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a first embodiment of an overall configuration of a system of the present invention is first explained with reference to fig1 . the file management system of the present embodiment comprises a data processing unit 5 , an external storage file 21 , and an input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 which is used in the online process and an input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 which is used in the batch process and a file management table 191 and a user space management table 241 provided in the data processing unit 5 , and an extended storage 1 . the extended storage 1 includes areas ( es1 ) 11 and ( es2 ) 12 ( 12 may be excluded ) correspondingly to the files . in the ordinary online process , data is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 through the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 in the data reference mode , and the data of the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 is output to the file 21 in the data update mode ( data flow 1 ). when the batch process is to be executed , the online process is switched to the read - only mode ( reference mode ) and the online process inputs the data from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 without routing the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 ( data flow 2 ). in the data reference mode in the batch process , the data is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 through the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 ( data flow 3 ). if there is target data in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the file 21 is not accessed but the data is transferred from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 . in the data update mode in the batch process , the data of the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 is output to only the extended storage 11 and it is not output to the file 21 ( data flow 4 ). namely , the content of the file 21 is frozen . when the batch process is completed , the access path of the online process is switched so that , in the online process , the data is input from the extended storage 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( data flow 6 ). the data to be referred which is not present in the extended storage 11 is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( data flow 2 ). then , the updated data stored in the extended storage 11 is collectively output to the file 21 ( data flow 5 ). ( this is referred to as a reload process ). when the reload process is completed , the access path in the online process is switched to route the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to return the online process to the read / write mode . referring to fig1 , another embodiment of the overall configuration of the present invention is explained . the file management system of the present embodiment comprises a plurality of data processing units 51 and 52 , an external storage file 21 , an input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 which is used in the online process , an input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 which is used in the batch process , a file management table 191 , a user management table 241 in the data processing unit 51 , an input / output buffer ( buff3 ) 33 which is used in the online process , an input / output buffer ( buff4 ) 34 which is used in the batch process ( 34 may be excluded ), a file management table 192 and a user space management table 242 in the data processing unit 52 , and a stand - alone extended storage which is independent from data processing units 51 and 52 . the extended storage 1 includes areas 11 ( es1 ) and 12 ( es2 ) ( 12 may be excluded ) correspondingly to the files . the operation explained for the embodiment of fig1 equally applies to the present embodiment in which the file 21 is shared by the plurality of data processing units , and the online process and the batch process may be executed by the separate data processing units . in such a case , the access path in the online process is switched by the control by the communication between the data processing units or by writing the control information into the extended storage and inputting the control information in the online process . file management tables 191 and 192 in the present embodiment are explained with reference to fig1 . the file management table 191 ( or 192 ) is secured in the data processing unit for each file 21 and it includes a file management information field 1901 , extended storage management information fields 1902 and 1903 and a bit map field 1904 . the file management information field includes an extended storage allocation flag for identifying a file having a designation to allocate to the extended storage , a file update authorization flag for managing an update authorization for the file 21 , an address of the extended storage management information field 1902 , and an address of the extended storage management information field 1903 for the batch process ( which is identical to the address of the extended storage management information field when the extended storage dedicated to the batch process is not separately provided ). the extended storage management information field 1902 ( or 1903 ) includes an extended storage occupation status flag for indicating the occupation by the batch process of the area 11 ( or 12 ) of the extended storage 1 corresponding to the file 21 , an extended storage access status flag for managing the update in - process status of the extended storage , an extended storage identifier for identifying the area in the extended storage , an extended storage allocation size for storing a size of the area of the extended storage allocated to the file , and a bit map address for storing the address to the bit map for managing the page status in the extended storage . the page represents a frame in which an index record stores a data record in the file . for example , the page size is 4k bytes . the bit map 1904 of the present embodiment is explained with reference to fig2 . the bit map 1904 is held in the data processing unit or the extended storage for each area of the extended storage . each page of the file 21 includes a load completion flag for indicating the completion of load to the extended storage , a batch updated flag indicating the page in the extended storage which was updated in the batch process , and an access inhibit flag indicating the page in the extended storage which cannot be accessed . it further includes a bit train for each page of the file 21 , one for each page of the file 21 . the user space management table 241 of the present embodiment is explained with reference to fig2 . the user space management table 241 is held in the data processing unit for each active user space , and each user space includes an operation mode identification flag for identifying the batch process or the online process , an extended storage disconnection mode flag for indicating whether the extended storage is to be manually disconnected or automatically disconnected , and a type of process flag for indicating whether the update process is to be executed or only the reference process is to be executed . the overall operation of the data management method is now explained with reference to fig1 - 4 . fig1 shows a data flow in the present embodiment . a hardware configuration for the operation in the embodiment of the online data processing system of the present invention comprises a file storage medium 21 , a storage area 11 ( es1 ) allocated to the extended storage which is a storage accessible without mechanical movement , and input / output buffers ( buff1 and buff2 ) 31 and 32 in the data processing unit . individual operation phases of fig1 are shown in fig2 - 4 . fig2 shows a data flow in the ordinary online process . the hardware configuration therefor comprises the file storage medium 21 , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 and the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 . fig3 shows a data flow when the batch process is executed during the execution of the online process . the hardware configuration therefor comprises the file 21 , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 and the input / output buffers ( buff1 ) 31 and ( buff2 ) 32 . fig4 shows a data flow in the reload process of the updated record to the file 21 after the execution of the batch process . in the online process , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 serves as an intermediate storage area between the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 and the file 21 , and when the record is to be referred , if a page which stores a target record is present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the page is input from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 , and a page which is not present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 and it is also output to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 in parallel . when the record is updated , the content of the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 is output to the file 21 and also to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 . when the batch process is to be executed , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is disconnected from the online process by the extended storage disconnection process and the update authorization of the file to the &# 34 ; batch only &# 34 ;. thereafter , when a page input request occurs in the online process , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is not used but the page is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 . on the other hand , when the record is to be input in the batch process , if there is a corresponding page in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the page is input from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 , and the page which is not present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 and it is also output to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 . if the record is updated in the batch process , the updated page is output to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 but not to the file 21 . when the updating in the batch process is completed , the object of reference in the online process is switched from the file 21 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 and the updated page stored in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is collectively reloaded to the file by the updated page reload process in parallel . when the reloading of the updated page is completed , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is reconnected to the online process by the extended storage reconnection process ( which will be described later ) and the online updating inhibit status is released . a transaction start process and a transaction end process are first explained . a procedure of the transaction start process is explained with reference to fig1 . the operation mode for indicating the batch process or the online process , the extended storage disconnection mode for indicating whether the extended storage is to be disconnected automatically or manually by a user of the file management system , and the type of process for indicating whether to update the file or not , are input ( 1502 ) as a control statement ( 1501 ). the operation mode is determined ( 1503 ), and if it is &# 34 ; batch &# 34 ; the operation mode identification flag of the user space management table is set to &# 34 ; batch &# 34 ; ( 1504 ). then , the extended storage disconnection mode is determined ( 1506 ), and if it is &# 34 ; auto &# 34 ; the extended storage is disconnected from the online process ( or a new area of the extended storage is allocated ) by the extended storage disconnection process ( 1506 ). then , the type of process is determined ( 1507 ). if it is &# 34 ; update &# 34 ;, the extended storage access status flag of the extended storage management information field of the file management table is set to &# 34 ; batch update &# 34 ; ( 1508 ). a procedure of the transaction end process is now explained with reference to fig1 . whether or not the operation mode identification flag of the user space management table is &# 34 ; batch &# 34 ; is determined ( 1601 ) if it is &# 34 ; batch &# 34 ; the &# 34 ; batch update &# 34 ; in the extended storage access status flag of the extended storage management information field of the file management table is reset ( 1602 ). then , the &# 34 ; batch &# 34 ; in the operation mode identification flag of the user space management table is reset ( 1603 ). a procedure of the disconnection process of the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 from the online process is explained with reference to fig7 . when the disconnection of the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is requested by a user of the file management system or from the transaction process ( batch process ) ( 701 ), whether the extended storage allocation flag of the file management table is &# 34 ; allocation &# 34 ; or not is determined ( 702 ). if it is &# 34 ; allocation &# 34 ; whether or not the request is to use a new area of the extended storage is determined ( 703 ). if it is the request to use the new area of the extended storage , the new area of the extended storage is allocated ( 704 ) and the extended storage management information field for the batch process is created ( 705 ), and an address of the extended storage management information field corresponding to the new area of the extended storage is set for the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process of the file management table ( 706 ). if the extended storage allocation flag of the file management table is not &# 34 ; allocation &# 34 ; a new area of the extended storage is allocated ( 704 ), the extended storage management information field for the batch process is created ( 705 ), and the address of the extended storage management information field corresponding to the new area of the extended storage is set for the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process of the file management table ( 706 ). if the request is not to use a new area of the extended storage , the address of the extended storage management information field is set for the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process ( 707 ). the extended storage occupation status flag of the file management table is set to &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ; ( 708 ). thus , the online process can no longer access the extended storage . the file update authorization flag of the file management information field of the file management table is set to &# 34 ; batch only &# 34 ; ( 709 ) to suppress the update request from any process other than the batch process . a procedure of the reconnection process of the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the online process is explained with reference to fig8 . when the reconnection of the extended storage is commanded ( 801 ), the &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ; status of the extended storage occupation status flag of the file management table is reset ( 802 ). thus , the extended storage may be referred from the online process . the &# 34 ; batch only &# 34 ; status of the file update authorization flag of the file management information field of the file management table is reset ( 803 ). thus , the extended storage may be updated from the online process . whether the address of the extended storage management information field of the file management table matches to the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process is determined ( 804 ). if they match , whether the extended storage allocation flag of the file management table is &# 34 ; allocation &# 34 ; is determined ( 805 ) if it is &# 34 ; allocation &# 34 ;, the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process of the file management table is cleared ( 806 ). if the extended storage allocation flag is not &# 34 ; allocation &# 34 ;, the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process of the file management table is cleared ( 807 ), the extended storage management information field for the batch process is reset ( 808 ), and the area of the extended storage corresponding to the extended storage management information field for the batch process is deleted ( 809 ). when the address of the extended storage management information field of the file management table does not match to the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process , the address of the extended storage management information field for the batch process of the file management table is cleared ( 807 ), the extended storage management information field for the batch process is released ( 808 ), and the area of the extended storage corresponding to the extended storage management information field for the batch process is deleted ( 809 ). a process of the record process is explained with reference to fig9 . when reference to a record is requested ( 901 ), whether or not a page which stores the target record is present in the input / output buffer 31 ( the input / output buffer 32 in the batch process ) is determined ( 902 ). if it is present in the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 in the batch process ), the page in the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) in the batch process ) is referred ( 904 ). if it is not present in the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 in the batch process ), the page is input to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 in the batch process ) and then the page is referred . when the updating of record is requested ( 901 ), whether or not it is the batch process is determined by the operation mode identification flag of the user space management table ( 905 ). if it is not the batch process , the file update authorization flag of the file management information field of the file management table is examined ( 906 ) and if it is &# 34 ; batch only &# 34 ;, the record update request is terminated in error ( 907 ). if the file update authorization flag is not &# 34 ; batch only &# 34 ;, the updated page is output to the file 21 by the page output process ( 908 ). if it is the batch process , the updated page is output to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 by the page output process ( 909 ). details of the page input process ( 903 ) are explained with reference to fig1 . whether or not it is the batch process is determined by the operation mode identification flag of the user space management table ( 1001 ). if it is not the batch process , whether or not the extended storage occupation status flag of the file management table is &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ; is determined ( 1002 ), and if it is &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ;, the page is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ). 31 ( 1003 ). if it is not &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ;, the bit map ( which , as shown in fig2 , is a table having a plurality of bit columns for each page of the file 21 to manage the updating status of the page in the extended storage ) is examined ( 1004 ) to determine whether or not the corresponding page is present in the extended storage ( esl ) 11 or not . if the corresponding page is present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the page is input from the extended storage ( es1 ) to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( 1005 ). if the corresponding page is not present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the page is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 ( 1006 ) and the corresponding page is outputted from the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 ( 1007 ). in the batch process , whether or not the corresponding page is present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is examined by the bit map ( 1008 ), and if the corresponding page is present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the page is input from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 ( 1009 ). if the corresponding page is not present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the page is input from the file 21 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 ( 1010 ) and the corresponding page is output from the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 ( 1011 ). details of the page output process ( 908 , 909 ) explained with reference to fig1 . whether or not it is the batch process or not is determined by the operation mode identification flag of the user space management table ( 1101 ). if it is not the batch process , the file update authorization flag of the file management information field of the file management table is examined ( 1102 ) if it is not &# 34 ; batch only &# 34 ;, the page is output from the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 to the file 21 , and the page is also output from the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 . in the batch process , whether or not the extended storage occupation status flag of the file management table is &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ; is determined ( 1106 ), and if it is &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ;, the page is output from the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 ( 1107 ). if it is not &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ;, the page is output from the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 to the file 21 , and the page is output from the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 ( 1109 ). an operation of the updated page reload process to write the updated page of the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the file 21 is explained . the &# 34 ; batch occupation &# 34 ; status of the extended storage occupation status flag of the file management table is reset ( 1201 ). at this time , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 may be referred by the online process . then , the updated page on the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is outputted to the file 21 in accordance with the bit map ( 1202 ). an operation of the high speed backup acquisition in the online process and the retrieval of a large volume of data in the batch process is explained with reference to fig5 and 13 . the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is disconnected from the online process by the extended storage disconnection process ( 1301 ). the page which is not present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is determined by the bit map and it is loaded to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 from the file 21 through the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 ( 1302 ). since all pages of the file 21 are present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 at this time , only the backup of the file 21 is executed and the retrieval includes only the transfer from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 . when the backup of the file 21 is to be acquired , the entire page is input from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 ( 1303 ) and it is output to the backup file 41 . then , the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is reconnected to the online process by the extended storage reconnect input / output buffer process ( 1304 ). the updating operation of the batch process in the online process when the extended storage is used as the storage device for the file 21 is explained with reference to fig6 . in the online process , the page is input from the extended storage ( es2 ) 12 to the input / output buffer ( buff1 ) 31 and the file 21 is referred . in the batch process , the updating is executed by using the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 . when the page which is not present in the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is to be updated , the page is input from the extended storage ( es2 ) 12 to the input / output buffer ( buff2 ) 32 and after the updating , it is output to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 . when the batch process is completed , the access from the online process is switched from the extended storage ( es2 ) 12 to the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 and the extended storage ( es2 ) 12 is used for the next batch process . by alternately using the areas of the two extended storage , the updated record reload process can be attained by mere logical exchange of the areas of the extended storage . an operation of the fault recovery process is now explained with reference to fig1 . when a fault occurs , whether or not the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 was being updated is determined based on the extended storage access status flag information of the file management table ( 1401 ). if the batch process is updating the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 , the updated content of the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 is invalidated ( 1402 ) to make the content of the file to that prior to the execution of the batch process . when the updated page reload process is updating the file 21 , the updated page reload process is reexecuted to reload the updated page from the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 to the file 21 to make the status of the file 21 to that prior to the execution of the batch process . fig2 shows a data flow in the file reorganization ( in which disordered arrangement of record is reorganized ) of the present embodiment . in the file reorganization process , a reload process of the record to an unload file ( which temporarily store the record ) is added to the data flow of the batch process . the extended storage is fixed as the area for the file reorganization , the records are rearranged and the records are reloaded to the unload file . fig2 shows a data flow in the file reconfiguration method ( in which the configuration elements such as file size and record length are changed ) of the present embodiment . in the file reconfiguration , the reloading of the record to the unload file and a phase to reconfigure the file are added to the data flow of the batch process . instead of the extended storage ( es1 ) 11 and the file 21 of the above embodiment , a stand - alone extended storage which is a storage device shared by a plurality of data processing units as shown in fig1 may be used . a main storage as shown in fig2 may be used to attain the same operation . in accordance with the present invention , there is no contention of resources between the online process and the batch process and the high speed batch process is attained while the online process is executed without affecting to the online process . further , the backup of the file in preparation for the abnormal ending of the process for updating , adding or deleting a large volume of data is eliminated .
| 6Physics
|
while the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment , it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment . on the contrary , it is intended to cover all alternatives , modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . referring now to the drawings , wherein like numerals indicate like elements , there is shown in fig1 a first embodiment of the present invention . the invention includes a coating pot 10 maintaining a non - magnetic molten material 12 , for example zinc . located at or near the bottom of the coating pot 10 is accumulated dross 14 . the dross 14 accumulates over time due to interaction between the molten material 12 and workpieces ( not shown ) placed into and taken out of the molten material during the application . a magnet 16 is suspended in the coating pot 10 such that a first end of the magnet is positioned at or near the bottom of the coating pot 10 . magnet 16 may be either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet . an electromagnet may be turned on and off , thereby making cleaning easier . as the magnet 16 is suspended in the molten material 12 , it attracts the finely dispersed magnetic dross 14 . the magnet 16 will collect only the dross 14 and will not attract the non - magnetic molten material 12 . the magnet 16 remains in the coating material 12 continuously except when it is periodically removed for cleaning . fig2 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention . this embodiment includes a coating pot 10 holding molten material 12 . suspended at or near the bottom of the coating pot is accumulated dross 14 . this embodiment includes a tube 18 positioned at or near the bottom of the coating pot 10 . the tube 18 includes inlets 19 providing an opening to the interior of the tube 18 . the tube 18 is connected to a pump 20 . the pump 20 draws material from the coating pot 10 , including molten material 12 and dross 14 into the tube 18 . the pump 20 conveys the removed material to a settling area 22 via a passage tube or launder 24 . the settling area 22 provides one or more subsettling areas and in a preferred embodiment two subsettling areas 26 and 28 . each subsettling area 26 and 28 maintains a plurality of magnets 30 just below the bottom of the subsettling areas 26 , 28 . as the material removed from the coating pot 10 via pump 20 is conveyed to the settling area 22 , the magnets 30 will attract the dross 14 to the bottom of the subsettling areas 26 , 28 without attracting the molten material 12 . this provides improved separation between the dross 14 and the molten material 12 . the molten material which remains after separation is passed back to the coating pot 10 or into a molten bath ( not shown ). a third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig3 . this embodiment includes a coating pot 10 holding the molten material 12 wherein the dross has developed and accumulated in a suspension at or near the bottom of the coating pot 10 . this embodiment further includes an inlet tube 40 having inlets 42 . the inlets 42 allow a combination of the molten metal and the suspended dross 14 to enter the tube . the tube 40 is connected to a pump 44 , which draws the molten metal - dross combination into the suction tube 40 . the pump 44 is driven by a pump motor 46 . also connected to the pump 44 is an outlet tube 48 . the molten metal - dross combination drawn into the tube 40 is forced into the tube 48 by the pump 44 . the tube 48 carries the molten metal - dross combination up and out of the coating pot 10 and into a receiving trough 50 . associated with the receiving trough 50 is an electromagnetic drum 52 positioned in close and operative proximity to the trough 50 . in one embodiment , a lower portion of the magnetic drum 52 resides within the trough 50 such that the lower portion of the magnetic drum 52 is submerged in the molten metal - dross combination once the pump 44 begins operation and forces the molten metal - dross combination into the trough 50 . in another embodiment , the lower portion of the magnetic drum 52 is positioned above the molten metal - dross combination and the dross particles are extracted from the molten metal - dross combination by magnetic force supplied by the magnetic drum 52 . an endless belt conveyor 54 operates with the magnetic drum 52 and an additional roller 56 . the conveyor belt 54 may be made of stainless steel . a container 58 receives the dross which has been removed from the molten metal - dross combination by the system . the system further includes a return pipe 60 for returning the molten metal to the coating pot 10 once the dross 14 has been removed . in operation the molten metal - dross combination is removed from the coating pot 10 by the pump 44 . the molten metal - dross combination is received by the trough 50 . when the magnetic drum 52 is energized it attracts the dross 14 from the molten metal - dross combination . as the drum rotates , as illustrated in fig3 the conveyor belt 54 moves about the magnetic drum 52 and the additional roller 56 . as the magnetic drum 52 rotates , the dross 14 is drawn to the conveyor belt 54 and held there by the magnetic field of the drum 52 . as the conveyor belt 54 moves around the magnetic drum 52 it carries the dross 14 away from the magnetic drum 52 into the container 58 . the purified molten metal is returned to the coating pot via return tube 60 . the fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig4 . this embodiment includes a coating pot 10 holding the molten material 12 wherein dross 14 has developed and settled to the bottom of the coating pot 10 . this embodiment further includes a tube 32 inserted into the coating pot 10 and molten material 12 such that a first end 32 a of the tube is placed at or near the bottom of the coating pot 10 in close proximity to accumulated dross 14 . a second end 32 b of the tube is positioned just above the highest level of the molten material 12 providing a passage way from the bottom of the coating pot 10 to just above the molten material 12 . wound about the tube 32 is a multi - phase solenoid coil 34 extending from the first end 32 a of the tube to the second end 32 b of the tube . the coil 34 provides multiple sections as shown , for example , in fig4 wherein the coil 34 includes groups a , b , and c . this embodiment is shown having six sections separated into three groups of two elements ; however , it is not intended to limit the invention to three groups specifically . each group a , b , and c is coupled to a switch 36 . the switch 36 is positionable between contact points a , b , and c . each contact point corresponds to one of the groups a , b , and c , respectively . when the switch 36 engages a particular one of the contact points a , b , or c the corresponding group a , b , or c is coupled to a power source 38 . by successively switching between the three contact points the three magnetic groups a , b , and c are successively powered . this results in generating a slow travelling wave inside the tube 32 . this wave will attract the magnetic dross 14 and urge it towards the top of the coating pot 10 . as the dross 14 reaches the upper end of the tube 32 b it will be accumulated on a constantly energized electromagnet 40 maintained at the top of tube 32 . the magnet 40 will periodically be removed and cleaned in order to remove any collected dross 14 . a fifth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig5 . this embodiment includes a coating pot 10 holding the molten material 12 wherein dross has developed in a suspension at or near the bottom of the coating pot 10 . this embodiment further includes a pair of rollers 62 a , 62 b . the rollers 62 a , 62 b support a conveyor belt 64 and at least one roller is driven by a motor 66 . the system also includes a magnetized plate 68 disposed between the rollers 62 a , 62 b and on an interior side of the conveyor belt 64 . in operation , the motor 66 drives the rollers 62 a , 62 b , which in turn drive the conveyor belt 64 . because the plate 68 is magnetized , dross 14 suspended in the coating pot 10 is attracted to the plate 68 . the magnetic field generated by the magnetic plate 68 holds the dross 14 against the conveyor belt 64 as the conveyor belt 64 moves up and out of the coating pot 10 . as the conveyor belt 64 travels across the magnetic plate 68 the dross 14 is moved towards the top of the coating pot 10 . once the dross 14 reaches the top of the conveyor belt 64 about the upper pin 62 b the dross 14 is then fed to a receiving container 70 which receives the dross 14 removed from the coating pot 10 . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and , accordingly , reference should be made to the appended claims , rather than to the foregoing specification , as indicating the scope of the invention .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding part throughout the several views , there is shown in fig1 , 5 and 6 a firefighter &# 39 ; s coat 10 including a body or torso portion 12 having permanently stitched thereto a pair of sleeves 14 and 16 having the usual gussets 18 and 20 stitched thereto respectively . a collar portion 22 includes an outer collar part 24 and an inner collar part 26 . a fastening means 28 in the form of hook and loop fastener such as velcro is stitched to the outer collar part 24 . a throat tab 30 is stitched at one end 32 thereof to the outer collar part . a fastening means 34 such as velcro is stitched to one surface of the flap near the end 36 thereof and is adapted to engage fastening means 28 when the throat tab is in the stored position shown in fig2 . a fastening means 38 is stitched to the opposite surface of the flap near the end 36 thereof and is adapted to engage fastening means 28 when the throat tab is in the operative position shown in fig6 . the coat is shown in open position in fig1 it being understood that the coat may be secured in closed position with the use of a pair of velcro strips as shown in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 604 , 759 . a liner 40 is connected at the opposite vertical edges thereof to the opposite vertical edge portions of the shell by a plurality of conventional snap fasteners 42 mounted on the shell which engage conventional cooperating snap fasteners on the liner . as seen in fig2 the back of the coat includes an upper panel 50 . referring to fig3 and 4 , the upper panel 50 includes two layers 52 and 54 of conventional flame - resistant material the upper edges of which are stitched at 56 to the lower edge of the outer collar part 24 . the outer collar part includes an outer layer 60 and an inner layer 62 . the outer layer 60 comprises the same material as the shell , and the inner layer 62 comprises a conventional moisture barrier formed of a neoprene - coated fabric . the waterproof neoprene - coated surface of the moisture barrier 62 faces outwardly toward layer 60 . the upper edge of the outer collar part 24 is stitched at 63 to the upper edges of a moisture barrier 64 and the inner collar part 26 . the moisture barrier 64 includes an upper portion 66 formed of the same material as layer 62 , and the waterproof surface thereof faces outwardly toward layer 60 of the outer shell . inner collar part 26 is formed of a material similar to that of the outer shell . moisture barrier 64 also includes a lower portion 67 formed of the same material as portion 66 . portion 67 is looped to form inner and outer layers 68 and 70 . the facing surfaces of layers 68 and 70 are fabric surfaces , while the waterproof surfaces of layers 68 and 70 face inwardly and outwardly respectively relative to the outer shell . the upper edges of layers 68 and 70 are stitched at 72 to the lower edge of portion 66 of the moisture barrier . strips 74 and 76 of conventional waterproof tape are heat sealed to opposite surfaces of portions 66 and 67 to provide a waterproof joint adjacent the stitching 72 . the upper portion 66 of the moisture barrier extends laterally from one end of the collar to the other and is also stitched to the opposite end edges 77 and 78 of the collar as seen in fig1 by stitching 63 . the opposite end edges of the upper portion 66 extend below the bottoms of the opposite ends of stitching 63 so that any water which may seep through stitching 56 at the opposite ends of the collar will run down the outer surface of the moisture barrier . the opposite end edges of the lower portion 67 of the moisture barrier and the opposite end edges of the strips of tape 74 and 76 terminate short of the opposite end edges of the upper portion 66 so that the snap fasteners of the liner can be engaged with snap fasteners 42 on the shell . inner collar part 26 is stitched at 80 to a strip of material 82 which forms the lower portion of the inner collar part . thermal liner 40 includes a conventional inner quilted layer 90 formed of thermal insulating material and an outer layer 92 of a similar construction to layer 66 to provide a moisture barrier . the waterproof surface of layer 92 faces inwardly toward layer 90 . a first connecting means 100 formed , for example , of velcro is stitched at 102 to the inner layer 68 . it is desirable to stitch the connecting means in place , since this provides a superior support for the velcro . if the lower portion 67 of the moisture barrier were a single layer rather than a double layer , stitching fastening means 100 in place would be unsatisfactory since water could seep through the stitching . accordingly , by providing a pair of layers 68 and 70 , fastening means 100 can be stitched to the inner layer 68 , while the outer layer 70 provides a waterproof moisture barrier between the inner surface of the shell and the upper edge portion of the liner . a second connecting means 104 also formed of velcro is stitched at 106 to the upper edge portion of the liner 40 . a third connecting means 108 also formed of velcro is stitched at 110 to the upper edge portion of the liner 40 . a fourth connecting means 112 is stitched at 114 to the lower edge of portion 82 of the inner collar part 26 . fastening means 100 and 104 engage one another to connect the upper edge portion of the liner to the inner layer of the moisture barrier 64 , while fastening means 108 and 112 engage one another to connect the upper edge portion of the liner to the lower edge of the inner collar part . while each of the fastening means is preferably velcro , other fastening means such as snap fasteners may also be employed . the fastening means enable the liner to be readily disconnected from the moisture barrier and inner collar part when desired for washing and drying the liner . the liner is also disconnected from the shell by disconnecting the snap fasteners 42 . the liner may be quickly and easily installed in operative position within the shell by connecting the snap fasteners 42 and engaging fastening means 100 and 104 with one another and engaging fastening means 108 and 112 with one another . the outer neckline is defined by stitching 56 , and the inner neckline is defined by stitching 80 . if any water should seep through the stitching at 56 , the moisture barrier 64 which extends both above and below the upper edge portion of the liner will present a waterproof surface to such water so that the water will flow downwardly by gravity between the moisture barrier and the outer shell and thence between the moisture barrier on the outer surface of the outer layer of the liner and the shell . the water will then drain from between the bottom edges of the liner and the outer shell which are separate from one another . the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment . obviously , various modifications , alterations and other embodiments will occur to others upon reading and understanding this specification . it is our intention to include all such modifications , alterations and alternate embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalent thereof .
| 0Human Necessities
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the present invention will be described by means of the following examples which are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention . here , “ parts ” and “%” are based on mass unless otherwise stated . a polyethylene terephthalate material was molten at 290 ° c . and extruded into a sheet - shaped film through a film - forming dye . the film was made in contact with a rotational quenching drum chilled with water for cooling purposes , so that an unstretched film was produced . the unstretched film was preheated at 120 ° c . for a minute , and stretched by 4 . 5 times at 120 ° c . using a biaxial stretching tester ( toyoseikiseisaku - sho , ltd .). the resulting film was then stretched by 1 . 5 times in a direction at 90 degrees to the first stretching direction . as a result , a polarizer protective film ( retardation of 9900 nm , film thickness of 100 μm , δn of 0 . 099 ) was obtained . the resulting polarizer protective film was placed on a polarizer on the viewer side in a liquid crystal monitor ( flatoron ips226v produced by lg electronics japan ) to produce a liquid crystal display device . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was 0 °. a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that the angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was changed to 30 °. a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that the angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was changed to 60 °. a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that the angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was changed to 90 °. the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 8200 nm , a film thickness of 92 μm , and δn of 0 . 089 was obtained . a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that the obtained polarizer protective film was used . the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 19000 nm , a film thickness of 190 μm , and δn of 0 . 100 was obtained . a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that the obtained polarizer protective film was used . the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 7500 nm , a film thickness of 75 μm , and δn of 0 . 100 was obtained . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0 °. the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 7500 nm , a film thickness of 94 μm , and δn of 0 . 08 was obtained . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0 °. the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 6100 nm , a film thickness of 61 μm , and δn of 0 . 100 was obtained . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0 °. the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 6100 nm , a film thickness of 81 μm , and δn of 0 . 075 was obtained . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0 °. a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that an angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 45 °. the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 5200 nm , a film thickness of 52 μm , and δn of 0 . 100 was obtained . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0 °. the polarizer protective film obtained in example 9 was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 45 °. a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that a pet film a4100 having a retardation of 6200 nm , a film thickness of 188 μm , and δn of 0 . 033 produced by toyobo co ., ltd . was used as the polarizer protective film . the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 7500 nm , a film thickness of 188 μm , and δn of 0 . 040 was obtained . a liquid crystal display device was produced in the same manner as in example 1 , except that the obtained polarizer protective film was used . the stretch ratio of an unstretched film produced in the same manner as in example 1 was adjusted so that a polarizer protective film having a retardation of 6100 nm , a film thickness of 160 μm , and δn of 0 . 038 was obtained . the polarizer protective film was placed in such a manner that an angle formed by the slow axis ( average orientation angle ) thereof and the absorption axis of the polarizer on the viewer side in the liquid crystal monitor was set to 0 °. images displayed on the liquid crystal display devices produced in the examples and the comparative examples were observed visually and over polarized sunglasses by five persons from the front and in an oblique direction ( about 50 degrees ) in a dark place and in a bright place ( 400 lx around the liquid crystal monitor ) for determination of the presence or absence of rainbow interference pattern based on the following criteria . good : slight rainbow interference pattern was present . no problem in practical use . fig3 illustrates an emission spectrum of the back light source of the liquid crystal monitor ( flatoron ips 226v produced by lg electronics japan ). fig4 illustrates an emission spectrum of external light used in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern in a bright place . the average orientation angle and the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film was measured with regard to the liquid crystal display devices according to examples 7 to 10 , and comparative examples 3 and 6 . the measurement was performed using a molecular orientation analyzer ( moa ) produced by oji scientific instruments . as illustrated in fig5 , the orientation angle was measured at 40 points at intervals of 5 cm in the vertical direction and in the transverse direction on a liquid crystal monitor ( 21 . 5 inches , 27 cm high and 48 cm wide ). the average thereof was the average orientation angle . the orientation angle difference is the value obtained by subtracting the minimum orientation angle from the maximum orientation angle . black dots in fig5 indicate measured points . as shown in table 1 , the liquid crystal display devices according to the examples in which the polarizer protective film has a retardation of not less than 6000 nm and an angle formed by the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer is within a range of 0 °± 30 ° or 90 °± 30 ° are excellent in any of the evaluations of rainbow interference pattern observed visually and over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place . the liquid crystal display device according to example 8 in which the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film was 1 . 7 ° was a bit inferior to the liquid crystal display device according to example 7 in which the orientation angle difference was 0 . 8 ° in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place . similarly , the liquid crystal display device according to example 10 in which the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film was 2 . 2 ° was a bit inferior to the liquid crystal display device according to example 9 in which the orientation angle difference was 1 . 1 ° in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place . in contrast , the liquid crystal display devices according to comparative examples 1 and 3 in which an angle formed between the slow axis of the polarizer protective film and the absorption axis of the polarizer was 45 ° were excellent in the evaluation of the rainbow interference pattern in a dark place but poor in the evaluation of the rainbow interference pattern in a bright place over polarized sunglasses . the liquid crystal display device according to comparative example 2 in which the retardation was less than 6000 nm was poor in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern both in a bright place and in a dark place . the liquid crystal display devices according to comparative examples 4 to 6 were each poor in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern in a bright place and in a dark place because δn thereof was less than 0 . 05 , though the retardation thereof was not less than 6000 nm . in comparison of the liquid crystal display devices according to examples 9 and 10 and comparative example 6 , the liquid crystal display device according to comparative example 6 was inferior to the liquid crystal display devices according to examples 9 and 10 in the evaluation of rainbow interference pattern over polarized sunglasses in a bright place and in a dark place . the reason for this is presumably that the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film according to comparative example 6 was large as 6 . 6 °, while the orientation angle difference in the slow axis direction of the polarizer protective film according to examples 9 and 10 were as small as 1 . 1 ° and 2 . 2 °, respectively . the liquid crystal display device of the present invention is applicable to a liquid crystal display device provided with a polarizer protective film having a large retardation value , and highly suppresses occurrence of rainbow interference pattern in displayed images .
| 6Physics
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embodiments of the present invention provide security systems and methods for computing systems having one or more processing components , such as a microprocessors , each with one or more processor components such as cache units , instruction cache units , branch prediction units , branch target buffers , and other components . in one specific embodiment , for example , the present invention provides methods and systems for preventing security breaches related to branch prediction by central processing units . merely by way of example , the invention is described as it applies to architectural level security of computing systems , but it should be recognized that the invention has a broader range of applicability . embodiments of the present invention are useful in a variety of computing systems and device incorporating computing systems . examples include desktop computer systems , laptop computer systems , mainframe computer systems , cell phone devices , personal digital assistant devices , smart cards , embedded systems , etc . and any other systems incorporating a microprocessor or similar intelligence module . also , although the remainder of this document will discuss embodiments and aspects of the invention in terms of their applicability to bpu and btb units , it should be appreciated that embodiments and aspects of the present invention may be applied to any other processor components . examples of such components include data cache and instruction cache . in general , a processor component is a component having an internal state that is affected by execution of a process , which produce state transitions in the component . in many cases , these states and state transitions may be observable by an adversary using appropriate measurement techniques . a processor component typically includes a collection of one or more circuit elements that are configured to perform one or more specific tasks . additionally , it should be appreciated that , where an output signal is mentioned , embodiments of the present invention are equally applicable to any signal in a processor component , e . g ., any signal on a wire internal to a component or any signal between components . according to various embodiments , system security is improved by making it difficult for an adversary to observe the output of a processor component using methods described herein . in certain aspects , new secure instructions are used , and the implementers need to use them to indicate for which conditional branches need to be handled securely . according to one aspect , in these new secure branch instructions , at least one bit , which indicates whether the branch needs to be handled securely , is different than in the original branch instruction . in certain embodiments , the predictor for certain user - determined conditional branches is disabled . in a specific embodiment , the predictor is disabled so that branch prediction operations are not performed . in another embodiment , the predictor functions normally but the outcome of the prediction is ignored . for example , the execution has to stall until the actual outcome of the branch is determined . to achieve this functionality , the control logic of the predictor is modified . these embodiments can also be adapted to the cases of other microprocessor components such as data cache , instruction cache , and the like . for example , data cache and / or instruction cache can be disabled for certain user - determined memory accesses . in some embodiments , data cache and / or instruction cache may be disabled so that memory accesses are not served from these components . in some embodiments , certain user - determined memory accesses may not be served from these components . in other embodiments , these microprocessor components may function normally but the outcomes may be ignored and certain user - determined memory accesses may not served from these components . for example , in one embodiment , randomization functionality is added to the behavior of the predictor . conventional predictor functionalities are usually implemented as a function of the state of the predictor ( i . e ., local and global branch history , btb state and the individual predictors ), and the address of the conditional branch . the state transition is usually also a function of the above items plus the actual outcome of the branch : prediction = f ( current state , branch address ), next state = g ( current state , branch address , branch target address , prediction , actual outcome ). these functions can be generalized for other processor components such as data cache , instruction cache , and the like : the output of the component = f ( current state of the component , other related data ), the next state of the component = g ( current state of the component , other related data ), for some functions f and g . here the data denoted as “ other related data ” in these functions may in some cases include the output of these components . in one embodiment , an element is added to the above functions , which element makes it difficult for an adversary to predict or observe the state or state transition . for example , in one aspect , a pseudorandom element is added to the above state functions . one example is a pseudo random number generator ( prng ) 60 , as shown in fig2 . prng 60 may already be present in the chipset or it may be added . the prng 60 provides a ( random ) output signal to a signal modification logic circuit 70 . a particular bit of the values ( one or more bits ) generated by the prng 60 can be used by the logic circuit 70 , or a function of more than one bit may be chosen . a control signal specifies whether the logic circuit 70 will output the randomized ( i . e ., fake ) prediction or the actual outcome of the traditional predictor . for example , in one aspect , the random prediction outcomes are desired to be 50 % taken and 50 % not taken . however , it should be appreciated that other ratios of taken to not taken may be used . in other aspects , any signal may be used to add randomness or unpredictability to the output of the predictor . for example , in one aspect , the function of prng 60 ( to provide a signal to logic circuit 70 ) in fig2 may be implemented by a signal generator that outputs a constant signal ; logic circuit 70 , responsive to the control signal , will output the fake signal based on the constant signal or it will output the actual prediction signal . in another aspect , the function of prng 60 may also be implemented by a clock signal , either an external clock signal , or a clock signal internal to logic circuit 70 . in general , the signal provided to logic circuit 70 may be implemented by a variety of signal generator elements known to those skilled in the art . this protection method may be implemented in a variety of ways . for example , in one embodiment , a protection method is implemented by selecting either the actual prediction or the fake prediction as illustrated in fig3 . as shown in fig3 , signal modification logic circuit 70 includes a circuit element 72 configured to produce the modified predictor output signal ( fake prediction ) by multiplexing ( mux ) the bpu output signal and one or more bits of the signal generator . the signal generator may be configured to output a single ( random ) bit or multiple ( random ) bits . as another example , a protection scheme is implemented by inverting the classical prediction randomly , as shown in fig4 . as shown in fig4 , the signal modification logic circuit 70 includes circuit elements 74 and 76 configured to produce the modified predictor output signal by randomly inverting the bpu output signal . these diagrams are merely examples , which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims . one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize many variations , alternatives , and modifications . for example , a logic circuit 70 may be coupled to any signal path in any processor component or between any processor components , e . g ., a wire internal to a cache or the btb or the bpu or a buffer or a wire between the bhr and bpt , etc . in this case , the logic circuit receives a signal on the signal path and , responsive to a control signal , either outputs the received signal or a fake signal as described above . as another example , the fake output signal output by logic circuit 70 can include the control signal itself or the control signal inverted , or it can include the received output signal inverted . the present invention also improves system security by reducing potential vulnerabilities related to the btb . more specifically , in certain aspects , new secure branch instructions are introduced . in one aspect , to avoid the interference of malicious code , such as a spy / dummy process , to the execution of the cipher , the btb records of each process are located in a different buffer . in another aspect , the btb is implemented in such a way that the critical conditional branches always cause btb hits or misses , in which case it is possible to implement a cipher so that the execution becomes independent of the btb outcomes . in another aspect , the btb records of critical conditional branches are located in an unpredictable manner so that the attacks become harder to apply , e . g ., if the attacker does not know the exact location of a btb record , the attacks will be more costly . according to one embodiment , a bpu is implemented with independent ( i . e ., unshared ) branch target buffers . for example , in one aspect , each process in a cpu is allocated its own btb space . additionally or alternatively , each logical and / or physical processor unit is allocated its own btb space . a physical processor may present itself to the os as two or more independent logical processors . for example , in a simultaneous multi - threading system ( e . g ., intel &# 39 ; s hyper - threading technology ), a real physical processor is able to presents itself to the operating system as two or more independent logical processors . as a result of using independent , unshared buffer spaces , the interference between spy and cipher processes via btb is minimized and / or prevented . an operating system ( os ) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer . an operating system processes raw system and user input and responds by allocating and managing tasks and internal system resources as a service to users and programs of the system . in general , all software that manages hardware and software resources of a computing environment will be referred to herein as the operating system . examples of such software include virtual machine monitors , hypervisors , and reference monitors . while an adversary may clear the btb during a context switch , the amount of biased btb outcomes of the cipher is greatly reduced . the os in the system may clear ( e . g ., flush , invalidate ) a btb space with a certain frequency and / or during special events . for example , the os may clear the btb during each context switch and / or before starting an execution of some applications and / or after the termination of some applications . furthermore , the hardware system , e . g . a processor , or an application may also clear a btb space with a certain frequency and / or during special events . a btb space may include a portion of a btb unit , an entire ( separate ) btb unit , portions of separate btb units , or a plurality of separate btb units . in one embodiment , the allocated btb spaces are independent and are virtually and / or dynamically allocated . for example , in one aspect , btbs may be implemented as separate physical units . in general , any number of separate physical btb units may be implemented . physical independence is implemented , in one aspect , ( at least ) by way of using a different physical btb for each process and / or logical processor in the cpu . also , each process and / or logical processor can be allocated more than one physical btb . in another aspect , each process and / or logical processor can be allocated a separate buffer space that spans more than one physical btb , e . g ., multiple processes and / or logical processors share multiple btbs , but the buffer space allocated to each process and / or logical processor is separate and unshared . according to another embodiment , a single large physical btb is partitioned into multiple and preferably disjoint portions by way of hard coding ( i . e ., forcing each logical processor to use a disjoint portion of the btb ). in another embodiment , the btb are utilized as dynamically allocated virtual partitions . for example , a specific instruction set is provided for the process . in another embodiment , instructions are used to indicate the presence of sensitive operations and the need of ( virtually ) independent btb . fig5 is a simplified diagram illustrating a conventional btb line . as shown in fig5 , 32 - bit addressing is used . the part of the branch address that spans from bit t to k - l is used as an index to find the correct location of a branch in the btb . the values of k and t typically depend on the system architecture . the “ tag ” portion of the address is stored in the corresponding btb line to compare it with the actual tag of an executed branch to determine whether the btb has the correct entry . in one aspect , to make each btb independent , the btb line is modified . for example , a modified btb line according embodiments of the present invention allows for btb lines to be virtually independent . fig6 is a simplified diagram illustrating a modified btb line according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown , an identification number for a logical processor and / or process is implemented as part of the index ( e . g ., the most significant bit ( s ) of the index ). as a result , each process and / or processor has virtually independent and unshared btb partitions , as two different logical processors and / or processes cannot have two branches with the same index and the branch data from two different logical processors and / or processes have to be stored in different parts of the btb . to preserve the correct functionality , the tag address space in the btb line is increased by a number of bits , n , where n is a number greater than or equal to zero . fig6 is merely an example , which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims . one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many variations , alternatives , and modifications . in a specific embodiment , it is possible to dynamically switch between a normal btb operation mode and a virtually unshared btb mode using special instructions . for example , a process may indicate that it needs to be virtually independent ( e . g . needs a virtually unshared btb buffer ) and / or the cpu can switch to the virtually unshared btb mode . in one embodiment , during a context switch , the operating system stores this information ( i . e . the need of be virtually independent ) as part of the process state . for example , the operating system is able to set / reset the mode when determined to be necessary by the operating system . according to another embodiment , the present invention provides a partitioned btb . some parts of a btb can be exclusively reserved and / or dedicated to some certain processes and / or logical processors . depending upon the application , partitions can be dynamically allocated or statically implemented . in the case of dynamic partition allocation , new instructions are introduced to manage the dynamic partitioning . this management can be software based ( i . e ., the operating system can manage the partitions ) and / or hardware based . the software based partitioning can be implemented in different ways . by way of an example , the operating system ( os ) can modify the logical addresses of the branches before starting the execution of a process . in order to do this , the os has to have detailed information of the process &# 39 ; code , which can be provided by the compiler . therefore , the os can remove inter - process btb collisions . another approach is to manage the partitioning in the hardware . again this approach can be implemented in many different ways . the following are some examples . in one embodiment , a process executes a special instruction that instructs the cpu to reserve a part of the btb only to this process . for example , it may be necessary to use one of the reserved bits in control registers as a flag to indicate if the btb has been partitioned . when the cpu receives the special instruction from a process , the cpu sets the flag and uses a special part of the btb that is to be used only for this process &# 39 ; s entries . the special instruction is one way of various btb protection methods . for example , in pentium ® 4 , the btb is 4 - way associative . accordingly , a cpu can reserve one or more specific ways of these 4 ways for a process and the entries of this process can exclusively use these parts of the btb and the rest of the buffer can be used for general purposes , i . e ., for other processes . for example , during a context switch , the new flag needs to be reset so that the partitioned way ( s ) can be used again for general purposes . depending on the application , the btb may also be partitioned in many other ways . for example , the btb can be partitioned in the same way a traditional cache is partitioned ( with some minor modifications which are suitable for the btbs as would be apparent to one skilled in the art ). in this manner , a large part of the btb does not need to be partitioned . according to certain embodiments , rather than reserving a large portion of the btb , one or more btb entries ( or sets ) may be reserved for one or more entries of some processes . for example , reserving a smaller portion of the btb advantageously allows for avoiding bp attacks without closing a large part of the btb to general use . in one embodiment , as shown in fig7 , each entry ( or set , respectively ) includes an associated lock bit . the lock bit may be stored as part of the entry as shown in fig7 , or it may be stored in a different location in the computing system . when a process executes a special instruction ( e . g ., secure , conditional branch instruction ), the cpu sets the lock bit of the particular entry ( or set , respectively ). entries having their lock bit set are handled in a different , e . g ., secure , manner than entries that do not have their lock bit set . for example , when the cpu loads a new value to the btb , it may only evict the entries that do not have a lock bit set . therefore , the target address of the target branch cannot be evicted from the btb . in one aspect , at each context switch , all of the lock bits are reset . in some cases , this technique may cause a race - condition and a possible deadlock . in an embodiment , a special part of btb may be used to avoid deadlocks . for example , if a secure conditional branch faces a deadlock situation , an entry from this special part can be used to store the record of that branch . a single or several btb entries or a single / several btb sets can be reserved in btb for security critical branches . according to one embodiment , a btb locking mechanism provides this capability . a process can determine which and how many of its branches needs to be handled in a more secure way . some branches in a software can be marked as critical and the cpu would handle these branches differently than the others , e . g ., in a more secure manner . hardware additions to the btb and a system interface for controlling which branches should be locked are provided . the system interface may be defined in several different ways including adding new instructions to the instruction set of the processor to specify which branches should be locked in btb . the hardware additions to the btb may also be implemented in several different ways . in one embodiment , a single bit is added to each btb line . this bit specifies whether the entry stored in this btb line is locked . in another embodiment , a single bit is added to each btb set . in another embodiment , the cpu store this information in another part of the system , e . g ., a buffer separate from the btb . in general , the cpu stores the information of which entries in btb should be locked . when an entry is locked in a btb by a process , this entry should not be evicted as a result of execution of a branch that belongs to another process . in other words , a locked entry in the btb should not be replaced by another entry that belongs to another process . a locked entry that belongs to a process can be removed from the btb when this process terminates . in one embodiment , as long as a process is active ( i . e ., not terminated ), the locked entries that belong to this btb cannot be evicted from btb by a process different from the process that owns the entry and cannot be replaced by other processes &# 39 ; entries . the operating system or any other software that controls the overall system ( referred to herein as the os ) may remove the locked entries from the btb . for example , in one aspect , the os removes the lock on the locked entries that belong to a process when this process terminates . in certain aspects , a lock on a btb line can be removed by resetting the lock bit in this line . the os or the cpu needs to keep track of which locked btb entries belong to which process . in one embodiment , additional hardware is added to each btb line to store to which process this btb entry belongs . in one aspect , this is done by storing an identification of the process , i . e ., id of the process . in another aspect , the cpu stores this information in another part of the system ; for example in a dedicated buffer . in yet another aspect , this information is stored by the os in buffer in main memory . in one embodiment , a new instruction is added to the instruction set . this new instruction can be executed by os after the termination of a process to automatically remove the locking on the btb entries that belong to this process . in one embodiment , the cpu needs to know the information on which processes are active and which processes are not active . this is done , in certain aspects , by a communication between the os and cpu ( for example via executing an instruction ) and the os can pass this information to cpu . in this aspect , the cpu can remove the locking on btb entries that belong to a terminated process . in another aspect , the os handles this task by removing the locking on btb entries that belong to a terminated process . in one embodiment , a new instruction is added to the instruction set for removing the locking on a specified btb entry ( for example by resetting the lock bit ). there can be several other alternatives . it should be realized that the techniques of locking a btb entry is not limited to these specified entries and has a broader application range . according to one embodiment , an implementer - specified conditional branch , which can always yield a constant btb output ( e . g ., either always a hit or a miss ), is provided . one example of such a protected btb area is described below . according to various embodiments , the target addresses of certain implementer - specified conditional branches may be stored in a protected btb area in advance . for example , new pre - load instructions and secure conditional branch instructions may have to be preloaded . the target addresses can be loaded before the actual computations in a buffer and the new secure conditional branches can refer to the indices of this buffer . for example , as shown in fig8 , the instruction of a conditional branch can have the index instead of the actual target address . the cpu first fetches this particular location , then starts fetching instructions in the target address . this protected area is preferably unshared . during a context switch , the content needs to be saved and reloaded after the process starts again . while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the specific embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . to the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art . therefore , the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements .
| 6Physics
|
in fig1 , a circuit diagram of a preferred embodiment is shown . an apparatus like a ct scanner may comprise a primary side 100 which preferably is stationary and a secondary side 200 which preferably is rotating . there is a rotating transformer having a primary winding 110 and a secondary winding 210 for inductively coupling electrical signals from the primary side 100 to the secondary side 200 . the primary winding 110 is fed by an inverter 120 which converts input voltage received via primary inputs 131 , 132 into an alternating voltage , preferably a voltage in a frequency range from between 1 khz and 100 khz , most preferably about 20 khz . the voltage output of the secondary winding 210 is provided at secondary winding contacts 254 , 255 , which are connected to a rectifier . preferably , the rectifier is a bridge rectifier comprising four diodes 221 - 224 . the output of the rectifier preferably is connected to a filtering capacitor 230 . furthermore , connected to the filtering capacitor 230 may be a positive output voltage pin 251 and a negative output voltage pin 252 , by which a load 240 may be connected . in a ct scanner , the load may comprise an x - ray tube and / or multiple electrical or electronic circuits , like a computer , a detector and imaging processing means . one of the output pins 251 , 252 is connected to a secondary ground 253 . preferably , the negative output 252 is connected thereto . the secondary ground 253 is preferably based on mechanical parts at the rotating side , which may be the rotating part of a gantry of a ct scanner . it is further preferred to have a slip ring 280 comprising at least one sliding track 281 and a at least one brush 282 for electrically connecting said secondary ground 253 to a protective earth 134 ( which may be a primary ground ), which may further be connected via a protective earth connector 133 to a main power system , or a specific ground pad . it is further preferred to have a control unit 150 for controlling the inverter 120 or any other control means at the primary side . the controller 150 may be connected to a ground current sensor 151 for measuring a current between the secondary ground 253 and the protective earth 134 . it may also measure a current through the primary winding 110 , preferably by use of a second current sensor 153 . based on the measurement results , a trigger signal 152 may be generated . in an inductive rotating coupler , certain faults may occur . one of these faults may be a short circuit of the secondary winding to the secondary ground 253 . in this embodiment , a short circuit of the second secondary winding contact 255 is marked as a dashed line 270 indicating the short circuit . a similar scenario takes place , if the first secondary winding contact 254 has a short circuit to the secondary ground 253 . there may also be a short circuit of any other part of the secondary winding 210 to secondary ground 253 . by the short circuit , depending on the kind of short circuit , one of the rectifier diodes 221 , 223 is shorted . the function is explained exemplarily by the kind of short circuit as indicated by dashed line 270 . in this case , the rectifier diode 223 is shorted . as the rotating transformer is operated with an ac signal , it delivers positive and negative half waves at its output . when the secondary winding 210 delivers a positive output , where the voltage at the first secondary winding contact 254 is higher than the voltage at the second secondary winding contact 255 , the circuit works as usual , as the rectifier diode 222 lets the current flow into the filtering capacitor 230 and the load 240 . when a negative half wave is delivered , the voltage at the first secondary winding contact 254 is lower than the voltage at the second secondary winding contact 255 , then the diode 224 provides a short circuit of the secondary winding . this short circuit leads to an asymmetrical current flow through the rotating transformer , which may easily be detected at the primary side , for example by second current sensor 153 , but it would also generate a signal which may be detected by the ground current sensor 151 at the primary side . due to the asymmetrical short circuit of the secondary winding 210 by one of the rectifier diodes , it is impossible that the circuit works as a voltage doubler , as the prior art , as shown in fig4 . in fig2 , the positive current path in a first failure mode with a short circuit 270 is shown as a dashed line with arrows indicating the direction of the current . when the output voltage at the first secondary winding contact 254 is higher than the voltage at second secondary winding contact 255 , then a current flows through the circuit as shown . it flows through a rectifier diode 222 into the capacitor 230 and back via secondary ground 253 and the short circuit 270 to the second secondary winding contact 255 . this kind of current flow results in a normal charge of the capacitor 230 . a negative current flow into the opposite direction , as indicated by fig2 is shown in fig3 by a dashed line with arrows indicating the direction of the current . the current flows from the second secondary winding contact 255 via the short circuit 270 and secondary ground 253 through diode 224 back to the first secondary winding contact 254 . this is a short circuit via the diode 224 of the secondary winding 210 . there are further parasitic capacitive currents flowing via the slip ring 280 to the protective earth 134 which may be detected by the control circuit 150 . furthermore , the asymmetrical load can easily be detected by a second current sensor 153 at the primary side of the inductive rotary joint . in fig4 , an embodiment as known from the prior art is shown . here , there is no slip ring 280 and no controller 150 with the associated circuits and components . furthermore , there is a ground capacitor 260 . this capacitor is required to provide a high frequency connection between the output of the circuit and the secondary ground 253 . in this embodiment , the negative output of the power supply is connected to the secondary ground 253 . if a short circuit between the secondary winding 210 and the secondary ground 253 occurs as indicated by dashed line 270 , the circuit acts as a voltage doubler , causing approximately doubling of the regular output voltage at the capacitor 230 . this would affect the operation of a connected load 240 . there is a high probability that sensitive electronic components within the load may be destroyed or at least damaged . in fig5 , the positive current path in a first failure mode according to prior art is shown as a dashed line with arrows indicating the direction of the current . in the case of a positive output voltage of secondary winding 210 , current is flowing through rectifier diode 222 into capacitor 230 and therefrom via capacitor 260 , secondary ground 253 , and the short circuit 270 back to the second secondary winding contact 255 . as will be shown in the next figure , the capacitor 260 was charged by a current of the preceding negative half wave output of secondary winding 210 to a negative voltage having the inverse polarity to the voltage at capacitor 230 . therefore , the ground capacitor &# 39 ; s 260 positive side is at the secondary ground 253 , whereas its negative side is at the negative output 252 . as the total voltage over the capacitor 230 and the ground capacitor 260 equals to the output voltage of the secondary winding 210 , the capacitor 230 must have twice the output voltage of the secondary winding 210 . this leads to twice the output voltage at the load 240 . in fig6 , the current flow in a negative direction according to the prior art is shown as a dashed line with arrows indicating the direction of the current . the current flows from the second secondary winding contact 255 via short circuit 270 and secondary ground 253 through ground capacitor 260 , and diode 224 back to the first secondary winding contact 254 . it can be seen how the ground capacitor 260 is charged with a charge current in the opposite direction to capacitor 230 , as mentioned in the description of the previous figure . in fig7 , a positive current flow in normal operation of a preferred embodiment is shown . here , the current flows from the first secondary winding contact 254 to diode 222 , capacitor 230 , and diode 223 back to the second secondary winding contact 255 . in fig8 , a negative current flow in normal operation of a preferred embodiment is shown . here , the current flows from the second secondary winding contact 255 via diode 221 , capacitor 230 , and diode 224 back to the first secondary winding contact 254 . fig9 shows schematically a computed tomography ( ct ) scanner gantry 10 . the stationary part is suspended within a massive frame 810 . the rotating part 809 of the gantry 10 is rotatably mounted with respect to the stationary part and rotates along the rotation direction 808 . the rotating part 809 may be a metal disk which supports an x - ray tube 801 , an x - ray detector 803 and further electronic and mechanic components . this metal disk may define a secondary ground . the x - ray tube 801 is for generating an x - ray beam 802 that radiates throurth a patient 804 lying on a table 807 and which is intercepted by the x - ray detector 803 and converted to electrical signals and imaging data thereof . the imaging data obtained by the x - ray detector 803 are transmitted via a contactiess rotary joint ( not shown ) to an evaluation unit 806 by means of a data bus or network 805 . electrical power from a stationary power supply unit 811 may be transmitted by an inductive power coupler 800 to the rotating part 809 . modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description . accordingly , this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention . it is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments . elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein , parts and processes may be reversed , and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently , all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention . changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims .
| 0Human Necessities
|
the effects of an electroless copper plating solution of the present invention were examined while varying the conditions of plating bath . these experiments were conducted according to the following basic procedure . a 3 cm × 7 cm stainless steel plate having an area of about 40 cm 2 was cleaned and then treated with a pd catalyzing solution , for example , catpo - 44 - c sold by shipley co . the plate was then washed with water and activated by an accelerator acc - 19 - c , sold by shipley co . the pretreated stainless steel plate was then plated in an edta bath , shown in table 1 , for 2 minutes to form a copper layer 0 . 1 to 0 . 2 μm thick . after washing with water , the plate was plated in 500 cc of a plating solution to be tested for 10 minutes , and the thickness of the deposited copper layer was measured with an electrolysis - type layer thickness meter and the result converted to a deposition rate per hour . the plating load was 80 cm 2 / 1 , and naoh was used as the ph - adjustor . the plating bath was constantly stirred by blowing air therein and mechanical stirring was not used at any stage . table 1______________________________________copper salt : cucl . sub . 2 0 . 06 mcomplexing agent for copper ion : edta * 0 . 08 mreducing agent : formalin ** 18 ml / lph at 25 ° c . 12 . 5bath temperature 50 ° c . examples 1 to 8copper salt : cucl . sub . 2 0 . 06 mcomplexing agent for copper ion : quadrol 0 . 08 mreducing agent : formalin 18 ml / laccelertorph at 25 ° c . 12 . 55bath temperature 55 ° c . ______________________________________ * edta : ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ** formaline is a 37 % aqueous solution of formaldehyde the above plating bath having a plating solution to be tested was used for the above plating tests , and the rate of deposition of copper was measured . the kinds of accelerator added to the plating solution to be tested , and the results of the tests or the deposition rates , are shown in table 2 . table 2__________________________________________________________________________ example 1 2 3 4__________________________________________________________________________accelerator triethyl - amine n ( c . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 ). sub . 3 tripropyl - amine n ( c . sub . 3 h . sub . 7 ). sub . 3 ## str1 ## ## str2 ## amount 0 . 1 m 0 . 1 m 0 . 01 m 0 . 06 mofacceleratordeposition 32 μm / hr 35 μm / hr 27 μm / hr 30 μm / hrrate__________________________________________________________________________ example 5 6 7 8__________________________________________________________________________accelerator ## str3 ## ## str4 ## ## str5 ## ## str6 ## amount 0 . 06 m 0 . 06 m 0 . 04 m 0 . 04 mofacceleratordeposition 25 μm / hr 25 μm / hr 28 μm / hr 22 μm / hrrate__________________________________________________________________________ copper salt : cucl . sub . 2 0 . 06 m , complexing agent : quadrol 0 . 08 m , reducin agent : formalin 18 ml / l , ph : 12 . 55 ( 25 ° c . ), temperature : 55 ° c . plating tests as in examples 1 to 8 were conducted with plating solutions to be tested , wherein one plating solution had no additive as an accelerator ( example 9 ), and the other solutions had various additives added thereto ( examples 10 to 17 ). the kinds and amount of the additives added and the results of the tests are shown in table 3 . from table 3 , it is seen that an amine the nitrogen of which constitutes an aromatic cycle ( example 10 ), an amine in which hydrogen is bonded to the nitrogen ( example 11 ), amines having an unsaturated aliphatic group ( examples 12 and 13 ), an amine having a ketone group ( example 15 ) and diamines ( examples 16 and 17 ) do not provide an acceleration of the rate of deposition of copper . table 3__________________________________________________________________________ ( comparative ) __________________________________________________________________________example 9 10 11 12 13__________________________________________________________________________additive none ## str7 ## ## str8 ## triallylamine n ( ch . sub . 2chch . sub . 2 ). sub . 3 tripropagyl - amine n ( ch . sub . 2cch ). su b . 3amount -- 0 . 06 m 0 . 06 m 0 . 04 m 0 . 04 mofadditivedeposition 15 μm / hr 2 μm / hr 3 μm / hr 14 μm / hr 1 μm / hrrate__________________________________________________________________________ example 14 15 16 17__________________________________________________________________________ additive ## str9 ## ## str10 ## ## str11 ## ## str12 ## amount 0 . 04 m 0 . 04 m 0 . 01 m 0 . 01 m of additive deposition 1 μm / hr 1 μm / hr 4 μm / hr 8 μm / hr rate__________________________________________________________________________ copper salt : cucl . sub . 2 0 . 06 m , complexing agent : quadrol 0 . 08 m , reducin agent : formalin 18 ml / l , ph : 12 . 55 ( 25 ° c . ), temperature : 55 ° c . the same tests as in the former examples were conducted except that ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ( edta ) was substituted for n , n , n &# 39 ;, n &# 39 ;- tetrakis ( 2 - hydroxypropyl ) ethylenediamine ( quadrol ). the results are shown in table 4 . table 4______________________________________ example 18 19 20______________________________________complexing edta 0 . 08 m edta 0 . 08 m edta 0 . 08 magentaccelerator triethylamine diethyl - -- 0 . 1 m ethanolamine 0 . 04 mdeposition 13 μm / hr 12 μm / hr 5 μm / hrrate______________________________________ copper salt : cucl 2 0 . 06m , reducing agent : formalin 18 ml / l , ph : 12 . 55 at 25 ° c ., temperature : 55 ° c . from table 3 , it is seen that , when edta is used as a complexing agent , the copper deposition rate is reduced but the acceleration of the copper deposition rate by the addition of an amine according to the present invention is not changed , in comparison with the case where such an amine is not added . using triethylamine as the accelerator , the effect on the deposition rate of the amount of added accelerator was determined . the results are shown in table 5 and fig1 . table 5______________________________________ example 21 22 23 24 25______________________________________accelerator none triethylamineamount of -- 0 . 05 m 0 . 1 m 0 . 2 m 0 . 3 macceleratordeposition 15 μm / hr 30 μm / hr 32 33 33rate μm / hr μm / hr μm / hr______________________________________ as seen in table 5 and fig1 the copper deposition rate is little changed when an amount of triethylamine of over 0 . 1m is added . the reason is considered that even if the amount of added triethylamine is increased , the excess triethylamine is dispersed and is not solved and , therefore , the amount of the solved or effective triethylamine is not increased . it was made clear that no particular disadvantage arises when an excessive amount of triethylamine is added . in the same procedure as in example 23 , copper sulfate cuso 4 was used instead of copper chloride cucl 2 ( 0 . 06m of cuso 4 was added ). the rate of deposition of copper was 30 μm / hr , which shows that the acceleration effect is not altered by changing the kind of copper salts .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
now , a voip system having a dynamic gain control capability and a method for providing a dynamic gain using the system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings . fig3 is a view showing a voip system having a dynamic gain control capability in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig3 , a voip system having a dynamic gain control capability in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a key telephone / private exchange 330 , a voip gateway 340 , and a gatekeeper 350 . the key telephone / private exchange 330 is a telephone exchange system which enables a predetermined number of external telephone lines used in enterprise fields such as a public office , a company , a factory and a hotel to be shared with all members , and phone calls between internal users connected to extension lines to be connected automatically . a main object of the key telephone / private exchange 330 is to reduce an expenditure occurring in case that all members of a public office , a company , a factory and a hotel have their own general telephone lines . the key telephone / private exchange 330 is owned not by a telephone company but privately owned by a public office , a company , a factory and a hotel and is managed on their own responsibility . the key telephone / private exchange 330 employed an analog mode originally but the trend of it is recently changing to a digital mode . the key telephone / private exchange 330 has an analog telephone 310 and a digital telephone 320 which are connected to it , and it provides exchange connections between one extension telephone 310 and another extension telephone 320 or between the extension telephones 310 and 320 and external telephone lines ( telephone lines of telephone office via ). here , the analog telephone 310 is a telephone used in a general home and is connected to the key telephone / private exchange 330 through an analog interface . the digital telephone 320 is a special telephone which is manufactured in order to make full use of the key telephone / private exchange , and is connected to key telephone / private exchange 330 through a digital interface . the key telephone / private exchange 330 receives , from a manager , information on whether the connected telephone is the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 , makes a database by correlating the information with the extension numbers and stores the database in it . when a call setup request is made from the connected telephones 310 and 320 , the key telephone / private exchange 330 looks up the extension number and determines whether the telephone currently requesting the call setup is the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 . the information on the kind of telephone correlated with the extension number is transmitted to the gatekeeper 350 coupled tightly with the key telephone / private exchange 330 and is managed in it . the key telephone / private exchange 330 manages a gain table shown in table 1 , below , and this gain table is used to determine an amplification ratio when the pcm voice data are amplified on the voip gateway 340 in accordance with the kind of sender telephones 310 and 320 . when the key telephone / private exchange 330 senses a call setup request from an extension line , it determines whether the sender telephone is an analog telephone 310 or a digital telephone 320 by identifying the extension telephone number . and , the key telephone / private exchange 330 looks up an ip address translation table transmitted from the gatekeeper 350 so as to be a database and managed by it , and determines whether the receiver ( called ) telephone 360 is an ip telephone 360 or a voip gateway 400 . here , using the called telephone number , the key telephone / private exchange finds the ip address corresponding to it and determines whether the receiver is an ip telephone 360 or a voip gateway 400 . on the basis of the determination result , the key telephone / private exchange 330 looks up the gain table of table 1 , identifies the gain value and transmits the identified gain value to the voip gateway 340 . the key telephone / private exchange 330 transmits the gain table information of table 1 to the gatekeeper 350 so as to be stored in a database and managed by it . as described above , the key telephone / private exchange 330 is installed in a building or a predetermined place and employs an external telephone line ‘ endowed a telephone number ’ from the telephone station . and , the key telephone / private exchange 330 enables the extension lines endowed their own numbers to communicate freely using the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 and provides various functions including switchover , holding , broadcasting , conference , and so on so that users can perform their businesses with ease and efficiency . the key telephone / private exchange 330 also identifies gain values and informs the voip gateway 340 of the gain values . so , the voip gateway 340 can look up the gain values when it compresses pcm voice data . the key telephone / private exchange 330 can be connected to the voip gateway 340 using a digital line such as an e1 / t1 370 and an analog line such as a loop line . the key telephone / private exchange 330 can be connected to another voip gateway 400 outside through a pstn ( public switch telephone network ) 401 using an e1 / t1 390 or a loop line as an external telephone line trunk . the voip gateway 340 is adapted to connect the pstn to the voip network . generally , in order to embody a voip voice communication , it is needed to employ protocols for controlling is call , for example , a protocol ss7 ( signaling system 7 ) for controlling call of the pstn , an h . 323 protocol for internet , an sip ( session initiation protocol ) and so on . the voip gateway 340 is needed to control an inter - transformation between a call control protocol used for an internet and a pstn when both networks are interworked and the media . generally , the voip gateway 340 can be classified according to its service . for example , the voip gateway 340 includes a built - in type gateway which is mounted on a key telephone system ( kts ) or a private branch exchange ( pbx ) 330 as a card form , a server type gateway which is mounted on a platform such as a window network terminal ( nt ), a stand - alone type gateway which is independently constructed from other terminals , and so on . the stand - alone type gateway can be classified into a tandem ( trunk and enm ( ear & amp ; mouth )) function and a stand - alone function . the tandem function stand - alone gateway is a stand - alone gateway for supporting an interworking between heterogeneous lines . the tandem function stand - alone gateway is connected to a private exchange and / or a key telephone system 330 through an internal t1 / e1 interface , a loop start trunk interface and an slc ( subscriber line circuit ) interface . the stand - alone type gateway of stand - alone function is connected to a plurality of telephone terminals directly . accordingly , in connection with the present invention , the voip gateway 340 may be the built - in type gateway and the server type gateway which is mounted on a platform such as a window nt ( window network terminal ), and a tandem type gateway among the stand - alone type gateways which are independently constructed from other terminals . the voip gateway 340 is connected to gatekeeper 350 through an internet ( ip ) network 380 . main functions of the voip gateway 340 are to compress the pcm voice data received from the key telephone / private exchange 330 , transform the data into voip packets and transmit them to over the internet network 380 , or transform the voip packet received from the internet network 380 into pcm data and transfer the data to the key telephone / private exchange 330 . here , the voip gateway 340 stores a gain value transmitted from the key telephone / private exchange 330 . and then , in case that a call setup is completed and there exists a voice data exchange , when transforming pcm voice data into a voip packet , the voip gateway 340 amplifies and transforms the pcm voice data according to the stored gain value . and , in case of transforming the voip packet into the pcm voice data and outputting them , the key telephone / private exchange 330 amplifies the transformed pcm voice data and outputs them . of course , in case that a sender is not the key telephone / private exchange 330 but an ip telephone 360 or an external voip gateway 400 , the voip gateway 340 stores a gain value transmitted from the gatekeeper 350 , and then in case that the call setup is completed and there exists the voice data exchange , when transforming the pcm voice data into the voip packet , amplifies and outputs the pcm data according to the stored gain value . and , in case of transforming the voip packet into the pcm voice data and outputting the data , the voip gateway 340 amplifies the transformed pcm voice data and outputs them . the gatekeeper 350 is one of h . 323 entity which is defined in the h . 323 protocol being a multimedia communication standard of itu - t , which is an apparatus for controlling , managing and integrating h . 323 end points ( gateway , terminal , mcu , and so on ) existing in a packet - based network after making them one control area defined as a zone . main functions of the gatekeeper 350 include an address translation function for translating the alias name or a destination name into a network ( ip ) address name , a bandwidth control function of a call authentication ( ras ) function for properly distributing a protocol related with the gatekeeper 350 and a bandwidth being a limited resource of a network to each end point in the h . 323 of registration / admission / status ( ras ) and checking if they reaches to a limit values and then performing a blocking , a call control function for connecting / releasing call between one end point and another end point , and additional maintenance functions such as billing , statistics , and so on . such a gatekeeper 350 is connected to the ip telephone 360 through the voip gateways 340 and 400 through the ip network 380 . the gatekeeper 350 manages the ip address translation table used for mapping the internet telephone number and the ip address in order to perform the address translation function , which transmits ip address translation table information to the key telephone / private exchange 330 so that the key telephone / private exchange 330 can make the ip address translation table its database to be stored and managed . when the gatekeeper 350 receives a call setup request for sharing the voip gateway 340 from the ip telephone 360 or the external voip gateway 400 , it analyses a sender ip address and determines whether the sender is the ip telephone 360 or the external voip gateway 400 . the gatekeeper 350 identifies information on the type of telephone related the extension number which is transmitted from the key telephone / private exchange 330 ( here , called extension telephone number is used ) and determines whether the called extension telephone is the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 . then , the gatekeeper 350 obtains the gain value by looking up the gain table ( table 1 ) transmitted from the key telephone / private exchange 330 , and transmits the obtained gain value to the voip gateway 340 . here , the ip telephone 360 is also called an internet telephone which enables users to perform a voice communication in the voip net . now , an operation of the voip system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention having the construction described above will be explained . when a user makes a phone call using the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 and a call passing the voip gateway 340 is generated , the key telephone / private exchange 330 identifies the extension number of the telephone making a phone call and determines if the sender telephone is the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 . then , the key telephone / private exchange 330 searches for a called telephone number by looking up the ip address translation table transmitted from the gatekeeper 350 and determines if the receiver is the ip telephone 360 or the external voip gateway 400 . after then , the key telephone / private exchange 330 identifies a gain value by looking up the gain table ( table 1 ) and transmits the gain value together with a call setup signal . of course , the key telephone / private exchange 330 may transmit the call setup signal to the voip gateway 340 first , and then transmit the gain value using a special message . as an example , when a user makes a phone call to the ip telephone 360 using the analog telephone 310 , the key telephone / private exchange 330 transmits a gain value of 9 db to the voip gateway 340 . as an example , also , when a user makes a phone call to the external voip gateway 400 using the digital telephone 320 , the key telephone / private exchange 330 transmits a gain value of 13 db to the voip gateway 340 . the voip gateway 340 which has received a call setup signal including a gain value from the key telephone / private exchange 330 extracts the gain value included in the call setup signal transmitted and stores it in a memory , and transmits the call setup message to the ip telephone 360 or the external voip gateway 400 . of course , in case of receiving the gain value from the key telephone / private exchange 330 through a special message , it is possible to extract the gain value from the message transmitted and store it in a memory . when the voip gateway 340 tries to compress and transmit the pcm voice data using a codec in case that a call setup is normally made to the ip telephone 360 or the external voip gateway 400 , it amplifies the pcm voice data according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value before compressing them and then compresses and transmits the amplified pcm data using the codec . also , the voip gateway 340 transforms the voip packet transmitted from the called ip telephone 360 or external voip gateway 400 into the pcm voice data and then , according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value , amplifies and transmits the pcm voice data to the key telephone / private exchange 330 . in case that an external call is received , for example , when the voip gateway 340 receives a call setup signal transmitted from the ip telephone 360 or the voip gateway 400 , the call setup signal passes through the gatekeeper 350 . here , the gatekeeper 350 identifies the gain value and transmits it to the voip gateway 340 . at first , when the gatekeeper 350 receives a signal for requesting a call setup with the telephones 310 and 320 connected to the key telephone / private exchange 330 from the ip telephone 360 or the external voip gateway 400 , it identifies a sender ip address and determines whether the sender is the ip telephone 360 or the voip gateway 400 . the gatekeeper 350 identifies an ip address included in the call setup signal and determines whether the sender requesting the call setup is the ip telephone 360 or the voip gateway 400 . the gatekeeper 350 identifies the called telephone number and determines whether the receiver is the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 using information on the type of telephone related with the extension telephone number received from the key telephone / private exchange 330 . the gatekeeper 350 obtains a gain value by looking up the gain table ( table 1 ) transmitted from the key telephone / private exchange 330 , and transmits the obtained gain value to the voip gateway 340 . then , in case that a call setup is normally made to the analog telephone 310 or the digital telephone 320 , the voip gateway 340 transforms the voip packet into pcm voice data and then , according to the gain value , amplifies and outputs the transformed pcm voice data . also , when the voip gateway 340 tries to compress and transmit the pcm voice data using the codec , it amplifies the pcm voice data according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value before compressing the pcm voice data , and then compresses and transmits the amplified pcm data using the codec . on the other hand , though the gain value of this embodiment is determined in consideration of the sender and the receiver both , it may be possible to determine the gain value by merely referring to the type of telephones 310 and 320 connected to the key telephone / private exchange 330 . fig4 is a view showing an inner block diagram of a voip gateway . referring to fig4 , the voip gateway includes a subscriber line connector 402 , a switch 403 for connecting between subscribers who are connected through lines , a media processor 405 for compressing and decompressing common voice , a pstn connector 407 for connecting to the pstn and receiving an e1 / t1 digital line of a key telephone / private exchange 408 , an ip network connector 406 for connecting to the ip network 409 , and a main controller 404 . in the voip gateway described above , when the pstn connector 407 interfaced with the key telephone / private exchange 408 requires the main controller 404 to make a call setup with the ip network 409 , the main controller 404 checks the state of the ip network 409 and then performs the call setup to the ip network 409 through the ip network connector 406 . the media processor 405 compresses the pcm voice data inputted from the key telephone / private exchange 408 through the pstn connector 407 , and then transmits the data to the ip network connector 406 . and , the media processor 405 also decompresses packet data inputted from the ip connector 406 and relays the call to the key telephone / private exchange 408 through the pstn connector 407 . here , the main controller 404 extracts and stores a gain value included in a call setup message received from the key telephone / private exchange 408 ( a special message may be used ) and then provides the media processor 405 with the stored gain value when the call setup is completed . then , the media processor 405 amplifies the pcm voice data inputted according to the gain value , and compresses and transmits the amplified pcm voice data as voip packets . also , the media processor 405 transforms the voip packet into the pcm voice data according to the gain value , and then amplifies and outputs the transformed pcm voice data . on the other hand , when the main controller 404 received an external call setup signal through the ip network connector 406 ( of course , the main controller may receives the gain value from the gatekeeper using a special message ), it extracts the gain value included in the call setup signal and stores the value , and provides the media processor 405 with the gain value stored after the call setup is completed . then , the media processor 405 transforms the voip packet into the pcm voice data according to the gain value , and then amplifies and outputs the transformed pcm voice data . also , the media processor 405 amplifies the pcm voice data inputted according to the gain value , and then compresses and transmits the amplified pcm voice data as voip packets . fig5 is a view showing a detailed block construction of the ip network connector and the media processor shown in fig4 and connected to pstn connector 407 and key telephone / private exchange 408 . referring to fig5 , the ip network connector 406 includes a central processing unit ( cpu ) 511 , a memory 512 and a compact peripheral component interconnect ( cpci ) bridge 513 . and , the media processor 405 includes a digital signal processor ( dsp ) 521 , a central processing unit ( cpu ) 522 , a memory 523 , and a cpci bridge 524 . the cpci bridges 513 and 524 are constituents used to match cpu busses . here , since a normal media processor 405 has a lower degree of integration of a channel than the ip network connector 406 , it is common that one ip network connector 406 is matched with a number of media processors 405 . at that time , there occurs a task that a number of hardware pba ( printed board assembly ) should be matched with a common bus for voice traffic in a backplane in order that the ip network connector 406 transmits and receives the voice traffic to and from the media processor 405 . it is common to use a cpci bus in the aspect of a bus band and operating with a current level of technology , and it is necessary to use the cpus 511 and 522 for operating the bus in case of using the cpci bus . here , the cpus 511 and 522 should be used for transferring voice traffic and also for operating the bus . the cpu 511 of the ip network connector 406 is used to process the ip protocol and to operate the cpci bus , and the cpci bridges 513 is used to match the cpu bus with cpci bus . the dsp 521 of the media processor 405 is an essential constituent for embodying vocoding function , and the cpu 522 of the media processor 405 is an essential constituent for controlling the cpci bridge 524 . the memories 512 and 523 are essential constituents which act as buffers for transmitting and receiving data processed in the cpus 511 and 522 and the dsp 521 . the cpci bus is made up of a master and a number of targets wherein an ip network connector 406 acts as the master and a number of media processors act as the targets , in the conventional art . in connection with the present invention , the cpu 522 of the media processor 405 receives a gain value from the main controller 404 of the voip gateway and stores it in the memory 523 , and in case of compressing the pcm data inputted from a pstn connector 407 into the voip packet , controls the dsp 521 so that the dsp 521 amplifies the pcm data according to the gain value and then compresses the amplified data . when the cpu 522 of the media processor 405 transforms the voip packet inputted from the ip network connector 406 ( fig4 ) into the pcm data , it controls the dsp 521 so that the dsp 521 amplifies the pcm data according to the gain value stored and outputs the data . fig6 is a view showing an operation flow chart of a method for providing a dynamic gain in a sender using a voip system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig6 , when a telephone user makes a phone call which passes through a voip gateway using an analog telephone or a digital telephone , the analog telephone or the digital telephone transmit a call setup message including a called telephone number to a key telephone / private exchange ( s 110 ). then , the key telephone / private exchange identifies an extension number of a sender and determines whether the type of telephone of the sender is an analog telephone or a digital telephone . then , the key telephone / private exchange looks up an ip address translation table transmitted from a gatekeeper and determines whether the receiver is an ip telephone or an external voip gateway . then , according to the determination , the key telephone / private exchange obtains a gain value by looking up a gain table and then transmits the gain value together with the call setup message to the voip gateway ( s 112 ). the obtained gain value corresponds to either the extension telephone making the call , the terminal ( end - point ) receiving the call ( i . e ., the ip telephone or the external voip gateway ) or both the extension telephone making the call and the terminal ( end - point ) receiving the call . then , the voip gateway extracts the gain value from the call setup message , stores the value ( s 113 ), and transmits the call setup message to the gatekeeper ( s 114 ). the call setup message is then transmitted to the called ip telephone or external voip gateway ( s 116 ). then , when the gatekeeper and the voip gateway receive a call response message from the ip telephone or the external voip gateway ( s 118 and s 120 ), the received call response message is transmitted to the key telephone / private exchange and the telephone ( s 122 and s 124 ). when the voip gateway tries to compress and transmit the pcm voice data using the codec after the call setup has been completed and the call setup has been normally made to the ip telephone or the external voip gateway , the voip gateway amplifies the pcm voice data according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value and then compresses and transmits the amplified pcm data using the codec . also , the voip gateway transforms the voip packet received from the ip telephone or the external voip gateway into the pcm voice data , amplifies the pcm voice data according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value and transmits the amplified pcm voice data to the key telephone / private exchange . fig7 is a view showing an operation flow chart of a method for providing a dynamic gain in a receiver using a voip system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig7 , when a gatekeeper receives a call setup message form an ip telephone or an external voip gateway ( s 210 ), it identifies an ip address of a sender and determines whether the sender is an ip telephone or an external voip gateway by looking up an ip address translation table . then , the gatekeeper determines whether a receiver is an analog telephone or a digital telephone using information on the kind of telephone for an extension telephone number transmitted from the key telephone / private exchange . and then , the gatekeeper obtains a gain value by looking up the gain table and transmits the gain value obtained together with the call setup message to the voip gateway ( s 212 ). then , the voip gateway extracts the gain value from the call setup message , stores the gain value ( s 213 ) and transmits the call setup message to the key telephone / private exchange ( s 214 ). the call setup message is then transmitted to the analog telephone or the digital telephone ( s 216 ). then , when the voip gateway receives a call response message from the analog telephone or the digital telephone ( s 218 and s 220 ), the received call response message is transmitted to the ip telephone or the external voip gateway so that the call setup is made ( s 222 and s 224 ). then , as the call setup is completed , the voip gateway transforms the voip packet transmitted from the ip telephone or the external voip gateway into the pcm voice data , amplifies the pcm voice data according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value , and then transmits the data to the key telephone / private exchange . also , when the voip gateway tries to compress the pcm voice data using the codec and transmit the pcm voice data to the ip telephone or the external voip gateway , it amplifies the pcm voice data according to the amplification ratio determined in response to the stored gain value , compresses the amplified pcm data using the codec , and then transmits them as voip packets . even though the present invention explains the case that the key telephone / private exchange , the voip gateway and the gatekeeper are close coupled and share information in the database , the same method will be applied to the case that the constituents are not coupled closely . although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes , those skilled in the art appreciate that various modifications , additions and substitutions are possible , without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims . in accordance with the present invention , when connecting a call to communication equipment ( an ip phone or a voip gateway ) connected to an external ip network through another voip gateway in a key telephone / private exchange , a speech quality can be enhanced by enabling the call to have proper gain values according to the type of terminals to be connected to the call .
| 7Electricity
|
fig1 is a cross - sectional view of a reversible electrodeposition optical modulation device employing a segmented counter electrode according to the present invention . in this example , optical modulation electrode 106 is uniformly disposed on substrate 102 , and counter electrode 110 is comprised of segments a through f disposed on insulating substrate 104 and separated by a gap of width 105 . the segments a through f of counter electrode 110 may be recessed relative to the surface of substrate 104 , as depicted in fig1 or may be disposed upon the surface of substrate 104 . electrolyte 112 containing electrodepositable metal ions 116 is disposed between and in contact with optical modulation electrode 106 and counter electrode 110 , as well as portions of substrate 104 . each counter electrode segment 110 - a through 110 - f is electrically connected to electrical switch 119 such that voltage from electrical power source 118 can be applied between optical modulation electrode 106 and one or more segments a through f of counter electrode 110 . the device may be initially charged with electrodepositable metal by depositing the metal on electrode 110 or on electrode 106 , or by depositing partial metal layers on each of the two electrodes . optical modulation electrode 106 is preferably comprised of a transparent conductor film and may include an optional surface modification layer ( not shown ) to provide a mirror electrodeposit . the transparent conducting film is typically indium tin oxide ( ito ) or fluorine - doped tin oxide ( fto ) but may also be comprised of another material , for example , aluminum - doped zinc oxide , antimony - doped tin oxide , indium oxide , fluorine - doped indium oxide , aluminum - doped tin oxide , phosphorus - doped tin oxide , or indium zinc oxide . the surface modification layer , if employed , is typically a noble metal selected from the group consisting of platinum , iridium , gold , osmium , palladium , rhenium , rhodium and ruthenium . an underlayer of another metal ( e . g ., aluminum , chromium , hafnium , molybdenum , nickel , titanium , tungsten or zirconium ) may be used to improve the adhesion of the surface modification layer . substrate 102 is typically comprised of a transparent glass or plastic material . electrolyte 112 may be any suitable aqueous , nonaqueous , solid or ionic liquid electrolyte containing ions 116 of an electrodepositable metal , preferably selected from the group consisting of silver , bismuth , copper , tin , cadmium , mercury , indium , lead , antimony , thallium , zinc , and alloys thereof . as further depicted in fig1 a positive voltage applied to counter electrode segment 110 - b tends to dissolve electrodeposited metal from layer 114 - b on segment 110 - b into electrolyte 112 and to electrodeposit a metal layer 107 predominantly in the area of optical modulation electrode 106 directly opposite counter electrode segment 110 - b . deposition of electrodepositable metal in areas of optical modulation electrode 106 substantially distant from counter electrode segment 110 - b is suppressed because the voltage is reduced by the greater electrical resistance associated with the longer electrolyte electrical paths . however , the geometric area of the metal layer deposited on the optical modulation electrode is generally larger than the counter electrode segment producing the deposit , as depicted for deposited metal layer 107 and counter electrode segment 110 - b in fig1 . under some conditions , metal deposited by application of a positive voltage to adjacent counter electrode segments forms a continuous and substantially uniform metal layer on the optical modulation electrode , as indicated for segments 110 - d and 110 - e and metal deposit 108 in fig1 . applying a negative voltage to a given counter electrode segment tends to cause metal deposited on the optical modulation electrode in the localized area opposite to that counter electrode segment to dissolve into the electrolyte . the propagation of light for a particular localized area of optical modulation electrode 106 is determined by the thickness of the electrodeposited metal layer in that area , which can be adjusted by applying a voltage of the appropriate polarity between the optical modulation electrode and the corresponding segment of the counter electrode . the present invention may also be used for devices utilizing a counter electrode reaction other than reversible metal electrodeposition . localization of metal deposition and dissolution within areas on the optical modulation electrode opposing the counter electrode segments , which is typically desirable for a display device , can be enhanced by utilizing a small spacing between the electrodes and / or an electrolyte having a relatively high resistivity . on the other hand , the discontinuity between deposits on the optical modulation electrode for an adjustable mirror or smart window device can be minimized by utilizing a small gap width 105 between counter electrode segments in conjunction with a relatively large electrode spacing and / or an electrolyte with relatively low resistivity . with modern lithographic methods , segmented electrodes can readily be fabricated with gap widths of less than 10 microns , for which discontinuities between deposits of equivalent thickness on the optical modulation electrode would generally be negligible . fig2 depicts a segmented counter electrode 110 of a type suitable for use with the device of the present invention . electrode 110 is comprised of electrode segments 110 - a through 110 - r disposed on substrate 104 , which is comprised of an electrically insulating material . the width 105 of the gap between electrode segments typically has a substantially constant value , as depicted in fig1 but may also be varied , for example , to provide a particular pattern of deposited metal on the optical modulation electrode . likewise , the counter electrode segments may be of any shape suitable for providing a desired pattern of deposited metal on the optical modulation electrode . substrate 104 is preferably stable in the electrolyte used in the device but may also be a relatively unstable material coated with a more stable material . a wide variety of materials can be used for substrate 104 , including plastic , resin , glass , ceramic and composite materials , which might also include metals . electrode 110 may in principle be comprised of almost any electrically conducting material since it is typically covered by a layer of electrodepositable metal under normal device operating conditions and is not exposed to the electrolyte . electrode 110 may also be composed entirely of electrodepositable metal in a layer of sufficient thickness that it is not consumed during device operation . however , electrode 110 is preferably stable in contact with the electrolyte over the voltage range used for device switching so as to preclude the possibility of counter electrode dissolution or loss , as well as associated contamination of the electrolyte . with such a stable counter electrode material , the amount of electrodepositable metal can be minimized and the electrodepositable metal can be fully dissolved from electrode 110 to initialize the state of the electrodes in the device . such initialization may be advantageous , for example , to periodically re - establish a uniform distribution of metal along the electrode surfaces . high stability for electrode 110 may be provided by use of noble metals , which include platinum , iridium , gold , osmium , palladium , rhenium , rhodium and ruthenium . in this case , a thin noble metal layer on a less expensive electrode material is preferred to minimize noble metal costs and to facilitate fabrication of the segmented counter electrode . the noble metal is preferably applied to substrate 104 or to a less expensive electrode material by a vacuum deposition method ( sputtering or evaporation , for example ) but could be applied by another method ( electroplating or electroless plating , for example ) or a combination of methods . almost any electrical conductor protected with a sufficiently thick noble metal coating could be employed to fabricate the segmented counter electrode of the present invention . a preferred counter electrode is comprised of a thin layer ( 15 å - 30 å ) of sputtered platinum on an indium tin oxide ( ito ) or fluorine doped tin oxide ( fto ) layer on a glass or plastic substrate . other conducting oxides may also be used , including aluminum - doped zinc oxide , antimony - doped tin oxide , indium oxide , fluorine - doped indium oxide , aluminum - doped tin oxide , phosphorus - doped tin oxide , or indium zinc oxide . less noble metals ( chromium , nickel , titanium , hafnium , molybdenum , zirconium and stainless steel ., for example ) might be sufficiently stable for use as counter electrode materials in some electrolyte system . a noble metal overlayer may also be used to improve the stability of such metals . segmented electrodes according to the present invention are readily fabricated by standard lithographic methods . for example , the gap areas between electrode segments may be masked by a stencil or photoresist , which is removed or lifted off to expose areas of insulating substrate 104 after the electrode layers are deposited . alternatively , segments of a continuous electrode layer or layers may be protected by photoresist or a stencil while material in the gap areas between electrode segments is removed by chemical etching , ion milling , mechanical milling , mechanical abrasion , or other means . for some counter electrode structures and fabrication procedures , it may be necessary to apply a protective layer of inert material to prevent reaction of less stable material exposed at the electrode segment edges . segmented electrodes according to the present invention may also be fabricated from solid electrode segments adhesively attached to an insulating substrate or molded / embedded into the surface of a plastic or resin substrate . in this case , stable materials that are difficult to vapor deposit , stainless steel , for example , can be used for electrode 110 and exposure of reactive edges is avoided . electrical contact to individual counter electrode segments located at the edge of the device is readily established by having the electrode material extend through seal 103 to the outside of the cell , as depicted in fig2 . electrical contact to isolated electrode segments contained within the cell area ( segments 110 - h through 110 - k in fig2 ) may be made via wires or circuit traces that pass through substrate 104 ( as indicated in fig1 ) or are insulated from the electrolyte and routed along the gaps between electrode segments and through seal 103 to the outside of the cell . various other arrangements for establishing electrical contact to individual segments of counter electrode 110 will be apparent to those skilled in the art . a reversible electrochemical mirror ( rem ) device having a segmented counter electrode according to the present invention was fabricated and successfully tested . both electrodes for this test device were comprised of a 15 å sputtered platinum surface modification layer on 10 ohm - square indium tin oxide ( ito ) transparent conductor on a clear glass pane substrate ( 1 mm thick ). fig3 depicts the configuration of the segmented counter electrode 310 , which consisted of ten rectangular segments 310 - a through 310 - j having an active area ( inside seal 303 ) of approximately 1 . 8 × 4 . 0 cm each . gap width 305 between counter electrode 110 segments was less about 1 mm . the segmented electrode was fabricated by protecting the areas corresponding to the electrode segments on a pt / ito / glass pane ( 10 . 6 × 10 . 6 cm ) with plater &# 39 ; s tape and etching away the exposed pt / ito layers in an acid solution ( consisting of 1 part concentrated hydrochloric acid , 0 . 01 part concentrated nitric acid and 1 part water by volume ) leaving only the glass substrate 304 in the gap between electrode segments . the plater &# 39 ; s tape on the electrode segments was then removed and strips of plater &# 39 ; s tape were placed in the segment gap areas to ensure that electrical isolation was maintained . the segments on the electrode were bussed together and electroplated at 5 ma / cm 2 with about 1 μm of silver from a commercial cyanide bath ( technisilver 2e , technic co .) with mild agitation . after removal of the plater &# 39 ; s tape , the electrode was annealed at 200 ° c . for 30 minutes in an inert atmosphere ( to improve adhesion of the silver to the pt / ito substrate ). a rem cell with an electrode spacing of approximately 1 mm and an active area of 8 . 1 × 9 . 1 cm was fabricated by applying 1 - mm thick acrylic adhesive tape ( vhb # 4910 , 3m company ) to form seal 303 between segmented counter electrode 310 and the pt / ito / glass optical modulation electrode ( 9 . 7 × 10 . 6 cm ). electrolyte preparation and final device assembly were performed inside a nitrogen atmosphere glove box to avoid contamination with oxygen , which reacts electrochemically and can cause mirror self - erasure via chemical dissolution of the mirror metal . the electrolyte was injected through the acrylic tape seal using a pair of hypodermic needles ( inlet and outlet ) and a syringe . electrical contact to the individual counter electrode segments and the optical modulation electrode were made by attaching copper wires with silver epoxy to the areas of the pt / ito layers that extended outside the cell . non - conducting epoxy was used to provide a second seal and to help hold the electrical contacts in place . the electrolyte contained 1 . 5 m agi + 2 . 0 m libr + 63 mg / ml highly dispersed silica ( m - 5 cab - o - sil , cabot co . )+ 1 . 5 mg / ml carbon black ( vulcan , cabot co .) in high - purity gbl solvent (& lt ; 20 ppm water ). when a positive voltage of 0 . 5 v was applied between a selected counter electrode segment and the optical modulation electrode , silver was electrodeposited ( as a mirror ) only in the area of the optical modulation electrode opposite to the selected counter electrode segment . this electrodeposit was dissolved when the polarity of the applied voltage was reversed . when all of the counter electrode segments were connected together and a positive voltage of 0 . 5 v was applied between the counter electrode and the optical modulation electrode , silver was electrodeposited ( as a mirror ) in a substantially uniform layer over the entire surface of the optical modulation electrode , the mirror on the optical modulation electrode appearing to be only slightly less reflective in the vicinity of the gaps between the counter electrode segments . such discontinuities in the mirror deposit could undoubtedly be practically eliminated by use of a smaller gap between the counter electrode segments . when the entire optical modulation electrode was covered with electrodeposited silver and a negative voltage of 0 . 5 v was applied between a selected counter electrode segment and the optical modulation electrode , silver was dissolved only in the area of the optical modulation electrode opposite to the selected counter electrode segment . the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above . modifications and additional embodiments , however , will undoubtedly be apparent to those skilled in the art . furthermore , equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein , parts or connections might be reversed or otherwise interchanged , and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of other features . consequently , the exemplary embodiments should be considered illustrative , rather than inclusive , while the appended claims are more indicative of the full scope of the invention .
| 6Physics
|
this invention relates to integrated circuit device carriers , commonly known as packages , on which devices can be bonded for electrical contact and mechanical support , in which permanent electrical connections of the circuits of the chip are made and which provide electrical connections to other circuits of a system such as computers and other electrical products . more particularly , this invention relates to the technique of and structure for making engineering changes in the device carrier to alter the original internal circuit design of the carrier or to correct wiring defects . in modern packaging technology , it is known to mount many integrated circuit devices on a substrate containing a printed circuit network that interconnects the devices with each other and to i / o &# 39 ; s on the end or opposite side of the substrate . a typical module embodying such a substrate is disclosed and claimed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 245 , 273 , and is also described in ibm journal vol . 27 , no . 1 , january 1983 pgs . 11 - 19 . such substrates , normally made of ceramic material , are very complex containing 30 or more layers of green ceramic sheets with thousands of vias and printed lines that form the internal circuit network . after the substrate has been laminated and sintered , there is no practical method of changing the buried internal network . however , it becomes necessary quite frequently to modify the internal circuitry to ( 1 ) correct defective lines and / or vias , and ( 2 ) make changes to the basic circuitry to accommodate design changes to upgrade the package or modify it by the use of different devices or the like . this contingency was provided for in the substrate described in the references previously cited by the use of engineering change ( ec ) pads interposed between the device terminals and the circuitry in the device . more specifically , fan - out metallurgy is provided in the top surface layers of the substrate that is joined to the solder pads of each device and also connected to surface ec pads that surround each device . the ec pads each have a deletable central portion with one end of the pad connected to a device pad and the other to buried circuitry in the substrate that interconnects the device with other devices and / or i / o pads on the opposite side of the substrate . to replace a defective buried metallurgy line in the substrate , or modify the circuitry by the addition of different lines , the proper ec pad is severed thus electrically disconnecting the device terminal from the circuitry in the substrate . one end of the wire is then joined to the portion of the pad joined to the device . the other end of the pad was joined to another ec pad that had been similarly severed . thus , an electrical connection is made between any terminal of any device on the substrate , and the former electrical lines buried in the substrate disconnected . the same technique can be used to substitute defective electrical lines in the substrate , and also to change the internal electrical network of the substrate . while the ec structure works well , there are some notable disadvantages . the ec pads must be relatively large , compared to device pads in order to accommodate wire bonding , and therefore occupy a great deal of space on the top surface of the substrate . as the integrated circuit devices become more miniaturized with more circuits , and the number of required device pads also increases , the additional device pads require additional ec pads . with the size of the ec pads constrained to accommodate wire bonding , the total area required increases dramatically . the ec pads on the substrate surface have a different metallurgy than the pads that are joined to the devices . this requires that a different set of process steps be applied to the same surface which makes the substrate more costly than if a single metallurgy could be used throughout the entire surface area . it also detracts from the yield of the substrate fabrication . as the number of ec pads increase , the number of lines required for making changes also increases . at some point the volume of wires becomes prohibitive . in addition , the wires , particularly longer wires , present problems with inductive coupling . this factor in a computer application is very serious . still further , the ec wires reduce the speed of operation . reduced by the technique and structure described and claimed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 489 , 364 . in this structure buried ec lines in the x and y directions are provided in the substrate . the buried lines periodically surface on the substrate with the line segments joined by a deletable engineering change pad . with these buried lines electrical lines can be formed from any location on the substrate . the ec connections thus consist of very short wires on the substrate . however this technique fails to alleviate the large area requirement for ec pads discussed previously . an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method and structure for modifying an inacessible circuit network in a module substrate that supports and interconnects a plurality of integrated circuit devices . another object of this invention is to provide a new method and structure for making circuit changes in a module substrate for a plurality of devices wherein the area dedicated to engineering change pads is reduced . yet another object of this invention is to provide an engineering change method and structure wherein the surface metallurgy pad structure on the module substrate is similar . another object of this invention is to provide an engineering change method and structure wherein the conventional bonded wires are replaced with &# 34 ; tailored &# 34 ; semiconductor devices . in accordance with the aforementioned objectives of the invention , there is provided a module for an array of integrated circuit devices where the module includes a substrate of insulating material having an upper surface and sets of pads thereon for the connection of integrated circuit devices , metallization beneath the surface of the substrate , device solder pads on the surface for connection to the pads of the devices , engineering change solder pads adjacent to the devices connected to the circuitry , fan - out metallization lines joining the device pads to the respective engineering change surface pads , engineering change pad lines including a plurality of periodically spaced surface breaks , connection vias extending to the surface from the ends of the breaks , engineering change line solder pads over the connection vias , a deletable line joining each pair of engineering change line solder pads , engineering change devices having connection pads arranged to match selected engineering change pads and engineering change line pads on the substrate , a tailorable metallurgy system on the ec device adapted to selectively join the connection pads thereon , the engineering change device when bonded to the substrate adapted to selectively join the engineering change pad to associated adjacent engineering change line pads to thereby modify the internal circuitry of the substrate . a method of modifying the electrical connections of a plurality of integrated circuit devices mounted on the substrate of a module that are electrically interconnected by an internal metallurgy system within the substrate wherein the steps include , providing on the substrate engineering change solder pads that are electrically connected to terminals of mounted integrated circuit semiconductor devices ; providing engineering change lines in the substrate , providing spaced breaks in said lines and connection pads , and a deletable line between pads providing engineering change devices with solder pads and a tailorable metallurgy system for selectively electrically connecting the solder pad engineering change device to the engineering change pads and engineering change lines on the substrate by solder reflow techniques , tailoring the engineering change device and joining it to the substrate . in the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure fig1 is a top plan view in broken section of a portion of a module substrate illustrating the placement of integrated circuit devices , ec devices , and ec lines . fig2 is a schematic view in perspective that illustrates buried ec lines in the substrate and their relationship to deletable ec pads and integrated circuit devices . fig3 and 4 are detailed views of structures for interconnecting x and y lines on ec devices . fig5 is a scehmatic view of a portion of x - y lines on an ec device illustrating their relationship to the ec pads and deletable links for tailoring the ec device . fig6 is a schematic view of buried ec lines in the substrate between devices , which illustrates an ec line connection between two spaced devices . fig7 is a plan view , in enlarged scale , of a surface metallurgy pattern on the substrate , similar to the pattern in fig1 . referring now to the drawings , and fig1 in particular , there is illustrated a top view of a module substrate 10 including integrated circuit devices 12 , error correction devices 14 which can be tailored to make desired wiring changes and bonded to the substrate , and a typical fan - out pattern 15 terminating in ec pads 16 . similar fan - out patterns ( not shown ) underlie all devices 14 . the substrate 10 is typically a multilayer ceramic ( mlc ) substrate of the type described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 245 , 273 . substrate 10 is formed of a plurality of laminated green ceramic sheets that have been punched to form via holes and a conductive metal line pattern formed thereon . the conductive lines collectively form an internal metallurgy system that interconnects the devices 12 with each other and to a suitable i / o terminals on the opposite side , not shown . the laminated sheet assembly is subsequently sintered forming a unitary body . the substrate is provided with a fan - out pattern 15 in positions underlying devices 14 , which can be either formed as a separate surface metallurgy layer with an overlying dielectric layer , as illustrated in fig1 or in the top surface layers of the substrate ( not illustrated ). the fan - out layer , as more clearly indicated in larger scale in fig6 consists basically of conductive lines 13 that connect the i / o pads on the surface of substrate 10 joined to the terminals of the device 12 with ec pads 16 on the top surface of the substrate , located in the area between the devices 12 . the end of each line 13 terminates in an ec pad 16 and a short deletable line portion 17 wherein the fan - out line can be disconnected from the internal metallurgy of substrate 10 . both the device i / o pads and the ec pads are preferably solder wettable pads which are joined to the terminals of the integrated circuit devices 12 and terminals of ec devices 14 by solder connections , and described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 429 , 040 . also included in substrate 10 is a plurality of buried engineering change ( ec ) lines 18 in the x direction and a plurality of buried ec lines 20 in the y direction , as illustrated schematically in fig2 . as indicated , both x lines 18 and y lines 20 surface periodically on the surface of the substrate 10 as solder pads 26 and 22 . deletable links 23 and 24 join the adjacent pads 22 and 26 thus forming continuous metal stripes . pads 22 and 26 are solder wettable . links 23 and 24 can be either covered with a thin dielectric layer or have a top surface layer that is not solder wettable . this will constrain the solder to the pads 22 and 26 when the solder mass used to make the solder connection is heated to a molten state . the buried ec lines are described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 489 , 364 . the fan - out pattern 15 , as illustrated in fig1 is repeated on each side of devices 12 . in general , it is symmetrical about a center line with one - half of the fan - out pattern associated with one device , and the other side associated with the adjacent device 12 . preferably the pads 22 and 26 joined to the buried ec lines are located in the center area as shown . the fan - out pattern that provides electrical connections between the electrical pads beneath devices 12 and ec pads 16 outside of the area covered by devices 12 , is preferably a single layer of metallurgy which can be deposited using conventional deposition and etching techniques . the pads are formed with a solder - wettable top metal layer , i . e . copper . the link portion can be formed with at least the top layer of the metal that is not solder wettable . alternately , the link portion can be covered with a thin dielectric layer . the deletable line portion 17 joined to ec pad 16 can be severed with a laser beam to isolate the fan - out strip 17 from the internal metallurgy of the substrate since it is on the surface . adjacent sets of pads 22 and 26 connected to buried ec pads 18 and 20 can also be electrically isolated by severing portion 23 or 24 . preferably solder pads to buried ec lines in both the x and y directions will be accessible in each fan - out pattern 15 . using conventional mlc technology , the lines in the x direction can be made to surface in a short stripe 24 which can be severed . surface lead lines 25 ( fig7 ) joined to the ends of link 24 are joined to pads 26 . the use of these pads will become apparent in the following explanation . engineering change ec devices 14 are each provided with a solder pad configuration that is the mirror image of the solder pad configuration of fan - out pattern 15 . devices 14 have a tailorable metallurgy system that will permit making electrical connections between the various solder pads of the fan - out pattern 15 . in practice , the substrate 10 is tested to determine if any of the internal buried lines are defective , the appropriate lines severed in pattern 15 on substrate 10 , the metallurgy device of 14 tailored to make the required electrical connections between the various pads to correct the substrate defects , and the device 14 joined to the substrate using solder joining techniques to join the respective solder pads . the same technique can be used to alter the circuit arrangement of the substrate , i . e . make engineering and design changes . referring to fig5 of the drawings , there is illustrated a schematic circuit diagram of a representative portion of the circuit of devices 14 . there is a plurality of solder pads 16 &# 39 ; arranged in a mirror image grid of the solder pads 16 on substrate 10 . each pad 16 &# 39 ; is connected to a single stripe 30 that extends in the x direction . preferably stripes 30 are all on a single metallurgy level . a similar set of stripes 30 and pads 16 &# 39 ; ( not shown ) are provided beneath the set of stripes 30 of fig5 . the row of pads 16 &# 39 ; associated with each set of stripes 30 is related to a similar row of ec pads 16 on substrate 10 . a plurality of pads 22 &# 39 ; are joined to stripes 32 that extend in the y direction . a set of pads 26 &# 39 ; joined to stripes 34 are located between stripes 32 . pads 22 &# 39 ; and 26 &# 39 ; correspond in placement and spacing to pads 22 and 26 on substrate 10 . the stripes 32 and 34 are preferably formed in the same metallurgy layer which is electrically isolated from stripes 30 by a suitable dielectric layer . surface pads 22 &# 39 ; and 26 &# 39 ; are solder wettable . at each juncture of stripes 30 , and 32 and 34 , there is provided a deletable connection 36 . connection 36 can be a connection 36a , as illustrated in fig3 or connection 36b , as illustrated in fig4 . connection 36a is a personalized connection that is selectively formed on ec device 14 after it has been determined which connections must be made to form the proper ec changes . the printed connection 36a is made to connect vias 38 and 40 by suitable deposition and subtractive etching techniques that are well - known in the art . if the top stripe is not covered by a dielectric layer , the connection is made directly to the exposed stripe , without the need for a via . device 14 is formed without connections 36a , and tailored by adding the needed connections after they have been determined . in contrast , the fusable link stripes 36b are formed during the metallization of the device 14 . link 36b has a thin portion which can be blown by applying a suitable electrical current across the connection , using pads 16 &# 39 ;, 22 &# 39 ; and 26 &# 39 ; as terminals . after it has been determined which connections are needed to make the ec changes , the remaining links are broken . links 36b can also be broken with a laser pulse . the aforedescribed metallurgy lines can be used to interconnect any solder pad 16 to any ec pad 22 or 26 on substrate 10 . stripes 38 which extend in the x direction and are preferably in the same metallurgy layer as stripes 30 &# 39 ; can be used to join ec pads 22 , associated with ec lines in the y direction , to ec pads 26 , associated with ec lines in the x direction in substrate 10 . lines are each joined to a pad 41 &# 39 ; which can be joined to similarly placed solder pads 41 on substrate 10 . the primary use , however , of pad 41 &# 39 ; is to provide an electrical connection to blow out the unneeded links 36 . for example , in fig5 pad 26 &# 39 ; can be connected to pad 22 &# 39 ; by leaving or forming the link connections 36 at the juncture of stripe 34 and stripe 38 , and the juncture of stripe 38 and stripe 32 . all of the remaining links on stripe 38 are severed or never formed , depending on the type of link . the same connection described could be formed between stripes 34 and 32 with stripe 30 . however , these stripes are associated with ec pads 16 connected to fan - out stripe connections , in turn connected to active i / o &# 39 ; s on the device 12 . such use would likely disrupt the device function and therefore is undesirable . in order to illustrate how an engineering change is made for connecting i / o &# 39 ; s from two different spaced integrated circuit devices 12 on substrate 10 , a specific description of the steps involved will now be presented . at each of the two selected integrated circuit devices , the fan - out line 50 ( fig7 ) is electrically isolated from the internal electrical network of substrate 10 by severing the stripe portion 52 . the metallurgy pattern on device 14 is then tailored to connect the solder pad 50 to 51 . the method of making a connection in the device metallurgy between an i / o fan - out pad and an engineering change line pad was described previously . a similar procedure is used to join the i / o terminal of the integrated circuit device 14 to an engineering change line connection 53 ( for fig6 ). in order to make an electrical connection between the points 53 and 55 , a connection 44 between pads 22 and 26 , under a different ec device pad 14 located at the intersection of the chosen x and y ec lines 18 and 20 respectively must be established in ec device 14 overlying the intersecting lines . the procedure for tailoring the metallurgy system of device 14 to interconnect ec pads from an x and y ec lines , i . e . pads 22 &# 39 ; and 26 &# 39 ; was described previously . the delete stripes 52 and 54 are severed to isolate a segment of ec line 18 . delete stripes 56 and 58 are severed to electrically isolate a segment of ec line 20 . after the respective metallurgy systems of the ec devices have been properly tailored , the devices are joined to the solder pads associated with the respective pads of the fan - out patterns 15 . this establishes an engineering change connecting lead points 53 to 55 which are each connected in turn to selected i / o terminals under different separated integrated circuit devices as previously described in connecting solder pads 16 to 22 . an alternate method of forming an electrical connection between buried ec lines in the x direction , and ec lines in the y directions is presented . a row of solder pads 41 ( fig7 ) can be provided along the edge of fan - out pattern 15 - on substrate 10 . lines , either on the surface or buried , join these pads to similar placed pads under the adjacent ec devices which pads are connected to ec lines that extend in the x direction . pads 41 &# 39 ;, ( fig5 ) are connected to pads 41 ( fig7 ) of device 10 . thus , the link connection 36 can be made on ec device metallurgy to join solder pads 22 , which are connected to the ec lines that extend in the y direction to solder pads in the adjacent device that are joined to ec lines in the x direction . while the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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fig1 shows a piece of netting of a generally known type with respect to wire spacings which is to be used as a fence . it comprises a number of mutually parallel longitudinal wires 1 through 14 , which are made in long lengths and are disposed in parallel relationship and at a definite distance from each other by vertical wires , such as 15 , 16 , 17 and 15 &# 39 ;, 16 &# 39 ;, and 17 &# 39 ;, which run in the vertical direction and at right angles to the longitudinal wires . a feature of this general type of fence that is here shown by way of example is that the longitudinal wires are disposed at mutually different distances . the mutual spacings between the neighboring wires in the groups 1 through 6 are constant and the smallest ; in a practical case , these lowermost wires may have a mutual spacing of 5 cm . then follows the group of wires 7 through 11 . the distance between the longitudinal wire 7 and the longitudinal wire 6 as well as the mutual or common distances between the other wires in this group are constant , but greater ; in a practical case , the mutual wire spacing may here be 10 cm . then follows a third group of longitudinal wires 12 through 14 , which mutually and in respect of wire 11 have a still greater spacing , say 15 cm . ( there are also standard embodiments of this type wherein at the upperside a number of longitudinal wires are added with mutual spacings of say 20 cm .) in this general type of fencing one can see an application of two principles that lie at the basis of the dimensioning of the fencing mesh or netting , viz ., at the top of the fence there must be sufficient strength to retain the bigger animals , so that the mutual distance between the longitudinal wires may remain relatively great as big animals cannot pass through by their own means , whereas the mutual distance between the wires further down must be smaller to prevent the smaller animals from passing through the wires . the spacings between the longitudinal wires are determined and maintained by the wefts . any weft between the uppermost longitudinal wire and the lowermost longitudinal wire may consist of a single piece of wire , but there also is a practical variant whereby the weft is composed of a number of separate pieces , such as 15 , 16 and 17 , which maintain the desired distance between the two neighboring longitudinal wires . there are two ways to connect the longitudinal wires to the vertical weft wires . in the case of weld connections , the product is called mesh and when knots or bends are applied at the crossings the product is called a netting . fig1 shows a case where at the crossings , such as 18 , a double knot connection is made between , respectively , the underend of the vertical wire piece 15 and the upper end of the vertical wire piece 16 , with the longitudinal wire 13 in between . fig1 shows that the lowermost longitudinal wire 1 and the uppermost longitudinal wire 14 are made of heavy ( thick ) wire . both of these extreme wires are called selvedges . the function of the thickness and respective strength of these wires has nothing to do with the resistance against the forces exerted by animals , but only with the necessity to stretch the fence as a whole tightly between the posts . so far the description of the design of the fence has been known . in such a conventional design , the fence is made of equally thick longitudinal wires and equally thick vertical wires , either of the same size or not as the longitudinal wires . the analysis of the strength properties of such conventional netting is illustrated by means of fig2 . this rather idealized graph illustrates for different situations the relation between the average strength of the mesh or netting and its location in vertical direction . to facilitate the understanding of this graph , reference is made first to the broken horizontal line a . this line is applicable to a mesh or netting which has all of its wires , i . e ., at any height , of the same strength . this relation holds for a mesh or netting composed of identical wires with equal or common spacings . broken line b gives the relation between the average strength and the height of the fence of the type shown in fig1 this fence being composed of longitudinal wires with identical properties , but with the described variation of mutual spacings . at the upperside of the fence , this is at the right end of the curve b , the material has a certain mean strength , as calculated per unit of length in the vertical direction . the strength represents the force that can be exerted on some longitudinal wires in lengthwise direction before fracture occurs . because , in a fence of the general type shown in fig1 the number of wires per unit of length in the vertical direction increases in the direction of the position of the fence closer to the ground , the mean strength value will rise . roughly it can be said that when the longitudinal wires 1 through 6 have a mutual spacing of 5 cm ., and the wires 12 to 14 a mutual spacing of 15 cm ., the average strength at the bottom is three times as high as at the top . when the strength at the upperside of the fence is calculated with respect to the forces that can be exerted by large animals , this shows that in the lower part of the fence there is not only a threefold overdimensioning , but even a greater multiple thereof , because the lower portion of the fence must only be able to withstand the forces exerted by small animals , which clearly are much lower . in light of this analysis , the present invention contemplates the concept of using longitudinal wires of different strengths . for the fence of the type shown in fig1 this means that the pattern of the mutual or common spacings between the longitudinal wires 1 through 14 is maintained , but that toward the bottom the wires have less strength . the present concept can be thus realized by using longitudinal wires wherein there is a small mutual difference in strength ( for example thickness ) between each of the wires . in practice , however , it is simpler to use a design wherein the strength properties are groupwisely changed , more particularly , such that the groups of wires with equal strength properties correspond to the groups of wires having equal mutual spacings . this concept is illustrated in fig1 . more particularly , it is to be noted that the wires 2 through 6 , with a mutual spacing of 5 cm ., are drawn thinnest , that the wires 7 through 11 with a mutual spacing of 10 cm . are slightly heavier , and that the wires 12 and 13 with a mutual spacing of 15 cm . are still heavier and therefore drawn in thicker lines in the figure . with the same somewhat general representation , a fence is formed having the characteristics shown by line c in fig2 . this means that the strength at a low height is relatively small but increases accordingly as the fence gets higher . this is illustrated in still greater detail in fig3 where the strength of the separate wires is plotted versus their position in the vertical direction of the fence . thus , at low height the weakest wires are indicated by e , the next wire group which is located somewhat higher with a higher wire strength is indicated by f , and the next group of wires with a strength still higher is indicated by g . in fig3 a group of still stronger wires is shown at h for a case where it is desired to extend the mesh type of fence shown in fig1 with a number of wires having a mutual spacing of say 20 cm . thus , the present invention involves the basic concept of using longitudinal wires having a changing strength as a function of the height , the particular design depending upon the requirements of each practical application case . another specific embodiment , which will serve as an illustration of this concept , is a fencing designed for retaining pigs . pigs do not tend to climb a fence , but rather to exert forces with their snouts at a short distance from the ground . in this case , it will suffice to use relatively weak wires in the upper part , whereas longitudinal wires with a greater strength are used in the lower places , such as for example shown as by line d in fig2 . the present inventive concept may further be utilized in a design in which the weft wire pieces such as wires 15 , 15 &# 39 ;, 16 , 16 &# 39 ; . . . 17 , 17 &# 39 ; have different strength properties . this would not generally be utilized in cases where the weft consists of a single continuous wire over the entire height between the selvedges 1 and 14 , but it is particularly applicable in cases where the weft consists of separate pieces . since it is customary practice in production to use as many wire spools as the number of weft wire pieces that are to be made in this manner , all these pieces can be brought together simultaneously . it is also possible to provide in the different locations , spools of wire having different material properties for the longitudinal wires 1 through 14 . in general , the present inventive concept contemplates basically that wire having different strength properties will be utilized . these different strengths may be obtained in various ways . a number of ways are particularly advantageous . first of all , wire of the same material but with different thickness ( diameters ) can be used . however , when , for example , because of welding problems or similar manufacturing considerations , it is preferred to use wire with the same diameter throughout , the strength properties can be varied by using material having other properties . this may be achieved in two ways , namely , by using iron or steel wire having different carbon contents ( it being known that the tensile strength of steel products increases with increasing carbon content ), or by using entirely different materials , for example , steel , iron , and light metal , such as aluminum . another embodiment is to have each longitudinal wire , as shown in fig1 composed of 1 , 2 and 3 or more elementary thin wires , which in production are placed so closely against each other or at such a short distance from each other , that in practice one may speak of them as being one single longitudinal wire . the disadvantage , however , of this variant for obtaining different strengths at different heights is that one must comply with the ratio 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 , etc ., when material with the same properties is employed . there is an advantage , however , where welds are utilized , because , irrespective of the strength , longitudinal wires having the same thickness are used throughout . it is also to be understood that the present invention covers any combination of the above - mentioned possibilities to provide the necessary variations of wire strength properties .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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the invention is further illustrated by , but not limited to , the following examples . infrared absorption spectra are recorded on a perkin - elmer model 421 infrared spectrophotometer . except when specified otherwise , undiluted ( neat ) samples are used . the nmr spectra are recorded on a varian a - 60 , a - 60d , t - 60 or xl - 100 spectrophotometer in deuterochloroform solutions with tetramethylsilane as an internal standard . mass spectra are recorded on a varian model mat ch7 mass spectrometer , a cec model 110b double focusing high resolution mass spectrometer , or a lkb model 9000 gas chromatograph - mass spectrometer ( ionization voltage 22 or 70 ev . ), and samples are usually run as tms ( trimethylsilyl ) derivatives . &# 34 ; florisil ®&# 34 ;, herein , is a chromatographic magnesium silicate produced by the floridin co . see fieser et al . &# 34 ; reagents for organic synthesis &# 34 ; p . 393 john wiley and sons , inc ., new york , n . y . ( 1967 ). &# 34 ; concentrating &# 34 ;, as used herein , refers to concentration under reduced pressure , preferably at less than 50 mm . and at temperatures below 35 ° c . &# 34 ; drying &# 34 ;, as used herein , refers to contacting a compound , in solution , with an anhydrous agent such as sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate to remove water and filtering to remove solids . silica gel chromatography , as used herein , is understood to include elution , collection of fractions , and combination of those fractions shown by tlc to contain the desired product free of starting material and impurities . the a - lx solvent system used in thin layer chromatography is made up from ethyl acetate - acetic acid - 2 , 2 , 4 - trimethylpentane - water ( 90 : 20 : 50 : 100 ) according to m . hamberg and b . samuelsson , j . biol . chem . 241 , 247 ( 1966 ). 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9 - epoxy - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( formula vii : d is -( ch 2 ) 3 -, q is ## str106 ## r 4 is n - pentyl , is ## str107 ## r 19 is - cooch 3 , and x is trans - ch ═ ch -. refer to chart d . a suspension of pgf 2 α , methyl ester as its 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether ( 2 . 0 g .) in 23 ml . of water is treated with sodium bicarbonate ( 0 . 7 g .) and cooled in an ice bath . to the resulting solution is added potassium iodide ( 1 . 93 g .) and iodine ( 2 . 82 g .) and stirring continued for 16 hr . at about 0 ° c . thereafter a solution of sodium sulfite ( 1 . 66 g .) and sodium carbonate ( 0 . 76 g .) in 10 ml . of water is added . after a few minutes the mixture is extracted with chloroform . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried over sodium sulfate , and concentrated to yield mainly the bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether of the title compound , 2 . 2 g ., an oil . hydrolysis of this ether in acetic acid - water - tetrahydrofuran ( 20 : 10 : 3 ) yields mainly the title compound , which is further purified by silica gel chromatography . r f 0 . 20 ( tlc on silica gel in acetonedichlormethane ( 30 : 70 )). the mass spectral peaks for the formula - vii compound ( tms derivtive ) are at 638 , 623 , 607 , 567 , 548 , 511 , and 477 . following the procedures of preparation 1 , as illustrated in chart d , but replacing the formula - xix starting material with the following formula - xix compounds or c - 11 derivatives within the scope of formula xix : 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( formula iii , d , q , r 4 , r 18 , r 19 , and x as defined in preparation 1 ). refer to chart d . a solution of the formula - vii iodo compound , methyl ester ( preparation 1 , 0 . 45 g .) in 20 ml . of tetrahydrofuran is treated with silver carbonate ( 0 . 250 g .) and perchloric acid ( 70 %, 0 . 10 ml . ), and stirred at about 25 ° c . for 24 hr . the mixture is diluted with 25 ml . of ethyl acetate and the organic phase is washed with saturated sodium carbonate solution and brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 0 . 41 g . separation by silica gel chromatography eluting with ethyl acetate - skellysolve b ( 3 : 1 ) yields the formula - iii title compound as a more polar material than the formula - vii starting material . the product is an oil , 0 . 32 g ., having r f 0 . 38 ( tlc on silica gel in acetonedichloromethane ( 1 : 1 )); infrared spectral peak at 1740 cm - 1 for carbonyl ; nmr peaks at 5 . 5 , 3 . 2 - 4 . 8 , 3 . 7 , 2 . 1 - 2 . 7 δ . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , mixed isomers ( formula vii ) and 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - 6ξ - hydroxy - pgf 1 ( formula xx ) and 6 - keto - pgf 1 α ( formula iii ). a solution of the formula - vii iodo compound methyl ester ( preparation 1 , 1 . 0 g .) in 30 ml . of methanol is treated with 20 ml . of 3 n aqueous potassium hydroxide at about 0 ° c . for about 5 min ., then at about 25 ° c . for 2 hr . the mixture is acidified with 45 ml . of 2 n potassium acid sulfate and 50 ml . of water to ph 1 . 0 , saturated with sodium chloride and extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated to an oil , 1 . 3 g . the oil is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with acetone - dichloromethane ( 30 : 70 to 50 : 50 ) to yield , first the formula - vll free acid compound and later , the mixed formula - iii and - xx compounds as a more polar fraction . the formula - vii compound is an oil , 0 . 33 g ., having r f 0 . 33 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - dichloromethane ( 1 : 1 ) plus 2 % acetic acid ), [ α ] d =+ 20 ° ( c = 0 . 992 in chloroform ), infrared spectral peaks at 3360 , 2920 , 2860 , 2640 , 1730 , 1710 , 1455 , 1410 , 1380 , 1235 , 1185 , 1075 , 1050 , 1015 , 970 , and 730 cm - 1 , and mass spectral peaks ( tms derivative ) at 696 . 2554 , 681 , 625 , 606 , 569 , 535 , 479 , and 173 . the mixture of 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - 6ξ - hydroxy - pgf 1 and 6 - keto - pgf 1 α is a solid 0 . 113 g ., melting at 93 °- 98 ° c ., containing no iodine , having r f 0 . 13 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - dichloromethane ( 1 : 1 ) plus 2 % acetic acid ) and having mass spectral peaks ( tms derivative ) at 587 , 568 , 553 , 497 , 485 , 407 , 395 , 388 , and 173 . following the procedures of preparations 2 and 3 , but replacing the formula - vii iodo compound therein with those formula - vii iodo compounds described subsequent to preparation 1 , there are obtained the corresponding formula - iii and - xx compounds . following the procedures of preparations 1 , 2 , and 3 , as described above , but employing corresponding starting materials , there are prepared the formula - vii 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9 - epoxy - 5 - halo - pgf 1 α - type compounds , including iodo , bromo , and chloro compounds , likewise following the procedures of preparations 1 , 2 , and 3 as described above , but employing corresponding starting materials , there are prepared the a mixture of the formula - vii iodo acid compound ( preparation 3 , formula vii , 0 . 20 g . ), p - phenylphenacyl bromide ( 0 . 50 g . ), 0 . 4 ml . of diisopropylethylamine , and 10 ml . of acetonitrile is stirred at about 25 ° c . for 40 min . it is mixed with dilute aqueous citric acid and brine and extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase is dried and concentrated . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with ethyl acetate ( 25 - 100 %)- skellysolve b to yield the title 5 - iodo compound as a colorless oil , 0 . 20 g . 2 - decarboxy - 2 - azidomethyl - pgf 2 α , or 2 - nor - pgf 2 α , azide ( formula cv : z 1 is -- ch ═ ch --( ch 2 ) 3 -- or -- ch ═ ch --( ch 2 ) 2 --, respectively , r 31 is hydroxy , y 1 is trans - ch ═ ch --, r 34 and r 35 of the l 1 moiety and r 33 of the m 1 moiety are all hydrogen , and r 30 is n - butyl ). a . to a cold solution ( 0 ° c .) of pgf 2 α ( 7 . 1 g . ), 125 ml . of acetone , 10 ml . of water , and 2 . 2 g . of triethylamine is added with stirring 3 . 01 g . of isobutylchloroformate . the mixture is stirred at 0 ° c . for about 30 min . at which time a cold solution of 7 g . of sodium azide on 35 ml . of water is added . the mixture is then stirred at 0 ° c . for one hr . at which time it is diluted with 300 ml . of water and extracted with diethyl ether . the organic layers are then combined ; washed with water , dilute carbonate solution , saturated saline ; dried ; and concentrated under reduced pressure , maintaining bath temperature below 30 ° c ., to yield 2 - nor - pgf 2 α , azide . b . 2 - decarboxy - 2 - azidomethyl - pgf 2 α is prepared by the following reaction sequence : ( 1 ) a solution of t - butyldimethylsilyl chloride ( 10 g . ), imidazole ( 9 . 14 g . ), and pgf 2 α ( 3 g .) in 12 ml . of dimethylformamide are magnetically stirred under nitrogen atmosphere for 24 hr . the resulting mixture is then cooled in an ice bath and the reaction quenched by addition of ice water . the resulting mixture is then diluted with 150 ml . of water and extracted with diethyl ether . the combined ethereal extracts are then washed with water , saturated ammonium chloride , a sodium chloride solution , and thereafter dried over sodium sulfate . solvent is removed under vacuum yielding pgf 2 α , t - butyldimethylsilyl ester , 9 , 11 , 15 - tris -( t - butyldimethylsilyl ether ). nmr absorptions are observed at 0 . 20 , 0 . 30 , 0 . 83 , 0 . 87 , 0 . 89 , 1 . 07 - 2 . 50 , 3 . 10 - 4 . 21 , and 5 . 38 δ . characteristic infrared absorptions are observed at 970 , 1000 , 1060 , 1250 , 1355 , 1460 , 1720 , and 2950 cm - 1 . ( 2 ) to a magnetically stirred suspension of lithium aluminum hydride ( 7 . 75 g .) in 18 ml . of diethyl ether is added dropwise at room temperature over a period of 12 min . 8 . 71 g . of the reaction product of part ( 1 ) above in 40 ml . of diethyl ether . after stirring at ambient temperature for one hr ., the resulting product is cooled in an ice water bath and saturated sodium sulfate is added dropwise until the appearance of a milky suspension . the resulting product is coagulated with sodium sulfate , triturated with diethyl ether , and the solvent is removed by suction filtration . concentration of the diethyl ether under vacuum yields 7 . 014 g . of 2 - decarboxy - 2 - hydroxymethyl - pgf 2 α , 9 , 11 , 15 - tris -( t - butyldimethylsilyl ether ), nmr absorptions are observed at 0 . 03 , 0 . 82 , 0 . 87 , 1 . 10 - 2 . 60 , 3 . 30 - 4 . 30 , and 5 . 37 δ . characteristic infrared absorptions are observed at 775 , 840 , 970 , 1065 , 1250 , 1460 , 2895 , 2995 , and 3350 cm - 1 . ( 3 ) p - toluenesulfonyl chloride ( 3 . 514 g . ), pyridine ( 44 ml . ), and the reaction product of subpart ( 2 ), 7 . 014 g ., are placed in a freezer at - 20 ° c . for 3 days . thereafter , 7 . 200 g . of 2 - decarboxy - 2 - p - toluenesulfonyloxymethyl - pgf 2 α , 9 , 11 , 15 - tris -( t - butyldimethylsilyl ether ), is recovered . nmr absorptions are observed at 0 . 10 , 0 . 94 , 0 . 97 , 1 . 10 , 2 . 50 , 4 . 03 , 3 . 80 - 4 . 80 , 5 . 45 , 7 . 35 , and 7 . 80 δ . infrared absorptions are observed at 775 , 970 , 1180 , 1190 , 1250 , 1360 , 1470 , 2900 , and 2995 cm - 1 . ( 4 ) the reaction product of subpart ( 3 ) ( 2 . 13 g .) is placed in 42 ml . of acetic acid , tetrahydrofuran , and water ( 3 : 1 : 1 ) containing 0 . 25 ml . of 10 percent aqueous hydrochloric acid . the reaction mixture becomes homogeneous after vigorous stirring for 16 hr . at room temperature . the resulting solution is then diluted with 500 ml . of ethyl acetate ; washed with saturated sodium chloride and ethyl acteate ; dried over sodium sulfate ; and evaporated under reduced pressure , yielding 1 . 301 g . of an oil . crude product is chromatographed on 150 g . of silica gel packed with ethyl acetate . eluting with ethyl acetate yields 0 . 953 g . of 2 - decarboxy - 2 - p - toluenesulfonyloxymethyl - pgf 2 α . ( 5 ) the reaction product of subpart ( 4 ), ( 0 . 500 g .) in 5 . 0 ml . of dimethylformamide was added to a stirred suspension of sodium azide ( 1 . 5 g .) in 20 ml . of dimethylformamide . stirring is continued at ambient temperature for 3 hr . the reaction mixture is then diluted with water ( 75 ml . ), extracted with diethyl ether ( 500 ml . ), and the etheral extracts washed successively with water , saturated sodium chloride , and dried over sodium sulfate . removal of the diethyl ether under reduced pressure yields 0 . 364 g . of 2 - decarboxy - 2 - azidomethyl - pgf 2 α . a characteristic azido infrared absorption is observed at 2110 cm - 1 . 2 - decarboxy - 2 - aminomethyl - pgf 2 α ( formula cxxv : z 1 is cis - ch ═ ch --( ch 2 ) 3 --, r 31 is hydroxy , y 1 is trans - ch ═ ch --, r 34 and r 35 of the l 1 moiety and r 33 of the m 1 moiety are all hydrogen , and r 30 is n - butyl ). crude 2 - decarboxy - 2 - azidomethyl - pgf 2 α ( prep . 5 , 0 . 364 g .) in 12 ml . of diethyl ether is added to a magnetically stirred suspension of lithium aluminum hydride ( 0 . 380 g .) in 20 ml . of diethyl ether . reaction temperature is maintained at about 0 ° c . and addition of lithium aluminum hydride proceeds dropwise over a 4 min . period . after additon is complete , the resulting mixture is stirred at ambient temperature for 1 . 5 hr . and thereafter placed in an ice bath ( 0 °- 5 ° c .). excess reducing agent is then destroyed by addition of saturated sodium sulfate . after cessation of gas evolution , the resulting product is coagulated with sodium sulfate , triturated with diethyl ether , and solid salts removed by filtration . the filtrate is then dried with sodium sulfate , and evaporated under reduced pressure to yield 0 . 304 g . of a slightly yellow oil . this oil ( 100 mg .) is then purified by preparative thin layer chromatography , yielding 42 g . of title product . nmr absorptions are observed at 0 . 90 , 1 . 10 - 2 . 80 , 3 . 28 , 3 . 65 - 4 . 25 , and 5 . 45 δ . characteristic infrared absorptions are observed at 970 , 1060 , 1460 , 2995 , and 3400 cm - 1 . the mass spectrum shows parent peak at 699 . 4786 and other peaks at 6 . 28 , 684 , 595 , 217 , and 274 . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , amide , less polar and more polar isomers ( formula vii : d is --( ch 2 ) 3 --, q is ## str108 ## r 4 is n - pentyl , r 18 is ## str109 ## r 19 is ## str110 ## r 37 is iodo and x is trans -- ch ═ ch --). a solution of the formula - vii iodo - ether acid , mixed isomers ( preparation 3 , 5 . 0 g .) in 50 ml . of acetone is cooled to about - 10 ° c . and treated with 3 . 0 ml . of triethylamine and 3 . 0 ml . of isobutyl chloroformate . after 5 min . there is added 100 ml . of acetonitrile saturated with ammonia , and the reaction mixture allowed to warm to about 25 ° c . the mixture is filtered , and the filtrate concentrated . the residue is taken up in ethyl acetate and water . the organic phase is washed with water , dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with acetone ( 25 - 100 %)- methylene chloride . there are obtained the formula - vii iodo - ether , amide , less polar isomer , 0 . 02 g ., having r f 0 . 40 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ); a fraction of mixed less and more polar isomers , 2 . 2 g . ; and the more polar isomer , 1 . 5 g ., having r f 0 . 37 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ), infrared absorption at 3250 , 3150 , 1660 , 1610 , 1085 , 1065 , 1050 , and 965 cm - 1 , and nmr peaks at 6 . 4 , 5 . 5 , 3 . 5 - 4 . 7 and 0 . 9 δ . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , methylamide , mixed isomers ( formula vii : r 19 is ## str111 ## a solution of the formula - vii 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , mixed isomers ( preparation 3 , 4 . 66 g .) in 50 ml . of acetone is treated with 1 . 42 ml . of triethylamine and cooled to - 5 ° c . thereupon 1 . 3 ml . of isobutyl chloroformate is added , with stirring at 0 ° c . for 5 min ., followed by 25 ml . of 3 m methylamine in acetonitrile . the solution is stirred for 20 min . more as it warmed to about 25 ° c . the mixture is filtered and concentrated . the oily residue is triturated with methylene chloride , and filtered to remove a precipitate . the filtrate is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with acetone ( 50 - 90 %)- methylene chloride , to yield the 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , methylamide mixed isomers , 3 . 45 g ., having nmr peaks at 6 . 3 , 5 . 4 - 5 . 7 , 3 . 2 - 4 . 7 , 2 . 78 , and 0 . 7 - 2 . 65 δ . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , n - butylamide , mixed isomers ( formula : vii : r 19 is ## str112 ## a solution of the formula - vii iodo - ether acid , mixed isomers ( preparation 3 , 5 . 0 g .) in 50 ml . of acetone is cooled to about - 10 ° c . and treated with 2 . 0 ml . of triethylamine and 1 . 9 ml . of isobutyl chloroformate . after 6 min . there is added a solution of 15 ml . of n - butylamine in 20 ml . of acetone . after about 15 min . the reaction mixture is allowed to warm to about 25 ° c . and stirred for 3 hr . the mixture is concentrated and the residue is taken up in ethyl acetate . the solution is washed with water and brine , dried over magnesium sulfate , and concentrated . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 5 - 100 %)- methylene chloride to yield the title compounds , 5 . 3 g . the product is rechromatographed to remove color using silica gel and eluting with acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 3 ). from 0 . 48 g . there is obtained the title compounds as a pale yellow oil , 0 . 35 g ., having r f 0 . 63 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ), and infrared absorption peaks at 3300 , 3100 , 1735 , 1715 , 1645 , 1555 , 1070 , 1055 , 1020 , and 965 cm - 1 . i . there is first prepared ( 5z )- 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9α - epoxy - δ 5 - pgf 1 , n - butylamide . a solution of 5ξ - iodo - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , n - butylamide ( preparation 9 , 3 . 5 g .) in 100 ml . of benzene is treated with 8 ml . of dbn at 40 °- 45 ° c . for about 16 hr . the mixture is cooled , diluted with ice water , and extracted with chloroform , keeping a few drops of triethylamine in the organic phase . the combined organic phases are washed with ice water , dried and concentrated to an oil , 3 . 64 g . of this , 3 . 1 g . is taken up in warm diethyl ether , and the ether solution when cooled yields 1 . 5 g ., mainly solid . the product is recrystallized from ether , 0 . 85 g ., m . p . 102 °- 104 ° c . ii . a solution of the above ( 5z )- 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9α - epoxy - δ 5 - pgf 2 , n - butylamide ( 3 . 0 g .) in 25 ml . of tetrahydrofuran is treated with sufficient 10 % aqueous potassium hydrogen sulfate solution to bring the ph to 5 . 0 . the mixture is concentrated to remove tetrahydrofuran and the residue is taken up in water and ethyl acetate . sodium chloride is added to saturation and the organic phase is separated . the aqueous phase is extracted with acetone - ethyl acetate ( 1 : 4 ) and the organic phases are combined . the organic phases are washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue , 2 . 10 g ., is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 33 - 100 %)- methylene chloride to yield a 1 : 1 mixture of the title compound together with the corresponding 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9α - epoxy - 6 - hydroxy compound , having r f 0 . 57 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ). the mixture is dissolved in 10 ml . of tetrahydrofuran and acidified with aqueous potassium hydrogen sulfate , thereby converting the mixture to substantially all 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , n - butylamide , having r f 0 . 58 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ). the product is recovered by concentrating the solution , portioning between ethyl acetate and water , washing the organic phase with brine , and concentrating to an oil , 1 . 90 g ., having a high resolution mass spectral peak ( tms derivative ) at 641 . 4258 . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , benzylamide , mixed isomers ( formula vii : r 19 is ## str113 ## following the procedures of preparation 8 , there are used 4 . 66 g . of the formula - vii 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , mixed isomers , and 1 . 08 g . of benzylamine instead of methylamine . the crude product is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 50 - 70 %)- methylene chloride , to yield the 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ - 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , benzylamide mixed isomers , 4 . 1 g ., having nmr peaks at 7 . 3 , 6 . 6 , 5 . 3 - 5 . 7 , and 3 . 5 - 4 . 6 δ . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , anilide , mixed isomers ( formula vii r 19 is ## str114 ## following the procedures of preparation 8 , there are used 4 . 66 g . of the formula - vii 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , mixed isomers , and 0 . 94 g . of aniline . the crude product is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 10 - 50 %)- methylene chloride , to yield the 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , anilide mixed isomers , 4 . 0 g ., having nmr peaks at 8 . 4 , 6 . 9 - 7 . 7 , 5 . 3 - 5 . 7 , and 3 . 4 - 4 . 7 δ . 6 - keto - pge 1 , methyl ester ( formula vi : d is --( ch 2 ) 3 --, q is ## str115 ## r 4 is n - pentyl , ## str116 ## is ## str117 ## r 19 is -- cooch 3 , and x is trans - ch ═ ch --). a . refer to chart a . a solution of formula - iii 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( 0 . 50 g .) in 25 ml . of methylene chloride is treated with 3 ml . of dihydropyran and 3 ml . of a saturated solution of pyridine hydrochloride in methylene chloride and left standing about 5 hr . at about 25 ° c . or until tlc shows that the starting material has disappeared , and that the bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether has been formed , having r f 0 . 22 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 9 )) or r f 0 . 47 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 3 )). the reaction mixture is concentrated , washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate and brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with acetone ( 10 - 25 %) in methylene chloride to yield the formula - iv bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester , having infrared peaks at 3500 , 1745 , 1730 , 1200 , 160 , 1130 , 1110 , 1075 , 1035 , 1020 , 980 , 915 , 870 , 815 , and and 735 cm - 1 ; mass spectral lines ( tms ) at 552 , 522 , 366 , 348 , 331 , 330 , 304 , and 85 ; and nmr spectral peaks at 5 . 5 , 4 . 67 , 3 . 65 , 3 . 2 - 3 . 7 , and 0 . 9 δ . b . the reaction product from part a , containing 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester corresponding to formula iv , is oxidized to compound v . a composite from several lots , weighing 0 . 93 g ., in 20 ml . of acetone is treated at - 10 ° c . with 2 . 0 ml . of jones reagent . after stirring for 1 . 5 hr . the reaction mixture is quenched with isopropanol and extracted with diethyl ether . the extract is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with ethyl acetate ( 20 - 50 %)- skellysolve b to yield the formula - v 6 - keto - pgf 1 , bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester , 0 . 52 g ., having r f 0 . 52 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate - skellysolve b ( 1 : 1 )); and infrared peaks at 1745 and 1725 cm - 1 ( free of oh at 3000 - 3500 ). c . the product of part b is hydrolyzed in 3 ml . of acetic acid and 1 . 5 ml . of water at 40 ° c . for 3 hr ., then mixed with brine and extracted with chloroform . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography eluting with ethyl acetate ( 25 - 100 %)- skellysolve b to yield 0 . 15 g . of the title compound , having infrared peaks at 3380 , 1750 , 1710 , 1250 , 1200 , 1180 , 1105 , 1070 , and 975 cm - 1 , and mass spectral lines ( tms ) at 526 . 3123 , 511 , 508 , 495 , 455 , 436 , 382 , 313 . 2004 , and 199 . an analytical sample , recrystallized as needles from diethyl ether - hexane , m . 39 °- 40 ° c ., has r f 0 . 33 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate ). 6 - keto - pge 1 ( formula vi : d is --( ch 2 ) 3 --, q is ## str118 ## r 4 is n - pentyl , ## str119 ## is ## str120 ## r 19 is -- cooh , and x is trans - ch ═ ch --). a . refer to chart b . there is first prepared the formula - viii bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether of 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9 - epoxy - 5 - iodo - pgf 1 α , methyl ester . the formula - vii product of preparation 1 ( 2 . 0 g .) in 20 ml . of methylene chloride , together with 4 ml . of dihydropyran and 1 ml . of a saturated solution of pyridine hydrochloride in methylene chloride , is left standing 16 hr . at about 25 ° c . the mixture is washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate and brine , dried and concentrated to a colorless oil . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with acetone ( 10 %)- methylene dichloride , to yield about 3 . 0 g . having r f 0 . 73 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate ); and infrared peaks at 1765 , 1215 , 1140 , 1085 , 1045 , 1036 , 985 , 875 , 820 , and 740 cm - 1 ( free of oh at 3000 - 3500 ). b . the formula - iv 6 - keto pgf - type compound is prepared in several steps as follows . the product of part a above ( about 3 . 0 g .) is mixed with 100 ml . of benzene and 4 ml . of 1 , 5 - diazabicyclo [ 4 . 3 . 0 ] nonene - 5 ( dbn ) and held at 40 ° c . for 4 hr ., then at about 25 ° c . for 64 hr . the mixture is washed with ice - water , dried over magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to the enol ether , 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9 - epoxy - δ 5 - pgf 1 α , bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester , 2 . 5 g . having nmr peaks at 5 . 55 , 4 . 5 - 5 . 1 , 3 . 2 - 4 . 5 , and 0 . 9 δ , and infrared peaks at 1740 , 1695 , 1200 , 1165 , 1130 , 1075 , 1035 , 1020 , 975 , and 870 cm - 1 . the enol ether ( 2 . 25 g .) is dissolved in 25 ml . of diethyl ether , mixed with 10 ml . of a dilute aqueous solution of potassium hydrogen sulfate and stirred at about 25 ° c . the reaction is monitored by tlc ( silica gel plates in acetone ( 10 %)- methylene chloride ) as a more polar material is slowly formed . after several hours 50 ml . of tetrahydrofuran is added and stirring continued . the mixture is concentrated and the residue is extracted with ethyl acetate . the extract is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography eluting with acetone ( 10 - 25 %)- methylene chloride to yield the formula - iv 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester , 1 . 91 g ., having r f 0 . 22 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ( 10 %)- methylene chloride ), having the same infrared spectrum as the corresponding formula - iv intermediate of example 1 . c . the acid form of the product of part b is prepared by saponifying that product . the methyl ester of part b ( 0 . 75 g .) in 25 ml . methanol and 7 ml . of 3 n . sodium hydroxide is stirred at about 25 ° c . for 3 hr . the mixture is chilled , saturated with sodium chloride , acidified with potassium hydrogen sulfate , and extracted with ethyl acetate . the extract is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 0 . 68 g ., having r f 0 . 61 ( tlc on silica gel in a - ix solvent ). d . the formula - v 6 - keto pge - type compound is obtained as follows . the product of part c ( 0 . 68 g .) in 50 ml . of acetone is cooled to - 15 ° c . and treated with 2 ml . of jones reagent added slowly with stirring . stirring is continued at about the same temperature for one hr ., then at - 5 ° c . for 0 . 5 hr . the reaction is quenched with isopropanol and the mixture concentrated to about half volume . brine is added and the mixture extracted with diethyl ether . the extract is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to a yellow oil , 0 . 61 g ., having r f 0 . 64 ( tlc on silica gel in a - ix ). after silica gel chromatography a fraction is obtained , 0 . 31 g . e . the formula - vi title compound is finally obtained on hydrolysis of the blocking groups . the product of part d ( 0 . 31 g .) is treated in 7 ml . of acetic acid and 3 ml . of water at 40 ° c . for one hr . and a further 16 hr . at about 25 ° c . brine is added and the mixture is extracted with chloroform . the extract is washed with water , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 0 . 25 g . this product is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with ethyl acetate ( 25 - 100 %)- hexane to obtain the title compound , 0 . 065 g . having nmr peaks at 5 . 72 , 5 . 57 , 3 . 8 - 4 . 3 , 2 . 1 - 2 . 8 , and 0 . 9 δ ; and infrared absorption peaks at 3420 , 3000 , 2800 , 1755 , 1740 , 1710 , 1315 , 1255 , 1190 , 1160 , 1110 , 1065 , and 970 . an analytical sample is obtained as needles on recrystallizing from diethyl ether - hexane , m . 67 °- 69 ° c . following the procedures of example 2 , but replacing the preparation of the formula - iv 6 - keto pgf - type compound in part b with a preparation using silver carbonate and perchloric acid , the same end product is obtained . thus , instead of part b , the product of part a ( 2 . 5 g .) is mixed with 80 ml . of tetrahydrofuran , silver carbonate ( one gram ) and 7 drops of 70 % perchloric acid . the mixture is stirred vigorously at about 25 ° c . for 22 hr . additional perchloric acid ( 3 drops ) is added and stirring continued for 4 hr . the mixture is filtered , the filtrate treated with brine and sodium carbonate , and extracted with ethyl acetate . the extract is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 2 . 6 g . silica gel chromatography , eluting with acetone ( 10 - 40 %)- methylene chloride , yields the formula - iv 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester , an oil , 0 . 52 g . having r f 0 . 35 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate - cyclohexane ( 1 : 1 )). thereafter the 6 - keto - pge 1 product is obtained following parts c , d , and e above . following the procedures of example 1 and 2 and chart b but replacing the formula - vii starting material with the appropriate formula - vii compounds obtained following preparations 1 , 2 , and 3 , there are obtained formula - vi compounds as follows : 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehyro - pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether ( formula xviii : d 1 is --( ch 2 ) 3 --, q 3 is ## str121 ## wherein thp is tetrahydropyranyl , r 23 is -- cooh , r 26 is n - pentyl , r 36 a . refer to chart c . the 5ξ , 6ξ , 14 - tribromo - 15 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( xii ) is first prepared . a solution of 15 - oxo - pgf 2 α , methyl ester ( u . s . pat . no . 3 , 728 , 382 , 3 . 38 g .) in about 25 ml . of pyridine is treated dropwise with a solution of pyridinium hydrobromide perbromide ( 7 . 08 g .) in 35 ml . of pyridine over 2 . 25 hr . thereafter the mixture is stirred for 27 hr ., diluted with ether and filtered . the filtrate is washed with water , cold hydrobromic acid ( 5 %) aqueous sodium bicarbonate ( 5 %), then dried and concentrated to yield 3 . 72 g . product . similarly an additional 1 . 06 g . is prepared and combined . the product is subjected to silica gel chromatography eluting with hexane - ethyl acetate ( 65 : 35 ) to yield xii , 2 . 83 g ., having nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 1 - 2 . 58 , 2 . 58 - 3 . 4 , 3 . 4 - 3 . 88 , 3 . 67 , 3 . 88 - 4 . 61 , 6 . 96 , and 7 . 03 δ ; infrared peaks at 3400 , 1730 , 1685 , 1610 , 1245 , 1200 , 1170 , 1085 , and 1050 cm - 1 ; and mass spectral peaks ( tms ) at 746 . 0562 , 636 , 634 , 632 , 630 , 555 , 553 , and 551 . there is also obtained , as a separate fraction from the chromatography of the reaction product , 5ξ - bromo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo - 15 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester , 0 . 93 g ., having nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 10 - 3 . 03 , 3 . 03 - 3 . 46 , 3 . 65 , 3 . 78 - 5 . 0 , 6 . 91 and 7 . 00 δ ; infrared peaks at 3480 , 2880 , 2810 , 1735 , 1690 , 1615 , 1245 , 1200 , 1175 , 1150 , and 1080 cm - 1 ; and mass spectral peaks ( tms ) at 594 . 099 , 515 , and 478 . b . 5ξ , 6ξ , 14 - tribromo - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( xiii ). a solution of xii ( 2 . 38 g .) in 20 ml . of methanol is added to a solution of sodium borohydride ( 1 . 28 g .) in 40 ml . of methanol at - 35 ° c . the temperature is held at - 25 ° c . for 1 hr . the mixture is diluted with diethyl ether and quenched with acetic acid . the solution is washed with saline solution ( 5 %) and aqueous bicarbonate ( 5 %) solutions , dried , and concentrated to a mixture of c - 15 epimers ( xiii ). separation is achieved by silica gel chromatography eluting with hexane - ethyl acetate ( 3 : 2 followed by 1 : 1 ) to yield , first , the 15r epimer ( xiii - 15β ), 1 . 57 g . having nmr peaks at 0 . 9 , 1 . 1 - 3 . 35 , 3 . 35 - 4 . 65 , 3 . 66 , and 5 . 75 - 6 . 21 δ ; infrared peaks at 3380 , 1735 , 1725 , 1250 , 1200 , 1175 , 1075 , and 1050 cm - 1 ; high resolution mass spectral peak ( tms derivative ) at 749 . 0362 , and [ α ] d - 11 ° in ethanol ; and second , the 15s epimer ( xiii - 15α ) 0 . 605 g . having nmr peaks at 0 . 9 , 1 . 10 - 3 . 35 , 3 . 35 - 4 . 6 , 3 . 66 , and 5 . 65 - 6 . 15 δ ; infrared peaks at 3380 , 1740 , 1650 , 1435 , 1250 , 1200 , 1175 , 1120 , 1080 , and 1045 cm - 1 ; high resolution mass spectral peak ( tms derivative ) at 749 . 0384 ; and [ α ] d - 4 ° in ethanol . c . 14 - bromo - pgf 2 α , methyl ester ( xiv ). a solution of xiii - 15α ( 0 . 60 g .) in 20 ml . of methanol is treated with ammonium chloride ( 0 . 11 g .) and zinc dust ( 0 . 28 g .). the mixture is stirred for 1 . 5 hr ., diluted with benzene and filtered . the filtrate is washed with 0 . 2 m . potassium acid sulfate , dried , and concentrated to yield 0 . 37 g ., having r f 0 . 26 ( tlc on silver nitrate - treated silica gel in ethyl acetate ); nmr peaks at 0 . 88 , 1 . 1 - 2 . 71 , 2 . 71 - 3 . 55 , 3 . 66 , 3 . 80 - 4 . 35 , 5 . 23 - 5 . 56 and 5 . 84 δ ; and infrared peaks at 3320 , 2900 , 2820 , 1940 , 1650 , 1430 , 1310 , 1240 , 1215 , 1170 , 1115 , and 1030 cm - 1 . d . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( xv ). a solution of xiv ( 1 . 9 g .) in 30 ml . of methylene chloride is added to a suspension of iodine ( 2 . 85 g .) potassium iodide ( 1 . 88 g .) sodium acetate ( 0 . 92 g .) and water ( 6 ml .). the mixture is stirred for 2 hr ., treated with 20 ml . of 2 n . sodium thiosulfate , washed with aqueous 5 % saline solution , dried and concentrated to yield xv , 2 . 95 g . an analytical sample obtained by subjecting a portion to silica gel chromatography had nmr peaks at 0 . 89 , 1 . 1 - 3 . 18 , 3 . 66 , 3 . 6 - 4 . 8 , and 5 . 88 δ ; mass spectral peaks ( tms ) at 701 . 1183 , 645 , 637 , 589 , 547 , 529 , 510 , and 173 ; and infrared spectral peaks at 3380 , 1740 , 1655 , 1230 , 1170 , 1080 , and 1050 cm - 1 . e . 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo - pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether , methyl ester ( xvi ). a solution of xv ( 1 . 0 g .) in 10 ml . of methylene chloride is treated with dihydropyran ( 3 ml .) and 3 ml . of a saturated solution of pyridine hydrochloride in methylene chloride . after 20 hr . the mixture is diluted with diethyl ether , washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate ( 5 %) and saline solution ( 5 %), dried , and concentrated . the residue is 1 . 12 g ., having nmr peaks at 0 . 9 , 1 . 05 - 2 . 20 , 2 . 2 - 3 . 2 , 3 . 2 - 4 . 35 , 3 . 66 , 4 . 35 - 4 . 15 , and 5 . 7 - 6 . 1 δ ; and infrared peaks at 2900 , 2820 , 1760 , 1440 , 1350 , 1210 , 1125 , 1090 , 1035 , 1025 , 970 , and 910 cm - 1 . f . 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro - pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether ( xvii ). a solution of xvi ( 1 . 1 g .) in 15 ml . of dimethyl sulfoxide and 1 . 5 ml . of methanol is treated with potassium t - butoxide ( 0 . 504 g .) for 20 hr . the mixture is diluted with 60 ml . of water , cooled , acidified with 5 % phosphoric acid , and extracted with diethyl ether . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 0 . 81 g ., which is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with hexane - ethyl acetate ( 7 . 5 : 2 . 5 ) to yield the title compound , 0 . 313 g ., having nmr peaks at 0 . 9 , 1 . 1 - 3 . 0 , 3 . 05 - 5 . 1 , and 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 δ ; and infrared peaks at 3300 , 3900 , 2810 , 2500 - 2700 , 2225 , 1740 , 1710 , 1430 - 1460 , 1190 , 1130 , 1120 , 1075 , 1035 , 1015 , 975 , and 905 cm - 1 . 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro - pge 1 ( formula vi : d is --( ch 2 ) 3 --, q is ## str123 ## r 4 is n - pentyl , ## str124 ## is ## str125 ## r 19 is -- cooh , and x is -- c . tbd . c --). refer to chart a . a solution of the formula - iv 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro - pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether ( example 3 , 1 . 1 g .) in 12 ml . of acetone is treated at - 10 ° c . with 2 . 67 m . jones reagent added dropwise in three 1 ml . aliquots at 15 min . intervals . the mixture is quenched with isopropanol added dropwise , diluted with diethyl ether , and partitioned with 5 % aqueous sodium chloride , dried , and concentrated . the residue consists of the formula - v bis ( tetrahydropyranyl ) ether of the title compound , 0 . 26 g ., having r f 0 . 29 ( tlc on silica gel in a - ix - cyclohexane ( 1 : 1 )). the product above is hydrolyzed in a mixture of acetic acid ( 15 ml . ), water ( 7 . 5 ml .) and tetrahydrofuran ( 1 . 0 ml .) for 4 . 5 hr . at about 40 ° c ., then diluted with 30 ml . of water and lyophilized to a yellow oil , 0 . 14 g . the oil is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with hexaneethyl acetate ( 3 : 2 ), to yield the title compound , 0 . 048 g ., having nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 1 - 2 . 05 , 2 . 05 - 3 . 33 , 4 . 03 - 4 . 70 , and 5 . 5 - 6 . 3 δ ; mass spectral peaks ( tlc ) at 582 . 3210 , 567 , 511 , 492 , 477 , 436 , 421 , 410 , 402 , 387 , 291 . 1768 , 173 , and 111 ; and infrared peaks at 3350 , 2870 , 2500 - 2600 , 2810 , 2240 , 1740 , 1710 , 1450 , 1400 , 1155 , and 1080 cm - 1 . 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro - pgf 1 α ( formula iii : d is --( ch 2 ) 3 --, q is ## str126 ## r 4 is n - pentyl , r 18 is ## str127 ## r 19 is -- cooh , and x is -- c . tbd . c --). a solution of the 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( example 3d , 1 . 67 g .) in 30 ml . of dimethyl sulfoxide is treated with potassium tertbutoxide ( 1 . 63 g .) in 3 ml of methanol at about 25 ° c . for 23 hr ., then diluted with water ( 6 ml .) and reacted for a further 3 hr . the mixture is diluted with ether and partitioned with cold 3 . 5 % phosphoric acid . the organic phase is washed with 5 % sodium chloride solution , dried , and concentrated . the residue ( 0 . 87 g .) is subjected to silica gel chromatography eluting with hexane - ethyl acetate ( 1 : 1 ) to yield the formula - iii title compound , 0 . 59 g ., having nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 1 - 3 . 5 , 3 . 7 - 5 . 2 , and 5 . 28 - 6 . 51 δ ; mass spectral peak ( tms derivative ) at 670 . 3836 ; and infrared absorption peaks at 3360 , 2670 , 2230 , 1710 , 1320 , 1245 , 1205 , 1145 , 1115 , 1090 , 1055 , and 995 cm - 1 . a . there are first prepared the 5ξ - bromo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy ( 15r and 15s )- pgf 1 α methyl ester compounds . a solution of the 5ξ - bromo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo - 15 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( example 3a , 0 . 93 g .) in 15 ml . of methanol is added to a solution of sodium borohydride ( 0 . 46 g .) in 50 ml . of methanol at - 50 ° c . the reaction is continued at about - 30 ° c . for 1 . 5 hr . the mixture is carefully acidified with 5 ml . of acetic acid in 250 ml . of diethyl ether . the solution is washed with 0 . 2 m . potassium hydrogen sulfate , 5 % sodium chloride , and 5 % sodium bicarbonate , then dried and concentrated to yield the mixed c - 15 epimers . the product is combined with 0 . 39 g . from another run and subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with hexane - ethyl acetate ( 7 : 3 ). the respective fractions containing the 15r and 15s products yield 0 . 34 g . of the 15r and 0 . 34 g . of the 15s intermediate . the 15r compound has nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 1 - 2 . 75 , 2 . 75 - 3 . 30 , 3 . 66 , 3 . 78 - 4 . 8 , 5 . 80 and 5 . 90 δ ; and infrared peaks at 3350 , 1740 , 1650 , 1430 , 1365 , 1240 , 1190 , 1070 , and 1050 cm - 1 . the 15s compound has nmr peaks at 0 . 89 , 1 . 1 - 3 . 2 , 3 . 2 - 4 . 8 , 3 . 66 , 5 . 78 , and 5 . 83 δ ; and infrared peaks at 3350 , 1740 , 1650 , 1430 , 1365 , 1240 , 1190 , 1070 , and 1050 cm - 1 . b . a solution of the 15 - s product from part a above ( 0 . 29 g .) in 5 ml . of dimethyl sulfoxide and 0 . 5 ml . of methanol is treated with potassium tert - butoxide ( 0 . 3 g .) for 20 hr . on hydrolysis of the methyl ester with 2 n . naoh for 3 hr . followed by dilution with 5 % sodium chloride , acidifying with 10 % phosphoric acid , extraction with diethyl ether , washing with 5 % sodium chloride , drying , and concentrating there is obtained 0 . 20 g . residue . the residue is subjected to silica gel chromatography , eluting with hexane - ethyl acetate ( 1 : 1 to 3 : 2 ), to yield the 15s title compound , 0 . 065 g ., having the same properties as the product of example 5 . likewise , using the 15r intermediate of part a there is obtained the corresponding 15r title compound having r f 0 . 20 ( tlc on silica gel plates in a - ix solvent ). following the procedures of example 6 part b but substituting sodium methoxide for potassium tert - butoxide there are also obtained the title compounds . a . refer to chart c . there is first prepared the formula - xiv 14 - bromo -( 15r )- pgf 2 α , methyl ester . following the procedure of example 3 - c above , the formula - xiii - 15β compound , ( 15r )- 5ξ , 6ξ , 14 - tribromo - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( 1 . 52 g .) is treated with zinc dust and ammonium chloride in methanol to yield the formula - xiv 15r compound , 1 . 13 g ., having r f 0 . 40 ( tlc on silver nitrate - treated silica gel in ethyl acetate ), nmr and infrared spectra very similar to those of the 15s epimer of example 3 - c . b . 5ξ - lodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo -( 15r )- pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( xv ). following the procedure of example 3 - d , the formula - xiv 14 - bromo -( 15r )- pgf 2 α , methyl ester ( 0 . 98 g .) is iodinated to the formula - xv iodo compound . the product is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with ethyl acetate ( 30 %)- hexane to yield the desired compound , 0 . 88 g ., having nmr and infrared spectra very similar to those of the 15s epimer of example 3 - d . c . 5ξ - lodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo -( 15r )- pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ), methyl ester ( xvi ). following the procedure of example 3e , the formula - xv 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo -( 15r )- pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( 2 . 16 g .) is reacted with dihydropyran to form the formula - xvi bis ( thp ether ), 3 . 24 g ., having r f 0 . 57 and 0 . 62 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate - cyclohexane ( 1 : 2 ) and having nmr and infrared spectra very similar to those of the 15s epimer of example 3 - e . d . 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro -( 15r )- pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) ( xvii ). following the procedure of example 3 - f , the formula - xvi 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9 - epoxy - 14 - bromo -( 15r )- pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran2 - yl ether ), methyl ester ( 3 . 27 g .) is reacted with potassium t - butoxide in dimethyl sulfoxide - methanol , removing a less polar by - product by silica gel chromatography , to yield the product , 0 . 74 g ., having r f 0 . 51 ( tlc on silica gel in a solvent prepared by diluting the organic phase from ethyl acetate - acetic acid - cyclohexane - water ( 9 : 2 : 5 : 10 ) with half its volume of cyclohexane ), and having nmr and infrared spectra very similr to those of the 15s epimer of example 3 - f . e . 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro -( 15r )- pge 1 , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) ( v ). refer to chart a . following the procedure of example 4 , the formula - xvii ( or iv ) 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro -( 15r )- pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) ( 0 . 46 g .) is oxidized with jones reagent to the formula - v compound , 0 . 23 g ., having r f 0 . 55 ( tlc on silica gel in the solvent of section d above , having nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 1 - 3 . 2 , 3 . 2 - 4 . 65 , 4 . 65 - 5 . 2 and 8 . 91 δ , and infrared absorption band at 2600 - 3200 , 2220 , 1740 , 1710 , 1195 , 1120 , 1070 , 1035 , 995 , 980 , 965 , and 910 cm - 1 . f . 6 - keto - 13 , 14 - didehydro -( 15r )- pge 1 ( vi ). following the procedure of example 4 , the above bis ( thp ether ) ( 0 . 23 g ) is hydrolyzed and chromatographed to yield the title compound , 0 . 10 g ., m . p . 72 ° c . when crystallized from diethyl ether - methylene chloride - hexane , having r f 0 . 36 ( tlc on silica gel in the organic phase from ethyl acetate - acetic acid - cyclohexane - water ( 9 : 2 : 5 : 10 )), having nmr peaks at 0 . 90 , 1 . 1 - 2 . 0 , 2 . 0 - 3 . 2 , 3 . 9 - 4 . 7 , and 6 . 0 - 6 . 7 δ , and mass spectral peaks ( tms derivative ) at 567 . 299 , 564 , 549 , 511 , 492 , 477 , 421 , 402 , 387 , 367 , 201 , and 111 . 2 - decarboxy - 2 - hydroxymethyl - 6 - keto - pge 1 , ( formula xxv : q is ## str128 ## r 2 is hydrogen , r 4 is n - pentyl , ## str129 ## is ## str130 ## x is trans - ch ═ ch --, and f is one ). i . refer to chart e . there is first prepared the formula - xxiii 4 , 5 - acetylenic pgf 1 α type compound . the formula - xxii bis ( thp ether ) lactone ( corey et al ., j . am . chem . soc . 92 , 397 ( 1970 )) ( 6 . 5 g .) in 30 ml . of tetrahydrofuran is reacted with 4 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 - pentynyl - lithium ( c . h . lin , j . org . chem . 41 , 4045 ( 1976 ) ( 3 . 6 g .) at - 70 ° to - 60 ° c . for about 0 . 5 hr . the adduct is isolated and dissolved in 30 ml of isopropyl alcohol - water ( 4 : 1 ) and treated with about 0 . 5 ml . of 10 % aqueous sodium hydrogen sulfate . the mixture is stirred at about 25 ° c . for 0 . 5 hr ., treated with about 10 ml . of aqueous sodium bicarbonate , and concentrated to remove isopropyl alcohol . the residue is extracted with diethyl ether and the organic phase is washed with water , aqueous sodium hydrogen sulfate , aqueous sodium bicarbonate , and brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel eluting with ethyl acetate - hexane ( 1 : 5 ), to yield the formula - xxiii 2 - decarboxy - 2 - hydroxymethyl - 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 - tetradehydro - 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ), 5 . 6 g . having nmr peaks at 5 . 68 - 5 . 36 , 4 . 8 - 4 . 5 , and 4 . 5 - 3 . 18 δ , infrared absorption peaks at 3440 , 2210 , 1675 and 975 cm - 1 , and mass spectral lines ( tms derivative ) at 649 . 3986 , 563 , 557 , 509 , 479 , 478 , 463 , and 85 . ii . there is next prepared the formula - xxiv 2 - decarboxy - 2 - hydroxymethyl - 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 - tetradehydro - 6 - keto - pge 1 . the product of 1 above ( 2 . 6 g .) is treated in 50 ml . of acetone with jones reagent ( 5 . 6 ml . of 2 . 67 m ) in 30 ml . acetone added dropwise over 5 min . at - 30 ° c . the reaction is quenched with aqueous sodium bisulfite and the mixture concentrated to remove acetone . the residue is extracted with ethyl acetate and the organic phase is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the resulting mixture is then methylated with diazomethane to form the methyl ester of any carboxylic acid present . the above mixture containing 2 - decarboxy - 2 - hydroxymethyl - 4 , 5 - tetradehydro - 6 - keto - pge 1 , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) and methyl ester by - products is hydrolyzed in 20 ml . of acetic acid - tetrahydrofuran - water ( 3 : 1 : 1 ) at 40 °- 45 ° c . for 3 hr . the mixture is concentrated and the residue extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase is washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate and brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel ( hplc ), eluting with acetone ( 25 - 50 %)- hexane to obtain the more polar formula - xxiv compound , 0 . 278 g ., having nmr peaks at 5 . 70 - 5 . 42 , 4 . 32 - 3 . 80 , and 3 . 23 δ , infrared absorption bands at 3480 , 2210 , 1755 , 1670 , and 970 cm - 1 , and a high resolution mass spectral peak ( tms derivative ) at 566 . 3299 . iii . finally , the title compound is obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of the above compound . the formula - xxiv compound of ii above ( 0 . 35 g . ), together with 35 mg . of palladium on barium sulfate and 5 ml . of pyridine is stirred under hydrogen at one atmosphere at about 25 ° c . for 0 . 5 hr . the solids are removed by filtration and the filtrate is concentrated . the residue is chromatographed ca 30 - 50 μ silica gel ( hplc ), eluting with acetone - hexane ( 1 : 1 ) to yield the formula - xxv title compound , 0 . 178 g ., having nmr peaks at 5 . 72 - 5 . 42 , 4 . 34 - 3 . 78 , and 3 . 60 δ , infrared absorption bands at 3360 , 1745 , 1710 , 1590 , 1160 , 1070 . 1015 , and 970 cm - 1 , and mass spectral lines ( tms derivative ) at 570 . 3563 , 555 , 552 , 499 , 480 , 465 , 426 , 409 , 383 , 375 , 355 , and 313 . following the procedures of example 8 and chart e , but replacing the formula - xxii starting material with the appropriate lactone known in the art , there are obtained the following formula - xxv compounds alternatively , the 13 , 14 - dihydro - and 13 , 14 - didehydro compounds are obtained by transformations of the above product of example 8 or the formula - xxiv intermediate of example 8 using methods known in the art . i . refer to chart f . the formula - xxx 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) of 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester is first prepared . a solution of 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , methyl ester ( johnson et al ., j . am . chem . soc . 99 , 4182 ( 1977 )) ( 0 . 3 g .) in 10 ml . of methylene chloride is treated with 2 ml . of dihydropyran and one ml . of a saturated solution of pyridine hydrochloride in methylene chloride and left standing at about 25 ° c . for several days . the mixture is washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate , dried , and concentrated . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 0 - 20 %)- methylene chloride , to yield the bis ( thp ether ), 0 . 23 g ., having r f 0 . 20 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ( 10 %)- methylene chloride ). ii . there is next prepared the formula - xxxii acid . the product above , combined with another lot of similar material ( total 1 . 30 g .) is stirred with 40 ml . of methanol and 10 ml . of 3 n sodium hydroxide at aout 25 ° c . for 3 hr . the mixture is cooled in an ice bath , saturated with sodium chloride , acidified with potassium hydrogen sulfate and immediately extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the acid has r f 0 . 52 ( tlc on silica gel in a - lx system ). iii . there is next prepared the formula - xxxiv 15 - oxo compound . the above product is immediately dissolved in 75 ml . of acetone , cooled to - 15 ° c ., and treated with 3 ml . of jones reagent added slowly within 30 min . stirring is continued for one hr ., allowing the temperature to rise to - 3 ° c . ; then 0 . 5 ml . more jones reagent is added , again at - 10 ° c ., and stirring continued for 45 min . the reaction is quenched with isopropyl alcohol , dried , and concentrated to an oil , about 1 . 5 g ., having r f 0 . 7 ( tlc on silica gel in a - ix system ). iv . finally , the title compound is obtained by hydrolysis . the above formula - xxxiv 6 , 15 - diketo - pge 1 , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) is treated with 12 ml . of acetic acid and 5 ml . of water at 40 ° c . for 3 hrs . then the mixture is cooled , diluted with brine , and extracted with chloroform . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is chromatographed on 100 g . of silica gel , eluting with ethyl acetate ( 60 - 100 %)- hexane , taking 50 ml . fractions and combining fractions 13 - 20 , to yield the formula - xxxv title compound , 0 . 31 g ., having r f 0 . 36 ( tlc on silica gel in a - lx system ), nmr peaks at 7 . 37 , 6 . 82 , 4 . 2 , 2 . 1 - 2 . 9 , and 0 . 9 δ , and infrared absorption bands at 3400 - 3200 , 2660 , 1745 , 1715 , 1675 , 1630 , 1290 , 1245 , 1160 , 1095 , 1075 , 975 , 850 , and 735 cm - 1 . a solution of 6 - keto - pge 1 ( example 2 , 0 . 17 g .) in 7 ml . of acetone is treated at - 10 ° c . with 0 . 2 ml . of triethylamine and 0 . 2 ml . of isobutylchloroformate . after 10 min . stirring the mixture is treated with 4 ml . of a saturated solution of ammonia in acetonitrile . after 15 min . at - 10 ° c . the cooling bath is removed and stirring continued for 5 min . the mixture is then concentrated to one - half volume and diluted with water and ethyl acetate . the organic phase is separated , washed with brine , dried , and concentrated . the oily residue is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 40 - 100 %)- methylene chloride to yield the title compound , 0 . 075 g . an analytical sample is obtained by crystallizing from ethyl acetate - diethyl ether , a powder , m . p . 84 °- 6 ° c ., having r f 0 . 23 ( tlc on silica gel in methanol - acetic acid - chloroform ( 10 : 10 : 80 )) and infrared absorption bands at 3540 , 3420 , 3200 , 1745 , 1710 , 1655 , 1620 , 1295 , 1245 , 1160 , 1110 , 1075 , 1025 , and 975 cm - 1 . following the procedures of example 10 , but replacing the starting material with ( 15s )- 15 - methyl - 6 - keto - pge 1 , there is obtained the formula - 1 compound : ( 15s )- 15 - methyl - 6 - keto - pge 1 , amide . i . refer to chart c . there is first prepared the formula - xxxvii 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). a mixture of the formula - vii 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , methylamide ( preparation 8 , 1 . 2 g .) in 25 ml . methylene chloride , with 2 ml . of dihydropyran and 25 mg . of p - toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate is stirred at about 25 ° c . for one hr . the mixture is then diluted with 75 ml . of methylene chloride , washed with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate and brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue , an oil , is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 5 . 40 %)- methylene chloride to yield the bis ( thp ether ) of the 5 - iodo compound , mixed isomers , an oil , 1 , 6 g ., havng r f 0 . 10 and 0 . 03 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ( 10 %)- methylene chloride ). ii . there is next prepared the formula - xxxviii 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , methylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). a slution of the above formula - xxxvii compound in 60 ml . of tetrahydrofuran is treated with silver carbonate ( 0 . 75 g .) and about 0 . 3 ml . of perchloric acid , with stirring at about 25 ° c . for 20 hr . the mixture is filtered , diluted with ethyl acetate , washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 1 . 4 g . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 10 - 60 %)- methylene chloride , to yield the formula - xxxviii compound , 0 . 48 g ., having r f 0 . 26 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 1 )). iii . next is prepared the formula - xxxix 6 - keto - pge 1 , methylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). a solution of the above formula - xxxviii compound ( 0 . 48 g .) in 15 ml . of acetone is treated at - 15 ° to - 20 ° c . with one ml . of jones reagent added dropwise and stirred for 45 min . thereafter one ml . of isopropyl alcohol is added , with stirring for about 30 min . brine and ethyl acetate are added and the organic phase is washed with brine , dried , and concentrated to an oil , 0 . 42 g ., consisting of the title compound as its bis ( thp ether ). iv . finally , the above formula - xxxix bis ( thp ether ) ( 0 . 42 g .) is treated in 9 ml . of acetic acid - water - tetrahydrofuran ( 20 : 10 : 3 ) at 40 ° c . for 3 . 5 hr . the solution is diluted with 15 ml . of water and freeze - dried . the residue is taken up in 10 ml . of methylene chloride and chromatographed over silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 30 - 80 %)- methylene chloride to yield the title compound , 0 . 11 g ., having r f 0 . 42 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ), mass spectral lines ( tms derivative ) at 597 . 3738 , 582 , 579 , 507 , 489 , and 417 , and infrared absorption bands at 3340 , 1745 , 1705 , 1640 , 1545 , 1270 , 1160 , 1110 , 1075 , 1015 , and 975 cm - 1 . i . refer to chart g . there is first prepared the formula - xxxviii 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , n - butylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). a solution of 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , n - butylamide ( preparation 10 , 1 . 47 g .) in 50 ml . of chloroform is treated at about 25 ° c . with 8 ml . of dihydropyran and 5 ml . of methylene chloride saturated with pyridine hydrochloride . additional amounts of reagents are added until the reaction is shown completed by tlc . the mixture is then washed with cold aqueous saturated sodium bicarbonate and brine , dried , and concentrated . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 2 ) to yield the formula - xxxviii compound , 0 . 7 g ., having r f 0 . 41 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate ). ii . next is prepared the formula - xxxix 6 - keto - pge 1 , n - butylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ), using 0 . 7 g . of the above formula - xxxviii compound and following the procedure of example ii - iii , there is obtained 0 . 39 g . of product , having r f 0 . 55 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate ) and a strong infrared absorption band at 1740 cm - 1 . iii . finally , the title compound is obtained by hydrolyzing the product of ii above ( 0 . 39 g .) in 2 ml . of glacial acetic acid and one ml . of water at 40 ° c . for 3 hr . the mixture is azeotroped with toluene , concentrating to a solid . the residue is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone - ethyl acetate ( 1 : 1 ) to yield the title compound , 0 . 2 g . an analytical sample is obtained on recrystallization from acetone - skellysolve b , 0 . 15 g ., having r f 0 . 20 ( tlc on silica gel in ethyl acetate ), and m . p . 78 °- 81 ° c . i . refer to chart g . there is first prepared the formula - xxxvii 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). following the procedure of example 8 - i , the 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , benzylamide ( preparation 11 , 2 . 0 g .) is reacted with dihydropyran . the product , an oil , is chromatographed over silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 5 - 25 %)- methylene chloride , to yield the bis ( thp ether ), 2 . 4 g ., having r f 0 . 73 ( tlc on silica gel in acetonemethylene chloride ( 1 : 1 )). ii . there is next prepared the formula - xxxviii 6 - keto - pgf 1 , benzylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) using the above formula - xxxvii compound . there is first prepared ( 5z )- 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9α - epoxy - δ 5 - pgf 1 , benzylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ) ether by treating the formula - xxxvii compound ( 2 . 4 g .) in 100 ml . of benzene with 4 ml . of dbn at 40 °- 45 ° c . for 22 hr . the mixture is cooled , diluted with 25 ml . of benzene , and washed with 25 ml . of ice water . the benzene solution is dried and concentrated . the residue , an oil , is essentially the enol ether , ( 5z )- 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9α - epoxy - δ 5 - pgf 1 , benzylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). the above product is converted to the formula - xxxviii 6 - keto compound by treating with 50 ml . of tetrahydrofuran - 5 % hydrochloric acid ( 9 : 1 ) at about 25 ° c . for 15 min . the mixture is diluted with 50 ml . of brine and extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried and concentrated to yield the formula - xxxviii bis ( thp ether ), 2 . 0 g ., an oil . iii . next is prepared the formula - xxxix 6 - keto - pge 1 , benzylamide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). the above formula - xxxviii pgf 1 compound , ( 1 . 0 g .) is oxidized in 25 ml . of acetone with jones reagent ( 2 ml .) at - 10 ° to - 20 ° c ., adding the reagent dropwise over 2 min . the mixture is stirred for 30 min . and the reaction is quenched with 2 ml . of isopropyl alcohol . the mixture is diluted with brine and extracted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase is washed with brine , dried over sodium sulfate , and concentrated to the formula - xxxix bis ( thp ether ), 0 . 97 g . iv . finally , the title compound is obtained by hydrolyzing the product of iii above ( 0 . 97 g .) in 20 ml . of acetic acid - water - tetrahydrofuran ( 20 : 10 : 3 ) at 40 °- 45 ° c . for 3 . 5 hr . the solution is diluted with 30 ml . of water and freeze - dried . the residue is chromatographed on florisil ®, eluting with acetone ( 0 - 100 %)- methylene chloride to yield the formula - xl title compound , 0 . 22 g . plus another 0 . 07 g . from rechromatographing a mixture with less polar material . the product has r f 0 . 24 in acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 1 ), and nmr peaks at 7 . 25 , 6 . 5 - 6 . 8 , 5 . 4 - 5 . 7 , 4 . 2 - 4 . 5 , 3 . 5 - 4 . 2 , 1 . 9 - 3 . 0 , and 0 . 3 - 1 . 9 δ . i . refer to chart g . there is first prepared the formula - xxxvii 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ). following the procedure of example 11 - i , the 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6ξ , 9α - epoxy - pgf 1 , anilide ( preparation 12 , 1 . 8 g .) is reacted with dihydropyran . the product , 3 . 5 g ., is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 5 - 20 %)- methylene chloride to yield the bis ( thp ether ), 2 . 3 g . having r f 0 . 29 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone ( 10 %)- methylene chloride ). ii . there is next prepared the formula - xxxvii 6 - keto - pgf 1 α , anilide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) using the above formula - xxxvii compound and following the procedure of example 11 - ii . the product , 1 . 98 g ., is chromatographed on silica gel eluting with acetone ( 10 - 70 %)- methylene chloride to yield the product , 0 . 53 g ., having r f 0 . 66 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 1 )). iii . next is prepared the formula - xxxix 6 - keto - pge 1 , anilide , 11 , 15 - bis ( tetrahydropyran - 2 - yl ether ) using the above formula - xxxviii compound and following the procedure of example 11 - iii , to obtain 0 . 54 g . of oil . iv . finally , the title compound is obtained by hydrolyzing the product of iii above following the procedure of example ii - iv . the product is chromatographed on silica gel , eluting with acetone ( 10 - 60 %)- methylene chloride to obtain the title compound , 0 . 18 g ., having r f 0 . 33 ( tlc on silica gel in acetone - methylene chloride ( 1 : 1 )), high resolution mass spectral peak ( tms derivative ) at 659 . 3837 , and infrared absorption peaks at 3460 , 3400 , 3300 , 1750 , 1725 , 1705 , 1660 , 1600 , 1500 , 1310 , 1290 , 1260 , 1155 , 1100 , 1065 , 1030 , 970 , 755 , and 690 cm - 1 . refer to chart b . following the procedures of example 11 , the formula - vii product of preparation 4 , 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9 - epoxy - pgf 1 α , p - phenylphenacyl ester , is converted , first to its bis ( thp ether ), then to the formula - iv 6 - keto - pgf 1 α - type compound which is oxidized at the c - 9 position to the formula - v compound which is finally hydrolyzed to the formula - vi title compound . following the procedures of example 15 and chart b but replacing the starting material with the corresponding p - phenylphenacyl ester made by methods described herein or known in the art , there are obtained the following formula - vi compounds : refer to chart b . a solution of the formula - vii 5ξ - iodo - 9 - deoxy - 6 , 9 - epoxy - pgf 1 α free acid ( preparation 3 ) is converted to the mixed anhydride with isobutylchloroformate in the presence of triethylamine in acetone solution at about - 10 ° c . thereafter the substituted phenyl ester is obtained using p -( p - acetamidobenzamido ) phenol in pyridine at about 25 ° c . thereafter following the procedures of example 11 , the bis ( thp ether ) is formed and converted to the formula - iv 6 - keto - pgf 1 α - type compound , which is oxidized at the c - 9 position and finally deblocked by mild acid hydrolysis to form the title compound of formula vi . following the procedures of example 16 and chart b , but replacing that starting material of formula vii with the appropriate 5 - halo compound and that phenol with the appropriate substituted phenol , there are prepared the following substituted phenyl esters within the scope of formula - vi :
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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according to fig1 and 2 , a rectangular roof opening 11 , which can be closed by a cover 12 , is formed in a fixed roof surface 10 of a motor vehicle . cover 12 can either be pivoted out with its back edge 13 over solid roof surface 10 , to ventilate the interior of the motor vehicle , or after lowering of back edge 13 , can slide backward under solid roof surface 10 . in fig2 cover 12 is indicated only by a dot - dash line . roof opening 11 is surrounded by a roof frame 14 , which is connected to roof surface 10 in a way not shown in detail . roof frame 14 carries or forms guide rails , which run along the side edges of roof opening 11 and in which front and rear sliders ( guide shoes ) are guided in a slidable manner in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle . the front sliders are placed on slider supports 15 of which only the left can be seen in fig2 . however , the right side of the arrangement is a mirror image of the left along a longitudinal plane of symmetry . consequently only the design and mode of operation of one side are explained . slider support 15 is fixedly connected to a side panel 16 on which cover is supported in a height adjustable manner . panel 16 engages a lifting lever 17 in its rearward area , by a sliding arrangement , one end of which ( the lower end in the case of a venting cover position ) is in hinged connection with the rear slider and can make a pivoting movement around a horizontal laterally extending axis . a pressure - resistant drive cable that can be moved by a manual or automatic drive engages the rear sliders on both sides of the cover respectively . if the rear sliders are moved further toward the front by the drive cable , going from closed cover position according to fig1 and 2 , lifting levers 17 pivot out ; cover 12 is pivoted around an axis lying close to its front edge , for example , determined by the front sliders . in this case , rear edge 13 of cover 12 is raised above fixed roof surface 10 . on the other hand , if the rear sliders are moved rearward from the position according to fig1 and 2 , cover 12 is lowered at its rear edge 13 and then moved under fixed roof surface 10 in a sliding movement . the arrangement explained so far is known and consequently requires no further discussion . for example , the design can be according to german pat . no . 29 14 855 and corresponding u . s . pat . no . 4 , 332 , 416 . a headlining 20 is connected to the front area of cover 12 by a pair of mounting devices 21 , of which again , only the left one can be seen . each mounting device 21 has an attachment pin 22 , which is fastened to a cover reinforcement 23 and projects from it essentially perpendicularly ( i . e ., vertically ) downward . attachment pin 22 is , for example , riveted to cover reinforcement 23 . pin 22 has a shaft 25 of an essentially square cross section and a flat , broadened head 24 sitting on the lower end of shaft 25 . as can be seen in fig7 shaft 25 is provided on its front side and rear side with shallow recesses 26 , 27 , which are essentially triangular ( i . e ., are defined by a pair of v - shaped walls ). each mounting device 21 also has a catch clip 30 designed as a molded plastic part . as can be seen particularly in fig4 catch clip 30 has two spring legs 31 , 32 , lying side by side , which diverge at their free front ends 33 , 34 like a funnel but are interconnected at a common opposite end 35 . the material of catch clip 30 and the cross - sectional dimensions of spring legs 31 , 32 are so chosen that spring legs 31 , 32 by being placed against drive pin 22 and be exertion of pressure in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be spread out until drive pin 22 snaps into an opening 36 defined by spring legs 31 , 32 ( fig1 ). opening 36 is so dimensioned that in the released condition of spring legs 31 , 32 , it receives shaft 25 of mounting pin 22 with a predetermined play , whereby front stop catches 37 , 38 of spring legs 31 , 32 engage front recess 26 and rear stop catches 39 , 40 engage recess 27 of shaft 25 of mounting pin 22 . spring legs 31 , 32 have a height that is less than the longitudinal dimension of shaft 25 . thus , drive pin 22 and catch clip 30 can slide freely along one another in the direction of the longitudinal pin axis for a limited distance . in addition , mounting pin 22 can be tilted relative to catch clip 30 when cover 12 is upwardly pivoted or when edge 13 thereof is lowered , before sliding of cover 12 rearward , without thereby transferring a significant force from mounting pin 22 to catch clip 30 . catch clip 30 is clipped onto front cross bar 42 of a lining frame 43 of headlining 20 . for this purpose , cross bar 42 is provided with an upwardly directed dome 44 , in which two openings 45 , 46 are formed . opening 45 exhibits a circular central section 47 and two slot - shaped sections 48 , 49 projecting radially from it in opposite directions . opening 46 essentially has the shape of an arc , whose center is in the middle of opening 45 . two latches 51 , 52 and two widenings 53 , 54 are provided in periphery 50 of opening 46 lying at a distance from opening 45 . on the underside of catch clip 30 is ring - shaped bearing section 56 with two studs 57 , 58 projecting radially outward . a center stud 59 is formed on end 35 of spring legs 31 , 32 , which essentially is a longitudinal extension of spring legs 31 , 32 . center stud 59 is formed into a hook 60 on the end distant from spring legs 31 , 32 . hook 60 is elastic in the direction of the longitudinal axis of center stud 59 . on the underside of hook 60 are catch noses 61 , 62 . to clip drive catch 30 onto lining frame 43 studs 57 , 58 are lined up with slot - shaped sections 48 , 49 of opening 45 and inserted through opening 45 , just as is bearing section 56 . at the same time catch noses 61 , 62 are passed through opening 46 in the area of widening 53 . then drive catch 30 is rotated counterclockwise around bearing section 56 in fig4 into the upholstery position shown there . in this position , studs 57 , 58 and also catch nose 61 engage the underside of dome 44 of cross bar 42 , while at the same time center stud 59 and cross struts 63 , 64 of drive catch 30 are applied against the upper side of dome 44 of cross bar 42 . free end 65 of hook 60 engages latch 51 with its catch nose 61 . catch clip 30 consequently is held securely . the vehicle manufacterer upholsters the lining frame 43 with a headlining fabric made of textile material or plastic film . in this case , lining fabric 67 is applied against the underside of lining frame 43 , equipped with catch clips 30 , and with its projecting edge 68 is wrapped upwardly around lining frame 43 and joined for example , glued , to the latter , as is indicated in fig2 . catch clips 30 , in the upholstering position , do not interfere with wrapping of lining fabric 67 . then catch clips 30 are rotated around the vertical axis determined by bearing section 56 , into the working position , which can be seen in fig1 and 2 and is indicated by dotted lines in fig4 . in this working position , catch nose 61 on free end 65 of hook 60 engages behind latch 52 of opening 46 to prevent an unintended turning of drive catch 30 out of the working position . catch noses 61 , 62 both grasp cross bar 42 . in the rear area of cover 12 , a guide fork 71 is clipped to a rear cross bar 70 of lining frame 43 on each side of the cover . each of guide forks 71 is designed as molded plastic part with an integrated slide 72 that is laterally inwardly open . the free end of an adjustment pin 73 engages slide 72 laterally at a distance from pivot lever 17 . as can be seen especially in fig5 and 6 , cross bar 70 is provided with openings 74 , 75 , 76 through which holding noses 77 , 78 or 79 on the underside of guide fork 72 can be inserted . elastic legs 80 , 81 of guide fork 71 are applied in clipped condition against catch noses 82 , 83 , which are formed by openings 74 , 75 in this way to exclude an unintended release of guide forks 71 . as can be recognized from fig1 and 6 , openings 74 , 75 are in the area of an upwardly projecting dome 84 of cross bar 70 . it follows from fig1 that , in the completely assembled condition of headlining 20 with clipped catch clips 30 and guide forks 71 , the lowermost exposed surfaces of the catch clips and the guide forks lie above the lowermost underside surface of lining frame 43 due to the domes 44 , 84 . headlining fabric 67 , consequently , is stretched taut also in the area of catch clips 30 and guide forks 71 , and so the existence of the catch clips and guide forks cannot be seen inside the vehicle . for mounting of headlining 20 , with catch clips 30 in the working position , the headlining 20 is shoved forwardly to bring funnel - like free front ends 33 , 34 of spring legs 31 , 32 into engagement with mounting pins 22 . spring legs 31 , 32 are spread apart until finally each shaft 25 snaps into a respective opening 36 . at the same time the ends of adjustment pins 73 are shoved into slides 72 of guide forks 71 . a rearwardly directed flat spring 86 or 87 extends from each of cross struts 63 , 64 of catch clips 30 . these flat springs 86 , 87 , in the assembled condition of headlining 20 , are applied against the underside of cover reinforcement 23 . in this way they press headlining 20 , with a relatively slight force , downward against lateral support surfaces 88 , on which the headlining can easily slide without rattling . a height adjustment of cover 12 , for which means known in the art and not shown ( e . g ., according to de - ps no . 29 14 855 and corresponding u . s . pat . no . 4 , 332 , 416 ) can be provided , does not result in a misalignment of headlining 20 , since flat springs 86 , 87 can freely slide against cover 12 in a horizontal plane , while , as explained , also no forces are transmitted by mounting pins 22 to catch clips 30 and thus to lining frame 43 , if such a height adjustment of the cover is made or the cover is tilted . consequenly , headlining 20 , unaffected by the height adjustment of cover 12 , is guided exactly opposite roof frame 14 , to which guide forks 71 also contribute . if cover 12 is shoved rearward from the closed position shown in fig1 headlining 20 is driven by mounting pins 22 and catch clips 30 so as to move therewith . thus , adjustment pin 73 travels toward the rear in slide 72 . since the back part of slide 72 is closer to the underside of headlining 20 than the front part of this slide , headlining 20 in its rear area is lifted with respect to roof frame 14 , so that headlining 20 can run backward freely and without friction , if cover 12 is moved rearward . adjustment pin 73 is preferably made of metal , while guide fork 71 , optionally , is made as a molded plastic part . the metal - plastic material mating makes it possible to let adjustment pin 73 run directly in slide 72 , i . e ., without addition slide rollers placed on the end of the adjustment pin . this makes it possible , in case of a specified distance between the underside of roof lining 20 and the upper side of guide fork 71 to see to a relatively great difference in height between the front and back ends of slide 72 . while we have shown and described various 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 those skilled in the art , and i , therefore , do not wish to be limited to the details shown and ddescribed herein , but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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a method and a system for production of hydrocarbons in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in fig1 . a hydrocarbon - containing formation fluid , such as oil , flows from a formation 1 through perforations 2 into a well , which has a casing 3 , a tubing 4 which with the casing 3 forms an annular space therebetween , and a packer 5 which forms an upper space above the packer between the casing and the tubing and a lower space below the packer . valves 8 are provided for introducing gas into the hydrocarbon - containing fluid . a bottomhole is identified with reference numeral 6 , and a wellhead is identified with reference numeral 9 . a bottomhole device 10 is further provided at the bottomhole . the bottomhole device can be formed as disclosed for example in u . s . pat . no . 7 , 051 , 817 and has a shape of a laval nozzle as shown in detail in fig2 , which is incorporated here as a reference . the bottomhole device 10 can be also formed as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 893 , 414 , in the form of a multiparametric hydrodynamic system . during the operation gas is injected by a compressor 12 into the annular space between the casing 3 and the tubing 4 , and then is introduced through the valves 8 into the interior of the tubing above the bottomhole device 10 , where it mixes with the hydrocarbon - containing fluid flow from the formation ( so called “ gas lift ”). while gas enhances the fluid flow in this zone toward the well head , the weight of the fluid column reduces . in conventional systems as a result of this , the bottomhole pressure reduces as well and a pressure differential between the formation 1 and the bottomhole 6 increases . this can lead to intensification of gas bubbles generation in the near bottomhole zone of the formation which eventually can block an oil flow from the formation into the bottomhole because of the difference in the relative phase permeability of oil and gas . however , since in accordance with the present invention the bottomhole device 10 is installed , the bottomhole pressure is increased , thus reducing the pressure differential between the formation and the bottomhole and at least reducing the gas blockage in the formation near bottomhole zone , so as to ensure a flow of oil from the formation into the well . fluid of a reduced weight , due to the joint operation of the gas lift and the bottomhole device , flows to the surface . a stale zone 13 is located between the tubing and the casing below the lower gas lift valve 8 and above the packer 5 . an adjustable choke 14 is installed at the wellhead 9 . it can be seen from the drawings , that the bottomhole device 10 is located below the lower gas valve 8 and above the upper perforation 2 as close as possible to the later . in the formations with high and medium gor and gas and / or water coning the invention can increase oil flow rates to an optimum level . this can be accomplished because the speed of oil flow depends not only on a pressure differential , but also on a phase oil permeability of the formation . when bottomhole pressure drops much below saturation , oil permeability , in high / medium - gor formations , drastically decreases due to oil degassing in the near bottomhole zone of the formation . oil mobility decreases , gas fluidity increases , oil flow rates reduce , while gas flow rates and gor grow . however , an increase of bottomhole pressure ( reduction of differential pressure ) may result in increased flow rates , when gas and water cones abate , gor and wc reduce . a computer simulator can be used , to analyze all physical processes in the formation with three - phase fluid flow and gas lift processes , and to calculate optimum bottomhole pressure , which can provide an increase in oil recovery factor and higher oil flow rates with decreased gor and wc . the simulator can analyze changing phase permeability and viscosity , solubility and compressibility as functions of phase saturation , pressure and temperature . the bottomhole device along with the wellhead regulator , carries out another important function — it provides an efficient fluid lift to the surface due to an abrupt reduction of the tubing pressure immediately above the device , causing liberation of a large amount of gas , which decreases fluid weight within the well and creates favorable conditions for fluid lift to the surface . at the same time , the amount of injection gas , required for the lift , considerably decreases . thus , the present invention can provide an efficient optimum well operation . operation of the gas lift in combination with the bottomhole device according to the present invention prevents or minimizes the above mentioned negative effects . the advantages of the invented method and system for well operation can be illustrated by the result of experimental tests conducted in an offshore well a in the gulf of mexico . well a was drilled and operated in a separate tectonic block . after reservoir pressure has abruptly decreases , the well &# 39 ; s natural flowing stopped and for a long time the well was operating with a gas lift . by the time of installation of the bottomhole device , according to the present invention , the formation has been affected by solution drive and coning . as a result , oil flow rates decreased to 121 bbl / d , in comparison to 200 bbl / d which was being produced from the well before . at the same time , gor and wc considerably increased . ( table 1 ) after the bottomhole device was installed , an optimum operational regime was established in the well with average oil flow rates of 1 bo / bbl / d and with decreased gor and wc . these parameters were achieved due to joint operation of the gas lift and the bottomhole device , which had a rehabilitating influence on the formation . before installation of the bottomhole device ( period 1 ) the main gas lift operational parameters were : injection gas flow rates qinj = 3 mscf / d ; the total amount of gas produced by the well , including qinj , qtotal = 445 mscf / d ; gas - in - liquid ratio gor = 710 scf / bbl . at the same time , oil flow rates were 121 bbl / d . after the optimum regime was established in well a , operating with the bottomhole device , the system parameters considerably improved : qinj = 240 mscf / d ; qtotal = 300 – 350 mscf / d ; glr = 1200 – 1500 scf / bbl . the average oil flow rates reached 164 bbl / d , i . e . they increased by more than 35 %. the computer program for recalculating the injection gas pressure and amount of gas after the bottomhole device is installed and for optimization the regime in the system well formation shown below in the form of algorithms . 1 . determine optimum bottomhole pressure and optimum oil , gas and / or water productions using reservoir computer simulator under the device . 2 . determine pressure and fluid parameters above the device using device computer simulator . 3 . calculate upstream top pressure using tubing computer simulator and parameters received in p . 2 . 4 . if top pressure calculated in p . 3 is equal to or greater than pressure required for surface conditions ( separator , pipe line ) the well can operate in flowing regime without gas lift . otherwise : 5 . set the top pressure equal to required pressure in p . 4 — psf . 6 . calculate the tubing pressure and temperature in gas lift location — pgl , tgl from the bottomhold using the tubing computer simulator . for simplification assume that well has only one gas lift injection . 7 . set the total gas production will increase by 20 % due to gas lift . in this case the injected gas volume qgl under pgl pressure can be calculated as : po = 14 . 5 psi − normal pressure ; to = 293 k − normal temperature ; gor — gas oil ratio ( scf / d ); pgl — injection pressure ( psi ) ( see p . 6 ) tgl — injection temperature ( k ) ( see p . 6 ); z — z - factor (−). 8 . calculate upstream top pressure form gas injection using tubing computer simulator and pgl , tgl , and qgl in pp . 6 and 7 . 9 . if top pressure calculated in p . 8 is greater / less than psf in p . 5 reduce / increase the qgl value by 5 % and repeat step 7 until top pressure will by equal to psf . in case of multiple gas lift valves , the calculation algorithm will be the same , but varying the injection pressures and amounts at the different valves is more flexible . the goal of gas lift calculation is to determine the amount of injected gas capable to keep the optimal parameters on the bottomhole , above the device and to carry out the fluid to the top . the present invention , which includes the gas lift operation in combination with the bottomhole device therefore is highly advantageous as can be seen from the presented examples . the bottomhole device influenced both fluid lift within the well , and , most importantly , the reservoir performance . the reservoir accumulated a lot of energy . the reservoir pressure was restored and gas and water coning reduced . after the bottomhole tool was removed , oil flow rates increased to 400 bbl / d due to the accumulated energy . although thereafter oil flow rates were gradually decreasing , 7730 barrels of oil were produced for the first 30 days , in comparison with 4130 barrels of the average monthly oil production for the prior 9 months . the additional production of 3600 barrels was a result of rehabilitating abilities of gas lift , operated in combination with the bottomhole tool . the increased oil flow rates and the additional oil production illustrate technological potential of the new system . for last 5 years , oil flow rates of this well never reached 400 bbl / d , and the additional production contributed considerably to oil recovery . the method and the system in accordance with the present invention provides the following advantages : increase in oil production of the gas lift well and the recovery factor of the formation due to maintained stable fluid flow rates at an optimum level according to current reservoir conditions , and fluid parameters ; considerably prolonged duration of life of gas lift wells without a necessity of replacing the tool ; improved regulation of parameters of the system gas lift - well - reservoir due to a flexible , smooth and precise operation of the bottomhole device ; ability to automatically self - adjust its operating on in response to certain changing parameters of the formation , fluid , gas lift and surface ; ability to stabilize operation of the gas lift system in the well ; ability to reduce and optimize rates of injection gas and / or to decrease operational pressure of the compressor ; ability to decrease negative influence of fluctuations in the top part of the well on the bottomhole pressure and flow rates ; ability to improve operational mode of the reservoir with gas lift well operation , in other words , to restore the reservoir energy , decrease gor and , to reduce gas and water coning , to increase oil permeability of the formation , to decrease oil viscosity in the reservoir . the invented method and system provide an effect that is different and greater than a sum of sole effects from gas lift and bottomhole device , used separately from one another . it will be understood that each of the elements described above , or two or more together , may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method and system for production of hydrocarbons , 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 . without further analysis , the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that , from the standpoint of prior art , fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention .
| 4Fixed Constructions
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the preferred embodiments and the advantages of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings . as various specific details are provided for a comprehensive understanding of the present invention in the following discussion , those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention can be carried out without these specific details . in the description of the embodiments , well - known components are illustrated in a form of schematic or block diagrams so as to prevent unnecessary details from obscuring the present invention . to solve the problem that a special - purpose processor fails to perform data chaining via a pointer , according to an embodiment of the present invention , a scheme of performing data chaining via a two - tuple linker is proposed , so that the function of data chaining can be easily implemented in a special - purpose processor that does not support a pointer . in detail , data to be stored in a data storage structure is segmented into multiple data segments , each data segment is stored to a storage unit that can accommodate this data segment , and accordingly , a two - tuple linker is also stored to this storage unit . with this two - tuple linker , the data segment stored in this storage unit is chained with a next data segment stored in another storage unit . fig1 shows a data storage method according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the data storage method includes the steps of : segmenting data to be stored to a data storage structure into a plurality of data segments ( step s 110 ); storing said plurality of data segments to a plurality of storage units , respectively ( step s 120 ); and storing a two - tuple linker to each of said plurality of storage units except for the one used for storing the last data segment ( step s 130 ), so that a data segment stored in a storage unit is chained with a next data segment stored in another storage unit via this two - tuple linker . in other words , the stored two - tuple linker points to a next data segment . of course , a storage unit may also store only a two - tuple linker , which is caused to point to a first data segment , and do not store any data segment . by means of chaining of each data segment , storage units used for storing all data segments are logically chained . in this chain of storage units , each storage unit stores a data segment and a two - tuple linker except that the last storage unit stores only the last data segment . of course , the first storage unit may store only the first two - tuple linker , while the first data segment is stored in the second storage unit . in this case , the first storage unit stores only the first two - tuple linker , the last storage unit stores only the last data segment , and other storage units store both a data segment and a two - tuple linker . under normal situations , the first storage unit of a chain of storage unit may house information in a leaf node ( logically primary leaf ) of an index tree , and other storage units of this chain of storage unit store a two - tuple linker and / or data segment in a form of elements of a flat table , as extension of this leaf node . in this case , the used two - tuple linker may include a flat table identifier tid and an element identifier eid , wherein the flat table identifier tid points to the table number of the flat table where the next data segment is located , and the element identifier eid points to the element number or row number of the flat table where this data segment is located . elements in the flat table may be accessed via the flat table identifier tid and element identifier eid . both flat table identifier tid and element identifier eid are software - defined elements in one embodiment . when a task is initiated , a processing engine or processor utilizes the input data for a tree lookup . after a match occurs , i . e ., a proper logic primary leaf is found , when needed , the processor can utilizes a two - tuple linker { tid , eid } to read information in the logically extended leaf . fig2 illustrates a data storage structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig2 , the data storage structure according to the present invention comprises a first storage unit 210 and a second storage unit 220 . the first storage unit 210 comprises a first data segment 212 and a first two - tuple linker 214 , where the first two - tuple linker 214 points to a second data segment 222 included in the second storage unit 220 . for instance , the second data segment 222 included in the second storage unit 220 may be accessed by providing the first two - tuple linker 214 . the first storage unit 210 may be not spatially adjacent to the second storage unit 220 , so long as there exists such corresponding logic relation that the second data segment 222 inside the second storage unit 220 can be accessed by means of the first two - tuple linker 214 in the first storage unit 210 . of course , those skilled in the art should understand that the first storage unit 210 may include the first two - tuple linker 214 only , i . e ., the first storage unit 210 may not include the first data segment 212 . the above - described data storage structure may further include a third storage unit ( not shown ) for storing a third data segment . in this case , the second storage unit 220 needs to include a second two - tuple linker which points to the third data segment . those skilled in the art can conceive that the data storage structure may also include a fourth storage unit , a fifth storage unit , etc ., each of which includes a corresponding data segment . the number of storage units included is not supposed to limit the present invention . of course , those skilled in the art should understand that each storage unit may store only one two - tuple linker or store a plurality of two - tuple linkers according to needs . fig3 illustrates a data storage structure according to another embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig3 , the data storage structure comprises multiple cascades of storage unit ( only two cascades are shown in this figure ). the first cascade of storage unit 310 includes one storage unit , the second cascade of storage unit 320 includes n storage units , and the third cascade of storage unit includes m × n storage units ( not shown ). the first cascade of storage unit 310 includes n two - tuple linkers , which point to n flat table elements stored respectively in the n storage units of the second cascade of storage unit 320 , respectively . each of storage units of the second cascade of storage unit 320 includes m two - tuple linkers , which point to m flat table elements stored respectively in the m storage units of the third cascade of storage unit , respectively . each cascade of storage unit may also store corresponding data segments according to needs . this cascading mechanism is of great use in applications such as load balance ( both n and m are positive integers greater than 1 ). clearly , the new data chaining mechanism ( data storage method ) can provide the chaining capability which a special - purpose processor had traded for its performance gain . and this new data chaining eliminates the physical limitation on memory ( i . e ., physical limitation of the leaf capacity ). those skilled in the art can conceive that the data structure applicable is not limited to the tree structure so long as multiple data segments can be chained together via two - tuple linkers . data structures do not constitute any limitation to the present invention . those skilled in the art should understand the aforesaid data segments may include various types of data , such as integer , float and string or the like . the data storage structure and data storage method according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention may be applied to the above - described special - purpose processor or other processors . the type of applicable processors does not constitute any limitation to the present invention . it should be noted that all the functions described here may be implemented by hardware or software or a combination thereof , unless otherwise specified . a basic idea of the present invention is to provide , via a two - tuple linker , data chaining in a special - purpose processor that does not support a memory address pointer , so as to break through the limitation on space needed for data storage and enhance the efficiency of chaining each data segment . the description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description , and is not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to the form as disclosed . various modification and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention , the practical application , and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand that all modifications and alterations made without departing from the spirit of the present invention fall into the protection scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims .
| 6Physics
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referring to drawings , an embodiment according to the present invention will be explained below . at first , soldering flux 5 according to the present invention will be explained . the soldering flux 5 includes a solvent , an organic acid , and an amine . if necessary , a bodying agent and a surface acting agent may be included . a boiling point of the solvent of the soldering flux 5 is more than a melting temperature of solder at which the solder ball 6 is melted , and a solubility of the solvent in water is more than 0 . 01 % by weight and less than 6 . 8 % by weight . since the solubility in water is set to be less than 6 . 8 % by weight , an affinity between the solvent and an organic material is enhanced , and the organic material adhering on surfaces of an electrode 2 , a solder ball 6 , and a solder bump 7 can be dissolved and removed . on the other hand , since the solubility in water is set to be more than 0 . 01 % by weight , the solvent can be blended into water . thus , the soldering flux 5 can be removed by water washing . as the solvent , as shown in fig8 , hexyl glycol , 2 - ethyl hexyl glycol , 2 - ethyl hexyl diglycol , phenyl glycol , phenyl diglycol , benzyl glycol , butyl propylene diglycol , phenyl propylene glycol , dibutyl diglycol , propyl - propylene diglycol and butyl propylene glycol are illustrated . as the organic material adhered to surfaces of the electrode 2 , solder ball 6 and solder bump 7 , organic compounds such as organic silicon , acrylic , epoxy and the like contained in the solder resist 3 are exemplified . in order to eliminate these organic compounds , the solubility in water is preferably lower than 5 . 0 % by weight . accordingly , it is preferable to use the solvent of which solubility in water is 0 . 01 % by weight to 5 . 0 % by weight . as such solvent , hexyl glycol , 2 - ethyl hexyl glycol , 2 - ethyl hexyl diglycol , phenyl glycol , phenyl diglycol , benzyl glycol , butyl propylene diglycol , phenyl propylene glycol , dibutyl diglycol and propyl - propylene diglycol are exemplified . a contained amount of the solvent in the soldering flux 5 is 39 % to 69 % by weight . the amine in the soldering flux 5 includes multidentate ligand that has a plurality of group coordinating with one metal atom ( conductive metal atom ). here , the conductive metal atom is cu , ni , au or ag . as the amine , a material is illustrated in which ethylene - diamine , poly - oxy ethylene - diamine or derivatives thereof is linked to cu , ni , au , or ag and the like via a coordination linkage . moreover , cyclic hydrocarbon or water - soluble polyamine resin may be added in the amine . as to the amine in the soldering flux 5 , it is only necessary that the conductive metal such as cu , ni , au or ag can be once coordinate - bonded and dissolved , and it is not necessarily that the conductive metal is initially coordinate - bonded to amine in of soldering flux 5 . that is to say , when the soldering flux 5 is contacted to the solder ball 6 and the electrode 2 , the conductive metal included in the solder ball 6 or the electrode 2 may be linked to the amine via the coordination linkage . furthermore , the solubility of the amine in water is preferably set to be more than 5 % by weight such that the solubility in water of the soldering flux 5 is maintained . moreover , since the soldering flux 5 is used at the time of melting the solder , a boiling point of the amine is preferably more than the melting point of the solder . specifically , the boiling point of the amine is preferably more than 250 ° c . as the amine satisfying these conditions , ethoduomeen , jeffamine and poloxamine are exemplified . the cas number of ethoduomeen is 61790 - 85 - 0 . the cas number of jeffamine is 65605 - 36 - 9 . the cas number of poloxamine is 11111 - 34 - 5 . a contained amount of the amine is more than 30 % by weight and less than 60 % by weight . the organic acid in the soldering flux 5 has a plurality of organic acid group in one molecule in order to increase activity per a mol . as the organic acid group , a carboxyl group is exemplified . the organic acid is used for dissolving an oxide film on the metal surface ( electrode 2 etc .) so as to facilitate the solder to be attached onto the metal surface . by the organic acid , a below chemical reaction is proceeded such that the oxide film is removed . in order to promote the above chemical reaction for removing the oxide film by pre - heating in a reflow process , the melting point of the organic acid is preferably more than 145 ° c . furthermore , in order to increase the melting point , in a position excluding the carboxyl group , hydrogen atoms may be replaced by other substituent groups . a contained amount of the organic acid in the soldering flux 5 is more than 1 % by weight and less than 20 % by weight . as the organic acid , diglycolic acid o ( ch 2 cooh ) 2 , adipic acid hcooh ( ch 2 ) 4 cooh , dimethylol - propionic acid c 5 h 10 o 4 , succinic acid c 4 h 6 o 4 and citric acid c 6 h 8 o 7 are exemplified . the cas number of diglycolic acid o ( ch 2 cooh ) 2 is 110 - 99 - 6 . the cas number of adipic acid hcooh ( ch 2 ) 4 cooh is 124 - 04 - 9 . the cas number of dimethylol - propionic acid c 5 h 10 o 4 is 4767 - 03 - 7 . the cas number of succinic acid c 4 h 6 o 4 is 110 - 15 - 6 . the cas number of citric acid c 6 h b o 7 is 77 - 92 - 9 . a bodying agent may be included in the soldering flux 5 , in order to set up viscosity of a mixture of the solvent , the organic acid and the amine . it is noted that when the mixture has desired viscosity , the bodying agent is not necessary to be included , and addition of the bodying agent may be omitted . the surface acting agent may be included in the soldering flux 5 such that the solvent , the organic acid and the amine are sufficiently mixed , but addition of the surface acting agent may be omitted . next , with reference to fig3 to 7 , a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device 10 with using the soldering flux 5 of the present invention will be explained . fig3 to 7 are magnified diagrams each showing a vicinity of a solder bump 7 of the semiconductor device 10 . these diagrams are magnified diagrams showing a region a shown in fig1 . as shown in fig1 , a plurality of solder bumps 7 are formed by the manufacturing method shown in fig3 to 7 . initially , as shown in fig1 , a wiring board 1 on which a semiconductor chip 150 is mounted is prepared . a plurality of electrode 2 are formed on a surface of the wiring board 1 , a solder resist 3 is formed on the surface of the wiring board , and the solder resist 3 has opening portions such that each electrode 2 is exposed . the solder resist 3 is composed of a material that is hard to be wet with the solder , and includes organic materials exemplified as an organic silicon compound ( for example , siloxane ), an acrylic compound , and an epoxy compound . the electrode 2 includes a metal such as cu . the electrode 2 is electrically connected to an electric circuit ( not shown ) in the semiconductor chip 150 , via a circuit of the wiring board 1 and bonding wires 160 . next , as shown in fig3 , the soldering flux 5 is applied on the plurality of the electrodes 2 . the soldering flux 5 may be applied by squeegee printing method , a sealed - type pressure printing method , or other methods . after the soldering flux 5 is applied , as shown in fig4 , a plurality of solder ball 6 are mounted on the wiring board 1 . the plurality of solder ball 6 are arranged on the wiring board 1 such that each solder ball 6 is contacted with the soldering flux 5 . at this time , the solder ball 6 or the electrode 2 may be partially dissolved into the soldering flux 5 to be linked to the amine in the soldering flux 5 via a coordination linkage . if the soldering flux 5 includes the amine that is not bonded to the metal by coordination linkage , the amine is coordinate - bonded with the metal for the first time in this process . specifically , this metal is cu , ag , au , ni or the like included in the electrode 2 and the solder ball 6 . the wiring board 1 is heated at reflow process , after the plurality of solder ball 6 are mounted . by this heating , the soldering flux 5 covers the surfaces of the solder ball 6 and the electrode 2 , and the solder ball 6 is melted to form a solder bump 7 . after the solder bump 7 is formed , as shown in fig5 , a flux layer 8 including the soldering flux 5 is formed on the surface of the solder bump 7 . the flux layer 8 includes the soldering flux 5 , a component included in the solder resist 3 , and a material originating from a contamination component that covers each of the electrode 2 and soldering ball 6 . as the material included in the flux layer 8 , an oxide silicon compound r — so x , a poly - dimethyl siloxane compound , an acrylic compound , and an epoxy compound or the like are exemplified . after that , the solder bump 7 is washed by water , the flux layer 8 is removed , and the semiconductor device 10 is obtained as shown in fig6 . according to the present invention , since the soldering flux 5 includes the solvent having a solubility in water of 0 . 01 % by weight or more and the amine having a solubility in water of 5 % by weight or more , the soldering flux 5 can be removed by water washing . at this water washing process , the coordination linkage between the conductive metal and an amine ligand is cut off , the amine ligand is removed , and the conductive metal is deposited . after the water washing , an electrical test of the semiconductor device 10 is carried out by a testing device . as shown in fig7 , a contact pin 11 formed by a conductor is provided in the testing device , and the electrical test is carried out by directly contacting the contact pin 11 with the soldering bump 7 . though there is not shown in fig7 , the testing device has a plurality of contact pin 11 each of which corresponds to the each solder bump 7 . subsequently , the semiconductor device 10 will be explained , which is obtained by using the soldering flux 5 according to the present invention . fig9 is a pattern diagram showing the vicinity of the surface of the solder bump 7 of the semiconductor device 10 shown in fig6 manufactured by the manufacturing method mentioned above . the solder bump 7 includes a base part 29 , and a surface part 23 that covers the base part 29 . a thickness of the surface part 23 is about 2 nm to 6 nm . the base part 29 includes a base material 21 and an oxidation products layer 22 that covers the surface of the base material 21 . the surface part 23 includes sn and conductive metal . the conductive metal is cu , ni , au , or ag and the like supplied from the amine included in the soldering flux 5 . since cu , ni , au , or ag or the like is linked to the amine included in the soldering flux 5 via the coordination linkage , the amine ligand is removed by the water washing , and cu , ni , au , or ag or the like is deposited . the surface part 23 is formed of these conductive metals . as to a part of cu , ni , au , or ag or the like , the coordinate - bonding with the amine may be partly remained . when using the soldering flux 5 according to the present invention , in a unit volume of the surface part 23 , a ratio of a number of conductive metal atoms to a number of sn atoms is larger than 0 . 01 . by increasing the contained amount of the amine in the soldering flux 5 , the ratio can be larger than 0 . 015 . this ratio can be quantitatively evaluated by tof - sims ( time - of - flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy ). in the soldering flux 5 according to the present invention , since the solubility of solvent in water is limited , an affinity with organic materials can be increased , insulating materials such as a poly - silicon compound or an organic insulating material included in the surface part 23 can be effectively removed , and an contained amount of the insulating material in the surface part 23 can be reduced . here , as the insulating material , poly - dimethyl siloxane ( pdms ) or the like is illustrated , and the insulating material includes si and c . as shown in fig9 , when using the soldering flux 5 according to the present invention , contained amounts of si and c in the surface part 23 can be decreased such that the ratio of a number of si or c atoms to a number of sn atoms per a nut volume can be smaller than 0 . 01 , and it can be understood that the insulating material can be effectively removed from the surface of the solder bump 7 . this is because the solubility in water of the solvent of the soldering flux 5 is set to be less than 6 . 8 % by weight , in particular , less than 5 . 0 % by weight , and the affinity with the organic materials is increased such that the poly - silicon compound and the organic insulating material can be removed from the surface of the solder bump 7 . the oxidative products layer 22 is about 4 nm in thickness , and includes a first oxidative products layer 24 and a second oxidative products layer 25 in this order from the side of the base material . the first oxidative products layer 24 is mainly composed of tin phosphate snp x o y . the second oxidative products layer 25 covering the first oxidative products layer 24 is mainly composed of tin oxide snox . subsequently , referencing to fig1 and 11 , the effects of the present invention will be explained . fig1 shows a relationship between a quantity of cu to sn at the surface of the solder bump 7 and an yield rate of the semiconductor device 10 . a horizontal axis of fig1 shows a ratio of a number of cu atoms to a number of sn atoms in unit volume at the surface of the solder bump 7 , wherein the ratio was measured by tof - sims . a vertical axis of fig1 shows an yield rate in continuity check of the electrical test of the solder bump 7 . as shown in fig1 , when an amount of cu existing on the surface of the solder bump 7 is increased , the semiconductor device 10 is easily judged to be a good item . namely , it is shown that when the ratio of cu to sn at the surface of the solder bumps 7 is increased , conductivity in the surface part 23 is increased . as shown in fig1 , it is understood that when the ratio of the number of cu atoms to the number of sn atoms in a unit volume exceeds 0 . 01 , the yield is remarkably increased . furthermore , if the ratio of the number of atoms is more than 0 . 015 , the yield becomes almost 100 %. in the present invention , the ratio of cu atoms to sn atoms in number in a unit volume at the surface part 23 can be more than 0 . 01 , since the conductive metal such as cu , ni , au , and ag is linked to the amine in the soldering flux 5 , the amine ligand is removed by water washing , the conductive metal is deposited , and the surface part 23 is formed . especially , the ratio of the conductive metal atoms to sn atoms can be more than 0 . 015 by increasing the contained amount of the amine . accordingly , the surface part 23 having high conductivity can be formed on the surface of the solder bump 7 , and a contact resistance can be decreased between the solder bump 7 and the contact pin 11 . as the results , at the continuity check , it becomes possible to remarkably suppress a possibility of faulty determining to be defective due to an electrical contacting failure between the contact pin 11 and the solder bump 7 . meanwhile , a case of cu is shown in fig1 , however , similar trends could be confirmed in cases of ni , au , and ag . namely , when a ratio of ni or au atoms to sn atoms in number was more than 0 . 01 , the yield was remarkably increased , and when the ratio is more than 0 . 015 , the yield became almost 100 %. fig1 shows a relationship between a ratio of an amount of si to sn at the surface of the solder bump 7 and the yield of the semiconductor device 10 . a horizontal axis of fig1 shows a ratio of a number of si atoms to a number of sn atoms in unit volume at the surface of the solder bump 7 , wherein the ratio was measured by tof - sims . a vertical axis of fig1 shows a rate of which the semiconductor devices 10 once judged to be defects were judged to be good items in a retest . namely , when a value of the vertical axis is large , it is shown that a possibility of judging good item to be a defect at a first continuity check is large . as shown in fig1 , when the ratio of si atoms to sn atoms in number in a unit volume is small , miss judgment is reduced . specially , when the ratio of si atoms to sn atoms in number in a unit volume is smaller than 0 . 01 , the miss judgment is remarkably reduced . same trend was obtained in a case of using c instead of si . as a material including si and c formed on the surface of solder bump 7 , insulating material derived from the solder resist 3 , for example , an organic silicon compound , an acrylic compound , an epoxy compound , and a poly - dimethyl siloxane compound or the like are considered . according to the present invention , since the solvent in the soldering flux 5 can melt and dissolve these insulating materials derived from the solder resist 3 , miss judgment due to the material including si or c compound can be suppressed . in the above explanation , though the main component of the base material of the solder bump 7 was sn compound , metals other than sn may be used . additionally , the base material of the solder bump 7 may be formed of sn and metals other than sn .
| 7Electricity
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in one embodiment , the present invention provides a new hydrogen sulphide scavenging composition comprising the reaction product of mixing monoethanolamine and diglycolamine with formaldehyde . the molar ratio of total amines ( consisting of monoethanolamine and diglycolamine ) to formaldehyde may be from about 3 : 1 to about 1 : 3 . preferably , the molar ratio of total amines to formaldehyde is in the range of from about 1 : 1 to 1 : 3 , more preferably from about 1 : 1 to 1 : 1 . 5 . the molar ratio of monoethanolamine to diglycolamine may preferably be in the range of from about 95 : 5 to about 70 : 30 , and more preferably about 90 : 10 . in considering the molar ratio of total amines to formaldehyde , it is to be understood that the preferred ratios refer to the amount of amines and formaldehyde that are mixed together and not necessarily the amount of amine and formaldehyde that forms a reaction product . it also to be understood that the amines and formaldehyde can be mixed in any order . for example , the amines can first be mixed together and the amine mixture combined with the formaldehyde . in the alternative , one or both of the amines can be first mixed with formaldehyde before being mixed with each other . the reaction of the amines with the formaldehyde is strongly exothermic . it has been found that failure to control the temperature of the amine - aldehyde reaction results in a less active scavenging composition . in particular , it has been found that the temperature of the reaction should be maintained preferably below about 40 ° c . in order to avoid a significant reduction in scavenging activity . temperature of the reaction can be controlled by mixing the reactants slowly over a period of time and while monitoring the temperature . the rate of mixing should be adjusted to maintain the temperature preferably below 40 ° c . in addition , cooling apparatus can be used to remove heat from the reaction vessel to maintain the desired temperature . it has further been found that the activity of the scavenging composition can be maximized by adding the formaldehyde to the amine rather than vice versa . it is believed that high temperatures resulting from the exothermic amine - aldehyde reaction can cause unreacted formaldehyde to form formic acid or other intermediates which can then react with or inhibit the triazine produced by the amine - aldehyde reaction . this tendency is believed to be reduced when the formaldehyde is added to the amines . as a reference sample , a reaction product ( 1 ) using 65 . 5 wt % formalin ( 37 . 5 % formaldehyde , 25 % methanol ) and 34 . 5 wt % monoethanolamine was formulated . the formaldehyde was slowly added to monoethanolamine while the mixture was stirred and the temperature of the mixture was maintained below 40 ° c . the molar ratio of monoethanolamine to formaldehyde was approximately 1 : 1 . 5 . a number of mixed amine reaction products were prepared using the same formulation and procedure as for reaction product ( 1 ) except that the 34 . 5 wt % component of monoethanolamine was replaced by a 34 . 5 wt % amine mixture comprising monoethanolamine and a second amine . the amines used in the mixtures and their amounts ( expressed in a weight ratio ) are set out in table 1 . each of the reaction products in table 1 was contacted with a gas stream containing approximately 80 % co 2 and 20 % h 2 s until breakthrough was detected , except the reaction product of the amine blend of 90 % mea : 10 % dga which was contacted with a gas stream containing approximately 95 % co 2 and 5 % h 2 s ). each spent reaction product sample was characterized by two distinct liquid phases . sub - samples from the upper and lower phases were placed together in 20 ml glass vials . the bottom layer substantially comprised dithiazine in liquid form and the upper layer comprised substantially reaction intermediates and water . the amount of methanol in each layer is shown in table 1 . while a simple reduction in temperature below about 20 ° c . will initiate dithiazine crystal growth in gas processing equipment in field applications , a similar temperature reduction in laboratory conditions usually does not intiate crystal growth . it is believed that the presence of contaminants in field applications offers numerous nucleation sites to initiate and promote crystallization . in order to accurately detect the onset of crystal growth in laboratory equipment , each layer of each reaction product sample was seeded with a dithiazine crystal . at room temperature ( approx . 20 ° c .) the seed crystal dissolved in the bottom dithiazine layer of all samples . the vials were then placed in a cryogenic bath and cooled with glycol to 15 ° c . and each sample was reseeded with a dithiazine crystal . all seed crystals remained intact , but no additional crystal growth occurred . the temperature was then reduced to 10 ° c . and the samples were left overnight at which point solidification could be observed in all samples except those containing the amine blends of 85 % mea : 15 % dga and 80 % mea : 20 % dga . for the spent reaction products which comprised mea and other than dga , the solids were slightly different in appearance than the crystalline solids produced in the spent mea reaction product , but the difference was judged to be relatively insignificant . however , the solids that formed in the spent reaction products which comprised mea and dga were significantly different , displaying a soft and amorphous nature . the temperature was then reduced to 5 ° c . and the samples were again left overnight . further crystal growth and solids formation occurred in all samples . again , the solids that formed in the spent reaction products which comprised mea and dga were soft and amorphous nature . a very small amount of crystalline growth was also observed in the 80 % mea : 20 % dga sample , but this was considered to be insignificant , and possibly due to laboratory error . the temperature was then reduced to 0 ° c . and the samples were again left overnight . all samples were substantially entirely solid . the amine blends of 90 % mea : 10 % dga ; 85 % mea : 15 % dga and 80 % mea : 20 % dga exhibited soft amorphous solids . the amine blend of 95 % mea : 5 % dga exhibited a mixture of crystalline solids and soft and amorphous solids . all other samples exhibited hard crystalline solids only . from the tests described above , it can be seen that the samples comprising the spent reaction product from a mixture of mea and dga formed solids that were substantially or partially amorphous and of a soft or “ mushy ” consistency . in contrast , all other samples formed hard crystalline solids at various temperatures of 15 ° c . and below . a scavenger solution in accordance with the present invention comprising a reaction product using 76 . 7 wt % formalin ( 37 . 5 % formaldehyde , 25 % methanol ), 21 wt % monoethanolamine and 2 . 3 wt % dga was formulated . the solution was blended by slowly adding formaldehyde to a mea / dga mixture until a 1 : 1 molar ratio of amine to formaldehyde was achieved . during the blending procedure , the mixture was stirred and the temperature of the mixture was maintained below 40 ° c . the balance of the formaldehyde was then slowly added . the molar ratio of amines to formaldehyde was approximately 1 : 2 . 6 . the scavenger solution was used in a circulating bubble tower contactor for scavenging natural gas until the chemical was spent . three samples were obtained from the spent chemical storage tank , pump return # 1 and pump return # 2 . the samples from the storage tank and pump return # 1 contained two phases , a light red / amber upper phase and a darker lower phase . the sample from pump return # 2 was a single amber phase . sub - samples of both phases and of each phase separately were placed in 20 ml glass vials . four sub - samples of each of the three types ( 1 upper phase , 1 lower phase , 1 both phases ) were assembled and 2 of each of the four were seeded with a single dithiazine crystal at 15 ° c . thus , there were two identical sets of 6 sub - samples , viz . upper layer seeded , upper layer unseeded , lower layer seeded , lower layer unseeded , both layers seeded , both layers unseeded . the vials from the first set were placed in a cryogenic bath cooled with glycol . starting at the 15 ° c . temperature required to maintain the seed crystal as a separate solid phase in each mixture , the samples were cooled by two degree increments to 1 ° c . the samples were held at each temperature for a 24 hour period and visually examined before cooling to the next temperature . the vials from the second set were placed in a freezer at − 5 ° c . and maintained at that temperature for a 24 hour period and then visually examined . they were then placed in a deep freeze at − 25 ° c . for a two hour period and visually examined . in the first set , at 5 ° c ., significant amorphous ( non - crystaline ) type solids had formed in all three seeded samples . no solids were observed to have formed in any of the non - seeded samples . in the second set , solids were seen to form in each of the seeded samples at − 5 ° c . no solids were formed in the unseeded samples . the solids formed in the seeded samples were soft and amorphous and were very similar to the type observed in the first set . at − 25 ° c ., all the samples solidified completely . the unseeded samples were solidified homogeneously throughout each phase present . the seeded samples , which still had the solids formed at − 5 ° c . when they were placed in the deep freeze , appeared to contain two types of solids at the colder temperature , i . e ., the residual amorphous solids and ice - like solids that formed at − 25 ° c . in summary , in the presence of residual solids , which may act as seed crystals in the saturated scavenger solutions or mixtures , solidification was observed to initiate in the lower phase at 5 ° c . the solids were soft and amorphous in consistency . in the absence of seed crystals , the spent solutions were observed to supercool to − 5 ° c . without forming solids . reaction products ( 1 ), ( 6 ) and ( 8 ) in example 1 were subjected to hydrogen sulphide scavenging capacity tests . the inlet gas comprised approximately 19 % hydrogen sulphide and the remainder co 2 . the results for control reaction product ( 1 ) are presented in fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ) and show that breakthrough ( 20 % nominal ) occurred at 200 minutes , scavenging about 165 mg h 2 s / ml . the results for reaction product ( 6 ) ( 95 % mea : 5 % dga ) shown in fig2 ( a ) and 2 ( b ) and reaction product ( 8 ) ( 85 % mea : 15 % dga ) were slightly better , with both mea / dga reaction products producing breakthrough at 225 minutes , scavenging about 200 mg h 2 s / ml . field application experience has confirmed the laboratory test results . in particular , reactions products of the present invention formed by reacting formaldehyde with a mixture of mea and dga freeze at a lower temperature than do corresponding mea - formaldehyde reaction products that do not contain dga . more importantly , where dithiazine crystal deposits formerly occurred in gas processing equipment using conventional mea - formaldehyde reaction products , in many cases no solids are produced when the reaction products of the present invention are used . where solids have occurred , primarily in extremely low temperature applications , the solids are “ mushy ” in texture and can be easily cleaned out of the gas processing equipment with steam or hot water . without wishing to be bound by any theory , it is believed dithiazine crystal formation is promoted when a relatively pure dithiazine liquid is cooled below its freezing point . by replacing a portion of mea with dga , a mixed reaction product is produced having slightly different triazine structures . in particular , the reaction product of mea and formaldehyde is rich in 1 , 3 , 5 tri -( 2 - hydroxyethyl )- hexahydro - s - triazine and the reaction product of a mixture of mea and dga with formaldehyde also includes 1 , 3 , 5 ( 2h , 4h , 6h )- tri ( 2 - ethoxyethanol )- 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine . when this mixed reaction product reacts with hydrogen sulphide , a non - homogeneous lower phase containing mixed dithiazine reaction products is formed . it is believed that this non - homogeneity tends to impede crystal growth and instead promotes amorphous solids formation . it will be evident that the amount of mea that can be replaced by dga will vary depending upon the application . it has been found that at replacement levels below about 5 %, the formation of dithiazine crystal deposits may not be avoided , while replacement levels above about 20 % may cause undesirable foaming of the reaction product in use . the reaction product of the present invention can be used to scavenge hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans from a variety of hydrocarbon streams , including sour natural gas streams and liquid hydrocarbon streams . the reaction product of the present invention can be contacted with natural gas by a number of means including inline injection or with a contact scrubber tower . the reaction product of the present invention can be used to reduce the level of hydrogen sulphide in natural gas streams to pipeline specifications ( which is typically 16 ppm or lower ) or to 0 ppm .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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the device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is used in conjunction with tools for drilling , milling or reaming , for example . it is intended for use with any tool which generates chips while operating on a workpiece . the machine 10 shown in fig1 includes a tool 12 which operates on a workpiece 14 . the machine 10 can be an n / c milling machine , for example , and the tool 12 a mill cutter . the tool 12 is mounted on the machine 10 by a chuck 16 , which , in turn is mounted to a spindle 18 of the machine 10 . the tool 12 is displaced by the machine in the direction of the axis z -- z , as well as in one or more directions normal thereto ( y -- y , x -- x , for example ) in order to perform its intended purpose with respect to the workpiece 14 . according to the present invention , a device 20 is provided for mounting to the machine 10 in proximity to the tool 12 , and consequently moves along with the tool 12 during the operation thereof . the device 20 includes a manifold 22 comprising an upper plate or chamber defining portion 24 and a lower plate 26 joined together by a series of screws 28 . the upper plate includes a mounting flange 30 in which several set screws 32 are received for supporting the flange 30 on the machine 10 . the manifold 22 is preferably ring shaped ( fig2 ) having a center axis which coincides with axis z -- z when the manifold is mounted to the machine 10 by the set screws 32 . the chamber defining portion 24 has chambers 34 and 36 formed therein . these chambers are preferably concentrically arranged with respect to the center axis of the manifold 22 . the chambers may be arcuate segments or they may extend about the chamber defining portion 24 as shown in fig2 i . e ., with the inner chamber 36 extending completely about the chamber defining portion 24 and the chamber 34 extending approximately 340 ° about the chamber defining portion 24 . as shown in fig2 ports 38 and 40 are formed in the chamber defining portion 24 for providing access to chambers 34 and 36 , respectively . the chambers 34 and 36 serve to contain the necessary fluids for the chip removal and tool lubricating function . for example , the chamber 34 can serve as the air chamber , while the chamber 36 can serve as the lubricating fluid chamber . air pressure can be supplies to the air chamber 34 through port 38 , while lubricating can be supplied to the chamber 36 through the port 40 . the means for connecting the source of air pressure and lubricating fluids to their respective ports 38 and 40 is conventional and need not be shown or discussed in detail . the lower plate 26 serves as a mounting or retaining plate for the nozzle assemblies shown in fig1 . for this purpose the lower or retaining plate 26 is provided with tapped holes 42 for each nozzle assembly . the relative location of the tapped holes is best shown in . fig3 . the end fittings screw into their respective tapped holes 42 . in this way the nozzle assemblies can easily be installed and removed from the manifold . the number of nozzle assemblies and corresponding tapped hole 42 is arbitrary . we have found that at least one nozzle assembly for supplying lubricating liquid and at least two nozzle assemblies for supplying air are desirable . the tapped holes 42 which are not in use can be plugged and the plug removed and a nozzle assembly inserted as desired . when the lower or retaining plate 26 is joined to the upper plate 24 the tapped holes 42 align with a respective chamber 34 or 36 as shown in fig1 . in this way , the nozzle assemblies are provided with access to their respective chambers . to ensure that leakage does not occur between the two plates a suitable adhesive is applied to the mating surfaces of the two plates so that when they are joined by the screws 28 , a sealed unit results . four nozzle assemblies , 44l , 44r , and 46l , 46r , are shown mounted to the lower or retaining plate 26 in communication with their respective chambers 34 and 36 . each nozzle assembly comprises a flexible locking type hose 48 made from high chemical resistance type plastic at the free end of which a nozzle 50 is mounted . the hoses comprise a series of swivel joints 52 which allow for a wide range of line adjustments . for example , the angles shown in fig1 can be varied over a wide range . the nozzle assemblies , 44l , 44r , each deliver a directed stream of air toward the intersection of the tool 12 and an interface 54 defined by the workpiece 14 . likewise , the nozzle assemblies 46l , 46r , deliver a directed stream of lubricating fluid against the tool 12 . as can be seen in fig1 the streams of lubricating fluid impinge against the tool 12 at a location closer to the chuck 16 than the interface 54 . the air streams are directed toward the noted intersection where the chips are formed by the tool 12 . as previously noted , at least one lubricating fluid nozzle assembly is provided , and when only one is provided it would preferrably be located in the plane defined by the axis z -- z , while at least two air nozzle assemblies are provided with one on each side of the axis z -- z . according to a preferred variant of the present invention the air nozzle assemblies are as shown in fig1 i . e ., each nozzle assembly includes a pair of nozzles in a y configuration the two lower nozzles 50l 1 and 50r 1 can be directed at the intersection of the tool 12 and interface 54 , while the two higher nozzles 50l 2 and 50r 2 can be directed above the interface plane . referring to fig4 an arrangement including a minimum number of nozzle assemblies is shown . the axes 56 , 58 and 60 refer to the centerlines of directed fluid streams . the streams themselves are under pressure and the pressure can be controlled in any conventional manner . a lubricating fluid stream 56 emanating from a line 46l and at any angle α 1 ( fig1 ), is shown directed along a coordinate axis between quadrants 1 and 2 ; while air streams 58 and 60 , emanating from lines 44l and 44r and also at any angle α 2 and α 3 respectively ( fig1 ) are shown located in quadrants 3 and 4 , respectively , and directed as shown on opposite sides of the center plane a -- a defined by manifold 22 . the angle β between the directed streams is arbitrary and can be , for example , 120 °. in addition , the streams 58 and 60 can each comprise two streams for which two nozzles are required ( fig1 ), the centerlines for which lie in a common vertical plane or in adjacent vertical planes . toe latter is shown in fig5 wherein 58r 1 , 58r 2 and 60l 1 , 60l 2 represent centerlines of the streams emanating from nozzles 50r 1 , 50r 2 and 50l 1 and 50l 2 , respectively . in this case , the angular relationship of β and θ is also arbitrary . with the arrangement shown , a high degree of flexibility is achieved in the inpingement location of the streams . also , the nozzle assemblies are easy to adjust and can be readily moved by pivoting each assembly about any swivel joint . in this way , the assemblies can be moved to provide free access to the tool 12 when , for example , tool changes are desired . in an actual prototype model seven fluid streams were used . the centerlines are shown in fig6 . three lubricating fluid steams and two air streams were used . the lubricating fluid streams are represented by axes 56 , 58 and 60 with a β = 120 °. the air streams are represented by axes 62l 1 , 62l 2 and 64r 1 , 64r 2 with φ = 10 °. the air streams each comprised two streams for which two nozzles are required ( fig1 ). the lubricating fluid streams each comprised one nozzle . the size of the three lubricating fluid streams lines was 0 . 250 in . inside diameter ( fig1 ). the two air stream lines each were 0 . 500 in . inside diameter and 0 . 250 in . inside diameter on each side of the &# 34 ; y &# 34 ; reducer , and two 0 . 125 in . inside diameter nozzles ( fig1 ). the three lubricating fluid streams operated using the machines &# 39 ; supplied pressure , approximately 10 - 15 psi . on the other hand , the two air streams comprising four nozzles total , operating using supplied shop air of approximately 90 psi . both a pressure regulator and an air valve were used to control the supplied shop air . hence , both pressure and volume of the air could be adjusted to provide the best desirable effect on the unit &# 39 ; s function .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the following with particular reference to an arrangement of at least one optically non - linear crystal in one or more enhancement cavities , driving the dfg process with fs laser pulses in the enhancement cavity , controlling the polarization of the fs laser pulses circulating in the enhancement cavity and coupling the created df laser pulses out of the beam path of the enhancement cavity . details of creating and manipulating the driving fs laser pulses are not described as far as they are known from prior art ( see e . g . [ 2 ], [ 4 ] and [ 12 ]). it is emphasized that the practical implementation of the invention is not restricted to the described examples , but rather possible with modifications , e . g . in terms of the number of enhancement cavities , the available types of optically non - linear crystals ( see [ 13 ]), the number of circulating ultrashort laser pulses , and the design of the enhancement cavity . most of the illustrated embodiments show the optically non - linear crystal with a distance from the resonator mirrors . alternatively , the optically non - linear crystal can be positioned in direct contact with one of the resonator mirrors ( see fig6 ). fig1 illustrates a first embodiment of a photonic pulse source 100 comprising a first optically non - linear crystal 10 , an enhancement cavity 20 , a second optically non - linear crystal 30 , and a laser source 40 . additionally , the photonic pulse source 100 is provided with a control device ( not shown ) and a monitoring device with at least one optical sensor ( not shown ), as they are known form conventional enhancement cavity techniques , e . g . for controlling the repetition frequency driving laser source , the input coupling of the driving ultrashort laser pulses and the positions of cavity mirrors and monitoring pulse parameters . the laser source 40 comprises a fs laser 41 and optionally a spectral shaping component 42 . the fs laser 41 is adapted for providing ultrashort laser pulses 2 having e . g . a centre wavelength of 1030 nm , an average power of 50 w and a repetition rate of 100 mhz . the fs laser source 41 may comprise e . g . a commercial apparatus , like a kerr - lens modelocked yb : yag thin - disk laser or a chirped - pulse amplified master oscillator or an optical set - up with a combination of a thin - disk oscillator and one or two broadening stages as described in [ 2 ] or [ 12 ]. the spectral shaping component 42 is arranged for shaping the spectrum of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 . spectral components , which do not contribute to the generation of useful radiation of the third spectral component in the optically non - linear crystal 10 are attenuated or even completely suppressed . to this end , the spectral shaping component 42 comprises e . g . a notch filter ( in reflection or transmission ) having a preselected filter characteristic depending on the spectral components to be suppressed . the enhancement cavity 20 comprises four resonator mirrors m 11 to m 14 , which are arranged to span a beam path 22 for a circulating laser pulse 3 . preferably , the beam path 22 extends in a plane parallel to the drawing plane . the length of the beam path 22 is selected such that the period of the circulating laser pulse 3 is equal to the reciprocal repetition frequency of the laser source 40 or an integer multiple of the latter . the ultrashort laser pulses 2 generated with the laser source 40 are coupled into the enhancement cavity 20 at one of the resonator mirrors m 13 , which has a slightly reduced reflectivity , e . g . 99 %, compared with the remaining resonator mirrors . the resonator mirrors m 11 to m 14 have plane or curved mirror surfaces , as it is known from conventional enhancement cavities . curved mirror surfaces can be used for tailoring the field distribution of the circulating laser pulse 3 , e . g . for focussing the circulating laser pulse 3 at predetermined focus positions along the beam path 22 , and / or for improving the optical stability of the pulse enhancement in the cavity . the first optically non - linear crystal 10 is arranged in a first section of the beam path 22 between two of the resonator mirrors m 13 and m 14 , preferably at a focus position of the beam path 22 . with a practical example , the optically non - linear crystal 10 is made of ligas 2 , having a thickness along the beam path direction of 100 μm . the optically non - linear crystal 10 is supported by an adjusting and / or temperature - control support stage 13 , 14 ( see fig2 ), which is adapted for geometrically adjusting and / or cooling the optically non - linear crystal 10 . additionally , a second optically non - linear crystal 30 is arranged in another section of the beam path 22 , preferably also at a position between two resonator mirrors m 11 and m 12 , where the transverse intensity profile of the circulating laser beam 22 is widened to mitigate non - linearity and thermal lensing . the second optically non - linear crystal 30 is arranged for compensating an ellipticity of the polarization introduced by the interaction of the circulating laser pulse 3 with the first optically non - linear crystal 10 . preferably , the second optically non - linear crystal 30 has a thickness like the first crystal 10 or a different thickness , e . g . 200 μm . the dfg process is driven by the circulating laser pulse 3 in the first optically non - linear crystal 10 . the df laser pulses 1 are generated with frequency components ( third frequency components ) created by difference frequencies between first and second spectral components of the circulating laser pulse 3 , respectively . the dfg process requires that a phase matching condition is fulfilled by the first and second frequency components in the optically non - linear crystal 10 . various types of phase matching conditions are available . according to preferred embodiments of the invention , the first and second frequency components have polarizations perpendicular to each other ( type i phase matching ) or parallel to each other ( type ii phase matching ). the two mutually perpendicular polarizations for providing the type i phase matching can be created even with the first and second frequency components being simultaneously contained in the single circulating laser pulse 3 , e . g . by using elliptic polarization or by constructing the circulating laser pulse 3 from two partial pulses ( see fig7 ). the second optically non - linear crystal 30 is preferably provided with an embodiment using the type i phase matching . both of the first and second spectral components having mutually perpendicular polarizations are subjected to different refractive indices in the optically non - linear crystal 10 , which has an effect like a quarter wave plate . this results in a circular polarization of the circulating laser pulse 3 after the passage through the optically non - linear crystal 10 . by the effect of the second optically non - linear crystal 30 , this effect is compensated . to this end , the second optically non - linear crystal 30 preferably is located at a position where the transverse intensity profile of the circulating laser pulse 3 has a diameter significantly larger than on the first crystal 10 . accordingly , the second optically non - linear crystal 30 is not used if the dfg is based on the type ii phase matching . additionally , the second optically non - linear crystal 30 can be capable of creating further difference frequencies by a dfg process . in particular , the orientation and the material of the second optically non - linear crystal 30 can be selected such that the above compensation of the polarization effect of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 is incomplete , but phase matching conditions for a further dfg process are fulfilled . accordingly , a second df laser pulse can be generated at the second optically non - linear crystal 30 ( not shown in fig1 ). the polarizations of the first and second spectral components can be adjusted before input coupling the ultrashort laser pulses 2 into the enhancement cavity 20 , e . g . by introducing a wavelength - selective beam splitter , distributing the output of the fs laser 41 onto two different beam paths , rotating the polarization in at least one of the beam paths with at least one polarizing components and recombining both portions into a common fs laser pulse 2 ( not shown in fig1 ). alternatively , the fs laser pulses 2 at the output of the fs laser 41 can be polarized with one single polarizing component rotating the polarization of the complete spectrum of the fs laser pulses 2 onto an intermediate angle . with this embodiment , the type i phase matching can be obtained by rotating the first and second optically non - linear crystals 10 , 30 , respectively . the df laser pulses 1 created in the first optically non - linear crystal 10 are emitted collinearly with the beam path 22 direction within the enhancement cavity 20 , but with an increased divergence . accordingly , an output coupling around one of the resonator mirrors m 14 as shown in fig1 or in particular according to one of the variants shown in fig2 to 5 can be provided . with a modification of fig1 , only one optically non - linear crystal 10 can be provided . the second optically non - linear crystal 30 is not strictly necessary if a certain degree of the conversion efficiency of the dfg process can be tolerated in dependency on the particular application of the invention . the intensity generated in the dfg process with input at the two high frequencies is proportional to z 2 sinc 2 ( z / z coh ), where z and z coh are the crystal thickness and the coherence length respectively . the coherence length is given by z coh = 2 / δk , where δk = wavevector mismatch . writing the above expression as z coh 2 ( z / z coh ) 2 sinc 2 ( z / z coh ) it results that for a short coherence length the dfg - efficiency becomes very low . the function ( z / z coh ) 2 sinc 2 ( z / z coh ) has a maximum of one at z = 1 . 6 z coh and thus the optimum crystal thickness is slightly larger than the coherence length . for monochromatic or narrowband radiation the choice of a suitable phase matching angle generates a δk close to zero , resulting in a large coherence length . however , with broadband radiation there is no unique phase matching angle and z coh rapidly decreases with increasing bandwidth . the optimum length of the crystal depends on many parameters , such as the particular crystal , the bandwidth and the choice of phase matched frequencies . fig2 shows a portion of the enhancement cavity 20 with one of the resonator mirrors m 14 and the first optically non - linear crystal 10 only . the resonator mirror m 14 is a dichroic mirror that transmits the third spectral components of the df laser pulses 1 , in particular in the mir wavelength range , and reflects the first and second spectral components of the circulating laser pulse 3 along the beam path 22 . accordingly , output coupling of the df laser pulses 1 is obtained by passing them through one of the resonator mirrors , e . g . m 14 . additionally , fig2 schematically shows an adjusting support stage 13 , which accommodates the first optically non - linear crystal 10 . the adjusting support stage 12 comprises e . g . a piezoelectric x - y - z - and tip - tilt drive , which is capable of adjusting an orientation and position of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 relative to the first beam path 22 . as a general important feature of the invention , the angle of incidence of the circulating laser pulse 3 on the beam path 22 relative to the surface of the optically non - linear crystal 10 influences the phase matching . as the phase matching condition depends on the crystallographic orientation of the optically non - linear crystal 10 , an adjustment of the geometrical orientation and position of the optically non - linear crystal 10 relative to the beam path 22 is implemented . preferably , the adjustment is controlled with the adjusting support 13 . as an example , a feedback control can be provided . a control variable can be obtained with an optical sensor ( not shown ), monitoring the spectral characteristic of the df laser pulses 1 . in dependency on the control variable , the crystal adjustment can be controlled such that a certain spectral range of the emitted df pulses 1 is obtained . alternatively , an optimum emission spectrum within a broader spectral range can be selected . with a thicker optically non - linear crystal , which creates a narrow bandwidth of the df laser pulses 1 , the wavelength range of the df laser pulses 1 can be tuned by the adjusting support 13 . according to fig3 , the df laser pulses 1 are coupled out of the enhancement cavity 20 by using the larger divergence of the df laser pulses 1 compared with the transverse mode size of the circulating light pulse 3 ( as shown in fig1 ). one of the cavity mirrors m 14 downstream from the first optically non - linear crystal 10 has a diameter , which is comparable to the 1 / e 2 - intensity diameter of the transverse mode of the circulating laser pulse 3 at this mirror m 14 . the df laser pulses 1 can pass outside the mirror m 14 , so that a ring - shaped output is created . additionally , fig3 schematically shows a temperature - control support stage 14 , which is adapted for adjusting the temperature of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 , e . g . cooling with peltier elements or with water or heating with a heating coil . according to a further variant of the invention , both of the adjusting support stage 13 ( fig2 ) and the temperature - control support stage 14 ( fig3 ) can be provided by a common controllable crystal holder . according to a further embodiment of the invention , an auxiliary mirror 21 having a through hole 23 can be arranged in the enhancement cavity as schematically illustrated in fig4 . the df laser pulses 1 created in the first optically non - linear crystal 10 with a certain divergence are reflected at the auxiliary mirror 21 , while the through hole 23 is adapted for passing the circulating laser pulse 3 along the beam path 22 . the reflected df laser pulses 1 ( reflected mir radiation ) has a ring shape similar to the embodiment in fig3 . according to a further embodiment of the invention , as shown in fig5 , the df laser pulses 1 can be output coupled from the enhancement cavity by using a reflecting dichroic surface 12 on the rear side of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 relative to the travel direction of the circulating laser pulse 3 and an antireflective coating 15 for all first second and third spectral components on the front side of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 . the circulating laser pulse 3 arrives at the front side 11 of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 , which is provided with the antireflective coating 15 adapted for a transmission of all of the first , second and third spectral components . in the optically non - linear crystal 10 , the third components are generated , which are back - reflected at the dichroic surface coating 12 at the rear side of the crystal 10 . accordingly , the df pulses 1 are reflected out of the beam path 22 . fig2 and 3 show the first optically non - linear crystal 10 arranged on adjusting and / or temperature - control support stage 13 , 14 . according to an alternative embodiment of the invention the crystal 10 can be in direct contact with one of the resonator mirrors , e . g . resonator mirror m 14 , as shown in fig6 . a plane or curved surface of the crystal 10 contacts a plane or curved surface of the resonator mirror . the direct contact fulfils a double function in terms of mechanically supporting and tempering , in particular cooling , the crystal 10 . fig7 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of the inventive photonic pulse source 100 , which comprises the laser source 40 , the first enhancement cavity 20 , the first optically non - linear crystal 10 and additionally a second enhancement cavity 50 . although the first and second enhancement cavities 20 , 50 are shown with plane resonator mirrors fig7 , a combination of plane and / or curved resonator mirrors can be used in practice . with the embodiment of fig7 , each of the first and second enhancement cavities 20 , 50 is arranged for coherent addition of one of the first and second spectral components of the ultrashort laser pulses , resp . furthermore , the first and second enhancement cavities 20 , 50 are coupled such that the beam path 22 ( dashed line ) of the first enhancement cavity 20 intersects the beam path 52 ( drawn line ) of the second enhancement cavity 50 , wherein the first optically non - linear crystal 10 is arranged at the intersection of both paths 22 , 52 , and it is adapted for a dfg process with type i phase matching . for separating the first and second spectral components of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 generated with the fs laser 41 , the laser source 40 is provided with a dichroic beam splitter 43 , which spatially separates e . g . the first spectral components ( lower energy ) from the second spectral components ( higher energy ) of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 . on a first beam path 44 , the first spectral components pass a polarizing component 45 , e . g . a polarizing filter , which creates a first polarization direction ( e . g . perpendicular to the first beam path 44 and parallel to the plane of drawing ). this first pulse portion 2 a of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 is coupled into the first enhancement cavity 20 via one of the resonator mirrors m 11 . in the second beam path 46 created by the beam splitter 43 , a second polarizing component 47 , e . g . a periscope of half wave plate , is arranged , which creates a polarization direction of the second spectral components perpendicular to the polarization direction of the first spectral components ( e . g . perpendicular to the second beam path 46 and perpendicular to the plane of drawing ). additionally , the second beam path 46 includes a delay unit 48 comprising multiple plane delay mirrors dl 1 to dl 4 , which are movable relative to each other . the second pulse portion 2 b of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 comprising the second spectral components is coupled via one of the reflector mirrors m 21 into the second enhancement cavity 50 . with the delay unit 48 , the mutual temporal relationship of the first pulse portion 2 a and the second pulse portion 2 b of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 can be adjusted . the first and second beam paths 44 , 46 can be modified by omitting one of the first and second polarizing components 45 , 47 . if the ultrashort laser pulses 2 generated by the fs laser 41 have a linear polarization , it is sufficient to provide one polarizing component , e . g . the polarizing component 47 only . both of the first and second pulse portions 2 a , 2 b of the ultrashort laser pulses 2 are coherently added in the first and second enhancement cavities 20 , 50 , respectively to first and second circulating pulses 3 a , 3 b , respectively . the temporal relationship of both circulating pulses 3 a , 3 b is adjusted with the delay unit 48 such that they are coherently superimposed in the first optically non - linear crystal 10 for driving the dfg process therein . the df laser pulses 1 are emitted under a certain angle with respect to the surface of the first optically non - linear crystal 10 , e . g . through a spacing between resonator mirrors . the embodiment of fig7 can be modified by coupling not only two enhancement cavities , but three or even more enhancement cavities . the ultrashort laser pulses 2 created by the fs laser 41 can be split onto three or more beam paths , where they are specifically manipulated , in particular with regard to the polarization and spectral composition thereof . for instance , three pulse portions can be coupled into the three enhancement cavities , respectively ( not shown ). each of the three pulse portions comprises different spectral components of the driving ultrashort laser pulses . the three enhancement cavities can be arranged such that the pulse portions have different angles of incidence on the optically non - linear crystal . accordingly , phase matching of different spectral components with the pulse portion in the first enhancement cavity can be improved . the features of the invention in the above description , the drawings and the claims can be of significance both individually as well in combination or sub - combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments .
| 6Physics
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according to the first embodiment of the present invention , an apparatus for producing microdroplets comprises a microchannel board and a holder for retaining the microchannel board , and the microchannel board has a microdroplet - outlet port formed at the center thereof , microdroplet - forming parts on a first to a mth ( m is an integer of 1 or more ) circular or polygonal peripheries from inside to outside , said parts being connected through the microchannels to the microdroplet - outlet port and a plurality of said parts being disposed on each of m circular or polygonal peripheries with the microdroplet - outlet port at the center , inlet ports for a first liquid disposed on circular or polygonal peripheries with the microdroplet - outlet port at the center , inlet ports for liquids up to a nth liquid ( n is an integer of 2 or more , m ≦ n − 1 ) sequentially disposed on circular or polygonal peripheries further outside of the above peripheries , and microchannels for feeding the first to the nth liquids to the above plurality of microdroplet - forming parts . on the other hand , a holder for retaining the microchannel board has a multitube structure , with the microdroplet - outlet port as the central axis , having n circular or polygonal , circular channels for allocating the even flow rate of the above first to the nth liquids to the inlet port for each liquid of the microchannel board . the integer n may preferably be 2 to 5 . according to the second embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above first embodiment , n = 2 ( simultaneously and the first liquid is a dispersion phase and the second liquid is a continuous phase . fig1 is a top plan view showing an example of the microchannel structure ( chip ) of the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above second embodiment of the present invention ( 1 represents a dispersion phase , 2 represents a continuous phase , and 3 represents an outlet port ). fig2 is a schematic partially enlarged view illustrating one example of microdroplet in microchannels , wherein 1 represents a dispersion phase , 2 represents a continuous phase , and after the continuous phase liquid and the dispersion phase liquid joined with each other , microdroplets are being formed at the microdroplet - forming part . in fig2 , 211 and 212 represent outlet ports for the continuous phase liquid , 261 and 262 represent branching parts for the continuous phase liquid discharged from the outlet ports 211 and 212 , and 311 to 314 represent microchannels for the branched continuous phase liquid that is branched at the branching parts 261 and 262 . 221 to 224 represent outlet ports for the dispersion phase liquid , 271 to 274 represent branching parts for the dispersion phase liquid discharged from the outlet ports 221 to 224 , and , at the branching parts 271 to 274 for the dispersion phase liquid , microchannels 321 to 328 for the dispersion phase liquid to be branched are branched and formed . furthermore , according to the third embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above second embodiment , the plurality of microdroplet - forming parts are where the dispersion phase liquid alternately joins with the continuous phase liquid from both sides . fig3 shows a schematic view of microdroplet formation at a cruciform channel of the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the third embodiment of the present invention , in which 1 represents the dispersion phase and 2 represents the continuous phase . furthermore , according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above second embodiment , the holder for retaining the microchannel structure has a third component which is disposed under the microchannel board and which is equipped with an inlet port for the continuous phase , a second component which is equipped with an inlet port for the dispersion phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the continuous phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above third component , and a first component which forms a circular path for feeding the dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above second component and which is equipped , at the center thereof , with a cylinder having an outlet port for microdroplets from the microchannel board . fig4 is a sectional view of a holder for retaining the microchannel structure of the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the present invention , and fig5 ( a ) to fig5 ( c ) are exploded views of a holder for retaining the microchannel structure according to the present invention . according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above first embodiment , n = 2 ( simultaneously m = 1 ), and the first liquid is a continuous phase and the second liquid is a dispersion phase . this is an embodiment in which the dispersion phase and the continuous phase in fig1 are switched with each other . according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above first embodiment , the plurality of microdroplet - forming parts are where the dispersion phase liquid joins with the continuous phase from both sides . this is an embodiment in which the dispersion phase and the continuous phase in fig3 are switched with each other . according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above fifth embodiment , the holder for retaining the microchannel structure has a third component which is disposed under the above microchannel board and which is equipped with an inlet port for the dispersion phase , a second component which is equipped with an inlet port for the continuous phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above third component , and a first component which is equipped with an outlet port for the formed droplets from the holder , which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the continuous phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above second component and which is equipped with a cylinder having , at the center thereof , an outlet port for microdroplets from the microchannel board . this is an embodiment in which the dispersion phase and the continuous phase in fig4 and fig5 ( a ) to 5 ( c ) are switched with each other . according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above first embodiment , n = 3 , the first liquid is a continuous phase , the second liquid is a first dispersion phase , and the third liquid is a second dispersion phase , and the formed droplets are composed of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase . according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above eighth embodiment , m = 2 , and the formed droplets are a double emulsion in which the first dispersion phase is the innermost phase and the second dispersion phase is an intermediate phase . fig6 is a top plan view of the microchannel structure ( chip ) of the apparatus for producing microdroplets illustrating an example of the ninth embodiment of the present invention . according to the 10th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above ninth embodiment , the plurality of the innermost phase droplet - forming parts ( second microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the innermost phase alternately joins with the above intermediate phase from both sides , and the plurality of the intermediate phase droplet - forming parts ( first microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the continuous phase joins , from both sides , with the above intermediate phase containing the innermost phase droplets . fig7 illustrates a schematic diagram of microdroplet formation according to this embodiment . according to an 11th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above ninth embodiment , m = 2 , and the formed droplets are a double emulsion in which the first dispersion phase is an intermediate phase and the second dispersion phase is the innermost phase . this corresponds to a case where the positions of the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase are switched with each other in fig6 . according to the 12th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above 11th embodiment , the plurality of the innermost phase droplet - forming parts ( second microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the intermediate phase joins with the above innermost phase from both sides , and the plurality of the intermediate phase droplet - forming parts ( first microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the continuous phase joins , from both sides , with the intermediate phase containing the above innermost phase droplets . according to the 13th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the above eighth to 12th embodiments , the holder for retaining the microchannel structure has a fourth component which is disposed under the above microchannel board and which is equipped with an inlet port for the second dispersion phase , a third component which is equipped with an inlet port for the first dispersion phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the second dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above fourth component , a second component which is equipped with an inlet port for the continuous phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the first dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above third component , and a first component which is equipped with an outlet port for the formed droplets from the holder , which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the continuous phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above second component and which is equipped with a cylinder or polygonal tube having , at the center thereof , an outlet port for microdroplets from the microchannel board . according to the 14th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the above first embodiment , n = 4 , the first liquid is a continuous phase , the second liquid is a first dispersion phase , the third liquid is a second dispersion phase , and the fourth liquid is a third dispersion phase , and the formed droplets are composed of three phases comprising the first dispersion phase , the second dispersion phase and the third dispersion phase . according to the 15th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the above 14th embodiment , m = 3 , and the formed droplets are a triple emulsion in which the first dispersion phase is a first intermediate phase ( a phase in contact with the continuous phase ), the second dispersion phase is a second intermediate phase ( a phase disposed inside of the first intermediate phase ), and the third dispersion phase is the innermost phase . fig8 is a top plan view of a microchannel structure ( chip ) of an apparatus for producing microdroplets illustrating an example of the 15th embodiment of the present invention . according to the 16th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the above 15th embodiment , the plurality of the innermost phase droplet - forming parts ( third microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the second intermediate phase joins with the innermost phase from both sides , the plurality of the first intermediate phase droplet - forming parts ( second microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the first intermediate phase joins , from both sides , with the first intermediate phase containing the above innermost phase droplets , and the above plurality of the second intermediate phase droplet - forming parts ( first microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the continuous phase joins , from both sides , with the second intermediate phase containing the first intermediate phase droplets which in turn contain the above innermost phase droplets . according to the 17th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the above 14th embodiment , m = 3 , and the formed droplets are a triple emulsion in which the first dispersion phase is a first intermediate phase , the second dispersion phase is the innermost phase , and the third dispersion phase is a second intermediate phase . fig8 is a top plan view of a microchannel structure ( chip ) of an apparatus for producing microdroplets illustrating an example of the 17th embodiment of the present invention . according to the 18th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the above 17th embodiment , the plurality of the innermost phase droplet - forming parts ( third microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the innermost phase joins with the second intermediate phase from both sides , and the plurality of the first intermediate phase droplet - forming parts ( second microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the first intermediate phase joins with the first intermediate phase containing the above innermost phase droplets , and the plurality of the second intermediate phase droplet - forming parts ( first microdroplet - forming parts ) are where the continuous phase joins , from both sides , with the second intermediate phase containing the first intermediate phase droplets which in turn contain the above innermost phase droplets . according to the 19th embodiment of the present invention , in the apparatus for producing microdroplets according to the above 14th to 18th embodiments , the holder for retaining the microchannel structure has a fifth component which is disposed under the above microchannel , board and which is equipped with an inlet port for the third dispersion phase , a fourth component which is equipped with an inlet port for the second dispersion phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the third dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above fifth component , a third component which is equipped with an inlet port for the first dispersion phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the second dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above fourth component , a second component which is equipped with an inlet port for the continuous phase and which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the first dispersion phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above third component , and a first component which is equipped with an outlet port for formed droplets from the holder , which forms circular or polygonal circular channels for feeding the continuous phase to the microchannel board in combination with the above second component and which is equipped with a cylinder or polygonal tube having , at the center thereof , an outlet port for microdroplets from the microchannel board . according to the 20th embodiment of the present invention , an apparatus for producing microdroplets using microchannels has a microchannel board and a holder for retaining the microchannel board , the microchannel board has a plurality of microdroplet - outlet ports formed in a line , a plurality of microdroplet - forming parts which are connected through the microchannels to the microdroplet - outlet ports and a plurality of which are disposed in a line in parallel to the microdroplet - outlet ports , a plurality of inlet ports for the first liquid which are disposed in a line in parallel to the above microdroplet - outlet ports , a plurality of inlet ports for the second liquid similarly disposed further outside thereof , and microchannels for feeding the above first and the second liquids to the above plurality of microdroplet - forming parts . on the other hand , the holder for retaining the microchannel board forms slit parts corresponding to the line of the microdroplet - outlet ports and to the line of the inlet ports for the above first and the second liquids , and a discharge layer having the microdroplet - outlet ports and the first and the second liquid - inlet layers each having inlet ports for the first and the second liquids have a hierarchical structure for allocating the even flow rate of the above first and the second liquids to the inlet ports for each liquid of the microchannel board . in this embodiment , though the microchannel board and the holder for retaining the microchannel board has a matrix arrangement in stead of a circular arrangement , they have advantages similar to those of the circular arrangement . thus , the holder for retaining the microchannel board need not be equipped with a plurality of liquid - feeding channels corresponding to the plurality of inlet ports ( liquid - feeding ports ) for feeding the dispersion phase and the continuous phase from outside the board to each channel of the microchannel board . the above slit parts are correspondingly provided so as to be connected to the above outlet ports and the liquid - inlet ports described below . while fig1 described below illustrates an example of such slit parts ( each slit is independent ), two slit parts 10 and 11 , for example , can be joined at the ends thereof in a u - shape . the microchannel structure ( chip ) of the apparatus for producing microdroplets of the present invention will be explained in further detail with reference to the above fig1 . in the microchannel chip , with the microdroplet - outlet port 3 at the center , 36 inlet ports fox the continuous phase liquid at the outermost position and 72 inlet ports for the dispersion phase liquid inside thereof are each disposed in a concentric arrangement with the microdroplet - outlet port at the center , and a microdroplet - forming part comprising branching channels for the continuous phase liquid and the dispersion phase liquid and cruciform channels at 72 positions ( thus , 144 t - shaped paths ) where microdroplets are formed is formed at the innermost part thereby to form a microchannel structure . thus , from the periphery , the continuous phase liquid and the dispersion phase liquid intersect each other in a cruciform to form microdroplets at 72 cross roads ( 144 t - shaped paths ), and the formed microdroplets are guided to the microdroplet - outlet ports at the center and discharged . next , the multitube structure of a holder for retaining the microchannel structure of the microdroplet production apparatus illustrating one example of the present invention will be explained in further detail with reference to the above fig4 and fig5 ( a ) to fig5 ( c ). as used herein , a multitube structure which is disposed so that , under a positioning component 6 for a windowed cover 4 and a microchannel board 5 , a first component 7 ′ which is a discharge layer having an outlet port 7 can be provided with a microdroplet - outlet port 3 located at the center of the microchannel board as a central axis , and , at outside thereof across the cylindrical wall of the discharge layer 7 ′, a second component 1 ′ which is a dispersion phase 1 ( first liquid )- inlet layer having circular channels for feeding the dispersion phase can be provided , and , at further outside thereof across the cylindrical wall , a third component 2 ′ which is a continuous phase 2 ( second liquid )- inlet layer having circular channels for feeding the continuous phase can be provided is provided in a form that a plurality of cylindrical components may become interlocked with each other . in a form in which the components have been combined in a procedure shown in fig5 ( b ) ( fig4 , and fig5 ( c ) showing a state immediately before mounting a positioning component 6 , a microchannel structure ( chip ) 5 and a windowed cover 4 ), the inner wall of a cylinder located at the center of a component for feeding the liquid of the dispersion phase 1 and the liquid of the continuous phase 2 and the outer wall of the cylinder located inside of the cylinder and extended from a lower layer component are so designed that circular gaps may be produced between the two , and , as shown in fig4 and fig5 ( c ), the dispersion phase liquid and the continuous phase liquid can flow through a dispersion phase channel 1 and a continuous phase channel 11 formed at the above gaps . the dispersion phase channel 1 , a circular channel through which the dispersion phase liquid flows , and the continuous phase channel 11 , a circular channel through which the continuous phase liquid flows , have been so designed that they reach the microchannel board and they can be connected with the inlet port for the dispersion phase liquid or the continuous phase liquid , said inlet port being provided in different concentric forms on the microchannel board . such a multitube structure enables to evenly allocate the flow rate to each of the inlet ports for the dispersion phase liquid and the inlet ports for the continuous phase liquid on the microchannel board without creating a multitude of microholes in the holder for retaining the microchannel structure . using this , a microdroplet production apparatus can be provided more easily and at lower cost . also , the liquid inlet ports on the microchannel board may only be needed to be disposed so as to fit with the positions of the circular channels of the holder for retaining the microchannel board , and the number of the liquid inlet ports on the microchannel board is not specifically limited . thus , if the position of the circle in which the liquid inlet port is arranged and the position of the circular channel of the holder fit with each other , one holder can be used for a variety of microchannel boards having different channel shapes and a different number of liquid inlet ports , and thus significant enhancement in versatility can be expected . then , a 20th embodiment of the present invention will be explained in further detail with reference to fig1 to 13 . fig1 is a top plan view ( a ) and a side view ( b ) showing this microchannel structure ( chip ) and a holder for retaining the microchannel structure , and fig1 is a top plan view showing an example of the microchannel structure ( chip ), and fig1 is a top plan view showing an example of the holder for retaining the microchannel structure . as shown in fig1 ( b ), under a component 6 for positioning a windowed cover 4 and a microchannel board 5 , with the microdroplet - outlet port located at the center of the microchannel board as a central axis , there are disposed a discharge layer 7 ′ having an outlet port 7 , an inlet layer 1 ′ for the dispersion phase ( first liquid ) 1 on the discharge layer 7 ′, and thereon , an inlet layer 2 ′ for the continuous phase ( second liquid ) 2 . in fig1 ( b ), 8 and 9 refer to an inlet port for the first liquid and the second liquid , respectively . as shown in fig1 ( a ) and fig1 , the holder for retaining the microchannel board forms slit parts corresponding to the line of the microdroplet - outlet ports 7 and to the line of the inlet ports b and 9 for the above first and the second liquids in fig1 ( b ) and fig1 , and , as described above , a discharge layer 7 ′ having the microdroplet - outlet ports as well as the first and the second liquid - inlet layers 1 ′ and 2 ′ having each inlet port for the first and the second liquids have a hierarchical structure for allocating the even flow rate of the above first and the second liquids to the inlet ports for respective liquids of the microchannel board . in fig1 , 10 to 12 represent slit parts corresponding to the outlet port 7 , to the first liquid - inlet port 8 , and to the second liquid - inlet port 9 and the outlet port 7 , respectively . according to the present invention , the branched structure of the microchannel may preferably be selected from , but not limited to , a crossroad , a t - junction or a y - junction . the size of the microchannel can be determined depending on the purpose , and may usually be selected from about 0 . 1 - 1000 μm , preferably about 10 - 500 μm . the material constituting the microchannel may be any of plastic , ceramic , metal etc ., and when the wall of the microchannel is to be made hydrophobic , an acrylic resin , a silicone resin etc . may be preferred . on the other hand , when it is to be made hydrophilic , quartz glass , silicon , borosilicate glass ( for example , “ pyrex ” ( registered trademark )) etc . may be preferred . the shape and size of the material constituting the microchannel can be selected as appropriate depending on the intended use etc ., and for example a plate form ( for example , about several centimeter square ) having processed channels may be mentioned . according to the method of the present invention , the liquid constituting the continuous phase may be an organic compound or water , whereas the liquid constituting the dispersion phase may be a curable liquid . as organic compounds , there can preferably be mentioned , but not limited to , alkanes such as decane and octane , halogenated hydrocarbons such as chloroform , aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene , fatty acids such as oleic acid , and the like . as curable liquids , any liquid that can be cured with heat , light or the like may be used without limitation . for example , a known polymerizable monomer , oligomer or polymer may be mentioned , and preferably an acrylic monomer , styrenic monomer etc . may be mentioned . when a plurality of dispersion phases such as the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase are used , different colorants may be included in them as described below , and a curable liquid that constitutes these dispersion phases may be the same or different . the combination of the dispersion phase and the continuous phase may usually be the o / w , o / o , or w / o type . in the channel , the dispersion phase joins with the continuous phase in laminar flow , and are sequentially deformed to spherical microdroplets , which are simultaneously or with a time difference cured , thereby forming microparticles . the flow rate of the dispersion phase and the continuous phase may depend on the type and may usually be selected from about 1 ≦ μm to 1000 ml / hr . the dispersion phase of the present invention may be separated into two different colors as the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase , or a different colorant may be added to one or both of them , and an additive for electrification or magnetization may be used as needed . as the colorant , two split phase colors selected from achromatic colors such as white and black or chromatic colors such as red , blue , green , purple , and yellow . as dyes and pigments that can form such colors , various lipophilic dyes or various inorganic and organic pigments may be used without limitation . these dyes and pigments may be selected and used depending on the dispersibility into a curable component , the desired color hue to be used in two - color microparticles obtained , and the like . the colorant may be used only in one of the dispersion phases . the amount added of a dye or a pigment as the colorant may usually be , but not limited to , in the range of about 0 . 1 - 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the curable component . according to the present invention , two color - split components may be turned into charged components having either a positive or a negative charge different to each other using a charge imparting agent . alternatively , as polymerizable monomers , monomer species that tend to exhibit a (−) charge and a (+) charge , respectively , may be mentioned as an electric charge according to the present invention described above , depending on the type of its functional group or substituent group . for example , as polymerizable monomers that tend to exhibit a (−) charge , there can be mentioned acrylic aryl esters such as phenyl ( meth ) acrylirate , epoxy group - containing polymerizable compounds such as glycidyl ( meth ) acrylirate , hydroxy group - containing polymerizable compounds such as ( meth ) acrylirate - 2 - hydroxy ethyl , styrenic monomers such as methyl styrene , and the like . on the other hand , as polymerizable monomers that tend to exhibit a (+) charge , there can be mentioned amide group - containing vinyl monomers such as methacrylamide . according to the present invention , by dispersing magnetic powders , microdroplets that are phase split into two colors can be magnetized either positively or negatively , differently to each other . microdroplets obtained by the method of the present invention can be cured by heat , light such as ultraviolet ray , and the like to obtain microparticles . as used herein , when polymerization - curing is carried out under ultraviolet irradiation , a photopolymerization initiator such as acetophenone can be used , and when polymerization - curing is carried out under heating , a thermally - degradable photopolymerization initiator such as an organic peroxide can also be used . the present invention will now be explained with reference to specific examples , but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way . a microchannel chip as shown in fig1 was fabricated by processing on a glass board ( synthetic quartz ). by dry etching of the board , micro grooves ( 100 μm wide , 100 μm deep throughout the total area ) having a rectangular cross section were made on the board , and cut into a size of 15 mm × 15 mm . it was stuck by thermal adhesion to another board having the same area that had been perforated for a liquid - inlet port ( 0 . 25 mm in diameter , 108 positions ) and outlet port ( 4 . 5 mm in diameter , one position ) to prepare a microchannel chip . as shown in fig4 , this was mounted on a stainless steel ( sus304 ) holder prepared by machining and used . as the dispersion phase , 1 , 6 - hexanediol diacrylate ( shin - nakamura chemical co ., ltd ) was used , and as the continuous phase , a 2 % aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol ( gl - 03 manufactured by nippon synthetic chemical industry co ., ltd .) was used . for delivering a liquid , one each of a syringe pump ( kds200 by kd scientific ) was used for the dispersion phase and the continuous phase . when the liquid was delivered at a flow rate of 180 ml / hr for the dispersion phase and a flow rate of 270 ml / hr for the continuous phase , the continuous formation of droplets with a uniform size at a regular time interval at all 72 crossroads ( 144 t - junctions ) inside the chip was observed as shown in fig9 . the average size of the droplets formed was 95 . 4 μm with a coefficient of variation of 1 . 3 %. when a procedure similar to specific example 1 was followed except that the flow rate of the dispersion phase was set at 144 ml / hr , the continuous formation of droplets with a uniform size at a regular time interval was confirmed ( fig1 ). the average size of the droplets formed was 95 . 2 μm with a coefficient of variation of 1 . 7 %. in a manner similar to specific example 1 , a microchannel chip as shown in fig1 was fabricated . as shown in fig1 , this was mounted on a stainless steel ( sus 304 ) holder prepared by machining and used , and 40 t - junctions ( 100 μm in both width and depth ) for forming two - color droplets were disposed . in fig1 , 10 represents a microchannel chip , 11 to 20 represent outlet ports for the continuous phase liquid , 61 to 70 represent branching parts for the continuous phase liquid discharged from the outlet ports 11 to 20 , and 111 to 130 represent microchannels for the continuous phase liquid that is branched at the branching parts 61 to 70 . 21 to 40 represent outlet ports for the second dispersion phase liquid , 71 to 90 represent branching parts for the second dispersion phase liquid discharged from the outlet ports 21 to 40 , 41 to 60 represent outlet ports for the first dispersion phase liquid , and 91 to 110 represent branching parts for the first dispersion phase liquid discharged from the outlet ports 41 to 60 . at the branching parts 71 to 90 for the second dispersion phase liquid and the branching parts 91 to 110 for the first dispersion phase liquid , microchannels for the second dispersion phase liquid to be branched and microchannels for the first dispersion phase liquid to be branched are branched and formed as in the microchannels 111 to 130 for the continuous phase liquid . an acrylic monomer ( colored in red ) as the second dispersion phase , silicone oil ( colorless ) as the first dispersion phase , and a 0 . 3 % by weight aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate ( sds ) as the continuous phase were used . when the liquid was delivered at a flow rate of 10 ml / hr for the first dispersion phase and the second dispersion phase and at a flow rate of 40 ml / hr for the continuous phase , the continuous formation of two - color droplets with a uniform size at a regular time interval was observed at all of 40 t - junctions in the chip ( fig1 and 17 ). fig1 and 17 represent an enlarged view of part a and part b of fig1 , respectively . in accordance with the present invention , microdroplets obtained using microchannels that can produce them at low cost , in an efficient manner and in large quantities , and an apparatus for producing microparticles obtained therefrom can be provided .
| 6Physics
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the present invention is based on the 1 / n method . therefore , the 1 / n method will first be described in detail with reference to fig2 through 5 . in the 1 / n method , n clock signals c 1 through c n with their phase differences delayed successively by δt 0 are produced by a delay element from an image scanning clock signal and a reference clock signal of the same frequency as that of the image scanning clock signal , the phase difference between the clock signals c 1 , c n being smaller than one period of the image scanning clock signal , and one of the clock signals c 1 through c n is selected dependent on the output signal from a light sensor and used as the image scanning clock signal . the value δt 0 is treated as a constant since it is assumed in the 1 / n method that there is no tap - to - tap delay error in the delay element . as shown in fig2 a reference clock signal c 0 is generated by a reference clock generator 12 , the reference clock signal c 0 having a period t 0 and a frequency 1 / t 0 which is the same as that of an image scanning clock signal . the reference clock signal c 0 is applied to a delay element 14 which then produces clock signals c 1 through c n each having the period t 0 . as illustrated in fig3 the clock signals c 1 through c n are successively delayed δt 0 in phase . the phase difference s between the clock signals c 1 , c n is therefore expressed as ( n - 1 ) δt 0 , which must be smaller than one period of the image scanning clock signal , i . e ., s =( n - 1 ) δt 0 & lt ; t 0 . this requirement will be described later on . the clock signals c 1 through c n are then applied to a latch circuit 15 , as shown in fig2 . when a light sensor 10 detects a scanning beam , it applies an output signal to the latch circuit 15 , which is responsive to the leading edge of the applied signal for latching the clock signals c 1 through c n and issuing output signals q 1 through q n and q 1 through q n . the output signals q i ( i = 1 through n ), qi ( i = 1 through n ) are 1 , 0 , respectively , when the latched clock signals c i ( i = 1 through n ) are high , and are 0 , 1 , respectively , when the latched clock signals c i ( i = 1 through n ) are low . the output signals q i , q i ( i = 1 through n ) from the latch circuit 15 are applied to a clock selector 16 which is also suppied with the clock signals c 1 through c n from the delay element 14 . based on the applied signals c i , q i , q i ( i = 1 through n ), the clock selector 16 selects one of the clock signals c 1 through c n according to a certain formula , and issues the selected clock signal as an image scanning clock signal cs . clock pulses of the image scanning clock signals cs are counted by a counter 20 . when a predetermined number of clock pulses are counted by the counter 20 , a primary scanning cycle is started by a scanning beam . it is assumed that the delay element 14 issues clock signals c 1 through c 6 as shown in fig4 . if the light sensor 10 generates an output signal a , then the clock signals c 1 through c 6 as latched by the leading edge of the output signal a are high , low , low , low , high , and high , respectively . therefore , the output signals from the latch circuit 15 are as follows : q 1 = 1 , q 1 = 0 , q 2 = 0 , q 2 = 1 , q 3 = 0 , q 3 = 1 , q 4 = 0 , q 4 = 1 , q 5 = 1 , q 5 = 0 , q 6 = 1 , q 6 = 0 . the clock selector 16 produces an output signal q i · q i + 1 or q i · q i + 1 from the signals q i , q i . the status of the signals when i = 6 is shown in the following table : ______________________________________i q . sub . i -- q . sub . i q . sub . i · -- q . sub . i + 1______________________________________1 1 0 12 0 1 03 0 1 04 0 1 05 1 0 06 1 0 0______________________________________ this table indicates that the value of q i · q i + 1 is 1 only when i = 1 and is 0 when i is of the other values . this means that the leading edge of the output signal a from the light sensor 10 is present within the time period δt 0 after the clock signal c 1 goes high and before the clock signal c 2 goes high , as clearly be seen from fig4 . the jth clock signal c i + j counting from the value of i at which q i · q i + 1 becomes 1 ( i = 1 in the example of fig4 ) is selected as the image scanning clock signal cs . selection of the value of j is a matter of design choice . in the example of fig4 the value of j is selected as 3 , and the clock signal c 4 is selected as the image scanning clock signal when the output signal a from the light sensor 10 is as illustrated . therefore , one clock signal is selected dependent on the output signal from the light sensor 10 . the requirement s =( n - 1 ) δt 0 & lt ; t 0 , i . e ., the phase difference between the clock signals c 1 , c n be smaller than one period of the image scanning clock signal , will be described . if this requirement were not met in the example of fig4 e . g ., if the last clock signal were c &# 39 ; 6 instead of c 6 , then q 6 = 0 , q 6 = 1 , and hence q 5 · q 6 = 1 . therefore , q i · q i + 1 would be 1 for both i = 1 and i = 5 . thus , the output signal a of the light sensor 10 and the clock signals c 1 through c 6 would not be uniquely interrelated , with a resulting error . the requirement s =( n - 1 ) δt 0 & lt ; t 0 is consequently to determine the time at which the output signal is to be issued from the light sensor uniquely in relation to the clock signals c 1 through c n . when selecting the image scanning clock signal cs in the foregoing manner , the maximum variation in time from the detection of the scanning beam with the light sensor up to the starting of the primary scanning is δt 0 , and since ( n - 1 ) δt 0 & lt ; t 0 , ## equ6 ## whereas the starting position for a primary scanning cycle could deviate at most one pixel if the 1 / n method were not relied upon , the maximum variation can be reduced to a 1 / n pixel or less according to the 1 / n method . the clock selector which , on the assumption of j = 3 , selects the third clock signal c i + 3 from the value of i at which q i · q i + 1 = 1 can be implemented by a combination of and gates and an or gate as shown in fig5 . it has been assumed in the above description that the successive phase difference δt 0 between the n clock signals c 1 through c n produced from the delay element 14 is constant . however , an actual delay element is subject to a tap - to - tap delay error α (%). even if the tap - to - tap delay time is set to δt 0 , therefore , the phase delay varies in the range of δt = δt 0 ± α ·( δt 0 / 100 ) due to the tap - to - tap delay error when the n clock signals c 1 through c n are produced . in the presence of the tap - to - tap delay error , the 1 / n method is theoretically inaccurate and the upper limit for the value of n in the 1 / n method is at most n = 3 as described above . if n ≧ 3 , the tap - to - tap delay error α becomes α ≦ 33 % from the formulas : ## equ7 ## according to the present invention , n ≧ 3 since any positional variation in primary scanning starting positions are supposed to be smaller than a 1 / 3 pixel , and therefore a delay element in which the tap - to - tap deley error ± α (%) is α ≦ 33 is employed . a method according to the present invention will be described in detail . designated in fig6 at c 1 , c 2 , . . . , c n are clock signals produced from the delay element , a an output signal from the light sensor , and cs an image scanning clock signal , as with fig3 . the clock signals c 1 through c n have the same frequency 1 / t 0 as that of the image scanning clock signal cs . the phase delays δt between the clock signals c 1 , c 2 , . . . , c n are not constant but vary within an error range due to a tap - to - tap delay error α . denoted at s 0 at a phase difference between the clock signals c 1 and c n , and t 0 - s 0 is expressed as δt e , which can be t 0 -( n - 1 ) δt 0 if the error α is 0 . the third clock signal c i + 3 counting from the value of i at which q i · q i + 1 - 1 is selected as the image scanning clock signal ( inasmuch as the leading edge of the output signal a is positioned between the positive - going edges of the clock signals c 2 , c 3 in fig6 q i · q i + 1 = 1 for i = 2 , and hence 2 + 3 = 5 . therefore , the clock signal c 5 is selected as the image scanning clock signal ). it is assumed that the time difference between the leading edge of the output signal a and the image scanning clock signal cs is dt , the maximum and minimum values thereof being dtl and dts , respectively , and t 0 / δt 0 = k which is a delay time setting coefficient . the above symbols are summarized as follows , with units indicated in parentheses : t 0 ( ns ) . . . the period of the image scanning clock signal ; δt ( ns ) . . . the delay time ( successive phase delays of the clock signals ); δt e ( ns ) . . . the time between the clock signals c n , c 1 ; s 0 . . . the phase difference between the clock signals c 1 , c 1 , δt e = t 0 - s 0 ; dt . . . the time between the leading edge of the output signal of the light sensor and the image scanning clock signal ; δt 0 . . . the delay time when there is no error . in order to uniquely determine the value of i at which q i · q i + 1 = 1 , the condition of s 0 & lt ; t 0 is required to be met , or stated otherwise , the condition of δt e & gt ; 0 should be met . there are ( n - 1 ) δt &# 39 ; s between the clock signals c 1 and c n , and it is assumed that there are a δt &# 39 ; s which are δt ≧ δt 0 and bδt &# 39 ; s which are δt ≦ δt 0 , among these ( n - 1 ) δt &# 39 ; s , with a + b = n - 1 . since s 0 = σδt , since the variations in the primary scanning starting positions correspond to variations in dt , the line synchronizing accuracy e in optical scanning is expressed by : ## equ8 ## because δt e must always be positive , the value of the righthand side of the above inequality is at maximum when a = n - 1 and b = 0 . in view of this , where the image scanning clock signal cs is selected as shown in fig6 dtm ( the maximum value of dtl - dts ) which gives the maximum value to e is given as follows : ## equ9 ## the value of δdt is maximum when a = n - 2 , b = 1 . therefore , ## equ10 ## the value of δdt is maximum when a = 2 , b = n - 3 . ## equ11 ## since t 0 / δt 0 = k , the line synchronizing accuracy e and the delay time setting coefficient k are interrelated as follows , using the equations ( 2 ) and ( 8 ) through ( 12 ): ## equ12 ## the equations ( 13 ) and ( 16 ) are the same as each other and the equations ( 14 ) and ( 17 ) are the same as each other . in fig1 ( i ) through ( v ), the curves 1 -- 1 , 1 - 1a , 1 - 1b , and 1 - 1c are represented by the equations ( 13 ), ( 16 ), the curves 1 - 2 , 1 - 2a , 1 - 2b , 1 - 2c , and 1 - 2d by the equations ( 14 ), ( 17 ), and the curves 1 - 3 , 1 - 3a , and 1 - 3b by the equation ( 15 ). in view of the equation ( 4 ), the thicker portions of the curves in fig1 ( i ) through 1 ( iii ) indicate the line synchronizing accuracies under the respective conditions . in fig1 ( i ), the point p 10 represents k = n +( α / 100 ), and the point p 12 represents k =( n - 1 ){( 1 +( α / 100 )}. fig1 ( i ) shows the curve in the range of for 0 & lt ; α ≦ 33 . the maximum value emax of the line synchronizing accuracy at this time is : ## equ13 ## fig1 ( ii ) shows the curve in the range of 2 +( 100 / α )≦ n . in fig1 ( ii ), the point p 14 indicates k =( n - 1 ){ 1 +( α / 100 )} and the point p 16 indicates k = n +( α / 100 ). at this time , emax for 0 & lt ; α ≦ 33 is expressed by : ## equ14 ## when ( n - 1 )( 1 + α / 100 )& lt ; k . fig1 ( iii ) shows the curve 1 - 3b is present in the range 2 ≦ n ≦ 4 . in fig1 ( iii ), the point p 18 indicates k = n +{( 6 - n ) α / 100 }, the point p 20 indicates k = n +{( 4 - n ) α / 100 }, and the point p 22 indicates k =( n - 1 ){ 1 +( α / 100 )}. since a ≧ 3 , b ≧ 2 in the equation ( 15 ), the curve 1 - 3b is not present in the range of 2 ≦ n ≦ 4 , and emax at this time is given by the equation ( 18 ). now , the condition under which emax ≦( 1 / n )× 100 for 5 ≦ n & lt ; 2 +( 100 / α ) and 2 +( 100 / α )≦ n in fig1 ( i ) and 1 ( ii ) will be determined below . when this condition is met , the positional error of the primary scanning starting position is 1 / n of one pixel or less . reference will be made to fig1 ( iv ) and 1 ( v ) for determining the above condition . fig1 ( iv ) shows the curve in the range of 5 ≦ n & lt ; 2 +( 100 / α ). the points p 24 , p 26 , p 28 , and p 30 indicate ## equ15 ## respectively , where e is emax / 100 . the condition which meets emax ≦( 1 / n )× 100 in the equation ( 18 ) is : ## equ16 ## fig1 ( v ) shows the curve in the range of 2 +( 100 / α )≦ n . providing e = emax / 100 , the point p 32 indicates ## equ17 ## and the point p 34 indicates k =( n - 1 ){ 1 +( α / 100 )}. the condition which meets emax ≦( 1 / n )× 100 in the equation ( 19 ) is : ## equ18 ## since δt 0 = t 0 / k , this relationship is used , and the expressions ( 20 ), ( 21 ), ( 22 ) are modified into the following expressions ( 23 ), ( 24 ), ( 25 ), respectively : ## equ19 ## therefore , δt 0 which meets the expression ( 23 ) when 1 / n and α meet ## equ20 ## in the range of 5 ≦ n & lt ; 2 +( 100 / α ), which meets the expression ( 24 ) when is met in the range of 5 ≦ n & lt ; 2 +( 100 / α ), and which meets the expression ( 25 ) when is met in the range of 2 +( 100 / α )≦ n , should be selected as a tap - to - tap delay time of the delay element . by aligning the primary scanning starting positions with the image scanning clock signal thus produced , any positionan error of the primary scanning starting positions can be reduced to a 1 / n pixel or smaller . an example of the present invention will be described below . a reference clock signal having an image scanning clock frequency of 5 mhz and a clock period of t 0 = 200 ns was generated , and α = 10 %, n = 10 , and a maximum line synchronizing accuracy of 1 / 5 pixel or less were selected as design conditions . since n = 10 and α = 10 , the relationship ## equ21 ## is met , and hence from the relationship ( 24 ), the condition to be met by δt 0 is : since emax is minimum when k = n +( α / 100 )= 10 . 1 as is clear from fig1 ( iv ), 19 . 80 ( ns ) may be selected as δt 0 (= t 0 / k ). by selecting the actual tap - to - tap delay time δt 0 of the delay element to be 19 . 80 ( ns ), any positional variation of the primary scanning starting positions could be 1 / 5 pixel or smaller . with the method of the present invention , therefore , any error or positional variation of the primary scanning starting positions can be reduced effectively at all times regardless of the presence of a tap - to - tap delay error in a delay element , and therefore the optical scanning can be of increased accuracy . although a certain preferred embodiment has been shown and described , it should be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claim .
| 7Electricity
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example methods , systems , and computer readable media are now described with reference to the drawings , where like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout . in the following description , for purposes of explanation , numerous specific details are set forth in order to facilitate thoroughly understanding the methods and systems . it may be evident , however , that the methods and systems can be practiced without these specific details . in other instances , well - known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to simplify the description . an exemplary it enterprise is illustrated in fig1 . the it enterprise 150 includes local area networks 155 , 160 and 165 . communications between local area networks 155 , 160 and 165 , are facilitated by an intranet , extranet or internet infrastructure 120 . it enterprise 150 further includes a variety of hardware and software components , such as workstations , printers , scanners , routers , operating systems , applications , and application platforms , for example . each component of it enterprise 150 , such as computer 100 and computer 122 , for example , may be monitored , analyzed and managed in accordance with the present disclosure . fig2 illustrates example computer 100 that includes a processor 102 , a memory 104 , a disk 106 , input / output ports 110 , and a network interface 112 operably connected by a bus 108 . the processor 102 can be a variety of various processors including dual microprocessor and other multi - processor architectures . the memory 104 can include volatile memory and / or nonvolatile memory . the non - volatile memory can include , but is not limited to , read only memory (“ rom ”), programmable read only memory (“ prom ”), electrically programmable read only memory (“ eprom ”), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (“ beprom ”), and the like . volatile memory can include , for example , random access memory (“ ram ”), synchronous ram (“ sram ”), dynamic ram (“ dram ”), synchronous dram (“ sdram ”), double data rate sdram (“ ddr sdram ”), and direct ram bus ram (“ drram ”). the disk 106 can include , but is not limited to , devices like a magnetic disk drive , a floppy disk drive , a tape drive , a zip drive , a flash memory card , and / or a memory stick . furthermore , the disk 106 can include optical drives like , a compact disk rom (“ cd - rom ”), a cd recordable drive (“ cdr drive ”), a cd rewriteable drive (“ cd - rw drive ”) and / or a digital versatile rom drive (“ dvd rom ”). the memory 104 can store processes 114 and / or data 116 , for example . the disk 106 and / or memory 104 can store an operating system that controls and allocates resources of the computer 100 . the bus 108 can be a single internal bus interconnect architecture and / or other bus architectures . the bus 108 can be of a variety of types including , but not limited to , a memory bus or memory controller , a peripheral bus or external bus , and / or a local bus . the local bus can be of varieties including , but not limited to , an industrial standard architecture (“ isa ”) bus , a microchannel architecture (“ msa ”) bus , an extended isa (“ eisa ”) bus , a peripheral component interconnect (“ pci ”) bus , a universal serial (“ usb ”) bus , and a small computer systems interface (“ scsi ”) bus . the computer 100 interacts with input / output devices 118 via input / output ports 110 . the input / output devices 118 can include , but are not limited to , a keyboard , a microphone , a pointing and selection device , cameras , video cards , displays , and the like . the input / output ports 110 can include but are not limited to , serial ports , parallel ports , and usb ports . the computer 100 can operate in a network environment and thus is connected to a network 120 by a network interface 112 . through the network 120 , the computer 100 may be logically connected to a remote computer 122 . the network 120 may include , but is not limited to , local area networks (“ lan ”), wide area networks (“ wan ”), and other networks . the network interface 112 can connect to local area network technologies including , but not limited to , fiber distributed data interface (“ fddi ”), copper distributed data interface (“ cddi ”), ethernet / ieee 802 . 3 , token ring / ieee 802 . 5 , and the like . similarly , the network interface 112 can connect to wide area network technologies including , but not limited to , point to point links , and circuit switching networks like integrated services digital networks (“ isdn ”), packet switching networks , and digital subscriber lines (“ dsl ”). fig3 illustrates one exemplary system 300 for storing , maintaining and accessing historical performance data . the exemplary system includes a store of historical performance data 310 which enables storage and retrieval of historical performance data . the system further includes an application programming interface (“ api ”) 315 that defines a standard set of access routines for storage and retrieval of the historical performance data of store 310 . api 315 is employed , for example , by an enterprise management application 320 and a performance monitoring application 325 to populate store 310 and to retrieve data from store 310 through queries and responses . as shown in fig4 , in one embodiment , the historical performance data is stored as a three - dimensional array 400 of performance elements called “ performance cubes ”. a performance cube is a paradigm for representing , analyzing and managing performance information . it is a generic representation and not linked to any specific operating system . although the example embodiment is described with reference to a three - dimensional array , an array of more than three dimensions may be used in other embodiments . in the performance cube paradigm , data is considered to be stored in a logical cube lattice , whereby different resources are represented on the y axis 410 , time - bands across the day are represented across the x axis 415 , and different days ( such as monday , tuesday or wednesday ), time periods ( such as an average day within march , april or june ) or machines ( such as machine 1 , machine 2 or machine 3 ) are represented along the z axis 420 . performance cubes are a model of sampled metrics and their values stored in a three - dimensional lattice . for example , daily performance cubes , which contain data for 1 machine or device for a calendar day and are 2 dimensional in nature , can be aggregated into 3 dimensional cubes containing data for multiple dates , such as , for example , a calendar week or a calendar month , or multiple machines data for a single day . in this application , such three - dimensional aggregations are called period and enterprise cubes , respectively , where each plane represents a machine - day . further aggregation is possible by averaging multi - plane cubes into single - plane average period and average enterprise cubes , and these can be further collated into multi - plane cubes where each plane is itself an average of multiple planes . according to one embodiment , performance cubes have certain parameters or properties that may be used or referenced by a performance cube management api . such properties may include the properties set forth in table a , below : table a exemplary cube properties property property description store name the name of the long - term store where the cube can be found , such as the path name of the directory containing the cube files , for example . user a string giving a specific description of the cube . description start the date - time of the start of the first time - band that can date - time be stored in the cube , or the first date - time used to generate an averaged cube number of the number of samples to be contained by this cube . time - bands time - band the number of seconds over which each sample was size averaged . type the type of data to be stored in each plane of the cube , and whether there will be more than one plane . resource set this is used to indicate whether a cube is likely to contain all of the resources that have been collected for a particular platform , or it is likely to contain a subset of these . table b exemplary cube types each plane multiple cube type contains data for : planes ? capmpcm_one_day one day no capmpcm_several_days one day yes capmpcm_one_week_of_days one day yes capmpcm_one_month_of_days one day yes capmpcm_one_year_of_days one day yes capmpcm_one_enterprise_day one day yes capmpcm_one average day an average day no capmpcm_several_average_days an average day yes capmpcm_one_average_enterprise_day an average day yes capmpcm_one_average_week an average week no capmpcm_several_average_weeks an average week yes capmpcm_one_average_enterprise_week an average week yes capmpcm one_average_month an average month no capmpcmseveral_average_months an average month yes capmpcm_oneaverage_enterprise_month an average month yes capmpcm_one_average_year an average year no capmpcm severalaverage years an average year yes capmpcm_one_averageenterprise_year an average year yes the performance cubes are managed via a performance cube management api , such as api 315 , that enables many applications to read and write cubes without having reference to any underlying implementation format . further , performance samples can be accessed by an enterprise management application , such as unicenter tng , and presented as external property data , thus making them available to any underlying applications . in addition , an application can use cube management and analysis routines to perform data management functions such as , for example , trending averaging , compacting and extracting the data . consequently , any platform running an application that stores performance data using the performance cube management api may manage and exploit the performance data . for example , applications may cause the performance data to be compacted , averaged , or trended which extends the way that other applications can exploit the data . the performance cube management api provides access to the performance cube repository , such as store 310 , which may be a complex store containing many cubes which have the potential to contain the data that an application needs . the present application describes methods and systems , which may include the performance cube management api , for rapidly locating and opening the most appropriate performance cube . to meet certain accuracy and timeliness preferences , the systems and methods may employ a cube locating methodology where the cube located is the cube with the most important or highest number of criteria met for a particular call this application refers to such a methodology as a “ best match ” approach . the example “ best match ” approach described in the present application allows the calling application to obtain data for a named machine or device that is appropriate to a particular date without having to specify exactly which performance cube to open . the function will search through available performance cubes and determine and open the cube that best matches the callers requirements . this api searches available performance cubes including both period and enterprise cubes rather than just looking for a daily cube which contains data for a specific machine on a specific date . accordingly , if the daily cube is missing , but there is data in an enterprise cube for the requested date then the request will still be satisfied . in one embodiment , the performance cube management api allows performance samples held in performance cube management (“ pcm ”) format to be created , extracted and transformed by external applications . the api may be supplied as a windows nt dll or a static or shared library which provides a number of c functions , which can be divided into three main levels : fundamental , derived and composite functions . fundamental or ‘ low - level ’ functions are sub - divided into three functional areas — cube control , cube population and cube extraction , and provide a developer with direct access to the performance cube , either to load data samples directly into a cube , or to selectively extract specific data samples from it . derived or ‘ high level ’ functions provide more application - friendly interfaces to the fundamental functions , and as such are again sub - divided into the same three areas . these functions include the ability to search for cubes containing certain data , to copy planes of data from one cube to another etc . composite functions are grouped into a single area , known as “ cube transformation ”. this area provides a simple , very high level interface that allows the developer to transform one or more entire cubes into another cube of different specifications , or another format entirely . certain fundamental functions allow the developer to open a new or existing performance cube , close / write a cube and delete an existing cube . other fundamental functions also allow an application to add new resources , machines / dates and data samples to the cube . such functions control the addition of resources and data to a cube as the data within the cube is stored in a specialised format and must obey certain rules . for example , a fundamental function may ensure that all the resources held within the cube have the same number of data samples , and conform to the same time - band intervals . the cube population functions mask this level of complexity from the developer , by dynamically adjusting the internal structure of the cube to allow new samples , and returning meaningful error conditions if the application attempts to perform illegal cube operations . the fundamental functions allow for the extraction of specific data relating to a cube . for example , the name or names of machines for which data is stored , the dates on which the data was collected , and the data values and number of samples used to calculate the values may all be extracted using fundamental functions . certain derived functions include search and browse capabilities . derived functions provide mechanisms to manipulate the cube parameters and data , but with application - friendly arguments , and more complex functionality than the low - level functions . this includes using names to reference items , and bulk operations such as copying complete planes of data from one cube to another . they allow the client to extract data from the cube in a manner that embodies the performance cube paradigm . instead of simply extracting a specific data sample for a given resource , the cube extraction routines allow the application to extract all data samples pertaining to a specific dimension within the cube . the composite functions enable the developer to input the entire contents of a given performance cube and transform it into another form . this other form could be another performance cube , or a completely different data format . examples of such transformation functions include : conversion to comma separated variable (“ csv ”) form ; averaging across several days , compacting the cube by combining several adjacent time - bands , or period planes , into one ; and generating a cube containing data for a subset of the originally monitored resources . referring now to fig5 , there is depicted a block diagram illustrating one methodology 500 for rapidly locating historical performance data . at block 510 , at least one basic performance metric requirement is received . the basic performance metric requirement may include a comparator and a value associated with a particular performance metric , such as a date , a machine identifier , a resource set , a cube type or a user description , for example . in one embodiment , the associated metric ( s ) may be any data element ( s ) maintained as part of a performance cube . at block 515 of the methodology , a list of array elements is determined . the array elements included in the list describe performance metrics that meet the requirement received at block 510 and thereby potentially match a query associated with the received requirement . in embodiments in which there are multiple stores of historical performance data , block 515 may include deducing which store ( s ) to utilize to determine the list of array elements . at block 520 , the list of potentially matching array elements are sorted according to a predetermined order . the sort order is based , in part , on the received requirement . examples of sort orders include , but are not limited to : 1 . nearness to a required date ; 2 . resource set ( true in preference to false ) because of the increased likeliness of finding all the resources that the caller requires ; 3 . nearness to a required cube type according to the order listed below ; 4 . nearness to a required time - band size , with smaller being taken in preference to larger ; 5 . nearness to a required date , with earlier taken in preference ; and 6 . nearness to a required end - time for the data ( required start time plus required number of time - bands times required time - band size ), with later taken in preference to earlier . at block 525 , each array element is analyzed to determine whether it “ best matches ” the received requirement . the sorted list of array elements is traversed from most likely to least likely ( as sorted at block 520 ). each array element is opened and checked to determine if it contains the correct resources ; by default all resources specified must be found for the cube to be considered a match . this behavior may be altered by certain option flags which may indicate specific rules for selecting a “ best match ”. in an alternate embodiment , the sorting process results in the determination of the “ best match ”, with the “ best match ” being the first element of the sorted list . at decision block 530 , a “ best match ” determination is made with respect to an array element if the array element is considered a “ best match ”, a handle , identifier or pointer to the array element is returned and the process ends . if the array element is not considered a “ best match ”, the methodology determines whether all of the sorted potential array elements have been analyzed . if all of the elements have not been analyzed , the process proceeds to the next element in the list and continues processing at step 525 . if all of the elements have been analyzed , processing is directed to step 545 , at which an error code is returned indicating that no match was found . according to one embodiment , a “ best match ” function may be employed by the performance cube management api . the ” opens the “ best ” matching cube to the caller &# 39 ; s specified requirements . a set of option flags can be passed in to modify the default behavior . an example of the function “ capmpcmopenbestmatch is set forth below : usage # ifndef done_capmpcm # include & lt ; capmpcm . h & gt ; # endif /* done capmpcm */ ... capmpcmreselem * resoureetb1 = null ; /* any . */ wchar_t ** userdescriptiontbl = null ; /* any . */ char * storenamestr = “ d : \ performance data \ performance_cubes ”; struct tm startdatetime , matchdatetime ; int userdesctblsz = 0 , resourcetblsz = 0 , reserved = 0 , notimebands = 144 , timebandsz = 300 , allresourceset = cawin_wild_int , cubetypes = capmpcm_one_day , optionflags = 0 ; /* default . */ capmpcm_machine_name_str machinenamestr = l “ fred ”; /*** * initialise the start date - time for the date of . * use capmpcmmktime . ***/ ... /*** * locate and open the best matching cube . ***/ if ( ( retrn = capmpcmopenbestmatch ( storenamestr , userdescriptiontbl , userdescriptiontblsz , resourcetbl , resourcetblsz , machinenamestr , & amp ; startdatetime , reserved , notimebands , timebandsz , allresourceset , cubetypes , optionflags , & amp ; matchdatetime ) ) & lt ; 0 ) { /*** * determine and handle the error . ***/ ... } else { /*** * the cube handle is valid so use it . ***/ ... } the arguments for the exemplary function “ capmpcmopenbestmatch ” are shown in 25 table c , below : table c capmpcmopenbestmatch arguments storenamestr ( in ) top cube store root directory to search . can be null to indicate search only the current store ( current working directory for filesystem based implementations ). the name should not be wild carded . userdesctbl ( in ) array of cube user descriptions to match . can be null to indicate match all . an element can be null or nul string to match no user description . user description names can be wild - carded using the standard pcm api string wild - carding . userdesctblsz ( in ) size of the above array . must be 0 if null , & gt ; 0 if non - null . resourcetb1 ( in ) array of resources to match . can be null to indicate match any . any of part of the resource name ( type , subtype or instance ) can be null to indicate matches anything or wild - carded using the standard pcm api string wild - carding . resourcetblsz ( in ) size of the above array . must be 0 if null , & gt ; 0 if non - null . machinenamestr ( in ) fully qualified name of machine that data is required for . the machine name should not be wild - carded . startdatetime ( in ) the start - time for the cube and the date for the first plane . the date should not be wild - carded , but the time and dst state can be wild carded with cawin_wild_int as per normal . reserved ( in ) unused - for future enhancement . set this to 0 . notimebands ( in ) the number of time - bands in the cube . set this to the required time - band size , or wild - card it with caw1nwild_int as per normal . timebandsz ( in ) the size of each time - band in seconds . set this to the required time - band size , or wild - card it with caw1n_wild_lnt as per normal . allresourceset ( in ) set to false to indicate a sub - set of all available resources , to true to indicate all available resources or wild - card it with cawin_wild_int as per normal . cubetypes ( in ) the specific required cube type or wild - carded with cawin_wild_int to indicate any type is acceptable , or the new matching value of capmpcm_raw_days_only which indicates any cube type matches for which the data in the planes is raw original values rather than averages for several days . optionflags ( in ) 0 indicates default behaviour . option flags can be or &# 39 ; ed together to select multiple options . matchdatetime ( out ) the start date - time for the plane in the opened cube that is the bast match for the request parameters . this it to indicate to the caller which plane of a period cube is deemed the best match . the date - time will only be valid if a cube is opened . the capmpcmopenbestmatch function is called to locate and open the best matching cube according to the callers specification . the function employs the methodology illustrated in fig5 . deduce a list of cube stores to analyze based on cube store name and machine name . get a list of all the cubes from the cube stores that match the users basic requirements for date , machine , resource set , cube type and user description . order the list according to : 1 . nearness to the required date . this is biased by the option flags with the default being that an exact match is required . 2 . resource set ( true in preference to false ) because of the increased likeliness of finding all the resources that the caller requires . 3 . nearness to the required cube type according to the order listed below . 4 . nearness to the required time - band size , with smaller being taken in preference to larger ( see the capmpcm_compact_as_necessary flag description ). 5 . nearness to the required date , with earlier taken in preference . 6 . nearness to the required end - time for the data ( required start time plus required number of time - bands times required time - band size ), with later taken in preference to earlier . traverse the list from most likely to least likely ( as sorted by the previous actions ) opening them and checking each one to see if it contains the correct resources ; by default all resources specified must be found for the cube to be considered a match . this behavior can be altered by the option flags . when a match is found generate a virtual cube if this option has been requested and it is necessary . if a cube has been successfully opened return the handle to it and the start date - time of the matching plane , otherwise return the most suitable error code . the default order in which cube types are considered is shown in table d , below : table d cube type default order best capmpcm_one_day capmpcm_one_enterprise_day capmpcm_one_week_of_days capmpcm_one_monthof_days capmpcm_one_year_of_days capmpcm_several_days capmpcm_oneaverage_week capmpcm_one_average_enterprise_week capmpcm_several_average_weeks capmpcm_one_average_month capmpcm_one_average_enterprise_month capmpcm_several_average_months capmpcm_one_average_year capmpcm_one_average_enterprise_year capmpcm_several_average_years worst capmpcm_one_average_day capmpcm_one_average_enterprise_day capmpcm_several_average_days the default behavior can be modified by the specification of a number of option flags . if no optional behavior is required then a 0 value should be passed in . otherwise , the value passed in should be the bit - wise or of the individual option flags required . capmpcm_compact_asnecessary preferably this means that if the best matching available cube has a smaller time - band size than requested then a ‘ virtual ’ cube ( a cube that does not exist in permanent store ) which has the requested time - band size will be opened and populated by averaging the available cube . cap mp cm_match_date_or_nearest_prior if a cube cannot be found containing a plane for the requested date then the nearest earlier date that can be matched will be used . capmpcm_match_date_or nearest post if a cube cannot be found containing a plane for the requested date then the nearest later date that can be matched will be used . capmp cm_match_any_resource in order to be a match any one or more of the requested resources must be found in the cube . what has been described above includes several examples . it is , of course , not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the systems , methods , and computer readable media associated with business process policy data . however , one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that further combinations and permutations are possible . accordingly , this application is intended to embrace such alterations , modifications , and variations that fall within the scope of the claims . furthermore , to the extent that the term “ includes ” is employed in the detailed description or the claims , such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “ comprising ” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim .
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formation of a membrane by phase inversion is very unique and governed by the presence of various components and their concentrations in the composition . the pvp as an additive tends to reduce the solubility of polymer in the casting solution . this enforces thermodynamic enhancement for phase separation . but at the same time solution viscosity increases , which causes kinetic hindrance for phase separation . hence a trade - off relationship of thermodynamic enhancement and kinetic hindrance works in a composition with pvp as mentioned above . use of low molecular weight pvp ( k - 30 ) essentially helps in getting the porosity of the membrane as the hydrophilic pvp tends to mix with the non - solvent water during phase separation and come out of the membrane matrix . as it leaves the pes membrane body surface porosity and cross sectional structure are created . thin pvp walls between the pores that break upon when membranes are dried create higher interconnectivity . also a micro phase demixing takes place between pvp and pes , which prevents the formation of the dense top layer . presence of the high molecular weight pvp ( k - 90 ) is effective in macro void suppression . macro voids can arise by growth of nuclei at various locations with a high solvent concentration . a growth of macro voids would be more governed by stable polymer solution . during phase separation all other components except the base polymer ( here pes ) move towards the direction of gelation bath through the nascent fiber body . thus polymer ( pes ) rich and polymer lean ( pvp ) phases are formed enforcing a profound increase of viscosity in the polymer rich phase until solidification occurs , which is considered to be the end of the structure formation process . at the time of solidification the equilibrium composition has not yet been reached and parts of the long chain pvp ( k - 90 ) molecules are permanently trapped in the matrix of the polymer . the result of this entrapment is a membrane with a hydrophilic character . hence the role of pvp ( k - 90 ) in the dope is more of a viscosity and hydrophilicity enhancer . in one embodiment of the invention , the dope includes a first pvp with a molecular weight between 50 , 000 and 2 , 000 , 000 , and a second pvp with a molecular weight between 10 , 000 and 100 , 000 . in a preferred embodiment , a first pvp has a molecular weight between 75 , 000 and 1 , 000 , 000 , and the second pvp has a molecular weight between 20 , 000 to 50 , 000 . in a further embodiment of the invention , the ratio of the amount of first pvp to amount of said second pvp is 1 : 6 , preferably 1 : 3 . degassing of polymeric dope is another important process which needs to be consistently performed to eliminate and entrapped air , which could otherwise lead to bubble formation during spinning and film formation . this would result in lack of continuity during spinning and also generate weak spots in the fiber with vulnerability to damage during subsequent usage . but making polymer dope by using only hydrophilic polymers does not ensure good any uniform cross sectional structure of membrane . as mentioned earlier , growth of macro voids would be more governed by stable polymer solution . hence to get membranes with very uniform structure and consistent performance , it is desirable to include a fourth component , which makes the dope unstable . water is one such component , which gives the composition a new dimension to make ultra filtration membrane of enhanced characters . apart from its technological advantages the amount of water used in the composition also reduces equivalent amount of solvent , which is most desirable from environmental viewpoint . in a quaternary system there are two different time scales for diffusion . during spinning of fiber when phase inversion takes place at the tip of the spinneret only solvent and non - solvent diffuse through the polymer segments in the initial short time gap , which are fractions of seconds . at this time the interdiffusion of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers are negligible . the two polymers are regarded as freely moving species and the demixing gap is much more expanded at this fraction of a second . this is considered as the equilibrium state and a small amount of water causes fast demixing of the system . the state coincides with the cloud point of the system . the important aspect of this phenomenon is that when the interdiffusion of solvent and non - solvent is rapid compared to the mobility of the polymers then a very thin skin ( presumably less than 0 . 1 micron ) surface layer with high polymer concentration is formed . the addition of water to the composition is intended to take the dope solution very near to the “ cloud point ” or precipitation point . at this time the composition is very close to a point where any more addition of water , even in very small quantities , will create unstable condition and precipitation will result . therefore immediately after the fiber comes in contact with central bore fluid ( ro water ) and before it enters into the gelation bath , the cloud point line could be reached instantaneously . this results in formation of ultrathin skin . if the composition is not close to near cloud point the thin layer will be formed over a period of time probably in varying thicknesses , during the transition through the gelation bath . during this time formation of a secondary skin cannot be eliminated . when the equilibrium cloud point line is considered , the prepared composition path will lie just inside the demixing gap indicating the occurrence of instantaneous demixing . hence the concentration of water in the composition is very critical and should be arrived at through series of experiments with water concentration in ascending order and with minimal increment between two successive compositions . once the clouds or turbidity is visible in a composition , the water concentration of the previous dope could be considered as the boundary line composition provided the solution is clear and transparent . in such way , during phase inversion the typical conditions for delayed demixing will essentially be excluded . a highly porous skin membrane face and uniform cross sectional porous structure without macro voids in the bulk of the polymeric mass behind the skin would be achieved . also other variables which may impact the saturation of polymer are normalized closed to cloud point and the formulation is ready for precipitation on immediate contact with water . the combination of these steps in the mechanism , in the quaternary formulation results in achieving a highly porous thin skin separation surface of the membrane . this delivers high water permeability . because of the ultra thin skin , the nodular surface roughness is less and the membrane can undertake much higher turbidity in the feed . at the same time suppression of macro voids and comparatively delayed demixing during the structure formation process ensure a uniform , interconnected and spongy or finger type polymer network behind the thin skin . this ensures good mechanical strength of the fibers with respect to stretchability , tensile strength and burst strength ( refer sem images and results in table - iii ). all these parameters are important for fiber membranes to withstand the rugged conditions of water and wastewater filtration operating conditions for a prolonged period . peripheral conditions during the spinning process are also very important and critical to define the character of the fibers . the bore fluid type & amp ; flow , gelation bath and casting vat ( refer fig3 ) fluid compositions are all very important in the process of spinning . this would become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination or may be learned from the practice of the invention . ro grade water as bore fluid has been selected in the present invention where as it has been tried with a mixture of solvent and water in various prior arts . use of solvent in the coagulating medium delays the demixing process often results in large pores on the coarser side of the membrane . but it not only demands huge amount of solvent but also poses issues related to disposal of waste . unwarranted use of solvent only adds to the complexity of effluent discharge or treatment . hence gelation bath & amp ; casting vat fluid used in the present invention is ro grade water with ph raised to anything between 9 . 0 to 11 . 0 . raising ph enhances the separation of solvent through the outer surface more efficiently . once the thin skin is formed in the internal body and the nascent fiber passes through the free air gap , a process of solvent movement towards the periphery starts . a solvent rich phase exists on the body of the nascent fiber when it enters into the gelation bath . there is a possibility of blockage of solvent movement if a secondary and coarser skin is formed on the outer surface of the fiber . presence of solvent for prolonged time could be detrimental to the desired character of the fiber , as it tends to make inroads into the vitrified polymer again . high ph conditions with the aid of sodium hydroxide almost rules out this possibility and keeps the outer pores open to facilitate solvent removal . temperature of casting vat fluid is maintained between 25 and 50 deg c . all synthetic membranes tend to constrict under cold conditions , especially when those are in semi cure state . keeping the temperature little over normal always helps to protect the fibers from possible contraction , which could lead to disastrous pore collapse . hence both high ph and little over normal temperature conditions help in driving out most of the solvent within gelation bath and casting vat ensuring uniform and interlinked porosity that generates desired hydraulic and mechanical properties of the fibers . the membranes made in this process do not include any charged polymeric compounds or any chemical additives which have adsorption properties , as the base ultra filtration duty ( to provide consistent high flux and turbidity ) results does not require these features . membranes obtained by phase inversion of a polymer solution may contain substantial amounts of the superficial pvp which are not an integral part of membrane structure . to overcome this problem membranes are treated with sodium hypochlorite . by treating uf membranes of pes / pvp with naocl solution , membranes with higher flux and reduced superficial pvp content were obtained . reaction of pvp with naocl causes ring opening of the pyrrolidone ring of the pvp molecule . in this reaction pvp is oxidized in alkaline solution . naocl is a non - specific oxidizing agent and its activity strongly depends on the ph of the reaction medium . the reaction between pvp in alkaline media can take place by opening of the pyrrolidone ring to the form γ - amino acid units . the mechanism of this reaction is shown in the below scheme . hence the pvp molecules , which are not within the network of the polymer and reside in the void areas , are subject to hypochlorite treatment to ensure high water permeability . membranes as described herein may offer one or more of the following advantages : 1 — achieved enhanced porosity and hydrophilicity at the same time by using two different types of water - soluble polymers . ( refer table ii & amp ; iv given below ) 2 — achieved high flux membranes by using a quaternary system comprising of hydrophobic polymer , hydrophilic polymers , water and solvent to seize advantages of each component . ( refer table iii given below ) 3 — the membrane formed is stable and show consistency in characteristics even after a long time gap . ( refer table iv & amp ; v given below ) 4 — the structure uniformity with repeatability is observed resulting good mechanical and hydraulic characteristics ( refer table iii & amp ; sem photographs given below ) 5 — this composition could be spun into fibers of different dimensions . fibers with very small bore could provide more membrane surface area and fibers with larger diameters could be used to treat water with higher turbidities with continuous higher fluxes without any symptoms of permanent fouling . ( refer table vi & amp ; vii below ) 6 — one advantage of the polymer dope and the fiber membrane making process discussed herein is that the process is simple , environment friendly and not dependent on multiple variables like creation of solvent vapors in the air gap , mixing solvent in gelation bath , multiple casting , vat , etc . as used in many prior arts . moreover the formulation is normalized net of all variables at cloud point conditions and ready for spinning to deliver high performance membranes . several suitable polymers ( both hydrophobic & amp ; hydrophilic ) are available and can be used within embodiments of this invention . other factors can combine with the kind and concentration of the polymer to affect the stability of the dope mix . such factors include solvents or their mixtures , nonsolvents or their mixtures , and casting temperatures . the following are some of the materials which have been found useful in the practice of this invention , but it will be clear to those skilled in the art that many others and / or their combinations may also be used . a particularly preferred polyethersulfone polymer for use in the presently claimed invention is ultrason ® e - 6020p . again particularly preferred water - soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone polymers for use in the presently claimed invention are kollidon ® ( k - 30 ) & amp ; kollidon ® ( k - 90 ). particularly preferred solvents for use in the presently claimed invention are n - methylpyrrolidone ( nmp ) and / or dimethylacetamide ( dmac ). an exemplary production process comprises the steps of : 1 . about 75 % of the total required amount of solvent and water ( entire quantity ) to be charged in a reactor ( suitable for the solvent ) and mixed by means of an anchor type agitator . 2 . required concentration of the solvent for a batch could be anything between 50 % to 90 %. preferably it is between 60 % to 80 % 3 . required quantity of water would be depending on the cloud point evaluation , which could vary batch to batch . preferably it should be between 5 . 0 % to 10 . 0 % for a batch of dope . 4 . for every new batch of polymer the cloud point should be evaluated . a series of sample reactions should be set added with all polymers in their respective quantities and water in progressive quantities within the range of cloud point . the absolute clear and turbid solution should be picked for cloud point determination . within that range of water concentration a new set of experiment should be carried out with narrower range of water quantity . selected dope should be devoid of any turbidity but very near to that . 5 . one of the additives , here in the form of pvp ( k - 90 ) to be added to the above solution and agitated at room temperature until complete dissolution . 6 . required quantity of pvp ( k - 90 ) for a batch could be between 0 . 5 % to 5 . 0 %. preferably is between 1 . 0 % to 3 . 0 % 7 . other additive in the form of pvp ( k - 30 ) to be added to the above solution and agitated at room temperature till complete dissolution . 8 . the quantity of pvp ( k - 30 ) for a batch could be between 1 . 0 % to 15 . 0 %. preferably it is between 5 . 0 % to 10 . 0 % 9 . another 10 % of the total solvent quantity is to be added at this stage . 10 . required amount of pes should be added in small portions at regular intervals ensuring uniform dispersion . 11 . required quantity of pes in a batch could be between 5 . 0 % to 40 . 0 %. preferably it is between 15 . 0 % to 25 . 0 % 12 . once the entire pes quantity is added , then the remaining of the solvent is to be added and mixed . 13 . agitation should continue during addition and thereafter . linear speed of the agitator could be anything between 2000 to 4000 cm / min . 14 . reaction continues for several hours , which could be 5 to 50 hours depending on achieving a consistent viscosity ; preferably it should be between 15 to 35 hours . 15 . temperature of the reaction to be maintained between 10 ° c . to 50 ° c . preferably is to be between 20 ° c . to 40 ° c . 16 . at the end of the reaction a transparent and homogeneous solution will be achieved with viscosity between , 2000 cps to 30 , 000 cps , preferably between 5 , 000 cps to 15 , 000 cps . 17 . the solution in spinning reservoir is then degassed by means of a vacuum pump @ 700 to 760 mmhg for several hours , preferably from 24 to 48 hours ensuring all tiny air bubbles are removed from the viscous solution . 18 . temperature of the solution during degasification should be maintained between 15 ° c . to 40 ° c ., preferably from 20 ° c . to 30 ° c . 19 . conditions to be set for hf as , a . the spinning reservoir then is mounted on a spinning mechanism fitted with a concentric orifice spinneret , coagulation bath , casting vat and motorized winding pulley . b . spinneret needle internal / external diameter and the annular gap diameter are fixed with respect to the required fiber dimensions . c . gelation bath and casting vat have to be filled with reverse osmosis grade water free of particles and colloids . d . both gelation bath and casting vat water should be adjusted for ph value of anything between 9 . 0 to 11 . 0 . e . both gelation bath and casting vat water should be adjusted for temperature most preferably between 25 ° c . to 50 ° c . f . air gap between the spinneret tip and the water level in the gelation bath is maintained between 15 cms to 100 cms , preferably between 30 cm to 80 cm as per control requirements during spinning . g . the humidity of the air gap could be anything between 30 % to 90 % more preferably between 40 % to 70 %. h . the central bore fluid is essentially reverse osmosis permeate water pumped through a gear pump at the rate of anything between 1 to 50 ml / min , most preferably between 5 to 35 ml / min . i . the polymer dope is extruded through the spinneret annular orifice by means of either n 2 gas or a suitable gear pump at a rate of anything between 10 to 50 gm / min . j . spun fibers are collected in bundles of predetermined length and rinsed with flowing reverse osmosis ( ro ) water for at 12 - 48 hours . 20 . the fibers are post treated after the above rinsing , sodium hypochlorite most preferably for duration of 5 to 25 hours . 21 . the free cl 2 concentration of the post treatment solution should be preferably between 0 . 1 % to 0 . 5 %. 22 . the ph value of the said post treatment solution should be anything between 8 . 0 to 12 . 0 . 23 . membranes should be rinsed thoroughly with ro permeate water after the post treatment to remove traces of free chlorine from its structure . 24 . finally the membranes should be preserved in glycerol and sodium bisulphite solution in an airtight container . it should be noted that the calculation and subsequent use of the cloud point to create the fiber dope allows creation of a membrane with properties that the applicants believe to be more suitable for water purification in waters with high turbidity than those that may be provided by the art . for example , united states patent application publication no . 2009 / 0057225 , to krause , et al , reports creation of fiber membranes with differing structures and properties . those membranes , which are optimized for small diameter , dna particle removal , have smaller inner and outer diameters ( 214 micrometers inner diameter and 312 micrometers outer diameter , compared to a range of between 0 . 6 to 1 . 6 mm inner diameter and 0 . 9 to 2 . 5 mm outer diameter for preferred embodiments of the invention ), and lack the ability to accept high turbidity waters and then deliver product water with a turbidity of less than 0 . 1 nm . one also notes that krause &# 39 ; s membranes are described as useful only for dna separation , and are not likely to be suitable for high dimension necessary for water and wastewater filtration with high turbidity input . krause reports that the most beneficial membranes will include a cationically - charged polymer ; this is different from embodiments of the current invention , in which a cationically charged polymer is usually not necessary and in many cases not desired . krause also does not teach or suggest creation of a membrane that has been treated with naocl ( sodium hypochlorite ). this means that the membrane resulting from krause could have significant presence of superficial pvp , which leads to suboptimal flux results . furthermore , the use of polyamide that is suggested by krause may be omitted in embodiments of the instant invention . another difference between embodiments of the instant invention and membranes as reported in krause is the use of reverse - osmosis ( ro ) water . those skilled in the art will recognize that ro - quality water is presumed to include no particles of diameter greater than 0 . 1 nm . ro water is used in embodiments of the instant invention for the fluid in the central bore that is excluded through the inner opening of the spinning nozzle . this is markedly different from krause , in which the center fluid requires 30 to 55 % solvent and may include 0 . 1 to 2 % polymer . krause also provides hydrophobic absorption domains in its primary embodiment , while the membranes of embodiments of the invention are hydrophilic and typically have a moisture content between 3 and 10 %. the process used by those following krause is also significantly different . krause requires between 2 and 2 . 6 % of water in the dope , while preferred embodiments of the instant invention require about 5 % to about 10 % to move the composition to the cloud point . krause also does not discuss degasification of the polymer dope , leading to the potential for air bubbles and a resulting less strong membrane . many experiments were carried out before arriving at the composition suitable for producing the said hydrophilic asymmetric ultra filtration hollow fiber membrane with superior permeability and rejection characters . some of those dope making & amp ; spinning experiments are given below as examples . the examples are not meant in any way to limit the scope of this invention . in this set of experiments only pvp : k - 30 , pes and solvent were used . presented in this example are certain compositions , where 15 to 25 % of pes , 5 to 10 % of pvp : k - 30 and 60 to 80 % of solvent were used . reaction procedures were as per the procedure mentioned above in section 6 . 0 . only the clear and stable solutions were taken for spinning trials . all moisture content figures in the above ( 1 to 4 ) were found to be temporary and after 40 - 50 hours of ro water permeation testing the values came down to & lt ; 1 . 0 %. hence the hydrophilicity was only temporary and unsustainable . pure water flux values were by and large very less . strength of fiber was low as shown in the table as burst strength results . these examples were a few from innumerable similar compositions with variation in their concentrations . but these were the best of results achieved with a specific ratio of pes & amp ; pvp . in this set of experiments both pvp : k - 30 and k - 90 were used along with , pes and solvent . a few of the various compositions tried are given here , where 15 to 25 % of pes , 5 to 10 % of pvp : k - 30 , 1 to 3 % pvp : k - 90 and 60 to 80 % of solvent were used . reaction procedures were same as the procedure mentioned above in section 6 . 0 . only the clear and stable solutions were taken for spinning trials . inclusion of high molecular weight pvp , k - 90 could bring about some sustainable hydrophilicity but the physical strengths with respect to burst strength and elongation were below desired level . flux values were mediocre and mostly below 500 lm 2 h . the above cases ( table : ii ) are the best amongst so many , which could be achieved with a specific pes / pvp ratio similar to that of 1 st set experiments in this set of experiments all ingredients e . g . water , pvp : k - 30 , k - 90 , pes and solvent were used in the compositions . first the cloud point boundary line was found through series of experiments conducted with varied concentrations of water . the nearest clear solution of the cloud point turbid solution was always taken for spinning . this set presents selected examples where 15 to 25 % of pes , 5 to 10 % of pvp : k - 30 , 1 to 3 % of k - 90 , 2 to 10 % of water and 60 to 80 % of solvent were used . reaction procedures were same as the procedure mentioned above in section 6 . 0 . only the clear and stable solutions were taken for spinning trials . water was introduced into the composition in this set of experiments . but in the initial results ( refer trials 9 , 10 & amp ; 11 ) mechanical strength and / or water permeability were not very promising . the reason was the concentration of water in the dope . optimization of water quantity with respect to cloud point line was yet not arrived at in these formulations . water concentration was either less or not perfectly near the boundary line of precipitation . as a result both mechanical strength ( elongation and burst strength ) and pure water permeability were below per . basic intent of using water in the dope was to accomplish near saturation state . unless the water quantity reaches that level it does not help to get better membranes . at this stage cloud point experiments were conducted and series of dope compositions were made with already defined pes and both pvp concentration . ascending order of water concentration in the series brought out the precipitation line , where solution turned turbid . after a few more confirmatory tests the concentration of water was decided to be marginally less than the concentration that brings cloud point . it was observed that water concentration below 5 % did not show good results . trials from 12 to 18 were conducted with that specific concentration of water ( in between 5 to 10 %) in the dope , which gives clear and transparent solution but quickly turns turbid when exposed to moist environment . results improved ( except 12a because of absence of naocl treatment ) and necessary quality and performance parameters were achieved after incorporating cloud point conditions . one 200 mm diameter × 1500 mm length prototype hollow fiber module ( made of fibers from example - 12 above ) was operated for almost 700 hours at different conditions . here fiber membranes were regular i . e 0 . 80 mm id . membrane surface area was 41 m 2 ( 441 ft 2 ). a performance summary is given in table - vii . this was the first module . with moderate turbidity load (˜ 5 ntu ), flux values were well above 100 lmh and reached 125 lmh with little higher transmembrane pressure for a prolonged period for 700 hours . another 200 mm diameter × 1500 mm length prototype hollow fiber module ( using similar dope as mentioned , refer trial - 16 above ) was operated for more than 700 hours at different conditions . in this case fiber membranes were of higher diameter ( id : 1 . 30 mm ) membrane surface are was 35 m 2 ( 375 ft 2 ). a performance summary is given in table - v . this was operated for more than 1000 hours . turbidity load was taken to 10 ntu at times . product quality was very consistent ( sdi : & lt ; 1 . 50 ) with about 150 lmh flux throughout the operation period . another 100 mm diameter × 1300 mm length prototype hollow fiber module ( using similar dope as mentioned refer example - 15 above ) was operated for more than 350 hours at high turbidity conditions up to 200 ntu . higher dimension fiber membrane surface area was 4 . 5 m 2 ( 48 . 4 ft 2 ). a performance summary is given in table - vi turbidity load was taken upto to 200 ntu , where 200 - 250 lmh flux could be achieved . when turbidity load was brought down to ˜ 5 ntu , the flux achieved was even higher ( 300 lmh ) another 100 mm diameter × 1000 mm length prototype hollow fiber module ( using similar dope as mentioned refer example - 11 above ) was operated for about 250 hours at high turbidity conditions up to 700 ntu . higher dimension fiber membrane surface area was 3 . 5 m 2 ( 37 . 6 ft 2 ). a performance summary is given in table - vii this module was tested in very rugged conditions like turbidity as high as 700 ntu . but the product quality remained less than 0 . 070 ntu (& lt ; 2 . 0 sdi ) with flux values as high as 250 lmh . the process of dope preparation and spinning fiber of the present invention generates some effluent water enriched with the solvent which is selected from the group of n - methylpyrrolidone ( nmp ), dimethylacetamide ( dmac ), dimethylformamide ( dmf ) and dimethylsulfoxide ( dmso ). these organic solvents and a small concentration of pvp , which come out in the gelation and rinsing units during spinning are highly biodegradable . it is highly desirable to remove the trace solvent from the effluent and reuse the water in the process . a biological reactor with active microorganism work well to break the organic solvents in the effluent and produce clean water continuously . a novel membrane bioreactor process has been developed in the laboratory for treatment and recycle of this effluent . high mlss ( mixed liquid suspended solid ) and low hrt ( hydraulic retention time ) of a membrane bioreactor enhances the treatment process and rejects 90 - 95 % of cod & amp ; bod generated by the organic contaminants . solvent concentration as high as 0 . 10 % has been successfully tested in laboratory mbr units under high mlss conditions . about 10 , 000 to 15 , 000 mg / l active solids were maintained in the bioreactor . hydraulic retention time ( hrt ) was maintained at more or less than a day . cod & amp ; bod values as high as 1500 mg / l & amp ; 500 mg / l created by the presence of solvent could be degraded in the system and produce ro feed grade water . given below a summarized operational & amp ; analytical data of the small laboratory bioreactor trial , which was conducted for about 500 hours .
| 3Textiles; Paper
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referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention , fig2 is a perspective view of the framework of a multipurpose cleaning device constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention . as shown in fig2 framework a , comprises base means , 2 , with tank means , 6 , mounted thereon . further details of the construction of multipurpose cleaning device , 1 , are shown in fig2 which is a partial plan view and functional diagram of multipurpose cleaning device , 1 . as shown in fig1 tank means , 6 , is shown provided with water nozzles or sprayers , 3 , mounted on the interior wall of tank means , 6 , and directed generally horizontally and towards the center of tank , 6 . as shown in fig1 hose , 7 , is coupled to a conventional water supply ( not shown ) and provides water through check valve , 8 , to pump , 4 , which is driven through conventional coupling indicated by dotted line , 5 , by motor , 9 . pump , 4 , supplies water under pressure to tank , 6 , via pipe , 10 , junction , 22 , and pipes , 11 , 12 , 13 , and , 14 . pipe , 15 , couples pipe , 10 , to pressure guage , 16 . pipe , 17 , couples pipe , 10 , to pressure limit switch , 18 , which is electrically connected by wires , 19 , and , 20 , to a conventional source of electricity and motor , 9 , respectively in such a manner to cause electric energy to motor , 9 , to be shut off when the pressure at pressure limit switch , 18 , exceeds a proscribed amount . water supplied to each nozzle , 3 , is also controllable by manual valves , 21 , provided in pipes , 11 , 12 , 13 , and , 14 . a take - off tap , 23 , is provided in line , 11 . not shown in the drawings is an additional nozzle , 3 , installed in the top of tank , 6 , pointing downward and near the center of tank , 6 , with appropriate coupling to junction , 22 , and an additional nozzle , 3 , installed in the bottom of tank , 6 , pointing upward and near the middle of tank , 6 , with appropriate coupling to junction , 22 . gas from a conventional gas source ( not shown ) is piped via pipe , 24 , through electrically controlled solenoid valve , 25 , shut off valve , 26 , to burner , 27 , which as operably mounted on base means , 2 , and disposed near tank , 6 . tank , 6 , is also provided with air under pressure via air line , 28 , to nozzle , 29 , which are used in some of the operations of device , 1 , in conjunction with fitting , 30 . in the use of device , 1 , as a parts cleaning device a conventional rack ( not shown ) is mounted within tank , 6 . parts to be cleaned are placed upon the rack . a solvent such as tri - sodium diphosphate , is added in liquid form to tank , 6 . pump , 4 , is activated by motor , 9 , which is energized by switch , 31 . once device , 1 , has been started and has sufficient liquid therein , it is stopped , the drain line from tank , 6 , ( not shown ) is coupled to pump , 4 , via pipe , 7 , and the cleaning liquid is thereby recirculated . burner , 27 , and its associated equipment is used to dry the parts previously cleaned . in the use of device , 1 , as a paint spraying device , a sealed paint container provided with input and output hoses is placed in tank , 6 . the input hose is coupled to nozzle , 29 , and the output hose is coupled to the inner side of fitting , 30 , and a conventional spray hose is coupled to the outer side of fitting , 30 . for recirculating oil , water and other fluids , the drain to tank , 6 , ( not shown ) is coupled to pump , 4 , via pipe , 7 . a suitable filter , not shown , is provided in line , 7 . hose take - off , 23 , is provided for use with a conventional garden hose for area cleaning . it should be understood that changes and modifications in the form , construction , arrangement , and combination of the compound injection device and methods of making and using the same may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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reference is now made to fig1 a , 1b and 1c , which are simplified illustrations of three examples of an initial stage of mobile communicator depot methodology in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . turning to fig1 a , there is shown a scenario wherein a customer , whose mobile communicator 100 , here a smartphone , is broken , initiates a repair over the internet such as by using his home computer to access the customer service website of cellular telephone service provider . typically the customer identifies himself to the customer service website by entering his mobile communicator telephone number and a unique identifier , such as the last four digits of his credit card . the customer may then select the automated telephone repair service and is then prompted to describe the problem with his mobile communicator 100 , such as a broken screen . it is appreciated that once the customer enters the telephone number of mobile communicator 100 , the system already has information regarding the identity , type and functionality of mobile communicator 100 . the customer is preferably directed to the nearest repair depot 102 and may be shown its location on a map . upon arrival at the repair depot 102 , the customer is prompted to identify himself and his mobile communicator 100 by entering his mobile communicator telephone number and a unique identifier , such as the last four digits of his credit card . turning to fig1 b , there is shown an alternative scenario wherein a customer , whose mobile communicator 100 , here a smartphone , is broken , initiates a repair over the internet such as by using another mobile communicator 103 , such as an ipad to access the customer service website of cellular telephone service provider . typically the customer identifies himself by entering his mobile communicator telephone number and a unique identifier , such as the last four digits of his credit card . the customer may then select the automated telephone repair service and is then prompted to describe the problem with his mobile communicator 100 , such as a broken screen . it is appreciated that once the customer enters the telephone number of mobile communicator 100 , the system already has information regarding the identity , type and functionality of mobile communicator 100 . the customer is preferably directed to the nearest repair depot 102 and may be shown its location on a map . upon arrival at the repair depot 102 , the customer is prompted to identify himself and his mobile communicator by entering his mobile communicator telephone number and a unique identifier , such as the last four digits of his credit card . turning to fig1 c , there is shown a scenario wherein a customer , whose mobile communicator 100 , here a smartphone , is broken , is unable to initiate a repair over the internet , since he does not have access to the internet . in such a case , the customer may go directly to a repair depot 102 . typically the repair depot 102 interacts directly with the customer and prompts the customer to identify himself by entering his mobile communicator telephone number and a unique identifier , such as the last four digits of his credit card . the customer is then prompted to describe the problem with his mobile communicator , such as a broken screen . it is appreciated that once the customer enters the telephone number of mobile communicator 100 , the system already has information regarding the identity , type and functionality of mobile communicator 100 . reference is now made to fig2 a , 2b and 2c , which together are a simplified illustration of an automatic acceptance processing of a customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator stage of mobile communicator depot methodology in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as seen in fig2 a , upon arrival at depot 102 , a customer is prompted to place his mobile communicator 100 in a receiving receptacle 104 . as shown in fig2 b , depot 102 preferably includes functionality for confirming that mobile communicator 100 is placed in the receptacle 104 with its screen 106 facing upwards and also includes a camera 108 for photographing the top surface of mobile communicator 100 , the top surface including screen 106 . a robotic mechanism 110 is preferably employed for initially repositioning the receptacle 104 containing mobile communicator 100 from its initial position , shown in fig2 a , at which the customer placed mobile communicator 100 therein , to a second position , shown in fig2 b at which the top surface of mobile communicator 100 is photographed by camera 108 , to a third position in which mobile communicator is disposed within one of a multiplicity of bins 112 , each of which is preferably identified by a barcode 114 and which are located in a storage and transport structure 116 . a barcode scanner 118 is preferably mounted on robotic mechanism 110 for reading barcode 114 of bin 112 in which the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator 100 is placed , for recording the identity of bin 112 and for associating it with the identity of customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator 100 in a computerized database . as shown in fig2 c , a virtual repair ticket 120 is preferably generated . virtual repair ticket 120 preferably includes the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number , the bin number of the bin in which mobile communicator 100 is disposed , and a description of the required repair as provided by the customer . the virtual repair ticket 120 is preferably transmitted via the internet to a central server 122 , typically located at a site remote from depot 102 , which site may house a repair center . the customer receives an acknowledgement of receipt of the deposited mobile communicator 102 , preferably in the form of an audio - visual message which is backed up by a virtual email message and preferably is prompted to select a preferred pick up location , which need not be the same depot 102 . upon receipt of a user pick up location selection input , the depot 102 preferably provides an acknowledgement , preferably in the form of an audio - visual message which is backed up by a virtual email message . reference is now made to fig3 a , 3b , 3c , 3d , 3e , 3f and 3g , which together are a simplified illustration of a replacement mobile communicator personalization and dispensing stage of mobile communicator depot methodology in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig3 a - 3g , it is a particular feature of the present invention that , upon request by the customer , a replacement mobile communicator is automatically provided to the customer by the depot . as shown in particular in fig3 a , depot 102 offers the customer a replacement mobile communicator to be used while his broken mobile communicator is being repaired . as further shown in fig3 b , upon accepting the offer , the customer is then asked by depot 102 whether he would prefer that his contact list be transferred to the replacement mobile communicator . thereafter , as shown in fig3 c , depot 102 selects a replacement communicator bin 130 which is located in a replacement communicator storage and transport structure 132 and which contains a replacement mobile communicator , and preferably employs barcode scanner 118 which is preferably mounted on robotic mechanism 110 to read the barcode 136 of bin 130 . as further shown in fig3 c , a virtual mobile communicator activation instruction 140 is preferably generated by depot 102 , which instruction 140 preferably includes the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number and the bin number of bin 130 retrieved from barcode 136 . instruction 140 is preferably transmitted via the internet to a central server 122 , typically located at a site remote from depot 102 , which site may house a service center . it is appreciated that server 122 stores information for associating bin numbers of bins in replacement communicator storage and transport structure 132 with identifiers of mobile communicators stored therewithin . therefore , server 122 may utilize the information in instruction 140 to associate the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number with the identifier of the replacement mobile communicator located in bin 130 , and to store this information for ascertaining , upon return of repaired mobile communicator 100 to the customer , that the replacement mobile communicator dispensed to the customer is indeed returned . responsive to instruction 140 , server 122 preferably activates the replacement mobile communicator located in bin 130 in association with the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number . as yet further shown in fig3 c , depot 102 then generates a virtual contact list synchronization instruction 150 , which instruction 150 preferably includes the customer &# 39 ; s / mobile communicator &# 39 ; s identifier and the bin number of bin 130 retrieved from barcode 136 . instruction 150 is preferably transmitted via the internet to central server 122 and instructs server 122 to download the customer &# 39 ; s contact list to depot 102 . it is appreciated that contact lists stored on mobile communicators are typically also stored on the internet on various backup facilities , such as , for example , on a central backup server of the cellular telephone service provider , and therefore may be accessible to server 122 . as yet further shown in fig3 c , upon receiving virtual contact list synchronization instruction 150 , server 122 preferably transmits the customer &# 39 ; s contact list 160 to depot 102 where it is temporarily stored . turning now to fig3 d , it is shown that robotic mechanism 110 is preferably employed for retrieving replacement mobile communicator 162 from bin 130 . preferably , after replacement mobile communicator 162 is retrieved , depot 102 loads contact list 160 onto mobile communicator 162 preferably by wirelessly communicating therewith . it is appreciated that communication between depot 102 and replacement mobile communicator 162 may alternatively be wired . thereafter , as shown in fig3 e , robotic mechanism 110 preferably places replacement mobile communicator 162 into receptacle 104 , and also preferably places a compatible mobile communicator accessory kit 164 into a dispenser bin 166 . it is appreciated that mobile communicator accessory kit 164 may include , for example , a mobile communicator charger and data synchronizing cables . turning now to fig3 f , is shown that depot 102 thereafter notifies the customer that a replacement mobile communicator having his contact list loaded thereupon has been prepared for him , and prompts the customer to remove replacement mobile communicator 162 and mobile communicator accessory kit 164 from receptacle 104 and bin 166 , respectively . as further shown in fig3 g , after retrieving replacement mobile communicator 162 and mobile communicator accessory kit 164 , the customer ascertains that replacement mobile communicator 162 is loaded with his contact list , and that replacement mobile communicator 162 is fully functional . reference is now made to fig4 a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e and 4f , which together are a simplified illustration of a back - end processing stage of mobile communicator depot methodology in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig4 a , a mobile communicator depot service employee arrives at depot 102 and removes storage and transport structure 116 from depot 102 . as described hereinabove with regard to fig2 a , storage and transport structure 116 preferably comprises bins 112 , each of bins 112 preferably containing a mobile communicator destined for repair . as further shown in fig4 a , after removing storage and transport structure 116 from depot 102 , the depot service employee inserts an alternative storage and transport structure 170 into depot 102 , transport structure 170 preferably having repaired mobile communicators disposed in bins therewithin . the method by which mobile communicators are repaired and disposed within transport structure 170 will be described in greater detail hereinbelow with regard to fig4 b - 4e . as yet further shown in fig4 a , after inserting alternative storage and transport structure 170 into depot 102 , the depot service employee removes storage and transport structure 116 from the premises and , as shown in fig4 b , delivers storage and transport structure 116 to a mobile communicator service center . turning now to fig4 b , it is shown that a mobile communicator service center employee receives storage and transport structure 116 from the depot service employee and preferably scans the barcode of each of bins 112 which contains a broken mobile communicator into a computer 172 . it is appreciated that computer 172 preferably communicates with server 122 and is operative to retrieve information associated with broken mobile communicator 100 which was submitted to server 122 via a virtual repair ticket , such as virtual repair ticket 120 of fig2 c . as described hereinabove with regard to fig2 c , this information may include , for example , a bin identification number of the bin 112 containing broken mobile communicator 100 , a mobile communicator customer identifier such as a telephone number , and a description of the required repair . the information also preferably includes an identifier of the particular depot at which mobile communicator was deposited and an identifier of the preferred pickup location of the repaired mobile communicator as , for example , specified by the customer in the illustration of fig2 c . as yet further shown in fig4 b , after retrieving the information of virtual repair ticket 120 from computer 172 , the service center employee retrieves mobile communicator 100 from its bin 112 and repairs mobile communicator 100 . it is appreciated that while being repaired , the contact list stored in mobile communicator 100 may be partially or completely deleted . the contact list may have also been partially or completely deleted upon breakage of mobile communicator 100 . therefore , as shown in fig4 c , the service center employee preferably utilizes computer 172 to access server 122 to download the customer &# 39 ; s contact list 160 to computer 172 in preparation for reactivation of mobile communicator 100 . as described hereinabove with regard to the illustration of fig3 c , it is appreciated that mobile communicator contact lists are typically also stored on the internet on various backup facilities , such as , for example , on a central backup server of the cellular telephone service provider , and therefore may be accessible to server 122 . as further shown in fig4 c , the service center employee preferably loads contact list 160 onto mobile communicator 100 by wirelessly transmitting contact list 160 from computer 172 to mobile communicator 100 . alternatively , transmission of the contact list from computer 172 to mobile communicator 100 may be wired . turning now to fig4 d , it is shown that after completing the repair of mobile communicator 100 and loading contact list 160 onto repaired mobile communicator 100 , the service center employee then preferably utilizes computer 172 to generate a virtual delivery ticket 176 for repaired mobile communicator 100 , which ticket 176 preferably includes a physical identifier of communicator 100 , such as an imei identifier . it is appreciated that the physical identifier may be retrieved from communicator 100 , for example , by scanning a barcode embedded in communicator 100 or by manually querying communicator 100 via its user interface . preferably , the service center employee also scans a barcode identifier 178 of bin 174 into computer 172 and adds identifier 178 to ticket 176 . the service center employee then preferably utilizes computer 172 to communicate with server 122 , where the identifier of communicator 100 as provided in ticket 176 is used to identify communicator 100 as that of the customer of fig1 a - 3g . server 122 is also preferably operative to associate the customer &# 39 ; s identifier , such as his telephone number , and the preferred pickup location as originally specified by the customer , with ticket 176 . it is appreciated that server 122 is also preferably operative to provide the service center employee with an identifier of a storage and transport structure 180 which is destined for delivery to the customer &# 39 ; s preferred pickup location . upon verifying that the details of ticket 176 are correct , the service center employee preferably submits the completed ticket 176 to server 122 . as shown in fig4 e , the service center employee then places repaired mobile communicator into bin 174 and inserts bin 174 into storage and transport structure 180 which is destined for delivery to the customer &# 39 ; s preferred pickup location . as further shown in fig4 e , server 122 then preferably sends a message 181 to the customer , notifying the customer that his mobile communicator has been repaired and will be available at the pickup location he originally specified on the following day at or after a particular time , such as 10 : 00 am . it is appreciated that message 181 may be , for example , an email message or an sms message sent to the customer &# 39 ; s replacement mobile communicator 162 . turning now to fig4 f , it is shown that a communicator depot service employee arrives at the mobile communicator service center on the following day at 6 : 00 am , and retrieves storage and transport structure 180 for transport to a mobile communicator depot 182 located at the customer &# 39 ; s preferred pickup location . as further shown in fig4 f , upon arriving at depot 182 , the communicator depot service employee preferably removes a storage and transport structure 184 from within depot 182 for transport to mobile communicator service center . thereafter , the communicator depot service employee inserts storage and transport structure 180 into depot 182 , storage and transport structure 180 having repaired mobile communicators disposed therewithin . as yet further shown in fig4 f , upon insertion of storage and transport structure 180 into depot 182 , depot 182 preferably sends a message to server 122 , notifying server 122 that storage and transport structure 180 having repaired mobile communicators disposed therewithin has been inserted into depot 182 . reference is now made to fig5 a and 5b , which together are a simplified illustration of a replacement mobile communicator return stage of mobile communicator depot methodology in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig5 a , after storage and transport structure 180 containing repaired mobile communicator 100 has been deposited in depot 182 , such as at 8 : 00 am , the customer preferably receives a message from server 122 that his repaired mobile communicator 100 is now available at his preferred pickup location . it is appreciated that the message may be , for example , an email message or an sms message sent to the customer &# 39 ; s replacement mobile communicator 162 . thereafter , such as at 10 : 00 am , the customer arrives at depot 182 and identifies himself to depot 182 by entering his mobile communicator telephone number and a unique identifier , such as the last four digits of his credit card . the customer is then prompted to select a service option , and proceeds to select the retrieve repaired telephone service . thereafter , as shown in fig5 b , the customer is prompted by depot 182 to return replacement mobile communicator 162 and accessory kit 164 . the customer then preferably proceeds to place replacement mobile communicator 162 into receiving receptacle 104 and accessory kit 164 into bin 166 . depot 182 then preferably notifies the customer that the returned equipment is being processed . reference is now made to fig6 a , 6b , 6c and 6d , which together are a simplified illustration of replacement mobile communicator acceptance , validation and depersonalization functionality and customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator repersonalization and dispensing functionality in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig6 a , depot 182 preferably includes functionality for confirming that replacement mobile communicator 162 is placed in receptacle 104 with its screen 106 facing upwards , and also includes a camera 108 for photographing the top surface of mobile communicator 162 . it is appreciated that photographing of replacement mobile communicator 162 by camera 108 is operative to ascertain that mobile communicator 162 is not significantly damaged . robotic mechanism 110 is preferably employed for initially repositioning the receptacle 104 containing replacement mobile communicator 162 from its initial position , shown in fig5 b , at which the customer placed replacement mobile communicator 162 therein , to a second position , shown in fig6 a at which the top surface of replacement mobile communicator 162 is photographed by camera 108 . preferably , the replacement mobile communicator 162 is verified by depot 182 to be identical to the replacement mobile communicator originally dispensed to the customer in the illustrations of fig3 a - 3g , for example by scanning the imei identifier of replacement mobile communicator 162 and comparing the scanned imei identifier to the imei identifier of the replacement mobile communicator originally dispensed to the customer , as stored on server 122 . robotic mechanism 110 then preferably removes replacement mobile communicator 162 from receptacle 104 and disposes replacement mobile communicator 162 into one of bins 186 located in a replacement communicator storage and transport structure 188 . each of bins 186 is preferably identified by a barcode 190 . barcode scanner 118 which is preferably mounted on robotic mechanism 110 is preferably employed for reading the barcode of bin 186 in which replacement mobile communicator 162 is disposed , for recording the identity of the bin 186 and for associating the identity of bin 186 with the identifier of replacement mobile communicator 162 in a computerized database . thereafter , as shown in fig6 b , accessory kit 164 is preferably retrieved from bin 166 by a second robotic arm 190 . upon completing the retrieval of replacement mobile communicator 162 and accessory kit 164 from receptacle 104 and bin 166 , depot 182 preferably communicates with server 122 and requests deactivation of replacement mobile communicator 162 and reactivation of mobile communicator 100 in association with the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number . it is appreciated that , as described hereinabove with reference to fig4 d , the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number is associated by server 122 with mobile communicator 100 and is therefore sufficient to uniquely identify mobile communicator 100 . as yet further shown in fig6 b , responsive to the communication from depot 182 , server 122 deactivates replacement mobile communicator 162 and activates mobile communicator 100 in association with the customer &# 39 ; s mobile communicator telephone number . preferably , server 122 also provides the identifier of the specific bin 174 in storage and transport structure 180 which contains repaired mobile communicator 100 . it is appreciated that upon deactivation of replacement mobile communicator 162 , depot 182 may ascertain whether the customer has stored new data on replacement mobile communicator 162 during the period of time in which he was in possession of replacement mobile communicator 162 , and may transfer the new data to mobile communicator 100 upon activation of mobile communicator 100 . thereafter , as shown in fig6 c , barcode scanner 118 , which is preferably mounted on robotic mechanism 110 , is employed to identify and locate bin 174 by its barcode identifier 178 , which identifier 178 was provided by server 122 to 182 as identifying the bin in which repaired mobile communicator 100 is disposed . upon locating bin 174 , robotic mechanism 110 is preferably employed to retrieve repaired mobile communicator 100 from bin 174 and to deposit repaired mobile communicator 100 into receptacle 104 , and to thereafter reposition receptacle 104 to a position which is accessible to the customer . as further shown in fig6 c , the customer is then prompted by depot 182 to retrieve his repaired mobile communicator from receptacle 104 . turning now to fig6 d , it is shown that upon retrieving his repaired mobile communicator 100 from receptacle 104 , the customer verifies that mobile communicator 100 is in working condition and that his contact list is present on communicator 100 . it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove . rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as modifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art .
| 7Electricity
|
the present invention provides a composite curing agent which is applied for a varnish . the varnish with the composite curing agent is used for dipping glass fiber and the curing rate is increased . because of the higher curing rate , the reactivity of the phenolic resin and glass transition temperature ( tg ) of the substrate made by the varnish are improved . the heatproof property and low moisture absorption property are not influenced by the composite curing agent . furthermore , the prepreg made by the varnish has good anti - flammability . the problems of high laminated temperature and long laminated time period using traditional curing agent of aldehyde are solved . moreover , fillers are added into the varnish for improving the high heatproof property and the anti - flammability . the composite curing agent includes curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin mixed with curing agent of phenol resin in a predetermined weight ratio . ployphenylene methylphosphonate is provided as a curing agent for epoxy resin and it is shown by formula 1 ployphenylene methylphosphonate is applied for improving the anti - flammability and the reactivity , therefore , ployphenylene methylphosphonate is mixed with curing agent of phenol resin as a composite curing agent of epoxy resin . the composite curing agent of epoxy resin results in the higher reactivity of varnish and higher tg of substrate made by the varnish . furthermore , the substrate made by the varnish has good heatproof property , anti - flammability , and low moisture absorption property . the varnish of the present invention has composition ( a ): epoxy resin and composition ( b ): composite curing agent which contain curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin and curing agent of phenol resin . the composition of the varnish is shown in table . 1 . as shown in table . 1 , the epoxy resin is the primary composition with 100 parts , the epoxy is two of or more than two of the o - cresol resol epoxy resin , bisphenol a - novolac epoxy resin , and novolac resin , but not restricted thereby . in other words , composition ( a ) is a phenolic resin . alternatively , the composition ( a ) can be a non - phenolic resin . embodiments 1 - 3 of table . 1 adjusts the ratio of the curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin and curing agent of phenol resin , and the prepregs made by the varnishes of the three embodiments are tested and analyzed . the moisture absorption ( i . e ., water absorption ) is determined by the water or moisture within the prepregs . the moisture absorption of the prepregs has to be controlled for preventing the situation of de - lamination . in general , the prepregs are inspected by infrared ( ir ) or thermogravimetric analysis so as to show the degree of moisture absorption . the result of solder float resistance : the test follows the instruction of ipc - tm - 650 method 2 . 4 . 13 . 1 . the method tests heat - dissipation prepregs in 288 ° c . and counts the time when the prepregs has failed ( de - lamination ). the results present that the de - lamination time of the prepreg meets the requirement of the heatproof property . the test of anti - flammability follows the instruction of ul 94 method . according to the degree of the anti - flammability , the testing results are rated as hb , v - 2 , v - 1 , v - 0 , and 5v so as to represent the anti - flammability of prepregs . the testing prepreg is burned on the fire vertically and follows the following steps . step 1 is burning the prepreg in fire for 10 seconds and then moving the prepreg away , and simultaneously counting the time period ( t1 ) that the prepreg continues to burn after being removed from the fire . step 2 is burning the prepreg in fire for 10 seconds again , then moving the prepreg away and simultaneously counting the time period ( t2 ) that the prepreg continues to burn after being removed from the fire . step 3 is repeating the steps 1 and 2 , and calculating the mean value of t1 and t2 . step 4 is summing t1 and t2 . according to the specific definition of ul 94 , v - 0 , neither of the mean value of t1 and t2 is larger than 10 seconds , and the sum of t1 and t2 is no greater than 50 seconds . therefore , the prepregs of examples 1 , 2 and embodiment 1 having achieved the standard for v - 0 are thus marked as ul 94 , v - 0 . in the embodiments 1 - 3 , the curing agent of phenol resin of the composite curing agent is a benzoxazine ( bz ) resin . the benzoxazine ( bz ) resin has properties of low dielectric loss value , high elasticity , high heatproof , low moisture absorption , high tg , high anti - flammability and capable of being punch pressed . the soft point of the bz resin can be adjusted for improving the low toughness due to the straight chain of the resin and improving the de - lamination of laminated layers in the shaping step . furthermore , the adhesion of the resin layers contacting with the inner electric circuits of the multi plates with conductive lines is improved so as to increase the strength of the inner layer . according to the data in table . 1 , the curing agent containing the curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin of the embodiments 1 - 3 does not influence the moisture absorption and the heatproof of the manufactured substrates ( comparing to the comparisons 1 and 2 ). with regard to the lamination process of fr4 ( i . e ., lamination temperature is above 195 ° c . and lamination time is above 30 minutes ), the composite curing agent used in embodiments 1 - 3 can increase the reaction because the tg of the substrate increases from 160 ° c . to 185 ° c . in other words , the problems of the higher lamination temperature and longer lamination time in the lamination process with the traditional curing agent are solved . the predetermined weight ratio of the curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin and the curing agent of phenol resin of composition ( b ) is from 1 : 10 ( as shown in embodiment 1 ) to 3 : 10 ( as shown in embodiment 3 ). by using the composite curing agent containing the two curing agents , the tg of substrate can be increased above 185 ° c ., and can even reach more than 200 ° c . in embodiment 4 , the curing agent of phenol resin further contains a phenolic curing agent , for example a curing agent of bisphenol a phenol resin in the embodiment . tg of the prepreg made from the varnish of embodiment 4 reaches to 180 ° c . and the reaction can be accelerated . on the other hand , the curing agent of phenol resin can be a phenolic curing agent . depending on the composition of embodiments 1 - 4 and the reasonable analysis , the curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin of composition ( b ) has 2 to 30 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ), and the curing agent of phenol resin of composition ( b ) has 80 to 110 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ). the varnish further has composition ( c ): filler and composition ( d ): solvent . the filler includes aluminium hydroxide , silica , or mixture of aluminium hydroxide and silica , and the composition ( c ) has 10 to 80 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ). on the other hand , the composition ( d ) has 10 to 30 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ). the preferred embodiment is shown in table . 2 . the varnish of the present invention further has at least one additive , such as an accelerator , and the accelerator is an isimidazole which is 0 . 4 - 1 parts shown in table . 2 . the isimidazole can be 2 - methyl imidazole which is provided for accelerating the curing time . on the other hand , the solvent is 15 - 30 parts of one of or more than one of methyl ethyl ketone ( mek ), propylene glycol monomethyl ether ( pm ), and cyclohexanone . furthermore , the compositions are shown in table . 2 . the curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin of composition ( b ) has 18 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ). the curing agent of phenol resin of composition ( b ) has 98 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ) and the curing agent of phenol resin can be curing agent of bz resin ( i . e ., phenol resin with benzoxazine ring ), phenolic curing agent , or the mixture of the curing agent of bz resin and phenolic curing agent . the composition ( c ) has 30 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ) and the composition ( c ) can be aluminium hydroxide , silica , or mixture of aluminium hydroxide and silica . the composition ( d ) has 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition ( a ) and the composition ( d ) is one of or more than one of methyl ethyl ketone ( mek ), propylene glycol monomethyl ether ( pm ), and cyclohexanone . a method for manufacturing a prepreg using the varnish are disclosed in the present invention . the varnish is provided and the varnish has composition ( a ): epoxy resin ; and composition ( b ): composite curing agent , wherein the composite curing agent includes curing agent of polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin mixed with curing agent of phenol resin in a predetermined weight ratio . the varnish further has composition ( c ): filler which includes aluminium hydroxide , silica , or mixture of aluminium hydroxide and silica , and composition ( d ): solvent . the glass fabrics are dipped into the varnish so as to manufacture a prepreg , pp , or copper clad laminate ( ccl ) with good heatproof and anti - flammability properties . the above - mentioned prepregs are applied for manufacturing the substrate of pcb , and the substrate has improved reactivity in the lamination process . 1 . two kinds of curing agents ( polyphenylene methylphosphonate resin and bz resin ) are mixed as a composite curing agent . the composite curing agent is distributed in the varnish so as to improve the anti - flammability , low moisture absorption , and heatproof property of prepreg which is made by dipping glass fabrics into the varnish . furthermore , tg of the substrate can be increased by using the varnish of the present invention . 2 . the varnish of the present invention contain a composite curing agent with phosphor so that the anti - flammability of the prepreg is improved and the reaction rate of the curing is further increased . the above - mentioned descriptions represent merely the preferred embodiment of the present invention , without any intention to limit the scope of the present invention thereto . various equivalent changes , alternations , or modifications based on the claims of present invention are all consequently viewed as being embraced by the scope of the present invention .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
while the present invention is capable of embodiment in various forms , there is shown in the drawings and will be hereinafter described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention , and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated . as shown in fig1 , one embodiment of the mop dispenser of the present invention , designated generally as reference numeral 10 , contains a holding pan section 12 and a roller section 14 . as shown in fig2 , holding pan section 12 contains a substantially rectangular housing 16 , which contains a top section 18 with drain apertures 20 , which are used to drain any excess mop fluid from a mop that is dispensed onto the top section 18 . to improve the draining function of the drain apertures 20 , the top section is preferably tilted downward approximately 15 degrees . however , it will be understood that top section 18 need not be tilted downward and that holding pan 12 need not contain a top section 18 or drain apertures 20 . indeed , the mop dispenser of the present invention need not be used with wet mops at all . instead , a dry mop can be dispensed from the dispenser 10 . it is preferred that the holding pan section 12 also contains a carrying handle 22 , that can be extended and retracted within guides 24 on either side of the holding pan section 12 . fig2 shows the handle in a retracted position and fig3 shows the handle in an extended position . stops 26 are provided on each side of the handle 22 to prevent the handle from being completely removed from the holding pan section 12 . moreover , it is preferred that holding pan section 12 contains a cleaning solution level window 28 , preferably made out of clear plastic . the cleaning solution level window 28 allows a user of the mop dispenser 10 to determine the level of cleaning solution using indicia 30 , which are preferably injection - molded into the holding pan section 12 . holding pan section 12 also preferably contains an angled end section 32 , which is used to help lock the holding pan section into the roller section 14 . also , holding pan section 12 contains a contoured front section 33 , which is intended to abut a contoured section of roller section 14 when the holding pan section 12 and roller section 14 are combined . fig4 shows a perspective view of the roller section 14 . roller section 14 contains two main parts : a base section 34 and a pivoting head section 36 . base section 34 is generally rectangular and contains a hollow middle portion 38 , which is designed to accept the holding pan 12 between wall sections 40 . the base section also includes locking apertures 42 ( fig5 ), which are designed to accept locking tabs 44 on the pivoting head portion 36 . a release button 45 releases the locking tabs 44 from locking apertures 42 when , for example , a user desires to change the holding pan 12 for a holding pan 12 of a different size . the pivoting head section 36 includes a sliding diverting member 46 , which allows a mop to be selectively dispensed on either the top of the holding pan 12 through dispensing aperture 48 , or directly onto a floor through dispensing aperture 50 ( fig1 - 12 ). as shown in more detail in fig1 , the sliding diverting member 46 contains a plurality of rollers 52 , which facilitate the movement of a mop while being dispensed . the diverting member also includes a spring locking member 54 , which acts to keep the diverting member 46 in a particular position by engaging a recess 56 in the top portion of pivoting head section 36 . as those with skill in the art will appreciate , multiple recesses 56 can be provided in pivoting head section 36 to provide for a multitude of positions . in a preferred embodiment , however , two recesses are preferred , which correspond to a mop being dispensed either onto the top of holding pan 12 or onto a floor . the pivoting head section 36 also includes a reciprocating pick - up bar 56 , which acts to draw a mop from the holding pan 12 into rollers 58 and 60 ( see , e . g ., fig1 - 12 ). the reciprocating pick - up bar 56 is driven via a rod 62 ( fig7 ) that is attached to gear 64 . gear 64 is , in turn , driven by gear 66 , which is , in turn , driven by gear 68 , which is connected to a prime mover . gear 64 is connected to roller 58 and gear 66 is connected to roller 60 . in a preferred embodiment , the prime mover is a direct current electric motor 70 . however , it should be appreciated that the prime mover can comprise any other device that can turn a shaft , such as a simple hand crank or a device used to store potential energy ( for instance in a coiled spring ), wherein a user can wind the coiled spring ( i . e ., using a hand crank ) at the beginning of a work day , and release the energy stored in the spring in intervals when a new mop is desired . alternatively , the prime mover can be energized by a simple movement of a foot or hand pedal 72 ( fig9 ) each time a user desires to dispense a new mop . it is also within the scope of the present invention that more than one prime mover can be used . for instance , separate prime movers can be attached to each of the two rollers 58 and 60 . in the embodiment using a direct current electric motor , it is preferred that the motor comprise a 12 - 18 volt motor coupled to a rechargeable battery , depending on the particular application , of the type commonly found on portable electric tools , such as portable electric drills . however , those with skill in the art will recognize that any type of electric motor with sufficient torque can be used with the current invention . also , other power sources such as alternating current and solar power sources can be used . in the embodiment of the present invention using a direct current electric motor , it is preferred that the motor be actuated using a remote control transmitter 74 using rf technology , as shown in fig8 and 9 . thus , a user can keep a remote rf transmitter 74 in a convenient location , such as the top of a mop cart , and actuate the transmitter when a new mop is desired . the transmitter 74 will then communicate with a rf receiver 76 on the mop dispenser , which will actuate the motor to dispense a mop . fig1 - 12 show a mop dispensing operation of one embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , if a user desires to dispense a flat mop 78 from a stack of mops 80 in the holding pan 12 , a user will first move the diverting member 46 to the rear of the mop dispenser and then actuate , in one embodiment , the electric motor 70 . this will cause the reciprocating bar 56 to reciprocate and move the mop to be dispensed 78 toward roller 58 which is connected to gear 64 . the mop 78 will then proceed through rollers 58 and 60 and , due to the position of diverter 46 , will be dispensed through dispensing aperture 48 and onto the top of holding pan 12 . alternatively , a user may decide that he or she wishes to dispense a mop directly onto a floor . in this case , the user will move the diverter 46 to the front of the mop dispenser and then actuate , in one embodiment , the electric motor 70 . this will cause the reciprocating bar 56 to reciprocate and move the mop to be dispensed 78 toward roller 58 which is connected to gear 64 . the mop 78 will then proceed through rollers 58 and 60 and , due to the position of diverter 46 , will be dispensed through dispensing aperture 50 and onto the floor . it should be noted that while a preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a reciprocating bar to facility a mop coming into contact with a roller , the present invention can be used without a reciprocating bar . as those with skill in the art will appreciate , because the flat mops typically connect to a mop frame using a hook and loop fastening system or other suitable attachment method , a user of the dispenser 10 will want the hook and loop system side of the flat mop to be facing up to facilitate the attachment of the mop frame to the flat mop and to avoid the user having to touch the flat mop to flip it over or to align the hook and loop fastening system . accordingly , when a user desires for a mop to be dispensed onto a floor , the flat mops will preferably be loaded into the holding pan 12 with their hook and loop system side facing up . this hook and loop system - side up orientation will be maintained as the mop is ejected out of exit port 50 , as shown in fig1 . on the other hand , if a user desires a flat mop to be dispensed onto the top of the holding pan 12 , the flat mops will preferably be loaded into the holding pan 12 with their hook and loop system side facing down , as the mops will be flipped over , and become hook and loop - side up , by the time they are ejected out of exit port 48 due to the action of roller 58 and diverter 46 , as shown in fig1 . as can be seen in fig1 - 12 , the stack of mops 80 is biased in an upward direction by resilient member 82 , which in a preferred embodiment comprises a pivoting ramp 84 and a spring member 86 . it is to be appreciated , however , that any type of biasing structure will work with the present invention . for example , resilient member 82 can be replaced with floatation devices , opposing magnets , foam , rubber , etc . alternatively , mops 80 can be manufactured so that they are buoyant in a cleaning solution , therefore removing the need for the resilient member 82 or other biasing structure all together . fig1 shows a wringer assembly 88 for use with one embodiment of the present invention . the wringer assembly 88 comprises a u - shaped bracket 90 that contains a threaded portion 92 and roller mounting extensions 94 , to which roller 60 is rotatably attached . the u - shaped bracket is slideably connected to mounting portions 96 preferably via a pin and slot configuration ( not shown ). however , those with skill in the art will recognize that any other structure for slidably mounting u - shaped bracket 90 to mounting portions 96 is acceptable in the practice of one embodiment of the present invention . the wringer assembly 88 includes a threaded bolt 98 , which is threaded into threaded portion 92 on one end and is connected to an adjusting knob 100 on the other end . the adjusting knob 100 is located on the outside of the rear housing 102 of pivoting head section 36 . accordingly , in order for the adjusting knob to connect to the threaded bolt 98 , the threaded bolt passes through aperture 104 in the rear housing 102 . the distance between roller 60 and roller 58 determines the pressure exerted by these rollers on a mop to be dispensed , and therefore determines how much cleaning solution is wrung from the mop as it passes through rollers 58 and 60 . thus , if a user desires a dryer mop , he or she will turn the adjusting knob 100 counterclockwise to bring the rollers 58 and 60 closer together . alternatively , if a user desires a wetter mop , he or she will turn the adjusting knob clockwise to provide more separation between rollers 58 and 60 . it should be appreciated that while the embodiment shown in fig1 provides for a movable roller 60 and a stationary roller 58 , other embodiments could be used with the practice of the present invention wherein both rollers are movable , or roller 58 , as opposed to roller 60 is movable . fig1 also shows that rollers 58 and 60 preferably contain knobby projections 106 , which aid the rollers 58 and 60 in picking up and wringing a mop . however , it will be appreciated that such projections , as well as adjustable rollers , are not necessary for the practice of the present invention . fig1 - 17 show a method , in one embodiment of the invention , for inserting the holding pan section 12 into the roller section 14 . as shown in fig1 , a user will first release and pivot the pivoting head section 36 of roller section 14 to the position shown in fig1 . next , a user will slide the holding pan section 12 into the roller section 14 until the holding pan section 12 cannot move any further in that direction ( as shown in fig1 ), which is the point in which contoured back section 37 ( fig5 ) of pivoting head section 36 abuts the contoured front section 33 ( fig3 ) of holding pan 12 . finally , the pivoting head section 36 is pivoted downward in the direction shown in fig1 so as to lock the pivoting head section 36 to base section 34 via locking tabs 44 and locking apertures 42 . this action also locks the holding pan section in the roller section 14 , so as to form a unitary mop dispenser 10 . the holding pan section 12 of one embodiment of the present invention can advantageously come in different sizes , so as to accommodate different mop sizes . for instance , a user can have a different holding pan section 12 for 15 inch , 20 inch and 26 inch mops , which each holding pan section having a similar structure so that they can be incorporated into roller section 14 without any modification thereto . different sized holding pan sections 12 are shown in fig1 . it will be appreciated , however , that in the alternative to having different holding pans of different sizes , a single holding pan could be used with removable partition walls . also , it is within the scope of the present invention that a large holding pan could be used for all sizes of mops and not have any partitions or other means for changing the size of the section of the pan where the mops sit . however , it is preferred that different sized holding pans or a pan with a partition wall ( s ) be used so that a user can conserve resources by not having to fill the holding pan with more cleaning solution than is necessary for a given mop size . because of the different holding pan 12 sizes ( and , accordingly , different mop sizes ) that roller section 14 can accommodate , the amount of revolutions of the rollers 58 and 60 will preferably change depending on the size of the mop to be dispensed . in one embodiment of the invention , the mop dispenser will include a mop selector 108 , as shown in fig1 , that displays the various mop sizes and contains a rotatable selector switch 110 that a user rotates to select the mop size being used . this selection by a user will change the amount of revolutions completed by rollers 58 and 60 when a user actuates the motor . thus , a larger mop size selection will result in a greater number of revolutions being performed by the rollers 58 and 60 and a smaller mop size selection will result in a lesser number of revolutions being performed by the rollers 58 and 60 . it should be understood that while mop sizes of 15 , 20 and 26 inches are shown as indicia on the rotatable selector switch , any size mop can be used in the practice of the present invention . another embodiment of the present invention includes an automatic holding pan size detection scheme that obviates the need for a manual selector . as shown in fig2 , one such automatic detection scheme employs three switches 112 , 114 and 116 located within the pivoting head section 36 of roller section 14 . in a preferred embodiment , one of these switches will be actuated depending on the size of the holding pan 12 inserted into roller section 14 . for instance , if a 12 ″ holding pan is inserted , a projection 118 on the angled section 32 will trigger switch 112 . alternatively , if a 20 ″ holding pan is inserted , a projection 120 , which is in a different position than projection 118 , will trigger switch 114 . likewise , if a 26 ″ holding pan is inserted , a projection 122 , which is in a different position than projections 118 and 120 will trigger switch 116 . it will be appreciated that any number of switches and / or projections can be used with the present invention . also , other detection schemes besides a projection and switch scheme can be used with the present invention . for instance , optical switches or magnetic switches can be used instead of the projections 118 , 120 and 122 and the mechanical switches 112 , 114 and 116 . fig2 shows a structure for mounting the mop dispenser 10 in one embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , the mop dispenser 10 includes brackets 124 that can slide onto t - shaped projections 126 that are fixedly connected to clamps 128 . the clamps can then be attached , for instance , to a rolling mop cart . in a preferred embodiment , clamps 128 are designed to fit around a cylindrical bar . however , those with skill in the art will recognize that any type of clamp or attachment method can take the place of brackets 124 , t - shaped projections 126 and clamps 128 , for instance , hook and loop , magnets , snap joints , bolts , welding , etc . another embodiment of the invention , as shown in fig2 , shows that instead of having the t - shaped projections connected to a clamp , they are connected to an elongated base structure 130 . this embodiment can be used , for instance , when a user desires to have the mop dispenser 10 resting directly on a floor . as those skilled in the art will readily understand , operation of one embodiment of the present invention is accomplished by a user first deciding what size mop he or she wishes to use , and selecting the appropriately sized holding pan 12 . next , the user locks the holding pan 12 into the rolling section 14 and fills the holding pan 12 with the desired amount and size of flat mops and subsequently fills the holding pan 12 with cleaning solution . when a user desires to dispense a flat mop ( either from a rolling mop cart , from the floor or otherwise ), the user first selects the desired method of dispensing the mops ( i . e ., by moving diverter 46 toward the front or rear of the roller section 14 to dispense the mop either onto the top of the holding pan or onto the floor , respectively ). to dispense a mop , the user then energizes the prime mover ( either through a rf transmitter , a hand or foot pedal , a crank or otherwise ) and dispenses a mop . once the mop has been dispensed , the user can then use the mop for any desired purpose . thus , as can be seen by the above description the mop dispenser 10 of the present invention allows a user to easily dispense mops with minimal effort , without contaminating the cleaning solution with dirt , bacteria or viruses , and while conserving resources by not having to waste cleaning solution . the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description , and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . for instance , although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is used to dispense flat mops , any object with acceptable dimensions can be dispensed in the dispenser of the present invention , such as , for instance , finishing applicators . also , both reusable and disposable mops and other objects can be used with the practice of the present invention . the description was selected to best explain the principles of the invention and their practical application to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the specification , but be defined by the claims set forth below .
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fig1 illustrates one embodiment of a curing light device or curing light for curing light - curable compounds such as dental compounds in accordance with the aspects of the present invention . in fig1 device 10 includes a housing 12 which is to be manipulated for curing . housing 12 is generally gun - shaped and includes a handle portion 14 and a barrel portion 16 . the operator , such as a dentist , grips housing 12 around the handle portion 14 and directs the barrel portion 16 in the direction of the tooth surface ( or other work surface ) and compound to be cured ( not shown ). for curing dental filling and coating compounds , the dentist would generally position at least part of the barrel portion in the mouth of a patient with a radiating end 17 of the barrel portion pointing at a particular tooth or teeth . the handle portion 14 includes an operational trigger switch 1 8 which is operably coupled to a power supply 20 and / or control circuit 24 for selectively operating the device and supplying power to light - emitting elements 32 to generate a curing light beam , as discussed further below . the power supply 20 is shown located in handle portion 14 , but might also be located elsewhere in the housing . in one embodiment of the invention , the power supply is portable and incorporates batteries 22 . the batteries could be any suitable type ( e . g . lithium batteries ), and may be disposable or rechargeable . to that end , housing 12 may include a port 23 for coupling an external charger ( not shown ) to the power supply 20 to charge rechargeable batteries 22 . alternatively , an external power supply , such as one powered by an ac outlet , may be coupled to power supply 20 to provide the power necessary to operate device 10 . a control circuit 24 is mounted within housing 12 and is operably coupled to the power supply 20 , trigger switch 1 8 and the other components of device 10 , such as array 32 , for operating and controlling the components . control circuit 24 , for example , may include various electrical circuit components mounted on a circuit board and arranged in a way determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art for providing the desired power and control of device 10 . for example , the control circuit 24 will usually include conventional control circuits for a curing light device , such as a timer , for timing the operational radiation cycle for the device when the trigger switch is engaged . a microprocessor may also be utilized for such control , rather than discrete components . it will be readily understood that the control circuit may be configured in various different ways to properly operate curing light 10 . in one embodiment , the microprocessor control will regulate the lamp voltage to produce a constant output . in other embodiments , the microprocessor control might be utilized to ramp the power up or down in a selected fashion for proper curing . barrel portion 16 is appropriately formed and may include an angled distal or radiating end 17 to direct a curing light beam 21 out of the housing and onto a tooth surface or other work surface . it will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that the shape of housing 12 may also vary . barrel portion 16 is shown as solid in the figures ; however , it might also be vented for heat dissipation purposes . furthermore , the barrel portion 16 might be separate from the rest of the housing and removably secured to the housing by any suitable method as is known in the art . for example , the barrel portion 16 might be screw - mounted to the housing 12 . still further , the power supply might be positioned in line with the barrel portion to reduce or eliminate the handle portion and thereby streamline the design , such as for a small , pocket curing light . the housing 12 is formed of a suitable light - weight plastic material such as polysulphone . fig1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention in which a beam of radiation or light 21 utilized for curing purposes is generated by an array 32 of light - emitting elements positioned proximate the radiating end 17 of the barrel portion 16 . heat generated by the array 32 is transmitted from the radiating end 17 , or distal end , back to a proximal end 19 of the barrel portion , where it is further dissipated . in the embodiment of fig1 a heat tube 38 is thermally coupled to the array 32 and conductively transfers heat generated by the array to a heat exchanger 26 , which is then convectively cooled . an appropriate fan 28 with motor 29 and blade 30 may be mounted within the housing 12 , as shown in fig1 to assist convective cooling . more specifically , referring to fig2 the illustrated embodiment of the present invention utilizes a plurality of individual light - emitting dies 30 which are mounted to form a collective array 32 on a substrate 34 . the dies 30 are small , bare semiconductor junctions and are constructed using a light generating semiconductor material . the dies 30 are preferably not separately or individually packaged or otherwise mounted with individual integral lenses as are conventional light - emitting diodes or leds . conventional leds used in the prior art have integral and individual packages , usually including a reflector and an integrally formed individual lens . the dies of the invention might be used with additional components , such as a clear protective coating 40 , which is applied over the dies on substrate 34 , or other added components . however , the dies as mounted are essentially bare semiconductor junctions , without prepackaged individual and integral reflectors and lenses , as are found in conventional leds . as noted above , the dies 30 are not individually lensed , as are conventional leds . however , they might be covered with a clear protective layer or coating 40 of plastic to improve the durability of the array 32 . the substrate 34 is an electrically insulated substrate which has heat conductive properties . in one embodiment of the invention , substrate 34 may be a sapphire substrate or a diamond which has electrically insulative properties , but which also conducts heat away from the die array 32 . for the purposes of uniform light generation within a beam having a generally circular cross - section , the dies of array 30 are preferably arranged in a circular pattern . u . s . patent application , ser . no . 09 / 009 , 205 , illustrates several circular patterns of dies and light generating elements suitable for an embodiment of the present invention . the substrate 34 is bonded to a heat sink 36 , formed of a suitable thermally conductive material , such as copper . heat sink 36 is then welded or soldered to one end of a liquid - filled heat tube or pipe 38 for conductively transferring heat generated by the dies 30 away from the heat sink 36 , substrate 34 and array 32 . a heat conductive liquid 39 contacts the back side of heat sink 36 , opposite substrate 34 and array 32 ( see fig2 ), and thermally pulls heat from the sink . therefore , the die array is effectively conductively cooled using the heat tube 38 and the intermediate elements 34 , 36 . heat tube 38 , which includes a heat conductive liquid 39 therein , such as saline , is commercially available from aavid thermal technologies . one particularly unique aspect of the present invention is that the array 32 is conductively cooled to provide adequate heat transfer from the light - generating dies 30 . prior art structures have traditionally relied upon convective cooling in which a heat sink and other heat dissipating devices thermally coupled to the light - generating elements are convectively air cooled , such as by a fan . one particular problem with prior art devices has been the dissipation of heat which is generated by the leds or other light - generating elements utilized therein . in the present invention , the heat tube 38 rapidly conductively draws heat away from array 32 and dies 30 for improved cooling characteristics . this allows a sufficient amount of curing light power to be generated for proper curing while maintaining an array which does not overheat . the present invention therefore provides improved heat transfer and dissipation capabilities with respect to the prior art . referring again to fig1 and the embodiment of the invention which utilizes the array 32 located at the distal , or radiating end 17 of barrel portion 16 , the opposite , or proximal , end of the heat tube 38 is thermally coupled to a heat exchanger 36 , which is then convectively cooled by fan 28 . the heat exchanger , which may be soldered to the heat tube 38 , has fins , as shown , over which air is directed . therefore , the die array 32 is conductively cooled by the heat tube 38 and a liquid therein , and the heat tube is then convectively cooled at the opposite end by air , such as by a fan . for directing and collimating the beam 21 generated by array 32 , the embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig2 utilizes a reflective surface 42 , and an optical focusing device 44 to collimate light from the array 32 into a beam to be directed into the mouth of the patient for curing compound therein or to be directed to some other work surface . as shown , the array 32 , reflective surface 42 and optical focusing device 44 are all positioned at the distal end of the barrel portion . thereby , the light is directly radiated onto the work surface and compound . therefore , the embodiment of fig1 and 2 eliminates various air - to - object interfaces which tend to be lossy . as such , the present invention more efficiently delivers power from the light generating elements to the work surface . generally , the radiating or distal end 17 will be positioned in the mouth of the patient to radiate a beam of light directly onto a work surface with a light - curable compound . prior art devices using light transmitting devices with multiple lossy interfaces often have difficulty in generating sufficient light power densities for curing . the present invention addresses this issue by eliminating various lossy interfaces . to focus the light from array 32 , the curing light device 10 uses a reflective surface or reflector 42 which encircles the array as shown in fig2 . in the illustrated embodiment , the reflective surface 42 is formed by an appropriately shaped plastic ring structure 43 , which circumferentially surrounds the outer edge of array 32 defined by substrate 34 . reflective surface 42 is generally parabolic in shape and is formed by coating the surface 42 of plastic structure 43 with a reflective coating for the purpose of efficient reflection . a mylar coating , available from 3 m , has proven to have suitable properties for that purpose and has an approximately 99 % reflective efficiency for the purposes of the present embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig2 . as shown in fig2 the plastic ring structure 43 forms the generally parabolic reflective surface 42 around array 32 for directing the light away from the dies 30 and into an input end 45 of the optical focusing device 44 . the optical focusing device , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention , is a non - imaging device . one suitable non - imaging optical focusing device is a non - imaging lens 44 having a generally truncated conical shape , as illustrated in fig2 . a non - imaging lens , such as lens 44 , receives the light from array 32 at an input end 45 and directs and concentrates the light from array 32 into a focused beam at the output end 47 of the non - imaging lens 44 . however , the non - imaging lens does not form an optical image , which is inefficient . a non - imaging optical focusing device as used in the present invention efficiently collimates light so that a desirable light power density is achieved at the work surface , such as a surface of a tooth . the light power density from the array 32 is not reduced by the formation of an image as with traditional optical lenses . one suitable , non - imaging lens is formed of a transparent polycarbonate material . as illustrated , structure 43 is appropriately formed to receive the input end 45 of lens 44 to position the lens in coaxial alignment with the array 32 and surface 42 about axis 51 . each of the lens and surface 42 preferably have generally circular transverse cross sections for efficient transfer of the light along axis 51 . one suitable combination of a reflective surface and optical focusing device , which are operably coupled together , is available from teledyne , of hawthorne , calif . the embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig2 shows a single non - imaging optical focusing device 44 for the array 32 of dies . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , it is anticipated that multiple non - imaging optical focusing devices might be utilized . for example , referring to fig2 a , substrate 34 a may include multiple groups of dies , 30 a , 30 b , which are arranged on the substrate 34 a to operate as separate groups of light - generating elements . to that end , a non - imaging optical focusing device 44 a may be associated with one group of dies 34 a , while another non - imaging optical focusing device 44 b may be associated with dies 30 b of the other group . of course , greater numbers of non - imaging optical focusing devices may be utilized for other discrete groups of dies . generally , however , there will be a substantially smaller number of non - imaging optical focusing devices than there are individual dies . that is , in the embodiments of the invention illustrated in fig2 and 2a , a single non - imaging optical focusing device will serve a multiple number of individual light - emitting dies . the multiple focusing devices will cooperate to transmit light along axis 51 . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , the barrel portion 16 of the device 10 , particularly the distal or radiating end 17 of the barrel portion , is inserted into the mouth of the patient for curing compound therein . accordingly , before use with the next patient , it will be appreciated that the device would have to be sterilized . prior art devices must be completely sterilized , such as by autoclaving , as mentioned above , which further complicates and delays the curing procedure . the present invention provides a unique construction which eliminates the requirement of sterilization of the entire device or of a sterilization process altogether and thereby makes the curing process simpler , quicker , and more cost - effective . to that end , the invention utilizes a removable sleeve which may be separately autoclaved . alternatively , as mentioned , the sleeve may be disposable to be discarded after one use . specifically , in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig1 and 2 , the ring structure 43 forming reflective surface 42 and the adjacent non - imaging lens 44 are mounted and secured within a sleeve 50 . the sleeve 50 could be made of a suitable disposable plastic , such as pvc , or an autoclavable plastic , and the sleeve is configured for being positioned over at least a section of the barrel portion 16 of the device 10 . preferably , the sleeve is configured to extend over a significant section of the barrel portion 16 , and at least over the part of the barrel portion 16 exposed to the mouth of a patient . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 the sleeve 50 is configured to be positioned over the heat tube 38 and array 32 . the sleeve 50 is configured to position the lens 44 and reflective surface coaxially with the array 32 . in one embodiment of the invention , once the device has been used for curing , the sleeve 50 , ring structure 43 , and non - imaging lens 44 , may then be removed from the heat tube and away from the array 32 of light - emitting dies . the sleeve , including the lens and reflective structure 43 could then be discarded with the sleeve 50 . alternatively , the sleeve and lens and reflective structure could be removed and autoclaved and then placed back in position . in an alternative embodiment , only the sleeve might be autoclavable or disposable . the lens 44 and ring structure would then remain with the array 32 or could be separately positioned with the array apart from sleeve 50 . in such a case , only the sleeve would be discarded or autoclaved . the device and the component parts , including the heat tube 38 , heat sink 36 , substrate 34 , and dies 32 , are not been directly exposed to a patient because they are covered by the sleeve . in the embodiment where the lens and structure 43 are separate from the sleeve , those parts will be isolated as well . therefore , the isolated or covered components do not have to be sterilized or autoclaved as required with prior art devices and methods . thereafter , a new or sterilized sleeve , possibly including a new or sterilized reflective structure 43 and lens 44 , is inserted onto the heat tube 38 and barrel portion 16 and aligned with the array of dies 32 for the next use . the present invention therefore reduces the possibility of contamination between dental patients and further enhances the curing method by eliminating the sterilization process completely or only requiring that the sleeve be autoclaved . as a result , the curing process is simpler and more efficient . with a disposable sleeve , the process is also more cost effective , as autoclaving equipment does not have to be purchased and operated to sterilize the curing light . the present invention as illustrated in fig2 also improves upon the prior art by delivering a beam of light from a source close to the work surface ( e . g ., a tooth ). specifically , the distal or radiating end 17 of the barrel portion 16 is positioned at or proximate a tooth surface containing the curable compound . with the light delivered directly from the array 32 to the surface through only the non - imaging lens 44 , numerous lossy air / glass interfaces are eliminated between the die array 32 and the output surface 49 of the device 10 . conventionally , the light generating elements have been positioned away from the work surface and inside the housing such that a fiber optic light guide was necessary to transmit the light to the work surface . furthermore , with such light guides , it is often necessary to use a converging optical lens before the light guide so that the generated light may be efficiently focused into the input end of the light guide . light guides and converging lenses present lossy air / glass interfaces to the light beam . it has been estimated that air / glass interfaces may produce light power losses in the range of approximately 10 % per interface . by eliminating the interfaces between the dies 30 and the tooth surface , the present invention light transmits light in an efficient , collimated form with less of the power loss at the various interfaces that are required in the prior art . therefore , the present invention provides efficient transmission of a collimated light beam to the work surface of the tooth and curable compound thereon . with more efficient transfer of light , a smaller number of dies 30 in the array 32 may be used while still providing a sufficient light intensity or light power density at the output surface 49 of the lens . in that way , the invention may provide suitable curing power levels in a generally compact and easily manipulated device . furthermore , with less loss at the interface , less heat is generated , further improving on the prior art . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , the dies 30 are positioned in the array 32 with a density sufficient to provide a light power output density at the desired wavelength in the range of approximately 200 - 1400 mw / cm 2 . in one embodiment of the invention , the dies are generally square in shape , and are 0 . 010 inches per side . the dies are spot welded to the substrate and specifically to leads ( not shown ), which are electrically coupled to a control circuit 24 and / or power supply 20 . the die substrate is preferably is circular , having a diameter of approximately 0 . 19 inches ( approximately 4 . 8 millimeters ). a suitable number of dies are positioned on substrate 34 to generate the desired light and power density at the output surface 49 of the non - imaging optical focusing device 44 . generally , in one embodiment of the invention , 30 - 60 dies are suitable for generating desirable curing light power densities . of course , a greater or lesser number of dies may be utilized in other embodiments of the invention . because of the unique cooling arrangement of the present invention utilizing conductive cooling , the reduction of lossy interfaces and the overall configuration of the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein , the dies may be driven at a sufficient power level to yield the desired light power output or light density , in the range of approximately 200 - 1400 mw / cm 2 . generally , the dies may be driven by 12 volts dc in series sets of 3 dies . for example , one embodiment could be a 34 die lamp which may be operated at 8 . 13 watts ( 8 . 7 v and 0 . 935 a ). such a design proved efficient and performed a suitable job of curing . another embodiment might use 60 die for a higher power output ( e . g . a 67 % increase in power ). in one embodiment of the invention , series groups of three dies are connected in series to a 12 volt dc source through a current - limiting resistor . to that end , each die is then driven with approximately 4 volts dc . furthermore , by utilizing a 12 volt source , the fan may also be driven by that dc source . it may be readily understood that other arrangements of dies may be utilized , driven by sources having various different power or voltage output levels . preferably , the dies 30 are positioned in the array 32 in a sufficient density to provide a curing light which has a suitable light power output for proper curing , but which does not overheat tissues surrounding the work surface , such as a tooth . the inventive lamp will provide less heat to the tissue than a halogen lamp . for example , an embodiment with 34 die as described above yielded a radiometer reading of 200 mw / cm 2 , while a comparable cure with a 52 watt halogen lamp yielded readings around 600 mw / cm 2 . because of the much lower radiometer readings , tissue damage should not be as significant an issue with the invention as with a halogen light . with current dental applications , it is desirable to utilize a die array 32 which generates blue light in a wavelength range of approximately to 470 ± 20 nanometers because current compounds are sensitive to blue light . current filtered halogen lamps produce light in the 400 - 500 nanometer range . while such blue light is suitable for current dental applications , the present invention is not limited to only blue light wavelengths for curing purposes . rather , the present invention may be utilized with compounds that may cure utilizing light at other various wavelengths . furthermore , the non - imaging optical focusing device 44 may be sized appropriately depending upon the application . for example , a lens having an 8 millimeter cross - sectional diameter at the output surface 49 may be utilized for small curing applications , whereas a lens having a cross - sectional diameter of 11 millimeters at surface 49 might be utilized for larger curing applications . as may be appreciated , to ensure efficient transfer of curing light to the work surface , it is desirable that a majority , if not all , of the light generated by the dies of array 32 is transmitted into and out of the non - imaging optical focusing device 44 . to that end , the reflective surface 32 is shaped and configured in diameter to ensure that the light beam is collected and reflected into the input end 45 of the optical focusing device 44 . in the illustrated embodiment , the output end 51 of the reflective surface which interfaces with the input end 45 of the optical focusing device is smaller in diameter than the input end 45 . in that way , the light reflected by surface 42 is captured by the optical focusing device 44 . the non - imaging optical focusing device 44 is not restricted by a focal length , since it is a non - imaging device . in that way , the device 44 captures and collimates the light beam for efficient transmission to a work surface , such as a tooth . therefore , the present invention is not particularly sensitive to the distance which the output end 49 is maintained from the tooth surface . of course , it is generally desirable to position the output end 49 as close to the tooth surface as possible for efficient curing . in accordance with another aspect of the invention , the dies 30 might be evenly arranged on substrate 34 to form a generally circular array , as illustrated in several of the embodiments disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 200 , 134b1 . the dies might also be mounted in various groupings , such as subgroups of four or some other number , and then such subgroups would be mounted on the substrate . that is , sub groups of multiple dies could be individually mounted and electrically coupled together , and subsequently the subgroups could be mounted on the substrate with other subgroups . as such , the invention would not be limited to individual mounting of all of the dies . fig3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein the die array is also positioned proximate the distal , or radiating end 17 of the barrel portion 16 of the housing . in the alternative embodiment , the structure is somewhat similar to the device 10 illustrated within fig1 , and 2 a , with a different construction at the distal or radial end 17 , as illustrated in fig3 . specifically , the alternative embodiment utilizes an array of dies 60 mounted on a substrate layer 62 . the substrate layer could be sapphire or diamond which has suitable thermally conductive properties for heat dissipation while remaining electrically insulated . substrate 62 is then bonded to a heat sink 64 which may be made of a suitable material , such as copper . the die array 60 and the assembly including the substrate 62 and heat sink 64 are then welded or soldered onto an end of a liquid - filled heat tube 66 , which conductively transfers heat away from the heat sink . in that way , the alternative embodiment of the invention utilizes the advantages provided by the above - discussed embodiment , due to the conductive cooling of the substrate and die array . as illustrated in fig1 the opposite end of the heat tube 66 is coupled to the heat exchanger 26 which is convectively cooled , such as by a fan 28 . to focus light from the die array 60 in an efficient manner into a collimated and focused light beam , the embodiment of the invention shown in fig3 utilizes a total internal reflection , or tir lens . tir lenses are known ( e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 4 , 337 , 759 ) and are commercially available , such as from tir technologies , a division of teledyne . tir lenses are more efficient than typical fresnel lenses , and provide a collimated beam of light generated by the die array 60 . the tir lens structure 68 , shown in fig3 utilizes a series of saw - tooth surfaces 69 for collimating light from the array 60 at various different angles into a beam of light 70 focused in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the array , as illustrated by reference numeral 70 . in that way , light from the array may be efficiently delivered to a curable compound on a work surface . preferably , the tir lens is a non - imaging optical focusing device . the lens 68 is appropriately arranged to be generally coaxially aligned with array 60 for efficient light transmission . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , the tir lens 68 is formed of a suitable polycarbonate . as discussed above , lens 68 may be incorporated with a disposable sleeve 72 positioned around the heat pipe 66 . when an application is complete , the sleeve 72 and tir lens 69 may be removed and discarded , thus eliminating the need to further sterilize or autoclave the device 10 . alternatively , lens 68 may be separately positioned with respect to sleeve 72 to be separately discarded or to remain with the array 60 . the embodiment illustrated in fig3 further provides efficient delivery of light from the die array to a work surface because the die and lens are positioned at the radiating or distal end 17 of the barrel portion to be directly adjacent to the work surface . in that way , various air / glass interfaces are eliminated to reduce power losses associated with such interfaces , as discussed above . the array 60 of leds might be arranged and dimensioned similarly as discussed above with respect to the embodiment illustrated in fig2 . the tir lens 68 will generally have a circular cross - sectional diameter significantly greater than the circular cross - sectional diameter of the array in order for the lens to capture light which is generated by the array at very small angles with respect to the plane of the array 60 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig3 a reflector is not utilized between the die array 60 and the lens 68 . therefore , the lens must be sized appropriately to capture low angle light , such as that illustrated by reference line 73 . fig4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the die array is positioned more centrally within the housing and spaced rearwardly from the barrel portion . specifically , a die assembly , similar to that illustrated in fig2 is mounted in the housing proximate the proximal end 19 of the barrel portion . the substrate 34 is then coupled directly to the heat exchanger 26 , which may be convectively cooled , such as by a fan 28 . the barrel portion 16 , rather than housing a heat tube , houses a light pipe or light guide 76 . such light guides are commercially available and come in a variety of different sizes . generally , such light pipes are formed of a plurality of optical fibers ( for example , approximately 5 , 000 fibers which are fused into a single light pipe structure ). the beam of light transmitted into the input end 77 located at the proximal end 19 of the barrel portion 16 , is transmitted through the light pipe and is directed out the transmission end 78 of the pipe at the distal end 17 of the barrel portion 16 . the light pipe may maintain uniform diameter from the input end 77 to the output or transmission end 78 , or may taper from one diameter to a smaller diameter at the transmission end 78 . preferably , the light pipe is bent to follow the bent barrel portion 16 , illustrated in fig4 so that the beam of light is directed downwardly , such as into the mouth of the patient . alternatively , the light pipe itself may form part of the barrel portion and may be attached to the housing 12 , such as by being screwed into the housing . the non - imaging optical focusing device , such as a non - imaging optical lens 44 , is used to focus the light into the light pipe . the input end 77 of the light pipe is dimensioned appropriately so that light is efficiently delivered through the focusing device 44 to the light pipe 76 . to that end , the focusing device 44 collimates the light so that it does not diverge beyond the input end 77 of the light pipe . generally , light pipes have a defined angle of acceptance at their input end 77 , such as 40 °. light directed outside of that acceptance angle is not captured by the light pipe and transferred to the work surface . the reflective surface 42 and non - imaging optical focusing device 44 utilized in the embodiment in fig4 are designed to generate a beam of light which does not diverge more the acceptance angle of the light pipe . in that way , energy is efficiently translated from the array which outputs light in generally a 180 ° angle . therefore , the present invention utilizes a non - imaging optical focusing device which collimates light from a 180 ° light output source to a column which does not diverge more than the acceptance angle of the light pipe to which the light is input . in still a further embodiment of the invention , the die array and the tir lens structure similar to that shown in fig3 might be utilized within the housing as shown in fig4 . to that end , the die array 60 , substrate 62 , and heat sink 64 are coupled to the appropriate heat exchanger , which is then convectively cooled , such as by a fan . in such an embodiment , as well as in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 device 10 would generally have to be sterilized or autoclaved after each use . however , since the die array and optical focusing devices are positioned inside the handle portion of the housing , they would be protected from the high temperatures associated with such sterilization . alternatively , as illustrated in fig4 a disposable sleeve 82 might be utilized with the embodiment to cover the light pipe . the disposable sleeve 82 may be discarded with each use , thus effectively eliminating the required autoclaving step . while the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof , and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail , it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail . additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art . therefore , the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details representative apparatus and method , and illustrative examples shown and described . accordingly , departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant &# 39 ; s general inventive concept .
| 6Physics
|
referring now to fig1 a table representative of various power system characteristics of interest for implementing the present invention . the table identifies the minimum and maximum limits , direction of change , rate of change , and behavior of change for transients / noise , as compared to real frequency events such as normal load , severe overload , and generator startup or load rejection . since the input of interest ( power system frequency ) is a single quantity in time , most of the characteristics of interest are related to changes of the quantity . it will be apparent from the table that the real frequency events are characterized by a relatively slow change in period , or by a relatively fast change in period but having a recognizable trend in one direction ( e . g ., increasing or decreasing ). these characteristics can be used , according to an aspect of the present invention , to distinguish the real frequency events from transients or noise , which can be characterized by relatively fast , erratic ( i . e ., demonstrating no readily recognizable trend ) changes in period . referring now to fig2 a logic diagram representing an exemplary implementation of the present invention is shown . in this example , it is assumed that a protective relay or other device for the monitoring or protective control of a power system is provided with a microprocessor , programmable logic , circuitry , or other suitable means for performing comparisons of various power system data . in fig2 it is further assumed that t n is an n - th period measurement , f n = 1 / t n and is an n - th frequency calculation , df n / dt =( f n − f n − 1 ) t n , and is an n - th frequency rate calculation , and | d 2 f n / dt 2 |=[( df n / dt )−( df n / dt )]/ t n , and is an n - th frequency acceleration calculation . further , to implement the logic scheme of fig2 maximum frequency values ( f min and f max ) are determined for all frequency events ; maximum frequency rate values (| df / dt | norm and | df / dt max ) are determined for the maximum frequency change rate under normal load conditions and for any frequency event , respectively ; and a maximum frequency acceleration value | d 2 f n / dt 2 | max , is determined for all frequency events . using these values , the logic scheme of fig2 can be described as follows : a logical and operation is performed to determine if both the n - th frequency rate calculation (| df n / dt |) is less than or equal to the maximum frequency rate value ( condition 12 ) and the n - th frequency acceleration calculation (| d 2 f n / dt 2 |) is less than or equal to the maximum frequency acceleration ( condition 14 ). the result of this first and operation using conditions 12 and 14 as inputs is then provided as a first input to a logical or operation , where the other input to the logical or operation is the comparison of df n / dt to the maximum “ normal conditions ” frequency rate value ( condition 16 ). if either condition 16 is true or both of conditions 12 and 14 are true , then n - th frequency calculation f n will be accepted as true ( that is , as the correct power system frequency ), if f n is within the range of f min − f max ( condition 18 ). using the exemplary power system parameters set forth in fig1 values appropriate for the logic scheme of fig2 can be determined as follows : the other values of interest ( df / dt | norm , | d 2 f n / dt 2 | max ) are based upon power system characteristics . testing has determined that appropriate values for these parameters are approximately 2 - 3 hz and 3 - 5 hz / s 2 , respectively . referring now to fig3 a flow chart describing a method for implementing the present invention is shown . the exemplary method can be implemented in a protective relay or other power control device having , or being operatively associated with , a suitably - programmed microprocessor , programmable logic , or circuitry . the example assumes that the appropriate maximum and minimum values have been determined for the power system . in step 100 , a first frequency calculation is performed by the protective relay to determine the frequency of the power system . in step 102 , first and second derivatives of the calculated frequency are determined . in step 104 , comparisons to previously - determined threshold values are performed ( e . g ., by the microprocessor or other suitable comparison circuitry ) to determine whether conditions 12 , 14 , or 16 exist . in step 106 , it is determined whether the first frequency calculation is accepted as valid ; that is , whether either condition 16 exists , or whether both conditions 12 and 14 exist , and whether the calculated frequency value is within the predefined range f min − f max . if it is determined in step 106 that the first frequency calculation is valid , then in step 108 , the sampling frequency of the protective relay is adjusted as necessary to track the valid first frequency calculation . if it is determined in step 106 that the first frequency calculation is not valid , then the first frequency calculation is not accepted and the process is repeated . fig4 depicts the signal space of valid signals representing real frequency events according to the present example . as reflected in the signal space diagram , signals accepted as representing real frequency events have a frequency within the range of f min − f max , and either have a first derivative ( df / dt ) less than the threshold value df / dt norm , or have both a first derivative less than the threshold value df / dt max , and a second derivative less than the threshold value | d 2 f n / dt 2 | max . referring now to fig5 frequency plots showing the synchronization of the sampling rate of a protective relay to the power system frequency , using both an embodiment of the present invention and a conventional “ averaging ” method are provided . in fig5 the power system frequency is represented by a waveform 52 , the performance of the conventional “ averaging ” method is shown as bold waveform 54 , and the performance of the embodiment of the present invention as a lighter - shaded , substantially constant line 56 . it can be seen that the relay implementing the technique of the present invention provides greatly improved synchronization , and hence greatly improved accuracy of the fourier transform calculations and greatly improved protective control capabilities of the protective relay . in particular , it can be seen in fig5 that current reversals , such as those occurring at points 58 and 60 , produce inaccuracies in the conventional frequency tracking scheme during time intervals 62 and 64 , and that these inaccuracies are substantially reduced by the exemplary technique of the present invention . fig6 shows a block diagram of a protective relay capable of implementing the present invention . the relay 66 includes connection ports 68 for connection to a power distribution system 70 . through the ports 68 , the relay can sense system conditions ( e . g ., by sampling system data at a data sampling rate ), and provide appropriate protective control if and when necessary . the relay 66 further includes a suitably - programmed microprocessor 72 which , in addition to performing conventional control functions , also adjusts the sampling frequency to the frequency of the power distribution system according , e . g ., to the method described in the connection with fig3 or other suitable method . in this matter , the microprocessor 72 constitutes an exemplary means for carrying out both protective control functions and frequency tracking functions . while the foregoing description contains numerous details , it is to be understood that these are provided for purposes of explanation only , and that these details are not to be read as limitations of the present invention . the specific exemplary embodiments described above can be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined by the following claims and their legal equivalents .
| 7Electricity
|
in the light of the above , the technical problem underlying the present invention is that of providing a drilling device for printed circuit boards which is structurally and functionally designed to enable the limits of the cited prior art to be remedied . in the context of this problem , the main object of the present invention is to provide a drilling device which substantially reduces the masses subject to acceleration during the various drilling phases . this problem is resolved and this and other objects are achieved by a drilling device embodied in accordance with the accompanying claims . the notion of the solution underlying the present invention is based on the observation that known devices involve an unnecessary movement of the workpiece - pressing device which is normally connected to the drill head and therefore follows its movements towards and away from the board . according to the invention , the device is caused to move independently with respect to the drill head , and is actuated by an independent positioning actuator only in the initial stage of positioning and adjustment of the so - called “ planar circuit ” while any other movement towards and away from the board to be drilled is carried out by means of an independent actuator , for instance of piezoelectric type , actuated at a frequency equal to the drilling frequency so as to work in a synchronised manner with the drill head . an actuator of voice coil or like type may be efficiently used as an alternative to a piezoelectric actuator . the characteristic features and advantages of the invention are set out in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof , shown by way of non - limiting example in the accompanying drawings , in which : fig1 is a perspective view of a device for the high - speed drilling of boards for printed circuits and the like ; fig2 is a front elevation of the device of fig1 ; fig3 is a perspective view , in longitudinal section , of a detail of the device of fig1 ; fig4 is a perspective view of a variant of the device of the invention . in the drawings , a device for the high - speed drilling of boards for printed circuits and the like is shown overall by 1 . the device 1 comprises a support 2 on which a linear actuator 3 is mounted , whose rod 3 a acts on a first carriage 4 . the first carriage 4 is mounted to slide on the support 2 by means of guides 5 and shoes 6 ; a second carriage 8 which may also slide on the support 2 by means of a second actuator 3 b is mounted on different guides 7 and comprises similar shoes ( not shown ). the second carriage 8 is normally locked with respect to the support 2 . a drill head 11 is mounted on the first carriage 4 and comprises a mandrel 12 able to drive a drill bit 13 in rotation at high speed . the actuator 3 displaces the first carriage 4 towards and away from a board p to be drilled during the desired drilling movements . the second carriage , together with an arm 15 mounted thereon , is part of a workpiece - pressing device shown overall by 16 which is adapted to press the board p against a working surface ( not shown ) during drilling by means of the bit 13 . the arm 15 is embodied as a leaf spring extending in a cantilevered and projecting manner from a plate 17 which at the bottom closes an actuator member 18 . the arm 15 is made in one piece with the plate 17 and ends at one of its roots in a weakened line 19 a cut into the plate 17 which is adapted to create a preferential resiliently yielding zone about which the arm 15 tends to oscillate when actuated by the actuator 18 . the actuator 18 is of piezoelectric type and is adapted to promote the alternating oscillating movement of the arm 15 about the weakened line 19 a . at the free end of the arm 15 , opposite its root , there is formed a support 15 c on which a pressure member 19 is mounted and is free to oscillate about a diametric axis 20 so as to be disposed coplanar to the board p when bearing thereon . the pressure member 19 is shaped as an annular bushing with a crown 21 of greater diameter and a crown 22 of smaller diameter which are coaxial and both provided with a central hole 23 . a variant of the device 1 is shown in fig4 . details similar to those of the preceding embodiment bear the same reference numerals . the actuator of the embodiment of fig4 , shown by 118 , is of the type known as a voice coil actuator and is connected by means of a control rod 119 to the arm 115 of the workpiece - pressing device 16 . the arm 115 is in turn hinged at the location of a pin 120 on a fork support 121 which is stationary on the carriage 8 . the actuation of the actuator 118 therefore generates an oscillation , whose frequency can be controlled and adjusted , of the arm 115 about the pin 120 thereby raising and lowering the pressure member 19 towards and away from the board p to be drilled . the drilling device 1 is actuated by means of a computerised digital control which does not form part of the subject matter of the present invention . the first operation prior to the stage of drilling of the board p is therefore to determine the so - called “ planar circuit ” position so that the control learns for which coordinates the head 11 and the workpiece pressing device 16 are physically in a predetermined position with respect to the board p . for this first operation , the second carriage 8 displaces the workpiece - pressing device 16 until it brings the latter to contact the board p with a predetermined contact pressure . when the assembly is raised by a predetermined extent , the second carriage 8 is locked with respect to the support 2 . in these conditions , the linear actuator 3 governs only the actuation of the drill head 11 and is subject to the forces of inertia relating only to its mass which are substantially smaller than those relating to the overall mass of the head 11 and workpiece - pressing device 16 . it will be appreciated that the reduction of the masses in question in turn makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the linear actuator 3 and its rod 3 a which helps further to reduce the overall forces of inertia involved . the workpiece - pressing device 16 is actuated towards and away from the board p by the piezoelectric actuator 18 or voice coil actuator 118 , whose action is adjusted by varying the supply frequency thereof . this frequency variation , obtained for instance by an inverter , corresponds to the same frequency variation of the cycle of pressure and raising of the arm 15 ( as a result of the known piezoelectric properties of piezoelectric actuators and electromagnetic properties of voice coil actuators ) and therefore of the pressure member 19 which alternates between a position pressed against the board p and a position raised therefrom . the supply frequency of the actuator is therefore adjusted to coincide with the frequency of the drilling cycle carried out by means of the bit 13 . moreover , varying the distance of the board p to be drilled with respect to the workpiece - pressing device 16 adjusts the pressure exerted by the pressure member on the board , both because the resilient reaction opposed by the arm 15 varies because the resulting displacement differs and because the pressure exerted by the actuator 18 , 118 varies as its stroke varies , without having to act on other ( hydraulic or pneumatic ) operating parameters of the device . the invention thus resolves the problem set out above and offers many advantages with respect to the technical solutions known up to now , all of which focus chiefly on increasing the drilling speed and the hourly output that can be achieved .
| 7Electricity
|
it has now been found that the class of water soluble polymers having a solubility constant in the range of from 8 to 10 and free from moieties which will react with isocyanate groups are excellent additives to polyurethane psas , in that the integrity and desirable characteristics of the psa film are maintained while providing enhanced water uptake . this class of water soluble polymers is chosen so as to be substantially miscible in both the polyol and isocyanate components which are used to prepare the polyurethane psa . indeed , the preparation of the present psas involves , inter alia , dissolving a desired water soluble polymer in either the polyol or isocyanate component and thereafter reacting the components to form the corresponding polyurethane psa . for example , the water soluble polymer is preferably dissolved into a polyol solution containing a catalyst prior to reaction with the isocyanates . thereafter , the so - formed premixture is reacted with isocyanates , preferably in an nco / oh mole weight ratio of from about 0 . 5 / 1 to about 0 . 99 / 1 to provide a clear adhesive . typical water soluble polymers having a solubility constant in the range of from 8 to 10 include poly ( 2 - ethyl - 2 - oxazoline ), poly ( vinylmethylether ) and the like . most preferred is poly ( vinylmethylether ) commercially available from basf as lutonal m - 40 . in accordance with this invention , the water soluble polymers can be added to the polyurethane psa in amounts corresponding to the degree of water uptake desired in the final product . typically the polymers are present in a range of from about 1 to about 40 % by weight of the psa formulation . preferred adhesives contain about 25 to 35 % by weight of the water soluble polymer and most preferred adhesives contain about 30 % by weight . the water soluble polymer additives having a solubility constant in the range of from 8 to 10 can be added to any polyurethane - based psa to enhance water uptake . these additives are ideally suited for incorporation into the polyurethane adhesives disclosed in copending u . s . ser . no . 973 , 448 , issued as u . s . pat . no . 5 , 591 , 820 , mentioned above . thus , preferably the pressure - sensitive adhesives comprise a polyurethane polymer having excess hydroxyl functionality , a glass transition temperature of less than about 0 ° c ., a moisture absorption at equilibrium of at least about 20 % of its weight and / or a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least about 300 grams / meter 2 / 24 hours measured at 37 ° c . and a 90 % relative humidity gradient . advantageously , the glass transition temperature of the polymer is less than about - 30 ° c ., the moisture absorption at equilibrium of at least about 100 % of its weight and / or the moisture vapor transmission rate is at least about 500 grams / meter 2 / 24 hours . these polymers provide a peel adhesion to human skin of between about 0 . 3 and 4 and preferably between about 0 . 5 and 3 . 5 newtons / cm width of the polymer . preferably , the polyurethane polymer is formed by the reaction of an isocyanate component and a polyol component at a molar ratio of isocyanate moieties to hydroxyl moieties of less than one with at least one of the components having a functionality that is greater than two to facilitate crosslinking . the polymer is crosslinked to a crosslink density alpha ( α ) defined by the equation ## equ1 ## wherein i = 1 to n where n is the number of the reactant components of between about 10 - 4 and 10 - 3 to obtain the desired properties . when the isocyanate component is an aliphatic polyisocyanate , the crosslink density is preferably between about 2 × 10 - 4 and 10 - 3 , while for aromatic polyisocyanates the crosslink density is preferably between about 4 × 10 - 4 and 9 × 10 - 4 . a preferred molar ratio is between about 0 . 5 and 0 . 99 , and more preferably between about 0 . 65 and 0 . 99 , and most preferably between about 0 . 85 and 0 . 99 . the polyol component advantageously comprises a polyether polyol having a molecular weight of between about 1000 and 10 , 000 , such as a homopolymer or copolymer containing ethylene oxide or propylene oxide groups . the polyol component may also be a hydroxyl terminated prepolymer . when moisture absorbent adhesives are desired , the polyol component can be a polyether diol or triol containing at least about 30 % by weight or ethylene oxide groups . the isocyanate component has a functionality of equal to or greater than 2 , and may be an aliphatic polyisocyanate , an aromatic polyisocyanate or combinations thereof . also , the isocyanate component may be an isocyanate terminated prepolymer . as noted , at least one of the isocyanate or polyol components must have a functionality of greater than 2 to obtain the desired crosslinking of the polymer . the invention also relates to a medical article or device for application to skin which comprises a layer of the pressure - sensitive adhesive described above and a backing material in contact with at least a portion of one side of the layer . the backing material in contact with at least a portion of one side of the layer . the backing material may be a natural or synthetic fiber , a woven or non - woven fabric , paper or a thermoplastic polymer . also , a release layer in contact with the side of the pressure - sensitive adhesive layer in contact with the side of the pressure - sensitive adhesive layer opposite the backing material may be included to protect the adhesive prior to use . thus , the release layer comprises a material that does not permanently bond to the pressure - sensitive adhesive layer , such as a silicone coating . this medical article may also include a backing layer and a layer of the pressure sensitive adhesive described above on at least a portion of one side of the backing layer for contacting the skin and securing the article thereto . this article advantageously includes a moisture or water absorbent material positioned for placement upon a moist or wet environment , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is located adjacent at least a portion of the absorbent material . if the absorbent material is in the form of a disk , the pressure sensitive material layer may be associated with and at least partially surround the perimeter of the disk . a support layer may be provided for the absorbent material such that the pressure - sensitive adhesive layer is attached onto at least a portion of the periphery of the support layer and surrounds the entire perimeter of the disk . in another embodiment , the medical article further comprises an attachment member for connection to another medical device , such as a bag or container . thus , the disk would include an aperture therein to permit passage of a fluid therethrough . to provide a secure attachment to the patient and to prevent leakage , means for joining the pressure - sensitive adhesive layer to the support layer may be used , such as an ultrasonic weld . accordingly , the medical article or device of the invention may be provided in the form of an ostomy device , a wound dressing , a medical tape , a bandage , an incontinence device , a dermatological device , a transdermal device , a surgical incise drape or an intravenous catheter securement device . another embodiment of the invention relates to a method for making a pressure - sensitive adhesive for application to skin which comprises premixing the desired water soluble polymer into either the isocyanate component or the polyol component and then providing a mixture of the isocyanate component and the polyol component at a molar ratio of isocyanate moieties to hydroxyl moieties of less than one ; selecting at least one of the components to have a functionality that is greater than two to facilitate crosslinking and reacting the isocyanate and polyol components in the presence of a catalyst to form a polyurethane polymer having a glass transition temperature of less than about 0 ° c ., a moisture absorption at equilibrium of at least about 20 % of its weight and / or a vapor transmission rate of at least about 300 grams / meter 2 / 24 hours measured at 17 ° c . and a 90 % relative humidity gradient . the mixture may be cast upon a substrate and heated at a sufficient temperature of between about 100 ° and 150 ° c . and for a sufficient time of between about 1 to 25 minutes to form a layer of the polymer . this layer may be provided upon a backing material or a release layer and would possess a peel adhesion to human skin of between about 0 . 3 and 4 and preferably between about 0 . 5 and 3 . 5 newtons / cm width of the polymer . preferably , a polyol component is a polyol having a molecular weight of from about 1 , 000 to about 10 , 000 or mixtures of such polyols , with an isocyanate such as a polyisocyanate . although any of a wide variety of polyols can be used , those which are not crystalline are the most suitable . exemplary polyols include polyether diols or triols ( ethylene oxide and propylene oxide polymers and copolymers ) such as those available from olin ( e . g ., the poly g series ). in general , for comparable formulations , the higher molecular weight polyols would provide greater peel strengths in the resulting adhesive . where increased moisture or water absorption properties are desired in the psa , polyols that contain a significant amount of polyoxyethylene are used so as to increase the hydrophilic character of the polymer . these polyols should contain at least about 30 % of polyoxyethylene in order to enable the polymer to absorb water in an amount of at least about 20 % of its weight and as high as 400 to 1000 %. typical polyols which are useful for this embodiment include dow chemical &# 39 ; s xus15176 and the various commercial carbowaxes which are available in a range of molecular weights from the union carbide corporation . representative carbowaxes are peg ( carbowa 1450 ) and peg ( carbowax 8000 ) in which the numbers refer to molecular weights . the proportion of polyoxyethylene which is present in the polyol will determine the degree of hydrophilic character of the polyurethane . increasing the amount of polyoxyethylene promotes strong hydrophilic properties to the final product , while a lessened hydrophilic character results by increasing the proportion of polyoxypropylene in the polyol . the functionality of the polyol that is used is at least 2 and usually is greater than 2 , with the higher functionalities providing increased crosslinking of the polyurethane . a number of polyols which are suitable when used alone or in combination are listed below in table 1 . the isocyanates which may be used in making the polyurethanes of the psas of the invention may be represented by r ( nco ) n wherein n is at level 2 and preferably between about 2 and 4 , and r is an aliphatic , alicyclic , aliphatic - alicyclic , aromatic , or aliphatic - aromatic hydrocarbon compound ranging from about 4 to 26 carbon atoms , but more conventionally from about 6 to 20 and generally from about 6 to 13 carbon atoms . table 1______________________________________suitable polyolscomponent functionality equivalent eto % supplier______________________________________poly g55 - 28 2 2025 . 00 30 oljn55 - 37 2 1512 . 00 30 oljn55 - 56 2 976 . 00 45 oljn76 - 120 3 457 . 00 30 oljn83 - 34 3 1576 . 00 70 oljn85 - 28 3 2025 . 00 10 oljn85 - 36 3 1508 . 00 17 oljnvoranol5148 3 2357 . 00 19 dow5287 2 1018 . 00 12 dow5471 3 1603 . 00 14 dowvoran220 - 037 2 1500 . 00 0 dow232 - 034 3 1636 . 00 14 dow240 - 446 4 . 5 125 . 10 0 dow240 - 800 4 69 . 70 0 dow270 - 370 7 155 . 90 0 dowxus 15176 . 00 2 1500 . 00 30 dowmultranol 3400 3 1000 . 00 0 mobaymultranol 3901 3 1997 . 00 0 mobaymultranol 9133 3 53 . 95 0 mobaydesmofen 2500 2 505 . 00 0 mobayquadrol 4 73 . 00 0 mobaycarbowax1450 2 714 . 00 100 carbide3350 2 1638 . 00 100 carbide4600 2 2352 . 00 100 carbide8000 2 4141 . 00 100 carbideterathane1000 2 500 . 00 0 dupont2000 2 1024 . 00 0 dupontpluracol 380 3 2235 . 00 0 basfpoly thf er 1250 2 625 . 00 0 basffomrezepd - 56 2 1041 . 00 45 witcoepd - 28 2 2086 . 00 45 witcok22 - 170 6 308 . 00 90 witcol49 - 28 3 1990 . 00 25 witcoecfl1000y 3 278 . 00 90 witcowitcon1 peg1000l 2 505 . 00 90 witco______________________________________ representative examples of diisocyanates include aliphatic isocyanates such as tetramethylene diisocyanate , hexamethylene diisocyanate , trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate , dimer acid diisocyanate , isophorone diisocyanate , diethylbenzene diisocyanate , decamethylene 1 , 10 - diisocyanate , cyclohexylene 1 , 2 - diisocyanate and cylohexylene - 1 , 4 - diisocyanate and the aromatic isocyanates such as 2 , 4 and 2 , 6 - tolylene diisocyanate , 4 , 4 - diphenylmethane diisocyanate , 1 , 4 - naphthalene diisocyanate , dianisidine diisocyanate , toluidine diisocyanate , m - xylylene , diisocyanate tetrahydronaphthalene - 1 , 5 - diisocyanate , and bis ( 4 - isocyanatophenyl ) methane . polymeric polyisocyanates having a functionality of greater than 2 , such as neopentyl tetraisocyanate , can also be used . a number of suitable isocyanates are listed in table 2 below . in addition , mixtures of di - and tri - functional isocyanates are commercially available and may be used to obtain an isocyanate component having a functionality of between 2 and 3 , while mixtures of tri - and tetra - functional isocyanates may be used to obtain functionalities of between 3 and 4 ( i . e ., desmodur n 3300 from miles , perkasie , pa .). these tri - and tetra - functional isocyanates are illustrated below . table 2______________________________________suitable isocyanatescomponent functionality equivalent supplier______________________________________papi 94 2 . 2 131 . 50 dowpapi 2580 3 139 . 60 dowisonate 2181 2 182 . 60 dowisonate 2125m 2 125 . 50 dowmondur mr 2 . 7 131 . 00 mobaymondur cd 2 143 . 00 mobaymondur cb75 3 323 . 00 mobaydesmodur w 2 132 . 00 mobaytmxdi 2 122 . 10 cyanamidcythane 3160 3 404 . 00 cyanamidtdi 80 2 87 . 00 oljndmi 1410 2 295 . 77 henkel______________________________________ desmodur n 3300 has a functionality of about 3 . 4 - 3 . 6 and it is a mixture of the two isocyanates depicted above . this isocyanate compound is preferred from the standpoint of toxicity because it is an aliphatic isocyanate derivative that produces a non - toxic degradation product . furthermore , the isocyanate compounds shown above can be mixed together or with the diisocyanates mentioned above to attain the desired functionality of the isocyanate component . generally speaking , the polyurethane is prepared from about 75 % to 95 % of the polyol , and about 5 % to 25 % of the polyisocyanate . the relative amounts are selected so that the nco / oh ratio is between about 0 . 5 and 0 . 99 and preferably between about 0 . 65 to 0 . 99 , so that these polyurethanes have excess hydroxyl functionality . in preparing the polyether polyurethane adhesives of this invention , the polyols and the polyisocyanates are reacted in the presence of known catalysts for such reaction , for example , tin salts and organic tin esters such as dibutyltin dilaunate and stannous octoate . an advantageous catalyst is metacure t - 12 by air products and chemicals , inc ., because this catalyst has been approved by the fda for medical application and provides a satisfactory reaction . also , it is preferred for the pressure - sensitive adhesive to have a glass transition temperature ( tg ) of less than 0 ° c . and preferably less than - 30 ° c . thus , the amount of crystalline polyol used , if any , should be held to a minimum . by choosing polyols which are not crystalline or do not crystallize , or which do not cause phase separation during reaction , a transparent , uncolored polymer is obtained . a colored polymer is also avoided by selecting isocyanate and polyol components which form polymerization products that do not contain multiple bonds which would be capable of absorbing light or heat energy and undergo transformations resulting in colors . the pressure - sensitive polyurethane adhesives of this invention each have an mvtr ( at equilibrium ) of at least 300 and preferably greater than 500 g / m 2 / day when measured at 37 ° c . and a 90 % relative humidity gradient . when these adhesives are applied onto skin , the skin can &# 34 ; breathe ,&# 34 ; such that any excess moisture generated by perspiration of the skin can pass through the adhesive to prevent deterioration of the skin , while some moisture is retained to provide an environment which promotes healing . in copending application u . s . ser . no . 973 , 448 , entitled &# 34 ; polyurethane pressure sensitive adhesives &# 34 ; filed nov . 9 , 1992 , issued as u . s . pat . no . 5 , 591 , 820 , it has been disclosed that the polyurethane adhesive peel strength , for a given backing and at a given adhesive thickness , is a function of the extent of crosslinking which , in turn , depends upon the functionality of the components used to form the polyurethane polymer . the extent of crosslinking can be expressed as the number of crosslinks per unit weight . with a greater extent of crosslinking , the peel adhesion becomes lower , such that peel adhesion has been found to be inversely related to the extent of crosslinking . it was further found that this crosslink density is a function of an interplay of molecular parameters of the polyurethane components . a mathematical relationship incorporating these components has been derived to define the optimum combination of the kind and proportions of the components which results in the formation of polyurethane psas for the specified medical uses . this relationship can be used to calculate a value , designated as α , which is representative of the extent of crosslinking of the polymer . thus , the α value , which is based on the average functionality of the reactants , the nco / oh mole ratio , and the molecular weight of the polyol , may be used as a measure of the performance of one polymer relative to another , as well as to select which polymers are useful in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . the following expression sets forth the relationship between the variables which is used to calculate α . as noted above , the peel strength is inversely proportional to the extent of crosslinking which can be expressed as follows : ## equ2 ## wherein the number of crosslinks / units weight of polymer is proportional to α as calculated by the following formula : ## equ3 ## wherein i = 1 to n where n is the number of the reactant components thus , in a given polyurethane formulation , an interplay of different parameters governs the peel strength of the adhesive . an α value in the range of 10 - 4 to 10 - 3 is representative of an adhesive which has the desired balance of cohesive and adhesive characteristics which are typically required for a pressure - sensitive adhesive , with α values of between 2 × 10 - 4 and 10 - 3 for aliphatic polyurethanes and between 4 and 9 × 10 - 4 for aromatic polyurethanes being particularly advantageous . accordingly , based upon this information , one skilled in the art can routinely select the particular isocyanate and polyol components and molar ratios thereof to obtain polyurethane polymers which have α values which fall in the desired ranges . in addition , the α value can be calculated prior to actual formulation of the polymer , so that the experimental work is necessary only after selecting those components and molar ratios which provide α values in the desired range . the pressure - sensitive adhesive products of this invention are prepared by coating a mixture of the polyurethane adhesive components on a backing material and allowing the polyurethane components to cure . useful backing materials are thermoplastic elastomers such as polyurethane film , plasticized pvc , breathable woven or non - woven fabrics made of natural or synthetic fibers such as polyester and porous paper . the adhesive components can also be applied to a release liner such as mylar film with a silicone coating and silicone coated paper and then after curing removed and placed on a backing material . the thickness of the adhesive coating is about 1 to 60 mils depending upon the requirements of the specific product application , while the backing material has a thickness in the range of between about 0 . 5 and 5 mils and typically about 1 - 2 mils . the above - described polyurethane pressure - sensitive adhesives are particularly useful for attaching medical devices and other materials to the skin . the adhesives can be used as or applied to bandages , ostomy devices , incontinence devices , incise drapes , intravenous catheter holders , transdermal drug delivery devices and medical tapes such as wound closure tapes . where absorbent adhesives are desired , such as in wound dressings , the polymers that have high water absorption properties can be successfully used . because of the skin adhesion properties of these psas , i . e ., no skin irritation or sensitization , and lack of skin or hair adhesion on removal , these adhesives are skin friendly and are very useful in the medical field where skin contact is required . fig1 - 3 illustrate an ostomy gasket 10 which includes adhesives made of the polymers of the present invention . this device has a central aperture 15 for placement over the incision and through which fluids may drain . adjacent to and surrounding the aperture 15 is a layer 20 of an adhesive material which has highly absorbent properties to withstand the moist environment and fluids which drain through the aperture . this layer 20 is preferably made of material such as stomahesive , which is available from convatec , skillman , n . j . alternatively , this layer 20 of absorbent material can be of a pressure - sensitive adhesive in accordance with the invention which includes a high ethylene oxide content . this absorbent material 20 is preferably supported on a polyethylene film 25 . when an adhesive material such as stomahesive or the like is used , the opposite side ( or working face ) of this layer 20 includes release liner 30 which allows handling of the article without concern as to the absorbent material adhering to unintended surfaces . the polyethylene film support 25 is secured to a flange 35 which is adapted to receive an ostomy bottle or other container for storing the fluid which passes through aperture 15 . thus , flange 35 includes a lip 40 and corresponding recess 45 to facilitate attachment of the bottle or container thereto . flange 35 is attached to disk shaped extension 50 . a supportive adhesive band 55 in accordance with the invention completely surrounds the periphery of the flange 35 . this band 55 includes a polyester fiber backing layer 60 upon which is placed an adhesive of the present application . this adhesive is shown as 65 . to prevent the adhesive from sticking to surfaces prior to the desired time of use , a release layer 70 is provided on the side opposite the backing layer ( i . e ., the adhesive face ). as shown in fig2 the backing layer includes cut notches 75 to facilitate removing a portion of the backing 80 and thus more easily expose the adhesive face for attachment to the desired surfaces . adhesive band 55 is attached to the top of flange extension 50 and adhered thereto due to the adhesive properties of layer 65 . to obtain a more secure connection between band 55 and flange portion 50 , a plastic ring 85 is placed upon the backing member 60 of the band 55 and is ultrasonically welded to extension 50 of flange 35 . when the device is to be used , the release layers 70 and 30 are first removed thus exposing the psa material 65 of band 55 and the absorbent material 20 . the psa material 65 as noted above is skin friendly and provides a secure bond to the skin without damaging it . thus , the gasket is retained in the desired place despite whether absorbent layer 20 has adhesive characteristics or not . when absorbent layer 20 is made of a highly water absorbent material , it most often does not develop sufficient tack or peel strength so that it can be properly secured in place on the patient . thus , the psa adhesive 65 provides a secure bonding of the gasket to the patient and holds the absorbent layer in place so that any further bonding due to the adhesive properties of absorbent 20 can occur over time . again , as noted above , psa layer 65 allows the skin to breathe so that excessive fluid does not accumulate thereon and cause damage or other detrimental affects to the skin . the following examples , which are intended to illustrate the invention described herein without unduly restricting it , provide further illustrations of how to select the appropriate components and amounts thereof to form the desired pressure - sensitive adhesives . hydrophobic polyurethane adhesive with 29 % loading of polyvinyl methyl ether ( lutonal m40 ) a homogeneous polyol - lutonal m40 solution was prepared by dissolving 28 . 8 parts of polyvinyl methyl ether ( lutonal m40 from basf ) in a 64 . 5 parts of heated ( 80 ° c .) polyol ( poly g 26 - 37 from olin chemicals ) solution containing 0 . 2 part of t - 12 catalyst ( dibutyl tin dilaurate from air products ) with stirring for at least two hours . the resulting polyol - lutonal m40 solution is then dried under vacuum in order to remove moisture . to this clear solution , 4 . 3 parts of n - 3300 multi - functional hexamethylene isocyanate prepolymers and 2 . 2 parts of desmodur w , methylene bis ( cyclohexyl - 4 - isocyanate ), ( both isocyanates from miles inc .) are added at 60 ° c . in one portion . the reaction mass is then casted onto a support film with desired thickness . after completion of the casting , the casted material is cured in an air circulating oven at 100 ° c . for 60 minutes . after cooling to room temperature , a clear and pressure - sensitive adhesive slab is obtained for further testing on its physical properties . hydrophobic polyurethane adhesive with 23 % loading of polyvinyl methyl ether ( lutonal m40 ) the same procedure as in example 1 was used to prepare the 23 % loading sample except that the amount of each ingredient used in the preparation are changed to reflect the loading and nco / oh ratio changes : 22 . 6 parts of lutonal m40 , 70 . 0 parts of poly - g 26 - 37 , 4 . 3 parts of n - 3300 , 2 . 9 parts of desmodur w , and 0 . 2 part of t - 12 . a polyol solution is prepared by mixing 91 . 6 parts of hydrophobic polyol ( poly - g 26 - 37 from olin chemicals ) and 0 . 2 part of t - 12 catalyst at a room temperature . the resulting clear solution is dried under vacuum . to this solution , 4 . 0 parts of n - 3300 and 4 . 2 parts of desmodur w are added in one portion at room temperature with stirring . after stirring for 10 minutes at 60 ° c ., the reaction mass is then casted and cured by using the same procedure specified in example 1 . the same procedure as in example 3 is used to prepare a hydrophilic polyurethane adhesive except that the hydrophobic polyol is substituted with a hydrophilic polyol poly - g 55 - 37 . the amount for each ingredient are as follows : 99 . 55 parts of poly - g 55 - 37 ; 0 . 2 part of t - 12 catalyst ; 3 . 38 parts of n - 3300 ; 4 . 05 parts of desmodur w . the samples from examples 1 through 4 were tested as follow : __________________________________________________________________________ mvtr * examplelutonal 24 - 72 hrs water extractablesnumberm40 (%) g / m . sup . 2 / day uptake 24 hrs (%) 7 days (%) swelling disintegration__________________________________________________________________________1 29 879 27 0 . 0 0 . 8 no no2 22 1278 10 0 . 0 0 . 6 no no3 0 2083 2 0 . 0 0 . 5 no no4 0 2170 285 2 . 5 -- yes no__________________________________________________________________________ * tested on 2 mil thick samples astm standard test methods of water vapor transmission of materials designation : e96 - 80 was used . the water method paragraph 3 . 2 of the test method was used . in the water method , a dish is prepared containing distilled water and weighings are made to determine the rate of vapor movement through the specimen from the water to a controlled atmosphere .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
as described earlier , the present invention rests on the inventions of the &# 39 ; 849 , &# 39 ; 161 and &# 39 ; 162 applications , which permit non - georeferenced paper maps to be converted to a georeferenced raster format via the use of a companion vector map . in specific embodiments , the paper maps are fema flood maps which are used to provide to property owners , lending institutions and others flood zone classifications or certificates , with reference to which the acquisition or dropping of flood insurance may be effected . it is to be understood that while specific embodiments deal with flood zone classifications , the present invention contemplates methods of furnishing maps showing both the site of selected property — either as a “ point ” on a map or as an area bounded by a polygon — and various characteristics extant at and in the vicinity of the property . the characteristics which may be shown on the maps include geographic characteristics , such as flood zone status , soil type and quality , subsurface water ; ecological characteristics , such as air quality , water quality , pollen and fungus concentrations ; climatological characteristics , such as amount of rainfall , average temperature , likelihood of tornadoes ; demographic characteristics , such as average income or home cost , population density ; and any other characteristic that can be shown on a map by coloration , shading ( as in the case of fema flood maps ) or other indicia , along with the location of the selected property . turning to the contemplated specific embodiments , over 100 , 000 fema flood maps exist ; the majority of them are not georeferenced . the above - noted &# 39 ; 849 , &# 39 ; 161 and &# 39 ; 162 applications result in such georeferencing so that originally non - georeferenced raster images of the fema maps are mathematically related to a georeferenced map , such as a vector map . as a consequence , any point identified on the vector map may be simultaneously identified on the raster map . if the vector map is a street map , a property address may expeditiously be located thereon . because of the established mathematical relationship between the vector map and the scanned raster map , the property may be expeditiously located on the raster map . if , as in the specific embodiments hereof , the raster map is an image of a fema flood map , the flood zone status of the property may be just as expeditiously determined . in the following examples of marketing and commercializing a map delineating both the location of a property and a characteristic or quality extant at and in the vicinity of that property , certain of the steps taken are preferably computer - implemented and are electronically and / or digitally performed . this example relates to a customer obtaining from a service provider a product related to the contents of a related fema flood map . the customer , who has previously learned of the service provider , gains access to the internet and clicks on an appropriate link . this gives the customer access to a form at the provider &# 39 ; s web site . the form requests that the customer fill in the address of certain property for which , in this example , the georeferenced portion of a fema flood insurance rate map (“ firm ”) is desired . typically , the address is a street address or mailing address , but may be in the form of latitude / longitude , metes - and - bounds , a legal description , address or some other location identifier or address for the property . in response to electronically submitting the completed form , a georeferenced street map , such as that available via mapquest , is displayed . on the map , a star or other icon marks the purported site of the property . if the icon &# 39 ; s location is correct , the customer essentially submits the latitude and longitude for the subject property to the provider . if the icon &# 39 ; s location is incorrect , the customer may , using a computer mouse or similar device , relocate the subject property to its correct physical location on the digital street map . in either event , the provider electronically receives a latitude and longitude for the site of the property correctly identified . back at the service provider &# 39 ; s facility , the latitude and longitude of the property are matched to a list of possible georeferenced fema flood maps and the list is returned to the user . the user then selects from the list one or more firms that apply to the subject location at times , the site may be included on two or more fema maps . in this event , the fema maps containing the subject property are all sent to the customer , who is instructed to select the one or more fema maps available for providing fema flood map - related information , including that contained in afloodscape ™ product for the property and to identify it by clicking on an appropriate icon . the customer may save the flood map incorporating the subject property in a digital form on a hard disk or other memory of the computer system , on a floppy disk , on a cd or on hard copy produced by a printer by clicking on the proper icon . this is similar to example 1 , except that instead of being invited to provide an address , the customer is electronically presented on a computer system with a display of a georeferenced street map . the customer is asked to identify the location of the property on the street map by appropriately clicking a mouse or a functionally similar device . once the property &# 39 ; s site has been so marked , the customer electronically transmits the marked map to the service provider , and the remainder of the method may proceed as described above . as in examples 1 and 2 , the customer ultimately receives a flood map , or a map presenting some other geographic or ecological , or climatological characteristic of property and its environs with the site of the property indicated . the location of the property need not necessarily be a “ point ” on the displayed map image . the site of the property may also constitute an area surrounded by a polygonal boundary . the polygon may be electronically drawn by the customer by virtue of the service provider having electronically furnished annotation tools along with the street map . as in examples 1 , 2 and 3 , however instead of receiving an entire fema flood map , the customer electronically receives a the relevant portion of a flood map , i . e ., a portion of the proper fema flood insurance rate map (“ firm ”) or flood hazard boundary map (“ fhbm ”), together or both of which are referred to as “ flood map ” with the property &# 39 ; s site indicated thereon , known as a floodscape ™. the property site may be more or less centrally located on the map portion . the scale of the map may be selectively different — either smaller or larger — than the scale of the paper fema map from which the raster map was made and may be selected to permit the customer to print the map on paper of a common size , e . g ., 8½ ″ by 11 ″ or a4 . the map portion provided to the customer may also be rotated by the service provider from its orientation on the original fema paper map , which may be desirable where the original fema map did not have north directed “ upwardly .” other information may be added to or may accompany the fema map . property markers and boundary lines not present on the original fema paper map may be added to the map , as may a compass direction marker or compass rose and a scale legend . other information may accompany the electronically furnished fema map in margins provided around the map by selection of an appropriate scale therefrom . such information may include a variety of textual material , whether or not it is provided on the original paper flood map or its raster image . this textual material may includes such information as the flood map panel number or suffix , community names , map revision dates . the name and address of the service provider , and / or the name of an entity that issues flood insurance . this example is similar to any of examples 1 - 4 , but early contact between the customer and the service provider includes the service provider agreeing to furnish the customer with a memory medium ( diskette , cd - rom ), firmware , or a device from which the customer can download and display on a computer display either the georeferenced street map or the address form of earlier examples . in either event , the medium or device also may include appropriate tools for annotating or completing the map or form and transmitting them to the service provider , who thereafter furnishes the firm , a floodscape ™, a flood hazard determination , an insurance quote , a mortgage quote , a floodzap , a pmi alert , and / or other product applicable to the subject property . in this example , the service provider places the customer in the position of providing maps , floodscapes ™, flood hazard determinations , insurance quotes , mortgage quote , a floodzap , a pmi alert , and / or other products showing the sites of properties of interest along with certain geographic , climatological , ecological or demographic characteristics , such as the flood zone status of the sites and the surrounding areas , the quality of the air at and around the properties &# 39 ; sites , the likelihood of an earthquake occurring at or near a property &# 39 ; s site , and other such information . here the service provider furnishes the customer with the software ( and possibly hardware ) necessary to cause a general purpose computer to perform the methods described above . the software may be resident on a storage media , such as a disk , diskette or cd - rom , or it may be resident on a server or the like . indeed , the latter manner of furnishing the software is especially expedient where the customer intends to provide maps depicting property and geographic conditions over a large area , such as the 100 , 000 + fema maps covering the entire us . here , the service provider utilizes information concerning mortgages , houses for sale , recent contracts of real estate sale where closing have / have not yet occurred , etc ., to develop a database of property owners who might have an interest in learning about flood zones and / or flood zone insurance . having retrieved the address of each property in question , the service provider develops a flood zone map indicating the location of each property . on each flood zone map or adjacent thereto , for example in a margin or border surrounding the map as displayed or printed , the service provider appends additional information such as an indication of how far the property is from a flood zone , premiums ranges for an appropriate level of flood insurance , or other marketing / sales information relating to a product or service tied to flood zone statue and / or insurance . in this example , denoted a “ flood zone alert plan ” ( or “ floodzap ”); the service provider and the customer enter into an agreement pursuant to which the service provider agrees to send the customer updated maps when such are required . in the case of fema flood maps , this would occur if and when fema amends or changes a flood map due to altered conditions of the area depicted thereon . these changes are effected by fema via flood insurance rate maps (“ firm ”), letters of map amendment (“ loma ”), letters of map revision (“ lomr ”), and / or letters of map change (“ lomc ”). if , after the service provider has previously identified the property of interest , a revised firm / loma / lomr / lomc is issued , and those changes materially effect the subject property , a new floodscape ™ and applicable informative information ( floodzap ™) is then sent to the customer , electronically or on a memory medium / device , as described in earlier examples . in addition to the revised floodscape ™, the consumer will receive a letter telling them the effects of the flood status change and the action they should take to conform to that change . for example , if they for example , a property that was not previously located in a special flood hazard area (“ sfha ”) may now be located therein . if so , and if that community participates in the national flood insurance program (“ nfip ”), it may be necessary for some entity , such as the lender or servicer , to acquire flood insurance on behalf of the consumer . the name and address of one or more flood insurance providers may be provided , as may premium rate schedules . similarly , if a property is “ moved out ” of a sfha , the need for flood insurance may be decreased or eliminated . the foregoing is important when the customer is a homeowner . in general , the national flood insurance reform act of 1994 requires federally regulated lenders ( all national banks , all federal credit unions , and all mortgage companies that sell to fannie mae / ginnie mae ) to perform a flood hazard determination each time they “ make , extend , renew , or increase ” a loan on a real property that is secured by a structure or mobile home in excess of $ 1 , 000 in value . the purpose of the act is to ensure that lenders determine whether or not any improvements are located in a special flood hazard area ( sfha ). in addition , the lender must track a property during the “ term of the loan ” to ascertain whether there are any changes in the flood zone status of the improvements after the date of any of the foregoing trigger events . if the property &# 39 ; s flood zone status changes to that the borrower is now located in a sfha , the foregoing lenders must require the owner to purchase flood insurance . if the property owner refuses to do so , then the lender must “ force place ” the flood insurance for the borrower . however , if the subject property is no longer located in a sfha , the lender may not alert the owner that flood insurance is no longer needed . pursuant to this embodiment , the homeowner can take advantage of lowered or eliminated need for flood insurance . while the invention has been described and exemplified with reference to various embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims .
| 6Physics
|
a specific embodiment of the invention is encompassed in a project management system that organizes and streamlines the work within the graphic enterprise . the invention is further illustrated hereinafter by embodiments as implemented in the new version of agfa &# 39 ; s delano ™ software , without limiting the invention thereto . in an old version of delano , version 1 . 1 , the possibilities to define imposition schemes ( also called imposition plans in this document ) were extended by introducing the functions to merge and split production components and to allow editing of the run list . fact remained that the only way to create an imposition layout structure in delano was through the automatic selection of signatures out of an imposition template . now , in the new version of delano , new , powerful functionality has been provided that allows to manually select signatures out of imposition templates . full multi section support within signatures ( within one product and across different products ) has been provided as well . in this document , we first briefly describe how the imposition specification has been implemented in the old versions 1 . 0 and 1 . 1 of delano . then , we explain what the ideas behind the new delano imposition functionality are and subsequently how they are made available in the gui , which involves several embodiments of the present invention . for more information on the used terminology , we refer to the existing delano 1 . 2 , and to the corresponding manuals and documentation , which are incorporated herein by reference . in delano , a product may consist of different parts . a part may be a cover , content , an insert . an insert is printed material , typically one or more advertisements , that is inserted between the content pages . usually , inserts do not affect the pagination of the content ; if e . g . an insert of four pages is located between page seven and page eight of the content , page eight retains its page number and does not get page number twelve . a cover may or may not be present ( a self - cover means that there is no separate cover : the outer pages of the content serve as the cover ). a printed product may contain two or more content parts ; an example of a printed product that contains two content parts is a printed product containing two books , one in french and one in dutch , so that by turning the printed product so that front and back are switched , one obtains the book in the other language . with each part , a list of pages is associated that are visualized in the so - called page status view . in addition to the so - called pdf box information ( art / safety , trim , bleed and media box ), all the pages have a specific position in the reader &# 39 ; s spread view . the list of pages that is associated with a specific part is often referred to as the page list . for each part that is created ( either during the product creation or via a manual part creation ), a creation component and a production component will be made . with each component , a task chain can be associated that specifies how the related resources will be processed . in a preferred embodiment , the creation component will contain only tasks that work on pages ; the creation component created during the part creation , will process exactly the pages that are associated with that part &# 39 ; s page list . during the creation of a part , one production component will be created as well . by default , all the pages of that part &# 39 ; s page list will be used as the input run list of that production component . the production component &# 39 ; s task chain will convert the incoming pages as following : the user can create extra production components if he wishes to do so . during the creation of a production component , the user indicates which page list he will use as input for the production component . this functionality allows the user to use the same page list in different print jobs . this can be useful if specific products are printed in parallel on different presses or if different types of production have to be prepared . in delano 1 . 0 , there are 2 ways to define an imposition scheme , one based on pjtf files and one based on preps templates . in order to manufacture a product part , different steps have to be taken , as follows . first , the production component is identified . by default , delano creates one production component per product part . delano associates the entire list of pages in the part ( page list ) with the production component . it is , however , also possible to define new production components . during the manual creation of a production component , the user specifies the product part this component will manufacture . a first way to define an imposition scheme , based on preps imposition templates , is as follows . when editing the production component , the user can browse in delano through a list of preps files . when a preps file has been selected ( and the component is saved ), delano will start to calculate an imposition layout scheme by using an automatic selection of signatures out of the template . to this end , delano uses the apogee x imposition service which has very similar behavior as the preps server . the result is a list of signatures that each consume a part of the page list . as a result , delano will visualize the list of signatures ; the user can also have a graphic view of the signatures . a second way to define an imposition scheme , using pjtf files , is as follows . pjtf files are cip3 - based files that contain calculated imposition jobs ; as such , they consist of detailed information that describes the different signatures and how pages are positioned on those signatures . when selecting a pjtf file and saving the component , delano will create the signatures as defined in the pjtf file . the signatures can also be viewed graphically . in delano 1 . 0 , the production components only contain pages of one part ( page list ). sometimes , however , users want to combine pages of different parts within one product on one printing sheet . to allow , moreover , the cross product manufacturing of parts ( such as , e . g ., covers ) of different products on one sheet , users even want to put pages of different products on one sheet . a solution that allows this is to make it possible to associate pages that come from different parts ( within one product or across different products ) with one production component . when merging one component with another , the first component &# 39 ; s run list will be extended with the pages of the second run list . the second component will be removed . in one embodiment , the user can manually edit the run list , in order to make sure that the pages end up on the correct position on the imposition layout . from delano 1 . 1 on , it is possible to define ( multi section ) cross - product components that combine the manufacturing of different product parts in one component . as described before , it sometimes is necessary to manually edit the run list to make sure that the pages end correctly on the imposition layout ; until version 1 . 2 , delano did not represent the sections in the templates and therefore the user manually had to define the run list . in the new version of delano , the sections ( and the signatures they belong to ) are represented . let us first consider the simple case in which an ordinary production component ( which relates to 1 part only ) needs to be defined . ( these single - part production components are the components that are created by default during the product creation . if necessary , it always is possible to create new production components that have a part &# 39 ; s run list .) before the production component can be started , the user specifies how the specific part should be produced . this basically is equivalent with specifying what sections have to be produced and how they will be combined together . this can be done in delano by creating a number of signatures each containing 1 or more sections . when adding a signature in delano , the user will have the following possibilities : to select a template and consume the entire run list using the auto - select functionality ( see also the discussion above of using preps imposition templates ); to select a pjtf file and import the signatures that have been defined in this pjtf file ( see also the discussion above of using pjtf files ); or create signatures one by one through selection out of a list of available imposition templates . when a user hits the ‘ add signature ’ button on the screen , a popup will appear in which the user first indicates which of the 3 cases he prefers . if he chooses for the manual selection of signatures , the system will display a list of available templates per binding style . first , the binding style is selected . supported binding styles are : flat work ; perfect bound ; saddle stitched ; come and go ; cut and stack . then , the user can select a template out of the list of available templates . after the selection , all the signatures that are defined in this template will be shown on the screen . the user then selects a specific signature out of the template and enters further details . by clicking on the ‘ set to maximum ’ button on the screen , the system will calculate how many signatures of the selected type can still be used for the remaining pages . in a preferred embodiment , the system also displays how many pages are still remaining . by clicking on the ok button , the system will now create the specified number of signatures and will consume a number of remaining pages in this process . then , a screen is displayed that is similar to the one shown in fig1 , but that is somewhat simpler . the screen shows two tables or lists : a signature list : this is the list of created signatures ( corresponding to table 200 in the embodiment discussed hereinafter and shown in the screenshot of fig1 ); a sections list : this is the list of sections in the above signatures ( corresponding to table 100 in the embodiment of fig1 ). preferably , the system also indicates what pages of the original part belong to that specific signature . if a single section signature has been chosen , there will be a 1 to 1 correspondence between signatures and sections . fig1 would therefore look as follows for such a single signature case : in table 100 , the columns “ section ” and “ signature ” would both contain sequential numbers 1 , 2 , 3 , etc ., and the contents of column “ index ” ( of which the meaning is discussed in the next case , below ) would be the same for all rows of the table 100 ( e . g . all fields equal to “ 1 ”, or empty fields , or the column “ index ” may even be omitted in such a case ). sometimes , it can be useful to use multiple section signatures when manufacturing a single product part . a typical example would be a publication in which a number of sections are in black / white and two non - consecutive sections are in process color . for cost optimization , it may be advisory to print the two color sections together on one sheet ( if possible ). if the sections are not next to each other , however , a multiple section signature would be needed . a typical example is a 32 page saddle stitched brochure consisting of 4 sections wherein the most outer and the most inner section are in color , the other ones in black - and - white . i . e . each of the four sections contains eight pages , printed recto - verso ; the color pages are marked with an asterisk (*). remark : in this notation , the horizontal axis models insertion , and the vertical axis models stacking ; thus , a perfect bound book , having a cover of 4 pages and containing two sections of 96 pages and one section of 64 pages , is represented as follows : the 32 page saddle stitched brochure of the example could be realized in delano by selecting the appropriate saddle stitched template and selecting a 2 - section signature of 8 + 8 pages ( i . e . 8 pages recto and 8 pages verso ). in one embodiment , this results in the signature / section layout shown in fig1 . in fig1 , table 200 is a list of created signatures and table 100 is the list of sections in these signatures . table 100 is shown more clearly in fig3 . in fig3 , table 100 contains for each section a list of items 150 , 151 ( forming a row of the table in fig3 ). this list of items includes : in the column headed “ section ”, a numbering field for the section ; in column “ signature ”, a signature identifier 120 representing the signature to which the section is assigned ; in column “ index ”, a signature portion index 130 ( discussed immediately below ); and in column “ pages ”, a field identifying the section — i . e . a section identifier 110 — which includes in the shown embodiment the pages of the concerned section . fig5 shows what is meant by a signature portion index 130 : signature 1 contains two different signature portions , labeled “ 1 - 1 ” respectively “ 1 - 2 ”, wherein the first number is the signature identifier 120 and the second number is the signature portion index 130 . analogously , signature 2 also contains two signature portions , labeled “ 2 - 1 ” and “ 2 - 2 ”. the case shown in fig3 corresponds to the signature layout of fig5 wherein four pages recto and four pages verso are allocated to a signature portion . thus , each signature is for 8 + 8 pages , and together the two signatures suffice for the 32 page saddle stitched brochure . returning now to fig3 , note that the system tries to fill the first signature ( with signature identifier 120 equal to “ 1 ”) with pages 1 - 4 and 29 - 32 , and with pages 5 - 8 and 25 - 28 . in our example , however , we want to print section 1 ( pages 1 - 4 and 29 - 32 ) and section 4 ( pages 13 - 20 ) together in one signature ( because this is a color signature ). this can easily be realized by moving down the second signature portion of signature 1 ( that is signature 1 , index 2 ), corresponding to signature portion index 131 in fig3 . this can be done in the delano gui by selecting section 151 and clicking on the blue down arrow ( shown in fig1 ). the result is , as shown in fig4 and on the corresponding screenshot 2 , that this signature portion 131 ( now at position 4 , but still labeled signature 1 , index 2 ) will contain the inner pages 13 - 20 of the magazine ; consequently , these pages ( that is the inner pages ) will be printed in color . sometimes , it is required to manufacture different parts together in one production component . a typical example of this practice is the printing of covers of different products on one sheet ; we will designate the products as product a , product b , product c and product d . first , one creates a multi part production component . this can be realized quickly by merging one or more single part production components together . the result is a production component which has different ‘ source parts ’ assigned to it . when adding signatures , the user has to assign each section in the signature to a specific source part . in the same notation as used in fig3 ( omitting the template column , however ), the section list for this case is as shown in table 1 : a first example is printing 4 different books together wherein each signature consists of a section of each of the 4 books ; the parts are called again a , b , c and d , and the section list is shown in table 2 : variation : as a variation on this theme , one might consider , for instance , a french and an english publication , where the required quantity of the english publications is three times the quantity of the french publications . one might consider printing the publication ( if possible ) on a 4 - section signature wherein the three first signature portions are taken by a section of the english publication while the fourth signature portion is taken by the associated section of the french publication . in order to realize this , we first have to create a component to which three instances of the english part and one instance of the french part have to be assigned . this can be realized by merging the english part production component once with itself and merging it then again with a newly created english part production component . then , this component will contain three instances of the english part run list and therefore it still has to be merged with the french part component . example : in this example , 75000 copies of an english publication ( 24 pages content ) and 25000 copies of a french publication ( 24 pages ) are generated by repeating the english publication three times on each flat and taking the french publication only once . the 24 pages are realized with 3 signatures : one 4 × 8 up signature and twice a 4 × 2 up signature . the sections are combined using saddle stitching . the default delano behavior will create one production component per part . the production planner software module decides which production components will be manufactured together . if two or more production components have to be realized by one job , they are merged . the result of this merger is a production component that has several part run lists attached to it . it is also possible to have multiple instances of the same part associated with a specific production component . in the next phase , the user has to define the signatures and sections . this can be done in 2 ways : 1 ) by selecting one template and using the auto select mechanism to define the signatures . in this case , the run list as defined during the merger process will be fed to the preps server to calculate where which page will go ( this is the delano 1 . 1 behavior ). the problem of this behavior is that the user has to have an in - depth knowledge of the automatic signature selection ( and binding style ) to make sure that the pages end up at the right positions . 2 ) by manually selecting the signatures / sections . please not that in this case the original run list ( as generated by the merger actions ) will not be used ( except for the identification of the different parts that make up this run list ). assume we have created a production component that exists of n parts ; each part ( p n ) has a number of pages ( run lists ) assigned to it ( 1 . . . p i ). the user now has to consume each of these run lists ; with consuming we mean that all the pages of these run lists are assigned to sections in the manually selected signatures . if a signature has been selected , the user indicates for each section which part &# 39 ; s run list (“ source part ”) will be used . based on the binding style , the system will then calculate for each section in the signature the pages that will be taken . if the binding style is saddle stitched , half of the pages in the beginning and half of the last remaining pages will be taken , otherwise the pages are taken from the beginning . this process is repeated until all pages of all source parts have been consumed exactly . at that point , the server will start calculating the exact imposition layout . as a consequence , the flat preview will become available in delano . in the gui , two tables are displayed : the table of signatures , and the list of sections in these signatures . the order in which the sections appear in the gui corresponds to how they consume the run list within their source part . the user can move these sections up and down ; the result is that the pages will end up on other signatures ( flats ). this can be useful to group all pages that require a specific processing ( black / white , process color , hifi , gloss , special paper etc .). example 1 : two 16 - page brochures to be printed together , using perfect bound signatures with two sections , each containing 8 pages . assuming the parts associated with the two products are called part 1 and part 2 , this gives the following sections : example 2 : two 16 - page brochures to be printed together , using a saddle - stitch signature with two sections , each containing eight pages . assuming the parts associated with the two products are called part 1 and part 2 , this gives the following sections : the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinbefore . to give a very simple example , instead of using a table 100 wherein each row corresponds to a section 150 , a column in a table could correspond to a section . those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments disclosed above without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appending claims .
| 6Physics
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as one skilled in the art of firefighting knows , flashover is the most dangerous time of a fire . when the contents of a burning room burst into flame simultaneously , flashover has occurred . flashover is caused by the radiation feedback of heat . heat from the growing fire is absorbed into the upper walls and contents of the room , heating up the combustible gases and furnishings to their auto - ignition temperature . this buildup of heat in the room triggers flashover , which signals : ( a ) the end of an effective search and rescue in a room ; ( b ) the imminent death of any person , civilian or firefighter , trapped in the blazing room ; ( c ) the end of being able to use a portable fire extinguisher , instead requiring an fire hose attached to a source of pressurized water ; ( d ) the end of the fire &# 39 ; s growth stage and that the fire is in the second stage of combustion — the fully developed stage ; and finally , ( e ) the change from a contents fire to a structure fire . flashover is not consistently time - dependent . some flashovers can occur within three minutes from ignition ; others may take considerably longer . flashover times are more dependent on the size of the compartment , the fuel load within the compartment , and the construction of the compartment . again , these variables cannot be seen from outside the structure , so the interior firefighters and officers have to be constantly aware of them . flashover signals the beginning of the structural collapse danger . when operating at a fire , firefighters want to delay flashover inside a burning room . delaying flashover can provide several extra minutes which may be critical . for example , you may want to delay flashover to make a search and rescue of the burning room or to allow a firefighter to go to a room above or next - to the fire to rescue a trapped victim . or , you may want to delay flashover to gain several minutes when there is a delay in the placement of the first fire hose . the first tactic that can delay a flashover is to ventilate the compartment . this allows heat and heated gases to escape from the compartment , replacing them with cooler air at a rate faster than the heat and gases replenished by the combustion taking place . ventilation serves to delay flashover when done quickly and effectively . the second tactic that can delay a flashover is to close off the compartment . by closing a door in the room that is experiencing pre - flashover conditions , air cannot enter as readily . this can decrease the rate of burning in the room , delaying the flashover . by closing a door , you are also taking the imminent flashover out of the surrounding area so that other nearby rooms can be searched in a safer manner for a longer time . the final way that a flashover can be delayed is by cooling the atmosphere with water , high in the compartment . this would have to be done with a fire hose or water - based fire extinguisher . by aiming the stream of water into the high heat layer , the gases are cooled . this reduction in temperature slows the process of flashover within the compartment . this technique has the disadvantage of causing an increase in steam buildup that can hinder vision within the burning compartment . the indications of a potential flashover may include a growth stage fire that produces thick and dark smoke , high heat buildup , and rollover . a growth stage fire must exist , even though it may be partially or completely obscured by walls , furniture , and thick smoke . this is the only way the heat needed to flashover can be produced within a compartment . thick and dark smoke indicates the fuels that are present are giving off vapors that can burn when exposed to high heat . the heat is intense and can build up quickly . heat : when heat mixes with smoke , it forces a firefighter to crouch down on hands and knees to enter a room to perform search and rescue . this must be considered a warning sign that flashover may occur , as heat is the triggering variable for flashover . if the heat in the smoke filled room causes firefighters to crouch down near the floor , flashover may be imminent . rollover : rollover is the ignition of the accumulated gases that have collected at ceiling level . this may start off as a sporadic burst of orange flames and build up in frequency and intensity to a “ sea ” of orange flames overhead . again , this may be partially obstructed by the smoke , but it can usually be seen by those who look for it . the intense rollover condition , characterized by the sea of orange overhead , is usually considered a late sign of an impending flashover . protective equipment : with all of the advancements in today &# 39 ; s firefighter &# 39 ; s personal protective equipment , it is still not designed to withstand flashover conditions for longer than just a few seconds . a few seconds may save a firefighter &# 39 ; s life if he or she takes fast and appropriate action , but the gear will fail quickly when exposed to the temperatures commonly found in flashover conditions , between 1 , 000 ° f . and 1 , 500 ° f . taking a proactive approach : rather than send firefighting personnel into a burning structure to assess whether flashover is imminent , the instant invention allows the conditioning of the environment in the compartment being entered to reduce the chances of flashover by removing built - up heat and smoke prior to entry , as well as allowing the dousing of the flames with water when appropriate . an additional benefit of removing smoke buildup is increased visibility , allowing a more accurate assessment of the situation therein , further increasing the safety factor . additionally , the grantham mechanical ventilator requires neither that a firefighter enter the burning building to put it in position nor remain in the building to operate it , thereby further decreasing the risk to firefighters . using the grantham mechanical ventilator : the officer of the first arriving fire engine , after confirming that all humans are out of the burning structure by a complete evaluation of the scene , determines the point of origin of the fire and to help reduce dangers to his or her crew , orders that the grantham mechanical ventilator be used in the compartment that is the point of origin of the fire . the tool is then secured to the top of a ladder with the fire hose connected to the device &# 39 ; s water input and positioned through the opening into the burning structure so that the sprayer circuit input is outside the structure and fog sprayer output nozzle is inside the structure pointing outward . if the attic compartment is the only area needing emergency ventilation , then an opening large enough to allow fog pattern effectiveness must be made before inserting the mechanical ventilator . a firefighter then ( 1 ) climbs the ladder and clears away the remaining glass and debris from the window frame , ( 2 ) signals to the pump operator to turn on the water , ( 3 ) activates the tool &# 39 ; s sprinkler for five to 10 seconds if appropriate , then ( 4 ) adjusts the water flow outward from the ventilating fog nozzle to optimize it for the size of the window opening through which it is inserted . once configured , the device requires no further attention . note that a preferred embodiment of the instant invention can apply water spray to suppress a fire , but the tool may also be configured to apply foam or other fire suppression materials as well . how it works : in essence , the cool water fog stream pulls the heat and smoke from the burning compartment in a manner akin the way one racing car “ drafts ” another , with the front car creating a partial vacuum which in effect pulls the following car along . in this case , the fog stream is analogous to the lead car and the hot air / smoke mixture is the following car . in addition , the fog , being much cooler than the heated air in the compartment and in a high state of division as tiny droplets , presents a highly effective heat sink into which the heat flows due to basic thermodynamic principals . in the grantham mechanical ventilator , the distance from the outlet of the fog nozzle to the opening in the side of the burning building can vary . in a preferred embodiment , the distance is three feet . protecting adjacent exposures from flashover : the grantham mechanical ventilator , by suppressing flashover , protects adjacent exposures ( combustible materials ) located near the burning building by suppressing the ejectment of flames and radiant heat from the burning structure that typically occurs during flashover . additionally , the fog serves to douse any incipient combustion by cooling and dampening any nearby adjacent exposures . in another preferred embodiment , the grantham mechanical ventilator will possess a forcible - entry mechanism . fig1 : top right - rear view of internal structure and ladder mounting mechanism . fig2 : top view of internal structure and ladder mounting mechanism . fig3 : right side view of internal structure and ladder mounting mechanism . fig4 : bottom view of internal structure and ladder mounting mechanism . fig5 : left side view of internal structure and ladder mounting mechanism . fig6 : rear view of internal structure and ladder mount mechanism . fig7 : front view of internal structure and ladder mount mechanism . fig9 : graphic depiction of grantham mechanical ventilator in use . fig9 — graphic depiction of grantham mechanical ventilator in use . this figure illustrates the invention mounted at the top of a ladder in a window fig1 — complete body work viewed from above - right rear of device . this figure illustrates the appearance of the unit with head body cover , rescue
| 0Human Necessities
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the following refers to the attached drawings , in which similar parts have the same reference numbers in all figures to describe a preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention , applied , as an illustration , to the space technology field . hence , in fig1 the upper part of a first structure 1 is diagrammatically shown for example , a launching vehicle , and the lower part of a second structure 2 , for example , a payload consisting of a satellite or container , whose coupling mouths 1 a , 2 a , provided with flanges 4 , 4 , are connected with the interposition of an intermediate structure 3 , provided with flanges 5 , 5 at both ends . in this specific case , it will be considered that both structures 1 and 2 to be coupled are bodies of rotation , on being the more usual case , although the experts in the art will easily understand that the invention is applicable to structures with any other cross section configuration . the interlocking of said structures 1 , 2 and 3 , in order to form an assembly with the necessary mechanical features , may be achieved , for example , by arranging tightening bands 6 around said flanges or adapting rings 4 , 5 ( see fig2 ) like , for example , in spanish patent applications 9501994 and 9702028 , in the applicant &# 39 ; s name , whose description is incorporated herein by reference . said metallic tightening bands 6 apply a preload , providing the necessary joint stresses . however , any other type of coupling already known in the art may be used with this purpose . below , a coupling system comprised by three generally cylindrical structures and two tightening bands will be considered in order to facilitate the description . inside , at least one first plurality of joint components 7 which modify the rigidity are provided , joined at their ends respectively to the inner face of the first structure 1 and to the inner face of the coupling section forming the intermediate structure 3 . moreover , between the mentioned inner face of the intermediate structure 3 and the inner face of said second structure 2 , a second plurality of joint components 7 may be provided . the number in which said components 7 are provided , both in said first and in said second plurality thereof , as well as their mechanical features will be dictated by the specific application in each case . also arranged inside each coupling , there may also be a plurality of rigidity modifying joint components 8 connected at their ends , respectively , to the inner face of structures 1 and 2 , clearing the mentioned intermediate structure 3 . both the number and mechanical features of these components 8 will likewise depend on each specific application . said rigidity modifying components 7 and 8 provide bistable components , which benefit from the critical or euler load concept . each one of these bistable components is based on the behavior of a strap which may adopt two states : a first unstable state in which bending had been imposed until surpassing the critical load ( condition represented in fig2 ) and a second , stable or rest state , in which said load had not been exceeded and in which said component recovers its original length . likewise , the mentioned components 7 and 8 contribute the properties required by the system according to the invention , meeting rigidity functions , activation to separate interlocking structures , dynamic dampening , thermal insulation and capacity to change coupling geometry . below , reference will be made to fig3 a - c and 5 a - c , to explain the operation of a first embodiment of the coupling system according to the invention . fig3 a shows diagrammatically the starting condition in which both structures 1 and 2 are rigidly connected by means of the third structure 3 by the coupling of the two rings 6 with the flange pairs 4 , 5 . in said figure , according to a first embodiment of the invention , the rigidity modifying components 7 and 8 are shown , idealized as bistable linear assemblies , in their first condition of instability , indicating with the number 9 the fastening positions of said components 7 and 8 to the inner faces of the structures 1 and 2 and with 10 the fastening position of a component 7 to the inner face of said intermediate structure 3 . ideal joint positions for said components 7 and 8 are indicated with number 11 . this first condition is also shown in fig5 a , where a thick arrow c shows the direct route along which the loads induced in one of the coupling structures are transmitted to the structure located on the other side of the former . this initial configuration is valid , for example , to support induced loads , providing the referred structural characteristics . now , directing our attention to fig3 b and 5b , the condition adopted by the coupled structures and that of coupling on the breakage of one of the tightening bands 6 is shown , for example , that maintaining the first structure 1 and the intermediate structure 3 coupled . the lower band 6 has been separated from said flanges 4 , 5 in a way known in the art and not described in detail in this specification , permitting that the action of the bistable components 7 , on recovering their rest condition , separate said flanges 4 and 5 . in fig5 b , the route then followed by a load to be transmitted among the coupled structures may be seen ( thick arrow c ). in this way , the structural properties are determined in this phase by the new load transmission route which , in turn , is defined by new structural joints , predetermined according to the application . usually , the sizing and number of components 7 which then comprise the interconnections of greater rigidity between structure 1 and the set of structures 3 and 2 are selected to obtain lower structural features ( lower rigidity ) than those of reference previously defined . finally , reference will be made to fig3 c and 5c of the drawings . in them , the condition the structures coupled by means of the system according to the invention would adopt and the new load transmission route are shown , respectively , if after separation from the structures 1 and 3 , it were necessary to recover structural features of a greater magnitude . this would be achieved provoking the separation of the second band 6 , so that the bistable components 8 would have to recover their rest condition , actuating the structures 3 and 2 to separate them . then , the bistable components 8 , with greater structural features ( greater rigidity ) than components 7 , would be the components which would satisfy , as from then , the function of final coupling between the structures 1 and 2 . in said fig5 c , the interconnection relation in which structures 1 , 2 , 3 would remain may be verified , as well as the new transmission route ( thick arrow c ) of loads between the structures 1 and 2 . on the other hand , in fig4 a - c , 5 a , 5 b and 5 d , the operation of a second preferred embodiment of the invention may be considered , in accordance with which the largest straps 8 are obviated , replacing them by a second set of straps 7 ′ having a joint 11 ′. in this case , the correspondence between fig4 a and 5a , 4 b and 5 b and 4 c and 5 d show the different stress transmission routes thick arrow c in fig5 a , 5 b and 5 d between the coupled structures , depending , as before , on the order of release of the tensing rings being the same as that described for the first embodiment of the invention . the preferred application of the invention is as an attenuation system for shocks induced by the pyrotechnical separation of the stages of a launching vehicle adapted to place a satellite in orbit , consisting of three cylinders ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) ( as the first , second and intermediate stuctures ) joined by means of two tightening bands ( 6 ), a first assembly of bistable rigidity modifying components ( 7 ), for example in a number of three , joining the intermediate and lower cylinders ( 3 , 1 ) and a second set of bistable rigidity modifying components ( 8 ), joining lower and upper cylinders ( 1 , 2 ) which would operate as follows . during launching and flight , until the moment of a first stage having to detach itself from the launching vehicle , the six rigidity modifying components ( 7 , 8 ) remain in an unstable condition , all the structures being directly connected by the tightening bands ( 6 ) and the assembly maintaining the reference structural features . on receiving the pertinent order , the lower band 6 detaches , which then leaves the flanges of connected structures ( 1 , 3 ) free ; in that moment , the bistable components assembly ( 7 ) changes to a stable rest position , hence provoking a first change of the structural features , which become less than those of reference ( less rigidity ). in this condition of less coupling rigidity between launcher and payload , the effects over the latter of the shock generated by the pyrotechnical separation of a launching stage are reduced to a minimum . once said separation is produced , it may be necessary to recover , at least partially , some structural features ( rigidity ) nearer to those of reference , for which and on transmitting the pertinent order , the separation of the second upper band ( 6 ) is produced , releasing the flanges ( 5 , 4 ) of the intermediate and upper structures ( 3 , 2 ). when this occurs , the bistable components ( 8 ) adopt their stable rest position , hence recovering part of the rigidity lost in the previous operation . finally and referring to fig6 a to 6 e , several applications of the system according to the invention are illustrated , where 6 a shows its use as an attenuating structure filtering an applied shock according to the arrows ch ; fig6 b shows its application as a filter structure with a variable rigidity and attenuation , whilst fig6 c is a scheme of use of the system according to the invention as a structure with variable geometry , permitting the modification , for example by an angle θ , of the aiming of one of the coupled structures and in fig6 e , the specific arrangement of the joint components 7 , 8 , permits the passage of loads to be channeled between both structures . regarding the remaining fig6 d , an embodiment variation of the system according to the invention is shown , where the intermediate structure 3 has been replaced by a bellow like structure , fulfilling the mission , entrusted , at least to one of the pluralities of joint components 7 to provide a continuous or discontinuous coupling between both coupled structures . as may be verified , the invention provides a system that permits the attainment of an active or “ intelligent ” interconnection gathering all the functional capacities of the prior art systems , while its practical execution is simpler and may be included in any type of coupling .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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a java application stack includes a java layer 5 for running any one of multiple different applications . in one example , the applications are related to different vehicle operations such as infrared ( ir ) and radar sensor control and monitoring , vehicle brake control , vehicle audio and video control , environmental control , driver assistance control , etc . a java virtual machine ( jvm ) layer 16 provides the hardware independent platform for running the java applications 5 . a jini layer 12 provides some limited security for the java applications that run on different machines . however , the jini layer 12 does not provide the necessary reconfiguration and security management necessary for a distributed real - time multiprocessor system . a secure real - time executive ( sre ) 14 provides an extension to the jvm 16 and allows java to run on different processors for real - time applications . the sre 20 manages messaging , security , critical data , file i / o multiprocessor task control and watchdog tasks in the java environment as described below . the jvm 16 , jini 12 and sre 14 can all be implemented in the same jvm 10 , however , for explanation purposes , the jvm 10 and the sre 14 will be shown as separate elements . fig2 shows a system 15 that includes multiple processors 16 , 18 , 20 , 22 and 24 . each processor includes one or more jvms 10 that run different java applications . for example , processor 16 includes one java application 28 that controls a vehicle security system and another java application 26 that controls the vehicles antilock brakes . a processor 18 includes a sava application 30 that controls audio sources in the vehicle , other processors 20 and 22 may run different threads 32 a and 32 b for the same sensor fusion java application 32 that monitors different ir sensors . another thread 32 c on processor 24 monitors a radar sensor for the sensor fusion java application 32 . the sre 14 runs below the jvms 10 in each processor and control tasks , messaging , security , etc . for example , the java application 26 controls vehicle braking according to the sensor data collected by the sensor fusion java application 32 . the sre 14 in one example prevents unauthorized data from being loaded into the processor 16 that runs brake control application 26 . the sre 14 also prevents other java applications that are allowed to be loaded into processor 16 from disrupting critical braking operations , or taking priority over the braking operations , performed by java application 26 , for example , the sre 14 may prevent noncritical vehicle applications , such as audio control , from being loaded onto processor 16 . in another example , noncritical operations , such as security control application 28 , are allowed to be loaded onto processor 16 . however , the sre 14 assigns the security messages low priority values that will only be processed when there are no braking tasks in application 26 that require processing by processor 16 . the sre 14 allows any variety of real - time , mission critical , nonreal - time and nonmission critical java applications to be loaded onto the multiprocessor system 15 , the sre 14 then automatically manages the different types of applications and messages to ensure that the critical vehicle applications are not corrupted and processed with the necessary priority . the sre 14 is secure software that cannot be manipulated by other java applications . the sre 14 provides priority preemption on a message scale across the entire system 15 and priority preemption on a task scale across the entire system 15 , so the sre 14 controls how the jvms 10 talk to each other and controls how the jvms 10 are started or initiated to perform tasks . the sre 14 allows programmers to write applications using java in a safe and secure real time environment , thus , viruses can be prevented by sre 14 from infiltrating the system 15 . while the explanation uses java as one example of a programming environment where sre 14 can be implemented , it should be understood that the sre 14 can be integrated into any variety of different programming environments that may run in the same or different systems 15 . for example , sre 14 can be integrated into an application programmers interface ( api ) for use with any programming language such as c ++. fig3 shows the different functions that are performed by the sre 20 . any combination of the functions described below can be provided in the sre 20 . a message manager 50 controls the order messages are received and transmitted by the different java applications . a security manager 52 controls what data and messages are allowed to be received or transmitted by different java applications . a critical data manager 54 controls what data is archived by the different java applications . a data manager 56 controls what data is allowed to be transferred between different processors . a task manager 58 controls the order tasks are performed by the different jvms . a reconfiguration manager 60 monitors the operation of the different processors in the system and reassigns or reconfigures java applications and java threads to different processors according to what processors have failed or what new processors and applications have been configured into system 15 . the message manager 50 partially corresponds to the priority manager 44 shown in fig2 of u . s . pat . no . 6 , 629 , 033 , issued sep . 30 , 2003 , the critical data manager 52 partially corresponds with the logging manager 44 shown in fig2 of the &# 39 ; 033 patent , and the security manager 54 at least partially corresponds with the security manager 40 shown in the &# 39 ; 033 patent . the data manager 56 at least partially corresponds with the date manager 42 shown in fig2 of u . s . pat . no . 7 , 146 , 260 issued dec . 5 , 2006 , the task manager 58 partially corresponds to the device manager 46 shown in fig2 of the &# 39 ; 260 patent , and the configuration manager 60 at least partially corresponds to the configuration manager 44 shown in fig2 of the &# 39 ; 260 patent . the descriptions of how the different manager 50 - 60 operate similarly to the corresponding manager in the &# 39 ; 033 and &# 39 ; 260 patents are herein incorporated by reference and are therefore not described in further detail . however , some specific tasks performed by the managers 50 - 60 are described below in further detail . fig4 shows in more detail how the sre 14 operates , one of the operations performed by the task manager 58 is to control when different tasks are initiated on different processors . for example , a first global positioning system ( gps ) thread 62 is running on a jvm in a processor 80 . another sensor fusion thread 64 is running on a different processor 82 . block 74 represents the java virtual machine operating in each of processors 80 and 82 . a master jvm 74 may run on either processor 80 , processor 82 or on some other processor . the task manager 58 sends an initiation command 66 to the gps thread 62 to obtain location data . the task manager 58 then directs the obtained gps data 68 through a link to the sensor fusion thread 64 for subsequent processing of gps data 68 . the link may be any bus , such as a pci bus , serial link such as a universal serial bus , a wireless link such as blue tooth or ieee 802 . 11 , or a network link such as ethernet , etc . the configuration manager 60 acts as a watchdog to make sure that the gps thread 62 and the sensor fusion thread 64 are each running correctly . in one example , separate configuration managers 60 in each processor 80 and 82 sends out periodic signals to the other configuration managers 60 in the other processors , any one of the configuration managers 60 can detect a processor or application failure by not receiving the periodic “ ok ” signals from any one of the other processors for some period of time , if a failure is detected , then a particular master configuration manager 60 in one of the processors determines where the task in the failed processor is going to be reloaded . if the master configuration manager 60 dies , then some conventional priority scheme , such as round robin , is used to select another configuration master . if a failure is detected , say in the processor 82 that is currently performing the sensor fusion thread 64 , a message is sent from the configuration manager 60 notifying the task manager 58 which processor is reassigned the sensor fusion thread . in this example , another sensor fusion thread 76 in processor 84 is configured by the configuration manager 60 . the critical data manager 52 manages the retention of any critical data 72 that was previously generated by the sensor fusion thread 64 . for example , the critical data manager 54 automatically stores certain data and state information that was currently being used in the sensor fusion thread 64 . the critical data may include gps readings for the last 10 minutes , sensor data obtained from sensors in other processors in the vehicle over the last 10 minutes . the critical data may also include any processed data generated by the sensor fusion thread 64 that identifies any critical vehicle conditions . the critical data manager 52 also determines which data to archive generally for vehicle maintenance and accident reconstruction purposes . the configuration manager 60 directs the critical data 72 to the new sensor fusion thread 76 . the task manager 74 then redirects any new gps data obtained by the gps thread 78 to the new sensor fusion thread 76 and controls sensor fusion tasks from application 76 . thus , the configuration manager 60 and the task manager 58 dynamically control how different java threads are initialized , distributed and activated on different processors . the message manager 50 determines the priority of sent and received messages . if the data transmitted and received by the sensor fusion thread 76 is higher priority than other data transmitted and received on the processor 84 , then the sensor fusion data will be given priority over the other data . the task manager 58 controls the priority that the sensor fusion thread 76 is giving by processor 84 . if the sensor fusion thread 76 has higher priority than , for example , an audio application that is also being run by processor 84 , then the sensor fusion thread 76 will be performed before the audio application , the sre 14 can be implemented in any system that needs to be operated in a secure environment . for example , network servers or multiprocessors operating in a home environment . the multiprocessors in home appliances , such as washer and dryers , home computers , home security systems , home heating systems , can be networked together and operate java applications . the sre 14 prevents these multiple processors and the software that controls these processors from being corrupted by unauthorized software and also allows the applications on these different processors to operate as one integrated system , the sre 14 is a controlled trusted computing based that is not accessible by non - authorized application programmers and anyone in the general public . therefore , the sre 14 prevents hacking or unauthorized control and access to the processors in the vehicle . debugging is a problem with multiprocessor systems . the task manager 58 allows the java applications to be run in a lock - step mode to more effectively identify problems in the multiprocessor system 15 . fig5 shows a path 90 taken by a vehicle 92 . in one application , the position of the vehicle 92 is sampled every second t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 , etc . the position of the vehicle 92 is sampled by a gps receiver in vehicle 92 that reads a longitudinal and latitudinal position from a gps satellite . the ups receiver is controlled by the gps thread 62 that receives the gps data and then sends the gps data to a sensor fusion thread 64 that may run on the same or a different processor in the vehicle 92 . the sensor fusion thread 64 can perform any one of many different tasks based on the gps data . for example , the sensor fusion thread 64 may update a map that is currently being displayed to the driver of vehicle 92 or generate a warning signal to the vehicle driver . for each sample period t n , the task manager 58 sends a request 94 to the gps thread 62 to obtain cps data . the task manager 58 uses a clock 96 as a reference for identifying each one second sample period . each time a second passes according to clock 96 , the task manager 58 sends out the request 94 that wakes up the gps thread 62 to go read . the gps data from the gps satellite . once the gps data has been received , the gps thread 62 passes the gps data 96 to the sensor fusion thread 64 . the gps thread 62 then goes back into an idle mode until it receives another activation command from the task manager 58 . the task manager 58 can control when the cps thread 62 is woken up . instead of the gps thread 62 being free running , the gps thread 62 is operating according to a perceived time controlled by the task manager 58 . the task manager 58 may send the activation request 94 to the gps thread 62 once every second during normal sensor fusion operation . when the system is in a debug mode , however , the task manager 58 may only send one activation command 94 . this allows the other operations performed by the system 89 to be monitored and determine how the single sampling of gps data 96 propagates through system 89 . the task manager 58 may also delay or disable task initiation to other threads , so that the processing of the gps data 96 can be isolated . the task manager 58 can isolate any state in the overall system 89 , such as the state of system 89 after a first gps reading by gps thread 62 or the state of system 89 after the thirty second gps reading by gps thread 62 by controlling when and how often activation commands 94 are sent to gps thread 62 . in a similar manner , the task manager 58 can control when other tasks are performed by the system 89 , such as when the sensor fusion thread 64 is activated . thus , the task manager 58 controls when java applications are activated effectively running the overall system 89 in a lock - step mode . the task manager 58 can control the initiation of multiple tasks at the same time . this allows the task manager to control what parameters and operations are performed and used by the different java threads so that different states in the multiprocessor system 89 can be detected and monitored more effectively . one application for the task controlled applications is for accident reconstruction . the critical data manager 52 ( fig3 ) may save different vehicle parameters from a vehicle that has been in an accident . for example , sensor data , brake data , speed data , etc . the task manager 58 can feed the saved data into the different java applications in a lock - step mode to determine how each java thread processes the saved data . this can then be used to identify any failures that may have occurred in the system 89 . the system described above can use dedicated processor systems , micro controllers , programmable logic devices , or microprocessors that perform some or all of the communication operations . some of the operations described above may be implemented in software and other operations may be implemented in hardware . for the sake of convenience , the operations are described as various interconnected functional blocks or distinct software modules . this is not necessary , however , and there may be cases where these functional blocks or modules are equivalently aggregated into a single logic device , program or operation with unclear boundaries . in any event , the functional blocks and software modules or described features can be implemented by themselves , or in combination with other operations in either hardware or software . having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof , it should be apparent that the invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles . claim is made to all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims .
| 6Physics
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in the typical four - stroke combustion engine , the four strokes include the intake stroke , the compression stroke , the power stroke , and the exhaust stroke . as shown in fig1 the power strokes of the respective cylinders are arranged in a particular order according to crankshaft position . furthermore , in any engine having more than four cylinders , the power strokes of different cylinders will overlap . one engine cycle is comprised of 720 ° of crankshaft rotation during which each cylinder passes through each of its four strokes . curve 10 in fig1 shows approximate acceleration fluctuation during engine operation . an acceleration peak 11 occurs during the firing interval of cylinder no . 1 and other maximums in the acceleration curve occur approximately corresponding to each other properly firing cylinder . thus , although power strokes overlap , their individual effects are at least partially separable into distinct acceleration fluctuations . when a misfire occurs such that no significant power is created by a cylinder during its firing interval , the crankshaft decelerates as indicated at 12 . the deceleration continues at least during the time that the misfiring cylinder is the only cylinder in its power stroke . the accuracy required to measure angular rotation and time to derive the resolution shown in fig1 is not feasible or desirable in on - board automotive systems . rather , approximately one velocity measurement per firing interval is taken and the difference between successive velocities is calculated to determine one total acceleration measurement per cylinder . such acceleration calculations are plotted in fig2 . curve 13 shows the variation which can be measured in the total acceleration between firing intervals of successive cylinders in the firing order of the combustion engine . unfortunately , the curve shown in fig2 has not proven to be a reliable indicator of misfires . difficulties arise in attempting to separate acceleration fluctuations due to misfires from fluctuations caused by engine transients such as changes in vehicle speed or load . even when transients are artificially removed by requiring engine operation at idle speed , prior art systems have lacked sufficient accuracy or have not properly isolated the effects of one cylinder firing interval from the adjacent firing intervals to allow any accurate detection of misfires . the present invention provides a method for detecting cylinder misfires in a reliable way with extremely low error rates . according to the inventive method , the contribution to engine power of each cylinder is isolated from the effects of engine transients and the neighboring cylinders by subtracting an average acceleration over a series of surrounding cylinder firings from the acceleration calculated for the particular firing interval of interest . this removes the longer term acceleration effects which result from throttle and load variations . the acceleration average is preferably a median average to provide the best transient performance . however , a mean average can be used to reduce the computation required . to maintain uniform sensitivity of misfire detection over all levels of engine speed and load , the acceleration deviation is normalized to a measure of expected torque before being subjected to a threshold for discriminating between misfires and proper firings . expected torque is the amount of indicated torque that would be expected to be produced by a properly firing cylinder and can be calculated from such engine parameters as manifold pressure , throttle opening , air flow , fuel flow , spark advance , egr fraction , or engine velocity . the normalized acceleration deviation is equivalent to the percent of power loss exhibited by one cylinder firing relative to the average torque that is expected based on the engine operation . a histogram of the measured power loss from a running engine is strongly bimodal , with histogram peaks representing full engine power output and no output ( i . e ., misfire ). during some conditions , such as closed throttle decelerations or sudden throttle transients , it is normal for each individual cylinder firing to produce no significant power . therefore , when such conditions are detected , the power loss test is suspended . turning now to fig3 the present invention is shown in greater detail . an engine 15 provides engine position signals 16 at predetermined rotational positions . engine position signals 16 are provided to an acceleration block 17 which also receives clock signals from a clock 18 used to calculate velocity v i and acceleration a i for each firing interval i . for example , where each engine position pulse in engine position signal 16 is in predetermined relation with the beginning of a respective top dead center , then an elapsed time δt i for an i &# 39 ; th firing interval is determined by the passage of time between the i &# 39 ; th position pulse and the i + l position pulse ( usually determined from pulse rising edge to rising edge ). the velocity v i over firing interval i equals the angular rotation between rising edges divided by the time elapsed between their respective passage past a fixed point . acceleration a i for firing interval i equals the immediately following velocity measurement v i + l minus the respective velocity v i divided by elapsed time period δt i . a preferred method for velocity and acceleration measurement is disclosed in copending application ser . no . 572 , 282 , filed on the same date as the present application , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . all of the calculations shown in fig3 are preferably performed in an on - board microcomputer such as an electronic engine control ( eec ) which is connected to various sensors and actuators within the engine . the acceleration measurements a i are provided by acceleration block 17 to an averaging block 20 . the a i measurements are preferably provided continuously or in large groups for processing . a series of acceleration measurements a i - n to a i + n are median averaged in order to determine the gross acceleration of the engine . a difference block 21 receives the a i measurements from acceleration block 17 and the average accelerations a i about each individual acceleration from averaging block 20 . the difference between an individual acceleration and the average acceleration centered on that individual acceleration measurement provides an acceleration deviation d i which is an indication of the power contribution of i &# 39 ; th cylinder with engine transient effects removed . the acceleration deviation d i is provided to a normalization block 22 . a torque calculator 23 is connected to engine 15 for sensing various engine parameters according to any convenient engine model for estimating engine torque based on the sensed engine parameters . the engine model for relating the sensed parameters to indicated torque provided by the engine can be empirically measured by operating a vehicle on a dynamometer , for example . thus , an engine could be operated at various air charges and rpms to create a mapping of these variables to indicated torque as measured by the dynamometer . the map can be stored in a lookup table in the engine microcomputer . during vehicle operation , the air charge and rpm are measured and the torque values from the lookup table are retrieved . the microcomputer can interpolate between values if the measured variables are between the values used during dynamometer measurements . various offsets may also be employed according to other engine parameters as is known in the art . torque calculator 23 is also shown as being connected to acceleration block 17 since engine speed is a likely engine parameter for determining the expected torque to be delivered by engine 15 . expected torque is more slowly varying than engine acceleration measurements and therefore need not be updated at the frequency of every firing interval , although it may be best to do so . the expected torque calculated in block 23 is provided to normalization block 22 and to a discriminator and analyzer 24 . normalization block 22 computes a power loss l i by dividing the negative acceleration deviation - d i by expected torque τ i . power loss l i is provided to discriminator and analyzer 24 which performs two comparisons , in the preferred embodiment . in the first comparison , expected torque τ i is compared to a torque threshold τ th . if the calculated expected torque is at least greater than a torque threshold , then discriminator and analyzer 24 performs a second comparison to separate misfires from normal firings . thus , a digital value m i equals 1 to indicate that a misfire has occurred if power loss l i is greater than a power loss threshold l th and is assigned a value of zero when power loss is less than the power loss threshold . the first comparison of expected torque versus a torque threshold prevents the second test from being performed when no significant power is being produced by engine 15 . torque threshold τ th represents an amount of torque which is very small since even when engine 15 is at idle it is providing sufficient torque to enable a positive test for misfire . the value of expected torque τ i will normally fall below the torque threshold only during closed throttle decelerations . as shown in fig4 the values for power loss l i are very strongly bimodal in that the values corresponding to the misfiring defective cylinder fall solely within one region of the histogram while values corresponding to all normally firing cylinders are contained within a separate area of the histogram . thus , a power loss threshold l th is selected so that it falls between the separate regions in the histogram , e . g ., at 50 % power loss . the power loss threshold can also be adjusted upward or downward if it is desired to be more conservative or more liberal in calling a low power firing a misfire . returning to fig3 misfire data m i is provided to a memory 25 for later recall . the misfire data is also analyzed in discriminator and analyzer 24 in order to energize a display 26 or to provide adaptive control to engine 15 if desired . fig5 plots power loss and velocity during running of an engine operated with misfires deliberately introduced in cylinder no . 1 . the plot of velocity shows a slight drop following the measurement corresponding to cylinder no . 1 . it is clearly very difficult to identify misfiring cylinders based on velocity or just velocity differences ( i . e ., signal - to - noise in the measurement is low ), especially when an engine is operating at high speed or accelerations . in contrast , the power loss plot provides a good separation between those cylinder firings which occur normally and those which correspond to a misfire ( i . e ., there is a high signal - to - noise ratio ). power loss calculation as a basis for detecting misfires is highly advantageous over similar attempts using acceleration calculation . fig6 a shows a plot of crankshaft acceleration during an engine transient . the baseline and the relative magnitude of the acceleration vary widely throughout the transient making it impossible to distinguish firing and misfiring cylinders by merely applying an acceleration threshold to the calculated acceleration . fig6 b plots power loss during the same engine transient shown in fig6 a . the power loss curve maintains substantially constant baseline and relative magnitudes during the engine transient . misfiring cylinders can be distinguished from properly firing cylinders by application of a single threshold throughout the entire engine transient . returning to fig3 misfire discriminator and analyzer 24 preferably processes the misfire data m i over many consecutive values for variable i so that variable m i can be examined for patterns indicative of particular engine operating faults such as a bad fuel injector or defective spark plug , for example . thus , predetermined characteristics in the misfire data can be detected as a particular pattern and an appropriate response for the particular engine operating fault can be initiated . the simplest pattern to appear in the misfire data would be the repeated misfiring of an individual cylinder on each of its successive firing intervals . the presence of misfires means that uncombusted fuel is being passed to the catalytic converter where it will burn , thereby increasing the temperature in the catalytic converter and leading to its destruction . in order to protect the catalytic converter , fuel supplied to the particular cylinder involved might be stopped if individual fuel injectors are provided for each cylinder . other patterns of misfiring , such as random misfires , can be correlated with other engine faults . an expert system or a pattern recognition system , such as a neural network , can be employed to relate a particular pattern of misfires and other data to a particular fault condition . as shown in fig3 a memory 25 can be employed to store the misfire data . preferably , an electronically erasable programmable read - only memory ( eeprom ) is employed for memory 25 so that misfire data is retained in memory 25 indefinitely for retrieval during vehicle servicing . display 26 is provided to notify an operator of the vehicle of a misfire condition . the operator might be notified of the occurrence of a single misfire . preferably , the misfire data is analyzed in a manner to identify whether the misfiring of any individual cylinder occurs at greater than a predetermined frequency ( i . e ., ratio of misfires to total firing intervals of the particular cylinder ) before activating the display . with regard to average acceleration determined in averaging block 20 in fig3 a median filtered average is preferred . in other words , the average acceleration of a series of acceleration is that value of acceleration which has an equal number of acceleration values in the series that are greater than and less than the median value . preferably , the series of accelerations for determining an average acceleration value a i includes an odd number of consecutive acceleration measurements having the respective acceleration value of interest at the center . in other words , each series for the average acceleration a i is comprised of acceleration measurements a i - n , . . . a i , . . . a i + n , where n is a whole number . if n is the number of cylinders in an internal combustion engine , the number of acceleration measurements within a series for computing an average acceleration is preferably equal to 2 * n - 1 . for example , as shown in fig7 a preferred series of acceleration measurements for a six - cylinder engine includes 11 individual acceleration measurements since n equals 6 . the i &# 39 ; th firing interval falling at the center of the series shown in fig7 corresponds to cylinder no . 5 as indicated at arrow 30 . the preferred series of measurements having 11 individual acceleration values centered on cylinder no . 5 includes measurements of the other cylinders no . 1 - 4 and 6 each twice , and only one measurement from cylinder 5 contributing to the average . more generally , the number of acceleration measurements in a series can be equal to x * n - 1 , where x is a whole number ( 1 , 2 , 3 , . . . ). thus , when n equals 6 and x equals 1 , the number of firing intervals in a series equals 5 . as mentioned above , an expected torque τ i must be above a torque threshold τ th in order to have a valid test condition . during conditions when the engine torque is very small , the resulting signal - to - noise ratio in the calculated power loss value is poor . in other words , a small value for torque in the denominator giving rise to the power loss value magnifies the effect of any noise present in the acceleration deviation measurements . by requiring expected torque τ i to be above the threshold , false alarms resulting from noise are avoided . when using the previously described torque threshold as the criteria for a valid test , it is possible to choose the torque threshold so as to exclude most rapid closed throttle decelerations while still allowing detection of misfires at engine idle . however , some marginal situations , primarily at high speeds , have been found to give a few false alarms even when that valid test criterion is met . if desired to further improve the error rate of misfire detection , an alternative embodiment of the invention employs a combination of high speed and low torque in determining a valid test condition in order to improve accuracy in misfire detection and maximize the time when valid tests can be conducted . according to this alternative embodiment of the invention , the expected size of the noise in the power loss measurement is determined . the variation in the size of the power loss noise results from 1 ) the variation in the expected torque as previously described , and 2 ) the variation with engine speed in the noise level present in the acceleration deviation measurements themselves . the uncertainty in the acceleration deviation is due directly to uncertainty in the original acceleration calculations . the noise in the acceleration measurement increases strongly with increasing engine speed . thus , a loss error is defined according to this alternative embodiment to identify valid test conditions where the loss error equals a constant ( k ) multiplied by engine rpm squared ( rpm 2 ) divided by the calculated expected torque ( τ i ). a loss threshold is then selected such that the loss error must be below the loss threshold in order to have a valid test . specifically , the valid test criterion in this embodiment is as follows : where constant k is based on known or impirically derived parameters of the engine position measuring system . in particular , a value for k on the order of 0 . 1 representing the error present in the position marker for determining crankshaft rotational angle was determined for one particular system . however , at low engine speeds , a very low and unrealistic estimate of the error is predicted ( i . e ., approaching zero ) by the formula provided above . therefore , the rpm value may be replaced by a constant below an impirically determined engine speed . fig8 plots power loss and loss error each calculated according to this alternative embodiment of the invention . the power loss data was determined on an engine which was known to be free of misfires . the variations in power loss reflect both engine acceleration and deceleration as well as random and speed - dependent noise in the data . the calculated loss error provides a good fit to the envelope of the power loss data derived with no engine misfires . as a result , false alarms can be easily avoided without eliminating testing during conditions which would support an accurate test . turning again to fig3 an alternative embodiment of the invention includes a bump sensor 27 connected to acceleration block 17 and discriminator and analyzer 24 . the movement of a vehicle over and through road bumps and holes cause load changes that create torque perturbations that might propogate to the engine crankshaft . the torque perturbations alter the time measurements which are the basis for the velocity and acceleration measurements thereby introducing an error into the misfire detection system . a typical vehicle drivetrain has a frequency response which attenuates the torque perturbations at the crankshaft to a level below the perturbations caused by misfires . however , it may be desirable to sense the occurrence of road bump induced load changes by sensing the height of the vehicle suspension using bump sensor 27 and providing a signal to discriminator and analyzer 24 such that no misfire test is made during times of extremely high rate of change of suspension height ( since the engine load is then experiencing a transient condition ). alternatively , bump sensor 27 can provide data to acceleration block 17 so that the error introduced into the acceleration measurements can be corrected . while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein , it will be understood that such embodiments are provided by way of example only . numerous variations , changes , and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention . accordingly , it is intended that the appended claims cover all such variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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the musical alphabet uses the letters a through g . the seven letters are repeated consecutively as notes rise in pitch . each repetition is called an octave . an octave is shown in fig1 . within the octave , notes of a musical scale are laid out with the lowest note on the left ; the longer white keys ( for the seven “ natural ” notes of the c major scale : c , d , e , f , g , a , b and then repeating , starting , with c ) jut forward . the black keys for the remaining five notes which are not part of the c major scale ( namely c / d , d / e , f / g , g / a , a / b ) are raised and set back . the ivories are the white keys of the piano , also called naturals . the ebonies are the black keys of a piano keyboard , also called variously sharps or accidentals . referring now to fig2 , an exemplary piano keyboard is shown . it comprises a set of adjacent depressible keys , including larger , longer keys and smaller , shorter keys that repeat at the interval of an octave . almost every modern piano has 36 black keys and 52 white keys for a total of 88 keys ( seven octaves plus a minor third , from a 0 to c 8 ). the lowest pitch , a0 , is on the left , and the highest pitch , c8 , is on the far right . the use of the invention in lieu of conventional music notation is a map to guide the eye through information on a musical score . instead of having to interpret the seemingly cryptic information on a sheet , the eye quickly identifies a familiar and intuitive number , sign and duration on the sheet music . this information can quickly be related with corresponding numbers and signs on a keyboard chart , making it easier to navigate the score . without learning musical notation , students build mental associations as reference points for playing . referring now to fig3 , an exemplary chart according to principles of the invention is shown . the chart is comprised of a durable relatively thin strip of generally rectangular - shaped material , having a total thickness of about 1 mm or less . a thickness of 1 mm is thin enough to fit in the available space behind keys of a piano without impeding movement of the keys . the length of the chart is less than the length of the piano keyboard . a height of at least one inch , preferably two to three inches , is preferred for stability and visibility . the material 530 is comprised of a flexible vinyl face 535 with a magnetic backing 540 , such as magnetic sheet material used for sign making , as conceptually illustrated in the section view of fig7 . the magnetic backing 540 allows magnetically adhering indicia to the face of the chart . the indicia may include numbers , letters , symbols , instructions , notes , key tiles , concealing ( e . g ., black ) tiles , and combinations of the foregoing . exemplary concealing tiles 500 , 505 and 510 are shown in fig7 . the exemplary concealing tiles may be placed over keys on the chart to conceal those keys . the magnetic chart allows customization and modification to enhance versatility . thus , a key , notes , numbers , letters and symbols may be added , covered or removed . each of these attachable items are referred to as an “ attachable indicia .” as shown in the exemplary section 515 , each attachable items has a face 520 and a magnetic backing 525 . the magnetic backing 525 of the attachable item , when placed against the face 535 of the chart , will adhere the attachable item to the chart by virtue of magnetic attraction between the magnetic backings 525 , 540 , even with the face 530 disposed between the magnetic backings 525 , 540 . in an alternative embodiment , the attachable indicia may be attachable by static cling . in such case , the attachable indicia may be comprised of a vinyl or similar material with a high propensity for static cling . in yet another alternative embodiment , the attachable indicia may be attachable by reusable adhesive . in such embodiment , the attachable indicia may include a reusable protective backing that may be removed to expose the adhesive surface . as shown in fig3 , the chart 110 spans three octaves , a lower octave , a middle octave and a higher octave , which is enough to play many songs . by way of example and not limitation , the white key assigned number 1 on the chart , may be aligned behind the keyboard even with middle c ( i . e ., c4 in fig2 ). in such case , the white key 100 marked − 1 on the keyboard will align with c3 in fig2 . the striped keys 105 on the chart 110 will then align with black keys on the keyboard . thus , the keys on the chart are configured ( i . e ., have a width and spacing ) to align precisely with keys on the keyboard . the striped keys may be a solid color ( e . g ., red ) to easily distinguish them from the white keys . however , stripes are used here to illustrate the distinction in black and white . arabic numbers may be used for finger placement . for left handed applications , roman numerals may be used . letters may be added for key names . octave signs are used to distinguish the octaves . keys in the lower octave are assigned a negative sign . keys in the higher octave are assigned a positive sign . keys in the middle octave omit a positive or negative sign . other indicia , such as letters ( e . g ., l for lower and h for higher ), may be used to distinguish the octaves . using the principles of the invention , various chord charts can be constructed to cover various intervals and scales . for example , charts can be created for major ( m ), minor ( m ), perfect ( p ), augmented ( a ), and diminished ( d ) intervals . fig3 illustrates 3 chords of a major ( m ) chord chart 110 . fig4 illustrates a natural minor chord chart 210 with white 200 and striped keys . fig5 illustrates a diminished 7 ° chord chart 310 . fig6 illustrates a half diminished 7 ø 410 . in each case , white keys 100 , 200 , 300 and 400 are aligned with corresponding keys on the piano keyboard . upon proper alignment , all of the remaining keys on the chart will align with the corresponding keys to be played on the piano keyboard . the black spaces 305 , 405 in the diminished 7 ø chord chart and in the half diminished 7 ø 410 corresponds with keys not to be played and spaces between keys . thus , a chart may be configured to identify only those keys to be played . in one embodiment , the black spaces may be black tiles that are adhered ( e . g ., adhesively , magnetically or via static cling ) to the chart to cover otherwise visible keys . multiple black tiles ( i . e ., concealing tiles ) may be used to block out a series of keys . each tile may be a thin sheet of material sized and shaped to overlay a key on the chart . the invention is not limited to an particular tile or key colors . as another example , charts can be constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention , to play particular songs or types of music , including chords and progressions . illustratively , to play jazz , it is important to know the types of jazz piano chords used in the music . one common jazz chord is the sixth . on a chord chart , this can be represented as c6 or cadd6 . the c6 chord is formed by simultaneously playing the notes c - e - g - a , the a being the sixth . a cadd6 replaces the fifth with the sixth , or c - e - a . another very popular chord in jazz music is the seventh . in musical notation , a seventh in the key of c appears as c7 . the notes of this chord are c - e - g - b flat . equally popular is the major seventh , notated cmaj7 in the case of the c chord . a cmaj7 is played using the notes c - e - g - b . the major seventh may look similar to the seventh chord , but as you will hear when you play them , they are distinctly different . these are merely examples of the special types of charts than can be created using white keys , colored keys to represent black keys on a keyboard , optionally numbers with and / or without a + or − sign , an black spaces , in accordance with the principles of the invention . an important aspect of the invention is properly notated sheet music . fig8 provides an example of conventional sheet music . the pitches of music are indicated with symbols , called notes , placed on a staff — five parallel lines on which each line and space represent a pitch . notes can be natural , sharp or flat . the higher a note &# 39 ; s placement on the staff , the higher the pitch . a clef is placed at the beginning of the staff to show the pitch of each line and space and represent which hand is used . the shape of the note head , the presence or absence of a stem , and the presence or absence of flags / beams / hooks may all determine the duration . any of various rest symbols indicates a silence of a determined duration . each element on the page adds a layer of complexity to the music . with so much information being presented , the sheet music can easily seem like a jumble of dots and lines without meaning . in sharp contrast , sheet music notated according to principles of the invention is much easier to comprehend and apply . referring to fig9 , the song is notated for use with the chart shown in fig3 . the five parallel lines used for the conventional notation are not used and can be deleted . lyrics are provided between a pair of parallel lines . below the lyrics are numbers that correspond to the keys to be played . keys in the lower and higher octaves have − and + signs , respectively . below each key number is a duration symbol comprising a horizontal line , the length of which indicates the duration . optionally , tick marks may be provided to more clearly illustrate the length of the horizontal line . by way of illustration , tick marks are shown on the horizontal lines beneath the numbers 5 and + 1 , beneath the words most and see in the first ( top ) row of fig9 . it is understood that tick marks may be used with all such horizontal lines . sharp and flat symbols are provided with corresponding notes . thus , according to principles of the invention , a notation sheet may be constructed by converting conventional sheet music to the form and format described herein . the conversion , which may be automatic ( e . g ., using optical character recognition ) or manual , entails replacing key symbols with key numbers , which correspond to the numbers assigned to keys on the chart . octave indicators are replaced with a + or − sign . duration for which each note is played is shown by a horizontal line , which may include tick marks , instead of the time signature measure and bar line in conventional sheet music . each tick or the smallest unit of the horizontal line may , by way of example , correspond to a quarter note . sharp and flat symbols are provided with each note requiring the same . in a computer - assisted implementation , a program divides area of a sheet into rows and columns . the columns may not have any border lines . the rows are populated with notes to be played . one note may be indicated in each column . key symbols in conventional notation are replaced with key numbers , which correspond to the numbers assigned to keys on the chart . octave indicators are replaced with a + or − sign . duration for which each note is played is shown by a horizontal line , which may include tick marks , instead of the time signature measure and bar line in conventional sheet music . each tick or the smallest unit of the horizontal line may , by way of example , correspond to a quarter note . sharp and flat symbols are provided with each note requiring the same . thus , each note to be played will be shown in a column of a row . each key will be designated by a number . a + or − octave indicator will be displayed where appropriate . duration will be indicated with a horizontal line , which may include tick marks . sharp and flat symbols are displayed where appropriate . as can be readily seen with reference to the examples provided in fig3 and fig9 , the invention makes interpreting music easier , accelerating the pace of learning to play the piano . it allows piano students to pass the major hurdle of comprehending notation to playing from written music . for example , for the first note , any student , even an uninitiated beginner , can identify the key on the keyboard corresponding to key number 3 on the chart in fig3 and determine that a short duration applies , as shown in fig9 . the invention thus reduces the risk of new music students getting frustrated and quitting the piano before learning how to play beautiful music . nearly all songs and musical scores are based on melodic movements that are composed of patterns of repeating notes . using the invention , a music student can quickly and clearly see patterns and how they contrast against other notes on a sheet . this reduces the time novices need to learn to interpret and play music on a piano , and to become proficient . in turn , this reduces boredom , monotony and frustration , as well as the attendant risk of dropping out of a musical curriculum . concomitantly , it improved self - esteem and level of enjoyment . a system and method according to principles of the invention may also facilitate training visually impaired individuals . all of the indicia and symbols may be represented in a tactile form , including braille . for example , integers may be both printed and displayed in braille . plus and minus signs may be raised and / or displayed in braille . by replacing complex music notation with numerical designations , the system is more accessible to the visually impaired . braille symbols may be created using raised inks or by embossing or any other technique suitable for creating a tactile symbol , readily sensible by touch , on a sheet . raised ink may be formed by printing using an engraved plate causing the printed material to raise slightly off the sheet or by using thermography . in the latter case , the design is printed on the sheet and the sheet is then passed under a powder funnel that sprinkles a thermography powder on the sheet . the sheet is then passed under a heated oven that fuses the powdered particles to the wet printing ink , and a high - powered vacuum is used to remove the excess powder . the fused mixture creates a “ raised ” appearance when the mixture hardens , without damaging the sheet . while an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described , it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible , all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention . with respect to the above description then , it is to be realized that the optimum relationships for the components and steps of the invention , including variations in order , form , content , function and manner of operation , 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 . the above description and drawings are illustrative of modifications that can be made without departing from the present invention , the scope of which is to be limited only by the following claims . 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 are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as claimed .
| 6Physics
|
a smartcard typically embeds an electronic chip in a plastic card . the electronic chip may include , for example , a microprocessor or similar device , read - only memory ( rom ), and / or read - write random access memory ( ram ). the electronic - chip may also include other electronic components such as digital signal processors ( dsps ), field - programmable gate arrays ( fpgas ), electrically - erasable programmable read - only memory ( eeprom ) and miscellaneous support logic . generally , the electronic chip is glued into a recessed area of a plastic card and is covered by a printed circuit which provides the electrical interface to an external smartcard reader . the standard configuration of the input and output pads of the printed circuit generally includes power ( vcc ), ground ( gnd ), a clock input ( clk ) and a serial input / output pad ( i / o ). several additional unconnected pads ( n / c ) are also included in the standard configuration . because the plastic card is somewhat flexible , the electronic chip should be small enough to avoid breaking . this limits the physical size of the electronic chip to a few millimeters across , and also limits the number of electronic components that can be supported . contactless smartcards are also in use , which communicate with an external smartcard reader using radio frequencies or other wireless communication media . such smartcards are generally equipped with an internal antenna , rather than the input and output pads of the printed circuit . in fig1 a data - processing system 10 , which here is a smartcard , is depicted that comprises an eeprom 20 , also referred to as first persistent memory , a second persistent memory 40 , also referred to as rom , and a volatile memory 30 , also referred to as ram . these three memories 20 , 30 , 40 are connected to a processor 50 which is again connected to a des co - processor 55 . the smartcard 10 further comprises a connector field 60 for connection to an external device . in the rom 40 are located an operating system 41 and a first cryptographic key , also referred to as cryptographic master key 45 . in the eeprom 20 a second cryptographic key 21 and an third cryptographic key 22 are stored . in the ram 30 second encrypted information 33 is stored . the co - processor 55 can perform any type of cryptographic operation , here des is selected for exemplary purposes . for sake of better understanding , first a process without use of the cryptographic master key 45 is explained . the second cryptographic key 21 and third cryptographic key 22 are in such a case present in the eeprom 20 in a non - encrypted form and are present for being used in an encryption process respectively decryption process performed by the des co - processor 55 in assistance to the processor 50 . if during the execution of an application the processor 50 is instructed to perform an operation that needs to make use of one or more of the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 , the des co - processor 55 is activated . it is assumed for this example , that the second cryptographic key 21 is here needed to perform a decryption . the processor 50 accesses the eeprom 20 to retrieve therefrom the second cryptographic key 21 . the second cryptographic key 21 is loaded from the eeprom 20 via the processor 50 to the ram 30 . the des co - processor 55 retrieves the second cryptographic key 21 from the ram 30 via the processor 50 and retrieves via the processor 50 also the data that is to be decrypted under use of the cryptographic key 21 , from one of the memories 20 , 30 , 40 . here that data comprises the second encrypted information 33 . then the des co - processor 55 performs the decryption and delivers the decrypted data to the processor 50 . a malicious user could perform a dpa attack on that operation , in particular , sniffing on the leakage of the signal between the eeprom 20 and the processor 50 by using a suitable leakage - detecting probe in combination with corresponding software . in order to make such a dpa attack harder , the cryptographic master key 45 is used in accordance with the invention . the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 reside in the eeprom 20 in an encrypted form , namely having been previously encrypted under use of the cryptographic master key 45 . they are hence present as first encrypted information . the corresponding encryption process shall be explained further below , but first the decryption shall be addressed here . an operation is assumed that needs the second cryptographic key 21 . that operation is executed by the processor 50 in an operation execution step . since the second cryptographic key 21 resides in the eeprom 20 in encrypted form , the operation execution step comprises a decryption step to enable access to the second cryptographic key 21 in a decrypted form and to thereby enable use of it . therefor the processor 50 not only retrieves the encrypted second cryptographic key 21 from the eeprom 20 but also initiates the execution of a decryption step of the encrypted second cryptographic key 21 . the encrypted second cryptographic key 21 is loaded from the eeprom 20 via the processor 50 to the ram 30 . the cryptographic master key 45 is loaded from the rom 40 via the processor 50 to the ram 30 . the des co - processor 55 retrieves the cryptographic master key 45 from the ram 30 via the processor 50 and retrieves via the processor 50 also the encrypted second cryptographic key 21 that is to be decrypted under use of the cryptographic master key 45 , from the ram 30 . then the co - processor 55 performs the decryption step on the encrypted second cryptographic key 21 and delivers the resulting decrypted second cryptographic key 21 to the ram 30 . next follows the execution step of the operation execution step . the co - processor 55 retrieves the decrypted second cryptographic key 21 from the ram 30 via the processor 50 and retrieves via the processor 50 also the data 33 that is to be decrypted under use of the decrypted second cryptographic key 21 , from the ram 30 . then the co - processor 55 performs the decryption and delivers the decrypted data to the processor 50 . this is hence a series of decryption processes . the advantage is that the operation of retrieving the second cryptographic key 21 from the eeprom 20 is less prone to a dpa attack , since the information that is transferred from the eeprom 20 and that suffers from the information leakage of the eeprom 20 , namely the second cryptographic key 21 , is transferred in encrypted form . since the leakage of the rom 40 and the ram 30 is lower than the leakage of the eeprom 20 , the susceptibility of the overall system to dpa attacks is reduced . in the following , the process of personalizing the smartcard 10 will be described . the smartcard 10 is manufactured by a smartcard manufacturer to comprise the plastic carrier with the embedded chip . the chip already contains the pre - stored cryptographic master key 45 in the rom 40 . the receiving entity , which typically is a smartcard - issuing entity , then processes the card in a personalization step , i . e . prepares this smartcard 10 for future use by a specific person . therefore the smartcard issuer equips the smartcard 10 with personal information , namely here the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 which are first written into the eeprom 20 . this writing step is performed in a secure environment , i . e . an environment that does not allow accessing the sensitive personal information . the smartcard issuer himself is a trusted party in that it may be assumed that it does not perform an attack on the system by using the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 or even the cryptographic master key 45 . the smartcard 10 arrives at the smartcard issuer with the operating system 41 pre - stored . in that operating system 41 a personalization step is contained in a programmed form , which step is initiated by the smartcard issuer after writing the personal information 21 , 22 to the eeprom 20 . the personalization step encompasses two substeps , an encryption step and an access - limitation step . the personalization step starts by performing the encryption step that encrypts the first unencrypted information , i . e . the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 . therefor the eeprom 20 is scanned for all information that is to be encrypted under use of the cryptographic master key 45 . this information here comprises the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 . the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 can be recognized in a scanning step by the scanning algorithm and once these have been located , they are encrypted and written as encrypted cryptographic keys 21 , 22 back into the eeprom 20 . the smartcard issuer himself does for the encryption step not need to know the cryptographic master key 45 and in fact does not even need to know that there is a cryptographic master key 45 at all . the encryption step can be executed without the smartcard issuer knowing about it . in order for the scanning step to recognize the cryptographic keys , these should advantageously be tagged , i . e ., discernible as such . this is certainly the case for the smartcard being a javacard , since java is an object - based system , in which all sensitive information is tagged by a java class named “ key ”. after the encryption step , the access - limitation step effects that the smartcard 10 is set to a state in which the writing into the eeprom 20 is limited , namely limited by the access control through the operating system 41 . that limitation ensures that writing is no longer allowed into certain areas of the smartcard 10 amongst which is the area in which the encrypted cryptographic keys 21 , 22 are located . thereby a later modification in that forbidden area , including fraudulous attempts , is excluded . after completion of the personalization step , the smartcard is in the so - called personalized state . the smartcard 10 is issued to the end - customer or user in this state . in operation of the smartcard , as already described further above , the decryption runs via the des coprocessor 55 , which loads the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 from the eeprom 20 . that loading step is prone to dpa but since the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 are present only in the encrypted form , and hence also transmitted in that form , that attack has a lower success rate . the cryptographic master key 45 is loaded to the des coprocessor 55 from the rom 40 and since the rom 40 is less power - consuming than the eeprom 20 or the ram 30 , a successful attack via dpa is much harder and hence less probable . in principle , the operation execution step can be executed without that the environment around the smartcard knows about the use of the cryptographic master key 45 . from the perspective of the result of the operation that is executed , there is no difference . the advantage lies in the fact that the described method and system increase system security but are totally transparent to the outside environment . it is hence suggested that the sensitive data , i . e ., the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 stored in the eeprom 20 are stored in an encrypted form , not as plain data prone to the attack stated above . the encryption step is performed under use of another secret key , the cryptographic master key 45 , that may either be unique to the chip , or unique to a piece of software , called mask , containing the program logic accessing the eeprom 20 . this is achieved transparently to an application possibly making use of the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 . the encrypting cryptographic key 45 resides in non - or less leaking storage , such as the rom 40 . with other words , the introduction of the cryptographic master key 45 effects a reduction of the attackability of the smartcard 10 , through a reduction of information leakage , also referred to as power dissipation , or attack susceptibility . the cryptographic master key 45 is applied for encryption of the first unencrypted information 31 , 32 , e . g . comprising clear - text keys , to form therefrom the first encrypted information 21 , 22 . therefore the writing process is amended , and the clear - text keys are encrypted under use of the cryptographic master key 45 , that is an internal chip - or mask - specific key , before they are stored into the eeprom 20 . for decryption , the key - reading or - using method is intercepted , and the encrypted cryptographic keys 21 , 22 are first decrypted in non - or less - leaking memory , such as the ram 30 , to gain the first unencrypted information 31 , 32 , before actual use thereof . in an extended form , the processing method for personalization provides for a scanning of the complete eeprom 20 for the therein - stored cryptographic keys 21 , 22 , and encrypting them all according to the same procedure as outlined above . this means , a complete eeprom image consisting of non - sensitive and sensitive information in plain form can be converted to an eeprom image consisting of non - sensitive information in plain form and sensitive information in encrypted form . a technology employable to do this is a memory - walking technology seeking out object types , i . e ., cryptographic keys in the given scenario . in the case of a javacard , the known garbage collection mechanism can be utilized for this , as it also traverses the complete eeprom 20 . the benefit of this is that the smartcard 10 can be prepared and tested with all data , i . e . sensitive and non - sensitive , in plain form , and only at the end of testing and production be changed over to the secure mode in which the cryptographic keys 21 , 22 are encrypted for use . it is obvious for the person skilled in the art that the present invention can be realized in hardware , software , or a combination of these . also , it can be implemented in a centralized fashion on one single computer system , or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computers or computer systems , whereby any kind of a computer system — or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein — is suited . a typical combination of hardware and software could be a general purpose computer system with a computer program that , when being loaded and executed , controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein . the present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product , which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein , and which — when loaded in a computer system — is able to carry out these methods . computer program means or computer program in the present context mean any expression , in any language , code or notation , of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following a ) conversion to another language , code or notation ; b ) reproduction in a different material form . any disclosed embodiment may be combined with one or several of the other embodiments shown and / or described . this is also possible for one or more features of the embodiments . it is obvious that a person skilled in the art can modify the shown arrangements in many ways without departing from the gist of the invention which is encompassed by the subsequent claims .
| 7Electricity
|
various examples are detailed hereinafter for an adaptive , digital architectures that can be used in radio - frequency ( rf ) bandpass , bandstop ( notch ), and other filter applications . the techniques allow for the design of adaptable wireless communication devices with improved performance through intelligent rf signal reception that may quickly identify and correct for signal interference , improve frequency channel signal - to - noise ratios , collaboratively tune a receiver to optimum frequency channels , more accurately estimate signal strength , or perform other adaptive signal processing . in some applications discussed below , the techniques are implemented in a cognitive radio wireless system capable of identifying available frequency bands within a spectral range and then communicating exclusively within those bands , so as to avoid interference between remote devices or between entire wireless systems . by implementing the techniques in digital configurations as discussed in examples herein , wireless devices can be formed having any number of complex configurations of bandpass and bandstop ( notch ) filters , arranged in parallel or cascaded for sequential operation , e . g ., having individual or groups of filters in series . each of the filters may be controlled by generating coefficient data to set not only the frequency of the filter but also its bandwidth of operation . this allows for fully adaptive filters , for example , where depending on the rf environment detected by the wireless device , an adaptive filter may be changed from a bandpass to a bandstop ( notch ) filter and a bank of such filters may be modified from one configuration to another . in many of the examples to follow , the techniques are described in terms of an adaptive front end controller for a wireless communication device , although it will be appreciated that these techniques may be implemented elsewhere within a wireless device as desired . fig1 illustrates an example telecommunication system 10 employing an adaptive digital filter apparatus . a plurality of remote units 12 , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d , in this case mobile units , communicate through one of two base stations 14 and 16 , interfaced together through a switching station 18 . the illustrated configuration may represent a peer - to - peer topology in which remote units communicate directly with one another without the need of the base station as a central host , or ( as described below ) an infrastructure topology in which the base station routes all data communications . the system 10 may represent a short range or long range network . any of the remote units 12 and 13 a - 13 d may be a portable digital assistant ( pda ), cellular phone , vehicle , media player , laptop computer , wireless supported desktop computer , gaming system , wireless networking device such as a router , switch , etc ., or any other portable computing device . the base stations 14 , 16 and the switching station 18 may be collectively referred to as network infrastructure . each base station 14 , 16 includes an adaptive digital filter apparatus for intelligently analyzing an incoming rf signal ( e . g ., spectral region or a wideband communication signal ). in this manner , the base stations 14 and 16 are considered cognitive wireless devices . however , any of the mobile units 12 , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d and / or two base stations 14 and 16 may be designed as a cognitive wireless device , e . g ., one capable of adaptively controlling transmission bands by mining for available frequencies in a particular rf spectrum . during data communications , the mobile units 12 , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d may exchange voice , data or other information with one of the base stations 14 , 16 , each of which may be connected to a conventional landline telephone network , another wireless cellular network , or other wired or wireless data network , e . g ., any computer - or server - based network . as an example , information , such as voice information , transferred from the mobile unit 12 to one of the base stations 14 , 16 may be coupled from the base station to a telephone network to thereby connect the mobile unit 12 with a land line telephone so that the land line telephone may receive the voice information . conversely , information such as voice information may be transferred from a land line telephone to one of the base stations 14 , 16 , wherein the base station in turn transfers the information to the mobile unit 12 . the mobile units 12 , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d and the base stations 14 , 16 may exchange information in a digital format and operate under narrowband or wideband communication protocols . for example , the mobile unit 12 may be a narrowband digital unit communicating with the base station 14 as a narrowband base station using a narrowband communication protocol such as a groupe special mobile ( gsm ) cellular network , also known as a 2g cellular communication network , with implementations known as general packet radio service ( gprs ), enhanced data rates for gsm evolution ( edge ) and circuit switched data ( csd ) that each have their own corresponding encoding schemes . the mobile units 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d may be wideband digital units that communicate with the base station 16 as a wideband base station and using a wideband communication protocol such as a dsss signal - based protocol like cdma or universal mobile telecommunications system ( umts ), also known as a 3g cellular network . cdma digital communication takes place using spread spectrum techniques that broadcast signals having wide bandwidths , such as , for example , 1 . 2288 megahertz ( mhz ) bandwidths . similarly , umts communication takes place using bandwidths that may range from 15 - 20 mhz , for example . generally , a channel having a bandwidth that is substantially smaller than that of the wideband communication signal is referred to as a narrowband channel , which in this application also refers to narrowband sub - bands which are used depending on the coding scheme . other examples of wideband communication protocols may be ofdma systems that have spectral regions formed of sub - bands with varying widths , e . g ., 1 . 25 mhz , 5 mhz , 10 mhz , or 20 mhz . the ofdma systems may be used in applications such as cognitive radios communication in a wideband network . the optional switching station 18 is generally responsible for coordinating the activities of the base stations 14 , 16 to ensure that the mobile units 12 , 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d are constantly in communication with the base station 14 , 16 or with some other base stations that are geographically dispersed . for example , the switching station 18 may coordinate communication handoffs of the mobile unit 12 between the base stations 14 and another base station as the mobile unit 12 roams between geographical areas that are covered by the two base stations . each base station 14 , 16 has an adaptive front - end controller 20 that , as discussed further below , may contain a number of adaptive digital filters configurable into either a bandpass or bandstop configuration to modify the incoming and outgoing rf signals for the respective base station . the adaptive front - end controller 20 may perform any of a number of different intelligent functions . in some examples , the controller 20 operates as a high performance interference filter detecting interference in a spectral region and / or narrowband channel and properly tuning one or more digital filters to remove such interference . fig2 illustrates a typical frequency bandwidth of a telecommunication system . in particular , fig2 illustrates a frequency spectrum 50 of a 1 . 288 mhz dsss system that may used by the digital mobile units 13 a , 13 b , 13 c , and 13 d to communicate with the base station 16 , and a 200 khz frequency spectrum 52 used by the module unit 12 using a narrowband digital communication system to communicate with the base station 14 . as would be understood , the digital signal shown in 52 may interfere with the frequency spectrum 50 . therefore , the adaptive front - end controller 20 in the base station 16 contains adaptive digital filters that are digitally tuned to remove the interference caused by the 200 khz signal 52 from the dsss signal 50 , for example , by applying a transfer function given by : where | s ( ƒ ) 2 | is the power spectral density ( psd ) of the desired signal and | n ( ƒ )| 2 is an estimate the psd of the interference ( noise ) signal . if the nature of the interfering signal ( noise term n ) is assumed to be that given by the interference signal 52 , the shape of the filter may be given , at least theoretically , by the notch frequency spectrum 54 illustrated in fig2 . as discussed further below , with the adaptive front - end controllers discussed herein not only can a notch ( or bandstop ) filter be tuned to the particular frequency corresponding to the interference frequency channel 52 , the bandwidth of the notch frequency spectrum 54 can be adjusted to remove interface bands of any size . herein , any type of interference or noise in an rf signal may be considered a type of rf characteristics that the front - end controller seeks to identify and filter before the underlying wireless device rf receiver receives that rf signal . rf characteristic also refers to any data signal that is to be identified a device , either for filtering out of an incoming rf signal or passing with an incoming rf signal , such as when the rf characteristic is a desired data signal . the adaptive front - end controller 20 of fig1 may contain a plurality of adaptive filters which would allow the base stations to filter multiple interference signals at the same time during a single clock cycle of operation . the adaptive front - end controller 20 is described as identifying and removing interference . however , the adaptive front - end controller can provide a number of different functions depending on the application and wireless device . fig3 illustrates another example application of an adaptive front - end controller used in a wireless device 60 , which may be a cellular phone , cognitive radio , or other wireless device . the radio 60 has two stages , a receiver stage 62 and a transmitter stage 64 , each coupled to an antenna assembly 66 , which may itself comprise one of more antennas for the radio 60 . the radio 60 has a first stage coupled to the antenna assembly 66 and includes an adaptive front - end controller 68 that receives the input rf signal from the antenna and performs adaptive signal processing on that rf signal before providing the modified rf signal to an analog - to - digital converter 70 , which then passes the adapted rf signal to a digital rf tuner 72 . the adaptive front - end controller 68 includes two rf signal samplers 74 , 76 connected between an rf adaptive filter stage 78 that is controlled by controller 80 . the adaptive filter stage 78 may have a plurality of tunable digital filters that can sample an incoming signal and selectively provided bandpass or bandstop signal shaping of that incoming signal , whether an entire wideband communication signal or a narrowband signal or various combinations of both . a controller 80 is coupled to the samplers 74 , 76 and filter stage 78 and serves as an rf link adapter that along with the sampler 74 monitors the input rf signal from the antenna and determines various rf signal characteristics such as the interferences and noise within the rf signal . the controller 80 is configured to execute any number of a variety of signal processing algorithms to analyze the received rf signal , and determine an optimal filter state for the filter stage 78 . by providing tuning coefficient data to the filter stage 78 , the adaptive front end controller 68 acts to pre - filter the received rf signal before that signal is sent to the rf tuner 72 ( e . g ., a radio tuner ), which analyzes the filtered rf signal and in the case of a cognitive filter identifies available frequency bands in the filtered wideband communication ( rf ) signal , for tuning to a desired frequency band ( or channel ). either way , after filtering , the tuner 72 may then perform its standard channel demodulation , data analysis , and local broadcasting functions . the rf tuner 72 may be considered the receiver side of an overall radio tuner , while rf tuner 72 ′ may be considered the transmitter side of the same radio tuner . prior to sending the filtered rf signal ( e . g ., filter wideband communication signal ), the sampler 76 may provide an indication of the filtered rf signal to the controller 80 in a feedback manner for further adjusting of the adaptive filter stage 78 . in some examples , the adaptive front - end controller 68 is synchronized with the rf tuner 72 by sharing a master clock signal communicated between the two . for example , cognitive radios operating on a 100 μs response time can be synchronized such that for every clock cycle the adaptive front end analyzes the input rf signal , determines an optimal configuration for the adaptive filter stage 78 , filters that rf signal into the filtered rf signal and communicates the same to the tuner 72 for cognitive analysis at the radio . by way of example , cellular phones have may be implemented with a 200 μs response time on filtering . by implementing the adaptive front end controller 68 using a field programmable gate array configuration for the filter stage , wireless devices may identify not only stationary interference , but also non - stationary interference , of arbitrary bandwidths on that moving interferer . in some examples , the controller 80 is connected directly with the tuner 72 to provide data from the signal processing algorithms directly to the radio tuner such as optimized channel specific snr data , which the tuner may use to better identify available frequency bands within the filtered rf signal . in some implementations , the adaptive front - end controller 68 may filter interference or noise from the received incoming rf signal and pass that filtered rf signal to the tuner 72 . in other examples , such as cascaded configurations in which there are multiple adaptive filter stages , the adaptive front - end controller 68 may be configured to apply the filtered signal to an adaptive bandpass filter stage to create a passband portion of the filtered rf signal . for example , the tuner 72 may communicate information to the controller 68 to instruct the controller that the radio is only looking at a portion of an overall rf spectrum and thus to instruct the adaptive front - end controller 68 not filter only certain portions of the rf spectrum and bandpass only those portions . the integration between the tuner 72 and the adaptive front - end controller 68 may be particularly useful in dual - band and tri - band applications in which the tuner 72 is able to communicate over different wireless standards , such as both gsm or umts standards . the algorithms that may be executed by the controller 80 are not limited to particular ones , although primarily interference detection and elimination is desired for most radio applications . in any event , by way of example , in some configurations the controller 80 may execute a spectral blind source separation algorithm that looks to isolate two sources from their convolved mixtures . the controller 80 may execute a signal to interference noise ratio ( sinr ) output estimator for all or portions of the rf signal . the controller 80 may perform bidirectional transceiver data link operations for collaborative retuning of the adaptive filter stage 78 in response to instructions from the tuner 72 or from data the transmitter stage 64 . the controller 80 will of course determine the optimal filter tuning coefficient data for configuring the various adaptive filters of stage 78 to properly filter the rf signal . the controller 80 may also include a data interface communicating the tuning coefficient data to the tuner 72 . in the illustrated embodiment the filtered rf signal may be converted from a digital signal to an analog signal within the adaptive front - end controller 68 . this allows the controller 68 to integrate in a similar manner to conventional rf filters . in other examples , a digital interface may be used to connect the adaptive front - end controller 68 with the tuner 72 , in which case the adc 70 would be removed . the above discussion is in the context of the receiver stage 62 . similar elements are show in the transmitter stage 64 , but bearing a prime . the elements in the transmitter stage 64 may be identical to those of the receiver 62 , as shown , or different . furthermore , some or all of these elements may in fact be executed by the same corresponding structure in the receiver stage 62 . for example , the rf receiver tuner 72 and the transmitter tuner 72 ′ may be the performed by the same single tuner device . the same may be true for the other elements , such as the adaptive filter stages 78 and 78 ′, which may both be implemented in a single fpga , with different filter elements in parallel for full duplex ( simultaneous ) receive and transmit operation . the adaptive front - end controller configuration may be used in numerous applications , such as a cognitive radio system . fig4 a illustrates an example rf signal within which a cognitive radio is to communicate . a frequency spectrum 90 contains frequency regions that are currently in use , meaning that remote devices and base stations are communicating on frequency channels in those regions . one region is between 50 mhz and 200 mhz and another is between 450 mhz and 600 mhz . in contrast , the frequency region between 200 mhz and 450 mhz is not in use , and thus is available for communication by the cognitive radio . under normal operations , the cognitive radio may scan the rf signal 90 and identify the entire frequency region between 200 mhz and 450 mhz as being available . however , turning to fig4 b , an rf signal 92 , similar to the rf signal 90 , contains rf characteristics 94 , which in this case are interference frequency signals 94 , within that available region . the signals 94 may be stationary or may hop around to different frequencies within that region . as rf characteristics , the signals 94 may represent noise or any other type of interference , including data carrying interfering signals from other wireless devices , data broadcast according to other wireless standards not currently in use a device , etc . furthermore , these interference frequencies may be of similar or completely different bandwidths . ordinarily , the cognitive radio would seek to avoid the entire frequency region from 200 mhz to 450 mhz because of these interferes . however , by using an adaptive front - end controller such as discussed herein , the rf signal 92 may be filtered to remove the interference signals 94 ( thus forming a filtered rf signal that looks like signal 90 ) before the cognitive radio begins to analyze for available frequency bands . the spectral ranges provided in fig4 a and 4b are by way of example . in many applications , adaptive front end controllers may be called upon to scan from the few mhz range to 3 ghz and higher . these techniques may be used in either single wireless communication systems or multiple band devices where multiple standards are supported . for example , some wireless communication devices known as dual - or tri - band and are capable of communicating over numerous standards , such as over gsm and umts depending on the available network . in some instances , operators even support and thus broadcast over multiple simultaneous systems , like gsm and umts . in such instances , interference may be self generated , that is , the network will inherently create interfering signals , which means that a wireless device communicating under one standard may experience data communicated simultaneously under the other standard as interference . in such instances , the techniques herein may be used to intelligently identify those interference signals ( although they will contain data but from another wireless standard ) and will either adaptively filter or pass those signals as not being interference signals and let the wireless device receive data from both standards . furthermore , by having adaptive filters that may be programmed on the fly , as discussed in examples herein , a remote device can be adapted to identify and filter such interference irrespective of its current wireless standard , that is , as the device moves to a different coverage area and a different wireless standard , the same adaptive filters may be reconfigured to match the standards of that area . of course , such configuration may be performed initially upon design as well , by having different banks of filter stages each designed for a different of the multiple supported standards . fig4 c is a representation of an example rf spectrum in which heterogeneous networks are made to coexist in the same spectral range . this may occur when two different service providers have networks of the same communication standard , such as two different gsm networks , that cover the same area . in this case , the service providers are allocated different portions of the rf spectrum , for example portion 95 for one provider and portion 97 for another . alternatively , the representation of fig4 c may reflect completely different heterogeneous networks , for example , where the portion 95 contains gsm signals in the coverage area and portion 97 contains umts signals . in either case , typically such spectral regions must be spaced far apart to avoid interference at border regions . however , with an adaptive filter stage device as discussed herein , the spectral regions can be expanded as shown in 95 ′ and 97 ′ because the adaptive filters can be programmed to intelligently filter interference signals at the borders of these regions so that when a device is operating under one band but receiving signals from both , the non - used any data in the non - used band adjacent the used band may be properly filtered . an example implementation is that the techniques herein will be able to prevent a 200 khz gsm ( 2g ) signal from interfering with a umts ( 3g ) signal by using time - adaptive bandstop filters . while this filtering is described using the term interference , it is noted that any rf characteristic may be selectively filtered or passed . for example , in such heterogeneous network situations the adaptive filter stages can be tuned to bandpass desired signals and bandstop interference signals . in some examples , the wireless devices may identify the wireless standard themselves or be pre - programmed for particular standards . while in other cases , the wireless devices may determine the applicable standard based on header information in the received incoming rf signal , which may then identify to the wireless device the shaping or other configuration parameters for setting the adaptive filters . such header information may already be applied for synchronizing the wireless device with the adaptive filter stage to the incoming rf signal . more broadly , the adaptive digital filter stage may be designed to any identify information in an rf signal that indicates the some characteristic of that rf signal , from which an adaptive front - end controller may use that information to generate tuning coefficients for the adaptive filters . that identification may occur solely at the front end controller or by having the front end controller coordinate with a receiver or other device coupled thereto for analysis of the identifying information . fig5 illustrates an example implementation of an adaptive front - end controller 100 , e . g ., as may be used for the controller 20 of fig1 or controller 60 of fig3 . input rf signals are received at an antenna ( not shown ) and coupled to an initial analog filter 104 , such as low noise amplifier ( lna ) block , then digitally converted via an analog to digital converter ( adc ) 106 , prior to the digitized input rf signal being coupled to a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) 108 . the adaptive filter stage described above may be implemented within the fpga 108 , which has been programmed to contain a plurality of adaptive filter elements tunable to different operating frequencies and frequency bands , and at least some being adaptive from a bandpass to a bandstop configuration or vice versa , as desired . although an fpga is illustrated , it will be readily understood that other architectures such as an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) or a digital signal processor ( dsp ) may also be used to implement a digital filter architecture described in greater detail below . a dsp 110 is coupled to the fpga 108 and executes signal processing algorithms that may include a spectral blind source separation algorithm , a signal to interference noise ratio ( sinr ) output estimator , bidirectional transceiver data link operations for collaborative retuning of the adaptive filter stage in response to instructions from the tuner , and optimal filter tuning coefficients algorithm . fpga 108 is also coupled to a pci target 112 that interfaces the fpga 108 and a pci bus 114 for communicating data externally . a system clock 118 provides a clock input to the fpga 108 and dsp 110 , thereby synchronizing the components . the system clock 118 may be locally set on the adaptive front - end controller , while in other examples the system claim 118 may reflect an external master clock , such as that of a radio tuner , when used in a cognitive radio application . the fpga 108 , dsp 110 , and pci target 112 , designated collectively as signal processing module 116 , will be described in greater detail below . in the illustrated example , the adaptive front - end controller 100 includes a microcontroller 120 coupled to the pci bus 114 and an operations , alarms and metrics ( oa & amp ; m ) processor 122 . although they are shown and described herein as separate devices that execute separate software instructions , those having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the functionality of the microcontroller 120 and the oa & amp ; m processor 122 may be merged into a single processing device . the microcontroller 120 and the oa & amp ; m processor 122 are coupled to external memories 124 and 126 , respectively . the microcontroller 120 may include the ability to communicate with peripheral devices ; and , as such , the microcontroller 120 may be coupled to a usb port , an ethernet port , or an rs232 port , among others ( though none shown ). in operation , the microcontroller 120 may store lists of channels having interferers or a list of known typically available frequency spectrum bands , as well as various other parameters . such a list may be transferred to the reporting and control facility or a base station , via the oa & amp ; m processor 122 , and may be used for system diagnostic purposes . diagnostic purposes may include , but are not limited to , controlling the adaptive front - end controller 100 to obtain particular information relating to an interferer and retasking the interferer . for example , the reporting and control facility may use the adaptive front - end controller 100 to determine the identity of an interferer , such as a mobile unit , by intercepting the electronic serial number ( esn ) of the mobile unit , which is sent when the mobile unit transmits information on the narrowband channel . knowing the identity of the interferer , the reporting and control facility may contact infrastructure that is communicating with the mobile unit ( e . g ., the base station ) and may request the infrastructure to change the transmit frequency for the mobile unit ( i . e ., the frequency of the narrowband channel on which the mobile unit is transmitting ) or may request the infrastructure to drop communications with the interfering mobile unit altogether . additionally , in a cellular configuration ( e . g ., a system based on a configuration like that of fig1 ) diagnostic purposes may include using the adaptive front - end controller 100 to determine a telephone number that the mobile unit is attempting to contact and , optionally handling the call . for example , the reporting and control facility may use the adaptive front - end controller 100 to determine that the user of the mobile unit was dialing 911 , or any other emergency number , and may , therefore , decide that the adaptive front - end controller 100 should be used to handle the emergency call by routing the output of the adaptive front - end controller 100 to a telephone network . the fpga 108 provides a digital output coupled to a digital to analog converter ( dac ) 128 that converts the digital signal to an analog signal which may be provided to a filter 130 to generate a clean rf output to be broadcast from the base station or mobile station . the digital output at the fpga 108 , as described , may be one of many possible outputs . for example , the fpga 108 may be configured to output signals based on a predefined protocol such as a gigabit ethernet output , an open base station architecture initiative ( obsai ) protocol , or a common public radio interface ( cpri ) protocol , among others . fig6 illustrates further details of an example implementation of the signal processing module 116 , it being understood that other architectures may be used to implement a signal detection algorithm . a decoder 150 receives an input from the adc 106 and decodes the incoming data into a format suitable to be processed by the signal processing module 116 . a digital down converter 152 , such as a polyphase decimator , down converts the decoded signal from the decoder 150 . the decoded signal is separated during the digital down conversion stage into a complex representation of the input signal , that is , into i and q components which are then are fed into a tunable infinite impulse response ( iir )/ finite impulse response ( fir ) filter 154 . the iir / fir filter 154 may be implemented as multiple cascaded or parallel iir and fir filters . for example , the iir / fir filter 154 may be used with multiple filters in series , such as initial adaptive bandpass filter followed by adaptive bandstop filter . for example , the bandpass filters may be implemented as fir filters , while the bandstop filters may be implemented as iir filters . in an embodiment , fifteen cascaded tunable iir / fir filters are used to optimize the bit width of each filter . of course other digital down converters and filters such as cascaded integrator - comb ( cic ) filters may be used , to name a few . by using complex filtering techniques , such as the technique described herein , the sampling rate is lowered thereby increasing ( e . g ., doubling ) the bandwidth that the filter 154 can handle . in addition , using complex arithmetic also provides the signal processing module 116 the ability to perform higher orders of filtering with greater accuracy . in any case , the i and q components from the digital down converter 152 are provided to the dsp 110 which implements a detection algorithm and in response provides the tunable iir / fir filter 154 with tuning coefficient data that tunes the iir and / or fir filters 154 to specific notch and / or bandpass frequencies , respectively , and specific bandwidths . the tuning coefficient data , for example , may include a frequency and a bandwidth coefficient pair for each of the adaptive notch filters , that instructs that corresponding filter what frequency is to be tuned for bandpass or bandstop operation and the bandwidth to be applied for that operation . in reference to fig3 , 4 a , and 4 b for example , in implementing a cognitive radio , the tuning coefficient data corresponding to a bandpass center frequency and bandwidth may be generated by the detection algorithm and passed to a tunable fir filter within the iir / fir filter 154 . the filter 154 may then pass all signals located within a passband of the given transmission frequency . tuning coefficient data corresponding to a notch filter may be generated by the detection algorithm and then applied to an iir filter within the iir / fir filter 154 to remove any narrowband interference located within the passband of the bandpass filter . the tuning coefficient data generated by the detection algorithm are implemented by the tunable iir / fir filters 154 using mathematical techniques known in the art . for instance , the transfer function of a bandpass filter may be given by : where ω o is the center frequency , β is the bandwidth and h o is the maximum amplitude of the filter . in the case of a cognitive radio , upon implementation of the detection algorithm , the dsp 110 may determine and return coefficients corresponding to a specific frequency and bandwidth to be implemented by the tunable ir / fir filter 154 through a dsp / pci interface 158 . similarly , the transfer function of a notch ( or bandstop ) filter may also be implemented by the tunable iir / fir filter 154 . of course other mathematical equations may be used to tune the iir / fir filters 154 to specific notch or bandpass frequencies and to a specific bandwidth . after the i and q components are filtered to the appropriate notch or bandpass frequency and specific bandwidth , a digital upconverter 156 , such as a polyphase interpolator , converts the signal back to the original data rate ; and the output of the digital upconverter is provided to the dac 128 . a wireless communication device capable to be operated as a dual - or tri - band device communicating over multiple standards , such as over gsm and umts may use the adaptive digital filter architecture as described above . for example , a dual - band device ( using both umts and gsm ) may be preprogrammed within the dsp 10 to transmit first on umts , if available , and on gsm only when outside of a umts network . in such a case , the iir / fir filter 154 may receive tuning coefficient data from the dsp 110 to pass all signals within a umts range . that is , the tuning coefficient data may correspond to a bandpass center frequency and bandwidth adapted to pass only signals within the umts range . the signals corresponding to a gsm signal may be filtered , and any interference caused by the gsm signal may be filtered using tuning coefficients , received from the dsp 110 , corresponding to a notch frequency and bandwidth associated with the gsm interference signal . alternatively , in some cases it may be desirable to keep the gsm signal in case the umts signal fades quickly and the wireless communication device may need to switch communication standards rapidly . in such a case , the gsm signal may be separated from the umts signal , and both passed by the adaptive front - end controller . using the adaptive digital filter , two outputs may be realized , one output corresponding to the umts signal and one output corresponding to a gsm signal . the dsp 110 maybe programmed to again recognize the multiple standard service and may generate tuning coefficients corresponding to realize a filter , such as a notch filter , to separate the umts signal from the gsm signal . in such examples , an fpga may be programmed to have parallel adaptive filter stages , one for each communication band . to implement the adaptive filter stages , in some examples , the signal processing module 116 is pre - programmed with general filter architecture code at the time of production , for example , with parameters defining various filter types and operation . the adaptive filter stages may then be programmed , through a user interface or other means , by the service providers , device manufactures , etc . to form the actual filter architecture ( parallel filter stages , cascaded filter stages , etc .) for the particular device and for the particular network ( s ) under which the device is to be used . of course , dynamic flexibility is achieved during runtime , where the filters may be programmed to different frequencies and bandwidths , each cycle , as discussed herein . one method of detecting a wideband signal having narrowband interference is by exploiting the noise like characteristic of a signal . due to such noise like characteristics of the signal , a particular measurement of a narrowband channel power gives no predictive power as to what the next measurement of the same measurement channel may be . in other words , consecutive observations of power in a given narrowband channel are un - correlated . as a result , if a given measurement of power in a narrowband channel provides predictive power over subsequent measurements of power in that particular channel , thus indicating a departure from statistics expected of a narrowband channel without interference , such a narrowband channel may be determined to contain interference . a method of determining such a narrowband channel having interference is illustrated in the following fig7 and 8 and is similar to the techniques described in u . s . application ser . no . 11 / 217 , 717 , filed sep . 1 , 2005 , entitled “ method and apparatus for detecting interference using correlation ,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . fig7 illustrates a flowchart of an interference detection program 200 that may be used by the dsp 110 to determine location of interference in a signal . a block 202 continuously scans for a series of signals and stores the observed values of the signal strengths that correspond to each of the various narrowband channels located in the signal . for example , the block 202 may continuously scan a 1 . 2288 mhz dsss signal for each of forty one narrowband channels dispersed within it . alternatively , the block 202 may continuously scan a wideband ofdma signal for any narrowband signals which may be located within a given passband . the block 202 may be implemented by any well known dsps used to scan and store signal strengths in a dsss or ofdma signal . the scanned values of narrowband signal strengths may be stored in a memory of the dsp or in any other computer readable memory . the block 202 may store the signal strength of a particular narrowband channel along with any information , such as a numeric identifier , identifying the location of that particular narrowband channel within the signal . subsequently , a block 204 determines a number of sequences m of a signal that may be required to be analyzed to determine narrowband channels having interference . a user may provide such a number m based on any pre - determined criteria . for example , a user may provide m to be equal to four , meaning that four consecutive signals need to be analyzed to determine if any of the narrowband channels within that signal spectrum includes an interference signal . as one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate , the higher the selected value of m , the more accurate will be the interference detection . however , the higher the number m is , the higher is the delay in determining whether a particular signal had an interference present in it , subsequently , resulting in a longer delay before a filter , such as the tunable iir / fir filter 154 , is applied to the signal to remove the interference signal . generally , detection of an interference signal may be performed on a rolling basis . that is , at any point in time , m previous signals may be used to analyze presence of an interference signal . the earliest of such m interference signals may be removed from the set of signals used to determine the presence of an interference signal on a first - in - first - out basis . however , in an alternate embodiment , an alternate sampling method for the set of signals may also be used . subsequently , a block 206 selects x narrowband channels having the highest signal strength from each of the m most recent signals scanned at the block 202 . the number x may be determined by a user . for example , if x is selected to be equal to three , the block 206 may select three highest channels from each of the m most recent signals . the methodology for selecting x narrowband channels having highest signal strength from a signal is described in further detail in fig8 below . for example , the block 206 may determine that the first of the m signals has narrowband channels 10 , 15 and 27 having the highest signal strengths , the second of the m channels has narrowband channels 15 and 27 and 35 having the highest signal strengths , and the third of the m channels has the narrowband channels 15 , 27 and 35 having the highest narrowband signal strength . after having determined the x narrowband channels having the highest signal strengths in each of the m signals , a block 208 compares these x narrowband channels to determine if any of these highest strength narrowband channels appear more than once in the m signals . in case of the example above , the block 208 may determine that the narrowband channels 15 and 27 are present among the highest strength narrowband channels for each of the last three signals , while channel 35 is present among the highest strength narrowband channels for at least two of the last three signals . such consistent appearance of narrowband channels having highest signal strength over subsequent signals indicate that narrowband channels 15 and 27 , and probably the narrowband channel 35 , may have an interference signal super - imposed on them . a block 210 may use such information to determine which narrowband channels may have interference . for example , based on the number of times a given narrowband channel appears in the selected highest signal strength channels , the block 210 may determine the confidence level that may be assigned to a conclusion that a given narrowband channel contains an interference signal . alternatively , the block 210 may determine a correlation factor for each of the various narrowband channels appearing in the x selected highest signal strength channels and compare the calculated correlation factors with a threshold correlation factor to determine whether any of the x selected channels has correlated signal strengths . calculating a correlation factor based on a series of observations is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . for digital signal processing , the correlation factors may be determined using autocorrelation , which is a mathematical tool for finding repeating patterns , such as the presence of a periodic signal which has been buried under noise , or identifying the missing fundamental frequency in a signal implied by its harmonic frequencies . autocorrelation is used frequently in signal processing for analyzing functions or series of values , such as time domain signals . informally , correlation determines the similarity between observations as a function of the time separation between them . more precisely , correlation may be achieved through the cross - correlation of a signal with itself . the threshold correlation factor may be given by the user of the interference detection program 200 . note that while in the above illustrated embodiment , the correlation factors of only the selected highest signal strength channels are calculated , in an alternate embodiment , correlation factors of all the narrowband channels within the signals may be calculated and compared to the threshold correlation factor . empirically , it may be shown that when m is selected to be equal to three , for a clean signal , the likelihood of having at least one match among the higher signal strength narrowband channels is 0 . 198 , the likelihood of having at least two matches among the higher signal strength narrowband channels is 0 . 0106 , and the likelihood of having at least three matches among the higher signal strength narrowband channels is 9 . 38 . times . 10 ̂− 5 . thus , the higher the number of matches , the lesser is the likelihood of having a determination that one of the x channels contains an interference signal ( i . e ., false positive interference detection ). it may be shown that if the number of scans m is increased to , say four scans , the likelihood of having such matches in m consecutive scans is even smaller , thus providing higher confidence that if such matches are found to be present , they indicate presence of interference signal in those narrowband channels . to identify the presence of interference signals with even higher level of confidence , a block 212 may decide whether to compare the signal strengths of the narrowband channels determined to have an interference signal with a threshold . if the block 212 decides to perform such a comparison , a block 214 may compare the signal strength of each of the narrowband channels determined to have an interference with a threshold level . such comparing of the narrowband channel signal strengths with a threshold may provide added confidence regarding the narrowband channel having an interference signal so that when a notch filter is positioned at that narrowband channel , the probability of removing a non - interfering signal is reduced . however , a user may determine that such added confidence level is not necessary and thus no such comparison to a threshold needs to be performed . in which case , the control passes to a block 216 , which stores the interference signals in a memory . after storing the information about the narrowband channels having interference signals , a block 218 selects the next signal from the signals scanned and stored at the block 202 . the block 218 may cause the first of the m signals to be dropped and the newly added signal is added to the set of m signals that will be used to determine presence of an interference signal ( first - in - first - out ). subsequently , control is passed to the block 206 where the process of determining narrowband channels having interference signals is repeated . finally , a block 220 may generate tuning coefficient data which may be passed to the iir / fir filters 154 to realize a particular filter structure . in one embodiment , the tuning coefficient data may correspond to specific notch frequencies . in an alternative embodiment , such as , for example , a cognitive radio implementation , the tunable coefficients may correspond to a bandpass frequency and bandwidth . the tuning coefficient data may be passed to the tunable iir / fir filter 154 , as shown in fig6 to select and activate one or more iir and / or fir filters that are located in the path of the signal to filter out any narrowband channel identified as having narrowband interference in it . now referring to fig8 , a flowchart illustrates a high strength channels detection program 250 that may be used to identify various channels within a given scan of the dsss signal that may contain an interference signal . the high strength channels detection program 250 may be used to implement the functions performed by the block 206 of the interference detection program 200 . in a manner similar to the interference detection program 200 , the high strength channels detection program 250 may also be implemented using software , hardware , firmware or any combination thereof . a block 252 may sort signal strengths of each of the n channels within a given dsss signal . for example , if a dsss signal has forty one narrowband channels , the block 252 may sort each of the 41 narrowband channels according to its signal strengths . subsequently , a block 254 may select the x highest strength channels from the sorted narrowband channels and store information identifying the selected x highest strength channels for further processing . an embodiment of the high strength channels detection program 250 may simply use the selected x highest strength channels from each scan of the dsss signals to determine any presence of interference in the dsss signals . however , in an alternate embodiment , additional selected criteria may be used . subsequently , a block 256 determines if it is necessary to compare the signal strengths of the x highest strength narrowband channels to any other signal strength value , such as a threshold signal strength , etc ., where such a threshold may be determined using the average signal strength across the dsss signal . for example , the block 256 may use a criterion such as , for example : “ when x is selected to be four , if at least three out of four of the selected narrowband channels have also appeared in previous dsss signals , no further comparison in necessary .” another criterion may be , for example : “ if any of the selected narrowband channels is located at the fringe of the dsss signal , the signal strengths of such narrowband channels should be compared to a threshold signal strength .” other alternate criteria may also be provided . if the block 256 determines that no further comparison of the signal strengths of the selected x narrowband channels is necessary , control is passed to a block 258 , which stores information about the selected x narrowband channels in a memory for further processing . if the block 256 determines that it is necessary to apply further selection criteria to the selected x narrowband channels , control is passed to a block 260 . the block 260 may determine a threshold value against which the signal strengths of each of the x narrowband channels are compared based on a predetermined methodology . for example , in an embodiment , the block 260 may determine the threshold based on the average signal strength of the dsss signal . the threshold signal strength may be the average signal strength of the dsss signal or a predetermined value may be added to such average dsss signal to derive the threshold signal strength . subsequently , a block 262 may compare the signal strengths of the selected x narrowband channels to the threshold value determined by the block 260 . only the narrowband channels having signal strengths higher than the selected threshold are used in determining presence of interference in the dsss signal . finally , a block 264 may store information about the selected x narrowband channels having signal strengths higher than the selected threshold in a memory . as discussed above , the interference detection program 200 may use such information about the selected narrowband channels to determine the presence of interference signal in the dsss signal . the interference detection program 200 and the high strength channel detection program 250 may be implemented by using software , hardware , firmware or any combination thereof . for example , such programs may be stored on a memory of a computer that is used to control activation and deactivation of one or more notch filters . alternatively , such programs may be implemented using a digital signal processor ( dsp ) which determines the presence and location of interference channels in a dynamic fashion and activates / de - activates one or more notch filters . accordingly , this description is to be construed as illustrative only and not as limiting to the scope of the invention . the details of the methodology may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention , and the exclusive use of all modifications , which are within the scope of the appended claims , is reserved .
| 7Electricity
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a preferred embodiment of the overhead cigarette merchandising unit of this invention is illustrated in fig1 through 4 . the unit , indicated generally at 101 in fig1 is shown mounted on counter 102 . the unit is supported by upright posts 103 , 104 attached to respective cross - pieces 105 , 106 . telescoping extensions 107 of the cross - pieces provide greater stability , but can be retracted to reduce bulk during shipment or other movement of the unit . uprights 103 , 104 are braced at the top by cross - beam 108 . the main body of the unit is enclosure 109 , shown in its uppermost position , and shown also in phantom at 110 near its lowermost position . the enclosure has a front panel 111 , which faces the customers , a top panel 112 , a bottom panel 113 , a left side panel 114 , and a right side panel ( not shown ). front panel 111 can carry advertising or other messages , as indicated generally at 115 . the rear of enclosure 109 is shown in fig2 . top panel 112 , shown here in greater detail than in fig1 is seen to be composed of three panels 201 , 202 , 203 , separated by ribs 204 , 205 . the enclosure is seen to contain , in this embodiment , nine cigarette pack trays 301 - 309 , shown more clearly in fig3 . each tray shown has nine channels 206 for receiving rows of cigarette packs . each channel illustrated has a capacity of fourteen packs 310 , for a total capacity for the unit shown of 81 × 14 = 1 , 134 packs of cigarettes . at the front of each channel is thumb notch 207 , which facilitates the removal of a cigarette pack 310 in the manner shown at 311 . trays 301 - 309 are supported on a shelf - like framework indicated generally at 312 . the rear of each tray in the upper and middle rows ( trays 301 , 302 , 304 , 305 , 307 and 308 ) rests on upper cross - member 313 or 314 , respectively , while the rear of each tray in the bottom row ( trays 303 , 306 , and 309 ) rests against member 323 of framework 312 . as can be seen in fig3 the trays are supported in an inclined position , with the front of each tray resting on one of the lower cross - members 315 , 316 , 317 . triangular stops 318 depend from the front of the bottom of each tray , retaining the tray against sliding out of the enclosure by engagement with the respective lower cross - member for that tray . the inclination of trays 301 - 309 provides gravitational feed of the cigarette packs . as a given pack is removed , as indicated at 311 , the remainder of the packs in that channel slide downward so that a new pack takes the place of the one that was removed . when a channel is empty , it is easily restocked by lifting the tray by means of handle 319 so that triangular stop 318 is moved out of engagement with the lower cross - member . the tray can then be lifted completely out of the enclosure for restocking , or can be drawn down to the position shown in phantom at 320 . in the event the latter option is selected , the rear of the tray rests on the lower cross - member during restocking , with safety stop 321 , which depends from the rear of the bottom of the tray , engaging the cross - member to prevent accidental slippage of the tray out of the enclosure . one of the primary advantages of the cigarette merchandising unit of this invention is its adaptability to varying height requirements , as dictated by both space limitations and personnel height . to provide adjustability to the physical limitations of a particular installation , uprights 103 , 104 can be fashioned from telescoping members such as box beams and provided with retaining means ( not shown ) so as to be capable of discrete height adjustments . further , if necessary , they can be mounted so that the unit can be suspended from the ceiling , although floor or counter mounting is preferred . for finer height adjustment in daily use after installation , such as at a shift change when the clerk on duty may be replaced by another of different height , a mechanism is provided allowing simple and convenient alteration of the height of the unit . the mechanism is illustrated in detail in fig4 which is a cross - sectional view of the interior of the right end cap 401 of enclosure 109 . an identical mechanism is found in the left end cap . the end cap is provided with ribs 402 , 403 defining a passage 404 through which upright 104 passes . to minimize friction , passage 404 is made wider than upright 104 , and is provided with spacers 405 , 406 , 407 to maintain upright 104 in proper alignment . a gear rack 408 is provided on the rear face of upright 104 for engagement with pinion gear 409 , which is journalled adjacent to passage 404 . a similar rack and pinion arrangement is found on the left side of the unit at 116 . the respective pinion gears 409 are joined by an interconnecting shaft 322 which passes through shelf cross - member 316 , as shown in fig3 . shaft 322 is fixedly connected to each of the pinion gears 409 so that the gears rotate in unison . the gears are rotated manually by crank 410 , which is removable and is preferably connected to pinion gear 409 only when it is desired to operate the mechanism . crank 410 can be connected at either end of enclosure 109 , although shown in both fig1 and fig4 on the left side . rotation of crank 410 in the direction shown by arrow 411 will lower the enclosure 109 to the position shown in phantom at 110 , and lower , to the extent that the length of gear rack 408 will allow . rotation in the opposite direction will raise the enclosure . interconnecting shaft 322 is needed to insure that both ends of the enclosure move simultaneously , to prevent jamming of the unit . means are provided to retain enclosure 409 at any height selected . these means include , first , coiled flat springs 412 , 413 attached to upright 104 at 414 and 415 respectively , and wound on self - lubricating bobbins ( not shown ) journalled for rotation on shafts 416 , 417 . springs 412 and 413 , which wind and unwind inside partial shields 418 , 419 , along with identical springs in the left end cap attached to upright 103 , are chosen to have a restoring force equal to the weight of enclosure 109 when fully loaded with cigarettes . in that way , regardless of the height selected , the weight of the unit is exactly counterbalanced by the pull of the springs , so that it remains in that position . in addition , movement of the enclosure will require only enough force to overcome the friction within the lift mechanism . however , as cigarettes are sold , and the unit becomes lighter , it will tend to rise under the influence of the springs , and downward adjustment of the height of the enclosure will require extra force to overcome the upward bias of the springs . therefore , additional retaining means are provided in the form of locking slides 420 , 421 on the left and right sides , respectively , of enclosure 109 . during movement of the unit , these slides , accessible from the outside of the enclosure , are kept at the position in which slide 421 is shown in fig4 . after the desired height has been selected , slide 421 is moved downward along slot 422 , until tongue 423 engages the teeth of pinion gear 409 , preventing the rotation thereof , thereby locking the enclosure at the selected height . slide 420 functions similarly on the left side of the enclosure . longer enclosures can be accommodated according to this invention by providing additional upright supports at selected locations along the length of the enclosure . in such an embodiment , each such additional support should have associated with it a mechanism as described above , with all of the mechanisms linked by interconnecting shafts such as shaft 322 . the preferred material for the panels of enclosure 109 is medium impact styrene plastic , although any material commonly used for retail displays will suffice . the gears and associated parts are preferably formed of acetal plastic , while the trays are preferably formed from a transparent k - resin plastic , but here again any commonly used material will function equally well . the upright supports should be able to sustain the entire weight of the unit , and should , therefore , be made of a material capable of bearing a significant load , such as stainless steel or chrome plated mild steel . the coiled springs are by their nature limited to a material of suitable strength and elasticity , such as spring steel . the cigarette merchandising display as described is versatile in its adaptability to changing physical constraints . it is also attractive and distinctive in appearance , presenting a profile quite different from those of the prior art . by angling off the corners of the enclosure , unused air space that would be inside the enclosure in other displays is eliminated , presenting a less bulky appearance and allowing more light to reach the counter area . the front face of the enclosure can carry advertising or other messages , or backlit displays , or can be left blank . it will therefore be seen that this invention provides a distinctive and attractive overhead cigarette merchandising display which can be adjusted to any one of an infinite number of selected heights . it should be understood that the embodiment described herein is meant to be illustrative only , and that other adaptations are possible within the scope of the invention , which is to be limited only by the claims below .
| 0Human Necessities
|
as regards the temperature at which the rearrangement is carried out , operating at temperatures of less than 180 ° c . results in rapid and irreversible deactivation of the catalyst . on the other hand , temperatures of greater than 450 ° c . result in decomposition of the organic compounds with here again irreversible deactivation of the catalyst . within the temperature range between 180 and 450 ° c ., it is possible to synthesize lauryllactam with a selectivity generally of greater than 70 %. in order also to obtain good conversion while protecting the catalyst from irreversible deactivation resulting from excessively high temperatures , it is recommended to operate within the range 225 - 400 ° c ., the range 225 - 375 ° c . being particularly preferred . as regards the operating pressure , in view of the fact that cyclodedecanone oxime and lauryllactam are difficult to vaporize and risk forming oligomers , indeed even coke , on the catalyst , it is preferable to operate at atmospheric pressure , indeed even under reduced pressure . here again , it is necessary to find the best compromise , since a low pressure makes it possible to more easily desorb the organic compounds and thus to improve the selectivity . on the other hand , it limits the adsorption of the substrate on the catalyst and consequently reduces the conversion . in view of the temperature range selected , it is preferable to operate within the range 50 - 700 mbar absolute . as regards the zeolite , these products are known per se and are available commercially . use may be made , by way of examples , of a usy zeolite , a zeolite which has aluminium and / or boron as framework heteroatom , a zeolite which initially has aluminium and / or boron as framework heteroatom and which has been subjected to a dealumination / deboration treatment , a β zeolite , a β zeolite which has aluminium and / or boron as framework heteroatom or a β zeolite which initially has aluminium and / or boron as framework heteroatom and which has been subjected to a dealumination / deboration treatment . this dealumination / deboration treatment applied to zeolites or to β zeolites makes it possible to substantially improve the performance of the catalyst , in particular from the selectivity viewpoint . numerous methods described in the literature exist for dealuminating , indeed even deborating , the zeolites ; they are hydrothermal or chemical treatments of the zeolite . mention may be made , without implied limitation , of the method disclosed in patent ep 488 867 . the advantage of the acidic treatment disclosed in this patent is that it makes it possible to retain the crystallinity of the zeolite . it is in particular highly appropriate for the dealumination / deboration of β zeolite . the operating conditions selected for this treatment make it possible to vary the extent of the dealumination / deboration of the zeolite and its effectiveness is measured by the si / al or si / b atomic ratios of the solids obtained . the zeolite used can initially comprise boron . the treatment for removing a portion of the aluminium atoms of the zeolite also results in partial removal of the boron . the presence of residual boron does not affect the performance of the catalyst in terms of selectivity and even contributes to an improvement in the conversion . a zeolite initially comprising only boron as framework heteroatom results , after a deboration treatment , in a lower conversion ; however , the selectivity still remains very good ( greater than 90 % under some operating conditions ). as regards the zeolites ( optionally β zeolites ) initially having the aluminium atom as framework heteroatom , a dealumination can be carried out which results in an si / al atomic ratio of greater than 50 , advantageously of greater than 80 and preferably of greater than 150 . as regards the zeolites ( optionally β zeolites ) initially having the boron atom as framework heteroatom , a deboration can be carried out which results in an si / b atomic ratio of greater than 20 and advantageously of greater than 40 . as regards the zeolites ( optionally β zeolites ) initially having the aluminium atom and the boron atom as framework heteroatom , a dealumination / deboration can be carried out which results in an si / al ratio of greater than 50 and an si / b ratio of greater than 20 , advantageously in an si / al ratio of greater than 150 and an si / b ratio of greater than 30 . as regards the solvent , the cyclododecanone oxime can be dissolved in a solvent chosen from alcohols and hydrocarbons . it is recommended to choose the solvent in order to make it possible to dissolve the organic compounds and to have a stability of the solvent which is acceptable under the operating conditions selected for the reaction ( temperature , zeolite , and the like ). generally , alcohols which may decompose in the presence of zeolites are markedly more stable in the presence of dealuminated and / or deboronated zeolites . mention will be made , among the alcohols which can be used as solvent for cyclododecanone oxime , without implied limitation , of methanol , ethanol or isopropanol . likewise , hydrocarbons can be used , alone or as mixtures , which makes it possible to have high dependence of the solubility of the products with the temperature , the latter property being important for the recovery and the purification of the final products . the use of isopropanol or of isopropanol / cyclohexane or ethanol / cyclohexane mixtures as solvent is particularly preferred . furthermore , in order to increase the solubility of cyclododecanone oxime in the solvent and thus to increase the productive output of the rearrangement , it is possible to preheat the cyclododecanone oxime / solvent mixture before it is introduced into the reaction part . as regards the carrier gas , mention may be made , by way of examples , of nitrogen , argon and helium . as regards stage c ), the separation can be carried out by any means . as regards the “ regeneration ” of the catalyst , this term is used to denote the treatments which make possible the desorption of l12 and its derivatives adsorbed at the surface of the catalyst ( of the zeolite ). the catalysts ( zeolites ) and the operating conditions described above and in the examples result in good catalytic performances ( selectivity and conversion ) and make it possible to limit the accumulation of organic compounds on the catalyst . however , it is impossible to completely suppress this accumulation of organic products on the catalyst . for this reason , in order to improve the lifetime of the catalyst and to avoid irreversible deactivations , it is recommended to regenerate the catalyst as soon as a significant ( 10 to 20 %) fall in the yield is observed . this regeneration is provided by flushing the catalyst and / or placing it under vacuum in the absence of the organic reactants . a temperature greater than the temperature at which the rearrangement reaction has been carried out is recommended . for this reason , the regeneration is carried out within a temperature range between 350 and 650 ° c . and more particularly between 400 and 600 ° c ., the temperature range 450 - 590 ° c . being particularly preferred . this regeneration can be carried out at atmospheric pressure or under reduced pressure . likewise , it can be carried out while flushing with inert gases , such as nitrogen , or under oxygen or under a mixture of the two , such as air . the duration of the regeneration can be determined by monitoring the loss in weight of the catalyst due to the desorption of the organic compounds adsorbed on the catalyst . it generally requires several hours , if the phases of raising and lowering the temperature are taken into account . the regeneration can also be carried out under vacuum . as regards the device in which the present rearrangement , as well as the preparation of the reactants and the recovery of the lauryllactam , are carried out , conventional equipment is used . more particularly , the rearrangement reaction over the zeolite can be carried out over “ fixed bed ”, “ fluid bed ” or “ moving bed ” reactors . due to the need to regularly regenerate the catalyst , it may be advantageous to use several reaction systems with a portion of them in production while the others are in the regeneration phase , and then vice versa . synthesis of a β zeolite with aluminium as framework heteroatom : cat 1 1 . 1 g of sodium hydroxide ( carlo erba ) are dissolved in 78 . 6 g of water and then 45 g of a 35 % tetraethylammonium hydroxide ( aldrich ) solution and 0 . 48 g of naalo 2 ( carlo erba ) are successively added with stirring . after dissolution , 18 g of zeosil 175 mp silica are added , still with stirring . after a maturing stage with stirring at ambient temperature for 4 hours , the mixture is brought to a temperature of 150 ° c . under static conditions in an autoclave for 48 hours . the mixture obtained is filtered and then washing is carried out with water until a ph of 9 . 4 is obtained . the solid obtained is dried at 100 ° c . for 12 hours . the elemental analysis of the dry solid indicates an si / al atomic ratio of 11 . synthesis of a β zeolite with aluminium and boron as framework heteroatoms : cat 2 0 . 75 g of naoh ( carlo erba ) is dissolved in 24 g of water and then 0 . 059 g of naalo 2 ( carlo erba ) and 0 . 492 g of na 2 b 4 o 7 ( carlo erba ) are successively added with stirring . after dissolution , 45 g of a 35 % tetraethylammonium hydroxide ( aldrich ) solution and then 18 g of zeosil 175 mp silica are added with stirring . after a maturing stage with stirring at ambient temperature for 4 hours , the mixture is brought to a temperature of 150 ° c . under static conditions in an autoclave for 48 hours . the mixture obtained is filtered , washing with water is then carried out until a ph of 9 . 1 is obtained and then centrifuging is carried out . the cake is finally dried at 100 ° c . for 14 hours . the elemental analysis of the solid obtained indicates an si / al atomic ratio of 41 and an si / b atomic ratio of 19 . 8 . synthesis of a β zeolite with boron as framework heteroatom : cat 3 3 . 48 g of boron hydroxide ( b ( oh ) 3 , aldrich ), 1 . 43 g of sodium hydroxide , 26 . 6 g of fk700 silica ( degussa ) and 27 . 2 g of a 40 % aqueous tetraethylammonium hydroxide ( fluka ) solution are added to 183 . 6 ml of water and are kept stirred at ambient temperature overnight ( 13 h ). 31 . 9 g of tetraethylammonium bromide are then added and the mixture is kept stirred for 5 h . the mixture is brought to 150 ° c . for 240 h under autogenous pressure in an autoclave equipped with a teflon ® lining . after filtration , the crystals obtained are calcined a first time at 400 ° c . under a stream of ammonia ( 3 l / h ). after returning to ambient temperature , the solid is washed three times for 24 h with a 1m ammonium chloride solution . after filtration , the solid obtained is calcined at 400 ° c . under nitrogen . the analysis of the solid thus synthesized displays an si / b atomic ratio of 16 . in order to extract a portion of the aluminium , cat 1 , the synthesis of which is described above , is treated at 130 ° c . ( reflux ) in the presence of 70 % nitric acid . treatment at reflux for 5 hours , followed by washing with 17 % nitric acid and then with water , results , after drying under air at 80 ° c ., in a solid having an si / al atomic ratio of 150 ( catalyst cat 1 dealumination al1 ( abbreviated to de al1 )). the solid obtained is subsequently calcined under air at 550 ° c . for 8 hours ( rate of temperature rise : 2 ° c ./ minute ). an identical treatment but with a reflux stage lasting 6 . 5 hours results , after washing , drying and calcining , in a solid having an si / al atomic ratio of 180 ( catalyst cat 1 dealumination al2 ( abbreviated to de al2 )). in order to remove a portion of the framework heteroatoms of the catalyst cat 2 , this catalyst is treated at reflux ( 130 ° c .) of 70 % nitric acid for 5 hours . after washing with 17 % nitric acid and then with water , and drying , the solid is calcined under air at 550 ° c . for 8 hours ( rate of temperature rise : 2 ° c ./ minute ). a solid is thus obtained , the elemental analysis of which indicates an si / al atomic ratio of 170 and an si / b atomic ratio of 37 ( catalyst cat 2 dealuminated - deborated ( abbreviated to de alb1 )). the catalyst cat 3 is subjected to a treatment with an hcl solution ( ph 6 ) at ambient temperature for one hour . after washing with water and then drying , the elemental analysis of the solid reveals an si / b atomic ratio of 32 and an si / al atomic ratio of greater than 1500 ( cat 3 de b1 ). the cyclododecanone oxime , in solution in a solvent , is fed , via a pump , to an apparatus composed of a reaction system which can operate at atmospheric pressure or under pressure comprising a vaporization chamber and a reactor . the reduced pressure in the reaction part is provided by a vacuum pump equipped with a pressure gauge . unless otherwise indicated , the charge of catalyst used in the fixed bed reactor is one gram . the combined reaction products are recovered in a liquid nitrogen trap . for this test , the cyclododecanone oxime is dissolved in isopropanol at ambient temperature ( 3 g of oxime / 100 g of isopropanol ). the temperature in the catalytic bed is fixed at 325 ° c . and the operating pressure is set up at 50 mbar . under these operating conditions , the cyclododecanone oxime / isopropanol mixture is injected accompanied by a carrier gas ( 3 . 5 sl / h of nitrogen ), which results in a space velocity of 0 . 3 g of oxime / g of catalyst . h . after starting up the plant ( one hour ), the crude reaction product is trapped for one hour . the analysis of this mixture leads to the following result : conversion of the oxime 85 % and selectivity for lauryllactam 68 %. this test 2 is carried out under operating conditions identical to those of test 1 , with the exception of the catalyst cat 1 , which is replaced by the catalyst cat 1 de al1 . the analysis of the crude reaction product collected during the second hour of the test leads to the following result : conversion of the cyclododecanone oxime : 40 %; selectivity for lauryllactam : 99 %. this test 3 is carried out under operating conditions identical to those of test 1 , with the exception of the catalyst cat 1 , which is replaced by the catalyst cat 1 de al2 . the analysis of the crude reaction product collected during the second hour of the test leads to the following result : conversion of the cyclododecanone oxime : 48 %; selectivity for lauryllactam : 99 %. this test 4 is carried out under operating conditions identical to those of test 1 , with the exception of the catalyst cat 1 , which is replaced by the catalyst cat 2 de alb1 . the analysis of the crude reaction product collected during the second hour of the test leads to the following result : conversion of the cyclododecanone oxime : 89 %; selectivity for lauryllactam : 99 . 5 %. this test 5 is carried out under operating conditions identical to those of test 1 , with the exception of the catalyst cat 1 , which is replaced by the catalyst cat 3 de b1 . the analysis of the crude reaction product collected during the second hour of the test leads to the following result : conversion of the cyclododecanone oxime : 28 %; selectivity for lauryllactam : 92 %. the β zeolites used in these examples initially have aluminium or boron as framework heteroatoms . the best results are obtained with a zeolite initially comprising aluminium and boron which has been subjected to a dealumination / deboration treatment . for this test , the cyclododecanone oxime is dissolved in isopropanol at ambient temperature ( 3 g of oxime / 100 g of isopropanol ). this oxime / isopropanol mixture is injected into the vaporization chamber at a flow rate of 10 g / h . the catalyst used ( 3 g ) is cat 1 de al2 and the temperature in the catalytic bed is set at 325 ° c . furthermore , the operating pressure is set up at 50 mbar . after starting up the plant ( one hour ), the crude reaction product is trapped , weighed and analysed every hour . the change in the conversion and in the selectivity for l12 in the crude reaction product trapped at the outlet of the reactor and the material balance , which makes it possible to quantify the weight of product adsorbed on the catalyst , are illustrated in fig1 . a balance over the first 12 hours of the test shows that , with regard to the 3 . 6 g of oxime introduced into the vaporization chamber , 3 . 36 g of products are recovered in the trap , the analysis of which shows that this mixture is very predominantly composed of l12 (& gt ; 99 %). the presence of traces of cyclododecanone is also observed . the missing product has remained adsorbed on the catalyst . additional tests with regeneration show that it is possible , when the regeneration is carried out before a significant fall in the selectivity ( regeneration before the selectivity is below 85 %), to recover 96 % of the product adsorbed on the catalyst and for this product to be very predominantly l12 (& gt ; 95 %). consequently , over this period of 12 hours , a complete balance , including a “ preventive regeneration ” with nitrogen with trapping of the products desorbed , results in a yield of l12 of the order of 96 %. under such operating conditions , the productive output for l12 is of the order of 96 g / h . kg of catalyst . the first 12 hours of the test are followed by a phase of 4 to 5 hours during which the selectivity falls slightly , accompanied by a gradual fall in the conversion down to approximately 80 %. during this intermediate phase , there is no accumulation of product on the catalyst . the third phase ( after testing for 16 hours ) is illustrated by a more rapid deactivation of the catalyst , in particular of the conversion . there is again accumulation of organic compounds on the catalyst and the regeneration tests ( under the conditions described below ) undertaken over a catalyst at this stage show that it is not possible to completely desorb the accumulated products and irreversible deactivation of the catalyst is observed . the same charge of catalyst ( 3 g ) cat 1 de al2 was tested successively in reaction ( p : 50 mbar , t = 300 ° c ., oxime introduced in solution in isopropanol , duration 2 hours , with trapping of the crude reaction product during the second hour ) and in regeneration ( flushing under air at 550 ° c ., total duration of the regeneration 12 hours ( including the rise in the temperature to 550 ° c . and the fall to 300 ° c . ), atmospheric pressure ). the change in the conversion and in the selectivity ( analysis based on the crude reaction product trapped ) as a function of the successive phases of tests in reaction is reflected in fig2 . after 8 tests in reaction , it is observed that , for all these tests , the cyclododecanone oxime is completely converted . the selectivity for l12 , initially 95 %, increases slightly to reach 98 % during the eighth test in reaction . due to the time necessary for the rise in the temperature to reach the stationary level of 550 ° c . and then the fall in the latter to return to the reaction temperature , it was not possible to shorten the regeneration phase . on the other hand , such a regeneration procedure ( total duration 12 hours ), applied to a catalyst which has operated in reaction for 12 hours , makes it possible to maintain the catalytic activity for the following reaction cycle . the test was interrupted after 8 test / regeneration cycles without observing significant signs of deactivation of the catalyst . on the basis of these results , it is thus possible to envisage a process with several reactors in parallel , some of which are in the reaction phase while others are in the regeneration phase . test 8 : with a usy zeolite ( other family of zeolites than β zeolites ) the usy zeolite is sold by grace ; it has an si / al atomic ratio of 35 . test conditions identical to test 1 above but using usy zeolite instead of β zeolite . after starting up the plant ( 1 hour ), the crude reaction product is trapped for 1 hour . the analysis of this mixture reveals a conversion of the oxime of 74 % and a selectivity for l12 of 75 %.
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
the above described method of the present invention for the preparation of chondroitin sulfate compounds has been established as a result of the extensive investigations undertaken by the inventors including the screening tests to uncover raw materials of good availability from which the desired chondroitin sulfate compounds can be advantageously prepared arriving at an unexpected discovery that fish scales as an industrial waste material discharged from fishery in large quantities are suitable for the purpose . namely , the method of the present invention comprises simple steps of ( a ) enzymatic solubilization of fish scales to give an aqueous solution containing the isolated chondroitin sulfate compounds , ( b ) removal of the by - product polypeptides from the aqueous solution and ( c ) fractional precipitation of the chondroitin sulfate compounds contained in the aqueous solution . the fish from which fish scales as the starting material of the inventive method are obtained can be any of freshwater fishes and - saltwater fishes without particular limitations . examples of freshwater fishes suitable for the purpose include carps , crucians , trouts , goldfishes and others . examples of the saltwater fishes suitable for the purpose include sea breams , sea basses , salmons , herrings , etsu fish and others . scales of these fishes can be used after merely removing filthy matters by washing with water . if necessary , the fish scales after washing with water are subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of 120 to 130 ° c . for 5 to 30 minutes in . order to facilitate homogenization of the fish scales prior to step ( a ). the solubilization treatment of fish scales as the starting material in step ( a ) of the inventive method is conducted by dispersing the fish scales as the starting material in a diluted aqueous solution of calcium acetate or , preferably , in an aqueous solution buffered with a tris hydrogen chloride buffer solution at a ph of 7 . 4 to 8 . 0 followed by homogenization with a homogenizer to give an aqueous suspension of the comminuted fish scales to which a protease is added to effect proteolytic decomposition of the fish scales . this proteolytic reaction is conducted preferably at a temperature of 30 to 40 ° c . and the reaction is completed usually within 5 hours to several days at this temperature . this treatment has an effect to proteolytically decompose the proteinous material which combines with the chondroitin sulfate compounds in the fish scales to isolate polypeptides as a by - product which is dissolved in the aqueous medium together with the chondroitin sulfate compounds to form an aqueous solution . in the next place , the aqueous solution still containing insoluble matters is subjected to filtration or centrifugation for removal of the insoluble matters to give a clear solution from which the polypeptides as a by - product are removed in step ( b ) of the inventive method . this treatment of step ( b ) can be conducted advantageously by bringing the aqueous solution into contact with a cation - exchange resin in the h + - form . though optional , this ion - exchange treatment can be preceded by evaporation of a part of water from the aqueous solution and subjecting the thus concentrated aqueous solution to dialysis - against distilled water . in step ( c ) of the inventive method , the thus obtained aqueous solution containing the isolated chondroitin sulfate compounds is subjected to fractional precipitation of the chondroitin sulfate compounds . thus , the aqueous solution is admixed step - wise with ethyl alcohol and the precipitated matters obtained for the respective ethyl alcohol concentrations of the precipitation medium are collected as the fractions consisting of different chondroitin sulfate compounds which precipitate when the step - wise increasing ethyl alcohol concentration has reached the precipitation point of the individual compounds . identification of the thus isolated chondroitin sulfate compounds can be conducted by subjecting the respective products to hydrolysis with a digestive enzyme and detecting the thus produced saccharides by making comparison with an authentic sample of the chondroitin sulfate compound . in particular , this identification procedure is undertaken by hydrolyzing the sample of chondroitin sulfate with chondroitinase and developing - the thus obtained solution in thin - layer chromatography , referred to as tlc hereinafter , followed by color development of the spots of the bands for the unsaturated disaccharides with a diphenylamine reagent to make comparison for coincidence of the band distribution with that obtained from an authentic sample . the conclusion obtained by such an identification test of the products obtained by the inventive method is that the chondroitin sulfate compounds obtained from fish scales are chondroitin sulfate a and chondroitin sulfate c . in the following , the method of the present invention is described in more detail by way of examples . scales of carps in an amount of 60 g were thoroughly washed with water - and subjected to a heat treatment at 120 ° c . for 20 minutes . thereafter , the fish scales after the heat treatment were added to 300 ml of a 0 . 05m tris hydrogen chloride buffer solution at a ph of 7 . 8 containing 0 . 02m of calcium acetate together with 300 mg of a protease ( actinase e , a product by kaken seiyaku co .) followed by homogenization with a homogenizer to give a uniform suspension of the comminuted fish scales . this aqueous suspension was incubated at 37 ° c . for 3 days so that the fish scales were completely solubilized followed by a heat treatment of the reaction mixture at 100 ° c . for 5 minutes to deactivate the enzyme . after centrifugation at 20000 rpm for 40 minutes to settle the insoluble matters in the reaction mixture , the clear supernatant was subjected to evaporation of a part of water to give a 100 ml volume of a concentrated solution which was dialyzed overnight against distilled water . the aqueous solution after the dialysis treatment was passed through an ion - exchange column of 50 mm inner diameter and 50 mm depth filled with a cation - exchange resin ( dowex 50 - x8 , a product by dow chemical co .) in the h + - form to remove the polypeptides produced by the proteolysis and contained in the aqueous solution . the effluent solution from the column was neutralized with sodium hydroxide and then freeze - dried to give 330 mg of a freeze - dried material . the thus obtained freeze - dried material was dissolved in 50 ml of a 0 . 5m aqueous solution of sodium acetate and the ph value of the solution was brought to 4 . 5 by the addition of acetic acid . the solution was then admixed with ethyl alcohol portion - wise to increase the concentration of ethyl alcohol step - wise and the precipitates formed in the mixture at the respective ethyl alcohol concentrations were collected . the precipitates from each of the fractions were admixed with 2n hydrochloric acid in a 1000 w / v times amount and the mixture was heated at 100 ° c . for 20 hours to effect hydrolysis of the chondroitin sulfate into saccharides . the saccharide solution was analyzed for the composition of saccharides by using a saccharide analyzer ( model dx - 500 , manufactured by dionex co .). the results are shown in table 1 below together with the yields of the precipitates from the respective fractions , in which the names of various saccharides are abridged as follows . as is understood from this table , the precipitates obtained from the fraction of 40 - 50 % ethyl alcohol concentration contained glcua and galnac in higher contents than in the other fractions and the molar ratio of glcua and galnac was about 1 : 1 . iduronic acid as a constituent saccharide of chondroitin sulfate b was not detected in any of the fractions . a 75 μg portion of the precipitates obtained from the fraction of 40 - 50 % ethyl alcohol concentration and each a 50 μg portion of authentic samples of chondroitin sulfate a and chondroitin sulfate c of the ssg grade ( each a product by biochemical industry co . ), referred to as chsa and chsc , respectively , hereinafter , were dissolved each in 100 μl of a 0 . 025m sodium acetate buffer solution having a ph of 5 . 0 and each solution was admixed with a solution prepared by dissolving 0 . 02 unit of chondroitinase ( earthro ii , a product by biochemical industry co .) in 2 μl of the same buffer solution followed by incubation of the mixtures at 37 ° c . for 20 hours to effect the enzymatic reaction . thereafter , the reaction mixtures were each admixed with 300 μl of ethyl alcohol to deactivate the enzyme followed by centrifugation to settle the insoluble matters . the supernatants from centrifugation were , after evaporation of a part of water , subjected to thin - layer chromatographic analysis by using a silica gel 60 tlc plate ( a product by merck co .) with a 2 : 1 : 1 by volume mixture of n - butyl alcohol , acetic acid and distilled water as the developer . a diphenylamine reagent was used as the color developer for the unsaturated disaccharides formed by the enzymatic reaction with the chondroitinase . the tlc spot diagram obtained from the fraction corresponding to 40 - 50 % ethyl alcohol concentration indicated to two spots of unsaturated disaccharides . the mobility of each of these spots was in good coincidence with that for the disaccharides obtained from authentic samples of chsa and chsc . the experimental procedure was substantially the - same as in example 1 excepting for the replacement of 60 g of carp scales as the starting material with 142 g of scales of red sea breams to obtain 95 mg as a total of precipitates by fractionation with ethyl alcohol as the precipitant . table 2 below shows the results of the saccharide analysis of the precipitates from each of the five fractions . the experimental procedure was substantially the same as in example 1 excepting for the replacement of 60 g of carp scales as the starting - material with 26 g of scales of etsu fish to obtain 20 . 8 mg as a total of precipitates by fractionation with ethyl alcohol as the precipitant . table 3 below shows the results of the saccharide analysis of the precipitates from each of the five fractions . the experimental procedure was substantially the same as in example 1 excepting for the replacement of 60 g of carp scales as the starting material with 23 g of scales of sea basses to obtain 11 . 0 mg as a total of precipitates by fractionation with ethyl alcohol as the precipitant . table 4 below shows the results of the saccharide analysis of the precipitates from each of the five fractions . as is understood from tables 2 to 4 , the chondroitin sulfate compounds obtained by the protease treatment of fish scales include chondroitin sulfate a and chondroitin sulfate c while chondroitin sulfate b is not included therein irrespective of the kind of the fishes .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
according to the present invention , a physical or chemical change on a cantilever is measured in order to monitor the occurrence of a chemical interaction between naturally occurring bio - polymers which are non - identical binding partners , for example , between biological polymers or other analytes , monomeric or polymeric . typically , the cantilever as used with the method of the present invention is approximately 100 μm in length , 50 μm in width and approximately 1 μm in thickness . when a chemical interaction occurs on the cantilever , a physical or chemical change occurs causing the cantilever to be deflected , i . e ., moved up or down at its free end . such deflection motion can be detected to a very fine degree , for example , up to a fraction of a diameter of an atom . turning to the specific example of using the present method to detect dna hybridization , as shown in fig1 the surface of a cantilever 110 is first prepared in order to be able to attach single strands of dna . such surface preparations are known to those of skill in the art of dna hybridization detection methods . more specifically , cantilevers made of a solid substrate , for example silicon or similar materials , are prepared with special surfaces of silicon dioxide ( sio 2 ) and standard procedures are used for making a functionalized layer that allows attachment of probe molecules . next , a binding partner or probes molecules , for example , single stranded dna 120 , are introduced onto one surface of the cantilever . as shown in fig2 the device is then preferably mounted into a liquid cell 130 , for example , containing an aqueous buffer 140 . a detector 150 is employed in which a laser beam 160 is shown on the cantilever and reflects off of the cantilever . the reflected spot 170 of light is used to determine the relative position of the cantilever . in other words , movement of the cantilever can be determined by directly detecting the movement or angle of the reflected laser beam light . this provides a particular advantage in the present method in that it is always possible to obtain a strong signal from the reflected light . the response from this first deflection on the detector is used as a reference to determine cantilever deflection , as further described . next , sample analyte molecules , such as dna is introduced to the surface of the cantilever containing single stranded dna . the sample analyte molecules will hybridize with selected strands of dna on the cantilever , as reflected at numeral 180 in fig3 . as a result , stress is induced on the cantilever which will cause the cantilever to deflect . more specifically , when hybridization occurs , surface pressure results by the addition of negative charges on the surface of the cantilever because dna is a polyanion . in other words , hybridization causes more electrostatic charges to build up on the cantilever surface which tend to repel one another . because the sample analyte molecules are only on one surface of the cantilever , the surface of the cantilever deflects due to this repelling action . this deflection will appear on the deflector as a signal 170 ′ in fig3 which can be correlated against the reference signal . it should be noted that the method of the present invention can be used with negatively charged analytes ( such as dna ) or positively charged analytes . in addition , the method of the present invention can also be used with uncharged analytes because forces other than electrostatic forces , such as dipole forces , can be employed with the present method . the detector used with the present invention can be any optical detector capable of tracking reflected laser light as known to one of ordinary skill in the art , for example , can be a split photodiode , linear array of photodetectors , piezo resistance elements or the like . in an alternative embodiment , shown in fig4 a second cantilever 190 can be used as a reference cantilever . the second cantilever 190 is preferably mounted side by side with cantilever 110 . in such an embodiment , a surface of the second cantilever 190 is prepared in the same manner as the first cantilever 110 which will be used for hybridization . however , the second cantilever 190 does not have a binding partner , such as single stranded dna , attached onto one of its surfaces and is not treated with sample analyte molecules , such as dna . in this case , one signal ( numerals 170 and 170 ′ in fig4 ) from each cantilever is detected by the detector and the difference between the reflected light between the two cantilevers is analyzed . the embodiment shown in fig4 cancels any spurious motion of the cantilever caused , for example , by the environment , such as the liquid in the container . in either embodiment , the signals detected by the detector are then analyzed in order to determine whether hybridization , for example , has occurred . if there is a change in position after the sample analyte molecules , such as dna , have been introduced on the single cantilever ( single cantilever embodiment ), or if the cantilever carrying the sample analyte molecules , such as dna , has changed its position in relation to the reference cantilever ( two cantilever embodiment ), hybridization has been detected . in yet another embodiment , several pairs of cantilevers could be used , with one cantilever carrying a specific probe molecules and the other cantilever of the pair carrying a non - specific probe molecule or no probe molecule at all . in the context of dna hybridization , for example , several pairs of cantilevers could be used each carrying a different sequence of single stranded dna . multiple pairs of cantilevers organized in such a fashion are known as an array of cantilevers . in an array , each cantilever pair includes one cantilever for hybridization and one neutral or reference cantilever . the difference between signals of each cantilever pair in the array provides the true hybridization signal for that pair , similar to the system described with respect to fig4 . with a cantilever array , it is possible to introduce a complex mixture of molecules into the liquid flow cell encompassing the array and to identify those molecules in the complex by determining which cantilevers hybridize . the number of cantilever pairs which can be used in an array is united . such a cantilever array has practical utility in both biomedical and environmental applications . an example of an environmental application would be to use such a detector to identify an unknown contaminant in a sample of air or water which might have been infected by environmental terrorists . the possible applications for the method of the present invention are limitless . in still another alternative embodiment , an interdigital array of cantilevers , as described above by manalis i , can be used in the method of the present invention . in an interdigital cantilever array , interleaved fingers are built onto a cantilever in the form of a grid . the cantilever deflects one pair of fingers while the other remains stationery . the method of the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein and can be employed to detect any chemical interaction between naturally occurring bio - polymers which are non - identical binding partners with accuracy and at a low cost .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
|
proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail , reference should first be made to fig1 which shows a substantially rectangular framework 10 having a hitch pole assembly 11 on the front member 12 thereof extending forwardly and terminating in a hitch 13 which enables the device to be secured to a tractor or other convenient source of power . wheels 14 are mounted adjacent to the rear member 15 of the framework upon forks 16 and a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 17 is connected to the framework so that the framework can be raised or lowered relative to the wheels in a conventional manner . it is not believed that further details of this raising and lowering apparatus need be disclosed as it is well known . if necessary , conventional seed planting devices 18 each including a pair of planters may be supported in an extension 19 of the framework followed by conventional packers 20 , all of which are conventional in construction . situated within a framework 10 is a plurality of liquid chemical incorporating devices collectively designated 21 . each of these is arranged in alignment with a respective seed planter and consists of a casing 22 supported between the front members 12 and 15 of the framework with a pair of arms 23 extending forwardly and upwardly from the casing and being pivotally secured to the front member 12 on pivot couplings 231 . the arms are also pivotally connected to the casing by a frame 252 at pivot pins 233 with the angle between the arms 23 and the casing being adjustable by couplings 234 . a single member 24 extends rearwardly of the casing and is secured to the rear frame member 15 . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , each casing 22 includes a pair of spaces and parallel side plates 25 , a top plate 26 , a rear plate collectively designated 27 and a front plate collectively designated 28 , all of these plates forming an enclosure or casing having an open base and being situated within the framework so that , when in operation , the lower edges 25a of the side plates 25 , engage the surface of the ground so that a complete enclosure is formed . the rear wall 27 includes the inclined upper portion 29 and the lower substantially vertical portion 30 . a spray nozzle assembly 31 is secured within a depression 32a formed in the sloping wall portion 29 and a flexible hose 32 extends externally of the casing , and is operatively connected to the nozzle 31 . this hose 32 extends to a source of liquid chemical which may be contained in a tank 33 located , for example , behind one of the seeding devices 18 . the tank can be mounted in any convenient location . a pump 34 is driven from the power take - off 34a as will hereinafter be described and the hoses are operatively connected between the spray nozzles 31 , the pump 34 and the tank 33 so that , when in operation , liquid chemical is sprayed into the interior of each of the casings 22 and is restricted to the area covered by the casings and incorporated within a band of soil substantially equal to the width of the casing between the two side plates 25 as will hereinafter be described . each casing is provided with a shaft 35 journalled for rotation in bearings 35a and extending between the two side plates 25 so that it extends across the casing as clearly shown and a plurality of ground breaking blades or elements 36 are secured to the shaft and extend radially therefrom with each element consisting of a radially extending portion 37 and a right angulated outer portion 38 as shown in fig6 . needless to say , other types of ground breaking elements may be used , if desired . the situation of shaft 35 together with the length of the elements 36 is such that when in operation and in a position shown , for example in fig2 the ends of the ground breaking elements engage approximately three to five inches below the surface of the soil . when the implement is moving in the direction of arrow 39 , it will be appreciated that liquid chemical sprayed into the casing is then incorporated by the ground breaking rotary assembly or elements 36 which rotate in the direction of arrow 40 . the rear wall 28 is pivotally connected to any inclines downwardly and rearwardly from a lower rear edge 41 of the casing and terminates in a plurality of raking teeth 42 which engage just below the surface of the soil and act to smooth the soil which has been broken by the members 36 , together with the liquid chemical incorporated by this rotary breaking action . drive means are shown schematically in fig5 with the power take - off from the tractor or the like being indicated by shaft 35 . a universal joint 43 connects this shaft to a gear box 44 mounted mounted within the framework and drives a transverse shaft 45 extending upon each side of the gear box . one end of the shaft 45 is operatively connected to pump 34 and the other end specifically designated 45a , is provided with a sprocket 46 around which chain 47 engages . the chain extends around a further sprocket 48 mounted upon a drive shaft 49 journalled within bearings 50 and supported within the framework 10 . a further sprocket 51 is connected to shaft 49 and a chain 52 extends around this sprocket and around a sprocket 53 secured to a transverse drive shaft train 54 which extends between adjacent incorporating assemblies 21 , being connected to the shafts 35 thereof by means of universal joints 55 . the side walls 25 at their lower edges carry skids 251 which can run along the ground . the angle adjustment of the casing relative to the arms 23 as provided by the bracket 234 can be used to change the angle of the skids relative to the ground by raising the front edge of the skids . this enables the casing to accommodate high levels of trash in the soil particularly where straw stalks are remaining in the soil prior to the passage of the casing over the soil and the incorporation of the liquid chemical . in addition the hinged connection of the rear rake portion 28 enables the casing to allow the trash to escape from the rear and avoid the collection of trash within the casing . the direction of rotation of the teeth 36 in conjunction with the arrangement of the arms 23 ensures that the casing is pushed forwardly by the teeth and thus downwardly by the arms into contact with the ground to avoid the teeth lifting out of the ground when the ground becomes particularly hard . however engagement with stones or other solid objects still allows the teeth and the casing to ride over the stones by pivotal movement of the arms 23 about the pivot connections 231 . in addition it will be noted that the axle 35 supporting the teeth is fixed relative to the sides of the casing and is connected to the power source provided by the gear box 44 via flexible couplings provided by the universal joints in the shafts 54 , 55 . referring now to fig7 it will be noted that the skids 251 are mounted on the side walls 25 of the casing by bolts passing through slots in the skids which allow adjustment of the height of the skid relative to the respective side wall . in addition the rake portion 28 is coupled to the casing by a spring 281 which passes the rake into contact with the rear face of the side walls 25 . for this purpose the rake portion 28 includes side walls 282 which project toward the casing itself forwardly of the rake portion . the bracket 234 is shown in more detail incorporating a flange 235 attached to the frame 232 and a flange 236 attached to the casing with an adjustment bolt 237 extending therebetween . it will therefore be appreciate that liquid chemical may be incorporated in a relatively narrow band of soil by means of the enclosing casings 26 of the incorporators 21 , together with the rotary ground breakers 36 and the conventional planters 18 are situated behind the framework 10 in alignment with the chemical incorporators 21 so that seed may be planted within the smoothed , chemically treated soil immediately after it has been chemically treated . finally , packers 20 may be provided to complete the one pass operation possible with the use of the present invention . this not only saves money and time , but also conserves moisture as only a relatively small strip of soil is treated and disturbed . since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described , and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope , it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense .
| 0Human Necessities
|
it has been discovered that the growth and proliferation of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo can be inhibited by agents that interfere with the biological , functional activities of the biological response modifier vip in such cells . such agents include specific thymosins , such as thnα1 and related n - terminal and c - terminal peptides , analogues and derivatives , and anti - vip receptor antibodies , presumably acting either to inhibit the binding of vip to its cell surface receptors on lung cancer cells or interfere with the subsequent activities of vip . such agents also include anti - vip antibodies capable of inhibiting the binding of endogenous or exogenous vip to cell surface receptors on sclc and nsclc lung cancer cells and , in so doing , inhibiting the growth and proliferation of these cells . these discoveries will be reported in a future publication . moody , t . w ., et al ., cancer research proceedings , 1991 , in press . specific in vitro interactions of thymosins and related fragments with cell surface binding sites on lung cancer cells may be studied by standard binding assay procedures using intact lung cancer cells or plasma membranes derived therefrom . see , e . g ., blecher , m ., ed ., methods in receptor research , parts i and ii , marcel dekker , n . y ., 1976 ; posner , b ., ed ., polypeptide hormone receptors , vol . 4 , marcel dekker , n . y ., 1985 ; journal of receptor research , vols . 7 and 8 ( 1988 ), which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they disclose binding assay procedures . sclc and nsclc established cell lines may be obtained through the national cancer institute , bethesda , md . ( usa ) ( e . g ., nci - h157 , nsclc cells ; nci - h345 , sclc cells ; nci - h292 , nsclc squamous cell carcinoma ; nci - h838 , adenocarcinoma ; nci - h417 , sclc cells ; h720 , lung carcinoid cells ; nci - h727 , lung carcinoid cells ; nci - n592 , sclc cells ; eplc - 65h , squamous cell carcinoma ) or from the american type culture collection , rockville , md ( usa ). plasma membranes from such cells may be isolated according to lee , m ., et al ., peptides , 11 : 1205 ( 1990 ), which is incorporated herein by reference . generally , binding competitions are set up between a tracer concentration of labeled ligand and varying concentrations of either the unlabeled counterpart of the labeled ligand or an unlabeled peptide suspected of binding to the receptor for the ligand . for example , sclc or nsclc cells or plasma membranes isolated therefrom are incubated with a tracer concentration of 125 i - labeled vip and a range of concentrations of unlabeled vip or an unlabeled thymosin or fragments thereof , or an anti - vip receptor antibody , and the amount of specific binding of the tracer at each concentration of the unlabeled ligands determined . it has now been found that 125 i - labeled vip binds with high affinity to sclc and nsclc cell lines , and that vip markedly stimulates the adenylate cyclase activity of these cells . it has also now been found that thnα1 inhibits the binding of labeled vip to lung cancer cells , although it does so with a potency only a twentieth that of unlabeled vip . in addition , thnα1 inhibits the stimulatory effect of vip on second messenger camp production in lung cancer cells . direct , i . e ., noncompetitive , binding of a labeled ligand to intact cells or plasma membranes may be determined . attempts to carry out such analyses using , for example , ( 125 i - tyr )- labeled thnα1 or n - terminal or c - terminal fragments demonstrated that such molecules bind with poor affinity to lung cancer cells or plasma membranes derived therefrom . these and other experiments not detailed here indicate that the thymosins may not have specific receptors . palaszynski , e ., biochemical studies on thymosin α1 , ph . d . thesis , george washington university , washington , d . c ., 1981 . it is thus all the more surprising and unexpected that certain thymosins have such profound inhibitory effects on the binding of vip to its specific receptors and on the growth promoting effects of vip in lung cancer cells . although 125 i is a frequently used label for peptide binding studies , other markers such as chemiluminescent compounds and fluorescent molecules may be used . cross - linking procedures may also be used to identify ligand - receptor interactions with sclc or nsclc cells or plasma membranes . generally , the tissue is incubated with a tracer concentration of a labeled ligand , without and with varying concentrations of an unlabeled ligand , until steady state binding is attained . at that point , unbound labeled ligand is removed by washing the tissue at ice bath temperature , and the bound labeled ligand is covalently cross - linked to its receptor protein by the addition of a cross - linking reagent . thereafter , the cells or membranes are solubilized with a detergent , and the samples analyzed by sds - page electrophoresis , followed by autoradiography to determine the molecular weight of the receptor protein to which the labeled ligand had bound . a wide variety of peptide - peptide cross - linking reagents are known , such as those available from pierce co ., rockford , ill . ( usa ), 1989 handbook and general catalog , pages 283 - 311 , which is incorporated herein by reference . it has been found from such cross - linking studies that thnα1 inhibits the cross - linking of vip to its receptor protein of about 82 kda located in the plasma membrane of lung cancer cells of both sclc and nsclc types . candidate anti - lung cancer peptides and antibodies may be screened in vitro in a soft agar colonization assay such as that described by mahmoud , s ., et al ., life sci ., 44 : 367 ( 1989 ) which is herein incorporated by reference . in general , single viable lung cancer cells are plated in soft agar . after an appropriate growth period , such as 14 days , cell colonies may be stained with an appropriate cytochemical stain , and the stained cells viewed microscopically . cytochemical stains are well known to those skilled in the art of histology . it has been found from such in vitro colonization experiments that thnα1 dramatically reduces colony formation of lung cancer cells in vitro under conditions in which thnβ4 and vip have little effect . the aforementioned binding , cross - linking and colonization experiment lead to the unexpected finding that thymosins inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells by an action mediated by cell surface receptors for a brm active in such cells . candidate anti - lung cancer peptides and anti - vip receptor antibodies may be tested in vivo in a mouse model of lung cancer . for example , when sclc cell lines such as nci - n592 or nci h69 , or nsclc cell lines such as nci - h157 or nci - h292 are injected subcutaneously into nude mice , xenografts will form . the test peptide may then be injected adjacent to the tumor , and the tumor volume measured periodically . control mice will not receive the test peptide or will receive a placebo peptide in the same pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle . tumor growth in experimental and control animals are compared , and test peptides ranked according to efficacy in reducing tumor size . it has been found that thnα1 and its c - terminal ( such as amino acids 4 - 28 and 15 - 28 ) and n - terminal ( such as amino acids 1 - 8 , 1 - 14 , and 1 - 20 ) fragments inhibit lung cancer growth in vivo in tumors of both sclc and nsclc types of lung cancer cells . no toxic side effects were observed . taken together with the binding and in vitro experiments , the data of the invention demonstrate a novel modality for treating lung cancers of both the small cell and nonsmall cell types without radiation treatment and without the need for concurrent use of the toxic classical chemotherapeutic agents , although the use of such additional modalities is not precluded by the present invention . anti - egf receptor antibodies are known to inhibit the binding of this peptide hormone to its specific cell surface receptor macromolecule . lee , m . et al , cancer res . proc ., 1990 . monoclonal antibodies to a human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line vip receptor have been prepared ( kummer , w ., et al ., histochem . j ., 22 : 249 ( 1990 )) and used for histochemical identification of cells bearing this receptor . polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies directed against the vip receptors on sclc and nsclc cells may be used to inhibit the binding of vip to its receptors on these cells , thereby reducing the proliferative effects of vip . these antibodies may be prepared by raising antisera and / or monoclonal antibodies against detergent - solubilized , purified forms of the sclc and nsclc vip receptor macromolecules . monoclonal antibody - producing hybridoma cells can be produced by injecting mice , such as balb / c mice , with purified vip receptor antigen , fusing spleen cells of hyperimmunized mice with myeloma cells , such as nso myeloma cells , using the polyethyleneglycol technique , selecting hybridomas using the hat growth medium , screening hybridoma supernatant fluids for the ability to immunoprecipitate cross - linked vip receptors as well as the ability to inhibit the binding of labeled vip to lung cancer cells , and cloning positive hybridomas . for details of these techniques , see cuttitta , f ., et al . nature , 316 : 823 ( 1985 ); engleman , e ., et al ., eds ., human hybridomas and monoclonal antibodies , plenum publishing co ., n . y ., 1985 ; harrell , j . g . r ., ed ., monoclonal hybridoma antibodies : techniques and applications , crc press , 1982 ; larrick , j . w ., et al ., biotechniques , 6 - 14 ( jan ./ feb . 1984 ); oi , v . t ., et al ., in mishell , b . b ., et al ., eds ., selected methods in cellular immunology , chapter 17 , pp . 351 - 372 ; and kennett , r . h ., et al ., monoclonal antibodies , plenum press , n . y ., 1980 , appendix , goding , in monoclonal antibodies : principles and practices , academic press , n . y ., 1983 , pp . 118 - 124 , which are incorporated herein by reference . also , ascites fluids may be produced from positive clones to generate large amounts of monoclonal antibodies . also , a vip receptor fragment may be conjugated to a carrier such as keyhole limpet hemocyanin , edestin , thyroglobulin or albumins , if it is not sufficiently large to be adequately immunogenic , as is understood in the art . the method of preparation of and administration of the antigenic vip receptor varies with its nature and abundance in the particular cells employed , and general approaches depending on these particulars are well within the skill of those practicing this art . any effective mode of preparation and administration is acceptable . the vip receptor preparation in suitable form is then administered to an experimental animal for generation of the antibody - producing cells . to obtain the desired polyclonal antibodies , the antisera may be harvested and the antibodies purified by standard techniques and used directly . if monoclonal antibodies directed to specific vip receptor epitopes are desired , the procedures described above can be employed . the desired anti - receptor antibodies can be conveniently purified using affinity chromatography , taking advantage of the ability of the desired antibodies to link tightly to the vip receptor moiety . anti - receptor antibodies may also advantageously be purified by cytological purification , that is , by contacting the impure receptor preparation with sclc or nsclc cells , washing the cells free of unbound impurities , then eluting the purified anti - receptor antibodies from the cell surface . it is desired that the anti - vip receptor monoclonal or polyclonal antibody be administered to mammalian subjects in substantially pure form . as used herein , the expression &# 34 ; substantially pure &# 34 ; means that , within serologically detectable limits , only one specie of antibody combining site capable of binding the vip receptor is present . thus , while a substantially pure antibody molecule preparation may contain more than one species of antibody combining site , such a preparation displays a single binding affinity for a vip receptor antigen epitope . an antibody molecule in substantially pure form is typically designated a &# 34 ; monoclonal antibody &# 34 ; by those skilled in the art because such molecules are usually produced using monoclonal hybridoma cultures . methods for preparing paratope - containing portions of anti - vip receptor immunoglobulin molecules such as fab , fab &# 39 ;, f ( ab &# 39 ;) 2 and f ( v ) from substantially intact antibodies are well known . see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 342 , 566 , inbar et al ., pnas ( usa ), 69 : 2659 ( 1972 ), and goding , 1983 , ibid . an anti - vip antibody molecule of the present invention is an antibody molecule that immunoreacts with an vip epitope and thereby neutralizes the molecule , that is to say , the immunoconjugate is incapable of acting as vip molecule biologically . the term &# 34 ; cellular receptor &# 34 ; as used herein for vip refers to a protein or glycoprotein macromolecule contained within the plasma membrane of one or more types of cells in the host organism , including abnormal cells such sclc and nsclc cells , and which receptor macromolecule , when bound to a ligand ( herein , vip ), initiates the chain of responses and events that lead to what is referred to as the physiological effect of the ligand ( herein , the biological response modifier action ( s ) of vip ). the examples that follow are designed merely to exemplify various embodiments of this invention and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention which is set forth in the specification and appended claims . interaction of thymosin α1 with vip receptors on lung cancer cells lung cancer cells ( eplc - 65h squamous cell carcinoma ) were cultured in serum supplemented growth medium ( rpmi 1640 containing 10 % fetal bovine serum ). plasma membranes were isolated ( lee , m ., et al ., 1990 , above ) and the binding potency of thnα1 determined . the ability of unlabeled vip (•) and thnα1 (∘) to inhibit specific binding of 125 i - labeled vip to plasma membranes was determined in 3 experiments . the means and ranges of specific binding values as a function of unlabeled peptide concentration are plotted in fig1 . the data show that the specific binding of a tracer concentration of labeled vip was inhibited in a concentration - dependent manner by unlabeled vip and thnα1 . little specific binding of 125 i - vip to vip receptors was inhibited by 1 nm vip , whereas almost all specific binding was inhibited by 1000 nm vip . the ic 50 ( concentration causing 50 % inhibition ) for vip was about 10 nm . in contrast , the ic 50 for thnα1 was about 200 nm , indicating that the affinity of the vip receptor for thnα1 is about one - twentieth that for vip itself . inhibition by thnα1 of cross - linking of labeled vip to its receptors on lung cancer cells plasma membranes derived from squamous cell carcinoma cell line eplc - 65h were incubated with a tracer concentration ( 2 nm ) of 125 i - labeled vip in the absence ( control ) and presence of thnα1 . membranes were then washed with ice cold buffer to remove unbound labeled vip and the bound labeled vip covalently cross linked to its membrane receptor protein using 2 mm disuccinimidylsuberate . membranes were solubilized with 10 % sds in electrophoresis buffer , and the protein mixture separated by sds - page electrophoresis . gels were then radioautographed to produce x - ray films showing radioactive proteins . as shown by the autoradiogram of fig2 lane c , 1 μm thnα1 inhibited the binding of 125 i - labeled vip to a 83 kda glycoprotein , to an extent similar to that accomplished by unlabeled vip itself ( lane a ). this glycoprotein presumably is the vip receptor in this cell line , and it also presumably is this glycoprotein by which thymosins and anti - vip receptor antibodies inhibit the lung cancer growth promoting effects of vip . the effects of thnα1 on the growth of lung cancer cell lines was studied . single viable cells were plated in soft agar as previously described ( mahmoud , s ., et al ., life sci ., 44 : 367 ( 1989 )), and , after two weeks , the colonies were stained with 0 . 1 % p - iodomitrotetrazolium violet . the pattern of colony staining shown in fig3 demonstrates that numerous large colonies of nci - h838 cells had formed by two weeks ( top ), whereas in the presence of 10 μm thnα1 ( bottom ) the number and size of the colonies were dramatically reduced . the number of colonies larger than 50 μm in diameter were counted . the data of table i shows that 89 colonies of nci - h157 ( squamous cell carcinoma ) formed . the number of colonies did not change when either 1 nm or 10 nm vip was added , although there was a slight increase at 100 nm or 1000 nm vip . in contrast , 10 nm thnα1 produced no change in colony number , 100 nm or 1 , 000 nm thnα1 produced a slight decrease , but 10 , 000 nm thnα1 significantly decreased colony formation . table i______________________________________dose response curve of vip and thnα1 on nci - h157 ( squamous cell carcinoma ) growth . peptide colony number n / no______________________________________none 89 ± 10 1 . 001 nm vip 89 ± 7 1 . 0010 nm vip 89 ± 7 1 . 00100 n vip 113 ± 6 1 . 271000 nm vip 123 ± 16 1 . 3810 nm thnα1 89 ± 8 1 . 00100 nm thn α1 82 ± 3 0 . 921000 nm thn α1 74 ± 10 0 . 8310000 nm thn α1 61 ± 7 0 . 69______________________________________ the mean ± s . d . of 3 determinations is indicated . also , the colony fraction ( n / no ) is calculated where no and n are the number of colonies i the absence or presence of additions respectively . effect of thnα1 and thn β4 on growth of lung cancer cell lines the experimental conditions of example 3 were repeated with nci - h720 ( lung carcinoid cancer cells ) and nci - n417 ( sclc lung cancer cells ) cell lines . colonies were counted as before . the absolute and relative number of colonies of greater than 50 μm diameter are shown in table ii . vip at 100 nm increased colony formation for both sclc and lung carcinoid cell lines . thnβ4 at 1 μm did not influence colony number significantly . in dramatic contrast , thnα1 at 1 μm greatly reduced colony formation for both types of lung cancer cells . table ii______________________________________specificity of peptides on lung cancer growth . nci - h720 n417agent ( carcinoid ) n / no ( sclc ) n / no______________________________________control 73 ± 24 1 . 00 201 ± 16 1 . 00vip 100 nm 100 ± 26 1 . 37 216 ± 40 1 . 08thn α1 1 μm 28 ± 14 0 . 39 99 ± 16 0 . 49thn β4 1 μm 68 ± 20 0 . 93 240 ± 68 1 . 20______________________________________ the mean value ± s . e . of 3 determinations is indicated . squamous cell carcinoma ( nci - h157 , 10 7 cells ) was injected subcutaneously into female balb / c nude mice . xenografts formed after about one week , and tumor size ( mm 3 ) was followed weekly . thnα1 , 10 μg , in a sterile pharmaceutical vehicle , was injected subcutaneously adjacent to the tumor . no toxic effects on the animals were observed . fig4 shows that after two weeks a palpable mass ( 28 mm 3 ) was observed in control mice which received only placebo injections . tumor growth increased exponentially over the next several weeks , and at week 6 , control mice that had very large tumors ( 2430 mm 3 ) were killed . in dramatic contrast , mice receiving thnα1 developed a palpable mass ( 3 mm 3 ) only at week 3 , and the tumor growth slowly increased until week 5 ( 187 mm 3 ). at this point , withdrawal of thnα1 resulted in the resumption of rapid tumor growth ( at week 6 the tumor volume was 585 mm 3 , still only 25 % of the size of the control xenografts ). this experiment shows that thnα1 may function as a reversible inhibitor of nsclc growth . the experiment of example 5 was repeated except that xenografts were produced with nci - h292 squamous cell lung carcinoma and fragments of thnα1 were compared for efficacy with the parent polypeptide . the data of table iii show that the squamous cell carcinoma xenografts produced by nci - h292 cells grew more slowly than did xenografts produced by nci - h157 squamous cell carcinoma cells . after three weeks , measurable tumors ( 2 - 5 mm 3 ) were observed . by week 8 , the control tumor volume had increased about 60 - fold to 305 mm 3 . thnα1 and the c - and n - terminal fragments thereof reduced tumor growth by approximately 50 %. the c - terminal fragment was composed of amino acids 15 to 28 of thnα1 , and the n - terminal fragment composed of amino acids 1 to 14 of thnα1 . table iii______________________________________xenograft formation of cell line nci - h292addition at week 3 4 5 6 7 8______________________________________c - fragment 4 15 36 65 123 141control 5 31 48 150 237 305thnα1 2 23 40 72 128 135n - fragment 3 27 45 72 85 162______________________________________ nci - h292 was injected into nude mice and the tumor volume ( mm3 ) was indicated . peptides ( 10 μg ) were injected daily subcutaneously . the mean value of 3 determinations is indicated . routinely the s . e . was 15 % o the mean value . __________________________________________________________________________sequence listing ( 1 ) general information :( iii ) number of sequences : 2 ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 1 :( i ) sequence characteristics :( a ) length : 28 amino acids ( b ) type : amino acid ( d ) topology : linear ( ii ) molecule type : peptide ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 1 : hisseraspalaval phethraspasntyrthrargleuarglysgln151015metalavallyslystyrleuasnserileleuasn20 25 ( 2 ) information for seq id no : 2 :( i ) sequence characteristics :( a ) length : 28 amino acids ( b ) type : amino acid ( d ) topology : linear ( ii ) molecule type : peptide ( xi ) sequence description : seq id no : 2 : seraspalaalavalaspthrsersergluilethrthrlysaspleu1 51015lysglulyslysgluvalvalgluglualagluasn2025
| 0Human Necessities
|
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 × 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 × 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 .
| 7Electricity
|
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 .
| 0Human Necessities
|
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 – 6 ) contain the original storage protection key data . the next 9 bits ( bits 7 – 15 ) are check bits generated from bits 0 – 6 and bits 16 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 6 ) are modified so that different sources of bad data are represented by different pattern of bits 0 – 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 – 6 ( fig2 ). as an illustration , ( 0000000 ) may be assigned to be the pattern of bits 0 – 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 – 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 – 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 × 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 β 3 + c 1 β 6 + c 2 β 12 + c 3 β 7 + c 4 β 14 + c 5 β 11 + c 6 β 5 + c 7 β + c 8 β 2 + c 9 β 4 + c 10 β 8 + c 11 β 16 + c 12 β 15 + c 13 β 13 + c 14 β 9 + c 15 0 + c 16 β 10 + c 17 β 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 β . in this first equation , the terms of the powers of β are not arranged in a sequential order . however , the ordering is not critical ; any ordering works . the symbol β in the above equations is a primitive root of x 17 − 1 in the finite field of 256 elements . specifically , β = α 15 , where α 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 α is primitive element of the finite field of 256 elements , and β 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 × 18 binary matrix h 1 : the derivation of h 1 from h maybe briefly explained . assume , as before , that α is a root of x 8 + x 7 + x 6 + x + 1 and β = α 15 . then a power of β can be expressed as a polynomial in terms of the powers of α . 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 – 15 to obtain the matrix h 2 . notice that columns 7 – 15 of h 2 form a 9 × 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 – 6 and bits 16 – 17 in the code word , the values of bits 7 – 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 – 6 and 16 – 17 of g form an identity matrix , while columns 7 – 15 form the transpose of the matrix formed by columns 0 – 6 and 7 – 15 of h 2 . since columns 0 – 6 and 16 – 17 of g form an identity matrix , bits 0 – 6 and 16 – 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 – 15 may alternatively be calculated using columns 7 – 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 – 15 of g are simply the transpose of the matrix formed by columns 0 – 6 and 7 – 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 β 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 − x . that is , x 1 18 − x 1 = 0 and x 2 18 − 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 ≦ i ≦ 17 and i ≠ 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 ≠ 1 , s 1 ≠ 0 , and sp = 0 . 4 . set ue = 1 if ( a ) s 1 17 ≠ 1 , s 1 ≠ 0 and sp = 1 ; or ( b ) s 1 17 ≠ 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 – 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 – 268 ( xor 0 – xor 8 ). xor circuits 260 – 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 – 15 of the encoded ecc word ( bits 0 – 17 ) consist of the output data 220 ( bits 0 – 6 ) and check bits 230 ( bits 7 – 15 ). as noted above , bits 0 – 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 – 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 ≦ i ≦ 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 — 7 data bits ( 0 – 6 ) and 9 check bits ( 7 – 15 )— 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 – 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 – 4 , 6 , 11 – 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 ≠ 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 ≠ 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 – 636 outputs the logical and of its inputs , while each or block 641 – 643 outputs the logical or of its inputs and each inverter block 651 – 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 – 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 – 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 ≦ j ≦ 17 and j ≠ 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 ≦ i ≦ 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 ≦ i ≦ 17 and i ≠ 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 ≠ 1 , ( 2 ) s 1 ≠ 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 ≠ 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 – 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 ≦ i ≦ 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 ≦ i ≦ 17 , i ≠ 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 ≦ i ≦ 14 are not generated in logic 620 , then the ue detection is reduced to determining whether s 17 ≠ 1 , s ≠ 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 ≦ i ≦ 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 .
| 7Electricity
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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 “ high pressure ” compressor or turbine experiences a higher pressure than a corresponding “ low pressure ” 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 — 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 — also known as “ bucket cruise thrust specific fuel consumption (‘ tsfc ’)”— 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 . “ fan pressure ratio ” is the pressure ratio across the fan blade alone , without a fan exit guide vane (“ fegv ”) system . the low fan pressure ratio as disclosed herein according to one non - limiting embodiment is less than about 1 . 45 . “ low corrected fan tip speed ” is the actual fan tip speed in ft / sec divided by an industry standard temperature correction of [( tram deg r )/ 518 . 7 )̂ 0 . 5 ]. the “ low corrected fan tip speed ” 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 .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
|
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 “ sealant ” 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 “ fluid ” 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 “ lumen ” refers to any open space or cavity in a bodily organ , especially in a blood vessel , or a fluid passageway through a vascular device . “ aspirate ” or “ aspirating ” means to remove fluids with a suction device . the term “ vacuum ” means lower pressure than local atmospheric pressure or a device that creates a lower pressure . the words “ having ” and “ including ” have the same meaning as the word “ comprising .” 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 .
| 0Human Necessities
|
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 ° c . to 120 ° c ., preferably 60 ° c . to 90 ° 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 ° 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 ° c . the reaction mixture was stirred at - 100 ° c . for an additional 30 minutes and then warmed to - 10 ° 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 ® spinning band column , yielding a series of fractions boiling between 35 ° c . and 89 +° c . fractions boiling between 81 ° c . and 89 +° c . were analyzed by gc for the presence of the desired product . a fraction containing components boiling at 89 ° c . and above was dripped into concentrated h 2 so 4 cooled to 0 °- 10 ° c . product perfluoro ( 2 - methyl - 2 - butanol ) was distilled from the concentrated h 2 so 4 solution to yield fractions boiling between 61 ° and 66 ° c . fractions boiling above 66 ° c . contained essentially pure product . the remaining fractions collected during the first fractionation at temperatures from 81 ° c . to 89 ° 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 ° c . to - 115 ° 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 ° c . the reaction mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at this temperature before warming to - 10 ° 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 ® spinning - band column . a colorless liquid boiling between 43 ° c . and 94 ° c . was collected and shaken with mercury to remove traces of iodine . the liquid was cooled to about 0 ° 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 °- 35 ° c ., 35 °- 50 ° c ., 50 °- 59 ° c ., 59 °- 75 ° c ., and 75 +° 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 ° c . and above contained the desired product . the foregoing synthesis was repeated , except that a reaction temperature of - 85 ° c . to - 80 ° c . was employed , and the reaction mixture was stirred for 2 hours at - 80 ° c . prior to workup . the first distillation yielded 15 g of a colorless liquid with bp 90 °- 95 ° c ., which was added to 50 ml concentrated h 2 so 4 and then distilled to provide a series of fractions boiling between 85 ° c . and 88 ° c . those fractions boiling at about 88 ° 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 (° 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 °. 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 °. 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 °, 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 ) __________________________________________________________________________
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
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 “ charge for the latest call : 400 won , total charge : 10 , 500 won ”. 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 “*”, “ 1 ”, “ 1 ”, and “ send ”, 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 “ total charge : 10 , 500 won ( i . e . korean currency )”. 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 .
| 7Electricity
|
in the following description , the term microbiota means all the bacterial populations present in the digestive tract of the individual . also , the term “ supplementation ” 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 ° c . to about 80 ° 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 “ control ”: 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 “ dss ”: rats were fed ad libitum with the control diet . they received dss ( free access ) dissolved in their drinking water as previously described . iii ) group “ dss + aa dose1 ”: 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 “ dss + aa dose2 ”: 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 − 80 ° 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 ± 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 μg , vitamin a 1800 iu , vitamin d 310 iu , vitamin e 6 . 2 iu , vitamin c 52 mg , vitamin k1 42 μg , vitamin b1 0 . 36 mg , vitamin b2 0 . 78 mg , vitamin b6 0 . 39 mg , niacin 5 . 2 mg , folic acid 47 μg , pantothenic acid 2 . 3 mg , vitamin b12 1 . 6 μg , biotin 11 μg , choline 52 mg , inositol 26 mg , taurine 42 mg , carnitine 8 . 3 ing , iron 3 . 1 mg , iodine 78 μg , 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 .
| 0Human Necessities
|
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 .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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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 : ‘ window based ’ triggers and ‘ timer based ’ 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 ˜ 705 ( sn = 0 ˜ 5 ), but also sends a status pdu 706 positively acknowledging the pdus having sns = 0 ˜ 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 “ last pdu in buffer for first - time transmission ” 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 “ poll timer ” or “ timer based ” 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 ˜ 703 , there is no likelihood of a suitable poll trigger occurring due to the “ poll timer ” 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 )− 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 )− 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 “ poll timer ” and “ timer based ”, 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 .
| 7Electricity
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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 ′ above the floor on 6 ″× 6 ″× 14 ′ posts anchored 4 ′ 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 ′ high south side . this allows the cattle to stand in the warm sunshine and keeps the 12 ′ 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 ′ high south opening allows maximum ventilation . preferably , the frame system has a 5 ′ 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 ′ 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 ′ wide × 14 ′ 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 ′ 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 ′ 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 ′ of bunk space for each animal and the bunk is 3 ′ wide to allow adequate feed capacity . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system provide a 6 ″ 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 ′ wide area of concrete that slopes away from feed bunk with a 2 ″ slope that allows the cattle hoof action to scrape the manure down to the 8 ′ level adjoining concrete slab . according to another aspect of the present invention , the hoop frame shelter system provides an 8 ′ wide area of level concrete between the 4 ′ 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 2⅜ ″ 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 ″ sucker rod located 1 ′ 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 ′ wide ground area 4 ″ 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 ½ 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 ′. frame posts or beams 16 are anchored 4 ′ into the ground . this 10 ′ 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 ″ ( 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 ′ 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 ′ 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 ′ wide by 14 ′ 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 ′ wide ground area 4 ′ 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 ° 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 2½ 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 × 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 .
| 0Human Necessities
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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 . (° c .) 1 1 1 1 1cloudyroad surface pressed pressed paved pavedcondition snow snowroad surface temp . 0 0 1 1 (° c . ) vehicle speed 60 60 60 60 ( km / hr ) temp . in tire 3 10 12 20 30tread (° c .) temp . around s . 2 6 8 23 32pin (° 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 . (° c .) 1 1 1 1cloudyroad surface paved pressed pressedcondition snow snowroad surface 1 1 0 0temp . (° c . ) vehicle speed 60 60 60 ( km / hr ) temp . in tire 5 31 20 18tread (° c .) temp . around s . 3 33 16 11pin (° c . ) protrusion + 1 . 5 - 0 . 1 + 1 . 2 + 1 . 5length ( mm ) __________________________________________________________________________
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 × 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 × 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 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 × 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 × 3 square , an activity vector is created having three components . the first component is the activity value found in the center of the 3 × 3 square . the second component is the second smallest of the nine activity values found in the 3 × 3 square . the third component is the second largest of the nine activity values found in the 3 × 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 − a lo ) and abs ( a 0 − 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 = ( ∑ k cjkwk ) / ( ∑ k 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
| 6Physics
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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 .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 .
| 0Human Necessities
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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 .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
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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 .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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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 “ a ” and “ b ” which comprise an object “ x ” 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 “ commit ” 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 “ transaction record ” 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 “ unrolling ” 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 “ complete ”. 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 “ sorting - in ” 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 — 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 — 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 ˜ 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 ˜ 75 times during one hour : since the update processor 140 only needs to actually store the last update for each object , one can save ˜ 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 “ a ”, “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms “ comprises ” and / or “ comprising ,” 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 “ circuit ,” “ module ” or “ system .” 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 “ c ” 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 “ a ” or “ an ” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality , and “ comprising ” does not exclude other steps or elements .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 ®, etc ., may be used . the elastomeric material may be in the form of an open - or closed - cell foam . c - flex ® 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 ® ( available from ernst leitz wetzlar gmbh of west germany ), bioglass ® ( 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 ®. 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 × 1 . 5 inches × 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 .
| 0Human Necessities
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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 “ improvement ”, then a description of the real nature of the problem . on the yellow label , the phrase “ action plan ” to write the proposed solution . on the green label , the word “ implantation ”, 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 “ controller ” 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 — item — 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 “+ 4 ” 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 “+ 4 ” 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 “+ 8 ”. 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 “+ 8 ” monitoring box to the last monitoring box “+ 12 ”, 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 “ improvement ”, then description of the real nature of the problem . on the yellow label , the phrase “ action plan ” to write the proposed solution . on the green label , the word “ implantation ”, 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 “ controller ” 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 — item — 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 “+ 4 ” ( 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 “+ 4 ” ( 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 “+ 8 ” ( 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 “+ 8 ” ( 9 ) monitoring box to the last . monitoring box “+ 12 ” ( 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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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 .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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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 .
| 0Human Necessities
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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 .
| 7Electricity
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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 “ u ” shaped wire . the “ u ” 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 “ width ” of one staple , thereby calculating how many staples remain in cartridge 28 . in one embodiment where adhesive material is positioned between each staple , the “ width ” 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 “ width ” dimension of the staple will include only the actual width of an individual staple . radius “ r ” may be calculated as the sum of the initial radius “ ro ” plus the sum of the height “ h ” of a staple and the spacing “ g ” between adjacent loops of staples , multiplied by the angle of rotation “ theta ” divided by two pi “ 2π .” 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 ⊖= 2π , then r = ro + h + g , therefore , a =( h + g )/ 2π , 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 ⊖) 2 ) d ⊖= sqrt (( a ⊖+ b ) 2 + a 2 ) · d ⊖. equation 4 accordingly , the length of the spiral can be obtained by integrating between the original angle of rotation of the potentiometer ⊖ o and the final angle ⊖ f , as shown in equation 5 : s = integral , from ⊖ o to ⊖ f , of sqrt (( a ⊖+ b ) 2 + a 2 ) d ⊖. equation 5 if we let ⊖ o = 0 , then equation 6 can be used to calculate the length s of the strip . s =(( b / 2 a )+(⊖ f / 2 ))· sqrt ( a 2 +( b + a ⊖ f ) 2 )+( 1 / 2 ) a · ln ( 2 ( b + a ⊖ f )+ 2 sqrt ( a 2 +( b + a ⊖ f ) 2 )−(( b / 2 a ) sqrt ( a 2 + b 2 )+( 1 / 2 ) a · 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 “ theta .” 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 “ kpot ” of the potentiometer multiplied by angle “ theta .” in third step 106 , the output voltage “ v ” is calculated as the resistance value “ r ” multiplied by the input voltage “ vc ” divided by the initial resistance of the potentiometer “ rpot .” in fourth step 108 , an analog to digital converter ( not shown ) within potentiometer 64 converts the value of the output voltage “ v ” to a digital signal . in fifth step 110 , a microprocessor on circuit board 80 ( see fig4 ) calculates angle “ theta ” as the output voltage “ v ” times the resistance of the potentiometer “ rpot ” divided by the k constant “ kpot ” of the potentiometer . in sixth step 112 , the microprocessor of circuit board 80 ( fig4 ) calculates the length “ s ” of the remaining strip 32 of staples by the given equation 6 , also recited above as equation 6 . in seventh step 114 the number “ n ” of stapes remaining in the cartridge 28 is calculated as the length “ s ” of the remaining strip 32 divided by the width “ w ” 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 .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 “ sound blaster ” 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 “ intelli touch ” ( 33 ) from elo touch systems inc . which includes a glass coated board using “ advanced surface wave technology ” 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 “ in service ” 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 “ in service ” 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 “ in service ” 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 “ in service ” mode . the cbsm module is the customer browsing and selection mode module . access to this module is triggered from the “ in service ” 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 .
| 7Electricity
|
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 ′ 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 ′ 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 ′ 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 “ c ”- 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 .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
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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 °. according to the invention and although the rods are of large diameter , drum tilt can be up to 30 ° in the drum position shown in fig1 for a 9 - cylinder pump and 35 ° 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 .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
|
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 , β - 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 ω - 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 ° c . to about 120 ° c ., preferably at about 80 ° 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 ° c . to about 150 ° 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 (═ 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 (═ 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 (═ 0 ) 0 ( phenyl ), -- c (═ 0 ) n ( r 4 ) 2 , -- c (═ o ) nhso 2 r 4 or -- c (═ o ) nhc (═ 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 (═ 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 ° c . after hydrogen uptake ceased , the reaction mixture was filtered through a celite ® pad and concentrated in vacuo . trituration with ethyl acetate afforded 219 . 57 g of the desired subtitle intermediate , m . p . 90 - 92 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° c . analysis for c 8 h 14 n 6 o 2 · 0 . 7 h 2 o · 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
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 ™ ( apple ), i . link ™ ( sony ), and lynx ™ ( 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 “ send and receive ” 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 .
| 7Electricity
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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 “ shrunk ” 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 “ or ” 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 “ shrunk ” gate features utilizing dipole illumination are complete , and can be utilized to print the “ shrunk ” 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 (“ lens ”) 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 σ - outer and σ - 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 “ flash ”) 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 “ flash ”. instead , the mask table mt is movable in a given direction ( the so - called “ scan direction ”, 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 = ¼ or ⅕ ). 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 ′ 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 ° to about 60 ° 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 ′ 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 ′ 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 .
| 4Fixed Constructions
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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 ˜ 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 ± 2 ) ° 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 : − 250 ˜− 50 hu ( ct unit ) calculation of the fat areas : total abdomen fat , visceral - and subcutaneous fat ( mm 2 ). using ct scanning , total fat — 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 .
| 0Human Necessities
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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 ® 20 , tween ® 40 , tween ® 60 , tween ® 80 ) sorbitan esters ( such as span ® 60 ), and any combination thereof . as used herein , the term “ microcapsules ” 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 ′- bis ( 4 - heptyl - 6 - t - butyl - phenol ); 2 , 2 ′- bis ( 4 - octyl - 6 - t - butyl - phenol ); and 2 , 2 ′- bis ( 4 - dodecyl - 6 - t - butyl - phenol ). para - coupled bisphenols include , for example , 4 , 4 ′- bis ( phenol ) and 4 , 4 ′- 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 ′- dioctyldiphenylamine ; t - octylphenyl - α - naphthylamine ; phenyl - α - naphthylamine ; and p - octylphenyl - α - 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 “ lz 677a ”, “ lz 1095 ” and “ lz 1371 ”, from , for example , chevron oronite under the trade designation “ oloa 262 ” and from , for example , afton chemical under the trade designation “ hitec 7169 ”. 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 ™ 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 “ paratone ®” ( such as “ paratone ® 8921 ” and “ paratone ® 8941 ”); from afton chemical corporation under the trade designation “ hitec ®” ( such as “ hitec ® 5850b ”; and from the lubrizol corporation under the trade designation “ lubrizol 7067c ”. polyisoprene polymers are commercially available from infineum international limited , e . g . under the trade designation “ sv200 ”; diene - styrene copolymers are commercially available from infineum international limited , e . g . under the trade designation “ sv 260 ”. 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° c . of from 2 mm 2 / s to 50 mm 2 / s ( astm d445 ). they are further characterized typically as having pour points of − 5 ° c . to − 40 ° 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 “ as - received ” 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 ° 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 ° c . min − 1 to a target temperature of 55 - 65 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° c . min − 1 to a target temperature of 60 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 ═ o stretch at ˜ 1720 cm − 1 ) is clearly observed for sample 1 after 2 hours at 340 ° f . this oxidation peak increases in intensity over time . for sample 2 , the oxidation peak is observed after 6 hours at 340 ° f ., and again increases in intensity over time . also , the n — h stretch at ˜ 1580 cm − 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 ˜ 1720 cm − 1 is not observed , even after 10 hours at 340 ° f . also , the n — h stretch of the antioxidant at ˜ 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 ˜ 1720 cm − 1 is not observed , even after 10 hours at 340 ° f . also , the n — h stretch of the antioxidant at ˜ 1580 cm − 1 increases over time . all references , including published patent applications and patents , are hereby incorporated by reference .
| 2Chemistry; Metallurgy
|
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 vα , vβ , and vγ 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 ′. 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 ′ 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 , vα is set so that the flow velocity v 3 has the desired value , but vβ and vγ 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 vα ), 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 ., vα and vβ 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 vα and vβ 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 ′) and immersed without a countercurrent in 21 ″ 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 .
| 8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology
|
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 .
| 7Electricity
|
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 ° c . to about 85 ° 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 ™ 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 ° 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 ° 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 ° c .) 3 electrochemical 85 . 0 11 . 9 ( ph 3 , 70 ° c .) 4 electrochemical 82 . 5 17 . 3 ( ph 2 , 60 ° c .) 5 electrochemical 83 . 8 19 . 7 ( ph 2 , 60 ° 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 ° 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 ° 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 .
| 3Textiles; Paper
|
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 μm is used and the smoothing member is not arranged , a comparative example 2 , in which toner with an average particle diameter of 4 . 0 μm is used and the smoothing member is not arranged , and an example 1 , in which toner with an average particle diameter of 4 . 0 μm 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 μm or less . conversely , in cases in which the average particle diameter of the toner is larger than 7 . 0 μm , 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 μm 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 μm 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 .
| 6Physics
|
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 .
| 7Electricity
|
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 .
| 5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
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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 ∑ ∀ s , d υ sd ∑ ∀ s , d ∑ ∀ k , l υ sd kl ∑ ∀ i ∈ s k , ∀ j ∈ s i h ij 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 . ∑ ∀ i ∈ s k , ∀ j ∈ s i 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 ν 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 ν 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 ≤ ∑ ∀ i ∈ s k m ki ≤ d c , where d c denotes the maximum number of switches connected to a single core , and 1 ≦ d c ≦ 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 ≤ ∑ ∀ k ∈ t i m ki ≤ d s , where d s denotes the maximum number of cores connected to a single switch , and 1 ≦ d s ≦ 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 , ∑ ∀ k , l ∑ ∀ i ∈ s k , ∀ j ∈ s l b sd r xy ij 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 ν 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 “ open dictionary ”, 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 “ open dictionary ” 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 “ open file ” 37 . when the end - user utters this “ open file ” 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 “ open file ” 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 “ print ” 39 displayed in this pulldown menu . upon the user uttering this voice actuatable command “ print ”, 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 “ print ” 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 “ open file ” 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 “ open file ”.. 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 “ print ” voice actuatable command 39 associated with pulldown menu 38 which itself appears in a different location from the pulldown menu 35 including the “ file ” 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 “ open file ”, this subroutine or program feature in the voice recognition program executing on the system of fig4 will determine that because this “ open file ” 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 “ open file ” command appears in the drop - down menu 35 of the toolbar 34 . similarly , upon the voice recognition system detecting that the command “ print ” 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 “ print ” command 39 appeared which gave rise to the “ print ” 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 “ close application ” 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 — 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 “ open file ” in the confirmation area 36 upon detecting that it appears the end - user has uttered the words “ open file ” in response to viewing this as a voice actuatable command choice in the pop - up menu 35 . once this “ best guess ” 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 “ stop ”. 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 “ move cursor down ” or “ enlarge figure ”. 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 “ move cursor to the right two inches ”, the system could determine by recognizing the word “ cursor ” that some action associated with the cursor was desired — 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 ™, risc - based workstations and personal computers of the ibm corporation executing the aix ™ and os / 2 ™ operating systems , respectively , or similar machines of other vendors , which include for example in the case of an rs / 6000 workstation a 604 powerpc ™ 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 “ a ,” “ an ,” and “ the ” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . the term “ therapeutic efficacy ” 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 “ treating ,” “ treatment ,” 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 “ treatment ,” 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 ″ 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 ≧ 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 “ measurable ” 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 )— complete disappearance of the tophus ; improved ( i )— an approximate 50 % or more reduction in the size of the tophus ; stable disease ( sd )— neither improvement ( i ) nor progression ( pd ) can be determined ; progressive disease ( pd )— an approximately 50 % or more increase in the size of the tophus ; and unable to evaluate ( ue )— 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 ≧ 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 . “ tophus evaluable population ”, 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 ™, 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 “ measured ” and “ unmeasured ” based on the central readers assessment of presence of distinguishable borders in the photographs . for these experiments , up to 5 measurable tophi , ≧ 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 — these semi - quantitatively assessed tophi must have been approximately ≧ 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 ): ˜ 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 “ sequential locked read ” 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 ε 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 ε ( 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 α , 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 ˜ 2 . 0 volts1 ( above &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ref ) 0 1 off ˜ 8 . 5 voltstransistion ( be - 1 1 on ˜ 4 . 5 voltstween &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ref ) ______________________________________
| 6Physics
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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 “ adult ” 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 ® trustzone ® 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 “ user ” and “ privileged ” 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 , “ system and method of identifying and preventing security violations within a computing system ,” 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 “ unsecure ” 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 .
| 6Physics
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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 ″ ( 2 . 4 mm ), ⅛ ″ ( 3 . 0 or 3 . 2 mm ), 5 / 32 ″ ( 4 . 0 mm ), and 3 / 16 ″ ( 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 ″ ( 4 . 8 or 5 . 0 mm ) can be smoothly inserted into the rivet body measuring holes 121 having diameters being 3 / 16 ″ ( 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 ″ ( 4 . 0 mm ), ⅛ ″ ( 3 . 0 mm or 3 . 2 mm ) and 3 / 32 ″ ( 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 ⅛ ″( 3 . 0 or 3 . 2 mm ), 5 / 32 ″( 4 . 0 mm ), 3 / 16 ″( 4 . 8 mm or 5 . 0 mm ), 6 . 0 mm and ¼ ″ ( 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 ⅛ ″ ( 3 . 0 or 3 . 2 mm ), 5 / 32 ″ ( 4 . 0 mm ), 3 / 16 ″ ( 4 . 8 mm or 5 . 0 mm ), 6 . 0 mm and ¼ ″ ( 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 .
| 1Performing Operations; Transporting
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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 2α 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 - α - 5 - β - 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 - β - 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 )- α , α - 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 ®. 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 “ pharmaceutically acceptable salts ” 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 ° c . and allowed to cool and stand at room temperature ( 27 ° 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 · s ) as measured at room temperature on a brookfield viscometer , the viscosities of water being 1 cps and of trusopt ® about 100 cps .
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