and when the determination key ke is depressed , that item is selected and the contents at a lower position to that item is displayed at the lcd 50 . subsequently , a similar key operation is carried out , and it is possible to display the character program to be target . in addition , subsequently , the processing at the step 104 becomes a key input waiting state . this operation corresponds to the case in which the broadcasting station ( a master station ) is preset to each of the tuning keys p1 to p7 , this pre - set operation is carried out by the area call . due to this fact , in the case that [ the pre - setting of the broadcasting station ] is carried out , the set key ks is depressed when the key - input waiting is attained at the step 104 . then , the processing at the cpu 31 is advanced from the step 104 through a step 111 to the step 120 through a step 112 . then , at this step 120 , a menu for setting the operation mode of the receiver is displayed at the lcd 50 in response to the key input at the step 104 . then , as the down key kd and the up key ku are depressed , the cursor is moved between the items of the menu displayed at the lcd 50 , resulting in that the cursor is positioned at [ setting of area ] in the menus and as the determination key ke is depressed , the operation mode becomes [ area setting mode ]. under this [ area setting mode ] the area name is displayed at the lcd 50 in reference to the data timei of the area name prepared in the data table dtbl . then , as the down key kd and the up key ku are depressed , the cursor is moved between the displayed area names , so that the cursor is positioned at the area name including a receiving location of a user in the area names and then the determination key ke is depressed . for example , if the receiving location is &# 34 ; tokyo &# 34 ;, the cursor is positioned at &# 34 ; kanto 1 &# 34 ; and then the determination key ke is depressed . then , both data kyoku of a name of broadcasting station and a frequency data freq included in &# 34 ; kanto 1 &# 34 ; are read out of the data table dtbl and written into the areas a1 to a7 of the memory 34 . in this case , as per the broadcasting station having data about the master station and the satellite station as the frequency data freq , the frequency data freq of the master station is written . in addition , the data timei of the name of area at this time is held in the memory 34 . in this way , as the determination key ke is depressed while the cursor is positioned at the area name to be target , data kyoku of the name of the broadcasting station in the corresponding area and the frequency data freq are read out of the data in the data table dtbl and then written into the areas a1 to a7 in the memory 34 . in addition , in the case that the data kyoku of the name of the corresponding station and the frequency data freq are not present in numbers corresponding to those of seven stations , certain data of certain broadcasting stations are overlapped and used . upon completion of the aforesaid processing , the processing is returned from the step 120 to the step 104 and the key input waiting is set again . accordingly , the broadcasting station is pre - set to the tuning keys p1 to p7 through an area call . the broadcasting station pre - set at this time is a master station . this operation corresponds to the case in which the broadcasting stations preset in the tuning keys p1 to p7 are selected in accordance with [ pre - setting of the broadcasting station ]. in this case , when the key input waiting is carried out at the step 104 , the preset tuning key pm ( any one of m = 1 to 7 , similarly applied to the following description ) to be target is depressed for a short period of time . then , although the processing at the cpu 31 is advanced from the step 104 to the step 112 through the step 111 as described above , in this case , since the tuning key pm is depressed , the processing is advanced from the step 112 to the step 131 and at the step 131 , it is checked subsequently whether or not the tuning key pm depressed at the step 104 is also being depressed for more than 2 seconds , for example . then , in the case of [ tuning of the pre - set broadcasting station ], since the tuning key km is depressed for a short period of time , the processing is advanced from the step 131 to the step 132 , and at the step 132 , the frequency data freq written in the area am corresponding to the tuning key pm of the data areas a1 to a7 in the memory 34 is read out , the read - out data freq is converted into the frequency dividing ratio n in accordance with the equation ( 3 ) and at the same time this frequency dividing ratio n is set in the variable frequency dividing circuit 22 . accordingly , the frequency indicated by the read - out data freq becomes a receiving frequency frx of the receiving circuit 10 , that is , the broadcasting station preset in the tuning key pm is selected . subsequently , the processing is advanced to the step 133 , and at the step 133 , the data kyoku of a name of the broadcasting station written in the area am corresponding to the tuning key pm in the data areas a1 to a7 in the memory 34 is read out and the read - out data kyoku is converted into the displaying data in reference to data in the rom 41 , supplied to the controller 42 , and for example , as shown in fig7 a , the name of the broadcasting station is displayed at the lcd 50 . in addition , at this time , the frequency data freq read out at the step 132 is similarly converted into the display data and supplied to the controller 42 and the receiving frequency frx at this time is displayed in digital form at the lcd 50 . subsequently , the processing is advanced to the step 134 and at the step 134 , the data table dtbl is referenced with the frequency data freq and the data kyoku of the name of broadcasting station used for displaying in fig7 a , for example , thereby it is checked if the satellite station is prepared for the broadcasting station receiving signal at present and when the satellite station is prepared , a mark &# 34 ;*&# 34 ; indicating a presence of the satellite station is displayed after the number indicating the frequency as shown in fig7 a , for example . after this operation , the processing is returned back to the step 104 , and the key input waiting state is applied again . accordingly , as the tuning key pm is depressed , it is possible to select the broadcasting station pre - set in the tuning key pm . in addition , either the name of the broadcasting station or the frequency is displayed at the lcd 50 . further , if the satellite station is prepared in the broadcasting station receiving a signal , this is displayed with the mark &# 34 ;*&# 34 ;. as already described in the aforesaid item of [ pre - set of the broadcasting station ], a master station is pre - set in the areas a1 to a7 in the memory 34 and even if the satellite station is present , the satellite station is not pre - set . then , the master station sometimes shows a poor received state in a certain receiving location . in such a case as above , the pre - set processing of the satellite station in place of the master station corresponds to this [ pre - set of the satellite station ]. in the case that this processing is carried out , the master station is at first selected in accordance with the item of [ tuning of the pre - set broadcasting station ]. at this time , if the satellite station is prepared for the master station , a mark &# 34 ;*&# 34 ; indicating a presence of the satellite station is displayed after a number indicating a frequency as described above ( as indicated in fig7 a ). after this operation , when the key input waiting state occurs at the step 104 , the tuning key pm when the master station is selected is continued to be depressed for more than 2 seconds , for example . then , although the processing at the cpu 31 is advanced from the step 104 to the step 131 through the steps 111 and 112 , in this case , since the tuning key pm is continued to be depressed for more than 2 seconds , the processing is advanced from the step 131 to the step 141 . then , at the step 141 , the satellite flag sflg is set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and at the step 142 , a list of the frequencies of the satellite stations for the master station being selected at present is displayed at the lcd 50 . in this list of the frequencies , a frequency data freq in the column of the broadcasting station receiving signal at present in the frequency data freq in the data table dbtl is applied and displayed . for example , if the broadcasting station ( a master station ) being received at present is &# 34 ; nhk - fm &# 34 ; in &# 34 ; kanto 1 &# 34 ; in the data table dtbl , the frequency data freq prepared in the data table dtbl in respect to this &# 34 ; nhk - fm &# 34 ; has frequencies of &# 34 ; 82 . 5 &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 80 . 7 &# 34 ; . . . &# 34 ; 85 . 1 &# 34 ;, so that these frequencies re displayed as shown in fig7 b . at this time , the number &# 34 ; 82 . 5 &# 34 ; indicating a first frequency is inverse displayed meaning a cursor ( in fig7 b , the inverse display is indicated by a slant line for a sake of drawing and this is similarly applied to the following description ). then , the processing is returned back from the step 142 to the step 104 , the key input waiting is attained . in view of the foregoing , as either the down key kd or the up key ku is depressed , although the processing is advanced from the step 104 to the step 111 , at present , a relation of sflg =&# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is attained at the step 141 , resulting in that the processing is advanced from the step 111 to the step 151 . at this step 151 , it is discriminated if the key depressed at the step 104 is the up key ku or the down key kd and at present , since the key is either the key kd or keu , so that the processing is advanced from the step 151 to the step 152 . at this step 152 , when the key depressed at the step 104 is the down key kd , a cursor ( an inverting display ) displayed at the lcd 50 is moved from a position of number indicating the frequency up to now a next position of number indicating a next frequency and when the key depressed at the step 104 is the down key kd , the display is controlled in such a way that the cursor is moved from the position of the number indicating the frequency up to now to the next position of the number indicating a previous frequency . then , at the step 152 , as the displaying position of the cursor is moved by a distance corresponding to one kind of frequency , the processing is returned back from the step 152 to the step 104 and the key input waiting state is attained . accordingly , either the down key kd or the up key ku is depressed to enable the cursor to be positioned at an optional number of the numbers of frequencies for the satellite station displayed at the lcd 50 . in view of the foregoing , as the determination key ke is depressed when the cursor is positioned at a frequency number of an optional satellite station ( or a master station ), &# 34 ; 81 . 9 &# 34 ; of the frequency number as shown in fig7 c , for example , the processing is advanced from the step 104 through the step 111 and through the step 151 to the step 161 and at the step 161 , it is discriminated if the key depressed at the step 104 is the determination key ke and in this case , this is the determination key ke , the processing is advanced from the step 161 to the step 162 . then , at the step 162 , the satellite flag sflg becomes &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and at the next step 163 , the frequency data freq at a position where the cursor is displayed , of frequency numbers of the satellite stations displayed at the lcd 50 is taken out of the data table dtbl and the taken - out frequency data freq is written into the data area am corresponding to the key pm ( a tuning key km which becomes a trigger of execution subsequent to the step 131 ) which is continued to be depressed for more than 2 seconds in data areas a1 to a7 of the memory 34 . then , at the step 164 , the frequency data freq written into the data area am in the memory 34 at the step 163 , i . e . the frequency data freq at a position displayed by the cursor is converted into a frequency dividing ratio n and this frequency dividing ratio n is set in the variable frequency dividing circuit 22 . accordingly , the receiving frequency frx of the receiving circuit 10 becomes from this time a frequency of number where the cursor is positioned when the determination key ke is depressed . for example , when the determination key ke is depressed from the state shown in fig7 c , the receiving frequency frx is set to the frequency of 81 . 9 mhz due to the fact that the cursor is positioned at the number &# 34 ; 81 . 9 &# 34 ;. subsequently , the processing is advanced to the step 165 and as shown in fig7 d , for example , the display of the received frequency at the lcd 50 is changed to a displayed frequency tuned at the step 164 and after this operation , the processing is returned back to the step 104 and the key input waiting state is attained . in this case , when the key input waiting state is attained , a relation of sflg =&# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; is already set at the step 162 , so that even if the keys kd , ku or ke are depressed , the processing is not advanced to the step 151 and then the processing [ such as tuning of the pre - set broadcasting station ] is carried out by the steps subsequent to the step 112 . accordingly , when the master station is selected [ by the tuning of the pre - set broadcasting station ] and the satellite station to be target is selected , the satellite station can be pre - set in place of the master station . then , the satellite station pre - set in this way can be selected by the tuning key pm in the same manner as that for the master station [ at the tuning of the pre - set broadcasting station ]. as described above , in accordance with the aforesaid receiver , the broadcasting station can be pre - set to the tuning keys p1 to p7 through an area call and in the case that the receiving state of the pre - set master station is poor , the pre - set master station can be replaced with the satellite station . accordingly , it is possible to perform a receiving operation at the best state for every and all broadcasting programs . further , at this time , it is not necessary to perform a manual tuning operation . in addition , since the master station showing a bad receiving state is replaced with the satellite station , the number of tuning keys p1 to p7 is not increased and it is possible to pre - set only the broadcasting station capable of receiving the tuning keys p1 to p7 in a superior manner . further , as shown in fig7 a - 7d , for example , a list of the frequencies of the satellite station is displayed and the station is selected from it , its selection may easily be carried out . in addition , the keys kd , ku , ke and lcd 50 used for selecting and determining of the satellite station are originally arranged for receiving the character multiplex broadcasting , so that it is not necessary to arrange a new key for selecting and determining the satellite station . in the forgoing description , it is satisfactory that the data in the last channel may be held in the memory 34 at the steps 132 and 164 , respectively . in addition , selection or area at the step 120 and tuning of station at the step 132 or the like can be performed by a rotary encoder . further , the frequency data freq in the data table dtbl and the memory 34 can also have a frequency dividing ratio n in the variable frequency dividing circuit 22 . in addition , in the foregoing description , the present invention is applied to the case that the receiver circuit 10 receives an fm broadcasting program and a similar configuration may also be attained for the case in which either an am broadcasting or a television broadcasting is received . in accordance with the present invention , since the master station pre - set to the tuning key can be replaced with the satellite station , every and all broadcasting programs can be received under the most - suitable state . further , at that time , it is not necessary to perform a manual tuning operation and correspondingly it is not necessary to arrange many tuning keys . further , when the satellite station is pre - set , the station is selected from the list and pre - set , resulting in that the pre - setting operation may easily be carried out .
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an exemplary multiple - antenna communication system 100 with static and differential precoding codebook is schematically shown in fig1 - 2 . a transmitter 110 transmits from t transmitting antennas 111 . 1 - 111 . t over a fading channel 130 to r receiving antennas 121 . 1 - 121 . r coupled to a receiver 120 . a channel estimator 125 provides an estimate of the channel 130 to the receiver 120 . the channel estimate is also quantized and provided to the transmitter 110 via a quantized rate control feedback channel 135 . for a multiple - antenna system with r receive and t transmit antennas the baseband channel model can be expressed as follows : y = hx + w , ( 1 ) where y is the r × 1 received column vector , h is the r × t channel matrix , x is the t × 1 transmit column vector , and w is the r × 1 noise column vector . the input is subject to an average power constraint p , i . e , tr ( q )≦ p , where q = e [ xx h ], e [.] denotes the expected value and tr (.) represents the trace of a matrix . in an exemplary multi - rank beamforming scheme in accordance with the present invention , channel state information ( csi ) is available to the transmitter ( csit ) as well as the receiver ( csir ). where perfect csit and csir are assumed , the capacity of the multiple - antenna fading channel 130 can be achieved through power adaptation over time ( one average power for each channel state ) and water - filling power control over multiple eigenvectors of the channel for each block of transmission . in systems that employ beamforming such as the mimo systems , the beamforming matrix ( referred to herein as a codeword ) generated in response to perceived channel conditions is computed and quantized at the receiver first , and then is provided to the source transmitter ( e . g ., via feedback ). a conventional approach to reduce the overhead associated with this feedback is to provide matrix codebook ( s ) at each of the transmitter and the receiver , each of the codebook ( s ) comprising a plurality , or set , of potential beamforming matrixes that may be used depending on the channel conditions perceived at the receiver . when the receiver has identified the appropriate matrix codebook ( s ), the receiver will typically feed back only an index ( instead of the actual matrix entries ) that points to the appropriate codeword in the codebook ( s ) stored at the transmitter . turning now to fig3 , an exemplary process to generate the codebook is shown . in this process , a random codebook is generated ( 200 ). next , the process partitions channel state information into a set of nearest neighbors for each codebook entry based on a distance metric ( 210 ). the process then updates the codebook by finding a centroid for each partition ( 220 ). in the mimo system of fig1 with t transmit antennas at the base station and a user each with r receive antennas , the complex baseband signal model is given by where x is the t × 1 transmitted signal vector , h is the r × t channel matrix , w : n c ( 0 , i ) is a circularly symmetric complex additive white gaussian noise vector , and y is the r × 1 received signal vector . a block fading channel model is used in which the channel remains constant during the transmission of each packet ( or codeword of length t ) and it changes independently from one block to another , where the distribution of the channel state is known a priori . the average power constraint is given by e [ x h x ]≦ p . in maximizing the throughput in single user ( su -) mimo systems ( or sum - rate throughput for multiple user ( mu -) mimo systems ) which is usually the primary goal in downlink transmissions , the following assumptions can be used : ( 1 ) the user feeds back the quantized channel state via a limited feedback link ; ( 2 ) based on the feedback information , the base station performs a linear precoding ( and only linear precoding is allowed ) of the transmitted streams . let udv * be the singular value decomposition ( svd ) of the channel matrix h . with b bits of feedback , the user quantizes the first n column of v ( where n ≦ min ( r , t )) is a fixed number predetermined by the base station ) using a quantization codebook q ={ q 1 , q 2 , . . . , q 2 b } q i εc t × r , as follows where d (•,•) is some distance metric . the codebook design problem and the appropriate choice of the distance metric have been considered in prior art . the columns of the quantized precoding matrix v ( 1 : n ) correspond to possible different streams for this user . the transmitted signal x from the base station then consists of l data streams , u 1 , u 2 , . . . , u l , sent through column vectors g 1 , g 2 , . . . , g l , of a linear precoder g . we have in su - mimo systems , we have l = n while in mu - mimo systems we have l ≧ n where one or more than one streams may be intended for each user . next , a codebook design will be discussed which is static and predesigned and does not adopt to the changes in the average channel condition . the first design considers rank specific codebook design where for each transmission rank a separate codebook is designed . the second design is based on transformation which generates the codebooks for all ranks based on a set of vector codebook . for a given transmission rank n and b bits of pmi feedback , the codebook design problem is formulated as finding the set q ={ q 1 , q 2 , . . . , q 2 b } of ( t × n ) semi - unitary matrices that is a solution to the optimization problem given by let udv * be the partial svd of h obtained by retaining only the n right singular vectors that correspond to the n largest singular values of h . for a given h the optimal ( t × n ) precoder that maximizes the instantaneous mutual information is v , thus , for large enough codebook size : the approximation in ( 5 ) is based on the observation that a well designed large enough codebook can closely sample the set of all possible v . next , an approximate upper bound on c is determined by considering channel realizations whose norms are bounded , i . e ., h such that ∥ h ∥ f 2 = tr [ h * h ]= tr [ d * d ]≦ β . for such channels : considering the low snr approximation of the bound in ( 6 ), i . e ., letting p → 0 , the inner maximization in the bound in ( 7 ) is equivalent to minimizing the chordal distance between the dominant right eigenvectors of the channel and the corresponding quantized vectors , where the chordal distance is defined as on the other hand , considering the high snr approximation of ( 6 ), i . e ., p →∞: the inner maximization in the bound in ( 9 ) is equivalent to minimizing the fubini - study ( fs ) distance between the dominant right eigenvectors of the channel and the corresponding quantized vectors , where the fs distance is defined as this is so because log (.) is a monotonically increasing function and arccos (.) is a monotonically decreasing function . for finite snrs , since the transmitted signals are the linear combination of the columns of the precoder q , the precoding codebook design used here relies on a metric that measures the distance between the subspaces spanned by different precoders . while there is no known distance metric directly associated with the capacity expression ( 5 ), the inner maximization in the bound in ( 6 ) is equivalent to minimizing the following p - metric with between the subspaces defined by v and q on the grassmanian manifold g ( n t , r ) which in turn is the space of all r dimensional subspaces of an n t dimensional vector space . the design based on the p - metric depends on the snr level . the choice of β is discussed next . p - metric is in fact a valid distance metric in the grassmanian manifold . moreover , it can be readily verified that if p → 0 , the p - metric is equivalent to the chordal distance ; and if p →∞, the p - metric is equivalent to the fubini - study distance . therefore , the codebook design based on the p - metric bridges the gap between the design for low snr and that for high snr . in this section , the design of an independent codebook for each rank r is discussed . the design algorithm is based on the generalized lloyd - max algorithm that is a widely used for solving a variety of vector quantization problems . given the quantization codebook q ={ q 1 , q 2 , . . . , q 2 b }, the optimal partitioning satisfies v k ={ vεc t × n : d p ( v , q k )≦ d p ( v , q j ),∀ j ≠ k } ( 12 ) to satisfy the centroid condition , the following problem is solved for the k th partition since an analytical solution for the above optimal centroid problem does not exist , this is solved numerically . to employ the gradient - descent search algorithm , the real representation of the matrix q denoted by q is defined as the real representation h , v of the matrices h , v , respectively , are similarly defined . also , the system can parameterize the semi - unitary matrix qεc t × n by using n φ = 2 ( t − n + 1 ) n independent real parameters φ i , i = 1 , . . . , n φ . therefore , an unconstrained problem can be obtained in terms of the vector φ =[ φ 1 , φ 2 , . . . , φ n φ ]: the derivative of the objective function ( 15 ) with respect to φ k is given by f = det ( i + p v _ t q _ q _ t v ) ( 1 + p ) r . ∂ q _ ( φ ) ∂ ϕ k can be found using standard techniques . the gradient - descent search algorithm can be used with the following update formula φ ( l + 1 ) = φ ( l ) − μ l ∇ φ j ( q ( φ ))| φ ( l ) ( 19 ) where μ l is the sequence of the step sizes . upon convergence , φ is used to find the corresponding unitary matrix q ( φ ). in sum , as shown in fig4 , the precoder codebook design algorithm is as follows : input : snr ave , μ i , codebook size 2 b , iteration max , rank r output : the codebook q = { q 1 , q 2 , . . . , q 2 b } generate an evaluation set { h ( l ) } l = 1 size based on the channel distribution . initialize the codebook q ( 0 ) = { q 1 ( 0 ), q 2 ( 0 ), . . . , q 2 b ( 0 )} randomly ; given q ( i − 1 ), find { v k ( i ), k = 1 , 2 , . . . , 2b } using ( 12 ); calculate the centroid { q k ( i ), k = 1 , 2 , . . . , 2b } using ( 16 )-( 19 ); in this embodiment , the system imposes a structure on the codebook which facilitates implementation of the precoding scheme in a practical system by reducing the computational complexity as well as the memory requirement . denote e k = [ 1 ; 0 ; … ; 0 ] ︸ k - 1 . note that by applying a series of successive rotations , any semi - unitary matrix qεc t × n can be expressed as where k : c t - k + 1 → c ( t - k + 1 )×( t - k + 1 ) is a mapping that for any unit - norm vector q ( k ) εc t - k + 1 returns a rotation matrix k ( q ( k ) ) such that k ( q ( k ) ) q ( k ) = e t - k + 1 . therefore , instead of designing the codebook of precoding matrices q , the vector codebooks contains all the vectors q ( k ) . consider n t − 1 sets of unit - norm vectors in q ( 1 ) ={ q i ( 1 ) } i = 1 k 1 ⊂ c t , q ( 2 ) ={ q i ( 2 ) } i = 1 k 2 ⊂ c t - 1 , . . . , q ( t - 1 ) ={ q i ( t - 1 ) } i = 1 k t - 1 ⊂ c 2 . if q ( t ) = 1 , for rotations , the householder transformation defined by ψ ( x ) = i - 2 xx * x 2 to have a valid householder transformation in the complex domain , the first element of the vector x has to be real valued . the codebook of rank r consists of the set of π i = 1 r k i precoding matrices of size t × n generated using the vector codebooks defined above . the size of the vector sets , i . e ., k 1 , k 2 , . . . , k t - 1 , are the design parameters and are usually chosen such that k 1 ≧ k 2 ≧ . . . ≧ k t - 1 . for example , to design a set of 12 precoders of rank 2 , k 1 = 4 and k 2 = 3 . by choosing the indices i 1 , i 2 , . . . , i r , i j ε { 1 , 2 , . . . , k j } of the vectors from q ( 1 ) , q ( 2 ) , . . . , q ( r ) , any precoder of rank r r = 1 , 2 , . . . , t − 1 , is generated as the optimization is performed over the vector codebooks q ( 1 ) , q ( 2 ) , . . . , q ( t - 1 ) . the partitioning and centroid steps for the first vector codebook are given by partitioning : given the quantization codebook q ( 1 ) ={ q 1 ( 1 ) , q 2 ( 1 ) , . . . , q k 1 ( 1 ) }, the optimal partitioning satisfies v k ( 1 ) ={ vεc t × 1 : d p ( v , q k ( 1 ) )≦ d p ( v , q j ( 1 ) ),∀ k ≠ k } ( 23 ) centroid : the centroid for the k th partition is given by for the second codebook , a set of doubly indexed partitions can be used , where each partition is identified by two vectors in the first and the second vector codebooks q ( 1 ) and q ( 2 ) . the partitioning and centroid steps are then as follows . partitioning : given the quantization codebooks q ( 1 ) ={ q 1 ( 1 ) , q 2 ( 1 ) , . . . , q k 1 ( 1 ) } and q ( 2 ) ={ q 1 ( 2 ) , q 2 ( 2 ) , . . . , q k 2 ( 2 ) }, the optimal partitioning satisfies centroid : the centroid corresponding to index i 2 is given by where the expectation is over the first two dominant eigenvectors , i . e ., v ( 2 ) and i (.) denotes the indicator function . in general , in finding the partitioning for the r th vector codebook q ( r ) , a set of r - tuple indexed partitions is defined and the partitioning and centroid conditions follows the same structure as above . a design procedure similar to algorithm of fig3 can be used to find the vector codebooks . when the channel is correlated in time ( or in frequency , e . g ., across different tones in ofdm systems ), the correlation can be used to considerably reduce the feedback requirement without loss in performance . the idea of differential codebook is to feedback only the variation in the channel , since typically quantizing the channel variations requires a smaller codebook than quantizing the channel itself . let v ( s ) denote the quantized version of the first n right eigenvectors of the channel matrix h ( s )= u ( s ) d ( s ) v *( s ) at time s using the static quantized codebook design previously discussed . for time s + 1 , we then find v ( s + 1 )= ov ( s + 1 ) by using a t × t unitary transformation matrix o . with b bits of feedback , the differential codebook design is formulated as finding the set of o ={ o 1 , o 2 , . . . , o 2 b } unitary matrices such that the average quantization error defined by ε = e [∥ o ( v ( s ), v ( s + 1 )) v ( s )− v ( s + 1 )∥ f 2 ] ( 27 ) is minimized where o ( v ( s ), v ( s + 1 )) denotes the transformation as a function of the right eigenvectors of the channel for two consecutive time slots . in order to employ the lloyed - max algorithm , the system finds the optimal partitioning and the centroid for each partition . the optimal partitioning for the quantizer o ( v ( s ), v ( s + 1 )) satisfies v k ={( { circumflex over ( v )}, v ) ε c t × r × c t × r :∥ o k { circumflex over ( v )}− v ∥ f 2 ≦∥ o j { circumflex over ( v )}− v ∥ f 2 ,∀ j ≠ k }, ( 28 ) where { circumflex over ( v )} and v denote the quantized and the actual right eigenvectors of the channel for two consecutive time slots , respectively . to satisfy the centroid condition , the following problem for the k th partition is solved : since ∥ o { circumflex over ( v )}− v ∥ f 2 =∥ v ∥ f 2 − 2 etr { v { circumflex over ( v )}* o *}+∥{ circumflex over ( v )}∥ f 2 , the following is maximized where θσφ *= svd ( e └ v { circumflex over ( v )}*|({ circumflex over ( v )}, v ) εv k ┘) and t =[ s ij ]= φ * o * θ is a unitary matrix . thus , ( 30 ) is maximized when all s ii = 1 , i . e ., when o = θφ *. it should be noted that since the final solution depends only on θφ *, it can be obtained directly through the polar decomposition of e └ vv *|({ circumflex over ( v )}, v ) εv k ┘ instead of the svd . the idea behind differential quantization is to use b 1 bits for the main quantizer and b 2 & lt ; b 1 bits for the differential quantizer . for example , in ofdm systems , when the precoder is used for a chunk of adjacent ofdm tones , the precoding is usually much more effective if the chunk size is smaller . hence , if b bits are available for precoding across a large chunk of adjacent ofdm tones , the chunk is usually broken into several smaller , e . g ., 3 sub - chunks of the same sizes where the precoder for each sub - chunk is specified with b / 3 bits . however , considering the correlation between the adjacent sub - chunks , we can use a main quantizer with b 1 & gt ; b / 3 bits for quantizing the center sub - chunk and use a differential codebook with b 2 & lt ; b / 3 bits for quantizing of each of the other two sub - chunks , where b = b 1 + 2b 2 , and b 2 & lt ; b 1 . depending on the correlation structure we can usually pick b 2 & lt ; b 1 such that the precoding performance of all three sub - chunks is almost similar . the invention may be implemented in hardware , firmware or software , or a combination of the three . preferably the invention is implemented in a computer program executed on a programmable computer having a processor , a data storage system , volatile and non - volatile memory and / or storage elements , at least one input device and at least one output device . each computer program is tangibly stored in a machine - readable storage media or device ( e . g ., program memory or magnetic disk ) readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer , for configuring and controlling operation of a computer when the storage media or device is read by the computer to perform the procedures described herein . the inventive system may also be considered to be embodied in a computer - readable storage medium , configured with a computer program , where the storage medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner to perform the functions described herein . the invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required . however , it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices , and that various modifications , both as to the equipment details and operating procedures , can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself .
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sport utility vehicle 10 has a liftgate 12 that is attached to the aft end of the vehicle roof by two hinge assemblies 13 so that liftgate 12 pivots about a generally horizontal hinge 15 axis from a closed position shown in fig1 and 2 to a raised open position shown in fig3 and 4 . hinge axis 15 is generally substantially horizontal and liftgate 12 is generally permitted to pivot about 90 ° about the pivot axis between a generally horizontal open position and a generally vertical closed position . however , the range of movement can be varied substantially from one model of vehicle to another . liftgate 12 is opened and closed by a power operating system that includes at least one and preferably two identical lift mechanisms 22 that are installed in the aft end of the vehicle at the d - pillars that define the width of the rear opening to the cargo area that is closed by liftgate 12 . one typical lift mechanism 22 is shown in detail in fig5 and 7 . lift mechanism 22 comprises an annular , square shaped linear channel 24 having an longitudinal slot 26 in an upper portion of side wall 28 of the annular channel . channel 24 has a window 30 in an opposite side wall 32 that is aligned with the bottom portion of slot 26 as best shown in fig6 . a rack bar 34 is disposed in channel 24 for linear movement in the channel 24 which serves as a guide or track for rack bar 34 . rack bar 34 has teeth 36 on one side facing side wall 32 so that window 30 provides access to teeth 36 . a ball stud 38 is attached to the opposite side of rack bar 34 at the upper end so that ball stud 38 extends through slot 26 . rack bar 34 preferably has a u - shaped shoe 39 of low friction material adjacent each end to facilitate sliding movement of rack bar 34 in channel 24 . lift mechanism 22 includes a link 40 that has a ball socket 42 at the lower end and a ball socket 44 at the upper end . ball stud 38 is disposed in ball socket 42 so that the lower end of link 40 is universally attached to rack bar 34 . the opening of ball socket 44 is perpendicular to the opening of ball socket 42 . ball socket 44 is used to attach the upper end of link 40 to liftgate 12 for universal movement relative to the liftgate 12 by means of a ball stud that is generally perpendicular to ball stud 38 as further explained below . lift mechanism 22 includes a power unit 46 for raising and lowering rack bar 34 in channel 24 . power unit 46 comprises an electric motor 48 , a first gear set 50 , an electromagnetic clutch 52 and a second gear set 54 , that includes an output pinion gear 56 . electric motor 48 has a worm gear output 49 that drives gear set 50 which changes the drive axis 90 ° and includes an output pinion gear 51 . output pinion gear 51 drives the input side of electromagnetic clutch 52 ; the output side of which drives gear 53 . gear 53 drives gear set 54 which as indicated above has an output pinion gear 56 . power unit 46 is attached to a side wall of channel 24 so that pinion gear 56 projects into window 30 and meshes with teeth 36 of rack bar 34 as best shown in fig6 . the housing cover of gear set 54 preferably includes a combined guard and bearing support 58 for pinion gear 56 . lift mechanism 22 is installed in vehicle 10 with channel 24 fixed to the vehicle at the d - pillar 60 by suitable brackets , fasteners , weldments or the like ( not shown ). the channel 24 is supported in a generally vertical orientation and preferably as vertical as possible in both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the vehicle . the vertical deviation will depend on the shape for the particular vehicle model . for instance , in the illustrated vehicle , the channel 25 tilts forward in the longitudinal direction about 10 degrees as best shown n fig2 and 3 . on the other hand , channel 24 tilts inward in the lateral direction about 10 degrees as best shown in fig1 and 4 . lift mechanism 22 is also installed so that the ball stud 38 faces rearwardly on an axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle . teeth 36 are on the opposite side of the square rack bar 34 and face forwardly . power unit 46 is attached to the outboard side of channel 24 . link 40 is universally attached to the rearward facing ball stud 38 at the lower end by ball socket 42 which is open in the longitudinal direction . the upper end of link 40 is universally attached to a ball stud 62 at a side edge of liftgate 12 by upper ball socket 44 which is open in the transverse direction . ball stud 62 is attached to a side edge of the lift gate 12 so that the axis of ball stud 62 is spaced from hinge axis 15 and essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle or a longitudinal axis parallel to it . thus link 40 is free to pivot in any direction with respect to rack bar 34 and with respect to liftgate 12 . this freedom of movement reduces side loads on ball stud 38 that tend to twist rack bar 34 so that the substantially twist - free rack bar 34 slides in channel 24 smoothly and does not bind with the channel 24 or pinion gear 56 . the power operating system further includes a conventional power source such as the vehicle battery ( not shown ) and a suitable motor control for energizing and shutting off the reversible electric motor 48 . motor controls are well known to those skilled in the art and thus need not be described in detail . the power operating system operates as follows . assuming that the liftgate 12 is closed as shown in fig1 and 2 , electric motor 48 and electromagnetic clutch 52 are energized to open liftgate 12 . when energized , electric motor 48 rotates pinion gear 51 clockwise via gear set 50 . pinion gear 51 in turn rotates output gear 53 clockwise via the engaged electromagnetic clutch 52 . gear 53 drives gear 56 clockwise via gear set 54 until rack bar 34 is driven from the retracted position shown in fig1 and 2 to the raised position shown in fig3 and 4 . this raises liftgate 12 from the closed position shown in fig1 and 2 to the raised open position shown in fig3 and 4 via link 40 . when the liftgate 12 is fully opened , a limit switch or the like is actuated to shut off electric motor 48 and electromagnetic clutch 52 . liftgate 12 is closed by reversing electric motor 48 so that gear 56 drives rack bar 34 back to the retracted position shown in fig1 and 2 . the liftgate 12 can be moved manually in the event of a power failure easily because the deenergized clutch 52 allows the clutch output gear 53 to free wheel with respect to electric motor 48 and gear set 50 . the power operating system can be designed to work alone or in conjunction with gas cylinders which are well known in the art with the primary adjustment being the size of the electric motor 48 . the power operating system described above preferably includes two identical drive units 22 for balanced operation and reduced manufacturing costs . however , the drive units need not be identical and in some instances , a single drive unit may be sufficient . while the preferred embodiment has the ball stud 38 facing rearwardly to minimize twist on the rack bar 34 , the ball stud 38 may face in any direction . in one aspect , it is an advantage to face the ball stud 38 inwardly . this allows the lift mechanism 22 to be moved outwardly to save space . moreover , the preferred embodiment also includes an electromagnetic clutch . however , it is possible to eliminate the electromagnetic clutch and use a back driveable electric motor to lower the cost . in other words , many modifications and variations of the present invention in light of the above teachings may be made . it is , therefore , to be understood that , within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described .
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fig3 is a partial cross - sectional view of a multi - layer printed circuit board 100 in accordance with the present invention . the multi - layer pcb 100 includes dielectric layers 102 – 107 , with at least one of the dielectric layers having a conductive trace 110 formed on a surface in a conventional manner , such as by photolithography . the conductive trace 110 is adapted for carrying a high speed signal and has a conductive pad 112 connected thereto for facilitating electrical connection to the conductive trace 110 . a non - conductive via 111 in the form of a non - plated hole extends through at least a portion of the dielectric layers 102 – 107 to intersect at least one conductive trace on an inner layer of the pcb 100 . in the illustrative embodiment of fig3 , the non - conductive via 111 extends through the entire pcb 100 and intersects the conductive pad 112 of the conductive trace 110 , thereby exposing a portion of the pad 112 along the walls of the non - conductive via 111 . as will be described in greater detail with respect to fig4 a – 4e and 5 , a conductive body 120 is introduced into the non - conductive via 111 and attaches to the exposed portion of the pad 112 to provide a reliable electrical connection between an electrical component 130 mounted on the pcb 100 and the conductive trace 110 . with this arrangement , electrical connection between the component 130 , such as a connector or an integrated circuit , and an inner layer conductor 110 is achieved with a non - conductive via 111 which does not have plated via portions that can form a resonant stub . note that each of the dielectric layers 102 – 107 of the multi - layer pcb 100 can be fabricated by conventional techniques . as one example , one or more of the dielectric layers 102 – 107 is made of fiberglass - reinforced epoxy resin with copper cladding . the copper is photolithographically processed to form a desired circuit pattern of conductive traces and pads on the surface of the layer . the individually processed layers 102 – 107 are stacked and pressed into the printed circuit board 100 by known techniques . this is shown in fig4 a , where the conductive trace 110 and the pad 112 are formed on the dielectric layer 104 ( or dielectric layer 105 ) of the pcb 100 . referring now to fig4 b , a hole is drilled in the pcb 100 , as may be done by a conventional drill bit , by using laser drilling , by water jet drilling or other techniques , in order to form the non - conductive via 111 . note that it may be desirable to remove the insulator material of the layers 102 – 107 that may be spread along the walls of the via hole 111 during drilling , at least in the vicinity of the inner layer conductor 110 . various techniques are suitable for this purpose , including plasma and chemical etching . as one example , the epoxy resin material of the layers is removed from the walls by a known cleaning process , such as a chemical reduction process using potassium permanganate . removing resin in the vicinity of the inner layer conductor serves to expose some of the trace 110 and may leave a small tab of the trace sticking into the via hole 111 . such a tab would be engaged by the conductive body 120 when it is introduced into the non - conductive via 111 , thereby resulting in a better electrical connection . fig4 c is a partial cross - sectional view of the multi - layer pcb 100 of fig4 b with a conductive body 120 being introduced into the non - conductive via 111 . the conductive body 120 may be made from a fusible alloy , a conductive adhesive or other material that provides the desired characteristics described herein . in the preferred embodiment , the conductive body 120 is made from powdered solder in liquid flux ( also referred to as solder paste ). the conductive body 120 is introduced into the non - conductive via 111 in an activated state . as used herein , “ activated state ” refers to the conductive body in an uncured or liquid or other form to allow the conductive body to migrate . in fig4 d , the activated state conductive body 120 is shown being effected to migrate in the direction of the conductor 110 . arrow 113 indicates the direction of migration of the activated state conductive body 120 . the migration of the conductive body 120 can be caused by action of gravity , heat , or other external means known in the art . when the activated state conductive body makes contact with the pad 112 of the conductive trace 110 , it adheres to the pad 112 . it appears to the inventors that this is due to the action of surface tension . based on experiments performed by the inventors using solder paste as the material for the conductive body , the activated state conductive body remains adhered to the pad even if the external influence ( e . g ., gravity ) is not abated for some time after the activated state conductive body has come into contact with the pad . thus , an added benefit of the present invention is that this characteristic accommodates variabilities inherent in the process and the materials . after the activated state conductive body 120 adheres to the pad 112 , the activated state conductive body is effected to a deactivated state to affix the conductive body 120 to the pad 112 . “ affix ” as used herein is not intended to convey a sense of physical permanence in attachment but rather , is only intended to convey a sense of better attachment or adhesion of the conductive body to the pad than when the conductive body is in an activated state . fig4 e illustrates the conductive body 120 adhering to the pad 112 . note that the conductive body 120 in the non - conductive via 111 of fig3 and 4 is generally spherical in shape ( with meniscus created by surface tension ). however , the shape of the conductive body is not limited to a generally spherical form . as will be described with respect to fig6 , the conductive body can also assume a generally oval ( or perhaps , rounded rectangle ) form . referring now to fig5 , following the affixing of the conductive body 120 to the pad 112 of the conductor 110 , an activated state conductive material 122 is introduced into the non - conductive via 111 . the conductive material 122 may be made from a fusible alloy , a conductive adhesive or other material that provides the desired characteristics described herein . in the preferred embodiment , the conductive material 122 is made from solder paste . the conductive material 122 may be disposed directly onto the conductive body 120 or may be effected to move in the direction of the conductor 110 . if effected to migrate , the migration of the conductive material 122 can be caused by action of gravity , heat , or other external means known in the art . the activated state conductive material 122 will migrate until it makes contact with the conductive body 120 . a conductive element , such as a contact pin 124 of the electrical component 130 , is introduced into the non - conductive via 111 so that the conductive element makes an electrical connection with the conductive material 122 . preferably , the conductive element 124 is introduced into the non - conductive via 111 with the conductive material 122 in the activated state . after the electrical component 130 is mounted on the pcb 100 , the conductive material 122 is effected to a deactivated state . in order to repair or replace the conductive element 124 of the electrical component 130 , the conductive material 122 is subjected to an external factor , such as the application of heat , to allow the conductive element 124 to be removed from the conductive material 122 . for example , where the conductive material used is solder paste , the application of heat will soften the solder paste to allow the conductive element 124 to be removed from the non - conductive via 111 . multi - layer pcbs generally include many vias — sometimes hundreds . it is within the scope of the invention that a pcb , such as the pcb 100 , includes both non - conductive vias and conventional plated vias or through - holes . non - conductive vias might be drilled after conventional plated through - holes are drilled and plated . alternatively , the non - conducting vias might be masked off during the electroless deposition process step to ensure that no conductive material builds up on the inside walls of the holes . it should be noted that in an alternative embodiment ( not illustrated ), the activated state conductive material 122 may be disposed directly into the non - conductive via to make electrical contact with the pad 112 of the conductor 110 . no conductive body 120 would need to be first introduced into the non - conductive via . this alternative embodiment may be preferable when the non - conductive via does not extend through the entire thickness of the pcb . fig6 is a partial cross - sectional view of a multi - layer printed circuit board 150 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention . the multi - layer pcb 150 includes dielectric layers 132 – 138 , with at least two of the dielectric layers having a conductive trace 140 , 144 formed thereon . the conductive traces 140 , 144 are adapted for carrying high speed signals and have conductive pads 142 , 146 connected respectively thereto . a non - conductive via 143 in the form of a non - plated hole extends through at least a portion of the dielectric layers 132 – 138 to intersect the conductive traces 140 , 144 on the inner layers of the pcb 150 . in the illustrative embodiment of fig6 , the non - conductive via 143 extends through the entire pcb 150 and intersects the conductive pads 142 , 146 of the conductive traces 140 , 144 , respectively , thereby exposing a portion of the pads 142 , 146 along the walls of the non - conductive via 143 . a conductive body 148 is introduced into the non - conductive via 143 and attaches to the exposed portion of the pads 142 , 146 . compared to the generally spherical conductive body 120 in fig3 , the conductive body 148 in fig6 is much more elongated in shape ( oval or rounded rectangle ). this is caused by controlling the amount of the conductive body being introduced into the non - conductive via relative to the size of the via . the arrangement of fig6 is desirable where the conductors 140 , 144 are desired to be in electrical contact with one another . referring now to fig7 , there is shown a partial cross - sectional view of a multi - layer pcb 190 in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention . the multi - layer pcb 190 includes dielectric layers 162 – 169 , with at least two of the dielectric layers having a conductive trace 170 , 174 formed thereon . the conductive traces 170 , 174 are adapted for carrying high speed signals and have conductive pads 172 , 176 connected respectively thereto . a non - conductive via 173 in the form of a non - plated hole extends through at least a portion of the dielectric layers 162 – 169 to intersect the conductive traces 170 , 174 on the inner layers of the pcb 190 . in the illustrative embodiment of fig7 , the non - conductive via 173 extends through the entire pcb 190 and intersects the conductive pads 172 , 176 of the conductive traces 170 , 174 , respectively , thereby exposing a portion of the pads 172 , 176 along the walls of the non - conductive via 173 . conductive bodies 180 , 182 are introduced into the non - conductive via 173 and attach to the exposed portion of the pads 172 , 176 , respectively . preferably , the conductive bodies 180 , 182 are introduced from opposite ends of the non - conductive via 173 . the arrangement of fig7 provides for greater circuit board density , as an electrical component can be mounted on either end of the non - conductive via 173 . it should be noted that rather than a single through - hole 173 , two non - conductive vias drilled on opposite sides of the pcb can also function in a similar manner . however , this approach will add process steps . it should be appreciated that the number of layers of the illustrated multi - layer printed circuit boards is selected for simplicity of illustration and is not a limitation on the invention . however , the invention will be most useful with thicker boards carrying high speed signals . for example , a 3 gigabits per second digital signal has significant frequency components in the range of 0 to 6 ghz . a stub 5 mm long in an fr - 4 epoxy resin / glass pcb will act as a quarter wavelength stub at approximately 6 to 7 ghz . the reflective characteristics of this resonance extend for a band above and below this frequency of at least +/− 1 ghz . thus , a 5 mm stub creates a noticeable problem at rates of 4 gigabits per second and an extreme problem at rates of between 5 and 10 gigabits . of course , at higher frequencies , proportionately shorter stubs will cause problems . thus , the invention will typically be used in applications in which high speed signals of greater than approximately 2 . 5 gigabits per second are carried by boards . having described the preferred embodiment of the invention , it will now become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments incorporating their concepts may be used . it is felt therefore that these embodiments should not be limited to disclosed embodiments but rather should be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims . all publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety .
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referring first to fig7 the light source 2 is intermittently lighted by means of a lighting circuit 11 . in this case , the light source 2 can be a light - emitting diode ( led ) or a tungsten - filament lamp paired with a filter , both having a peak near the wavelength suitable for the sample , and the like . it does not matter whether the light source 2 lights intermittently or whether its flux of light is interrupted . initially , a standard 12 of known reflectivity is set beneath the transparent plate 9 beneath the integrating sphere 1 . on depression of the correction switch 19 , the analog switch 14 is connected to the amplifier 13 by a command from the microcomputer 18 . the output signal r on from detector 6 during lighting of the light source 2 and the output signal r off from detector 6 during darkening of the light source 2 is a - d converted by the a - d converter 17 and is stored in the memory of the microcomputer 18 . the output signal r off during the darkening of light source 2 is composed of outputs arising from the dark current in the optical detector 6 , the offset voltage of the amplifier 13 , and the outer stray rays , which factors remain constant and can be eliminated through the substraction of output signal r on from output signal r off -- i . e . the generation of the standard difference output signal . in this standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ), however , is included a component ( the inner stray rays output signal ) attributable to the inner stray rays produced in the interior of the integrating sphere 1 , as shown in fig8 . the inner stray rays output signal d is a chief cause of the shifting of the characteristics of the analyzer . what remains after the subtraction of the inner stray rays output signal d from the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) is the standard output signal r -- the end object of reflectivity measurement , as is seen in fig8 . in the same fashion , what is left after the subtraction of the inner stray rays output signal d from the measured difference output signal ( s on - s off ) produced by using the test paper 5 in place of the standard 12 is measured output s . s on and s off are the output signals during the lighting and darkening of the light source respectively , during irradiation of the test paper . the deviation of the inner stray rays output signal will now be set forth . as described above , the intensity of inner stray rays varies as a result of changes in the setting angle of the test paper and the material used in the transparent plate 9 ( such as sheet glass ) which is attached to the integrating sphere 1 , the shape of the interior of the integrating sphere 1 , the deflection of the optical axis of the light source 2 and the intensity of light therefrom and also varies as the intensity of the light source changes due to fluctuations in the supply voltage , temperature , aging and so on . since there are no changes in the relative positions of the structural elements of the photometric section ( i . e ., the integrating sphere 1 , the light source 2 , the measuring window 4 , the transparent plate 9 , the optical detector 6 , and so on ), and since there is no change in the reflection characteristics inside the integrating sphere 1 , it is only the intensity of light from the light source which changes with the passage of time . thus , this change occurs both in the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) during measurement of the standard 9 and also in the inner stray rays output signal d included therein . however , ratio k of the inner stray rays output signal d to the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) is kept constant . having this fact in mind , the solution of the second problem has been accomplished . assuming that the analyzer is properly adjusted , its output will be zero when the reflectivity of the specimen is zero , or where , for example , nothing is put on the measuring section of the analyzer and the analyzer is placed intact in a dark room . on the other hand , the output of the analyzer when irradiating the standard yields a given standard value . when the analyzer is properly adjusted , the measured difference output signal ( s on - s off ) during measurement of a reflectivity of zero expresses the inner stray rays output signal d exactly ; and the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) is equivalent to the sum of the inner stray rays output signal d and the standard output signal r ( fig8 ). in this case , the ratio k of the inner stray rays output signal to the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) can be expressed as a percent by the following equation : ## equ1 ## conversely , when k is already known , then the magnitude of the inner stray rays output signal d can be found by the following equation : ## equ2 ## in case there are a plurality of analyzers ( even though they are properly adjusted ) the standard difference output signal will assume different values ( r on , 1 - r off , 1 ), ( r on , 2 - r off , 2 ), ( r on , 3 - r off , 3 ) . . . using only one standard owing to the variation between the respective light sources , optical detectors , etc . in separate devices . likewise , the measured difference output signal of a sample having a reflectivity equal zero will vary since the inner stray rays output signal d can be d1 , d2 , d3 and so forth . hence , the value of k does not generally stay constant and can be k1 , k2 , k3 . . . on account of the relative positions between the light source , optical detectors , etc . likewise , if the value of k is already known for an individual analyzer , d1 , d2 , d3 . . . can be determined separately on the basis of the following equations : ## equ3 ## thus , k can be found directly from both the measured difference output signal ( s on - s off ), measured with a reflectivity equal zero and from the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) during measurement of the standard . however , there is a simpler way to obtain k . this may be done by providing a second standard having a reflectivity different from the first standard , determining the reflectivity of the second standard relative to the first with the analyzer adjusted in advance , and using this result as the reference value to determine k . on the other hand , the reflectivity of the second standard relative to the first standard may be found on an arbitrary analyzer for which k is unknown . the value of the potentiometer k may then be adjusted empirically so that the measured reflectivity may coincide with the above - described reference value . the reflectivity of the standard is not subject to any limitation and can have any suitable value at will , provided only that some common value is used for all individual analyzers . when the intensity of light changes after an adequate value of k has been once established in a given analyzer , the standard difference output signal from the standard varies from the value ( r on - r off ) reg at the time of the first adjustment to the value ( r on - r off ) in proportion to the change , as shown in fig9 and the inner stray rays output signal also changes from d reg to d . however , the proportion of d reg to ( r on - r off ) reg or d to ( r on - r off ) respectively has a constant value of k in either case , and conversely , when k is stored , it is possible to find the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) at the time it is corrected by the standard reflecting piece prior to measurement of the sample , and the inner stray rays output signal d can also be found through the ratio k . in the inventive apparatus , k is made variable on the potentiometer k 15 , and after the determination of the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ), the resistance of potentiometer k 15 ( which has been established in advance at an adequate value ) is a - d converted by operating the analog switch 14 . the product of k and the standard difference output signal ( r on - r off ) is computed by the microcomputer 18 on the basis of the following equation : ## equ4 ## the inner stray rays output signal d thus obtained is stored in the memory of the microcomputer 18 . next , after the test paper 5 ( painted with or impregnated in the liquid to be examined ) is set beneath the transparent plate 9 beneath the integrating sphere 1 , the measuring switch 20 is operated . the analog switch 14 is then thrown under the control of the microcomputer 18 , the output signal s on ( during the new lighting of the light source 2 ) and the output signal s off ( during the darkened period of the light source 2 ) are a - d converted by the a - d converter 17 , thus enabling the measured difference output signal ( s on - s off ) to be obtained . the subtraction of the inner stray rays output signal d stored in the above memory from the measured difference output signal yields the measured output signal . afterwards , the relative reflectivity ( r %) is calculated on the basis of the following equation : ## equ5 ## the relative reflectivity calculated in this way is independent on the influence of the dark current in detector 6 or the offset voltage of amplifier 7 and can correct the inner stray rays output ( which is different in each analyzer ) so that it becomes possible to obtain an analyzer which has no instrumental error for quantitative analysis with test paper . the coloration characteristics of various kinds of test papers were investigated on the basis of many experimental results . the results of several tests on the calibration curve expressing the correlation between the concentration of the specimen substance and the reflectivity of the test paper , are shown in fig1 to 12 . using these , a further study was undertaken to approximate these calibration curves by a simple function . fig1 gives the correlation between the concentration ( mg / dl ) of grape sugar and the reflectivity ( r %) of the test paper used for its analysis . grape sugar is oxidized by an oxidizing enzyme of grape sugar to be changed into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide . the coloration indicator is oxidized and colored by hydrogen peroxide thus produced and peroxidase . two graphs separately express wavelengths of λp = 670 nm and λq = 660 nm , which were used . fig1 shows the correlation between the concentration ( mg / dl ) of bilirubin and the reflectivity ( r %) of the test paper used for its analysis . here , bilirubin acts on a diazo reagent in an acidic condition and the coloration of the thus produced azobilirubin is measured by light having a wavelength of 550 nm . fig1 shows the correlation between the concentration ( mg / dl ) of urea nitrogen and the reflectivity of the test paper used for its analysis . here , urea is decomposed into ammonium carbonate by the use of urease , and the indicator is then colored through the utilization of the changeability of hydrogen ion concentration by dint of ammonium thus produced . the wavelength used here is 620 nm . in the analysis dependent on the coloration , the transmission of the light through the coloring substance is frequently measured to determine the degree of extinction . if the incident light on the coloring substance is io and the light transmitted therethrough is i , the latter is expressed by the equation : i = ioe ecl ( an exponential function ) in which c denotes the concentration , e denotes the degree of extinction and l denotes the optical path length . the degree of extinction e is expressed by the equation : e = ln ( io / i )= ecl , and is proportional to the concentration c . in comparison , the light reflected from the test paper is composed both of the light returned to the surface of the test paper and the light diffused on the surface of the test paper as a result of absorption into or scattering over the test paper . it follows that , unlike the transmitted light i , this reflected light cannot be expressed as an exponential function since it has been absorbed , at least to a degree . however , when the definition of the approximation function was modified and the range of concentration was limited to that needed for practical use by way of experiment , the calibration curves shown in fig1 - 29 all fit an exponential function in the form of y = αe - βr + γ , wherein y denotes the concentration of the specimen substance , r denotes the reflectivity and α , β , γ are constants . further , under these conditions ( namely , where the definition of the approximation function was modified and the range of concentration was limited to that needed for practical use ) it was found that the calibration curves shown in fig1 to 12 could be regarded as segments of a hyperbola in a simple form , and that the relationship between concentration y and reflectivity , r , could be expressed as : ## equ6 ## a , b and c being constants . thus , the correlation between the concentration y and the reflectivity r corresponding to fig1 to 12 can be approximated by assigning appropriate values to each of the constants a , b , and c in equation ( ii ), as shown in tables 1 to 4 , and the conversion of the reflectivity r into the concentration y can be performed in this way with an error of plus or minus only several percent . in tables 1 to 4 , the concentration shown is the theoretical concentration of a solution , the approximate value is the concentration found by the use of the appropriate approximation equation from the reflectivity r of the solution , and the percentage of error is the difference between the approximate concentration and the theoretical concentration in proportion to the theoretical concentration . in the examples , each percentage error exhibits a good approximation -- under 4 %. even if the calibration curves decrease monotonically among test papers used in the other measurements , the calibration curves can be approximated by the use of equations in the form of equation ( ii ), wherein r denotes the reflectivity after correction by an adequate standard output signal , and a , b , c are the constants which define the forms of the calibration curves . table i______________________________________ approximateconcentration reflectivity value percentagemg / dl % mg / dl of error______________________________________25 85 24 . 9 - 0 . 4075 56 74 . 3 - 0 . 93100 47 102 . 0 2 . 00200 30 199 . 3 - 0 . 35300 22 296 . 5 - 1 . 17400 17 403 . 1 0 . 78______________________________________ test paper for analysis of grape sugar ( fig1 ) measuring wavelength λp = 670 nm approximate equation : ## str1 ## table 2______________________________________ approximateconcentration reflectivity value percentagemg / dl % mg / dl of error______________________________________25 80 25 . 6 2 . 4075 52 72 . 9 - 2 . 80100 43 100 . 5 0 . 50200 26 200 . 4 0 . 20300 18 305 . 1 1 . 70400 14 395 . 7 - 1 . 08______________________________________ test paper for analysis of grape sugar ( fig1 ) measuring wavelength λq = 660 nm approximate equation : ## str2 ## table 3______________________________________ approximateconcentration reflectivity value percentagemg / dl % mg / dl of error______________________________________2 . 5 97 2 . 5 05 . 0 85 5 . 2 4 . 007 . 5 78 7 . 4 - 1 . 3310 . 0 72 9 . 8 - 2 . 0015 . 0 63 15 . 3 2 . 0020 . 0 58 19 . 9 - 0 . 50______________________________________ test paper for analysis of bilirubin ( fig1 ) measuring wavelength λ = 550 nm approximate equation : ## str3 ## table 4______________________________________ approximateconcentration reflectivity value percentagemg / dl % mg / dl of error______________________________________10 86 10 . 0 020 63 20 . 4 2 . 0030 51 29 . 3 - 2 . 3340 41 40 . 4 1 . 0050 35 49 . 8 - 0 . 4060 30 60 . 2 0 . 33______________________________________ test paper for analysis of urea nitrogen ( fig1 ) measuring wavelength λ = 620 nm approximate equation : ## str4 ## here , referring to the correlation between the concentration y and the reflectivity r , it is possible to shift the origin of the appropriate equation of the calibration curve to the coordinates by varying the constants an and / or c , as shown in fig1 , and to make the calibration curve pass parallel to the coordinate axis , or else to make the shape of the calibration curve variable by changing the constant b , as shown in fig4 . these constants a , b , and c , like the constant k , are held in analog form in potentiometer a 16 1 , potentiometer b 16 2 , and the potentiometer c 16 3 , respectively . the values of these constants a , b , and c are variable depending on the sorts of items to be measured and the test papers , thereby enabling the slight difference between the calibration curves to be corrected with facility . this effectively equips an analyzer with a plurality of calibration curves simultaneously when correcting instrumental errors caused by shifting of the wavelength of the light source although only one kind of test paper is used . this produces satisfactory results and helps to produce an analyzer of simple construction and of great versatility . however , the constants a , b , and c change , accordiang to the kinds of specimens and test papers , so that it is necessary to use several sets of potentiometers 16 1 , 16 2 , and 16 3 in order to analyze a plurality of specimens in the same analyzer simultaneously . it may be remarked in this connection that when complex functions are programmed into the microcomputer 18 and other computers , it becomes difficult to reduce the number of program steps , or to shorten the operation time , since the capacity of memory decreases . consequently , it is far better to perform the calculations using equation ii as compared with using the exponential function y = αe - βr + γ . where the reflectivity r has been calculated without any instrumental error , as mentioned above , each of the constants a , b , and c are a - d converted under the control of the microcomputer 18 as in the case of k . the concentration y is determined by equation ( ii ) and is indicated as a directly readable digital value on an indicating means such as the numerical indicator 21 . at this time , the instrumental error of the calibration curve produced by a slight difference from the wavelength used can be eliminated if each of the constants a , b , and c has been adjusted at the time of manufacture by using a color standard which has a standard coloration , thereby enabling the concentration to be directly readable in a simple operation and without any instrumental error . even if constants a , b , and c in a device have been properly adjusted , there is still the possibility that the wavelength will vary slightly during use , e . g . by changes of supply voltage or ambient temperatures . in such a case , it is only necessary to adjust either constant a or c on the potentiometer a 16 1 , or c 16 3 . these examples show the cases where all of the constants k , a , b , and c are stored in the potentiometers in analog form . it does not matter whether these constants are held beforehand in the memory of the microcomputer as a plurality of numerical tables in digital form , or directly inputted from external memory elements , such as magnetic cards together with other data . the invention can also be used where a means for the measurement of reflected light other than the integrating sphere , for example , such as a means for measuring the quantity of reflected light in a fixed direction by impinging the flux of light on the reflecting surface at a specified angle , is employed in the photometric section . further , the correction for the effect of inner stray rays performed according to the invention can be applied when reflectivity in general is to be measured , and is not limited merely to the measurement of reflectivity with colored test papers . the method of analysis according to the invention makes it possible to achieve exact measurement of the relative reflectivity while eliminating the influence of the inner stray rays in finding the reflectivity of a colored test paper painted with or impregnated in the liquid to be examined , by calculating the inner stray rays output signal at the time of measurement from the proportion of the inner stray rays output signal to the standard reference output signal stored beforehand and the quantity of standard difference output signal at the time of the correction prior to the measurement , and by applying the correction to both the standard and the measured difference output signals . the method according to the invention makes it further possible to correct the fluctuation of the calibration curves due to scattering and change of wavelengths of the source , and to convert the reflectivity into the concentration accurately without any scattering by approximating the calibration curves to be parts of hyperbolae , and by adjusting the constants in the formula of the conversion . the device according to the invention is able to correct the proportion of the inner stray rays output signal to the standard difference output signal and also each of the constants in the formula of the conversion as the approximate equation at the time of storing both of them in the potentiometers in analog form , thereby making possible the accurate quantitative measurement of the concentration of the specimen substance in the form of a digital display , by entirely eliminating the influence both of the inner stray rays produced in the photometric section and the influence of the fluctuation of the intensity of light from the light source , by completing the set of characteristics in the capacity of the reflectivity meter without any instrumental error , and by removing the instrumental error caused by scattering of the wavelength of the light from the light source .
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fig1 schematically illustrates the setup of a processing station in a texturing apparatus according to the invention . the texturing apparatus comprises a plurality of processing stations , with the processing units of the processing stations being mounted in one or more machine frames . to texture a yarn 1 , a processing station comprises at least one first feed system 5 , a heating device 6 , a cooling device 7 , a false twist unit 15 , a second feed system 14 , and a takeup device 16 . the processing units are arranged , serially one after the other , to form a yarn path . in the process , the first feed system 5 withdraws a yarn 1 from a feed yarn package 2 via a yarn guide 4 . the feed yarn package 2 is creeled on a mandrel 3 of a creel ( not shown ). the first system 5 advances the yarn 1 into a so - called false twist zone , which extends as far as the false twist unit 15 . the false twist unit 15 produces in the yarn 1 a false twist , which returns in the yarn within the false twist zone . to this end , the false twist unit 15 may comprise , for example , a plurality of overlapping friction disks , which produce a false twist in the yarn . within the false twist zone , the false twist returns in the yarn , and in so doing it is heated in the heating device 6 and subsequently set in the cooling device 7 . the second feed system 14 withdraws the yarn from the false twist unit 15 and advances it to the takeup device 16 . in the takeup device 16 , the yarn 1 is wound to a package 17 . to cool the yarn 1 within the false twist zone , the cooling device 7 comprises a cooling tube 8 that connects via a line 10 to a coolant source 9 . associated to the cooling tube 8 is at the one end an inlet yarn guide 18 , which advances the yarn 1 to the cooling tube 8 . at the opposite end , an outlet yarn guide 19 is arranged . the end of the cooling tube 8 in the region of inlet yarn guide 18 is called the feed end 20 , and the opposite end of the cooling tube 8 is called the delivery end 21 . the coolant is supplied via the feed end 20 , which connects via the line 10 to the coolant source 9 . the coolant cools the wall of the cooling tube 8 . in the region between the inlet yarn guide 18 and the outlet yarn guide 19 , the cooling tube 8 mounts on its circumference a yarn lifter 11 . the yarn lifter 11 is formed by an annular segment 12 , which is arranged on the circumference of the cooling tube 8 . the annular segment 12 includes an outer guide edge 13 , which extends in spaced relationship with the surface of the cooling tube 8 substantially in the radial direction . fig2 is a schematic view of the cooling device of the texturing apparatus of fig1 . the inlet yarn guide 18 and the outlet yarn guide 19 are made pivotal , so that the degree of the looping and thus the spiral cooling zone on the circumference of the cooling tube 8 are adjustable . in the region of the yarn lifter 11 , the yarn 1 is guided over the guide edge 13 of the annular segment 12 . with that , the contact between the yarn 1 and the surface of the cooling tube 8 is discontinued over a partial length . the size of the partial length is dependent on the spacing between the guide edge 13 and the surface of the cooling tube 8 , as well as on the degree of slope of the spiral cooling zone on the circumference of the cooling tube 8 . in this connection , it is possible to adjust the annular segment 12 on the circumference of the cooling tube 8 both in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction . when the slope of the spiral cooling zone remains unchanged , the spacing between the guide edge 13 and the surface of the cooling tube 8 can be adjusted by displacing the annular segment 12 . to this end , the annular segment 12 has an elliptic or stepped shape , as shown in fig3 . by adjusting the annular segment 12 on the cooling tube 8 , it is thus possible to change the relative position of the yarn 1 on the guide edge 13 , and with that the distance from the surface of the cooling tube 8 . the configuration of the annular segment 12 is arbitrary , so that any spacing of the yarn is realizable . for example , the annular segment 12 may have a range , in which the yarn maintains a contact with the cooling tube 8 . the annular segment 12 is secured to the circumference of the cooling tube 8 by a fastening means 29 . by releasing the fastening means 29 , the annular segment 12 can be moved to any desired position on the circumference of the cooling tube 8 . fig4 illustrates a further embodiment of a cooling device 7 , as could be used , for example , in the texturing apparatus shown in fig1 . in this embodiment , a yarn lifter 11 is associated to the cooling tube 8 between the inlet yarn guide 18 and the outlet yarn guide 19 . the yarn lifter 11 is formed by a holder 22 and a yarn guide 23 . the holder 22 is arranged on the side next to the cooling tube . the yarn guide 23 is in the form of a pin , and extends into the plane of the yarn path along the cooling tube 8 . this arrangement causes the yarn 1 to advance within the cooling zone in the region of the cooling tube 8 over the yarn guide 23 , so that in one section of the cooling zone , the yarn 1 is not in contact with the surface of the cooling tube 8 . fig5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment of a cooling device 7 , as could be used , for example , in a texturing apparatus of fig1 . illustrated is only a section of the cooling tube 8 with a yarn lifter 11 . in this connection , fig5 is a cross sectional view of the cooling device 7 , and fig6 a side view thereof . the following description will apply to both figures , unless express reference is made to one of the figures . the yarn lifter 11 is formed by an annular holder 24 , which is slipped over the circumference of the cooling tube 8 . the annular holder 24 includes an external groove 25 , with the yarn 1 advancing in the bottom thereof . between the bottom of the groove 25 and the surface of the cooling tube 8 , a spacing is formed , so that the yarn 1 advances in one section of the spiral cooling zone without contacting the cooling tube 8 . in the path of the advancing yarn , a yarn brake 26 precedes the yarn lifter 11 . the yarn brake 26 is formed by a brake pin 27 , which is adjustably connected via a support 28 to the annular holder 24 . in the path of the advancing yarn , the brake pin 27 is arranged upstream of the groove 25 , with the position of the brake pin 27 being variable relative the bottom of the groove 25 . with that , it becomes possible to guide the yarn 1 within the cooling zone along the circumference of the cooling tube 8 with or without an additional looping about the brake pin 27 . the looping of yarn 1 about the brake pin 27 causes an additional yarn friction , which leads to a further decrease of the twist oscillations in the yarn 1 within the cooling zone . as a result , it is possible to texture in an advantageous manner in particular fine - denier yarns with a small total looping of & lt ; 360 °. even in the case of small looping angles within the cooling zone on the cooling tube 8 , the yarn brake 26 associated to the yarn lifter 11 allows an adequate decrease of the twist oscillations to be realized as far back as the inlet into the heating device 6 . many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings . therefore , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims . although specific terms are employed herein , they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation .
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referring now to fig1 there is shown a portable battery operated wire stripper 10 embodying the present invention . the stripper 10 is of a type generally available which has a battery pack to operate the device which may be recharged by plugging into a suitable charging device . stripper 10 has an on / off switch 12 and a wire guide / safety cover 14 removably attached at the cutter head end of the stripper 10 to guide the wire end to be stripped properly into the cutter head and to protect the operator from the rotating cutter head . a prior art stripper of this type is shown in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 987 , 801 . as may be seen in fig2 the device consists generally of the power pack 16 , the drive motor assembly 18 which has a gear reducer ( not shown ) and drive receptacle 20 in the driven end thereof adapted to receive therein the hexagonal , rectangular , square , or other shaped projection 22 on the bottom of the cutting head 24 as may be seen more clearly in fig3 herein . referring to fig3 , 5a and 5b , the cutter head 24 includes a frame portion 26 which has a pair of flat plates 27 and 28 joined together to define a radial chamber adapted to pivotally receive therein a cutting blade carrier block 36 . a yoke portion 30 is mounted on plate 28 and carries on its outer extremity the nut 22 which meshes with the drive unit &# 39 ; s hexagonal , rectangular , square or other shaped receptacle 20 . the other plate 27 carries a central wire guide member 32 which extends into one side of the cutting aperture of the cutting head 24 to form a support against which the cutting action takes place . the hole in the central wire guide member 32 through which the wire is inserted may be round , or may have inside corners in order to aid in locating the wire to be cut . the axis of this hole is radially offset towards the cutting blades 61 in order to provide a wire end supporting surface which positions the axis of the wire to be cut in axial alignment with the wire stripper 10 . the yoke 30 has threadably inserted through the hexagonal , rectangular , square or other shaped projection 22 an adjustable threaded stop 34 which may be adjusted to limit the distance the wire end can be inserted into the cutting head 24 . a counterbalance weight 52 and standoffs 31 , 31 &# 39 ; are secured to the plates 27 and 28 by screws . mounted between the plates 27 and 28 is a cutting blade carrier block assembly 36 which can be seen in more detail in fig4 a and 5b . the carrier block assembly 36 includes a generally central rectangular opening 42 which surrounds the wire cutting operational area and allows the wire end from outside of the stripper 10 to be inserted to contact the stop 34 when the device is not energized . a blade clamping and mounting block 38 is fashioned on one side of the opening 42 and a centrifugal weight 40 is mounted by bolts on the opposite side . the block 38 can carry anywhere from one to four blades , as desired , and has a series of support and clamping devices as shown in fig5 a and 5b and as will be described in detail in connection therewith . the assembly 36 is pivotally mounted by a pin 104 between the plates 27 and 28 in the cutting head 24 and is spring - biased to the position shown in fig5 b by a spring 44 . a stop formed by the standoff 31 &# 39 ;, as may be seen in fig5 a , is provided to limit the movement of the cutting blade carrier block assembly 36 . referring now to fig4 a and 5b , there is shown a cutting block assembly 36 . the blade clamping and mounting end 38 has one or more cutting blades 61 mounted in slots 60 and located at one end by stop screws 50 . parallel and offset walls 100 , 101 in blade clamping and mounting end 38 interact with angled ends of cutting blades 61 to allow cutting blades 61 to slide to different radial locations upon turning stop screws 50 . a resilient material 105 , such as closed cell silicon foam , is provided at an end of blades 61 opposite stop screws 50 to hold blades in place against stop screws 50 . the blades 61 are accurately positioned in the slots 60 by stop screws 50 , resulting in the precise position of the cutting blades to permit slitting to the exact desired depth . precise depth of cut is extremely important in coaxial cables for data transmission and similar uses as described above . a first blade 61 may be fixed to cut through the insulation and shielding layers of the wire end to form cut 76 in the wire end without nicking the center conductor 78 ( fig6 and 7 ). a second blade 61 adjacent to first blade 61 is positioned to make cut 80 which leaves the inner insulation layer 81 intact , but cuts the shield 82 and outer covering 84 . a third blade 61 can cut only the outer covering 84 at 86 to expose the shield 82 . it will be understood that each blade 61 will be set to cut to the desired depth and the spacing between the blades will be set for the particular wire end termination desired . referring now to fig5 b , the cutter blade carrier block 36 is shown in the de - energized position with clear access for the wire end to be inserted through the cutting head 24 in supporting alignment in wire guide 32 to abut adjustable stop 34 . the blade assembly is spring urged into the position shown in fig5 b by the spring 44 as previously described . this position is limited by the abutting of the outside of cutter blade carrier block 36 against the radially inner surface of counterbalance weight 52 . this position is not critical , as long as the cutting blades 61 are withdrawn from the opening in guide 32 . counter - balance weight 52 is chosen to counter - balance the centrifugal weight 40 when the head 24 is rotated to cause the cutting blades 61 to move to the full cutting position shown in fig5 a , to cut the insulation and shielding of the wire end . when being rotated , the cutting blades 61 are in the position shown in fig5 a as the carrier block 36 has been moved to the other end of its pivotal motion by the centrifugal force of rotation . the centrifugal weight 40 , in response to rotation of the cutting head , causes the cutting block assembly 36 to move to the position of fig5 a , forcing the cutting blades 61 through the slots 103 in a central sleeve 106 of guide 32 and into the various layers of covering of the wire end . the stop formed by the standoff 31 &# 39 ; is positioned to limit the penetration of the cutting blades 61 in the guide 32 , to make an annular slit around the wire to the desired depth for cutting the various layers of insulation and shielding for later removal without nicking or damaging the next inner layer . in operation , a wire end is inserted into the device through the cover 14 until the wire end abuts the stop screw 34 . at this point the switch 12 is actuated and the cutting head 24 is rotated which , as previously described causes the centrifugal weight 40 to pull the cutting blades 61 into cutting contact with the insulation and shielding layers of the wire end . this results in a series of annular slits being cut in the wire end as may be seen in fig6 which slits sever the various layers to the desired depth . the switch 12 is deactivated and after the rotation stops , the wire end is removed . when rotation of cutting head 24 stops , the spring 44 retracts the cutting blades 61 from the insulation and this allows the wire end to be removed without attempting to pull off the cut &# 34 ; slugs &# 34 ; which might damage the cutting blades or become jammed between the cutting blades , causing problems in the next cutting operation . after the wire end is withdrawn from the cutting head , the slit layers of insulation and shielding can be easily removed by hand or by another device to prepare the wire end for termination . the present invention provides a very fast , accurate and precise cutting head for slitting insulation and shielding layers about a wire end to a precise depth to permit stripping thereof in preparation for termination in a connector device . while the invention has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a preferred embodiment , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements of the invention without departing from the scope of the claims .
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given the above context , the system and method of the present invention for guiding next step adaptive behavior rests on several fundamental assumptions of human nature . ( 1 ) personal truths lie within each individual . ( 2 ) individuals by nature wish to express these truths . ( 3 ) individuals can express these truths through projection , an exercise in which subconscious thoughts and feelings can be expressed in response to ambiguous stimuli like a shadow or an inkblot . ( 4 ) when individuals discover previously unappreciated subconscious truths , ‘ aha !’ insight is generated and with it new energy to inspire and motivate next step adaptive behavior . ( 5 ) this ‘ heart of the matter ’ information is more valuable in guiding next step adaptive behavior than ‘ top of mind ’ information more familiar to consciousness . and ( 6 ), the phenomenological and structural nature of the emotion at the ‘ heart of the matter ’ can be deconstructed to provide specific guidance to inspire and motivate the next step to take with regard to any topic presented as ‘ how does any topic make you feel ?’ the system and method of the present invention for guiding next step adaptive behavior is grounded in clarified emotional responses expressed by the individual . such clarified emotional responses can be generated in the manner described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 931 , 934 , the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . referring now to fig1 , the clarified emotional response data is derived in step 12 , and in steps 14 and 16 such data is displayed on a polar graph 100 as shown in fig2 and fig3 . this polar graph 100 is demarcated in clarified intensities ranging from 0 at the center 102 to 20 at the outmost concentric circle 104 on the grid . in the graph of fig2 , the circular demarcation lines are not shown , but would be identical to the circular demarcation lines 106 shown in fig3 . each demarcation line represents two data points so that clarified emotions will range from 0 to 20 . clarified emotion values that are negative numerical values are graphed in the region of opposite emotion . for example , a clarified intensity of 5 for the emotional response secure is displayed one quarter of the way from the center to the perimeter of the polar graph in the area for secure . on the other hand , if the clarified intensity for secure is − 5 , then the data point would be displayed one quarter of the way from the center to the perimeter of the polar graph in the area for insecure . when the baseline intensity of a clarified emotion is 0 or a negative number ( meaning the baseline intensity recorded for that emotional response was between 0 and − 10 ), the data point is operationally defined as a subconscious response ( meaning less biased , more unique and more subconscious than the conscious responses described below ). when the baseline is equal to or exceeds the response intensity then the data point is operationally defined as a predisposition response ( overwhelmingly biased , not at all unique , not at all subconscious ). all other data points that are in between are operationally defined as conscious responses ( meaning more biased , less unique and more conscious than the subconscious responses described above ). that a conscious emotional response is operationally defined and found to be more biased , less unique , and more conscious than a subconscious response means that whatever the clarified intensity of the conscious response ( a positive number ), it is partly contributed to by a positive ( biasing , familiar - to - consciousness - though - irrelevant ) baseline intensity . on the other hand , a subconscious emotional response is always operationally defined by a 0 or negative baseline intensity , meaning that the response is not biased ( the emotion does not show up as net positive in the timed graph determination of baseline intensity ). radial placement of the data points is determined according to a model that utilizes all the emotion words representing feelings in a language . over 4000 emotion words exist in the english language . the model is four dimensional . while the polar graph is two dimensional on paper , its 32 labels represent 4 dimensions that are structurally embedded in the 2 dimensions . a given emotional word is either pleasant or unpleasant , outwardly directed or inwardly directed , actively committing or passively assessing , and finally passionate ( sublime or extreme ) or dispassionate ( common or mundane ). for example , in the 8 channel emotion area motivated , the sublime emotion represented is joyful , the extreme emotion represented is proud , the common emotion represented is confident , and the mundane emotion represented is energized . for their opposite negative emotions , in the 8 channel emotion area depressed , the sublime emotion represented is sorrowful , the extreme emotion represented is embarrassed , the common emotion represented is depressed , and the mundane emotion represented is tired . sublime emotions typically relate to experiencing something , extreme emotions typically relate to leading something , common emotions typically relate to sharing something , and mundane emotions typically relate to valuing something . as a result , the 8 channel model shown in fig2 can be further divided into 32 dimensions or channels of emotion shown in fig3 . the 8 channel model of emotional data is generally displayed first because its 8 summarizing labels — impressed , helpful , motivated , contented , fearful , rejecting , uneasy , depressed — are simplified and popular enough for the individual to most easily begin to recognize his or her story in the portrayed data . in view of the fact that engagement and transformation of the individual is all important in the method and system of the present invention , this step of presenting a visual display of emotional results in these simplified channels is the best way to ensure and help the individual transition , perhaps , from common fear , cynicism , skepticism and doubt regarding the results to curiosity , intrigue , openness , mirth , insight and imagination regarding the implications of the results for next step adaptive behavior . the individual &# 39 ; s data points are also displayed in the more fully dimensionalized 32 channel model shown in fig3 . the emotion labels of the 32 channels enable more precise recognition of the individual &# 39 ; s personal story . the more refined information conveys detail where previously existed only overwhelming complexity . of greater importance , the 32 channel model establishes the basis for the guidance described below that are at the core of the system and method of the present invention . the placement of emotion words in the emotion model behind the polar graph was done intuitively based on extension of the classical , academic , and scientific work that has preceded this model . it is certainly possible to alter the labels shown in fig2 and 3 , but the model itself would not change . the model that serves as the output grid for this system and method is programmed to recognize any recognizable emotional response and record it in the appropriate area of the model . if a response word is not recognized by the model — the emotion word is misspelled , or the word is not an emotion word , or the response is a phrase made up of two or more words , or the word is an emotion word not yet programmed into the model — then the respondent can re - type or go to a visual tree of the most common emotion words to find the emotion word that most closely captures the feeling felt . work on the structural phenomenology of emotion can be traced from classical times when it was reasoned there are 7 basic emotions in human nature : fear , greed , envy , happy , anger , sorrow , and surprise . in 1986 ekman ( a new pan cultural facial expression of emotion , motivation and emotion , 10 ( 2 )) confirmed the universality of these classical emotions in finding that the facial depiction of these emotions could be recognized to represent the same feelings in many cultures around the globe . elaboration of the structural phenomenology of emotions began with mehrabian and russell in 1974 ( an approach to environmental psychology , cambridge mass ., mit press ), and continued with contributions , developments , and refinements offered by derivera in 1977 ( a structural theory of the emotions , new york , international universities press ), plutchik in 1980 ( emotion : a psycho - evolutionary synthesis , new york , harper & amp ; row ), and holbrook and o &# 39 ; shaughnessy in 1984 ( the role of emotion in advertising , psychology and marketing , 1 ( 2 )). the latter groups reported validations of three - dimensional versions of the model by semantic differential and real world advertising assessment methodologies , respectively . one example of how the overall model is constructed is the following : calm , relaxed and peaceful might be emotional responses expressed by three different people . however , all three emotions are phenomenologically identical in the structural model of emotion embedded in this system and method . that is , all three emotions are pleasant , all are in the 8 channel model area labeled contented , and all are in the 32 channel model area labeled serene . in each 8 channel model area there are four 32 channel model areas . for example , in the 8 channel model area contented , serene is phenomenologically and structurally coupled with worthy , contented and secure . it is the 32 channel model that provides the necessary and sufficient differentiation required to produce actionable value in population segment and organizational group applications , and the same is expected to be true for individual applications addressed by this system and method . in step 18 , the subconscious clarified intensities associated with the 6 to 8 emotional responses in an individual &# 39 ; s response profile are ranked and displayed high to low . once this is completed , only the subconscious data points are processed ( or only the conscious data points if there happen to be no operationally defined subconscious data points present ) to identify and highlight the ‘ heart of the matter ’ in step 20 . as described above , the ‘ heart of the matter ’ is comprised of one or more emotional responses above the highest threshold established in the manner described below to separate the most salient , least biased , most unique , most subconscious ( even if derived from only conscious data points ) emotional responses the individual has expressed to the question ‘ how does any topic make you feel ?’ the system and method of the present invention work on the range of possible clarified intensities 20 to − 9 described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 931 , 934 issued to snyder . 1 or 2 or 3 ( or up to 8 ) actual clarified intensity numbers are used in order to highlight the ‘ heart of the matter ’. the threshold for the ‘ heart of the matter ’ is established by mathematically identifying the top number or numbers that also represent the smallest set that can be separated from the remaining numbers to which the process is applied . the purpose is to mathematically and visually provide the strongest , simplest evidence to make the most compelling case to the individual respondent that the ‘ heart of the matter ’ is the most unappreciated but recognizable emotional core of his or her response to ‘ how does any topic make you feel ?’ and is the necessary and sufficient core of information to focus on to inspire and motivate next step adaptive behavior . referring to fig5 , the system and method determine the ‘ heart of the matter ’ from a set of n clarified intensities , sorted from highest to lowest in step 30 . in step 32 , the system and method determine the value x , between 1 and n − 1 , that best indicates how many of the n intensities should be considered part of the ‘ heart of the matter ’. 1 . for each possible value of x , a “ quality value ” is calculated in step 34 as shown below . the lower the quality value , the better . 2 . the value or values of x that have the best ( minimum ) quality value are then identified in step 36 . 3 . if it is determined in step 38 that there is a single value of x attaining the best quality value , then that value is retained in step 40 . 4 . in the case of a tie ( multiple values of x attaining the best quality value ): a . sort the tied values in step 42 from lowest to highest to find the lowest and highest value of x that attain the best quality value (“ lowest tie ” and “ highest tie ”) b . searching from lowest tie to highest tie , return the first value that does not separate two identical clarified intensities in step 44 , i . e ., the first value x between lowest tie and highest tie such that ci ( x ) is not equal to ci ( x + 1 ). c . if there is no such value , return the highest tie . given ci i for 1 between 1 and n define for given x between 1 and n − 1 quality value ( x )= q hi −( s hi 2 / n )+ q lo −( s lo 2 /( n − x )), where s is the sum of the clarified intensities above and below the candidate dividing line and q is the sum of the standard deviations above and below the candidate dividing line . the position of the candidate dividing line = x . an example of the derivation of the ‘ heart of the matter ’ will further aid in the understanding of the present invention . if an individual &# 39 ; s response profile includes clarified intensities represented by subconscious numbers 20 , 18 , 14 and conscious numbers 12 , 11 , 6 , 3 , 2 , then 20 and 18 are identified as the ‘ heart of the matter ’. on the other hand , in the special case with a response profile of only conscious numbers 6 , 5 , 4 , 3 , 2 , 1 , then 6 is identified as the ‘ heart of the matter ’. in the infrequent case where a subconscious number is exceeded by a conscious number , preference is given to the subconscious number in identifying the ‘ heart of the matter ’. referring to fig4 , after the ‘ heart of the matter ’ is determined , it is shown to the user and highlighted ( in color or otherwise ) with the entire dataset shown in table 62 and graph 64 ( see table below ): original feeling , designated perception ( subconscious , conscious or predisposition ), response intensity ( ri ) ( 1 to 10 ), baseline intensity ( bi ) (− 10 to 10 ), clarified intensity ( ci ) (− 9 to 20 ), final emotion word ( sometimes the same as the original feeling ), and association phrase . the ‘ heart of the matter ’ is composed of at least one , often two , sometimes three , or rarely even more ( even up to all eight ) rows of data . it is the ‘ heart of the matter ’ that is now meant to consume essentially all of the individual &# 39 ; s attention to generate insight ( s ) to inspire and motivate next step adaptive behavior . after the dataset is shown to the individual , the individual is invited to assess and rate the value of the personal insight ( the size of the ‘ aha !’) generated by the ‘ heart of the matter ’ in box 60 . this rating is especially made in comparing the information at the bottom of the ranking which typically represents more biased , conscious , familiar , commonplace , rational , top of mind information . this assessment uses a simple 5 point likert scale such as : 1 not at all valuable , 2 somewhat valuable , 3 valuable , 4 very valuable , or 5 extremely valuable . making this assessment serves as another step in engaging and transforming the individual , that is , opening and preparing the individual &# 39 ; s conscious self for the behavioral guidance , emotional preparedness , and social readiness soon to be a realized and acted upon in an adaptive matter . after the individual allows the first wave of insight to settle around the identification , discovery , and evaluation ( and perhaps already emerging implications ) of the ‘ heart of the matter ’, the individual is presented the option to click to reveal the directional guidance pertaining to each emotion and row of data in the highlighted ‘ heart of the matter ’. directional guidance is based on the structural model of emotions previously described . phenomenological deconstruction of the structural model of emotions permits the positing of automated word labels which are universal , fundamental , simple and recognizable enough to be helpful as directional guidance in this system and method . a directional guidance label is assigned to each of the 32 channels and pertains for all of the emotions in each of the 32 channels . if a pleasant emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to ‘ do ’ something . if an unpleasant emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to ‘ stop doing ’ something . if an outward directed emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something in relation to an external person , thing , or event . if an inward directed emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something in relation to one &# 39 ; s internal condition . if an actively committing emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something that amounts to committing to new behavior . if a passively assessing emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something that amounts to further reflection . finally , if a sublime emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something ‘ sublime as in experiencing something ’. if an extreme emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something ‘ extreme as in leading something ’. if a common emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something ‘ common as in sharing something ’. if a mundane emotion is at the ‘ heart of the matter ’, then the next step in adaptive behavior is to do something ‘ mundane as in valuing something ’. for example , a final emotion word that is pleasant , outward directed , actively committing , and extreme dictates that the guidance sentence is ‘ do something outward that is active and extreme as in leading something ’. on the other hand , a final emotion word that is unpleasant , inward directed , actively committed , and common dictates that the guidance sentence is ‘ stop doing something inward that is active and common as in sharing something ’. the guidance sentence ( s ) is ( are ) offered to stimulate specific insight ( s ) into what next adaptive step to take with regard to the topic . because the terms in the guidance sentences are necessarily automated , universal , fundamental , simple and only , perhaps , recognizable enough , practical definitions and descriptions of how to think about and use these terms are provided as popup help . for example , if the individual were to click on outward in the above example , then the following popup message would appear : ‘ outward refers to doing something outward directed , like considering the world of people , things and events going on around you ’. similarly , for inward , ‘ inward refers to doing something inward directed , like considering the condition of your mind , heart and body going on within you ’. likewise , for active , ‘ active refers to doing something actively committing , like considering becoming more actively involved in something than you are at present ’. similarly , for passive , ‘ passive refers to doing something passively assessing , like considering being more thoughtful and reflective before becoming more involved with or in something ’. again likewise , ‘ sublime as in experiencing something refers to doing something sublime , like considering the overall quality of an experience ’. similarly , ‘ extreme as in leading something refers to doing something extreme , like considering taking the lead in advancing a cause ’. similarly , ‘ common as in sharing something refers to doing something common , like considering what you have in common with other people ’. finally , similarly , ‘ mundane as in valuing something refers to doing something mundane , like considering the emotional resources you value and have available ’. as automated and formalized as the directional guidance needs to be , it is important to realize the labels , words , and explanations offered are generalizations at best and therefore are not expected to speak to , and be helpful to , all individuals in all circumstances at all times . to crystallize and memorialize the beneficial outcome of the present system and method , the individual is lastly provided a limited space to type his or her imagined next step pertaining to each emotion in the highlighted ‘ heart of the matter ’. because this activity can spawn additional thoughts , ideas , insights , implications , and action possibilities which are personally valuable to record , expandable space is provided to type these additional reflections . with perhaps the entire sequence of fear , cynicism , skepticism , doubt , curiosity , intrigue , openness , mirth , insight , and imagination traversed , the individual can click ‘ save ’ to save his or her next step and additional reflection information . this information can later be reviewed for purposes of further insight generation , self understanding , decision making , action taking , and personal development . while the foregoing invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments , various alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art . all such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims .
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to avoid the cross - contamination failure problem of the prior multi - point flame sense circuit without increasing the cost significantly over the prior circuit , the circuit of fig5 was developed . as will be described below , this circuit is immune from cross - contamination of a failure of one of the flame sense electrodes . that is , while a failure of a flame sense electrode for a particular burner will not allow that burner to operate , other burners within the system whose flame sense electrodes are not failed will be able to continue to operate properly . that is , their flame sense electrodes will continue to properly sense flame when present so that the electronic controller will operate those burners and their associated spark electrodes and gas solenoids correctly . this circuit will also greatly reduce the amount of time required to diagnose and repair a failure of one of the flame sense electrodes since the failure will be detected when the burner associated with that failed electrode is operated . in this way the field personnel will be able to immediately inspect the electrode of the suspect burner with confidence that a latent failure located elsewhere in the system could not have caused the field problem . this greatly reduces the amount of time required for the service personnel , especially considering that the burners and their associated flame sense electrodes are physically located in different areas of the oven compartment . this reduces the overall cost of ownership and increases the customer satisfaction . turning now to the fault - resistant multi - point flame sense circuit of the present invention illustrated in fig5 it can be seen that , from a total part count point of view , this fault tolerant circuit adds only two passive components to the number of parts required by the flame circuit of fig1 which is subject to the cross - contamination failure problem . as such , its slight increase in cost over the prior circuit is far out weighed by the reduce service time and increased overall reliability provided by this circuit . it should be noted that while this circuit of fig5 illustrates the usage of only two flame sense electrodes 150 , 152 , one skilled in the art will recognize that multiple flame sense electrodes may be included in this circuit as required by the particular installation into which it is to be used with appropriate balancing of component values . in this improved circuit of fig5 the line input l 1 is coupled to each of the flame sense electrodes 150 , 152 through different channels . the channel for flame electrode 150 utilizes capacitor 154 , resistor 158 , and is coupled through resistor 169 to the gate 170 of jfet 172 through resistor 164 . for flame sense electrode 152 , the channel includes capacitor 156 , resistor 160 , and is coupled through resistor 169 to the gate 170 of jfet 172 through resistor 162 . this resistor 169 is also coupled to an rc network ( including capacitor 166 and resistor 168 ) to ground . the source 176 of jfet 172 is also coupled to ground , and the drain is coupled through resistor 174 to a 5 volt supply . as may be apparent from this description , additional flame sense electrodes may be added to this circuit by providing a capacitive coupling to source l 1 and a resistive coupling to the resistor 169 and the gate 170 of jfet 172 . as may also be apparent from this fig5 operation of this circuit with no flame present at any of these sensed burners results in jfet 172 remaining in its conducting state allowing current to flow therethrough . that is , the forward and reverse current flow during each of the positive and negative half cycles of source l 1 flows equally through capacitors 154 and 156 and resistors 162 and 164 to the node coupled to the resistor 169 and gate 170 , and through the rc network 168 , 166 to ground . as a result of this equal forward and reverse current flow , a sufficient negative charge cannot develop across capacitor 166 to pinch off jfet 172 . as a result , the jfet 172 remains conducting and the electronic controller ( not shown ) senses a flame off or no - flame condition . during a normal flame sense condition , the flame sense circuit of the present invention may be represented as illustrated in fig6 . in this fig6 the flame is represented as resistor 124 and diode 126 coupling the flame sense electrode 150 to ground . current flow during the positive cycle of source l 1 will flow primarily through the resistor 158 , flame sense electrode 150 , and flame ( represented by resistor 124 and diode 126 ) to ground . while positive current will also flow through the rc network 166 , 168 , this current will be small as a result of the relative sizing of resistor 158 and 164 . during the negative half cycle of source l 1 , current flow through flame sense electrode 150 is precluded by the rectification effect of the flame sensed thereby . as a result , all of the reverse current flow during the negative half cycle of source l 1 is forced to flow through the rc network 166 , 168 and is then divided equally between the paths including resistor 162 and capacitor 156 and the path including resistor 164 and capacitor 154 to source l 1 . since the proportion of current flow through rc network 166 , 168 during the negative half cycle is much greater than that flowing in the opposite direction during the positive half cycle , a net negative charge develops across capacitor 166 . this net negative charge is applied to gate 170 of jfet 172 , which pinches off the jfet 172 halting current flow therethrough . the electronic controller then senses that the jfet 172 has turned off , and processes this information as a flame present condition . if a latent failure exists with one of the other flame sense electrodes as illustrated by the circuit of fig7 as a short 128 from the flame sense electrode 152 to ground , the ability of the other flame sense electrodes to properly sense the presence of flame at their associated burners is not affected . of course , the faulted flame sense electrode 152 will not be able to sense the presence of flame as a result of the short 128 . as a result , the electronic controller will not allow that associated burner to operate for safety reasons , and will properly log a failure with regard to that burner . operation of this circuit with a flame sensed at flame sense electrode 150 and with a failure 128 on an unassociated flame sense electrode 152 during the positive half cycle of source l 1 proceeds in much the same way as the unfaulted circuit in fig6 . that is , only a very small portion of the current from source l 1 is allowed to flow through the rc network 166 , 168 during this positive half cycle . the majority of the current during this positive half cycle flows instead through the two flame sense electrode branches . while more of the current flows through the faulted flame sense electrode 152 due to the short 128 , as opposed to the presence of the flame represented by resistor 124 and diode 126 , the effect from the standpoint of the rc network is nearly the same , i . e . not much positive current flows therethrough during the positive half cycle . operation of the fault - tolerant multi - point flame sense circuit of the present invention during the negative half cycle of source l 1 with a failure of an unassociated flame sense electrode 152 varies significantly from the prior multi - point flame sense circuit discussed above . specifically , while current is allowed to flow through the short circuit 128 of flame electrode 152 during the negative half cycle of source l 1 , a net negative charge across capacitor 166 is still generated sufficient to pinch off the current flow through jfet 172 . this allows the electronic controller to sense a flame condition at flame sense electrode 150 . during this negative half cycle of source l 1 , the circuit of fig7 may be redrawn as illustrated in fig8 to simplify the understanding of the operation of this circuit . during the negative half cycle of source l 1 , the current will flow from ground through the short 128 of flame sense electrode 152 and its associated resistor 160 through capacitor 156 to source l 1 . current will also flow from ground through the rc network 166 , 168 through resistor 162 and capacitor 156 to l 1 . however , current is also allowed to flow through the channel associated with the flame sense electrode 150 , that is through resistor 164 and capacitor 154 to source l 1 . as may be seen from a comparison of this fig8 with the prior circuit illustrated in fig4 the addition of the extra channel for current flow during the negative half cycle ( resistor 164 , capacitor 154 ) allows a sufficient negative charge to be developed across capacitor 166 as coupled to gate 170 so that the jfet 172 may still be pinched off , halting current flow therethrough . the electronic controller ( not shown ) will detect this as a flame present condition , which is proper because of the flame present at flame sense electrode 150 . if no flame were present at this flame sense electrode 150 , there would not be the unbalance current flow through the rc network 166 , 168 that will result in a net negative charge being developed across capacitor 166 sufficient to pinch off jfet 172 . only when the flame is present and current is allowed to flow through the associated unfaulted flame sense electrode 150 does this current flow unbalance result in the development of a charge sufficient to pinch off the switch 172 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the circuit is balanced as follows : capacitors 154 and 156 are 0 . 01 microfarads , resisters 158 and 160 are 1 . 0 megaohms , resistors 162 , 164 , and 169 are 4 . 7 megaohms , resistor 168 is 22 megaohms , and capacitor 166 is 0 . 1 microfarads . preferably , the ratios of resistor 158 to resistor 162 , and of resistor 160 to resistor 164 are equal and a minimum of ¼ to 1 . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context .
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as a preliminary matter , it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (“ ordinary artisan ”) that the present invention has broad utility and application . as should be understood , any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above - disclosed aspects of the invention and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above - disclosed features . furthermore , any embodiment discussed and identified as being “ preferred ” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention . other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the present invention . as should be understood , any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above - disclosed aspects of the invention and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above - disclosed features . moreover , many embodiments , such as adaptations , variations , modifications , and equivalent arrangements , will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention . accordingly , while the present invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments , it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present invention , and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the present invention . the detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended , nor is to be construed , to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention , which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof . it is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself . a disclosed solar power unit may be used in many situations . as a stand alone unit , the solar power unit may be a portable power source used to power an electronic device or charge a battery . the solar power unit may also be integrated into a building structure , for example , a residential deck or exterior wall , a commercial building exterior wall , or public structure , such as a cinderblock wall in a park or public club house , for generating a renewable power source . fig1 is an example illustration of an implementation of a disclosed solar power unit 100 . the solar power unit 100 comprises a solar panel 102 , a frame 103 and a front cover 101 . the solar panel 102 , for example , a photovoltaic panel , converts the sun &# 39 ; s solar energy to an electric signal , e . g ., a direct current ( dc ) power signal . in a preferred implementation , the solar panel 102 is supported in place within the front cover 101 , preferably by slots or grooves on the rear of the front cover 101 that prevent the solar panel 102 from moving . once the solar panel 102 is held within the front cover 101 , the front cover 101 is be attached to the frame 103 preferably using screws , but any means of attaching the front cover 101 to the frame 103 can be used . the front cover 101 preferably may be removed and re - attached as required . example illustrations of the frame 103 and front cover 101 are shown in fig4 and 5 . referring to fig5 , the front cover 101 includes a panel opening 106 for allowing the solar panel 102 to receive the solar energy from the sun while the solar panel 102 and front cover 101 are attached to the frame 103 . in a preferred solar power unit 100 , the front cover 101 further includes a front cover output opening 105 for receiving a power output device 104 , for example an electrical outlet , usb port , etc . the frame 103 includes a front panel 131 , a left and right side panel 132 , a top panel 133 and a bottom panel 134 . the front panel 131 includes an access opening 111 to allow a component , for example a charge controller , inverter , or power output device , to be coupled to the output of the solar panel 102 , to be disclosed in greater detail below . in a preferred implementation , the front panel 131 further includes at least one power output device opening 136 for providing an opening to insert a power output device , wherein one of the at least one front panel output device openings 136 is lined up with the front cover output opening 105 . the left and right side panels 132 are attached to the left and right edges of the front panel 131 . in accordance with the disclosed solar power unit 100 , the right and left side panels 132 are shaped such that when attached to the front panel 131 , the front panel 131 is positioned at an angle relative to the ground . the angle at which the front panel 131 is situated preferably depends upon the angle best suited to allow the solar panel 102 to receive as much of the sun &# 39 ; s solar energy as possible , i . e ., receive the most direct sun light for the longest period of time during the day . those having skill in the art know that differing locations require different angles due to the sun &# 39 ; s positioning in the sky over that location . this angle is referred to as the tilt angle . the top panel 133 is attached to the top edges of the front panel 131 and the right and left panels 132 such that the top panel 133 is parallel to the ground . preferably , the top panel 133 is a flat piece of material that extends beyond the back edge of the right and left side panels 132 . in a preferred implementation of the solar power unit 100 , the top panel 133 is perforated , illustrated in fig2 , to be disclosed below . alternatively , the material of the top panel 133 that extends beyond the back edge of the right and left side panels 132 may be bent upwards 90 °, for example , such that the solar power unit 100 may be attached to an existing building structure , as illustrated in fig3 , to be disclosed in further detail below . referring back to fig5 , the bottom panel 134 is attached to the bottom edges of the front panel 131 and the left and right panels 132 . in accordance with the disclosed solar power unit 100 , and it alternatives , the bottom panel 134 is similar to the top panel 133 . an example illustration of how the frame 103 of the disclosed solar power unit 100 may be fabricated is shown in fig6 . a flat panel made of any type of material for the frame and front cover may be used . in accordance with the disclosed solar power unit , the material of the frame and front cover is sheet metal , but other materials may be used , for example , plastic . a stencil of the frame and front cover are set on the flat panel and cut out . once the frame and front cover are cut from the flat panel , the flat frame and flat front covers are cut and folded along the specified lines to form the frame and front cover used in the solar power unit . as stated above , the power signal generated by the solar panel may be coupled to a power component that utilizes the output power signal . fig7 illustrates an example power component 710 included in the solar power unit 700 . as a standalone solar power unit 700 , the solar panel ( not shown ) may be coupled to the power component 710 , which includes an inverter 716 . the inverter 716 converts the received dc power signal from the solar panel to an ac power signal . in this implementation , a power outlet 704 is coupled to the power component 710 . when an electronic device is plugged into the solar power unit 700 , the generated ac power signal is used to power the electronic device . in this implementation of the disclosed solar power unit 700 , the power component 710 further includes a charge controller 719 and a battery 711 . the charge controller 719 , coupled to the solar panel 702 and the battery 711 , receives the dc power signal generated by the solar panel 702 and forwards the dc power signal to the battery 711 . the battery 711 then stores the dc power received for later use or forwards the signal to the inverter 716 when the power output device 704 is being used . the charge controller 719 , as those having skill in the art know , also regulates the charging of the battery 711 to prevent over charging when the power generated by the solar power unit 700 is not being used by a device or other power sink . the battery 711 , coupled to the charge controller 719 and the inverter 716 , stores the dc power generated by the solar power panel and forwards the stored dc power signal to the inverter 716 . as disclosed above , the inverter 716 then converts the stored dc power signal to an ac power signal when the power output device 704 is being used . although this implementation of the power component is disclosed as including a battery , charge controller and inverter , if should be noted that the power component may only include a battery or an inverter , with or without the other . the power component 710 is preferably secured within the frame 703 of a standalone unit 700 by a back panel , not illustrated . alternatively , the power component 710 may float within the frame 703 . as a standalone unit , the disclosed solar power unit may be used as a power source anywhere . with or without a power outlet , a device or battery may be coupled directly to the solar panel of the solar power unit through the back access opening of the frame and operated accordingly . in an alternative implementation of the disclosed solar power unit , the solar power unit may be integrated into an existing wall or building structure , or included in a new building structure as it is being built . for example , the solar power unit may be integrated into an existing exterior wall or other building or landscape structure , wherein the wall may be made up of building blocks . the building blocks may be made of any building material used for this purpose , for example , concrete , stone blocks , bricks , etc . for purposes of this disclosure , the building blocks are cinder blocks . as illustrated in fig9 , the frame 803 is fabricated to fit over the cinder block 807 . accordingly , the solar power unit 800 may be slid over a cinder block and used in a pre - existing or newly built wall . fig8 illustrates an example method of integrating the disclosed solar power unit 800 with a cinder block 807 . in accordance with this disclosed implementation , the frame 803 and the front cover 801 are designed to fit over a cinder block 807 . the top and bottom panels 809 , 808 are flat and preferably include perforations . the solar power unit 800 also includes a battery and inverter , not shown . a power output source 804 is coupled to the inverter , receives the ac power signal from the inverter , and provides power to a device coupled to the power output source 804 , e . g ., an electronic device . in an implementation , the solar power unit 800 may be installed by sliding the frame 803 , including the solar panel 802 and front cover 801 , over the cinder block 807 such that the top and bottom panels 809 , 808 are covering a portion of the top and bottom of the cinder block 807 . in accordance with this implementation , the battery and inverter are situated within the frame 803 such that when the cinder block 807 is slid into the frame 803 , the battery and inverter are housed freely between the front panel ( not shown ) and the front of the cinder block 807 . alternatively , a back panel may be included in the frame 803 such that the top and bottom panels 809 , 808 hang over the back panel and the cinder block 807 slides against the back panel . as disclosed , the top and bottom panels 809 , 808 are perforated such that when cinder blocks are placed above and below the integrated solar power unit 800 , the bonding material used to build the wall , i . e ., mortar , may still bond with the cinder block 807 while within the frame 803 . an example illustration of this disclosed implementation is shown in fig1 . this implementation of the solar power unit may also be integrated into an existing wall wherein the frame of the solar power unit is slid into cutouts in the existing building structure , such as an exterior concrete wall . an example illustration of this implementation can be seen in fig1 . further , the alternative solar power unit illustrated in fig3 may be installed on a preexisting wall as well . in accordance with this implementation , the top and bottom panels are bent to allow the solar power unit to be attached to a building structure . in fig1 , the building structure is a pre - existing cinder block wall . once attached to the wall , the power output source 1104 may be used to power an electronic device . referring to fig1 , a cross - sectional view of the solar power unit illustrated in fig1 , it is preferable that the solar power unit 1100 includes a battery 1111 and inverter 1116 , as described above . as illustrated in fig1 , the solar power unit 1100 may be attached to the existing wall using screws 1190 . accordingly , the screws 1190 are drilled through the top 1133 and bottom 1134 panels and into the mortar 1127 between each cinder block 1126 . although , screws have been disclosed as the manner for attaching the alternative solar power unit to an existing wall , other means know to those having skill in the art may be used , e . g ., an adhesive glue or tape . in another disclosed implementation , a plurality of solar power units are included in a solar power system , as illustrated in fig1 . as illustrated , solar power system 1500 comprises a plurality of solar power units 1510 1 . . . 1510 n . the solar power system 1500 may provide power to the building in which the wall supports or to any devices that may be able to connect thereto . this solar power system 1500 therefore may or may not include a storage device , depending on the purpose of the system 1500 . as such , the power being generated by the solar power system 1500 and not used by the building , may then be sold to the electric power company , providing the owner of the building with an additional income stream . each solar power unit 1510 in the disclosed implementation may be coupled to one another in series or parallel , depending on the implementation . for example , if the solar power system was being used as a power source to a building , the solar power units 1510 1 . . . n may be electrically coupled in series . an example circuit diagram of serially connected solar power units 1510 can be seen in fig1 . referring back to fig1 , if the solar power system 1500 was to provide more than a single source of power , the solar power system 1500 may be sectioned off such that the groups of the plurality of solar power units 1510 are electrically coupled in parallel to one another . an example circuit diagram of this implementation can be seen in fig1 . fig1 illustrates an example solar power system 1800 including a plurality of alternative solar power units 1801 1 . . . n . each solar power unit 1801 includes a positive lead (+) 1823 and negative lead (−) 1824 . an example solar power unit in accordance with this implementation is illustrated in fig1 . as illustrated in fig1 , the solar power unit 1800 comprises lead cavities 1833 and 1834 and a positive lead 1823 and negative lead 1824 . in accordance with this disclosure , lead cavities 1833 and 1834 are female connectors for additional solar power units 1800 to electrically connect to one another as shown in fig1 . referring back to fig1 , each of a plurality of solar power units 1801 n in the solar power system 1800 may be coupled to a solar power unit 1801 n above it through its positive lead 1823 n or negative lead 1824 n , and below the unit through the lead cavities . as disclosed above , depending on how the energy generated by the solar power system may be coupled to one another in series or parallel . example circuit diagrams of the solar power units 1801 connected in series and parallel in accordance with this disclosed implementation are illustrated in fig2 and 21 , respectively . in accordance with this implementation , each solar power unit 2210 of the solar power system 2200 may be installed as illustrated in fig2 . as illustrated in fig2 and disclosed above , the frame 2203 includes a perforated top and bottom panel 2207 , 2208 , respectively . once the lower section of the wall is installed including the solar power unit 2210 1 , mortar or other bonding substance 2240 can be spread over the cinder block 2217 1 . because the top panel 2207 1 is perforated , the bonding material is able to adhere to the cinder block 2217 1 . the solar power unit 2210 2 is then installed on top of the solar power unit 2210 1 . again , because the bottom panel of the solar power unit 2210 2 , the bonding substance 2240 is able to bond to the cinderblock 2217 1 . depending on the how the solar power units 2210 are electrically connected , the lead 2224 1 , 2223 1 are connected to lead cavity ( ies ) 2233 2 , 2234 2 accordingly . in this implementation , it is a preferred feature to include additional perforations 2253 2 in the angled portion of a solar power unit &# 39 ; s 2210 2 bottom panel 2208 2 . similarly , perforations may be added to the portion of the top panel 2210 1 that is not engaged with the cinder block 2217 1 of this disclosed implementation . the inclusion of these perforations allow air to flow through the solar power units 2210 to cool the solar power unit 2210 and assist in drying the unit 2210 after wet weather . fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional view of the disclosed solar power system in a building structure shown in fig1 , including a plurality of building blocks 1807 1 , 1807 2 , 1807 3 . as shown in fig2 , solar power units 1800 1 , 1800 2 , 1800 3 are each slid over building blocks 1807 1 , 1807 2 , 1807 3 , and electrically connected to each other at leads 1824 1 and 1824 3 through lead cavities 1825 1 and 1825 2 . fig1 also illustrates the building of a building structure 1800 including a plurality of building blocks 1807 1 . . . 1807 n , and a plurality of solar power units 1801 1 . . . 1801 n electrically connected to one another to provide power to electrical outlet 1804 included in solar power unit 1801 1 . once the building structure is complete , a user may then connect an electronic device , requiring a dc power source , to be powered through outlet 1804 of solar power unit 1801 1 , using the power generated by the plurality of solar power units 1801 1 . . . 1801 n . in accordance with an alternative implementation , a solar wall module is disclosed . fig2 illustrates an example solar wall module 2400 in accordance with this implementation . the solar wall module 2400 comprises a plurality of solar power units 2410 1 . . . n and wall assembly 2420 . as disclosed above , the solar power unit 2410 may include top and bottom panels that are bent 90 ° up and down , respectively , such that the solar power units can be attached to an existing wall . in accordance with this implementation , each of the plurality of solar panel users are attached to the wall assembly for integrating with a building wall . an example cross - sectional illustration of the solar wall assembly 2400 is shown in fig2 . as illustrated in fig2 , the solar power units 2410 are attached to each other and to the wall assembly 2420 using screws 2460 . although screws have been disclosed , it should be noted that any means of supporting the plurality of solar power units on the wall assembly may be used . an example frame for each of the solar power units 2410 included in the disclosed solar wall assembly is illustrated in fig2 . the frame 2415 comprises a top panel 2604 , a bottom panel 2602 , and a face plate 2603 . as disclosed above , the top and bottom panels 2602 , 2604 are bent 90 ° up and down , respectively , to attached the frame 2115 to the wall assembly . it is preferable that the top and bottom panels 2602 , 2604 include perforations in the portions of the panels that are not attached to the wall assembly to allow for air to flow through the unit . the face plate 2603 is attached to the top and bottom panels 2602 , 2604 and supports the solar panel . one or more access openings 2605 are included on the face plate 2603 to allow connections to the one or more solar panels . in accordance with a preferred fabrication of the frame 2415 , the bent portion of the top panel 2603 2 of frame 2415 2 is attached to the bent portion of the bottom panel 2602 1 of frame 2415 1 , and so on . an example illustration of the frames attached in this manner is shown in fig2 . referring back to fig2 , solar panels 2401 1 . . . n are attached to the frame 2415 1 . . . n directly using screws , for example , or a front cover ( not shown ) as disclosed above . the wall assembly 2420 , attached to the plurality of solar power units 2410 1 . . . n , supports the solar power units in the building structure and acts as a part of a wall for the building structure . an exploded view of the solar wall module 2400 is illustrated in fig2 . the wall assembly comprises an outer barrier and an inner barrier . the outer barrier is the portion of the wall assembly that is directly touching the solar power system , and includes a water barrier 2422 , furring strip 2421 and sheathing 2423 . an air and water barrier 2422 material may serve as a drainage plane for water to escape quickly at the bottom of the panel . this material may also prevent water and outside air from penetrating into the building . metal flashing 2424 may also be included in the outer barrier to protect against water entering in the walls . since the disclosed implementation is a wall module that will be fitting within the framework of a building structure , the wall assembly &# 39 ; s 2420 inner barrier includes two studs 2450 , preferably spaced apart the same distance as the studs in the other portions of the building structure , for example 24 ″. the height of the studs 2450 depends on the size selection of the solar wall module 2400 . structural studs could be made of wood or metal and may serve as the structural layer of the assembly 2420 to enable the solar wall module 2400 to be robust and withstand wind loads . the inner barrier further includes a rigid insulation core 2426 that may be used as a thermal barrier and to prevent unwanted hot and cold air from penetrating into the building and significantly lowering utility bills . a moisture barrier 2427 may be used to prevent condensation from building up within the insulation 2426 . gypsum board or sheet rock 2429 may be used to provide an interior rigid material which may be painted or covered with a finishing material like paint , wall - paper , or wood trim , etc . the solar wall module 2400 further includes a power component 2428 . as illustrated in fig2 and 30 , the power component 2428 is preferably enclosed within a cavity in the insulation 2426 and the sheet rock 2429 . the power component 2428 comprises an inverter 3072 , a battery 3073 and charge controller 3071 . the inverter 3072 may be equipped with a traditional 120 volt outlet and can be accessed and plugged directly into from either the interior , as shown in fig3 , or exterior side of the wall , as shown in fig2 . a removable metal panel 2430 may cover the pocket of the wall that holds power components . the panel 2430 may be perforated to allow ventilation to the equipment and accommodates a socket for the outlet . fig3 illustrates an example of a plurality of solar wall modules 2400 1 . . . n installed in a building structure , such as a residential home . the disclosed solar power unit is an improvement over existing building integrated photovoltaic products for several reasons . as disclosed above , the solar power unit may be an all - in - one , plug - n - play system . also , the disclosed solar power units are structurally integrated and may significantly reduce cost by serving as both the structural layer and exterior , finish layer , of the building . the disclosed solar power system replaces , or can be used in conjunction with traditional building material and may be integrated with concrete block or brick in the same wall system . the entire wall does not have to entirely be made out of the solar power systems . for example , a customer may have a specific energy load ( electric lighting ) that they are interested in generating from the solar power systems . the number of units that would generate this electric load would be utilized and the rest of the wall may be constructed with another traditional block material . there are many commercial applications for this product . not only can the solar power units be utilized for new building construction projects ( commercial , residential , industrial , civil , educational , etc . ), they can also be utilized for retrofit applications as well , over existing facades and serve as charging walls for electric devices or vehicles . since the solar power unit is designed to be a modular unit , it may be utilized for many applications at varying scales . the units may become a part of our daily lives . walls of cities and towns may replace power plants . based on the foregoing description , it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application . many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those specifically described herein , as well as many variations , modifications , and equivalent arrangements , will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof , without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention . accordingly , while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention . the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments , adaptations , variations , modifications or equivalent arrangements , the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof .
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the detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred injection devices , which are exemplary embodiments provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention , and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized . the description sets forth the features and the steps for constructing and using the injection devices of the present invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments . it is to be understood , however , that the same or equivalent functions and structures may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention . as denoted elsewhere herein , like element numbers are intended to indicate like or similar elements or features . this application is related to ser . no . 10 / 932 , 751 , filed sep . 2 , 2004 , entitled integrated neurotoxin injection sensing and control device , the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full . referring now to fig1 , there is shown an exemplary schematic cross - sectional view of a skin tissue of a human body , which is generally designated 10 . as is well known in the medical field , the skin tissue 10 comprises a skin layer , which are the epidermis 12 and dermis 14 layers , a superficial fascia layer 16 , a deep fascia layer , and a muscle layer , shown collectively as 18 . in the facial area however , there is no deep fascia layer . instead , facial muscles are embedded in the superficial fascia layer 16 . the superficial fascia layer 16 in the facial area , herein the fascia 16 , thus comprises a loose network of connective tissue bundles , collagen , and elastin , which blend with the dermis . wrinkles have been described as aging , sun - damaged skin , the loss of elastin and / or collagen , etc . whether or not due to one or more of these reasons , from the schematic shown , a wrinkle 20 on the skin outer surface 22 is simply an outward reflection of the movement 24 of muscles underlying the skin along an axis perpendicular to the skin , i . e ., the z axis . thus , as muscles are embedded in the superficial fascia layer 16 in the facial region , wrinkles in the facial region is movement of the fascia layer 16 along the z axis . a void space 26 formed from the original skin contour 22 and the wrinkled skin 20 are thus both formed due to movement of the fascia layer 16 . in one aspect of the present invention , wrinkle treatment involving recovering at least part of the void space 26 is provided by injecting medications , which can be a filler or a neurotoxin , below the skin 22 to either ( 1 ) fill - out the skin to create a more even line with the top skin contour 22 or ( 2 ) paralyze the muscles that cause the skin to wrinkle 20 so that they relax and not contract along the z axis . more preferably , medications are injected in between the dermis layer 14 and the fascia 16 to treat wrinkles . most preferably , medications are injected in a cavity ( not shown ) formed between the dermis layer and the fascia using a device of the present invention for consistent and prolonged wrinkle treatment , as further discussed below . other medications not presently approved for wrinkle treatment but in the future are approved may also be used with the devices of the present embodiment provided they are useable with a syringe . referring now to fig2 , an exemplary injection assembly for delivering an injection in accordance with aspects of the present invention is shown , which is generally designated 28 . in one embodiment , the injection assembly 28 comprises a master controller 30 and an injection module 32 comprising a needle assembly 34 mounted to a housing 36 . in general , the master controller 30 is configured to supply an electrical stimulation to the facial tissue via the needle assembly 34 , a vacuum to the housing 36 to create a pulling force on the skin 22 , and pressurized gas to the needle assembly 34 to inject medications , as further discussed below . the injection module 32 is configured to penetrate the skin , transfer low voltage to provide stimulation to the facial tissue , and deliver medications . in one exemplary embodiment , the master controller 30 comprises a vacuum pump ( not shown ), pressurized gas supply ( not shown ), a power supply device ( not shown ), and electronics for regulating the vacuum pump , gas flow , and either voltage and / or amperage supplied by the power supply device . the injection module 32 comprises a wall enclosure 38 , a cap 40 , and the needle assembly 34 , as previously discussed . the injection module 32 also comprises a nozzle 42 , a first open end 44 comprising a pliable seat 46 , and a second open end 48 comprising a mating connector 50 , which in one exemplary embodiment is a corresponding threaded end for receiving the cap 40 . the nozzle 42 is preferably a hose barb connector for connecting to an air hose and may include a rocker pinch valve as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 340 , 096 . the pliable seat 46 is preferably a foam - based gasket but may be a rubber - base gasket removably adhered to the wall enclosure end with adhesive . in one exemplary embodiment , the pliable seat 46 is disposable and comprises pressure sensitive adhesive for providing a vacuum tight seal with the face , as further discussed below . the pliable seat 46 comprises an opening and a configuration that matches the configuration of the wall enclosure 38 , which in one exemplary embodiment is a cylindrical wall enclosure having two open ends 44 , 48 . the cap 40 comprises an o - ring 52 seated in a groove , a mating connector 54 , a vacuum breaker 56 , a receiver ( not shown ) for receiving the needle assembly , a pneumatic connector ( not shown ) for connecting to the pressure source , and a terminal connector ( not shown ) for connecting to the power supply . in one exemplary embodiment , the vacuum breaker 56 is configured for manual opening by turning a valve or a piston to open the housing to atmosphere to enable removable of the housing . as is readily apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art , any of the various components on the wall enclosure 38 and the cap 40 may be located elsewhere on the wall enclosure and the cap . for example , the vacuum breaker 56 may be located on the wall enclosure 38 instead of on the cap 40 and the nozzle 42 may be located on the cap 40 instead of the wall enclosure 38 . furthermore , instead of using threads to couple the cap 40 and the wall enclosure 38 together , in an alternative embodiment , detents or straps may be used . preferably however , threads are used to enable adjustable engagement of the cap 40 to the wall enclosure 38 to thereby adjust the length of the needle 58 that extends distally of the edge of the pliable seat 46 . in one exemplary embodiment , a reservoir for storing medications is located on the cap and the needle assembly , particularly the dispensing hub 72 ( fig3 ), is in communication with the reservoir . the master controller 30 is placed in communication with the injection housing 36 by connecting the nozzle 42 to the vacuum pump using a hose 60 , connecting the pressurized gas to the pneumatic connector on the cap 40 using a hose 60 , and connecting the terminal connector on the cap to the power supply device using a cable 62 . in one exemplary embodiment , the power supply device and the vacuum pump are both located inside the controller 30 while the pressurized gas supply is external to the controller . however , the pressurized gas supply , which may be an air pump , may also be located inside the controller 30 . preferably , the vacuum source and the gas supply are both external of the controller . for example , the vacuum source can be part of a central vacuum source and the gas supply can be a pressurized gas tank , of either nitrogen or air . the controller 30 preferably controls current flow and pressurized gas to the needle assembly 34 as well as timing of the current flow and the gas flow for reasons further discussed below . referring now to fig3 , a needle assembly 34 provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention is shown . the needle assembly 34 resembles a catheter assembly and comprises a needle 58 having a sharpened needle tip 66 attached to a needle hub 68 , and a tube 70 attached to a dispensing hub 72 . in one exemplary embodiment , the dispensing hub 72 comprises an engagement end 67 configured to engage the receiver on the cap 40 . the dispensing tube 70 and the needle 58 in the present embodiment are both made from a metallic material , preferably of stainless steel . in one exemplary embodiment , the needle hub 68 and the dispensing hub 72 are both co - molded with a metallic insert 74 comprising a metallic strip 76 comprising an exposed lead 78 . the two leads 78 are configured to couple to a power supply device to impart an electric current to the facial tissue for stimulating a cavity , as further discussed below . the metallic inserts 74 may each comprise a cylindrical configuration or an open curved metallic section configured to contact with the needle . in one exemplary embodiment , a gap or space 73 is provided in the annular space between the needle 58 and the dispensing tube 70 . this gap 73 is in communication with an opening or vent port 75 incorporated in the needle hub 68 . thus , when the needle 58 is inserted into a skin tissue , the area of the skin tissue that surrounds the needle tip 66 is in fluid communication with the vent port 75 , which is in communication with the atmosphere . as further discussed below , fluid to be dispensed by the needle assembly 34 is dispensed through the dispensing hub 72 and dispensing tube 70 and out of the end opening 77 of the tube . in an alternative embodiment , a plurality of vent ports 75 are incorporated in the needle hub 68 . in yet another aspect of the present invention , the needle tip 66 of the needle 58 comprises a non - coring tip , which typically includes a bend in the shaft . fig4 is an alternative injection assembly 80 provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention . in the present embodiment , a hand vacuum pump 82 is incorporated for providing a vacuum and a hand activated valve 84 connected to a line 86 and in communication with the needle assembly 34 for regulating medication flow out of the dispensing tube 70 . the valve 84 , when activated to open , is opened on one side to the atmosphere . referring now to fig5 , the injection assembly 28 is shown used on a patient . in an office setting , a subject or patient is first directed to lay down in a supine or semi - recumbent position in a chair and the face to be treated is positioned substantially horizontally . the injection module 32 , with the needle 58 adjusted to extend about 0 . 4 cm to about 1 . 5 cm distally from the end of the pliable seat 46 and the various connectors and lines connected to the master controller 30 , is then placed on the facial skin 22 of the patient . however , the length can vary depending on the treatment and location of injection . the injection module 32 should be placed directly over a wrinkle to be treated . placement of the module 32 results in the needle 58 penetrating the skin at the wrinkled area to a depth set by the position of the needle tip 66 relative to the pliable seat 46 . if the injection module 32 is connected to an external vacuum source , a vacuum is created inside the interior cavity 87 of the wall housing 36 without initiating the master controller 30 otherwise a vacuum power switch 88 on the master controller 30 is activated to initiate the vacuum pump for generating a vacuum in the interior cavity . a soft vacuum of about 7 to about 14 psia should be established inside the interior cavity . a vacuum pressure transducer may be incorporated to verify the vacuum inside the cavity . preferably the vacuum is kept to about 9 - 13 psia . the skin 23 under the vacuum bulges outwardly into the interior cavity 87 of the housing 36 , which is shown exaggerated for discussion purposes . once a sufficient vacuum is established , a current is sent to the needle assembly 34 by activating a power source switch 90 . a current of about 1 . 5 ma to about 5 ma supplied to the needle is preferred with a current of about 2 ma to about 3 ma being more preferred . the higher the current , the more the fascia 16 will contract , as further discussed below . in one exemplary embodiment , the controller 30 has built - in electronics to regulate the amount of current output to the needle 58 , which may be adjusted by turning a dial 92 . the current provided by the controller 30 to the terminal connector ( not shown ) located on the cap 40 and then to the needle 58 and dispensing tube 70 via the leads 78 on the needle hub 68 and dispensing hub 72 causes the muscles adjacent the needle and dispensing tube to contract . the contraction is caused by an electrical stimulation to an area located around the needle that is known as the neuromuscular junction . current discharged in this region produces a muscular response . the contraction is caused by an electrical stimulation to an area located around the needle , and therefore first will stimulate the neuromuscular junction lying within the fascia that is adjacent to the needle body . current discharged in this region produces a muscular contraction following the release of acetylcholine , which initiates an action potential and this then propagates through the rest of the muscles . the muscles , which as previously discussed are embedded in the fascia , move away from the current source , i . e ., the needle . normally this causes the skin 22 to move with the fascia . however , as a vacuum is applied to the skin surface directly over the axis defined by the needle 58 , the fascia 16 separates from the skin , i . e ., from the dermis 14 and epidermis 12 . this separation is facilitated by the vent hole 75 located in the needle hub 68 , which assists in breaking the surface tension between the skin and the fascia . fig6 is a graphical depiction of a cavity 94 created below the skin due to the combination vacuum applied to the skin surface 22 and electrical current supplied to the muscles subjacent the vacuum source . this cavity region is also known in the medical field as a dead space or a bloodless plane . the cavity 94 forms almost instantaneously as the flow of current is applied to the needle . in one exemplary embodiment , a small volume of pressurized gas is sent to the needle assembly 34 to push medications into the cavity shortly following the flow of current . the pressurized gas can be a low pressure gas of about 1 - 3 psig and a flow volume of about 0 . 02 cc to about 0 . 8 cc , which would be equivalent to the volume of medications injected into the cavity 94 from the dispensing tube 70 . in one exemplary embodiment , the controller automatically senses the vacuum inside the interior cavity 87 of the housing 36 , supply a current to the needle 58 and dispensing tube 70 when an appropriate vacuum is sensed , and delivers a quantity of pressurized gas to the needle a short time interval following the supply of current to the dispensing hub 72 to then deliver medications to the cavity 94 . depending on the treatment , medications delivered to the cavity can be any number of products including fillers and neurotoxin . however , medications can be any number of medications depending on the type of treatment or preventative care in question . with reference to fig4 in addition to fig6 , if a different injection assembly is used , such as the injection assembly 80 of fig4 , then the injection process includes placing the injection module 32 over an area to be injected , creating a vacuum using a vacuum pump 82 or other vacuum source , such as a separate vacuum pump , opening the valve 84 connected to the needle assembly 84 , and then sending a current from the controller 30 to the needle . a cavity will form as previously discussed . however , rather than supplying pressurized gas to inject medications to the cavity 94 , medications are automatically drawn into the cavity 94 due to a vacuum that is formed as the cavity is created . the valve 84 may be closed shut following a brief moment , such as 2 - 6 seconds following the flow of current . a second injection can now be made by moving the injection module 32 to a different location to be injected and repeating the described steps . as the housing 36 is under a vacuum , the vacuum breaker 56 should be activated to release the vacuum . referring now to fig7 , a semi - schematic cross - sectional side view of yet another alternative injection assembly 96 provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention is shown . the injection assembly comprises an injection module 98 and a master controller ( not shown ) similar to the controllers previously discussed . in one exemplary embodiment , the injection module 98 comprises a housing 100 comprising a nozzle 42 , a vacuum breaker 56 , and a needle assembly 102 attached to the housing . in one exemplary embodiment , the needle assembly 102 is attached to a top surface 104 of the housing 100 , which may be an integrally formed top surface or a separate cap to be connected to the wall enclosure 106 . the wall enclosure 106 is shown with a break line 108 representing a variable housing length to be determined depending on the needle and needle assembly . a pliable seat 46 is incorporated at the end edge of the wall enclosure 106 to serve as a soft seating surface . in one exemplary embodiment , the needle assembly 102 is similar to the needle assembly shown in fig3 with a few changes . in particular , a second opening 110 is incorporated in the needle hub 68 and an elongated shell 112 comprising a pliable seat 114 is coaxially disposed with the needle 58 . the elongated shell 112 may be attached to the needle hub 68 by either interference fit or threaded engagement . an interior space 116 is defined interiorly of the shell 112 , which is in communication with the first opening 75 and second opening 110 on the needle hub 68 , which is in communication with the atmosphere . when the injection assembly 96 is used on a patient , such as that shown in fig4 and 5 , and the housing is under a vacuum , the space around the needle defined by the shell 112 is not in a vacuum whereas the space outside the shell 112 and inside the housing 100 is under a vacuum . thus , when a current is applied to the leads 78 on the needle hub 68 and the dispensing hub 72 , muscles will contract along the z - axis and will tend to pull the skin located inside the shell 112 in the same direction . the skin , however , is held secured by the vacuum around the area between the shell 112 and the housing 100 . this configuration , as compared to that shown in fig4 and 5 , has been found to effectively stimulate a cavity near the needle tip 66 for depositing medicament stored inside the reservoir 118 defined by the dispensing hub 72 . similar to previously described embodiments , medicament may be dispensed using a pressurized gas source coupled to the reservoir 118 or may be gravity fed using a combination valve and tubing . the interface between the needle hub 68 and the housing 100 , and particularly the top surface 104 of the housing , may be any known prior art attachment means , including interference fit , friction fit , and threaded engagement . preferably , the interface allows adjustment to the needle so that the needle tip extension , and therefore the depth of penetration of the needle , beyond the end edge of the housing 100 may be adjusted . fig8 is a semi - schematic cross - sectional view of the injection assembly 96 of fig7 with an accordion seal 120 attached to the end edge of the elongated shell 112 . the accordion shell 120 may be made from an elastomeric material and may be attached to the shell using detents or tongue and groove arrangement . the accordion seal 120 allows the interior space to remain constant by flexing and compensating for different curvatures of the face as the injection assembly 96 is moved from one injection site to another . fig9 is a semi - schematic cross - sectional side view of the injection assembly 96 of fig7 with a leveling plate 122 attached to the opening of the elongated shell 112 and having an opening 124 . in one exemplary embodiment , the leveling plate comprises a thermoplastic plate . the plate 122 is configured to provide a base line or an injection site that is level relative to the needle tip . thus , when vacuum is applied to the skin for an injection , the area under the needle ensures that any skin that is raised by the vacuum is leveled by the plate 122 . this in turn ensures that the injection site is level from site to site so that the depth of the injection is the same or nearly the same from site to site . fig1 is a semi - schematic side view of yet another injection assembly provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention , which is generally designated 126 . in one exemplary embodiment , the injection assembly 126 comprises a syringe 128 comprising a needle 130 , shown with a needle cap 132 , a barrel 134 , a plunger 136 having a push flange 140 , and a piston 138 . the syringe 128 may be any number of prior art syringe , which may include an integrated needle as shown or a separate needle with needle hub . in the figure , a second piston 138 ′ is shown distally advanced inside the barrel 134 , which depicts an injection wherein the piston 138 is advanced from a proximal position on the barrel 134 to a more distal position . in one exemplary embodiment , the barrel 134 incorporates one or more stoppers 142 located on its external surface for registering the barrel relative to an injection housing , as further discussed below . the injection assembly 126 further comprises an injection module 144 comprising a housing 146 comprising a loading cap 148 and an injection body section 150 . the housing 146 may be made from a rigid thermoplastic material or a metal , such as aluminum or stainless steel . in one exemplary embodiment , the loading cap 148 comprises a bore 152 comprising a tapered cylindrical wall surface , tapers inwardly from a proximal point to a distal point , near a groove for accommodating an o - ring 156 . in one exemplary embodiment , the cap 148 comprises a shoulder comprising a threaded end 158 comprising a second groove for accommodating a second o - ring 156 . the cap 148 is configured to slide onto the barrel from the rear end of the barrel 134 , where the plunger 136 projects through the barrel . the cap is pushed distally forward until the end edge 160 of the cap contacts the one or more stoppers 142 . medication 162 may now be filled into the barrel by aspirating the plunger 136 to draw a vacuum . the injection body section 150 is now threaded to the cap 148 and the split - line between the body section 150 and the cap 148 sealed by a second o - ring 156 . as shown , the injection body section 150 comprises a vent port or opening 164 comprising a nozzle 166 , which may be a barb connector , and an activating piston 168 in dynamic sealing arrangement with the interior wall surface 170 of the body section 150 . the injection assembly 126 is configured to deliver an injection not by pushing the plunger 136 with a finger , such as a thumb , but by activating the activating piston 168 using a vacuum source . in one exemplary embodiment , the nozzle 166 on the body section 150 is connected to a vacuum source using a hose 172 . the vacuum source can be any one of an electric vacuum pump 174 , a manual hand vacuum pump 176 , or a vacuum header 178 , typically in hospitals or other institutions . when the interior cavity 176 of the injection module 144 is subjected to a vacuum , the activating plunger 168 is automatically drawn distally . at some point , the activating plunger 168 will contact the push flange 140 and pushes the push flange and the plunger 136 into the barrel 134 , which in turn , via the piston 138 , pushes medications 162 inside the barrel out of the needle 132 . it has been found that a vacuum of as little as 9 - 14 psia will effectively move the activating plunger 168 to then push the plunger 136 . however , for injecting a more viscous fluid , a vacuum of about 1 - 6 psia may be required . in an alternative embodiment , the piston 168 is fixed to the housing 146 , i . e ., does not move relative to the housing . the piston 168 can thus be an end cap or the like that can either be permanently secured to the open end 169 of the housing 146 or removable from the open end 169 , such as by incorporating threads . in the present alternative embodiment , the barrel 134 of the syringe is configured to move into the housing 146 upon exposing the nozzle 166 to a vacuum source . in one exemplary embodiment , the stoppers 142 on the exterior surface of the barrel 134 are eliminated . hence , when the interior cavity 176 is under a vacuum the barrel 134 and the plunger 136 both move proximally into the housing 146 . at some point , the push flange 140 on the plunger hits the stationary piston 168 while the barrel 134 continues to move . this motion causes the plunger 138 to eventually contact and push medications inside the barrel out of the needle 130 . in short , the present alternative embodiment is configured to discharge fluid out of the needle 130 while at the same time move the barrel 134 proximally relative to the injection module . although limited embodiments of the injection device and methods of using same have been specifically described and illustrated herein , many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . for example , separate controllers for controlling different functions may be incorporated instead of just one , different ways to supply current to the facial tissue using different means instead of via the leads in the needle and catheter hubs as described , and different ways to stimulate a void or cavity instead of using a stimulator in combination with a vacuum . furthermore , it is understood and contemplated that features specifically discussed for one injection assembly may be adopted for inclusion with another injection assembly , provided the functions are compatible . accordingly , it is to be understood that the injection assemblies and their components constructed according to principles of this invention may be embodied other than as specifically described herein . the invention is also defined in the following claims .
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the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be obvious , however , to one skilled in the art , that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process steps have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , improved ignition of a plasma inside an inductive plasma processing reactor at low pressures is achieved by introducing a magnetic field inside the process chamber . typically , ignition of a plasma is difficult at low pressures . as discussed earlier , at low pressures electrons have long mean free paths and are less likely to collide with molecules . the electrons that do not collide with molecules typically hit the chamber wall and recombine , making it hard to ignite the plasma . by introducing a magnetic field inside the process chamber , electrons are temporarily captured by the lorenz force and spiral around the field lines of the magnetic field . the spiraling electrons increase their residence time inside the chamber , thereby increasing the chances of collisions with neutral gas molecules to start the chain reaction that ignites the plasma . in another embodiment , the magnetic field is only used for aiding in plasma ignition . in order to maintain the stability of the plasma , the magnetic field is preferably turned off as soon as the plasma ignites to prevent adverse effects on the etch process . according to another embodiment , the magnetic field is preferably placed in the proximity of the electric field produced by the inductive coils . most of the dissociated electrons inside the process chamber are located in the electric field region . therefore , more electrons can be influenced by the strategic placement of the magnetic field in this region . to facilitate discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention , fig2 a depicts an inductive plasma processing reactor with the inventive addition of a magnetic field producing apparatus , such as solenoid . an inductive plasma processing reactor 300 consists of a chamber 302 with an antenna or inductive coil 310 disposed above a dielectric window 312 . a substrate 314 is disposed above a chuck 316 . the chuck 316 is disposed at the bottom of the chamber 302 . when rf power is supplied to the inductive coil 310 , an oscillating magnetic field 318 is created . this oscillating magnetic field 318 induces an electric current 320 inside the chamber 302 and below the dielectric window 312 . in a manner analogous to the discussion associated with fig1 a & amp ; b , the electric current 320 runs in the opposite direction of the current in the inductive coil . the direction of the current is portrayed by the x and dot inside the inductive coil 310 and the electric current 320 . when rf power is supplied to the inductive coil 310 a voltage drop occurs across the dielectric window 312 and the vacuum chamber volume to electrically grounded surfaces . this voltage initiates the plasma breakdown . generally , the free electrons are accelerated to a high energy by the circulating electric current 320 . the electrons are accelerated in alternating directions ( dependent on rf of the power source ). the accelerated electrons collide with other neutral molecules creating more electrons and positively charged ions . as soon as the creation rate of free electrons exceeds their loss rate , the plasma ignites . a solenoid 324 is disposed outside the chamber 302 . the solenoid 324 is preferably near a high voltage point on the inductive coil 310 . the solenoid induces a dc magnetic field 328 with a dc power source 330 . in one embodiment , the dc power source 330 provide a dc voltage that produces a magnetic field suitable for promoting plasma ignition , e . g ., approximately 200 volts dc power . the dc magnetic field 328 exists inside the chamber 302 in a region 332 , as shown , to trap temporarily electrons 334 and cause them to spiral along the magnetic field lines 336 of the dc magnetic field 328 . because the electrons 334 spend more time in the region 332 , they are more likely to collide with neutral molecules prior to being recombined onto the chamber walls . this greatly increases the likelihood of plasma ignition at low pressures and / or low inductive source power . typically , the accelerated electrons collide with neutral molecules creating more electrons and positively charged ions , initiating a discharge . the dc magnetic field 328 in the region 332 is no longer needed at that point . plasma breakdown occurs and the plasma ignites . as can be appreciated by one skilled in the art , there are many different types of configurations for an inductive plasma processing reactor and plasma ignition may be facilitated by providing a magnetic field producing apparatus proximate to the location where free electrons are initially produced . by way of example , fig2 b is another illustration of the inductive plasma processing reactor as shown in fig1 b with the inventive addition of a magnetic field producing apparatus , such as a solenoid . in fig2 b , a solenoid 424 is disposed outside the chamber 402 . the solenoid 424 is preferably located at a high voltage point of the inductive coil 410 . of course this high voltage point varies with different designs of the inductive coil and may be readily determined by one skilled in the art , either experimentally or by calculation . the solenoid induces a dc magnetic field 428 with a dc power source 430 . in this embodiment , the dc power source 430 operates at a voltage suitable to produce a magnetic field that promotes plasma ignition , e . g ., approximately 200 volts . the dc magnetic field 428 exists inside the chamber 402 in a region 432 . the dc magnetic field 428 temporarily traps electrons 434 , causing them to spiral around the path 436 to increase the residence time of the electrons to promote the start of the cascade that causes plasma ignition . in the preferred embodiment , the magnetic field inside the chamber is induced by a solenoid . the solenoid is preferably powered by approximately 200 volts dc and produces a magnetic flux between about 25 to 500 gauss . however , it is preferred that the magnetic flux be kept as low as possible while still maintaining a high enough flux to ignite the plasma . also , note that the exact voltage level of the dc voltage may vary as needed to a level effective to produce a magnetic flux strong enough to ignite the plasma . a low powered flux is preferable because it offers the least amount of disturbance to the process . in addition , this invention is not limited to a magnetic field produced by a solenoid , any means that can generate a magnetic field effective to ignite the plasma in a given plasma processing reactor can be employed ( e . g ., permanent magnets that can be physically moved upon plasma ignition ). as mentioned , the location of the dc magnetic field is preferably proximate the region in the plasma processing chamber where the electrons are initially accelerated by the high voltage from the induction coil . more preferably , the magnetic field producing apparatus ( such as the solenoid ) is positioned such that the magnetic field is proximate the electric field produced by the inductive coil . this is because most of the electrons initially generated tend to be concentrated in the electric field region . even more preferably , the magnetic field producing apparatus is positioned at a location that allows the magnetic field produced thereby to coincide with the region within the plasma processing chamber where the electric field line concentration is the highest . by way of example , the magnetic field producing apparatus may be placed in between adjacent coils of the inductive coil such that a sufficiently high number of electrons are exposed to the magnetic field when the magnetic field producing apparatus is powered . however , it is also possible to position the magnetic field producing apparatus at other locations , such at atop the coils , or at some location proximate to the coils . fig3 is a top view illustration , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , of the approximate location of a solenoid 324 relative to inductive coil 310 of the plasma processing reactor discussed earlier in connection with fig2 a . note that inductive coil 310 does not have to be planar , and may assume other nonplanar shapes . for the plasma processing chamber of fig2 b , the magnetic field producing apparatus may be similarly positioned relative to the inductive coil so as to promote plasma ignition ( e . g ., in between adjacent coils or a top of the coils ). as mentioned , the magnetic field produced by the magnetic field producing apparatus is preferably off after plasma ignition occurs in order to minimize the impact of the magnetic field on the process . in general , the detection of plasma ignition for the purpose of turning off the magnetic field producing apparatus may be performed using any conventional method , including , for example , optical emission detection , sensing of the reflective power in the match networks , or the like . note that although the preferred embodiment contemplates that the magnetic field produced be sufficiently strong to promote plasma ignition without having to raise either the pressure within the chamber or the power to the top electrode , it is possible to employ the inventive ignition technique to reduce , instead of eliminate , the need to raise the pressure within the chamber and / or the power to the top electrode . by way of example , the presence of the magnetic field may raise the residence time of the electrons and the probability of collision such that only a slight increase in the chamber pressure and / or a slight increase in the top power level is required . while this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments , there are alterations , permutations , and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention . it should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .
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the dihydrochalcones of this invention have a set chemical structure as shown in formula ( i ). they contain three hydroxyl groups which are placed at the 2 , 6 , and 3 &# 39 ; positions . at the 4 &# 39 ; position they contain a lower saturated alkoxy group selected from the group of methoxy , ethoxy , the propoxies , and the butoxies ; preferably the 4 &# 39 ; substituent is a methoxy or ethoxy , and most preferably , a methoxy . at the 4 position they contain a carboxyl group - substituted methoxy group wherein the carboxyl group is either present as a carboxylic acid group , cooh , or as a cation salt of a carboxylic acid . as cations in the salts may be employed any pharmacologically acceptable cation such as the alkali metal cations , alkaline earth cations , ammonium cations , and the pharmacologically acceptable 4th period transition metal cations such as zinc , copper and nickel cations . preferred among these cations are the calcium cations and the alkali metal cations , especially sodium , potassium and lithium cations . it is most preferred when the carboxyl group of the 4 &# 39 ; substituent is present either as the carboxylic acid group or as the sodium or potassium salt . thus in formula ( i ), m most preferably is h , na , or k . these dihydrochalcones may be produced by at least two routes . in one method , the corresponding 2 , 4 , 6 - trihydroxydihydrochalcone is alkylated with an alkyl haloacetate and then treated with base to yield a mixture of 2 , 4 , and 3 &# 39 ;-( carboxyl - substituted methoxy ) dihydrochalcones , which are then separated . in another method , hesperetin or an equivalent other 4 &# 39 ;- lower alkoxyl material is alkylated with an alkyl haloacetate and then opened and reduced to the desired dihydrochalcone . these two preparative schemes are demonstrated in the examples , where reaction condition ranges and the like are also set out . these dihydrochalcones find application as sweeteners . in this used they are admixed with edible substances such as foods , beverages , medicines , and the like , in amounts effective for imparting a desired degree of sweetness . the amount of dihydrochalcone employed can vary widely , just as the amount of natural sugar sweetener employed varies from person to person and food application to food application . as a general rule , the weight of dihydrochalcone added will be about 1 / 100th - 1 / 1000th the weight of sucrose required to yield the same sweetness . thus , additions of from about 0 . 0001 % up to about 0 . 05 % by weight ( basis edible substance ) may be usefully employed . the present materials offer the advantage that their solubility permits such addition to most food systems . the dihydrochalcones are added to the edible composition by mixing methods known in the art . the dihydrochalcones may be added as solids or as solutions . they may be used alone or as the primary sweetener in a composition , or they may be one of several sweeteners in the final composition ; sucrose , or another natural sweetener or another synthetic sweetener also being added . these dihydrochalcones , their preparation and their use are further described in the following examples . these are to illustrate the invention and are not to be construed as limitations on this invention , which is instead defined by the appended claims . this example describes the production of the dihydrochalcones of this invention via alkylation of corresponding 2 , 4 , 6 - trihydroxydihydrochalcones . a . 2 , 4 , 6 - tribenzyloxyacetophenone is obtained by the common procedure of reacting 2 , 4 , 6 - trihydroxyacetophenone with excess benzyl chloride and excess potassium carbonate in dimethylformamide and giving the reaction mixture an aqueous work up . 3 - benzyloxy - 4 - n - propoxybenzaldehyde is similarly prepared from 3 - hydroxy - 4 - n - propoxybenzyl alcohol , excess benzyl chloride and excess potassium carbonate . a warm solution of 2 . 19 g of the 2 , 4 , 6 - tribenzyloxyacetophenone and 1 . 35 g of the benzyloxy - 4 - n - propoxybenzaldehyde is prepared in 10 ml of absolute ethanol . 15 milliliters of warm aqueous 60 % potassium hydroxide is added all at once . the mixture is stirred and a yellow solid product is formed . 16 milliliters of absolute ethanol is added and the mixture is added to 300 ml of water and extracted three times with ethyl acetate . the extracts are dried and concentrated to yield 3 . 2 g of a solid , which is recrystallized to yield 2 . 6 g ( 75 % yield ) of 2 , 4 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- tetrabenzyloxy - 4 &# 39 ;- n - propoxychalcone . ## spc5 ## 1 . 38 grams of this material is dissolved in about 50 ml of ethyl acetate and 200 mg of 5 % palladium on charcoal is added . the reaction flask is flushed with hydrogen and then the mixture is stirred under hydrogen at room temperature for about 35 hours . the product is checked by thin layer chromatography and observed to contain essentially a single product . the reaction mixture is filtered and concentrated to yield 0 . 66 g of a colorless oil , which by nmr is determined to be 2 , 4 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- tetrahydroxy - 4 &# 39 ;- n - propoxy dihydrochalcone , ## spc6 ## b . the preparation of part a is substantially repeated with one change : instead of 3 - benzyloxy - 4 - n - propoxy benzaldehyde , 3 - benzyloxy - 4 - methoxybenzaldehyde ( prepared from 3 - hydroxy - 4 - methoxybenzyl alcohol ) is employed as starting material . the final product is 2 , 4 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- methoxy dihydrochalcone ## spc7 ## the reactions depicted in parts a and b have been run under very mild conditions . the reaction between the acetophenone and the benzaldehyde could be run at somewhat elevated temperatures , say from room temperature ( 20 ° c ) up to about 75 ° c , if desired . also , any strong base could be employed , such as sodium hydroxide , lithium hydroxide , or tetramethylammonium hydroxide . the hydrogenation may be carried out catalytically as shown , in the presence of a suitable transition metal or precious metal catalyst and molecular hydrogen at pressures from atmospheric up to as much as about 100 psig and temperatures of from about room temperature ( 20 ° c ) to about 125 ° c ; or it may be carried out by reaction with a hydrogen - carrying agent such as diimide . c . the product of part b is alkylated . a solution - suspension of 1 . 5 g of the product of part b and 1 . 4 g of anhydrous potassium carbonate is prepared in 12 . 5 ml of dimethylformamide . while stirring , 680 mg of ethylchloroacetate is added and rinsed in with 7 - 8 ml of dimethylformamide . the mixture is stirred at room temperature overnight and poured into about 100 ml of water . this mixture is saturated with sodium chloride and extracted with ethylacetate . the extracts are washed , dried , and concentrated to yield a mixture of components . this mixture is purified by preparative thin layer chromatography to yield three major alkylation products : 2 , 3 &# 39 ;- dihydroxy - 4 , 6 - dicarbethoxymethoxydihydrochalcone . the desired 2 , 6 - 3 &# 39 ;- trihydroxy - 4 - carbethoxymethoxy material unfortunately comprises only about one - fourth of the total of these three compounds . d . the three compounds of part c are then separately contacted with aqueous base . in a typical reaction , excess 5 % potassium hydroxide is added to the 2 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- trihydroxy compound and swirled and permitted to stand overnight to give a green solution of the potassium salt of the 2 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- trihydroxy material . the potassium salt solution is rendered acidic ( to ph 2 ) with hydrochloric acid , and a white precipitate forms . this precipitate is separated , washed , analyzed , and found to be essentially pure 2 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- trihydroxy - 4 - carboxymethoxy - 4 &# 39 ;- methoxydihydrochalcone ## spc8 ## cation salts such as the potassium , sodium , lithium , or ammonium salts are formed from this acid by titration of the acid with the appropriate base . e . aqueous solutions ( 0 . 009 % by weight ) of a variety of the products and intermediates of this examples are formed . they are tested by volunteers to determine their organoleptic properties , with the following results : ## spc9 ## as can be seen from the above taste data , the compounds of the present invention have desirable sweetener properties . a solution of 1 . 5 g of hesperetin ( sigma chemical co .) and 6 . 1 g of ethylchloroacetate in 20 ml of dimethylformamide is prepared . to this is added 690 mg of anhydrous k 2 co 3 . the mixture is flushed with argon and stirred for 17 hours at room temperature . the product of the reaction is added to about 200 ml of water , acidified to ph 2 with hydrochloric acid , and extracted with ethylacetate . the extracts are dried and concentrated . the concentrate is placed on a preparative thin layer chromatography plate and eluted with dichloromethane : methanol ( 95 : 5 ). a fraction is separated and determined to be hesperetin - 7 - carbethoxy methyl ether ## spc10 ## to a solution of 242 mg of hesperetin - 7 - carbethoxy methyl ether in 5 ml of 5 % potassium hydroxide is added 25 mg of 5 % palladium on charcoal . the resultant solution - suspension is flushed with hydrogen and stirred under a hydrogen atmosphere for 24 hours . it is then filtered through celite and acidfied with 10 % hcl . the resultant precipitate is recrystallized from benzene - methanol to give 198 mg of 2 , 6 , 3 &# 39 ;- trihydroxy - 4 - carboxymethoxy - 4 &# 39 ;- methoxydihydrochalcone as colorless needles . this product has the desirable sweetness properties set forth in example i . it is used to sweeten a variety of edible compositions , suitable sweetness resulting when : 0 . 09 % w of the dihydrochalcone is added to an otherwise sweetener - free soft drink base ; 0 . 05 % w of the product is added to a gelatin dessert base containing 1 / 2 its normal amount of sugar ; 0 . 008 % w of the product is added with 0 . 008 % of saccharin ( less than 1 / 2 the normal amount ) to a chewing gum composition ; and 0 . 008 % w of the product is added as the sole sweetener in a cough elixer . a pair of compounds chemically similar to the compounds of this invention , disclosed in hungarian patent application ci - 1196 , and having the following structure ## spc11 ## wherein r is h and na respectively , are prepared in four steps , starting with condensation ( 42 %) of commercially available 2 , 4 - dihydroxyacetophenone and isovanillin . the resultant chalcone is hydrogenated ( 40 %) to the dihydrochalcone , which is then selectively alkylated ( 41 %) with ethyl chloroacetate . hydrolysis ( 100 %) of this ethyl ester with aqueous base , followed by acidification , then gives the desired compound ( r = h ). titration with naoh gives the r = na compound . taste analysis of these compounds by a panel of investigators indicates the ( r = h ) material to have 76 times the sweetness of sucrose and the ( r = na ) material to have 81 times the sweetness of sucrose ( both on a weight basis ). panel members also indicate the presence of significant amounts of other tastes ( i . e ., bitter , salty ) in both materials .
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in industrial production systems for gas - phase partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon - containing gas , such as production of ethylene oxide , the mixing of hydrocarbon and oxygen gases in a safe , reliable manner is a continuing problem , particularly when the gases to be mixed go through a flammable zone in the mixing process . the features of this disclosure provide improvements to a gas mixer and method of mixing gases which minimizes the probability of ignition . the mixing of the two gases is performed in a coarse water droplet environment . the coarse water droplet environment can be conceptualized as a rainstorm - like environment in the gas mixer . in a high pressure , high capacity application in which substantial amounts of water are needed , a substantial volume of water droplets are introduced into the gas mixer at high velocity , in effect creating a driving rainstorm environment at the point where the two gases are mixed . several different embodiments of a gas mixer featuring apparatus for producing the coarse water droplet environment will be described in some detail below . applications include ethylene oxide production in a gas mixer featuring a low shear co - axial gas mixing . however , the invention can be practiced in a high shear gas mixer , such as described in wo2009 / 078899 , entitled oxygen / hydrocarbon rapid ( high shear ) gas mixer , particularly for the production of ethylene oxide , the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein . the purpose of the coarse water droplet environment is to reduce the probability of ignition of the flammable gas envelope where the two gases initially mix , or to quench an ignition should one initiate , by introducing a sufficient quantity of coarse water drops ( sauter mean diameter ( smd ) greater than 200 microns ) into the gas streams at the point of the high flammability gas envelope so as to provide enhanced mixing , wetting of the surface of any entrained particles in either the hydrocarbon stream or the oxygen stream , and a heat sink to transfer any heat generated from particle impact or particle fracture while the particle is still present in the flammable region in the mixer . in general , the gas mixer features atomizers ( coarse water droplet producing nozzles ) which are designed to produce water drops having a size & gt ; 200 microns smd . the term sauter mean diameter ( smd ) is used here to mean the diameter of a drop having the same volume / surface area ratio as the entire spray of the drops . materials of construction of the gas mixer and the water droplet generating devices may be stainless steel , monel , inconel , or other corrosion and ignition resistant metal . such metals may also be used in the highest velocity zones and the gas - distributing pipes . one application of the invention is direct oxidation ethylene oxide process mixers , which mix oxygen at intermediate pressure (˜ 20 bar ) with recycled hydrocarbon - containing gas containing ethylene and other gases . oxygen pressures are approximately ˜ 26 bar . the invention can similarly be used for other partial oxidation processes using pure oxygen or enriched air . the features of this disclosure redefines the oxygen / hydrocarbon mixing process to reduce the potential for ignition in the flammable gas envelope that exists for some distance downstream of the point of injection of oxygen into the hydrocarbon - rich stream prior to complete mixing of the oxygen - hydrocarbon stream . the invention accomplishes this by mixing the gases in the presence of a coarse water droplet environment , to provide a heat sink to dissipate the impact energy of entrained particles in either the hydrocarbon or oxygen gas streams and to quench an ignition should one occur . the invention is particularly useful for mixing oxygen into the recycle gas containing ethylene in an ethylene oxide process . the features of this disclosure provide a number of advantages and satisfy a long - felt need in the art . in particular , it allows for the injection of oxygen into a hydrocarbon - rich gas stream while minimizing the probability of igniting the gas . the advantage is particularly significant for a range of application in which gas mixing occurs at elevated pressures ( e . g . 20 bar ), which are commonly found in partial oxidation processes such as ethylene oxide production . fig1 is a schematic representation of a gas mixer featuring a coarse water droplet environment where the hydrocarbon and oxygen gases meet . the gas mixer 10 includes a hydrocarbon - containing gas manifold 12 receiving recycled gas containing hydrocarbons such as ethylene from a source along an inlet pipe 14 . one or more pipes 16 are connected to the hydrocarbon - containing gas manifold 12 . gas mixing occurs in the pipes 16 , therefore the pipes 16 function as a mixing chamber for the gas mixer 10 . mixed gases are collected in a second manifold 18 . the gas mixer 10 features a means for producing a coarse water droplet environment in the pipes 16 . in particular , water supply lines 20 are provided which supply water to atomizers ( nozzles ) 22 . the atomizers 22 are of a design to produce coarse water droplets having a smd of at least 200 microns . valves 24 are placed downstream of the atomizers 22 . two or more atomizers 22 may be provided per pipe 16 and may be placed around the periphery of the pipe 16 as shown in fig3 . an alternative is to mount the spray nozzles 22 in the wall of the pipe 16 eliminating the valves 24 . the arrangement of the nozzles can take many forms , with the water droplet sprays being coaxial with the cycle gas flow or at some angle with respect to this flow . in any event , a coarse water droplet environment is produced in the hydrocarbon - containing gas pipes 16 . oxygen is supplied to the gas mixer via an oxygen gas manifold 36 . oxygen pipes 38 , sometimes referred to in the art as “ fingers ”, are connected to the manifold 36 . the oxygen pipes 38 are coaxially located within the hydrocarbon pipes 16 . oxygen flows into the pipes 38 from the manifold 36 and flows out the distal end 35 of the pipes 38 . the mixer 10 further includes a water manifold 30 connected to a water source 31 which supplies water to pipes 32 . each of the hydrocarbon pipes 16 has one or more oxygen pipes 38 placed within it , and each oxygen pipe 38 has a water pipe 32 coaxially within it , as shown in fig1 . a nozzle 34 is placed at the end of the water pipes 32 . the nozzle 34 , which may be of a variety of configurations , produces a cone or spray of coarse water droplets . the nozzles 34 are also designed to produce water droplets 28 having a size greater than 200 microns . the tip of the nozzle 34 is positioned a substantially distance “ d ” from the end 35 of the oxygen pipe 38 . this distance d will vary depending on the application but may for example be between 1 - 5 meters for many applications . the distance d can be expressed in terms of multiples of the diameter of the oxygen pipe 38 , such as between 5 and 500 times the diameter of the oxygen pipe 38 . this design thereby ensures that entrained particles in the oxygen gas stream are wetted prior to entering the mixing zone 40 . note that the spray of water drops ( indicated at 28 ) created by the atomizers 22 is injected into the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream upstream of the mixing point 40 . in particular , the position of the nozzles 22 is such that the it is also located a substantial distance “ upstream ” of the open ends 35 of the oxygen pipe 38 to thereby ensure that entrained particles in the hydrocarbon stream are wetted prior to entering the mixing zone 40 . the coarse water drops created in the pipe 16 by both the nozzles 34 and 22 create what could be considered to be a “ driving rainstorm ” environment in the pipe 16 at the mixing zone 40 . fig4 is a more detailed illustration of the hydrocarbon and oxygen gas streams in a configuration where the oxygen pipe 38 has a closed end and the oxygen gas flows out through radial holes 42 formed in the walls of the pipe 38 . fig4 shows the coarse water droplets 28 a and 28 b created in both gas streams . the oxygen pipe 38 has transverse holes 42 through which the oxygen gas and water droplets 28 b flows out of the pipe . the mixing zone where the oxygen gas / water droplet stream mixes with the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream and water droplets 28 a is indicated at 40 . the end 35 of the oxygen pipe 38 is closed and in the form of a cone in this embodiment with the holes 42 providing for egress of oxygen gas and water droplets . the pipes 16 and the manifold 18 may have a drain ( not shown ) for collecting accumulated water and conducting the water from the pipes 16 and the manifold 18 . additionally , downstream there may be a device for removing water injected into the mixed gas stream . in operation , hydrocarbon - containing gas enters manifold 12 where it is divided into one or more independent pipes 16 . an oxygen - containing stream , preferably pure oxygen , enters manifold 36 where the stream is divided into one or more pipes 38 , smaller than and concentric with pipes 16 . concentric pipes 38 extend some distance down the outer pipe 16 as determined by engineering calculations to be optimal for mixing and separation of the mixing zone 40 where the oxygen - containing gas mixes with the hydrocarbon - rich gas . in addition , a water stream enters manifold 30 . the manifold is connected to the proximal ends of one or more pipes 32 . the water pipes 32 are smaller in diameter and concentrically located within the oxygen pipe 38 , which are concentric in pipes 16 . each oxygen pipe 38 has one water pipe 32 located within it . at the end of pipes 32 are affixed atomizing nozzles 34 designed for producing a spray of coarse water droplets having a droplet size of at least 200 microns smd . the nozzle 34 at the end of pipe 32 terminates a substantial distance from the end of pipe 38 so as to cause the oxygen - containing gas to pass through a coarse water droplet environment before it mixes with the hydrocarbon - rich gas in the pipe 16 . as noted above , in addition to the coarse water droplet injected into the oxygen stream , water is introduced into the pipe 16 through one or more atomizing nozzles 22 such that a coarse water droplet environment is present in hydrocarbon - containing gas stream in the pipe 16 at the mixing point 40 . particles traveling with either the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream or the oxygen gas stream are wetted by the coarse water droplets , reducing the impact energy of the particle if it were to strike a surface of either pipe 16 or pipe 38 . the water droplets also enhance heat transfer away from the particle and quench an ignition , if one should occur . the oxygen / hydrocarbon - containing gas mixture is re - gathered in manifold 18 for transfer to an optional downstream water removal processing station for removal of liquid water vapor from the collected gases , prior to entering a reactor located further downstream . fig2 is an end view of two of the pipes 16 carrying the hydrocarbon - containing gas shown in fig1 with coarse water droplets indicated at droplets 28 a present in the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream due to atomizers 22 and also droplets 28 b present in the oxygen gas stream due to nozzles 34 . while in fig2 there is one oxygen pipe 38 per hydrocarbon pipe 16 , this may of course vary , e . g ., depending on the size and number of hydrocarbon pipes 16 in the gas mixer . for example , there may be 2 , 3 or more oxygen pipes per hydrocarbon pipe 16 , each containing a water pipe and nozzle . fig3 is an illustration of an alternative configuration of the nozzles 22 which inject a spray of water droplets into the hydrocarbon - containing gas pipe 16 . in fig3 , the nozzles 22 are distributed around the periphery of the pipe 16 . while three nozzles 22 are shown , the number may vary depending on the size of the pipe 16 and the velocity and distribution of the coarse water droplets produced by the atomizing nozzles 22 . furthermore , nozzles could be spaced along the length of the pipe 16 . the optional downstream water removal processing station may use a pressure vessel column to coalesce water vapor out of the mixed oxygen / hydrocarbon - containing gas stream . the recovered water may be processed by a carbonate scrubber to removed dissolved co 2 from the recovered water and a water wash column to remove particulate matter , salts , and other impurities from the recovered water and recycle the water back into the water supplies of fig1 . suitable nozzles for use as the atomizers 22 and the nozzles 34 are available from suppliers such as bete fog nozzle inc ., greenfield mass ., or spraying systems co ., wheaton ill . a variety of types of devices can use used for creating the coarse water droplets , including single fluid spray nozzles , dual - fluid spray nozzles , ultrasonic devices for creating a spray of drops , or other means known in the art . the preferred nozzles produce water droplets having a size between 200 microns and 3000 microns smd . fig5 is an illustration of a gas mixer 10 having a coarse water droplet environment . the construction and arrangement of the embodiment of fig5 differs from fig1 in several respects , including nozzles producing water drops in a coaxial direction in the hydrocarbon pipes 16 , and a water manifold 30 a which is located within the oxygen gas manifold 36 . in particular , the gas mixer 10 includes a first water manifold 30 a connected to a source of water which is located within the oxygen manifold 36 . water pipes 22 a are connected to the water manifold 30 a and have a spray nozzle 34 placed at the end thereof . the water pipes 22 a are positioned within the oxygen pipes 38 . a second water manifold 30 b is connected to a source of water . a second set of water pipes 22 b are connected to the manifold 30 b and placed within the hydrocarbon pipe 16 adjacent to the oxygen pipes 38 . coarse water drops 28 are injected into the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream by means of nozzles 34 positioned at the end of the water pipes 22 b . coarse water drops 28 are injected into the oxygen gas stream by means of nozzles 34 positioned at the ends of the water pipes 22 a . the water drops serve to wet entrained particles in either the hydrocarbon or oxygen - containing gas streams . thus , mixing of the oxygen - containing gas stream with the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream occurs downstream of the ends of the oxygen pipes 38 in a coarse water drop environment due to the spray of drops produced by the nozzles 34 in the pipe 16 and the nozzles in the water pipes positioned within the oxygen pipe 38 . the gas to liquid mass ratio for the gas mixers of this disclosure is in the range of 0 . 005 to 1 to 3 to 1 . in both example 1 and example 2 , the water drops are preferably injected into hydrocarbon - containing gas stream and into the oxygen gas stream upstream of the mixing point where the oxygen and hydrocarbon - containing gases meet a distance “ d ” which is between 5 and 500 times the diameter of the oxygen pipes 38 . the term “ coarse water droplet ” is intended to encompass water droplets having a size having a size greater than 200 microns smd , e . g ., droplets between 200 microns and 3000 microns smd . in one embodiment , the temperature of the water used to produce the coarse water droplets is at ambient temperature . in an alternative embodiment , the water temperature is heated above ambient . for example , the water is heated to the temperature of the hydrocarbon - containing gas stream . in an eo production scenario , the temperature of the hydrocarbon recycle gas stream is typically between about 35 - 40 degrees c . and 65 - 70 degrees c . the water that is supplied to the spray nozzles can be either at ambient temperature , or water which has been heated to a temperature of between 35 and 70 degrees c . while presently preferred embodiments have been described with particularity , variation from the specifics of the disclosed embodiments may be made without departure from the scope of the invention . all questions concerning scope of the invention are to be determined by reference to the appended claims .
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the sewage sludge which has been dewatered , e . g . in a chamber filter press , up to a dry solids content of about 25 % will be introduced first into a box - type feeder ( 1 ) serving as temporary storage . this feeder , a drag chain conveyer with box - type top , offers a controlled discharge of the filter cake and thereby determines at the same time the thruput capacity of the installation . the box - type feeder is placed above a furnace which is shown here as an overlying bed kiln ; ( 3 ). the conveying system ( 2 ) following the box - type feeder offers the possibility to by - pass the drier ( 4 ) and to feed the filter cake directly to the kiln ( 3 ). according to the correct operation procedure , there now follows the twin - shaft mixer ( 6 ). here the dry solids content ( ds - content ) which is required for the combustion will be adjusted by adding material ( 7 ) which has been dried up to a content of about 95 % dry solids . with the addition of dried material ( 7 ) the glueing phase can be skipped and thereby the drying process be secured . in the disc drier ( 4 ) which is heated indirectly with thermal oil ( 8 ) only that amount of filter cake material is dried which corresponds to the desired furnace capacity . the thermal oil is heated within the second flue gas recuperator ( 11 ) following the furnace ( 3 ). eventual excess heat within the thermal oil circuit ( 8 ) is carried off within the recooling unit ( 12 ). in the version presented in the flow diagram , the exhaust vapours ( 9 ) of the drier ( 4 ) are introduced jointly with the flue gas / exhaust vapours mixture ( 16 ) and the combustion air ( 13 ) via the first recuperator ( 14 ) into the lowest bed ( 15 ) of the overlying bed kiln ( 3 ). the mixture is pre - heated in the first recuperator ( 14 ) by the flue gas ( 17 ) of the overlying bed kiln ( 3 ). the overlying bed ( 3 ) kiln is equipped with an integrated post - combustion stage ( lowest bed 15 ) for the incineration of the filter cakes . the upper beds of the kiln serve for an additional drying of the filter cakes and the lower beds for the combustion and the cooling of ashes . alternatively to the overlying bed ( 3 ) kiln a fluidized bed furnace can be used . the exhaust vapours ( 9 ) of the drier ( 4 ) heated in the first recuperator ( 14 ) are introduced into the lowest bed ( 15 ) where they cool the ashes . with releasing of the heat included in the filter cakes , the temperature of the flue gas ( 17 ) jumps up to about 900 ° c . the cooling air ( 20 ) necessary for cooling of the tube shaft ( 18 ) and the stirring arms ( 19 ) serves as combustion air . the cooling air ( 21 ) which has a temperature of about 160 ° c ., when leaving the tube shaft , is introduced jointly with the aforementioned exhaust vapours / flue gas mixture into the lowest bed of the kiln with overlying beds via the first recuperator ( 14 ). when a support firing , i . e . additional heat , is required for the incineration , this heat will be introduced into the combustion zone by means of forced - air gas burners ; these are activated and switched off or regulated in capacity automatically in dependance of the pre - set temperature . in order to meet the requirements of the incineration process as well as possible the system provides an adjustable motorized rabble unit . the ashes produced in the overlying kiln ( 3 ) are discharged via a chute ( 22 ) and a screw conveyer ( 23 ) and transported by a bucket elevator ( 24 ) into the ash silo ( 25 ). the flue gas ( 17 ) leaves the combustion zone of the overlying bed kiln ( 3 ) at a temperature of approximately 900 ° c . and serves to heat the air mixture and the thermal oil in the following recuperators ( 11 , 14 ). the flue gas thereby is cooled down to approx . 260 ° c . prior to this , a reduction of nitrogen oxides is initiated by introducing of ammonia ( 26 ) into the combustion zone by means of fuses . the flue dust ( 27 ) escaping with the flue gas ( 17 ) from the overlying bed kiln ( 3 ) is separated in the recuperators ( 11 , 14 ) in a smaller degree and mainly in the following cyclone ( 28 ) and the electric filter ( 29 ). from here the ashes are conveyed via cellular wheel sluices ( 30 , 31 ) and collecting screws ( 23 ) to the bucket elevator ( 24 ) and ash silo ( 25 ). besides dedusting of flue gases in the recuperators ( 11 , 14 ), cyclone ( 28 ) and electric filter ( 29 ) the flue gases are treated further in a two - stage flue gas washer ( 32 , 33 ). the main task of the flue gas washer , besides cooling down the gases from approx . 260 ° c . to approx . 60 °- 80 ° c ., consists in the removal of harmful substances . in the washers which are operated with acidified water ( 32 ) or alkalified water ( 33 ), heavy metals and harmful gases , e . g . hcl , so 2 and mercury , are separated . the flue gas washers have an internal water circuit and are operated with secondary effluent . the water now including a high concentration of ashes , hydroxides and salts , is introduced into a neutralisation tank ( 34 ) and from there continually to a wastewater treatment ( 35 ) from which the resulting residue is delivered to furnace ( 43 ) to be heated together with the high temperature combustion which melts solids . the mercury settles on the bottom of the washers ( 36 , 37 ) and is extracted from there in batch quantities into special collecting tanks . the saturated flue gases ( 38 ) leaving the the washers and being cooled down below dew point temperature are heated to somewhat more than 120 ° c . in a heat exchanger ( 39 ) being placed between the electric filter and the washers . an unduced - draught blower ( 42 ) following the heat exchanger helps to overcome the resistances in the installation and pushes the flue gases through an activated charcoal filter ( 40 ) in the chimney ( 41 ). with the use of an activated charcoal filter ( 40 ), the requirements to limit the dioxine and furane compounds as far as possible are complied with . the charged activated charcoal can be disposed of in the overlying bed kiln ( 3 ). if the activated charcoal shall be regenerated thermally , the vapors originated here are introduced into the high - temperature combustion described above . the ashes and flue dust collected in the silo ( 25 ) are fed to a melting furnace ( 43 ) by means of a proportioning screw ( 51 ). the melting furnace ( 43 ) can be an arc furnace or a furnace with a plasma torch . during melting of the whole ashes all heavy metals ( with the exception of mercury ) are bound into the melted mass . due to the high melting temperature of more than 1200 ° c . it is possible thermally break dioxines and furanes at the same time . the melted ashes are cooled in a following water bath ( 44 ) where they form granules ( 45 ) which then are stored in a temporary storage ( 46 ) before they are discharged . the heat resulting from cooling - down of the granules causes the formation of exhaust vapours . it is possible to recover this heat by means of a condensate cooling unit ( 50 ) and then use it to heat the digestion tower . the exhaust vapours from the melting furnace ( 43 ) are treated again in a two - stage washer ( 47 , 48 ). the resulting wastewater ( 49 ) can be treated in the same treatment plant where the water from the flue gas washers ( 32 , 33 ) is treated . here mercury is settling too and can be discharged from below .
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the preparation of the mixture of the two active compounds was carried out with the aid of a tumble mixer ( turbula mixer ; w . a . bachofen ag basle ). the soft pellets were prepared by transferring the fine active compounds to the bottom container of a sieve tower for particle size analysis ( retsch , frg ), and the container was exposed to vibrations until round active compound agglomerates resulted . two parts by weight of disodium cromoglycate and one part by weight of reproterol hydrochloride . the soft pellets were obtained according to the procedures of gb 1 , 569 , 612 and gb 1 , 520 , 247 . three parts by weight of disodium cromoglycate and two parts by weight of reproterol hydrochloride . 100 g of formulation are carefully tipped into a measuring cylinder . the volume read off represents the bulk volume . the filled measuring cylinder is attached to a compacted volume meter . 20 compactions are carried out . the volume read off represents the compacted volume ( see also voigt r ., lehrbuch der pharmazeutischen technologie [ textbook of pharmaceutical technology ], verlag chemie , 5th edition , page 148 ). the hausner factor is the ratio of bulk volume to compacted volume . the bed height was determined with the aid of a cylinder of diameter 42 mm , powder slowly being tipped in until a heap of maximum height resulted , whose height was measured . redispersion was determined with the aid of an inhaler and of a cascade impactor , by determining the contents in percent based on the initial weight which had been deposited on the second to fourth cascade . this experiment was carried out using two different volume flows . 266 . 8 g of micronized disodium cromoglycate and 133 . 2 g of micronized reproterol hydrochloride are sieved through a sieve of mesh width 0 . 125 mm and then added to a diosna mixer pwc dierks und söhne , osnabrück frg ). 600 . 0 g of commercially available lactose having a grain size distribution of 100 %& lt ; 800 μm , 12 %- 35 %& lt ; 400 μm and max 7 %& lt ; 200 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 30 min . the core agglomerates thus resulting are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler . the properties of these core agglomerates can be seen from experiment 1 ( page 8 ). 3000 g of micronized disodium cromoglycate and 200 . 0 g of micronized reproterol hydrochloride are sieved through a sieve of mesh width 0 . 125 mm and then added to a tumble mixer ( turbula mixer ; w . a . bachofen ag basle ). 500 . 0 g of commercially available lactose having a grain size distribution of 100 %& lt ; 800 μm , 12 %- 35 %& lt ; 400 μm and max 7 %& lt ; 200 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 30 min . the core agglomerates thus resulting are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler . the properties of these core agglomerates can be seen from experiment 2 ( page 9 ). 266 . 8 g of micronized disodium cromoglycate and 133 . 2 g of micronized reproterol hydrochloride are sieved with the aid of a 0 . 125 mm sieve and then added to a fluidizing mixer ( fukae powtec corporation , japan ). 600 . 0 g of commercially available sodium chloride having an average grain size of 300 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 10 min . the core agglomerates thus resulting are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler . 30 g of micronized budesonide are sieved with the aid of a 0 . 125 mm sieve and then added to a tumble mixer ( tubula mixer ; w . a . bachkofen [ sic ] ag , basle ). 270 g of commercially available lactose having a grain size distribution of 100 %& lt ; 800 μm , 12 %- 35 %& lt ; 400 μm and at most 7 %& lt ; 200 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 45 min . the core agglomerates thus resulting are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler , a cartridge or blister packs . 100 g of micronized salbutanol are sieved with the aid of a 0 . 125 mm sieve and then added to a tumble mixer ( tubula mixer ; w . a . bachkofen ag , basle ). 300 g of commercially available lactose having a grain size distribution of 100 %& lt ; 800 μm , 12 %- 35 %& lt ; 400 μm and at most 7 %& lt ; 200 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 45 min . the core agglomerates thus resulting are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler , a cartridge or blister packs . 20 g of micronized hecclometasone - 17 , 21 - dipropionate are sieved with the aid of a 0 . 125 mm sieve and then added to a tumble mixer ( turbula mixer ; w . a . bachofen ag , basle ). 380 g of commercially available lactose having a grain size distribution of 100 %& lt ; 800 μm , 12 %- 35 %& lt ; 400 μm and at most 7 %& lt ; 200 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 45 min . the core agglomerates resulting in this way are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler , a cartridge or blister packs . 20 g of micronized ipratropium bromide are sieved with the aid of a 0 . 125 μm sieve and then added to a tumble mixer ( turbula mixer ; w . a . bachofen ag , basle ). 380 g of commercially available lactose having a grain size distribution of 100 %& lt ; 800 μm , 12 %- 35 %& lt ; 400 μn and at most 7 %& lt ; 200 μm are added thereto . mixing is then carried out for 45 min . the core agglomerates resulting in this way are readily flowable and can be filled into an inhaler , a cartridge or blister packs .
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the inspection system illustrated in fig1 and 2 are disclosed in parent application ser . no . : 07 / 890 , 863 filed jun . 1 , 1992 . referring in detail to fig1 there is illustrated a conveyor 10 moving in the direction of arrow a having a plurality of uncapped , open - topped spaced containers c ( e . g . plastic beverage bottles of about 1500 c . c . volume ) disposed thereon for movement seriatim through a test station 12 , reject mechanism 28 and conveyor 32 to a washer system . to achieve higher test rates containers c could be touching each other rather than spaced . the contents of containers c would typically include air , volatiles of residues of contaminants , if any , and volatiles of any products such as beverages which had been in the containers . an air injector 14 which is a source of compressed air is provided with a nozzle 16 spaced from but aligned with a container c at test station 12 . that is nozzle 16 is disposed outside of the containers and makes no contact therewith . nozzle 16 directs compressed air into containers c to displace at least a portion of the contents of the container to thereby emit a sample cloud 18 to a region outside of the container being tested . as an alternative to compressed air , co 2 gas could be utilized as the injected fluid . also the compressed air or co 2 gas could be heated to enhance volatility of the compounds being tested . the column of injected air through nozzle 16 into a container c would be typically of the order of about 10 c . c . for bottle speeds of about 200 to 1000 bottles per minute . a rate of 400 bottles per minute is preferable and is compatible with current beverage bottle filling speeds . the desired test rate may vary with the size of the bottles being inspected and filled . of course the bottles could be stationary or moving slower than 200 bottles per minute and the system would still work . only about 10 c . c . of the container contents would be displaced to regions outside of the bottle to form sample cloud 18 . also provided is an evacuator sampler 22 which may comprise a vacuum pump or the like coupled to a sampling tube or conduit 20 . the tube is mounted near , and preferably downstream ( e . g ., about 1 / 16 inch ) of the air injector 14 so as to be in fluid communication with sample cloud 18 adjacent to the opening at the top of containers c . neither nozzle 16 nor tube 20 contacts the containers c at test station 12 ; rather both are spaced at positions outside of the containers in close proximity to the openings thereof . this is advantageous in that no physical coupling is required to the containers c , or insertion of probes into the containers , which would impede their rapid movement along conveyor 10 and thus slow down the sampling rate . high speed sampling rates of from about 200 to 1000 bottles per minute are possible with the system and method of the present invention . the conveyor 10 is preferably driven continuously to achieve these rates without stopping or slowing the bottles down at the test station . a bypass line 24 is provided in communication with the evacuator sampler 22 so that a predetermined portion ( preferably about 90 %) of the sample from cloud 18 entering tube 20 can be diverted through bypass line 24 . the remaining sample portion passes to a residue analyzer 26 , which determines whether specific substances are present , and then is exhausted . one purpose of diverting a large portion of the sample from cloud 18 is to reduce the amount of sample passing from evacuator sampler 22 to residue analyzer 26 in order to achieve high speed analysis . this is done in order to provide manageable levels of samples to be tested by the residue analyzer 26 . another purpose for diverting a portion of the sample is to be able to substantially remove all of sample cloud 18 by evacuator 22 from the test station area and divert the excess through bypass line 24 . in a preferred embodiment the excess portion of the sample passing through bypass line 24 returned to air injector 14 for introduction into the subsequent containers moving along conveyor 10 through nozzle 16 . however , it would also be possible to simply vent bypass line 24 to the atmosphere . it should be understood that sample cloud 18 could be analyzed in situ without transporting it to a remote analyzer such as 26 . it could also be transported to analyzer 26 by blowing rather than sucking . a microprocessor controller 34 is provided for controlling the operation of air injector 14 , evacuator sampler 22 , residue analyzer 26 , a reject mechanism 28 and an optional fan 15 . container sensor 17 including juxtaposed radiation source and photodetector is disposed opposite a reflector ( not shown ) across conveyor 10 . sensor 17 tells controller 34 when a container arrives at the test station and briefly interrupts the beam of radiation reflected to the photodetector . optional fan 15 is provided to generate an air blast towards sample cloud 18 and preferably in the direction of movement of containers c to assist in the removal of sample cloud 18 from the vicinity of test station 12 after each container c is sampled . this clears out the air from the region of the test station so that no lingering residues from an existing sample cloud 18 can contaminate the test station area when successive containers c reach the test station for sampling . thus , sample carryover between containers is precluded . the duty cycle for operation of fan 15 is controlled by microprocessor 34 as indicated diagrammatically in fig1 . preferably fan 15 is continuously operating for the entire time the rest of the system is operating . a reject mechanism 28 receives a reject signal from microprocessor controller 34 when residue analyzer 26 determines that a particular container c is contaminated with a residue of various undesirable types . reject mechanism 28 diverts contaminated rejected bottles to a conveyor 30 and allows passage of uncontaminated , acceptable bottles to a washer ( not shown ) on a conveyor 32 . an alternative option is to place the bottle test station downstream of the bottle washer in the direction of conveyor travel , or to place an additional test station and sample and residue analyzing system after the washer . in fact it may be preferable to position the test station and system after the washer when inspecting bottles for some contaminants . for example , if the contaminant is a hydrocarbon , such as gasoline which is insoluble in water , it is easier to detect residues of hydrocarbon after the bottles have been washed . this is because during the washing process in which the bottles are heated and washed with water , water soluble chemical volatiles are desorbed from the bottles by the heating thereof and then dissolved in the washing water . certain hydrocarbons , on the other hand , not being water soluble , may then be sampled by a sampler 22 downstream of the washer , to the exclusion of the dissolved , water - soluble chemicals . therefore , the detection of such hydrocarbons can be performed without potential interference from other water soluble chemicals if the bottles pass through a washer before testing . referring to fig2 there is illustrated a specific embodiment of a nitrogen compound detector system for use with the sampling and analyzing system of fig1 wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts . as illustrated , a nozzle 16 is provided for generating an air blast which passes into a container ( not shown ) being inspected . the air passing through nozzle 16 may be heated or unheated it being advantageous to heat the air for some applications . juxtaposed to the nozzle 16 is sample inlet tube 20 including a filter 40 at the output thereof for filtering out particles from the sample . suction is provided to tube 20 from the suction side of pump 82 connected through an analyzer 27 . a portion of the sample ( for example , 90 - 95 % of a total sample flow of about 6000 c . c . per minute ), as described in connection with fig1 is diverted through a bypass line 24 by means of connection to the suction side of a pump 46 . pump 46 recirculates the air through an accumulator 48 , a normally open blast control valve 50 , and back to the air blast output nozzle 16 . a backpressure regulator 54 helps control pressure of the air blast through nozzle 16 and vents excess air to exhaust 57 . blast control valve 50 receives control signals through line 50a from microprocessor controller 34 to normally maintain the valve open to permit the flow of air to the nozzle . electrical power is provided to pump 46 via line 46a coupled to the output of circuit breaker 76 which is in turn coupled to the output of ac filter 74 and ac power supply ps . the detector assembly 27 in the embodiment of fig2 is an analyzer which detects the residue of selected compounds such as nitrogen containing compounds in the containers being inspected by means of a method of chemiluminescence . this type of detector is generally known and includes a chamber for mixing ozone with nitric oxide , or with other compounds which react with ozone , in order to allow them to react , a radiation - transmissive element ( with appropriate filter ), and a radiation detector to detect chemiluminescence from the products of reaction . for example , when no , produced from heating nitrogen compounds ( such as ammonia ) in the presence of an oxidant ( e . g . oxygen in air ), chemically reacts with the ozone , characteristic light emission is given off at predetermined wavelengths such as wavelengths in the range of about 0 . 6 to 2 . 8 microns . selected portions of the emitted radiation of chemiluminescence , and its intensity , can be detected by a photomultiplier tube . accordingly , in the system of fig2 ambient air is drawn in through intake 60 and air filter 62 to an ozone generator 64 . ozone is generated therein , as by electrical discharge into air , and is output through ozone filter 66 and flow control valve 68 to the detector assembly 27 wherein it is mixed with samples from containers input through intake tube 20 , filter 40 , flow restrictor 42 , and converter 44 . the sample from intake tube 20 is passed through a converter 44 , such as an electrically - heated nickel tube , in which the temperature is raised to approximately 800 ° c . to 900 ° c . before being input to detector assembly 27 . temperatures in the range of 400 ° c . to 1400 ° c . may also be acceptable . when nitrogen - containing compounds such as ammonia are so heated , no ( nitric oxide ) is produced , and the nitric oxide is supplied to the chamber of the detector assembly 27 . compounds other than no which may react with o 3 and chemiluminescence may also be produced in converter 44 e . g ., organic compounds derived from heating of gasoline or cleaning residue . a temperature controller 70 supplied with electrical power through a transformer 72 is used to control the temperature of converter 44 . the samples in the detector assembly 27 after passage through its chamber are output through an accumulator 85 and pump 82 to an ozone scrubber 56 , and to an exhaust output 57 in order to clear the residue detector for the next sample from the next container moving along the conveyor 10 of fig1 . ( as indicated above , an ( optional ) fan , not shown in fig2 may be employed to help clear any remaining sample cloud from near the sample inlet tube 20 .) outputs from detector assembly 27 relating to the results of the tests are output through a preamp 84 to microprocessor 34 which feeds this information in an appropriate manner to a recorder 83 . the recorder 83 is preferably a conventional strip recorder , or the like , which displays signal amplitude vs . time of the sample being analyzed . the microprocessor 34 may be programmed to recognize , as a &# 34 ; hit &# 34 ; or the detection of a specific residue , a signal peak from a photodetector of the detector assembly 27 which is present in a predetermined time interval ( based on the sensed arrival of a container at the test station ) and whose slope and amplitude reach predetermined magnitudes and thereafter maintain such levels for a prescribed duration . the microprocessor controller 34 also has an output to a bottle rejector 28 to reject contaminated bottles and separate them from bottles en route to a washer . a calibration terminal 86 is provided for residue analyzer 27 for adjusting the high voltage supply 26a associated with the detector assembly . also provided is a recorder attenuator input terminal 88 connected to the microprocessor controller 34 for adjusting the operation of the recorder . detector assembly 27 receives electrical power from the high voltage supply 26a . additional controls include operator panel 90 including a key pad and display section permitting an operator to control the operation of the detector assembly 27 in an appropriate fashion . dc power is supplied to all appropriate components through dc power supply 78 coupled to the output of power supply ps . an optional alarm enunciator 80a is provided for signaling an operator of the presence of a contaminated container . alarm enunciator 80a is coupled to the output of microprocessor controller 34 via output control line 80c . a malfunction alarm 80b is also coupled to microprocessor controller 34 for receiving fault or malfunction signals such as from pressure switch 58 or vacuum switch 87 when pressures are outside of certain predetermined limits . other safety devices may be provided such as vacuum gauge 89 , and back pressure control valve 54 for ensuring proper operation of the system . most components of the entire system of fig2 are preferably enclosed in a rust - proof , stainless steel cabinet 92 . the cabinet is cooled by a counter - flow heat exchanger 91 having hermetically separated sections 91a and 91b in which counter air flow is provided by appropriate fans . the system illustrated in fig2 is housed within a stainless steel rectangular cabinet 92 for enclosing the majority of the components of fig2 in a hermetically sealed environment . other forms of high speed analyzers , such as electron capture detectors or photoionization detectors , may be suitable in place of the chemiluminescence analyzer described with reference to fig2 . one preferred detector is a pulsed fluorescence gas analyzer of the type described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 845 , 309 ( helm et al ), whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference to that patent . in such analyzers gaseous samples drawn into a chamber and illuminated by radiant energy from a flash - tube fluoresce and emit radiation which is detected by a photodetector . as set forth in more detail hereafter , it has been found that an analyzer of the type referred to in the &# 39 ; 309 patent , such as a model 43 pulsed fluorescence so 2 analyzer available from thermo environment instruments , inc . of franklin , mass ., when modified by removal of physical / chemical filters , becomes a highly sensitive detector of certain hydrocarbons such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in gasoline and other petroleum products . the modified fluorescent gas analyzer may be used as the residue analyzer 26 in the systems of fig1 and fig2 ( in the latter system no ozone generator 64 or ozone - handling components would be needed , and preferably a converter 44 would also be unnecessary .) also , the sample sucked into the tube 20 may be separated into two or more streams and input to a plurality of analyzers rather than the single analyzer 26 shown in fig1 with each analyzer 26 being used to detect different types of contaminants . it is also possible to use as one or more of the analyzers a different type of analyzers than analyzer 27 ( fig2 ) which pretreats the sample in converter 44 . in that case , if analyzer 27 is employed to detect contaminants in one stream , part of the sample would be routed to the different type of analyzer and part to converter 44 . in addition the materials to be inspected are not limited to substances in containers . for example , the method and system of the present invention could be used to detect volatiles adsorbed in shredded strips or flakes of resins , or plastic stock to be recycled for manufacturing new plastic beverage bottles . this shredded or flaked plastic stock could be placed directly on a conveyor belt 10 and passed through test station 12 of fig1 ; or the plastic stock could be placed in baskets , buckets or other types of containers disposed thereon and inspected in batches . other materials which could be inspected according to the method and system of the invention include various foodstuffs such as fish being monitored for amines , pharmaceutical products and herbicides being checked for reagents , rubber products such as tires being monitored for chemicals such as blowing agents , web materials such as paper in a paper mill being checked for acids , and even clothing worn by persons being inspected for volatile compounds such as explosives or drugs . such materials may be inspected while passing through a test station on a conveyor , either within open containers or in the absence of containers . in the latter case high flow rates and / or heating of the compressed air or other fluid directed at the material by the nozzle 16 may be in order to obtain desired samples of the volatile substances to be detected . still further the bottles being tested may be new bottles that have never been filled with a beverage . thus , new bottles could be tested for excessive acid aldehyde content , which may be a byproduct of the manufacturing process . in the system of fig2 a suction pump or by - pass pump 46 is used to pull approximately 8 liters / minute of sample air into a sampling head and past the inlet tubes 20 of the chemiluminescence subsystems . two chemiluminescence subsystems may also be employed , each aspirating 0 . 25 to 0 . 5 liters / minute of air sample through flow lines ( split from tube 20 ) and preferably through separate converters . the rest of the 8 liters / minute passes through the by - pass pump 46 and is not analyzed . the intended purpose of the system of fig2 is to detect a variety of contaminants , including nitrogen compounds such as salts of ammonia and amines , and hydrocarbons such as gasoline , diesel fuel , and heating oil , in returned plastic beverage bottles on a conveyor . in a two subsystem arrangement one of the chemiluminescence channels may be selective for the detection of nitrogen compounds ; the other responds to a variety of hydrocarbons . the detection system illustrated in fig3 is a two subsystem arrangement which includes pulsed fluorescence enhancements to provide increased response to aromatic hydrocarbons , such as benzenes and xylenes , that occur in petroleum products such as gasoline , diesel fuel , and heating oil , without interference from residues of the beverage products such as carbonated colas . with reference to fig3 a pulsed fluorescence detector assembly is disposed between the by - pass line 24 and a vacuum pump 114 . the pump 114 is typically quite large and rests on the floor outside of cabinet 92 . flow from sample inlet 20 is split between converter 44 leading to chemiluminescence detector assembly 27 and line 24 to the pulsed fluorescence detector assembly . the pulsed fluorescence detector assembly includes a fluorescence cell 100 , a flash lamp 102 , a high voltage supply 104 connected between the flash lamp 102 and controller 34 , a photomultiplier detector 106 connected to cell 100 , a pre - amp connected between detector 106 and controller 34 , and a high voltage supply for the detector 106 . the vacuum pump 114 draws sample vapors along line 24 through a flow restrictor 115 and cell 100 to exhaust . a line from pressure switch 58 to a pressure sensor ps in the sample inlet line 20 just downstream of filter 40 feeds a signal from that sensor to switch 58 . operation of the pulsed fluorescence detector assembly of fig3 can be readily understood by reference to the more detailed showing in fig4 of the detector assembly and its connections to the microprocessor 34 . excitation wavelengths for a xenon flash lamp 102 and detection wavelengths of the fluorescing sample are chosen to optimize sensitivity and selectivity for aromatic hydrocarbons , and to avoid detecting beverage product residues . preferred excitation wavelengths of radiation from lamp 102 are chosen to be approximately 205 nanometers by passing the radiation emitted by the xenon flash lamp through optic assembly 108 and a bandpass filter 110 . the wavelength of radiation passing to photomultiplier 106 is limited to about 320 nanometers by a bandpass filter 112 . pulsed bursts of radiation entering cell 100 through filter 110 impinge upon aromatic hydrocarbon ( ahc ) vapor molecules , and excite those molecules causing them to fluoresce . radiation of wavelength about 320 nanometers is detected by photomultiplier 106 , and this information is processed in microprocessor controller 34 to determine the presence and quantities of these aromatic hydrocarbons in the sample . a control signal can then be generated to reject contaminated containers in a system such as illustrated in fig1 . a pulsed fluorescence detector assembly of the type generally described and illustrated in connection with fig4 is similar to a commercially available unit manufactured and sold by thermo environment instruments inc . of franklin , mass . as a &# 34 ; model 43 pulsed fluorescence so 2 analyzer &# 34 ;; however , with modifications to detect aromatic hydrocarbons rather than so 2 ( sulfur dioxide ). the sample inlet system to the cell 100 includes an orifice of inner diameter about 0 . 04 cm to 0 . 3 cm , connected to the optical cell 100 at 100a by metal tube of typical inner diameter 0 . 6 cm and typical length 1 meter . downstream of the optical cell 100 is a throttle valve 113 leading to vacuum pump 114 with typical displacement 150 to 300 liters / minute . the diameter of the inlet orifice and the setting of the throttle valve 113 may be adjusted to achieve a typical mass flow rate through the cell 100 of 3 to 20 standard liters / minute at a cell pressure of 0 . 03 to 0 . 3 atmospheres . this mass flow rate also satisfies the requirements for the by - pass pump 114 and does not adversely affect the flow through , and performance of the chemiluminescence subsystem of fig3 . the pulsed fluorescence subsystem of fig3 has been found to provide sensitivity to aromatic hydrocarbons about 100 times greater than that of the chemiluminescence - based system of fig2 . discrimination against product residues of carbonated beverages is also extremely effective . under conditions where a trace level of aromatic hydrocarbon gives a signal to noise ratio of 100 , the signal from beverage product volatiles is virtually indistinguishable from background noise . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims .
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the periscopic apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a stabilised gunsight head 1 associated with an aiming and observation sight tube 3 connected to the head 1 either by a ferrule 2 or by a sleeve 4 , whereby the interchangeable ferrule and sleeve traverse a supporting wall 11 belonging to a combat vehicle structure . the gunsight head 1 projects upwards in the manner of a periscope and the sight tube 3 located inside is accessible to a hidden observer . the gunsight head 1 contains a mirror 5 which is able to pivot about a sight axis 7 and which can assume any useful orientation and can then pivot about a bearing axis 8 without limitation . this mirror is controlled by a stabilisation gyroscope contained in a box 6 located in head 1 . this assembly is contained in head 1 within a casing 9 thereof , said casing being provided in front of mirror 5 with a transparent window 10 which can be closed . casing 9 is mounted so as to rotate about bearing axis 8 and pivots by servo - control under manual drift action and automatic stabilisation action about the said axis . other than stabilisation , the result of the servo - control action can be to pivot the casing 9 by an angle equal to that by which the observer has rotated mirror 5 for bearing purposes , for example by causing a precession of the corresponding gyroscope about an appropriate axis . casing 9 and all that is contained therein is pivoted relative to sight tube 3 and ferrule 2 or sleeve 4 integral with the structure 11 of the vehicle , by any desired servo - mechanism which is not shown and which will not be described in detail here . in addition to a fixed prism 3a which bends the axis of vision which coincides with the bearing axis 8 in the direction of an optical axis 12a directed towards the eyepiece or eyepieces , sight tube 3 contains a pechan prism 12 located between the said prism 3a and the said fixed eyepiece of eyepieces of sight tube 3 . the function of such a pechan prism is to maintain the horizontality of the countryside observed no matter what the sighting direction compared with the axis of travel of the vehicle in the fixed eyepieces . the servo - control means which actuate the pechan prism will be described with regard to fig5 . head 1 contains a movable galilean member 13 which can be occulted outside the path formed by the optical sighting path of axis 20 which coincides with the bearing axis 8 . when this galilean member 13 is placed on this axis between mirror 5 and prism 3a , it divides the magnification of the sight tube by it own magnification thus increasing the field of vision in the same ratio . however , when it is removed therefrom the field of observation is reduced but the nominal magnification of the sight tube is restored . thus , the optical apparatus may comprise solely the gunsight head 1 , sight tube 3 and ferrule 2 which joins the same and supports them on structure 11 in the case that the function to be fulfilled is limited solely to daytime observation with a variation of the field for successive surveillance observations and more detailed observations of the points of interest . to ensure other functions the ferrule 2 can be substituted by a sleeve 4 , whereby a nocturnal vision means 14 is contained in the same sleeve and which via a connection interface 15 can receive an external range finding unit 16 . this interface is a flanged base to which can be connected a linked flange 16a causing a lateral opening in sleeve 4 and an identical outlet opening in unit 16 to face one another . unit 16 comprises a box containing a laser emitter 17 , a laser receiver 18 and associated optical elements 19 which will be described in greater detail hereinafter . the lateral opening of base 15 faces an occultable dichroic sheet 24 and a fixed trihedron which will be described in detail hereinafter . the precise connection between flange 16a and base 15 makes it possible to install or remove the ranging unit 16 without involving any difficult problem of coincidence between the sighting axis defined by the projection of a reticule in the eyepieces of sight tube 3 and the laser light reception and emission axes , as will be shown hereinafter . moreover , sleeve 4 and its ancillary means are arranged in such a way that it is simple to combine and select ranging functions , diurnal vision and nocturnal vision . in accordance with the axis of opening 23 of base 15 and in accordance with the axis 20 of the optical path which coincides with the axis of vision in the sleeve , the feature of the dichroic sheet 24 is that it is transparent , therefore permitting the passage of visible light beams in the direction of the eyepiece of eyepieces of sight tube 3 , but reflects the laser light beams , i . e . not only directs the beam 21a from emitter 17 ( fig2 ) in the direction of mirror 5 which then directs the said beam onto a target parallel to the sighting axis , but also reflects towards receiver 18 the laser light beam returning from the target after reflection on mirror 5 . as can be seen in fig2 emitter 17 and receiver 18 offer parallel optical axes 25 and 37 . on axis 25a rhombohedron 26 reduces the centre to centre distance between the emission beam and the reception beam whose initial spacing results from the necessary physical dimensions of the emitter 17 and the receiver 18 . on the emission beam path a divergent lens 27 is followed by a total reflection prism 29 and then by a convergent lens 28 , thus forming an objective which makes afocal the laser emission path of axis 21a falling on the dichroic sheet 24 . the optical return path of axis 22b parallel to bearing axis 8 has on the corresponding optical axis 22a after reflection on sheet 24 a first convergent lens 30 , then after a semi - transparent mirror 33 and behind a subsequent diaphragm 32 a second convergent lens 31 on axis 37 which thus makes the reception path afocal . diaphragm 32 placed in the object focal plane of this reception objective defines the reception field and prevents multiple echoes in the reception of ranging signals . a source 34 located behind a condenser 35 lights up a reticule 36 placed on the focal plane of condenser 35 which coincides which that of the convergent lens 30 viewed through the semi - transparent mirror 33 . the illumination of reticule 36 forms a beam traversing sheet 24 with deflection parallel to itself returned by a trihedron 38 and then reflected by the rear face of said sheet 24 exactly onto axis 8 as shown in fig2 . such an optical diagram is suitable for an arrangement of emitter 17 and receiver 18 with their optical axes 25 and 37 located in the incident plane of dichroic sheet 24 and parallel to axis 20 . however , for dimensional reasons it may be necessary to position emitter 17 and receiver 18 differently whilst retaining their optical axes 25 and 37 in the incident plane but placing the optical axes perpendicular to axis 20 . this is shown in fig3 where prism 29 is eliminated but where the rhombohedron 26a for bringing together axes 25a and 37a , divergent lens 27a and convergent lens 28a coaxial for the emission objective , convergent lenses 30a and 31a coaxial for the reception objective , a diaphragm 32a on axis 37a as well as a semi - transparent mirror 33a , reticule system 36a , condenser 35a and the source 34a having its optical axis perpendicular to axis 37a facing mirror 33a are retained . the function of mirror 33a is the opposite to that of mirror 33 ; thus , it permits the passage of coherent light to the laser receiver but reflects the projection of the reticule . fig4 partly shows intermediate sleeve 4 and its content beneath the lower portion of the gunsight head 1 in which are solely shown mirror 5 and galilean member 13 constituted by two lenses 39 and 40 fixed in mountings perpendicular to a pivot pin 41 parallel to sighting axis 20 . these mountings are integral with the ends of pin 41 which rotates in a bearing 41a connected to the inner frame of head 1 and which can therefore move in the manner shown from position 13 into position 13a perpendicular to the said axis . pivot pin 41 is integral with a toothed segment 41b with which meshes a pinion 42a carried by the shaft of a control motor 42 which serves to insert or remove from the optical path lenses 39 and 40 . insertion corresponds to diurnal observation with an extensive field and removal to diurnal observation with a reduced field but with greater magnification . this situation of occulting the galilean system is maintained in the case of nocturnal observation both for sighting or aiming and for ranging on a target . in order to put into service the nocturnal observation function the above - mentioned device 14 is used which is mounted on a pin 47 parallel to sighting axis 20 by two arms 46a , 46b which support body 45a of said means 14 . one of the arms 46b carries a toothed segment 48b with which cooperates a pinion 48a carried by the shaft of a motor 48 . in addition , one of the arms 46a , 46b supports a geared motor 49 whose output shaft carries a drum 50 onto which can be wound a special band 51 . on winding and unwinding this band is flexible with regard to the drum but it is rigid when it is free and rectilinear . in body 45a there is slidingly mounted an intermediate bush 45b wherein slides a tube 45c which is attached to band 51 . it contains a micro - channel light amplifier 45 of per se known construction and able to detect low level light signals and to restore them in amplified manner on a rear screen 45 . the end of tube 45c carries an objective 53 and cooperates with articulated locking clamps 57 facing an armature 58 associated with a magnetic coil 56 and which is able to swing clamps 57 towards tube 45c when the telescopic device is extended . moreover , at the opposite end of the telescopic device body 45a carries a convergent optical system 55 which makes the nocturnal vision path afocal and optionally divides the magnification of the sight tube by its natural magnification in order to obtain that which is adapted to nocturnal vision . in order to permit the insertion of the nocturnal vision device 14 in sighting axis 20 which coincides with bearing axes 8 , dichroic sheet 24 is occultable and is supported by an arm 43a integral with a pivot 43 to which is fixed a toothed segment 43b which meshes a pinion 44a mounted on the shaft of a motor 44 . as can be seen in fig5 the pechan prism 12 of sight tube 3 is mounted in a toothed rim 59 which is able to rotate in all appropriate not shown guides under the action of a pinion 60 integral with the output shaft of a motor 61 . a second pinion 62 carried by the shaft of a detector 63 meshes with pinion 60 . the detector is connected by a line 64 to an amplifier 65 which controls motor 61 with the interpositioning of a changeover relay 66 placed between the outputs of detector 63 and the inputs of amplifier 65 . another detector 67 is located in gunsight head 1 with connection by toothed wheels ( only one wheel 68 is shown ) with the rotary casing 9 or any other member integral therewith or which will be directly or indirectly connected therewith in head 1 , whereby the ratio of the gear train is equal to unity . detector 67 is electrically connected to detector 63 . the gear ratio between pinions 60 and 62 is equal to unity whilst that provided between pinion 60 and rim 59 is equal to 1 / 2 . for all diurnal observations , to which correspond a first position of changeover relay 66 , prism 12 is servo - controlled in the ratio 1 / 2 to the rotation in bearing of mirror 5 and in corresponding manner erects the image viewed in the eyepiece or eyepieces . in this situation assembly 14 is obviously contracted and occulted outside the path of the light rays of the observation path whose axis coincides with axis 20 and axis 8 . for nocturnal observation device 14 is inserted in axis 20 with lateral occulting of sheet 24 , extension by the force of band 51 and members 45a , 45b and 45c followed by the locking of a member 45c in armature 58 by clamps 57 which prevents any undesired movements resulting from external accelerations or vibrations . changeover relay 66 can remain in the above position if image intensifier 45 does not introduce an optical inversion compared with diurnal vision . if inversion occurs the electrical changeover relay 66 is operated and changes position which leads to a rotation of the pechan prism 12 by a quarter of a turn . for this purpose , it is merely necessary to electrically connect the coil of relay 66 to the supply system of motors 44 , 48 , 49 when the latter are controlled in insertion and extension of the nocturnal vision system . on a signal to return to diurnal vision the reverse actions take place , i . e . the pechan prism is returned to the initial position , the telescopic members of assembly 14 are retracted and the latter is laterally occulted and , if necessary , sheet 24 is returned on axis 8 . optical inversion by controlled rotation of the pechan prism is a simpler and more advantageous solution than the introduction into system 14 of an optical erecting device which would complicate the internal arrangement of members 45a , 45b and 45c of device 14 . in order to obtain the displacement by a quarter of a turn of prism 12 it is merely necessary to displace the electrical servo - mechanism by 180 ° in accordance with the ratio 1 / 2 provided between prism 12 and detector 63 . as will be gathered from what has been stated hereinbefore , this equipment can be used for simple diurnal observation functions with double magnification if head 1 is connected to sight tube 3 by a ferrule 2 , whereby it is possible to add to these functions that of nocturnal observation by substituting for ferrule 2 a sleeve 4 which is internally provided with an occultable device 14 . in addition , such a system can be provided with an aiding or sighting and ranging function by combining with sheeve 4 a laser emitter and receiver system 16 with a reticule projector , whereby this system may or may not be linked with the existence in sleeve 4 of the nocturnal observation system 14 . if this system is present , sheet 24 is mounted on a movable support 43a which permits occulting . it is thus possible to satisfy the requirements of the least demanding users as well as users having greater or even maximum demands whereby maximum adaptability is provided . the invention is not limited to the embodiments described hereinbefore and various modifications can be made thereto without passing beyond the scope of the invention .
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referring now to the drawings , wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views , there is generally indicated at 10 an adjustable interconnected lock assembly which can be used with the remote unlocking feature of the present invention . referring specifically to fig1 and 2 , lock assembly 10 comprises a first or lower interconnected lock assembly 18 comprising outside housing assembly 12 , rose 14 , and outside knob / lever 16 , attached from the outside of a door ( not shown ) through a first or lower bore in the door , and through a back plate assembly 20 positioned on the inside of the door , to inside housing assembly 22 . interconnect cam 24 , escutcheon assembly 28 , and inside knob / lever 26 are attached to inside housing assembly 22 on the inside of the door . although not shown , a latch assembly could be operably connected between outside housing assembly 12 and inside housing assembly 22 . interconnected lock assembly 10 also comprises a second or upper interconnected lock assembly 40 comprising a deadbolt housing assembly 42 and a deadbolt latch assembly 44 . deadbolt housing assembly 42 is attached from the outside of the door through a second or upper bore and operably connected to deadbolt latch assembly 44 , and through back plate assembly 20 and secured thereto by deadbolt plate 46 and mounting screws 48 . deadbolt housing assembly 42 is operably connected to a deadbolt pinion 50 which engages a deadbolt rack 52 connected to back plate assembly 20 as discussed in detail below . the lower interconnected lock 18 and upper interconnected lock 40 are standard configurations that are well - known in the art , and as such , the workings of these locks will not be described in detail , except as they relate to the present invention . referring now to fig3 interconnected lock 10 shown with escutcheon assembly 28 removed . back plate assembly 20 comprises a carrier component 54 vertically movable on , a slidably attached to a black plate 56 by a plurality of tangs 58 . deadbolt rack 52 is oriented vertically and fixedly attached to a carrier component 54 such that it engages pinion 50 . interconnected lock 10 is adjustable in that upper lock assembly 40 can move up or down to properly fit the upper bore of the door . deadbolt plate 46 is movable within a slot 62 in back plate 56 to allow the proper positioning of upper lock assembly 40 . upper lock assembly 40 is then secured to deadbolt plate 46 by mounting screws 48 which secure upper lock assembly 40 in a fixed position . deadbolt assembly 42 is operably connected to deadbolt pinion 50 by a driver bar 60 which is co - rotatingly attached to deadbolt pinion 50 . carrier component 54 is shown in a raised , or unlock position . when carrier component 54 is in a lowered , or locked position , a mating cam surface 64 of carrier component 54 engages cam 24 . cam 24 is attached to knob / lever 26 in a co - rotating manner such that rotation of knob / lever 26 rotates cam 24 which engages mating cam surface 64 , causing carrier component 54 to move vertically , upwardly to a raised , or unlock position . the rack 52 attached to carrier component 54 causes deadbolt pinion 50 to rotate as carrier component 54 moves either upward or downward . driver bar 60 co - rotates with deadbolt pinion 50 . rotation of driver bar 60 causes retraction and extension of a deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 in a standard fashion . accordingly , as carrier component 54 moves upward , deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 is retracted , allowing the door to be opened . deadbolt 90 is distinguished from standard deadbolts in that deadbolt 90 includes a cam surface at a distal end . while this cam surface is similar to cam surfaces used in standard spring latch assemblies , this cam surface only partially extends along the extended deadbolt 90 . accordingly , the door cannot be closed when the deadbolt 90 is in an extended position . however , when the deadbolt 90 is partially extended , the door can be closed as the cam surface will engage a strike plate forcing deadbolt 90 to retract . it should be noted that depression of deadbolt 90 results in deadbolt latch 44 rotating deadbolt pinion 50 in a standard manner , moving carrier component 54 to a raised position . referring now to fig4 a and 4b , escutcheon assembly 28 comprises escutcheon 30 , thumbturn 32 , and thumbturn link component 34 . thumbturn 32 is coupled to thumbturn link component 34 in a co - rotating manner through an aperture in escutcheon 30 . thumbturn link component 34 comprises at least one pin 36 which engages an aperture 38 in rack 52 , linking thumbturn 32 to carrier component 54 . it is noted that rack 52 can be positioned on either side of carrier component 54 such that a pin 36 will engage an aperture 38 in rack 52 , allowing thumbturn 32 to be appropriately attached for right and left - hand opening doors . movement of the carrier component 54 results in rotation of thumbturn 32 , and conversely , rotation of thumbturn 32 causes movement of carrier component 54 and extension and retraction of said deadbolt 90 . referring now to fig5 the back plate assembly 20 is shown in greater detail . interconnected lock 10 utilizes carrier component 54 which is biased in a downward , or locked position . accordingly , a spring carriage 72 is attached to carrier component 54 . spring carriage 72 houses a spring 74 such that one end of spring 74 is attached to the assembled spring carriage 72 / carrier component 54 and the other end of spring 74 is fixedly attached to back plate 56 . spring 74 is of sufficient strength to cause carrier component 54 to move downward to locked position and cause extension of deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 . backplate assembly 20 further comprises an electronic module 66 housing a power component 68 shown as a plurality of batteries to operate an automatic locking solenoid 70 and a signal receiver 75 . electronic module 66 may also be used to power a speaker 78 or status lights 91 . in order to prevent spring 74 from returning carrier component 54 to a locked position , back plate assembly includes a catch mechanism 80 comprising a catch component 82 , a catch release 84 , and a spring trigger rod 86 as shown in fig6 a and 6b . catch component 82 and catch release 84 are each pivotally attached to back plate 56 by a pin 88 . catch release 84 is biased toward catch component 82 by catch release spring 83 . spring trigger rod 86 is affixed to carrier component 54 and moves along a guide portion 92 in catch component 82 . spring trigger rod 86 is also biased toward spring 74 . the operation of interconnected lock 10 is best described in a dynamic manner starting with carrier component 54 position in a lowered , or locked position . interconnected lock 10 includes a keyless exit feature in which enables automatic locking actuation . movement of carrier component 54 from a locked position to an unlocked position can be accomplished by either rotating inside knob / lever 26 , rotating thumbturn 32 , or by turning a key to rotate the rotating driver bar 60 of deadbolt assembly 42 , typically with a key . as carrier component 54 moves upward , spring trigger rod 86 moves upward along guide portion 92 of catch component 82 from its initial position a , shown in fig6 a . movement of carrier component 54 and attached rack 52 causes rotation of pinion 50 and driver bar 60 , retracting deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 . at the end of the carrier component 54 travel , the deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 is fully retracted : spring trigger rod 86 , now at position c , and catch release 84 , biased by catch release spring 83 , force a tab feature 93 of catch 82 to move underneath spring carriage 72 in a manner locking carrier component 54 in an unlocked position . spring 74 is now in an extended position , storing energy needed to extend the deadbolt 90 . at this point , further opening enclosing of the door will not affect catch mechanism 80 as the guide path of the spring trigger rod 86 does not release the spring carriage 72 . spring trigger rod 86 will move upward from position a to position c along guide path 92 of catch component 82 . when carrier component 54 moves downward , trigger spring rod 86 will move downward from position c , through position b , back to position a . spring trigger rod 86 deviates from guide path 92 in the downward direction . guide path 92 of catch component 82 is configured with a ramp portion between lowered portions generally corresponding to positions a and c . between positions a and c , trigger spring rod 86 moves up a ramp portion to a drop - off 76 shown generally adjacent to position b . in the downward direction , spring trigger rod 86 is forced by the wall of drop - off 76 to move off of catch component 82 to a position below a portion of catch release 84 . in normal operation of the lock 10 , spring trigger rod 86 will continue downward from position b and return to position a . accordingly , standard operation of the lock does not affect the catch mechanism . in order to actuate the keyless exit feature , when deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 is retracted , thumbturn 32 is rotated to an intermediate position . rotation of thumbturn 32 causes thumbturn link component 34 to rotate . at least one pin 36 of thumbturn link component 34 engages rack 52 , such that rotation of thumbturn 32 causes carrier component 54 to move partially downward , partially extending deadbolt 90 . in addition , spring trigger rod 86 moves from position c to a position adjacent catch release 84 , shown as position b . referring now to fig6 b , operation of the keyless exit feature is shown . the deadbolt 90 is in a partially extended position . when a cam surface of deadbolt 90 is driven back by a strike plate of the door jamb ( not shown ) such as when the door is closed , linear movement of deadbolt 90 within deadbolt latch 44 is converted to rotation of deadbolt pinion 50 in a standard manner . rotation of deadbolt pinion 50 causes carrier component 54 to move upward , moving spring trigger rod 86 to position d , forcing catch release 84 to rotate and free catch 82 . this action allows spring carriage 74 / carrier component 54 to move downward under the force of spring 72 . as carrier component 54 moves downward , the deadbolt 90 of deadbolt latch assembly 44 is fully extended via the interaction of the deadbolt pinion 50 and rack 52 . when the keyless exit function is not in use , interconnected lock 10 will operate as a normal , or standard , interconnected lock . the remote unlocking feature of the present invention is shown in fig7 - 11 . inside housing assembly 22 houses remote unlocking mechanism 110 as best shown in fig7 . remote unlocking mechanism 110 comprises a solenoid 112 housed in an inside spindle 211 of inside housing assembly 22 . referring now to fig8 solenoid 112 includes a solenoid plunger 124 attached to a coupling bar 114 which is selectively coupled to coupling driver 116 . coupling driver 116 is coupled to an inner cam 209 by a tab portion 134 of coupling driver which matingly engages an aperture 136 on inner cam 209 . inner cam 209 is coupled through outside housing assembly 12 to outside handle 16 such that rotation of outside handle 16 causes rotation of inner cam 209 and coupling driver 116 . coupling bar 114 is biased by spring 118 away from solenoid 112 . coupling bar 114 is coupled at a first end 122 to solenoid plunger 124 . coupling bar 114 has a coupling driver engaging portion at a second end 126 . coupling driver 116 has a first recess 128 and a second interior recess 130 . second end 126 of coupling bar 114 is biased by spring 118 into second interior recess 130 of coupling driver 116 . second interior recess 130 allows coupling driver 116 . second interior recess 130 allows coupling driver 116 to be rotated without engaging second end 126 of coupling bar 114 as best shown in fig9 . in this state , the door cannot be unlocked by rotation of outside handle 16 . electrical wires 120 provide power from power component 68 of electronic module 66 to solenoid 112 . a remote signal device 98 is utilized with the remote unlocking mechanism 110 , shown in fig1 as a standard keychain transmitter of the type used to unlock cars , garages , etc . when the remote unlocking signal is received by signal receiver 75 , electrical power is provided through electrical wires 120 to solenoid 112 , actuating solenoid plunger 124 which axially moves away from coupling driver 116 . the solenoid plunger 124 axially pulls coupling bar 114 such that second end 126 engages first recess 128 of coupling driver 116 . second end 126 mates with first recess 128 to couple coupling bar 114 to coupling driver 116 in a co - rotating manner as best shown in fig1 . at this point outside handle 16 is coupled to inside handle 26 such that rotation of outside handle 16 unlocks interconnected lock 10 in the same manner as if operated by inside handle 26 . although the present invention has been described above in detail , the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention . accordingly , the scope and content of the present invention are to be defined only by the terms of the appended claims .
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the invention summarized above and defined by the enumerated claims may be better understood by referring to the following description , which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers are used for like parts . this description of an embodiment , set out below to enable one to practice an implementation of the invention , is not intended to limit the preferred embodiment , but to serve as a particular example thereof . those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention . those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form . referring to the drawings , fig1 and 2 show a conduit - cutting device , indicated generally as 10 , according to the present invention . the cutting device 10 comprises a handle portion 13 and a pivotable cutting portion 15 . the handle portion 13 includes a trigger switch 18 and a housing 21 for a battery 24 . the cutting portion 15 includes a blade 27 operationally connected to a reciprocating motor 30 , and an opening 33 that enables a piece of conduit tubing to be urged into the opening 33 while cutting . in some embodiments , the motor 30 enables variable speed operation of the blade 27 . the motor 30 is powered by battery 24 through trigger switch 18 that controls power to the motor 30 . the battery 24 is connected to the motor 30 through the switch 18 . in a preferred embodiment , the battery 24 is a lithium polymer rechargeable battery or a nickel - cadmium rechargeable battery . other types of batteries can be used . a charging port for the battery 24 may also be provided . the cutting portion 15 is pivotably connected to the handle portion 13 by means of a hinge 36 so that the cutting portion 15 can be conveniently adjusted to enable cutting of conduit at any desired position . a release lever 39 on the handle portion 13 operationally engages the cutting portion to lock or release the pivotable cutting portion 15 from its in - line position . in a preferred embodiment , the release lever 39 enables the cutting portion to be locked in any desired angled position from 0 ° to 90 °. to ensure complete cutting of a conduit , a viewing window 42 may be provided in the cutting portion 15 . an operator can view the conduit through the viewing window 42 to see that the blade 27 has penetrated completely through the conduit . in some embodiments , a light 45 may be included to illuminate the viewing window . the light 45 should also be powered by the battery 24 and operate simultaneously with operation of the blade 27 . in some embodiments , the light 45 can operate independently of the blade operation . an accessory bolt - cutting device 48 may also be provided . the bolt cutting device 48 comprises a substantially crescent - shaped holding plate 51 pivotally attached to the cutting portion 15 . the holding plate 51 includes a plurality of apertures 54 sized and configured to enable bolts of varying sizes to be engaged by at least one of the apertures 54 . in a preferred embodiment , the apertures 54 may be internally threaded to hold a bolt in place . a pin 57 is provided on the holding plate 51 to enable an operator to rotate the plate about hinge 60 , so the blade 27 can engage the bolt for cutting . in use , an operator places a bolt in an appropriate aperture 54 and rotates the holding plate until the bolt engages the blade 27 . the motor is started to begin operation of the blade 27 and the operator continues to urge the bolt against the blade 27 to cut through the bolt . in a preferred embodiment , the holding plate 51 may be biased to return to the disengaged position by a spring or other means . the invention has been described with references to preferred embodiments . while specific values , relationships , materials and steps have been set forth for purposes of describing concepts of the invention , it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and / or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the basic concepts and operating principles of the invention as broadly described . it should be recognized that , in the light of the above teachings , those skilled in the art can modify those specifics without departing from the invention taught herein . having now fully set forth the preferred embodiments and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention , various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept . it is intended to include all such modifications , alternatives and other embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof . it should be understood , therefore , that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth herein . consequently , the present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive .
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the present invention relates to a multimedia broadcast multicast system , and more particularly , to including configuration information of transport channels on which no service is mapped in a physical channel configuration sent to a ue , such that at the start of new services using such transport channel configurations , only the ues interested in the new services need to read configuration information related to the new services . the present invention also relates to the presence of a mac header , used for multiplexing different services onto the same transport channel , being controllable via explicit signaling , such that the mac header is included in a physical channel configuration sent to the ue when it is foreseen that the same transport channel can be shared between different services . for mbms , two additional control channels are introduced . they are the mcch and the mich ( mbms notification indicator channel ). as explained above , the mcch is mapped on the fach . the mich is a physical channel and is used to notify users to read the mcch channel . the mich is designed to allow the ues to perform a drx ( discontinuous reception ) scheme . drx allows the reduction of battery consumption for ues while allowing the ues to still be aware of any service for which a session is starting . the mich may be used to inform the ue of a change in a frequency convergence scheme , change of a configuration of a point - to - multipoint ( ptm ) bearer , switch between the ptm bearer and a point - to - point ( ptp ) bearer , etc ., which all require the mcch to be read . the mcch channel periodically transmits information regarding active services , mtch configuration , frequency convergence , etc . the ue reads the mcch information to receive the subscribed services based on different triggers . for example , the ue may be triggered after cell selection / reselection , when the ue is notified of a given service on the mich , or when the ue is notified via the dcch channel . the configuration of the mcch channel is broadcast in the system information . the mich configuration ( i . e . spreading code , scrambling code , spreading factor and other information ) is either fixed in the standard , given in the system information or broadcast on the mcch . the mcch information is transmitted based on a fixed schedule . the schedule identifies a transmission time interval ( tti ) containing the beginning of the mcch information . the transmission of the information may take a variable number of ttis . the utran transmits the mcch information in consecutive ttis . the mobile terminal ( ue ) continues to receive the sccpch until : 1 ) the ue receives all of the mcch information ; 2 ) the ue receives a tti that does not include any mcch data ; or 3 ) the information contents indicate that further reception is not required ( e . g . there is no modification to the desired service information ). based on this behavior , the utran may repeat the mcch information following a scheduled transmission in order to improve reliability . the mcch schedule is common for all services . the entire mcch information is transmitted periodically based on a “ repetition period ”. a “ modification period ” is defined as an integer multiple of the repetition period . the mbms access information may be transmitted periodically based on an “ access info period ”. this period is an integer divider of the “ repetition period ”. mcch information may be categorized as critical and non - critical information . the critical information is made up of mbms common p - t - m rb information , mbms current cell p - t - m rb information , mbms general information , mbms modified services information , mbms neighboring cell p - t - m rb information , mbms scheduling information and mbms unmodified services information . the non - critical information corresponds to the mbms access information . changes to critical information are only applied at the first mcch transmission of a modification period . at the beginning of each modification period , the utran transmits the mbms change information including , amongst others , information on mbms services whose mcch information is modified at that modification period . mbms change information is repeated at least once in each repetition period of that modification period . changes to non - critical information may take place at any time . fig9 illustrates a schedule with which the mbms change information and radio bearer information sent on mcch are transmitted . different patterned blocks indicate potentially different mcch content . an mbms notification mechanism is used to inform ues of an upcoming change in critical mcch information . notifications are based on service groups . the mapping between service ids and service groups is based on a hashing mechanism . mbms notification indicators are sent on an mbms specific pich , called the mich . a single mich frame is able to carry indications for every service - group . critical mcch information can only be changed at the beginning of a modification period . the mbms notification indicator corresponding to the service group of every affected service is set continuously during the entire modification period preceding the first change in mcch information related to a given service . subsequent changes in the mcch information in the next modification period related to the same service can be signaled on the mcch . ues which are not receiving any mbms service on mtch or p - t - p channel are free to read the mbms notification at any time . upon detecting the mbms notification indication for a service group , ues interested in a service corresponding to this group start reading the mcch at the beginning of the next modification period . the ue reads at least mbms modified services information . fig1 illustrates the timing relation between the setting of the mich and the first mcch critical information change . a diagonal line - patterned block for the mich indicates when the ni is set for the service . for the mcch , different patterned blocks indicate mcch content related to the notification of different services . ues , which are receiving mbms service ( s ) on mtch in idle mode or in a ura_pch , cell_pch , or cell_fach state read the mcch at the beginning of each modification period to receive the mbms modified services information . the mbms modified services information indicates mbms service ids and optionally an mbms session id whose mcch information is modified at that modification period . if the mbms service id , and optionally , the mbms session id , which the ue has activated , is indicated in the mbms modified services information , the ue shall read the rest of the mcch information . when a ue in cell_fach state wants to receive a ptm radio bearer , the ue first needs to receive the system information on the bcch channel , which is sent on the p - ccpch channel , to know the mcch configuration of the cell the ue has selected . therefore , the ue must know the primary scrambling code . once the ue knows the mcch channel , the ue then reads the mcch channel to obtain configuration information of the ptm radio bearers . to obtain a first starting cell , the ue may receive the primary scrambling code of the cell by dedicated messages . the ue may also perform a cell search or read stored information . alternatively , for a ue that has already selected or camped on a cell , the ue may use information regarding neighboring cells found in the system information of the cell the ue has already selected . referring to fig1 , for mbms , different mbms bearer services are mapped to different radio bearers . as shown , this is possible on different levels , e . g . by using mac multiplexing or transport channel multiplexing . in order to receive a service , it is necessary that the receiver know the configuration of the physical channels , the transport channels and the logical channels / services in case the configuration is changed due to new services being multiplexed on the same physical / transport channel . accordingly , the new services may potentially impact the reception of the already ongoing services . the mac layer allows different logical channels ( i . e . different radio bearers ) to be multiplexed onto the same transport channel . the mac layer further controls access to the physical channels , i . e . decides on the transport format combination . when different radio bearers / logical channels are multiplexed onto one transport channel , a mac header carrying an identity of the mbms service is added to distinguish the origin of the packet . presence or absence of the mac header normally impacts the size of the transport block size , and therefore the configuration of the transport formats . fig1 illustrates a case where only packets from the same logical channel are multiplexed onto a transport channel . accordingly , it is unnecessary for mac headers to be included to distinguish the origins of the different packets . fig1 illustrates an example of mac multiplexing where different services are multiplexed onto the same transport channel . this implies that for each pdu a mac header must be included to indicate the services the packet is related to , and thus the size of the packet to be transported becomes larger . fig1 illustrates and example of mac multiplexing of one logical channel including a mac header . although it is not necessary in principle , it is possible that the mac header would be included although only one service is multiplexed on the same transport channel . for different streams with different qos ( e . g . delay , block error rate , etc . ), different transport channels using specific mechanisms ( e . g . tti , coding , physical layer mechanisms ) for fulfilling the qos requirements will be used . referring to fig1 , different transport channels are shown . for each of the transport channels , different transport formats are defined that allow to adapt to , for example , the amount of data that can be sent in one tti and / or the number of blocks that can be sent . as shown in fig1 , different transport channels are multiplexed to a physical channel in a predefined scheme depending on the transport formats of the data coming from the different transport channels . in order to allow the data to be decoded , the combination of the transport channels multiplexed together must be signaled to the receiver . this is done using a tfci ( transport format combination indicator ). one different tfci value is assigned to each allowed tfc in the tfcs ( transport format combination set ), as shown in table 1 . the tfci value is sent in parallel to the transmitted data to allow the receiver to demultiplex the data in order to decode it correctly . as can be seen in table 1 , the possible combinations depend on the number of transport channels and the number of transport formats . accordingly , when the number of transport channels changes , the number of transport formats also changes . the above - stated scenario is shown in fig1 . as shown , a newly started service 2 is setup using a different transport channel and multiplexed on a physical channel already used by a service 1 . however , by setting up a new transport channel , the tfcs and the tfcis need to be changed . consequently , all ues that are only interested in the service 1 need to read the new configuration to be able to interpret the tfci correctly . the same principle applies when the service 2 is multiplexed together with the service 1 on the same transport channel . initially , a mac header is , in principle , not necessary when only one service is multiplexed onto one transport channel , as shown in fig1 . however , when another service is added , the mac header becomes necessary . accordingly , to be able to transport the same payload , the transport block size must be increased , thus making necessary a reconfiguration of the transport channel parameters . similar to the case where multiplexing is done via separate transport channels , it is necessary for a ue that is only interested in service 1 to read the new configuration when the service 2 starts . this is so even if the ue is not interested in receiving the new service ( service 2 ) at all . a physical channel configuration is sent according to a scheme , as shown in fig1 . in fig1 , a physical channel configuration is given , including a list of transport channels that are mapped onto the physical channel . for each transport channel , a list of radio bearers ( which is similar to the mbms services ) using the particular transport channel is configured . this principle is generally used to indicate the configuration of the current cell and the neighboring cell . whether a mac header is used or not is either defined in standard specifications , e . g . mac header is always used / is never used for mtch type of transport channels , or is used depending on whether one service is mapped ( in which case the mac header is not necessary ) or whether it is never used . currently , it is not possible to include configurations of transport channels that do not carry an mbms service in the physical channel configuration sent to the ue . therefore , when a new service using such a transport channel begins , the ue must read the transport channel configuration and configuration information for the new service even if the ue is not interested in the new service . it is also not possible to indicate the use of a mac header for multiplexing different services onto one transport channel when only one mbms service originally uses the one transport channel ( except for when it is decided that the mac header is never used ). accordingly , when a new service is multiplexed onto a transport channel previously used by another service , the ue must read an additional transport channel configuration to account for the new service even if the ue is not interested in the new service . therefore , what is needed is a method that reduces the number of times the ues read configuration information for services they are not interested in . in the prior art , it is not possible to indicate the configuration of transport channels on which no radio bearers ( mbms services ) are mapped , neither in the configuration information of the current cell ( mbms current cell p - t - m rb information ) nor in the configuration information of the neighboring cell ( mbms neighboring cell p - t - m rb information ). also , it is not possible to signal whether the mac header for multiplexing different services is necessary or not . it is only possible to specify a rule wherein the mac header is always / never present , or present depending on whether multiple logical channels are multiplexed onto the transport channel or not , for example . the present invention , therefore , overcomes all of these deficiencies . fig1 illustrates a method for communicating transport channel configurations from a network to a ue in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , a physical channel configuration is shown comprising a list of transport channels that are mapped onto the physical channel . as shown , configuration information for a transport channel 1 is included in the physical channel configuration and is configured according to a list of mbms services using the transport channel 1 . the physical channel configuration also comprises configuration information for a transport channel 2 , wherein no mbms services are mapped to the transport channel 2 . similarly , configuration information for a transport channel 3 is included in the physical channel configuration , wherein no mbms services are mapped to the transport channel 3 . although three transport channel configurations are shown in fig1 , the present invention allows for more transport channel configurations to be included in the physical channel configuration . preferably , the configurations of the physical channel and the transport channels indicate the configuration of a current cell and a neighboring cell . preferably , in order to configure a system where transport channels , having no mbms services mapped to them , are included in a physical channel configuration sent to a ue , the ue is informed that no mbms services are multiplexed onto such transport channels . the ue may also be informed that mbms services being multiplexed onto such transport channels may optionally occur . in operation , when the physical channel configuration is sent from the network to the ue , the ue not only learns of configuration information for transport channels currently having mapped mbms services , but also learns of configuration information for transport channels currently having no mapped mbms services . preferably , the transport channels currently having no mapped mbms services will potentially have new mbms services mapped to them at the start of the new mbms services . thus , the ue may configure the transport channels for the new services prior to their start . when the ue learns of new configuration information for new mbms services which have not yet started , and which will be mapped on the already configured transport channels , the ue may determine to receive the new mbms services before their start if the ue is interested in the services . accordingly , at the start of the new mbms services , which are mapped onto the transport channels previously having no mapped mbms services , the ue reads the new configuration information if the ue is interested in the new mbms services . if the ue is uninterested in the new mbms services , then the ue need not read the new configuration information . thus , the problem of the ue having to read configuration information for services the ue is not interested in is avoided . fig2 illustrates the start of a new service being mapped onto a transport channel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , a newly started service 2 may be setup using the same transport channel configuration a multiplexed onto a physical channel currently being used by service 1 already including a transport channel on which no service was formerly sent . in accordance with the present invention , a ue will have already learned of the configuration information of the new service 2 before the start of the service 2 . accordingly , when the service 2 starts , the ue will read the configuration information if it is interested in the service 2 . if the ue is not interested in the service 2 , the ue will not read the configuration information for the service 2 . referring back to fig1 , information for indicating whether a mac header is used for multiplexing a number of mbms services onto one transport channel may be included in the configuration information of a transport channel . as shown , for a transport channel 1 , use of a mac header is preferably signaled as a parameter of the transport channel 1 . conversely , for a transport channel 3 non - use of a mac header is preferably signaled as parameter of the transport channel 3 . preferably , for a transport channel 2 , use of a mac header is preferably signaled as a parameter of the transport channel 2 even though no mbms services are currently mapped to the transport channel . in operation , when the physical channel configuration is sent from the network to the ue , the ue learns whether a mac header is being used by a particular transport channel . use of the mac header indicates that at least two mbms services may be multiplexed onto the same transport channel . thus , upon receiving the configuration information for a transport channel , the ue may anticipate the transport channel being shared between different mbms services although the transport channel currently has no mbms services or only one mbms service mapped to it . referring back to fig2 , a newly started service 2 may be setup using a transport channel configuration a and multiplexed onto a physical channel currently being used by service 1 . preferably , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , the newly started service 2 is mapped onto the same transport channel currently being used by the service 1 . preferably , a ue will have anticipated the new service 2 being mapped onto the same transport channel as the service 1 before the start of the service 2 via the existence of the mac header for the service 1 in the configuration information for the currently used transport channel . accordingly , when the service 2 starts , the ue will read the mac header of the new service 2 . if the ue is interested in the new service 2 , the ue will read the configuration information for the service 2 . if the ue is not interested in the new service 2 , the ue will not read the configuration information for the service 2 . although the present invention is described in the context of mobile communication , the present invention may also be used in any wireless communication systems using mobile devices , such as pdas and laptop computers equipped with wireless communication capabilities . moreover , the use of certain terms to describe the present invention should not limit the scope of the present invention to certain type of wireless communication system , such as umts . the present invention is also applicable to other wireless communication systems using different air interfaces and / or physical layers , for example , tdma , cdma , fdma , wcdma , etc . the preferred embodiments may be implemented as a method , apparatus or article of manufacture using standard programming and / or engineering techniques to produce software , firmware , hardware , or any combination thereof . the term “ article of manufacture ” as used herein refers to code or logic implemented in hardware logic ( e . g ., an integrated circuit chip , field programmable gate array ( fpga ), application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), etc .) or a computer readable medium ( e . g ., magnetic storage medium ( e . g ., hard disk drives , floppy disks , tape , etc . ), optical storage ( cd - roms , optical disks , etc . ), volatile and non - volatile memory devices ( e . g ., eeproms , roms , proms , rams , drams , srams , firmware , programmable logic , etc .). code in the computer readable medium is accessed and executed by a processor . the code in which preferred embodiments are implemented may further be accessible through a transmission media or from a file server over a network . in such cases , the article of manufacture in which the code is implemented may comprise a transmission media , such as a network transmission line , wireless transmission media , signals propagating through space , radio waves , infrared signals , etc . of course , those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope of the present invention , and that the article of manufacture may comprise any information bearing medium known in the art . the foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention . the present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses . the description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative , and not to limit the scope of the claims . many alternatives , modifications , and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . in the claims , means - plus - function clauses are intended to cover the structure described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures .
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as shown in fig2 , the half - controlled silicon - controlled rectifying system according to the first embodiment of the invention comprises : a first detection unit 201 , a silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 , a dc bus 102 connected to the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 , a second detection unit 203 connected to the dc bus 102 , a control unit 202 , a first resistor 112 , and an inductor 130 . herein , the first detection unit 201 is provided with a first input port 204 , which receives the triphase ac , to detect the zero cross phase at 0 degree and 180 degrees of the triphase ac from the first input port 204 which the preference point for the phase angles 0 degrees and 180 degrees are the phases of the 1 st zero value of each sine wave of the triphase ac within one period . the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 includes a plurality of silicon - controlled rectifiers 111 and a plurality of diodes 121 , and is provided with a second input port 205 receiving the triphase alternating current in synchronization with the first input port to determine whether to conduct the output of the triphase ac from the second input port 205 . the dc bus 102 includes a charging capacitor c and a second resistor 113 . the second detection unit 203 is used to detect the voltage of the charging capacitor c of the dc bus 102 . the control unit 202 is used to receive the detection results from the first detection unit 201 and the second detection unit 203 , and to determine whether to send a trigger signal to the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 depending on the detection results of the first detection unit 201 and the second detection unit 203 , thereby conducting the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 to enable the triphase ac from the second input port 205 to be circulated . the control unit 202 executes by a software control , and the flowchart of its control process is shown in fig3 . when the triphase ac flows through the first input port 204 , the first detection unit 201 detects the zero cross phase of the voltage of the triphase ac and sends a signal indicating the zero cross phase of the voltage into the control unit 202 ( step 301 ), and the control unit 202 sends a trigger signal to conduct one of the silicon rectifiers 111 in the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 ( step 302 ). then the control unit 202 determines whether the detected voltage value concerning the charging capacitor c of the dc bus 102 from the second detection unit 203 is greater than a threshold conducting voltage ( step 303 ). if the detected voltage value is greater than the threshold conducting voltage , the control unit 202 sends a trigger signal to conduct all the silicon - controlled rectifiers 111 of the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 ( step 304 ). if not , the control unit 202 sends out a trigger signal to conduct a silicon rectifier 111 of the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 in the next time when the input triphase ac is close to the zero cross phase . in the step 303 , suppose that the detected voltage value , concerning the charging capacitor c of the dc bus 102 , from the second detection unit 203 is not greater than the threshold conducting voltage . the control unit 202 sends a trigger signal to conduct one of silicon - controlled rectifier 111 of the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 in the next period , when the triphase ac is close to the zero cross phase . thus , in the process of repeated determination , each of silicon rectifiers 111 of the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 is gradually made conductive in advance in each period , thereby prolonging the overall conduction duration of the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 , so that the voltage of the charging capacitor c of the dc bus 102 is increased gradually . until the voltage of the charging capacitor c of the dc bus 102 is greater than the threshold conducting voltage , the control unit 202 sends a trigger signal to conduct all the silicon - controlled rectifiers of the silicon - controlled rectifying unit 101 , so that the effect of soft actuation is achieved . in addition , the zero cross phase is chosen at 0 ° or 180 °. furthermore , the first detection unit 201 , as shown in fig4 , comprises : a comparator 401 , a first voltage source 411 connected to the negative input terminal of the comparator 401 , a second voltage source 412 connected to the calibration terminal of the comparator 401 , a third voltage source 413 connected to the negative terminal of the comparator 401 , a fourth voltage source 414 connected to the output terminal of the comparator 401 , a first resistor 431 connected between the comparator 401 and the first voltage source 411 , a second resistor 432 connected between the comparator 401 and the first resistor 431 , a third resistor 433 connected between the positive terminal of the comparator 401 and the ground , a fourth resistor 434 connected between the comparator 401 and the fourth voltage source 414 , a first capacitor 421 connected between the positive terminal of the comparator 401 and the ground and connected in parallel with the third resistor 433 , and a second capacitor 422 connected between the negative terminal of the comparator 401 and the second voltage source 412 . when the input terminal 402 receives the voltage of the triphase ac from the first input port 204 , the voltage is compared with the predetermined voltage set in the comparator 401 . while the voltage value of the received triphase ac reaches the zero cross phase , the comparator 401 outputs a signal with a high voltage level to inform the control unit 202 that the voltage of the input signal has reached the zero cross phase . knowing the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims .
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embodiments of the invention relate to inductively - coupled plasma chamber having improved uniformity , especially gas distribution uniformity . the within - wafer uniformity is improved by embodiments of the invention wherein provisions are made to redirect the gas injected by injectors and / or nozzles so as to improve the gas distribution within the chamber . an embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to fig2 . fig2 illustrates a plasma processing apparatus 200 according to one embodiment of the invention . the elements illustrated in fig2 which correspond to elements illustrated in fig1 are given the same reference numbers , except that they are in the 2xx series . it will be appreciated that the apparatus 200 is merely exemplary and that the apparatus 200 may include fewer or additional components and the arrangement of the components may differ from that illustrated in fig2 . fig2 illustrates a cross - section of an icp chamber design implementing a gas diversion feature according to one embodiment of the invention . icp chamber 200 has a metallic sidewall 205 and a dielectric ceiling 207 , forming a tight vacuum enclosure that is pumped by vacuum pump 225 . the dielectric ceiling 207 is provided only as one example , but other ceilings can be used , e . g . a dome ceiling , a metallic ceiling with dielectric window , etc . a pedestal 210 supports a chuck 215 , which holds the substrate 220 to be processed . bias power is generally applied to the chuck 215 , but is not shown in fig2 , as it is not pertinent to the disclosed embodiment . rf power from rf power supplier 245 is applied to antenna 240 , which is generally in the form of a coil . processing gas is supplied from gas source 250 via pipelines 255 into the chamber to ignite and sustain plasma , and thereby process the substrate 220 . in this embodiment , the gas is supplied into the vacuum enclosure by circumference injectors or nozzles 230 , but additional gas may optionally injected via central nozzle 235 . if gas is supplied from both injectors 230 and nozzle 235 , the amount of gas supplied from each may be arranged to be independently controlled . any of these arrangements for injecting gas may be referred to as plasma gas injector arrangement . in fig2 , a baffle 270 is situated within the chamber so as to restrict and / or redirect the flow of gas emanating from injectors 230 . as shown in the callout , in this embodiment the baffle is generally in the form of a disk with central hole or opening . the baffle is positioned below the gas injection point , but above the level of the substrate . in this manner , the gas is restricted to flow further towards the center of the chamber before it can flow downwards towards the substrate , as shown by the dotted - line arrows . in general , baffle 270 may be made of metallic material , such as anodized aluminum . fabricating the baffle from metallic material may be advantageously employed to restrict the plasma to the area above the baffle , as the rf from the coil will be blocked by the baffle . on the other hand , the baffle 270 may be fabricated of a dielectric material , such as ceramic or quartz . in an embodiment using a dielectric baffle the rf from the coil may pass through the baffle , such that plasma may be maintained below the baffle ( illustrated in broken - lines ), depending on the amount of gas reaching below the baffle . in some circumstances it may be needed to further restrict the gas flow and cause the gas to spend more time over the center of the wafer to ensure full dissociation over the wafer . an embodiment beneficial for such applications is illustrated in fig3 . the elements of fig3 that are similar to that of fig2 are noted with the same reference number , except in the 3xx series . as shown in fig3 and the callout of fig3 , the baffle 372 of this embodiment is made in the shape of a disk having a vertical ring extension 373 , generally in the shape of a cylindrical section . the vertical extension creates a gap 374 through which the gas can flow to the side , i . e ., to the area of the chamber beyond the circumference of the substrate . the size of the gap 374 determines the flow of the gas above the substrate and the time the gas spends above the substrate so as to be dissociated by the plasma . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the diameter of the ring opening , d , may be sized to equal the diameter of the substrate , or be larger or smaller than the diameter of the substrate . the diameter of the opening can be set depending on the desired flow restriction . also , since the vertical ring extension is set to be orthogonal to the disk , the diameter at the opening of the ring extension 373 is the same as the diameter at the opening of the ring 372 itself . on the other hand , sometime it is desirable to restrict the exit of the gas from the ring towards the substrate , but once the gas flows towards the substrate it is sometime desirable to enhance the flow in the horizontal direction towards the periphery of the chamber . an arrangement beneficial for such situations is illustrated in fig4 . in fig4 the baffle 475 is structured of a ring with a conical - section extension 476 . the conical - section 476 has an upper opening diameter d , which is smaller than the lower opening diameter d ′, wherein the lower opening is in close proximity to the substrate . the lower opening is position so as to define gap 477 , through which gas flows horizontally towards the chamber &# 39 ; s walls . the sidewall of the conical section makes and angle φ with the ring , angle φ being less than 90 degrees . in any of the above embodiments it may be desirable to let some gas flow out prior to it reaching the central opening of the baffle . fig5 illustrates an embodiment that is somewhat of a modification of the embodiment of fig2 . as shown in fig5 , the baffle 578 is in the shape of a disk with a central opening , somewhat similar to the baffle 272 of fig2 . the central opening may be of the same or different diameter as that of fig2 . in addition , auxiliary or secondary opening 589 are provided about the central opening , so as to enable some gas to escape prior to reaching the central opening . the secondary openings may be of smaller diameter than the central opening . the auxiliary opening can be applied to any of the embodiments shown above , and may be distributed evenly around the central opening . for example , the second callout in fig5 illustrates a modified baffle 580 that is similar to that illustrated in fig3 , except that auxiliary opening have been added around the extension to enable some gas to flow out prior to reaching the central opening and flowing into the extension . in the embodiments disclosed above , the baffle is used to control the flow of the processing gas . additionally , the baffle can be used to passively control the plasma . in general , plasma can diffuse through the holes on the baffle to the lower portion of the chamber . the larger the holes , the higher the plasma density becomes . by changing the number and location of the holes , the plasma density distribution within the chamber can also be changed . the baffle can also be used to actively control the plasma . such an example is illustrated in fig6 . in the embodiment of fig6 , the baffle 680 is used to actively control the plasma . as illustrated , a secondary antenna 682 is embedded within the baffle 680 . secondary antenna may be in the form of a coil . in the example shown in the callout the antenna is in the form of a single loop ( shown in broken line ), but other designs may be employed . the secondary antenna may be energized using the same power source 645 as the main antenna ( illustrated as broken - line arrow ), or it my be energized from a different rf power supplier 647 . regardless of the power source used , the amplitude of the power applied to the secondary antenna 682 may be controlled independently of the power applied to the main antenna 640 . according to one embodiment , the baffle 680 is made of a dielectric material and the coil is embedded within the dielectric . for example , the baffle 680 may be made by sintering ceramic material with the metallic coil embedded within the ceramic . in this manner , the power from the secondary coil is applied to the plasma above the baffle and to the plasma below the baffle . on the other hand , according to another embodiment , the baffle 680 is made with dielectric on one side and conductor on the other side , such that the rf power applies only to one side of the baffle . for example , the top of the baffle 680 may be made of conductive material , so that the rf power from the secondary coil 682 is applied only to the plasma below the baffle . such an arrangement is illustrated in the second callout of fig6 , wherein the coil 682 is embedded within ceramic disk 685 such that the rf energy from the coil can be applied to the plasma below the baffle , but a conductive disk 683 is provided on top of the ceramic disk 685 , such that the energy from coils 682 cannot be applied to the plasma above the baffle . additionally , in such an arrangement the baffle also blocks the rf power from the main antenna 640 from being applied to the plasma below the baffle 680 . consequently , the rf power to the main antenna 640 can be tailored ( e . g ., frequency , power , etc .) to controlled the plasma above the baffle 680 , while the rf power to the secondary antenna 680 can be tailored to control the plasma below the baffle . any of the above embodiments can be further modified by making the baffle movable . such an arrangement is schematically illustrated in fig6 . in fig6 a step motor 690 is coupled to the baffle 680 by , e . g ., rack and pinion arrangement , such that the step motor 690 can be energized to move the baffle vertically so as to lower or raise the baffle 680 , such that the gap between the baffle 680 and substrate 620 can be changed . it should be understood that processes and techniques described herein are not inherently related to any particular apparatus and may be implemented by any suitable combination of components . further , various types of general purpose devices may be used in accordance with the teachings described herein . the present invention has been described in relation to particular examples , which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive . those skilled in the art will appreciate that many different combinations will be suitable for practicing the present invention . moreover , other implementations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein . various aspects and / or components of the described embodiments may be used singly or in any combination . it is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only , with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims .
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1 . identify list of connector model on the sut ; 2 . for each connector identified in 1 , determine the opposite mating connector ; 3 . determine of the mating connector in 2 is available on an existing interface cable in the inventory ; 4 . if none are found in 3 , create a new interface cable ; 5 . create an identification of the mating assembly so that it can be recognized by an ate by any or a combination of the following methods : a . a standard number for the mating assembly ; b . a unique serial number to the mating assembly ; c . incorporating a medium to read the information about the mating assembly ; this identification method can be done manually or it can be created into a database ; 6 . except if 5c was performed , the final mating assembly must be registered so that it can be recognized by the ate in order to be able to use it on the sut . it can be done manually or it can be created by a software in various ways , including : a . adding the mating assembly to the ate library the design layout of the mating assembly ; b . adding the mating assembly to a standard database ; 7 . once recognizable by the ate as described in step 9 , the mating assembly can be shipped to the location where it is needed by the technician for the test / maintenance on the sut , and at that point , it will generally need to be validated prior to the first utilization to make sure that it respects the specifications of connector on the sut ; 8 . another step generally required to operate the ate is to use a test program that incorporates one or many interface mating cables and requires engineering or technician skills to ensure that the test signals sent to the sut are appropriately sequenced on the specific connections points of any or all of the connectors ; 9 . the test program must also be identified in a matter similar to point 8 ; 10 . the test program must also be delivered to the location of the test / maintenance and validated prior to its first utilization to ensure that it respects the specifications of the test requirements and that it was made by an approved entity listed in point 11 ; 11 . the ate can then perform the test by : a . identifying each mating connector hooked to the ate and related mate ; b . send test signals , one at a time to one originating connection and capture the signal by the receiver method on each of the terminating connections , repeating the operation to each of the connections as an originating connection until all connections have been tested ; c . merging the test results to create a netlist of connections ; d . make a resistance measurement of all of the connections ; e . create a report . one driver of the embodiments described below is the ability for an ate to detect and identify a link between 2 connection points of an electrical circuit with only one of the 2 connections , the originating node , being directly connected to the ate by an interface cable , the terminating node being connected to an electronic slave connector that has embedded eeprom ( electrically erasable programmable read - only memory ), the memory containing the layout characteristics and other information about the connector under test so that the link can be positively identified to a specific electrical node of the circuit . it should be noted that even though embodiments described above use an eeprom as an identifier for a connection point , the eeprom can be replaced by other types of electrically - accessed memories . non - volatile memories such as read - only memories or flash memories can be used as identifiers , as well as magnetic memories . other identification means , such as circuit elements having very precise characteristics ( such as a precise resistance or inductance ) can be used as an identifier on a circuit . many types of electronic identifiers are therefore suited for the identification of a connection point . now referring to fig1 , the testing method can be described as follows : first , the ate will interrogate one by one each of the originating node , by sending a signal into the wire , to determine if a link can be made with an eeprom ( step 110 ); then , if a link can be made with an eeprom , the ate will read eeprom and identify the link of the terminating connection ( step 120 ), either by : reading the information of the termination connection on the eeprom ; or by retrieving the information associated with the eeprom identification of the termination connection from a central database ; the ate will compile a list of termination connections with an eeprom list for merging into a netlist database ( step 130 ); the ate will use conventional methods of driving signals to all originating connections who have been determined not to have a connection with the eeprom list to determine other interconnections within the electrical circuit ( step 140 ); the ate will compile a list of termination connections of the type wire - to - wire or wire - to - ground that have not an eeprom on the circuit ( step 150 ); the ate will merge the result obtained in steps 130 and 150 to create a final netlist configuration of the electrical circuit ( step 160 ); in the case in which there is a slave connector connection , the ate will execute a command to remove the eeprom from the circuit to make a direct connection to the ground ( step 165 ). the ate will proceed to read the resistive values of each node to determine quality of connection ( step 170 ), by measuring resistance on a wire - to - wire or wire - to - to ground connection ,; ate will merge the results in steps 160 and 170 to produce a final netlist configuration of the electrical circuit with resistive values of wire - to wire or wire - to ground connections ( step 180 ); according to an embodiment , the connector 200 for performing the method on a wire harness 290 can be described as follows , referring to fig2 . the slave connector 200 has an eeprom 210 for each connection point , or at least for each one of a portion of the connection points . the eeprom has a unique id and may contain any other information that can be used to identify the specific position of the slave connector contact layout . according to an embodiment , the slave connector 200 itself has an id 201 so it can be identified prior to , during or after testing . a switch 220 to provide the ability to connect the node to the eeprom or to a direct ground 250 , in the first case to identify the wire , and in the second case to be able to measure the resistive value to ground 250 ; this switch 220 may take the form of a manual or electronic switch ( e . g . a transistor , a mems switch or the like ), or be embedded in an electrical circuit board with other functions . in other words , for a given wire linking two terminal connections of the wire harness 290 , an ate is placed at one of these terminal connections , and a slave connector is placed at the other one . for each one of the wires being tested , a signal is sent by the ate into the circuit comprising the wire , and goes through an identifier ( such as an eeprom ) to the electrical ground 250 ( if no slave connected is provided at a given terminal connection , the conventional testing procedure applies ). when the identifier is provided on the circuit , it allows extracting information therefrom , that can be used in a database to verify the identity or position of the connector . after this is done , a switch can bypass the identifier so that the ate is directly linked to the electrical ground 250 ( i . e . the signal does not go through the identifier ). the resistance ( or any other electrical characteristic ) of the circuit can be measured . this measure allows evaluating the quality of the link between the two terminal connections , for example if there is a defect in the circuit by comparing resistance thresholds in a database , for example . according to an embodiment , there is an option to connect all the wires of the slave connector to a generic mating interface cable 230 , also known as a standard interface cable , that would have on one hand , a generic connector for the slave connector , and on the other hand , a connector to mate with the connector of another ate . the option would permit the use of the slave connector as if it was a standard mating interface assembly to be used with such another ate . this way , ates can be used in a conventional manner . according to an embodiment , the slave connector 200 is not connected to the usual ground 250 , but rather to another reference which differs from the ground 250 from a constant voltage or a known value . generally speaking , the slave connector 200 is thus said to be electrically connected to a reference . while preferred embodiments have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings , it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure . such modifications are considered as possible variants comprised in the scope of the disclosure .
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