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in the following detailed description , reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof , and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention , and it is to be understood that structural , logical or procedural changes may be made to the specific embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the present invention provides an automated method for measuring the modulation transfer function ( mtf ) in digital imagers by measuring the amount of light received by masked and unmasked pixel cells of an imager array and calculating the mtf ( crosstalk ) of the imager . although the invention has applicability to any type of digital imager , including but not limited to ccd and cmos imagers , the principles of the invention will be described below in connection with a cmos imager . fig2 depicts a block diagram of a cmos pixel sensor test system 500 in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention . an opaque mask 202 , for example , a metal mask , is formed on an edge of pixel cell array 200 and masks a predetermined number ( e . g ., 12 ) of rows of pixel cells at the top and bottom edges of the pixel cell array 200 . opaque mask 202 is permanently formed on the pixel array 200 . in addition , the mask masks a predetermined number ( e . g ., 16 ) of columns of pixel cells at the left side and right side edges of the pixel cell array 200 . mask 202 is formed on the pixel cell array during fabrication of the cmos imager . the mask 202 may be formed on the pixel cell array 200 using photolithography and dry / wet etching , or any other method . in addition , a color filter 205 is depicted as covering the pixel cells of pixel cell array 200 enclosed within the opaque mask 202 . the use of color filters may be desirable when testing with different colors ( e . g ., wavelengths ) of light , but are not required to practice the invention . once the mask 202 is formed on the pixel cell array 200 during fabrication , light from light source 400 , which is less than the saturation light intensity , is uniformly shone over the entire pixel cell array 200 during post fabrication probe testing . the test light should be below the intensity that would cause pixel saturation since pixel saturation may cause excessive electrons on the light side to bloom into the dark side , which would distort the mtf measurement . the response is measured by reading out and measuring pixel signals on either side of a mask edge . measurements are taken of the pixel signals on both sides of the border between the masked and unmasked portion of pixel cell array 200 . measurements of multiple pixel signals on both sides of the border may also be utilized to avoid an erroneous result due to an aberration of an individual pixel cell and provide statistical significance to the measurement . when measuring multiple pixel cells on a particular side of the border , the signals of the multiple pixel cells on the same side of the border are averaged . in this border region , rather than a sharp black to white transition , a gray region is expected due to the effects of mtf . the crosstalk can be measured at the border region and used to determine the mtf of the cmos imager by techniques known in the art . it should be noted that this measurement is not limited to using pixels at all four edges of the opaque mask 202 , but rather may be performed on any part of the border between the pixel cells covered by the opaque mask 202 , and the pixel cells not covered by the opaque mask 202 . ideally , the light used to measure mtf is collimated so that crosstalk being measured at the border between the masked and unmasked pixel cells is limited to electrical crosstalk , while minimizing optical crosstalk , illustrated in fig2 a . however , the light used at probe is generally not collimated light . for best results , an initial test is performed on a pixel cell array utilizing collimated light to form a standard , or control , test result . it should be noted , however , that this test standard would be useful only for a particular batch of image sensors or for multiple batches depending on the degree with which the mtf changes between batches . the pixel cell array is then tested during probe , or some other automated process , using light that is not collimated . the test results between the test using non - collimated light and the standard are then compared . if the difference between the two tests is negligible , the measurement of mtf utilizing non - collimated light is deemed reliable . however , if the difference between the two tests is not negligible , a correlation table or scaling factor may be employed to match the mtf calculated using non - collimated light to the standard test result using collimated light . acceptable deviations can be established by the operator depending on the specific application , test conditions , etc . once the mtf is measured , correction of the test using non - collimated light may then be performed . as is known in the art , the correction algorithm involves performing an inverse mtf transform on the image . fig3 illustrates a block diagram of a cmos pixel sensor test system 500 in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the invention . this embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment ; however , a permanent opening 204 is created in mask 202 . for example , a window comprising 8 rows by 2 columns is provided in the mask 202 , exposing pixel cells generally not used in pixel cell array 200 since these pixel cells are normally covered by the opaque mask 202 . light is uniformly shone over the entire pixel cell array 200 during probe by light source 400 , as described above . a measurement of the pixel cells on both sides of the border between the masked pixel cells and the pixel cells within the 8 ร 2 unmasked portion 204 of the pixel cell array 200 is then taken to determine the mtf . it should be noted that in those instances in which a color filter 205 is used , since the color filter covers only pixel cell array 200 , the test performed in the , e . g ., 8 ร 2 section of the unmasked portion , as illustrated in fig3 , would be a black and white test . the measurement of the mtf using this unmasked area would tend to be a truer representation of the pixel cell array &# 39 ; s resolution since there would be no color filter to create distortion of the incident light . fig4 depicts a processor system 300 configured to test the modulation transfer function of an imager pixel cell array under test in the fig2 and 3 test systems . system 300 includes central processing unit ( cpu ) 302 that communicates with various devices over bus 304 . some of the devices connected to bus 304 provide communication into and out of system 300 , illustratively including input / output ( i / o ) device 306 and pixel sensor test system 500 , as illustrated in fig2 and 3 . pixel sensor test system 500 forwards to processor system 300 measurements taken during probe , which include measurements taken for calculating mtf as described above in connection with fig2 and 3 . cpu 302 then receives these measurements and calculates mtf for the pixel sensors . other devices depicted as being connected to bus 304 , including for example , random access memory ( ram ) 310 , hard drive 312 , and one or more peripheral memory devices such as floppy disk drive 314 and compact disk ( cd ) drive 316 . any one of the many storage mediums capable of being read by cpu 302 , including but not limited to floppy disk 395 and compact disk 390 , may store the test process used during operation of the fig2 and 3 pixel sensor test systems 500 . the test process may be a modified version of the existing probe test software . fig5 depicts a flowchart illustrating an operational flow of an automated test process for measuring mtf on an imager array . at segment 5510 , light is shone from light source 400 onto the masked pixel array 200 . at segment 5520 , signals generated by the masked pixel cells that are adjacent to the border between the masked and unmasked pixel cells are measured . at segment 5530 , signals generated by the unmasked pixel cells that are adjacent to the border between masked and unmasked pixel cells are measured . at segment 5540 , the cpu 302 calculates mtf based on the measurements taken . while the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific exemplary embodiments , it should be understood that many modifications and substitutions could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , although a mask 202 having specific exemplary dimensions is described in connection with the invention , it should be readily apparent that a mask of any size may be used . further , while specific test parameters and values have been identified , practicing the invention is not limited thereto . accordingly , the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims .
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with reference now to the drawings , and in particular to fig1 thereof , a new and improved educational game embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described . more specifically , it will be noted that the illustrated embodiment 10 of the invention includes a game board 12 having a race track composed of a plurality of spaced circles printed thereon . the circles are printed in three different colors , for example , circles 18 may be red , circles 20 may be blue and circles 22 may be green . thus , it may now be understood , that the race track is composed of a trail of spaced circles , each of which is printed either red , blue or green . a clock face 14 having adjustably positionable hands is disposed at an upper corner portion of the game board 12 . a plurality of variously colored game markers 16 are provided . arrows 24 direct the course of movement of the players &# 39 ; markers 16 from a starting position 26 to a finish position 28 . with reference now to fig2 a first type of cards 30 utilized in the game of the present invention are variously printed with colored circles 32 each having a color selected from one of the colors of circles printed on game board 12 . various assorted times are printed within the circle 32 on each of the cards . the words &# 34 ; on time to &# 34 ; along with a destination appropriate to the time printed within circle 32 are printed on each card . for example , the top card of the illustrated stack of cards in fig2 is printed with the time &# 34 ; 12 : 00 &# 34 ; and the destination &# 34 ; lunch &# 34 ;. fig3 illustrates a stack of various &# 34 ; penalty &# 34 ; cards 34 . the top card of the stack is a &# 34 ; late can &# 39 ; t move &# 34 ; card . various other &# 34 ; penalty &# 34 ; cards such as &# 34 ; go back two spaces &# 34 ;, etc . can be provided . fig4 illustrates a stack of a third type of card 36 utilized in the play of the game of the present invention . each card 36 has a variously colored circle 38 printed thereon . the colors of the circle 38 of each card 36 is selected as one of the three colors of the circles printed on game board 12 . various assorted times are printed within each of the circles 38 . the words &# 34 ; on time to : ?&# 34 ; are printed on each card . the manner of play of the game of the present invention will now be described . the stacks of the three types of cards , shown in fig2 fig3 and fig4 are shuffled together to form a deck of cards . the deck of cards is then turned face down on , or adjacent , the game board 12 . the first player draws a card from the top of the deck and turns it face up . if the card is of a type illustrated in fig2 the player attempts to set the hands of the clock 14 to match the time shown in the circle 32 of the card 30 . if the player sets the clock hands to the correct time , as adjudged by a referee , the player then advances his game marker 16 from the start position 26 to the next circle on the race track having the same color as circle 32 on card 30 . the next player then draws the next card from the top of the deck and turns it face up on top of the card turned by the previous player . if , for purposes of illustration , the card is a &# 34 ; penalty &# 34 ; card 34 as illustrated in fig3 then the player is assessed the penalty printed on the card . in the case of the &# 34 ; late can &# 39 ; t move &# 34 ; card 34 of fig3 the player is unable to advance his game marker pass the start position 26 . the next player then turns the next card from the top of the deck . if , for example , the card is of the type illustrated in fig4 the player attempts to set the hands of the clock 14 to the time printed in the circle 38 . if the referee judges the attempt to be unsuccessful , the player is prohibited from advancing his game marker . if , on the other hand , the player correctly positions the hands of the clock 14 , the player is then allowed to advance his game marker from the start position 26 along the race track to the next circle matching the color of circle 38 printed on the card 36 . the player may also be required to name an activity appropriate to the time printed within the circle 38 . play continues in this fashion , until a player succeeds in advancing his game marker 16 throughout the entire course of the race track to a finish position 28 . if the entire deck of cards is turned before any player reaches the finish position 28 , the cards are simply reshuffled , and play continues . it should also be mentioned that any number of game markers 16 may occupy a single circle printed on game board 12 . while the race track has been illustrated with three separate colors , it is to be understood that as many different colors as desired may be utilized . also , while three game markers 16 are illustrated , the game may be played by a larger number of players . the essential inventive concept of the present invention is the provision of a race track type board game for teaching students to read analog clocks and watches . with respect to the above description then , it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention , to include variations in size , materials , shape , form , function and manner of operation , assembly and use , are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art , and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention . therefore , the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . further , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described , and accordingly , all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to , falling within the scope of the invention .
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fig1 is a block diagram representation of one embodiment of a computer system 100 utilizing the error correction code of the present invention . in the embodiment shown , computer system 100 includes a memory 110 connected to a main storage controller ( msc ) 120 via a data bus 115 , a cache 130 connected to msc 120 via an msc - cache interface 116 , and a plurality of central processing units ( cpus ) 140 connected to cache 130 via data buses 117 . msc - cache interface 116 and data buses 117 are used to transfer data between msc 120 and cache 130 and between cache 130 and cpus 140 , respectively . transfer of data between memory 110 and msc 120 , on the other hand , occurs via data bus 115 . thus , data bus 115 facilitates the reading of data from memory 110 as well as the writing of data to memory 110 by msc 120 . a subset of the data area in cache 130 is a storage protection key area ( sp key ) 118 , which contains storage protection keys generated to assure data integrity in the cache . in accordance with the present invention , storage protection keys from key area 118 are constantly updated and stored in memory 110 , as is all data from the cache 130 . however , because storage protection keys are considered critical data that require a higher level of reliability , a more potent ecc is selected for error protection of these keys . in particular , a dec - ted code is used to correct all single or double errors , detect all triple errors and also detect a plurality of multiple errors in an encoded ecc word , as described further below . in the embodiment shown , a storage protection key consists of 7 bits . in addition , one data bit is used for encoding of the memory address parity , while another data bit is used for encoding of two special uncorrectable errors ( ues ). thus , a total of 9 data bits are required for the ecc . this leads to an ( 18 , 9 ) dec - ted code that consists of 18 bits in a code word with 9 data bits and 9 check bits . note that a special ue ( spue ) is a data validity indicator generated when the data sent out of a particular computer component to the memory is known to be bad . as the special ues come from different computer components , it is desirable to be able to identify the source that generates a particular special ue when the data associated with the special ue is fetched from the memory . fig2 shows the ecc word structure according to one embodiment of the invention . the first 7 bits ( bits 0 โ 6 ) contain the original storage protection key data . the next 9 bits ( bits 7 โ 15 ) are check bits generated from bits 0 โ 6 and bits 16 โ 17 according to the ecc equations to be described shortly . bit 16 ( spue ) is assigned for special ues . finally , an address parity bit ap ( bit 17 ) is assigned for the parity of the memory address . only the first 16 bits ( bits 0 โ 15 ) are stored in memory 110 ( fig1 ). though bits 16 and 17 are used in the generation of check bits , they are not stored in memory 110 . in reading data from memory 110 , the address parity bit ap is made available to the ecc decoder , while the value of the spue bit is assumed to be zero . if , however , the syndrome decoder to be described detects an error at bit location 16 ( assuming a bit value of zero at that location ), then it determines that the spue bit is one and that bits 0 โ 6 encode a spue . thus , even though the spue bit is not stored as such , it is effectively encoded in the 16 bits of the code word that are stored in memory 110 through its use in generating the check bits 7 โ 15 . the value of the spue bit is 0 for a valid storage protection key . a key is marked invalid when the data received from other components of the computer system is known to be bad . in such case , the value of spue is set to 1 . conventionally , plural data bits are used in order to differentiate the sources of the bad data . in the present invention , by contrast , only one data bit ( bit 16 ) is used . to identify the source of the bad data , the associated key data bits ( bits 0 โ 6 ) are modified so that different sources of bad data are represented by different pattern of bits 0 โ 6 . for example , to differentiate bad data from cache 130 from bad data from msc 120 ( fig1 ), two 7 - bit patterns ( 0000000 ) and ( 1111111 ) can be assigned to bits 0 โ 6 ( fig2 ). as an illustration , ( 0000000 ) may be assigned to be the pattern of bits 0 โ 6 and spue bit 16 set to 1 if the bad data originated from cache 130 , while ( 1111111 ) may be assigned to be the pattern of bits 0 โ 6 and spue bit 16 set to 1 if the bad data originated from msc 120 . other possible pattern pairs are ( 1010101 , 0101010 ) and ( 0001111 , 1110000 ). now suppose that one of the spue patterns is stored in memory 110 and then retrieved . in accordance with the ecc decoding method to be described , if there is no error in the memory , a unique error syndrome 010001111 is generated and the ecc decoding flags bit 16 to be in error . this indicates that the data received is associated with a spue . the pattern in bits 0 โ 6 is then used to identify the original source of bad data . if there is an error in the memory in which the spue data resided , the ecc decoding would detect the presence of two errors , one of which is a memory error and the other of which is bit 16 . the error syndrome depends on the location of the memory error . in any case , the syndrome is a double error syndrome and will be decoded as such because the code is capable of correcting double errors . again , upon the error detection of bit 16 the source of the bad data can be isolated . an ecc can be specified by a set of equations that all encoded ecc words have to satisfy . let c =( c 0 , c 1 , c 2 , . . . , c 17 ) be a 1 ร 18 row vector defining a code word . the ( 17 , 8 ) dec - ted code described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 117 , 458 is a non - primitive bch code that can be lengthened by one bit to yield a ( 18 , 9 ) dec - ted code . including the all - one 18 - bit vector in the code space does this . the ( 18 , 9 ) dec - ted code of the present invention is defined by the following two equations : c 0 ฮฒ 3 + c 1 ฮฒ 6 + c 2 ฮฒ 12 + c 3 ฮฒ 7 + c 4 ฮฒ 14 + c 5 ฮฒ 11 + c 6 ฮฒ 5 + c 7 ฮฒ + c 8 ฮฒ 2 + c 9 ฮฒ 4 + c 10 ฮฒ 8 + c 11 ฮฒ 16 + c 12 ฮฒ 15 + c 13 ฮฒ 13 + c 14 ฮฒ 9 + c 15 0 + c 16 ฮฒ 10 + c 17 ฮฒ 0 = 0 c 0 + c 1 + c 2 + c 3 + c 4 + c 5 + c 6 + c 7 + c 8 + c 9 + c 10 + c 11 + c 12 + c 13 + c 14 + c 15 + c 16 + c 17 = 0 the additions in the above equations are performed according to the rules of the finite field of 256 elements . the first equation specifies the ( 17 , 9 ) code listed on page 494 of the above - identified work of peterson et al . and guarantees that the number of nonzero terms is at least 5 for a nonzero code word . the second equation says that the number of nonzero terms in a code word is even , since each c i is binary . as explained on page 119 of the same work , combining both equations means that the number of nonzero terms of a nonzero code word is at least 6 , i . e ., the hamming distance of the code is 6 . note that the first equation involves all 17 unique powers of ฮฒ . in this first equation , the terms of the powers of ฮฒ are not arranged in a sequential order . however , the ordering is not critical ; any ordering works . the symbol ฮฒ in the above equations is a primitive root of x 17 โ 1 in the finite field of 256 elements . specifically , ฮฒ = ฮฑ 15 , where ฮฑ is a root of the binary primitive polynomial x 8 + x 7 + x 6 + x + 1 . the same code space can be defined using an irreducible polynomial . however , in practical application , the particular choice presented here has been empirically shown to lead to a simpler implementation . notice that ฮฑ is primitive element of the finite field of 256 elements , and ฮฒ is also an element of the same finite field . the above equations that define the ecc can be expressed in matrix form as ch t = 0 , where h t denotes the transpose of the matrix h : it can be shown that the code defined by matrix h is a dec - ted code . in addition , the columns of the matrix can be permuted in any order without reducing the capability of error correction and error detection . the finite field elements in matrix h can be expressed in binary vectors to facilitate implementation using digital circuitry . specifically , matrix h can be transformed into a 9 ร 18 binary matrix h 1 : the derivation of h 1 from h maybe briefly explained . assume , as before , that ฮฑ is a root of x 8 + x 7 + x 6 + x + 1 and ฮฒ = ฮฑ 15 . then a power of ฮฒ can be expressed as a polynomial in terms of the powers of ฮฑ . the coefficients of the polynomial are a binary 8 - bit vector listed in the first 8 bits of a column vector in the h 1 matrix above . now , the field element 1 corresponds to the 8 - bit vector 10000000 . the second row of the h matrix above is an all ones vector . it is translated into a 8 - row binary matrix with the first row being all ones and the rest of the rows being all zeros , which can be discarded . this explains how the original matrix is translated into a 9 - row binary matrix . however , the last row of the h 1 matrix above is not all ones . the all ones row vector has been replaced by the sum ( exclusive or ) of all 9 row vectors so that each column contains an odd number of ones . if you add all 9 row vectors together , you obtain an all ones vector . there is no difference in the spaces defined by h and h 1 . in reading data from the memory , matrix h 1 is used to check if an 18 - bit received vector r is a legitimate code word by calculating the syndrome s by the formula s = rh 1 t , where h 1 t is the transpose of the vector h 1 . vector r is assumed to be a code word if the syndrome s is an all zeros vector . if s is not an all zeros vector , the ecc decoder to be described is used to determine if r contains one or two errors and also to determine the associated error positions . the decoder is also used to determine if r contains detectable uncorrectable errors ( ues ), which include the set of all triple errors and some higher - order errors that are also detectable , though not correctible . let s =( s 0 , s 1 , s 2 , . . . , s 8 ). the received bits marked with the ones in row i of matrix h 1 are summed together using exclusive or ( xor ) operations to obtain the value of s i . specifically , the syndrome bits are obtained by the following formulas . s 0 = xor of input bits 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 17 s 1 = xor of bits 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 16 s 2 = xor of bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 s 3 = xor of bits 2 , 4 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 14 s 4 = xor of bits 0 , 4 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 s 5 = xor of bits 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 s 6 = xor of bits 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 14 , 16 s 7 = xor of bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 16 s 8 = xor of bits 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 15 , 16 . ( 2 ) let us label the columns of matrix h 1 as columns 0 , 1 , . . . , 17 . for the generation of check bits , h 1 is multiplied by the inverse of the matrix formed by its columns 7 โ 15 to obtain the matrix h 2 . notice that columns 7 โ 15 of h 2 form a 9 ร 9 identity matrix . the value of each check bit is calculated from a row vector of h 2 . let c =( c 0 , c 1 , c 2 , . . . , c 17 ) be a code word . since for a properly formed code word c , ch 2 t = 0 , each row of h 2 is in effect a statement that the xor sum of a given check bit and the data bits indicated by the ones in the row is zero or , equivalently , that the check bit is the xor sum of those data bits . given the values of bits 0 โ 6 and bits 16 โ 17 in the code word , the values of bits 7 โ 15 are calculated from the following responding to the rows of h 2 ) in terms of exclusive or operations : c 15 = xor of bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 16 , 17 . ( 4 ) to calculate the check bits above , it is not necessary to obtain an explicit value for a generator matrix g . however , it can readily be shown ( see , e . g ., chapter 3 of the peterson et al . reference identified above ) that matrix h 2 is a parity check matrix for a code having the following a generator matrix g : columns 0 โ 6 and 16 โ 17 of g form an identity matrix , while columns 7 โ 15 form the transpose of the matrix formed by columns 0 โ 6 and 7 โ 15 of h 2 . since columns 0 โ 6 and 16 โ 17 of g form an identity matrix , bits 0 โ 6 and 16 โ 17 of a code word c are simply the corresponding bits of the original data word ( hence their label as information bits ). check bits 7 โ 15 may alternatively be calculated using columns 7 โ 15 of generator matrix g ( with the bits spue and ap being regarded as bits 7 and 8 of the original data word ). since columns 7 โ 15 of g are simply the transpose of the matrix formed by columns 0 โ 6 and 7 โ 15 of h 2 , the resulting xor operations are identical to the operations ( 4 ) set forth above . as described earlier , the syndrome s of a received vector r is used in the decoding to determine the nature of the errors if s is not zero . let sp be the parity of the syndrome bits . that is , sp is the xor of all 9 syndrome bits . since each column of the parity check matrix h 1 contains an odd number of ones , an error in any one bit of the received vector r will invert ( i . e ., flip ) an odd number of syndrome bits , thereby inverting their xor sum sp . accordingly , sp = 0 if there is an even number of errors in r , and sp = 1 if there is an odd number of errors in r . thus , the decoder can easily determine whether the number of errors is even or odd . if the number of errors is odd , the decoder assumes that there is one error and it goes on to determine the single error position . on other hand , if the number of errors is even , the decoder assumes that there are two errors and it goes on to determine the locations of two errors . single error position is relatively easy to determine . if the first 8 bits of column i of h 1 are identical to the first 8 syndrome bits , then bit i is identified as the single error location . double error positions are not trivial to identify . an equation with the error locations as unknown variables has to be derived and solved . let x 1 and x 2 be two unknown variables representing the error locations in terms of the finite field of 256 elements . each variable is either a power of ฮฒ or 0 . let s 1 be the first 8 bits of the syndrome and consider s 1 as an element of the finite field . from the first row of matrix h and the equation hc t = 0 , the syndrome is related to the error locations x 1 and x 2 by the equation s 1 = x 1 + x 2 . in addition , it can be shown that error locations x 1 and x 2 are roots of x 18 โ x . that is , x 1 18 โ x 1 = 0 and x 2 18 โ x 2 = 0 . combining all these relations , it can be shown that x 1 and x 2 are solutions to the following equation with x as the unknown variable . the values of x 1 and x 2 are obtained by solving equation ( 5 ) for x . special attention is required in the case that one of the two errors is located at bit 15 , which has a 0 as the field element in matrix h . in this case , equation ( 5 ) is not used . instead , s 1 is treated as a single error syndrome , and the second error location is identified by matching s 1 with the column vectors of the first 8 rows of h 1 . let e i be the error indicator for bit i with the property that e i = 0 if bit i is not in error and e i = 1 if bit i is in error . the decoder is used to generate the values of e i for all bit positions . one decoding algorithm ( algorithm a ) is described below : 1 . if all 9 - syndrome bits are zero , there is no error and the received data is not altered . exit the algorithm . 2 . set e 15 = 1 if ( a ) s 1 = 0 and sp = 1 ; or ( b ) s 1 17 = 1 and sp = 0 , where s 1 is the first 8 bits of the syndrome s and is considered a field element , and sp is the exclusive or sum of all syndrome bits . 3 . for 0 โฆ i โฆ 17 and i โ 15 : set e i = 1 if ( a ) s 1 = column i of the first 8 rows of h 1 and s 1 17 = 1 ; or ( b ) the field element x i of column i of the first 8 rows of h 1 satisfies x i 16 s + x i s 1 16 = s 1 17 , s 1 17 โ 1 , s 1 โ 0 , and sp = 0 . 4 . set ue = 1 if ( a ) s 1 17 โ 1 , s 1 โ 0 and sp = 1 ; or ( b ) s 1 17 โ 1 , sp = 0 and there is no solution to x i 16 s 1 + x i s 1 16 = s 1 17 . if the value of e 16 obtained from algorithm a is 1 , the received data r is a spue . in this case , the data bits in bits 0 โ 6 after error correction are used to determine the nature of the spue , which results in failure isolation . the components of the 8 - bit vector s 1 17 are not independent . it can be shown that bits 0 , 1 , 2 , and 4 are linearly independent and that the remaining 4 bits can be derived from these independent bits . ( more generally , the exact positions of the independent bits depend on the polynomial defining the field , but the number of independent bits is always 4 .) thus , s 1 17 can be replaced by s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 ), which represents bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 of s 1 17 in algorithm a . these 4 bits can be obtained from the following formulas : s 1 17 ( 0 )= xor of s ( 0 ), s ( 2 ), s ( 3 ), s ( 6 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 1 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 2 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 4 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 4 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 4 ) s ( 7 ) s 1 17 ( 1 )= xor of s ( 1 ), s ( 3 ), s ( 4 ), s ( 7 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 2 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 3 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 2 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 3 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 4 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 5 ) s ( 6 ) s 1 17 ( 2 )= xor of s ( 1 ), s ( 2 ), s ( 5 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 1 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 3 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 4 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 3 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 4 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 5 ) s ( 7 ) s 1 17 ( 4 )= xor of s ( 1 ), s ( 2 ), s ( 3 ), s ( 4 ), s ( 6 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 1 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 2 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 4 ), s ( 0 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 2 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 4 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 1 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 3 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 4 ), s ( 2 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 2 ), s ( 4 ) s ( 5 ), s ( 4 ) s ( 6 ), s ( 5 ) s ( 7 ), s ( 6 ) s ( 7 ) ( 6 ) in equation ( 6 ), s ( i ) denotes bit i of the syndrome s and s ( i ) s ( j ) is the product of s ( i ) and s ( j ). one embodiment of the hardware implementation of the ecc encoding and decoding is described next . fig3 a shows an encoder 200 for ecc encoding . input data ( data in ) 210 consists of the 7 - bit storage protection key data to be encoded . two other inputs to the encoder 200 are the special uncorrectable error bit spue and the memory address parity bit ap shown in fig2 . the key data 210 is sent to a modification circuit ( data modified ) 240 that has spue as the other input . if spue is 0 , the key data 210 is not modified . on the other hand , if spue is 1 , circuit 240 modifies the key data 210 according to the pre - defined spue data patterns as described above . the output of circuit 240 appears as output data ( data out ) 220 . it is also sent to a check symbol generator 250 comprising an xor gate array containing xor circuits 260 โ 268 ( xor 0 โ xor 8 ). xor circuits 260 โ 268 generate check bits according to equation ( 4 ). thus , fig3 b illustrates the generation of check bit 0 ( bit 7 of the encoded word ) using xor circuit 260 according to equation ( 4 ). the output of the xor gate array 250 appears as check bits 230 . bits 0 โ 15 of the encoded ecc word ( bits 0 โ 17 ) consist of the output data 220 ( bits 0 โ 6 ) and check bits 230 ( bits 7 โ 15 ). as noted above , bits 0 โ 15 of the code word are stored in memory 110 , while bit 16 ( spue ) is assumed to be zero and bit 17 ( ap ) of the code word is independently regenerated when bits 0 โ 15 of the code word are later read out of the memory 110 . fig4 is a block diagram of a decoder 300 for data read from memory 110 . the received 16 - bit word is stored in an input register ( data in ) 400 , of which the first 7 bits represent the data bits and the last 9 bits represent the check bits . the entire 16 - bit word in input register 400 is sent to a syndrome generator ( syndrome gen ) 500 that has the address parity bit ap as another input . ( since spue information is not available , it is assumed to be zero .) syndrome generator 500 generates as an output all 9 syndrome bits , which are sent to a syndrome decoder ( syndrome decode ) 600 for the generation of error location indicators e i and a one - bit uncorrectable error indicator ue . the error indicators e i for 0 โฆ i โฆ 6 from syndrome decoder 600 and the 7 data bits from input register 400 are xored bitwise by a data correction circuit 700 to produce corrected output data . fig5 a shows the syndrome generator 500 . the inputs are the 16 received bits โ 7 data bits ( 0 โ 6 ) and 9 check bits ( 7 โ 15 )โ stored in input register 400 and the ap bit ( 17 ). the 9 - bit output is stored in a syndrome register ( syndrome reg ) 520 . the 9 syndrome bits are generated by xor blocks 530 โ 538 , each of which contains logic for performing an xor operation specified in equation ( 2 ). fig5 b shows , by way of illustration , the input bits ( 2 โ 4 , 6 , 11 โ 13 , ap = 17 ) for xor block 530 , which generates syndrome bit 0 . notice that bit 17 appears only once in equation ( 2 ); only xor block 530 takes ap as an input . fig6 shows the syndrome decoder 600 , which generates the error indicator e 15 as well as error indicators e i for i โ 15 in accordance with steps 2 and 3 , respectively , of algorithm a . although not shown in fig6 , syndrome decoder 600 also contains uncorrectable error ( ue ) detection logic 660 ( fig8 ) for generating an uncorrectable error ( ue ) signal indicating the presence of an uncorrectable error . in this figure , for i โ 15 , e 1 , i = 1 indicates that s 1 = column i of the first 8 rows of h 1 , while e 2 , i = 1 indicates that the field element x i of column i of the first 8 rows of h 1 satisfies the equation x i 16 s + x i s 1 16 = s 1 17 . each and block 632 โ 636 outputs the logical and of its inputs , while each or block 641 โ 643 outputs the logical or of its inputs and each inverter block 651 โ 653 ( denoted by a triangle ) outputs the logical inverse of its input . a syndrome parity bit sp is generated by an xor circuit 602 that outputs the exclusive or of all 9 syndrome bits , stored in a syndrome register ( syndrome s ) 601 . also , a vector s 1 ( 603 ) is extracted as the first 8 bits of the syndrome vector s . single error location logic 610 performs the function of matching input s 1 ( 603 ) with the column vectors of the first 8 rows of h 1 of equation ( 1 ). the output bits are single error indicators e 1 , i . fig7 illustrates by way of example the circuit for generating the single error indicator e 1 , 0 . ( the triangles in the figure denote logical inverters .) the circuit matches an 8 - bit input ( 0 โ 7 ) with column 0 of the first 8 rows of h 1 to produce an output e 1 , 0 of 1 if and only if each input bit matches the corresponding bit of that column of h 1 . logic 630 in fig6 generates as the output s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 ) for bits 0 , 1 , 2 , and 4 of s 1 17 according to equation ( 6 ). this generated output is used to represent s 1 17 . double error location logic 620 generates the double error indicators e 2 , i . the inputs to logic 620 include s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 ) from logic 630 and s 1 ( 603 ). the outputs e 2 , i of logic 620 are generated as follows . logic 620 first generates a set of comparison bits fi from syndrome bits 0 โ 7 according to the following formulas : f223 = xor of syndrome bits 0 , 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , f247 = xor of syndrome bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , f251 = xor of syndrome bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , note that the syndrome bits participating in the xor operations for f i correspond to the binary representation of the integer i . for example , the binary representation of 226 is 11100010 , and f 226 is the xor of syndrome bits 0 , 1 , 2 , 6 . logic 620 then generates a set of error values e 2 , j for 0 โฆ j โฆ 17 and j โ 15 by comparing the bits of s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 ) with selected bits fi , as indicated below . each generated error value e 2 , j is one if the bits all match and is otherwise zero . more particularly : e 2 , 0 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 183 , f 232 , f 139 , f 29 ) e 2 , 1 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 26 , f 251 , f 123 , f 18 ) e 2 , 2 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 44 , f 168 , f 199 , f 23 ) e 2 , 3 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 237 , f 206 , f 107 , f 3 ) e 2 , 4 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 192 , f 180 , f 137 , f 4 ) e 2 , 5 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 49 , f 203 , f 14 , f 85 ) e 2 , 6 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 30 , f 198 , f 30 , f 98 ) e 2 , 7 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 202 , f 184 , f 20 , f 213 ) e 2 , 8 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 226 , f 45 , f 42 , f 178 ) e 2 , 9 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 160 , f 135 , f 223 , f 142 ) e 2 , 10 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 58 , f 21 , f 182 , f 148 ) e 2 , 11 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 209 , f 145 , f 74 , f 215 ) e 2 , 12 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 210 , f 52 , f 1 , f 247 ) e 2 , 13 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 162 , f 240 , f 177 , f 190 ) e 2 , 14 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 86 , f 96 , f 234 , f 143 ) e 2 , 16 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 131 , f 204 , f 89 , f 40 ) e 2 , 17 = 1 if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( f 69 , f 50 , f 71 , f 108 ). syndrome decoder 600 combines the outputs of single error location logic 610 and double error location logic 620 to generate an error locator bit e i for each bit i , where 0 โฆ i โฆ 17 , in accordance with steps 2 and 3 of algorithm a . to accomplish this , a gate array 631 responsive to logic 630 produces a output of one whenever s 1 17 = 1 , that is , if s 1 17 ( 0 , 1 , 2 , 4 )=( 1 , 0 , 0 , 0 ). also , an or gate 641 produces a zero whenever s 1 = 0 , that is , whenever the first eight bits of the syndrome vector s are all zero . for i = 15 , in step 2 of the algorithm , if s 1 = 0 and sp = 1 , then both inputs to and gate 633 are one , causing or gate 642 to output a one to generate an e 15 locator bit . similarly , if s 1 17 = 1 sp = 0 , then both inputs to and gate 635 are one , against causing or gate 642 to output a one to generate an e 15 locator bit . in the first instance , the e 15 locator bit indicates a single error at bit location 15 , while in the second , the e 15 locator bit indicates a double error involving bit 15 and one other bit location ( as indicated by another e i ). for 0 โฆ i โฆ 17 and i โ 15 , in step 3 of the algorithm , if s 1 = column i of the first 8 rows of h 1 and s 1 17 = 1 , then logic 610 ( e 1 , i ) and logic 631 input ones to the and gate 632 for the particular i , causing the or gate 643 for the particular i to generate an e i locator bit , this time for a single error at bit location i . similarly , if the field element x i of column i of the first 8 rows of h 1 satisfies the equation x i 16 s + x i s 1 16 = s 1 17 , then logic 620 ( e 2 , i ) and and gate 634 input ones to the and gate 636 for the particular i , again causing the or gate 643 for the particular i to generate an e i locator bit , this time for a double error at bit location i and one other location ( as indicated by another e i ). fig8 shows uncorrectable error ( ue ) detection logic 660 for generating the uncorrectable error ( ue ) signal ( fig4 ). ue detection logic 660 is a part of syndrome decoder 600 . each of the and blocks 661 , 662 , and 663 outputs the logical and of its inputs and each of the or blocks 664 outputs the logical or of its inputs . nor 665 outputs the inverse of the logical or of the inputs e 2 , i from the output of logic 620 . ue detection logic 660 implements in hardware step 4 of algorithm a . thus , if ( 1 ) s 1 17 โ 1 , ( 2 ) s 1 โ 0 and ( 3 ) sp = 1 , then ( 1 ) circuit 631 outputs a zero to inverter 651 , inverter to supply a first one to and gate 661 , ( 2 ) or gate 641 supplies a second one to and gate 661 , causing that gate to supply a first one to and gate 662 , and ( 3 ) the sp line supplies a second one to and gate 662 ; all of this causes and gate 662 to input a one to or gate 664 , resulting in a one on the ue line . alternatively , if ( 1 ) s 1 17 โ 1 , ( 2 ) sp = 0 and ( 3 ) there is no solution to the equation x i 16 s 1 + x i s 1 16 = s 1 17 , then ( 1 ) circuit 631 outputs a zero to inverter 651 causing that inverter to supply a first one to and gate 663 , ( 2 ) the sp line supplies a zero to inverter 652 , causing that inverter to supply a second one to and gate 663 , and ( 3 ) logic 620 supplies all zeros to nor gate 665 , causing that gate to output a third one to and gate 663 ; all of this causes and gate 663 to input a one to or gate 664 , likewise resulting in a one on the ue line . if ( as shown in fig4 ) errors in the check bits ( 7 โ 15 ) are not corrected , the associated error locators need not be generated for this purpose . in such case , the circuits in single error location logic 610 for generating e 1 , i for 7 โฆ i โฆ 14 , as well as the circuits for generating e 15 , may be omitted . on the other hand , since step 4 of algorithm a involves all 17 e 2 , i values ( 0 โฆ i โฆ 17 , i โ 15 ), it is still necessary for double error location logic 620 to generate all of these e 2 , i values for ue detection logic 660 to fully implement this step of the algorithm . if the e 2 , i values for 7 โฆ i โฆ 14 are not generated in logic 620 , then the ue detection is reduced to determining whether s 17 โ 1 , s โ 0 and sp = 1 . the decoder 300 still provides double error correcting and triple error detecting ability . however , it does not detect as many errors beyond triple errors as the full decoder . note also that if logic 620 does generate e 2 , i values for 7 โฆ i โฆ 14 , the number of fi xor functions is reduced from 68 to 36 . thus , the overall syndrome decoding circuitry would be reduced nearly by half , but at the expense of reducing the probability of detecting four or more errors . the capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software , firmware , hardware or some combination thereof . as one example , one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture ( e . g ., one or more computer program products ) having , for instance , computer usable media . the media has embodied therein , for instance , computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention . the article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately . additionally , at least one program storage device readable by a machine , tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided . the flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples . there may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps ( or operations ) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention . for instance , the steps may be performed in a differing order , or steps may be added , deleted or modified . all of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention . while the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described , it will be understood that those skilled in the art , both now and in the future , may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow . these claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described .
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fig1 schematically illustrates a gas turbine engine 20 . the gas turbine engine 20 is disclosed herein as a two - spool turbofan that generally incorporates a fan section 22 , a compressor section 24 , a combustor section 26 and a turbine section 28 . alternative engines might include an augmentor section ( not shown ) among other systems or features . the fan section 22 drives air along a bypass flowpath b while the compressor section 24 drives air along a core flowpath c for compression and communication into the combustor section 26 then expansion through the turbine section 28 . although depicted as a turbofan gas turbine engine in the disclosed non - limiting embodiment , it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with turbofans as the teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines including three - spool architectures . the engine 20 generally includes a low speed spool 30 and a high speed spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis a relative to an engine static structure 36 via several bearing systems 38 . it should be understood that various bearing systems 38 at various locations may alternatively or additionally be provided . the low speed spool 30 generally includes an inner shaft 40 that interconnects a fan 42 , a low pressure ( or first ) compressor section 44 and a low pressure ( or first ) turbine section 46 . the inner shaft 40 is connected to the fan 42 through a geared architecture 48 to drive the fan 42 at a lower speed than the low speed spool 30 . the high speed spool 32 includes an outer shaft 50 that interconnects a high pressure ( or second ) compressor section 52 and high pressure ( or second ) turbine section 54 . a combustor 56 is arranged between the high pressure compressor 52 and the high pressure turbine 54 . a mid - turbine frame 57 of the engine static structure 36 is arranged generally between the high pressure turbine 54 and the low pressure turbine 46 . the mid - turbine frame 57 supports one or more bearing systems 38 in the turbine section 28 . the inner shaft 40 and the outer shaft 50 are concentric and rotate via bearing systems 38 about the engine central longitudinal axis a , which is collinear with their longitudinal axes . as used herein , a โ high pressure โ compressor or turbine experiences a higher pressure than a corresponding โ low pressure โ compressor or turbine . the core airflow c is compressed by the low pressure compressor 44 then the high pressure compressor 52 , mixed and burned with fuel in the combustor 56 , then expanded over the high pressure turbine 54 and low pressure turbine 46 . the mid - turbine frame 57 includes airfoils 59 which are in the core airflow path . the turbines 46 , 54 rotationally drive the respective low speed spool 30 and high speed spool 32 in response to the expansion . the engine 20 in one example is a high - bypass geared aircraft engine . in a further example , the engine 20 bypass ratio is greater than about six ( 6 ), with an example embodiment being greater than ten ( 10 ), the geared architecture 48 is an epicyclic gear train , such as a star gear system or other gear system , with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2 . 3 and the low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about 5 . in one disclosed embodiment , the engine 20 bypass ratio is greater than about ten ( 10 : 1 ), the fan diameter is significantly larger than that of the low pressure compressor 44 , and the low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about 5 : 1 . low pressure turbine 46 pressure ratio is pressure measured prior to inlet of low pressure turbine 46 as related to the pressure at the outlet of the low pressure turbine 46 prior to an exhaust nozzle . it should be understood , however , that the above parameters are only exemplary of one embodiment of a geared architecture engine and that the present invention is applicable to other gas turbine engines including direct drive turbofans . a significant amount of thrust is provided by the bypass flow b due to the high bypass ratio . the fan section 22 of the engine 20 is designed for a particular flight condition โ typically cruise at about 0 . 8 mach and about 35 , 000 feet . the flight condition of 0 . 8 mach and 35 , 000 ft , with the engine at its best fuel consumption โ also known as โ bucket cruise thrust specific fuel consumption (โ tsfc โ)โโ is the industry standard parameter of lbm of fuel being burned per hour divided by lbf of thrust the engine produces at that minimum point . โ fan pressure ratio โ is the pressure ratio across the fan blade alone , without a fan exit guide vane (โ fegv โ) system . the low fan pressure ratio as disclosed herein according to one non - limiting embodiment is less than about 1 . 45 . โ low corrected fan tip speed โ is the actual fan tip speed in ft / sec divided by an industry standard temperature correction of [( tram deg r )/ 518 . 7 )ฬ 0 . 5 ]. the โ low corrected fan tip speed โ as disclosed herein according to one non - limiting embodiment is less than about 1150 ft / second . an example geared architecture 48 for the engine 20 is shown in fig2 . generally , the engine static structure 36 supports the inner and outer shafts 40 , 50 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 50 supports the high pressure compressor section 52 and the high pressure turbine section 54 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 59 . the inner shaft 40 is coupled to the geared architecture 48 , which is an epicyclic gear train 60 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 60 includes planetary gears 64 supported by a carrier 62 , which is connected to the inner shaft 40 that supports the low pressure turbine 46 . a sun gear 66 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 64 . a ring gear 70 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 64 . in the example , a fan shaft 72 , which is connected to the fan 42 , is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 70 . the low pressure compressor 44 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 68 , which is connected to the sun gear 66 in the example . the carrier 62 is rotationally driven by the low pressure turbine 46 through the inner shaft 40 . the planetary gears 64 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 72 and low pressure compressor rotor 68 based upon the geometry ratio , which is discussed in detail in connection with fig9 a - 10 . another example geared architecture 148 for the engine 120 is shown in fig3 . the engine static structure 136 supports the inner and outer shafts 140 , 150 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 150 supports the high pressure compressor section 152 and the high pressure turbine section 154 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 159 . the inner shaft 140 is coupled to the geared architecture 148 , which is an epicyclic gear train 160 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 160 includes planetary gears 164 supported by a carrier 162 , which is connected to the inner shaft 140 that supports the low pressure turbine 146 . a sun gear 166 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 164 . a ring gear 170 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 164 . in the example , a fan shaft 172 , which is connected to the fan 142 , is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 170 . the low pressure compressor 144 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 168 , which is connected to the sun gear 166 in the example . the carrier 162 is rotationally driven by the low pressure turbine 146 through the inner shaft 140 . the planetary gears 164 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 172 and low pressure compressor rotor 168 based upon the geometry ratio . the geared architecture 148 includes an additional speed change device 74 interconnecting the inner shaft 140 and the gear train 160 . higher low pressure turbine section rotational speeds are attainable with the additional speed change device 74 , enabling the use of fewer turbine stages in the low pressure turbine section . the speed change device 74 may be a geared arrangement and / or a hydraulic arrangement for reducing the rotational speed from the low pressure turbine section 146 to the fan 142 and low pressure compressor section 144 . another example geared architecture 248 for the engine 220 is shown in fig4 . the engine static structure 236 supports the inner and outer shafts 240 , 250 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 250 supports the high pressure compressor section 252 and the high pressure turbine section 254 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 259 . the inner shaft 240 is coupled to the geared architecture 248 , which is an epicyclic gear train 260 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 260 includes planetary gears 264 supported by a carrier 262 , which is connected to the inner shaft 240 that supports the low pressure turbine 246 . a sun gear 266 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 264 . a ring gear 270 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 264 . in the example , a fan shaft 272 , which is connected to the fan 242 , is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 270 . the low pressure compressor 244 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 268 , which is connected to the sun gear 266 in the example . the carrier 262 is rotationally driven by the low pressure turbine 246 through the inner shaft 240 . the planetary gears 264 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 272 and low pressure compressor rotor 268 based upon the geometry ratio . the geared architecture 248 includes an additional speed change device 274 interconnecting the inner shaft 240 and the gear train 260 . an inducer 76 is fixed for rotation relative to the ring gear 270 . the inducer 76 is arranged in the core flow path c to provide some initial compression to the air before entering the low pressure compressor section 244 . the inducer 76 rotates at the same rotational speed as the fan 242 and provides some additional thrust , which is useful in hot weather , for example , where engine thrust is reduced . another example geared architecture 348 for the engine 320 is shown in fig5 . the engine static structure 336 supports the inner and outer shafts 340 , 350 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 350 supports the high pressure compressor section 352 and the high pressure turbine section 354 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 359 . the inner shaft 340 is coupled to the geared architecture 348 , which is an epicyclic gear train 360 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 360 includes planetary gears 364 supported by a carrier 362 , which is connected to the inner shaft 340 that supports the low pressure turbine 346 . a sun gear 366 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 364 . a ring gear 370 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 364 . in the example , a fan shaft 372 is connected to the fan 342 . the low pressure compressor 344 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 368 , which is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 370 in the example . the carrier 362 is rotationally driven by the low pressure turbine 346 through the inner shaft 340 . the planetary gears 364 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 372 and low pressure compressor rotor 368 based upon the geometry ratio . the geared architecture 348 includes an additional speed change device 374 interconnecting the inner shaft 340 and the gear train 360 . the speed change device 374 receives rotational input from the sun gear 366 and couples the fan shaft 372 to the gear train 360 , which enables slower fan speeds . another example geared architecture 448 for the engine 420 is shown in fig6 . the engine static structure 436 supports the inner and outer shafts 440 , 450 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 450 supports the high pressure compressor section 452 and the high pressure turbine section 454 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 459 . the inner shaft 440 is coupled to the geared architecture 448 , which is an epicyclic gear train 460 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 460 includes planetary gears 464 supported by a carrier 462 , which is connected to the inner shaft 440 that supports the low pressure turbine 446 . a sun gear 466 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 464 . a ring gear 470 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 464 . in the example , a fan shaft 472 is connected to the fan 442 . the low pressure compressor 444 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 468 , which is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 470 in the example . the carrier 462 is rotationally driven by the low pressure compressor 446 through the inner shaft 440 . the planetary gears 464 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 472 and low pressure compressor rotor 468 based upon the geometry ratio . the geared architecture 448 includes an additional speed change device 474 interconnecting the inner shaft 440 and the gear train 460 . the speed change device 474 receives rotational input from the sun gear 466 and couples the fan shaft 472 to the gear train 460 , which enables slower fan speeds . the inducer 476 is fixed for rotation relative to the fan shaft 472 . the inducer 476 is arranged in the core flow path c to provide some initial compression to the air before entering the low pressure compressor section 444 . the inducer 476 rotates at the same rotational speed as the fan 442 . another example geared architecture 548 for the engine 520 is shown in fig7 . the engine static structure 536 supports the inner and outer shafts 540 , 550 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 550 supports the high pressure compressor section 552 and the high pressure turbine section 554 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 559 . the inner shaft 540 is coupled to the geared architecture 548 , which is an epicyclic gear train 560 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 560 includes planetary gears 564 supported by a carrier 562 , which is connected to the inner shaft 540 that supports the low pressure turbine 546 . a sun gear 566 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 564 . a ring gear 570 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 564 . in the example , a fan shaft 572 is connected to the fan 542 . the low pressure compressor 544 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 568 , which is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 570 in the example . the carrier 562 is rotationally driven by the low pressure turbine 546 through the inner shaft 540 . the planetary gears 564 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 572 and low pressure compressor rotor 568 based upon the geometry ratio . the geared architecture 548 includes an additional speed change device 574 interconnecting the inner shaft 540 and the gear train 560 . the speed change device 574 receives rotational input from the sun gear 566 and couples the fan shaft 572 to the gear train 560 , which enables slower fan speeds . the inducer 576 is fixed for rotation relative to the fan shaft 572 . the inducer 576 is arranged in the core flow path c to provide some initial compression to the air before entering the low pressure compressor section 544 . in one example , the sun gear 566 rotates at the same speed as one of the fan shaft 572 and the inducer 576 , and the other of the fan shaft 572 and the inducer 576 rotate at a different speed than the sun gear 566 . in another example , the inducer 576 , sun gear 566 and fan shaft 572 rotate at different rotational speeds than one another through the speed change device 574 , which is another epicyclic gear train , for example . another example geared architecture 648 for the engine 620 is shown in fig8 . the engine static structure 636 supports the inner and outer shafts 640 , 650 for rotation about the axis a . the outer shaft 650 supports the high pressure compressor section 652 and the high pressure turbine section 654 , which is arranged upstream from the mid turbine frame 659 . the inner shaft 640 is coupled to the geared architecture 648 , which is an epicyclic gear train 660 configured in a differential arrangement . the gear train 660 includes planetary gears 664 supported by a carrier 662 , which is connected to the inner shaft 640 that supports the low pressure turbine 646 . a sun gear 666 is centrally arranged relative to and intermeshes with the planetary gears 664 . a ring gear 670 circumscribes and intermeshes with the planetary gears 664 . in the example , a fan shaft 672 is connected to the fan 642 . the low pressure compressor 644 is supported by a low pressure compressor rotor 668 , which is rotationally fixed relative to the ring gear 670 in the example . the carrier 662 is rotationally driven by the low pressure turbine 646 through the inner shaft 640 . the planetary gears 664 provide the differential input to the fan shaft 672 and low pressure compressor rotor 668 based upon the geometry ratio . the geared architecture 648 includes an additional speed change device 674 interconnecting the inner shaft 640 and the gear train 660 . the speed change device 674 receives rotational input from the sun gear 666 and couples the fan shaft 672 to the gear train 660 , which enables slower fan speeds . the inducer 676 is arranged in the core flow path c to provide some initial compression to the air before entering the low pressure compressor section 644 . the inducer 676 is fixed to the sun gear 666 for rotation at the same rotational speed . in the arrangements shown in fig2 - 8 , the relative rotational directions are shown for each of the fan , low pressure compressor section , high pressure compressor section , high pressure turbine section , low pressure turbine section and inducer . the geared architectures may be configured in a manner to provide the desired rotational direction for a given engine design . the example geared architectures enable large fan diameters relative to turbine diameters , moderate low pressure turbine to fan speed ratios , moderate low pressure compressor to low pressure turbine speed ratios , high low pressure compressor to fan speed ratios and compact turbine section volumes . the low pressure turbine section may include between three and six stages , for example . the rotational speeds of the sun gear , ring gear and carrier are determined by the geometry ratio of the differential gear train . the interrelationship of these components can be expressed using the following equation : x carrier is the nomograph distance of the planetary rotational axis from the sun gear axis , the relative sizes amongst the sun gear , planetary gears and ring gear for several different geometry ratios are schematically depicted in fig9 a - 9c . referring to fig9 a , the epicyclic gear train 760 includes a sun gear 766 , planetary 764 , carrier 762 and ring gear 770 that are sized to provide a geometry ratio of 3 . 0 . referring to fig9 b , the epicyclic gear train 860 includes a sun gear 866 , planetary 864 , carrier 862 and ring gear 870 that are sized to provide a geometry ratio of 2 . 0 . referring to fig9 c , the epicyclic gear train 960 includes a sun gear 966 , planetary 964 , carrier 962 and ring gear 970 that are sized to provide a geometry ratio of 1 . 5 . in the examples , the ring gear radius remains constant . fig1 graphically depicts effects of the geometry ratio on the rotational speeds and directions of the sun and ring gears and the carrier . the upper , lighter shaded bars relate to fig9 a - 9c . assuming a rotational input from the low pressure turbine to the carrier of 10 , 000 rpm , the sun gear would be driven at 15 , 000 rpm and the ring gear would be driven at 8 , 333 rpm for a geometry ratio of 3 . 0 . in an arrangement in which the fan is coupled to the ring gear and the sun gear is coupled to the low pressure compressor , like the arrangement shown in fig2 , the following speed ratios would be provided : lpt : fan = 1 . 2 , lpc : lpt = 1 . 5 , and lpc : fan = 1 . 8 . the lower , darker shaded bars relate to fig1 a - 11c . the carrier and ring gear rotate in the opposite direction than depicted in fig9 a - 9c . although an example embodiment has been disclosed , a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of the claims . for that reason , the following claims should be studied to determine their true scope and content .
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as mentioned above , vascular procedures are commonly performed throughout the world and require access to a blood vessel through a puncture or opening in the vessel . often an introducer sheath is placed in the opening to facilitate access to the vessel by one or more vascular instruments , including puncture closure devices . proper location of an artery or other lumen is typically indicated by a flow of blood through the lumen into the introducer sheath or other instrument as the instrument enters the vessel . the present invention describes methods and apparatus for sealing the vessel opening or arteriotomy following completion of a vascular procedure . the methods and apparatus may also be used , however , to close punctures caused by accidents or other injuries , and are not limited to use following a vascular procedure . the principles described herein may be used to close internal tissue punctures of any kind in any live body . therefore , while the description below is directed primarily to closing arteriotomys , the methods and apparatus may be used according to principles described herein with any bodily lumen to close a hole or puncture . as used throughout the claims and specification , the term โ sealant โ is used broadly to encompass any fluid , foam , or gel that does not require a biochemical reaction with bodily fluids to set or cure for sealing purposes . the term โ fluid โ refers to molecules of a substance that move freely past one another and have the tendency to assume the shape of its container , including liquids , foams , gels , and gasses . a โ lumen โ refers to any open space or cavity in a bodily organ , especially in a blood vessel , or a fluid passageway through a vascular device . โ aspirate โ or โ aspirating โ means to remove fluids with a suction device . the term โ vacuum โ means lower pressure than local atmospheric pressure or a device that creates a lower pressure . the words โ having โ and โ including โ have the same meaning as the word โ comprising .โ referring now to the drawings , and in particular to fig1 , an internal tissue puncture sealing apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown . as shown in fig1 , the internal tissue puncture sealing apparatus 100 includes a first thin , elongated conduit . according to fig1 , the first thin , elongated conduit is a balloon catheter 102 and includes a first central lumen 104 and first and second ends 106 , 108 , respectively . the first end 106 includes an inflation segment 112 . according to fig1 , the inflation segment 112 comprises an expandable member such as a balloon 114 that is in fluid communication with the central lumen 104 . therefore , the balloon 114 is selectively inflatable with a fluid via the central lumen 104 . the balloon 114 may be inflated by increasing the pressure of the fluid inside the central lumen 104 . for example , the second end 108 of the balloon catheter includes a syringe 116 that may be depressed to inflate the balloon 114 with saline solution . downstream of the syringe 116 is a valve 118 that selectively isolates the central lumen 104 from the syringe 116 . accordingly , when the valve 118 is open , the syringe 116 may be depressed , resulting in expansion or inflation of the balloon 114 . further , following inflation , the valve 118 may be closed , maintaining the expansion of the balloon 114 . when uninflated as shown in fig1 , the balloon 114 is coaxial and substantially flush with the central lumen 104 . the internal tissue puncture sealing apparatus 100 also includes a second thin , elongated conduit . according to fig1 , the second thin , elongated conduit comprises an introducer assembly or sheath 120 . the introducer sheath 120 has a second central lumen 122 that is receptive of the balloon catheter 102 . the introducer sheath 120 also has a distal end 124 and a proximal end 126 . the proximal end 126 includes at least one side - port 128 extending into the second central lumen 122 . according to fig1 , the side - port 128 is in fluid communication with an external valve 130 . the external valve 130 branches to a vacuum port 132 and a sealant injection port 134 . however , according to some embodiments the vacuum port 132 and sealant injection port 134 are one and the same , and thus there may be no branching . as shown in fig1 , the vacuum port 132 is in fluid communication with a vacuum source or other evacuator , for example a vacuum syringe 136 . similarly , the sealant injection port 134 is in fluid communication with a sealant supply , such as a sealant - containing syringe 138 . therefore , the external valve 130 may comprise a translucent three - way valve positionable between a first or closed position isolating both the vacuum port 132 and the sealant injection port 134 from the second central lumen 122 , a second position opening a fluid communication path between the second central lumen 122 and the vacuum port 132 , and a third position opening a fluid communication path between the second central lumen 122 and the sealant injection port 134 . details of the external valve 130 and the associated vacuum port 132 and sealant injection port 134 are shown in fig3 - 7 . the balloon catheter 102 may be inserted into the introducer sheath 120 as shown in fig2 . when the balloon catheter 102 is inserted into the introducer sheath 120 , an annulus 142 is created between the balloon catheter 102 and the introducer sheath 120 . the side - port 128 is thus in fluid communication with the annulus 142 . a stopper sleeve or spacer 140 is shown disposed over the balloon catheter 102 to limit the insertion distance of the balloon catheter into the introducer sheath 120 . the length of the spacer 140 is chosen such that the first end 106 of the balloon catheter 102 extends beyond the distal end 124 of the introducer sheath 120 by a predetermined distance . according to some embodiments , the predetermined distances is approximately 2 . 5 - 4 . 0 cm . the predetermined distance allows for the balloon 114 of the inflation segment 112 to pass into a vessel as discussed in more detail below . the spacer 140 may comprise a split tube that can be easily removed as desired . methods of closing a hole or puncture such as an arteriotomy 144 using the internal tissues puncture sealing apparatus 100 are next discussed with reference to fig3 - 8 . referring first to fig3 , the tissue puncture sealing apparatus 100 is shown with the introducer sheath 120 inserted into the arteriotomy 144 . although fig3 shows the introducer sheath 120 passing through an incision tract 146 leading to the arteriotomy 144 , according to some methods the introducer sheath 120 may be swapped with a standard introducer that may have been used to perform a vascular procedure . preferrably , however , the introducer sheath 120 is used both for introducing instruments used to perform a vascular procedure and for closing the arteriotomy 144 . with the introducer sheath 120 inserted into the arteriotomy , the balloon catheter 102 is introduced through the second central lumen 122 until the first or distal end 106 of the balloon catheter 102 , including the inflation segment 112 , extends beyond the distal tip 124 of the introducer sheath 120 and into a blood vessel 148 . the balloon 114 is in fluid communication with the first central lumen 104 . therefore , opening the catheter valve 118 ( fig2 ) and depressing the syringe 116 ( fig2 ) inflates the balloon 114 of the inflation segment 112 as shown in fig4 . to maintain the balloon 114 in an inflated posture , the catheter valve 118 may be closed . the balloon catheter 102 and the introducer sheath 120 are retracted until the balloon 114 bears against an inner wall 150 of the blood vessel 148 and seals the internal portion of the arteriotomy 144 as shown in fig4 . with the balloon 114 in place internally sealing the arteriotomy 144 , the side - port valve 130 is opened to allow fluid communication between the annulus 142 and the vacuum syringe 136 as shown in fig5 . a vacuum is created in the annulus 142 by a withdrawing a stem 152 of the vacuum syringe 136 or by some other vacuum device . as the vacuum is created in the annulus 142 and communicated to the incision tract 146 , a situs 154 of the arteriotomy 144 and is aspirated , removing fluids from the incision tract 146 via the annulus 142 . as the arteriotomy 144 is aspirated , a surgeon or other medical professional may visually inspect the fluid contents evacuated through the translucent valve 130 to assess blood flow through the arteriotomy and thereby ensure proper positioning of the introducer sheath 120 and / or the balloon 114 within the blood vessel 148 . a flow of blood may indicate that the balloon 114 is not properly sealing the arteriotomy 144 . when the surgeon is satisfied with the positioning of the introducer sheath 120 and the balloon 114 , the side - port valve 130 is toggled to create a fluid communication path between the annulus 142 and the sealant contained by the sealant - containing syringe 138 or other sealant supply as shown in fig6 . the sealant - containing syringe 138 holds a volume of sealant that is injected into the introducer sheath 120 via the side - port 128 as a stem 156 is depressed . the sealant flows through the annulus and into the incision tract 146 . further , because the incision tract 146 has been evacuated and is in a vacuum condition , the sealant is drawn through the annulus toward the arteriotomy 144 . the vacuum condition of the situs 154 external to the arteriotomy 144 causes the sealant to quickly and efficiently fill all of the voids around the arteriotomy 144 and in the incision tract 146 . preferably , the sealing - containing syringe 138 holds a volume of sealant sufficient to fill the annulus 142 and therefore the incision tract 146 . as the sealant is injected , the sheath 120 is preferably withdrawn with respect to the balloon 114 to allow the sealant to fill the incision tract 146 . therefore , in order to facilitate retraction of the sheath 120 , the spacer 140 ( fig2 ) is removed . following injection of the sealant , the sealant may be optionally activated , cured , or set . the sealant may comprise a gel or foam made of materials including , but not limited to : collagen , polyvinyl alcohol , polyethylene glycol , cyanoacrylates , chitosan , poly - n - acetyl glucosamine . unlike the materials used in previous devices , none of the materials recited herein is dependent on a biochemical reaction with blood or other bodily fluids to create a hemostatic seal . however , the gels or foams used according to some aspects of the present invention may in some cases be activated or cured by , for example , application of a second fluid , uv light , or other activation mechanisms . when the sealant is in place adjacent the exterior of the arteriotomy 144 , the balloon 114 is deflated as shown in fig7 . the balloon 114 is deflated by reopening the catheter valve 118 ( fig2 ). the stem 158 ( fig2 ) of the catheter syringe 116 ( fig2 ) may be retracted to ensure full deflation of the balloon 114 . the balloon catheter 102 and the introduction sheath 120 are retracted , with the balloon 114 sliding through the sealant . according to some embodiments , following removal of the balloon catheter and the instruction sheath 120 , manual pressure may be applied to the arteriotomy site to counteract any sealing action disruption caused by the act of pulling the balloon 114 through the sealant . however , the manual pressure is applied for only a fraction of the time allocated to traditional arteriotomy closures . for example , according the principles described herein , manual pressure may be applied following retraction of the internal tissue puncture sealing apparatus 100 for only ten minutes or less . the sealant remains in the incision tract 146 sealing the arteriotomy 144 as shown in fig8 . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art the various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention .
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processes for dispersion polymerization of tfe , alone or in combination with other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated comonomers , in aqueous media to provide colloidal particles of ptfe homopolymer and copolymers , are well known in the art . as used throughout the specification , &# 34 ; tfe dispersion polymerization &# 34 ; refers to both polymerization of tfe alone , and in combination with various suitable comonomers . exemplary suitable comonomers include perfluoro ( terminally unsaturated olefins ) of 3 to 7 carbon atoms such as hexafluoropropylene , and perfluoro ( alkyl vinyl ethers ) of 3 to 7 carbon atoms such as perfluoro ( n - propyl vinyl ether ). generally , tfe monomer , along with comonomer if desired , is admixed or contacted with an aqueous dispersion containing a polymerization initiator and a surfactant , also referred to as a &# 34 ; dispersing agent .&# 34 ; typically , monomer is introduced into the dispersion under pressure . suitable conditions for tfe dispersion polymerization include polymerization temperatures ranging from 40 ยฐ c . to 120 ยฐ c ., preferably 60 ยฐ c . to 90 ยฐ c . ; and polymerization pressures ranging from 20 to 600 psig tfe ( 138 kpa to 4140 kpa ), preferably 100 to 300 psig tfe ( 690 kpa to 2070 kpa ). polymerizations are generally carried out in a gently stirred autoclave . initiators employed are known ptfe polymerization initiators , examples of which include inorganic persulfates such as ammonium persulfate , alkali metal persulfates such as potassium persulfate , and organic perfluoroperoxides such as perfluoropropionyl peroxide . initiator can be added prior to initiation of polymerization or added in increments throughout the process of polymerization . the amount of initiator employed depends upon the temperature of polymerization , the identity of the initiator , the molecular weight of the polymer desired , and the desired reaction rate . as previously noted , relatively greater concentrations of initiator increase reaction rates , but provide shorter polymer chains , which are not desirable in many applications . for use in the improved process of the present invention , initiator concentrations can be maintained from 0 . 0001 to 0 . 10 percent by weight . preferably , initiator concentrations are maintained from about 0 . 005 to about 0 . 020 percent by weight of aqueous polymerization medium . the dispersing agents , or surfactants , employed in the improved process of the invention can be any known polyfluorinated surfactant , for example , polyfluoroalkanoic acids and salts thereof ; polyfluorosulfonic acids and salts thereof ; polyfluorophosphonic acids and salts thereof ; sulfuric and phosphoric esters of polyfluoroalkanols , and polyfluoroalkylamine salts . preferably , sodium or ammonium salts of perfluoromonocarboxylic acids having 6 - 10 carbons are employed . the most preferred surfactant is ammonium perfluorooctanoate . the dispersing agents or surfactants are employed in aqueous media at concentrations of 0 . 001 to 5 percent by weight , preferably from 0 . 01 to 0 . 3 percent by weight of medium . the process can be run in batch mode or in a continuous reactor . the rate of enhancing additives provided by the present invention are low molecular weight tertiary perfluorinated compounds of the following formula ## str2 ## wherein a is -- oh , -- cooh , -- nh 2 , or -- c ( o ) nh 2 ; and n is 0 , 1 or 2 . the rate enhancing additives are added to polymerization media at concentrations ranging from 0 . 1 to 5 percent by weight of medium , preferably at concentrations between about 0 . 2 and 1 . 0 percent by weight . the tertiary perfluorinated compounds used in the improved processes of the present invention can be prepared by methods generally corresponding to those described below for synthesis of perfluoro -( 2 - methyl - 2 - butanol ) and perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - pentanol ). 12 ml ( 0 . 11 mol ) cf 3 cf 2 i and 10 . 5 ml ( 0 . 10 mol ) cf 3 c ( o ) cf 3 were condensed into a 250 ml round bottom flask containing 75 ml dry ether cooled to 100 ยฐ c . using an isobutyl alcohol - liquid n 2 slush bath . 62 . 5 ml ( 0 . 10 mol ) of a 1 . 5m ch 3 li solution in ether were added dropwise to the flask over a period of 55 minutes to form a reaction mixture , which was maintained at - 100 ยฐ c . the reaction mixture was stirred at - 100 ยฐ c . for an additional 30 minutes and then warmed to - 10 ยฐ c . before adding 50 ml 20 % ( w / w ) h 2 so 4 . the resulting organic layer was then separated , and the remaining aqueous layer was extracted with 25 ml ether . the resulting ether extract was combined with the organic layer to provide a combined organic fraction , which was dried over mgso 4 and filtered , yielding a yellow - brown product solution . a sample of this solution was submitted for 19 f - nmr , which indicated the presence of product perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - butanol ). the solution containing product was then fractionated using a teflon ยฎ spinning band column , yielding a series of fractions boiling between 35 ยฐ c . and 89 +ยฐ c . fractions boiling between 81 ยฐ c . and 89 +ยฐ c . were analyzed by gc for the presence of the desired product . a fraction containing components boiling at 89 ยฐ c . and above was dripped into concentrated h 2 so 4 cooled to 0 ยฐ- 10 ยฐ c . product perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - butanol ) was distilled from the concentrated h 2 so 4 solution to yield fractions boiling between 61 ยฐ and 66 ยฐ c . fractions boiling above 66 ยฐ c . contained essentially pure product . the remaining fractions collected during the first fractionation at temperatures from 81 ยฐ c . to 89 ยฐ c . were combined and redistilled to provide an additional quantity of perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - butanol ). this reaction was run in a 4 - necked 250 ml round bottom flask equipped with a gas inlet tube , mechanical stirrer , thermal well , and a dry - ice / acetone condenser . 10 ml ( 0 . 10 mol ) cf 3 c ( o ) cf 3 was condensed , with stirring , into a solution of 31 g ( 0 . 105 mol ) cf 3 cf 2 cf 2 i in 75 ml dry ether , cooled to - 105 ยฐ c . to - 115 ยฐ c . using an isobutyl alcohol / liquid n 2 slush bath . 1 . 6m ch 3 li in ether ( 62 . 5 ml , 0 . 10 mol ) was added dropwise to form a reaction mixture , while maintaining the reaction temperature below - 105 ยฐ c . the reaction mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at this temperature before warming to - 10 ยฐ c . 50 ml 20 % ( w / w ) h 2 so 4 were added dropwise to the reaction mixture , and the resulting organic layer separated . the remaining aqueous layer was extracted with 25 ml ether , and the extract was added to the organic layer previously isolated to provide a combined organic product fraction . this product fraction was dried over anhydrous mgso 4 , filtered , and then fractionated , using a teflon ยฎ spinning - band column . a colorless liquid boiling between 43 ยฐ c . and 94 ยฐ c . was collected and shaken with mercury to remove traces of iodine . the liquid was cooled to about 0 ยฐ c . and 50 ml concentrated h 2 so 4 were added dropwise . this mixture was then fractionated again , and fractions with boiling points of 27 ยฐ- 35 ยฐ c ., 35 ยฐ- 50 ยฐ c ., 50 ยฐ- 59 ยฐ c ., 59 ยฐ- 75 ยฐ c ., and 75 +ยฐ c . were collected . the fractions were analyzed by gc / ms , 1 h - nmr , and 19 f - nmr for the presence of product perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - pentanol ). the fraction boiling at 75 ยฐ c . and above contained the desired product . the foregoing synthesis was repeated , except that a reaction temperature of - 85 ยฐ c . to - 80 ยฐ c . was employed , and the reaction mixture was stirred for 2 hours at - 80 ยฐ c . prior to workup . the first distillation yielded 15 g of a colorless liquid with bp 90 ยฐ- 95 ยฐ c ., which was added to 50 ml concentrated h 2 so 4 and then distilled to provide a series of fractions boiling between 85 ยฐ c . and 88 ยฐ c . those fractions boiling at about 88 ยฐ c . contained 97 - 99 % pure perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - pentanol ), as indicated by gc / ms and 19 f - nmr . the following examples illustrate particular aspects of the present invention . in the examples and comparisons , all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated , and all degrees are celsius (ยฐ c .). in examples 1 - 7 and comparisons a - e , which are summarized in table i , below , ptfe polymerizations were conducted in a sealed research reactor , with stirring at 1000 rpm , at 80 ยฐ. in examples 1 - 7 , a tertiary perfluoroalcohol was employed as a rate - enhancing additive . comparisons a - c were conducted without addition of rate - enhancing additive , comparison d was run without surfactant but with rate - enhancing additive , and comparison e was run without surfactant or additive . the results obtained indicate that substantial increases in polymerization rates can be obtained when rate enhancing additives in accordance with the present invention are added to aqueous polymerization media containing conventional surfactants . in each of the examples and comparisons , a 12 oz . ( 355 ml ) stirred paar bomb was charged with 200 ml deionized h 2 o containing a quantity of surfactant ( if employed ) and 0 . 005 g potassium persulfate ( k 2 s 2 o 8 ) as initiator . the test reactor was equipped with a constant speed stirrer , thermocouple , gas inlet tube for injection of tfe , pressure gauge inlet for initiator and surfactant solutions , external fitting for evacuation and charging with nitrogen , and an external silicone oil bath for heating . following charging with water and initiator , the system was evacuated for 5 to 10 minutes , using an oil vacuum pump . the reactor was then charged with nitrogen , and the evacuation step repeated . the reactor was then recharged with nitrogen , and a selected quantity of surfactant , prepared as a concentrated solution in deionized water , was added , together with additional water to replace any lost by evaporation . the reactor was then evacuated and recharged with nitrogen an additional three times , then filled with nitrogen and disassembled if perfluoroalcohol was to be added as a rate - enhancing additive . if so , the additive was weighed into the reactor , which was then quickly reassembled . vacuum was then applied only to a point at which the perfluoroalcohol began to boil , as indicated by formation of bubbles along the bottom surface of the reactor . at this point , tfe was added to the reaction mixture . following the final evacuation , or addition of additive followed by partial evacuation , tfe was admitted to the reactor , at ambient temperature , to provide a pressure of 50 psig ( 345 kpa ). the tfe source was then cut off , and the reactor heated to 80 ยฐ. at this temperature , the internal pressure of the reactor was approximately 65 psig ( 448 kpa ). in each experiment , a drop in tfe pressure indicated initiation of polymerization . during each experiment , tfe pressure was maintained at 60 psig ( 414 kpa ). instantaneous rates of polymerization were determined by interrupting the tfe supply for one minute and observing the resulting drop in pressure , which is proportional to the instantaneous polymerization rate . average polymerization rates were determined by measuring the quantity of solids produced during an experiment and are expressed in table i , below , as grams polymer produced per liter , per hour . polymerization experiments were terminated when the reactor contained about 6 . 5 percent ( plus or minus 0 . 5 percent ) solids , by releasing tfe pressure . the contents of the reactor were then cooled to about 23 ยฐ, and screened using a 400 mesh screen . any polymer remaining on the screen or adhering to the stirrer blades was weighed separately and recorded as coagulum . the results of examples 1 - 7 and comparisons a - e are set forth in table i , below . in the columns indicating surfactant and additive in table i , &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; refers to ammonium perfluorooctanoate , &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; refers to c 8 f 17 ch 2 ch 2 oso 2 nh 4 ( telomer b ammonium sulfonate ), &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; refers to perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - propanol ) and &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; refers to perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - butanol ). table i__________________________________________________________________________examples 1 - 7 and comparisons a - fevaluation of polymerization rates in presence and absenceof tertiary perfluoroalcohol ptfe polymerization rate enhancing agents surfaceexample or surfactant / additive / polymerization avg . rate max . rate tension coagulumcomparison amount (%) amount (%) time ( min ) ( g / hr / l ) ( psi / min ) ( dynes / cm . sup . 2 ) ( g ) __________________________________________________________________________1 a / 0 . 20 c / 0 . 25 39 117 5 . 4 47 . 5 0 . 322 a / 0 . 50 c / 0 . 10 40 102 5 . 2 46 . 2 0 . 13 a / 0 . 50 c / 0 . 25 40 122 6 . 5 41 . 5 0 . 24 a / 0 . 50 c / 0 . 50 30 154 7 . 8 40 . 5 0 . 25 a / 0 . 50 c / 1 . 00 27 159 11 . 0 34 . 8 -- 6 b / 0 . 50 c / 0 . 50 23 154 7 . 0 44 . 8 0 . 117 a / 0 . 50 d / 0 . 50 30 128 7 . 2 36 . 6 0 . 16a a / 0 . 20 none 60 69 3 . 0 62 . 5 0 . 1b a / 0 . 50 none 46 90 4 . 2 52 . 2 0 . 1c b / 0 . 50 none 73 57 3 . 5 62 . 2 0 . 28d none c / 0 . 50 23 50 3 . 0 ( all ptfe coagulated ) e none none 21 50 3 . 0 ( all ptfe coagulated ) __________________________________________________________________________
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the preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the drawings , the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings . for the purpose of clarity , a detailed description of well known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted as it may make the subject matter of the present invention unclear . fig2 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of a mobile radio communication system incorporating the present invention . referring to fig2 , a mobile communication exchange 120 performs an exchange function and interacts with another mobile communication , or the exchange 120 connects with a different communication network , such as a psdn , and controls the call termination / origination of a mobile terminal 100 . in addition , the mobile communication exchange 120 informs the charging center 130 of charging information of a telephone call , such as the subscriber &# 39 ; s number , terminating number , call start time , call termination time , discount information and so forth , when the call from the mobile terminal 100 terminates . the charging center 130 calculates and manages a telephone charge for the latest call , an accumulated telephone charge , and a total telephone charge using the charging information , then informs the respective telephone charges to the mobile communication exchange 120 . here , the management of the telephone charges is effected in such a manner that if thirty days elapses , the charging center 130 calculates the accumulated telephone charge for the calls made during the specific period for each mobile terminal subscriber , and notifies the respective mobile terminal subscriber of the total charge via mail . the bill includes a basic charge , a tax charge , and the calculated telephone charge . also , the mobile communication exchange 120 transmits to the mobile terminal 100 the telephone charging information , such as the telephone charge for the latest call , the accumulated telephone charge , and the total telephone charges that are transferred from the charging center 130 . the mobile terminal 100 receives the telephone charging information and displays the information on the display section ( not illustrated ), so that the mobile terminal subscriber can identify it . the mobile communication exchange 120 may be provided with a short message generating section 140 . this short message generating section 140 generates a short message which corresponds to the telephone charging information , such as the telephone charge for the latest call , the accumulated telephone charge , and the total telephone charge that are transferred from the charging center 130 in the form of a short message . the types of telephone charges transferred from the charging center 130 can be selectively determined according to the request by the mobile terminal subscriber . thus , different telephone charge information including the latest call , the accumulated telephone charge , and the total telephone charge can be provided to the subscriber . for instance , the mobile terminal subscriber can be provided with the accumulated telephone charge for a duration of a specified time period that he / she desires from the charging center 130 using the mobile terminal 100 . the type and the different telephone charge information transferred to the mobile terminal 100 may be predetermined or determined by the selection command from the mobile terminal subscriber . for example , the display unit of the mobile terminal can be pre - selected to display only the telephone charge for the latest call or only the total telephone charge , or both the latest call and the total telephone charge . fig3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of informing telephone charges to a mobile terminal for a telephone call and a total telephone charge call when the telephone call terminates according to the embodiment of the present invention . with reference to fig3 , the mobile communication exchange 120 detects whether the telephone call from the mobile terminal 100 terminates ( step 210 ). if the telephone call terminates , the mobile communication exchange 120 informs the charging center 130 of the charging information for the call , such as subscriber number , terminating number , call start time , call termination time , discount information , and so forth ( step 220 ). the charging center 130 calculates the charge for the latest call and adds the calculated charge to the total telephone charge ( step 230 ). the total telephone charge is calculated by adding up the accumulated telephone charge for each mobile terminal as well as the basic charge and the tax charge within a specified time period , for instance , a thirty - day period . the charging center 130 informs the mobile communication exchange 120 of the charge information for the latest call as well as the total charge ( step 240 ). the mobile communication exchange 120 receives the charge information for the latest call and the total charge , converts the received information in the form of a short message using the short message generating section 140 , and transmits the generated short message to the mobile terminal subscriber 100 ( steps 250 and 260 ). the mobile terminal 100 then receives the short message and displays the charge information of the latest call and the total charge on the lcd of the mobile phone . preferably , it may display characters such as โ charge for the latest call : 400 won , total charge : 10 , 500 won โ. accordingly , the mobile terminal subscriber can immediately confirm the charge for the latest call as well as the total charge calculated to include the latest call fig4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of informing a mobile terminal of the total telephone charge in the case that the mobile terminal requests confirmation of the total telephone charges up to now in a standby state according to another embodiment of the present invention . with reference to fig4 , if the mobile terminal subscriber intends to verify the total telephone charge up to now in a standby state , he / she can request for the total charge , for example , by sequentially pressing keys โ*โ, โ 1 โ, โ 1 โ, and โ send โ, or a specified key ( step 310 ). if the mobile communication exchange 120 receives the request for the confirmation of the total charge for the mobile terminal 100 through the base station 110 , the exchange 120 in turn requests the confirmation of the total charge of the mobile terminal subscriber to the charging center 130 ( step 320 ). the charging center 130 searches the total charging information corresponding to the requesting mobile terminal subscriber and informs the mobile communication exchange 120 of the total charging information ( step 330 ). the mobile communication exchange 120 generates a short message corresponding to the total charging information through the short message generating section 140 and transmits the short message to the mobile terminal 100 ( steps 340 and 350 ). the mobile terminal 100 receives the short message , and displays the total charge on the lcd . preferably , it may display characters such as โ total charge : 10 , 500 won ( i . e . korean currency )โ. as described above , it will be apparent that the present invention provides advantages in that the mobile terminal subscriber can be provided with an accurate telephone charge information by enabling the subscriber to immediately verify the charging information calculated by the charging center through the mobile terminal just after a telephone call . also , the mobile terminal subscriber can selectively verify at least one type of charging information out of various charging information managed by the charging center as occasion demands using the mobile terminal . while this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments which display both the charge for the latest call and the total charge or only the total charge , it is to be understood that other modifications thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . for example , the accumulated telephone charge for a specified time period desired by the mobile terminal subscriber , or another type of charge information other than the latest call and the total charge can be selectively displayed . thus , the present invention should not be limited to the disclosed embodiment but should be defined by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents .
| 7 |
in the following description , the term microbiota means all the bacterial populations present in the digestive tract of the individual . also , the term โ supplementation โ means that the amino acids are given in a proportion greater than the proportion corresponding to the requirement of a healthy man ( for threonine which is an indispensable amino acid ) or greater than the proportion corresponding to proteins usually used in products for non indispensable amino acids such as cysteine , serine and proline . proteins usually used are for example milk proteins in product intended for human and vegetables and meat proteins for products intended for pets . according to a first aspect , the composition according to the invention is supplemented with at least one amino acids selected in the group consisting of hydroxyl amino acids , sulfur - containing amino acids or heterocyclic amino acids . in a preferred embodiment , the amino acid is threonine , serine , cystein or proline or their derivatives , for example . the amount of the amino acids to be used in the composition will vary depending upon factors such as the individual &# 39 ; s condition , weight , the age , and whether the composition is the sole source of nutrition . however , as a source of hydroxyl amino acids , threonine may be added in an amount which implies a threonine intake in the range of 0 . 04 to 0 . 20 g / kg body weight / day , for example , in the same way , serine may be added in an amount which imply a serine intake in the range of 0 . 07 to 0 . 35 g / kg body weight / day ; sulfur - containing amino acids such as cysteine may be added in an amount which imply a cysteine intake in the range of 0 . 03 to 0 . 15 g / kg body weight / day ; and heterocyclic amino acids such as proline can be added in an amount which imply a proline intake in the range of 0 . 07 to 0 . 3 g / kg body weight / day , for example . those specific amino acids may be in the form of free amino acids or amino acids hydrolysates of different source of animal or plant proteins . they can be derived from a protein source enriched in those amino acids , for example whey proteins . the protein source may be in the form of intact proteins , hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed proteins or a mixture of intact and hydrolyzed proteins leading to peptides of different size . the protein source may also be enriched in form of synthetic peptides . it may also be enriched with free amino acids or entire proteins fiom natural source or synthetically peptides , or combinations thereof . such amino acids are conveniently administered in form of a product acceptable to the consumer , such as an ingestable carrier or support , respectively . examples for such carriers or supports are a pharmaceutical , galenic or a food composition . non - limiting examples for such compositions are milk , yogurt , curd , cheese , fermented milks , milk based fermented products , ice - creams , fermented cereal based products , milk based powders , infant formula , pet food , tablets , liquid bacterial suspensions , dried oral supplement , wet oral supplement , dry or wet tube feeding . accordingly , in a preferred embodiment , the invention provides a human food product that may be in the form of a nutritional formula , an infant formula , milk - based products , dairy products , cereal - based products , for example . to prepare such a food product or composition , the amino acid supplementation as described above can be incorporated into a food , such as cereal powder , milk powder , a yogurt , during its manufacture , for example . if a nutritional formula is prepared , it may comprise , apart from the amino acid supplementation as mentioned above , a source of protein , a source of fat and a source of carbohydrate . dietary proteins are preferably used as a source of protein . the dietary proteins may be any suitable dietary protein ; for example animal proteins ( such as milk proteins , meat proteins and egg proteins ), vegetable or plant proteins ( such as soy , wheat , rice or pea proteins . milk proteins such as casein , whey proteins and soy proteins are particularly preferred . the composition may also contain a source of carbohydrates and a source of fat . the fat source preferably provides about 5 % to about 55 % of the energy of the nutritional formula . the lipids making up the fat source may be any suitable fat or fat mixture . vegetable fats are particularly suitable ; for example soy oil , palm oil , coconut oil , safflower oil , sunflower oil , corn oil , canola oil , lecithins , and the like . animal fats such as milk fats may also be added if desired . the carbohydrate source preferably provides about 40 % to about 80 % of the energy of the nutritional formula . any suitable carbohydrates may be used , for example sucrose , lactose , glucose , fructose , corn syrup solids , and maltodextrins , and mixtures thereof . dietary fiber may also be added if desired . numerous types of non - digestible dietary fiber are available . suitable sources of dietary fiber , among others , may include soy , pea , oat , pectin , guar gum , and gum arabic . if used , the dietary fiber preferably comprises up to about 5 % of the energy of the nutritional formula . suitable vitamins and minerals may be included in the nutritional formula in the usual manner to meet the appropriate guidelines . one or more food grade emulsifiers may be incorporated into the nutritional formula if desired ; for example diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono - diglycerides , lecithin and mono - and di - glycerides . similarly suitable salts and stabilisers may be included . the nutritional formula is preferably enterally administrable ; for example in the form of a powder , a liquid concentrate , or a ready - to - drink beverage . the nutritional formula may be prepared in any suitable manner . for example , the nutritional formula may be prepared by blending together the source of dietary protein , the carbohydrate source , and the fat source in appropriate proportions and the supplementation in amino acids according to the invention . if used , the emulsifiers may be included in the blend . the vitamins and minerals may be added at this point but are usually added later to avoid thermal degradation . any lipophilic vitamins , emulsifiers and the lice may be dissolved into the fat source prior to blending . water , preferably water which has been subjected to reverse osmosis , may then be mixed in to form a liquid mixture . the temperature of the water is conveniently about 50 ยฐ c . to about 80 ยฐ c . to aid dispersal of the ingredients . commercially available liquefiers may be used to form the liquid mixture . the liquid mixture is then homogenized ; for example in two stages . if it is desired to produce a powdered nutritional formula , the homogenized mixture is transferred to a suitable drying apparatus such as a spray drier or freeze drier and converted to powder . the powder should have moisture content of less than about 5 % by weight . if it is desired to produce a liquid formula , the homogenized mixture is preferably aseptically filled into suitable containers as known in the art . in another embodiment , a usual food product may be enriched with the specific amino acids according to the present invention . for example , a fermented milk , yogurt , a fresh cheese , a renneted milk , a confectionery bar , breakfast cereal flakes or bars , drinks , milk powders , soy - based products , non - milk fermented products or nutritional supplements for clinical nutrition . in a further embodiment , a nutritionally complete pet food composition can be prepared . it may be in powdered , dried form , semi - moist or a wet , chilled or shelf stable pet food product . it can also be dietary supplements for pets or pharmaceutical compositions . these pet foods may be produced as is conventional . the amount of the pet food to be consumed by the pet to obtain a beneficial effect will depend upon the size of the pet , the type of pet , and age of the pet . however an amount of the pet food to provide a daily amount of about 0 . 9 g threonine per 100 g dry matter would usually be adequate , for example . an experiment showing that such a nutritional composition restores the gut microbiota ecosystem is presented in example 1 . the properties of said amino acids have then been assessed by simple experiments , which show their impact on the intestinal microbiota . the amino acid supplementation and the above products may consequently be utilized for stimulating the growth of microbiota , modulating the microbiota and restoring a healthy balance microbiota ecosystem in the gut . it is also used to reinforce the intestinal barrier and stimulate the immune defenses . thus , it helps to support the well being of individuals and / or the treatment and / or the prophylaxis of diseases . the following non - limiting examples further illustrate the invention . they are preceded by a brief description of the figure . fig1 shows the effect of amino acid supplementation on count of rat &# 39 ; s fecal enterobacteria , bacteroides , enterococci , lactobacilli and bifidobacteria expressed in cfu / g ( log ). in order to test the impact of specific amino acids towards the intestinal microbiota integrity , an in vivo experiment has been set up , wherein mixtures of four different amino acids were added as supplements in the normal diet of rats exhibiting an altered intestinal microbiota . an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota was obtained using an animal model ( dss - treated rats ) exhibiting common clinical and histopathological features with the human ulcerative colitis pathology ( gaudio et al ., 1999 ). the animal experiment was conducted as follows : male sprague - dawley rats ( n = 32 ) aged 10 months were randomly distributed into 4 experimental groups ( described below ). during an 8 days acclimatization period , rats had free access to tap water and received a control diet or diets supplemented in amino acids as described below . after this adaptation period , dextran sulfate sodium ( dss )- treated rats received 5 % dss ( w / v ) in their drinking water for the first 9 days of the experiment and 2 % dss for the following 18 days to induce a chronic colitis . i ) group โ control โ: rats were fed ad libitum with a fish - based control diet ( 12 % fish - based proteins , 8 . 2 % fat ). the control diet was balanced to meet all rat amino acid ( aa ) requirements . its threonine , cysteine , proline and serine content were the following : threonine : 5 . 7 g / kg of diet dry matter ; cysteine : 1 . 2 g / kg of diet dry matter ; proline : 4 . 8 g / kg of diet dry matter and serine : 4 . 7 g / kg diet dry matter . ii ) group โ dss โ: rats were fed ad libitum with the control diet . they received dss ( free access ) dissolved in their drinking water as previously described . iii ) group โ dss + aa dose1 โ: rats were fed ad libitum with the control diet supplemented in threonine ( 1 . 8 - fold the normal requirements , supplementation with 5 g threonine / kg diet dry matter ), cysteine ( 1 . 7 - fold the normal requirements , supplementation with 4 g cysteine / kg diet dry matter ), proline ( 1 . 9 - fold the normal composition of the diet , supplementation with 5g proline / kg diet dry matter ) and serine ( 1 . 9 - fold the normal composition of the diet , supplementation with 5 g serine / kg diet dry matter ). iv ) group โ dss + aa dose2 โ: rats were fed ad libitum with the control diet supplemented in threonine ( 3 . 6 - fold the normal requirements , supplementation with 15 g threonine / kg diet dry matter ), cysteine ( 2 . 8 - fold the normal requirements , supplementation with 7 . 2 g cysteine / kg diet dry matter ), proline ( 3 . 9 - fold the normal composition of the diet , supplementation with 15 g proline / kg diet dry matter ) and serine ( 2 . 9 - fold the normal composition of the diet , supplementation with 10 g serine / kg diet dry matter ). at the end of the experiment , fecal samples were collected from animals with a sterile spoon into sterile tubes , frozen ( liquid nitrogen ) in 10 % glycerol and then stored at โ 80 ยฐ c . until analysis . the fecal microbiota was analyzed quantitatively for enterobacteria , bacteroides , enterococci , lactobacilli and bifidobacteria species according to standard methods . bacteria were counted using selective or semi - selective media . the counts were expressed as log ( base 10 ) cfu / g feces with a lower detection limit of 3 . 30 log cfu / g and 5 . 50 log cfu / g of feces for bacteroides . data are expressed as mean ยฑ sem . one - way analysis of variance and duncan &# 39 ; s multiple - comparison test were used to determine differences in gut microbiota among the groups . a difference was considered significant at p & lt ; 0 . 05 . it will be appreciated that the skilled person may well examine other amino acids for their aptitude to impact the bacterial microbiota , by subjecting them to the conditions as detailed above or others . as shown in fig1 , the fecal microbiota was altered by the dss treatment . indeed , the enterobacteria , enterococci and lactobacilli counts were significantly decreased in dss - treated rats compared to controls while the bacteroides counts were increased . the amino acid supplementation exhibited significant effects on the count of several bacterial species . part of the intestinal microbiota affected by the dss treatment is restored with an amino acid supplementation . this study suggests that a supplementation in these specific amino acids may be beneficial for sick individuals , for example in the case ofs chronic or acute inflammation . this can be an advantage for improvement of clinical nutrition products . a nutritional composition for adult is prepared , and which contains for 100 g of powder : 15 % of protein hydrolysate , 25 % of fats , 55 % carbohydrates ( including maltodextrin 37 %, starch 6 %, sucrose 12 %), traces of vitamins and oligoelements to meet daily requirements , 2 % minerals and 3 % moisture and 0 . 75 g threonine , 1 . 35 g serine , 1 . 2 g proline and 0 . 45 g cysteine . 13 g of this powder is mixed in 100 ml of water . the obtained formula is particularly intended for restoring or promoting intestinal microbiota in adults . a nutritional composition for critically ill patients , in the case of chronic diseases impacting the gut and in elderly people that present fragile ecosystem , is prepared as in example 1 , but with a higher supplementation in the different amino acids . for 100 g of powder , this nutritional composition contains 1 . 2 g threonine , 2 . 1 g serine , 1 . 8 g proline and 0 . 9 g cysteine . the formula has the following composition ( per 100 g of powder ): total fat 27 . 7 g , total protein 9 . 5 g , total carbohydrates 57 . 9 g , threonine 0 . 50 g , cystein 0 . 22 g , serine 0 . 49 g , proline 0 . 72 g , sodium 120 mg , potassium 460 mg , chloride 330 mg , phosphorus 160 mg , calcium 320 mg , magnesium 36 mg , manganese 40 ฮผg , vitamin a 1800 iu , vitamin d 310 iu , vitamin e 6 . 2 iu , vitamin c 52 mg , vitamin k1 42 ฮผg , vitamin b1 0 . 36 mg , vitamin b2 0 . 78 mg , vitamin b6 0 . 39 mg , niacin 5 . 2 mg , folic acid 47 ฮผg , pantothenic acid 2 . 3 mg , vitamin b12 1 . 6 ฮผg , biotin 11 ฮผg , choline 52 mg , inositol 26 mg , taurine 42 mg , carnitine 8 . 3 ing , iron 3 . 1 mg , iodine 78 ฮผg , copper 0 . 31 mg and zinc 3 . 9 mg . the formula is reconstituted by mixing 129 g of powder to 900 ml of water to give 1 l of ready - to - drink preparation . the composition given above can vary to accommodate for local directives concerning the amounts of specific ingredients . other trace elements ( e . g . selenium , chromium , molybdenum , fluoride ) may be added in adequate amount according to age .
| 0 |
referring now to fig1 an intended use of the fluid condition and flow determination system of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment the fluid condition and flow determination system is adapted for use with a fluid that is in a dynamic state ( e . g ., flowing ). the system is configured to determine the flow and condition of the fluid as it passes by the sensing element of the present disclosure . of course , the system can also be used to provide fluid conditions in static states . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment the fluid condition and flow determination system is contemplated for use in a vehicular application . of course , it is also contemplated that the fluid condition and flow determination system of the present disclosure is capable of being used in numerous applications for example , industrial , oil refineries , agricultural , manufacturing , processing and any other application wherein the fluid condition and flow determination of a fluid is desired . as discussed herein fluid condition relates to specific fluid parameters including but not limited to the following : capacitance , conductivity , the presence or lack thereof of metals , biological materials and other materials and / or contaminants . as illustrated in fig1 a sensing array or sensing assembly 12 of the system is attached to and positioned within a fluid line 14 by means of a pair of connectors 16 disposed at either end of the assembly . the sensing assembly comprises a housing 18 that acts as a conduit to transfer mass between both ends of the sensing assembly . a pair of shaped electrodes or arrays 20 are positioned within the conduit defined by housing 18 . in an exemplary embodiment , the shaped electrodes comprise a wing shape ( fig2 ) and are fixedly secured within the conduit defined by housing 18 . thus , there is no movement of the conductors within the housing . the shaped electrodes or wings 20 are positioned in a parallel relationship with respect to each other in order to provide a gap disposed therebetween to measure changes in the dielectric constant and / or the conductivity of a fluid that passes through the gap . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment the shaped electrodes or wings are constructed out of a material that is non - corrosive and will not affect the performance of the sensor positioned therein . an example of such a material is 301 stainless steel , of course other materials are contemplated to be used with the sensing system of the present disclosure , such materials include but are not limited to the following ; plastics , metals and alloys . in addition , the dimension of the wings in one direction may be around 6 - 7 mm allowing for the assembly to be placed within small fluid lines . of course , and as applications vary , these dimensions may be greater or less than 6 - 7 mm . the hydrodynamic or aerodynamic configurations of the wings or shaped electrodes are predetermined and are known constants for use in formulas stored in the memory of a microprocessor adapted for use with the system . in addition , the distance between the two wings is also predetermined and is a known constant for use in formulas stored in the memory of a microprocessor adapted for use with the system . referring now to fig1 and 2 , force sensors 22 are connected to each of the electrodes in order to determine the stress at the base of these sensing parts . the value of the stresses can be correlated to the drag force of the shaped electrodes which in turn can determine the velocity of the fluid moving past them . the speed of the fluid and the information about the sectional area of the sensing housing ( e . g ., area ) determine the flow rate of the fluid by using standard equations stored in the memory of a microprocessor adapted for use with the system . this information is useful in the dynamic conditions or applications of the fluid that the fluid system is in fluid communication with . for example , in the case of fuel being supplied to an engine or other machine passing through the system , the sensing system can determine the consumption rate by determining the flow rate through the sensing assembly . of course , it is noted that the aforementioned is but an example of an intended use and the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to such an arrangement . in addition to the force sensors , pressure sensors 24 are also located on the external upper surfaces of the wing electrodes and an internal surface pressure and temperature sensor 26 is disposed within at least one if not both of the electrodes . the pressure and temperature sensors in the internal area of the array determine the pressure differential , which enables a system to determine the viscosity of the fluid . in order to determine the fluid condition , a pair of electrodes or wings 20 are disposed in a facing space relationship wherein fluid conditions can be determined by the sensors disposed on one or both of the wings 20 . for example , capacitance is determined by the parallel electrodes , as if they were two plates , using the formula c = e ( k a / d ) wherein c = capacitance in picofarads ( pf ), e = a constant known as the absolute permitivity of free space , k = relative dielectric constant of the insulating material , a = effective area of the conductors and d = distance between conductors . accordingly , and if the sensing assembly is disposed in a fuel and ethanol or some other substance is added to the fuel the added substance changes the dielectric constant of the insulating material ( k ). for example , the dielectric constant of a petroleum derived fuel is around 1 . 8 to 2 . 5 , the dielectric constant of the alcohol is around 19 , so even small quantities of ethanol in gasoline can be detected . in order to detect traces of metals or minerals , the controller or control algorithm of the ram or look up tables used with the sensing assembly will be calibrated to detect small changes in dielectric constant of the fluid being measured ( e . g ., fuels and the changes associated with different contaminants ). therefore , the changes of certain fluids associated with certain contaminants have to be characterized in order to obtain their behavior to be able to detect them . thus , fluid capacitance is determined by measuring the dielectric constant of the fluid passing between the two electrodes . also , the presence or lack thereof of metals ( e . g ., contaminants or desired materials ) in the fluid is determined by measuring the conductivity of the same . the conductivity can be determined by using high frequency signals to induce a voltage in one electrode and measure the voltage in the other electrode wherein the voltages are measured by sensors on the electrodes . also , the presence or lack thereof of biological or non - metals ( e . g ., contaminants or desired materials ) in the fluid can be determined by measuring the characteristics of the same for example , by measuring fluid capacitance , which is affected by the presence or lack thereof of certain contaminants or desired materials . these measurements are then compared to known values of known fluid to determine the presence and percentage of the materials . the sensing assembly when determining the capacitance and / or conductivity as well as the viscosity of the fluids passing through the housing uses the sensors temperature readings in order to compensate its determined values due to thermal variations of the fluid . these temperature readings will be inputted into the desired formulas wherein temperature affects the resulting value ( e . g ., viscosity ). in addition , the two wings or electrodes provide the system with a means for double checking the determined flow rate by disposing a differential pressure sensor on both electrodes wherein one sensor and one electrode is capable of determining the flow rate thus , the other is capable of providing a reference valve for comparison . each of the aforementioned sensors are connected to an electronic circuit board 28 via a signal line 30 or a plurality of signal lines 30 adapted to transmit signals of the sensors to the circuit board . of course , other means of communication of this information are contemplated to be within the scope of the present disclosure ( e . g ., optical , radio frequency and other equivalent means of signal transfer ). the electronics circuit board is sealed from the environment by a pcb seal ( glass or epoxy ), which will protect the same from contaminants in the environment which assembly 12 displaced . in one embodiment the entire assembly is placed within the fluid wherein signals are transmitted to the control module via radio frequency or other means for providing the appropriate signals to the controller . thus , if the entire assembly is placed within a fluid transfer medium the seal will protect the circuit board from the fluid . alternatively , if the conduit is attached to or comprises a portion of a fluid communication means the electronics circuit board is disposed on the exterior of the conduit , and the electric circuit board is still sealed from the environment by a pcb seal ( glass or epoxy ), which will protect the electronics circuit board from contaminants . the electronics circuit board is connected by means of a harness 32 to an engine control module 34 via a signal line 36 which processes the information and sends a signal , via a signal line 38 to a display 40 , on a dashboard of the vehicle ( not shown ) or other location if the device is used in a non - vehicular application . the signals on the display may be related to fluid condition ( such as different fuel blends or engine oil ) and fluid flow rate ( which could be translated to fuel consumption ), which are then presented in a readable format for an operator of the vehicle . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment the engine control module 34 and electronic circuit board 28 is / are an onboard chip such as a digital signal processor , capable of executing logic stored on the processor in the form of a readable computer code . the logic includes a series of computer - executable instructions , which will allow the engine control module 34 and electronic circuit board 28 to determine the fluid flow and fluid condition ( e . g ., viscosity , capacitance , conductivity etc .) of the fluid passing by the electrodes . these formula and instructions may reside , for example , in ram or look up tables of the engine control module 34 and electronic circuit board 28 . alternatively , the instructions may be contained on any equivalent data storage device with a computer readable medium , such as a computer diskette , magnetic media , conventional hard disk drive , electronic read - only memory , optical storage device , or other appropriate data storage device . the instructions and formula will also include sufficient data to determine the presence of certain materials in the fluid by measuring the dielectric constant and comparing the results to known values of the fluid thus , the presence of certain materials or lack thereof is capable of being determined by the sensing assembly of the present disclosure . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure , the electrodes are positioned within housing 18 and the plurality of sensors are positioned to obtain readings ( e . g ., force or tension , pressure , temperature , etc . ), which are related to the fluid passing by the two electrodes or wings . the readings are then inputted into a plurality of formulas stored in the memory of the electronic circuit board 28 or alternatively the engine control module 34 . the formulas are known mathematical equations that are also provided with constants , which correspond to the particular configurations of the sensing system and are necessary for providing the desired output from the formula when the required parameters are sensed . for example , the cross sectional area of housing 18 is known and stored in the data or formulas , the configuration and dimension of the wings is known and stored in the data or formulas , the type of the sensors on the wings is known and stored in the data or formulas , the distance or gap between the wings is known and stored in the data or formulas . accordingly , and once provided with the data from the sensors disposed on the wings the system will be able to determine the fluid condition and fluid flow as is passes by the sensing array . in addition , and as an alternative embodiment and wherein the system is disposed within a vehicle the executable code is adapted to only take readings when the vehicle engine is running . in one embodiment the exterior surface of the electrodes or wings 20 is smooth in order to provide a flow about the two electrodes for creating a desirable environment in which the parameters are to be measured . in an alternative embodiment , the exterior surface of the electrodes or wings 20 is configured to be rough or un - smooth . an example of a particular use is in a vehicular application wherein the sensing assembly is adapted to determine the characteristics of the fuel being supplied to the engine wherein the sensing assembly can determine the presence of fuel additives by measuring particular parameters , which are indicative of varying fuel blends ( e . g ., the presence of ethanol , or other fuel additives ) wherein the detection of such an additive is provided as a signal to the engine control module wherein the engine control module adapts the engines performance ( e . g ., varying the spark duration or timing of the spark firing ) in order to more efficiently burn the fuel . of course , the aforementioned is but an example of an intended use and the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the same . advantages of the sensing system of the present disclosure is that it operates under dynamic conditions of the fluid ( e . g ., flowing past the sensing array ) and it provides valuable information pertaining to the fluid as it is being transported to the location in which it is going to be used . in order to accommodate this , the sensing assembly is disposed with the conduit providing the fluid path of the fluid . thus , the sensing assembly is designed and constructed to have a small package that allows its installation directly on , within or part of the fluid transportation lines . the package of the sensor is designed to increase its manufacturability and eases the process of installation in fuel , oil or cooling fluid transportation lines . for example , and when the sensing assembly is used in a fuel system of an engine of a vehicle , the sensing assembly is able to provide fluid parameters to the engine control module , which may adapt the engines performance based upon the sensed parameters . in this embodiment the sensing assembly is positioned between fuel tank and fuel pump thus , the dynamic conditions of the fuel are capable of being sensed . in addition , and since the sensing assembly is measuring the fluid in a dynamic state the actual condition of the fluid ( e . g ., mixed , stirred , turbulent ) being received by the engine is being sampled by the assembly . thus , an accurate reading of the fluid characteristics is being provided . moreover , assembly can be adapted to provide continuous reading thus , as the flow rate or dynamic conditions change the assembly provides readings consumeret with such a state . additionally , the sensing assembly is also adapted to measure the condition of the fluid that may be correlated to contamination and / or change in its chemical composition . also , and since the shaped electrodes are in a fixed position , the sensing assembly has no moving parts in order to measure the fluid &# 39 ; s viscosity . while the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . furthermore , no element , component , or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element , component , or method step is explicitly recited in the claims .
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in order to overcome the prior art problems described above , a preferred embodiment method of the present invention is described by example below . assuming the configuration of the transmitting and the receiving stations is the same as that given in the prior art examples illustrated by fig5 and 6 above , i . e . the transmitter is configured by upper layers to enable the following five poll triggers : and also assuming that : โ window based โ triggers and โ timer based โ triggers are disabled , the poll prohibit function is configured with timer_poll_prohibit = 250 ms , one sdu is requested for transmission by an upper layer and an rlc transmission confirmation is requested by the upper layer when transmission of the sdu is positively acknowledged , and that the sdu is again segmented into six pdus ( having sequential sns : 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 ). as in the prior art example , in the example illustrated by fig7 , the receiving station 72 successfully receives all six pdus 700 ห 705 ( sn = 0 ห 5 ), but also sends a status pdu 706 positively acknowledging the pdus having sns = 0 ห 3 , the fourth pdu 703 ( sn = 3 ) having been received with a poll . the transmitting station 71 receives this status report 706 successfully at a time 77 before the current instance of the timer_poll function 75 expires , thereby canceling the timer_poll function 75 , thus no poll is issued at the time 76 when the timer_poll function 75 countdown was due to expire . however , when the timer_poll_prohibit function 73 expires , the transmitting station 71 finds that a delayed poll 78 ( having been triggered by a โ last pdu in buffer for first - time transmission โ trigger when pdu 705 ( sn = 5 ) was scheduled for transmission , but not sent because the timer_poll_prohibit function 73 was still active ) is awaiting transmission . again , there are no more pdus scheduled for transmission or re - transmission , and under the prior art scheme , no pdu can be scheduled because the relevant poll was not triggered by a โ poll timer โ or โ timer based โ function ( step 1007 in fig4 ). note also that , because the existing timer_poll function 75 is canceled by the status report 706 positively acknowledging the first four pdus 700 ห 703 , there is no likelihood of a suitable poll trigger occurring due to the โ poll timer โ function . hence , in the method of the present invention , upon expiration of the timer_poll_prohibit function 73 , pdu status is checked , i . e . whether there is at least one pdu that has been transmitted but not acknowledged by a status pdu . in this example , it can be seen that since transmitted pdus 704 and 705 have not been acknowledged , the test will be positive and , according to the present invention method , the transmitting station 71 will re - transmit a suitable pdu 705 a , which can be the last pdu 705 ( sn = 5 ), this being the current sn = vt ( s )โ 1 pdu with poll bit set . when the receiving station 72 receives the re - transmission of the last pdu 705 ( sn = 5 ), i . e ., the pdu 705 a , this time including a poll , the receiving station 72 will send a status report 707 to positively acknowledge the successful receipt of all pdus up to and including sn = 5 . upon receiving the status report 707 , the transmitting station 71 can send confirmation of sdu receipt to the upper layer ( not shown in fig7 ) so that the upper layer can proceed to subsequent processes , thus avoiding the deadlock situation inevitable under the prior art scheme . otherwise , as may be the case outside of the above example , if the check is negative because all transmitted pdus have been acknowledged , then no pdu will be transmitted ; this feature is capable of circumventing the transmission of superfluous polls as described below . if the receiving station 72 does not receive the retransmitted pdu 705 a ( sn = 5 ) with poll as illustrated by fig8 , or the status report 707 in fig7 gets lost during radio transmission ( not shown in fig8 ), the timer poll mechanism will ensure that a poll will be sent again by retransmission of a suitable ( e . g ., sn = vt ( s )โ 1 if no new traffic is scheduled ) pdu 705 b when a current timer_poll function 75 a expires . in the case illustrated by fig8 , this would be by retransmitting pdu 705 with poll bit set , and hence prompting the issuance of status report pdu 707 a . thus , employing the method of the current invention can circumvent the deadlock shown to occur when the prior art method is applied to such a scenario and can also circumvent the transmission of superfluous polls . the present invention method can be implemented as software or firmware in a wireless communications system , incorporated in the architecture of , for example , a monolithic communications microchip for use in the same , or realized in the structure of supporting discrete or programmable logic device ( s ). the present invention method can be summarized in the following process ( fig9 refers ): in fig9 , step 1006 in fig4 is replaced by 1006 a and there is no step 1007 shown in fig4 . thus , the process of this invention proceeds from step 1006 a to step 1008 when the checking result in step 1006 a is yes . in other words , if the polling function checked at step 1003 is triggered by polling functions other than โ poll timer โ and โ timer based โ, the system still retransmits a suitable pdu to carry the poll bit . only step 1006 a is described below since all the other steps are exactly the same as those in fig4 . step 1006 a : the system checks if there is no pdu scheduled for transmission or retransmission and there is a transmitted pdu that is not acknowledged ( neither positively nor negatively ) yet . if the checking result is yes , the process proceeds to step 1008 . otherwise , the process terminates via step 1017 . those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention . accordingly , the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims .
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the beef shelter system of the present invention creates a controlled environment that incorporates and utilizes the cattle &# 39 ; s natural behavior and herd instincts . these behaviors and instincts include : to keep their hair coats dry ( no snow or chilling rain ); to stay off frozen lumpy ground ( no bruised hooves and lameness ); to stay out of the mud ( no foot rot or hair damage ); to lie down on a dry bedding pack ( no bruising or pressure sores ); to seek a concrete free area to stand ( prevent hoof and leg stress ); and the shelter system has a roof over the entire cattle feeding area to prevent manure runoff resulting from rainfall or snow melt . certain constructional and operational features , both individually and in various combinations , are worthy of specific mention before describing in detail the specific construction shown in the drawings . these features emphasize the flexible uses of the system . according to one feature of the invention , the system provides a roof over the entire cattle feeding area so that the manure can be handled in a dry state to prevent odor and runoff that are a result of liquid manure . the system also provides a roof over the entire cattle feeding area to provide shade from the summer sun and also provides a roof over the entire cattle feeding area to keep the cattle free from rain and snow to keep their hair coat dry . the system roof also prevents the wet conditions that contribute to hatching of fly eggs and the resultant fly problems for the cattle and the surrounding area . the system also uses a designed naturally ventilation air flow caused by a chimney split in the roof cover and a draft gap in the normally north facing wall . this results in removal of moist air and replacement with dry air . according to another aspect of the present invention , it is worthy to note the structure does not have to be heated or insulated . according to another aspect of the present invention , the frame structure is placed 10 โฒ above the floor on 6 โณร 6 โณร 14 โฒ posts anchored 4 โฒ in the ground . this allows for maximum ventilation and freedom from moisture condensing on the ceiling . according to another aspect of the present invention , the frame structure as installed normally runs east and west in length and is open to the south . this allows the winter sun to stream in on the open 10 โฒ high south side . this allows the cattle to stand in the warm sunshine and keeps the 12 โฒ concrete pad along the feed bunk from freezing . in the summer time with the sun in its north axis , the cattle have complete shade and the 10 โฒ high south opening allows maximum ventilation . preferably , the frame system has a 5 โฒ rollup curtain on the west , north and east side that is down in the winter to prevent wind chill , and rolled up in the summer to allow maximum air movement due to venturi effect to prevent heat stress . according to another aspect of the present invention , the system has a one foot opening in the top of the roof of the building ( i . e . chimney split ) to allow the heat and moisture to vent out the top . this will prevent steam and moisture from collecting in the hoop frame structure , especially when used with the normally north facing wall draft gap . according to another aspect of the present invention , the shelter has a 4 โฒ awning as part of the roof on the south side that extends out over the feed bunk to prevent snow and rain from falling in the bunk and spoiling feed . according to another aspect of the present invention , the shelter has two 16 โฒ wide ร 14 โฒ high rollup doors located on the west and east side of the building . this allows easy access to the structure for bedding the pens and for cleaning the pens . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system uses steel 5 โฒ high double gate pipe gates to safely separate pens of cattle and to allow easy access to move cattle into and out of the structure . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system has water tanks located in the structure so that all cattle have easy access to protected water . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system has pens that are 80 โฒ wide to keep the cattle in small 80 head groups . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system provides 1 โฒ of bunk space for each animal and the bunk is 3 โฒ wide to allow adequate feed capacity . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system provide a 6 โณ high step in front of the feed bunk to prevent dunging in the bunk . as well the feed bunk uses a unique bracket system to allow easy board replacement , if needed . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system provides a 4 โฒ wide area of concrete that slopes away from feed bunk with a 2 โณ slope that allows the cattle hoof action to scrape the manure down to the 8 โฒ level adjoining concrete slab . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system provides an 8 โฒ wide area of level concrete between the 4 โฒ sloped concrete and the dry bedding pack . this level concrete ( drover &# 39 ; s alley ) is easily cleaned with a tractor scraper to keep manure from building up in the structure . this concrete pad is scraped clean and the manure is removed from the building to the compost pile about once every 10 days . the drover &# 39 ; s alley pen gating ( see fig1 ) and the rollup doors on the ends of the structure allow this to be a very easy one person procedure . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system uses 2โ
โณ pipe as bunk headers to allow cattle safe access to the feed bunk . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system uses 1 โณ sucker rod located 1 โฒ above the bunk header pipe to prevent cattle from jumping over and into the feed bunk . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system uses ag lime # 3 to be placed over the 24 โฒ wide ground area 4 โณ deep to seal the ground from manure penetration and to act as a moisture barrier to keep the bedding pack dry . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system uses straw , corn stover and bean stover as bedding above the limestone layer . approximately ยฝ of a 1200 # round bale of bedding is required for each animal during a 100 day feeding period . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system &# 39 ; s bedding pack is removed with a front end loader after each pen of cattle have been marketed . the bedding pack will make a dry compost and can be stacked outside the structure in a compost pile until the farmer has crop ground available to spread the dry odor free fertilizer . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system uses the bedding compost pile to compost any dead animal as fly - free , odor - free compost that can later be spread on crop ground as composted fertilizer . each of the previously discussed features and aspects are variable options that can be used singly or in combination with some or all of the other mentioned features to provide maximum operator flexibility to assure dry animals maintained in their thermo neutral zone to achieve maximum weight gain and feed efficiency . referring now more particularly to the drawings by character reference , fig1 discloses the animal shelter 10 looking at a perspective view of the south facing side . the shelter 10 is generally positioned on the ground 12 and comprises a wooden foundation perimeter frame 14 which has spaced apart frame beams 16 extending upwardly from the ground about 10 โฒ. frame posts or beams 16 are anchored 4 โฒ into the ground . this 10 โฒ spacing allows for maximum ventilation and freedom from moisture condensing on the ceiling . a one foot opening 46 a in the top of roof ( chimney split ) in the center of the building is to allow the heat and moisture to vent out the top , as later explained in conjunction with fig8 . frame beams or posts 16 have a hoop awning structure frame 18 extending upwardly from the frame beams 16 and over the top to form an awning frame extending from the south side up and across over to the north side corresponding frame beams 16 . covering 19 is extended over the awning frame and secured to it by any suitable means such as ties , snaps , hooks , etc . the covering 19 is flexible , non metal and can be a natural material such as canvas or flexible polymer plastics like polyvinyl chloride , polyester , coated or uncoated . wooden frame 14 is anchored to a substantially flat ( on the interior portion ) cement floor or concrete slab 20 . in a preferred embodiment , concrete slab 20 has an interior flat portion and extends to a sloped interior portion 22 which terminates in a stepped up exterior flat portion 24 . preferably this step is 6 โณ ( see fig2 ). this prevents animals from defecating into the feed box or bunker 26 as earlier explained . feed bunker 26 is attached to the exterior portion of frame beams 16 along the outside of the beams . in this manner , animals 28 inside of the shelter 10 can stick their heads out facing south and feed from the feed bunker 26 ( see fig4 ). again looking at the south side ( see fig6 ), the awning frame 30 extends out from the awning hoop structure 18 and over the feed bunker 26 . the awning 32 positioned on awning frame 30 is a 4 โฒ awning which actually is part of the roof on the south side and extends over the feed bunk to prevent snow and rain from falling in the feed bunk and spoiling feed . awning frame 30 has support stints 36 and 38 . in the summer the awning 32 also functions to provide shade . in the winter , it may be rolled up to provide sun into the south side for warmth . the north side also has a vertical rollup cover 39 positioned vertically up to the 10 โฒ level which may be rolled or unrolled selectively to provide warmth when it is down and ventilation when it is up . the east and west ends have two 16 โฒ wide by 14 โฒ high rollup doors 40 and 42 to allow easy access to the structure . bedding material ( not depicted ) may be placed on the limestone floor 45 . the doors 40 and 42 may be rolled up for scooping or cleaning with a front end loader after each pen of cattle has been sent to market . scooped out bedding material will make a dry compost that can be stacked outside of the structure for a compost pile available to spread on crop ground . certain constructional features relating to the position of the shelter 10 on the ground are worthy of consideration and mentioned herein . as seen in fig2 , agricultural limestone 45 is placed over a 24 โฒ wide ground area 4 โฒ deep in the building to seal the ground from manure penetration and to act as a moisture barrier to keep the bedding pack dry . the system uses straw , corn stover , and bean stover as bedding above the limestone layer . bunk header pipe 46 is attached to frame posts 16 to allow cattle safe access to the feed bunk 26 , and sucker rod 48 is positioned about one foot above header pipe 46 to prevent cattle into the feed bunk 26 . crushed rock 44 is placed 10 ft wide in front of bunk for a feed truck to drive on to deliver feed to the feed bunk 26 . the normally north facing wall is best seen in perspective in fig3 . a sectional view through it is shown in fig8 to illustrate the draft gap ( see arrow 50 ). in operation , fresh air hitting the north wall is swept through the draft gap along the line of directional arrow 50 . once inside it is swept up and through chimney split 46 due to the chimney draw effect . air coming into the large opening 46 b creates air movement to smaller opening 46 a due to the venturi effect of air picking up speed from a large opening to a small opening . one standing near the north facing wall can feel the strong air intake draft . this performs several important functions . first , any moist or steam - like air is swept up and out chimney split 46 a . secondly , dry air is swept inside the structure along the draft gap ( see arrow 50 ). third , the animals stay within the thermo neutral temperature zone and out of any wind chill , and fourth , the interior is kept dry due to the air circulation . water is removed from the surface of the earth to the atmosphere by two distinct mechanisms : evaporation and transpiration . evaporation can be defined as the process where liquid water is transformed into a gaseous state . transpiration is the process of water loss from plants through stomata . stomata are small openings found on the underside of leaves that are connected to vascular plant tissues . in most plants , transpiration is a passive process largely controlled by the humidity of the atmospheric and the moisture content of the soil . it is often difficult to distinguish between evaporation and transpiration . so we use composite term evapotranspiration . the rate of evapotranspiration at any instant from the earth &# 39 ; s surface is controlled by four factors : energy availability . the more energy available the greater the rate of evapotranspiration . it takes about 600 calories of heat energy to change 1 gram of liquid water into a gas . the humidity gradient away from the surface . the rate and quantity of water vapor entering into the atmosphere both become higher in drier air . the wind speed immediately above the surface . many of us have observed that our gardens need more watering on windy days compared to calm days when temperatures are similar . this fact occurs because wind increases the potential evapotranspiration . the process of evapotranspiration moves water vapor from ground or water surfaces to an adjacent shallow layer that is only a few centimeters thick . when this layer becomes saturated evapotranspiration stops . however , wind can remove this layer replacing it with drier air which increases the potential for evapotranspiration . water availability . evapotranspiration cannot occur if water is not available . evapotranspiration rate for any specific area of the united states may be found on the d . t . n . ag weather forecast by entering city , state and zip code . the evapotranspiration rate depends on temperature , relative humidity and wind speed . the rate is expressed per day in inches of moisture removed . the average range in the evapotranspiration rate is 0 . 00 inches to 0 . 40 inches per day . the moisture removed in the system here described that allows 40 sq . ft per animal can be calculated . for example on sunday oct . 15 , 2006 , the evapotranspiration rate in northwest iowa was 0 . 20 inches based on a temperature of 60 ยฐ f ., 40 % relative humidity and a wind speed of 10 miles per hour . 1152 cubic inches of water removed divided by 230 cubic inches = 5 gallons of water ( 0 . 10 evapotranspiration rate equals 2ยฝ gallons of water removed over 40 sq . ft . area ). assuming cattle drink 5 - 10 gallons of water per day depending on temperature and size of cattle , 60 % of that water is excreted as urine . for example , 8 gallons of water consumed ร 60 %= 4 . 8 gallons of urine produced / head / day . thus on oct . 15 , 2006 in northwest iowa with an evapotranspiration rate of 0 . 20 inches the system with a 1000 # animal would have been dry with more moisture removed than excreted . the operation of the present system is based on the evapotranspiration rate . the venturi effect and the chimney effect will create air movement in the building even when there is no wind . this adds to the drying effect . the rate of drying depends on the temperature and relative humidity . on an average day with an evapotranspiration rate of 0 . 20 inches the barn will be dry . if the rate drops below 0 . 20 inches the excess moisture and manure is removed by scrapping the concrete pad with a box scraper and adding bedding to the pack area to absorb the excess moisture and manure . as an estimated example in northwest iowa with 1000 # animal one would expect to scrape the pad on average every 10 days and add bedding on the same schedule , depending on time of year and actual evapotranspiration rate . the bedding required for a 600 head building would be approximately 500 large round cornstalk bales per year depending on size of animals and the evapotranspiration rate for the specific location . fig9 shows the details of the feed bunk brackets 52 , illustrated along the front of feed bunker 26 . bracket 52 is comprised of a base 54 which bolts or anchors to a concrete slab . at its outer end base 54 is attached to an upright post 56 , angularly disposed from the inner end of base 54 to the top of post 56 , is angular bracket 58 . bunker boards are then slid into to angular bracket 58 . they may be conveniently removed as needed for replacement boards . fig1 is a top schematic view of the drover &# 39 ; s alley configuration which may be placed within the interior of the building in order to control animal 28 movements . as shown there is one or more permanent perimeter fences 60 spaced apart and extending lengthwise which divides the interior into dry bedding pack zones 62 a , 62 b and cement floor covered drover &# 39 ; s alleys 64 a , 64 b with double hinged gates 66 , 68 . the gates 66 , 68 are mounted between the permanent fences 60 with each gate having a hinged attachment end 66 a and a distal end 66 b . the hinged attachment ends 66 a are positioned in close proximity with each other to allow each gate 66 , 68 to independently rotate through generally the same space so that each gate 66 , 68 has a first position wherein the gate 66 , 68 forms a barrier with one of the first permanent fences 60 , a second position wherein the gate 66 , 68 forms a barrier with the foundation frame 14 , and a third position wherein the gate 66 , 68 forms a barrier with the other permanent fence 60 . the gates 66 , 68 may be closed and interior confined dry bedding zone 62 shut off or opened to allow access to drover &# 39 ; s alley 64 . a barrier such as fence 70 is located between perimeter fences 60 and is used to help divide adjacent bedding zones 62 a , 62 b . as a result animals may be confined in dry bedding area 62 a , 62 b while the drover &# 39 ; s alley 641 , 64 b is conveniently cleared by a working tool such as a blade , front end loader or the like . after cleaning the double hinged gates 66 , 68 may be opened to allow cattle access to the feed bunk area adjacent the drover &# 39 ; s alleys 64 a , 64 b . it can therefore be seen that the hoop frame system creates a controlled environment . the hoop frame system has a roof providing protection from the weather elements . the system has rollup curtains for ventilation in summer and they are rolled down for protection from wind chill in winter . the system has feed bunks , water , bedding pack and a concrete scrape alley under one roof . the system has gating and rollup doors to allow access for bedding , cleaning and moving cattle . the method utilizes the steps in a hoop frame system that promotes cattle to utilize their natural instincts to seek shade , to seek out wind protection , to keep their hair coat dry , to stay off frozen lumpy ground , to lie down on a dry bedding pack , to stay in small groups and to seek a quiet protected area to ruminate and rest . the hoop frame shelter system allows cattle to be fed in a controlled environment without the associated pollution of water and air that open feedlots create with manure runoff from rain and snow melt . it therefore can be seen it accomplishes all of its intended objects .
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referring to the accompanying drawings and first to fig1 and 2 , there is shown a spike tire according to the present invention employing an actuating member consisting of a shape memory alloy of a coil form which is adapted to assume one of two different states of operation . indicated at 1 is a tire proper and at 2 are pin receptacle holes provided on the tread surface of the tire 1 , each pin receptacle hole 2 having large diameter portions 2a and 2b at its intermediate and bottom portions , respectively . a spike pin 3 which is fitted in each receptacle hole 2 is provided with a flange portion 3a at its inner end to be fitted in the large diameter portion 2b of the receptacle hole 2 , and its outer end is retractably protrudable from the receptacle hole 2 . interposed between the flange portion 3a of the spike pin 3 and a bottom surface 2c of the receptacle hole 2 is a dished spring 4 which serves as biasing means for constantly urging the spike pin 3 to protrude out of the receptacle hole 2 . the actuating member 6 of a shape memory alloy of a coil form is interposed between the flange portion 3a of the spike pin and a stopper 5 which restricts the length of protrusion of the outer end portion 3b of the spike pin . the stopper 5 consists of a flange portion 5a to be fitted in the large diameter portion 2a of the receptacle hole 2 and a cylindrical portion 5c with an annular groove 5b for receiving therein the coil - like actuating member 6 of a shape memory alloy . marginal edges at the inner open end of the annular groove 5b are abutted against the flange portion 3a of the spike pin to restrict the amount of its outward protrusion . the shape memory actuating member 6 easily yields to an external force when in plastic state at temperatures below a transformation point at which the alloy restores a memorized shape . namely , upon an increase in the temperature of the tire 1 or spike pin 3 , the actuating member 6 which has been held in a deformed shape due to its plasticity restores a memorized shape , pushing the flange portion 3a of the spike pin toward the bottom surface 2c of the receptacle hole against the biasing force of the dished spring 4 . with regard to the shape memory alloy , there have been known various kinds of alloys of this sort and it is possible to set the temperature of restoration of a memorized shape arbitrarily by varying the alloy composition . the transformation temperature of the actuating member 6 which is formed of such a shape memory alloy is determined depending upon the type of the vehicle or climate conditions of districts in which the tire is to be used . when the spike tires of the above - described construction are running on a frozen or snow - covered road surface , each actuating member 6 of a shape memory alloy is held in an easily deformable plastic state as shown in fig1 due to a temperature drop , so that it is compressedly deformed by the biasing force of the dished spring 4 . accordingly , the flange portion 3a of the spike pin 3 is pushed radially outward by the dished spring 4 to hold the spike pin 3 in a protruded position on the tread surface of the tire 1 . on the other hand , when running on a non - frozen or snow - free road , the actuating member 6 of the shape memory alloy restores a memorized shape of a stretched coil as shown in fig2 due to a temperature increase caused by the heat resulting from the cruising operation . consequently , the flange portion 3a of the spike pin 3 is pressed toward the bottom surface 2c of the receptacle hole 2 to retract the spike pin 3 into the hole 2 . fig3 illustrates a modification which employs , instead of the actuating member 6 consisting of a coil - like shape memory alloy , an actuating member 16 of a dish - like shape memory alloy with a center aperture . in this figure , the actuating member 16 is shown in a restored state exhibiting a memorized concave shape . this actuating member 16 has an advantage that it contacts the flange portion 13a of the spike pin 13 over a broad area when plasticized and flattened by the biasing force of the dished spring 14 , accelerating the heat transfer from the spike pin 13 to the actuating member 16 to ensure a quick action of the latter . although the dished spring 4 or 14 is interposed between the flange portion 3a or 13a of the spike pin 3 or 13 and the bottom surface 2c or 12c of the pin receptacle hole 2 or 12 in the foregoing embodiments , it is also possible to utilize a coil spring or the resilient restoring force of the tire rubber itself as the material of the tire 1 or 11 . in the latter case , suitable resiliency can be obtained by providing a plurality of rubber projections on the bottom surface 2c or 12c of the pin receptacle hole . referring to fig4 and 5 , there is shown another embodiment of the present invention with spike pins in protruded and retracted positions , respectively , in which indicated at 21 is a tire body proper and at 22 are pin receptacle holes which are provided on the tread surface of the tire 21 , each pin receptacle holes 22 being internally provided with a large diameter portion 22a . fitted in the pin receptacle hole 22 is a spike pin 23 having an internal guide hole 23a open at the inner end thereof and an outer end portion 23b which is retractable into the pin receptacle hole 22 . a shank portion 24a of guide pin 24 which supports and guides the spike pin 23 is fitted in the internal guide hole 23a . the spike pin 23 and guide pin 24 are provided with flanges 25 and 26 , respectively , which are opposingly received in the large diameter portion 22a of the pin receptacle hole 22 . these flanges 25 and 26 are formed with opposing flat support surfaces 25a and 26a and tapered guide surfaces 25b and 26b which are diverged in v - shape around the support surfaces 25a and 26a . provided between the flanges 25 and 26 are a ring - like actuating member 27 of a shape memory alloy which is expansible to a memorized shape , i . e ., a ring of an increased diameter which lies on the outer side of the support surfaces 25a and 26a ( fig5 ), and a spiral spring 28 which compressingly deforms and forcibly pushes the actuating member 27 into a position between the flat support surfaces 25a and 26a to protrude the spike pin 23 radially outward as soon as the actuating member 27 is plasticized . the large diameter portion 22a of the receptacle hole 22 is spread in the axial direction of the spike pin by the flanges 25 and 26 against the resilient restoring force of rubber of the tire 1 itself as shown in fig4 when the actuating member 27 is pushed inbetween the support surfaces 25a and 26a by the biasing force of the spring 28 . accordingly , when the actuating member 27 comes off the support surfaces 25a and 26a by restoration of the memorized shape as shown in fig5 the resilient restoring force of the tire rubber acts on the flange 25 of the spike pin 23 to retract the same into the pin receptacle hole 22 . when the spike tires of the above - described construction are running on a frozen or snow - covered road , the shape memory alloy of the actuating member 27 is cooled into plastic state and compressedly deformed by the biasing force of the spring 28 as shown in fig4 setting apart the flanges 25 and 26 against the resilient restoring force of the tire 1 and pushing in the actuating member 27 between the support surfaces 25a and 26a to retain the spike pin 23 in the protruded position . on the other hand , when running on a non - frozen or snow - free road , the temperature of the actuating member 27 is raised by the heat which is generated in the running tire , so that the actuating member 27 restores by itself the memorized shape of a larger diameter , disengaging from the support surfaces 25a and 26a as shown in fig5 . consequently , the spike pin 23 is retracted into the receptacle hole 22 by the resilient restoring force of the tire 21 proper . the sectional shape of the actuating member 27 is not limited to the circular shape shown , and may be formed in any other shape which is suitable for the above - described operation . further , the spring 28 may be a coil spring , a leaf spring , a spiral spring or the like . in this manner , the spike pin 23 is retained in the protruded state by pushing in the actuating member 27 of a shape memory alloy between the support surfaces 25a and 26a on the flanges 25 and 26 of the spike pin 23 and guide pin 24 securely even under a large load of a vehicle . fig6 and 7 shows another embodiment of the invention , in which indicated at 31 is a tire proper and at 32 is a pin receptacle hole which is formed on the tread surface of the tire 1 and internally provided with a large diameter portion 32a . fitted in the pin receptacle hole 32 is a spike pin 33 having an internal bore 33a formed axially from the inner end thereof and an outer end portion 33b retractably protruded from the pin receptacle hole 32 . the spike pin 33 is supported and guided by a guide pin 34 with a shank portion 34a fitted in the guide hole 33a . the spike pin 33 and guide pin 34 are provided with flanges 33c and 34b at the respective base ends , the flanges 33c and 34b being opposingly received in the large diameter portion 32a of the pin receptacle hole 32 . the shank 34a of the guide pin 34 is extended through a center aperture of a dished spring 35 which is interposed between the flange portions 33c and 34b to apply a biasing force on the spike pin 33 in a protruding direction . the biasing means which is constituted by the dished spring 35 may be replaced by a resilient member of a different type such as a leaf spring or a coil spring if desired . the outer end 33b of the spike pin 33 is connected to the outer end of the shank portion 34a of the guide pin by a meandering or coiled actuating member 36 of a shape memory alloy . part of the shape memory alloy is exposed to the outside at the outer end of the spike pin 33 . when the spike tires of the foregoing construction are running on a frozen or snow - covered road , the shape memory alloy of the actuating member 36 is cooled into plastic state so that the spike pin 33 is protruded from the surface of the tire 1 by the biasing force of the spring 35 as shown particularly in fig6 . on the other hand , on a non - frozen or snow - free road , the shape memory alloy of the actuating member 36 is warmed by the heat which is generated in the tire as a result of the running operation of the vehicle , contracting into a memorized shape of a shorter length as shown in fig7 . consequently , the spring 35 is compressed flat and the spike pin 33 is retracted into the pin receptacle hole 32 from the surface of the tire 1 . in this embodiment , the actuating member 36 is mounted in position in such a manner that part of the shape memory alloy is exposed on the surface at the outer end 33b of the spike pin 33 , so that the heat transfer from a road surface to the actuating member can be accelerated to ensure a quick response to variations in the road condition . fig8 and 9 show still another embodiment of the invention , in which denoted at 41 is a tire proper and at 42 a pin receptacle hole which is provided on a tread surface of the tire 41 . the pin receptacle hole 42 is provided with a large diameter portion 42a at the inner end thereof , and a notch 42b around its bottom surface 42c to facilitate elastic deformation of the tire rubber . fitted in the pin receptacle hole 42 is a spike pin 43 having a flange portion 43a at its base or inner end opposite a retractably protruded outer end portion 43b . a resilient member 44 is interposed between the flange portion 43a and the bottom surface 42c of the pin receptacle hole 42 to urge the spike pin 43 radially outward . the resilient member 44 which constitutes a biasing means may be substituted by a rubber strip , dished spring , ring spring , resilient synthetic resin material or the like . further , interposed between the flange portion 43a of the spike pin 43 and a stopper plate 45 fitted in abutting engagement with a stepped wall at the outer end of the large diameter portion of the pin receptacle hole 42 is an actuating member 46 consisting of a plurality of overlapped shape memory alloy members with a suitable memorized shape for setting apart the flange 43a and stopper plate 45 . the stopper plate 45 serves for increasing the contact area between the tire 41 and actuating member 46 and is in the form of a ring having a center aperture fitted on the spike pin 43 . the shape memory alloy members 46 are formed in the shape of a coil having one or more helics and used in overlapped state to provide a compact construction with a doubled stress . when running on a frozen or snow - covered road , the shape memory alloy of the actuating member 46 is cooled into plastic state and compressedly deformed by the action of the resilient member 44 to maintain the spike pin 43 in the protruded position as shown in fig8 . on the other hand , on a non - frozen or snow - free road , the shape memory alloy of the actuating member 46 is warmed by the heat which is generated in the rolling tire and restores the memorized shape as shown in fig9 pressing the flange portion 43a of the spike pin 43 radially inward against the action of the resilient member 44 and the air pressure of the tire tube . as a result , the outer end portion 43b of the spike pin 43 is retracted into the pin receptacle hole 42 under the surface 42c of the tire 41 . the notch 42b which is provided around the bottom surface 42c of the pin receptacle hole 42 facilitates the elastic deformation of the tire rubber . the above - described retractable spike pin arrangement using an actuating member consisting of a number of coil - like wires with one or more helics permits to reduce the diameters of the wire and coil to obtain a given restoring force as compared with a case using a single coil spring for the actuating member , coupled with improvements in resistance to strain and fatigue . accordingly , it becomes possible to obtain a spike tire smaller in size and which can endure hard friction and vibrations . it follows that a large number of spike pins can be driven into the surface of a tire to enhance braking characteristics on ice and snow . with the spike tires of the above - described embodiments , it is necessary to protrude the spike pins rigidly from the tread surface of the tire when running on a frozen or snow - covered road , by a length sufficient for the spike pins to penetrate a frozen or snowed road surface . however , on a non - frozen or snow - free road , the spike pins are not necessarily required to be completely retracted into the pin receptacle holes . the object of the invention can also be attained by spike pins which are arranged to retract into the tire when depressed with a relatively weak force . tables 1 and 2 below show the results of experiments conducted by the inventor , in which the spike pins of the construction shown in fig8 and 9 were attached to automobile tires of a pneumatic pressure of 1 . 8 kg / cm 2 with a force of protrusion of 20 kg and actually run on roads of various conditions . in these tables , the length of pin protrusion is indicated by way of measure from the tire tread surface , the figures with positive and negative marks &# 34 ;+&# 34 ; and &# 34 ;-&# 34 ; showing the extent of protrusion and retraction from the outer surface of the tire tread , respectively . table 1__________________________________________________________________________testing time ( min ) 0 0 - 5 5 5 - 20 20 20 - 25 25 25 - 40 40__________________________________________________________________________temp . (ยฐ c .) 1 1 1 1 1cloudyroad surface pressed pressed paved pavedcondition snow snowroad surface temp . 0 0 1 1 (ยฐ c . ) vehicle speed 60 60 60 60 ( km / hr ) temp . in tire 3 10 12 20 30tread (ยฐ c .) temp . around s . 2 6 8 23 32pin (ยฐ c . ) protrusion length + 1 . 5 + 1 . 5 + 1 . 5 + 0 . 5 - 0 . 1 ( mm ) __________________________________________________________________________ table 2__________________________________________________________________________testing time ( min ) 0 0 - 30 30 30 - 35 35 35 - 40 40__________________________________________________________________________temp . (ยฐ c .) 1 1 1 1cloudyroad surface paved pressed pressedcondition snow snowroad surface 1 1 0 0temp . (ยฐ c . ) vehicle speed 60 60 60 ( km / hr ) temp . in tire 5 31 20 18tread (ยฐ c .) temp . around s . 3 33 16 11pin (ยฐ c . ) protrusion + 1 . 5 - 0 . 1 + 1 . 2 + 1 . 5length ( mm ) __________________________________________________________________________
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referring now to fig1 block 10 depicts the computation of luminance values from color digital image data which can be rgb image data . a suitable conversion would be : block 12 depicts the computations of chrominance values from rgb image data . a suitable conversion would be : the computation of luminance and chrominance values from a color digital image is well - known to those skilled in the art and such computation need not be described further here . block 14 depicts the computation of neighborhoods of pixels which are to be processed and wherein such neighborhoods of pixels will substantially exclude pixels defining edges . this computation determines low frequency activity neighborhoods . once such neighborhood is generated for each pixel location in the 3 ร downsampled image plane , and the neighborhood is used by both chrominance planes . an activity neighborhood is represented as a multiplicity of directional activity neighborhoods ( a typical number is 8 ). block 14 is further depicted in fig2 as a sequence of four steps . block 16 depicts the computation of low frequency chrominances . an effective method is to tessellate each chrominance data plane with squares having three pixels on a side . a 3 ร downsampling of each chrominance data plane is then accomplished by replacing the nine pixels in each square with a single pixel having , as its value , a weighted average of the nine chrominance values . a typical choice for the matrix of weights is : 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 1 ๎ข in fig1 block 18 depicts the production of noise - cleaned low frequency chrominance signals in accordance with the present invention . for each pixel in each of the low frequency chrominance data planes , the low frequency chrominance values within the low frequency activity neighborhood are combined to produce a noise - cleaned low frequency chrominance value . block 18 is further depicted in fig3 as a sequence of three steps . block 20 depicts the upsampling of noise - cleaned chrominance values . each noise - cleaned low frequency chrominance data plane is upsampled 3 ร using bilinear interpolation . these noise - cleaned chrominance data planes and the luminance data plane from block 10 all have the same dimensions . block 22 ( fig1 ) depicts the conversion of luminance and noise - cleaned chrominances into noise - cleaned rgb image data , using the inverse of the transformations performed in block 10 and block 12 : referring now to fig2 where block 14 is shown in greater detail , block 30 depicts the computation of activity values . in this example , edge information is used to bound a computed neighborhood of pixels . for each pixel there is an activity value that depends on nearby luminance and chrominance values . for each of the three data planes , a horizontal and vertical activity value is computed by taking weighted sums of data . the horizontal and vertical weight kernels are shown in fig4 a and 4 b , respectively . the absolute values of the resulting six values are added together and the result is the activity value of the current pixel . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , that fig4 a and 4 b are low frequency edge detection kernels that are used in block 30 for computing activity values . in fig2 block 32 depicts the computation of low frequency activity vectors . the process begins by tessellating the activity value data plane with squares having three pixels on a side . for each 3 ร 3 square , an activity vector is created having three components . the first component is the activity value found in the center of the 3 ร 3 square . the second component is the second smallest of the nine activity values found in the 3 ร 3 square . the third component is the second largest of the nine activity values found in the 3 ร 3 square . the three components of the low frequency activity vectors can be considered to be trend numbers . these trend numbers are used in block 34 to determine the neighborhood of pixels . in this example a desired characteristic of the neighborhood of pixels is that they are bounded by edges . as will be explained , other image characteristics can also be used in accordance with the present invention to bound a neighborhood of pixels . more particularly , the trend numbers are used to define the maximum number of pixels in a plurality of directions from the pixel of interest . this results in determination of the neighborhood of pixels which includes the maximum number of pixels identified . this is shown in fig5 . block 34 depicts the computation of directional low frequency activity neighborhoods . the depicted preferred embodiment utilizes 8 directions as depicted in fig5 although it is understood that a different number of directions might be used instead . for any selected pixel , let a 0 denote the first component of its activity vector . from the selected pixel , 8 directional low frequency activity neighborhoods are generated as follows . beginning at the selected pixel and proceeding in a particular direction , inspect the next pixel and let a 0 and a hi denote the second and third components of its activity vector , respectively . if both absolute values , abs ( a 0 โ a lo ) and abs ( a 0 โ a hi ), are less than or equal to a preset threshold t ( e . g . 60 for a 12 - bit image ), then this pixel is accepted as a member of the directional low frequency activity neighborhood and the process continues with the next pixel in the same direction . if either absolute value exceeds t , the pixel is rejected and the process for that particular direction stops . the process is also stopped when the neighborhood reaches a preset maximum number of members ( e . g . 10 pixels ). because directional low frequency activity neighborhoods do not include the original selected pixel , it is possible for them to be empty . finally , block 36 of fig2 depicts the computation of low frequency activity neighborhoods . the selected pixel together with all of the directional low frequency activity neighborhoods comprise the low frequency activity neighborhood of the selected pixel . block 14 is particularly suitable for use in ensuring that the neighborhood of pixels do not include edges . neighborhood of pixels can not only be based upon excluding edges but also can be used so as only to include key colors such as flesh , sky , foliage and grass . moreover , the neighborhood of pixels can be used to include only texture and untextured regions such as clothing , hair and masonry work or highlights and shadows . still further , other special objects of interest such as human faces , automotive vehicles and text can be used . referring now to fig3 block 40 depicts the computation of weighted chrominance values for the directional low frequency activity neighborhoods . for each direction , consider the pixels in the corresponding activity neighborhood . each pixel has a low frequency chrominance value which is multiplied by a weight which is determined by the pixel &# 39 ; s position in the neighborhood . if cjk is the kth chrominance value in the jth directional activity neighborhood , and if wk is the weight corresponding to the kth position , then cj is the weighted average chrominance value for the jth directional activity neighborhood , and its value is computed according to : cj = ( โ k ๎ข ๎ข cjkwk ) / ( โ k ๎ข ๎ข wk ) this set of weights shows all points in the directional activity neighborhood getting a weigh of one except the most distant pixel which gets a weight of zero . it is understood that other weight assignments are possible . block 42 in fig3 depicts the filtration of weighted chrominance values . for each chrominance data plane , the weighted chrominance values from block 42 are sorted by size . the highest and lowest values are discarded and the remaining chrominance values , together with the sums of their weights , are passed to block 44 . if there are fewer than three non - empty directional neighborhoods , the filtration process will pass no filtered chrominance values at all . the filtration process is done separately for each chrominance data plane . finally , block 44 of fig3 depicts the combination of pixel chrominances with the filtered chrominance values from block 42 . the filtered chrominance values are weighted by their individual sum of weights and combined with the selected pixel &# 39 ; s chrominance value with a weight of unity . the result is a noise - cleaned low frequency chrominance value for the selected pixel . this process is done separately for both chrominance data planes . if there no filtered chrominance values are passed in from block 42 , then no change is made to the chrominance values at the selected pixel . it will be understood by one skilled in the art that the present invention can be used as part of a digital image processing chain and that it can be put in sequence with other image processing steps . the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention . 18 block depicting production of noise - cleaned low frequency chrominance signals 34 block depicting computation of directional low frequency activity neighborhoods 44 block depicting combination of pixel chrominances with filtered chrominance values from block 42
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referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention , and particularly to fig3 it will be seen that the novel packaging insert embodying features of the invention and indicated generally at i may be formed from a unitary blank b of foldable sheet material , such as paperboard , illustrated in fig5 . packaging insert i includes an outer frame structure 10 comprised of a plurality of hollow side walls 10a joined to each other at their ends , and a transversely extending deck structure 12 which includes a plurality of generally pie - shaped section 12a , which cooperate with each other to form a platform within the area surrounded by frame structure 10 . each of the side walls 10a , as best seen in fig3 includes an intermediate panel 20 ; a first edge panel 22 joined at an inner edge along fold line 21 to an adjacent edge of intermediate panel 20 ; an outer panel 24 , joined at one edge along fold line 25 to an adjacent edge of edge panel 22 ; a second edge panel 26 , joined along a fold line 27 to a related edge of outer panel 24 ; and an inner panel 28 joined at one edge on a fold line 29 to a related edge of second edge panel 26 . portions of the side walls 10a are foldably joined to each other . as best seen in fig5 adjacent edges of intermediate panels 20 are joined to each other on fold lines 21 , and adjacent edges of inner panels 28 are foldably joined to each other on fold lines 21a . again referring to both fig3 and 5 , it will be seen that at each end of the blank b inner panels 28 are provided with outwardly projecting lock tabs 30 , each of which has a recess 31 , which are adapted to interlock with each other to join the free corners of the insert i , as best seen in fig1 and 2 . it will also be noted , from an examination of fig5 that each set of first edge panel 22 , outer panel 24 , and second edge panel 26 is separated from adjacent corresponding panels by a cut line 21b . it will be noted that each cut line 21b is an extension of or aligned with related fold lines 21 and 21a . as best seen in fig4 and 5 each of the intermediate panels 20 is provided with a lock flap 32 which is cut from the material of the panel 20 along a u - shaped cut line 35 . as best seen in fig4 when flap 32 is folded out of the plane of panel 20 there is formed in panel 20 an opening or recess 37 , the purpose of which is described later in the specification . each flap 32 is joined to panel 20 on fold line 33 . again referring to fig3 it will be seen that the deck structure 12 includes a plurality of similar pie - shaped sections 12a which are positioned adjacent each other to form a deck or platform and to occupy the space surrounded by the frame structure 10 . each of the deck sections 12a includes a generally pie - shaped main panel 40 which is foldably joined at its outer edge , along a pair of spaced fold lines 41 , to an adjacent edge of a related inner panel 28 . at its inner edges , each main panel 40 is provided with a pair of flanges or feet 42 which are foldably joined , along fold lines 43 , to the edges of main panel 40 and which are disposed to extend normal thereto in face - to - face relation with similar flanges or feet 42 of adjacent main panels . again referring to fig5 it will be seen that each of the main panels 40 is provided with an outwardly extending projection 44 which is cut from material of adjacent inner panel 28 and defined by a cut line 45 . again referring to fig4 it will be seen that an opening 47 is provided in each inner panel 28 . this opening is formed by the material which was used to form extension 44 . in order to form the insert i from the blank b , the side wall panels 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , and 28 are folded into position to define hollow side walls all aligned with each other . the panels are then folded toward each other to the position shown in fig3 and at the same time the main panels are folded to a position normal to the side walls with the extensions 44 of each main panel 40 protruding through openings 47 and 37 in inner and intermediate panels 28 and 20 , respectively . at the same time this is done the flanges 42 are folded at right angles to their related main panels 40 , with the flanges of adjacent panels being placed in face - to - face relation . thus , when the adjacent lock tabs 30 are engaged in interlocking relationship a rigid structure is provided . it will be appreciated that the packaging insert may be readily assembled manually from a one - piece blank of foldable paperboard , and that the insert does not require any stitching , stapling , or other outside securing means to maintain it in rigid interlock assembled condition .
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the beverage preparation machines 1 of fig1 and 2 each comprise a housing 2 containing the internal mechanisms of the machine such as a water reservoir , a pump , heating means and control means . the machine 1 of fig2 comprises a single brewer . the machine 1 of fig1 comprises a first brewer and a second brewer coupled together . each brewer of the machines 1 comprises a delivery head 3 provided towards an upper part of the housing 2 in which , in use , is received a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients . the delivery head or heads 3 are connected with a chassis of the machine 1 on assembly . the delivery heads 3 are preferably identical . beverage is dispensed from the brewer through an outlet spout 5 by pumping water from the reservoir of the brewer through the cartridge to form the beverage which is then directed through the outlet spout 5 into a cup 6 . as can be seen in fig1 , two outlet spouts 5 are provided for a machine with two brewers . as shown in fig3 , the delivery head 3 comprises a lower part 80 , an upper mechanism 90 and a cartridge guide 110 . some parts of the outer cowling of the delivery head have been omitted for clarity . in practice the outer cowling will comprise a number of mouldings shaped to contain and protect the internal components of the delivery head . the lower part 80 comprises a housing 81 formed from upper and lower mouldings . the housing 81 defines a motor cavity 88 towards a rear of the delivery head 3 , a piercer unit cavity 86 towards a front of the delivery head 3 and a barcode reader cavity 87 at a foremost portion of the delivery head 3 . a forward part of the upper surface of the housing 81 is provided with a flattened support surface 82 in which is located a piercer unit aperture 83 and a barcode window 84 . rearward of the support surface 82 the upper moulding is shaped to define an ejection chute 85 that is open to below the delivery head 3 . the upper mechanism 90 comprises a carriage frame 95 , a handle 92 , a clamping mechanism 93 , a lead screw 96 , and a motor 97 . the carriage frame 95 forms the core of the upper mechanism and provides a structural framework for the other components of the upper mechanism . the carriage frame 95 comprises an elongate frame extending from a front end 155 to a rear end 154 as shown in fig3 . the frame comprises two side members 151 and an upper member 152 joining the two side members 151 . the upper member 152 is provided with two upstanding webs 156 as most clearly shown in fig9 b . each side member 151 comprises an elongate side slot 106 and the upper member 152 comprises an elongate upper slot 153 as most clearly shown in fig5 . the carriage frame 95 is preferably formed from a single moulding and is symmetric about a midline of the delivery head 3 . the carriage frame 95 is pivoted to the lower part 80 by a pair of hinges 98 formed on the upstanding webs 156 at pivot points 150 as most clearly seen in fig9 b to 9 d . the hinges 98 are offset from the upper surface of the lower part 80 and positioned above the level of the support surface 82 . as most clearly shown in fig9 a by omission of certain parts of the housing 91 , the hinges 98 may comprise a cog 157 having teeth 158 which engage with a damping member during pivoting of the carriage frame 95 to thereby provide control over the pivoting speed of the carriage frame 95 . for example , the damping member may act to ensure that if the handle 92 of the delivery head 3 is released when the carriage frame 95 is in the raised position then the carriage frame 95 pivots downwardly in a controlled manner rather than free - falling into contact with the lower part 80 . the damping member may comprise a cog suitable for engaging the cog 157 and a damper , such as a rotatable vane , movable within a viscous damping fluid such as oil . the handle 92 is connected to the carriage frame 95 and extends around a front of the delivery head 3 . the handle 92 is pivotably connected to the carriage frame 95 by a mechanism such that with the carriage frame 95 in a lowered position the handle 92 can be depressed to engage hooks provided on the handle 92 with bosses provided on the lower part 80 in order to securely hold the carriage frame in the lowered position . an example of such a mechanism is described in ep1440644 . however , such a mechanism is not relevant to the present invention . the clamping mechanism 93 comprises a cup - shaped clamp member 100 and a cup - shaped socket 94 . the clamp member 100 is provided with a central spigot 101 . a plurality of flexible protrusions 102 are provided on an exterior of the clamp member 101 which engage with an inwardly - directed flange 103 of the socket 94 so as to retain the clamp member 100 fixedly within the socket 94 on assembly . the socket 94 is provided on an upper surface with a cylindrical member 104 in which is seated a threaded nut 105 . the threaded nut 105 is engaged on the lead screw 96 . the socket 94 of the clamping mechanism 93 is also provided with a pair of bosses or similar which are engaged in , and slidable along the side slots 106 of the carriage frame 95 so as to maintain correct orientation of the socket 94 on operation of the lead screw 96 . consequently , rotation of the lead screw 96 can be used to move the socket 94 , and hence the clamp member 100 reciprocally along the longitudinal axis of the upper mechanism 90 from the front end 155 to the rear end 154 of the carriage frame 95 as will be described below when the operation of the delivery head 3 is discussed . as best shown in fig8 a and 8 b the socket 94 further comprises a pair of tail pieces 108 which extend rearwardly from either side of the cup - shaped body of the socket 94 . the tail pieces 108 are each provided with a pin 107 at or near a distal end thereof , the use of which will be described below . the lead screw 96 is mounted to the carriage frame 95 . the lead screw 96 is located towards a top of the carriage frame 95 in the opening provided by the upper slot 153 as shown in fig5 . thus , the lead screw 96 extends above the socket 94 and extends along the longitudinal axis of the upper mechanism 90 from the rear end 154 to the front end 155 of the carriage frame 95 . the motor 97 is operatively connected to a rear end of the lead screw 96 and is able to rotate the lead screw 96 both clockwise and counter - clockwise . as shown , the motor 97 is mounted to the carriage frame 95 and transverse the longitudinal axis of the upper mechanism 90 to save space and is connected to the lead screw 96 by means of a suitable gear arrangement such as bevel gears . the cartridge guide 110 is located inbetween the lower part 80 and the upper mechanism 90 . the cartridge guide 110 rests on and is slidable relative to the lower part 80 whilst being operatively interconnected with the upper mechanism 90 as described below . the cartridge guide 110 comprises an annular member 111 and two vertically extending webs 113 . the annular member 111 and webs 113 are formed as a single moulding from , for example , a plastics material . the annular member 111 comprises a ring defining an aperture 112 shaped to receive a cartridge 70 . the lower face of the cartridge guide 110 rests on the support surface 82 . whilst the aperture 112 closely conforms to the shape of the cartridge 70 in order to enable precise orientation and placement of the cartridge , it is slightly larger than the cartridge 70 such that a cartridge 70 placed within the aperture 112 rests on the support surface 82 of the lower part 80 rather than on the cartridge guide 110 itself . the aperture 112 is shaped also to accommodate a handle portion 71 of the cartridge 70 as shown in fig4 . the handle 71 is thereby orientated to a front of the delivery head 3 and positioned symmetrically on the midline of the delivery head 3 . the webs 113 are located on each side of the cartridge guide 110 and , as best shown in fig8 a and 8 b , are each provided with a slot 114 of arcuate form in which , on assembly , the pins 107 of the socket 94 are slidingly received . thus , the cartridge guide 110 and the clamping mechanism are interconnected . each slot 114 comprises a first portion 115 in the shape of an arc having a centre of rotation coincident with the pivot point 150 of the clamping mechanism 93 . each slot 114 also comprises a second portion 116 in the shape of an arc whose instantaneous centre of curvature is not co - incident with the pivot point 150 . the function of the slot 114 will be described below . the delivery head 3 further comprises a barcode reader 120 and a piercing mechanism 119 . the barcode reader 120 is located in the barcode reader cavity 87 and is orientated to be able to transmit and receive signals through the barcode window 84 . the piercing mechanism 119 comprises a piercer unit 121 , a motor 130 , a lead screw 131 and a linkage mechanism 133 . the piercing mechanism 119 is operative to raise and lower the piercer unit 121 . the piercer unit 121 is located in the piercer unit cavity 86 of the lower part 80 . as shown in fig1 a to 12 c , the piercer unit 121 comprises a body 122 having mounted therein an inlet piercer 123 and an outlet piercer 124 . the body 122 is provided with a conduit 125 linking the inlet piercer 123 with a fluid inlet 126 of the body 122 . the fluid inlet 126 is coupled by pipework to a supply of water on assembly of the delivery head with the remainder of the machine 1 . a seal member 128 is located on an upper face of the body 122 surrounding the inlet piercer 123 and the outlet piercer 124 . the seal member 128 is provided with raised annular portions 129 surrounding the piercing element of the inlet piercer 123 and the piercing element of the outlet piercer 124 . the piercer unit cavity 86 is also provided with a spout chute 89 as shown in fig3 into which the piercer unit 121 extends . the spout chute 89 acts as a funnel to channel beverage discharged through the outlet piercer 124 to the outlet spout 5 located at a bottom of the spout chute 89 . the motor 130 is located at a rear of the delivery head 3 remote from the piercer unit 121 . the motor 130 is orientated generally in line with a longitudinal axis of the lower part 80 but is angled downwardly slightly below the horizontal . the motor 130 is coupled to the lead screw 131 by means of a threaded , generally u - shaped , rear coupling member 138 as most clearly seen in fig1 . a distal end of the lead screw 131 is provided with an end stop . the motor 130 is able to rotate the lead screw 131 both clockwise and counter - clockwise in order to move the rear coupling member 138 reciprocally forwards and backwards relative to the lower part 80 . as shown in fig1 , the linkage mechanism 133 comprises a u - shaped primary link 135 having a pair of forward - extending arms 135 a , a pair of secondary links 136 , a pair of tertiary links 137 , the rear coupling member 138 and a forward coupling member 149 . the linkage mechanism is mounted to the lower part 80 by means of a rear mounting plate 160 , a front mounting plate 161 and two side mounting plates 162 which are all securely mounted to an underside of the upper moulding of the lower part 80 . a pair of first pivot points 139 are provided by the side mounting plates 162 . a pair of second pivot points 140 are provided by the front mounting plate 161 . as most clearly shown in fig1 , 11 a and 11 b , the u - shaped primary link 135 is rotatably coupled at a rear end to the rear coupling member 138 . the forward coupling member 149 comprises a generally u - shaped member having two arms 146 and an interconnecting bridge 147 . the distal ends of the arms 146 are rotatably coupled to the first pivot points 139 . the secondary links 136 are rotatably connected to the primary link arms 135 a at third pivot points 141 such that a forward end of each primary link arm 135 a is connected to a rear end of the respective secondary link 136 . the opposite end of each secondary link 136 is rotatably coupled to the forward coupling member 149 at fourth pivot points 148 . the tertiary links 137 are connected between the third pivot points 141 ( where the primary link arms 135 a and secondary links 136 are coupled ) and the second pivot points 140 on the front mounting plate 161 . the piercing unit 121 is rigidly mounted to the interconnecting bridge 147 of forward coupling member 149 as shown in fig1 alternatively the piercer unit 121 could be formed as one piece with the front coupling member 149 . as most clearly shown in fig1 , the linkage mechanism 133 transfers motive force from the motor 130 at the rear of the delivery head 3 to a front of the delivery head 3 . in addition , by using pairs of primary link arms 135 a , secondary links 136 and tertiary links 137 as well as u - shaped members 135 , 149 the linkage mechanism extends around the ejection chute 85 without impeding the chute as shown in fig5 . operation of the piercing mechanism 119 will be described below . the beverage preparation machine also comprises a controller for controlling operation of the machine including operation of components of each delivery head 3 such as the motors 95 , 130 , and the barcode reader 120 . the delivery head 3 may also be provided with interlock or sensing devices linked to the controller to provide data to the controller on the position of the socket 94 on its lead screw 96 , the position of the piercing mechanism 119 and the position of the upper mechanism 90 , for example whether the upper mechanism 90 is in the closed position . typically an interlock is provided to confirm closure of the handle 92 when the upper mechanism 90 is in the lowered position . operation of the delivery head 3 is prevented when this interlock indicates that the handle 92 is opened . as an alternative to providing an interlock on the lead screw 96 to indicate the position of the socket 94 current sensing control may be used . in current sensing the current drawn by the motor 97 is monitored and the controller interprets an increase in the drawn current above a pre - set threshold to be indicative of the socket 94 having reached one of its end stops at either the front end 155 or rear end 154 of the carriage frame 95 . in use , the delivery head 3 is first opened to allow insertion of a cartridge 70 of the type having a bowl - shaped upper portion 76 sealed by a flexible lower membrane 77 around a peripheral flange 78 by moving the upper mechanism 90 into the raised position as shown in fig3 . opening of the upper mechanism is achieved by first opening the handle 92 to disengage the hooks from the bosses of the lower part 80 and then lifting the handle 92 . as shown in fig3 and in fig9 a , in the raised position of the upper mechanism 90 , the cartridge guide 110 is positioned in a forward - most position to ease loading of the cartridge 70 and the clamping member 100 is raised as part of the upper mechanism 90 . the cartridge guide 110 is thus positioned because of the interaction of the pins 107 of the tail pieces 108 in the slots 114 of the cartridge guide 110 . in particular in the raised position each pin 107 is moved to a top of the first portion 115 of the slot 114 as shown in fig9 a . the cartridge 70 is then inserted into the aperture 112 of the cartridge guide 110 such that the cartridge 70 rests on the support surface 82 as shown in fig4 . in fig4 the delivery head 3 is shown with a cartridge 70 having a relatively shallow profile . the handle portion 71 of the cartridge 70 is aligned towards a front of the delivery head 3 and lies on the midline of the delivery head 3 . the upper mechanism 90 is then closed into the position shown in fig5 by pressing down on the handle 92 . closure of the upper mechanism 90 causes the cartridge guide 110 and the cartridge 70 to slide rearwardly over the support surface 82 into a dispensing position wherein the cartridge 70 is correctly aligned with the piercer aperture 83 and the barcode window 84 . the rearward movement of the cartridge guide 110 is caused by the interaction of the pins 107 and slots 114 . as shown in fig8 a , 8 b and fig9 a to 9 d downward rotation of the upper mechanism 90 causes the clamping mechanism 93 also to rotate downwardly moving the pins 107 first along the first portion 115 of the slots 114 and then along the second portion 116 . movement of the pins 107 along the first portion 115 of the slots to the position shown in fig9 c does not cause any movement of the cartridge guide 110 since the centre of curvature of the first portion 115 is coincident with the point of rotation of the clamping mechanism 93 . however , further downward rotation of the clamping mechanism 93 does cause rearward sliding of the cartridge guide 110 due to the pins 107 bearing against a rearmost face of the slots 114 to thereby force the cartridge guide 110 to move to accommodate the pin &# 39 ; s movement into the position shown in fig9 d . in the closed position of the clamping mechanism 93 the cartridge guide 110 has moved in a rearward direction by between 7 . 8 and 10 mm . in the closed position the spigot 101 of the clamping member 100 is engaged in a relatively shallow central well 75 formed in the upper portion 76 of the cartridge 70 . the clamping member 100 is also provided with a formation 79 aligned with an inlet region of the cartridge 100 . the lower rim of the clamping member 100 is aligned with and is designed to make a light contact with the peripheral flange 78 of the cartridge 70 in the closed position . thus , in the closed or clamped , position the clamping member 100 applies a clamping force on the cartridge 70 . this force is mainly applied to the central region of the cartridge 70 by the spigot 101 and to the inlet region of the cartridge 70 by the formation 79 . however , if required the lower rim of the clamping member 100 may apply a relatively small force to the peripheral flange 78 . at this point the piercer unit 121 is still lowered . therefore the force applied to the cartridge 70 urges the cartridge into contact with the support surface 82 . thus , the lower membrane 77 carries some of the applied load in the area immediately surrounding the piercer aperture 83 . in addition , the remainder of the load applied to the cartridge 70 is carried through the peripheral flange 78 where it contacts the support surface 82 . closure of the upper mechanism 90 also triggers operation of the barcode reader 120 to read the barcode on the cartridge 70 by transmitting through the barcode window 84 . the received detected signal is then fed to the controller which thereby determines the correct dispense parameters for the inserted cartridge , such as water temperature , volume , steeping time , etc . opening of the upper mechanism 90 after a dispense cycle and ejection have taken place results in a reversal of the movement of the cartridge guide 110 described above . a particular advantage of this movement of the cartridge guide 110 is to allow accommodation of cartridges having a relatively deep profile , such as the type of cartridge 70 shown in fig9 a to 9 d . as shown in fig9 a to 9 d maintaining the cartridge guide 110 in the loading position of fig9 a until the clamping mechanism 93 has rotated partially down to the point shown in fig9 c allows the lower rim of the clamping member 100 to clear the upper rear point 73 of the cartridge 70 . the subsequent rearward movement of the cartridge 70 allows for a clamping member 100 that closely conforms to the diameter of the cartridge to be used whilst avoiding fouling of the clamping member &# 39 ; s rim on a front face 74 of the cartridge or of the spigot 101 on the sides of the relatively deep central well 75 of the cartridge 70 . in this way the size of the clamping member 100 is minimised without requiring a substantially vertical movement of the clamping mechanism 93 to be used to allow insertion of cartridges of varying depth . as shown in fig5 , at this point the piercer unit 121 is in the lowered position such that the inlet piercer 123 and outlet piercer 124 are fully below the level of the support surface 82 . on receipt of a start command from the user ( by for example , pressing a start / stop button ), the controller of the machine 1 operates the motor 130 to raise the piercing mechanism 119 into the raised position shown in fig6 such that the inlet piercer 123 and outlet piercer 124 are raised proud of the level of the support surface 82 . in the raised position the piercer unit 121 is raised to the point where the seal member 128 is orientated substantially horizontally with the general level of the seal member 128 being level with the support surface 82 . however , in this position the raised annular portions 129 of the seal member 128 lie slightly above the level of the support surface 82 . in this way the raised annular portions 129 are able to distort slightly and thereby tension the flexible lower membrane 77 of the cartridge 70 . the peripheral flange 78 of the cartridge 70 remains in contact with the support surface 82 due to the constraining contact of the lower rim of the clamping member 100 . in addition , the upward movement of the piercer unit 121 urges the cartridge 70 more tightly against the spigot 101 and the formation 79 of the clamping member 100 to increase the clamping force which holds the cartridge 70 in position between the clamping member 100 and the piercer unit 121 . thus , the combination of the action of the clamping member 100 and the piercer unit 121 creates a minimum clamping force of 30n at the inlet of the cartridge and a force of between 75 and 130n at the outlet . the movement of the piercing mechanism 119 from lowered to raised position is most clearly seen in fig1 a and 11 b and involves a rotation of the piercer unit 121 about its pivot point of between 5 and 10 degrees and preferably greater than 7 . 5 degrees . on operation of the motor 130 , the rear coupling member 138 is moved forwards by approximately 20 mm by rotation of the lead screw 131 . as a result of the coupling of the rear coupling member 138 with the primary link 135 the primary link 135 is moved substantially in a direction in line with the longitudinal axis of the primary link although this may be accompanied by a slight rotational movement of the primary link 135 relative to the rear coupling member 138 . at the same time the primary link arms 135 a push on the lower ends of the secondary links 136 . due to the constraint of the tertiary links 137 , which couple the primary link arms 135 a and the secondary links 136 to the second pivot points 140 , the pushing movement of the primary link arms 135 a causes the secondary links 136 to rotate in a clockwise sense as viewed in fig1 b . this rotation results in upward rotation of the front coupling member 149 due to the coupling of the secondary links 136 to the front coupling member 149 and the coupling of the arms 148 of the front coupling member 149 to the first pivot points 139 of the side mounting plates 162 . upward rotation of the front coupling member 149 consequently results in upward rotation of the piercer unit 121 due to the rigid connection of the piercer unit 121 to the front coupling member 149 . in the raised position , the tertiary links 137 are substantially vertical and also aligned with the secondary links 136 which are also vertically aligned . in this position the secondary and tertiary links are best able to resist the downward loads applied by the clamping member 100 to the cartridge 70 . the movement of the secondary and tertiary links also acts in the manner of a toggle clamp wherein the secondary and tertiary links snap into , and have a propensity to remain in , the position of fig1 b until a positive retraction force is applied by the motor 130 . raising of the piercing mechanism 119 causes piercing of the cartridge 70 by the inlet piercer 123 and the outlet piercer 124 to form respectively an inlet and an outlet in the underside of the cartridge 70 . once the controller detects that the piercer unit 121 is in the raised position dispensation of a beverage from the cartridge 70 begins . as with operation of the lead screw current sensing of the motor 130 may be used by the controller to determine the position of the piercer unit 121 . heated water is channelled from the fluid inlet 126 through the conduit 125 and inlet piercer 123 and into the cartridge . the resultant beverage is discharged through the outlet piercer 124 , spout chute 89 and out of outlet 5 into a waiting receptacle 6 . once dispensation has stopped the piercer unit 121 is lowered by reversing the operation described above by operating the motor 130 in a reverse direction . this clears the inlet piercer 123 and the outlet piercer 124 out of the ejection path of the cartridge 70 and also removes a portion of the loading applied to the cartridge 70 . the controller then operates motor 97 to eject the cartridge 70 by movement of the cartridge 70 to an ejection position . operation of the motor 97 rotates the lead screw 96 causing the clamping socket 94 and clamping member 100 to slide rearwards into the position shown in fig7 . the clamping member 100 moves the cartridge 70 along with it thereby dragging the cartridge 70 over the ejection chute 85 . during this movement the cartridge 70 is still under some loading from the socket 94 of the upper mechanism 90 . once the cartridge 70 is substantially or wholly aligned with the chute 85 it falls under gravity down the chute 85 into a waste bin in a lower part of the machine 1 . it is to be noted that during this movement the outer part of the housing 91 of the upper mechanism 90 remains stationary such that the motion of the clamping mechanism 93 remains internal to the delivery head 3 . a particular advantage is that the delivery head 3 does not need to be opened in order to eject the cartridge 70 . in addition , the clamping mechanism 93 affects not only clamping of the cartridge 70 during dispensation of beverage but also ejection of the cartridge 70 . the motor 97 is then reversed to move the clamping mechanism 93 back into the forward position ready for the next dispensing cycle . optionally a steam purge may be used to clean the piercer unit cavity 86 , support surface 82 , and clamping member 100 . steam is directed through the inlet piercer 123 . the steam purge may be carried out with the piercer body 121 in the raised or lowered position . in addition , it may be carried out automatically after each dispensation cycle and or carried out from time to time under either manual user control or automatic control of the controller . a steam purge may also be used during the dispensation cycle when the cartridge 70 is in the dispensation position to dry out the cartridge 70 and to help drive out any remaining liquid in the cartridge 70 .
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in accordance with the present invention a metal alloy is disclosed which is tarnish resistant and corrosion resistant and consists of the following ingredients : 22 to 26 percent indium , 18 to 28 percent palladium , 8 to 20 percent gold , the remainder consisting essentially of silver . the alloys in accordance with the subject invention are a rich gold color which approximates a higher carat alloy . in addition , tarnish resistance and corrosion resistance are greatly increased . it may be desirable to add 0 . 25 to 1 . 5 percent zinc to act as a scavenger . this can provide a spontaneous purifying capability of the alloy , in that the zinc can react with the oxygen or oxides . as mentioned above , in the present alloy , only 8 to 20 percent gold is present . despite such low gold content , the alloy exhibits a rich gold color and maintains a high tarnish resistance due to the absence of copper . it has been found that without the presence of the higher percentage of indium and lower silver , the alloy would appear white ( silver color ). however , it has been found that a higher percentage of indium in the presence of gold turns the alloy yellow . the higher the gold content , the less silver content is required to obtain a richer gold color . it is believed that this occurs because the palladium and silver develop a grain structure with each grain surrounded by the mixture of indium and gold . the indium draws out and dissolves the gold into itself . the resulting alloy exhibits a rich gold appearance . an increase in tarnish resistance from the copper alloys is also obtained not only in the absence of copper , but with increase of palladium . this material acts to strongly reduce tarnishing and corrosion . while it is noted that 22 to 26 percent of indium may be present in the present alloy it is generally preferred that 23 percent is present . in addition , while only 8 to 20 percent gold is present in the alloy of the subject invention 14 percent is preferred . despite such low gold content , this alloy exhibits a rich gold color and maintains a very high degree of tarnish and corrosion resistant properties . palladium generally appears to strongly inhibit the tarnishing of this alloy as well as the absence of copper . a lower percentage of palladium and a higher percentage of silver will cause these alloys to become white with lower tarnish and corrosion resistance . thus while 22 to 28 percent palladium may be used in furtherance of the invention , palladium concentration of approximately 26 . 5 percent is preferred and found optimal . the casting temperature of the present invention described is approximately 2150 degrees f . and the melting temperature is approximately 1985 degrees f . such temperatures are sufficiently low to permit the formation of a melt and easy casting . ruthenium also can be added to the alloy to prevent grain growth . boron can be added to inhibit oxidation caused from the heat of the melting . the specific gravity of the preferred alloy is 9 . 35 grams / cubic centimeter plus or minus 0 . 5 . because of the absence of copper the alloy becomes highly tarnish resistant in a liver sulfate atmosphere and a solution of 30 % chlorine and h 2 o . while the invention has been described with reference to a preferred content and formula , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements described herein without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims .
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referring now to the drawings by reference character , and in particular to fig1 thereof , an improved , long stroke well pumping unit is illustrated . a skid mounted base platform 10 supports a tower structure or mast 12 and a top platform 14 surmounts the mast 12 . the mast 12 is composed of two parallel i - beams 16 -- 16 , pivotally mounted to the base platform 10 and structurally stabilized intermediate their lengths by a series of cross members and struts 18 -- 18 , the beams 16 -- 16 being further stabilized vertically with respect to the base platform 10 by two parallel mast supports 20 -- 20 . a rotatable winding drum 22 is located on base platform 10 and is driven from a suitable power source 24 which may be mechanically or hydraulically driven and is also located on base platform 10 . a reversing mechanism ( not shown ) is also provided in association with the power source for periodically reversing rotation of the winding drum in a manner described in greater detail hereinbelow . an otherwise conventional well pump ( not shown ) includes a rod string and sucker rod therein , topped by a conventional polish rod 26 . a flexible lift belt 28 is secured at one end to rotatable winding drum 22 and at the other end to a yoke assembly 30 from which polish rod 26 is centrally suspended . flexible lift belt 28 is reaved beneath an idler pulley 32 on base platform 10 , then upwardly through mast 12 to and over a crown spool 34 , freely rotatably mounted atop the top platform 14 and then vertically downwardly to yoke assembly 30 . a counterweight or weight box 36 is interposed in lift belt 28 and reciprocates generally vertically , with movement of lift belt , between the upper and lower ends of the mast 12 . during operation of the pumping unit , the reversing mechanism ( not shown ) allows belt 28 to be wound upon and unwound from winding drum 22 thus to impart reciprocating movement to polish rod 26 and the well pump . as mentioned above , commercially available conveyor belting may be employed as the material for lift belt 28 . one available brand of conveyor that might be used is that sold under the trademark &# 34 ; unilok &# 34 ; as &# 34 ; polyvinylok &# 34 ; conveyor belting . one particular material found to be useful is unilok &# 39 ; s pvk - 350 material , a belting that is 10 / 32 inches thick , 15 inches wide and has an ultimate tensile strength at rupture of 3500 pounds per inch . similar belting materials sold under the unilok mark are available up to 15 / 32 inches thick and having an ultimate tensile strength at rupture of up to 9000 pounds per inch . belt widths may vary from fifteen inches to twenty - four or more inches . the particular belting material chosen will depend on the requirements of the particular well pumping unit . one particular embodiment of the well pumping unit under discussion is dimensioned to provide a twenty - five foot stroke in polish rod 26 . currently , a unit with a twenty - five foot stroke is most economically practical because commonly available , off - the - shelf components may be interfaced with the unit . specifically , a standard long stroke pump is thirty feet long and has a plunger five feet in length . standard polish rods and standard sucker rods making up the rod string of the pump are made in lengths which match the size demands of a twenty - five foot stroke pump unit . a comparison of the production figures of a standard walking beam unit with the long stroke pumping unit of this invention yields the following interesting results . in pumping a well about two mile deep , a standard walking beam unit with a ten - foot stroke and operating at eight strokes per minute will produce a net lift per minute of forty feet , when a rod stretch of five feet on the lift stroke is taken into account . on the other hand , use of a pumping unit as above disclosed with a twenty - five foot stroke and operating only at four strokes per minute yields a net lift per minute of eighty feet , again taking the five feet of rod stretch on the lift stroke into account . thus , the present unit produces twice as much effective lift per minute than a standard walking beam unit . equally importantly , the long , half speed stroke reduces the number of cycles required per minute , and extends rod life by reducing the number of stress cycles and extends tubing life by distributing wear over a greater area . the safety mechanism of the present invention is located beneath the weight box 36 and is generally indicated by reference numeral 38 . referring now to fig3 and 5a and 5b , the components of the safety mechanism 38 include a cross bar 40 , a guide member 42 dependent from weight box 36 , and a rack and pawl arrangement indicated generally by the numeral 44 at either side of the weight box . the cross bar 40 is secured by conventional fasteners 46 -- 46 to the upper end of lift belt 28 beneath weight box 36 , and is received within guide member 42 between parallel plates 48 -- 48 separated at their upper edges by a spacer plate 50 and provide with stops 52 -- 52 to permit only limited movement of the cross bar longitudinally in the plane of the belt . the cross bar 40 is provided with camming surfaces 54 -- 54 at either end and is biased by compression springs 56 -- 56 secured at their lower ends in receptacles 58 -- 58 in spacer plate 50 and connected at their upper ends to the cross bar as by spindles 60 -- 60 passing axially back through the springs and secured to the cross bar . springs 56 -- 56 exert a predetermined counter force in opposition to tension on lift belt 28 and are sized so that belt tension under normal load conditions compresses springs 56 -- 56 and forces the cross bar 40 against stops 52 -- 52 . a pair of pawls 62 -- 62 are pivotally suspended between plates 48 -- 48 on either side of cross bar 40 and are provided with lugs 64 -- 64 arranged adjacent the camming surfaces 54 -- 54 of the cross bar 40 . a pair of compression springs 66 -- 66 secured in receptacles 68 -- 68 to resist compression , are arranged to bias pawls 62 -- 62 through plungers 69 -- 69 normally into engagement with a pair of racks 70 -- 70 mounted in opposing relationship therewith . each rack 70 is mounted on the interior web of one of the i - beams 16 -- 16 in alignment with a corresponding pawl 62 and spans the entire length of travel of weight box 36 during a full cycle of the pumping unit . as may be viewed in fig5 a , the safety mechanism 38 is responsive to tension on the lower portion of lift belt 38 which under normal operating loads overcome the predetermined counter force and compresses the springs 56 -- 56 thereby forcing cross bar 40 against stops 52 -- 52 . thus camming surfaces 54 -- 54 are driven against lugs 64 -- 64 to pivot pawls 62 -- 62 out of engagement with the corresponding racks 70 -- 70 and the weight box 36 is free to travel in the mast 12 . failure of the system by fracture of the lift belt , polish rod , rod string or sucker rod , reduces tension on the lift belt below the level of the predetermined counter force and allows springs 56 -- 56 to expand , as shown in fig5 b , thereby raising cross bar 40 and causing camming surfaces 54 -- 54 to recede and allow springs 66 -- 66 to force plungers 69 -- 69 to drive pawls into 62 -- 62 into locking engagement with racks 70 -- 70 and thus arrest and latch the weight box against free fall . in a preferred embodiment , the weight box 36 is guided in its travel within the mast 12 to facilitate alignment between the pawls 62 -- 62 and corresponding racks 70 -- 70 . as may be seen in fig2 and 4 , two side wheels 72 -- 72 are rotatably mounted one on each side of weight box 36 in diagonally offset relationship , as for example , one side wheel 72 at the top front edge and the other side wheel 72 at the bottom rear edge on one side of the weight box and one side wheel 72 at the top rear edge and the other side wheel at the bottom front edge of the other side . the side wheels 72 -- 72 engage and are guided by interior surface 74 of web 76 of the corresponding i - beam 16 . in addition , front rollers 78 -- 78 are rotatably mounted at each of the four corners on the front of weight box 36 to engage and ride on the interior surfaces 80 -- 80 of front flanges 82 -- 82 of the i - beams 16 -- 16 , and rear rollers 84 -- 84 are rotatably mounted at each of the four corners at the rear of the weight box and arranged to ride on the interior surfaces 86 -- 86 of rear flanges 88 -- 88 of the i - beams . as may be seen in fig1 the mast 12 is normally tilted forward at an angle of approximately 96 degrees under ordinary operating conditions , with the result that front rollers 78 -- 78 carry the weight box load and ride front flanges 82 -- 82 , while rear rollers 84 -- 84 are thereby held out of contact with rear flanges 88 -- 88 . however , if the mast 12 is tilted back to an angle of less than 90 degrees , to permit workover of the well for example , the weight box load is shifted to the rear rollers 84 -- 84 and which ride rear flanges 88 -- 88 . also in this preferred embodiment , a tilt mechanism is provided , indicated generally by the numeral 90 in fig1 for adjusting the attitude of the mast 12 as aforesaid . such a mechanism may include a drive motor 92 , screw jack 94 and carriage 96 which cooperate to tilt the mast forward and back through mast supports 20 -- 20 . this tilt mechanism , though not essential to the present invention , is described in detail and claimed in a co - pending application ser . no . 489 , 821 filed by the present inventors simultaneously herewith and assigned baker pro - lift , co . as may now be more fully appreciated , the safety mechanism of the present invention senses off the lift belt below the weight box or counterweight , and thus sees only the tension resulting from the differential in load between the polish rod side of the mast and the weight box . during an upstroke of the pumping unit , the load on the polish rod side includes the belt , polish rod , rod string , sucker rod , the fluid being lifted and the dynamic load of stroke reversal , which may reach a maximum of 29 , 700 pounds in the example previously given . this load reduces to 18 , 300 in the downstroke as the sucker rod drops back down through the fluid . the enormous stress of the maximum load and the resulting requirement of heavy duty components in a safety mechanism , coupled with the wide fluctuations in loads between upstroke and downstroke , makes it virtually impossible to design a safety device with proper sensitivity which does not lock up prematurely due to load fluctuations alone when a condition of failure does not in fact exist . by sensing off the belt below the weight box , the safety mechanism sees only the differential in load between the polish rod side and the weight box , which in our prior example called for a weight box loading of 17 , 000 pounds , yields a maximum load seen by the safety mechanism of 12 , 700 pounds . thus , a safety mechanism is provided with the necessary positive response to arrest and latch the counterweight against free fall without sacrificing critical sensitivity . the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and other essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiment is 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 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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fig1 illustrates a data processing system 100 in accordance with the present invention . an application 110 exchanges data with an in - memory database 120 . the in - memory database 120 uses a persistence buffer 130 to persistently store data in a backing store 150 . the stored data can also be retrieved by the in - memory database 120 from the backing store 150 . the data is stored from the persistence buffer 130 to the backing store by an update processor 140 . in one embodiment of the invention , the application 110 is an mmog supporting multiple players . for example , a possible mmog is an application 110 which allows a player to buy a virtual drink for e . g . $ 3 from another player at a virtual bar using virtual money accounts for the players . the application 110 calls the in - memory database 120 to process a transaction to move $ 3 from the buyers account to purchasers account within the application 110 . the in - memory database 120 then processes the transaction and stores the new values . if the buyer had $ 15 and the purchaser had $ 14 before the transaction , then the transaction will result in a . x = 12 and b . x = 17 . in one embodiment of the invention , the in - memory database 120 is an object - oriented database . this allows to easily manage the game data , which can be represented in form of data objects . each player can be represented as a data object to which comprises further objects . in the example above , the players are represented by the objects โ a โ and โ b โ which comprise an object โ x โ each , which represents the respective accounts of the players . but the in - memory database 120 can also be a relational database management system ( rdbms ) for example , which does not support persistent data . the โ commit โ function of the in - memory database 120 is adapted such that upon success instead of just returning to the calling application 110 it will remember the update . this is done by intercepting the commit function and writing a โ transaction record โ from the in - memory database 120 to the persistence buffer 130 . in pseudocode this transaction record can be described as : in one embodiment , with an object - oriented in - memory database 120 the transaction record could comprise the entire data objects that are modified during the transaction . but this would consume too much memory . therefore , at least the data fields from the modified objects that are changed during the transaction need to be comprised within the transaction record in order to save as much space as possible . in that case , those updated data fields are stored together with an object identifier in the transaction record to ensure that these data fields can be associated to the respective object . fig3 shows the creation of a new transaction of the application 110 in step 300 . the new transaction is then stored in the in - memory database 120 in step 310 . when the corresponding transaction record is written by the in - memory database 120 to the persistence buffer 130 as part of the interception of the commit function , the persistence buffer 130 inserts the current timestamp to the transaction record and stores it in one of its buffer storage areas , e . g ., by appending the transaction record to the end of a sequential file . the timestamp is assumed to be unique which can be guaranteed by well - known methods . once this is completed and the record is safe the persistence buffer 130 signals the successful storage of the transaction record to the in - memory database 120 . the in - memory database 120 then notifies the application 110 that the update transaction completed successfully , i . e ., the commit function returns without errors . in case of failures by writing the transaction record to the persistence buffer 130 , the commit function fails , the usual โ unrolling โ of the transaction is triggered by the in - memory database 120 and the application 110 is informed that the transaction failed . the persistence buffer 130 stores the transaction records in one of its fifo ( first - in first - out ) buffer storage areas . in the simplest case , there is one active fifo buffer to which all incoming transaction records are appended . there may be one or more fifo buffers that are โ complete โ. each of these fifo buffers contains all of the transaction records between two unique timestamps . the fifo buffers do not overlap as far as the timestamps of the transaction records are concerned . for example , fig2 shows such buffers 200 , 210 , and 220 in the persistence buffer 130 . fifo buffer 200 represents the transaction record from the example above , wherein the amount of money owned by the purchaser and the buyer is adapted as a result of the sale of the virtual drink . it is possible that the capacity of a fifo buffer is exceeded . in that case , no further transaction records can be stored in this full fifo buffer . therefore , in step 320 shown in fig3 the persistence buffer 130 determines if the active fifo buffer is already full . if that is the case , then the persistence buffer 130 will switch to another fifo buffer in step 330 . this fifo buffer is then marked as active . otherwise , the persistence buffer will store the transaction record in - order in the active fifo buffer in step 340 . the oldest of the unprocessed data sets in the persistence buffer 130 will be processed now by the update processor 140 . the newest timestamp in the dataset is t 0 . the data set may be large , so it will not be physically copied , but accessed on a per transaction record basis . the data set will be sorted into a data structure set such that for each value changed during the transaction processing timeframe represented by this data set the newest value is kept . fig2 shows an oldest data set 230 and a newer data set 240 . both data sets contain an identifier ( tr ) for the associated transaction record and the time stamp ( ts ) of the transaction record . the newer data set 240 represents the transaction that immediately preceded the example above , wherein the current amount of money owned by the purchaser and buyer is defined . the oldest data set 230 is sorted in data structure set 250 by the update processor 140 . then the newer data set 240 is processed by the update processor 140 , which results in the data structure set 250 as shown in fig2 . a possible implementation for a persistence buffer data set is a sequential file , which can be maintained in a main memory of a computer system . during transaction processing ( while the buffer / data set is active ), new transaction records are simply appended . the update processor 140 reads the file sequentially from beginning to end . the โ sorting - in โ step 340 becomes trivial then : if a newly read transaction record updates a field already recorded , its timestamp is checked . if it is newer then the one associated with the recorded update , then the new value and timestamp is remembered . if it is older , then it is ignored . therefore , one sequential read is enough , no matter in what order the records are stored in or retrieved from the data set . when the persistence buffer 130 switches to another fifo buffer in step 330 , then also a full queue process is triggered . the update processor 140 will then extract all the transaction records stored in the full fifo buffer . this is shown in fig4 . in step 400 the update processor 140 will determine if the queue of the fifo buffer is already empty . if that is the case , then the update processor 140 stops its transaction processing in step 440 . otherwise , the last transaction record is extracted from the fifo buffer in step 410 . then it will be determined in step 420 if the extracted transaction record was already processed before during the extraction of the queue . if that is not the case , then the transaction record is stored in a store queue of the update processor ( 140 ) and the execution is then continued with step 400 . otherwise , the store queue is updated with the transaction record in step 440 . after the store queue was updated , the update processor ( 140 ) continues with step 400 . the update of the store queue in step 440 can be implemented easily for those embodiments that store the entire modified objects within the transaction records . in that case the extracted transaction record can be ignored in case its timestamps indicates that it is older than the one already stored in the store queue . for other embodiments it is required to update the fields within the objects only , that are affected by the transaction records . an implementation is shown in fig5 , which is an adaptation of the method shown in fig4 . in this example , the objects are related to fields within database objects , which can therefore be stored in a temporary empty in - memory database . the transaction records are then stored in the persistence buffer as a sequence of objects relating to the updated fields . in step 500 of fig4 , the update processor 140 will determine if the queue of the fifo buffer is already empty . if that is the case , then the update processor 140 stops its transaction processing in step 510 after it stored the modified objects from the store queue in the persistent database on the backing store 150 . otherwise , the last queue field is extracted from the fifo buffer in step 520 . then it will be determined in step 530 if the extracted object was already processed before during the extraction of the queue . if that is not the case , then the respective fields in the object are updated and stored in a store queue of the update processor ( 140 ) and the execution is then continued with step 500 . otherwise , the object is retrieved from the persistent database in step 440 . after the store queue was updated , the update processor ( 140 ) continues with step 400 . the content of the store queue is periodically written by the update processor ( 140 ) to the backing store ( 150 ). in the simplest case , the backing store 150 is a standard database management system with persistent storage devices , which maintains a database and the new values for the changed fields are just updated in this database . so the next time this database is loaded in the in - memory database 120 it represents a consistent overall state for a certain point in time t 0 . advantageous embodiments of the invention use computer systems with multiple logical partitions . one of these partitions can then execute the application 110 and the in - memory database 120 . another partition can execute the persistence buffer 130 and the update processor 140 . this partition can also execute the database management system for the backing store 150 . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , the application 110 and the in - memory database 120 are executed on the same computer system , whereas the persistence buffer 130 and the update processor 140 are executed on a different physical computer system . the in - memory database 120 and the persistence buffer 130 communicate via a network connection . in a special embodiment , the persistence buffer 130 and the update processor 140 could be executed twice on two different computer systems in order to obtain redundancy to improve the system reliability . in a different embodiment of the invention recovery for different points in time is possible . one embodiment just stores the set of fields / values for t 0 , for example , in a file that is associated with t 0 . the original data is not updated . at a convenient point in time , old update files , i . e ., all files representing updates before a user - specified point in time โ are eliminated by applying them to the original data in chronological order thereby creating a new original dataset for the processing to continue as described above . the details of how many update files to keep , whether or when to apply them , etc . has to be part of the overall solution for managing the data processing system 100 and can be derived from the needs of its users in terms of recoverability . the completion of the update to the backing store 150 is acknowledged . the update processor 140 can now clean up all data structures related to the previously processed data set for t 0 . it may fetch the next , finished data set and continue processing . the update processing is completely asynchronous to the transaction processing . when the application 110 or the in - memory database 120 fails , or the system administrator of the data processing system 100 stops transaction processing in order to reset to a previous stage then the persistence buffer 130 will deactivate the current buffer data set and stop processing further transactions . then the buffers in the persistence buffer 130 will be marked as inactive and handled by the update processor 140 as described above . all updates will be reflected in the backing store 150 , again as described above . the in - memory database 120 is reloaded with the data from the backing store 150 either with the newest possible state or an administrator - defined level some time back , by selecting one of the recoverable states held in the backing store . now the application 110 can be restarted . additional administrative tasks may be necessary . for example , if the restart is required because of an inconsistency , a reset to a state corresponding to t 1 may make it necessary to remove all newer snapshots t 1 + i from the backing store โ otherwise the timeline would fork . an example for a realistic scenario of the workload for the application 110 could be a mixture of action and strategy game , which can be characterized as follows : 1 million subscribed users ; 100 , 000 concurrently active users ; 100 objects per user ( which can participate in transactions ); 100 bytes per object ; 20 % of the users show high activity ( flying , shooting , . . . ) generating 10 transactions per second ; 80 % of the users show low activity ( thinking , trading , socializing , . . . ) generating 0 . 1 transactions per second ; an average of 2 objects modified per transaction . for this example a database size of at least 10 gb is necessary : when it is assumed that full objects are recorded upon change , then transaction volumes are in the range of 208 k transactions / second in this example : so in one embodiment of the invention , the in - memory database 120 and the persistence buffer 130 can be connected with a single network connection using state of the art network technology . when it is further assumed that a single buffer records the transactions of 1 hour of gaming , then the buffer contains : 41 . 600m bytes / second * 3600 seconds = 149 , 760m bytes ห 150 gb 208 k transactions / second * 2 objects / transaction * 3600 seconds = 1 , 497 . 600m object updates . when it is also assumed that during one hour 200 , 000 players are active at least once , then during that hour 200 , 000 users * 100 objects / user = 20m objects may potentially be touched . assuming in the worst case for the invention that the modification of objects is uniformly distributed over time , then each object will be modified ห 75 times during one hour : since the update processor 140 only needs to actually store the last update for each object , one can save ห 99 % of the updates to the backing store 150 , which in fact would make it feasible now to use a standard rdbms to implement the backing store 150 . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms โ a โ, โ an โ and โ the โ are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms โ comprises โ and / or โ comprising ,โ when used in this specification , specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , integers , steps , operations , elements , components , and / or groups thereof . the corresponding structures , materials , acts , and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure , material , or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed . the description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description , but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed . many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application , and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art , the present invention may be embodied as a system , method or computer program product . accordingly , the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment ( including firmware , resident software , micro - code , etc .) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a โ circuit ,โ โ module โ or โ system .โ furthermore , the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible medium of expression having computer usable program code embodied in the medium . any combination of one or more computer usable or computer readable medium ( s ) may be utilized . the computer - usable or computer - readable medium may be , for example but not limited to , an electronic , magnetic , optical , electromagnetic , infrared , or semiconductor system , apparatus , device , or propagation medium . more specific examples ( a non - exhaustive list ) of the computer - readable medium would include the following : an electrical connection having one or more wires , a portable computer diskette , a hard disk , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), an erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ), an optical fiber , a portable compact disc read - only memory ( cdrom ), an optical storage device , a transmission media such as those supporting the internet or an intranet , or a magnetic storage device . note that the computer - usable or computer - readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed , as the program can be electronically captured , via , for instance , optical scanning of the paper or other medium , then compiled , interpreted , or otherwise processed in a suitable manner , if necessary , and then stored in a computer memory . in the context of this document , a computer - usable or computer - readable medium may be any medium that can contain , store , communicate , propagate , or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system , apparatus , or device . the computer - usable medium may include a propagated data signal with the computer - usable program code embodied therewith , either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave . the computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium , including but not limited to wireless , wireline , optical fiber cable , rf , etc . computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages , including an object oriented programming language such as java , smalltalk , c ++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages , such as the โ c โ programming language or similar programming languages . the program code may execute entirely on the user &# 39 ; s computer , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer , as a stand - alone software package , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server . in the latter scenario , the remote computer may be connected to the user &# 39 ; s computer through any type of network , including a local area network ( lan ) or a wide area network ( wan ), or the connection may be made to an external computer ( for example , through the internet using an internet service provider ). the present invention is described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods , apparatus ( systems ) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention . it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , can be implemented by computer program instructions . these computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine , such that the instructions , which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus , create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . these computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer - readable medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner , such that the instructions stored in the computer - readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function / act specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . fig6 illustrates a block diagram of a computer system 1300 in which certain embodiments may be implemented . the system 1300 may include a circuitry 1302 that may in certain embodiments include a microprocessor 1304 . the computer system 1300 may also include a memory 1306 ( e . g ., a volatile memory device ), and storage 1308 . the storage 1308 may include a non - volatile memory device ( e . g ., eeprom , rom , prom , ram , dram , sram , flash , firmware , programmable logic , etc . ), magnetic disk drive , optical disk drive , tape drive , etc . the storage 1308 may comprise an internal storage device , an attached storage device and / or a network accessible storage device . the system 1300 may include a program logic 1310 including code 1312 that may be loaded into the memory 1306 and executed by the microprocessor 1304 or circuitry 1302 . in certain embodiments , the program logic 1310 including code 1312 may be stored in the storage 1308 . in certain other embodiments , the program logic 1310 may be implemented in the circuitry 1302 . therefore , while fig6 shows the program logic 1310 separately from the other elements , the program logic 1310 may be implemented in the memory 1306 and / or the circuitry 1302 . the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture , functionality , and operation of possible implementations of systems , methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention . in this regard , each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module , segment , or portion of code , which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function ( s ). it should also be noted that , in some alternative implementations , the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures . for example , two blocks shown in succession may , in fact , be executed substantially concurrently , or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order , depending upon the functionality involved . it will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , can be implemented by special purpose hardware - based systems that perform the specified functions or acts , or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions .
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fig1 shows a cross sectional view of an ink jet print head 100 . the ink jet print head includes a piezoelectric element 120 and a diaphragm 110 mounted on a substrate 130 . the diaphragm 110 is located above the ink chamber 160 and nozzle 150 . a electrode 170 is formed on top of the piezoelectric element 120 . a support 140 is composed of a rigid material such as metal , a high rigidity resin or the like . when voltage is applied to the electrodes 170 , the piezoelectric element 120 changes shape and pushes on the diaphragm 110 . the diaphragm 110 then exerts pressure on the ink , forcing an ink droplet out nozzle 150 . fig2 shows more clearly the general principle of how a print head functions . the print head 200 includes a piezoelectric element 220 attached on a diaphragm 210 , and an ink fountain 270 supplies ink 230 to a pressure chamber 250 via an ink chamber 260 . when a signal source 280 applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element 220 , the corresponding part of the diaphragm 210 is stressed by the piezoelectric element pushing down on it . the diaphragm 210 correspondingly exerts pressure on the pressure chamber 250 . thus , the ink 230 is expelled , as an ink drop 231 , from the corresponding nozzle 240 onto the paper 300 . after the ink has been expelled , the diaphragm 210 returns to its original state . a negative pressure is generated in the pressure chamber 250 and the same amount of ink 230 that was expelled through nozzle 240 is replaced by this negative pressure . the negative pressure draws the ink 230 from the ink well 270 through the ink chamber 260 and into the ink pressure chamber 250 . the print head is then again ready to be fired . while the above - outlined description of fig1 and 2 is directed to piezoelectric ink jet printers , any other known or later developed type of ink jet printer , including thermal ink jet printers and acoustic ink jet printers , that use the data signals and firing pulses described below can incorporate either of the fire control systems according to this invention . because the structure and general operation of such other ink jet printers are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art , or are easily understandable from the description of the conventional piezoelectric ink jet printer shown in fig1 and 2 , a detailed description of these other types of ink jet printers is omitted . fig3 and 4 show a conventional ink jet fire control system 300 and the timing diagram 350 for this conventional ink jet fire control system 300 , respectively . the data is serially loaded into a shift register 310 through a data connection 314 . the data is then loaded in parallel from the shift register 310 over the connections 312 to the jet drive logic 320 . a data signal 360 on the signal line 314 is used to load data into the shift register 310 . a first signal 370 on the fire line 322 is used to fire the print head jets in accordance with the data contained in the shift register 310 . as shown in fig4 during a first cycle 361 of the data signal 360 , a first set of the print data contained in a first cycle 361 of the data signal line 361 is loaded into the shift register 310 . at this time , in a first cycle 371 of the fire signal 370 , the fire signal 370 is not enabled . during a second cycle 362 of the data signal 360 , the second set of data 362 is loaded into shift register 310 . at the same time , in a second cycle 372 of the fire signal 370 , the fire signal is enabled . as a result , the jet drive logic 320 fires the print head jets in accordance with the first set of data contained in the first cycle 361 of the data signal 360 and stored in the shift register 310 . during the next to last cycle 364 of the data signal 360 , the last set of data 364 is loaded into shift register 310 . the fire signal 373 of the fire signal 370 is enabled , while data 364 is loaded into shift register 310 and the print head jets are fired by the jet drive logic 320 using the previously stored set of data . this continues in the print section , until a last cycle . during the last cycle of the data signal 360 , no additional data is received at the shift register 310 , therefore the last cycle 365 of the data signal 360 does not contain any data . at this time , however , during a last cycle 374 of the fire signal 370 , the fire signal 370 is enabled to fire the jets using the last set of data received during the next to last cycle 364 of the data signal . because shift register 310 already contains data from the previous cycle , the jet drive logic must use the data 364 to fire the jets to clear shift register 310 so that new data of the next print section can be received by shift register 310 . that is , during this last cycle 374 of the fire signal 370 , the print head jets are fired in accordance with the set of data 364 loaded into shift register 310 during the next to last cycle 364 using the fire pulse 374 . after the last cycle of the data and fire signal 360 and 370 is complete , the next print section continues in the same manner as described above , with the first cycles of the data signal 360 and the fire signal 370 . fig5 shows one exemplary embodiment of an ink jet fire control system 400 according to this invention for transferring print data to be used in the firing of ink jets by the jet drive logic 420 . in particular , fig5 shows a double banking ink jet fire control system 400 . the double banking system 400 serially loads print data , of a print section , into shift register 410 received over a connection 414 . once the data is loaded into the shift register 410 , the data is then transferred in parallel from the shift register 410 to a storage register 430 over the connections 412 . the data is then transferred to the jet fire logic 420 over the connections 432 . the data is used by the jet fire logic 420 to fire the print head jets . at the same time that the print head jets are fired by the jet drive logic 420 , using the print data stored in the storage register 430 , a new set of print data is loaded into the shift register 410 . this process is continued until all print sections are completed . fig6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a ping - ponging ink jet fire control system 500 according to this invention . the ping - ponging ink jet fire control 500 shown in fig6 uses two shift registers 510 and 520 to store the print data . the transfer logic 530 alternately selects the data from one of the two shift registers 510 and 520 and transfers the data through the transfer logic 530 to the jet drive logic 540 . the data is serially loaded into the shift registers 510 and 520 over the connections 514 . the shift registers 510 and 520 are alternately loaded with the print data . in other words , if the shift register 510 is loaded with the first set of data , then the shift register 520 is loaded with the second set of data . therefore , the shift registers 510 and 520 alternate loading each set of data . after the print data is loaded into either the shift register 510 or the shift register 520 , the print data in that shift register 510 or 520 is then transferred through the transfer logic 530 , over the connections 512 or 522 and over the connections 532 , to the jet drive logic 540 . a select signal on a signal line 536 controls the alternate loading of the data into the shift registers 510 and 520 . the select signal is also provided to the transfer logic 530 , through the signal line 536 . the transfer logic 530 is controlled by the select signal to select the print data contained in either the shift register 510 or the shift register 520 to send to the jet drive logic 540 . the transfer logic 530 can be any known or later developed logic circuit , such as a multiplexer , that can alternately connect the two shift registers 510 and 520 to the jet drive logic 540 under control of a select signal . as the print data is transferred from one of the shift registers 510 or 520 through the transfer logic 530 to the jet drive logic 540 , new print data is loaded into the other shift register 510 or 520 . for example , a first set of data is loaded into shift register 510 . the first set of data is then transferred through the transfer logic 530 to the jet drive 540 . the first set of print data is used by the jet drive logic 540 to fire the print head jets . at the same time that this first set of data is used by the jet drive logic 540 , a second set of data is loaded into the shift register 520 . the second set of print data is then provided to jet drive logic 540 through the transfer logic 530 , where it is used by the jet drive logic 540 , while a third set of print data is loaded into the first shift register 510 . this process is repeated until all print sections have been printed . because the shift registers 510 and 520 transfer their print data directly to the jet drive logic 540 , the last data that is used to fire the print head jets is accomplished with one of the shift registers 510 and 520 already cleared and ready to store the print data on the first cycle of the next print section . therefore , as with the ink jet fire control system 400 shown in fig5 the ink jet fire control system 500 does not require an extra pulse at the beginning and end of each print section . this increases the speed and efficiency of the entire system . fig7 is a timing diagram 450 for the ink jet fire control system 400 shown in fig5 . during a load cycle 451 , the data contained in a first data cycle 461 of the data signal 460 is loaded into the shift register 410 . at this time , the transfer signal 480 is not enabled . once all the data of the first data cycle 461 is loaded into the shift register 410 , on an enable pulse contained on a first cycle 481 of the transfer signal 480 is then provided to the storage register 430 . as a result , the data of the first data cycle 461 is transferred from the shift register 420 to the storage register 430 . at this time , the first cycle 471 of the fire signal 470 does not enable the jet fire logic 420 . during the first cycle 452 of the first section of the timing diagram 450 , the fire pulse in the first cycle 472 of the fire signal 470 is enabled . this causes the jet drive logic 420 to fire the first set of ink jets based on the print data in the first cycle 461 of the data signal 460 that is stored in the storage register 430 . at the same time as the fire pulse 472 is enabled , data contained in the second data cycle 462 of the data signal 460 is loaded into the shift register 410 . the transfer pulse in a second cycle 482 of the transfer signal 480 is then enabled to transfer the print data contained in the second cycle 462 to the storage register 430 . during the last cycle 453 of the first section of the timing diagram 450 , the fire pulse for the last cycle 474 of the fire signal 470 is enabled and the print data of a next - to - last data cycle of the data signal 460 is used to fire the print head jets . the print data contained in the last cycle 464 of the data signal 460 received during the last cycle 453 of the first section of the timing diagram 450 is loaded into the shift register 410 . the transfer pulse 481 in the last cycle 484 of the transfer signal 480 received during the last cycle 453 of the timing diagram 450 is enabled . in response , the print data contained in the last cycle 464 of the data signal 460 is transferred to the storage register 430 . once the print data contained in the last cycle 464 of the data signal 460 of the last cycle 453 of the first section of the timing diagram 450 is transferred to the storage register 430 , the shift register 410 is cleared and the print data contained in the first cycle 461 of the data signal 460 on the first cycle 452 of the next section of the timing diagram 450 can be loaded into the shift register 410 . therefore , the transition from one print section to another is continuous . this process is continued in subsequent cycles and print sections . the last cycle in the print section therefore does not require an extra beginning or end pulse for the new print section . the systems of fig5 and 6 only require a full extra load cycle at the beginning or end of a print section . a print section can be a line , a portion of a page , a whole page or whatever is specified . since a single line is greater than the number of jets in a print head , the efficiency is increased . to fire an entire print section , the total number of cycles : total number of cycles =( total number of jets )/( total number of jets to be fired at one time ) in the conventional systems that include the two extra pulses to fire an entire set of the ink jets for each position of the print head , the total number of cycles is : total number of cycles = 2 +(( total number of jets )/( total number of jets to be fired at one time )) therefore , if there are 128 jets in the print head and 8 jets are fired at one time , the total number of cycles per print head location for the conventional system is equal to 18 . for just a single location of the print head , the total number of cycles such a print head , when using the systems and methods , of this invention , is equal to 16 . this is an improvement of 12 . 5 %. the exemplary embodiments of the invention decrease the number of cycles , while increasing the overall efficiency of the ink jet control system . the added chip area is also not significant , since the registers require low power and do not take up a lot of chip space . thus , the overall performance is increased , while decreasing the size and power consumption of the chip . while this invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments outlined above , it is evident that many alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the exemplary embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
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the cobalt - based superalloy is easy to cast and to weld and has good mechanical properties at high temperatures . it is preferably proposed that a cobalt - based superalloy be produced with the following target composition ( at . %) co - 21ni - 9w - 9al - 2ti - 2ta - 6cr . the proposed alloy composition targets a higher service temperature and / or longer service life at the same service temperatures . this is achieved by combining the advantages of the nickel - based superalloys and those of the conventional cobalt - based superalloys so as to arrive at the new class of cobalt - based superalloys . as base element , cobalt offers a melting point that is 50 k higher than that of nickel . also proposed is an alloy composition which has all three of the above - described solidification mechanisms of the nickel - based superalloys and thus surpasses the conventional cobalt - based superalloys in terms of mechanical properties . in so doing , those properties of the cobalt superalloy which are advantageous in relation to nickel - based superalloys ( castability , weldability ) are retained . thus , what is proposed is a high - temperature material in a new alloy class which brings together the good properties of both alloy systems . preferably , such cobalt - based superalloys are used for turbine blades or other gas turbine parts or steam turbine parts . for a polycrystalline structure , use is preferably made of boron ( b ) and / or carbon ( c ). for a directionally solidified structure ( single - crystal , columnar solidified ), use is made of an alloy without boron ( b ) and / or without carbon ( c ). preferably , no further elements are required . preferably , further elements can be used for castability and / or grain boundary strength . although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon , it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention . for the sake of clarity , it is to be understood that the use of โ a โ or โ an โ throughout this application does not exclude a plurality , and โ comprising โ does not exclude other steps or elements .
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the protheses of the present invention have predetermined shapes designed for non - percutaneous implantations in a living body . the non - percutaneous prostheses of the present invention include middle ear , nasal and subcutaneous prostheses . the term &# 34 ; subcutaneous &# 34 ; is intended to have its commonly accepted definition , i . e ., &# 34 ; located beneath the skin &# 34 ; ( in contrast with &# 34 ; percutaneous &# 34 ;, i . e ., &# 34 ; through the skin &# 34 ;), but is not intended to be limited to meaning immediately beneath the skin . examples of non - percutaneous protheses according to the present invention include breast prostheses , chin prostheses , fascial protheses , cleft palate protheses , finger joint protheses , ossicular replacement devices , reconstructive devices for diseased middle ears , protheses to close nasal perforations , etc . the prosthesis of the present invention comprises a biocompatible composite material having a predetermined shape . the biocompatible composite material is made of an elastomeric material and bio - active ceramic or glass particles . the bio - active ceramic or glass particles can be dispersed through the matrix of the elastomeric material which has the predetermined shape . alternatively , the elastomeric material having the predetermined shape may have the bio - active ceramic or glass particles coated on its surface by any known method , such as spraying using a compressed gas propellant . the elastomeric material is preferably silicone . however , other materials such as polyurethane and its derivatives , hydrogels such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone and its derivatives and polyhema , c - flex ยฎ, etc ., may be used . the elastomeric material may be in the form of an open - or closed - cell foam . c - flex ยฎ is a thermoplastic elastomer manufactured by concept polymer technologies , inc ., of clearwater , fla ., and is formulated from a styrene - ethylene - butylene - styrene ( sebs ) modified polymer . the bio - active particulate material forms a chemical attachment with the surrounding tissue . any bio - active ceramic or bio - active glass particulate material which is biocompatible and forms a chemical attachment with the surrounding tissue may be used . however , calcium phosphates , especially hydroxylapatite , are preferred . silica - based glasses such as ceravital ยฎ ( available from ernst leitz wetzlar gmbh of west germany ), bioglass ยฎ ( available from the university of florida in gainesville ), etc ., may also be used . the particles preferably have a particle size in the range of 2 to 500 microns . the proportion of bio - active ceramic or glass particles and elastomeric material used in the prosthetic device of the present invention varies depending upon the intended end use . in general , however , with respect to the prosthetic device of the present invention wherein the bio - active ceramic or glass particles are dispersed throughout a matrix of elastomeric material , the bioactive ceramic or glass particles are preferably contained in the matrix in an amount of 20 to 70 weight % based on the total amount of bio - active ceramic or glass particles and elastomeric material . above 70 weight %, the strength of the composite decreases . the elastomeric matrix may be an open - cell foam material , such as polyurethane open - cell foam . bioactive ceramic or glass particles , such as hydroxylapatite , can be dispersed throughout the open - cell foam matrix . such a composite would be more elastic than its non - foam counter - part . also , such a composite would invite tissue ingrowth . when the bio - active ceramic or glass particles are coated on the surface of an elastomeric material having a predetermined shape , the amount of bio - active ceramic or glass particles is such that nearly the entire exposed surface is coated with hydroxylapatite so as to increase tissue adhesion . however , if desired , exposure may be reduced to decease tissue adhesion . the elastomeric material can be substantially coated with larger sized particles and finer particles may be used to fill spaces between the larger particles . the prothesis of the present invention can also comprise a base material of predetermined shape , e . g ., a conventional prosthetic device , and a layer of elastomeric material provided on the base material , wherein the layer of elastomeric material has distributed therein or provided thereon bio - active ceramic or glass particles . the elastomeric materials and bio - active ceramic or glass particles previously described are also useful in this embodiment . the elastomeric material in this embodiment may be in the form of a closed - cell foam material which would be more elastic than its non - foam counterpart . protheses of various shapes are shown in fig1 through 6 . fig1 a to 1c are side cross - sectional views of a prosthesis 2 having a shape useful as a breast prothesis . the prosthesis shown in fig1 a comprises a biocompatible composite material wherein bio - active ceramic or glass particles are dispersed through a matrix of elastomeric material . the breast prosthesis 2 shown in fig1 b has a coating 4 on its proximal side 6 . fig1 c shows a breast prosthesis 2 having a coating 4 covering the entire surface thereof including the proximal side 6 and distal side 8 . the breast prosthesis 2 shown in fig1 a or 1b has a base material 10 which may be the same material as that used in the prosthesis shown in fig1 a or may be a conventional prosthesis such as a conventional silicone breast prosthesis . the coating 4 can comprise an elastomeric material having distributed therein or provided thereon bio - active ceramic or glass particles . fig2 a through 2d are cross - sectional plan views of a prosthesis 12 having a shape such that it is useful as a chin implant . fig2 a shows a prosthesis 12 made of a composite material wherein bio - active ceramic or glass particles are dispersed throughout a matrix of elastomeric material . fig2 b shows a prosthesis 12 having a coating 14 covering the proximal side 16 of the prosthesis 12 . fig2 c shows a coating 14 covering the entire surface of the prosthesis 12 including the proximal side 16 and distal side 18 . the base material 20 of the protheses shown in fig2 b or 2c can be the same composite material as used in the prosthesis 12 shown in fig2 a or can be a conventional material such as silicone . the coating 14 comprises an elastomeric material having distributed therein or provided thereon bio - active ceramic or glass particles . fig2 d shows a prosthesis 12 having a malleable metal strip or mesh 22 therein to aid in maintaining a desired shape . the strip or mesh 22 may also be used in the coated protheses 12 shown in fig2 b and 2c . fig3 a and 3b are top and side cross - sectional views of an implant 24 having a shape such that it is useful as a cheek augmentation device . the prosthesis 24 can be made of the material 27 such as that described above with reference to the breast prosthesis 2 and chin implant 12 and can be coated with bio - active particles 25 either on its proximal side 26 or on its entire surface as described above with respect to the breast prosthesis 2 and chin implant 12 . fig4 a is a partially cut - away elevational view of a prosthesis 28 having a shape such that it is useful as a total ossicular replacement device similar to that described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 510 , 627 to treace . the prosthesis 28 can be made of a material 29 such as that described in connection with the prostheses 2 , 12 , and 24 shown in fig1 a , 2a , and 3 , respectively . the prosthesis 28 shown in fig4 b has a malleable metal strip or mesh 30 to aid in forming or maintaining a desired shape . fig5 a shows a prosthesis 32 having a shape such that it is useful to reconstruct a canal wall of diseased middle ear . the prosthesis shown in fig5 b has a canal wall section 32 and tympanic membrane replacement section 34 . fig5 c shows a prosthesis having a canal wall section 32 , tympanic membrane 34 and total ossicular replacement portion 36 . fig5 d shows a prosthesis having a canal wall section 32 , tympanic membrane section 34 and partial ossicular replacement portion 38 . the canal wall portion 32 may have incorporated therein a malleable metal strip or mesh to aid in maintaining the desired shape . the prosthesis shown in fig5 c may have a wire in the shaft to aid in its positioning . the prostheses shown in fig5 a through 5d may be made from the materials previously described . fig6 is an exploded perspective view of a set of disks 40 and 42 having a shape useful to close nasal perforations . fig7 is a perspective view of a finger joint prosthesis 44 according to the present invention . such a prosthesis is formed of a base material 46 which is preferably silicone . the base material 46 has a coating 48 of bio - active particles , preferably hydroxylapatite particles , at each of its generally cone - shaped ends 54 and 56 . the finger joint 44 has two generally annular flanges 52 and a narrowed hinge section 50 between the flanges 52 . the cone - shaped ends 54 and 56 are placed within a pair of finger bones and are joined thereto with a build - up of fibrous tissue . the hinge 50 acts as an artificial knuckle . the prostheses of the present invention can also have shapes such that they are useful as cleft palate prostheses , reconstructive sheeting , wire mesh or polymer fiber mesh reinforced reconstructive sheeting , etc . the reconstructive sheeting of the present invention is designed for reconstruction of tissue of a living body and comprises a biocompatible composite material made of bio - active ceramic or glass particles dispersed through a sheet of elastomeric material . the sheet may have a wire mesh or polymer fiber mesh reinforcement therein . the reconstructive sheeting may be molded to form prosthetic devices for repair or replacement of , e . g ., the trachea , soft tissue defects , orbital floor and cranial perforations , or to fix or hold other prosthesis in place . the sheeting may also be used as artificial skin . the sheeting is preferably formed to have a thickness in the range of 0 . 005 to 0 . 1 inches . an extremely useful biocompatible composite material according to the present invention comprises hydrogel and particles of a bio - active ceramic or glass material . the particles of bio - active ceramic or glass material are preferably dispersed throughout a matrix of the hydrogel . for example , a composite consisting essentially of polyvinyl pyrrolidone hydrogel and hydroxylapatite is rigid when dry , but softens when exposed to moisture . this property could be used to form a cutting edge which would soften into a feathered edge when implanted . this composite material can be provided to the physician previously molded , whereby the physician could trim or deform the molded composite material before or during positioning . in addition , this composite material can be provided to the physician uncured , molded by the physician and subsequently cured either at room temperature or by addition of a catalyst , etc . the following experiments were conducted to study the properties and feasibility of use of various biocompatible composite materials . materials : dow corning heat - curable mdx4 - 4516 silicone lot a rubber and & gt ; 200 mesh size hydroxylapatite particles . silicone weight -- 3 . 3 grams . using a rolling pin , the silicone was flattened to a thickness of approximately 1 / 16 inch . the hydroxylapatite particles were then poured out onto a flat surface . the silicone sheet was then placed over the hydroxylapatite particles . the rolling pin was used to force the hydroxylapatite particles into the silicone matrix . the silicone / hydroxylapatite composite was then folded onto itself and the entire process was repeated until the composite began to separate when folded . results : the material appeared very firm and tough after it was cured . blending of the hydroxylapatite particles appeared uniform . better blending techniques could be used such as introducing both materials into the barrel of an injection molding machine and allowing the screw to blend the components . the silicone used in experiment 1 is a high durometer material and would be suitable for fabricating stiff sheeting or prostheses where rigidity is important . materials : dow corning mdx4 - 4516 silicone rubber and through 300 mesh hydroxylapatite powder . results : particle size of the hydroxylapatite is much smaller than in experiment 1 . the material did not seem to stick together as well ( i . e ., did not form a cohesive mass ) when blending . upon examination after final curing , the composite was made of very thin , fine , tough sheets of silicone / hydroxylapatite . this material could be ideal for tympanic membrane reconstruction or soft tissue repair . materials : dow corning silicone rubber q7 - 4635 , heat - cured and & lt ; 300 mesh hydroxylapatite powder . results : the results were similar to those obtained in experiment 2 , but since a lower durometer silicone was used , the composite was more pliable . results : the results were similar to those obtained in experiment 1 , but since a lower durometer silicone was used , the composite was more pliable . materials : dow corning silicone mdx4 - 4210 rtv 2 parts ( a + b ) silicone lot # hh068476 and hydroxylapatite powder & gt ; 200 mesh . after mixing the hydroxylapatite into the silicone with a stirring rod , additional powder was sprinkled on the surface of the composite to form a hydroxylapatite - enriched surface . note : the fine powder appeared to wet quite well . it is possible that hydroxylapatite weight % using this fine powder size could go as high as 70 % by weight hydroxylapatite . results : as expected , the composite in experiment 5 was more grainy or coarse than in experiment 6 . either of these two materials would be good for casting custom prostheses . these two compositions were sliced in half after curing . the interiors were porous due to the entrapment of air bubbles . these bubbles could be removed by applying a vacuum to the composite and then releasing it prior to curing . on the other hand , additional air bubbles could be incorporated into the composite to form a flexible hydroxylapatite / silicone composite foam . air bubbles could be incorporated by mechanical agitation or mixing with hydrogen peroxide . the surface of these composites may not be as bioactive as the interiors due to complete encapsulation of the hydroxylapatite particles by the silicone elastomer . this problem could be avoided by sprinkling hydroxylapatite particles onto the surface of the composite , as in experiment 5 , prior to curing . another method would be to abrade or roughen the surface after curing to expose hydroxylapatite particles . all of the materials obtained in experiments 1 through 6 could be extruded into tubing or custom shapes , if desired . materials : silicone / silicone gel breast prosthesis purchased from surgical dimensions , inc ., lilburn , ga . ; dow corning rtv silicone adhesive ; & lt ; 300 mesh hydroxylapatite particles ; & gt ; 200 mesh hydroxylapatite particles . the silicone adhesive was coated onto the medial wall ( chest side ) of the breast prosthesis . the & gt ; 200 mesh hydroxylapatite was spread onto a flat surface . the adhesive - coated surface was pressed onto the hydroxylapatite particles , and the & lt ; 300 mesh hydroxylapatite particles were sprinkled onto the coated surface to fill in the voids between the larger hydroxylapatite particles . results : after curing , the hydroxylapatite particles appeared to be very adherent to the surface of the silicone breast prosthesis . this appears to impart biological fixation and improved biocompatibility to substrate materials . other substrate materials would include , but not necessarily be limited to , silicones , polyurethanes , and tpr rubber such as c - flex2 ยฎ. the silicone adhesive in experiment 7 could be blended with particulate hydroxylapatite and put into a tube . a physician could then squeeze the composite out of the tube in the same manner as toothpaste and form custom shapes at the time of surgery . materials : a material which contains polyvinyl pyrrolidone ( marketed under the name sea slide by hydromer , inc . ), and hydroxylapatite particles & gt ; 200 mesh . the liquid sea slide was poured into a 2 &# 34 ; diameter container . hydroxylapatite powder was then added to the liquid until the powder no longer appeared to be wetted by the sea slide . the container and contents were then set aside to cure . when removed from the container , the composite fell apart except for a thin skin which formed on the surface of the container . the weight of the container and hydroxylapatite powder minus the skin = 5 . 8 grams . results : as discussed previously , a thin skin of a hydrogel / hydroxylapatite composite formed on the surface . this skin was approximately 47 % by weight hydroxylapatite . the skin formed was brittle and grainy until wetted . after wetting with water , the skin became very flexible , but fell apart easily . the steps described in experiment 8 were repeated . a thick , creamy paste is formed when mixing . higher weight percentages of hydroxylapatite can be obtained by thinning sea slide with water to obtain greater volume and wettability . results : when the finer powder was used , the maximum weight % hydroxylapatite increased . the composite also appeared more durable after wetting than the composite in experiment 8 . the weight % of hydroxylapatite = 86 . 4 %. results : the weight % hydroxylapatite was reduced in this experiment to 68 . 8 %. the hydroxylapatite particles size was & lt ; 300 mesh . this material had much better handling characteristics and appeared tougher when wetted than that obtained in either experiment 8 or experiment 9 . results : the weight % hydroxylapatite was increased to 71 . 4 %. again , the & lt ; 300 mesh material was used . this composite also exhibited good handling characteristics when wetted , but was less flexible than that obtained in experiment 10 . note : experiments 8 - 11 incorporated only one type of poly vinyl pyrrolidone ; other variations of this material may be more appropriate for the intended application of biocompatible composites . other hydrogels such as those used in contact lenses may also be appropriate , i . e ., polyhema . to demonstrate calcium ion ( ca 2 + ) release , silicone and hydroxylapatite composite sheets and ultraviolet - curable polyurethane and hydroxylapatite composite sheets 0 . 040 inch thick ร 1 . 5 inches ร 3 . 0 inches and containing 40 % by weight hydroxylapatite were fabricated . fifty mg . of each material were then suspended in 50 ml of 0 . 1m potassium acetate buffer , ph 5 , for one hour . the buffer was then analyzed for ca 2 + content by atomic absorption spectroscopy ( aas ). the results , shown in table 1 , indicate that the rate of release of ca 2 + ions into the body may be controlled by varying the hydroxylapatite particle size and / or the composition of the substrate material . the rate of ca 2 + release may , in turn , effect tissue adhesion . table 1______________________________________hydroxylapatitesubstrate material ( ppm ) particle size ca . sup . 2 + ______________________________________silicone between 60 and 0 . 510 200 meshsilicone & lt ; 300 mesh 0 . 680polyurethane & lt ; 300 mesh 1 . 548______________________________________ while i have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention , it is understood that the same is not limited thereto , but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person having ordinary skill in the art , and i therefor do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein , but intend to cover all such modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims .
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a procedure to signal , monitor and terminate action plans classified as improvable in a production process ; and the resources to signal , monitor and close the process for improving industrial production processes , applicable to any industrial procedure involving persons , such as a factory , repair workshop , an administrative system or a process in general , and whose resources comprise at least the following elements : a signalling panel comprising a rectangular panel of resistant material which may be a metallic blackboard type where it is also possible to write ; of soft material , canvas or soft felt to pin tokens and other elements using drawing pins or small nails ; flat plastic material for tokens and other elements with self - adhesive surfaces , and divided into three identical , consecutive , rectangular zones differentiated by colour . the first zone , preferably red , is the zone to be improved . the second zone , in the centre of the panel , preferably yellow , is the improving zone . the third zone , following from the previous two and so located at the extreme opposite the first zone , preferably green , is the improved zone . storage boxes , three in number , in the form of small boxes of transparent material and a parallelepiped straight rectangular shape open at the top , with at least three internal divisions and located at the bottom of each of the three zones , i . e . the storage box in the bottom of the red zone , the storage box in the bottom of the yellow zone and the storage box in the bottom of the green zone . monitoring boxes , three in number , in the form of small boxes of transparent material and a parallelepiped straight rectangular shape open at the top , with at least three internal divisions and located in the right - hand part of the green zone , in vertical row , and labelled on the outside as follows : signalling tokens in the form of a set of units of 6 tokens , joined by a removable rivet . each token comprises a rectangular part made of flexible , resistant material such as plastic - laminated paper . the tops of the tokens have , at the back , an area provided to carry the attachment element . said attachment element may be magnetic , for magnetic panels , adhesive and even both . drill - hole , of diameter slightly greater than that of the removable rivet connecting them . token catalogue frame in the central top part of the token and marked with the words board or item depending on whether they are for the signalling panel or the element where the improvement action is specified . within the tokens , a series of spaces can be made out where it is possible to write , with appropriate resources and largely defined as follows : area indicating the pre - printed serial number , at the bottom on the connection tab and which is the same for all six tokens . area indicating the date , setting out the week and year of commencement of the improvement action , area indicating the action plan , located in the middle and larger than the rest , containing the definition of all the actions to be taken , area indicating control , of internal origin and variable depending on the procedures . there are also tokens of the same shape and characteristics but with all fields blank , and which may be used as substitute tokens while the originals be lost or they deteriorate . in addition , each token has a connecting tab consisting of offsets on both sides and at the bottom of the token and which can , thanks to the horizontal rectangular opening , be secured to any element for which an improvement is being considered . in the case of elements where the token cannot be secured in this way , an area is provided with removable adhesive on the upper back of the token , to attach it in this way . in the case that elements to be improved were metallic , tokens will be used with a magnetic component on the back . if a token cannot be secured using any of these methods to the element for which improvement is to be acted on , provision is made for a pyramid with a magnetic or self - adhesive base which , with the same indications on its sides , has the same role and can be located on the element where the improvement plan is to be applied . the procedure for the signalling , monitoring and termination of action plans classified as improvable as part of a production process , can applied to any industrial procedure involving persons , to be delivered in units of 6 tokens with the same serial number , connected using the removable rivet and in the three basic colours , to differentiate each of the stages of the improvement . thus three token s with the inscription item for the element to be indicated and improved , i . e . one red , one yellow and one green ; and three tokens with the inscription board for the signalling panel , one red , one yellow and one green . the tokens carry a serial number at the bottom , the same for each of the 6 tokens joined using the removable rivet . thus each improvement plan has the same serial number , guaranteeing that no plan can be lost or not implemented . each year , a limited number of series can be delivered , thereby ensuring that no plan can be lost . once the tokens are in the hands of the person responsible , the spaces on them must be filled in using the same standardised procedure : area indicating the date , setting out the week and year when the improvement , action in each field began , area indicating the action plan , located in the middle and larger than the rest , containing as it does the definition of all the actions to be completed , i . e . : on the red label , the word โ improvement โ, then a description of the real nature of the problem . on the yellow label , the phrase โ action plan โ to write the proposed solution . on the green label , the word โ implantation โ, referring to record of the presence of the solution to the problem . area indicating control , internal in origin and variable according to procedures . on the green labels , both board and item , the monitoring weeks + 4 , + 8 and + 12 appear , along with control , which may contain the signature of the โ controller โ or the monitor of the solution , or an operator number for example if simpler . in phase 1 , the red label , marked board , goes to the panel , and the red label , named item , goes to the element to be indicated . the 4 remaining tokens are kept in the storage box located in the red stage . in phase 2 , corresponding to improvement stage 2 ( yellow ), the phase 1 red labels marked board and item are stored in the storage box in the yellow zone , along with the green tokens of the following process . the yellow tokens denominated board and item have already been removed from the red storage box and each placed in their positions . the procedure is the same in phase 3 , corresponding to the green improvement stage , so that the green label denominated board will be on the panel , and the green label โ item โ on the element for improvement . the storage box , placed in green , stores the 4 tokens already used : two red and two yellow , denominated board and item respectively . in each of these changes of stage corresponding to each stage of improvement , the date of commencement of the improvement is written in the associated zones , with the problem to be improved , the action for the improvement , and a record of the introduction of the improvement ; all on each of the tokens denominated board and item . in phase 4 , corresponding to the green stage , the improvement is already in place . in this way , the monitoring box โ+ 4 โ gathers the green tokens denominated board and item coming from the panel and element respectively indicated ; and from the storage box , at the green improvement stage , the remaining tokens of the previous stages . thus storage box โ+ 4 โ will , contain the 6 initial tokens which have already gone through all the stages . similarly , the green item token can remain on the element indicated throughout the monitoring process until ending at stage + 12 , where all tokens ( the six ) will be collected ). phase 5 . 4 weeks following the previous step and once confirmed that the improvement introduced continues to operate , all the tokens must be moved to monitoring box โ+ 8 โ. green item can also be monitored on the element indicated after the monitoring is signed . the entire process ends with the gathering of the 6 tokens corresponding to a single serial number from the โ+ 8 โ monitoring box to the last monitoring box โ+ 12 โ, 4 weeks following the previous monitoring process , if it is confirmed that the improvement process is adequately installed and tested . a procedure for signalling , monitoring and terminating action plans classified as improvable in a production process , and the resources to signal , monitor and close the process for improvement , of industrial production processes , applicable to any industrial procedure involving persons , such as a factory , repair workshop , administrative system or a process in general ; and whose resources comprise at least the following elements : a signalling panel ( 1 ) comprising a rectangular panel of resistant material such a metallic blackboard type ; and divided into three identical , consecutive , rectangular zones differentiated by colour . the first zone ( 2 ), preferably red , is the zone to be improved . the second zone ( 3 ), in the centre of the panel ( 1 ), preferably yellow , is the improving zone . the third zone ( 4 ), following from the previous two , and so located at the extreme opposite the first zone ( 2 ), preferably green , is the improved zone . storage boxes , ( 5 ), ( 6 ) and ( 7 ), in the form of small boxes of transparent material and a parallelepiped straight rectangular shape open at the top , with at least three internal divisions and located at the bottom of each of the three zones , i . e . the storage box ( 5 ) in the bottom of the red zone ( 2 ), the storage box ( 6 ) in the bottom of the yellow zone ( 3 ), and the storage box ( 7 ) in the bottom of the green zone ( 4 ). monitoring boxes ( 8 ), ( 9 ) and ( 10 ), in the form of small boxes of transparent material and a parallelepiped straight rectangular shape open at the top , with at least three internal divisions and located in the right - hand part of the green zone , in a vertical row , and labelled on the outside as follows : signalling tokens ( 11 ), in the form of a set of units of 6 tokens ( 13 ), joined by a removable rivet ( 12 ). each token ( 13 ) comprises a rectangular part made of flexible , resistant material such as plastic - laminated paper ; where it is possible to write , with appropriate resources . the top of the tokens ( 13 ) have , at the back , a magnetic area ( 23 ) provided to carry the attachment element for to be used in metallic boards . ( 14 ) drill - hole , of diameter slightly greater than that of the removable rivet ( 12 ) ( 16 ) token catalogue frame in the central top part of the token ( 13 ) and marked with the words board or item depending on whether they are for the signalling panel ( 1 ), or the element where the improvement action is specified . ( 17 ) area indicating the pre - printed serial number , at the bottom , on the connection tab ( 22 ), and which is the same for all six tokens ( 11 ). ( 18 ).- area indicating the date , setting out the week and year of commencement of the improvement action , ( 19 ) area indicating the action plan , located in the middle and larger than the rest , containing the definition of all the actions to be taken , ( 20 ) area indicating incidents , explaining all the incidents arising , ( 21 ) area indicating control , of internal origin and variable depending on the procedures . ( 22 ) connecting tab , consisting of offsets on both sides and at the bottom of the token ( 13 ) and which can , thanks to the horizontal rectangular opening ( 15 ), be secured to any element for which an improvement is being considered . in the case of elements were the token cannot be secured in this way , an area is provided with removable adhesive ( 23 ) on the upper back of the token ( 13 ), to attach it in this way . in the case that elements to be improved were metallic , tokens will be used with a magnetic component on the back ( 23 ). if a token cannot be secured using any of these methods to the element for which improvement is to be acted on , provision is made for a pyramid ( 24 ) with a magnetic or self - adhesive base which , with the same indications on its sides , has the same role and can be located on the element where the improvement plan is to be applied . there are also tokens of the same shape and characteristics but with all fields blank , and which may be used as substitute tokens while the originals be lost or they deteriorate . the procedure for the signalling , monitoring and termination of action plans classified as improvable as part of a production process , can be applied to any industrial procedure involving persons , such as a factory , repair workshop , administrative system or a process in general . to be delivered in units of 6 tokens ( 11 ) with the same serial number , connected using the removable rivet ( 12 ) and in the three basic colours , to differentiate each of the stages of the improvement . thus , three tokens ( 13 ) with the inscription item for the element to be indicated and improved , i . e . one red , one yellow and one green ; and three tokens ( 13 ) with the inscription board for the signalling panel , one red , one yellow and one green . the tokens carry a pre - printed serial number at the bottom , in the ( 17 ) area , and it is the same for each of the 6 tokens joined using the removable rivet ( 12 ). thus each improvement plan has the same serial number , guaranteeing that no plan can be lost or not implemented . each year , a limited number of series can be delivered , thereby ensuring that no plan can be lost . once the tokens ( 11 ) are in the hands of the person responsible , the spaces on them must be filled in using the same standardised procedure : area indicating the date ( 18 ), setting out the week and year when the improvement action in each field began , area indicating the action plan ( 19 ), located in the middle and larger than the rest , containing as it does the definition of all the actions to be completed , i . e . : on the red label , the word โ improvement โ, then description of the real nature of the problem . on the yellow label , the phrase โ action plan โ to write the proposed solution . on the green label , the word โ implantation โ, referring to record of the presence of the solution to the problem . area indicating control ( 21 ), internal in origin and variable according to procedures . on the green labels , both board and item , the monitoring weeks + 4 ( 8 ), + 8 ( 9 ) and + 12 ( 10 ) appear , along with control , which may contain the signature of the โ controller โ or the monitor of the solution ; or an operator number for example if simpler . in phase 1 , the red label , marked board , goes to the panel in red ( 2 ), and the red label , named item , goes to the element be pointed ; and thanks to the horizontal rectangular opening ( 15 ) and connecting tab ( 22 ) at the bottom of the token , be secured to any element for which an improvement is being considered . in the case of elements where the token cannot be secured in this way , a magnetic area ( 23 ) is provided on the upper back of the token , to attach it in this way . the 4 remaining tokens are kept in the storage box ( 5 ) located in the red stage . in phase 2 , corresponding to improvement stage ( yellow ), the phase 1 red labels marked board and item are stored in the storage box ( 6 ) in the yellow zone ( 3 ), along with the green tokens of the following process . the yellow tokens denominated board and item have already been picked up from the red storage box and each placed in their positions . the procedure is the same in phase 3 , corresponding to the green improvement stage , so that the green label denominated board will be on the panel in green ( 4 ), and the green label โ item โ on the element for improvement . the storage box ( 7 ), placed in green , stores the 4 tokens already used : two red and two yellow , denominated board and item respectively . in each of these changes of stage corresponding to each stage of improvement , the date of commencement of the improvement is written in the associated zones ( 18 ); in addition to the ( 19 ) area , writing the problem to be improved ; the action for the improvement , and a record of the introduction of the improvement ; all on each of the tokens denominated board and item . in phase 4 , corresponding to the green stage , the improvement is already in place . in this way , 4 weeks following the previous stage in phase 3 , the monitoring box โ+ 4 โ ( 8 ) gathers the green tokens denominated board and item coming from the panel and element respectively indicated ; and from the storage box ( 7 ) at the green improvement stage , the remaining tokens of the previous stages . thus storage box โ+ 4 โ ( 8 ) will contain the 6 initial tokens which have already gone through all the stages . similarly , the green item token can remain on the element indicated throughout the monitoring process until ending at stage + 12 ( 10 ), where all tokens ( the six ) will be collected ). phase 5 . 4 weeks following the previous step and once confirmed that the improvement introduced continues to operate , all the tokens must be moved to monitoring box โ+ 8 โ ( 9 ). green item can also he monitored on the element indicated after the monitoring is signed . the entire process ends with the gathering of the 6 tokens corresponding to a single serial number from the โ+ 8 โ ( 9 ) monitoring box to the last . monitoring box โ+ 12 โ ( 10 ), 4 weeks following the previous monitoring process , if it is confirmed that the improvement process is adequately installed and tested . adequately described the nature of the invention , as well as the way to practice , should be noted that the previously indicated statements and represented in the accompanying drawings are susceptible to changes of detail so far as they do not modify its fundamental principles , set out in the above paragraphs and summarized in the following claims .
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referring now to the drawings in greater detail , in fig1 to 5 , there is shown a series type hybrid electric vehicle 101 with a drive motor mounting module 10 made in accordance with this invention . the vehicle 101 has a chassis 102 with two frame rails 103a and 103b . there is an engine 104 and an electric generator 105 engaged to the frame rails 103a and 103b . the generator 105 is electrically engaged by cables 111 to an electric control system 106 ( not shown ) and batteries 107 ( not shown ). the batteries 107 are located within a battery box 108 which is engaged to a right frame rail 103b . the electric control system 106 and batteries 107 are electrically engaged by cables 111 to an electric drive motor 11 . the electric motor 11 is engaged to the frame rails 103a and 103b through the drive motor mounting module 10 . the drive motor mounting module 10 is comprised and installed to the vehicle 101 as follows . a front motor mount support bracket 12 is engaged via fasteners 81 ( not shown ) to the front of the electric motor 11 . a chassis cross member 17 is engaged to and between the frame rails 103a and 103b with connections at a left cross member side 18 and at a right cross member side 19 . the chassis cross member 17 has a centered chassis front support bracket 14 . the front motor mount support bracket 12 of the motor 11 is engaged to the chassis front support bracket 14 with a rubber isolator 15 inserted between at the area of engagement . the rubber isolator 15 prevents a metal to metal contact between the front motor support bracket 12 and the chassis front support bracket 14 . in the preferred embodiment , the front motor support bracket 12 is right angle or &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; shaped with a horizontal chassis cross member engagement face 12a directed forward relative to the vehicle 101 . also in the preferred embodiment , the chassis front support bracket 14 is right angle or &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; shaped with a front motor horizontal engagement face 14a directed rearward relative to the vehicle 101 . this preferred embodiment allows the chassis cross member 17 to be installed to the frame rails 103a and 103b on a main assembly line . separate from the assembly line , the front motor support bracket 12 is engaged to the motor . the motor mounting module 10 is then dropped in and engaged to the chassis 102 on the main assembly line . the front motor support bracket 12 and the chassis front support bracket 14 comprise the first or front point of the unique &# 34 ; 3 point &# 34 ; motor mounting of this invention . the second and third three points or rear points of the &# 34 ; 3 point &# 34 ; mounting are comprised as follows . a right rear motor mount bracket 20 is engaged to a right rear under side of the motor 11 . a left rear motor mount bracket 40 is engaged to a left rear underside of the motor 11 . separate vertical channels 21 are engaged to the right rear motor mount bracket 20 and the left rear motor mount bracket 40 . a cross brace 23 is engaged between the upper portions of the vertical channels 21 for lateral support . a motor module locating casting mount 24 is engaged to each vertical channel 21 . on a main vehicle assembly line , a frame mount casting 30 is engaged to the inner faces of each of the frame rails 103a and 103b of the chassis 102 . the frame mount casting 30 contains a rear isolator 32 . the rear isolator 32 on each of the frame mount castings 30 is made of a rubber and acts similar to the rubber isolator 15 that was previously described on the chassis front support bracket 14 . the rubber isolator 15 and the rear isolator 32 provide electro - magnetic frequency ( emf ) and radio frequency interference ( rfi ) isolation of the motor from the rest of the chassis 102 and vehicle 101 . the rear isolators 32 are shaped to engage with the motor module locating casting mount 24 which was previously attached to the vertical channels 21 . the frame mounted castings 30 are engaged to the frame rail 103a and 103b through spacers 31 and fasteners 85 ( not shown ). the frame mount castings 30 , like the chassis cross member 17 , are installed to the chassis 102 on a main vehicle assembly line , while the rest of the motor mount module 10 is assembled separate from the main vehicle assembly line . the motor module locating castings 24 are shaped to fit within the frame mounting castings 30 , to allow the entire rear section of the motor mount module 10 to be dropped in and installed as a modular element on the main assembly line . in the preferred embodiment , the motor module locating casting mounts 24 on the vertical channels 21 are &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; shaped so they will be aligned within the also &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; shaped frame mount castings 30 when the entire rear section of the motor mount module 10 is dropped into the chassis 102 . in the embodiment of the invention shown in fig2 the vertical channels 21 are each comprised of a front section 21a , a back section 21c , and a side section 21b . when viewed from above , the vertical channels 21 are &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; shaped . also in the embodiment shown in fig3 the rear motor mount brackets 20 and 40 are also made up front faces 20a and 40a , inner side faces 20b and 40b , and back faces 20c and 40c . the motor module locating casting mounts 24 are engaged to the side sections 21b of the vertical channels 21 . it is the inner side sections 20b and 40b of the rear motor mount brackets 20 and 40 that are engaged to the motor 11 . the inner side sections 20a and 40a are shaped to conform to the underside of the motor 11 . the front sections 20a and 40a and rear sections 20c and 40c of the motor mount brackets 20 and 40 fit within the &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; shape of the vertical channels 21 where they are engaged . this embodiment may have two cross braces 23 to provide further lateral support . the motor mount module 10 of this invention allows modular installation of the motor 11 for the motor mount module 10 on the main assembly line as follows . separate from the main assembly line , an off - line portion of the motor mount module 10 is assembled . the front motor mount support bracket 12 is engaged to the front of the motor 11 . the side sections 20b and 40b , and two rear motor mount brackets 20 and 40 are installed to the rear under side of the motor 11 . the vertical channels 21 are installed to the rear motor mount brackets 20 and 40 . in the preferred embodiment , the motor mount brackets 20 and 40 slip into the &# 34 ; u &# 34 ; shape of the vertical channels 21 for engagement via fasteners 86 ( not shown ). the cross braces 23 are installed across the upper portions between the vertical channels 21 . the motor module locating casting mounts 24 are installed to the outer sides of the vertical channels 21 . an on - line portion of the motor mount module 10 is assembled along the main assembly line as follows . the chassis cross member 17 is installed between frame rails 103a and 103b . the frame mount castings 30 are installed on each frame rail 103a and the 103b rearward from the chassis cross member 17 . the motor 11 , with the front motor support bracket 12 , the rear motor mount brackets 20 and 40 , vertical channels 21 , cross braces 23 , and motor mount locating mounts 24 installed , is lowered into place to engage to the chassis front support bracket 14 of the chassis cross member 17 and the frame mount castings 30 already installed on the frame rails 103a and 103b of the chassis 102 . fasteners 87 ( not shown ) are used to finally engage the motor mount module 10 to the chassis 102 of the vehicle 101 . the motor mount module 10 may be installed with any off - the - shelf electric motor 11 . this allows for economical decisions related to the choice of electric motor 11 for the hybrid electric vehicle 101 . the electric motor 11 is mechanically engaged to a drive or rear axle assembly 110 with rear wheels 112 through a prop shaft or drive line 113 . although described and shown as rear drive , the invention may also be applied in a front drive configuration where the drive axle assembly 110 is forward on the vehicle 101 . when the motor 11 is energized and rotates , the drive line 113 rotates which imparts rotational energy to the rear wheels 112 through the rear axle assembly 110 . as described above , the drive motor mounting module of the present invention , the hybrid electric vehicle 101 with the drive motor mounting module 10 installed , and the method of installation provide a number of advantages , some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention . also modifications may be proposed to the drive motor mounting module 10 , the hybrid electric vehicle 101 , and the method of installation without departing from the teachings herein . accordingly , the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims .
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as shown best in fig1 and 4 , the filter and scent dispenser unit has a rectangular frame 1 that supports a filter sleeve 2 and a scent dispenser 3 supported by a pair of spaced transverse ribs 4 . the frame ends 1 &# 39 ; are slightly shorter than the standard width w of an opening through a wall or floor f and the frame sides 1 &# 34 ; are slightly longer than the standard length l of such opening . filter 2 preferably is made from nonwoven polyester sheet material which is closed along one side and both ends . the filter 2 , as shown in fig1 and 4 , is made from a single sheet folded along one side and sewn together at the two ends , as indicated by stitching 19 . the ends of the filter sleeve alternatively may be heat sealed . filter 2 is mounted on the frame by fitting the frame into the open side of the filter sleeve and sliding the frame and sleeve relatively in transversely opposite directions . the filter 2 should be slightly wider than the frame 1 so that the filter will completely cover the outlet end of duct d and entrap substantially all of the particulate material borne by the warm air emerging from the duct outlet . when a filter sleeve 2 has been fitted over frame 1 and the unit is to be inserted in the outlet of duct d , the register r is lifted from the opening and set aside . one end 1 &# 39 ; of the frame will be inserted into the duct outlet and pressed against the duct wall by an installer holding the opposite end 1 &# 39 ; of the frame by the thumb and forefinger of one hand . the leading end 1 &# 39 ; will be butted against the duct d wall at a location spaced from the surface of floor f approximately equal to the depth of the register skirt s . the installer will grasp container 3 or ribs 4 , through the filter material , with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand so that the container 3 and ribs 4 may be lifted while the trailing frame end 1 &# 39 ; is pressed downward to cause the frame sides 1 &# 34 ; to flex , thereby decreasing the distance between frame ends 1 &# 39 ; to permit the entire frame to be inserted into the duct outlet . when the frame and container are released , the sides 1 &# 34 ; will spring back to more nearly linear disposition , thereby securing the unit in the duct outlet with a friction fit . if the frame , as so inserted into the duct opening , is spaced from the surface of floor f a distance less than the depth of register skirt s , when the register r is placed over the floor opening , the skirt extend into the outlet , press against the frame 1 and move the frame further along the duct wall until the register is flush with the floor . floor registers are typically equipped with movable vanes v which can be opened or closed with a lever v &# 39 ; to control the volume of airflow into the room . conventionally the skirt s is of a depth that will provide adequate space to permit lever v &# 39 ; and vanes v to be moved without interference . although the function of the register skirt has been to assure that the floor opening is adequate and to assure that the edges of carpeting or flooring material are forced out of any interference with operation of the vanes , such skirt also cooperates with applicant &# 39 ; s filter unit so simplify its installation . therefore , any adult occupant of a house or apartment may readily install applicant &# 39 ; s device and may change filters as necessary without special skill or tools . replacement filters are small , flexible and light so they can be easily stored . the unit can be removed as easily as it is installed . the unit is small enough that it can be inserted into a bag , wastebasket or garbage can and the dirty filter sleeve slipped off of the frame without tugging or shaking so that the dirt stays in the filter and is not broadcast into the air . the frame can be made of flexible metal wire , but it is preferred that the frame be made of a rigid but resilient plastic such as polypropylene . such plastic construction provides assurance that the frame will not absorb and retain heat and , therefore , can be removed at any convenient time without any risk that a person will experience any sensation of being burned . furthermore , the frame and scent dispenser can be molded as a single unit which substantially reduces the cost of manufacture and the price to the consumer . the scent dispenser 3 includes a rectangular tray 5 with upright end walls 6 and 7 and side walls 8 . as shown in fig3 the tray bottom 9 has a plurality of apertures 10 . the number , size , shape and arrangement of such apertures are not critical so long as the rigidity of the tray bottom is not undermined and the scented material , shown in the form of pellets or crystals c , is unable to fall through the apertures . for purposes of illustration , perforations 10 are shown as three parallel rows , lengthwise of the tray , of circular apertures , the axes of which are perpendicular to the plane of the tray bottom and aligned with the current of air passing from duct d through vanes v of register r . tray 5 receives scent pellets c that are retained in the tray by cover 11 . lengthwise slots 12 in cover 11 allow heated air entering the dispenser through perforations 10 in the tray bottom 9 to pass out of the dispenser with scent vapor entrained in such airflow . the room freshening scent is carried by the warm air current and thus is positively dispersed through the room with much greater uniformity of intensity than in prior art dispensers . dispenser 3 is supported on transverse ribs 4 of frame 1 . although tray 5 could be fabricated separately and mounted in a frame by bonding tray bottom 10 to the upper surface of ribs which extend from side to side of the frame , for example , it is preferred that the frame and tray be molded as a single unit with ribs 4 extending from opposite frame sides 1 &# 34 ; into tray side walls 8 without passing through such side walls or through the interior of the tray . with such construction , there are no transverse ribs to interfere with the flow of heated air through bottom apertures 10 over the scent pellets c and out through slots 12 . a slide 13 is supported on tracks 14 formed in the inner and upper margins of tray side walls 8 for sliding lengthwise of tray 5 beneath cover slots 12 , as indicated by the arrows in fig2 two posts 15 carried near one end of the upper slide surface project through two of slots 12 so that the slide can be manipulated when the tray is closed by cover 11 . slots 12 are shown as four parallel slots extending from one end of cover 11 for a distance slightly less than half the length of the cover . slide 13 is of a length slightly greater than half the length of the cover and tracks 14 extend the full length of the tray interior . the slide can be moved lengthwise of tray 5 and cover 11 , by finger engagement of the free ends of posts 15 , between a position in which slots 12 are sealed from communication with the interior of the tray and a position in which slots 12 are in full communication with such interior . the thickness of cover 13 is slightly greater than the depth of tracks 14 to assure that slide 13 is in substantially continuous engagement with the cover interior creating a friction fit to maintain the slide in any selected position with respect to the length of slots 12 to control the intensity of scent released from the tray . if a frame is packaged , shipped and stored prior to use with scent material contained in the tray , the slide would be set to fully closed position , with posts 15 in the solid line position shown in fig2 . to achieve maximum intensity of scent when the frame is inserted into a warm air duct , as described above , posts 15 would be moved to the left position shown in broken lines in fig2 . a homeowner or an apartment tenant can adjust the slide and thereby control the scent intensity in accordance with his or her personal preferences . if a guest temporarily occupying a room in which a scent dispenser of the instant invention has been installed is allergic to o otherwise bothered by the particular scent in use , the dispenser can be easily closed , and the room will soon be purged of the scent by the circulation of unscented air from the register . although cover 11 is made separately and snapped into place on the tray , it is preferred that the cover also be molded as part of the frame and tray . in the preferred form of the fabrication of the invention , cover 11 is integrally connected to tray end wall 7 by a hinge 16 . as noted above , the frame and dispenser preferably are made of a rigid , resilient plastic material , such as polypropylene . therefore , it is preferred that latch yoke 17 have a substantially rectangular configuration with a substantially horizontal cross bar 17 &# 39 ; and that latch tongue 18 be of substantially triangular cross section , as shown in fig5 . the lower leg or latching edge 18 &# 39 ; of the latch tongue is substantially perpendicular to tray end wall 6 and the outer leg of the triangle is disposed at acute angles with the outer end of leg 18 &# 39 ; and with end wall 6 to form a latch ramp 18 &# 34 ;. when the tray cover is to be opened , a fingernail is slipped behind the yoke bar 17 &# 39 ; until it is lifted outwardly and upwardly to engage ramp 18 &# 39 ;, whereupon the resilience of the yoke will urge bar 17 &# 39 ; upwardly and inwardly along ramp 18 &# 34 ; and the resilience of hinge 16 will urge the cover upward into open position . in the preferred form of the invention described above and shown in the drawings , the frame , tray and cover are molded as a single unit . preferably slide 13 is molded together with the frame and attached to the frame by two thin links , as shown in broken lines at the right of fig4 so that slide 13 can be readily snapped off the frame and put into the tray by either the manufacturer or the consumer . scented material , in the form of pellets c , semisolid blocks or liquid contained in a scent - permeable sac or in the form of potpourri , for example , may be sold with the frame , but preferably is sold separately so that the purchaser can follow individual preferences in scent selection as well as purchase scent material in sufficient quantity to refill the dispenser from time to time . the preferred scent material is in pellet form and is sold under the trademark aroma techetts , manufactured by aroma tech of matawan , n . j . frame 1 can be quickly and easily removed from and installed in a typical warm air duct outlet for refilling dispenser 3 and / or replacing filter 2 . the filter and scent dispenser of the present invention has been described in connection with a forced air heating system duct and register typically found in living units . the present invention may be used in forced air heating and / or cooling system whether in residential , commercial or industrial settings . the invention has the greatest utility in applications where forced air duct outlets are of moderate size and are readily accessible by means of an easily removed register , grill or other duct cover . in air conditioning installations , because evaporation of the scented material will occur more slowly in a cool airstream , the slide should be in the fully open position shown by the broken - line position of posts 15 in fig2 . filters 2 of the present invention may be provided with different characteristics depending on the normal room occupant &# 39 ; s particular needs . it is often unrecognized that most of the particulate material carried by the warm air stream originates from any and all rooms served by a forced air heating system because such particulate material is gathered from the rooms , entrained in the system through the cold air returns and mixed in the furnace . filters having different characteristics may be provided . for example , the filter sheets may be made with finer polyester fibers and / or greater density of fibers per cubic unit to adapt to the type of heating fuel . such variations in filter material can be provided to trap pollens and other small particles to relieve allergy sufferers . the filters can include activated carbon to reduce odors such as cigarette smoke or cooking odors .
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referring to fig1 the disclosed embodiment of the universal scissors joint apparatus includes a first clamping member referred to as a scissors clamp 10 , a second clamping member referred to as a circle clamp 20 , a cam locking mechanism 30 , and a rod 40 . the rod 40 associates the cam locking mechanism 30 , the circle clamp 20 , and the scissors clamp 10 . referring to fig1 , and 3 , the scissors clamp 10 includes two segments connected at a pivot 16 , similar to a scissors , so that the two segments cross each other at the pivot 16 . the first segment 12 includes an upper portion , referred to as an upper handle 12 a , of the scissors clamp 10 proximal of the pivot 16 and engaging the rod 40 ; the first segment 12 further includes two lower portions , referred to as lower grippers 12 b , of the scissors clamp 10 distal of the pivot 16 . the second segment 14 includes a lower portion , referred to as a lower handle 14 a , of the scissors clamp 10 proximal of the pivot 16 ; the second segment 14 further includes an upper portion , referred to as an upper gripper 14 b , of the scissors clamp 10 distal of the pivot 16 . the grippers 12 b , 14 b of the scissors clamp 10 are shaped so as to contour the surface of the object ( not shown ) to which the clamp is being attached . the inner surface of the upper gripper 14 b of the scissors clamp 10 may include indentations 14 c . these indentations 14 c may be located opposite the lower grippers 12 b . the handles 12 a , 14 a of the scissors clamp 10 are separated by a gap that allows the scissors clamp 10 to be squeezed , creating a tighter grip on the instrument being held by the grippers 12 b , 14 b of the clamp . the handles 12 a , 14 a of the scissors clamp 10 each have an opening that allows the rod 40 to pass through . a bushing 50 may be used . the bushing 50 may surround the rod 40 and fit into the opening in the upper handle 12 a . the circle clamp 20 includes an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 24 connected to form a single piece . the upper portion 22 and lower portion 24 are connected at a circular shaped fulcrum 26 . the fulcrum 26 has a circular hole 28 in it . the hole 28 allows for the insertion of a retractor , rail , or other object ( not shown ). except for the connection at the fulcrum 26 , a gap exists between the upper portion 22 and lower portion 24 of the circle clamp 20 . the gap allows the circle clamp 20 to be squeezed , tightening the grip on the object being held in the circle clamp 20 . a spacer 60 may lie within this gap . both the upper portion 22 and lower portion 24 of the circle clamp 20 have an opening through which the rod 40 may pass . the opening in the lower portion 24 may fit the same bushing 50 that engages the scissors clamp 10 . referring to fig1 , and 5 , the locking mechanism 30 includes a handle 32 connected to a cam 34 . the handle 32 consists of a first straight portion 32 a , an elbow 32 b , and a second straight portion 32 c . the first straight portion 32 a projects straight out from the cam 34 , then the elbow 32 b curves at an angle before the second straight portion 32 c projects straight out from the elbow 32 b . the second straight portion 32 c of the handle 32 includes a recessed area 36 . the cam 34 may be shaped asymmetrically with respect to the center axis 33 of the handle , so that the cam &# 39 ; s center axis 35 is not aligned with the handle &# 39 ; s center axis 33 . the cam 34 is positioned through an eyehole 42 in the rod 40 . alternatively , the cam &# 39 ; s center axis 35 may be aligned with the handle &# 39 ; s center axis 33 where the cam 34 is not circular but instead has different radial lengths along different points of its perimeter , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . referring to fig3 and 5 , the rod 40 associates the scissors clamp 10 , circle clamp 20 and the cam locking mechanism 30 . the rod 40 has an eyehole 42 at one end through which the cam 34 may be inserted . at the opposite end , the rod 40 may be connected to a nut 70 . a spring 80 surrounds the rod 40 between the nut 70 and the lower handle 14 a of the scissors clamp 10 . alternatively , the rod 40 may be directly attached to the lower handle 14 a of the scissors clamp 10 . referring to fig3 , and 6 , the universal scissors joint is engaged by rotating the cam handle 32 from an open position 38 to a locked position 39 . rotating the cam handle 32 rotates the cam 34 within the eyehole 42 . this pushes the rod 40 upward , which causes the nut 70 and spring 80 to press upward on the lower handle 14 a of the scissors clamp 10 . because the upper handle 12 a of the scissors clamp 10 is connected by the bushing 50 to the lower portion 24 of the circle clamp 20 , and the circle clamp 20 is a single piece , as the nut 70 and spring 80 move upward , both the scissors clamp 10 and the circle clamp 20 are squeezed , creating a tighter grip on the objects being held within the clamps . referring to fig1 , 5 , and 6 the scissors clamp 10 and the circle clamp 20 are able to rotate with respect to each other . this allows any attached rods or surgical devices to be positioned in any manner desired for surgery . the ability to rotate may be locked or unlocked by the locking mechanism 30 . when the cam handle 32 is in the open position 38 , the scissors clamp 10 and the circle clamp 20 are able to freely rotate with respect to each other . when the cam handle 32 is in the locked position 39 , the ability of the two clamps to rotate with respect to each other is made extremely difficult , with the result establishing a fixed position for the clamps with respect to each other so long as the cam handle 32 is in the locked position 39 . as the cam handle 32 is rotated into the locked position 39 , the upper handle 12 a of the scissors clamp 10 is pressed against the bushing 50 with greater force , and the lower portion 24 of the circle clamp 20 is also pressed against the bushing 50 with greater force . this greater force creates greater friction between the scissors clamp 10 and the bushing 50 and between the circle clamp 20 and the bushing 50 , greatly restricting the ability of the scissors clamp 10 and the circle clamp 20 to rotate with respect to each other . although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof , other versions are possible . for example , types of clamps other than the circle clamp 20 may be used in conjunction with the scissors clamp 10 , and more than two clamps may be used in one device . it will be appreciated that different sizes and shapes of the clamps may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention . different types of cam locking mechanisms may be used , such as that revealed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 888 , 197 . still other types of locking mechanisms may be employed , such as a threaded locking mechanism . it will be appreciated that the handle and the cam may assume different shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention . it will be appreciated that the positions that constitute the locked and unlocked position may be changed without departing from the scope of the present invention . the revealed embodiment is not able to be completely disassembled , so as to allow sterilization without disassembly , but other embodiments may be completely disassembled . therefore , the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein .
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the principle of the invention is to define multiple static routes toward a destination network , with different priorities ( or preferences ) and conditionally use them in the ip routing table of the source router . the condition is based upon the reachability of a specific destination address . as long as the destination address is reachable , the path is considered as valid and the route is eligible for the ip routing table . when the destination address is no longer reachable , the path is considered as invalid and the route is no longer eligible for the routing table . in order to allow redundancy , several static routes must be defined . in case several routes are eligible , only one can be used in the ip routing table . the priority ( or preference ) is used to select which one of the valid routes is selected . the destination address used as the condition is the ip address of the last router in the path , i . e . the ip address of the router interface connected to the destination network . if this router interface can be reached , it is assumed that the destination network located just behind it is reachable too . this principle can be implemented several times along a path . the checking of the reachability of a destination address is based on the icmp echo request and echo reply messages also known as ping messages . at every predefined checking interval ( e . g . 60 s ), an icmp echo request ( ping ) is sent to the destination address and the routers wait for an icmp echo reply message . if such a message is received , the path is considered as reachable whereas for three consecutive icmp echo requests not responded , the route is considered as lost . when a route is invalid , the router keeps on checking it every checking interval . if three consecutive echo requests are responded , then the route is considered back as valid . this checking based on three consecutive answers is to avoid route flapping in case of a loss of a single flapping . note that any other protocol could be used to poll the remote router , including any new specific protocol . however , using icmp brings an advantage in that any router supporting the icmp echo request / reply , no code change is required in the remote router . assuming that the communication from a router to a remote network may be achieved by using two routes ( there could be more than two routes ), the method according to the invention is illustrated in fig1 . first of all , the two specific routes to the interfaces of the remote network are defined ( step 10 ). then , two variables pinglost and pingok are set to 0 and the route 1 and 2 are set as reachable by default ( step 12 ). because the checking of the route availability is achieved every time interval of 60 s , the process is waiting during 60 s ( step 14 ) before checking the availability of the route 1 ( step 16 ) and of the route 2 ( step 18 ) as described hereafter in reference to fig2 . after that , the first question is whether route 1 is available ( step 20 ). if so , the second question is to know whether route 2 is also available ( step 22 ). if the two routes are available , the process has to check which route is preferred based upon the priority ( step 24 ). assuming route 1 is preferred , route 1 is selected ( step 26 ) whereas route 2 is selected ( step 28 ) if route 2 is preferred . when route 1 is not available , the question is to know whether route 2 is available ( step 30 ). if so , route 2 is selected ( step 28 ) whatever the preference is since route 1 is not available . if route 2 is not available the following question is to know whether there is a conventional route ( step 32 ). a conventional static route is a static route as usually known without reachability checking done . reachability checking on static routes as described here , should not be used on dial up links such as isdn because the periodic checking would keep the line active and cause unnecessary expenses . if it is the case , this route is selected ( step 34 ). if not , no route can be selected ( step 36 ). now , the steps of the process used to check the availability of a route ( step 16 or step 18 ) are represented by the flow chart in fig2 . first , an icmp request is sent over the route to be checked ( step 40 ). upon transmission , a timer of 2 s is started ( step 42 ) and it is checked whether an icmp echo reply is received before the timer expires ( step 44 ). this method allows to ignore a route which is still reachable , but with low performances . if an icmp echo reply is received before the timer expires , the 2 s timer is stopped ( step 46 ). the variable pinglost is reset to 0 and the variable pingok is incremented by one ( step 48 ). it is then checked whether the variable pingok has reached the value 3 ( step 50 ). if so , this means that the route has become available ( step 52 ) and the variables pinglost and pingok are reset to 0 ( step 54 ). if not , the route status is not changed ( step 56 ). if no icmp echo reply is received before the 2 s timer expires , the variable pinglost is incremented by 1 and the variable pingok is reset to 0 ( step 58 ). it is then checked whether the variable pinglost has reached the value 3 ( step 60 ). if so , this means that the route has become unavailable ( step 62 ) and the variables pinglost and pingok are reset to 0 ( step 64 ). if not , the route status is not changed ( step 66 ). two examples of communication systems wherein the method according to the invention can be implemented are described in reference to fig3 and fig4 . in the first example illustrated in fig3 a router 70 needs to reach the destination network 72 . it is assumed that two conditional static routes can be configured . route 1 is composed of network 74 , router 76 , network 78 and router 80 to reach the interface 18 network 72 the address of which is 10 . 10 . 1 . 1 . route 2 is composed of network 82 , router 84 , network 86 and router 88 to reach interface 2 to network 72 the address of which is 10 . 10 . 1 . 2 . accordingly , the condition on route 1 is the reachability of interface 10 . 10 . 1 . 1 . and the condition on route 2 is the reachability of interface 10 . 10 . 1 . 2 . in addition , a priority or preference is set on each route , for example priority 1 ( route preferred ) on route 1 and priority 2 on route 2 . this means that , if both routes are available , route 1 will be preferred over route 2 . two specific routes to destination interfaces are recorded in the routing table of router 70 . they are used to direct the ping to the right path in order to avoid a ping from reaching interface 1 via route 2 or vice - versa , the router 70 assumes that route 1 and route 2 are available but adds route 1 as the preferred route in its routing table . therefore , all traffic transmitted to network 72 goes via route 1 , the router 70 checks every 60 s , the availability of route 1 and route 2 by checking the reachability of the routes to interface 1 and to interface 2 . for this , the router sends an icmp echo request ( ping ) to interface 1 address and an icmp echo request to interface 2 address . the ping to 10 . 10 . 1 . 1 . will use route 1 whereas the ping 10 . 10 . 1 . 2 . will use route 2 . after a series of 3 successful pings , a route is considered as available is already described in reference to fig2 and conversely a route is considered as unavailable after a series of 3 unsuccessful pings . otherwise , the route remains in the same status ( available if it was available , unavailable if it was unavailable ), note that a ping is considered unsuccessful if the icmp echo reply has not been received within 2 seconds after the echo request has been sent , ( this allows to ignore a route reachable but experiencing performance problems ). if both routes are considered as available ( i . e . pings are successful ) only the preferred route ( here route 1 ) is selected in the routing table and all the traffic to network 72 keeps on using route 1 . if route 2 becomes unavailable but route 1 is still available , then route 1 is kept and nothing is modified . if route 2 is available but route 1 becomes unreachable , for example due to a failure of the link between the two routers 76 and 80 , then route 1 is removed from the routing table and route 2 is added for selection in the routing table . at that time , all the traffic to network 72 is transmitted over route 2 . in some cases , one of the static routes goes through a dial up network such as isdn . it is a very common configuration when a router is connected to a network via a serial line and a dial up connection such as isdn provides the backup . using a conditional route as defined above would cause a problem since sending a ping via this route every checking interval ( 60 s ) would keep the dial up link up all the time , and generate unnecessary expenses . accordingly , the solution in the above case is to use , on the leased line , a conditional static route as previously described and , on the dial - up line , the conventional static route with a least preference . assuming that , in fig3 network 82 is isdn , route 1 can be defined as a conditional route and route 2 as a conventional route . route 2 will be available all the time like a usual static route , but it will not be used until route 1 becomes unavailable . therefore , the method is almost the same as previously . but no pings are sent over route 2 every 60 s . as long as route 1 is available ( i . e . pings are successful ), it is kept in the routing table and all the traffic to network 72 keeps on using route 1 . if route 1 becomes unreachable , since route 2 is always available , then route 1 is removed from the routing table and route 2 is added to the routing table . at this stage , all the traffic goes through network 82 , using the dial up link . [ 0037 ] fig4 is a block diagram representing a specific case wherein the system of fig3 is included in a large system incorporated a network 90 using a routing protocol such as ospf for dynamically determining the route to be used to reach network 72 . this is a common situation when a customer wants to connect network 90 to network 72 over a third party network ( e . g . networks 74 and 82 ) where only static routes are allowed for security reasons . in such a case , router 70 will use a conditional static route 1 or route 2 to reach network 72 while a router 92 connected to network 90 will use a conventional static route via a dial up network 94 and a router 96 wherein the interface to network 72 has the address 10 . 10 . 1 . 3 . assuming that a router 98 is used to establish the route to network 72 , routers 70 and 92 will advertise their static route to router 98 using redistribution into the dynamic routing protocol ospf . assuming that route 1 is preferred to route 2 ( route 1 has a higher priority than route 2 ), router 70 will advertise route 1 to routers 98 and 92 over network 90 using ospf . router 92 will advertise route 3 to routers 98 and 70 over network 90 using ospf . router 98 will then receive 2 routes to network 70 , route 1 from router 70 and route 3 from router 92 . the ospf cost setting on routers 70 and 92 will allow router 98 to select the proper route . we assume ospf cost of route 3 is higher than route 1 and 2 . to summarize , when route 1 is available , it is selected ; when route 1 is unavailable , route 2 is selected ; when both route 1 and 2 are unavailable , route 3 is selected by router 98 . note : this method works with any combination of n routers , using conditional or conventional static routes or both .
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fig1 is a front view of a document handling machine including one embodiment of the staple counting device of the present invention , wherein the counting device is shown in dash lines . document handling machine 10 may comprise a printer , a copier or any other such document handling machine that may utilize a stapling device . for ease of illustration , machine 10 will be described using the example of a high - volume copier . copier 10 comprises a housing 12 that encloses internal components therein and includes external components such as display and / or input pad 14 , and document output collation trays 16 . the internal components of copier 10 may include a print media tray or drawer 18 for holding a stack of print media 20 , a copying device 22 , a toner cartridge 24 , a stapling device 26 , also referred to as a stapler , and a staple cartridge 28 . staple cartridge 28 includes therein a staple counting device 30 , as will be described in more detail below . during use , a sheet of print media 20 may be fed from tray 18 to copying device 22 , wherein toner cartridge 24 is connected to copying device 22 . after an image is copied on print media 20 , the sheet may be fed to collation tray 16 . after the copy job is completed , each of completed documents held on collation trays 16 may be stapled together by stapler 26 utilizing staples from staple cartridge 28 . in another embodiment , stapling commences before completion of the copy job . details regarding one embodiment of a stapler are disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 818 , 186 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . fig2 is a perspective , partially cut - away view showing the staple counting device 30 of fig1 wherein a staple strip and a measurement device located within the staple counting device are shown in dash lines . staple cartridge 28 includes staple counting device 30 , shown in dash lines , and a strip of staples 32 , also shown in dash lines . strip 32 may comprise a long strip 32 of wires packed inside cartridge 28 . the strip 32 may include individual staples 34 , in an unbent , flat configuration , fastened together side by side such that the rear surface 36 of a staple is secured to the front surface 38 of the following staple . the individual staples 34 may be held together in strip 32 by any securement material , such as by adhesive or the like . the strip 32 is tightly wound so it takes the shape of a spiral 40 , with individual loops , 42 and 44 , for example , of the spiral 40 positioned directly on top of the previous loop . accordingly , outer loop 42 is positioned directly on previous loop 44 . in the embodiment shown there is no wire material positioned centrally within the inner edge 46 of the spiral 40 so as to maintain a minimum radius of curvature 48 in order to prevent strip 32 from breaking . each time that stapler 26 is operated , an endmost staple 50 , shown at opening 52 of cartridge 28 , is separated from the remainder of strip 32 and is formed into a โ u โ shaped wire . the โ u โ shaped wire is then forced by stapler 26 to penetrate through a document , and the ends then bent toward the document , to hold the document together as known in the art . after endmost staple 50 is removed from strip 32 , the next staple 54 in strip 32 becomes the endmost staple of the strip . endmost staple 54 , and the remainder of strip 32 , is then moved forward so that endmost staple 54 is positioned at opening 52 of cartridge 28 . movement of strip 32 in forward direction 56 is accomplished by any known means . in one example , strip 32 is moved in direction 56 by pulling the end 54 of strip 32 . the force on strip 32 may comprise a magnetic force , a mechanical force or any other such force as may be sufficient to move the new endmost staple 54 into position at cartridge opening 52 . movement of endmost staple 54 of strip 32 will result in rotation of the centermost loop 58 , positioned at radius of curvature 48 , in a rotational direction 60 . rotation of centermost loop 58 may be very small and slow , so that the rotation of strip 32 can be used to turn an adjusting knob 62 of a staple counting device 30 , such as a potentiometer 64 . fig3 is a perspective view of strip of staples 32 . strip 32 may be positioned on a cylindrical core 66 wherein an outer diameter of core 66 defines radius of curvature 48 of strip 32 . a cap 68 , also referred to as a coupling member , may be placed on an end 70 of core 66 wherein cap 68 may include a cross bar 72 extending across a diameter of the cap 68 . cross bar 72 may be sized to be received within a slot 74 ( shown in fig4 ) of potentiometer adjusting knob 62 . strip 32 may be secured on core 66 such that movement of strip 32 in rotational direction 60 will result in simultaneous movement of core 66 , and cap 68 secured thereto , in rotational direction 60 . movement of cap 68 in rotational direction 60 will result in movement of crossbar 72 in rotational direction 60 , such that the cross bar 72 will simultaneously move potentiometer knob 62 ( fig4 ) in rotational direction 60 . however , potentiometer 64 may be secured within housing 12 of copier 10 such that as potentiometer knob 62 is rotated in direction 60 , the remainder of potentiometer 64 will remain stationary within core 66 . fig4 is a side view of staple counting device 30 . staple counting device 30 includes staple measurement device 64 , such as a compact , multi - turn potentiometer 64 . in the embodiment shown , potentiometer 64 comprises a potentiometer manufactured by bourns , brandname trimpot , and having part number 3006pdm3102w , though any suitable potentiometer may be used . potentiometer 64 may include a housing 76 and knob 62 extending outwardly therefrom . knob 62 may include a slot 74 adapted to receive therein cross bar 72 ( see fig3 ) of cap 68 ( see fig3 ). a printed circuit board 80 may be secured to potentiometer 64 . printed circuit board 80 may include three electric terminals 82 , 84 and 86 , connected to corresponding wires 88 , 90 , and 92 , respectively . wires 88 and 90 may be used to provide a constant voltage to the ends of the potentiometer 64 . for example , wire 88 may provide a constant , positive voltage source and wire 90 may comprise a ground wire . wire 92 may be used for transmitting a signal from the potentiometer 64 , or from an associated microprocessor ( not shown ), to an operator input and / or output device 94 positioned adjacent copier 10 or at a remote location . device 94 may comprise a microprocessor and may include an input pad 96 for the input of instructions to copier 10 and a display screen 98 that may show the status of a print job and the quantity of consumables available within the copier , such as the amount of paper , toner and staples remaining in copier 10 . fig5 is a side view of the staple strip in an initially loaded position . in this view , staple strip 32 is new , or at a maximum length . as staples are dispensed from the strip 32 , the knob 62 rotates and varies the output of the potentiometer according to the angle through which the strip has rotated . if the potentiometer is linear , the voltage reading of the potentiometer 64 is an indicator of the angle that the core shaft 66 has rotated through . accordingly , this angle of rotation may be associated with the amount of staples that have been removed from staple cartridge 28 to estimate the number of staples remaining in cartridge 28 . a close approximation to the staple strip 32 is an archimedes &# 39 ; spiral . the last portion of strip 32 , i . e ., the straight section of strip 32 that begins adjacent opening 52 of cartridge 28 and extends to the beginning of the curvature of strip 32 , does not describe a spiral trajectory , but rather a series of circle arcs and straight lines . one may calculate the arc length of the spiral and the length of the last portion and then divide this total length by the โ width โ of one staple , thereby calculating how many staples remain in cartridge 28 . in one embodiment where adhesive material is positioned between each staple , the โ width โ dimension of one staple will include the actual width dimension of the staple itself and the width dimension of adhesive on one side of the staple . in another embodiment where adhesive material is positioned along a backbone of the strip 32 of staples , and not between each staple , the โ width โ dimension of the staple will include only the actual width of an individual staple . radius โ r โ may be calculated as the sum of the initial radius โ ro โ plus the sum of the height โ h โ of a staple and the spacing โ g โ between adjacent loops of staples , multiplied by the angle of rotation โ theta โ divided by two pi โ 2ฯ .โ in particular , the shape described by the staple strip may be similar to an archimedes &# 39 ; spiral , which is given by equation 1 : the boundary conditions for this spiral are given in equation 2 : where ro is the base radius of spiral , i . e ., the minimum radius of curvature 48 , described by a series of straight lines that join all the centroids of each staple wire . according , another boundary condition is given in equation 3 : at โ= 2ฯ , then r = ro + h + g , therefore , a =( h + g )/ 2ฯ , equation 3 where g is the separation ( gap ) between two loops 42 and 44 of staples and h is the height of a staple wire . a differential of length of the roll 32 is given by equation 4 : ds = sqrt ( r 2 +( dr / d โ) 2 ) d โ= sqrt (( a โ+ b ) 2 + a 2 ) ยท d โ. equation 4 accordingly , the length of the spiral can be obtained by integrating between the original angle of rotation of the potentiometer โ o and the final angle โ f , as shown in equation 5 : s = integral , from โ o to โ f , of sqrt (( a โ+ b ) 2 + a 2 ) d โ. equation 5 if we let โ o = 0 , then equation 6 can be used to calculate the length s of the strip . s =(( b / 2 a )+(โ f / 2 ))ยท sqrt ( a 2 +( b + a โ f ) 2 )+( 1 / 2 ) a ยท ln ( 2 ( b + a โ f )+ 2 sqrt ( a 2 +( b + a โ f ) 2 )โ(( b / 2 a ) sqrt ( a 2 + b 2 )+( 1 / 2 ) a ยท ln ( 2 b + 2 sqrt ( a 2 + b 2 )). equation 6 from the length s of strip 32 , one may calculate the number n of staples remaining in cartridge 28 from equation 7 . n = s / w , where w is the width of one staple . equation 7 fig6 a and 6b are side views of the staple strip of fig5 and staple counting device 30 , wherein fig6 a shows strip 32 in an initial position and fig6 b shows strip 32 having been rotated from the position in fig6 a through an angle 100 . accordingly , fig6 b shows potentiometer knob 62 having been rotated through the same angle 100 as strip 32 , by cross bar 72 ( see fig3 ) of cap 68 ( see fig3 ) of staple strip core 66 . fig7 is a flow diagram of one method of staple calculation of the present invention . in a first step 102 strip 32 rotates , thereby causing corresponding and simultaneous movement of core 66 , cap 68 , and potentiometer knob 62 through an angle 100 , referred to as angle โ theta .โ as shown in second step 104 , this rotation of potentiometer knob 62 changes the resistance of potentiometer 64 , wherein the resistance value is defined as the k constant โ kpot โ of the potentiometer multiplied by angle โ theta .โ in third step 106 , the output voltage โ v โ is calculated as the resistance value โ r โ multiplied by the input voltage โ vc โ divided by the initial resistance of the potentiometer โ rpot .โ in fourth step 108 , an analog to digital converter ( not shown ) within potentiometer 64 converts the value of the output voltage โ v โ to a digital signal . in fifth step 110 , a microprocessor on circuit board 80 ( see fig4 ) calculates angle โ theta โ as the output voltage โ v โ times the resistance of the potentiometer โ rpot โ divided by the k constant โ kpot โ of the potentiometer . in sixth step 112 , the microprocessor of circuit board 80 ( fig4 ) calculates the length โ s โ of the remaining strip 32 of staples by the given equation 6 , also recited above as equation 6 . in seventh step 114 the number โ n โ of stapes remaining in the cartridge 28 is calculated as the length โ s โ of the remaining strip 32 divided by the width โ w โ of a single staple , as shown in equation 7 given above . the illustrated embodiment of fig1 - 7 is shown to illustrate the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims below , and a variety of modifications and variations may be employed in various implementations while still falling within the scope of the claims below .
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preferably , but in a nonrestrictive manner , the audiovisual reproduction system uses the aforementioned listed components . microprocessor central unit 1 is a high performance pc - compatible system , the choice for the exemplary embodiment being an intel 80486 dx / 2 system which has storage means and the following characteristics : any other central unit with similar , equivalent or superior performance can be used in accordance with the invention . this central unit controls and manages audio control circuit ( 5 ), telecommunications control circuit ( 4 ), input control circuit ( 3 ), mass storage control circuit ( 2 ), and display means control circuit ( 6 ). the display means consist essentially of a 14 inch ( 35 . 56 cm ) flat screen video monitor ( 62 ) without interleaving of the svga type , with high resolution and low radiation , which is used for video reproduction ( for example , the covers of the albums of the musical selections ), graphics or video clips . likewise comprising part of the storage means , storage modules ( 21 ) using hard disks of the high speed and high capacity scsi type are connected to the storage means already present in the microprocessor device . these modules allow storage of audiovisual data . high speed 28 . 8 k / bps telecommunications modem adapter ( 41 ) is integrated to authorize the connection to the audiovisual data distribution network controlled by a central server . to reproduce the audio data of the musical selections , the system includes loudspeakers ( 54 ) which receive the signal from tuner amplifier ( 53 ) connected to electronic circuit ( 5 ) of the music synthesizer type provided to support a large number of input sources , while providing an output with cd ( compact disk ) type quality , such as for example a microprocessor multimedia audio adapter of the โ sound blaster โ card type sbp32awe from creative labs inc . on which two buffer memories ( 56 , 57 ) are added for a purpose to be explained below . likewise the control circuit of the display means includes two buffer memories ( 66 , 67 ) for a purpose to be explained below . a thermally controlled 240 watt ventilated power supply provides power to the system . this power supply is protected against surges and harmonics . the audiovisual reproduction system manages via its input controller circuit ( 3 ) a 14 inch ( 35 . 56 cm ) touch screen โ intelli touch โ ( 33 ) from elo touch systems inc . which includes a glass coated board using โ advanced surface wave technology โ and an at type bus controller . this touch screen allows , after having displayed on video monitor ( 62 ) or television screen ( 61 ) various selection data used by the customers , management command and control information used by the system manager or owner . it is likewise used for maintenance purposes in combination with external keyboard ( 34 ) which can be connected to the system which has a keyboard connector for this purpose , controlled by a key lock ( 32 ) via interface circuit ( 3 ). input circuit ( 3 ) likewise interfaces with the system a remote control set ( 31 ) composed for example of : an infrared remote control from mind path technologies inc ., an emitter which has 15 control keys for the microprocessor system and 8 control keys for the projection device . an infrared receiver with serial adapter from mind path technologies inc . a fee payment device ( 35 ) from national rejectors inc . is likewise connected to input interface circuit ( 3 ). it is also possible to use any other device which allows receipt of any type of payment by coins , bills , tokens , magnetic chip cards or a combination of means of payment . to house the system a chassis or frame of steel with external customizable fittings is also provided . besides these components , wireless microphone ( 55 ) is connected to audio controller ( 5 ); this allows transformation of the latter into a powerful public address system or possibly a karaoke machine . likewise a wireless loudspeaker system can be used by the system . remote control set ( 31 ) allows the manager , for example from behind the bar , access to and control of various commands such as : the system operating software has been developed around a library of tools and services largely oriented to the audiovisual domain in a multimedia environment . this library advantageously includes an efficient multitask operating system which efficiently authorizes simultaneous execution of multiple fragments of code . this operating software thus allows concurrent execution , in an orderly manner and avoiding any conflict , of operations performed on the display means , audio reproduction means as well as management of the telecommunications lines via the distribution network . in addition , the software has high flexibility . the digitized and compressed audiovisual data are stored in storage means ( 21 ). each selection is available according to two digitized formats : hi - fi and cd quality . prior to describing and reading this organization chart in fig2 it must be noted that while all these modules described separately seem to be used sequentially , in reality the specific tasks of these modules are executed simultaneously in an environment using the multitask operating system . consequently the organizational chart indicates the specific operations which the module must perform and not a branch toward this module which would invalidate all the operations performed by the other modules . the first module , labeled ssm , is the system startup module . this module does only one thing , consequently it is loaded automatically when the system is powered up . if the system is started with a correct registration number it then directly enters the โ in service โ mode of the module labeled rrm . the reg module is the registration mode module which , when it is activated for the first time or when approval for a new registration is necessary , indicates its software serial number and requests that the user enter his coordinates , such as the name of the establishment , address and telephone number . the rmm module is the module of the โ in service โ mode which is the mode of operation which the system enters when its registration number has been validated . in this mode the system is ready to handle any request which can be triggered by various predefined events such as : customers touching the screen : when a customer or user touches the screen , the system transfers control of the foreground session to the customer browsing and selection mode cbsm module , telecommunications network server call requests : when the system detects a loop on the phone line , it emits an asynchronous background procedure : the telecommunications services mode tsm module , requests concerning key switch ( 32 ): when the manager turns the key switch the system hands over control of its foreground session to the management mode smm module , reception of a remote control signal : when a command is received , it is processed in a background session by the system command 5 mm module while the foreground session remains available for other interventions , appearance of end of timing , showing inactivity of the system : when one of the various timers is activated , control is temporarily handed over to the inactivity routines ipm module for processing . the system remains in the โ in service โ mode until one of the above described events takes place . the irm module is the inactivity routines module . it contains the routines which perform predetermined functions such as album cover display , broadcast of parts of musical pieces present in the system , reproduction of complete selections for internal promotional proposes , audio reproductions for external promotional purposes , spoken promotional announcements of new musical selections , withdrawal to an auxiliary source which can be called when the system is inactive and when a predefined but adjustable time interval corresponding to a timer has expired . the smm module is the system commands module . this module allows execution of functions which command the system to accept a required input by an infrared remote control device , these functions being handled instantaneously without the process underway being stopped . a very large number of these functions are possible , only some are listed below , in a nonrestrictive manner : the mmm module is the management mode module . this module is triggered when the key switch is turned by the manager . the display of an ordinary screen is replaced by a display specific to system management . with this new display the manager can control all the settings which are possible with remote control . he can likewise take control of additional low level commands allowing for example definition of commands to be validated or invalidated on the remote control . he is also able to define a maximum of high and low levels for each system output source , these limits defining the range available on the remote control . using this screen the manager can access the mode of new selection acquisitions by touching a button located on the touch screen . when the manager has succeeded in defining these commands as well as the system configuration , it is then enough to remove the key and the system returns automatically to the โ in service โ mode . the cbsm module is the customer browsing and selection mode module . access to this module is triggered from the โ in service โ when the customer touches the screen . the display allows the user to view a menu provided for powerful browsing assisted by digitized voice messages to guide the user in his choice of musical selections . the tsm module is the telecommunications services mode module between the central server and the audiovisual reproduction system . this module allows management of all management services available on the distribution network . all the tasks specific to telecommunications are managed like the background tasks of the system . these tasks always use only the processing time remaining once the system has completed all its foreground tasks . thus , when the system is busy with one of its higher priority tasks , the telecommunications tasks automatically will try to reduce the limitations on system resources and recover all the microprocessor processing time left available . the ssc module is the system security control module . this module manages security , each system is linked to a local controller system according to a preestablished time pattern for acquisition of the approval signal in the form of the registration number authorizing it to operate . in addition , if cheating has been detected or the system cannot communicate via the network , said system automatically stops working . the spmm module allows management of musical selections , songs or video queued by the system for execution in the order of selection . finally , the smm module allows remote management of system settings by the manager by remote control . the multitask operating system comprises the essential component for allowing simultaneous execution of multiple code fragments and for managing priorities between the various tasks which arise . this multitask operating system is organized as shown in fig3 around a kernel comprising module ( 11 ) for resolving priorities between tasks , task supervisory module ( 12 ), module ( 13 ) for serialization of the hardware used , and process communications module ( 14 ). each of the modules communicates with application programming interfaces ( 15 ) and database ( 16 ). there are as many programming interfaces as there are applications . thus , module ( 15 ) includes first programming interface ( 151 ) for key switch ( 32 ), second programming interface ( 152 ) for remote control ( 31 ), third programming interface ( 153 ) for touch screen ( 33 ), fourth programming interface ( 154 ) for keyboard ( 34 ), fifth programming interface ( 155 ) for payment device ( 35 ), sixth programming interface ( 156 ) for audio control circuit ( 5 ), seventh programming interface ( 157 ) for video control circuit ( 6 ), and last interface ( 158 ) for telecommunications control circuit ( 4 ). five tasks with a decreasing order of priority are managed by the kernel of the operating system , the first ( 76 ) for the video inputs / outputs has the highest priority , the second ( 75 ) of level two relates to audio , the third ( 74 ) of level three to telecommunications , the fourth ( 73 ) of level four to interfaces and the fifth ( 70 ) of level five to management . these orders of priority will be considered by priority resolution module ( 11 ) as and when a task appears and disappears . thus , as soon as a video task appears , the other tasks underway are suspended , priority is given to this task and all the system resources are assigned to the video task . at the output , video task ( 76 ) is designed to unload the video files of the mass memory ( 21 ) alternately to one of two buffers ( 66 , 67 ), while other buffer ( 67 or 66 ) is used by video controller circuit ( 6 ) to produce the display after data decompression . at the input , video task ( 76 ) is designed to transfer data received in telecommunications buffer ( 46 ) to mass storage ( 21 ). it is the same for audio task ( 75 ) on the one hand at the input between telecommunications buffer ( 46 ), and buffer ( 26 ) of mass memory ( 21 ), and on the other hand at the output between buffer ( 26 ) of mass memory ( 21 ) and one of two buffers ( 56 , 57 ) of audio controller circuit ( 5 ). the task scheduler module will now be described in conjunction with fig4 . in the order of priority this module performs first test ( 761 ) to determine if the video task is active . in the case of a negative response it passes to the following test which is second test ( 751 ) to determine if the audio task is still active . in the case of a negative response third test ( 741 ) determines if the communications task is active . after a positive response to one of the tests , at stage ( 131 ) it fills memory access request queue ( 13 ) and at stage ( 132 ) executes this storage request by reading or writing in the mass storage , then loops back to the first test . when the test on communications activity is affirmative , scheduler ( 12 ) performs a test to determine if it is a matter of reading or writing data in the memory . if yes , the read or write request is placed in a queue at stage ( 131 ). in the opposite case , the scheduler determines at stage ( 743 ) if it is transmission or reception and in the case of transmission sends by stage ( 744 ) a block of data to the central server . in the case of reception the scheduler verifies that the kernel buffers are free for access and in the affirmative sends a message to the central server to accept reception of a data block at stage ( 747 ). after receiving a block , error control ( 748 ) of the cyclic redundancy check type ( crc ) is executed and the block is rejected at stage ( 740 ) in case of error , or accepted in the opposite case at stage ( 749 ) by sending a corresponding message to the central server indicating that the block bearing a specific number is rejected or accepted , then loops back to the start tests . when there is no higher level task active , at stage ( 731 or 701 ) the scheduler processes interface or management tasks . detection of an active task or ready task is done as shown in fig5 by a test 721 to 761 respectively on each of the respective hardware or software buffers ( 26 ) of the hard disk , ( 36 ) of the interface , ( 46 ) of telecommunications , ( 56 and 57 ) of audio , ( 66 and 67 ) of video which are linked to each of respective controller circuits ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ) of each of the hardware devices linked to central unit ( 1 ). test ( 721 ) makes it possible to check if the data are present in the buffer of the disk input and output memory , test ( 731 ) makes it possible to check if the data are present in the buffers of the hardware or software memory buffers of the customer interface device , test ( 741 ) makes it possible to check if the data are present in the buffers of the hardware or software memory of the telecommunications device , test ( 751 ) makes it possible to check if the data are present in the buffer of the hardware or software memory for the direction , test ( 761 ) makes it possible to check if the data are present in the hardware or software memory buffers of the video device . if one or more of these buffers are filled with data , scheduler ( 12 ) positions the respective status buffer or buffers ( 821 ) for the hard disk , ( 831 ) for the interface , ( 841 ) for telecommunications , ( 851 ) for audio , ( 861 ) for video corresponding to the hardware at a logic state illustrative of the activity . in the opposite case the scheduler status buffers are returned at stage ( 800 ) to a value illustrative of inactivity . due , on the one hand , to the task management mode assigning highest priority to the video task , on the other hand , the presence of hardware or software buffers assigned to each of the tasks for temporary storage of data and the presence of status buffers relative to each task , it has been possible to have all these tasks managed by a single central unit with a multitask operating system which allows video display , i . e ., moving images compared to a graphic representation in which the data to be processed are less complex . this use of video display can likewise be done without adversely affecting audio processing by the fact that audio controller circuit ( 5 ) includes buffers large enough to store a quantity of compressed data sufficient to allow transfer of video data to one of video buffers ( 66 , 67 ) during audio processing while waiting for the following transfer of audio data . moreover , the multitask operating system which includes a library containing a set of tools and services greatly facilitates operation by virtue of its integration in the storage means and the resulting high flexibility . in particular , for this reason it is possible to create a multimedia environment by simply and efficiently managing audio reproduction , video or graphics display and video animation . in addition , since the audiovisual data are digitized and stored in the storage means , much less space is used than for a traditional audiovisual reproduction system and consequently the congestion of the system according to the invention is clearly less . database ( 16 ) is composed , as shown in fig6 of several bases : first ( 161 ) with the titles of the audiovisual pieces , second ( 162 ) with the artists , third ( 163 ) with the labels , fourth ( 164 ) with albums , fifth ( 165 ) with royalties . first base ( 161 ) contains first item ( 1611 ) giving the title of the piece , second item ( 1612 ) giving the identification of the product , this identification being unique . third item ( 1613 ) makes it possible to recognize the category , i . e ., jazz , classical , popular , etc . fourth item ( 1614 ) indicates the date of updating . fifth item ( 1615 ) indicates the length in seconds for playing the piece . sixth item ( 1616 ) is a link to the royalties base . seventh item ( 1617 ) is a link to the album . eighth item ( 1618 ) is a link to the labels . ninth item ( 1619 ) gives the purchase price for the jukebox manager ; tenth item ( 1620 ) gives the cost of royalties for each performance of the piece ; eleventh item ( 1610 ) is a link to the artist database , this link is composed of the identity of the artist . the artist database includes , besides the identity of the artist composed of item ( 1621 ), second item ( 1622 ) composed of the name of the artist or name of the group . the label database includes first item ( 1631 ) composed of the identity of the label , establishing the link to eighth item ( 1618 ) of the title database and second item ( 1632 ) composed of the name of the label . the album database contains first item which is the identity of the album ( 1641 ) which constitutes the link to seventh item ( 1617 ) of the title base . second item ( 1642 ) comprises the title , third item ( 1643 ) is composed of the date of updating of the album , and fourth item ( 1644 ) composed of the label identity . the royalty base is composed of first item ( 1651 ) giving the identity of the royalty and corresponds to sixth item ( 1616 ) of the title base . second item ( 1652 ) comprises the name of the individual receiving the royalties . third item ( 1653 ) is composed of the destination address of the royalties . fourth item ( 1654 ) is composed of the telephone and fifth item ( 1655 ) is composed of the number of a possible fax . it is apparent that this database ( 16 ) thus makes it possible for the manager to keep up to date on costs , purchases of songs and royalties to be paid to each of the artists or groups of artists performing the songs or videos , this provided that a communications protocol allows loading of the songs and modification of the content of the database depending on the songs loaded and allows communications with the central server by uploading or downloading the corresponding information . this communication protocol is composed of a first stage during which the center requests communication with the unit to which the communication is addressed . the unit decodes the heading sent by the center and if it recognizes it , indicates to the center if it is available or not depending on the state of its system status determined as explained above . if it is not available the center will then send a new request . if it is available , the center begins to send a first data block and the following blocks in succession . each of the blocks is composed of a plurality of fields as shown in fig7 . first field ( 810 ) indicates the identification number of the seller ; this allows multiple sellers to share a single communications link with the central site . second field ( 811 ) indicates the application identity and makes it possible to distinguish between a digital song , a digital motion video , a stationary video or an stationary digital graphical image , allows updating of software , transmission of statistics , billing , updating of the database , transmission of surveys . third field ( 812 ) makes it possible to identify a subtype of application such as the identity number of the product , type of billing , indication of a song in the midi standard or a digital song , or finally indication of whether it is the last block of a transmission . the following field ( 813 ) makes it possible to recognize the number of the block assigned sequentially to the block in this transmission . fourth field ( 814 ) makes it possible to recognize the octet length of each transmission block . fifth field ( 815 ) makes it possible to recognize variable length data of the transmission and sixth field ( 816 ) contains cyclic redundancy verification information which allows the jukebox to verify that there has not been any error in transmission by recomputing the values of this information from the received data . the data are coded with the identification number of the receiving station , i . e ., the number of the jukebox ; this prevents another station from receiving this information without having to pay royalties . this is another advantage of the invention because in the processes of the prior art it is not exactly known which stations have received messages and at the outside a cheat could indicate that the information has not been correctly received to avoid having to pay the royalties . here this operation is impossible since the cheat does not have access to his identification number known solely by the computer and encoding done using this secret identification number makes it possible to prevent cheating and reception by other units not authorized to receive the information . finally it can be understood that this protocol , by the information which the blocks contain , allows high flexibility of use , especially for transmitting video images or digitized songs , or again to allow updating of software as explained below according to the process in fig8 . in the case of software updating , the central system sends at stage ( 821 ) a first start signal allowing the jukebox for which it is intended to be recognized by its identification number and to indicate to this jukebox the number of the software version . at this stage ( 821 ) the jukebox then performs an initial verification to ensure that the version number is higher than the number of the versions installed and then initiates the process of verification of the system status indicated by stage ( 801 ). this verification process has already been described with reference to fig7 . in the case in which at stage ( 822 ) there is no system activity , at stage ( 823 ) the jukebox initiates display of a waiting message on the display device to prevent a user from interrupting the communication , and during this time receives the data composed of the new software to be installed . at stage ( 824 ) the unit backs up the current version and at stage ( 825 ) the unit modifies the startup file for startup with the backup version . after having completed this modification the unit at stage ( 826 ) applies the software received to the system software and restarts the system software at stage ( 827 ). after having restarted the system , the unit reverifies status ( 801 ) and at stage ( 828 ) determines if the system statuses are valid or not . in the case in which no errors are detected , at stage ( 829 ) the unit updates the startup files with the newly received version and returns to a waiting state . if an error is detected , the unit reinitializes the system at stage ( 830 ). once installation is completed , the unit awaits occurrence of an event representative of a task in order to handle its tasks as illustrated above . due to the flexibility of the multitask system and its communications protocol , each unit of the jukebox can thus be selected independently of the units connected to the network and can update the databases or the version of the desired song or again the software version without disrupting the operation of the other units of the network and without having to wait specifically for all the units of a network to be available . this is independent of the modems used which can be of the high speed type for a standard telephone line or a specialized modem on a dedicated data link or a sdn modem for fiber optic transmission or again an ird modem for satellite connection . if one or more packets are not received correctly by the jukebox during transmission , it does not interrupt transmission since other jukeboxes can also be in communication . however when communication is stopped by the central server , each jukebox which has had a incident takes a line and signals the numbers of the packets not received to the center . this allows the center to resend them . if registration of one or more songs or videos or part of a song or video has not be done due to lack of enough space on the disk or storage means , the system of each jukebox signals to the manager by a display or audio message the packet number if it is part of a song or a video , or the numbers of the song or video which have not be registered for lack of space . this allows the manager , after having decided to erase certain songs or videos from the hard disk , to again request that the center send these songs or videos or the part not received . any modification by one skilled in the art is likewise part of the invention . thus , regarding buffers , it should be remembered that they can be present either physically in the circuit to which they are assigned or implemented by software by reserving storage space in the system memory .
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fig1 is a partly schematic front elevation of an electromagnetic generator 10 , built in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention to include a permanent magnet 12 to supply input lines of magnetic flux moving from the north pole 14 of the magnet 12 outward into magnetic flux path core material 16 . the flux path core material 16 is configured to form a right magnetic path 18 and a left magnetic path 20 , both of which extend externally between the north pole 14 and the south pole 22 of the magnet 12 . the electromagnetic generator 10 is driven by means of a switching and control circuit 24 , which alternately drives electrical current through a right input coil 26 and a left input coil 28 . these input coils 26 , 28 each extend around a portion of the core material 16 , with the right input coil 26 surrounding a portion of the right magnetic path 18 and with the left input coil 28 surrounding a portion of the left magnetic path 20 . a right output coil 29 also surrounds a portion of the right magnetic path 18 , while a left output coil 30 surrounds a portion of the left magnetic path 20 . in accordance with a preferred version of the present invention , the switching and control circuit 24 and the input coils 26 , 28 are arranged so that , when the right input coil 26 is energized , a north magnetic pole is present at its left end 31 , the end closest to the north pole 14 of the permanent magnet 12 , and so that , when the left input coil 28 is energized , a north magnetic pole is present at its right end 32 , which is also the end closest to the north pole 14 of the permanent magnet 12 . thus , when the right input coil 26 is magnetized , magnetic flux from the permanent magnet 12 is repelled from extending through the right input coil 26 . similarly , when the left input coil 28 is magnetized , magnetic flux from the permanent magnet 12 is repelled from extending through the left input coil 28 . thus , it is seen that driving electrical current through the right input coil 26 opposes a concentration of flux from the permanent magnet 12 within the right magnetic path 18 , causing at least some of this flux to be transferred to the left magnetic path 20 . on the other hand , driving electrical current through the left input coil 28 opposes a concentration of flux from the permanent magnet 12 within the left magnetic path 20 , causing at least some of this flux to be transferred to the right magnetic path 18 . while in the example of fig1 the input coils 26 , 28 are placed on either side of the north pole of the permanent magnet 12 , being arranged along a portion of the core 16 extending from the north pole of the permanent magnet 12 , it is understood that the input coils 26 , 28 could as easily be alternately placed on either side of the south pole of the permanent magnet 12 , being arranged along a portion of the core 16 extending from the south pole of the permanent magnet 12 , with the input coils 26 , 28 being wired to form , when energized , magnetic fields having south poles directed toward the south pole of the permanent magnet 12 . in general , the input coils 26 , 28 are arranged along the magnetic core on either side of an end of the permanent magnet forming a first pole , such as a north pole , with the input coils being arranged to produce magnetic fields of the polarity of the first pole directed toward the first pole of the permanent magnet . further in accordance with a preferred version of the present invention , the input coils 26 , 28 are never driven with so much current that the core material 16 becomes saturated . driving the core material 16 to saturation means that subsequent increases in input current can occur without effecting corresponding changes in magnetic flux , and therefore that input power can be wasted . in this way , the apparatus of the present invention is provided with an advantage in terms of the efficient use of input power over the apparatus of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 000 , 401 , in which a portion both ends of each magnetic path is driven to saturation to block flux flow . in the electromagnetic generator 10 , the switching of current flow within the input coils 26 , 28 does not need to be sufficient to stop the flow of flux in one of the magnetic paths 18 , 20 while promoting the flow of magnetic flux in the other magnetic path . the electromagnetic generator 10 works by changing the flux pattern ; it does not need to be completely switched from one side to another . experiments have determined that this configuration is superior , in terms of the efficiency of using power within the input coils 26 , 28 to generate electrical power within the output coils 29 , 30 , to the alternative of arranging input coils and the circuits driving them so that flux from the permanent magnet is driven through the input coils as they are energized . this arrangement of the present invention provides a significant advantage over the prior - art methods shown , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 077 , 001 , in which the magnetic flux is driven through the energized coils . the configuration of the present invention also has an advantage over the prior - art configurations of u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 368 , 141 and 4 , 077 , 001 in that the magnetic flux is switched between two alternate magnetic paths 18 , 20 with only a single input coil 26 , 28 surrounding each of the alternate magnetic paths . the configurations of u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 368 , 141 and 4 , 077 , 001 each require two input coils on each of the magnetic paths . this advantage of the present invention is significant both in the simplification of hardware and in increasing the efficiency of power conversion . the right output coil 29 is electrically connected to a rectifier and filter 33 , having an output driven through a regulator 34 , which provides an output voltage adjustable through the use of a potentiometer 35 . the output of the linear regulator 34 is in turn provided as an input to a sensing and switching circuit 36 . under start up conditions , the sensing and switching circuit 36 connects the switching and control circuit 24 to an external power source 38 , which is , for example , a starting battery . after the electromagnetic generator 10 is properly started , the sensing and switching circuit 36 senses that the voltage available from regulator 34 has reached a predetermined level , so that the power input to the switching and control circuit 24 is switched from the external power source 38 to the output of regulator 34 . after this switching occurs , the electromagnetic generator 10 continues to operate without an application of external power . the left output coil 30 is electrically connected to a rectifier and filter 40 , the output of which is connected to a regulator 42 , the output voltage of which is adjusted by means of a potentiometer 43 . the output of the regulator 42 is in turn connected to an external load 44 . fig2 is a schematic view of a first version of the switching and control circuit 24 . an oscillator 50 drives the clock input of a flip - flop 54 , with the q and q โฒ outputs of the flip - flop 54 being connected through driver circuits 56 , 58 to power fets 60 , 62 so that the input coils 26 , 28 are alternately driven . in accordance with a preferred version of the present invention , the voltage v applied to the coils 26 , 28 through the fets 60 , 62 is derived from the output of the sensing and switching circuit 36 . fig3 is a graphical view of the signals driving the gates of fets 60 , 62 of fig2 with the voltage of the signal driving the gate of fet 60 being represented by line 64 , and with the voltage of the signal driving fet 62 being represented by line 66 . both of the coils 26 , 28 are driven with positive voltages . fig4 is a schematic view of a second version of the switching and control circuit 24 . in this version , an oscillator 70 drives the clock input of a flip - flop 72 , with the q and q โฒ outputs of the flip - flop 72 being connected to serve as triggers for one - shots 74 , 76 . the outputs of the one - shots 74 , 76 are in turn connected through driver circuits 78 , 80 to drive fets 82 , 84 , so that the input coils 26 , 28 are alternately driven with pulses shorter in duration than the q and q โฒ outputs of the flip flop 72 . fig5 is a graphical view of the signals driving the gates of fets 82 , 84 of fig4 with the voltage of the signal driving the gate of fet 82 being represented by line 86 , and with the voltage of the signal driving the gate of fet 84 being represented by line 88 . referring again to fig1 power is generated in the right output coil 29 only when the level of magnetic flux is changing in the right magnetic path 18 , and in the left output coil 30 only when the level of magnetic flux is changing in the left magnetic path 20 . it is therefore desirable to determine , for a specific magnetic generator configuration , the width of a pulse providing the most rapid practical change in magnetic flux , and then to provide this pulse width either by varying the frequency of the oscillator 50 of the apparatus of fig2 so that this pulse width is provided with the signals shown in fig3 or by varying the time constant of the one - shots 74 , 76 of fig4 so that this pulse width is provided by the signals of fig5 at a lower oscillator frequency . in this way , the input coils are not left on longer than necessary . when either of the input coils is left on for a period of time longer than that necessary to produce the change in flux direction , power is being wasted through heating within the input coil without additional generation of power in the corresponding output coil . a number of experiments have been conducted to determine the adequacy of an electromagnetic generator built as the generator 10 in fig1 to produce power both to drive the switching and control logic , providing power to the input coils 26 , 28 , and to drive an external load 44 . in the configuration used in this experiment , the input coils 26 , 28 had 40 turns of 18 - gauge copper wire , and the output coils 29 , 30 had 450 turns of 18 - gauge copper wire . the permanent magnet 12 had a height of 40 mm ( 1 . 575 in . between its north and south poles , in the direction of arrow 89 , a width of 25 . 4 mm ( 1 . 00 in . ), in the direction of arrow 90 , and in the other direction , a depth of 38 . 1 mm ( 1 . 50 in .). the core 16 had a height , in the direction of arrow 89 , of 90 mm ( 3 . 542 in . ), a width , in the direction of arrow 90 , of 135 mm ( 5 . 315 in .) and a depth of 70 mm ( 2 . 756 in .). the core 16 had a central hole with a height , in the direction of arrow 89 , of 40 mm ( 1 . 575 mm ) to accommodate the magnet 12 , and a width , in the direction of arrow 90 , of 85 mm ( 3 . 346 in .). the core 16 was fabricated of two โ c โ- shaped halves , joined at lines 92 , to accommodate the winding of output coils 29 , 30 and input coils 26 , 28 over the core material . the core material was a laminated iron - based magnetic alloy sold by honeywell as metglas magnetic alloy 2605sa1 . the magnet material was a combination of iron , neodymium , and boron . the input coils 26 , 28 were driven at an oscillator frequency of 87 . 5 khz , which was determined to produce optimum efficiency using a switching control circuit configured as shown in fig2 . this frequency has a period of 11 . 45 microseconds . the flip flop 54 is arranged , for example , to be set and reset on rising edges of the clock signal input from the oscillator , so that each pulse driving one of the fets 60 , 62 has a duration of 11 . 45 microseconds , and so that sequential pulses are also separated to each fet are also separated by 11 . 45 microseconds . fig6 a - 6h are graphical views of signals which simultaneously occurred within the apparatus of fig1 and 2 during operation with an applied input voltage of 75 volts . fig6 a shows a first drive signal 100 driving fet 60 , which conducts to drive the right input coil 26 . fig6 b is shows a second drive signal 102 driving fet 62 , which conducts to drive the left input coil 28 . fig6 c and 6d show voltage and current signals associated with current driving both the fets 60 , 62 from a battery source . fig6 c shows the level 104 of voltage v . while the nominal voltage of the battery was 75 volts , a decaying transient signal 106 is superimposed on this voltage each time one of the fets 60 , 62 is switched on to conduct . the specific pattern of this transient signal depends on the internal resistance of the battery , as well as on a number of characteristics of the magnetic generator 10 . similarly , fig6 d shows the current 106 flowing into both fets 60 , 62 from the battery source . since the signals 104 , 106 show the effects of current flowing into both fets 60 , 62 the transient spikes are 11 . 45 microseconds apart . fig6 e - 6h show voltage and current levels measured at the output coils 29 , 30 . fig6 e shows a voltage output signal 108 of the right output coil 29 , while fig6 f shows a voltage output signal 110 of the left output coil 30 . for example , the output current signal 116 of the right output coil 29 includes a first transient spike 112 caused when the a current pulse in the left input coil 28 is turned on to direct magnetic flux through the right magnetic path 18 , and a second transient spike 114 caused when the left input coil 28 is turned off with the right input coil 26 being turned on . fig6 g shows a current output signal 116 of the right output coil 29 , while fig6 h shows a current output signal 118 of the left output coil 30 . fig7 is a graphical view of output power measured using the electromagnetic generator 10 and eight levels of input voltage , varying from 10v to 75v . the oscillator frequency was retained at 87 . 5 khz . the measurement points are represented by indicia 120 , while the curve 122 is generated by polynomial regression analysis using a least squares fit . fig8 is a graphical view of a coefficient of performance , defined as the ratio of the output power to the input power , for each of the measurement points shown in fig7 . at each measurement point , the output power was substantially higher than the input power . real power measurements were computed at each data point using measured voltage and current levels , with the results being averaged over the period of the signal . these measurements agree with rms power measured using a textronic ths730 digital oscilloscope . while the electromagnetic generator 10 was capable of operation at much higher voltages and currents without saturation , the input voltage was limited to 75 volts because of voltage limitations of the switching circuits being used . those skilled in the relevant art will understand that components for switching circuits capable of handling higher voltages in this application are readily available . the experimentally - measured data was extrapolated to describe operation at an input voltage of 100 volts , with the input current being 140 ma , the input power being 14 watts , and with a resulting output power being 48 watts for each of the two output coils 29 , 30 , at an average output current of 12 ma and an average output voltage of 4000 volts . this means that for each of the output coils 29 , 30 , the coefficient of performance would be 3 . 44 . while an output voltage of 4000 volts may be needed for some applications , the output voltage can also be varied through a simple change in the configuration of the electromagnetic generator 10 . the output voltage is readily reduced by reducing the number of turns in the output windings . if this number of turns is decreased from 450 to 12 , the output voltage is dropped to 106 . 7 , with a resulting increase in output current to 0 . 5 amps for each output coil 29 , 30 . in this way , the output current and voltage of the electromagnetic generator can be varied by varying the number of turns of the output coils 29 , 30 , without making a substantial change in the output power , which is instead determined by the input current , which determines the amount of magnetic flux shuttled during the switching process . the coefficients of performance , all of which were significantly greater than 1 , plotted in fig8 indicate that the output power levels measured in each of the output coils 29 , 30 were substantially greater than the corresponding input power levels driving both of the input coils 26 , 28 . therefore , it is apparent that the electromagnetic generator 10 can be built in a self - actuating form , as discussed above in reference to fig1 . in the example of fig1 except for a brief application of power from the external power source 38 , to start the process of power generation , the power required to drive the input coils 26 , 28 is derived entirely from power developed within the right output coil 29 . if the power generated in a single output coil 29 , 30 is more than sufficient to drive the input coils 26 , 28 , an additional load 126 may be added to be driven with power generated in the output coil 29 used to generate power to drive the input coils 26 , 28 . on the other hand , each of the output coils 29 , 30 may be used to drive a portion of the input coil power requirements , for example with one of the output coils 26 , 28 providing the voltage v for the fet 60 ( shown in fig2 ), while the other output coil provides this voltage for the fet 62 . regarding thermodynamic considerations , it is noted that , when the electromagnetic generator 10 is operating , it is an open system not in thermodynamic equilibrium . the system receives static energy from the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet . because the electromagnetic generator 10 is self - switched without an additional energy input , the thermodynamic operation of the system is an open dissipative system , receiving , collecting , and dissipating energy from its environment ; in this case , from the magnetic flux stored within the permanent magnet . continued operation of the electromagnetic generator 10 causes demagnetization of the permanent magnet . the use of a magnetic material including rare earth elements , such as a samarium cobalt material or a material including iron , neodymium , and boron is preferable within the present invention , since such a magnetic material has a relatively long life in this application . thus , an electromagnetic generator operating in accordance with the present invention should be considered not as a perpetual motion machine , but rather as a system in which flux radiated from a permanent magnet is converted into electricity , which is used both to power the apparatus and to power an external load . this is analogous to a system including a nuclear reactor , in which a number of fuel rods radiate energy which is used to keep the chain reaction going and to heat water for the generation of electricity to drive external loads . fig9 is a cross - sectional elevation of an electromagnetic generator 130 built in accordance with a second version of the first embodiment of the present invention . this electromagnetic generator 130 is generally similar in construction and operation to the electromagnetic generator 10 built in accordance with the first version of this embodiment , except that the magnetic core 132 of the electromagnetic generator 10 is built in two halves joined along lines 134 , allowing each of the output coils 135 to be wound on a plastic bobbin 136 before the bobbin 136 is placed over the legs 137 of the core 132 . fig9 also shows an alternate placement of an input coil 138 . in the example of fig1 both input coils 26 , 28 were placed on the upper portion of the magnetic core 16 , with these coils 26 , 28 being configured to establish magnetic fields having north magnetic poles at the inner ends 31 , 32 of the coils 26 , 28 , with these north magnetic poles thus being closest to the end 14 of the permanent magnet 12 having its north magnetic pole . in the example of fig9 a first input coil 26 is as described above in reference to fig1 but the second input coil 138 is placed adjacent the south pole 140 of the permanent magnet 12 . this input coil 138 is configured to establish a south magnetic pole at its inner end 142 , so that , when input coil 138 is turned on , flux from the permanent magnet 12 is directed away from the left magnetic path 20 into the right magnetic path 18 . fig1 and 11 show an electromagnetic generator 150 built in accordance with a first version of a second embodiment of the present invention , with fig1 being a top view thereof , and with fig1 being a front elevation thereof . this electromagnetic generator 150 includes an output coil 152 , 153 at each corner , and a permanent magnet 154 extending along each side between output coils . the magnetic core 156 includes an upper plate 158 , a lower plate 160 , and a square post 162 extending within each output coil 152 , 153 . both the upper plate 158 and the lower plate 160 include central apertures 164 . each of the permanent magnets 154 is oriented with a like pole , such as a north pole , against the upper plate 158 . eight input coils 166 , 168 are placed in positions around the upper plate 158 between an output coil 152 , 153 and a permanent magnet 154 . each input coil 166 , 168 is arranged to form a magnetic pole at its end nearest to the adjacent permanent magnet 154 of a like polarity to the magnetic poles of the magnets 154 adjacent the upper plate 158 . thus , the input coils 166 are switched on to divert magnetic flux of the permanent magnets 154 from the adjacent output coils 152 , with this flux being diverted into magnetic paths through the output coils 153 . then , the input coils 168 are switched on to divert magnetic flux of the permanent magnets 154 from the adjacent output coils 153 , with this flux being diverted into magnetic paths through the output coils 152 . thus , the input coils form a first group of input coils 166 and a second group of input coils 168 , with these first and second groups of input coils being alternately energized in the manner described above in reference to fig1 for the single input coils 26 , 28 . the output coils produce current in a first train of pulses occurring simultaneously within coils 152 and in a second train of pulses occurring simultaneously within coils 153 . thus , driving current through input coils 166 causes an increase in flux from the permanent magnets 154 within the posts 162 extending through output coils 153 and a decrease in flux from the permanent magnets 154 within the posts 162 extending through output coils 152 . on the other hand , driving current through input coils 168 causes a decrease in flux from the permanent magnets 154 within the posts 162 extending through output coils 153 and an increase in flux from the permanent magnets 154 within the posts 162 extending through output coils 152 . while the example of fig1 and 11 shows all of the input coils 166 , 168 deployed along the upper plate 158 , it is understood that certain of these input coils 166 , 168 could alternately be deployed around the lower plate 160 , in the manner generally shown in fig9 with one input coil 166 , 168 being within each magnetic circuit between a permanent magnet 154 and an adjacent post 162 extending within an output coil 152 , 153 , and with each input coil 166 , 168 being arranged to produce a magnetic field having a magnetic pole like the closest pole of the adjacent permanent magnet 154 . fig1 is a top view of a second version 170 of the second embodiment of the present invention , which is similar to the first version thereof , which has been discussed in reference to fig1 and 11 , except that an upper plate 172 and a similar lower plate ( not shown ) are annular in shape , while the permanent magnets 174 and posts 176 extending through the output coils 178 are cylindrical . the input coils 180 are oriented and switched as described above in reference to fig9 and 10 . while the example of fig1 shows four permanent magnets , four output coils and eight input coils it is understood that the principles described above can be applied to electromagnetic generators having different numbers of elements . for example , such a device can be built to have two permanent magnets , two output coils , and four input coils , or to have six permanent magnets , six output coils , and twelve input coils . in accordance with the present invention , material used for magnetic cores is preferably a nanocrystalline alloy , and alternately an amorphous alloy . the material is preferably in a laminated form . for example , the core material is a cobalt - niobium - boron alloy or an iron based magnetic alloy . also in accordance with the present invention , the permanent magnet material preferably includes a rare earth element . for example , the permanent magnet material is a samarium cobalt material or a combination of iron , neodymium , and boron . while the invention has been described in its preferred versions and embodiments with some degree of particularity , it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction , fabrication , and use , including the combination and arrangement of parts , may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
| 8 |
although the machine shown in fig1 and 2 can work as a pump or motor of variable cylinder capacity , the term &# 34 ; pump &# 34 ; will simply be used hereinafter , the term of course covering both forms of operation . the pump according to the invention comprises the following elements which are conventional in known split shaft pumps ; a shaft 2 ; a drive plate 4 rigidly secured and perpendicular thereto ; a rotating drum or barrel 6 formed with a ring of cylinders 8 , for instance seven cylinders ; and piston and rod units 10 having spherical rod ends 12 pivotally received in correspondingly shaped recesses or sockets 14 in the plate surface which is near the drum 6 . drum 6 is rotatably mounted on a pivot shaft 16 carried by a drum support plate 18 which is fixed in rotation but which can tilt in the direction indicated by an arrow f in fig1 relative to the axis of shaft 2 . plate 18 is carried by a yoke - like locking frame comprising two arms 20 , 20 &# 39 ; which can be seen in fig2 and which pivot on two pivots 22 , 22 &# 39 ; extending along the axis yy &# 39 ; and borne by pump frame 24 . a universal synchronizing joint 26 is interposed between plate 4 and drum 6 . each piston and rod unit 10 is hollow and has a longitudinal liquid flow duct 28 extending at one end into the cylinder via the piston head 30 and at the other end through the spherical head or end 12 of the rod . at the base each recess 14 the plate 4 is pierced with a liquid flow duct 32 which extends to that radial surface 34 of the drive plate which is opposite the surface formed with the spherical recesses 14 . surface 34 could bear directly on a distribution plate 36 which is maintained fixed in rotation around shaft 2 by pins or the like 38 engaged in the casing 24 ( fig1 ). for technological reasons , however , it is preferable to interpose a ring 40 made of low - friction metal between the drive plate 4 and the distribution plate 36 , ring 40 rotating solidly with the drive plate 4 by way of pins 42 . ring 40 is pierced with orifices 32 &# 39 ; registering with and prolonging the ducts 32 ( fig2 ). in the embodiment shown in fig1 and 2 the distribution plate 36 is formed with two orifices 44 , 46 past which the ends of the orifices 32 &# 39 ; prolonging the ducts 32 move when the machine rotates . two stationary ducts 48 , 50 ( fig2 ) one for intake and one for delivery , are contrived in frame 24 and communicate with the respective orifices 44 , 46 in the plate 36 . the shaft 2 and the drive plate 4 rigidly secured thereto are rotatably mounted in frame 24 by means of conical bearings 52 , 54 . the rod ends 12 are pulled into engagement with their recesses 14 by a perforate plate 56 . sliding push rods 58 , 58 &# 39 ; which can be seen in fig1 and which bear on rollers 60 , 60 &# 39 ; on the locking frame 18 , 20 of the drum serve to adjust the tilt of the drum relative to the axis of shaft 2 to vary the cylinder capacity of the machine . the rods 58 , 58 &# 39 ; can be operated manually or hydraulically . the ends of cylinders 8 are closed by plugs 62 of a low - friction metal , the ends of the plugs 62 bearing on a ring 64 which is fixed in rotation and rigidly secured to the plate 18 . preferably , each plug 62 is formed with a narrow duct 65 and a chamber 66 for the production of a hydrostatic pad or cushion between the rotating drum and the bearing elements 64 , 18 which are fixed in rotation ; however , in the embodiment described with reference to fig1 and 3 there is no flow of liquid at this end of the cylinders 8 through the ducts 65 ( disregarding leakages ), the latter ducts serving merely as pressure take - offs . operation of the pump according to the invention is clear enough from the foregoing description for it to suffice to state that , when the drum is in its position of maximum tilt shown in fig1 and when the shaft 2 is rotating , delivery is at a maximum , for instance , in the direction indicated by arrows 68 , 68 &# 39 ; ( fig2 ) marked in the ducts 48 , 50 . clearly , in this embodiment the only flow of oil to and from the cylinders 8 is by way of the ducts 32 &# 39 ;, 32 , 28 through the drive plate and the rods . consequently , the oil flow direction in the channels reverses at each half - revolution of the shaft . clearly too , the oil has a very direct path through the ducts , the path being of large cross - section , even through the rods . as will be seen subsequently , special features can be provided so that the rods can be of considerable diameter but not limit the tiltability of the drum , i . e . variations of cylinder capacity . of course , when drum tilt is decreased by means of the members 58 , 58 &# 39 ;, delivery decreases to become zero when the drum axis is in extension of the axis of shaft 2 , the direction of delivery reversing when the drum tilts beyond the zero - delivery position . when the machine runs as a motor , therefore , it is a variable - speed reversible motor . since the fluid enters and exits by way of stationary ducts 48 , 50 in the machine frame , there is no rotating hydraulic seal , in contrast to some known variable cylinder capacity pumps of this kind , in which the liquid enters and / or exits through rotating hydraulic seals in the drum frame pivots 22 , 22 &# 39 ; due to the cylinders being carried by the pivoting drum . the construction of the machine is thereby simplified and the risk of leakages is reduced . in conventional split - shaft pumps the force of the pistons is transferred to the rolling shaft bearings , which therefore have to be substantial and deal with heavy loads and have a limited working life , and also limited working pressures . in a pump according to this invention this disadvantage is obviated by hydrostatic balancing of the shaft 2 by means of a floating mounting of the surface 36 . as can be seen in fig1 and 2 , the distribution plate 36 , which is retained in rotation by the pins or the like 38 , acts like a ram and can move axially , e . g . by from 0 . 5 to 1 mm , relative to the pump casing to obviate a hydrostatic lift relative to the shaft bearing , so that the novel pump or motors can be operated at higher pressures than previously . also , because oil flows through the rods and the ducts 32 , there is continuous lubrication of the swivel joints of the rod ends 12 . in one simple embodiment , each piston and rod unit can take the form of two pierced balls ( which can be made to great accuracy and at low cost ), one ball forming the swivel of the rod end 12 and the other forming the end of piston 30 , the balls being welded or brazed to the hollow rod 70 . this system experiences purely compression , tensile forces occurring only on intake at a low liquid pressure . preferably , and as shown in fig3 and 4 , the spherical end 30 of the hollow rod 70 forming the rod has a segment for providing sealing tightness in the cylinder 8 . as fig3 shows , the segment takes the form of a short tubular member 72 having a central duct 74 which extends duct 28 of rod 70 . duct 74 merges into a spherical recess 76 which is engaged over the spherical end 30 of the rod to form a swivel joint . in the variant shown in fig4 a sleeve 72 &# 39 ; forming the segment is retained on the spherical head 30 of the rod by a split socket 78 whose split skirt 80 has a spherical external shape engaging and latching in the inside of head 30 . a swivel joint is therefore provided between the segment and the rod while providing an uninterrupted passage 28 , 74 for the liquid to and from the cylinder 8 . in this system the guiding function , provided by the rod end 30 , is separated from the sealing function , provided by the segment 72 &# 39 ; which serves as the piston head . as previously stated , it is preferred to use hollow rods of large diameter for the sake of having large flow cross - sections for the oil and for the rods to have a good buckling strength . the large diameter of the rods might cause difficulties because of the risks of the rods interfering with the cylinder inside walls at large angles of drum tilt ( see rod 70 of the bottom cylinder in fig1 ), so that the angle of tilt would be limited and , therefore , so would the possible variations of cylinder capacity . in conventional split - shaft pumps the drum tilt is usually limited to an angle of approximately 25 ยฐ. according to the invention and although the rods are of large diameter , drum tilt can be up to 30 ยฐ in the drum position shown in fig1 for a 9 - cylinder pump and 35 ยฐ for a 7 - cylinder pump . this advantage is achieved because the pivoting axis yy &# 39 ; of the drum ( fig2 ) is disposed in the articulation plane 22 &# 39 ; of the rod ends as is the case in conventional split - shaft pumps , but offset from such plane towards the radial surface opposite the drum by a distance d of the order of from 25 to 33 % of the distance between the plane zz &# 39 ; and the latter radial surface . consequently , all the cylinders can have their axes parallel , so that drum production is cheapened and becomes more accurate . despite the clearance 82 between the distribution plate 36 and the pump casing , the sealing of the passage between the orifices 44 , 46 in the plate 36 and the ducts 48 , 42 in the pump casing is provided by ring seals 84 which are urged into engagement with the pump casing by springs 86 ( fig2 ). in another embodiment of the invention , two small rams 88 can be contrived in the thickness of the surface 36 ( fig1 ) and be cyclically energized by pressure oil through narrow ducts 90 when the ends 32 &# 39 ; of the ducts 32 pass by the ducts 90 , to apply the distribution plate 36 to the drive plate and completely balance piston thrust . a pump such as the one described can be designed for a maximum pressure of 1000 bars with a rated pressure of 400 bars at a speed of 1500 rpm . the most advantageous cylinder numbers are 7 , 9 and 11 . in another form of the invention , a hollow - rod pump can be provided which requires no rotating hydraulic seal but in which the oil flow through the hollow rods and the ducts 32 of the drive plate is always in the same direction . this construction , of use for pumps used on open circuit , is partially shown in fig 5 . the pump parts not shown therein are identical to those shown in fig1 and 2 except that the surface 36 is formed with only one distribution orifice 46 instead of two and there is only one oil flow duct 50 in the pump casing 24 . the only other modification concerns the drum , which is shown in fig5 . the ends of the cylinder 8 are not closed by plugs but have short tubular members 92 which are made of a low - friction metal and which are pierced with a wide passage 94 . the intermediate drum support plate 64 is pierced with an intake port or orifice 96 which is connected to a wide intake passage 98 in the plate 18 . the case 100 protecting the drum has an oil inlet 102 . in this system the intake is directly into the casing , oil being taken in on the drum side and delivered on the side of the surface 36 . all the advantages previously described are retained and intake capacity is improved ; however , in this embodiment the tilt of the drum cannot be reversed to reverse the flow direction .
| 5 |
in the above formula , the term &# 34 ; c 1 - c 16 alkyl &# 34 ; represents a straight or branched alkyl chain having from one to sixteen carbon atoms . typical c 1 - c 16 alkyl groups include methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , isopropyl , n - butyl , isobutyl , sec - butyl , t - butyl , n - pentyl , isopentyl , n - hexyl , 2 - methylpentyl , n - octyl , decyl , undecyl , hexadecyl , and the like . the term &# 34 ; c 1 - c 16 alkyl &# 34 ; includes within it the terms &# 34 ; c 1 - c 6 alkyl &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; c 1 - c 4 alkyl &# 34 ;. the term &# 34 ; c 1 - c 16 alkoxy &# 34 ; can be represented by ( c 1 - c 16 alkyl )- o - and includes within it the term &# 34 ; c 1 - c 4 alkoxy &# 34 ;. the term &# 34 ; phenyl - substituted c 1 - c 4 alkyl &# 34 ; represents a c 1 c 4 alkyl group bearing a phenyl group , such as benzyl , 1 - phenylethyl , 2 - phenylethyl , 3 - phenylpropyl , 4 - phenylbutyl , 2 - methyl - 2 - phenylpropyl , and the like . the term &# 34 ; oral ester forming group ,&# 34 ; as used herein , represents a substituent which , when attached to the carboxylic acid group , forms an ester function suitable for administration to mammals in need of treatment . examples of such oral ester forming groups include c 1 - c 4 alkoxy ; benzyloxy ; benzyloxy substituted on the phenyl ring with halogen , c 1 - c 4 alkyl or c 1 - c 4 alkoxy ; c 4 - c 7 alkanoyloxymethyl ; or c 4 c 7 alkanoyloxymethyl substituted on the oxomethyl with c 4 - c 7 alkyl or c 4 - c 7 cycloalkyl . while all the compounds of the present invention are believed to be antagonists of excitatory amino acid receptors , there are certain compounds of the invention which are preferred for such use . preferably , r 1 is -- cooh , the r 4 substituted on the tetrazole ring is hydrogen , and r 2 is hydrogen , i . e ., the compounds of formula ia . ## str3 ## the compounds of the present invention possess an asymmetric carbon atom represented by the carbon atom substituted by r 1 . as such , the compounds can exist as a racemic mixture of isomers or each individual optical isomer . accordingly , the compounds of the present invention will include not only the racemates , but also their respective optically active isomers . as pointed out above , this invention includes the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds defined by formula i . these salts can exist in conjunction with the acidic or basic portion of the molecule and can exist as acid addition , primary , secondary , tertiary or quaternary ammonium or alkali metal or alkali earth metal salts . acids commonly employed to form such salts include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric , hydrobromic , hydroiodic , sulfuric and phosphoric acid , as well as organic acids such as paratoluenesulfonic , methanesulfonic , oxalic , para - bromophenylsulfonic , carbonic , succinic , citric , benzoic and acetic acid , and related inorganic and organic acids . such pharmaceutically acceptable salts thus include sulfate , pyrosulfate , bisulfate , sulfite , bisulfite , phosphate , ammonium , monohydrogenphosphate , dihydrogenphosphate , metaphosphate , pyrophosphate , chloride , lithium bromide , iodide , acetate , magnesium , propionate , tetramethylammonium , decanoate , caprylate , acrylate , formate , isobutyrate , caprate , heptanoate , potassium , propiolate , oxalate , trimethylammonium , malonate , succinate , suberate , sebacate , fumarate , maleate , butyne - 1 , 4 - dioate , sodium , hexyne - 1 , 6 - dioate , benzoate , chlorobenzoate , methylbenzoate , dinitrobenzoate , hydroxybenzoate , methoxybenzoate , phthalate , sulfonate , methylammonium , xylenesulfonate , phenylacetate , phenylpropionate , phenylbutyrate , citrate , lactate , calcium , ฮฒ - hydroxybutyrate , glycollate , maleate , tartrate , methanesulfonate , propanesulfonate , naphthalene - 1 - sulfonate , naphthalene - 2 - sulfonate , mandelate and the like salts . compounds of the present invention can contain one or two tetrazole rings . tetrazole is known to exist as tautomeric structures . the tetrazole having the double bond on the nitrogen atom at the 1 - position and the r substituent on the n - 2 nitrogen atom is properly named as a 2h - tetrazole and is represented by the following structure : ## str4 ## this compound has a corresponding tautomeric form wherein the r substituent is at n - 1 with the double bond on the nitrogen atom of the 4 - position . these compounds are named in part as 1h - tetrazoles and possess the following part structure : ## str5 ## mixtures of the two tautomers are referred to herein as 1 ( 2 ) h - tetrazoles . the present invention contemplates both individual tautomeric forms as well as the combination of the two tautomers . the compounds of the present invention may be prepared by procedures well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . to prepare the preferred carboxylic acid derivatives of formula la , a substituted pyrazine is converted into the fully saturated piperazine . the nitrogen atom adjacent to the prospective r 1 substituent is blocked with a standard blocking reagent after the other nitrogen atom is alkylated with an omega - halo alkylnitriie . the nitrile group is then transformed into a tetrazole group , the other nitrogen atom is deblocked , and the r 1 precursor hydrolyzed to provide the carboxylic acid of formula ia . scheme i is illustrative of this conversion . ## str6 ## wherein : r 1 &# 39 ; is -- conh 2 or -- coo ( c 1 - c 4 alkyl ) and r 6 is c 1 - c 6 alkoxycarbonyl . according to scheme i , pyrazine ii is reduced to afford the corresponding piperazine 111 . this reaction is best accomplished by standard hydrogenation procedures in the presence of a catalyst , such as platinum oxide , in a nonreactive solvent such as an alcohol , particularly ethanol , preferably in the presence of acetic acid . intermediate 111 is then alkylated with a suitable ฯ - haloalkyl nitrile in the presence of a base , such as hunig &# 39 ; s base , to provide the corresponding cyanoalkyl intermediate iv . this intermediate is then protected with a blocking group preferably a c 1 - c 6 alkoxycarbonyl group , to provide the protected intermediate v . this cyano derivative is then converted to a tetrazole intermediate and then to the compound of the invention according to the following process . the cyano starting material is reacted with tributyltin azide ( also known as azido tributylstannane ). this reaction is conducted at a temperature of about 50 ยฐ c . to about 120 ยฐ c ., preferably at about 80 ยฐ c ., for about 12 to about 120 hours . the product may be isolated , but is preferably hydrolyzed directly to a compound of the invention by standard acid or base hydrolysis . the reaction is conducted at a temperature in the range of about 50 ยฐ c . to about 150 ยฐ c . for about 2 hours to about 24 hours and the product isolated . the product may then be purified by standard procedures such as crystallization with common solvents such as water , acetone or ethanol , or chromatography over solid supports such as silica gel , ion exchange resins or standard absorbents . this reaction , when followed by acidic workup , not only effectively converts the nitrile intermediate to the desired tetrazole , but is also effective for removing the blocking group r 6 and hydrolyzes the r 1 &# 39 ; group into a carboxylic acid . compounds of the invention wherein r 1 is other than the free carboxylic acid substituent are prepared by procedures well known to one of ordinary skill in the art . compounds wherein r 1 is -- c (โ 0 ) r 3 and r 3 is c 1 - c 16 alkoxy or phenyl substituted c 1 - c 4 alkoxy are prepared by esterification of the free carboxylic acid with an appropriate alcohol r 3 h in the presence of hydrogen chloride gas . the compounds wherein r 1 is -- c (โ 0 ) r 3 and r 3 is an oral ester forming group are prepared by standard alkylation or acylation techniques . compounds wherein r 1 is -- c (โ 0 ) 0 ( phenyl ), -- c (โ 0 ) n ( r 4 ) 2 , -- c (โ o ) nhso 2 r 4 or -- c (โ o ) nhc (โ o ) r 3 are prepared by the reaction of the free carboxylic acid derivative of the intermediate which is blocked with r 6 as defined above ( either isolated as a partial hydrolysis product in the conversion of v to i or ia which has been converted into a n - r 6 blocked intermediate in the same manner as described above ) with an appropriately substituted amine nh ( r 4 ) 2 , sulfonamine nh 2 so 2 r 4 or acylamine nh 2 c (โ 0 ) r 3 in the presence of a coupling reagent and mutual organic solvent . suitable coupling reagents include the carbodiimides such as n , n &# 39 ;- dicyclohexylcarbodiimide , n , n &# 39 ;- diisopropylcarbodiimide , or n , n &# 39 ;- diethylcarbodiimide ; the imidazoles such as carbonyldiimiaazole ; as well as reagents such as n - ethoxycarbonyl - 2 - ethoxy - 1 , 2 - dihydroquinoline ( eedq ). the resulting compound is then deblocked of the r 6 group as hereinbefore described . compounds wherein r 1 is tetrazole or substituted tetrazole can also be prepared by treating the carboxylic acid ia with ammonia in the presence of a coupling reagent as described above to provide the corresponding primary carboxamide . the carboxamide is dehydrated to the corresponding carbonitrile upon treatment with phenylphosphinoyl dichloride or triphenylphosphine dibromide , in the presence of a tertiary amine such as triethylamine or pyridine . the resulting compound is converted to the tetrazole intermediate with tributyltin azide according to conditions hereinbefore described . the desired compound is then prepared as hereinbefore described . compounds of the present invention wherein the r 4 substituent on the tetrazole ring is other than hydrogen may also be prepared by known processes , or by processes analogous to such known procedures . typically , alkylation of the unsubstituted starting material with an appropriate halide reagent r 4 - cl , r 4 - br , or r 4 - i provides the desired compound of the invention or an intermediate which can be further modified to a compound of the invention as herein described . if a base is employed in the alkylation reaction , addition occurs first on the tetrazole ring if the other free nitrogen atoms are unsubstituted . conducting the reaction in tho absence of a base leads to preferential addition on the piperidine nitrogen atom . any free nitrogen atom may also be blocked prior to the reaction , and deblocked subsequently according to standard conditions employing standard blocking reagents . of course , di - substitution with the same substituent merely requires the use of two appropriate molar equivalents of reagent to account for each of the desired substituents on the final compound . as will be appreciated by those skilled in organic synthesis , the particular pattern of substitution , in the case where r 1 is tetrazolyl , can be controlled by the use of blocking agents or introducing and functionalizing one tetrazolyl group before the other tetrazolyl group is introduced . the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the invention are typically formed by reacting a compound of this invention with an equimolar or excess amount of salt forming reagent . the reactants are generally combined in a mutual solvent such as diethyl ether , benzene , ethanol or water and the salt normally precipitates out of solution within about one hour to 10 days , and can be isolated by filtration . the pyrazine intermediates corresponding to formula ii employed as starting materials in the synthesis of the compounds of this invention are known or can be prepared by procedures well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . the following examples further illustrate the compounds of the present invention and methods for their synthesis . the examples are not intended to be limiting to the scope of the invention in any respect and should not be so construed . one hundred twenty - five grams of pyrazinamide were hydrogenated in the presence of 2 . 5 l of 6 : 1 ethanol / acetic acid and 62 . 6 g of platinum oxide at 60 psi and 60 ยฐ c . after hydrogen uptake ceased , the reaction mixture was filtered through a celite ยฎ pad and concentrated in vacuo . trituration with ethyl acetate afforded 219 . 57 g of the desired subtitle intermediate , m . p . 90 - 92 ยฐ c . eighty grams of the amide from example 1a above were mixed with 300 ml of ethanol and 124 . 4 g of hunig &# 39 ; s base . with stirring , 49 g of 4 - bromobutyronitrile were added . the mixture was heated at 85 ยฐ c . overnight under a nitrogen atomosphere . an additional 8 . 2 ml of 4 - bromobutyronitrile were added and the solution heated at reflux for 6 hours more . the reaction was cooled to room temperature and portions of di - t - butyl dicarbonate totalling 147 . 4 ml were added over a 15 minute period . after stirring for 30 minutes at room temperature , the mixture was concentrated in vacuo . the residue was taken up in ethyl acetate and filtered . the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo and the residue purified by high pressure liquid chromatography over silica gel . the appropriate fractions were combined and concentrated in vacuo to provide 44 . 63 g of the desired subtitle intermediate as an oil . the nitrile from example 1b above ( 43 . 76 g ) was treated with 98 . 1 g of tributyl tin azide and then heated for 4 days at 80 ยฐ c . under a nitrogen atmosphere . after cooling to room temperature , 450 ml of methanol , previously saturated with hydrogen chloride gas , were added . after stirring for 2 hours , the mixture was concentrated in vacuo . the residue was dissolved in 400 ml of water and the mixture was extracted three times each with 350 ml of diethyl ether . the aqueous layer was concentrated in vacuo , treated with 350 ml of 6 n hydrochloric acid , and heated at reflux overnight . one hundred milliliters of water were added and the mixture concentrated in vacuo . the residue was treated with acetone ( 18 hours at room temperature and 1 hour at reflux ). the acetone was decanted and the residue concentrated in vacuo . the residue was dissolved in 75 ml of water and purified by ion - exchange chromatography over dowex 50x8 resin . the appropriate fractions were combined and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was suspended in acetone and refluxed for 1 hour . after cooling , the material was filtered and washed with acetone and diethyl ether , providing 22 . 03 g of the desired title product , m . p . = 153 - 156 ยฐ c . analysis for c 9 h 16 n 6 o 2 : following the procedure of examples 1b and 1c above , the piperazine amide and 3 - bromopropionitrile were reacted to provide the corresponding 4 -( 2 - cyanoethyl )- 1 - t - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - piperazinecarboxamide intermediate in 30 % yield , m . p . 117 - 118 ยฐ c . this nitrile was then transformed into the desired title product except that the final hydrolysis was done in 3 : 1 methanol : 2n sodium hydroxide at reflux overnight . after cooling and concentration in vacuo , the product was acidified with 1n hydrochloric acid , then concentrated in vacuo . purification as in example 1b afforded the product in 73 % yield , m . p . 220 - 224 ยฐ c . analysis for c 8 h 14 n 6 o 2 ยท 0 . 7 h 2 o ยท 0 . 1 c 3 h 6 o ( acetone ): as noted above , the compounds of this invention are excitatory amino acid antagonists . therefore , another embodiment of the present invention is a method of blocking one or more excitatory amino acid receptors in mammals which comprises administering to a mammal requiring decreased excitatory amino acid neurotransmission a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of the invention . the term &# 34 ; pharmaceutically effective amount &# 34 ;, as used herein , represents an amount of a compound of the invention which is capable of blocking one or more excitatory amino acid receptors . the particular dose of compound administered according to this invention will of course be determined by the particular circumstances surrounding the case , including the compound administered , the route of administration , the particular condition being treated , and similar considerations . the compounds can be administered by a variety of routes including the oral , rectal , transdermal , subcutaneous , intravenous , intramuscular or intranasal routes . a typical daily dose will contain from about 0 . 01 mg / kg to about 20 mg / kg of the active compound of this invention . preferred daily doses will be about 0 . 05 to about 10 mg / kg , ideally about 0 . 1 to about 5 mg / kg . a variety of physiologic functions have been shown to be subject to influence by excessive stimulation of excitatory amino acid neurotransmission . as such , the compounds of the present invention are believed to have the ability to treat a variety of disorders in mammals associated with this condition which include neurological disorders such as convulsive disorders for example , epilepsy ; stroke ; anxiety ; cerebral ischaemia ; muscular spasms ; and neurodegenerative disorders such as alzheimer &# 39 ; s disease and huntington &# 39 ; s disease . therefore , the present invention also provides methods of treating the above disorders at rates set forth above for excitatory amino acid receptors in mammals . experiments were performed to demonstrate inhibitory activity of compounds of this invention at the n - methyl - d - aspartate ( nmda ) subtype of excitatory amino acid receptor in the rat in vivo . male or female neonatal ( 7 to 8 days old ) sprague - dawley rats were removed from the dam and placed in plastic observation chambers that were maintained at 30 - 32 ยฐ c . all test drugs were dissolved in normal saline . activation of nmda receptors in these rats leads to a readily observable generalized motor seizure , characterized by an increase in motor activity followed by clonic - tonic movements of the forelimbs and hindlimbs , and the continued loss of righting ability . these seizures are not blocked by administration of a non - nmda selective antagonist drug , but are readily blocked by nmda selective compounds . animals were injected by the intraperitoneal route with the test drug ( 1 ml / 100 g of body weight ) and observed for a 30 minute period for seizure ( potential agonist ) activity . they were then injected with nmda at a dose of 20 mg / kg body weight i . p . to test for antagonist activity . in control rats ( normal saline administered ) this dose of nmda results in seizures in more than 95 % of the animals . rats were observed for seizures an additional 30 minute period following nmda administration . animals were rated as being positive or negative for the clear demonstration of tonic - clonic seizure activity with loss of righting ability . observations of seizures induced by the test compound alone ( agonist activity ) or blockade of nmda - induced seizures by the test compound ( antagonist activity ) were scored separately . generally , five animals were used at each dose of compound . the entire range and intervals of the doses used was 200 , 100 , 50 , 20 , 10 , 5 , 2 , and 1 mg / kg . doses were decreased in a stepwise fashion in this range until at least 3 out of 5 animals exhibited seizures . the minimum effective dose ( med ) was the lowest test dose which prevented nmda - induced seizures in at least 3 out of 5 animals as reported in table 11 . table ii______________________________________minimum effective dose of compounds offormula i against neonatal rat convulsionscompound ofexample no . med ( mg / kg ) ______________________________________1 1002 20______________________________________ the compounds of the present invention are preferably formulated prior to administration . therefore , yet another embodiment of the present invention is a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a compound of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier , diluent or excipient therefor . the present pharmaceutical formulations are prepared by known procedures using well known and readily available ingredients . in making the compositions of the present invention , the active ingredient will usually be mixed with a carrier , or diluted by a carrier , or enclosed within a carrier which may be in the form of a capsule , sachet , paper or other container . when the carrier serves as a diluent , it may be a solid , semisolid or liquid material which acts as a vehicle , excipient or medium for the active ingredient . thus , the compositions can be in the form of tablets , pills , powders , lozenges , sachets , cachets , elixirs , suspensions , emulsions , solutions , syrups , aerosol ( as a solid or in a liquid medium ), ointments containing , for example , up to 10 % by weight of the active compound , soft and hard gelatin capsules , suppositories , sterile injectable solutions and sterile packaged powders . some examples of suitable carriers , excipients , and diluents include lactose , dextrose , sucrose , sorbitol , mannitol , starches , gum acacia , calcium phosphate , alginates , tragacanth , gelatin , calcium silicate , microcrystalline cellulose , polyvinylpyrrolidone , cellulose , water syrup , methyl cellulose , methyland propylhydroxybenzoates , talc , magnesium stearate and mineral oil . the formulations can additionally include lubricating agents , wetting agents , emulsifying and suspending agents , preserving agents , sweetening agents or flavoring agents . the compositions of the invention may be formulated so as to provide quick , sustained or delayed release of the active ingredient after administration to the patient by employing procedures well known in the art . the compositions are preferably formulated in a unit dosage form , each dosage containing from about 5 to about 500 mg , more usually about 25 to about 300 mg , of the active ingredient . the term &# 34 ; unit dosage form &# 34 ; refers to physically discrete units suitable as unitary dosages for human subjects and other mammals , each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active material calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect , in association with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier . the following formulation examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way . ______________________________________ quantity ( mg / capsule ) ______________________________________4 -[ 3 -( 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazol - 5 - yl ) propyl ]- 2502 - piperazinecarboxylic acidstarch , dried 200magnesium stearate 10total 460 mg______________________________________ the above ingredients are mixed and filled into hard gelatin capsules in 460 mg quantities . ______________________________________ quantity ( mg / tablet ) ______________________________________4 -[ 2 -( 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazol - 5 - yl ) ethyl ]- 2502 - piperazinecarboxylic acidcellulose , microcrystalline 400silicon dioxide , fumed 10stearic acid 5total 665 mg______________________________________ the components are blended and compressed to form tablets each weighing 665 mg . the active compound is mixed with ethanol and the mixture added to a portion of the propellant 22 , cooled to - 30 ยฐ c . and transferred to a filling device . the required amount is then fed to a stainless steel container and diluted with the remainder of the propellant . the valve units are then fitted to the container . tablets each containing 60 mg of active ingredient are made as follows : ______________________________________5 -( 4 -[ 3 -( 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazol - 5 - yl ) propyl ]- 60 mgpiperazin - 2 - yl )- 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazolestarch 45 mgmicrocrystalline cellulose 35 mgpolyvinylpyrrolidone 4 mg ( as 10 % solution in water ) sodium carboxymethyl starch 4 . 5 mgmagnesium stearate 0 . 5 mgtalc 1 mgtotal 150 mg______________________________________ the active ingredient , starch and cellulose are passed through a no . 45 mesh u . s . sieve and mixed thoroughly . the solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone is mixed with the resultant powders which are then passed through a no . 14 mesh u . s . sieve . the granules so produced are dried at 50 ยฐ c . and passed through a no . 18 mesh u . s . sieve . the sodium carboxymethyl starch , magnesium stearate and talc , previously passed through a no . 60 mesh u . s . sieve , are then added to the granules which , after mixing , are compressed on a tablet machine to yield tablets each weighing 150 mg . capsules each containing 80 mg of medicament are made as follows : ______________________________________2 , 2 - dimethylpropanoyloxymethyl 4 -[ 3 - 80 mg ( 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazol - 5 - yl ) propyl ]- 2 - piperazinecarboxylatestarch 59 mgmicrocrystalline cellulose 59 mgmagnesium stearate 2 mgtotal 200 mg______________________________________ the active ingredient , cellulose , starch and magnesium stearate are blended , passed through a no . 45 mesh u . s . sieve , and filled into hard gelatin capsules in 200 mg quantities . suppositories each containing 225 mg of active ingredient may be made as follows : ______________________________________n -- methanesulfonyl - 4 -[ 3 -( 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazol - 5 - 225 mgyl ) propyl ]- 2 - piperazinecarboxamidesaturated fatty acid glycerides 2 , 000 mgtotal 2 , 225 mg______________________________________ the active ingredient is passed through a no . 60 mesh u . s . sieve and suspended in the saturated fatty acid glycerides previously melted using the minimum heat necessary . the mixture is then poured into a suppository mold of nominal 2 g capacity and allowed to cool . suspensions each containing 50 mg of medicament per 5 ml dose are made as follows : ______________________________________n - butyl 4 -( 2 -[ 1 ( 2 ) h -- tetrazol - 5 - yl ] ethyl )- 50 mg2 - piperazinecarboxylatesodium carboxymethyl cellulose 50 mgsyrup 1 . 25 mlbenzoic acid solution 0 . 10 mlflavor q . v . color q . v . purified water to total 5 ml______________________________________ the medicament is passed through a no . 45 mesh u . s . sieve and mixed with the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and syrup to form a smooth paste . the benzoic acid solution , flavor and color are diluted with some of the water and added , with stirring . sufficient water is then added to produce the required volume . the solution of the above ingredients is administered intravenously at a rate of 1 ml per minute to a subject in need of treatment .
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embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein . it is to be understood , however , that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms . the figures are not necessarily to scale ; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components . therefore , specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments . as those of ordinary skill in the art will understand , various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described . the combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications . various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure , however , could be desired for particular applications or implementations . the embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide for a plurality of circuits or other electrical devices . all references to the circuits and other electrical devices and the functionality provided by each , are not intended to be limited to encompassing only what is illustrated and described herein . while particular labels may be assigned to the various circuits or other electrical devices disclosed , such labels are not intended to limit the scope of operation for the circuits and the other electrical devices . such circuits and other electrical devices may be combined with each other and / or separated in any manner based on the particular type of electrical implementation that is desired . it is recognized that any circuit or other electrical device disclosed herein may include any number of microprocessors , integrated circuits , memory devices ( e . g ., flash , random access memory ( ram ), read only memory ( rom ), electrically programmable read only memory ( eprom ), electrically erasable programmable read only memory ( eeprom ), or other suitable variants thereof ) and software which co - act with one another to perform operation ( s ) disclosed herein . in addition , any one or more of the electric devices may be configured to execute a computer - program that is embodied in a non - transitory computer readable medium that is programmed to perform any number of the functions as disclosed . a user may not know what content is being provided by a radio station until the user tunes a radio receiver to that station . moreover , once the radio receiver is tuned to a station , it may be difficult for the user to determine more generally what genre of content is typically provided by that station . radio data system ( rds ) is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional fm radio broadcasts , and standardizes several types of information transmitted , including time , station identification and program information . a vehicle system may scan the fm frequency band to retrieve rds data transmitted by local fm stations . based on the received rds data , the vehicle system may compile a listing of genres and stations within each genre . this information may be maintained by the vehicle system , and utilized in the radio user interface to support additional genre - related station browsing features . as one example , the vehicle user interface may include a feature to allow for browsing of radio stations according to genre . the user interface may provide a listing of genres based on the rds data for a user to select . when selected , the user interface may further provide a listing of the stations within the selected genre for the user to select . as another example , the user interface may provide a find similar user interface element to allow a user to tune to another radio station indicated as being within the same genre as the currently tuned radio station . fig1 illustrates an example block topology for a vehicle based computing system 1 ( vcs ) for a vehicle 31 . an example of such a vehicle - based computing system 1 is the sync system manufactured by the ford motor company . a vehicle enabled with a vehicle - based computing system may contain a visual front end interface 4 located in the vehicle . the user may also be able to interact with the interface if it is provided , for example , with a touch sensitive screen . in another illustrative embodiment , the interaction occurs through , button presses , spoken dialog system with automatic speech recognition and speech synthesis . in the illustrative embodiment 1 shown in fig1 , a processor 3 controls at least some portion of the operation of the vehicle - based computing system . provided within the vehicle , the processor allows onboard processing of commands and routines . further , the processor is connected to both non - persistent 5 and persistent storage 7 . in this illustrative embodiment , the non - persistent storage is random access memory ( ram ) and the persistent storage is a hard disk drive ( hdd ) or flash memory . in general , persistent ( non - transitory ) memory can include all forms of memory that maintain data when a computer or other device is powered down . these include , but are not limited to , hdds , cds , dvds , magnetic tapes , solid state drives , portable usb drives and any other suitable form of persistent memory . the processor is also provided with a number of different inputs allowing the user to interface with the processor . in this illustrative embodiment , a microphone 29 , an auxiliary input 25 ( for input 33 ), a usb input 23 , a gps input 24 , screen 4 , which may be a touchscreen display , and a bluetooth input 15 are all provided . an input selector 51 is also provided , to allow a user to swap between various inputs . input to both the microphone and the auxiliary connector is converted from analog to digital by a converter 27 before being passed to the processor . although not shown , numerous of the vehicle components and auxiliary components in communication with the vcs may use a vehicle network ( such as , but not limited to , a can bus ) to pass data to and from the vcs ( or components thereof ). outputs to the system can include , but are not limited to , a visual display 4 and a speaker 13 or stereo system output . the speaker is connected to an amplifier 11 and receives its signal from the processor 3 through a digital - to - analog converter 9 . output can also be made to a remote bluetooth device such as pnd 54 or a usb device such as vehicle navigation device 60 along the bi - directional data streams shown at 19 and 21 respectively . in one illustrative embodiment , the system 1 uses the bluetooth transceiver 15 to communicate 17 with a user &# 39 ; s nomadic device 53 ( e . g ., cell phone , smart phone , pda , or any other device having wireless remote network connectivity ). the nomadic device can then be used to communicate 59 with a network 61 outside the vehicle 31 through , for example , communication 55 with a cellular tower 57 . in some embodiments , tower 57 may be a wifi access point . exemplary communication between the nomadic device and the bluetooth transceiver is represented by signal 14 . pairing a nomadic device 53 and the bluetooth transceiver 15 can be instructed through a button 52 or similar input . accordingly , the cpu is instructed that the onboard bluetooth transceiver will be paired with a bluetooth transceiver in a nomadic device . data may be communicated between cpu 3 and network 61 utilizing , for example , a data - plan , data over voice , or dtmf tones associated with nomadic device 53 . alternatively , it may be desirable to include an onboard modem 63 having antenna 18 in order to communicate 16 data between cpu 3 and network 61 over the voice band . the nomadic device 53 can then be used to communicate 59 with a network 61 outside the vehicle 31 through , for example , communication 55 with a cellular tower 57 . in some embodiments , the modem 63 may establish communication 20 with the tower 57 for communicating with network 61 . as a non - limiting example , modem 63 may be a usb cellular modem and communication 20 may be cellular communication . in one illustrative embodiment , the processor is provided with an operating system including an api to communicate with modem application software . the modem application software may access an embedded module or firmware on the bluetooth transceiver to complete wireless communication with a remote bluetooth transceiver ( such as that found in a nomadic device ). bluetooth is a subset of the ieee 802 pan ( personal area network ) protocols . ieee 802 lan ( local area network ) protocols include wifi and have considerable cross - functionality with ieee 802 pan . both are suitable for wireless communication within a vehicle . another communication means that can be used in this realm is free - space optical communication ( such as irda ) and non - standardized consumer ir protocols . in another embodiment , nomadic device 53 includes a modem for voice band or broadband data communication . in the data - over - voice embodiment , a technique known as frequency division multiplexing may be implemented when the owner of the nomadic device can talk over the device while data is being transferred . at other times , when the owner is not using the device , the data transfer can use the whole bandwidth ( 300 hz to 3 . 4 khz in one example ). while frequency division multiplexing may be common for analog cellular communication between the vehicle and the internet , and is still used , it has been largely replaced by hybrids of code domain multiple access ( cdma ), time domain multiple access ( tdma ), space - domain multiple access ( sdma ) for digital cellular communication . these are all itu imt - 2000 ( 3g ) compliant standards and offer data rates up to 2 mbs for stationary or walking users and 385 kbs for users in a moving vehicle . 3g standards are now being replaced by imt - advanced ( 4g ) which offers 100 mbs for users in a vehicle and 1 gbs for stationary users . if the user has a data - plan associated with the nomadic device , it is possible that the data - plan allows for broad - band transmission and the system could use a much wider bandwidth ( speeding up data transfer ). in still another embodiment , nomadic device 53 is replaced with a cellular communication device ( not shown ) that is installed to vehicle 31 . in yet another embodiment , the nd 53 may be a wireless local area network ( lan ) device capable of communication over , for example ( and without limitation ), an 802 . 11g network ( i . e ., wifi ) or a wimax network . in one embodiment , incoming data can be passed through the nomadic device via a data - over - voice or data - plan , through the onboard bluetooth transceiver and into the vehicle &# 39 ; s internal processor 3 . in the case of certain temporary data , for example , the data can be stored on the hdd or other storage media 7 until such time as the data is no longer needed . additional sources that may interface with the vehicle include a personal navigation device 54 , having , for example , a usb connection 56 and / or an antenna 58 , a vehicle navigation device 60 having a usb 62 or other connection , an onboard gps device 24 , or remote navigation system ( not shown ) having connectivity to network 61 . usb is one of a class of serial networking protocols . ieee 1394 ( firewire โข ( apple ), i . link โข ( sony ), and lynx โข ( texas instruments )), eia ( electronics industry association ) serial protocols , ieee 1284 ( centronics port ), s / pdif ( sony / philips digital interconnect format ) and usb - if ( usb implementers forum ) form the backbone of the device - device serial standards . most of the protocols can be implemented for either electrical or optical communication . further , the cpu could be in communication with a variety of other auxiliary devices 65 . these devices can be connected through a wireless 67 or wired 69 connection . auxiliary device 65 may include , but are not limited to , personal media players , wireless health devices , portable computers , and the like . also , or alternatively , the cpu could be connected to a vehicle based wireless router 73 , using for example a wifi ( ieee 803 . 11 ) 71 transceiver . this could allow the cpu to connect to remote networks in range of the local router 73 . in addition to having exemplary processes executed by a vehicle computing system located in a vehicle , in certain embodiments , the exemplary processes may be executed by a computing system in communication with a vehicle computing system . such a system may include , but is not limited to , a wireless device ( e . g ., and without limitation , a mobile phone ) or a remote computing system ( e . g ., and without limitation , a server ) connected through the wireless device . collectively , such systems may be referred to as vehicle associated computing systems ( vacs ). in certain embodiments particular components of the vacs may perform particular portions of a process depending on the particular implementation of the system . by way of example and not limitation , if a process has a step of sending or receiving information with a paired wireless device , then it is likely that the wireless device is not performing the process , since the wireless device would not โ send and receive โ information with itself . one of ordinary skill in the art will understand when it is inappropriate to apply a particular vacs to a given solution . in all solutions , it is contemplated that at least the vehicle computing system ( vcs ) located within the vehicle itself is capable of performing the exemplary processes . fig2 is an exemplary block topology of a system for integrating one or more connected devices with the vehicle based computing system 1 ( vcs ). to facilitate the integration , the cpu 3 may include a device integration framework 101 configured to provide various services to the connected devices . these services may include transport routing of messages between the connected devices and the cpu 3 , global notification services to allow connected devices to provide alerts to the user , application launch and management facilities to allow for unified access to applications executed by the cpu 3 and those executed by the connected devices , and point of interest location and management services for various possible vehicle 31 destinations . as mentioned above , the cpu 3 of the vcs 1 may be configured to interface with one or more nomadic devices 53 of various types . the nomadic device 53 may further include a device integration client component 103 to allow the nomadic device 53 to take advantage of the services provided by the device integration framework 101 . applications executed by the nomadic device 53 may accordingly utilize the device integration client component 103 to interact with the cpu 3 via the device integration framework 101 . as one example , a music player application on the nomadic device 31 may interact with the cpu 3 to provide streaming music through the speaker 13 or stereo system output of the vcs 1 . as another example , a navigation application on the nomadic device 31 may interact with the cpu 3 to provide turn - by - turn directions for display on the screen 4 of the vcs 1 . the multiport connector hub 102 may be used to interface between the cpu 3 and additional types of connected devices other than the nomadic devices 53 . the multiport connector hub 102 may communicate with the cpu 3 over various buses and protocols , such as via usb , and may further communicate with the connected devices using various other connection buses and protocols , such as serial peripheral interface bus ( spi ), inter - integrated circuit ( i2c ), and / or universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter ( uart ). the multiport connector hub 102 may further perform communication protocol translation and interworking services between the protocols used by the connected devices and the protocol used between the multiport connector hub 102 and the cpu 3 . the connected devices may include , as some non - limiting examples , a radar detector 104 , a global position receiver device 106 , and a storage device 108 . a vcs 1 may include one or more receivers configured to receive audio content . for example , the vcs 1 may include an fm radio receiver configured to receive frequency - modulated radio transmissions from radio stations broadcasting within the frequency band of 87 . 5 to 108 . 0 mhz . in addition to receiving audio content , the vcs 1 may be further configured to receive metadata regarding the radio stations providing the audio content . for example , the vcs 1 may be configured to scan the fm frequency band to retrieve rds data transmitted by the radio stations . the metadata may include , for example , station identification ( e . g ., via the rds data program identification ( pi ) or program service ( ps ) data elements ) and genre information indicative of the types of audio content provided by the radio station ( e . g ., via the rds data program type ( pty ) data element ). these genres may include , as some non - limiting examples : news , information , sports , talk , rock , classic rock , adult hits , soft rock , top 40 , country , oldies , soft , nostalgia , jazz , classical , rhythm and blues , soft rhythm and blues , language , religion music , religious talk , personality , public , college , spanish talk , spanish music , hip hop , unassigned , weather , emergency test or emergency . the metadata may also include information regarding the specifics of the audio content currently being provided , such as the song , artist , or radio show currently being broadcast ( e . g ., via the rds data radio text ( rt ) data element ). in some cases , a system may utilize a single radio receiver . in such cases , the metadata content may be received using the same receiver used to receive the audio content . in other cases , a system may include multiple receivers . as one possibility , the vcs 1 may include a first receiver to receive the audio content , and a second receiver to scan the available stations for genre information . the second receiver may be implemented , for example , as a module connected to the vcs 1 via the multiport connector hub 102 . as another possibility , the vcs 1 may utilize multiple receivers for metadata retrieval to increase the speed of the scanning of available stations ( e . g ., both an internal receiver not currently being used to receive audio content and also a receiver module connected via the hub 102 ). based on the received audio metadata data , the vcs 1 may compile a listing of genres and stations within each genre . continuing to use rds as an example , each station may be associated with a genre corresponding to the pty code received during the fm frequency scan . the genre information compiled based on the station scan may be maintained by the vcs 1 . the vcs 1 may determine whether to rescan the radio stations for updated metadata based on various triggers . as one possibility , the vcs 1 may be configured to initiate a station scan when radio functionality of the vcs 1 is invoked . as another possibility , the vcs 1 may be configured to initiate a station scan if there is no currently cached station metadata information , or if the currently cached station metadata information is older than a predetermined amount of time ( e . g ., 24 hours old , 30 days old , etc .). as yet a further possibility , the vcs 1 may be configured to maintain an indication of a geographic location of the vehicle 31 when the scan was last performed ( e . g . using the gps input 24 ), and may initiate a station scan if the vehicle has moved at least a threshold distance from the geographic location of when a scan was last performed ( e . g ., 25 miles , 50 miles , etc .). using the genre information , the vcs 1 may be configured to provide additional genre - related station browsing features in the radio user interface . these additional features may include a user interface for browsing radio stations by genre , as well as a user interface for finding a radio station playing content in the same genre as the radio station to which the vcs 1 is currently tuned . fig3 a illustrates an exemplary user interface 300 - a for selection of a genre of radio station . the user interface 300 - a may be displayed , for example , on a display screen 4 of the vcs 1 . based on the compiled genre information , the user interface 300 - a may be configured to present a listing of genre user interface elements 302 that correspond to the available genres of radio station . the user interface 300 - a may also include or update a label 304 to indicate to the user that the current user interface 300 - a facilities selection of a genre of radio station . in the exemplary user interface , the genre user interface elements 302 include a sports genre element 302 - a , an adult hits genre element 302 - b , a top 40 genre element 302 - c , a country genre element 302 - d , a rhythm and blues genre element 302 - e , a public radio genre element 302 - f , an emergency information genre element 302 - g , and an unknown genre element 302 - h ( e . g ., for those stations for which a genre was specified as unknown , was not specified , or otherwise could not be identified ). while the user interface 300 - a includes eight genre elements 302 - a through genre element 302 - h , it should be noted that based on the compiled genre information , more , fewer , or different genre elements 302 may be included in the user interface 300 - a . the genre user interface elements 302 may be selectable by a user to allow the user to choose from stations in the selected radio station genre . for example , selection of the sports genre element 302 - a may cause the vcs 1 to present a listing of available sports stations , and selection of the rhythm and blues genre element 302 - e may cause the vcs 1 to present a listing of available rhythm and blues stations . as illustrated , only genre user interface elements 302 for which stations exist may be appear in the user interface 300 - a . in other cases , the user interface 300 - a may include genre user interface elements 302 for various possible genres , regardless of whether any radio stations are associated with the genre . in such cases , the genre user interface elements 302 corresponding to genres in which no stations are present may be included in the user interface 300 - a but in a disabled form , such that they may not cause the vcs 1 to present a listing of available stations within the genre . or , upon selection the user interface 300 - a may provide a notification message indicating that no stations are presently available within the selected genre . fig3 b illustrates an exemplary user interface 300 - b for selection of a radio station within a selected genre . the user interface 300 - b may be configured to present a listing of radio station user interface elements 306 that are included in the genre corresponding to a genre element 302 selected from the user interface 300 - a . the user interface 300 - b may also be configured to include or update a label 304 in the user interface 300 - b to be indicative of the selected genre . for example , the user interface 300 - b may be provided upon receipt of user selection of the rhythm and blues genre element 302 - e from the user interface 300 - a . the vcs 1 may identify based on the compiled genre information that the stations 97 . 9 fm , 103 . 5 fm , and 104 . 3 fm fall within the rhythm and blues genre . accordingly , the vca 1 may include a radio station user interface element 306 - a corresponding to 97 . 9 fm , a radio station user interface element 306 - b corresponding to 103 . 5 fm , and a radio station user interface element 306 - c corresponding to 104 . 3 fm . the radio station user interface elements 306 may be selectable by a user to allow the user to choose to listen to the selected radio station . for example , selection of the radio station user interface element 306 - a may cause the vcs 1 to tune the radio to 97 . 9 fm , and selection of the radio station user interface element 306 - c may cause the vcs 1 to tune the radio to 104 . 3 fm . fig3 c illustrates an exemplary user interface 300 - c of a radio application tuned to a radio station and including a find similar feature 310 . the user interface 300 - c may be configured to present details of the currently - tuned radio station in one or more radio information interface elements 308 . the information included in the elements 308 may include , for example , an indication of the currently tuned radio station , information regarding the genre of the radio station , and information regarding the content presently being provided by the station such as song , artist , radio show , etc . ( e . g ., determined according to retrieved rds data , as one example ). the user interface 300 - c may also be configured to include or update a label 304 in the user interface 300 - c to indicate that the user interface 300 - c represents information regarding the currently tuned radio station . the user interface 300 - c may be provided based on selection of a radio station user interface element 306 from the user interface 300 - b . for example , the user interface 300 - c may be provided upon receipt of user selection of the radio station user interface element 306 - c associated with 104 . 3 fm from the user interface 300 - b . it should also be noted that the user interface 300 - c may be displayed in situations other than resulting from user selection of the radio station user interface element 306 - c . for example , if only one radio station is included in a genre , then selection of a genre user interface element 302 form the user interface 300 - a for that genre may result in the vcs 1 providing the user interface 300 - c for that radio station , without requiring the user to select the only available choice from the user interface 300 - b . the user interface 300 - c may be displayed based on other user interface flows as well . as some possibilities , the user interface 300 - c may be displayed in response to a user selecting a radio station preset , in response to the user seeking or scanning to the radio station , or in response to the user utilizing a direct tune feature to direct the radio to the radio station . moreover , the user interface 300 - c may also include a find similar user interface element 310 . the find similar user interface element 310 may be configured to allow a user to easily tune to another radio station in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station . upon receipt of user selection of the find similar user interface element 310 , the vcs 1 may identify a similar station based on the compiled genre information , and may tune the radio to the identified similar radio station . for example , as mentioned above with respect to the user interface 300 - b , in the illustrated example the genre information includes two other stations in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station ( i . e ., 97 . 9 fm and 104 . 3 fm are also in the rhythm and blues genre along with 104 . 3 fm ). thus , the vcs 1 may be tune the radio to either 97 . 9 fm or 104 . 3 fm . as one possibility , the vcs 1 may select the next station in frequency order . for instance , if the radio is tuned to 103 . 5 fm , then selecting the find similar user interface element 310 may tune the radio to 104 . 3 fm , selecting the find similar user interface element 310 again may tune the radio to 97 . 9 fm , and selecting the find similar user interface element 310 again may tune the radio back to 103 . 5 fm . a user may accordingly use the find similar user interface element 310 to cycle through the available programming within a particular genre of music , without having to know which radio stations play content in what genre . moreover , the user may be able to automatically browse content in an unfamiliar city , also without having to know which stations play what genres of content . fig4 illustrates an exemplary process for gathering radio genre information . as one possibility , the process 400 may be implemented using software code contained within the vcs 1 . in other embodiments , the process 400 may be implemented in other vehicle controllers , or distributed amongst multiple vehicle controllers . at decision point 402 , the vcs 1 determines whether to capture updated genre information . for example , the vcs 1 may be configured to initiate a station scan when radio functionality of the vcs 1 is invoked , or when radio functionality requiring genre information is invoked . as another possibility , the vcs 1 may be configured to initiate a station scan if there is no currently cached station metadata information , or if the currently cached station metadata information is older than a predetermined amount of time ( e . g ., 24 hours old , 30 days old , etc .). as yet a further possibility , the vcs 1 may be configured to maintain an indication of a geographic location of the vehicle 31 when the scan was last performed , and may initiate a station scan if the vehicle has moved at least a threshold distance from the geographic location of when a scan was last performed ( e . g ., 25 miles , 50 miles , etc .). if the vcs 1 determines that updated genre information should be captures , control passes to block 404 . otherwise , control remains at decision point 402 . at block 404 , the vcs 1 performs a scan for genre information . for example , the vcs 1 may be configured to utilize one or more radio receivers to scan the fm frequency band to retrieve rds data transmitted by the radio stations . the metadata may include , for example , station identification ( e . g ., via the rds data program identification ( pi ) or program service ( ps ) data elements ) and genre information indicative of the types of audio content provided by the radio station ( e . g ., via the rds data program type ( pty ) data element ). these genres may include , as some non - limiting examples : news , information , sports , talk , rock , classic rock , adult huts , soft rock , top 40 , country , oldies , soft , nostalgia , jazz , classical , rhythm and blues , soft rhythm and blues , language , religion music , religious talk , personality , public , college , spanish talk , spanish music , hip hop , unassigned , weather , emergency test or emergency . the metadata may also include information regarding the specifics of the audio content currently being provided , such as the song , artist , or radio show currently being broadcast ( e . g ., via the rds data radio text ( rt ) data element ). at block 406 , the vcs 1 compiles the genre information . for example , based on the received audio metadata data , the vcs 1 may compile a listing of genres and stations within each genre . continuing to use rds as an example , each station may be associated with a genre corresponding to the pty code received during the fm frequency scan . at block 408 , the vcs 1 caches the compiled genre information . the compiled genre information may accordingly be maintained by the vehicle system , and utilized in the radio user interface to support additional genre - related station browsing features . using the genre information , the vcs 1 may be configured to provide additional genre - related station browsing features in the radio user interface . these additional features may include , as some examples , a user interface for browsing radio stations by genre , as well as a user interface for finding a radio station playing content in the same genre as the radio station to which the vcs 1 is currently tuned . after block 408 , control passes to decision point 402 . fig5 illustrates an exemplary process for selection of radio stations utilizing genre - related features . as with the process 400 , the process 500 may be implemented using software code contained within the vcs 1 . in other embodiments , the process 500 may be implemented in other vehicle controllers , or distributed amongst multiple vehicle controllers . at decision point 502 , the vcs 1 determines whether the user wishes to select a radio station by genre . for example , the user may select an element from a radio user interface 300 requesting to tune by genre . if the user wishes to select a radio station by genre , control passes to block 504 . otherwise , control passes to block 514 . at block 504 , the vcs 1 displays a listing of station genres . for example , the vcs 1 may display an exemplary user interface 300 - a for selection of a genre of radio station , such as the one discussed above with respect to fig3 a . the user interface 300 - a may be displayed , for example , on a display screen 4 of the vcs 1 . the user interface 300 - a may present , for example , a listing of genre user interface elements 302 that correspond to the available genres of radio station as determined based on the genre information , as well as a label 304 to indicate to the user that the current user interface 300 - a facilities selection of a genre of radio station . at block 506 , the vcs 1 receives a genre selection from the user interface . for example , the genre user interface elements 302 of the user interface 300 - a may be selectable by a user , and the user may select one of the genre user interface elements 302 from the user interface 300 - a . at block 508 , the vcs 1 displays stations in the selected genre . for example , the vcs 1 may display an exemplary user interface 300 - b for selection of a radio station within a selected genre , such as the one discussed above with respect to fig3 b . the user interface 300 - b may be configured to present a listing of radio station user interface elements 306 that correspond to a genre element 302 selected from the user interface 300 - a . the user interface 300 - b may also be configured to include or update a label 304 in the user interface 300 - b to be indicative of the selected genre . at block 510 , the vcs 1 receives a station selection from the displayed stations . for example , the radio station user interface elements 306 of the user interface 300 - b may be selectable by a user , and the user may select one of the radio station user interface elements 306 from the user interface 300 - b . at block 512 , the vcs 1 tunes to the selected station . for example , upon receipt of user selection of one of the radio station user interface element 306 from the user interface 300 - b , the vcs 1 may set a receiver of the vcs 1 to receive audio content from the selected radio station , and may provide the user interface 300 - c to indicate to the user that the selected station is now playing . after block 512 , control may pass to decision point 516 . at block 514 , the vcs 1 receives a station selection through a mechanism other than via genre information . for example , the user may select a radio station preset , may utilize a seek or scan radio feature to browse to a station , or may utilizing a direct tune feature to directly enter a station frequency into the vcs 1 . after block 514 , control may pass to block 512 to tune to the selected station . at decision point 516 , the vcs 1 determines whether the user requests the radio to tune to a similar station . for example , as discussed above with respect to fig3 c , the vcs 1 may include a find similar user interface element 310 in the user interface 300 - c to allow a user to easily tune to another radio station in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station . if the user selects the find similar user interface element 310 , control passes to block 518 . otherwise , control passes to decision point 520 . at block 518 , the vcs 1 tunes the radio to an identified similar radio station . for example , the vcs 1 may identify a similar station based on the compiled genre information . for example , based on the genre information , the vcs 1 may select another radio station in the same genre as the currently tuned radio station . after block 518 , control passes to block 512 to tune to the selected station . at decision point 520 , the vcs 1 determines whether the user requests the radio to tune to another station . for example , user may select an element from a radio user interface 300 indicating that the user wishes to tune to another station . if the user requests to tune to another station , control passes to decision block 502 . otherwise , control passes to decision point 516 . referring again to fig4 - 5 , the vehicle and its components illustrated in fig1 and fig2 are referenced throughout the discussion of the processes 400 and 500 to facilitate understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure . the processes 400 and 500 may be implemented through a computer algorithm , machine executable code , or software instructions programmed into a suitable programmable logic device ( s ) of the vehicle , such as the vehicle control module , the hybrid control module , another controller in communication with the vehicle computing system , or a combination thereof . although the various steps shown in the process 500 and 600 appear to occur in a chronological sequence , at least some of the steps may occur in a different order , and some steps may be performed concurrently or not at all . while exemplary embodiments are described above , it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims . the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation , and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure . as previously described , the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated . while various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics , those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes , which depend on the specific application and implementation . these attributes can include , but are not limited to cost , strength , durability , life cycle cost , marketability , appearance , packaging , size , serviceability , weight , manufacturability , ease of assembly , etc . as such , embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications .
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as explained in more detail below , the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes dipole illumination , which is an off - axis illumination ( oai ) technique , in combination with a gate shrink technique in order to reduce the gate length of the transistors contained in the semiconductor device to be printed on a substrate . fig1 illustrates the concept of off - axis illumination . as shown , increased focus latitude and image contrast are achieved by capturing at least one of the first orders of the pattern spatial frequencies . a typical off - axis illumination system includes in - part a light source 11 , a mask 12 , a lens 13 and the wafer 14 covered with photoresist . [ 0039 ] fig2 illustrates the basic principles of dipole illumination . as is known , the light source is confined to two poles in order to create the conditions for two - beam imaging with theoretical infinite contrast . referring to the example set forth in fig2 the dipole illumination system includes in - part a dipole aperture 16 ( or other dipole generating means , such as a suitable diffractive optical element ), a condenser lens 17 , a mask 18 , a projection lens 19 and the wafer 20 . the dipole apertures 16 can be of various shapes and orientations , e . g . horizontal , vertical or at any given angle . exemplary dipole apertures 16 of various sizes and shapes are shown in fig3 ( a )- 3 ( h ). a detailed description of the concepts of dipole illumination is set forth in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 671 , 802 , filed sep . 28 , 2000 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . [ 0040 ] fig4 illustrates dipole image formation , which is utilized in conjunction with the present invention . the example illustrated in fig4 corresponds to the printing of 100 nm vertical lines 42 . as is known , typically there are at least two exposures when utilizing dipole illumination . in the first exposure , the x dipole aperture 44 provides a maximum aerial image intensity ( i . e ., maximum modulation ) for the vertical portion of the 100 nm lines 42 . the resulting image profile is illustrated by line 43 in fig4 . in the second exposure , which utilizes the y - dipole aperture 41 , the maximum aerial image intensity is generated for the horizontal portion of the 100 nm lines 42 . it is noted , however , that during the second exposure using the y - dipole aperture , the vertical portions of the 100 nm lines need to be shielded so that the vertical features formed during the first exposure are not degraded during the second exposure . fig4 illustrates shielding the 100 nm lines 42 with shields 45 , each of which is 20 nm wide in the horizontal direction . as a result , when exposing the horizontal lines using the y dipole aperture , there is substantially no imaging ( i . e ., modulation ) of the vertical features 42 . the aerial image is a dc modulation as shown by line 46 in fig4 which corresponds to the 20 nm shielding . the final aerial image intensity , which is represented by line 47 in fig4 corresponds to the sum of the first exposure using the x dipole aperture and the second exposure using the y dipole aperture . referring to fig5 it is noted that , assuming the exposure energy is constant , increasing the width of the shielding from a 20 nm shield 45 to a 40 nm shield 48 for the 100 nm vertical lines 42 causes the minimal intensity level of the resulting image to shift to a lower level . this is represented by line 51 in fig5 which represents the aerial image associated with the vertical portions of the features . as shown , the aerial image 51 is just a dc modulation . however , it is lower than the dc modulation 46 associated with the 20 nm shield . as a result , the composite image 53 formed utilizing the 40 nm shielding provides better imaging results than the composite image 47 formed utilizing the 20 nm shielding . it is noted that while either orientation may be illuminated first , typically the y dipole aperture is illuminated first to print the horizontal features , followed by illumination of the x dipole aperture to print the vertical features . the y dipole aperture and x dipole aperture are interchangeable only when the exposure energy is identical for both exposures . as is clear from the foregoing , when utilizing dipole illumination techniques , the desired pattern to be imaged must be separated into independent horizontal and vertical geometries . however , in numerous semiconductor designs , such as static random access memory ( sram ), there are often 45 degree angles geometries ( i . e ., lines ). such 45 degree geometries that are considered short ( e . g ., the rectilinear distance measured from the short side of the polygon to the opposite short side of the polygon is less than five times of the critical dimension ) can be deemed as either a vertical feature or a horizontal feature in the corresponding vertical or horizontal geometry . the 45 degree angled geometries that cannot be deemed short ( i . e ., those that exceed the foregoing definition of short ) should be banned from the design , as such geometries cannot be readily reproduced on the wafer within acceptable limits . in accordance with the present invention , the foregoing decomposition of the pattern and subsequent dipole illumination is utilized in combination with the following gate shrink technique in order to achieve semiconductor designs having reduced gate lengths . fig6 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention . referring to fig6 the first step 60 relates to obtaining the data associated with the desired pattern to be printed on the wafer or substrate . an exemplary pattern to be printed is illustrated in fig7 . as shown , the pattern contains active areas 81 and gate areas 82 . the next step in the process , step 61 , entails identifying the portions of the gate areas 82 that overlap the active areas 81 . such areas are illustrated by reference numeral 83 in fig7 . in the next step , step 62 , which is an optional step , the portions of the vertical gate areas 84 that overlay active areas 81 are extended in the vertical direction by an overlay tolerance ( e . g ., 25 nm ) so as to provide correction against ( or compensate for ) misalignment tolerances . similarly , the portions of the horizontal gate areas 85 that overlay active areas 81 are extended in the horizontal direction by the same overlay tolerance . while the amount of overlay varies in accordance the specifications of the apparatus utilized to image the substrate as well as the design rule requirements , typically , the overlay is in the range of 30 % of the critical dimension . next , in step 63 , each of the vertical gate areas 84 that overlay active areas 81 and each of the horizontal gate areas 85 that overlay active areas 81 are reduced in size ( i . e ., shrunk ), typically on the order of 10 % or more , and the vertical and horizontal geometries of the gate pattern are separated from one another . the foregoing process is illustrated in fig8 - 11 . first , fig8 illustrates the gate shrink performed in conjunction with the present invention . as shown in fig8 each of the vertical gate areas 84 are reduced in width ( i . e ., measured from edge to edge along the horizontal axis ) by the foregoing amount , and each of the horizontal gate areas 85 are also reduced in width ( i . e ., measured from edge to edge along the vertical axis ) by the same amount . in the current example , the original width of the gates areas 84 and 85 was 100 nm . these areas have been shrunk to a width of 70 nm . next , as shown in fig9 the โ shrunk โ gate pattern is extracted from the overall pattern ( i . e ., active areas ). it is noted that both the vertical and horizontal geometries of the gate pattern are extracted . thereafter , gate pattern is separated into vertical geometries 91 as shown in fig1 and horizontal geometries 92 as shown in fig1 in the same manner as discussed above with regard to dipole illumination . next , in step 64 , two test patterns , one for horizontal features and one for vertical features , are generated and thereafter utilized to determine the performance of the particular imaging system for various pitches and line : space ratios . these test patterns are then tested , either via simulation or experimentally , to determine the resulting performance for the various pitch conditions set forth in the test patterns . the performance results are then utilized to determine whether optical proximity correction features are necessary to improve imaging performance . it is noted that step 64 is an optional step in the process . referring to fig1 and 13 , the next steps in the process , steps 65 and 66 , require shielding to be applied to the vertical features 91 and horizontal features 92 . more specifically , fig1 illustrates the mask ( i . e ., vertical mask ) for printing the vertical gate areas 91 contained in the desired gate pattern . as shown in fig1 , shielding 94 is added to the horizontal features 92 contained in the vertical mask so as to prevent the horizontal features from being exposed . it is noted that typically , the dimensions ( i . e ., width ) of the shield is as large as that the mask pattern allows for ( e . g ., such that the shield does not interfere with adjacent features . similarly , fig1 illustrates the mask ( i . e ., horizontal mask ) for printing the horizontal gate areas 92 contained in the pattern . as shown in fig1 , shielding 96 is added to the vertical features 91 contained in the horizontal mask so as to prevent the vertical features from being exposed . the shielding is applied in the same manner as discussed above with regard to dipole illumination . it is further noted that both the vertical mask illustrated in fig1 and the horizontal mask illustrated in fig1 included optical proximity features 97 , such as line end correction and scatter bars . such opc techniques are optional , but often utilized . once the shielding ( and optionally opc ) has been applied to both the vertical mask and the horizontal mask , in step 67 , both the vertical mask and the horizontal mask are subjected to a cleanup operation utilizing a boolean โ or โ operation to remove extraneous images not corresponding to a desired feature or opc feature . the final step in the flowchart of fig6 is step 68 , and as with step 64 , this step is also an optional step . in accordance with step 68 , when performing optical proximity correction techniques to improve the overall imaging performance , it is necessary to consider the opc techniques being applied in conjunction with both the vertical mask and horizontal mask . this is due to the fact that the method of the present invention is a two illumination process . in other words , the opc techniques must be considered in conjunction with the composite resist pattern resulting from illumination by both the vertical and horizontal mask . upon completion of the foregoing process , the vertical mask and the horizontal mask for printing the โ shrunk โ gate features utilizing dipole illumination are complete , and can be utilized to print the โ shrunk โ gate pattern on the wafer . as noted above , the vertical and horizontal masks are utilized in two separate illuminations . [ 0052 ] fig1 illustrates a simulation result obtained utilizing the forgoing process in a full resist simulation . more specifically , fig1 illustrates the result of a top down resist image of the pattern illustrated in fig5 ( i . e ., a 100 nm sram with gate shrunk to 70 nm ) utilizing the process of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , by utilizing proper vertical and horizontal pole illumination settings , which are determined in - part based on the process equipment being utilized , the gate region is transferred to the resist with clear pattern definition . it is further noted that the line - end shortening error is also fully corrected . fig1 illustrates the simulation results of fig1 superimposed on the vertical mask and horizontal mask illustrated in fig1 and 13 . as shown , the simulation result accurately corresponds to the desired pattern . fig1 illustrates the 3 - dimensional resist profile of the gate pattern of the foregoing example obtained utilizing the method of the present invention . it is noted that while the method of the present invention has been applied to the design of an sram device in the foregoing example , it is not so limited . the foregoing design method can be utilized in the formation of other logic designs or ic designs . furthermore , while the method described above performs the process of shrinking the gate prior to the decomposition of the vertical and horizontal gate features , it is also possible to perform the decomposition of the vertical and horizontal gate features prior to performing the gate shrink step . thus , the gate shrink step can be performed before or after the vertical and horizontal component decomposition . [ 0055 ] fig1 schematically depicts a lithographic projection apparatus suitable for use with the masks designed with the aid of the current invention . the apparatus comprises : a radiation system ex , il , for supplying a projection beam pb of radiation . in this particular case , the radiation system also comprises a radiation source la ; a first object table ( mask table ) mt provided with a mask holder for holding a mask ma ( e . g . a reticle ), and connected to first positioning means for accurately positioning the mask with respect to item pl ; a second object table ( substrate table ) wt provided with a substrate holder for holding a substrate w ( e . g . a resist - coated silicon wafer ), and connected to second positioning means for accurately positioning the substrate with respect to item pl ; a projection system (โ lens โ) pl ( e . g . a refractive , catoptric or catadioptric optical system ) for imaging an irradiated portion of the mask ma onto a target portion c ( e . g . comprising one or more dies ) of the substrate w . as depicted herein , the apparatus is of a transmissive type ( i . e . has a transmissive mask ). however , in general , it may also be of a reflective type , for example ( with a reflective mask ). alternatively , the apparatus may employ another kind of patterning means as an alternative to the use of a mask ; examples include a programmable mirror array or lcd matrix . the source la ( e . g . a mercury lamp , excimer laser or plasma discharge source ) produces a beam of radiation . this beam is fed into an illumination system ( illuminator ) il , either directly or after having traversed conditioning means , such as a beam expander ex , for example . the illuminator il may comprise adjusting means am for setting the outer and / or inner radial extent ( commonly referred to as ฯ - outer and ฯ - inner , respectively ) of the intensity distribution in the beam . in addition , it will generally comprise various other components , such as an integrator in and a condenser co . in this way , the beam pb impinging on the mask ma has a desired uniformity and intensity distribution in its cross - section . it should be noted with regard to fig1 that the source la may be within the housing of the lithographic projection apparatus ( as is often the case when the source la is a mercury lamp , for example ), but that it may also be remote from the lithographic projection apparatus , the radiation beam that it produces being led into the apparatus ( e . g . with the aid of suitable directing mirrors ); this latter scenario is often the case when the source la is an excimer laser ( e . g . based on krf , arf or f 2 lasing ). the current invention encompasses both of these scenarios . the beam pb subsequently intercepts the mask ma , which is held on a mask table mt . having traversed the mask ma , the beam pb passes through the lens pl , which focuses the beam pb onto a target portion c of the substrate w . with the aid of the second positioning means ( and interferometric measuring means if ), the substrate table wt can be moved accurately , e . g . so as to position different target portions c in the path of the beam pb . similarly , the first positioning means can be used to accurately position the mask ma with respect to the path of the beam pb , e . g . after mechanical retrieval of the mask ma from a mask library , or during a scan . in general , movement of the object tables mt , wt will be realized with the aid of a long - stroke module ( coarse positioning ) and a short - stroke module ( fine positioning ), which are not explicitly depicted in fig1 . however , in the case of a wafer stepper ( as opposed to a step - and - scan tool ) the mask table mt may just be connected to a short stroke actuator , or may be fixed . in step mode , the mask table mt is kept essentially stationary , and an entire mask image is projected in one go ( i . e . a single โ flash โ) onto a target portion c . the substrate table wt is then shifted in the x and / or y directions so that a different target portion c can be irradiated by the beam pb ; in scan mode , essentially the same scenario applies , except that a given target portion c is not exposed in a single โ flash โ. instead , the mask table mt is movable in a given direction ( the so - called โ scan direction โ, e . g . the y direction ) with a speed v , so that the projection beam pb is caused to scan over a mask image ; concurrently , the substrate table wt is simultaneously moved in the same or opposite direction at a speed v = mv , in which m is the magnification of the lens pl ( typically , m = ยผ or โ
). in this manner , a relatively large target portion c can be exposed , without having to compromise on resolution . as described above , the method of the present invention provides important advantages over the prior art . for example , the present invention provides a simple method for reducing the gate length of the transistor utilizing currently available photolithography technologies . as noted above , a reduced gate length advantageously results in an increase in transistor operating speed , a reduction in transistor power requirements , and a reduction in leakage current . importantly , the technique of the present invention allows for the reduction in the transistor gate length without a complete resealing of the semiconductor design . although certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed , it is noted that the present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . 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 , and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein .
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this invention is directed to a multi - purpose arena . more particularly , the multi - purpose arena is useful for entertainment activity while still being useful for sporting events . the details of the invention will be more readily understood by referring to the attached drawing in combination with the following description of the invention . [ 0022 ] fig1 and 2 show the multi - purpose arena 1 configuration when used for concert / convocation uses . in this configuration , there is a stage 9 in the center of the arena and a semi - circular grouping of seats 5 positioned outwardly from the stage . the semi - circular grouping of seats 5 is comprised of upper seating level 2 , a mid - seating level 3 and a lower seating level 4 . positioned behind the stage 9 is another bank of seats 10 . the upper level seating 2 , mid - level seating 3 , lower level seating 4 and bank of seating 10 are all oriented toward the performance and on tiers that define an incline to provide good viewing for the stage 9 . as shown in fig1 and 13 , the upper level seating 2 โฒ can be in an elliptical orientation to improve the lines of sight for the patrons in these seats . if a graduation or similar type of event is being held , the graduates can be seated in the bank of seating 10 behind the stage 9 and facing the people in the audience in the semi - circular group of seats 5 . the graduates can also have access to the stage 9 if desired . an elevated arch 13 is positioned in the arena 1 so that the arch extends between the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 and the upper , mid and lower level seats that are positioned in a semi - circular fashion around the front of the stage 9 . the seats are arranged to keep the audience as close as possible to the performance and to provide good sight lines from the audience to the performing area . the elevated arch is spaced a considerable distance from the floor of the stage 9 and can be used to accommodate rigging lines , scenery , lighting and other accessories used during theatrical or musical productions . the arch 13 is usually positioned from about 20 to about 60 feet above the stage 9 of the arena . in most applications , it is preferred that the arch 13 be positioned from about 35 to about 45 feet above the stage 9 . the elevated arch 13 has a wall 47 that is positioned to face the semi - circular seating 5 in the arena 1 and an opposed wall 49 . the opposed wall 49 of the elevated arch 13 faces the bank of seats 10 located behind the stage 9 . the elevated arch 13 forms an open cavity 53 between the wall 47 and the wall 49 that form the elevated arch . rigging lines , scenery , lighting and other equipment 51 used for theatrical and sporting events can be located in the open cavity of the elevated arch 13 . as shown in fig1 , 4 and 5 , the elevated arch 13 spans the stage 9 and the basketball court or sports floor 19 . the arch 13 is accessed by stairs 71 located on either end of the elevated arch . a semicircular catwalk 73 extends from the arch 13 over the semicircular grouping of seats 5 that are located in front of the stage 9 . the catwalk 73 is usually accessed from the stairs 71 within the arch 13 . the catwalk provides space for theatrical lighting and follow spotlights that are used to illuminate the stage 9 . the catwalk 73 is elevated from the stage 9 and provides an ideal location for stage lighting so that the stage lights are at a steep angle with respect to the stage . the steep angle is from about 40 ยฐ to about 60 ยฐ with respect to the stage . such a steep angle for the stage lights prevents flat angles for the stage lights that can be blinding to performers on the stage 9 . the stair towers 75 for the stairs 71 also provide an excellent location for side lights ( not shown ) that can be used to illuminate performers at the front of the stage while reducing shadows . the catwalk can also provide access to the house lights that are used to provide general illumination for the arena 1 . the catwalk can also be used to house and support various mechanical equipment , separation curtain 85 and other theatrical equipment that are used in the arena . the open cavity of the arch 13 allows for the rigging , scenery , theatrical elements and other equipment to be substantially in the middle of the arena but to be concealed and safely out of the public areas of the arena . the stairs 71 provide easy access to the arch 13 to allow the stage hands to effectively handle this equipment and in a manner that enhances safety for the arena . an elevator 74 may be provided for access to the arch 13 . in most applications a velour , vertical rise curtain 77 will be positioned in the open cavity 53 of the arch 13 adjacent the wall 49 of the arch . as shown in fig6 and 7 , the velour curtain is usually in three sections with a center section and 2 side sections . the velour curtain is usually to be raised and lowered vertically from the open cavity 53 . the velour curtain can be used to help divide the area into various configurations and to control the acoustics in the arena 1 . other curtains , scrims and pieces of scenery can be suspended from the arch 13 as necessary for staging or to control the acoustics in the arena . as shown in fig2 speakers 79 are also arranged in clusters on wall 47 and wall 49 of the arch 13 . the speaker clusters will usually have narrow angles of vertical coverage that help to prevent reinforced sound from spilling beyond the seating area and picking up the natural room acoustics . this positioning for the speakers provides better speech intelligibility for sports or other entertainment uses than in most arenas . the speakers can also be positioned so that they can be serviced from the arch 13 and the catwalk . in addition , as shown in fig2 and 4 , subwoofers 80 can be located under the stage 9 and the sports floor 19 and when so positioned the subwoofers are disposed to use the plane of the floor as a diaphragm . accordingly , the subwoofers will direct the sound through the floor causing the floor to vibrate with the sound waves produced by the subwoofers . such a position for the subwoofers will enhance the sound in the arena and the performers on the stage 9 or sports floor 19 will actually feel the sound generated by the subwoofers . the patrons in the audience are good sound absorbers and assist in controlling the acoustics in the multi - purpose arena 1 . the seats are designed to be upholstered so that the seats also assist in controlling the acoustics even when the seats are not occupied . an empty upholstered seat absorbs sound and is substantially the equivalent in sound absorbing characteristics as an occupied seat . in addition , if the seats have a foldable lower portion , the underside of the foldable seat bottom can be upholstered or have a perforated pattern thereon to absorb sound . also , the backs of the seats can be perforated or upholstered to enhance the sound absorbing properties of the seat . the perforated underside and back of the seat thus provides the desired acoustical properties even when the seat is unoccupied and in the folded position by allowing sound waves to pass through the perforations and be absorbed by the padding and materials in the interior of the seat . the multi - purpose arena can also be configured in other ways to accommodate theatrical or entertainment applications . as shown in fig6 and 7 , the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 have been closed off by a curtain , panels or other screening device . the curtain can be lowered from the elevated arch 13 that extends across the width of the arena 1 . as previously described , curtains can be used to alter the configuration and seating capacity of the arena 1 . as shown in fig6 and 7 , the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 are closed off by the velour curtain 77 that extends from the arch 13 . the velour curtain 77 can be adjusted , i . e ., various sections raised or lowered to tune the acoustics in the arena . the area behind the back of the stage 9 where the bank of seating 10 is located is essentially a large sound absorbing chamber . if sections of the velour curtain 77 are raised , this will bring the sound absorbing characteristics of this portion of the arena into use as part of the acoustical package of the arena 1 . use of the sound absorbing qualities of this portion of the arena 1 will produce shorter sound reverberation time and create conditions more conducive to stage shows . the velour curtain 77 can be manipulated until the desired sound characteristics are achieved . if portions of the velour curtain 77 are raised , an acoustically transparent scrim 81 can be positioned over the area no longer covered by the velour curtain to obtain the visual isolation desired . the scrim 81 can also be used to create various lighting effects as is known in the theatre industry . as shown in fig8 and 9 , the arena 1 can be made even more intimate by only using the mid - level 3 and lower level 4 seats that are generally semicircular or concentric in orientation around the stage 9 . in the configuration shown in fig8 the upper seating level 2 in front of stage 9 is not in use and is separated from the stage 9 by a separation curtain 85 or other similar screening device . the separation curtain 85 that is used to separate the upper seating level 2 from the rest of the seats in the front of the stage 9 can also be a velour curtain . the separation curtain 85 , when lowered , will shorten the sound reverberation time in the arena to improve the sound characteristics when the arena is used for a verbal presentation such as a speech or a small music ensemble such as a string trio . the arena 1 can be tuned acoustically by raising and lowering the separation curtain 85 . if the separation curtain 85 is raised , a longer sound reverberation time is created . if the separation curtain 85 is raised a lightweight acoustically transparent curtain ( not shown ) can be lowered to visually remove the upper seating level 2 from the arena . this results in an arena that is visually smaller while still retaining an acoustically large volume . by varying the position of the separation curtain 85 at the back of the seating area and the curtain 77 behind the stage , the acoustical properties of this configuration of the arena 1 can be varied or adjusted . a plurality of dressing rooms 87 and possibly green rooms 89 are located under the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 as shown in fig1 and 10 . the dressing rooms 87 and green rooms 89 are accessible to the stage 9 through passageway 91 that extends through the bank of seats 10 to the area adjacent the back of the stage 9 . the passageway 91 provides a convenient and secure means to give performers access to the stage 9 in a large arena that is similar to the access provided in small theatres . as shown in fig1 through 9 , the arena can be used for many different events and can be configured to accommodate a crowd that is suitable for a particular planned event . accordingly , the arena can be used for relatively small and intimate events , medium sized events and large events that require the full seating capacity of the arena . as an example , a small event will utilize from about 10 to about 35 percent of the seating capacity of the arena , a medium event will utilize from about 30 to about 75 percent of the seating capacity and a large event will utilize from about 70 to about 100 percent of the seating capacity . as shown in fig3 and 4 , the arena can - also be configured to be used as a basketball or sports facility . when used as a basketball facility , the lower level seating 4 is folded back under the mid - level seating 3 and the floor area at this section is raised to stage level . the basketball court or sports floor 19 can be positioned in the portion of the arena formerly occupied by the stage 9 and the lower level seats 4 . the stage 9 can also have a surface that is a sport - floor material so that the stage forms at least a part of the sports floor . the sports floor 19 can be a permanent part of the arena or a portable floor surface that is moved into position when needed . the sports floor will essentially be at the floor level of the stage 9 . while mid - level seats 3 extend in a semi - circular fashion around one side and the ends of the basketball court 19 , the upper level seats 2 โฒ are generally arranged elliptically to facilitate viewing of court 19 as shown in fig1 . a bank of court side sport seats 23 are positioned along the side of the sports floor or basketball court 19 that faces the mid - level seats 3 to fill in a portion of the area vacated by the lower level seating 4 . portable or trailored sports seats 23 fill up the area between the side of the basketball court to the midlevel seating 3 in the arena 1 . the bank of seats 10 are on the opposite side of the sports floor or basketball court from the court side seats 23 . the arena 1 is configured so that it is not symmetrical around the basketball court 19 . the bank of seats 10 on one side of the court is considerably smaller than the semi - circular bank of seats 5 on the opposite side of the sports floor or basketball court 19 . it is anticipated that the seats 2 , 3 and 4 in the semi - circular or elliptical portion of the arena would be the most desirable seats and would be reserved for the fans supporting the home team . the bank of seats 10 on the opposite side of the basketball court could be used for the fans of visiting teams . the elevated arch 13 extends over the sports floor or basketball court 19 and is elevated sufficiently from the basketball court that a scoreboard 21 could be suspended adjacent to the elevated arch . when not in use , it would be possible to advance or move the scoreboard away from the floor of the arena and adjacent to the elevated arch so that the scoreboard would not be particularly visible when not needed for athletic events . [ 0034 ] fig2 shows additional details of the interior of the arena to make it particularly suitable for a wide variety of uses . as shown in fig2 the upper level seating 2 is positioned on an elevated , inclined fixed structure 27 that is spaced above the stage 9 . the mid - level seating 3 is positioned on a lower elevated , inclined fixed structure 29 that is positioned above the stage 9 . the lower level retractable seating 4 extends from the floor 33 of the arena 1 to the lower inclined structure 29 . the lower level seating 4 folds and can be retracted and stored under the lower inclined structure 29 when not in use . positioned between the upper inclined structure 27 and the lower inclined structure 29 can be a series of private suites 37 that can be used for major donors or sponsors for the arena . the private suites will normally have a glass wall 39 to separate the private suites from the open seating in the stands of the arena . the glass wall 39 is usually positioned at an angle from vertical . the angled position on the glass wall reduces unwanted sound reflection that could cause echoes or other undesirable acoustical conditions in the arena . the glass is tilted to reflect sound to the absorbent seating area to avoid unwanted sound reflection . the stage side lower edge of the upper inclined structure 27 that is adjacent the private suites 37 can have an upwardly angled ceiling surface 43 to enhance the viewing from the private suites 37 and to allow direct sound to seats below ceiling 43 . the stage 9 and floor 33 can be positioned on a hydraulic or mechanical lift mechanisms ( not shown ) that can be used to move the stage relative to the floor 33 of the arena 1 . the stage can be moved so that it is in a proper position to allow the audience in the seating areas to view whatever is taking place on the stage . the stage 9 is configured so that the center of the stage is essentially the same location and elevation as the center of the sports floor or basketball court 19 that can be positioned in the arena 1 . the center of the stage is also located so that it is on one side of the elevated arch 13 that is positioned above the stage 9 . the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 are positioned on an elevated and inclined fixed structure 57 . the bank of seats 10 are positioned so that they are behind the stage 9 and behind the wall 49 of the elevated arch 13 . as shown in fig1 and 13 , a portion of the seats 10 โฒ behind the performing area of the arena can be positioned at an angle to improve viewing angles for the patrons . the roof of the arena 1 is positioned substantially above all of the seating areas in the arena . the roof over the seating areas 2 , 3 and 4 in front of the stage 9 extends from the elevated arch 13 to the outer wall 61 of the arena 1 . to enhance the acoustical properties of the arena , a series of reflective panels 63 are positioned above the stage 9 and over seating areas 2 , 3 and 4 so that sound from the stage or the basketball court bounces off of the reflective panels and to the patrons in these seats . at the same time , sound from the patrons such as applause or cheering is directed up to the reflective panels 63 and directed down to the performers or athletes on the stage or basketball court . fig1 shows how the sound waves 105 from the stage or court area of the arena are reflected by the panels 63 to the patrons in the seating areas 2 , 3 and 4 and how sound waves 109 from the patrons in these seating areas are reflected by the panels 63 to the stage or court area . as previously described , the seats in the arena are upholstered to help absorb undesirable reflected sound when unoccupied . in addition , having a less varied acoustical environment is beneficial to musicians and performers because there is less acoustical change between rehearsal conditions and presentation conditions with patrons in the seats . the roof of the arena over the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 extends from the elevated arch 13 to the outer wall 61 of the arena . a plurality of absorbent and reflective thin plywood panels 65 are positioned adjacent to the roof over the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 . the plywood panels absorb low frequency sound and reflect medium and high frequency sound . the panels remove the low frequency sound generated by the audience in the bank of seats 10 by deflecting or moving to absorb these low frequency sound waves . at the same time , the hard surface of the panels 65 reflect the medium and high frequency sounds to the wall 49 on the elevated arch 13 . sound absorbing panels 67 are positioned on the wall 49 of the elevated arch 13 to absorb the sound reflected by the plywood panels 65 . in this manner , the sound produced by the patrons in the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 is either partially absorbed by the plywood panels 65 if the sound is a low frequency sound and / or reflected by the plywood panels 65 to the sound absorbing panels 67 on the wall 49 of the elevated arch 13 if the sound is a higher frequency . in this manner , the sound produced by the patrons in the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 is minimized . the reflective panels 63 over the stage area are also angled so that sound from the bank of seats 10 behind the stage 9 that is directed towards the stage 9 strikes these panels . the panels deflect this sound up into the rigging in the open cavity 53 of the elevated arch 13 further reducing the impact of the sound generated by the patrons in the bank of seats 10 . fig1 shows how sound waves 111 from the patrons in the bank of seats 10 are reflected or absorbed by the panels 65 and reduce the impact of the sound from this seating area . in short , sound from the home team spectators is collected , directed and passively amplified and sound from the visiting team spectators is passively minimized . [ 0039 ] fig1 compares the seating arrangement , lines of sight and distances from the performing area for the multi - purpose arena 1 of the present invention and a traditional sports oriented arena 91 . both arenas have substantially the same seating capacity and the sports arena 91 is shown in broken or dashed lines positioned behind the multi - purpose arena 1 . the stage area 9 for both facilities is positioned at a common location . the sports arena has a lower seating area 93 and an upper seating area 95 . the seats in the upper and lower seating areas in the sports arena 91 are all oriented to view the activity on the floor 97 of the sports arena . when a performance is taking place on the stage 9 , a large portion of the seats in the sports arena are angled in the wrong direction and do not provide comfortable viewing positions and sight lines to the stage 9 . in addition , from about 25 % to about 50 % of the seats in the sports arena 91 are located at a considerable distance from the stage 9 so that the patrons in these seats have poor visual contact with the performers on the stage 9 . in the multi - purpose arena 1 of the present invention , the seats are all angled towards the stage 9 and provide good lines of sight to the stage . because of the configuration of the seats around the stage , the seats are much closer to the stage 9 and have good visual contact with the performers on the stage . the above detailed description of the present invention is given for explanatory purposes . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention . accordingly , the whole of the foregoing description is to be construed in an illustrative and not a limitative sense , the scope of the invention being defined solely by the appended claims .
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following are more detailed description , in combination with the experimental results , of the abovementioned and other technical characteristics and advantages of this invention . fucoxanthin is extracted from a group of following algae : kelp , gulfweed , bladder - wrack , myosoton aquaticum , podocystis , chorda filum , undaria pinnatifida , bull - kelp , carrageen , sargassum kjellmanianum , saltwort , sargassum pallidum and diatom . the pharmaceutically acceptable excipients include any solvent , dispersion medium , coating material , sweetener , etc . said adjuvants specifically include but are not restricted within the following a group of substances : diluting liquids , adhesives , lubricants , dispersants , colorants , expanders , flavoring materials , sweeteners and other composite materials normally used for specific therapy , such as buffering agents and adsorbents . the said adjuvants are added into the composition using the conventional techniques in this field . the composition stated in this invention can be prepared as any kind of common preparation , such as tablets , capsules , medicinal granules , oral liquids , suspensions and emulsion . preferably , it can be prepared as hard - and soft capsules , medicinal granules and oral liquids . in this invention , appropriate ethanol water solution can be used to extract sea algae to obtain fucoxanthin extract , by adsorption of the fucoxanthins onto a separation medium , eluting with appropriate solvent , and subsequent concentration of the eluant , red fucoxanthin extract can be obtained . specific preparation method can be referred to the chinese patent application no . cn200810226391 . 3 ( a method for the purification of fucoxanthin ). after adding emulsifier , fucoxanthin thus obtained is emulsified uniformly , fucoidan and denaturated starch are subsequently added , stirred up , the mixture is spray dried . the spray dried powder is added with appropriate pharmaceutically accepted adjuvants , to prepare preparations for intestinal tract , including oral liquids , tablets , soft - and hard capsules and drop pills etc . by mixing fucoxanthin and tocotrienols evenly , added with edible oil or median chain triglyceride oil , it is also possible to produce soft capsules , or the mixture can be emulsified into oil - in - water emulsion , and then added denaturated starch with stirred up , and subsequently spray dried . the spray dried powder is added with appropriate pharmaceutically accepted adjuvants to prepare preparations for intestinal tract , including oral liquids , tablets , soft - and hard capsules and drop pills etc . the preparations may also be made by mixing fucoxanthin and tocotrienols evenly , the mixture is added with fucoidan and denaturated starch , stirred up , and subsequently spray dried . the spray dried powder is added with appropriate pharmaceutically accepted adjuvants to prepare preparations for intestinal tract , including oral liquids , tablets , soft - and hard capsules and drop pills etc . the preparations may also be made by mixing tween80 and peg 400 , stirred up thoroughly , the mixture is then added with vegetable oil or median chain triglyceride oil , and subsequently with fucoxanthin , tocotrienols , fucoidan and appropriate amount of thickener such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose , acacia gum and agar . the mixture is stirred up thoroughly and is then homogenized using a colloid mill or homogenizer . subsequently , soft capsules can be produced by using glutin and glycerol as capsule shell material according to the manufacture method of soft capsules . the preparations may also be made by dissolving fucoxanthin with organic solvents . the solution is added with an organic solution containing tocotrienols , subsequently fucoidan water solution and appropriate emulsifier , such as tween or span and denaturated starch water solution etc . the mixture is concentrated to a certain degree under reduced pressure and spray dried . the dried powder is added with silica and talcum powder , stirred up and milled thoroughly . this powder can be made into common preparations such as water - soluble beverages , medicinal granules and capsules according to the common procedures . following are further descriptions of this invention by examples . it should be understood that these examples are intended to exemplify the invention , not to restrict the protection range of this invention . grouping and treatment of the test animals : 80 grown - up male healthy sd clean grade rats ( body weight 180 ห 210 g ) are adaptively fed with basic feed for a week , 10 are used as basic feed control , the rest are fed with high - fat feed . a month later , the group of rats fed with high - fat feed is randomly grouped into 7 groups according to their weights , 10 in each group : model control , fucoxanthin ( a ), tocotrienols ( b ), fucoidan ( c ), composition a + b + c , composition a + b and composition a + c . the group of basic feed keeps on feeding with basic feed , the rest groups are fed with high - fat feeds . the groups of basic feed and model control are intragastrically administrated with distilled water , the rest groups are intragastrically administrated with tested medicines , all administrated for 30 d . the groups of animals are raised in different cages in rooms with the temperature conditioned at ( 22 ยฑ 2 ) ยฐ c . and under natural illumination . the rats take food and water freely . each week , their body weights are measured and the amounts of food they take are observed and recorded . they are weighted after feeding for 30 d . statistical analysis : the variance from the data collected in this experiment is analyzed with sas package , dunnett &# 39 ; s t test is used to compare statistically the results from different groups , the results of p & lt ; 0 . 05 is decided as statistically significant . the results : according to the experimental results , the food - intake of the groups of rats did not change with the time they were administrated with medicines , thus no statistical significance is detected and this is no longer depicted later on . from table 5 it can be seen that when the experiment finished , the difference in weights of the animals in model control was statistically significant ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ), this means that the modeling of rat obesity promotion model was successful . at the same time , weights of rats in a + b + c , a + b , a + c groups decreased further and differed from the model control ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 , p & lt ; 0 . 01 ), this means that the composition containing fucoxanthin ( a ) had weight reducing effect on obese rats , and the weight reducing effects of composition a + b + c , a + b , a + c were more significant than fucoxanthin ( a ) alone ( p & lt ; 0 . 01 ). the procedure was the same as in example 4 . the formulation is shown in table 6 . after feeding for 30 d and weighing , executing all the rats , the abdomen fat was peeled off and weighed accurately . statistical analysis was carried out as in example 4 the results : from table 7 it can be seen that body weights , weights of abdomen fat as well as the ratios of abdomen fat weight / body weight of the animals in model control groups were statistically significant ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) in comparison with the group fed with basic feed , this means that the modeling of rat obesity promotion model was successful . in the meantime , body weights , weights of abdomen fat as well as the ratios of abdomen fat weight / body weight of rats in a + b + c , a + b , a + c and a groups decreased further ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) and differed from the model control , this means that the composition containing fucoxanthin ( a ) had weight reducing effect on obese rats , and the weight reducing effects of composition a + b + c , a + c , a + b were more significant than fucoxanthin ( a ) alone . the procedure was the same as in example 4 . the formulation is shown in table 8 . after feeding for 30 days and weighing , executing all the rats , the fat pads around the testicles were peeled off and weighed accurately . statistical analysis was carried out as in example 4 . the results : from table 9 it can be seen that body weights , the ratios of fat pad weights around testicles / body weight of the animals in model control groups were statistically significant ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) in comparison with the group fed with basic feed , this means that the modeling of rat obesity promotion model was successful . at the same time , body weights , the fat pad weights around the testicles as well as the ratio of fat pad weight around the testicles / body weight of rats in a + b + c , a + b , a + c and a groups decreased ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) and differed from the model control , this means that the composition containing fucoxanthin ( a ) had weight reducing effect on obese rats , and the weight reducing effects of the composition were more significant than fucoxanthin ( a ) alone . the procedure was the same as in example 4 . the formulation is shown in table 10 . after feeding for 30 d and weighing , executing all the rats , the fat pads around the kidneys were taken out and weighed accurately . statistical analysis was carried out as in example 4 . the results : from table 11 it can be seen that body weights , the fat pad weights around the kidneys as well as the ratios of fat pad weights around the kidneys / body weight of the animals in model control groups were statistically significant ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) in comparison with the group fed with basic feed , this means that the modeling of rat obesity promotion model was successful . at the same time , body weights , the fat pad weights around the kidneys as well as the ratio of fat pad weight around the kidneys / body weight of rats in a + b + c , a + c , a + b and a groups decreased ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) and differed from the model control , this means that the composition containing fucoxanthin ( a ) had weight reducing effect on obese rats , and the weight reducing effects of the composition were more significant than fucoxanthin ( a ) alone . to examine the weight reducing effect of fucoxanthin composition by means of random control method , 20 eligible test subjects of the age of 20 to 50 were divided into 5 groups , a + b + c , a + c , a + b , a , b + c , with random figure table method . the number of the subjects in each group was n = 4 . the daily doses of the medicines taken by the subjects were according to table 12 . apart from being administrated with each of the different tested medicines at the breakfast time according to the set way of taking the medicine , other normal life style and dietetic habit of the subjects were not changed . no low - calorie food recipe was required , no restriction to the food and drink was executed and no extra physical training was carried out . to examining the effect of sampling of the medicine , the subjects were respectively examined before sampling of the medicine and 1 month , 2 and 3 months after the sampling . that is , the bodyweight , waist - and hiplines , blood sugar and blood fat were measured , abdomen ct scanning was carried out and so on . the subjects were periodically followed - up to find out the experiences and to supervise and guarantee compliance of the customers in taking the medicine . for the test , those suffered from serious metabolic diseases that need medicinal control and those taken other weight reducing products had been excluded . instrument : ct model pronto ; hitachi , japan . 120 kv , 175 ma layer thickness of the scanning : 10 mm scanning in the umbilical cross - section attenuation of the adipose tissue : โ 250 หโ 50 hu ( ct unit ) calculation of the fat areas : total abdomen fat , visceral - and subcutaneous fat ( mm 2 ). using ct scanning , total fat โ as well as visceral fat areas were marked out across the umbilical cross - section , the areas were measured respectively , the area of subcutaneous fat was obtained as the difference of both areas . the changes of body weights , abdomen total fat areas , visceral fat areas as well as subcutaneous fat areas of the test subjects before and after clinic experiments are shown in tables 13 and 14 . the results of ct scanning showed that body weights , weights of total abdomen fat , the weights of visceral - and subcutaneous fat of rats fed with the composition containing fucoxanthin all decreased . the effect reduced body weight by the composition of fucoxanthin is correlated with the decrease of abdomen fat . the effects of a + b + c , a + c , a + b , and a groups are more significant than b + c group ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ) and the weight reducing effects of compositions were more significant than fucoxanthin ( a ) alone . the indices of weight reducing effect of the a + b + c group is significantly superior to other groups , followed by the a + b group and followed by the a + c group . no abnormity has been found in blood routine examination , urine routine examination , liver function , blood pressure , heart rate and blood sugar . in the follow - up questionnaires , some questions were set up to find out the experiences as well as compliance of the customers in taking the medicine . the results of the questionnaire are as follows : no phenomena of restraining of appetite , nausea , vomiting , discomfort of stomach and intestines happened in the digestive systems of the customers . no phenomena of thirst , polyuria and frequent urination happened . no phenomena of dysphoria , insomnia and night sweat happened in the psychosis . no phenomena of rise of blood pressure and heart rate or heart - throb and dizziness happened . unlike traditional weight reducing products of the appetite restraining type functioning by means of the control of fat intake , the weight reducing effect of fucoxanthin composition is based on the fat metabolism and is not related to appetite , therefore , theoretically , unlike other weight reducing products that will cause the resumption of the appetite , and hence the body weight rebound after giving up taking the medicine , fucoxanthin compositions will exert continuous weight reducing effect and they can eliminate various unfavorable side effects . when the fucoxanthin compositions are stopped administering for a month , the body weight of subjects does not rebound and therefore it is unnecessary to change the life style , to resort to be on diet or clapped - out physical exercise . the medicines can be taken by way of single doses as well as multiple doses , this makes fucoxanthin preparations more convenient . therefore , the composition composed of fucoxanthin and fucoidan , of fucoxanthin and tocotrienol , and of fucoxanthin , fucoidan and tocotrienol are types of safe , effective and convenient ideal weight reducing product . fucoxanthin compositions have more significant weight reducing effect than fucoxanthin alone . it can be taken reassuringly by those populations taking health - care , reducing weight and taking other medicines in same time and the weight reducing effect is trustworthy . these weight reducing compositions can also be applied as food additives , foodstuffs , health products , and medicines . the above are preferable examples of this invention , which are intended to exemplify the invention , not to restrict the protection range of this invention . within the spirit and scope limited by the claims of the present invention , the person skilled in the art can make lots of change , modification , which should be fallen within the protection scope of the invention .
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in engine lubrication or other lubrication systems , the performance of the lubricant is controlled by the overall formulation ( a composition of various additives with specific concentrations ) that has gone through actual engine dynamometer sequence tests ( astm engine sequence tests ) and passed the performance specifications set by sae , astm , and api standard - setting bodies . the concentration of each additive type is a delicate balance of cost , performance , and additive - additive interactions . if the balance is not maintained , the additives may precipitate and render the lubricant useless . in lubricant formulations , base oils of various purities are the solvent and additives are the solute . additives are added to the solution to impart various performance bench marks . two types of additives are typically used : ( i ) those that control the bulk property such as antioxidants , dispersants , detergents , viscosity modifiers , and antifoam agents ; and ( ii ) those that control surface properties , such as antiwear agents , corrosion inhibitors , rust inhibitors , and surface deactivators . the bulk property control agents are either neutrally charged or less polar than the surface active agents . the surface active agents have a somewhat hierarchical polarity stacking order to arrange themselves against the sliding surfaces . the antiwear agent has to be able to adsorb and react with the metal surface to perform its antiwear function , so the decomposition products of the antiwear agent ( zddp , zinc dialkyl dithio - phosphate ) have to react with the surface active sites . the formulation has to be delicately balanced to avoid precipitation and adverse additive - additive interactions rendering some or most of the additives non - functioning . when commonly used dispersants and detergents are mixed in solution in a specific concentration ratio , the reversed micelle size grows exponentially to form precipitates . current lubricant formulations typically contain 10 - 18 % by wt . of additives ( viscosity modifier , dispersants , detergents , and inhibitors , etc .) depending on the viscosity grades and intended duty cycles . the dispersant level alone can go up to 7 - 8 % by wt . the dispersant and viscosity index improver constitute the two chemicals dominating in the bulk oil solution phase . the high dosage level of these two additives makes it very difficult for new additives ( small surface active molecules ) in small amounts to function without interacting with or being engulfed by these two dominating additives . hence , the introduction of new chemicals has become increasingly difficult and has become the major barrier to introducing new promising additive chemistry , such as nanoparticle - based chemistry , and lubricating film formation enhancer to increase near surface viscosity instead of increasing the bulk viscosity at high temperatures . these approaches have been found to be effective in pure base oils . however , when the same chemistry is tested in fully formulated oils , they do not function . this is one of the major challenges in formulating new lubricants . microencapsulation involves the use of emulsifiers to create tiny bubbles enclosing the intended encapsulate . with monomers and initiator added , the polymerization of monomers at the water - oil interface creates polymeric shells containing the intended additive or additives . the shell polymer chemistry and the reaction conditions control the microcapsule properties such as mechanical strength , shell thickness , porosity , permeability , and thermal stability , etc . the shell polymer chemistry and the degree of cross - linking can be designed to effect different ways for the capsule to release the additive . in evaluating various polymer chemistries and processing techniques , four steps have developed in encapsulating lubricant additives : the present inventors have developed new processes for the preparation of micro - and nano - scale capsules containing chemical additives that may be used , for example , in lubrication applications . microcapsules prepared by the processes described herein are surprisingly tougher and more chemical resistant that previously known microcapsules . the present inventors have achieved this by controlling , for example , one or more of the processes parameters involved ( such as processing conditions , emulsifiers , ph ranges , temperatures , reaction sequences , cooling , mechanical energy inputs , and polymer chemistries employed ) in order to control the resulting shell polymeric structure , shell wall thickness , porosity , cross - linking , and deposition of nanoparticles covering the shell wall of the microparticles . specific active sites on the shell may also be introduced by inserting small amount of specific liable functional groups or reinforced by nanoparticles or multilayer polymeric shells . suitable emulsifiers for use in any of the processes described herein include , but are not limited to , sodium dodecyl sulfate , sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate , dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium , poly ( ethylene - alt - maleic anhydride ), gum arabic , hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide , poly ( vinyl alcohol ), poly ( styrene - co - maleic anhydride ), polyethylene glycol , polypropylene glycol , polyoxyethylene octyl phenyl ether , polysorbates ( such as tween ยฎ 20 , tween ยฎ 40 , tween ยฎ 60 , tween ยฎ 80 ) sorbitan esters ( such as span ยฎ 60 ), and any combination thereof . as used herein , the term โ microcapsules โ means hollow microcapsules comprising a solid or liquid core and a shell or membrane ( typically polymeric ) enclosing the solid or liquid core . the microcapsules contain one or more lubricant chemical additives , or combinations of additives , to be protected and to be released in controlled manner . in certain embodiments , the microcapsules prepared as described herein have a size ( diameter of the microcapsules ) of between about 2 and about 40 microns , such as between about 2 . 5 and about 35 microns , between about 3 and about 35 microns , between about 3 and about 30 microns , between about 3 and about 28 microns , between about 5 and about 30 microns or between about 5 and about 25 microns . in a preferred embodiment , the microcapsules described herein have a size greater than 2 microns and less than 40 microns . in a preferred embodiment , the microcapsules described herein have a size between about 3 and about 30 microns . in a preferred embodiment , the microcapsules described herein have a size between about 5 and about 25 microns in another preferred embodiment , the microcapsules described herein have a size between about 3 and about 28 microns in other embodiments , the microcapsules described herein have a size of about 3 , about 5 , about 7 . 5 , about 10 , about 12 . 5 , about 15 , about 17 . 5 , about 20 , about 22 . 5 , about 25 , about 27 . 5 or about 30 microns . in further embodiments , the microcapsules described herein exhibit a bimodal size distribution ( as observed by sem ). in one embodiment of any of the microcapsules prepared as described herein , the core is substantially free ( e . g ., contains less than about 5 %, less than about 4 %, less than about 3 %, less than about 2 %, less than about 1 %, less than about 0 . 5 %, less than about 0 . 1 %, less than about 0 . 05 %, less than about 0 . 01 % or less than about 0 . 001 %) of polar solvent . in another embodiment of any of the microcapsules prepared as described herein , the core is free of ( contains no ) polar solvent . in additional embodiments , the cell or membrane thickness of the microcapsules prepared as described herein ( as measured by sem ) is between about 0 . 2 and about 4 microns , such as between about 0 . 5 and about 2 microns , between about 0 . 2 and about 1 . 5 microns , between about 0 . 2 and about 1 . 0 microns , between about 0 . 25 and about 0 . 75 microns or between about 0 . 2 and about 0 . 5 microns . in one embodiment , the cell or membrane thickness of the microcapsules prepared as described herein ( as measured by sem ) is between about 0 . 4 and about 0 . 5 microns , such as between about 0 . 425 and about 0 . 475 microns . in further embodiments , the cell or membrane thickness of the microcapsules prepared as described herein ( as measured by sem ) is about 0 . 40 , about 0 . 41 , about 0 . 42 , about 0 . 43 , about 0 . 44 , about 0 . 45 , about 0 . 46 , about 0 . 47 , about 0 . 48 , about 0 . 49 or about 0 . 50 microns . in another embodiments , the microcapsule cell or membrane comprises one or more polymers selected from , but not limited to , poly ( ethylene glycol ) s , poly ( methacrylate ) s , poly ( styrene ) s , cellulose , poly ( lactide ) s , poly ( lactide - co - glycolide ) s , and combinations thereof . specific examples of polymers include , but are not limited to , poly ( urea - paraformaldehyde ) poly ( melamine - paraformaldehyde ), poly ( urea - formaldehyde ) and poly ( melamine - formaldehyde ). the microcapsule cell or membrane may also comprise one or more non - polymeric materials such as , but not limited to , gelatin , acacia , and combinations thereof . in further embodiments , any of the microcapsules prepared as described herein have a smooth cell surface ( e . g ., contain no residual polymer and / or emulsifier on cell surface ) ( as measured by sem ). the microcapsules prepared as described herein include one or more chemical additives . in one embodiment , the one or more chemical additives are selected from the group consisting of lubricant additives ( such as , but not limited to , antioxidants , detergents , dispersants , antiwear additives , surface deactivators , acid neutralizing agents , lubricant film enhancers , smart viscosity modifiers , corrosion inhibitors , rust inhibitors , high base materials , reparative agents , power point depressants , seal compatibility agents , antifoam agents , and viscosity index improvers ), heat transfer agents ( such as , but not limited to , phase change materials , local heat sinks and heat sources ), surface reactivity control agents ( such as , but not limited to , metal nanoparticles ); and any active agents that may be used to improve the performance of existing lubrication systems or to enable performance levels that cannot be reached by the existing technology , and any combination thereof antioxidants retard the oxidative degradation of base oils during service . such degradation may result in deposits on metal surfaces , the presence of sludge , or a viscosity increase in the lubricant . one skilled in the art knows a wide variety of oxidation inhibitors that are useful in lubricating oil compositions . see , e . g ., klamann , lubricants and related products : synthesis , properties , applications , international standards , march 1984 , and u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 798 , 684 and 5 , 084 , 197 . useful antioxidants may include hindered phenols . these phenolic antioxidants may be ashless ( metal - free ) phenolic compounds or neutral or basic metal salts of certain phenolic compounds . typical phenolic antioxidant compounds are the hindered phenolics which are the ones which contain a sterically hindered hydroxyl group , and these include those derivatives of dihydroxy aryl compounds in which the hydroxyl groups are in the o - or p - position to each other . typical phenolic antioxidants include the hindered phenols substituted with c 6 + alkyl groups and the alkylene coupled derivatives of these hindered phenols . examples of phenolic materials of this type include , but are not limited to , 2 - t - butyl - 4 - heptyl phenol ; 2 - t - butyl - 4 - octyl phenol ; 2 - t - butyl - 4 - dodecyl phenol ; 2 , 6 - di - t - butyl - 4 - heptyl phenol ; 2 , 6 - di - t - butyl - 4 - dodecyl phenol ; 2 - methyl - 6 - t - butyl - 4 - heptyl phenol ; and 2 - methyl - 6 - t - butyl - 4 - dodecyl phenol . other useful hindered mono - phenolic to antioxidants may include , for example , hindered 2 , 6 - di - alkyl - phenolic proprionic ester derivatives . bis - phenolic antioxidants may also be advantageously used . examples of ortho - coupled phenols include , for example , 2 , 2 โฒ- bis ( 4 - heptyl - 6 - t - butyl - phenol ); 2 , 2 โฒ- bis ( 4 - octyl - 6 - t - butyl - phenol ); and 2 , 2 โฒ- bis ( 4 - dodecyl - 6 - t - butyl - phenol ). para - coupled bisphenols include , for example , 4 , 4 โฒ- bis ( phenol ) and 4 , 4 โฒ- methylene - bis ( 2 , 6 - di - t - butyl phenol ). non - phenolic oxidation inhibitors which may be used include aromatic amine antioxidants and these may be used either as such or in combination with phenolics . typical examples of non - phenolic antioxidants include , for example , alkylated and non - alkylated aromatic amines such as aromatic monoamines of the formula r 8 r 9 r 10 n where r 8 is an aliphatic , aromatic or substituted aromatic group , r 9 is an aromatic or a substituted aromatic group , and r 10 is h , alkyl , aryl or r 11 s ( o ) x r 12 where r 11 is an alkylene , alkenylene , or aralkylene group , r 12 is a higher alkyl group , or an alkenyl , aryl , or alkaryl group , and x is 0 , 1 or 2 . the aliphatic group r 8 may contain from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and preferably contains from 6 to 12 carbon atoms . the aliphatic group is a saturated aliphatic group . preferably , both r 8 and r 9 are aromatic or substituted aromatic groups , and the aromatic group may be a fused ring aromatic group such as napthyl . aromatic groups r 8 and r 9 may be joined together with other groups such as s . typical aromatic amines antioxidants have alkyl substituent groups of at least 6 carbon atoms . examples of aliphatic groups include , for example , hexyl , heptyl , octyl , nonyl , and decyl . generally , the aliphatic groups will not contain more than 14 carbon atoms . the general types of amine antioxidants useful in the present mnicrocapsules include , for example , diphenylamines , phenyl naphthylamines , phenothiazines , imidodibenzyls and diphenyl phenylene diamines . mixtures of two or more aromatic amines may also be used . polymeric amine antioxidants can also be used . particular examples of aromatic amine antioxidants include , for example , p , p โฒ- dioctyldiphenylamine ; t - octylphenyl - ฮฑ - naphthylamine ; phenyl - ฮฑ - naphthylamine ; and p - octylphenyl - ฮฑ - naphthylamine . sulfurized alkyl phenols and alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof also are useful antioxidants . additional suitable antioxidants include hindered phenols and arylamines . these antioxidants may be used individually by type or in combination with one another . a typical detergent is an anionic material that contains a long chain hydrophobic portion of the molecule and a smaller anionic or oleophobic hydrophilic portion of the molecule . the anionic portion of the detergent is typically derived from an organic acid such as a sulfur acid , carboxylic acid , phosphorous acid , phenol , or mixtures thereof . the counterion is typically an alkaline earth or alkali metal . salts that contain a substantially stoichiometric amount of the metal are described as neutral salts and have a total base number ( tbn , as measured by astm d2896 ) of from 0 to 80 . many compositions are overbased , containing large amounts of a metal base that is achieved by reacting an excess of a metal compound ( a metal hydroxide or oxide , for example ) with an acidic gas ( such as carbon dioxide ). useful detergents can be neutral , mildly overbased , or highly overbased . it is desirable for at least some detergent to be overbased . overbased detergents help neutralize acidic impurities produced by the combustion process and become entrapped in the oil . typically , the overbased material has a ratio of metallic ion to anionic portion of the detergent of 1 . 05 : 1 to 50 : 1 on an equivalent basis . more preferably , the ratio is from 4 : 1 to 25 : 1 . the resulting detergent is an overbased detergent that will typically have a total base number ( tbn ) of 150 or higher , often 250 to 450 or more . preferably , the overbasing cation is sodium , calcium , or magnesium . a mixture of detergents of differing tbn can be used . suitable detergents include , for example , the alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of sulfonates , phenates , carboxylates , phosphates , and salicylates , e . g ., a mixture of magnesium sulfonate and calcium salicylate . sulfonates may be prepared from sulfonic acids that are typically obtained by sulfonation of alkyl substituted aromatic hydrocarbons . hydrocarbon examples include , for example , those obtained by alkylating benzene , toluene , xylene , naphthalene , biphenyl and their halogenated derivatives ( chlorobenzene , chlorotoluene , and chloronaphthalene , for example ). the alkylating agents typically have 3 to 70 carbon atoms . the alkaryl sulfonates typically contain 9 to 80 carbon or more carbon atoms , more typically from 16 to 60 carbon atoms . alkaline earth phenates are another useful class of detergent . these detergents can be made by reacting alkaline earth metal hydroxide or oxide ( cao , ca ( oh ) 2 , bao , ba ( oh ) 2 , mgo , mg ( oh ) 2 , for example ) with an alkyl phenol or sulfurized alkylphenol . useful alkyl groups include straight chain or branched c 1 - c 30 alkyl groups , preferably , c 4 - c 20 . examples of suitable phenols include , for example , isobutylphenol , 2 - ethylhexylphenol , nonylphenol , and dodecyl phenol . starting alkylphenols may contain more than one alkyl substituent that are each independently straight chain or branched . when a non - sulfurized alkylphenol is used , the sulfurized product may be obtained by methods well known in the art . these methods include , for example , heating a mixture of alkylphenol and sulfurizing agent ( including elemental sulfur , sulfur halides such as sulfur dichloride ) and then reacting the sulfurized phenol with an alkaline earth metal base . metal salts of carboxylic acids are also useful as detergents . these carboxylic acid detergents may be prepared by reacting a basic metal compound with at least one carboxylic acid and removing free water from the reaction product . these compounds may be overbased to produce the desired tbn level . detergents made from salicylic acid are one preferred class of detergents derived from carboxylic acids . useful salicylates include , for example , long chain alkyl salicylates . one useful family of compositions is of the formula where r is an alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms , n is an integer from 1 to 4 , and m is an alkaline earth metal . preferred r groups are alkyl chains of at least c 11 , preferably c 13 or greater . r may be optionally substituted with substituents that do not interfere with the detergent &# 39 ; s function . m is preferably , calcium , magnesium , or barium . more preferably , m is calcium . hydrocarbyl - substituted salicylic acids may be prepared from phenols by the kolbe reaction ( see u . s . pat . no . 3 , 595 , 791 ). the metal salts of the hydrocarbyl - substituted salicylic acids may be prepared by double decomposition of a metal salt in a polar solvent such as water or alcohol . alkaline earth metal phosphates are also used as detergents and are known in the art . detergents may be simple detergents or what is known as hybrid or complex detergents . the latter detergents can provide the properties of two detergents without the need to blend separate materials . see u . s . pat . no . 6 , 034 , 039 . suitable detergents include , for example , calcium phenates , calcium sulfonates , calcium salicylates , magnesium phenates , magnesium sulfonates , magnesium salicylates and other related components ( including borated detergents ) in any combination . in one embodiment , the detergent includes magnesium sulfonate and calcium salicylate . a metal alkylthiophosphate , for example , a metal dialkyl dithio phosphate in which the metal constituent is zinc , or zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate ( zddp ) is a suitable anti - wear additive . zddp can be primary , secondary or mixtures thereof . zddp compounds generally are of the formula zn [ sp ( s )( or 1 ) ( or 2 )] 2 where r 1 and r 2 are c 1 - c 18 alkyl groups , preferably c 2 - c 12 alkyl groups . these alkyl groups may be straight chain or branched . preferable zinc dithiophosphates which are commercially available include secondary zinc dithiophosphates such as those available from , for example , the lubrizol corporation under the trade designations โ lz 677a โ, โ lz 1095 โ and โ lz 1371 โ, from , for example , chevron oronite under the trade designation โ oloa 262 โ and from , for example , afton chemical under the trade designation โ hitec 7169 โ. conventional pour point depressants ( also known as lube oil flow improvers ) v may be used to lower the minimum temperature at which a lubricating fluid will flow or can be poured . examples of suitable pour point depressants include , for example , polymethacrylates , polyacrylates , polyarylamides , condensation products of haloparaffin waxes and aromatic compounds , vinyl carboxylate polymers , and terpolymers of dialkylfumarates , vinyl esters of fatty acids and allyl vinyl ethers . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 1 , 815 , 022 , 2 , 015 , 748 , 2 , 191 , 498 , 2 , 387 , 501 , 2 , 655 , 479 , 2 , 666 , 746 ; 2 , 721 , 877 , 2 , 721 , 878 and 3 , 250 , 715 . during engine operation , oil - insoluble oxidation byproducts are produced . dispersants help keep these byproducts in solution , thus diminishing their deposition on metal surfaces . dispersants used in a lubricating oil may be ashless or ash - forming in nature . in one embodiment , the dispersant is ashless . so - called ashless dispersants are organic materials that form substantially no ash upon combustion . for example , non - metal - containing or borated metal - free dispersants are considered ashless . in contrast , metal - containing detergents form ash upon combustion . suitable dispersants typically contain a polar group attached to a relatively high molecular weight hydrocarbon chain . the polar group typically contains at least one element of nitrogen , oxygen , or phosphorus . typical hydrocarbon chains contain 50 to 400 carbon atoms . chemically , many dispersants may be characterized as phenates , sulfonates , sulfurized phenates , salicylates , naphthenates , stearates , carbamates , thiocarbamates , phosphorus derivatives . one useful class of dispersants are the alkenylsuccinic derivatives , typically produced by the reaction of a long chain hydrocarbyl substituted succinic compound , usually a hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydride , with a polyhydroxy or polyamino compound . the long chain hydrocarbyl group constituting the oleophilic portion of the molecule which confers solubility in the oil , is normally a polyisobutylene group . many examples of this type of dispersant are well known commercially and in the literature . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 172 , 892 ; 3 , 215 , 707 ; 3 , 219 , 666 ; 3 , 316 , 177 ; 3 , 341 , 542 ; 3 , 444 , 170 ; 3 , 454 , 607 ; 3 , 541 , 012 ; 3 , 630 , 904 ; 3 , 632 , 511 ; 3 , 787 , 374 and 4 , 234 , 435 . other types of dispersant are described in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 036 , 003 ; 3 , 200 , 107 ; 3 , 254 , 025 ; 3 , 275 , 554 ; 3 , 438 , 757 ; 3 , 454 , 555 ; 3 , 565 , 804 ; 3 , 413 , 347 ; 3 , 697 , 574 ; 3 , 725 , 277 ; 3 , 725 , 480 ; 3 , 726 , 882 ; 4 , 454 , 059 ; 3 , 329 , 658 ; 3 , 449 , 250 ; 3 , 519 , 565 ; 3 , 666 , 730 ; 3 , 687 , 849 ; 3 , 702 , 300 ; 4 , 100 , 082 ; 5 , 705 , 458 . a further description of dispersants may be found , for example , in european patent application no . 471 071 . hydrocarbyl - substituted succinic acid and hydrocarbyl - substituted succinic anhydride derivatives are useful dispersants . in particular , succinimide , succinate esters , or succinate ester amides prepared by the reaction of a hydrocarbon - substituted succinic acid compound preferably having at least 50 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon substituent , with at least one equivalent of an alkylene amine are particularly useful . succinimides are formed by the condensation reaction between hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydrides and amines . molar ratios can vary depending on the polyamine . for example , the molar ratio of hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydride to tepa can vary from 1 : 1 to 5 : 1 . representative examples are shown in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 087 , 936 ; 3 , 172 , 892 ; 3 , 219 , 666 ; 3 , 272 , 746 ; 3 , 322 , 670 ; and u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 652 , 616 , 3 , 948 , 800 ; and canadian patent no . 1 , 094 , 044 . succinate esters are formed by the condensation reaction between hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydrides and alcohols or polyols . molar ratios can vary depending on the alcohol or polyol used . for example , the condensation product of a hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydride and pentaerythritol is a useful dispersant . succinate ester amides are formed by condensation reaction between hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydrides and alkanol amines . for example , suitable alkanol amines include ethoxylated polyalkylpolyamines , propoxylated polyalkylpolyamines and polyalkenylpolyamines such as polyethylene polyamines . one example is propoxylated hexamethylenediamine . see u . s . pat . no . 4 , 426 , 305 . the molecular weight of the hydrocarbyl substituted succinic anhydrides used in the preceding paragraphs will typically range between 800 and 2 , 500 . the above products can be post - reacted with various reagents such as sulfur , oxygen , formaldehyde , carboxylic acids such as oleic acid . the above products can also be post reacted with boron compounds such as boric acid , borate esters or highly borated dispersants , to form borated dispersants generally having from 0 . 1 to 5 moles of boron per mole of dispersant reaction product . mannich base dispersants are made from the reaction of alkylphenols , formaldehyde , and amities . see u . s . pat . no . 4 , 767 , 551 . process aids and catalysts , such as oleic acid and sulfonic acids , can also be part of the reaction mixture . molecular weights of the alkylphenols range from 800 to 2 , 500 . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 697 , 574 ; 3 , 703 , 536 ; 3 , 704 , 308 ; 3 , 751 , 365 ; 3 , 756 , 953 ; 3 , 798 , 165 ; and 3 , 803 , 039 . typical high molecular weight aliphatic acid modified mannich condensation products useful in this disclosure can be prepared from high molecular weight alkyl - substituted hydroxyaromatics or hn โข 2 group - containing reactants . hydrocarbyl substituted amine ashless dispersant additives are well known to one skilled in the art . see , for example , u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 275 , 554 ; 3 , 438 , 757 ; 3 , 565 , 804 ; 3 , 755 , 433 , 3 , 822 , 209 , and 5 , 084 , 197 . suitable dispersants include , for example , borated and non - borated succinimides , including those derivatives from mono - succinimides , bis - succinimides , and / or mixtures of mono - and bis - succinimides , wherein the hydrocarbyl succinimide is derived from a hydrocarbylene group such as polyisobutylene having a molecular weight ( m n ) of from 500 to 5000 or a mixture of such hydrocarbylene groups . additional dispersants include succinic acid - esters and amides , alkylphenol - polyamine - coupled mannich adducts , their capped derivatives , and other related components . one dispersant is polyisobutylene succinimide polyamine ( pibsa - pam ). seal compatibility agents help to swell elastomeric seals by causing a chemical reaction in the fluid or physical change in the elastomer . suitable seal compatibility agents include , for example , organic phosphates , aromatic esters , aromatic hydrocarbons , esters ( butylbenzyl phthalate , for example ), and polybutenyl succinic anhydride . anti - foam agents may advantageously be added to lubricant compositions . these agents retard the formation of stable foams . silicones and organic polymers are typical anti - foam agents . for example , polysiloxanes , such as silicon oil or polydimethyl siloxane , provide antifoam properties . anti - foam agents are commercially available and may be used in conventional amounts along with other additives such as demulsifiers . viscosity index improvers ( also known as vi improvers , viscosity modifiers , and viscosity improvers ) can be included in lubricant compositions . viscosity index improvers provide lubricants with high and low temperature operability . these additives impart shear stability at elevated temperatures and acceptable viscosity at low temperatures . suitable viscosity index improvers include , for example , high molecular weight hydrocarbons , polyesters and viscosity index improver dispersants that function as both a viscosity index improver and a dispersant . typical molecular weights of these polymers are between 10 , 000 to 1 , 500 , 000 , more typically 20 , 000 to 1 , 200 , 000 , and even more typically between 50 , 000 and 1 , 000 , 000 . examples of suitable viscosity index improvers include , for example , linear or star - shaped polymers and copolymers of methacrylate , butadiene , olefins , or alkylated styrenes . polyisobutylene is a commonly used viscosity index improver . another suitable viscosity index improver is polymethacrylates ( copolymers of various chain length alkyl methacrylates , for example ), some formulations of which also serve as pour point depressants . other suitable viscosity index improvers include , for example , copolymers of ethylene and propylene , hydrogenated block copolymers of styrene and isoprene , and polyacrylates ( copolymers of various chain length acrylates , for example ). specific examples include styrene - isoprene or styrene - butadiene based polymers of 50 , 000 to 200 , 000 molecular weight . olefin copolymers , are commercially available from chevron oronite company llc under the trade designation โ paratone ยฎโ ( such as โ paratone ยฎ 8921 โ and โ paratone ยฎ 8941 โ); from afton chemical corporation under the trade designation โ hitec ยฎโ ( such as โ hitec ยฎ 5850b โ; and from the lubrizol corporation under the trade designation โ lubrizol 7067c โ. polyisoprene polymers are commercially available from infineum international limited , e . g . under the trade designation โ sv200 โ; diene - styrene copolymers are commercially available from infineum international limited , e . g . under the trade designation โ sv 260 โ. suitable corrosion inhibitors , rust inhibitors , high base materials , reparative agents , heat transfer agents , surface reactivity control agents , surface deactivators , acid neutralizing agents , lubricant film enhancers , and smart viscosity modifiers for use in the present invention are known to those skilled in the art . see , e . g ., klamann , lubricants and related products : synthesis , properties , applications , international standards , march 1984 . in one embodiment , the amount of chemical additive present in the microcapsules prepared as described herein is from about 0 . 1 to about 10 wt . %, such as from about 0 . 1 to about 5 wt . %, from about 0 . 5 to about 2 . 5 wt . %, from about 0 . 75 to about 2 . 5 wt . %, from about 1 to about 2 . 5 wt . % or from about 1 to about 2 wt . %. in one embodiment , the amount of chemical additive present in the microcapsules is about 1 wt . % when the microcapsules are added to a lubricant . in one embodiment , the amount of additive present in the microcapsules is about 2 wt . % when the microcapsules are added to a lubricant in another aspect the present invention relates to a lubricant comprising a microcapsule according to any of the embodiments described herein . a wide range of lubricating base oils is known in the art . lubricating base oils that are useful include both natural oils , and synthetic oils , and unconventional oils ( or mixtures thereof can be used unrefined , refined , or rerefined ( the latter is also known as reclaimed or reprocessed oil ). unrefined oils are those obtained directly from a natural or synthetic source and used without added purification . these include shale oil obtained directly from retorting operations , petroleum oil obtained directly from primary distillation , and ester oil obtained directly from an esterification process . refined oils are similar to the oils discussed for unrefined oils except refined oils are subjected to one or more purification steps to improve at least one lubricating oil property . one skilled in the art is familiar with many purification processes . these processes include solvent extraction , secondary distillation , acid extraction , base extraction , filtration , and percolation . rerefined oils are obtained by processes analogous to refined oils but using an oil that has been previously used as a feed stock . groups i , ii , iii , iv and v are broad base oil stock categories developed and defined by the american petroleum institute ( api publication 1509 ; www . api . org ) to create guidelines for lubricant base oils . group i base stocks have a viscosity index of between 80 to 120 and contain greater than 0 . 03 % sulfur and / or less than 90 % saturates . group ii base stocks have a viscosity index of between 80 to 120 , and contain less than or equal to 0 . 03 % sulfur and greater than or equal to 90 % saturates . group iii stocks have a viscosity index greater than 120 and contain less than or equal to 0 . 03 % sulfur and greater than 90 % saturates . group iv includes polyalphaolefins ( pao ). group v base stock includes base stocks not included in groups i - iv . the table below summarizes properties of each of these five groups . all other base oil stocks not includes in groups i , ii , iii or iv natural oils include animal oils , vegetable oils ( castor oil and lard oil , for example ), and mineral oils . animal and vegetable oils possessing favorable thermal oxidative stability can be used . of the natural oils , mineral oils are preferred . mineral oils vary widely as to their crude source , for example , as to whether they are paraffinic , naphthenic , or mixed paraffinic - naphthenic . oils derived from coal or shale are also useful . natural oils vary also as to the method used for their production and purification , for example , their distillation range and whether they are straight run or cracked , hydrorefined , or solvent extracted . group ii and / or group iii hydroprocessed or hydrocracked basestocks , including synthetic oils such as polyalphaolefins , alkyl aromatics and synthetic esters are also well known basestock oils . synthetic oils include hydrocarbon oil . hydrocarbon oils include oils such as polymerized and interpolymerized olefins ( polybutylenes , polypropylenes , propylene isobutylene copolymers , ethylene - olefin copolymers , and ethylene - alphaolefin copolymers , for example ). polyalphaolefin ( pao ) oil base stocks are commonly used synthetic hydrocarbon oil . by way of example , paos derived from c 8 , c 10 , c 12 , c 14 olefins or mixtures thereof may be utilized . see u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 956 , 122 ; 4 , 827 , 064 ; and 4 , 827 , 073 . the number average molecular weights of the paos , which are known materials and generally available on a major commercial scale from suppliers such as exxonmobil chemical company , chevron phillips chemical company , british petroleum , and others , typically vary from 250 to 3 , 000 , although pao &# 39 ; s may be made in viscosities up to 100 cst ( 100 ยฐ c .). the paos are typically comprised of relatively low molecular weight hydrogenated polymers or oligomers of alphaolefins which include , but are not limited to , c 2 to c 32 alphaolefins with the c 8 to c 16 alphaolefins , such as 1 - octene , 1 - decene , 1 - dodecene and the like , being preferred . the preferred polyalphaolefins are poly - 1 - octene , poly - 1 - decene and poly - 1 - dodecene and mixtures thereof and mixed olefin - derived polyolefins . however , the dimers of higher olefins in the range of c 14 to c 18 may be used to provide low viscosity basestocks of acceptably low volatility . depending on the viscosity grade and the starting oligomer , the paos may be predominantly trimers and tetramers of the starting olefins , with minor amounts of the higher oligomers , having a viscosity range of 1 . 5 to 12 cst . the pao fluids may be conveniently made by the polymerization of an alphaolefin in the presence of a polymerization catalyst such as the friedel - crafts catalysts including , for example , aluminum trichloride , boron trifluoride or complexes of boron trifluoride with water , alcohols such as ethanol , propanol or butanol , carboxylic acids or esters such as ethyl acetate or ethyl propionate . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 149 , 178 and 3 , 382 , 291 . other descriptions of pao synthesis may be found in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 742 , 082 ; 3 , 769 , 363 ; 3 , 876 , 720 ; 4 , 239 , 930 ; 4 , 367 , 352 ; 4 , 413 , 156 ; 4 , 434 , 408 ; 4 , 910 , 355 ; 4 , 956 , 122 ; and 5 , 068 , 487 . the dimers of the c 14 to c 18 olefins are described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 218 , 330 . the hydrocarbyl aromatics can be used as base oil or base oil component and can be any hydrocarbyl molecule that contains at least 5 % of its weight derived from an aromatic moiety such as a benzenoid moiety or naphthenoid moiety , or their derivatives . these hydrocarbyl aromatics include alkyl benzenes , alkyl naphthalenes , alkyl diphenyl oxides , alkyl naphthols , alkyl diphenyl sulfides , alkylated bis - phenol a , alkylated thiodiphenol , and the like . the aromatic can be mono - alkylated , dialkylated , polyalkylated , and the like . the aromatic can be mono - or poly - functionalized . the hydrocarbyl groups can also be comprised of mixtures of alkyl groups , alkenyl groups , cycloalkyl groups , cycloalkenyl groups and other related hydrocarbyl groups . the hydrocarbyl groups can range from c 6 up to c 60 with a range of c 8 to c 20 often being preferred . a mixture of hydrocarbyl groups is often preferred , and up to three such substituents may be present . the hydrocarbyl group can optionally contain sulfur , oxygen , and / or nitrogen containing substituents . the aromatic group can also be derived from natural ( petroleum ) sources , provided at least 5 % of the molecule is comprised of an above - type aromatic moiety . viscosities at 100 ยฐ c . of approximately 3 cst to 50 cst are preferred , with viscosities of approximately 14 cst to 20 cst often being more to preferred for the hydrocarbyl aromatic component . in one embodiment , an alkyl naphthalene where the alkyl group is primarily comprised of 1 - hexadecene is used . other alkylates of aromatics can be advantageously used . naphthalene or methyl naphthalene , for example , can be alkylated with olefins such as octene , decene , dodecene , tetradecene or higher , mixtures of similar olefins , and the like . useful concentrations of hydrocarbyl aromatic in a lubricant oil composition can be 2 % to 25 %, preferably 4 % to 20 %, and more preferably 4 % to 15 %, depending on the application . esters comprise a useful base stock . additive solvency and seal compatibility characteristics may be secured by the use of esters such as the esters of dibasic acids with monoalkanols and the polyol esters of monocarboxylic acids . esters of the former type include , for example , the esters of dicarboxylic acids such as phthalic acid , succinic acid , alkyl succinic acid , alkenyl succinic acid , maleic acid , azelaic acid , suberic acid , sebacic acid , fumaric acid , adipic acid , linoleic acid dimer , malonic acid , alkyl malonic acid , alkenyl malonic acid , etc ., with a variety of alcohols such as butyl alcohol , hexyl alcohol , dodecyl alcohol , 2 - ethylhexyl alcohol , etc . specific examples of these types of esters include t - butyl adipate , di ( 2 - ethylhexyl ) sebacate , di - n - hexyl fumarate , dioctyl sebacate , diisooctyl azelate , diisodecyl azelate , dioctyl phthalate , didecyl phthalate , dieicosyl sebacate , etc . additional useful synthetic esters are those which are obtained by reacting one or more polyhydric alcohols , preferably the hindered polyols ( such as the neopentyl polyols , e . g ., neopentyl glycol , trimethylol ethane , 2 - methyl - 2 - propyl - 1 , 3 - propanediol , trimethylol propane , pentaerythritol and dipentaerythritol ) with alkanoic acids containing at least 4 carbon atoms , preferably c 5 to c 30 acids such as saturated straight chain fatty acids including caprylic acid , capric acid , lauric acid , myristic acid , palmitic acid , stearic acid , arachic acid , and behenic acid , or the corresponding branched chain fatty acids or unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid , or mixtures of any of these materials . suitable synthetic ester components include the esters of trimethylol propane , trimethylol butane , trimethylol ethane , pentaerythritol and / or dipentaerythritol with one or more monocarboxylic acids containing from 5 to 10 carbon atoms . these esters are widely available commercially , for example , the mobil p - 41 and p - 51 esters of exxonmobil chemical company ). other useful fluids of lubricating viscosity include non - conventional or unconventional base stocks that have been processed , preferably catalytically , or synthesized to provide high performance lubrication characteristics . non - conventional or unconventional base stocks / base oils include one or more of a mixture of base stock ( s ) derived from one or more gas - to - liquids ( gtl ) materials , as well as isomerate / isodewaxate base stock ( s ) derived from natural wax or waxy feeds , mineral and or non - mineral oil waxy feed stocks such as slack waxes , natural waxes , and waxy stocks such as gas oils , waxy fuels hydrocracker bottoms , waxy raffinate , hydrocrackate , thermal crackates , or other mineral , mineral oil , or even non - petroleum oil derived waxy materials such as waxy materials received from coal liquefaction or shale oil , and mixtures of such base stocks . gtl materials are materials that are derived via one or more synthesis , combination , transformation , rearrangement , and / or degradation / deconstructive processes from gaseous carbon - containing compounds , hydrogen - containing compounds and / or elements as feed stocks such as hydrogen , carbon dioxide , carbon monoxide , water , methane , ethane , ethylene , acetylene , propane , propylene , propyne , butane , butylenes , and butynes . gtl base stocks and / or base oils are gtl materials of lubricating viscosity that are generally derived from hydrocarbons ; for example , waxy synthesized hydrocarbons , that are themselves derived from simpler gaseous carbon - containing compounds , hydrogen - containing compounds and / or elements as feed stocks . gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) include oils boiling in the lube oil boiling range ( 1 ) separated / fractionated from synthesized gtl materials such as , for example , by distillation and subsequently subjected to a final wax processing step which involves either or both of a catalytic dewaxing process , or a solvent dewaxing process , to produce tube oils of reduced / low pour point ; ( 2 ) synthesized wax isomerates , comprising , for example , hydrodewaxed or hydroisomerized cat and / or solvent dewaxed synthesized wax or waxy hydrocarbons ; ( 3 ) hydrodewaxed or hydroisomerized cat and / or solvent dewaxed fischer - tropsch ( f - t ) material ( i . e ., hydrocarbons , waxy hydrocarbons , waxes and possible analogous oxygenates ); preferably hydrodewaxed or to hydroisomerized / followed by cat and / or solvent dewaxing dewaxed f - t waxy hydrocarbons , or hydrodewaxed or hydroisomerized / followed by cat ( or solvent ) dewaxing dewaxed , f - t waxes , or mixtures thereof . gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) derived from gtl materials , especially , hydrodewaxed or hydroisomerized / followed by cat and / or solvent dewaxed wax or waxy feed , preferably ft material derived base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ), are characterized typically as having kinematic viscosities at 100 ยฐ c . of from 2 mm 2 / s to 50 mm 2 / s ( astm d445 ). they are further characterized typically as having pour points of โ 5 ยฐ c . to โ 40 ยฐ c . or lower ( astm d97 ). they are also characterized typically as having viscosity indices of 80 to 140 or greater ( astm d2270 ). in addition , the gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) are typically highly paraffinic (& gt ; 90 % saturates ), and may contain mixtures of monocycloparaffins and multicycloparaffins in combination with non - cyclic isoparaffins . the ratio of the naphthenic ( i . e ., cycloparaffin ) content in such combinations varies with the catalyst and temperature used . further , gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) typically have very low sulfur and nitrogen content , generally containing less than 10 ppm , and more typically less than 5 ppm of each of these elements . the sulfur and nitrogen content of gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) obtained from f - t material , especially f - t wax , is essentially nil . in addition , the absence of phosphorous and aromatics make this materially especially suitable for the formulation of low sap products . the term gtl base stock and / or base oil and / or wax isomerate base stock and / or base oil is to be understood as embracing individual fractions of such materials of wide viscosity range as recovered in the production process , mixtures of two or more of such fractions , as well as mixtures of one or two or more low viscosity fractions with one , two or more higher viscosity fractions to produce a blend wherein the blend exhibits a target kinematic viscosity . the gtl material , from which the gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) is / are derived may be an f - t material ( i . e ., hydrocarbons , waxy hydrocarbons , wax ). in addition , the gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) are typically highly paraffinic (& gt ; 90 % saturates ), and may contain mixtures of monocycloparaffins and multicycloparaffins in combination with non - cyclic isoparaffins . the ratio of the naphthenic ( i . e ., cycloparaffin ) content in such combinations varies with the catalyst and temperature used . further , gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) and hydrodewaxed , or hydroisomerized / cat ( and / or solvent ) dewaxed base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) typically have very low sulfur and nitrogen content , generally containing less than 10 ppm , and more typically less than 5 ppm of each of these elements . the sulfur and nitrogen content of gtl base stock ( s ) and / or base oil ( s ) obtained from f - t material , especially f - t wax , is essentially nil . in addition , the absence of phosphorous and aromatics make this material especially suitable for the formulation of low sulfur , sulfated ash , and phosphorus ( low sap ) products . base oils for use in the formulated lubricating oils include any of the variety of oils corresponding to api group i , group ii , group iii , group iv , and group v oils and mixtures thereof , preferably api group ii , group iii , group iv , and group v oils and mixtures thereof , more preferably the group iii to group v base oils due to their exceptional volatility , stability , viscometric and cleanliness features . minor quantities of group i stock , such as the amount used to dilute additives for blending into formulated lube oil products , can be tolerated but should be kept to a minimum , i . e . amounts only associated with their use as diluents / carrier oil for additives used on an โ as - received โ basis . even in regard to the group ii stocks , it is preferred that the group ii stock be in the higher quality range associated with that stock , i . e . a group ii stock having a viscosity index in the range 100 & lt ; vi & lt ; 120 . the base oil typically constitutes the major component of an engine oil lubricant composition and is typically is present in an amount ranging from 50 to 99 weight percent , preferably from 70 to 95 weight percent , and more preferably from 85 to 95 weight percent , based on the total weight of the composition . the base oil may be selected from any of the synthetic or natural oils typically used as crankcase lubricating oils for spark - ignited and compression - ignited engines . the base oil conveniently has a kinematic viscosity , according to astm standards , of 2 . 5 cst to 12 cst ( or mm 2 / s ) at 100 ยฐ c . and preferably of 2 . 5 cst to 9 cst ( or mm . sup . 2 / s ) at 100 . degree . c . mixtures of synthetic and natural base oils may be used if desired . the types and quantities of lubricant additives are not limited by the examples shown herein as illustrations . when lubricating oil compositions contain microcapsules comprising one or more of the chemical additives discussed above , the additive ( s ) are blended into the composition in an amount sufficient for it to perform its intended function . the following examples serve the purpose of illustrating the invention and are not intended to limiting the scope of the present invention . at room temperature , 250 ml of deionized water and emulsifiers were mixed in a 1000 ml flask . the flask was then suspended in a temperature - controlled water bath on a programmable hotplate with external temperature probe . the solution was agitated at 500 - 1000 rpm , 5 . 00 g of urea , and 0 . 50 g ammonium chloride and 0 . 50 g of resorcinol were dissolved in the solution . the ph was then adjusted to 3 . 0 - 3 . 5 . then 15 - 25 ml of the target antioxidant was added slowly to form an emulsion and allowed to stabilize for 30 minutes . after stabilization , 12 . 7 g of 37 wt % aqueous solution of formaldehyde was added to obtain a 1 : 1 . 9 molar ratio of formaldehyde to urea . the emulsion was heated at a rate of 1 ยฐ c . min โ 1 to a target temperature of 55 - 65 ยฐ c . after 3 to 5 hours , the solution was allowed to cool to ambient temperature with stirring . the suspension of microcapsules thus formed was isolated by filtration . the microcapsules were then rinsed with deionized water , acetone and hexane , respectively , and air dried for 24 - 48 hours . a mixture of 8 . 0 g of urea and 18 . 9 g formaldehyde ( 37 %) was added to a 50 ml round - bottomed flask . the ph of the solution was adjusted to 8 - 9 . the flask was then heated to 70 ยฐ c . and stirred at 500 rpm for 1 to 1 . 5 hours to afford a water - soluble viscous liquid of a linear formalin / urea pre - polymer . a mixture of 10 . 0 g of oily chemical additive and 200 ml of deionized water with an emulsifier was agitated in a 1000 ml flask at 800 to 1200 rpm . then , the prepared pre - polymer from step 1 ) was added and the chemical additive was emulsified and dispersed in the solution under agitation . citric acid was then added to the dispersion to reduce the ph to between 2 . 5 and 4 . the dispersion was then agitated for about 3 - 4 hours at a temperature of between 55 and 70 ยฐ c . the microcapsules thus formed were separated by filtration , washed thoroughly with distilled water to remove unreacted monomer and chemical additive , then dried at 50 ยฐ c . in an oven for 24 hours . 200 ml of deionized water and emulsifier were mixed in a 1000 ml three - necked round - bottomed flask at 45 to 55 ยฐ c . 8 . 0 g pmf prepolymer was mixed with 30 - 40 g toluene to form a clear solution . co - solvents ( such as ethanol , isopropanol or thf ) was also added . 20 g of core material additive was then added and the mixture was stirred at 30 - 40 ยฐ c . for 1 hour under an atmosphere of nitrogen to form the oil phase . the oil phase prepared in step 2 ) was added drop - wise to the stirred ( 500 - 1000 rpm ) water phase prepared in step 1 ) at room temperature to form an oil in water emulsion , which was allowed to stabilize for 30 minutes . after stabilization , 6 ml h 2 so 4 ( 3 molar ) was then added to the emulsion . the emulsion was then covered , blanketed under a nitrogen atmosphere and heated to 60 - 70 ยฐ c . after 3 - 5 hours , the solution was allowed to cool with stirring to ambient temperature . the resulting suspension of microcapsules was then isolated by filtration . the microcapsules were rinsed with deionized water then air dried for 24 - 48 hours . deionized water and emulsifiers were mixed in a 1000 ml three - necked round - bottomed flask at 35 to 40 ยฐ c . pmma or polystyrene was mixed with a solvent to form a clear solution . the core material additive ( encapsulate ) was then added and the resulting mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at 30 to 40 ยฐ c . to form the oil phase . the water phase prepared in step 1 ) was agitated with a digital mixer at 500 - 1000 rpm at room temperature . the oil phase containing both the core material additive ( encapsulate ) and the polymer prepared in step 2 ) was then added to the water phase to form an emulsion and allowed to stabilize for 30 minutes . the mixture was then heated at a rate of 1 ยฐ c . min โ 1 to a target temperature of 60 ยฐ c . after 4 - 6 hours , the reaction was complete . the resulting suspension of microcapsules was then separated under vacuum with suction filtration . the microcapsules were rinsed with deionized water and then air dried . deionized water and emulsifiers were mixed in a 1000 ml three - necked round - bottomed flask at 30 to 70 ยฐ c . ( dependent on the properties of the capsulate ). the water phase was agitated with a digital mixer at 500 - 1000 rpm , then the core material additive ( encapsulate ) was added to the water phase to form an emulsion and allowed to stabilize for 30 minutes . the emulsion was then mixed with pmf prepolymer and stirred for 1 - 2 hours . the temperature was then raised to 60 ยฐ c . until microcapsules formed . the microcapsules were then separated under vacuum with suction filtration , rinsed with deionized water and then air dried for 24 - 48 hours . fig1 shows a scanning electron microscope ( sem ) image of poly ( urea - formaldehyde ) ( puf ) microcapsules prepared according to the present invention . fig2 shows a scanning electron microscope ( sem ) image of polymethylmacrylic acid ( pmma ) microcapsules prepared according to the present invention . fig3 shows an optical micrograph image of polymethylmacrylic acid ( pmma ) microcapsules prepared according to the present invention . fig4 a , 4b and 4c show sem micrographs of microcapsules with different shell thicknesses prepared according to the present invention . fig4 d shows an sem micrograph of microcapsules having a shell thickness of about 0 . 45 microns prepared according to the present invention . fig5 a and 5b shows microcapsules of containing porosity / holes to enable gradual release of the encapsulated chemical additive over time . fig6 shows microcapsules within a capsule prepared according to the present invention . fig7 a shows microcapsules prepared according to the present invention dispersed within oil . fig7 b shows a solution of microcapsules prepared according to the present invention dispersed within oil containing a cationic dispersant . the cameron - plint ring - on - liner reciprocating wear test ( light loading , 60 minutes ) and the four - ball mill rolling test ( load under mpa to keep the balls under pure rolling mode , 3 hours ) were performed fig8 shows the percentage of survived capsules versus sliding time during a 60 minute ring - on - liner test . the majority of the capsules remained intact , indicating superior shear resistance . the three samples shown in table 2 were tested in ( i ) a four - ball and ( ii ) ball on three flats tests in a four - ball wear tester ( 600 rpm , 60 minutes ). table 4 describes the four different samples tested . sample 1 ( paraffin oil alone ) and sample 2 ( paraffin oil and 1 wt % antioxidant , not microencapsulated ) were used as controls . samples 3 and 4 were prepared as described herein . fig1 shows the ft - ir spectra for sample 1 ( paraffin oil only , top spectrum ) and sample 2 ( paraffin oil with 1 wt % antioxidant , not microencapsulated , bottom spectrum ). as can be seen from fig1 , an oxidation peak ( c โ o stretch at ห 1720 cm โ 1 ) is clearly observed for sample 1 after 2 hours at 340 ยฐ f . this oxidation peak increases in intensity over time . for sample 2 , the oxidation peak is observed after 6 hours at 340 ยฐ f ., and again increases in intensity over time . also , the n โ h stretch at ห 1580 cm โ 1 ( due to amine groups present in the antioxidant ) decreases in intensity over time , showing degradation of the antioxidant . fig1 shows the ft - ir spectra for sample 2 ( paraffin oil with 1 wt % antioxidant , not microencapsulated , top spectrum ) and sample 3 ( paraffin oil with 1 wt % antioxidant , microencapsulated , bottom spectrum ). as can be seen from fig1 , for sample 3 , the oxidation peak at ห 1720 cm โ 1 is not observed , even after 10 hours at 340 ยฐ f . also , the n โ h stretch of the antioxidant at ห 1580 cm 1 is weak , but remains constant , indicating little or no degradation of the antioxidant . fig1 shows the ft - ir spectra for sample 2 ( paraffin oil with 1 wt % antioxidant , not microencapsulated , top spectrum ) and sample 4 ( paraffin oil with 2 wt % antioxidant , microencapsulated , bottom spectrum ). as can be seen from fig1 , for sample 4 , the oxidation peak at ห 1720 cm โ 1 is not observed , even after 10 hours at 340 ยฐ f . also , the n โ h stretch of the antioxidant at ห 1580 cm โ 1 increases over time . all references , including published patent applications and patents , are hereby incorporated by reference .
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in any of the appended drawings , the same reference characters are used throughout for the same parts in all figures . thus , the number 1 designates a flow channel , whose circulation lines 2 , 3 , 4 open out in front end wall 5 . delivery elements 6 , driven by a motor 7 , are disposed in each circulation line 2 , 3 , 4 . the delivery elements in this case , as shown , can be disposed in the horizontal section of the circulation lines , whereby an arrangement in the vertical part of the circulation line is also possible , without the function being detrimentally affected . further , as likewise not shown , the circulation lines can be returned running laterally from the pool . the circulation lines 2 , 3 , 4 emerge from the back end wall 24 , whereby the intake openings 23 thereof are disposed at the same height as outlets 25 of circulation lines 2 , 3 , 4 in front end wall 5 . the flows achieved by means of individual circulation lines 2 , 3 , 4 in the flow channel are designated in the vertical direction by v 1 , v 2 , v 3 in the first area , by v 4 , v 5 , v 6 in the central area , and by v 7 , v 8 , v 9 in the end area . in the horizontal direction , the flows are designated by va , vb , vc , vd . to keep all flow velocities distributed in the flow channel at same value , the flow velocities vฮฑ , vฮฒ , and vฮณ are controlled within the circulation lines via regulation of delivery devices 6 . furthermore , as shown in the cross - sectional view of fig2 , there are four circulation lines 4 that achieve the flow at the vertical direction v 1 shown in fig1 , four circulation lines 3 that achieve the flow at the vertical direction v 2 shown in fig1 and four circulation lines 2 that achieve the flow at the vertical direction v 3 shown in fig1 . as such , three groups of circulation lines 2 , 3 and 4 are provided at differing heights from one another . to regulate the flow velocity in flow channel 1 , in the wall thereof flow measuring transducers 8 are provided , which pass on the results to a electronic control 10 , which regulates drive motors 7 of delivery device 6 via a control panel 11 and controller 12 . in addition , in the circulation lines flow meters 9 can be provided , which likewise pass the determined data to the electronic control 10 . depending on the value achieved via flow meter 8 and flow meter 9 , the speed of the delivery device is set by the controller . in the embodiment shown in fig7 , the regulation of drive motors 7 of delivery device 6 occurs via the controller , which is designed as a frequency converter 12 โฒ. the regulation in this case occurs in the same manner as already described above . in the drive arrangement shown in fig8 , a hydraulic drive is provided for delivery device 6 ; namely , an oil pressure pump 13 is used for this purpose , which via oil pressure lines 14 controls control valves 15 , which in turn then control the performance of an oil pressure turbine 16 . said oil pressure turbine is then connected via a drive shaft to delivery device 6 within the circulation lines . to regulate control valves 15 , a control panel is again provided , which receives the measured data via flow meter 9 and optionally via flow meter 8 ( not shown ). via said control panel then depending on the measurement results , control valves 15 are controlled and regulated via the control lines drawn as dotted lines . in the embodiment variant according to fig9 , the delivery device within circulation lines 2 , 3 , and 4 is designed as a water jet pump 18 , which is controlled via a corresponding drive motor 17 . the control of said drive motor 17 again occurs via an electrical control panel 11 , which is connected via control lines , on one side , with the flow meters 9 or flow meters 8 ( not shown ), disposed in circulation lines 2 , 3 , 4 , in flow channel 1 to electronic control panel 12 , in which frequency converters 12 โฒ are provided to control drive motors 17 . in addition , tube de - aerators 22 are provided in the circulation lines , in order to again separate the air , which is taken up by the water via the surface and flows in with the water via the circulation lines , from the circulated liquid ( fig1 ). in the exemplary embodiment shown in fig1 and 11 , a training person 19 is shown in the flow channel , the person , who for therapeutic purposes , performs exercises or the like in the flow channel . for this therapy , a flow velocity is set greater than 0 only in the bottom area ; i . e ., v 3 is greater than 0 . v 1 and v 2 are equal to 0 , whereby to move the legs the training person must only overcome a flow resistance or movement resistance . to this end , vฮฑ is set so that the flow velocity v 3 has the desired value , but vฮฒ and vฮณ are 0 . the velocity is set uniformly across the horizontal extent of the flow channel ( i . e ., that all circulation lines located in the plane of the flow velocity v 3 have a circulation velocity of vฮฑ ), whereby optionally the circulation lines adjacent to the side walls of flow channel 1 have a slightly higher circulation velocity , so that the friction losses in the edge regions are compensated and a uniform laminar flow over the entire width of the flow channel is achieved . in the exemplary embodiment according to fig1 and 13 , a treadmill 20 , on which the training person 19 runs , is placed in flow channel 1 . to this end , as shown in fig1 , circulation lines 2 , 3 are active in the two zones near the bottom ( i . e ., vฮฑ and vฮฒ are greater than 0 ), as a result of which within the flow channel in the area of the legs a flow velocity v 2 and v 3 becomes established , which is the same among themselves and overall greater than 0 . there is no flow in the area of the upper body , i . e ., v 1 is equal to 0 and the delivery device in circulation line 3 is not active . in the horizontal extent of flow channel 1 , again all velocities are set uniform , so that a laminar flow is achieved over the entire width of the flow channel . in fig1 and 15 , the conditions for a swimmer 21 are shown , who runs through his training tasks in the flow channel . in this case , the velocity v 1 is greater than 0 only in the surface area and the delivery devices of circulation lines 2 and 3 are not active in areas v 2 and v 3 , so that the flow velocity vฮฑ and vฮฒ is zero in the circulation , line and accordingly in this area the swimmer need not overcome any flow . a laminar flow is again achieved across the horizontal extent of the flow channel . the circumstance that an artificial flow is generated only in the surface area has the result that if the flow velocity v 1 is too high , the swimmer has the option of letting himself sink to the bottom , whereby he can then push off the end wall 24 ( 21 โฒ) and immersed without a countercurrent in 21 โณ can again emerge in the flow area . it can be stated in summary that the flow channel of the invention can be used with great versatility and can be regulated adapted to specific requirements . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims .
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now the present invention will be clarified in detail by description of the embodiments thereof . referring to fig3 showing , in a perspective view , a facsimile apparatus embodying the present invention , there are shown a table 7 for supporting and guiding an original 8 placed on said table 7 along a standard lateral edge thereof , and a cover 9 for transport roller at which position the information is read from said original 8 . after said information reading , the original is further advanced by said roller to a tray 10 . the original reading means is positioned under said roller and table 7 , so that said table 7 also functions as an upper cover for said reading means . a receiving unit is positioned at the right - hand side of the above - explained emitting unit in the illustration . 11 is a recording material on which an image is recorded by recording means , and 12 is a cover for the recording unit which supports said recording material 11 thereon . 13 shows a group of switches for controlling the functions of the facsimile apparatus . now reference is made to fig4 showing the internal structure of the apparatus shown in fig3 . when the original 8 to be transmitted is slightly pushed into a roller unit 14 from the position shown in fig3 unrepresented detecting means detects the presence of the original to initiate the rotation of feed rollers 15 and eject rollers 16 thereby advancing the original 8 at a constant speed in the direction of arrow . said rollers 15 , 16 are respectively composed of paired rollers and are provided therebetween with an original reading slit and an original illuminating unit to be explained later . the upper ones of said rollers 15 , 16 are structured to be displaceable upwards against the biasing springs . the above - explained roller arrangement allows a substantially linear advancement of the original 8 , and also accepts bound or thick originals because of the variable distance between the paired rollers . fig5 shows the original reading means of the emitting unit in a cross - sectional view , wherein an illuminating lamp 17 illuminates an information bearing face of the original 8 passing through a slit 18 . the image of the original is transmitted from said slit to a photoelectric converting element 21 , for example a charge coupled device , through a fixed mirror 19 and a focusing lens 20 , whereby said image in converted into electric signals by said element 21 . said lens 20 , element 21 and mirror 19 are mounted on stay members 24 , 25 fixedly positioned between lateral plates 22 , 23 defining the emitting unit . also there is provided a common base plate 26 on which said emitting and receiving units are mounted . a control circuit board 27 is positioned between said original reading means and said base plate 26 . as a linear original advancement is rendered possible by the above - explained reading means guiding the original image to the converting element 21 by the slit exposure , the above - explained roller arrangement not only allows the use of an original as thick as 0 . 5 mm or an unbendable original , but also the use of an original for example up to 1 . 5 mm thick if the feed rollers 15 are designed with suitable feeding ability . the drive mechanism for said rollers is accommodated in a space which is also used for the drive mechanism for the receiving unit as will be explained later , and drives the lower ones of said paired rollers 15 , 16 . the rollers 15 , 16 are provided at the left - hand end thereof with timing pulleys 28 , 29 , 30 engaging with a timing belt 31 , wherein said pulley 29 is provided with a coaxial pinion 32 engaging with a worm gear 34 which is rotated by a stepping motor 33 to drive said rollers 15 , 16 . in the above - explained apparatus the lamp 17 is composed of a fluorescent lamp which is commonly utilized in the facsimile apparatus because of the high light intensity with the low heat generation and the relatively long service life thereof . in the use of a fluorescent lamp , the end portions thereof have to be positioned outside the iluminating area in order to obtain uniform illumination over the entire width since the light intensity of a fluorescent lamp is inevitably weaker in the end portions then in the central portion thereof . for this reason the fluorescent lamp generally becomes larger than the width of the original illuminating unit and often requires projecting portions on the apparatus , but such undesirable projecting portions are not necessary in the apparatus of the present invention since the end portions of the fluorescent lamp are accommodated in the spaces for the switches and for the drive mechanism . the receiving unit is positioned adjacent to said emitting unit and principally accommodated in a space defined by two parallel plate members 35 , 36 positioned perpendicular to the advancing direction of the original . a roll - formed recording material 37 , for example thermal paper , is wound on a tubular core rotatably supported on unrepresented support members and is subjected to information recording by a recording head 38 activated by the received signals . a pressure roller 39 is provided to maintain said recording material 37 in contact with the recording head 38 . the relation between said recording material 37 , recording head 38 and pressure roller 39 at the information recording is shown in fig6 . the recording material 37 having recorded the information in the above - explained manner is ejected from the apparatus by paired rollers 40 as shown in fig3 and 4 , said rollers being driven by a pinion 41 engaging with a worm gear 43 driven by a stepping motor 42 . a fan 44 provided in the same space ejects the heat generated by the motors 33 , 42 , lamp 17 , recording head 38 etc . in the foregoing embodiment both emitting and receiving units can be realized with the height of the roll - formed recording material used in the receiving unit as the mutual relation of said units is determined by said recording material . in this manner it is rendered possible to obtain an entire height of the apparatus close to the height of said roll - formed recording material , in marked contrast to the aforementioned third conventional structure in which the receiving unit is positioned under the original advancing means . the present invention , employing linear original advancement enabling the use of a relatively thick or unbendable original and utilizing a roll - formed recording material with the rotary axis thereof positioned parallel to the original advancing direction but outside the original advancing path as explained in the foregoing , provides the following advantages . the apparatus of the present invention in front view , in comparison with the conventional apparatus shown in fig1 wherein the original and the recording material are displaced in parallel and thus requiring a minimum width equal to the sum of the widths of said original and recording material , only requires a width corresponding to the sum of the width of the original and the diameter of the recording material , and the difference becoming more and more evident as the width of the recording material increases . the length of the apparatus can be further reduced by shortening the optical path length while the thickness of the apparatus can be matched to the diameter of the recording material as already explained in the foregoing , whereby it is rendered possible to obtain a compact thin multi - functional facsimile apparatus . besides the structure of the present invention , in which the drive sources for the original and the recording material are accommodated in a combined space , allows efficient heat control and also effective space utilization . as explained in the foregoing , the present invention provides a small facsimile apparatus not associated with the drawbacks unavoidable in the conventional apparatus . it will naturally be understood that the structure of the original reading means and the printing means for recording material are not limited to those shown in the foregoing embodiment . for example the printing means can also be composed of an ink jet printing system or an electric current recording system . also the dimension of various parts are variable according to the width , thickness etc . of the original and recording material to be employed . in case of a facsimile apparatus employing thermal recording system as explained in the foregoing embodiment , there is required heat - radiating means for dissipating the heat accumulated in the substrate of the recording head . the heat generated by the thermal elements 46 of a thermal recording head 38 ( fig6 ) is only partially consumed in the coloring reaction of the thermal recording paper and mostly transmitted by conduction to a substrate 46 supporting said thermal elements and accumulated therein . in case of prolonged continuous recording , high - speed recording or recording with an elevated percentage of image area ( i . e . with an elevated percentage of solid black area ) the heat accumulated in the substrate 46 is increased to a temperature higher than the coloring temperature of the thermal recording paper , thus deteriorating the image quality by so - called smudging or trailing . for this reason the substrate 46 is provided with heat - radiating means , which is conventionally composed of a heat sink or a raditing fin made for example of aluminum eventually combined with a forced cooling fan . however , in order to satisfactorily dissipate the large amount of heat generated in the above - mentioned prolonged recording or high - speed recording , eventually amounting to several hundred watts , there has been required a heat sink or a radiating fin of a large size . thermal recording heads are known in a thick - layer type and a thin - layer type , of which the former is less expensive but requires a double or triple recording energy , leading to a larger heat accumulation . for this reason the thermal recording head of the thick - layer type necessitates heat - radiating means of a particularly large dimension . in the conventional thermal recording facsimile apparatus , such large heat - radiating means has been a significant obstacle in reducing the dimension and weight of the apparatus . also in case of foced cooling with a fan it becomes necessary to pay sufficient attention to the air flow in the apparatus , which restricts the arrangement of component parts therein and reduces the freedom in designing for size reduction . according to the present invention , however , it is rendered possible to resolve this problem . this solution is shown in a plan view of fig8 illustrating a thermal recording head of fig7 equipped with a heat ripe and mounted in a facsimile apparatus of the basic structure explained in the foregoing , and in a perspective view of fig9 . more specifically the foregoing structure utilizes the excellent heat conduction property ( more than 100 times of the heat conductivity of copper ) of a known heat pipe as the heat - radiating means for the substrate 46 , wherein said heat pipe 47 is provided parallel to and in contact with the array of thermal elements 45 over the substantially entire length of the substrate 46 and is extended to a lateral marginal space s ( fig4 ) obtained in such structure . said extended end is provided with heat radiating fins 48 for cooling by natural convection or for forced cooling with a blower fan 49 . the present invention allows efficient and compact arrangement of the heat - radiating mechanisms as the aforementioned heat - radiating fins 48 mounted on an end of the heat pipe 47 and the cooling fan 49 are accommodated in an otherwise dead marginal space s created by the foregoing arrangement of the emitting and receiving units . the use of the aforementioned thermal recording head combined with the heat pipe as the heat - radiating means therefor gives rise to the following effects and advantages . in the above - explained structure of the heat radiating means , the heat accumulated in the substrate 46 is absorbed rapidly and substantially uniformly over the entire length thereof by the splendid heat conduction of the heat pipe 47 and is efficiently dissipated by natural convection or forced convection with the fan 49 from the heat radiating fins 48 . in such arrangement the substrate 46 is peferably provided with a temperature sensor such as a thermister for conducting heat dissipation with the fan 49 when the temperature of the substrate 46 is lower than the color developing temperature of the recording paper and for conducting forced convection cooling with the fan 49 when said temperature of the substrate 46 approaches said color developing temperature for example in a prolonged continuous recording operation . in such manner it is rendered possible to maintain the substrate at an approximately constant temperature level during the entire recording operation , thereby preventing unevenness in the image density resulting from the fluctuation in the substrate temperature . as explained in the foregoing , the heat pipe 47 , because of the excellent heat conduction property thereof , efficiently absorbs the heat from the longitudinal portion thereof and transmits thus collected heat to the extended end thereof , thus enabling efficient heat dissipation by heat - radiating fins 48 mounted on said extended end . in addition the heat pipe 47 itself is small and of a light weight . consequently in comparison with the conventional heat dissipation with a heat sink or with heat radiating fins , it is rendered possible to reduce the size of the heat radiating mechanism itself and to reduce the weight thereof by one half or even less . furthermore a sufficient heat dissipation can be obtained even in case of a thick - layer type thermal recording head . the heat pipe 47 can be maintained in pressure contact with an external face of the substrate 46 as shown by chain lines 47a in fig6 but an improved heat conduction can be obtained by partially or completely embedding the heat pipe 47 in the substrate 46 if it is sufficiently thick , or in a highly heat - conductive member made for example of aluminum and mounted on the substrate 46 . furthermore , in order to improve the heat conduction between the substrate 46 and heat pipe 47 , substrate 46 and heat - conductive member , said member and heat pipe 47 or heat pipe 47 and heat radiating fins 48 there is preferably employed an electroconductive grease , for example , in the space between said components . furthermore it is possible to employ plural heat pipes . also the use of a variable conductance heat pipe allows control of the substrate temperature within a desired range even without the temperature sensor or the fan in case of a thermal recording head of a relatively low power . also said fins 48 may be replaced by other mechanisms , for example a water - cooled radiator . on the other hand , at the start of recording operation , the head substrate 46 is in a cooled state , particularly in a cold region or in a cold place . for this reason the image density remains low for a while after the start of recording operation , as the color density becomes higher at a higher temperature of the substrate 46 for a given power supplied to the recording elements 45 . in order to prevent such phenomenon said extended end of the heat pipe 47 can be provided with a heat source for example a heater 50 for preheating said heat pipe , said heat source being activated upon turning on for example of the main switch of the apparatus . in this manner the heat pipe 47 is rapidly heated over the entire length thereof , thus rapidly preheating the entire substrate 46 , and enabling an appropriate image density to be obtained from the start of the recording operation . said heat source 50 is turned off by a temperature sensor when the temperature of the substrate 46 reaches a predetermined adequate temperature . conventionally the preheating of the substrate 46 is achieved by a heater positioned under said substrate , wherein said heater is of a large area in order to obtain uniform preheating . on the other hand , according to the present invention , the heat pipe 47 provided for heat dissipation can also be utilized for preheating by a heat source 50 provided at a portion of said pipe 47 , whereby rapid and uniform preheating can be achieved within a limited space and with reduced cost by means of the property of said heat pipe 47 .
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the process of the invention is carried out by adding wood pulp to a solution comprising sodium chlorate and sodium vanadate at an appropriate acid ph ( adjusted with mineral acid ) and stirring the pulp slurry while electric current is passed through the electrodes immersed in the slurry ( fig3 ). the ph of the solution can range from 1 . 0 to about 6 . 0 . such ph is adjusted through the addition of mineral acid . the temperature of the solution is maintained in the range of about 40 ยฐ c . to about 85 ยฐ c . such a process is carried out from 1 . 0 to about 5 . 0 hours with a wood pulp consistency of about 0 . 5 %- 10 %. the concentration of the chlorate ranges from 0 . 001m to 7m , preferably from 0 . 1m to about 1 . 0m . sodium chloride or sodium sulfate are possible replacements for a portion of the sodium chlorate to serve as an electrolyte . other vanadium salts may also be applied . electric current ranging from about 1 , 350 coulombs / lb pulp to about 13 , 500 coulombs / lb pulp is passed through the electrodes immersed in the slurry during the entire bleaching period . in addition , electric current may be passed through the solution of sodium chlorate and sodium vanadate for 10 to 60 minutes prior to the addition of pulp to the bleaching solution . in one alternate embodiment , the process of the invention is carried out by passing electric current through a solution containing a metal chlorate and a vanadium compound , to generate v 4 + chlorine dioxide ; and other chlorine species ; and then using the resulting solution to bleach pulp fibers ( fig4 ). the following examples describe the process of making and using the invention and set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the invention , but are not to be construed as limiting . examples 1 - 6 of the process were all performed in a stainless steel beaker with a teflon โข cover through which reference electrodes and positive platinum electrodes were passed into the pulp slurry . the stainless steel beaker served as a negative electrode . in example 7 , the bleaching solution containing v 4 + was prepared beforehand , and no electric current was passed through the wood pulp slurry . in general , the pulp slurry , comprising 10 grams of pulp in one liter of a solution containing chlorate and vanadium catalyst , was stirred magnetically during the bleaching period , and then filtered and washed . the bleached pulps were tested for brightness using a ge brightness tester and viscosity : a softwood kraft pulp ( kappa no . 35 ), after chlorination and alkaline extraction was washed to obtain a c d e pulp having a permanganate number of 3 . 0 and a brightness of 43 % ge . a slurry of 10 g of the above - identified pulp in one liter of a solution containing 1 . 0 g of sodium chlorate , 0 . 58 g of sodium chloride and 0 . 012 g of sodium vanadate at ph 2 . 2 was stirred for three hours at 60 ยฐ c . in four other runs , increasing amounts of electricity were passed through the pulp slurries . the amount of electricity imparted in each run and the resultant brightness of the pulps obtained and their viscosities are shown in table 1 below . table 1______________________________________ pulp properties electric bright - viscos - current ness ityrun ( coulomb &# 39 ; s ) (% ge ) ( cp ) ______________________________________1 0 65 . 9 23 . 02 162 73 . 5 19 . 03 270 74 . 3 19 . 04 540 75 . 3 16 . 55 810 74 . 0 16 . 6______________________________________ the above table illustrates that the brightness level of the pulp improved considerably due to the addition of electric current . some loss in viscosity takes place as the amount of current is increased . a hardwood kraft pulp ( kappa no . 16 ), after chlorination and alkaline extraction was washed to obtain a c d e pulp in one liter solution , at ph 1 . 7 and a temperature of 60 ยฐ c ., the solution containing 100 g of sodium chlorate and 0 . 24 g of sodium vanadate . run 1 was performed with no electric current and a bleaching time of 2 hours ; run 2 was performed with no electric current and a bleaching time of 3 hours ; run 3 was performed with electric current and a bleaching time of 2 hours ; run 4 was performed with electric current and a bleaching time of 2 hours as in run 3 , but in addition current was passed through the solution for about 30 minutes prior to the addition of pulp to the solution . table 2 illustrates the relation between the electric current and bleaching time impartial to the pulp and the resultant % ge brightness and viscosity . table 2______________________________________ pulp properties electric bleaching bright - viscos - current time ness ityrun ( coulomb &# 39 ; s ) ( hr ) (% ge ) ( cp ) ______________________________________1 0 2 . 0 75 . 3 40 . 52 0 3 . 0 78 . 9 37 . 33 179 2 . 0 78 . 5 42 . 3 4 * 179 2 . 0 78 . 2 45 . 2______________________________________ * an additional electric current ( 50 coulombs ) was passed through the chlorate / vanadium solution prior to addition of the pulp . the above table shows that the brightness level is considerably improved when electric current is used . at the same brightness level , the process utilizing the electric current gives higher viscosity than that obtained without current . as can be seen from run 4 , even further improvement occurs in the viscosity of the pulp if electric current is passed through the chlorate / vanadium solution to convert all v 5 + to v 4 + prior to addition of the pulp . this clearly illustrates the superiority of v 4 + catalyst as compared to the v 5 + catalyst . a hardwood kraft pulp after chlorination and alkaline extraction was washed to obtain a c d e pulp having a permanganate number of 2 . 5 . the pulp was treated with sodium chlorate directly at varying ph in the presence of v 4 + catalyst . the v 4 + form was constantly being produced electrochemically by reducing v 5 + to v 4 + . the results of these runs , as illustrated in table 3 , show that the pulp properties , that is brightness and viscosity , approach those of pulp bleached conventionally with chlorine dioxide ; pulp viscosity is better at low ph ( approximately 2 . 0 ); and viscosity loss can be additionally minimized by using a viscosity preserver , such as diethylamine or the like . table 3______________________________________vanadium - catalyzed chlorate bleaching ofhardwood kraft c . sub . d e pulp * % ge viscos - run brightness ity ( cp ) ______________________________________1 standard dioxide bleach 85 . 1 20 . 0 ( 1 % clo . sub . 2 ) 2 electrochemical 82 . 8 9 . 5 ( ph 4 , 60 ยฐ c .) 3 electrochemical 85 . 0 11 . 9 ( ph 3 , 70 ยฐ c .) 4 electrochemical 82 . 5 17 . 3 ( ph 2 , 60 ยฐ c .) 5 electrochemical 83 . 8 19 . 7 ( ph 2 , 60 ยฐ c .) with viscosity preserver ** ______________________________________ * electrochemical bleaching conditions : pulp consistency ( 1 %); sodium chlorate ( 1 m ); vanadium ( 1 mmo1 ); t = 3 hr ; electric current = 172 coulombs ** selected from the group diethylamine , dimethylamine and sulfamic acid a softwood kraft pulp after being semi - bleached through c d ede was washed to obtain a pulp having 64 % ge brightness and a viscosity of 24 cp . the c d ede pulp ( 10 g ) and sulfamic acid ( 2 g ) were added to a solution ( 1 liter ) comprising sodium chlorate ( 100 g ) and sodium vanadate ( 0 . 6 g ) at ph 1 . 8 and t = 60 ยฐ c ., and stirred for 2 hours while current ( 50 mamp ) was passed . in addition , current ( 25 mamp ) was passed through the solution containing chlorate and vanadium for 30 minutes prior to the addition of the pulp . table 4 shows the pulp properties of the run as compared with the pulp properties obtained by standard chlorine dioxide bleaching . table 4______________________________________ pulp properties % ge viscos - process brightness ity ( cp ) ______________________________________1 . chlorate / vanadium / 85 23 electric current bleaching2 . standard clo . sub . 2 85 24 bleaching______________________________________ as can be seen from the results in table 4 , the pulp properties are comparable . a softwood kraft pulp ( kappa no . 35 ) after chlorination and extraction was washed to obtain a pulp having permanganate number of 3 . 5 . three equal portions of this pulp were treated with chlorine dioxide ( 1 . 2 % on pulp ) using vanadyl sulfate ( v 4 + ) and sodium vanadate ( v 5 + ) respectively as additives . no current was passed through the pulp slurry during these runs . the results in table 5 show that both the v 4 + and v 5 + forms increase pulp brightness with a slight reduction of viscosity , when they are added in the dioxide bleaching stage . however , it was observed that the chlorate concentration in the effluent is reduced only in the case of the v 4 + addition . this supports the conclusion that v 4 + , rather than v 5 + , is the active species in generating the oxidizing species in situ ( clo 2 and possibly others ) from chlorate , and this mechanism clearly differs from the mechanism suggested by the deutsch et al article , &# 34 ; vanadium pentoxide catalysis of chlorine dioxide bleaching &# 34 ;, tappi 62 ( 12 ): 53 , 1979 . table 5______________________________________effect of vanadium additions in d . sub . 1 stage ofsoftwood kraft pulp bleaching bright - chlorate infil - end ness trate , % moleadditive ph % ge of added clo . sub . 2______________________________________1 . control clo . sub . 2 4 . 1 78 . 1 33 bleaching ( w / o additive ) 2 . v . sup . 4 +, 0 . 5 % 3 . 9 80 . 4 193 . v . sup . 5 +, 0 . 5 % 3 . 0 80 . 4 27______________________________________ a softwood kraft pulp ( kappa no . 35 ) was treated with sodium chlorate , sodium vanadate at varying ph while electric current was passed through the slurry . the results in table 6 show that delignification of kraft pulp is effective under these conditions . table 6______________________________________chlorate / vanadium ( v . sup . 4 +) delignification of35 kappa softwood kraft pulp pulp properties * ph kappa no . viscosity , cp______________________________________1 . 4 16 . 0 20 . 92 . 3 9 . 6 20 . 93 . 2 6 . 3 22 . 2______________________________________ * kappa no . and viscosity determinations were made after an alkaline extraction following the chlorate / vanadium treatment . a semibleached ( c d ede ) softwood kraft pulp ( 10 g ) having 64 % ge brightness and 0 . 5 ced viscosity of 25 cp &# 39 ; s was stirred in a solution containing sodium chlorate ( 60 mg ) and vanadyl sulfate ( 60 mg ) for 3 hours at 60 ยฐ c . in a similar run , the vanadyl sulfate was replaced by 12 mg of sodium vanadate and electrical current . the results as displayed in table 7 show that properties of pulps obtained from both experiments are comparable . the bleaching process can be operated in either of the methods as illustrated in fig3 and 4 . table 7______________________________________ sodium chloratesodium chlorate and sodiumand vanadyl vanadate andsulfate ( v . sup . 4 +) electric currentwithout elec - to generate v . sup . 4 + tric current continuously______________________________________brightness , 80 . 1 80 . 0 % geviscosity , 20 . 8 21 . 4 - cp______________________________________ inasmuch as the invention is subject to various change and variations , the foregoing should be regarded as merely illustrative of the invention defined by the following claims .
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hereinafter , exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings . fig1 shows a schematic configuration of a printer of an image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment . a printer 10 that is shown in fig1 is a monochrome printer , and an image signal created outside the printer 10 , which represents images , is input to the printer 10 via a signal cable or the like , which is not shown . a control unit 11 , which controls the movements of each constituent element inside the printer 10 , is provided in the printer 10 , and the image signal is input to the control unit 11 . further , in the printer 10 , the formation of images based on the image signal is performed under the control of the control unit 11 . a paper sheet tray 21 is provided in a lower section of the printer 10 , and sheets of paper p are accommodated in the paper sheet tray 21 in a piled up state . the paper sheet tray 21 is configured so as to be capable of being freely withdrawn in order to replenish the sheets of paper p . the sheets of paper p inside the paper sheet tray 21 are delivered to a registration roller 24 by a pickup roller 22 and a handling roller 23 . a transport timing of the sheets of paper p that arrive at the registration roller 24 is adjusted and the sheets of paper p are further transported . a cylindrical photosensitive member 12 , which rotates with an orientation shown by an arrow a , is provided in the printer 10 above the registration roller 24 . further , a charging device 13 , an exposure device 14 , a developing device 15 , a transfer device 16 , and a photosensitive member cleaner 17 are arranged in the vicinity of the photosensitive member 12 . the photosensitive member 12 corresponds to an example of an image holding member that is referred to in the present invention , a component in which the exposure device 14 and the developing device 15 are combined corresponds to an example of a formation device that is referred to in the present invention , and the transfer device 16 corresponds to an example of a transfer device that is referred to in the present invention . the charging device 13 charges the surface of the photosensitive member 12 , and the exposure device 14 forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing the surface of the photosensitive member 12 in accordance with the image signal that is delivered from the control unit 11 . a toner image is formed as a result of the electrostatic latent image being developed by the developing device 15 . in this instance , the charging device 13 may be a contact type charging device that is provided with a charging roller or the like , or may be a non - contact type charging device that is provided with an electrical discharge wire or the like . the exposure device 14 may be an exposure device in which laser light is set as a light source , or may be an exposure device in which an led or the like is set as the light source . in addition , the developing device 15 may be a developing device that uses a so - called two component developing agent in which a toner and a carrier are mixed , or may be a developing device that uses a developing agent in which a toner is the main component . in this instance , the above - mentioned registration roller 24 feeds out the sheets of paper p so that the sheets of paper p reach a position that faces the transfer device 16 matching a timing with which toner images on the photosensitive member 12 reach the position . further , the toner images on the photosensitive member 12 are transferred onto the sheets of paper p that are fed out by the transfer device 16 . toner ( residual toner ) that remains on the photosensitive member 12 after the transfer of toner images is removed from the photosensitive member 12 by the photosensitive member cleaner 17 . a rubber cleaning blade 170 is provided in the photosensitive member cleaner 17 , and the cleaning blade 170 has a long plate shape that extends along a direction which the cylindrical photosensitive member 12 extends . further , the cleaning blade 170 contacts with the photosensitive member 12 in a linear manner at a side thereof that extends along the photosensitive member 12 . for convenience , there are cases in which the side that contacts with the photosensitive member 12 will be referred to as the edge of the cleaning blade 170 . since the photosensitive member 12 rotates in contrast to the cleaning blade 170 being fixed , the cleaning blade 170 rubs against the surface of the photosensitive member 12 at the edge , and scrapes away and removes residual objects ( such as residual toner , an external additive that is mixed in the toner , and paper dust that is derived from the sheets of paper p ) from the surface of the photosensitive member 12 as a result of this action . this kind of photosensitive member cleaner 17 corresponds to a cleaning device according to the exemplary embodiment , and the cleaning blade 170 corresponds to an example of a removal member that is referred to in the present invention . the sheets of paper p that receive the transfer of toner images progress further in the direction of an arrow b , and the toner images are fixed onto the sheets of paper p as a result of receiving heating and pressurization due to a fixing unit 18 . as a result of this , images that are formed from fixed toner images are formed on the sheets of paper p . the sheets of paper p that pass through the fixing unit 18 progress in a direction of an arrow c toward a discharge unit 19 , are further delivered in a direction of an arrow d by the discharge unit 19 , and are discharged to a paper discharge holder 20 . given that , when residual objects are scraped away from the photosensitive member 12 surface by the cleaning blade 170 , a portion of the scraped away residual objects remains along the edge of the cleaning blade 170 , and piled bodies called toner dams and external additive dams are formed . residual objects are reliably scraped away as a result of the presence of the piled bodies , and the maintenance of the piled bodies is required in the maintenance of the cleaning ability of the cleaning blade 170 . however , for example , there is a concern that , a localized load will be applied to the cleaning blade 170 at locations with few piled bodies , and that the cleaning blade 170 will become damaged due to friction with the photosensitive member 12 , and therefore , that the cleaning ability thereof will be reduced when deviations occur in residual objects on the photosensitive member 12 , and piled bodies are unevenly distributed along the edge in cases in which one kind of image is formed continuously , or the like . further , there are cases in which striped image defects occur when the cleaning ability falls in this manner . in such an instance , a procedure for alleviating uneven distribution of the piled bodies is carried out on the photosensitive member cleaner 17 of the printer 10 that is shown in fig1 . fig2 and 3 schematically show a cleaning blade periphery inside a photosensitive member cleaner , fig2 is a perspective view , and fig3 is a side view . multiple moving rods 171 , which extend so as to protrude toward the edge of the cleaning blade 170 are arranged inside the photosensitive member cleaner 17 along the edge . the moving rods 171 protrude from a downstream side toward an upstream of surface movement of the photosensitive member 12 . as shown above , the edge of the cleaning blade 170 scrapes away residual objects from the photosensitive member 12 surface , and as a result , piled bodies 175 are formed along the edge of the cleaning blade 170 . further , the tip end of each moving rod 171 protrudes to a position that reaches the piled bodies 175 but does not contact with the cleaning blade 170 . the moving rods 171 correspond to an example of a smoothing member that is referred to in the present invention . the multiple moving rods 171 are supported by a support member 172 in a state of protruding from the support member 172 . further , the support member 172 is held so as to be freely moveable in a direction that runs along the edge , and a gear 172 a is formed on a side surface of the support member 172 . in addition , a so - called rack and pinion structure is formed by a pinion gear 173 engaging with the gear 172 a of the support member 172 , and the pinion gear 173 rotates due to a motor 174 , which is controlled by the control unit 11 that is shown in fig1 . each moving rod 171 moves along the edge of the cleaning blade 170 as a result of the pinion gear 173 rotating , and as a result , the piled bodies 175 are smoothed by the tip end of each moving rod 171 . deviations in the piled bodies 175 are suppressed as a result of the piled bodies 175 being smoothed out , and a localized load on the cleaning blade 170 is reduced . consequently , the cleaning ability of the cleaning blade 170 is maintained . for example , the movement of the moving rods 171 is executed during pauses in image formation or the like . in addition , since multiple moving rods 171 are arranged along the edge , the piled bodies 175 are smoothed out across the entire length of the edge of the cleaning blade 170 as a result of each moving rod 171 moving a distance of an extent of a mutual interval , and the smoothing is completed in a short time . next , another example of a smoothing member that is referred to in the present invention will be described . in this instance , an example in which a moving brush 176 is provided as a smoothing member , is shown . a tip end of the moving brush 176 is branched into multiple parts , and the piled bodies 175 are effectively smoothed out by the moving brush 176 that has this kind of branched tip end . next , the contribution of the smoothing member will be described based on an example . fig5 is a graph that represents results in which the abrasion of the cleaning blade is compared in an example and comparative examples . in fig5 , respective abrasion amounts of the cleaning blade in a comparative example 1 , in which toner with an average particle diameter of 7 . 0 ฮผm is used and the smoothing member is not arranged , a comparative example 2 , in which toner with an average particle diameter of 4 . 0 ฮผm is used and the smoothing member is not arranged , and an example 1 , in which toner with an average particle diameter of 4 . 0 ฮผm is used and the same smoothing member as the example that is shown in fig2 and 3 is arranged , are shown in a bar graph that represents a relative ratio in which the case of the comparative example 1 is set as 1 . 0 . in the comparative example 2 , the abrasion amount of the cleaning blade is increased by approximately five times in comparison with the comparative example 1 . this increase in the abrasion amount is remarkable in small diameter toner in which the average particle diameter is 4 . 5 ฮผm or less . conversely , in cases in which the average particle diameter of the toner is larger than 7 . 0 ฮผm , there is not a much difference from the abrasion amount of the example 1 . by the graph shown in fig5 , the fact that the abrasion amount in the example 1 is suppressed to an abrasion amount that does not differ much from the comparative example 1 , is confirmed . in other words , in small diameter toner with an average particle diameter of 4 . 5 ฮผm or less in which increases in the abrasion amount of the cleaning blade occur , the fact that the suppression of the abrasion amount as a result of providing the smoothing member is remarkable , is confirmed . specifically , the increase in the abrasion amount is remarkable in a case of a volume average particle diameter of 4 . 8 ฮผm or less . additionally , in the description of the above - mentioned exemplary embodiment , an example in which the smoothing member that is referred to in the present invention is moved using a rack and pinion method is shown , but the smoothing member that is referred to in the present invention may be moved using a belt driving method . in addition , in the above - mentioned exemplary embodiment , a monochrome printer is shown byway of example , but the present invention may also be applied to a color device , and may also be applied to a facsimile , a copy machine , or a multifunction machine . in addition , in the above - mentioned exemplary embodiment , a device that forms toner images using an electrophotography method is shown by way of example , but the formation device that is referred to in the present invention may be a device that directly draws toner images onto an image holding member using an electrode array or the like . in addition , in the above - mentioned exemplary embodiment , a transfer device that directly transfers toner images from a photosensitive member to the sheets of paper is shown by way of example , but the transfer device that is referred to in the present invention may also be a device that indirectly transfers from an image holding member to a recording medium via an intermediate transfer member or the like . in addition , in the above - mentioned exemplary embodiment , the sheets of paper are shown as a recording medium by way of example , but the recording medium that is referred to in the present invention may be ohp sheets , or may be plastic paper or the like . the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obviously , many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications , thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents .
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referring to fig1 , it is assumed for simplicity that a network system is composed of stm networks connected via an atm network 10 . the network is realized by shifting an existing dedicated network using a time - division multiplexer ( hereafter , abbreviated as tdm ) to atm network such that the existing tdm is accommodated under the atm network . more specifically , atm nodes 11 . 1 and 11 . 2 are connected via the atm network 10 . the atm node 11 . 1 is connected to an existing tdm 12 . 1 that is in turn connected to pbx ( private branch exchange ) 13 . 1 and a host computer 14 . 1 . similarly , the atm node 11 . 2 is connected to an existing tdm 12 . 2 that is in turn connected to pbx 13 . 2 and a host computer 14 . 2 . the respective pbxs 13 . 1 and 13 . 2 may accommodate local networks ( not shown ). synchronous communications using stm frames are performed in the host computer 14 . 1 and the local network accommodated in the pbx 13 . 1 and in the host computer 14 . 2 and the local network accommodated in the pbx 13 . 2 . in addition , the atm node 11 . 1 and 11 . 2 are connected to management and maintenance terminals 15 . 1 and 15 . 2 , respectively , and thereby various settings and cell delay variation monitoring are performed in each of the atm nodes 11 . 1 and 11 . 2 . further , a network management system ( nms ) 16 is connected to both the atm nodes 11 . 1 and 11 . 2 to manage the network composed of atm network 10 and atm nodes 11 . 1 and 11 . 2 . the atm node 11 . 1 has a circuit emulator ( ce ) 17 . 1 implemented therein to allow stm / atm conversion and cell delay variation control . similarly , the atm node 11 . 2 has a circuit emulator ( ce ) 17 . 2 implemented therein to allow stm / atm conversion and cell delay variation control . since the circuit emulators 17 . 1 and 17 . 2 have the same circuit configuration , the circuit emulator 17 . 1 will be described as an example . referring to fig2 , the circuit emulator 17 . 1 includes a delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 , a cell assembly and disassembly ( clad ) 21 . 1 , and a controller 22 . 1 . the delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 sequentially stores atm cells that are received from the atm network 10 , to absorb cell delay variations under control of the controller 22 . 1 . the clad 21 . 1 assembles stm frames from atm cells and disassembles stm frames into atm cells . the controller 22 . 1 controls the operations of the delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 and the clad 21 . 1 . more specifically , the controller 22 . 1 controls a delaying time period ( msec ) of atm cells in the delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 . hereafter , such a delaying time period is called a variation buffer value . the delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 reads out the stored atm cells to send them to the clad 21 . 1 in a period of the controlled variation buffer value ( msec ). when receiving the atm cells from the delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 , the clad 21 . 1 assembles a stm frame of a preset format from the atm cells and transmits it to the tdm 12 . 1 . on the other hand , when receiving a stm frame from the tdm 12 . 1 , the clad 21 . 1 disassembles the stm frame into atm cells and transmits them directly to the atm network 10 . the controller 22 . 1 monitors the presence or absence of atm cells in the buffer 20 . 1 to detect the occurrence of cell delay variation . as will be described later , when no cell is stored in the buffer 20 . 1 after an elapse of a controlled variation buffer value , the controller 22 . 1 determines that cell delay variation occurs . when such a cell delay variation contiguously occurs a plurality of times , the controller 22 . 1 adjusts the variation buffer value for delaying the readout of atm cells in the buffer 20 . 1 based on the contiguous frequency of occurrence of cell delay variation . the details of the controller 22 . 1 will be described with reference to fig3 - 5 . referring to fig3 , the controller 22 . 1 includes a delay variation monitor 30 . 1 , a statistical processing section 31 . 1 , a buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 , and a messaging section 33 . 1 . the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 checks whether the buffer 20 . 1 is empty when an elapse of a controlled variation buffer value . if the buffer 20 . 1 stores no cells at the time when the controlled variation buffer value has elapsed , then the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 detects the occurrence of cell delay variation . then , the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 notifies the statistical processing section 31 . 1 of the occurrence of cell delay variation . the statistical processing section 31 . 1 counts the contiguous occurrence of cell delay variation notified from the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 and calculates a proper variation buffer value depending on the number of contiguous times the cell delay variation has occurred . the proper variation buffer value is output to the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 and the messaging section 33 . 1 . the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 replaces a current variation buffer value with the received proper variation buffer value , which is used as an absorbing time width to delay transfer of atm cells from the delay - variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 to the clad 21 . 1 . therefore , after this , a period of readout of atm cells is set to the new proper variation buffer value . thereafter , a correction completion notice is sent to the messaging section 33 . 1 . the messaging section 33 . 1 autonomously creates a message based on notices received from the statistical processing section 31 . 1 or the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 and then transmits the message to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 . the controller 22 . 1 as described above includes a program - controlled processor such as cpu ( central processing unit ) ( not shown ). necessary programs including a buffer control program stored in read - only memory ( rom ) or the like are allowed to run on the cpu . therefore , the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 , the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 , and the messaging section 33 . 1 may be implemented by running a delay variation absorbing control program on the cpu . referring to fig4 , when the variation absorbing buffer control program starts , it is determined whether a current variation buffer value ( msec ) has elapsed ( step s 40 ). when the current variation buffer value ( msec ) has elapsed ( yes at step s 40 ), the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 is instructed to monitor the current status of the buffer 20 . 1 to determine whether cell delay variation occurs ( step s 41 ). if the buffer 20 . 1 stores no cells at that time , then the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 detects the occurrence of cell delay variation ( yes at step s 41 ). then , the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 sends a notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation to the statistical processing section 31 . 1 . when receiving the notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation from the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 ( yes at step s 41 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 increments a counter by one to count the number of notices of the occurrence of cell delay variation and then determines whether the count exceeds a predetermined count value ( step s 43 ). when the count exceeds the predetermined count value , which means that the number of contiguous times the notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation has been received ( yes at step s 43 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 sends a notice of over - frequency of delay variation occurrence to the messaging section 33 . 1 ( step s 44 ) and thereby the messaging section 33 . 1 is instructed to autonomously send a message to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 ( step s 45 ). thereafter , the control goes back to the step s 40 ( return ). when the count is equal to or smaller than the predetermined count value ( no at step s 43 ), the control also goes back to the step s 40 ( return ). on the other hand , when receiving no notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation ( no at step s 41 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 determines whether the contiguous variation occurrence count is 0 ( step s 46 ). if the contiguous variation occurrence count is not 0 , that is , the counter &# 39 ; s value is 1 or more ( no at step s 46 ), it is determined that the phenomenon of variation that has occurred stops . therefore , the buffer 20 . 1 is instructed to read out the stored cells ( step s 47 ) and the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 is instructed to correct the variation buffer value using a new proper variation buffer value ( step s 48 ). when the variation buffer value correction has been completed , the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 notifies the messaging section 33 . 1 of the completion of variation buffer value correction . thereby the messaging section 33 . 1 is instructed to autonomously send a message indicative of the completion of variation buffer value correction to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 ( step s 45 ). thereafter , the control goes back to the step s 40 ( return ). if the contiguous variation occurrence count is 0 , that is , the counter &# 39 ; s value is zero ( yes at step s 46 ), it means that no variation occurrence is detected and any variation occurrence has been never detected so far . therefore , the variation buffer value is set to the basic value and thereby the cells are read out from the buffer 20 . 1 to the clad 21 . 1 at intervals of the initial constant time period ( step s 49 ). thereafter , the control goes back to the step s 40 ( return ). hereafter , the details of proper variation buffer value calculated by the statistical processing section 31 . 1 will be described with reference to fig5 . first of all , it is assumed that variable x is a proper variation buffer value ( msec ), variable y is a counter indicative of the number of times a notice of occurrence of variation has been received , variable z is a current variable buffer value , variable a is a maximum permissible count value of variation occurrence , and variable b is a minimum correction value of variation buffer value . the minimum correction value of variation buffer value is defined as a minimum amount of variation to be absorbed , which is determined depending on the capacity of the variation absorbing buffer 20 . 1 and the atm network 10 . the variable z is initially set to a predetermined basic variable buffer value . referring to fig5 , when the statistical processing starts , the counter y and variable z are initialized to zero and the basic variable buffer value , respectively . then , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 determines whether a variation detection notice is received from the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 ( step s 50 ). when the variation detection notice is received ( yes at step s 50 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 increments the counter y by one ( step s 51 ). thereafter , it is determined whether the counter y exceeds the variable a indicative of the maximum permissible count value of variation occurrence ( step s 52 ). when the counter y exceeds the variable a ( yes at step s 52 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 sends a notice of over - frequency of delay variation occurrence to the messaging section 33 . 1 ( step s 53 ) and then the counter y is reset to 0 ( step s 54 ). thereafter , the control goes back to the step s 50 ( return ). when the counter y is equal to or smaller than the variable a ( no at step s 52 ), the control also goes back to the step s 50 ( return ). on the other hand , when no variation detection notice is received ( no at step s 50 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 determines whether the counter y is 0 ( step s 55 ). if the counter y is not 0 ( no at step s 55 ), it is determined that the phenomenon of variation that has occurred stops and the statistical processing section 31 . 1 calculates a variable x indicative of a proper variation buffer value at that time by the following expression : where y is a counter indicative of the number of times a notice of occurrence of variation has been received , z is a current variable buffer value , and b is a minimum correction value of variation buffer value ( step s 56 ). then , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 instructs the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 to replace the variation buffer value with the calculated proper variation buffer value x ( step s 57 ). then the counter y is reset to 0 ( step s 54 ) and the control goes back to the step s 50 ( return ). when the counter y is 0 ( yes at step s 55 ), the current variation buffer value is set to the basic value ( step s 58 ) and the control goes back to the step s 50 ( return ). as described above , the variation buffer value gradually increases from the basic variation buffer value ( initial value ) depending on a status of occurrence of cell variation . when no variation occurrence is detected and the contiguous occurrence counter y is zero , the cells are read out from the buffer 20 . 1 to the clad 21 . 1 at intervals of the basic variation buffer value . in this manner , when the occurrence of cell delay variation has been detected , the current variation absorbing time width , that is , the current variation buffer value , is changed to a proper variation buffer value calculated . on the other hand , when the occurrence of cell delay variation has never been detected , the current variation buffer value is reduced to the basic variation buffer value , which can make the delaying time of atm cells stored in the buffer 20 . 1 as short as possible . referring to fig6 , when the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 detects the occurrence of cell delay variation when no cells to be read out are found in the buffer 20 . 1 ( variation detection 60 ). then , the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 sends a notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation to the statistical processing section 31 . 1 ( detection notice 61 ). when receiving the notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation from the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 calculates a proper variation buffer value using the expression ( 1 ) when it is determined that cell delay variation that has occurred stops ( calculation 62 ). then , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 sends a variance buffer value correction notice to the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 ( correction notice 63 ). when receiving the correction notice 63 from the statistical processing section 31 . 1 , the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 corrects a current variation buffer value using the proper variation buffer value according to the correction notice 63 ( correction 64 ). when the correction has been completed , the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 sends a correction completion notice to the messaging section 33 . 1 ( correction completion notice 65 ). when receiving the correction completion notice 65 , the messaging section 33 . 1 creates a message having a predetermined format ( creation 66 ) and sends the message as autonomous messages 67 and 68 to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 . here , the autonomous message includes information such that the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 can recognize which flow a variation occurs in and how much amount of a corresponding buffer value is corrected by the buffer value correcting section 32 . 1 . referring to fig7 , when the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 detects the occurrence of cell delay variation when no cells to be read out are found in the buffer 20 . 1 ( variation detection 70 ). then , the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 sends a notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation to the statistical processing section 31 . 1 ( detection notice 71 ). when receiving the notice of the occurrence of cell delay variation from the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 increments a counter by one to count the number of contiguous occurrences of cell delay variation and then determines whether the count exceeds a predetermined count value . when it is determined that the count exceeds the predetermined count value ( over variation occurrence frequency limit 72 ), the statistical processing section 31 . 1 sends a notice of over - frequency of delay variation occurrence to the messaging section 33 . 1 ( over occurrence frequency notice 73 ). when receiving the notice of over - frequency of delay variation occurrence , the messaging section 33 . 1 creates a message having a predetermined format ( creation 74 ) and sends the message as autonomous messages 75 and 76 to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 . here , the autonomous message includes information such that the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 can recognize which flow a variation occurs in and how many times delay variations occur contiguously . as described above , according to the present embodiment , when the delay variation monitor 30 . 1 detects the occurrence of cell delay variation in a period of a set variation buffer value , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 counts the number of contiguous occurrences of cell delay variation . when no delay variation disappears , the statistical processing section 31 . 1 calculates a proper variation buffer value using the expression ( 1 ) and a current variation buffer value is updated by the proper variation buffer value . when the correction has been completed or the number of contiguous occurrences of cell delay variation exceeds the predetermined value , the messaging section 33 . 1 sends an autonomous message to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 . therefore , the variation buffer value can be rapidly corrected to a proper variation buffer value reflecting the actual network operation status . since the network management side can know on the correction of variation buffer value by receiving the autonomous message , the capability of management and maintenance can be improved without burden on the network management side . further , when the number of contiguous occurrences of cell delay variation exceeds the predetermined value , an autonomous message of over - frequency of delay variation occurrence is sent to the management and maintenance terminal 15 . 1 and nms 16 and the buffer value is not updated . therefore , rapid maintenance work can be achieved without burden on the network management side .
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fig1 is an overall view of an exhaust muffler according to the present invention . this exhaust muffler comprises an outer shell 1 defining an expansion chamber therein , and an inner pipe 2 passed through the outer shell 1 . one end of the inner pipe 2 is connected to an internal combustion engine not shown in the drawings via a front pipe 3 . the outer shell 1 consists of two halves made of synthetic resin material , and combined into a hollow member , and is lined with a layer of insulating material 4 such as glass wool on its inner surface . a hollow semi - cylindrical extension extends outwardly from each of a pair of diagonally opposed positions of the rim of each of the two halves of the outer shell 1 . when the two halves are combined , the semi - cylindrical extensions form a complete hollow tubular extension 5 , and an end of the inner pipe 2 is passed through each of the tubular projections 5 . in fig1 one of the tubular extensions 5 is shown in section while the other tubular extension connected to the front pipe 3 is shown as an external view . since these two tubular extensions have a more or less similar structure , the following discussion will be limited to the tubular extension 5 illustrated on the right hand side of fig1 . referring to fig5 the free end 2a of the inner pipe 2 projecting from the tubular extension 5 is expanded or flared in the form of a funnel . the extension 5 and the part of the inner pipe 2 extending out of the extension 5 is covered by a sleeve member 6 made of metallic material . one end of the sleeve member 6 is engaged to the free end of the extension 5 , and the other end of the sleeve member 6 is closely fitted upon the outer circumference of the free end of the inner pipe 2 . as best illustrated in fig5 the end of the sleeve member remote from the extension 5 is folded back inwardly as denoted by numeral 6a so that the folded portion 6a may elastically engage with the outer surface of the inner pipe 2 . this is preferable to the end of preventing the generation of noises and the leakage of exhaust gas from the expansion chamber . the inner diameter of the folded portion 6a is smaller than the flared end of the inner pipe 2 so that the outward movement of the sleeve member 6 may be prevented . the flared portion is required to be formed after the outer shell 1 is combined with the inner pipe 2 and the sleeve member 6 is fitted onto the tubular extension 5 . the annular space defined between the inner pipe 2 , and the extension 5 and the sleeve member 6 is filled with insulating material such as glass wool which may be a part of the insulating layer 4 lining the expansion chamber . the extension 5 is provided with a tapered outer surface 5b at its free end , and an annular groove 5a adjacent the tapered outer surface 5b as shown in fig5 thus defining an annular radial projection 5d therebetween . the corresponding end of the sleeve member 6 is provided with a tapered inner surface 6b corresponding to the tapered outer surface 5b , and four equally spaced projections 6c directed radially inwardly . the annular radial projection 5d of the extension 5 is provided with four notches 5c corresponding to the radial projections 6c . thus , referring to fig2 through 4 , when assembling this exhaust muffler , first of all , the two halves of the outer shell 1 are joined with each other with the inner pipe 2 received in the tubular projections 5 and the expansion chamber , and the sleeve member 6 is axially fitted onto each of the extensions 5 by allowing the radial projections 6c to pass through the notches 5c until the radial projections 6c are received in the annular groove 5a of the extension 5 . then , the sleeve member 6 is turned around its axial line , and the radial projections 6c are pushed against the corresponding side surface of the annular groove 5a . the dimensions of the annular radial projection 5c and the groove 5a are so determined that the annular radial projection 5d is securely forced into the space between the tapered inner surface 6b and the radial projections 6c . preferably , each corner between the notch 5c and the associated side surface may be appropriately rounded or sloped so that a wedge effect may be produced when the sleeve member 6 is turned around its axial line after the radial projections 6c are received in the groove 5a . as a result , both axial and radial engagement forces are produced between the tapered inner surface 6b and the tapered outer surface 5b , and the sleeve member 6 and the extension 5 are securely joined together . a bonding agent 7 may be filled into the gap defined between the sleeve member 6 and the extension 5 , and a flange 8 provided at the base end of the extension 5 aids the containment of the bonding agent 7 in the annular groove 5a . the outer shell 1 consists of two halves divided by a plane containing the central line of the inner pipe 2 as illustrated in fig7 . the brims of the two halves mate with each other in a complementary fashion , and are joined together with a bonding agent and elastic clips 9 which urge the two halves toward each other as best illustrated in fig8 . thus , combined with the clamping force of the sleeve member 6 , the two halves of the outer shell 1 are securely attached to each other . the insulating layer 4 of each of the two halves of the outer shell is provided with a convex side edge so that , when joining the two halves of the outer shell 1 , the mutually abutting edges of the insulating layers 4 may be closely joined together without a part of it being caught between the mating brims of the two halves of the outer shell 1 or leaving any gap therebetween . according to the present invention , since the metallic material , for instance steel , which makes up the inner pipe 2 has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the outer shell , it is necessary to accommodate a relative displacement therebetween . in this embodiment , relatively sliding movement is allowed between the rear end of the sleeve member 6 and the inner pipe 2 without breaking a substantially air - tight engagement therebetween as illustrated in fig5 and 6 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig9 the rear end of the inner pipe 2 is formed as a part having a cylindrical shape and a slightly enlarged diameter . the rear end of the sleeve member 6 is engaged to this part having the enlarged diameter . in this case , it is not necessary to flare the rear end of the inner pipe 2 after assembling the exhaust muffler . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the entire length of the inner pipe 2 extending out of the outer shell 2 is provided with a constant diameter , and the rear end of the sleeve member 6 is simply constricted so as to be closely fitted onto the rear end of the inner pipe 2 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the rear end of the sleeve member 6 is folded back inwardly in a fashion similar to the first embodiment , but an annular member 10 having a heat resistance and a low coefficient of friction is interposed between the folded back portion 6a of the sleeve member 6 and the rear end of the inner pipe 2 so that they may slide one over the other without excessive friction and transmission of heat from the inner pipe 2 to the outer shell 1 via the sleeve member 6 may be minimized . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the rear end 6a of the sleeve member 6 is securely welded to the rear end of the inner pipe 2 , and the middle part of the sleeve member 6 is corrugated along its circumference as denoted by numeral 81 so as to accommodate the relative movement between the outer shell 1 and the inner pipe 2 without breaking the air - tight seal therebetween . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the rear end of the sleeve member 6 is securely welded to the rear end of the inner pipe 2 in the same manner as in the previously described embodiment , but a part of the inner pipe 2 , instead of the middle part of the sleeve member 6 , is corrugated along its circumference as denoted by numeral 82 so as to accommodate the relative movement between the outer shell 1 and the inner pipe 2 without breaking the air - tight seal therebetween . according to the present invention , since the bayonet type joining structure between the sleeve member and the tubular extension of the outer shell tends to join the two halves close to each other , the integrity of the outer shell can be ensured without depending on any bonding agent . further , since the inner pipe is retained in the outer shell by way of the sleeve member , direct contact between the outer shell and the inner pipe can be avoided . thus , the reliability of the joining structure of the outer shell can be improved , and no undesirable thermal stress is produced between the extension and the inner pipe . in particular , by allowing relative movement between the outer shell and the rear end of the inner pipe , development of thermal stress therebetween can be avoided . although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments , it is possible to modify and alter details thereof without departing from the spirit of the present invention .
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fig3 illustrates a method of creating a tile - switch mapping architecture according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 , a core communication graph ( ccg ) 310 representing the connection of cores is created . the connection of cores is determined at the request of an soc designer . a case where a first core s is connected to a second core d will be explained as an example . a network - on - chip architecture ( noc ) 320 including a plurality of switches , a plurality of tiles and a plurality of links connecting the switches is created . for the convenience of explanation assume that the noc 320 is a two - dimensional mesh . however , the noc 320 is not limited to a two - dimensional mesh . when the ccg 310 and the noc 320 are created , a core - tile mapping architecture 340 is created , in which cores and tiles are mapped by a conventional core - tile mapping method ( ctm ) 330 . for the convenience of explanation assume that the first core s is mapped to a first tile k , and the second core d is mapped to a second tile l . when the core - tile mapping architecture 340 is created , the cores are mapped to switches using a predetermined optimized mapping method 350 , to create an optimized tile - switch mapping architecture 360 . in the tile - switch mapping architecture 360 created by the optimized mapping method 350 , the hop distance between the first core s and the second core d is minimized , and the energy and the communication delay time required when data is transmitted and received are minimized . the optimized mapping method 350 will now be explained in more detail with reference to fig4 , which is a flow chart of the method of creating a tile - switch mapping architecture of fig3 . referring to fig4 , the optimized mapping method 350 includes first , second and third calculation steps . for the convenience of explanation assume that the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture is obtained when the first core s is mapped to the first tile k , the second core d is mapped to the second tile l , a first switch i , one of the switches abutting the first tile k , is connected to the first tile k , and a second switch j , one of the switches abutting the second tile l , is connected to the second tile l . it is assumed that the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture is obtained when the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped is connected to the first switch i and the second tile l to which the second core d is mapped is connected to the second switch j . a proximity index value is used to indicate the proximity of a switch to a tile or a core to a tile . the proximity index values will indicate whether or not a particular switch abuts a particular tile or if a particular core is mapped to a particular tile . the optimized mapping method 350 can be represented by expression 1 , 1 โ โ s , d โข ฯ
sd โข โ โ s , d โข โ โ k , l โข ฯ
sd kl โข โ โ i โข โ s k , โ j โ s i โข h ij โข f kl ij . a plurality of result values are obtained when the calculation according to expression 1 is carried out while varying proximity index values of the first and second cores s and d , and the first and second tiles k and l , and the hop distance value between the first and second switches i and j . these result values correspond to hop distances between the first and second cores s and d . accordingly , the proximity index values of the first and second cores s and d , and of the first and second tiles k and l , and the hop distance values of the first and second switches i and j , which can obtain the minimum value of the result values , form the optimized mapping architecture . the first step 410 of creating the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture using the optimized mapping method 350 will now be explained . the first step 410 multiplies the data communication flow from the first tile k to the second tile l by the hop distance value between the first and second switches i and j . specifically , the first step 410 changes the hop distance value of the first and second switches i and j to the hop distance values of switches abutting the first tile k and the hop distance values of switches abutting the second tile l , carries out the multiplication for the changed hop distance values , and then sums the multiplication result values . the first step performs the rightmost summing operation ( sigma operation ) of expression 1 . in expression 1 , f kl ij represents the data communication flow and h ij denotes the hop distance value between the first and second switches i and j . in addition , s k and s l respectively represent the switches abutting the first tile k and the switches abutting the second tile l . there may be a plurality of switches that abut the first and second tiles k and l . the first and second switches i and j are selected from the switches abutting the first and second tiles k and l to calculate the data communication flow and the hop distance value , and the two terms are multiplied together . then , the hop distance value of the first and second switches i and j is changed to the hop distance values of the switches abutting the first and second tiles k and l , the data communication flow and the hop distance value for the changed hop distance values are calculated , and the data communication flow is multiplied by the hop distance value . when the noc architecture is a two - dimensional mesh as in the embodiment of the present invention , there are four switches abutting each of the first and second tiles k and l . thus , four result values are obtained when the calculation of the first step is carried out for the first and second switches i and j , and the four result values are summed according to the summing operation ( sigma operation ). the data communication flow has the value 1 if the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped is connected to the first switch i and the second tile l to which the second core d is mapped is connected to the second switch j , but has the value 0 otherwise . the case where the first switch i is mapped to the first tile k to which the first core s is connected and the second switch j is mapped to the second tile l to which the second core d is connected has been assumed to be the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture . accordingly , the data communication flow has the value 1 only in the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture but has the value 0 in other architectures . โข โ โ i โข โ s k , โ j โ s i โข f kl ij = 1 , where f kl ij denotes the data communication flow , m ki represents the case where the first switch i is connected to the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped , and m ij represents the case where the second switch j is connected to the second tile l to which the second core d is mapped . here , m ki and m lj have the value 1 if the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped is connected to the first switch i and the second tile l to which the second core d is mapped is connected to the second switch j , but have the value 0 otherwise . accordingly , the data communication flow becomes 1 in the optimized architecture in which the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped is connected to the first switch i and the second tile l to which the second core d is mapped is connected to the second switch j . the second step 420 multiplies the communication volume between the first core s and the second core d by the result value of the first step , when the first core s is mapped to the first tile k and the second core d is mapped to the second tile l . specifically , the second step changes proximity index values of the first and second tiles k and l to the proximity index values of all tiles , carries out the multiplication for the changed tile proximity index values , and sums the multiplication result values . the second step 420 performs the second summing operation ( sigma operation ) of expression 1 including the calculation of the first step . in expression 1 , the communication volume between the first and second cores s and d is represented by ฮฝ sd kl when the first core s is mapped to the first tile k and the second core d is mapped to the second tile l . the calculation of the first step is carried out while changing proximity index values of the first and second tiles k and l to the proximity index values of all tiles . then , the hop distance value and communication data flow are calculated for all tiles and all switches abutting the tiles , and the two terms are multiplied together . each of the multiplication result values is multiplied by the communication volume ฮฝ sd kl that is obtained while changing the proximity index values of the first and second tiles k and l to the proximity index values of all tiles . the communication volume relates to the quantity of data communication between the first core s and the second core d , and functions as a weight value . the third step 430 carries out the calculation of the second step for all cores , and then sums the calculation result values . the third step 430 performs the third summing operation ( sigma operation ) of expression 1 , including the operation of the second step 420 . specifically , the calculations of the first and second steps are carried out while changing the proximity index values of the first and second cores s and d to the proximity index values of all cores . then , the hop distance , data communication flow and communication volume are calculated for all cores , all tiles and all switches abutting the tiles . the result values obtained through these calculations are summed to acquire the minimum hop distance between the first switch i and the second switch j . here , the first switch i is connected to the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped , and the second switch j is connected to the second tile l to which the second core d is mapped . the architecture of mapping the cores , tiles and switches which corresponds to the minimum hop distance forms the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture capable of minimizing energy consumption and communication delay time . the optimized mapping method 350 can further include a fourth step that divides the result of the third step by the communication volume between the first and second cores s and d , which has been carried out for all cores , to determine the first and second tiles k and l for which the average hop distance between the first and second switches i and j is minimum . the first through fourth steps are executed under the following conditions . restrictions on the mapping of cores and tiles are described . the number of cores is equal to or less than the number of tiles , and no more than one core is mapped to a single tile . that is , one core is mapped to one tile . on the other hand , one tile can be mapped to one core or not mapped to any core . the number of switches connected to a single core is greater than 1 and less than 4 . this means that the number of switches connected to a single tile is also greater than 1 and less than 4 . the relationship between tiles and switches is represented by expression 3 , 1 โค โ โ i โ s k โข m ki โค d c , where d c denotes the maximum number of switches connected to a single core , and 1 โฆ d c โฆ 4 when the noc has a two - dimensional mesh architecture . in addition , m ki is 1 if the first switch i is connected to the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped , and m ki is 0 otherwise , and s k represents the switches abutting the first tile k . the term of expression 3 becomes one value between 1 and 4 when the first core s is mapped to the first tile k . thus , the number of switches connected to a single tile is larger than 1 and smaller than 4 . in addition , the number of cores connected to a single switch is larger than 1 and smaller than 4 . this means that the number of tiles connected to a single switch is greater than 1 and less than 4 . the relationship between cores and switches is represented by expression 4 , 0 โค โ โ k โ t i โข m ki โค d s , where d s denotes the maximum number of cores connected to a single switch , and 1 โฆ d s โฆ 4 when the noc has a two - dimensional mesh architecture . in addition , m ki is 1 if the switch i is connected to the first tile k to which the first core s is mapped , and m ki is 0 otherwise , and t i represents the tiles abutting the first switch i . of expression 4 becomes one value between 0 to 4 . accordingly , the number of cores connected to a single switch is greater than 0 and less than 4 . the bandwidth of an arbitrary link should be less than or equal to the maximum bandwidth that can be simultaneously maintained in the link . furthermore , the maximum bandwidth of the arbitrary link must not exceed the link capacity . the bandwidth of the link is represented by expression 5 , โ โ k , l โข โ โ i โ s k , โ j โ s l โข b sd โข r xy ij โข f kl ij = b xy , where b xy means the bandwidth of the link between arbitrary first and second routes x and y between the first and second switches i and j , and b sd denotes the bandwidth required for the data communication flow from the first core s to the second core d . in addition , b max represents the maximum bandwidth simultaneously maintained in the arbitrary link , and c denotes the link capacity that is the maximum data capacity that the arbitrary link can transfer . the link between the first and second switches i and j connecting the first and second cores s and d must have a sufficient bandwidth for transmitting and receiving data . the bandwidth b xy of the link between the first and second routes x and y must be smaller than the maximum bandwidth b max . furthermore , the maximum bandwidth b max must be smaller than the maximum data capacity c the link can transfer . in expression 5 , r xy ij is 1 if the first and second routes x and y exist between the first and second switches i and j , and 0 otherwise . based on the aforementioned conditions and the first through fourth steps , the optimized tile - switch mapping architecture capable of minimizing energy consumption and communication delay time can be found . at least one method of the present invention is preferably embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable recording medium . the computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system . examples of the computer readable recording medium include rom , ram , cd - rom , magnetic tapes , floppy disks , optical data storage devices , and carrier waves ( such as data transmission through the internet ). the computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion . while the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims .
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the proposed solution for forecasting the feed - in power of photovoltaic installations ( pv installations ) is distinguished , in particular , by virtue of the effects of the temporary shading of solar radiation by clouds and other weather effects being able to be taken into account . to this end , information from the spatially adjacent pv installations is taken into account in a forecasting model . by way of example , this information can be employed on the basis of so - called measurement zones , wherein a measurement zone has several pv installations which spatially surround an installation to be observed at the present time . fig1 shows a schematic diagram with one pv installation 101 and several adjacent pv installations 102 to 107 . each one of the pv installations 101 to 107 comprises a measurement zone , on the basis of which a shading can be determined . the measurement zone preferably relates to the solar modules : the shading can be deduced on the basis of the variation in the power output . thus , an individual solar module or a group of solar modules can be used as a measurement zone . it is also possible for several ( e . g . small ) pv installations to be combined to form a single measurement zone ; correspondingly it is possible for large pv installations to be employed as a single measurement zone or even to provide several measurement zones . in fig1 , each pv installation 101 to 107 corresponds to a measurement zone in an exemplary manner , with the pv installations 102 to 107 being employed to predict a shading of the pv installation 101 . by way of example , the sun is shining ( without shading by clouds ) over the pv installations 105 and 106 . correspondingly , no shading can be measured here . clouds are in each case situated over the pv installations 102 , 103 , 104 and 107 , and so there is a partial shading of the solar radiation . the shading can be determined on the basis of the respective measurement zone . it is also possible to establish a time profile of the shading . as a result of the time profile of the shading , it is possible to deduce a direction 109 to 111 of the movement of the clouds , as well as the speed thereof . this information can be provided by the adjacent pv installations 102 to 104 and 107 of the pv installation 101 , which , on the basis of the distance from the adjacent pv installations 102 to 104 and 107 , can predict when a shading is to be expected and possibly how strong this shading will turn out . here , the degree of cloudiness in the adjacent measurement zones of the pv installations 102 to 107 can be a first indication for a change in the feed - in power . in order to be able to determine a more accurate forecast , a direction of a cloud drift and a pattern of the cloud distribution , i . e . in particular a shape , length and width of a cloud and the change thereof , are taken into account . in order to determine these factors , use is preferably not made of the airflow close to the ground ( since this is only conditionally correlated to the direction of the cloud drift ). it is also an option to distinguish between influences of low , medium - high and high clouds . since the influence of medium - high and high clouds in the forecast is derived from the degree of cloudiness in the proposed solution from the meteorological data , the present approach also relates to the influence of those clouds which are responsible for the short - term shading effects and are possibly not ( yet ) taken into account in the meteorological data . the solution proposed here determines the aforementioned parameters by a cross - correlation r ab of the various pv installations in the measurement zones . here , the cross - correlation r ab of a feed - in power p of two pv installations a and b , which are arranged at a distance dab from one another , can be determined according to the relationship : where t denotes a considered time interval and ฮฝ cloud is an ( estimated ) speed of the cloud drift . here , the speed of a cloud drift can be determined by maximizing the cross - correlations from various pv installation pairs in the same spatial alignment , while the direction of the cloud drift can be determined by the comparison of the cross - correlations of spatially differently aligned pv installation pairs . when evaluating the cross - correlations of various pv installation pairs , the fact that the shape and movement of a cloud drift can be influenced by superposed effects is preferably taken into account . such superposed effects can be established separately from one another . firstly , a cloud drift moves within the scope of a large - scale weather flow , and so there should be a high cross - correlation even of pv installation pairs lying relatively far apart . however , the superposition of vertical airflows leads to a change in the shape and the optical density of a cloud drift , and so the cross - correlation can strongly reduce between pv installation pairs which are relatively far apart . the solution presented here in particular makes use of this effect , for example by virtue of the direction of the large - scale airflow being determined first and the variance of the cross - correlation of pv installations at different distances apart from one another in the direction of the large - scale airflow being determined thereafter . as a result of these data it is then possible to estimate the change in the cloud drift in respect of the shape thereof . the data in respect of the cloud drifts established thus are provided by the measurement zones of a forecast zone , wherein each zone , depending on the situation , can be both a measurement zone and a forecast zone . hence it is advantageous to design the zones in such a way that they correspond to the grid sections of a smart grid . in this case , occurrence of additional effects due to overlapping zones can be avoided . the forecast zone advantageously employs the direction of the large - scale airflow established by the measurement zones and the inherent measurements , in order to identify those measurement zones which lie ahead of it in the flow direction and therefore are able to provide relevant data in respect of the forecast . since determining the flow direction is afflicted by uncertainty , it may be advantageous to include the data from further measurement zones , weighted by the deviation from the estimated airflow direction . the change in the feed - in power of the forecast zone can now be determined on the basis of the estimated movement of a cloud drift over the forecast zone , wherein , in a first approach , the change can be estimated from the current feed - in power and cloud shading relative to the future cloud shading . in order to estimate an absolute feed - in power , it is possible to employ known models ( e . g . analytical models ), which estimate the feed - in power by means of meteorological information and the pv installation parameters , wherein the output thereof can be corrected by means of the newly obtained cloud - drift data . by way of example , a hybrid model can be used for this , in which a so - called error correction neural network ( ecnn ) corrects the deviation between the aforementioned model according to the prior art and the actual feed - in power , taking into account the cloud - drift information and optionally other ( locally collected ) data , e . g . the temperature . the solution proposed here therefore enables a short - term forecast of shading effects for pv installations and thus forms a basis for the balance between the fed - in and required amount of energy , since some operating means have to be actuated in advance ( i . e . in good time ) for cost - efficient balancing of the load flows . by way of example , a chp installation has to be started in good time in order to be able to provide the energy lost should the pv installation be shaded . a goal of such balancing includes avoiding the take up of an operating reserve from the superordinate grid section in order thus to save additional costs . an option includes transmitting the data determined by the measurement zones to a central service , e . g . a meteorological service , in order to improve the forecast thereof by additional local information . fig2 shows a block diagram with steps of the method for determining or forecasting a power output by a pv installation . an item of shading information from at least one adjacent pv installation , e . g . by at least one measurement zone of the adjacent pv installation , is provided in a step 201 . in a step 202 , the shading information is used to establish a forecast for an imminent shading , e . g . in relation to a cloud drift , and , in a step 203 , the predicted power output for the current pv installation is determined depending on this forecast . hence , it is possible to decide whether ( for example if a predetermined threshold value is reached ) it is necessary to activate a substitute energy source in order to compensate for a power dip of the current pv installation .
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the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown . this invention may , however , be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein . rather , these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . like numbers refer to like elements throughout and signal lines and signals thereon may be referred to by the same reference symbols . fig1 is a circuit diagram of a double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes first and second buffers 111 and 151 , a pulse generator 121 , first and second logic circuits 131 and 141 , and first and second controllers 161 and 171 . the first buffer 111 receives as an input an external clock signal clk and converts the voltage level of the external clock signal clk . for example , the first buffer 111 converts the external clock signal clk from a transistor logic ( ttl ) level into a clock signal of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) level . the pulse generator 121 accepts as an input the output from the first buffer 111 and generates an internal clock signal pclk . the pulse generator 121 generates the internal clock signal pclk whenever the external clock signal clk rises from logic low to logic high . the first logic circuit 131 receives as an input a first single data rate mode signal cl 1 input from the outside and the internal clock signal pclk , and generates a data strobe clock signal pclkds . the first logic circuit 131 outputs the data strobe clock signal pclkds in response to the internal clock signal pclk when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is activated to logic high , and does not generate the data strobe clock signal pclkds when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is deactivated to logic low . namely , the first logic circuit 131 includes a nand gate for performing a nand operation on the internal clock signal pclk and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 . therefore , the data strobe clock signal pclkds becomes logic high when either the internal clock signal polk or the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is logic low and becomes logic low when both the internal clock signal pclk and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 are logic high . the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is activated when a column address strobe ( cas ) latency is 1 . the second buffer 151 receives as an input an external data strobe signal ds and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 . the second buffer 151 changes the voltage level of the external data strobe signal ds in response to the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 . the second buffer 151 outputs logic high when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is activated to logic high , and generates an output in response to the external data strobe signal ds when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is deactivated to logic low . namely , the output of the second buffer 151 becomes logic high when both the external data strobe signal ds is logic high and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is logic low , and becomes logic low when both the external data strobe signal ds is logic low and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is logic low . the second logic circuit 141 receives as an input the output of the second buffer 151 and the data strobe clock signal pclkds , and generates an internal data strobe signal pds . the second logic circuit 141 includes a nand gate 143 for performing a nand operation on the internal clock signal pclk and the output of the second buffer 151 , and an inverter 145 for inverting the output of the nand gate 143 . therefore , the internal data strobe signal pds becomes logic low when either the output of the second buffer 151 or the data strobe clock signal pclkds is logic low , and becomes logic high when both the output of the second buffer 151 and the data strobe clock signal pclkds are logic high . the first controller 161 receives as an input a data masking signal dm , the internal clock signal pclk , the internal data strobe signal pds , a second single data rate mode signal bl 1 and a data masking enable signal dmen . the first controller 161 generates a first internal masking signal dm_f and a second internal masking signal dm_s . the first controller 161 is synchronized with the internal clock signal pclk and the internal data strobe signal pds when the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 is deactivated to logic low , and generates the first and second internal masking signals dm_f and dm_s in response to the data masking signal dm . when the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 is activated to logic high , the first internal masking signal dm_f is generated in response to the data masking signal dm , and the second internal masking signal dm_s is activated to logic high . the second controller 171 receives as an input data dini , a buffer enable signal dinen , the internal clock signal pclk , the internal data strobe signal pds , the first internal masking signal dm_f and the second internal masking signal dm_s . the second controller also outputs first data did_f and second data did_s . the second controller 171 is synchronized with a rising edge of the internal clock signal pclk when the first internal masking signal dm_f is deactivated to logic low , and outputs the first data did_f . the second controller 171 does not output the first data did_f when the first internal masking signal dm_f is activated to logic high . the second controller 171 is synchronized with the falling edge of the internal clock signal pclk when the second internal masking signal dm_s is deactivated , and outputs the second data did_s . the second controller 171 does not output the second data did_s when the second internal masking signal dm_s is activated to logic high . fig2 is a circuit diagram of the first controller 161 shown in fig1 . referring to fig2 the first controller 161 includes a buffer 211 , first through fifth d flip - flops 221 through 225 , and an or gate 231 . the buffer 211 receives as an input the data masking signal dm and is controlled by the data masking enable signal dmen . namely , the buffer 211 buffers the data masking signal dm when the data masking enable signal dmen is activated to logic high , and does not generate an output when the data masking enable signal dmen is disabled to logic low . the first d flip - flop 221 receives as an input the output of the buffer 211 and the output of the buffer 211 is synchronized with the internal data strobe signal pds . the second d flip - flop 222 receives as an input the output of the first d flip flop 221 and the output of the first d flip - flop 221 is synchronized with the inverted internal data strobe signal pds . the third d flip - flop 223 receives as an input the output of the second d flip - flop 222 and the output of the third d flip - flop 223 ( i . e ., the first internal masking signal dm_f ) is synchronized with the internal clock signal pclk . the fourth d flip - flop 224 receives as an input the output of the buffer 211 and the output of the buffer 211 is synchronized with the inverted internal data strobe signal pds . the fifth d flip - flop 225 receives as an input the output of the fourth d flip - flop 224 and the output of the fourth d flip - flop 224 is synchronized with the internal clock signal pclk . the or gate 231 performs an or operation on the output of the fifth d flip - flop 225 and the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 , and outputs the second internal masking signal dm_s . when either the output of the fifth d flip - flop 225 or the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 is logic high , the second internal masking signal dm_s becomes logic high . when both the output of the fifth d flip - flop 225 and the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 are logic low , the second internal masking signal dm_s becomes logic low . the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 is activated to logic high when the burst length of the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit is 1 . fig3 is a circuit diagram of the second controller 171 shown in fig1 . referring to fig3 the second controller 171 includes buffers 311 , 312 , and 313 and sixth through tenth d flip - flops 321 through 325 . the buffer 311 receives as an input the data dini from the outside and outputs data pdini , controlled by the buffer enable signal dinen . namely the buffer 311 buffers the data dini when the buffer enable signal dinen is activated to logic high and outputs the data pdini , and does not generate the data pdini when the buffer enable signal dinen is deactivated to logic low . the sixth d flip - flop 321 receives as an input the data pdini and outputs the data pdini , synchronized with the internal data strobe signal pds . the seventh d flip - flop 322 receives as an input the output of the sixth d flip - flop 321 and outputs the data dif_f , synchronized with the inverted internal data strobe signal pds . the eighth d flip - flop 323 receives as an input the data dif_f and outputs the data di_f , synchronized with the internal clock signal pclk . the ninth d flip - flop 324 receives as an input the data pdini and outputs the data dif_s , synchronized with the inverted internal data strobe signal pds . the tenth d flip - flop 325 receives as an input the data dif_s and outputs the data di_s , synchronized with the internal clock signal pclk . the buffer 312 receives as an input the data di_f and outputs the data did_f , controlled by the first internal masking signal dm_f . namely , the buffer 312 does not output the data did_f when the first internal masking signal dm_f is activated to logic high , but outputs the data did_f , which is the same as the data di_f , when the first internal masking signal dm_f is deactivated to logic low . the buffer 313 receives as an input the data di_s and outputs the data did_s , controlled by the second internal masking signal dm_s . the buffer 313 does not output the data did_s when the second internal masking signal dm_s is activated , but outputs the data did_s , which is the same as the signal di_s , when the second internal masking signal dm_s is deactivated at a logic low . fig4 is a timing diagram of signals that illustrates operation of the device of fig1 . referring to fig4 when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is logic low , the internal clock signal pclk is generated in sync with the rising edge of the external clock signal clk and the data strobe clock signal pclkds is maintained at logic high . then , when the first and second single data rate mode signals cl 1 and bl 1 become logic high , the data strobe clock signal pclkds is generated as an inverted version of the internal clock signal pclk ( i . e ., as logic 0 pulses ), and the internal data strobe signal pds is generated in response to the data strobe clock signal pclkds . when the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 becomes logic high , the second internal masking signal dm_s becomes logic high from logic low . when the second internal masking signal dm_s becomes logic high , the second data did_s is masked by the second internal masking signal dm_s . as a result , the data dini that is received as an input from the outside of the second controller 171 it is not written in the synchronous dram integrated circuit . as described in fig1 through 4 , when the first and second single data rate mode signals cl 1 and bl 1 are activated , the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit device operates in a single data rate mode . therefore , it is possible to test a double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit by writing data into the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit using low speed test equipment . fig5 is a circuit diagram of a double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig5 the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes first and second buffers 511 and 551 , a pulse generator 521 , first and second logic circuits 531 and 541 , and first and second controllers 561 and 571 . since the first and second buffers 511 and 551 , the first and second logic circuits 531 and 541 , and the first and second controllers 561 and 571 have the same structure and perform the same operations as those of the circuits shown in flg . 1 , descriptions thereof will be omitted . the difference between the circuit shown in fig1 and the circuit shown in fig5 is in the pulse generator 121 of fig1 and pulse generator 521 of fig5 . the pulse generator 521 receives as an input the output of the first buffer 511 and generates the internal clock signal pclk . the pulse generator 521 generates the internal clock signal pclk at the rising and falling edges of the external clock signal clk . the pulse generator 521 includes a rising pulse generator 523 , a falling pulse generator 525 , and a logic device 527 . the rising pulse generator 523 receives as an input the output of the first buffer 511 and generates a pulse at the rising edge of the external clock signal clk . the falling pulse generator 525 receives as an input the output of the first buffer 511 and a pulse control signal pdual received as an input and generates a pulse at the falling edge of the external clock signal clk . namely , the falling pulse generator 525 generates the pulse at the falling edge of the external clock signal clk when the pulse control signal pdual is activated to a logic high and does not generate the pulse when the pulse control signal pdual is deactivated to a logic low . the logic device 527 performs an or operation on the output of the rising pulse generator 523 and the output of the falling pulse generator 525 and generates the internal clock signal pclk . accordingly , the logic device 527 outputs logic high when either the output of the rising pulse generator 523 or the output of the falling pulse generator 525 is logic high , and outputs logic low when both the output of the rising pulse generator 523 and the output of the falling pulse generator 525 are logic low . therefore , when the pulse is generated in the rising pulse generator 523 , the logic portion 527 outputs the pulse received from the rising pulse generator 523 , and outputs the pulse generated in the falling pulse generator 525 when the pulse is received from the falling pulse generator 525 . fig6 is a timing diagram of signals that illustrate operation of the device of fig5 . referring to fig6 commands are input at the rising and falling edges of the external clock signal clk . namely , the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit device operates in a dual edge clocking mode . when the pulse control signal pdual and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 are logic high , the internal clock signal pclk is generated at the rising and falling edges of the external clock signal clk . when the internal clock signal pclk is generated , the data strobe clock signal pclkds is generated as an inverted version of the internal clock signal pclk . when the data pdini ( shown in fig3 ) is input , the data di_f ( shown in fig3 ) is generated , and the data did_f is generated by the data signal di_f ( shown in fig3 ). when the second single data rate mode signal bl 1 is logic high , the second internal masking signal dm_s becomes logic high . when the second internal masking signal dm_s becomes logic high , the data did_s is not output and only the data did_f is output even though the data pdini is input . thus , as described in fig5 and 6 , it is possible to operate the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit in a dual edge clocking mode ( of the single data rate mode ) by activating the first and second single data rate mode signals cl 1 and bl 1 . therefore , it is possible to test the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit at double the speed of the circuit shown in fig1 by writing the data at double the speed of the circuit shown in fig1 into the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit device using the low speed test device . fig7 is a circuit diagram of a double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit according to a third embodiment of the present invention . the circuit shown in fig7 is configured for reading data from the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit by operating the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit in the single data rate mode using the low speed test equipment . referring to fig7 the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit according to the third embodiment includes a buffer 71 1 , a logic portion 721 , and a controller 731 . the buffer 711 receives as an input the external clock signal clk and the inverted external clock signal clkb , and outputs signals pclkdq_f and pclkdq_s . the logic portion 721 receives as an input the signals pclkdq_f and pclkdq_s and the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 , and generates first and second control signals clkdq_f and clkdq_s . the logic portion 721 generates the first and second control signals clkdq_f and clkdq_s in response to the external clock signal clk when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is deactivated to logic low . the logic portion 721 activates the first control signal clkdq_f to logic high and deactivates the second control signal clkdq_s to logic low when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is activated to logic high . the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is activated when the cas latency of the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit is 1 . the logic portion 721 includes logic circuits 723 and 724 , and logic circuits 726 and 727 . the logic circuits 723 and 724 respectively include a nor gate 723 and an inverter 724 . the logic circuits 726 and 727 respectively include a nand gate 726 and an inverter 727 . the nor gate 723 receives as inputs the single data rate mode signal cl 1 and the signal pclkdq_f and performs a nor operation on them . namely , the nor gate 723 outputs logic low when either the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 or the signal pclkdq_f is logic high , and outputs logic high when both the single data rate mode signal cl 1 and the signal pclkdq_f are logic low . the inverter 724 inverts the output of the nor gate 723 and outputs a first control signal clkdq_f . the nand gate 726 receives as inputs an inverted version of the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 and the signal pclkdq_s and performs a nand operation on them . namely , the nand gate 726 outputs logic high when either the inverted version of the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 or the signal pclkdq_s is logic low , and outputs logic low when both the inverted version of the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 and the signal pclkdq_s are logic high . the inverter 727 inverts the output of the nand gate 726 and outputs the second control signal clkdq_s . a controller 731 receives as inputs the first and second data signals db_f and db_s and is controlled by the first and second control signals clkdq_f and clkdq_s . when the first and second control signals clkdq_f and clkdq_s are deactivated to logic low , the first and second data signals db_f and db_s are not output . when only the first control signal clkdq_f is activated to logic high , only the first data db_f is output . when the first and second control signals clkdq_f and clkdq_s are activated to logic high , the first and second data signals db_f and db_s are output . the controller 731 includes first through third switching devices 741 through 743 , first and second latches 751 and 752 and an output inverter 761 . the first switching device 741 , which receives as an input the first data db_f and outputs the first data db_f , is controlled by the first control signal clkdq_f . the first switching device 741 comprises an nmos transistor to which the first control signal clkdq_f is applied at the gate and the first data db_f is applied at the drain . therefore , the first switching device 741 is turned on when the first control signal clkdq_f is logic high and outputs the first data db_f . the first switching device is turned off when the first control signal clkdq_f is logic low and does not output the first data db_f . the second switching device 742 , which receives as an input the second data db_s and outputs the second data db_s , is controlled by the first control signal clkdq_f . the second switching device 742 includes an nmos transistor to which the first control signal clkdq_f is applied at the gate and the second data db_s is applied at the drain . therefore , the second switching device 742 is turned on when the first control signal clkdq_f is logic high and outputs the second data db_s . the second switching device is turned off when the first control signal clkdq_f is logic low and does not output the second data db_s . the first latch 751 latches and outputs the output of the second switching device 742 . the third switching device 743 , which receives as an input the second data db_s output from the first latch 751 and outputs the second data db_s , is controlled by the second control signal clkdq_s . the third switching device 743 includes an nmos transistor to which the second control signal clkdq_s is applied at the gate and the second data db_s is applied at the drain . therefore , the third switching device 743 is turned on when the second control signal clkdq_s is logic high and outputs the second data db_s . the third switching device is turned off when the second control signal clkdq_s is logic low and does not output the second data db_s . the second latch 752 inverts the first and second data db_f and db_s , respectively , output from the first and third switching devices 741 and 743 , and latches and outputs the first and second data . output data doi of the controller 731 is output from the second latch 752 . fig8 is a timing diagram of signals that illustrate operation of the device of fig7 . referring to fig8 the internal clock signal pclk is generated at the rising and falling edges of the external clock signal clk . when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is logic high , the first control signal clkdq_f is activated to a logic high and the second control signal clkdq_s is deactivated to a logic low . when the first control signal clkdq_f is a logic high , the first data db_f is output as the output data doi of the controller 731 , however , the second data db_s is not output as the output data doi of the controller 731 . thus , as described in fig7 and 8 , when the first single data rate mode signal cl 1 is activated , the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit operates in the single data rate mode . therefore , it is possible to test the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit by reading the internal data of the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit with the low speed test equipment . according , as explained above with respect to fig1 - 8 , it is possible to test the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit with the low speed test equipment by activating the first and second single data rate mode signals cl 1 and bl 1 , and operating the double data rate synchronous dram integrated circuit in the single data rate mode . in the drawings and specification , there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and , although specific terms are employed , they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation , the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims .
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turning first to fig1 depicted therein is a simplified illustration of a representative display 30 which might occur on the monitor 39 of the system of fig4 in accordance with the prior art . in this system , a user might be interacting with and accordingly have eyes focused upon an area 32 of the screen 30 which may prompt voice command to be analyzed and acted upon in the system of fig4 . once the voice recognition system makes an attempt to recognize such an utterance , it has been conventional to display the computer &# 39 ; s interpretation or translation of this command in a confirmation area 34 . for example , if the user is viewing an area 32 of an application in which there is menu of voice activatable choices such as โ open dictionary โ, he or she may consequently utter this command . in response thereto , the computer system , after recognizing the command or its best guess as to an interpretation , this interpretation ( such as โ open dictionary โ if the utterance was correctly so - interpreted ) would appear in this confirmation area 34 . a significant deficiency in this operation of voice command systems previously alluded to may be seen clearly depicted with reference to this prior art screen 30 of fig1 . it will be noted that whereas the end - user &# 39 ; s focus was on area 32 , in response to a voice command prompted thereby he or she will receive feedback as to how the command has been interpreted in this confirmation area 34 which is spatially separated a significant distance on the user interface screen from the area 32 which prompted the command in the first place . this causes the user to have to refocus his or her eyes at the diagonally opposite end of the screen 30 at the confirmation area 34 in order to discern whether or not the voice command was correctly interpreted . if so , the user must then cause his or her eyes to traverse back to area 32 and refocus and to regain concentration on the content of this area 32 . one reason historically for locating this confirmation area 34 which typically persists for a great deal of time in a fixed and out of the way location on the screen 30 is so that does not thereby obscure other relevant portions of the screen 30 wherein other informational content of the application is to be displayed . turning to fig2 a and 2b , displayed therein are correlative examples of screens 30 corresponding to that of the prior art screen 30 of fig1 wherein the features and benefits of the invention may be seen clearly depicted therein . referring first to fig2 a , again a screen 30 on which is displayed a representative screen from a voice actuated application executing in the computer system of fig4 is shown . in this screen 30 it will be noted that a conventional tool bar 34 is shown which may have a pulldown menu 35 associated therewith in the upper left - hand corner of the screen 30 . one voice recognizable command shown in this pulldown menu 35 might be โ open file โ 37 . when the end - user utters this โ open file โ command 37 , as in the case of the interface of fig1 the familiar confirmation area 36 may be made to appear proximal to the menu 35 wherein the voice - recognized utterance โ open file โ will appear ( or whatever the system recognizes ) thereby providing feedback to the user as to whether the user &# 39 ; s speech was correctly recognized . similarly , turning to fig2 b , yet another pulldown menu 38 may appear associated with the task or tool bar 34 at the upper portion of the screen 30 associated with yet another series of voice recognizable commands . it will be noted that this pulldown menu is at a location on the screen 30 different from that of fig2 a , and that this pulldown menu might have a different voice actuatable command such as โ print โ 39 displayed in this pulldown menu . upon the user uttering this voice actuatable command โ print โ, in like manner to the case with respect to fig1 and 2a , in this fig2 b will be seen that a confirmation area 36 appears on the display screen 30 proximal to where the voice actuatable โ print โ 39 command appears . a comparison of these fig2 a and 2b with the prior art user interface of fig1 reveals an important and significant difference . as previously described , in the case of the prior art fig1 interface , the area of concentration of the end - user 32 may be spatially a significant distance from where the default confirmation area 34 appears , giving rise to the associated undesirable results of disrupting concentration , causing the necessity of eye refocus and the like as the eye traverses between areas 32 and 34 . in contrast , however , it will be noted that in the user interface examples of fig2 a and 2b , a significant difference is that this confirmation area 36 is displayed on the screen 30 in an area proximal to the area on the screen which gave rise to the voice command which in turn caused display of the confirmation area 36 and wherein the user &# 39 ; s eyes are thus most likely to be focused . thus , for example , in fig2 a , the confirmation area 36 is proximal , e . g ., just below the location on screen 30 where the voice actuatable โ open file โ command 35 is displayed in the pulldown menu which , when uttered , gave rise to display of this confirmation area 36 on the screen and the recognized โ open file โ.. in like manner , in the illustration of fig2 b , this confirmation area 36 now appears at a different location on the screen from that of fig2 a , namely at a location proximal to the โ print โ voice actuatable command 39 associated with pulldown menu 38 which itself appears in a different location from the pulldown menu 35 including the โ file โ command of fig2 a . in this manner , the user &# 39 ; s eyes do not have to traverse a disrupting significant distance from the location on the display screen which prompted the voice actuatable command in order to verify that the command was correctly interpreted as viewed in the confirmation area 36 . it is yet a further significant feature of the invention that in the course of the voice navigation program which analyzes and displays the interpreted command in the confirmation area 36 that a context - sensitive analysis function which may include elements of artificial intelligence as desired and appropriate , may be built into the voice recognition system so as to position this confirmation area 36 proximal on the screen 30 to the intended and appropriate target of the command also displayed on the screen 30 which gave rise to display of the confirmation area and the interpreted command displayed therein . thus , for example , upon the end - user uttering โ open file โ, this subroutine or program feature in the voice recognition program executing on the system of fig4 will determine that because this โ open file โ command is currently being displayed in the upper left - hand corner of the screen 30 that the confirmation area 36 should therefore appropriately be displayed somewhere proximal to where this โ open file โ command appears in the drop - down menu 35 of the toolbar 34 . similarly , upon the voice recognition system detecting that the command โ print โ 39 has been uttered and correlating this to the fact that this command is displayed in the upper right corner of the display 30 , the system of the invention will thereby determine that , in contrast to the location of the display of the confirmation area 36 of fig2 a , it would now be more appropriate to display this confirmation area 36 in fig2 b at a different location on the display screen , e . g ., at a location proximal to where this โ print โ command 39 appeared which gave rise to the โ print โ utterance from the end - user . turning now to fig3 depicted therein is a flow diagram illustrating how program code would be provided executing on the system of fig4 to implement the aforementioned features of the invention . first , it will be assumed that the end - user has invoked a voice recognition or navigation application , as shown at box 40 which will be executing on the system of fig4 . it may be desirable to the end - user to adjust the persistence and dissipation of the confirmation area 36 prior to continuing with the process of fig3 . accordingly , as shown by the dotted lines and the box 42 , this program code may be adapted to accommodate this feature . alternatively , it will be appreciated that a feature of the invention may be to selectively alter this persistence and dissipation automatically , for example , as a function of the degree of confidence with which the voice recognition system has recognized the utterance of the end - user . if , for example , the voice recognition system has almost a 100 % confidence factor that the words โ close application โ have been recognized , the persistence time and dissipation time of the confirmation message would desirably be lessened substantially in that it is less likely that this feedback would be of significance to the end - user . on the other hand , if the voice recognition application had difficulty in recognizing an utterance , it would be desirable to automatically lengthen the persistence and dissipation time of the confirmation message . this will allow the end - user more time to notice that the command has not been interpreted correctly and to take corrective actions such as manually entering the correct desired command in the confirmation area or by manually effecting the command through use of the keyboard or pointing device , or by invoking an undo feature . continuing with fig3 once the voice recognition application program has been invoked and is executing , it will be assumed that the end - user will input a voice recognition command shown at box 44 in response to viewing a correlative command displayed on the display 30 . such input may be made by means of a microphone 28 shown in the system of fig4 and in response to reviewing one or more display screens 30 occurring on the monitor 39 of fig4 . once this voice recognition command has been uttered , the system of fig4 will thereafter detect an appropriate spatial location for providing feedback to the end - user in a confirmation area 36 , this step being illustrated by block 46 of fig3 . it will be recalled that this implementation of this functional block may include , as previously described , various factors as appropriate โ including elements of artificial intelligence which have been sensing prior user interaction with the application . additionally , such detection at block 46 may further include analysis of which voice actuatable commands are currently being displayed on the display screen 30 , and may also incorporate intelligent predictions as to where the end - user &# 39 ; s eye and intellectual focus may next occur on the display screen 30 based upon analysis of prior interaction with the voice actuatable program . continuing with fig3 once the program code has detected the desirable spatial location for feedback in the confirmation area 36 , the system will thereafter cause display of an appropriate feedback message 48 in a confirmation area 36 located on the screen 30 ( fig2 a - 2b ) based upon the analysis which previously transpired with reference to the function of box 46 . it will be noted that one appropriate such feedback message might be simply displaying the alpha numeric version of the uttered command or instruction from the end - user as interpreted by the voice recognition program , e . g ., displaying the words โ open file โ in the confirmation area 36 upon detecting that it appears the end - user has uttered the words โ open file โ in response to viewing this as a voice actuatable command choice in the pop - up menu 35 . once this โ best guess โ interpretation of the uttered voice command has thereby been displayed , 48 , the process of fig3 thereafter queries whether another message or command has been uttered by the end - user , shown by the decision block 50 of fig3 . if another message has been detected , flow exits to the left of block 50 and is routed along path 52 back to block 44 wherein this next voice command utterance input will be analyzed . flow then continues vertically downward along the flow diagram of fig3 whereupon this next desired spatial location for the confirmation area 36 for this next utterance is detected and the particular command analyzed . if , on the other hand , in response to the query at decision block 50 , it has been determined that another voice command has not been entered or will not be entered ( for example , because the voice navigable application has been closed ), the process exits to the right of decision block 50 and the process ends , 54 . before describing a block diagram of a computer system in which the invention may be advantageously employed , a few additional points must be noted . it should be readily apparent from the foregoing that once the confirmation area 36 has been extinguished after an appropriate length of persistence and dissipation , if the command has been correctly recognized it will automatically be executed by the system . if , on the other hand , it has not been correctly recognized , while the confirmation area still persists and before it has dissipated , the end - user may ( depending upon a user - determined preference ) override the recognized command ( or cause execution of a correct command in the event the command has not been recognized ) by means of manual entry in the keyboard , or use of a pointing device as required , or the utterance of a special voice command such as โ stop โ. yet an additional point is that although in the foregoing illustrations , voice recognition has been employed with respect to predetermined command choices for the end - user to select from a displayed pulldown menu or the like , the invention is not intended to be so limited . accordingly , there may be voice actuatable actions not associated with messages appearing on the screen . representative examples of this might be directional controls such as โ move cursor down โ or โ enlarge figure โ. such uttered directions may also , in like manner to a menu of command choices displayed on the screen , be recognizable by the voice system and acted upon , also with a confirmation of the words uttered appearing in a confirmation area 36 prior to execution of the recognized command or correction thereof to the keyboard or pointing device . also , in keeping with a fundamental concept of the invention , even in such cases wherein a menu of spoken commands to select from is not present , it is contemplated that the voice recognition system will be command - context sensitive in the sense that it may intelligently determine where to place the confirmation area 36 dependent upon the words uttered by the end - user . for example , if the end - user had uttered โ move cursor to the right two inches โ, the system could determine by recognizing the word โ cursor โ that some action associated with the cursor was desired โ such as a move , shape change , or the like . accordingly , the system would automatically display the confirmation area 36 with the recognized command displayed proximal to the current location of the cursor on the display screen 30 . this , of course , is in recognition of the likelihood that the end - user will have focused his or her eyes immediately preceding the command on the cursor and thereby may be expecting a confirmation message to appear somewhere proximal to the current cursor location . fig4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a computer system which may advantageously employ the improved pointing device resolution system of the present invention . the system comprises a cpu 10 , read only memory ( rom ) 11 , random access memory ( ram ) 12 , i / o adapter 13 , user interface adapter 18 , communications adapter 14 , and display adapter 19 , all interconnected via a common address / data and control path or bus 16 . each of the above components accesses the common bus utilizing conventional techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art , and includes such methods as dedicating particular address ranges to each component in the system , with the cpu being the busmaster . as is further shown in fig4 these external devices such as dasd 15 interface to a common bus 16 through respective adapters such as i / o adapter 13 . other external devices , such as the display 21 , similarly use their respective adapter such as display adapter 19 to provide data flow between the bus 16 and the display 21 or other device . various user interface means are provided for interconnection and use with the user interface adapter 18 , which , in the figure has attached thereto representative user input devices such as joy stick 23 , mouse 25 , keyboard 17 , and speaker and / or microphone 27 . each of these units is well known in as such and accordingly will not be described herein . the invention admits to implementation on essentially any computer system and corresponding microprocessor , such as the rs / 6000 โข, risc - based workstations and personal computers of the ibm corporation executing the aix โข and os / 2 โข operating systems , respectively , or similar machines of other vendors , which include for example in the case of an rs / 6000 workstation a 604 powerpc โข risc chip . ( rs / 6000 , ibm , aix , os / 2 and powerpc are trademarks of the ibm corporation ). contained with the cpu 10 of fig4 typically is one or more microprocessors which performs the system address , data , and control processing functions necessary for correct operation of the system of fig4 . although the invention admits to application to various microprocessor designs , in the embodiment disclosed herein , the microprocessor takes the form of a powerpc 604 microprocessor manufactured by the ibm corporation , which is a species of microprocessor known as a reduced instruction set computer ( risc ) microprocessor . further details regarding the architecture and operation of such a microprocessor may be obtained from the powerpc 604 risc microprocessor users manual , document # mpc604um / ad , november , 1994 , copyright ibm corporation , which is incorporated herein by reference . in the context of the invention , the user will view various objects such as a cursor and pop up or pop down menus on the display 21 which may be manipulated by means of various pointing devices such as the mouse 25 and voice activated navigation . program code associated with the user interface adapter 18 by way of a device driver for the pointing device 25 and microphone 27 in conjunction with operating environment and application code resident in ram 12 and / or dasd 15 will facilitate and enable movement of a cursor on the display screen 21 responsive to and in association with correlative voice commands spoken into microphone 27 . it will be understood from the foregoing description that various modifications and changes may be made in the preferred embodiment of the present invention without departing from its true spirit . it is intended that this description is for purposes of illustration only and should not be construed in a limiting sense . the scope of this invention should be limited only by the language of the following claims .
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it had been surprisingly discovered that three - dimensional tophaceous lesions can be systematically and quantitatively measured using non - invasive two - dimensional imaging techniques . in accordance with this detailed description , the following abbreviations and definitions apply . it must be noted that as used herein , the singular forms โ a ,โ โ an ,โ and โ the โ include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . the term โ therapeutic efficacy โ as used herein refers to the effectiveness of a particular treatment regimen . specifically , therapeutic efficacy is defined by achieving serum urate levels less than or about 6 mg / dl . this includes a balance of efficacy , toxicity ( e . g ., side effects and patient tolerance of a formulation or dosage unit ), patient compliance , and the like . the terms โ treating ,โ โ treatment ,โ and the like are used herein to refer to obtaining a desired pharmacological and physiological effect . the effect may be prophylactic in terms of preventing or partially preventing a disease , symptom , or condition thereof and / or may be therapeutic in terms of a partial or complete cure of a disease , condition , symptom , or adverse effect attributed to the disease . the term โ treatment ,โ as used herein , covers any treatment of a disease in a mammal , such as a human , and includes : ( a ) preventing the disease from occurring in a patient which may be predisposed to the disease but has not yet been diagnosed as having it , i . e ., causing the clinical symptoms of the disease not to develop in a patient that may be predisposed to the disease but does not yet experience or display symptoms of the disease ; ( b ) inhibiting the disease , i . e ., arresting or reducing the development of the disease or its clinical symptoms ; and ( c ) relieving the disease , i . e ., causing regression of the disease and / or its symptoms or conditions . treating a patient &# 39 ; s suffering from disease related to pathological inflammation is contemplated . preventing , inhibiting , or relieving adverse effects attributed to pathological inflammation over long periods of time and / or are such caused by the physiological responses to inappropriate inflammation present in a biological system over long periods of time are also contemplated . the term caper refers to ( computer - assisted photographic evaluation in rheumatology ), which was created to provide categorical scoring of tophus response recorded by photographic imaging . current urate - lowering management involves nonpharmacological and pharmacological strategies . the non - pharmacological strategies aim for urate lowering through lifestyle alterations , such as changes in diet composition and quantity , weight loss , reduction in alcohol consumption , and dietary supplementation such as with vitamin c . lifestyle initiatives for gout patients are beneficial not only by reducing sua but also by addressing risk factors contributing to comorbidities in gout patients . even when lifestyle alterations can be adhered to , however , they often do not provide sufficient urate lowering to control established gout , and pharmacological management is ultimately indicated . among the pharmacological urate - lowering strategies are treatments with uricosuric agents to promote renal uric acid excretion or , much more commonly , the purine analogue xanthine oxidase inhibitor , allopurinol , to reduce urate production . among the new pharmacological agents are nonpurine analogue xanthine oxidase inhibitor , febuxostat , and pegylated uricase . tophus photography is a key procedure in evaluating efficacy of pegylated uricase in this trial . therefore , special care has been taken not only in the execution of the photographs but also in the processing of the digital media storage card containing the photographic data . the following assembly and preparation steps are preferably undertaken before a photograph had been taken : 1 ) place the base on a flat table ; 2 ) push the stanchion through the light fixture bracket and light assembly bracket on the bottom ; 3 ) center the stanchion and light bracket over the square receptacle on the base ; 4 ) affix the light assembly mounting arms to the light assembly bracket ; 5 ) slide the camera holder over the upright stanchion and slide it down so that the holder is at the 18 โณ mark ; 6 ) attach the camera to the camera holder by aligning the threads on the holder with the threaded hole on the bottom of the camera and 7 ) screw the light bulbs in and test the lights to ensure they work . turn the lights off and slide the light fixture so they are in line with the camera . patients can have one or multiple tophus lesions . tophi are categorized as measurable or unmeasured , where unmeasured refers to a semi - quantitative assessment of change rather than accurate measurement of linear dimensions . to be considered measurable , tophi are preferably โง 5 mm in the longest dimension at baseline , and must have borders distinguishable to the trained central reader . at baseline up to 5 measurable tophi , preferentially from the hands and feet , in the photographs are chosen and measured bidimensionally by a central reader . any measurable tophi beyond the 5 chosen can be considered unmeasured . up to 2 tophi that are representative of the patient &# 39 ; s tophus burden but which cannot be accurately measured ( e . g . due to location , shape or other factors ) were followed during the study . the unmeasured tophi are preferably approximately 10 mm or greater at baseline in order for the reader to reliably assess qualitative changes . up to 2 tophi that are representative of the patient &# 39 ; s tophus burden but which either cannot be accurately measured ( e . g . due to location , shape or other factors ) or are in excess of the initial 5 selected as โ measurable โ tophi , can be followed . selected tophi are preferably representative of the patient &# 39 ; s overall tophus burden . baseline photographs are used to prospectively identify sites of tophaceous disease . all other sites not chosen as measurable tophi are characterized as unmeasured tophi as defined above . measurable tophi are preferentially chosen from the hands and feet because photographs of these areas are more readily standardized . for any measurable tophus at any time point , measurements are taken and recorded bi - dimensionally . the longest dimension ( ld ) is preferably recorded first . the perpendicular measurement is preferably recorded second . the bi - dimensional measurements of each measurable tophus are multiplied to obtain the area of each measurable tophus . the baseline area of each measurable tophus is used as reference to characterize the objective response of each measurable tophus . measurable tophi are measured at each time point . where there are no measurable tophi identified , photographic assessments are based on unmeasured tophi . measurements can be performed using electronic calipers on digital images , viewed on computer screen . measurements ( ld , width , and the area ) are captured in a database . tophi can be measured and reported in millimeters . further , the response assessment for each individual measurable tophi is compared to the area of the measurable tophus at baseline and defined as follows : 100 % decrease in the area of the tophus is a complete response , at least 75 % decrease in the area of the tophus is a marked response , at least 50 % decrease in the area of the tophus is partial response , and neither 50 % decrease nor a 25 % decrease in the area of the measurable tophus is referred to as stable disease . progressive disease is referred to as a 25 % or more increase in the area of the tophus . tophi that cannot be evaluated are captured as ue ( unevaluable ). for the unmeasured tophi , the evaluation is conducted where up to two unmeasured tophi are semi - quantitatively evaluated at each time point . response assessment for each individual unmeasured tophus is compared to semi - quantitative assessment of the unmeasured tophus at baseline and defined as follows : complete response ( cr )โ complete disappearance of the tophus ; improved ( i )โ an approximate 50 % or more reduction in the size of the tophus ; stable disease ( sd )โ neither improvement ( i ) nor progression ( pd ) can be determined ; progressive disease ( pd )โ an approximately 50 % or more increase in the size of the tophus ; and unable to evaluate ( ue )โ unable to assess for any reason at a given time point . the urate lowering therapy of the present invention is useful for lowering the levels of uric acid in the body fluids and tissues of mammals , preferably humans , and can thus be used for treatment of elevated uric acid levels associated with conditions including gout , tophi , renal insufficiency , organ transplantation and malignant disease . specifically , pegylated uricase conjugates may be injected into a mammal having excessive uric acid levels by any of a number of routes , including intravenous , subcutaneous , intradermal , intramuscular and intraperitoneal routes . alternatively , they may be aerosolized and inhaled . see patton , j s , ( 1996 ) adv drug delivery rev 19 : 3 - 36 and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 458 , 135 . the effective dose and duration of treatment with urate lowering therapy can depend on the level of uric acid suppression and the urate body burden . in a preferred embodiment , pegylated uricase , an effective urate lowering agent , is administered in a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or diluent at 8 mg every two weeks . in another embodiment , pegylated uricase may be administered at 8 mg every four weeks . in yet another embodiment , pegylated uricase may be administered at 8 mg every three weeks . pharmaceutical formulations containing pegylated uricase can be prepared by conventional techniques , e . g ., as described in gennaro , a r ( ed .) ( 1990 ) remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences , 18th edition easton , pa . : mack publishing co . suitable excipients for the preparation of injectable solutions include , for example , phosphate buffered saline , lactated ringer &# 39 ; s solution , water , polyols and glycerol . pharmaceutical compositions for parenteral injection comprise pharmaceutically acceptable sterile aqueous or non - aqueous liquids , dispersions , suspensions , or emulsions as well as sterile powders for reconstitution into sterile injectable solutions or dispersions just prior to use . these formulations may contain additional components , such as , for example , preservatives , solubilizers , stabilizers , wetting agents , emulsifiers , buffers , antioxidants and diluents . pegylated uricase may also be provided as controlled - release compositions for implantation into an individual to continually control elevated uric acid levels in body fluids . for example , polylactic acid , polyglycolic acid , regenerated collagen , poly - l - lysine , sodium alginate , gellan gum , chitosan , agarose , multilamellar liposomes and many other conventional depot formulations comprise bioerodible or biodegradable materials that can be formulated with biologically active compositions . these materials , when implanted or injected , gradually break down and release the active material to the surrounding tissue . for example , one method of encapsulating pegylated uricase comprises the method disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 653 , 974 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . the use of bioerodible , biodegradable and other depot formulations is expressly contemplated in the present invention . the uricase used in pegylated uricase may comprise a mammalian uricase amino acid sequence truncated at the amino terminus or the carboxy terminus or both the amino and carboxy termini by about 1 - 13 amino acids and may further comprise an amino acid substitution at about position 46 . the truncated uricase may further comprise an amino terminal amino acid , wherein the amino terminal amino acid is alanine , glycine , proline , serine , or threonine as described in co - pending pct / us2006 / 013660 and u . s . provisional application ser . no . 60 / 670 , 573 , which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties . the phase 3 studies of pegylated uricase in treatment failure gout and the first application of computer - assisted analysis of digital photographs for assessing tophus response was performed as described in example 1 . normalization of uric acid to & lt ; 6 . 0 mg / dl was selected as the primary outcome measure to reflect the pharmacodynamic effect of pegylated uricase . it is known that persistently elevated plasma uric acid ( pua ) or serum uric acid ( sua ) levels result in deposition of uric acid in joints and soft tissues . as the total body burden of uric acid increases , signs and symptoms of gout result , including arthritis , characterized by recurrent painful gout flares , development of tophi and joint deformities with resultant chronic pain / inflammation and consequent loss of physical function . based on the pharmacodynamic effect of pegylated uricase on sua , it was expected that clinical benefit in the tophaceous gout population would be observed by decreases in number of tophi , tender or swollen joints , fewer gout flares over time after an initial increase in flares associated with the initiation of urate - lowering therapy , and improvements in patient reported global assessments of disease activity , pain , physical function ( measured by haq ) and health - related quality of life ( hrqol , by sf - 36 ). these were selected as important secondary outcome measures to demonstrate that sustained lowering of uric acid levels would be associated with clinically meaningful improvements . pegloticase , a pegylated uricase used in this example , consists of a recombinant mammalian uricase ( primarily porcine , with c - terminal sequence from baboon uricase ), conjugated with multiple strands of monomethoxy peg of average molecular weight 10 kda ( 10 k mpeg ) per subunit of tetrameric enzyme ( kelly s j , et al . j am soc nephrol 2001 , 12 : 1001 - 1009 ; and ganson n j , et al . arthritis res ther 2005 , 8 ( 1 ): r12 ). it was manufactured by savient pharmaceuticals , inc . ( east brunswick , n . j .) and supplied in vials containing 12 . 9 mg of pegloticase ( 233 units , assayed as described below ) in 1 ml of a phosphate buffer . the primary objective of these replicate studies was to demonstrate statistical significance in the number of patients receiving pegloticase compared with those receiving placebo in achieving serum uric acid concentrations & lt ; 6 mg / dl for at least 80 % of the time during months 3 and 6 . secondary outcomes included reductions in tophus burden and incidence / frequency of gout flares during months 4 to 6 ; tender or swollen joint counts ; clinical global assessment of disease activity and patient reported outcomes : global assessment of disease activity , pain , physical function . these were two , replicate randomized , multi - center , double - blind , 3 - arm parallel treatment group , placebo - controlled trails of pegloticase , administered via intravenous infusion , in patients with hyperuricemia and symptomatic gout in whom conventional therapy was contraindicated or has been ineffective . patients must have discontinued any uric acid - lowering agents for at least one week prior to receiving study drug , and refrain from using such agents throughout the study . patients not already receiving prophylactic regimens of colchicine or non - steroidal antiinflammatory drug ( nsaid ) to prevent gout flares initiated such treatment at screening visit , unless medically contraindicated . after completing the study , patients had the option ( and were encouraged ) to continue active treatment for up to another 24 months by entering an open label extension ( ole ) protocol . the primary efficacy endpoint was normalization of plasma uric acid ( pua ) concentration to & lt ; 6 mg / dl ; using a predefined responder analysis , i . e ., the proportion of patients with plasma uric acid ( pua ) concentrations & lt ; 6 mg / dl for โง 80 % of the time during treatment months 3 and 6 . based on a predefined pooled analysis of both identical phase 3 rcts , the following secondary efficacy endpoints were assessed : reduction in tophus burden , using digital photography , in patients with evaluable tophi , i . e . โ tophus evaluable population โ, incidence and frequency of gout flares during months 4 to 6 of treatment , tender and / or swollen joint counts , clinician global assessment of disease activity and patient reported outcomes ( pros ). as the serum becomes supersaturated with urate , the material begins to deposit in the tissues . with some patients this not only leads to increased tissue stores of urate , but may lead to recurrent gout flares ; however , in others this might lead to extensive tissue deposition which could lead to the development of a tophus ( tophi ) sitting in the periarticular tissues , on extensor surfaces , in the subperiorsteal space , in bursae , around the ear , or more rarely in the spinal cord , brain , or in organs . the resolution of these tophi has not been demonstrated with available urate - lowering therapies alone or in combination with a uricosuric in randomized controlled trials . baseline photographs of the hands and feet and other sites ( up to 2 other representative sites ) of baseline tophus lesion that could be photographed , e . g ., elbow and knee , were obtained in each patient prior to initial study drug administration in a standardized manner were submitted to the digital imaging vendor . for these experiments , the following standardized equipment was used : camera ( calibrated and preset ) and media card , light stand and lights , preprinted templates for placing hands and feet in standard positions , preprinted ruler allowing the linear dimension to be calibrated in the photographic rendering of the tophus using electronic calipers , labels and training manual and video . the proprietary software , medstudio โข, was used for electronic measurement and document management of the electronic images . for taking photographs , the light stand with camera and template for hands and feet is shown in fig1 . further , fig2 shows how calibration ruler is used for anatomic sites other than hands and feet . at each interval 2 or 3 photographs are taken to ensure an acceptable photo has been taken . further , caper ( computer - assisted photographic evaluation in rheumatology ) was created to provide categorical scoring of tophus response recorded by photographic imaging . for these experiments , bi - dimensional measurements were considered to be more relevant for present application than the one - dimensional recist approach . fig3 a and 3b shows the use of electronic calipers measuring the two longest diameters of measured tophi ( perpendicular line ) and the ellipse designates a tophus at the distal interphalangeal ( dip ) joint with indistinguishable borders . tophi that were assessed were categorized as โ measured โ and โ unmeasured โ based on the central readers assessment of presence of distinguishable borders in the photographs . for these experiments , up to 5 measurable tophi , โง 5 mm at baseline in the longest dimension , with distinguishable borders in photographs were chosen by the central reader for assessment over the course of therapy . further , up to 2 tophi representative of tophus burden which could not be precisely measured ( e . g . due to location , shape or other factors ) were also followed during the study โ these semi - quantitatively assessed tophi must have been approximately โง 10 mm at baseline to allow reliable assessment of change in size . for these experiments , central reader identified tophus margins , set the calibration of the calipers according the photographed ruler , and placed the electronic calipers at the edges of the longest diameter . further , central reader identified margins of the longest perpendicular diameter and placed the electronic calipers at the edges . finally , the computer measured the length of the two diameters set by the placement of the electronic calipers and calculated the area . individual categorical scores were determined for each measured target tophus as follows : complete response ( cr ): 100 % decrease in the area of the tophus from baseline ; marked response ( mr ): at least a 75 % decrease in the area of the tophus from baseline ; partial response ( pr ): at least a 50 % decrease in the area of the tophus from baseline ; stable disease ( sd ): neither a 50 % decrease nor a 25 % increase in the area of the measurable tophus can be demonstrated ; progressive disease ( pd ): a 25 % or more increase in the area of the tophus from baseline and unable to evaluate ( ue ): if a target tophus could not be measured or assessed at any of the post - baseline time intervals ( e . g ., due to a missing or poor quality photo ), it was considered ue for that interval . for the unmeasured tophus , the individual categorical scores were determined as follows : stable disease ( sd ): neither improvement nor progression from baseline can be determined progressive disease ( pd ): ห 50 % or more increase in the area of the tophus . follow - up photographs were obtained for tophi at weeks 13 , 19 and 25 , final visit or early termination . at each timepoint , these were assessed by the blinded central reader and compared to baseline , including new appearance of a tophus not evident at baseline . photographs were read in โ sequential locked read โ format , programmatically controlled by software that prohibited the reader from changing the previous evaluation . most tophi were precisely assessed bidimensionally ( using longest diameter and longest perpendicular to that diameter ) and response of each individual tophus categorized according to change from baseline in area of each tophus at each visit . some tophi were unable to be precisely quantified as their margins could not be precisely defined . these tophi were assessed for global change . table 1 summarizes determinations of each individual tophus . as shown in table 2 , overall response for a patient was based upon the best response among all tophi ( measured and unmeasured ) for that patient . individual and overall tophus responses were summarized by visit ; number of patients with resolution of any tophus and time to tophus resolution were summarized by treatment group . numbers of patients with an overall tophus response of cr ( i . e ., responder ) were compared between each of the pegloticase dose groups against the placebo group using the fisher &# 39 ; s exact test . in addition , the overall tophus response such as cr , pr , sd , or pd were assigned an ordinal score of 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 , and the two - sample wilcoxon test were used to compare each of the pegloticase dose groups against the placebo group for the tophus assessment . time to tophus resolution was defined as the earliest time at which a complete resolution was demonstrated in one target tophus . patients without tophus resolution were excluded from this analysis . kaplan - meier plots were presented by treatment for the time point stated above . as shown in table 3 , treatment with pegloticase 8 mg q2 weeks demonstrated statistically significant reduction in tophus burden compared to placebo over time . at the first tophus response assessment visit at week 13 , 22 % of patients experienced complete response of a target tophus ( p = 0 . 011 ); after 6 months ( week 25 ) of pegloticase 8 mg 2q weeks treatment , 45 % experienced cr ( p = 0 . 002 ). 1 an ordinal score ( for categorical analysis ) was assigned for each response and used to compute the p - value , which was based on two sample wilcoxon test to compare corresponding pegloticase groups vs . placebo . 2 p - value based on fisher &# 39 ; s exact test to compare percent of cr between corresponding pegloticase groups vs . placebo . further , fig4 a - 4d exemplifies a patient who received pegloticase for 2 weeks ( q2 ) with a complete tophus resolution . specifically , fig4 a depicts photographs of the patient &# 39 ; s hand at baseline ; fig4 b depicts photographs of the same hand at week 13 ; fig4 c depicts photographs of the same hand at week 19 , and fig4 d depicts photographs of the same hand at week 25 . note that the two target tophi at the metacarpophalangeal ( mcp ) joints have completely resolved by week 19 , as have all observed non - target tophi . further , week 25 is a close - up to optimally demonstrate complete resolution . in the 2 double - blind rcts , there were 2 of 43 ( 5 %) patients in the placebo group that had an overall cr at the final visit . this demonstrates the low rate of false positive responses using the caper method to measure tophus response to pegloticase . with continued pegloticase in the ole , further resolution of tophi was demonstrated . as shown in table 4 , interim data from the ole study demonstrated that upon continued treatment with pegloticase , an additional 12 patients that received pegloticase demonstrated a cr in overall tophus response for the first time in the ole study . further , as shown in table 4 , among the previously placebo - treated patients who switched to pegloticase treatment in the ole study , there were eight patients that demonstrated an overall tophus response of cr . based on the results presented above , it had been concluded that treatment with pegloticase , every two weeks ( q2 ) was associated with statistically significantly more complete responders of tophi in pooled analysis and both rcts compared with placebo . additionally , the number of patients with overall complete tophus response increased with increased duration of pegloticase .
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textile fiber structures are , as a rule , a structure of fibers with a very large intermediate air space . under moderate pressure , the amount of material only ( amount of substance ) of the fibers in relation to the cross - sectional size thereof is relatively small . in the funnels of carding machines , for instance , this amounts only to 10 - 20 %. when a loosely formed quantity of fibers is pressed ( fig1 ), a certain force - elongation characteristic ( fig2 ) results . as no tension can be applied to the quantity of fibers by this means but only compression , the resulting elongation ฮต corresponds to the applied compression . this differs from the generally - accepted force - elongation diagrams of solid bodies . according to the graphic representation in fig2 the elongation ฮต ( compression ) is shown in the direction of the abscissa and the force p in the direction of the ordinate as curve 1 . the modulus of elasticity e may be expressed in the usual way at each point by the tangent of the angle ฮฑ , which is embraced by the tangent line 2 , applied to the curve at the point in question , and the horizontal 3 : observations have shown that a specific force , and thus a specific modulus of elasticity e , corresponds to a specific density of the fiber quantity . in this context , the term &# 34 ; density of the fiber quantity &# 34 ; is understood to mean the average taken from the mixture of fibrous material and the air in the interspaces of the fibrous material . thus , it holds true that the pure substance cross section q o of the sliver equals the cross section q of the sliver times the space factor f . changes in the force , or in the modulus of elasticity , as a function of the density are very distinct . from this , it is apparent that when , at any point , the total quantity of fibers occupies a defined space or cross section , then the compressive force can be determined , and from that , the density can be calculated . from the density and the defined space or cross section , the pure material quantity can be determined . it must , however , be emphasized that the force or the modulus of elasticity , as a function of the compression , usually produces different results for several measurements taken on the same quantity of fibers , as a rule . above all , the first compression of a loose quantity of fibers requires more force than is necessary for subsequent compressions . for the purpose of the determination of the amount of substance in fiber structures , it is advantageous to evaluate only the results of the first compression or only the results of repeated compressions . during this procedure , it is particularly advantageous to determine the compression in pipes or in the area of funnels of carding or drawing or similar machines , because , at these points , the fiber structures are in the process of being continuously converted from a loose state into a more concentrated state , and thus , the first compression is occuring at that point . a further advantage of such point of measurement lies in the fact that the outer cross section of the sliver can be exactly defined . since this application certainly constitutes the most frequent use of the measuring device , according to the invention , in the ensuing disclosure , measuring arrangements will be explained for determining the amount of substance of slivers which pass through a duct of defined cross section . in principle , these considerations also apply to measurements on stationary material in an exactly defined space . the function of the measuring device according to the invention can be explained with the aid of fig3 and 4 as follows . the measuring body 4 , which is fitted in the side of the duct 6 containing the fiber material 5 , presses on the fiber material 5 , which due to its elastic properties , can be described as a spring 7 acting against the measuring body . in fig4 it can be seen that the measuring body projecting into the fiber material 5 consists of a sphere 8 , which comes into contact with the fiber material through an opening 9 in the wall of the duct 6 . this narrows the cross section of the duct 6 . through this , the elasticity of the fiber material 5 comes into effect , by which the sphere 8 is pressed outwards . this yielding of the sphere , according to the invention , is opposed by a counter force p on the sphere 8 , so that a defined point of equilibrium of the sphere 8 is obtained , which is dependent on the elasticity of the fiber material 5 . the force p set up is then a measure of the amount of fibers in the cross section of the duct . preferably , the force p on the sphere 8 is produced pneumatically . however , any other sort of effective force can be applied to the sphere 8 , such as , for example , electrical or magnetic forces . in every case , it must be possible to determine , as a characteristic parameter of the amount of fiber , either the force resulting from a defined point of equilibrium or the point of equilibrium of the sphere 8 resulting from a defined force in a direction transverse to the axis of the duct . fig5 and 6 show in longitudinal and transverse cross section , respectively , an example of a version of such a measuring device operated pneumatically . the duct 6 can be seen through which the fiber material 5 passes in the direction of the arrow 10 . the sphere 8 reposes in the annular , spherical opening 9 . a nozzle tube 14 is screwed into a yoke 11 , which is suitably mounted on the duct 6 , and the tube 14 is fastened in position by means of a lock nut 13 . in this regard , the tube 14 is adjusted in position so that there is sufficient play between the sphere 8 and the outlet of the nozzle 12 , to permit the formation of an annular air gap therebetween through which the compressed air introduced through the nozzle 12 can escape . the intake of this compressed air is from a source of compressed air 18 . a stream of air is fed through throttle 16 , a pipe 15 and the nozzle tube 14 to the nozzle 12 . through the resilience of the sliver , the sphere 8 is pressed against the nozzle 12 , and the size of the air gap between the nozzle 12 and the sphere 8 adjusts itself automatically so that the pressure in the pipe between the sphere and the throttle exactly compensates for the compression of the sliver . this pressure is a measure for the fiber cross section . it can be measured by means of the pressure measuring device 17 and transformed into proportionate electrical signals by means of a normal converter . the air gap itself is , therefore , determined by the amount of the pressure of the fiber material on the sphere 8 , so that the pressure on the measuring device 17 is in an exactly - defined relationship to the amount of fiber 5 which is in the duct 6 at the time . the maximum size of the air gap is determined by the initial setting of the depth to which the nozzle tube 14 is screwed into the yoke 11 . the advantage of the arrangement according to fig5 and 6 lies in the fact that the spherical body serves simultaneously in the simplest way as the receiver for the force and as a pressure regulator , and that the air , which is the measuring medium , simultaneously acts as an air support and also as a cleaning medium for the measuring body . it can also be regarded as an advantage that the air introduced through the nozzle 12 does not get past the sphere 8 into the fiber material 5 and if this does occur , only a small part of the air enters into the fibers . the largest part escapes outside the parts guiding the fibers in the space 21 and thus removes any deposits which may be left . in order to avoid the retention of fiber material in the annular gap between the wall of the duct and the sphere 8 , which could lead to errors in results , one of the measures shown in fig7 and 8 can be utilized . in the conical , annular opening 9 in which the sphere 8 is supported , a groove 19 is milled , with a polished edge 20 , in the direction of flow of the fiber material , the axis of the groove being inclined towards the axis of the duct , so as to have maximum depth at the edge of the opening 9 . through this , fibers which have penetrated into the annular gap , are drawn to the rear side of the sphere 8 during their passage and are released there , as the annular gap is interrupted by the groove 19 . it is important that , for trouble - free operation of the device according to the invention , the sphere 8 is accommodated on the side situated outside the duct 6 by an adequately - large space which leads to the free atmosphere , so that any particles of fiber or dust can be carried away by the air flowing through the nozzle 12 . in this way , faultless operation of the measuring system is assured , without the need for constant maintenance . while we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with the present invention , it is undersood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art , and i therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art .
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fig1 shows a circuit constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention . while this circuit of fig1 will be described in conjunction with certain specified components and resistance values , as well as certain voltage levels corresponding to a specific device under test , it is to be understood that these values serve by way of example only , and are not limitations on the scope of this invention . those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate , in light of the teachings of this invention , that this invention may be utilized to test a wide variety of specific devices having high output voltages . the structure of fig1 includes several subcircuits , and includes terminals n12 , n31 and n41 for receiving a voltage supply vbb , a ground reference vss , terminal n0 for receiving the output signal from the device under test , input terminals n11 and n21 for receiving voltage levels corresponding to a logical 1 and a logical 0 , respectively , and output terminal n51 for providing an output signal defining whether the output signal from the device under test which is applied to input terminal n0 is a logical 1 , a logical 0 , or is switching between the logical 1 and logical 0 states . subcircuit 10 is a logical 1 comparison subcircuit and includes voltage comparator x1 . subcircuit 20 is a logical 0 comparison subcircuit and includes voltage comparator x2 . subcircuit 40 is a floating current source , and is used to ensure that the appropriate voltage drops are applied across comparators x1 and x2 , regardless of the actual voltage level of vbb . subcircuit 30 provides appropriate sourcing and sinking currents to the output terminal of the device under test . subcircuit 50 provides three levels of voltage at the output terminal in response to the output signals from the two comparators which respond , under a variety of power supply voltages , to input signals from the device under test . the structure of this invention requires only a small amount of power , and thus can , if desired , be powered by the same power supply that is being used to power the dut . referring to subcircuit 10 , vbb input terminal n12 is connected to the positive voltage supply terminal of comparator x1 and to the cathode of zener diode z11 . zener diode z11 has a zener breakdown voltage of approximately 9 . 1 volts , and has its anode connected to the negative power supply terminal of comparator x1 and the input node 2 of floating current source 40 . in this manner , the power supply voltage applied to comparator x1 is 9 . 1 volts . similarly , comparator x2 has its negative power supply terminal connected to ground and to the anode of zener diode z21 , also having a zener breakdown voltage of approximately 9 . 1 volts . the positive power supply lead of comparator x2 is connected to the cathode of zener diode z21 and to output node 1 of floating current source 40 , thus insuring that the power supply voltage applied to comparator x2 is a constant 9 . 1 volts . capacitors c12 and c22 ( 0 . 01 microfarad ) are connected across zener diode z11 and z21 , respectively , in order to eliminate the effects of noise in the power supply voltages applied to voltage comparators x1 and x2 . floating current source 40 includes npn transistor t41 , having its collector connected to input node 2 , its emitter connected through resistor r43 ( 330 ohms ) to output node 1 , and its base connected through resistor r42 ( 62k ) to the vbb power supply at terminal c41 . the base of transistor t41 is also connected to output node 1 through zener diode z41 , having a zener breakdown voltage of approximately 4 . 5 volts , and diode d41 , having a forward bias voltage drop of approximately 0 . 7 volts . thus , zener diode z41 , diode d41 , and resistor r42 provide appropriate base drive to transistor t41 such that transistor t41 conducts sufficient current to provide a voltage drop between input node 2 and output node 1 equal to vbb minus the voltage drops across zener diodes z11 and z21 . for increasing values of vbb , the base drive to transistor t41 increases , the current through transistor t41 increases , and the voltage drop between input node 2 and output node 1 increases . in this manner , a power supply voltage of 9 . 1 volts is applied to both voltage comparators x1 and x2 , regardless of the voltage of vbb . in one particular integrated circuit device vbb , the voltage applied to the integrated circuit under test , can vary between 20 and 60 volts . current source 30 provides the appropriate sourcing and sinking currents to the device under test output lead via terminal n0 . resistor r36 ( 301k ) is connected between output node 1 of floating current source 40 and terminal n0 . because node 1 is always at 9 . 1 volts due to the action of zener diode z21 , resistor r36 provides a current of approximately 25 microamps to output terminal n0 when the device - under - test output signal is a logical 0 of less than approximately 1 . 25 volts . base drive to npn transistor t33 is supplied by node 1 through resistor r21 ( 5 . 11k ), and clamped by zener diode z33 to a maximum base voltage of 4 . 5 volts , the zener breakdown voltage of zener diode z33 . however , with a logical zero dut output voltage on terminal n0 , zener diode z32 , having a zener breakdown voltage of 9 . 1 volts , prevents the source current provided by resistor r36 from being shunted to ground through transistors t32 and t33 . likewise , the low output signal of comparator x1 is transmitted via capacitor c51 to the base of transistor t51 , turning it off and preventing current provided by resistor r51 from being shunted to ground through transistor t51 . conversely , when the dut output signal is a logical 1 , ( typically approximately 2 volts less than vbb ) current is sunk from the dut output lead through terminal n0 , zener diode z32 , transistors t32 and t33 , and resistors r34 and r35 . as previously described , the power supply voltage vbb can range between 20 and 60 volts . thus , it is necessary to test the logical 1 output voltage level from the device under test at maximum source current at a power supply voltage vbb of 20 volts and at a power supply voltage vbb of 60 volts . with a logical 1 dut output signal applied to terminal n0 and vbb equal to 20 volts , zener diode z31 , having a zener breakdown voltage of approximately 30 volts , does not conduct and thus transistor t31 remains turned off , and transistor t32 conducts , providing a combined sink current through transistors t32 and t33 of approximately 25 milliamps . conversely , with a logical 1 dut output signal and a vbb voltage of approximately 60 volts , zener diode z31 breaks down , thus applying base drive to transistor t31 through resistor r31 , and turning on transistor t31 . with transistor t31 turned on , base drive is not supplied to transistor t32 and transistor t32 turns off . however , due to the increased voltage vbb , transistor t33 sinks approximately 25 milliamps . in this manner , current source 30 sources the desired 25 microamp current to terminal n0 when the output signal applied by the device under test to terminal n0 is a logical 0 and sinks approximately 25 milliamps of current from the dut output lead connected to terminal n0 when the dut output signal is a logical 1 , regardless of the level of vbb . logical 1 comparison subcircuit 10 operates to determine whether the dut output signal applied to terminal n0 is at least as great as the minimum voltage level ( typically vbb minus approximately 2 volts ) required for a logical 1 signal . thus , voltage comparator x1 , which comprises , for example , an lm311 device , manufactured by national semiconductor corporation , receives on its inverting input lead the dut output signal from terminal n0 through the parallel combination of resistor r12 ( 1 megohm ) and diode d11 . the use of a large value resistor r12 prevents excessive voltage from being applied to the inverting input lead of comparator x1 when the difference between the reference voltage and the dut output signal is very high . the use of diode d11 allows comparator x1 to respond very quickly to a rising dut output signal . a logical 1 reference voltage is applied to the noninverting input lead of comparator x1 through resistor r11 ( 56k ). the use of a resistance value of r11 which is significantly less than a resistance value of r12 allows sufficient current to be provided to the noninverting input lead of voltage comparator x1 from the relatively low voltage level of the logical 1 reference voltage in order to allow for a rapid comparison of the dut output signal and the logical 1 reference voltage . capacitor c11 ( 0 . 01 microfarads ) is connected between the noninverting input lead of comparator x1 and ground in order to minimize the effects of noise which has propagated from the reference voltage generating subcircuit 60 of fig2 . resistor r13 ( 10k ) is connected between the positive voltage supply lead and the output lead of voltage comparator x1 in order to serve as pullup means for the open collector output stage of comparator x1 . thus , when the dut output signal on terminal n0 is less than the logical 1 reference level , the output signal from voltage comparator x1 is a logical 1 . conversely , when the dut output signal on terminal n0 is greater than the logical 1 reference level , the output signal from voltage comparator x1 is a logical 0 . logical 0 voltage comparison subcircuit 20 operates in a similar fashion to determine if the voltage of the dut output signal on terminal n0 is less than the logical 0 reference voltage level . resistor r24 ( 10k ) is connected between the positive voltage supply lead and the output lead of voltage comparator x2 to serve as a pullup means for the open collector output stage of comparator x2 . the noninverting input lead of comparator x2 is connected through resistor r22 ( 10k ) to the dut output lead connected to terminal n0 . diode d21 is connected between the noninverting input lead of voltage comparator x2 and the positive voltage supply lead of comparator x2 in order to prevent the voltage on inverting input lead of comparator x2 from ever exceeding the zener breakdown voltage of zener diode z21 plus the forward biased voltage drop of diode d21 . thus , the voltage applied to the noninverting input lead of voltage comparator x2 is never permitted to exceed approximately 9 . 8 volts in order to prevent damage to voltage comparator x2 . the voltage level defining the maximum voltage allowable for a logical 0 signal is applied to the inverting input lead of voltage comparator x2 through resistor r23 ( 200k ). capacitor c21 ( 0 . 01 microfarad ) is connected between the inverting input lead of voltage comparator x2 and ground in order to eliminate the effects of noise . thus , when the dut output signal on terminal n0 is less than the logical 0 reference voltage , the output signal from voltage comparator x2 is a logical 0 and is approximately zero volts . conversely , when the dut output signal on terminal n0 is greater than the logical 0 reference voltage on terminal n21 , the output signal from voltage comparator x2 is a logical 1 and is approximately 9 . 1 volts . output stage 50 serves to combine the output signals from voltage comparators x1 and x2 in order to provide a three - state output signal on terminal n51 . the output signal on terminal n51 can have three possibel states , as shown in table i . a low voltage output signal of approximately 2 . 0 volts indicates that the output signal of the device under test is a logical 0 . a high voltage output signal of approximately 8 . 5 volts indiates that the dut output signal is a logical 1 . an intermediate output signal of approximately 4 . 5 volts indicates that the device under test output signal is between logical 1 and logical 0 states . capacitor c51 ( 0 . 022 microfarad ) and resistor r52 ( 360 ohms ) serve as a level shifter in order to bring the relatively high voltage output signals from the logical 1 voltage comparator subcircuit 10 to a voltage level closer to the output voltage levels provided by the logical 0 voltage comparator in subcircuit 20 . since the operation of the device under test , and thus the operation of voltage comparator x1 , is at a very high rate of speed , capacitive coupling provided by capacitor c51 is sufficient for level shifting purposes . resistor r51 ( 2 . 7k ) and transistor t51 serve to square the signal provided by the level shift combination of capacitor c51 and r52 . thus , the voltage available on output terminal n51 from transistor t51 varies from a minimum of approximately 2 . 0 volts to a maximum of approximately 8 . 5 volts . there are three possible output states from voltage comparators x1 and x2 . first , if the dut output signal applied to terminal n0 is a logical 1 , the output signal from voltage comparator x1 is low and the output signal from voltage comparator x2 is high , thereby providing an output voltage of approximately 8 . 5 volts on output terminal n51 . secondly , if the dut output signal is a logical 0 , the output signal from voltage comparator x1 is high and the output signal from voltage comparator x2 is low , thereby providing an output voltage of approximately 2 . 0 volts on output terminal n51 . thirdly , if the dut output signal is switching between a logical 1 and logical 0 state , or if the device fails by providing a voltage between the &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; reference voltages , then the output signals from voltage comparators x1 and x2 are both high , thereby providing an output voltage of approximately 4 . 5 volts . as previously described , the logical 1 and logical 0 reference voltages can be provided by any well - known means . one means which is particularly useful with this invention wherein vbb will vary , and wherein the logical 1 reference voltage is slightly less than vbb , is shown in the schematic diagram of fig2 . in this embodiment , it is desirable to have a plurality of possible voltage levels corresponding to a logical 1 voltage level . as shown in fig2 these voltage levels are , in this embodiment , 2 . 100 volts , 2 . 150 volts , 2 . 200 volts , 2 . 250 volts , 2 . 400 volts , and 2 . 450 volts less than vbb , any one of which is selected as desired . naturally , other logical 1 voltage levels can be provided , if desired . the supply voltage vbb is provided on terminal n61 . zener diode z71 provides a constant 9 . 1 volt supply voltage on node 7 . similarly , zener diode z61 provides a constant supply voltage on node 6 equal to vbb minus 9 . 1 volts . floating current source 80 operates in a similar fashion to floating current source 40 of fig1 in order to provide a voltage drop between nodes 6 and 7 equal to vbb minus the voltage drops of zener diodes z61 and z71 . voltage regulator vr61 ( a 7905 device , such as manufactured by national ), receives the voltage vbb and the voltage on node 6 and provides an output voltage equal to vbb - 5 volts . this output voltage serves as the negative voltage applied to resistor bank r61 , with vbb serving as the positive supply voltage . the plurality of switches of resistor bank r61 is used to select which pair of resistors is to form the resistance divider in order to provide a selected reference voltage below vbb to the noninverting input lead of operational amplifier x6 . the output lead of operational amplifier x6 is connected to its inverting input lead , thereby causing operational amplifier x6 to operate as a unity gain buffer which provides on its output lead n11 the selected reference voltage level corresponding to a logical one . in a similar fashion , the 9 . 1 volt supply voltage on node 7 is applied to the input lead of voltage regulator vr71 ( a 7805 device , such as manufactured by national semiconductor ), which provides a 5 volt level on its output lead which is applied to the input lead of voltage regulator vr72 ( a lm317 device such as manufactured by national ) which in turn provides a reference output voltage corresponding to a logical zero level . the actual voltage level of the logical zero reference level is adjusted by variable resistor r77 ( 1k ohm ) as desired to an accuracy of 1 millivolt . the specific embodiments of this invention described in this specification are intended to serve by way of example and are not a limitation on the scope of my invention . numerous other embodiments of this invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings of this specification . table i______________________________________ logical 1 logical 0 compara - compara - tran - output on tor x1 tor x2 sistor terminaldut output output output t51 n51______________________________________0 ( below &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; ref ) 1 0 on ห 2 . 0 volts1 ( above &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ref ) 0 1 off ห 8 . 5 voltstransistion ( be - 1 1 on ห 4 . 5 voltstween &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ref ) ______________________________________
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referring now to the drawings , and initially fig1 , the system of the present invention is comprised of a computer processor 12 , herein referred to as a controller processor , coupled to a data storage device 14 such as a memory device and in communication through phone line 15 with at least one input device 16 through which fund transfer command instructions are received and through phone line 17 with at least one output device 18 through which electronic fund transfers are executed . the embodiment depicted in fig1 also includes output device 20 for generating a file record containing information on electronic fund transfer payees , which is described in greater detail hereinafter . the system may be a local , entirely self - contained internal network of input and output devices under the absolute control of the system operator , as would be the case when the system is employed by a casino or an amusement park . alternatively , the system may be in communication with an external network of input and output devices , such as a banking , credit or atm network , or the internet . the controller processor of the present invention can be essentially any mainframe computer processor or plurality of processors , or any computer workstation capable of interfacing with the network to be employed and executing the volume of command instructions supplied by the network . the control programs to be run by the controller processor for operating the system of the present invention are essentially conventional , once the objectives of the present invention are described . the data storage devices associated with the controller processor can be essentially any conventional memory storage device , typically a semi - conductor memory in combination with a hard disk drive or a cd - rom drive with a compact disk . the memory device is employed to store information on the pre - established accounts from which account holders transfer funds to third party recipients . it will be assumed for purposes of the present invention that the system operators have methods of establishing accounts and placing money or establishing credit lines within these accounts and that proper accounting procedures are in place to track the various transactions , all of which are standard in the industry and well known to those skilled in the art . for local self - contained systems , the controller processor is in communication with the internal network of input and output devices through cables or telecommunication lines . when the system is in communication with an external network , telecommunication lines are nearly exclusively employed . telecommunication lines are defined as including wireless communications . essentially any input device capable of supplying command instructions to the controller processor from account holders and third party recipients is suitable for use as an input device for the present invention . for purposes of the present invention command instructions will be considered to be issued by an account holder or a third party recipient if the instructions are issued by another individual on their behalf . for example , a bank employee may issue command instructions requested by an account holder to transfer funds for access by the third party recipient . a store employee may issue command instructions requested by the third party recipient to obtain an electronic fund transfer to pay for goods and services in a point - of - sale purchase . external banking , credit and atm networks have already been established using as combination input / output devices stations that employ magnetic card readers in combination with manual input devices such as keypads , touch screens and the like , through which information required for the transaction may be entered , such as the transaction amount , account password , and so forth . one example of such a station is an atm . another example is the magnetic card reader / keypad employed for point - of - sale transactions to obtain bank approval of credit card and debit card transactions . such stations also serve as output devices for the systems that they serve . the atm is adapted to deliver cash , print a receipt and relay messages from the network processor via a crt . the magnetic card reader relays messages from the network processor via an lcd , and is also adapted to print a receipt . when the system of the present invention is adapted to communicate with such an external network , the fund transfer command instructions may be issued by the third party recipients through such input devices , which will also function as output devices for the system , delivering cash , relaying messages from the controller processor and printing receipts . otherwise , essentially any conventional manual input device may be employed , particularly with local , internally self - contained systems in accordance with the present invention or with systems operated over the internet . such devices include keypads , touch screens , mouse and cursor systems , and the like . it is not essential that magnetically encoded cards and magnetic card readers be employed . likewise , any device capable of relaying messages from the controller processor to the account holder or third party recipient is also suitable for use as an output device with systems of the present invention . examples of devices include crt &# 39 ; s , lcd &# 39 ; s , printers , and the like . in the simplest of local , internally self - contained systems , the machine vending of cash and printing of receipts is not contemplated . instead , an employee of the system operator would attend to such tasks , receiving prompts from the controller processor through an output display device . a particular advantage of the present invention is that the account holder is provided with a periodic accounting of how the third party recipient of funds has spent the money accessible to them . this would be in the form of a statement issued daily , weekly , monthly , and the like , detailing cash withdrawals and debit card transfers . this is also performed by essentially routine simple means ranging from e - mail to desktop publishing , or as complex as the systems employed by banking and credit institution for generating periodic statements for conventional accounts . such means are very well known and require no description here . as noted above , it is not necessary that the system of the present invention employ magnetically encoded cards to provide system access to account holders and third party recipients . instead , access to the system may be obtained through the entry of the requisite information by way of a manual input device , such as a keyboard , that is in communication with the system , for example , through the internet . the information may be entered directly by the account holder or third party recipient or on their behalf by an employee of the system operator or fund transfer payee . however , the use of magnetic cards encoded with account information is particularly preferred for the sake of convenience . the cards also eliminate the need for the system operator to hire employees to receive and enter information that would be submitted directly to the system by the account holder or third party recipient . in other words , it is more economical for a bank to permit a third party recipient to access cash via an atm , rather than require the recipient to present themselves to a bank teller . magnetic cards issued to third party recipients will be encoded with an identifier correlated to the secondary file of the pre - established account . the encoding of information fields on the magnetic stripe of a magnetic card is well known and essentially conventional and also need not be described here . turning to fig2 , there is illustrated in block diagram form the computer - based method of the present invention , that shall be discussed with reference to the system depicted in fig1 . typically the computer processor 12 creates in memory device 14 associated therewith customer account file 30 containing a record of funds deposited by the account holder . the account holder inputs command instructions 32 into input device 16 , typically a computer terminal or work station , which are transmitted by telephone lines 15 to computer processor 12 to establish a secondary file in the customer account . the account customer then inputs command instructions 34 , usually contemporaneously with the establishment of the secondary file using the same input device , to designate a third party recipient permitted access to the secondary file . alternatively , the third party recipient can be designated at a later time from the same or different input device . the account customer then inputs command instructions 36 to transfer to the secondary file at least a portion of the record of funds contained in the primary file representing deposited funds accessible to the third party recipient . again , this is usually done contemporaneously with the establishment of the secondary file and the designation of a third party recipient using the same input device . however , this step can also be performed at a later time from the same or different input device . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , the account customer inputs command instructions 38 to designate payees of funds to be withdrawn by the third party recipient subject to a limit on the amount of funds that may be withdrawn . again , this may be done contemporaneously with the establishment of the secondary file , the designation of the third party recipient and the transfer of funds from the primary file using the same input device , or this step may be performed at a different time using the same or different input device . the computer processor 12 then verifies each withdrawal from the secondary file requested by the third party recipient 40 to determine whether it is subject to a limit in the amount of the transaction , and whether that limit has been exceeded . at the same time , the computer processor verifies that there are funds available in the secondary file to complete the transaction ( not shown ). the computer processor 12 sends a disapproval signal 42 if there is a transaction limit that has been exceeded , or an approval signal 44 if there is no transaction limit or if there is a transaction limit that has not been exceeded , along telephone lines 17 to output device 18 . the approval or disapproval signal is also conditioned on the availability of funds in the secondary file ( not shown ). typically output device 18 is part of a computer terminal or workstation that also includes an input device ( not shown ) through which third party recipients input electronic fund transfer requests . the computer processor 12 also stores in memory device 14 associated therewith a file record of information 46 on each selected payee of funds and corresponding payment amounts . periodically , the computer processor 12 provides to the account holder 48 the file record of information on fund payees and corresponding payment amounts in the form of an itemized statement generated by output device 20 , typically a high volume printer . the controlled spending accounts of u . s . pat . no . 6 , 044 , 360 can be established allocating a certain amount a child or other fund recipient can spend per week or per month on entertainment . in the context of entertainment supplied over the internet , this would include music files , music video files , movie files or video game files . the amount set by the parent or other fund provider can be a fixed amount corresponding to a predetermined number of file transfers for entertainment providers that charge per file transfer , or it can all or part of a subscription fee for entertainment providers that charge a flat rate periodic subscription fee . the entertainment need not be derived from the internet . the present invention may also be used with other pay - per - use services , such as pay - per - view movies and music videos or pay - per - use video games offered by cable television providers . because digital cable television transmission is not universal , the invention is applicable as well to non - digital forms of entertainment . the entertainment need not even be derived from a remote transmission . the invention is applicable as well to retail outlets such as establishments that rent or sell video taped and digital movies , music videos and video games , or music in the form of compact discs , analog or digital audio tapes , and the like . store accounts funded periodically by parents or other fund providers can be established in which the parent or fund provider can control the content of the movie , music , music video or video game that their child / fund recipient is able to purchase or rent . the parental controls of u . s . pat . no . 6 , 044 , 360 can thus be set to prevent access to entertainment that a parent or other fund provider finds inappropriate for their child or fund recipient . for example , music can be blocked according to genre , be it psychedelic , heavy metal , rap or hip - hop , or particular artists may be blocked . the existing voluntary music ratings format could be employed to block music bearing certain content ratings . the invention can also be adapted to whatever music rating system may be developed in the future . similar controls can be established for music videos so that inappropriate artists , genres , or ratings may be blocked . likewise movies having inappropriate genres or content ratings may also be blocked . finally , video games may also be blocked according to genre or based upon the voluntary system presently in effect for rating the content of video games . under any circumstance , a parent or other fund provider will be able to block a specific , individual song , music video , movie or video game . alternatively , the entertainment supplier may establish an โ adult โ category of music , music videos , movies or video games that parents or other fund providers are able to block . the advantage supplied by the present invention is that the entertainment supplier need not ban all of those under 18 from accessing this category . instead , only the category needs to be established , with parents or other fund providers being given control over at what age , if ever , their child / fund recipient may access the category using the funds provided . the fund provider does not become an absolute censor . rather , the fund provider is given the opportunity to designate certain classes of entertainment that they will not pay for , leaving the fund recipient to spend their own funds to obtain access . the supplier of the entertainment may only offer the parental controls , and need not offer the controlled spending account . for example , visa - branded controlled spending allowance cards are presently being issued that can be loaded periodically with a set amount of an allowance , which can then be spent on entertainment . thus , the spending control portion can be provided by a card - issuing institution , while the content control will be supplied by the entertainment provider . by accepting the controlled spending card , the entertainment provider essentially supplies parents or other fund providers with a means to control the amount their children / fund recipients are spending weekly or monthly independently or jointly coupled to the content controls that the entertainment provider has established . the computer - based methods of the present invention do not require special or unique computer programming for operation . instead , system features described above can be programmed following conventional techniques by individuals of ordinary skill . as will be readily appreciated , numerous variations and combinations of the features set forth above can be utilized without departing from the present invention as set forth in the claims . such variations are not regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such variations are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims .
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an elongated base or platen 10 is formed , as shown in fig2 and 3 , as an upwardly opening u - shaped channel having a flat bed surface 11 along which workpieces w are fed in any suitable manner , in the present instance in the direction indicated by the arrow in fig1 into contact with the periphery of a grinding wheel 12 rotatable with an arbor 14 keyed or otherwise made rotatable with a shaft 15 . a pass - through space 16 between the workpiece - supporting platen surface 11 and the grinding wheel is of a predetermined dimension selected to assure that the upper surface of each workpiece will be acted upon by the grinding wheel to the extent desired for the particular work being performed . at this point , it may be noted that although the term &# 34 ; grinding wheel &# 34 ; is used throughout this description , the wheel 12 might , alternatively , be a buffing wheel , or other wheel having a surface designed to act upon the surface of each workpiece . accordingly , although a grinding wheel is illustrated by way of example , the term &# 34 ; workpiece conditioning wheel &# 34 ; will be understood as referring , broadly , to any wheel having a surface that will condition or otherwise act upon the surface of a workpiece passed through the space 16 . further , the term &# 34 ; platen &# 34 ; as used herein is intended to refer to any workpiece support element , whether it be flat , curved , stationary , or movable , so long as it presents a workpiece - support surface cooperating with the work - conditioning wheel to define a pass - through space therebetween . referring to fig1 a support block 18 is disposed within the u - shaped base 10 , and has an inclined surface 20 facing toward the adjacent portion of the periphery of the wheel 12 the inclined surface 20 is in slidable contact with a complementary inclined surface 22 formed upon the underside of an idler support block 24 , thus mounting the block 24 slidably upon the block 18 for upward and downward movement in an inclined path . referring to fig1 and 2 , rectangular support lugs 26 are slidably urged by compression coil springs 27 mounted in recesses opening into support lug guide slots 28 of elongated work conditioning wheel support members 30 disposed ( fig2 ) at opposite sides of the superposed blocks 18 , 24 , above the side walls 29 of base 10 . block 24 , instead of being in slidable engagement with block 18 , could be rollably mounted on the inclined surface 20 , as for example by providing wheels or rollers either on one or the other of the inclined surfaces 20 or 22 . formed in the block 24 is an upwardly opening recess 35 ( fig4 ) receiving an idler roller 32 , freely rotatable upon a pin 33 extending through bearing openings 31 formed in the support lugs 26 . depending from the inclined undersurface 22 of block 24 is a correspondingly inclined guide rib 36 of inverted t - shaped cross - section , slidably confined within a mating , upwardly opening guide slot 34 ( fig1 and 2 ) formed in the upper surface 20 of stationary support block 18 , and inclined in parallelism with the surfaces 22 , 24 and guide ribs 36 . the stationary support block 18 is fixedly mounted within the upwardly opening channel defined between side walls 29 , by mounting pins 38 carried by the side walls and extending across the space therebetween ( fig2 ). accommodating the width of work conditioning wheel 12 are confronting , elongated , shallow clearance recesses 40 formed in side walls 29 ( fig1 ) and similar recesses 42 formed in the inner side surfaces of support members 30 . an idler roller means is in contact with wheel 12 , at a location diametrically opposite the point at which roller 32 contacts the work conditioning wheel . this means includes a second stationary support block 44 , which is fixedly secured to an elongated slide plate 46 ( fig1 and 3 ) slidably engaged above the bed surface 11 in elongated guide slots 48 formed in the inner side surfaces of side walls 29 of base 10 . screws 50 extending through countersunk openings 51 of plate 46 , are threadedly engaged in downwardly opening recesses 52 of block 44 to fixedly secure the plate 46 to the block . formed identically but oppositely to the slide block 24 is a slide block 54 , the underside of which is inclined as at 56 , and is in slidable contact with a correspondingly inclined upper surface 58 of support block 44 . a t - slot 60 formed in surface 58 receives the mating tongue 62 of t - shaped cross - section formed on the underside of surface 56 of slide block 54 , to guide the slide block 54 in its slidable movement upon the block 44 . as indicated , block 54 is identical but opposite to block 24 , and accordingly , it is formed with a recess 64 receiving idler 66 that is in contact with wheel 12 at a location diametrically opposite the point at which the wheel is contacted by the idler 32 . idler 66 is free to rotate upon a shaft 68 the opposite ends of which are journalled in circular openings 67 formed in block 54 and circular openings 70 formed in rectangular support lugs 69 sliding in horizontally extending guide slots 72 of plates 30 . referring to fig1 a drain hole 74 is provided adjacent the pass - through space 16 , for lubricants , grinding or buffing compounds , or other liquid compositions needed in the workpiece - conditioning operation . the driving of the wheel can be accomplished in any of various well known ways , and for example , there can be provided a driven pulley 76 , keyed or otherwise made rotatable with the wheel shaft 15 . trained about pulley 76 is a drive belt 78 , which would also be trained about a drive pulley , not shown , driven by a prime mover , not shown . since shaft 15 will move vertically downwardly to maintain pass - through space 16 at a constant value , means for maintaining the tension of drive belt 78 while still permitting the downward movement of the shaft 15 is provided , for example in the form of a tension - maintaining idler 80 spring urged into rolling contact with the belt 78 . referring now to fig1 at the discharge end of the platen , there is provided in the present instance a transversely extending end wall 82 integral with the platen or bed 10 , and having at its lower end a transversely extending slot 84 through which the workpieces w may be discharged . threadedly engaged in opening 85 of end wall 82 is the threaded shaft 88 of a crank 86 . at its inner end , shaft 88 has a circular head 90 swivelly engaged in a cavity 92 formed in block 44 in communication with a smooth - walled opening 94 opening upon the rear surface of said block . in the use of the device shown in fig1 - 4 , a workpiece - conditioning wheel 12 of a selected diameter is mounted on shaft 15 , and is positioned above the top surface of the platen 10 a prescribed distance , according to the thickness of the workpieces w being fed through the device . this may be accomplished , for example , by temporarily positioning a spacer plate , not shown , between the wheel 12 and the surface of the platen . said spacer plate would be of a thickness matching the desired pass - through space . then , with the spacer plate in place , the block 44 may be adjusted by means of crank 86 until the sensing idlers or rollers 32 , 66 are in rollable contact with the wheel 12 at diametrically opposite points thereon . it may be noted , in this regard , that the plates 24 , 54 will in these circumstances slide downwardly on their associated stationary blocks 18 , 44 respectively until they are in contact with the wheel selected for the workpiece - conditioning operation . the spacer plate may now be withdrawn , and the device is ready for use . in use , it will be understood that any suitable means can be employed to cause the workpieces to move forwardly along the surface of the platen 10 . they may , for example , be arranged end - to - end so that each workpiece pushes the workpiece immediately before it . other suitable conveyor means can , of course , be employed , none being shown since the means for feeding the workpieces can vary and is not part of the present invention . in any event , as the wheel is driven and the workpieces are passed through space 16 , they will be conditioned by the wheel , that is , the upper surfaces of the workpieces will be ground , buffed , or otherwise acted upon according to the particular type of wheel 12 mounted on shaft 15 . this causes wear of the wheel periphery . this wear reduces the diameter of the wheel , and it has previously been necessary to stop the operation to make necessary adjustments for the purpose of returning the pass - through space 16 to its initial height or value . in accordance with the present invention , however , the maintenance of the space 16 at a constant value is made automatic . rollers 32 , 66 are continuously maintained in contact with the wheel 12 , and as the wheel diameter is reduced by wear , even in an amount which would not ordinarily be detectable , the rollers 32 , 66 tend to move toward each other , resulting in the blocks 24 , 54 sliding downwardly on their . associated stationary blocks 18 , 44 . this causes the sensing roller support lugs 26 , 69 to also move downwardly along the inclined paths with the rollers 32 , 66 and the slide blocks 24 , 54 . as the support lugs 26 , 69 move downwardly along their inclined paths , they also slide toward each other within the slots 28 , 72 . the downward movement of the lugs , resulting from wear of the diameter of the wheel 12 , causes the wheel support members 30 to move vertically downwardly , carrying with them the wheel shaft 15 and hence the wheel 12 . this downward movement is permitted only to the extent of the amount that the wheel diameter is worn down , so that pass - through space 16 is maintained at a constant value at all times . in the second form of the invention shown in figures 5 - 7 , the same principle of sensing a reduction in wheel diameter resulting from wear of the wheel , and translating a resulting movement of the sensing idler or idlers into a downward , vertical adjustment of the wheel shaft , is retained . in this form , the platen 81 has a flat surface upon which workpieces w are fed in the same manner as in the first form of the invention . above the platen there is provided a workpiece conditioning wheel 83 , such as a grinding wheel , having a bushing or arbor 85 and supported above the upper surface of platen 81 a prescribed distance for the purpose of defining a pass - through space 87 , of the exact height desired to properly effect the operation of grinding or otherwise conditioning the upper surfaces of the workpieces w . at opposite sides of the platen 81 , transversely aligned support posts 89 are fixedly secured to the side surfaces of the platen by bolts 91 . a pin 92 extends through openings formed in the upper ends of posts 89 across the space therebetween , to pivotally mount bell crank levers 94 on the posts . the levers 94 are disposed as inverted l &# 39 ; s , having lower ends formed with slots 93 through which passes a roller support shaft 98 extending across the space between the levers through the axial bore of a sensing roller of idler 96 . shaft 98 also extends through horizontal slots 95 formed in posts 89 . this assures that when the lower ends of bell cranks 94 travel in an arcuate path about the axis defined by pins 92 , the shaft 98 , and hence roller 96 will travel in a straight horizontal path to maintain the axes of the wheel 83 and roller 96 in a common horizontal plane , viewing the same as in fig6 . the upper , horizontally extending legs of levers 94 are pivotally connected to short , vertically depending links 100 by pins 102 , said links being pivotally connected at 104 , at their lower ends , to straight , generally horizontal levers 106 pivotally mounted intermediate their ends at 108 on the upper ends of upstanding support posts 110 fixedly secured to the opposite sides of the platen by bolts 112 . at the other ends of the links 106 , pins 114 pivotally connect thereto the upper ends of generally vertical links 116 having intermediate their ends openings receiving the opposite ends of the wheel shaft 118 extending through arbor 85 . pivotally connected at 120 to the lower ends of links 116 are one end of links 122 , the other ends of which are pivotally connected at 124 to the upper ends of stationary support posts 126 fixedly secured by bolts 128 to the opposite sides of the platen 81 . this form of the device permits utilization of a single idler roller 96 . however , it is within the scope of concept illustrated in fig5 - 7 , to provide another idler roller diametrically opposite the roller 96 , together with an articulated linkage of links and levers that would be identical to but opposite from the link - and - lever assemblage illustrated , having in common therewith the links 116 . in use of the form of the invention shown in fig5 - 7 , the weight of the wheel 83 , exerted upon the linkage through shaft 118 , tends to shift the link 116 , rocking the levers 106 clockwide as viewed in fig6 and thereby rocking the bell crank lever counterclockwise as seen in the same figure of drawing . this causes roller 96 to be firmly engaged in rollable contact with the wheel , in a frictional engagement effective to prevent the wheel 83 from dropping down fully into contact with the upper surface of platen 81 . as a result , the pass - through space is defined , and will remain constant by reason of the fact that as the wheel diameter wears , roller 96 tends to shift to the right as seen in fig6 . this rocks the bell crank lever 94 counterclockwise as viewed in the same figure of the drawings , rocking lever 106 clockwise to lower the links 116 and hence the shaft 118 a distance effective to take up for the wear , thus maintaining the pass - through space at a constant value . it will be understood that the grinding wheel 83 would be driven by any suitable means , as for example , by a pulley 76 and belt 78 similar to that illustrated in the first form of the invention . the pulley would be secured to the shaft 118 in the same manner that it is illustrated as being secured to the shaft 15 of the form of the invention shown in fig1 - 4 . this is considered sufficiently obvious as not to require special illustration . throughout this specification , both forms of the invention have been described in terms of gravity being the force that shifts the work conditioning wheel 12 or 83 toward the associated platen or bed surface . alternatively , the force could be exerted by springs or hydraulic rams , in the manner shown , for example , in fig1 a . although any of various . arrangements can be used to supply a force other than gravity for urging the wheel toward the platen , by way of example fig1 a illustrates the end wall 82 having an integral extension 130 . at the other end of the platen a similar end wall and extension thereof are provided . fixedly secured to and extending between the end wall extensions 130 is a cover plate 132 overlying bearing members 30 , and held under compression between the cover plate and the respective bearing members are springs 134 which may be mounted in cups 136 secured to the cover plate and bearing members respectively . alternatively , hydraulic rams or the like , not shown , may be utilized to exert a continuing force against the respective bearing members 30 in the direction of platen 10 . this permits the device to be mounted , for example , upon a vertical wall or an inclined surface . even when the device is mounted upon a horizontal support surface s as illustrated in fig1 a , the use of a controlled force applicator such as springs or hydraulic means may have the desirable result of damping a vibration or &# 34 ; bouncing &# 34 ; of the grinding wheel and the associated movable components of the assembly . in fig1 b there is illustrated yet another modification , wherein it is shown that it is possible , if desired , to dispense with one of the sensing rollers and its associated slide block and stationary support block in the type of arrangement shown basically in fig1 . in this form of the invention , the entire idler roller and block - and - lug assembly shown at the left in fig1 and 1a is dispensed with , and bearing members 30a are instead formed at that end of the structure with cross heads 138 , from which extend laterally outwardly spaced guide rollers 140 mounted in tracks 142 of side wall extensions 144 integrally formed upon the side walls 29 . while particular embodiments of this invention have been shown in the drawings and described above , it will be apparent , that many changes may be made in the form , arrangement and positioning of the various elements of the combination . in consideration thereof it should be understood that preferred embodiments of this invention disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention .
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the following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention . although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred , the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted , or otherwise used , as limiting the scope of the disclosure , including the claims , unless otherwise specified . in addition , one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application , and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment , and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure , including the claims , is limited to that embodiment . fig1 shows a computing system 100 constructed in accordance with at least some embodiments of the invention . the computing system 100 preferably comprises the arm ยฎ trustzone ยฎ architecture , but the scope of disclosure is not limited to any specific architecture . the computing system 100 may comprise a multiprocessing unit ( mpu ) 10 coupled to various other system components by way of a bus 11 . the mpu 10 may comprise a processor core 12 that executes applications , possibly by having a plurality of processing pipelines . the mpu 10 may further comprise a security state machine ( ssm ) 56 which , as will be more fully discussed below , aids in allowing the computer system 100 to enter a secure mode for execution of secure software , such as m - commerce and e - commerce software . the computing system 100 may further comprise a digital signal processor ( dsp ) 16 that aids the mpu 10 by performing task - specific computations , such as graphics manipulation and speech processing . a graphics accelerator 18 may couple both to the mpu 10 and dsp 16 by way of the bus 11 . the graphics accelerator 18 may perform necessary computations and translations of information to allow display of information , such as on display device 20 . the computing system 100 may further comprise a memory management unit ( mmu ) 22 coupled to random access memory ( ram ) 24 by way of the bus 11 . the mmu 22 may control access to and from the ram 24 by any of the other system components such as the mpu 10 , the dsp 16 and the graphics accelerator 18 . the ram 24 may be any suitable random access memory , such as synchronous ram ( sram ) or rambus tm - type ram . the computing system 100 may further comprise a usb interface 26 coupled to the various system components by way of the bus 11 . the usb interface 26 may allow the computing system 100 to couple to and communicate with external devices . the ssm 56 , preferably a hardware - based state machine , monitors system parameters and allows the secure mode of operation to initiate such that secure programs may execute from and access a portion of the ram 24 . having this secure mode is valuable for any type of computer system , such as a laptop computer , a desktop computer , or a server in a bank of servers . however , in accordance with at least some embodiments of the invention , the computing system 100 may be a mobile ( e . g ., wireless ) computing system such as a cellular telephone , personal digital assistant ( pda ), text messaging system , and / or a computing device that combines the functionality of a messaging system , personal digital assistant and a cellular telephone . thus , some embodiments may comprise a modem chipset 28 coupled to an external antenna 30 and / or a global positioning system ( gps ) circuit 32 likewise coupled to an external antenna 34 . because the computing system 100 in accordance with at least some embodiments is a mobile communication device , computing system 100 may also comprise a battery 36 which provides power to the various processing elements . the battery 36 may be under the control of a power management unit 38 . a user may input data and / or messages into the computing system 100 by way of the keypad 40 . because many cellular telephones also comprise the capability of taking digital still and video pictures , in some embodiments the computing system 100 may comprise a camera interface 42 which may enable camera functionality , possibly by coupling the computing system 100 to a charge couple device ( ccd ) array ( not shown ) for capturing digital images . inasmuch as the systems and methods described herein were developed in the context of a mobile computing system 100 , the remaining discussion is based on a mobile computing environment . however , the discussion of the various systems and methods in relation to a mobile computing environment should not be construed as a limitation as to the applicability of the systems and methods described herein to just mobile computing environments . in accordance with at least some embodiments of the invention , many of the components illustrated in fig1 , while possibly available as individual integrated circuits , are preferably integrated or constructed onto a single semiconductor die . thus , the mpu 10 , digital signal processor 16 , memory controller 22 and ram 24 , along with some or all of the remaining components , are preferably integrated onto a single die , and thus may be integrated into a computing device 100 as a single packaged component . having multiple devices integrated onto a single die , especially devices comprising a multiprocessor unit 10 and ram 24 , may be referred to as a system - on - a - chip ( soc ) or a megacell 44 . while using a system - on - a - chip may be preferred , obtaining the benefits of the systems and methods as described herein does not require the use of a system - on - a - chip . fig2 shows a portion of the megacell 44 in greater detail . the processor 46 comprises a core 12 , a memory management unit ( mmu ) 22 and a register bank 80 including a current program status register ( cpsr ) 82 and a secure configuration register ( scr ) 84 , described further below . the processor 46 couples to a security state machine ( ssm ) 56 by way of a security monitoring ( secmon ) bus 73 , also described below . the processor 46 couples to the ram 24 and rom 48 by way of an instruction bus 50 , a data read bus 52 and a data write bus 54 . the instruction bus 50 may be used by the processor 46 to fetch instructions for execution from one or both of the ram 24 and rom 48 . data read bus 52 may be the bus across which data reads from ram 24 propagate . likewise , data writes from the processor 46 may propagate along data write bus 54 to the ram 24 . the rom 48 and the ram 24 are partitioned into public and secure domains . specifically , the rom 48 comprises a public rom 68 , accessible in non - secure mode , and a secure rom 62 , accessible in secure mode . likewise , the ram 24 comprises a public ram 64 , accessible in non - secure mode , and a secure ram 60 , accessible in secure mode . in at least some embodiments , the public and secure domain partitions in the rom 48 and the ram 24 are virtual ( i . e ., non - physical ) partitions generated and enforced by the mmu 22 . the ssm 56 monitors the mmu 22 for security purposes via bus 25 , as described further below . secure rom 62 and secure ram 60 preferably are accessible only in secure mode . in accordance with embodiments of the invention , the ssm 56 monitors the entry into , execution during and exiting from the secure mode . the ssm 56 preferably is a hardware - based state machine that monitors various signals within the computing system 100 ( e . g ., instructions on the instruction bus 50 , data writes on the data write bus 52 and data reads on the data read bus 54 ) and activity in the processor core 12 through secmon bus 73 . each of the secure and non - secure modes may be partitioned into โ user โ and โ privileged โ modes . programs that interact directly with an end - user , such as a web browser , are executed in the user mode . programs that do not interact directly with an end - user , such as the operating system ( os ), are executed in the privileged mode . by partitioning the secure and non - secure modes in this fashion , a total of four modes are made available . as shown in fig3 , in order of ascending security level , these four modes include the non - secure user mode 300 , the non - secure privileged mode 302 , the secure user mode 306 , and the secure privileged mode 304 . there is an intermediate monitor mode 308 , described further below , between the modes 302 and 304 . the computer system 100 may operate in any one of these five modes at a time . the computer system 100 may switch from one mode to another . fig3 illustrates a preferred mode - switching sequence 298 . the sequence 298 is preferred because it is more secure than other possible switching sequences . for example , to switch from the non - secure user mode 300 to the secure privileged mode 304 , the system 100 should first pass through non - secure privileged mode 302 and the monitor mode 308 . likewise , to pass from the secure user mode 306 to the non - secure user mode 300 , the system 100 should switch from the secure user mode 306 to the secure privileged mode 304 , from the secure privileged mode 304 to the monitor mode 308 , from the monitor mode 308 to the non - secure privileged mode 302 , and from the non - secure privileged mode 302 to the non - secure user mode 300 . each mode switch is enacted by the adjustment of bits in the cpsr 82 and the scr 84 . the cpsr 82 comprises a plurality of mode bits . the status of the mode bits determines which mode the computer system 100 is in . each mode corresponds to a particular combination of mode bits . the mode bits may be manipulated to switch modes . for example , the bits may be manipulated to switch from mode 300 to mode 302 . the scr 84 comprises a non - secure ( ns ) bit . the status of the ns bit determines whether the computer system 100 is in secure mode or non - secure mode . in at least some embodiments , an asserted ns bit indicates that the system 100 is in non - secure mode . in other embodiments , an asserted ns bit indicates that the system 100 is in secure mode . adjusting the ns bit switches the system 100 between secure and non - secure modes . because the status of the ns bit is relevant to the security of the system 100 , the ns bit preferably is adjusted only in the monitor mode 308 , since the monitor mode 308 is , in at least some embodiments , the most secure mode . more specifically , when the system 100 is in the monitor mode 308 , the processor 46 executes monitor mode software ( not specifically shown ) on the secure rom 62 , which provides a secure transition from the non - secure mode to the secure - mode , and from the secure mode to the non - secure mode . in particular , the monitor mode software performs various security tasks to prepare the system 100 for a switch between the secure and non - secure modes . the monitor mode software may be programmed to perform security tasks as desired . if the processor 46 determines that these security tasks have been properly performed , the monitor mode software adjusts the ns bit in the scr register 84 , thereby switching the system 100 from non - secure mode to secure mode , or from secure mode to non - secure mode . the ns bit and the cpsr bits are provided by the processor 46 to the ssm 56 via the secmon bus 73 . the ssm 56 uses the secmon bus 73 to monitor any mode switches enacted by the processor 46 . for example , if the system 100 switches from the non - secure user mode 300 to the non - secure privileged mode 302 , the cpsr mode bits on the secmon bus 73 reflect the mode switch . the ssm 56 receives the updated cpsr mode bits and determines that the system 100 has switched from the non - secure user mode 300 to the non - secure privileged mode 302 . likewise , if the system 100 switches from the non - secure privileged mode 302 to the secure privileged mode 304 , the processor 46 updates the cpsr mode bits to reflect the mode switch , and further unasserts the ns bit in the scr 84 to reflect the switch from the non - secure mode to the secure mode . upon receiving the updated cpsr mode bits and the ns bit , the ssm 56 determines that the system 100 has switched from the non - secure mode to the secure mode and , more specifically , from the non - secure privileged mode 302 to the secure privileged mode 304 . the ssm 56 uses the secmon bus 73 in this way to ensure that the processor 46 does not take any action that may pose a security risk . for example , for security reasons , the processor 46 preferably adjusts the ns bit in the scr 84 only when the system 100 is in the monitor mode 308 . the ssm 56 uses the secmon bus 73 to ensure that the processor 46 does not adjust the ns bit when the system 100 is not in monitor mode 308 . thus , if the ssm 56 detects that the ns bit is being adjusted by the processor 46 and the cpsr 82 mode bits indicate that the system 100 is in the monitor mode 308 , the ssm 56 takes no action . however , if the ssm 56 detects that the ns bit is being adjusted and the cpsr mode bits indicate that the system 100 is not in monitor mode 308 ( e . g ., the system 100 is in one of the modes 300 , 302 , 304 or 306 ), the ssm 56 may report a security violation to the power reset control manager 66 via the security violation bus 64 . the power reset control manager 66 then may reset the system 100 . the ssm 56 also may take any of a variety of alternative actions to protect the computer system 100 . examples of such protective actions are provided in the commonly owned patent application entitled , โ system and method of identifying and preventing security violations within a computing system ,โ u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 961 , 748 , incorporated herein by reference . in addition to monitoring the ns bit and / or cpsr bits , the ssm 56 also may use the secmon bus 73 to ensure that when switching modes , the processor 46 does not deviate from the preferred mode switching path shown in fig3 . in particular , the ssm 56 monitors the cpsr bits provided on the secmon bus 73 . each mode ( e . g ., mode 300 , 302 , 304 , 306 , and 308 ) corresponds to a particular combination of cpsr bits . by decoding the cpsr bits provided on the secmon bus 73 , the ssm 56 determines the mode in which the computer system 100 is operating . if , in decoding the cpsr bits , the ssm 56 determines that the processor 46 has performed an illegal mode switch ( e . g ., from mode 300 to mode 304 without first passing through modes 302 and 308 ), the ssm 56 reports a security violation to the power reset control manager 66 via the security violation bus 64 . the ssm 56 alternatively may take any other suitable action ( s ) to protect the computer system 100 , such as those disclosed in the u . s . patent application ser . 10 / 961 , 748 referenced above . in addition to monitoring the ns bit , the ssm 56 also may use the secmon bus 73 in conjunction with the mmu bus 25 to monitor the mmu 22 and to ensure that the mmu &# 39 ; s activities do not compromise the security of the computer system 100 . for example , for security reasons , it is undesirable for the mmu 22 to be disabled when switching from non - secure mode to secure - mode . accordingly , the ssm 56 checks bus 25 to ensure that the mmu 22 is enabled when the ns bit on the secmon bus 73 indicates that the system 100 is switching from the non - secure mode to the secure mode . for example , if the mmu 22 is disabled when the ns bit is unasserted , the ssm 56 reports a security violation to the power reset control manager 66 via the security violation bus 64 . alternatively , the ssm 56 may take any of the protective actions mentioned above . for security reasons , it is also undesirable to fetch instructions from public ( i . e ., unsecure ) memory when in the secure or monitor modes . for this reason , the ssm 56 may monitor both the instruction bus 50 and the secmon bus 73 to ensure that while the system 100 is in either the monitor mode or secure mode , the processor 46 does not fetch an instruction from the public rom 68 and / or the public ram 64 . if the ssm 56 detects that an instruction tagged as โ unsecure โ is fetched on the instruction bus 50 while bits on the secmon bus 73 indicate that the system 100 is in monitor or secure mode , the ssm 56 reports a security violation to the power reset control manager 66 via the security violation bus 64 . the ssm 56 also may take alternative measures to protect the computer system 100 as mentioned above . for security reasons , it is also undesirable to read data from and / or write data to public ( i . e ., unsecure ) memory when in the monitor mode . for this reason , the ssm 56 may monitor the data read bus 52 , the data write bus 54 and the secmon bus 73 to ensure that the processor 46 does not read data from and / or write data to either the public rom 68 and / or the public ram 64 while the system 100 is in the monitor mode . for example , if the ssm 56 detects that data read from the public rom 68 is being carried on the data read bus 52 while bits on the secmon bus 73 indicate that the system 100 is in the monitor mode , the ssm 56 reports a security violation to the power reset control manager 66 or takes some other suitable , protective measure . in another example , if the ssm 56 detects that data is being written to the public ram 64 via data write bus 54 and the secmon bus 73 indicates that the system 100 is in monitor mode , the ssm 56 takes a suitable , protective measure ( e . g ., reports a security violation to the power reset control manager 66 ). fig4 illustrates a flow diagram of a process 400 used to monitor the computer system 100 for at least some of the security violations mentioned above . the process 400 begins by monitoring the processor 46 using the ssm 56 ( block 402 ). the process 400 further comprises determining whether one or more of the cpsr mode bits have been altered ( block 404 ). as mentioned above , the ssm 56 determines whether one or more of the cpsr mode bits have been altered by monitoring the secmon bus 73 . if any of the cpsr mode bits have been altered , the process 400 comprises determining whether an illegal mode switch has occurred ( block 406 ). an illegal mode switch may be , for example , a deviation from the preferred mode switching pattern shown in fig3 . the pattern may be stored , for instance , on the cpu 46 or on one of the memories 24 or 48 . if an illegal mode switch has occurred , the process 400 comprises reporting a security violation and taking one or more suitable , protective measures ( block 408 ). otherwise , the process 400 then comprises using the secmon bus 73 to determine whether the ns bit is being changed ( block 410 ). if the ns bit is being changed , the process 400 comprises using the cpsr bits on the secmon bus 73 to determine whether the change is occurring ( or occurred ) with the computer system 100 in the monitor mode ( block 412 ). if the change in the ns bit is occurring ( or occurred ) with the computer system 100 in a mode other than the monitor mode , the process 400 comprises reporting a security violation and taking one or more suitable , protective measures ( block 408 ). the above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention . numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated . it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications .
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with reference to fig1 to 3 , a hand - gripped rivet tool has a body 10 , multiple nosepieces 20 and a wrench 30 . the body 10 has a fixed handle 11 , an actuation handle 12 and a pulling unit 13 . the fixed handle 11 has a first end , multiple nosepiece fixing holes 111 and a storage slot 112 . the nosepiece fixing holes 111 are formed through an outer wall of the fixed handle 11 . the storage slot 112 is formed in another outer wall of the fixed handle 11 . the actuation handle 12 has a first end and multiple rivet body measuring holes 121 . the first end of the actuation handle 12 is pivotally mounted on the first end of the fixed handle 11 . in the present embodiment , diameters of the rivet body measuring holes 121 are 3 / 32 โณ ( 2 . 4 mm ), โ
โณ ( 3 . 0 or 3 . 2 mm ), 5 / 32 โณ ( 4 . 0 mm ), and 3 / 16 โณ ( 4 . 8 or 5 . 0 mm ). with reference to fig4 , texts associated with specifications of rivet bodies and a drawing of rivet body are marked beside the corresponding rivet body measuring holes 121 . with reference to fig5 to 7 , blind rivets having a size of a rivet body being 3 / 16 โณ ( 4 . 8 or 5 . 0 mm ) can be smoothly inserted into the rivet body measuring holes 121 having diameters being 3 / 16 โณ ( 4 . 8 mm or 5 . 0 mm ), but fail to be smoothly inserted into the rivet body measuring holes 121 having diameters being 5 / 32 โณ ( 4 . 0 mm ), โ
โณ ( 3 . 0 mm or 3 . 2 mm ) and 3 / 32 โณ ( 2 . 4 mm ). the pulling unit 13 can be movably connected to the first end of the actuation handle 12 and has a nosepiece fixing hole 111 . the nosepieces 20 are interchangeably mounted in the pulling unit 13 and the corresponding nosepiece fixing holes 111 . each of the nosepieces 20 has a mandrel through hole 21 having a matching diameter corresponding to the mandrel 42 of blind rivets 40 . the wrench 30 can be received in and removed from the storage slot of the fixed handle 11 . users can use the wrench 30 to assemble or disassemble the nosepieces 20 to select where they are mounted . besides , with reference to fig8 , an air hydraulic rivet tool has a body 50 and multiple nosepieces 20 . the body 50 has a base 51 , a pressure tank 52 and a hydraulic pulling unit 53 . with reference to fig9 , the base 51 has multiple nosepiece fixing holes ( not shown ), multiple rivet body measuring holes 511 and a flange 512 . the nosepiece fixing holes and the rivet body measuring holes 511 are formed through a bottom of the base 51 . texts associated with specifications of rivet bodies and a drawing of rivet body are marked beside the corresponding rivet body measuring holes 511 . the flange 512 is formed on and protrudes downwardly from an edge of the bottom of the base 51 . in the present embodiment , diameters of the rivet body measuring holes 511 formed through the bottom of the base 51 are โ
โณ( 3 . 0 or 3 . 2 mm ), 5 / 32 โณ( 4 . 0 mm ), 3 / 16 โณ( 4 . 8 mm or 5 . 0 mm ), 6 . 0 mm and ยผ โณ ( 6 . 4 mm ). the pressure tank 52 is mounted on a top of the base 51 and has a connection portion 521 and an activation switch 522 . the connection portion 521 is formed on and protrudes upwardly from a top of the pressure tank 52 and communicates with the pressure tank 52 . the activation switch 522 is mounted on the connection portion 521 . the hydraulic pulling unit 53 is connected with the connection portion 521 and communicates with the pressure tank 52 through the connection portion 521 . the nosepieces 20 of the present embodiment have the same look as those of the hand - gripped rivet tool except that the nosepieces 20 can be mounted in the hydraulic pulling unit 53 and the nosepiece fixing holes on the bottom of the base 51 . as shown in fig8 , the nosepieces stored in the bottom of the base 51 are surrounded and blocked by the flange 512 on the base 51 . with reference to fig1 , a rechargeable battery rivet tool has a body 60 and multiple nosepieces 20 . the body 60 has a battery base 61 , a hand grip 62 and a mandrel pulling unit 63 . with reference to fig1 , the battery base 61 has multiple nosepiece fixing holes ( not shown ) and a flange 611 . the nosepiece fixing holes are formed through a bottom of the battery base 61 . the flange 611 is formed on and protrudes downwardly from an edge of the bottom of the battery base 61 . the hand grip 62 is formed erectly on a top of the battery base 61 and has an activation switch 621 and multiple rivet body measuring holes 622 . the activation switch 621 is formed on the hand grip 62 . with reference to fig1 , the rivet body measuring holes 622 are formed through one side of the hand grip 62 . texts associated with specifications of rivet bodies and a drawing of rivet body are marked beside the corresponding rivet body measuring holes 622 . in the present embodiment , the hand grip 62 has multiple rivet body measuring holes 622 formed through the hand grip 62 and having diameters being โ
โณ ( 3 . 0 or 3 . 2 mm ), 5 / 32 โณ ( 4 . 0 mm ), 3 / 16 โณ ( 4 . 8 mm or 5 . 0 mm ), 6 . 0 mm and ยผ โณ ( 6 . 4 mm ). the mandrel pulling unit 63 is connected with the hand grip 62 and is electrically connected with the activation switch 621 . the nosepieces 20 have the same look as those of the hand - gripped rivet tool except that the nosepieces 20 can be interchangeably mounted in the mandrel pulling unit 63 and the corresponding nosepiece fixing hole on the bottom of the battery base 61 . as shown in fig1 , the nosepieces 20 stored in the bottom of the battery base 61 are surrounded and blocked by the flange 611 on the battery base 61 . given the multiple rivet body measuring holes and the corresponding nosepieces , as long as users can directly insert a rivet body of a blind rivet into a matching rivet body measuring hole built in the rivet tool , a right nosepiece with corresponding size can be correctly selected for users to smoothly fasten the blind rivet with the rivet tool without wasting blind rivet or causing the rivet tool jammed by the broken mandrel . even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description , together with details of the structure and function of the invention , the disclosure is illustrative only . changes may be made in detail , especially in the matters of shape , size , and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed .
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the ophthalmic compositions of this invention comprise a sub - therapeutic to a therapeutically effective amount of a ( an ocular antihypertensive drug ) with ( b ) ( a ) tetrahydrocortisol ( thc ), ( b ) an inhibitor of cortisol synthesis , ( c ) a cortisol receptor antagonist , or ( d ) a potassium channel blocker such as one disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 414 , 067 ( boyd et al . ), or a pharmaceutically acceptable or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt , enantiomer , diastereomer , or mixtures thereof . the ocular antihypertensive drug ( a ) of this novel composition can include : 1 ) carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as dorzolamide and brinzolamide ; 2 ) beta - adrenergic blocking agents including timolol , betaxolol , levobunolol and metipranolol ; 3 ) prostaglandin f 2ฮฑ agonists , both natural products and synthetic analogs , including latanoprost , unoprostrone isopropyl , travoprost , and bimatoprost ; 4 ) a selective alpha adrenergic agonist such as brimonidine and clonidine , 5 ) epinephrine , 6 ) rho - kinase inhibitors , and 7 ) adenosine a3 receptor antagonists . alpha agonists primarily affect aqueous formation . the preferred carbonic anhydrase inhibitor is dorzolamide . the preferred beta - adrenergic antagonist is timolol . the preferred prostaglandin agonist is latanoprost . the preferred alpha adrenergic agonist is brimonidine . the preferred rho - kinase inhibitor is y 27632 . the preferred adenosine a3 receptor antagonist is a 1 , 2 , 4 - triazolo -( 1 , 5c ) pyrimidine . tetrahydrocortisol , especially the 3 - alpha - 5 - beta isomer , has been shown to lower intraocular pressure ( iop ) in rabbits made ocularly hypertensive with dexamethasone ( southren weinstein el al ., invest . ophthalmol . vis . sci . 28 , 901 ( 1987 ) and to be useful in the prevention of the elevation in intraocular pressure resulting from treatment with glucocorticoids ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 358 , 943 , clark et al .). 3 - ฮฑ - 5 - ฮฒ - tetrahydrocortisol has been shown to lower intraocular pressure in patients when applied topically as a 1 % suspension . ( j . ocul . pharmacol . 10 , 385 ( 1994 ) and in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 997 , 826 ( southren et al .)). thc may affect intraocular pressure by preventing changes in the trabecular meshwork cytoskeleton caused by glucocorticoids , such as cortisol ( invest . opthalmol . vis . sci . 37 , 805 - 13 ( 1996 )). in line with this proposal is the observation that decreasing cortisol formation in the eye by inhibition of its synthesis reduces iop . carbenoxolone treatment resulted in a 20 % decrease in intraocular pressure in normal subjects ( invest . ophthalmol . 41 , 1609 - 1638 ( 2000 )) and in patients with ocular hypertension ( q . j . med . 96 : 481 - 490 ( 2003 )). however , thc has not been used with other ocular antihypertensive as an approach to enhanced efficacy for resistant glaucoma . such a combination takes advantage of different mechanisms affecting intraocular pressure . such a combination , where each component reduces intraocular pressure by an independent mechanism has now been unexpectantly found to lower intraocular pressure at a dose below that required for each single entity , thereby allowing novel formulations which can decrease or eliminate the undesirable side effects caused by the therapeutic dose of each entity when given separately . tetrahydrocortisol has been used topically only as a suspension . when the formulation of the present combination is in the form of a solution both components , including the thc , are in solution or as nanoparticles and thus fully available for passage through the cornea . inhibitors of cortisol synthesis of the invention function via inhibition of 11 - ฮฒ - hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase . they include compounds such as those described in u . s . pat . nos . 7 , 332 , 524 and 7 , 304 , 081 and are exemplified by the adamantyl acetamides such as n -( 5 - hydroxytricyclo -( 3 . 3 . 1 . 13 ) deca - 2 - yl )- ฮฑ , ฮฑ - dimethylbenzene acetamide and the phenylpyrrolidines and related compounds such as 1 -(( 1 -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) cyclopropyl ) carbonyl )- 2 - phenylpyrrolidine or the corresponding 2 , 3 - dihydrospiro ( indene - 1 , 4 - piperidine ). when used in the ophthalmic formulations of the invention , the inhibitors of cortisol synthesis comprise 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ), preferably 1 to 2 % of the formulation and are administered 1 to 4 times a day , preferably 1 to 2 times a day . the glucocorticoid antagonists are represented by mifepristone . when used in the ophthalmic formulations of the invention , the glucocorticoid antagonists comprise 0 . 05 to 5 ( w / w ), preferably 1 to 2 % of the formulation and are administered 1 to 4 times a day , preferably 1 to 2 times a day . preferred potassium channel blockers are calcium activated potassium channel blockers . more preferred potassium channel blockers are high conductance , calcium activated potassium ( maxi - k ) channel blockers . one embodiment of the invention is an ophthalmically effective amount of a composition comprising tetrahydrocortisol in solution or as nanoparticles as the only ocular antihypertensive compound . another embodiment of the invention is a method of treating a patient with elevated intraocular pressure or glaucoma , wherein said patient is a mammal , especially man , which comprises administering to said patient an ophthalmically effective amount of a composition comprising tetrahydrocortisol in solution or in the form of nanoparticles . the ophthalmically effective amount typically comprises 3 - 8 % ( w / w ), preferably 5 %, and is administered 2 - 4 times a day single drop schedule . one embodiment of the invention is ophthalmically effective amount of a composition comprising an ocular antihypertensive compound a and b ( tetrahydrocortisol , an inhibitor of cortisol synthesis , a cortisol receptor antagonist , or a potassium channel blocker ). another embodiment of the invention is a method of treating a patient with elevated intraocular pressure or glaucoma , wherein said patient is a mammal , especially man , which comprises administering to said patient an ophthalmically effective amount of a composition comprising an ocular antihypertensive compound a and b ( tetrahydrocortisol , an inhibitor of cortisol synthesis , a cortisol receptor antagonist , or a potassium channel blocker ). said administration may be concomitant or sequential . the combinations disclosed herein are effective either by co - administration of the medicaments as a single composition or as a sequential therapy achieved by prior administration of one medicament followed by administration of the other . the second medicament may be applied after tearing ceases or after 30 seconds . in the case of sequential administration of the individual drugs , either may be given first followed by the second . the use of a single composition containing both medicaments is preferred . the topical formulations of the invention include : 1 ) carbon anhydrase inhibitors , especially dorzolamide , and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta - tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker ; 2 ) a beta - adrenergic blocking agents , especially timolol , and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker ; 3 ) a prostaglandin f la agonist , especially latanoprost , and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta - tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker ; and 4 ) a selective alpha - adrenergic agonist , especially apraclonidine or brimonidine , and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta - tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker , 5 ) epinephrine and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta - tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker 6 ) a rho - kinase inhibitor and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta - tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker , and 7 ) an adenosine a3 receptor antagonist and 3 - alpha - 5 - beta - tetrahydrocortisol or a potassium channel blocker . the combination of dorzolamide and tetrahydrocortisol is formulated at near neutral ph and with low viscosity , thereby eliminating the stinging and burning side effects common with the commercial dorzolamide 2 % at ph 5 . 6 . the lower ph is primarily responsible for the uncomfortable side effect of burning . brimzololamide is a suspension and does not penetrate the corneal barrier as efficiently as trusopt ยฎ. for the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor / thc formulation , the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors can be selected from dorzolamide and brinzolamide , or an ophthalmolgically acceptable salt thereof . the ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) carbonic anhydrase inhibitor , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) thc usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ) to be administered on a 1 to 2 times a day single drop schedule . for the beta - adrenergic antagonist / thc formulation , the beta - adrenergic antagonist is selected from betaaxolol , carteolol , levobunolol , metipranolol , and timolol , or an ophthalmogically acceptable salt thereof . the ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 01 to 1 % ( w / w ) of the beta - adrenergic antagonist , preferably about 0 . 1 to 0 . 5 % ( w / w ), in combination with about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) of thc , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and is administered on a 1 to 2 times a day single drop schedule . for the prostaglandin agonist / thc formulation , the prostaglandin is selected from bimatoprost , latanoprost , travoprost , and unoprostone , or any ophthalmologically acceptable salt thereof . the novel ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 0001 to 1 % ( w / w ) of the prostaglandin , preferably 0 . 001 to 0 . 5 % ( w / w ), in combination with about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) of thc , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and is administered on a 1 to 2 times a day single drop schedule . for the selective alpha adrenergic agonist / thc formulation , the selective alpha adrenergic agonist is selected from brimonidine and clonidine , or any ophthalmologically acceptable salt thereof . the novel ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 015 to 5 % ( w / w ) of the selective alpha adrenergic agonist , preferably 0 . 5 to 2 % ( w / w ), in combination with about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) of thc , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and is administered on a 2 to 4 times a day single drop schedule . for the epinephrine / thc formulation , the epinephrine is selected from ophthalmic epinephrine and dipivefrin . the novel ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 05 to 10 % ( w / w ) of the epinephrine , preferably 0 . 1 to 5 % ( w / w ), in combination with about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) of thc , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and is administered on a 2 to 4 times a day single drop schedule . for the rho - kinase inhibitor / thc formulation , the rho - kinase inhibitor is preferably y 27632 . the novel ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 2 to 3 % ( w / w ) of the rho - kinase inhibitor , preferably 0 . 5 to 5 % ( w / w ), in combination with about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) of thc , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and is administered on a 2 to 4 times a day single drop schedule . for the adenosine a3 receptor antagonist / thc formulation , the adenosine a3 receptor antagonist is preferably a 1 , 2 , 4 triazolo ( 1 , 5 - c ) pyrimidine . the novel ophthalmic formulations of the invention comprise about 0 . 2 to 5 % ( w / w ) of the adenosine a3 receptor antagonist , preferably 1 to 3 % ( w / w ), in combination with about 0 . 05 to 5 % ( w / w ) of thc , usually about 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / w ), and is administered on a 2 to 4 times a day single drop schedule . formulations analogous to those above may be prepared , but replacing thc with an inhibitor of cortisol synthesis , a cortisol receptor antagonist , a potassium channel blocker . ophthalmic formulations of this compound may contain from 0 . 01 to 5 % and especially 0 . 5 to 2 % of the potassium channel blocker . for a single dose , from between 0 . 001 to 5 . 0 %, preferably 0 . 005 to 2 . 0 %, and especially 0 . 005 to 1 . 0 % of the potassium channel blocker may be applied to the eye . for topical ocular administration , the formulations of the invention may take the form of solutions , gels , ointments , suspensions , or solid inserts , formulated so that a unit dosage comprises a therapeutically effective amount of each active component , even if the amount is less than if the components were given individually . typical ophthalmologically acceptable carriers for the novel formulations are , for example , water , mixtures of water and water - miscible solvents such as lower alkanols or aralkanols , vegetable oils , polyalkylene glycols , petroleum based jelly , ethyl cellulose , ethyl oleate , carboxymethylcellulose , polyvinylpyrrolidone , isopropyl myristate and other conventionally employed pharmaceutically acceptable carriers , including the various cyclodextrins . the pharmaceutical preparation may also contain non - toxic auxiliary substances such as emulsifying , preserving , or wetting agents , bodying agents and the like , for example , polyethylene glycols 200 , 300 , 400 and 600 , carbowaxes 1000 , 1 , 500 , 4 , 000 , 6 , 000 , and 10 , 000 , antibacterial components such as quaternary ammonium compounds , phenylmercuric salts known to have cold sterilizing properties and which are non - injurious in use , thimerosal , benzalkonium chloride , methyl and propyl paraben , benzyldodecinium bromide , benzyl alcohol , phenylethanol , buffering ingredients such as sodium chloride , sodium borate , sodium acetate , or gluconate buffers , and other conventional ingredients such as sorbitan monolaurate , triethanolamine , polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitylate , dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate , monothioglycerol , thiosorbitol , ethylenediamine tetra - acetic acid , and the like . additionally , suitable ophthalmic vehicles can be used as carrier media for the present purpose including conventional phosphate buffer vehicle systems , isotonic boric acid vehicles , isotonic sodium chloride vehicles , isotonic sodium borate vehicles , and the like . the formulation may also include a gum such as gellan gum at a concentration of 0 . 1 to 2 % by weight so that the aqueous eye drops gel on contact with the eye , thus providing the advantages of a solid ophthalmic insert , as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 861 , 760 . the pharmaceutical preparation may also be in the form of a solid insert such as one which after dispensing the drug remains essentially intact , as described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 256 , 108 ; 4 , 160 , 452 ; and 4 , 265 , 874 ; or a bio - erodible insert that is either soluble in lachrymal fluids , or otherwise disintegrates , as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 287 , 175 or ep 0 , 077 , 261 . the formulation may also be composed of low micron or nano sized particles of thc thereby providing a significant advantage in terms of drug uptake into the eye . nanoparticles are compounds with an average diameter of between 1 and 100 nanometers . they may be prepared by methods well known in the art ; for example by milling a dry powder of the compound or a slurry thereof . several cyclodextrins may be used , including randomly methylated - beta - cyclodextrin , 2 - hydroxypropyl - beta - cyclodextrin , and sulfobutylether - beta - cyclodextrin . for each formulation , a phase solubility study is performed to determine the exact amount of cyclodextrin to solubilize the thc and dorzolamide or another intraocular pressure lowering medication or its ophthalmologically acceptable salt at the near neutral ph of 6 to 7 . 5 . the compounds of the invention may be in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . other salts may , however , be useful in the preparation of the compounds according to the invention or of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts . when the compound of the present invention is acidic , suitable โ pharmaceutically acceptable salts โ refers to salts prepared from pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic bases including inorganic bases and organic bases . salts derived from inorganic bases include aluminum , ammonium , calcium , copper , ferric , ferrous , lithium , magnesium , manganic salts , manganous , potassium , sodium , zinc , and the like . particularly preferred are the ammonium , calcium , magnesium , potassium , and sodium salts . salts derived from pharmaceutically acceptable organic non - toxic bases include salts of primary , secondary and tertiary amines , substituted amines including naturally occurring substituted amines , cyclic amines , and basic ion exchange resins , such as arginine , betaine caffeine , choline , n , n 1 - dibenzylethylenediamine , diethylamine , 2 - diethylaminoethanol , 2 - dimethylaminoethanol , ethanolamine , ethylenediamine , n - ethylmorpholine , n - ethylpiperidine , glucamine , glucosamine , histidine , hydrabamine , isopropylamine , lysine , methylglucamine , morpholine , piperazine , piperidine , polyamine resins , procaine , purines , theobromine , triethylamine , trimethylamine , tripropylamine , tromethamine , and the like . when the compound of the invention is acidic , suitable derivatives such as esters and amides are also included . when a compound of the invention is basic , salts may be prepared from pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic acids , including inorganic and organic acids . such acids include acetic , benzenesulfonic , benzoic , camphorsulfonic , citric , ethanesulfonic , fumaric , gluconic , glutamic , hydrobromic , hydrochloric , isethionic , lactic , maleic , malic , mandelic , methanesulfonic , mucic , nitric , pamoic , pantothenic , phosphoric , succinic , sulfuric , tartaric , p - toluenesulfonic , and the like . all cited patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . the invention can be further exemplified by the example , which is intended to be illustrative and not limiting , an excess of tetrahydrocortisol is added to aqueous phosphate buffer ph 8 ( 2 . 05 m ). the buffer contains 0 % to 20 % ( w / v ) cyclodextrin , benzalkonium chloride ( 2 . 02 % w / v ), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ( edta ) ( 0 . 1 % w / v ), and hydroxylpropylmethylcellulose ( 0 . 1 %). the ph is adjusted to 7 . 5 with lon naoh . the mixture is autoclaved for 20 minutes at 120 ยฐ c . and allowed to cool and stand at room temperature ( 27 ยฐ c .) for 7 days . the suspension is then filtered and 10 % excess of cyclodextrin added . this stock solution of tetrahydrocortisol is then used to prepare the eye drop formulations used for the combination formulations of the invention . a dorzolomide solution , similarly prepared , is mixed with the stock solution of thc to yield final formulations containing 1 % dorzolamide / 1 % thc , 1 % dorzolamide / 2 % thc , 1 . 5 % dorzoamide / 1 % thc , 1 . 5 % dorzolamide / 2 % thc , and 2 % dorzolomide / 2 % thc . the tested viscosity for the cyclodextrin / dorzolamide formulations ranges from 3 to 5 cps , and each is adjusted to 10 cps ( mpa ยท s ) as measured at room temperature on a brookfield viscometer , the viscosities of water being 1 cps and of trusopt ยฎ about 100 cps .
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fig1 is a perspective view illustrating one preferred embodiment of a diagnostic filter device according to the invention . the device shown in fig1 includes a casing 2 containing a cylindrical , pleated filter element 4 , which may be made of a paper or fibrous material having a selected porosity . filter element 4 encloses a generally cylindrical space into which fluid is introduced via an inlet tube 6 forming part of casing 2 and communicating with the interior of filter element 4 . fluid introduced to the interior of filter element 4 flows axially along filter element 4 and radially outwardly through filter element 4 to the region of casing 2 surrounding filter element 4 . this fluid exits through an outlet ( not shown ) provided in the bottom of casing 2 . according to the invention , filter element 4 is surrounded by a coil of wire 8 having input / output leads 10 . leads 10 are connected to a known eddy current test instrument 12 having a cathode ray display 14 and calibration dials 16 . instrument 12 can be constituted by any suitable commercially available eddy current instrument . by way of example , this could be constituted by an instrument marketed by the hocking company of herefordshire , england , under the model designation av10 . prior to being placed in use , with no conductive or semiconductive material within filter element 4 , instrument 12 may be calibrated to produce a zero display . thereafter , fluid containing particles of conductive or semiconductive material is caused to flow through casing 2 , whereupon particles of conductive or semiconductive materials enter the electromagnetic field produced by coil 8 and some of these particles become trapped in the folds at the outer periphery of filter element 4 . any particles within the electromagnetic field influence the signals detected by instrument 12 , producing , on cathode ray display 14 , a trace which is characteristic of the nature and quantity of the particles within the electromagnetic field . the form , including the amplitude , configuration and orientation , of the trace is a function of changes in the effective complex impedance of the coil system due to the conductive or semiconductive particles within the field . fig2 illustrates the traces which have been obtained on display 14 , after initial calibration as described above , for three different impurity materials : copper , aluminum and iron oxide . for a given material , the phase angle detected by instrument 12 , corresponding to the direction of the trace on display 14 , is a function of the material composition , and the amplitude of the detected signal , corresponding to the length of the trace on display 14 , is proportional to the quantity of impurity material in the coil field . material composition can be determined with reasonable reliability if particles of a single material are present in the fluid flowing through filter element 4 . the concentration of particles in the stream , corresponding to the rate at which particles collect in filter element 4 , can be determined by measuring the length of the trace on display 14 at fixed time intervals . the traces shown in fig2 where obtained by producing in coil 8 an electromagnetic field at a frequency of 5 mhz . a diagnostic filter according to the present invention can be used for monitoring material failure or wear in a wide variety of systems which are cooled or lubricated by , or which transport , an electrically nonconductive liquid . these include simple lubrication systems or virtually any pump , valve or plumbing system . the invention can be applied to the monitoring of condenser and boiler tubing . diagnostic filters according to the invention could be disposed at strategic locations to individually monitor special problem areas . oil and natural gas pipeline systems composed of a large number of remote pumping stations could be equipped with diagnostic filters for monitoring a variety of components . diagnostic filters according to the invention could be applied to actuator systems of the type employed in aerospace applications and containing nonferrous metals . in addition , the invention could be applied for monitoring compressor systems for cooling equipment as well as turbo chargers and superchargers for automotive applications . for all such applications , it is preferable that the region occupied by the electromagnetic field not contain any parts of conductive or semiconductive material . however , in certain cases , if parts of such materials are present , it may be possible to nullify the influence of those parts by the initial zeroing of the eddy current instrument . according to one possibility contemplated by the invention , the surface of a body which is exposed to the fluid stream and which is subject to wear may be provided with a coating containing particles which will produce a defined eddy current instrument response . according to another possibility , such surface may be coated with successive layers of respectively different conductive or semiconductive materials each producing a distinctly different eddy current response . then a change in the response of the eddy current instrument will serve to indicate that one layer has been worn through . fig3 illustrates a surface of a part 20 to be monitored provided with a plurality of coating layers including layers 22 consisting of or containing a first nonferrous material alternating with layers 24 consisting of or containing a second nonferrous material selected to produce an eddy current instrument response different from that produced by the first material . as each layer wears away , particles from the underlying layer will enter the lubricant stream and become trapped within filter element 4 . as particles of a second type build up in filter element 4 , the direction of the trace produced on display 14 will begin to change . the wear experienced by the layer structure of fig3 could also be monitored by periodically recording the parameters of the display and zeroing the display after each recording . then , when particles begin to wear away from a new layer , the direction of the trace on the display will change in a clearly observable manner . according to one embodiment of the arrangement shown in fig3 each layer 22 could consist of or contain particles of , copper , while each layer 24 could consist of , or contain particles of , iron oxide . other pairs of materials could also be selected furthermore , while fig1 illustrates one effective embodiment of a filter element 4 , it will be appreciated that filter elements having other configurations could be employed . it should additionally be appreciated that the diagnostic filter according to the invention may be used to detect particles of ferrous materials . however , a significant advantage of the invention resides in its ability to detect nonferrous particles . it should further be noted that devices according to the present invention can employ a simple bridge circuit , possibly with a go - no - go visual indicator , to provide an indication of changes in the effective impedance of the sensing coil . while the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention , it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof . the accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention . the presently disclosed 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 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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fig1 shows a simplified representation of an illustrative integrated circuit design flow incorporating features of the technology . at a high level , the process starts with the product idea ( step 100 ) and is realized in an eda ( electronic design automation ) software design process ( step 110 ). when the design is finalized , it can be taped - out ( step 140 ). after tape out , the fabrication process ( step 150 ) and packaging and assembly processes ( step 160 ) occur resulting , ultimately , in finished integrated circuit chips ( result 170 ). the eda software design process ( step 110 ) is actually composed of a number of steps 112 - 130 , shown in linear fashion for simplicity . in an actual integrated circuit design process , the particular design might have to go back through steps until certain tests are passed . similarly , in any actual design process , these steps may occur in different orders and combinations . this description is therefore provided by way of context and general explanation rather than as a specific , or recommended , design flow for a particular integrated circuit . a brief description of the components steps of the eda software design process ( step 110 ) will now be provided . system design ( step 112 ): the designers describe the functionality that they want to implement , they can perform what - if planning to refine functionality , check costs , etc . hardware - software architecture partitioning can occur at this stage . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include model architect , saber , system studio , and designware ยฎ products . logic design and functional verification ( step 114 ): at this stage , the vhdl or verilog code for modules in the system is written and the design is checked for functional accuracy . more specifically , the design is checked to ensure that produces the correct outputs in response to particular input stimuli . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include vcs , vera , designware ยฎ, magellan , formality , esp and leda products . synthesis and design for test ( step 116 ): here , the vhdl / verilog is translated to a netlist . the netlist can be optimized for the target technology . additionally , the design and implementation of tests to permit checking of the finished chip occurs . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include design compiler ยฎ, physical compiler , test compiler , power compiler , fpga compiler , tetramax , and designware ยฎ products . netlist verification ( step 118 ): at this step , the netlist is checked for compliance with timing constraints and for correspondence with the vhdl / verilog source code . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include formality , primetime , and vcs products . design planning ( step 120 ): here , an overall floor plan for the chip is constructed and analyzed for timing and top - level routing . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include astro and ic compiler products . physical implementation ( step 122 ): the placement ( positioning of circuit elements ) and routing ( connection of the same ) occurs at this step . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include the astro and ic compiler products . analysis and extraction ( step 124 ): at this step , the circuit function is verified at a transistor level , this in turn permits what - if refinement . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include astrorail , primerail , primetime , and star rc / xt products . physical verification ( step 126 ): at this step various checking functions are performed to ensure correctness for : manufacturing , electrical issues , lithographic issues , and circuitry . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include the hercules product . tape - out ( step 127 ): this step provides the โ tape out โ data for production of masks for lithographic use to produce finished chips . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include the cats ยฎ family of products . resolution enhancement ( step 128 ): this step involves geometric manipulations of the layout to improve manufacturability of the design . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include proteus , proteusaf , and psmgen products . mask data preparation ( step 130 ): this step provides the โ tape - out โ data for production of masks for lithographic use to produce finished chips . example eda software products from synopsys , inc . that can be used at this step include the cats ยฎ family of products . fig2 is a simplified block diagram of a computer system that can be used to implement software incorporating aspects of the technology . computer system 210 typically includes a processor subsystem 214 which communicates with a number of peripheral devices via bus subsystem 212 . these peripheral devices may include a storage subsystem 224 , comprising a memory subsystem 226 and a file storage subsystem 228 , user interface input devices 222 , user interface output devices 220 , and a network interface subsystem 216 . the input and output devices allow user interaction with computer system 210 . network interface subsystem 216 provides an interface to outside networks , including an interface to communication network 218 , and is coupled via communication network 218 to corresponding interface devices in other computer systems . communication network 218 may comprise many interconnected computer systems and communication links . these communication links may be wireline links , optical links , wireless links , or any other mechanisms for communication of information . while in one embodiment , communication network 218 is the internet , in other embodiments , communication network 218 may be any suitable computer network . the physical hardware component of network interfaces are sometimes referred to as network interface cards ( nics ), although they need not be in the form of cards : for instance they could be in the form of integrated circuits ( ics ) and connectors fitted directly onto a motherboard , or in the form of macrocells fabricated on a single integrated circuit chip with other components of the computer system . user interface input devices 222 may include a keyboard , pointing devices such as a mouse , trackball , touchpad , or graphics tablet , a scanner , a touch screen incorporated into the display , audio input devices such as voice recognition systems , microphones , and other types of input devices . in general , use of the term โ input device โ is intended to include all possible types of devices and ways to input information into computer system 210 or onto computer network 218 . user interface output devices 220 may include a display subsystem , a printer , a fax machine , or non visual displays such as audio output devices . the display subsystem may include a cathode ray tube ( crt ), a flat panel device such as a liquid crystal display ( lcd ), a projection device , or some other mechanism for creating a visible image . the display subsystem may also provide non visual display such as via audio output devices . in general , use of the term โ output device โ is intended to include all possible types of devices and ways to output information from computer system 210 to the user or to another machine or computer system . storage subsystem 224 stores the basic programming and data constructs that provide the functionality of certain aspects of the present invention . for example , the various modules implementing the functionality of a circuit simulator and extraction tool in the present application may be stored in storage subsystem 224 . these software modules are generally executed by processor subsystem 214 . the data constructs stored in the storage subsystem 224 also can include any technology files , macrocell libraries , layout files , and other databases mentioned herein . note that in some embodiments , one or more of these can be stored elsewhere but accessibly to the computer system 210 , for example via the communication network 218 . memory subsystem 226 typically includes a number of memories including a main random access memory ( ram ) 230 for storage of instructions and data during program execution and a read only memory ( rom ) 232 in which fixed instructions are stored . file storage subsystem 228 provides persistent storage for program and data files , and may include a hard disk drive , a floppy disk drive along with associated removable media , a cd rom drive , an optical drive , or removable media cartridges . the simulation and extraction programs 280 implementing the functionality of certain embodiments of the invention may have been provided on a computer readable medium including transitory media , and nontransitory media 240 such as one or more cd - roms ( or may have been communicated to the computer system 210 via the communication network 218 ), and may be stored by file storage subsystem 228 . the host memory 226 contains , among other things , computer instructions which , when executed by the processor subsystem 210 , cause the computer system to operate or perform functions as described herein . as used herein , processes and software that are said to run in or on โ the host โ or โ the computer โ, execute on the processor subsystem 214 in response to computer instructions and data in the host memory subsystem 226 including any other local or remote storage for such instructions and data . bus subsystem 212 provides a mechanism for letting the various components and subsystems of computer system 210 communicate with each other as intended . although bus subsystem 212 is shown schematically as a single bus , alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may use multiple busses . computer system 210 itself can be of varying types including a personal computer , a portable computer , a workstation , a computer terminal , a network computer , a television , a mainframe , or any other data processing system or user device . due to the ever changing nature of computers and networks , the description of computer system 210 depicted in fig2 is intended only as a specific example for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention . many other configurations of computer system 210 are possible having more or less components than the computer system depicted in fig2 . the process flows of fig3 and 4 are commonly used to characterize circuits such as memories . embedded memories are an important type of manufactured chips , with increasing complexity and size , and increasing number in a typical soc ( system on chip ). for predictable timing closure , accurate timing characterization is a requirement . characterization is a process of generating timing libraries from spice circuit simulations . the timing libraries generated from the spice simulations are as accurate as the input netlist and model undergoing simulation . a typical memory characterization process runs different spice simulations for different input slews and output loads . the outputs of all the simulations that capture the various parameters are used to populate the *. lib which is used by downstream implementation and timing tools . fig3 is a simplified process flow of characterizing a memory based on the critical path , or cut netlist , approach . device models and corner information 302 , memory netlist ( critical path or cut netlist ) 304 , and stimulus for characterization 306 are inputs of the transistor level simulator 308 . as output , the transistor level simulator 308 generates * jib timing library 310 from measurement results for the critical path or cut netlist approach . in the critical path or cut netlist approach , the memory designers model the interconnect parasitics using parameters of sheet resistance and routing length . this reduces the number of devices that need to be simulated and reduces the size of the netlist that is simulated . the netlist used for characterizing the memory is a modeled netlist where parasitics aren &# 39 ; t extracted from layout , but are modeled based on the dimensions of cells and length of metal wire plus the sheet resistance of the layer used for routing . advantages of the critical path or cut netlist approach are its scalability because the number of devices in the netlist aren &# 39 ; t directly proportional to the design size or size of the memory , and simple setup because the routing capacitance and resistance are functions of the bit cell width and the sheet resistance of the routing layer . disadvantages of the critical path or cut netlist approach are the lack of a one - to - one correlation between the netlist used for characterization and the silicon layout ; no accounting for layout effects that are key for udsm ( ultra deep sub - micron ) nodes such as 45 nm , 32 nm , 28 nm , and so on ; and a potential performance mismatch between the actual netlist and the characterized netlist . fig4 is a simplified process flow of characterizing a memory based on the instance based approach . device models and corner information 402 , memory netlist ( instance based ) 404 , and stimulus for characterization 406 are inputs of the transistor level simulator 408 . as output , the transistor level simulator 408 generates * jib timing library 410 from measurement results for the instance based approach . in the instance based approach , the netlist used for simulating and characterizing the memory is extracted from the layout and therefore based on what goes into silicon or the exact design advantages of the instance based approach are that the netlist is generated from an actual design , resulting in a one - to - one correspondence between the netlist used for characterization and the real design ; the characterization is very close to the silicon numbers because the netlist is extracted from the layout ; and layout effects are accounted for that are predominant in the advanced process nodes ( 45 nm , 32 nm , 28 nm , and so on ). the disadvantage of the instance based approach is that the netlist size , simulation runtime , and memory footprint are directly proportional to the size of the memory , hence making the approach not scalable . fig5 is a simplified process flow of characterizing a memory based on the instance based approach , including simulation to determine active nets , extraction from a limited part of a layout of a parasitic netlist determined by the active nets , and simulation including the parasitic netlist . the size of the netlist is directly proportional to the memory size , but for any given memory write or read operation , the nets that control the timing are a small subset of the total number of nets in the memory . the extraction data size grows exponentially as memory sizes increase . but the number of nets that are active remain largely the same for a given register size ( width ). accordingly , this results in significant reduction of data size . instead of extracting all nets , a combination of a circuit simulator and parasitic extraction tool extracts nets that are active , and adjacent nets that are connected to active nets . as a result , simulation run times are reduced by 100 ร and simulator memory by 20 ร. a similar improvement is seen in the extraction tool . such improvements comes with practically no loss in accuracy . option file (. acheck command to identify active nets , etc .) 502 , pre - layout netlist or lvs ( layout versus schematic ) input netlist 504 , and stimulus for characterization , device models , and corner information 506 are inputs of the transistor level simulator 508 ( e . g ., hsim ). as output , the transistor level simulator 508 generates active nets identified by simulation 510 . the hsim commands used to identify the active nets are as follows : . acheck โ*โ dv =โ vdd / 10 โโ this command helps the tool identify nets in the design with a voltage transition of at least 1 / 10th the supply during the entire period of simulation . other criteria may be used . . param hsimacheckoutfmt = 1 โ this command generates the list of active nets in the format that can be consumed by star - rc . the following explains how to arrive at the best hsim options for a given technology node . this section also explains an example of how to identify the criteria that will determine active nets . the block should be small โ can contain a few hundred of devices . more devices will increase the turnaround time without adding significant value . the block could either be a synthetic block ( created just for this purpose ) or a small functional part of the memory . an ideal block from the memory would be the address decoder block . an important requirement is to use the extracted netlist ( with r &# 39 ; s and c &# 39 ; s .) hspice is a golden standard and recommended to generate the golden results . hsim is recommended for instance based characterizations due to the architecture of hsim and its hierarchical database . generate golden results by simulating the netlist chosen with the above criteria using hspice . run the simulation on the same netlist using hsim . the hsim options are chosen such that the hsim simulation results match hspice simulation results . hsimalloweddv is one of the hsim options that control the accuracy of the simulation and determined whether a net is active / switching ; other hsim options can be tweaked to arrive at the desired accuracy . hsimalloweddv would be the key parameter that would be used the value of hsimalloweddv defines the value of the voltage transition which defines which nets are active . this helps determination of the most accurate options to be used for hsim with which hsim results match hspice results . the hsim options can be made less conservative to gain performance by creating a tolerance band of +/โ 1 . 5 % (+/โ 3 %) for timing . these active nets identified by simulation 510 , and a layout ( e . g ., gds ii ) are inputs to a parasitic extraction tool ( e . g ., start - rcxt ) 514 . as output , the parasitic extraction tool 514 generates a parasitic netlist determined by the active nets 516 . netlist_select_net : & lt ; list of active nets & gt ;โ this command identifies the nets that needs to be extracted . netlist_coupled_unselected_nets : complete โ this command ensures that the nets coupled to active nets are extracted too . netlist_type : rcc โ this command ensure that all nets that are extracted are written out as rc extracted . the timing of the active net is dependent on the coupling capacitance cc connected between the active net and the additional net . since the capacitance is captured in the dspf ( detailed standard parasitic format ) the loading of the additional net is reflected on the active net . the following explains how star - rc can be used to write out the active nets and nets coupled to active nets as distributed rc . extracting only the active nets yields less accurate results , as the coupling from the adjacent nets aren &# 39 ; t accounted for . to address this issue , one embodiment extracts the active nets and the nets coupled to active nets . the commands that can accomplish the above in star - rc are listed below : the dspf file size s further optimized by extracting the coupled nets as c instead of rc . this impacts accuracy but results in reduction of file size . the commands that can accomplish the above in star - rc are listed below : the capacitive load of the additional net is reflected on the active net , in this case but the rc delay is missing in this case . this parasitic netlist determined by the active nets 516 , an option file 518 , the pre - layout netlist or lvs ( layout versus schematic ) input netlist 520 , and stimulus for characterization , device models , and corner information 522 are inputs of the transistor level simulator 508 . the option file 518 is similar to the option file 502 , but does not require the . acheck option , because the desired output does not require the active netlist . the input netlist 520 is similar to the input netlist 504 , but may be supplemented with information acquired from the extraction tool 514 , such as device information and annotation . as output , the transistor level simulator 508 generates *. lib timing library 524 from measurement results for the instance based approach . netlist size reduction โ on average the active net flow reduces the netlist size by 2x ห 8x . simulation run time โ on average the active net flow reduces the simulation run time by 2x ห 58x ( some of the simulations earlier didn &# 39 ; t even complete ). accuracy isn &# 39 ; t compromised โ the accuracy has been well within 3 % with the flow . accordingly , this process addresses pitfalls associated with the instance based characterization approach without sacrificing accuracy . fig6 is an example of how to extract a parasitic netlist from a limited part of the layout , determined by the active netlist , in which the parasitic capacitances are directly coupled between an active net and ground . the netlist size is smallest and so runtime is the best . however , there is no glitch propagation on the coupled nets or capacitance loading . fig7 is an example of how to extract a parasitic netlist from a limited part of the layout , determined by the active netlist , in which the parasitic capacitances are coupled between an active net and an adjacent net , but the adjacent net does not have additional parasitic capacitances . runtime is slightly higher because of the coupled capacitors . however , for the coupled nets , glitch propagation is poor . fig8 is an example of how to extract a parasitic netlist from a limited part of the layout , determined by the active netlist , in which the extracted parasitics include complete resistances and capacitances of the active nets and the adjacent nets . the netlist size is largest and so runtime is the worst . glitch propagation is accurate on the coupled nets . fig9 is an example of how to extract a parasitic netlist from a limited part of the layout , determined by the active netlist , in which the extracted parasitics include complete resistances and capacitances of the active nets , but the extracted parasitics of the adjacent nets include capacitances only . the netlist size is larger than fig6 and 7 , and smaller than fig8 . glitch propagation and capacitive loading is better than fig6 and 7 and worse than fig8 . st โ short thin ( depth of the memory isn &# 39 ; t high and width isn &# 39 ; t large ) e . g . โ 8k deep ร 8 bit wide memory sf โ short fat ( depth of the memory isn &# 39 ; t high but width is large ) e . g . โ 8k deep ร 32 bit wide memory tt โ tall thin ( depth of the memory is high but width isn &# 39 ; t large ) e . g . 64k deep ร 8 bit wide memory tf โ tall fat ( depth of the memory is high and width is large ) e . g . 64k deep ร 32 bit wide memory active net extracted dspf simulated as a netlist โ dspf as netlist active net extracted dspf back annotated as dspf and device back annotated by sba โ sba + dspf ba all net extracted dspf simulated as a netlist โ dspf as netlist all net extracted dspf back annotated as dspf and device back annotated by sba โ sba + dspf ba the dspf is simulated as a netlist and is considered golden , as none of the simulator optimizations technologies are applied . the dspf that in this exercise contains the net parasitics information and device information . but in terms of performance the dspf netlist simulation is always slower . dspf back annotation flow improves performance compared to a dspf flat netlist run . โ sba + dspf ba โ means โ net extracted dspf back annotated as dspf and device back annotated by sba โ. in this case the parasitics extracted as dspf are back annotated to a schematic netlist . sba is first performed on the schematic netlist to transfer the layout connectivity to a schematic and back annotate the net parasitics onto the sba completed netlist . sf ( short fat ) takes longer than tt ( tall thin ). each bit in memory is represented by 6 transistors in the case of sram . in the example of 2 memories with same depth but width of one being 4 ร the other one , the memory config with 4 ร width actually results in 4 ร increase in device count , and hence sf memory run time is larger than tt run time . the โ sba matching โ column indicates a percentage of the devices from schematic matching layout devices , and is an indication about the quality of correlation between schematic netlist and the dspf . the sba algorithm associates each schematic devices with the postlayout device or devices . it is an equivalent of an lvs ( layout vs . schematic algorithm ). this algorithm has the following advantages 2 . simulation database is the same as layout ( ideal as layout database is considered golden ) while the present invention is disclosed by reference to the preferred embodiments and examples detailed above , it is to be understood that these examples are intended in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense . it is contemplated that modifications and combinations will readily occur to those skilled in the art , which modifications and combinations will be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims .
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the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure , application , or uses . fig1 and 2 show diaper 2 produced in the disclosed manner in different folded states . the diaper 2 comprises a main body designated with the reference numeral 4 , which is often also referred to as a chassis . the main body is comprised of a front portion 6 , a back portion 8 , and a crotch portion 10 placed between them , and which is located between the legs of the wearer when the diaper 2 is applied to the wearer . the main body 4 also comprises an absorbent body 12 , which is dimensioned for the absorption and permanent storage of body fluids in a suitable manner . the absorbent body 12 is normally underlaid by a liquid - impervious layer 14 , which may also form the external visible face of the incontinence article . in addition , the absorbent body 12 is usually overlaid with a liquid - pervious layer 16 ( topsheet ). also shown are elastifying elements 18 running on both sides of the absorbent body 12 , which may include tensioned elastically extensible materials . in particular , the main body 4 may include laterally projecting barrier means , which form a means of protection against lateral leaking and which flank the absorbent body . these projecting barrier means also include elastically pretensioned elastifying means . the components of the diaper 2 described above form the main body 4 , or are to be assigned to the main body 4 . in addition , the diaper 2 comprises the lateral portions 20 and 22 that are inseparably attached to the front portion 6 and the back portion 8 . the lateral portions 20 , 22 are inseparably attached to longitudinal edge sections 24 and 26 of the main body 4 . the lateral portions 20 , 22 extend in the circumferential direction of the hip beyond a longitudinal lateral edge 32 of the main body 2 in a vertical transverse direction 30 to the longitudinal direction 28 of the diaper 2 . the lateral portions 20 , 22 are placed around the user when applying the diaper 2 in the circumferential direction of the hip and are normally closed on top of one another . in order to fix the lateral front and back portions 20 , 22 to one another , closing means 34 of a known type are provided , which are therefore not described in detail , said closing means being indicated on the lateral portions 22 of the back portion 8 by way of example in the represented case . it would also be conceivable for the diaper 2 to have lateral portions only in the front portion 6 or only in the back portion 8 , said lateral portions , however , then being more voluminous in the transverse direction 30 than outlined above , so that they could be closed on themselves in the circumferential direction of the hip , or on the main body 4 of the diaper 2 . as can be seen in fig2 a to 2 c , the respective lateral portions 20 , 22 are folded onto themselves in the longitudinal direction 28 , creating z - shaped or accordion - shaped folds . this folded configuration , as shown in fig2 a , is then folded onto the main body 4 around an additional fold line 40 that runs approximately along the longitudinal lateral edge 32 of the main body 4 . it can be seen in fig1 and 2 a - 2 c that the lateral portions 20 , 22 run obliquely to the longitudinal direction 28 on their side facing the crotch portion 10 , and / or the side that partially borders the crotch region 10 . one edge 42 , and / or 44 , of the lateral portions 20 , 22 therefore does not run precisely in the transverse direction 30 , but at an angle to it and / or at an angle to the longitudinal direction 28 , forming a arched contour . the edge 42 or 44 could , however , also be straight , but still run obliquely to the longitudinal direction 28 and / or in the transverse direction 30 , forming wedge - shaped lateral portions and leg openings 46 . a material web forming the lateral portions 20 , 22 may be continuously conveyed in the longitudinal direction . in such case , the edges 42 , 44 are formed by cutting operations , i . e . material recesses are provided in the material web , said recesses becoming the crotch portion 10 and / or the leg openings 46 of the diaper 2 to be produced . the disclosed method applied for this purpose will now be described on the basis of fig3 : fig3 a schematically shows the feeding and configuration of a material web 50 , from which the front and / or the back side - sections 20 , 22 of the diaper 2 are made . fig3 b is a schematic depiction of the feeding of the main body web 68 that forms the main body 4 of the diaper at a speed v 1 . the material web 50 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction 28 ( longitudinal production ) at a speed v 2 . in order to produce the later contouring of the lateral portions 20 , 22 on their sides facing the crotch portion 10 , an opening 52 is cut in the material web 50 in such a way that this opening 52 in the plane of the material web 50 is completely circumferentially surrounded . before or after the opening 52 is made , closing means 34 are applied in the direction of production between two consecutive openings 52 in the represented exemplary case shown . in this case , known adhesive and / or mechanically adhering closing means 34 , for example in the form of strip - shaped closing tapes are used . in a folding station 54 , the material web 50 is folded inward on both sides onto itself around a plurality of fold lines 36 , 38 running in the longitudinal direction 28 from the outside , so that a z or leporello - shaped folding results . in a cutting station 56 , the material web 50 is cut in the longitudinal direction 28 , so that two partial webs 58 are conveyed onward in the longitudinal direction . in a crossing station 60 , the partial webs 58 are intersecting one another , resulting in a change of sides relative to the direction of production and / or relative to a main body web that is not shown in fig3 . separation in the longitudinal direction takes place in such a way that the separation process may take place through the center or symmetrically through the openings 52 , so that open - edged material recesses 62 are formed . it may be seen that the open - edged material recesses 62 now point outward , away from one another . in a separating station 64 , the partial webs 58 , which are still continuous in the longitudinal direction are cut transversely to the longitudinal direction 28 into sections 66 . these sections 66 may then be applied to the main body web 68 that is shown in fig3 b and inseparably fixed there to the longitudinal edge sections 24 , 26 of the later main body 4 of the diaper . regarding the schematically represented sections 66 shown in fig3 a , after separation from the continuous partial web 58 , they may be a lateral portion to be assigned to a single diaper , or it would be conceivable that these sections could form lateral portions of two diapers that are consecutively conveyed in the longitudinal direction and / or in the production direction . in the latter case , during final separation of the diapers , the lateral portions would then be advantageously cut off a continuous web , in this case likewise transversely to the longitudinal direction . a process of this kind is schematically represented in fig4 . it may be seen that the sections 66 , which are used to form the lateral portions 20 , 22 are applied to a continuous main body web 68 , which forms the main body of the diaper , and then folded inward . each section 66 comprises the lateral portions 20 , 22 of two diapers that are consecutively conveyed in the longitudinal direction 28 and / or in the production direction . in the process according to fig4 , the diapers are produced in such a way that in the case of diapers that are consecutively conveyed in the longitudinal direction 28 , the back portion 8 of one diaper follows the front portion 6 of the other diaper . web speeds v 1 of the main body web 68 forming the lateral portions 20 , 22 , may be about 100 - 600 m / min ., in particular of about 110 - 500 m / min ., and further in particular of about 120 - 400 m / min . web speeds v 2 of the material web 50 forming the lateral portions 20 , 22 may be about 50 - 300 m / min ., in particular about 55 - 250 m / min ., and further in particular of about 60 - 200 m / min . the ratio of v 2 to v 1 may be about 0 . 25 - 0 . 75 , in particular about 0 . 30 - 0 . 65 , in particular about 0 . 35 - 0 . 65 , in particular about 0 . 40 - 0 . 60 , and further in particular about 0 . 45 - 0 . 55 . it would also be conceivable that two of the configuration lines shown in fig3 a could be implemented in one production process of a diaper , wherein one line produces the lateral portions of the front portion , and the other line produces the lateral portions of the back portion of the diaper . in this way , different web materials may be used to form the lateral portions in the front portion and in the back portion . it was pointed out above that the step of intersecting the partial webs 58 is not absolutely necessary . the lateral portions could also be applied and fixed to a web conveying the main bodies in the assembly upstream of the crossing station 62 and then โ if required โ turned over toward the outside . the disclosed method achieves that the material web 50 and / or the partial webs 58 are continuously conveyed in the production direction after the longitudinal separation , and that the open - edged material recesses 62 only appear after the longitudinal separation of the material web 50 . until then , the openings 52 are completely surrounded and may therefore be transported in a positionally stable manner without the occurrence of disruptive fluttering of the materials . with the disclosed process , the production step with open - edge material recesses 62 is minimized compared to the state of the art . this results in a considerable improvement of the production method . moreover , it is also advantageous that closing means 34 for the lateral portions on both sides may be applied in one operation . the longitudinal separation , as described above , then includes these closing means 34 as well . this is represented schematically in fig5 , where the drawing plane runs vertical to the production direction , and the broken line in fig5 represents the longitudinal separation plane 70 of the cutting station 56 . fig6 schematically shows the positioning of the closing means 34 on the material web 50 in the region of the longitudinal separation plane 70 , whereby the closing means 34 , in contrast to fig5 , do not bridge the longitudinal separation plane 70 . it should be noted that the disclosure is not limited to the variations described and illustrated as examples . a large variety of modifications have been described and more are possible applying the principles of the disclosure . these and further modifications as well as any replacement by technical equivalents may be added to the description and figures , without leaving the scope of the protection of the disclosure and of the present patent .
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the exemplary embodiments described and illustrated below encompass methods of inducing moments within an implanted prosthetic joint , as well as implantable prosthetic joints and components thereof inducing moments . of course , it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments discussed below are exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . however , for clarity and precision , the exemplary embodiments as discussed below may include optional steps , methods , and features that one of ordinary skill should recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scope of the claims . basic principals governing the laws of mechanics are taken from newton &# 39 ; s laws : ( a ) every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it ; ( b ) the relationship between an object &# 39 ; s mass m , its acceleration a , and the applied force f , is f = ma ; and , ( c ) for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction . the above laws of mechanics pertain to external forces applied to a system , however , when an in - plane force is applied to an object that has the ability to move , and if the applied force is greater than the resistive force ( gravity , friction , etc . ), the object will begin to move . throughout knee flexion , whether during gait or into deep flexion , the cruciate ligaments of a natural knee force the tibia to internally rotate , levering the femur with respect to the tibia . it has been documented that the absence of the cruciate ligaments leads to a decrease in axial rotation . for total knee arthroplasty ( tka ) prosthetics , three primary forces may be exerted thereupon : ( 1 ) applied forces , which are produced by muscles passing across the knee joint ; ( 2 ) bearing surface contact forces occurring between the femur and the tibia at the contact points and between the femur and the patella at the contact points ; and , ( 3 ) constraint forces produced by ligaments resisting the active forces . however , the incidence and magnitude patterns of normal axial rotation of a knee prosthesis is governed by , and can only be induced to rotate by introducing moment arms with respect to active forces to cause rotation . in an exemplary system , a vector v has a distance d , with a line of action passing through a starting point p of the vector v . the moment m of the vector v about point p is characterized by equation # 1 : m = r ร v ; where r is the position vector from point p to a second point along the vector v . before a moment analysis can be conducted for any tka prosthetic , an understanding of the forces acting on the knee , both magnitude and direction , should be clearly determined and understood . the most effective method for deriving muscle , bearing surface and ligament forces , simultaneously , is through mathematical modeling techniques . it has been demonstrated that , with a proper understanding of knee mechanics , it is possible to derive equations to determine in vivo forces . although it is important to know the magnitude of the forces applied at the knee , it is equally important to determine the direction of those applied forces . proper direction of contact forces acting at the femorotibial and patellofemoral interfaces will ensure proper summation of the moments about a chosen point . therefore , it is important to determine the direction of the velocity of the point on the femur , point ft , in contact with the tibia , which will allow for the determination of the direction of the bearing surface contact force occurring between points ft and tf , which is the point on the tibia in contact with the femur . in a natural knee , like any mechanical system that has an ) two objects in contact , three possible conditions could occur , which lead to vastly different conditions at the contact point between the two objects . these three conditions are : ( 1 ) pure rolling ; ( 2 ) pure slipping ; and , ( 3 ) a combination of rolling and slipping . referencing fig1 , an exemplary free - body diagram 100 includes a round cylinder ( body a ) 102 with radius r moving with respect to a generally planar platform ( body b ) 104 that is fixed in the newtonian reference frame . in this simple example , two reference frames are defined for each object 102 , 104 , where the โ a 2 & gt ;โ and โ b 2 & gt ;โ directions are opposite of gravity . the point of contact between the objects 102 , 104 is mutually defined by two points : point ab on the platform 104 , and point ba on the cylinder 102 . three other points p 1 , p 2 , p 3 are equidistantly spaced around the circumference of the cylinder 102 , with the longitudinal center being identified by point bo . point p 1 is spaced a distance r in the a 1 & gt ; direction and a distance r in the a 2 & gt ; direction from point ba . point p 2 is spaced from point ba a distances r in the โ a 1 & gt ; direction and r in the a 2 & gt ; direction . point p 3 is spaced a distance 2 r in the a 2 & gt ; direction , from point ba . under pure rolling conditions , we can assume the velocity vector v_bo_a & gt ;= a 1 & gt ;, where : the radius r = 1 ; and , the angular velocity of the cylinder ฯ , relative to the reference frame for the platform around the a 3 & gt ; axis , is equal to โ a 3 & gt ;. one can then determine the velocity for points p 1 , p 2 , p 3 and bo , which are determined using equations # 2 -# 5 : v โ p 1 โ a & gt ;= v โ bo โ a & gt ;+ ฯ โ b โ a & gt ;ร p โ bo โ p 1 & gt ; therefore , under pure rolling conditions , the velocity of point ba must equal the velocity of point ab . since the platform 104 is โ fixed โ and not moving in the newtonian reference frame , all points on the platform have a velocity equal to zero . this simple analysis shows that the velocity of point ba , on the cylinder 102 , is equal to zero , under pure rolling conditions . under pure slipping conditions , the velocities for this same system , shown in fig1 , are different for each point along the cylinder 102 . a practical way to describe pure slipping would be a car on ice . if the friction coefficient were equal to zero , the tires would spin , but the car would remain stationary . therefore , in the knee , under pure slipping the v_bo_a & gt ;= 0 & gt ;, and similar to our example shown in fig1 , the radius = 1 , ฯ =โ a 3 & gt ;. then the velocities for points ba , p 1 , p 2 , and p 3 are determined using equations # 6 -# 9 : v โ p 1 โ a & gt ;= v โ bo โ a & gt ;+ ฯ โ b โ a & gt ;ร p โ bo โ p 1 & gt ; therefore , under pure slipping , the velocity of point ba is equal to โ a 1 & gt ;, and the direction of the velocity is opposite in direction to posterior femoral rollback of the femoral condyles in a knee . although it has been assumed that the velocity vector of the contact point between the femoral condyles and the tibial plateau would be in the posterior direction , under pure slipping , the correct direction of the velocity vector is in the anterior direction during flexion and in the posterior direction during extension . although pure rolling and pure slipping have been described , it can be assumed that , under in vivo conditions , โ only โ pure rolling or โ only โ pure slipping conditions cannot occur . referencing fig2 , a circumferential distance 200 of a prosthetic femoral condyle 202 can be represented by a flat line 204 . under pure rolling conditions , the prosthetic femoral condyle 202 would follow the flat line 204 path , which is much greater in distance than an anterior / posterior dimension of a prosthetic tibial insert ( not shown ). previous analyses have documented that the amount of anterior posterior motion for a natural knee can range between 10 to 25 mm for the lateral condyle and , for a tka prosthetic , this motion could be 10 mm in the anterior direction or 15 mm posterior . thus , in a tka prosthesis , the most dominant motion occurring at the contact point between the femoral condyle 202 and the tibial insert is slipping . referring again to fig1 , an analysis can be conducted to determine the velocities on the cylinder 102 at the bearing surface interface ba , ab when both slipping and rolling are present . in this analysis , we can assume v_bo_a & gt ;= a 1 & gt ;, radius r = 1 , and the angular velocity of the cylinder ฯ =โ 2 a 3 & gt ;. therefore , the velocities for points p 1 , p 2 , p 3 and ba can be determined using equations # 10 -# 13 : v โ p 1 โ a & gt ;= v โ bo โ a & gt ;+ โ b โ a & gt ;ร p โ bo โ p 1 & gt ; v โ p 3 โ a & gt ;= a 1 & gt ;โ 2 a 2 & gt ;= 3 a 2 & gt ; equation # 13 under all three conditions ( slipping , rolling , or a combination ), an important piece of information is the velocity of point ba . during pure rolling , the velocity of point ba is equal to zero , but under pure slipping and a combination of rolling and slipping , in our examples , this velocity is not equal to zero . under pure slipping the direction of the velocity ba is in the โ a 1 & gt ; direction , opposite of the direction of posterior femoral rollback of the femoral condyles . during a combination of rolling and slipping , the direction of this velocity vector , v_ba_n & gt ;, in our example is in the โ a 1 & gt ;, which is , again , in the opposite direction of contact point ba on ab . the magnitude of v_ba_n & gt ; can change , depending on the velocity of bo and the angular velocity of body b in the newtonian reference frame , but the magnitude will always be in the โ a 1 & gt ; direction . therefore , it is disadvantageous to design a total knee arthroplasty prosthesis assuming that the forces at point ba on ab during knee flexion are in the a 1 & gt ; ( posterior direction ) direction . instead , one should design a total knee arthroplasty prosthesis with the forces being applied in the โ a 1 & gt ; direction ( anterior direction ) during knee flexion and in the a 1 & gt ; direction during knee extension , similar to the direction of velocity vector acting at this point . also , it should be noted , that during flexion the velocity of the contact point ba is equal to zero , under pure rolling and is in the anterior direction (โ a 1 & gt ;) under pure slipping . therefore , during knee flexion , v_ba_n & gt ; is not in the posterior direction . at present , all known tka prosthetics are designed for equal distribution of forces at the contact points between the femoral components and the tibial components . therefore , these tka prosthetics do not incorporate moments to create axial rotation . during surgery , the goal of the surgeon is to create equal tension gaps between the femoral condyles and the tibial insert / plateau . if the amount of force acting between the medial condyle and the tibial insert is equal to the force acting between the lateral condyle and the tibial insert , it could be expected that the femoral components will not achieve axial rotation relative to the tibial insert because the medial and lateral condyle distances from the center of the tibial insert are also the same . if two forces act on a system and both forces are equal in magnitude and the moment arms to those forces , from a fixed point , are equal , then the moment of this system would be equal to zero . referencing fig3 , a typical posterior stabilized mobile bearing tka prosthetic 300 accommodates five main contact forces : ( 1 ) the medial condyle force 302 in the vertical direction ( f n m ); ( 2 ) the medial condyle force 304 in the anterior / posterior direction ( f t m ); ( 3 ) the lateral condyle force 306 in the vertical direction ( f n l ); ( 4 ) the lateral condyle force 308 in the anterior / posterior direction ( f t l ); and ( 5 ) the force 310 applied by the cam on the post ( f p ). point o represents the rotation point of the polyethylene insert 312 relative to the tibial implant ( not shown ) about which moments are summated . also included is the distance r 1 between point o to the medial condyle contact force , and the distance r 2 between point o to the lateral condyle . if the moments are summated for the mobile bearing tka prosthetic 300 , around point o , in the t 3 & gt ; direction ( perpendicular to the t 1 & gt ; and t 2 & gt ; directions ), the moment equation is represented by equation # 14 : we can assume that the angular acceleration ( a ) of the polyethylene insert 312 relative to the tibial implant component in the t 3 & gt ; direction is negligible , and can be set equal to zero . therefore , with this presumption in place , equation # 14 can be refined into equation # 15 : ฯ m 0 = 0 in the t 13 & gt ; direction . ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ r 1 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t m ยท l 1 & gt ;+ r 2 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t l ยท t 1 & gt ; equation # 15 where the following information is known , the distance r 1 = r 2 = r , and the forces f m = f l = f , equation # 15 can be further simplified into equation # 16 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ rf (โ t 3 & gt ;)+ rf (โ t 3 & gt ;), as shown by equation # 16 , if the distances r 1 , r 2 from the rotation point o of a mobile bearing tka prosthetic 300 are the same to the medial and lateral condyles , the sum of the moments is equal to zero . thus , the polyethylene insert 312 does not rotate about the tibial component . an in vivo analysis of the mobile bearing tka prosthesis 300 evidenced that 7 / 9 subjects experienced less than 2 . 0 degrees of axial rotation . referring to fig4 , a typical fixed bearing tka prosthetic 400 includes a tibial insert 402 ( typically polyethylene ) mounted to a tibial implant component ( typically a metallic tibial tray , which is not shown ). unlike the mobile bearing posterior stabilized tka prosthetic 300 of fig3 , the tibial insert 402 is fixed to the tibial implant component so that the insert does not rotate with respect to the tibial implant component . the forces acting on the fixed bearing posterior stabilized insert 402 are similar to those forces defined for the mobile bearing posterior stabilized tka prosthetic 300 of fig3 . summation of moments acting on the fixed bearing polyethylene insert 402 can be conducted around the defined point o . the primary difference between the point o of fig4 , and point o of fig3 , is that the chosen point o does not represent a rotation point in fig4 , but rather a fixed physical point on the tibial insert 402 in the center of the post in the t 2 & gt ; direction . summating the moments around point o is represented by equation # 14 : similar to the mobile bearing tka prosthetic 300 of fig3 , we can assume that the angular acceleration ( ฮฑ ) of the femur relative to the tibial insert 402 in the t 3 & gt ; direction is small , and can be set equal to zero . therefore , with this presumption in place , equation # 14 can be refined into equation # 15 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ r 1 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t m ยท t 1 & gt ;+ r 2 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t l ยท t 1 & gt ;, where the following information is known , the distance r 1 = r 2 = r , and the forces f m = f l = f , equation # 15 can be further simplified into equation # 16 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ rf ยท (โ t 3 & gt ;)+ rf (โ t 3 & gt ;) if the polyethylene post 404 is located in the center of the tibial insert 402 , in the t 1 & gt ; and t 2 & gt ; directions , then the sum of the moments , in the t 3 & gt ; direction , for the contact forces applied by the femoral component on the tibial insert is equal to zero . previous in vivo analyses of tka prosthetics have determined that all tka prosthetics achieve less axial rotation than a natural knee , while a significant number of tka recipients are able to achieve less than two degrees of axial rotation of the resulting knee joint and approximately โ
of these recipients experience a reverse axial rotation pattern , opposite that of a natural knee . referencing fig5 , a posterior cruciate retaining tka prosthetic 500 ( whether mobile or fixed bearing ) allows for posterior cruciate ligament retention , without the presence of a cam / post mechanism 404 found in the posterior stabilized tka prosthetic 400 of fig4 . the absence of the cam / post mechanism in a posterior cruciate retaining tka prosthetic 500 leads to an analysis very similar to those for a posterior stabilized tka prosthetics discussed above . since the cam / post mechanism for present day posterior stabilized tka prosthetics is in the center of the tibial insert , the cam / post force does not exert a moment . therefore , when the cam / post mechanism does not induce rotation , the moment analysis for a mobile bearing posterior cruciate tka prosthetic 500 will be similar to the moment analysis of a mobile bearing posterior stabilized tka prosthetic 300 ( see fig3 ), and the moment analysis for a fixed bearing posterior cruciate retaining tka prosthetic 500 will be similar to a fixed bearing posterior stabilized tka prosthetic 400 ( see fig4 ), except for the resistive force of the posterior cruciate ligament . in other words , the sum of the moments for the contact forces applied by the femoral component on the tibial insert is equal to zero for these posterior cruciate retaining tka prosthetics 500 . referencing fig6 , an exemplary posterior stabilized mobile bearing moment induced total knee arthroplasty ( mitka ) prosthetic insert 600 is mounted to a prosthetic tibial stem 606 , which is preferably implanted into a patient &# 39 ; s tibia ( not shown ). the insert 600 includes a post 602 offset in the medial direction from the medial - lateral midline 608 of the insert 600 providing an axis of rotation 605 between the insert and a femoral component ( not shown ), and an axis of rotation 604 between the tibial stem 606 and the insert 600 that is shifted in the lateral direction from the medial - lateral midline 608 . referring to fig7 , a moment analysis of the exemplary mitka prosthetic insert 600 includes summating the moments , around the point of rotation , o , in the t 3 & gt ; direction . the moment equation is represented by equation # 17 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ r 1 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t m ยท t 1 & gt ;โ r 3 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f p ยท t 1 & gt ;+ r 2 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t l ยท t 1 & gt ; equation # 17 where the following information is known , the distance r 1 = 2r , r 2 = r 3 = r , and the forces f t m = f t l = f p = f , equation # 17 can be further simplified into equation # 18 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ 2 rf ยท (โ t 3 & gt ;)โ rf ยท (โ t 3 & gt ;)+ rf ยท (โ t 3 & gt ;) in this exemplary moment summation , the moment induced by the exemplary mitka prosthetic insert 600 is equal to 2rf , in the clockwise direction ( looking down ), leading to normal axial rotation of the tibial insert . unlike present day mobile bearing posterior stabilized tka prosthetics 300 ( see fig3 , for example ), the tibial insert 600 for the mitka knee will rotate in the clockwise direction ( looking down ) as a result of creating a distance between the rotation point o to the post 602 of the tibial insert 600 ( distance represented by r 3 ), increasing the distance from the rotation point o to the medial condyle contact force f t m ( distance represented by r 1 ), and decreasing the distance from the rotation point o to the lateral condyle contact force f t l ( distance represented by r 2 ), allowing for the lateral condyle to move more posterior , similar to a natural knee . the amount of offset created between the post 602 and the rotation point o of the mitka prosthetic insert 600 leads to increased axial rotation of the tibial insert relative to the tibial implant component ( not shown ) in the clockwise direction ( t 3 & gt ; direction ). an exemplary mathematical model has determined that a 3 mm shift of the post 602 in the medial direction from the centerline in the medial - lateral direction and a 3 mm shift of the rotation point o in the lateral direction from the centerline in the medial - lateral direction leads to 5 to 13 degrees of normal axial rotation , depending on the weight of the patient , the balancing of the knee , and the amount of force applied by the cam on the post ( see fig8 ). a second analysis was conducted using the exemplary mathematical model where the post 602 was shifted 6 mm in the medial direction and the rotation point o was shifted 6 mm in the lateral direction . the results for this analysis revealed the amount of normal axial rotation of the polyethylene increased to a range of 10 to 22 degrees of normal axial rotation , again , depending on the weight of the patient , the balancing of the knee , and the amount of force applied by the cam on the post . a third analysis , where the post 602 was shifted 10 mm in the medial direction and the rotation point o was shifted 10 mm in the lateral direction lead to normal axial rotation of the polyethylene ranging between 20 to 35 degrees , in the clockwise direction . greater shifts in the medial and lateral direction are also within the scope of the disclosure , such as , without limitation , 0 . 01 to 20 millimeters of medial or lateral shift . referencing fig9 , an exemplary posterior stabilized fixed bearing moment induced total knee arthroplasty ( mitka ) prosthetic insert 900 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment includes a cam / post mechanism 902 shifted in the lateral direction from the medial - later center 904 of the tibial insert . it is to be understood that the corresponding cam of the femoral component would be likewise shifted in the lateral direction to accommodate the shifted tibial post . referring to fig1 , a moment analysis of the exemplary fixed bearing ps mitka prosthetic 900 insert includes summating the moments , around point of rotation o , in the t 3 & gt ; direction . the moment equation is represented by equation # 19 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ r 1 . t 2 & gt ;ร f t m ยท t 1 & gt ;+ r 2 ยท t 2 & gt ;ร f t l ยท t 1 & gt ; equation # 19 where the following information is known , the distance r 1 = 2r , r 2 = r , and the forces f t m = f t l = f , equation # 19 can be further simplified into equation # 20 : ฯ m 0 ยท t 3 & gt ;=โ 2 rf ยท (โ t 3 & gt ;)+ rf ยท (โ t 3 & gt ;), in this exemplary moment summation , the moment induced by the exemplary mitka prosthetic insert 900 is equal to rf , in the clockwise direction ( looking down ), leading to normal axial rotation of the femur relative to the tibial insert . the amount of offset created between the post 902 and the rotation point o of the mitka prosthetic insert 900 leads to increased axial rotation of the tibial insert relative to the tibial implant component ( not shown ) in the clockwise direction ( t 3 & gt ; direction ). an exemplary mathematical model has determined that a 3 mm shift of the post 902 in the lateral direction from the centerline in the medial - lateral direction leads to a femoral component rotation in the range of 2 to 8 degrees , depending on the weight of the patient , the balancing of the knee , and the amount of force applied by the cam on the post . if the post 902 is shifted 6 mm in the lateral direction , the amount of femoral component rotation increased to a range of 5 to 13 degrees , and if the post 902 was shifted 10 mm in the lateral direction , the amount of axial rotation again increased to a range of 9 to 25 degrees . greater shifts in the medial and lateral direction are also within the scope of the disclosure , such as , without limitation , 0 . 01 to 20 millimeters of medial or lateral shift . as discussed previously , the cam / post mechanism can be used in a posterior stabilized tka prosthetic to generate rotation by creating a moment arm from the rotation point to the post of a mobile bearing tka , or by shifting the post laterally , increasing the moment arm from the post to the medial condyle shear force . in the posterior cruciate retaining tka , moments are primarily induced by offsetting the rotation point and building up conformity between the femoral radii and the concave tibial insert radii . referencing to fig1 , an exemplary mitka posterior cruciate retaining ( pcr ) fixed bearing prosthetic insert 1100 in accordance with the present disclosure includes a medial receiver 1104 and a lateral receiver 1106 that arc adapted to receive the medial and lateral condyles , respectively , of a femoral prosthesis ( not shown ). in order to rotate the tibial insert 1100 clockwise ( looking down ), the insert 1100 includes greater conformity between the medial condyle and the medial receiver 1104 on the medial side of the tibial insert . in this exemplary embodiment 1100 , the radii of the medial receiver 1104 is greater than the radii of the medial condyle , allowing for anterior / posterior translation to occur between the medial condyle and the medial receiver . increased conformity between the medial receiver 1104 and the medial condyle leads to an increased shear force applied by the medial condyle on the medial receiver of the polyethylene insert , causing a clockwise moment to occur , especially if the superior surface of lateral side of the tibial insert 1100 is either flat or convex in shape , coupled with a flatter shape for the lateral condyle of the femoral prosthesis . referencing fig1 and 13 , an exemplary mitka mobile bearing pcr prosthetic insert 1200 includes the rotation point 1202 ( and rotational axis ) moved in the lateral direction with respect to the center 1204 of the tibial implant baseplate ( not shown ) using the contours between the insert 1200 and the femoral condyles 1206 , 1208 . on the lateral side , the lateral femoral condyle 1206 is flatter ( similar to the shape of a canoe ) and the lateral receiver 1208 of the tibial insert is either sloped downward in the anterior - to - posterior direction ( see fig1 ( b )) or convex ( see fig1 ( c )). on the medial side , the medial femoral condyle includes greater conformity with the medial receiver 1210 on the medial side of the tibial insert 1200 . therefore , as the shear force between the femoral condyles and the tibial insert increases , the amount of shear force will be greater on the medial side and induce a clockwise rotation of the tibial insert due to : ( 1 ) the increased conformity ; and ( 2 ) the moment arm from the rotation point to the medial shear force being greater than the moment arm from the rotation point to the lateral condyle force . one of the main goals for achieving increased weight - bearing flexion for a total knee arthroplasty is the ability to move the lateral condyle in the posterior direction . in the normal knee , this can be achieved through axial rotation or translation of both condyles . since , in the normal knee , the medial condyle does not move more than 10 mm in the posterior direction and on average , this amount is less than 5 mm , the lateral condyle achieves posterior contact through femorotibial axial rotation . moments are introduced in the mitka so that normal axial rotation could occur and the lateral condyle can achieve greater posterior contact with increasing knee flexion . this inducement of moments is more easily accomplished with a posterior stabilized tka , where the cam / post force could be used to drive rotation in the clockwise direction or to lever the medial condyle force with respect to the post . in the posterior cruciate ligament retaining tka , the ability to induce moments is more involved . the mitka posterior cruciate ligament retaining knee uses increased conformity between the medial condyle and the medial receiver of the polyethylene insert . also , an increased radius of curvature for the lateral condyle ( canoe shaped ) allows the lateral condyle contact point to move in the posterior direction within the first 30 degrees of knee flexion . therefore , the goal of achieve posterior contact with the lateral condyle , with increasing knee flexion can be accomplished in mitka posterior cruciate ligament retaining tka through the introduction of moments and by changing the geometrical shapes of the femoral condyles . in this manner , the axis of rotation between the mitka mobile bearing pcr prosthetic insert 1200 and the femoral prosthetic can be shifted from the medial - lateral centerline of the insert 1200 ( and also from the anterior - posterior centerline ), while the axis of rotation between the mitka mobile bearing pcr prosthetic insert 1200 and the tibial prosthetic tray ( not shown ) can be shifted from the medial - lateral centerline of the insert 1200 ( and also from the anterior - posterior centerline of the insert 1200 ). although the increased conformity between the medial condyle and the receiver in medial aspect of the tibial polyethylene insert and the flatter lateral condyle , contacting either a posterior sloped or convex shaped lateral aspect of the polyethylene insert has been previously described herein for a posterior cruciate retaining tka , these design features can be used in any tka prosthetic type . the above mentioned design changes could be used in a ps tka type to increase axial rotation and could be used in an anterior and posterior cruciate retaining tka type to ensure normal axial rotation . in the exemplary prosthetic inserts of the present disclosure , the amount of medial condyle conformity with respect to the medial receiver of the tibial insert may play a significant role . an additional factor that may play a significant role in axial rotation , leading to an increase or decrease in the amount of axial rotation described herein , is condylar balancing at the time of surgery . it is to be understood that the mathematical models referenced in the aforementioned discussion incorporated medial and lateral condyle flexion gaps , during intra - operative ligament balancing , that were equal , leading to the medial condyle contact force being equal to the lateral condyle contact force . if the medial condyle contact force is greater than the lateral condyle contact force , the amount of normal axial rotation would increase over those values predicted by the above - referenced mathematical model . in contrast , if the lateral condyle contact force is greater than the medial condyle contact force , the amount of axial rotation would fall below those values predicted by the model . referencing fig1 , the exemplary mitka posterior cruciate retaining tka prosthetic includes increased conformity between the medial condyle and the medial receiver of the tibial ( polyethylene ) insert in order to induce a clockwise moment of the femur relative to the tibia ( normal axial rotation ) ( see fig1 ( a ) & amp ; ( b )). also , the lateral condyle will achieve greater posterior motion due to the flatter condylar geometry ( canoe shaped ) at full extension leading a rapid change of the contact position from full extension to 30 degrees of knee flexion . this posterior change of the contact position for the lateral condyle may be further assisted by the increased posterior slope of the polyethylene insert ( see fig1 ( c ) & amp ; ( d )) or the convex shape of the polyethylene insert ( see fig1 ( e ) & amp ; ( f )). referring to fig1 , all cam / post mechanisms in present - day tka prosthetics 1400 include flat surfaces . these flat surfaces lead to the hypothesis that the contact areas would be large , thereby leading to less stress applied by the cam 1402 onto the post 1404 . unfortunately , if rotation of the femoral component ( the cam ) 1402 occurs with respect to the tibial insert ( the post ) 1404 in a fixed bearing posterior stabilized tka prosthetic , the opposite is true and the contact area 1406 between the femoral cam and the tibial post becomes very small . a primary concern for decreased contact areas between the flat cam 1402 on a flat post 1404 is edge loading , leading to high stresses that lead to premature tibial insert failure at the post . referencing fig1 and 17 , an exemplary mitka posterior stabilized tka prosthetic device 1500 in accordance with the present disclosure includes a tibial insert 1502 with a tibial post 1504 having a rounded posterior surface 1506 . this rounded posterior surface 1506 of the post 1502 is adapted to interact with a rounded femoral cam 1508 of a femoral prosthetic component 1510 . the radius r for the rounded posterior surface 1506 of the post 1504 and the rounded cam 1508 are the similar , but the chosen value of r for the mitka fixed bearing posterior stabilized prosthetic device 1500 will depend on the amount of rotation desired . if the mitka posterior stabilized prosthetic device 1500 is designed to incorporate minimal femorotibial axial rotation , then the value for r will be higher than the value for r if the mitka posterior stabilized prosthetic device 1500 is designed for greater axial rotation . while the aforementioned exemplary mitka posterior stabilized prosthetics have been explained using a tibial component with an integral post that is adapted to interface with a cam of the femoral prosthetic component , it is also within the scope of the disclosure to incorporate the post into the femoral component and the cam into the tibial insert . likewise , while the aforementioned exemplary prosthetics have been explained using a tibial component with an integral post adapted to interface with a cavity within the tibial insert , it is also within the scope of the disclosure to incorporate the post into the tibial insert , where the post would be correspondingly received by a cavity within the tibial implant . while the aforementioned exemplary mitka mobile bearing por prosthetics have been explained by shifting the post and point of rotation between the insert and tibial component , it should be understood that one might only shift the post or only shift the point of rotation to create the moments discussed herein . an exemplary embodiment would include a por prosthetic device having a post aligned along the medial - lateral midline , while the point of rotation between the insert and tibial component ( tray ) would be offset from the medial - lateral midline . conversely , an exemplary por prosthetic device may have its point of rotation aligned along the medial - lateral midline , while the post would be offset from the medial - lateral midline . it is also within the scope of the disclosure to shift of the contact point of the post or point of rotation anteriorly or posteriorly . mobile bearing prior art prosthetic knee inserts have always had the point of rotation centered along the medial - lateral midline and along the anterior - posterior midline . by shifting the contact point of the post or point of rotation from the prior art centered position , moments are introduced if the point of contact of the post and point of rotation are not coaxial . those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary inserts of the instant disclosure are adapted for use in prosthetic knee joints comprising tibial and femoral components . the plethora of tibial implants and femoral implants that the exemplary embodiments of the instant disclosure may be incorporated with , or used in place of , defies an exhaustive listing . following from the above description and exemplary embodiments , it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that , while the methods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplary embodiments , the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments and that changes may be made to such embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims . additionally , it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claim element unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated . likewise , it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims , since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and / or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein .
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many advantages are derived by the fact that the control panel occupies a glazed surface that is optically switchable between transparent and opaque . by making the control elements invisible , the dishwasher has a higher - quality appearance . moreover , since the control panel has a smooth surface , it is much easier to clean . in an exemplary embodiment , the optically switchable , glazed surface interacts with a user - activatable switch , so that the user himself or herself can determine the time at which to activate the control elements . if the switch is designed as a proximity switch , the ease - of - use is further increased . thus , when a user approaches the appliance , the glazed surface becomes transparent , so that the individual control elements are visible . in addition , the optically switchable , glazed surface may also interact with the central controller of the dishwasher so as to indicate to the user the current program status of the appliance in accordance with the program steps . the individual control elements can be designed in the manner of a touch screen , so that the individual program steps can be selected by the touch of a finger . in addition to switching the glazed surface to a transparent state , it is also expedient to activate a lighting device , making it easer for the user to select the individual control elements . fig1 illustrates a household appliance designed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and including a control panel 2 , using the example of a dishwasher 1 . in dishwasher 1 , control panel 2 is located in the upper portion of a door 3 , which is pivotably mounted in the lower portion of dishwasher i and serves to close the close washing tub 4 of the appliance . door 3 is closed using a handle 5 , which is also located in the area of control panel 2 . control panel 2 is provided with control elements 6 which can be used to turn on the appliance and to select a program . other elements may be used to select additional or other functions . moreover , the control panel is provided with a display device 7 , which can be used to display the program progress of the appliance and , as the case may be , further information for the user . here too , it is possible to use additional display elements , for example to acknowledge operation of the control elements or to signal an appliance failure or operator error . in place of the switches conventionally used in the panel , now capacitive or optical sensors 8 are used for program selection ( start , preselection , etc . ), said sensors being located behind a glass surface ( 9 through 11 ); see also fig2 in this regard . this allows user control to be carried out in the manner of a touch screen and eliminates the need for openings in panel 2 , which makes it easier to clean it . capacitive sensors are responsive to changes in the dielectric in the area immediately surrounding them . thus , when a finger 12 or other object approaches the sensor , the sensor will issue a control command to the appliance controller . optical sensors frequently have a transmitter or a receiver and are responsive to reflected light beams . the light passes through a transparent panel , hits an obstacle ( finger 12 ), is reflected by the obstacle , and is then sensed by the receiver behind the glass . the glazed surface is configured such that it is optically switchable so that , as illustrated by the comparison in fig3 , glazed surface ( 9 through 11 ) can change from an opaque state ( top of fig3 ) to a transparent state ( bottom of the figure ). to this end , a switchable glass layer 11 having electrochromic , gasochromic , hydrochromic , photochromic or photoelectrochromic properties is mounted between an outer protective layer 9 made of normal transparent glass and an inner protective layer 10 , which is also made of normal transparent glass . outer protective layer 9 protects in particular the switchable glass layer 11 from external influences . in addition , it is carries symbols and markings , possibly on the rear face thereof , which are intended to be permanently visible and which may include marks or appliance identification information . inner protective layer 10 is provided with an imprint 13 ( see fig1 ) which serves to label control elements 6 . the individual control elements 6 are arranged on the rear face of inner protective layer 10 and are responsive to touches of outer protective layer 9 with the finger . the switching of switchable glass layer 1 is accomplished by a user - activatable switch located in the area of handle 5 . this ensures that the control panel is switched to a transparent state , and thus to an operator control mode , when the user opens the door to pour in detergent . alternatively , as shown in fig1 and 2 , a proximity switch 14 may be used , so that the user does not need to make any further control input to activate control panel 2 . in addition to switch 14 , switchable glass layer 11 may also interact with appliance controller 15 , so that display device 7 and the display elements can be monitored during certain phases or during the entire program cycle . moreover , appliance controller 15 may switch to the opaque mode automatically using a timing module , thus saving energy . in order to make it easier for the user to see the control elements 6 , control panel 2 has provided therein a lighting device 17 which is activated at the same time as glazed surface ( 9 through 11 ) is switched to a transparent state and is deactivated when the glazed surface is switched to an opaque state . in addition , glazed surface ( 9 through 11 ) can also be switched to a permanently transparent state . by default , control panel 2 becomes visible when the user approaches the dishwasher . it is only then that control elements 6 are activated and become responsive to touches of outer protective layer 9 . the mounting position of the proximity or activation switch 14 depends on its operating principle . if switch 14 operates with an optical sensor , it must protrude through switchable glass layer 11 . however , if the sensor is responsive to acoustic or electromagnetic signals , it can be located behind switchable glass layer 11 , or even behind inner protective layer 10 . in that case , the mounting position of the sensor is only determined by the configuration of the control panel .
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with initial reference to fig1 the fixture 10 has a rectangular base 11 , formed by bent metal tubing for example . the base 11 has two long parallel sides 12 and 13 and two short parallel sides 17 and 19 . a first support 14 , such as a metal bar , extends upwardly from the approximately midpoint of one of the longer sides 13 . a second support 16 , similar to but shorter than the first support 14 , extends upwardly from one of the shorter sides 17 . a first cross member 18 extends from the other short side 19 of the base 11 to the top of the second support 16 . alternately , the first cross member 18 may extend beyond the second support 16 . the first cross member 18 is at an angle ( e . g . 30 ยฐ) with respect to the plane of the base 11 . a second cross member 20 extends perpendicularly from the first cross member 18 to the top of and slightly beyond the first support 14 . since the first support 14 is higher than the second support 16 . the second cross member is inclined upwardly from the first cross member 18 at an angle of 30 ยฐ, for example . the first and second cross members may be metal bars . a first metal arm 22 extends from the first cross member 18 near the second support 16 and is substantially parallel to and in the same direction as the second cross member 20 . a second arm 24 extends from the first cross member 18 near but spaced from its intersection with the other short side 19 of the base 11 . the second arm extends in the same direction as and is substantially parallel to the first arm 22 . three rest knobs 25 formed of a material which will withstand high temperatures and not react with glass , such as graphite , are located on the fixture 10 . one rest knob 25 is on each of the first and second arms 22 and 24 and the third rest knob 25 is on the second cross bar 20 near the intersection of the second cross bar 20 and the first support 14 . the fixtures 10 also has a first , second and third alignment structures 26 , 28 and 32 respectively . the first alignment structure extends upwardly from the intersection of the second support 16 and the first cross member 18 . the second alignment structure 28 extends upwardly from the intersection of the second arm 24 and the first cross member 18 . the third alignment structure 32 is positioned parallel to the other alignment structures 26 and 28 at the end of a short third arm 30 which extends from the intersection of the other short side 19 of the base 11 and the first cross member 18 . each alignment structure 26 , 28 and 32 is formed by a metal bar 27 having an upper and a lower alignment knob 29 and 31 respectively . the alignment knobs 29 and 31 on the first and second alignment structures 26 and 28 face toward the one long side 13 of the base 11 . the alignment knobs 29 and 31 on the third alignment structure 32 face toward the one short side 17 of the base 11 . each pair of alignment knobs 29 and 31 are formed of a material similar to the rest knobs 25 . in fig2 a rectangular faceplate 50 of a cathode ray tube having a face 52 and four peripheral walls 54 , is positioned on the fixture 10 . the faceplate 50 is supported by each of the three rest knobs 25 which are positioned beneath the face 52 of the faceplate under the intersection of the face 52 and the sidewalls 54 of the faceplate . the faceplate is in a face down position with the face resting on the knobs 25 and the walls 54 extending upward . the faceplate 50 also abuts the lower alignment knobs 31 on each of the three alignment structures 26 , 28 and 32 . the tilt of the cross members 18 and 20 with respect to the plane of the base 12 causes the faceplate 50 to nest against the alignment structures 26 , 28 and 32 due to gravity . fig3 shows a funnel 56 of a cathode ray tube placed on top of the faceplate 50 so that their respective seal edges abut one another . the funnel 56 rests against the upper alignment knob 29 on each of the alignment structures 26 , 28 and 32 . the tilt of the cross members 18 and 20 with respect to the plane of the base 12 also causes the faceplate and the funnel to be tilted with respect to the vertical . this tilt results in the two components of the cathode ray tube being held against the alignment structures by gravity . therefore any vibration of the fixture assembly will not misalign the faceplate and funnel during the frit sealing operation . the use of the present fixture offers several improvements over the prior art . by positioning the rest knobs 25 so that they support the faceplate and funnel under the walls of the faceplate , the weight of the components is more evenly distributed . this results in a decreased deformation of the faceplate during the heating steps of the frit seal operation . the use of three alignment structures assures proper positioning of the rectangular faceplate with respect to the funnel and in turn to other components of the cathode ray tube which will be subsequently assembled and oriented with respect to the funnel . by maintaining the first and second cross members 18 and 20 at an angle with respect to the plane of the rectangular base 12 , the proper nesting of the faceplate and funnel against the alignment structure is assured . any vibration which may temporarily jar the faceplate - funnel assembly will be corrected by the tube renesting due to gravity . since the fixture is dimensioned with respect to the faceplate and not the funnel , a single fixture may be used for different types of cathode ray tubes employing the same faceplate dimensions but different funnel dimensions . the use of the face down frit - sealing process in general has reduced the number of blocked apertures and the misalignment of the funnel and faceplate units . in addition , the moisture problem which had plagued the face up process has been eliminated since vapors which are generated during the frit sealing process may escape upward through the open neck of the funnel and not condense on parts of the cathode ray tube . since the weight of the funnel faceplate assembly is not borne by the funnel during the frit - sealing process , deformation of the funnel has been greatly reduced . the scrap due to broken funnels in the face up process has been eliminated since now only the rectangular portion of the funnel is in contact with the fixture .
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referring firstly to fig1 the convertible pencil box is indicated at 10 , that box comprising a planar bottom wall 12 that is connected directly at its longitudinal edges to front and rear side walls 13 . the side walls 13 are in turn directly connected to top walls 14 and 16 , a transverse line of incisions or perforations being provided centrally of the side walls 13 , and thus defining of the separate top walls 14 and 16 . the ends of the box , which conveniently is rectangular in transverse cross - section , are closed by end flaps 20 and 22 , respectively having tuck - in tabs 21 and 23 , which are inserted behind the planar wall 12 after filling of the box with pencils or the like . when the box is filled , the pencils the like or extend continuously between the end walls 20 and 22 , and the box is , by virtue of the contained pencils , entirely rigid in the longitudinal direction , and , can be handled at the point of sale in exactly the same manner as a conventional box of pencils . once the pencils are removed from the box by the purchaser , the box itself can then be turned into a pencil holder , as is illustrated in fig2 by folding the planar wall 12 reversely on itself about the point 12 ( a ), which itself can be comprised of a line of scoring , subsequent to which the purchaser then inserts the tab 21 of the end wall 20 for it to be juxtaposed between the tab 23 of the end wall 22 and the adjacent wall of the reversely bent planar member 12 . when so assembled , the box is converted into a pencil holder having two open wells , each of which can receive pencils or the like that are positioned therein , the holder being entirely stable on a flat surface , such as a work - table or drawing board . the provision of a central incision , such as the incision 18 , has the advantage that the purchaser can view the contents of the box prior to purchase , in order to insure that the box is completely filled , and , that it is filled with the pencils that the purchaser intends to purchase . referring now to fig3 there is shown an alternative , and preferred , form of the box according to the present invention . in fig3 the box is indicated at 30 , and is in the form of an axially straight triangular tube having a continuous planar bottom wall 32 that is connected directly with side walls 34 and 35 comprising one half of the length of the tube , and side walls 36 and 37 comprising the other half of the length of the tube , the respective side walls being separated from each other in a direction longitudinally of the tube by a line of incisions or perforations 38 . by this construction , the tube 30 readily can be bent by the purchaser along a central line 32 ( a ) extending transversely of the planar wall 32 for the planar wall 32 , to be bent reversely on itself , such that the planar wall 32 and the side walls 36 and 37 are moved in the direction of the arrows a for them to lie in parallel juxtaposition with the remainder of the tube , the planar wall 32 and the side walls 36 and 37 , then having been moved into the positions shown at 32 ( a ), 36 ( a ) and 37 ( a ) in which they extend in parallelism with the remainder of the planar wall 32 and the side walls 34 and 35 . positioned within the tube is a slide tray indicated generally at 40 , the slide tray being comprised of a planar wall 42 and ends walls 44 and 46 that are configured for them to provide end closures for the tube 30 . in order to assemble the pencil holder from the box illustrated in fig3 it is merely necessary for the purchaser to withdraw the slide tray 42 , then hold the slide tray about the score line 42 ( a ) in the direction of the arrows a , in order to bring the end wall 46 into the position 46 ( a ) shown in chain dotted lines . after this has been done , the purchaser then merely inserts the end walls 44 and 46 ( a ) of the tray 40 into the free ends 32 , 34 , 35 and 32 ( a ), 36 ( a ) and 37 ( a ) of the reversely folded tube 30 , and then pushes the ends of the slide tray 40 axially within the two sections of the folded tube 30 , until such time as the fold 42 ( a ) comes into embracing engagement with the free edges 32 and 32 ( a ) of the reversely folded tube . commencing with the assembled pencil box as shown in fig4 the tray 42 is removed axially from within the tube 30 as shown in fig5 subsequent to which the respective tubular sleeve 30 and slide tray 40 are folded reversely upon themselves as illustrated in fig6 and then , the respective members are moved towards each other in the directions of the arrows b , to move the tray inwardly of the reversely folded tubular sleeve , and lock the reversely folded tubular sleeve in the reversely folded condition , as illustrated in fig7 subsequent to which the container can be oriented vertically to provide the pencil holder , by rotating it in the direction of the arrow c to the position indicated in fig8 . the configurations of containers so far described result in a square or rectangular pencil holder when appropriately folded and assembled . as is illustrated in fig9 the pencil box and the assembled container can be other than square or rectangular , for example , the pencil box can be formed of trapezoidal cross - section , this resulting in the hexagonal form of pencil box as illustrated in fig9 or , the walls 34 - 37 of the outer tubular sleeve can be in the form of a continuous curve , this resulting in a holder of cylindrical or ovate form , as illustrated in fig1 . various materials may be employed in the formation of the container and the slide tray . for example , the embodiment of fig1 conveniently can be made from a stabilized paper board , such as is well - known in the art . the tubular sleeve of the remaining figs . conveniently can be formed from a corrugated card board material , and optionally , the slide tray 42 can be formed from a similar corrugated card board material . in this latter event , preferably the container is wrapped with a removable material , such as cellophane , that has been appropriately printed with the manufacturers logos . this can be removed and discarded by the purchaser , the resultant pencil holder then being free of superfluous decorations , and , appropriately colored or color coded to indicate a group of pencils having a specific hardness . equally well , the tubular sleeve and the slide tray can be formed from a transparent sheet plastics material , or , can be formed from a relatively thin and hand bendable sheet metal .
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โ pharmaceutically acceptable excipients โ is used herein according to art accepted meanings , and includes those ingredients needed to formulate a medicine for mammalian use , including the use of gelatin capsules . โ synergistic โ or โ synergy โ is used herein to mean that the effect is more than its additive property . in preferred embodiments , the synergy is at least 1 . 5 , 2 , 5 , or 10 fold . by use of โ plants ,โ what is meant herein is that the plant ( or that portion with medicinal activity ) is used whole , ground , or as an extract . also included are purified active ingredients and derivatives thereof . however , it is believed that the best efficacy of plants used herein is achieved with the use of the entire plant or its extracts , rather than with the use of isolated active ingredients . further , although plants are named here according to commonly used nomenclature , with improving taxonomy plants are often reclassified . whenever a plant is referenced , it includes related species with similar active ingredients . the following examples are illustrative only and should not serve to unduly limit the invention . angelica sinensis ( dong quai or angelica , also angelica archangelia , angelica pubescens and angelica sylvestris ) contains terpenes ( terpenes , mainly ฮฒ - phellandrene , with ฮฒ - bisabolene , ฮฒ - caryophyllene , ฮฒ - phellandrene , ฮฑ - and ฮฒ - pinene , limonene , linalool , borneol , acetaldehyde , menthadienes , and nitromenthadienes ), macrocyclic lactones ( including tridecanolide , 12 - methyl tridecanolide , pentadecanolide ), phthalates ( such as hexamethylphthalate ), coumarins ( especially furocoumarin glycosides such as marmesin and apterin ), angelicin and byakangelicin derivatives ( osthol , umbelliferone , psoralen , bergapten , imperatoren , xanthotoxol , xanthotoxin , oxypeucedanin and more ), as well as various sugars , plant acids , flavonoids , and sterols . acanthopanax senticosus ( russian ginseng , siberian ginseng , eleuthero , devil &# 39 ; s shrub , touch - me - not , wild pepper , shigoka , acantopanacis senticosus ) contains terpenoids ( oleanolic acid ), glycosides ( eleutheroside a ( daucosterin ), b1 , c - g , i , k , l , m ), phytosterols ( ฮฒ - sitosterol ), coumarins ( eleutheroside b1 and b3 , isofraxidine ), polysaccharides ( eleutherans ), volatile oils , caffeic acid , coniferyl aldehyde , and sugars . eleuthero has been shown to bind to estrogen , progestin , and mineralocorticoid receptors , and stimulate t - lymphocyte and natural killer cell production . it has activity anti - platelet aggregation activity similar to aspirin , as well as antioxidant activity . russian ginseng contains at least 40 active ingredients . rhaponticum carthamoides ( leuzea , or maral root ) contains a mixture of compounds called , โ levseins .โ levseins represents a complex of more than 10 ecdysterones including 20 - beta - ecdysterone , makisterone c , 24 - dehydromakisterone a , carthamosterone , polypodyne b and ajugasterone c . researchers extracted and purified various ecdysteroids from rhaponticum and found that the ecdysteroids increased the mass of the developing quails in a dose - dependent manner , with the rate of increase proportional to the ecdysteroids content . the soviets manufactured a synthetic version of this powerful substance for their athletes with great success . soon after , the u . s . version called mesobolin circulated on the underground market for a long time . incorporation of this phytomedicine in a composition provides at least 10 active principles in a single therapeutic . panax ginseng ( chinese ginseng , panax , ren shen , jintsam , ninjin , asiatic ginseng , japanese ginseng , oriental ginseng , korean red ginseng ) main active components are ginsenosides ( ra1 , ra2 , rb1 , rg1 , rd , re , rh1 , rh2 , rh3 , f1 , f2 , f3 ) and panoxosides , which have been shown to have a variety of beneficial effects , including anti - inflammatory , antioxidant , and anticancer effects . results of clinical research studies demonstrate that panax ginseng may improve psychological function , immune function , and conditions associated with diabetes . studies indicate that panax ginseng enhances phagocytosis , natural killer cell activity , and the production of interferon ; improves physical and mental performance in mice and rats ; causes vasodilation ; increases resistance to exogenous stress factors ; and affects hypoglycemic activity . it stimulates hepatic glutathione peroxidase , and the phytosterols inhibit prostaglandin synthesis . also it displays vascular activity because the saponins act like calcium antagonists in the vasculature . the incorporation of this phytomedicine provides at least 86 active principles in a single therapeutic . panax quinquefolius ( american ginseng , anchi , canadian ginseng , five fingers , ginseng , american , north american ginseng , red berry , ren shen , tienchi ) is related to panax ginseng , but is a distinct species with higher levels of ginsenoside rb1 and without ginsenoside rf . ginsenoside rb1 is believed to limit or prevent the growth of new blood vessels , making it useful to treat tumors . research suggests that several of ginseng &# 39 ; s active ingredients also have a beneficial influence on platelet aggregation . it also demonstrates an anti - atherosclerotic action , apparently mediated by a correction in the imbalance between prostacyclin and thromboxane . other studies that have found panaxynol or the lipophilic fraction to be the most potent anti - platelet agent in ginseng , chiefly due to an inhibition of thromboxane formation . this possibly occurs via regulation of cgmp and camp levels and prolongation of the time interval between the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin . ginsenosides have also been shown to be relatively potent platelet activating factor antagonists . it has antioxidant , anti - inflammatory , and hypolipidemic effects . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into a composition provides at least 206 active principles in a single therapeutic . pfaffia paniculata ( suma , brazilian ginseng , pfaffia , para toda , corango - acu ; also hebanthe paniculata , gomphrena paniculata , g . eriantha , iresine erianthos , i . paniculata , i . tenuis , p . eriantha , xeraea paniculata ) contains active glycosides ( beta - ecdysone and three ecdysteroids ), pfaffic acids , phytosterols ( sitosterol and estimasterol ). it also contains saponins . its germanium content probably accounts for its properties as an oxygenator at the cellular level , and its high iron content may account for its traditional use for anemia . this herb increases oxygenation at the cellular level , and it also has anabolic activity at the muscular and cardiac levels by improving the contraction of the miocardia and diminishing arrhythmias and stabilizing the membranes of cardiac cells . the incorporation of this phytomedicine provides 44 active principles in a single therapeutic . rhodiola rosea ( golden root , roseroot ) consists mainly of phenylpropanoids ( rosavin , rosin , rosarin ( specific to r . rosea ), phenylethanol derivatives ( salidroside , rhodioloside , tyrosol ), flavanoids ( catechins , proanthocyanidins , rodiolin , rodionin , rodiosin , acetylrodalgin , tricin ), monoterpenes ( rosiridol , rosaridin ), triterpenes ( daucosterol , beta - sitosterol ), and phenolic acids ( chlorogenic and hydroxycinnamic , gallic acids ). it also contains organic acids ( gallic , caffeic , and chlorogenic acids ) and p - tyrosol . there are many species of rhodiola , but it appears that the rosavins are unique to r . rosea , and it is the preferred species . its therapeutic properties include a strong estrogen binding property . it also has properties of vasodilatation by activation of mu - opiate receptors in heart muscle , and it is a hypolipidemic , diminishing cholesterol and triglyceride levels . the incorporation of this phytomedicine provides at least 20 active principles in a single therapeutic . echinacea angustifolia or purpurea ( black sampson , purple coneflower , rudbeckia , missouri snakeroot , red sunflower ) contains alkaloids ( isotussilagine , tussilagine ), amides ( echinacein , isobutylamides ), carbohydrates ( echinacin , polysaccharides ( heteroxylan and arabinogalactan ), inulin , fructose , glucose , pentose ), glycosides ( echinacoside ), terpenoids ( germacrane ), cichoric acid , betaine , methyl - para - hydroxycinnamate , vanillin , phytosterols , and volatile oils . echinacea has been the subject of hundreds of clinical and scientific studies which have primarily used an extract of the root and aerial portions of the botanical . the rich content of polysaccharides and phytosterols in echinacea are what make it a strong immune system stimulant . the sesquiterpene esters also have immuno - stimulatory effects . echinacin has also been found to possess anti - fungal and antibiotic properties . this component of echinacea also has cortisone - like actions which can help promote the healing of wounds and helps to control the inflammatory reactions . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into compositions provides at least 70 active principles in a single therapeutic . ganoderma lucidum ( reishi , also g . tsugae , g . valesiacum , g . oregonense , g . resinaceum , g . pfezfferi , g . oerstedli , and g . ahmadii ) is an edible fungus containing bitter triterpenoids ( ganoderic acid ), ฮฒ - d - glucan , coumarins , alkaloids and ergosterols . it has vasodilator effect and is useful in the treatment of angina . it is hypolipidemic and anti - artherotic . it contains at least 32 active principles . grifola frondosa ( maitake , dancing mushroom ; also g . sordulenta , polyporus umbellatus and meripilus giganteus ) contains the primary polysaccharide , ฮฒ - d - glucan in the 1 . 3 and 1 . 6 forms . it also contains alpha glucan , lipids , phospholipids , and ergosterol . animal studies suggest maitake may lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides . beta - d - glucan is also recognized as an effective immuno - stimulator . this substance increases the activity of macrophages and other immunocompetent cells that destroy tumor cells . the substance also improves the immunological efficiency of these cells by increasing production of cytokines il - 1 , il - 2 and lymphokines . the final result is an increase of the defenses against infectious diseases . the incorporation of this phytomedicine provides at least 6 active ingredients for therapeutic use . hydrastis canadensis ( golden seal , yellow root , turmeric root ) contains mainly isoquinoline alkaloids ( xanthopuccine , berberine , hidrastine , hidrastanine , beta - hydrastine , canadine and canadaline ). these confer anti - inflammatory , bacteriostatic , bacteriocidal , and vasodilator effects . in general , its antibacterial action is directed to metabolic inhibition , inhibition of the formation of enterotoxins , and inhibition of bacterial adhesion . it produces vasodilatation by inhibiting smooth muscle contraction , and inhibiting platelet aggregation . this plant provides at least 34 active principles for therapeutic use . petiveria alliacea ( anamรบ , apacin , apacina , apazote de zorro , aposin , ave , aveterinaryte , calauchin , chasser vermine , congo root , douvant - douvant , emeruaiuma , garlic guinea henweed , guine , guine , guinea , guinea hen leaf , gully root , herbe aux poules , hierba de las gallinitas , huevo de gato , kojo root , kuan , kudjuruk , lemtewei , lemuru , mal pouri , mapurit , mapurite , mucura - caa , mucura , mucuracaa , ocano , payche , pipi , tipi , verbena hedionda , verveine puante , zorrillo ) contains allantoin , arborinol , arborinoliso astilbin , benzaldehyde , benzoic - acid benzyl - 2 - hydroxy - 5 - ethyl - trisulfide , coumarin , dibenzyl trisulfide , engeletin , alpha friedelinol , isoarborinol , isoarborinol - acetate , isoarborinol - cinnamate , isothiocyanates , kno3 , leridal , leridol , leridol - 5 - methyl ether , lignoceric acid , lignoceryl alcohol , lignoceryl lignocerate , linoleic acid myricitrin , nonadecanoic acid , oleic acid , palmitic acid , pinitol , polyphenols , proline , trans - n - methyl - 4 - methoxy , senfol , ฮฒ - sitosterol , stearic acid , tannins , and trithiolaniacine . its therapeutic activities include anti - inflammatory , immune - stimulant and antimicrobial effects . this phytomedicine provides about 25 active principles . sutherlandia frutescens ( cancer bush , also sutherlandia microphylla ) contains l - canavanine , pinitol , gaba ( gamma aminobuteric acid ), and asparagine . in addition , novel triterpenoid glucoside known as โ su1 โ has been isolated and characterized . the therapeutic indications include anti - inflammatory , antioxidant , immuno - modulador , and vasodilator effects . this phytomedicine provide at least 5 active principles . tabebuia avellanedae ( pau d &# 39 ; arco , ipรช , lapacho , tahuari , taheebo , trumpet tree , tabebuia ipรช , tajy ; also t . ipe , t . nicaraguensis , t . schunkeuigoi , t . serratifolia , t . altissima , t . palmeri , t . impetiginosa , t . heptaphylla , gelseminum avellanedae , handroanthus avellanedae , h . impetiginosus , tecoma adenophylla , tec . avellanedae , tec . eximia , tec . impetiginosa , tec . integra , tec . ipe ) extracts contain diverse quinone derivatives and a small quantity of benzenoids and flavonoids , including beta - lapachone , xyloidone , tabebuin , quercetin , tecomine , and steroidal saponins . one important ingredient is lapachol , a derivative of which was patented in 1975 . it has anti - inflammatory and antibacterial effects . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into a composition provides at least 32 active principles in a single therapeutic . uncaria tomentosa ( cat &# 39 ; s claw , peruvian cat &# 39 ; s claw , samento , saventaro , uรฑa de gato , also uncaria guianensis ) has several alkaloids including pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids ( poa ) ( isomitraphylline , isopteropodine , mitraphylline , pteropodine , speciophylline , uncarine f ), tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids ( toa ) ( isorynchophylline , rynchophylline ), glycosides ( triterpenic quinovic acid glycosides ), hirsutine , tannins , catechins , phytosterols ( beta - sitosterol , campesterol , stigmasterol ), triterpenes , polyphenols , flavanols and oligomeric proanthocyanidins ( opc ). it is an immune - stimulant , an anti - inflammatory , vasodilator , and antioxidant . in laboratory testing , rynchophylline displays an ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and thrombosis , suggesting that cat &# 39 ; s claw may be useful in preventing strokes and reducing the risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure , increasing circulation , inhibiting formation of plaque on arterial walls and formation of blood clots in the brain , heart and arteries . this phytomedicine provides at least 10 active ingredients . petiveria alliacea ( anamรบ , apacin , apacina , apazote de zorro , aposin , ave , aveterinaryte , calauchin , chasser vermine , congo root , douvant - douvant , emeruaiuma , garlic guinea henweed , guine , guine , guinea , guinea hen leaf , gully root , herbe aux poules , hierba de las gallinitas , huevo de gato , kojo root , kuan , kudjuruk , lemtewei , lemuru , mal pouri , mapurit , mapurite , mucura - caa , mucura , mucuracaa , ocano , payche , pipi , tipi , verbena hedionda , verveine puante , zorrillo ) contains allantoin , arborinol , arborinoliso astilbin , benzaldehyde , benzoic - acid benzyl - 2 - hydroxy - 5 - ethyl - trisulfide , coumarin , dibenzyl trisulfide , engeletin , alpha friedelinol , isoarborinol , isoarborinol - acetate , isoarborinol - cinnamate , isothiocyanates , kno3 , leridal , leridol , leridol - 5 - methyl ether , lignoceric acid , lignoceryl alcohol , lignoceryl lignocerate , linoleic acid myricitrin , nonadecanoic acid , oleic acid , palmitic acid , pinitol , polyphenols , proline , trans - n - methyl - 4 - methoxy , senfol , ฮฒ - sitosterol , stearic acid , tannins , and trithiolaniacine . its therapeutic activities includes anti - inflammatory , immuno - stimulant and antimicrobial . this phytomedicine provides about 25 active principles . angelica sinensis ( dong quai or angelica , also angelica archangelia , angelica pubescens and angelica sylvestris ) contains terpenes ( terpenes , mainly ฮฒ - phellandrene , with ฮฒ - bisabolene , ฮฒ - caryophyllene , ฮฒ - phellandrene , ฮฑ - and ฮฒ - pinene , limonene , linalool , borneol , acetaldehyde , menthadienes and nitromenthadienes ), macrocyclic lactones ( including tridecanolide , 12 - methyl tridecanolide , pentadecanolide ), phthalates ( such as hexamethylphthalate ), coumarins ( especially furocoumarin glycosides such as marmesin and apterin ), angelicin and byakangelicin derivatives ( osthol , umbelliferone , psoralen , bergapten , imperatoren , xanthotoxol , xanthotoxin , oxypeucedanin and more ), as well as various sugars , plant acids , flavonoids , and sterols . these components have vasodilator activity , increase coronary flow and are antithrombotic . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into compositions provides at least 70 active principles in a single therapeutic . crataegus oxyacantha ( hawthorn , see also c . monogyna ) contains mainly flavonoids ( such as flavonoglycosyls , hyperoside , rutin , flavonol , kaempferol , quercetin ) and oligomeric procyanadins ( 1 - epicatechol ), which relax arterial expansion to decrease peripheral vascular resistance . also contains amines ( phenyletylamine , tyramine , o - methoxyphenethylamine ), flavone ( apigenin , luteolin ) derivatives , vitexin glycosides , tannins , saponins , and cyanogenetic glycosides . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into a composition provides at least 52 active principles in a single therapeutic plant . croton lechleri ( dragon &# 39 ; s blood , sangre de grado , sangre de agua ; also c . draconoides , c . palanostigma , c . erythrochilus c . salutaris , and c . gossypifolius ) produces a distinctive red exudate from its trunk containing a considerable amount of secondary plant metabolites , the majority of which are hydrolyzing flavonoids , proanthocyanidins ( mainly catechin , epicatechin , gallocatechin and / or galloepicatechin ), as well as taspine . other components include the dihydrobenzofuran lignan , six simple phenols and their derivatives , three steroids , non - saturated fatty acids , diterpenoids ( hardwickiic acid , bincatriol , crolechinol , crolechinic acid , coberine a , coberine b ), and diterpenoids . it heals wounds and ulcers of vascular origin . incorporation of this phytomedicine into a composition provides at least 23 active principles in a single therapeutic . ginkgo biloba ( ginkgo ) contains ginkgolides , bilobalides , bioflavones and flavone glycosides . flavone glycosides include quercetin , 3 - methylquercetin and kaempferol . quercetin , myrcetin and the rest of the flavonoid fraction of the extract have antioxidant and free radical scavenger effects . the flavonoids diminish infiltration by neutrophils and increase blood flow . their antioxidant properties and membrane stabilizing activity increase the tolerance to hypoxia . they improve cellular metabolism and protect against the damage caused by ischemia . ginkgolide b is a powerful inhibitor of platelet activating factor ( paf ), binding to its membrane receptors , and antagonizing platelet aggregation . similarly , it has anti - inflammatory effect by decreasing vascular permeability , and has vasodilator activity by inhibiting the liberation of thromboxane b2 and prostaglandins . controlled double blind clinical studies conclusively demonstrate the effectiveness of gingko biloba in treating peripheral arterial insufficiency . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into a composition provides at least 59 active principles in a single therapeutic . hydrocotyle asiatica ( gotu kola , bramhi , pennywort , marsh penny , pennywort ; also hydrocotile asiatica asiatica ) contain terpenoids ( triterpenes , asiaticoside , brahmoside and brahminosidea , ( saponin glycosides ) aglycones , asiaticentoic acid , centellic acid , centoic acid and madecassic acid ), sesquiterpenes ( caryophyllene , trans - b - farnesene ), volatile oils ( germacrene d ), alkaloids ( hydrocotylin ), flavones ( quercetin , kaempferol , sesquiterpenes , stigmasterol , and sitosterol ), and vallerine , fatty acids , resin , and tannins . it is used to treat chronic venous insufficiency , varicose veins , and venous hypertension . incorporation of this phytomedicine in a composition provides at least 59 active principles in a single therapeutic . ruscus aculeatus ( butcher &# 39 ; s broom , box holly , jew &# 39 ; s myrtle , knee holly , kneeholm , pettigree , sweet broom ) contains as primary active ingredients the steroidal saponins ( ruscogenin and neoruscogenin ), but other constituents have been isolated , including flavonoids , tetracosanoic acid , chrysophanic acid , sitosterol , campesterol , stigmasterol , triterpenes , coumarins , sparteine , tyramine , and glycolic acid . its ingredients reduce vascular permeability , have anti - elastic properties and are vasoconstrictors . the incorporation of this phytomedicine in a composition provides at least 28 active agents . vaccinium myrtillus ( european blueberry or bilberry , closely related to american blueberry , cranberry , and huckleberry ) contains anthocyanosides such as : cianadins , malvidins , petunidins and peonidins . other ingredients include arbutin , asperuloside , astragalin , beta - amyrin , caffeic - acid , catechin , chlorogenic - acid , cyanadin - 3 - o - arabinoside , dihydroxycinnamic - acid , epicatechin , epigallocatechin , epimyrtine , ferulic - acid , gallic - acid , gallocatechin , hydroquinone , hyperoside , isoquercitrin , lutein , coumaric - acids , m - hydroxybenzoic - acid , monotropein , myrtillin , myrtillol , myrtine , neomyrtillin , protocatechuic - acid , quercetins , quinic - acid , resinic - acid , syringic - acid , ursolic - acid , and vanillic - acid . evidence suggests that anthocyanosides may benefit the retina , as well as strengthen the walls of blood vessels , reduce inflammation , and stabilize collagen containing tissues . the anthocyanosides improve the activity of enzymes lactic dehydrogenase , glucose - 6 - phosphatase and phosphoglucomutase , each involved in processes of vascular damage . they reduce the arterial deposits and stimulate the production of vasodilators , like prostaglandin ( pg12 ), thus protecting the vascular wall . anthocyanosides have strong antioxidant properties , as well . the incorporation of this phytomedicine into a composition provides at least 63 active principles in a single therapeutic . a particularly preferred composition is shown in table 1 . ratios reflect the concentration of active ingredient over the natural state , and the amounts provided are mg of extract . obviously , the amount should be increased where the strength is reduced , and vice versa . panax quinquefolius the active principles responsible for its therapeutic effects are triterpensaponides , of which more than 25 different types have been identified . these are denominated protopanaxadiols ( ginsenosides rc , rd , rb1 , rb2 ) and protopanaxatriols ( ginsenosides โ re , โ rf , โ rg1 , etc .). panax also contains hydrosoluble polysaccharides ( panaxans a - u ) and polyacetylenes ( ginsenosides a - k , panaxynol and panaxatriol ). these substances confer energizing properties because they increase atp synthesis . on the other hand they reduce the secretion of prolactin by increasing dopaminergic activity or by activating dopamine receptors at the anterior hipophysis level . prolactin is a hormone involved in the appearance of anovulatory cycles and dysfunctional uterine hemorrhages , menorrhea , mammary fibrocystic condition , and cyclic mastalgy . the reduction of this hormone explains the recovery in the treatment of uterine dysfunctional hemorrhages , polycystic ovary syndrome ( pcos ), ovary cysts , fibromyomatous uteri , and infertility . pfaffia paniculata its most important active principles are : beta - ecdysone and three glycoside ecdysteroids , six different pfaffic acids , phytosterols and nortriterpenic glycosides . these substances are energizing through an increase in atp synthesis and oxygenation at the cellular level . also , its phytosterols act as hormone originators , and have demonstrated effectiveness in the management of diverse conditions associated with hormone imbalance , such as : premenstrual syndrome , dysmenorrhea , infertility , dysfunctional uterine hemorrhages , and menopause . astragalus membranaceus ( huang - qi ) this plant contains three main types of active principles . isoflavones , which act as anti - oxidants ; astragalans which act as immune - stimulants and anti - inflammatory by stimulating the phagocytic activity of macrophages , of the cytotoxic response of t and nk lymphocytes and of the production and activity of interferon ; and astragalans which act as modulators of the hypothalamus - hypofisis - adrenal axis response . dioscorea villosa ( rheumatism root , huesos del dialo , yuma , yam , wild yam , chinese yam , mexican yam , raiz china , and colic root ) contains steroid sapogenins ( dioscine , dioscorin and diosgenine ) as the main active principles . diosgenine can change into ecdysone , pregnenolone , and progesterone , thus , diosgenine is a hormonal precursor , which contributes to the neuroendocrine system &# 39 ; s modulation . on the other hand , diosgenine has demonstrated its important pro - apoptotic effects , in the therapy of benign and malign tumors , including mammary and ovarian cysts , and uterine fibroids . ganoderma lucidum and grifola frondosa the main active principles of these mushrooms are sterols and beta - proteoglucans which bestow anti - inflammatory and immune - modulating properties , because they increase the phagocytotic capacity of macrophages and increase the production and lifespan of cd4 lymphocytes . tabebuia avellanedae contains diverse substances derived from quinones , such as alfa and beta lapachone [ 2 - hydroxi - 3 -( 3 - metil - 2 - butenil )- 1 , 4 - naftoquinona ] and cyclopentane dialdehydes . these confer important anti - inflammatory , pro - apoptotic , antimitotic and cytostatic effects , in treating benign and malign tumors including mammary and ovarian cysts as well as uterine fibroids . vitex agnus castus ( chaste tree or chaste berry ) an essential oil is extracted from the fruit of this plant , two iridoid glycosides ( aucubine and agnuside ); a flavone ( casticine , which seems to be the primary active principle ) and 3 minor flavonoids derived from kaempferol and quercetin . these active principles act on the anterior hypofisis dopaminergic - d2 receptors , modulating prolactin secretion . this hormone is implicated in the appearance of anovulatory cycles and dysfunctional uterine hemorrhages , menorrhea , mammary fibrocystic condition , and cyclic mastalgy . vitex agnus castus modulates the secretion of lh from the hypofisis , which act on the ovary , starting up the luteal phase and progesterone secretion . therefore , vitex benefits dysfunctional uterine hemorrhages , premenstrual syndrome , pcos , infertility , ovary cysts , menopause , and fibromyomatous uteri . hydrocotile asiatica see above . also , the active principles include pentacyclic triterpene saponins . the major active principles are asiaticosides and madecassosides . other minor saponins are the centelloside , brahmosides , brahminosides and hydrocotile asiatica saponins b , c and d . mucopolysaccharides are the core components of the cellular matrix . the biochemical action of these active principles reduce the levels of lysosomal enzymes associated with the degradation of mucopolysaccharides . on the other hand , the active agents act on the fibroblasts of the connective tissue , modulating collagen synthesis and inhibiting inflammatory processes . this diminishes the fibrosis processes important to fibrocystic mammary and uterine conditions . panax ginseng the active principles responsible for its therapeutic effects are triterpensaponides of which more than 25 different types have been identified . these include protopanaxadiols ( ginsenosides rc , rd , rb1 , rb2 ) and protopanaxatriols ( ginsenosides - re , - rf , - rg 1 , etc .). panax also contains hydrosoluble polysaccharides ( panaxans a - u ) and polyacetylenes ( ginsenosides a - k , panaxynol and panaxatriol ). these substances confer energizing properties because they increase atp synthesis . rhodiola rosea see above . also , the active principles in this plant ( phenylpropanoids , phenylethanol derivatives , flavonoids , monoterpenes and phenolic acids ) activate the synthesis of atp in mitochondria and stimulate reparative energy processes . andrographis paniculata ( king of bitters , chirettta , kalmegh and kiryat ) primary active principles associated with andrographis are : flavonoids , glucosides and diterpenic lactones ( andrographolides ). these substances offer immuno - modulator and anti - inflammatory properties . even though their precise mechanism of action is not known , studies suggest that they stimulate the immune systems and activate macrophages . angelica sinensis contains alkyl phthalides ( ligustilide ); terpenes , phenylpropanoids ( ferulic acid ) and benzenoids . these substances stimulate the immune system &# 39 ; s actions , through diverse lymphokines and have an anti - inflammatory effect by inhibiting 5 - lipoxygenase and elastase , as well as selectively inhibiting 12 -( s )- hhtre production , a marker of cyclo - oxygenase activity . astragalus membranaceus see above . also , astragalus membranaceus inhibits 5 - lipoxygenase and elastase , which indicates that it is valuable in the management of skin pathologies involving chronic inflammation , such as psoriasis . hydrastis canadensis the most important active principles of hydrastis are isoquinoline alcaloides ( berberina , hydrastina , hidrastanina , canadina , canadalina ) which award anti - inflammatory , and immuno - modulating properties . berberine inhibits activating protein 1 ( ap - 1 ), a key factor in transcription the inflammation . it also exerts a significant inhibitory effect on lymphocyte transformation , so its anti - inflammatory action seems to be due to the inhibition of dna synthesis in the activated lymphocytes or to the inhibition of the liberation of arachidonic acid from the phospholipids of the cellular membrane . it also has immuno - modulating properties by increasing the production of immunoglobulins g and m and stimulating the phagocytotic capacity of macrophages . ganoderma lucidum the main active principles of this mushroom are sterols and beta - proteoglucans that bestow anti - inflammatory and immune - modulating properties by increasing the phagocytotic capacity of macrophages and raising production and lifespan of cd4 lymphocytes . equisetum arvense ( horse tail ) this plant contains abundant mineral salts particularly silicic acids and silicates . it also contains phytosterols , phenolic acids , flavonoids ( mainly quercetin glycosides and apigenine ) and saponins ( equisetonin ). these active principles block the liberation of arachidonic acid , which diminishes inflammation and reduces the proliferation of keratinocytes , as well as inducing g2 / m arrest in keratinocytes . the action mechanism is in part due to the inhibition of mitotic kinase activity of p34cd2 and perturbation of cyclin b1 levels . tabebuia avellanedae contains diverse quinone derivatives such as alpha and beta - lapachone , cyclopentane dialdehydes and a small quantity of benzenoids and flavonoids , including , xyloidone , tabebuin , quercetin , tecomine , and steroidal saponins . these compounds inhibit keratinocyte growth and offer anti - inflammatory and antibacterial effects , which are of great importance in the treatment of psoriasis . shilajit ( mumiyo ) mumiyo is a natural complex substance , whose active principles are carboxylic acids : ( hydroxylated derivatives of benzoic , phenylacetic and hippuric acids ), fulvic and humic acids , minerals and amino acids . of mumiyo &# 39 ; s known properties , the most important ones are its ability to reduce excessive inflammatory reactions and stimulate tissue regeneration . oral intake of mumiyo has been used to treat burns , trophic non - healing wounds , eczema , and other skin diseases , such as psoriasis . it has been established that fulvic / humic acids stimulate respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in liver mitochondria , increase mechanical resistance of collagen fibers , activate human leucocytes , reduce excessive inflammatory reactions , and stimulate tissue regeneration . shark cartilage this natural compound reduces psoriatic plaque vascularization . it inhibits the proliferation of endothelial cells , competitively blocking the endothelial growth factor at the receptor level . it also inhibits tyrosine egf and egf - 2 dependant phosphorylation as well as the increase of fce induced permeability . shark cartilage also induces endothelial cell apoptosis , by inducing caspase 3 , 8 and 9 activation , and the liberation of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm . shark cartilage also induces fibrinolitic activity by increasing the secretion , activity and affinity of tissue plasminogen activator ( tpa ) for endothelial cells . it also inhibits extracellular matrix degradation , by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases mmp - 2 , mmp - 7 , mmp - 9 , mmp - 12 and mmp - 13 . it also stimulates production of angiostatin . schizandra chinensis the major active principles of schizandra ( also known as wuweizi and wurenchum ) are lignans called schizandrines . these substances have known hepato - protective and hepato - regenerative properties . it maintains the integrity of hepatocyte cellular membranes ; increases hepatic levels of ascorbic acid ; inhibits nadph oxidation ; inhibits lipid peroxidation at the hepatic microsomal level as well as formation of hepatic malondialdehyde ; diminishes production of carbon monoxide at the hepatic level ; has an inductor effect in the enzymatic anti - toxic microsomal hepatic cytochrome p - 450 ; increases biliary flow and the excretion of toxic substances ; promotes recovery of hepatic functions ; induces mrna formation for the hepatocyte growth factor ( hgf ); encourages the proliferation of the hepatocyte &# 39 ; s endoplasmic smooth reticula , and accelerates the proliferation of hepatocytes ; increases ornithine decarboxylase activity as well as the mitotic index , facilitates dna synthesis and hepatic proteins ; increases levels of glutathione , glutathione reductase and glucose - 6 - phosphate , improving the regeneration capacity of the liver . silybum marianum ( milk thistle ) the active principles of this plant are flavonolignans , including silibine , silicristine and silidianine and isosilibinin collectively known as sylimarin . this compound has the highest grade of hepato - protective , hepato - generating , and anti - inflammatory activity . the mechanisms which explain its hepato - protector characteristics are diverse and include anti - oxidation , lipid anti - peroxidation , detoxification increase through a competitive inhibition with toxic substances , as well as protection against the depletion of glutathione . one of the mechanisms that can explain its hepato - regenerative properties is the increase in protein synthesis , obtained thanks to a significant boost in the formation of ribosomes , dna synthesis and proteins at the hepatic level , because the active principles join a specific polymerase receptor , stimulating ribosome formation . its anti - inflammatory effect is due to the stabilization of the mastocytes , the inhibition of neutrophils , a strong inhibition of leucotriene ( lt ) synthesis and formation of prostaglandins . sylimarin inhibits intestinal beta - glucuronidase enzymes , thus improving glucoronization , which is an important step in hepatic detoxification . more corporal toxins are removed via glucoronization than through other detox pathways . picrorhiza kurroa the most important active constituents are iridoid glycoside picrosides i , ii , iii and kutkoside , known collectively as kutkin . though less well researched than silybum , it appears to have similar applications and mechanisms of action . when compared with silybum , the curative efficacy of picrorhiza was found to be similar , or in many cases superior , to the effect of silybum . picrorrhiza possesses significant antioxidant activity , by reducing lipid peroxidation and free radical damage . like sylimarin , it has also an effect on liver regeneration . picrorrhiza also offers anti - inflammatory effects , inhibiting the infiltration of pro - inflammatory cells . one of its minor components , apocynin exhibits powerful anti - inflammatory effects , without affecting beneficial activities such as phagocytosis , chemotaxis or humoral immunity . smilax spp . ( sarsaparilla ) its main active principles are : phytosterols , steroid saponins , phenolic acids , flavonoids and minerals . these substances adhere to toxins inside the gastrointestinal tract , this way reducing their absorption by the circulatory stream . on the other hand it improves the hepatic and renal excretory functions , facilitating the removal of toxic substances and waste found in cells , blood vessels and lymphatic system . also , phytosterols block prostaglandin synthetase action , explaining its anti - inflammatory action and use to treat psoriasis . vaccinium myrtillus angiogenesis appears to be a fundamental inflammatory response early in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and significant abnormalities of vascular morphology and vascular endothelial growth factor ( vegf ) play a crucial role in the vascularization of psoriatic plaques . during inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis , the skin initiates angiogenesis through vegf and the active principles of this plant ( anthocyanosides , flavonoids , quercetin , tannins , iridoids and phenolic acids ) significantly inhibit vegf expression by the human keratinocytes , reducing the psoriatic plaque &# 39 ; s angiogenesis . a multicentric , retrospective study was made on 100 healthy volunteers with the intention of evaluating patient tolerance and side effects of the herbaria combination . a capsule containing 700 mg of the herbaria of table 1 was administered to each participant three times per day for five days . during that period they were evaluated by a physician , who registered any finding or symptom reported by each subject . the average age of the participants was 37 . 4 years with a sd of 8 . 2 years . gender was 55 % female , 45 % male . the average weight of the subjects was 70 kilos with a sd of 12 . 3 kilos . no undesirable effects were observed in 96 % of the subjects . four ( 4 %) subjects reported minor undesirable effects . the study showed that herbaria were well tolerated - only minor symptoms were reported by 4 of the 100 subjects . these results showed the non - toxicity of the herbaria , demonstrating that the formulation is safe . similar results have been obtained for the pcos and psoriasis formulations . to evaluate the efficacy of the combination , 110 patients affected with diverse degrees of lesions of the diabetic foot , were studied by means of retrospective , multicentric , and descriptive study for two year duration . of these patients , 50 had grade iii - v lesions , and were diagnosed for surgical amputation of the affected area . the patients were treated as above , with ten 700 mg capsule of herbaria three times a day , but the treatment was continued on an as needed basis for times ranging from 1 . 5 months to 10 months . the data is summarized in table 4 . it is significant to note that the herbaria treatment prevented amputation in 40 patients ( 80 % of the population ) who were already diagnosed for surgical removal of portions of the foot . in contrast , in the usual course of standard medical treatment , almost 100 % of these patients could have expected to have a partial or complete amputation . thus , these superior results are quite unexpected and clearly demonstrate the novel and non - obvious qualities of the formulation . likewise , 129 patients with chronic varicose ulcers were evaluated . the treatment ( six 700 mg capsules three times a day ) improved ulcers in 79 % of the population , and remission was achieved in 21 % of the population in only two months ( table 5 ). the systemic treatment also significantly improved the most frequent symptoms ( cramps 71 . 4 %, pain 78 %, and edema 88 . 7 %). in contrast , most patients with chronic varicose ulcers do not achieve remission under existing pharmaceutical treatments and have high risk of amputation . in a study of 35 patients with polycystic ovary syndrome ( pcos ), the treatment improved pelvic pain in all 20 symptomatic patients , menstrual disorder ( amenorrhea , dysmenorrhea , menometrorrhea , oligomenorrhea ) in all 22 symptomatic patients , asthenia and cephalea in all 17 symptomatic patients , as well as acne and hirsutism in 8 of 9 symptomatic patients . pelvic echo sonograms revealed that 29 patients ( 82 . 9 %) experienced a total disappearance of cysts , while another 6 ( 17 . 2 %) showed a decrease in cyst size . in contrast , most patients with pcos do not achieve symptomatic relief without surgical intervention , and very few , if any , have a complete disappearance of cysts ( table 6 ). the dosage was six 650 mg capsules three times a day . similarly , in a study of 123 patients with severe psoriasis , clinical remission was observed in 77 % of the patients , and almost two thirds of the patients achieved clinical improvement in less than 45 days ( table 7 ). in contrast , most patients with severe psoriasis do not achieve remission , but only symptomatic relief with existing pharmaceutical approaches . the dosage was seven 650 mg capsules three times a day . in conclusion , these results indicate that synergistic combinations of phytoceuticals , scientifically chosen from each category of herbal tonics described in the next section , is suprisingly effective ! in order to expand the range of formulations encompassed by the invention , we have categorized beneficial plants into one of three groups , each of which should be present for synergistic effect . the classifications are energy , bio - intelligence and organization . plants classified under energy are associated with atp synthesis ( such as the krebs cycle , oxidative phosphorylation , beta - oxidation , etc .). plants classified under bio - intelligence are those that regulate the neuroendocrine and immunological systems and cellular processes , thus controlling the interactions between the various systems in the body . finally , plants classified under organization are those that relate to the structure and function of specific organs . combinations of plants from these three classification groups have synergistic effect because they address each necessary component of cellular and organic health โ in effect they provide the triangle on which healing is fully supported . a large group of plants were classified ( along with some vitamins , etc .) according to this system , based on what is known in the literature about their active ingredients and mode of action . the classification is presented in table 8 . table 8 is representative only : based on the criterion described herein , additional plants can easily be categorized as their mode of action is elucidated . an illustrative example of synergy in medicinal plants is an in vitro study that demonstrates how the activity of herbal berberine alkaloids is strongly potentiated by the action of herbal 5 โฒ- methoxyhydnocarpin ( 5 โฒ- mhc ). it shows a strong increase of accumulation of berberine in the cells in the presence of 5 โฒ- mhc , indicating that this plant compound effectively disabled the bacterial resistance mechanism against the berberine antimicrobial , thus showing the synergy of both substances . stermitz f r , et al ., synergy in a medicinal plant : antimicrobial action of berberine potentiated by 5 โฒ- methoxyhydnocarpin , a multidrug pump inhibitor . proc natl acad sci usa . 2000 feb . 15 ; 97 ( 4 ): 1433 - 7 . we expect to further demonstrate synergistic effect on a molecular scale by studying the gene expression profile changes in response to various plant ingredients and combinations thereof . experiments are already underway demonstrating the expression profile in response to the formulations . we will be aided in this work because researchers have already begun studying the expression profiles of various medicinal plants , thus providing a database of knowledge from which to build . e . g ., gohil , et al ., mrna expression profile of a human cancer cell line in response to ginkgo biloba extract : induction of antioxidant response and the golgi system , free radic res . 2001 december ; 33 ( 6 ): 831 - 849 . we may also test combinations of plants for synergistic effects by using the mouse model for diabetic lesions , as described in mastropaolo , et al ., synergy in polymicrobial infections in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes infection and immunity , september 2005 , p . 6055 - 6063 , vol . 73 , no . 9 . briefly , obese diabetic mouse strain bks . cg - m +/+ leprdb / j are injected subcutaneously with mixed cultures containing escherichia coli , bacteroides fragilis , and clostridium perfringens . progression of the infection ( usually abscess formation ) is monitored by examining mice for bacterial populations and numbers of white blood cells at 1 , 8 , and 22 days post - infection . various plant ingredients and combinations thereof can be used to show a synergistic effect . further , the model can be used to show synergy when the formulations of the invention are combined with existing pharmaceuticals , such as antibiotics .
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a detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention . while the invention is described in conjunction with such embodiment ( s ), it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any one embodiment . on the contrary , the scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives , modifications , and equivalents . for the purpose of example , numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . these details are provided for the purpose of example , and the present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details . for the purpose of clarity , technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured . it should be appreciated that the present invention can be implemented in numerous ways , including as a process , an apparatus , a system , a device , a method , or a computer readable medium such as a computer readable storage medium containing computer readable instructions or computer program code , or as a computer program product , comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein . in the context of this disclosure , a computer usable medium or computer readable medium may be any medium that can contain or store the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system , apparatus or device . for example , the computer readable storage medium or computer usable medium may be , but is not limited to , a random access memory ( ram ), read - only memory ( rom ), or a persistent store , such as a mass storage device , hard drives , cdrom , dvdrom , tape , erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ), or any magnetic , electromagnetic , infrared , optical , or electrical means system , apparatus or device for storing information . alternatively or additionally , the computer readable storage medium or computer usable medium may be any combination of these devices or even paper or another suitable medium upon which the program code is printed , as the program code can be electronically captured , via , for instance , optical scanning of the paper or other medium , then compiled , interpreted , or otherwise processed in a suitable manner , if necessary , and then stored in a computer memory . applications , software programs or computer readable instructions may be referred to as components or modules . applications may be hardwired or hard coded in hardware or take the form of software executing on a general purpose computer or be hardwired or hard coded in hardware such that when the software is loaded into and / or executed by the computer , the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention . applications may also be downloaded in whole or in part through the use of a software development kit or toolkit that enables the creation and implementation of the present invention . in this specification , these implementations , or any other form that the invention may take , may be referred to as techniques . in general , the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention . an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to an information storage system in the form of a storage system configured to store files , but it should be understood that the principles of the invention are not limited to information storage systems . rather , they are applicable to any system capable of storing and handling various types of objects , in analog , digital , or other form . although terms such as document , file , object , etc . may be used by way of example , the principles of the invention are not limited to any particular form of representing and storing data or other information ; rather , they are equally applicable to any object capable of representing information . conventional storage arrays typically contain a wide variety of physical appliances . physical appliances typically provide services to the storage array . for example , these physical appliances may be wan accelerator appliances , backup appliances , and deduplication appliances , among others . adding several physical appliances to a storage device may be expensive , time consuming , and may complicate the management of the storage system . as a result , many system administrators do not choose to use implement some physical appliances . the enhanced techniques described herein simplify the deployment and management of appliances by virtualizing them . in some embodiments , standard virtualization techniques may be applied , such as those provided by vmware , microsoft , and others . in some embodiments , templates for virtual appliances may be created by using the open virtual format ( ovf ). when creating the virtual appliance , several parameters may be set , such as the ip address of the virtual appliance , administrator passwords , if applicable , and other basic networking configurations , among others . in some embodiments , virtual appliances may be stored on a blade of a storage array . in some embodiments , the blade may have esx , a product offered by vmware , installed . vcenter , a product also offered by vmware , may be also be used . fig1 illustrates a storage array in accordance with some embodiments . storage array 10 contains blades 108 and 110 . stored on blade 108 are virtual appliances 100 , 102 , and 104 . stored on blade 110 is virtual appliance 106 . virtual appliances provide services that physical appliances provide ( e . g . deduplication , backup , wan acceleration , ediscovery , etc .). though fig1 illustrates three virtual appliances on a blade , and one virtual appliance on another , many other combinations are possible . for example , one blade may hold a dozen virtual appliances , another blade may hold six , and yet another blade may hold three . any number of virtual appliances may fit on a blade , as long as the blade has the resources to support the number of virtual appliances ( e . g . enough storage space , processing power , etc .). further , a storage array may hold any number of blades , as long as the storage array has the resources to support the blades ( e . g . enough racks , etc .). multiple copies of a virtual appliance may be stored on a single blade or across multiple blades . this may be preferable in cases where additional computing resources , or higher availability is desired for the virtual appliance . replacing physical appliances with virtual appliances provides multiple benefits . one benefit is reduction of hardware . since many physical devices may be replaced with a virtual appliance , less hardware is used . another benefit is reduction in energy use . having many physical devices running produces a lot of heat and consumes a lot of energy . by replacing physical devices with virtual appliances , less heat may be generated , and less energy may be consumed . by using virtual appliances , a storage array may have several services , such as deduplication , and backup , among others , without having a wide variety of equipment from different vendors ( e . g . service providers ). no external hardware is needed โ only the blades in the storage array are needed to store the virtual appliances . in this way , virtual appliances may resemble storage array features , rather than additional hardware deployments . in some embodiments , virtual appliances may be included in a standard storage array , and may be provisioned as standard array features . provisioning virtual appliances may instantiate virtual appliances from included images and provides basic configuration ( e . g . licensing ) and networking . for example , a distributor of storage arrays may have a default storage array which includes multiple virtual appliances . in some embodiments , virtual appliances may be stored in a blade , but not activated . this may be preferable in instances where a user does not want , or has no need for all of the services provided by every virtual appliance . for example , a blade may come by default with a deduplication virtual appliance , a search virtual appliance , and a backup virtual appliance . the user may not want a search appliance . in this case , the user may activate only the deduplication and backup virtual appliances when the user . in some embodiments , activation may be accomplished by receiving a license from the distributor of the storage array , and entering license information to instantiate the desired virtual appliances . in some embodiments , it may be preferable to dynamically deploy the virtual appliances . using the example above , at first the user may want deduplication and backup virtual appliances . however , at a later time , the user may decide that the deduplication is no longer needed , and the user may decommission the deduplication virtual appliance . the user may also decide to add search services to the storage array , and instantiate the search virtual appliance . by using instantiating and decommissioning virtual appliances dynamically , the user is able to better manage the storage array . the user does not need to worry about adding new physical appliances and installing the associated hardware , or removing physical appliances and uninstalling the associated hardware . virtual appliances that were not part of the default storage array may also be added to the storage array . for example , suppose a storage array included by default a backup virtual appliance and a deduplication virtual appliance . in some embodiments , a user may have the option to purchase or instantiate a virtual appliance through an interface , such as an application store , or management software ( such as unisphere provided by emc corporation ), among others . for example , a user may open the interface , and the interface may provide details on installed or instantiated virtual appliances . in this example , the interface will indicate that the backup virtual appliance and deduplication virtual appliance are installed . the interface may allow the user to perform certain actions , such as purchasing a new virtual appliance , downloading a new virtual appliance ( subject to certain conditions , such as payment ), decommissioning a currently installed virtual appliance , updating a virtual appliance , and viewing available virtual appliances , among others . when retrieving authorization information , such as license keys after purchasing a virtual appliance , the interface may connect to the distributor of the storage array to download the necessary data . this data may be an image of a virtual appliance , which may be instantiated on the storage array . the interface may also connect to third party providers of virtual appliances . the interface itself may run on the storage array , or on another computer system . fig2 illustrates a method to process information in accordance with some embodiments . in step 200 , a physical appliance to virtualize is determined . in step 202 , a virtual appliance is creased based on the physical appliance . in step 204 , the virtual appliance is stored in a storage array . fig3 illustrates a method to process information in accordance with some embodiments . in step 300 , a service to terminate is selected . in step 302 , a virtual appliance associated with the service is determined . in step 304 , the virtual appliance is decommissioned . fig4 illustrates a method to process information in accordance with some embodiments . in step 400 , a service to add to a storage array is selected . in step 402 , a virtual appliance associated with the service is determined . in step 404 , the virtual appliance is instantiated . for the sake of clarity , the processes and methods herein have been illustrated with a specific flow , but it should be understood that other sequences may be possible and that some may be performed in parallel , without departing from the spirit of the invention . additionally , steps may be subdivided or combined . as disclosed herein , software written in accordance with the present invention may be stored in some form of computer - readable medium , such as memory or cd - rom , or transmitted over a network , and executed by a processor . though the above has been described with reference to the term โ backup โ for illustrative purposes , the present invention is equally applicable to all forms of data duplication . these forms of data duplication include replication and archiving , among others . all references cited herein are intended to be incorporated by reference . although the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments , it is anticipated that alterations and modifications to this invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art and may be practiced within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims . more than one computer may be used , such as by using multiple computers in a parallel or load - sharing arrangement or distributing tasks across multiple computers such that , as a whole , they perform the functions of the components identified herein ; i . e . they take the place of a single computer . various functions described above may be performed by a single process or groups of processes , on a single computer or distributed over several computers . processes may invoke other processes to handle certain tasks . a single storage device may be used , or several may be used to take the place of a single storage device . 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 . it is therefore intended that the disclosure and following claims be interpreted as covering all such alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention .
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fig1 is a schematic perspective depiction of an energy modulator 1 with its essential subassemblies . the energy modulator 1 is used for varying intensity damping ( energy absorption ; deceleration ) of a particle beam 2 passing through the energy modulator 1 . the actual damping of the particle beam 2 takes place in the โ in this case โ two wedges 3 that are arranged so that they are centrosymmetrical to each other . the two wedges 3 are made of an energy absorbing material having a high material homogeneity . in actual practice , however , material inhomogeneities and / or inhomogeneities in the surface ( form inhomogeneities ) inevitably occur in the production of the wedges 3 . as a result , ( initially ) erratic fluctuations occur in the damping of the particle beam 2 passing through the energy modulator 1 . a typical material for the wedges 3 is plexiglas . basically , however , it is also possible to use other materials for this purpose . the two wedges 3 are each fastened to retaining rods 4 and can be moved relative to each other by means of linear motors 5 ( each indicated by a respective double arrow a in fig1 ). the linear motors 5 are activated via control cables 6 by an electronic computer 7 , which in this instance , is embodied in the form of a single - board computer . the activation in this case is carried out in such a way that the two wedges 3 are moved in the same way as and in opposite directions from each other , either toward or away from each other . depending on the position of the two wedges 3 relative to each other , the particle beam 2 ( as is clearly visible in fig1 ) travels a different distance through the material of the two wedges . since the energy damping correlates to the distance traveled inside the material of the wedges 3 , the particle beam 2 undergoes a different intensity of damping between its entry into the energy modulator 1 and its exit from the energy modulator 1 . the subassembly composed of the two wedges 3 therefore functions purely as an energy damping unit 8 whose damping action , however , can be changed with the aid of linear motors 5 . an acceleration of the particle beam 2 is not possible with the structural design of the energy modulator 1 shown here . if it should be necessary to increase the energy beyond the maximum possible initial value of the energy modulator 1 ( minimum damping action of the energy damping unit 8 ), then the electronic computer 7 can send a signal via a data line 9 to the particle accelerator ( not shown ) connected upstream of the energy modulator 1 so that this particle accelerator increases the particle energy by a suitable amount . the same can also apply if the desired particle energy must be lowered to a level that lies below the minimum initial energy of the energy modulator 1 ( maximum damping action of the energy damping unit 8 ). because of the symmetrical design and arrangement of the wedges 3 , the damping action of the double - wedge system ( of the energy damping unit 8 ) does not change if the particle beam 2 makes a laterally offset entry into the energy modulator 1 ( two laterally offset particle beams 10 are depicted in fig1 ). this is due to the fact that with the laterally offset particle beam 10 , the distance that the laterally offset particle beam 10 travels for example in the front wedge 3 accounts for a correspondingly decreased distance in the rear wedge 3 ( and vice versa ). naturally , it is not possible here to prevent the fact that higher - order effects can result in a ( usually smaller ) change in the damping action of the particle beam 2 , 10 . the energy modulator 1 is activated via a data line 11 that leads into the electronic computer 7 . ( uncorrected ) control values such as a desired damping action of the energy damping unit 8 can be input via the data line 11 . these control values can , for example , be predetermined by a central computer of the particle accelerator that produces the particle beam 2 , 10 . the input via the data line 11 , however , is not necessarily limited to this . for example , additional information such as the magnitude of a lateral offset of a laterally offset particle beam 10 can also be sent via the data line 11 . with such data , it is possible for the electronic computer 7 to carry out a better correction of the damping action of the energy damping unit 8 ( described below ). the input data about the lateral offset do not necessarily have to be measurement values , but can , for example , also be the control values that are sent to a unit that causes the lateral offset of the particle beam 2 , 10 . for such a lateral offset unit , it is possible , for example , to use two pairs of magnetic coils ( not shown here ) that are situated at right angles to each other ( and are each perpendicular to the direction of the particle beam ). merely for the sake of completeness , it should be noted that the data line 11 can , for example , be embodied in the form of a packet - oriented data line ( for example , ethernet protocol , token ring protocol , fiber - optic data cable , etc .). particularly with such a โ packet - oriented โ design , it is also possible to have the data line 11 for the input signal and the data line 9 for the feedback signal embodied in the form of a combined data line ( not shown here ). in fig2 , the two wedges 3 of the energy modulator 1 shown in fig1 are respectively shown in a position 13 in which they are spaced the maximum distance apart from each other and in a position 14 in which they are spaced the minimum distance apart from each other ( depicted with dashed lines ). the usable region 12 for the damping of the particle beam 2 , 10 is defined in this case by the overlapping region of the two wedges in the position 13 in which they are spaced the maximum distance apart from each other . this usable region 12 is depicted in a top view in fig3 . in fig3 , a plurality of measurement points 15 is shown inside the usable region 12 . in the exemplary embodiment shown here , the measurement points 15 are arranged in the form of a regular grid . the distance between two measurement points 15 in the present case is respectively constant both along a row and along a column . however , other patterns are basically also possible . for example , a cluster of points can be established in a region that is typically or more frequently struck by the particle beam 2 , 10 . the individual measurement points 15 are approached one after another ( also see fig4 ), for example , after installation of the energy modulator 1 into the particle accelerator device . the actual damping action for each of the individual measurement points 15 is experimentally determined through measurement . the difference between actual and โ theoretical โ damping is individually calculated for each measurement point 15 and stored in a memory unit of the electronic computer 7 ( for example in the form of a so - called โ look - up โ table ). these values are then used as calibration data in a โ production operation โ of the particle accelerator or energy modulator 1 . the measurement of the actual damping per measurement point 15 in this case is carried out not only in a single position of the two wedges 3 relative to each other , but also both at the maximum distance 13 and minimum distance 14 of the two wedges 3 from each other and also at a suitably large number of intermediate positions . the density of the point grid 15 and the number of the intermediate positions of the two wedges 3 relative to each other should , on the one hand , be chosen to be large enough to permit a sufficiently good calibration , but , on the other hand , should also be chosen to be small enough so that the measurement does not take an inordinate amount of time . if , during โ production operation ,โ a value is requested that has not been measured , then it is possible , for example , to use the value of the closest adjacent measurement point 15 . it is also possible , however , to determine a value by using interpolation methods on the adjacent measurement points 15 . fig4 depicts the method 16 that can be used for โ designing โ and operating an energy modulator ( for example the energy modulator 1 shown in fig1 ). the overall method 16 is essentially composed of two submethods 17 , 18 , namely , the method for determining calibration data 17 and the method for correcting control values 18 . in this case , it is possible for the method 17 to be carried out , for example , only one single time and for the calibration data determined in this case to be stored in a nonvolatile memory of an electronic computer 7 . it is , however , also possible for the method for determining calibration data 17 to be carried out at periodic intervals . for example , it is possible for the method for determining calibration data 17 to be carried out at the start of each therapy day , for example , in order to have respectively up - to - date correction data on hand . the overall method 16 starts with the starting step 19 . in this step , for example , the electronic computer 7 is initialized and the like . in a first method step 20 , a first ( or a new ) measurement point 15 is determined , which must be approached in order to measure the actual damping action of the energy damping unit 8 and / or of the energy modulator 1 . the new measurement point 15 determined in 20 is then approached in 21 . a corresponding signal can be output , for example , via the feedback data line 9 . in addition , the actual damping action is measured in method step 21 . as soon as the results are produced , the data acquired in step 21 are used to calculate 22 the valid calibration value for the current measurement point 15 . this completes the measurement of the first measurement point 15 . then , in a checking step 23 , a check is run as to whether all of the measurement points 15 of the measurement grid have already been measured . if this is not the case , then the method returns 24 to step 20 in which a new measurement point 15 is determined . if , however , the grid has been completely measured , then in a subsequent checking step 25 , a check is run as to whether all of the desired positions of the wedges 3 relative to one another have been measured . if this is not the case , then the two wedges 3 are moved into a new position relative to each other and the method returns 24 to method step 20 in which a new ( first ) measurement point 15 is determined 20 , which is then measured . on the other hand , if all wedge positions have been measured , then the method for determining calibration data 17 is finished , and the method for determining corrected control values 18 is begun . in this method , a desired damping value that is to be taken into account by the energy damping device 8 and / or the energy modulator 1 is read - in 26 via a data line 11 . the data are provided , for example , by the main computer of a particle accelerator system . based on this setpoint value , in a subsequent step 27 , the setpoint position of the wedges 3 relative to each other is determined in a โ zero th approximation .โ this can , for example , be carried out using analytical methods . the setpoint values thus determined are corrected in a subsequent method step 28 . this uses the calibration data acquired in the first method block 17 . through the correction of the control values , it is possible to take into account , for example , inhomogeneities with regard to the surface of the wedges 3 , with regard to the material of the wedges 3 ( e . g . different material densities ), with regard to control value errors of linear motors 5 and the like . the correction of the control values 28 can achieve an increased precision of the actual damping action of the energy modulator 1 and / or energy damping unit 8 . in a subsequent method step 29 , the corrected position setpoint values thus acquired are implemented , i . e ., the wedges 3 are moved 29 into the corresponding , corrected setpoint position . then , the method returns 30 to the method step 26 in which a new setpoint value is read - in .
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referring to fig1 there is schematically shown therein a precision grinder of a known construction capable of carrying out grinding operations in a precision manner in a horizontal plane so that precise surface grinding operations can be carried out with such a machine . this machine has a base 2 fixed with a mounting means 1 in the form of any suitable robust structural unit fixed to and projecting from the base 2 in the manner apparent from fig1 . this mounting unit 1 may , for example , be fixedly bolted to the base 2 and serves to mount at the grinding machine a positioning means 3 as well as a transfer means 4 . the positioning means 3 takes the form of a horizontal circular plate , as is apparent from fig1 . in addition to this horizontal circular plate the positioning means includes an upright hollow sleeve 6 which receives in its interior a cylindrical column 5 fixed centrally to the bottom of the plate 3 and adjustable within the sleeve 6 which is fixed to the unit 1 . a set screw 7 extends through the wall of the sleeve 6 into engagement with the column 5 so as to angularly fix the position of the circular plate which forms the positioning means 3 . the above structure enables the positioning means 3 to be situated in a plane parallel to a working plane formed by a component 8 of the machine , this component 8 being in the form of a circular support having means for holding the workpieces in position in a predetermined working plane by a force of suction which acts on the workpieces when they are in the working plane determined by the component 8 of the machine . thus , it is possible by positioning the column 5 within the sleeve 6 to adjust a positioning plane formed by the positioning means 3 in such a way that the elevation of the positioning plane can be determined and also in such a way that the angular position of the plate 3 in the positioning plane can be determined , this positioning plane being parallel to the working plane and , if desired , at the same elevation as the working plane . the positioning means includes in addition to the circular plate 3 which is illustrated in fig1 a plurality of hardened steel pins 9 which are fixed to and project upwardly from the plate 3 , so that these pins 9 serve to determine the locations of a relatively large number of semiconductor substrates or wafers 29 of circular configuration , as is shown most clearly in fig2 . the locations of the several workpieces in the positioning plane , as fragmentarily illustrated in fig2 corresponds to the locations of porous ceramic inserts 10 carried by the plate 8 of the machine . thus , the several porous ceramic inserts 10 have with respect to each other the same locations as the locations of the workpieces 29 as determined by the pins 9 . these porous ceramic inserts 10 of the machine communicate through a hollow space in the support plate 8 with a source of vacuum so that when the workpieces are in the working plane they are held in this plane by suction which acts through the ceramic inserts 10 . as is shown most clearly in fig3 the plate 3 carries a plurality of relatively soft elastic bodies 11 which form supports for the several workpieces 29 , respectively , so that these semiconductor substrates 29 which are to be subsequently ground will be protected by the soft , yieldable elastic supports 11 which may be made of a material such as a suitable rubber or the like . in this way the supports 11 protect the substrates 29 against damage when they are taken over by the transfer means 4 in a manner described below . the transfer means 4 includes a column 13 movable vertically along and angularly about its upright axis while extending into a hydraulic cylinder 12 so that by way of hydraulic fluid under pressure it is possible to control the elevation of the column 13 which at the same time can be angularly turned as shown by the arrow in fig1 . this upright 13 is guided for vertical movement in a vertical tube 14 situated within a vertical sleeve 15 , and adjusting screws 16 are provided to assure that the axis along which the column 13 can move and about which it can turn is precisely perpendicular to the parallel planes of the positioning means 3 and the work station 8 . at its upper end the column 13 carries a horizontal guide means in the form of a horizontal sleeve which has an axis perpendicular to the upright axis of the column 13 , and an elongated horizontal arm 17 is slidable in the horizontal sleeve which forms a t - shaped unit with the column 13 , the horizontal arm 17 thus being movable longitudinally along the horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the upright axis of the column 13 . this horizontal arm 17 is surrounded by a pair of air bearings 18 at opposite ends of the guide sleeve , and air under pressure is supplied through the air bearings 18 to the exterior surface of the arm 17 only during actual horizontal movement of the arm 17 . an elongated bar 19 is fixed to and extends along the top of the guide sleeve parallel to the horizontal axis of the latter , and upright handles are fixed to the arm 17 and engage opposed surfaces of the bar 19 so that in this way the arm 17 is prevented from turning about its axis . if desired there may be only two handles 20 , as illustrated , these handles being formed with suitable openings which receive the bar 19 so that in this way the slidable movement of the handles 20 with respect to the bar 19 prevent the arm 17 from turning . in addition it will be noted that two separate rings form stops for limiting the extent of horizontal movement of the arm 17 . the transfer means furthermore includes at the front end region of the horizontal support arm 17 a vertically adjustable plate means 21 made up of a number of aluminum tubes of square cross section which are joined together in a common horizontal plane in any suitable way , one of these tubes of the plate means 21 being visible in fig3 in section . through a flexible hose and the vertically adjustable hollow housing which is visible in fig1 the interiors of the tubes which form the plate means 21 communicate with a source of suction as well as with a source of air at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure . the plate means 21 carries a plurality of nozzles 22 the interiors of which communicate with the interior spaces of the square tubes , so that the interiors of the nozzles are in this way placed in communication with the source of suction and the source of air under pressure . the nozzles 22 , one of which is visible in fig3 have with respect to each other the same locations as the locations of the workpieces 29 shown in part in fig2 and thus also of the locations of the several inserts 10 . these nozzles 22 have lower free ends which are situated in a common plane and at the regions of their lower free ends the nozzles 22 are made of a soft tubular elastic material . the cross section of the tubular space surrounded by each nozzle 22 at the region where it engages a semiconductor substrate 29 has an area which is smaller than the area of the substrate 29 which is to be ground by approximately a factor of 100 . in other words the cross section of the area through which suction is applied to the surface of a substrate 29 to hold it in engagement with the nozzle 22 is approximately 100th the area of the substrate 29 . thus , the several nozzles 22 are capable of holding and carrying the substrates 29 by way of a suction force without mechanically damaging the substrates 29 and without any danger of breaking the substrates as a result of the vacuum prevailing in the interior space of the nozzles 22 . the plate means 21 furthermore carries a plurality of stops 23 which project downwardly from the plate means at the peripheral region thereof and which serve to engage the top surface of the plate which forms the positioning means 3 so as to situate in this way the lower ends of the nozzles 22 at a proper distance from the plate of the positioning means 3 to assure engagement of the soft elastic bottom free ends of the nozzles 22 with the workpieces 29 without unduly pressing the latter against the elastic supports 11 so that a reliable engagement of the workpieces without danger of breaking the same is achieved in this way . these stops 23 serve the same purpose in connection with deposition of the workpieces 29 on the inserts 10 at the end of the transfer operation , the stops 23 cooperating with the plate 8 at this time . moreover , the circular plate which forms the positioning means 3 fixedly carries at its center an indexing and centering pin 24 received in the interior of a corresponding sleeve 25 situated at the center of the plate means 21 of the transfer means 4 . thus , the pin 24 may be of a non - circular cross section received in a bore of the sleeve 25 which is of a mating non - circular cross section so that in this way not only is centering of the plate means 21 with respect to the plate 3 assured but also proper angular positioning of the plate means 21 with respect to the plate 3 is assured . furthermore , it is to be noted that the plate means 21 is of a non - circular cross section having a polygonal periphery mounted on a hollow housing which is capable of being received with its upper end in a prism of a stop 26 , so that by situating the upper end of this hollow housing in the prism of the stop 26 the plate means 21 is properly positioned over the circular support 8 of the grinding machine . the stop 26 is mounted on the wheel guard 27 which has in its interior the horizontal grinding disc . thus , by way of the element 26 proper positioning of the several workpieces 29 directly over the inserts 10 at the predetermined locations in the working plane is assured , and of course by way of the components 24 and 25 the proper positioning of the nozzles 22 with respect to the locations of the workpieces 29 in the positioning plane of the positioning means 3 is also assured . the positioning means 4 is of course capable of being angularly turned for example through an angle ฯ of approximately 300 ยฐ, and a suitable stop means 28 may be provided for adjustably limiting the angle of turning of the column 13 and the remainder of the transfer means so that through such an adjustable stop means 28 it is possible to provide for the transfer means angular end positions at one of which the plate 21 is situated directly over the positioning means 3 and at the other of which the plate 21 is situated outside of the machine for unloading and initial position . suitable control switches are centrally situated at the mounting means 1 . these switches include a switch 30 which controls the opening and closing of a splashguard 31 which protects against water spray during the grinding operation , while a switch 32 is available for controlling the hydraulic raising and lowering of the column 13 with the remainder of the transfer means 4 . a switch 33 is available for controlling the flow of fluid such as air both at less than and more than atmospheric pressure so as to control the engagement and disengagement of the workpieces from the nozzles 22 , and there is also a control lamp 34 . the semiconductor wafers or substrates of circular configuration in the form of relatively thin delicate plates are placed by hand on positioning means 3 in the positioning plane at predetermined locations therein as illustrated fragmentarily in fig2 . in this way each wafer or substrate is supported on an elastic support 11 while having its location determined by the steel pins 9 . the arrangement of the locations of the workpieces 29 as illustrated in fig2 is such that these locations have with respect to each other precisely the same relationship as the locations of the inserts 10 in the working plane . now the column 13 is raised hydraulically from its initial position so that the transfer means 4 is raised in this way , and the column 13 together with the remainder of the transfer means 4 is turned angularly about the upright axis of the column 13 until one end position is determined by the stop structure 28 , and in this end position the plate means 21 is situated directly over the positioning means 3 . with the transfer means in this position , the transfer means is hydraulically lowered and the index pin 24 is received in the sleeve 25 while the stops 23 engage the periphery of the plate 3 so that the position of the plate means 21 with respect to the plate 3 is precisely determined both in elevation and angularly . as a result the nozzles 22 are precisely positioned over the centers of the several semiconductors substrates 29 , respectively . now the vacuum is turned on by way of a hydraulically controlled valve so that less than atmospheric pressure prevails throughout the hollow interior spaces of the plate means 21 , and the substrates 29 are thus drawn by suction against the soft elastic lower free end portions of the nozzles 22 to be firmly held thereby . now , with the suction remaining in the nozzles 22 , the transfer means 4 is again hydraulically raised , after which the transfer means 4 is swung around the upright axis of the column 13 until the hollow housing of the plate means 21 is determined by the stop structure 28 , and at this time the periphery of the hollow housing of the plate means 21 is received in the v - notch of the stop 26 carried by the protective cover 27 as described above . with the transfer means thus positioning the plate means 21 precisely over the plate 8 at the working station , the transfer means is again hydraulically lowered , so that now the stops 23 cooperate with the plate 8 for positioning the plate 21 at precisely the right elevation with respect to the plate 8 , and now the several substrates 29 will be precisely positioned over the several porous ceramic inserts 10 . the porous ceramic inserts 10 are now placed in communication with the source of suction while the communication of the nozzles 22 with the source of suction is terminated , with the result that the substrates 29 are now held by the suction against the ceramic inserts 10 to be firmly held thereby at the predetermined locations in the working plane . in order to facilitate the release of the substrates 29 from the nozzles 22 when the substrates 29 have thus been situated at the working plane , when the suction of the nozzles 22 is terminated these nozzles 22 are immediately placed in communication with a source of air under pressure so that now through the nozzles 22 the substrates are urged toward the inserts 10 which simultaneously communicate with a source of suction . thus a reliable release of the substrates 29 from the nozzles 22 is assured , and now the transfer means 4 is again hydraulically raised , angularly turned toward its initial angular position and then lowered to its initial position . now the splashguard 31 is closed and the automatic operating cycle of the grinding machine is started . when the program of operation of the grinding machine has been completed , the machine returns to its initial position where the table of the machine remains at a predetermined location and the operation at the vacuum - holding plate 8 is terminated . the transfer means 4 is again hydraulically raised from its rest position , and the plate means 21 is again placed in engagement with the positioning stop 26 at the wheel guard 27 after which the transfer means is lowered . now the nozzles 22 are again placed in communication with the source of vacuum while at the same time water and air at greater than atmospheric pressure are provided in the suction conduits of the vacuum - holding plate 8 , so that in this way the movement of the semiconductor wafers against the suction nozzles 22 is reinforced by the fluid under pressure at the inserts 10 . thus , the substrates 29 on which the operations have been performed are now held by suction against the nozzles 22 and the transfer means 4 is now raised and turned to a location which will situate the substrates over a washing and cleaning station . the vacuum is now turned off and a reversal of the suction stream results in a blowing action which discharges the substrates 29 from the suction nozzles 22 into the cleaning container . after the vacuum - holding plate 8 is cleaned the above cycle of operations can be repeated . during the grinding operations which are going forward at the machine it is possible for substrates 29 for the next cycle of operations to be placed on the positioning means 3 , so that as soon as one cycle of operations is completed by the machine , the next group of substrates is in readiness at the positioning plane to be transferred by the transfer means of the invention to the working station . of course it is to be noted that the apparatus of the invention need not be used only in combination with a grinding machine . further possibilities of use of the method and apparatus of the invention are , for example , supply and discharge of delicate workpieces at measuring stations , cleaning stations , coating stations , and treatment of workpieces such as semiconductor substrates in connection with masking and exposure to vapor deposition , for example , so that in general any transport problems in connection with workpieces of this type is suitable for the present invention . it is to be noted that the support of the several workpieces on the soft yieldable elastic supports 11 serve not only to protect the workpieces but also to compensate for any variations in the thickness of the workpieces . the same is of course true of the soft yieldable elastic free ends of the nozzles 22 . moreover , the provision of cross - sectional areas for the nozzles which are on the order of 100th the area of the surface of the semiconductor workpiece is of great significance since with such a ratio of the area of the nozzle to the area of the workpiece there is on the one hand an assurance of a reliable holding of the workpiece at the nozzle by suction while on the other hand there is no danger of injuring the workpiece as a result of the force of the suction . this danger of breaking a semiconductor wafer by the action of vacuum is present when the diameter of the suction nozzle is too great , since in this case in the free suction space of the nozzle the semiconductor wafer can be bent by the force of suction and can even become fractured in this way .
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[ 0015 ] fig1 is a block diagram illustrating image producing device 100 configured according to one embodiment of the registration system described herein . while image producing device 100 is illustrated as a multifunction printer / fax / copier , it should be noted that any such type of device may be configured similarly . in setting up image producing device 100 , a user may connect it to personal computer ( pc ) 101 . when the user initially starts up image producing device 100 , a triggering application located in image producing device 100 monitors the first time activation and signals computer code within processing module 102 to run a fulfillment / registration application or program to automatically generate a fulfillment or registration document or form , such as may be used for warranty registration , that fills in device identification information , such as the printer model , serial number , firmware version , and other such registration and warranty information . the triggering application may also be located within processing module 102 . the registration form may be printed as part of a test page or may be printed in addition to , or alternatively to a test page . once the pre - filled registration document has been printed out , the user typically only needs to fill in any personal information and answer any other demographic or other type of questions asked . alternatively , personal information may automatically be retrieved from pc 101 when that information has been entered by a user . the user may then mail or fax the completed registration document to the manufacturer , warranty issuer , or the like . because image producing device 100 automatically prints out the registration document at first start up , the user &# 39 ; s attention is drawn to the importance of the registration fulfillment process . the user is no longer required to search through the vast documentation that typically accompanies hardware . [ 0017 ] fig2 is a block diagram detailing processing module 102 as found in image producing device 100 of fig1 according to one embodiment of the present invention . processing module 102 of the illustrated embodiment includes processor 200 that performs the processing of the software that controls the image producing processes as well as the communications between image producing device 100 and pc 101 ( fig1 ). processing module 102 also includes memory 201 for storing firmware , fonts , management information base ( mib ) 203 , and the like . management application 202 is the software / firmware application that manages the operations of image producing device 100 . management application 202 , which may be located in memory 201 , includes monitoring or triggering code that recognizes the first start up of image producing device 100 ( fig1 ). when the initial start up state is triggered , management application 202 signals processor 200 to run a fulfillment or registration application or program that will print a form registration document as stored in memory 201 . management application 202 also instructs processor 200 to fill the device identification information found in mib 203 , or database of identification information into the appropriated spaces in the registration document . once the identification information has been successfully incorporated into the registration form or document , processor 200 may print the completed registration document from image producing device 100 ( fig1 ). processor 200 may also cause a completed version of the registration document to be saved in memory 201 . [ 0018 ] fig3 is a block diagram illustrating an additional embodiment of the automated registration system described herein . fax machine 300 is configured according to the teachings of the described additional embodiment . it should be noted , however , that although a fax machine is discussed with respect to the embodiment shown in fig3 other printing type devices may be used with various embodiments as described herein . in one configuration , fax machine 300 may be connected to pc 301 . when fax machine 300 is initially activated , a registration fulfillment program is triggered that starts an interactive registration process with the user on computer display 302 of pc 301 . an electronic version of the registration document is displayed on computer display 302 with interactive menus and / or dialog boxes prompt or cue the user to enter requested information through a graphical user interface ( gui ) on computer display 302 . the user , in interacting with these menus and / or dialog boxes on the gui , fills in the user &# 39 ; s personal information and any demographic information and / or additional information that the user desires to give . when the user has finished entering all of the information , fax machine 300 may print out the warranty information that includes all of the user - entered information and all of the device identification information that is automatically retrieved from mib 203 ( fig2 ) in the memory of fax machine 300 . alternatively , the additional information may automatically be retrieved from pc 301 . the user need only then send the completed warranty registration document to the manufacturer or other entity . in an optional configuration , the fulfillment application may , instead , direct fax machine 300 to fax the completed registration document to collection server 304 over publicly switched telephone network ( pstn ) 303 . collection server 304 may be operated by the manufacturer , or other party interested in such registration information , or may be operated by an outsourcing company that the manufacturer has contracted with to assist with the fulfillment process . in this optional configuration , fax machine 300 may be connected to pc 301 or may stand alone . if fax machine 300 stands alone , the warranty fulfillment application may run and provide user interaction with a display on fax machine 300 . in still another optional configuration , during the interaction with the user , the fulfillment application may detect or ask if the user has an internet or other suitable data network connection . instead of faxing or printing out the completed registration document , the application sends the completed document electronically to collection server 304 via internet 305 . these different optional configurations may all be provided in a particular fulfillment application on an image producing device . in such circumstances , an option may be presented to the user to select the delivery method desired by the user . for example , pc 301 may provide a communication interface , such as a network interface to a data network , like the internet . the registration fulfillment program may then prompt the user to select submitting the registration form using a fax capability , through some kind of fax interface , or an electronic communication capability , through some kind of electronic communication interface that provides email or other such electronic communication formats . these communication formats may be provided either on pc 301 or could be provided on the printing device . an additional option that may be added to the different embodiments of the automated fulfillment process described herein is a prepaid indicia of postage or the business reply information . the u . s . postal service , in addition to several approved private companies , may now provide electronic postage . electronic stamps may now be purchased over the internet that may be printed on envelopes or postcards directly from a user &# 39 ; s computer . leveraging this technology may allow a manufacturer of print - capable devices to either store or download an indicia of postage from an electronic postage vendor that may be printed by the image producing device onto the warranty / registration form or warranty registration document at printing time . this would relieve the consumer of paying for or providing a stamp or other postage for mailing a printed warranty document . in these optional configurations , the user has very few steps to complete . this reduction in the number of overt steps generally increases the likelihood that the user will actually complete the automated fulfillment process and also increases the accuracy of the information . additionally , because the fulfillment application of various embodiments runs interactively on pc 301 or directly on fax machine 300 , the user may perceive that the registration process is important and should be completed . [ 0023 ] fig4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the automated registration process described herein . in step 400 , a first time activation of a print - capable device is detected . in step 401 , a registration application is executed on the print - capable device in response to the detecting . identification information is retrieved from a management information base ( mib ) associated with the print - capable device in step 402 . in step 403 , the retrieved identification information is inserted into a form stored on a memory located on the print - capable device . in optional embodiments , the print - capable device may be connected to a computer . a determination is made in step 404 as to whether a computer is connected or not . if a computer is connected , information cues may be displayed to a user on the computer or the user information may be taken directly from a memory on the computer in step 405 . alternatively , if no computer is connected , the user information may be obtained by interacting with the user with information cues directly on the print - capable device or directly taken from a memory on the print - capable device in step 406 . the user input may then be incorporated on the form in step 407 . in step 408 , options may be presented to the user to determine whether the form will be communicated with a communication interface using either a fax capability or an electronic communication capability , where the communication interface is disposed on either the print - capable device or the computer or whether the form will be printed and mailed by the user . in step 409 , a determination is made as to whether the user selected to print and mail the form . if so , the form is printed in step 410 and may optionally include printing an indicia of postage on the form , wherein the indicia of postage is either originally stored on the memory or downloaded from an electronic postage vendor . if the user does not select to print out the form , the completed form is communicated in step 411 according to the user &# 39 ; s selection via either fax or electronic mail to the interested party . [ 0024 ] fig5 a is a diagram illustrating a first side of warranty form 50 that has been printed using the teachings of representative embodiments of the registration fulfillment system described herein . in additional representative embodiments , the device identification information and the other information provided by the user may be printed on one side of warranty form 50 . as shown in fig5 a , the combined information may be printed as bar code information 500 and text information 501 . alternative embodiments may employ any different combination of bar code and text methods from supplying all of the information in a machine - readable format , such as a bar code , to supplying all of the information in a text format . the information may be converted from text or an electronic storage format to a bar code through bar code conversion application 204 ( fig2 ). [ 0025 ] fig5 b is a diagram illustrating a second side of warranty form 50 that has been printed using the teachings of representative embodiments of the registration fulfillment system described herein . the registration fulfillment system as described herein may print postage indicia 502 in addition to address 503 of the warranty issuer on warranty form 50 . in optional configurations , postal code 504 may also be printed to increase the postal delivery efficiency .
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referring particularly to fig1 to 9 , a layer - built sealed alkaline storage battery 1 , hereinafter referred to as a battery module , is shown as including ten cells , generally identified by 11 , that are assembled together in side - by - side fashion . each of the cells 11 comprises a generally rectangular - box like vessel 12 opening upwardly and made of synthetic resin such as , for example , polypropylene , a laminated electrode structure ( not shown ) accommodated within the vessel 12 and including positive electrode plates made of nickel oxide as a principal component and negative electrode plates made of a hydrogen absorbent alloy as a principal component , each said negative electrode plate being sandwiched between the neighboring positive electrode plates with a separator intervening between the positive and negative electrode plates , a alkaline electrolyte filled in the vessel 12 , and an oblong lid 13 made of the same material as that for the vessel 12 and having a peripheral flanges fusion bonded at 16 to the vessel 12 to close the opening thereof . the oblong lid 13 has positive and negative pole terminals , generally identified by 14 , and a safety valve 15 . in any event , since the individual cells 11 may be of any known structure and do not constitute subject matter of the present invention , no further detail thereof will be reiterated for the sake of brevity . for the purpose of the description of the present invention , however , each cell 11 is to be understood as having first and second rectangular major surfaces opposite to each other , longer side faces opposite to each other and shorter top and bottom faces opposite to each other , the top face being represented by the lid 13 . as best shown in fig4 to 5 , each of the first and second major surfaces of each cell 11 is formed with a plurality of parallel ribs 12a so as to extend in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof so that , when the cells 11 are assembled together to provide the battery module 1 , the ribs 12a on the first major surface of one cell 11 may be held in contact with the ribs 12a on the second major surface of the next adjacent cell 11 to define stripes of vent space 31 between those cells 11 as shown in fig2 . alternatively , the ribs 12a on the first and second major surfaces of each cell 11 may be positioned relative to each other in any suitable manner so that stripes of space 31 can be defined by the ribs 12a between the first major surface of one cell 11 and the second major surface of the next adjacent cell 11 in any way whatsoever . for example , the ribs 12a on the first and second major surfaces of each cell 11 may be displaced relative to each other a distance about equal to the pitch between the neighboring ribs 12a on each of the major surfaces so that when the cells 11 are assembled together to provide the battery module 1 , the ribs 12a on the first major surface of one cell 11 may be held in contact with the second major surface of the next adjacent cell 11 in a fashion interleaved with the ribs 12a on the second major surface of such next adjacent cell 11 . each of the longer side faces has a plurality of , for example , at least two , transverse recesses 12b for accommodating therein respective thicknesses of clamp bands 3 that are used to clamp the assembly of the cells 11 together as will be described later . as best shown in fig1 and 2 , the cells 11 are juxtaposed and assembled together with the first major surface of one cell 11 confronting the second major surface of the next adjacent cell 11 . to facilitate assemblage of the cells 11 in the juxtaposed fashion , anchor protuberances 12c and anchor recesses 12d are formed on the first and second major surfaces of each cell 11 in respective patterns complemental to each other so that when the cells 11 are assembled together , the anchor protuberances 12c on the first major surface of one cell 11 can be engaged in the anchor recesses 12d on the second major surface of the next adjacent cell 11 while the anchor recesses 12d on the first major surface of such one cell 11 can receive therein the anchor protuberances 12c on the second major surface of such next adjacent cell 11 . the cells 11 so juxtaposed in the manner described above are clamped together by means of generally rectangular cup - like end plates 2 that are connected together by means of the clamp bands 3 . each of the end plates 2 is formed by the use of a press work applied to a thin steel plate so as to have three types of parallel reinforcement ribs 23a , 23b and 23c extending widthwise of the respective end plate 2 . each end plate 2 is of one - piece structure including two side flanges 21a opposite to each other and top and bottom flanges generally identified by 21b . after the end plates 2 have been fitted to the opposite outermost ones of the assembled cells 11 while the cells 11 have been pressed together so as to render the sum of the respective thickness ( as measured between the first and second major surfaces of each cell 11 ) thereof to meet a required value , the opposite end plates 2 are connected together by means of the clamp bands 3 , each 25 to 30 mm in width and 1 mm in thickness , two bands 3 positioned on each side of the assembly , with their opposite ends riveted or screwed as at 4 to the respective side flanges 21a of the end plates 2 , to thereby complete the battery module 1 . in the assembled condition , the bands 3 having their opposite ends riveted or screwed to the opposite side flanges 21a of the end plates 2 extends within the transverse recesses 12b defined in the opposite longer side faces of all of the cells 11 . in this condition , the end plates 2 clamps the cells 11 together with the respective peripheral wall 21 protruding outwardly from the assembly of the cells 11 and in respective directions counter to each other . the positive and negative pole terminals 14 are connected in series by the use of connecting pieces 32 of a high electroconductive material such as , for example , nickel - plated copper alloy , to thereby complete the battery module 1 . the details of each end plate 2 and the details of manufacture thereof will now be described . it is to be noted that since the opposite end plates 2 are of identical structure , reference will be made to only one of them . with particular reference to fig7 to 9 , the end plate 2 is shown in a front elevational view in fig7 as viewed exteriorly towards the assembly of the cells 11 , in a side sectional view in fig8 and in a top sectional view in fig9 as viewed from top of fig7 . the three types of the reinforcement ribs 23a , 23b and 23c referred to hereinbefore are best shown in fig8 . while a thin metal plate is employed as a material for the end plate 2 , a steel plate or a stainless steel plate of 1 to 1 . 2 mm in thickness is preferred as a material for the end plate 2 in terms of physical strength , weight and workability . the end plate 2 is of one - piece structure having a generally rectangular panel 26 having four sides from which a peripheral wall 21 including top , bottom and side flanges 21b and 21a protrude outwardly substantially at right angles to the rectangular panel 26 . as can readily be understood from fig7 to 9 , both four comers of the end plate 2 and the juncture between the rectangular panel 26 and the peripheral wall 21 are rounded as at 22 . in order for the rectangular panel 26 to have an increases resistance to pressure - induced deformation , particularly a resistance to bending about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal sense of the rectangular panel 26 , the reinforcement ribs 23a , 23b and 23c of the three types are formed by the use of any known press work so as to protrude in a direction in which the peripheral wall 21 protrudes from the rectangular panel 26 . the number of the types of the reinforcement ribs 23a , 23b and 23c may vary with the size of the end plate 2 and / or the shape of each reinforcement ribs , at least three types are necessary where the end plate 2 is of a size substantially identical with that shown in fig1 and 20 , i . e ., has a width w of up to 110 mm , a length l of up to 140 mm . in the illustrated embodiment , however , three types of the reinforcement ribs 23a , 23b and 23c totaling to the six reinforcement ribs are employed , of which the reinforcement ribs 23b are undersized relative to the reinforcement ribs 23a and 23c and are positioned laterally of respective regions of the side flanges 21a where the clamp bands 3 are riveted or screwed . it is to be noted that those regions of the side flanges 21a where the clamp bands 3 are riveted or screwed are formed with two holes 27 for each region for receiving rivets or screws shown by 4 in fig1 . as best shown in fig9 opposite ends of each of the reinforcement ribs 23a , 23b and 23c are continued to the associated side flanges 21a with the joint between each end of any one of the reinforcement ribs 23a to 23c and the adjacent side flange 21a being rounded as shown by the phantom line . the reinforcement ribs 23c adjacent to and extending substantially parallel to the top and bottom flanges 21b are preferably spaced as small a distance inwardly from the adjacent top and bottom flanges 21b as possible . by this design , any possible deformation which would occur in the vicinity of the peripheral wall 21 , particularly a twist of the end plate during the use of the battery module 1 , can advantageously be suppressed to thereby avoid any possible reduction in performance of the battery module 1 . accordingly , it is preferred that as shown in fig8 each of the reinforcement ribs 23c is continued respectively from the rounded juncture 22 between the top or bottom flange 21b and a top or bottom edge of the rectangular panel 26 . considering that the first and second major surfaces of each cell 11 are formed with the anchor protuberances 12c and anchor recesses 12d to facilitate assemblage of the cells 11 in the juxtaposed fashion as hereinbefore described , the rectangular panel 26 are formed with anchor holes 28 for receiving the anchor protrusions 12c in one of the cells 11 adjacent the end plate 2 when the latter is fitted to the assembly of the cells 11 , that is , onto each outermost one of the assembled cells 11 . thus , by the provision of the anchor protrusion and recesses 12c and 12d in the cells 11 and the anchor holes 28 in the end plates 2 , not only can the cells 11 be properly juxtaposed one after another , but also the end plates 2 can be properly aligned with the assembly of the cells 11 , thereby avoiding any possible lateral displacement of the cells 11 and the end plates 2 which would otherwise occur under the influence of vibrations and / or an external force applied to the battery module 1 . in a second embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 and 11 , in order to increase the resistance of each side flange 21a of each end plate 2 to deformation and also to increase the clamp strength of the battery module 1 , those regions of the side flanges 21a where the clamp bands 3 are secured are formed are inwardly recessed a depth substantially equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the clamp band 3 so as to define band grooves 35d , only one of which is shown therein . each band groove 35d has a width 1 , delimited between steps 35c , which is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the corresponding clamp band 3 . according to the embodiment shown in fig1 and 11 , the presence of the steps 35c in the side flanges 21a makes it possible to increase the resistance of the side flanges 21a to bending and , therefore , it has been found that the strength of connection between the end of each clamp band 3 and the associated band groove 35d in the respective side flange 21a could be increased about 15 to 20 % or higher ( which strength of connection is hereinafter referred to as an &# 34 ; end - to - flange connecting strength &# 34 ;). also , the presence of the band grooves 35d in the end plates 2 facilitates securement of the ends of the clamp bands 3 to the side flanges 21a since it provides a visual indication of where the ends of the clamp bands 3 are to be fitted . in addition , since the ends of the clamp bands 3 are received in the associated band grooves 35d once they are firmly screwed to the side flanges 21a in the form as received within the associated band grooves 35d , any possible loosening of screws used to connect the clamp band 3 to the side flange 21a which would occur under the influence of external vibration can advantageously be avoided . it is to be noted that the band grooves 35d can readily be formed in the side flanges 21a during the formation of each end plate 2 by the use of any known press work and no extra process step is required only for the purpose of formation of the band grooves 25d . another method of increasing the resistance of each side flange 21a to deformation and also the clamp strength of the battery module 1 is shown in fig1 and 13 . in this embodiment shown in fig1 and 13 , each of the side flanges 21a is of a double - walled structure including an inner side flange segment 36a and an outer side flange segment 36d continued from and overlapping the inner side flange segment 36a . specifically , when the end plate 2 is shaped by the use of the press work ( particularly a trimming method ), the side flanges 21a are allowed to have a large flat panel , shown by the phantom line 36c , which is subsequently folded outwardly to define the double - walled structure including the inner side flange segment 36a continued from the side edge of the rectangular panel 26 and the outer side flange segment 36d continued from the inner side flange segment 36a . preferably , the inner and outer side flange segments 36a and 36d are welded together , for example , by means of a spot - welding technique , to further increase the physical strength thereof . with this design shown in and described with reference to fig1 and 12 , it has been found that not only can each side flange 21a have an increased resistance to bending , but also the end - to - flange connecting strength could be increased about 30 % or higher . as an alternative means for increasing the clamp strength of the battery module 1 , a fourth embodiment of the present invention is such that not only is each of the end plates 2 reinforced , but also each end of each of the clamp bands 3 is reinforced in a manner which will now be described . as best shown in fig1 , each end of each of the clamp bands 3 is double - walled . this double - walled feature of each end of the respective clamp band 3 can be accomplished either by turning an end extension 37a backwardly so as to overlap with the end of the clamp band 3 as shown therein or by welding an end piece 37a to the end of the clamp band 3 so as to overlap with each other . reference numeral 37b represents bearing holes defined in the double - walled end of each clamp band 3 for receiving rivets or screws that may be used to connect it to the associated side flange 21a . the requirement the clamp bands 3 must satisfy is , inter alia : 1 ) the tensile strength of a substantially or generally intermediate portion of each clamp band 3 must be higher than a standard value , 2 ) each of the opposite ends of each clamp band 3 which is connected to the associated side flange by means of , for example , screws must have a high bending strength , a high resistance to deformation and is as light as possible , and 3 ) the peripheral lip region around each bearing hole 37b must have a sufficient resistance to tear . in the case of the sealed alkaline storage battery of 100 ah rating employing the previously discussed embodiment , and so long as such sealed alkaline storage battery is used under standard operating conditions , the use of the clamp bands 3 of 1 mm in thickness is effective to satisfy the required tensile strength and the end - to - flange connecting strength . however , it has been found that if the capacity and the density of the battery is increased , and if the battery is used under abnormal operating conditions in which excessive impacts act on the battery , not only are the ends of the clamp bands 3 that are secured to the respective side flanges 21a curved or otherwise deformed undesirably , but the screws used to connect them to the side flanges 21a tend to be loosened . however , the use of the clamp bands 3 having the double - walled ends such as shown in and described with reference to fig1 is effective to satisfy the required end - to - flange connecting strength . this end - to - flange connecting strength can further be increased if the double - walled ends of the clamp bands 3 are employed in combination with the side flanges 21a in which the band grooves 35d are formed such as shown in fig1 and 11 or with the double - walled side flanges 21a shown in fig1 and 13 . in any event , the use of the clamp bands 3 each having the double - walled opposite ends is , although it may bring about a slight increase in weight , effective to secure a high end - to - flange connecting strength . it is to be noted that if as shown in fig1 the clamp bands 3 each having the double - walled opposite ends as shown in and described with reference to fig1 are employed in combination with the end plates 43 of the structure shown in fig1 and 20 , the clamp strength can be increased to a value comparable with that exhibited by the embodiment shown in fig1 . in the fifth embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 and 17 , each of the opposite ends of each of the clamp bands 3 has an end extension 38a which is turned backward to so as to overlap the adjacent end of the respective clamp band 3 , but be spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to the thickness of the associated side flange 21a . in other words , the opposite ends of each clamp band 3 shown in fig1 and 17 are so shaped as to represent hooks which are , when the cells 11 are clamped together with the end plates 2 positioned on respective sides of the assembly of the cells 11 , hooked to the side flanges 21a as best shown in fig1 . in practice , while the end extension 38a integral with one of the opposite ends of each clamp band 3 is turned backward to represent the hook , the end extension 38a integral with the other of the opposite ends of the respective clamp band 3 is , after the cells 11 have been clamped together , crimped inwardly of the associated clamp band 3 as shown by the phantom line in fig1 , to accommodate the thickness of the side flange 21a between it and the end of the clamp band 3 . the clamp bands 3 of the design shown in fig1 and 17 is particularly advantageous in that not only can the end - to - flange connecting strength be increased as is the case with any one of the foregoing embodiments of the present invention , the clamping of the cells 11 together with the end plates 2 positioned on respective sides of the assembly of the cells 1 can easily be accomplished . in addition , if the clamp bands 3 having the hooks at their opposite ends such as shown in fig1 and 17 are employed in combination with the side flanges 21a in which the band grooves 35d are formed such as shown in fig1 and 11 , the necessity of rivetting or screwing for securing the ends of the clamp bands 3 to the side flange 21 can advantageously be dispensed with and this is particularly true if , although not always limited thereto , the battery module 1 is of a compact size . as hereinbefore described , in any one of the embodiments of the present invention , when the cells 11 are assembled together to provide the battery module 1 , the vent spaces 31 are formed between those cells 11 as shown in fig2 because of the provision of the parallel ribs 12a in the vessel 12 of each cell 11 . the formation of the vent spaces 31 is advantageous in that when a draft of air is supplied from any suitable source such as , for example , a fan from below or top so as to flow through the vent spaces 31 , heat from the cells 11 can be positively dissipated outwardly from the battery module 1 to thereby minimize any possible reduction in characteristic of the battery module which would otherwise occur during the charging or discharge . in particular , where the thermal expansion and the consequent deformation of the cell vessels resulting from an increase in internal pressure inside the storage battery due to , for example , an increase of the hydrogen pressure inside the cells during the charging at elevated temperatures such as often observed with the sealed nickel - hydrogen alkaline storage battery , the enhanced capability of the battery module as a whole to dissipate heat brings about a favorable influence on maintenance of the cells being firmly clamped together and , therefore , the use of any suitable means for holding the cells in spaced relation to each other with the vent spaces 31 defined therebetween is preferred . although in describing any one of the foregoing embodiments the vessel 12 for each cell 11 has been described as made of synthetic resin such as , for example , polypropylene , the present invention can be equally applied to the cells each employing a metal vessel having so small a wall thickness as to be liable to deformation by the effect of an internal pressure . as shown in a fragmentary sectional representation in fig1 , cells shown by 39 and employing the metal vessel may have their peripheral surface covered by an insulating film 40 which may be in the form of a heat shrinkable tube or an adhesive tube or tape of synthetic resin and are assembled together in a manner similar to that shown in fig1 . in fig1 , grooves 39a and ribs 39b as viewed from bottom of each cell 39 represent the means for holding the cells together in the spaced relation with each other . in the practice of any one of the foregoing various embodiments of the present invention , each of the end plates is preferably prepared from a sheet of steel , particularly high tensile steel , which is nickel - plated or coated with a rust preventive coating . in terms of weight and workability , the use of a stainless steel plate is more preferred as a material for each of the end plates . as hereinbefore described , the present invention is directed to improvement made in both of the end plates and the clamp bands , used to clamp the cells together , so that the clamp strength can be increased while both reduction in weight and increase in productivity of the storage battery can be accomplished . since of them the design of the end plates is influential on those characteristics , results of comparative tests are tabulated below in which the storage battery of the present invention according to the first embodiment thereof , the storage battery ( comparison ) of the structure shown in fig1 and 20 , the prior art storage battery ( conventional a ) of a structure shown in fig2 to 25 wherein the flat reinforcement made of a hard aluminum alloy and having a thickness of 6 mm is employed , the prior art storage battery ( conventional b ) of a structure shown in fig2 to 25 wherein the flat reinforcement made of a hard aluminum alloy and having a thickness of 8 mm is employed , and the prior art storage battery in which as shown in fig2 the reinforcements 96 having the fins 96b are employed were compared as to clamp strength , weight , productivity and cost . in carrying out the comparative tests , each plate was of a size , 110 mm in the horizontal direction and 140 mm in the vertical direction ( height ). in table 1 below , โ represents the rating of &# 34 ; sufficient or acceptable &# 34 ; and ฮด represents the rating of &# 34 ; insufficient or not acceptable because of being heavy &# 34 ;. table 1______________________________________ weight clamp strength ( gr / sheet ) productivity cost______________________________________invention โฏ โฏ ( 188 ) โฏ โฏ comparison โฏ โฏ ( 189 ) ฮด ฮดconventional a ฮด โฏ- ฮด ( 258 ) โฏ โฏ conventional b โฏ ฮด ( 345 ) โฏ ฮดconventional c โฏ ฮด ( 310 ) ฮด ฮด______________________________________ as can readily be understood from the result of the comparative tests shown in table 1 above , the storage battery according to the present invention is superior to any one of the other storage batteries listed . although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims , unless they depart therefrom .
| 7 |
the new taxanes of formulae ( i ) or ( ii ), as shown above , are useful as antitumor agents or their precursors . the taxanes of the present invention possess strong antitumor activities against human breast , non - small cell lung , ovarian , and colon cancer cells . the new taxanes of the formula ( i ) are synthesized by modifying the baccatin of formula ( iii ) in which ## str10 ## g 1 , g 2 , g 3 , g 4 , and r 7 have been defined above . the new taxanes of formula ( ii ) are synthesized by modifying the baccatin of formula ( iv ) ## str11 ## in which g 1 , g 2 , g 4 , and r 7 have been defined above . precursors of ( iii ) and ( iv ) are readily available . both baccatins ( iii ) and ( iv ) may be prepared by chemically modifying 14ฮฒ - hydroxy - 10 - deacetylbaccatin ( 14 - oh - dab ), a naturally occurring compound found in himalayan yew . methods of isolations of 14 - oh - dab have been described by appendino et al . in &# 34 ; 14ฮฒ - hydroxy - 10 - deacetylbaccatin iii , a new taxane from himalayan yew .&# 34 ; j . chem . soc . perkin trans i , 2525 - 2529 ( 1992 ), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . baccatins ( iii ) and ( iv ) are coupled with ฮฒ - lactams of formula ( v ) ## str12 ## in which g , r 1 and r 2 have been defined above , to yield the new taxanes ( i ) and ( ii ), respectively . ฮฒ - lactams ( v ) are readily prepared from ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) which are easily obtained through a chiral enolate - imine cyclocondensation method developed in one of the inventors &# 39 ; laboratory as shown in scheme 1 . the cyclocondensation is described in ojima et al ., tetrahedron , 1992 , 48 , 6985 ; ojima , i . et al ., j . org . chem ., 56 , 1681 , ( 1991 ), and in u . s . patent application no . 07 / 842 , 444 filed on feb . 27 , 1992 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . in this preparation , ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) are obtained in high yields with extremely high enantiomeric purities . scheme 1 illustrates the synthesis of a chiral ฮฒ - lactam . in scheme 1 , r * is a chiral auxiliary moiety which may be (-)- trans - 2 - phenyl - 1 - cyclohexyl , (-)- 10 - dicyclohexylsulfamoyl - d - isobornyl or (-)- menthyl ; tms is a trimethylsilyl radical ; the base is lithium diisopropylamide or lithium hexamethyldisilazide ; and g and r 1 have been defined above . the removal of the 4 - methoxy phenyl group from the n - position ( vi &# 39 ;) to obtain ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) is accomplished by treatment with cerium ammonium nitrate ( can ). ## str13 ## referring now to scheme 2 , ฮฒ - lactams ( via ) where g is triisopropylsilyl ( tips ) may be converted to the 3 - hydroxy - ฮฒ - lactams ( vii ), followed by protection with groups such as ethoxyethyl ( me ) or triethylsilyl ( tes ) to give ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ). the protecting groups can be attached to the hydroxyl group of ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) by methods which are generally known to those skilled in the art . ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) where g is ( tert - butyl )- dimethylsilyl ( tbdms ), may be directly obtained from the chiral enolate - imine cyclocondensation described above . ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) may be reacted with acyl chlorides , chloroformates , and carbamoyl chlorides in the presence of a base to yield ฮฒ - lactams ( v ). the ฮฒ - lactams ( v ) may be coupled with baccatin ( iii ) or ( iv ). scheme 3 and 4 illustrate the coupling of ฮฒ - lactams ( v ) baccatins ( iii ) or ( iv ) in the presence of a base , followed by deprotection to yield the new taxanes ( i ) or ( ii ), respectively in high yields . ## str14 ## the taxanes thus obtained are represented by formulae i and ii shown above . r 1 through r 8 as generally defined above . r 1 , r 2 and r are each independently a straight chain or branched alkyl radical containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms , a straight chain or branched alkenyl radical containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms , or a straight chain or branched alkynyl radical containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms , a cycloalkyl radical containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms , a heterocycloalkyl radical containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms , a cycloalkenyl radical containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms , a heterocycloalkenyl radical containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms , a polycycloalkyl radical containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms , an aryl radical containing 6 to 20 carbons , a heteroaryl radical containing 3 to 15 carbon atoms ; or r 2 can also be ro --, rs -- or rr &# 39 ; n -- radical in which r is as defined above ; r &# 39 ; is a hydrogen or can also be r as defined above ; r and r &# 39 ; can be connected to form a cyclic structure which has 2 to 10 carbon atoms ; r 3 , r 4 , r 5 or r 6 are each independently hydrogen or an acyl radical having 1 to 20 carbons or r as defined above or a hydroxyl protecting group ; r 7 is an acyl group having 1 to 20 carbons ; r 8 is a hydrogen or a hydroxyl protecting group . heteroaromatic groups may also include atoms of oxygen , nitrogen and sulfur . in addition , with respect to formula ( i ) and ( ii ) above , r 3 can also be a hydrogen or g 1 ; r 4 can also be a hydrogen or g 2 ; r 5 can also be a hydrogen or g 3 ; r 6 can also be a hydrogen or g 4 ; and r 8 can also be a hydrogen or g , in which g , g 1 , g 2 , g 3 and g 4 have been previously defined . each radical in r 1 , r 2 and r as defined above can be optionally substituted with one or more halogens , hydroxyl , amino , mercapto , cyano , carboxyl group , alkoxy , alkylamino , dialkylamino , alkylthio , alkoxycarboxyl group in which said alkyl portion has 1 to 15 carbon atoms aryloxy , arylthio , aryloxycarbonyl , in which said aryl portion has 6 to 20 carbon atoms , or heteroarylthio , heteroaryloxy carbonyl in which said heteroaryl portion has 3 to 15 carbon atoms . in one embodiment , r 1 can also be an alkyl radical selected from the group consisting of methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl , tert - butyl , pentyl , isopentyl , neopentyl , hexyl , isohexyl , heptyl , isoheptyl , octyl , isooctyl , cyclohexylmethyl , cyclohexylethyl , benzyl , phenylethyl , cyclopropyl , cyclobutyl , cyclopentyl , cyclohexyl , cycloheptyl , cyclooctyl , and adamantyl , or an alkenyl radical selected from the group consisting of vinyl , allyl , 2 - phenylethenyl , 2 - furylethenyl , 2 - pyrrolyl - ethenyl , 2 - pyridylethenyl , 2 - thienylethyl , or an unsubstituted or substituted alkynyl radical selected from the group consisting of ethynyl and propargyl or an aryl radical selected from the group consisting of phenyl , tolyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl , 3 , 4 - dimethoxyphenyl , 4 - fluorophenyl , 4 - trifluoromethylphenyl , 4 - chlorophenyl , and naphthyl ; or a heteroaryl radical selected from the group consisting of furyl , pyrrolyl , and pyridyl , or a cycloalkenyl radical selected from the group consisting of cyclopentenyl , cyclohexenyl and cycloheptenyl or a heterocycloalkyl selected from the group consisting of oxiranyl , pyrrolidinyl , piperidinyl , tetrahydrofuryl , and tetrahydropyranyl , or a heterocycloalkenyl radical selected from the group consisting of dihydrofuryl , dihydropyrrolyl , dihydropiranyl , and dihydropyridyl ; r 2 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl , alkenyl , alkynyl , aryl or heteroaryl radical selected from the group consisting of phenyl , tolyl , 4 - fluorophenyl , 4 - chlorophenyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl , biphenyl , 1 - naphthyl , 2 - naphthyl , isopropyl , isobutyl , neopentyl , hexyl , heptyl , cyclohexyl , cyclohexylmethyl , benzyl , phenylethyl , phenylethenyl , crotyl , allyl , vinyl , propargyl , pyridinyl , furyl , thienyl , pyrrolidinyl , and piperidinyl ; or r 2 is ro --, rs --, or rr &# 39 ; n -- wherein r is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl radical selected from the group consisting of methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl , tert - butyl , pentyl , isopentyl , neopentyl , hexyl , isohexyl , heptyl , isoheptyl , octyl , isooctyl , cyclopropyl , cyclobutyl , cyclopentyl , cyclohexyl , cycloheptyl , cyclooctyl , and adamantyl , or an alkenyl radical selected from the group consisting of vinyl and allyl , or an aryl radical selected from phenyl and naphthyl , or a heteroaryl radical selected from the group consisting of furyl , pyrrolyl , and pyridyl , or a cycloalkenyl radical selected from the group consisting of cyclopentenyl , cyclohexenyl and cycloheptenyl , or a heterocycloalkyl radical selected from the group consisting of an oxiranyl , tetrahydrofuryl , pyrrolidinyl , piperidinyl , and tetrahydropiranyl , or a heterocycloalkenyl radical selected from the group consisting of dihydrofuryl , dihydropyrrolyl , dihydropiranyl , dihydropyridyl ; r &# 39 ; is a hydrogen or r is as defined above ; cyclic rr &# 39 ; n -- is a radical including an aziridino , azetidino , pyrrolidino , piperidino or morpholino group ; wherein said hydroxyl protecting group is selected from the group consisting of methoxymethyl , methoxyethyl , 1 - ethoxyethyl , benzyloxymethyl , ( ฮฒ - trimethylsilyl - ethoxyl ) methyl , tetrahydropyranyl , 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethoxylcarbonyl , benzyloxycarbonyl , tert - butoxycarbonyl , 9 - fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl , 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethoxymethyl , trimethylsilyl , triethylsilyl , tripropylsilyl , dimethylethylsilyl , dimethyl ( t - butyl ) silyl , diethylmethylsilyl , dimethylphenylsilyl and diphenylmethylsilyl ; said acyl is selected from the group consisting of acetyl , chloroacetyl , dichloroacetyl , trichloroacetyl and trifluoroacetyl , propanoyl , butanoyl , pentanoyl , hexanoyl , heptanoyl , cyclohexanecarbonyl , octanoyl , nonanoyl , decanoyl , undecanoyl , dodecanoyl , benzoyl , phenylacetyl , nanphthalenecarbonyl , indoleacetyl , methoxycarbonyl , ethoxycarbonyl , propoxycarbonyl , and butoxycarbonyl and crotonoyl and methyl crotonoyl ; and r 5 and r 6 form a cyclic structure with two oxygen atoms of the skeleton of said taxane , wherein said cyclic structure is selected from the group consisting of carbonate , methylacetal , ethylacetal , propylacetal , butylacetal , phenylacetal , dimethylketal , diethylketal , dipropylketal , and dibutylketal . in another embodiment r 1 may be phenyl , tolyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl , 3 , 4 - dimethoxyphenyl , 4 - fluorophenyl , 4 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl , 4 - hydroxyphenyl , 1 - naphthyl , 2 - naphthyl , pyridyl , furyl , thienyl , pyrrolyl , n - methylpyrrolyl , 2 - phenylethenyl , 2 - furylethenyl , 2 - pyridylethenyl , 2 - thienylethenyl , 2 - phenylethyl , 2 - cyclohexylethyl , cyclohexylmethyl , isobutyl or cyclohexyl ; r 2 is selected from the group consisting of phenyl , tolyl , 4 - fluorophenyl , 4 - chlorophenyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl , biphenyl , 1 - naphthyl , 2 - naphthyl , isopropyl , isobutyl , neopentyl , hexyl , heptyl , cyclohexyl , cyclohexylmethyl , benzyl , phenylethyl , and phenylethenyl ; or r 2 is ro -- wherein r is selected from the group consisting of a methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl , tert - butyl , pentyl , isopentyl , neopentyl , hexyl , isohexyl , cyclohexyl , phenyl , benzyl and 9 - fluorenylmethyl ; or r 2 is rr &# 39 ; n -- selected from the group consisting of a methylamino , ethylamino , propylamino , isopropylamino , butylamino , isobutylamino , tert - butylamino , neopentylamino , cyclohexylamino , phenylamino or benzylamino , dimethylamino , diethylamino , dipropylamino , dibutylamino , dipentylamino , dihexylamino , dicyclohexylamino , methyl ( tert - butyl ) amino , cyclohexyl ( methyl ) amino , methyl ( phenyl ) amino , pyrrolidiono , piperidino , or morpholino group ; r 3 and r 4 are selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen , acetyl , chloroacetyl , dichloroacetyl , trichloroacetyl , and trifluoroacetyl , benzoyl , phenylacetyl , acryloyl , and crotyl , cinnamoyl , allyl , benzyl , methoxymethyl , methoxyethyl , 1 - ethoxyethyl , tetrahydropyranyl , 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethoxylcarbonyl , benzyloxycarbonyl , tert - butoxycarbonyl , 9 - fluroenylmethoxycarbonyl , trimethylsilyl , triethylsilyl , ( tert - butyl ) dimethylsilyl ; r 5 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen , acetyl , chloroacetyl , allyl , benzyl , acryloyl , crotyl , and cinnamoyl and r 6 is a hydrogen ; wherein r 5 and r 6 are connected to form a cyclic structure selected from the group consisting of carbonyl , propylidene , butylidene , pentylidene , phenylmethylidene , dimethylmethylidene , diethylmethylidene , dipropylmethylidene , dibutylmethylidene , methoxymethylidene , ethoxymethylidene , methylene , ethylene , and propylene ; r 7 is selected from the group consisting of benzoyl and cyclohexanecarbonyl ; r 8 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen , 1 - ethoxyethyl , 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethoxylcarbonyl , trimethylsilyl , triethylsilyl , and tert - butyldimethylsilyl . other embodiments of the present invention found to possess unusually good cytotoxicity properties are described below . in one preferred embodiment , r 1 is isobutyl , isobutenyl , crotyl , or furyl ; r 2 is tert - butoxy ; r 3 is hydrogen ; r 4 is hydrogen , acyl , carbamoyl , n - alkylcarbamoyl , n , n - dialkylcarbamoyl , or alkoxycarbonyl radical ; r 5 and r 6 are connected to form a carbonate ; r 7 is arylcarbonyl , alkylcarbonyl , or alkenylcarbonyl radical ; r 8 is hydrogen . in another preferred embodiment , r 1 is isobutyl , isobutenyl , crotyl , or furyl ; r 2 is tert - butoxy ; r 3 is hydrogen ; r 4 is hydrogen , acetyl , propanoyl , cyclopropanecarbonyl , n , n - dimethylcarbamoyl , or methoxycarbonyl ; r 5 and r 6 are connected to form a carbonate ; r 7 is benzoyl ; r 8 is hydrogen . in another preferred embodiment , r 1 is isobutyl , iisobutenyl , crotyl , or furyl ; r 2 is tert - butoxy ; r 3 is hydrogen ; r 4 is hydrogen , acyl , carbamoyl , n - alkylcarbamoyl , n , n - dialkylcarbamoyl , or alkoxycarbonyl radical ; r 5 is hydrogen ; r 6 is hydrogen ; r 7 is benzoyl ; r 8 is hydrogen . in another preferred embodiment , r 1 is isobutyl , isobutenyl , crotyl , or furyl ; r 2 is tert - butoxy ; r 3 is hydrogen ; r 4 is hydrogen , acetyl , propanoyl , cyclopropanecarbonyl , n , n - dimethylcarbamoyl , or methoxycarbonyl ; r 5 is hydrogen ; r 6 is hydrogen ; r 7 is benzoyl ; r 8 is hydrogen . representative hydroxyl protecting groups include methoxylmethyl ( mom ), methoxyethyl ( mem ), 1 - ethoxyethyl ( ee ), benzyloxymethyl , ( ฮฒ - trimethylsilylethoxyl ) methyl , tetrahydropyranyl , 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethoxylcarbonyl ( troc ), benzyloxycarbonyl ( cbz ), tert - butoxycarbonyl ( t - boc ), 9 - fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl ( fmoc ), 2 , 2 , 2 - trichloroethoxymethyl , trimethylsilyl , triethylsilyl , tripropylsilyl , dimethylethylsilyl , dimethyl ( t - butyl ) silyl , diethylmethylsilyl , dimethylphenylsilyl and diphenylmethylsilyl , acetyl , chloroacetyl , dichloroacetyl , trichloroacetyl or trifluoroacetyl . the coupling reaction of baccatin ( iii ) or ( iv ) and ฮฒ - lactam ( v ), as shown in schemes 3 and 4 , occurs at an alkali metal alkoxide which is located at the c - 13 hydroxyl group of baccatin ( iii ) or at the c - 14 hydroxyl group of baccatin ( iv ). the alkoxide can be readily generated by reacting the baccatin with an alkali metal base . representative alkyl metal bases include sodium hexamethyldisilazide , potassium hexamethyldisilazide , lithium hexamethyldisilazide , sodium diisopropylamide , potassium diisopropylamide , lithium diisopropylamide , sodium hydride , in a dry nonprotic organic solvent . tetrahydrofuran ( thf ), dioxane , ether , dimethoxyethane ( dme ), diglyme , dimethylformamide ( dmf ), or mixtures of these solvents with hexane , toluene , and xylene are useful nonprotic organic solvents . the coupling reaction is preferably carried out in a temperature range from about - 100 ยฐ c . to about 50 ยฐ c ., and more preferably from about - 50 ยฐ c . to about 25 ยฐ c . the coupling reaction is also preferably carried out under an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen and argon . the amount of base used for the reaction is preferably approximately equivalent to the amount of baccatin when soluble bases such as sodium hexamethyldisilazide , potassium hexamethyldisilazide , lithium hexamethyldisilazide , sodium diisopropylamide , potassium diisopropylamide , lithium diisopropylamide are being used . the use of a slight excess of base does not adversely affect the reaction . when heterogeneous bases such as sodium hydride and potassium hydride are used , 5 - 10 equivalents of the base to the amount of baccatin are preferably employed . the coupling reaction at the metal alkoxide of baccatin is typically carried out by adding a solution of ฮฒ - lactam in a dry non - protic organic solvent , as described above , in a preferred temperature range from about - 100 ยฐ c . to 50 ยฐ c ., and more preferably from about - 50 ยฐ c . to 25 ยฐ c . the mixture of reactants is stirred for 15 minutes to 24 hours and the progress and completion of the reaction may be monitored by known methods such as thin layer chromatography ( tlc ). when the limiting reactant is completely consumed , the reaction is quenched by addition of a cold brine solution . the crude reaction mixture is worked up using standard isolation procedures , generally known to those skilled in the art , to yield the corresponding taxane . the ratio of ฮฒ - lactam to baccatin is in a range from 2 : 1 to 1 : 2 . more preferably a ratio of approximately 1 : 1 has been formed to be more economic and efficient , but this ratio is not critical for the reaction . work - up means any routine isolation procedure used to obtain the product from the reaction mixture . the hydroxyl protecting groups can then be removed by using standard procedures which are generally known to those skilled in the art to give desired taxane derivatives . for example , 1 - ethoxyethyl and triethylsilyl groups can be removed by adding 0 . 5n hcl at room temperature for 36 hours . a troc group can be removed by adding with zinc and acetic acid in methanol at 60 ยฐ c . for one hour without disturbing other functional groups or the skeleton of taxane . another method of deprotection is treating triisopropylsilyl ( tips ) or ( tert - butyl ) dimethylsilyl ( tbdms ) groups with fluoride ion . the compounds of the invention can be formulated in pharmaceutical preparations or formulated in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof , particularly as nontoxic pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts or acceptable basic salts . these salts can be prepared from the compounds of the invention according to conventional chemical methods . normally , the salts are prepared by reacting the free base or acid with stoichiometric amounts or with an excess thereof of the desired salt forming inorganic or organic acid in a suitable solvent or various combination of solvents . as an example , the free base can be dissolved in an aqueous solution of the appropriate acid and the salt recovered by standard techniques , for example , by evaporation of the solution . alternatively , the free base can be dissolved in an organic solvent such as a lower alkanol , an ether , an alkyl ester , or mixtures thereof , for example , methanol , ethanol , ether , ethyl acetate , an ethyl acetate - ether solution , and the like , whereafter it is treated with the appropriate acid to form the corresponding salt . the salt is recovered by standard recovery techniques , for example , by filtration of the desired salt on spontaneous separation from the solution or it can be precipitated by the addition of a solvent in which the salt is insoluble and recovered therefrom . due to their antineoplastic activity , the taxane compounds of the invention can be utilized in the treatment of cancers . the new compounds are administrable in the form of tablets , pills , powder mixtures , capsules , injectables , solutions , suppositories , emulsions , dispersions , food premix , and in other suitable forms . the pharmaceutical preparation which contains the compound is conveniently admixed with a nontoxic pharmaceutical organic carrier , usually about 0 . 01 mg up to 2500 mg . or higher per dosage unit , preferably 50 - 500 mg . typical of pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are , for example , manitol , urea , dextrans , lactose , potato and maize starches , magnesium stearate , talc , vegetable oils , polyalkylene glycols , ethyl cellulose , poly ( vinylpyrrolidone ), calcium carbonate , ethyl oleate , isopropyl myristate , benzyl benzoate , sodium carbonate , gelatin , potassium carbonate , silicic acid , and other conventionally employed acceptable carriers . the pharmaceutical preparation may also contain nontoxic auxiliary substances such as emulsifying , preserving , wetting agents , and the like as for example , sorbitan monolaurate , triethanolamine oleate , polyoxyethylene monostearate , glyceryl tripalmitate , dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate , and the like . the compounds of the invention can also be freeze dried and , if desired , combined with other pharmaceutically acceptable excipients to prepare formulations suitable for parenteral , injectable administration . for such administration , the formulation can be reconstituted in water ( normal , saline ), or a mixture of water and an organic solvent , such as propylene glycol , ethanol , and the like . the dose administered , whether a single dose , multiple dose , or a daily dose , will , of course , vary with the particular compound of the invention employed because of the varying potency of the compound , the chosen route of administration , the size of the recipient and the nature of the patient &# 39 ; s condition . the dosage administered is not subject to definite bounds , but it will usually be an effective amount , or the equivalent on a molar basis of the physiologically active free form produced from a dosage formulation upon the metabolic release of the active drug to achieve its desired pharmacological and physiological effects . the following non - limiting examples are illustrative of the present invention . the full scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims which follow the specification . ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) were obtained as shown in scheme 1 through a chiral enolate - imine cyclocondensation method in which silyloxyacetates ( a ) were reacted with imines or aldimines ( b ) and ( b &# 39 ;) in the presence of a base such as lithium diisopropylamide or lithium hexamethyldisilazide . procedures for obtaining the starting compounds ( a ) and ( b ) or ( b &# 39 ;) are described in examples 1 - 12 . the materials used in examples 1 - 12 in the preparation of materials ( a ), ( b ) and ( b &# 39 ;) are readily commercially available . a solution of (-)-( 1r , 2s )- 2 - phenyl - 1 - cyclohexyl hydroxyacetate ( 851 mg , 3 . 63 mmol ) was prepared through esterification of benzyloxyacetyl chloride with (-)-( 1r , 2s )- 2 - phenyl - 1 - cyclohexanol followed by hydrogenolysis . then , triisopropylsilyl chloride ( 840 mg , 4 . 36 mmol ) and imidazole ( 618 mg , 9 . 08 mmol ) in dimethylformamide ( dmf ) ( 1 . 7 ml ) were stirred at room temperature for 12 - 20 hours . the mixture was poured into pentane ( 25 ml ), and washed with water and brine . the combined organic layers were dried over anhydrous mgso 4 and concentrated in vacuo . the crude product was subjected to a purification on a short silica gel column using hexane / chloroform ( 3 / 1 ) as the eluant to give pure (-)-( 1r , 2s )- 2 - phenyl - 1 - cyclohexyl triisopropylsilyloxyacetate ( 1 . 35 g , 95 % yield ) as a colorless oil . ฮฑ ! d 20 - 17 . 1 ยฐ ( c 3 . 15 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ) 1759 , 1730 (. sup . ฮฝ co ) cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 93 - 0 . 99 ( m , 21h ), 1 . 30 - 1 . 62 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 72 - 2 . 0 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 10 - 2 . 19 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 66 ( dt , j = 11 . 5 , 4 . 0 hz , 1h ), 3 . 90 ( d , j = 16 . 6 hz , 1h ), 4 . 07 ( d , j = 16 . 6 hz , 1h ), 5 . 07 ( dt , j = 10 . 6 , 4 . 0 hz , 1h ), 7 . 16 - 7 . 30 ( m , 5h ). anal . calcd for c 23 h 38 o 3 si : c , 70 . 72 ; h , 9 . 81 . found : c , 70 . 79 ; h , 9 . 85 . n - trimethylsilylaldimines used in the cyclo - condensation method can be readily obtained by the reaction of lithium hexamethyldisilazide with aldehydes . a typical procedure for the preparation of n - trimethylsilylbenzaldimine is described below . in 75 ml of anhydrous thf were added 17 . 29 ml ( 75 mmol ) of hexamethyldisilazane and 30 ml ( 75 mmol ) of n - butyllithium ( 2 . 5m in hexane ) at 0 ยฐ c . under nitrogen . after stirring for one hour , 7 . 65 ml ( 75 mmol ) of benzaldehyde was added at room temperature , and the mixture was refluxed for 3 hours . then , 9 . 52 ml ( 75 mmol ) of freshly distilled trimethylsilyl chloride was added with a syringe . the mixture was refluxed for 2 hours . a white precipitate formed during this process . the reaction mixture was then cooled to room temperature and the liquid layer was transferred with a syringe to a distillation flask under nitrogen . the solvent was evaporated in vacuo , and the oily residue was distilled under reduced pressure ( 68 ยฐ c ./ 1 mm hg ) to give pure n - trimethylsilylbenzaldimine as a pale yellow oil ( 10 . 6 g , 80 %) having the identification data shown below : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 18 ( s , 9h ), 7 . 33 - 7 . 36 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 72 - 7 . 75 ( m , 2h ), 8 . 89 ( s , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด - 1 . 25 , 128 . 34 , 128 . 39 , 131 . 96 , 138 . 70 , 168 . 32 n - trimethylsilyl ( 4 - methoxy ) benzaldimine and n - trimethylsilyl -( 3 , 4 - dimethoxy ) benzaldimine were prepared in the same manner , from 4 - methoxybenzaldehyde and 3 , 4 - dimethoxy - benzaldehyde , respectively , in 78 - 82 % yields . identification data for the imines is set forth next to each one of these compounds . pale yellow oil ; bp 105 ยฐ c ./ 0 . 4 mmhg ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 00 ( s , 9h ), 3 . 60 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 69 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 7 . 50 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 8 . 66 ( s , 1h ). colorless oil ; bp 140 ยฐ c ./ 0 . 2 mmhg ; 1 h nmr ฮด 0 . 00 ( s , 9h ), 3 . 67 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 71 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 65 ( d , j = 8 . 2 hz , 1h ), 7 . 01 ( dd , j = 8 . 2 , 1 . 8 hz , 1h ), 7 . 22 ( d , j = 1 . 8 hz , 1h ), 8 . 63 ( s , 1h ). a typical procedure is described for the preparation of n -( 4 - methoxyphenyl )( 4 - fluoro ) benzaldimine . to a solution of 4 . 81 g ( 39 mmol ) of p - anisidine in 60 ml of dichloromethane was added 4 . 85 g ( 39 mmol ) of 4 - fluorobenzaldehyde . the mixture was stirred over anhydrous magnesium sulfate at room temperature for 15 hours . the dehydration agent was filtered off and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to give a crude imine . the crude imine was recrystallized from hexane / dichloro / methane to yield 7 . 69 g ( 86 %) of pure n -( 4 - methoxyphenyl )( 4 - fluoro ) benzaldimine as white needles . mp 99 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 3 . 82 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 92 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 7 . 13 ( t , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), 7 . 21 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 7 . 88 ( dd , j = 8 . 6 , 5 . 7 hz , 2h ), 8 . 39 ( s , 1h ). other n -( 4 - methoxylphenyl ) aldimines were prepared in high yields in the same manner . identification data for these imines are shown next to each one of these compounds . white solid ; mp 71 ยฐ- 72 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 3 . 93 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 93 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 23 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 46 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 87 ( m , 2h ), 8 . 48 ( s , 1h ). white needles ; mp 124 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 3 . 81 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 91 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 15 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 75 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), 8 . 10 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), 8 . 39 ( s , 1h ). yellow pellets ; mp 68 ยฐ- 70 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 3 . 82 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 54 ( dd , j = 3 . 5 , 1 . 8 hz , 1h ), 6 . 90 ( d , j = 3 . 5 hz , 1h ), 6 . 92 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 2h ), 7 . 26 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 2h ), 7 . 59 ( d , j = 1 . 8 hz , 1h ), 8 . 31 ( s , 1h ). yellow leaves ; mp 119 ยฐ- 121 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 3 . 81 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 90 - 7 . 60 ( m , 7h ), 8 . 28 ( m , 1h )( ca . 1 : 1 mixture of stereoisomers ). yellow needles ; mp 71 ยฐ- 73 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 3 . 78 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 45 ( dd , j = 3 . 4 , 1 . 6 hz , 1h ), 6 . 52 ( d , j = 3 . 4 hz , 1h ), 6 . 87 ( d , j = 15 . 8 hz , 1h ), 6 . 90 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 2h ), 6 . 98 ( dd , j = 15 . 8 , 8 . 7 hz , 1h ), 7 . 18 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 2h ), 7 . 46 ( d , j = 1 . 6 hz , 1h ), 8 . 20 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 1h ). yellow oil ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 02 ( d , j = 6 . 7 hz , 6h ), 2 . 03 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 33 ( dd , j = 6 . 9 , 5 . 3 hz , 2h ), 3 . 78 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 86 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 03 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 86 ( t , j = 5 . 3 hz , 1h ). yellow oil ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 00 - 1 . 80 ( m , 11h ), 2 . 34 ( dd , j = 6 . 7 , 5 . 4 hz , 2h ), 3 . 79 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 86 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 2h ), 7 . 02 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 2h ), 7 . 86 ( t , j = 5 . 4 hz , 1h ); ir ( neat ) 3033 - 2849 , 1505 , 1244 , 1038 , 803 cm - 1 . chiral enolate - imine cyclocondensation reactions were run to obtain the 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinones ( vi ) and ( vi &# 39 ;) shown in scheme 1 . other azetidinones having different substituents for r 1 were prepared by following the same procedures set forth in examples 13 and 15 . the identification data for these azetidinones is shown in examples 14 and 16 - 20 , respectively . a typical procedure is described for the preparation of ( 3r , 4s )- 3 - triisopropylsilyloxy - 4 - phenyl - 2 - azetidinone ( via ). to a solution of 645 ฮผl ( 4 . 6 mmol ) of diisopropylamine in 10 ml of thf , was added 1 . 85 ml ( 4 . 6 mmol , 2 . 5m ) of n - butyllithium at 0 ยฐ c . the solution was stirred 1 h at 0 ยฐ c . followed by the addition of 1 . 5 g ( 3 . 8 mmol ) of (-) tips ester in 15 ml of thf over a 1 hour period ( using a cannula ) at - 78 ยฐ c . the reaction was stirred 2 hours at this temperature followed by the addition of 817 mg ( 4 . 6 mmol ) of n - trimethylsilyl benzaldimine in 15 ml of thf over a 2 h period at - 95 ยฐ c . the reaction was stirred overnight at this temperature and allowed to slowly warm up at room temperature . the reaction was quenched by addition of saturated nh 4 cl . the aqueous layer was extracted with ether . the organic layer was washed with 3 % hcl and brine , dried over mgso 4 and concentrated . the crude oil was purified by chromatography on silica gel using 1 : 5 etoac / hexanes as the eluent to give 1 . 03 g ( 84 %) of ( 3r , 4s )- 3 - triisopropylsilyloxy - 4 - phenyl - 2 - azetidinone ( via ) as a white solid . mp 76 ยฐ- 77 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 52 . 7 ยฐ ( c 1 . 00 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 86 - 0 . 93 ( m , 21h ), 4 . 81 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz , 1h ), 5 . 17 ( dd , j = 4 . 7 , 2 . 6 hz , 1h ), 6 . 18 ( bs , 1h ), 7 . 17 - 7 . 35 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 75mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 11 . 8 , 17 . 4 , 17 . 5 , 59 . 6 , 79 . 9 , 127 . 9 , 128 . 0 , 128 . 1 , 136 . 4 , 170 . 0 ; ir ( kbr ) 3234 , 2946 - 2866 , 1760 , 1458 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 18 h 29 no 2 si : c 67 . 66 ; h 9 . 15 ; n 4 . 38 . found : c 67 . 64 ; h 9 . 25 ; n 4 . 44 . 72 %; colorless liquid ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 98 - 1 . 02 ( m , 21h ), 4 . 36 ( dd , j = 4 . 6 , 8 . 3 hz , 1h ), 5 . 09 ( dd , j = 2 . 3 , 4 . 6 hz , 1h ), 6 . 29 ( dd , j = 8 . 3 , 16 . 0 hz , 1h ), 6 . 59 ( d , j = 16 . 0 hz , 1h ), 6 . 83 , ( bs , 1h ), 7 . 23 - 7 . 39 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 11 . 79 , 17 . 61 , 17 . 66 , 58 . 34 , 79 . 86 , 126 . 05 , 126 . 45 , 127 . 90 , 128 . 56 , 134 . 41 , 136 . 30 , 169 . 69 ; ir ( neat ) 3262 , 3032 , 2944 , 2865 , 1748 , 1672 , 1623 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 20 h 31 no 2 si : c , 69 . 52 ; h , 9 . 04 ; n , 4 . 05 . found : c , 69 . 75 ; h , 9 . 02 ; n , 3 . 89 . to a solution of 2 . 51 mmol of diisopropylamine in 15 ml of thf was added 2 . 51 ml of n - butyllithium ( 2 . 5m in thf ) at - 10 ยฐ c . after 30 min , lithium diisopropylamide ( lda ) was generated and the solution was cooled to - 95 ยฐ c . a solution of 2 . 17 mmol of chiral ester in 5 ml of thf was added . after 1 hr , a solution of 2 . 5 mmol of the appropriate imine in 3 ml of thf was added . the mixture was stirred at - 95 ยฐ c . overnight , and the progress of the reaction was monitored by tlc or 1 h nmr . the reaction was quenched with saturated nh 4 cl and thf was removed using a rotary evaporator . ether ( 10 ml ) was added and the aqueous layer was extracted with ether ( 10 ml ร 3 ). drying and removal of the solvent gave the crude product which was purified by silica gel column chromatography ( hexane / ethyl acetate = 10 : 1 ) to afford the corresponding pure ฮฒ - lactam . the enantiomeric excess was determined by hplc using a chiralcel od column using n - hexane / isopropyl alcohol ( i - proh ) ( 90 / 10 ) as the eluant . 87 %; pale yellow solid ; mp 59 ยฐ- 60 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 60 . 46 ยฐ ( c 1 . 26 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 96 ( d , j = 6 . 4 hz , 3h ), 1 . 03 ( d , j = 6 . 4 hz , 3h ), 1 . 10 - 1 . 30 ( m , 21h ), 1 . 60 - 1 . 68 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 70 - 1 . 92 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 75 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 16 - 4 . 22 ( m , 1h ), 5 . 06 ( d , j = 5 . 1 hz , 1h ), 6 . 86 ( d , j = 9 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 32 ( d , j = 9 . 0 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 12 . 34 , 17 . 82 , 17 . 91 , 22 . 18 , 23 . 37 , 25 . 34 , 35 . 89 , 55 . 50 , 57 . 33 , 76 . 34 , 114 . 52 , 118 . 73 , 131 . 00 , 156 . 29 , 165 . 58 ; ir ( kbr ) 2946 , 1742 , 1513 , 1458 , 1249 cm 1 . anal . calcd for c 23 h 39 no 3 si : c , 68 . 10 ; h , 9 . 70 ; n , 3 . 45 . found : c , 68 . 26 ; h , 9 . 85 ; n , 3 . 35 . 83 %; low melting point solid ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 43 . 7 ยฐ ( c 0 . 92 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 85 - 1 . 95 ( m , 34h ), 3 . 78 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 19 - 4 . 25 ( m , 1h ), 5 . 05 ( d , j = 5 . 1 hz , 1h ), 6 . 86 ( d , j = 9 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 32 ( d , j = 9 . 0 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 12 . 15 , 17 . 76 , 17 . 83 , 26 . 12 , 26 . 22 , 26 . 47 , 32 . 84 , 34 . 22 , 34 . 51 , 55 . 36 , 56 . 41 , 76 . 13 , 114 . 30 , 118 . 45 , 130 . 81 , 155 . 99 , 165 . 55 ; ir ( neat ) 2925 - 2865 , 1749 , 1513 , 1464 , 1448 , 1389 , 1246 , 1174 , 1145 , 1128 , 939 , 882 , 828 , 684 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 26 h 43 no 3 si : c , 70 . 06 ; h , 9 . 72 ; n , 3 . 14 . found : c , 69 . 91 ; h , 9 . 71 ; n , 3 . 02 . white solid ; mp 121 ยฐ- 122 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 82 . 5 ยฐ ( c 0 . 724 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 82 - 0 . 84 ( m , 18h ), 0 . 86 - 1 . 01 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 62 ( s , 3h ), 5 . 02 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 5 . 11 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( d , j = 6 . 9 hz , 2h ), 6 . 96 - 7 . 25 ( m , 6h ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3050 , 2974 , 2868 , 1748 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 25 h 34 no 3 fsi : c , 67 . 69 ; h , 7 . 72 ; n , 3 . 16 . found : c , 67 . 77 ; h , 7 . 83 ; n , 3 . 19 . white solid ; mp 132 ยฐ- 133 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 89 . 7 ยฐ ( c 0 . 925 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 87 - 1 . 15 ( m , 21h ), 3 . 74 ( s , 3h ), 5 . 21 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 5 . 27 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 6 . 79 ( d , j = 8 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 25 ( d , j = 8 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 46 ( d , j = 8 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 60 ( d , j = 8 . 0 hz , 2h ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3050 , 2975 , 2868 , 1750 , 878 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 26 h 34 no 3 no 3 f 3 si : c , 63 . 26 ; h , 6 . 94 ; n , 2 . 84 . found : c , 63 . 36 ; h , 7 . 13 ; n , 2 . 88 . white solid ; mp 109 ยฐ- 110 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 - 86 . 2 ยฐ ( c 1 . 4 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 98 - 1 . 10 ( m , 21h ), 3 . 75 ( s , 3h ), 5 . 20 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 5 . 24 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 6 . 35 - 6 . 40 ( m , 2h ), 6 . 81 ( d , j = 9 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 30 ( d , j = 9 . 0 hz , 2h ), 7 . 42 ( m , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 11 . 96 , 17 . 52 , 17 . 57 , 55 . 43 , 57 . 19 , 78 . 13 , 110 . 23 , 110 . 63 , 114 . 44 , 118 . 55 , 131 . 08 , 142 . 80 , 148 . 51 , 156 . 45 , 165 . 27 . anal . calcd for c 23 h 33 no 4 si : c , 66 . 47 ; h , 8 . 00 ; n , 3 . 37 . found : c , 66 . 56 ; h , 8 . 13 ; n , 3 . 30 . white solid ; mp 103 . 5 ยฐ- 105 . 5 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 - 128 . 4 ยฐ ( c 2 . 8 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 05 - 1 . 09 ( m , 21h ), 3 . 76 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 69 ( dd , j = 4 . 9 , 8 . 6 hz , 1h ), 5 . 15 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz , 1h ), 6 . 25 ( dd , j = 8 . 6 , 16 . 0 hz , 1h ), 6 . 29 ( d , j = 3 . 3 hz , 1h ), 6 . 37 ( dd , j = 1 . 8 , 3 . 3 hz , 1h ), 6 . 57 ( d , j = 16 . 0 hz , 1h ), 6 . 83 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 34 - 7 . 41 ( m , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 12 . 11 , 17 . 70 , 17 . 74 , 55 . 54 , 61 . 94 , 77 . 18 , 78 . 45 , 107 . 88 , 108 . 42 , 111 . 26 , 114 . 54 , 118 . 70 , 123 . 46 , 123 . 82 , 142 . 46 , 190 . 99 ; ir ( kbr ) 2948 , 2866 , 1743 , 1513 , 1389 , 1246 , 1181 , 1120 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 25 h 35 no 4 si : c , 67 . 99 ; h , 7 . 99 ; n , 3 . 17 . found : c , 68 . 07 ; h , 7 . 94 ; n , 3 . 10 . the transformation of ฮฒ - lactam intermediates ( vi &# 39 ;) to ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) as shown in scheme 1 was accomplished by methods discussed in examples 21 - 23 . azetidinones obtained in this manner , ( vic ) to ( vij ), exemplify different r 1 groups . identification data for ( vic ) to ( vij ) are shown next to each compound . to a solution of 0 . 24 mmol of 1 -( 4 - methoxyphenyl )- ฮฒ - lactam in mecn ( 20 ml ) was added 0 . 65 mmol of cerium ammonium nitrate ( can ) in 10 ml ch 3 cn and 20 ml of water in 20 min at - 15 ยฐ c . after stirring for 1 hour , it was diluted with water ( 20 ml ), and the mixture was then extracted with ethyl acetate ( 15 ml ร 2 ). the combined organic layer was washed with water ( 7 ml ), 5 % na 2 so 4 ( 10 ml ร 2 ), 5 % na 2 co 3 ( 10 ml ) and brine ( 5 ml ) in sequence . drying , removal of the solvent in vacuo followed by decolorization with activated charcoal afforded the crude product . this product was further purified by silica gel column chromatography using hexanes / ethyl acetate , 3 / 1 eluent to furnish n - deprotected ฮฒ - lactam . 83 %; yellow oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 35 . 45 ยฐ ( c 1 . 33 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 93 ( d , j = 6 . 6 hz , 3h ), 0 . 96 ( d , j = 6 . 6 hz , 3h ), 1 . 05 - 1 . 25 ( m , 22h ), 1 . 52 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 67 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 96 ( dd , j = 4 . 8 , 2 . 4 hz , 1h ), 6 . 02 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 12 . 12 , 17 . 72 , 17 . 80 , 22 . 29 , 23 . 08 , 25 . 35 , 39 . 08 , 54 . 45 , 78 . 04 , 170 . 00 ; ir ( neat ) 3238 , 1759 , 1465 , 1184 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 16 h 33 no 2 si : c , 64 . 16 ; h , 11 . 1 ; n , 4 . 68 . found : c , 64 . 17 ; h , 10 . 96 ; n , 4 . 47 . 85 %; yellow oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 12 . 44 ยฐ ( c 1 . 46 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 , 97 - 1 . 25 ( m , 32h ), 1 . 40 - 1 . 70 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 80 ( dt , j = 8 . 4 , 4 . 8 hz , 1h ), 4 . 95 ( dd , j = 4 . 8 , 2 . 4 hz , 1h ), 6 . 05 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 12 . 06 , 17 . 77 , 17 . 82 , 26 . 16 , 26 . 25 , 26 . 46 , 33 . 15 , 33 . 82 , 34 . 85 , 37 . 72 , 53 . 89 , 77 . 98 , 169 . 98 ; ir ( neat ) 3238 , 1759 , 1465 , 1184 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 19 h 37 no 2 si : c , 67 . 20 ; h , 10 . 98 ; n , 4 . 12 . found : c , 67 . 40 ; h , 10 . 79 ; n , 3 . 98 . a mixture of ( vib ) ( 100 mg , 0 . 29 mmol ) in methanol ( 10 ml ) and 5 % rh -- c catalyst ( 10 mg ) was hydrogenated at 50 ยฐ c . and 800 psi of hydrogen for 20 hours . after the catalyst was filtered out and the solvents evaporated in vacuo , the residue was purified on a short silica gel column using hexane / ethyl acetate ( 5 / 1 ) as the eluant to give 95 mg ( 93 % yield ) of vij as a colorless liquid : ฮฑ ! d 20 - 162 . 3 ยฐ ( c 1 . 46 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 07 - 1 . 72 ( m , 36h ), 3 . 61 - 3 . 67 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 94 ( dd , j = 2 . 4 , 4 . 8 hz , 1h ), 6 . 42 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 12 . 02 , 17 . 79 , 26 . 31 , 26 . 60 , 27 . 54 , 33 . 19 , 33 . 39 , 33 . 54 , 37 . 71 , 56 . 44 , 77 . 74 , 170 . 15 ; ir ( neat ) 3236 (. sup . ฮฝ nh ), 2925 , 2866 , 1760 (. sup . ฮฝ co ), 1464 , 1451 , 1384 , 1348 , 1244 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 27 h 39 no 3 si : c , 71 . 48 ; h , 8 . 66 ; n , 3 . 09 . found : c , 71 . 35 ; h , 8 . 66 ; n , 3 . 01 . the conversion of 3 - tipso - 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinones or ฮฒ - lactams vi to ฮฒ - lactams vii as shown in scheme 2 is accomplished by methods of preparations discussed in examples 24 - 28 . identification data for each ฮฒ - lactam ( viia )-( viie ) follow each compound . to a solution of 2 . 6 mmol of 3 - triisopropylsilyloxy - 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinone in 20 ml of thf , was added at room temperature . 3 . 1 mmol ( 1m in thf ) of n - butyl fluoride ( nbu 4 f ). after 5 h , the solvent was evaporated and the crude oil was directly purified by chromatography on silica gel using 5 : 1 etoac / hexanes eluent to afford of 3 - hydroxy - 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinone : 100 %; white solid ; mp 189 ยฐ- 1900 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 181 . 6 ยฐ ( c 0 . 5 , ch 3 oh ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cd 3 od ) ฮด 4 . 84 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz , 1h ), 5 . 04 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz , 1h ), 7 . 25 - 7 . 35 ( m , 5h ); ir ( kbr ) 3373 , 3252 , 1732 , 1494 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 9 h 9 no 2 : c 66 . 25 %, h 5 . 56 %, n 8 . 58 %. found : c 66 . 42 %, h 5 . 74 %, n 8 . 62 %. 82 % white solid ; mp 143 ยฐ- 144 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 21 . 9 ยฐ ( c 1 . 05 , meoh ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cd 3 od ) ฮด 4 . 35 ( ddd , j = 0 . 8 , 4 . 7 , 7 . 7 hz , 1h ), 4 . 93 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz , 1h ), 6 . 28 ( dd , j = 7 . 7 , 16 . 0 hz , 1h ), 7 . 18 - 7 . 43 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cd 3 od ) ฮด 58 . 95 , 79 . 63 , 126 . 83 , 127 . 58 , 128 . 88 , 129 . 61 , 135 . 28 , 137 . 96 , 172 . 79 ; ir ( kbr ) 3320 , 3276 , 1754 , 1464 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 11 h 11 no 2 : c , 69 . 83 ; h , 5 . 86 ; n , 7 . 40 . found : c , 69 . 72 ; h , 5 . 92 ; n , 7 . 24 . 94 % white solid ; mp 141 ยฐ- 142 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 26 . 6 ยฐ ( c 0 . 70 , meoh ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , meoh - d 4 ) ฮด 0 . 94 ( d , j = 6 . 8 hz , 3h ), 0 . 97 ( d , j = 6 . 8 hz , 3h ), 1 . 45 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 71 ( sept , j = 6 . 6 hz , 1h ), 3 . 75 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 79 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , meoh - d 4 ) ฮด 22 . 62 , 23 . 48 , 26 . 53 , 39 . 90 , 55 . 47 , 77 . 76 , 173 . 18 ; ir ( kbr ) 3274 , 3178 , 1762 , 1685 , 1155 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 7 h 13 no 2 : c , 58 . 72 ; h , 9 . 15 ; n , 9 . 78 . found : c , 58 . 55 ; h , 9 . 41 ; n , 9 . 69 . 92 % white solid ; mp 147 ยฐ- 148 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 8 . 73 ยฐ ( c , 0 . 573 , ch 3 oh ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , meoh - d 4 ) ฮด 0 . 88 - 1 . 82 ( m , 13h ), 3 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 79 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz , 1h ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , dmso - d 6 ) ฮด 0 . 86 - 1 . 72 ( m , 13h ), 3 . 58 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 63 ( m , 1h ), 5 . 82 ( d , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h ), 8 . 13 ( d , j = 5 . 6 , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , meoh - d 4 ) ฮด 27 . 29 , 27 . 41 , 27 . 48 , 34 . 07 , 35 . 06 , 36 . 11 , 38 . 52 , 55 . 02 , 77 . 65 , 173 . 22 ; ir ( kbr ) 3301 , 3219 , 2915 , 2847 , 1754 , 1694 , 1168 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 10 h 17 no 2 : c , 65 . 54 , h , 9 . 35 , n , 7 . 64 . found : c , 65 . 72 , h , 9 . 46 , n , 7 . 42 . a suspension of 500 mg ( 3 . 06 mmol ) of 4 - phenyl - 3 - hydroxy - 2 - azetidinone via and 15 mg of rh -- c in 10 ml of methanol was heated at 90 ยฐ c . under 800 psi in an autoclave . after 5 days , the hydrogen pressure was released and the catalyst filtered on celite . evaporation of the solvent afforded a solid which was recrystallized in ethyl acetate to give 440 mg ( 85 %) of viie as a white solid : white solid ; mp 140 ยฐ- 140 . 5 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 65 . 1 ยฐ ( c 0 . 66 , ch 3 oh ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , meoh - d 4 ) ฮด 0 . 75 - 1 . 10 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 12 - 1 . 35 ( m , 3h ), 1 . 40 - 2 . 00 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 28 ( dd , j = 9 . 7 , 4 . 6 hz , 1h ), 4 . 81 ( d , j = 4 . 6 hz , 1h ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , dmso - d 6 ) ฮด 0 . 75 - 1 . 00 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 10 - 1 . 35 ( m , 3h ), 1 . 37 - 1 . 55 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 58 - 1 . 85 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 10 ( dd , j = 9 . 6 , 4 . 7 hz , 1h ), 4 . 67 ( m , 1h ), 5 . 87 ( d , j = 7 . 8 hz , 1h ), 8 . 21 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , dmso - d 6 ) ฮด 25 . 08 , 25 . 36 , 26 . 07 , 28 . 83 , 29 . 17 , 37 . 51 , 59 . 04 , 76 . 41 , 170 . 21 ; ir ( kbr ) 3312 , 3219 , 2928 , 1726 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 9 h 15 no 2 : c , 63 . 88 , h , 8 . 93 , n , 8 . 28 . found : c , 63 . 70 , h , 9 . 00 , n , 8 . 06 . once formed , ฮฒ - lactams ( vii ) required protection at the hydroxyl group . the protecting groups were attached by methods described in examples 29 - 33 to yield ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ). the identification data for ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) protected by different g groups are shown after each compound ( via - ee ) to ( vie - ee ). to a solution of 1 . 9 mmol of 3 - hydroxy - 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinone in 20 ml of thf , was added at 0 ยฐ c . 3 . 9 mmol of ethyl vinyl ether . after 2 hours , at 0 ยฐ c ., the reaction mixture was diluted with ether and washed with saturated nahco 3 . the organic layer was dried over na 2 co 3 , filtered and concentrated to yield of 3 -( 1 - ethoxyethoxy )- 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinone : 100 %; white solid ; mp 78 ยฐ- 80 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ฮด ( cdcl 3 ) 0 . 98 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 05 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 11 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 1 . 12 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 16 - 3 . 26 ( m ), 3 . 31 - 3 . 42 ( m ), 3 . 59 - 3 . 69 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 47 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 68 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 4 . 82 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz ), 4 . 85 ( d , j = 4 . 7 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 17 - 5 . 21 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 42 ( bd , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 5h ); ir ( kbr ) 3214 , 2983 , 2933 , 1753 , 1718 , 1456 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 13 h 17 no 3 : c , 66 . 36 ; h , 7 . 28 ; n , 5 . 95 . found : c , 66 . 46 ; h , 7 . 11 ; n , 5 . 88 . 98 %; white solid ; mp 98 ยฐ- 99 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 17 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 1 . 18 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 26 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 35 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 44 - 3 . 52 ( m ), 3 . 60 - 3 . 68 ( m ), 3 . 75 - 3 . 82 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 41 ( dd , j = 4 . 9 , 8 . 5 hz , 1h ), 4 . 81 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 90 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 11 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz ), 5 . 11 ( d , j = 4 . 9 hz ), 1h !, 6 . 01 ( bs , 1h ), 6 . 27 ( dd , j = 8 . 5 , 15 . 9 hz ), 6 . 28 ( dd , j = 8 . 5 , 15 . 9 hz ), 1h !, 6 . 61 ( d , j = 15 . 9 hz ), 6 . 63 ( d , j = 15 . 9 hz ), 1h !, 7 . 27 - 7 . 42 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 15 . 04 , 20 . 37 , 20 . 42 , 57 . 22 , 57 . 81 , 61 . 23 , 62 . 22 , 78 . 77 , 79 . 29 , 99 . 50 , 99 . 82 , 125 . 56 , 125 . 79 , 126 . 59 , 128 . 12 , 128 . 65 , 134 . 47 , 134 . 58 , 136 . 15 , 168 . 59 , 168 . 77 ; ir ( kbr ) 3310 , 3030 , 2963 , 1770 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 15 h 19 no 3 : c , 68 . 94 ; h , 7 . 33 ; n , 5 . 36 . found : c , 69 . 13 ; h , 7 . 44 ; n , 5 . 16 . 100 %; colorless oil : ฮฑ ! d 20 + 20 . 93 ยฐ ( c 1 . 72 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 86 ( d , j = 6 . 5 hz , 3h ), 0 . 92 ( d , j = 6 . 5 hz , 3h ), 1 . 17 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz , 3h ), 1 . 29 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 34 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 46 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 62 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 49 ( m ), 3 . 69 ( m ), 2h )!, 3 . 80 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 79 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 90 ( q , j = 5 , 4 hz ), 1h !, 4 . 87 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 78 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 15 . 08 , 20 . 42 , ( 21 . 98 , 22 . 06 ), ( 23 . 15 , 23 . 22 ), 25 . 35 , ( 39 . 01 , 39 . 10 ), ( 53 . 35 , 53 . 69 ), ( 61 . 24 , 62 . 24 ), ( 77 . 79 , 77 . 92 ), ( 99 . 75 , 100 . 05 ), ( 169 . 56 , 169 . 65 ); ir ( neat ) 3269 , 2956 , 2871 , 1758 , 1468 , 1382 , 1340 , 1152 , 1115 , 1083 , 1052 , 936 , 893 cm - 1 . 100 %; colorless oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 10 . 92 ยฐ ( c 1 . 42 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 84 - 1 . 71 ( m , 13h ), 1 . 16 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz , 3h ), 1 . 28 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 33 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 48 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 72 ( m ), 3 . 8 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 78 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 85 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 4 . 82 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 76 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 14 . 37 , 19 . 72 , 25 . 30 , 25 . 44 , 25 . 63 , ( 32 . 02 , 32 . 13 ), ( 33 . 09 , 33 . 17 ), ( 34 . 03 , 34 . 07 ), ( 36 . 98 , 37 . 07 ), ( 52 . 15 , 52 . 49 ), ( 60 . 49 , 61 . 52 ), ( 75 . 97 , 76 . 39 ), ( 99 . 00 , 99 . 35 ), ( 168 . 98 , 169 . 05 ); ir ( neat ) 3278 , 2924 , 2852 , 1758 , 1448 , 1382 , 1150 , 1114 , 1086 , 938 , 886 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 14 h 25 no 3 : c , 65 . 85 ; h , 9 . 87 ; n , 5 . 49 . found : c , 66 . 03 ; h , 9 . 71 ; n , 5 . 30 . 100 %; white solid ; mp 87 ยฐ- 89 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 83 ยฐ ( c 0 . 76 , ch 3 oh ); 1 h nmr ฮด ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) 0 . 84 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 07 - 1 . 34 ( m , 9h ), 1 . 66 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 32 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 42 ( q , j = 7 . 7 hz ), 3 . 54 ( q , j = 7 . 7 hz ), 3 . 65 ( q , j = 7 . 7 hz ), 3 . 74 ( q , j = 7 . 7 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 81 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 80 ( m ), 4 . 90 ( q , j = 5 . 2 hz ), 1h !, 6 . 92 ( bs , 1h ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3412 , 2989 , 2931 , 1760 , 1443 , 1155 , 1114 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 13 h 27 no 3 : c , 64 . 70 ; h , 9 . 61 ; n , 5 . 80 . found : c , 64 . 82 ; h , 9 . 66 ; n , 5 . 64 . protected ฮฒ - lactams ( vi ) in which g represents protecting groups described elsewhere in the specification were reacted with acyl chlorides , chloroformates or carbamoyl chlorides in the presence of a base according to preparation methods described in examples 34 to 52 . the resulting ฮฒ - lactams obtained in examples 34 to 52 are shown in scheme 2 . identification data for ฮฒ - lactams ( va ) to ( vd ) in which g represents different protecting groups are listed after each ฮฒ - lactam following each example . a typical procedure is described for the preparation of ( 3r , 4s )- 1 - benzoyl - 3 -( ethoxylethoxy )- 4 - phenyl - 2 - azetidinone ( va - ee ). to a solution of via - ee ( 460 mg , 1 . 9 mmol ), 4 ( dimethylamino ) pyridine dmap ( 5 mg ), and triethylamine ( 542 ml , 3 . 9 mmol ) in 20 ml of dichloromethane , was added dropwise benzoyl chloride ( 340 ml , 2 . 9 mmol ) at 0 ยฐ c . with stirring . the cooling bath was removed and the mixture was stirred at 25 ยฐ c . for 2 h . the reaction mixture was washed with saturated aqueous nh 4 cl and brine , dried over anhydrous na 2 co 3 and concentrated in vacuo to give the oily crude product . the crude product was purified through a short silica gel column ( eluant : etoac / hexanes = 1 / 5 ) to afford pure va - ee ( 611 mg , 92 %) as a colorless oil : ir ( neat ) 3064 - 2933 , 1798 , 1682 , 1450 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 04 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 14 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz )! ( 3h ), 1 . 11 - 1 . 17 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 23 - 3 . 74 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 57 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 76 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz )! ( 1h ), 5 . 28 ( d , j = 6 . 2 hz , 1h ), 5 . 43 ( d , j = 6 . 2 hz ), 5 . 46 ( d , j = 6 . 2 hz )! ( 1h ), 7 . 30 - 7 . 65 ( m , 8h ). to a solution of 2 . 2 mmol of 3 -( 1 - ethoxyethoxy )- 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinone , 5 mg of dmap , 4 . 5 mmol of triethylamine in 20 ml of dichloromethane , was added dropwise at 0 ยฐ c . 3 . 3 mmol of alkyl chloroformate dissolved in 5 ml of dichloromethane . the reaction mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature . the organic layer was washed several times with brine , dried over na 2 co 3 and concentrated . the crude solid was purified by chromatography on silica gel to yield n - protected ฮฒ - lactam : 62 %; pale yellow oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 98 . 2 ยฐ ( c 1 . 1 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 97 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 08 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 10 ( bt , j = 7 . 3 hz , 3h ), 3 . 21 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 32 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 64 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 3 . 76 ( s ), 3 . 77 ( s ), 3h !, 4 . 48 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 69 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 11 ( d , j = 5 . 9 hz ), 5 . 14 ( d , j = 5 . 9 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 23 ( d , j = 5 . 9 hz , 1h ), 7 . 34 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด ( 14 . 96 , 15 . 07 ), ( 19 . 84 , 20 . 69 ), 53 . 59 , ( 60 . 74 , 62 . 36 ), ( 61 . 14 , 61 . 92 ), ( 76 . 21 , 77 . 21 ), ( 99 . 16 , 99 . 56 ), ( 127 . 73 , 128 . 03 , 128 . 31 , 128 . 36 , 128 . 62 , 128 . 85 ), ( 133 . 41 , 133 . 58 ), ( 149 . 51 , 149 . 57 ), ( 165 . 21 , 165 . 67 ); ir ( neat ) 3033 , 2979 , 2957 , 1821 , 1738 , 1654 , 1440 , 1336 , 1101 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 15 h 19 no 5 : c , 61 . 42 ; h , 6 . 53 ; n , 4 . 78 . found : c , 61 . 55 ; h , 6 . 51 ; n , 4 . 90 . 82 %; colorless oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 100 . 9 ยฐ ( c 1 . 08 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250mhz cdcl3 ) ฮด 0 . 95 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 06 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 08 ( bt , j = 7 . 3 hz , 3h ), 1 . 19 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 1 . 20 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 20 ( dq , j = 9 . 4 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 31 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 32 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 63 ( dq , j = 9 . 4 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 18 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 4 . 19 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 47 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 67 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 09 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 13 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 21 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz , 1h ), 7 . 30 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 14 . 14 , ( 14 . 95 , 15 . 07 ), ( 19 . 86 , 20 . 05 ), ( 60 . 76 , 62 . 35 ), 62 . 36 , ( 61 . 14 , 61 . 90 ), ( 76 . 18 , 77 . 20 ), ( 99 . 17 , 99 . 53 ), ( 127 . 73 , 128 . 02 , 128 . 25 , 128 . 30 , 128 . 50 , 128 . 63 ), ( 133 . 59 , 133 . 77 ), ( 148 . 99 , 149 . 05 ), ( 165 . 33 , 165 . 79 ); ir ( neat ) 2978 , 2934 , 1814 , 1731 , 1646 , 1540 , 1456 , 1323 , 1175 , 1096 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 16 h 21 no 5 : c , 62 . 53 ; h , 6 . 89 ; n , 4 . 56 . found : c , 62 . 45 ; h , 6 . 63 ; n , 4 . 83 . 83 %; colorless oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 70 . 4 ยฐ ( c 1 . 25 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 79 ( t , j = 7 . 3 hz , 3h ), 0 . 94 ( d , j = 5 . 1 hz ), 1 . 07 ( d , j = 5 . 1 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 07 ( t , j = 7 . 4 hz , 3h ), 1 . 20 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 51 ( quint , j = 6 . 7 hz , 2h ), 3 . 21 ( m ), 3 . 30 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 61 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 09 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 46 ( q , j = 5 . 2 hz ), 4 . 66 ( q , j = 5 . 2 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 07 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 11 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 19 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz , 1h ), 7 . 28 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 13 . 50 , ( 14 . 95 , 15 . 29 ), 18 . 71 , ( 19 . 84 , 20 . 05 ), 30 . 42 , ( 60 . 77 , 62 . 33 ), ( 61 . 25 , 62 . 02 ), 66 . 51 , ( 76 . 24 , 77 . 26 ), ( 99 . 17 , 99 . 52 ), ( 127 . 76 , 128 . 03 , 128 . 22 , 128 . 27 , 128 . 50 , 128 . 60 ), ( 133 . 61 , 133 . 80 ), ( 148 . 96 , 149 . 02 ), ( 165 . 40 , 165 . 85 ); ir ( neat ) 2961 , 2933 , 1817 , 1732 , 1653 , 1456 , 1394 , 1250 , 1099 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 18 h 25 no 5 : c , 64 . 46 ; h , 7 . 51 ; n , 4 . 18 . found : c , 64 . 44 ; h , 7 . 57 ; n , 4 . 24 . 83 %; white solid ; mp 90 ยฐ- 91 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 70 . 4 ยฐ ( c 1 . 25 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 96 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 08 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 09 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 1 . 10 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 36 ( s ), 1 . 37 ( s ), 9h !, 3 . 23 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 32 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 65 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 48 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 69 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 03 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 07 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 18 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz , 1h ), 7 . 31 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด ( 14 . 98 , 15 . 08 ), ( 19 . 89 , 20 . 10 ), 27 . 84 , ( 60 . 74 , 62 . 32 ), ( 61 . 28 , 62 . 08 ), ( 75 . 91 , 76 . 54 ), ( 99 . 10 , 99 . 41 ), ( 127 . 76 , 128 . 07 , 128 . 20 , 128 . 42 , 128 . 85 ), ( 133 . 98 , 134 . 16 ), 147 . 56 , ( 165 . 61 , 166 . 04 ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3025 , 2982 , 2932 , 1809 , 1725 , 1601 , 1497 , 1331 , 1256 , 1152 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 18 h 25 no 5 : c , 64 . 46 ; h , 7 . 51 ; n , 4 . 18 . found : c , 64 . 50 ; h , 7 . 41 ; n , 4 . 17 . 79 %; white solid ; mp 50 ยฐ- 52 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 64 . 9 ยฐ ( c 0 . 94 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 00 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 11 ( m ), 3h !, 1 . 14 ( m ), 3h !, 3 . 27 ( m ), 3 . 35 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 70 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 54 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 4 . 74 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 25 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 29 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 34 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz , 1h ), 7 . 03 - 7 . 39 ( m , 10h ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3028 , 2981 , 2934 , 1815 , 1744 , 1591 , 1486 , 1327 , 1192 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 20 h 21 no 5 : c , 67 . 59 ; h , 5 . 96 ; n , 3 . 94 . found : c , 67 . 33 ; h , 6 . 06 ; n , 3 . 75 . 44 %; white solid ; mp 58 ยฐ- 60 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 91 . 4 ยฐ ( c 1 . 16 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 97 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 09 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 10 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 1 . 11 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 23 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 33 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 66 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 50 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 70 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 13 ( d , j = 5 . 6 hz ), 5 . 15 ( d , j = 5 . 6 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 19 ( s ), 5 . 20 ( s ), 2h !, 5 . 23 ( d , j = 5 . 6 hz , 1h ), 7 . 21 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 26 - 7 . 37 ( m , 8h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด ( 14 . 99 , 15 . 10 ), ( 19 . 90 , 20 . 10 ), ( 60 . 83 , 62 . 41 ), ( 61 . 64 , 62 . 14 ), 68 . 01 , ( 76 . 31 , 77 . 28 , ( 99 . 19 , 99 . 53 ), ( 127 . 37 , 127 . 86 , 128 . 07 , 128 . 16 , 128 . 36 , 128 . 52 , 128 . 63 , 128 . 85 ), ( 133 . 49 , 133 . 68 ), 134 . 89 , ( 148 . 72 , 148 . 78 ), ( 165 . 37 , 165 . 81 ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3028 , 2981 , 2934 , 1815 , 1733 , 1604 , 1450 , 1380 , 1004 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 21 h 23 no 5 : c , 68 . 28 ; h , 6 . 28 ; n , 3 . 79 . found : c , 68 . 07 ; h , 6 . 43 ; n , 3 . 72 . 91 % colorless oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 62 . 5 ยฐ ( c 1 . 12 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 10 - 1 . 28 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 15 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz , 3h ), 1 . 27 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 31 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 45 ( s ), 1 . 46 ( s ), 9h !, 1 . 63 - 1 . 70 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 43 ( dq , j = 9 . 2 , 7 . 0 hz ), 3 . 62 ( m ), 3 . 75 ( d , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 3 . 78 ( d , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 2h !, 3 . 85 ( t , j = 6 . 1 hz , 1h ), 4 . 78 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 88 ( m ), 1h !, 4 . 85 ( d , j = 6 . 1 hz ), 4 . 86 ( d , j = 6 . 1 hz ), 1h ! ; 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 15 . 07 , ( 20 . 25 , 20 . 37 ), ( 26 . 05 , 26 . 14 ), 26 . 26 , ( 27 . 33 , 27 . 95 ), ( 29 . 05 , 29 . 20 ), ( 30 . 04 , 30 . 23 ), ( 37 . 54 , 37 . 64 ), ( 61 . 19 , 62 . 53 ), ( 62 . 06 , 62 . 32 ), ( 75 . 42 , 75 . 85 ), 83 . 06 , 100 . 11 , 148 . 72 , ( 166 . 70 , 166 . 76 ); ir ( neat ) 2980 , 2931 , 2854 , 1807 , 1725 , 1450 , 1370 , 1329 , 1212 , 1118 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 18 h 31 no 5 : c , 63 . 32 ; h , 9 . 15 ; n , 4 . 10 . found : c , 63 . 15 ; h , 8 . 97 ; n , 3 . 96 . 86 %; white solid ; mp 69 ยฐ- 73 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 16 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 1 . 18 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 25 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 36 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 48 ( s , 9h ), 3 . 47 ( m ), 3 . 62 ( m ), 3 . 80 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 68 ( dd , j = 5 . 8 , 8 . 8 hz , 1h ), 4 . 82 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 91 ( q , 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 09 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 11 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 6 . 23 ( dd , j = 8 . 8 , 15 . 8 hz ), 6 . 25 ( dd , j = 8 . 8 , 15 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 6 . 72 ( d , j = 15 . 8 hz ), 6 . 73 ( d , j = 15 . 8 hz ), 1h !, 7 . 27 - 7 . 44 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 14 . 98 , 20 . 31 , 27 . 98 , 60 . 24 , 60 . 85 , 61 . 46 , 62 . 36 , 63 . 58 , 83 . 38 , 99 . 63 , 99 . 87 , 122 . 45 , 122 . 63 , 126 . 69 , 128 . 20 , 128 . 61 , 136 . 15 , 136 . 34 , 136 . 38 , 147 . 74 , 147 . 79 , 165 . 33 , 165 . 53 ; ir ( kbr ) 3027 , 3020 , 2984 , 2933 , 1809 , 1723 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 20 h 27 no 5 : c , 66 . 46 ; h , 7 . 53 ; n , 3 . 88 . found : c , 66 . 60 ; h , 7 . 50 ; n , 3 . 87 . 80 %; yellow oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 77 . 45 ยฐ ( c 0 . 216 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 89 ( d , j = 5 . 7 hz , 6h ), 1 . 41 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz , 3h ), 1 . 25 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 31 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 45 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 51 - 1 . 67 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 48 ( dq , j = 9 . 3 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 55 - 3 . 71 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 80 ( dq , j = 9 . 3 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 08 ( q , j = 6 . 1 hz , 1h ), 4 . 70 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 4 . 90 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1h !, 4 . 85 ( d , j = 6 . 1 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 14 . 95 , ( 20 . 11 , 20 . 28 ), ( 22 . 42 , 22 . 59 ), 22 . 70 , ( 24 . 89 , 25 . 07 ), 27 . 83 , ( 37 . 03 , 37 . 31 ), ( 56 . 14 , 56 . 38 ), ( 61 . 07 , 62 . 27 ), ( 75 . 65 , 75 . 92 ), 82 . 98 , 99 . 91 , 148 . 1 , ( 166 . 1 , 165 . 9 ); ir ( neat ) 2931 , 2960 , 2872 , ( 1790 , 1807 ), ( 1708 , 1726 ), ( 1454 , 1465 ), 1332 , 1256 , 1048 , 1158 , 996 , 955 , 857 , 834 , 770 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 16 h 29 no 5 : c , 60 . 93 ; h , 9 . 27 ; n , 4 . 44 . found : c , 61 . 19 ; h , 9 . 41 ; n , 4 . 37 . 93 %; yellow oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 75 . 64 ยฐ ( c 0 . 78 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 81 - 1 . 74 ( m , 13h ), 1 . 19 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz , 3h ), 1 . 48 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 30 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 35 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 45 ( dq , j = 9 . 3 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 62 - 3 . 71 ( m ), 3 . 78 ( dq , j = 9 . 3 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 01 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 81 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 4 . 91 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1h !, 4 . 86 ( d , j = 6 . 1 hz ), 4 . 87 ( d , j = 6 . 1 hz ), 1h ! ; 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 15 . 03 , 20 . 19 , 20 . 36 , 26 . 10 , 26 . 36 , 27 . 91 , ( 33 . 17 , 33 . 31 ), ( 33 . 35 , 33 . 49 ), ( 34 . 33 , 34 . 58 ), ( 35 . 39 , 35 . 68 ), ( 55 . 77 , 55 . 99 ), ( 61 . 14 , 62 . 21 ), ( 75 . 74 , 75 . 90 ), 82 . 96 , ( 99 . 86 , 99 . 95 ), 147 . 96 , 166 . 13 ; ir ( neat ) 2979 , 2923 , 2850 , 1719 , 1807 , 1449 , 1336 , 1154 cm - 1 . anal . calcd . for c 19 h 33 no 5 : c , 64 . 20 ; h , 9 . 36 ; n , 3 . 94 . found : c , 64 . 00 ; h , 9 . 17 ; n , 4 . 02 . to a solution of 0 . 5 mmol of a 3 -( 1 - hydroxy - protected )- 4 - substituted - 2 - azetidinone ( vi ) in 6 ml of tetrahydrofuran , was added dropwise at - 78 ยฐ c . 0 . 6 mmol of n - butylitheum ( n - buli ). after 5 min , 1 mmol of an isocyanate was added . the reaction mixture was stirred 30 min at - 78 ยฐ c . and quenched by addition of 2 ml sat . nh 4 cl solution . the reaction mixture was diluted with 30 ml of ether and the organic layer was washed several times with brine , dried over na 2 co 3 and concentrated . the crude solid was purified by chromatography on silica gel to yield the corresponding n - carbamoyl ฮฒ - lactam ( vd ). 66 %; pale yellow solid ; mp 152 ยฐ- 155 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 87 . 8 ยฐ ( c 0 . 9 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 07 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 13 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 16 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz , 3h ), 3 . 26 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 37 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 39 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 67 ( dq , j = 9 . 5 , 7 . 1 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 53 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 72 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 28 ( m , 2h ), 6 . 59 ( bs ), 6 . 60 ( bs ), 1h !, 7 . 10 - 7 . 55 ( m , 10h ), 8 . 68 ( bs , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด ( 15 . 04 , 15 . 16 ), ( 19 . 98 , 20 . 11 ), ( 60 . 99 , 62 . 53 ), 61 . 80 , ( 76 . 05 , 76 . 66 ), ( 99 . 34 , 99 . 70 ), ( 119 . 63 , 120 . 69 , 124 . 37 , 127 . 67 , 127 . 95 , 128 . 40 , 128 . 45 , 128 . 67 , 128 . 85 , 129 . 04 , 129 . 12 , 130 . 49 ), 133 . 48 , ( 137 . 03 , 137 . 28 ), ( 147 . 23 , 147 . 29 ), ( 168 . 12 , 168 . 52 ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3342 , 3017 , 2982 , 2932 , 1773 , 1719 , 1602 , 1548 , 1445 , 1312 , 1224 , 1210 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 20 h 22 n 2 o 4 : c , 67 . 78 ; h , 6 . 26 ; n , 7 . 90 . found : c , 67 . 92 ; h , 5 . 98 ; n , 8 . 17 . white solid ; mp 122 ยฐ- 124 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 28 ยฐ ( c 0 . 5 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 39 ( s , 9h ), 4 . 43 ( d , j = 11 . 7 hz , 1h ), 4 . 55 ( d , j = 11 . 7 hz , 1h ), 5 . 28 ( d , j = 5 . 5 hz , 1h ), 5 . 76 ( d , j = 5 . 5 hz , 1h ), 7 . 30 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 27 . 81 , 60 . 80 , 77 . 03 , 78 . 76 , 84 . 40 , 127 . 73 , 128 . 58 , 129 . 09 , 131 . 55 , 147 . 71 , 152 . 17 , 160 . 34 ; ir ( chcl 3 ) 3016 , 2976 , 1819 , 1771 , 1732 , 1683 , 1244 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 17 h 18 cl 3 no 6 : c , 46 . 54 ; h , 4 . 14 ; n , 3 . 19 . found : c , 46 . 33 ; h , 4 . 34 ; n , 3 . 33 . white solid ; mp 63 ยฐ- 64 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 32 . 1 ยฐ ( c 0 . 81 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 37 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 65 ( s , 3h ), 5 . 22 ( d , j = 5 . 5 hz , 1h ), 5 . 83 ( d , j = 5 . 5 hz , 1h ), 7 . 23 - 7 . 33 ( m , 5h ); 3 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 19 . 71 , 27 . 81 , 60 . 84 , 75 . 94 , 84 . 07 , 127 . 43 , 128 . 31 , 128 . 67 , 132 . 44 , 147 . 25 , 162 . 39 , 168 . 83 ; ir ( chcl 3 ) 3026 , 2984 , 1815 , 1752 , 1731 , 1497 , 1371 , 1286 , 1224 , 1152 , 1024 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 6 h 19 no 5 : c , 62 . 94 ; h , 6 . 27 ; n , 4 . 59 . found : c , 63 . 17 ; h , 6 . 14 ; n , 4 . 52 . 74 %; pale yellow viscous oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 144 . 3 ยฐ ( c 0 . 7 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 96 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 05 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 10 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz , 3h ), 1 . 33 ( s ), 1 . 34 ( s ), 9h !, 3 . 21 ( dq , j = 9 . 3 , 7 . 0 hz ), 3 . 30 ( q , j = 7 . 0 hz ), 3 . 33 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3 . 62 ( dq , j = 9 . 1 , 7 . 0 hz ), 2h !, 4 . 46 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 66 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 10 - 5 . 19 ( m , 2h ), 6 . 59 ( bs ), 6 . 60 ( bs ), 1h !, 7 . 23 - 7 . 36 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด ( 14 . 86 , 14 . 99 ), ( 19 . 75 , 19 . 95 ), ( 28 . 81 , 29 . 30 ), ( 60 . 62 , 61 . 20 ), ( 60 . 80 , 62 . 29 ), ( 75 . 57 , 76 . 76 ), ( 98 . 91 , 99 . 34 ), ( 127 . 07 , 127 . 40 , 127 . 70 , 128 . 17 , 128 . 29 , 128 . 53 ), ( 133 . 71 , 133 . 86 ), ( 148 . 54 , 148 . 59 ), ( 167 . 67 , 168 . 13 ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3362 , 3035 , 2977 , 2932 , 1767 , 1710 , 1605 , 1537 , 1457 , 1366 , 1320 , 1282 , 1217 , 1100 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 18 h 26 n 2 o 4 : c , 64 . 65 ; h , 7 . 84 ; n , 8 . 38 . found : c , 64 . 46 ; h , 7 . 75 ; n , 8 . 39 . 50 %; pale yellow viscous oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 66 . 2 ยฐ ( c 0 . 8 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 99 ( d , j = 5 . 5 hz ), 1 . 08 ( d , j = 5 . 5 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 12 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 16 - 3 . 40 ( m ), 3 . 63 ( m ), 2h !, 4 . 35 - 4 . 55 ( m ), 4 . 69 ( q , j = 5 . 5 hz ), 3h !, 5 . 21 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 03 ( bs ), 7 . 05 ( bs ), 1h !, 7 . 32 ( m , 10h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด ( 15 . 01 , 15 . 14 ), ( 19 . 90 , 20 . 11 ), 43 . 83 , ( 60 . 66 , 62 . 44 ), ( 60 . 75 , 61 . 54 ), ( 75 . 93 , 77 . 04 ), ( 99 . 16 , 99 . 56 ), ( 127 . 25 , 127 . 64 , 127 . 69 , 128 . 17 , 127 . 93 , 128 . 35 , 128 . 55 , 128 . 64 , 128 . 74 ), ( 133 . 59 , 133 . 76 ), 137 . 80 , 150 . 02 , ( 167 . 73 , 168 . 19 ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3379 , 3090 , 3033 , 2980 , 2930 , 1773 , 1707 , 1604 , 1536 , 1455 , 1319 , 1270 , 908 cm - 1 . anal . calcd for c 21 h 24 n 2 o 4 : c , 68 . 46 ; h , 6 . 57 ; n , 7 . 60 . found : c , 68 . 30 ; h , 6 . 66 ; n , 7 . 51 . 63 %; pale yellow oil ; ฮฑ ! d 20 + 96 . 7 ยฐ ( c 0 . 9 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 96 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 04 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 3h !, 1 . 05 - 1 . 18 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 13 - 3 . 39 ( m ), 3 . 59 ( m ), 4h !, 4 . 45 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 4 . 65 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1h !, 5 . 16 ( m , 2h ), 6 . 60 ( bs ), 6 . 62 ( bs ), 1h !, 7 . 27 ( m , 5h ); 13 c nmr ( 63 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 14 . 98 , ( 19 . 84 , 29 . 93 ), 34 . 79 , ( 60 . 56 , 61 . 35 ), ( 60 . 72 , 62 . 35 ), ( 75 . 91 , 77 . 03 ), ( 99 . 14 , 99 . 54 ), ( 127 . 28 , 127 . 55 , 127 . 85 , 128 . 27 , 128 . 40 ), ( 133 . 74 , 133 . 89 ), ( 149 . 87 , 149 . 93 ), ( 167 . 62 , 168 . 07 ); ir ( chcl 3 ) 3378 , 3035 , 2980 , 2934 , 1774 , 1704 , 1537 , 1455 , 1321 , 1271 , 1112 , 1025 cm - 1 . a typical procedure is described for the preparation of ( 3r , 4s )-(-)- 1 - morpholinecarbonyl - 3 -( 1 - ethoxyethoxy )- 4 - phenyl - 2 - azetidinone ( vc - b ). to a solution of 30 mg ( 0 . 13 mmol ) of 3 -( 1 - ethoxyethoxy )- 4 - phenyl - 2 - azetidinone via - ee in 2 ml of ch 2 cl 2 , 2 mg of dmap and 0 . 05 ml of triethylamine was added at room temperature . after 5 min , 22 . 9 mg ( 0 . 15 mmol ) of morpholinecarbonyl chloride was added . the reaction mixture was stirred for 2 h at room temperature . the reaction mixture was diluted with ml of ch 2 cl 2 and the organic layer was washed two times with brine , dried over na 2 co 3 and concentrated . the crude solid product was purified by chromatography on silica gel to yield pure vc - b : 87 %; pale yellow oil ; 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 90 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 1 . 01 ( d , j = 5 . 3 hz )! ( 3h ), 1 . 04 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 1 . 18 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz )! ( 3h ), 3 . 20 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 28 ( m ), 3 . 53 ( m ), 3 . 67 ( m )! ( 2h ), 3 . 60 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 41 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz ), 4 . 63 ( q , j = 5 . 3 hz )! ( 1h ), { 5 . 07 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 08 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz )! ( 1h ), 5 . 29 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz ), 5 . 32 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz )! ( 1h ), 7 . 23 - 7 . 27 ( m , 5h ). 55 %; colorless liquid ; 1 h nmr ( 250 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 0 . 98 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 1 . 10 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz )! ( 3h ), 1 . 12 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 1 . 13 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz ), 3h !, 3 . 16 ( bs , 6h ), 3 . 37 ( m ), 3 . 67 ( m )! ( 2h ), 4 . 47 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz ), 4 . 71 ( q , j = 5 . 4 hz )! ( 1h ), 5 . 11 ( d , j = 5 . 7 hz ), 5 . 12 ( d , j = 5 . 7 hz )! ( 1h ), 5 . 34 ( t , j = 5 . 7 hz , 1h ), 7 . 34 ( m , 5h ). examples 53 - 56 below provide methods of preparation of baccatins ( iii ) and ( iv ) by using 14 - oh - dab , a natural compound , which was commercially obtained . identification data for the baccatins ( iiia ), ( iiib ) ( iii - b ) and ( iva ) are shown following these examples . 14 - hydroxy - 10 - deacetylbaccatin iii ( 14 - oh - dab ) ( 910 mg , 1 . 63 mmol ) was dissolved in 18 ml of anhydrous pyridine . the solution was heated at 80 ยฐ c . and 1 ml of trichloroethylchloroformate was added . after stirring for 5 min , another 0 . 4 ml of trichloroethylchloroformate was added and the mixture was stirred for 30 sec ( total quantity of trichloroethylchloroformate : 1 . 4 ml , 2 . 15 g , 9 . 71 mmol , approximately 6 equivalents ). the reaction flask was removed from the oil bath and the reaction mixture was checked by thin layer chromatography ( tlc ) to confirm the completion of the reaction . then , some drops of methanol and a piece of ice were added to remove the excess chloroformate . the reaction mixture was extracted with chcl 3 and the extract was washed with 0 . 1n hydrochloric acid and saturated brine . after drying over anhydrous mgso 4 and removal of the solvent , the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 1 ) as the eluant to give 1 . 16 g ( 75 %) of iiia as a white solid . the identification data from iiia is shown below : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 20 ( s , 3h , h17 ), 1 . 28 ( s , 3h , h16 ), 1 . 88 ( s , 3h , h19 ), 2 . 08 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฒ ), 2 . 18 ( s , 3h , h18 ), 2 . 33 , ( s , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 63 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฑ ), 3 . 75 ( bs , 1h , h14 ), 3 . 82 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , 1h , h3 ), 4 . 20 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20ฮฒ ), 4 . 34 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20ฮฑ ), 4 . 61 ( d , j = 11 . 8 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 79 ( s , 2h , troc ), 4 . 91 ( d , j = 11 . 8 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 97 ( bs , 1h , h5 ), 5 . 01 ( bs , 1h , oh ), 5 . 01 ( bs , 1h , h13 ), 5 . 59 , ( dd , j = 7 . 2 , 10 . 6 hz , 1h , h7 ), 6 . 10 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , 1h , h2 ), 6 . 25 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 7 . 50 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 65 ( m , 1h ), 8 . 03 ( d , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 10 . 80 , 15 . 22 , 21 . 56 , 22 . 21 , 25 . 63 , 33 . 05 , 41 . 28 , 46 . 71 , 56 . 44 , 68 . 93 , 71 . 79 , 75 . 78 , 76 . 00 , 76 . 54 , 77 . 56 , 79 . 03 , 79 . 91 , 83 . 49 , 84 . 09 , 88 . 25 , 94 . 10 , 127 . 87 , 129 . 01 , 129 . 86 , 130 . 92 , 134 . 38 , 144 . 81 , 152 . 76 , 153 . 12 , 153 . 18 , 164 . 73 , 170 . 64 , 199 . 97 . to a solution of 594 mg ( 0 . 654 mmol ) of 7 , 10 - ditroc - 14 - hydroxy - 10 - deacetylbaccatin iii ( iiia ) in 30 ml of pyridine , was added 230 ml ( 3 . 27 mmol , 5 equiv .) of acetyl chloride at - 10 ยฐ c . the reaction mixture was stirred at - 10 ยฐ c . for 24 h . the reaction mixture was extracted with etoac and washed with 0 . 1n hydrochloric acid and brine . the extract was dried over anhydrous mgso 4 and concentrated in vacuo to give the crude product . the crude product was purified by flash column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 1 ) as the eluant to give 402 mg ( 65 %) of iiib as a white solid having the identification data listed below : mp 225 ยฐ- 226 ยฐ c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 10 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 21 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 88 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 02 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 05 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฒ ), 2 . 19 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 38 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 64 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฑ ), 2 . 74 ( s , 1h , oh ), 3 . 19 ( bs , 1h , oh ), 3 . 98 ( d , j = 7 . 3 hz , 1h , h3 ), 4 . 23 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20ฮฑ ), 4 . 30 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20ฮฒ ), 4 . 61 ( d , j = 11 . 8 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 72 ( m , 1h , h13 ), 4 . 77 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 91 ( d , j = 11 . 8 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 98 ( m , 1h , h5 ), 5 . 39 ( d , j = 5 . 4 hz , 1h , h14 ), 5 . 62 ( dd , j = 7 . 1 , 10 . 5 hz , 1h , h7 ), 5 . 84 ( d , j = 7 . 3 hz , 1h , h2 ), 6 . 30 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 7 . 44 - 7 . 62 ( m , 3h ), 8 . 03 - 8 . 06 ( m , 2h ). anal . calcd for c 37 h 40 cl 6 o 16 : c , 46 . 61 ; h , 4 . 23 . found : c , 46 . 80 ; h , 4 . 39 . a suspension of 14 - hydroxy10 - deacetylbaccatin iii ( 500 mg , 0 . 899 mmol ) and 5 % rh -- c catalyst ( 50 mg ) in meoh ( 8 ml ) and etoac ( 2 ml ) was hydrogenated at 50 ยฐ c . and 900 psi of hydrogen for 36 h . after the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature , hydrogen gas was released , the catalyst filtered off , and the solvents evaporated in vacuo to give the crude product . the crude product was submitted to purification by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 1 ) as the eluant to give 498 mg ( 98 %) of iii - b as a white solid having the identification data listed below : 1 h nmr ( dmso - d 6 ) ฮด 0 . 88 ( s , 6h ), 1 . 46 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 86 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 14 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 12 - 2 . 24 ( m , 13h ), 3 . 59 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 93 ( d , j = 8 . 0 hz , 1h ), 3 . 99 ( d , j = 7 . 0 hz , 1h ), 4 . 25 ( d , j = 8 . 0 hz , 1h ), 4 . 36 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 39 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 76 ( d , j = 2 . 0 hz , 1h ), 4 . 88 ( bd , j = 9 . 1 hz , 1h ), 4 . 96 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , 1h ), 5 . 08 ( d , j = 2 . 0 hz , 1h ), 5 . 29 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , 1h ), 5 . 45 ( d , j = 5 . 2 hz , 1h ), 6 . 64 ( d , j = 6 . 3 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( dmso - d 6 ) ฮด 9 . 36 , 14 . 51 , 21 . 14 , 22 . 05 , 24 . 82 , 25 . 04 , 25 . 23 , 26 . 40 , 28 . 11 , 28 . 44 , 36 . 41 , 42 . 04 , 42 . 56 , 45 . 78 , 57 . 17 , 70 . 70 , 72 . 21 , 73 . 22 , 74 . 08 , 74 . 54 , 75 . 05 , 75 . 39 , 79 . 80 , 83 . 58 , 135 . 15 , 139 . 11 , 169 . 52 , 174 . 62 , 209 . 87 . 14 - hydroxy - 10 - deacetylbaccatin iii ( 14 - oh - dab ) ( 900 mg , 1 . 61 mmol ) was dissolved in 18 ml of anhydrous pyridine . the solution was heated at 80 ยฐ c . and 0 . 92 ml ( 1 . 42 g , 6 . 44 mmol , 4 equivalents ) of trichloroethyl - chloroformate was added . after stirring for 5 min , the reaction flask was removed from the oil bath and the reaction mixture was checked by thin layer chromatography ( tlc ) to confirm the completion of the reaction . then , some drops of methanol and a piece of ice were added to remove the excess chloroformate . the reaction mixture was extracted with chcl 3 and the extract was washed with 0 . 1n hydrochloric acid and saturated brine . after drying over anhydrous mgso 4 and removal of the solvent , the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 1 ) as the eluant to give 808 mg ( 55 %) of iva as a white solid : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 10 ( s , 3h , h17 ), 1 . 18 ( s , 3h , h16 ), 1 . 83 ( s , 3h , h19 ), 2 . 02 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฒ ), 2 . 14 ( s , 3h , h18 ), 2 . 30 ( s , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 61 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฑ ), 3 . 22 ( m , 1h , oh ), 3 . 61 ( s , 1h , oh ), 3 . 66 ( m , 1h , oh ), 3 . 89 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , h 3 ), 4 . 01 ( m , 1h , h14 ), 4 . 18 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20ฮฒ ), 4 . 28 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20ฮฑ ), 4 . 60 ( d , j = 11 . 9 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 73 ( m , 1h , h13 ), 4 . 77 ( s , 2h , troc ), 4 . 83 ( d , j = 11 . 9 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 95 ( m , 1h , h5 ), 5 . 57 ( dd , j = 7 . 1 , 10 . 6 hz , 1h , h7 ), 5 . 79 ( d , j = 7 . 1 hz , 1h , h2 ), 6 . 24 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 7 . 40 - 7 . 60 ( m , 3h ), 8 . 02 ( bd , 2h ). examples 57 - 62 describe the syntheses of taxanes of the present invention by coupling of the ฮฒ - lactams ( v ) with baccatins ( iii ) and ( iv ) as prepared in previous examples . the coupling reactions took place in the presence of a base as shown in schemes 3 and 4 . in example 57 the hydroxyl groups at c7 and c10 were protected , however , deprotection was carried out in example 58 . in example 59 both coupling and deprotection took place for the syntheses of both taxanes ib and ic . to a solution of baccatin iiia ( 86 . 9 mg , 0 . 093 mmol ) and n - benzoyl - ฮฒ - lactam va - a - ee ( 47 . 3 mg , 0 . 14 mmol ) in 3 . 0 ml of thf , was added sodium hexamethyl disilazide ( nahmds ) 0 . 13 ml ( 1 . 2 eq , 0 . 85m soln . in thf ) at - 40 ยฐ c . over the period of 30 min . tlc analysis of the reaction mixture revealed that baccatin iiia was completely consumed . the reaction mixture was quenched with 10 ml saturated nh 4 cl solution . the reaction mixture was extracted with ether ( 10 ml ร 3 ), then dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), and the combined extracts were washed with brine , dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated to give the crude product . the crude product was purified by column chromatography using etoac / hexane ( 1 / 2 ) as the eluant to give 95 . 9 mg of 2 &# 39 ;- ee - 7 , 10 - ditroc - 10 - deacetyl - 14 - hydroxy - taxol - 1 , 14 - carbonate as a white solid . this compound was treated with 0 . 5n hydrochloric acid in thf at room temperature for 1 h . the reaction mixture was dried and purified by chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexane ( 2 / 3 ) as the eluant to give 65 . 5 mg ( 75 % overall yield ) of taxane ia - ditroc as a white solid having the identification data listed below : mp 178 ยฐ- 180 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 - 5 . 9 ยฐ ( c 0 . 85 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 30 ( s , 6h , h16 , h17 ), 1 . 89 ( s , 3h , h19 ), 1 . 92 , ( s , 3h , h18 ), 2 . 08 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฒ ), 2 . 56 ( s , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 62 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฑ ), 3 . 81 ( d , j = 7 . 4 hz , 1h , h3 ), 4 . 09 ( bs , 1h , 2 &# 39 ;- oh ), 4 . 24 ( d , j = 8 . 5 hz , 1h , h20ฮฒ ), 4 . 31 , ( d , j = 8 . 5 hz , 1h , h20ฮฑ ), 4 . 60 ( d , j = 11 . 9 hz , 1h , troc ), 4 . 76 ( s , 2h , troc ), 4 . 87 - 4 . 94 ( m , 4h , troc , h5 , h2 &# 39 ;, h14 ), 5 . 55 ( dd , j = 7 . 1 , 10 . 5 hz , 1h , h7 ), 5 . 93 ( dd , j = 2 . 8 , 8 . 9 hz , 1h , h3 &# 39 ;), 6 . 11 ( d , j = 7 . 4 hz , 1h , h2 ), 6 . 19 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 6 . 47 ( d , j = 6 . 2 hz , 1h , h13 ), 7 . 21 ( d , j = 8 . 9 hz , 1h , nh ), 7 . 31 - 7 . 64 ( m , 11h ), 7 . 75 ( d , j = 7 . 4 hz , 2h ), 8 . 12 ( d , j = 7 . 4 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 10 . 93 , 14 . 63 , 22 . 39 , 22 . 51 , 25 . 39 , 33 . 07 , 41 . 64 , 46 . 39 , 54 . 92 , 56 . 47 , 68 . 88 , 73 . 87 , 74 . 42 , 75 . 78 , 75 . 88 , 77 . 22 , 77 . 45 , 78 . 29 , 79 . 61 , 80 . 17 , 83 . 59 , 88 . 01 , 94 . 02 , 94 . 07 , 126 . 80 , 127 . 31 , 127 . 73 , 128 . 34 , 128 . 64 , 129 . 07 ( 2 ), 130 . 16 , 132 . 04 , 132 . 46 , 133 . 44 , 134 . 35 , 137 . 53 , 139 . 71 , 151 . 63 , 153 . 06 , 153 . 15 , 164 . 79 , 167 . 69 , 171 . 37 , 172 . 03 , 199 . 33 ; ir ( chcl 3 ) 3038 , 2951 , 1820 , 1761 , 1737 , 1667 , 1479 , 1379 , 1250 , 1220 ; anal . calcd for c 52 h 49 ncl 6 o 19 : c , 51 . 85 ; h , 4 . 10 ; n , 1 . 16 . found : c , 51 . 67 ; h , 3 . 86 ; n , 1 . 13 . taxane ia - ditroc ( 100 mg ) was treated with zn dust ( 200 mg ) in acetic acid at 40 ยฐ c . for several hours . the reaction mixture wag filtered on a glass filter and the filtrate was condensed in vacuo . the residue was redissolved in ch 2 cl 2 , and zn salt was removed by filtration to give the crude product . the crude product was recrystallized using etoac / hexane ( 3 : 1 ) to give pure taxane ia ( 48 mg , 72 %) as a white powder : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 21 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 27 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 78 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 85 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฒ ), 2 . 04 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 54 ( s , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 56 ( m , 1h , h6ฮฑ ), 3 . 80 ( d , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h , h3 ), 3 . 93 ( d , j = 4 . 4 hz , 1h , 2 &# 39 ;- oh ), 4 . 28 ( m , 4h , h20 , h7 , oh ), 4 . 88 ( m , 3h , h5 , h14 , h2 &# 39 ;), 5 . 16 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 5 . 93 ( m , 1h , h3 &# 39 ;), 6 . 07 ( d , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h , h2 ), 6 . 44 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz , 1h , h13 ), 7 . 23 - 7 . 60 ( m , 12h ), 7 . 73 ( bd , 2h ), 8 . 14 ( bd , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 10 . 10 , 14 . 22 , 14 . 39 , 21 . 11 , 22 . 17 , 22 . 61 , 25 . 57 , 36 . 67 , 41 . 62 , 45 . 97 , 54 . 71 , 57 . 86 , 60 . 47 , 69 . 43 , 71 . 63 , 73 . 82 , 73 . 99 , 74 . 66 , 76 . 18 , 77 . 27 , 79 . 76 , 80 . 43 , 84 . 13 , 88 . 37 , 126 . 79 , 127 . 40 , 127 . 91 , 128 . 28 , 128 . 59 , 129 . 07 , 130 . 22 , 131 . 98 , 133 . 56 , 134 . 25 , 135 . 76 , 136 . 22 , 137 . 67 , 151 . 89 , 165 . 02 , 167 . 67 , 171 . 09 , 172 . 06 , 209 . 76 . to a solution of baccatin iiia ( 100 mg , 0 . 107 mmol ) and n - t - boc - ฮฒ - lactam vb - d - ee ( 52 mg , 0 . 155 mmol ) in 3 . 0 ml of thf , was added nahmds 0 . 12 ml ( 1 . 1 eq , 1 . 0m soln . in thf ) at - 30 ยฐ c . over the period of 10 min . tlc analysis of the reaction mixture revealed that baccatin iiia was completely consumed . the reaction mixture was poured into a 100 ml beaker which contained 10 ml saturated nh 4 cl solution to quench the reaction . the reaction mixture was extracted with ether ( 10 ml ร 3 ), then dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), and the combined extracts were washed with brine , dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated to give a light yellow solid ( 170 mg ). the crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexane ( 1 / 1 ) as the eluant to afford taxane 13 - ( 2r , 3s )- 3 -( tert - butoxycarbonyl ) amino - 2 - eeo - 3 - phenylpropanoyl !- 10 - deacetyl - 14 - hydroxybaccatin - iii - 1 , 14 - carbonate ( ic - ee ) ( 118 mg , 88 %) as a white solid . the product was directly used for the next step to remove ee and troc protecting groups all at once . the crude taxane ic - ee ( 157 mg ) was treated with zn dust ( 480 mg ) in 2 ml glacial acid at room temperature for 8 hrs , then the temperature was raised to 50 ยฐ c . for 4 hours . the solution was filtered , and the filtrate was poured into ice - cold saturated sodium bicarbonate solution ( 20 ml ). the solution was extracted with dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), the extract was dried over anhydrous mgso 4 , and concentrated to give a white solid , which was further purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexane ( 2 / 1 ) as the eluant to afford taxane ic ( 63 mg , 70 % overall yield from the baccatin iiia ) having the identification data shown below : mp 190 ยฐ c . ( decomp . ); ฮฑ ! d 20 - 22 . 83 ยฐ ( c , 0 . 193 , chcl 3 ); 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 36 ( s , 9h , t - boc ), 1 , 77 ( s , 3h , h 19 ), 1 . 82 ( m , 1h , h 6b ), 1 . 87 ( s , 3h , h 18 ), 2 . 43 ( bs , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 55 ( m , 1h , h 6a ), 3 . 69 ( bs , 1h , oh ), 3 . 80 ( d , j = 7 . 5 hz , h 3 ), 4 . 20 - 4 . 30 ( m , 3h , h 20 , h 5 ), 4 . 69 ( s , 1h , oh ), 4 . 75 ( d , j = 6 . 7 hz , h 14 ), 4 . 92 ( d , j = 8 . 5 hz , 1h , h 7 ), 5 . 19 ( s , 1h , h 10 ), 5 . 30 ( m , 1h , h 3 ), 5 . 62 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 1h , h 2 ), 6 . 01 ( d , j = 7 . 5 hz , 1h , h 2 ), 6 . 45 ( d , j = 5 . 9 hz , 1h , h 13 ), 7 . 51 - 7 . 64 ( m , 8h ), 8 . 02 ( d , j = 7 . 3 hz ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) ฮด 9 . 97 , 14 . 37 , 21 . 98 , 22 . 52 , 25 . 69 , 28 . 24 , 29 . 68 , 36 . 74 , 41 . 67 , 45 . 94 , 57 . 91 , 69 . 36 , 71 . 65 , 74 . 09 , 74 . 31 , 74 . 82 , 76 . 09 , 79 . 64 , 80 . 58 , 83 . 98 , 88 . 09 , 126 . 61 , 128 . 13 , 128 . 96 , 129 . 93 , 134 . 18 , 135 . 82 , 136 . 52 , 138 . 00 , 151 . 87 , 155 . 70 , 164 . 78 , 170 . 64 , 171 . 89 , 209 . 69 ; ir ( neat ) 3403 , 2931 , 1817 ( amide ), 1734 , 1715 , 1703 , 1242 , 1085 . anal . calcd for c 4 h 51 no 16 : c , 62 . 18 ; h , 6 . 05 ; n , 1 . 65 . found : c , 61 . 91 ; h , 6 . 33 ; n , 1 . 61 . to a solution of baccatin iva ( 79 . 6 mg , 0 . 09 mmol ) and n - benzoyl - ฮฒ - lactam va - a - ee ( 45 . 8 mg , 0 . 14 mmol ) in 3 . 0 ml of thf , was added nahmds 0 . 13 ml ( 1 . 2 eq , 0 . 85m soln . in thf ) at - 40 ยฐ c . over the period of 30 min . tlc analysis of the reaction mixture revealed that baccatin iiia was completely consumed . the reaction mixture was quenched with 10 ml saturated nh 4 cl solution . the reaction mixture was extracted with ether ( 10 ml ร 3 ), then dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), and the combined extracts were washed with brine , dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated to give the crude product . the crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 3 ) as the eluant to 2 - eeo - 3 - phenylpropanoyl !- 10 - deacetyl - 14 - hydroxy - baccatin iii ( iia - ee ) as a white solid . this protected taxane iia - ee was treated with zn in acetic acid at 60 ยฐ c . for 9 h . the reaction mixture was filtered on a glass filter and the filtrate was condensed in vacuo . the residue was redissolved in ch 2 cl 2 , and zn salt was removed by filtration to give the crude product . this crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 3 : 1 ) as the eluant to give 33 . 7 mg ( 75 %) of taxane iia as a white powder having the identification data shown below : mp 198 ยฐ- 202 ยฐ c . ; ฮฑ ! d 20 - 13 . 2 ( c 0 . 38 , meoh ); 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 17 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 20 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 74 ( s , 3h , h19 ), 1 . 84 ( m , 1h , h6b ), 2 . 14 ( s , 3h , h18 ), 2 . 17 ( s , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 60 , ( m , 1h , h6a ), 3 / 07 ( bs , 1h , 2 &# 39 ;- oh ), 4 . 03 ( d , j = 6 . 6 hz , 1h , h3 ), 4 . 14 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20 ), 4 . 27 ( m , 3h , h20 , h7 , 10 - oh ), 4 . 55 ( m , 1h , h2 &# 39 ;), 4 . 99 ( bd , 1h , h5 ), 5 . 07 ( m , 1h , h13 ), 5 . 17 ( d , j = 5 . 8 hz , 1h ), 5 . 34 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 5 . 65 ( d , j = 5 . 7 hz , 1h , h14 ), 5 . 83 ( bd , 2h , h2 , h3 &# 39 ;), 6 . 91 ( d , j = 9 . 4 hz , 1h , nh ), 7 . 36 - 7 . 59 ( m , 11h ), 7 . 77 ( bd , 2h ), 8 . 15 ( bd , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 9 . 53 , 15 . 32 , 20 . 66 , 22 . 08 , 26 . 03 , 29 . 69 , 37 . 06 , 42 . 85 , 46 . 50 , 54 . 68 , 58 . 00 , 71 . 63 , 72 . 06 , 73 . 60 , 75 . 03 , 76 . 60 , 77 . 12 , 78 . 82 , 80 . 31 , 83 . 98 , 127 . 10 , 127 . 24 , 128 . 25 , 128 . 42 , 128 . 84 , 129 . 04 , 130 . 62 , 132 . 51 , 133 . 59 , 135 . 04 , 137 . 89 , 140 . 68 , 166 . 49 , 168 . 13 , 170 . 86 , 172 . 12 , 211 . 58 ; ir ( chcl 3 ) n 3632 , 3434 , 3026 , 3016 , 2943 , 2838 , 1724 , 1648 ; anal . calcd for c 45 h 49 no 14 : c , 65 . 29 ; h , 5 . 97 ; n , 1 . 69 . found : c , 65 . 15 ; h , 6 . 01 ; n , 1 . 79 . this example included a deprotection step to obtain taxane ( iia ) as shown in scheme 4 . to a solution of 50 mg ( 0 . 055 mmol ) of baccatin iva in 10 ml of thf , 0 . 06 ml ( 0 . 06 mmol ) of nahmds was added at - 40 ยฐ c . over 10 min period . a solution of 25 mg ( 0 . 083 mmol ) of n - t - boc - ฮฒ - lactam vb - d - ee in thf was added at - 40 ยฐ c . and stirred for 1 hr . the reaction was quenched by addition of saturated nh 4 cl at - 40 ยฐ c . the organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate . the combined organic extracts were dried over anhydrous na 2 co 3 and concentrated in vacuo . the crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 3 ) as the eluant to give 54 . 2 mg ( 82 %) of 7 , 10 - ditroc - 14 - ( 2r , 3s )- 3 -( tert - butoxycarbonyl ) amino - 2 - eeo - 3 - phenylpropanoyl !- 10 - deacetyl - 14 - hydroxybaccatin iii ( iib - ditreo - ee ) as a white solid . this protected taxane iib - ditroc - ee was treated with 0 . 5n hcl in thf at room temperature for 1 hr . the reaction mixture was dried over anhydrous na 2 co 3 and purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 1 : 3 ) as the eluant to give 40 . 0 mg ( 81 %) of taxane iib - ditroc as a white powder : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 19 ( s , 3h , h17 ), 1 . 24 ( s , 3h , h16 ), 1 . 45 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 85 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 03 ( m , 1h , h6b ), 2 . 24 ( s , 3h , h18 ), 2 . 37 ( s , 3h , 4 - oac ), 2 . 65 ( m , 1h , h6a ), 3 / 01 ( d , j = 5 . 7 hz , 1h , oh ), 4 . 01 ( d , j = 6 . 8 hz , 1h , h3 ), 4 . 15 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20 ), 4 . 32 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 1h , h20 ), 4 . 36 ( d , j = 5 . 6 hz , 1h , nh ), 4 . 62 ( d , j = 11 . 8 hz , 1h ), 4 . 79 ( s , 2h ), 4 . 92 ( d , j = 11 . 8 hz , 1h ), 4 . 95 - 5 . 02 ( m , 3h , h2 &# 39 ;, h5 , oh ), 5 . 18 ( d , j = 9 . 5 hz , 1h , h13 ), 5 . 34 ( d , j = 9 . 5 hz , 1h , h14 ), 5 . 63 ( dd , j = 7 . 2 , 10 . 5 hz , 1h , h7 ), 5 . 71 ( d , j = 5 . 1 hz , 1h , h3 &# 39 ;), 5 . 84 ( d , j = 6 . 8 hz , 1h , h2 ), 6 . 34 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 7 . 29 - 7 . 60 ( m , 8h ), 8 . 12 ( bd , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 15 . 33 , 22 . 25 , 28 . 11 , 28 . 17 , 28 . 30 , 28 . 45 , 28 . 50 , 33 . 26 , 42 . 85 , 46 . 82 , 55 . 98 , 56 . 51 , 71 . 88 , 73 . 05 , 73 . 60 , 76 . 22 , 76 . 57 , 77 . 61 , 77 . 67 , 77 . 88 , 79 . 65 , 80 . 01 , 81 . 31 , 83 . 54 , 83 . 60 , 94 . 21 , 126 . 97 , 128 . 99 , 128 . 37 , 128 . 74 , 128 . 92 , 130 . 48 , 131 . 21 , 133 . 67 , 138 . 55 , 144 . 71 , 153 . 07 , 153 . 22 , 156 . 23 , 166 . 22 , 171 . 04 , 171 . 97 , 200 . 88 ; this example shows only the coupling of baccatin ( iva ) with ฮฒ - lactams ( vb - d ) protected with ee to obtain a protected taxane as shown in scheme 4 . in this example the taxane which was obtained was iib - ditroc . to a solution of 108 mg ( 0 . 09 mmol ) of iib - ditroc in 2 ml of acetic acid and 3 ml of meoh , 240 mg of zn ( activated ) was added at room temperature . the temperature was increased to 60 ยฐ c . and the mixture was stirred for 2 hrs . the reaction mixture was filtered on a glass filter and the filtrate was condensed in vacuo . the residue was redissolved in ch 2 cl 2 , and zn salt was removed by filtration to give 116 mg of crude product . this crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using etoac / hexanes ( 4 : 1 ) as the eluant to give 48 . 8 mg ( 70 %) of taxane iib as a white powder : 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) ฮด 1 . 15 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 16 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 45 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 73 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 81 ( m , 1h , h6b ), 2 . 13 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 36 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 60 ( m , 1h , h6a ), 3 / 03 ( d , j = 5 . 7 hz , 1h , oh ), 4 . 02 ( d , j = 6 . 9 hz , 1h , h3 ), 4 . 17 ( d , j = 8 . 5 hz , 1h , h20 ), 4 . 25 - 4 . 34 ( m , 4h , h20 , h7 ), 4 . 83 ( d , j = 6 . 0 hz , 1h ), 4 . 99 ( m , 2h , h2 &# 39 ;, h5 ), 5 . 18 ( d , j = 9 . 5 hz , 1h , h13 ), 5 . 31 ( s , 1h , h10 ), 5 . 37 ( d , j = 9 . 5 hz , 1h , h14 ), 5 . 67 ( d , j = 6 . 0 hz , 1h , h3 &# 39 ;), 5 . 83 ( d , j = 6 . 9 hz , 1h , h2 ), 7 . 31 - 7 . 56 ( m , 8h ), 8 . 12 ( bd , 2h ); this example illustrates the deprotection step of iib - ditroc to obtain the taxane iib as shown in scheme 4 . compounds sb - t - 101131 , sb - t - 101133 , sb - t - 101134 , sb - t - 10114 , sb - t - 101141 , sb - t - 101142 , sb - t - 101143 , sb - t - 101144 , sb - t - 101146 , sb - t - 101151 and sb - t - 101161 were prepared according to the protocols described in examples 59 and 60 above . these compounds were evaluated for cancer activity against human cancer cell lines of a121 ( ovarian cancer ), a549 ( non - small cell lung cancer ), ht - 29 ( colon cancer ), mcf7 ( breast cancer ), and mcf7 - r ( adriamycin resistant breast cancer ). table 1 below illustrates the activity of these compounds as ic 50 values in a nm concentration . table 1______________________________________anticancer activity of new taxanes ( ic . sub . 50 nm ). a121 . sup . a a549 . sup . a ht - 29 . sup . a mcf7 . sup . ataxane ( ovarian ) ( nsclc ) ( colon ) ( breast ) mcf7 - r . sup . a , b______________________________________paclitaxel 6 . 1 3 . 6 3 . 2 1 . 7 300docetaxel 1 . 2 1 . 0 1 . 2 1 . 0 235sb - t - 101131 1 . 2 0 . 7 1 . 5 1 . 1 36sb - t - 101133 1 . 1 1 . 2 3 . 3 0 . 7 22sb - t - 101134 0 . 6 0 . 6 1 . 3 0 . 6 22sb - t - 10114 1 . 7 0 . 2 0 . 5 0 . 5 54sb - t - 101141 1 . 5 1 . 4 2 . 4 3 . 3 36sb - t - 101142 0 . 7 0 . 5 0 . 6 0 . 1 21sb - t - 101143 0 . 5 0 . 5 1 . 0 0 . 2 24sb - t - 101144 0 . 7 0 . 6 1 . 2 0 . 2 22sb - t - 101146 0 . 6 0 . 5 0 . 7 0 . 3 38sb - t - 101151 2 . 4 0 . 4 3 . 0 1 . 6 49sb - t - 101161 0 . 4 0 . 5 0 . 6 0 . 5 58______________________________________ . sup . a ic . sub . 50 represents the concentration that inhibits 50 % of cell proliferation . . sup . b mcf7r = mammary carcinoma cells 180 fold resistant to adriamycin . the cytotoxicities of the new taxanes shown in fig1 hereto and listed in table 1 were evaluated in vitro against human cancer cell lines according to methods more particularly described in ojima , i ., et al ., &# 34 ; structure -- activity relationships of new taxoids derived from 14ฮฒ - hydroxy - 10 - deacetyl / baccatin iii ,&# 34 ; journal of medicinal chemistry , 37 , 1408 - 1410 ( 1994 ) and ojima , i ., et al ., &# 34 ; synthesis and biological activity of 14 - hydroxydocetaxel ,&# 34 ; bioorganic and medicinal chemistry letters , 4 , 1571 - 1576 ( 1994 ) the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full . the smaller the ic 50 number , the stronger the activity of the taxane . it is readily apparent that these compounds exhibit superior cytotoxicity when compared with paclitaxel and docetaxel . the cytotoxicity of these compounds against cancer cells was enhanced by at least one order of magnitude . the procedures set forth above describe highly sophisticated and elegant protocols for production of significantly enhanced compounds useful in the treatment of cancer . thus , while there have been described what are presently believed to be the preferred embodiments of the present invention , those skilled in the art will realize that other and further modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the true spirit of the invention , such further and other modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of the appended claims .
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there is shown in the drawing in fig1 - 3 curtain hardware and more specifically , a curtain rod bracket 10 formed from a metal such as sheet steel and which may be fabricated by a stamping operation . the bracket 10 comprises a base 12 which is generally rectangular in configuration and which has a flat , curtain rod hook 14 extending from each long side edge in right angle relation to the horizontal plane of the base 12 . a pair of spaced prongs 16 are integral with and extend from each short edge of the base 12 in the opposite direction of the hooks 14 . each of the prongs 16 has a tapered , free terminal end which is adapted to penetrate wooden window trim and is in right angle relation to the horizontal plane of the base 12 . a rectangular hammer strike pad 18 is integral with and extends upwardly from the base 12 . the strike pad 18 is positioned between and spaced from the curtain rod hooks 14 and includes an upper surface 20 which lies on a horizontal plane positioned above the free edges of the curtain rod hooks 14 . the strike pad 18 in the embodiment disclosed in fig1 - 3 has a hollow interior open at the edge on the same horizontal plane as the base 12 . if desired , the strike pad could be a solid bar extending upwardly from the base 12 in the same position as the strike pad 18 . the strike pad 18 extends from one short edge of the base 12 to the other . a breakaway tab handle 22 extends from a corner of the base 12 on the same horizontal plane as the base 12 between a curtain rod hook 14 and a prong 16 . the tab handle 22 is generally rectangular in configuration although its free terminal end may be rounded in plan view as shown in fig1 . the tab handle 22 is weakened on a transverse breakaway line 24 in close proximity to the juncture with the base 12 . a groove , a series of in - line spaced apertures or other well known means may be utilized to provide the breakaway line 24 . the improved curtain rod bracket 10 is used in pairs , one bracket on each side of a window . the curtain rod bracket 10 is held by the operator in his left hand by grasping the tab handle 22 and then positioned on a wooden window casing . the right hand utilizes a hammer and by hitting the strike pad 18 drives the prongs 16 into the window casing . with the bracket 10 fixed in position , the tab handle 22 is bent up and down along the weakened line 24 breaking the tab handle 22 from the base 12 . another bracket 10 is positioned and nailed on the window casing on the opposite side from the first bracket 10 and in the same manner as the first bracket 10 . a pair of curtain rods may then be engaged to the curtain rod hooks 14 in a manner well known in the art . a variation of the bracket 10 is shown in the drawings at fig4 and 5 , numbered 10a . the curtain rod bracket 10a is formed of similar materials and in a similar manner to that of the bracket 10 . the bracket 10a comprises a generally rectangular base 12a which has a flat , curtain rod hook 14a extending from a long side edge in right angle relation to the horizontal plane of the base 12a . a prong 16a extends from each short edge of the base 12a in the opposite direction from that toward which the curtain rod hook 14a extends . the prongs 16a have the same configuration and function as the prongs 16 . a rectangular hammer strike pad 18a extends upwardly from the base 12a and spaced from the curtain rod hook 14a . the strike pad 18a has the same configuration and construction as the strike pad 18 , has its upper surface 20a located on a plane above the free edge of the hook 14a and extends from one short edge of the base 12a to the other . a breakaway tab handle 22a extends from a corner of the base 12a on the same horizontal plane as the base 12a . the tab handle 22a is weakened on a line 24a which is positioned and formed in the same manner as the line 24 of the tab handle 22 . the variation 10a of the bracket 10 is also used in pairs in the same manner as the bracket 10 and the tab handle 22a , after being utilized in the same way as the tab handle 22 , is broken off and discarded . a pair of the bracket variations 10a are adapted to be engaged to a window casing in the usual manner to hold a single curtain rod . there is shown in fig6 - 11 window shade hardware and more specifically a pair of window shade holders comprising a slot member 26 and an aperture 28 . the aperture member 28 comprises a cup - like base portion 30 having a peripheral edge 32 from which a pair of prongs 16b extend . the prongs 16b are positioned on opposite sides of the base portion 30 and each of them has a tapered , free terminal end which is adapted to penetrate wooden window trim or frames . a through hole 34 is formed in the base portion 30 and has its vertical axis coaxially aligned with the vertical central axis of the base portion 30 . a breakaway tab handle 22b is integral with and extends from the peripheral edge 32 on a horizontal plane at right angles to the vertical , central axis of the base portion 30 . the tab handle 22b is weakened on a transverse breakaway line 24b which is formed in close proximity to the juncture with the peripheral edge 32 . the slot member 26 comprises a cup - like base portion 30a having a peripheral edge 32a from which a pair of prongs 16c extend . the prongs 16c are similar in configuration and in position to the prongs 16b . a breakaway tab handle 22c similar in configuration , function , and location to the tab handle 22b extends from the peripheral edge 32a and includes a transverse breakaway line 24c positioned in close proximity to the juncture with the peripheral edge 32a . the window shade holders are used in pairs with the aperture member 28 positioned on one side of a window casing and the slot member 26 positioned on the other side of the window casing .
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referring initially to fig1 , a tubular skylight made in accordance with the present invention is shown , generally designated 10 , for lighting , with natural sunlight , an interior room 12 having a ceiling dry wall 14 in a building , generally designated support the roof 18 and ceiling dry wall 14 . as shown in fig1 , the skylight 10 includes a rigid hard plastic or glass roof - mounted cover 21 . the cover 21 is optically transmissive and preferably is transparent . in one embodiment , the cover 21 can be the cover disclosed in the above - mentioned &# 39 ; 712 patent . or , the cover 21 can be other suitable covers , such as the covers marketed under the trade name โ solatube โ by the present assignee . the cover 21 is mounted to the roof 18 by means of a ring - like metal flashing 22 that is attached to the roof 18 by means well - known in the art . the metal flashing 22 can be angled as appropriate for the cant of the roof 18 to engage and hold the cover 21 in the generally vertically upright orientation shown . as further shown in fig1 , an internally reflective hollow metal shaft assembly , generally designated 24 , is connected to the flashing 22 . the cross - section of the assembly 24 can be cylindrical , rectangular , triangular , etc . accordingly , while the word โ tube โ is used from time to time herein , it is to be understood that the principles of the present invention are not to be limited to a tube per se . the shaft assembly 24 extends to the ceiling 14 of the interior room 12 . per the present invention , the shaft assembly 24 directs light that enters the shaft assembly 24 downwardly to a light diffuser assembly , generally designated 26 , that is disposed in the room 12 and that is mounted to the ceiling 14 or to a joist 20 as described in the above - mentioned &# 39 ; 593 patent . or steel , or the shaft assembly 24 can be made of plastic or other appropriate material . the interior of the shaft assembly 24 is rendered reflective by means of , e . g ., electroplating , anodizing , metalized plastic film coating , or other suitable means . in one preferred embodiment , the shaft assembly 24 is rendered internally reflective by laminating the inside surface of the shaft assembly with a multi - ply polymeric film made by minnesota mining and manufacturing ( 3m ). a single ply of such film is transparent , but when hundreds of layers are positioned flush together and then thermally laminated to the interior surface of the shaft assembly 24 , the combination is specularly reflective , preferably , over fifty percent ( 50 %) specular reflective . by fifty percent ( 50 %) specular reflective , it is meant that fifty percent ( 50 %) of an incident beam is reflected back off the film for each reflection . in one preferred embodiment , the shaft assembly 24 is established by a single shaft . however , as shown in fig1 , if desired , the shaft assembly 24 can include multiple segments , each one of which is internally reflective in accordance with present principles . specifically , the shaft assembly 24 can include an upper shaft 28 that is engaged with the flashing 22 and that is covered by the cover 21 . also , the shaft assembly 24 can include an upper intermediate shaft 30 that is contiguous to the upper shaft 28 and that can be angled relative thereto at an elbow 31 if desired . moreover , the shaft assembly 24 can include a lower intermediate shaft 32 that is slidably engaged with the upper intermediate shaft 30 for absorbing thermal stresses in the shaft assembly 24 . and , a lower shaft 34 can be contiguous to the lower the bottom of the lower shaft 34 being covered by the diffuser assembly 26 . the elbow 35 is angled as appropriate for the building 16 such that the shaft assembly 24 connects the roof - mounted cover 21 to the ceiling - mounted diffuser assembly 26 . it is to be understood that where appropriate , certain joints between shafts can be mechanically fastened and covered with tape in accordance with principles known in the art . as shown in fig2 and disclosed in further detail below , each segment of the shaft assembly 24 ( or the sole segment of a single - shaft assembly 24 ) is internally coated and configured as follows . taking the lower shaft 34 as illustration , to provide a means by which light reflected through the shaft is diffused before reaching the diffuser assembly 26 , plural surface irregularities 38 are formed on the interior surface 36 of the lower shaft 34 . when a first ray of light , represented by line 40 , is reflected by a surface irregularity 38 , it is reflected at an angle with the interior surface 36 that is different from the reflection angle of a second ray of light , represented by line 42 , that is reflected by a different portion of the interior surface 36 . as shown , this continues as the light 40 , 42 is reflected through the length of the shaft 34 . each time , the first ray of light 40 is reflected by a surface irregularity 38 or a smooth portion of the interior surface 36 at an angle different from the second ray of light 42 . thus , as sunlight , including the first ray 40 and second ray 42 , is reflected through the shaft 34 , it is diffused by the surface irregularities 38 , and the likelihood of any focal points forming in the reflected light is eliminated . it is to be discernable pattern , as shown . referring to fig3 a , details concerning the configuration of a non - limiting example of a surface irregularity 38 is shown . fig3 shows that a surface irregularity 38 can include an upper - oriented surface 44 and a lower - oriented surface 46 . as shown , the upper surface 44 is formed at an angle ฮฑ with respect to the longitudinal axis l . the angle ฮฑ is such that it will alter the path of a ray of light striking it without causing the light to be reflected back up the shaft toward the skylight dome 21 , e . g ., ฮฑ & lt ; ninety degrees ( 90 ยฐ). it is to be understood that the angle ฮฑ can be altered if the shaft 34 is angled with respect to vertical in order to prevent light from being reflected up the shaft 34 . the angle ฮฒ is chosen so that it is less acute than the angle ฮฑ , or otherwise established to ensure that the length of the lower - oriented surface 46 is less than the length of the upper - oriented surface 44 , to prevent downward - propagating light from being reflected back up the shaft 34 toward the dome 21 . it is to be appreciated that the surface irregularities 38 can be nearly any shape and size , as long as they alter the reflection angle of light traveling through the shaft 34 , but do not reflect light back up the shaft 34 . it is also to be appreciated that each of the shafts 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 which can make up a multi - segment shaft assembly 24 can be formed with the surface irregularities 38 so as to diffuse the light along the entire length of the shaft assembly 24 . fig3 a shows that the surface irregularity 38 can be formed in the shaft 34 . the shaft 34 acts as a substrate to which a reflective film 47 is attached using an substrate and then the film 47 is laid over the adhesive 48 . fig3 b shows that a surface irregularity 38 a can be formed in an adhesive 48 a instead of a substrate , i . e ., a shaft 34 a . then , as described in detail below , a film 47 a can be laid over the adhesive 48 a . in either case , whether formed in the substrate or the adhesive 48 , 48 a , since the film 47 , 47 a conforms to the adhesive 48 , 48 a and the substrate , the irregularity introduces a surface anomaly in an otherwise smooth cylindrical film surface for diffusing light . still further , as shown in fig3 c plural radial grooves 38 c can completely or partially circumscribe a shaft 24 c to establish the present surface irregularity . each groove 38 c can have an upper segment 39 c and a lower segment 39 d , with the length โ x โ of each upper segment 39 c being one - half the length โ y โ of the lower segment 40 c . as yet another example , fig3 d shows that plural longitudinal grooves 38 d that run part way or completely the vertical length of a skylight shaft 24 d can establish the present surface irregularities . or , surface irregularities can be formed randomly , without any pattern at all . referring now to fig4 , a method for forming the surface irregularities 38 is shown . commencing at block 50 , a flat substrate , e . g ., a sheet of aluminum or steel , is provided . at block 52 , the surface irregularities 38 are formed in the substrate . the surface irregularities can , e . g ., be formed by moving the substrate through appropriately formed rollers , rolling an appropriately formed roller across the to the logic , at block 54 adhesive is applied to the substrate . thereafter , a reflective film is applied to the substrate on the adhesive . at block 58 , a shaft , having the surface irregularities on the inside , can be formed by bending the flat substrate into a cylinder . fig5 shows a first alternative method for forming the surface irregularities of the present invention . commencing at block 60 , a flat substrate is provided . at block 62 , adhesive is applied to the substrate . moving to block 64 , the surface irregularities are formed in the adhesive by , e . g ., rolling the adhesive using a roller having a pattern in the desired configuration , so that portions of the adhesive are thicker than other portions , establishing the irregularities . thereafter , at block 66 , a reflective film is applied to the substrate over the adhesive formed with the surface irregularities . continuing to block 68 , a shaft is formed from the substrate . referring to fig6 a second alternative method for forming the surface irregularities is shown and commences at block 70 wherein a flat substrate is provided . then , at block 72 an adhesive is applied to the substrate . proceeding to block 74 , a reflective film is applied to the substrate on the adhesive . at block 76 , the surface irregularities are formed by , e . g ., rolling a roller across the film , to alter the thickness of the adhesive between the film and the substrate in the appropriate places . thereafter , at block 78 , a shaft can be formed with the surface irregularities located in the interior of the shaft . irregularities . commencing at block 80 , a flat substrate is provided . continuing to block 82 an adhesive is applied to the substrate . then , at block 84 a reflective film is applied to the substrate over the adhesive . moving to block 86 , the surface irregularities are formed in the substrate such that they protrude through the reflective film . the surface irregularities can be formed , e . g ., by moving the substrate with the film glued , or otherwise attached thereto , through appropriately formed rollers . thereafter , a shaft can be formed that has the surface irregularities formed therein . it is to be understood that each tubular component of the shaft assembly 24 can be formed with the surface irregularities 38 described above . moreover , it can be appreciated that the surface irregularities 38 effectively diffuse sunlight entering the shaft assembly 24 such that focal points are reduced at the diffuser . moreover , hot spots within the light exiting the shaft assembly 24 are eliminated . fig8 shows another way of forming the surface irregularities . commencing at block 88 the substrate is provided , and at block 90 the film is provided . at block 92 the adhesive is applied to the film to establish the desired surface irregularities . the film is then applied to the substrate at block 94 , and the substrate then formed into the shaft , tubular or otherwise , at block 96 . fig9 shows yet another way of forming the surface irregularities . commencing at block 98 the substrate is provided , and at block 100 the film is provided . the adhesive is applied to the film at block 102 in a thin , uniform layer . in contrast , at block 104 a random or repeatable surface irregularity pattern is applied at block 102 . the film is then adhered to the substrate at block 106 , and the substrate then formed into the shaft , tubular or otherwise , at block 108 . while the particular skylight tube with reflective material surface and surface irregularities as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above - described objects of the invention , it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention , that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art , and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims , in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean โ one and only one โ unless explicitly so stated , but rather โ one or more โ. all structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above - described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims . moreover , it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention , for it to be encompassed by the present claims .
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referring now to fig1 there is seen an exemplary beamforming system 20 of the prior art . the system 20 is seen to comprise an array 22 of transducers 24 , three such transducers 24 being shown by way of example , it being understood that many more transducers 24 may be utilized in the array 22 . individual ones of the transducers 24 are coupled via delay lines 26 to the input terminals of a summer 28 which sums together the signals of the respective transducers 24 , the signals being delayed by the delay lines 26 by amounts of delay corresponding to the differences in times of arrival of a wavefront 30 upon the respective transducers 24 . the wavefronts 30 are understood to be the wavefronts of a sound wave propagating towards the array 22 in the direction of an arrow 32 . while known circuit elements , such as amplifiers which are coupled between the transducers 24 and the delay lines 26 , have been deleted to simplify the figure . memories 34 , which may be read - only memories , are coupled to the respective delay lines 26 for varying the delays in accordance with the direction in which a beam is to be formed . a generator 36 addresses the memories 34 in accordance with the desired angle of the beam , the beam signal appearing at the output terminal of the summer 28 on line 38 . the symbols for the frequency ฯ of the transducer signal , for time t , and for a delay ฯ imparted by a delay line 26 as shown in the figure . the mathematical expressions for the signals at the output terminals of the delay lines 26 are also shown in fig1 these mathematical expressions being of interest in that they are altered by the introduction of an intermediate frequency as will be seen with reference to fig2 . referring now to fig2 there is seen a simplified representation of a beamforming system 50 which comprises a set of signal channels 52 coupled to respective ones of the transducers 24 . in accordance with the invention , each of the channels 52 comprises a mixer 54 and a phase shifter 56 in addition to the delay line 26 and the memory 34 of fig1 . with reference to the mathematical expressions appended to the lines at the output terminals of the delay line 26 and the phase shifter 56 , it is noted that the order of the signal processing by the delay line 26 and the phase shifter 56 may be interchanged . as will be seen subsequently with reference to fig3 and 4 , the phase shifter 56 of the preferred embodiment of the invention is coupled between the mixer 54 and the delay line 26 in each signal channel 52 . however , in order to demonstrate the correction term introduced by the phase shifter 56 , the simplified diagram of fig2 shows the phase shifter 56 following the delay line 26 . as will be described subsequently with reference to fig4 the phase shift term introduced by the phase shifter 56 is accomplished digitally by multiplying a sample of the signal of a transducer 24 by a phase shift factor , the operation of the multiplier being independent of the frequency of the transducer signal thereby insuring that the phase shift function can be accomplished while retaining the bandwidth of the transducer signal . thereby , the signal bandwidth of the system 50 can be as large as the signal bandwidth of the system 20 of fig1 even though a phase shift correction term has been introduced as shown in the mathematical expressions . furthermore , it is noted that the magnitude of the phase shift term is independent of the frequency of the transducer signal , the magnitude of the phase shift term being dependent only on the frequency of a reference signal applied along line 58 to the mixer 54 by an oscillator 60 , and upon the magnitude of the delay introduced by a delay line 26 . in fig2 the operation of the three memories 34 of fig1 has been combined into that of a single memory 62 . in addition , the channels 52 comprise memories 64 which are addressed by the delay command signals on the lines 66 , individual ones of the lines being further identified by the legends a - c . thereby , since the delay line 26 and the memory 64 of a channel 52 are addressed by the same signal , the memory 64 directs the phase shifter 56 to provide the phase shift term which compensates for the delay introduced by the delay line 26 . with reference to both fig1 and 2 , and with reference to the mathematical expressions appended to the output terminals of the respective delay lines 26 , there is seen a delay term which is equal to the product of a frequency times a delay increment . the frequency in the delay term is the frequency of the signal of the respective transducer 24 , while the delay increment is the amount of delay imparted to the transducer signal by the respective delay line 26 . the mathematical symbol for the delay increment includes a subscript identifying the corresponding channel 52 . upon comparing the mathematical expressions of fig1 and 2 , it is seen that the output signal of the delay line 26 of fig2 includes an extraneous term equal to the product of the delay increment times the reference frequency on line 58 . the extraneous term is brought about in the system 50 by virtue of the operation of the mixer 54 which translates the frequency of the transducer signal to if . upon removal of the extraneous term by the phase shifter 56 , the mathematical expressions at the input terminals of the summers 28 in both fig1 and 2 are seen to contain the same delay terms , and are seen to be equal apart from the frequency translation . thereby , it is seen that the translation of the transducer signal on line 68 to a lower frequency on line 70 , whether the lower signal on line 70 be an if signal or a base band signal , can be accomplished by the system 50 without any dimunition in the accuracy of the beamforming process . the accuracy of the beamforming operation is retained with each beam direction that is selected by the address generator 36 since , upon an addressing of the memory 62 to provide the requisite delays in each of the channels 52 , the memories 64 provide the corresponding phase correction factors which are to be implemented by the phase shifters 56 . referring also to fig3 the first and the second graphs portray a situation wherein the mixer 54 of fig2 has reduced the frequency of the transducer signal on line 68 by an exemplary factor of two , it being understood that factors of three , four or other such factor , or the translation of the transducer signal to base band on line 70 , may be utilized . the signal on line 68 is portrayed in the first graph of fig3 while the if signal at the reduced frequency , on line 70 , is portrayed in the second graph of fig3 . the first two graphs are shown in registration with each other and with a third graph which depicts a set of sampling pulses . in the exemplary situation of fig3 it is seen that five of the sampling pulses occur during one cycle of the signal on line 68 while ten of the sampling pulses occur within one cycle of the signal on line 70 . since , in a sampled data system ( as will be described with reference to fig4 and 5 ), a quantization in the sampling operation produces temporal increments which are a fraction of the duration of a cycle of the signal being sampled . a finer quantization results in a greater accuracy in the beamforming operation . accordingly , it is seen that by translating the signal to the lower frequency of the second graph , greater accuracy is obtained than would have been possible by sampling the higher frequency signal portrayed in the first graph . referring now to fig4 there is shown the preferred embodiment of the system 50 which is shown in simplified diagrammatic form in fig2 . the embodiment of fig4 identified by the legend 50a , provides for both inphase and quadrature sampling of the transducer signal on line 68 in addition to the mixing operation described previously with reference to the mixer 54 . the inphase and quadrature sampling of the transducer signal ensure complete regeneration of the transducer signal upon a translation of the transducer signal to base band as well as to an intermediate frequency . the mixing and sampling operations are accomplished in a mixing system 54a , the phase shifting operation on the inphase and quadrature samples being accomplished by a phase shifter 56a , and the delaying of the inphase and quadrature samples being accomplished by a delay unit 26a . in fig4 the letters i and q identify the inphase and quadrature components of the sampled signal . appended to line 68 is a mathematical expression of an exemplary transducer signal , identified by the legend x ( t ), which is seen to have both an amplitude and phase which may vary as a function of time , t . the subscripts 1 , 2 , and 3 identify specific ones of the channels 52 in which the corresponding signals are found . the legend ts identifies the interval of time between successive samples of the transducer signal . the delay increments are in multiples , identified by the legend m , of the intersample interval , ts . the sample is accomplished in response to strobing signals provided at terminal c 1 of a clock 80 . the reference signal for the mixing operation is provided along line 58 from the oscillator 60 as was previously seen in fig2 . similarly , the generator 36 and the memory 62 function in fig4 as was taught previously with reference to fig2 . the system 50a further comprises a pair of summers 28 , one for summing the inphase component and one for summing the quadrature component of the delayed signals produced by each of the channels 52 . by way of example in the utilization of the beamformer of fig4 the inphase and quadrature beam component signals on lines 38a and 38b , respectively , are seen to be applied to an exemplary signal processor 82 having a fast - fourier transformer ( fft ) 84 . as is well known , an fft operates with inphase and quadrature signal samples , such as the beam samples of fig4 to provide spectral data thereof , such data being conveniently displayed as a signature pattern on a display 86 . referring also to fig5 the mixing system 54a is seen to comprise a pair of mixers 89 - 90 , a pair of filters 93 - 94 for extracting the lower side band of the mixing operation of the mixers 89 - 90 , a pair of sampling units 97 - 98 which are strobed by the clock 80 for sampling signals provided by the filters 93 - 94 , and a ninety - degree phase shifter 100 for introducing a quadrature relationship between the reference signals applied to the two mixers 89 - 90 . the phase shifter 52a is seen to comprise a set of four multipliers 101 - 104 , a pair of summers 107 - 108 and the memory 64 which was previously seen in fig2 . the delay unit 26a is seen to comprise a pair of delay lines 111 - 112 each of which comprises a shift register 114 and a selector switch 116 coupled to output terminals of the register 114 . in operation , the channel 52 of fig5 is seen to translate the transducer signal on line 68 to a lower frequency by the mixers 89 - 90 , the lower frequency signal being extracted from the mixers 89 - 90 by the filters 93 - 94 . thereupon , the signals provided by the filters 93 - 94 are sampled by the samplers 97 - 98 and applied to the multipliers 101 - 104 such that the inphase component of the signal samples are applied to the multipliers 101 and 103 while the quadrature component of the signal samples are applied to the multiplier 102 and the multiplier 104 . phase factors , identified by a mathematical expressions appended to the lines 119 - 120 of the memory 64 serve as the phase correction factors which , upon being multiplied by the inphase and quadrature components , result in the summation of a corrective phase factor in the argument of the sinusoidal function as was shown previously by the mathematical expressions of fig2 . the products of the multipliers 101 - 102 are summed together by the summer 107 , and the product of the multiplier 103 is subtracted from the product of the multiplier 104 by the summer 108 . the sum signals of the summers 107 - 108 , representing respectively the inphase and quadrature components of the transducer signal , are then applied respectively to the shift registers 114 of the delay lines 111 - 112 . in response to clock pulses from terminal c 1 of the clock 80 , the registers 114 shift the signal samples from cell to cell of the register 114 , the switch 116 selecting a sample upon a traversal of a predetermined number of cells of the register 114 to provide the delay designated by the memory 62 . the switches 116 and the delay lines 111 - 112 are operated by the delay command signal on the lines 66a - c which are referred to earlier with reference to fig2 . thereby , the correction factors introduced by the multipliers 101 - 104 corresponds to the delay imposed on the signal samples by the delay unit 26a . the output signals of the delay unit 26a are then coupled to the input terminals of the summers 28 as described diagrammatically in fig4 . the legends appended to the output terminals of the delay unit 26a in fig5 correspond to the legends appended to the output signals of the first of the channels 52 in fig4 . each of the channels 52 has , therefore , provided for a sampling of a transducer signal subsequent to the reduction of the frequency of the transducer signal , which , in accordance with the teachings of fig3 provides for a finer temporal quantization of the transducer signal by the delay unit 26a resulting in a more accurately formed beam sample by the summers 28 of fig4 . it is also noted that the correction factors on lines 119 - 120 of fig5 are independent of the frequency of the transducer signal on line 68 . furthermore , it is noted that the multipliers 101 - 104 are capable of operating at the sampling rate , fs , and , accordingly , do not introduce any bandwidth restrictions to the transducer signal . thereby , the system 50a of fig4 is capable of operating on the transducer signals without introducing any bandwidth restrictions thereto . it is understood that the above described embodiment of the invention is illustrative only and that the modifications thereof may occur to those skilled in the art . accordingly , it is desired that this invention is not to be limited to the embodiment disclosed herein but is to be limited only as defined by the appended claims .
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fig1 illustrates a basic multi - threaded micro - architecture 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention . the multi - threaded micro - architecture 100 can be leveraged across numerous multi - user spread spectrum receiver applications . the multi - threaded micro - architecture 100 includes a data cache 102 , a first finger processing element 104 , a second finger processing element 106 , an โ nth โ ( where โ n โ represents an arbitrary , configurable number ) finger processing element 108 , and a master control unit 110 . the master control unit includes a time slot table 112 and a partial sums search table 114 . in an exemplary embodiment , the number of finger processing elements in the architecture 100 is dependent on various design constraints and can vary from architecture to architecture without departing from the essence of this invention . for ease of explanation , three finger processing elements 104 , 106 , 108 are illustrated in fig1 . each finger processing element includes a secondary cache 122 , a data selection module 124 , a despread / dechannelize datapath 126 , and a symbol integration module 128 . incoming digital data , which contains code modulated user information , is buffered in the data cache 102 . the data cache 102 is shared by all finger processing elements 104 - 108 . each finger processing element 104 - 108 contains the necessary datapath for despreading , dechannelization , and symbol integration of the individual user channels . the master control unit 110 allocates time slots , maintains synchronization of the finger processing elements 104 - 108 , and maximizes throughput . for example , the partial sums search table 114 is allocated on a per searcher basis to extend search control flexibility across time slots . in an exemplary embodiment , the master control unit 110 is linked to an external processing element to manage time slot allocation among finger processing elements 104 - 108 . in an exemplary embodiment , the data cache 102 is a parallel port memory that is configured to enable multi - threaded access at virtually the same time . in one embodiment , a hierarchical caching structure is implemented where the data cache 102 includes a primary cache that is accessible by each finger processing element 104 - 108 in a round - robin manner . each finger processing element 104 - 108 includes a secondary cache that is configured to prefetch data from the primary cache and store such prefetched data . for example , if there are 16 finger processing elements , the first finger processing element 104 , during its turn to access the primary cache , prefetches 16 samples , such that it has 16 clock cycles of time before it needs to prefetch again . similarly , during the next clock cycle , the second finger processing element 106 prefetches 16 samples and so on . this way , the data cache 102 can be built as a multi - ported ram ( e . g ., 16 - ported ) at very low cost . further details on caching systems are disclosed in the above - referenced , concurrently filed application entitled โ generic finger architecture for spread spectrum applications โ. the processor architectures in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention use a common processing element ( e . g ., finger processing elements 104 - 108 ) to support varying spreading factors , modulation schemes , and user data rates . furthermore , the processor architecture enables flexible searching algorithms with variable length search windows , which are made possible in part by a shared search table and a master control . in addition , multiple data stream selection , such as varying antenna configuration , can be used to further reduce silicon costs for manufacturing the finger processing elements . further details on appropriate processor architecture are disclosed in the above - referenced , concurrently filed application entitled : โ apparatus and methods for sample selection and reuse of rake fingers in spread spectrum systems .โ in one embodiment , the multi - threaded micro - architecture 100 is a hardware computation resource that can be applied to a single computation process ( e . g ., a multipath of a given channel ). in another embodiment , the computation resource provided by the multi - threaded micro - architecture 100 can be enhanced by running the multi - threaded micro - architecture 100 at a clock rate higher than that required by a process ( e . g ., higher than the data rate for a communication protocol ). in this manner , resources of individual computation components , such as the multi - threaded microarchitecture 100 , can be time - shared across multiple computation processes ( e . g ., several multipaths and / or multiple channels ). additional information on the design and implementation of configurations into a configurable communication device is provided in a co - pending application bearing ser . no . 09 / 492 , 634 , now abandoned , and entitled โ improved apparatus and method for multi - threaded signal processing .โ this application is commonly assigned and is hereby incorporated for all purposes . fig2 illustrates an exemplary process for designing an optimal time - sliced and multi - threaded architecture . at step 202 , symbol processing requirements are determined . in an exemplary embodiment , a microprocessor workstation receives inputs of a range of applications to be supported by the architecture being designed . the process of determining an optimal component combination that maximizes the efficiency of the multi - threaded chip rate processor involves consideration of various system requirements . in an exemplary embodiment , system requirements include : ( 1 ) possible antenna configurations , incoming data rates , and combining requirements ; ( 2 ) downstream processing requirements that dictate output symbol rate requirements ; ( 3 ) processor interface requirements that impact the efficient allocation of finger processing elements ; ( 4 ) variations in the spreading / modulation processes that are applied to the expected data streams ; and ( 5 ) environmental requirements , such as search time , simultaneous multi - path tracking , and peak / average channel capacity requirements . in an exemplary embodiment , after consideration of system requirements , including the ones listed above , key architecture aspects can be determined . examples of the key aspects include : data cache memory requirements , number of finger processing elements , performance requirements of the finger processing elements , performance constraints of the finger processing elements , memory bandwidth requirements of the data cache , and time slot size to accommodate convenient downstream processing . in an exemplary embodiment , fundamental processing units are defined by applying a profiling process . the fundamental processing units are parameterizable processing blocks that may be application specific but can be enabled for a variety of protocols . the profiling process is performed from a system and hardware perspective to optimize time sliced and multi - threaded architecture . illustrative examples of fundamental processing units are the hardware kernels described in fig2 of co - pending u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 772 , 584 entitled โ a wireless spread spectrum communication platform using dynamically reconfigurable logic .โ additional information on the profiling process is provided in co - pending u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 565 , 654 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 807 , 155 , and entitled โ method of profiling disparate communications and signal processing standards and services .โ these applications are commonly assigned and are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes . during profiling , a determination is made of the lowest level of timing granularity needed . in digital signal processing the fundamental time unit is ordinarily the over - sampling rate of the originally transmitted signal which typically is the nyquest rate . in a typical spread spectrum system , the fundamental unit of time is the chip rate . the fineness of a desired granularity is determined by profiling the types of processing required for each application . further , in determining granularity , a trade off between fine granularity and high context switching overhead should be considered . in general , the finer the granularity , the better the algorithmic performance . but at the same time , the finer the granularity , the more context switching is required in hardware . in a preferred embodiment , the granularity should be fine enough that the targeted algorithms perform signal processing efficiently while allowing a given process of the targeted algorithms to run in the processor for as long as possible , thus , minimizing context switching overhead . in an exemplary embodiment , the time - sliced architecture in accordance with the invention is capable of supporting multiple spread spectrum applications that run at different granularities when optimized . for example , a first application may be optimized at 8 ร chip rate granularity while a second application may be optimized at 1 ร chip rate granularity . in another exemplary embodiment , the time - sliced architecture is able to call programming across different protocols in a given application space . in contrast to prior art architectures where the overall concern is regarding hardware resource utilization at a known and fixed performance level , the architecture in accordance with embodiments of this invention is not only application specific ( for a set of applications ) but also flexibly reconfigurable to support multiple applications . in one embodiment , the present architecture enables speed grading ( i . e ., sorting and assembly of components into useable devices in accordance with their demonstrated operating speed instead rejection of components for failure to meet a specified operating speed ) to control available flexibility . that is , the architecture can be configured into different channel densities depending on the number of logical processors it supports for each application . at step 204 , the target silicon processes needed to achieve the fundamental processing units defined in the previous step ( i . e ., profiling ) are determined . that is , actual physical parts that are capable of delivering each type of processes are determined . for example , most communication operations are linear , so adder and multiplier processing units are frequently required . thus , during this step , for a given application , the physical location of each necessary adder and / or multiplier ( as well as the physical locations of other processing units ) on silicon is determined based on data control flow and input / output location . at step 206 , the input and output data rates are determined for each application . in an exemplary embodiment , the input data rate is calculated on a data - samples - persecond - provided - at - input basis . output are determined by the worst case minimum rate reduction that occurs in the signal processing path . at step 208 , the size of the data cache 102 is determined . the appropriate size for data cache 102 for a spread spectrum application is determined based on balancing a trade - off between the size of the implementation ( in terms of actual die size ) and the delay spread that is associated with the mobile terminals or handsets . typically , all mobile terminals in the spread spectrum system are operating in the same frequency range . thus , the data cache 102 should be able to support two or more mobile terminals simultaneously at any given time . in an exemplary embodiment , a parallel port memory is used as the data cache 102 and a hierarchical caching structure that allows multiple threads to access the same data at the same time is implemented . in the hierarchical caching structure , a secondary cache associated with each processing thread prefetches data from a primary cache for that processing thread . at step 210 , a sensitivity analysis is performed . that is , varied combinations of time slot sizes and processing threads are checked for an optimized combination . for example , the optimal trade - off between context switching overhead and the size of the processing granularity is determined . in an exemplary embodiment , varying time slot sizes , finger processing element numbers , and independent data cache read ports are tested . the optimal number and size are determined in accordance with optimizing the complexity of silicon , including size , and channel capacity requirements . variability in time scheduling is determined based on basic time units . in other words , once basic time units have been determined , then variability in scheduling ( e . g ., timing of the occurrence of certain processes , number of each process per algorithm , etc .) for each algorithm is determined . for example , a given logic algorithm may require use of multiple processing threads . thus , an optimal trade - off between the number of logic algorithms running on the system and the amount of time needed to run each algorithm should be determined in view of the overall goal of maximizing channel density . in an exemplary embodiment , real time scaling can be achieved . for example , during off - peak hours , some or all logical threads may be disabled to conserve power consumption . the foregoing examples illustrate certain exemplary embodiments of the invention from which other embodiments , variations , and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . the invention should therefore not be limited to the particular embodiments discussed above , but rather is defined by the claims .
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referring now to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout , there is seen in fig1 a powered hand spreader 10 according to the present invention . spreader 10 comprises an upper assembly having a container 12 that may be selectively attached to or detached from a bottom assembly comprising a base 14 . container 12 comprises an upper housing 16 having a user handle 18 and defining a cavity 20 therein for holding particulate matter therein . as seen in fig4 , container 12 further includes a tubular chute 22 extending outwardly therefrom and having a series of circumferentially extending external ridge 24 . tubular chute 22 defines an opening 26 in the bottom of container 12 that allows any particulate in cavity 20 to be a gravity fed out of container 12 through opening 26 . it should be recognized by those of skill in the art that opening 26 may be temporarily covered by a foil or other closure to ensure that any potentially harmful particulate stored in container 12 are maintained in place prior to spreading operations . container 12 is preferably blow molded and further includes a pair of planar surfaces 28 and 30 to allow container 12 to be stabily positioned on a horizontal surface with opening 26 facing upwardly . as seen in fig4 , container 12 is interconnected to base 14 via a hook plate 32 that engages and is retained to the lower edge of container 12 via a hole 34 formed therethrough which tubular chute 22 may extend so that hole 34 engages ridge 24 . hook plate also include a peripheral edge 36 dimensioned to encompass and retain the lower edge 38 of container 12 . due to the inherent inaccuracies in blow molding processes , hook plate 32 can be injection molded and used to compensate for manufacturing irregularities in container 12 so that container 12 and hook plate 32 have consistent dimensions for further coupling to the bottom assembly of spreader 10 . as explained in detail below , this provides a modular design and allows for dependable coupling of container 12 to base 14 . to connect to base 14 , hook plate 32 further includes two opposing tabs 40 and 42 extending from hole 34 for releasable attachment to the rest of spreader 10 . referring to fig5 and 6 , spreader 10 further comprises a slide plate 44 having slots 46 and 48 corresponding to tabs 40 and 42 , respectively , to allow container 12 and hook plate 32 to be releasably attached to slide plate 44 . for example , slots 46 and 48 may each have a first , wide receiving portion 50 that extends to a second , narrow locking portion 52 so that container 12 and hook plate 32 may be mated with slide plate 44 by positioning container 12 and hook plate 32 at a rotationally offset angle from slide plate 44 , inserting tabs 40 and 42 into each wide receiving portion 50 of each of slots 46 and 48 , then rotating container 12 and hook plate 32 relative to slide plate 44 so that tabs 40 and 42 are moved into frictional locking engagement with narrow locking portion 52 of each of slots 46 and 48 to firmly engage container 12 and hook plate 32 with slide plate 44 . reverse rotation of container 12 and hook plate 32 relative to slide plate 44 thus allows for container 12 and hook plate 32 to be disengaged from slide plate 44 . slide plate 44 further includes a tubular channel 56 that has a first end 58 that is aligned and dimensioned to mate with tubular chute 22 of container 12 . the opposing end 60 of tubular channel 56 includes a first , closed portion 62 that covers a portion of opening 26 of container 12 as well as a second , open portion 64 having a control aperture 66 that is in fluid communication with opening 26 of container 12 , thereby reducing the amount of particulate that can be gravity fed out of opening 26 of container 12 . a rotatable slide 70 comprising a partial disk is positioned in tubular channel 56 , such as by a pivot boss 72 , to be moveable in response to manual input , such as by grasping one of more protrusions 74 extending from slide 70 . slide 70 can thus be selectively positioned to cover none or various amounts of control aperture 66 , thereby allowing adjustment of the amount of particulate that can flow from container 12 through chute 22 and out of control aperture 66 . in addition to controlling size of control aperture 66 , slide 70 assists in the dispensing of particulate by ensuring a relatively even flow of particulate into base 14 . more particularly , slide 70 may be aligned so that it does not extend perpendicularly to the direction of flow of particulate and thus encourages particular to flow toward control aperture 66 . in addition , by virtue of the agitation produced by the rotation of a blower 80 , described in detail below , slide 70 will vibrate at a high frequency corresponding to the rotational speed of blower 80 . this vibration of slide 70 assists with the flow of particulate to and through aperture 66 by preventing bridging of the particulate or stoppage of flow . to improve vibration of slide 70 , blower 80 may comprise an unbalanced fan , such as one having a single fan blade that is thicker than the other blades . referring to fig8 , spreader 10 further comprises a base 14 having a passageway 82 positioned in operative relation to control aperture 66 to accept any particulate matter and eject it from spreader 10 . more particularly , passageway 82 extends from a point adjacent to blower 80 circumferentially around blower 80 , thereby forming a shroud 86 for blower 80 , while gradually widening until a point 88 just proximate to and upstream of control aperture 66 . at a point 88 just prior to control aperture 66 , passageway 82 narrows slightly and then widens again as reaches and passes under aperture 66 and continues widening until reaching an exit opening 90 formed in base 14 . thus , any particulate fed through control aperture 66 will be entrapped in the airstream created by blower 80 , forced along passageway 82 and driven out of exit opening 90 . as seen in fig8 , base 14 further includes an air intake 92 in fluid communication with blower 80 so that blower can create an air stream in passageway 82 that leads out of exit opening 90 . the width of passageway 82 is defined and controlled as explained above to reduce air pressure at blower 80 , thereby improving efficiency , and also to create a slight negative pressure in passageway 82 underneath control aperture 66 . as a result , particulate being fed from container 12 is less likely to be forced back into container 12 and will instead be drawn into passageway 82 by gravity and a slight venturi effect . referring to fig1 , base 14 further comprises a cover 91 positioned over passageway 82 that includes an opening 93 aligned with control aperture 66 and passageway 82 to permit fluid communication therebetween . cover 91 further includes a battery compartment 94 and a detent 96 for supporting a motor 98 that is interconnected to and drives blower 80 . battery compartment 94 may include a door 97 enclosing compartment 94 that is aligned with and positioned in slide plate 44 . thus , in a preferred embodiment , slide plate 44 , cover 91 , and base 14 for a bottom assembly for spreader 10 and may be manufactured and assembled separately from container 12 and then coupled or decoupled from the upper assembly of container 12 and hook plate 32 during manufacturing or by a user . referring to fig1 , base 14 additionally includes a pull 100 that is moveable between a first , closed / off position and a second , open / on position . pull 100 is operatively interconnected to motor 98 , such as by having movable electrical contact points as part of a switch , to allow manual activation and deactivation of blower 80 as desired . pull 100 further includes an extending portion 102 that is capable of selectively covering the opposite side of control aperture 66 from slide 70 . thus , at the same time that pull 100 electrically activates or deactivates blower 80 , pull 100 also selectively uncovers and covers control aperture 66 . preferably , the distance that pull 100 moves before turning on blower 80 is less than the distance required to uncover aperture 66 , thus allowing an air stream to be formed in passageway 82 by blower 80 before any particulate is allowed to fall into passageway 82 through control aperture 66 . spreader 10 thus includes two assemblies that may be readily detached from each other . first , is an upper assembly comprising container 10 and hook plate 32 that are frictionally engaged to each other ( such as at the time of manufacture ) and , second is the bottom assembly comprising slide plate 44 , cover 93 , and base 14 , which can be permanently attached to each other at manufacture . this modularity allows either bottom assembly or top assembly to be reused or reconfigured for attachment to a replacement for the other assembly , as desired or needed . a user can thus obtain a spreader 10 that has been pre - filled with particulate , take spreader 10 to the location where the particulate is to be spread , extend pull 100 to activate blower 80 and , nearly simultaneously , allowing particulate to fall into passageway 82 , thereby blowing particulate out of spreader 10 onto the desired location . when spreading operations have concluded , the user can close pull 100 , thereby preventing any more particulate from being dispensed into base 14 and also turning off blower 18 . if all particulate has been exhausted , the user can separate base 14 from container 12 by twisting container 12 relative to slide plate 32 , and then attach a filled container 12 or a refilled container 12 back to base 14 for further use .
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referring to the figures , the exteriorly mountable vehicle step 10 of the present invention is depicted . as will be recognized , the step 10 is releasably mounted to a conventional receiver tow hitch 12 ( shown in fig1 and 5 ) which is rigidly attached to the frame or chassis of a motor vehicle 14 . as is well known , the receiver hitch 12 is formed having a square or rectangular axial opening 16 ( shown in fig5 ) and a hitch pin aperture 18 . the opening 16 is sized to receive a conventional trailer hitch ( not shown ) which is selectively mounted to the receiver hitch 12 via a hitch pin 19 ( shown in fig2 ) which is extended through the hitch pin aperture 18 and into the trailer hitch ( not shown ). the step 10 of the present invention is adapted to be mounted to the receiver hitch 12 in an analogous fashion . the step 10 includes a support component 26 which , in the preferred embodiment , comprises a rung upon which a user can stand and which preferably includes a generally flat central portion 28 for firm footing . in the preferred embodiment , the support component 26 is formed of a tubular metal material which can be chrome plated , painted or coated as desired . a coupler component 30 is rigidly attached for instance by a weld to the support component 26 and extends perpendicularly outwardly therefrom . the coupler component 30 is formed having a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration which is complimentary to and is sized to be received within the aperture opening 16 formed within the conventional receiver hitch 12 . the coupler component 30 includes a plurality of apertures 32 formed therein , the diameter of which is sized to receive the conventional hitch pin 19 therein . as best shown in fig4 and 5 , the lower surface of the support component 26 may include an l - shaped locking member 40 which is selectively mounted to the under surface via a threaded fastener such as a threaded knob 42 . by turning the knob 42 , the locking member 40 is moved toward or away from the under surface of the support member 26 . in the preferred embodiment , the locking member 40 is formed of metal but coated with a polymer material . with the structure defined , the mounting and operation of the step 10 of the present invention may be described . as best shown in fig5 the coupler component 30 of the step 10 is aligned with the opening 16 of the receiver hitch 12 and the support component 30 may then be axially positioned , i . e ., slidably received within the aperture 16 of the receiver hitch 12 . one of the apertures 32 formed on the coupler component 30 is aligned with the hitch pin aperture 18 formed in the receiver hitch 12 . as will be recognized , due to the coupler component 30 having plural apertures 32 formed therein , the step 10 may be adjusted relative the bumper of the vehicle 14 by aligning a desired aperture 32 with the aperture 18 formed in the receiver hitch 12 . when aligned , a conventional hitch pin 19 ( shown in fig2 ) may be extended through the aperture 18 and selected aperture 32 to lock the step 10 in a desired position upon the receiver hitch 12 . subsequently , the threaded knob 42 can be loosened to allow the distal end 50 of the locking member 40 to be positioned to extend over the enlarged end flange 52 formed on the conventional receiver hitch 12 . in this position , the proximal end 54 of the locking member 40 extends vertically upward to contact the support member 26 ; and upon tightening of the threaded knob 42 , tightly engages the under surface of the support member 26 . upon continued tightening of the threaded knob 42 , the distal end 50 of the locking member 40 tightly engages the end flange 52 of the receiver hitch 12 while the proximal end 54 tightly engages the under surface of the support component 26 . continued tightening of the threaded knob 42 causes a continual spring or biasing force to be applied to the locking member 40 which serves to eliminate relative movement or rattling of the step 10 relative the receiver hitch 12 . when mounted upon the vehicle 14 , the step 10 provides an easy and convenient platform to allow easy access to roof racks or truck beds or the like of a vehicle . further , the step 10 offers additional protection to vulnerable molded bumpers and the like of the vehicle 14 whereby during moderate impact , the vehicle bumper will be protected .
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the present invention , an exemplary embodiment of which is shown in fig7 includes an assay module or cytology collection apparatus 10 , comprising first and second detachable portions 44 , 42 , having first and second ports 54 , 41 , respectively . the first and second detachable portions 44 , 42 define a chamber 50 and the first and second ports 54 , 41 define a fluid flow path through the chamber 50 . a porous arrangement 46 having a collection site 45 adapted to collect cells may be positioned across the fluid flow path , the collection site 45 communicating with the first port 54 . the porous arrangement 46 within the cytology collection apparatus 10 is preferably adapted to define a flow path having first and second branches , the first branch 60 extending through the collection site 45 and the second branch 61 bypassing the collection site 45 . in a preferred embodiment , the invention includes a porous arrangement 46 having a first porous medium 46b , suitable for preventing the passage of cells therethrough , and a second porous medium 46a , suitable for removing particulate matter from the fluid . in a preferred embodiment , the porous arrangement 46 includes a first porous medium 46a and a second porous medium 46b , more preferably , a porous membrane 46b and a depth filter 46a wherein the depth filter communicates with the first port 54 through the porous membrane . in another embodiment , the depth filter 46a communicates with the first port 54 through a first branch of the flow path extending through the porous membrane 46b and communicates directly with the first port 54 through a second branch of the flow path . the first port 54 may be configured as a connector and may be adapted to connect to a container , or may be configured as a needle or cannula 74 or the like . second port 41 may be configured as a connector and may be adapted to connect to a syringe , or the like . the porous arrangement 46 may include a unitary structure having a first zone of density and pore size suitable to prevent the passage of cells therethrough and a second zone of density and pore size suitable for passing the fluid therethrough . the second zone may also remove particulate matter from the fluid . while the cytology collection apparatus 40 can be used for any biological fluid , it is particularly useful for preparing testing samples from urine and its associated cells for pap smears . it should be noted that various types of porous membrane can be used interchangeably with that of the present embodiment . while a polycarbonate membrane is especially suitable for use in the cytology collection apparatus of the present invention , other porous membranes are also suitable . one membrane that can be used for fluid screening is leucosorb โข, a leucocyte retention medium manufactured by pall biosupport division of pall corporation . other membranes manufactured and sold by the pall corporation are biodyne a โข, an unmodified nylon with surface chemistry 50 % amine and 50 % carboxyl group which has an isoelectric point of ph 6 . 5 ; biodyne b โข, a surface - modified nylon with surface chemistry characterized by a high density of strong cationic quaternary groups ( the zeta potential is positive to ph & gt ; 10 ); biodyne c โข, a surface - modified nylon with surface chemistry characterized by a high density of anionic carboxyl groups ( the zeta potential is negative to ph & gt ; 3 ; and loprodyne โข, a low protein binding nylon 66 membrane with a tightly controlled microporous structure having high voids volume for rapid , efficient throughput of liquids and absolute retention of microparticles designed for cell separation and bacterial cell immunoassays . in a preferred embodiment , the porous arrangement includes a porous polycarbonate membrane 46b , suitable for preventing the passage of cells therethrough . the porous arrangement may further include a depth filter 46a laminated to the porous polycarbonate membrane 46b . the depth filter 46a may be made of polypropylene or high density polyethylene porex ยฎ porous plastics . a preferred embodiment of the invention , shown in fig8 includes an assay module or cytology collection apparatus 10 which may be mounted on a collection cup 11 in which urine or other biological fluids , such as blood , cerebrospinal fluid ( csf ), bronchial lavage , sputum or fine needle aspirates may be collected . the collection cup 11 may be any container suitable for collection of body fluids . after fluid collection , the patient or supervising medical personnel places a lid 14 on the cup housing 16 . the cup housing 16 is preferably provided with an external threaded surface 12 the lid 14 may include a vent hole 13a with an optional removable vent cap 13b . the vent hole 13a may also be used to introduce a brush or spatula into the cup containing physiological saline solution or preservative after brushing or scraping the body site to obtain the cytology specimen . preferably , the lid has a body 20 which is molded with a downwardly directed cylindrical extended skirt or flange 22 which is threaded 24 on its inner surface 23 for screwing onto the external threaded surface 12 of the cup housing 16 . the lid body 20 also defines a well 26 in which a threaded nipple 28 may be integrally molded . the nipple 28 is provided with a channel 29 or the like leading to a hollow tube 30 which is preferably separately secured to the other side of the lid body in a circular planar seat 33 with its lumen 31 being axially aligned with the channel 29 of the nipple 28 . the tube 30 may have a series of perforations 32 and an open end 34 near the bottom of the collection cup 11 which allow different fluid layers as well as urinary sediments to be simultaneously tested when the urine or biological fluid is withdrawn from the cup . as shown in fig1 and 7 , the cytology collection apparatus 10 is preferably a two piece housing 40 with a first detachable portion 44 and a second detachable portion 42 , although any housing providing access to the porous arrangement 46 is suitable . preferably , a first porous medium 46b is mounted on a second porous medium 46a to form the porous arrangement 46 . more preferably , a porous polycarbonate membrane 46b is laminated on filter member 46a to form the porous arrangement 46 . the porous arrangement 46 may be mounted on an annular step or seat 43 formed in the interior cavity 50 of the second detachable portion 42 . the porous polycarbonate membrane 46b preferably has a pore size from about 0 . 22 microns to about 8 microns , more preferably from about 1 micron to about 6 microns , most preferably about 2 microns , which allows it to trap cells which are more than 3 microns in size . the polycarbonate membrane 46b , which may be mounted on the second porous medium 46a , is suitable to allow fluid flow to pass therethrough while preventing the passage of cells 60 . the second porous medium 46a is suitable for passing fluid therethrough and may also be capable of removing particulate matter from the fluid . the pore size of the second porous medium 46a may range from about 5 microns to about 60 microns , preferably from about 15 microns to about 45 microns , most preferably about 35 microns . as noted above , the second port 42 may be adapted to connect to a syringe 64 , or the like . exemplary connections include , but are not limited to a luer lock , a threaded luer lock , a friction connection , a tapered hose connection and a threaded connection . any means suitable for inducing the flow of fluid from a source container through the cytology collection apparatus may be used as part of the present invention . exemplary fluid flow inducing means include , but are not limited to a syringe or pump type device . syringe 64 has a barrel 66 and a piston ( not shown ) with assault piston head . in place of syringe 64 , any suitable pump type device , such as an autovial spunglass filter manufactured by genex corporation , could be used . also included in the scope of the present invention is the use of a flexible , collapsible container , such as a specimen container , which may be squeezed to force fluid through the cytology collection apparatus and into the syringe . the cytology collection apparatus 10 , as more clearly shown in fig1 , 7 and 8 may be mounted to syringe luer lock 62 and the nipple 28 of collection cup 11 . the cytology collection apparatus 10 preferably includes an easily openable housing and may comprise a simple two - piece construction including a first detachable portion 44 and a second detachable portion 42 . preferably , the cytology collection apparatus 10 comprises a female detachable portion 44 screwed onto a male detachable portion 42 . a skirt member 48 extends outward from base 47 and defines a cavity 50 and a flange 51 which holds o - ring 53 . the cavity 50 communicates with the bore 52 of the port 41 . the skirt 48 includes an annular step 43 , which forms a seat for a porous arrangement 46 . the inner surface 80 of the skirt 48 may be threaded . the porous arrangement 46 may comprise a polycarbonate membrane 46b laminated onto a disk shaped second porous medium 46a , which is preferably a depth filter . the second porous medium 46a may be provided with an outer cylindrical wall 81 having a threaded external surface , if such is desired , to screw into the step channel cut into skirt member 48 of the second detachable portion 42 . the outer cylindrical wall 81 of the porous arrangement 46 may extend past the end wall 49 of skirt member 48 . the area of the porous arrangement 46 which extends past skirt end wall 49 may act as a vent ( low resistance to flow ) to prevent piling up of cells on the surface 45 of the porous membrane 46b . as noted , the second detachable portion 42 may be provided with a threaded nipple 41 having a throughgoing bore 52 . the body of the second detachable portion 42 ( planar base 47 and skirt 48 ) defines a frustro conical chamber or cavity 50 in which a step 43 is formed which serves as a seat for the porous arrangement 46 . as previously noted , port 41 of the cytology collection apparatus 10 may be a threaded projection which is adapted to fit onto the luer lock 62 of a syringe 64 , such as one manufactured by becton dickinson & amp ; co . the first detachable portion 44 may be provided with a threaded luer lock 54 having a throughgoing bore 55 communicating with the chamber 50 . the threaded luer lock 54 may be screwed onto nipple 28 of a collection cup 11 to remove liquid from the collection cup or alternatively attached to a needle assembly 70 as shown in fig9 . the needle assembly 70 is constructed with a support member 72 defining a throughgoing aperture 73 in which is mounted a fine aspiration needle 74 with a lumen 75 . a threaded nipple member 76 is secured to the wall of the support member 72 thereby providing a means for the needle assembly 70 to be attached to the port 54 of the first detachable portion 44 . thus the needle assembly 70 can be used to aspirate biological fluid which is contained in the syringe or pump 66 . the present invention also includes a the method for transferring cells to a microscope slide . in contrast to currently available methods , the use of membrane filtration provides a method of depositing cells evenly over a slide with minimal overlap . this allows for clear observation and optimal diagnostic accuracy . as shown in fig1 , cells 60 from the collection site 45 on the surface of the polycarbonate membrane 46b may be placed on a glass slide 120 to transfer the cells , which then may be stained for cytologic determination . it is intended that the present invention should not be limited by the type of stain or detection protocol used . when the biological fluid is pulled from the collection cup 11 through tube 30 and port 54 of the first detachable portion 44 , fluid flows through porous membrane 46b and depth filter 46a as shown in fig5 so that a monolayer of cells is formed on the surface 45 of the porous membrane 46b . once the monolayer of cells is formed , fluid flow is reduced in the center of membrane 46b and increases towards the may be due to the blockage of fluid flow by the collected cells as they form the monolayer on the surface 45 of membrane 46b . when the monolayer has mostly covered the surface 45 of membrane 46b , as shown in fig1 , the flow of fluid bypasses the membrane surface 45 and passes through the extended side area of the second porous medium 46a . thus , the area of the second porous medium 46a extending beyond the end wall 49 of skirt 48 of the second detachable portion 42 acts as a vent ( with low resistance to flow ) which prevents the piling up of cells . the cytology collection apparatus 10 may then be disconnected from collection cup 11 and , optionally , from syringe 64 . it may then be unscrewed into two parts and the second detachable portion 42 and accompanying cell coated membrane 46a may be placed on a slide 120 , as shown in fig1 , so that a transfer of the membrane 46b with the monolayer on surface 45 occurs . the membrane 46b is then pressed on the slide using a tissue wipe allowing cells 60 to form a monolayer on the slide 120 . the membrane 46b can be removed from the slide leaving the cells 60 on the slide . this allows a cytological examination to be performed on the cells by the practitioner without the interference of the pores in the membrane or delay due to processing requirements . the cytology collection apparatus 10 described above may be used in combination with other suitable filtration or treatment devices . fig5 and 6 illustrate the use of a cytology collection apparatus 10 in combination with a debris filtering device 100 . any suitable debris filtration device 100 , such as a debris shuttle , may be used . the debris filtration device 100 preferably contains a cell filter 101 , has an inlet 102 and outlet 103 , and may be detachably connected to the cytology collection apparatus 10 . referring to fig5 a body fluid is first passed , preferably aspirated with a syringe , through the debris filtration device 100 . as the body fluid passes through the debris filtration device 100 , cells in the body fluid accumulate on the cell filter 101 mounted within the debris filtration device . the cell filter 101 should have pores large enough to permit debris to flow through while retaining the desired cells in the surface of the cell filter . the pore size of the cell filter 101 is preferably from about 3 microns to about 35 microns , more preferably 5 microns . fluid is continually aspirated through the cell filter 101 until the flow is stopped by the accumulation of a cell mass on the filter . after the flow of the body fluid ceases , the debris filtering device 100 may be connected to the first port 54 of the cytology collection apparatus 10 . fluid may be expelled through the debris filtering device 100 and the cytology collection apparatus 10 , in a direction opposite that employed above . this results in the transfer of the cell mass , in the form of a monolayer , from the cell filter 101 of the debris filtering device 100 to collection site 45 of the porous arrangement 46 within the cell collection apparatus 10 . a treatment device may also be used in combination with the cytology collection apparatus 10 . any suitable diagnostic or detection assembly may be used in conjunction with the cytology collection apparatus 10 . however , a preferable device is an apparatus for testing for the presence of cancer utilizing a sandwich assay . for example , the apparatus may comprise a housing including inlet and outlet ports defining a flow path between the inlet and the outlet ; a filter positioned across the flow path ; and substrate beads having a primary antibody bound to the surface thereof , the beads being contained within the outlet , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 953 , 561 . the cytology collection apparatus 10 of the present invention also allows for isolation and collection of fresh cells and / or microorganisms from biological fluids to perform dna probe and chromosomal analysis once the cells are hemolyzed by the proper buffer . the most widely used stain for visualization of cellular changes in cytology is the papanicolaou staining procedure . this stain , which is used for both gynecologic and non - gynecologic applications , is basically composed of blue nuclear and orange , red and green cytoplasmic counterstains . the nuclear stain demonstrates the chromatic patterns associated with normal and abnormal cells , while the cytoplasmic stains help to indicate cell origin . the success of this procedure can be attributed to the ability to observe a number of factors , including definition of nuclear detail and cell differentiation . this staining procedure also results in a multicolor preparation that is very pleasing to the eye , possibly reducing eye strain . since cellular detail is dependent on fixation , it is preferred that cells be fixed immediately after being deposited on the slide . too long a delay between preparation and fixation may expose the cells to drying , which may be detrimental to the cellular structure . moreover , air drying artifacts can adversely affect the subsequent staining results . an exception is when the cells are stained with wright - giemsa , where air drying is used as the fixation step . in an another embodiment of the present invention , the monolayer of cells may be fixed directly on the collection site . this may be carried out by first depositing a monolayer of cells on the collection site of the cytology collection apparatus as described above and subsequently passing a solution containing a fixative , such as alcohol or acetone , through the cytology collection apparatus . included within the scope of the present invention is the production of multiple specimens from a single patient sample . additional slides for other stain applications can be easily prepared . human papilloma virus testing , for example , by newer methods such as immunocytochemistry or in - situ hybridization can be performed on the additional slides . as oncogene products or other immunocytochemical tests are developed , more slides may be necessary . the different fixations that these tests may need can easily be incorporated into the procedure since the preparation does not require the slides to be fixed in only one way . this same slide preparation procedure can be used for virtually all forms of cytology . furthermore , the use of completely contained disposable components addresses biohazard concerns . ultimately , the enhanced presentation of cells , yielding improved cytologic interpretation , may expand the role of cytology by providing more consistent and reliable patient diagnosis . also , captured microorganisms can be cultured , as shown in fig1 , in culture medium such as a standard petri dish 90 . after a monolayer of cells has been collected in the cytology collection apparatus 10 , fluid may be passed through the collection site 45 towards first port 54 , thereby transferring the microorganisms to the petri dish 90 . in bacteria testing , the membrane 45 can be used for culturing with a qualture device ( not shown ) to determine the presence of specific bacteria colonies . the qualture device is a plastic capsule containing a filter membrane and four nutrient pads of dehydrated , selective media . the qualture technique is more sensitive than the agar plate method and more rapid in determining a presumptive diagnosis . the device screens , isolates and presumptively diagnoses bacterial isolates in one step most often in 4 - 6 hours . tests have demonstrated that recovery from fifty milliliters of fluid is excellent and sensitive . although the present invention has been described in terms of a particular preferred embodiments , it is not limited to those embodiments . alternative embodiments , examples , and modifications which would still be encompassed by the invention may be made by those skilled in the art , particularly in light of the foregoing teachings . therefore , the following claims are intended to cover any alternative embodiments , examples , modifications , or equivalents which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims .
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reference is now make in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . it is to be noted that like reference numerals denote the same components in the drawings . fig3 a to 3 f are schematic views of pn sequence ( orthogonal code ) generators based on hopping , delay , and interleaving of orthogonal or biorthogonal codes according to embodiments of the present invention . fig3 a illustrates a pn sequence ( orthogonal code ) generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 a , an orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 generates a predetermined orthogonal code hopping pattern . a delay controller 370 generates a delay control signal in accordance with the hopping pattern received from the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the present invention envisions similar apparatus , such as that described in fig3 a , to be deployed at a plurality of base stations whereby signal collision is prevented by setting different hopping patterns and delay amounts at each base station . orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate corresponding orthogonal symbols to be hopped . that is , each orthogonal symbol generator generates a code sequence corresponding to a specific walsh code number . orthogonal symbols output from generators 320 to 340 are supplied to one of the respective delays 325 to 345 . an orthogonal symbol selector 350 selects one of the delayed orthogonal symbols received from the delays 325 to 345 . the amount of delay and particular symbol selected are made under the control of the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . in operation , the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 each generate an orthogonal code sequences as shown in fig5 a and 6a . the code sequences are hopped according to a hopping pattern defined by symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the hopping pattern represents the order in which code sequences are sent . the delays 325 to 345 delay the outputs of the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 to be cyclically shifted by a number of symbols , predetermined by a delay controller 370 . what cyclically shifted means is as follows : ( a 1 a 2 a 3 * a 10 ) ( a 1 a 2 a 3 * a 10 )* is changed to ( a 2 a 3 * a 10 a 1 ) ( a 2 a 3 * a 10 a 1 )* where (*) is the peod . the orthogonal symbol selector 350 selectively outputs the delayed orthogonal symbols received from each of the respective delays 325 to 345 according to hopping pattern information received from the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 to thereby produce a pn sequence . fig5 a illustrates an exemplary reference orthogonal code set , and fig5 b , 5 c , and 5 d are related figures which illustrate the code set of fig5 a modified while maintaining orthogonality . the code sets of fig5 b , 5 c , and 5 d are obtained by cyclically shifting the reference orthogonal code set in the pn sequence generator , as shown in fig3 a . in the drawings , shaded portions indicate cyclically shifted chips in the respective rows , as determined by the delay controller 370 . fig3 b is a schematic view of a pn sequence generator according to a second embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 b , the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 generates predetermined hopping pattern information of an orthogonal code . an interleaver controller 380 generates an interleaving control signal based on the hopping pattern information received from the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate their corresponding orthogonal symbols , that is , rows of reference orthogonal symbols ( i . e ., orthogonal code sequences ), shown in fig5 a or 6 a , to be hopped . interleavers 322 to 342 interleave orthogonal symbols received from the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 under the control of the interleaver controller 380 . the orthogonal symbol selector 350 selectively outputs the interleaved orthogonal symbols under the control of the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . in operation , the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 of fig3 b generate orthogonal symbols to be hopped according to a hopping pattern as in fig3 a . the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 generates the hopping pattern information for an orthogonal code . the interleaver controller 380 controls interleaving of the orthogonal symbols , and the interleavers 322 to 342 interleave the orthogonal symbols received from the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 in chip units according to the hopping pattern . this interleaving scheme is different in each base station , thereby preventing signal collision . the orthogonal symbol selector 350 selectively outputs the symbols received from the interleavers 322 to 342 according to the hopping pattern information defined by hoping pattern generator 360 . fig5 e to 5 h illustrate modified orthogonal code sets with orthogonality maintained , which are obtained by interleaving the reference orthogonal code sets of fig5 a in a pn sequence generator such as the one shown in fig3 b . shaded portions indicate interleaved chips , that is , columns locations that have been exchanged . in the present embodiment , the delays 325 to 345 of fig3 a are replaced by the interleavers 322 to 342 of fig3 b , resulting in the same effects in generating a pn sequence . control of the delays 325 to 345 and the interleavers 322 to 342 over a different number of orthogonal symbols in each orthogonal code produces modified sequences shown in fig6 b , which lose orthogonality since the modified code symbol is not included in the orthogonal code set . fig3 c is a schematic view of a pn sequence generator based on orthogonal gold code hopping according to a third embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 c , the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 generates hopping pattern information of an orthogonal code . the interleaver controller 380 generates an interleaving control signal according to the hopping pattern information received from the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . an initial value register 366 stores an initial value , and an m - sequence generator 367 reads the initial value from the initial value register 366 and generates a first m - sequence corresponding to the supplied initial value . an initial value register 362 stores the hopping pattern information as an initial value , and a second m - sequence generator 363 generates a second m - sequence corresponding to the initial value received from the initial value register 362 . therefore , the m - sequence generators 363 and 367 output first and second m - sequences , different from each other as a consequence of different supplied initial values . an exclusive - or gate 364 exclusive - ors the outputs of the m - sequence generators 363 and 367 to produce a gold sequence . a comparator 369 compares the status ( i . e ., initial stored ) value of the m - sequence generator 367 with a predetermined value and generates a switch controlling signal according to the comparison result . a switch 368 is selectively coupled to both a zero input value 365 and the output of the exclusive - or gate 364 . the switch 365 selects the zero input for one clock period by the switch controlling signal received from the comparator 369 if the output of the m - sequence generator 367 is equal to the predetermined value . otherwise , if they are different , the switch 368 selects the output of the exclusive - or gate 364 , that is , the gold sequence . the switch 368 may be implemented as a multiplexer . the interleaver controller 380 generates a control signal for interleaving the symbols received from the switch 368 according to the hopping pattern information received from the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the interleaver 322 interleaves the output of the switch 368 under the control of the interleaver controller 380 to produce a pn sequence . in operation , the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 determines an initial value for the m - sequence ( with a period of 2 n โ 1 ) generator 363 . the determined initial value is stored in the register 362 . another m - sequence , generator 367 ( with a period of 2 n โ 1 ) generates an m - sequence whose initial value is wholly unrelated to the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the initial value for m - sequence generator 367 is stored in the register 366 . the outputs of the two m - sequence generators 363 and 367 are exclusive - ored to produce gold sequence as output from the exclusive - or gate 364 . to generate an orthogonal gold code from the gold sequence , the comparator 369 compares the status value of the m - sequence generator 367 with a predetermined value . if they are equal , the m - sequence generators 363 and 367 are stopped for one clock period , and the switch 368 inserts a zero value into the gold sequence for the one clock period . if they are different , however , the gold sequence is selected by the switch 368 . then , the interleaver 322 interleaves the output of the switch 368 under the control of the interleaver controller 380 . as an exemplary output of this process , fig5 e - 5h illustrate interleaved versions of fig5 a . fig3 d is a schematic view of a pn sequence generator according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 d , a biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 generates hopping pattern information . the delay controller 370 generates a delay control signal in accordance with the hopping pattern received from the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . it should be noted that there is no requirement in the present invention for configuring the orthogonal ( biorthogonal ) symbol hopping pattern generator in relation to an interleaver controller for determining an interleaving pattern or a delay controller for controlling a delay amount . in other words , the delay amount or an interleaving pattern is generated independent of the hopping pattern generator and provided thereto . however , it is required that each base station should have a different delay amount or interleaving pattern . therefore , since each base station has a different hopping pattern , the base station will have a different delay amount or interleaving pattern if it uses a delay amount or interleaving the pattern corresponding to its unique hopping pattern in an embodiment of the present invention . the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate corresponding code sequences to be hopped . the delays 325 to 345 delay orthogonal symbols received from the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 under the control of the delay controller 370 . an orthogonal symbol selector 350 selects one of the delayed orthogonal symbols received from the delays 325 to 345 at every orthogonal code sequence duration time under the control of the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . the exclusive - or gate 390 exclusive - ors the orthogonal symbol sequence received from the orthogonal symbol selector 350 and code bits of the biorthogonal code hopping pattern information to produce a pn sequence . it is apparent , therefore , that the pn sequence generator of fig3 d is operationally equivalent to the pn sequence generator based on orthogonal code hopping . the biorthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate biorthogonal symbols to be hopped according to a hopping pattern , generated by the symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . the delays 325 to 345 delay the outputs of the biorthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 to be cyclically shifted , where a delay controller 370 determines how many symbols to delay . the orthogonal symbol selector 350 selectively outputs the delayed orthogonal symbols received from the delays 325 to 345 according to hopping pattern information received from the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 to thereby produce a pn sequence . given that the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate orthogonal symbols of the same length as in previous embodiments the output of the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 is twice as long as that of the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 described in fig3 a - 3c . the exclusive or gate 390 performs an exclusive - or operation on the pn sequence output from orthogonal symbol selector 350 and sign components ( i . e ., plus and minus ) from the hopping pattern information bit by bit . thus , the number of resulting pn sequences is twice as large as that of the pn sequences ( orthogonal codes ) in fig3 a because sign components (+ and โ) are added to the latter . as a result , the probability decreases that different base stations use the same pn sequence cyclically shifted to the same amount in the same time period . fig3 e is a schematic view of a pn sequence generator according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 e , the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 generates hopping pattern information of an orthogonal code . the interleaver controller 380 generates an interleaving control signal based on the hopping pattern information received from the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . that is , signal collision is prevented by using different hopping patterns and interleaving schemes in different base stations . the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate their corresponding orthogonal symbols to be hopped . the interleavers 322 to 342 interleave orthogonal symbols received from the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 under the control of the interleaver controller 380 . the orthogonal symbol selector 350 selectively outputs the interleaved orthogonal symbols under the control of the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . the exclusive - or gate 390 exclusive - ors the orthogonal symbol received from the orthogonal symbol selector 350 and the biorthogonal code hopping pattern information to produce a pn sequence . therefore , the pn sequence generator of fig3 e is a modification of the pn sequence generator based on orthogonal code hopping . in operation , the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 generate orthogonal symbols to be hopped according to a hopping pattern . the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 generates the hopping pattern information of an orthogonal code . the interleaver controller 380 controls interleaving of the orthogonal symbols , and the interleavers 322 to 342 interleave the orthogonal symbols received from the orthogonal symbol generators 320 to 340 according to the hopping pattern . the orthogonal symbol selector 350 selectively outputs the symbols received from the interleavers 322 to 342 according to the hopping pattern to output a pn sequence . with an orthogonal code of the same length given , the output of the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 is twice as long as that of the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the pn sequence selected by the orthogonal symbol selector 350 and the hopping pattern information are exclusive - ored by a bit like msb or lsb in the exclusive - or gate 390 . fig3 f is a schematic view of a pn sequence generator based on biorthogonal gold code hopping according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 f , the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 generates hopping pattern information of an orthogonal code . the interleaver controller 380 generates an interleaving control signal according to the hopping pattern information received from the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . the initial value register 366 stores an initial value , and the m - sequence generator 367 reads the initial value from the initial value register 366 and generates an m - sequence corresponding to the initial value , the initial value register 362 stores the hopping pattern information as an initial value , and the m - sequence generator 363 generates an m - sequence corresponding to the initial value received from the initial value register 362 . therefore , the m - sequence generators 363 and 367 output different m - sequences . the exclusive - or gate 364 exclusive - ors the outputs of the m - sequence generators 363 and 367 to produce a gold sequence . the comparator 369 compares the status value of the m - sequence generator 367 with a predetermined value and generates a switch controlling signal according to the comparison result . the switch 368 is selectively switched between a zero value input and the output of the exclusive - or gate 364 . the switch selects the zero value input for one clock period responsive to the switch controlling signal received from the comparator 369 when the output of the m - sequence generator 367 is equal to the predetermined value . otherwise , if the values are different , the switch 368 selects the output of the exclusive - or gate 364 , that is , the gold sequence . the switch 368 may be implemented as a multiplexer . the exclusive - or gate 390 exclusive - ors the orthogonal symbol received from the switch 368 and the biorthogonal code hopping pattern information . the interleaver controller 380 generates a control signal for interleaving the symbols received from the switch 368 according to the hopping pattern information received from the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 . the interleaver 322 interleaves the output of the exclusive - or gate 390 under the control of the interleaver controller 380 to produce a pn sequence . in operation , the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 determines an initial value for the m - sequence ( with a period of 2 n โ 1 ) generator 363 . the determined initial value is stored in the register 362 . another m - sequence ( with a period of 2 n โ 1 ) generator 367 generates an m - sequence with an initial value with no relation to the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 and the initial value is stored in the register 366 . the outputs of the two m - sequence generators 363 and 367 are exclusive - ored to produce a gold sequence as output from the exclusive - or gate 364 . to generate a orthogonal gold code from the gold sequence , the comparator 369 compares the status value of the m - sequence generator 367 with a predetermined value . if they are equal , the m - sequence generators 363 and 367 are stopped for one clock period , and the switch 368 inserts a zero value into the gold sequence for the clock period . if they are different , the gold sequence is selected by the switch 368 . with an orthogonal code of the same length given , the output of the biorthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 358 is twice as long as that of the orthogonal symbol hopping pattern generator 360 . the pn sequence output from the switch 368 and the hopping pattern information are exclusive - ored by a bit like msb or lsb in the exclusive - or gate 390 . then , the interleaver 322 interleaves the output of the exclusive - or gate 390 under the control of the interleaver controller 380 . from fig4 a and 4b , it is noted that while a receiver receives signals using the same pn generating orthogonal code oc 3 and the same channel identifying orthogonal code at the same time from at least two base stations , different cyclic shift or interleaving for each base station according to the present invention prevents signal collision caused by use of the same code . a receiver can recover a signal received from a transmitter having a pn sequence generator of the present invention by cyclic shift and deinterleaving according to the same hopping pattern used in the transmitter , or extract the hopping pattern information from a received signal . in this case , the transmitter operates according to an initial hopping pattern for generating a pn sequence when data is initially transmitted , and the receiver also operates according to the initial hopping pattern . if the hopping pattern is changed , the transmitter notifies the receiver of the changed hopping pattern . the receiver includes a lookup table for storing the hopping patterns for pn sequences received from the transmitter , and detects a pn sequence according to hopping pattern information read from the lookup table when the hopping pattern is changed . the pn sequence generator of the present invention as described above generates a pn sequence by interleaving or cyclically shifting the symbols of an orthogonal code according to a hopping pattern . therefore , even though a receiver simultaneously receives signals spread by pn sequences generated from hopping of the same orthogonal or biorthogonal code in different transmitters , concurrent spreading of the data symbols can be prevented by varying the amount of interleaving or cyclic shift . while the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments , they are mere exemplary applications . thus , it is to be clearly understood that many variations can be made by anyone skilled in the art within the scope and spirit of the present invention .
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referring in more detail to the drawings , in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views , fig1 shows the lower portion of a large fuel storage tank 10 which includes an upright cylindrical wall 11 , bottom wall sections 12 , 13 and 14 , and sump 15 . the liquid separating system 16 includes a valve assembly 18 and a water drain conduit 19 with an external valve 17 located outside the storage tank . the valve assembly 18 functions as an internal valve means and the water drain conduit functions as a flow passage from the sump 15 and the bottom of the internal valve means 18 to the outside of the tank . as is better illustrated in fig2 the valve assembly 18 communicates with the internal end 20 of water drain conduit 19 . the inner end of the water drain conduit 19 terminates in a pipe section 21 that has an upwardly facing internal valve seat 22 . a main float valve 24 is spherical or ball - shaped and is sized to engage the valve seat 22 and to close the water drain conduit from inside the fuel storage tank 10 . valve housing 25 is positioned about float valve 24 and includes l - shaped support plates 26 each oriented in a vertical plane at its lower portion , a cylindrical side wall 28 supported at its lower end by the support plates 26 and a cover 29 closing the upper end of the cylindrical side wall . the cylindrical side wall 25 is open at its lower end so that there is free communication to the lower end of the valve housing 25 . the lower end of the cylindrical side wall 28 of the valve housing includes a plurality of slots 30 extending upwardly from the support plates 20 , and the upper edge 31 of each of the slots is positioned at a level above the center of the main float valve 24 but below the uppermost point of the valve . the portion of the valve housing above the upper edges of slot 31 is liquid - tight except for upper flow passage 32 . flow passage 32 is formed by an opening 34 in the top wall 29 of the valve housing and a pipe section 36 inserted in the opening . pipe section 36 is oriented in a vertical attitude and includes upper valve seat 38 for engagement by upper float valve 39 and a lower end 40 which defines a series of slots 41 . a valve cage 42 extends about the upper float valve 39 and comprises a pipe section 44 which includes flow ports 45 at its lower end and a plug 46 which also defines a flow port 48 . the valve cage 42 functions to maintain the upper float valve 39 over its valve seat 38 . main float valve 24 and upper float valve 39 are both fabricated so as to have a specific gravity which is less than the specific gravity of water and greater than the specific gravity of the fuel in the tank 10 . for example , both float valves can be fabricated in spherical form from stainless steel with a hollow interior , and the interior can be filled with ballast of sufficient weight to regulate the exact specific gravity of the float valve . of course , other materials can be used and the float valves can be either solid or hollow , depending upon the materials , size , etc . and formed in different shapes . the specific gravity of the float valves causes the valves to float in the heavier water but not in the lighter fuel . when the level of the water in the fuel storage tank rises so that it tends to cover the main float valve 24 , the float valve will begin to float in the water and move away from its upwardly - facing valve seat 22 . if the valve housing 25 is substantially filled with the lighter fuel , the heavier water will tend to displace the lighter fuel from the valve housing 25 as the level of the water rises in the tank by moving through the slots 30 in the lower end of the cylindrical side wall of the valve housing and into the valve housing , and the lighter fuel will tend to be displaced upwardly and to dislodge the upper float valve 39 from its seat 38 an amount sufficient to allow the lighter fuel to leak around the upper float valve . this condition is illustrated in fig3 where the level of water is indicated at 50 and the main float valve 24 has floated off its seat . as the level of the water continues to rise so that the main float valve 24 finally reaches the upper end of valve housing 25 , the main float valve 24 will rest against the lower end 40 of the pipe section 36 and the slots 41 in the lower end of the pipe section will assure that free communication is maintained about the main float valve 24 so that substantially all of the lighter fuel can be displaced from the valve housing about the upper float valve 39 and out through the flow ports 45 and 48 . as the level of the water continues to rise in the fuel storage tank so that it begins to cover the upper float valve 37 , the lighter upper float valve 39 will float in the heavier water and move away from its valve seat 38 , as shown in fig4 . when an attendant opens the external valve means 17 to drain the water from the fuel storage tank 10 , the water in the sump 15 can flow freely through the lower end of valve housing 25 and into the water drain conduit 19 and then outside the fuel storage tank . as the level of the water in the tank recedes below the position of the upper float valve 39 , the upper float valve 39 sinks in the lighter fuel so that it reengages its upper valve seat 38 and thereupon closes communication through the top wall 29 of valve housing 25 . thus , as shown in fig5 a supply of the heavier water is trapped in the upper portion of valve housing 25 . as the water continues to flow about the lower end of valve housing 25 and into the water drain conduit 19 , the level of water continues to recede in the fuel storage tank , but the supply of the heavier water is maintained in the upper portion of the valve housing 25 . the float valve 24 will thus continue to float in the upper portion of the valve housing even though the level of the heavier water outside the valve housing recedes well below the upper position of the float valve 24 . when the level of the water in the tank finally reaches the upper edges 31 of the slots 30 in the lower end of the cylindrical side wall 28 of the valve housing 25 , the ligher fuel will then be in communication with the inside of the valve housing 25 at the upper portions of the slots 30 and the heavier water can then be displaced from inside the valve housing by the lighter fuel flowing through the slots . this causes the level of the heavier water to recede abruptly in the valve housing 25 so that the float valve 24 drops rapidly in the valve housing toward its upwardly - facing valve seat 22 to abruptly close the water drain conduit . this causes the flow of water through the water drain conduit 19 to terminate and the attendant who is outside the fuel storage tank 10 will realize that the water has been properly drained from the tank and he can then close the external valve means 17 . since a supply of the heavier water is maintained in the valve housing 25 and directly over the valve seat 22 as the water is drained from the tank , when the level of water in the storage tank becomes low enough so as to be in fairly close communication with the entrance to the water drain conduit 19 , the lower level of the lighter fuel will communicate first through the slots 30 at the lower portion of the valve housing 25 and the heavier water will be allowed to flow downwardly directly toward the vicinity of the valve seat 22 , assuring that only the heavier water will flow through the water drain conduit 19 and no fuel will pass through the drain conduit . thus , the water drain conduit 19 cannot become filled with fuel during the water draining operation . it will be understood that the foregoing relates only to a disclosed embodiment of the present invention , and that numerous changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims .
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fig1 a schematic of a configuration of the high - pressure slurry pump , shown generally as the numeral 10 . a source of slurry material 16 to be pressurized and pumped is in communication with pump or slurry head 12 through valve 20 . slurry material 16 is composed of a solid material and a slurry carrier fluid . valve 20 can be a number of types of valves . a preferred type is a spring activated flapper valve . the pump head , shown generally as the numeral 12 , incorporates an inlet chamber 24 , an intake valve 28 , an exhaust valve 32 , and a control valve 40 , which controls the flow of a supply of clean fluid 36 . the clean fluid is provided at a higher pressure than that of the slurry material 16 . connected at pump head 12 is an elongated piston cylinder 14 providing a path for a driving piston 48 , which moves in a reciprocating fashion to provide the pressurizing and pumping action on the slurry material . piston 48 can be free - floating ( hydraulic or magnetic ) or a power rod as shown by rod 52 can provide the driving force . any of these can be considered as a means for driving piston 48 through an intake and exhaust stroke cycle . a power rod such as 52 can be connected to the piston 48 from either the pressure side face 56 of the piston or connected as shown in fig1 . a preferred power rod configuration is the one shown in fig1 . piston 48 can also ( not shown ) have sweeps , seal rings and / or be coated with urethane or other tough , slick surface coatings for sealing with piston cylinder 14 . for selected hydraulic pump versions , the pressure differential across the piston 48 can be very low , minimizing sealing requirements . pump action utilizing the clean flush of the instant invention is shown sequentially in fig1 , 2 , and 3 and described as follows : a specific volume of clean fluid is injected , via control valve 40 and channel 44 into inlet chamber 24 at the beginning and at the end of the intake stroke . fig1 exhibits the beginning of the intake stroke as the piston begins to move to the right to draw material into piston cylinder 14 . when clean fluid 36 is injected , spring activated flapper valve 20 closes . this allows clean fluid to be placed across the intake valve 28 when it opens . as the intake stroke cycle continues , clean fluid injection continues and a set volume is placed at the piston โ slurry side โ face 56 to provide a buffer of clean fluid to keep it clear of solids on the return stroke that would impede its movement or damage the piston 48 seal with piston cylinder 14 . clean fluid injection stops at a set piston position or flush volume . as the intake stroke cycle continues , slurry now enters inlet chamber 24 , through valve 20 , through intake valve 28 and into piston cylinder 14 . fig2 shows this part of the intake stroke cycle where slurry material from 16 is now flowing through open spring activated flapper valve 20 , through intake valve 28 and into piston cylinder 14 . the initial volume of clean fluid is shown still protecting the front pressure face 56 of piston 48 . fig3 illustrates the final part of the intake stroke where control valve 40 again opens and flapper valve 20 closes , allowing clean fluid to displace slurry material through intake valve 28 , clearing that valve and the pump head end 12 of erosive materials . this clean fluid allows intake valve 28 to close on clean fluid and it allows for the exhaust valve 32 to open surrounded by clean fluid in the pump or slurry head 12 . the inlet chamber 24 now also contains clean fluids to reside around the intake valve 28 while it is closed . as the exhaust cycle ( not shown ) begins intake valve 28 closes due to pressure and piston 48 discharges a volume of pressurized clean fluid followed by all of the slurry through exhaust valve 32 . at the end of the exhaust cycle , the clean fluid injected earlier still buffers the piston face 56 and surrounds the exhaust valve 32 during its closing stroke with sufficient clean fluid into the exhaust . an alternative method of using the clean fluid injection technique is to also inject some clean fluid in the middle of the intake stroke to provide clean fluids traveling through intake valve 28 and exhaust valve 32 during the maximum flow periods seen in crank powered pumps . in the instant invention slurry pump , as shown in fig1 , 2 , and 3 , the entry of clean fluid to displace the slurry mixture is controlled by valve 40 . this clean fluid control valve 40 is responsive to sensors 64 that monitor the position of piston 48 in cylinder 14 . with valve 40 open , the clean fluid flows through channel 44 , into inlet chamber 24 ahead of intake valve 28 and then on into the piston cylinder 14 at specified points in the stroke cycle . valves 28 & amp ; 32 are typically flute or flapper valves , but can be of any type . the control , timing ( on / off ) and injected volume ( length of time on ), of this clean fluid injection / replacement is by one or more transmitters 60 on the piston 48 and sensors 64 on the piston cylinder 14 . in the shown position sensing method , a transmitter 60 , such as a magnetic or radioactive source , is mounted in / on the piston 48 and sensors 64 to identify and react to the piston &# 39 ; s transmitter 60 positions are mounted / installed on the outer wall of the piston cylinder 14 . these sensors / instruments 64 , which could be any number of types such as magnetic , mass , optical , or density sensors , then signal the clean fluid valve 40 to open and / or close . alternate methods to control clean fluid entry are for position sensors / instruments installed on a connecting rod or on the crankshaft or cam , if these exist on a given model that relates piston 48 position within the piston cylinder 14 . slurry valve 20 , upstream of inlet chamber 24 is optional and only helps separate slurry from the clean fluid buffer and prevent dilution of the slurry circulation system . as an alternate embodiment , control valve 40 and channel 44 could inject clean fluids directly into pump head 12 , or cylinder 14 which are downstream of the intake valve 28 . this would provide a buffering clean fluid into the immediate vicinity of both the intake valve 28 and the exhaust valve 32 . as an additional embodiment of the controlled addition of clean fluid , control valve 40 could as an alternative not be controlled by the sensors described above but operate as a mechanically controlled valve operated to deliver prescribed amounts of clean fluid during the stroke cycles . piston 48 sticking and seal wear will be mostly due to movement under pressure over rough slurry particles trapped in front of piston 48 advancement at piston cylinder 14 wall . fig4 shows an option to keep slurry solids from settling on the cylinder walls and sticking piston 48 . in this option , piston 48 can have internal channels 110 from a clean source ( such as the clean power side in a hydraulic version or the same clean flush fluid described earlier ) to the slurry side with a one - way check valve 120 controlling flow direction . such channels direct the higher pressured clean fluid to the front outside edges of the piston on the slurry side . a nozzle or choke may be installed in the internal channel 110 to control the flow rate for a given pressure differential . also , piston 48 can have scrapers or knives 116 on the slurry side face edge to scrape off solids of cylinder wall ahead of the piston . in fig1 the internal surface of piston cylinder 14 is shown as smooth . in fig5 , to aid in keeping the slurry mixed during the stroke cycle , an optional internal surface of the piston cylinder 14 is shown in cross section that has a helical ( single , double or more ) spiral path . for this option , a plunger / piston 48 with an outer surface that matches the piston cylinder pattern is required . also note that piston 48 must now rotate in piston cylinder 14 as it strokes . in this version , the piston 48 can also have paddles or fins 114 ( in fig4 ) on the slurry side face to keep the solids and fluids moving and away from the cylinder wall . fig6 is a longitudinal view , shown generally by the numeral 200 , of the embodiment of fig5 . the piston cylinder 14 in this view shows an internal surface with a helical spiral path 50 . piston 48 has an outer surface that matches the piston cylinder pattern . the resulting rotation of piston 48 helps keep the slurry mixed during the stroke cycle . an alternate means ( not shown ) of rotating the piston and maintaining mixing of the slurry is by incorporating a centralized rod through the piston cylinder that has a helical ( single , double or more spirals ) surface pattern . this can be with any internal piston cylinder surface design , smooth or helical spiral . the piston must now have an internal helical bore to match the rod pattern and have matching seals . a viscous clean fluid stream , that is at least twice as viscous as the slurry carrier fluid , would make the overall flushing performance more efficient by better clearing and suspending of solids out of the way of the valves 28 and 32 and piston 48 movement . therefore , less buffer volume is needed of a viscous clean fluid than a thinner clean fluid resulting in more slurry pumped . multiple pumps in coordination ( electronic , mechanical or connecting rod ) are required for continuous slurry pumping , to provide a more uniform slurry density , and / or to increase the overall pumping rate over a given design . although not shown , two slurry pumps of the design of the instant invention can be connected with a common means to drive both pistons to allow continuous , non - interrupted slurry pumping . slurries using liquid carbon dioxide as the carrier fluid can also be pumped with the proposed pumping assembly if the full pump assembly system is held above the critical pressure . the downstream system pressure must be pre - charged / pressurized to above the critical pressure before switching to the liquid co 2 , or it will flash to gas in the pump , which is undesirable . also , a backpressure valve positioned downstream of the pump &# 39 ; s exhaust valve could maintain a sufficient backpressure to prevent gas flashing within the pump . use of liquid co 2 for the slurry carrier fluid and the clean flush / buffer fluid would allow for a completely dry and non - combustible abrasive jetting system . use of other flush fluids , such as water or alcohols and similar products , is also possible . while one ( or more ) embodiment ( s ) of this invention has ( have ) been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described above , it will be evident to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of this invention . all such modifications or variations are believed to be within the sphere and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto .
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the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention is now explained with reference to fig1 . [ 0057 ] fig1 is a system structural diagram showing the outline of the present system . a medical practitioner , a nurse 70 for example , receiving education with the present system will be educated in a conversational format with a portable pet terminal 20 having installed therein a program pet ( personal educational tool ) described later in accordance with one &# 39 ; s own job description and expertise . a test is conducted after the completion of each chapter ( lesson ) of this education program , and this test result is transmitted to the education system server 10 from the pet terminal 20 via a network 50 . an education system server 10 accumulates the test result sent from the pet terminal 20 in its internal database . the education system server 10 compiles the test results per participant based on the database , conveys such results to the pet terminal 20 or each individual 70 via the network 50 , and further compiles the test results in a prescribed format per medical institution to which the participant belongs and conveys the results thereof to a hospital server 40 belonging to the respective medical institutions . by connecting the education system server 20 with a server 90 of cap , which is an accreditation organization , the test results of the present education program may be reflected on the authentication criterion or standard , utilized as materials for cap actually auditing the medical institutions , or employed as materials for authentication or certification . contrarily , the authentication or certification criterion of cap may be reflected on the present education system , and the present education program may be renewed in accordance therewith . next , the structure of the pet terminal 20 , which is used by each of the medical practitioners directly receive education , is explained with reference to fig2 to 4 . as shown in fig2 the pet terminal 20 comprises an input means 22 for receiving inputs from the participant , a first storage means 24 for storing a program to be executed on the terminal , a second storage means 25 for storing the respective data , a transmission / reception means 26 for conducting the transmission / reception of data with the education system server 10 , and a control means 21 for controlling the overall pet terminal . the program file accumulated in the first storage means 24 comprises an education implementation program ( for displaying the education contents , displaying and rating the test results , and storing such test results ) as the education implementation means , a communication control program as the communication means for controlling the transmission / reception means 26 for communicating with the education system server 10 , an authentication program as the authentication means for authenticating whether the participant has been registered in the present system beforehand , and a camera control program as the picture control means provided to the pet terminal and for controlling the camera picture . the second storage means 25 as the education content storage means comprises an individual personal information file and an education content file . as shown in fig3 the individual personal information file has fields containing the participant &# 39 ; s medical institution id , his / her personal id , password , progress of lesson , non - transmitted lesson number , and non - transmitted lesson score . meanwhile , the education content file , as shown in fig4 has the respective courses and a plurality of lesson contents contained in such courses as well as the test questions per such lesson . the education contents are provided with various pieces of educational information relating to medical care , sanitation , medicine , and so on , and , for instance , โ ic general โ is provided as the initial course , and โ standard precautions and personal protective equipment ( ppe )โ is provided as one of the lessons of such initial course ( described later with reference to fig1 to 15 ). the respective lessons of the education content file , including the tests thereof , are conducted in a short time period , and , for example , are arranged for completion in 15 minutes . thus , the participant may take lessons in a short time period . the structure of the education system server is now explained with reference to fig5 to 7 . as illustrated in the system structural diagram of fig5 the education system server 10 comprises an input means 12 for inputting the request or test result from the pet terminal 20 , an output means 13 for outputting data to the pet terminal 20 , a first server storage means 14 , a second server storage means 15 , and a control means 11 for controlling the operation of the overall education system server . the second server storage means 15 stores two types of databases , one is the entire individual personal information file for retaining the entire information of persons participating in the present education system as shown in fig6 and the other is an individual medical institution information file for retaining information edited for each medical institution as shown in fig7 . the first server storage means 14 has various program files , including a test result storage program as the test result storage means , a test result editing program as the test result editing means , a communication control program as the communication control means , and an authentication program as the authentication means . the test result storage program stores the test results sent from the pet terminal 20 in every individual personal information file within the second server storage means 15 . the test result editing program edits the results per medical institution from every individual personal information file , creates the foregoing individual medical institution information file , and edits and output this in a prescribed format . the communication control program controls the input means 12 and the output means 13 . and an authentication program authenticates the data from the pet terminal 20 . an embodiment of learning on the pet terminal is explained with reference to fig2 and fig8 to 15 . [ 0073 ] fig8 is a front view of the pet terminal 20 . as depicted in fig8 the terminal 20 comprises a display 203 , a keyboard 204 , a communication device 201 , a speaker 205 and a camera 202 . with the terminal 20 , various pieces of knowledge and information demanded in medical practitioners are displayed as an educational program on the display 203 in text and images , and further conveyed verbally from the speaker 205 . display of moving images is also possible on the display 203 in order to convey something that requires a series of movements within the program ; for instance , the method of sterilization , in an easy - to - understand manner . the camera 205 is used to authenticate the participant . in other words , it is used in the education system server 20 to determine whether the plurality of test results sent from the terminal 20 belong to the same individual . in consideration of the communication traffic , the image data picturized with the camera 202 is sent to the education system server 10 via the communication device 101 every definite period of time . the state where a participant is actually receiving education is now explained . the control means 21 makes the participant input the login name and password via the input means 22 ( s 161 of fig9 ). the authentication program 24 checks whether its contents have been pre - registered in the individual personal information file 25 ( s 162 of fig9 ). if the login name and password are correct , the education implementation program 24 displays the relevant portion of the education content file 25 on the screen 500 as illustrated in fig1 via the output means 23 ( s 163 of fig9 ). as depicted in fig1 , a topic menu screen 501 is displayed in the center of the screen 500 . a version title 502 of โ ic general โ and a version title 503 of โ ic special โ, which are educational courses , are displayed therein , and the participant selects a title in accordance with his / her learning progress . buttons 504 a , 504 b and 504 c are displayed at the bottom of the screen 501 . the button 504 a is to be pressed when the participant completes the entire education program , and , when this button 504 a is clicked , the control means 21 activates the communication control program 24 and transmits , via the transmission / reception means 26 , such participant &# 39 ; s personal id to the education system server 10 , and conveys that such participant finished participating in every education program ( s 165 of fig9 ). the button 504 b is clicked when the participant wishes to display the previous test results . when the button 504 b is pressed , the control means transmits , via the transmission / reception means 26 , the relevant personal id to the education system server 10 , and downloads , via the transmission / reception means 26 , the previous test results of such participant from every individual personal information file of the education server 10 to the pet terminal 20 and displays this on the output means 23 ( s 166 of fig9 ). the button 504 c is used for displaying all education contents in a text slide format . the control means 21 searches the relevant data from the education content file 25 and displays the same ( s 167 of fig9 ). when a course is selected in the topic menu screen 501 , the education implementation program searches the education content file stored in the second storage means 25 , and , as shown in fig1 , displays a list of lessons ( chapters ) prepared within the course as a course / lesson menu screen 601 ( s 168 of fig1 ). in consideration of medical practitioners who are often temporally committed , each lesson is set to a short time period including the test , set to approximately 15 minutes for instance . when the participant selects a certain lesson , such lesson begins . fig1 represents an example of a lesson screen 701 . as illustrated in fig1 , the education implementation program displays the lesson screen 701 , and , for example , displays an animation for education accompanying movement , and further outputs verbal instructions ( s 169 of fig1 ). when one lesson is finished , the participant takes a test to confirm whether he / she understood the lesson contents . as shown in fig1 , the education implementation program displays the test contents on the test screen 801 ( s 170 of fig1 ). when the participant takes the test , as depicted in fig1 , the test result is displayed on the test result display screen 901 ( s 173 of fig1 ). in order to facilitate the participant &# 39 ; s test , a โ hint โ of the test is displayed or the narration thereof is output when the participant clicks the hint button 802 ( s 171 , s 172 of fig1 ). if the percent correct exceeds a prescribed value , 70 % for example , the participant may then send this result to the education system server 20 via the network ( s 174 of fig1 ). if the test result is not sent , the lesson number and score are accumulated in the individual personal information file in the second storage means 25 by the education implementation program , and sent to the education system server 10 together with the test result obtained at the end of tests conducted for any subsequent lessons . thereafter , it is judged whether the participant will continue to take the subsequent lesson ( s 175 of fig1 ), and , if the participant is to continue , the routine proceeds to the next lesson ( s 176 of fig1 ), and the lesson contents are displayed ( s 169 of fig1 ). this procedure is repeated thereafter . while the participant is taking a series of lessons , the camera control program appropriately picturizes the face of the participant from the camera 202 provided to the pet terminal 20 and sends the image data thereof to the education system server 10 via the transmission / reception means 26 . this image data is sent once every prescribed time in consideration of the communication traffic and the like . this data is used for authenticating the participant with the education system server 10 . the participant may also be requested to answer a questionnaire regarding the present education program . the server &# 39 ; s storage mode of the test results sent from the pet terminal 20 is described with reference to fig5 fig1 and fig1 . foremost , details of the second server storage means 15 are described with reference to fig5 to 7 . as described above , the second server storage means 15 is structured from an entire individual personal information file and an individual medical institution information file . as shown in fig6 the entire individual personal information file contains all necessary data of every participant including classification by medical institutions . in other words , it contains the fields of medical institution id , id of each participant , password of each participant , score per lesson of each participant , total score of each participant , and personal total score per lesson . as shown in fig7 the individual medical institution information file has the compiled data of the entire individual personal information file described above . that is , this is a compilation of the total score of each participant and the personal total score per lesson for each medical institution . the authentication operation is foremost explained with reference to fig5 and fig1 . the participant id , password or the participant &# 39 ; s image data is sent from the pet terminal 20 via the input means 12 ( s 181 ). the authentication program compares the input data and the personal id and password of the entire individual personal information file ( s 182 , s 183 ). if authentication is confirmed , the authentication procedure is finished . if the received data is an image , such image is authenticated by being compared with the initially sent image data . the control means 11 inputs the test results from the input means 12 ( s 191 of fig1 ). the test result storage program as the test result storage means accumulates the input test results in the relevant field of the entire individual personal information file in the second server storage means 15 ( s 192 of fig1 ). moreover , when the previous test result data up to the previous lesson is requested from the pet terminal 20 ( s 201 of fig1 ), as described above , the foregoing authentication procedure is conducted with the authentication program ( c . f . fig1 ). thereafter , the test result editing program as the test result editing means searches the entire individual personal information file stored in the second server storage means 15 and removes the requested data from the relevant field ( s 202 of fig1 ), and returns the removed data to the pet terminal 20 via the output means 13 ( s 203 of fig1 ). the operation of the education system server upon receiving a display request of the compiled test results from the medical practitioner who received the education of the present system or from the medical institution is now explained . foremost , when a request is received from the participant , the test result editing program as the test result editing means searches the entire individual personal information file using the relevant personal id as the key ( s 211 of fig1 ), edits the list of results per lesson in a prescribed format ( s 212 of fig1 ) and then transmits this to the individual ( s 213 of fig1 ). when the request is received from the medical institution , the test result editing program extracts all personal test results belonging to such medical institution from the entire individual personal information file stored in the second server storage means 15 ( s 211 of fig1 ), creates a list of results , edits the average score or average total score per lesson of such medical institution from the individual medical institution information file ( s 212 of fig1 ), reflects this to the list of results , and thereafter returns the same ( s 213 of fig1 ). the format of this list of results is arbitrary , and , for instance , a list of results of all practitioners or the medical institution may be created , a list of results for each internal division of such medical institution may be created , or a list of results for only the top - ranking participants or only the bottom - ranking participants may be created . further , the format of transmission to individuals or medical institutions may be via email or mail . in the event that the foregoing personal education with the pet terminal is not possible due to the work shift of the medical institutions or medical practitioners , the present medical education may be conducted in a seminar style ; that is , medical practitioners may receive the medical education at a predetermined time and place by employing a projector or the like . [ 0104 ] fig2 shows the system structural diagram thereof . a certain number of medical practitioners 70 participate in the medical program of the present system at a seminar site 400 . the participants participate in the present medical education program by viewing , for example , a projector 500 as the display device . the picture projected on this projector 500 or the verbal explanations thereof are approximately the same as those of the pet terminal 20 described above . the test to be conducted after the completion of each lesson is conducted via a communication terminal , for example , a cellular phone 80 provided to the respective participants in advance . the operation of this test is explained below . each participant presses the button showing the completed lesson number and connects to the education system server via the network 50 . the education system server 10 a selects one test question among the plurality of test patterns prepared in advance , returns this to the cellular phone 80 via the network 50 , and displays this on the display screen of the cellular phone . a different test is enabled for each participant of the same lesson by this function . thus , the possibility of cheating will decrease and an appropriate test may thereby be conducted . next , when the participant 70 presses a button corresponding to the answer to the test displayed by the first education implementation means ( not shown ) on the cellular phone 80 in his / her hand , the data thereof is returned to the education system server 10 a via the network 50 . the education system server rates this data , and stores the result . it further conveys this result to the cellular phone 80 . the first education implementation means and communication control means contained in the cellular phone 80 is of a standard type of usage in cellular phones having internet browser function , as in an i - mode ( trade mark ) cellular phone in japan for example , and the explanation thereof is omitted since they merely provide the respective functions of personal id and lesson number notification , test content display , answer number notification , and result display during the seminar style lesson . the education system server 10 a comprises the first server storage means 14 a and the second storage means 15 a . the first server storage means 14 a is structured by adding , to the respective programs of the first server storage means 14 of the education system server 10 explained with fig5 a terminal identification program as the question selection means and test implementation program ( presentation of questions , rating , storage of results ) as the second education implementation means as shown in fig2 . the second storage means 15 a is structured by adding the individual terminal test contents ( c . f . fig2 ) storage means as question storage means to the second server storage means 15 of the education system server 10 . the control means 11 a inputs the personal id and lesson number from the cellular phone 80 via the input means 12 ( s 221 of fig2 ). the terminal identification program selects a test question corresponding to the received terminal id among the individual terminal test contents shown in fig2 . for example , the individual terminal test contents illustrated in fig2 starts from test pattern 1 , and contain a plurality thereof . thus , the number of different types of tests that may be implemented is the same as the number of existing test patterns for the same lesson . the individual terminal identification program selects this test pattern per type of individual id ; that is , per type of cellular phone . this selection is made so that a test pattern displayed in a cellular phone will not be the same as a test pattern displayed in another cellular phone as much as possible . the test implementation program sends this selected test question to the cellular phone 80 via the output means 13 ( s 222 of fig2 ). accordingly , a different test question can be distributed for each participant . moreover , the same test question may be given for the same lesson to conduct a test where the multiple choice answers are counterchanged . next , the control means 11 a inputs the answer data from the participant ( s 223 of fig2 ). the test implementation program rates this answer , and stores the result in the entire individual personal information file within the second storage means 15 a ( s 224 of fig2 ). this test result is returned to the cellular phone 80 via the output means 13 ( s 225 of fig2 ). the participant &# 39 ; s learning progress may thereby be sought with accuracy . accordingly , an education program structured for a relatively short period of time on a terminal including portable one is able to alleviate the burden on medical practitioners who are often committed temporally and locally . further , by connecting the server of the insurance company to which the respective medical institutions are affiliated with the server of the present system , the ratio of medical practitioners achieving a prescribed result or higher may be utilized in calculating the insurance premium between the medical institution and insurance company , or discounts on the insurance premium may be given to medical practitioners who have achieved favorable results . although medical education was exemplified in the embodiments , the target education field of the present system is not limited thereto , and may be employed in educations of other fields by changing the contents of the education program . according to the present invention , the participant may receive education on a terminal including portable terminal capable of carrying an education program . thus , a participant who is often committed temporally and locally is thereby able to efficiently receive education . moreover , according to the present invention , since the test results of all participants of the present education system are retained on the education system server , the data thereof may be edited and processed in a prescribed format . thus , the participant , the institution to which such participant belongs , and the accrediting institution can respectively utilize this edited and processed data .
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the object of the present invention is to provide an olfactometer which is fast , exact , easy to use , adapted for multichannel arrangements , and which does not have the disadvantages of the known olfactometers . this is achieved by an olfactometer of the above - described kind , wherein the carrier gas supply means comprises a mass flow controlling means with variable flow rate disposed before the saturation chamber for providing variable carrier gas flow to the saturation chamber and by a multiplicity of capillaries of different diameter connecting the mixing means with the sniffing port via individual injection means . the success of a threshold olfactometer of the present invention in applications using odorants depends on its dilution capacity and the sample presentation . a very large continuous dynamic dilution range as well as a perfectly memory - free on / off - switching of the odorous stimulus are the key parameters of the present invention that fulfills these requirements . according to a preferred embodiment of the invention , the dosage of the sample is computer controlled and is available in the form of a self - instructing measurement protocol operating as a virtual instrument which guarantees identical measurement conditions for various sensorial measurements . this embodiment of the invention requires only a minimumally trained panelist . the detailed description of the invention , of course , includes and is further illustrated with reference to the following drawings . in the following a preferred embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 illustrates a schematical diagram of an olfactometer according to the invention . fig2 illustrates cross - sectional views of the injection blocks in two different operating positions . the apparatus illustrated in fig1 enables one to perform experiments at a high technical level taking into account important aspects of sensory measurements . it offers a continuously tunable dynamic range of 10 % of the saturated headspace concentration down to 10 - 8 . the flow of the analyte channel is regulated by two mass flow controllers 1 , 2 which are positioned at a position before the saturation chamber 3 . mass flow controller 1 supplies air for higher sample flows and has a range of 50 : 1000 ml / min whereas mass flow controller 2 has a range of 1 : 50 ml / min . the sample carrier gas is introduced from the saturation chamber 3 into the mixing chamber 6 which is connected with a second gas inlet for introducing nitrogen for diluting the sample carrier gas . the final mixing of the sample carrier gas and nitrogen is achieved in a t - junction followed by a mixing restriction 5 . a continuous dilution is achieved from a maximum level of 1 : 1 down to 1 : 1000 . the amount of nitrogen introduced is controlled by a valve 4 which is driven by the output signal calculated from a pd ( proportional , differential ) regulation system which uses the signal from a pressure sensor 10 as input . the pressure is measured in the mixing chamber and monitored by a computer 12 . a constant pressure in the mixing chamber is important for a constant flow through outlets 7 . the outlets may be glass capillaries . the diameters of these outlets are chosen in such a way , that highly accurate flow rates are available in a range of 1 : 1 to 1 : 10000 . the sample carrier gas can be selectively injected by a computer controlled injection mechanism 8 from the mixing chamber 6 to the outlets 7 and into the sniffing port 9 where it is continuously mixed with a gas flow 11 having a constant flow rate of 10 l / min . this is approximately equal to the amount of air breathed by a human . the measurement program is responsible for selecting the right dilution level and the necessary capillary in order to obtain a continuously accessible dilution range of 1 : 10 , 000 , 000 . in the present invention , sources of contamination are reduced to a minimum in a very efficient way . controlling the flow to the saturation chamber ensures that neither the mass flow controller nor the valve is ever in touch with an odorous molecule . after fine - machining and honing , the stainless steel surfaces of all critical elements , are electro - polished ( mixing chamber , injection mechanism ) giving memory - free measurement conditions . the temperature of the mixing chamber itself can be raised by a few degrees compared to ambient temperature when low volatile compounds have to be measured . a complete cleaning procedure can be done by disassembling the mixing chamber , capillaries and the injection mechanism and by heating them in an oven ( similar to gc - column purification ). as illustrated in fig2 the final dilution step is done as previously mentioned , by injecting the sample flow from a capillary into the transport channel 13 of the sniff port by means of an injection block . the injection block 8 comprises a cube ( 200 ร 25 ร 20 mm ) having two longitudinally machined holes , i . e . an exhaust line 13 and a transport line 14 to the sniff port 9 . the block 8 contains six individual injection systems for the glass capillaries . the two longitudinal holes are drilled in the horizontal center of the block but are vertically connected through small guiding holes which are machined along the vertical axis . adapter capillaries 16 are capped 17 but have outlets 18 which are positioned a few mm from the top of the apparatus . between the top and sample inlets o - ring seals 19 are inserted in order to prevent the sample stream from traveling into the transport channel while the adapter - capillaries are held in the off - position shown in fig2 a . in the off - position ) the capillary outlet is flushed directly into the exhaust line . holes 21 are sealed with teflon . the adapter - capillaries 16 in fact are used for mechanical protection of the glass capillaries 7 which are delicate and constitute a well - calibrated system . a computer - controlled pneumatic compact - cylinder 20 switches each adapter capillary from the off - to the on - position ( see fig2 b ). introducing an adjusted make up gas flow ( nitrogen ) from the lower end 22 of the adapter - capillary 16 makes sure that even for the lowest flow rates measured at the smallest glass - capillary the sample reaches the transport line 14 in the same time as measured on the larger glass - capillaries . a flush - line constantly purges the o - ring - seal 19 against the flow - direction of the sample carrier gas which ensures that no traces of the sample can reach the transport line 14 . an optimum &# 34 ; blank &# 34 ; is achieved when all injection units are switched to the &# 34 ; off - position &# 34 ;. intensity rating or ranking is well known in sensory research and several measurement methods have been developed . magnitude estimation , reference scaling and category scaling are the most popular ones . recently , the labelled magnitude scale has been presented and compared to magnitude estimation . operations on the olfactometer are computer controlled and the instrument control has been developed under labview . so called virtual instruments ( vi &# 39 ; s ) are programmed and displayed on the screen if necessary . on such a vi , the operater can set , for example , a desired concentration which is then delivered from the olfactometer . the flexibility of the software allows one to summarize any kind of measurement sequence as a measurement protocol . a very fast and universal method of measuring the dose / response behavior of odorous substances has been successfully applied using the labelled magnitude scale ( lms ). the measured and fitted values can be matched to the astm ( american soc . for testing and materials ) values and any other substance can be compared to the standard . for example , an evaluation of linalool shows an increased slope of the dose / response curve . intensity matching experiments can be carried out simultaneously on two modules . this kind of measurement allows the determination of the just notable differences at any concentration level in the supra - threshold regime of an odorant . adaptation phenomena can be measured in a separate measurement protocol . the measurement protocol uses the following sequence : second sequence is the same but prior to the evaluation of the delivered sample the panellists nose is exposed 5 seconds to a very high dose of the same odorant . the supra - threshold olfactometer according to the present invention has a flexible design which allows the olfactometer to attach different sample saturation chambers . it is possible to perform intensity measurements on applied systems , such as fragrances deposited on laundry etc . these measurements allow a fast comparison of substantivity of different products . while the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to illustrative embodiments and modes of practice , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . accordingly , the invention is not to be limited by the illustrative embodiments and modes of practice .
| 6 |
a system ( 100 ) described in this document is a novel approach to optimizing the airflow in a building ( e . g ., a home ) based on user set goals for savings , comfort or both . in this implementation , the system is comprised of five major components as seen in fig1 . in one implementation there is a wireless router & amp ; processor that deploys a pre - configured wireless network ( 203 ) which communicates with the vents ( 200 ), sensor platforms ( 201 ), thermostat ( s ) ( 202 ) and the control interface ( 204 ). in one implementation of the system , all of the vents in a home are replaced with new wirelessly controlled actuating vents ( also called โ vents โ or controlled supply registers herein ). in other words , the traditional covering ( or faceplate ) of the terminus of a portion of the duct work of a forced - air heating or cooling system is replaced . in an illustrative example , the terminus of the duct work is the location at which the duct stops flush with the wall or ceiling of a room . in another embodiment , only a few of these vents would need to be replaced . these vents allow the system to control the airflow within the existing ductwork , without damaging the hvac system due to lack of airflow , within a home . embodiments of such vents are shown in fig2 . in another embodiment no new vents are installed , but the system operates using impulses from the sensors alone . in this type of system , the hvac is turned on / off based on temperatures in any room in the home โ allowing much more control . for example , a user can instruct the system to maintain a bedroom at a desired setpoint . the system would cycle on and off to maintain the desired setpoint in the bedroom without regard for how the other rooms are affected . in another example , the system can be configured with more complex instructions , such as attempt to maintain a first room at a first setpoint but only if a second setpoint set for another room is not exceeded . in all cases the conditions inside of the ducts are measured and taken into account when controlling the vents . these are examples only , and other configurations are within the scope of the invention . in addition , while implementations of the invention are described as being used with hvac systems , it is understood that systems that only heat , only cool , or only supply forced air are within the scope of the invention . in one embodiment , the added vent closing device may be added into main return ducts . in another embodiment , an airflow control device may be added to a fresh air intake . with these additions the system can control outdoor air intake to improve energy efficiency , or meet occupancy fresh air demands if paired with co 2 sensors . in one embodiment , this system may be operated as an hvac economizer , or include operations that resemble an economizer . the system can thus add outdoor air when temperature or humidity conditions are favorable to driving the system temperatures in the right direction ( heating or cooling , dehumidification or humidification ). this will allow for โ free โ heating or cooling , as the system need not operate the heat pump , furnace , ac unit , or other cooling device to control the temperature , dramatically reducing energy consumption . in one embodiment , the sensor platforms ( 201 ), as seen in fig3 , provide the router & amp ; processor ( 203 ) with real time data on the temperature , humidity , air pressure , and motion in the rooms within the home or building . the sensor platforms provide feedback to the router & amp ; processor which in turn controls the vents . embodiments of this system can vary in that the configuration of the vents ( in quantity , integrated sensors , and opening and closing mechanisms ), the sensor platforms ( in both types of sensors installed ( i . e . pressure sensors , multiple temperature sensors ), as well as location and quantity ), and the network protocol can change or adapt as long as there is a method for the system to receive feedback regarding the state of the home or building within which it is installed . this means , in various embodiments , only a few sensor platforms may be necessary if the system can determine the states of the whole home or building through correlation . in yet another embodiment , only one sensor may be installed , which is moved from room to room over a period of time , to develop an understanding of the home . in yet another embodiment , no sensors are deployed , and the system would gather feedback by querying the user . in one embodiment , the system is added to a fixed volume air conditioning system . in another embodiment , the system is added to an existing variable air volume system for added control or to supplement problem areas . in another embodiment , the system is added to an active chilled beam system . in yet another embodiment , the system is added to a doas ( dedicated outdoor air system ). in other embodiments , the system may be added to other hvac or other fluid providing systems . to control the system , in one embodiment the user uses the control interface ( 204 ), as seen in fig6 , to instruct the router & amp ; processor on the user &# 39 ; s preferences for mode and / or temperatures for each room . using the user &# 39 ; s preferences ( e . g ., environmental variable set points ), and feedback from the sensors , the router & amp ; processor adjusts the vents throughout the home in response to changing conditions to optimize the airflow and help the home reach equilibrium . more details and embodiments for the control interface are described later in this report . in one embodiment , the system operates based on anticipated and / or current occupancy . the system may use occupancy - use patterns for each room or combinations of rooms to determine what hours of the day and days of the week to operate . in one embodiment , the system uses occupancy sensors , which may include infrared , acoustic ( passive or active ultrasonic sensors ), microwave detector sensors , or other sensors . in another embodiment , the system may detect a device on a person , such as a smartphone , tablet , laptop , or other wifi / bluetooth / electromagnetic wave emitting device to detect occupancy . in one embodiment , the system may interface with existing or new lighting systems that employ occupancy sensors , using the same sensors for both . in controlling the zones and adapting , the system may employ adaptive control , neural networks , fuzzy logic , thermodynamic modeling of hvac zones , fan power energy consumption modeling , minimum outdoor air , room use type , predictive heating demand control , dynamic occupancy patterns , or other control methods . in another embodiment , the system operates based on fixed schedule . in yet another , the system operates using preferences set by the user . in yet another , the system allows individual zoning of each room , allowing the user to set the conditions of each room independently . in one embodiment , the system uses pressure as an input . in another embodiment , the vents use pressure and temperature as inputs . by measuring the pressure within the ducts , or calculating it based on other measurements , the system can prevent creating a pressure environment that impacts the health of the existing hvac system , or efficiency . by using both pressure and temperature a better estimate of system health is obtained . in one embodiment , the vent ( as shown in fig2 ) has pressure sensors on the device . in another , pressure sensors are placed within or affixed to the duct and communicate to the system . in one embodiment , pressure may be measured on the sensor platform ( as seen in fig3 ), then calculations can be applied to understand the pressure on the system . in another , the pressure measurement is used to calculate volumetric airflow through the vent . in another embodiment pressure is measured on each sensor platform . by using pressure and temperature measurements at all , or even a subset of , sensors and vent locations the local temperature gradient can be deduced . this calculation allows comfort at any height in the building to be calculated and better controlled . when determining a temperature or any other gradient for an environmental variable , the information about the environmental variables can be collected by a sensor information aggregator . the aggregator can use manual locations for the sensors provided by the user or the system can determine the positions of the sensors relative to each other using wireless communication signal strength between the sensors and the location of the aggregator . the aggregator can reside in any of the components of the system described herein , and it performed the determination of the gradient value based on the information supplied by the various sensors . in one embodiment the router & amp ; processor ( fig5 ) controls the existing hvac unit within the home through the thermostat ( 202 ), which receives wireless instruction from the processor and thus actuates the hvac system . in yet another , the system may instruct the user to turn on and off their system . in yet another , the router and processor may communicate directly to the hvac unit through a wireless interface built into the hvac , or added on . the concept here is that the router & amp ; processor , using feedback from the sensor platforms , vents , and a smart learning control algorithm that optimizes the use of the hvac system for any situation . the algorithm uses machine learning techniques in combination with data collected from the vents , sensors , and user inputs to learn the characteristics of the home including heat loads , air leakage , humidity load , forced air pressure characteristics , and others . once the algorithm learns the characteristics of the home , the use of the hvac system can be optimized according to a blend of comfort and economy according to user preferences . the user can also be alerted to sudden changes in system characteristics that may indicate an anomaly that warrants attention . in one embodiment the algorithm learns the home characteristics through normal use . in another the algorithm exercises the entire home hvac and system components in order to learn more quickly and completely the home characteristics . the vent , as shown in fig2 , includes an airflow adjusting mechanism ( 300 ), a processor with firmware ( 301 ), a power subsystem ( 303 ), a communication subsystem ( 304 ), and sensors ( 305 ). in one embodiment , the vent receives wireless instructions from the router & amp ; processor ( 203 ) via the communication subsystem ( 304 ). in another , the vent may receive wireless instructions directly from the sensor platforms . in another , the vent may receive wireless instructions directly from the control interface . the vents in the system are the component of the system that impacts airflow within the house in a real time fashion . the vents open and close using an airflow adjusting mechanism ( 300 ) that control the amount of air allowed through the vent when the system is running . the sensors on the vent can optionally include an air flow measurement device . there are a few components in certain embodiments of the vent ( pictured in fig1 , 14 ). the first being the airflow adjusting mechanism themselves ( 300 ). this airflow adjusting mechanism is comprised of a mechanism that constricts the air ( 401 ), and a mechanism to control the constrictor ( 402 ). in regards to the constricting mechanism ( 401 ), these are the devices that constrict the air . they are controlled by a movement mechanism that serves to adjust the constriction level . the movement mechanism ( 402 ) operates the constricting mechanism in response to an instruction received from an outside controller , such as the processor and firmware ( 301 ). in regards to the air constricting mechanism ( 401 ), in one embodiment , the louvers are horizontally mounted . in another , they are vertically mounted . yet in another embodiment , these louvers are a shutter mechanism , similar to that of a curtain that is mounted horizontally or vertically . yet in another embodiment , the mechanism is an iris , similar to that of a camera aperture . yet in another embodiment , this mechanism is a parachute configuration , where a semi rigid membrane is extended to catch the air . a novel concept here is to constrict the air in a manner best suited for the needs of the system . this includes balancing reliability with cost , motion with battery life , and constricting the air in a manner to minimize audible noise and other undesired side effects . moreover , adjustments in airflow can take into account future weather forecasts when determining what is needed to maintain a user &# 39 ; s desired environmental variable set point . in one embodiment , the air constricting mechanism replaces the existing exterior duct grill . in another embodiment , the air constricting mechanisms is mounted in the interior of the duct . interior mounting may use springs with significant normal force , screws , adhesives , or other methods . in one embodiment , adjustable size louvers will be added to fit different duct sizes , for either interior or exterior grills . in one embodiment , duct louvers telescope , to adjust to larger sizes . space between louvers may vary as well , with hinges , springs , or other methods to adjust the spacing . in one embodiment , the system employs a fabric which constricts to block flow . in another embodiment , the system may include multiple arms or springs to allow for installing at a slanted angle relative to the duct , allowing for application to multiple different heights . in regards to the mechanism that controls the constrictors ( 402 ), in one embodiment , a motor is used . in another , a stepper motor is used . in yet another , a solenoid is used . in yet another embodiment , memory wire , or metal that changes shape due to an electrical impulse is used . in yet another embodiment , electromagnets are used . in another embodiment , a material that changes shape at different temperatures due to thermal expansion is used . in even another embodiment , the air coming from the duct is used to adjust the constrictors . the airflow adjusting mechanism ( 300 ), as seen in fig2 and 13 , is controlled using custom firmware loaded on a processor ( 301 ). this firmware has algorithms to accept commands from the main router and processor ( 203 ) or other outside controller to control the vent itself . it has algorithms to open and close vents , send sensor information and state information back to the router and processor , and intelligence to minimize power use of the vent itself . it also has algorithms to process the information from the onboard sensors on the vent ( 305 ). the processor and firmware receives instructions from the router and processor ( 203 ) via the communication subsystems ( 304 ). the communication sub system receives signals wirelessly through wi - fi ( 802 . 11 ). in other embodiments , the system receives signals via an analog rf signal , zigbee , 802 . 15 , z - wave , bluetooth , infrared , other types of electromagnetic waves , or another wireless method . in another embodiment , the system communicates via electrical wires , a wired configuration . in other embodiments , the system and subsystems may communicate in any combination of the above methods . it is noted that in one embodiment , the communication subsystem ( 304 ) and the processor and firmware ( 301 ) are integrated into a single device . in one embodiment the vent includes sensors ( 305 ) such as pressure and temperature sensors ( 408 ), as shown in fig5 , on the vent to monitor real time pressure in all ducts to avoid placing the hvac system in a stressful or damaging environment . in other embodiments , other sensors are included , such as sound , air speed , temperature , humidity , co 2 levels , occupancy , and other sensors as well . in yet another embodiment , sensors may be removed entirely . in one embodiment , the sensors on the vent &# 39 ; s primary purpose is to understand the airflow characteristics ( such as velocity , pressure , temperature , humidity ) being presented to the hvac system for the purpose of preventing damage to the system while modifying those airflow characteristics . in one embodiment , the vent is wireless . as such , they include a power source on the vent itself . the power subsystem ( 303 ), in one embodiment includes a battery ( 406 ). to maximize battery life , the vent may also include power generation ( 407 ) on board as shown in fig1 and 16 , for use with a rechargeable battery . this power is generated using the air within the vent itself through a turbine . in another embodiment , the power is generated using vibration within the vent . in yet another embodiment , power is generated using solar panels . in another embodiment power is generated via a thermo - electric device such as a peltier generator . in another embodiment , power is provided by a capacitor . in another embodiment , a means of mechanical energy storage such as a spring may be used . in yet another embodiment , a piezoelectric device may be used , which may capture vibrations or be paired with a part moved by the airflow . this part may use a flexible horizontal plate that oscillates in the airflow , an unstable small โ wing โ that uses lift to oscillate , or other devices . in yet another embodiment , power is provided to the vents via a power source such as a local outlet , or the central breaker . in one embodiment the system includes active noise cancellation technology ( 411 ) on the vents . in this embodiment the vents reduce noise levels due to airflow and ducting by actively cancelling the noise before it exits the vent . in such an implementation , a noise cancellation module samples the noise arriving at the vent from within the ducting with one or more microphones , determines the appropriate sound waveform to reduce the noise level , and produces the waveform using one or more speakers within the vent . in one implementation , vents may use seals or gaskets on the outside to ensure a tighter seal once the vent is installed to maximize efficiency and comfort . in another , vents may clamp against the duct to ensure a tight seal . in another embodiment , duct insulation may act as a barrier to air leakage . in another embodiment , the system acts to encourage airflow instead of restricting it , employing a fan or other device to provide additional driving force for the air . fig1 presents a front plate ( 409 ) that can be installed and removed without tools . in one embodiment , the plate is attached with magnets ( 412 ). in another , a hook and loop attachment is used ; further still , a slide mechanism is used in another . in one embodiment the vent installs in the home without the use of tools . in one embodiment this is accomplished by a warped shape ( 410 ) in the vent that creates a friction fit as shown in fig1 and 19 . specifically , the top and bottom of shape ( 410 ) are bowed slightly outward . in another a lever mechanism engages the wall . in another wedges may be inserted by hand between the vent and the duct . the faceplates of the vents are designed to diffuse air in a more efficient and quieter manner . these faceplates provide the same amount of diffusion , while presenting a lower pressure load on the existing hvac system โ meaning the vents themselves are more efficient than existing solutions . by lowering the โ all open โ pressure , the vent allows more potential to add pressure to the system without reaching a damaging state . in other words , such vents have a greater range of back - pressure available . in one embodiment of the system , the sensor platform ( 201 ) is employed to provide feedback to the router & amp ; processor . in one implementation , the sensor platform , as seen in fig3 , uses temperature , motion , and humidity sensors ( 310 ) to detect characteristics of the environment and send that information through the processor and firmware ( 308 ) via the communication subsystem ( 307 ). in another implementation , the sensor platform senses ambient pressure . in this embodiment the sensors correlate pressure altitude with temperature to form a temperature gradient . in another , the sensor platform has two temperature sensors , allowing the system to calculate temperature gradients . in another embodiment the sensor platform has sensors mirrored on the top and bottom so that accurate measurements are taken despite the orientation of the outlet that the sensor is plugged into . in another implementation , the sensor platform may also sense carbon monoxide , vocs , carbon dioxide , humidity , or air quality . in yet another , they may only sense temperature . in yet another , they may include audio sensors , motion sensors , infrared sensors , an accelerometer , or a gyroscope ( solid state or otherwise ). in yet another , they may include video or other optical sensors . in several embodiments , the motion , carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide , acoustic , optical , or other sensors may be designed to detect occupancy . thus , detection and manipulation / control of any of the aforementioned environmental variables is within the scope of the invention . in one embodiment , the communication subsystem may also act as a wifi repeater to increase wifi coverage , or a repeater for any other wireless protocol employed as part of the main communication system used in the system . in another embodiment , the sensor suite may deploy a wifi network and act as a hub for the system . in certain embodiments , it is preferred that particular sensors be wall - mounted , and , thus , stationary , while other sensors be portable . fig2 and 21 show one implementation ( 500 ) of the sensor platform ( 201 ). sensor device ( 500 ) derives its power from a wall outlet using a standard plug ( 505 ). in another implementation , a sensor platform include batteries . in yet another , they may be light - powered . the power subsystem ( 309 ) ensures that regardless of the source of power , the sensor platform itself receives clean power so as not to compromise the accuracy and precision of the sensors installed . in one embodiment , the power subsystem ( 309 ) may also supply a number of usb ports to allow the user to charge devices . in one implementation the sensor platform ( 309 ), as shown in sensor device ( 500 ), includes pass - through plugs ( 510 ) so that when the user installs them , they do not lose an outlet within their home . optionally , sensor device ( 500 ) has openings ( 515 ) that provide access to sensors within the device . in another implementation the sensor platform may provide wireless control of the pass through plugs individually . in another implementation the sensor platform may have modules to expand it &# 39 ; s capability that are attachable via an exposed port such as usb ( not shown ). as mentioned above , the communication system is wi - fi ( 802 . 11 ), however in other embodiments can include zigbee , 802 . 15 , z - wave , analog rf , bluetooth or infrared or hard wired communication . the next component is the router and processor , as seen in fig5 . in one embodiment , we can install our own router and processor ( 203 ). this device is a router that deploys a wireless network . it may also connect to the internet with the communication system . this device may include our code already integrated , or packaged with a small computer or microprocessor that houses our firmware . in another embodiment the sensors use their onboard capabilities to provide the routing and processing capability . in this embodiment a single sensor may act as the router and processor or the tasks may be distributed automatically and dynamically amongst the installed sensors . in another embodiment , code is integrated on an existing wireless network by integrating it into existing compatible routers , and use that to integrate our devices . in all embodiments , any of the protocols mentioned earlier may be deployed . in one embodiment , the processor and firmware ( 320 ) for the router and processor ( 203 ) houses the algorithm and control system , communication capabilities ( 319 ), and a power supply ( 321 ). the algorithm , and control system offers multiple modes . one mode is the installation mode , which enables the user to install the system . another mode is the operation mode , where the algorithm receives stimuli from all the sensors platforms installed ( 201 ), the vents ( 200 ), the thermostat ( 202 ) and the control interface ( 204 ) to optimize operation in the home . the installation mode is described later in this document . the operation mode algorithm flowchart is presented in fig7 . this operation mode algorithm may take into account all the variables mentioned earlier , such as humidity in each room , temperature in each room , motion in each room , vent state in each room , as well as other variables including but not limited to : location of sun , local outdoor weather , number of windows in the room , location of the room , and cloud cover among others . this algorithm may also take into account user preferences , which include but are not limited to : comfort zones , priority , schedule , and location . the algorithm is complex enough to learn and has variables necessary for successful home or building optimization , and future growth , but simple enough to implement and execute . the next component in the system is the thermostat as seen in fig4 . in one embodiment the thermostat can be mounted on a wall and includes a power system ( 314 ) to provide power , processor and firmware ( 313 ) to process data and instructions given via the communication ( 312 ) or the interface ( 318 ). in one embodiment there is a display ( 315 ) used for status and message reporting . the thermostat is used to control the hvac system in response to stimuli received from the main router and processor ( 203 ) via the operation mode algorithm . optionally , the thermostat ( 202 ) may include one or more on - board sensors ( 316 ), as described in connection with the sensor platform ( 201 ). in one embodiment , the thermostat features an e - paper or similar display to minimize power draw . the thermostat on the wall can also be controlled via the control interface ( 204 ) rather than the router and processor ( 203 ). in yet another embodiment , the thermostat may be another device which includes an api ( application programming interface ) to allow remote control of the device by our system . in yet another embodiment , the user may not replace the thermostat but prefer manual control as given direction by the system through the control interface . in yet another embodiment the system may not interact with the existing thermostat and only respond to predicted performance of that thermostat . the final component is the control interface ( 204 ), shown in fig6 . in one embodiment , the control interface includes a communication subsystem ( 323 ), a power subsystem ( 325 ), a display ( 327 ), custom firmware or software ( 328 ) and a user interface ( ui )( 329 ). optionally , instructions to support an installation mode ( 324 ) can be included or can be part of the custom firmware ( 328 ). in one embodiment the control interface is a 10 โณ ( or equivalent ) android tablet , with a custom application loaded on with a custom android rom . in another embodiment , the user may use their own device running a custom native or web based application . the device has multiple functions . the first is the installation mode ( fig8 ) as described in the following sections , enables a novel method of using the control interface as a feedback device to instruct a user through system installation . another function is to configure the control interface to allow the user to control the system , denoted operation mode ( algorithm flow presented in fig7 ). the ui ( 329 ) of the control interface produces multiple screens to allow control of the system using custom firmware . the device communicates with the router & amp ; processor through the communication sub system , ( 323 ) which uses wifi or one of the other embodiments mentioned above . in one embodiment the control interface allows the user to see all the zones in their home , multiple statuses ( such as motion , temp and humidity ) and set schedules and priorities for the system . in one embodiment , the system allows the user to set modes for the home , and see status from all the components the system controls . in another embodiment , the user may select an automated zone where the system calculates everything by querying the user on comfort . in another embodiment , the system operates and calculates the ideal state based on occupancy . in another embodiment , the user may use the tablet device to set occupancy manually . when determining what adjustments are needed to attain the desired conditions in the one or more rooms or spaces in a building , the system can send airflow values to be maintained by the one or more vents in the building or can provide relative feedback , e . g ., that one or more vents needs to open more or close more relative to its present setting . in yet another embodiment , the system may be configured to pick the best configuration to save the most energy . in one embodiment , this interface also provides status to the user regarding the battery life of devices , communications status , and the overall health of not only the system , but the systems it controls ( i . e . update the user on potential faults within their existing hvac system ). in one embodiment , the supplied tablet device is open for use by the user as a conventional android tablet . in the installation mode ( fig8 ), the supplied control interface is used as a feedback system for installing the rest of the system . while this embodiment focuses solely on how aspects of the system are used in setting up the system itself , the same principles are applied to many different applications , such as installing appliances , tv &# 39 ; s , computers and computer equipment , sound systems , even self - assembled furniture . for instance , imagine the installation of a new tv . when performing the install of the tv , an application on the phone would be employed to aid installation . when you plug the tv in , it finds the devices ( through a wireless protocol such as wifi ), then provides instructions on how to install it . for instance , if you want to install a cable box , it walks you through which cables to install , and what to press on the remote . essentially because the tv can communicate with the installation app , it can walk you through the installation step by step . the embodiment presented in fig1 describes the architecture necessary for using the control interface as an installation device . in this embodiment , the control interface receives stimuli from the router & amp ; processor โ which is the key installation feedback stimuli . in future embodiments , the vents and sensor platforms are substituted . in other embodiments , no other devices may be used , by simply using the camera or other sensors on the control interface , the system can surmise correct installation steps as defined by user manuals . fig8 - 12 present flow charts for the installation mode as it applies in this embodiment , for installing a specific embodiment of this system . in fig8 is the configuration step of the control architecture . in this embodiment , the system boots into a screen asking the user to enter initialization mode . the device has a custom application running which hosts the necessary algorithms for installation of this system . fig9 describes the initialization mode , where in this embodiment , the tablet is turned on and it greets the user . it then instructs the user to set up the wireless network or plug in the router & amp ; processor in this case . once it is set up , the tablet confirms that the configuration was successful and enters the instruction mode . if the configuration was not successful , the router identifies the next steps , then instructs the user to execute them and tests the configuration again . once the configuration is confirmed , the tablet enters the instruction mode . in this embodiment , the instruction mode ( fig1 ) boots the instruction manual , or in this case a specific set of software , and enter step 1 ( as described in fig1 ). it then confirms step 1 . if successful it moves to the next step , if not , it selects the applicable course of action , and instruct the user on those steps . it then retries the confirmation of step 1 . in this embodiment , fig1 describes the logic behind each step ( in this case step 1 ). the system enters step 1 , as defined in fig1 , the control interface instructs the user to plug in one of the other devices ( such as a vent , or sensor platform ). it then attempts to detect the device and if successful , identify the device . if the detection is unsuccessful , the system determines the correct course , instruct the user and try the detection again . in this implementation , after the device is detected , the system identifies the type of device , and confirms with the user . if the confirmation matches , the system then moves to location . if it doesn &# 39 ; t match , the system identifies the next steps , instructs the user then tries to confirm the identification again . in this embodiment after the device is identified and confirmed , the system queries the user about the location of the device . the user enters the location , and the system confirms . if the confirmation is accepted , the system ends step 1 and returns to fig1 . if it is not accepted , the system determines the best next steps , and instructs the user , then confirms the location again . once step 1 is confirmed , it repeats this process for every step defined in the instruction manual , until all steps are confirmed . it then moves into the operation mode as defined in step 13 . once in operation mode the control interface switches to the operational interface behave as a control device as described previously , until further installation of devices is necessary . fig2 illustrates a front perspective view of a faceplate assembly 600 according to an embodiment of the invention . the faceplate assembly 600 has a bezel 605 and a deflector plate 610 . the deflector plate 610 is spaced apart from the bezel 605 to define an annular passage 615 between the space behind the faceplate and the space in front of the faceplate . fig2 illustrates a front view of the faceplate assembly 600 . fig2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a housing 700 and the faceplate assembly 600 according to an embodiment of the invention . fig2 shows the deflector plate 610 separate from the bezel , revealing an angled bevel 615 of the deflector plate 610 . the figure also shows an optional interchangeable inlay plate 620 , which can impart a decorative aspect to the deflector plate 610 . the figure also shows an optional edge material 625 , which is applied to the deflector plate 610 and surrounds the edge of the deflector plate ( described in more detail below ). a ball pin 630 is removably attached to the back surface of the deflector plate 610 . the ball pin 630 fits into socket 705 that is part of the housing 700 . the ball pin 630 and socket 705 cooperate to hold the deflector plate 610 apart from the bezel 605 . fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional side view of the housing 700 and the faceplate assembly 600 . this figure shows the cooperation between the socket 705 of the housing and ball pin 630 attached to the deflector plate 610 that provides the spacing to define the annular passage 615 . in addition , this figure illustrates how the bezel 605 is attached to the housing 700 . as described above , the bezel can be magnetically mounted to the housing or by using known methods of attachment , such as screws , adhesives , or clips that attach to the housing sides . fig2 illustrates a perspective view of two ball pins 630 according to an embodiment of the invention . as shown in the figure , each ball pin has a neck portion 635 . the ball pins are interchangeable and each can have a neck portions of different lengths . in one implementation of the ball pin 630 , the length of neck portion 635 a is relatively long , while in another implementation , the length of neck portion 635 b is relatively short . ball pins with relatively longer neck portions will define relatively larger annular passages 615 as compared to ball pins having relatively shorter neck portions . fig2 illustrates a front perspective view of the faceplate assembly 600 . the ball pin and socket form a joint that enables the deflector plate 610 to be tilted relative to the bezel 605 . when the deflector plate 610 is held substantially flat relative to the bezel plane , the annular passage 615 is open on all four edges of the bezel . this forms a 4 - way vent that distributes air flowing through the annular passage in all four directions . when the deflector plate 610 is tilted upwards , the top edge of the deflector plate 610 contacts the top bevel of the bezel 605 , thereby sealing off the top portion of the annular passage 615 a . meanwhile , the bottom portion of the annular passage 615 b is opened more widely . in this way , the faceplate assembly 605 forms a directional vent when coupled to a housing present in the ductwork of an hvac system . a user can direct air in the desired direction using the vent . in a rectangular implementation , tilting the deflector plate 610 towards its long edge creates a vent that directs air in predominately one direction ( a 1 - way vent ), while tilting the deflector plate towards its short edge creates a vent that directs air in predominately three directions ( a 3 - way vent ). although only a rectangular implementation is shown and described , other shapes , such as square , circular , oval , triangular , and polygonal are within the scope of the invention . fig2 illustrates detail a of fig2 . as mentioned above , an implementation of deflector plate 610 has optional edge material 625 . edge material 625 can be rubber , silicone , or any other pliable and resilient material to help create a seal between the edge of the deflector plate and the bevel of the bezel 605 . detail a also shows the mounting of the bezel 605 to the housing 700 . embodiments of the faceplate assembly 600 offer less resistance to airflow than known vent / register faceplates . for example , simulations of the faceplate assembly attached to a housing of about 6 inches by 10 inches with a two - piece variable shutter mechanism were performed . the 1 - way faceplates were modelled using a scoop design that directed air in predominately one direction . when compared to stamped steel register faceplates , the simulated faceplate assembly shows at least about a 25 % less pressure drop at a flow rate of 98 cubic feet per minute at a velocity of 500 feet per minute ( 0 . 057 inches of water versus 0 . 076 inches of water ). meanwhile , simulations of the faceplate assembly compared to stamped steel register faceplates shows at least about an 8 % less pressure drop at a flow rate of 208 cubic feet per minute at a velocity of 500 feet per minute ( 0 . 374 inches of water versus 0 . 409 inches of water ). it is expected that some embodiments of the faceplates described herein will have at least about 5 % less pressure drop compared to stamped steel register faceplates . other embodiments are expected to have at least about 10 % less pressure drop compared to stamped steel register faceplates . while still other embodiments are expected to have at least about 15 % less pressure drop compared to stamped steel register faceplates . still further embodiments are expected to have at least about 20 % less pressure drop compared to stamped steel register faceplates . other embodiments are expected to have at least about 30 % less pressure drop compared to stamped steel register faceplates . embodiments of the faceplate assembly 600 also produce less noise than known vent faceplates and are believed to encourage a more laminar flow condition than known vent faceplates . for example , simulations of noise produced by the 6 inch by 10 inch model faceplate assembly described were performed . when compared to stamped steel register faceplates , the simulated faceplate assembly shows at least about 11 . 8 % less pressure noise at a nominal flow rate ( 75 decibels versus 85 decibels ). it is expected that some embodiments of the faceplates described herein will produce at least about 5 % less noise compared to stamped steel register faceplates . other embodiments are expected to produce at least about 10 % less noise compared to stamped steel register faceplates . while still other embodiments are expected to produce at least about 15 % less noise compared to stamped steel register faceplates . still further embodiments are expected to produce at least about 20 % less noise compared to stamped steel register faceplates . other embodiments are expected to produce at least about 25 % less noise compared to stamped steel register faceplates . the percentage reductions of noise recited herein are intended as percentage reductions of decibel values . certain aspects of the techniques and systems disclosed herein may be implemented as a computer program product for use with a computer system or computerized electronic device . such implementations may include a series of computer instructions , or logic , fixed either on a tangible medium , such as a computer readable medium ( e . g ., a diskette , cd - rom , rom , flash memory or other memory or fixed disk ) or transmittable to a computer system or a device , via a modem or other interface device , such as a communications adapter connected to a network over a medium . the medium may be either a tangible medium ( e . g ., optical or analog communications lines ) or a medium implemented with wireless techniques ( e . g ., wi - fi , cellular , microwave , infrared or other transmission techniques ). the series of computer instructions embodies at least part of the functionality described herein with respect to the system . those skilled in the art should appreciate that such computer instructions can be written in a number of programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating systems . furthermore , such instructions may be stored in any tangible memory device , such as semiconductor , magnetic , optical or other memory devices , and may be transmitted using any communications technology , such as optical , infrared , microwave , or other transmission technologies . it is expected that such a computer program product may be distributed as a removable medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation ( e . g ., shrink wrapped software ), preloaded with a computer system ( e . g ., on system rom or fixed disk ), or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over the network ( e . g ., the internet or world wide web ). of course , some embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a combination of both software ( e . g ., a computer program product ) and hardware . still other embodiments of the invention are implemented as entirely hardware , or entirely software ( e . g ., a computer program product ). preferred embodiments of the invention are described above as having communications , routing , and processing functions located in various components of the system . for example , the sensor platform 201 can act as a repeater for other system components . however , these functions can be distributed in other components of the system and remain within the scope of the invention . thus , for example , vents can communicate directly with a thermostat , a control interface , or any other system component . likewise , the determination of operating parameters that is described as being performed by one particular component can be performed by another component .
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[ 0027 ] fig1 shows an example of a disk drive system 100 in the prior art . disk drive system 100 includes a disk device 102 and associated control circuitry 104 . disk device 102 includes storage media 106 . storage media 106 is comprised of magnetic disks . control circuitry 104 includes write channel 110 and read channel 120 . write channel 110 includes encoder 112 , compensation 114 , and write interface 116 connected in series . read channel 120 includes sampler 121 , adaptive filter 122 , interpolator 123 , detector 124 , and decoder 126 connected in series . detector 124 includes servo circuitry 125 . interface 116 and sampler 121 communicate with disk device 102 . data signal 130 carries user data . write channel 110 receives data signal 130 and transfers a corresponding write signal 133 to disk device 102 . disk device 102 stores the user data on storage media 106 . subsequently , disk device 102 reads storage media 106 and transfers a corresponding read signal 134 to read channel 120 . write signal 133 and read signal 134 should both represent the user data . read channel 120 processes read signal 134 to generate data signal 139 . ideally , data signal 139 carries the same user data as data signal 130 . write channel 110 operates as follows . encoder 112 receives and encodes data signal 130 to generate encoded signal 131 . the encoding provides error - checking capability when the data is subsequently decoded . encoder 112 transfers the encoded signal 131 to compensation 114 . compensation 114 adjusts the timing of transitions in the encoded signal 131 to generate time - adjusted signal 132 . compensation 114 transfers the time - adjusted signal 132 to interface 116 . interface 116 converts the time - adjusted signal 132 from digital format to analog format to generate the write signal 133 . interface 116 transfers the write signal 133 to disk device 102 . write signal 133 drives a magnetic head that alters a magnetic field to create magnetic transitions on the magnetic disk . these magnetic transitions should represent the user data and servo data . the magnetic head subsequently detects the magnetic transitions to generate read signal 134 . the positioning of heads relative to the disk is essential for proper system operation . the servo data is stored on the disk to facilitate this positioning . read signal 134 includes this servo data . the control circuitry 104 processes the servo data from read signal 134 to control the location of the heads relative to the disk . read channel 120 operates as follows . sampler 121 receives and samples the read signal 134 to generate read samples 135 . sampler 121 transfers the read samples 135 to adaptive filter 122 . adaptive filter 122 removes distortion by shaping the read samples 135 to generate equalized samples 136 . adaptive filter 122 transfers the equalized samples 136 to interpolator 123 . interpolator 123 synchronizes the equalized samples 136 with the clock for detector 124 to generate interpolated samples 137 . interpolator 123 transfers the interpolated samples 137 to detector 124 . detector 124 uses a detection algorithm , such as a viterbi state machine , to convert the interpolated samples 137 into an encoded signal 138 that represents the user data . detector 124 transfers the encoded signal 138 to decoder 126 . detector 124 also detects the servo data from the interpolated samples 137 using servo circuitry 125 . the servo circuitry 125 generates and transfers a servo signal 159 that represents the servo data . decoder 126 decodes the encoded signal 138 into data signal 139 by applying a decoding technique , such as pr 4 with d = 0 constraints . decoder 126 also performs error - checking functions . data signal 139 should represent the user data . [ 0033 ] fig2 shows an example of servo circuitry 125 in the prior art . the servo circuitry 125 is comprised of servo detector system 201 , sign bit system 206 , and register 208 . servo detector system 201 is comprised of matched filter system 211 and comparator 214 . matched filter system 211 comprises matched filters 251 - 258 . in operation , sign bit system 206 receives the interpolated samples 137 from the interpolator 123 . sign bit system 206 is configured to change the polarity of the servo circuitry 125 to match the polarity of the interpolated samples 137 . sign bit system 206 transfers the interpolated samples 137 to register 208 . register 208 receives and buffers the interpolated samples 137 to generate a sample block 238 . register 208 is a sixteen - sample register . register 208 transfers the sample block 238 to matched filter system 211 . matched filters 251 - 258 receive the sample block 238 . matched filters 251 - 258 are programmed with sixteen - bit error correcting grey code ( ecgc ) servo codes . matched filters 251 - 258 compare the sample block 238 to the servo codes . matched filters 251 - 258 generate weighted values 239 . the weighted values 239 represent how closely the servo codes programmed into matched filters 251 - 258 match the sample block 238 . the operation of matched filters is well known in the art . matched filters 251 - 258 transfer the weighted values 239 to comparator 214 . comparator 214 compares the weighted values 239 for the sample block 238 to determine which matched filter 251 - 258 generated the highest weighted value . comparator 214 selects the servo code from the matched filter 251 - 258 that generates the highest weighted value for the sample block 238 . comparator 214 generates a three - bit code that represents a translation of the selected servo code . the three - bit code is represented in fig2 as servo signal 159 . servo signal 159 should represent the servo data . [ 0037 ] fig3 depicts an example of a disk drive system in accord with the present invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous variations from this example that do not depart from the scope of the invention . those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various features could be combined to form multiple variations of the invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate that some conventional aspects of the disk drive system have been simplified or omitted for clarity . [ 0038 ] fig3 shows disk drive system 300 that includes disk device 302 and associated control circuitry 304 . disk device 302 includes storage media 306 that is made of magnetic material . control circuitry 304 includes write channel 310 and read channel 320 . write channel 310 includes encoder 312 , compensation 314 , and write interface 316 connected in series . read channel 320 includes sampler 321 , adaptive filter 322 , interpolator 323 , detector 324 , and decoder 326 connected in series . detector 324 includes servo circuitry 325 . interface 316 and sampler 321 are coupled to disk device 302 . data signal 330 carries user data . write channel 310 receives data signal 330 and transfers a corresponding write signal 333 to disk device 302 . disk device 302 stores the user data on storage media 306 . subsequently , disk device 302 reads storage media 306 and transfers a corresponding read signal 334 to read channel 320 . write signal 333 and read signal 334 should both represent the user data . read channel 320 processes read signal 334 to generate data signal 339 . ideally , data signal 339 carries the same user data as data signal 330 . write channel 310 operates as follows . encoder 312 receives and encodes data signal 330 to generate encoded signal 331 . encoder 312 transfers the encoded signal 331 to compensation 314 . compensation 314 adjusts the timing of transitions in the encoded signal 331 to generate time - adjusted signal 332 . compensation 314 transfers the time - adjusted signal 332 to interface 316 . interface 316 converts the time - adjusted signal 332 from digital format to analog format to generate write signal 333 . interface 316 transfers the write signal 333 to disk device 302 . read channel 320 operates as follows . sampler 321 receives and samples read signal 334 to generate read samples 335 . sampler 321 transfers the read samples 335 to adaptive filter 322 . adaptive filter 322 removes distortion by shaping the read samples 335 to generate equalized samples 336 . adaptive filter 322 transfers the equalized samples 336 to interpolator 323 . interpolator 323 synchronizes the equalized samples 336 with the clock for detector 324 to generate interpolated samples 337 . interpolator 323 transfers the interpolated samples 337 to detector 324 . detector 324 uses a detection algorithm to convert the interpolated samples 337 into an encoded signal 338 that represents the user data . detector 324 transfers the encoded signal 338 to decoder 326 . detector 324 also detects servo data from the interpolated samples 337 using servo circuitry 325 . the servo circuitry 325 generates and transfers a servo signal 359 that represents the servo data . the operation of servo circuitry 325 is discussed further with regard to fig4 . decoder 326 decodes the encoded signal 338 into data signal 339 by applying a decoding technique . decoder 326 also performs error - checking functions . data signal 339 should represent the user data . [ 0043 ] fig4 depicts specific examples of servo circuitry in accord with the present invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous variations from these examples that do not depart from the scope of the invention . those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various features described could be combined with other embodiments to form multiple variations of the invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate that some conventional aspects of the servo circuitry have been simplified or omitted for clarity . [ 0044 ] fig4 shows a block diagram that illustrates an example of servo circuitry 325 . servo circuitry 325 is comprised of servo detector system 401 , servo detector system 402 , servo detector system 403 , and comparator 416 . comparator 416 is coupled to servo detector system 401 , servo detector system 402 , and servo detector system 403 . in a first example of the operation of servo circuitry 325 , servo detector system 401 receives the interpolated samples 337 . the interpolated samples 337 include servo data . servo detector system 401 performs a first comparison by comparing the interpolated samples 337 to a plurality of servo codes . servo detector system 401 selects a first one of the plurality of servo codes based on the first comparison . servo detector system 401 then indicates the first one of the plurality of servo codes as a first selected code . servo detector system 401 transfers the first selected code to comparator 416 . servo detector system 402 also receives the interpolated samples 337 . servo detector system 402 performs a second comparison by comparing a first shifted version of the interpolated samples 337 to the plurality of servo codes . servo detector system 402 selects a second one of the plurality of servo codes based on the second comparison . servo detector system 402 then indicates the second one of the plurality of servo codes as a second selected code . servo detector system 402 transfers the second selected code to comparator 416 . comparator 416 receives the selected codes from servo detector systems 401 - 402 . comparator 416 performs a third comparison of the selected codes . comparator 416 selects one of the selected codes based on the third comparison . comparator 416 transfers the one of the selected codes . the one of the selected codes represents the servo data and is represented in fig4 as signal 359 . in some examples , servo detector system 403 also receives the interpolated samples 337 . servo detector system 403 performs a fourth comparison by comparing the second shifted version of the interpolated samples 337 to the plurality of servo codes . servo detector system 403 selects a third one of the plurality of servo codes based on the fourth comparison . servo detector system 403 then indicates the third one of the plurality of servo codes as a third selected code . servo detector system 403 transfers third selected code to comparator 416 . comparator 416 includes the third selected code in the third comparison . in a second example of the operation of servo circuitry 325 , servo detector system 401 receives the interpolated samples 337 . servo detector system 401 performs the first comparison by comparing the interpolated samples 337 to a plurality of first servo codes . servo detector system 401 selects one of the plurality of first servo codes based on the first comparison . servo detector system 401 then indicates the one of the plurality of first servo codes as the first selected code . servo detector system 401 transfers the first selected code to comparator 416 . servo detector system 402 also receives the interpolated samples 337 . servo detector system 402 performs the second comparison by comparing the interpolated samples 337 to a plurality of second servo codes . the plurality of second servo codes could be a shifted version of the first servo codes . servo detector system 402 selects one of the plurality of second servo codes based on the second comparison . servo detector system 402 then indicates the one of the plurality of second servo codes as the second selected code . servo detector system 402 transfers the second selected code to comparator 416 . comparator 416 receives the selected codes from servo detector systems 401 - 402 . comparator 416 performs the third comparison of the selected codes . comparator 416 selects one of the selected codes based on the third comparison . comparator 416 transfers the one of the selected codes . the one of the selected codes represents the servo data and is represented in fig4 as signal 359 . in some examples , servo detector system 403 also receives the interpolated samples 337 . servo detector system 403 performs the fourth comparison by comparing the interpolated samples 337 to a plurality of third servo codes . the plurality of third servo codes could be a shifted version of the first servo codes and the second servo codes . servo detector system 403 selects one of the plurality of third servo codes based on the fourth comparison . servo detector system 403 then indicates the one of the plurality of third servo codes as the third selected code . servo detector system 403 transfers third selected code to comparator 416 . comparator 416 includes the third selected code in the third comparison . [ 0054 ] fig5 depicts an example of servo circuitry in accord with the present invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous variations from this example that do not depart from the scope of the invention . those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various features described could be combined with other embodiments to form multiple variations of the invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate that some conventional aspects of the servo circuitry have been simplified or omitted for clarity . [ 0055 ] fig5 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of servo circuitry 325 . servo circuitry 325 comprises sign bit system 506 , register 508 , servo detector system 401 , servo detector system 402 , servo detector system 403 , and comparator 416 . servo detector system 401 is comprised of matched filter system 511 and comparator 514 . servo detector system 402 is comprised of delay 518 , matched filter system 512 , and comparator 515 . servo detector system 403 is comprised of delay 519 , matched filter system 513 , and comparator 516 . matched filter system 511 comprises matched filters 551 - 558 . matched filter system 512 comprises matched filters 561 - 568 . matched filter system 513 comprises matched filters 571 - 578 . sign bit system 506 is coupled to register 508 . register 508 is coupled to matched filter system 511 , delay 518 , and delay 519 . matched filter system 511 is coupled to comparator 514 . comparator 514 is coupled to comparator 416 . delay 518 is coupled to matched filter system 512 . matched filter system 512 is coupled to comparator 515 . comparator 515 is coupled to comparator 416 . delay 519 is coupled to matched filter system 513 . matched filter system 513 is coupled to comparator 516 . comparator 516 is coupled to comparator 416 . register 508 is a sixteen - sample register . matched filters 551 - 558 , 561 - 568 , and 571 - 578 are sixteen - bit filters . matched filters 561 - 568 and 571 - 578 could be the same filters as matched filters 551 - 558 . in other words , matched filters 551 - 558 , matched filters 561 - 568 , and matched filters 571 - 578 are programmed with the same coefficients . in operation , sign bit system 506 receives the interpolated samples 337 from the interpolator 323 . sign bit system 506 is configured to change the polarity of the servo circuitry 325 to match the polarity of the interpolated samples 337 or vice - versa . sign bit system 506 transfers the interpolated samples 337 to register 508 . register 508 receives and buffers the interpolated samples 337 to generate a sample block 538 . register 508 transfers the sample block 538 to servo detector systems 401 - 403 . matched filter system 511 receives the sample block 538 . matched filters 551 - 558 , within matched filter system 511 , compare the sample block 538 to error correcting grey codes ( ecgc ) servo codes . each matched filter 551 - 558 is programmed with a sixteen - bit servo code . matched filters 551 - 558 generate weighted values 539 based on the servo codes . the weighted values 539 represent how closely the servo codes programmed into matched filters 551 - 558 match the sample block 538 . matched filters 551 - 558 transfer the weighted values 539 to comparator 514 . comparator 514 processes the weighted values 539 to generate a selected code 531 . comparator 514 generates the selected code 531 based on which matched filter 551 - 558 generates the highest weighted value for the sample block 538 . the selected code 531 is a three - bit code that represents a translation of the sixteen - bit servo code that is programmed into the matched filter 551 - 558 that generated the highest weighted value . comparator 514 transfers the selected code 531 and the highest weighted value to comparator 416 . the highest weighted value is represented in fig5 as weighted value 534 . delay 518 also receives the sample block 538 . delay 518 delays the sample block 538 by one sample , or one bit , and transfers delayed sample block 543 to matched filter system 512 . matched filters 561 - 568 , within matched filter system 512 , compare the delayed sample block 543 to the ecgc servo codes . each matched filter 561 - 568 is programmed with a sixteen - bit servo code to match the servo codes programmed in matched filters 551 - 558 . matched filters 561 - 568 generate weighted values 540 based on the servo codes . the weighted values 540 represent how closely the servo codes programmed into matched filters 561 - 568 match the delayed sample block 543 . matched filters 561 - 568 transfer the weighted values 540 to comparator 515 . comparator 515 processes the weighted values 540 to generate a selected code 532 . comparator 515 generates the selected code 532 based on which matched filter 561 - 568 generates the highest weighted value for the delayed sample block 543 . the selected code 532 is a three - bit code that represents a translation of the sixteen - bit servo code that is programmed into the matched filter 561 - 568 that generated the highest weighted value . comparator 515 transfers the selected code 532 and the highest weighted value to comparator 416 . the highest weighted value is represented in fig5 as weighted value 535 . delay 519 also receives the sample block 538 . delay 519 delays the sample block 538 by two samples , or two bits , and transfers the delayed sample block 544 to matched filter system 513 . matched filters 571 - 578 , within matched filter system 513 , compare the delayed sample block 544 to the ecgc servo codes . each matched filter 571 - 578 is programmed with a sixteen - bit servo code to match the servo codes programmed in matched filters 551 - 558 and 561 - 568 . matched filters 571 - 578 generate weighted values 541 based on the servo codes . the weighted values 541 represent how closely the servo codes programmed into matched filters 571 - 578 match the delayed sample block 544 . matched filters 571 - 578 transfer the weighted values 541 to comparator 516 . comparator 516 processes the weighted values 541 to generate a selected code 533 . comparator 516 generates the selected code 533 based on which matched filter 571 - 578 generates the highest weighted value for the delayed sample block 544 . the selected code 533 is a three - bit code that represents a translation of the sixteen - bit servo code that is programmed into the matched filter 571 - 578 that generated the highest weighted value . comparator 516 transfers the selected code 533 and the highest weighted value to comparator 416 . the highest weighted value is represented in fig5 as weighted value 536 . comparator 416 receives the selected codes 531 - 533 and the weighted values 534 - 536 . comparator 416 selects one of the selected code 531 - 533 based on the highest of the weighted values 534 - 536 . comparator 416 transfers the one of the selected codes 531 - 533 , referred to as a detected code . the detected code is shown in fig5 as servo signal 359 . comparator 416 also transfers the highest of the weighted values 534 - 536 to channel quality circuitry so that the channel quality circuitry can monitor the performance of detector 324 . the highest of the weighted values 534 - 536 is shown in fig5 as weighted value 559 . servo circuitry 325 could operate in two modes . for instance , in normal mode , servo circuitry 325 operates using only servo detector system 401 . then , disk drive system 300 could change servo circuitry 325 to operate in phase shift improvement mode . servo circuitry 325 operates in phase shift improvement mode as described above using servo detector systems 401 - 403 . disk drive system 100 could control servo circuitry 325 using a phase shift improvement mode bit . [ 0065 ] fig6 depicts an example of servo circuitry in accord with the present invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous variations from this example that do not depart from the scope of the invention . those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various features described could be combined with other embodiments to form multiple variations of the invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate that some conventional aspects of the servo circuitry have been simplified or omitted for clarity . [ 0066 ] fig6 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of servo circuitry 325 . servo circuitry 325 comprises sign bit system 606 , register 608 , servo detector system 401 , servo detector system 402 , servo detector system 403 , and comparator 416 . servo detector system 401 is comprised of matched filter system 611 and comparator 614 . servo detector system 402 is comprised of matched filter system 612 and comparator 615 . servo detector system 403 is comprised of matched filter system 613 and comparator 616 . matched filter system 611 comprises matched filters 651 - 658 . matched filter system 612 comprises matched filters 661 - 668 . matched filter system 613 comprises matched filters 671 - 678 . sign bit system 606 is coupled to register 608 . register 608 is coupled to matched filter system 611 , matched filter system 612 , and matched filter system 613 . matched filter system 611 is coupled to comparator 614 . comparator 614 is coupled to comparator 416 . matched filter system 612 is coupled to comparator 615 . comparator 615 is coupled to comparator 416 . matched filter system 613 is coupled to comparator 616 . comparator 616 is coupled to comparator 416 . register 608 is a sixteen - sample register . matched filters 651 - 658 , 661 - 668 , and 671 - 678 are sixteen - bit filters . matched filters 651 - 658 , 661 - 668 and 671 - 678 are each programmed with different coefficients . matched filters 651 - 658 are programmed with coefficients to match a first set of servo codes . matched filters 661 - 668 are programmed with coefficients to match a second set of servo codes . the second set could be a one - bit shifted version of the first set . matched filters 671 - 678 are programmed with coefficients to match a third set of servo codes . the third set could be a two - bit shifted version of the first set . in operation , sign bit system 606 receives the interpolated samples 337 from the interpolator 323 . sign bit system 606 is configured to change the polarity of the servo circuitry 325 to match the polarity of the interpolated samples 337 or vice - versa . sign bit system 606 transfers the interpolated samples 337 to register 608 . register 608 receives and buffers the interpolated samples 337 to generate a sample block 638 . register 608 transfers the sample block 638 to servo detector systems 401 - 403 . matched filter system 611 receives the sample block 638 . matched filters 651 - 658 , within matched filter system 611 , compare the sample block 638 to the first set of servo codes . matched filters 651 - 658 generate weighted values 639 based on the first set of servo codes . comparator 614 processes the weighted values 639 to generate a selected code 631 . comparator 614 generates the selected code 631 based on which matched filter 651 - 658 generates the highest weighted value for the sample block 638 . comparator 614 transfers the selected code 631 and the highest weighted value to comparator 416 . the highest weighted value is represented in fig6 as weighted value 634 . matched filter system 612 also receives the sample block 638 . matched filters 661 - 668 compare the sample block 638 to the second set of servo codes . matched filters 661 - 668 generate weighted values 640 based on the second set of servo codes . comparator 615 processes the weighted values 640 to generate a selected code 632 . comparator 615 generates the selected code 632 based on which matched filter 661 - 668 generates the highest weighted value for the sample block 638 . comparator 615 transfers the selected code 632 and the highest weighted value to comparator 416 . the highest weighted value is represented in fig6 as weighted value 635 . matched filter system 613 also receives the sample block 638 . matched filters 671 - 678 compare the sample block 638 to the third set of servo codes . matched filters 671 - 678 generate weighted values 641 based on the third set of servo codes . comparator 616 processes the weighted values 641 to generate a selected code 633 . comparator 616 generates the selected code 633 based on which matched filter 671 - 678 generates the highest weighted value for the sample block 638 . comparator 616 transfers the selected code 633 and the highest weighted value to comparator 416 . the highest weighted value is represented in fig6 as weighted value 636 . comparator 416 receives the selected codes 631 - 633 and the weighted values 634 - 636 . comparator 416 selects one of the selected code 631 - 633 based on the highest of the weighted values 634 - 636 . comparator 416 transfers the one of the selected codes , referred to as a detected code . the detected code is shown in fig6 as servo signal 359 . comparator 416 also transfers the highest of the weighted values 634 - 636 to channel quality circuitry so that the channel quality circuitry can monitor the performance of detector 324 . the highest of the weighted values 634 - 636 is shown in fig6 as weighted value 659 . [ 0075 ] fig7 depicts an example of servo circuitry in accord with the present invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous variations from this example that do not depart from the scope of the invention . those skilled in the art will also appreciate that various features described could be combined with other embodiments to form multiple variations of the invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate that some conventional aspects of the servo circuitry have been simplified or omitted for clarity . [ 0076 ] fig7 shows a block diagram of an example of servo circuitry 325 . servo circuitry 325 is comprised of sign bit system 706 , adder 707 , register 708 , servo detector system 401 , servo detector system 402 , servo detector system 403 , and comparator 416 . sign bit system 706 is coupled to adder 707 . adder 707 is coupled to register 708 . register 708 is coupled to servo detector systems 401 - 403 . servo detector systems 401 - 403 are coupled to comparator 416 . register 708 is an eight - sample register . servo detector systems 401 - 403 operate as described above and shown in fig6 or 7 . one difference is that the matched filters in servo detector systems 401 - 403 in this example contain eight - bit ecgc servo codes instead of sixteen - bit servo codes . in operation , sign bit system 706 receives the interpolated samples 337 from interpolator 323 . sign bit system 706 is configured to change the polarity of the servo circuitry 325 to match the polarity of the interpolated samples 337 . sign bit system 706 transfers the interpolated samples 337 to adder 707 . adder 707 adds pairs of the interpolated samples 337 . because all transitions in ecgc are in the same interleave , the interpolated samples 337 from each interleave can be added without losing any of the servo data . adder 707 transfers the added samples 735 to register 708 . register 708 receives and buffers the added samples 735 . register 708 transfers a sample block 738 to servo detector system 401 , servo detector system 402 , and servo detector system 403 . servo detector systems 401 - 403 and comparator 416 operate on the sample block 738 substantially as described above . matched filters within servo detector systems 401 - 403 compare eight - bit servo codes to the sample block 738 . the matched filters each generate and transfer a weighted value that represents how closely each servo code matched the sample block 738 . servo detector systems 401403 transfer selected codes 531 - 533 and weighted values 534 - 536 to comparator 416 . the selected codes 531 - 533 are three - bit codes that represent a translation of the eight - bit servo codes . comparator 416 generates detected code 359 and weighted value signal 759 as described above . those skilled in the art will appreciate variations of the above - described embodiments that fall within the scope of the invention . as a result , the invention is not limited to the specific examples and illustrations discussed above , but only by the following claims and their equivalents .
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a careful review of the process by which the kalman filter develops the state estimates reveals a number of intriguing similarities between itself and the affine scaling algorithm . specifically , it can be shown that , in the affine scaling algorithm , the value of w ( k ) in equation 3 ( d ) is a least squares solution . thus , the developed value of the dual vector w ( k ) is one that minimizes โฅ( ad x ( k )) t w ( k )- d x ( k ) c โฅ 2 . correspondingly , it can be shown that the state vector estimate in a kalman filter arrangement z ( t ) is a least square estimate of the state vector z ( t ), where z ( t ) is the true state vector and z ( t ) is the filtered state vector . that is , the developed value of z ( t ) is one that minimizes โฅ z ( t )- z ( t )โฅ 2 . question : if it is assumed that the dual vector w ( k ) is really the estimate of the state vector of some hypothetical system , can w ( k ) in each affine scaling iteration be evaluated by means of a kalman filter ? we first recognized that at each iteration of the affine scaling algorithm the value of w ( k ), though unknown , is unique and fixed . placing this in a kalman filter environment , it means that if w ( k ) corresponds to the state ( z ) of some hypothetical system , it must be one that is static . in other words , we discovered that w ( k ) can be obtained from a kalman filter that operates on a hypothetical system whose state transition matrix f is equal to i and the input ( u ) is 0 , so that at all kalman filter iterations , t , the state vector of the hypothetical system , w ( t ), per equation ( 2a ), is constant ; i . e ., we also discovered that equation ( 4 ) can be rewritten as ## equ5 ## and in this form , equation ( 5b ) corresponds to equation ( 1b ) when the following variable substitutions are made : and ## equ6 ## with these substitutions in place , various conceptual and computational parallelisms between the two techniques can be brought to light . the kalman filter ( kalman system ) operates in a stochastic environment , while the affine scaling algorithm ( affine system ) works essentially in a deterministic framework . the affine system projects the weighted cost vector ( weighted gradient of the objective function d x ( k ) c ) onto the null space of the weighted constraint set ad , per equation ( 5b ). the kalman system projects the measurement vector y ( t ) onto the hyperplane which spans the sets of state vectors , per equation ( 1b ). fig2 presents a pictorial representation of this correspondence . the kalman system estimates the states of the stochastic system on which it operates from the measurements of the noisy output of the system , y ( t ). the affine system derives the information from the weighted gradient of the cost function d x ( k ) c . since c is a constant , the only variable is d x ( k ), or x ( k ) itself , which essentially contains the entire information . the kalman system computes the states z ( t ) of a system in the minimum variance sense from the observations . the affine system also computes the dual vector w ( k ) in the least squares sense , from the observation ( which is the current interior feasible point , x ). both the kalman system and the affine system can be considered as predictor - corrector mechanisms . that is , they start at some point and move towards optimality in steps by predicting the next point from the information that is currently available . as far as the kalman system is concerned , the next estimate of states is based on the &# 34 ; residuals &# 34 ; defined as ( see equation 2d ). for the affine system , the next direction of move is based on &# 34 ; reduced cost vector &# 34 ;, which in the transformed space is defined as : for the kalman system , the optimality conditions are given by the zero mean of residuals and the statistical orthogonality ( statistical independence ) between the residuals vector and the observation vector . likewise , for the affine system the conditions of optimality are the reduced costs which are greater than or equal to zero ( dual feasibility ) and the geometrical orthogonality between the reduced costs vector and the current interior point vector ( complementary slackness ). stated simply , with proper inputs , the filtered state vector developed by a kalman filter is equal to the dual vector of the affine scaling algorithm . in light of the above discovery , implementation of the affine scaling lp algorithm ( linear constraints and a linear cost function ) can be carried out with the aid of a kalman filter . fig3 presents an illustrative block diagram of this implementation . in fig3 the system whose operation is to be optimized is depicted by block 40 . as in fig1 system 40 may be any commercial or industrial system that utilizes resources in the course of its operation and that is characterized by an expense that is involved with such utilizing of resources . the objective , of course , is to reduce the expenses in accordance with a cost function that is characteristic of system 40 . in accordance with the affine scaling algorithm and the arrangement depicted in fig3 the controller that sends commands to system 40 is a feed - forward controller . it does not have a feedback path to allow controlling of system 40 based on its present state . of course , inasmuch as the interior point method invented by karmarkar requires an initial , feasible , starting point , the present operating point of system can be fed to the controller to serve as that initial , feasible , starting point . this may speed the computations for developing the optimizing control signals . thus , the fig3 embodiment is simply a realization of the affine scaling optimization algorithm for an lp problem associated with a non - stochastic system that is controlled in a feed - forward manner . in fig3 the lp affine scaling algorithm controller of system 40 comprises blocks 60 and 51 - 56 . more specifically , block 60 in fig3 develops the dual vector w ( k ) that corresponds to equation ( 3d ). block 51 computes the value of ฮณ based on the value of w ( k ), a , d x ( k ) and c in accordance with equation ( 4a ). processor 52 , responsive to w ( k ), ฮณ , c , a , and d x ( k ) develops the next value , x ( k + 1 ), in accordance with equation ( 4 ). it also develops the diagonal matrix for this new value of x ( k + 1 ), multiplied by the cost vector c , and stores that value in register 56 for the next iteration as an input to block 60 . block 53 performs the test of equation ( 4c ) based on the value of w ( k ), a , c and d x ( k ), and it determines whether the iterations that encompass blocks 60 , 51 , 52 , and 56 should continue . when block 53 determines that additional iterations are not necessary , gate 54 is enabled to allow the value of the vector x to be applied to system 40 . in accordance with the principles of our invention , block 60 develops the dual vector of w ( k ) with a kalman filter that is identical in structure to the filter described in fig1 . the difference lies in the fact that the kalman filter is made to estimate the state of a hypothetical system or , more particularly , the difference lies in the signals that are applied to the kalman filter of fig3 . specifically , the input to the blocks that maintain the r matrix is ฮทi , where ฮท is a selected constant close to 0 ( to insure computational stability ). the input to the block that maintains the q matrix is 0 . the input to the block that maintains the h matrix that corresponds to a t d x ( k ), and the input to the block that maintains the f matrix is i . also , either the input to the block that maintains the g matrix is 0 , or the input to the memory that receives the input signal u ( t ) in fig1 is 0 ( or both ), and the input to the memory that received the observed output signal y ( t ) in fig1 is d x ( k ) c . one can purchase a kalman filter and apply thereto the signals specified above . however , it should be realized that one does not have to use the &# 34 ; full fledged &# 34 ; kalman filter in connection with the fig3 structure . since a number of the inputs are trivial ( 0 or i ), a number of the processors in block 60 of fig3 actually can be dispensed with and the complexity reduced . viewed differently , equations ( 2a ) through ( 2f ) can be simplified substantially when g = 0 , q = 0u = 0 and f = i . the above describes the use of a conventional kalman filter with appropriate modifications to its inputs , in combination with other elements , to realize the affine scaling algorithm for solving linear programming optimization tasks . similar results hold true for optimization tasks where the cost function is quadratic . this follows from the fact that in a copending application , ser . no . 237 , 264 , filed aug . 28 , 1988 , and in a publication in the 13th international math . symp ., titled &# 34 ; a new karmarkar - based algorithm for optimizing convex , non - linear cost functions with linear constraints &# 34 ;, tokyo , japan , 1988 , aug . 29 - sept . 2 , an algorithm to solve qp ( quadratic programming ) problems using affine scaling was disclosed . this qp algorithm can be summarized as follows a &# 34 ; minimum fuel &# 34 ; problem can be posed as a qp problem to minimize 1 / 2x t ฯx - c t x subject to a set of linear constraints where x โง 0 , ฯ is a positive definite or semi - definite matrix , and c , a , and b are the same as in the lp problem . when the problem is posed in this manner , the qp algorithm proceeds as follows . 1 . at each iteration k , where a feasible solution x ( k ) is known , compute the descent direction by using d x ( k ) is the diagonal matrix containing the components of x ( k ). 2 . compute ฮฑ = min ( ฮฑ 1 , ฮฑ 2 ), where ## equ7 ## ฮฒ being a selected constant between 0 and 1 , and ## equ8 ## 4 . if ## equ9 ## ( where ฮต is chosen small positive number ) then stop again , we discovered that ฮดx p of equation ( 9a ) can be written as and that allows one to formulate the state space equations corresponding to this qp algorithm for kalman iterations . in the above , the matrix l is such that t = ll t . as before , it can be shown that a dual vector w ( k ) can be obtained for each iteration k of the affine scaling algorithm from the filtered state estimate of a kalman filter operating on a hypothetical system whose state , w ( t ), is fixed within the kalman iterations , t ; to wit , the state of the hypothetical system corresponds to the dual vector of the affine scaling algorithm , because the function and ## equ10 ## it should be noted that both g and t change from one iteration of the affine scaling algorithm to the next ( i . e ., as k increments ) because , as indicated by equation ( 9b ), t is a function of d x ( k ). the qp algorithm can be posed as a kalman filtering problem . as already indicated earlier one needs a routine for the matrix inversion of the step expressed by equation 2 ( c ). the same routine can be used to obtain t , l , and l - 1 and , hence , no special routines are necessary for the qp implementation that employs a kalman filter . in short , the controller depicted in fig3 is applicable to optimization of a system 40 where the cost function is linear ; and the controller depicted in fig4 which is essentially identical to that of fig3 but with different inputs , is applicable to optimization of a system 40 where the cost function is quadratic . the controller of fig3 - 4 is shown to include a kalman filter and a number of additional components . although it is presumed that in realizing the controller artisans would simply purchase a kalman filter , fig1 - 4 present sufficient information to allow a skilled artisan to create the filter &# 34 ; from scratch &# 34 ;. that is , as suggested earlier , each of the processors in the kalman filter can be created for the specific computational function that it needs to perform or , alternatively , each of the processors can be realized with a general purpose processing element , such as a microprocessor , with attendant memory and stored program control . the same applies to the processors outside the kalman filter that are included in the controller of fig3 . indeed , the entire fig3 controller can be implemented in a single general purpose computer , under program control , and the program control can even include a switch function to allow the processor to a . execute the kalman filter function per equation ( 6 ), together with the remainder of the affine scaling algorithm -- to solve an lp problem , or b . execute the kalman filter function per equation ( 14 ), together with the remainder of the affine scaling algorithm -- to solve a qp problem . the process of controlling such a general purpose processor is shown in the form of a flow chart in fig5 . the first step ( 302 ) is to model the system or process to be controlled to develop the a , b , and c information . the modeling process is , of course , not part of the direct process of control . it is an &# 34 ; off line &# 34 ; step that is the predicate to the control process . once the modeling part is done , decision process 305 determines whether a minimum time ( 306 ) or a minimum energy ( 307 ) control strategy will be employed , and applies the developed states to process 308 or to process 309 . in process 308 the lp based controller of equation ( 6 ) is implemented , and in process 309 the qp based controller of equation ( 14 ) is implemented . fig6 illustrates a unified three - in - one observer / controller system in accordance with the principles of our invention . block 401 is the system or process to be controlled . blocks 402 and 412 include appropriate transducers which generate electrical signals corresponding to the input and output of the system , respectively . these electrical signals are often analog in nature and , hence , blocks 403 are provided , which are analog - to - digital converts that make these signals ready for use by a digital computer . signal lines 404 carry this digital data to element 405 , which is a digital computer . upon the arrival of the data , computer 405 invokes the kalman filter by setting appropriate parameters in the common software 406 residing in the memory of the computer , and estimates the states of the system . setting of the parameters in software 406 is tantamount to applying the appropriate inputs to the kalman filter , as depicted in fig3 and 4 . the information on the states estimated by computer 405 is displayed on the console 408 of the computer for human monitoring . the console is also used to provide input to computer 405 on the type of control action to be taken ( minimum time or minimum energy ) and the corresponding parameters ( desired output , control horizon , penalty for deviating from desired output goal , limits on control input , etc .) to be used in deploying the selected control strategy . once this information is provided to computer 405 , the appropriate parameters in the common software 406 are set , the processes described in connection with the selected control strategy are executed , and the appropriate control signals 410 , in the form of digital data , are developed . this data is then converted to analog signals 411 with the help of digital - to - analog converters 412 . these analog signals drive corresponding operating mechanisms 413 ( for example valves of a chemical reactor ) to provide actual inputs to the system or process to be controlled .
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the fusible powders are prepared in a number of sequential steps , the first being ( step 1 ) the preparation of oligomeric amic acids end - capped with amino groups . in this embodiment , an aromatic diamine component such as mda is reacted with a dianhydride such as 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride ( btda ) in an organic polar solvent at ambient temperature to form a solution of oligomeric amic acid end - capped with amine groups . the molar ratio of diamine / dianhydride is about 2 . 0 to 1 . 15 , preferably 1 . 5 to 1 . 2 . such molar ratio is responsible for obtaining an oligomeric amic acid having amino groups at chain ends . the reaction is monitored using nmr ( nuclear magnetic resonance ) spectroscopic analysis to make sure the anhydride groups are reacted . the reaction of step 1 is illustrated below : ## str1 ## where n is an integer from 2 to about 8 . as the second step ( step 2 ) in the production of the fusible reactive end - capped amide / imide prepolymer powders of the present invention , the amine end - capped oligomeric amic acid solution prepared as disclosed above is reacted with an unsaturated carbocyclic monomeric anhydride to form unsaturated carbocyclic - capped amic acid prepolymers . the equivalent ratio of aromatic diamine to the combination of dianhydride and unsaturated anhydride is from about 1 . 0 : 1 . 0 to about 1 . 0 : 1 . 05 with about 5 mole % excess of unsaturated anhydride to ensure that the amine groups are fully reacted . the reaction of step 2 is illustrated below ( using nadic anhydride ): ## str2 ## the unsaturated carbocyclic monomeric anhydrides of use in this embodiment of the present invention are nadic anhydride ( 5 - norbornene - 2 , 3 - dicarboxylic anhydride ) and its halogen or c 1 to c 6 linear or branched alkyl derivatives , i . e ., ## str3 ## where r is c 1 to c 6 linear or branched alkyl , halo or maleic anhydride and its c 1 to c 6 linear or branched alkyl derivatives where r &# 39 ; is the same or different than r described above . mixtures of the above compounds may also be used . the r and r &# 39 ; groups in these monomeric anhydrides include both mono - substituted compounds as well as disubstituted ones . thus , compounds such as methyl maleic anhydride ( citraconic anhydride ) or dimethyl maleic anhydride as well as 5 - methyl - 5 - norbornene - 2 , 3 - dicarboxylic anhydride or 5 , 6 - dimethyl - 5 - norbornene - 2 , 3 - dicarboxylic anhydride are useful herein . in step 3 , the unsaturated carbocyclic - capped amic acid prepolymer is then warmed up to about 130 ยฐ to 180 ยฐ c ., preferably 135 ยฐ to 160 ยฐ c ., for an appropriate period of time to partially imidize the prepolymer , i . e ., 30 to 80 %, preferably 40 to 70 % imidization . the reasons for keeping imidization below 80 % are : ( i ) to allow imidized product solubility in the solution so that it can be used readily for casting or coating and ( ii ) to keep the melting temperatures of the imidized product ( powder ) below 280 ยฐ c ., preferably below 260 ยฐ c ., which is lower than the crosslinking temperature ( 300 ยฐ- 340 ยฐ c .) of the norbornenyl groups . it is desirable to have a wide enough processing window , preferably greater than 20 ยฐ c ., for molding operation . the level of imidization is monitored by nmr analysis . a typical thermal imidization of the norbornenyl - capped amic acid prepolymer is illustrated below : ## str4 ## as a final step , step 4 , the solution of step 3 is cooled to ambient temperature and gradually poured into water or other organic non - solvent , which is miscible with the solvent used in the reaction , under agitation to precipitate the norbornenyl - capped amide / imide prepolymer . the powdered product is filtered and dried . the particulate prepolymer may be separated or recovered from the liquid medium by any suitable procedure , such as filtration , decantation , vacuum distillation or centrifugation . after drying the product under vacuum or under a flow of air or inert gas ( e . g ., nitrogen ) at a temperature in the range of 25 ยฐ to 100 ยฐ c . to remove most of residual quantities of water and solvent ( s ), the particulate prepolymer powder is typically subjected to a final drying in a vacuum oven at 100 ยฐ- 150 ยฐ c . to remove the solvent from the prepolymer particles . examples of solvents which are suitable for use in the formation of the precursor include the dipolar aprotic ones such as n , n - dimethylformamide , n , n - dimethylacetamide , n , n - diethyl - formamide , n , n - diethylacetamide , n - methylpyrrolidone , dimethylsulfoxide , sulfolane , and the like , including mixtures of two or more such solvents . other solvents , such as ketones , ethers , and the like may also be included in the solutions formed above , provided that such co - solvents do not prevent the polyimide from precipitating from solution in proper physical form during the course of the ensuing thermal dehydration reaction in step 3 . a feature of this invention is that no reaction intermediate , e . g ., the reaction product of step 1 , need be recovered or isolated , and the entire reaction can be , and preferably is , conducted in the same reactor , in effect as a one - stage unit operation . the aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides which may be employed in the process may be represented by the formula where a is an aromatic group . illustrative compounds of this type include : mixtures of two or more such illustrative dianhydrides are also useful reactants . pyromellitic acid dianhydride , 2 , 2 - bis ( 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl ) hexafluoropropane dianhydride , and 3 , 3 &# 39 ;, 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride are particularly preferred reactants . typically , to the reaction product of step 1 nadic anhydride or maleic anhydride is added at an equimolar ratio to that of the unreacted amino group . it is preferred that the molar ratio of carbocyclic monoanhydride : bis -( aminophenyl ) methane : aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride is from about 2 : 3 : 2 to about 2 : 9 : 8 . small amounts of the corresponding tetracarboxylic acid monoanhydride may be present in the reaction system , either as the customary impurity in commercial grades of the dianhydride or as a deliberately added component . the amount present usually will not exceed about 5 mole % of the dianhydride . in lieu of or in addition to the tetracarboxylic dianhydride , use may be made of its acid halides or esters as reactants in the process . in a preferred embodiment , a homogeneous solution in step 2 above is formed by stirring or otherwise agitating the mixture at a temperature of up to about 100 ยฐ c . it should be noted that the order of addition of the components to the reactor is critical . preferably this operation is conducted at ambient temperatures . as illustrated below for two of the carbocyclic monoanhydrides of the present invention , the polyimide precursors ( i . e ., polyamic acids ) resulting from the completion of steps 2 and 3 may be represented by the following structures : ## str5 ## where a is the integer 2 to about 8 . because the molecular weight of the end - capped polyimide is relatively low , 1500 - 4000 , the imidized material is generally soluble int he solvent used in the reaction . the end - capped polyimide is typically made into a solution with one or more solvents mentioned earlier and poured gradually into a non - solvent such as water under vigorous agitation to cause the polyimide to separate in particulate form and to prevent the formation of excessive quantities of agglomerated particles or masses within the system . the particulate polyimide product is filtered and washed with a suitable non - solvent having a boiling point below about 160 ยฐ c . ( preferably below about 100 ยฐ c .) and then dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature in the range of 25 to 200 ยฐ c ., preferably in the range of 50 ยฐ to 175 ยฐ c . to remove residual quantities of solvent ( s ). the diamine portion of the polymers is based on a bis -( aminophenyl ) methane , such as bis -( 4 - aminophenyl ) methane or bis -( 3 - aminophenyl ) methane , and mixtures thereof , as the sole or as the predominant ( more than 50 mole %) diamine reactant used in producing the polyimide polymer . when forming co - polyimides wherein one or a mixture of bis ( aminophenyl ) methane constitute the predominant aromatic primary diamine component , the balance ( less than 50 mole %) of the aromatic diamine ( s ) used will be one or more unsubstituted or substituted aromatic or heterocyclic primary diamines such as : the particulate prepolymer may be separated or recovered from the liquid reaction medium by any suitable procedure , such as filtration , decantation , vacuum distillation , or centrifugation . in the preferred washing step of this invention , any inert solvent boiling below about 160 ยฐ c . ( most preferably below about 100 ยฐ c .) may be employed , including low boiling paraffins , cycloparaffins , chlorinated solvents , ethers , water , ketones , etc ., including mixtures of such solvents . it is important that the solvent used for washing be miscible with the aprotic solvent and thus can remove the aprotic solvent from the polymer particles . after drying the product under vacuum or under a flow of inert gas ( preferably nitrogen , although argon , etc ., may be used ), preferably using staged drying temperatures in the manner described above , the particulate prepolymer powder may be subjected to a final drying in a vacuum tray dryer at a temperature in the range of 50 ยฐ to about 175 ยฐ c . and at a pressure in the range of 0 to 20 mm hg . ordinarily grinding of the product is not required , but may be resorted to in any situation where it is deemed desirable . having described the basic concepts of this invention , reference will now be made to the following specific examples which are illustrative but not limitive of its practice . 59 . 4 g ( 0 . 30 mole ) of mda and 480 g of dmac were placed in a 1 l four - neck round bottom flask equipped with a condenser , thermometer , and a mechanical stirrer . to above mda solution under agitation , 64 . 4 g ( 0 . 20 mole ) of btda was added in ten portions into the reaction flask under nitrogen atmosphere over a period of 30 minutes at 25 ยฐ- 35 ยฐ c . the reaction mixture was stirred at this temperature range for about 6 hours . a small sample of the reaction solution was analyzed by proton nmr analysis which did not show detectable unreacted mda or btda . 32 . 4 g ( 0 . 20 mole ) of nadic anhydride was added in 10 portions over a period of 30 minutes into the reactor at 25 ยฐ to 30 ยฐ c . the reaction mixture was stirred at this temperature range for an additional 90 minutes . the proton nmr analysis of a small sample of the reaction solution indicated that the end - capping was essentially complete . about a quarter ( by volume ) of the reactive end - capped oligomeric amic acid solution from example 1 was placed in a 300 - ml round - bottom flask . the solution was stirred and heated at about 130 ยฐ- 135 ยฐ c . for about 1 / 2 hour and then cooled to ambient temperature . the resulting brown solution was then poured into cold water ( the volume of water was about 4 times of that of the brown solution ) with stirring to precipitate the imidized oligomer product . the fine powder product was filtered , washed with water , air - dried for 4 hours and then vacuum - dried ( 70 ยฐ c . and 30 inch hg pressure ) to yield 34 . 5 g yellow powder . the proton nmr analysis of the product indicated about 50 - 60 % imidization . the melting temperature range of the powder was about 220 ยฐ c . another quarter of the reactive end - capped oligomeric amic acid solution from example 1 was heated at 130 ยฐ- 135 ยฐ c . for about one hour . at the end of the heating , yellow fine particles started to appear from the brown solution . the heating was discontinued . the solution was poured into water to precipitate the imidized oligomer powder . the proton nmr analysis of the imidized product indicated about 70 - 80 % imidization . the powder melted at about 230 ยฐ c . to compare the reactive end - capped oligomeric imide with the traditional pmr - 15 resin , several grams of the yellow powder with 50 - 60 % imidization from example 2 and several grams of the commercially available m - 100 imidized pmr - 15 powder ( brown powder ) from hysol grafil composite components company were compression molded and cured separately at 600 ยฐ f . for 30 minutes into several thin specimens ( thickness varied from 0 . 7 to 1 . 3 mm ). the glass transition temperatures ( using dmta method ), tg , of the cured m - 100 pmr - 15 specimens ranged from 270 ยฐ to 285 ยฐ c . while the tg of the cured specimens from our yellow powder ranged 350 ยฐ to 360 ยฐ c . after post - curing for 16 hr at 600 ยฐ f ., 4 hr at 650 ยฐ f ., and 4 hr at 700 ยฐ f ., the tg of hysol grafil &# 39 ; s pmr - 15 specimens increased to the range of 315 ยฐ to 345 ยฐ c . while tg of our specimens increased to the range of 360 ยฐ to 370 ยฐ c . during compression - molding the powders , we experienced the difficulty of molding the m - 100 pmr - 15 powder because it became very fluid when it melted and would overflow when a small pressure was applied ; therefore , we were not able to mold a 1 / 4 inch thick disk from hysol grafil &# 39 ; s powder . we did not have difficulty to mold a 1 / 4 inch thick disk from our powder because the melt viscosity of our powder is significantly higher than that of the m - 100 pmr - 15 powder . the reactive end - capped oligomeric imide solution will be useful in applications such as high temperature adhesives , coating , and prepregging . the reactive end - capped oligomeric imide powder can be used for compression / transfer resin molding and powder prepregging to produce structure parts . example 3 shows that the glass transition temperatures ( tg ) of compression molded specimens , with and without post - cured , from the yellow prepolymer powder of this invention are higher than those of the corresponding specimens from the m - 100 pmr - 15 powder . both the prepolymer powder mentioned in example 3 and the m - 100 pmr - 15 powder are prepared from similar monomeric components and molar ratio but are prepared via different reaction process . to further demonstrate the differences in the natures of these two powder products , we measured the melt viscosity ( rds measurement ) and inherent viscosity ( ฮท inh ) of these two powder samples . the results are following : ______________________________________ inherent viscosity melt viscosity ( at 250 ยฐ c .) source of ( 1 . 0 % in dmac , time = time = powder 25 ยฐ c . 0 sec . ; 80 sec . ______________________________________m - 100 pmr - 15 0 . 14 dl / g 2 ร 10 . sup . 4 poise 3 ร 10 . sup . 4 poisethis invention 0 . 36 dl / g 3 ร 10 . sup . 4 poise 8 ร 10 . sup . 6 poise______________________________________ both inherent viscosity and melt viscosity of the prepolymer powder of this invention are significantly higher than those of commercial pmr - 15 powder . that indicates that the process of this invention would produce a prepolymer which has higher average molecular weight than the conventional pmr - 15 process . the melt viscosity of the commercial pmr - 15 prepolymer increased much less in the span of 80 sec . than that of the prepolymer of this invention . that would explain why we experienced the difficulty for molding a thicker specimen from the commercial pmr - 15 powder mentioned in example 3 . to compare the fracture toughness of the molded and cured neat resin from the prepolymer powder of this invention and conventional pmr - 15 , the plane - strain fracture toughness ( k lc ) of compression - molded / cured neat resin from our norbornenyl - capped amide / imide prepolymer powder were determined by use of the compact tension specimen of astm 399 . the average k ic of three determinations is 846 ( psi )( in ) 1 / 2 . according to a paper presented by r . h . pater and c . d . morgan at the 1988 spe antec technical conference apr . 18 - 21 , 1988 ( sampe journal , vol . 24 , no . 5 , sept ./ oct . 1988 , pp 25 - 32 ), the neat resin fracture toughness , k lc , of pmr - 15 is about 500 ( psi )( in ) 1 / 2 .
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briefly my invention comprises a lifting tool bar mounted on castering wheels and adapted to be tightly coupled behind another implement which , in turn , is pulled by a farm tractor . the wheels can be locked in a fixed position or released to caster thus allowing considerable flexibility in pulling the implement . more specifically and referring to the figures , i illustrate my device as being pulled behind a disc 10 having a frame 11 . my device is connected to the frame 11 of the disc by a tongue 12 pivotally coupled to the frame 11 in the customary manner . the disc is pulled in the usual way by a tractor not shown . the tongue 12 is part of a frame 13 which supports the implement . that frame includes side bars 14 and a rear member 15 forming a triangular shape and a center member 16 which is an extension of the tongue 12 . the rear member 15 has downwardly projecting legs 17 at each end . support links 18 are pivotally connected to these legs 17 and extend rearwardly . at the rearward end , these links 18 carry the tool bar 20 on which are supported the tools 21 specifically adapted for whichever operation the bar is to be used for . a lifting bar 22 is pivotally journalled to the rear member and lies parallel to that member . at its outward ends , lifting links 23 are fixed to the bar 22 and will be operated by the bar . the lifting links 23 are preferably placed directly above the support links 18 . the lifting links 23 can then be flexibly connected to the support links 18 by a chain 25 or the like . if the links were offset from each other , then the connection from the lifting links would have to be made with some other part of the bar 20 . in order to provide for controlled lifting of the tool bar 20 through the linkage just described , a power control is provided . i prefer a hydraulic piston - cylinder arrangement 26 connected between the center member 16 of the frame and an arm 27 fixed to the bar 22 . thus , extension of the hydraulic mechanism pushes the arm 27 and tends to rotate the bar 22 . in the mechanism shown , such rotation would be in a direction to lift the tool bar 20 , but if the direction of extension of the arm were reversed , a retraction of the hydraulic mechanism could be used through similar means to raise the tool bar . in order to provide for ease in making shorter turns at the ends of crop rows and the like , i provide a novel arrangement for attaching my device to another pulled device such as the disc 10 . the carrying wheels 30 are mounted to the frame 13 so that they will caster . specifically and as is best shown in fig2 - 5 , i provide a bracket 31 on the side bar 14 on which is pivotally mounted a wheel carrier having a horizontal member 32 pivoted to the bracket 31 and a vertical member 33 . the axle 34 of the wheel 30 is fixed to the vertical member 33 and is located so that the wheel is slightly offset from the pivot on the bracket 31 . the member 33 also is swept back from its juncture with the horizontal member 32 toward the rear of the frame so that the wheel trails behind the pivot axis . this formation provides a castering mechanism so that the wheels 30 adjust to the line of travel of the frame 13 to which they are attached . in order to provide for direct tracking of the device , i also provide for locking the castering device . a pin bracket 35 extends from the side bar 14 over each wheel carrier near the end of each horizontal member 32 when the wheels are substantially aligned with the center member 16 . a plate 36 on the horizontal member 32 of the wheel carrier has its ends bent downward at 37 ( fig4 ) so that it will guide the wheel carrier under the bracket 35 . a pin 38 is mounted on the bracket 35 and may be spring loaded in a downward direction . this pin projects through the bracket 35 and through a hole formed in the horizontal member 32 of the wheel carrier . the engagement of this pin 38 with the bracket 35 and the member 32 then pins the wheel carrier in place so that the wheel tracks in a straight forward direction . when the pin is released the wheels are free to caster . in order to provide for the shortest turning radius , i couple the frame 13 of my device to the frame 11 of the pulling device . as shown in fig1 i prefer to use chains 40 because the length can be readily adjusted . however , any flexible coupling device could be used . by coupling the two devices closely and allowing almost no flexibility , the tool bar on its castering wheels could be turned very sharply , and might even swing in a direction such that the wheels would be turned at right angles to normal travel . in that mode , the device can also be driven in reverse , because the pulling disc 10 ( or other implement ) can be backed like a two - wheeled trailer , and the castering wheels 30 would allow the tool bar carrier and the disc to act as a unit when tightly coupled . in use in a field where the tool bar carrier is supposed to travel in a straight line , the coupling chains 40 can be relaxed or released and the wheels pinned , and then the bar carrier will operate in the same manner as previously known carriers .
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the presently disclosed subject matter now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which various embodiments are shown . however , it should be understood that this invention may take many different forms and thus the specifically illustrated embodiments should not be construed as limiting the present invention . all publications mentioned herein are incorporated by reference for all purposes to the extent allowable by law . in addition , in the figures like numbers refer to like elements throughout . the terms โ a โ and โ an โ as used herein do not denote a limitation of quantity , but rather denote the presence of at least one of the elements . all known prior art cm logic systems generate a cm clock signal , transmit that cm clock , perform a current - to - voltage conversion on the received cm clock , buffer the resulting voltage mode clock signal , and then distribute the voltage mode clock signal to various circuit devices . the result was a full voltage swing clocking network that used a significant chip area to implement the required buffer and a large dynamic power to drive clock line capacitances . in direct contrast the principles of the present invention enable cm flip - flops that directly receive a current mode clock signal . this reduces the overall power consumption and required chip area . the present invention can find use in synchronously clocked vlsi chips , preferably implemented on a silicon die . the present invention also can be used in other types of devices and systems . fig2 illustrates a cm logic pulsed flip - flop 200 ( hereinafter usually referred to as a โ cmpff 200 โ for convenience ). fig3 present simulation results of the cmpff 200 . the cmpff 200 includes a reference voltage generator 202 , a reference mirror 203 , an input current receiver 204 , a current - comparator stage 206 , a pulse forming stage ( discussed in more detail subsequently ) having a pair of inverter amplifiers 210 and 212 , pulse formers 214 and 216 , a register stage 220 and a static storage cell 222 . in operation the current - comparator stage 206 compares an input push - pull current i in on a clock ( line 240 ) with a reference current i 1 and conditionally amplifies the clock current i in to a full - swing voltage pulse that latches data into the register stage 220 , with the data being stored in the static storage cell 222 and output on a line 242 . the cmpff 200 is in stark contrast to previous cm logic schemes which utilized large and expensive rx circuits and buffers to drive storage flip flops . by switching on input push - pull currents i in the cmpff 200 enables use of a relatively simple transmitter tx circuit ( discussed in more detail subsequently ) while maintaining a relatively constant bias voltage on interconnects . the cmpff 200 is designed to be sensitive to the unidirectional push current to provide the positive edge trigger needed for operation . this approach lends itself to the use of a complementary current comparator tx that uses a pull current to produce negative clock edges . still referring to fig2 , the reference voltage stage 202 includes a pair of mos transistors ( m 1 - m 2 ) that creates a first reference current ( i ref 1 ). the first reference current ( i ref 1 ) is mirrored by reference mirror 203 m 5 to produce a current il similarly , the input current receiver 204 includes a reference voltage generator pair m 3 - m 4 that creates a flip - flop reference current ( i ref 2 ). that flip - flop reference current ( i ref 2 ) is combined with input current i in . the resulting current combination is mirrored by m 6 of the current - comparator stage 206 to generate a modified current i 2 . the difference between the first reference current i ref 1 and the modified current i 2 is applied on line b . in practical applications the reference mirror 203 m 5 voltage may use a global reference in place of the reference voltage stage 202 . that can increase overall system robustness by reducing transistor mismatches between flip - flops while also saving two transistors per cmpff 200 . saving those two transistors reduces required static power with a negligible performance penalty . however , the reference mirror 203 m 5 voltage would require global distribution and consume metal routing resources . thus the preferred embodiment is shown in fig2 . still referring to fig2 , the difference in the mirrored currents i 1 and i 2 is compared using an inverting amp 210 whose input is at a node b . the output of the inverting amp 210 is applies to a cmos logic level by inverting amp 212 . then inverter pair 214 and 216 generates the required voltage pulse duration using feedback that is applied to m 7 of the current - comparator stage 206 . the feedback applied to m 7 quickly pulls node b down . this facilitates generating small voltage pulses having less than 50 % duty cycle and results in fewer transistors in the register stage ( see below ). the register stage 220 is similar to a single - phase register as used in j . j . yuan and c . svensson , โ high - speed cmos circuit technique ,โ solid - state circuits , ieee journal of , 24 ( 1 ): 62 - 70 , but requires fewer transistors . it also has a reduced clock load . the current - generated voltage pulse ( clk_p ) triggers storing data in the static storage cell 222 . in fig2 , the size of m 7 of the current - comparator stage 206 is critical to the voltage pulse . preferably it is a minimum sized nmos transistor having a unity aspect ratio . the width of the generated voltage pulse ( clk_p ) is also sensitive to the width and amplitude of input current i in . the amplitude of i in strongly affects flip flop performance by changing the operating point of m 6 . this may add extra delays to the generated clk_p . to achieve minimum c - to - q delay , the input current should have ยฑ 2 . 3 ua amplitude and be about 70 ps wide . fig3 illustrates waveforms 300 of the cmpff 200 . the input current i in is shown on line 302 . as shown that input current i in involves pulses centered about 0 amperes . the resulting clock v clk_p at the output of inverter 216 is shown on line 304 . data to be clocked in is shown on line 306 . finally , the output voltage v q on line 242 is shown on line 308 . to integrate cmpff 200 into a vlsi a reliable transmitter tx that can provide the required push - pull current into a clocked network of cmpffs 200 while distributing the required current to each cmpff 200 is needed . fig4 illustrates a vlsi device 400 having such transmitter tx 402 . also shown is a symmetric h - tree network 404 having a balanced set of cmpffs 200 . the transmitter tx 402 receives a traditional voltage clk from a pll / clock divider on line 410 . the transmitter tx 402 then supplies a pulsed current to the symmetric h - tree network 404 which has equal impedances in each branch . the symmetric h - tree network 404 distributes current evenly to each cmpff 200 on each leaf node . the transmitter tx 402 of fig4 is similar to previous tx circuits used in a . katoch , h . veendrick , and e , seevinck , โ high speed current - mode signaling circuits for on - chip interconnects ,โ in iscas , pages 4138 - 4141 , may 2005 and in m . dave , m . jain , s . baghini , and d . sharma , โ a variation tolerant current - mode signaling scheme for on - chip interconnects , ieee tvls1 , pp ( 99 ): 1 12 , jan . 2012 . however , the transmitter tx 402 uses a nand - nor design . the nand gate 412 uses the clk signal and a delayed inverted clk signal , clkb , as inputs to generate a small negative pulse to briefly turn on m 1 . hence , the pmos transistor briefly sources charge from the supply while the nmos is off . similarly , the nor gate 414 utilizes the negative edge of the clk and clkb signals to briefly turn on m 2 . hence , the nmos transistor briefly sinks current while the m 1 is off . the non - overlapping input signals from the nand - nor gates 412 , 414 beneficially prevent short circuit current from the transmitter tx 402 . the transmitter tx 402 mi and m 2 device sizes are preferably adjusted to supply / sink charge into the symmetric h - tree network 404 cdn . the root wires of the symmetric h - tree network 404 carry currents that are distributed to all branches . thus the sizing of the symmetric h - tree network 404 wires is critical for performance and reliability . if the resistance of the wires are too high , the current waveform magnitude and period will be distorted and negatively affect performance of the cmpff 200 . the wire width must also consider electromigration effects while carrying the total current to drive all the cmpff 200 with the required current amplitude and duration . fig5 provides simulated waveforms 500 of the vlsi device 400 that help illustrate how the internal current - to - voltage pulse generation ( clk_p ) triggers input data capture . the clk input on line 410 is shown on line 502 . the resulting voltage of the delayed clkb which is applied to nand - nor gates 412 , 414 is shown on line 504 . the resulting current clock applied to the cmpff 200 is shown on line 506 . the simulation of fig5 confirms that a voltage mode input is converted to a constant cdn voltage and a representative push - pull current results at each cmpff 200 . in practice the cmpffs 200 consumes about 2 . 9 % less silicon area than traditional voltage mode flip flops . a practical layout the vlsi device 400 would use 45 nm cmos technology with each cmpff 200 being compatible with a standard cell library height of 12 horizontal m 2 tracks . the symmetric h - tree network 404 cdn would span about 1 . 2 mm ร 1 . 2 mm . typical clock frequencies would be between 1 . 5 and 5 ghz using a 1 v supply and have around 20 ps slew . it is to be understood that while the figures and the above description illustrates the present invention , they are exemplary only . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed , and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . others who are skilled in the applicable arts will recognize numerous modifications and adaptations of the illustrated embodiments that remain within the principles of the present invention . therefore , the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims .
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a schematic side elevation view of a folding apparatus is represented in fig1 . this folding apparatus has two web inlets 01 , 02 for the receipt of multi - layered webs 03 , 04 of material , in particular paper webs 03 , 04 , which multi - layered webs 03 , 04 will be hereinafter identified as the inner web 03 or as the outer web 04 in what follows . both webs 03 , 04 pass through a respective traction roller pair 06 , 07 , respectively for setting their tension and both webs then encounter a conveying cylinder 11 at the height of respective first and second cutting gaps 08 , 09 . these gaps are formed between the conveying cylinder 11 , on the one hand , and one of cutting cylinders 12 , 13 on the other hand . in place of two inlets 01 , 02 and two cutting gaps 08 , 09 , it is also possible to provide three or more inlets and cutting gaps . in the course of this web travel , the webs 03 , 04 preferably first come into contact with the respective cutting cylinder 12 , 13 in each cutting gap 08 , 09 , respectively , and thereafter come into contact with the conveying cylinder 11 . the webs 03 , 04 thus first loop around the counter cylinder 12 , 13 and then around the conveying cylinder 11 . each one of the cutting cylinders 12 or 13 has a circumference corresponding to at least one , and preferably to two lengths of the signatures to be produced from the webs 03 , 04 . each cutting cylinder supports two cutting blades 14 . the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 corresponds to the length of more than five , and in particular to seven signatures . seven counter - cutting strips , which are cut or inlaid into , and located at uniform spacing distances on the circumferential surface of the conveying cylinder 11 , for example hard rubber strips , are used as backstops 15 , each of which backstops is works together with a cutting blade 14 when these cutting blades 14 are cutting the webs 03 , 04 . a holding device 16 , for example a spur strip 16 , with spur needles 23 , which spur strip 16 can be extended radially , as seen in fig2 to 5 , is arranged on the conveying cylinder 11 adjoining each backstop 15 . in the position of the conveying or transporting device , as represented in fig1 , a cutting blade 14 of the cutting cylinder 12 and a backstop 15 of the conveying cylinder 11 are just passing through the first cutting gap 08 and , in the process , cooperate cut the inner web 03 . the leading edge of the inner web 03 which is formed by this first cut , is spiked on the spur needles 23 of a spur strip 16 , which spur strip 16 had been extended briefly prior to its reaching the cutting gap 08 and which also fixedly holds the inner web leading edge on the surface of the conveying cylinder 11 during further conveying . the signature cut off the inner web 03 in this process is conveyed on by the conveying cylinder 11 to the second cutting gap 09 , where the outer web 04 is placed on top of it and is also spiked by the spur needles 23 of the spur strip . the rotation of the first and second cutting cylinders 12 , 13 is synchronized in such a way that the two cutting blades 14 of each of the first and second cutting cylinders 12 and 13 always enter a narrow gap in the surface of the backstop 15 , and ideally always strike the same line . during their passage through the second cutting gap 09 , two successive signatures 24 , 27 , which were both cut off the inner web 03 , are caused to be separated by a gap 26 , as is shown in fig2 . the width of the inner signature separation gap 26 is slightly greater than that of the section of the backstop 15 into which the cutting blades 14 strike . the formation of gap 26 will prevent that , in the course of their passage through the cutting gap 09 , these inner signatures 24 , 27 being again cut . different techniques for forming this gap 26 will be explained in the discussion which follows , and by reference to fig2 to 5 . in the configuration represented in the drawings , the angular distance between the two cutting gaps 08 , 09 is approximately 75 ยฐ. it is advantageous if this cutting gap angular distance differs from the angular distance of the spur strips 16 from each other , which spur strip angular distance is preferably 51 . 5 ยฐ, or from a multiple thereof , so that cutting is not performed simultaneously at both cutting gaps 08 , 09 . a half - integral multiple of this value is also disadvantageous from the viewpoint of vibration avoidance . following its passage through the second cutting gap 09 , each spur strip 16 supports a whole product , which is composed of a signature 24 cut off the inner web 03 and of a signature 27 cut off the outer web 04 . seven whole signatures , or products are formed in the course of every revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 in the same way as if both webs 03 , 04 were fed via a common inlet 01 , 02 in the customary way . however , since the cutting of each individual signature 24 , 27 is spaced over two separate cutting steps at the first and second cutting gaps 08 , 09 , the force required to be provided in each cutting step is less . the result is that a satisfactory synchronous running of the machine is easier to maintain . furthermore , seven folding blades , which are not specifically represented in the drawing figure shown in fig1 , are attached to the conveying cylinder 11 , each of which folding blades is extended when reaching a gap 17 between the conveying cylinder 11 and a folding jaw cylinder 18 in order to transfer the products 24 , 27 conveyed by the conveying cylinder 11 to the folding jaw cylinder 18 in a manner that is known per se , and to thereby fold them . the folded products are then transferred from the folding jaw cylinder 18 to a bucket wheel 19 and are deposited by the bucket wheel 19 on a conveyor belt 21 . fig2 shows a detailed view of a first preferred embodiment of the second cutting gap 09 and its surroundings in accordance with the present invention . two of the seven spur strips 16 of the conveying cylinder 11 are represented in fig2 and are indicated as first and second spur strips 16 โฒ, 16 โณ, respectively . spur strips 16 โฒ, 16 โณ are each pivotable around a shaft 22 in a controlled manner and each support spur needles 23 which are oriented in such a way that their tips can extend out of the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 are each located farther away from the center of the shaft 22 than are their bases that are located in the interior of the conveying cylinder 11 . the spur needles 23 of the first spur strip 16 โฒ, as depicted in fig2 , are in a comparatively far or full extended position in which full extended position they previously had also passed through the cutting gap 08 . this same position is shown in dashed lines at the location of the second spur strip 16 โณ. in comparison with the first spur strip 16 โฒ, the second spur strip 16 โณ is shown in fig2 as being pivoted back some distance farther into the interior of the conveying cylinder 11 . this retraction pivot movement results in a displacement of the line of intersection between the spur needles 23 and the surface of the conveying cylinder 11 to opposite the direction of rotation of the conveying cylinder 11 . because of this displacement , the signature 24 held by the spur strip 16 โณ has been slightly displaced on the circumferential surface of the conveying cylinder 11 opposite to the direction of rotation of the conveying cylinder 11 in comparison with the position in which inner signature 24 was cut off from the inner web 03 at the first cutting gap 08 . after passing through the second cutting gap 09 , the second spur strip 16 โณ returns back into the original , extended position that is indicated by dashed lines , or even makes a transition to an even further extended position , in order to cancel , or to overcompensate for the prior retrograde displacement of the signature 24 . in this way , a narrow gap 26 is initially formed between each signature 24 and a previous signature 27 , which had been cut off immediately prior to it , into which narrow gap 26 the cutting blade 14 of the second cutting cylinder 13 can enter , and in this way the cutting device can push the outer web 04 against the backstop 15 and can cut it without risking the danger of again cutting one of the signatures 24 , 27 . fig3 shows an alternative embodiment of the conveying cylinder 11 and of the cutting cylinder 13 in a partial sectional view that is analogous to that of fig2 . with respect to each cutting blade 14 , in this embodiment the cutting cylinder 13 has a strip 28 extending axially along , and projecting radially past its exterior circumference , which strip 28 passes through the cutting gap 09 shortly before the associated cutting blade 14 . a complementarily shaped groove 29 is provided in the circumferential surface of the conveying cylinder 11 and is located opposite the strip 28 during each passage of strip 28 through the gap . the strip 28 pushes a trailing edge area of the inner signature 27 cut off the inner web 03 , as well as the outer web 04 , into the groove 29 . the trailing end of the inner signature 27 is pulled forward by this and the signature spacing gap 26 is opened . with this embodiment it is therefore not necessary for the second spur strip 16 โณ to be pivoted outward again after its passage through the second cutting gap 09 in order to form the signature spacing gap 26 . a third embodiment of the present invention is represented in fig4 , again by the use of a partial section through the conveying cylinder 11 and the second cutting cylinder 13 . the second cutting cylinder 13 is identical to the second cutting cylinder 13 shown in fig2 . the conveying cylinder 11 of the third embodiment differs because of the arrangement of the shafts 22 around which the spur strips 16 can be pivoted . while in the embodiments of fig2 and 3 , these shafts 22 are located ahead of the spur needles 23 , in the direction of rotation of the conveying cylinder 11 , these shafts 22 are arranged behind the spur needles 23 in the embodiment of fig4 . the orientation of the spur needles 23 , in relation to the surface of the conveying cylinder 11 , is the same in all cases . they are slightly inclined forward , opposite the normal surface , and in the direction of rotation of the conveying cylinder 11 , so that a tension , acting on the material spiked on the spur needles 23 , keeps the material pressed against the surface of the conveying cylinder 11 . a changed sequence of the pivoting movement of the first and second spur strips , here identified as 16 *, 16 **, results from the changed arrangement of the shafts 22 shown in fig4 . the first spur strip 16 *, which is still far removed from the second cutting gap 09 , is in a comparatively only slightly extended position , in which slightly extended position its spur needles 23 extend far enough past the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 for holding an incoming inner web 03 . the second spur strip 16 ** is shown as being farther extended only shortly prior to it reaching the cutting gap 09 for also now spiking the outer web 04 , as can be seen by reference to the second spur strip 16 **. in this third embodiment , the radially outward movement of the spur needles 23 causes a displacement of their intersection with the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the conveying cylinder 11 , and therefore a movement of the leading edge of the signature 24 held by the second spur strip 16 ** away from the impact point of the second cutting blade 14 on the backstop 15 . the spur needles 23 of the third spur strip 16 *** have now been retracted radially some distance farther back into the conveying cylinder 11 in order to move the signature 27 , which they hold , forward in the circumferential direction and to open the gap 26 at the level of the backstop 15 in this way . with this third embodiment , several directional changes in the movement of the spur needles 23 , in the course of a revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 , are avoided . a fourth embodiment of the cutting device in accordance with the present invention is represented in fig5 , again in a partial sectional view that is analogous to fig4 . in this fourth embodiment , first and second cylinder surface segments 32 *, 32 **, as well as other similar segments , which are not specifically shown , are arranged on the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 between each two of first , second and third successive spur strips 16 *, 16 **, 16 ***. these segments 32 *, 32 ** are utilized for increasing the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 . each one of these segments 32 *, 32 **, is composed of a plurality of flexible plates , which are arranged side - by - side in the axial direction of the conveying cylinder 11 and which are also spaced apart axially by gaps 17 . during the transfer of the finished cut signatures 24 , 27 to the folding jaw cylinder 18 , these axially spaced gaps 17 , between axially adjacent segment 32 *, 32 ** are used as respective outlet openings for tines of a folding blade , which is not specifically represented . the ends of the flexible plates are each anchored to top strips 33 which top strips 33 can be displaced in the circumferential direction of the conveying cylinder 11 . the first cylinder surface segment 32 * is in a configuration in which the course of its plates corresponds to the cylindrical shape of the conveying cylinder 11 . after the passage of such a first segment 32 * through the second cutting gap 09 , its top strips 33 are displaced toward each other , for example in a motion that is controlled by a cam disk which is not specifically represented , so that its flexible plates , as indicated for the second segment 32 **, form a protrusion extending radially outwardly past the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 . as a result of this radially outwardly extending protrusion , the distance between the second and third spur strips 16 ** and 16 ***, as measured along the surface of the conveying cylinder 11 , is greater than the distance between the first and second spur strips 16 * and 16 **, the latter distance corresponding to the length of the signatures 24 , 27 produced at the first cutting gap 08 . therefore , the bulging of the second cylinder surface segment 32 ** causes the formation of the gap 26 between the signatures 24 and 27 , into which newly formed gap 26 the cutting blade 14 of the second cutting cylinder 13 can enter . a modified embodiment of the cutting device of the present invention differs from the one represented in fig1 in that the modified embodiment has only a single inlet 01 , or 02 for a single web 03 , or 04 to be cut . reference is again made to fig1 for its description , wherein the web 03 and the cutting cylinder 12 are assumed not to exist . at the second cutting gap 09 , the outer web 04 , which has been conveyed via the second inlet 02 and which may be imprinted with alternating patterns a and b , meets the conveying cylinder 11 , whose spur strips 16 alternatingly carry either a signature with the pattern a or no signature , when entering the second cutting gap 09 . since the number of spur strips 16 is an odd number , a free spur strip 16 meets a pattern a on the outer web 04 at the second cutting gap 09 , and a spur strip 16 , previously provided with a signature equipped with the pattern a in a prior rotation , meets a pattern b on the web 04 . the signatures with the pattern a , which had already been held on the conveying cylinder 11 , prior to their passage through the cutting gap 09 , are each displaced , during their passage through the cutting gap 09 , in one of the ways described above with reference to fig2 to 5 , so that trailing ends of these signatures are not cut again during their second passage through the cutting gap 09 . every time a spur strip 16 , that is now carrying or holding two signatures a and b , passes the folding gap 17 , the whole product obtained in this manner is transferred , in a manner that is generally known per se , to the folding jaw cylinder 18 . the second transverse cutting device 13 is arranged with a phase offset on the circumference of the conveying cylinder 11 for cutting . the cut of the first transverse cutting device 12 on the cutting cylinder 11 takes place essentially next to the other cut of the second transverse cutting device 13 , in particular within a distance of 10 mm next to it . the first and second transverse cutting devices 12 , 13 are arranged spaced from each other about the conveying cylinder 11 in the circumferential direction of the conveying cylinder 11 . in all modes of operation of the transport or conveying device in accordance with the present invention , a further conveying cylinder for taking over the signatures can be connected downstream of the first conveying cylinder 11 , instead of the folding jaw cylinder 18 , downstream of which further conveying cylinder a folding jaw cylinder or a belt system can be arranged . it is also possible for each of the webs 03 , 04 to have the same patterns a or b located one behind the other , typically in the conveying direction as depicted at the right in fig6 . preferably these patterns a and b are imprinted by the use of at least one formed cylinder of a printing unit , which at least one formed cylinder has two identical patterns a and b on its circumference . the webs 03 , 04 are guided on top of each other , so that signatures with patterns a and b located on top of each other are formed , each of which web is transferred to the downstream located folding jaw cylinder 18 in the gap 17 . the conveying cylinder 11 does not absolutely have to have an odd - numbered division for this , but instead can also have an even - numbered division , preferably greater than 4 or 6 . preferably , each of the patterns a , b , c , d identifies two newspaper pages , wherein a 1 , a 2 , b 1 , b 2 , c 1 , c 2 , d 1 , d 2 each identifies a newspaper page . the identification of a web 03 , 04 is understood to represent at least one web 03 , 04 , but preferably should be understood to be a representation of a strand consisting of several webs 03 , 04 placed on top of each other . here , the webs 03 , 04 can each be imprinted by the use of formed cylinders of printing units which either have a pattern a or b on the circumference , which is a single circumference , or two patterns a or b on the circumference , which is a double circumference . with double circumference formed cylinders , two identical patterns a , a , or b , b , or two different patterns a , b can be arranged on the circumference . therefore , four modes of operation of the transport or conveying device in accordance with the present invention are possible . in a first and in a second mode of operation , both webs 03 , 04 are brought together on the conveying cylinder 11 ahead of the first inlet 01 , or ahead of the second inlet 02 and are together severed in the course of a single cutting operation . in this case , in a first mode of operation , the webs 03 , 04 have identical patterns a or c in sequence , and the same products are formed sequentially on the conveying cylinder 11 during each revolution of conveying cylinder 11 and are directly transferred to the downstream located folding jaw cylinder 18 . in the second mode of operation , the webs 03 , 04 have patterns a , b or c , d , which patterns alternate behind each other and which patterns are alternatingly deposited on the conveying cylinder 11 during a first revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 , which conveying cylinder 11 is here provided with an odd number of fields and is thus a collection cylinder , and the signatures or products are additionally provided with a second layer of the product portion during the second revolution . in a third and fourth mode of operation , two webs 03 , 04 are separately fed in , wherein , in the third mode of operation , the webs 03 , 04 alternatingly bear the patterns a , b or c , d located one behind the other as may be seen in fig6 . in this third mode , during a first revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 , which is again acting as a collection cylinder , first signatures with the pattern a , c of each web 03 , 04 are conducted on all and on every second spur strip 16 , so that now every second spur strip 16 carries a signature with the pattern a , c . during the second revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 again two signatures with the pattern b , d from each web 03 , 04 are conducted on the spur strips 16 . therefore , during the second revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 , signatures a , c , b , d on the spur strips 16 alternate with spur strips 16 carrying only signatures with the patterns a , c , the already completely collected signatures , i . e . the product with the pattern a , b , c , d of each second field , are transferred to the folding jaw cylinder 18 . in a fourth mode of operation , the webs 03 , 04 have identical patterns a , a , or c , c located behind each other as seen in fig7 , so that , with each revolution of the conveying cylinder 11 , each spur strip 16 carries a product with signatures with the pattern a , c , which products are directly transferred to the folding jaw cylinder 18 when they arrive there . while preferred embodiments of a transport or conveying device , in accordance with the present invention , have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove , it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in , for example the printing cylinder and the like could be made without departing from the true spirt and scope of the present invention which is accordingly to be limited only by the following claims .
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embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings . in the following , detailed descriptions of well - known functions and constructions will be omitted to avoid obscuring the essence of the present disclosure . in a mobile telecommunication system , a number of subscriber equipment and a number of base stations ( small base stations and outdoor base stations ) use the same frequency channel at the same time . the use of the same frequency channel causes interferences among the simultaneous callers and the base stations . thus , each base station is required to properly control its transmit power in order to improve system efficiency and call quality . in one embodiment , the small base station may include a femto base station , a pico base station , a micro base station , an indoor base station , a relay for use in cell expansion and the like . further , in one embodiment , a network base station may include an outdoor base station and a small base station . in the drawings , a cell of the outdoor base station is a macrocell and a cell of the small base station is a femtocell by way of example . fig1 is a diagram showing a mobile telecommunication system in accordance with one embodiment and fig2 is a graph for determining transmit power of the small base station in accordance with one embodiment . a signal to interference and noise ratio sinr reported , which is periodically transmitted to the small base station by a user equipment ue included in the service area of the small base station , can be expressed as follows . wherein p ue , i r , femto represents interference caused by the small base station adjacent to the user equipment ue , p ue r , macro represents interference caused by the outdoor base station adjacent to the user equipment ue , p ue r , thermal represents noise component of the user equipment ue of the small base station and p ue , k r , femto represents a signal component of the user equipment ue of the small base station . a maximum output of the small base station is represented as p max t , femto and a dynamic range of the transmit power of the small base station is represented as ฮด . ฮด is a value fixed according to the characteristics of a power amplifier . two values sinr t - lower ( lower limit ) and sinr t - upper ( upper limit ) in the range of a reference signal to interference and noise ratio are compared with the signal to interference and noise ratio sinr reported which is reported by the user equipment ue included in the service area of the small base station to thereby determine the transmit power of the small base station . a minimum required reference signal to interference and noise ratio for allowing the small base station to provide service is represented as sinr min . a change in the transmit power of the small base station may cause mutual interferences with the neighboring small base stations . thus , sections where the transmit power of the small base station is not changed , such as routes 1 and 2 in fig2 , may be set to prevent radiation of the transmit powers of the neighboring small base stations at p max t , femto or p max t , femto โ ฮด due to the mutual interferences between the small base stations and to suppress frequent changes in the transmit power of the small base station . the transmit power of the small base station may be varied within the range from p max t , femto โ ฮด to p max t , femto due to the dynamic range ฮด . route 1 is a section where sinr min & lt ; sinr reported & lt ; sinr t - upper and route 2 is a section where sinr t - lower & lt ; sinr reported . for example , if a user of the small base station is in the periphery of the coverage area of the small base station , where the channel state is not favorable and sinr reported = sinr min and p k t , femto = p max t , femto , the user of the small base station moves closer to the small base station so that the channel state becomes favorable , at which time the transmit power of the small base station may be set to be p k t , femto = p max t , femto until sinr reported reaches sinr t - upper ( i . e ., sinr reported = sinr t - upper ) according to route 1 . in other words , the transmit power of the small base station may be maintained at a maximum level . in the state where sinr reported = sinr t - upper , if the channel state becomes more favorable so that sinr reported exceeds sinr t - upper , the transmit power of the small base station may be decreased to be p k t , femto = p max t , femto โ ฮด . in other words , the transmit power of the small base station may be decreased to a minimum level . thereafter , in a still more favorable channel state , sinr reported higher than sinr t - upper can be obtained with the minimum output , that is , p k t , femto = p max t , femto โ ฮด , according to route 2 . on the other hand , in the state where p k t , femto = p max t , femto โ ฮด , if the channel state deteriorates , the transmit power may be maintained to be p k t , femto = p max t , femto โ ฮด in the section where sinr reported & gt ; sinr t - lower according to route 2 . further in the state where p k t , femto = p max t , femto โ ฮด , if the channel status becomes worse at the section where sinr reported = sinr t - lower and , thus , sinr reported has a value less than sinr t - lower , the transmit power may be raised until p k t , femto reaches p max t , femto ( i . e ., p k t , femto = p max t , femto ). the transmit power of the small base station cannot be raised over p max t , femto . thus , in the case that the channel state becomes even worse so that sinr reported = sinr min , it is determined that the service from the small base station cannot be maintained any more and a handover to the neighboring base station may be performed . at this time , if the handover fails to operate , a call drop may occur . if a plurality of small base stations are present , which may mutually interfere with one another , sinr t - lower and sinr t - upper serve to keep a certain small base station from radiating its transmit power under the influence of other small base stations . for example , if the transmit power of a certain small base station is raised , interference components affecting other small base stations increase and , therefore , the transmit powers of the neighboring small base stations are also raised . in return , interference components affecting the certain small base station increase and then the transmit power of the certain small base station is raised accordingly . in this case , sinr t - lower and sinr t - upper may be set in the section where the transmit power of the small base station varies to thereby fix the transmit power therebetween . the transmit power of the small base station may be fixed temporarily at the lower limit and the upper limit in the power increasing section and the power decreasing section , respectively , so that the transmit power of the small base station converges . a convergence degree of the transmit power of the small base station is expected to vary depending on the values of the lower and upper limits , which are set to proper values according to the channel state surrounding the small base station . in one embodiment , when one hundred small base stations with a size of 10 m ร 10 m are randomly arranged within a service area of the outdoor base station with a coverage of 1 km and p max t , femto , ฮด , sinr t - upper and sinr t - lower are set to be p max t , femto = 20 dbm , ฮด = 20 db , sinr t - upper = 10 db and sinr t - lower = 0 db , the transmit power levels of the one hundred small base stations in accordance with the present embodiment are as shown in fig3 . at this time , the transmit powers of the one hundred small base stations may be determined according to the surrounding interference environments which may vary depending upon the locations of the small base stations . in the above embodiment , a method for controlling the transmit power by using the sinr transmitted to the small base station by the user equipment ue is explained by way of example . however , modulation and coding set ( mcs ), channel quality indicator ( cqi ), acknowledgment / negative acknowledgement ( ack / nack ) information and the like may also be used to control the transmit power , through which the states of the channel and / or link performance of the user equipment can be predicted . while the above - described methods are explained with reference to certain exemplary embodiments , the methods can also be realized as a computer readable code in a computer readable recording medium . the computer readable recording medium may include any form of recording apparatus as long as the recording apparatus can store data readable by a computer system . by way of example , the computer readable recording medium may be a rom , a ram , a cd - rom , a magnetic tape , a floppy disk , an optical data storage unit or the like . the computer readable recording medium may also be realized in the form of a carrier wave ( e . g ., transmission via internet ). the computer readable recording medium may be distributed in the computer system connected by a network , where the computer readable code can be stored and executed in a distribution manner . a functional program and , a code and its segments for realizing the above - described embodiments can be easily implemented by programmers skilled in the art . as used in this application , entities for executing the actions can refer to a computer - related entity , either hardware , a combination of hardware and software , software , or software in execution . for example , an entity for executing an action can be , but is not limited to being , a process running on a processor , a processor , an object , an executable , a thread of execution , a program , and a computer . by way of illustration , both an application running on an apparatus and the apparatus can be an entity . one or more entities can reside within a process and / or thread of execution and an entity can be localized on one apparatus and / or distributed between two or more apparatuses . the program for realizing the functions can be recorded in the apparatus , can be downloaded through a network to the apparatus and can be installed in the apparatus from a computer readable storage medium storing the program therein . a form of the computer readable storage medium can be any form as long as the computer readable storage medium can store programs and is readable by an apparatus such as a disk type rom and a solid - state computer storage media . the functions obtained by installation or download in advance in this way can be realized in cooperation with an os ( operating system ) in the apparatus . while certain embodiments have been described , these embodiments have been presented by way of example only , and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosures . indeed , the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms ; furthermore , various omissions , substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure . the accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure .
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embodiments of the present invention use look ahead structures for memory management . the look ahead structures allow for bank management to be performed early without excessive per - client dedicated buffering . in embodiments where the command queue has been removed , the look ahead structures are used to precharge and activate banks ahead of actually unloading the requests . additionally , the look ahead structures are used for pipelining a precharge , activate , and read - write arbiter . previously a command queue was used to pipeline requests to hide their bank management overhead for all clients . however , in some embodiments the command queue has been removed . in order to precharge and activate banks ahead of actually unloading memory requests a look ahead structure is used . the look ahead structure allows for bank management to be performed early without excessive per - client dedicated buffering . fig2 is a block diagram of a computer system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention . computer system 200 includes a central processing unit ( cpu ) 202 and a system memory 204 communicating via a bus path that includes a memory bridge 205 . memory bridge 205 , which may be , e . g ., a conventional northbridge chip , is connected via a bus or other communication path 206 ( e . g ., a hypertransport link ) to an i / o ( input / output ) bridge 207 . i / o bridge 207 , which may be , e . g ., a conventional southbridge chip , receives user input from one or more user input devices 208 ( e . g ., keyboard , mouse ) and forwards the input to cpu 202 via bus 206 and memory bridge 205 . display output is provided on a pixel based display device 210 ( e . g ., a conventional crt or lcd based monitor ) operating under control of a graphics subsystem 212 coupled to memory bridge 205 via a bus or other communication path 213 , e . g ., a pci express ( pci - e ) or accelerated graphics port ( agp ) link . a system disk 214 is also connected to i / o bridge 207 . a switch 216 provides connections between i / o bridge 207 and other components such as a network adapter 218 and various add - in cards 220 , 221 . other components ( not explicitly shown ), including usb or other port connections , cd drives , dvd drives , and the like , may also be connected to i / o bridge 207 . bus connections among the various components may be implemented using bus protocols such as pci ( peripheral component interconnect ), pci - e , agp , hypertransport , or any other bus or point - to - point communication protocol ( s ), and connections between different devices may use different protocols as is known in the art . graphics processing subsystem 212 includes a graphics processing unit ( gpu ) 222 and a graphics memory 224 , which may be implemented , e . g ., using one or more integrated circuit devices such as programmable processors , application specific integrated circuits ( asics ), and memory devices . gpu 222 may be configured to perform various tasks related to generating pixel data from graphics data supplied by cpu 202 and / or system memory 204 via memory bridge 205 and bus 213 , interacting with graphics memory 224 to store and update pixel data , and the like . for example , gpu 222 may generate pixel data from 2 - d or 3 - d scene data provided by various programs executing on cpu 202 . gpu 222 may also store pixel data received via memory bridge 205 to graphics memory 224 with or without further processing . gpu 222 also includes a display engine configured to deliver pixel data from graphics memory 224 to display device 210 . the display engine is an isochronous processing engine that obtains pixel data from graphics memory 204 using contracts , as described below . cpu 202 operates as the master processor of system 200 , controlling and coordinating operations of other system components . in particular , cpu 202 issues commands that control the operation of gpu 222 . in some embodiments , cpu 202 writes a stream of commands for gpu 222 to a command buffer , which may be in system memory 204 , graphics memory 224 , or another storage location accessible to both cpu 202 and gpu 222 . gpu 222 reads the command stream from the command buffer and executes commands asynchronously with operation of cpu 202 . the commands may include conventional rendering commands for generating images as well as general - purpose computation commands that enable applications executing on cpu 202 to leverage the computational power of gpu 222 for data processing that may be unrelated to image generation . it will be appreciated that the system shown herein is illustrative and that variations and modifications are possible . the bus topology , including the number and arrangement of bridges , may be modified as desired . for instance , in some embodiments , system memory 204 is connected to cpu 202 directly rather than through a bridge , and other devices communicate with system memory 204 via memory bridge 205 and cpu 202 . in other alternative topologies , graphics subsystem 212 is connected to i / o bridge 207 rather than to memory bridge 205 . in still other embodiments , i / o bridge 207 and memory bridge 205 might be integrated into a single chip . the particular components shown herein are optional ; for instance , any number of add - in cards or peripheral devices might be supported . in some embodiments , switch 216 is eliminated , and network adapter 218 and add - in cards 220 , 221 connect directly to i / o bridge 207 . the connection of gpu 222 to the rest of system 200 may also be varied . in some embodiments , graphics system 212 is implemented as an add - in card that can be inserted into an expansion slot of system 200 . in other embodiments , a gpu is integrated on a single chip with a bus bridge , such as memory bridge 205 or i / o bridge 207 . a gpu may be provided with any amount of local graphics memory , including no local memory , and may use local memory and system memory in any combination . for instance , in a unified memory architecture ( uma ) embodiment , no dedicated graphics memory device is provided , and the gpu uses system memory exclusively or almost exclusively . in uma embodiments , the gpu may be integrated into a bus bridge chip or provided as a discrete chip with a high - speed bus ( e . g ., pci - e ) connecting the gpu to the bridge chip and system memory . it is also to be understood that any number of gpus may be included in a system , e . g ., by including multiple gpus on a single graphics card or by connecting multiple graphics cards to bus 213 . multiple gpus may be operated in parallel to generate images for the same display device or for different display devices . in addition , gpus embodying aspects of the present invention may be incorporated into a variety of devices , including general purpose computer systems , video game consoles and other special purpose computer systems , dvd players , handheld devices such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants , and so on . fig3 illustrate a memory interface 300 used in computer system 200 incorporating a look ahead structure which allows for bank management to be performed early without excessive per - client dedicated buffering , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . memory interface 300 services n clients ( client 1 305 a , client 2 305 b , . . . , client n 305 n ). for the purposes of illustration , three clients are shown although it will be understood that an arbitrary number of clients is contemplated . memory interface 300 is used to provide access to a memory 330 , which can be a dram . clients 305 a - 305 n include memory access commands such as precharge , activate , and read / write . client 1 305 a , client 2 305 b , . . . , client n 305 n also include look ahead structures ( 1 , . . . , n ) 325 a , . . . , 325 n , respectively . memory interface 300 includes an arbiter module 315 as well as a memory controller 317 . the arbiter module 315 further includes three arbiters 315 a , . . . , 315 c . those skilled in the art will realize that different embodiments can use more or less than three arbiters depending on the application . in one embodiment the three arbiters are used as a precharge arbiter , activate arbiter and read / write arbiter . unlike the prior art memory interface , which is illustrated in fig1 , memory interface 300 does not include a command queue . clients 305 a - 305 n determine when more data is needed and send individual requests to the memory controller 310 requesting that the memory controller 310 retrieve the specific data from the memory 330 . the individual requests include the address , width and size of each array of data being requested . clients 305 a - 305 n also use look ahead structures to manage memory 330 through the memory controller 310 . the look ahead structure includes an rbd ( row - bank - direction ) queue and the tiering logic . the entries in the rbd queue is a parallel queue structure to the request queue , and can contain one entry for each row - bank - direction change , as well as additional entries for additional quantas of work to the same row - bank - direction . one entry in the rbd queue can correspond to many entries in the request queue . tiers are created by exposing the head k entries of the rbd queue . the tiering logic manages look - ahead pointers to these tiers for purposes of efficient bank management . further details are provided with reference to fig4 a - 5 . the tiering logic can have separate precharge and activate pointers identifying the tier which contains the next row - bank to be prepared by precharging and activating respectively . when a tier wins its respective arbitration , the pointer advances and the next tier is presented for arbitration . whenever a tier loses the bank - state it once reached , the pointers are reset accordingly . further details of the tiering are provided with reference to fig5 . the request queue can also carry a single - bit indication for โ tier_changed โ for the first reference of each tier . when this bit is seen and the request queue has already been partially unloaded for the current tier , the head tier is discarded . when the head tier is discarded , the rbd queue is popped , the existing tiers are relabeled , and the tier pointers are updated to reflect the new tier labeling . the client look ahead structures 325 a - 325 n , ( rbd ) fifo , and tiering logic expose choices for precharge , activate , and read / write the three arbiters 315 a , 315 b , and 315 c prepare memory 330 to access data . arbiter 1 315 a is used to precharge the memory , arbiter 2 315 b is used to read / write to and from the memory , and arbiter 3 315 c is used to activate the memory . the arbiter module 315 also prioritizes the commands generated by the three arbiters 315 a , . . . , 315 b before sending the commands out . once the arbiters provide the appropriate commands to manage the memory 330 and the arbiter module 315 has prioritized those commands , the memory controller 317 sends the commands to the memory 330 to either write or retrieve data from the memory . if data is retrieved from the memory 330 , then retrieved data is sent back to the clients 305 a , . . . , 305 n where it is stored in a respective client buffer until it is needed . clients 305 a , . . . , 305 n then processes the retrieved data , as needed . arbiter module 315 includes three arbiters 315 a , . . . , 315 c , each which evaluate for arbitration the references and row - banks exposed by clients 305 a through 305 n memory 330 can consists of banks of memory module that can be addressed by bank number , row number , and column number . in one embodiment , memory 330 can be sdram . fig4 a is a block diagram illustrating the arrangement of a look ahead structure 400 , including a tiering logic 410 and a row - bank - direction ( rbd ) queue 415 , a request queue 420 , a precharge arbiter 430 , an activate arbiter 435 , and read / write arbiter 440 . the rbd queue 415 operates according to first - in - first - out ( fifo ) principles . rbd queue 415 is a parallel queue structure to the request queue 420 , and contains one entry for each row - bank - direction change , as well as additional entries for additional quantas of work to the same row - bank - direction . details of addresses and commands stored in the rbd queue 415 and the parallel request queue 420 are described with reference to fig4 b . similarly details of a table used in conjunction with the tiering logic 410 are described with reference to fig4 c . details illustrating the flow of information between tiering logic 410 , rbd queue 415 , request queue 420 and other components used to control the memory are described with reference to fig5 . fig4 a shows that the client supplies addresses and commands to both the look ahead structure 400 and the request queue 420 so that both the rbd queue 415 and the request queue 420 can process these addresses and commands in parallel . the rbd queue then communicates with the tiering logic 410 which will output commands to precharge arbiter 430 and activate arbiter 435 which will eventually be used to efficiently manage the memory . the rbd queue 415 also directly communicates with the read / write arbiter 440 to efficiently manage the memory . finally the request queue 420 is coupled to the read / write arbiter and commands to read or write are processed through the arbiter in an efficient manner . look ahead structure 400 includes tiering logic 410 that contains separate precharge and activate pointers identifying the tier which contains the next row - bank to be prepared by precharging and activating respectively . when a tier wins its respective arbitration , the pointer advances and the next tier is presented for arbitration . whenever a tier loses the bank - state it once reached , the pointers are reset accordingly . this may be implemented by receiving bank state information from the hit , miss , closed module . a flush signal may also reset the pointers to the head of the rbd fifo . an example case requiring flushing would be a dram refresh precharging all dram banks . fig4 b is a block diagram illustrating an example of a request stream , which shows the rbd queue 415 entries and request queue 420 entries as an rbd fifo ( first - in - first - out ) 450 and a request fifo 460 , respectively . the rbd fifo 450 representing the rbd queue 415 and the request fifo 460 representing the request queue 420 are shown side by side and in parallel to illustrate that the client can supply addresses and commands to both the rbd queue 415 and the request queue 420 at substantially the same time and both the rbd queue 415 and the request queue 420 can process the addresses and commands in parallel . rbd fifo 450 includes columns for the row , bank direction . request fifo 460 includes columns for the read - modify - write , column address , bank and a bit for tier changed indicator . when this bit is seen and the request queue has already been partially unloaded for the current tier , the head tier is discarded . in other embodiments , a different number of bits can be used to indicate a tier changed . the request fifo 460 can also include a field for direction . the arbiter looks at field for direction and chooses another client in the same direction when read / write direction changes from the current client . rbd fifo 450 entries are connected to the request fifo 460 entries with dotted lines to illustrate that one entry from rbd queue 415 can be mapped to one or more entries in the request queue 420 . as the address is sent from the client to the rbd queue 415 and the request queue 420 , the addresses are split into two streams with one part of the stream becoming an entry in the request fifo 460 and the other part of the stream becoming an entry in the rbd fifo 450 if โ tier_changed = 1 โ. the bank entry is redundant and is shown as being stored in both the rbd fifo 450 and the request fifo 460 , although this is not required . in an alternative embodiment , the bank is stored solely in the rbd fifo 450 and the rw arb 540 is provided with the bank information from the rbd fifo 450 . rbd fifo 460 which is part of the rbd queue 415 is coupled to the tiering logic 410 and transmits information to the tiering logic as illustrated in fig4 b . the lower four entries of the rbd fifo 460 are coupled to the tiering logic 410 with the output of the first entry labeled as tier 0 , the output of the second entry labeled as tier 1 , the output of the third entry labeled as tier 2 , and the output of the fourth entry labeled as tier 3 . fig4 c is a block diagram illustrating the tiering logic 410 entries as a tiering logic table 470 . tiering logic table 470 includes a precharge pointer and activate pointer . the pointers stored in the tiering logic table 470 are mux selects used to steer the precharge and activate tier select muxes . the memory bank is prepared by rbd fifo 450 and request fifo 460 are used to read and write to the memory . fig5 is a block diagram illustrating a memory interface between a client and dram memory in a gpu using a look ahead structure in accordance with one embodiment of the invention . the look ahead structure 500 which includes a tiering control logic 505 and a row - bank - direction ( rbd ) queue 510 , is located within the tiered client . the tiering control logic 505 communicates to tier precharge select mux 520 and tier activate select mux 525 . the look ahead structure 500 is set up in parallel to the request queue 515 . the memory interface further includes a precharge arbiter ( pre arb ) 530 , an activate ( act ) arb 535 , a read / write ( r / w ) arb 540 , a dram controller 545 , a bank state reporter module 550 , and a hit - miss - closed module 555 the row - bank - direction ( rbd ) queue 510 is a matrix showing memory requests from the client for different count , row and banks . similarly , the request queue 515 is a matrix showing possible read - modify - write operations and respective column addresses and bank which are used to carry out requests from the client . the look ahead structure 500 includes a precharge tier select mux 520 and an activate tier select mux 525 , which are both coupled to the rbd queue 510 . tier selects 520 and 525 are multiplexers ( mux ), which are used to expose the next available precharge or activate command . tier select mux 520 is directly coupled to the activate arbiter 535 whereas tier select mux 525 is directly coupled to the precharge arbiter 530 . tier select mux 520 and tier select mux 525 receive inputs from the rbd queue 510 and sends one of these inputs to the outputs based on the values of one or more selection inputs or control inputs . precharge arbiter 530 , activate arbiter 535 , and read / write arbiter 540 act independently and each has its own separate respective client interface . the tier select mux 520 is used to couple the activate arbiter 535 to the rbd queue 510 . the tier select mux 525 is used to couple the precharge arbiter 530 to the rbd queue 510 . similarly the request queue 515 is directly coupled to the read / write arbiter 540 . since the precharge , activate , and read / write each has its own arbiters independent arbitration is performed for each of these . each arbiter 530 , 535 , and 540 includes rules to prevent memory bank conflicts such that the result of independent arbitration is an efficient staggering of sub - command phases in different memory banks . for example , while one memory bank is being accessed for a read / write sub - command on behalf of one client the independent arbitration permits activate sub - command phases and precharge sub - command phases to be performed on other memory banks on the behalf of other clients . the precharge arbiter 530 examines client memory access request commands and arbitrates precharge sub - commands to determine whether a precharge needs to be done to close a row in a bank . that is , precharge arbiter 530 examines open rows and makes an arbitration decision regarding which open banks , if any , should be closed on a particular clock cycle . in one embodiment , a precharge closes when there is a miss to a bank . when there is a simultaneous hit and miss to a particular bank from different clients , then precharge arbiter 530 may weigh the client priorities and elect to close or not close the bank . in other words , in one embodiment precharge arbiter 530 considers client priorities and also hits and misses in determining whether to close a bank . there also may be a timer that closes a bank after a timeout period when there is no hit demand for that bank . the tiering control logic may issue information via a โ commit bit โ to the precharge arbiter . this informs the precharge arbiter that a subsequent bank has been activated by a tiered client , and that there are still column address references in request fifo 510 corresponding to that bank for previous tiers . this prevents the precharge arbiter from closing that bank before those column references have been exposed at the head of the request fifo 510 . the activate arbiter 535 examines client memory access requests and arbitrates activate sub - commands to determine which bank needs to be open ( and which row activated ) in a particular clock cycle . that is , activate arbiter 535 examines closed rows of banks and makes an arbitration decision regarding which closed row / bank , if any , should be activated on a particular clock cycle . the read / write arbiter 540 examines client memory access requests and arbitrates read / write sub - commands to determine which read / write sub - commands get to banks to do a read and a write . that is , read / write arbiter 540 examines activated banks / rows and makes an arbitration decision regarding which read / write sub - commands should be issued for activated rows . in one embodiment , misses are blocked from arbitration in the read / write arbiter 540 until a hit . dram controller 545 is coupled to a bank state reporter module 550 that monitors which banks are active , which rows are active , and monitors timing parameters . the bank state reporter 550 is coupled to the hit - miss - closed module 555 , which determines if there was a hit , missed or closed bank . bank state reporter module 550 generates control signals that are provided to precharge arbiter 530 , activate arbiter 535 , read / write arbiter 540 , and the hit - miss - closed module 555 based on the status of the dram memory , which is not shown . in one embodiment , an individual bit , called a touch bit , is used to indicate at least one read / write has been performed on a bank . the purpose of the touch bit is to prevent the precharge arbiter 530 from closing a newly opened bank that has not yet performed a read / write . for example , in one implementation , a bank remains open ( within a timeout period ) until it is read / written , at which time the touch bit is set , making the bank eligible for precharge . in one implementation a default condition is that a bank that has been touched remains open to facilitate servicing additional read / write sub - commands from the same client that initiated the initial touch . the information provided by bank state reporter 550 to precharge arbiter 530 , activate arbiter 535 , and read / write arbiter 540 allow for independent arbitrations based on information regarding the bank state . for example , in order for an activate to happen on a particular bank , the bank has to be already shut . thus , arbitration decisions made by activate arbiter 535 are performed by arbitrating between banks already closed , which requires information about the bank state sufficient to identify banks that are closed . the read / write arbiter 540 arbitrates between banks already open and matching the same row (โ a hit โ), which requires information about the bank state sufficient to identify open banks . precharge is performed only on open banks . thus , precharge arbiter 530 also requires information about bank state sufficient to identify open banks . in one embodiment precharge arbiter 530 , activate arbiter 535 , and read / write arbiter 540 use memory timing parameters to manage the memory . in this embodiment the bank state reporter module 555 also acquires and provides timing parameters so that arbiters 530 , 535 , and 540 can estimate when banks will be available for precharge , activate , and read / write operations . further details of how the arbiters take into account timing parameter are disclosed in the co - pending and co - owned patent application of james van dyke et al ., titled โ memory interface with independent arbitration of precharge , activate , and read / write ,โ u . s . provisional patent application no . 60 / 813 , 803 , filed on jun . 14 , 2006 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . in one embodiment , dram controller 545 receives the arbitration decisions of the different arbiters 530 , 535 , and 540 and then dram controller 545 issues precharge , activate , and read / write sub - commands to dram memory . as previously described , the different arbiters 530 , 535 , and 540 have bank state information from which they determine an appropriate set of banks / rows to perform an arbitration . for example , on a particular clock cycle , clients arbitrated by the activate arbiter 535 are not arbitrated by the read / write arbiter 540 because the activate arbiter arbitrates with respect to closed banks whereas the read / write arbiter 540 arbitrates with respect to activated banks / rows . therefore , while the arbitration decisions of the different arbiters 410 , 415 , and 420 are made independently the arbitration rules that are applied result in an efficient bank interleaving that avoids bank conflicts . arbitration decisions can be based on many factors that are weighed against each other . in one embodiment , an individual request has a priority defined by a weight based on client urgency ( how urgently a client needs a memory access ) and efficiency ( how efficient the memory access is likely to be given the size of transfers and latency ). it will also be recognized by those skilled in the art that , while the present invention has been described above in terms of preferred embodiments , it is not limited thereto . various features and aspects of the above - described invention may be used individually or jointly . further , although the invention has been described in the context of its implementation in a particular environment and for particular applications , those skilled in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present invention can be utilized in any number of environments and implementations .
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the present invention relates generally to mems devices , and more particularly , to a mems acoustic sensor such as a microphone . the following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements . various modifications to the described embodiments and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein . in the described embodiments micro - electro - mechanical systems ( mems ) refers to a class of structures or devices fabricated using semiconductor - like processes and exhibiting mechanical characteristics such as the ability to move or deform . mems devices often , but not always , interact with electrical signals . mems devices include but are not limited to gyroscopes , accelerometers , magnetometers , pressure sensors , microphones , and radio - frequency components . silicon wafers containing mems structures are referred to as mems wafers . in the described embodiments , the mems device may refer to a semiconductor device implemented as a micro - electro - mechanical system . the mems structure may refer to any feature that may be part of a larger mems device . the semiconductor layer with the mechanically active mems structure is referred to as the device layer . an engineered silicon - on - insulator ( esoi ) wafer may refer to a soi wafer with cavities beneath the silicon device layer or substrate . a handle wafer typically refers to a thicker substrate used as a carrier for the thinner silicon device substrate in a silicon - on - insulator wafer . a handle substrate and a handle wafer can be interchanged . in the described embodiments , a cavity may refer to an opening or recession in a substrate wafer and an enclosure may refer to a fully enclosed space . a post may be a vertical structure in the cavity of the mems device for mechanical support . a standoff is a vertical structure providing electrical contact . in the described embodiments , a back cavity may refer to a partially enclosed cavity equalized to ambient pressure via pressure equalization channels ( pec ). in some embodiments , a back cavity is also referred to as a back chamber . a back cavity formed within the cmos - mems device can be referred to as an integrated back cavity . pressure equalization channels , also referred to as venting or leakage channels / paths , are acoustic channels for low frequency or static pressure equalization of a back cavity to ambient pressure . in the described embodiments , a rigid structure within a mems device that moves when subject to force may be referred to as a plate . although rigid plates are preferred for the described embodiments , semi rigid plates or deformable membranes could replace rigid plates . plates may comprise of silicon , silicon containing materials ( e . g . poly - silicon , silicon oxide , silicon nitride ), metals and materials that are used in semiconductor processes ( e . g . aluminum nitride , germanium ). a back plate may be a solid or perforated plate comprising at least one electrode . the electrode can be comprised of semiconductor process compatible conductive materials ( e . g . poly - silicon , silicon , aluminum , copper , nickel , titanium , chromium , gold ). the electrodes may have insulating films on one or more surfaces . in the described embodiments , perforations refer to acoustic openings for reducing air damping in moving plates . an acoustic port may be an opening for sensing the acoustic pressure . an acoustic barrier may be a structure that prevents acoustic pressure from reaching certain portions of the device . linkage is a structure that provides electrical conductivity and compliant attachment to a substrate through an anchor . extended acoustic gap can be created by step etching of the post and creating a partial post overlap over the pec . in - plane bump stops limit range of movement in the plane of the plate if the plates move more than desired ( e . g . under a mechanical shock ). similarly rotational bump stop are extensions of the plate to limit the displacement normal to the plane due to out - of - plane rotation . in the described embodiments , structures ( plates ) of mems device and electrodes formed on cmos substrate form sensor capacitors . sensor capacitors are electrically biased for detection of change of capacitance due to acoustic pressure . to describe the features of the present invention in more detail , refer now to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures . fig1 a and 1b show different embodiments of top views of device layers 100 a and 100 b of torsional microphone . fig1 a and 1b illustrates a first plate 140 , 142 that senses acoustic pressure on its first surface , and a second plate 150 with perforations 160 and a linkage 250 , 252 attached to an anchor 240 , 242 . in an embodiment the first plate 140 , 142 and second plate 150 are rigid . the difference between fig1 a and 1b are the locations of linkages 250 , 252 . a different embodiment may include combination of linkages 250 and 252 resulting in four linkages , adding a central cutout portion to fig1 a and 1b . the first plate 140 , 142 is partially surrounded by a pressure equalization channel ( pec ) 230 , 232 , and the device layer 100 a , 100 b is surrounded by a seal 260 to ensure that the only acoustical input to the device will be via an acoustic port 190 ( in fig2 a and 2b . when a force is applied ( acoustic pressure variation ) on the first surface of first plate 140 , 142 , the first plate 140 , 142 is rotationally displaced around an axis passing through linkages 250 , 252 , hence the second plate 150 is displaced in an opposite direction ( rotational displacement around the same axis ). the linkages 250 , 252 form torsional restoring forces acting against movement and will bring the plates to their initial position once externally applied acoustic force is zero . undesired in plane movements can be limited by introducing in plane bump stops 340 at locations where undesired movement / rotation has a high amplitude , e . g . furthest away from linkages 250 , 252 . the in plane bump stops 340 can be defined and manufactured on the second plate 150 or the device layer 100 a , 100 b or the first plate 140 , 142 or any combination of these . in an embodiment , protruding tabs that form rotational bump stops 350 are provided to limit the rotation of the first 140 , 142 and second plates 150 . by proper design the rotational bump stops 350 may eliminate need for reduction or turning off the potential difference between first and second plates 140 , 142 and 150 , and the electrode 170 shown in fig2 a and 2b for recovery from a tip - in or out of range condition . fig2 a and 2b show the cross section of the torsional microphone 200 a and 200 b with integrated back cavity 130 along 2 a - 2 a and 2 b - 2 b in fig1 a and b respectively . in an embodiment , integrated back cavity 130 is formed by a fusion bond 220 between the second substrate 120 and the device layer 100 a and 100 b which is further bonded to the first substrate 110 by conductive alloy ( eutectic ) bond 200 by processes as described in a commonly owned u . s . pat . no . 7 , 442 , 570 , entitled , โ method of fabrication of a al / ge bonding in a wafer packing environment and a product produced therefrom โ, which is incorporated herein by reference . static pressure in the back cavity 130 is equalized by ambient pressure via air flow through the pec 230 and 232 . ideally , pec 230 and 232 , provide high resistance to air flow in the frequency range of interest ( e . g . 100 hz and above ), and low resistance at lower frequencies down to static pressure changes . linkages 250 are attached to standoffs 180 both mechanically and electrically . the standoffs 180 in an embodiment are lithographically defined protruding members of device layer that are mechanically and electrically connected to top conductive layers of the first substrate 110 via alloy or eutectic bonding . the device layer 100 a and 100 b in an embodiment is lithographically patterned to form the first plate 140 , a second plate 150 , with perforations 160 , pec 230 , 232 and an acoustic seal 260 , around the active device . the second plate 150 with perforations 160 forms a first electrode and is electrically connected to an integrated circuit ( ic ) manufactured on the first substrate 110 , while a second electrode 170 is disposed on the first substrate 110 . second electrode 170 is aligned with the first electrode or second plate 150 . a first surface of second plate 150 and the second electrode 170 form a variable capacitor whose value changes due to pressure being applied on a first surface of first plate 140 . 142 . in an embodiment , additional material such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide is deposited on the second electrode 170 . the additional material can be lithographically patterned to form bump stops 270 to reduce stiction force by reducing the contact area in the undesired event that first and / or second plate 140 , 142 and 150 come into contact with first substrate 110 . fig3 a and 3b illustrate the conceptual design describing the operation of the torsional microphone of fig2 a or 2 b with a symbolic anchor 183 , and a symbolic torsional linkage , 253 . referring now to fig3 a , the acoustic port 193 is a channel in the first substrate 110 that allows acoustic pressure to reach the first surface of the first plate 143 . under an applied acoustic pressure , the first plate 143 rotates slightly either clockwise or counter - clockwise depending on polarity of acoustic pressure . in fig3 b , the case where the first plate 143 rotates in a clockwise direction around a rotation axis that coincides with linkage like structure 253 is depicted . rotational movement coupled to the perforated second plate 153 results in a reduced gap between first surface of the second plate 153 and a second electrode 173 , hence the capacitance defined by these two surfaces increases . an ic manufactured on the first substrate 110 is electrically connected to both the second plate 153 and second electrode 173 detects the change in capacitance proportional to the acoustic pressure . fig4 shows a top view of device layer 400 of a piston microphone with rigid first plate 144 that senses acoustic pressure on its first surface , a rigid second plate 154 with perforations 164 , and linkages 254 attached to an anchor 244 . the number of linkages 254 shown in the device is four , but the number of linkages could be any number and that would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention . undesired in plane movements can be limited by introducing in plane bump stops 344 at locations where undesired movement / rotation has a high amplitude , e . g ., furthest away from the linkages 254 . the in plane bump stops 344 can be defined on the second plate 154 or the device layer 104 or the first plate 144 , or any combination thereof . fig5 shows the cross section of the piston microphone 500 , with integrated back cavity 134 along 5 - 5 in fig4 . in an embodiment , the device layer 104 is device layer 400 in fig4 . the integrated back cavity 134 is formed by a fusion ( oxide ) bond 224 between a second substrate 124 and the device layer 104 which further is bonded to the first substrate 114 by a conductive alloy ( eutectic ) bond 204 by processes as described in a commonly owned u . s . pat . no . 7 , 442 , 570 , entitled , โ method of fabrication of a al / ge bonding in a wafer packing environment and a product produced therefrom โ, which is incorporated herein by reference . static pressure in the back cavity 134 is equalized by ambient pressure via air flow through the pec 234 . linkages 254 are attached to the standoffs 184 both mechanically and electrically . acoustic barriers 364 may be introduced wherever suitable for required low frequency response enhancement . the first plate 144 is partially surrounded by a pec 234 . the entire structure is surrounded by a seal 264 to ensure that the only acoustical input to a cavity 134 is via acoustic port 194 . when an acoustic force is applied on the first surface of first plate 144 , the first plate 144 is displaced up or down depending on polarity of pressure . the second plate 154 is displaced in the same direction as the first plate 144 . both plates 144 and 154 are attached to the anchors 244 via the linkages 254 , which apply an opposite restoring force to first and second plates 144 and 154 . when the acoustic force is reduced to zero , the restoring force brings first and second plates 144 and 154 to their original operating position . the standoffs 184 are lithographically defined protruding members of the device layer that are mechanically and electrically connected to the first substrate 114 via alloy ( eutectic ) bonding to a top metal layer of the first substrate 114 . the device layer 104 is lithographically patterned to form the first plate 144 , second plate 154 and plate with perforations 164 , the pec 234 and an acoustic seal around the active device . the second plate 154 forms a first electrode and is electrically connected to an integrated circuit ( ic ) manufactured on the first substrate 114 , while a second electrode 174 manufactured on the first substrate 114 is designed to be aligned with first electrode 174 . a first ( bottom ) surface of the second plate 154 and the second electrode 174 forms a variable capacitor whose value depends on the pressure applied on the first surface of the first plate 144 . the second electrode 174 in an embodiment is buried under a stack of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide which further can be lithographically patterned to form bump stops 274 to reduce stiction force by reducing contact area in the undesired event that first and / or second plates 144 and 154 come into contact with the first substrate 114 . fig6 a and 6b illustrate the conceptual designs showing the operation of a piston microphone of fig5 . the linkages 254 in fig5 are now represented by symbolic springs 256 and support the first plate 146 , second plate 156 the acoustic port 196 is a channel in a first substrate 116 for acoustic pressure to reach the first surface of the first plate 146 . under an applied acoustic pressure the first plate 146 slightly moves up or down depending on polarity of sound pressure . in fig6 b , the case where the first plate 146 moves up is depicted . this upward movement of first plate 146 is coupled to a second plate 156 with perforations 166 , which in turn results in increased gap between the first surface of the second plate 156 and the second electrode 176 ; hence the capacitance defined by these two surfaces decreases . an ic manufactured on the first substrate 116 is electrically connected to both of the electrodes 156 and 176 ; hence it is used to detect the change in capacitance , which is proportional to the acoustic pressure . fig7 shows alternative manufacturing options for a torsional microphone 700 . in one alternative scheme , the posts 210 can be made wider to overlap over a pec 230 , while forming a shallow recess step to form a well - controlled and shallow extended pec 280 for improving the low frequency response of the microphone . the depth of the channel is controllable as well as the length to provide a means to properly design a pressure equalization channel for proper frequency response . similarly defining a partial overlap of the second substrate 120 over the outer periphery of the second plate 150 creates a bump stop 310 which limits out of plane , upward movement of the first and second plates 140 and 150 . by proper design of the bump stop 310 the potential risk of the first plate 140 touching the first substrate 110 can be reduced significantly . similarly , proper design of the length of an extended pec 300 over outer edge ( furthest away from the rotation axis ) of the first plate will limit the rotational movement of the first and second plates 140 and 150 and may be used for significantly reducing the potential risk of first or second plates 140 , 150 touching the first substrate 110 . limiting out of plane movement improves device reliability , especially against stiction , vibrations and shocks . in another embodiment , the first and second plates 140 and 150 can be thinned down selectively so as to have a thicker portion and a thinner portion , creating a stepped device layer 290 , for increasing resonant frequency of the device and reducing acoustic resistance of the perforations 160 . in an embodiment , linkage 250 can have the same thickness as the thicker portion of first plate 140 or second plate 150 . in another embodiment , linkage 250 can be same thickness as the thinner portion of first plate 140 or second plate 150 . in another embodiment , linkage 250 can be of any thickness independent of the first and second plates . by proper design of the step profile of the first and second plates 140 and 150 , first and second plates can be manufactured to be stiff enough to perform as microphone plates . in another embodiment , back plate 330 with perforations 320 is provided to serve as a rigid electrode on the first substrate covering acoustic port 190 , which faces the first surface side of the first plate 140 . in an embodiment , the rigid back plate 330 can partially or completely cover the acoustic port 190 . by proper design of a plate 330 with perforations 320 , acoustic pressure input through acoustic port 190 will reach the first surface of the first plate 140 without noticeable attenuation , while the parallel plate capacitance formed by this backplate 330 and the first plate 140 will increase the electronic sense capacitance . under the influence of acoustic input , the capacitance between the backplate 330 and first plate 140 will change in the opposite phase to the capacitance formed between the second plate 150 and the second electrode 170 . the phase difference between sense capacitances enables differential sensing . an additional benefit of the differential structure is the possibility of recovering from a stiction . in the event that either the first plate 140 or the second plate 150 comes into contact with the first substrate 110 and gets stuck , an electrical bias can be applied between the plate that is not in contact with the first substrate 110 and corresponding electrode ( second electrode 170 or the backplate 330 ) for recovering from stiction . it is also possible to sense the tilting of plates and dynamically adjust bias applied across the plates to ensure that they do not come into contact with the first substrate 110 . fig8 shows alternative manufacturing embodiment for the piston microphone . in one embodiment , the posts 214 can be made wider to overlap over a pec 234 , while forming a shallow recess step to form a well - controlled and shallow extended pec 284 , in order to improve low frequency response of the microphone . in a similar way , a partial overlap of bump stop 314 of the second substrate 124 over the outer periphery of the second plate 154 limits out of plane ( upward ) movement of the first and second plates 144 , 154 . limiting of out of plane movement improves device reliability , especially to vibrations and shocks . in another alternative scheme , the first and second plates 144 , 154 can be thinned down selectively , creating a stepped device layer 294 to increase resonant frequency of the structure and to reduce acoustic resistance of perforations . in another embodiment , backplate 334 with perforations 324 is provided to serve as an electrode on the first substrate covering acoustic port 194 , which faces the first surface side of the first plate 144 . in an embodiment , the rigid back plate 334 can partially or completely cover the acoustic port . by proper design of a plate 334 with perforations 324 , acoustic input ( sound pressure ) through the opening ( acoustic port 194 ) will reach the first surface of the first plate 144 without noticeable attenuation , while the parallel plate capacitance formed by this backplate 334 and the first plate 144 will increase the electronic sense capacitance . under the influence of acoustic input , this capacitance will change in the same phase as the capacitance formed between the second plate 154 and the second electrode 174 . hence the total sense capacitance will increase . fig9 a , 9 b , and 9 c show packaging schemes for that can be applied to any of the described embodiments of a microphone . fig9 a illustrates a capped package 900 a with integrated device 914 . back cavity 916 is self - contained in the integrated device 914 . fig9 b shows a molded package 900 b where a plastic or similar encapsulating material 924 is molded or formed over the integrated device 922 . fig9 c illustrates a capped package 900 c that forms an extended back cavity 927 via an acoustic port 926 opened on top surface of integrated device 918 . fig1 shows an embodiment which integrates a mems microphone 370 with one or more other mems devices 380 on the first and second substrates . other mems devices include but are not limited to the gyroscope , accelerometer , pressure sensor and compass . mems microphone 370 can be a piston microphone or a torsional microphone as described in fig1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , and 8 . both torsional and piston designs of microphone provide improvements over conventional designs . the integrated back cavity where the enclosure is defined by the first and second substrates and integrated electronics from the cmos - mems construction enables a significantly smaller package footprint than in conventional two - chip solutions . the integrated back cavity also relieves packaging considerations where the mems die and package together form the back cavity . the torsional design inherently is expected to be less sensitive to accelerations during operation compared to similar dimensioned or larger microphones . piston design , in terms of electronic pickup and movement of plates , is similar to existing mems and condenser microphones , but unlike the others is based on movement of solid plates , not diaphragms . also , unlike other designs , pressure sensing area and electrode area can be adjusted separately , giving extra flexibility on design at a cost of area / mass . although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown , one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention . accordingly , many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims .
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with reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate an understanding of the present invention , a number of embodiments of the physical training apparatus of the present invention are described . in the embodiment of fig4 - 7 , two short cables are provided , one cable 28 being connected to the earphones 24 and having a male audio jack 30 and a second cable 32 having a male jack 34 for insertion into the receptacle ( not shown ) of the audio source 22 and a male jack 36 on the other end . as shown in fig4 - 7 and 10 - 15 , a length of cable 38 may be embedded in , or attached to , the fabric of the garment in any suitable conventional way and extend between a female receptacle 40 proximate to the neck opening of the garment and a female receptacle 42 proximate to the arm opening of the garment . note that the location of the receptacle 42 may vary from the distal end of a sleeved garment illustrated in fig4 and 14 to the shoulder of the sleeved garment shown in fig5 and the sleeveless garment illustrated in fig6 . as shown in fig4 and 14 , the cable 38 may be located along the shoulder seam of the garment and the upper part of the garment sleeve . alternatively , and as shown in fig7 , the cable 38 may be located along a garment sleeve . in addition the garment may be provided with a pocket to receive and retain the audio source thereby eliminating the need to secure the audio source to the arm . as a matter of ease in illustration only , the embedded cable is shown only on one side of the garment . however , it is to be understood that the embedded cable may alternatively be located on the right side of the garment . while only one cable internal of the shirt is shown in these and the other figures , it is also to be understood that cables may be provided on both sides to provide alternative connections as may be favored by right or left handed exercisers . where two cables are provided , they may connect to individual or a common female jack adjacent the neck opening . two source connectors may be provided , e . g ., one at the arm opening and one at the torso opening , to give the wearer an option as to where to wear the source on his body ( see , fig1 ). as shown in the embodiments of fig8 and 9 , the use of a headphone jack may be obviated by attaching the cable to the garment rather than embedding it within the fabric of the garment . as shown in fig8 , the cable 44 may be continuous between the audio source 22 and the earphones 24 , but desirably shortened and provided with spaced apart fabric connectors 46 , 48 such as the hook / loop connectors marketed as velcro ยฎ. these connectors may removably connected to connectors 50 , 52 permanently attached to the garment along the shoulder seam . as shown in fig9 , the garment may be provided with the spaced apart connectors 50 , 52 and the connectors 46 , 48 attached to a flexible container 54 or envelop suitable for receiving and retaining any length of cable 44 in excess to that needed for the size of the wearer . in this way , a portion of the length of cable conventionally provided with headsets 24 may be retained within the container 54 on the wearer &# 39 ; s shoulder to constrain the extra length and reduce the likelihood of entanglement and injury associated with a free cable during exercise . with reference to fig1 , 11 and 15 , the cable 38 may be embedded in the garment along the shoulder seam , around the front sleeve seam ( fig1 , 12 and 15 ) or the rear sleeve seem ( fig7 and 13 ). as shown in fig1 , 12 , 13 and 15 , the cable may extend down the side of the garment to a jack proximate to the waist opening , for both sleeved and sleeveless garments ( fig1 and 11 ) as well as for garments that terminate above ( fig1 and 15 ) or below ( fig1 and 13 ) the waist . where it is desirable that the garment extends below the waist so as to hide the audio source 22 from view , the female receptacle 42 may be made accessible from the inside of the garment as shown in fig1 and 13 . with the exception of the neck area , this eliminates the exposure of the cable to snags . where the female receptacle 42 is on the inside of the garment , the garment may be provided with a small slit through which the cable to the audio source may pass . this gives a user wearing the audio source 22 on their waist the option of having the garment tucked , or not tucked , into their shorts . note that the earphone receptacle 40 may be on the back of the neck opening , but is desirably on the side of the neck opening ( fig5 - 7 and 11 - 13 ) or in the front of the neck opening ( fig4 and 14 ). alternatively as shown in fig1 , the earphone receptacle 40 may be located on the front of the garment , e . g . under a logo or other ornamental design element so that the garment may be worn without disclosing its potential for use with an audio source . in various embodiments , the present invention reduces the likelihood of entanglement of an audio cable around the hand or on exercise equipment when exercising and provides support for the audio cable so that the weight thereof bouncing while running is less likely to effect a disconnect or to yank the earphones out of the ears of the person exercising . the likelihood of chaffing from movement of the cable against the body is reduced to the extent the cable is secured to the garment . the cable itself may be reduced in length , and thus in weight , reducing tension on the earphones and allowing a full range of motion of the neck and both arms with a significant reduction in the probability of cord entanglement around surrounding objects . the cable restraining means selectively attached to the garment allows the user to restrain a cable with excessive length . the connection of the earphones to the front of the garment , e . g ., under a logo , may be desirable because the connection may be hidden permitting the garment to be worn in social as well as exercise environments . the connection to the front of the garment rather than the rear thereof facilitates access and thus the connection of the audio source to the garment by the wearer thereof . while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described , it is to be understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and that the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence , many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof .
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throughout all the figures , same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals . these depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way . turning now to the drawing , and in particular to fig1 there is shown a schematic illustration of a traction drive , generally designated by reference numeral 1 a in starting mode and incorporating a tensioning device according to the present invention , generally designated by reference numeral 2 for realizing a sufficient tension of a traction member 3 , e . g . a belt , even when a torque introduced into the traction drive 1 a changes its direction . the tensioning device 2 includes a hub 9 and two lever arms 6 , 7 which are rigidly mounted to the hub 9 in offset relationship , whereby the lever arm 6 supports on the hub - distal end a tension pulley 4 , which bears against a pulling strand 10 of the traction member 3 , and the lever arm 7 supports on the hub - distal end a tension pulley 5 , which bears against a return strand 11 of the traction member 3 . the entire tensioning device 2 is swingably mounted about a rotation axis 9 disposed centrally in the hub 9 to effect a sufficient tensioning of the traction member 3 which is guided about the tension pulleys 4 , 5 . the traction drive 1 a is incorporated in an internal combustion engine and intended for driving various aggregates of the internal combustion engine . each of the aggregates of the internal combustion engine includes a belt pulley about which the traction member 3 is looped . the traction drive 1 a also interacts with a starter - generator unit , which combines a starter and a generator within a unitary structure and includes a pulley 12 about which the traction member 3 is guided . the concept of the starter - generator unit involves an introduction of a torque by the starter - generator or the internal combustion engine into the traction drive 1 a in dependence on the operating mode , i . e . the direction of the torque changes between the starting mode and the normal operating mode . thus , the tensioning device 2 for the traction drive 1 a should be able to keep the return strand 11 of the traction member 3 sufficiently taut , i . e ., slip - free , in particular in the area of the starter - generator . as shown in fig1 the tension pulleys 4 , 5 , bearing against the traction member 3 , are arranged in offset relationship at an angle of & gt ; 70 ยฐ. the tension pulley 4 is hereby positioned near a dead center in which the tension pulley 4 assumes the function of a deflection roller for the pulling strand 10 . a distance measure 12 is hereby defined between the direction of a resultant force , characterized by a directional arrow 15 , of the pulling strand 10 in the area of the tension pulley 4 and the rotation axis 9 of the tensioning device 2 . in the starting mode shown in fig1 the distance measure 12 approaches hereby zero . as a consequence of this position and arrangement of the tension pulley 4 in the starting mode , a change in the force of the pulling strand 10 is prevented from influencing in any way the tension pulley 5 of the tensioning device 2 . the tension pulley 5 of the tensioning device 2 is supported upon the return strand 11 at establishment of a longer distance measure l 1 between the direction of a resultant force , characterized by a directional arrow 16 of the return strand 10 in the area of the tension pulley 5 and the rotation axis 9 of the tensioning device 2 . the resultant force 16 is hereby oriented in a way as to exploit the lever arm defined by the distance measure l 2 which substantially corresponds to a maximum length of the lever arm 7 . in this disposition of the tensioning device 2 , the moment balance is established almost exclusively by a spring moment or a spring force of a spring member 25 , translated to the respective distance measure and the force of the return strand acting on the distance measure l 1 . the spring member 25 has one spring end 26 , engaging formfittingly in the torsionally rigid axle 27 , and another spring end 28 connected formfittingly with the lever arm 7 of the tensioning device 2 . the spring member 25 acts as torsion spring and applies a force component upon the tensioning device 2 in clockwise direction . the traction member 3 is looped about the tension pulley 4 by a wrap angle ฮฑ which is greater than a wrap angle ฮฒ by which the traction member 3 is looped about the tension pulley 5 . the wrap angles ฮฑ , ฮฒ determine also the length of the traction member 3 wrapped about the tension pulleys 4 , 5 and affect the tensioning force of the traction member 3 . as the wrap angle ฮฒ is smaller than the wrap angle ฮฑ , the tensioning force in the return strand 11 of the traction member 3 can be realized by applying a slight tension of the tensioning device 2 . [ 0032 ] fig2 shows a schematic illustration of a traction drive 1 b in normal operating mode , whereby the traction drive 1 b further includes a belt pulley 13 , which is operatively connected to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine . parts corresponding with those in fig1 are denoted by identical reference numerals and not explained again . in this embodiment , the traction drive 1 b is driven by the crankshaft via the pulley 13 , instead of the starter - generator via the pulley 12 . in the normal operating mode , the tension pulley 4 of the tensioning device 2 is now associated to the return strand 11 whereas the tension pulley 5 bears against the pulling strand 10 and is loaded by the drive moment of the generator , thus resulting in a pivoting of the tensioning device 2 counterclockwise . as a consequence , the distance measure l 1 decreases and is accompanied at the same time by an increase of the distance measure l 2 of the tension pulley 4 . an increase of the distance measure l 2 & gt ; 0 results in a return force by the tension pulley 4 upon the tension pulley 5 of the tensioning device 2 . a moment balance is reached by the spring moment or a spring force of a spring member , translated to the respective distance measure i . e . to the resultant force of the pulling strand 10 acting on the distance measure l 2 as well as the force of the return strand 11 acting on the distance measure l 1 . also in this embodiment of the traction drive 1 b , the wrap angles ฮฑ , ฮฒ of the traction member 3 about the tension pulleys 4 , 5 are different . the smaller wrap angle ฮฒ about the tension pulley 5 enables an increase in the tensioning force of the traction member 3 in the return strand 11 . the wrap angles ฮฑ , ฮฒ are dimensioned in the normal operating mode in such a manner that the tension pulley 4 takes up more slack of the traction member 3 than the loose length of the traction member 3 by which the tension pulley 5 slackens so that the return strand 11 of the traction member 3 is subject to a greater tensioning force . [ 0033 ] fig3 shows a schematic illustration of a traction drive , generally designated by reference numeral 1 c , which is similar to the traction drive 1 a . parts corresponding with those in fig1 are denoted by identical reference numerals and not explained again . the traction drive 1 c differs from the traction drive 1 a only by the provision of a combined spring and damping device 14 which acts upon the lever arm 7 of the tension system 2 to effect a sufficient tension of the traction member 3 and to prevent disadvantageous deflections of the tensioning device 2 as a result of , e . g ., imbalances of the internal combustion engine during normal operation . as an alternative , the spring and damping device 14 may also interact with the lever arm 6 of the tensioning device . [ 0034 ] fig4 shows a schematic illustration of a traction drive in normal operating mode , generally designated by reference numeral 1 d , which is similar to the traction drive 1 b . parts corresponding with those in fig1 are denoted by identical reference numerals and not explained again . the traction drive 1 d differs from the traction drive 1 b only by the provision of a combined spring and damping device 14 which operates in a same way as described in connection with fig3 . as an alternative to the provision of the unitary structure of the spring and damping device 14 , the tensioning device 2 may also be comprised of separate components arranged at different locations , e . g ., a spring member which is arranged in concentric surrounding relationship to the rotation axis 9 and has one end supported by the hub 8 of the tensioning device 2 . examples of a spring member include mechanical as well as hydraulic spring members . referring back to fig3 there is clearly shown the geometric configuration of the tensioning device 2 . the lever arms 6 , 7 have hereby a length ratio of about 2 : 1 , whereby the lever arms 6 , 7 are arranged at an angle of & gt ; 70 ยฐ relative to one another . also the different diameter of the tension pulleys 4 , 5 is depicted here , whereby the diameter of the tension pulley 5 on the longer lever arm 7 is significantly greater than the diameter of the tension pulley 4 on the shorter lever arm 4 . while the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail , it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention . for example , the tensioning device may have lever arms arranged at an angle relative to one another which deviates from & gt ; 70 ยฐ, or the lever arms may be configured at different length ratio , or the tension pulleys may have identical diameters . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims and their equivalents :
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referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first , particularly , to fig1 and 1a thereof , the wire foil for paper production installations comprises a supporting strip 1 with an upper side to which plates 2 of ceramic material are fixed over its entire length . on the underside , the supporting strip 1 is formed over its entire length with a groove 10 , by means of which it can be fixed to a supporting frame and can be displaced with respect to the latter transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the wire of the paper production installation . on its upper side , the supporting strip 1 is formed with two grooves 11 likewise extending over its entire length . in the same way , the plates 2 of ceramic material are also formed on their underside with grooves 21 extending over their entire length . the grooves 11 and 21 are used to hold fixing elements 3 for fixing the plates 2 of ceramic material to the supporting strip 1 . the connecting elements 3 are arranged in such a way that they extend across the joint between respective two plates 2 of ceramic material located beside each other . the supporting strip 1 and the connecting elements 3 are produced from steel , from a hard plastic material , such as polyethylene , from glass - fiber - reinforced plastic , from carbon fibers , or similar materials . the material selection for the supporting strips and the connecting elements is known from the prior art . referring now to fig2 and 2a to 2 c , there is shown a first type of connecting element 3 . as can be seen from fig2 the grooves 21 provided in the plates 2 are designed to be undercut . as can further be seen from fig2 a to 2 c , each connecting element 3 is formed in its upper region with a broadening , by which means it is matched to the cross section of the grooves 21 in the plates 2 . in order to be able to push the connecting elements 3 into the grooves 21 and lock them in the latter , they are subdivided along a vertical plane into two wedge - like components 31 and 32 . on their underside , the connecting elements 3 are formed with laterally projecting ribs 33 . the connecting elements 3 are fixed in the grooves 21 in the plates 2 by being pushed into the latter from their end faces . since the upper region of the connecting elements 2 has a cross section equal and opposite to the grooves 21 , the connecting elements are fixed rigidly in the grooves 21 by a form fit . the connecting elements 3 are fixed in the grooves 11 of the supporting strips 1 by introducing a potting compound 4 consisting of plastic . because of the form - fitting connection of the plates 2 to the connecting elements 3 , this has the sought - after rigidity . since , furthermore , the connecting elements 3 extend over the joints located between two plates 2 , the plates 2 located beside each other are also rigidly fixed to each other , their joint edges being located at the same height . [ 0044 ] fig3 and 3a to 3 d illustrate a second embodiment of the connecting element according to the invention . this connecting element consists of a conically formed pin 5 which , over part of its height , is formed with a slit 51 and with two diametrical flats 52 . furthermore , at its tapered end , it has a convexly curved head 54 with actuating slots 55 . because of the flats 52 , this connecting element 5 can be inserted into the undercut grooves 21 in the plates 2 . as a result of its rotation through 90 ยฐ, its conical faces 53 come into contact with the side walls of the grooves 21 and , because of the elasticity achieved by means of the slit 51 , are locked to the latter by a form fit . as can be seen from fig3 d , these connecting elements 5 are also inserted in the region of the joint into two plates 2 located beside each other , by which means the latter are fixed rigidly to each other . the connecting element 5 a illustrated in fig4 a to 4 d differs from the pin 5 according to fig3 a to 3 d only in the fact that it is formed with an annularly circumferential collar 57 , which comes to rest on the underside of the plates 2 . the connecting element illustrated in fig5 a and 5 b is likewise formed by a conical pin 6 , which is formed with a central hole 61 and with a slit 62 , a screw 63 being assigned to the central hole 61 . by screwing in the screw 63 , the two wings of the pin 6 assigned to the grooves 21 are moved away from each other , as a result of which they are locked in the grooves 21 by a form fit . the connecting element illustrated in fig6 and 6a comprises an approximately v - shaped spring 7 , whose two legs 72 come to rest with a form fit on the two side walls of the grooves 21 . the connecting element 8 illustrated in fig7 and 7a comprises a keyhole - shaped clip 8 which is formed with two legs 81 and 82 , which are inserted into the grooves 11 in the supporting strip 1 and are fixed by means of the potting compound 4 . the legs 81 and 82 are joined by semi - annular clip parts 83 and 84 , which are separated from each other by a slot 85 . as a result of the slot 85 , the clip 8 has the required elasticity in order to be inserted into the annular grooves 21 in the plates 2 . since the grooves 21 have a corresponding , approximately annular cross section , form - fitting locking of the clips 8 to the plates 2 also takes place here . finally , the space remaining in the grooves 11 and 21 is filled with a plastic compound 4 a , by which means the clips 8 are fixed in position . these connecting elements also extend beyond the joint between two plates 2 , as a result of which the latter are held in their mutual position . in all the exemplary embodiments , the connecting elements are inserted into the grooves 21 in the plates 2 and rest directly on their side walls , being held in the latter by a form fit . the connecting elements in the grooves of the supporting strips are fixed by means of a casting compound . furthermore , all the connecting elements are in each case arranged in the region of the joints between two plates 2 of ceramic material , as a result of which , by means of the connecting elements , in each case two plates 2 located beside each other are also rigidly fixed to each other , by which means they are held in the same vertical position .
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with reference to the attached drawings , the present invention is described by means of the embodiment ( s ) below where the attached drawings are simplified for illustration purposes only to illustrate the structures or methods of the present invention by describing the relationships between the components and assembly in the present invention . therefore , the components shown in the figures are not expressed with the actual numbers , actual shapes , actual dimensions , nor with the actual ratio . some of the dimensions or dimension ratios have been enlarged or simplified to provide a better illustration . the actual numbers , actual shapes , or actual dimension ratios can be selectively designed and disposed and the detail component layouts may be more complicated . according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the fabrication process of a multi - chip package is revealed in fig3 for a major block diagram of a processing flow , in fig4 a to 4i for component views in each processing step , and in fig5 for a top view of the substrate assembly formed by combining a plurality of the spliced incomplete substrates with a plurality of the substrate blocks before encapsulation where fig4 i is the cross - sectional view of the mcp device fabricated by the fabrication process flow of fig3 according to the present invention . emmc ( embedded multi media card ) is used to illustrated in the present embodiment which can directly be mounted to a printed circuit board of a smart phone , a tablet computer , or a subnotebook / netbook computer . each processing step is described in detail as follows . as shown in fig3 and fig4 a , in step 21 , an incomplete substrate 210 and a substrate block 220 are provided . one sidewall of the incomplete substrate 210 has a first spliced portion 211 and one sidewall of the substrate block 220 has a second spliced portion 221 where the dimension of the incomplete substrate 210 is larger than the one of the substrate block 220 . the incomplete substrate 210 means a substrate lacking of some portion with circuitry connecting to one of the chips in the mcp package . in this embodiment , the incomplete substrate 210 doesn &# 39 ; t have the circuitry connecting to a controller chip . in step 21 , the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 can be individually formed in different substrate strips or different substrate panels . normally , the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 are small printed circuit boards with multi - layer circuitry , and the dimension of the incomplete substrate 210 is larger than the one of the substrate block 220 . additionally , the first spliced portion 211 and the second spliced portion 221 are designed to be male - female connection which can be interconnected such as if the first spliced portion 211 is a slot or opening then the second spliced portion 221 is a corresponding extruded plug . preferably , the first spliced portion 211 can be a female slot with a plurality of first contacting fingers 212 disposed on two opposing sides in the female slot and the second spliced portion 221 is the corresponding male plug with a plurality of second contacting fingers 222 disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of the male plug where the first contacting fingers 212 are electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the incomplete substrate 210 through a plurality of first traces 213 , and the second contacting fingers 222 are electrically connected to the internal circuitry of the substrate block 220 through a plurality of second traces 223 . during the connection of the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 , even if the first spliced portion 211 and the second spliced portion 221 are loosened or tilted , at least one side of the first contacting fingers 212 still can be electrically connected with the corresponding second contacting fingers 222 to make good signal transmission between the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 . as shown in fig3 and fig4 b , in step 22 , at least a memory chip 230 is disposed on the incomplete substrate 210 . in the present embodiment , the memory chip 230 is a flash memory such as nand flash memory which is formed by thinning and dicing a memory wafer where the number of memory chips 230 disposed on the incomplete substrate 210 is not limited which can be one or plural . a plurality of bonding pads 231 are disposed on the active surface of the memory chip 230 . furthermore , step 23 of electrically connecting the memory chip 230 with the incomplete substrate 210 may not be executed during the fabrication process flow of the mcp device , which depends on the die - attaching mechanism between the memory chip 230 and the incomplete substrate 210 . when the die - attaching mechanism is flip - chip bonding , in step 22 the memory chip 230 is electrically connected to the incomplete substrate 210 through the bumps disposed on the memory chip 230 ( not shown in figures ). in this embodiment , the back surface of the memory chip 230 is adhered to the top surface of the incomplete substrate 210 by a die - attaching layer 233 where the die attaching 233 may be pre - formed on the back surface of the memory chip 230 and then attached to the incomplete substrate 210 . since the die - attaching mechanism in the present embodiment is the conventional die attaching process , therefore , step 23 needs to be executed . moreover , a plurality of external contacting pads 215 are disposed on the bottom surface of the incomplete substrate 210 . as shown in fig3 and fig4 c , in step 23 , the memory chip 230 is electrically connected to the incomplete substrate 210 by a plurality of first bonding wires 232 formed by wire bonding processes with both ends of the first bonding wires 232 bonded to the bonding pads 231 of the memory chip 230 and to the bonding fingers ( not shown in the figure ) of the incomplete substrate 210 , respectively . as shown in fig3 , the heating operations during step 22 and step 23 do not affect the substrate block 220 . as shown in fig3 and fig4 d , in step 24 a controller chip 240 is disposed on the substrate block 220 . in this embodiment , the back surface of the controller chip 240 is attached to the top surface of the substrate block 220 by a die - attaching layer 243 . the controller chip 240 is configured to control read / write operation of the memory chip 230 which is formed by thinning and dicing of a controller wafer where a plurality of bonding pads 241 are disposed on the active surface of the controller chip 240 . furthermore , a plurality of external contacting pads 224 are disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate block 220 . if needed , as shown in fig3 and fig4 e , step 25 may be executed to electrically connecting the controller chip 240 with the substrate block 220 . the controller chip 240 is electrically connected to the substrate block 240 by a plurality of second bonding wires 242 formed by wire bonding processes with both ends of the second bonding wires 242 bonded to the bonding pads 241 of the controller chip 240 and to the bonding fingers of the substrate block 220 ( not shown in the figures ). as shown in fig3 , the heating operation during step 24 and step 25 do not affect the incomplete substrate 210 . in the present embodiment , step 26 is executed to separate the substrate block 220 from a substrate strip with the attached controller chip 240 on the substrate block 220 . the singulated substrate block 220 is a modular unit for fitting in the incomplete substrate 210 . a glob top ( not shown in the figures ) such as liquid epoxy may be applied over the controller chip 240 before step 26 of module singulation . as shown in fig3 , fig4 f and fig4 g , step 27 is executed to splice the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 after step 22 of the disposition of the memory chip 230 on the incomplete substrate 210 and after step 24 of the disposition of the controller chip 240 on the substrate block 220 . in step 27 , the substrate block 220 is fitted in the incomplete substrate 210 as a complete modularized substrate by connecting the second spliced portion 221 with the first spliced portion 211 . in a preferred embodiment , the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 is horizontally connected to each other , i . e ., horizontally spliced , similar to picture puzzle and the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 are of a same thickness so that the spliced assembly of the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 does not increased the package thickness . as shown in fig3 and fig4 h , in step 28 , an encapsulant 250 is formed on the incomplete substrate 210 where the encapsulant 250 is further continuously formed on the substrate block 220 to be the package body of the mcp device . the encapsulant 250 can be an epoxy molding compound formed by transfer molding to encapsulate the memory chip 230 and the controller chip 240 together and to make the incomplete substrate 210 , the substrate block 220 , the memory chip 230 , and the controller 240 as one assembly where the encapsulant 250 further encapsulates the first bonding wires 232 and the second bonding wires 242 . preferably , the opposing sidewall of the incomplete substrate 210 corresponding to the sidewall having the first spliced portion 211 and the opposing sidewall of the substrate block 220 corresponding to the sidewall having the second spliced portion 221 are encapsulated by the encapsulant 250 with the external contacting pads 215 and 224 exposed to prevent the substrate block 220 from peeling off . as shown in fig5 , since the encapsulant 250 is formed by transfer molding processes , the precursor of the encapsulant 250 , i . e ., uncured encapsulating material , is formed on a substrate strip including a plurality of the incomplete substrates 210 in which a plurality of the substrate blocks 220 are fitted through plunger channel 251 and runner 252 of the mold chest system to encapsulate the memory chips 230 and the controller chips 240 on the substrate strip . moreover , the afore substrate strip having a plurality of incomplete substrates 210 further has a plurality of accommodating openings 214 disposed between the adjacent incomplete substrates 210 where the substrate blocks 220 can be jointed to and accommodated inside the openings 214 . finally , as shown in fig3 , in step 29 of package singulation , the incomplete substrates 210 and the encapsulant 250 are cut along the scribe lines pre - defined on the substrate strip including the incomplete substrate 210 to obtain individual mcp devices as shown in fig4 i . in the present embodiment , the encapsulant 250 can has an appearance of an embedded multi - media card ( emmc ) after step 29 . therefore , the fabrication process of the mcp device according to the present invention implements different dimensions of the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 as chip carriers for chips with different functions such as memory chips 230 and controller chips 240 along with a specific spliced method to connect the first spliced portion 211 and the second spliced portion 221 to make a spliced substrate assembly and then encapsulate the spliced substrate assembly during packaging processes where the processes , materials , and processing parameters according to specific functions of each individual chip can easily be optimized and integrated respectively in the same package to reduce substrate warpage during packaging processes . moreover , by the connection between the first spliced portion 211 of the incomplete substrate 210 and the second spliced portion 221 of the substrate block 220 and by the formation of encapsulant 250 on both substrates , the package thickness does not increase due to the implementation of the spliced substrates and the separation between the incomplete substrate 210 and the substrate block 220 after assembly can be avoided . the number of chips disposed and the method of electrical connection are not limited in the present invention where there are various spliced methods . as shown in fig6 , a plurality of memory chips 230 are stacked and disposed on the incomplete substrate 210 where the adjacent memory chips 230 are adhered by a die - attaching layer 233 . a plurality of tsvs ( through silicon vias ) 331 are disposed in the memory chips 230 for vertically electrical connection where the tsvs 331 are electrically connected to each other by the bumps 332 disposed between the adjacent memory chips 230 . finally , the memory chips 230 are electrically connected to the incomplete substrate 210 where the memory chips 230 go through backside lapping processes in wafer forms to increase numbers of stacked chips in a limited package thickness . in a various embodiment , the first spliced portion 211 of the incomplete substrate 210 can be an opening where the first contacting pads 212 are located at the peripheries of the opening on the top surface of the incomplete substrate 210 and the second spliced portion 221 of the substrate block 220 is a blocking plug having an annular indentation where a plurality of second contacting pads 222 are disposed in the annular indentation so that the second spliced portion 221 can be vertically inserted into and splice with the opening - like first spliced portion 211 from top to bottom to make electrical connection between the first contacting pads 212 and the second contacting pads 222 . therefore , the incomplete substrate 210 carried with different numbers of memory chips 230 can easily splice with the substrate block 220 carried with different controller chips 240 , and vice versa , to diversify product family . moreover , the processes , materials , and processing parameters according to specific functions of each individual chip can easily be optimized and integrated in the same package . the above description of embodiments of this invention is intended to be illustrative but not limited . other embodiments of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of the above disclosure which still will be covered by and within the scope of the present invention even with any modifications , equivalent variations , and adaptations .
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several embodiments are described below . these embodiments refer to several existing protocols , standards , and particular component devices useful in practicing the invention . these references are merely exemplary , as those of ordinary skill will appreciate that various alternatives and equivalents are available . as an introduction , fig1 illustrates a prior art deployment of network access servers . access server 28 connects to pstn 22 via one or more pstn trunks 29 , where each trunk is , e . g ., a t1 , t3 , or e1 time - division - multiplexed ( tdm ) trunk , an isdn primary rate interface ( pri ), or some equivalent . the access server users themselves ( a computer user 21 and a telephone user 23 are shown ) connect to pstn 22 , which provides physical connectivity to access server 28 via trunks 29 . depending on trunk capacity and utilization , each trunk will allow some number of additional users to reach ip network 20 through access server 28 , for example , each added t1 connection allows up to 24 additional users ( voice or data ) to connect to server 28 . access server 28 also maintains at least one egress interface . the egress interface connects to one ( or a relatively small number of ) high - speed packet data links to other nodes in ip network 20 . fig1 shows a data link 31 connecting server 28 to core network router 34 . two additional access servers , 30 and 32 , are also shown . access server 30 connects a business pbx ( private branch exchange ) 26 to ip network 20 , e . g ., to provide pbx voip access to / from remotely - located employees and branch offices of the business . access server 32 connects to pstn 24 ( which will typically also be reachable by a circuit - switched connection from pstn 22 ), which in turn connects to additional users 25 and 27 . a web server 38 is also illustrated connected in ip network 20 . in the illustrated configuration , users can connect through the access servers to web server 38 , or to each other . router 34 is also illustrated as providing connectivity to a private network 35 through a home gateway 33 . of course , the actual network can contain many more access servers , core network routers , and servers than shown in fig1 . each access server exchanges control signaling with the pstn ( or a pbx ) for each trunk terminated at that access server . the access server typically also maintains a network access session for each active user . the details of how control signaling is exchanged , and how network access sessions are initiated , maintained , and terminated are well known , and will not be described further in any aspect not affected by the invention . fig2 shows a prior art access server 28 . access server 28 comprises two separate rack - mountable chassis , a โ dial shelf โ 50 and a โ router shelf โ 56 . dial shelf 50 performs pstn line interface tasks ( including modem emulation , voip packet translation , etc . ), and router shelf 56 performs packet routing tasks . dial shelf 50 and router shelf 56 exchange data in packets via a fast ethernet ( fe ) connector 57 . dial shelf 50 is a modular chassis unit having a backplane that accepts several different types of circuit boards . the dial shelf is managed by a dial shelf controller board 55 . trunk board 42 provides multiple ingress ports 48 that can be used to terminate trunks from a pstn 22 . dsp / modem boards 44 and 46 are identical , and provide pooled signal processing resources for use in modem emulation , voip packet translation , etc . dial shelf 50 may incorporate redundant dial shelf controller boards , and / or additional trunk and dsp / modem boards ( not shown ). dial shelf 50 &# 39 ; s backplane includes a tdm bus 52 and a fe bus . tdm bus 52 multiplexes time - slotted data to / from ingress ports 48 onto bus time slots , allowing this data to be passed between trunk board 42 and dsp / modem boards 44 and 46 . router shelf 56 assigns specific dsp resources to each active session , and instructs trunk board 42 and the assigned dsp / modem board which time slot ( s ) on tdm bus 52 are to be used for that session . dial shelf controller 55 also contains a fe hub 54 , which connects via the backplane fe bus to each of the trunk and dsp / modem boards . when a dsp / modem board builds out a voip or l2tp tunnel packet , it does so with a layer 2 ( l2 ) ethernet header addressed to router shelf 56 . when a dsp / modem board receives a ppp frame , it encapsulates the frame with a layer 2 ( l2 ) ethernet header addressed to router shelf 56 . in either case , the resulting frame is transmitted from the dsp / modem board to forwarding engine 58 via fe hub 54 and fe connector 57 . forwarding engine 58 performs traditional routing tasks for the received frame . forwarding engine 58 strips the l2 ethernet header , processes the packet &# 39 ; s headers , and looks up the next hop for the ip packet . a new l2 header is prepended to the packet , and the resulting frame is queued to network interface 60 ( e . g ., another fe interface ) for transmission onto ip network 20 . when a packet is received at network interface 60 from ip network 20 , a process complementary to the one described above is performed . in short , all packets received on egress port 62 are passed to forwarding engine 58 , which modifies each packet &# 39 ; s ip header , looks up the appropriate โ next hop โ dsp / modem board , and places the packet in a fe frame addressed to that dsp / modem board . the frame is then transmitted via fe connector 57 and fe hub 54 to the appropriate dsp / modem board on dial shelf 50 . because of the modular nature of the dial shelf , additional ingress ports can be readily accommodated . tdm bus 52 is designed to handle a traffic volume at least equal to the maximum number of ingress ports supported by the access server . as more trunk boards are added , more companion dsp / modem boards can also be added to handle the additional port traffic . as ingress port traffic scales upwards , several egress - related bottlenecks may become traffic - limiting factors in the access server of fig2 . one bottleneck is the fe bus used to connect the dial shelf s feature boards to the router shelf s forwarding engine โ this bus is limited to fe capacity ( 100 mbps ). a second bottleneck is the forwarding engine itself โ this single engine must perform forwarding lookup and header manipulation for every packet processed by the access server . thus if the number of active ingress ports doubles , the demand placed on the forwarding engine also roughly doubles . roughly half of these packets will be received at egress port 62 . fig3 contains a high - level block diagram for an access server 70 according to one embodiment of the invention . access server 70 utilizes a single modular chassis which accepts four types of circuit boards : a trunk board 72 and a dsp / modem board 76 , which in some embodiments may be respectively identical , hardware - wise ( but not software - wise ) to trunk board 42 and dsp / modem board 44 of fig2 ; a trunk / dsp / modem board 74 , which is a hybrid board containing both trunk interfaces and dsp / modem resources ; and a route switch controller board 84 . comparing fig2 with fig3 , several significant differences are plainly evident . first , the fe hub of fig2 does not exist in fig3 ; instead , a non - blocking switch fabric โ with dedicated fe connections 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , and 68 โ connects the ingress line cards 72 , 74 , 76 to the egress port network interface 92 and to a route switch controller cpu 88 . second , the single forwarding engine 58 of fig2 is no longer used ; instead , forwarding engine functionality is incorporated in line cards 74 and 76 , with a backup forwarding engine implemented on rsc cpu 88 . for packets arriving at egress port 94 , a distribution engine 90 determines which line card the packet belongs to , and distributes that packet to the forwarding engine on the appropriate line card for packet processing . the access server 70 of fig3 provides improved load - balancing and scalability . distribution engine 90 preferably provides only the minimal amount of processing necessary to push egress packets to the appropriate line card for packet processing . because the amount of processing performed in distribution engine 90 is minimized , the engine can be implemented with high - speed routing hardware โ thus high egress packet throughput rates are possible . the forwarding engine located on each line card ( e . g ., 74 , 76 ) performs cpu - intensive tasks such as header manipulation and forwarding to the appropriate dsp resources on that board . because each such board has its own forwarding engine , forwarding resources remain adequate as the system scales to handle more calls . a preferred architecture for access server 70 , as illustrated in fig4 through 7 , will now be described . referring to fig4 , a top view for a chassis configuration ( not to scale ) is illustrated . chassis 100 is a rack - mountable chassis with 14 slots ( slot 0 through slot 13 ). the center two slots are reserved for two route switch controller ( rsc ) cards rsc 0 and rsc 1 . each line card is assigned to only one rsc at any one time . each rsc card carries a cpu core , a switch fabric , an egress port option card , an optional daughter card to support packet encryption , a removable flash device , a front panel fe port , and console / auxiliary ports . the other slots may be used for up to twelve line cards , lc 0 through lc 5 and lc 8 through lc 13 . each line card can be of one of the three types 72 , 74 , 76 shown in fig3 . the backplane of chassis 100 comprises three primary buses โ a backplane fe interconnect 102 , a maintenance bus 104 , and a tdm bus 106 . backplane fe interconnect 102 comprises twenty - four point - to - point , full - duplex 100 mbps fe links . each link connects one of slots 0 - 6 and 8 - 13 to slots 6 and 7 . maintenance bus 104 is a controller area network bus , which uses a two - wire serial multi - master interface that provides a maximum transfer rate of 1 mbps . tdm bus 106 is actually an aggregation of four separate circuit - switched buses , each supporting 2048 bi - directional 64 kbps channels . each of the resulting 8192 channels is accessible at each of slots 0 - 5 and 8 - 13 . not shown is a reference clock line for the tdm bus โ the source of the reference clock can be selected as either a front panel - connected reference on one of rsc 0 and rsc 1 , an internally - generated free - running clock on one or rsc 0 and rsc 1 , or a signal derived from any trunk port on one of the line cards . also not shown is a bus linking rsc 0 and rsc 1 to backplane nonvolatile random - access memory ( nvram ), which stores mac addresses for the chassis , etc . backplane fe interconnect 102 and tdm bus 106 provide data paths , respectively , for the bearer packet data and circuit - switched data streams that pass between the various cards in chassis 100 . specific usage of these data paths is detailed at a later point in this specification . maintenance bus ( mbus ) 104 provides a highly reliable , fault - tolerant bus for overall chassis control . for instance , at system startup , rsc 0 and rsc 1 use the mbus to arbitrate , e . g ., based on slot number , which line card slots are assigned to each rsc . each rsc also periodically broadcasts its status over the mbus โ if one rsc does not receive a status message for a predetermined time , the other rsc restarts mastership arbitration . the rsc also uses the mbus to discover the line cards installed in chassis 100 , to power on / off selected line cards , and to reset the line cards . when a line card is powered on or rebooted , the rsc uses the mbus to download a boothelper image to that line card . while a line card is running , the mbus allows the rsc to monitor temperature and voltage on the line card , and to provide a virtual console connection ( e . g ., through a software patch to the rsc &# 39 ; s physical console connection ) to the line card . if a line card takes a fatal exception , the line card can dump exception information to the rsc via the mbus . focusing now on the individual cards that can be inserted in chassis 100 , fig5 shows a high - level block diagram for a route shelf controller card rsc 0 ( rsc 1 is typically identical ). fig5 is not meant to illustrate board layout , but instead illustrates the front panel connections , backplane connections , and interconnections between the major functional elements of the rsc . the heart of the rsc is the rsc cpu 114 , which in one embodiment is a 64 - bit mips rm7000 processor , available from quantum effect devices , inc ., santa clara , calif . ( at the time of filing of this application , pmc - sierra , inc . is in the process of acquiring quantum effect devices ). communication with cpu 114 is handled through system controller 116 . in this embodiment , system controller 116 is a gt - 64120 system controller , available from galileo technology , inc ., san jose , calif . ( at the time of filing of this application , marvell technology group , ltd . is in the process of acquiring galileo technology ). the gt - 64120 provides an sdram controller for sdram 118 , two 32 - bit pci buses 120 , 122 , and device controller connections that make up i / o bus 124 . i / o bus 124 connects to i / o interface logic 126 , which can be , e . g ., a field - programmable gate array and / or other programmable logic device ( s ). the particular design of i / o interface logic 126 will be application - dependent , depending on the functionality needed to interface i / o bus 124 with supported devices . in this embodiment , logic 126 makes the following available to cpu 114 from i / o bus 124 : boot rom 136 and onboard flash rom 137 ; tdm clock circuitry 140 ; mbus controller 142 ; an eight - bit - wide data connection to switch fabric 144 ; console port 172 and auxiliary port 174 through duart 173 ; and an egress card configuration interface ( not shown ). pci bus 120 connects system controller 116 to daughter card 128 . the intended use of daughter card 128 is as a hardware accelerator for packet encryption / decryption . thus pci bus 120 facilitates configuration of the daughter card from cpu 114 , firmware download of an encryption engine to the daughter card , and relaying encrypted / plaintext traffic between daughter card 128 and cpu 114 . daughter card 128 also connects to switch fabric 144 through both a low - speed and a high - speed interface . a fe media - independent interface ( mii ) connects daughter card 128 to switch fabric 144 through epif 156 , providing a low - speed packet interface directly from daughter board 128 to switch fabric 144 , allowing packets to be encrypted / decrypted with no intervention from cpu 114 . bus 129 provides a parallel high - speed packet interface to switch fabric 144 . this interface is , e . g ., a vix โข bus compatible with switch fabrics from mmc networks , inc ., sunnyvale , calif . ( at the time of filing of this application , applied micro circuits corporation ( amcc ) is in the process of acquiring mmc networks ). pci bus 122 supports two cpu peripheral devices , a pcmcia controller 130 and a fe mac ( media access controller ) 134 . pcmcia controller 130 is , e . g ., a pd6729 pcmcia controller available from intel corporation . the pd6729 interfaces to one compactflash โข slot , allowing the rsc cpu to interface with one compact removable flash memory card 132 . flash memory card 132 is available to hold system images , configuration files , core dumps , line card images , etc . the second peripheral supported by pci bus 122 is fe mac 134 . fe mac 134 provides a direct packet connection from rsc cpu 114 to switch fabric 144 via epif 156 . fe mac 134 and epif 156 communicate across an fe mii . two packet data connections are provided on front panel 110 . fe port 158 , e . g ., a 10 / 100baset port , connects to switch fabric 144 via epif 156 . an egress port 170 is provided on egress card 162 . egress card 162 is designed to allow substitution of different egress โ option โ cards , depending on the desired physical egress network media ( e . g ., fe , gigabit ethernet , atm ( asynchronous transfer mode ), pos ( packet over sonet )). egress card 162 provides an appropriate network interface 166 to egress port 170 ( e . g ., a gigabit ethernet mac ( gmac )), an xpif 164 to connect network interface 166 to switch fabric 144 , and forwarding memory 168 . xpif 164 is , e . g ., a xpif - 300 gigabit - rate switch fabric packet processor , available from mmc networks . further detail on switch fabric 144 and its connected devices are provided in fig6 . a switch fabric , in general , is an interconnection of buses and switching elements that provides multiple parallel paths from any input port to any output port . when a packet arrives at an input port , it receives a tag that indicates the proper output port . the switching elements use this tag to automatically route the packet across the switching fabric to the correct output port . switch fabric 144 comprises several components : two connected packet switch modules 180 and 182 ; shared link memory 184 ; and shared data memory 186 . packet switch modules 180 and 182 are , e . g ., np5400 packet switch modules from mmc networks . each of these processors have sufficient bandwidth to support switching for up to 16 fe ports or 2 gigabit ethernet ports โ when connected together , two such processors provide sufficient bandwidth for the described embodiment . internally , switch modules 180 and 182 process data in 48 - byte payloads ( each accompanied by two bytes of header data ). data memory 186 provides a buffer space capable of storing up to 64k payloads that are being switched across the fabric . link memory 184 stores the corresponding header data for each stored payload . packet data links connect to switch fabric 144 through port interfaces ( pifs ) and vix โข bus interconnects 190 . epifs 146 , 148 , 150 , and 156 are epif4 programmable bitstream processors โข, available from mmc networks . each epif4 provides four fe ports , and has the capability to perform l2 / l3 packet processing . xpif 164 is an xpif - 300 bitstream processor โข, also available from mmc networks , which can support gigabit ethernet - rate packet processing . both the epif and the xpif convert incoming packets into a series of 48 - byte cells before passing them to switch fabric 144 , and convert a series of cells received from the switch fabric back into a packet . the pifs also send a header to the switch fabric along with each cell sent , and process headers received from the switch fabric . referring now to fig7 , line card 74 will be described . cpu core 196 contains a host processor , memory for storing software , packet forwarding tables , etc ., and other controller hardware for interfacing the cpu core to the various buses shown in fig7 . cpu core 196 connects to packet data queues 197 and 200 ( both may be part of the same physical memory ). a control bus connects cpu core 196 to mbus 104 and tdm switch 206 . fe mac 198 provides packet data connectivity between the line card and the router &# 39 ; s switching fabric . fe mac 198 presents an mii port to backplane fe interconnect 102 . fe mac 198 and cpu core 196 transfer packets between themselves using packet data queue 197 . dsp bank 202 comprises one or more digital signal processors for performing computation - intensive packet processing , such as modem emulation and voice data compression / packetization . for a given data stream , dsp bank 202 is responsible for tdm / packet conversion . each dsp will typically support packet processing for one or more ingress sessions , as instructed via pci bus 204 . ingress line circuitry comprises tdm switch 206 and e1 / t1 receivers 208 and transmitters 210 . in one implementation , receivers 208 and transmitters 210 connect to eight e1 / t1 ports on front panel 192 . optionally , a mux / demux 212 ( shown ) can connect receivers 208 and transmitters 210 to a t3 physical port on front panel 192 . when mux / demux 212 is used , it allows up to 28 t1 connections to be multiplexed into the single t3 port . receivers 208 and transmitters 210 provide framing and a physical interface for connecting multiple ingress ports 80 to , e . g ., a pstn central office . tdm switch 206 multiplexes / demultiplexes data corresponding to the individual e1 / t1 timeslots onto assigned time slots on high - speed tdm data bus 106 . a detailed description for a trunk line card 72 and for a dsp / modem line card 76 has been omitted . trunk line card 72 contains essentially the same receiver / transmitter / tdm switch circuitry as line card 74 , but omits dsp circuitry . dsp / modem line card 76 contains essentially everything else shown in fig7 ( but with a larger dsp bank ). all line cards contain a host processor to communicate with an rsc card . with a general description of the network access server hardware completed , overall function of this hardware , as it relates to the invention , will be described for a typical server installation . considering first the rsc cpu 114 of fig5 , this cpu performs a great number of administrative and server management tasks . many of these tasks are also performed in a prior art nas dial shelf or router shelf , such as running standard routing protocols , running drivers for line cards , managing dsp / modem resources and tdm resources , implementing voice and data signaling , providing a command line interface for nas management , etc . as these tasks are only peripherally affected by the invention and are well understood by those of ordinary skill , they will not be detailed further . the rsc cpu performs other tasks that specifically support the embodiment described in fig5 through 8 . for instance , the rsc maintains a master forwarding information base ( fib ) and adjacency table for all sessions being handled by the nas . portions of these data structures are shared with xpif 164 and with each line card to enable packet distribution and forwarding , as will be described shortly . the rsc performs updates to the shared fib and adjacency tables on each packet distribution or forwarding device . the rsc also manages switch fabric 144 . for the disclosed mmc switch fabric , the rsc will initialize the switch and set up switch streams for all desired switch fabric input to output port paths . for instance , one set of streams links the rsc cpu pif port to each pif port , respectively . a second set of streams links egress pif ports to each epif - to - line card port , respectively . another stream provides a path that any pif can use to reach the cpu , and yet another stream provides a path that any epif can use to reach a particular egress port . some or all of these streams may be duplicated , with one set used for data traffic and the other used for control traffic . fig8 illustrates a queueing structure for one embodiment of the invention . the forwarding engines ( engines 230 , 240 , 260 are shown ) and distribution engine 220 each place packets to be switched in a corresponding switch fabric queue ( e . g ., fabric queue 228 for distribution engine 220 ). upon reaching the head of its fabric queue , each packet is placed on a switching stream that switches it through switch fabric 144 to the appropriate destination and queue . for the forwarding engines , each engine utilizes a โ data โ queue and a โ voice โ queue โ this optional partitioning of the queues prevents voice packets ( or other time - critical packets ) from languishing behind several large data packets , and allows the forwarding engines to allocate their resources fairly between data and voice traffic . other queuing divisions may also be appropriate , such as internally - generated control packet queues and signaling packet queues , or designated queues on the rsc forwarding engine specifically for packets that failed distribution or forwarding in one of the distributed engines . the illustrated configuration allow the nas to route packet traffic efficiently along the most common nas data paths : ingress port to egress port ; ingress port to ingress port ; ingress port to rsc ; egress port to rsc ; egress port to ingress port ; and rsc to egress or ingress port . nas function for each of these possible paths is explored below . first , consider an ip data packet received at an ingress port 78 , through a modem ( not shown ) on the same line card as forwarding engine 240 . each such packet enters an ingress port queue ( either 252 or 254 ), where it waits its turn to be considered by forwarding code 244 . when the packet is considered by forwarding code 244 , there are several possible processing paths that could be taken . some types of data packets , such as isdn signaling , ppp or l2tp control packets , etc ., are to be interpreted by the rsc โ if these signaling and control packets can be identified as such , forwarding becomes a matter of sending the packet on a data stream to an input queue on rsc forwarding engine 230 . for all other data packets , the forwarding code searches its local fib table for a route entry match corresponding to the packet &# 39 ; s destination ip address . if a matching fib entry is found , this entry points to a corresponding entry in the adjacency table โ an entry that indicates the appropriate switching stream , output port , link layer encapsulation , etc . for the packet . finally , if no matching fib entry can be found , the packet must be โ punted โ ( i . e ., forwarded to the rsc as a packet that cannot be processed by the forwarding engine ). the rsc is tasked with deciding what to do with packets that the distributed forwarding engines can &# 39 ; t handle . when forwarding engine 240 successfully locates a fib entry , the packet is processed . forwarding code 244 decrements the packet &# 39 ; s time - to - live , computes a new checksum , and performs any other appropriate ip housekeeping tasks . the l2 packet header is stripped and then rewritten with the proper encapsulation for the packet &# 39 ; s nas output port . finally , unless the packet is going back out an ingress port served by the same line card ( e . g ., port 256 or 258 ), a backplane header is prepended to the packet . the backplane header indicates the stream id to be used to reach the switch port of exit and a packet type . the packet type will indicate to the receiving forwarding engine how it should process the packet . when forwarding engine 240 must punt the packet to rsc forwarding engine 230 , the packet &# 39 ; s existing headers are not modified . the packet is simply prepended with a backplane header that will direct the packet to the appropriate input queue ( 234 or 236 ) for forwarding engine 230 . when the attached epif receives a packet , it interprets the backplane header and queues the packet for transmission across the appropriate switching stream . the packet then traverses the switch fabric . if the packet is bound for an egress port , the pif serving that port receives the packet , removes the backplane header , and transmits the packet out the egress port . if the packet is bound for another line card , the appropriate pif receives it and transmits the packet across the backplane fe to the appropriate card ( e . g ., queue 266 ). if the packet is bound for the rsc , the pif transmits the packet across the mii to the fe mac on the rsc card . next , consider a packet received at the egress port . the packet may be a data packet destined for one of the ingress ports , a control packet destined for the rsc , an l2tp data packet destined for one of the ingress ports , or a voice packet destined for one of the ingress ports . packet classifier 222 of distribution engine 220 attempts to determine the packet type , e . g ., as ip / non - ip , control / data / voip , etc . packet classifier 222 then uses the packet type to perform a search , in the table corresponding to that packet type , for the appropriate stream id for that packet . when a stream id is successfully located , packet classifier 222 prepends the packet with a backplane header identifying the stream that flows to the desired line card and designates the packet as an input - type packet . fig9 contains a flowchart illustrating one method of operation for distribution engine 220 . when an egress packet is received , block 282 first examines the link layer header , checking the link layer destination address for a match . when the packet is not addressed to the nas , it is dropped ( block 286 ). otherwise , block 284 checks the packet type . in this embodiment , distribution engine 220 can only perform route lookups for ip version 4 ( ipv4 ) packets โ all other packet types are punted to the rsc ( see block 306 ). if a packet is an ipv4 packet , block 288 takes the destination address out of the ip header and performs a lookup in the distribution engine &# 39 ; s ip route table . for instance , fib entries can be stored in a ternary content - addressable memory ( tcam ) in an order such that the tcam returns a longest - prefix match for the destination address . decision block 290 branches based on the success of the tcam lookup . if the lookup is unsuccessful , control branches to block 306 , and the packet is punted to the rsc . otherwise , processing continues at block 292 . block 292 examines the route entry returned by the tcam . if the entry indicates the rsc as the appropriate route for the packet , further processing is needed . otherwise , processing branches to block 308 . block 308 forwards the packet to the appropriate line card on the indicated stream id . there are several reasons why an indicated route may pass through the rsc . some packets are actually bound for the nas itself , and thus the rsc . but udp packets addressed to the nas itself may be so addressed because the nas is an l2tp tunnel endpoint and a voice packet endpoint . packet classifier 222 attempts to identify l2tp data packets and voice data packets , allowing them to be switched directly to the line card that terminates an l2tp or voice call . decision block 294 branches based on whether or not the packet is a udp packet . non - udp packets are punted to the rsc for processing . for udp packets , block 296 retrieves the udp port number from the packet header and attempts a lookup in a voip session table . decision block 298 then branches based on the lookup results . for instance , according to one convention , valid voip port numbers are even numbers between 16384 and 32766 โ when the port number falls in this range , it will be forwarded to the appropriate line card for voice processing . for udp port numbers that are not valid voip port numbers , block 300 classifies the packet as l2tp data / non - l2tp data . udp packets that are not voice packets and are non - l2tp data are punted at this point to the rsc . otherwise , a packet &# 39 ; s l2tp tunnel id and session id are lookup up in an l2tp session table . upon a successful hit , the packet will be forwarded by block 304 to the appropriate line card for l2tp processing . finally , if the lookup fails , the packet is punted to the rsc . block 308 is reached after one or more successful fib lookups . the fib lookup causing the branch to block 308 will return a pointer to an adjacency table entry containing the switching stream to be used for the packet . block 308 dispatches the packet over this stream to the appropriate line card . likewise , when a lookup fails , the packet is punted to the rsc at block 306 using an appropriate switching stream . when distribution engine 220 sends an egress packet to one of the forwarding engines , that forwarding engine queues the packet for its backplane header handler ( e . g ., handler 242 of forwarding engine 240 in fig8 ). a field on the backplane header can be used to determine whether the packet has already passed through the forwarding code of the rsc or another line card . if this is the case , handler 242 uses another field to determine which outbound ingress interface that the packet is bound for ( e . g ., queue 276 or 278 ). if the packet has not passed through forwarding code already ( i . e ., the packet was received at an egress interface ), header handler 242 passes the packet to forwarding code 244 . the forwarding code can perform further layer 2 processing on the packet ( as if the forwarding code were located physically at the egress port ). the forwarding engine looks up the packet &# 39 ; s destination using its own fib table , maps the result to its own adjacency table , and determines the ingress port / time slot and modem / dsp resource responsible for the packet . the packet is updated and sent to the responsible modem / dsp resource . the preceding description assumes that the distribution engine and forwarding engines have access to current fib and adjacency tables for the nas , or at least those portions of the tables that each engine is likely to encounter . the route switch controller is responsible for maintaining master fib and adjacency tables , and informing distribution engines and forwarding engines when and with what to update those tables . the distribution engines and forwarding engines maintain local copies of the information supplied to them by the rsc . referring to fig1 , rsc master routing tables 310 , 312 , 314 , and 316 are illustrated . master routing table 310 is an ip routing table for packets received at the egress port ; each destination ip route entry in the table is cross - referenced to a line card number , dsp number , and an adjacency table pointer . as new calls are established , the rsc adds new entries to table 310 , and as calls are disconnected , the rsc deletes the corresponding entries in table 310 . tables 312 and 314 are similar to table 310 . but table 312 is indexed by voip udp port number , and can thus be used to map voip calls to line card resources . and table 310 is indexed by l2tp session id / l2tp tunnel id , and can thus be used to map l2tp calls to line card resources . table 316 is an adjacency table . ppp sessions , l2tp sessions , and voip sessions are represented in the adjacency table . the table contains switch fabric stream ids that are to be used for various types of communication with each card . other information , such as layer 2 encapsulation for an egress port , and backplane header encapsulation , can also be part of the adjacency table . the rsc determines what portion of each of tables 310 , 312 , 314 , and 316 should be shared with each particular line card or egress card . at all times , though , the rsc can use the master table to route any packet received by the nas . thus , misrouted , oddball , or confusing packets can always be punted to the rsc for a routing determination in accordance with the full routing table . considering first the portion of the master routing tables shared with the egress card , fig1 depicts distribution tables 320 , 322 , 324 , and 326 . the rsc shares distribution routes ( those that exit the server at an ingress port ) with the distribution engine on the egress card . in this particular embodiment , the shared information is limited to switch fabric stream id . the distribution engine stores the ip packet distribution routes it receives in tcam table 320 , sorted by prefix length , longest prefix first . when a packet ip destination address is compared against the list of addresses stored in tcam table 320 , the result is the tcam memory address of the longest matching ip prefix . this tcam memory address serves as a pointer offset into stream id table 322 . stream id table 322 stores the appropriate stream id for the line card number / traffic type of the packet ( the stream id table may contain other information as well ). voice port table 324 and tunnel session table 326 also map to stream id table 322 . tables 324 and 326 may be implemented with content - addressable memory , a hashing function , or by partitioning available voice port and / or tunnel port space among the line cards . line cards typically implement a subset of the forwarding code implemented in the rsc . fib table and adjacency table formats in each line card can be essentially identical to the fib table and adjacency table formats in the rsc . for adjacency entries that are local to the line card , the line card need not , however , store a backplane header . it is to be understood that although many of the nas functions described above can be designed into special - purpose hardware , a combination of software and programmable hardware is preferred . typically , each โ engine โ will be an executable process running on a processor that performs other tasks as well . each processor may have its executable processes stored in a dedicated non - volatile memory , e . g ., rom , flash , optical , or magnetic storage media . more typically , the rsc processor will boot first , e . g ., from its own non - volatile memory , and then distribute executable images to the pifs and line cards as each is brought on line . the disclosed embodiments presented herein are exemplary . various other modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure , and are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as claimed .
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reference is first made to fig4 that depicts an overall configuration of a representative embodiment of a cpb microlithography apparatus according to the invention . fig4 also depicts certain imaging and control relationships of the cpb optical system of the apparatus . fig4 is depicted and discussed in the context of an electron - beam system . however , it readily will be understood that the general principles discussed below can be applied with equal facility to an ion - beam system or the like . an electron gun 1 is situated at the extreme upstream end of the optical system of fig4 . the electron gun 1 emits an electron beam ( termed the โ illumination beam โ) in a downstream direction ( downward in the figure ) along an optical axis ax . a two - stage condenser - lens assembly ( comprising first and second condenser lenses 2 , 3 , respectively ) is situated downstream of the electron gun 1 . the illumination beam passes through the condenser lenses 2 , 3 and forms a crossover image c . o . at a blanking aperture 7 . a beam - shaping aperture 4 is situated downstream of the second condenser lens 3 . the beam - shaping aperture 4 has a transverse profile ( usually square or rectangular ) that trims and shapes the illumination beam to have a transverse profile and dimensions sufficient to illuminate only one โ subfield โ on a downstream reticle 10 . a โ subfield โ is a unit of the reticle pattern that is exposed at any instant of time during exposure of the pattern , and thus represents an โ exposure unit โ of the reticle 10 . by way of example , the beam - shaping aperture 4 trims the illumination beam to have a square transverse profile measuring just over 1 mm on each side as illuminated on the reticle . an image of the beam - shaping aperture 4 is formed on the reticle 10 by a third condenser lens 9 . the blanking aperture 7 is defined by a plate that , except for the illumination beam allowed to pass through the actual blanking aperture , blocks the illumination beam . a blanking deflector 5 is situated between the beam - shaping aperture 4 and the blanking aperture 7 . the blanking deflector 5 deflects the illumination beam to strike the plate of the blanking aperture 7 ( thereby blocking the illumination beam from propagating further downstream ) whenever the illumination beam is to be prevented from propagating to the reticle 10 . a subfield - selection deflector 8 is situated downstream of the blanking aperture 7 . the subfield - selection deflector 8 illuminates each subfield on the reticle 10 within the field of the illumination - optical system by sequentially or continuously scanning the illumination beam primarily in the left - right direction in fig4 ( i . e ., in the x - direction ). the third condenser lens 9 , situated downstream of the subfield - selection deflector 8 , collimates the illumination beam for impingement on the reticle . thus , the illumination beam forms an image of the beam - shaping aperture 4 on the reticle 10 whenever the illumination beam strikes the reticle 10 . even though only one subfield of the reticle 10 is shown ( the depicted subfield is centered on the optical axis ax in fig4 ), it will be understood that the reticle 10 actually comprises multiple subfields arrayed within the x - y plane extending perpendicularly to the optical axis ax . the reticle 10 normally defines the entire pattern of , for example , a layer of a semiconductor - device chip to be transferred to a substrate (โ wafer โ) 15 . because the reticle 10 is divided into subfields , it is a socalled โ divided โ or โ segmented โ reticle . further detail regarding the configuration of the reticle is presented later . the illumination beam is deflected as required by the subfield - selection deflector 8 , as discussed above , to illuminate the subfields sequentially or continuously within the field of the illumination - optical system . the optical components ( lenses and deflectors ) discussed above that are situated between the electron gun 1 and the reticle 10 are regarded as components of the โ illumination - optical system .โ the reticle 10 is mounted on a reticle stage 11 to facilitate mechanical movement of the reticle as required in the x - and y - directions during exposure of the pattern . thus , subfields located outside the optical field of the illumination - optical system can be moved to within the optical field . the fig4 apparatus also comprises first and second projection lenses 12 , 14 , respectively , and a deflector 13 situated downstream of the reticle 10 . as the illumination beam strikes a particular subfield on the reticle 10 , the portion of the illumination beam passing through the illuminated subfield and propagating downstream of the reticle 10 is denoted the โ patterned beam .โ this is because the beam downstream of the reticle is โ patterned โ by passing through regular pattern features or test - pattern features defined in the illuminated subfield and thus acquires the ability to form an image , downstream of the reticle 10 , of the illuminated features . the projection lenses 12 , 14 act in concert on the patterned beam to prepare the beam for forming the image on the upstream - facing surface of the wafer 15 . as the projection lenses 12 , 14 converge the patterned beam onto the wafer 15 , the image carried by the patterned beam is โ reduced โ ( demagnified ) for projection onto the wafer 15 . by โ reduced โ or โ demagnified โ is meant that the image as formed on the wafer 15 is smaller ( by an integer reciprocal factor termed the โ demagnification ratio โ) than the corresponding illuminated area on the reticle 10 . for each subfield on the reticle 10 , the corresponding image is formed at a specified respective location on the wafer 15 . for imprinting of the images on the wafer surface , the upstream - facing surface of the wafer 15 is coated with a suitable โ resist .โ portions of the resist that receive a dose of charged particles in the patterned beam undergo a latent chemical change that is โ developed โ to reveal the image . a wafer or substrate coated with a non - developed resist is termed โ sensitive .โ a second crossover c . o . is formed at an axial location at which the axial distance from the reticle 10 and the wafer 15 is divided according to the demagnification ratio . a contrast aperture 18 is located at this second crossover . the contrast aperture 18 blocks electrons of the patterned beam that have been scattered by passing through or by non - patterned areas of the reticle 10 . thus , such scattered electrons do not propagate to the wafer 15 . the optical components ( lenses and deflectors ) discussed above that are situated between the reticle 10 and the wafer 15 are regarded as components of the โ projection - optical system .โ a backscattered - electron ( bse ) detector 19 is situated between the second projection lens 14 and the wafer 15 . the bse detector 19 detects electrons emitted when the patterned beam strikes the wafer 15 ( which causes some of the electrons of the patterned beam to be emitted in an upstream direction from the wafer 15 . the bse detector 19 produces an electrical signal , corresponding to the electrons , emitted from the wafer and actually received by the detector 19 . the signal is routed to a controller 21 via a converter circuit 19 a . the converter circuit 19 a includes an analog - to - digital ( a / d ) converter that converts the signals from the bse detector 19 to corresponding digital signals that can be processed by the controller 21 . the relative positions of beam - test marks on the wafer 15 can be determined by processing the signal from the bse detector , thereby allowing determinations of alignment between the wafer 15 and the electron - optical system or between the wafer 15 and the reticle 10 . these signals are also used for determining beam drift , as discussed further below . the wafer 15 is mounted , desirably using an electrostatic chuck 16 , to a wafer stage 17 that is movable in x - and y - directions . by appropriately moving the wafer stage 17 synchronously with movements of the reticle stage 11 , wide areas of the pattern as defined on the reticle 10 can be exposed sequentially onto the wafer 15 . due to the image - inversion imparted by the projection lenses 12 , 14 , the stage movements normally are in opposite directions relative to each other . the respective positions of the stages 11 , 17 in the x - and y - directions are determined very accurately using laser interferometers ( not shown , but as known in the art ). the various lenses 2 , 3 , 9 , 12 and deflectors 5 , 8 , 13 are controlled by the controller 21 via respective coil power supplies 2 a , 3 a , 9 a , 12 a , and 5 a , 8 a , and 13 a connected to the controller 21 . in addition , the reticle stage 11 and wafer stage 17 are controlled by the controller 21 via stage drivers 11 a and 17 a , respectively , connected to the controller 21 . finally , the electrostatic chuck 16 is controlled by the main controller 21 via a chuck driver 16 a connected to the controller 21 . thus , the respective positions of the stages and respective energizations of the lenses and deflectors are accurately controlled to allow demagnified images of the subfields on the reticle 10 to be stitched together accurately on the wafer 15 , thereby forming one or more entire chip patterns on respective regions of the wafer . the controller 21 includes a beam - drift correction unit 21 a that includes a memory in which a table of beam - drift data obtained as described below can be stored . based on data recalled from the table , the beam - drift correction unit 21 a generates an appropriate beam - position correction signal and routes the signal to the deflector power supply 13 a . details of an exemplary reticle 10 as used in the fig4 apparatus are shown in fig5 ( a )- 5 ( c ). in fig5 ( a ), the reticle 10 comprises multiple โ stripes โ 49 each containing multiple rows of subfields 41 . the rows each extend in the x - direction ( representing the width dimension of the corresponding stripes ), and the array of rows in each stripe 49 extends in the y - direction ( representing the length dimension of the corresponding stripe ). each row of subfields is termed a โ deflection field โ 44 because the length of the row ( in the x - direction ) corresponds to the maximum deflection range ( in the x - direction ) of the illumination beam as achieved by the subfield - deflection deflector 8 in the illumination - optical system . as shown in fig5 ( b ), each subfield 41 comprises a respective membrane region 41 m . the thickness ( z - dimension ) of each membrane region 41 m is 0 . 1 ฮผm to several ฮผm . as shown in fig5 ( c ), each subfield 41 comprises a respective patterned region 42 surrounded by a skirt 43 that lacks any pattern features . the patterned region 42 defines the features of the respective portion of the overall pattern defined by the reticle 10 . during illumination of a subfield 41 , the respective patterned region 42 is illuminated by the illumination beam , wherein the edges of the illumination beam fall within the respective skirt 43 . the patterned region 42 of each subfield 41 on the reticle 10 typically has an area ( extending in the x - and y - directions ) of approximately 0 . 5 mm to 5 mm square . at a demagnification ratio of โ
, the size of the corresponding image of the subfield as projected onto the wafer 15 is 0 . 1 mm to 1 mm square . the reticle includes a grid - like โ grillage โ 45 comprising intersecting struts that surround each subfield 41 . the reticle 10 includes grillage 45 because the membrane regions 41 m are too thin to provide the reticle 10 with any substantial rigidity . each strut is approximately 0 . 5 mm to 1 mm thick ( in the z - direction ) and approximately 0 . 1 mm wide in the respective x - or y - direction . referring further to fig5 ( a ), multiple stripes 49 are arrayed in the x - direction on the reticle 10 . between adjacent stripes 49 and around the perimeter of the reticle 10 are wide struts 47 that provide additional rigidity to the reticle 10 . a wide strut 47 situated between adjacent stripes 49 is typically several mm wide ( in the x - direction ) and has the same thickness ( in the z - direction ) as a regular strut located between adjacent subfields 41 . reticles also can be used in which no non - patterned regions ( regular struts and skirts 43 ) exist between adjacent subfields 41 in each deflection field 44 . i . e ., in such a reticle ( and referring to fig5 ( a ) and 5 ( c )), the patterned regions 42 of adjacent subfields 41 are contiguous within each deflection field 44 of each stripe 49 . using an apparatus as shown in fig4 and a reticle as shown in fig5 ( a ) for projection - exposure of the pattern defined on the reticle 10 , the subfields 41 in each deflection field 44 are exposed sequentially by appropriately deflecting the electron beam in the x - direction . as each deflection field 44 is exposed , the next deflection field 44 is moved into position for exposure by appropriately moving ( in a scanning manner ) the reticle stage 11 and the wafer stage 17 . ( the stages 11 , 17 are moved in opposite directions in the y - direction .) after completing exposure of a stripe 49 , the next stripe 49 is moved into position for exposure by appropriately moving ( in a start - and - stop manner ) the reticle stage 11 and the wafer stage 17 . ( the stages 11 , 17 are moved in opposite directions in the x - direction .) as each subfield 41 is projection - exposed onto the wafer 15 , the non - patterned portions ( skirts 43 and grillage 45 ) are โ canceled โ on the wafer so as to place the images of the patterned regions 42 contiguously with each other on the wafer 17 . such placement of the images of the patterned regions 42 on the wafer is termed โ stitching โ of the images . upon completing exposure of the entire reticle 11 , the corresponding image of a layer of a chip on the wafer comprises all the individual images of the patterned regions 42 stitched together . at a demagnification ratio of ยผ or โ
, a chip size of 27 mm ร 44 mm on the wafer ( the size of a 4 - gigabit dram ) would require a reticle measuring ( including subfields and non - patterned areas ) 120 ร 150 mm to 230 ร 350 mm . fig2 schematically depicts the disposition of beam - drift test patterns on a reticle ( e . g ., test reticle ) according to the invention ( and usable with the fig4 apparatus ). fig3 schematically depicts the disposition of corresponding beam - test marks on a wafer ( e . g ., test wafer ) used with the reticle of fig2 . in fig2 three stripes 71 , 72 , 73 are shown arrayed side - by - side in the x - direction . a wide strut 74 is situated between each pair of adjacent stripes 71 , 72 , 73 . the stripe 71 is divided into deflection fields 81 ; the stripe 72 is divided into deflection fields 82 , and the stripe 73 is divided into deflection fields 83 . in each stripe 71 , 72 , 73 , the respective deflection fields 81 , 82 , 83 are arrayed serially in the y direction . in each deflection field , the constituent subfields are array serially in the x - direction . in fig2 non - patterned regions ( grillage 45 and skirts ) are not shown so as to eliminate detail not needed for the following discussion . in this example , the stripe 71 comprises deflection fields 81 - 1 through 81 - 5 , the stripe 72 comprises deflection fields 82 - 1 through 82 - 5 , and the stripe 73 comprises deflection fields 83 - 1 through 83 - 5 . each of these deflection fields includes beam - drift test patterns 87 , 88 . so - called โ x - direction beam - drift test patterns โ 87 include linear features extending in the y - direction and arrayed serially in the x - direction , and so - called โ y - direction beam - drift test patterns โ 88 include linear features extending in the z - direction and arrayed serially in the y - direction . deflection fields containing the beam - drift test patterns 87 , 88 are situated at the ends ( in the y - direction ) of each stripe 71 , 72 , 73 . in this example , although only five are shown , up to approximately ten sets of deflection fields that include these beam - drift test patterns can be disposed at the end of each stripe . each linear feature of a beam - drift test pattern 87 , 88 is a respective area on the reticle that is readily transmissive to the illumination beam . examples of such areas are voids or regions of the reticle membrane that exhibit low scattering . the corresponding beam - test marks 97 , 98 on the wafer ( fig3 ; the beam - test marks 97 , 98 have linear features corresponding to the linear features in the beam - drift test patterns 87 , 88 ) desirably are defined by a metallic layer or the like that is highly reflective to the charged particles in the beam . in fig2 by way of example , the deflection fields 82 in the middle stripe 72 only have x - direction beam - drift test patterns 87 , whereas the deflection fields 83 in the right - hand stripe 73 only have y - direction beam - drift test patterns 88 . providing both x - direction test patterns and y - direction test patterns allows beam - drift data to be obtained for both the x - direction and the y - direction . the deflection fields 81 in the left - hand stripe 71 include subfields alternately containing x - direction test patterns 87 and y - direction test patterns 88 . other combinations of the beam - drift test patterns 87 , 88 can be selected as appropriate . different combinations allow more flexibility in obtaining beam - drift data at various magnitudes of beam deflection in both the x - and y - directions . for example , if beam drift in the y - direction is relatively small , then the beam - drift test patterns in the stripe 82 are usually sufficient ( for testing the beam drift in the x - direction ). the beam - drift test patterns in the stripe 81 are sufficient if a plot of beam drift versus magnitude of beam deflection ( such as shown in fig1 ) is a smooth curve . corresponding to the beam - drift test patterns 87 , 88 in fig2 deflection fields with multiple beam - test marks 97 , 98 are formed on the wafer shown in fig3 . however , on the wafer , there are no components situated between the stripes 91 , 92 , 93 that correspond to the wide struts situated between the stripes 71 , 72 , 73 on the reticle . rather , on the wafer , the stripes 91 , 92 , 93 are joined together contiguously . also , non - patterned regions located on the reticle between adjacent subfields and deflection fields are not formed on the wafer . thus , on the wafer , the entire reticle pattern is formed with all the constituent pattern - portion - defining subfields , deflection fields , and stripes being stitched together . in this example , the width and length of the linear test - pattern features are pre - determined so that the beam current at a subfield defining only the linear test - pattern features is 1 ฮผa . in cases where the beam current is larger , relatively large voids 96 , 99 can be defined in areas of the subfield aside from where the test patterns 94 exist , as shown in the enlarged view of a subfield 95 shown in fig2 . for example , beam drift can be measured at beam currents of 5 ฮผa , 10 ฮผa , 15 ฮผa , 20 ฮผa , and 25 ฮผa , etc ., to ascertain the relationship between beam current and beam drift . now , in this case , the illumination - beam current incident to a single subfield on the reticle is 100 ฮผa . fig1 is a graph showing an example of beam - drift measurement results and of determining and applying a corresponding amount of beam - drift correction . in this example , the beam current is 10 ฮผa . the ordinate ( vertical axis ) is magnitude of beam drift in the x - direction , and the abscissa ( horizontal axis ) is beam - drift in the x - direction ( unit = nm ). the curve defined by the open circles is of measured beam drift obtained by scanning the beam over the first deflection field 82 - 1 ( fig2 corresponding to the deflection field 102 - 1 in fig3 ) in the y - direction and detecting the test - pattern positions . the curve defined by the black ( closed ) circles is of measured beam drift obtained by scanning the beam over the second deflection field 82 - 2 in the y - direction and detecting the test - pattern positions . the curve defined by the triangles is of measured beam drift obtained by scanning the beam over the third deflection field 82 - 3 in the y - direction and detecting the test - pattern positions . the curve defined by the x &# 39 ; s is of measured beam drift obtained by scanning the beam over the fourth deflection field 82 - 4 in the y - direction and detecting the test - pattern positions . the curve defined by the open squares is of measured beam drift obtained by scanning the beam over the fifth deflection field 82 - 5 in the y - direction and detecting the test - pattern positions . finally , the curve defined by the open double circles is of measured beam drift obtained by scanning the beam over a sixth deflection field in the y - direction and detecting the test - pattern positions . when obtaining these data , the scanning rate and timing for beam blanking , etc ., were the same as during actual device - pattern scanning . in this example , since the measurements proceeded from the minus direction toward the plus direction over the respective deflection fields , the magnitude of drift in each curve was greater for x - direction beam deflection in the minus direction than for x - direction beam deflection in the plus direction . in addition , the magnitude of drift was relatively high in the first deflection field 82 - 1 and was progressively less in the second deflection field 82 - 2 , third deflection field 82 - 3 , and so on . even though not shown in fig1 respective magnitudes of beam drift as measured in deflection fields after the sixth deflection field were essentially the same as in the sixth deflection field . the relatively high magnitude of drift in the first deflection field of a stripe is due principally to de - energization of a blanking deflector after a relatively long period of beam blanking ( as encountered while waiting for a change of stripes or the like ). in the example shown in fig1 reproducibility is relatively good and the data points smoothly define the respective curves . in instances in which beam drift exhibits poor reproducibility , scattered points appear on the respective curves , wherein the points do not clearly define the respective curve . the corresponding data will exhibit poor convergence , regardless of the deflection field . since drift correction is very difficult under such conditions , equipment maintenance is indicated , such as cleaning the interior of lenses in the illumination - optical system and / or projection - optical system of the pattern - transfer apparatus . a representative method for correcting beam drift ( based on the exemplary measurement results in fig1 ) is now explained . during normal projection - exposure of a device pattern , the beam - drift test patterns can be disposed in the first deflection field in the y - direction end of a stripe . that stripe is exposed while performing beam - drift correction based on the detection data obtained with the test patterns . if beam - drift correction were not to be performed , then correction for all the deflection fields in the particular stripe would be determined based on the measurement data obtained from the first deflection field . in this example , the respective magnitudes of beam drift of other deflection fields relative to the first deflection field are known in advance from prior testing . the magnitudes of beam drift for each strip are tabulated , corresponding to the amplitude of beam deflection in the x 30 direction , in as memory in the beam - drift correction unit 21 a . for example , if the amplitude of beam deflection for the second deflection field were โ 2 . 25 mm , then the value ( 4 nm ) denoted by โ c1 โ in fig1 would correspond to the drift magnitude . if the amplitude of beam deflection for the third deflection field were โ 0 . 5 mm , then the value ( 3 nm ) denoted by โ c2 โ in fig1 would correspond to the drift magnitude . these values are tabulated and stored in the beam - drift - correction unit 21 a ( fig4 ). afterward , when an actual device pattern is projection - exposed onto a wafer , the magnitude of beam drift corresponding to the respective deflection amplitude for each stripe is corrected according to test - pattern - position data obtained at the first deflection field of the stripe . thus , the subfield - transfer position in each deflection field is corrected . the table in the foregoing example was created using difference values . however , a table alternatively can be created using ratios of beam - drift magnitude in a second deflection field to beam - drift magnitude in a first deflection field . for example , if the deflection amplitude for the second defection field were โ 2 . 25 mm , then the value of the beam - position drift ratio would be ( 10 nm )/( 14 nm )= 0 . 71 , wherein 10 nm is the magnitude of beam drift in the second deflection field and 14 nm is the magnitude of beam drift in the first deflection field ( see line โ c1 โ in fig1 ). according to this ratio , the beam position is corrected and actual exposure is made . a table can be created for each magnitude of beam current ; for example , six tables can be created . then , the magnitude of drift correction is calculated according to the average beam current at the level of the actual device pattern . the required correction to the median beam current can be determined by interpolation . in such a manner , the magnitude of beam - position correction is calculated taking into account the beam current and other variables , based on magnitudes of beam drift previously determined . beam position is corrected by the determined magnitude . correction in the y - direction is measured in a manner similar to that described above regarding the x - direction . also , the data are similarly tabulated and used to perform correction . correction in the y - direction desirably is performed together with correction in the x - direction . ( beam drift in the y - direction is normally less than beam drift in the x - direction .) measurements as shown in fig1 desirably are performed on a periodic basis . under such conditions , if the magnitudes of beam drift are not observed to converge around a constant value in five or six attempts , as described above ( or if variances of over 2 nm occur in the data even as they approach a constant magnitude of beam drift at the end of the deflection field ), then it can be concluded that a non - reproducible variable is causing the beam drift . cleaning of the apparatus is required . as is clear from the foregoing , this invention provides methods and apparatus for achieving high - accuracy and high - precision pattern transfer , even when a certain amount of beam drift is evident . fig6 is a flow chart of steps in a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device such as a semiconductor chip ( e . g ., an integrated circuit or lsi device ), a display panel ( e . g ., liquid - crystal panel ), or ccd , for example . in step 1 , the circuit for the device is designed . in step 2 , a reticle (โ mask โ) for the circuit is manufactured . in step 3 , a wafer is manufactured from a material such as silicon . steps 4 - 12 are directed to wafer - processing steps , specifically โ pre - process โ steps . in the pre - process steps , the circuit pattern defined on the reticle is transferred onto the wafer by microlithography . step 13 is an assembly step ( also termed a โ post - process โ step ) in which the wafer that has been passed through steps 4 - 12 is formed into semiconductor chips . this step can include , e . g ., assembling the devices ( dicing and bonding ) and packaging ( encapsulation of individual chips ). step 14 is an inspection step in which any of various operability and qualification tests of the device produced in step 13 are conducted . afterward , devices that successfully pass step 14 are finished , packaged , and shipped ( step 16 ). steps 4 - 12 also provide representative details of wafer processing . step 4 is an oxidation step for oxidizing the surface of a wafer . step 5 involves chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) for forming an insulating film on the wafer surface . step 6 is an electrode - forming step for forming electrodes on the wafer ( typically by vapor deposition ). step 7 is an ionimplantation step for implanting ions ( e . g ., dopant ions ) into the wafer . step 8 involves application of a resist ( exposure - sensitive material ) to the wafer . step 9 involves microlithographically exposing the resist so as to imprint the resist with the reticle pattern , as described elsewhere herein . step 10 involves developing the exposed resist on the wafer . step 11 involves etching the wafer to remove material from areas where developed resist is absent . step 12 involves resist separation , in which remaining resist on the wafer is removed after the etching step . by repeating steps 4 - 12 as required , circuit patterns as defined by successive reticles are superposedly formed on the wafer . whereas the invention has been described in connection with example embodiments , it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments . on the contrary , the invention is intended to encompass all alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined by the appended claims .
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embodiments of the invention will be described , referring to the accompanying drawings . as shown in fig1 on the surface of a p - type silicon substrate 11 , a field oxide film 12 is formed to a thickness of about 500 nm by local oxidation of silicon ( locos ). the silicon substrate 11 of p - type is illustratively shown , and n - type wells , p - type wells , p - type wells in n - type wells may be formed as desired in the surface layer of the silicon substrate 11 . the conductivity types opposite to those shown in the embodiment may be used . as shown in fig2 on the surface ( active region ar ) of the silicon substrate defined by the field oxide film 12 , a gate oxide film 13 of about 15 nm thick is formed by thermal oxidation . on this gate oxide film 13 , a gate electrode layer 14 is formed which is a lamination of a polysilicon layer 14a of about 120 nm thick and a tungsten silicide ( wsi ) layer 14b of about 150 nm thick . the gate electrode layer may be formed by sputtering , cvd or the like . on this gate electrode layer 14 , a silicon oxide film 15 is formed by cvd . a resist pattern is formed on the silicon oxide film to pattern the silicon oxide film 15 and gate electrode layer 14 into the same shape . the resist film is removed thereafter . as shown in fig3 by using the pattern of the gate electrode layer 14 and silicon oxide film 15 as a mask , n - type impurity ions are implanted into the surface layer of the silicon substrate 11 at a low impurity concentration to thereby form a low concentration n - type impurity doped region 21 . if a cmos circuit is to be formed on the silicon substrate , ions of opposite polarities are implanted separately into n - channel and p - channel transistor regions . for example , p and / or as ions are implanted for n - channel transistors , and bf 2 ions are implanted for p - channel transistors . an acceleration voltage is , for example , about 50 to 60 kev , and a dose is about 10 13 cm - 2 . as shown in fig4 a high temperature oxide ( hto ) film is deposited to a thickness of about 150 nm at a substrate temperature of 800 ยฐ c . over the whole surface of the silicon substrate , covering the gate electrode structure . reactive ion etching ( anisotropic etching ) is thereafter performed to remove the hto film on a flat surface and leave side spacers 16 on the side walls of the gate electrode structure . the silicon oxide film 15 formed on the upper surface of the gate electrode is left . the silicon oxide film 15 and side spacers 16 are collectively called a first insulating layer 17 hereinafter . as shown in fig5 by using the first insulating film 17 as a mask , ions are implanted at a high concentration to form source / drain regions 22 of a high impurity concentration . for example , as ( arsenic ) ions are implanted at a dose of about 10 14 to 10 15 cm - 2 for n - channel transistors , and bf 2 ions are implanted at a dose of about 10 14 to 10 15 cm - 2 for p - channel transistors . as shown in fig6 an oxide film 18 such as borophosphosilicate glass ( bpsg ), oxynitride and silicon oxide is formed over the whole surface of the silicon substrate 11 . after this oxide film 18 is formed , the surface thereof is planarized to make the film 18 have a thickness of about 1 ฮผm . the oxide film 18 may be a single layer or a lamination of a plurality of layers . for example , an oxynitride layer of about 200 nm thick is formed first , and a plasma - enhanced tetraetoxysilane ( teos ) oxide film is formed on the oxynitride layer . planarizing the oxide film 18 may be done by reflowing , chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ), etch - back or the like . after the oxide film 18 is planarized , contact holes 19 exposing the source / drain regions of a mos transistor are formed . for example , the contact hole 19 is formed through reactive ion etching by using a resist mask having an opening of about 0 . 5 ฮผm diameter . as shown in fig7 a wiring layer is formed over the whole surface of the substrate 19 provided with the contact holes 19 . for example , the wiring layer includes a glue metal layer 24 and a w layer 25 formed thereon . the glue metal layer 24 may be a lamination of a ti layer of about 20 nm thick and a tin layer of about 50 nm thick and may be formed by sputtering . the w layer is deposited to a thickness of about 800 nm by cvd using wf 6 and h 2 . the contact hole 19 is filled with this wiring layer which is connected to the source / drain region 22 . as shown in fig8 the w layer 25 and glue metal layer 24 over the oxide film 18 are removed by etch - back . this etch - back may be dry etching using cl containing gas . the w layer and glue metal layer over the oxide film 18 may be removed by cmp . with this etch - back or cmp , the surface of an oxide film 18a becomes generally flush with the surface of a metal plug made of a w layer 25a and a glue metal layer 24a . with the etch - back , the surface of the w layer 25a becomes lower than the nearby surface in some case . as shown in fig9 on the planarized surface of the substrate , a nitride film 26 is deposited to a thickness of about 50 nm to 100 nm by plasma - enhanced cvd at a substrate temperature of about 350 ยฐ c . the nitride film is formed at a low temperature in order to prevent oxidation of the w layer 25a and short - circuiting of a junction between the silicon substrate and the impurity diffused region to be caused by silicidization of the ti layer . it is preferable that after the nitride film is formed , an oxide film is formed on the nitride film to a thickness of about 80 nm . this oxide film may be a plasma - enhanced teos oxide film . the junction breakage is prevented by controlling the substrate temperature . the nitride film covers the metal plug embedded in the contact hole , and prevents the metal plug from being oxidized by oxygen entering from the surface at a later process . if the oxide film is formed on the nitride film , a contact with a capacitor lower electrode to be formed on the oxide film can be made more tight . irrespective of whether the layer 26 is a single nitride film or a lamination of a nitride film and an oxide film , this layer 26 is called an oxygen shielding or blocking film hereinafter . as shown in fig1 , a lower electrode layer 27 , a pzt dielectric film 28 and an upper electrode layer 29 are formed on the oxygen shielding film 26 by sputtering . the lower electrode layer 27 may be a lamination of a ti layer of 20 to 30 nm thick and a pt layer of 150 nm thick , the pzt dielectric film 28 is 300 nm thick , and the upper electrode layer 29 is a pt layer of 150 nm thick . the pzt dielectric film 28 has an amorphous phase without the polarizing characteristics , unless any process is performed after the deposition . after the pzt dielectric film 28 is deposited and before or after the upper electrode layer 29 is deposited , an annealing process in an o 2 atmosphere is performed . for example , the annealing process is performed for about 5 seconds at 850 ยฐ c . in an o 2 atmosphere at one atm . such an annealing process can be performed by using a rapid thermal anneal ( rta ) system . instead of rta , an annealing process may be performed by using a resistance heating furnace at 800 ยฐ c . or higher for 10 minutes or longer , for example , at 800 ยฐ c . for 30 minutes . this annealing process in an o 2 atmosphere polycrystallizes the pzt dielectric film 28 and gives a polarization factor of , for example , about 30 ฮผc / cm 2 . in this case , the w layer 25a is not oxidized because it is covered with the oxygen shielding or blocking film 26 . if the w layer 25a is oxidized , volume expansion thereof may break the lamination structure . for example , volume expansion by 1 ฮผm in the height direction may occur . as shown in fig1 , the upper electrode 29 , pzt dielectric film 28 and lower electrode 27 are patterned by using known photolithography techniques . this patterning forms a lower electrode 27a , a pzt dielectric film 28a and an upper electrode 29a . it is preferable to gradually reduce the areas of the three layers from the bottom layer to the top layer in order to make gentle steps . after the capacitor is patterned , a recovery anneal process is further performed at a temperature of 500 to 650 ยฐ c . in an oxygen atmosphere . the pzt dielectric film 28a shows excellent polarizing characteristics if it has ( 1 1 1 ) orientation when formed on the lower electrode . in order to establish such a crystal orientation , it is preferable to control the thickness of the lower electrode 27a and set x to 1 to 1 . 4 or more preferable to about 1 . 1 , where x is a pb composition in the pzt dielectric film 28a made of pb x zr y ti 1 - y . as shown in fig1 , a plasma - enhanced teos oxide film is deposited at a temperature of about 390 to 400 ยฐ c . over the whole substrate surface , covering the capacitor . after the pzt dielectric film is formed , a high temperature process with reducing gas such as hydrogen is preferably avoided . as shown in fig1 , an opening 31 is formed through the oxide film 30 and oxygen shielding film 26 down to the metal plug . an opening 32 is also formed through the oxide film 30 down to the upper electrode 29a . a tin layer is deposited over the whole substrate surface and patterned to form a local interconnect 33 connecting the capacitor upper electrode 29a to the metal plug . for example , the tin layer 33 is deposited to a thickness of about 100 nm by reactive sputtering . as shown in fig1 , an oxide film 34 is formed on the whole substrate surface , covering the local interconnect 33 . an opening 35 is formed through the oxide film 34 and underlying insulating film down to the other metal plug , and a wiring pattern 36 of al or the like is formed . if necessary , other insulating layers and higher level wiring layers are formed . in this manner , a semiconductor device is completed which has capacitors with dielectric films of a perovskite crystal structure . the manufacture processes have been described above by taking a memory cell area as an example . at the same time when the memory cell manufacture processes are performed , transistors and the like in the peripheral circuit area are formed . fig1 is a cross sectional view showing both a peripheral circuit area pc and a memory cell area mc . in the memory cell area mc , a mos transistor tr and its capacitor cap described with the above embodiment are formed in a p - type well p1 of the silicon substrate . in the peripheral circuit area pc , an n - channel mos transistor is formed in a p - type well p2 and a p - channel mos transistor is formed in an n - type well n1 . the oxide shielding film 26 is formed also in the peripheral circuit area , and is selectively removed only at the regions where metal plugs pl1 to pl4 are formed . the plugs pl1 and pl2 form contact with the n - type regions of the n - channel transistors , and the plugs pl3 and pl4 form contacts with the p - type regions of the p - channel transistor . contacts with the source / drain regions of cmos transistors have the same metal plug structure . fig1 shows the structure of a semiconductor device in which after the capacitor structure is formed by the process shown in fig1 , the exposed oxygen blocking film 26 is removed . in the peripheral circuit area pc , the oxygen blocking film 26 is completely removed and the oxide films 30 and 34 are stacked directly upon the oxide film 18 . in the memory cell area mc , the oxygen blocking insulating film 26 is left only under the capacitor lower electrode 27a , and removed in the other area of the memory cell area mc . removing the oxygen shielding or blocking film may be performed by control etching . fig1 shows the structure of a semiconductor device in which the oxide film 18 has a lamination structure of a lower oxynitride film and an upper oxide film . before the metal plug is formed , the oxide film in the contact window is lightly wet - etched by hf etchant . each contact window has therefore a two - step structure with a smaller diameter at the lower portion and a larger diameter at the upper portion . by broadening the upper portion , contact of the metal plug can be improved . fig1 shows another structure . the structures described above have the capacitor upper electrode connected to the nearest source / drain region by the local interconnect . in the structure shown in fig1 , the capacitor upper electrode is connected to another area via a wiring pattern 41 . the capacitor lower electrode 27a is exposed at its one end portion and connected via a local interconnect 46 to a metal plug pl6 and to the nearest source / drain region . it is apparent that other various structures may be made by those skilled in the art . it is preferable that after the capacitor dielectric film is formed , recovery annealing is performed at a desired timing to prevent deterioration of the polarizing characteristics of the dielectric oxide film . the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments . the invention is not limited only to the above embodiments . it will be apparent for those skilled in the art that various modifications , improvements , combinations , and the like can be made .
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in the following detailed description , a reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof , and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration . the embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical , mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments . the following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense . the various embodiments herein provide a synthetic polymer tooth replacement for replacing a missing tooth . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement is synthesized from a composition . the composition comprising a moldable resin and weighted particular additives . the polymer tooth replacement is synthesized by centrifuging the composition . further the composition is poured in a mold . the mold is customized to a recipients missing tooth . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement has an exterior that is configured to bow out over a period of time . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement when placed in the recipient &# 39 ; s dental cavity locks into the place and fully cures over a period of time . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth implant composition comprises of biological materials . the biological materials include an epoxy resin and synthetic polymer bio - materials . the synthetic polymer bio - materials are a 4 - amino 7 - phenyl pyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) and a polypropylene ( pp ). the polypropylene is in a form of a mesh . the polypropylene provokes a scaring of a dental tissue . the polypropylene and the epoxy resin of the tooth implant get adhered to a tooth cavity by absorption . according to one embodiment herein , a method of synthesizing synthetic polymer tooth implant , the method comprising the following steps : mixing a 4 - amino 7 phenyl pyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) with an epoxy resin . the next step is centrifuging a 4 - amino 7 phenyl pyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) with the epoxy resin to obtain a uniform mixture . the mixture is poured into a polypropylene mesh to obtain the tooth implant . the tooth implant comprises a root system of a tooth and wherein the tooth implant is configured to accept a crown thereby creating a full tooth replacement . the tooth implant is a synthetic polymer replacement tooth . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth replacement is used as a tooth implant to replace a missing tooth . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement comprises a moldable resin composition i . e . polymer epoxy resin and weighted particulate additives . the additives include an epoxy - activated particles . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement is configured to be accepted by or lock into the gums . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement comprises the root system of a tooth and is configured to accept a crown thereon , creating a full tooth replacement . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth replacement of the present invention is made using a hypoallergenic polymer epoxy resin . the synthetic polymer is a build of polypropylene mesh biomaterial ( pp3 ), bound by thermoset epoxy polymer ( as a resin ), coated with polymer biomaterial ( pp ). the pp and pp3 are synthetic polymer biomaterials . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth comprises a prosthetic dentin unit and abutement . the crown is affixed on the abutement . according to one embodiment herein , the biomaterial 4 - amino - 7 - phenylpyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) has a high level of absorption . the pp3 is added to a medical grade form of polypropylene mesh . the polypropylene mesh is coated with an additional exterior layer of polypropylene ( pp ). the pp has property of provoking the scaring of tissue . this property of pp is used , with which the jawbone lining of dental cavity will knit and the dentin cement naturally holds the dentin in place . the material becomes absorbent into the thermoset epoxy polymer while the cast mold is lined with it . the material will spread out for adhesion by way of absorption . according to one embodiment herein , the first generation biomaterial for the synthesis of false dentin and abutement comprises of polypropylene mesh ( pp ) layered with the thermoset epoxy resin . the second generation biomaterial for the synthesis of false dentin and abutement comprises of biomaterial 4 - amino - 7 - phenylpyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) layered with epoxy resin . the final stage of the abutement synthesis comprises spray of medical grade acetone . further the surface of false dentin and abutement is modified with a fine brushing dental tool . according to one embodiment herein , the method of applying the artificial tooth for replacement of teeth comprises the following steps : assessing the state of the gums , existing bone and dentin cavities , by three dimensional computer graphics of x - rays . further subjecting the jaw to ct scan by using software to render a cast mould using a 3d printer . the resins and the biological materials are mixed and centrifuged . further the mixture of resin and biological materials is poured into the mould to get an implant . according to one embodiment herein , the existing scar tissue , dentin and cement are surgically removed by a periodontist . further the implant is then set into place and temporary tension fibers are pulled by a spool . the spool is screwed into the abutement to pull the false dentin polymer epoxy resin inward . the prosthetic dentin and abutement is then fitted with a plastic filament cap , and a metal filament wire is attached . the wire is having a breakaway tension tolerance of 20 pounds . the wire is connected to abutement spool . all the metal components such as the wire , is made of surgical grade steel . the spool and the wire lead the false dentin to grip for healing and setting to the cavity . the epoxy resin along with biological polymers , spool and filaments are heated after the apparatus is implanted . the epoxy polymer begins to cure . after one or two weeks , the biological tissue knits with pp , the spool and the filaments are then removed . tissue damage occurring during heating process promotes scaring and promotes the knitting of the biological tissue with pp and epoxy resin bound pp3 . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth replacement synthesized from polymer epoxy resin bows with exposure to a catalyst . the polymer epoxy resin is poured into a mold , resulting in a synthetic polymer tooth replacement that has a lower concentration of compounds that are reactive in the interior of the replacement than at the exterior . the mold is made in accordance with a computer - generated topography of the gum and jaw cavities . because of this reason the mold and the synthetic polymer tooth match a recipient &# 39 ; s missing natural teeth . the resin is easily moldable / flexible , hence the tooth replacement is easily inserted into a recipients gum cavity . the replacement is shaved to a nub . the nub is fitted with a custom crown , which is secured to the replacement without disturbing the dental cavities beneath the gum line and in the jaw bones . the replacement is easily removed when natural tooth replacement becomes available . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth replacement has a size and shape of the original missing tooth beneath the gum line . this increases the likelihood of the replacement being accepted by the gum while also leaving the gums in a healthy and uninjured state . the use of synthetic polymer tooth replacement of the present disclosure does not worsen trauma to the jaw . further an external impact such as punch dislodges the implants just like the natural teeth . according to one embodiment herein , the synthetic polymer tooth replacement is required to be placed either shortly after the natural tooth has fallen out or been taken out . alternatively , if the dentin canals are treated and capped , the caps are later removed and the synthetic polymer tooth replacement is placed shortly thereafter . in some cases the synthetic polymer tooth replacement is not accepted by the gums unless the natural teeth are freshly extracted and the gums are not already healed and scarred over . according to one embodiment herein , the successes of the implant depends on endodontic and periodontic surgical preparations , applications and follow up as in case of a standard root canal procedure . after implanting the synthetic polymer tooth replacement the follow up is necessary to avoid the risk of rejection as the implant is affixed with filaments and wires which substitute roots , where the spools and wires pierce the nerves associated with the jaw . the nerves associated with jaw and cavity determines the acceptance of the artificial dentin coated with pp and pp3 . according to one embodiment herein , after implantation by fusing with a coating of biomaterial , the polymer is cured and epoxy sets slowly , in the same manner by which ameloblast cells form dentin . the polymers and epoxy resin being a chain matrix hardens when introduced to the dental cavity and the increase of temperature delivered by metal filaments attached to the abutement . the synthetic polymer is a build of polypropylene mesh biomaterial 4 - amino - 7 - phenylpyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ), bound by thermoset epoxy polymer ( as a resin ), coated with polymer biomaterial polypropylene ( pp ). pp and pp3 are synthetic polymer biomaterials . these embodiments comprise a prosthetic dentin unit and abutement to which a crown is affixed . as an embodiment , the thermoset epoxy polymer is a prior art , bearing specifications and references as follows : resinlab ยฎ ep1330lv heat cure epoxy polymer system categories : polymer ; adhesive ; thermoset ; epoxy ; epoxy adhesive . the resinlab โข ep1330 and ep1330lv are one part heat cure epoxy polymer systems . these polymers are also used as a small mass potting or staking compounds , or a dental dam adhesive and โ dam and fill โ applications , or general polymer systems . when the application requires high thermal conductivity , low shrinkage , low cte and excellent adhesion to a wide variety of plastics , metals and circuit board materials these materials are used . ep1330 is a thixotropic adhesive ; ep1330lv is semi - free flowing material which self levels , but still maintain a conformal build on circuit board components . for the synthesis of the synthetic polymer tooth implant 4 - amino - 7 - phenylpyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) is added to a medical grade form of polypropylene mesh , coated with an additional exterior layer of polypropylene ( pp ). the pp3 has a high level of absorption . the synthetic polymer tooth implant initiates the scaring of tissue , with which the lining of the jawbone &# 39 ; s dental cavity will knit . the knitting of synthetic polymer tooth implant is in lieu with that of the dentin cement that naturally holds the original dentin in place . the pp3 and pp material becomes absorbent into the thermoset epoxy polymer while the cast mold is lined with it . further it is malleable and turns at high centrifugal force , to spread out for adhesion by way of absorption . fig1 illustrates a flowchart indicating a method for synthesizing the synthetic polymer tooth implant , according to an embodiment herein . the first step is assessing the state of the gums , existing bone and dental cavities by a 3d x rays ( 101 ). further subjecting the jaw to ct scan by using software to render a cast mould using a 3d printer ( 102 ). the next step is mixing the resin and the biological materials ( 103 ). the biological materials are epoxy resin , 4 - amino - 7 - phenylpyrazol [ 3 , 4 - d ] pyrimidine ( pp3 ) and polypropylene ( pp ). centrifuging the mixture of epoxy resin and the pp3 and pp ( 104 ). after centrifugation the mixture is poured into the mould to get an implant ( 105 ). fig2 illustrates a flowchart indicating a method of fixing / placing the synthetic polymer tooth implant in the gum cavity , according to an embodiment herein . the existing scar tissue , dentin and cement are surgically removed ( 201 ). the implant is set into the gum cavity and temporary tension fibers are pulled by a spool ( 202 ). the spool is screwed in to the abutements to pull the false dentin polymer epoxy resin inward ( 203 ). the prosthetic dental implant and the abutement is fitted with plastic filament caps and attaching a metal filament wire ( 204 ). the implant , spool and filaments are heated after implanting to initiate the curing ( 205 ). the spool and the filaments are removed after 1 - 2 weeks ( 206 ). the implant is shaved to a nub ( 207 ). the nub is fitted with a custom crown and secured with the replacement without disturbing the dental cavities beneath gum line and in jaw bone ( 208 ). the state of the gums and existing bone and dentin cavities are assessed , by a three dimensional renderings of x - rays cross - referenced with ct scans of the jaw by software . a mould is prepared using a 3d printer . the cast mold is then lined with a layer of polypropylene mesh ( pp ) and an inner layer of pp3 , which absorb the polymer epoxy resin . the prosthetic dentin and abutement is then fitted with the plastic filament caps . the metal filament wires are attached to plastic filament caps , having a break - away tension tolerance of approximately 20 pounds , and connected to the abutement spool . all metal components are surgical grade steel and temporary . fig3 illustrates a diagram showing the synthetic polymer tooth implant with affixed crown , according to an embodiment herein . assessing the state of the gums , existing bone and dentin cavities , by three - dimensional renderings of x - rays . further subjecting the jaw to ct scan by using software to render a cast mould using a 3d printer . the resins and the biological materials are mixed and centrifuged . the cast mold is then lined with a layer of polypropylene mesh ( pp ) and an inner layer of pp3 , which absorb the polymer epoxy resin . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement comprises the root system or dental implant ( 302 ) of a tooth and is configured to accept a crown ( 301 ) thereon , creating a full tooth replacement . fig4 illustrates a diagram showing the nub and the crown of the synthetic polymer tooth implant , according to an embodiment herein . the resin is easily moldable / flexible , this makes the synthetic polymer tooth implant easily insertable into a recipients gum cavity . the replacement is shaved to a nub 401 . the nub is fitted with a custom crown 301 , which is secured to the replacement without disturbing the dental cavities beneath the gum line and in the jaw bones . the replacement is easily removed when natural tooth replacement becomes available . the synthetic polymer tooth replacement has a size and shape of the original missing tooth beneath the gum line . this increases the likelihood of the tooth replacement for acceptance by the gum . also leaving the gums in a healthy and uninjured state . the use of synthetic polymer tooth replacement of the present disclosure does not worsen trauma to the jaw . further an external impact such as punch dislodges the implants just like the natural teeth . the foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept , and , therefore , such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments . it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation . therefore , while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . although the embodiments herein are described with various specific embodiments , it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with modifications . however , all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims . it is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the embodiments described herein and all the statements of the scope of the embodiments , which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between .
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fig1 shows an optical apparatus 100 for producing an interference pattern on a photosensitive medium in the form of a core 105 of an optical fiber 110 . while the optical apparatus 100 is described herein in the context of bragg grating writing in an optical fiber 110 , the reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the apparatus could be used in other contexts without departing from the spirit of the invention . in specific examples of implementation , the apparatus could be used to produce an interference pattern illuminating other photosensitive media , including discrete optical fibers , optical fibers mounted in a module and integrated optics components . the optical apparatus 100 includes a laser 120 , a diffractive element 130 and a transmissive block 140 as described in further detail herein below . the laser 120 produces a coherent beam of light 125 . in the case of bragg grating writing in an optical fiber , the laser 120 may produce light at a wavelength between 193 nm and 300 nm and is either pulsed or continuous . in an even more specific case , the laser 120 produces light at a wavelength between 193 nm and 260 nm . however , it will be understood that a laser 120 producing a beam 125 having a wavelength outside of the mentioned interval can be used in the apparatus 100 . the beam 125 may be shaped and collimated by a lens assembly 127 . the shaped and collimated beam is then defected by a mirror 129 , that can be used to optimally align the beam 125 with the core 105 . the mirror 129 may be movable in order to permit precise alignment to be controlled by a user or a feedback control circuit . the reader skilled in the art will recognize that while the laser 120 , the lens assembly 127 and the mirror 129 are preferably used in the optical apparatus 100 , other sources of coherent light could be used without departing from the spirit of the invention , with or without the lens assembly 127 . also , the apparatus of the present invention may be used in cases where it is desirable to produce an interference pattern from non - coherent light . the beam 125 arrives at the diffractive element 130 , which produces a diffraction pattern including a plurality of sub - beam 135 k , k = 0 , ยฑ 1 , ยฑ 2 , . . . . each pair of sub - beams 135 ยฑ k corresponds to a diffraction order k of a diffraction pattern produced by the diffractive element 130 . the sub - beams 135 k diverge from each other , each at a respective divergence angle measured with respect to the sub - beam 135 0 . in a specific example of implementation , the diffractive element 130 can be an apodized holographic phase mask producing sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 diverging from the sub - beam 135 0 at an angle between 7 ยฐ and 23 ยฐ. the exact number of sub - beams 135 k produced and the value of their respective divergence angle depend on the specific diffractive element used and on the wavelength of the beam 125 produced by the laser 120 . in a variant , the diffractive element 130 can be replaced by a beam splitter in the optical apparatus 100 . however , a typical beam splitter does not produce an order 0 sub - beam 135 0 . as it will be detailed below , the order 0 sub - beam 135 0 is preferably present to produce a balanced grating in a single exposure . the transmissive block 140 is composed of a material having an index of refraction higher than its surroundings and which is transparent or nearly transparent at the wavelength of the beam 125 produced by the laser 120 . in a very specific example of implementation , the transmissive block 140 can be made of quartz . in a specific example of implementation , shown on fig1 , the transmissive block 140 is a cubic prism having homogenous optical properties and including two planar lateral faces 141 and 142 , one planar front face 143 and one planar back force 144 . in a very specific example of implementation , suitable dimensions of the cubic prism may be 3 cm ร 3 cm ร 15 cm located approximately 2 cm from the diffractive element 130 and approximately 2 cm from the core 105 . however , the reader skilled in the art will appreciate that these dimensions can vary considerably , depending on the interference pattern to be produced . in an embodiment of the present invention , the transmissive block 140 is adapted to propagate only the zeroth and first orders of diffraction produced by the diffractive element 130 , namely , the sub - beams 135 โ 1 , 135 0 and 135 1 . sub - beams corresponding to other orders of diffraction can be avoided by suitably dimensioning and positioning the transmissive block 140 so that it is clear of the path taken by the sub - beams corresponding to these other orders of diffraction . in other embodiments of the invention , undesired orders of diffraction are filtered by the transmission block 140 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the two first order sub - beams 135 ยฑ 1 are reflected inside the transmissive block 140 through total internal reflection and subsequently converge on the core 105 to produce an interference pattern . in other embodiments of the present invention , one of the first order sub - beams may pass straight through the transmissive block 140 , while the other of the first order sub - beams may be totally internally reflected and redirected towards the sub - beam that was not totally internally reflected . intersection of at least two sub - beams exiting a back surface of the transmissive block 140 occurs outside the transmissive block 140 at a distance away from its back surface . in this specific example of implementation , the sub - beams 135 โ 1 , 135 0 and 135 1 enter the transmissive block 140 through the front face 143 . since the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 are not perpendicular to the front face 143 , they will be refracted when entering the transmissive block 140 , in opposition to the sub - beam 135 0 which enters the transmissive block 140 perpendicularly to the front face 143 and is therefore not refracted . inside the transmissive block 140 , the sub - beam 135 0 is propagated in a straight line to the back face 144 . however , the dimensions of the transmissive block 140 are such that the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 arrive to the lateral faces 141 and 142 before arriving to the back face 144 . since the index of refraction inside the transmissive block 140 is larger than the index of refraction outside the transmissive block 140 , the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 are reflected through total internal reflection at the lateral surfaces 141 and 142 of the transmissive block 140 . also , the transmissive block 140 has dimensions such that the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 will arrive to the back face 144 before intersecting . when exiting the transmissive block 140 through the back face 144 , the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 are refracted and converge at a certain location in space . since the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 have been reflected inside a single rigid piece of material , there are only minimal losses in a power carried by the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 and the location at which they intersect is easily adjustable . meanwhile , the zeroth order sub - beam 135 0 emerges from the transmissive block 140 without having been deflected and the zeroth order sub - beam may be focused by a focusing lens 150 . the relative position of the focusing lens 150 with respect to the optical fiber 110 determines an intensity of the zeroth order beam 135 0 illuminating the optical fiber 110 , which allows to write a balanced grating on the optical fiber in a single exposure . the reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the focussing lens 150 alleviates the need for a specialized diffractive element that is capable of producing balanced order 1 and 0 sub - beams 135 โ 1 , 135 0 and 135 1 . the reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many shapes of the transmissive block 140 can be designed so as to select only orders 0 and 1 of diffraction and make two sub - beams of first order converge at the certain location in space through total internal reflection . in addition , transmissive blocks selecting other orders of diffraction can be used in the optical apparatus 100 without departing from the spirit of the invention . in a variant , the front face 143 of the transmissive block 140 is partially coated with an opaque layer to block the sub - beam 135 0 . this may be desirable in processes wherein the sub - beam 135 0 is not required . it will be appreciated that since the transmissive block 140 is a self - contained unit for redirecting the sub - beams 135 k , it can be readily exchanged with another transmissive block with only minimal realignment requirements , which affords flexibility in the use of the apparatus 100 . it will also be appreciated that the distance between the focusing lens 150 and the core 105 determines the intensity of the sub - beam 135 0 at the location of the core 105 . alternatively , the focusing lens 150 could be interchanged with another lens having a different focal distance to vary intensity of the sub - beam 135 0 at the location of the core 105 . the reader skilled in the art will appreciate that the exact value of the distance between the focusing lens 150 and the core 105 and the exact value of the focal distance of the focusing lens 150 required to produce a balanced bragg grating depend on many characteristics of the apparatus 100 . accordingly , it is preferable to adjust these parameters for each particular grating written , either through theoretical calculations or through measurements of intensity using an optical power meter . such methods for adjusting these parameters are well known in the art and will not be discussed in further detail . it will further be appreciated that in those instances when the sub - beam 135 0 is undesired , the sub - beam 135 0 can be blocked by replacing the focussing lens 150 by a piece of all opaque material . it will also be appreciated that the distance between the transmissive block 140 and the core 105 regulates a length of grating written in the optical fiber 110 . as shown on fig2 , the interference pattern produced by the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 is present in a diamond - shaped region of space 210 in which the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 intersect . depending on the exact position of the core 105 in the diamond - shaped region of space 210 , the length of a portion of the core 105 exposed to the interference pattern will vary , which will therefore change the length of the grating produced . in a further variant , shown on fig3 , the transmissive block 140 includes a curved surface 197 a instead of the front face 143 shown in fig1 , which was planar . backward or forward shifting the curved surface 197 a can be used to change the angle at which the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 enter the transmissive block 140 , which changes the angle at which the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 leave the transmissive block 140 , which changes the period of the bragg grating produced at the location of intersection of the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 . specifically , changing the distance between the curved surface 197 and the diffractive element 130 ( i . e ., moving from a to b in fig3 ) produces a variation in the location along the surface 197 at which the divergent sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 enter the transmissive block 140 . due to the surface 197 not being planar , the angle of incidence with which the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 arrive at the curved surface 197 varies with the distance between the curved surface 197 and the diffractive element 130 . this variation in the angle of incidence at which the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 enter the transmissive block 140 produces a variation in the angle at which the two sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 are propagated in the transmissive block 140 further to being refracted at the surface 197 . this may lead to an intersection occurring at a different region in space for case a than case b . however , the distance between the back face 144 and the region of intersection can be controlled by appropriately selecting the distance between the diffractive element 130 and the curved surface 197 . specifically , by appropriately shifting the position of the diffractive element , the sub - beams 135 โ 1 and 135 1 exiting the transmissive block 140 can be made to intersect at the same region in space in both a and b . in this way , it is possible to change the period of the bragg grating by merely changing the transmissive block 140 without having to change any other component in the apparatus 100 . it should be appreciated that in some embodiments , the transmissive block 140 may be composed of a basic block in the shape of a prism , to which it is possible to optically couple any of a set of curved attachment blocks , each having a curved face and a particular length . the curved face may have the same curvature profile or it may be different for different attachment blocks of different lengths . also , it is within the scope of the present invention to provide attachment blocks of roughly the same length , with different curvature profiles in order to achieve different angles of intersection and hence different bragg periodicity . those skilled in the art will be capable of determining what shift , if any , is required in the position of the diffraction element 130 in order to maintain the distance between the transmissive block 140 and the region of intersection of the first order sub - beams . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the apparatus 100 would work in sensibly the same way if the inside walls of the transmissive block 140 are not parallel or if the curved surface 197 is located on the side of the transmissive block 140 through which the light exits the transmissive block 140 . while specific embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
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a track assembly for an all - terrain vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described in details with reference to the appended drawings . fig1 shows an all - terrain vehicle 10 comprising a body 12 and four track assemblies ( only two shown ) according to the present invention arranged in a plane adjacent to each side of the vehicle 10 . there are two identical track assemblies in the front of the all - terrain vehicle 10 , of which only one track assembly 14 is visible in fig1 , in place of conventional front wheels . similarly , there are two identical track assemblies , of which only one track assembly 16 is visible in fig1 , in place of the conventional rear wheels . only the track assemblies 14 and 16 visible in fig1 will be described hereinbelow . furthermore , as they are symmetrical about a vertical axis 22 when viewed from the outside of the vehicle 10 ( see fig1 ), only the track assemblies 14 will be described hereinbelow . it is also to be noted that the elements as seen from the outside of the vehicle 10 will bear the same numbers in the rear track assembly 16 than the corresponding ones in the front track assembly 14 , with a prime . however , since the attachment of rear and front track assemblies differs as seen from the inside of the vehicles 10 , they will be described separately . the front track assembly 14 is better seen in fig2 . it comprises a longitudinal endless track belt 23 and a mounting structure to mount the endless track belt 23 to the vehicle 10 . the mounting structure includes a track driving wheel 24 , a pair of inside idler wheels 26 , a pair of outside idler wheels 28 and supports to interconnect the wheels 24 , 26 and 28 as will be described hereinbelow . the endless track belt 23 is provided with inner lugs 30 on its inner surface 31 and with external lugs 32 on its outer surface 33 . it is wounded around the track driving wheel 24 and the idler wheels 28 and 26 . as can be better seen from fig4 , the track driving wheel 24 is mounted to a conventional hub 35 of the all - terrain vehicle 10 . the wheel 24 includes a first mounting plate 37 mounted to the hub 35 and a second mounting plate 34 mounted to the first plate 37 via four bolt and spacer assemblies 36 . a circular disk 38 is mounted to the bolt and spacer assemblies 36 and includes equidistant wide teeth 40 contacting the inner surface 31 of the track 23 . as will be apparent to one skilled in the art , the equidistant teeth 40 are so located as to cooperate with some of the inner lugs 30 of the endless track belt 23 . more precisely , as can be better seen from fig2 , the teeth 40 are spaced so that the distance between two consecutive teeth 40 spans the distance separating consecutive inner lugs 30 of the endless track belt 23 , in a meshing engagement , in such a way as to drive the endless track belt 23 . each of the inside idler wheels 26 includes a peripheral portion in contact with the internal surface 31 of the track 23 . the wheels 26 are interconnected by a spacing element ( not shown ). similarly , each outer idler wheel 28 includes a peripheral portion in contact with the internal surface 31 of the track 23 . the wheels 28 are interconnected by a spacing element 42 . the wheels 24 , 26 and 28 are interconnected , as seen from the outside of the track assembly 14 , by an angled connecting element 44 . the angled connecting element 44 has a center portion 46 provided with an aperture 48 in which bearings 50 are mounted . a fastener 52 connects the connecting element 44 to the second plate 34 while allowing the angled connecting element 44 to pivot about the fastener . the connecting element 44 has a short arm 54 having a free end to which the inside idler wheels 26 are rotatably mounted . the connecting element 44 also has a long arm 56 having a free end to which the inside idler wheels 28 are rotatably mounted as will be further discussed hereinbelow . referring to fig2 , it is seen that the endless track belt 23 is wounded around the wheels 24 , 26 , and 28 and defines a substantially scalene triangle since the connecting element 44 has a short and a long arms 54 , 56 . the connecting element 44 is better seen from the top plan view of fig6 . turning now briefly to fig3 of the appended drawings , as can be seen from the inside of the all - terrain vehicle 10 , the idler wheels 26 and 28 of the front track assembly 14 are also directly connected together by an elbowed connection element 58 . the inside idler wheels 26 are rotatably mounted to a first end of the elbowed connection element 58 while the outside idler wheels 28 are rotatably mounted to a second end of the elbowed connection element 58 . the rotatable connection of the outside idler wheels 28 to the angle connection element 44 and to the elbowed connection element 58 will now be described with reference to fig5 . as will easily be understood by one skilled in the art upon inspection of fig5 , the tension of the endless track belt 23 is adjusted by the connection of the outside idler wheels 28 to the elements 44 and 58 . for concision purpose , only the connection of the wheels 28 to the elbowed connection element 58 will be described . with reference to the enlarged side view of fig5 , a tension adjusting assembly according to another aspect of the present invention will be described . as can be seen from this figure , a distal end of the connection element 58 includes a slotted aperture 60 receiving a fastener 62 used to rotatably mount the wheels 28 to the assembly . by sliding the fastener 62 in the aperture 60 , it is possible to increase or decrease the tension on the track 23 . to adjust and maintain this track tension , a cam element 64 , having an outer periphery provided with notches 66 located at different distances from the attachment point of the element 64 , is mounted to the fastener 62 . by selecting which notch 66 is in contact with a fixed pin 68 of the element 58 , a predetermined tension may be maintained . it is to be noted that the cam element 64 is provided with a handle 70 to facilitate the manipulation by a user . returning to fig4 of the appended drawings the endless track 23 will be described in greater detail . as can be seen from fig4 , the overall profile of the track 23 , from one side to the other , i . e . transversely , is generally convex . however , the convex profile of the track 23 is created by a lug arrangement comprising two successive transverse rows of lugs arranged in a staggered relationship . a first transverse row of lugs contains three lugs 72 , 74 and 76 and a second row of lugs contains four lugs 78 , 80 , 82 and 84 . these lugs are symmetrical about a longitudinal axis ( not shown ). a first lateral lug 72 of the first row includes three ground - contacting surfaces separated by two indentations . the shape of lateral lug 72 is such that the ground contacting surfaces are generally transversally convex . a central lug 74 is centered about longitudinal axis and includes two ground - contacting surfaces separated by an indentation . the ground contacting surfaces are symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and are generally transversally convex . a second lateral lug 76 is a mirror image of lug 72 about the longitudinal axis . the first and second lateral lugs 72 and 76 are laterally spaced apart from the central lug 74 . in the second transverse row of lugs , a first intermediate lug 80 includes two ground - contacting surfaces separated by an indentation . the ground engaging surfaces are slightly transversally convex . a first external lug 78 includes two ground - contacting surfaces that are separated by an indentation and are transversally convex . finally , the second intermediate lug 82 and the second external lug 84 are respectively mirror images of lugs 80 and 78 with respect to the longitudinal axis . for concision purposes , these lugs will not be further described herein . of course , the sequences described hereinabove of the lug arrangement defined by the rows of lugs are repeated onto the entire external surface of the endless track 23 . the endless track belt 23 further includes , for each row of lugs , a stiffening rod 71 , made of glass fibers for example . each stiffening rod 71 is embedded in the material forming the track belt 23 so as to be generally parallel to the inner surface 31 thereof . the rods 71 provide enhanced rigidity to the endless track belt 23 . the enhanced rigidity of the track belt 23 has many advantages . for example , it helps the track to provide adequate traction even when the center portion of the track is not in direct contact with the ground , as illustrated in fig4 . however , it has been found that this type of traction may be detrimental to the steering of the vehicle in some conditions . as it is apparent from fig4 the ground contacting surfaces of symmetrical lugs 78 and 84 are not aligned with the outer surfaces of the other lugs to form a continuous profile . indeed , the ground contacting surfaces of lugs 78 and 84 are more angled and exceed the convex profile defined by the other lugs . this configuration of the outer lugs is advantageous since it further prevents the vehicle from tipping over during sharp turns at high speed when the vehicle 10 is severely tilted . as mentioned hereinabove , the way the front track assembly 14 is attached to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 differs from the way the rear track assembly 16 is attached to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 . these two attachments will be described hereinbelow . the front track assembly 14 is attached to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 in a fashion shown in fig4 and 7 , while the rear track assembly 16 is attached to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 in a fashion shown in fig8 and 9 . as seen in fig4 and 7 , the front track assembly 14 is mounted to a tubular wheel table 100 of the vehicle 10 by means of a generally triangular plate 102 fastened thereto by a plurality of u - bolts 104 , 106 , 108 and 110 . a rod 112 is connected between the elbowed connection element 58 and a pivot 114 of the tubular wheel table 100 . a first end of the rod 112 is attached to the elbowed connection element 58 by means of rubber damping elements 116 , in such a way as to allow a vertical movement at this point of the rod 112 in relation to the elbowed connection element 58 . a second end of the rod 112 is attached to the pivot 114 of the tubular wheel table 100 by means of an r - clip 120 , in such a way as to allow at this point a horizontal movement of the plate 102 holding the tubular wheel table 100 relative to the elbowed connection element 58 . the front track assembly 14 is further attached to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 through a conventional rod 150 of the suspension system of the vehicle 10 and a conventional rod 157 used for direction ( see fig4 ). as seen in fig8 and 9 , the rear track assembly 16 is mounted to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 by a rod 212 . the rod 212 is connected on a first end to the elbowed connection element 58 โฒ by means of a rubber damping attachment 216 . it is attached , on a second end , to a tubular chassis 130 of the body 12 of the vehicle 10 by means of a chipping joint 132 fastened thereto by an r - clip 134 . from the above description of the fashion in which the front and rear track assemblies 14 and 16 are mounted to the body 12 of the vehicle 10 , in relation to fig4 and 7 , and 8 and 9 respectively , the present invention provides for track assemblies that are easily removed or mounted to the vehicle 10 , through using r - clips ( 120 and 134 ), which enable disconnecting the track assemblies from the vehicle in a simple manner . as stated hereinabove , the interior surface 31 of the endless track belt 23 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced lugs 30 , which ensure a positive engagement with the teeth 40 provided on the outer circumference of the wheel 24 . in operation , the wheel 24 is coupled to a drive shaft , via the hub 30 , connected to an engine ( not shown ), in such a way that the engine drives the wheel 24 in rotation . the wheel 24 thus drives the endless track belt 23 by the meshing engagement of the teeth 40 with the internal lugs 30 of the endless track belt 23 . it is further to be understood that the external lugs 32 on the external circumference surface of the endless track belt 23 respectively exert a positive mechanical connection with the underlying ground surface that contributes to propel the vehicle 10 . fig1 and fig1 show sectional views similar to that of fig4 but illustrating variants of an endless track that may be mounted to the track assembly of the present invention . in fig1 , the overall profile of the endless track belt 23 a , from one side to the other , i . e . transversely , is generally convex . the convex profile of the endless track belt 23 a is created by the same lug arrangement as that described hereinabove in relation to fig4 . in this specific embodiment however , the endless track belt 23 a does not include stiffening rods under each row of lugs . consequently , the rigidity of the endless track belt 23 a is less than the rigidity of the endless track belt 23 ( fig4 ) and the profile of the endless track belt 23 a conforms itself to the profile of the ground . since the pressure is more localized in the center of the endless track belt 23 a , a more punctually localized contact zone between the endless track belt 23 a and the ground 29 is created . in many cases , this punctually localized contact zone makes the vehicle 10 more maneuverable . turning now to fig1 , a third version of an endless track belt 23 b will be described . the endless track belt 23 b is wounded around the track driving wheel 24 and the idler wheels 28 and 26 , is still provided with inner lugs 30 on its inner surface 31 . however , its outer surface is provided with rectangular lugs 86 . since there are no stiffening rods in the endless track belt 23 b , the endless track belt 23 b is free to conform itself to the ground 29 , as seen in fig1 . furthermore , since the pressure is exerted only in the middle of the endless track belt 23 b by the wide teeth 40 , a punctually localized contact zone between the endless track belt 23 b and the ground 29 is created . as will be apparent to one skilled in the art , the endless track belts 23 a has a particularly punctually localized contact surface with the ground 29 . indeed , since it is transversally convex , it generally contacts the ground 29 with a limited surface at any given time when the ground 29 is hard . furthermore , since there are no guiding rails for the endless track belts 23 , 23 a or 23 b , the external lugs only exert a pressure on the ground 29 , when it is hard , in the vicinity of the wide teeth 40 if the wheel 24 . referring to fig1 , 3 , and 8 , it will be seen that the lower peripheral portion of the track driving wheel 24 in contact with the endless track belt 23 is below the lower peripheral portion of the idler wheels 26 , 28 in contact with the endless track belt 23 . therefore , on flat ground surfaces , only a punctually localized surface of endless track belt 23 , under the track driving wheel ; 24 , is in contact with ground 29 . even on uneven ground surfaces , the contact surface is reduced since only a portion of the endless track belt 23 is in contact with ground 29 . these three combined features improve the maneuverability of the vehicle since it emulates the contact of a conventional tire onto hard ground , given that a shortened length of contact of the endless track with the ground surface reduces the resistance to a turning force . of course , one skilled in the art could designed another convex profile of the external lugs of the endless track belts 23 and / or another arrangement of the mounting assembly of the endless track belts 23 to the vehicle 10 to obtain this โ one point contact โ feature without departing from the spirit and nature of the present invention . for example , one could provide a guiding rail having a convex profile and transversally convex lugs to achieve similar results . as people in the art will understand , the all - terrain vehicle of the present invention , provided with four endless track assemblies , can be used for a wide range of operations and terrain , while being highly mobile and offering good running performance . the endless track structure maintains an adequate configuration over a variety of surfaces . it will be obvious to people skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied both in the case of a two - wheel drive vehicle wherein the power is typically applied only to the rear track belt assemblies and the front track assemblies merely facilitate steering , and in the case of a four - wheel vehicle , wherein power is independently provided to each one of the four track assemblies . as will be further understood by one skilled in the art , the all - terrain vehicle 10 , equipped with track assemblies according to the present invention , may be viewed as a snow vehicle since it may be used on snow as efficiently as conventional snow vehicles such as snowmobiles , for example . however , the one - point contact feature of the present invention allows the use of the all - terrain vehicle on harder surface without the usual drawbacks of tracked vehicles . interestingly , the present track assembly system can equip all four wheels of an all - terrain vehicle or only the front or rear wheels thereof , since it only weakly reduces the speed of the vehicle relative to the underground surface . a further possibility would be to use track assemblies according to the present invention in place of the rear wheels of a vehicle , while mounting skis in place of the front wheels thereof . although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof , it can be modified , without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims . while illustrated in the block diagrams as groups of discrete components communicating with each other via distinct data signal connections , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the preferred embodiments are provided by a combination of hardware and software components , with some components being implemented by a given function or operation of a hardware or software system , and many of the data paths illustrated being implemented by data communication within a computer application or operating system . the structure illustrated is thus provided for efficiency of teaching the present preferred embodiment . it should be noted that the present invention can be carried out as a method , can be embodied in a system , a computer readable medium or an electrical or electro - magnetical signal . the embodiment ( s ) of the invention described above is ( are ) intended to be exemplary only . the scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims .
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