Datasets:

ccdv

/

patent-classification

like 20

a molded case circuit breaker 10 is shown in fig1 wherein a plastic cover 7 and case 11 support a load lug 12 at one end , which is connected to a heater 14 by means of a load strap 13 . a thermally responsive element such as a bimetal 15 is arranged ahead of the heater and in thermal proximity therewith . the heater electrically connects with a movable contact arm or carrier 16 , hereafter &# 34 ; contact carrier &# 34 ;, by means of a contact carrier support 9 , which is electrically connected with the heater by means of a rigid conductor 8 . to promote good electrical conductivity , the contact carrier is made of copper or a copper alloy . the contact carrier is arranged to pivot about a pivot pin 44 upon the occurrence of a severe overcurrent condition independent of the circuit breaker operating mechanism , which is generally depicted at 58 . the electric circuit through the breaker is completed by the transfer of current between the movable contact 17 attached to the contact carrier and a fixed contact 18 , which connects with the line terminal screw 20 by means of the line terminal strap 19 . the contact carrier connects with the operating mechanism by means of a lower link 21 , which in turn connects with an upper link 22 through a toggle pin 26 . a pair of operating springs 23 connect between the toggle pin and the operating handle yoke 24 , one on each side of the upper link , and are moved overcenter from the on and off positions by means of an operating handle 25 . the contacts are held in the closed position by means of a cradle 28 , which engages a primary latch 29 by means of a cradle hook 27 formed at one end of the cradle , as fully described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 679 , 016 , entitled &# 34 ; interchangeable mechanism for molded case circuit breaker &# 34 ; which application is incorporated herein for purposes of reference . the primary latch is , in turn , captured by a secondary latch 30 , which responds to the motion of a trip bar 31 to first release the secondary latch and then the primary latch , whereby the cradle is free to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as the toggle pin collapses under the bias provided by the operating springs . a crossbar 60 connects with the lower link 21 by means of the pivot pin 44 and serves to interconnect the separate poles of a multi - pole circuit . a complete description of the operation of the crossbar assembly is found within the aforementioned u . s . patent . the magnetic trip unit 34 which encompasses the heater 14 responds to severe overcurrent conditions through the breaker causing the armature 33 to move into contact with the trip bar 31 to articulate the operating mechanism . the bimetal 15 contacts the trip bar 31 in response to less severe overcurrent conditions which persist for a predetermined time duration . the contact spring 37 , which encompasses the contact carrier , is designed to hold the movable and fixed contacts 17 , 18 in good electric connection under normal operating conditions , yet allow the contact carrier to rapidly rotate independent of the operating mechanism under the forces of electrodynamic repulsion generated between the line strap 19 and the contact carrier upon short circuit overcurrent conditions before the magnetic trip unit and bimetal respond . upon the instant of separation between the fixed and movable contacts , an arc is formed therebetween which motivates into the arc chute 35 wherein it becomes deionized and cooled upon impingement with the metal arc plates 36 . the unitary relationship between the load strap 13 , heater 14 , rigid conductor 8 and contact carrier support 9 can best be seen by referring now to fig2 and 3 . these components are welded or brazed together and are later downwardly inserted within the circuit breaker case as part of the trip unit assembly 65 in a single operation . a spring clip 45 made from a copper or iron alloy is positioned outboard of the support posts such that the protrusions 46 , 47 formed on the side arms 53 , 54 capture the posts therebetween . the trip unit assembly 65 , as an integral arrangement of the magnet 34 , bimetal 15 , heater 14 and contact carrier support 9 , is positioned within the circuit breaker case . the spring clip itself can be fabricated from a shaped memory alloy such as nickel - titanium alloy or a brass alloy such as described within u . s . pat . no . 4 , 524 , 343 entitled &# 34 ; self - regulated actuator &# 34 ;, which patent is incorporated herein for reference purposes . the shaped memory alloy then provides a compression force on the sidearms 53 , 54 upon reaching a predetermined temperature above a selected current level , thereby causing the sidearms to bend toward each other . the contact carrier is next inserted within the upstanding posts 40 , 41 integrally formed and extending upward from the contact carrier support side arms 38 , 39 such that the pivot pin 44 nestles within the grooves 42 , 43 formed on the top surface of the posts . the interface copper substrate surfaces between the posts and the contact carrier can be coated with a layer of silver to decrease the electrical resistance therebetween or tin to maintain an oxide free surface . when a suitable lubricant , such as a coloidal dispersion of graphite particles in water or grease , is applied to the pivot end of the contact carrier subjacent the pivot pin , the contact carrier is easily rotated from its on to its off position , as indicated in phantom , without deterring from the good electrical connection provided between the contact carrier and the contact carrier support imparted by the tension exerted by the side arms of the spring clip . alternatively a coating of a silver and graphite mixture can be plated or sprayed onto the copper substrate surface . the parallel arrangement of the contact carrier support arms allows the circuit current to divide between the arms and thereby generates an attractive electromagnetic force . the induced electromagnetic force increases the pressure exerted between the contact carrier and the contact carrier support posts to eliminate the occurrence of arcing between contact carrier arms and the support posts upon extreme overload conditions . the unitary curvilinear - u - shaped structure of the contact carrier support 9 is best seen by referring now to fig2 and 4 . the sidearms 38 , 39 of the contact carrier support are integrally joined by a bight 63 at one end and terminate at the opposite end in a pair of posts 40 , 41 which are formed from the same unitary piece and extend perpendicular from the top of the sidearms . referring now to fig5 a , the planar spring clip 45 is depicted as a u - shaped configuration wherein a pair of adjacent sidearms 53 , 54 are integrally joined by a bight 52 at one end . the width at the bight end of the sidearms , indicated at d 1 , is greater than the width d 2 at the opposite end to ensure a uniform stress distribution along the sidearms . to facilitate the downward loading of the contact carrier 16 within the slot 64 defined between posts 40 , 41 , shown earlier in fig . 2 , the trifurcate spring clip arrangement 45 depicted in fig5 b is employed . an additional intermediate arm 55 is formed between the sidearms 53 , 54 and extends in the same plane as the side arms from the bight 52 . the width of the additional arm is slightly larger than the width of the slot 64 and holds the slot open until the contact carrier is inserted within the slot , which thereby displaces the additional leg out of the slot , leaving the contact carrier in a press - fit relation therein . the additional arm , which is lanced from the same steel sheet from which the sidearms 53 , 54 are formed can be in the same plane as the sidearms or offset from and extend a greater distance in the vertical plane than the sidearms , as indicated in phantom . the trifurcate spring clip differs from the spring clip depicted earlier by using a pair of protrusions 73 formed along the sidearms and a pair of tabs 50 , 51 formed at the ends of the sidearms to trap the posts 40 , 41 shown in fig2 after the additional arm is displaced by the contact carrier 16 . the holes 48 , 49 formed within the tabs facilitate the implementation of a separation tool to expand the side - arms sufficiently apart to allow for clearance over the posts . the tongued extension 66 at the end of the intermediate arm 55 is the only part of the intermediate leg that extends within the slot 64 . pre - inserting the spring clip over the contact carrier support 9 with the slightly oversized additional extension 66 between the posts 40 , 41 sufficiently expands the slot 64 such that the movable contact carrier 16 readily fits within the slot . when the contact carrier is inserted between the posts , the additional arm is displaced out of the slot and is forced down within the cruciform slot 67 defined between the flat sidearms 68 , 69 shown integrally formed within the carrier support 9 depicted in fig6 before welding to the trip unit assembly 65 of fig2 . this carrier support differs from the earlier carrier support by the omission of the semicircular grooves 42 , 43 described earlier with reference to fig2 . the upstanding radial sidearms 71 , 72 formed at the ends of the flat side arms are joined by a flat bight 70 which is shaped and formed in a single operation from a single piece of copper stock . a pair of arcuate slots 56 , 57 are cut into the sidearms to increase the flexiblity of the sidearms and to allow the sidearms to be separated without taking a set . the slotted configuration of the contact carrier support 9 , as shown in fig6 provides even greater flexibility to the sidearms 71 , 72 by reducing the amount of material in the vicinity of the region between the sidearms 71 , 72 and the bight 70 . a pair of arcuate slots 56 , 57 , formed therein , facilitates the separation of posts 40 , 41 when the movable contact arm carrier is inserted within the slot , without decreasing the contact pressure provided between the posts 40 , 41 and the contact carrier , by the spring clip .

7Electricity

fig2 is a schematic diagram of a system in which a first satellite signal can be acquired in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the system comprises a mobile terminal 20 , a network element 26 of a mobile communication network 25 and a plurality of gps satellites , which are also referred to as ‘ space vehicles ’, sv 1 , sv 2 , sv 3 , sv 4 . each of the gps satellites sv 1 to sv 4 transmits a signal modulated with a c / a code and navigation information as described above . the mobile terminal 20 comprises in addition to conventional components required for of a mobile communication via the mobile communication network 25 a gps receiver 21 . the gps receiver 21 includes as part of conventional components an acquisition module 22 and a decision module 23 . the acquisition module 22 may be a conventional acquisition module 22 , which comprises four correlation paths as presented in fig1 , each for another replica code . the decision module 23 , however , is supplemented in accordance with the invention . it assumed by way of example that the decision module 23 is realized by a software code ( sw ) running in a processing unit of the mobile terminal 20 , even though it may equally be implemented in hardware . the implementation of the software will be explained further below with reference to fig3 . the network element 26 of the communication network 25 is able to provide gps assistance data to the gps receiver 21 by means of a regular mobile communication with the mobile terminal 20 . the assistance data can comprise , for instance , the position of the network element 26 as a reference position and navigation data extracted from gps signals received in the communication network 25 . in addition , the network element 26 might comprise a decision module 27 . this decision module 27 corresponds to the decision module 23 . fig3 is a flow chart illustrating the acquisition of a first satellite signal by the gps receiver 21 . at the top , the operation in the acquisition module 22 is indicated , while further below and separated by a dashed line , the operation in the detection module 23 is shown . in the acquisition module 22 , samples of a received signal are processed in parallel for four different replica codes , as described with reference to fig1 for one replica code . each replica code is associated to another one of the four satellites sv 1 to sv 4 . the matched filter operation with n code phases and the subsequent frequency correction with m dft bins results for each replica code in nxm correlation values which are stored in a respective non - coherent memory 17 ( step 301 ). fig4 presents for each satellite sv 1 to sv 4 a diagram with an exemplary sequence of n = 2046 correlation values for one dft bin . corresponding correlation values exist for all other considered dft bins . in the decision module 23 , the correlation values are retrieved from the non - coherent memories 17 of the acquisition module 22 and compared to a first threshold value ( step 302 ). if one of the correlation values is detected to exceed the first threshold value , this correlation value is assumed to represent a correct replica code at a correct code phase for the received signal . ( step 303 ) if only a correlation value for one of the checked replica code exceeds the threshold value , knowledge about this replica code can be made use of for acquiring further satellite signals in a conventional manner . if none of the correlation values exceeds the first threshold value , the highest correlation value which is provided by the acquisition module 22 is selected ( step 304 ). in the example of fig4 , the first threshold value is assumed to be 2 . 5 . it can be seen that none of the depicted correlation values exceeds this threshold value . it is further assumed that none of the correlation values for the other dft bins exceeds the first threshold value . the highest correlation value 41 among all correlation values has a value of approximately 2 and belongs to the first satellite sv 1 . this correlation value is thus selected . based on the selected correlation value , which has been obtained with a replica code associated to a certain satellite , a code phase prediction is performed for the other three replica codes sequences . the code phase prediction as such is well known and can be realized for example as described above with reference to the document u . s . pat . no . 6 , 133 , 874 . it results in a predicted code phase for each of the other replica codes . when a respective predicted code phase is combined with an uncertainty value , a prediction interval is obtained for the associated replica code , which can be assumed to cover the correct code phase . ( step 305 ) since the doppler prediction has an accuracy of a few hz , the correct search results for all satellites s 1 to s 4 can be assumed to be located in the same dft bin . therefore , only the dft bin in which the selected correlation value has been found is considered when determining a prediction interval for the remaining satellites . in the example of fig4 , resulting prediction intervals for each of the satellites sv 2 to sv 4 are indicated by a respective rectangle 42 to 44 . the correlation values in the prediction intervals are then combined with the selected correlation value ( step 306 ), for example in accordance with the following relation : for the example of fig4 , this means more specifically that in each of the prediction intervals 42 to 44 , the maximum correlation value is determined . even though not pointed out separately , in each of the prediction intervals 42 to 44 a clear maximum correlation value can be seen . the selected correlation value 41 and the maximum correlation values determined for each of the prediction intervals 42 to 44 are then summed . it is to be understood that presented method of combining the search results constitutes only an example . it will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that many other combination methods can be used as well . the combined value is compared to a second threshold value ( step 307 ). if the combined value exceeds a second threshold value , the selected correlation value is assumed to correspond to a correct code phase for a certain satellite signal ( step 303 ). otherwise , the next highest correlation value among all correlation values is determined ( step 309 ), and steps 305 to 307 are repeated proceeding from this next highest correlation value as a selected correlation value . once a correct code phase for a first replica code has been found , the code phases for the remaining three replica codes can be searched for in a conventional manner within the respective prediction interval . steps 305 to 309 are repeated in a loop , until a correct code phase for a certain satellite signal has been found , or until the five highest correlation values have been evaluated , which is checked in each iteration between steps 307 and 309 as a step 308 . when the five highest correlation values have been evaluated without success , it is assumed that a signal acquisition based on the current correlation values is not possible . the signal acquisition is thus terminated and started anew ( step 310 ). it is to be understood that evaluating up to five highest correlation values is just an example ; any other number can be used also . it has to be noted that the processing performed by the decision module 23 of the gps receiver 21 could also be taken care of at least partly by the decision module 27 of the network element 26 . to this end , the gps receiver 21 provides any required information to the network element 26 , making use of a regular mobile communication link between the mobile terminal 20 and the mobile communication network 25 . this approach is of advantage for enabling gps receivers 21 to make use of the invention , even though they are not provided with a supplemented decision module 22 themselves , and / or for saving processing power at the mobile terminal 20 . simulations show that when trying on the one hand to acquire several gps satellite signals each by itself from full code uncertainty and on the other hand to acquire all gps satellite signals with the presented approach from full code uncertainty , the same acquisition probability of e . g . 90 % can be achieved with a significantly lower signal level compared to individual searches . new receivers are able to search up to eight satellites in parallel . using eight satellites in the evaluation would further improve the results . doubling the number of satellites which are used for a peak check from four to eight results in an optimum case in a gain which is increased by 3 db . this is due to the fact that even in a parallel search noise in the search results is not correlating , as the incoming signal is ‘ de - spread ’ with the replica codes . the prediction uncertainty diminishes the gain only to a limited extent . it is to be noted that the described embodiment can be varied in many ways and that it moreover constitutes only one of a variety of possible embodiments of the invention .

6Physics

using the method and system of our invention , teams of developers can work together cooperatively , to rapidly customize all aspects of software applications without modifying application source code , sql , or vendor supplied base classes ( referred to herein as “ business objects ”). this approach to customization results in dramatically lower development and maintenance costs , and provides seamless upward compatibility with future product releases . 2 . a language , such as microsoft visual basic , microsoft visual c ++, microsoft visual j ++ or the like . the business object designer gives developers the ability to quickly and easily customize software applications . it includes a business object explorer . this is a graphical editing tool for modifying and managing object definitions . it includes a hierarchical object explorer that allows developers to browse the various object types , an object list editor viewing and editing object definitions , and a properties window for editing object property values . the business object explorer also includes a windows - style “ find ” capability that allows developers to quickly locate objects in the repository . the object visualization views are a set of graphical representations of the relationships between the various object definitions in the business object repository that help simplify the configuration process . a typical application configuration contains thousands of objects . developers can use these views to understand and navigate through the object hierarchies . then , using the editing tools , they can modify the properties of these objects . these views help assess the impact of these modifications , and track down configuration errors . the visualization views can be printed and used as a valuable reference during configuration . fig1 illustrates a screen shot of a business component definition , 1 , with an objects field , 11 , a field indicating the source and type of components , 12 , and a field indicating the actions to be taken with respect to a component , 13 , while fig2 illustrates a screen shot of the details of a business component definition with the account object explorer , 21 , the account external products , 22 , and the object attributes , 23 . it depicts the various fields in the business component , their types , and points to their respective sources — either columns in underlying database tables , or fields in other business components . a developer can further introspect the properties of an object in this view , by using the properties window . the other visualization views work similarly . the hierarchy view describes the object hierarchy as it relates to the selected object i . e . the objects used by the selected object and the objects that use it . for example , the hierarchy view for a view object will show the applets contained in that view , the business components on which each of these applets are based , the screens and applications in which this view appears . the applet designer module is an intuitive drag - and - drop visual programming interface for modifying and extending list , form , dialog , and chart user interface objects ( applets ). these objects can be populated with standard windows controls , including buttons , combo boxes , check boxes , labels , and text fields , as well as activex controls . the applet designer of the method and system of our invention leverages the familiarity of developers with popular graphical application development tools such as microsoft visual basic . features of the applet designer are illustrated in fig3 . these include the object explorer , 31 , and the applet being designed or modified , 32 . an account information form is being designed in block 32 . the developer can add , delete , and modify the properties of the controls . the controls can be configured using the properties window . for example , a control can be associated with a field in the underlying business component . this is accomplished by setting the field attribute of the control to one of the fields in the business component . the choice of fields is limited to those that belong to the business component that the applet is based on . the behavior of controls can be scripted using the visual basic or other script editor . the applet designer also helps ensure visually accurate and correctly translated configurations by providing a design - time preview of the applet on various screen resolutions , and under different language settings . in this mode , the applet designer simulates the applet being viewed under the specified settings and allows the developer to quickly detect any presentation errors such as truncation or overlapping controls . features of the applet designer are illustrated in fig3 . the view designer module of the development tool method and system of our invention allows developers to visually modify existing views and construct new views by simply dragging and dropping the desired applets onto the view canvas . there is no additional specification or code required to define the relationships between the applets . most other application customization tools require developers to write significant amounts of code to achieve this same functionality . in the prior art , this code had to be replicated for each and every screen in the application . this was inefficient and error - prone . features of the view designer 4 are illustrated in fig4 . to create a view based on a specific business object , the developer is presented with a blank canvas with eight sectors and a window 41 containing the list of applets that can be included in the view ( based on the business object of the view ). the desired applets can then be simply dragged from the applets window and dropped on the view canvas in the desired sector . the applets may be resized at this point , if necessary . the underlying business components , and their context within the business object determine the relationships between the applets in the view . hence , these relationships do not need to be specified again in the definition of the view . they are simply re - used . the menu designer module of the development tool method and system of our invention allows developers to customize and extend siebel menu structures using a visual metaphor . a menu can be created by adding menu items , defining the command to be executed when the menu is clicked , and specifying an accelerator key for easy navigation . the development tool method and system of our invention provides a set of wizards to assist developers in the creation of new objects in the underlying repository . examples of wizards include a form applet wizard , chart applet wizard , list applet wizard , and business component wizard . the user clicks on the type of the new object he or she wants to create , and the wizard guides them through the entry of the properties needed for that type of object . typically , the graphical user interface guides the user through the various steps of creating an applet , such as selecting the business component that it is based on , the dimensions of the applet , the fields to be included , the buttons that appear in the applet , and the like . wherever possible , the list of choices are restricted to only those that are applicable — fields in the underlying business component , projects that have been locked by the developer , etc . once the developer has gone through the various screens in a wizard , a new object is created based on the attributes specified . a default layout is generated for the type of object being created . for example , for a form applet , text box and check box controls are created for each business component field that is to be included in the applet , depending on the data type of field . labels are also created right next to the text boxes and check boxes . all these controls are laid out in an aesthetically pleasing columnar layout . the business object repository manager of our invention provides application developers with an efficient multi - user development environment that includes access to check - in / check - out functionality and version control . in a typical development environment , there is a server repository that contains the master application definition . each developer on the team has a local repository that the development tools method and system of our invention connects to . the various object definitions in the business object repository are grouped into projects . developers lock and check out projects from the server repository onto their local repositories in order to make changes to the object definitions . if another developer tries to check out the same project , he / she is unable to do so , and is informed that the project is locked . this prevents other developers on the team from modifying the same project . once the developer has made the changes and tested them , the project can be checked into the server repository . before checking in a project , the developer can review the changes that have been made thereby minimizing check - in errors . the check - in / check - out process can be integrated with an external version control system such as microsoft visual sourcesafe , pvcs , or clearcase . this allows the development team to maintain a version history of all changes to the repository . this tool that is part of the development tool method and system of our invention allows developers to compile the repository or projects either completely or incrementally . incremental compilation involves a compilation of only a subset of the projects ( typically those that have been modified ). the definitions of objects in these projects are the only ones that are updated . the remainder of the repository file is left untouched . this significantly speeds the development cycle of any project . the compiler generates a repository file that is used to run the underlying application . the storage of the application definition in the repository file is optimized for high - speed access and performance . this repository file is then deployed to the end - users of the application . the application executable reads the application definition from the repository file and instantiated objects based on their definitions stored in the repository file . the development tool method and system of our invention includes a development platform . for example , a microsoft visual basic or microsoft visual c ++ programming platform for integrating enterprise applications with third - party cooperative applications and extending the base functionality of the application screens and business components . in a preferred embodiment of our invention , the visual basic provides a visual basic - compliant environment that includes an editor , debugger , and interpreter / compiler . this allows application developers to extend and further configure applications . this capability may be integrated with the applet designer so developers can attach scripts to user interface element controls such as buttons , fields , and activex controls . business component behavior can also be further configured using the programming platform . fig5 illustrates some aspects of the editor and debugger screen 5 . it includes the object explorer 51 and the object code view , 52 . not only can application developers extend applications with the development platform , e . g ., visual basic , they can also use com interfaces to access data from third - party applications , provide integration with legacy systems , and automate applications from other external applications . this allows developers to extend application behavior , provide client - side integration to other applications , and enable access to data and business rules from other programs that use microsoft visual basic , powerbuilder , java , or activex . com interfaces expose selected objects to custom routines external from the applications . developers can access these com interfaces using a wide variety of programming languages . when developers require extensions beyond built - in database extensions , the database extension designer module of the method provides a point - and - click interface to extend application tables . developers can use these database extensions to capture data from new fields in application screens , or from external sources using enterprise integration managers . the database extension designer is integrated with the business object repository . the developer first defines the extensions in the repository and makes use of these extensions in business components and applets . these changes are then applied to the local database by clicking on the apply button . this causes the database schema of the local database to be updated . the developer then tests these extensions in the local environment . once the testing is complete , the changes are checked into the server repository and made available to the rest of the team . this process allows developers to make one set of changes that automatically triggers updates to client applications that reflect and incorporate the new database extension into mobile users &# 39 ; databases . these changes reflect the appropriate visibility rules for database extensions . new columns are automatically reflected in the business object repository and named appropriately to ensure easy migration to , for example , future releases of applications . the database extension designer works with client - server applications to provide seamless integration of database extensions for mobile user databases . the database extension designer automatically applies database extension instructions to the server database and these extensions are automatically routed to mobile user databases via remote software distribution applications such as siebel remote . changes take effect automatically the next time mobile users synchronize . the changes are “ in - place ,” so mobile users do not need to refresh or reinitialize their local database . the application upgrader module of the method and system of our invention dramatically reduces the time and cost of version upgrades by allowing customers to better determine what changes are available with each release and compare unique object customizations from the prior release with changes in the new release . the application upgrader provides systems administrators with notification of conflicts between object customizations and new releases , automatically merges differences between object definitions , and allows administrators to manually override and apply any changes . this tool obviates the need to manually migrate changes from release to release and significantly reduces the total lifecycle cost of ownership of typical business applications as compared to traditional client / server applications . fig6 illustrates the components of the application upgrader 6 of the method and system of our invention . the application upgrader screen has two views , an “ application upgrades ” view , 61 , and an “ object differences ” view , 62 , as well as a “ merge repositories ” choice box 63 . the application upgrader identifies customizations made to an application , and applies these customizations to the newer release of that application . application definitions are contained in a repository . the application upgrader compares three repositories — the prior standard repository , the customized repository , and new standard repository — and generates a fourth repository ( new customized repository ) based on the new repository but containing the customizations made by the customer . any object definitions that have been added to the customized repository , but not in the new standard repository are added to the new customized repository . if an object definition has been modified in the customized repository and also in the new standard repository , the upgrader compares each attribute of the two versions of object definition , and for each conflict encountered ( i . e . differing attribute values ), selects the value from one of the versions based on a set of pre - determined rules . all conflicts and their resolutions are presented to the user who then has the option of reviewing these and overriding the default resolution adopted by the application upgrader . the result of the upgrade process is an upgraded version of the application that incorporates the features of the new release with the customizations made to the prior release . while the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments and exemplifications , it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereby , but solely by the claims appended hereto .

6Physics

fig1 illustrates a database 100 which includes input from the railroad &# 39 ; s management information system , field sensors , and dispatch input to provide planning attributes . the planning attributes may include train characteristics 110 , line - of - road resources 120 and terminal resources 130 . the database 100 may include ( a ) trip plan including route requirements and activities for each train , ( b ) locomotive consist , describing the characteristics and on train and off - train location of each current and future locomotive , ( c ) pick - up and set out locations , ( d ) consist constraints such as speed , height , width , weight , hazmat and special handling need as a function of location along planned route , ( e ) consist summaries along the planned route ( loads , empties , tonnage and length ), and ( f ) crew information , including on - train and off - train locations and service expiration times . the integrated database 100 automatically provides accurate information to the movement planner without additional attention from the dispatcher . the movement planner my use well known optimizing techniques including those disclosed in the referenced patents and applications . train schedule 150 is supplied by the railroad and an optimized movement plan is generated by movement planner 140 based on the most current train characteristics , line of road resources and terminal resources from database 100 . detailed train activity information such as activity duration , specific work locations and alternate work locations are automatically monitored from day to day , updating the activity profiles in the database . in this manner , the accuracy of the planning information is continuously improved and manual intervention which was typically required in prior art systems is eliminated . in one embodiment , the information can be based on historical performance , and appropriate averaging and weighting can be used to emphasize some measured samples based on temporal or priority constraints . the information in the database can be forecast for each point along the route . for example , the train attributes of length , hazmat content , high / wide restrictions , horsepower , speed , stopping distance and acceleration may be dynamically altered along the route as cars and locomotives are picked up and set off . the train movement plan is based on the forecasted attributes at each point along the route . thus changes in the train consist ; specified route or track constraint anywhere along the planned route can be immediately identified and can cause the movement plan to be revised to take the most current conditions into account . in another embodiment , the dynamic planning database can be monitored and upon the detection of a change to a planning attribute contained in the database , auto - routing of a train can be disabled until the movement planner has had time to revise the movement planner consistent with the updated planning attributes . thus , at each time within the planning horizon , the movement planner can apply the expected attributes of trains , line of road resources and terminal applicable at that time . if any of the data changes , the movement plan can revise the movement order based on the updated data . train characteristics can include locomotive consist forecast , train consist forecast , crew expiration forecast , current train location upon plan calculation , expected dwell time at activity locations and train value variation along the route . the line of road resources may include reservations for maintenance of way effective and expiration time , form - based authority expiration time , bulletin item effective and expiration time and track curfew effective and expiration time . terminal resources may include work locations , interactions with other trains , and available tracks . in the present disclosure , movement plans are enhanced because the train characteristics and planning data are correctly accounted for as they change along the planned route . the methods of maintaining the database of dynamic planning attributes and planning the movement of trains using the current planning attributes can be implemented using computer usable medium having a computer readable code executed by special purpose or general purpose computers . while embodiments of the present invention have been described , it is understood that the embodiments described are illustrative only and the scope of the invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims when accorded a full range of equivalence , many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

referring now more particularly to the drawings , a material handling vehicle 10 has a load receiving receptacle 12 movably supported by a pair of laterally spaced center wheels 14 and 16 rotatably mounted beneath rceptacle 12 as by an axle 18 . in this manner , wheels 14 , 16 movably support receptacle 12 together with a pair of casters to be described in greater detail below . a deadman brake arrangement 20 according to the present invention is mounted on the receptacle 12 for normally frictionally engaging wheels 14 , 16 and restraining wheels 14 , 16 from rotation . as will become apparent below , brake arrangement 20 will be set except when grasped by an operator ( not shown ) of vehicle 10 . receptacle 12 advantageously has longitudinally spaced end walls 22 and 24 , laterally spaced side walls 6 and 28 , and a bottom wall 30 , all of which walls are advantageously planar as illustrated . further , receptacle 12 is provided with a lip 32 arranged along at least the upper edges of side walls 26 , 28 , with lip 32 axially extending around end walls 22 and 24 in the illustrated vehicle 10 . as mentioned above , center wheels 14 , 16 are laterally spaced beneath bottom wall 30 and adjacent the lower edges of side walls 26 , 28 , and are arranged substantially mid - way between end walls 22 and 24 . as perhaps can best be seen from fig2 of the drawings , the end walls 22 , 24 converge toward one another in the direction from lip 32 toward wheels 14 , 16 in order to form a receptacle that flares toward the open top thereof . vehicle 10 also includes a pair of handles 34 and 36 affixed to , for example , end walls 22 and 24 of receptacle 12 . as can be appreciated from the drawings , one handle 34 , 36 is associated with a respective one of the end walls 22 , 24 . brake arrangement 20 advantageously , and preferably , includes a substantially rectangular framework 38 arranged about the side walls 26 , 28 and end walls 22 , 24 of receptacle 12 , and resiliently supported from the receptacle 12 by a pair of laterally spaced coiled tension springs 40 , 42 and the like . a pair of brake shoes 44 , 46 , shaped as a shallow v arranged opening downwardly , are mounted on framework 38 for normally frictionally engaging wheels 14 , 16 . more specifically , the upstanding plates which facilitate attachment of brake shoes 44 , 46 to framework 38 themselves form anchors for the adjacent ends of side rails 48 and 50 which make up parts of framework 38 ; that is , side rails 48 , 50 form the portions of framework 38 which extend along , and are substantially parallel to , side walls 26 , 28 and receptacle 12 . cross handles 52 and 54 connected together side rails 48 , 50 across end walls 22 , 24 of receptacle 12 in order to complete framework 38 . since brake arrangement 20 will usually be constructed from a suitable steel , and the like , rails 48 , 50 , as well as brake shoes 44 , 46 , may be attached to the upstanding plates and to the cross handles 52 and 54 in a conventional manner , such as by welding . vehicle 10 further includes a pair of longitudinally spaced , swiveling wheels 56 and 58 similar to conventional casters , rotatably mounted on end walls 22 and 24 of receptacle 12 as by triangular shaped brackets 60 and 62 . one wheel 56 , 58 is associated with a respective one of the end walls 22 , 24 , as perhaps can best be seen from fig2 of the drawings . as can also best be seen from fig2 of the drawings , one end of framework 38 , that formed with side rails 48 and cross handle 52 , and supported by springs 40 , 42 , is arranged above its associated affixed handle 34 while the other end of framework 38 , that associated with affixed handle 36 and formed by side rails 50 and cross handle 54 , is arranged below the associated handle 36 . thus , handle 52 is depressed to release brake shoes 44 , 46 from wheels 14 , 16 , and handle 54 is lifted to effect the release of the brake shoes 44 , 46 . on both ends , the associated handle 52 , 54 is moved until it is in contact with the associated stationary handle 34 , 36 . this moved position is not shown in the drawings . as can be readily appreciated from the above description and from the drawings , a brake arrangement 20 according to the present invention forms a novel combination with material handling vehicle 10 in order to achieve a desired deadman braking function in a simple yet rugged and reliable manner conducive for use with mortar carts and similar construction equipment . the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . further , since numerous modification 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 .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

the present invention comprises a system and method for throttling memory usage in a compressed memory system . fig1 illustrates a block diagram detailing a generic operating system employing the compression management software architecture 10 according to the present invention . particularly , the compression management software architecture 10 of fig1 comprises employs two major software components : 1 ) a device driver 20 ; and 2 ) a compression management service (“ cms ”) 50 . the device driver component 20 includes a compressed memory statistics module 24 for monitoring and exporting physical memory usage statistics and provides other services related to the compressed memory controller hardware 80 . the cms component 50 is implemented as a high priority process , which monitors real memory usage and the compressibility of the data contained in the real memory . with more particularity , the compressed memory controller 80 , functions as follows : first , it provides for transparent address translation between the real addresses provided by the cpu and the actual locations in physical memory ; and , second , it additionally provides an l3 ( level 3 ) cache of memory in which frequently accessed pages of memory are stored in an uncompressed format . as referred to herein , the term ctt ( compression translation table ) represents the data structures used by the memory controller to perform the address translation . the ctt itself consumes some portion of the physical memory of the system and must be accounted for in managing the memory . this level of indirection between the real and physical addresses provided by the ctt allows the memory controller to provide a set of fast operations to manipulate memory on the page level granularity . the page operation that is most useful is the zero page operation which allows for memory zeroing by marking the ctt for a particular real memory page as containing all zeros and allows the physical memory associated with that page to be freed and reused . furthermore , as will be described in greater detail herein , the memory controller additionally functions to generate an interrupt when physical memory usage exceeds a programmable usage threshold . the cms component 50 particularly includes a compressed memory management service module 54 which polls a device driver compressed memory statistics module 24 , gathers compressed memory usage statistics and , based on these statistics , determines whether or not physical memory must be made available . in the case of deteriorating compressibility and oncoming physical memory exhaustion it will allocate memory from the o / s . because it is a high priority task , the o / s 75 responds by trimming pages of memory from other lower priority tasks in order to fulfill the request . the pages that are trimmed from the other tasks are written out to the o / s &# 39 ; s swap space ( not shown ) in order to preserve the data contained within them . upon receiving the memory pages , the cms will fill them with data that is known to compress into a trivial pattern , i . e ., one that compresses to the point of using virtually no physical memory . the result is that the physical memory that was backing the pages is released and may be used elsewhere by the memory controller . the maximum amount of memory that cms must be prepared to recover is calculated as follows : where “ tr ” is the total amount of real memory as seen by the o / s ; “ tp ” is the total amount of physical memory in the system ; and , “ maxmemtotakeaway ” is the total real memory to recover in bytes . it is important that the o / s be configured with enough swap file space to accommodate maxmemtotakeaway bytes . the compressed memory controller hardware 80 further generates interrupts 81 when physical memory exceeds a programmable threshold value . using this capability , the memory system is considered to be in one of the following three states at any given time : 1 ) a steady state — where adequate physical memory is available and data is compressing at least at the boot compression ratio ; 2 ) a warning state — where physical memory is beginning to run low and corrective action should be taken ; and 3 ) an emergency state — where physical memory is nearing exhaustion , corrective action must be taken and all other applications in the system should be blocked from running until enough physical memory is made available to re - enter the warning or steady state . aside from polling the memory usage statistics to make corrections , the cms 50 will receive notifications from the device driver as memory state changes occur . this allows cms to take corrective action immediately instead of waiting until it is ready to poll again . as a result , the cms 50 will utilize fewer cpu cycles because memory state change notifications alleviate the need for polling the compressed memory statistics module aggressively . the cms 50 additionally is included with functionality for spawning a blocker thread 55 ( referred to as a “ cpu blocker ”) per each cpu in the system . this thread remains suspended and awaits a notification from the device driver that the physical memory is entering the emergency state . once the notification is received the cpu blocker 55 will monopolize the cpu it is bound to and prevent other applications in the system from executing . correspondingly , this only allows the cms 50 and its associated tasks to execute . this is necessary because the severity of the emergency state dictates that other applications cannot be allowed to execute as they can further deteriorate the state of the memory system . with more particularity , the compressed memory controller hardware 80 appears as a peripheral component interconnect ( pci ) device and communicates with any other device in the system via the compressed memory device driver 20 which provides a standard set of software services as proscribed by each individual o / s . application software or o / s software may then communicate with the memory controller hardware using the services of the device driver . according to the preferred embodiment of the invention , the device driver 20 provides the following facilities : 1 ) provides various memory compression statistics from module 24 ; 2 ) from module 26 , enables the programming of low physical memory threshold registers on the compressed memory controller 80 , which will initiate generation of an interrupt when the value of the threshold register is exceeded ; 3 ) from module 26 , broadcasts notification of low physical memory interrupts to interested client applications ; and , 4 ) from module 28 , provides access to special memory manipulation functions referred to as “ pageops ” that are unique to the memory compression chip . pageops are so named because they operate on the typical page size ( 4k ), e . g ., as used by the intel x86 architecture . the cms 50 interacts with the device driver 20 by sending device i / o control code messages to it . the device driver particularly tracks an internal memory state variable based upon the amount of physical memory in use . the system is considered to be in one of three states ( steady , warning , or emergency ) at any given time . each memory state has an associated physical memory usage threshold . a state &# 39 ; s threshold is considered to be the transition point between itself and the next memory state . a state &# 39 ; s threshold is set by sending a device i / o control code message to the driver . the following rule concerning thresholds must hold true when threshold assignments are made : the driver will initially set the threshold low register ( tlr ) to the threshold that exceeds the physical memory used by least amount . the current memory state is considered to be the state associated with this threshold . when the physical memory used grows to exceed the value in the threshold register , an interrupt will be sent to the device driver . the driver handles the interrupt by re - programming the tlr based upon the rule described above . interrupts cause the threshold to be moved higher . when the current memory state is either warning or emergency , the driver will periodically poll to see if the threshold should be adjusted downward . that is , interrupts move the threshold ‘ higher ’; while polling the memory controller for a reduction in physical memory usage reduces the threshold ( relaxation ). the threshold associated with the emergency state is used to program the threshold high register ( thr ). if this threshold is exceeded the memory controller will generate a non - maskable interrupt which when received is used to gracefully shutdown the o / s . reaching this condition means that physical memory is exhausted and there is only enough left to shut the machine down . this condition is considered a catchall and should not normally be reached . coupled with the memory state tracking described above , the driver provides the ability for cms and other client applications ( termed memory state observers ) to be notified as to memory states changes . the mechanism for notifying applications of events is o / s dependent and is known to skilled artisans . as mentioned , the device driver 20 includes a pageops module 28 that supports the ability to access the memory operations on pages of physical memory . the key page operation that the driver exposes in terms of compressed memory management is called the zero page operation to user mode applications and is referred to as the zero page op . the application may pass down to the driver a virtual address in its process space and a length . the driver will convert the address from virtual to physical and invoke the zero page operation on each page in the range . this page operation has the effect of flushing the page out of the l3 cache ( if present ), freeing any physical memory in use by the page , and writing the trivial data pattern ( i . e ., zero bit pattern ) to the page &# 39 ; s ctt entries . the compression management service ( cms ) is the user mode portion of the compressed memory control system . it runs as a background process at a priority level above the normal application execution . for example on windows 2000 it runs at real - time priority . this is done so that it may pre - empt other user mode process in the system . at its core is the compmemmgr component 54 which performs the compressed memory management . during initialization compmemmgr 54 determines the difference ( real memory size — physical memory size ). this result called maxmemtotakeaway is the maximum amount of memory that would have to be removed from the virtual memory manager sub - system 77 of the o / s kernal 75 if an application ( s ) completely fills memory with incompressible data . memory is removed from the virtual memory manager 77 via an o / s specific call that allows an application to allocate memory . for example on windows 2000 it is called virtualalloc . compmemmgr spawns one or more processes that are called memory eaters 60 . the number of memory eaters processes spawned is calculated by the following formula : an interprocess communication ( ipc ) mechanism is used to allow the compmemmgr to instruct the memory eaters to allocate and release memory and to also allow the memory eaters to provide feedback on their progress to the compmemmgr . modem o / ss support many mechanisms to allow processes to communicate with each other . for example in implementing this algorithm for windows 2000 , an area of shared memory is used as the means of communication . compmemmgr determines the physical memory thresholds for the low physical memory interrupt . this is done by summing the size of the size of the compression translation table ( ctt ), any memory regions that have been setup as uncompressed , size of the resident portion of the o / s kernel , and the size of the l3 cache to back any of the maximum spill over from the l3 cache . after passing the thresholds for each of the memory states down to the driver , it will register itself for notifications from the device driver as the state of memory system changes . these thresholds will be re - calculated by cms periodically as part of its memory usage monitoring . once the interrupt thresholds have been calculated , the minconsumptionphysical value is calculated . this variable represents the amount of physical memory that must be in use for compmemmgr to perform the calculation that determines whether or not a memory adjustment is necessary . it is to be placed at a level of physical memory usage , which is below the point of threshold associated with the steady state . the actual calculation is an o / s dependent heuristic but in general it is a factor of how much memory is reserved for the warning and emergency states . the minconsumptionphysical variable calculation serves two purposes : 1 ) to get a head start on taking corrective action in advance of the moving into an elevated memory state ; and , 2 ) to function as a watermark that below which any held memory will be returned to the system . it is understood that this value will also be re - calculated along with the memory state thresholds . next compmemmgr spawns and binds one cpu blocker thread per processor in the system . as mentioned , the cpu blockers are utilized when all user ( e . g ., third - party ) applications 65 must be prevented from running . finally , the compmemmgr 54 spawns a thread in which it executes the compressed memory management algorithm depicted in fig2 ( a )- 2 ( b ). fig2 ( a )- 2 ( b ) is a block diagram illustrating the compressed memory management algorithm . fig2 ( a ) particularly depicts the main loop 100 of the compressed memory management algorithm which is a loop executed by the compmemmgr for waiting on one of the memory state notification events from the driver , the terminate event , or a wait timeout value . in a first step 110 , the variables waittimeout and totalmemconsumed are initialized . particularly , the variable waittimeout is a constant value that is operating system independent and represents a polling interval which is set a default value default_sleep_timeout , and may range anywhere between 0 to 1000 msec ., for example . as memory pressure increases driving the system into warning and emergency state , the rate of polling is increased . thus , a waittimeout value of 0 msec means that a waitformemorystatechangesignalfromdriver function will check for any events being triggered ( i . e ., a memory state change signal from the driver ) and will return immediately . conversly , when waittimeout is 1000 msec , the waitforstatechangesignalfromdriver function will wait for a maximum of a second before returning from the function call so as to yield the processor to other tasks . the variable initial totalmemconsumed is the memory consumed , and is initially set to zero ( 0 ). then , at step 115 , the process waits for a state change signal ( interrupt ) from the device driver , and sets a variable result equal to the state change value , i . e ., waitformemorystatechangesignalfromdriver ( waittimeout ). next , at step 120 , a decision is made as to whether a notification event ( state change ) has been received from the driver . if no state change has occurred , i . e ., then the process proceeds to step 150 where the process is invoked for obtaining updated statistics and performing any memory usage correction calculations as described with respect to fig2 ( b ). if there is a state change , a determination is made at step 125 as to whether the change is a terminate event . if the event received is a terminate event , then the process exits at step 130 . if a state change has occurred and it was not a terminate event , then the process proceeds to step 140 where the current memory state value is set to the result . the step 150 of gathering of memory usage statistics is then performed and the process repeats by returning to step 110 . as will be explained in greater detail , memory usage statistics come from three sources : the device driver , the o / s , and randomly selected memory page sampling . a c ++- like pseudocode depiction of the process exemplified by fig2 ( a ) is now provided : fig2 ( b ) particularly depicts the make memory usage corrections process 150 as shown in fig2 ( a ). in the memory usage corrections process loop 150 , a first step 155 involves gathering the memory status , i . e ., the memory statistics . then , at step 160 , the current real memory ( currrealused ) used is computed in accordance with the statistics provided by the device driver . then , at step 165 , the current physical memory ( currphysused ) used is computed . this value includes the size of the physical memory usage plus the size of the compression translation table ( ctt ) ( cttlength ), the size of any defined uncompressed memory regions , and the size of the nonswappablepages ( sizeofnonswappages ). typically the uncompressed memory region is 1 mb and is setup by the bios . this is necessary because the physical memory usage reported by the compressed memory controller chip does not account for these values . at the next step 170 , an evaluation is made as to whether the current memory state ( determined in the main loop 100 of the compressed memory management algorithm ) is the steady state and that the current physical memory computed in step 165 is less than usage is below a minimum usage water mark ( minconsumptionphysical ). if at step 170 , it is determined that the current memory state is the steady state and the current physical memory computed in step 165 is not less than a minimum threshold , then the process proceeds to step 175 to compute a targeted real memory usage ( targetedrealusage ) representing how the size of memory is to be adjusted . that is , a variable targetedrealmemoryuse is calculated by multiplying the amount of physical memory in use by the boot compression ratio . to determine the memory adjustment needed , the actual amount of real memory in use plus the total amount of memory already held by the memory eaters is subtracted from the targetedrealmemoryuse . this is the variable adjustmentreal . a negative result means that the compressibility of the system is equal to or greater than the boot compression ratio . this means that the memory eaters should release adjustmentreal units of memory back to the system . particularly , based on the amount of physical memory in use , a calculation is made as to how much real memory should be in use which is equal to the boot compression ration of the memory system multiplied by the current physical memory used currphysused calculated at step 165 . then at step 180 , a value for the real memory adjustment ( adustmentreal ) is computed as being equal to the targetedrealusage minus a quantity comprising the currrealused plus the totalmemconsumed . then , at step 182 , a determination is made as to whether adjustmentreal & lt ; 0 . if adustmentreal is less than 0 , then the process proceeds to step 185 where the adustmentreal variable is set equal to max_of ( adjustmentreal , totalmemconsumed ). this is to ensure that there is released only as much available . particularly , it is desired to release memory slower than it is acquired in case conditions quickly deteriorate . a release ratefactor may be applied to the amount that will be released in any one iteration of memory adjustment . returning to step 182 , if it is determined that adjustmentreal is greater than or equal to 0 , then the memory eaters must allocate adjustment units of memory . in doing so the memory eater calls the o / s &# 39 ; s memory allocation facility for the required memory . the memory eater then passes a pointer to the memory its length to the device driver to perform a zero page operation on the all the pages the area contains . these steps are depicted from steps 188 , 190 , 192 and 195 . particularly , at step 188 , the adustmentreal variable is set equal to min_of ( adjustmentreal , the quantity maxmemtotakeaway - totalmemconsumed ) where maxmemtotakeaway is the total real memory to recover in bytes as defined herein . this calculation is made to ensure that the requested adjustment lies within the bounds of what the memory eaters can eat . for example , if maxmemtotakeaway is 100 mbytes , adjustmentreal is 100 mbytes , and the totalmemconsumed ( the amount that the eaters are already holding ) is 25 mbytes , then the eaters can only hold another 75 mbytes , i . e ., adjustment is min_of ( 100 , 100 - 25 )= 75 mbytes . next , at step 190 , the memory eaters are put to work by writing the adjustment value into the shared memory block via the monitor . the internal statistics are then updated at steps 192 , 195 . a c ++- like pseudocode depiction of the process exemplified by fig2 ( b ) is now provided : // get current memory statistics . getmemorystatus ( stats ); memunits currrealused = stats . usedreal ; memunits currphysused = stats . usedphysical ; // add onto the physical memory usage the size of the ctt , // the size of the uncompressed region , and the size of // the nonswappablepages . currphysused = cttlength + uncompressedregion + stats . sizeofnonswappages ; // as long as the system is in memory state and the physical memory // usage is below the minimum usage water mark // release all the memory held by the memory eaters . if (( currmemstate == steadystate ) & amp ;& amp ; ( currphysused & lt ; minconsumptionphysical )) { // release all the memory held by the eaters . // except for any guaranteed awe regions on w2k . adjustmentreal = m_totalmemconsumed ;; if ( adjustmentreal & lt ; 0 ) adjustmentreal = 0 ; else adjustmentreal = − adjustmentreal ; } else { // calculate how the size of memory is to be adjusted . // based on the amount of physical memory in use calculate // how much real memory should be in use . memunits targetedrealusage = static_cast & lt ; memunits & gt ;( m_bootcompratio * currphysused ); adjustmentreal = targetedrealusage − ( currrealused + totalmemconsumed ); if ( adjustmentreal & lt ; 0 ) { // releasing memory . // want to release memory slower than it is acquired in case // conditions quickly deteriorate . apply a release rate // factor to the amount that will be released in any one // iteration of memory adjustment . memunits rateadjusted = adjustmentreal / memreleaserate ; if ( 0 == rateadjusted ) { rateadjusted = adjustmentreal ; } // make sure to release only as much as we have . adjustmentreal = max ( rateadjusted , − totalmemconsumed ); } else { // consuming memory . adjustmentreal = min ( maxmemtotakeaway − totalmemconsumed , adjustmentreal ); } } // put the eaters to work by writing the adjustment value into the // shared memory block via the monitor . notifymemoryeaters ( adjustmentreal ); if ( recalculatememorystatethresholds ( )) setmemorystatethresholds ( ); // update our internal stats . totalmemconsumed += adjustmentreal ; } } if compmemmgr is notified of the warning or emergency state being entered , it will switch the timeout for the next iteration to 0 . this is done so that as much cpu time as possible may be spent on compmemmgr analyzing memory conditions and on the memory eaters compensating for the memory condition . recall that there is also one cpu blocker thread per processor waiting on a signal from the driver indicating that the memory usage has moved into the emergency state . once the cpu blocker is notified of the emergency condition it will hog the cpu it is bound to . this has the effect of blocking all other user applications from running which is necessary because once the system enters the emergency state it is getting very close to running out of physical memory . allowing user applications to run might further deteriorate memory conditions causing the machine to stop running . the cpu blocker runs at the priority level just below compmemmgr and the memory eaters . this allows the compressed memory management to pre - empt the blocker threads but also allow the blocker threads to block other user mode applications . the cpu blocker threads will stop “ hogging ” the cpu when it is signaled that the memory system has moved back into the steady or warning state . it is than safe to allow other applications to continue running . the o / s itself has threads that run at high priority normal or higher . these threads are not problematic for the compression controls because they run for very short durations and cannot change the overall compressibility of the system . however , it is possible for other applications to be run at priority levels which are higher than the compression controls for long durations , which in theory can be problematic for the compression controls . it should be noted that applications running at these priority levels do not yield the cpu could interfere with the normal operation of the virtual memory manager itself and cause the o / s to behave erratically . one way to avoid having these applications interfere with the compression control software is to have the controls dynamically lower the process priority ( or suspend the process entirely ) while in the emergency state . the priority may be restored after the crisis has been rectified . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to illustrative and preformed embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims .

6Physics

as required , detailed embodiments of the present inventions are disclosed herein ; however , it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention , which may be embodied in various forms . therefore , specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure . first referring to fig1 , a perspective top and right side view of the overall apparatus 10 is shown . the structure of the apparatus 10 will now be described in the sequence that a textile article or workpiece 11 would take in passing through the apparatus 10 . the soiled textile is first deposited onto a soil counting table or work table 12 where an operator sorts the workpiece from other textile workpieces and determines which sorting bin 14 the particular selected textile should be directed toward . the operator ( not shown ) then examines the options presented on operator selection panel 16 to select the proper sorting bin 14 to which the textile is to be deposited . operator selection panel 16 provides , in this embodiment , three possible sorting bin 14 selections for each of flow tubes 18 a , 18 b . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , three sorting bins 14 are presented in general linear array , and each sorting bin 14 is provide with a collection bin 20 which resides at the bottom of a cyclonic cone 21 . a suitable touch screen display for use as operator selection panel 16 is the model elo et1537l - 80wa - 1 - g manufactured by elo touchsystems , inc . of menlo park , calif . and which is controlled by computer controller 60 . the operator at work table 12 retrieves a textile item or a workpiece such as a napkin from a pile of pieces to be sorted on work table 12 and then examines the options on screen 16 to determine the bin selection for the item selected . the operator then makes the selection on selection panel 16 for either of flow tubes 18 a , 18 b into which the operator will deposit the workpiece . when the operator selects the particular sorting bin 14 into which the workpiece is to be deposited , the series of diverters 22 which are set in sequential fashion along the length of flow tubes 18 a , 18 b are switched to permit the workpiece that is introduced into a flow tube 18 a , 18 b to be deposited into the correct sorting bin 14 that the operator selected on selection panel 16 . the specific operation of diverters 22 will be discussed hereinafter . when the textile or workpiece 11 is introduced into flow tube 18 a , 18 b , it is pulled through flow tube 18 a , 18 b by the suction of a reduced pressure which is created in flow tube 18 a , 18 b , and the system in general , by vacuum fan 24 which is operator by motor 26 . motor 26 is provided with a variable - frequency drive , the operation of which and the effect on the apparatus 10 will be described hereinafter . the operation of fan 24 by motor 26 generates an air flow , or vacuum air flow as it is commonly referred , within vacuum connection tube 28 which is connected to vacuum distribution duct 30 . the low pressure created by vacuum fan 24 is thereby communicated to the remainder of the system including cyclonic cones 21 and receiving arms 32 which are attached to cyclonic cone 21 . in this manner , a directional air flow is created throughout the entirety of apparatus 10 which permits the operator at work table 12 to rapidly direct selected textile workpieces through either of flow tubes 18 a , 18 b and into the plurality of sorting bins 14 . the operator can , through proper switching of diverters 22 at selection panel 16 , select the proper sorting bin 14 for the workpiece 11 . the processing unit controller 60 of the apparatus 10 then automatically orients the sequence of diverters 22 on the selected flow tube 18 a , 18 b to result in the depositing of the workpiece 11 into the selected sorting bin 14 once the workpiece is introduced into the mouth 34 of the selected flow tube 18 a , 18 b . for the embodiment shown in fig1 , a suitable fan is model hdaf or hdbi manufactured by cincinnati fan and ventilator company , inc ., of mason , ohio . for the embodiment shown in fig1 and 11 , a suitable fan is model pb - 14 manufactured by cincinnati fan and ventilator company , inc ., of mason , ohio . referring now to fig2 , the operation of the diverters 22 will be described . each diverter 22 is comprised of a housing which contains , generally , a diversion tube 36 , 40 that can be selectably positioned between a first exit position 38 a and a second exit position 38 b to achieve the selection of a path of travel of a workpiece 11 through the apparatus . this selection of the diversion tube positions is made by the operator at panel 16 and allows the operator to select a pathway through tubes 18 that will lead a workpiece 11 to the particular sorting bin 14 into which the workpiece 11 is to be placed . in a preferred embodiment , two diversion tubes 36 and 40 are used together and shift position in tandem between a first exit position 38 a and a second exit position 38 b to direct the path taken by textile articles or workpieces 11 through the apparatus to reach the operated selected sorting bin 14 . it can be appreciated that additional selectable diversion tube positions could be added to the diverter 22 in an alternate embodiment . referring now to fig2 and 3 , diverters 22 have a single inlet position 23 used by both diversion tubes 36 , 40 to receive a workpiece 11 from tube 18 that leads to inlet 23 . diverters 22 have two exit positions 38 a , 38 b . only one exit position ever is active and this depends on which of diversion tubes 36 or 40 is in position to receive a workpiece from inlet 23 . a first exit position 38 a sends the workpiece 11 into receiving arm 32 and into a particular sorting bin 14 which was selected for the workpiece 11 by the operator at selection panel 16 . a second position 38 b sends the workpiece 11 past receiving arm 32 ( fig3 ) and onto a different diverter 22 or to another pathway . in operation of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus , the operator makes the desired pathway selection at selection panel 16 . a means for shifting 27 ( fig2 ) diversion tubes 36 , 40 , such as a pneumatic cylinder , is activated by the operator &# 39 ; s selection and diversion tubes 36 , 40 shift up or down , in tandem , to position either the inlet end of diversion tube 36 or the inlet end of diversion tube 40 in front of inlet 23 of diverter 22 ( fig2 ). this selectable positioning allows the workpiece 11 introduced into the flow tube 18 by the operator to be directed into one of two paths by diverter 22 . if the inlet end of diversion tube 36 is positioned in front of inlet 23 then the workpiece 11 will be directed through diversion tube 36 and sent out first exit position 38 a to send the workpiece 11 into receiving arm 32 ( shown in fragmentary view in fig3 ). if the inlet end of diversion tube 40 is positioned in front of inlet 23 then the workpiece 11 will be directed through diversion tube 40 and sent out second exit position 38 b to send the workpiece 11 into a different diverter 22 and different receiving arm 32 or into another pathway . as may be observed by inspecting fig3 and fig1 , in apparatus 10 , each receiving arm 32 is connected to one of sorting bins 14 and to a diverter 22 for each tube 18 that is intended to direct workpieces 11 to a particular sorting bin 14 . the workpiece , upon entering receiving arm 32 , travels down receiving arm 32 and into the selected sorting bin 14 which the operator previously selected at selection panel 16 . it further will be appreciated that the selectable shifting , or selectable movement of the diversion tubes 36 and 40 within diverter 22 can be mechanically operated by a number of alternate means . a means for shifting 27 ( fig2 ) may be comprised of a pneumatically or hydraulically motivated arm or piston or a solenoid can be employed by those skilled in the art to achieve the movement of diversion tubes 36 and 40 between the first and second positions 38 a , 38 b for the selectable repositioning of diversion tubes 36 and 40 . alternatively , a motorized gear mechanism could be employed to shift the diversion tubes 36 and 40 to orient the desired diversion tube 36 or 40 inlet in front of inlet 23 . referring now to fig8 the features of diverters 22 will be further discussed . as is shown in fig8 receiving arms 32 are connected to sorting bins 14 and diverters 22 . the selectable shifting of diversion tubes 36 , 40 within diverters 22 is indicated by arrows as providing two pathways . when diversion tube 36 is in use the pathway shown by arrow “ a ” is the active position and vacuum or suction is provided to the tube 36 , and in turn also to the associated tube 18 . this application of suction draws the textile or workpiece 11 through diversion tube 36 from the associated tube 18 and into the receiving arm 32 . when a diversion tube 40 is in use the pathway shown by arrow “ b ” is the active position . in this position a textile or workpiece 11 passes through diverter 22 on the way to another diverter 22 and receiving arm 32 of different sorting bin 14 . also , when all of the diversion tubes 40 of a flow tube 18 all are in the arrow “ b ” position no vacuum or no suction is provided to the particular tube 18 of the apparatus as the tube 18 then has no connection to the vacuum or suction source which is provided by a connection to on of receiving arms 32 . this ability to selectably eliminate the application of vacuum or suction to a particular tube 18 provides an energy savings by the apparatus . a particular feature of the apparatus 10 is the use of variable frequency drive control 60 ( fig1 ) to operate the fan motor 25 in providing the suction or air flow with in the flow pathway that is the motive force for moving the textile workpieces 11 through the flow pathway . the flow pathway , generally , comprising tubes 18 and diversion tubes 36 , 40 and receiving arm 32 and sorting bin 14 . the benefit to the use of the variable frequency drive control is that the fan , and therefore the suction or air flow in the flow pathway , can more rapidly be controlled . the fan 24 ( fig1 ) rapidly can be started and stopped and operated at selectable speeds depending on the number of tubes 18 a , 18 b , ( fig1 ) being used at any particular time . in this way the apparatus is made more energy efficient and the noise level of the apparatus , and the workplace , can be reduced . in one embodiment , a brake 25 ( fig1 & amp ; 11 ) also is employed on motor 26 to assist in rapidly changing the speed of fan 24 . alternating - current electric motors run at speeds closely determined by the number of poles in the motor and the frequency of the alternating current supply . this is unlike the steam engine , which can be made to run over a range of speeds by adjusting the timing and duration of valves admitting steam to the cylinder . ac motors can be made with several sets of poles , which can be chosen to give one of several different speeds ( say , 720 / 1800 rpm for a 60 hz motor ). the number of different speeds available is limited by the expense of providing multiple sets of windings . if many different speeds or continuously variable speeds are required , other methods are required . direct - current motors allow for changes of speed by adjusting the shunt field current . another way of changing speed of a direct current motor is to change the voltage applied to the armature . an adjustable speed drive might consist of an electric motor and controller that is used to adjust the motor &# 39 ; s operating speed . the combination of a constant - speed motor and a steplessly adjustable mechanical speed - changing device might also be called an adjustable speed drive . electronic variable frequency drives are rapidly making older technology redundant . process control and energy conservation are the two primary reasons for using an adjustable speed drive . historically , adjustable speed drives were developed for process control , but energy conservation has emerged as an equally important objective . an adjustable speed drive often uses less energy than an alternative fixed speed mode of operation . fans and pumps are the most common energy saving applications . when a fan is driven by a fixed speed motor , the airflow may sometimes be higher than it needs to be . airflow can be regulated by using a damper to restrict the flow , but it is more efficient to regulate the airflow by regulating the speed of the motor . adjustable - frequency drives ( afd ) control the speed of either an induction motor or a synchronous motor by adjusting the frequency of the power supplied to the motor . adjustable frequency drives are also known as variable - frequency drives ( vfd ). a variable frequency drive control is essentially an electronic power conversion circuit . the conversion circuitry first converts the input ac power to dc intermediate power using a rectifier or rectifier bridge . the dc intermediate power is then converted to a quasi - sinusoidal ac power , at the desired frequency using inverter switching circuitry . the motor used in a vfd system is usually a three - phase induction motor . some types of single - phase motors can be used , but three - phase motors are usually preferred . various types of synchronous motors offer advantages in some situations , but induction motors are suitable for most purposes and are generally the most economical choice . motors that are designed for fixed - speed supply voltage operation are often used , but certain enhancements to the standard motor designs offer higher reliability and better vfd performance . ac motor characteristics require the applied voltage to be proportionally adjusted whenever the frequency is changed in order to deliver the rated torque . for example , if a motor is designed to operate at 460 volts at 60 hz , the applied voltage must be reduced to 230 volts when the frequency is reduced to 30 hz . thus the ratio of volts per hertz must be regulated to a constant value ( 460 / 60 = 7 . 67 v / hz in this case ). for optimum performance , some further voltage adjustment may be necessary , but nominally constant volts per hertz is the general rule . this ratio can be changed in order to change the torque delivered by the motor . an embedded microprocessor governs the overall operation of the vfd controller . the main microprocessor programming is in firmware that is inaccessible to the vfd user . however , some degree of configuration programming and parameter adjustment is usually provided so that the user can customize the vfd controller to suit specific motor and driven equipment requirements . in addition to manual control of the motor speed , the controller circuitry for a variable frequency drive may alternatively be controlled by signals from external processes . referring now to fig5 and 7 , in the present apparatus 10 the variable frequency drive control 62 is employed to selectably change the fan speed and therefore the amount of generated suction in the flow pathway , depending on the number of tubes 18 a , 18 b in use . for the apparatus shown in fig1 and 11 , a suitable variable frequency drive control 62 is the powerflex 40 240vac 22b - b017n104 with a ak - r2 - 030p1k2 brake resistor manufactured by the allen bradley division of rockwell automation of milwaukee , wis . for the apparatus shown in fig1 a suitable variable frequency drive control 62 is the durapulse gs3 - 2050 manufactured by the automation direct of atlanta , ga . during the operation of the apparatus one or more tubes 18 ( fig4 ) may be in use at anytime . the more tubes in use at a time , the greater the amount of fan suction is required to produce sufficient air flow in tubes 18 to move the textile articles from table 12 to bins 14 . conversely , when only one or two tubes 18 are in use less suction is required in the apparatus . this variable need is accounted for and provided by the present apparatus with the use of the variable frequency drive control for the fan motor 26 ( fig1 ) that operates fan 24 . in particular , when the apparatus has only one ( 1 ) or two ( 2 ) tubes 18 operating , the variable frequency drive control will operate the fan motor 26 at approximately 54 hz to produce a slower fan 24 speed and a reduced amount of suction by fan 24 . when the programmable controller 60 determines apparatus 10 has three ( 3 ) to four ( 4 ) tubes 18 operating , variable frequency drive control 62 is then directed by controller 60 to operate at an increased frequency and variable frequency drive control 62 will operate the fan motor 26 at approximately 58 hz to produce a greater fan 24 speed and an increased amount of suction by fan 24 . when five ( 5 ) to six ( 6 ) tubes 18 are in use the variable frequency drive control 60 will operate the fan motor 26 at 60 hz to produce a sufficient fan 24 speed to provide sufficient suction by fan 24 to operate all six tubes . it will be appreciated that in this manner the energy consumption of motor 26 is reduced and the associated noise level in the plant also is reduced . in prior art apparatus , the motor and fan had only a single operational speed . therefore , substantial unnecessary suction was generated by the fan when less than all of the apparatus of being used . this also provided unnecessary noise in the plant . a programmable logic controller ( plc ) or programmable controller 60 ( fig6 ) is provided to control the operation of apparatus 10 including the operator selection panel 16 and the diverters 22 responsive thereto . a suitable programmable logic controller ( plc ) or programmable controller 60 is the micrologix 1100 1763 - l16bwa manufactured by the allen bradley division of rockwell automation of milwaukee , wis . the variable frequency drive control 62 ( fig7 ) is responsive to the plc controller detecting the number of tubes 18 in operation at anytime . the controller 60 detects the number of tubes 18 in use . in response to the detected number of operational tubes 18 controller 60 determines the electrical frequency to be supplied to motor 26 by the variable frequency drive control 62 . as previously described , this variation in electrical frequency provided to motor 26 results in a change in fan 24 speed . this change in fan speed can rapidly be altered by the operation of controller 60 and the variable frequency drive control 62 in response to detected changes in the number of tube 18 being used at any moment . this then provides real time response of fan 24 suction generation to the operational demands of the textile cleaning plant and the apparatus 10 . in fig1 , programmable controller 60 and variable frequency drive control 62 are located new bins 14 on control panel 40 . the programmable controller 60 also monitors the counts of textile pieces or work pieces from the sorting stations 12 to determine when to dump the accumulated textile pieces or work pieces from one of the holding bins 20 at the apical end of the cone 21 . in the foregoing description , certain terms have been used for brevity , clearness and understanding ; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art , because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed . moreover , the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example , and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described . certain changes may be made in embodying the above invention , and in the construction thereof , without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not meant in a limiting sense . having now described the features , discoveries and principles of the invention , the manner in which the inventive apparatus for textile sorting is constructed and used , the characteristics of the construction , and advantageous , new and useful results obtained ; the new and useful structures , devices , elements , arrangements , parts and combinations , are set forth in the appended claims . it is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described , and all statements of the scope of the invention which , as a matter of language , might be said to fall therebetween .

3Textiles; Paper

referring now to the drawings there can be seen an air dropped weapon , designated generally by the reference numeral 10 , having a body section 11 and an ogive section 12 . a plurality of wrap - around fins 14 , shown in their deployed positions , are mounted on the after end of the body section 11 . the weapon 10 may be provided with any suitable warhead and fuze as well as any appropriate means for stowing and deploying the wrap - around fins since specific details of these elements of the weapon 10 form no part of the present invention . each fin 14 is provided with a fence 15 fixed to the convex side of the fin adjacent the outer extremity thereof and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the weapon 10 . a slot 16 is formed in each fin 14 in a generally central location . a roll tab 18 is fixed to the aft edge of each fin 14 to provide a predetermined stabilizing roll rate . the present invention was extensively wind tunnel tested . the basic wrap - around fin configuration was first tested and found to exhibit large , negative , steady - state roll rates at high angles of attack . for comparison purposes a cruciform fin configuration with the same planform as the basic wrap - around fin configuration was also tested . as expected , this configuration exhibited roll speed - up in both the positive and negative directions . it had been shown in applicant &# 39 ; s aforementioned patent that fin slots eliminated roll speed - up of cruciform finned weapons . consequently , centrally located fin slots were tested on the basic wrap - around fin configuration . the ratio of slot area to fin area ( c / c ) was approximately 0 . 3 . the slots resulted in a reduction in roll rates at high angles of attack by about 50 %. this reduction , while encouraging , indicated a need for additional modifications of the fins to obtain roll rate stablization . since wrap - around fin configurations are not symmetrical , in roll , i . e ., retreating and advancing fins when rotating in a cross - flow would produce different amounts of drag , it was concluded that part of the high angle of attack roll rate might be produced by differential drag . accordingly , unslotted wrap - around fins were treated with fences fixed at various positions adjacent the outer ends of the fins . these configurations allowed roll at lower , but still excessive , rates in either direction . the final configurations tested employed both slots and fences . roll tabs were added to the aft ends of the fins to provide the required driving torque . these configurations were found to eliminate excessive roll in either direction and provide roll rate stabilization in incompressible flow . obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described .

5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting

embodiments and other aspects of the invention described herein , including the system embodiments described below , may be made or used in conjunction with inventions described , in whole or in part , in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 692 , 483 filed on oct . 20 , 2000 in the name of inventors daniel r . neal , darrell j . armstrong , daniel m . topa and richard j . copland , entitled “ dynamic range extension techniques for a shack - hartman sensor including use in ophthalmic measurement .” [ 0024 ] fig1 shows a functional diagram of an embodiment of an integrated laser treatment system 100 , comprising a laser refractive surgery instrument that is integrated with a wavefront aberrometry system . the system 100 includes a wavefront aberrometer 110 , a laser 130 , an aperture - sharing element 120 , first and second lenses 135 , 140 operating as a microscope , a camera 150 , and a heads - up display ( hud ) 160 . the wavefront aberrometer 110 operates by injecting a beam or pattern near the center of the pupil and then recording and monitoring the resulting light that is scattered from the retina . beneficially , the wavefront aberrometer 110 includes a target for the patient &# 39 ; s eye . the wavefront aberrometer 110 is arranged to monitor the central part of the optical zone . the wavefront aberrometer 110 may be a hartmann - shack sensor , scanning refractometer , tscheming aberrometer or other aberrometer system . the wavefront aberrometer 110 operates with the aperture - sharing element 120 to simultaneously inject the refractive laser beam ( s ) from the laser 130 . beneficially , the aperture - sharing element may comprise a dichroic mirror that passes visible light ( and a scanning beam from the wavefront aberrometer 110 ) straight through while reflecting infrared ( ir ) light from the laser 130 , as shown in fig1 . the laser 130 should , beneficially , be arranged to illuminate the region outside the optical zone . however , it should not be limited to this case , since accurate real - time measurement can be performed even when the laser 130 modifies the optical zone directly , so long as the modification does not result in scattering or other phenomenon that is not consistent with the desired refractive change . the wavefront aberrometer 110 beneficially communicates with the laser 130 through a hardware or software link ( not shown ). the wavefront aberrometer 110 provides a feedback signal to the laser 130 for end - point detection and supports the hud 160 . the feedback signal from the wavefront aberrometer 110 may control the progress of the corrective procedure administered by the laser 130 based upon one or more characteristics of the patent &# 39 ; s eye measured by the wavefront aberrometer 110 . a surgeon can use the hud 160 to evaluate the progress of the procedure . the wavefront aberrometer 110 may operate in conjunction with the laser 130 to terminate the treatment once a desired correction has been obtained and measured by the wavefront aberrometer 110 . [ 0028 ] fig2 shows a functional diagram of another embodiment of an integrated laser treatment system 100 , comprising a laser refractive surgery instrument that is integrated with a wavefront aberrometry system . the major difference between the embodiments of fig1 and fig2 is that the embodiment of fig2 includes a tracking mirror which allows both the laser 130 and the wavefront aberrometer 110 to track movements of a patient &# 39 ; s eye during a procedure . again , a feedback signal from the wavefront aberrometer 110 may control the progress of the corrective procedure administered by the laser 130 based upon one or more characteristics of the patent &# 39 ; s eye measured by the wavefront aberrometer 110 . [ 0029 ] fig3 shows a structural configuration of a laser treatment system including a laser refractive surgery instrument and an objective aberrometer , such as an embodiment having the functional diagram of fig1 . a goal of the wavefront measurement is to monitor the change in the spherical value of the eye during the corrective procedure . it is important that measurement not be confused by changes in the accommodative state of the crystalline lens in the patient &# 39 ; s eye . in the case of the making a hyperopic patient more emmetropic , the change in the sphere value will tend to make the target more blurry during the treatment . in the case of making a myopic patient more emmetropic , the change in sphere will tend to make a fogged target clear . once the target becomes clear , the accommodation of the eye would tend to follow the target . then large changes in the corneal shape could occur while the wavefront aberrometer 110 shows no change in the sphere value . to prevent either of these outcomes , the eye target can be moved during the treatment to maintain the presentation of a fogged eye target to the patient . this movement can be controlled by inputs from wavefront sensor , by predictions from the treatment nomogram , or by inputs from other measurements of the patient &# 39 ; s accommodative state . it is possible to monitor the accommodative state of the patient &# 39 ; s eye by several means . for instance , a camera can be located conjugate to the position of the fogged target of the eye . when the target intensity is very bright , the fogged eye target can be viewed on the retina through the eye lens . if the target becomes clearer , the eye is not longer focused at infinity but instead is focusing on the target . a more practical system results if an additional probe beam is added that has a divergence that corresponds to fogged target . a retinal camera will show a small spot when the patient is focused at infinity . the spot size increases as the eye is focused nearer . additional cameras located a various location on either side of the conjugate location can also be used to measure the accommodative state , with each camera location corresponding to a different distance that the eye is focused . to make a more compact system , a diffractive optic can be made that maps different regions on a single charge coupled device ( ccd ) camera to different accommodative states . the different beam sizes in the different regions can be evaluated to determine at what range the eye is focused . a compact beam viewed on the retina corresponds to the eye adjusted for far vision as the eye tries to focus on the fogged target . it is also possible to monitor the accommodative state of the eye with a retinal camera that is positioned conjugate to the target in its fogged position and that views the primary injected laser beam . an alternative is to paralyze the accommodative response of the eye by pharmaceuticals . [ 0032 ] fig4 and 5 illustrate characteristics obtained from measurements taken by a wavefront aberrometer during ltk procedures using the system of fig3 having the functional diagram of fig1 . fig4 illustrates changes to a first patient &# 39 ; s eye &# 39 ; s spherical characteristics as a series of laser pulses are applied to the eye . a correction of − 2 . 22d is obtained after 14 pulses are applied . if , for example , a correction of only − 2 . 00 was desired , the data provided by the wavefront aberrometer would have indicated that the procedure should be terminated after only 9 pulses . in that case , a feedback control signal from the wavefront aberrometer may operate to shut of the energy source ( laser ) applying the corrective procedure aft6er the ninth pulse . meanwhile , fig5 illustrates changes to a second patient &# 39 ; s eye &# 39 ; s cylindrical characteristics as a series of laser pulses are applied to the eye . the following are some features that may be provided by a system and method as disclosed herein . ( 1 ) the refractive surgery laser and the diagnostic system are beneficially provided in the same instrument . ( 2 ) a signal may be used for refractive adjustment end - point detection . ( 3 ) the laser pattern may be adjusted based on information received from the diagnostic instrument ( 4 ) the laser exposure may be adjusted based on the information received from the diagnostic instrument . ( 5 ) a higher order aberration may be controlled by a signal from the diagnostic instrument to the laser . ( 6 ) an eye target may be incorporated that the patient views during the treatment . ( 7 ) an eye target may be adjusted to maintain proper patient accommodation state during treatment . ( 8 ) an accommodation state of a patient &# 39 ; s eye may be measured during treatment . ( 9 ) two video cameras may be used to set an angle to the optical axis of eye . when imaged pupils appear at correct places in the cameras , the eye will be at the proper distance from the optical system . ( 10 ) a heads - up display may be included to provide a real - time update of display of the sphere , cylinder and axis . a treating physician may view these values through the oculars when the patient is lined up to the optical system . ( 11 ) an indication may be provided on the heads - up display if the patient is not properly lined up for good wavefront measurements to be performed . ( 12 ) algorithms and electronics may be provided to synchronize the firing of the pulses of the ltk laser in between sample times of the wavefront aberrometer . ( 13 ) algorithms and electronics may be provided to move the optical stage of the wavefront aberrometer at optimal times during laser pulses so that the wavefront sensor will have the best measurements and the wavefront sensor will stay in range while the treatment progresses from beginning to end . ( 14 ) algorithms may be provided to match particular zernike polynomials to the firing of the pulses of the laser and the influence functions . ( 15 ) an eye tracker may use the video signal of infrared light that fills the pupil as it comes from the eye and appears on a camera that images the iris . ( 16 ) an eye tracker may use the light disk that appears to fill the entire pupil of the eye and is projected onto a high speed quad cell to follow the eye at a kilohertz rate . ( 17 ) an eye tracker arrangement may use a fold mirror such that both the wavefront sensor and the treatment laser follow any small motions of the eye . ( 18 ) a wavefront aberrometer with a wide field of view may be used that can obtain good wavefront measurements even if the tracking mirror only directs the treatment beam and not the wavefront aberrometer field of view . ( 19 ) a small pickoff mirror situated in between the field of view of the two oculars may be used to send the beam to a wavefront aberrometer . ( 20 ) relay telescopes may be incorporated to image pupil into a wavefront abberometer . ( 21 ) a fixture that acts as a model eye may be automatically inserted and measured by the wavefront aberrometer before each treatment to verify proper operation of the aberrometer before each patient procedure . ( 22 ) a model eye test fixture may be automatically varied to verify proper operation of control loop operation of the aberrometer and treatment laser control system before each patient procedure . ( 23 ) a stabilized laser diode ( sld ) illumination beam may be aligned off - center from the optical axis to reduce stray reflections off lenses from coming back onto the wavefront sensor . ( 24 ) a sld beam may be aligned on the optical axis with polarizing elements used to reduce stray reflections off lenses from coming back onto the wavefront sensor . ( 25 ) although the above - described embodiments describe correction procedures involving lasers , other energy sources and wavelengths may be employed . for example , it has been discovered that certain corrective procedures ( e . g ., presbyopic corrections — both ciliary and lenticular pliancy modifications ) may be achieved through the application of ultrasound energy to the eye . in such cases , it is still possible to employ the principles described herein to perform a procedure to modify the refraction of the eye and , while the procedure is being performed , measure the refraction and / or an aberration of the eye , and terminate the procedure when a change the measured refraction and / or the measured aberration reaches a desired value . ( 26 ) an adaptive algorithm may be employed to automate the corrective procedure based upon a feedback signal derived from the wavefront measurements . in that case , an initial wavefront measurement of a patient &# 39 ; s eye may be taken prior to the start of corrective procedures . based upon one or more measured characteristics of the eye , an adaptive algorithm may begin the corrective procedure . a dynamic nomogram may be obtained from real - time sampled wavefront errors measured during the corrective procedure . from the nomogram , a minimized aberration profile endpoint may be determined during the corrective procedure . while preferred embodiments are disclosed herein , many variations are possible which remain within the concept and scope of the invention . such variations would become clear to one of ordinary skill in the art after inspection of the specification , drawings and claims herein . the invention therefore is not to be restricted except within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .

0Human Necessities

fig1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention . in the illustrated embodiment , microporous pan hollow fiber 1 travels vertically upward through a coating apparatus 2 comprising a pre - wetting section 3 , a coating section 4 , and a drying column 5 . the fiber 1 first passes through the pre - wetting section 3 where a perfluoroether mixture is applied to the fiber 1 through an inlet 6 . the fiber 1 then passes through an air gap 7 and into the coating section 4 where a solution or dope containing a selective polymer is applied to the fiber 1 through an inlet 8 . the dope - coated fiber 1 enters the drying column 5 , which is maintained at an elevated temperature to promote evaporation of the solvent from the polymer solution coating . the dried coated fiber 1 is then collected by a take - up apparatus 9 . a gas , e . g . nitrogen , may be passed through the drying column 5 from the upper opening 10 thereof to facilitate drying . the perfluoroether is applied to the fiber by any suitable method known in the art . for example , it may be slowly dripped onto the fiber , or applied with an applicator , e . g . a sponge , swab or cloth . any perfluoroether or mixture of perfluoroethers may be used in the practice of this invention , including commercially available products such as fc - 72 fluorinert ™ brand electronic liquid ( sold by 3m corporation , and containing a mixture of perfluoroethers having from 5 - 18 carbon atoms ), or the like . the polymer dope also may be applied by any means known in the art . the polymer may be any suitable polymer that exhibits a significant degree of preferential permeability to a first fluid in a mixture of fluids than to a second fluid in said mixture , i . e ., a permselective polymer . for example , a polymer that is more permeable to oxygen than nitrogen may be applied to form a gas separation membrane suitable for air separations . any permselective polymer capable of being coated on a fiber or film may be used in this invention , provided that the polymer dope is not miscible with the perfluoroether . examples of suitable permselective polymers include polyimides , such as sixef ™- durene polyimide ( the polymerization product of 2 , 2 - bis [ 3 , 4 - dicarboxyphenyl ] hexafluoropropane dianhydride and 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 - tetramethylphenylene diamine monomers , made by hoechst celanese corporation ), and the like . these permselective polymers suitably have an oxygen permeance of at least about 60 barrers / cm and an oxygen / nitrogen separation factor of at least about 4 . 0 at room temperature ; this separation factor is the ratio of the oxygen permeance divided by the nitrogen permeance . the permselective polymer dope may include any suitable solvent , i . e ., one in which the polymer is sufficiently soluble and which will evaporate during the drying operation . the optimum temperature and time period used for drying will depend on chemical composition and polymer concentration of the polymer dope . preferably , the concentration of the polymer in the dope is no more than about 5 %, because higher concentrations generally produce thicker coatings . the optimum dope concentration will depend on many factors , such as the polymer and solvent used , the desired coating thickness , and the fiber speed through the coating apparatus . the preferred perfluoroethers are volatile and evaporate from the fiber at a significant rate . it is necessary , therefore , to coat the fiber with the selective polymer dope before all the perfluoroether evaporates . however , if too much perfluoroether is present on the fiber it will get into the polymer dope and make it more difficult to uniformly coat the fiber . for this reason , an air gap may be used to allow partial evaporation of the perfluoroether ( s ) prior to coating . whether an air gap is needed , and the exact size of the air gap , will depend on several factors , such as the rate of application of perfluoroether , the fiber &# 39 ; s speed , the volatility of the perfluoroether used , the temperature and humidity at which the operation occurs , and the like . those skilled in the art will be able to determine the optimum gap and other parameters for a given system . the presence of perfluoroether in the pores of the fiber is believed to prevent the polymer dope from deeply penetrating the pores , thus reducing the effective thickness of the polymer coating and increasing the permeability therethrough . this effect appears to depend on the relatively small pore size of the microporous pan fiber , since in a fiber having large pores the perfluoroether would not be expected to prevent penetration of the coating into the large pores . preferably , the applied thickness of the selective coating is no greater than about one micron , and the apparent thickness is no greater than two microns . a ratio of apparent thickness divided by applied thickness less than about three is desirable , and a ratio less than about two is more desirable . the perfluoroether treatment of the present invention reduces the apparent thickness of the coating , and thus the ratio , presumably by reducing the penetration of the selective layer into the fiber &# 39 ; s pores . apparent thickness is calculated by dividing the known permeability of a uniform layer of the selective coating material by the measured permeance of the selective layer ; preferably , a correction is made for nonselective flow , i . e ., the portion of the flow that passes through small holes in the material ( calculated from the measured separation factor and the theoretical separation factor for the selective material ). applied thickness is calculated by dividing the applied mass of the material by its density and the area over which it is applied . applied mass is calculated from the dope flow rate and concentration , and area is calculated from the fiber diameter and length . a pan fiber coated in accordance with the present invention may exhibit an oxygen permeance at 25 ° c . of about 400 , 000 barrers / cm or more and have an oxygen / nitrogen selectivity of at least about 3 . 0 . oxygen permeances exceeding one million barrers / cm have been achieved , in combination with o 2 / n 2 selectivities greater than 3 . 0 . in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention , the pan microporous hollow fiber is coated directly after it is spun . a continuous process can be set up wherein pan fiber is spun and the spun fiber is fed directly into the coating apparatus of the present invention , so that both operations are in one line . however , previously spun and collected pan fiber may also be coated according to the present invention . the pan fiber may be made according to any method known in the art for producing a microporous pan fiber . preferably , the fiber will be hollow . although the above embodiments have focused on pan fiber , film may also be coated according to the present invention , either in a continuous or discontinuous process . by treating a surface of the microporous film with perfluoroether and then coating the treated surface with a permselective polymer , a composite membrane having enhanced permeability may be obtained . the present invention is not limited to pan composite membrane film or fiber ; microporous film or fiber made of other polymers may also be used in the practice of the present invention . these films and fibers may be made according to any method known in the art , provided that the resulting film of fiber is suitably microporous . the following examples are presented to illustrate the present invention , but should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention . pan microporous hollow fiber having an inner diameter of 300 microns and an outer diameter of 510 microns was coated with a 2 % solution of sixef ™- durene polyimide in chloroform ( chcl 3 ), both with and without pre - wetting with fluorinert ™ fc - 72 perfluoroether liquid , to examine the effect of the perfluoroether treatment . gas separation modules were made from the coated fibers so that the separation parameters of the fibers could be evaluated . these modules were each about 20 cm long and contained 50 - 100 fibers . the modules contained a shell having inlet / outlet ports that allowed gas to be introduced either in the hollow interior ( bore side ) of the fibers or on the exterior ( shell side ) of the fibers . table i shows the results of these experiments . in some cases , identified by an asterisk (*), the coating was done in line with a pan fiber spinning operation , i . e ., the deposition of the selective coating was performed immediately after the pan fiber was spun and dried . the pan fiber was spun from a pan / nmp ( n - methylpyrrolidone ) dope at a speed of 6 meters / min using a core solvent of 95 % nmp / 5 % water . the spun fiber was coagulated in water at 50 ° c ., washed with water at 60 ° c ., and dried at 65 ° c ., and then immediately fed into a coating apparatus as illustrated in fig1 . in table i , p / l indicates the oxygen permeance of the coated fiber in barrers / cm , α indicates the o 2 / n 2 selectivity of the coated fiber measured using shell - side pressure ( the ratio of the oxygen permeance to the nitrogen permeance ), and l indicates the coating thickness in microns for the selective layer ; apparent thickness was calculated from permeance , and applied thickness was calculated from mass balance ( mass of polymer applied per unit area can be calculated from the dope flow rate and concentration , and the fiber length and diameter ). l ratio indicates the ratio of the apparent thickness divided by the applied thickness . the tests were done at a temperature of 25 ° c . and a pressure of 20 - 100 psi . table i______________________________________fc - 72 p / l α ( o . sub . 2 / n . sub . 2 ) apparent l applied l l ratio______________________________________none 62 , 000 4 . 2 12 0 . 8 15 . 0yes 440 , 000 3 . 4 1 . 8 0 . 8 2 . 25none * 150 , 000 3 . 8 5 . 2 0 . 8 6 . 5yes * 660 , 000 3 . 4 1 . 2 0 . 8 1 . 5yes * 650 , 000 3 . 5 1 . 2 0 . 8 1 . 5______________________________________ these results show that perfluoroether treatment of the fiber , prior to coating the fiber with the permselective polymer , substantially reduces the apparent coating thickness and improves the ultimate permeance of the coated fiber . this is believed to occur because the perfluoroether prevents the polyimide solution from penetrating or intruding into the pores of the fiber . pan fiber was spun , coated , and tested as in example i except that a 1 % solution of sixef ™- durene polyimide in chloroform was used , reducing by roughly one - half the thickness of the polyimide coating applied to the fiber . the results are shown in table ii . the thinner polyimide coating contributed to an approximate doubling of oxygen permeance and a relatively small decrease in selectivity , as compared to the last two fibers in table i . table ii______________________________________fc - 72 p / l α ( o . sub . 2 / n . sub . 2 ) apparent l applied l l ratio______________________________________yes * 1 , 327 , 000 3 . 2 0 . 54 0 . 25 2 . 2______________________________________ many variations of the present invention not illustrated herein will occur to those skilled in the art . the present invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described herein , but encompasses all the subject matter within the scope of the appended claims .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

first is discussed the gas turbine or plant and how it is modeled . then a simplified model is introduced that will be used inside the control and the state estimator . in the following section a novel nmpc formulation is presented . [ 0035 ] fig1 illustrates a schematic of a layout of an engine 10 as well as the station designations , sensors , and actuators for engine 10 . engine 10 is an aerodynamically coupled , dual rotor machine wherein a low - pressure rotor system ( fan and low - pressure turbine ) is mechanically independent of a high - pressure ( core engine ) system . air entering the inlet is compressed by the fan and then split into two concentric streams . one of these then enters the high - pressure compressor and proceeds through the main engine combustor , high - pressure turbine , and low - pressure turbine . the other is directed through an annular duct and then recombined with the core flow , downstream of the low - pressure turbine , by means of a convoluted chute device . the combined streams then enter the augmenter to a convergent - divergent , variable area exhaust nozzle where the flow is pressurized , expands , and accelerated rearward into the atmosphere , thus generating thrust . the plant model is a physics based component level model ( clm ) of this turbine configuration , which was developed by ge aircraft engines . this model is very detailed , high - fidelity , and models each component starting at the inlet , through the fan , compressor , combustor , turbines , and exhaust nozzle . since nmpc is a model based control , an internal model is used to predict the future responses of the plant to control inputs . as the clm is a very large and complicated model , a new model was developed to be used in the nmpc that has a small number of states , executes quickly , can be analytically linearized , and is accurate to within 20 percent transiently and 5 percent steady state over the area of the flight envelope that is most used . the srtm has two control inputs , fuel flow demand ( wfdmd ), and exhaust nozzle area demand ( a 8 dmd ), as well as ambient condition inputs ; altitude ( alt ), mach ( xm ), and ambient temperature deviation from iso ( dtamb ). the outputs from the srtm is all of the outputs currently used in the production control plus any other parameters such as stall margin and thrust that can be used in future studies and form the basis of the constrained operation . the outputs are , percent core speed ( pcn 25 ), percent fan speed ( pcn 2 ), fan inlet pressure ( p 2 ), fan total exit pressure ( p 14 ), fan static exit pressure ( ps 14 ), compressor inlet pressure ( p 25 ), engine pressure ratio ( pp ), compressor discharge static pressure ( ps 3 ), compressor discharge total pressure ( p 3 ), fan airflow ( w 2 r ), compressor airflow ( w 25 r ), fan inlet temperature ( t 2 ), compressor inlet temperature ( t 25 ), high pressure turbine exit temperature ( t 4 b ), fan stall margin ( sm 2 ), core stall margin ( sm 25 ), and thrust ( fnav ). a simplified real - time model ( srtm ) of an aircraft engine along with the main fuel metering valve ( mfmv ) and variable exhaust nozzle ( a 8 ) actuators is developed that meets the above specifications . the model is designed to replicate both transient and steady state performance . the inertias of both rotors are considered in the srtm because they are the main factors affecting the engine transient performance . other states include p 3 which represents something similar to combustor volume , t 42 which approximates the bulk flame dynamics , two states that represent fuel actuator dynamics , and 1 state that represents the a 8 actuator dynamics . the model is data driven and is designed to use the steady state relationships / data from either a complex non - linear model , or from real engine data , and then fit parameters to transient data that account for the dynamics between the inputs and the other model states . the srtm considers the low pressure and high pressure rotor speeds as the main energy storage components , or the states of the model . these speeds can change state if an unbalanced torque is applied . simply put , the speed increments of the engine are the integral of the surplus torques . this is stated mathematically as  ω  t = 1 i  ∑ i = 1 n   q i equation   1 is the rotor angular acceleration , n is the number of unbalanced torques , i is the rotor inertia , and q i is the ith torque . the torques arise from any mismatches to the steady state relationships . for example , for a given pcn 2 there is a steady state fuel flow . if the actual fuel flow is greater than the steady state relationship from pcn 2 then a positive unbalanced torque will increase pcn 2 dot . pcn 2 dot can be similarly acted upon by the other rotor pcn 25 . the same logic is used on the pcn 25 rotor . the other engine dynamic elements of the srtm including t 42 and ps 3 act in a similar way to the rotors . also included in the srtm are the inner loop and actuator dynamics for fuel flow and a 8 . in this part of the model there is a delay that is associated with computational delays , actuator delay , and transport delay of the fuel to the combustor . there is a gain that accounts for the change from commanded position to fuel flow . the actuator dynamics are modeled as 2nd order with rate and position limits . the a 8 actuator is similar but is only 1st order actuator dynamics . except for the fmv gain , all of the other parameters for this part of the model are found using nonlinear system identification . the other outputs from the model specified above are generated from table lookups based on the dynamic element outputs . for validation the srtm is run open loop versus the clm . the inputs profiles for the validation are a large step increase in fuel at 2 sec ., small step decrease in fuel at 4 sec ., small step increase in a 8 at 6 sec ., and a large step decrease in a 8 at 8 sec . the results of one such comparison are shown in fig2 for pcn 2 and ps 3 . while for this comparison both parameters are within 10 percent transiently and 5 percent steady state , for all of the parameters over all tested points in the defined envelope the maximal deviation transiently is 22 percent and the maximal deviation steady state is 7 percent . these results are just outside of the requirements , but are still quite remarkable given the simplicity of the model structure . these adaptive model - based control systems and methods are designed to reduce operator workload and enable autonomous gas turbine operation by : ( 1 ) providing sufficient information to the supervisory control so that the supervisory control can manage propulsion , power and / or electrical output for the given mission or event ; ( 2 ) elevating the level of autonomy in the engine control ; ( 3 ) aiding the integration of the engine control with the supervisory control ; and / or ( 4 ) improving engine - related decision - making capabilities . many model - based control systems are created by designing a model of each component and / or system that is to be controlled . for example , there may be a model of each engine component and system — compressor , turbine , combustor , etc . each model comprises features or dynamic characteristics about the component &# 39 ; s or system &# 39 ; s behavior over time ( i . e ., speed accelerations being the integral of the applied torques ). from the model ( s ), the system may control , estimate , correct or identify output data based on the modeled information . for example , if thrust or power is lost because an actuator is stuck in a specific position , the system can hold the control to that actuator fixed as an input constraint , and then adapt the controls that are output to the other actuators so that no other constraints are violated , and as much lost thrust power as possible can be regained so that the gas turbine may can continue operation . the models in the model - based controls are designed to replicate both transient and steady state performance . the models can be used in their non - linear form or they can be linearized or parameterized for different operating conditions . model - based control techniques take advantage of the model to gain access to unmeasured engine parameters in addition to the normal sensed parameters . these unmeasured parameters may include thrust , stall margins , and airflows . these controls can be multiple - input multiple - output ( mimo ) to account for interactions of the control loops , they are model - based to get rid of the scheduling , and they have limits or constraints built as an integral part of the control formulation and optimization to get rid of designing controllers for each limit . the current strategy for this invention involves trying to collapse the controller into an objective function ( s ) and constraint ( s ) that is used as part of a finite horizon constrained optimization problem . the herein described methods allow either performance or operability to be optimized . if the performance - optimizing mode is selected , the objectives include attempting to maximize , minimize or track thrust , power , electricity , specific fuel consumption , part life , stress , temperatures , pressures , ratios of pressures , speed , actuator command ( s ), flow ( s ), dollars , costs , etc . this leads to longer engine run times , fuel savings , increased transient performance , increased parts life , and / or lower costs . if the operability - optimizing mode is selected , the objectives include attempting to manage stall margin , increase operability , and prevent in - flight mishaps . this leads to reduction of loss of thrust or loss of power control events , increased engine operating time in presence of faults , failures , or damage and increased engine survivability . the herein described model - based control systems and methods that comprise a system model , estimators , and model - based control or model - predictive control . physics - based and empirical models provide analytical redundancy of sensed engine parameters and access to unmeasured parameters for control and diagnostics purposes as well as provide prediction of future behavior of the system . estimators associated with the various models will ensure that the models are providing accurate representations of the engine and its subsystems and components as well as estimate the model state . nonlinear model predictive control maintains robust , high - performance control of the engine in the presence of system faults and mission segment - specific operational goals , using the predictive capabilities of model and information from the model - based diagnostics . because each engine is different , deteriorates , and may become faulted or damaged , the model should be able to track or adapt itself to follow these changes . one helpful idea is to get a model to reveal information about the particular engine running at the current time . this facilitates the ability to predict more accurately future behavior and to detect smaller faults or damage levels . two areas of the model that can be modified to match the engine model to the current engine are engine parameters and states . the tool used to determine the engine parameters is called a parameter estimator , and the tool used to determine the states is a state estimator . a parameter estimator estimates and modifies parameters in the engine model in order to reduce the error between the engine sensors and the model sensors , or this is called tracking the model to the engine . the parameters that are modified usually fall in the class called quality parameters , e . g . component efficiencies , flow , input or output scalars or adders . these quality parameters like component efficiencies can then be used as inputs to the diagnostic algorithms . for example , if the compressor efficiency drops by a couple of points during steady state operation , it may indicate damage has occurred in the compressor . in this realization the parameter estimator works in real - time on both transient information and steady state information . a state estimator is used to also aid in tracking and is the state information is also used to initialize the model - based control at each time interval . since the model - based control is a full state controller , it will use the estimate of the current state of the engine to initialize and function correctly . the goal of the state estimator is to determine the optimum gain k to account for the differences between the model and the engine , given the model dynamics and the covariance of w and v . [ 0052 ] fig3 illustrates an implementation of nmpc based on the constrained open - loop optimization of a finite horizon objective function . this optimization uses a plant model to describe the evolution of the outputs and commences from an assumed known initial state . fig3 illustrates the concept of receding horizon control underpinning nmpc . at time k the input variables , { u ( k ), u ( k + 1 ), . . . , u ( k + p − 1 )}, are selected to optimize a performance criterion over the prediction horizon , p . of the computed optimal control moves , only the values for the first sample , u ( k ), are actually implemented . before the next time interval and its calculation of another p input values , { u ( k + 1 ), u ( k + 2 ), . . . , u ( k + p )}, the initial state is re - estimated from output measurements . this causes the seemingly open - loop strategy actually to implement a closed - loop control . the nmpc and the ekf state estimator are both model - based procedures in which a model of the plant is calculated for the generation of state predictions . there is a clear hierarchy of models in this specific problem , the real plant , whose dynamics are not fully known , the clm , which is a high - fidelity but computationally complex model which is difficult to linearize , and the srtm , which is linearizeable and relatively simply iterated as part of the optimization procedure . in an empirical study implementing the herein described methods , the controlled inputs are fuel flow demand ( wfdmd ) and exhaust area demand ( a 8 dmd ). since the control is model based it can be designed to follow the unmeasured but estimated or computed parameters of interest such as thrust and stall margin , but this studies first goal is to perform to the same requirements as the production control already running an engine . for engine 10 the references are fan speed ( ref 1 ) and engine pressure ratio ( ref 2 ). while operating to these two references , the control is constrained by other operating limitations , such as , for example , maximum t 4 b , minimum and maximum ps 3 , minimum and maximum n 25 , maximum n 2 , rotor speed acceleration , and rotor speed deceleration . also , both actuators are rate limited and have minimum and maximum slew positions . the formulation of nmpc used to work within this framework is now detailed . an objective function j is defined over the prediction horizon p . j = ∑ i = 1 p   ( pcn   2  r i - ref   1 i ) 2 + γ * ∑ i = 1 p   ( pp i - ref   2 i ) 2 +  ρ 1 * ∑ i = 1 p   δ   wf i 2 + ρ 2  ∑ i = 1 p  δ   a   8 i 2 +  δ 1  ∑ i = 1 p  (  ( ps   3 i - ps   3 max ) ) 2 + δ 2  ∑ i = 1 p  (  ( pcn   2 i - pcn   2 max ) ) 2 +  δ 3  * ∑ i = 1 p  (  ( t4b i - t4b max ) ) 2 + δ 4  ∑ i = 1 p  (  ( pcn   25 i - pcn   25 max ) ) 2 + ⋯ ( 2 ) where γ , ρ , and δ are weighting factors . the srtm is used as the predictor to obtain the turbine cycle parameters &# 39 ; response over the prediction horizon . the constraints on cycle parameters like ps 3 and t 4 b are included as soft constraints or penalty functions . this is implemented by using an exponential term that is very small , i . e . little effect on j , when operating away from the constraint , but penalizes j heavily when the parameter comes near the constraint . the awf and aa 8 terms are added to both to make sure that the control does not attempt to take unfeasibly large steps , and also they are set to be just outside of the range of the actual input constraints to make sure that the gradient follows a direction that will correspond with the final solution . a generic objective function j is defined over the prediction horizon p . j = ∑ i = 1 p   ( y1 i - y1ref i ) 2 + γ * ∑ i = 1 p   ( y2 i - y2ref i ) 2 +  ρ 1 * ∑ i = 1 p   δ   u   1 i 2 + ρ 2  ∑ i = 1 p  δ   u   2 i 2 +  δ 1  ∑ i = 1 p  (  ( out   1 min - out   1 i ) ) 2 + δ 2  ∑ i = 1 p  (  ( out   2 i - out   2 max ) ) 2 + … ( 3 ) where γ , ρ , and δ are weighting factors , min and max represent minimum and maximum constraints . the tracking of references ( y 1 , y 2 , . . . ) can be any state or output parameter . the number of tracked references can be less than or equal to the number of actuator inputs u . the number of actuators in this formulation is not limited . the constraints on cycle parameters or states like out 1 , out 2 , . . . are included as soft constraints or penalty functions . this is implemented by using an exponential term that is very small , i . e . little effect on j , when operating away from the constraint , but penalizes j heavily when the parameter comes near the constraint . the number of constraints is not limited . the δu 1 and δu 2 terms are added to both to make sure that the control does not attempt to take unfeasibly large steps , and also they are set to be just outside of the range of the actual input constraints to make sure that the gradient follows a direction that will correspond with the final solution . where u is the vector of p future wfcmd and a 8 cmd control inputs . this is accomplished using a gradient descent method with central differences . the gradient computation is shown in eq . ( 5 ). ∇ j = j  ( u + du ) - j  ( u - du ) 2  du =  ∂ j ∂ wfdmd t ∂ j ∂ a8dmd t ⋮ ⋮ ∂ j ∂ wfdmd t + c ∂ j ∂ a8dmd t + c 0 0 ⋮ ⋮ 0 t + p 0 t + p  ( 5 ) the control inputs are then computed by taking n steps in the negative gradient direction until j is minimized , or the maximum number of iterations or search time is reached . projection of the inputs is applied at this time to ensure that the actuator rate and position limits are not violated . the control values are calculated using where β is a weighting matrix that accounts for gradient step size and weighting between the two control inputs . nmpc is a full state feedback controller and hence all states need to be measured or estimated from available measurements . typically not all states are measured because of the cost or availability of sensors . moreover sensors have dynamics , delays , and noise . hence a dynamic observer is useful to reconstruct the states and reduce noise . an extended kalman filter ( ekf ) is used for this purpose . useful ekf &# 39 ; s are described in athans , m . ( 1996 ), the control handbook , pg . 589 - 594 , crc press , united states , and b . d . o . anderson and j . b . moore , optimal filtering , prentice - hall , englewood cliffs n . j ., 1979 . the ekf is a nonlinear state estimator which is based on a dynamical system model . while the model underpinning the ekf is nonlinear , the recursion is based on a linear gain computed from the parameters of the linearized model . thus the design concepts inherit much from the realm of kalman filtering . in the instant implementation , the srtm is used as the core of the ekf , which is a parallel with its use in the nmpc . akin to the gradient - based nmpc , the ekf need not provide the truly optimal state estimate to the controller in order to operate adequately well . it is usually a suboptimal nonlinear filter in any case . however , its role in providing the state estimates to the nmpc for correct initialisation is a key feature of nmpc which is often overlooked . the ekf and srtm are wrapped into the nmpc logic and this is connected to the clm for simulation or to the real engine . fig4 illustrates a block diagram representation of how ekf , srtm , nmpc , and clm or engine are connected . the assembled control process starts with the ekf using the srtm to determine the current state of the engine . this information is used as the initial conditions for the predictions used in the gradient calculation . the srtm is then run 2 * c times where 2 is the number of control inputs and c the control horizon used is 15 steps . the sample time is dependant upon the application , but is 10 mseconds for each time step in this application . each run corresponds to a perturbation at a different point in the control horizon . this information is assembled into the gradient and a search path is followed in the negative gradient direction . while nmpc can recreate the current production control , using this technology may unlock many potential benefits . using the model based properties of nmpc can lead to running to other more attractive references like thrust and stall margin . while the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims .

6Physics

embodiments according to the present invention are described below referring to the accompanying drawings . it is to be noted that the terms ( for example , terms including “ upward ,” “ downward ,” “ sideways ,” and “ end .”) expressing specific directions and positions be used if necessary in the following description , but these terms be used only for an easy understanding of the present invention that is described with reference to the drawings and the meanings of these terms not limit a technical scope of the present invention . furthermore , the following description is only an example in nature , and is not intended to limit the present invention , applications thereof , or uses thereof . fig1 is an overall view illustrating a connector according to a first embodiment , and fig2 is a perspective exploded view illustrating the connector . the connector is configured by mounting a contact point member 2 , a latching member 3 , and a movement member 4 to a housing 1 . as illustrated in fig3 a and 3b , the housing 1 is a product manufactured by molding resin material having electrical insulation into the approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape . the housing 1 has a recess 5 and which is open at the upper surface side and the front surface side , and an insertion recessed portion 6 which is provided under the recess 5 and is open at the front surface side . the recess 5 and the insertion recessed portion 6 are separated by a partition wall 7 . a plurality of guide holes 8 are formed in the partition wall 7 , at predetermined intervals in the width direction . the plurality of guide holes 8 are formed to communicate with the upper and lower surfaces and extend in the backward direction . furthermore , guide groove portions 9 are formed in the bottom surface which makes up the insertion recessed portion 6 . the guide groove portions 9 are formed to correspond to the guide holes 8 and extend in the forward and backward directions . the guide holes 8 and the guide groove portions 9 communicate with insertion holes 10 in the rear surface side of the housing 1 . the insertion holes 10 are open in the direction of the rear surfaces of the recessed hole 5 and the insertion recessed portion 6 and in the direction of the rear surface of the housing 1 . the guide holes 8 , the guide groove portions 9 , and the insertion holes 10 positioned at both side ends , make up a first attachment portion 11 for installing the latching member 3 . the plurality of insertion holes 10 , arranged in parallel between the insertion holes 10 , make up a second attachment portion 12 for installing the contact point member 2 . in each of the first attachment portions 11 , a latching portion 13 , which has a latching pawl 13 a protruding upward from a leading end portion , is formed in a bottom surface trailing end portion making the first attachment portion 11 , in such a manner as to be elastically deformable downward . a latching hole 14 in the rectangular shape , which communicates with the first attachment portion 11 , is formed in a position corresponding to the latching portion 13 , in an upper wall making up the insertion hole 10 . the front end lower surface of the partition wall 7 is an upward - inclined surface that is gradually inclined upward , along the direction of facing toward the front direction . furthermore , the bottom surface front end part of the insertion recessed portion 6 is a downward - inclined surface that is gradually inclined downward , along the direction of facing toward the front direction . furthermore , the inside surface front end part of each of both side walls is a sideways - inclined surface that is gradually inclined from side to side , along the direction of facing toward the front direction . these inclined surfaces are for facilitating an insertion of a substrate 15 ( refer to fig1 ) into the insertion recessed portion 6 . at this point , an fpc ( flexible printed circuit ) substrate is used as the substrate 15 . a release recessed portion 16 is formed in each of both end portions of the front surface of the housing 1 , and an approximately l - shaped groove portion 17 being open in the direction of the front surface is formed in the release recessed portion 16 . a fixation fitting 18 is fixed by being pressed into each groove portion 17 from the front side . the fixation fitting 18 is a metal plate bent in the shape of a letter approximately like “ c ”. in the fixation fitting 18 , the upper end wall and the side wall are pressed into the groove portion 17 , the lower end wall is narrow in width , and the lower surface side protrudes from the lower surface of the housing 1 . as illustrated in fig5 , the contact point member 2 includes an installation portion 19 , installed in the insertion hole 10 , a first arm portion 20 and a second arm portion 21 that extend forward from the upper and lower parts of the front end edge of the installation portion 19 , respectively , and a terminal portion 22 that extends from the lower part of the rear end . the contact point member 2 is formed by performing process working on a conductive and elastic plate . the contact point members 2 are installed in the second attachment portions 12 , respectively that are installed in parallel in the housing 1 . protrusion portions 23 are formed in an upward position in the first arm portion 20 and a downward position in the second arm portion 21 , respectively in the front end edge of the installation portion 19 . furthermore , a press - in protrusion portion 24 , which protrudes upward in the vicinity of the protrusion portion in the upward position , is formed in the upper end edge of the installation portion 19 . the first arm portion 20 protrudes forward from installation portion 19 , and a contact point portion 25 is formed in a manner to protrude downward from the leading end part of the first arm portion 20 . the downward side of the leading end edge of the contact point portion 25 has an inclination portion 26 that gradually faces upward , along the direction of the leading end . a holding piece 27 is formed in the leading part of the contact point portion 25 . the holding piece 27 extends upward in the shape of a letter approximately c . the holding piece 27 is in the form that conforms the upper half of a shaft portion 39 of the movement member 4 described below . the holding piece 27 holds the shaft portion 39 to support the movement member 4 in a manner that the movement member 4 is rotatable . the second arm portion 21 obliquely extends downward and thereafter protrudes from the installation portion 19 in parallel with the first arm portion 20 . a protrusion portion 28 , which protrudes upward from the leading end part of the second arm portion 21 , is formed in a position facing the contact point portion 25 of the first arm portion 20 . an inclination portion 29 is formed on the upper side of the leading end edge portion of the protrusion portion 28 . the inclination portion 29 faces the inclination portion 26 of the first arm portion 20 . as illustrated in fig6 , the latching member 3 includes an installation portion 30 , installed in the insertion hole 10 , and an arm portion 31 , which extends forward from the upper part of the front end edge of the installation portion 30 . the latching member 3 is obtained by performing press working on metal material , or by performing a molding process using synthetic resin . the two latching members 3 are installed in the first attachment portions 11 positioned on both sides of the second attachment portions 12 that are installed in parallel , respectively . a pressure receiving portion 32 , which protrudes forward , is formed on the lower side of the front end edge of the installation portion 30 . the pressure receiving portion is pressed by the substrate 15 inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 of the housing 1 . an elastic portion 33 , which winds in the shape of a letter approximately u , and a stopping portion 34 in succession to the elastic portion 33 are formed to extend from the rear end edge of the installation portion 30 . the elastic portion 33 elastically deforms as the front end edge of the installation portion 30 is pressed by the substrate 15 inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 as illustrated below . the stopping portion 34 elastically deforms the latching portion 13 formed in the first attachment portion 11 of the housing 1 , so that the rear end upper part of the latching member is latched into the latching hole 14 of the housing 1 and the latching pawl which is on the top is latched to the rear end lower part thereof . a latch protrusion portion 35 , which protrudes forward , is formed on the upper side of the front end edge of the arm portion 31 . as illustrated in fig7 a and 7b , the movement member 4 is manufactured by performing a molding process using resin material , to be in the shape of a plate , long in length . multiple guide walls 37 are formed in the upper surface half part of the movement member 4 . the plurality of guide walls 37 are configured from a plurality of groove portions 36 that are provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction . furthermore , the shaft portion 39 is formed between the guide walls 37 , by a communication hole 38 that is provided in the bottom surface of the groove portions 36 to communicate upward and downward . the shaft portion 39 is configured from two plane surfaces , which are opposite to and in parallel with each other , and a pair of arc surfaces , which swells outward . the shaft portion 39 is supported by the holding piece 27 of the contact point member 2 , and the movement member 4 is rotatably supported . a latch receiving portion 40 protrudes from each of the leading end parts of the guide wall 37 that is positioned in both end parts of the movement member 4 . a first latch recessed portion 41 is formed in the upward side of the latch receiving portion 40 , and a second latch recessed portion 42 is formed in the downward side . the arc surface and the plane surface are in succession to each other in the first latch recessed portion 41 and the second latch recessed portion 42 . the latch protrusion portion 35 , which is formed in the arm portion 31 of the latching member 3 , is latched to or unlatched from each of the latch recessed portions 41 and 42 . the movement member 4 is position - determined in a standing position ( a first position ) that protrudes from the recess 5 , in a state where the latch protrusion portion 35 is latched to the first latch recessed portion 41 . on the other hand , in the state in which the latch protrusion portion 35 is latched onto the second latch recessed portion 42 , the movement member 4 is positioned in a horizontal position ( second position ) where the lower surface of the movement member 4 comes into contact with the upper surface of the recess 5 , and the upper surface of the movement member 4 is flush with the upper surface of the housing 1 . when the movement member 4 is positioned in the standing position , the first arm portion 20 of the contact point member 2 is elastically deformed to urge the shaft portion 39 to move downward . for this reason , when the latch protrusion portion 35 is unlatched from the first latch recessed portion 41 , the urging force makes the movement member 4 return back to the horizontal position . it is to be note that the remaining half part ( the side in which the guide wall 37 is not formed ) of the movement member 4 serve as an operation unit 43 which is held by fingers for operation . the connector with the configuration described above is assembled as follows . first , the contact point members 2 are inserted into the insertion holes 10 in the second attachment portion 12 of the housing 1 , respectively from the rear end side of the insertion holes 10 . the contact point member 2 is installed in the housing 1 , by inserting the installation portion 30 into the insertion hole 10 and bringing the press - in protrusion portion 24 into pressure contact with the inside surface of the insertion hole 10 . in this mounted state , the leading end of the contact point portion 25 of the first arm portion 20 approaches the front inside surface of the guide hole 8 formed in the partition wall 7 . the holding piece 27 protrudes inside the recess 5 , and a gap occurs between the leading end part of the holding piece 27 and the upper surface of the partition wall 7 . furthermore , the contact point portion 25 protrudes inside the insertion recessed portion 6 . subsequently , the movement member 4 is installed by using the holding piece 27 of the contact point member 2 protruding inside the recess 5 in the housing 1 . the shaft portion 39 of the movement member 4 is inserted into the gap that is formed between the leading end portion of the holding piece 27 and the bottom surface of the recess 5 , from the front side . the holding piece 27 is elastically deformed by the shaft portion 39 of the movement member 4 and then returns back to the original shape to hold the shaft portion 39 . thus , the installation of the movement member 4 is complete . in this state , the movement member 4 is positioned in the horizontal position . thereafter , the latching member 3 is inserted into the insertion hole 10 in the second attachment portion 12 , from the rear surface side . the latching member 3 may be installed only by inserting the arm portion 31 into the insertion hole 10 and pressing the installation portion 30 . in this state , the positioning is achieved in a manner that the latch protrusion portion 35 of the latching member 3 is latched to the second latch recessed portion 42 of the movement member 4 that is positioned in the horizontal position . in the connector that is assembled in this manner , in the case where the substrate 15 is installed , first , the operation unit 43 of the movement member 4 is rotated by the finger - used picking and is positioned in the standing position that protrudes from the recess 5 , as illustrated in fig8 a . at this time , as illustrated in fig8 b , the latch protrusion portion 35 of the latching member 3 is switched from the second latch recessed portion 42 to the first latch recessed portion 41 . for this reason , the movement member 4 maintains a state of being position - determined in the standing position . furthermore , the arm portion 31 of the latching member 3 is elastically deformed upward , and the contact point portion 25 is retracted from the insertion recessed portion 6 . when the substrate 15 is inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 as illustrated in fig9 a , the leading end edge of the substrate 15 may come into contact with the pressure receiving portion 32 of the latching member 3 , and the installation portion 30 may be pushed inwards against the urging force of the elastic portion 33 . thus , the arm portion 31 extending forward from the installation portion 30 retreats , and as illustrated in fig9 b to 10b , the latch protrusion portion 35 of the latching member 3 thereof is unlatched from the first latch recessed portion 41 . since an elastic force from the holding piece 27 of the contact point member 2 acts on the shaft portion 39 , the movement member 4 returns to the horizontal position from the standing position depending on the elastic force , as illustrated in fig1 a . as a result , the contact point portion 25 of the contact point member 2 protrudes inside the insertion recessed portion 6 , and comes into pressure contact with a conductive layer of the substrate 15 inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 to make an electrical connection . moreover , when the conductive portion 15 a of the substrate 15 is inserted toward the lower surface side , the electrical connection between the conductive portion 15 a and the protrusion portion 28 of the contact point member 2 may be made ( in this case , the protrusion portion 28 functions as the contact point portion ). when the substrate 15 is inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 of the housing 1 in this manner in the state in which the movement member 4 is position - determined in the standing position , the latching member 3 operates and the elastic force of the first arm portion 20 of the contact point member 2 may automatically rotate the movement member 4 to be positioned in the horizontal position . therefore , a user may easily determine whether or not the electrical connection between the conductive layer of the substrate 15 and the contact point member 2 is made , by checking the position in which the movement member 4 has rotated . fig1 illustrates a connector according to a second embodiment . because this connector is different from that of the first embodiment only in terms of one part of the constructions of a housing 1 and a movement member 4 , and is almost the same in terms of the other configurations , a description of same construction is not repeated . as illustrated in fig1 , the housing 1 has groove portions 44 extending upward and downward , which are formed in the front sides of both lateral surfaces which make up a recess 5 . as illustrated fig1 a to 12b , a plurality of guide walls 46 are formed in the upper surface half part of the movement member 4 . the plurality of guide walls 46 are configured from a plurality of first groove portions 45 that are provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction . furthermore , a shaft portion 48 is formed between the guide walls 46 , by a communication hole 47 that is provided in the bottom surface of the first groove portions 45 to communicate upward and downward . a protrusion portion 49 is formed to protrude from each of both of the end surfaces of a shaft portion 39 . a first latch recessed portion 50 and a second latch recessed portion 51 are formed in an edge portion of each of the protrusion portion 49 . furthermore , a guide shaft 52 protrudes from the end surface of each of the protrusion portions 49 . the guide shaft 52 is arranged in a groove portion 36 of the housing 1 . a second groove portion 53 corresponding to the first groove portion 45 is formed in the lower surface half part ( the opposite side of a groove portion 17 ) of the movement member 4 . each arm portion 31 of the latching member 3 is inserted via the groove portions 17 that are positioned in both sides , and the latch protrusion portion 35 that is provided in the leading end thereof is unlatched in each latch recessed portion . furthermore , a holding portion of a contact point member 2 is inserted via the second groove portions 53 so that each shaft portion 48 is held . in the connector with this configuration , the movement member 4 is positioned inside the first groove portion 45 , and there is no part that juts out from the housing 1 . therefore , the connector is made compact , and may not be damaged even though an external force is exerted on the movement member 4 while the connector is being in transit . in the case where the substrate 15 is inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 of the housing 1 , an operation unit 43 of the movement member 4 is held and lifted up . at this time , the latch protrusion portion 35 , which is provided in the leading end of the arm portion 31 of the latching member 3 , is unlatched from the second latch recessed portion 51 , and is latched into the first latch recessed portion 50 . for this reason , the movement member 4 is maintained in a standing position , the arm portion 31 of the contact point member 2 is elastically deformed , and the contact point portion 25 is retracted from the insertion recessed portion 6 . when the substrate 15 is inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 of the housing 1 , a pressure receiving portion of the latching member 3 is pushed inwards against an urging force of an elastic portion 33 , and the latch protrusion portion 35 provided in the leading end of the arm portion 31 is unlatched from the first latch recessed portion 50 . as a result , the movement member 4 can perform a free rotational movement , and thus rotates in the direction in which the substrate 15 is inserted with respect to the shaft portion 48 , that is , rotates to roll into the first groove portion 45 of the housing 1 , because the elastic force of the arm portion 31 of the contact point member 2 acts on it . furthermore , the contact point portion 25 of the contact point member 2 protrudes into the insertion recessed portion 6 and thus comes into pressure contact with a conductive portion 15 a of the substrate 15 . fig1 illustrates a connector according to a third embodiment . because this connector is different from that of the first embodiment in terms of the configurations of one part of a contact point member 2 and one part of a movement member 4 and in terms of the configurations of a housing 1 and a latching member 3 , but is almost the same in terms of the other configurations , a description of what has not any different construction is not repeated . the contact point member 2 includes a first contact point member 2 a and a second contact point member 2 b . the first contact point member 2 a having almost the same construction as those of the embodiments described above and the second contact point member 2 b having a different construction from those of the embodiments described above are alternately arranged in the arrangement direction . as illustrated in fig1 , the first contact point member 2 a has the straight shape in which a holding piece 54 at the leading end only protrudes in a simple manner . furthermore , in the second contact point member 2 b , a contact point portion 56 is formed in a base portion of a first arm portion 55 , and a protrusion portion 59 is formed in the leading end of a third arm portion 58 that diverges from a second arm portion 57 . a holding piece 60 , which is shaped approximately like a letter c as in the embodiments described above , is formed in the leading end side of the first arm portion 55 . the leading end side of the second arm portion 57 serves as a terminal portion 61 that is formed in the shape of a hook which curves downward . as illustrated in fig1 a and 15b , in the movement member 4 , the shaft portion 39 is configured to include a first shaft portion 39 a and a second shaft portion 39 b . the first shaft portion 39 a is cylindrical - shaped , with which the holding piece of the first contact point member 2 a comes into contact . the second shaft portion 39 b has the same shape as in the embodiments described above , and is held in the holding piece 60 of the second contact point member 2 b . furthermore , a latch receiving portion 62 is formed in each of both end parts of the movement member 4 . each of the latch receiving portions 62 has a latch recessed portion 63 formed in the bottom thereof . as illustrated in fig1 a and 16b , in the housing 1 , an accommodation room 64 is formed in each of both end parts . the accommodation room 64 has a cross section , which has an approximately rectangular shape , and extends forward and backward . the accommodation room 64 is open at the rear end of the housing 1 ( rear end opening ), and has an abutting receiving portion 65 , which protrudes inwards , is formed in one surface ( an outer side surface ) of the internal surfaces thereof . furthermore , the accommodation room 64 is open at an upper part near the front side of the housing 1 ( front end opening ) and is also open in the inner side lateral wall . as illustrated in fig1 , the latching member 3 is made by bending a plate member made of elastic material , and includes an abutting portion 66 in the rear end , a pressure receiving portion 67 protruding inwards and sideways in the shape of a chevron in succession to the abutting portion 66 , and a latching portion 68 protruding inwards and sideways in the shape of a chevron in the front end part . the latching member 3 is inserted into the accommodation room 64 in the housing 1 from the rear end opening . in an insertion condition , the abutting portion 66 of the latching member 3 comes into contact with the abutting receiving portion 65 formed in the accommodation room 64 of the housing 1 , and the latching portion 68 is exposed from the front end opening . according to the connector described above , before inserting the substrate 15 into the housing 1 , the movement member 4 is rotated to a standing position where the movement member 4 protrudes from the housing 1 . at this time , the latching portion 68 of the latching member 3 is latched onto the latch recessed portion 63 of the movement member 4 in the sideways direction , and the movement member 4 is maintained in the standing position . furthermore , a contact point portion 25 of the contact point member 2 is retracted from an insertion recessed portion 6 . for this reason , the insertion of the substrate 15 into the insertion recessed portion 6 may be smoothly performed without receiving any resistance . when the substrate 15 is inserted into the insertion recessed portion 6 , a leading end corner portion thereof comes into contact with a pressure receiving portion 67 of the latching member 3 . when the substrate 15 is pushed more inwards , the latching member 3 is elastically deformed and the latching portion 68 moves sideways . the latching portion 68 is separated from a latch recessed portion 63 of the movement member 4 , and the movement member 4 has a free rotational movement . as a result , the movement member 4 rotates to a horizontal position by an urging force of the contact point member 2 , and the substrate 15 is interposed between the contact point portion 25 and the protrusion portion 28 . the contact point portion 25 comes into pressure contact with a conductive portion 15 a of the substrate 15 , so that the electrical connection is made . in this manner , the substrate 15 may be interposed between the contact point portion 25 and the protrusion portion 28 of the contact point member 2 only by inserting the substrate 15 into the insertion recessed portion 6 of the housing 1 . a rotational position of the movement member 4 and a movement position of the latching portion 68 of the latching member 3 may be visually recognized , and the installation of the substrate 15 in the proper position may be recognized from the outside of the housing 1 . fig1 illustrates a connector according to a fourth embodiment . because this connector is different from that of the first embodiment only in terms of one part of a housing 1 and one part of a substrate 15 and in terms of a configuration of a latching member 3 , and is almost the same in terms of the other configurations , a description of same construction is not repeated . as illustrated in fig1 a and 19b , a housing 1 has guide groove portions 72 at both end portions thereof . each of the guide groove portions 72 is made from an inside groove 69 extending backward from the rear surface of a recess 5 , a successive groove 70 that is bent sideways , and an outside groove 71 that is bent forward from the successive groove 70 and of which the sideways position extends more forward . a complementary groove 73 is formed to extend further sideways from the rear side of the outside groove 71 . a communication passage 74 extends in a manner to be continuous from the rear end of the outside groove 71 and the part , exclusive of the upper end , of the successive groove 70 to the rear surface of the housing 1 . press pieces 15 b are formed in a substrate 15 . the press pieces 15 b protrude sideways from both lateral parts , respectively . the protrusion position of the press piece 15 b is a terminal end part of a conductive portion 15 a that extends from a leading end . as illustrated in fig2 , a latching member 3 is made by shaping a plate - like body into a body with the shape of a letter approximately like u . the latching member 3 is configured from an arm portion 76 having a latch protrusion portion 75 in the leading end , a slide portion 78 that is wider in the upward and downward directions than the arm portion 76 and in which an abutting receiving portion 77 is formed in a lower part of the leading end , a connection portion 79 that connects the arm portion 76 and the slide portion 78 to each other , and an elastic portion 80 that extends sideways from the slide portion 78 . in the arm portion 76 , a base portion side is arranged in the inside groove 69 of the housing 1 . the latch protrusion portion 75 may be latched / unlatched onto each of latch recessed portions 41 and 42 of a movement member 4 . the connection portion 79 is arranged in the successive groove 70 of the housing 1 . the slide portion 78 is arranged in the outside groove 71 in the housing 1 , and causes the abutting receiving portion 77 to protrude from the front end surface of the housing 1 . the elastic portion 80 is arranged in the complementary groove 73 of the housing 1 . the latching member 3 is configured to be movable from in the state of being arranged inside the guide groove portion 72 to in the state of being position in the communication passage 74 on the rear side . according to the connector with the configuration described above , when the substrate 15 is inserted into an insertion recessed portion 6 , the press pieces 15 b formed in the substrate 15 come into contact with the abutting receiving portion 77 that protrudes from the front surface of the housing 1 . when the substrate 15 is further pushed inwards , the abutting receiving portion 77 is pushed inwards , thus the latching member 3 moves backward while elastically deforming the elastic portion 80 and the latch protrusion portion 75 is unlatched from a first latch recessed portion 41 of the movement member 4 . accordingly , the movement member 4 moves from a standing position to a horizontal position by an urging force of a first arm portion 20 of a contact point member 2 . therefore , the user may visually be aware from the outside of the housing 1 that the substrate 15 is inserted to a proper position and thus an electrical connection between a conductive portion 15 a of the substrate 15 and a contact point portion 25 of the contact point member 2 is made , based on the rotational movement of the movement member 4 . furthermore , the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above , and various modifications thereto are possible . for example , in the embodiments described above , from the rotational position of the movement member 4 , it may be determined whether or not the electrical connection between the substrate 15 and the contact point member 2 is made , but the configuration , in which sound is outputted when the movement member 4 rotates , may be further adopted . movement sound due to friction is generated when the latch protrusion portion 35 formed in the arm portion 31 of the latching member 3 is unlatched from a second latch recessed portion 42 of the latching member 3 , but furthermore research may be intensively done to come up with a method of separately providing a laminated protrusion so as to make the generated movement sound greater . there has thus been shown and described a connector which fulfills all the objects and advantages sought therefore . many changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will , however , become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof . all such changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention , which is to be limited only by the claims which follow . although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments , but , on the contrary , is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . for example , it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that , to the extent possible , one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment .

7Electricity

the device of this invention can be best understood as a complete assembly in fig1 - 3 of the drawings . this device is attached to the ventilation passage which joins the crankcase of the engine to the intake manifold . to accomplish this purpose an outlet conduit 10 is connected at 13 to a rubber hose which leads to the ventilation passage connecting the pcv valve to the air intake manifold at the outlet of the carburetor . this attachment is accomplished by cutting the ventilation passage , which normally is a flexible rubber hose , inserting a tee connector and attaching all three hose ends to it as shown in fig7 which will be described more fully below . the device of this invention comprises a valve housing 30 into which is formed a valve seat 15 , which in this instance is a 45 ° countersunk recess . connected to valve seat 15 is a vertical bore 31 which is designed to contain a cylindrical valve body 16 having a 45 ° conical head 17 adapted to mate with seat 15 . inlet passages 14 provide conduits for ambient air outside of the device to enter into bore 31 and to pass through the opening between valve head 17 and valve seat 15 ( when the valve is opened ) and to conduct that ambient air into outlet conduit 10 and thence into the ventilation passage and on to the intake manifold . when the valve is closed between head 17 and seat 15 ambient air is not admitted into outlet conduit 10 . a suitable sponge - like air filter 40 is placed around valve body 30 to prevent dirt from entering passages 14 , and may be attached to valve housing 30 by a suitable adhesive . a preferred material for filter 40 is polyurethane foam having pores of about 0 . 0025 mm . in size . the components of the device which control the functioning of the valve body 16 are enclosed in a cylindrical housing 24 with two identical removable covers 25 to permit access to the moving parts inside and a bracket 56 for attachment of the device of this invention to a suitable location on an internal combustion engine . covers 25 are preferably fitted onto housing 24 with a rabbet joint and a suitable number of machine screws 64 . other methods of attachment are also useful . the moving parts of the device comprise a rotatable cam plate 21 which is followed by a roller means 19 on the bottom of valve body 16 . plate 21 is mounted on shaft 26 which is journaled in suitable holes 61 in each of covers 25 . the preferred embodiment of the cam surface 20 is a slot passing through plate 21 and having the necessary configuration to permit a roller to be positioned through the slot and attached to valve body 16 by a yoke - containing means for attaching roller 19 firmly to valve body 16 . plate 21 is moved clockwise by means of flexible cable 23 attached to arm 60 and to the accelerator linkage such that when the accelerator is depressed arm 60 is moved from left to right causing plate 21 to rotate clockwise . plate 21 is returned to its original position as shown in fig2 by means of spring 27 which is attached at one end to plate 21 by screw 28 and at the other end to housing 24 by screw 29 . it will be seen that as plate 21 rotates clockwise from the position shown in fig1 and 3 roller 19 will pass through a reverse curved portion 41 of cam slot 20 causing valve body 16 gradually to move downwardly and thereby to open the valve to permit ambient air to pass into outlet conduit 10 until at the bottom of reverse curved portion 41 of slot 20 that valve is at its widest open position . as plate 21 is rotated still further clockwise valve body 16 will be urged upwardly until at the end of the reverse curved portion 41 the valve will be closed and no further ambient air will be admitted into outlet conduit 10 . as plate 21 rotates still further clockwise slot 20 remains in a position to maintain the valve closed , admitting no ambient air . plate 21 is fixed , as by welding to shaft 26 . at one end of shaft 26 arm 60 is fixedly attached by screw 62 so that arm 60 moves whenever shaft 26 rotates . any other means of fixing arm 60 to shaft 26 is acceptable , e . g . keyways , welding , etc . the other end of shaft 26 is journaled in respective cover 25 by means of shoulder bolt 63 or other equivalent means . flexible cable 23 is attached to arm 60 through a suitable hole 22 . flexible cable 23 preferably is a stainless steel cable covered with nylon . valve body 16 is mounted in bearing 34 which may be teflon or other nonlubricated or lubricated bearing material . bearing 34 is retained in base plate 35 which is attached to housing 24 by suitable bolts 36 or other known fastening means . encircling valve body 16 is spring 32 which is biased in the direction of maintaining valve head 17 against seat 15 such that the valve is closed when no other forces are operating against valve body 16 . in fig6 the structure of valve body 16 is seen in more detail as having a conical head 17 , a groove 33 , and a yoke structure 38 . groove 33 provides a means for securing spring 32 at the end of valve body 16 adjacent head 17 . yoke structure 38 provides a means for attaching valve body 16 to rotatable cam plate 21 and having roller 19 pass completely through slot 20 in plate 21 . roller 19 is preferably made of nylon or other suitable resilient material and is attached to valve body 16 by a suitable central pin shaft 39 . the structure of cam plate 21 is shown in fig4 and 5 as a thin circular plate having a suitable cam surface 20 in the form of an arcuate slot passing completely through the plate and extending longitudinally adjacent the circumference of plate for a distance necessary to operate this device . screw 28 is provided for attachment of one end of spring 27 that returns plate 21 to its position when the engine is idling or not operating . in place of screw 28 there may be used a projecting pin or a hole through plate 21 for attachment of spring 27 . in order to retain spring 27 as plate 21 rotates there is provided a guide plate 65 attached to shaft 26 or to plate 21 and having a semicircular groove 66 on its outer perimeter to mate with the outside contour of spring 27 . cam slot 20 may be conveniently divided into three portions . portion 40 is designed to maintain the valve in a closed position whereby no ambient air is admitted to the ventilation passage between the pcv valve and the intake minifold . portion 42 is designed to maintain the valve in the same closed position , and these two portions are essentially arcuate sections concentric with the outer perimeter of plate 21 . in between these portions 40 and 42 is reverse curved portion 41 which smoothly connects the two concentric portions with a downwardly directed curved section that is essentially symmetrical about a radius of plate 21 passing through the lowest point of reverse curved portion 41 . it will be appreciated that as roller 19 moves downwardly in a smooth gradual manner valve body 16 moves downwardly and permits ambient air to pass into the outlet conduit 10 in an increasing amount until roller 19 reaches the lowermost extent of the curve in portion 41 . beyond this point the roller will move upwardly and gradually close the valve until it reaches the beginning of portion 42 when the valve will be completely closed and will permit no ambient air to pass into outlet conduit 10 at any higher speeds . in fig7 there is shown how the device of this invention is attached to a typical automotive internal combustion engine . carburetor 41 sits on top of engine block 45 and is attached to the accelerator through linkage 42 to cam 43 . as the accelerator is depressed to increase the engine speed , cam 43 is caused to rotate clockwise increasing the volume of fuel - air mixture from carburetor to intake manifold 46 leading to the cylinders of the engine . spring 44 is attached to cam 43 to provide a force in the counterclockwise direction so as to return cam 43 to the idling position when the pressure on the accelerator is released . pcv valve 47 is located on the transmission housing and fumes therefrom are conducted through tubing 48 to an inlet fitting 55 on intake manifold 46 . the control device of this invention 49 is mounted on block 45 through an appropriate bracket support 56 . flexible cable 51 is connected to cam 43 , the other end being connected to arm 60 of device 49 to cam plate 21 ( see fig2 ). flexible cable 51 is attached to cam 43 such that as the accelerator is depressed , cable 51 will be pulled outwardly from control device 49 , and cam 43 rotates clockwise . the additional ambient air admitted through device 49 as described above is conducted through tubing 52 to a tee fitting 53 and thence into conduit 48 leading to inlet 55 of manifold 46 . since tubing 48 normally is rubber tubing it can be cut at a convenient location , tee 53 inserted therein , and tubing 52 ( also normally rubber tubing ) attached easily . an added feature of this invention which is preferable , but not necessary in all instances , is the inclusion of valve 50 in tubing 52 . valve 50 performs an added safety function of keeping tubing 52 closed until the engine reaches an acceptable operating temperature . a preferred device for valve 50 is a thermowax switch which is attached to the outside surface of intake manifold 46 and opens tubing 52 when the switch senses a temperature of about 38 ° c . another type of device for this purpose is a helical coil switch which performs the same function . valve 50 is inserted in tubing 52 by cutting the tubing attaching both ends to opposite ports of valve 50 and thereby permitting the flow from tubing 52 to tubing 54 to be unobstructed when the engine is above a minimum operating temperature and to be stopped when the engine temperature is too low . it has been determined that for optimum operation of the internal combustion engine there should be no ambient air admitted to the ventilation passage when the engine is at low speeds such that the vehicle is moving up to about 56 km ./ hr . which is represented by point 43 on slot 20 . as the vehicle speed is increased ambient air is admitted to the ventilation passage in increasing amounts until the speed reaches about 88 km ./ hr . which represents point 44 on slot 20 . as the speed is increased beyond this point less and less ambient air is needed until the speed reaches about 113 km ./ hr . represented at point 45 , and thereafter at higher speeds no ambient air is admitted to the ventilation passage . it has been found that in the normal operation of an internal combustion engine which has no fuel - air control device such as that of this invention there will be an air - to - fuel ratio of about 13 . 2 to 13 . 5 . when the engine of this invention is involved the air - to - fuel ratio is increased through the same range of engine speeds to about 14 . 2 to about 14 . 4 , thus providing an increased amount of air for total combustion of the fuel and hydrocarbons in the intake manifold . while the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments , it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention . it is intended , therefore , by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention .

5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting

[ 0020 ] fig1 shows a first embodiment of the transport device 1 of the present invention . the trunk space 2 of a motor vehicle contains , on its bottom 3 , a transport belt 5 with the pertinent rollers 6 , around which the transport belt 5 moves on the bottom 3 of the trunk space . a tailgate 4 , which can be pivoted down by means of two hinges 17 to open trunk space 2 , has a portion 5 ′ of the transport belt on its top when in the opened state . the portion 5 ′ of the transport belt located on the tailgate 4 is directly connected to the transport belt 5 located on the bottom of the trunk . this portion 5 ′ of the transport belt likewise turns around guide rollers 9 located in the area of the inside of the tailgate 4 to guide the transport belt . an additional tension roller 8 performs the function of tensioning the transport belt via spring loading . at the same time , the tension roller 8 functions as the center of gravity , around which the transport belt is pivoted or placed when the tailgate is folded up . [ 0022 ] fig2 shows a second embodiment of the transport device of the present invention . the components which are identical in the two embodiments are labeled with the same reference numbers . on the trunk floor 3 , a transport belt 5 with a guide roller 6 located front and back is attached . in contrast to the first embodiment , however , a second transport belt 7 , which is separate from the first transport belt 5 , is located on the top of the opened tailgate 4 with its own two rollers 9 . the rollers 6 , 9 facing one another on the side of the tailgate 4 and on the side of the trunk floor 3 are connected to one another by means of a connection device , for example a toothed belt 10 , in order to synchronize the motion of the two transport belts with one another . in addition , the roller 6 , 9 can be driven to rotate by a drive means , for example , an electric motor 19 , in order to facilitate continued motion of the cargo on the transport belts 5 , 5 ′ and 7 . one of the rollers 6 , 9 can be elastically supported in the direction of increasing the axial distance to the other rollers in order to ensure continuous tensioning of the transport belt . as shown in fig2 this elastic support may be achieved by a guide slot 22 for the axle of roller 6 and a spring 23 for prestressing the roller 6 in order to keep the belt in a properly tight condition . as is apparent from fig1 and 2 , the surfaces of the transport belts 5 , 5 ′ ( fig1 ) and belts 5 , 7 ( fig2 ) are advantageously located horizontally in one plane with the tailgate 4 opened . but a transport belt tilted slightly toward the trunk space 2 on the tailgate 4 is conceivable in order to facilitate the delivery of cargo into the trunk space 2 as a result of the steep incline . referring to fig3 by placing several parallel running transport belts on common or separate guide rollers , one or more attachment devices 20 can be located on or between the individual transport belts in order to attach bicycles which have been delivered via the transport belts . to ensure smooth functioning of the transport belts in the loaded state , sliding surfaces 21 , for example , surfaces formed of sheet metal with a plastic slide coating , can be located between the rollers to support the transport belt or belts . as shown in fig3 a license plate 12 and pertinent vehicle tail lights 11 may be provided on the termination edge of the tailgate 4 for folding up and down with the tailgate 4 . by the arrangement of one such folding license plate 12 with the pertinent tail lights 11 , a traffic - safe motor vehicle is easily and promptly established even with the tailgate 4 opened in the loaded state . [ 0027 ] fig4 shows , as another option , another transport belt 15 with two rollers 16 mounted on the back of a backrest 13 . when the backrest 13 is pivoted forward around a hinge 18 ( in the direction of the arrow ), the backrest 13 lies roughly horizontally over the seat surface 14 . the surface of the transport belt 15 is thus preferably at the height of the transport belt 5 so that , if necessary , with the opened tailgate 4 pulled open , a continuous cargo surface is formed and extends over the transport belts 7 , 5 and 15 to allow easy cargo loading and unloading . to enable simple loading of the trunk space , the tailgate - side transport belt can be equipped with a braking device ( not shown ) and which can be locked and unlocked , for example , via a brake lever , acting on the rear roller . in this way , it is possible that during loading of the transport belt surface , for example , with bicycles , the transport belt surface does not move and thus optimum positioning of the bicycle on the transport belt surface is possible . likewise the other transport belts 5 and 15 can be fixed by braking means . the term “ backrest ” is defined both as the back of the front seat of a motor vehicle with only one row of seats and also the back of the rear seat when there are several rows of seats .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

fig1 - 6 show generally the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10 . the downhole tool 10 of the present invention is used to catch and retain one or more plugs , balls or darts 11 that have been used as part of a cementing operation or other downhole oil well operation . the present invention could be applied to any operation that requires separation of fluid in an oil and gas well environment . any severely deviated hole where the top and bottom of the cement needs to be defined accurately would typically require plugs . the downhole tool 10 of the present invention provides a tool body 20 having an upper end portion 21 and a lower end portion 22 . a main flow bore 23 or first channel extends substantially the length of tool body 20 . the bore or channel 23 can be open - ended as shown in fig1 . tool body 20 is typically mounted in a well string or work string 12 or pipe string , being attached to joints of pipe 13 , 14 and lowered into the well bore 15 . well bore 15 can be lined with casing 16 or other known liner . joint 13 of string 12 connects to tool body 20 at upper end portion 21 . joint 14 of string 12 connects to tool body 20 at lower end portion 22 . the tool body 20 thus provides at its upper end portion 21 an internally threaded section 24 for enabling attachment to the joint of pipe 12 that is above tool body 20 . similarly , the lower end portion 22 of tool body 20 provides an externally threaded section 25 for enabling it to be attached to the joint of pipe 14 that extends below tool body 20 . tool body 20 can be a multi section tool body as shown in fig1 a - 1b . the tool body 20 thus can provide an upper tool body section 26 , a lower tool body section 27 and a central tool body section 28 . these tool body sections 26 , 27 , 28 can be assembled together using threaded connections for example . in fig1 a - 1b , a threaded connection 29 can be used for joining upper tool body section 26 to central tool body section 28 . similarly , a threaded connection 30 can be used for joining lower tool body section 27 to central tool body section 28 . upper tool body section 26 provides a restriction or a smaller diameter bore section 31 as shown . below the restriction or smaller diameter bore section 31 is provided a larger diameter bore section 32 that is adapted to hold and retain one or more plugs , balls , or darts 11 as shown . thus , the internal diameter of larger diameter section 32 can be about the same as the external diameter of the ball , plug or dart 11 to be contained . a tapered surface 33 is provided on upper tool body section 26 immediately below internally threaded section 24 . a generally cylindrically shaped surface 34 is provided below tapered surface 33 . another tapered surface 35 is provided below the generally cylindrically shaped surface 34 . sleeve 36 extends downwardly from upper tool body section 26 as shown in fig1 a - 1b . sleeve 36 can be attached to upper tool body section 26 using a threaded connection 37 . the sleeve 36 can be a generally cylindrically shaped sleeve that is concentrically placed inside of the central tool body section 28 as shown in fig1 a - 1b . sleeve 36 provides an upper enlarged portion 46 having one or more flow ports 43 . sleeve 36 also provides a lower enlarged portion 47 . check valve 40 is attached to the tool body 20 and can be attached to the lower enlarged portion 47 of sleeve 36 . an o - ring 39 can be provided as a seal in between sleeve 36 and check valve 40 . check valve 40 provides a valving member 41 . valving member 41 only allows flow in the direction of arrow 42 . check valve 40 can be a commercially available check valve such as is sold under the trademark conbraco , such as a series 61 stainless steel ball - cone type check valve . flow ports 44 extend between second channel 50 and first channel 23 at a position below larger diameter section 32 of first channel 23 and preferably below check valve 40 . thus , fluid flow can circumvent the balls , plugs or darts 11 that are contained within the larger diameter section 32 or first channel 23 . flow through second channel 50 thus begins in first channel 23 at a position near restriction 31 . flow then circumvents the plug , ball , dart 11 by passing from first channel 23 via ports 43 to second channel 50 and then downwardly in second channel 50 to ports 54 which are in the lower end portion 22 of tool body 20 ( see fig3 - 5 ). from ports 44 , flow again enters first channel 23 at a position that is next to tapered surface 45 and generally below lower enlarged portion or below check valve 40 . during use , one or more plugs , balls , darts 11 are used in a downhole oil well environment as part of a cementing operation . these plugs , balls , darts 11 are typically used to provide a well - defined front and rear to a volume of cement 17 that is pumped down hole as indicated schematically by arrows 18 in fig2 - 5 . thus , the first ball , dart or plug 11 can be put in front of the volume of cement 17 while a second plug , ball or dart 11 is placed above or at the rear of volume of cement 17 . when the ball , plug or dart 11 that is in front of the volume of cement reaches restriction 31 , it can be pumped through the restriction 31 by increasing pressure behind it , forcing it to deform and pass through the restriction 31 ( see arrow 19 in fig2 ). such plugs , balls , darts 11 are typically of a deformable material such as a rubber material , an elastomeric material , a polymeric material or the like . once inside the larger diameter section 32 of bore 23 , the ball , plug or dart 11 has a memory and it regains its original shape ( see fig3 ). from its position within enlarged diameter section 32 ( fig3 ), only an increase of pressure from a position below the ball or dart or plug 11 can force it upwardly back through the restriction 31 . however , check valve 40 prevents such a rearward or upward flow of pressurized fluid . because the ball , plug or dart 11 blocks the flow of cement downwardly in the main bore 23 , it circumvents the tool body 20 by traveling in the second channel 50 . cement 17 is able to bypass section 32 by entering ports 43 , then channel 50 , and then ports 44 until it is below check valve 40 ( see arrows 48 , fig3 - 4 ) and can exit the tool body 20 in the direction of arrows 49 . the volume of cement 17 can then be pumped to and below packer 51 via perforations 53 in casing 16 and into producing formation 52 , as indicated by arrows 54 . packer 51 is commercially available and / or known in the art . the following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention . all measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure , at sea level on earth , unless indicated otherwise . the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only ; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims .

4Fixed Constructions

there are a great many possible implementations of the invention , too many to describe herein . some possible implementations that are presently preferred are described below . it cannot be emphasized too strongly , however , that these are descriptions of implementations of the invention , and not descriptions of the invention , which is not limited to the detailed implementations described in this section but is described in broader terms in the claims . the descriptions below are more than sufficient for one skilled in the art to construct the disclosed implementations . unless otherwise mentioned , the processes and manufacturing methods referred to are ones known by those working in the art . referring to fig1 , the diagram visually describes what might be encountered in the pre - hospital environment during a cardiac arrest . a similar diagram can be presented for the cardiac arrest in the hospital environment or other specific medical event . in the case of the pre - hospital cardiac arrest , when a bystander witnesses a cardiac arrest , they will call 911 . a computer aided dispatch system ( cad ) 2 receives the call and dispatches an appropriate emergency crew to the scene . referring to fig2 , the call time , dispatch time , and time on scene are recorded in the cad 2 database . a paramedic crew will sometimes have a second rescuer whose responsibility is to log specific events into the pda . in the preferred embodiment , rrpc software is used ( manufactured by zoll data systems of boulder , colo . called rescuenet code review . software may also be available for use on a laptop computer 6 , similar in functionality to the rescue net code review ). when the ambulance arrives on scene , a paramedic will record on the pda 5 the time on scene and subsequent times such as defib turn on . the patient 11 is treated by the paramedic with the defibrillator 1 , which records a variety of digital information in non - volatile memory , often in the form of removable datacards . during the course of the treatment of the patient , the patient may be monitored by a physiological monitor 7 . physiological readings are recorded on the monitor 7 preferably in fixed or removable non - volatile memory . through the use of bluetooth technology , it is now possible to sense physical proximity to other devices . preferably , the defibrillator 1 , pda 5 , and monitor 7 all incorporate bluetooth wireless technology . the software in those devices can then automatically detect the presence of the other devices , identify themselves to each of the devices and share the current time with each other . this can be accomplished using bluetooth “ discovery ” features defined by the bluetooth special interest group standards . referring to fig3 , in some implementations of the invention , the clock information for each of the clocks characterizing the time source may identify the time source as one of a list of system - wide reference clocks , as shown in fig3 with the clock_id field equal to 6 or 8 . the clock information may also include means for specifying the particular reference clock used as the time base source . clock information may also describe which device the time base was used for ; for instance , the information might include device type such as a defibrillator , device manufacturer , e . g . zoll , serial number , and model number . the clock information may be in the form of codes or extended markup language ( xml ). the clock information may include time base quality information ( tbqi ) that includes information regarding the length of time since the local clock was last synchronized with one of the reference clocks ( last_synchronization in fig3 ). tbqi may include information regarding the drift of the local clock ( drift in fig3 ) as calculated by initially synchronizing the local clock to a reference clock then measuring the time error relative to a reference clock after an extended period of time such as a month . it is not necessary that there be a master clock that acts as the absolute time reference . time correlation of the multiple electronic records is an extended process with all time bases and their associated electronic record event sequences allowed to coexist and be displayed to the user . in some implementations , at least some portion of the structure of each multiple electronic record ( mep ) is preserved in the integrated electronic patient record ( iepr ) composed of those individual electronic records . as part of the process of viewing the iepr , the individual events from each of the meps can be sorted and displayed to the user based on the time base information . in other implementations , the particular source and quality of the time base determines which of the time bases will act as the reference clock . for instance , a defibrillator 1 in use in the field , such as the m - series manufactured by zoll medical chelmsford , may have a built - in global positioning system ( gps ) receiver providing the device with millisecond - level timing accuracy while the clock on the computer aided dispatch ( cad ) system 2 or the medical director &# 39 ; s computer 4 have been unable to synchronize with an internet - based atomic clock 3 for an extended period of time and the normal drift of the computer clocks have introduced more error into these centralized ‘ master ’ clocks than is found on the field defibrillator . in such a case , the gps - based time base would be used as the reference clock . the defibrillator , itself , may be able to provide better relative times related to the exact timing of a defibrillator shock than the pda 5 or cad 2 system ; therefore in the case of relative timing of defibrillation shocks or other interventions , the defibrillator device or other interventional device may be used as the reference clock in the case of relative times of interventions delivered by that interventional device . the clock information shown on the display of the iepr viewer may be a single time such as that of the gps defibrillator clock along with an indication of the source for that clock . the clock information may also be shown as relative timing information such as the time from initial call into emergency services . the iepr viewer user interface may include such features , known to those skilled in the art , as pull - down menus or pop - up menus to provide a list of all the time bases contained in the iepr and the capability of manually selecting which time base will be used as a reference . alternatively , the determination of which time base to use as the reference may be based on decision logic employed by the computer running the iepr viewer software . that decision logic may be some simple deterministic if - then - else logic using the time base source and quality information , but given the fact that the uncertainties in time accuracies can be better modeled as probabilistic , decision techniques such as bayesian methods and fuzzy logic are of benefit . one of the criteria in the decision - making logic may be what provides the least amount of uncertainty in the particular duration measures the user is attempting to make . another criteria in the decision - making logic may be a user - entered value for the maximum desired error in time based calculations . this may take on the form of a list of maximum desired errors for particular durations ( the value may not be the same for different durations ). the user would be notified that the uncertainty had exceeded a maximum desired error threshold . by maintaining the clock information along with the time of occurrence , relative time base information is not lost at the time of data download from one device to another . maintaining that relative time base information as part of the iepr has advantages . referring to fig4 , the relative time base information can be stored in what can be termed a δ - matrix , which provides , in a two - dimensional matrix , the relative offsets for each possible time source ( time base ) pair . each cell in the matrix may be composed of a data object that includes the value of the relative offset as well as the determination method for that value . for instance , it may be that the relative offset was determined during the communications protocol between two devices during download of data as in the prior art . alternatively , the relative offset may have been calculated during a calibration procedure performed automatically by the devices which would communicate , for instance via the internet , with each other ; in this instance , the determination method as well as when the calibration occurred would be included as part of the data object . also included as part of the data object is an estimation of the accuracy of the relative offset . the initial form of the δ - matrix will be sparsely populated , typically , but additional relative offsets can be calculated utilizing intermediate relative offsets . for instance , if the relative offset of time base ‘ a ’ to time base ‘ b ’, a − b +/−‘ x ’ milliseconds , is known , and the relative offset of time base ‘ b ’ to ‘ c ’, b − c +/−‘ y ’ milliseconds is known , then relative offset a - c is likewise known . the error in such case is calculated as the root mean sum of squares ( rms ). determination of relative offset information from electronic records transmitted by indirect means such as file - based methods like email or file transfer protocol ( ftp ) can be accomplished by first updating , if necessary , the relative offset of the file sending device to an accurate reference clock such as an internet - based atomic clock and storing the offset into the electronic record . the file - receiving device may also update its relative offset to a reference clock as necessary . then , using a method such as that incorporating the δ - matrix , the relative offset can be calculated between the computers . on the display of the iepr viewer , visualization means may be provided for each displayed event time to indicate what the uncertainty is with that particular time . the uncertainty can be of the absolute accuracy of the time base or the relative accuracy of it with respect to another time base in the iepr . the visualization can be in the form of error bars ; multiple error bars can be presented for event , such as overlapping the bars and using such techniques as color - coding the bars . color - coding of durations can be employed in reporting formats for care and outcomes , such as the utstein style format . for instance , colors can be used to indicate the potential accuracy of a particular duration , e . g ., green to indicate highest accuracy , orange and red to indicate lesser degrees . fig5 is a table showing relevant parameters that could be determined during synchronization of the multiple clocks encountered during a medical event such as a “ code ” ( cardiac incident ) occurring in the hospital setting . in this situation , many of the devices are in close proximity , allowing for easier synchronization by such means as bluetooth technology described earlier . there is a point in time when the code actually starts ( clock_start_time in fig5 ). this is the earliest time at which the code was announced and is from the point of view of the clock used to announce the code . this may be the one time that is not local to the scene of the code , but may be a computer clock located at some central location from which a so - called “ code team ” is dispatched . a code team is the group of trained doctors and nurses designated for each shift to be on call in case of a cardiac arrest . the clock_start_time may be a particularly important time in that it determines the calculation for the downtime , which typically is a very important measure with regard to analyzing the efficacy of the defibrillation therapy , as it establishes the length of time from a cardiac arrest until a defibrillation shock is delivered . as was mentioned previously , through the use of bluetooth technology , it is now possible to sense physical proximity to other devices . preferably , the defibrillator 1 , pda 5 , and monitor 7 all incorporate bluetooth wireless technology . the software in those devices can then automatically detect the presence of the other devices , identify themselves to each of the devices and share the current time with each other . this can be accomplished using bluetooth “ discovery ” features defined by the bluetooth special interest group standards . when these devices are turned on at the time of a code , they will automatically synchronize with each other . in the prior art , one of the devices , such as the pda became the reference device , and data was downloaded from the defibrillator and monitor at the end of the code into a single record ; this scheme has the drawback that data download is a slow and cumbersome process that is not appropriate to have nurses or other caregivers perform . this may be avoided at least in some implementations of the invention , by each device calculating the relative time differences to each of the other devices to create a δ - matrix in each device . the data from each device may then be separately downloaded to a central computer containing the iepr viewer 4 . download may be accomplished by an ethernet connection or simply by removing a data storage card and carrying it to the iepr viewer 4 . because the δ - matrix is stored on each device including the datacard , this is now possible . in the situation where the clock_start_time may be unknown to the various devices or clinical personnel at the time of the code ( the code was called in to a remote central call location ), the clock_start_time may be transmitted from the centralized call computer to the iepr viewer computer 4 via such common means as the ethernet . one of the clocks listed in the δ - matrix will then be the iepr viewer computer clock and the centralised call center clock . as long as at least one of the data sources , e . g . the pda , is actively synchronized with the iepr computer 4 , accurate relative times can be determined in order to provide an accurate measure of downtime . in the implementation for the hospital cardiac arrest , each clock that is encountered throughout the code is synchronized using an algorithm that can calculate the difference between this clock and the “ base clock ” as the “ clock delta ”. this is the difference , or “ error ” between the two clocks . where possible , this clock delta is calculated by sampling the actual current time from each clock . in other cases , it is calculated by the use of an adjustment that requires user input . in these cases where no digital interface exists with the clock in question , the user is asked to enter the current time from the point of view of the external clock , thus providing a clock delta between it and the data entry device . this is best understood by example . assume that there is a common wall clock in the room where the code is called . the clock delta cannot be captured directly , so the software asks the user for the current time from the point of view of the wall clock . the computing device asking this question presents the current time of the computing device , a time that is likely to be reasonably close to the time shown on the wall clock . the user is then given an easy way to adjust this time to what they see on the wall clock . by way of example , if the current time on the computing device is 13 : 05 : 27 , and the user provides a current time for the wall clock of 13 : 04 : 05 , then we can calculate the clock delta between the wall clock and the computing device as − 00 : 01 : 22 . based on the type of clock encountered , the algorithm always arrives at a clock delta . at some point , the user must enter the code start time and the clock used to record that time . continuing with our example , if the code started at 12 : 31 : 00 from the point of view of the clock on the wall in the room , then the base clock start time is 12 : 31 : 00 and the base clock is the wall clock . this closely mimics the real world situation , in that any clock may be used to initially begin the code . this algorithm may be applied to any clock , but in any case we always arrive with a known base clock and a known base clock start time . this base clock start time is stored in the database ( see fig1 , fields 2 and 3 ). the type of base clock is stored in this table as well ( fig1 , field 4 ). in fig5 , fields 5 , 7 , and 9 - 14 store the corresponding clock delta value . once the data arrives to the data review computer where the incident will be reviewed , the user can select any of the clocks that were encountered , and all times are adjusted to be from the point of view of the selected clock . this solves a very real world problem in that other paperwork or computing systems need only to have one clock in common ( even if it is only the wall clock ) and the user can see everything from the point of view of the other system . this is done by allowing the user to select the reference clock via an application menu . based on the selected clock , all times are visually offset by the clock delta for that clock . many other implementations of the invention other than those described above are within the invention , which is defined by the following claims .

6Physics

before discussing the figure in detail it should be understood that the only partially illustrated machine has a plurality of compressing stations , only one of which is shown , which are all circumferentially spaced about a central upright shaft 8 . the shaft 8 may be stationary and the stations turn about the central axis 8 &# 39 ; defined by the shaft 8 . since the compressing stations are all the same , illustration of one of them will suffice for an understanding of the invention . with the above in mind it will be seen that the figure illustrates one compressing station having an upper plunger 1 , a lower plunger 3 and a mold or matrix 2 with which the two plungers cooperate . the manner in which pulverulent or similar material is admitted into the matrix 2 for subsequent compression , and the manner in which the finished tablet 42 is expelled from the matrix 2 , forms no part of the invention , being known per se in the art . the plungers have respective leading endfaces 1a , 3a which enter into the cavity of the matrix 2 from opposite ends of the cavity , so as to compress pulverulent material therein between themselves and form the tablet 42 . the matrix 2 is mounted in a matrix table 4 which also mounts the ( not illustrated ) matrices of the other stations . the plunger 1 is axially reciprocable in a plunger guide 5 and the plunger 3 is similarly axially reciprocable in a plunger guide 6 . again , the guides 5 and 6 also guide the upper and lower plungers ( not illustrated ) of the other stations . the guides 5 , 6 , the plungers 1 , 3 and the matrix table 4 with matrix 2 are all connected together ( known per se ) so as to jointly turn about the upright axis 8 &# 39 ;. the purpose of this invention is to avoid the deposition of dust on the plungers 1 , 3 and its entry into the guides 5 , 6 . to achieve this purpose the invention surrounds the forward parts of the plungers 1 , 3 with respective cuffs 11 , 13 of an elastomeric material , such as natural or synthetic rubber or synthetic plastic material . these cuffs have respective beads or collars 14 which engage in appropriate recesses of the guides 5 , 6 so that the cuffs are supported by these guides . the inner cross - section of the tubular cuffs 11 , 13 decreases in direction towards the face 1a , 3a of the respectively associated plunger ; in this manner the annular air passage bounded by the cuffs and plungers also decreases so that air flowing towards the respective faces 1a , 3a is accelerated . air supply passages 10 , 12 communicate with the upstream ends of the cuffs 11 , 13 so that air admitted into the annular air passages of the cuffs 11 , 13 flows therethrough , as indicated by the arrows . the air is supplied via an upper air supply chamber 46 which is provided in a stationary upper part 30 serving as the cam carrier of the machine ( the cams are not illustrated ; they are known per se ). from chamber 46 the air ( derived from a suitable not - illustrated supply ) enters into distribution chamber 48 of part - circular ( in top view ) outline ; the distribution passages 10 branch off from this chamber 48 which is in part bounded by a stationary sheet - material housing . the lower edges of housing 43 extend into oil seals ( oil - filled grooves ) 44 , 45 to effect a seal with reference to the rotating components located beneath the housing 43 . a connecting passage 7 extends from the bottom region of chamber 48 into a lower air supply chamber 50 which is also of part - circular outline . the lower end of chamber 50 is closed off by a bottom wall . air passages 12 , 12 &# 39 ;, 12 &# 34 ; etc . distribute air from chamber 50 to the respective lower plungers 3 ( only one shown ). the chambers 48 and 50 could also be formed in the hollow shaft 8 and the passages 10 , 12 would then extend about radially to the respective plungers 1 , 3 . however , the generally segment - shaped ( part - circular ) chambers 48 ( one shown ) of which each supplies several of the plungers as illustrated , are currently preferred . these chambers could also service the lower plungers 3 , in lieu of the provision of the lower chamber 50 . the exit openings at which the passages 10 , 12 discharge air into the cuffs 11 , 13 are centered on the longitudinal axes of the plungers 1 , 3 , respectively . however , such centering is not absolutely necessary and may be dispensed with if , for example , a circulating air flow or increased air turbulence is to be produced in the air gaps of the cuffs 11 , 13 . the air admitted via the cuffs 11 , 13 blows along the exposed parts of the plunger shafts , i . e ., those parts which in operation become exposed outside the guides 5 , 6 and thus prevents the deposition of dust on these parts which during the reciprocation , could be carried into the guides 5 , 6 . it is , of course , not desired that this dust now be blown by the air to another part of the machine , there to create new problems . to avoid this , the machine is provided with suction chambers 25 and 26 which surround the cuffs 11 , 13 and the exposed parts of the plungers . the chamber 25 is defined by the guide 5 and a stationary hood or cover 15 , and the chamber 26 is defined by the guide 6 and a stationary hood or cover 16 . unlike the chambers for the incoming air , the suction chambers 25 , 26 are not sealed . instead , openings or gaps 20 are provided at the juncture of the edges of covers 15 , 16 with the guides 5 , 6 . thus , the suction produced in the chambers 25 , 26 via the suction channels 60 , 61 ( leading to any known - per - se source of suction ) causes not only the dust and the air from cuffs 11 , 13 to be withdrawn through the channels 60 , 61 , but also causes ambient air to be aspirated through the gaps 20 ( see arrows 21 , 22 ) so that an escape of dust is prevented without special seals even with the covers 15 , 16 being stationary relative to the other , rotating components . an air - inlet passage 32 communicates with the chamber 25 at the bottom thereof ( it need , however , not be located at the bottom ). its purpose is to prevent the deposition of dust on or in the region of the face 1a of plunger 1 and on the upper surface of the matrix table 4 . it is a particular advantage of the invention that it not only serves to prevent the previously identified dust problems , but can additionally be used to cool parts of the machine , especially the plungers which tend to heat up . all that is required to obtain this additional function is to cool the incoming air ( instrumentalities for this are known per se ). the term &# 34 ; air &# 34 ; as used herein can , of course , refer to air in all its forms , i . e ., including air which has been pretreated to remove moisture and make it dry , as well as to any suitable gases . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a tabletting machine , 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 . what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

the simulation operation can be carried out in the following way : at least one image is acquired of a unit for simulating the patient &# 39 ; s bones and soft tissue only , and at least one image is acquired of this unit and of the device for simulating the patient &# 39 ; s opacified blood vessels , and using image subtraction , an image of the simulation device is obtained . this simulation device is optimized so as to be sensitive to the slightest error of the x - ray apparatus and to allow its detection . in a three - dimensional angiography system with c - shaped arms , it is possible to acquire images of the blood vessels while the acquisition system , i . e ., the x - ray tube and the means for receiving the x - ray beam , rotates around the patient . a three - dimensional image of the vessels is then reconstructed from the series of two - dimensional digital images produced . in order to perform this reconstruction , a model of the geometry of the image acquisition is necessary . this model is estimated in a calibration phase , and it is subsequently determined whether the acquisition geometry is the same during the acquisition of the images of the patient as it was during the calibration . if the acquisition geometry is not exactly the same , i . e ., if the performance of the acquisition system is degraded , the quality of the reconstructed three - dimensional images will also be degraded : the vessels will less rich in contrast and certain vessels of small diameter will not be properly reconstructed or will appear blurry . measuring the performance level of the acquisition system for the reconstruction of three - dimensional images is important , both during the production of the x - ray apparatus and while it is in service , but it constitutes a relatively difficult operation . in fact , a poor image quality observed on a patient is not invariably due to the acquisition system . many other parameters can be involved , such as a movement of the patient , the propagation of the opacifying liquid that is injected into the patient &# 39 ; s bloodstream , etc . an error in the repositioning of the acquisition system is not easy to detect . an element of the display device can be different for an acquisition of an image of the patient and for the calibration that was done previously , even though the quality of the two - dimensional images derived from the acquisition of images of the patient may be perfectly acceptable . in order to control the performance level of a three - dimensional angiography system , it is necessary to simulate a rotating acquisition of images of the patient with a specific simulation device , also called a “ phantom .” the images of this phantom must be representative of the patient &# 39 ; s blood vessels . as seen in fig1 and 2 , the simulation device has a generally spherical shape with a top pole 1 and a bottom pole 2 , centered on an axis 3 represented in a broken line , and comprises semicircular elements 4 extending from the top pole 1 to the bottom pole 2 . a supporting piece 5 is provided at the top pole 1 and a supporting piece 6 is provided at the bottom pole 2 . the semicircular elements 4 are attached at each of their ends to the supporting piece 5 and the supporting piece 6 . the semi - circular elements 4 are made of a material with low x - ray absorption , for example plexiglas , polycarbonate , or another material of equiva - lent density . the simulation device comprises six semicircular elements 4 distributed uniformly in the circumferential direction . however , as a variant , it is possible to provide a different number , for example four or eight . the semicircular elements 4 are flat and have on their outer edge 7 a tiered area 8 comprising steps 9 through 13 whose distance from the axis 3 differs from one step to another . a central shaft 14 coaxial to the axis 3 connects the supporting pieces 5 and 6 of the top 1 and bottom 2 poles . the central shaft 14 ensures the mechanical strength of the entire simulation device and is made of a material with average x - ray absorption , for example aluminum . as a variant , it is possible to provide a central shaft 14 made of another material , for example ceramic or titanium , but with the respective drawbacks in terms of weight and cost . the semicircular elements 4 are pierced with a plurality of holes 15 and 16 of small diameter , passing through the thickness of the semicircular elements 4 and disposed perpendicular to a plane passing through the axis 3 near the outer edge 7 at the level of the steps 9 through 13 . wires labelled 17 through 21 are passed through the holes 16 , the holes 15 remaining free of wires . the wires 17 through 21 are each disposed on one complete spire of the simulation device so as to form an angle on the order of 15 ° with a radial plane . for example , the wire 17 that passes through the holes 16 of the step 9 of the various semicircular elements 4 , passes through the hole 16 a provided at the bottom of the step 9 of the semicircular element 4 visible on the right of fig1 then through the hole 16 b in the middle of the step 9 of the next semicircular element 4 , then through the hole 16 c of the next semicircular element 4 before passing through the hole 16 b in the middle of the step 9 of the semicircular element 4 visible on the left of fig1 . of course , the concepts of right and left , and top and bottom , are relative and refer to fig1 since the simulation device can be used in any position in space . the other wires 18 through 21 are disposed in similar fashion through the holes 16 of the other steps 10 through 13 . the wires 17 through 21 are made of copper , a material with high x - ray absorption , but could also be made of another metal or alloy , as long as their diameter is adapted in accordance with the x - ray absorption of the material . the diameters of the wires are uniformly graduated , between 0 . 2 and 0 . 6 mm . the ends of the wires 17 through 21 are passed through a hole 16 and fixed with a dot of adhesive . extending from the central shaft 14 is a cylindrical element 22 disposed on an axis 23 that is oblique relative to the axis 3 . the cylindrical element 22 is connected to the central shaft 14 by a portion 24 of small diameter . the cylindrical element 22 is also made of a material with high x - ray absorption and makes it possible to simulate an aneurysm , which often has a neck of reduced diameter , simulated by the portion 24 . the central shaft 14 also supports a ringed element 25 disposed obliquely relative to the central shaft 14 and provided with a succession of portions 26 of large diameter and portions 27 of small diameter , in order to make it possible to verify whether said portions 26 and 27 are displayed satisfactorily . as seen more particularly in fig2 the semicircular elements 4 are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction so that the wires 17 through 21 form a hexagon approaching a spherical shape , which is particularly well adapted to the case where the field of vision of a camera of the x - ray apparatus is circular . it would also be possible to provide a simulation device with eight semi - circular elements defining an octagon , or even four or five semicircular elements defining a square or a pentagon . thus , the central shaft 14 , with a large diameter relative to that of the wires 17 through 21 and an average x - ray absorption makes it possible to simulate the vessels of large diameter such as the carotid arteries and to provide a density reference for quantitative measurements from the reconstructed three - dimensional image . the large diameter of the central shaft 14 makes its image less sensitive to degradations . thus , a stable reference is provided . the various wires 17 through 21 with a small diameter and a high x - ray absorption coefficient make it possible to simulate vessels of very small size , for example the small cerebral arteries , in order to estimate the resolution of the three - dimensional image reconstruction . the wires have various diameters , from 0 . 2 to 0 . 6 mm , in 0 . 1 mm increments . the distance between each wire and the central shaft 14 is determined so that the wires are as close as possible to the contour of the image in the two - dimensional projections , in order to obtain a satisfactory sensitivity to repositioning errors in the rotation of the camera of the x - ray apparatus , in the case of a camera that rotates around its axis . the three - dimensional orientation of each wire is such that the angle between the axis of the wire and a plane that is radial relative to the axis 3 is small , less than or equal to 15 °, but not null . in fact , if the wires were parallel to such a radial plane , the image would be extremely sensitive to the degradation of the quality , which is an advantage . the axis 3 is normal to the plane defined by the various positions of the axis of the x - ray beam , which is rotatable . but in certain incidences of two - dimensional projection , there would be a risk of superpositions of the horizontal wires , which would not make it possible to properly detect the errors . thus , as seen in fig1 certain wires 17 through 21 can cross at points , but are not superposed . likewise , as seen in fig2 the wires 17 through 21 , are disposed so as not to superpose one another . of course , the same disposition of the wires could be obtained with a different support structure , for example with a polystyrene ball replacing the semicircular elements 4 . during its utilization , the simulation device is positioned on a table of the x - ray apparatus on which the patient is normally disposed , in such a way that the central rod 14 is approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of the image acquisition system . the utilization of wires of different diameters and crossing one another facilitates the automation of the calibration process by counting the number of visible wires , the quality of the image being proportional to the number of visible wires . fig3 shows a two - dimensional side view of a reconstructed three - dimensional image . it may be seen that all of the elements of the simulation device present in fig1 are visible in fig3 . the wires of larger diameter appear more clearly than the wires of smaller diameter . the same is true of fig4 which is a two - dimensional top view obtained from the same three - dimensional image used for fig3 . it is noted that the wire 18 of smaller diameter appears in this figure , which is a gauge of the good quality of the image reconstruction . fig5 is a two - dimensional partial cross - section of the reconstructed three - dimensional image , in which appear portions of three adjacent wires , the image quality being satisfactory . conversely , in fig6 which is a cross - section identical to that of fig5 the image quality is not satisfactory in that the wires seem to divide in two . this degradation of the quality of the image is due to an error in the positioning of the arm supporting the x - ray tube and of the means for receiving and displaying incident x - rays , such as the scintillator , camera , ccd , etc . the repositioning error , in this case several tenths of a degree , is clearly shown . fig7 shows several bright spots corresponding to wires sectioned transverse to their axes . the image of these wires is approximately circular , which is satisfactory . conversely , in fig8 the image of the same wires tends to spread out , forming a segment of a straight line , which reveals a repositioning error in the rotation of the camera of the image acquisition system , this error being on the order of several tenths of a degree . as a result , a slight degradation in the performance of the acquisition system produces a visible degradation in the three - dimensional reconstruction of the simulation device . this simulation device can therefore be used to estimate the quality of the three - dimensional image reconstruction of a system . a synthetic view of the quality of the reconstruction can be obtained from the three - dimensional image using a two - dimensional view corresponding to fig4 such that the display is produced parallel to the axis of the central shaft . certain errors of the acquisition system produce specific errors in the three - dimensional image . the simulation device can therefore be used to characterize image quality problems . the simulation device can be used for a visual inspection by an operator or for an automatic process allowing a quantitative evaluation of the quality of the three - dimensional reconstruction . this process can be carried out by detecting the central shaft using a series of steps for eroding and enlarging the image , by determining the density of the central shaft , by determining a series of elementary densities obtained by predetermined linear coefficients , by applying a threshold to each elementary density , by creating a two - dimensional image in an orientation parallel to the central shaft , by detecting and counting the wires visible in the image , the final quality criterion being the sum of all the visible wires . various modifications in structure and / or function and / or steps can be made by one skilled in the art to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention .

0Human Necessities

referring to the drawings , fig1 shows a femur 2 which has been resected at its upper end . cancellous bone has been removed from the centre of the femur at the upper end to form a cavity 4 in which a prosthesis 6 is to be located . the prosthesis comprises a stem which is received in the cavity and a head which engages an acetabular cup component , as is known . the stem of the prosthesis is bonded to the bone of the cavity by means of bone cement injected into the cavity under pressure . pressure in the cement injected into the cavity is maintained during and after injection ( while the cement hardens ) by means of a sealing gasket positioned over the end of the bone . the gasket comprises a sealing plate 10 having an opening 12 in it , and a plug 14 located in the opening in which the nozzle 16 of bone cement delivery apparatus can be received . force can be applied to the gasket against the bone directly , or by means of a u - shaped tool 19 which can be located around the opening 12 in the sealing plate . referring to fig2 and 3 , the sealing plate is formed from a resiliently deformable material such as a silicone by moulding . it has a thin central portion 18 surrounding the opening 12 and a relatively thick edge portion 20 defining a lip . the lip has an inclined under - surface for engaging the upper edge of the resected bone in line contact . for example , the thickness of the plate in the portion surrounding the opening might be about 7 mm and the thickness at the edge might be about 12 mm . the width of the edge portion is about 10 mm at its widest along the long edges of the sealing plate and about 5 mm at its narrowest along the short edges of the sealing plate . the dimensions of the sealing plate will be selected according to the bone against which it is to be used and the prosthesis which is to be inserted into the bone cavity . for example , a sealing plate to be used against the femur of an adult human might have dimensions 60 mm by 55 mm . the opening in the plate has dimensions 20 mm by 11 mm . the opening 12 in the sealing plate is generally oval , having semi - circular portions at each end joined by straight portions . referring to fig4 and 5 , the plug 14 is formed from a resiliently deformable material by moulding . it can be formed from the same material as that of the sealing plate , although a material that is more rigid than that of the sealing plate can be preferred for some applications . it comprises a neck portion 22 which is generally oval in cross - section with a shape corresponding substantially to that of the opening 12 in the sealing plate 10 . there is a back plate 24 on the neck , by which the plug can be gripped and manipulated , in particular during insertion into and removal from the opening 12 in the sealing plate . the back plate can be curved upwardly as shown in fig5 to facilitate manipulation of the plug . an injection port 26 extends through the plug , in which the nozzle of bone cement delivery apparatus can be received . a laterally extending lug 28 in the manner of a flange depends from the lower end of the neck portion 22 , which can engage the lower face of the sealing plate when the plug is located in the opening 12 , restricting inadvertent removal of the plug from the opening . the lug has a profiled lower edge to facilitate insertion into the opening in the sealing plate . fig6 shows a plug 30 for use in the sealing plate of a sealing gasket , such as described above with reference to fig2 and 3 . the plug has a neck portion 36 and a flange - like lug 38 which extends around its periphery . an injection port 32 extends through the plug , in which the nozzle of bone cement delivery apparatus can be received . the plug 30 is made from a relatively rigid material so that , on insertion into the opening in a sealing plate , the material of the sealing plate is deformed by the lug 38 . the plug has a back plate 34 which is flat . a plug with a flat back plate formed from a rigid material can be used to apply pressure to the sealing plate , to form the seal between the plate and the bone . fig7 shows the plug 30 located in the opening 12 in the sealing plate 10 with the neck portion of the plug engaging the edges of the opening . the lug 38 extends laterally in contact with the lower face 30 of the sealing plate , restricting removal of the plug from the opening . the nozzle 16 of bone cement delivery apparatus is received in the injection port 32 which extends through the plug , for delivery of cement through the sealing gasket into the cavity of a bone against which the gasket is positioned in use . in use , after injection of bone cement into the bone cavity , the plug 30 is removed from the opening 12 in the sealing plate 10 . the plug can be removed soon after injection of the cement . however , it can be preferred for its removal to be deferred until the cement has partially hardened , for example , until it has hardened sufficiently for insertion into the cavity of the prosthesis . the prosthesis to be located in the bone cavity can be inserted in the cavity through the opening 12 after removal of the plug . once the bone cement has hardened sufficiently to bond the prosthesis to the bone , the sealing plate can be removed from the bone . preferably , the sealing plate is severed before removal , for example by tearing or more preferably by cutting , from the opening 12 to an edge of the plate , so that it can be removed by lateral movement rather than having to be passed over the end of the prosthesis . fig8 shows a sealing gasket in which the sealing plate 40 has an opening 42 in it to accommodate a plug 44 , generally as described above in relation to other embodiments . the sealing plate also has a flap portion 46 extending from the portion with the opening 42 in it , which can be used to pressurise and to control flow of bone cement from an opening into the bone cavity other than the opening into which cement is to be injected through the opening in the sealing plate and the plug inserted therein . for example , it can be used to extend over the resected trochanter on a femur , and to control egress of bone cement from the trochanter region and to apply pressure to that cement . the sealing gasket of the invention has the advantage that the component by which cement is retained in place in the bone cavity does not need to be moved from the end of the bone throughout the period from injection of bone cement to hardening of the cement to form the bond between the bone and the prosthesis located in the cement in the cavity . this allows pressure to be maintained on the cement throughout the period in which it hardens , as preferred for secure bonding of the cement to the bone . while the invention has been described with reference to the drawings as applied to a hip joint , it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other joints .

0Human Necessities

the following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense , but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention . the scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims . a prior art motorcycle 10 with a stock ( or original ) fork rake is shown in fig1 . the prior art motorcycle 10 includes forks 12 mounted to a steering head 16 by original triple trees 14 and 15 . custom motorcycle riders often desire to increase the fork 12 rake to obtain a more custom appearance . generally , significantly increasing the fork rake requires significant modifications to the motorcycle frame to alter the steering head angle , at significant expense and time . while small increases in rake may be achieved by using “ raked triple trees ” which increase rake without modification to the original steering axis , such raked triple trees adversely affect trail and is therefore limited to small rake increases due to these affects on trail . a motorcycle 10 a with a rake extension kit according to the present invention installed is shown in fig2 . the fork rake extension kit includes an upper adapter block 22 and a lower adapter block 23 attached to the unmodified steering head 16 . an upper triple tree 18 and a lower triple tree 19 connect to the adapter blocks 22 and 23 , and the forks 12 attach to the triple trees 18 and 19 . fork extensions 12 a are provided to maintain the original ground height of the motorcycle 10 a . a more detailed view of the motorcycle forks 12 with the fork rake extended using the present invention is shown in fig3 . the lower adapter block 23 pushes the lower triple tree 19 forward , and the lower triple tree 19 pushes the forks 12 forward , both contributing to increased fork rake while maintaining a desired trail . a diagram of trail and rake is shown in fig3 a . the combination of trail and rake is an important factor in motorcycle handling . the present invention provides some rake increase in the adapter blocks 22 and 23 , and some rake increase in the triple trees 18 and 19 . the result is a preferred trail t 1 . if the triple trees 18 and 19 did not provide some of the rake increase , a much larger and less desirable trail t 2 would result , and conversely , if all of the rake increase is obtained by the triple trees , a much smaller and less desirable trail would result . a cross - sectional view of the fork rake extender attached to the steering head 16 is shown in fig4 and an exploded view of elements of the fork rake extender kit are shown in fig5 . a rear spacer shaft 28 resides in the unmodified steering head 16 . the spacer shaft 28 includes shaft alignment features 28 a and 28 b at the top and bottom of the spacer shaft 28 respectively . preferred alignment features 28 a and 28 b comprise a cylindrical center coaxial with the spacer shaft 28 , and opposed rectangular blocks extending radially from the cylindrical center . the upper adapter block 22 resides on the top of the steering head 16 , and the lower adapter block resides on the bottom of the steering head 16 . each adapter block 22 and 23 includes a cylindrical portion 43 configured to fit into bearing seats in the steering head 16 . the cylindrical portions 43 further include block alignment features which are preferably rectangular notches configured to engage the shaft alignment features 28 a and 28 b . the upper and lower adapter blocks 22 and 23 are held to the steering head by at least one adapter block fastener , and preferably by a main assembly bolt 40 inserted though the lower adapter block 23 , through the spacer 28 , and threaded into the upper adapter block 22 . tightening the bolt 40 secures the upper and lower adapter blocks 22 and 23 to the steering head 16 and preferably vertically squeezes the adapter blocks 22 and 23 against steering head 16 . continuing with fig4 and 5 , upper and lower bearings 36 and 38 reside in the upper and lower adapter blocks 22 and 23 respectively . a steering shaft 26 is inserted upward through the lower triple tree 19 , the bearing 38 , the lower adapter block 23 , a front spacer shaft 24 , the upper bearing 36 , and the upper adapter block 22 . a lock nut 34 is threaded onto the upper end of the steering shaft 26 , and a double lock nut 32 is threaded onto the upper end of the steering shaft 26 and against the nut 34 . the upper triple tree 18 is then placed over the upper end of the steering shaft 26 , and a triple tree retainer nut 30 is threaded onto the steering shaft 26 over the upper triple tree 18 . set screws 42 extend through the lower adapter block 23 to engage surfaces of the steering head 16 or motorcycle frame to prevent rotation of the lower adapter block 23 . the lower adapter block 23 has a lower steering head end 23 a and a lower triple tree end 23 b ( see fig6 b ) spaced apart by a lower adapter spacing and the upper adapter block 22 has corresponding upper steering head end and upper triple tree end spaced apart by an upper adapter spacing . the lower adapter spacing is preferably greater than the upper adapter spacing resulting in an increase in the fork rake of angle a 1 between a bolt centerline 41 and steering shaft centerline 27 . further , the forks 12 have a fork centerline 13 offset from the steering shaft centerline 27 by a second angle a 2 . a total increase in fork rake of a 1 + a 2 results . a perspective view of the top and side of the lower adapter block 23 is shown in fig6 , a side view of the lower adapter block 23 is shown in fig6 a , a top view of the lower adapter block 23 is shown in fig6 b , and a rear view of the lower adapter block is shown in fig6 c . a cross - sectional view of the lower adapter 23 taken along line 7 - 7 of fig6 c is shown in fig7 . the lower adapter block 23 is approximately oval with the cylindrical portion 43 for cooperation with the steering head 16 bearing seats and the spacer 28 at one end , and a stepped mouth 48 for cooperation with the lower triple tree 19 and the spacer 24 at the opposite end . the cylindrical portion 43 includes a bolt passage 52 for the main assembly bolt 40 ( see fig4 ), a bolt shoulder 54 for cooperation with the bolt 40 , and rectangular notches 44 for cooperation with the spacer 28 ( see fig4 and 5 ). the stepped mouth 48 provides a passage for the steering shaft 26 and a seat 50 for the lower steering bearing 38 ( see fig4 and 5 ). the set screws 42 are positioned to tighten against features of the steering head 16 , for example the steering stop pads , or features on the motorcycle frame , and the positions of the set screws 42 may be varied for different motorcycles or motorcycle frames . the screws 42 may be used during installation for adjustment of the lower adapter block 23 , or for subsequent adjustment . the screws 42 may also be tightened to aid in preventing the lower adapter block 23 from rotating during use . a perspective view of the bottom of the upper adapter block 22 is shown in fig8 , a side view of the side view of the upper adapter block 22 is shown in fig8 a , a top view of the upper adapter block 22 is shown in fig8 b , and a rear view of the upper adapter block 22 is shown in fig8 c . a cross - sectional view of the upper adapter block 22 taken along line 9 - 9 of fig8 c is shown in fig9 . the upper adapter block 22 is approximately oval with the cylindrical portion 43 for cooperation with the upper bearing seat of the steering head 16 and the spacer 28 at an upper steering head end 22 a , and a stepped mouth 48 for cooperation with the lower triple tree 19 and the spacer 24 at the opposite end . the cylindrical portion 43 includes a bolt passage 52 for the main assembly bolt 40 ( see fig4 ), and notches 44 for cooperation with the spacer 28 ( see fig4 and 5 ). the stepped mouth 48 provides a passage for the steering shaft 26 and a seat 50 for the lower steering bearing 38 ( see fig4 and 5 ). a top perspective view of a lower triple tree 19 according to the present invention is shown in fig1 , a front view of the lower triple tree 19 is shown in fig1 a , a top view of the lower triple tree 19 is shown in fig1 b , a rear view of the lower triple tree 19 is shown in fig1 c , and a side view of the lower triple tree 19 is shown in fig1 d . a cross - sectional view of the lower triple tree 19 taken along line 11 - 11 of fig1 a is shown in fig1 . the lower triple tree 19 includes two lower fork passages 16 which include gaps 60 a and may be tightened to clamp fork tubes of the forks 12 into the lower triple tree 19 . the lower triple tree 19 further includes a lower steering shaft passage 62 for the steering shaft 26 ( see fig4 and 5 ). the separate of the fork passages 60 from the steering passage 62 is a first length l 1 . a bottom perspective view of the upper triple tree 18 according to the present invention is shown in fig1 , a rear view of the upper triple tree 18 is shown in fig1 a , a top view of the upper triple tree 18 is shown in fig1 b , a bottom view of the upper triple tree 18 is shown in fig1 c , and a side view of the upper triple tree 18 is shown in fig1 d . a cross - sectional view of the upper triple tree 18 taken along line 13 - 13 of fig1 a is shown in fig1 . the upper triple tree 18 includes two upper fork passages 70 , and upper steering shaft passage 72 . the separate of the upper fork passages 70 from the upper steering passage 62 is a second length l 2 . the length l 1 ( see fig1 b ) is larger than the length l 2 , thereby increasing the fork rake . while the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof , numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

the present disclosure provides methods that utilize sigma 1 receptor ( s1r ) in conjunction with interleukin - 24 ( il - 24 ) to induce cell death . s1r , a ligand - regulated protein chaperone , has been shown to contribute to il - 24 induction of apoptosis . il - 24 , a member of the il - 10 cytokine family , is an immunomodulatory cytokine that also displays broad cancer - specific suppressor effects . the tumor suppressor activities of il - 24 include inhibition of angiogenesis , sensitization to chemotherapy , and cancer - specific apoptosis . il - 24 generated from an adenovirus expressing il - 24 ( ad . il - 24 ) induces cancer - specific apoptosis by inducing an endoplasmic reticulum ( er ) stress , reactive oxygen species production , and calcium mobilization . several lines of evidence are provided to confirm a physical and functional interaction between il - 24 and s1r including : ( a ) s1r and il - 24 co - localize , as judged by immunocytochemical analysis studies ; ( b ) s1r and il - 24 co - immunoprecipitate using either s1r or il - 24 antibody ; ( c ) s1r agonist (+)- skf10047 inhibits apoptosis by ad . il - 24 ; ( d ) (+)- skf10047 — mediated inhibition of ad . il - 24 results in : diminished er stress protein expression ; ( e ) calcium mobilization ; and ( f ) ros production . collectively , these data demonstrate that s1r interacts with il - 24 and suggest that il - 24 : s1r interaction determines apoptosis induction by ad . il - 24 . the disclosure identifies s1r as an initial mediator of il - 24 induction of cancer - specific killing . s1r is a ligand - regulated protein chaperone . s1r is a receptor chaperone whose activity can be activated / deactivated by specific ligands . manipulation of s1r can yield either cytoprotective or cytotoxic actions . the stimulation with sigma agonists induces s1r dissociation from bip and s1r delocalization , while sigma ligands classified as antagonists impede this process . s1r agonists promote cellular survival by preventing oxidative stress caused by ischemia , diabetes , inflammation , and amyloid toxicity . conversely , antagonists of the s1r inhibit tumor cell survival and induce apoptosis . sigma antagonist - mediated cell death is inhibited by the prototypic sigma - 1 agonists (+)- skf10047 . furthermore , systemic administration of sigma antagonists significantly inhibits the growth of mammary carcinoma xenografts , prostate tumors , and lung carcinoma in the absence of side effects . on the other hand , several normal cell types such as fibroblasts , epithelial cells , and even sigma receptor - rich neurons are resistant to the apoptotic effects of sigma antagonists . cellular susceptibility appears to correlate with differences in s1r coupling rather than levels of expression . in cancer cells only , sigma antagonists evoke a rapid rise in cytosolic calcium that is inhibited by s1r agonists . in tumor cells , sigma antagonists cause activation of phospholipase c and concomitant inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3 ′- kinase pathway signaling . this disclosure shows , for the first time , that s1r plays a decisive role in il - 24 - mediated apoptosis . several lines of evidence are provided to confirm a physical and functional interaction between il - 24 and s1r . these studies define s1r as a key initial mediator of il - 24 . these findings have important implications for the understanding of il - 24 as a tumor suppressor protein as well as an immune modulating cytokine . treatment of cells with sigma 1 receptor ( s1r ) agonist prevents il - 24 killing . without wishing to be bound to any particular theory , il - 24 is believed to act as a s1r antagonist in mediating tumor cell death . referring to fig1 a , fig1 b and fig1 c , to test this hypothesis ad . il - 24 was used to treat normal human immortalized epithelial cells ( rwpe1 ), and three metastatic prostate cancer cell lines ( lncap , du145 and pc - 3 ) in the presence or absence of the specific s1r agonist , (+) skf - 10047 , and measured cell viability and induction of apoptosis by mtt , clonogenic , and annexinv - fitc / pi assays . (+) skf - 10047 inhibited ad . il - 24 - mediated killing in pc - 3 , lncap and du145 cells . ad . il - 24 had only a slight effect on viability , clonogenic capacity , or apoptosis of normal rwpe1 cells . the results show treatment of cells with a sigma 1 receptor ( s1r ) agonist prevents il - 24 - induced apoptosis . in fig1 a , cells were infected with 100 pfu / cell of ad . vector or ad . il - 24 , and treated with or without 10 μm (+)- skf10047 — a s1r agonist . cell viability was determined by mtt assay 4 days post - infection . mtt absorbance of untreated control cells was set at 1 to determine relative number of viable cells . fig1 a shows the cytotoxic effect of ad . il - 24 could be substantially negated by the addition of the s1r agonist . in fig1 b , cells were incubated in the absence or presence of 10 μm (+)- skf10047 after infection with ad . il - 24 . forty - eight hours post - infection , percentage of apoptosis was determined by staining with annexinv - fitc / pi . fig1 b also shows the cytotoxic effect of ad . il - 24 could be substantially negated by the addition of the s1r agonist . in fig1 c , cells were incubated in the absence or presence of 10 μm (+)- skf10047 after infection with ad . il - 24 . cells were subjected to clonogenic assay for 2 weeks . results shown are an average of three independent experiments ± sd . fig1 c also shows the cytotoxic effect of ad . il - 24 could be substantially negated by the addition of the s1r agonist . taken together , the data of fig1 a , fig1 b and fig1 c suggest that il - 24 - induced cell death in cancer cells would be achieved by antagonizing s1r , and is therefore inhibited by an s1r agonist . as shown in fig2 a , fig2 b and fig2 c , s1r is involved in ad . il - 24 - induced er stress , calcium mobilization , and ros production . cells were infected with 100 pfu / cell of ad . vector or ad . il - 24 , and treated with or without 10 μm (+)- skf10047 ( skf ) for indicated times . in fig2 a , changes in bip , chop , and p - eif2a proteins were evaluated by western blot analysis 48 h after indicated treatments . fig2 a shows ad . il - 24 infection causes il - 24 protein localization in the er and induces er stress resembling an upr . up - regulation by il - 24 of several er stress markers is shown , including p - eif2a , chop , and bip , were inhibited by treatment with (+) skf - 10047 . fig2 b depicts a ratio of calcium ratios for cells infected with 100 pfu / cell of ad . vector or ad . il - 24 , and treated with or without 10 μm (+)- skf10047 . the ratios are the levels cytosolic calcium at t = 0 and t = 12 hours . a determination was made concerning whether ad . il - 24 caused any changes in the cytosolic levels of ca ++ in prostate cancer cells and if ca ++ mobilization is s1r - dependent after ad . il - 24 infection . ad . il - 24 infection increased cytosolic ca ++ levels in prostate du145 within 12 hours . the increase in ca ++ was blocked by s1r agonist (+)- skf10047 . fig2 c graphically shows the fluorescence of du - 145 cells infected with ad . vector or with ad . il - 24 and treated with or without 10 μm (+) skf - 10047 for 24 h . intracellular ros levels were measured with 10 μm dcf - da 30 min after treatments . the results are expressed as the mean ± s . d . of three independent experiments . the time course of mitochondrial changes ( ros generation ) were determined after treatment of du145 cells with ad . il - 24 . cells were infected with ad . il - 24 , collected at 24 h , and stained for ros production with dichlorofluorescin diacetate ( dcfh - da ). fig2 c shows ad . il - 24 increased ros , were inhibited by treatment with (+) skf - 10047 . taken together , the inhibition by an s1r agonist of il - 24 - mediated er stress , ca ++ mobilization and ros production , further strengthen the hypothesis that il - 24 action in cancer cells is mediated by an antagonistic effect of il - 24 on s1r . in fig3 a and fig3 b , comparative co - localization of il - 24 and s1r proteins was analyzed in du145 cells after infection with the ad . il - 24 virus . comparison of the immunofluorescence data using different cells and secondary antibodies performed at independent times , yielded similar reproducible patterns of staining , demonstrating that il - 24 co - localized with s1r . du - 145 cells were infected with ad . il - 24 . after 24 h , cells were fixed and il - 24 and s1r proteins were detected by immunofluorescence using anti - il - 24 and anti - s1r antibodies . the analysis of co - localization of il - 24 and s1r was performed using a dmi6000b inverted confocal microscope with tcs sp5 system ( leica microsystems cms ). without wishing to be bound to any particular theory , s1r is believed to interact with il - 24 . referring to fig3 a , infection with ad . il - 24 followed by immunoprecipitation using anti - s1r antibody and immunoblotting with anti - il - 24 antibody confirmed a physical interaction between these molecules ( fig3 a ). in fig3 a , du145 cells were infected with 100 pfu / cell of ad . vector or ad . il - 24 and immunoprecipitation analysis was done 48 hours later using s1r antibody . as shown in fig3 b , experiments were also done in a reverse direction : immunoprecipitation was done using anti - il - 24 antibody and the membrane was probed with the anti - s1r antibody ( fig3 b ). il - 24 protein coimmunoprecipitated with s1r , demonstrating a physical interaction between these two molecules , converging with the above results in supporting the hypothesis that il - 24 could antagonize sir . in fig3 b , du - 145 cells were infected with 100 pfu / cell of of ad . vector or ad . il - 24 and immunoprecipitation analysis was done 48 hours later using il - 24 antibody . defining the biochemical basis of cancer - selective activity of il - 24 provides an important entry point for rationally devising combinatorial approaches to enhance the therapeutic impact of this intriguing multifunctional antitumor molecule . il - 24 displays a broad range of antitumor properties including cancer - specific induction of apoptosis , inhibition of tumor angiogenesis , and modulation of anti - tumor immune responses . the results presented here identify s1r as a key mediator of il - 24 induction of cancer - specific killing . s1r agonist (+) sk - 10047 blocks ad . il - 24 — mediated cancer - selective apoptosis in prostate cancer cells ( fig1 a , fig1 b , fig1 c ). er stress response , ros production , and calcium mobilization triggered after ad . il - 24 infection is mediated through a s1r - dependent pathway ( fig2 a , fig2 b , fig2 c ). co - immunoprecipitation and co - localization studies revealed for the first time that il - 24 interacts with s1r ( fig3 a , fig3 b ). ad . il - 24 induces apoptosis through a s1r antagonistic mechanism . il - 24 exerts a tumor - selective , er stress , ros production , calcium mobilization effect by acting through a s1r antagonistic mechanism . one possible mechanism of operation is shown in the model of fig4 wherein il - 24 induces growth inhibition and apoptosis through a s1r - dependent pathway . il - 24 induces er stress and this response could be the common upstream event . downstream targets of il - 24 after induction of er stress include p38 mapk , calcium mobilization , ros , and ceramide production . ad . il - 24 induces ceramide production , and that plays a key role in ros production , which in turn , can generate additional molecules of ceramide . il - 24 protein generates additional molecules of il - 24 that induce more er - stress culminating in an untenable imbalance resulting in apoptosis in cancer cells . secreted il - 24 protein , generated from ad . il - 24 - infected cells , promotes antiangiogenic , immunostimulatory , radiosensitizing and “ bystander ” antitumor activities . il - 24 stimulates the immune system to generate secondary cytokines , such as tnf - α , ifn - γ , and il - 1 that evokes an antitumor immune response . secreted il - 24 protein , generated from ad . il - 24 - infected cells , exerts antiangiogenic activity by inhibiting endothelial cell differentiation and by blocking the activities of vegf and tgf - a via inhibition of src activity within tumor cells . il - 24 protein generates additional molecules of il - 24 that induces more er - stress culminating in an untenable imbalance resulting in apoptosis in cancer cells . specifically , exogenous il - 24 protein induces growth inhibition and apoptosis only in cancer cells through a mechanism identical to ad . il - 24 infection . these observations coupled with the present findings suggest that il - 24 - mediated il - 24 induction could involve an s1r - mediated mechanism as an event down - stream of il - 20 receptor activation by extracellular il - 24 . as discussed in the present work these findings have important implications for the understanding of il - 24 as a tumor suppressor protein as well as an immune modulating cytokine . in accordance with what has been observed with il - 24 , the combination of immunosuppression , along with anti - inflammatory properties makes s1r ligands attractive molecules for therapeutic applications such as autoimmune diseases in which both immune and inflammatory disorders are involved . interestingly , s1r to translocate and remodel the plasma membrane . accumulating evidence indicate that s1r is overexpressed in many cancer cell lines , and contributes to the invasion and metastasis in many human tumors . this disclosure support the hypothesis that sigma 1 receptor ( sir ) may be the upstream initial signal transduction molecule common to these cascades of events involving il - 24 - induced er - stress dependent and independent downstream pathways . in summary , the identification of s1r as a mediator of il - 24 - cancer - specific apoptosis significantly broadens their therapeutic potential for tumors as well as provides new important knowledge for the understanding of il - 24 as an immune modulating cytokine . virus infection . the il - 24 expressing replication defective ad . il - 24 and corresponding empty adenovirus vector lacking exogenous gene , used as a control ( ad . vector ) were custom engineered by vector biolabs , inc . ( philadelphia , pa .). cells and culture conditions . rwpe1 , lncap , du145 , and pc3 ( atcc , rockville , md .) cell lines were grown in dmem with 10 % fetal bovine serum ( fbs ) 1 % penicillin / streptomycin . all cell lines were cultured in humidified atmosphere at 37 ° c . with 5 % co 2 and media was replaced every alternate day . (+)- skf10047 was purchased from tocris ( tocris , uk ). western blot analysis . protein extracts were prepared with ripa buffer containing a mixture of protease inhibitors as described in sauane m , su z z , dash r , et al . “ ceramide plays a prominent role in mda - 7 / il - 24 - induced cancer - specific apoptosis ” j cell physiol . 2010 march ; 222 ( 3 ): 546 - 55 . fifty micrograms of protein was applied to a 12 % sds / page and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes . the membranes were probed with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies to il - 24 , p - eif2a , bip , chop , sigma 1 receptor , and beta - actin . mtt assays . cells were plated in 96 - well dishes ( 1 × 10 3 cells / well ) in dmem containing 10 % fbs and allowed to attach for 12 h prior to treatment ( s ). inhibitors were added 4 h after infection with adenovirus . cell growth and viable cell numbers were monitored by 3 -( 4 , 5 dimethylthiazol - 2 - yl )- 2 , 5 - diphenyltetrazolium bromide ( mtt ) staining as described in sauane m , su z z , dash r , et al . “ ceramide plays a prominent role in mda - 7 / il - 24 - induced cancer - specific apoptosis ” j cell physiol . 2010 march ; 222 ( 3 ): 546 - 55 . annexin v binding assays . cells were trypsinized , washed once with complete medium and pbs , resuspended in 0 . 5 ml of binding buffer containing 2 . 5 mmol / l cacl2 , and stained with allophycocyanin - labeled annexin v ( becton dickinson biosciences , palo alto , calif .) and propidium iodide ( pi ) for 15 min at room temperature . flow cytometry assays were performed as described in sauane m , su z z , dash r , et al . “ ceramide plays a prominent role in mda - 7 / il - 24 - induced cancer - specific apoptosis ” j cell physiol . 2010 march ; 222 ( 3 ): 546 - 55 . colony formation assays . cells were infected with 100 pfu / cell with ad . vector or ad . il - 24 . the next day , 200 to 500 cells were seeded to determine colony - forming ability . after 2 weeks of incubation , colonies were fixed , stained with 5 % giemsa solution , and colonies of & gt ; 50 cells were enumerated as described in sauane m , su z z , dash r , et al . “ ceramide plays a prominent role in mda - 7 / il - 24 - induced cancer - specific apoptosis ” j cell physiol . 2010 march ; 222 ( 3 ): 546 - 55 . immunofluorescence . cells were seeded onto chamber slides ( falcon ; bd biosciences , san jose , calif .) and maintained in dmem with 10 % fetal bovine calf serum , 24 hours postinfection , cells were fixed with 2 % paraformaldehyde , permeabilized by 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 , and then incubated with primary antibodies : il - 24 , and s1r . controls were incubated with only the secondary antibodies under the same experimental conditions . co - immunoprecipitation of s1r with il - 24 . cells were infected with ad . vector or ad . il - 24 . after 48 hours , protein was extracted from subconfluent cultures using lysis buffer ( pierce , rockford , ill .) containing 1 mm phenylmethlsulfonylfluoride ( sigma - aldrich , inc ) and quantified using the bca protein assay kit ( pierce , rockford , ill .). antibodies were conjugated to protein - g beads according , the sigma protein - g immunoprecipitation kit manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions ( sigma - aldrich , inc ). western blot analysis was done as described before using the following primary antibodies at 1 : 1 , 000 dilutions : anti - il - 24 , and anti - s1r . secondary antibodies specific for heavy chain of immunoglobulin g ( igg ) were used as the light chain of igg interfered with detection of il - 24 because of similar size . calcium imaging . for calcium ( ca ++ ) imaging , cells were plated in 35 mm glass bottom petri dishes ( mattek ) and allowed to attach for 12 h prior to treatment ( s ). inhibitors were added 4 h after infection with adenovirus . after 12 h , cells were then rinsed with a ringer &# 39 ; s solution maintained at 37 ° c . cells were then incubated in ringer &# 39 ; s solution containing 0 . 5 μm fura - 2 tetra - acetoxymethyl ester ( fura - 2 ) ( molecular probes ), 10 % pluronic f127 and 250 μm sulfinpyrazone ( sigma - aldrich , inc ) for 40 min at 22 ° c . fura - 2 was excited by alternating 340 and 380 nm light and images were obtained every 50 ms as a measure of ca ++ concentration . background intensity was zero . a bolus injection brought the stimulant concentration in the cell bath to either 1 mm glutamate ( sigma - aldrich , inc ) or 1 mm n - methyl - d - aspartic acid plus the co - stimulator 1 mm glycine . prism software ( graphpadvare inc version 6 . 0c ) was used to analyze the results . intra - group analysis was done with ordinary one - way anova to compare the mean of raw calcium ratios of each treatment group with a control group . a dunnet &# 39 ; s multiple comparison test with a single pooled variance was also performed on the four treatment groups . a significance of 0 . 01 was used in the analysis . assessment of reactive oxygen species ( ros ) generation . du - 145 cells were seeded in 96 - well plates at a concentration of 1 × 10 4 cells / well and were infected with ad . il - 24 for 12 h . the cell cultures were treated with 10 μm 2 , 7 - dichloro - fluorescein diacetate ( dcfh - da ; sigma - aldrich , st . louis , mo .) in pbs for 30 min . after incubation , the media was discarded , and the cells were washed with pbs . the fluorescence intensity was determined using a fluorescence plate reader at 485 nm for excitation and 530 nm for emission . in one embodiment , a method for treatment of a hyperproliferative or autoimmune disorder is provided . examples of hyperproliferative and / or autoimmune disorders include various cancers , including , breast , lung , ovarian , liver , pancreatic , gliomas , gastric , colorectal , renal , prostate human cancers etc . examples of autoimmune disorders include treatment of keloid lesions , rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthropathy , inflammatory bowel disease etc . the tumor suppressor activities include inhibition of angiogenesis , sensitization to chemotherapy , and induction of cancer - specific apoptosis . the method comprising steps of introducing a nucleic acid comprising interleukin 24 ( il - 24 ) into a biological cell under conditions permitting expression of the gene so as to thereby induce apoptosis in the biological cell . in one embodiment , a tumor sample is first verified to expresses sigma 1 receptor ( s1r ). if the tumor sample is positive for s1r expression , then il - 24 can be effective . if the tumor sample is negative for s1r expression , then il - 24 will not be effective . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid is introduced into the biological cell via naked dna technology using histone - free dna . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid is introduced into the biological cell via an adenovirus vector , an adeno - associated virus vector , an epstein - barr virus vector , a herpes virus vector , an attenuated hiv vector , a retroviral vector , or a vaccinia virus vector . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid is introduced into the biological cell via a liposome or an antibody - coated liposome . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid is introduced into the biological cell via a means for mechanically introducing nucleic acids . examples of means for mechanically introducing include microinjection of nucleic acids . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid is introduced into the biological cell via means for electrically introducing nucleic acids . examples of means for electrically introducing include electroporation and electropermeabilization . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid comprises a vector , an adenovirus vector , a replication - defective adenovirus vector expressing mda - 7 , an adeno - associated virus vector , an epstein - barr virus vector . in one such embodiment , the vector is a herpes virus vector , an attenuated hiv vector , a retrovirus vector , or vaccinia virus vector . in one embodiment , the nucleic acid is linked to a cytomegalovirus promoter , or a ersv ) promoter . in another embodiment , a method for identifying a compound capable of acting as a surrogate of il - 24 by binding to sigma 1 receptor intracellularly is provided . the method comprising steps of contacting a biological cell with a test compound , wherein the biological cell expresses sigma 1 receptor ; determining whether diminished endoplasmic reticulum ( er ) stress protein expression ; calcium mobilization ; or reactive oxygen species ( ros ) production is produced , wherein the activation of er stress , the mobilization of calcium or ros production indicates that the test compound acts as a surrogate of il - 24 . in another embodiment , a composition of matter for treatment of a hyperproliferative or autoimmune disorder is provided . the composition of matter comprising interleukin 24 ( il - 24 ) and sigma 1 receptor ( s1r ), wherein the composition of matter is in a form of a controlled dosage form . examples of controlled dosage forms including , one part injectables , two part injectables , oral dosage forms , adhesive pads , time release compositions , and the like . this written description uses examples to disclose the invention , including the best mode , and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention , including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods . the patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims , and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art . such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims , or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims .

6Physics

the term “ module ” is used herein to demarcate a functional operation that may be embodied either as a stand - alone component or as one of a plurality of components in an integrated assembly . in fig1 schematically illustrates a computer software system (“ system ”) 100 . system 100 has an application 120 . application 120 accesses an associated customer database , results of which are displayed on a user interface , although system 100 is illustrated as software modules . in system 100 , static resource names , that is , the non - localized names which do not differentiate among different language formats , etc ., are embedded in the source code of application 120 . the associated customer database has stored within dynamic resource names for use with localized presentations on the user interface and static resource names . a dynamic resource name may be defined as those resource names that are not known at the time when application 120 was created . dynamic resource names can from the customer database or another similar external source . a static resource name may be generally defined as a resource name known by the programmers at the time when application 120 was created . although static definitions can be handled in a resource file , because static names they are defined during application 120 development time , a dynamic resource name , appropriate to present data or graphics over the user interface to an end user , also should be presented . a user interface requests a resource to enable it to display or present an item of interest . application 120 can get either a dynamic resource name from the customer database or a static resource name from the source code of application 120 , or both . although both the static and dynamic resource names are defined inside the end - user database or application 120 , the resource name , such as a dynamic name , might not be updated within a resource file . however , the resource , either dynamic or static , should be put in a cultural or linguistic format that is appropriate to the user interface . therefore , application 120 generates an application programming interface ( api ) call 140 to determine if there is a more appropriate value to be used for presentation of the resource to user interface 130 . api call 140 originates from application 120 , and invokes a resource manager wrapper 150 , as indicated by double - arrows connecting api call 140 and resource manager wrapper 150 . resource manager wrapper 150 can be generally defined as a module , program or script that makes possible the running of a resource manager 160 , as will be described below . api call 140 also has a return value 180 . return value 180 is the value that is used in when presenting a resource through the user interface . for instance , if resource name is “ total . value ,” and the return value is “ kokonaismäärä ,” this is the value that will be used when presenting the resource name corresponding to “ total . value ” on the user interface . the default value of api call 140 is used for two purposes . first , the default value is copied into return value 180 by resource manager wrapper 150 in cases where the resource name was not found in a localized resource file 175 . for instance , if the resource name were “ poisonous liquid ”, the default value within api call 140 could be a color of “ day - glow green ”. therefore , “ day - glow green ” is the value that will be used to select a color in the user interface in the absence of a localized value with a localized resource file 175 . second , the default value of api call 140 is recorded in a resource file 170 together with the resource name of api call 140 if the resource name was not previously recorded in resource file 170 . resource manager wrapper 150 receives information from api call 140 . resource manager wrapper 150 can be a class and api call 140 can be a method in a class according to object oriented programming . resource manager 160 queries localized resource file 175 as to whether the resource name is defined within localized resource file 175 . resource manager 160 can be generally defined as a module , script or code that sorts , indexes , organizes , and can carry out access requests to localized resource file 175 . generally , localized resource file 175 contains various resource names and localized ( i . e . non - default ) values corresponding to the resource names . the manner of entering non - default names into localized resource file 175 will be discussed below . if localized resource file 175 has the resource name stored within it , localized resource file 175 will so indicate to the resource manager 160 . furthermore , localized resource file 175 will convey the associated localization value back to resource manager 160 . however , if the resource name is not found within localized resource file 175 , resource manager wrapper 150 writes the resource name and the received default value into resource file 170 . in other words , system 100 can dynamically update its resource file 170 . for instance , if localized resource file 175 does not have the resource name of “ stress overload ,” resource manager wrapper 150 writes the resource name “ stress overload ,” to resource file 170 . furthermore , resource manager wrapper writes the corresponding default value into resource file 170 . writing values to resource file 170 helps avoid computer crashes because resource file 170 is used to collect the resource names and default values that are not yet localized . the automatic saving of resource names covers both the static resource names embedded in application 120 code and the dynamic names embedded in the customer database or in the external world that the customer database represents . the likelihood of a crash occurring is reduced by sending return value 180 to application 120 . a misspelling in the resource name is corrected through automating the resource name collection . an example of the external world is an english alarm message coming from a third party vendor system . by capturing the alarm message in resource file 170 , it can be translated into local language in localized resource file 175 , and then used in a presentation on the user interface . however , the default values can not go directly from resource file 170 to localized resource file 175 . human intervention is required to do the actual translations and other localization acts . resource file 170 can be viewed with the aid of a localization tool 172 , and contents can be copied , altered and stored in localized resource file 175 . with the aid of localization tool 172 , it can be determined by an operator or a programmer that a resource name within resource file 170 has an inappropriate corresponding default value , as received from api call 140 , and that the resource name should have a corresponding value that is more correct in the translated language to the end user of the user interface . localization tool 172 copies the resource name and the default value from resource file 170 . localization tool 172 is then used to generate an appropriate localization value to correspond to the resource name . generally , the localization value is a value that is used for presenting the resource in user interface 130 in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner . for instance , for the resource name of “ poisonous liquid ”, instead of a default value of “ day - glow green ,” the corresponding localized value of “ burnt umber ” could be generated . the localization value and the resource value are then stored in localized resource 175 . in other words , resource file 170 is used to only capture those resources that are not yet included in localized resource file 175 . the localized resource files within localized resources 175 can be organized by two criteria : 1 ) by language and 2 ) by application area . the language can be specific for a culture , geographical area , or local practice . the application area can be part of an application , specific for an application , or shared by multiple applications . an application area can be generally defined as an application having independent parts , such as displays or reports . a computer can support substantially independent applications that need to share the same translations . the choice of languages / cultures can be independent of the application areas . if there was no resource name defined within localized resources 175 , then the default value from api call 140 becomes return value 180 . if there was a resource found in localized resource file 175 , the corresponding localization value becomes return value 180 . api call 140 then returns resource name and return value 180 to application 120 . application 120 interprets returned value 180 and employs it in user interface 130 for presentations to the end user . localization tool 172 is used to generate a localization value for storage within localized resource file 175 . for instance , in localized resource file 175 created for finnish speakers , localization tool 172 writes the resource name “ stress overload ” with a corresponding localized value of “ ylipaine ” ( finnish for “ stress overload ”). before the finnish localized value of the resource name is written to localized resource file 175 , user interface 130 will show the default value string “ stress overload ”. this value of “ stress overload ” would be return value 180 . after the finnish translations are available in localized resource file 175 for finnish speakers as a localized value , return value 180 of “ ylipaine ” will be shown in the user interface 130 . alternative languages for use within localized resource 175 can be , for instance , english , spanish , finnish , mandarin chinese , or german . the values are not restricted to words , phrases , and text , but can be used for all culture and language specific user interface items , such as colors , icons , pictures , audio , and video . in this example the resource name “ stress overload ” was also used as the “ default value ” in the application code . within localized resource file 175 , there is a hierarchical structure for the languages and geographical areas . the hierarchical structure for geographical areas is a practical way to reduce the translation effort to support the same language on similar environments . this is a concept supported by resource manager 160 , such as the microsoft resource manager . for example , there can be translations for german in general and german spoken in switzerland specifically . if the specific swiss dialect of german is not found within localized resource file 175 , the generic german translation is used . if the german translation is missing , the default value specified in application 120 is used . when application 120 generates api call 140 , it does its initialization corresponding to application area and the target language and / or cultural area of use are indicated . the language can be changed , say from english to finnish , after the initialization of api call 140 to support immediate language changes without restarting the application 120 . this would occur through selecting different files within localized resource file 175 , each file having the appropriate localized values for individual languages . application 120 can use api call 140 by indicating the target language during initialization . in that case the language selection is static . if the language is not indicated , then the language currently selected in the operating system or application management is used . resource manager wrapper 150 can detect the language change in the operating system or application management . after the change , resource manager wrapper 150 will explicitly change the language selection in resource manager 160 . with this feature , a developer of application 120 does not need to write any code to support a dynamic language changes . fig2 illustrates a flow chart 200 for using and updating a resource file . after an enter step 205 , in step 210 , resource manager wrapper 150 is activated by api call 140 . api call 140 has a resource name and corresponding default value . in step 220 , it is determined whether the resource name is defined within localized resource file 175 . if it is , then the corresponding localized value is returned from localized resource file 175 . in step 250 , localized value is copied to application 120 through use of return value 180 , and method 200 exits in step 270 . however , if in step 220 it is determined that the resource name is not in localized resource file 175 , resource manager wrapper 150 adds the resource name and default value to resource file 170 . in step 260 , a copy of the default value is returned to application 120 through return value 180 , and method 200 exits in step 270 . referring to fig3 , illustrated herein is a block diagram of a computer system 300 adapted for dynamically updating resource file 170 according to method 200 . computer system 300 includes a user computer 310 coupled to user interface 305 , a memory 330 , a storage media 340 , a network 350 , a developer computer 351 , and a translator computer 352 . memory 330 is used to run application 120 on user computer 310 . memory 330 contains application 120 , resource manager wrapper 150 , and resource manager 160 . application 120 , resource manager wrapper 150 , and resource manager 160 were coded originally in developer computer 351 . the resource names used are either embedded in the application code 120 or application 120 retrieves the resource names from customer database 110 or another external location . the storage media 340 contains customer database 110 , resource file 170 , and localized resources 175 . when application 120 is executed , the items in storage media 340 can be partially or completely loaded into memory 330 . customer database 110 was originally coded and had data input from developer computer 351 and can be modified and updated in user computer 310 . application 120 uses resource manager wrapper 150 to determine if a localized value matches the resource name for a cultural context and / or selected language . resource manager wrapper 150 uses resource manager 160 for the actual retrieval based on the information stored in localized resources 175 . if the localization value is found , this value is returned to application 120 as return value 180 by resource manager 150 . return value 180 is then used by application 120 in presentations on user interface 130 . if a resource name is not specified for the selected language and cultural context in localized resource file 175 , ( i . e ., there is no corresponding localized value for that resource name ), the default value specified by api call 140 of application 120 is copied as the return value 180 and the resource name and the default value are stored in resource file 170 . return value 180 is then used by application 120 in presentations on user interface 130 . after executing the application 120 during development , testing , production , or other periods , the names of all new resources and their default values are stored in resource file 170 . then , the new resource names and default values are downloaded into a translator computer 352 . localization tool 172 is used by translator computer 352 to generate localized values for various language and cultures for the new resources that are found in resource file 170 . these localized values and corresponding resource names are input into localized resource file 175 for all the languages and cultures that are used in conjunction with user interface 130 . the user interface 130 shows the retrieved localized value on windows on a monitor screen 321 and on a reports printer 322 or other man - machine output devices , such as a speaker . it should be understood that various alternatives , combinations and modifications of the teachings described herein could be devised by those skilled in the art . the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

the premix for the fracturing fluid of this invention comprises a gelling composition which is a solvatable polysaccharide having a molecular weight of at least about 100 , 000 . this includes the galactomannan gums , glucomannan gums , and cellulose derivatives . cellulose derivatives are rendered solvatable by reacting cellulose with hydrophyllic constituents . guar gum , locust bean gum , karaya gum , sodium carboxymethylguar , hydroxyethylguar , sodium carboxymethlhydroxyethylguar , hydroxypropylguar , sodium carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar , sodium carboxymethylcellulose , sodium carboxymethylhydroxycellulose , and hydroxyethylcellulose are examples of useful gelling compositions . preferred gelling compositions are hydroxypropylguar , hydroxyethylcellulose and the carboxymethyl - substituted derivatives of each , carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar ( cmhpg ) and carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose ( cmhec ), with the carboxymethyl - substituted derivatives of each ( cmhpg and cmhec ) being most preferred . the crosslinking agents are compositions containing polyvalent metal ions , preferably metal ions having a valence of + 3 or + 4 , more preferably compositions containing zirconium + 4 ions , and most preferably zirconium acetal acetonate . a ph - adjusting agent , or buffer is added to the system as necessary to adjust the ph to optimise the hydration of the gelling composition , the dissolution and activation of the crosslinking agent , and provide the necessary acidity to react with materials , such as basic clay minerals , in the formation as desired . raising the ph of the composition has a slowing effect on the hydration of some gelling compositions . raising the ph may also retard the activity of the crosslinking agent , but the effect of ph on both of these rates is not necessarily uniform . since it is desirable that the gelling composition be hydrated prior to the time the crosslinking agent becomes active , it will be necessary to determine the exact ph required for the specific gelling composition and the specific crosslinking agent to be utilized , and then to select the ph - adjusting agent accordingly . any acidic or basic material may be used to adjust ph which does not adversely react with the other materials present in the system . examples of suitable ph adjustors are hydrochloric acid , fumaric acid , phthalic acid , potassium , biophthalate , sodium hydrogen fumarate , sodium dihydrogen citrate , adipic acid , disodium phosphate , sodium carbonate , sodium diacetate , and sulfamic acid , and more preferably furmaric acid , sodiumdiacetate , and sulfamic acid , with sodium diacetate , fumaric acid and sodium bicarbonate being most preferred . the proportions of crosslinking agent to gelling composition are in the range of between about 1 : 5 and 1 : 10 , preferably between about 1 : 7 and about 1 : 9 , and most preferably about 1 : 8 . the amount of ph - adjusting agent will depend upon the ph - adjusting agent used and the desired final ph , and will generally be at a ratio to gelling composition of between about 1 : 5 and about 1 : 20 , preferably between about 1 : 7 and about 1 : 9 , and more preferably about 1 : 8 . the final ph will depend upon the combination of gelling composition and crosslinking agent chosen , as well as upon the makeup of the subterranean formation , and will generally be between about 2 and about 8 . 5 , more preferably between about 4 and about 7 . 5 , and most preferably between about 5 and about 6 . the physical form in which the crosslinking agent is provided in the mix is selected so as to provide a solubility rate compatible with the hydration rate of the gelling composition . preferably all the gelling composition has been hydrated prior to dissolution of the crosslinking agent . slowly soluble crosslinking agents such as zirconium acetyl acetonate are thus preferred . the size of the particles of the crosslinking agent may be altered to affect its solubility . the particles may also be pretreated with such compositions as wax to retard their solubility . the desired solubility rate for the crosslinking agent will be such that the crosslinking agent does not substantially act until the gelling compositions is well - hydrated . preferably , a commercially available crosslinking agent such as powdered zirconium acetyl acetonate made by kay fries company of stoney point , n . y . or harshaw company of los angeles , calif . is used for reasons of process economy . the dry mixed ingredients are blended to disperse the crosslinking agent and ph - adjusting agent uniformly throughout the gelling composition . propping agents ( including sand , bauxite and other particulate materials known to the art ) may be added to the dry ingredients . the dry mix is added to an aqueous stream as it is pumped into the well . rapid hydration of the gelling composition is facilitated by the turbulence of the material in the well bore . the aqueous stream may be aqueous liquid , including hard water , having a chloride concentration up to about 3 , 000 ppm , and preferably less than about 2 , 000 ppm . the proportion of dry mixed ingredients to water will be a function of the desired peak viscosity . in general , for a desired peak viscosity of between about 800 cps and about 2 , 000 cps and about 9 . 6 grams of dry mix per liter of water will be utilized . the relationship between peak viscosity and ratio of gelling composition to water is well known to the art when pregelling tanks are used . however , if the gelling composition is not 100 percent hydrated when the crosslinking agent becomes active , as may occur in the practice of this invention , when the solubility of the crosslinking agent is not precisely fitted to the hydration rate of the gelling composition , the ability of the gelling composition to bind up the water will be less than the norm for the same gelling composition and the same crosslinking agent when the gelling composition is prehydrated in a gelling tank prior to the addition of the crosslinking agent . the proportion of the dry mixed ingredients to water must therefore be increased over that of prior art processes when practising the process of this invention , typically in an amount of between about 0 . 4 and about 0 . 6 weight percent , preferably between about 0 . 45 and about 0 . 55 percent , and most preferably between about 0 . 47 and about 0 . 52 percent , for any given desired viscosity . the precise increase will , of course , depend on the particular crosslinking agent and gelling composition used , and should be minimized within the limits dictated by process economies . complete gellation of the fracturing fluid , including crosslinking thereof , will generally occur in a period of time specific for the particular gelling composition and crosslinking agent selected , dependent on the temperature of the formation , although it may be somewhat speeded or retarded within the operative ph limits for the reaction by adjusting the ph . in general , matching of the gellation time with the amount of time required for the fracturing fluid to reach the bottom of the well bore will be controlled by varying the pumping rate . the duration necessary for completion of the crosslinking reaction will also depend upon the temperature within the well bore . in general , the crosslinking reaction goes to completion within the range of about 80 ° f . to about 130 ° f . with no problem . the final crosslinked fracturing fluid will have a viscosity of between about 800 and about 2 , 500 , preferably between about 1 , 000 and about 2 , 000 , and most preferably between about 1 , 200 and about 1 , 600 , which is comparable to prior art fracturing fluids requiring prehydration of the gelling composition in gelling tanks . at ambient temperature , 20 grams cmhec was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 2 . 5 grams zirconium acetyl acetonate ( solubility about 1 . 2 minutes in water ) and 2 . 5 grams sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 5 . 5 . crosslinking occurred in one minute . at ambient temperature , 40 grams hpg was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams zirconium acetyl acetonate and 5 grams sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 5 . 29 . weak crosslinking developed . at ambient temperature , 40 grams cmhec was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams aluminum acetyl acetonate ( solubility about 45 seconds ) and 5 grams sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 5 . 5 . no crosslinking occurred . at ambient temperature , 40 grams cmhec was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams potassium pyroantimonate ( solubility about 30 minutes ) and 5 grams sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1000 gal . the final ph was 5 . 36 . no crosslinking occurred . at ambient temperature , 40 grams cmhec was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams potassium pyroantimonate and 5 grams sulfamic acid . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 4 . 46 . no crosslinking occurred . at ambient temperature , 20 grams hec was thoroughly blended using sand rollers with 2 . 5 grams zirconium acetyl acetonate and 2 . 5 grams sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 5 . 5 . no crosslinking occurred . at ambient temperature , 40 pounds cmhpg was thoroughly blended for 30 minutes using powder rollers with 5 pounds zirconium acetyl acetonate and 5 pounds sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . and stirred with a waring blender . the final ph was 5 . 73 . crosslinking occurred in 41 . 1 seconds . at ambient temperature , 40 grams cmhpg was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams zirconium acetyl acetonate and 5 grams powdered fumaric acid . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 4 . 96 . crosslinking occurred in 1 minute 4 seconds . at ambient temperature , 40 grams cmhpg was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams zirconium acetyl acetonate , 5 grams aluminum acetyl acetonate , and 5 grams sodium diacetate . the dry ingredients were dispersed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 4 . 78 . crosslinking occurred in 58 . 8 seconds . at ambient temperature , 40 grams cmhpg was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 grams zirconium acetyl acetonate , 13 grams aluminum acetyl acetonate , and 5 grams fumaric acid . the dry ingredients were dispursed in tap water at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the final ph was 4 . 89 . weak crosslinking occured in 2 minutes 30 seconds . at ambient temperature , the formula of example 1 was dispersed in aqueous solutions having varying ph &# 39 ; s at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . the ph &# 39 ; s of the aqueous solution , ph &# 39 ; s of the mixture after addition of the dry ingredients , hydration time and crosslink time are set forth below in tabular form : ______________________________________beginning ph after hydration crosslinkingaqueous ph mixing time ( sec .) time ( sec . ) ______________________________________2 . 99 4 . 78 30 903 . 02 4 . 96 60 n . a . 3 . 54 4 . 90 30 & lt ; 603 . 54 5 . 20 60 1203 . 96 4 . 94 30 & lt ; 604 . 01 5 . 28 & gt ; 30 604 . 50 5 . 32 & gt ; 30 604 . 51 4 . 94 30 504 . 98 4 . 98 30 & lt ; 605 . 06 5 . 35 & gt ; 30 605 . 48 4 . 99 20 455 . 57 5 . 35 & gt ; 30 456 . 02 5 . 04 20 456 . 08 5 . 36 & gt ; 30 406 . 55 5 . 44 30 557 . 05 5 . 42 & lt ; 30 457 . 49 5 . 43 & lt ; 30 407 . 96 5 . 43 & gt ; 30 & gt ; 458 . 12 5 . 47 & lt ; 30 508 . 47 5 . 48 & lt ; 30 509 . 03 5 . 47 & gt ; 30 559 . 08 5 . 56 & lt ; 30 609 . 56 5 . 46 & lt ; 30 6010 . 0 5 . 67 & lt ; 30 & gt ; 6010 . 06 5 . 49 & lt ; 30 6010 . 88 5 . 60 & lt ; 30 6011 . 03 5 . 93 & lt ; 40 & gt ; 6011 . 07 5 . 79 & lt ; 30 6011 . 25 6 . 19 30 6811 . 51 7 . 14 45 n . a . 11 . 52 6 . 83 45 n . a . 12 . 00 9 . 86 60 n . a . ______________________________________ the formula of example 1 was hydrated with water containing 2 percent potassium chloride at various temperatures , to a concentration of 2 , 000 ppm , and the crosslink time measured . results are set forth in tabular form below : ______________________________________temp . (° f .) cross - link time ( sec . ) ______________________________________ - 2 n . a . 34 240 ( weak ) 45 90 72 & lt ; 60100 & lt ; 60110 60130 50 ( weak ) 150 n . a . ______________________________________ the formula of example 1 ( formula 1 ) was compared with formulas containing two buffers . each formula was hydrated with water to a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 000 gal . at two different ph &# 39 ; s . the formulas are as follows : ______________________________________formula 1 : 40 pounds cmhec 5 pounds zirconium acetyl acetonate 5 pounds sodiumdiacetateformula 2 : 40 pounds cmhec 5 pounds zirconium acetyl acetonate 4 pounds sodium diacetate 1 pound sodium bicarbonateformula 3 : 40 pounds cmhec 5 pounds zirconium acetyl acetonate 4 . 5 pounds sodiumdiacetate . 5 pounds sodium carbonate______________________________________ ______________________________________ beginning ph after hydration cross - linkformula aqueous ph mixing time ( sec .) time ( sec . ) ______________________________________1 6 . 90 5 . 55 & lt ; 30 & lt ; 451 11 . 01 6 . 07 & lt ; 30 & lt ; 902 7 . 00 6 . 05 & lt ; 30 & lt ; 902 11 . 04 6 . 83 & lt ; 30 n . a . 3 6 . 93 6 . 24 & lt ; 30 n . a . 3 11 . 02 7 . 35 & lt ; 30 n . a . ______________________________________ at ambient temperature , 45 pounds cmhec was thoroughly blended using powder rollers with 5 pounds zirconium acetyl acetonate , 1 pound sodium bicarbonate , and 4 pounds fumaric acid having a particle size of 80 mesh ( tyler ). the dry ingredients were dispersed in aqueous solutions having different ph values , at a concentration of 50 lbs / 1 , 00 gal . results are set forth in tabular form below : ______________________________________beginning ph after hydration time cross - link timeaqueous ph mixing ( sec .) ( sec . ) ______________________________________9 . 48 5 . 60 & lt ; 30 3007 . 00 6 . 40 & lt ; 30 100______________________________________ although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by the way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding , it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention , as limited only by the scope of the appended claims .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

reference now will be made to the embodiments of the invention , one or more examples of which are set forth below . each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention , not as a limitation of the invention . in fact , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in this invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . melt flow index ( mfi ), also known as melt flow rate ( mfr ), is a measure of viscosity of a material ( such as a polyolefin resin ) at a given temperature , expressed as grams / 10 minutes . astm 1238 - 04 is an internationally known standard for determining the rate of extrusion of molten resins through a die of specified length and diameter under prescribed conditions . astm d 1238 - 04 is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes . in general , the lower the viscosity of a material at a given temperature , the higher will be the mfr of that material . high mfr values indicate low viscosity . it is believed that 3 , 4 - dmdbs has not been widely used in low temperature processing applications , such as polyolefin processes employing relatively high melt flow rate ( mfr ) resin . this may be because it is known that at relatively low processing temperatures , 3 , 4 - dmdbs loses its ability to provide low and desirable levels of haze . thus , there is a strong need in the industry to produce high quality polyolefin or polypropylene parts exhibiting low haze , using high mfr formulations . this invention addresses that need . in the practice of the invention , an unexpected and relatively high amount of synergy has been discovered in the use of an additive blend composition at relatively low temperatures for polyolefins that employs both : ( 1 ) bis ( 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ) sorbitol ( dmdbs ) and ( 2 ) dibenzylidene sorbitol ( dbs ). this synergistic effect is especially useful and applicable when using high melt flow resins at relatively low processing or molding temperatures , such as below about 210 degrees c . in some applications , the invention may be employed for processing temperatures no greater than about 200 degrees c . in yet other applications , processing temperatures no greater than about 190 degrees c . are desirable . the resin ratio of bis ( 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ) sorbitol to dibenzylidene sorbitol may in some applications be between about 80 : 20 and 10 : 90 . desirable and unexpectedly favorable haze values in molded plastic parts may be obtained using processing temperatures ( compounding temperatures , and molding temperatures ) much lower than previously known for this combination of nucleating agents . a lower processing temperature enables the use of less energy in the molding of plastic parts . energy is required to bring the polymer up to the compounding and molding temperatures . a lower temperature leads to reduced energy costs , which can be significant in high volume manufacturing operations . one advantage of lower temperatures is that the cycle time ( time required to mold one plastic part ) may be reduced using lower temperatures . this enables the manufacture of a significantly greater number of parts per unit time . a polyolefin comprising a blended dbs - containing additive composition is provided in one aspect of the invention comprising ( a ) a polypropylene resin , said polypropylene resin having an mfr value of at least about 20 ; ( b ) a first compound comprising bis ( 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ) sorbitol ; and ( c ) a second compound comprising dibenzylidene sorbitol . the polypropylene ( pp ) resin may exhibit an mfr value of at least about 20 , and in other instances at least about 30 , or 40 . in other applications , the mfr value of the pp resin may be about 50 or higher , depending upon the application . a method for reducing haze in a polypropylene resin composition is possible in the practice of the invention . the method is directed to providing a polypropylene ( pp ) resin , and then combining the pp resin with a first compound comprising bis ( 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ) sorbitol and a second compound comprising dibenzylidene sorbitol , forming a nucleated resin . the nucleated resin is processed at a temperature no greater than about 210 degrees c . in other applications , the resin is processed at a temperature no greater than about 190 degrees c . the polypropylene resin may be vis - broken from a lower mfr ( i . e . 12 mfr ) to an mfr value of at least about 30 , in one aspect of the invention . vis breaking is a process of controlled rheology or breaking the polymer chains in the polymer to raise the mfr value of a polyolefin resin . this chain breaking is typically accomplished with an organic peroxide during the melt compounding process . however , vis breaking is not always used to obtain high mfr resins , and may not be required . in some cases , for example a polypropylene ( pp ) resin providing an mfr of at least about 30 may be produced in the reactor . melt flow index ( mfi ), also known as melt flow rate ( mfr ), is a measure of viscosity of a material ( such as a polyolefin resin ) at a given temperature , expressed as grams / 10 minutes . astm 1238 - 04 is an internationally known standard for determining the rate of extrusion of molten resins through a die of specified length and diameter under prescribed conditions . astm d 1238 - 04 is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes . in general , the lower the viscosity of a material at a given temperature , the higher will be the mfr of that material . high mfr values indicate low viscosity . in one aspect of the invention , an additive composition is adapted for application to high melt flow rate polyolefins . the additive provides a combination of at least two nucleating agent compounds , bis ( 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ) sorbitol , and dibenzylidene sorbitol . the weight percentage of the bis ( 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ) sorbitol ( dmdbs ) is in the range of about 15 to about 60 percent of the total of the combined dmdbs / dbs total . such a blend is particularly helpful and adapted for reducing haze in high melt flow rate polyolefins . the weight percentage of the first compound as a percentage of the total is greater than 25 percent and less than 50 percent , in one particular application being deployed . fig2 shows unexpected and superior results in one aspect of the invention revealing a blend of 3 , 4 - dimethylbenzylidene ( 3 , 4 - dmdbs ) and dibenzylidene sorbitol ( dbs ). greatly reduced haze values , and previously unknown synergy , may be obtained . this data shown in fig2 and table 3 was obtained when operating at relatively low processing temperatures ( compounding temperature of about 190 degrees c . and molding temperature of about 190 degrees c .). the resin was vis - broken to reduce viscosity , having a 50 - 60 mfr range , measured as grams / 10 min . blend loading was 1800 ppm . thus , the resin was much less viscous than the resin used in the conventional process described above with respect to fig1 . this invention facilitates reduced cycle times and reduced energy consumption in the manufacture of products . the amount of synergy observed is more significant , compared to prior art processes employing this blend . the area between the dashed line and the curved line represents the amount of synergy observed in this combination , at this processing temperature and condition ( s ). this “ synergy ” area is shaded in fig2 . the synergy level is most pronounced at 15 - 60 weight % dmdbs for the blend , and peaks at the lowest haze values , corresponding to 25 - 50 weight % dmdbs ( as a percentage of the dmdbs / dbs total ). this substantial haze improvement is unexpected and significant . the synergy factor for the data reported in fig2 was calculated as 806 haze %* dmdbs %. this represents a calculated synergy about 4 times as much as the synergy calculated for the prior conventional process shown above in fig1 ( 806 for this particular application of the invention , as compared to 204 for the prior conventional process of fig1 ). this is a substantial , unexpected , and surprising result . this difference is believed to be due to the use of such blends in applications that employ lower temperatures for resin compounding and extrusion . this enables the use of a less viscous high mfr resin while still achieving superior haze characteristics . the term polyolefin or polyolefin resin is intended to encompass materials comprised of at least one polyolefin compound . examples may include polypropylene , polyethylene , polybutylene , and any blends or copolymers thereof , whether high or low density in composition . however , the invention is most useful as applied in polypropylene . the typical definition of a “ high melt flow ” polypropylene ( pp ) composition (“ resin ”) is a pp resin having an mfr of greater than about 30 . high mfr resins can be processed at relatively low temperatures . mfr values , for purposes of this published data , may be measured using the standard astm test d1238 which is hereby incorporated by reference . crystallization is important to determine the time needed to form a solid article from molten polyolefin resins . the polymer crystallization temperature is measured using a differential scanning calorimeter ( dsc ). the sample ( for example , a polypropylene control sample , or a nucleated polypropylene sample ) may be heated from 60 degrees c . to 220 degrees c . at a rate of 20 degrees c . increase per minute to produce a molten formulation . then the formulation may be held at 220 degrees c . for 2 minutes . at that time , the temperature is lowered at a rate of 20 degrees c . per minute until the sample reaches the starting temperature of 60 degrees c . the polymer crystallization temperature is measured as the peak maximum during the crystallization exotherm . the onset crystallization temperature of the polymer is the temperature at the beginning of the crystallization process , which may be calculated using dsc software . haze measurements for samples analyzed herein were provided according to astm d1003 - 00 using a haze meter such as a byk gardner haze guard plus on 2 inch × 3 inch × 0 . 05 inch plaques . nucleating agents affect the temperature at which crystallization occurs . dbs - type nucleating agents typically are most effective when they come out of solution and become insoluble in molten polymer at a temperature slightly above onset crystallization temperature . when small well - dispersed nucleating agent particles become insoluble in a molten polymer they provide nucleation sites for the polymer to crystallize as the polymer cools . the balancing of the relationship between nucleator composition and amount and processing conditions is important in achieving desired haze characteristics in a finished polymer article . this invention achieves a favorable balance between these factors . it is desirable that a polyolefin article not impart undesirable taste or odor ( known as exhibiting “ good organoleptics ”). this feature is critical for use in many applications , particularly food contact applications . it is widely known in the industry that 3 , 4 - dmdbs has very good organoleptic qualities . in blind taste tests , the inventive combination performed equivalent to the use of 3 , 4 - dmdbs alone , in resins of various mfr , including vis - breaking resins . bis ( o - 4 - methylbenzylidene ) sorbitol ( mdbs ) is another commercial clarifier for polypropylene . it is not preferred in many applications , particularly food contact applications , because of its poor organoleptic property . polypropylene parts containing mdbs transfer the undesirable odor to the food which is in contact with the polypropylene part . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 049 , 605 to rekers demonstrates that dmdbs is superior to mdbs in organoleptic properties . in blind taste tests , the current inventive combination performed superior to mdbs in organoleptics , in both a reactor grade polypropylene resin of 12 mfr and in a vis breaking polypropylene resin of about 50 - 60 mfr . the ability to run a process at a broad range of conditions ( such as temperature ) is valuable in the polyolefin molding industry . this is known as a “ broad processing window ”. this refers to the ability to perform a process over a large temperature range . such a broad “ window ” enables ease of manufacturing and may lead to a more consistent finished product . the ability to manufacture a polyolefin article at comparatively low processing temperatures is desirable to reduce manufacturing cost . the claimed invention facilitates a broader processing window . the total concentration of dbs and 3 , 4 - dmdbs within the polyolefin formulation is equivalent to the typical concentration of 3 , 4 - dmdbs within the polyolefin formulation when 3 , 4 - dmdbs is used alone . the haze of various nucleating agent combinations , injection molded at 190 ° c ., 210 ° c ., and 230 ° c ., respectively , are shown in table 3 and table 4 . these measurements were obtained in a vis - broken 50 - 60 mfr polyolefin formulation prepared and compounded as detailed herein . haze values at 190 degrees c . molding temperature in table 3 was provided in fig2 , which is discussed herein . table 4 data indicates that an injection molding temperature of about 230 ° c ., the haze measurements for both formulations decrease as total clarifier loading increases . at injection molding temperatures of about 210 ° c . the optimum haze values for containing 3 , 4 - dmdbs as the only clarifier were obtained at a total clarifier loading of approximately 1600 ppm . in comparison , for samples containing a clarifier mixture comprised of a blend of dbs and 3 , 4 - dmdbs the haze measurements decrease as total clarifier loading increases . this indicates that clarifier mixtures comprised of both dbs and 3 , 4 - dmdbs facilitate a larger processing window as compared to 3 , 4 - dmdbs alone . when injection molding is performed at 190 ° c ., samples containing only 3 , 4 - dmdbs show markedly increased haze values as the total clarifier concentration increases . in contrast , the mixture of 3 , 4 - dmdbs / dbs reaches an optimum haze at a total concentration of approximately 1800 ppm and remains relatively constant up to levels of approximately 2200 ppm . this indicates that when injection molded at temperatures of about 190 ° c ., the 3 , 4 - dmdbs / dbs blended mix exhibits much improved performance . in summary , blends of 3 , 4 - dmdbs and dbs have a much wider processing window than 3 , 4 - dmdbs alone , which is desirable . the claimed invention can be made in a manufacturing environment by physically blending the desired mixture , by weight , of dbs ( millad ® 3905 ) and 3 , 4 - dmdbs ( millad ® 3988 ), which are two separate products , that are prepared in separate reactions . thus , the relative amount of one to the other may be varied to any degree desired , since they are added independently . both compounds are commercially available as high purity powders , as well as masterbatch formulations , from milliken & amp ; company of spartanburg , s . c . both products allow for the component ratios to be tailored to suit the cost and clarity requirements for a given application . the base resin is a random copolymer (“ rcp ”) with an mfr of approximately 12 g / 10 min . the base resin and all additives ( as indicated in table 1 ) were weighed and then blended in a high intensity henschel mixer for about one minute . samples were then extruded using a deltaplast 25 mm single screw extruder having an lid ratio of 30 : 1 . all zones on the extruder were set for 190 ° c . the pelletized samples were molded into 2 ″× 3 ″× 0 . 05 ″ plaques on an arburg 40 ton injection molder , for the examples shown in table 2 . plaque thickness was checked by a digital micrometer . it is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only , and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

referring now to fig1 , a shrouded injector 4 for use in accordance with the present disclosure is shown . the injector 4 includes an inner tube 8 that forms an inner passage 5 . hydrated lime or pulverized quicklime is pneumatically conveyed through the inner passage 5 of the inner tube 8 to discharge the lime into an exhaust duct as more fully described below . the injector 4 also includes an outer tube 6 that shrouds the inner tube 8 . generally the outer tube 6 is concentric to the inner tube 8 . however , the present disclosure also includes embodiments wherein the outer tube 6 and inner tube 8 are not concentric along a portion of their length ( e . g ., at their outlet ) or even are not concentric along their entire respective lengths . the inner tube 8 and outer tube 6 form an annular passage 3 between the inner tube and outer tube . a shrouding gas is introduced into the annular passage 3 to prevent the injector from occluding . the injector 4 has an outlet end 10 which , as shown in fig2 , corresponds to the outlet end of the outer tube 6 and not that of the inner tube 8 as the outer tube 6 extends past the inner tube 8 . it should be noted however that , in some embodiments , the inner tube 8 and outer tube 6 terminate at the same point and the outer end 10 of the injector 4 corresponds to the outlet end of both the inner tube and outer tube . as shown in fig2 , the outer tube 6 extends past the inner tube 8 by a distance d 1 . this offset d 1 helps ensure that the shrouding air completely purges the outlet end 10 of the injector 4 , thereby preventing reaction between lime ( the hydrate ) and acidic gas as lime is introduced into the effluent gas . d 1 should be sufficiently small such that the shrouding gas prevents lime ( e . g ., hydrated lime ) from contacting the effluent gas as lime exits the injector 4 and may depend on the velocity of the shrouding and conveying gases . in several embodiments , the offset distance d 1 is at least about 0 . 125 inches ( about 0 . 318 cm ) or even about 0 . 25 inches ( about 0 . 635 cm ) or more ( e . g ., from about 0 . 125 inches to about 2 inches ( about 0 . 318 cm to about 5 . 080 cm ) or from about 0 . 125 inches to about 1 inch ( about 0 . 318 cm to about 2 . 540 cm )). as stated above , d 1 may be zero and the inner tube 8 and outer tube 6 may terminate at the same point . as shown in fig2 , the outlet end of the inner tube 8 and outlet end of the outer tube 6 may be beveled to reduce the metal surface area upon which scale may begin to form at the outlet 10 . the bevel also creates a venturi effect as lime exits the injector 4 to help distribute lime into the exhaust duct . in some embodiments , the inner tube 8 and / or outer tube 6 narrow at their respective outlet ends to increase the velocity of the shrouding gas and / or conveying gas prior to their discharge into the exhaust duct to facilitate their distribution into the exhaust duct . in some embodiments of the present disclosure , the ratio of the diameter of the inner tube 8 to the diameter of the outer tube 6 is at least about 1 : 4 . higher ratios such as at least about 1 : 3 , at least about 2 : 3 , at least about 3 : 4 or at least about 4 : 5 may be used so as to reduce the amount of shrouding gas . suitably the ratio of the diameter of the inner tube 8 to the diameter of the outer tube 6 may be less than about 9 : 10 , less than about 7 : 8 , less than about 3 : 4 or less than about 2 : 3 . the diameter of the outer tube 6 may be from about 1 . 5 inches to about 4 inches ( about 3 . 81 cm to about 10 . 16 cm ) and the diameter of the inner tube 8 may be from about 1 . 25 inches to about 3 inches ( about 3 . 18 cm to about 7 . 62 cm ). tube diameters listed above are exemplary and other tube diameters may be used without limitation . referring now to fig3 , the inner tube 8 may be generally centered within the outer tube 6 by use of three or more spacers 25 that are attached ( e . g ., by welding ) to the inner tube 8 and center the outer tube 6 ( e . g ., by welding the spacers 25 to the inner tube 8 and not the outer tube 6 ). the spacers 25 may run the length of the injector 4 or may be used intermittently along the length without limitation . in some embodiments of the present disclosure and as shown in fig4 , a dispersion cone 20 is attached to the injector 4 to help distribute lime into the exhaust duct . the dispersion cone 20 may be attached by a bracket 22 which is attached ( e . g ., by welding ) to the injector 4 . the injector 4 includes an imaginary axis a that extends through the cone 20 . the cone 20 forms an angle θ with the imaginary axis a . angle θ may suitably be from about 30 ° to about 60 °. in this regard it has been found that by shrouding the inner tube 8 ( fig1 ) of the injector 4 , less scale is formed between the outlet end 10 of the injector 4 and the cone 20 relative to conventional injectors . the materials of construction for the injector 4 and dispersion cone 20 should generally be resistant to corrosion in the environment in which they are used and , in particular , should be resistant to corrosion when exposed to acidic gases . suitable materials of construction include any material ( e . g ., metals ) that can reliably withstand the temperatures and pressures used within the injector 4 such as carbon steel , stainless steel or brass . referring now to fig5 , a plurality of injectors 4 and , optionally , dispersion cones ( not shown ), may be used in a system for introducing lime sorbent into a duct 16 in which effluent gas passes , with the direction of effluent gas being indicated by the arrow . the injectors 4 may be arranged in parallel as shown in fig5 . the injectors 4 may extend through a common wall as shown in fig5 or , alternatively , the injectors may be arranged at spaced intervals along the exhaust duct circumference . the injectors 4 may also be arranged in configurations other than as shown or described ( e . g ., in series ) without limitation . each injector 4 is in fluid communication with a shrouding gas 24 and a conveying gas 20 , the conveying gas having sorbent entrained therein . the conveying gas 20 is introduced into the inner passage 5 of the inner tube 8 ( fig1 ) of each injector 4 to disperse the sorbent into the exhaust duct 16 . the shrouding gas 24 is introduced into the annular passage 3 formed between the inner tube 8 and outer tube 6 ( fig1 ) to shroud the sorbent as it enters the exhaust duct 16 . in this regard , the inner tube 8 of the injector 4 may form part of and be integral with the pneumatic conveying system ( e . g ., conveying lines ) used to transfer sorbent ( e . g ., lime ). in conventional injection systems in which a shrouded injector is not used and , in particular , in which the sorbent is hydrated lime , as the hydrated lime is discharged from the outlet end of the injector , the injector forms scale deposits as it contacts certain gaseous compounds ( e . g ., so 3 , co 2 or hcl ) at the outlet end ( e . g ., forms calcium sulfate , calcium chloride and / or calcium carbonate deposits ). in accordance with the present disclosure , use of shrouded gas prevents the sorbent from contacting the effluent gas as the sorbent exits the outlet end of the injector , thereby preventing scale from forming on the injector outlet . in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure , the shrouding gas 24 is ambient air . as used herein , “ ambient air ” is air drawn from the atmosphere and has not had the composition thereof altered ( e . g ., reduction in co 2 so as to produce a “ conditioned ” ambient ). in this regard , ambient air that is introduced into the injector 4 may have the pressure and / or temperature thereof altered without departing from the scope of the present disclosure . as shown in example 1 below , it has been found that use of ambient air as a shrouding gas results in reduction or even elimination of scale deposits at the outlet of the injector despite ambient air containing a substantial amount of co 2 . additionally or alternatively , ambient air may be used as a conveying gas to transfer sorbent ( e . g ., hydrated lime ) from its source to the exhaust duct through which the effluent gas to be treated passes . if the exhaust duct 16 in which the injectors 4 are placed has a positive pressure , the ambient air used for shrouding is pressurized ( e . g ., by a blower or compressor ) prior to being introduced into the injectors . however , if the exhaust duct operates under negative pressure , the ambient shrouding air may be drawn in directly from the ambient with use of a throttling valve to control the ambient shrouding air flow rate . as an alternative to using ambient air as a shrouding gas , moistened air may be used . as used herein , “ moistened air ” is air to which water or water vapor has been added to increase the moisture content of the air above ambient conditions . in this regard , the amount of moisture in the moistened air after water ( which then vaporizes ) or water vapor is added is at least about 20 mg per g of air . in other embodiments , the amount of moisture in the moistened air is at least about 30 mg per g of air or , as in other embodiments , at least about 50 mg per g of air , at least about 100 mg per g of air , at least about 150 mg per g of air , at least about 200 mg per g of air , from about 20 to about 250 mg per g of air , from about 50 to about 250 mg per g of air or from about 100 to about 250 mg per g of air . the moistened air may also be conditioned prior to use by reducing the amount of co 2 therein below ambient conditions ( e . g ., to below about 330 ppm by volume ). by using moistened air , the relative humidity within the exhaust duct 16 may be increased . an increase in relative humidity has been found to favor removal of acidic gases as shown by , for example , liu et al . in “ kinetics of the reaction of hydrated lime with so 2 at low temperatures : effects of the presence of co 2 , o 2 , and no x ,” industrial and engineering chemistry research , vol . 47 , pp . 9878 - 81 ( 2008 ), bausach et al . in “ kinetic modeling of the reaction between hydrated lime and so 2 at low temperature ,” aiche journal , vol . 51 : 5 , pp . 1455 - 66 ( 2005 ) and “ kinetics of the reaction of ca ( oh ) 2 with co 2 at low temperature ,” industrial and engineering chemistry research , vol . 38 , pp . 1316 - 22 ( 1999 ), each of which is incorporated herein by reference for all relevant and consistent purposes . in embodiments wherein moistened air is used as a shrouding gas , the conveying gas used to pneumatically convey the sorbent may be ambient air or conditioned air ( e . g ., low co 2 air ). conditioned air may be produced according to any method available to those of skill in the art and may be produced , for example , by the methods disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 200 , 543 , which is incorporated herein by reference for all relevant and consistent purposes . the flow rate of the shrouding gas should generally be sufficiently high to prevent lime ( e . g ., hydrated lime or pulverized quicklime ) from contacting the effluent gas as the lime exits the injector so at prevent occlusion of the injector outlet . in several embodiments of the present disclosure , the ratio of the velocity of the shrouding gas to the velocity of the conveying gas is at least about 1 : 6 and , in other embodiments may be at least about 1 : 4 , at least about 1 : 2 , at least about 1 : 1 or even at least about 2 : 1 ( e . g ., from about 1 : 6 to about 3 : 1 or from about 1 : 6 to about 1 : 1 ). in these and other embodiments , the flow velocity of the shrouding gas may range from about 2 , 500 ft / min to about 10 , 000 ft / min ( about 762 meters / min to about 3 , 048 meters / min ) and the flow velocity of the conveying gas may range from about 3 , 000 ft / min to about 15 , 000 ft / min ( 914 meters / min to about 4 , 572 meters / min ). in this regard , the recited ratios and velocities are exemplary and the ratios and velocities chosen for use may depend on a number of system parameters ( e . g ., exhaust gas pressure , lime flow rate , duct sizing and the like ). ratios and velocities other than as recited may be sued without limitation . the flow rates of the shrouding gas and the amount of lime introduced into the exhaust duct ( and the amount of conveying gas which is used to transfer lime ) may vary depending on a number of system factors including , for example , throughput of the exhaust gas to be treated , the concentration of the acidic gases therein , the target acidic gas concentration of the treated gas , sorbent residence time and the like . a typical loading rate is at least about 2 moles calcium per mole of acid gas to be treated or , as in other embodiments , at least about 4 moles of calcium per mole of acid gas to be treated or at least about 6 moles or even at least about 10 moles of calcium per mole of acid gas to be treated ( e . g ., from about 2 moles to about 15 moles of calcium per mole of acid gas to be treated ). when so 3 is targeted for removal from the effluent gas , the weight ratio of calcium to so 3 may be from about 2 : 1 to about 10 : 1 . in this regard , the loading rates described above are exemplary and the loading rate may depend on a number of system factors ( e . g ., residence time , injection array efficiency and / or particle collection device efficiency ). loading rates may be adjusted by measuring so 3 content at a test point ( e . g ., at the stack ) and adjusting the loading ratio to achieve a desired so 3 concentration at the test point . the number of injectors 4 used to supply sorbent ( e . g ., hydrated lime ) into the exhaust duct ( fig5 ) may vary depending on the size of the gas duct . the number should be selected to allow lime to sufficiently contact all acidic gas in the duct to thereby neutralize the acidic gas . in addition to the size of the duct , the number of injectors used may depend on the flue gas temperature , acidic gas content and residence time . the pressure of the shrouding gas introduced into the annular passage 3 of the injector 4 and the pressure of the conveying gas introduced into the inner passage 5 formed by the inner tube 8 should be selected to be greater than the pressure of the effluent gas in the exhaust duct to assure adequate flow rates of lime ( e . g ., hydrated lime ) and shrouding gas . the temperature of the shrouding gas and / or conveying gas are generally above ambient as these gases are pressurized prior to use . the temperature should be maintained above the dew point of the respective gas to prevent condensation from occurring in the annular passage 3 or the inner passage 5 of the injector 4 . generally lime that is introduced into the inner passage 5 of the inner tube 8 ( fig1 ) is either hydrated lime ( ca ( oh ) 2 ) or pulverized quicklime ( cao ). in some embodiments , a mixture of hydrated lime and pulverized quicklime may be used to reduce the acidic gas content of the effluent gas . suitable sources of hydrated lime and / or quicklime include all sources available to those of skill in the art . hydrated lime may be produced on site ( i . e ., at the general location of the exhaust gas to be treated ) by reacting water with lime ( cao ) or may be obtained from commercial suppliers ( e . g ., mississippi lime company ® ( st . louis , mo .)). the hydrated lime may have a surface area of at least about 14 m 2 / g , at least about 17 m 2 / g or even at least about 21 m 2 / g ( e . g ., from about 14 m 2 / g to about 28 m 2 / g ). generally , at least about 92 wt % or at least about 95 wt % ( e . g ., from about 92 wt % to about 99 wt %) of the hydrated lime will be ca ( oh ) 2 compounds . the hydrated lime may have a particle size distribution such that at least about 85 %, at least about 92 % or at least about 95 % of the particles have an average nominal diameter of less than about 0 . 044 mm ( corresponding to mesh sieve size of 325 ). the hydrated lime may be relatively porous ( e . g ., from about 0 . 07 cm 3 / g to about 0 . 14 cm 3 / g ) and may be relatively dry ( e . g ., less than about 3 wt % moisture or less than about 1 wt % moisture ). in this regard , it should be noted that the listed parameters ( e . g ., surface area , purity , particles sizes , moisture content and the like ) are exemplary and hydrated lime parameters other than as listed may be used without limitation . in embodiments wherein quicklime is used , the quicklime is generally pulverized prior to use ( either before shipping or at the site at which the exhaust gas is treated ). pulverized quicklime may also be obtained commercially ( e . g ., from mississippi lime company ® ( st . louis , mo .)). lime may be stored in a bulk lime storage silo and may be transferred into a pneumatic conveying line by a variable rotary airlock . in embodiments wherein more than one injector is used , the pneumatic conveying line may be divided into one or more feeder lines by use of one or more line splitters . each feeder line is in fluid communication with a respective injector 4 . shrouding air may also be introduced into the injector by use of a main conveying line and several feeder lines . generally a portion of the injector 4 extends through the exhaust duct wall . the distance to which the injector 4 extends in the duct should be selected such that lime becomes well distributed in the duct and may vary depending on a number of system factors including the size of the duct , the respective effluent gas and lime flow rates and whether a dispersion cone is used . the effluent gas which is treated to reduce the acidic gas content thereof may be formed in any number of industrial processes . the effluent gas may be a gas produced in operation of , for example , a waste incinerator , a sulfuric acid plant , a non - coal fired power plant ( e . g ., oil ), a large - scale diesel generator , a boiler , a furnace ( brick or ceramic ) or a kiln ( lime or cement ). the injector is particularly well suited for treating flue gas produced during coal - fired power generation . in coal - fired power plants , the exhaust duct to which the hydrated lime and / or pulverized quicklime is introduced may be the boiler exhaust duct , ducts downstream of any catalytic processes ( e . g ., selective catalytic reduction ), the pre - heater exhaust duct or ducts that are upstream of an electrostatic precipitator . the hydrated lime and / or pulverized quicklime may alternatively be added at other process points . as used herein , the phrases “ exhaust duct ” and “ effluent gas ” should not be limited to any particular process or to any particular process point . further , the term “ duct ” should not be limited to any particular duct shape or to any particular type of conveying apparatus . in some embodiments , lime ( e . g ., hydrated lime ) may be added to one or more unit operations directly or to the discharge portions of the unit operations themselves ( e . g ., air pre - heater ). in general , the term “ exhaust duct ” should not be considered in a limiting sense . the effluent gas that is treated may include any number of acidic compounds such as , for example so 2 , so 3 , h 2 so 4 , hcl , and / or hf . further the concentration of these gases before treatment may be from about 600 ppm to about 3000 ppm . the majority of the acidic gas present may be so 2 ( e . g ., from about 600 ppm to about 3000 ppm so 2 ) and each of the remaining gases may be present ( if at all ) at a concentration within the range of about 1 ppm to about 200 ppm . it should be noted that concentrations other than as listed may be used without limitation . in this regard , conventional injectors have been found to more likely occlude when increased amounts of co 2 are present in the effluent gas due to scale ( e . g ., caco 3 ) that forms upon contact with co 2 . the injector of the present disclosure may suitably be used to treat flue gases containing at least about 10 vol % co 2 , at least about 15 vol % co 2 or even at least 20 % co 2 without occlusion . the temperature of the effluent gas may be from about 250 ° f . to about 800 ° f . ( about 121 ° c . to about 427 ° c .). comparison of scale formation when a shrouded injector and a non - shrouded injector are used to introduce hydrated lime into an exhaust duct five injectors ( i . e ., “ lances ”) were installed on the exhaust duct of a rotary lime kiln to determine the effectiveness of a shrouded injector . two injectors were shrouded with an outer pipe and about 50 ft 3 / min ( 1416 liters / min ) of ambient air was used as a shrouding gas . two other injectors were not shrouded and were composed of a single tube . the fifth injector was shrouded and used conditioned air as the shrouding gas . the flow rate of hydrated lime was 100 lbs / hr ( 45 . 4 kg / hr ) and the flow rate of conveying gas was about 75 ft 3 / min ( 2124 liters / min ) per injector . the effluent gas that was treated was at a temperature of about 500 ° f . ( 260 ° c . ), contained 20 vol % co 2 and was loaded with about 7 . 5 tons per hour of dust . each injector was inspected after about 364 hours of use . photographs of the outlet ends of the two non - shrouded injectors are shown in fig6 and 7 , and a typical photograph of the outlet end of the shrouded injectors is shown in fig8 . as can be seen from fig6 - 8 , the shrouded injectors did not form an occlusion and both non - shrouded injectors were substantially plugged after use . when introducing elements of the present disclosure or the preferred embodiment ( s ) thereof , the articles “ a ”, “ an ”, “ the ” and “ said ” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements . the terms “ comprising ”, “ including ” and “ having ” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements . as various changes could be made in the above apparatus and methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure , it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying figures shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

the compound claimed can be prepared by various methods . one proven synthesis starts with chlorotris [ tris ( sodium m - sulfonatophenyl ) phosphane ]- rhodium ( i ) nonahydrate ( clrh ( tppts ) 3 . 9h 2 o ), which is obtained , for example , by reaction of rhcl 3 . 3h 2 o with tppts . the complex compound purified by gel permeation chromatography is treated with hydrazine hydrate in aqueous solution . the reaction is carried out at room temperature or slightly elevated temperature . the hydrazine hydrate is usually used in a stoichiometric ratio . according to a different method , the complex hrh [ p ( c 6 h 5 ) 3 ] 4 , which is known from the literature , is reacted in a two - phase system ( for example methylene chloride / water ) with excess tppts , resultingin the formation of elemental hydrogen . in this reaction , the complex ( oh ) rh ( tppts ) 3 is also formed ; this complex is obtained by treating rhcl 3 . 3h 2 o in aqueous solution with excess tppts at room temperature over a period of more than 15 hours . to isolate the new compound which , regardless of the method of preparation , is present in aqueous solution , the water is evaporated in vacuo , if necessary after filtration of the solution . in general , this method does not give the pure compound , but an impure product or even a mixture of various tppts complex compounds which have been formed side by side duringthe preparation . it is therefore necessary to apply special purification and separation processes , in order to obtain the pure substance . it has been proven that gel chromatography , which is the subject matter of germanpatent application p no . 38 22 036 . 9 , is a particularly suitable method forachieving this object . after this treatment , the compound is present in analytical and spectroscopic purity . the new compound crystallizes from the aqueous solution in the form of a hydrate . the anhydrous compound can be prepared therefrom by dehydration under mild conditions , i . e . at temperatures below the melting or decomposition point and by applying reduced pressure , advantageously high vacuum , without decomposition . the protection claimed therefore extends , not only to the water - containing compound but also to the anhydrous tppts complex . the compound according to the invention is catalytically active and is used successfully as catalyst or component of catalysts in various reactions . the invention is illustrated in more detail in the example which follows . synthesis of bis {( μ - hydroxy ) bis [ tris ( sodium m - sulfonatophenyl ) phosphane ] rhodium ( i )} dodecahydrate of the formula {( μ - oh ) rh [ p ( c 6 h 4 - m - so 3 na ) 3 ] 2 } 2 . 12 h 2 o 5 ml ( 5 . 15 g , 0 . 102 mol ) of hydrazine hydrate are added to a solution of 250 mg ( 0 . 13 mmol ) of clrh ( tppts ) 3 . 9h 2 o in 20 ml of distilled water , and the mixture is stirred at room temperature for 48 hours . the solvent is then completely removed under vacuum produced by an oil pump . the solid residue is taken up in 10 ml of water and purified by column chromatography over sephadex g - 15 ( dextranes crosslinked with epichlorohydrin ). the product is detected by uv / vis spectrometry and refractometry . 31 p - nmr ( 109 . 3 mhz , d 2 o , 21 ° c . ): δ = 58 . 9 ppm [ d ]; 1 j ( rh , p ) = 203 hz ir ( kbr , cm - 1 ): 1635 ( m ), 1464 ( m ), 1396 ( m ), 1192 ( sh , vs ), 1037 ( s ). elemental analysis : ( c 72 h 72 na 12 o 50 p 4 rh 2 s 12 ; 2729 . 6 ): calculated : c 31 . 58 h 2 . 73 cl 0 . 0 o 29 . 31 , p 4 . 53 , rh 7 . 53 s 14 . 09 ; found : c 32 . 35 h 2 . 62 , cl 0 . 0 o29 . 57 , p 4 . 33 rh , 7 . 20 s 14 . 42 .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

the subject matter of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements . however , the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent . rather , the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways , to include different features , or combinations of features similar to the ones described in this document , in conjunction with other technologies . referring to the drawings , and particularly to fig1 - 4 , there is depicted an illustrative gathering device 10 . as illustrated , the gathering device 10 includes a main body 12 having a front side 14 , a back side 16 , a perimeter 18 , and a depth 20 . the dimensions of the gathering device 10 can vary and can , in embodiments , be configured for particular types of applications . for example , in an embodiment , the main body 12 can have a diameter 21 of approximately 2 - 3 inches and a depth 20 of approximately ⅛ inches . it should be understood that , in various embodiments , any other desired diameter , depth , and / or other dimensions can be employed , and that all of such configurations are considered to be within the ambit of the invention . the gathering device 10 further includes at least one slotted opening 22 defined within the main body 12 and extending through the main body 12 , between the front side 14 and the back side 16 . according to various embodiments of the invention , the main body 12 can include any number of different types of material suitable for providing a strong , yet flexible , body 12 . in embodiments , the main body 12 includes a resilient , flexible material having a high coefficient of friction such as , for example , vinyl , nylon , or the like . additionally , according to embodiments , the main body 12 can have any desired level of opacity , any desired color , and the like . for instance , in an embodiment , the main body 12 is made of translucent vinyl . in some embodiments , the main body 12 can be composed of a glow - in - the - dark material ( or , alternatively , covered with a glow - in - the - dark film ), a scented material , or the like . according to embodiments of the invention , the main body can be configured according to any desired shape . for example , as shown in fig1 - 4 , the main body 12 can have a substantially circular shape , defined by the perimeter 18 . in other embodiments , the main body 12 can have a shape , defined by the perimeter 18 , that is substantially rectangular ( e . g ., see the illustrative gathering device 56 in fig5 ), square , triangular , or the like . ornamental designs can also be used . for example , in embodiments , the main body can be configured in the shape of a sun , a star , a flower , mickey mouse ears , bunny ears , or the like . additionally , in some embodiments , the main body 12 has a generally flat configuration , as shown , for example , in fig3 , while in other embodiments , the main body 12 can be contoured ( e . g ., see the illustrative gathering device 56 in fig5 ). turning briefly to fig5 , a number of illustrative gathering devices 50 , 52 , 54 , and 56 , are depicted , each having a different design . it should be understood that any number of different types of designs and configurations can be implemented in accordance with embodiments of the invention , and that the examples illustrated and described herein are merely examples of the various alternative configurations possible . as shown in fig5 , for example , the illustrative gathering device 50 ( which is shown in a front view ) has a rounded main body 50 a that has a substantially circular shape . disposed at least in the front side 50 b of the main body 50 a are a first slotted opening 50 c and a second slotted opening 50 d . as illustrated , the first slotted opening 50 c has a zig - zag shape , somewhat like a “ w ” on its side . the second slotted opening 50 d is positioned below the first slotted opening 50 c to give the appearance of part of a “ smiley ” face , further defined by a set of decorative eyes 50 e . in embodiments , the eyes 50 e could be drawn , painted , or otherwise applied to the surface of the front side 50 b of the gathering device 50 , while , in other embodiments , the eyes 50 e can be rounded openings defined through the main body 50 a . as another example , the illustrative gathering device 52 ( which is shown in a front view ) is configured to appear somewhat like a tennis ball . as illustrated , the gathering device 52 includes a main body 52 a that is substantially circular in shape . the main body includes a front side 52 b having two curved slotted openings 52 c and 52 d disposed therein that are configured to give the appearance of the lines on a tennis ball . of course , it will be appreciated by individuals having skill in the relevant arts that any number of different types of coloring schemes , decorations , and adornments can be used to produce any number of different appearances and effects . all of these are considered to be within the ambit of the invention . for example , in fig5 , the illustrative gathering device 52 may have a green - yellow color trimmed by white outlines of the slotted openings 52 c and 52 d , to approximate the color of a standard tennis ball . as another example , the illustrative gathering device 54 ( which is shown in a front view ) is configured to appear somewhat like a broken heart . as illustrated in fig5 , the gathering device 54 includes a main body 54 a that is shaped substantially like a heart . the main body includes a front side 54 b having a slotted opening 54 c disposed therein that is configured to give the appearance of a “ break ” in the heart . that is , for example , as shown , the slotted opening 54 c has a longer zig - zag shape over one portion of the main body 52 a . as discussed above , the main body 54 a can be colored to further improve the aesthetic design . for example , in embodiments , the main body 54 a can be colored red , while the slotted opening 54 c can be outlined in black , to contrast with the red colored main body 54 a . according to various embodiments , any number of other types of designs can be printed on an illustrative gathering device 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 . the designs can be printed on the front side , the back side , and or both sides , and in embodiments , the perimeter as well . in embodiments , the designs can be ornamental designs , logos , messages , colors , and the like . according to embodiments , the designs are printed on the device using a process that holds the designs on the device such that the designs do not fade or break up over time . as yet another example , the illustrative gathering device 56 ( which is shown in a front perspective view ) includes a contoured main body 58 having a front side 58 a , a back side 58 b , and a perimeter 58 c ( which , in fig5 , has a substantially rectangular shape , although any other desired shape could be used instead ). according to various possible implementations , the contoured main body 58 can be configured , for example , to roughly follow the contour of a wearer &# 39 ; s hip or waist area , such that the back side 58 b of the main body 58 rests relatively flush against the wearer &# 39 ; s body . in other implementations , the contoured main body 58 can be configured , for example , to wrap around a knot made from flexible fabric , to roughly follow the contour of a window frame ( e . g ., in an implementation where the gathering device 58 is used to gather and secure a window covering ), to produce some desired aesthetic presentation , or the like . returning to fig1 , 2 , 3 a , and 4 , the gathering device 10 preferably includes a first slotted opening 22 and a second slotted opening 24 . in other embodiments , the gathering device 10 can include any number slotted openings . according to some embodiments , the gathering device 10 can also include an opening ( such as , e . g ., a rounded opening ) that can be used , for example , to hang the device 10 on a hook or nail either for storage or , for example , to use the device to gather and secure a window covering along the side of the window frame . in other embodiments , the device 10 includes a pair of wider , rectangular openings ( in addition to the slotted openings 22 and 24 ) that are configured to receive a belt such that the device 10 can be hung from a wearers belt and used , for instance , to secure ribbon , cinch a gift bag , or the like . according to various embodiments of the invention , the slotted openings 22 , 24 can be configured in any number of different shapes and the gathering device 10 can include two or more slotted openings 22 , 24 having the same shape or different shapes . for example , in the illustrated embodiment , the first slotted opening 22 is linear and the second slotted opening 24 includes a zig - zag shape , defined by a number of teeth 26 , which aid in the securement of fabric 11 . in other embodiments , one or more of the slotted openings 22 , 24 can be curved , angled , or any other desired shape . the securing functionality of the gathering device 10 of the present invention can be enhanced if a slotted opening 24 has a shape that is , at least partially , nonlinear . for instance , in fig1 , 2 , and 3 a , the second slotted opening 24 comprises a zig - zag shape having a plurality of peaks 26 . each of the plurality of peaks 26 functions as a tooth 26 to assist in securing and gathering the flexible fabric 11 , which is passed through the two openings 22 and 24 , as depicted , for example , in fig4 . in some embodiments , the peaks 26 can be sharply defined ( as shown , for example , in fig4 ), while in other embodiments , the peaks 26 can be curved ( as shown , for example , in fig6 ). turning briefly to fig6 , an illustrative gathering device 60 is depicted in a front view . the illustrative gathering device 60 includes a main body 62 . the main body 62 includes a front side 64 having a first slotted opening 66 and a second slotted opening 68 disposed therein . as illustrated , the first slotted opening includes two curved peaks 70 and a curved trough 72 , which is disposed between the two peaks 70 , defining a shape somewhat similar to a rounded capital “ m .” the second slotted opening 68 is disposed below the first slotted opening 66 and is configured to be a mirror - image of the first slotted opening 66 . that is , the second slotted opening 68 includes tow curved troughs 74 and a curved peak 76 , which is disposed between the two troughs 74 , defining a shape somewhat similar to a rounded capital “ w .” in this manner , the slotted openings 66 and 68 provide for enhanced fabric - securing functionality without damaging , creasing , or wrinkling the fabric . returning now to fig2 and 3a , the configuration of the slotted openings 22 and 24 will be discussed . as shown in fig2 and 3a , the first slotted opening 22 comprises a first side 30 a and a second side 30 b and is preferably a slit ( that is , the slotted opening 22 is created without material being removed from the main body 12 between the first side 30 a and the second side 30 b ). in this manner , the first side 30 a and second side 30 b remain closely positioned to better gather and secure the flexible fabric . similarly , the second slotted opening 24 includes a first side 30 c and a second side 30 d that are closely positioned ( e . g ., the second slotted opening 24 also is a slit ). in some embodiments , some material can be removed to create the slotted openings 22 and 24 , so long as the first 30 a , 30 c and second 30 b , 30 d sides are positioned close enough together , respectively , to effectively secure fabric 11 that is passed therethrough . any number of different manners of constructing illustrative gathering devices such as those described herein can be implemented in accordance with embodiments of the invention . accordingly , slotted openings can include varying configurations , depending upon the manner of construction utilized . for example , in some embodiments , the slotted openings 22 and 24 can be defined by sides 30 a , 30 b , 30 c , and 30 d that have the same depth 20 as the main body 12 . in other embodiments , as depicted in fig3 b and 3c , the slotted openings 22 and 24 can be defined by sides 34 a , 34 b , 36 a , and 36 b that are not characterized by the same depth 20 as the main body . for example , fig3 b depicts a cross - sectional side view of a slotted opening 34 . as illustrated in fig3 b , the slotted opening 34 is defined by a first side 34 a and a second side 34 b . the first side 34 a and the second side 34 b each include a tapered portion 34 c and 34 d , respectively . as illustrated , the tapered portions 34 c and 34 d each taper inwardly ( that is , the sides 34 a and 34 b get narrower toward the slotted opening 34 ) such that the depth 34 e of the main body 34 f is shallower near the slotted opening 34 than in other portions of the main body 34 f . a similar configuration achieved without tapering the sides 34 a and 34 b is shown in fig3 c . fig3 c depicts a cross - sectional side view of a slotted opening 36 . as illustrated in fig3 c , the slotted opening 36 is defined by a first side 36 a and a second side 36 b . thin inserts 36 c and 36 d extend into the opening 36 and provide edges of the opening having a depth 36 e that is shallower than that of the rest of the main body 36 f . in embodiments , the thin inserts 36 c and 36 d can be individual and distinct inserts 36 c and 36 d disposed within the main body 36 f . in other embodiments , for example , the thin inserts 36 c and 36 d can be two portions of a single insert 36 c / 36 d disposed within the main body 36 f , whereby the opening 36 can be constructed by cutting a slit in the insert 36 c / 36 d . any number of additional configurations can be implemented in accordance with embodiments of the invention , as well . with reference to fig4 a , in particular , the method of use of the gathering device 10 is described . a portion of material 11 is threaded through a slotted opening 22 . according to various embodiments , the material 11 can include flexible fabric , ribbon , or the like . due to the resiliency , flexibility , and coefficient of friction of the material of the main body 12 , and the proximity of the first side 30 and second side 32 of the slotted opening 22 , if enough material is threaded through the opening 22 it will be gathered and secured . more preferably , however , the gathering device 10 includes two slotted openings 22 and 24 and the portion of flexible fabric 11 is threaded through the first slotted opening 22 in a first direction and then the second slotted opening 24 in a second direction . alternatively , the portion of flexible fabric 11 could be threaded through the first slotted opening 22 and the second slotted opening 24 in the same direction ; this could be accomplished by threading the fabric 11 through the first slotted opening 22 from back to front , drawing the portion of material 11 around to the back and then threading it through the second slotted opening 24 , also back to front . with reference to fig4 b , the illustrative gathering device 10 can be used to secure two separate portions 11 and 11 a of material . although there are several alternative ways to accomplish this , the simplest is to thread each of the portions 11 and 11 a through a different slotted opening 22 , 24 , in a single direction . or , each of the portions 11 and 11 a could be threaded back to front through different slotted openings 22 and 24 , then threaded front to back through a different slotted opening 22 or 24 . of course , an alternative that would also work is to thread each portion 11 and 11 a through a slotted opening 22 , 24 ( same or different ), then draw the material portions 11 and 11 a around to the other side of the device 10 and thread each portion 11 and 11 a through a slotted opening 22 , 24 ( same or different ) in the same direction as that portion 11 or 11 a was threaded the first time . any number of other methods of threading material through slotted openings on an illustrative gathering device described herein can be utilized and are considered to be within the ambit of embodiments of the invention . the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments , which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive . alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its scope . from the foregoing , it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects set forth above , together with other advantages which are obvious and inherent to the system and method . it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations . this is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

[ 0020 ] fig1 is a block diagram of a high definition television receiver 1 which selects the desired rf input signal by means of rf tuner 14 . the rf tuner 14 sends the selected signal to an if processor 16 which produces an if passband output signal . the received signal is a carrier suppressed vsb modulated signal ( 8 or 16 levels ) as adopted for use in hdtv systems in the united states . such a vsb signal carries successive symbols represented by a one - dimensional data symbol constellation in which only the real axis contains quantized data to be recovered by the receiver . the passband if output signal from processor 16 is converted into an oversampled digital datastream by an analog to digital ( a / d ) converter 19 , which samples the analog signal at a frequency of , say , 27 mhz . a reference pilot carrier signal is embedded in the received vsb datastream , and this carrier is recovered by the phase locked carrier tracking loop ( ctl ) 22 , which also operates at the same sample rate of 27 mhz . the purpose of the carrier tracking loop is to remove the frequency offset caused by differences between the transmitter oscillator and the receiver local oscillator so that the signal is accurately translated to , and can be processed directly at , baseband . the ctl produces an output real , or in - phase ( i ) demodulated datastream . as described above , the a / d converter 19 oversamples the 10 . 76 million symbols / second input vsb datastream with a 27 mhz sampling clock , or about 2 . 5 times the received symbol rate , thereby providing at least two samples per symbol . the use of at least two samples per symbol sampling , rather than one sample per symbol , produces advantages in subsequent signal processing functions . following the a / d converter 19 and ctl 22 is a field and segment synchronization ( sync ) and symbol clock recovery circuit 12 , which includes the symbol timing loop ( stl ) 26 and the sync detector 8 . the stl 26 is a feedback loop much like the ctl 22 . the stl 26 regenerates a properly phased 10 . 76 mhz clock signal , which is used to recover the symbol stream from the sampled data stream . the symbol stream is then processed by subsequent stages such as the sync detector 8 , the equalizer 34 and the phase tracking loop 36 . the sync detector 8 detects the field and segment synchronization signals by correlation and provides this information to all subsequent receiver blocks for synchronization purposes . some prior art hdtv receivers use the detected synchronization signal as the basis for symbol timing recovery . other hdtv receivers utilize timing recovery techniques such as decision directed or band edge timing . both techniques can be employed simultaneously , such as the mueller & amp ; muller decision directed algorithm , along with the gardner band edge timing recovery algorithm . the present invention may be advantageously used with any such symbol timing recovery scheme . after leaving the clock recovery circuit 12 , the signal is adaptively equalized by a channel equalizer 34 , which may operate in a combination of blind , training and decision directed modes . equalizer 34 may be of the type described in the atsc hdtv system specification and in an article by w . bretl et al ., entitled “ vsb modem subsystem design for grand alliance digital television receivers ”, ieee transactions on consumer electronics , august 1995 . equalizer 34 may also be of the type described by shiue et al . in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 712 , 873 , issued on jan . 27 , 1998 and entitled multi - mode equalizer in a digital video signal processing system . the equalizer 34 corrects for channel distortions , but phase noise may randomly rotate the symbol constellation , and the amplitude of the equalized signal may vary . phase tracking network 36 removes the residual phase and gain noise in the output signal from equalizer 34 , including phase noise which has not been removed by the preceding ctl 22 in response to the pilot carrier signal . the phase corrected signal is then trellis decoded by decoder 40 , de - interleaved by unit 42 , reed - solomon error corrected by decoder 44 , and descrambled by descrambler 46 . after the foregoing processing steps , the decoded datastream is subjected to audio , video and display processing by unit 50 . rf tuner 14 , if processor 16 , sync detector 8 , equalizer 34 , phase tracking loop 36 , trellis decoder 40 , de - interleaver 42 , reed - solomon decoder 44 and descrambler 46 may employ circuits of the type described in the atsc hdtv system specification of apr . 4 , 1994 , and in the bretl , et al ., article previously mentioned . the stl 26 may be any known timing recovery network . circuits for performing the functions of a / d converter 19 and processors 50 are well known . the sync detector 8 is a conventional sync detector which detects both segment and field syncs . the sync detector 8 includes an output terminal 13 which produces two synchronization signals ( segment and field ) indicating the presence of the corresponding synchronization signal in the data stream . the hdtv vsb transmission system conveys data with a prescribed data frame format . each data frame includes two fields with each field including 313 segments of 832 multilevel symbols . the first segment of each field is referred to as a field sync segment and the remaining 312 segments are referred to as data segments . each data segment includes a four symbol segment sync character . each field sync segment includes the four symbol segment sync character followed by a field sync component comprising a predetermined 511 symbol pseudorandom number ( pn ) sequence and three predetermined 63 symbol pn sequences , the middle one of which is inverted in successive fields . a vsb mode control signal ( defining the vsb symbol constellation size , i . e ., 8 - vsb or 16 - vsb ) follows the last 63 pn sequence , which is followed by 96 reserved symbols and 12 symbols copied from the previous field . as each sync signal is detected in the datastream , sync detector 8 generates a sync output signal 13 , which is the equivalent of a sync enable pulse for the respective sync component . the sync output signal 13 is high whenever the sync signals appear in the datastream and otherwise remain low . the sync output signal 13 ( or a signal derived from it ) is also used in some form by the subsequent processing units 34 , 36 , 40 , 42 , 44 and 46 . as stated earlier , a matched filter may be placed prior to or after the a / d converter 19 , after the ctl 22 or after the stl 26 . however , in the demodulator illustrated in fig1 the matched filter is not located prior to the equalizer 34 , and thus is not illustrated . instead , the equalizer 34 performs the matched filtering function . this placement of the matched filter creates additional linear distortion in the ctl and stl . the output signal 15 produced by the stl 26 and the output signal 13 produced by the sync detector 8 are both inputs to the equalizer 34 . although not depicted in fig1 a slicer function is also present inside the equalizer 34 and clock recovery circuit 12 . at each symbol time , the slicer selects , from a programmed look up table , a data symbol corresponding to the point in the symbol constellation that is closest to the input symbol sample as its decision . that is , the slicer selects as its decision the symbol in its alphabet which is closest in euclidean distance to the input symbol sample . more specifically , the slicer expects an input signal at predetermined signal points along the real axis corresponding to the transmitted symbols . the ctl input signal 21 is rotating in phase and may be matched ( i . e . a fully raised cosine filtered signal ) or unmatched ( i . e . only a root raised cosine filtered signal , as is illustrated in fig1 ), meaning that the ctl input signal may have a level up to 1 . 7 ( matched case ) or 2 . 0 ( unmatched case ) times the level expected by the 8 - vsb slicer . additional information regarding carrier recovery , slicing and derotating operations may be found in the text by lee and messerschmidt entitled digital communication published by kluwer academic publishers , boston , mass ., u . s . a . in order to avoid nonlinearities in the demodulation process introduced by data overflow in the ctl 22 , the ctl 22 must have a higher dynamic range than the demodulator stages 8 , 34 , 36 , etc . which follow the stl 26 . this requires a higher dynamic range in the a / d 19 as well . however , in order to save in a / d and ctl hardware , it is desirable to keep the same dynamic range for the entire demodulator , e . g ., 10 - bit samples in the data stream . if the same dynamic range is used for the different demodulator blocks ( 19 , 22 , 26 , 8 , 34 and 36 ), and considering that the ctl signal dynamic range is 1 . 7 to 2 . 0 greater than the dynamic range of the symbol stream past the stl 26 , it means that the blocks past the stl 26 will utilize a smaller dynamic range than the hardware allows . the smaller the signal dynamic range is , the more critical quantization noise becomes . quantization noise is the difference between the actual value of a signal at the sampling time and the nearest quantization interval value . one source of quantization noise is created by the slicer , when it approximates an input sample by its closest slicer level . in addition , the stl may be dependent on the slicer levels , therefore achieving optimum performance when the signal levels are close to the slicer levels . also , the equalizer convergence speed increases when the signal levels are close to the slicer levels and the equalizer does not need to provide gain control in addition to correcting for linear distortion . although in theory the equalizer can provide some level of gain control , it runs the risk of false convergence when the signal level at its input is far away from the slicer levels . for all the reasons given above , the most desirable demodulator solution requires : use of the same dynamic range in entire demodulator , use of the full hardware dynamic range throughout the demodulator , and str output and equalizer input signal levels close to the slicer levels . the present invention addresses the internal gain imbalance between ctl signal output and stl signal output , as well as the different possibilities of signal dynamic range available at the ctl input due to different placements of the matched filter . due to different design possibilities , such as whether the processed if signal will be matched or unmatched , and in order to optimize the connection between the ctl 22 and the stl 26 , a first embodiment of the present invention couples a switchable fixed gain control between the ctl 22 and the stl 26 . referring to fig2 an hdtv receiver including an internal gain control 10 is shown . the gain control 10 may be placed as shown at the output of the ctl 22 , or alternatively it may be placed after the output of an interpolator ( not shown ), which is typically one of the internal components of stl 26 . the interpolator is able to generate signal samples temporally in between the 27 mhz samples actually taken by the a / d converter 19 . that is , it interpolates between the 27 mhz samples to generate the 10 . 76 mhz symbol time samples , and in a preferred embodiment to generate further samples at times halfway between the symbol times . by generating these intermediate samples as needed , the interpolator allows the stl 26 to adjust the effective sampling frequency and phase . the internal gain control 10 receives the output of ctl 22 along signal path 23 . the ctl output signal level is adjusted prior to entering stl 26 along signal path 25 . the absolute gain of the gain control 10 is controlled by the gain_cntl signal 11 , as illustrated in table i , below . one skilled in the art will understand that , internally , the internal gain control 10 may be comprised of a plurality of fixed gain amplifiers respectively having the gains specified in table i , and that the gain_cntl signal may control switching circuitry to select the desired one of the fixed gain amplifiers to provide the gain adjusted output signal along signal path 25 . the gain_cntl control signal may be supplied by circuitry outside of the demodulator . in fig3 an alternative adaptive gain control embodiment of the present invention is illustrated . the adaptive gain control loop in fig3 is an automatic gain control loop having a relatively low bandwidth ( on the order of a few khz or less ) so as to not interfere with other loops in the hdtv receiver 1 . the gain control input signal 23 is derived from the ctl 22 ( fig2 ). gain control input signal 23 is processed by adaptive gain control 2 , which has an output signal 25 that is coupled to the input to stl 26 . the attenuation provided by gain control 2 is adjusted by output signal 3 of detector 4 . gain detector and accumulator 4 is a detector and accumulator responsive to three input signals : control signal ( s ) 5 , the reference signal 6 and the sliced reference signal 43 , representing ideal symbol representative signals , from the slicer 41 . reference signal 6 may be the stl output signal 15 , in which case the entire datastream or sequence is evaluated . alternatively , the reference signal 6 may be gated by sync output signal 13 , in which case only the field or segment sync signals would be evaluated after being identified within the datastream by the sync detector 8 . the control signal ( s ) 5 are symbol clock enable pulses if the clock rate is higher than the symbol rate . alternatively , the control signals 5 are segment sync detector output signals and / or field sync detector output signals 13 . the segment or field sync detector output signals 13 are enable signals which indicate the presence of segment or field sync , respectively , within the datastream , as described above . for example , the segment sync detector output goes high when the four segment sync symbols appear in the datastream ; otherwise the output signal 13 is low . the gain detector & amp ; accumulator 4 may be implemented according to either of the following formulas : y is the output signal 3 of detector 4 ; xs is the slicer 41 sliced reference signal 43 ; and the gain detector and accumulator 4 may further accumulate the y values derived from either of the above equations , and use the accumulation as the gain control signal 3 .

7Electricity

fig1 shows a plan view of a disk drive assembly 10 , with the top cover removed . fig1 is representative of any number of common disk drives . the disk drive assembly 10 illustrated herein includes at least one disk 12 , typically having magnetic media on both the upper and lower surfaces thereof . the disk 12 along with other components of the disk drive are contained within a housing 14 . the disk 12 is mounted over a hub 16 which is driven by a motor ( not shown ) enabling the disk to rotate at high revolutions per minute during operation . an actuator assembly 18 is shown rotatably mounted to an actuator pivot 24 . basic components of the actuator assembly 18 shown include one or more read / write heads 20 mounted on a flexure arm or suspension arm assembly 21 . suspension arm 21 , in turn , is attached to an actuator arm 22 , as further discussed below . in solid lines , the actuator assembly 18 is shown parked over the landing zone . the landing zone has been represented by the area of the disk 12 on or adjacent disk track 30 . the landing area of the disk is allocated for takeoff and landing of the read / write heads 20 during spin - up and spin - down of the disk . the actuator assembly 18 is rotated to a desired disk track by a voice coil motor shown as voice coil 26 . the voice coil 26 is immersed in a magnetic field generated by the magnet 28 . an actuator control circuit ( not shown ) causes current flow in the voice coil motor 26 , and ultimately controls the position of the actuator assembly 18 by varying current through the voice coil . the dotted position of actuator assembly 18 illustrates the manner in which actuator assembly 18 rotates about actuator pivot 24 in response to the voice coil motor 26 . the magnet 28 is mounted to a mounting plate 32 . fig1 also shows other common elements of a disk drive including a communications bus 36 which transfers electronic signals to and from the read / write heads 20 . now referring to fig2 , the distal end of the actuator arm 22 is illustrated , along with the head gimbal assembly ( hga ), and a swage plate . more specifically , the distal end of the actuator arm 22 includes a through - hole or opening defined by inner face or wall 38 . the proximal end of the suspension arm 21 includes a base portion 41 having an opening or hole formed therethrough , defined by inner face or wall 40 . other components of the suspension arm are also shown including a flexure member 42 which is attached to the distal end of the suspension arm 21 , and a slider 44 mounted to the flexure member 42 . the slider 44 houses the transducer / read / write heads 20 . although a specific design is shown for the actuator arm and suspension arm , it shall be understood that the invention is not limited by this specific design , and the methods and apparatuses claimed herein apply to any actuator arm assembly including a swage - type connection . one form of a swage plate 46 is also illustrated in fig2 . the swage plate 46 includes an integral swage boss 48 extending from the swage plate 46 . the swage boss 48 is a cylindrical shape member which is inserted through openings 40 and 38 when assembled with the actuator arm and suspension arm . swage plate 46 may be welded to the base portion 41 , or may be attached by other known means in the art . as shown in fig3 , the boss 48 has been inserted through openings 40 and 38 for attachment of the suspension arm 21 to the actuator arm 22 . fig4 illustrates the suspension arm 22 and the actuator arm 21 along with the swage boss 48 and swage plate 46 prior to swaging . as shown , there is a definable gap between the exterior surface of the swage boss 48 , and the openings 38 and 40 . a swage ball 60 is forced through the opening in the swage boss 48 . the swage boss 48 opening may include a larger diameter portion 50 , a smaller diameter portion 54 , and a stepped or interconnecting portion 52 . the swage ball 60 is forced through the opening and because the diameter of the swage ball 60 is larger than portions 54 and 52 , the boss is deformed to accommodate passage of the swage ball . this deformation results in expansion of the swage boss 48 so that the exterior surface thereof is pressed in contact with surfaces 38 and 40 . absent an applied lubricant as described herein , swaging is a harsh process that generates significant debris , due to the severe metal deformation . by lubricating the surfaces that come in contact during swaging , damage to the components is lessened and chipping or creation of metal debris is reduced . the swaging process can also impart a bend or curve into the actuator arm thereby altering its performance . the lubrication described herein also reduces the forces that tend to distort the actuator arm and help maintain the actuator arm within its design criteria . during a deswaging process to separate the actuator arm from the suspension arm , a forcing implement or tool ( not shown ) presses the swage boss 48 back through the openings defined by surfaces 38 and 40 . this forcing action can also result in damage to the actuator arm and suspension arm , and therefore can result in disk drive contamination due to particles generated by chipping and other material failures . by lubricating the surfaces that come in contact during swaging , torque retention values are reduced , which provides better predictability in application of a load to deswage the actuator arm from the suspension arm . this predictability can therefore prevent overloading , underloading , and multiple loading attempts to deswage . accordingly , there is less of a chance that damage will occur to the suspension arm and actuator arm . various methods are contemplated in applying the lubricating film . additionally , it is also contemplated that application of the lubricating film can be conducted prior to attaching the swage plate to the suspension arm , as well as selected application of the lubricant to different components . one method in which to apply the lubricant film is to first attach the swage plate 46 to the base portion 41 of the suspension arm 21 , immerse the entire base portion 41 in a dilute solution of the fc 722 ( for example , a 1 . 0 % fluorine containing polymer in 99 . 0 % pf 5060 fluorocarbon solvent ), and then drain away the dilute solution from the base portion 41 at a preselected , constant rate ( for example , 200 mm / sec ) leaving a uniform film of the polymer on the surfaces of the base portion 41 . of course , the surface which is desired to be coated is the outer surface of the swage boss 48 which will inherently become coated by dipping of the base portion 41 . increasing or decreasing the drain rate and adjusting the concentration of the coating solution will determine the thickness of the coating applied . as mentioned above , it has been found that a polymer film having a thickness ranging from 20 to 175 angstroms is adequate and , in the case of solid films , a lubricant having a thickness ranging from 20 to 2700 angstroms is adequate ; however , thinner or thicker films can be applied as desired , including a layer one molecule thick . an additional advantage of utilizing a fluorocarbon solvent is the cleaning effect upon the components . application of the thin film lubricant can be conducted in a two step drain process , with the first step providing solvent cleaning and an initial coating , and the second step providing the final desired thickness of coating . another method in which to coat the components would be to only immerse the swage plate 46 and boss 48 , prior to attaching the swage plate to the suspension arm . in this method , there would be no film lubricant applied to any surfaces of the suspension arm . this method may be preferred if it is desired to also limit the components of the disk drive subject to coating . alternatively , the inner face or wall 38 of the actuator arm 22 may be coated with the film lubricant to provide the desired lubrication . accordingly , the distal end of the actuator arm 22 may also be immersed in a dilute solution of the fc 722 , or any other acceptable polymer or solid film . examples of such include thin films formed from organic sulphurs , organic phosphorus , oxygen containing organics ( such as carboxylic , esters and alcohols ), nitrogen containing organics , organic boron compounds and metal containing compounds . depending upon the type of materials making up the actuator arm and suspension arm , as well as desired torque out retention - values , it is also contemplated that one may select only the inner face 38 to be lubricated , only the outer surface of the swage boss 48 to be lubricated , or both surfaces may be lubricated . in addition to immersing , other methods of applying the lubricant are also contemplated for each of the components to include localized spraying , and the various deposition processes listed above . an unexpected result of lubrication of the swage contact surfaces is that gram load uniformity was also improved . as understood by those skilled in the art , gram load uniformity refers to the normal load placed on the disk by the suspension elements of the actuator assembly ( i . e ., the suspension arm , and complimentary elements ). it is desirable to have gram load uniformity among each of the actuator assemblies in a disk drive . gram load uniformity affects a number of disk drive operation variables , to include fly height of the read / write heads . it is believed that by lubricating the swage contact surfaces by a solid lubricant , the lubricant minimizes deleterious effects which the swage process may impart upon the structure of the actuator arm and suspension arm , thus improving gram load uniformity . coating the swage contact surfaces with a thin film lubricant enhances the deformation characteristics of the swage boss , facilitates reduction in the retention torque , and provides better consistency in torque out retention values . each of these attributes contributes in reducing chipping and other potential material failure of the swage contact surfaces . because of the many methods available in applying thin film lubricants , many options are available for application of the lubricant . additionally , one or more selected surfaces may be lubricated to achieve desired results . this invention has been described with respect to a particular disclosed embodiment ; however , it will be understood that various other modifications can be made which fall within the spirit and scope of this invention .

6Physics

a technical aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for controlling an electronic device using an ip camera with a wireless remote controlling function which is capable of monitoring an area of interest based on images acquired from the ip camera while concurrently controlling the electronic device at a remote distance by using at least one of a plurality of ir leds mounted to the surveillance ip camera as an ir remote control to control the electronic device . another technical aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method for controlling an electronic device using an ip camera with a wireless remote controlling function which can simplify a procedure of registering data to be learned for controlling the electronic device using the ip camera system at a remote distance through a user terminal . according to an embodiment of the present invention , a method for controlling an electronic device using an internet protocol ( ip ) camera with a wireless remote controlling function is provided . the method may include steps of : in response to a request signal for learning a remote control signal and a remote control signal for learning that is received from the ip camera , learning a remote control signal of the electronic device by matching the received remote control signal for learning with a remote control menu item , by the ip camera , receiving a learned control signal for the electronic device from the user terminal and registering the same , and in response to a remote control signal of the electronic device from the user terminal , controlling by the ip camera operation of the electronic device based on the learned information . the process of learning at the user terminal may include receiving a learning request signal , receiving a signal to select an electronic device as a target device of learning , displaying on a screen a remote control information and a remote control menu item corresponding to the electronic device for which the learning is requested , transmitting control signal for an electronic device to the ip camera according to a user input signal , determining whether or not the electronic device operates in accordance with the user input signal based on an information acquired by the ip camera , and when the electronic device is determined to be operating in accordance with the user input signal , downloading a corresponding remote control signal information from outside . further , the process of learning at the user terminal may include receiving a learning request signal , receiving a signal to select an electronic device requested for learning , displaying on a screen the remote control menu item necessary for controlling the electronic device selected for learning , receiving a plurality of remote control signals for learning one after another at the ip camera , assigning an identification code for each of the received remote control signal and displaying the identification code on the screen , transmitting , in response to a user manipulation signal , at the ip camera , the remote control signal for which the identification code is assigned such that the electronic device is controlled , and matching the identification code with the remote control menu item displayed on the screen in response to a user manipulation signal . further , the process of learning at the user terminal may include receiving a learning request signal , receiving a signal to select an target electronic device , receiving a remote control signal to be learned via the ip camera , and registering a menu name corresponding to the received remote control signal in accordance with a user manipulation signal . further , the process of learning at the user terminal may additionally include receiving a signal to select an ip camera , and receiving pan / tilt information of the selected ip camera and registering the same in association with the identification information of a target electronic device . the process at the user terminal of receiving the signal to select target electronic device for learning may include acquiring a shape information of the target electronic device from a camera captured image and causing the electronic device to be automatically identified and selected using a pattern matching between the acquired shape information of the electronic device and a pre - set shape information . further , the method may include controlling operation of the ip camera in accordance with a control request from the user terminal and transmitting an obtained image to the user terminal , receiving a remote control signal from the user terminal , reading and obtaining an electronic device control signal by matching the received remote control signal with the learned information , and then controlling the operation of the electronic device in accordance with the obtained control signal . further , the process of controlling the operation of the electronic device , at the ip camera , may include receiving the remote control signal from the user terminal , reading and obtaining an ip camera actuation control signal and an electronic device control signal by matching the received remote control signal with the learned information , controlling actuation of the ip camera in accordance with the recovered ip camera actuation control signal , and controlling the operation of the electronic device in accordance with the obtained electronic device control signal . also , the method may include transmitting , at the ip camera , information about an operating electronic device based on an acquired image information or sound information to the user terminal , and the ip camera may calculate a pan / tilt information of the ip camera based on location information of a control target electronic device and the ip camera and control the operation of the ip camera based on the calculated pan / tilt information of the ip camera . further , the ip camera may perform the steps of acquiring a sound signal outputted from the electronic device requested for controlling through a microphone , calculating a location of the electronic device requested for controlling , angle information between the electronic device requested for controlling , and the ip camera based on the sound signal acquired through the microphone , calculating a pan / tilt information of the ip camera based on the location , the angle information as calculated , and controlling the actuation of the ip camera in accordance with the calculated pan / tilt information of the ip camera . according to embodiments of the present disclosure , it is possible to obtain an enhanced efficiency of energy management while externally controlling electronic devices remotely without an additional communication network between a network device and the electronic devices by using one of a plurality of ir leds amounted to a surveillance ip camera as an ir remote - control for controlling the electronic devices . further , the embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously enhance function of the ip camera by utilizing the ip camera to control electronic devices remotely as well as perform surveillance . furthermore , user convenience is also increased as the process of registering remote - control - function - learning data of the ip camera is simplified . fig1 illustrates configuration of an ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to an embodiment of the present disclosure ; fig2 is a perspective view of the ip camera of fig1 ; fig3 illustrates configuration of the ip camera of fig1 ; fig4 is a flowchart provided to explain a learning method of an ip camera system employing a wireless remote - control capability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure ; fig5 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for learning electronic - device remote - control information and registering the learned data according to a first method of a present disclosure ; fig6 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for learning electronic - device remote - control information and registering the learned data according to a second method of a present disclosure ; fig7 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for learning electronic - device remote - control information and registering the learned data according to a third method of a present disclosure ; fig8 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling an electronic device from an ip camera system that employs a wireless remote controlling function according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure ; and fig9 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling an electronic device from an ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure . to fully understand the purpose achieved by the embodiments of the present invention and operational advantages thereof , reference is made to the appended drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention and also to the contents shown in the drawings . fig1 illustrates a configuration of an ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to an embodiment of the present disclosure ; fig2 is a perspective view of the ip camera of fig1 , and fig3 illustrates a configuration of the ip camera of fig1 . referring to fig1 to 3 , the ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to an embodiment includes a plurality of ip cameras 1 , a user terminal 2 , a plurality of electronic devices 3 and a remote control 4 . the ip cameras 1 acquires image data of a location the ip cameras 1 are installed , transmit the acquired data to the user terminal 2 or send out a control signal to control the electronic devices 3 in response to an external control signal , and learn and store information to control the electronic devices 3 according to a user setting . when requested by the user terminal 2 to capture image in real - time , the ip cameras 1 provide the current real - time image to the user terminal 2 , or compress and store a captured image in a memory 17 and provide the compressed image to the user terminal 2 upon being requested by the user terminal 2 . ip camera 1 includes a body 11 , a pan / tilt actuator 12 , an image acquirer 13 , a microphone 14 , an led 15 , an rf transmitter 16 , a communication interface 17 , a controller 18 , and a database 19 . the body 11 is installed such that operation of the pan / tilt actuator 12 is controlled in accordance with an externally - received control signal or an operation signal received from an operation unit which is separately installed on the body 11 . the image acquirer 13 is provided to acquire image data of surroundings of the body 11 and includes a lens 131 provided on a front surface of the body 11 as well as an image processor 132 configured to receive the light entering through the lens 131 and generates a image with an image processing method . the microphone unit 14 is provided to acquire , from an audio signal , operation status , volume , location or direction of the electronic device , or presence , location or direction of a person , or the like , and to trace a sound source by calculating direction and distance of the sound source based on intensity , phase difference , and time associated with the sound source detected through two microphones . each microphone employs a bi - directional microphone that has directivity to a specific direction , rather than an omni - directional microphone . the led module 15 includes a plurality of leds 151 for image capturing , a led 152 for receiving remote control signal , and a led 153 for transmitting remote control signal . the plurality of leds 151 for image - capturing are arranged in an annular fashion around the front lens 131 of the body 11 . the plurality of leds 151 for image - capturing do not operate when it is bright enough to meet the required level of illumination for image capturing , while the leds 151 operate when it is dark at night ( i . e . when the required level of illumination for image capturing is not met ) to allow infrared image capturing to be performed . the led 152 for receiving remote control signal is provided for a remote - controlling - function - learning process ( to be explained below ) in which when the user presses a key on the remote control 4 , the led 152 for receiving remote control signal receives an infrared signal sent from the remote control 4 . the led 153 for transmitting remote control signal is configure to transmit an infrared signal to control the operation of a corresponding electronic device 3 in accordance with a received control signal , when the control signal is received from the user terminal 2 . meanwhile , not all the electronic devices used at home are infrared - controllable . for example , it is not possible to infrared - control a digital door lock as the digital door lock is only controllable with an rf signal . accordingly , an aspect of the present disclosure additionally includes an rf transmitter 16 , which sends out an rf signal to control the electronic devices 3 that react exclusively to the rf signals . meanwhile , unlike the infrared signal , the rf signal does not have directivity . accordingly , the install location of the rf transmitter 16 is not limited , and may be any place inside or outside the body 11 of the ip camera 1 . the communication interface 17 is provided for data transmission and reception with the user terminal 2 , and for control of the electronic devices 3 by a wired or wireless method other than an infrared method , and includes a wireless communication module and a wired communication module . in response to a control signal received from the user terminal 2 , the controller 18 controls the pan / tilt of the ip camera 1 or operation of the electronic devices 3 , based on a previously configured information in the memory 17 and in accordance with the control signal . in addition to the image db 191 for storing captured images , the database 19 includes a universe remote control db 192 and a leaning data db 193 for storing information necessary for the control of the electronic devices 3 . the universe remote control db 192 stores control signal information corresponding to manufacturer &# 39 ; s information , product information and remote control menu of the control target electronic device for facilitating the remote - control - signal - learning process . that is , the universe remote control db 192 enhances learning convenience , as the universe remote control db 192 allows the user to select and store only wanted menu icons from the remote control menus displayed on a screen rather than to operate through all the menu buttons of the remote control to set the information . the information on the universe remote control is accessible to the user terminal 2 through a webpage or downloadable via an application . the learning data db 193 stores remote control signal information of the respective electronic devices and pan / tilt control information of the ip cameras , location information of the ip cameras and the electronic devices , or the like . that is , in order to control each electronic device , different infrared signals are used depending on manufacturer &# 39 ; s product models and supported functions . further , because infrared signal has directivity , the control signal is limited to a predetermined range of angles . accordingly , to ensure effective control on the control target electronic device , it is necessary to store pan / tilt information of the ip camera which can place the electronic device within the infrared signal reception range as well as to store the control signal information that matches the respective electronic devices . to that end , the user can have remote control signal information corresponding to the remote controlling functions of the electronic device stored in the universe remote control db 192 as well as the ip camera pan / tilt information to be learned and stored in in the learning data db 193 . the user can have remote control signal information acquired by direct operation of menu buttons on remote control of the electronic device as well as the pan / tilt information to learned and stored in the learning data db 193 . the method for remote - control - learning will be explained in detail below . meanwhile , the user terminal 2 connected to the ip cameras 1 by a wired or wireless communication network externally controls the operation of the ip cameras 1 and plays a role of monitoring the images captured through the ip cameras 1 at a remote distance . the user terminal 2 may be a portable terminal such as a smartphone , a laptop computer , or a desktop pc . to be specific , the user terminal 2 may externally control the pan / tilt of the ip cameras 1 in response to a user &# 39 ; s operation signal to change the direction of image capturing when the user wants to monitor an image in certain direction , or may input learning information required for controlling of the electronic device 3 , or may transmit a control signal in accordance with the user &# 39 ; s operation signal to the ip cameras 1 . fig4 is a flowchart provided to explain a learning method of an ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . the learning method will be explained below with reference to fig1 to 3 . first , with the user terminal 2 the user executes an ip camera control program and selects a remote control registration menu . accordingly , a list of ip cameras 1 appears on the screen and the user selects an ip camera 1 to control the electronic device 3 intended for learning ( s 100 ). the user adjusts the pan / tilt of the selected ip camera 1 while viewing the images displayed on a screen of the user terminal 2 , and when completing adjusting the pan / tilt , stores the pan / tilt information by matching it with the id of the corresponding electronic device 3 ( s 102 ). the pan / tilt adjustment needs to be done in a way that the transmission range of the infrared signal of remote control signal transmitting led 153 with directivity of the ip camera is aligned with the angle of infrared light reception of the electronic device and that image information and sound information for monitoring of the operational status of the electronic device 3 can be received . it is determined if the corresponding electronic device 3 is in a list of the universe remote control db 192 ( s 104 ), and if so , the corresponding electronic device 3 is selected from the list ( s 106 ). the screen may display the product model of the electronic device or the manufacturer , thus allowing the user to select the product model and the manufacturer in an order . selecting the electronic device 3 may be directly done by the user from the list or , rather than direct selecting , an alternative embodiment may acquire the shape of the electronic device with the camera and automatically identify and select the model of the electronic device based on the acquired shape information . after selecting the electronic device 3 from the list , the user presses one of the icons displayed on the screen , and when noting the corresponding electronic device to be in power - on / off state or to be in operation ( s 108 ), the user causes downloading and storing of the remote control information by matching it with the ip camera information and the ip camera pan / tilt information acquired at s 100 and s 102 ( s 110 ). meanwhile , when it is determined that the corresponding electronic device 3 is not present in the list of the universe remote control db 192 at s 104 , while the user operating the remote control the remote control signals can be learned , via the ip camera , and stored . the process of the learning and storing involves the user inputting information about the electronic device using a keypad screen , step - wise learning of control signals that match the remote control menus of the corresponding electronic device , and storing the control signals . the information of the electronic device may include i product information and manufacturer information which may be directly inputted in a text form by the user or selected by the user from a list . fig5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of learning electronic - device remote - control information and registering the learned data according to a first method of the present invention . first , when a product of the electronic device is selected , a menu list corresponding to the operational functions of the corresponding electronic device is displayed on a screen ( s 300 ). then , the user selects a necessary item from the menu list on the screen ( s 302 ), and presses a menu button of the remote control 4 that matches the corresponding item toward the ip camera 1 ( s 304 ). as an infrared signal of the remote control 4 is received at the led for receiving remote control signal 152 of the ip camera 1 , a remote control signal for learning is acquired ( s 306 ). when the remote control signal for learning is acquired at the step s 306 , the user cause storing of the learned data by matching the item on the screen ( s 308 ). after that , the operation from the step s 302 to the step s 308 are repeated until learning of the desired menu item is completed . according to the first learning method of the present invention , the learning process can be simplified since the user does not have to input the remote control menu items one by one as text . fig6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for learning electronic - device remote - control information and registering the learned data according to a second method of a present disclosure . first , when the user presses the remote control button toward the ip camera ( s 400 ), a remote control signal for learning is acquired as an infrared signal of the remote control 4 is received from the led 152 for receiving remote control signal of the ip camera 1 ( s 402 ). at this time , the user presses all the buttons on the remote control 4 in order , so that all the remote control signals for learning can be acquired . the remote control menu list necessary to drive the corresponding electronic device appears on the screen along with a button identification number ( id no . )( s 404 ). then , as the user presses the button id nos . on the screen in order , thereby reproduces control signals and then identifies type of the control signals based on operational status of the electronic device ( s 406 ), and matches the button id nos . with menu items , respectively ( s 408 ). for example , when the user identify power - on / off in case no . “ 2 ” code ( given an id no .) was selected , the user may drag and match the id no . “ 2 ” code to the “ power ” item . accordingly , the infrared signal generated by pressing id no . “ 2 ” matches with the “ power ” item , which simplifies the learning data setting as the user is not required to input the text information about the remote control menu item . when matching the button id nos . and the menu items is completed , the learned information that matches the items on the screen and the remote control signals is stored ( s 410 ). fig7 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for learning electronic - device remote - control information and registering the learned data according to a third method of a present disclosure . first , when the user presses a remote control button toward the ip camera ( s 502 ), a remote control signal for learning purpose is received via the remote control signal receiving led 152 of the ip camera 1 . when , the user terminal 2 receives a remote control signal for learning from the ip camera 1 ( s 502 ), the user inputs a menu name so that the user can identify information about the function that corresponds to the pressed remote control button ( s 504 ). although the operating the remote control button is performed prior to inputting a menu name , in another embodiment it is possible to input the menu name and to operate the remote control button subsequently . when operating the button on the remote control and inputting menu names are completed , learning is completed and the learned data of matching between the items on the screen and the remote control signals is stored ( s 506 ). herein below , a method for controlling an electronic device at an ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained . fig8 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling an electronic device at an ip camera system that employs a wireless remote controlling function according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure . accordingly , embodiments will be explained below with reference to fig8 , along with fig1 to 3 . referring to fig8 , first , an ip camera list appears on a screen as the user executes an electronic device control program ( s 600 ), and the user selects an ip camera and an image captured through the ip camera is displayed on the screen ( s 602 ). at this time , the user terminal displays the operational status of the electronic device on a screen thereof as well as image information about the electronic device . the operational status of the electronic device may be recognized based on light emitting status of a display panel provided in the electronic device or a manufacturer name or a product name appearing on the image , or in the case of a tv or an audio equipment , based on the audio information inputted through a microphone provided in the ip camera 1 . it is possible to automatically recognize the currently - operated electronic device before the user selects an ip camera , and , in order to do so , relative location information between the ip cameras and the electronic devices or shape information needs be set in advance . that is , it is necessary to identify the electronic device in order to detect the operational status of the electronic device based on the panel light emitting status or audio information of the electronic device and notify the operational status of a corresponding electronic device . accordingly , the embodiments of the present disclosure set in advance the shape information of the electronic devices , extract shape of the electronic device from the image acquired through the ip camera , and identifies the type of the electronic device by matching patterns between the extracted shape and preset shape information . alternatively , it is possible to calculate distance between the ip camera and the electronic device and locations based on the audio information generated from the electronic device and identify the electronic device by matching the calculated result with the preset location information . meanwhile , while observing the screen of the user terminal 2 , the user adjusts pan / tilt of the ip camera 1 so that the remote control transmitting led 153 is directed toward the electronic devices 3 ( s 604 ). when the pan / tilt adjustment of the ip camera 1 is completed , the electronic - device - remote - control menus are displayed on the screen . the user selects a desired remote control from the displayed list and selects a desired function from the menu list of the remote control ( s 606 ). in one embodiment , the user may select a remote control from the screen of the user terminal , but not limited thereto . that is , selecting a remote control may be performed automatically . accordingly , when the ip camera 1 is selected , the ip camera 1 captures images of the electronic devices within a recognition range , and the user terminal 2 may automatically identify the electronic devices based on the manufacturer names or product names marked on the electronic devices from the captured images , or may extract shape information of the electronic devices , match patterns between the extracted shape information and preset shape information , and automatically identify the electronic device so that the remote controls corresponding to the electronic devices are automatically selected . this automatic selecting of a remote control may be equally applicable to not only the first embodiment of fig9 but also the second embodiment of fig1 . the user terminal 2 sends out the inputted signal to the ip camera 1 ( s 608 ), and the ip camera 1 recovers the stored remote control signal from the database based on the received control signal ( s 610 ). after that , the ip camera 1 transmits the remote control signal to the electronic device 3 via the remote control signal transmitting led 153 to thus control the operation of the electronic device 3 ( s 612 ). fig9 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling an electronic device at an ip camera system employing a wireless remote controlling function according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure . accordingly , embodiments will be explained below with reference to fig9 , along with fig1 to 3 . referring to fig9 , first , as the user executes an electronic device control program ( s 700 ) a list of ip cameras and a list of remote controls are displayed on a screen ( s 702 ). after that , the user selects a desired remote control from the displayed list and also selects a desired function from a menu list of the remote control ( s 704 ). the user terminal 2 sends the inputted signal to the ip camera 1 ( s 706 ), and the ip camera 1 recovers the ip camera 1 pan / tilt information and the remote control signal from the database based on the received control signal ( s 708 ). the pan / tilt information of the ip camera 1 may be previously determined for individual control target electronic devices or may be calculated based on preset relative positions or angle information between the ip camera 1 and the electronic devices 3 . the ip camera 1 automatically adjusts the pan / tilt according to the recovered pan / tilt information ( s 710 ), and sends out a remote control signal via the remote control signal transmitting led 153 to the electronic devices 3 to thus control operation of the electronic devices 3 ( s 712 ). the pan / tilt information of the ip camera 1 may be controlled according to predetermined information , but in another embodiment it is possible to detect , in real - time , the location of the control target electronic device and calculate the pan / tilt information based on the detected location . accordingly , it is possible to obtain the location of the electronic devices and angle information between the electronic devices and the ip camera by acquiring sound signals outputted from the control target electronic devices through two microphones and by calculating direction and distance between the ip camera and the electronic devices based on the intensity and phase difference or time regarding sound source detected by two microphones . accordingly , pan / tilt information of the ip camera for controlling electronic devices can be obtained without setting pan / tilt information of the ip camera corresponding to the control target electronic devices or location information of the electronic devices in advance . moreover , the embodiments of the present disclosure may additionally include a method for automatically adjusting pan / tilt of the camera based on the location and distance information between the electronic devices and the ip camera when an error in the pan / tilt information is accumulated due to change deliberately made in the pan / tilt of the camera or repetition of the operation . while the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings this is merely an example and it will be understood to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made from the above description . accordingly , the scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical concept of the following claims . the present disclosure relates to a camera system that is externally accessible via a communication network which is applicable in the industrial field to enhance security and convenience by enabling a user to externally view the images acquired through the camera , and also to remote - control an electronic device with the camera .

7Electricity

referring to fig2 a , there is shown a block of digital image signal which includes 8 × 8 pixels , each of them being denoted by a square . the block contains an object region which is represented by shaded pixels and a remaining background region . the shaded pixels are called as object pixels while the other pixels are called as background pixels . the object pixels are extended to fill the entire block as shown in fig2 b to 2c by using the extension - interpolation (&# 34 ; e - i &# 34 ;) technique of the present invention . to achieve this , a horizontal and a vertical extensions are performed separately as shown in fig2 b and 2c , respectively . either the horizontal or the vertical extension is performed prior to the other and the priority may be decided according to image characteristics . the horizontal or the vertical extension may be performed row - by - row or column - by - column . in case that a block includes n × n pixels , for each row or each column , m - dimensional (&# 34 ; m - d &# 34 ;) vector , m being an integer ranging from 1 to n , is converted to n - dimensional (&# 34 ; n - d &# 34 ;) vector , wherein elements of the m - d vector are m object pixel values included in each row or each column , and elements of the n - d vector are n extended pixel values . for example , in case of the third row of the block shown in fig2 a , 5 - dimensional vector is converted to 8 - dimensional vector representing the third row of a horizontally extended block shown in fig2 b . a transformed m - d vector f 1 obtained by applying m - point 1 - dimensional (&# 34 ; 1 - d &# 34 ;) dct to the m - d vector f 1 are represented as follows : ## equ1 ## wherein f 1 ( n 1 ) is n 1 th element of f 1 ; f 1 ( k 1 ) is k 1 th element of f 1 ; n 1 and k 1 are integers ranging from 0 to m - 1 ; and b ij is represented as : ## equ2 ## similarly , when the m - d vector f 1 is extended to form an n - d vector f 2 by using the e - i technique of the present invention , a transformed n - d vector f 2 obtained by applying n - point 1 - d dct to the n - d vector f 2 are represented as follows : ## equ3 ## wherein f 2 ( n 2 ) is n 2 th element of f 2 ; f 2 ( k 2 ) is k 2 th element of f 2 ; n 2 and k 2 are integers ranging from 0 to n - 1 ; and a ij is represented as : ## equ4 ## two methods for extending the m - d vector to the n - d vector will be described hereinafter : one is an optimal e - i method and the other is a linear interpolation method . in accordance with the optimal e - i method , the m - d vector f 1 is extended to n - d vector f 2 without generating any additional frequency domain data . that is , the following equation is satisfied , ## equ5 ## wherein μ 0 is a scaling factor used to make the dc component of f 2 equal to that of f 1 and is given as , ## equ6 ## when eq . ( 3 ) is satisfied , the e - i procedure is optimal because no additional data is generated in the frequency domain . from eqs . ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), it can be deduced that f 2 is obtained from f 1 as follows : ## equ7 ## or wherein a and b denote the n × n and the n × m matrices whose components are a ij and b ij used in eq . ( 4a ), respectively . eqs . ( 4a ) and ( 4b ) are further simplified as follows : ## equ8 ## wherein c is an n × m matrix and equal to a - 1 b . by using the above relationship , an arbitrary shaped object is extended to fill an n × n block without generating additional frequency domain elements . conversely , the original data of fig2 a is recovered from the n × n block shown in fig2 c . in case n is identical to m , c is an identity matrix . therefore , the extension procedure dosen &# 39 ; t change the original vector f 1 and can be ommitted . another method for extending m - d vector to n - d vector is a well - known linear interpolation method . since a matrix multiplication is not involved in the extension procedure , the linear interpolation method is simpler in view of the computational complexity . referring to fig3 the linear interpolation method is illustrated in case that m and n is 3 and 8 , respectively . in the example depicted in fig2 a to 2c , third to eighth rows of the block shown in fig2 a are first horizontally extended by using the optimal e - i or the linear interpolation methods to those of the block shown in fig2 b . similarly , columns of the horizontally extended block shown in fig2 b are vertically extended by using the optimal e - i or the linear interpolation methods to those of the extended block shown in fig2 c . referring to fig4 there is shown a block diagram of an apparatus for encoding a digital image signal in accordance with the present invention . the encoding apparatus comprises a first and a second encoding channels 100 and 500 , and an extension - interpolation device 400 for producing extended processing blocks in order to effectively encode a portion of a boundary of an object in the image signal , wherein the first encoding channel 100 serves to encode a contour signal of the object and the second encoding channel 500 operates to encode the digital image signal on a block - by - block basis . the digital image signal , which is generated from a known image source ( not shown ), e . g ., a hard disk or a compact disk , is inputted to a frame memory 50 for the storage thereof . a frame of the digital image signal has an object and includes object pixels which are located within the object and background pixels which are located outside thereof . the background pixels may be represented as pixels whose values are much larger or smaller than the range of the ordinary pixel value . an image frame signal from the frame memory 50 is then retrieved to a contour detector 110 in the first encoding channel 100 and a block generator 200 . the first encoding channel 100 , which includes the contour detector 110 and a contour coder 120 , serves to detect and encode the contour signal of the object in the image frame signal from the frame memory 50 by employing a known contour detecting and coding technique to produce an encoded contour signal . as well known in the art , the contour signal of the object can be derived from edge points defined as pixel locations at which a significant change occurs on a physical aspect of the image frame signal to form the object thereof . the contour signal detected at the contour detector 110 is then provided to the contour coder 120 for the encoding thereof . at the contour coder 120 , the contour signal from the contour detector 110 is encoded by using , e . g ., a binary arithmetic code of jpeg ( joint photographic experts group ) and then the encoded contour signal is supplied to a formatting circuit 600 . in the meantime , the block generator 200 divides the image frame signal from the frame memory 50 into a multiplicity of processing blocks having an identical size of n × n pixels , n being a positive integer , and provides the processing blocks to a switching circuit 300 on a block - by - block basis . at the switching circuit 300 , each of the processing blocks from the block generator 200 is selectively coupled to the e - i device 400 or the second encoding channel 500 in response to a control signal cs from a system controller ( not shown ). the system controller generates the control signal cs based on the contour information of the object in the image frame signal , the control signal . cs indicating whether or not a part of the object boundary in the image frame exists in each of the processing blocks . if the part of the object boundary exists in a processing block , i . e ., the processing block has an object region and a background region simultaneously , the processing block is coupled to the e - i 400 for generating an extended processing block ; otherwise , it is sent to the second encoding channel 500 . in accordance with the present invention , the e - i device 400 converts each of the processing blocks from the switching circuit 300 into the extended processing block for improving a data compression efficiency at the second encoding channel 500 . specifically , the processing block fed to the device 400 is similar to the one shown in fig2 a and converted therein to the extended processing block as explained with reference to fig2 a to 2c . the second encoding channel 500 , which includes a transform coder 510 , a quantizer 520 and an entropy coder 530 , serves to encode the image data included in each of the extended processing blocks from e - i device 400 or a non - extended processing block from the switching circuit 300 by using a conventional transform and statistical coding technique . that is , the transform coder 510 transforms the image data of each processing block in the spatial domain from the e - i device 400 or the switching circuit 300 into a set of transform coefficients in the frequency domain by employing , e . g ., a discrete cosine transform ( dct ) and provides the set of the transform coefficients to the quantizer 520 . at the quantizer 520 , the set of the transform coefficients is quantized by using a known quantization method ; and then the set of the quantized transform coefficients is fed to the entropy coder 530 for further processing . the entropy coder 530 encodes the set of the quantized transform coefficients from the quantizer 520 for each of the non - extended or extended processing blocks by using , e . g ., a combination of run - length and variable length coding to generate an encoded image frame signal . the image frame signal encoded by the entropy coder 530 is then provided to the formatting circuit 600 . the formatting circuit 600 formats the encoded contour signal from the contour coder 120 in the first encoding channel 100 and the encoded image frame signal from the entropy coder 530 in the second encoding channel 500 , to thereby provide a formatted digital image signal to a transmitter ( not shown ) for the transmission thereof . as demonstrated above , the present invention is capable of considerably reducing high frequency components present between the pixels within an object and those pixels outside thereof during the coding process using the optimal e - i or the linear interpolation methods , thereby improving the overall coding efficiency . referring to fig5 there is shown a detailed block diagram of the e - i device 400 in accordance with the optimal extension - interpolation method , which includes a controller 410 , a first and a second extension blocks 420 and 421 , and an extension matrix memory 430 . the processing block from the switching circuit 300 and the contour signal from the contour detector 110 are coupled to the controller 410 which generates control signals for controlling the other part of the e - i device 400 . for example , the controller 410 may generate a h / v priority signal denoting either horizontal or vertical extension which is to be done prior to the other based on , e . g ., shape of the object region in the processing block ; an m - value signal representing the number of object pixels in a row or a column which is currently processed in the first or the second extension block 420 and 421 ; and / or an object pixel start signal identifying the position of the first object pixel in a row or a column which is currently processed in the first or the second extension block 420 and 421 . the control signals generated at the controller 410 are coupled to the extension matrix memory 430 , the first and the second extension block 420 and 421 . the extension matrix memory 430 stores extension matrices , i . e ., c in eq . ( 5b ), for converting an m - d vector to an n - d vector . n is preset according to a system design and is 8 in many cases . therefore , it is possible to precalculate the extension matrix c for all values of m , i . e ., 1 to n and to store them at the extension matrix memory 430 . the extension - interpolation for a row ( or a column ) of the processing block can be easily done by multiplying an appropriate extension matrix stored at the extension matrix memory 430 to the m - d vector formed with values of the object pixels in the row ( or the column ). the processing block from the switching circuit 300 and the control signals from the controller 410 are fed to the first extension block 420 . for the purpose of illustration , it will be assumed that the horizontal extension has the priority . at the first extension block 420 , in response to the control signals from the controller 410 , m - d vectors to be processed are selected . in case of the processing block shown in fig2 a , the third to seventh pixel values of the third row are selected first . an extension matrix for an m value of 5 is provided from the extension matrix memory 430 to the first extension block 420 in response to the m - value signal from the controller 410 and is multiplied to the 5 - d vector representing the object pixels of the third row . the fourth to eighth rows of the processing block shown in fig2 a are processed in a similar manner . after the horizontal extension is finished , the horizontally extended processing block similar to the one shown in fig2 b is supplied to the second extension block 421 . the second extension block 421 multiplies each of 8 m - d vector derived from 8 columns of horizontally extended processing block with corresponding extension matrices provided from the extension matrix memory 430 in a substantially similar manner as that of the first extension block 420 . the extended processing block from the second extension block 421 is provided to the second encoding channel 500 shown in fig4 and encoded therein . meanwhile , in case the linear interpolation method is used in converting the processing block to the extended processing block , the extension matrix memory 430 is not necessary . in addition , instead of matrix multiplication , the first and the second extension blocks 420 and 421 perform a 1 - d linear interpolation on an m - d vector derived from each row or each column of the processing block as shown in fig3 to form an n - d vector . besides that , the overall function of the e - i device shown in fig5 is similar to the one which is explained above in accordance with the optimal e - i method . while the present invention has been described with respect to the particular embodiments , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims .

7Electricity

a multilevel dryer for pasta , as described for example in wo 85 / 00090 or the applicant &# 39 ; s de 10158446 . 6 , not published before the priority date , the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties , has individual dryer sections , which in turn have an outer casing . the casing comprises individual , shaped plates . in the example , a top plate 1 is connected to a further top plate 2 ( fig1 ). the connection takes place by a butt joint at the end faces 3 and 3 ′. in this case , neither a sealing abutment of the end faces 3 and 3 ′ against each other nor particularly fine working of the end faces 3 , 3 ′ is required , so that the separating gap 4 does not have to meet any special requirements . parallel to the end face 3 , 3 ′, the plates 1 and 2 respectively have through - bores or blind - bores 5 . placed on the inner side of the separating gap 4 is a top crosshead 6 with a planar supporting surface and through - bores analogous to the through - bores 5 of the plates 1 , 2 and , on the outer side , a planar sealing strip 7 with analogous through - bores . a further crosshead 8 may be placed on the sealing plate . the positionally fixed fastening of the individual elements takes place as depicted by means of screw connections 9 . the outer regions of the sealing strip 7 are l - shaped parallel to the path of the sealing gap 4 , so that a flexible sealing element , here a silicone tube 10 , can be additionally placed between the sealing strip 7 and the plates 1 , 2 . as a result of the screw connections 9 , adequate sealing of the separating gap 4 against vapor or gases is consequently obtained . if need be , however , a further sealing plate 11 may be provided , as depicted , between the separating gap 4 and the sealing strip 7 or the top crosshead 6 . positional compensation perpendicular to the plane of the separating gap 4 is possible . in the case of a sealing joint according to fig2 , two casing parts 20 , 21 of a multilevel dryer are connected to each other in a sealed manner , forming a separating gap 4 , positional compensation parallel to the separating gap 4 being possible . both on the inner side and on the outer side of the separating gap 4 , a sealing strip 7 ′ is in turn arranged over the entire length thereof , containing a silicone tube 10 to the right and left of the separating gap 4 . on the outer side of the sealing joint there is additionally a cover plate 22 ( analogous to the top plate 11 ) between the sealing strip 7 ′ and the casing parts 20 , 21 . as in the first example , the two sealing strips 7 ′ are clamped against each other by means of a screw connection 9 and reliably seal off the separating gap . the invention is not restricted to these exemplary embodiments . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted . the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein .

5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting

the present invention relates to wireless communication with programmable logic devices . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details . in other instances , well - known features have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention . fig1 is a block diagram showing a wireless programmable logic device 102 of the present invention connected to an antenna 104 . wireless programmable logic device 102 contains a programmable logic device die 106 , a base band unit 108 , a radio frequency ( rf ) transceiver 110 , and an optional power amplifier 112 . programmable logic device die 106 could be a fpga , pla , cpld , or pprom die . base band unit 108 and transceiver 110 may be fabricated into one rf die 114 . in one embodiment , dies 106 and 114 and power amplifier 112 are combined in a multi - chip module ( mcm ). in another embodiment , cmos process is used . currently , both the programmable logic device die and base band unit 108 can be implemented using cmos process . recently , there are tremendous advances in implementing rf circuit using cmos process . for example , a new ic built on 0 . 18 μm cmos process , called the tc2000 and is marketed by zeevo inc ., contains the radio , base band unit and interfaces . in this embodiment of wireless programmable logic devices , cmos process is used to integrate as many functional blocks as possible into a single ic . it should be noted that the word “ wireless ” is not limited to rf . it includes optical , audio and other means of communication without the use of wired connection . base band unit 108 performs data processing of wireless data sent and received by wireless programmable logic device 102 . examples of some of the operations performed by base band unit 108 are : error correction , data communication link control , digital offset cancellation and symbol synchronization , encryption , data buffering , etc . rf transceiver 110 preferably contains a voltage - controlled oscillator , a low noise amplifier , a modulator , a demodulator , filters , etc . antenna 104 may be fabricated on the mcm package itself . alternatively , it may be externally provided ( e . g ., in the form of a metal strip on a circuit board ) the present invention can be used with different wireless communication protocols . an exemplary protocol is bluetooth . this protocol uses spread spectrum frequency hopping signals in the unlicensed 2 . 4 ghz ism ( industrial , science and medical ) band . the current specification defines a range of around 100 meters supporting data rate of up to 720 kb / s per channel . other wireless communication protocols may provide for longer ranges and / or higher data rate . if wireless programmable logic device 102 is a fpga , it needs to be configured by a configuration bitstream after power is turned on . in a conventional system , an external nonvolatile memory ( not shown ), such as a prom ( programmable read - only memory ), is used to store the bitstream . the stored bitstream is transmitted to a configuration memory in the fpga via dedicated pins on the fpga . in one embodiment , this bitstream can be transmitted to a configuration memory 116 of device 102 using wireless means . as a result , there is no need to have dedicated pins for configuration . further , there is no need to place an external nonvolatile memory on the circuit board . as a result , real estate on the circuit board can be better utilized . fig2 shows a wireless based configuration system 130 of the present invention . it contains a configuration host 132 and a circuit board 136 having a plurality of ics , such as ics 139 - 143 . some of the ics may be programmable logic devices , such as fpgas 142 and 143 . host 132 contains memory ( not shown ) that stores the configuration bitstreams of fpgas 142 and 143 . the bitstreams are delivered to fpgas 142 and 143 via an antenna 134 . fig3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a configuration host 150 of the present invention . it comprises a processor 152 that controls its operation . host 150 contains a configuration data input interface 154 that receives configuration bitstream from an external source ( not shown ). processor 152 stores the bitstream in a memory 156 . whenever there is a need to configure a fpga , processor 152 retrieves the bitstream from memory 156 and delivers the data to a serial interface 160 . the serialized data is deliver to antenna 134 by a transceiver 162 . an optional amplifier may be inserted between transceiver 162 and antenna 134 . memory 156 is preferably , but not necessarily , nonvolatile . in another embodiment , host 150 can be designed as a self - contained state machine . the interaction between host 132 and a single fpga is now described . fig4 shows a flow chart 170 of the interaction . in step 172 , host 132 sends a query to search for a recognizable fpga . this query is preferably a digital pattern encoded on an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined frequency and duration . an fpga responds to the query by sending its identification to host 132 . in step 174 , host 132 determines whether the responding fpga is a target fpga . if no target is found , host 132 continues to search for a recognizable fpga . if a target is found , host 132 performs two types of operations at the same time : ( 1 ) sending out configuration bitstream data and ( 2 ) determining whether the target fpga is working properly . in step 176 , host 132 determines whether the fpga can continue to accept configuration data . in one embodiment , the fpga sends a predetermined signal to host 132 if it cannot accept configuration data . if no such signal is received , host 132 assumes that it can continue to send configuration signal . if such a signal is received , host 132 sends a command to reset the target fpga ( step 178 ). in step 180 , host 132 logs this failed operation . the information may be stored in nonvolatile memory 156 for later retrieval by a user who needs to know the status of the configuration . additional information related to the failure ( e . g ., the time of failure ) may also be logged . flow chart 170 then stops ( step 182 ). as mentioned above , host 132 sends out configuration data unless requested not to do so . in step 186 , host 154 determines whether all configuration data stored in nonvolatile memory 156 has been sent . if not all the data has been sent , host 132 continues to send the data ( step 188 ). if all the data has been sent , host 132 sends a command to configure the target fpga ( step 189 ). host 132 waits for the fpga to complete the configuration ( step 190 ). if configuration is successful , host 132 logs a successful configuration operation in its nonvolatile memory 156 ( step 192 ). host 132 then sends a start command to the target fpga to start normal operation ( step 194 ). flow chart 170 then ends ( step 182 ). if configuration fails , host 132 logs a failed operation ( step 202 ). it then sends a command to reset the target fpga ( step 204 ). the flow chart then terminates ( step 182 ). it can be seen from the above that the fpga does not need to have wired contact with a nonvolatile memory on the same circuit board . further , it is possible to log more information using the system of the present invention . the information could be used to improve product manufacturing . the present invention can be extended to configure multiple programmable logic devices on the same circuit board . fig5 a and 5b , combined , is a flow chart 230 showing the interaction between host 132 and two or more fpgas . in step 232 , host 132 sends query to the fpgas . in step 234 , each fpga delivers its id to host 132 . in step 236 , host 132 compares the received id with a list previously stored in its memory . if ids match , flow chart 230 proceeds to the steps shown in fig5 b ( delivering bitstream and configure the fpgas ). if there is no match , host 132 determines whether it needs to configure another set of fpgas ( step 238 ). if there is no need to do so , flow chart 230 terminates . if there is a need to do so , flow chart 230 branches back to step 232 . in one embodiment , the id could be used to uniquely identify a single programmable logic device . in this case , the id serves to ensure that only the correct device is configured . in another embodiment , the id could be a generic identification of a type of devices . one example of an id is the idcode used in the so - called boundary scan description language . this is a unique identification encoded in every fpga of certain vendors , and is used to identify family members of products . an example of an idcode is shown below : this type of id is preferably used in production situation when the same host is used to program a large number of identical circuit boards . the id can be used to identify the different fpgas on the circuit boards . after host 132 determines that the correct fpgas are present , it performs the following operations at the same time : ( 1 ) sending out configuration data to each fpga and ( 2 ) determining whether the target fpgas are working properly . turning now to fig5 b , host 132 determines whether the fpgas can continue to accept configuration data ( step 244 ). in one embodiment of the present invention , a fpga sends a predetermined signal to host 132 if it cannot accept configuration data . if no such signal is received , host 132 assumes that it can continue to send configuration data . if such a signal is received , host sends a reset command to that particular fpga ( step 246 ). in step 248 , host 132 logs this failed operation . the id of the fpga is preferably logged so that a user can identify the failed fpga . other information may also be logged . flow chart 230 then terminates ( step 250 ). host 132 also monitors the bitstream to determine whether all the data for the current fpga has been sent ( step 252 ). if not all the data has been sent , host 132 continues to send data ( step 254 ). if all the data has been sent , host 132 transmits a configuration command to the current fpga ( step 256 ). host 132 waits for a reply from the fpga to determine if there is a successful configuration ( step 258 ). if configuration is successful , host 132 determines whether this fpga should be started at this time or need to wait until another fpga completes configuration ( step 260 ). if configuration is not successful , host 132 sends a command to the fgpa requesting it to stop configuration ( step 262 ). host 132 then logs the failed operation ( step 264 ). flow chart 230 stops . host 132 continues to check if all the data for all the fpgas has been sent ( step 270 ). if some of the data has yet to be sent , and the remaining fpgas continue to indicate they would accept data , host 132 sends data to the appropriate fpga ( step 272 ). if all the data has been sent , host 132 determines whether all the fpgas indicate that configuration has been completed ( step 274 ). if configuration has been completed , host 132 sends start commands to the fpgas ( step 276 ). in the case where different fpgas need to start at different times , host 132 sends commands at appropriate times . at step 278 , host 132 logs a successful operation . flow chart 230 then terminates . if one or more fpgas indicate problems in configuration , host 132 sends a command to stop configuration ( step 262 ). host 132 then logs the failed operation ( step 264 ). the above - described invention may be modified to include a combination of wireless and regular fpgas on a single circuit board . fig6 shows such a combination 300 . it contains a wireless fpga 302 that functions as a master . a plurality of fpgas , such as 304 and 306 , are connected to wireless fpga 302 . wireless fpga 302 receives configuration data in the same way shown in fig4 . the configuration data is passed to the slave fpgas 304 and 306 . as a result , a single wireless fpga can be used to configure a plurality of fpgas . in a further embodiment , a target can send a request to a host to load a different set of configuration data into the target . an example is a handheld unit used to handle several jobs . the handheld unit contains a programmable logic device . a user can key in a job number , press a button , and the unit sends the job number to a host . the host then sends new data to reconfigures the programmable logic device inside the unit . in another embodiment , the programmable logic device may erase the information therein if it is not in wireless contact with a host for more than a predetermined time . this embodiment is useful to protect confidential data in the programmable logic device . it can be seen from the above description that a novel wireless programmable logic device and methods for using the same have been disclosed . those having skill in the relevant arts of the invention will now perceive various modifications and additions which may be made as a result of the disclosure herein . accordingly , all such modifications and additions are deemed to be within the scope of the invention , which is to be limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents .

6Physics

the basketball return mechanism 10 of the present invention is shown generally in fig1 . the device consists generally of a lower wheeled support frame 12 , a movable upper support frame 14 pivotally mounted on the lower support frame , a receiving basket 20 for receiving a ball after having passed through a net , a delivery track 16 , and a propelling mechanism 18 for propelling the ball to a player . a motor 250 on the lower support frame 12 is operable to cause the upper support frame to rotate in a spanning motion to direct balls in different directions . a sensing device 15 detects the presence of a player as the upper frame moves and provides an output signal used by the control circuitry , in manner described hereinbelow , to cause a ball release mechanism to eject a ball toward the player . as may be seen in fig1 and 2 , the receiving basket 20 is in the form of an inverted truncated cone . the basket 20 comprises an upper annular ring 22 , a lower annular ring 26 and a multiplicity of radially - spaced support bars 24 extending from the upper ring 22 to the lower ring 26 . a pair of rectangular guards 32 , 33 are attached to the lower ring 26 on opposite sides thereof to prevent lateral movement of the ball as it passes through the basket . the receiving basket 20 , as described above , may be used to direct a single ball to the propelling mechanism after the ball has passed through the net ; alternatively , a multiplicity of balls may be stored in a basket and delivered to the player at timed intervals in a manner to be described in greater detail below . when the basket is being used in the latter mode , the balls stored in the basket are prevented from jamming in the bottom of the basket by antijam bars 28 and 30 which are attached at oblique angles between pairs of support bars 24 of the basket as shown in fig1 and 2 . the upper support frame 14 is generally l - shaped and comprises a pair of laterally spaced l - shaped members 46 and 48 . the l - shaped members 46 and 48 are secured at their upright end by a cross member 43 and at the terminal ends of the lower horizontal portion by a cross member 54 . a centrally disposed mounting shaft 56 is attached to cross member 54 and connects the upper support frame 14 to a t - shaped mounting bar 240 which is pivotally mounted in lower support frame 12 . the upright portions of the l - shaped members each have longitudinally extending cavities adapted to receive vertical legs 42 and 44 of an inverted u - shaped bracket 40 which is attached to two of the longitudinal support arms 24 at the rear of the receiving basket 20 . the vertical legs 42 and 44 are received in inner concentric relation within the cavities of the upright portions of l - shaped members 46 and 48 and are movable therein so that the receiving basket 20 may be placed at a multiplicity of vertical positions beneath a basketball goal . the support bracket 40 is secured in the desired position by a pair of bolts 45 and 43 or other suitable fastening means extending through the upright portions of l - shaped members 46 and 48 , respectively . each of the bolts is received in one of a plurality of transverse bores 419 in each of the vertical legs 42 and 44 , depending on the desired position of the basket 20 . balls are transported from the receiving basket 20 to the propelling means 18 by a curved delivery track comprising a pair of curved tubular members 72 and 74 . as may be seen in fig2 the curved members 72 and 74 are attached at their upper ends to the upright portions of l - shaped members 46 and 48 , respectively , and at their lower ends to upper terminal ends of upright bars 50 and 52 , respectively said upright bars being attached at lower forward ends of l - shaped members 46 and 48 . lateral movement of the ball as it travels along the track is limited by arcuate rings 76 , 78 and 80 each of which is attached to curved members 72 and 74 as shown in fig2 . additional guidance is provided by a j - shaped rail 82 attached to upper portions of arcuate rings 76 and 78 as shown in fig1 and 2 . structural rigidity of the track assembly is enhanced by an upper support frame comprising a u - shaped upper frame member 92 attached to l - shaped members 46 and 48 of the upper support frame 14 . a first set of upright support bars 84 and 86 are each attached on one end to said u - shaped frame 92 at its forward end and depend downward therefrom with the opposite ends of the bars attached to the upper portion of arcuate ring 78 on either side of the point of attachment of j - shaped member 82 . a second pair of upright support bars 94 and 96 are attached to the upper frame 92 at an intermediate point on each of the leg members of said frame and depend downward with opposite ends attached to intermediate point on opposite sides of arcuate ring member 76 . support brackets 98 and 100 are attached to upright bars 94 and 96 at upper intermediate point thereof and are used in connection with a support apparatus for the gate of the ball dispensing mechanism , as described below . as may be seen in fig1 and 2 , the ball dispensing mechanism of the present invention comprises a ladder - like gate member 120 comprising vertical side members 121 and 123 and having a plurality of transverse bars or rungs 122 . the gate 120 is supported at a midpoint by a shaft 106 extending through vertical side members 121 and 123 , said shaft being received in apertures 102 and 108 in support brackets 98 and 100 , respectively . as may be seen in fig1 the gate 120 may be pivoted about its central transverse axis by upper support arms 126 and 128 which are hingedly attached to vertical members 121 and 123 , respectively , and slidably secured by brackets 153 and 155 to l - shaped members 48 and 46 , respectively . as may be seen in fig1 the gate is normally biased toward a position at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the upright portion of l - shaped members 46 and 48 . the gate is normally maintained in this position by a biasing force provided by spring members 141 and 143 . with the gate in the aforementioned position , the basketball may be captured on the upper portion of the track as shown in fig2 . a generally u - shaped bracket 138 with upwardly directed arms 134 and 136 is attached to the upper portion of the gate 120 to secure an additional ball for subsequent delivery to the track . electromagnetic actuators 150 and 152 are attached to the upright portion of l - shaped members 48 and 46 , respectively , and are operable to engage magnets 140 and 142 attached to support bars 126 and 128 and thereby change the position of gate 120 to allow a ball to pass to the delivery track . the actuators may be controlled by a timing circuit or by a sonar or photodetector circuit which senses the postition of a player on the court , as described in greater detail hereinbelow . when the actuators are engaged , the magnets on the support arms are drawn toward the actuators and the gate 120 rotates counterclockwise from the position shown in fig2 . the ball is thus released and allowed to move along the track and engage the propelling means . when the magnetic actuators are deactivated , the spring members 141 and 143 move the support arms 126 and 128 and the gate 120 rotates clockwise to resume its normal position and thereby capture another ball for subsequent delivery to the track . details relating to the ball propelling mechanism may be seen by referring to fig3 . the propelling mechanism comprises two electric motors 180 and 182 which are secured by mounting brackets 204 and 206 , respectively , attached to annular collars 200 and 202 . the annular collars 200 and 202 are slidably mounted on the horizontal shaft of a t - shaped mounting bar which is journaled for rotation on lower support frame 12 . fastening means 207 and 205 are attached to the collars and are operable to frictionally engage the mounting bar and thus secure the motors in a plurality of configurations depending on the desired attitude at which the ball is to be propelled . as may be seen in fig1 through 3 , rotatable heads 186 and 184 are attached to motors 180 and 182 , respectively , to engage a ball passing between the heads . in the preferred embodiment , the heads are covered with rubber to aid in gripping the ball , although bare metal heads may be employed if less gripping effect is desired . as may be seen most clearly in fig3 the head 184 on motor 180 rotates in a counterclockwise direction while the head 186 on motor 182 rotates in a clockwise direction . the spacing between the heads may be adjusted by securing the motors 180 and 182 at various locations along horizontal bar 240 , as described hereinabove . the spacing between the heads may , therefore , be adjusted to allow the heads to engage balls having different diameters , such as volley balls . the azimuthal position of the propelling mechanism is controlled by a motor 250 which causes the upper support frame to rotate with respect to the lower support frame . the motor 50 is secured to transverse member 230 of the lower support frame 12 by a rectangular mounting bracket 252 . movement of the motor is translated to the t - shaped mounting bar by a crank mechanism comprising connecting arms 254 and 256 which are coupled to form a crank arm which is attached to a circular platen secured to vertical shaft 242 . when the motor 250 is activated , the upper frame will rotate with respect to the lower support frame 12 sweeping an arc of approximately 100 degrees . details relating to the operation of the detection apparatus 15 in combination with the control circuitry can be seen by referring to fig4 , and 5a . the detection apparatus used in the preferred embodiment is an ultrasonic ranging sensor , hereinafter sometimes referred to as a sonar detector . although the sensor employed in the preferred embodiment is an ultrasonic device , a photodetector or other sensing apparatus could be employed . an ultrasonic ranging sensor of the type used in the preferred embodiment is manufactured by polaroid corporation . this sensor is capable of detecting the presence and distance of objects within a range of 0 . 9 feet to 35 feet . the sensor provides a 3 digit multiplexed binary coded decimal output which can be used for direct interface with a microprocessor or logic control circuitry . the use of the ultrasonic sensor , or sonar detector 15 , in conjunction with the control circuitry can be seen by referring to the schematic block diagram of fig4 . as was discussed above , the detector used in the preferred embodiment comprises a digital output circuit 280 which can be used to provide an input signal for the logic control circuit 282 . the logic control circuit 282 processes the data provided by the sonar digital output circuit 280 and provides an output signal which controls the operation of a timer circuit 284 . thus , when the output of the sonar digital output circuitry presents a signal indicating the presence of a player , the logic control circuitry will produce a signal activating the timer circuit 284 which , in turn , will provide a signal to the actuator 286 to cause the ball delivery system to eject a ball toward the player . the actuator , indicated schematically by the reference number 286 , corresponds to the electromagnet actuators 150 and 152 , shown in fig1 and 2 of the preferred embodiment . the timer circuit 284 can be adjusted to deliver balls at time intervals ranging from one second to 15 seconds . details relating to the logic control circuit 284 can be seen by referring to the schematic diagram shown in fig4 . the input to the logic control circuit 284 is provided by the 14553 counter circuit , shown in fig5 a , contained in the ultrasonic sensor of the preferred embodiment . as was discussed above , this circuit provides multiplexed data , illustrated by the outputs d1 - d4 , shown in fig5 a . these data output signals , together with the control strobe signals , provide the inputs for the logic control circuit of fig5 . as can be seen by referring to fig5 the logic control circuit 282 comprises two 4042 quad latch integrated circuits , a 4049 hexidecimal inverter integrated circuit and two 4001 quad nor integrated circuits . the output from pin 6 of the hexidecimal inverter provides the output from the circuit to control the operation of the timer circuit 284 . a panel switch 300 can be used to select the distance from the ball return mechanism which the player must be in order to cause the system to deliver a ball . the dotted lines shown in fig5 correspond to positions 1 , 2 , and 3 of the control switch 300 . with the switch in position 1 , the player must be between 10 and 14 feet from the machine in order for a ball to be delivered . position 2 corresponds to a distance of 14 - 20 feet and position 3 corresponds to a position of 20 to 30 feet from the return mechanism . the control circuitry used in the preferred embodiment can be effectively used by a player to increase the efficiency of his preactice session with the invention basketball return mechanism operating in either the stationary mode or the spanning mode . when using the device in the stationary mode , a multiplicity of balls can stored in the basket and the propelling mechanism is aimed to deliver balls to one particular location on the court . the player then sets the control circuitry to define a &# 34 ; zone ,&# 34 ; corresponding to the range from the machine which he must be in order to cause the machine to deliver a ball . each time the player enters the predetermined zone , the sensor will provide a signal causing the control circuitry to actuate the ball delivery system , thus delivering a ball to the player . the rate of delivery of the balls can be determined by the timer . with the basketball return device operating in the spanning mode , the upper portion of the device will rotate in an oscillatory motion . in this mode of operation , the player can move to different locations on the court within the predetermined zone of allowed distances from the detection device 15 . as the mechanism spans and the player is detected by the detection device , the cotrol circuitry described above will cause the ball delivery system to eject a ball toward the player . while the invention basketball return mechanism has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment , it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular form set forth , but on the contrary , it is intended to cover such alternatives , modifications , and equivalents , as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .

0Human Necessities

reference is now made to fig1 and 2 , which illustrate apparatus 10 for administering a substance ( e . g ., insulin ) to a subject , in accordance with a non - limiting embodiment of the present invention . typically , apparatus 10 includes a cartridge 12 ( fig2 ) that contains the substance to be administered to a subject . fig2 illustrates a door 14 of a cartridge insertion assembly in the open position and cartridge 12 poised for insertion into a pathway 15 in apparatus 10 . as seen in fig2 , cartridge 12 includes a cartridge coupling element 16 ( e . g ., a gear ) for coupling ( e . g ., meshing ) with an activation mechanism 18 ( seen in fig4 , which typically includes a motor , a battery and a control unit ) that causes the substance contained in cartridge 12 to be metered out of cartridge 12 for eventual administration to the patient . ( in some embodiments , cartridge coupling element 16 is assembled to an end of a driving screw .) the way in which the activation mechanism works to meter the substance out of cartridge 12 is not pertinent to this invention . by way of example , the activation mechanism may work as in an external drug pump of the type described in us patent applications 20090093792 and 20090093793 or pct patent application pct / il2008 / 001312 ( published as wo 2009 / 044401 ), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference . however , the invention is not limited to such a drug pump , and may be used for any kind of suitable administration of substances , not just by needle puncture into the patient , but also transdermally ( wherein the substance is metered by apparatus 10 to a transdermal patch ), by spray ( wherein the substance is metered by apparatus 10 to a spray nozzle ), micro needles array and others . it is noted that although cartridge 12 is typically a one - use item , the electronics , batteries and motor and other elements of the system can be used more than once if desired . as seen in fig3 , in accordance with a non - limiting embodiment of the present invention , door 14 includes a door coupling element 20 ( e . g ., a gear , but could also be any other coupling element for transmitting rotary motion , such as a friction wheel ) for effecting coupling ( e . g ., meshing ) between the cartridge coupling element 16 and a coupling element 22 ( fig2 ) of the activation mechanism 18 , as will be described more in detail below . reference is now made to fig4 , which illustrates the cartridge 12 partially inserted into apparatus 10 , showing components of the cartridge insertion assembly . cartridge 12 has a septum 24 at an end opposite to cartridge coupling element 16 . the septum 24 is pierced by a hollow needle 26 so that contents of cartridge 12 flow out of cartridge 12 into needle 26 and from needle 26 to an exit port ( not shown ) for eventual administration to the patient . a cartridge stopper 28 , which may be made of a rigid material ( e . g ., plastic ) or more preferably a resilient material ( e . g ., an elastomer or silicone ), is provided for arresting movement of cartridge 12 during insertion into apparatus 10 and preventing over - insertion of cartridge 12 . cartridge stopper 28 also prevents the torque , which is generated by the activation mechanism 18 to rotate the driving screw of the cartridge , from rotating cartridge 12 . the cartridge stopper 28 abuts against a shoulder 30 of cartridge 12 . fig5 shows cartridge 12 fully inserted into apparatus 10 up to cartridge stopper 28 with door 14 still open . reference is now made to fig6 and 7 . the cartridge insertion assembly of apparatus 10 includes a locking latch 32 which is cantilevered from a base 33 ( fig7 ) of the apparatus 10 . while inserting cartridge 12 into apparatus 10 , a rim 34 near cartridge coupling element 16 depresses and slides over locking latch 32 . when cartridge 12 is fully inserted into apparatus 10 , rim 34 moves past locking latch 32 and locking latch 32 springs back and abuts against rim 34 , thereby locking cartridge 12 in place . the user cannot remove cartridge 12 from apparatus 10 . reference is now made to fig8 , which illustrates the inside of door 14 . the door coupling element 20 mentioned above is in the middle of the inside of door 14 . on one side of element 20 is a hinge member 36 that pivotally connects ( e . g ., by snap fit ) into a corresponding socket 38 ( seen in fig1 ) in the body of apparatus 10 . on the other side of element 20 is a closure member 40 , which is formed with a central hub 42 and one or more ramp members 44 ( in the illustrated embodiment , two inclined ramp members 44 extend on either side of hub 42 ). even if the user has not fully inserted cartridge 12 into apparatus 10 , the act of closing door 14 ( see fig9 ) causes the ramp members 44 to slide and swipe against cartridge coupling element 16 . the inclined surfaces of ramp members 44 gently push and wedge cartridge coupling element 16 to seat fully into apparatus 10 so that septum 24 is pierced by hollow needle 26 as described above with reference to fig4 and 5 . after the cartridge 12 is locked in place , ramp members 44 keep pushing against the driving screw to create priming of the drug pump , wherein contents of the cartridge 12 overflow and pressurize into the needle 26 and drip out therefrom . this priming process reduces the breaking force ( the initial force to remove the plunger after a long storage time ) and removes air bubbles from the fluid path . the inside of door 14 is formed with one or more ribs 46 , which when door 14 is fully closed , are received in one or more corresponding grooves 38 ( fig1 ) formed at the end of the housing of apparatus 10 . ribs 46 seated in grooves 48 provide resistance to axial pull - out forces that may be acting on cartridge 12 and door 14 during operation of apparatus 10 . fig1 illustrates door 14 fully closed . door coupling element 20 couples between cartridge coupling element 16 of the cartridge and coupling element 22 of the activation mechanism , so that the activation mechanism can now cause the substance contained in the cartridge to be metered out of the cartridge for eventual administration to the patient . reference is now made to fig1 . when door 14 is fully closed , hub 42 of closure member 40 snaps and is fixedly received in a snap member 50 ( curved snap member ) so that door 14 is properly secured to the body of apparatus 10 . 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 features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art .

0Human Necessities

a remote controller for animal training includes a user hand - held transmitter for transmitting coded command signals . the command signals are transmitted via a microprocessor amplified through a rf system and outputted through an antenna . the remote controller further includes a training device worn by the animal to be trained . an rf receiver receives command signals with individual output levels of three different styles of stimuli to the sensory system of the animal in order to allow the animal to properly react or respond to these levels of stimuli . a hand - held transmitter uses a voltage frequency converter ( vfc ) for converting input from a three - terminal potentiometer voltage to a frequency proportional thereto . the frequency signal is input to a microprocessor . the microprocessor has a security code function to limit control of the training device to that of the remote controller . five function switches allow for the selection of one of five types of stimulation , 1 ) brief electrical impulse stimulation , 2 ) continuous electrical impulse stimulation , 3 ) boost continuous electrical impulse stimulation , at a preset level above the continuous stimulation setting , 4 ) magnetic buzzer stimulation , and 5 ) light stimulation . the switches are connected to the rf circuitry to produce and amplify signals denoting the selected stimulation then delivered to an antenna driver and in turn to a tuned broadcast antenna . an animal collar receiver receives the rf transmitted coded signals from the transmitter . a detector circuit detects the coded signals and send them to an on - board microprocessor . the microprocessor converts the coded signals and activates one of five driver circuits for then outputting the selected stimuli and the appropriate level to the animal . the same rf circuitry on both the remote controller and the training device can function as paired transceivers to broadcast intelligent data back to the hand - held transmitter . a stimulator adjustment control includes a voltage divider network with a three - terminal potentiometer . the potentiometer is coupled to a voltage to frequency converter circuit ( vfc ) which converts the voltage level into individual separate frequencies . these separate frequencies allow the microprocessor to send the appropriate signal to the individual stimuli drivers for the five different outputs at the animal collar to articulate many different gradual levels of output from each of the five individually selectable stimuli . both the transmitter and receiver employee a dc battery pack for operating each system through an on - board regulator and power switch . in one embodiment , rechargeable batteries and their charging circuits are installed . on / off power switches are provided in each the transmitter and the receiver to activate and deactivate each system independently . in one embodiment , an lcd screen is employed in the transmitter and offers the user the capability to observe in a visual display the level setting , the state of the transmitter battery and which one of the five select function buttons is powered up when that particular button is pressed , preferably by icon . with the capability to adjust gradual levels upward and downward while also providing different styles of stimulation , the control offers the animal opportunities to be successful while allowing the user to build a more meaningful relationship with the animal . to allow greater potential for successful training results , these sensory detectors and their drive circuitry would include utilizing optical , photo , infrared , air flow , vibration , tilt , pressure , reflective , magnetic , temperature , voltage , current , frequency , and percussion transducer / sensors of all sorts and kinds . such electronic control activations would include utilizing the following signal types as cues : sound — audible , ultrasonic , and subsonic created by mechanical speaker / microphone , relay buzzer , solid - state , piezoelectric , ceramic , ferrite , magnetic , condenser , and percussion ( utilizing all frequencies , pulse rates , duty cycles , pulse widths , amplitudes , duration , repetition rates and such .) light — all spectrum colors , brilliances , and such ( utilizing all frequencies , pulse rates , duty cycles , pulse widths , amplitudes , duration , repetition rates and such .) taste — sweet to poison . smell — pungent to flowery . electrical impulse — transformer control of low current ( 50 micro - amps to 100 milliamps ) with high - voltage ( 50 vac to 10 , 000 vac ) ( utilizing all frequencies , pulse rates , duty cycles , pulse widths , amplitudes , duration , repetition rates and such .) vibration — motor - drive , mechanical offset fulcrum , pancake , ceramic , percussion and transducer ( utilizing all frequencies , pulse rates , duty cycles , pulse widths , amplitudes , duration , repetition rates and such .) looking more specifically to the figures , fig2 and 4 depict a hand - held remote controller 100 . if any one of first to fifth function buttons ( switches ) of the remote controller is pressed , corresponding data and id codes set by an id code setting means are provided to an oscillator / modulator 151 . then , rf signals generated in the oscillator / modulator 151 are amplified at an rf amplifier 152 and an rf output terminal 153 , filtered at a low - pass filter 154 to remove harmonics , and then emitted through an antenna 155 as radio waves . a stimulation adjustment control 130 uses a potentiometer as a “ volume ” ( magnitude ) control which allows precise control or gradual change of the stimulation level suitably for an animal , differently from the prior art . a conventional stimulation adjustment means uses a mechanical selector switch , and such a selector switch cannot subdivide a stimulation level precisely . fig3 and 5 depict a training device 200 . the training device 200 receives the rf signals emitted in the transmission of the remote controller 100 of fig2 and 4 respectively through an antenna 221 included therein . then , a high - frequency amplifier 222 amplifies weak radio waves , and a mixer 224 makes a secondary intermediate frequency such that a detector 227 extracts the data sent from the transmitter via a filter 226 . the extracted data is input to a low - frequency amplifier included in a microprocessor 210 . the microprocessor 210 outputs a signal to a selected one of an electrical impulse stimulation generator if the id code contained in itself is identical to the id code sent from the transmitter . hereinafter , each component of the remote controller ( transmitter ) 100 and the training device ( receiver ) 200 shown in fig2 to 5 will be described in detail based on the first and second embodiments . in the following description , if “ the second embodiment ” is mentioned , the corresponding description will apply only to the second embodiment . however , the following description will apply to both the first and second embodiments unless otherwise specifically stated . 121 : brief stimulation button ( first function button ) brief low - frequency electrical impulse stimulation ( 3 to 5 pulses ) is generated at the training device regardless of the time during which the button of the remote controller is pressed . continuous low - frequency electrical impulse stimulation is generated at the training device during the time that the button of the remote controller is pressed ( 12 seconds at the maximum ). 123 : + 20 level boost continuous stimulation button ( third function button ) boost low - frequency electrical impulse stimulation is preset at 20 levels higher than the continuous impulse level and is generated at the training device during the time that the button of the remote controller is pressed ( 5 to 7 seconds at the maximum ). a brief buzz sound is generated at the training device ( 3 to 5 pulses ) regardless of the time during which the button of the remote controller is pressed . an led light at the training device is turned on at the first press and turned off at the second press regardless of the time between when the button of the remote controller is pressed . the volume control is used for adjusting the stimulation level of the training device . a low - frequency electrical impulse stimulation corresponding to the level set by the volume control is generated at the training device by means of the first , second and third function buttons . an analog voltage according to the level output from the volume control 130 is converted into frequency , which is a digital value recognizable by a microprocessor in the remote controller , and then transmitted to the microprocessor in the training device . for example , 20 hz signal is provided to the microprocessor in case a volume output voltage is 0 . 1v ( i . e . level 1 ), and 100 hz signal is provided to the microprocessor in case a volume output voltage is 0 . 5v ( i . e . level 5 ). the microprocessor controls all functions input from the function buttons 120 and outputs an id code signal . the microprocessor also has a power on / off function . the microprocessor recognizes and processes the frequency signal supplied according to a stimulation level operates a display 140 and operates a rf control 156 , which controls an rf oscillator 151 and an rf amplifier 152 when a function is operated . in the two - way system ( in the second embodiment ), the microprocessor processes the data received from the training device 200 . for instance , the microprocessor computes a distance between a user and an animal based on position data of the user and the animal . the level set by the volume control 130 , and a residual battery capacity of the remote controller is displayed . in the two - way system ( in the second embodiment ), a residual battery capacity of the training device , a direction and distance of an animal from the user , a moving speed of the animal , and so on are displayed on the display 142 . the remote controller uses fm ( frequency modulation ), and a modulation - allowable vcxo is applied to give rf oscillation and modulation at the same time . rf output from the oscillator and modulator 151 is low , so the rf amplifier amplifies the output rf such that a following output terminal can be operated . the rf output is for amplifying rf such that the remote controller and the training device are within a reachable distance . the low - pass filter blocks high frequencies in the rf signal other than fundamental waves . the antenna transmits rf composed of fundamental waves , which has passed through the low - pass filter 154 . in the two - way system ( in the second embodiment ), the antenna receives rf signal transmitted from the training device . when any one of the first to fifth button 121 ˜ 125 of the remote controller is pressed , the rf control supplies power to the oscillator / modulator 151 and the rf amplifier 152 such that the oscillator / modulator 151 and the rf amplifier 152 are operated . the regulator & amp ; power switch has a constant - voltage ic function that is operated in association with the microprocessor 110 . if the power switch of the remote controller is pressed over 0 . 5 second , the power is turned on . if the power switch is pressed for over 1 second again after the power is turned on , the power is turned off . the battery 162 is a rechargeable battery and thus the charging device is used . the gps module 170 receives signals from the gps of the training device 200 to provide the microprocessor 110 with position data of the trainer . the two - way receiver 180 is used for receiving the information of the training device , and the two - way receiver 180 gives data to the microprocessor 110 . the antenna receives rf signal transmitted from the remote controller 100 . in the two - way system ( in the second embodiment ), the antenna transmits rf signal to the remote controller 100 . it is preferable that the antenna 221 is an internal ( built - in ) antenna and a detachable external antenna 221 ′ ( see fig1 ) is further provided to extend a reachable distance . the high - frequency amplifier amplifies weak rf signals induced to the receiving antenna 221 . osc is an oscillator that oscillates in itself to give a secondary intermediate frequency . rf signal supplied from the high - frequency amplifier 222 is mixed with the signal supplied from the osc 223 to make an intermediate frequency that is a secondary frequency . the intermediate - frequency amplifier amplifies the intermediate frequencies made at the mixer 224 . the filter filters the intermediate frequencies made at the mixer 224 to remove noise . the detector detects function signals and id signals sent from the remote controller . a low - frequency amplifier included in the microprocessor amplifies analog signals detected by the detector 227 ; and , in case the received signal is identical to id code already stored , a signal of any one selected from the first to fifth button 121 ˜ 125 of the remote controller is output . in the two - way system ( in the second embodiment ), the microprocessor processes the information of the training device and gives the information to a two - way transmitter 280 . the d / a converter is used for outputting a stimulation level , set by the volume control of the remote controller , as analog signals . the electrical impulse stimulation generator generates high - voltage stimulations to give low - frequency electrical impulse stimulations to an animal utilizing a transformer output . the stimulation terminals are electrodes for supplying electrical impulse stimulation to an animal . when the first , second and third function button 121 ˜ 123 of the remote controller are pressed , the stimulation generating circuit control 234 supplies power to the electrical impulse stimulation generator 232 to operate the electrical impulse stimulation generator 232 . the buzzer driver is used for operating a magnetic buzzer when the fourth function button 124 of the remote controller is pressed . the magnetic buzzer 242 is used for converting electric signals into sound signals . the light driver 251 is used for operating at least one led light when the fifth function button 125 of the remote controller is pressed . two high - brightness led &# 39 ; s 252 are applied to convert electric signals into light signals . the regulator & amp ; power switch 261 has a constant - voltage ic function that is operated in association with the microprocessor 210 . if the magnet is contacted with the lead switch of the training device over 0 . 5 second , the power is turned on . if the magnet is contacted over 0 . 5 second again after the power is turned on , the power is turned off . the battery 262 is a rechargeable battery and thus the charging means 263 is used . the gps ( global positioning system ) 270 obtains reference signals from at least three satellites to provide the microprocessor 210 with position data of the animal . the two - way transmitter 280 is used for transmitting the information of the training device , and the two - way transmitting 280 emits data as radio waves . meanwhile , in the former embodiments , the training device 200 includes the d / a converter 231 for converting the set stimulation level to an analog signal capable of being processed by the electrical impulse stimulation generator 232 and then outputting the analog signal . the d / a converter may be implemented in various ways , but generally the d / a converter is connected to the number of output pins of the microprocessor 210 which corresponds to the number of the stimulation level . in other words , though it is depicted in fig3 and 5 that the d / a converter 231 is connected to the microprocessor 210 by one line , for example in the case where the number of the stimulation level is 256 (= 2 8 ), the d / a converter 231 is connected to eight output pins of the microprocessor 210 . therefore , there is a disadvantage in that the capacity and size of the microprocessor generally configured with asic increases . in order to solve this disadvantage , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 666 , 908 and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 637 , 376 teach or suggest a configuration not using a d / a converter . in other words , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 666 , 908 and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 637 , 376 , a microprocessor outputting a digital value outputs a pulse train corresponding to a stimulation level ( intensity ), and the pulse train is intactly applied ( strictly , through a buffer ) to a transistor which controls a primary current of a transformer serving as an electrical impulse stimulation generator . in detail , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 666 , 908 , the microprocessor generates a pulse train in which a pulse width is changed in proportion to the stimulation level while a pulse period , a pulse magnitude and a pulse train duration are fixed . in addition , in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 637 , 376 , a pulse train in which a pulse amplitude and a pulse train duration are fixed but the number of pulses included in a certain pulse train duration is changed in proportion to the stimulation intensity or in which the number of pulses is fixed but the separation between pulses is changed is generated ( as a result , the duty cycle is changed in proportion to the stimulation intensity ). the pulse train generated as above is applied to a transistor which controls a primary current of a transformer , and current flows to the primary side of the transformer during the pulse on period ( duty cycle ) to generate electrical impulse stimulation to the secondary side . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 666 , 908 and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 637 , 376 allow the circuit in the training device to simplify and the number of output pins of the microprocessor to reduce since a d / a converter is not used separately . however , since the configuration for generating a pulse train corresponding to the stimulation level must be provided in the microprocessor , the microprocessor becomes complicated and has a large capacity . in addition , since the intensity ( level ) of the electric impulse , a stimulus , is not controlled by the magnitude of pulses in the pulse train but controlled by only the pulse on period , only the time during which the electric impulse of the same intensity continues may be controlled . however , in the third embodiment of the present invention , the level ( intensity ) of stimulation is controlled in the true sense of the word without using a d / a converter and without increasing the complexity of the microprocessor . for this purpose , in the third embodiment , as shown in fig6 , a digitally controllable volume control ( hereinafter , referred to as a “ digital volume ”) 330 is used instead of the d / a converter . the digital volume 330 may be implemented with several resistance elements and cmos switches and may be configured as an integrated circuit chip . the digital volume 330 receives the digital signal representing a stimulation level from the microprocessor 210 and outputs a voltage proportional thereto . in other words , in the words of u . s . pat . no . 5 , 666 , 908 and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 637 , 376 , the digital volume 330 outputs a pulse in which the width or number of voltage pulses or the duty cycle is fixed but the pulse amplitude or magnitude is variable . the voltage with a variable magnitude which is an output of the digital volume 330 is intactly applied to a transistor which controls a primary current of a transformer of the electrical impulse stimulation generator to allow the current proportional to the voltage value to flow to the primary side so that the electrical impulse stimulation with a voltage proportional thereto is generated at the secondary side . the digital volume 330 of this embodiment may be considered as a d / a converter in a broad sense since the input , output and functions of the digital volume 330 are identical to those of the d / a converter 231 of the former embodiments . however , the d / a converter 231 of the former embodiments occupies a plurality of output pins of the microprocessor 210 , while the digital volume 330 of this embodiment occupies only a small number of output pins regardless of the number of stimulation levels . therefore , in this embodiment , it is possible to reduce the capacity and size of the microprocessor which allows the training device 200 worn by an animal to become lighter . for example , in the case where the number of stimulation levels is 256 , the d / a converter 231 of the former embodiments occupies eight output pins , while the digital volume 330 of this embodiment occupies only three output pins regardless of the number of stimulation levels . hereinafter , the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig6 and 7 , based on only the components of the training device ( receiver ) 200 , different from those of the former embodiments . in fig6 , the component designated by the same reference symbol as in fig3 and 5 is identical to that of the former embodiment . meanwhile , only the input and output pins of the microprocessor 210 associated with the digital volume 330 are shown in fig7 , and the input and output pins not associated with the digital volume 330 are not shown therein . a power is applied from the battery 262 to the power pin vcc , and the power pin vcc supplies the power to a circuit in the digital volume . the data pin da exchanges commands and data ( including stimulation level data ) with the microprocessor 210 in a serial communication . the commands and data input to or output from the data pin da include fields for command codes ( id codes ) such as writing and reading , address fields designating a register which is a target of each command , and data fields representing a data value ( a stimulation level value ) to be written in the designated register by the address field . the length ( bits ) of each field is suitably determined according to the number of command types , the number of registers , and the number of stimulation levels . for example , in the case where the number of stimulation levels is 256 , the length of the data field becomes 8 bits . the clock pin cl provides a basic clock regulating the operation timing of each circuit in the digital volume . writing is allowed in each register of the digital volume only when the write protection pin wp is activated . the high output pin vh outputs a highest voltage value ( a voltage value of the power received from the power pin vcc ) corresponding to the highest stimulation level . the low output pin vl outputs a lowest voltage value ( typically , 0 v ) corresponding to the lowest stimulation level . the wiper output pin vw outputs a voltage value corresponding to the stimulation level stored in a wiper register 332 . the wiper output pin vw is connected to a base of a transistor 232 b which controls a primary current of a transformer 232 a of the electrical impulse stimulation generator 232 , and current proportional to the output voltage ( stimulation level ) of the wiper output pin flows to the primary side of the transformer 232 a so that a high voltage proportional to the stimulation level is induced to the secondary side of the transformer 232 a and is applied to the stimulation terminal 233 . the wiper register 332 stores the stimulation level value input through the data pin da or stored in a non - volatile register 333 , and may be implemented as a volatile memory element . the length ( bits ) of the wiper register is identical to the length of data fields of the commands and data input or output through the data pin da . the voltage proportional to the stimulation level stored in the wiper register 332 is output from the wiper output pin vw . for example , in the case where the number of stimulation levels is 256 ( the length of the wiper register is 8 bits ) and the value presently stored in the wiper register is 25 , the highest voltage ( the voltage of the high output pin vh ) is divided by 256 and then the voltage corresponding to the twenty fifth is output through the wiper output pin vw . the non - volatile register 333 stores a value stored last in the wiper register 332 when the digital volume 330 or the training device 200 turns off , or stores an initial value ( an initial stimulation level value ) that needs to load to the wiper register 332 when the digital volume 330 or the training device 200 turns on . in the case where the initial stimulation level value is not specially set or the last value of the wiper register 332 is not stored , or if the wiper register 332 is configured with a non - volatile memory element , the non - volatile register 333 may not be provided . the control logic 331 is a logic circuit controlling each component of the digital volume 330 . the control logic 331 interprets commands and data input through the data pin da and reads or writes values of the wiper register 332 or the non - volatile register 333 according to logic values of the clock pin cl and the write protection pin wp . meanwhile , though it has been illustrated in the above third embodiment that the training device 200 communicates with the remote controller 100 and applies an electrical impulse stimulation to an animal according to the stimulation level set in the remote controller 100 , the training device 200 of the third embodiment may also be used solely without the remote controller 100 . in other words , the training device 200 has a sensor for sensing a specific behavior of an animal , which requires correction , for example barking or moving out of a set area , and when such a specific behavior of the animal is sensed by the sensor , the training device 200 may automatically apply a stimulation of a level defined by applying the number or degree of such specific behaviors to a predetermined algorithm . this algorithm may increase the stimulation level as the number or degree of specific behaviors increases , and may decrease or initialize the stimulation level if the specific behavior is not sensed for a predetermined time , in a traditional way . in this case , the remote controller and an antenna and circuits associated for communication with the remote controller are not needed . instead , a sensor for sensing a specific behavior of an animal is required . in addition , there is a need to program and store the predetermined algorithm in the microprocessor 210 of the training device . meanwhile , the animal training system of the present invention may also be configured to train two or more animals simultaneously by using a single remote controller . in other words , the animal training system may include a single remote controller , and two or more training devices capable of communicating with the single remote controller by rf communication , each respectively worn by the animals to be trained . the fourth embodiment is directed to such a system including a single remote controller and a plurality of training devices . hereinafter , the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig8 to 10 , based on points that are different from the former embodiments . in fig8 to 10 , the component designated by the same reference symbol as in fig1 and 2 is identical to that of the former embodiment . the animal training system of the fourth embodiment includes a single remote controller 100 ′ and two training devices 200 - 1 and 200 - 2 , as shown in fig8 . even though fig8 is depicted as if two remote controllers 100 ′ are used , only one remote controller 100 ′ is depicted as being observed from different positions . in addition , even though the remote controller 100 ′ of fig8 has a different appearance from the remote controller 100 shown in fig1 , the remote controller 100 ′ of fig8 has the same basic functions as the remote controller 100 of fig1 except for some components required for controlling the two training devices 200 - 1 and 200 - 2 separately . in addition , each of the two training devices 200 - 1 and 200 - 2 is substantially identical to the training device 200 of the former embodiments . moreover , the above two training devices have the same basic configuration except that they have some different detailed configurations required for selectively responding to the remote controller . additionally , the above two training devices may be differently marked to be distinguished from each other . the remote controller 100 ′ of this embodiment includes an animal selection switch 126 for selecting a training device 200 - 1 and 200 - 2 ( or , an animal ) to be controlled ( to be trained ), which is a big difference from the former embodiments . in other words , a user may select an animal 1 ( e . g ., dog 1 ) or an animal 2 ( e . g ., dog 2 ) by using the animal selection switch 126 in the form of a toggle switch , and apply a stimulation such as an electric impulse stimulation , a sound stimulation and a light stimulation to the selected animal by the manipulation as in the examples described above . at this time , the remote controller 100 ′ may be set to use different communication frequencies or different id codes for the training devices 200 - 1 and 200 - 2 in order to control only a selected training device 200 - 1 or 200 - 2 ( in other words , in order that only a selected training device responds to the control of the remote controller ). accordingly , the training devices 200 - 1 and 200 - 2 are configured to communicate with the remote controller 100 ′ by using different corresponding communication frequencies or are endowed with different id codes . if the animal training system of this embodiment as described above is used , a plurality of animals may be controlled ( trained ) by using only one remote controller 100 ′. however , the plurality of animals controlled ( trained ) by one remote controller 100 ′ may have different sensitivities against stimulation . for this reason , whenever an animal to be trained changes , the stimulation level applied to the animal should be appropriately adjusted . however , adjusting the stimulation level whenever a selected animal changes is very cumbersome , and in a case where an urgent control is necessary , a user may fluster and not be able to easily adjust the stimulation level suitably . in this consideration , the animal training system of this embodiment finds and memorizes an appropriate stimulation level of each animal through trial and error , and then , when an animal is selected by the animal selection switch 126 , the animal training system automatically sets the stored appropriate stimulation level for the animal . further , in this embodiment , a locking function and an unlocking function are provided so that the stored appropriate stimulation level for each animal does not change even though a volume control 130 ′ is manipulated . in detail , the remote controller 100 ′ of this embodiment includes a locking unit for locking the level of presently set electric impulse stimulation so that the level does not change even though the volume control 130 ′ is manipulated . the locking unit includes a storage unit for storing the level of electric impulse stimulation set by the volume control 130 ′, and a locking button configured to be pressed by the user so that the level of electric impulse stimulation set for the training device 200 - 1 or 200 - 2 selected by the animal selection switch 126 is stored in the storage unit . the storage unit may be a memory element 111 provided in the microprocessor 110 , as shown in fig9 . the memory element 111 may be implemented into a register , and the memory element 111 is preferably a non - volatile memory whose contents do not erase even when the power is off . in this embodiment , the locking button is not a separate button , and the volume control 130 ′ also functions as the locking button . in other words , the volume control 130 ′ is configured to turn , and the volume control 130 ′ adjusts the level of electric impulse stimulation in proportion to its turning amount and a locking function which is performed when the volume control 130 ′ is pressed along its turning axis ( see the arrow in fig1 ). if the volume control 130 ′ is pressed in its axial direction as described above , the microprocessor 110 stores the level of electric impulse stimulation , presently set by the turning operation of the volume control 130 ′ and displayed at the center of the display 140 , in the storage unit 111 as a level of stimulation for the animal presently selected by the animal selection switch 126 . after that , even though the volume control 130 ′ is turned , the turning operation is ignored , and the stimulation level does not change . at this time , the display 400 displays the animal whose stimulation level is presently selected , stored and locked ( for example , in a case where the stimulation level is locked for dog 1 , an symbol “ 1d ” is displayed , and in a case where the stimulation level is locked for dog 2 , a symbol “ 2d ” is displayed , as shown in fig1 ) to inform the user of the animal whose stimulation level is locked . in a state where the appropriate stimulation level for each animal is stored and locked , if an animal selected by the animal selection switch 126 changes , the stimulation level stored for the selected animal is automatically displayed on the display 140 . in this state , if the user instantly pushes the stimulation button ( for example , the brief stimulation button 121 or the continuous stimulation button 122 ) without adjusting the stimulation level , the present stimulation level is sent to the selected training device 200 - 1 or 200 - 2 and is applied to the selected animal . meanwhile , when the level of electric impulse stimulation for a specific animal is in a locked state , if the locking button ( or , the volume control 130 ′) is pushed again , the locked state is released . in other words , the microprocessor 110 turns off the symbol (“ 1d ” or “ 2d ” in fig1 ) showing the selected animal whose stimulation level is stored and locked , and allows the level of electric impulse stimulation to be changed by the turning operation of the volume control 130 ′. as described above , the animal training system of this embodiment stores and locks appropriate stimulation levels for a plurality of animals , and therefore it is not necessary to separately adjust the stimulation level even though a selected animal is changed , which allows the user to rapidly and conveniently cope with the change of the selected animal . meanwhile , even though it has been described in the fourth embodiment that a user may select one of two animals ( in other words , the user may select one of two training devices ), the user may select one of three or more animals , not limited to the above . in addition , even though it has been described in the fourth embodiment that the volume control 130 ′ has a function of the locking button together , the locking button may be provided independently of the volume control 130 ′, not limited to the above . further , the first to fourth embodiments may be combined as desired . for example , the stimulation level storing and locking function of the fourth embodiment may be applied to an animal training system having a single remote controller and a single training device . in addition , the 2 - way function of the second embodiment may be applied to the third or fourth embodiment , and the digital volume of the third embodiment may be applied to the first , second or fourth embodiment . meanwhile , in the embodiments described above , by pressing the + 20 level boost continuous stimulation button ( third function button ) 123 , the electric impulse stimulation applied to the animal to be trained may be boosted by 20 levels during the time when the + 20 level boost continuous stimulation button ( third function button ) 123 is pressed ( for example , 5 to 7 seconds ) so that low - frequency electric impulse stimulation at 20 levels higher than the present level is applied . this boost stimulation mode may be effectively used when the animal to be trained repeats behaviors which should be corrected . however , the levels (+ 20 levels ) increased in the boost stimulation mode may be inappropriate depending on the sensitiviy of the animal to be trained . therefore , in a fifth embodiment of the present invention , the number of levels increasing in the boost stimulation mode ( or , a level increment ) may be set by the user as desired . for this , the remote controller of this embodiment further includes a level increment setting means for setting a level increment in the boost stimulation mode , compared with the remote controller 100 , 100 ′ of the former embodiments . in detail , the level increment setting means includes a mode start and end button for starting a level increment setting mode when being pressed over a predetermined time ( for example , 5 seconds ) and quitting the level increment setting mode when being pressed again over a predetermined time ( for example , 5 seconds ) after the level increment is set , a volume control manipulated by the user to set the level increment , a display for displaying the set level increment to be recognized by the user , and a storage unit for storing the set level increment if the level increment setting mode ends . here , the mode start and end button may be separately provided to the remote controller 100 , 100 ′ of the former embodiments or may also be implemented by using the existing buttons 120 . in other words , for example , the brief stimulation button 121 may operate as the mode start and end button when being pressed over a predetermined time . in addition , the volume control manipulated to set a level increment in the level increment setting mode may employ the volume control 130 , 130 ′ of the former embodiments , and the display for displaying a level increment may employ the display 140 of the former embodiments . in addition , the storage unit may be a memory element 111 provided in the microprocessor 110 of the fourth embodiment , which has been illustrated with reference to fig9 . the memory element 111 may be implemented in the form of register and is preferably a non - volatile memory whose contents are not erased even though power is off . a method for setting a level increment in the boost stimulation mode by using the level increment setting means configured as above will be described below . first , the mode start and end button , namely the brief stimulation button 121 in the above example , is pressed over a predetermined time ( for example , 5 seconds ). however , since the brief stimulation button 121 is originally configured to generate short low - frequency electric impulse stimulation ( three to five pulses ) in the training device regardless of the time during which the button is pressed in the remote controller , the level increment setting mode starts and simultaneously a stimulation level currently set by the volume control 130 , 130 ′ is applied to an animal to be trained . therefore , in order to prevent this problem , before the brief stimulation button ( mode start and end button ) 121 is pressed , the volume control 130 , 130 ′ is manipulated to set the stimulation level to 0 . the brief stimulation button 121 is pressed after the stimulation level is set to 0 . by doing so , if the level increment setting mode starts , the display 140 displays a level increment in the boost stimulation mode which is set to be 0 ( or , 20 as a default value ) to blink . since the level increment blinks , the user may recognize that the level increment setting mode starts . in this state , the user manipulates ( or turns ) the volume control 130 , 130 ′ to set the number of levels increasing in the boost stimulation mode ( or , a level increment ) as desired ( here , the level increment may be set within a certain range ). then , the display 140 displays the level increment value to blink according to the manipulation of the volume control 130 , 130 ′ by the user . if the set level increment is displayed by the display 140 in a blinking state , the user presses the brief stimulation button ( mode start and end button ) 121 again over a predetermined time ( for example , 5 seconds ). then , the blinking state of the level increment displayed by the display 140 is released ( namely , coming to a lighting state ) so that the level increment is displayed without blinking . in addition , the set level increment is stored in the memory 111 , and the level increment setting mode ends . meanwhile , in the above example where the existing brief stimulation button 121 is used as the mode start button , before the mode start button 121 is pressed , the volume control 130 , 130 ′ is manipulated to adjust the stimulation level to 0 . for this reason , even though the brief stimulation button 121 pressed to apply electric impulse stimulation to an animal to be trained after the level increment setting mode ends , the stimulation may not actually be applied to the animal to be trained . therefore , in this case , it is needed to set the level of electric impulse stimulation applied to the animal to be trained by manipulating the volume control 130 , 130 ′ after the level increment setting mode ends . as an alternative , the stimulation level storing and locking functions of the fourth embodiment above may be applied to this embodiment , so that the electric impulse stimulation level stored and locked may be maintained after and before the level increment setting mode . however , in this case , since the volume control 130 ′ is in a locked state , even though the volume control 130 ′ is manipulated after the mode start and end button 121 is pressed , the stimulation level is not set to be 0 , and so the level increment setting mode may not start . to solve this problem , the volume control 130 ′ which is also used as a locking button may be configured to exhibit its original locking / releasing function in case of being pressed along its turning axis over a predetermined time ( for example , 5 seconds ) and to allow the stimulation level to be temporarily set to 0 in order to start the level increment setting mode in case of being pressed for a shorter time ( or , vice versa ). each step of the level increment setting mode described above may be programmed and preferably implemented as software or firmware in the microprocessor 110 . by doing so , this embodiment may be implemented by changing only the software without greatly changing the hardware . as described above , the animal training system of this embodiment may allow more appropriate and convenient training since a user may set the number of levels increasing in the boost stimulation mode ( or , a level increment ) as desired according to the sensitivity of the animal to be trained . meanwhile , even though the fifth embodiment has been illustrated based on electric impulse stimulation as an example , the boost stimulation mode and the level increment setting mode may also be identically applied to other kinds of stimulations such as sound , vibration , light and smell , in addition to the electric impulse stimulation . in addition , even though the fifth embodiment has been illustrated based on the case where a single animal is trained ( or controlled ) by using a single remote controller , this embodiment may be identically applied to a system having a plurality of training devices as in the fourth embodiment . further , the first to fifth embodiments may be combined as desired . thus , an improved animal training system has been disclosed . while embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described , it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein . therefore , the invention is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims .

0Human Necessities

subsequently a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention on basis of the production of alsi14 % formed parts is given , which up to now were usually hot sintered — but the invention is by no means restricted to this application , other sinterable metallic powders can also be processed using this method , for example ti , ta , mg , be , cs , cu . [ 0043 ] fig1 shows a diagrammatic view of the process sequence according to the teaching of the invention . as shown , the method comprises the manufacture of a continuously sintered part which is produced by the continuous isostatic pressing of a sinterable material mixture without lubricant , from a sinter form closed by a die plate . the initial material an inhomogeneously melting mixture of aluminium powder with 13 wt . % silicon powder ( alsi only melts homogeneously in the range 5 - 7 %) is homogeneously mixed and then transferred to a powder press for the manufacture of powder billets not close to the final contour . there it is cold pressed under high pressure to form a billet - like green compact . the billet - like green compact is transferred to a system for continuous isostatic sintering — here an extruding press — and is sintered as it is pressed through the die plate . the alsi14 sintered part leaves the die plate at temperatures of up to 70 % of the melting point of the main component as a continuous sintered profile , the external contour of which is close to the final form . the continuously sintered profile is now mechanically separated according to the required disc height and the material discs are heat treated at 250 ° c . for 30 minutes . when the sintered discs come from the heat treatment they are then calibrated in a calibration press at a force of 150 kn — that is , the final form is achieved with very close dimensional tolerances . unlike conventionally , hot isostatic pressed parts with the same composition , the sintered parts produced in this way do not have to be decapsulated and have suitable flow properties for calibration . they can then be used as finished parts without any further finishing . alsi14 % sintered parts were produced conventionally by sintering , by pressing a green compact , made of aluminium powder with 14wt . % of silicon with hoechst wachs c compression aiding material , into a disc , this disc was then treated for 20 minutes at 410 ° c . in a heat treatment stage , then sintered for 30 minutes at 590 ° c . in a sintering furnace and then heat - treated once more at 400 ° c . for 240 minutes , as a comparative product . [ 0046 ] fig2 shows a a comparison of the microstructures of the alsi14 sintered aluminium discs , produced with conventional hot sintering according to the comparative test , and produced by isostatic pressing according to the invention . it is clearly shown that the part produced according to the invention has a smaller grain size and fewer segregated areas — the sintered part produced according to the invention is therefore more homogeneous in its properties . [ 0047 ] fig3 shows friction coefficient curves of hot isostatic pressed alsi14 % formed bodies and continuously isostatically pressure sintered alsi14 % formed bodies according to the invention against 100 cr6 . it can clearly be seen that the isostatically pressure sintered material initially has greater surface roughness , which however is quickly rolled out , so that as the friction test continues , the friction coefficient for the isostatically pressure sintered material is lower than for the hot isostatically pressed product . this speaks in favour of higher ductility of the isostatically pressure sintered material . it can clearly be seen from table 1 that the sintered bodies produced according to the invention have a lower scatter — that is , they can be set more precisely and thus also supply fewer waste parts . the sintered parts are more homogeneous and can also be elongated more , thus providing improved elastic behaviour , as required in particular by mechanically stressed parts , such as chain wheels against steel chains , rotors and stators in a camshaft adjustment system or oil pump parts , bearing parts , pump wheels etc . finally , a hot pressure test was carried out with the isostatically pressure sintered part — it was shown that after exposure of the produced alsi14 products to air at 150 ° c . for 500 and 1000 h practically no change took place in heat pressure strength , pressure elongation or the pressure yield point ( table 1 ). table 1 shows that the strength of the isostatically continuously sintered alsi14 part produced according to the invention is considerably better than that of the hot isostatically pressed part . [ 0052 ] fig5 shows the result of the manufacture of parts sintered according to the invention with different material areas — here in fig5 a a section of a round sintered part with a different external layer — in fig5 b a two - layered square sintered part ; in fig5 c a tubular sintered part with different layers ; fig5 d shows a striped distribution in sintered parts . a combination of different sintering materials is thus possible with the simultaneous production of the sintered part — for example the application of an external layer reinforced with hard materials , as a separate process stage , can thus be prevented by direct “ application by sintering ”— etc . production of a sintered material disc with hard external material and easily workable internal material a powder mixture of alloyed almgl powder and 2 wt . % silicon powder for the mixture of the internal material , and a powder mixture of aluminium powder with 40 % sic for the external material are homogeneously mixed and pressed in a divided mould which produces the required powder billet with alsi as core and alsic as outer layer . this powder billet is transferred to a continuous isostatic press with a round die plate and processed under high pressure at temperatures of up to 70 % of the melting point of the main component to form a round sintered profile . the sintered profile produced in this way is cut into discs with a height of 15 mm by means of a water jet . these discs are suitable as pump gear wheels for oil and water pumps , said wheels having an easily workable internal zone for drilling holes , while the external zone with the sic hard part phase is resistant to wear by friction . obviously the invention is not limited to the exact design or the listed or described embodiments , but various modifications are obvious to the expert , without deviating from the essentials and the scope of protection .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

fig1 schematically shows an hvac system 20 incorporating a thermostat 22 . as shown , thermostat 22 incorporates a microprocessor 23 which is a central control for system 20 . the microprocessor 23 has available access to a memory 24 . an indoor heating unit 26 may be a furnace , or a heater and fan , and is also provided with a microprocessor 28 . an outdoor unit 30 which may be an air conditioner or heat pump , is also provided with a microprocessor 32 . an auxiliary device , shown as a ventilation device 34 , has its own microprocessor 36 . various zone controls 38 have microprocessors 40 shown schematically also . a connectivity kit , such as a remote access module 42 has a microprocessor 44 . a remote access module is typically a wireless link to an internet connection that allows a user to monitor or change temperature conditions from a remote location . this is an example system , and this invention does extend to systems with fewer units and systems with more units . as shown , each of the units 26 , 30 , 34 , 38 and 42 communicate with the microprocessor 23 . the microprocessors 28 , 32 , 36 , 40 and 44 associated with the several units control operation of each individual unit . the microprocessors 28 , 32 , 36 , 40 and 44 receive instructions from the microprocessor 23 . microprocessor 23 sends instruction to achieve temperature , etc . as requested by a user through the thermostat . moreover , and in accordance with this invention , the microprocessors 28 , 32 , 36 , 40 and 44 are operable to provide characteristic information to the microprocessor 23 . in particular , each of the units 26 , 30 , 34 , 38 and 42 come in optional sizes , capacities , etc . their individual microprocessors are able to communicate information to the microprocessor 23 at the thermostat 22 to report on the particular characteristic of the particular installed unit 26 , 30 , 34 , 38 and 42 . each of the microprocessors ( 28 , 32 , 36 , 40 and 44 ) associated with the particular reporting units have stored information that is associated with a particular characteristic of the units ( 26 , 30 , 34 , 38 and 42 ), and can distinguish between the available types of reporting units . as an example , if there are several available indoor units , the characteristic information stored in the microprocessor 28 of the indoor unit 26 would carry some code indicative of the particular characteristic . the microprocessor 23 is provided information such that the reporting information from the indoor unit 26 would let the microprocessor 23 know what the particular characteristics are . the characteristic information is preferably programmed into each unit &# 39 ; s microprocessor in the factory at the time the equipment is manufactured . one preferred method of factory programming the configuration information is by a factory run test computer , which can recognize the exact model being tested . the factory run test computer can then digitally download the model specific information , or the characteristic information , into the electronic control of the unit . alternatively , some configuration information may be factory set by means of jumpers , switches , or model plugs . when the system is initially installed , the microprocessor 23 is provided with this characteristic information on each of the units 26 , 30 , 34 , 38 and 42 . if a unit is ever changed , the replacement unit will need to report its characteristic information . thus , the reports preferably occur at least periodically . as shown in fig2 , an initial step in this invention , is to connect the units together . the units will then all report to the microprocessor 23 . microprocessor 23 can then access a memory 24 to determine how the several units are best controlled in combination with each other to achieve optimal results . the information in the memory 24 may be determined experimentally , or in other ways known to a worker of ordinary skill in the art . a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize how each of the several units are best utilized in combination with each other dependent upon the characteristic of each of the units , or how such optimal operation algorithms can be determined . as shown for example in fig1 , within the memory 24 are a plurality of available options for the indoor unit , the outdoor unit , and the ventilator . various combinations of types , shown here indicated by letters of the alphabet , are stored , and are associated with algorithms for operation of that preferred combination of type units . once the microprocessor 23 is provided with information of the types of indoor unit , outdoor unit , and ventilation device , it can identify and utilize appropriate controls for the particular combination . the illustrated memory is an oversimplification , in that there are other units such as shown in fig1 that would also have options within the memory . examples of the types of information , and some of the example types of units are shown in fig1 b . thus , and as an example , the furnace may be programmed to report information on its characteristics such as model number , serial number , furnace size , airflow range , and pressure constants . again , while the chart does show numerous other units and types of characteristic information , the listing is meant to be exemplary and not limiting . at the time of installation , the identified characteristics are displayed in some manner to the installer . one example display is shown in fig1 c . preferably , a display on thermostat 22 would report to the installer that reporting information has been successfully received from each of the units that should have reported . the installer can then ensure proper installation , and that the characteristic information has been properly reported . while the various units are shown reporting directly to the microprocessor 23 , in practice , it will be most preferred that they would communicate through a serial bus connection such as is disclosed in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 752 , 626 , entitled “ communicating hvac system ” filed on even date herewith , and naming the same inventors as this application . as shown in fig3 , the preferred arrangement includes control wires providing a control communication bus between microprocessor 23 and 28 . the microprocessor 32 in the outdoor unit 30 preferably communicates through indoor unit microprocessor 28 to microprocessor 23 . further , the auxiliary microprocessors such as the microprocessor 36 in the ventilation unit may also communicate to the microprocessor 23 through the indoor unit microprocessor 28 . again , this aspect of the invention is disclosed in greater detail in the above - referenced co - pending patent application , and the details of the connection are incorporated herein by reference . as also shown in fig1 b , each of the reporting units may carry information from various accessing units to report to microprocessor 23 . examples are identified under “ identified field installed accessories ” column . one example is the capacity of an electric heater may be reported by the microprocessor 28 associated with the fan coil . the electric heater may report its capacity to microprocessor 28 such as disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 707 , 524 , entitled “ identification of electric heater capacity ,” filed on dec . 12 , 2003 . the capacity of the electric heater will then be included in the characteristics communicated by microprocessor 28 to microprocessor 23 . again , other examples of accessory information are illustrated in fig1 b , but are not intended to be limiting . the stored control algorithms may be as known in the art . as mentioned above , in the prior art , when the system was initially configured , an installer set flags , switches , etc . which instructed the control on which algorithm to pick . the present invention is directed to providing the information to the control without any need for the installer to perform such steps . while microprocessor controls have been disclosed , other types of appropriate controls can be utilized to perform this invention . although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed , a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention . for that reason , the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention .

5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting

fig1 illustrates a block diagram view of a surface mount production line 10 including an inline programming apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown , surface mount production line 10 includes a linear array of machines or components that perform unique functions . for example , component 30 may be a stencil printer machine 30 that controls the application of solder paste to a blank circuit board . component 40 may be a chip shooter machine that performs high speed placement of devices and circuit elements that do not require a high level of placement accuracy . such devices and elements include resistors , capacitors , and the like . component 50 may be a fine pitch placement machine that places devices at low speed with extreme accuracy . component 60 may be a reflow oven that “ cooks ” the solder paste , thereby soldering to the board all the devices and elements that were placed on the board by the previous machines . each component of production line 10 includes a printed circuit board conveyor for moving printed circuit boards within each machine . the conveyors within each component interface physically and electrically to form one continuous conveyor that allows circuit boards to flow from one end of the line to the other . circuit boards typically pause within each machine and are locked in place by the conveyor , e . g ., using a clamping mechanism , while being subjected to the particular processing that machine is designed to perform . fig2 illustrates a block diagram of an inline programming apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention . inline programming apparatus 20 receives and programs blank programmable devices and places the programmed devices on printed circuit boards as they pass through the apparatus on the conveyor . according to an embodiment of the present invention , the operation of in - line programming apparatus 20 relies on four parallel asynchronous processes . in one embodiment , these processes are embodied in four different components of in - line programming apparatus 20 : the concurrent programming subsystem 100 , the conveyor subsystem 110 , the pick and place subsystem 120 , and the central control unit 130 . each component depends on input signals representing events from the other systems . the interdependencies are described in the flow charts illustrated in fig3 - 6 as described in more detail below . control unit 130 provides overall coordination and control of the various subsystems . typically , control unit 130 communicates with the various subsystems , and with the upstream and downstream machines in some cases , through one or more busses 150 by sending and receiving control and status signals . although not shown , each subsystem includes a processor component for controlling functions of the subsystem , and for effecting communication with control unit 130 and with the other subsystems . conveyor subsystem 110 receives printed circuit boards from the upstream machine ( e . g ., fine pitch placement machine 50 ), moves the board through apparatus 20 and delivers a printed circuit board to the downstream device ( e . g ., reflow oven 60 ). conveyor subsystem 110 includes sensors 112 and 114 as are known in the art for detecting when a board has been received and delivered , respectively . for example , each sensor 112 and 114 detects a trailing edge of the board and signals conveyor subsystem 110 and / or control unit 130 . a third sensor ( not shown ) is also provided just upstream from a processing station location 116 of conveyor subsystem 110 . device input interface 140 is provided for receiving devices to be programmed from outside of system 20 . in one embodiment , device input interface 140 includes a device tray shuttle for receiving a tray holding one or more devices . other device delivery interfaces may be used as are well known , including interfaces capable of receiving device holding media such as tape , tubes and the like . pick and place subsystem 120 includes a pick and place head 122 that is capable of picking up the required programmable devices . pick and place subsystem 120 typically includes tracks or rails 118 a and 118 b , along which a portion of subsystem 120 is able to move so as to effect movement of head 122 for picking and placing devices within apparatus 20 . concurrent programming subsystem 100 is responsible for programming devices with the desired program pattern and for testing the programmed devices prior to placement on a printed circuit board . in one embodiment , concurrent programming subsystem 100 includes multiple sites 102 i to 102 n for concurrently programming and testing multiple devices . an example of such a concurrent programming system can be found in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 996 , 004 , assigned to bp microsystems , inc ., entitled “ concurrent programming apparatus and method for electronic devices ,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes . “ programming ” a device typically includes transferring or “ burning in ” a sequence of operating codes into the memory , or by specifying a particular arrangement of gating logic connections ( e . g ., for a programmable logic array device ). during operation , each programming site of concurrent programming subsystem 100 moves through the following states : empty , waiting , active , ready , and promised . empty indicates that the programming site , or socket , is physically empty . waiting indicates that the socket is waiting for the pick and place subsystem 120 to deliver a device to be programmed . active indicates that a device is in the socket and is being programmed . ready indicates that the socket contains a programmed device . promised indicates that the socket contains a programmed device that has been “ promised ” to conveyor subsubsystem 110 for assembly . once programming subsystem 100 has been configured for all programmable devices required by the boards to be processed , it is ordered by central control unit 130 to enter its processing loop , for example , as shown in fig3 a - b . fig3 a - b illustrate a flow chart showing the general operation of concurrent programming subsystem 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention . concurrent programming subsystem 100 operates by running a loop that repeats continuously until the job is over ( i . e ., programming of all devices is completed ). initially , for each programming site , the system determines whether the site is in the empty state in step 200 . if the site is empty , that site is transitioned to the waiting state in step 205 . concurrent programming subsystem 100 then asks pick and place subsystem 120 to deliver a device to the specific site in step 210 . ( the “ a ” in step 120 indicates that data is provided to pick and place subsystem 120 , e . g ., data indicating the locations at which to pick up and to place the device as well as a status variable .) if the site is not empty , in step 220 it is determined whether the site is in the waiting state . if the site is not waiting , the process proceeds to step 240 . otherwise , in step 225 it is determined whether a device has been delivered . if the site is waiting , and a device has been delivered , device programming is initiated in step 230 , and the site is transitioned to the active state in step 235 . in step 240 , it is determined whether the site is in the active state . if the site is active , it is determined whether the site has finished programming the device , and optionally whether the programmed device has been successfully tested ( e . g ., by applying voltages and waveforms to the programmed device ) in step 245 . if a device fails testing , the device is discarded and a new device is provided to concurrent programming subsystem 100 . if programming has finished , the site is transitioned to the ready state in step 250 . in step 255 the system determines whether the site is in the promised state . if the site is promised , concurrent programming subsystem 100 queries pick and place subsystem 120 to determine whether the device has been removed from the site in step 260 . ( the “ b ” in step 260 indicates that data is provided to and from pick and place subsystem 120 .) if the programmed device has been removed , the site is transitioned to the empty state in step 265 . in step 270 , it is determined whether all sites have been checked . if all sites have not been checked , the process returns to beginning step 200 for the next site . if all sites have been checked , the process proceeds to step 275 . with reference to fig3 b , in step 275 , concurrent programming subsystem 100 determines whether central control unit 130 is requesting a device location ( e . g ., identification of any site handling the programming for a specific device type ). ( the “ c ” in step 275 indicates that data is provided to and from central control unit 130 .) if central control unit 130 is not requesting a device location , the process proceeds to step 200 . if central control unit 130 is requesting a device location , it is determined in step 280 whether any site handling the specific requested device type is in the ready state . if no site handling the specified device type is ready , in step 295 , concurrent programming subsystem 100 provides a message to conveyor 110 indicating that no device is ready . the message may be provided directly to conveyor 110 , or it may be relayed first to central control unit 130 . the process then loops back to beginning step 200 . if a site handling the specified device type is ready , the site is transitioned to the promised state in step 285 , and the location of that site &# 39 ; s socket is provided to conveyor 110 . ( the “ c ” s in steps 290 and 295 indicate that data is provided to conveyor 110 either directly or through central control unit 130 .) the process then loops back to beginning step 200 . conveyor subsystem 110 interacts with the upstream machine to bring printed circuit boards into ilp system 20 . conveyor subsystem 110 also interacts with the downstream machine to provide a printed circuit board assembly thereto . for example , as shown in fig1 , the conveyor system of inline programming system 20 interacts with the fine pitch placement machine 50 ( i . e ., upstream machine ) to receive a printed circuit board to be processed , and with reflow oven 60 ( i . e ., downstream machine ) to deliver a processed printed circuit board assembly thereto . conveyor subsystem 110 also interfaces with central control unit 130 , concurrent programming subsystem 100 and pick and place subsystem 120 . in one embodiment , conveyor 110 uses four defined state variables to interact with the upstream and downstream machines : ready , available , upavail and downready as it moves through its states of operation . in one embodiment , these state variables are binary variables having two states . the status variables are communicated between conveyor subsystem 110 and the upstream and downstream machines through the electrical connections provided between ilp system 10 and the upstream and downstream machines . once conveyor subsystem 100 has been configured with velocity and acceleration limits , it is ordered by central control unit 130 to enter its processing loop to await the first board to be delivered . one example of such a processing loop is shown in fig4 a - c . in one embodiment , with reference to fig4 a - c , conveyor subsystem 110 has six defined states of operation as follows : state 0 : in this state , the conveyor is waiting for the upstream machine to indicate that a board is ready for delivery . the conveyor is preferably stationary to avoid unnecessary wear and tear on the belt and other mechanical components . in step 300 , ready is set to one state , e . g ., low , to indicate that conveyor 110 is not ready to receive a board from the upstream machine , and available is set to one state , e . g ., low , to indicate that conveyor 110 is not ready to deliver a printed circuit board assembly to the downstream machine . conveyor 110 transitions in step 305 from state 0 to state 1 when the upstream machine sets upavail to one state , e . g ., high , to indicate that it is ready to deliver a printed circuit board . state 1 : in this state , conveyor 110 is waiting to receive the board from the upstream machine . conveyor 110 will match the speed of the conveyor on the upstream machine to allow a smooth transfer from one machine to the next . in step 310 , ready is set high to indicate that conveyor 110 is ready to receive a printed circuit board . conveyor 110 transitions from state 1 to state 2 in step 320 when the trailing edge of the board is detected by entry sensor 112 . state 2 : in this state , conveyor 110 “ owns ” the board and may move the board as quickly as possible to the processing station location 116 . a clamping mechanism is provided in one embodiment for clamping , or holding , the device in place at processing station location 116 . in one embodiment , velocity and acceleration limits for conveyor 110 are preset by the system operator . in step 325 , ready is set low to prevent the upstream machine from sending another board before the current board has finished processing . once the board is at the processing station , in step 330 , conveyor 110 stops moving and a clamp is activated to hold the board in place during processing . in step 335 , central control unit 130 is notified by conveyor 110 that the board is ready for processing , and conveyor 110 transitions from state 2 to state 3 . ( the “ d ” in step 335 indicates that data is provided to central control unit 130 .) state 3 : in this state , conveyor 110 is waiting for central control unit 130 to indicate that the processing of the board is completed . in step 340 , conveyor 110 transitions from state 3 to state 4 when central control unit 130 indicates that the board is finished processing . ( the “ e ” in step 340 indicates that data is provided to and from central control unit 130 .) processing is complete when all required programmed devices have been placed on the printed circuit board . generally , one or more programmed devices are required for each printed circuit board assembly . state 4 : in this state , the assembled board is unclamped and conveyor 110 moves it as quickly as possible to the exit location ( e . g ., interface with downstream machine ). in step 345 , available is set high to indicate that conveyor 110 is ready to deliver an assembled board to the downstream machine . in step 350 , the board is unclamped and moved toward the exit . in step 355 , conveyor 10 stops movement until it is determined that the downstream machine is ready to receive the board in step 360 . conveyor 110 transitions from state 4 to state 5 when the downstream machine sets downready to one state , e . g ., high , to indicate that it is ready to receive a printed circuit board assembly . state 5 : in this state , in step 365 , conveyor 110 matches the speed of the conveyor on the downstream machine to provide a smooth transfer from one machine to the next . conveyor 110 remains in motion until , e . g ., the trailing edge of the board is detected by exit sensor 114 in step 370 . when the board has left conveyor 110 , available is set low , and conveyor 110 stops motion and transitions from state 5 to state 0 ( step 300 ) to wait for the next board to be processed from the upstream machine . pick and place subsystem 120 provides the ability to move devices from one location to another within the ilp system . in one embodiment , pick and place subsystem 120 includes self - teaching capability for determining the precise locations at which to pick and place devices . an example of such a pick and place system can be found in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 361 , 791 ( atty docket no . 19530 - 000610 ), filed jul . 27 , 1999 , entitled “ pick and place teaching method and apparatus for implementing the same ,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes . pick and place subsystem 120 services requests from concurrent programming subsystem 100 and conveyor 110 to move devices from one location to another . these requests may be received directly from concurrent programming subsystem 100 and conveyor 110 , or through central control unit 130 . the system making the request will provide the location from which to pick up a device , the location at which to place the device , and the address of a status variable . as one example , pick and place subsystem 120 can be directed to pick up an unprogrammed device , e . g ., from a tray of unprogrammed devices , and place the device in a specific site &# 39 ; s socket of concurrent programming subsystem 100 for processing . blank devices may be provided to inline - programming apparatus 20 via device input interface 140 using a variety of media , including trays , tubes and tape as is well known . as another example , pick and place subsystem 120 can be directed to pick up a programmed device from concurrent programming subsystem 100 and place the programmed device on a printed circuit board at a specific location on conveyor 110 . pick and place subsystem 110 queues the requests and services them as soon as possible . the caller can monitor the status variable for the following states : not yet ready , underway , finished successfully , and finished with an error . pick and place subsystem 110 performs one move after another until the job is completed . if the queue becomes empty , pick and place subsystem 110 will wait idly until another request is made . the operation of pick and place subsystem 110 is described in more detail with reference to fig5 . fig5 illustrate a flowchart showing the general operation of pick and place subsystem 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention . in step 400 , pick and place subsystem 120 determines whether a request is received from concurrent programming subsystem 100 or from conveyor subsystem 110 to pick and place a device . ( the “ a ” in step 400 indicates that data is provided to pick and place subsystem 120 .) the entity requesting that a device be brought to it calls pick and place subsystem 120 and provides the location and status address information . if such a request is received , in step 410 , the system places the location information and the associated status variable address in a queue and proceeds to step 430 . in one embodiment , the queue is implemented in a memory , such as a fifo buffer . if no request is received , pick and place subsystem 120 checks to see whether any data is stored in the queue . if data is stored in the queue the process proceeds to step 430 , and if no data is stored in the queue , the process loops back to beginning step 400 . in step 430 , pick and place subsystem 120 reads the data in the queue having the highest priority , and proceeds to pick and place the requested part at the specified locations . in step 440 , the system determines whether any status requests have been made . ( the “ b ” in step 440 indicates that a request is provided to pick and place subsystem 120 .) if status variables are requested , the system provides them to the requesting entity in step 450 . the process then loops back to beginning step 400 . central control unit 130 coordinates the action of the other system components as described in more detail below . central control unit 130 is preferably implemented as an industry standard pentium - based personal computer executing the microsoft windows operating system , although any other processor and any other operating system may be used as desired . as part of its function , central control unit 130 coordinates the delivery of unprogrammed devices to concurrent programming subsystem 100 for programming , as well as the placement of programmed devices on the circuit boards . the operation of the central control unit is described in more detail with reference to fig6 . fig6 illustrates a flowchart showing the general operation of central control unit 130 controlling the operation of placing programmed devices on a printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention . in step 500 , central control unit 130 checks whether conveyor 110 has indicated that a board in locked in place and ready for processing . ( the “ d ” in step 500 indicates that data is provided to and from central control unit 130 .) if a board is locked in place , in step 510 fiducial recognition techniques are used to identify the locations at which one or more programmed devices should be placed . in general , the boards will not be clamped in precisely the same locations in station location 116 . once clamped down , the board will not move , but the clamped positions will vary slightly from board to board . in one embodiment , a camera is used to detect the location of a pair of “ fiducial marks ”, e . g ., small circles or cross marks on the board to determine the location and orientation of the board . this location information is used in conjunction with the known board location ( s ) ( e . g ., where the device ( s ) are to be placed on the board ), by the pick and place subsystem 120 to compute the exact location , and orientation , at which to place a device on the board . in step 520 , control unit 130 queries concurrent programming subsystem 100 for the location of a programmed device . ( the “ c ” in step 520 indicates that data is provided to and from central control unit 130 .) if the location is valid , the process proceeds to step 530 . if not , the process loops back ( indicated by the “ 8 ”) and queries the concurrent programming subsystem 100 for a device location . in step 530 , central control unit 130 instructs pick and place subsystem 120 to pick and place the device identified by concurrent programming system in step 520 . ( the “ a ” in step 530 indicates that location and status data is provided to and from pick and place subsystem 120 .) after the device has been placed on the board , the specific location is marked as placed . in step 550 , the unit determines whether all devices required to be placed on the board have been placed thereon . if not , the process loops back ( indicated by the “ 8 ”) to step 520 where the central control unit queries concurrent programming subsystem 100 for the location of the next device to be placed . if all devices have been placed , in step 560 , central control unit 130 notifies conveyor subsystem 110 that the board has been processed and can be moved on . ( the “ e ” in step 530 indicates that data is provided to and from conveyor subsystem 110 .) in step 570 , central control unit waits until conveyor subsystem 110 acknowledges that the board has been processed and then reverts back to beginning step 500 to coordinate processing for the next board . according to one embodiment , in - line programming apparatus , and all of its components are operator configurable using computer code run on central control unit 130 . computer code for operating and configuring all components of in - line programming apparatus as described herein is preferably stored on a hard disk coupled to central control unit . the entire program code , or portions thereof , may also be stored in any other memory device such as a rom or ram , or provided on any media capable of storing program code , such as a compact disk medium , a floppy disk , or the like . 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 .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a cross sectional view of a blower unit 100 for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present teachings . the blower unit 100 comprises a fan 102 , a motor 104 , a scroll case 106 , and a cooling chamber defining a cooling path 108 . the fan 102 is a centrifugal multi - blade type fan . the fan 102 is connected to the motor 104 . the motor 104 is a brush type motor . the brush type motor comprises a brush and a commutator . the fan 102 creates airflow when rotated by the motor 104 . the motor 104 is accommodated in a motor housing 110 . the motor housing 110 defines an inner cylindrical surface 112 . the scroll case 106 accommodates the fan 102 . the scroll case 106 further defines a fresh air inlet 114 , a recirculation air inlet 116 , and an air outlet 118 ( not shown in fig1 , see fig4 and 5 ). the blower unit 100 intakes air from the fresh air inlet 114 or the recirculation air inlet 116 . in this embodiment , the fresh air inlet 114 and the recirculation air inlet 116 are alternatively opened and closed by a door 120 . the cooling path 108 is connected to the scroll case 106 at a bottom surface 122 of the scroll case 106 . the cooling path 108 extends from an outer peripheral portion 124 of the scroll case 106 to the motor 104 . the scroll case 106 has an aperture 126 on its side surface 128 . a part of the airflow is directed into that aperture 126 . an upstream side of the cooling path 108 communicates with a space 130 located at a downstream side of the aperture 126 . a downstream side of the cooling path 108 communicates with the inner side of the motor housing 110 . thus , the cooling path 108 guides a part of the airflow to the motor 104 . the cooling path 108 defines a slope 132 . the slope 132 declines from the outer peripheral portion 124 of the scroll case 106 to an edge 134 of the motor housing 110 . the airflow directed to the motor 104 goes through the motor housing 110 and enters the scroll case 106 again . a first flat surface 136 is accommodated in the cooling path 108 . the first flat surface 136 in this embodiment is generally perpendicular to a flow direction of the part of the airflow directed to the motor 104 , but the angle of the first flat surface 136 may be inclined as well . in this embodiment , the first flat surface 136 forms a part of the motor housing 110 . the first flat surface 136 is provided on one side of a partition or wall 138 ( depicted in fig2 ). the wall 138 provides a curved surface 140 on the other side of the first flat surface 136 . in another embodiment , the first flat surface 136 does not need to be a part of the scroll case 106 or cooling path 108 . a second flat surface 142 of a second partition or wall is accommodated in the cooling path . the second flat surface 142 is substantially parallel to the first flat surface 136 . the second flat surface 142 protrudes from the slope 132 into the cooling path 108 . the first flat surface 136 and the second flat surface 142 at least partially overlap each other in a direction of the airflow . there is a first gap ( g 1 ) between the first flat surface 136 and the second flat surface 142 , as illustrated in fig1 for example . fig2 further depicts a perspective view of the cooling path 108 in the first embodiment . in this embodiment , the cooling path 108 is a separate part from the scroll case 106 . fig3 and 4 are isometric views of the cooling path 108 , the fan 102 , the motor housing 110 , and the scroll case 106 in the first embodiment . the cooling path 108 is attached to the motor housing 110 and scroll case 106 by clamps 144 . fig5 is a cross sectional view of the blower unit 100 along dashed line b - b ′ viewing from the direction of arrow a depicted in fig1 . the curved surface 140 corresponds to the inner cylindrical surface 112 . fig6 is a graph showing noise level created by a brush motor at low speed . the brush motor typically makes noise at 2 to 10 khz high frequency bands . the driver may easily perceive such high frequency band noise . in this disclosure , the first flat surface 136 and the second flat surface 142 cooperatively provide a narrow noise reduction chamber , gap ( g 1 ), in the cooling path 108 . as shown in fig7 , the noise reduction effect relates to the chamber length . the length of the chamber ( l ) is defined by the distance between the flat surfaces . the noise reduction effect has maximum / peaks calculated by n * c /( 4 l ), and pockets / troughs appear at n * c /( 2 l ) between the maxima / peaks , where n is an integer , c is velocity of sound , and l is length of the chamber . it is preferable that the cooling path 108 defines a narrow chamber gap ( g 1 ), small enough to preclude the above pockets / troughs from an assumed noise range . for example , if the chamber gap ( g 1 ) is set to be less than 1 . 8 cm , the pockets / troughs will not appear until about 9 khz . thus , the high frequency noise created by brush motor noise may be effectively suppressed by the narrow chamber gap ( g 1 ) at all the maxima / peaks . fig8 is a cross sectional view of a blower unit 100 in the second embodiment . in the second embodiment , the blower unit 100 for a vehicle further includes a third flat surface 146 or a third partition or wall . the third flat surface 146 is accommodated in the cooling path 108 , and is substantially parallel to the second flat surface 142 . the second flat surface 142 and the third flat surface 146 at least partially overlap each other , and define a second gap ( g 2 ) between them . the distance between the first flat surface and the second flat surface ( the first gap g 1 ) is different from the distance between the second flat surface and the third flat surface ( the second gap g 2 ). more specifically , in this embodiment , the first gap g 1 is larger than the second gap g 2 . in this embodiment , the first flat surface 136 is provided by the outer wall of the motor housing 110 . fig9 shows noise reduction effect by multiple lengths of multiple chambers . like the configuration depicted in fig8 , multiple chambers will provide a broad band frequency noise reduction effect . fig1 is a cross sectional view of a blower unit 100 according to a third embodiment of the present teachings . in this third embodiment , the second flat surface 142 and the third flat surface 146 protrude from the bottom surface of the scroll case 106 . in this embodiment , the first gap g 1 is smaller than the second gap g 2 . fig1 is a cross sectional view of a blower unit 100 for a vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present teachings . in this fourth embodiment , the second flat surface 142 protrudes from the slope 132 of the cooling path 108 , and the third flat surface 146 protrudes from the bottom surface 122 of the scroll case 106 . in this embodiment , the second gap g 2 is defined between the first flat surface 136 and the third flat surface 146 . the second gap g 2 is larger than the first gap g 1 . the foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention . individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment , but , where applicable , are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment , even if not specifically shown or described . the same may also be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention , and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention .

5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting

enhanced output impedance current mirrors are conventionally used to mirror current from one portion of a circuit to another , while increasing the output impedance associated with the output current . reducing the minimum output voltage is desirable . in addition , reducing circuit complexity is desirable so long as the functioning of the circuit is not sacrificed . the principles of the present invention provide an enhanced output impedance current mirror in which very low output voltages are possible with few additional devices as compared to conventional enhanced output impedance current mirrors . fig2 illustrates an enhanced output impedance current mirror 200 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention . as in conventional enhanced output impedance current mirrors , the enhanced output impedance current mirror 200 includes an nmosfet m 1 having a source terminal that is connected to a low voltage source low , and an nmosfet m 2 having a source terminal that is connected to a drain terminal of the first nmosfet m 1 . the current is mirrored from a different part of circuit by applying appropriate biases to the gate terminal of nmosfet m 1 as is conventionally known and as is illustrated in fig1 . the output current i out is the current going into the source terminal of nmosfet m 2 , and the output impedance is the impedance looking into the source terminal of nmosfet m 2 . a uniquely designed operation amplifier ( namely , the circuitry to the right of nmosfets m 1 and m 2 ) is connected to nmosfets m 1 and m 2 so as to apply the appropriate biases to nmosfet m 1 such that the minimum output voltage may be as low as the sum of the saturation voltages of both of the nmosfets m 1 and m 2 . the operational amplifier also provides the necessary gain to enhance output impedance thereby serving two roles with just a few additional devices configured in a certain previously unknown way . as in a conventional operational amplifier , the operational amplifier includes a current source ( i ) having a first terminal connected to a high voltage source . a differential pair is then provided having gate terminals as input terminals to the operational amplifier . specifically , one pmosfet m 3 has a gate terminal connected to the source terminal of the nmosfet m 2 . a source terminal of the pmosfet m 3 is connected to a second terminal of the current source ( i ). a drain terminal of the pmosfet m 3 is connected to a gate terminal of the second nmosfet m 2 . similarly , a second pmosfet m 4 has a source terminal connected to the second terminal of the current source ( i ). unlike conventional enhanced output impedance current mirrors , however , the operational amplifier includes four nmosfets m 5 - m 8 having a common gate terminal that is connected to the drain of pmosfet m 4 . more specifically , nmosfet m 5 has a gate terminal connected to a drain terminal of pmosfet m 4 , and has a drain terminal connected to the drain terminal of pmosfet m 3 . nmosfet m 6 has a gate terminal connected to the gate terminal of nmosfet m 5 , has a drain terminal connected to the drain terminal of pmosfet m 4 , and has a source terminal connected to a gate terminal of the second pmosfet m 4 . nmosfet m 7 has a gate terminal connect to the gate terminal of nmosfet m 5 , has a drain terminal connected to the source terminal of the nmosfet m 5 , and has a source terminal connected to the low voltage source . nmosfet m 8 has a gate terminal connected to the gate terminal of nmosfet m 5 , has a drain terminal connected to the source terminal of nmosfet m 6 , and has a source terminal connected to the low voltage source low . in this configuration , the reference voltage v ref would be defined by the following equation ( 5 ): v ref = i β 6  ( β 6 + β 8 β 6  β 8 - 1 ) ( 5 ) where β 6 is the channel length - to - width ratio of the nmosfet m 6 , and β 8 is the channel length - to - width ratio of the nmosfet m 8 . the channel length - to - width ratios are parameters that may be chosen by the circuit designer . accordingly , the reference voltage v ref may be chosen to be a minimal value above the saturation voltage ( v dsatl ) of the nmosfet m 1 . a typical minimal value might be for example , 100 millivolts above the saturation voltage . in a broader embodiment of the present invention , the minimal value may be any voltage greater than or equal to the saturation voltage . in yet another embodiment , the reference voltage v ref is somewhat below the saturation voltage ( v dsatl ) of the nmosfet m 1 . in that case , the performance of the current mirror would be somewhat degraded but may still be better than the conventional enhanced output impedance current mirror . if the reference voltage were chosen to be exactly v dsatl , then the lowest possible output voltage would be just the sum of the saturation voltages of the two nmosfets m 1 and m 2 . furthermore , since process and temperature variations that apply to nmosfet m 1 would also tend to apply to nmosfets m 5 through m 8 through device matching , the voltage v ref would tend to increase and decrease more proportionally with v dsatl with temperature and process variations , thereby reducing the impact of such process and temperature variations . another embodiment of the invention may be accomplished by substituting all nmosfets with pmosfets , and vice versa , and by tying any terminals that were connected to a lower voltage source to a high voltage source , and vice versa . fig3 illustrates such an embodiment in which pmosfets n 1 through n 8 are similar to mosfets m 1 through m 8 , except that p - type mosfets are switched for n - type mosfets , and visa versa . furthermore , current source j is connected to a low voltage supply instead of current source i being connected to a high voltage source . also , mosfets n 1 , n 7 and n 8 are connected to high voltage source high , instead of mosfets m 1 , m 7 and m 8 being connected to low voltage source low . additional embodiments of an enhanced output impedance current mirror will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after having reviewed this description . for example , fig4 illustrates an enhanced output impedance current mirror 400 that is similar to the enhanced output impedance current mirror 200 of fig2 and the enhanced output impedance current mirror 300 of fig3 except for the following characteristics . the ampl is a general amplifier that replaces the specific amplifier configuration of fig2 that includes transistors m 3 , m 4 , m 5 and m 6 ( or the specific amplifier configuration of fig3 that includes transistors n 3 , n 4 , n 5 and n 6 ). in addition , resistive elements r 1 and r 2 replace the transistors m 7 and m 8 of fig2 ( or the transistors n 7 and n 8 of fig3 ) in respective current return paths . furthermore , the current source k replaces the transistor m 1 of fig2 ( or the transistor n 1 of fig3 ). the terminal of the current source that is connected to the transistor o 2 will be also be referred to herein as the “ first current electrode ” of the transistor o 2 . the terminal on the other side of the channel region of the transistor o 2 will also be referred to as the “ second current electrode ” of the transistor o 2 . the current mirror operates to effectively increase output impedance rin when one of the resistive elements is properly sized so that the voltage drop across the resistor , when summed with the offset voltage between inverting terminal and the non - inverting terminal of the amplifier ampl , provides a voltage the current source k such that the current source k provides a predictable current . fig5 illustrates an enhanced output impedance current mirror 500 that is similar to the enhanced output impedance current mirror 400 of fig4 except that a specific amplifier configured comprising transistors p 3 , p 4 , p 5 , p 6 is used to perform amplification similar to how amplification was performed using transistors m 3 , m 4 , m 5 and m 6 of fig2 . in addition , nmos transistor p 2 replaces transistor o 2 , which could have been an nmos or pmos transistor . current source l of fig5 may be similar to current source k of fig4 and resistive elements r ′ 1 and r ′ 2 of fig5 may be similar to resistive elements r 1 and r 2 of fig4 . fig6 illustrates an enhanced output impedance current mirror 600 that is similar to the enhanced output impedance current mirror 500 of fig5 except that transistors q 7 and q 8 replace resistive element r ′ 1 and r ′ 2 . transistors q 3 , q 4 , q 5 , q 6 , q 7 and q 8 may be similar to the transistors m 3 , m 4 , m 5 , m 6 , m 7 and m 8 , respectively , of fig2 . also , current source m may be similar to the current source l of fig5 . fig7 illustrates an enhanced output impedance current mirror 700 that is similar to the enhanced output impedance current mirror 600 of fig6 except that the sources of transistors r 5 and r 6 are both tied to the drain of transistor r 8 , and transistor r 7 is absent . transistors r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 and r 6 may be similar to the transistors m 2 , m 3 , m 4 , m 5 and m 6 of fig2 . also , current source n may be similar to the current source m of fig6 . fig8 illustrates an enhanced output impedance current mirror 800 that is similar to the enhanced output impedance current mirror 700 of fig7 except that the there is no resistance in the return current paths . instead , the voltage across the current source o is maintained by an intentional offset voltage imposed by passing different current densities through the resistors s 3 and s 4 . transistors s 2 , s 3 , s 4 , s 5 and s 6 may be similar to the transistors m 2 , m 3 , m 4 , m 5 and m 6 of fig2 . also , current source o may be similar to the current source n of fig7 . accordingly , an enhanced output impedance current mirror is obtained using minimal additional devices while allowing for a reduced minimum output voltage . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes , which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims , are to be embraced within their scope .

6Physics

the result of a generalized fluctuation theory for multi - component static light scattering , assuming that the incident light is vertically plane polarized and the observation is made in the horizontal plane at an angle θ relative to the direction of the incident light , is : here r ( c x , θ ) represents the excess rayleigh ratio detected at any scattering angle from a solution of macromolecules at a composition c x , where x represents the various monomeric species and c x represents the totality of weight / volume concentrations [ c 1 , c 2 , c 3 . . . ] of each species ; the excess rayleigh ratio is the difference between the rayleigh ratio of the solution and that of the pure solvent ; the rayleigh ratio of a solution is is the intensity of scattered light per unit solid angle observed at a distance r s from the point of scattering due to an incident intensity i ; v is the scattering volume ; n 0 is the refractive index of the solution ; n a is avogadro &# 39 ; s number ; λ 0 is the wavelength of the incident light in vacuum ; m and n represent the different species present , including free monomers and complexes ; c n is the weight concentration , in units of mass per unit volume , of the n th species ; q l , m , n is some function of the scattering angle θ which generally depends on the size and mass distributions within the m and n molecules , and approaches a value of 1 as either θ approaches zero or the overall size is much smaller than where δ m , n equals 1 if m = n , and equals zero otherwise , γ n is the thermodynamic activity of component n , and q 2 , m , n is some function of θ which generally depends on the size and mass distributions within the m and n molecules , and approaches a value of 1 as either θ approaches zero or the size is much smaller than | ψ m , n ( θ )| is the determinant of ψ m , n ( θ ); ψ m , n ( θ ) is the m , n cofactor , or subdeterminant , of ψ m , n ( θ ); and dn / dc m is the differential refractive index increment of the m th species . if the m th species is a heterocomplex consisting of i x monomers of type x , i y monomers of type y , etc ., then dn / dc m is the weight average of the contributing refractive index increments of the constitutent molecules . the weight average of the refractive increment is where the subscript x refers to the different constituent monomers . equation ( 1 ) becomes very complex if more than two or three species are present , owing to the many terms incorporated in the determinant and subdeterminants . may be understood to represent the essential specific interaction volume v interaction /( m m + m n ) between macromolecular species m and n that leads to thermodynamic non - ideality . contributions to include the hard - core repulsion as well as various electrostatic and fluctuating dipole interactions . in a solution of at least intermediate ionic strength , long - range interactions are well - screened , and the non - ideality is dominated by short range interactions . at this condition the specific interaction volume is approximately proportional to the sum of the molecular volumes divided by the sum of masses , which may be written in terms of effective molecular density ρ m : if the various species in solution are formed as oligomers of just one type of monomer self - associating to form i - mers , then we may reasonably expect that the effective density of all i - mers is approximately a constant ρ , so is commonly approximated as a series in powers of the concentration : where the coefficients a 2 and a 3 are known as the second and third virial coefficients of the monomer in the particular solvent , respectively . applying this approximation , eq . ( 1 ) may be reduced to a simplified form heretofore unknown in the scientific literature , wherein all the non - ideal self - and cross - interactions are captured in just the two parameters a 2 and a 3 : here r ( c , θ ) is the excess rayleigh ratio observed at azimuth angle θ and a total macromolecular concentration c ; m is the molar mass of the monomer ; dn / dc is the differential refractive index increment of the molecules in the solvent ; i is the order of self - association ; c i is the weight concentration at equilibrium of the i - mer ; r g 2 is the angular dependence of the scattered light , within the plane perpendicular to the vertically polarized incident light , for the i - mer ; θ is measured relative to the direction of propagation of the beam ; and r g 2 is the mean square radius of the i - mer defined as r g 2 =∫ r 2 dm i /∫ dm i where r is the distance from the center of mass of the molecule to a molecular mass element m i , integrated over all mass elements of the molecule . the validity of eq . ( 2 ) may be illustrated with a relatively simple example as follows : is not only of higher order than the other terms , it is the difference of two quantities that are of comparable magnitude , and hence should be small compared to even one second - order term . it will also be small as one of the concentrations tends to zero . the final expression for the denominator will be likewise , for any number of species , the higher order terms may be ignored to yield may be expressed in terms of virial coefficients as described above , with the approximation that a 2 m and a 3 m , which are closely related to the inverse density , are approximately constants for the monomer and all oligomers : as again there is a term which includes the difference of high - order terms of very comparable magnitude and so may be ignored . likewise , for any number of oligomeric species , the final expression would be combining these approximations for the numerator and denominator of eq . ( 1 ) yields eq . ( 2 ) . numerical studies show that the terms that have been dropped only account for a small fraction of the total non - ideality correction , up to concentrations of tens of g / l , and thus the relationships that are the subject of this invention are applicable at such high concentrations . under certain common assumptions , a fixed relationship may be assumed between a 2 and a 3 , so that a single parameter captures all the non - ideal behavior . for example , if the molecules are assumed to behave like hard spheres then depending on the relative magnitudes of a 2 , a 3 and the sin 2 ( θ / 2 ) terms in the p i , some of the terms in eq . ( 2 ) may be ignored , as will be obvious to those familiar with numerical analysis . for example , for molecules in a solution of only moderately high concentration a 3 may be ignored , and if the complexes are all smaller than about λ / 70 , the angular dependence may be ignored as well , yielding a very simple form : if the various species in solution are formed as complexes of two different monomers x and y , then under similar assumptions to those stated above , eq . ( 1 ) may be reduced to a highly simplified form heretofore unknown in the scientific literature , wherein all the non - ideal self - and cross - interactions are captured in just two parameters a 2 x and a 2 y : where m x and m y correspond to the molar masses of the x and y monomers ; dn / dc x and dn / dc y correspond to the differential refractive index increments of the x and y monomers in the particular solvent ; i and j are the number of x and y monomers in the complex , m ij = im x + jm y is the molar mass and c ij is the weight concentration , at equilibrium , of the xiyj complex ; a 2 x and a 2 y refer to the second virial coefficients of the x and y monomers in the particular solvent ; and r g 2 is the mean square radius of the ij complex . the derivation is similar to that described for oligomers of the same monomer . if the complexes are smaller than about λ / 70 then the angular dependence may be ignored and eq . ( 4 ) may be reduced to : are the total weight / volume concentrations of x and y in solution . equations ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) may be readily generalized to more than two distinct monomeric species . the non - ideality parameter a 2 may be estimated a priori , or it may be a parameter of the fit of the data to the non - ideality - corrected light scattering equation and the association model equations described below . in order to estimate a 2 from a priori information , a known molecular radius may be substituted into the formula for computing a 2 of a hard sphere : the molecular radius of the monomer may be derived from structural information , e . g . as may be determined by x - ray crystallography , or estimated from a measurement of the hydrodynamic radius r h . the hydrodynamic radius may be calculated from measurements of dynamic light scattering or differential viscometry under dilute conditions , as is known to those familiar with macromolecular characterization . hence one method for representing cg - mals data from a reversibly self - associating solution at high concentration , in a highly simplified form amenable to further analysis , consists of the following steps as illustrated in fig1 : 1 . determine a suitable estimate of the effective molecular radius r either from the known structure of the molecule , or from a quasi - elastic light scattering or differential viscometry measurements of the hydrodynamic radius r h taken under non - associating conditions such as suitably low concentration or an appropriate association - restricting solvent ; 2 . based on the known molar mass of the monomer m and the estimated effective molecular radius r , estimate the monomer excluded volume value in some cases , the association is relatively weak and it is possible to estimate a 2 from a series of measurements at low concentrations . 3 . given the maximal concentration of interest c max , compute an estimate of the maximum non - ideality contribution ξ = 2a 2 mc max ; if ξ is greater than a predetermined cutoff value , e . g . 0 . 3 , retain the a 3 term in eq . ( 2 ); otherwise , drop the a 3 term ; 4 . estimate the mean square radius r max of the largest oligomer expected to form ; if r max & gt ; λ / 70 , retain the angular terms in eq . ( 2 ); otherwise , drop them . 5 . use the final form of eq . ( 2 ) to represent the cg - mals data . if some of the macromolecules are expected to be incompetent to reversible association , treat it in the equation as a distinct species that does not associate but has the same virial coefficient as the competent macromolecules . a method for representing cg - mals data from a reversibly hetero - associating solution at high concentration , in a highly simplified form amenable to further analysis , consists of the following steps as illustrated in fig2 : 1 . determine a suitable estimate of the effective molecular radii r x and r y either from the known structure of the molecule , or from quasi - elastic light scattering or differential viscometry measurements of the hydrodynamic radii r h , x and r h , y ; 2 . based on the known molar masses of the monomers m x , m y and the estimated effective molecular radii r x and r y , estimate the monomer excluded volume values in some cases , the association is relatively weak and it is possible to estimate a 2 from a series of measurements at low concentrations . 3 . estimate the mean square radius r max of the largest complex expected to form ; if r max & gt ; λ / 70 , retain the angular terms in eq . ( 4 ); otherwise , drop them . 4 . use the final form of eq . ( 4 ) to represent the cg - mals data . if some of the macromolecules are expected to be incompetent to reversible association , treat them in the equation as a distinct species that does not associate but has the same virial coefficient as the competent macromolecules . variants on these methods for determining suitable forms of the above equations will be apparent to those familiar with numerical analysis . with thermodynamic non - ideality accounted for in a simplified equation according to one of the forms shown above , characterization of the interaction in terms of stoichiometry and equilibrium association constants is straightforward and similar to the methods described by attri and minton in anal . biochem . 346 , 132 - 138 ( 2005 ) for ideal solutions and by fernandez and minton in biophys . j . 96 , 1992 - 1998 ( 2009 ) for concentrated solutions , but employing eq . ( 1 ) rather than one of the simplified forms described herein . the characterization method comprises the steps of : preparing a series of solutions comprising one or more macromolecular species ; allowing each solution to reach equilibrium between the free monomers and any reversibly - associating complexes ; measuring the light scattering intensity of each solution ; reducing the light scattering data to a series of excess rayleigh ratios ; and fitting the data simultaneously to the appropriate simplified representation of non - ideal light scattering and the equations for the specific association model described below . 1 . the equations for mass action , relating each equilibrium oligomer concentration c i to the corresponding equilibrium association constant k i for the specific stoichiometry , and the concentration of free monomer c 1 : where c tot is known for each solution as determined by the preparation procedure or measured by a concentration detector , and c inc is the concentration of macromolecules incompetent to associate and is considered a distinct species . the model equations for heteroassociations of two different monomer species x and y are : 1 . the equations for mass action , relating each equilibrium complex concentration c ij to the corresponding equilibrium association constant k ij for the specific stoichiometry , and the concentration of free monomer c x , c y : where c x tot and c y tot are known for each solution as determined by the preparation procedure or measured with concentration detectors ; and c x inc and c y inc are the concentrations of x and y macromolecules , respectively , incompetent to associate , and considered additional distinct species . various fitting algorithms , such as levenberg - marquardt nonlinear least squares algorithms and others , are well known from numerical analysis theory . these algorithms may be employed for fitting the data to the system of equations which includes the non - ideal light scattering equation , the mass conservation equations and the mass action equations , thereby obtaining fitted values of the interaction parameters k i or k ij , a 2 , etc . referring to fig3 , a set of aliquots of the macromolecule of interest , at concentrations c 1 , c 2 , . . . c k , are introduced into mals detector 1 , providing photodetectors at a plurality of scattering angles θ v . one example of a mals detector is the dawn - heleos ®, from wyatt technology corporation , santa barbara , calif . in a typical procedure , the concentration series corresponds to c s = αδc , where s = 1 , 2 , . . . k ; δc is a fixed concentration step , and k is the number of concentrations , usually at least five . aliquots of each of the k concentrations may be prepared and introduced to the detectors by means of various methods . in one method , these aliquots are prepared manually and placed in the mals detector by means of scintillation vials or cuvettes . in a second method , the aliquots are prepared manually and injected into the light scattering detector flow cell by means of a pump 2 . in a third method , the aliquots are prepared automatically by means of a dual pump 2 under computer control , which dilutes a stock solution 6 at a maximal concentration c max with a solvent 7 , and subsequently delivers sequentially each aliquot as produced to the detector . one example of an extant system capable of carrying out the dilution and delivery are the calypso ™ sp3 accessory using the calypso ™ software , from wyatt technology corporation , santa barbara , calif . the actual concentrations of the aliquots in the flow cell may differ from the original , as - prepared values c s , as the sample dilutes in the course of flowing through the system and interacting with filters 3 , surfaces , etc . a sufficient injection volume will fully equilibrate the detector flow cell at each injected concentration , so that knowledge of the as - prepared concentrations c s suffices to determine the actual concentration in the mals flow cell . alternatively , the optional in - line concentration detector 4 may be used to measure the actual sample concentrations . various methods are known for determining the concentration of a sample in solution . in one method applicable to manual preparation of the aliquots , appropriate masses of concentrated or lyophilized sample are weighed out and dissolved in a known volume of the solvent . in a second method , the concentration is determined by measuring absorbance with a spectrophotometer . in a third method , the concentrations are determined by means of a suitable in - line concentration detector 4 connected in series with the mals detector . an example of an in - line concentration detector is the optilab ® rex ™, also from wyatt technology corporation ; other in - line concentration detectors are known , including uv / v is absorption and fluorescence detectors . the in - line concentration detector may be connected in series or in parallel with the mals detector . if the mals and concentration detectors are connected in series , a sufficient volume of sample must be delivered so as to saturate both flow cells at the desired concentration . if the mals and concentration detectors are connected in parallel , then the sample flow must be split between them in a controlled fashion so as to ensure that at the completion of each sample injection , the concentrations in the two detectors are the same . sample flow splitting is typically controlled by a needle valve and monitored by means of suitable flow meters so as to maintain the required ratio . data is acquired from the detectors while the sample is flowing and while it is stopped between injections , then stored and analyzed by a computer 5 performing the fitting procedure described previously . optimally the data to be used for the analysis is that acquired after flow has stopped and the sample has equilibrated . each successive sample passes through the mals detector 1 , whereby the values of the excess rayleigh ratio , r s ( c s , θ v ), at each detector angle θ v , are measured at successive sample concentrations c s . the resultant light scattering and concentration signals are then stored and processed by a computer means 5 to calculate , for each injected aliquot s , the values c s , r s ( c s , θ v ). computer 5 also computes the molecular characteristics including m and & lt ; r g 2 & gt ;, and the molecular interaction characteristics a 2 and k i , by fitting the calculated results to eq . ( 2 ) or a simplified form thereof , together with the association model equations . various fitting procedures may be implemented to extract the molecular interaction characteristics . in a preferred embodiment , the fitting procedure consists of the levenberg - marquardt algorithm as applied to two variables ( c and sin 2 ( θ / 2 )), with m and a 2 fixed . from numerical analysis theory , the fitting of the measured data to the form of the light scattering equation and association model equations , whether by the levenberg - marquardt method , or other algorithms , may include statistical weighting whereby the data used to perform these fits is weighted by their reciprocal measured standard deviations . the measurement proceeds as for a single - species measurement , except that each aliquot contains different concentrations of two macromolecular species x and y in various association states to be determined . in one procedure , known as a crossover composition gradient , k aliquots are prepared wherein the composition of the s th aliquot is [ sδc x , ( k − s ) δc y ], and δc x and δc y are fixed concentration step sizes . in another procedure , known as a constant - ratio composition gradient , k aliquots are prepared wherein the composition of the s th aliquot is [ sδc x , sδc y ], and δc x and δc y are fixed concentration step sizes . the apparatus is similar to those of the single - species measurement , except that a computer - controlled triple - pump system is employed instead of a dual pump system , each pump controllable by means of computer to produce , mix and deliver an aliquot comprising species x , species y , and solvent at the desired compositions . such a triple - pump system and suitable controlling software are the calypso system , of wyatt technology corporation , santa barbara , calif . the total concentrations of constituents x and y , c x tot and c y tot respectively , may be determined from the predetermined stock solution concentrations and the mixing ratio as set in the preparation method , or by means of a method for measuring concentrations of two species in solution . in one method for measuring the concentrations of two distinct molecules in solution , the total concentration signal is measured by means of an on - line concentration detector 4 , and the constituent concentrations calculated from the known ratio between the two constituent species and the relative contributions of each to the total concentration signal . such a method has been described by attri and minton in anal . biochem . 346 ( 2005 ) 132 - 138 . in a second method for measuring the concentrations of two distinct molecules in solution , at least two different on - line concentration detection means are used , and the constituent concentrations determined from the concentration signals and the known responses of each constituent species to each concentration detection means . for example , the signals of a differential refractometer and uv absorption detector may be analyzed to yield the concentrations of each of two species present in the same solution , if the responses of the molecules to the respective concentration detectors differs for at least one measurement . as will be evident to those skilled in the arts of light scattering , macromolecular characterization , and numerical analysis , there are many obvious variations of the methods we have invented and described that do not depart from the fundamental elements that we have listed for their practice ; all such variations are but obvious implementations of the invention described hereinbefore and are included by reference to our claims , which follow .

6Physics

referring now to fig1 , there is shown a logic diagram illustrating a partial dedicated logic cell 100 employing the use of one or more dedicated lines 110 for connections between logic and routing blocks ( lrbs ), or connections from one dedicated logic cell ( dlc ) to another dedicated logic cell . the one or more dedicated lines 110 enter the partial dedicated logic cell 100 in a present logic and routing block through a control input line 111 . the first multiplexer 120 has a first input connected to the control input 111 for receiving the one or more dedicated lines 110 , a second input connected to line inputs 115 from a look - up table , a third input connected to a vdd 121 , and a fourth input connected a ground 122 , and an output 127 connected to an adjacent dedicated logic cell in the same logic and routing block . configurable select lines 125 allow selection from one of the four inputs 110 , 115 , 121 , or 122 in the first multiplexer 120 for generating the output 127 to the adjacent dedicated logic cell in the same logic and routing block . the second multiplexer 130 has a first input connected to a control input 111 for receiving the one or more dedicated lines 110 , a second input connected to line inputs 115 from the look - up table , a third input connected to a vdd 131 , and a fourth input connected to a ground 132 , and an output 137 connected to the next logic and routing block ( or the next dedicated logic cell .) configurable select lines 135 allow selection from one of the four inputs , 111 , 115 , 131 , or 132 in the second multiplexer 130 to the next logic and routing block . the logic and routing blocks that provide the additional inputs need not be adjacent to the current logic and routing block where the function is implemented . the one or more dedicated lines can be used either as data or control signals . by deploying the one or more dedicated lines , the connectivity of a logic and routing block for enabling input and output connections can be made seamlessly irrespective of a logic and routing block boundary 140 . the one or more dedicated lines 110 connect between logic and routing blocks that allow a logic and routing block to receive inputs from other logic and routing blocks when a given function implemented in the logic and routing block requires more inputs than provided by the switchbox 250 in the logic and routing block . the one or more dedicated lines 110 also allow the logic and routing block to drive more outputs than provided by the present logic and routing block . in this embodiment , the partial dedicated logic cell 100 employs eight dedicated lines 110 for each pair of dedicated logic cells . the eight dedicated lines 110 can be used as either data or control signal lines for various modes of operation . the eight dedicated lines are fed by eight outputs of a dedicated logic cell ( not shown ) or from a previous set of dedicated lines ( not shown ). each dedicated line in the eight dedicated lines 110 can be tied to a high or low voltage . the eight dedicated lines 110 are fed to functional blocks to enable creation of larger functional blocks than permissible from a switch box , as shown in fig2 . for example , 6 and 7 - input general purpose function generators ( i . e ., look - up tables or “ luts ”) and 8 - input limited function generators are possible by using the dedicated input lines to provide inputs from other logic and routing blocks . in fig2 , there is shown an architectural diagram illustrating a logic and routing block 200 comprising a first dedicated logic cell ( dlc 0 ) 210 , a second dedicated logic cell ( dlc 1 ) 220 , a third dedicated logic cell ( dlc 2 ) 230 , a fourth dedicated logic cell ( dlc 3 ) 240 and a switch box 250 for providing programmable switch matrices . a set of dedicated lines is used to interconnect between adjacent dedicated logic cells , either for connecting to adjacent dedicated logic cells within the logic and routing block , adjacent dedicated logic cells between the logic and routing block 200 and a previous logic and routing block , or adjacent dedicated logic cells between the logic routing block 200 and a next logic and routing block . a first set of eight dedicated lines 211 is connected from a previous dedicated logic cell 260 ( not shown ) to the first dedicated logic cell 210 . a second set of eight dedicated lines 212 is connected from the first dedicated logic cell dlc 0 210 to the second dedicated cell dlc 1 220 . a third set of dedicated lines 213 is connected from the second dedicated cell 220 to the next dedicated local cell 270 ( not shown ). a fourth set of eight dedicated lines 221 is connected from the previous dedicated logic cell 260 ( not shown ) to the third dedicated logic cell 230 . a fifth set of eight dedicated lines 222 is connected from the third dedicated logic cell 230 to the fourth dedicated logic cell 240 . a sixth set of eight dedicated lines 223 is connected from the fourth dedicated logic cell 240 to the next dedicated logic cell 270 ( not shown ). the switch box 250 functions as a source for feeding control of data signals to any one of the dedicated lines 211 , 212 , 213 , 221 , 222 , or 223 . while the first set of eight dedicated lines 211 and the fourth set of eight dedicated lines 221 are connected from the previous logic and cell block 260 , ( not shown ) the third set of eight dedicated lines 213 and the sixth set of eight dedicated lines 223 are connected to the next logic and cell block 270 ( not shown ). the one ore more dedicated lines can be driven by the previous corresponding one or more dedicated lines as well as driving the next corresponding one or more dedicated lines , which would extend the distance of the dedicated lines . in effect , one set of dedicated lines can be connected (“ stitched ”) to another set of dedicated lines , as may be called for by a particular programmable logic device , for concatenating different sets of dedicated lines together that extend across different logic and routing blocks . in fig3 , there is shown a logic diagram illustrating the first implementation of a dedicated logic cell 300 with eight dedicated lines 310 – 317 . the dedicated logic cell 300 comprises a first set of function generators , a first function generator ( fg ) 320 , a second function generator 322 , a third function generator 324 , and a fourth function generator 326 where each function generator has four inputs for receiving a [ 0 ] 301 , a [ 1 ] 302 , a [ 2 ] 303 , and a [ 3 ] 304 from the switch box 250 . the dedicated logic cell 300 comprises a second set of function generators , a fifth function generator 330 , a sixth function generator 332 , a seventh function generator 334 , and an eighth function generator 336 where each function generator has four inputs for receiving b [ 0 ] 305 , b [ 1 ] 306 , b [ 2 ] 307 , and b [ 3 ] 308 from the switch box 250 . a first multiplexer 340 has a first input connected to an output of the first function generator 320 , a second input connected to the eighth dedicated line c 7 317 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output connected to the next dlc . a second multiplexer 341 has a first input connected to an output of the second function generator 322 , a second input connected to the seventh dedicated line c 6 316 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output connected to the next dlc . a third multiplexer 342 has a first input connected to an output of the third function generator 324 , a second input connected to the fifth dedicated line c 5 315 , a third input connected to a ground , a fourth input connected to a vdd , and an output connected to the next dlc . a fourth multiplexer 343 has a first input connected to an output of the fourth function generator 326 , a second input connected to the fifth dedicated line c 4 314 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output to the next dlc . a fifth multiplexer 344 has a first input connected to an output of the fifth function generator 330 , a second input connected to the fourth dedicated line c 3 313 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output connected to the next dlc . a sixth multiplexer 345 has a first input connected to an output of the sixth function generator 332 , a second input connected to the third dedicated line c 2 312 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output connected to the next dlc . a seventh multiplexer 346 has a first input connected to an output of the seventh function generator 334 , a second input connected to the second dedicated line c 1 311 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output connected to the next dlc . an eighth multiplexer 347 has a first input connected to an output of the eighth function generator 336 , a second input connected to the first dedicated line c 0 310 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output connected to the next dlc . a corresponding set of multiplexers is connected to the respective one of the multiplexers 340 – 347 for generating outputs to logic and routing blocks . a ninth multiplexer 350 has a first input connected to the output of the first function generator 320 , a second input connected to the eighth dedicated line c 7 317 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to a logic and routing block . a tenth multiplexer 351 has a first input connected to the output of the second function generator 322 , a second input connected to the seventh dedicated line c 6 316 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . an eleventh multiplexer 352 has a first input connected to the output of the third function generator 324 , a second input connected to the sixth dedicated line c 5 315 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . a twelfth multiplexer 353 has a first input connected to the output of the fourth function generator 326 , a second input connected to the fifth dedicated line c 4 314 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . a thirteenth multiplexer 354 has a first input connected to the output of the fifth function generator 330 , a second input connected to the fourth dedicated line c 3 313 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . a fourteenth multiplexer 355 has a first input connected to the output of the sixth function generator 332 , a second input connected to the third dedicated line c 2 312 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . a fifteenth multiplexer 356 has a first input connected to the output of the seventh function generator 334 , a second input connected to the second dedicated line c 1 311 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . a sixteenth multiplexer 357 has a first input connected to the output of the eighth function generator 336 , a second input connected to the first dedicated line c 0 310 , a third input connected to a vdd , a fourth input connected to a ground , and an output for connecting to the logic and routing block . the following diagrams , fig4 through 9 , show the different applications of adopting the use of the one or more dedicated lines . turning now to fig4 , there is shown a logic diagram illustrating the first implementation of a dedicated logic cell 400 that operates as a 7 - input function generator , which is equivalent to two 6 - input look - up tables . the dedicated logic cell 400 employs dedicated lines c 0 410 , c 1 411 , c 2 412 , and c 3 413 that function as select lines to 4 : 1 multiplexers 430 and 440 . if the eight inputs are referred to as i [ 0 : 7 ], the first four inputs i [ 0 : 3 ] are supplied by either a [ 0 : 3 ] 401 – 404 or b [ 0 : 3 ] 405 – 408 , the fifth and sixth inputs are generated from c 0 412 and c 1 411 , and the sixth and seventh inputs are generated from c 2412 and c 3412 . a first 6 - input look - up table in the logic dedicated cell 400 comprises a first function generator 420 , a second function generator 422 , a third function generator 424 , and a fourth function generator 426 that have outputs feeding into inputs of the 4 : 1 multiplexer 430 . each of the first , second , third and fourth function generators 420 , 422 , 424 , and 426 have four inputs for receiving the incoming signals a [ 0 : 3 ] 401 – 404 . the dedicated lines c 2 412 and c 3 413 function as select lines to the 4 : 1 multiplexer 430 for selecting one of the inputs from either the first , second , third , or fourth function generator 420 , 422 , 424 , 426 , as well as generating an output signal of out 0 435 . a second 6 - input look - up table in the logic dedicated cell 400 comprises a fifth function generator 430 , a sixth function generator 432 , a seventh function generator 434 , and an eighth function generator 436 that have outputs feeding into inputs of the 4 : 1 multiplexer 440 . each of the first , second , third and fourth function generators 430 , 432 , 434 , and 436 have four inputs for receiving the incoming signals b [ 0 : 3 ] 405 – 408 . the dedicated lines c 0 410 and c 1 411 function as select lines to the 4 : 1 multiplexer 440 for selecting one of the inputs from either the fifth , sixth , seventh , or eighth function generator 430 , 432 , 434 , 436 , and generating an output signal of out 1 445 . in fig5 , there is shown a logic diagram illustrating the second implementation of a dedicated logic cell 500 that serves as a 7 - input function generator . if the seven inputs are referred to as i [ 0 : 6 ], the first four inputs i [ 0 : 3 ] are supplied by either a [ 0 : 3 ] 501 – 504 or b [ 0 : 3 ] 505 – 508 , the fifth input i [ 4 ] is generated from either a configurable select line c 0 510 or c 2 512 , the sixth input i [ 5 ] is generated from either a configurable select line c 1 511 or c 3 513 , and the seventh input i [ 6 ] is supplied by a configurable select line c 4 514 . the dedicated logic cell 500 comprises a first set of function generators having a first function generator 520 , a second function generator 522 , a third function generator 524 , and a fourth function generator 526 where each function generator has four inputs for receiving a [ 0 : 3 ] 501 – 504 and an output connected to a 4 : 1 multiplexer 540 . the dedicated logic cell 500 comprises a second set of function generators having a fifth function generator 530 , a sixth function generator 532 , a seventh function generator 534 , and an eighth function generator 536 where each function generator has four inputs for receiving b [ 0 : 3 ] 505 – 508 and an output connected to the 4 : 1 multiplexer 550 . a third multiplexer 560 has a first input connected to the output of the first 4 : 1 multiplexer 540 , a second input connected to the output of the second 4 : 1 multiplexer 550 , and a third input connected to the dedicated line c 4 514 and an output 570 . fig6 shows a logic diagram illustrating the third implementation of a dedicated logic cell 600 employing four 2 : 1 multiplexers with a common select line . a dedicated line 610 c 0 functions as a common select line that runs through all four 2 : 1 multiplexers 640 , 642 , 644 and 646 . the dedicated logic cell 600 comprises a first set of function generators having a first function generator 620 , a second function generator 622 , a third function generator 624 , and a fourth function generator 626 where each function generator has four inputs for receiving a [ 0 : 3 ] 601 – 604 . the dedicated logic cell 600 comprises a second set of function generators having a fifth function generator 630 , a sixth function generator 632 , a seventh function generator 634 , and an eighth function generator 636 where each function generator has four inputs for receiving b [ 0 : 3 ] 605 – 608 . a first 2 : 1 multiplexer 640 has a first input for receiving the a [ 0 ] 601 and a second input for receiving the b [ 0 ] 605 , and generating an out [ 0 ] 650 . a second 2 : 1 multiplexer 642 has a first input for receiving the a [ 1 ] 602 and a second input for receiving the b [ 1 ] 606 , and generating an out [ 1 ] 652 . a third 2 : 1 multiplexer 644 has a first input for receiving the a [ 2 ] 603 and a second input for receiving the b [ 2 ] 607 , and generating an out [ 2 ] 654 . a fourth 2 : 1 multiplexer 646 has a first input for receiving the a [ 3 ] 604 and a second input for receiving the b [ 3 ] 607 , and generating an out [ 3 ] 656 . fig7 is a logic diagram illustrating the fourth implementation of using eight dedicated lines in large multiplexer circuits 700 . the eight dedicated lines , c 0 710 , c 1 711 , c 2 712 , c 3 713 , c 4 714 , c 5 715 , c 6 716 , and c 7 717 , serve as select lines or control lines for multiplexers 720 , 730 , 740 , and 750 . the first multiplexer 720 has first inputs for receiving a [ 0 : 3 ] 701 – 704 and second inputs for receiving b [ 0 : 3 ] 705 – 708 . the second multiplexer 730 has first inputs for receiving a [ 0 : 3 ] 701 – 704 and second inputs for receiving b [ 0 : 3 ] 705 – 708 . the dedicated lines c 0 710 , c 1 711 , and c 2 712 function as select lines s 0 , s 1 , and s 2 , respectively , for both the first and second multiplexers 720 and 730 . the three select lines s 0 , s 1 , and s 3 provide the capability to the first and second multiplexers 720 and 730 to function as 8 : 1 multiplexers , where one of the eight inputs will be selected for sending to the output . two multiplexer decode logics 730 and 740 operate to decode the inputs c 3 713 , c 4 714 , c 5 715 , c 6 716 , and c 7 717 . the dedicated lines c 3 713 , c 4 714 , c 5 715 , c 6 716 , c 7 717 function as select lines s 3 , s 4 , s 5 , s 6 , s 7 , respectively , for both the two multiplexer decode logics 730 and 740 . a first chaining logic 760 has a first input connected to the output of the first 8 : 1 multiplexer 720 , a second input connected to a previous multiplexer chaining multiplexer ( not shown ), a third input connected to the output of the first multiplexer decode logic 740 , and an output . a second chaining logic 770 has a first input connected to the output of the second 8 : 1 multiplexer 730 , a second input connected to the output of the first multiplexer chaining logic 760 , a third input connected to the output of the second multiplexer decode logic 750 , and an output . the combination of the eight dedicated lines , c 0 710 , c 1 711 , c 2 712 , c 3 713 , c 4 714 , c 5 715 , c 6 716 , and c 7 717 , provides 256 inputs into the circuit 700 that function as a 256 : 1 multiplexer . in fig8 , there is shown a logic diagram illustrating the fifth implementation of using dedicated lines as control lines in a configurable sequential circuit 800 . a set of dedicated lines c 0 810 , c 1 811 , c 2 812 , and c 3 813 , provides control signals to a set of sequential elements sharing the same set of control signals that includes a reset ( rst ) signal , a clear ( clr ) signal , a load enable ( lden ) signal , and a clock enable ( ce ) signal . in this embodiment , the configurable sequential circuit 800 comprises a first configurable sequential element 820 , a second configurable sequential element 830 , a third configurable sequential element 840 , a fourth configurable sequential element 850 , a fifth configurable sequential element 860 , a sixth configurable sequential element 870 , a seventh configurable sequential element 880 , and an eighth configurable sequential element 890 . the first dedicated line c 0 810 functions as a reset ( rst ) line , the second dedicated line c 1 811 functions as a clear ( clr ) line , the third dedicated line c 2 812 functions as a load enable ( lden ) line , and the fourth dedicated line c 3 813 functions as a clocking enable ( ce ) line . a clock signal 815 is also fed into each of the configurable sequential elements , 820 , 830 , 840 , 850 , 860 , 870 , 880 and 890 . the first configurable sequential element 820 has a first input for receiving in [ 0 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 0 ], and an output for generating an out [ 0 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 0 ] line is active to load the data in [ 0 ] into the first configurable sequential element 820 and generating the data to the out [ 0 ]. the second configurable sequential element 830 has a first input for receiving in [ 1 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 1 ], and an output for generating an out [ 1 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 1 ] line is active to load the data in [ 1 ] into the second configurable sequential element 830 and to generate the data to the out [ 1 ]. the third configurable sequential element 840 has a first input for receiving in [ 2 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 2 ], and an output for generating an out [ 2 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 2 ] line is active to load the data in [ 2 ] into the third configurable sequential element 840 and to generate the data to the out [ 2 ]. the fourth configurable sequential element 850 has a first input for receiving in [ 3 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 3 ], and an output for generating an out [ 3 ]. when the lden signal is asserted , the ld [ 3 ] signal 812 is active to load the data in [ 3 ] into the fourth configurable sequential element 850 and to generate the data to the out [ 3 ]. the fifth configurable sequential element 860 has a first input for receiving in [ 4 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 4 ], and an output for generating an out [ 4 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 4 ] line is active to load the data in [ 4 ] into the fifth configurable sequential element 860 and to generate the data to the out [ 4 ]. the sixth configurable sequential element 870 has a first input for receiving in [ 5 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 5 ], and an output for generating an out [ 5 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 5 ] line is active to load the data in [ 5 ] into the sixth configurable sequential element 870 and to generate the data to the out [ 5 ]. the seventh configurable sequential element 880 has a first input for receiving in [ 6 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 6 ], and an output for generating an out [ 6 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 6 ] line is active to load the data in [ 6 ] into the seventh configurable sequential element 880 and to generate the data to the out [ 6 ]. the eighth configurable sequential element 890 has a first input for receiving in [ 7 ], a second input for receiving a load data ld [ 7 ], and an output for generating an out [ 7 ]. when the lden signal 812 is asserted , the ld [ 7 ] line is active to load the data in [ 7 ] into the eighth configurable sequential element 890 and to generate the data to the out [ 7 ]. fig9 is a logic diagram illustrating the sixth implementation of a programmable logic circuit 900 that shares dedicated lines as control lines among multiple macro blocks . eight dedicated lines c 0 910 , c 1 911 , c 2 912 , c 3 913 , c 4 914 , c 5 915 , c 6 916 , c 7 917 , operate as control lines for larger functional macro blocks such as memory , multiplier and other such macro blocks such that a set of logic and routing blocks provide inputs , outputs and control signals . the eight dedicated lines c 0 910 , c 1 911 , c 2 912 , c 3 913 , c 4 914 , c 5 915 , c 6 916 , c 7 917 serve as common control signals that are shared among a first macro block 920 and a second macro block 930 . the eight dedicated lines c 0 – c 7 910 – 917 are connected to the first macro block 920 through a first dedicated logic cell 940 , and are connected to the second macro block 930 through a third dedicated logic cell 960 . the eight dedicated lines c 0 – c 7 910 – 917 are connected to the first dedicated logic cell 940 , a second dedicated logic cell 950 , the third dedicated logic cell 960 , and a fourth dedicated logic cell 970 . fig1 is a flow diagram illustrating the process of programming a programmable logic circuit having at least one or more dedicated lines in a logic and routing block 200 . at step 1010 , the process 1000 reads a particular programmable logic design selected by a user . the process 1000 identifies logic structures for implementation of the selected design at step 1020 . in a programmable logic circuit , a first dedicated logic cell in a first lrb receives a first set of dedicated lines at step 1030 . depending on the logic functions to be implemented , there are several options in connecting the first set of dedicated lines in the first dedicated logic cell in the first lrb . with a first option at step 1040 , the first set of dedicated lines in the first dedicated logic cell in the first lrb are connected to a second dedicated logic cell in the same lrb . with a second option at step 1050 , the first set of dedicated lines in the first dedicated logic cell in the first lrb are connected to a second lrb . with a third option at step 1060 , the first set of dedicated logic cell in the first logic cells in the first lrb is stitched to a second set of dedicated lines for connection to an lrb adjacent to the first lrb , or skip over an adjacent lrb to a non - contiguous lrb relative to the first lrb . those skilled in the art can appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms . therefore , while the embodiments of this invention have been described in connection with particular examples thereof , the true scope of the embodiments of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications , whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification , will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings , specification , and following claims .

7Electricity

in fig1 there is shown a diagram of the optical system which can be utilized with the novel mask design of this specification for the purpose of obtaining an indication of the sum of the linear dimension of the individual particles in a collection of particles . specifically , when the particles are spherical in shape the indication is an indication of the sum of the radii of the individual particles of the collection . if the particles are not spherical the indication would be of an average linear dimension which would vary depending on particle shape . the collection of particles forming the sample in container 10 may , for example , be a sample of fluid suspended particles either contained within an enclosure or in a flowing stream . that sample is placed in a position such that a collimated light beam is directed at the particles as by the laser 12 which is shown in fig1 directing a light beam 14 along the optical axis of the system . particles such as particle 11 which are in the sample collection 10 and lie in the path of the light beam 14 cause a diffraction of the light beam at an angle as for example along path 16 . the diffracted light is directed by a focusing element which consists of the collecting lens 20 through the mask 22 which lies in the fraunhofer plane of lens 20 . that portion of the diffracted light which passes through the mask 22 is focused by the lens 24 on detector 26 . the detector 26 in turn produces on its output lines 28 a signal into indicator 30 indicative of the total light flux falling on the detector 26 . in fig1 the mask 22 is shown in a side view . that mask may be rotated if desired for the purpose of averaging out any unsymmetrical characteristics in the sample collection . in fig2 there is shown one particular form which the mask can take ( fig2 being a front elevation of the mask 22 ). in general the opening 34 in the opaque mask 22 has a shape such that θ i the angle over which the mask is open at any particular radius r i is determined by the following equation : wherein θ 1 is the angle over which the opening occurs at the inner radius of the zone of interest , r 1 is the inner radius of the zone of interest , and r 2 is the outer radius of that zone . the outer angle may be considered θ 2 which is the opening existing at the radius r 2 while the exponent p has a value which is normally adjusted to give the desired response by the detector 26 of fig1 with the mask design used . that exponent would be approximately equal to ( 2 - n ) following the teaching of the prior art in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 809 , 478 issued to john henry talbot on may 7 , 1974 ; where n is the exponent of the radius of the particles for the particular measurement being made . thus , where the measurement is a measurement of the sum of the radii of the particles the exponential factor is theoretically 1 ( n being equal to 1 ). it is , however , necessary to adjust the exponent to obtain a reasonably accurate measurement . this adjustment is required due to the finite boundaries of the opening in the mask . it will be evident that the opening 34 of mask 22 may have any one of a number of different shapes which fulfill the requirements set forth above , however , a specific shape for the opening 34 using two zones is shown in fig2 . that shape is particularly applicable to an optical system as shown in fig1 wherein the lens 20 has a focal length of 7 . 6 in . and the wavelength of the light beam 14 is 0 . 6328 μ . the specific shape for opening 34 is described by the table below where the dimensions for the various parameters in each of two preselected zones is set forth with zone 1 being that area between the radii r a and r b and zone 2 being the area between the radii r b and r c . the curvature of the boundaries of the mask in each of the zones is in accordance with the equation set forth above for θ i where p is the particular filter function exponent set forth in the following table : ______________________________________r . sub . 1 θ . sub . 1 r . sub . 2 ( θ . sub . 2 ) pinner inner outer outer exponentzone radius angle radius angle ofno . ( inches ) ( degrees ) ( inches ) ( degrees ) filter fn . ______________________________________1 . 1650 3 . 424 . 6500 20 . 774 1 . 3152 . 6500 28 . 630 1 . 3400 89 . 793 1 . 580______________________________________ a mask designed as shown in fig2 can produce a relatively constant response for a distribution of particles from approximately 2 . 5 μm . to well over 200 μm . over that range responses within ± 10 % have been obtained . the indication obtained on the meter 30 of fig1 when using the mask of fig2 gives as mentioned an indication of the total sum of the radius of the individual particles in the collection of particles which form the sample 10 . that measurement can be utilized advantageously in statistical analysis of the distribution of the particles by their radius and when combined with others statistical parameters can be used for the determination , the mean of that distribution , its standard deviation , and also its skewness .

6Physics

reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout . fig1 illustrates an exemplary plastic container 100 , such as a bottle , to hold fluids such as detergent or bleach , or the like . the bottle may be manufactured by combining a first half 102 and a second half 104 through a molding part line 106 using well - known processes in the art of container manufacturing . in the preferred embodiment , the bottle may be made of high - density polyethylene . the bottle 100 may comprise a top portion 108 with a bottom portion 110 , and a body 112 of the bottle 100 is configured to retain fluids . a finish portion 114 is formed as an opening shaped as a neck or a short tube where the fluids are filled into or dispensed out of the bottle 100 . as shown in fig2 a , the finish portion 114 of the bottle 100 may be integrally connected to the body 112 through a shoulder portion 116 or shelf at a lower end 118 of the finish 114 . an outer circumferential side wall 120 extends between the lower end 118 and an upper end 122 of the finish 114 . on the outer circumferential side wall 120 , the bottle finish 114 may have threads 124 for retaining a cap ( not shown ). in this embodiment , the threads 124 are defined by an upper surface 126 and a lower surface 128 . the threads 124 project outwardly and extend along a spiral path around the finish 114 . further , the threads 124 extend generally , but not necessarily , between the upper and lower end 118 and 122 of the finish 114 . the upper surface 126 of the threads 124 may adjoin the side wall 120 under an obtuse angle and along an upper base line 130 . similarly , the lower surface 128 may adjoin the side wall 120 along a lower base line 132 . the upper base line 130 terminates at a thread start point 134 which forms the uppermost end of the thread 124 as in the manner shown in fig2 a . in this embodiment , the thread start point 134 is the first reference feature of an s - dimension 135 . as illustrated in fig2 b , in a top view of the bottle 100 , the finish 114 may comprise an upper surface 136 or rim and inner circumferential side wall 138 defining a finish opening 140 . in this embodiment , the upper surface 136 forms a second reference feature of the s - dimension 135 . accordingly , in this embodiment the s - dimension is the vertical distance between the thread start point 134 and the upper surface 136 of the finish 114 . as previously mentioned , for containers which will hold fluids , including consumer products such as detergents and bleaches , it is important that the s - dimension of the container be within predetermined dimensional tolerances so that a cap will be retained properly on the finish and leaks will be prevented . therefore , the s - dimension of the bottles must be routinely measured to determine whether the distance 135 between the upper surface 136 and the thread start point 134 is in predetermined manufacturing limits . a gauge system 200 of the present invention provides an effective tool to facilitate this measurement process . fig3 a and 3b show the gauge system 200 of the present invention which is placed on the finish portion 114 of the bottle 100 during the measurement process . the gauge system 200 of the present invention may comprise a base 202 , a gauge 204 , and a counterweight 206 . the counterweight 206 comprises a cylindrical weight member that allows the system 200 to be balanced on the finish portion 114 . the base 202 comprises a first side 208 , a second side 210 , a top surface 212 and a bottom surface 214 . the counterweight 206 is attached to and extends from the second side 210 on which the gauge 204 is positioned . in this embodiment , the second side 210 of the base 202 is comprised of an l - bracket having a first arm member 216 perpendicularly attached to a second arm member 218 . the l - bracket 210 is secured to the upper surface 212 of the base 202 through the second arm member 218 such that an upper surface 220 of the first arm member 216 is substantially parallel to the upper surface 212 of the base 202 . the gauge system 200 of the present invention can conveniently be custom manufactured for measuring the s - dimensions of various bottle sizes with differing finish opening diameters . in this embodiment , the gauge system 200 is adapted to operate on bottles having 33 and 38 millimeter finish diameters ( fig5 ). the gauge system may weight about 900 grams . exemplary dimensions may be 7 ″ length and 2 . 75 ″ width . the base 202 may have a 1 ″ height , and the overall height of the gauge ( including top of gauge 204 ) may be 6 ″. all machined pieces made from anodized aluminum except support member 242 made from delrin plastic , and the thumb screw is made of brass . referring to fig3 a and 3b , during the measuring process , a first region 222 of the bottom surface 214 is placed on the finish surface 136 of the finish 114 . a gauge actuator 224 of the gauge 204 is then extended to contact the upper base line 130 of the threads 124 , and next the gauge system 200 is rotated towards the thread start point 134 to record the s - dimension . as the gauge system 200 is rotated , the gauge 204 records the distance between the upper base line 130 and the finish surface 136 based on the vertical displacement of the gauge actuator 224 . as illustrated in fig3 a , the gauge 204 is placed on the upper surface 220 of the first arm member 216 and comprises a front side 226 having a digital display 228 , and control buttons 230 and 232 to control the gauge 204 . the control buttons 230 and 232 may serve to perform a variety of functions to control the gauge 204 , such as turning on and turning off the gauge 204 , setting the zero readout , as well as changing the measurement mode between different units , for example between millimeters and inches . the gauge 204 may have a memory to hold the height measurements as it is rotated . however , measurements may be read off the digital display 228 by a user as well . the gauge 204 may be available from the fred v fowler co , newton , mass . and sold under the brand name ultra digit mark v . as shown in fig2 b in detail and in fig3 b in cross - section , the gauge actuator 224 may comprise a gauge rod 236 extending through a hole 238 formed in the body of the first arm member 216 of the l - bracket 210 , and a contact member 240 , preferably a roller member , having a roller surface 242 to engage or contact the upper base line 130 of the bottle 100 , as in the manner shown in fig3 a - 3c . the roller member 240 is movably attached to a first end of the gauge rod 236 using any one of the well known attachment methods in the art . the rotation axis of the roller member 240 is preferably perpendicular to the gauge rod 236 . the second end of the gauge rod 236 has a tip 244 for manually controlling the vertical position of the gauge rod 236 . as an example , the roller may be sized to have diameter of approximately ⅜ ″ and a width of { fraction ( 5 / 32 )}″. the rod 236 may have a diameter of { fraction ( 5 / 32 )}″. the rod and the roller may be made of hardened and ground stainless steel . referring now to fig3 a , 3 b , and 3 c , the first side 208 of the base 202 comprises an inner cavity 246 to movably retain a support member 248 on a cavity floor 250 . the cavity floor 250 is a lateral extension of the bottom surface 214 and is in the plane of the bottom surface 214 . during the calibration of the gauge system 200 , the support member 248 is contacted with the threads 124 on the finish 114 thereby confining the finish 114 between the roller member 240 and the support member 248 . this , in turn , prevents lateral movement of the gauge system 200 but allows rotational movement of the gauge system 200 during the measurements . as will be described in detail below , the support member 248 may be moved into a first position to permit the gauge system 200 to operate on a 38 millimeter finish or it may be moved into a second position to permit the gauge system 200 to operate on a 33 millimeter finish . as it is moved in the cavity 246 and on the cavity floor 250 , the support member 248 moves along a button 252 or a thumb nut which is placed on the top surface 212 of the base 202 . the thumb nut 252 holds the support member 248 at the predetermined positions by tightening the thumb nut 252 . the thumb nut 252 is connected to the support member 248 by a pin 254 . the pin 254 is placed through a second hole 256 formed through the body of the base 204 . the second hole 256 may be a rectangular hole allowing the button 252 to switch between the two predetermined positions . as will be described below , the support member 248 can be moved between the predetermined positions by rotating an adjustment screw 258 and hence moving the support member 248 between these predetermined positions . as mentioned , once the position is selected , the thumb nut 252 may be temporarily locked at that position by tightening the thumb nut 252 . as shown in fig4 in a bottom view , the base 202 is surrounded by a rectangular - u shaped side wall 260 or lip projecting perpendicularly from the bottom surface 214 and extending along an outer wall 262 of the first side 208 of the base 202 . the support member 248 is generally rectangular in shape and in engagement with the correspondingly shaped side wall 260 . depending on the diameter of the finish being tested , the support member 248 may be laterally moved in the cavity 246 in a first direction 264 and in a second direction 266 by moving the adjustment screw 258 ( fig3 a , 3 c and 4 ). the adjustment screw 258 may comprise a threaded shaft 268 and a knob section 272 . the threaded shaft 268 is placed through a hole 270 formed in a rear wall portion 274 of the side wall 260 and engages with a threaded hole 276 formed in a rear end 278 of the support member 248 . depending on the direction of the rotation , the support member 248 moves in the first direction 264 and the second direction 266 . when the support member 248 moves in the first direction 264 and into the first position as shown with dashed lines , it contacts the rear wall portion 274 of the side wall . the thread pitch on the threaded shaft is finer than most adjustment screws , which makes the positioning of the support member 248 more precise . a front end 280 of the support member 248 comprises a v - shaped recess 282 having side walls 284 to contact the finish 114 when the first area 222 of the gauge 200 is placed on top of the finish 114 . in this respect , when the larger diameter finish is measured ( i . e ., the finish diameter of 38 millimeters ), the support member 248 is moved in the first direction 264 to provide sufficient space on the first region 222 . accordingly , when the smaller diameter finish is measured ( i . e ., finish diameter of 33 millimeters ), the support member 248 is moved in the second direction 266 to provide enough space on the first region 222 for the finish . in addition , through the side walls 284 the support member establishes two - point contact with the finish which also improves stability of the gauge system 200 . the calibration and measurement of the s - dimension with the gauge system 200 may be exemplified with reference to fig5 . as shown , a user may grasp the entire gauge system 200 and place it on the bottle finish 114 as in the manner described above . then , the calibration of the gauge 204 is initiated by turning it on by the on / off button 230 . next , the gauge 204 is placed on a substantially flat reference surface ( not shown ) and the roller surface 242 is contacted with the reference surface . the gauge 204 is zeroed using the zeroing button 230 while holding the roller 240 against the flat reference surface . after the calibration step , the measurement process is initiated . during the measurements , the base 202 can be gripped between the thumb and the middle finger while the ring finger is used to rotate the knob 270 permitting one handed operation . referring back to fig2 a and 2b , accordingly , the knob 270 of the adjustment screw 258 is rotated and the support member is positioned for the desired finish diameter , in this example , 33 millimeters . the gauge system 200 is then placed on top of the finish 114 as in the manner described above and aligned such that the roller 240 rests at the edge of the upper surface 236 of the finish 114 . then , the knob 270 is slowly rotated until the roller 240 slides on the side wall down to the upper base line 130 . in order to obtain accurate s - distance measurements , it is important that the roller be placed on the upper base line 130 . the finer thread pitch of the adjustment screw 258 advantageously facilitates this adjustment . at this point , the gauge system 200 is rotated so that the roller 140 rolls up to the thread start point 134 . the lowest reading displayed on the digital display 228 is recorded as the s - dimension 135 . upon completing the measurements , the on / off button 230 is pressed and the gauge system 200 is turned off . the gauge system may have a measurement range of 0 - 1 ″ with 0 . 00005 ″ resolution , 0 . 0002 ″ accuracy and 0 . 0001 ″ repeatability . it should be understood , of course , that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims .

6Physics

number 40 in fig3 indicates a circuit for preventing turn - on of parasitic components ; circuit 40 is housed in the same integrated device 1 including power vdmos 2 and relative drive circuit 3 . drive circuit 3 shows the n + - type region 6 as connected to input terminal 5 and biased to voltage v in , and isolating region 7 . circuit 40 comprises three switches s1 , s3 , s2 located along respective connecting lines l1 , l2 , l3 interposed between isolating region 7 and , respectively , the drain terminal of vdmos 2 , the source terminal of vdmos 2 , and region 6 ( i . e ., input terminal 5 ). the term &# 34 ; switch &# 34 ; is used in the broad sense of the word meaning that it can become conducting or non - conducting depending on certain conditions . switches s1 - s3 are driven so as to connect isolating region 7 instant by instant to the lowest - potential point as shown in the table below . in the table , &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; means the respective switch is conducting and &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; means the respective switch is non - conducting . table______________________________________condition v . sub . in v . sub . d s . sub . 1 s . sub . 2 s . sub . 3______________________________________1 + - 1 0 02 - + 0 1 03 + + 0 0 14 0 + 0 0 15 0 - 1 0 06 + 0 1 0 07a -& gt ; - 1 0 07b -= - 0 1 07c -& lt ; - 0 1 08 - 0 0 1 09 0 0 0 1 1______________________________________ consequently , when the drain terminal of vdmos 2 presents a negative potential with a positive or zero input voltage v in ( conditions 1 and 5 ), switch s1 connects isolating region 7 to the drain terminal ; when input voltage v in is negative and drain voltage v d is positive ( condition 2 ), switch s2 connects isolating region 7 to input terminal 5 ; when drain voltage v d is positive and input voltage v in is positive or zero ( conditions 3 and 4 ), switch s3 grounds isolating region 7 ; when v in is positive and v d is zero ( condition 6 ), then switch s1 connects isolating region 7 to the drain terminal of vdmos 2 ; when v in and v d are both negative , and v d is at a greater negative potential than v in ( condition 7a ), switch s1 connects region 7 to the drain terminal of vdmos 2 ; when v in and v d are both negative , but v in is at equal potential to ( condition 7b ) or at less negative potential than v d ( condition 7c ), then switch s2 connects region 7 to input terminal 5 ; when v in is negative and v d is zero ( condition 8 ), switch s2 connects region 7 to input terminal 5 ; and when v in and v d are both at zero ( condition 9 ), switches s2 and s1 connect region 7 to input terminal 5 and ground . thus , parasitic transistors 8 and 9 can never be turned one circuit embodiment of switches s1 - s3 including bipolar transistors and schottky diodes is shown in fig4 and 5 wherein the components are rearranged to show more clearly the behavior of the circuit in two different operating conditions . in both fig4 and 5 , switch s1 may be represented by transistor t1 , switch s2 by schottky diode d2 , and switch s3 by schottky diode d3 ; and to ensure correct operation of the circuit , there are two additional schottky diodes d4 , d5 , and a resistor r . more specifically , npn transistor t1 is shown turned upside down in fig4 and 5 to take into account the different voltage conditions involved . for example , the collector of t1 in fig4 is shown as an emitter in fig5 due to the different voltages being applied to the transistor t1 . in fig4 transistor t1 has the collector terminal connected to isolating region 7 ( shown as a line ), the emitter terminal connected to drain terminal d of vdmos 2 , and the base terminal connected to node 45 ; schottky diode d2 has the anode connected to isolating region 7 , and the cathode connected to input terminal 5 ; and schottky diode d3 has the anode connected to isolating region 7 , and the cathode grounded . node 45 is grounded via schottky diode d4 ( with its anode connected to node 45 ), and is connected to input terminal 5 via a resistor r and schottky diode d5 . resistor r and diode d5 are connected in parallel with each other , with the anode of d5 connected to node fig4 and 5 also show two parasitic transistors 47 and 48 associated with the schottky diodes . for a clearer understanding , refer to fig6 showing one possible implementation of part of circuit 40 . more specifically , fig6 shows a cross section of a wafer of semiconductor material in which the components are implemented using the same technology as in fig2 and wherein any parts common to both fig6 and 2 are shown using the same reference numerals . fig6 shows the implementation of transistor t1 and one of the schottky diodes . more specifically , transistor t1 is implemented by a vertical transistor including a p - type buried region 50 ( forming the base region ) separated from buried region 20 in which the cmos components are formed and in which the schottky diodes may be formed . over buried region 50 , there is provided an n - well 51 isolated by an isolating region 52 to be connected electrically to node 45 by base contacts 53 and metal lines ( not shown ). n - well 51 houses an n + - type region 55 connected to isolating region 22 by contact 56 and a metal line ( not shown ). the schottky diode implemented over buried region 20 comprises an n - well 60 isolated from the other well regions 24 , 25 by a portion of isolating region 22 , and housing an n + - type region 61 . region 61 is connected to a contact 62 for connection , for example , to input terminal 5 ( diodes d2 , d5 ) or ground ( diodes d3 , d4 ); while n - well 60 is connected to a contact 63 ( with which it forms a schottky barrier ) connected , for example , to isolating region 22 ( diodes d3 , d5 ) or to node 45 ( diodes d4 , d5 ). regions 51 and 55 constituting the collector of transistor t1 are formed simultaneously with n - well regions 24 , 25 , 60 and n + - type regions 29 , 30 , 61 . as can be seen , the schottky diode is associated with a parasitic transistor formed by regions 61 , 60 ( emitter or collector ), 22 , 20 ( base ) and 12 , 11 ( collector or emitter ). consequently , diodes d3 and d4 of fig4 are associated with transistors 47 , 48 having the emitter formed by regions 11 , 12 in fig6 the base formed by isolating region 22 , and the collector formed by region 61 . similarly , diodes d2 and d5 are associated with respective parasitic transistors ( not shown ) similar to parasitic transistor t1 . in fig4 circuit 40 is shown with a positive input voltage v in and a negative drain voltage v d . in this state , transistor t1 is turned on ( saturated ) and , like switch s1 in fig3 maintains isolating region 7 at a potential close to drain voltage v d . as such , parasitic transistor 9 &# 34 ; sees &# 34 ; a very low base - emitter voltage drop which is insufficient to turn that transistor on despite the charges injected by parasitic transistor 10 . in the above operating state , diodes d3 , d2 and d5 are reverse biased ; diode d4 is turned on and biases the base of t1 ; and , being insufficiently biased like parasitic transistor 9 , parasitic transistors 47 and 48 are also turned off . diode d4 and resistor r ensure that , during the falling half wave of voltage v d , transistor t1 is turned on before parasitic transistors 9 , 10 , thus preventing parasitic transistors 9 , 10 from being turned on . in fact , t1 &# 34 ; sees &# 34 ; a slightly higher base - emitter voltage drop -- equal to v d + vf ( where vf is the voltage drop over diode d4 )-- than transistor 10 which sees a base - emitter voltage drop equal to v d . consequently , as v d falls , and due also to resistor r supplying the base of transistor t1 , t1 is turned on in advance of transistor 10 , thus preventing any problems arising as v d falls . fig5 shows the circuit diagram of fig4 modified to illustrate the behavior of the circuit with a negative input voltage v in and a positive drain voltage v d . in fig5 parasitic transistor 8 , which is the one likely to be turned on in this bias state , is shown in place of parasitic transistor 9 ; and transistors t1 and 47 are turned upside down ( exchanging the collector for the emitter ) to show the possible turn - on condition . in fig5 t1 also represents the parasitic transistor associated with diodes d2 and d5 ( as in fig4 ) and the parasitic transistor associated with d3 ( as in fig4 ) and d4 ( the parasitic transistor of d4 in fact has a grounded emitter , a base formed by isolating region 7 , and a collector formed by layers 11 , 12 , in exactly the same way as transistor 47 ). under the operating state of fig5 parasitic transistor 8 is prevented from being turned on by schottky diode d2 maintaining isolating region 7 at a voltage close to input voltage v in ( approximately 0 . 2 v higher ) and producing an insufficient voltage drop at the base - emitter junction of transistor 8 ( which requires 0 . 6 - 0 . 7 v for it to be turned on ). moreover , diodes d3 , d5 and their associated parasitic transistors are turned off . d3 in fact is reverse biased , as is the base - emitter junction of the associated parasitic transistor 47 . diode d4 is also reverse biased . d5 is turned on and maintains the base of t1 at the same potential as the emitter , so that t1 remains off ( as required , particularly in the case of a high drain voltage v d , for preventing failure of transistor t1 ). finally , parasitic transistor 10 is also turned off , by virtue of its base presenting a higher potential as compared with the emitter and collector . in the circuits of fig4 and 5 , diode d3 provides grounding for isolating region 7 when input voltage v in and drain voltage v d are both positive , or when one is zero and the other is positive . in all these cases , diode d3 is turned on and maintains isolating region 7 at the minimum potential present in the circuit ; and transistors 8 , 9 and t1 are maintained in an off state . circuit 40 of fig4 and 5 may be easily implemented , for example , using the structure of fig6 . in particular , the resistor r may be integrated by using the polysilicon layer forming the gates of the mosfet transistors ( 27 and 15 in fig6 ), or by exploiting the diffused drain / source regions of the same mosfet transistors , or by defining a higher - resistivity p - type diffused layer in a region isolated from the power stage . fig7 shows an alternative embodiment of diodes d2 , d3 and transistor t1 using the same technique as in fig6 . any elements common to both are therefore indicated using the same reference numerals with no further description . number 70 in fig7 indicates the p - type buried layer over which the diodes are formed , and over which are provided two n - well regions 71 , 72 separated by isolating regions 73 similar to regions 22 , 23 , 52 . n - well regions 71 , 72 house n + - type regions 74 , 75 for connection to contacts 76 , 77 , and are directly contacted by aluminum contacts 78 , 79 for forming the schottky diodes of which regions 71 , 72 form the cathodes . contacts 78 , 79 ( diode anodes ) are connected by a metal line 80 for electrically contacting the anodes of schottky diodes d2 and d3 . the fig7 implementation is characterized by a p + - type ring 81 in n - well region 71 , surrounding contact 78 and which provides for increasing the breakdown voltage of diode d2 . in fact , if the breakdown voltage of the schottky diodes is below the maximum input voltage v in value , the potential of isolating region 7 ( anode of diode d2 ) is unable to follow v in , thus impairing operation of the device as a whole . the above breakdown voltage , as is well known , is limited by the rapid increase in the electric field along the periphery of the metal - semiconductor interface . this problem , however , may be solved by forming a guard ring , such as ring 81 , connected to the anode of the diode and located along the edge of the schottky junction . the advantages of the circuit described are as follows . first , tying the isolating regions instant by instant to the lowest potential prevents the junction between the drain region of the power vdmos and the isolating regions from being turned on and thereby impairing proper operation of the integrated device . second , the circuit is easily integrated , and presents a high degree of reliability . clearly , changes may be made to the circuit as described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the present invention . in particular , the switches may be formed using other components , the implementation shown being provided purely by way of example . accordingly , the scope of the present invention is not limited to the foregoing specification , but instead is given by the appended claims along with their full range of equivalents .

7Electricity

β - glucan is a cell wall polysaccharide comprising d - glucan units and is the main structural material in the cell walls of barley and oat grain . use of the term β - glucan is intended to refer to the name of a non - starchy polysaccharide in which individual glucose molecules , or glucans , are linked by β ( 1 → 3 ) linkages , β ( 1 → 4 ) linkages or a mix of β ( 1 → 3 ), β ( 1 → 4 ) linkages . any cereal grain with a β - glucan component therein may be used as a starting material in the present invention . such cereal grains include , but are not limited to , barley , oats , wheat , rice , rye , corn , sorghum and millet . typically , these cereal grains have a relatively low concentration of β - glucan . oats and barley are preferred because of their higher levels of naturally occurring β - glucan . for example , oat grain has a 4 % by weight β - glucan content while barley grain has a 5 - 7 % by weight β - glucan content . any processed grain product may likewise be utilized as a starting material in the present invention . processed cereal grain products include , but are not limited to , cereal flour , cereal flakes , cereal bran , defatted grain , and mixtures of grains including grain flour or grain fractions . for example , it is commonly known in the art how to grind oat groat to separate the bran layers from the endosperm . this grinding results in oat flour comprising the endosperm and oat bran flour comprising the bran of the oat with some endosperm attached thereto . as β - glucan is found in the endosperm , whole oat flour and oat bran flour are preferred starting materials in the present invention for their high β - glucan content . oat bran flour , for example , may contain up to 12 . 5 % by weight β - glucan . thus , compared to the final high concentration β - glucan product , a grain product with a relatively low β - glucan concentration would encompass any grain product , natural or processed , having about 13 % or less by weight β - glucan content . the extraction process of the present invention begins by forming a slurry of a relatively low concentration β - glucan grain product , preferably oat bran flour , in water . the slurry is then heated to an operating temperature , which is maintained within about 100 - 140 ° f ., preferably about 110 ° f .- 140 ° f ., most preferably at about 120 ° f . but not exceeding about 140 ° f . the temperature should not degrade the β - glucan . base , typically as a basic aqueous solution , is then added to the aqueous slurry to adjust the ph to between 7 . 0 to 12 . 0 , preferably to between about 7 . 0 to 10 . 0 and more preferably 7 . 0 to 9 . 0 or 7 . 9 to 8 . 1 . the base will generally be an inorganic base such as , but not limited to , naoh , koh , nahco 3 , or na 2 co 3 . the ph - adjusted slurry is then held in the operating temperature range , preferably at about 120 ° f . for 50 to 120 minutes and preferably for 50 to 75 minutes and more preferably 50 to 60 minutes . the time and specified conditions allow for extraction of at least 50 % and preferably more than 80 % of the β - glucan from the grain product cell wall . the extraction reaction is then terminated by acidifying the ph - adjusted slurry to a ph of less than 5 . 0 , preferably to a ph between 4 . 2 to 4 . 8 . any suitable inorganic acid may be used to acidify the slurry such as , but not limited to , h 2 so 4 , hno 3 , h 2 co 3 , or preferably hcl . after acidification , the β - glucan rich supernatant fraction can be immediately separated from the solid grain cell tissue components by means of decantation , centrifugation , or a combination thereof to provide a β - glucan concentration on a dry weight basis of at least about 18 %. the β - glucan fraction is then cooled to a temperature in the range of 40 ° f . to 500 ° f ., preferably 45 ° f . and subsequently concentrated by evaporation . the concentrated β - glucan fraction is then dried , preferably by spray drying . the particle size of the β - glucan product after drying is in the range of about 44 mμ to about 150 mμ . these particulates are then bound in any suitable manner to form a β - glucan product agglomeration . the agglomerated particles are in the size range of from about 75 mμ to about 840 mμ . the β - glucan content of the resultant product is at least 18 %, preferably at least 20 % to 30 %, by weight β - glucan . the agglomerated form of β - glucan in accordance with the invention is formed by any suitable method , and preferably by fluidized bed agglomeration done either on a batch or a continuous basis . typically , water is used to cause the small particles to agglomerate in the agglomeration process . the advantages of this β - glucan product are that it has a minimum of 18 % β - glucan and is readily soluble . this provides a high concentration β - glucan product with improved flexibility for formulating higher concentrations of β - glucan . the high concentration β - glucan product may also serve as a stand - alone dietary supplement whether in tablet , agglomerated or particulate form . the high concentration β - glucan product is particularly useful as a food additive . the extraction process removes substantially all of the insoluble grain material in the production of the high concentration β - glucan product . absence of grain fiber insolubles and the concomitant higher β - glucan content in the β - glucan food additive requires less β - glucan food additive to be incorporated into a target food product in order to impart the nutritional benefits of β - glucan into the food product . correspondingly , adding less β - glucan food additive reduces the possibility of adversely affecting the texture , taste or mouthfeel of the β - glucan enriched food product . agglomeration of the β - glucan product further enhances the usefulness of the β - glucan food additive . agglomeration increases the ability of the β - glucan food additive to be dispersed in both solid and liquid food applications . this is particularly advantageous when applying the β - glucan food additive to liquid food products . the agglomerated high concentration β - glucan food additive readily dissolves in water thereby minimizing any adverse effects the β - glucan food additive may have on the liquid food &# 39 ; s viscosity , taste , texture and mouthfeel while simultaneously imparting the nutritional benefits of β - glucan to the liquid food product . addition of the agglomerated high concentration β - glucan food additive to either a solid or liquid food can increase the β - glucan content to 0 . 1 % to 10 % or more by weight of the overall food composition . in a mix tank , 400 pounds of oat bran flour were added to 750 gallons of 120 ° f . soft water to form an aqueous 6 % solids slurry . the oat bran flour can be obtained from sources known to the skilled artisan such as the quaker oats company located in chicago , ill . to the slurry was added 17 ounces of 50 % naoh solution diluted to three gallons . addition of naoh solution adjusted the ph of the slurry to 8 . 0 . the ph - adjusted slurry was then transferred to an extraction tank , maintained at 120 ° f . and agitated for one hour . acidifying the ph - adjusted slurry with 40 gallons dilute hcl ( 7 liters of 28 be &# 39 ; hcl diluted to 40 gallons ) lowered the slurry ph to 4 . 5 . the slurry was first decanted and then centrifuged to remove the solid particulates from the β - glucan rich supernatant fraction . thereupon , the decantate was added to the supernatant fraction and was then cooled to 45 ° f . water was evaporated to condense the combined fraction to about 7 - 8 % solids . five # 68 / 21 nozzles at 4000 psig were used to spray dry the β - glucan product to a solid . this solid had a particle size range of 44 mμ to 150 mμ . the solid β - glucan product was subsequently agglomerated to a particle size ranging from 75 mμ to 840 mμ . this process recovered 80 % of the β - glucan present in the initial oat bran concentrate . the chemical composition of the resulting high concentration β - glucan product was as follows : while the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments , as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , it is to be understood that the invention is capable of numerous changes , modifications and rearrangements and such changes , modifications and rearrangements are intended to be covered by the following claims .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

an embodiment of the ventilation waterproof connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig2 a and 2b . fig2 a is a perspective view thereof and fig2 b is a cross - sectional view taken along the plane a shown in fig1 a . in the drawings , a ventilation waterproof female connector is composed of a synthetic resin female connector housing 10 , a rear holder 14 , a connector wire 24 , a ventilation tube 26 , a pair of female connector terminals 12 , and a pair of sealing rubbers 22 . the connector housing 10 is divided into two spaces by a partition 10a according to the shape of the female connector terminal 12 . further , the connector housing 10 is formed with a pair of lance - shaped engage portions 10b branched and extending from the partition 10a to hold the female connector terminals 12 in position within the connector housing 10 . the female connector terminal 12 is formed with a female terminal end 12b engaged with a terminal end 28 of a male connector ; a terminal stabilizer 12a fitted to the inner wall of the connector housing 10 to prevent the terminal 72 from being twisted or inserted reversely ; a wire barrel 12c for crimping one end of the conductor 24a of the wire 24 ; an insulation barrel 12d for crimping the sealing rubber 22 ; and a terminal holding portion 12e engaged with the lance - shaped engage portions 10b of the housing 10 . therefore , the wire 24 is connected to the female terminal 12 by crimping the wire barrel 12c to the conductor end 24a of the wire 24 . further , the sealing rubber 22 fitted to the wire 24 is fixed to the female terminal 12 by crimping the insulation barrel 12d to the sealing rubber 22 . in the same way , the ventilation tube 26 is connected to the female terminal 12 by crimping the wire barrel 12c to the free end of the ventilation tube 26 . further , the sealing rubber 22 fitted to the ventilation tube 26 is fixed to the female terminal 12 by crimping the insulation barrel 12d to the sealing rubber 22 . in general , since the tube 26 is made of a hard material such as nylon , the tube is not crashed when fixed to the female terminal 12 . in fixing the tube 26 , the wire barrel 12c is crimping by reducing the diameter of the tube 26 a little . once fixed to the female terminal 12 , the ventilation tube 26 will not be removed easily in cooperation with the frictional force generated between the ventilation tube 26 and the sealing rubber 22 or the rear holder 14 . further , when the ventilation tube 26 is not hard , a hard wire is inserted into the tube 26 before crimping , in order to prevent the tube diameter from being reduced and the ventilation efficiency from being lowered . in assembly , the wire 24 is passed through the rear holder 14 , and the sealing rubber 22 ; the wire conductor end 24a is fixed to the wire barrel 12c of the female terminal 12 by crimping ; and the sealing rubber 22 is fixed to the insulation barrel 12d by crimping . in the same way , the ventilation tube 26 is passed through the rear holder 14 , and the sealing rubber 22 ; the ventilation tube 26 is fixed to the wire barrel 12c of the female terminal 12 by crimping ; and the sealing rubber 22 is fixed to the insulation barrel 12d by crimping . after the wire 24 and the tube 26 have been fixed to the female terminals 12 , these two female terminals 12 are supported within the connector housing 10 by fitting the stabilizer 12a to the inner wall of the housing 10 to prevent the terminal from being twisted or inserted reversely ; and then the rear holder 14 is pressure fitted to the housing end . as described above , the ventilation tube 26 can be fixed to the connector in quite the same way as in the wire 24 . that is , it is unnecessary to prepare a special jig for fixing the ventilation tube 26 to the connector housing 10 . therefore , the above connector is desirable in particular when assemble by an automatic assembly system . thereafter , the female connector 10 is mated with another male connector ( not shown ) by engaging the female terminal 12 with an male terminal end ( pin ) 28 of the male connector . although not described , it is possible to form and assemble the male connector in quite the same way as in the female connector . in this case , the female connector terminal 12 is replaced with the male connector terminal . further , in the male connector , the male terminal end pin connected to the female connector terminal to which the tube 26 is fixed is preferably omitted to reduce the ventilation resistance of air passed through the tube 26 or to improve the response characteristics of pressure fluctuation on the external free end side of the ventilation tube 26 . in the embodiment described above , the female connector having only a single wire 24 and a single ventilation tube 26 has been explained by way of example . without being limited thereto , however , the present invention can be applied to other connectors having a plurality of wires , by replacing one of the wires with a single ventilation tube . as described above , in the ventilation waterproof connector of the present invention , since the ventilation tube can be fixed to the connector terminal simply by crimping the terminal , it is unnecessary to modify the ordinary connector structure or to prepare an additional parts and jig . that is , it is possible to easily change the ordinary waterproof connector to the ventilation waterproof connector . further , since the structure of the ventilation waterproof connector of the present invention is substantially the same as that of the ordinary waterproof connector , this is very convenient when the ventilation waterproof connector is assembled through automatic assembling steps .

7Electricity

the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof , given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which : fig1 is a diagrammatic side view of a rainwater treatment unit in accordance with the present invention ; fig2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the rainwater treatment unit of fig1 ; and , fig3 is a diagrammatic front view of an irradiator used in the rainwater treatment unit of fig1 . referring to fig1 and 2 , there is provided a rainwater treatment unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 100 . the rainwater treatment unit 100 comprises an inlet 102 and an outlet 104 . rainwater is collected in a conventional manner using guttering , piping and the like and is delivered to a rainwater holding tank 140 . such a system may be seen in the applicant &# 39 ; s own granted european patent ep 1 652 823 b1 . the rainwater is supplied from the rainwater holding tank to the rainwater treatment unit 100 , preferably by means of a pump ( not shown ). the rainwater is fed into the rainwater treatment unit 100 via the inlet 102 . an input valve 126 is provided for ease of maintenance of the rainwater treatment unit 100 . a flow meter 128 is provided to ensure that an optimum flow rate is being achieved by the pump ( not shown ). a particle filter 106 is used to remove any unwanted particles in the rainwater . the filter size of this filter may be preferably five microns or less . the filtered rainwater is then fed into an aerator that is embodied by a venturi injector 108 . alternatively , the aerator may be an air injection pump or a snifter valve . the venturi injector 108 entrains the filtered rainwater with a gas . the gas is input into the venturi injector 108 through a gas inlet 109 . in a preferred embodiment , the gas comprises ozone although it will be understood that other gases such as air may also be used to entrain the filtered rainwater . the entrained filtered water is fed into an irradiator 110 . in the embodiment shown , the gas inlet is connected to the irradiator 110 however it will be understood that the gas inlet may be open ended to allow air to be drawn into the venturi injector 108 . in a further embodiment , the filtered rainwater may be fed into an irradiator 110 . the irradiated water is then fed to an aerator that is embodied by a venturi injector 108 . the venturi injector 108 entrains the filtered rainwater with a gas . the gas is input into the venturi injector 108 through a gas inlet 109 . in a preferred embodiment , the gas comprises ozone although it will be understood that other gases such as air or oxygen may also be used to entrain the filtered rainwater . alternatively , the aerator may be an air injection pump or a snifter valve . the entrained , irradiated water flows down a treated water tank feed pipe 112 into a treated water tank 114 . referring now to fig3 , where like parts previously described have been assigned the same reference numeral , the irradiator 110 comprises an ultraviolet ( uv ) light source 302 which is housed within a quartz tubing 304 within a casing 306 of the irradiator 110 . a water inlet 308 is arranged at a lower portion of the casing 306 of the irradiator 110 , and a water outlet 310 is arranged at an upper portion of the casing 306 of the irradiator 110 . the water outlet 310 is directed ( into the page ) in a perpendicular fashion in relation to the water inlet 308 . a gas inlet 312 is arranged beneath the casing 306 , and a gas outlet 314 is arranged above the casing 306 of the irradiator 110 . the uv light source 302 is used to create ozone by passing air , or oxygen , in though the gas inlet 312 , over the uv light source 302 within the quartz tubing 304 , and out the gas outlet 314 . the uv light source 302 is used to sanitise the entrained filtered water by passing the entrained filtered water though the water inlet 308 , along the length of the irradiator 110 , between the casing 306 and the quartz tube 304 , and out the water outlet 314 . the quartz tubing 304 is sealed so that no liquid passing through the irradiator 110 can enter the interior of the quartz tube 304 . an electrical connection 316 is also shown for the uv light source 302 . the oxygen in the air is converted into ozone by creating free radicals of oxygen in the air and allowing these free radicals to join with oxygen molecules in the air : the ozone ( o 3 ) is entrained into the filtered rainwater to partially sanitise the rainwater . the entrained filtered rainwater , that is partially sanitised , is then fed into the irradiator 110 and flows outside of the quartz tubing 304 . ultraviolet rays from the uv light source pass through the quartz tubing 304 and irradiate the entrained filtered rainwater . this irradiation process completes the sanitisation of the entrained filtered rainwater . referring to fig1 and 2 again , treated water is output from the irradiator 110 and flows down a treated water tank feed pipe 112 into a treated water tank 114 . the treated water remains in the treated water tank 114 until it is required by a potable water supply ( not shown ). a pump 116 pumps treated water through an outlet filter 120 via an outlet filter feed pipe 118 . the outlet filter 120 may preferably comprise carbon , zeolite or other such minerals in order to improve the taste of the treated water by acting as a catalyst to convert any residual ozone into oxygen , and / or to add minerals to the water to improve the taste . moreover , colloidal silver , minerals or metal removal components may also form part of the outlet filter 120 in order to remove contaminants , such as lead , that may not have been removed by the process . the treated water is delivered through the outlet 104 to the potable water supply . an isolation outlet valve 130 is arranged adjacent the outlet 104 , and a pump control unit 122 is arranged adjacent the isolation outlet valve 130 . the pump control unit 122 is used to control either the operation of the pump 116 or is used to supply water at a predetermined output pressure through the outlet 104 . for example , 2 bar would be a typically outlet pressure . the components used to control the speed of the pump 116 are either located in the pump control unit 122 or a controller unit 124 . the controller 124 is used to control the pump 116 . the controller may also be used to monitor the level of rainwater in the rainwater holding tank 140 by means of a level indicator ( not shown ). the controller may top - up the amount of rainwater in the rainwater holding tank 140 with water from a supplementary water supply , such as a mains water supply . a mains supply inlet 132 is connected to a conventional mains supply . if the controller 124 detects that the rainwater has dropped below a predetermined threshold , a mains supply valve 136 is actuated by the controller to allow a flow of water from the mains supply flow into the rainwater holding tank 140 . in a preferred embodiment , a filter 136 is situated intermediate the mains supply inlet 132 and the mains supply valve 136 . thus , with the mains supply , an acceptable amount of water will always be available to be input to the rainwater treatment unit 100 from the rainwater holding tank 140 . in a preferred embodiment , the water from the mains supply is added to the rainwater holding tank 140 by feeding the water through an overflow pipe 138 which leads from the rainwater treatment unit 100 back to the rainwater holding tank 140 . an opening ( not shown ) in the treated water tank 114 leads to the overflow pipe 138 . furthermore , the controller 124 may also monitor the quality and / or quantity of the treated water being held in the treated water tank 114 . if the quality of the treated water falls below an acceptable level and become unsatisfactory , or non - ideal , then the controller will act to remove the unsatisfactory treated water from the treated water tank 114 . the unsatisfactory treated water is forced to flow through at least part of the rainwater treatment unit 100 again . in a preferred embodiment , the unsatisfactory treated water is fed back to the rainwater holding tank 140 by feeding the water through the overflow pipe 138 which leads from the rainwater treatment unit 100 back to the rainwater holding tank 140 . thus , an intentional overflow is created by pumping water into the rainwater treatment unit 100 and thus causing the treated water tank 114 114 to overflow . the overflow is fed down the overflow pipe 138 and recently treated water replaces the stagnant treated water which had become unsatisfactory . the treated water is refreshed as a result . the controller starts and stops the inlet pump ( not shown ) and / or the ozone generator in the form of the uv light source 302 which is used to create ozone by passing air , or oxygen , in though the gas inlet 312 , over the uv light source 302 within the quartz tubing 304 , and out the gas outlet 314 . it is envisaged in further embodiments to switch off the mains supply inlet using the mains supply valve 136 whilst this refresh process is occurring . the controller 124 can assess the quality of the treated water by assessing the duration of time since rainwater was fed into the rainwater treatment unit 100 . flow meters ( not shown ) may be optionally located at the inlet 102 and outlet 104 of the rainwater treatment unit 100 , as well as , prior to and subsequent to other components in the rainwater treatment unit 100 such as the particle filter 106 , the venturi injector 108 , the irradiator 110 , the pump 116 , the outlet filter 120 . in further embodiments ( not shown ), it is envisaged that the overflow pipe 138 may be connected to the input of the particle filter 106 , the venturi injector 108 and / or the irradiator 110 . in such an embodiment , the unsatisfactory treated water does not re - circulate through the entire rainwater treatment unit 100 . this will reduce the operational running cost of the rainwater treatment unit 100 . in the specification the terms “ comprise , comprises , comprised and comprising ” or any variation thereof and the terms “ include , includes , included and including ” or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation . the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

the invention relates to methods for the facile synthesis of graphene , graphene derivatives and nanoparticles , and their use as tribologically - beneficial lubricant additives . the products of the methods of the invention have numerous applications , including but not limited to molecular level coatings for composite reinforcement , heat shielding , ballistic transistors , integrated circuits , reinforced fibers and cables , and nano - polishing agents . cyclic , as used herein , refers to any molecule with at least one five - membered , or larger , ring , where at least half of the atoms forming the ring are carbon atoms . the ring may be aromatic or non - aromatic . tribologically - effective , as used herein , refers to any amount of additive or amounts of multiple additives to a lubricated system sufficient to be tribologically beneficial to such lubricated system . tribologically beneficial , as used herein , refers to any additive that reduces friction in a mechanical system in which it is formed , found or employed . tribological agent , as used herein , refers to a molecule that measurably reduces friction in a mechanical system in which it is formed , found , or employed . bucky - diamond or nano - bucky - diamond , as used herein , refers to any nanoparticle having a nano - diamond core that may comprise non - carbon hetero - atoms , and a fullerenic carbon shell formed around the core . surface - graphitized abrasive nanoparticle ( sgan ), as used herein , refers to any nanosized particle comprising at least one non - carbon hetero - atom enveloped by an outer shell comprising substantially carbon . spheroid , as used herein , refers to a particle that is shaped substantially like a sphere but is not necessarily perfectly round . a matrix material , as used herein , refers to any material forming a continuous phase in a composite of two or more materials . a spinel structure , as used herein , refers to any cubic mineral crystal of the general formula a 2 + b 2 3 + o 4 2 − with the oxide anions ( o ) arranged in a cubic close - packed lattice , the a cations occupying all of the tetrahedral sites , and the b cations occupying all of the octahedral sites in the lattice . an inverse spinel structure , as used herein , refers to any cubic mineral crystal of the general formula a 2 + b 2 3 + o 4 2 − with the oxide anions arranged in a cubic close - packed lattice , the a cations occupying half of the octahedral sites , and the b cations occupying half of the octahedral and all of the tetrahedral sites in the lattice . graphitic carbon , as used herein , refers to any structure having a carbon lattice matrix , including , but not limited to , graphite , graphene , graphene oxide , fullerene , fullerene - like structure , endo - fullerene , nano - onion , nano - peapod , nanotube , nanobud , reduced graphene oxide , lacy carbon , and polycyclic aromatic compounds . carbon lattice matrix , as used herein , refers to , any 2 - dimensional polycyclic carbon structure formed of sp 2 - or sp 3 - hybridized carbon atoms . dynamic furnace , as used herein , refers to a heated nanoparticle synthesis furnace apparatus that employs an agitative , sonic , centrifugal , centripetal , compressive or shearing force , or a combination of these forces , during the synthesis stage of the nanoparticle product formation . ex situ method for synthesis of graphene , graphene oxide , reduced graphene oxide and other graphene derivative structures and nanoparticles . in one aspect , the invention relates to an ex situ method for synthesis of graphene , graphene oxide , reduced graphene oxide , and other graphene derivative structures and nanoparticles . an economical dehydration reaction or reflux pyrolysis can be used to form graphitic carbon from a carbonaceous material carbon source . the methods disclosed are industrially - scalable for industrial production . the carbon source is preferably a sugar containing a 6 - membered ring structure , although many other carbonaceous materials may be subjected to dehydration , pyrolysis , or oxidation and used . the carbon source is subjected to reflux pyrolysis , oxidation / reduction , or acid dehydration to form a graphitic carbon reactant starting material . in other embodiments , the dehydration / oxidation / pyrolysis synthesis step to produce suitable graphitic carbon is bypassed and graphitic carbon itself is used as the reactant starting material . the graphitic carbon can be subjected to refluxing with a liquid solvent , and graphene / graphene oxide ( go ) can be emitted as nanoscopic scales or “ nanoscales ” suspended in vapor / steam . alternatively or additionally , a graphitic carbon source may be subjected to a highly - pressurized liquid or vapor to produce graphene scales without pyrolysis , dehydration , or oxidation step . the resulting graphene / go scales travel in the vapor and are collected either by direct deposition onto a solid substrate in physical contact with the emitted vapor , or by applying the particle - containing vapor to an aqueous solution or liquid used to promote “ hydrophobic self - assembly ” of the scales into larger graphene / go sheets . in one embodiment , the reaction environment is controlled to limit the amount of ambient oxygen ( o 2 ) in the chamber , thereby discouraging combustion of the reactants during heating . in one embodiment , the reaction is carried out without the use of an added solvent . in one embodiment , the produced go is converted to reduced graphene oxide ( rgo ) or graphene sheets suspended in a heated or unheated liquid collection medium . the resulting large hydrophobically self - assembling sheets are easily reduced to rgo or graphene , which may be used in industry to produce a range of useful products , including , but not limited to , protective coatings , and low weight / high strength graphene - reinforced composites , wires , and fibers . turning to the figures , fig1 a depicts a schematic representation of the graphene / go preparation steps in an embodiment of the invention in which a reaction mixture , including an essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material carbon source , is reacted to form graphitic carbon by pyrolysis , dehydration , an oxidation / reduction reaction , or incomplete combustion . in one embodiment , a graphitic carbon starting material is used , eliminating the need for a pyrolysis or dehydration reaction step . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture is refluxed to form a vapor stream . graphene / graphene oxide ( go ) nanoscales are carried away in the resulting vapor stream emitted during heating of the slurry or solution . the graphene / go scales are collected , preferably by bubbling the vapor through a liquid that traps and suspends the scales . alternatively graphene / go scales form on the surface of the liquid when the vapor stream is directed to the surface . in a process referred to herein as “ hydrophobic self - assembly ,” individual graphene / go scales join to form sheets of graphene / go layers at the surface of the liquid . in one embodiment , the carbon source is heated directly by an external heating source in a pyrolysis or dehydration reaction to form graphitic carbon and water . in one embodiment , the carbon source is sucrose . in one embodiment , the resulting formed water serves as a solvent to permit refluxing of the reaction products . in one embodiment , the reaction to form graphitic carbon proceeds as essentially represented in equation 1 : in one embodiment , the carbon source is exposed to an acid in a pyrolysis or dehydration reaction to form graphitic carbon and water . in one embodiment , the carbon source is sucrose and the acid is concentrated sulfuric acid . in one embodiment , the resulting formed water serves as a solvent to permit refluxing of the reaction products . in one embodiment , the reaction product is a graphitic foam . in one embodiment , the reaction product is a graphitic slurry . in one embodiment , the reaction to form graphene proceeds as essentially represented in equation 2 : in one embodiment , the carbon source is reacted with an oxidizer to form graphitic carbon in the form of a graphene oxide . in one embodiment , the reaction to form go proceeds as essentially represented in equation 3 : where the applied heat drives the reaction and the optional additive serves to catalyze the reaction and / or improve the yield of the desired reaction product . a go reaction product is schematically shown as molecule ( 1 ) below : in the above embodiments , the reaction conditions are selected such that the reaction does not lead to complete combustion of the carbon source into carbon dioxide or an incomplete combustion to form carbon monoxide . the reaction conditions are rather designed , preferably by control of the reaction atmosphere , to form graphitic carbon - carbon bonds . in some embodiments , a portion of the carbon source is purposefully combusted to provide the heat required for conversion of another portion of the carbon source to form the desired graphitic bonds . in some embodiments , the reaction occurs under non - ideal combustion conditions , such as pyrolysis or smoldering . pyrolysis , as used herein , refers to the decomposition of a carbon source at an elevated temperature with low oxygen or other oxidizer levels . smoldering , as used herein , refers to a slow , low - temperature , flameless reaction sustained by the heat from oxygen directly reacting with the surface of a solid or liquid fuel . scales or nanoscales , as used herein , refer to discrete sections of graphene or graphene derivative . efforts to improve combustion efficiency have obscured the true value of compounds previously thought of as useless waste , such as the carbonaceous “ phlegm ” of early coal furnaces ( see , for example , coal - tar and ammonia , 5 th ed ., by lunge , d . van nostrand co ., new york , 1916 ), that actually contains graphitic material , including graphene . likewise , modern combustion advances have overlooked the value of many old processes , now deemed outmoded , that are actually capable of adaptation to purposeful maximization of soot particulates formation ultimately into graphene , a graphene derivative , a carbon - encapsulated metallic nanoparticle , or nano - steel . although the formation of pahs in carbonaceous particulates “ soot ” as a product of incomplete combustion is known , the usefulness of such pahs has heretofore been minimal due to their limited size and tendency , as reported in the current art , to typically drift away from the synthesis conditions necessary for continued growth . wiersum et al . (“ the formation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons , fullerenes and soot in combustion : pyrolytic mechanisms and the industrial and environmental connection ”, pp . 143 - 194 in gas phase reactions in organic synthesis , ed . by vallée , gordon and breach science publishers , amsterdam , 1997 ) report a number of different gas phase reactions to form pahs . none of the known gas - phase pah synthesis methods to date produce graphene or any form of planar graphitic carbon greater than 222 carbon atoms in size . in one embodiment , the methods and processes disclosed herein promote pah production through extended exposure to favorable synthesis conditions by collecting and trapping product vapors of the reaction mixture , permitting resulting pahs to grow to sizes exhibiting the general properties of graphene . other embodiments , methods , and processes disclosed herein are designed to specifically promote continued pah growth conditions by their self - assembly in steam - rich or aqueous solution conditions into large graphene sheets . these processes permitting graphene synthesis , either from compounds promoting pah formation alone or from compounds promoting pah formation and carbonaceous or graphitic reactant materials , are scalable to meet industrial production volumes . in one embodiment , one or more compounds that promote the formation or growth of pahs are used in the production of graphene , graphene derivatives , carbon - encapsulated metallic nanoparticles , or nano - steel . these compounds may include , but are not limited to , chemicals that are known intermediates in pah formation and chemicals that form intermediates of pah formation . in one embodiment , the initial reactions occur in a solvent system under reflux conditions to promote the synthesis of pah units that later self - assemble into larger graphene sheets . in some embodiments , the reflux conditions are azeotropic reflux conditions ( see , for example , udeye et al ., “ ethanol heterogeneous azeotropic distillation design and construction ”, internat . j . of phys . sci ., vol . 4 , pp . 101 - 106 , 2009 ; sun et al ., “ zrocl 2 . 8h 2 o : an efficient , cheap and reusable catalyst for the esterification of acrylic acid and other carboxylic acids with equimolar amounts of alcohols ”, molecules , vol . 11 , pp . 263 - 271 , 2006 ). in some reflux conditions , a promoter is added . in some embodiments , the promoter is a form of graphitic carbon . in some embodiments , the promoter is biochar , coal phlegm , nano - coal , an activated form of nano - coal , activated charcoal , graphite particles , soot particulate matter , or another sequestered carbonaceous waste form . a sequestered carbonaceous waste , as used herein , is any carbonaceous waste product of synthesis , pyrolysis , or incomplete combustion , which is typically collected and isolated to prevent conversion into or release as an atmospheric greenhouse gas . in one embodiment , a sequestered carbonaceous waste can be utilized as a carbon source in the reaction mixture , in which instance the added carbon promotes the reaction , in part , by serving as a thermal conductivity - enhancing heat transfer agent ( see , for example , baby et al ., “ enhanced convective heat transfer using graphene dispersed nanofluids ”, nanoscale research letters , vol . 6 , no . 289 , 2011 ). the sequestered carbonaceous waste may be collected from the emissions of any process , including but not limited to the emissions of a diesel truck or the emissions of a coal - fired power plant . in some embodiments , a diesel particulate filter is used to collect the carbonaceous waste as part of a “ diesel emission control strategy .” in other embodiments , a scrubber is used to collect the carbonaceous waste . the california air resources board ( carb ) recently enacted legislation requiring reduced particulate and noxious gas emissions , including from diesel trucks and buses , achieved by the addition of a filter to the exhaust systems of trucks ( see california code of regulations , title 13 , div . 3 , ch . 14 et seq .). in some embodiments , designed as an alternative to so - called “ regenerative ” technologies that combust collected soot and continue to release greenhouse gasses to the environment , a reusable filter is employed . when it is time for a truck driver or other user to replace a dirty particulate filter , instead of disposing of the dirty filter and buying a new filter , the user exchanges the contaminated filter for a clean one . the sequestered carbonaceous waste contained in the used filter is preferably removed from the particulate filter or scrubber and used as a carbon source for graphene or graphene derivative synthesis . the filter or scrubber is preferably reused to collect additional carbonaceous waste from emissions as the process is repeated , as the process seeks to incorporate a large portion of the carbon sequestered into the graphene product rather than into greenhouse gas emissions . in some embodiments , the sequestered carbonaceous waste is harvested from the particulate filter or scrubber by being dissolved in an organic solvent . in other embodiments , the sequestered carbonaceous waste is harvested using water , an aqueous mixture , or steam . pah - promoting compounds for use in processes include , but are not limited to , dimethyl ether , propyne , propadiene , alcohols , including , but not limited to , propargyl alcohol and isopropanol , acetylene , and compounds that promote c 1 to c 5 hydrocarbon radical formation . methyl radicals ( ch 3 .) are known to promote the growth of both pahs ( see shukla et al ., “ role of methyl radicals in the growth of pahs ”, j . am . soc . mass spectrom ., vol . 21 , pp . 534 - 544 , 2010 ) and graphene ( see wellmann et al ., “ growth of graphene layers on hopg via exposure to methyl radicals ”, surface science , vol . 542 , pp . 81 - 93 , 2003 ). dimethyl ether forms methyl radicals and promotes pah formation under gaseous combustion conditions in the presence of another carbon source ( see yoon et al ., “ synergistic effect of mixing dimethyl ether with methane , ethane , propane , and ethylene fuels on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and soot formation ”, combustion and flame , vol . 154 , pp . 368 - 377 , 2008 ). other hydrocarbon radicals , including , but not limited to , c 2 h ., c 2 h 3 ., c 3 h 3 ., c 4 h 3 ., c 4 h 5 ., and c 5 h 3 ., are also capable of nucleating and growing pahs ( see pope et al ., “ exploring old and new benzene formation pathways in low - pressure premixed flames of aliphatic fuels ”, proceedings of the combustion institute , vol . 28 , pp . 1519 - 1527 , 2000 ). the propargyl radical ( c 3 h 3 ′) has been proposed as a key intermediary for pah formation in a number of kinetic studies ( see mcenally et al ., “ computational and experimental study of soot formation in a coflow , laminar ethylene diffusion flame ”, 27th symposium ( international ) on combustion , pp . 1497 - 1505 , 1998 ; shafir et al ., kinetics and products of the self - reaction of propargyl radicals ”, j . phys . chem . a , vol . 107 , pp . 8893 - 8903 , 2003 ; tang et al ., “ an optimized semidetailed submechanism of benzene formation from propargyl recombination ”, j . phys . chem . a , vol . 110 , pp . 2165 - 2175 , 2006 ). propyne and propadiene also promote pah formation ( see gazi et al ., “ a modelling study of allene and propyne combustion in flames ”, proceedings of the european combustion meeting , 2011 ). acetylene also may play a role in pah nucleation and growth ( see frenlach et al ., “ aromatics growth beyond the first ring and the nucleation of soot particles ”, preprints of the 202 nd acs national meeting , vol . 36 , pp . 1509 - 1516 , 1991 ). fig2 a and 2b show process flow charts for forming various graphene products from either a non - graphitic carbonaceous starting material or a graphitic starting material . referring to fig2 a , when starting with a non - graphitic carbonaceous starting material , the carbonaceous material may be converted to a graphitic material by several different pathways . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is combined with an acid and converted by a dehydration reaction , either with or without the addition of heat and refluxing of the reagents . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is a sugar . in some embodiments , the sugar is sucrose . in one embodiment , the acid is concentrated sulfuric acid . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is heated without a solvent . the carbonaceous material may be heated with or without an additive , which may be an oxidizer , a metal oxide , or a catalyst , optionally followed by collection and condensation of any produced gas or vapor , to form the graphitic material . the use of an oxidizer or metal oxide promotes the formation of go over graphene , whereas in the absence of an oxidizer or metal oxide , graphene forms preferentially over go . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is preferably heated to a high temperature , such as by a direct or an indirect flame . in one embodiment , the additive is a metal - containing compound . in one embodiment , the metal is iron . in some embodiments , the additive is a metal oxide . in one embodiment , the additive is ferric oxide . in other embodiments , the additive is ferrocene . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is heated in a refluxing solvent to form the graphitic material . the carbonaceous material may be combined with an additive , which may be an oxidizer , a metal oxide , or a catalyst . the use of an oxidizer or metal oxide promotes the formation of go over graphene , whereas in the absence of an oxidizer or metal oxide , graphene forms preferentially over go . in one embodiment , the additive is a metal - containing catalytic compound . in some embodiments , the metal is iron . in one embodiment , the additive is a metal oxide . in one embodiment , the metal oxide is ferric oxide . in some embodiments , the additive is ferrocene . in some embodiments , the solvent includes one or more of an alcohol , water , and a mineral oil . the solvent preferably permits a high - temperature refluxing of the reaction mixture . the solvent also preferably helps to dissolve the reactants , to prevent combustion of the reactants , and to promote vapor production for collection of the product . in some embodiments , the use of a solvent improves the reaction yield and increases the interaction between reagents to promote the formation of the graphene or go products . in one embodiment , when the carbonaceous material is combined with a metal oxide in the reaction mixture , surface - graphitized abrasive nanoparticles ( sgans ), including sgan spheroids , are formed . the sgans can be recovered for any use , such as a nano - polishing agent or as an additive to a lubricant . it is contemplated that recovery of the sgans from the reaction mixture can be accomplished by use of a magnet or externally applied magnetic field . recovery may also be accomplished by centrifugation . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture comprising the sgans can be used as an additive to a lubricant . in one embodiment , a large - scale dc arc - discharge apparatus , a chamber , or a cylinder can be used to promote sgan formation . in some embodiments , the ferric oxide is provided to the system as a powder to promote sgan formation . in one embodiment , the ferric oxide comprises a nanopowder . in one embodiment , a high carbon content vapor can be supplied to the system . in one embodiment , the sgans can be produced in a high shear environment in a “ dynamic furnace ”. the high shear environment of the “ dynamic furnace ” may be provided by any method or combination of methods , including , but not limited to , rotating the tube furnace at high speeds , oscillating or vibrating the furnace at high frequencies , employing sonication , hydrodynamic squeezing , frictional impact with one or more moving parts , and stirring the “ dynamic furnace ” contents at high speeds . in one embodiment , the speed of rotation of the “ dynamic furnace ” can be on the order of about 1 , 000 to 11 , 000 rpm . in one embodiment , the “ dynamic furnace ” additionally can include a surface topography , which may include , but is not limited to , fins , rods , bumps , depressions , holes , asperities , and tunnels , to provide additional shearing forces , thereby increasing the shearing of the reaction mixture . in one embodiment , reaction gases can be supplied to the “ dynamic furnace ” apparatus . in one embodiment , sgan synthesis can occur at elevated temperatures , elevated pressures , or reduced pressures . temperatures in the “ dynamic furnace ” can be on the order of ˜ 200 to ˜ 800 ° f . in one embodiment , the “ dynamic furnace ” comprises an incorporated tube furnace for formation of sgans . an insulating portion can surround two concentric rotatable cylinders . the cylinders can include through - holes that allow material to pass between the area outside an outer cylinder , the area between the two cylinders , and the area inside the inner cylinder . the cylinders can be coaxial and rotatable in opposite directions at high speeds to produce high shearing forces . the dynamic tube furnace can also include a feed line for liquid components and a preheater leading into the main chamber . a separate feed line for gaseous components can also be included . the main chamber may be a single chamber or a two - zone chamber . the inner surface of the outer cylinder or the outer surface of the inner cylinder may include fins , paddles , rods , bumps , or similar structures to provide shearing to the system . in one embodiment , the tube furnace can be designed in the form of a wankel engine to provide the frictional contact , sheering , and squeezing to promote sgan formation . the “ dynamic furnace ” can include a housing , a rotor , an eccentric wheel , and an inner gear meshing with an outer gear . as the rotor travels around in the “ dynamic furnace ” housing , frictional contact , sheering , and squeezing of the fluid between the rotor and the housing can promote sgan formation . in one embodiment , the surfaces of one or more of these structures are electrified or electrifiable . in one embodiment , the electrified surfaces can act as an electrified cathode in the integral tube furnace . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is a non - graphitic carbon source , which may include , but is not limited to , a sugar , sucrose , a sugar amphiphile , a graphene - promoting amphiphile , a sugar substitute , a starch , cellulose , an olefin , an acetate , one or more non - graphitic hydrocarbons , an alkane , an alkene , an alkyne , a ketone , toluene , gasoline , diesel fuel , kerosene , coal , coal tar , coke , or any combination of these . in one embodiment , coal and diesel fuel are preferred carbon sources . in one embodiment the coal is a pulverized coal . in one embodiment the coal is a nano - coal , such as the nano - coal sold by nano fuels technology , llc ( reno , nev ., united states ), having particle sizes in the sub - micron range . a sugar amphiphile or a sugar - like amphiphile may be any molecule with a hydrophilic sugar portion and a hydrophobic portion , including , but not limited to those described by fenimore (“ interfacial self - assembly of sugar - based amphiphiles : solid - and liquid - core capsules ”, university of cincinnati ph . d . thesis dated oct . 16 , 2009 ), jadhav et al . (“ sugar - derived phase - selective molecular gelators as model solidifiers for oil spills ”, angew . chem . int . ed ., vol . 49 , pp . 7695 - 7698 , 2010 ), jung et al . (“ self - assembling structures of long - chain sugar - based amphiphiles influenced by the introduction of double bonds ”, chem . eur . j ., vol . 11 , pp . 5538 - 5544 , 2005 ), paleta et al . (“ novel amphiphilic fluoroalkylated derivatives of xylitol , d - glucose and d - galactose for medical applications : hemocompatibility and co - emulsifying properties ”, carbohydrate research , vol . 337 , pp . 2411 - 2418 , 2002 ), germaneau (“ amphiphilic sugar metal carbenes : from fischer type to n - heterocyclic carbenes ( nhcs )”, rheinische friederich - wilhems - universität bonn ph . d . thesis , 2007 ), and ye et al . (“ synthesis of sugar - containing amphiphiles for liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide ”, ind . eng . chem . res ., vol . 39 , pp . 4564 - 4566 , 2000 ). a graphene - promoting amphiphile may be any molecule with a hydrophilic graphene - promoting portion and a hydrophobic portion , including , but not limited to those marketed by dow chemical company ( midland , mich ., united states ) under the trademarks triton ™ or tergitol ™, including , but not limited to , the triton x series of octylphenol ethoxylates and the tergitol np series of nonylphenol ethoxylates . alternatively , a graphitic starting material may be used . the graphitic material may be any material including graphitic carbon , including , but not limited to , natural graphite , synthetic graphite , one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( pahs ), graphene , activated carbon , biochar , coal phlegm , one or more benzenoids , naphthalene , or any combination of these . referring to fig2 a , the graphitic material in a solvent is heated . in some embodiments , the solvent includes one or more of an alcohol , water , and a mineral oil . in some embodiments , the mixture is heated to a boiling temperature . in some embodiments , the boiling solvent is refluxed . in one embodiment , liquid graphene product resulting from reflux of the reaction mixture is collected in the reaction vessel itself . the graphene - containing liquid may be applied directly to a material or substrate to form a graphene - reinforced material , a graphene - coated substrate , a go - reinforced material , or a go - coated substrate . alternatively , the graphene - containing liquid may be further heated to form a vapor containing graphene / graphene derivative scales . a graphene / graphene derivative scale , as used herein , is understood to be one to several layers of graphene or graphene oxide carried in the vapor stream of the refluxing solvent or solvent mixture . the layers in the scale may be mostly planar or they may be crinkled or folded in the vapor stream . the length and width dimensions of the layers are preferably significantly larger than the thickness of the layers . referring to fig2 b , the graphene / graphene derivative scale - containing vapor may either be applied to a solid or a liquid . the graphene / graphene derivative scales may be applied to a solid substrate by placing the solid substrate in the vapor stream or by applying the vapor stream to the solid substrate to form a graphene / graphene derivative film coated substrate . any crinkling or folding in the scale layers is preferably reduced upon deposition on the solid substrate . in some embodiments , the deposited scales are annealed after deposition to improve their uniformity . in some embodiments , the deposited scales are annealed by heating of the substrate . in some embodiments , reactive end groups on neighboring deposited scales react with each other to form larger graphene / graphene derivative sheets . in some embodiments , a reducing agent is used to convert go to rgo in the layers . alternatively , the graphene / graphene derivative scale - containing vapor may be applied to an aqueous pool . the vapor may be applied to the surface of the aqueous pool from above or by bubbling through the aqueous pool . in one embodiment , the aqueous pool is a water pool with no additives . if the water pool contains no additives , the graphene / graphene derivative scales hydrophobically self - assemble to graphene / graphene derivative sheets at the water surface . in one embodiment , the deposited scales are annealed at the water surface to improve their uniformity . in one embodiment , reactive end groups on neighboring scales react with each other to form larger graphene / graphene derivative sheets at the water surface . in some embodiments , a reducing agent is used to convert go to rgo in the assembling or assembled layers . the aqueous pool may include one or more surfactants as an additive to aid in the hydrophobic self - assembly of the graphene / graphene derivative scales to the graphene / graphene derivative sheets at the water surface . any crinkling or folding in the scale layers is preferably reduced either by interaction with the surfactant or upon arrival at the water surface . in one embodiment , the deposited scales are annealed at the water surface to improve their uniformity . in one embodiment , reactive end groups on neighboring scales react with each other to form larger graphene / graphene derivative sheets at the water surface . the aqueous pool may include one or more reducing agents to convert go to rgo during the hydrophobic self - assembly of the go scales to rgo sheets at the water surface . in one embodiment , the reducing agent is hydrazine . any crinkling or folding in the scale layers is preferably reduced upon arrival at the water surface . in one embodiment , the deposited scales are annealed at the water surface to improve their uniformity . in one embodiment , reactive end groups on neighboring scales react with each other to form larger graphene / graphene derivative sheets at the water surface . the graphene / graphene derivative sheets may be applied to a solid by contacting the solid to the graphene / graphene derivative sheets at the surface of the water . the solid surface may be dipped in a vertical , horizontal , or angled orientation into the liquid surface . alternatively , the solid surface may be located initially in the water and brought upward to the liquid surface in a vertical , horizontal , or angled orientation or the water may be drained to bring the graphene / graphene derivative sheets to the solid surface . alternatively , some of the water from the aqueous pool is permitted to evaporate slowly , leaving a viscous gelled graphene or graphene jelly in the upper liquid portion of the pool . the carbon source may be in numerous forms , including , but not limited to , liquefied , powdered solid , or granular solid . in one embodiment , the carbon source preferably includes at least one essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material having a chemical structure containing at least one 6 - member carbon - containing ring , such as sucrose , the structure of which is shown as molecule 2 : in one embodiment , the carbon source is of a form having a significant amount of graphitic carbon . the carbon - containing rings in the carbonaceous material , especially any aromatic carbon rings , are believed to be conserved to some degree in the chemical reactions of the growing carbon - ring matrix of the graphene or go products ; that is to say , the 6 - membered carbon ring structure is believed to be retained to some degree in the graphene or go products themselves . the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material may include one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to : a . a molasses or molasses substitute , including , but not limited to sweet sorghum , sugar beet molasses , pomegranate molasses , mulberry molasses , carob molasses , date molasses , grape molasses , backstrap molasses , black treacle , maple syrup or corn syrup , including , but not limited to high - fructose corn syrup ; b . an invert sugar , including , but not limited to , inverted sugar syrup ; c . a deoxy sugar , including , but not limited to deoxyribose , fucose or rhamnose ; d . a monosaccharide , including , but not limited to glucose , fructose , galactose , xylose or ribose ; e . a disaccharide , including , but not limited to sucrose , lactulose , lactose , maltose , trehalose or cellobiose ; f . a polysaccharide , including , but not limited to starch , glycogen , arabinoxylan , cellulose , chitin or pectin ; g . a sugar alcohol , including , but not limited to erythritol , threitol , arabitol , xylitol , ribitol , mannitol , sorbitol , dulcitol , iditol , isomalt , maltitol or lactitol ; or h . an amphiphile , including , but not limited to a sugar amphiphile or a graphene - promoting amphiphile ; 2 . a sugar substitute , including , but not limited to stevia , aspartame , sucralose , neotame , acesulfame potassium , saccharin , or a sugar alcohol ; 3 . a hydrocarbon , including , but not limited to naphthalene , diesel fuel , kerosene , gasoline , or an alkane , including , but not limited to methane , ethane , propane , cyclopropane , butane , isobutane , cyclobutane , pentane , isopentane , neopentane , cyclopentane , hexane , octane , kerosene , isoparaffins , liquid paraffins or paraffin waxes ; 4 . a coal form , including , but not limited to peat , lignite , bituminous coal , sub - bituminous coal , pulverized coal , nano - coal , steam coal , cannel coal , anthracite , charcoal , carbon black , activated charcoal , “ activated nano - coal ” or sugar char ; 5 . an alcohol , including , but not limited to ethanol , methanol , or isopropanol ; or 6 . an oil , including , but not limited to linseed oil , citronella oil , geraniol or mineral oil . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a pyranose , a furanose , a cyclic carbomer , or a benzenoid ( see katritzky et al ., “ aqueous high - temperature chemistry of carbo - and heterocycles . 20 . 1 reactions of some benzenoid hydrocarbons and oxygen - containing derivatives in supercritical water at 460 ° c .”, energy & amp ; fuels , vol . 8 , pp . 487 - 497 , 1994 ), including , but not limited to , oxygen - containing benzenoids . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a sugar . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises sucrose . in one embodiment the sugar comprises a molasses or molasses substitute , which may comprise , but is not limited to , sweet sorghum , sugar beet molasses , pomegranate molasses , mulberry molasses , carob molasses , date molasses , grape molasses , backstrap molasses , black treacle , bee &# 39 ; s honey , maple syrup , or corn syrup , including , but not limited to , high - fructose corn syrup . in some embodiments , the sugar comprises an invert sugar , which may comprise , but is not limited to , inverted sugar syrup . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a deoxy sugar , which may comprise , but is not limited to , deoxyribose , fucose , or rhamnose . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a monosaccharide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , glucose , fructose , galactose , xylose , or ribose . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a disaccharide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , sucrose , lactulose , lactose , maltose , trehalose , cellobiose , or sophorose . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a polysaccharide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , starch , glycogen , arabinoxylan , cellulose , chitin , or pectin . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a sugar alcohol , which may include , but is not limited to , erythritol , threitol , arabitol , xylitol , ribitol , mannitol , sorbitol , dulcitol , iditol , isomalt , maltitol , or lactitol . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a sugar substitute , which may include , but is not limited to , stevia , aspartame , sucralose , neotame , acesulfame potassium , or saccharin . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a sugar derivative , which may include , but is not limited to , sophoritol , a phenolic glycoside , a steviol glycoside , a saponin , a glycoside , a glucoside , or amygdalin . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a cyclomethicone , which may include , but is not limited to , phenyl trimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a steroid , which may include , but is not limited to , sapogenin or diosgenin . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a cinnamate , which may include , but is not limited to , methyl or ethyl cinnamate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises cinnamic acid . in one embodiment , the additive comprises cinnamon oil . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a phenylphopanoid , which may include , but is not limited to , cinnamic acid , coumaric acid , caffeic acid , ferulic acid , 5 - hydroxyferulic acid , sinapic acid , cinnamaldehyde , umbelliferone , resveratrol , a monolignol , which may comprise , but is not limited to , coniferyl alcohol , coumaryl alcohol , or sinapyl alcohol , or a phenylpropene , which may comprise , but is not limited to , engenol , chavicol , safrole , or estragole . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a benzoate , which may include , but is not limited to , ferric , benzyl , ethyl , methyl , phenyl , cyclohexanol , 2 - phenyl -, pentaerythritol tetra -, sodium , or potassium benzoate . in one embodiment , the additive includes benzoic acid . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises aminobenzoic acid . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises 2 - hydroxymethyl benzoic acid methyl ester . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material includes ubiquinone . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a carboxylate , including but not limited to trimethyl cis , cis - 1 , 3 , 5 - cyclohexanetricarboxylate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a benzopyran , which may include , but is not limited to , chromene , isochromene , or a substituted benzopyran . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a naturally - occurring or synthetic flavone or isoflavone , which may include , but is not limited to , flavan - 3 - ol or flavanone . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a salicylate , which may include , but is not limited to , ferric , methyl , ethyl , butyl , cinnamyl , cyclohexyl , ethylhexyl , heptyl , isoamyl , octyl , benzyl , phenyl , p - cresol , o - cresol , m - cresol , or sodium salicylate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material includes salicylic acid . in one embodiment , the additive includes aminosalicylic acid . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises an antioxidant . in one embodiment , the antioxidant is a cyclic antioxidant . in one embodiment , the antioxidant is a phenolic antioxidant , which may include , but is not limited to , 2 , 6 - di - terti - butylphenol , 2 - tert - butyl - 4 , 6 - dimethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - ethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - n - butylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - 1 - buty 1 - phenol , 2 , 6 - di - cyclopentyl - 4 - methylphenol , 2 -( α - methylcyclohexyl )- 4 , 6 - dimethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - octadecyl - methylphenol , 2 , 4 , 6 - tri - cyclohexylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methoxymethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methoxyphenol , 2 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - hydroquinone , 2 , 5 - di - tert - amyl - hydroquinone , 2 , 6 - diphenyl - 4 - octadecyloxyphenol , 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 4 - ethylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -[ 4 - methyl - 6 - α - methylcyclohexyl )- phenol ], 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 4 - methyl - 6 - cyclohexylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - nonyl - 4 - methylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -[ 6 -( α - methylbenzyl )- 4 - nonylphenol ], 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -[ 6 -( α , α - dimethylbenzyl )- 4 - nonylphenol ], 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 4 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- ethylidene - bis -( 4 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- ethylidene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 4 - isobutylphenol ), 4 , 4 ′- methylene - bis -( 2 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol ), 4 , 4 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 2 - methylphenol ), 1 , 1 - bis -( 5 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - 2 - methylphenyl )- butane , 2 , 6 - di -( 3 - tert - butyl - 5 - methyl - 2 - hydroxybenzyl )- 4 - methylphenol , 1 , 1 , 3 - tris -( 5 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - 2 - methylphenyl )- butane , and any naturally - occurring plant - based phenolic antioxidant , which may include , but is not limited to , ascorbic acid , a tocopherol , a tocotrienol , rosemarinic acid , and other phenolic acids and flavonoids , such as those found , for example , in grapes , berries , olives , soy , tea leaves , rosemary , basil , oregano , cinnamon , cumin , and turmeric . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises 4 - vinylphenol , anthocyanidin , or chromenylium . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a cyclic amino acid , which may include , but is not limited to , phenylalanine , tryptophan , or tyrosine . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a cyclohexane derivative , which may include , but is not limited to , 1 , 3 - cyclohexadiene or 1 , 4 - cyclohexadiene . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a benzene derivative which may include , but is not limited to , a polyphenol , benzaldehyde , benzotriazole , benzyl 1 - naphthyl carbonate , benzene , ethyl benzene , toluene , styrene , benzonitrile , phenol , phthalic anhydride , phthalic acid , terephthalic acid , p - toluic acid , benzoic acid , aminobenzoic acid , benzyl chloride , isoindole , ethyl phthalyl ethyl glycolate , n - phenyl benzamine , methoxybenzoquinone , benzylacetone , benzylideneacetone , hexyl cinnamaldehyde , 4 - amino - 2 - hydroxytoluene , 3 - aminophenol , or vanillin . in one embodiment , the benzene derivative comprises a benzenediol , which may include 1 , 2 - dihydroxybenzene ( catechol ), 1 , 3 - dihydroxybenzene ( resorcinol ), or 1 , 4 - dihydroxybenzene ( hydroquinone ). in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a naphthoate , including but not limited to methyl 2 - methoxy - 1 - naphthoate or methyl 3 - methoxy - 2 - naphthoate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises an acrylate , including but not limited to benzyl 2 - propylacrylate or 2 - naphthyl methacrylate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a phthalate , including but not limited to diallyl phthalate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a succinate , including but not limited to bis ( 2 - carboxyphenyl ) succinate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a carpate , including but not limited to methyl o - methylpodocarpate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a fluorophore , which may include , but is not limited to , fluorescein isothiocyanate , rhodamine , phthalocyanine , or copper phthalocyanine . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a pharmaceutical , which may include , but is not limited to , acetylsalicylic acid , acetaminophen , ibuprofen , or a benzodiazepine . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a phosphate , which may include , but is not limited to , a cresyldiphenyl phosphate , a dicresyl phosphate , a triorthocresyl phosphate , a tricresyl phosphate , a paracresyl phosphate , an orthocresyl phosphate , or a metacresyl phosphate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a compound that degrades to one or more of the above - mentioned additives under the heat of the operating conditions of the engine or mechanical system , such as certain terpenes or certain natural aromatic or non - aromatic cyclic esters , ketones , or aldehydes , which may include , but is not limited to , methyl salicylate ( wintergreen oil ), cinnamon leaf / bark oil ( cinnamaldehyde ), limonene ( dipentene ), pinene , and camphene . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial edible personal / sexual lubricating composition including a sugar or sugar - substitute amphiphile . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial ultraviolet ray sunscreen formulation , which may include octyl methoxycinnamate ( oxctinoxate ), butyl - methoxydibenzoylmethane ( b - mdm , avobenzone ), octyl - dimethyl - para - aminobenzoic acid ( od - paba ), octocrylene , oxybenzone , alkyl benzoate , diethylhexyl 2 , 6 - naphthalate , phenoxy - ethanol , homosalate , ethylhexyl triazone , 4 - methyl - benzylidene camphor ( 4 - mbc ), or a polysorbate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial skin cream formulation , which may include , but is not limited to carbomer , ascorbyl palmitate , tocopheryl acetate , ketoconazole , or mineral oil . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial hand sanitizer formulation , which may include carbomer , tocopheryl acetate , or propylene glycol . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial human or animal hair care product , which may include benzophenone , alkyl benzoate , phenoxyethanol , sorbitan oleate , a styrene copolymer , propylene glycol , hydroxyisohexyl - 3 - cyclohexene carboxaldehyde , butylated hydroxytoluene , ketoconazole , petrolatum , mineral oil , or paraffinum liquidum . in one embodiment , the commercial hair care product is a curl activating or relaxing solution , which may include carbomer , hexyl cinnamal , benzyl salicylate , trolamine salicylate , benzyl benzoate , limonene , eugenol , 1 , 3 - bis ( hydroxymethyl )- 5 , 5 - dimethyl - limidazolidine - 2 , 4 - dione ( dmdm hydantoin ), para - aminobenzoic acid ( paba ), 2 - ethylhexyl 4 - dimethylaminobenzoate ( padimate o ), butylphenyl methylpropional , propylparaben , phenolsulfonphthalein ( psp , phenol red ), or a polysorbate . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial hair dye formulation , which may include hydrated iron oxide ( fe ( oh ) 3 ), para - phenylenediamine , ortho -, meta -, or para - aminophenol , 4 - amino - 2 - hydroxytoluene , trideceth - 2 carboxamide mea , phenyl methylpyrazolone , phenoxyethanol , a polyquaternium , hexyl cinnamal , butylphenyl methylpropional , phenolsulfonphthalein ( psp , phenol red ), hydroxyisohexyl 3 - cyclohexene carboxaldehyde , titanium dioxide , or iron oxide . in one embodiment , the essentially non - graphitic carbonaceous material comprises a commercial pesticide , which may include , but is not limited to , ortho - phenylphenol ( opp ), phenylhydroquinone ( phq ) or phenylbenzoquinone ( pbq ). the oxidizer may be in any form , including , but not limited to , gaseous , liquefied , powdered solid , or granular solid . the oxidizer may include one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to potassium nitrate , gaseous oxygen , sodium nitrate , ammonium dichromate , ammonium nitrate , ammonium perchlorate , potassium perchlorate , potassium permanganate , calcium nitrate , hydrogen peroxide , sodium bicarbonate , or mercury thiocyanate . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture includes a solvent . the solvent may include an alcohol , including one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to methanol , ethanol , isopropyl alcohol , n - propanol , or a gelled alcohol formulation , including , but not limited to a jellied , denatured alcohol formulation , such as a formulation including ethanol and methanol as found in sterno ® brand canned heat ( the sterno group , llc , des plaines , ill ., united states ), or a gelled alcohol formulation such as found in hand sanitizers , including formulations containing such thickening agents as polyacrylic acid , or propylene glycol . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture includes one or more catalysts or other additives . the additive or catalyst may include one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to sodium bicarbonate , aluminum bicarbonate , sodium aluminum phosphate , sodium aluminum sulfate , potassium carbonate , potassium phosphate , potassium hydroxide , aluminum hydroxide , magnesium hydroxide , magnesium sulfate , magnesium phosphate , cream of tartar , citric acid , ascorbic acid , sucrase , invertase , ferrocene , or a transition metal oxide catalyst , which may be in a nanopowder form , the catalyst including one or any combination of the following , but not limited to an iron oxide , including iron ( ii ) oxide , iron ( ii , iii ) oxide , iron ( iii ) oxide , iron ( ii ) hydroxide , iron ( iii ) hydroxide , or iron ( iii ) oxide - hydroxide , aluminum oxide , a copper oxide , including , but not limited to copper ( i ) oxide , or copper ( ii ) oxide , a nickel oxide , including , but not limited to nickel ( i ) oxide , or nickel ( ii ) oxide , a titanium oxide , including , but not limited to titanium dioxide , titanium ( i ) oxide , or titanium ( ii ) oxide , or a lead oxide , including , but not limited to lead ( ii ) oxide , lead ( iv ) oxide , lead tetroxide , or a lead sesquioxide . in one embodiment , sucrose and sodium bicarbonate are combined in about a 4 : 1 volume ratio , with ethanol added as a solvent , to form the reaction mixture . in one embodiment , the reactants are mixed with a flammable solvent such as methanol , ethanol , or isopropanol . in some of these embodiments , the carbon source is dissolved in the flammable solvent . in other embodiments , the reactants form a slurry with the solvent . in one embodiment , the reaction is performed in the absence of a solvent . in one embodiment , powdered sugar and sodium bicarbonate powder are combined in a 4 - to - 1 ratio and mixed with a metal oxide catalyst prior to exposure to heat . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture may additionally or alternatively include one or more of sodium bicarbonate , naphthalene , and linseed oil . in one embodiment , sucrose and potassium nitrate are combined in a ratio of about 35 : 65 to form the reaction mixture ( see rocket manual for amateurs by b . r . brinley , ballantine books , new york , n . y ., 1960 , and amateur experimental rocketry , vol . 7 by richard nakka , self - published on cd only , january 2011 ). in one embodiment , the reaction mixture further includes a metal oxide in the range of about 1 % to about 30 %, preferably about 5 %. in one embodiment , powdered sugar and an alcohol , preferably ethanol or isopropanol , are placed in a reaction vessel and mixed to form a paste reaction mixture . the reaction mixture is heated to produce a vapor containing vapor - exfoliated graphene / graphene derivative scale . in some embodiments , the reaction mixture further includes iron oxide in the form of bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ). in other embodiments , the iron oxide is in the form of high - purity fe 3 o 4 ( 15 - 20 nm ) nanopowder ( u . s . research nanomaterials , inc ., houston , tex ., united states ). in one embodiment , powdered sugar and gelled alcohol , in the form of a conventional hand sanitizer , including water , polyacrylic acid , and ˜ 60 % isopropyl alcohol , are placed in a reaction vessel and mixed together to form a reaction mixture . the reaction mixture is heated to produce a vapor containing vapor - exfoliated graphene / graphene derivative scales . in some embodiments , the reaction mixture further includes iron oxide in the form of bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ). in other embodiments , the iron oxide is in the form of high - purity fe 3 o 4 ( 15 - 20 nm ) nanopowder ( u . s . research nanomaterials , inc ., houston , tex ., united states ). in one embodiment , a reaction mixture of powdered sugar and an alcohol , preferably ethanol , is heated in a reaction vessel using a hot plate to a temperature lower than in previously - described embodiments using a direct flame . the reaction mixture is heated to a point causing vapor formation containing vapor - exfoliated graphene / graphene derivative scales . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture further includes iron oxide in the form of bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ). in one embodiment , the iron oxide is in the form of high - purity fe 3 o 4 ( 15 - 20 nm ) nanopowder ( u . s . research nanomaterials , inc ., houston , tex ., united states ). in one embodiment , the iron oxide source is a substrate onto which the other reactants are placed . in one embodiment , the iron oxide source is a rusted iron - based metal part . the reactants are then heated as in one of the previously - described embodiments . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is coal or a coal derivative . in one embodiment , the coal is a pulverized coal . in one embodiment , the coal is a nano - coal . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is one or more of coal , coke , and coal tar . in one embodiment , the coal or coal derivative is heated in a high boiling point temperature solvent to reflux temperatures . in one embodiment , the process is a poor or improper form of a coal tar distillation or coke oven with reaction gases being re - condensed and dripping back into the reaction mixture . in one embodiment , the carbonaceous material is sucrose . in some embodiments , concentrated sulfuric acid converts the sucrose to graphitic carbon , which may form with a foam morphology from trapped reaction gases , by a dehydration reaction as shown in equation 4 : in one embodiment , an excess of sulfuric acid is used , such that any water vapor or other gases formed during the dehydration reaction are released from the reaction mixture and the graphitic carbon product is not in the form of a foam . in one embodiment , excess heat is provided to the system to promote the release of all reaction gases . in one embodiment , heat is used to convert the sucrose to carbon by a dehydration reaction as shown in equation 5 : in one embodiment , a graphitic carbon source and a liquid are placed in a reaction vessel and mixed together to form a slurry mixture . the graphitic carbon source may be any material including graphitic carbon , including , but not limited to , natural graphite , synthetic graphite , one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( pahs ), graphene , activated carbon , biochar , coal phlegm , one or more benzenoids , naphthalene , or any combination of these . in one embodiment , the graphitic carbon source is natural or synthetic graphite . in one embodiment , the graphite is ground into a fine powder . in one embodiment , the graphitic carbon source is an activated carbon . in one embodiment , the liquid includes one or any combination of an alcohol , water , or mineral oil . in one embodiment , the liquid is an acid or a strongly acidic solution . in one embodiment , the alcohol is methanol . the slurry mixture is heated to produce a vapor containing vapor - exfoliated graphene / graphene derivative scales . in one embodiment , the reaction mixture further includes iron oxide in the form of bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ). in one embodiment , the iron oxide is in the form of high - purity fe 3 o 4 ( 15 - 20 nm ) nanopowder ( u . s . research nanomaterials , inc ., houston , tex ., united states ). in one embodiment , a graphitic carbon product from the dehydration of sucrose and a solvent are placed in a reaction vessel and mixed together to form a slurry mixture . in one embodiment , the solvent may include one or any combination of an alcohol , water , and mineral oil . in one embodiment , the alcohol is methanol , ethanol , or isopropanol . the slurry mixture is heated to produce a vapor containing vapor - exfoliated graphene / graphene derivative scales . in v , the reaction mixture further includes iron oxide in the form of bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ). in one embodiment , the iron oxide is in the form of high - purity fe 3 o 4 ( 15 - 20 nm ) nanopowder ( u . s . research nanomaterials , inc ., houston , tex ., united states ). in one embodiment , the heat source is a direct open flame . in one embodiment , the heat source is a fuel mixed with the reactants ignited by an ignition source . in one embodiment , the heat source is a hot plate . in one embodiment , an additional reagent is added to promote formation of a reaction gas . in one embodiment , the additional reagent is sodium bicarbonate and the reaction gas is carbon dioxide . in one embodiment , the reactants are heated to autoignition . in one embodiment , the chemical reaction may purposefully occur under pyrolysis conditions . in one embodiment , a reaction may purposefully occur under conditions of insufficient oxygen for combustion or minimal oxygen or within a partial vacuum chamber . in one embodiment , at least some of the reactants are heated during product formation in a controlled low - oxygen atmosphere . in one embodiment , a reaction may purposefully employ an additive to promote incomplete combustion and formation of soot or other products of incomplete combustion or pyrolysis . in one embodiment , the reaction may be carried out quickly by exposing the reaction mixture to the heat of a direct flame . in one embodiment , solid reactants are mixed and heated with a direct flame in a reaction container such as a crucible . although the fuel for the flame may be any fuel within the spirit of the present invention , the fuel in these embodiments is preferably a relatively clean - burning fuel such as methane , ethane , propane , or butane . in one embodiment , the system is externally heated to a temperature just below an autoignition temperature for the system to initiate product formation . in one embodiment , the graphene or go is formed as a product of heating an intumescent . intumescents are commonly used as fire retardants . an intumescent , as used herein , is any carbonaceous material that swells but does not burn when exposed to heat . the intumescent may include one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to dicresyl phosphates , tricresyl phosphates , including , but not limited to paracresyl phosphates , orthocresyl phosphates , or metacresyl phosphates polymer resin precursors , or certain epoxy resins , including , but not limited to thermosetting resins , including , but not limited to phenol - formaldehyde ( pf ) resins , melamine resins , cyanate ester resins , or polycyanurates , polyphenylene ether ( ppo ) resins , ethylene propylene diene monomer ( epdm ) resins , or polyolefin plastomer ( pop ) resins . in one embodiment , heating the intumescent produces a poor heat - conducting light char . in one embodiment , heating the intumescent produces a heavy char . in one embodiment , the resulting char is subjected to solvent attack and reheated to produce the graphene or go product . in one embodiment , the resulting char may then serve as the carbonaceous material for addition to , and reaction with , an oxidizer . in one embodiment , the char may be combined with an oil and heated to produce the graphene or go reaction product . in one embodiment , as outlined supra , the carbonaceous material carbon source added to the reactants , or additive , may include one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to linseed oil , a light paraffinic oil , a naphthalenic compound , a resin , a resin precursor , an alkyd , an alkyd resin , or an alkyd precursor , including , but not limited to , a polyol , including , but not limited to maltitol , xylitol , sorbitol , isomalt , pentaerythritol , ethylene glycol , glycerin or polyester . in one embodiment , the reactants include one or more polyols , one or more acid anhydrides , or one or more unsaturated fatty acid triglycerides . it is envisioned that modifications to the above - described methods may provide for easier collection of the graphene or go and may produce a higher yield . in one embodiment , no liquid or gel mixing medium is used . in one embodiment , the mixing medium is methanol . in one embodiment , the mixing medium is water . in one embodiment , the mixing medium is a solid , semi - solid , or gelatinous flammable material , which may be mixed with the carbon source . in one embodiment , the flammable material is a gel fuel made from denatured alcohol , water , and gel , such as sterno ® brand canned heat ( the sterno group llc , des plaines , ill ., united states ). in one embodiment , the denatured alcohol includes ethanol with one or more additives , which may include one or any combination of the following , but is not limited to methanol , isopropanol , acetone , methyl ethyl ketone , methyl isobutyl ketone , or denatonium . in one embodiment , the gel fuel is made from vinegar , calcium carbonate , and isopropanol . in such embodiments , the gel fuel may be gently heated to become more fluid for mixing with the reactants and then cooled to re - gel . in such an embodiment , a direct flame may be used only initially to ignite the gel fuel and initiate the reaction , with the flame being sustained by the burning of the gel fuel itself . in one embodiment , the vapor - borne graphene or graphene derivative scales are collected by deposition onto a solid surface contacting the vapor - borne scales . in one embodiment , the vapor - borne graphene or graphene derivative scales are collected using clean coal technology . in one embodiment , a scrubber ( see , for example , semrau , “ practical process design of particulate scrubbers ”, chem . eng ., vol . 84 , pp . 87 - 91 , 1977 ), preferably a wet scrubber , is used to collect any vapor - borne graphene or go scales . in one embodiment , flue gases are treated with steam to collect vapor - borne particles including any vapor - borne graphene or go scales . in one embodiment , the vapor - borne graphene or graphene derivative scales are collected by bubbling the produced vapor stream through a liquid . in one embodiment , the liquid is water . in other embodiments , the liquid is an oil , which may include , but is not limited to a vegetable oil or a lubricating oil . in one embodiment , a surfactant is added to the water to promote formation of a uniform layer of graphene or graphene derivative at the surface of the water . in one embodiment , the liquid is heated to promote the formation , via self - assembly , of a uniform layer of graphene or graphene derivative at the surface of the liquid . in one embodiment , the liquid is heated to near its boiling temperature . in one embodiment , additives are used to raise the boiling temperature of the liquid . in one embodiment , ultrasound is applied to the liquid to promote graphene or graphene derivative self - assembly on the liquid surface . in one embodiment , ultraviolet light is applied to the liquid to promote graphene or graphene derivative self - assembly on the liquid surface . in one embodiment , an argon atmosphere above the liquid promotes graphene or graphene derivative self - assembly on the liquid surface . in one embodiment , a reduced pressure is used to promote self - assembly of the graphene or graphene derivative ( see putz et al ., “ evolution of order during vacuum - assisted self - assembly of graphene oxide paper and associated polymer nanocomposites ”, asc nano , vol . 5 , pp . 6601 - 6609 , 2001 ). in one embodiment , the solvent remaining in the reaction flask containing graphitic material after completion of the pyrolysis step is used as a coating to form a composite reinforced by the graphitic material . in one embodiment , the graphitic - containing solvent is applied by dipping the material to be coated into the graphitic - containing solvent . in one embodiment , individual fibers are coated . in other embodiments , a fiber mesh is coated . in one embodiment , multiple layers are deposited to cover up any cracks in the graphitic material , thereby strengthening the coating . in one embodiment , the graphitic - containing solvent is mixed with a structural material to form a graphene - reinforced composite . in one embodiment , the graphitic - containing solvent is combined with pre - impregnated composite fibers ( pre - preg ) to form a graphene - reinforced composite material . in one embodiment , the carbon source for the graphitic material is a resin precursor for the particular resin to be reinforced by the graphitic material . in one embodiment , the aqueous collecting liquid used to accumulate the combustion product vapor is used in a mould to facilitate the fabrication of solid composite materials that make use of the combustion products . in one embodiment , the reaction vapors are collected and channeled directly onto the interior or exterior surface of a mould , without the use of a liquid collection medium . in one embodiment , the reaction vapors are collected and channeled directly onto the surface of a solid substrate . in one embodiment , the solid substrate is a fiber and a graphene - reinforced fiber composite is formed upon deposition . in one embodiment , the fiber is carbon fiber . in one embodiment , the fiber is polymeric . the graphene coating may be applied to the fiber either before or after weaving individual fibers together depending on the application and the desired properties for the graphene - fiber composite . in one embodiment , multiple layers are deposited to cover up cracks in the graphene sheets , thereby strengthening the coating . in one embodiment , the resulting collected vapor is suspended on a liquid that is later drained , evaporated , or otherwise removed , allowing the graphene , go , or rgo sheets to coat the inside of a mould or to be deposited on a solid or liquid substrate already in such mould or introduced into the mould , for the purpose of producing a composite material . in the system of fig3 , a reaction mixture is placed in a reaction vessel 10 . heat is applied to the reaction vessel 10 by a heating element 12 . generated reaction gases and gas - borne product build pressure in the reaction vessel 10 and exit the reaction vessel by a conduit 14 . the reaction gas stream exits the conduit 14 above the surface of liquid 16 . in another embodiment ( not shown ), conduit 14 directs the vapor below the surface of liquid 16 whereupon it bubbles to the surface 18 of the liquid 16 . in one embodiment ( not shown ), a sparger is attached to the end of conduit 14 provides multiple release points to distribute the reaction gas stream bubbles either under or above the surface the liquid . the reaction gases are released into the atmosphere 22 above the liquid surface 18 , while the graphene / graphene derivative product remains in the liquid , primarily accumulating at the liquid surface 18 . alternatively , the conduit 14 may release the reaction gas stream directly into the atmosphere 22 above the liquid surface 18 . in some such embodiments , the reaction gas stream is directed toward the liquid surface 18 by the conduit 14 . a temperature control element 24 may be used to control the temperature of the liquid by providing heat or cooling to promote formation of large graphene oxide sheets by hydrophobic self - assembly at the liquid surface . either the temperature control element 24 or a separate ultrasound element may provide ultrasonic vibration to promote formation of large graphene oxide sheets at the liquid surface . a cover ( not shown ) can be employed to cover liquid 16 to therefore create a closed controllable environment 22 above the liquid 16 . in one embodiment ( not shown ), an increased pressure is maintained in the environment 22 by a pressure source through a valve . in one embodiment , the pressure source is an inert gas , such as argon , to provide an inert environment above the liquid . in one embodiment ( not shown ), a release valve enables the release of excess pressure from the atmosphere 22 . the reaction vessel 10 preferably includes a pressure equalizing valve 34 to relieve excess vacuum formed in the reaction vessel 10 , which prevents liquid from being drawn in to the conduit 14 toward the reaction vessel 10 during refluxing and reaction . in one embodiment , the reaction vessel is a büchner flask apparatus . in one embodiment , the top of the flask is stoppered and tubing is connected to the flask &# 39 ; s hose barb . in one embodiment , the other end of the tubing is placed under a liquid without any kind of sparger at the end of the tubing . in one embodiment , the pressure equalizing valve is connected to a line extending through the stopper on the top of the büchner flask . in one embodiment , the graphene or graphene derivative formed at the surface of the liquid is transferred to a solid substrate by simply contacting such solid substrate with the surface of the liquid , such as by a langmuir - blodgett - type deposition ( see , for example , blodgett , “ films built by depositing successive monomolecular layers on a solid surface ”, j . amer . chem . soc ., vol . 57 , pp . 1007 - 1022 , 1935 ). in one embodiment , the collected go or graphene product is further reduced or otherwise treated to remove remaining impurities from the product . in one embodiment , the go reaction product is converted to reduced graphene oxide ( rgo ). in one embodiment , the go is chemically reduced to rgo , as generically represented in equation 4 : in one embodiment , the go is colloidally dispersed in water or another liquid and chemically reduced to rgo using hydrazine monohydrate ( see stankovich et al ., “ synthesis of graphene - based nanosheets via chemical reduction of exfoliated graphite oxide ”, carbon , vol . 45 , pp . 1558 - 1565 , 2007 , gao et al ., “ hydrazine and thermal reduction of graphene oxide : reaction mechanisms ”, j . phys . chem . c , vol . 114 , pp . 832 - 842 , 2010 ), si et al ., “ synthesis of water soluble graphene ”, nano lett ., vol . 9 , pp . 1679 - 1682 , 2008 ). in another embodiment , the go is chemically reduced to rgo using hydroquinone ( see wang et al ., “ facile synthesis and characterization of graphene nanosheets ”, j . phys . chem . c , vol . 112 , pp . 8192 - 8195 , 2008 ). in another embodiment , the go is chemically reduced to rgo using gaseous hydrogen ( see wu et al ., “ synthesis of high - quality graphene with a pre - determined number of layers ”, carbon , vol . 47 , pp . 493 - 499 , 2009 ). in other embodiments , the go is chemically reduced to rgo using a strongly basic solution ( see fan et al ., “ deoxygenation of exfoliated graphite oxide under alkaline conditions : a green route to graphene preparation ”, adv . mater ., vol . 20 , pp . 4490 - 4493 , 2008 , boehm et al ., “ das adsorptionsverhalten sehr dünner kohlenstoff - folien ”, z . anorg . allg . chem ., vol . 316 , pp . 119 - 127 , 1962 ). in one embodiment , heat or an electrical current is used to reduce the go to rgo . in one embodiment , the go is thermally exfoliated and reduced to rgo upon heating to 1050 ° c . and extrusion to remove generated carbon dioxide ( see mcallister et al ., “ single sheet functionalized graphene by oxidation and thermal expansion of graphite ”, chem . mater ., vol . 19 , pp . 4396 - 4404 , 2007 ). in one embodiment , the go is electrochemically reduced to rgo by placing electrodes at opposite ends of a graphene oxide film on a non - conductive substrate and applying an electrical current ( see zhou et al ., “ controlled synthesis of large - area and patterned electrochemically reduced graphene oxide films ”, chem .- eur . j ., vol . 15 , pp . 6116 - 6120 , 2009 ). in one embodiment , the addition of hydrazine monohydrate to the water , through which the produced graphene oxide is bubbled , followed by heating the aqueous solution to ˜ 80 ° c . converts the graphene oxide product to a self - assembled film of reduced graphene oxide platelets at the air - water interface ( see zhu et al ., “ transparent self - assembled films of reduced graphene oxide platelets ”, appl . phys . lett ., vol . 95 , pp . 103 , 104 - 1 - 103 , 104 - 3 , 2009 ). additional external forces may be applied to the liquid to encourage self - assembly of the rgo platelets , including , but not limited to , ultrasonic vibrations or ultraviolet light . in one embodiment , the above - described products are used in combination with polymer resins to form high - strength composites . the polymer resins are preferably epoxy polymer resins . in some embodiments , the composites further include carbon fibers . in one embodiment , the polymer resin and the graphene / graphene derivative are formed as alternating layers in the composite . in one embodiment , a graphene / graphene derivative layer is deposited as a vapor onto a polymer resin layer . in one embodiment , a graphene / graphene derivative layer is deposited from an aqueous surface onto a polymer resin layer . in one embodiment , a graphene / graphene derivative paste is applied to a polymer resin layer . in one embodiment , the graphene / graphene derivative is formed directly on the polymer resin layer by dehydration of sucrose using concentrated sulfuric acid , where the polymer resin material is highly resistant to sulfuric acid . highly sulfuric acid - resistant polymeric materials include , but are not limited to , polyvinyl chloride ( pvc ), chlorinated pvc ( cpvc ), polyvinylediene fluoride , polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ), poly ( chlorotrifluoroethylene ) ( ctfe ), epoxy resin fiberglass , and ep21ar epoxy ( master bond , inc ., hackensack , n . j ., united states ). in one embodiment , the resin is one of the following or a hybrid - type combination of the following polymer resins ( 1 ) one or more thermoplastic alkyl phenol resins , typically used in the manufacture of tires , ( 2 ) one or more novolac ®- type paraoctylphenol ( pop ) formaldehyde resins , ( 3 ) one or more polytone ®- type para - tertiary butylphenol ( ptbp ) formaldehyde non - heat - reactive tackifying resins , ( 4 ) one or more polyphenylene ether ( ppe ) resins , and ( 5 ) one or more polyphenylene oxide ( ppo ) resins , including , but not limited to , one or more siloxane polyphenylene oxide resins . in one embodiment , the graphene / graphene derivative is mixed with the polymer resin before the resin sets . in one embodiment , carbon fibers are also mixed with the graphene / graphene derivative and un - set polymer resin . the type of polymer resin and the relative levels of graphene / graphene derivative and carbon fiber are preferably selected to provide an appropriate balance of strength and flexibility preferred for a particular specific use or application for the resulting composite product . in one embodiment , the resin for the polymer of the composite is also the carbon source for the graphene / graphene derivative part of the composite . in one embodiment , the graphene / go - reinforced polymer composite is used in structural applications conventionally restricted to metallic materials , such as the frame of a vehicle . in one embodiment , the polymer composite is re - moldable , and hence recyclable from use in one structure to use in another structure . in a method of forming gelled graphene or graphene jelly , an aqueous pool containing graphene / graphene derivative scales was allowed to evaporate over time . in one embodiment , the starting materials for producing the reaction mixture to produce the graphene / graphene derivative scales comprise sucrose , baking powder , ethanol , and iron oxide . in one embodiment , the water in the aqueous pool evaporated very slowly and after a period of about one month at about room temperature , half of an original volume of ˜ 800 ml of fluid remained in the beaker . a gooey gel layer , which could be peeled off , formed at the top of the fluid . under this top layer , there was a cloudy whitish layer about 1½ ″- thick , having the consistency of a thin jelly . although the composition and physical characteristics of these graphene jellies were not further tested , it is expected that these forms of graphene have useful physical and chemical properties . in one embodiment , the aqueous gelled graphene or the aqueous pool with the collected graphene or graphene derivative is used in place of water in the formation of a composite material . in one embodiment , the aqueous gelled graphene or the aqueous pool with the collected graphene or graphene derivative is used in place of water in a cement mixture to form a graphene - reinforced concrete with improved strength relative to convention concrete . in one embodiment , the aqueous gelled graphene or the aqueous pool with the collected graphene or graphene derivative is used in the formation of asphalt concrete to form graphene - reinforced asphalt concrete with improved strength relative to convention asphalt concrete . in one embodiment , carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide is used as a carbon source in the production of graphene , a graphene derivative , a carbon - encapsulated metallic nanoparticle , or nano - steel , thereby potentially removing excess carbon from the environment . carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are convertible into a number of different products suitable as carbonaceous feedstock for the synthesis methods contained herein , such as synthetic methanol ( see , for example , sakakura et al ., “ transformation of carbon dioxide ”, chem . rev ., vol . 107 , pp . 2365 - 2387 , 2007 , yu et al ., “ copper - and copper - n - heterocyclic carbene - catalyzed c — h activating carboxylation of terminal alkynes with co 2 at ambient conditions ”, pnas , vol . 107 , pp . 20184 - 20189 , 2010 , jiang et al ., “ turning carbon dioxide into fuel ”, phil . trans . r . soc . a , vol . 368 , pp . 3343 - 3364 , 2010 ). in one embodiment , the carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide is first converted into one or more intermediate forms of carbonaceous material , capable of combustion or pyrolysis reactions to incorporate the carbon atom from such gasses into a useful carbon - carbon graphitic bond . in one embodiment , the intermediate in such conversion is an alcohol formed by reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen gas . in one embodiment , the carbon dioxide is supplied directly to the reflux mixture for reaction with hydrogen gas generated by refluxing of the reflux mixture , thereby forming the synthetic methanol in situ . in one embodiment incorporating iron oxide , the process operates like a nano - scale bessemer furnace to form nano - steel . referring specifically to fig7 , significant charging is observed all over the sample , especially at the edges of the spheroid . since the sample is charging in general , the probable feature causing this charging is the presence of a non - conductive matter all over the sample . the only possible non - conductive material based on the elemental analysis would be an oxide . thus it is concluded that there is a layer of oxide all over the stub . regarding the charging of the spheroids , as a sharp edge is not observed in the images , the spheroids must contain both conductive and non - conductive matter . the most probable cause for this phenomenon would be elemental iron trapped in a non - conductive carbon - oxide matrix . elemental iron conducts and glows under the sem but the non - conductive carbon - oxide matrix is strong enough to prevent the spheroid structure from breaking up in spite of being non - conductive and not being able to pass on the charge to the oxide layer all over the sample . the inference is that the oxide outer layer is graphene oxide and the conductive material is iron , given that the eds reports the presence of only iron , carbon , and oxygen . if the outer shell of the balls were pure carbon , such as if the structure were graphene or a fullerene , it would have been conductive and no charging of samples would be seen , as is the case for carbon nanotubes or carbon tape materials commonly used as sem accessories . since the outer layer is charging , it must be non - conductive , and so the most likely form of carbon is graphene oxide . also , as mentioned before , the entire stub charges to some extent , as shown in the sem images . therefore , it is also concluded that layers of graphene oxide are present all throughout the sample . in one embodiment , the nano - steel is machined to form a nano - circuit or other nanostructure . in some embodiments , a laser etching nano - beam is used to shape the nano - steel . several tests were run to create and recover graphene and its derivatives , and to produce sgans , according to the invention . in a method of synthesis of sgans , a reaction mixture was heated using a direct flame . bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ), powdered sugar , and ethanol were placed in a reaction vessel and mixed into a paste to form a reaction mixture . the reaction mixture was heated with the direct flame of a propane torch , and an sem stub was held above the heated reaction mixture in the smoke and / or vapor produced by heating the reaction mixture . the surface of the sem stub was then viewed using a philips ® xl series xl 30 esem - feg ( fei ™ company , hillsboro , oreg ., united states ), using edax ® genesis ™ version 4 . 61 software ( amatek ® inc ., mahwah , n . j ., united states ) and a scandium imaging platform . the resulting electron microscope images of surfaces of the stub are shown in fig4 through 7 . the accompanying elemental analysis by eds for the sampled area ( with the copper and aluminum readings from the stub itself being removed ) showed only carbon , oxygen , and iron in the weight ( wt %) and atomic ( at %) percentages shown in table 1 for the areas in the boxes sampled in fig4 through 7 . fig4 through 6 show spheroid structures with diameters in the range of ˜ 2 - 5 microns , and all of the figures show non - spheroid , irregularly - shaped structures with lengths in the range of ˜ 1 - 5 microns . the sampled areas of the spheroids of fig4 through 5c all show primarily carbon and oxygen with similar low values of iron . referring specifically to fig4 , the edax ® beam is aimed at a large area of a spheroid structure having a diameter of almost 5 μm . referring specifically to fig5 a , the edax ® point beam is aimed at a divot on the surface of a spheroid having a diameter between 2 and 3 μm . referring specifically to fig5 b , the edax ® beam is aimed at a small white area on the surface of the spheroid of fig5 a , with this image clearly showing the spheroid nature of the structure and the presence of surface imperfections . referring specifically to fig5 c , the edax ® beam is aimed on a wider portion of the spheroid of fig5 a . this structure is believed to contain significantly higher internal iron levels than those measured by eds , with the low reading of iron by eds indicating low edax ® beam penetration of the outer shell into the spheroid cortex . the spheroid structures are believed to be multi - layer graphene oxide nano - onions , with the multiple graphene oxide layers shielding the internal iron from detection by eds . fig6 shows the irregular structure of one of the non - spheroid features observed on the surface of the stub . the morphology of these structures is believed to be graphene oxide paper . the brighter areas of this image indicate higher concentrations of iron . the amount of iron in this structure , as measured by eds , is almost ten times greater than what is measured in the spheroid structures . it is believed that the electron beam is able to penetrate this thin graphene oxide paper more than it is able to penetrate into the multi - layer spheroids , so that more iron is reported in this sample . the observed spheroid structures were determined to be highly stable , as focusing of the edax ® beam on the structure for more than 20 minutes had no observable effect on the structure . in some sem images , a square area of shade on the stem was observed , indicating electron excitation and a non - conductive surface , presumably coated with a graphene oxide film . in another method of synthesis of sgans , a reaction mixture was heated using a direct flame . bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ), powdered sugar , and gelled alcohol , in the form of a common hand sanitizer formulation including water , polyacrylic acid , and ˜ 60 % isopropyl alcohol , were placed in a reaction vessel and mixed together to form a reaction mixture . the reaction mixture was heated with the direct flame of a propane torch and an sem stub was held above the heated reaction mixture in the smoke and / or vapor produced by heating the reaction mixture . the surface of the sem stub was studied using a philips ® xl series xl 30 esem - feg ( fei ™ company , hillsboro , oreg ., united states ), using edax ® genesis ™ version 4 . 61 software ( amatek ® inc ., mahwah , n . j ., united states ) and a scandium imaging platform . the resulting electron microscope images of surfaces of the stub are shown in fig8 through 11 . the accompanying elemental analysis by eds ( with the copper and aluminum readings from the stub itself being removed ) showed only carbon ( 64 . 40 wt %/ 79 . 37 at %), oxygen ( 16 . 95 wt %/ 15 . 68 at %), and iron ( 18 . 65 wt %/ 4 . 94 at %) for the sampled area of fig8 . the observed structures on the sem stub were generally smaller than those observed from the previous synthesis using ethanol rather than gelled alcohol . the number of spheroid structures in relation to flake structures was observed to be much higher than in the synthesis using ethanol . fig1 shows an area of high concentration of spheroid structures . fig1 shows a larger area of the sem stub at a lower magnification . the image shows that a very thin film has been deposited continuously over a large area of the sem stub . for imaging purposes , a gold / palladium coating was vapor - deposited onto the sample . the gold / palladium coating , however , was observed to be much thicker than the graphene oxide vapor coating , leading to the complete masking of any graphene oxide vapor coating detail by the gold / palladium coating . it is also significant to note that the gold / palladium coating shows that the graphene oxide vapor coating was unbroken on the whole stub . in another method of synthesis of sgans , a reaction mixture was heated using a direct flame . bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ), activated charcoal , methanol , and mineral oil were placed in a reaction vessel and mixed together to form a reaction mixture . the reaction mixture was heated with the direct flame of a propane torch and an sem stub was held above the heated reaction mixture in the smoke and / or vapor formed from heating the reaction mixture . the surface of the sem stub was studied using a philips ® xl series xl 30 esem - feg ( fei ™ company , hillsboro , oreg ., united states ), using edax ® genesis ™ version 4 . 61 software ( amatek ® inc ., mahwah , n . j ., united states ) and a scandium imaging platform . the resulting electron microscope images of surfaces of the stub revealed structures similar in appearance to those from the above - described experiments , including spheroids in the range of 5 - 15 μm in diameter and larger irregular crystalline structures having minimum width dimensions in the range of 10 - 50 μm . the accompanying elemental analysis by eds ( with the copper and aluminum readings from the stub itself being removed ) showed , in addition to carbon , oxygen , and iron , a number of impurities including calcium , copper , sodium , silicon , and lead , all of which can form face - centered cubic ( fcc ) crystals . in another method of synthesis of nanoparticles , a reaction mixture was heated using a hot plate to a lower temperature than in the previously described method using a direct flame . iron oxide powder , powdered sugar , and ethanol were placed in a büchner flask . the top of the flask was stoppered and plastic tubing was connected to the hose barb . the other end of the plastic tubing was placed under water in a beaker of distilled water . the reaction mixture was heated , causing vapor formation , which bubbled through the distilled water . after completion of the reaction , the water was allowed to evaporate slowly in the beaker , with the surface of the water having a gelatinous consistency and with a white residue being deposited on the walls of the beaker above the water surface as the water evaporated . although the white residue was not characterized , it is believed to be made of sgans . in another method of synthesis of nanoparticles , powdered sugar (“ 365 organic powdered sugar ” from whole foods market , lp ( austin , tex ., united states ). ingredients : organic cane sugar , organic tapioca starch ), hand sanitizer (“ instant hand sanitizer ” from greenbrier international , inc . ( chesapeake , va ., united states ). ingredients : ethyl alcohol 62 %, water , triethanolamine glycerin , proplyene glycol , tocopheryl acetate , aloe barbadensis gel , carbomer , fragrance ), isopropanol (“ 99 % isopropyl alcohol ” from meijer distributing inc . ( grand rapids , mich ., united states )), baking powder (“ dr . oetker baking powder ” from dr . oetker canada , ltd . ( mississauga , ontario , canada ). ingredients : sodium acid pyrophosphate , sodium bicarbonate , corn starch ), and mineral oil (“ walgreens mineral oil intestinal lubricant ” from walgreen co . ( deerfield , ill ., united states )) were combined in a flask . the flask was heated with a direct flame to convert the sugar to graphitic carbon . the top of the flask was stoppered and tubing directed the reaction gas stream containing the vapor - exfoliated graphene scales to bubble into a water bath . mineral oil was added to the flask as needed to maintain liquid in the flask . a metal spatula was contacted to the surface of the water bath to collect the reaction product which had formed there after being transported by the vapor stream . a visible film was observed on the metal spatula after the spatula was allowed to dry overnight . although the metal spatula was dipped into the liquid at an angle , reaction product may alternatively be transferred to a solid surface by dipping the solid surface parallel or perpendicular to the liquid surface depending on the solid surface and the desired surface coating . alternatively , the solid surface may be drawn up through the interface from below the liquid surface or by draining the liquid to deposit the product onto the solid surface in the liquid . the coated metal surface was then wiped against a carbon tem grid to transfer some of the graphene coating to the tem grid . the coating on the tem grid was observed using a philips ® tem ( fei ™ company , hillsboro , oreg ., united states ), serial number d609 , and the images in fig1 through 17 were recorded . these structures are similar in composition and morphology to structures referred to as holey carbon or lacey carbon . fig1 shows a fairly large , uniform graphene sheet morphology . fig1 shows a large graphene sheet morphology with a tendril extending to the left of the image . fig1 shows folded multilayer graphene sheets . fig1 and 17 show thin strands of graphene connecting larger sheet areas , with fig1 showing a higher magnification of the multiple layers of such a strand . in addition to the images in fig1 through 17 , portions of the tem grid appeared completely black under the tem , because the deposited layer was too thick for the electron beam to pass through . in several other areas , the film appeared not to be completely dry and the graphene coating was observed to change shape under the electron beam . in a method of forming graphene sheets , activated charcoal , water , mineral oil , and isopropanol were heated in a capped büchner flask . as soon as the mixture began to boil and reflux , a white smoke began to be generated with the vapor . the whitish smoke was carried with the vapor out of the flask through plastic tubing and applied to the surface of an aqueous pool , where an opaque film formed on the surface . after waiting several minutes after the film had formed , portions of the film were transferred to copper tem grids for further study . the copper tem grids were studied using a philips ® tecnai f20 ( s ) tem ( fei ™ company , hillsboro , oreg ., united states ). representative images of the samples are shown in fig1 and 19 . for elemental analysis , the edax ® beam was used to determine the carbon - to - oxygen ratios at eight different points in the sample . the resulting analysis showed that the carbon - to - oxygen ratio in the samples was between 97 . 4 : 2 . 6 atomic % to 99 . 1 : 0 . 9 atomic % with an average of 98 . 4 : 1 . 6 atomic % from the eight samples . in comparison to the experiments with iron oxide in the reaction mixture , in the absence of iron oxide the resulting product was almost pure carbon in the form of graphene . in situ production of tribologically - effective amounts of beneficial carbonaceous deposits in lubricating compositions . embodiments of the invention employ cyclic - carbon containing additives for base lubricants intended to pyrolyze quickly in situ and produce tribologically - effective amounts of beneficial carbonaceous deposits and molecules within an engine or mechanical system . in one embodiment , the additive forms beneficial abrasive graphitic particles in situ in the lubrication composition that serve as nanopolishing agents to nano - polish friction surfaces and remove asperities before the base lubricant begins to degrade significantly . once the friction surfaces are nano - polished to near atomic - level perfection , there are no longer asperities on the friction surfaces to harbor harmful deposits . thus , harmful deposit formation on internal system parts and the need for conventional detergent additives in lubricating compositions are drastically reduced or even eliminated . the additives disclosed herein are not selected to improve or protect the underlying base lubricant . instead , the additives are selected to promote rapid in situ preferential formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or other graphitic carbon forms that are tribologically - useful graphitic carbon - containing nanoparticles or microparticles in tribologically - effective amounts . in one embodiment , the additive includes a carbon ring - containing additive consisting of only carbon , hydrogen , and oxygen atoms . in one embodiment , the carbon ring - containing additive is a hydrocarbon . any radicals in the lubricating composition preferably aid in the formation of the useful graphitic carbon particles . in one embodiment , the nanoparticles act as nano - polishing agents to nano - polish friction surfaces to a high smoothness by reduction or removal of asperities , thereby reducing the friction between the wear surfaces . over time , conventional base lubricants tend to lose viscosity , putting friction surfaces at risk for damage . with use of embodiments of the current invention , friction surfaces become increasingly nano - polished , so any thinning of the base lubricant through continued use actually allows the mechanical system to run more efficiently through reduction in the viscosity of the base lubricant . in one embodiment , the base lubricant starts as a heavier weight oil and progressively thins to a lighter weight oil over time as the friction surfaces become nano - polished . in one embodiment , the lubricating composition effectively lubricates despite extended drain or replacement intervals as compared to conventional base lubricants . instead of promoting degradation over time to form compounds that turn into amorphous carbon sludge , at least one of the additives preferentially promotes formation of one or more tribologically - useful graphitic carbon forms described herein . lubricating compositions of the present invention preferably include an additive selected to serve as a sacrificial carbon source for in situ formation of graphitic carbon , while the base lubricant continues to lubricate an operating engine or other mechanical system . the base lubricant may be a petroleum - refined or a synthetic oil , grease or liquid . the additive can be pyrolyzed to form graphitic carbon under the conditions of the operating engine or other mechanical system . in one embodiment , the additive can be pyrolyzed at a temperature of between ˜ 50 ° c . and ˜ 550 ° c . in one embodiment , the additive can be pyrolyzed at a temperature less than ˜ 50 ° c . or a temperature greater than ˜ 550 ° c . in an operating engine , such conditions may be reached locally at friction surfaces or on internal engine , turbo , turbine or gear surfaces . the additive is provided in a tribologically - effective amount such that in situ structures are formed and present in the lubricating composition to initially provide a sufficiently efficacious tribological coating on the friction surfaces of a lubricated system . the amount of additive to be added to the lubricant can be varied according to the desired rate of change of performance of the operating engine or other mechanical system , and the quantity of base lubricant to remain undiluted . addition of a higher amount of additive increases the rate of formation of the in situ structures but will also dilute the base lubricant . an effective amount of additive may therefore comprise from ˜ 10 mg per liter of base lubricant to ˜ 500 g per liter of base lubricant . these amounts are not intended to limit the invention in any manner and can be determined on a case by case basis by the formulator . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system by at least 1 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system by at least 2 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system by at least 3 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system by at least 4 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system by at least 5 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases friction in the lubricated system by at least 10 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , a tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases negative horsepower in the lubricated system relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases measured horsepower in the lubricated system by at least 1 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases measured horsepower in the lubricated system by at least 2 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases measured horsepower in the lubricated system by at least 5 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases measured horsepower in the lubricated system by at least 10 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases measured horsepower in the lubricated system by at least 20 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases measured horsepower in the lubricated system by at least 50 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , a tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system by at least 1 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system by at least 2 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system by at least 5 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system by at least 10 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system by at least 20 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive increases torque output in the lubricated system by at least 50 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , a tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system by at least 5 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system by at least 10 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system by at least 20 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system by at least 50 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system by at least 75 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the tribologically - effective amount of additive decreases the surface roughness of an internal friction surface in the lubricated system by at least 90 % relative to lubrication by the conventional lubricant to which it is added . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 100 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 80 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 60 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 40 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 20 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 10 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 5 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 2 operating hours of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within one operating hour of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 30 operating minutes of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 10 operating minutes of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs within 5 operating minutes of the lubricated system after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . in one embodiment , the measurable change in friction , reduction in negative horsepower , or reduction in surface roughness occurs substantially instantaneously after adding the tribologically - effective amount of the additive . lubricating compositions including at least one additive , as described , improve engine performance and nano - polish lubricated metal surfaces . at least one of the additives is chemically modified in situ to form lubricating and nano - polishing particles , which have been observed on lubricated metal surfaces both by scanning electron microscopy ( sem ) and transmission electron microscopy ( tem ). observed spheroid structures on non - friction surfaces are generally in the 1 - 10 micron size range and are determined to be made primarily of carbon , oxygen , and iron . these microparticle structures are separated down to a basic particle no larger than ˜ 3 nm in dimension and hard enough to nano - polish steel surfaces to the measured surface roughness ( r a ) of 3 . 44 nm . for one embodiment , this basic particle has been analytically determined to be an sgan and , more specifically , a metallic sgan . in some embodiments , the metallic sgan is a ferric sgan . the core of the sgan can be a cubic close - packed crystal structure with a face - centered cubic metal . the cubic close - packed crystal can be of a metal oxide of the spinel family , which may include , but is not limited to , magnetite ( fe 3 o 4 ), spinel ( mgal 2 o 4 ), gahnite ( znal 2 o 4 ), hercynite ( feal 2 o 4 ), cuprospinet ( cufe 2 o 4 ), franklinite , galaxite , jacobsite ( mnfe 2 o 4 ), trevorite ( nife 2 o 4 ), ulvöspinet ( tife 2 o 4 ), zinc ferrite , chromite ( fecr 2 o 4 ), and magnesiochromite ( mgcr 2 o 4 ). in other embodiments , the core can be a non - spinel cubic crystal structure . the cubic crystal structure can include at least one iron atom . in some embodiments , the crystal core can be ferric hydroxide in spinel form ( belleville et al ., “ crystallization of ferric hydroxide into spinel by adsorption on colloidal magnetite ”, journal of colloid and interface science , vol . 150 , pp . 453 - 460 , 1992 ). in one embodiment , the crystal core can be fe x cu 1 - x rh 2 se 4 , where 0 & lt ; x ≦ 0 . 3 , in spinel form ( kim et al ., “ magnetic properties of the spinel phase for fe x cu 1 - x rh 2 se 4 ”, j . appl . phys ., vol . 64 , 342190 , 1988 ). in one embodiment , the crystal core forms in situ . in one embodiment , the additive includes a crystal core . in some embodiments , the crystal core can be formed by one or more mechanisms described by dekker (“ chapter 5 : deoxidation in low carbon steel killed with aluminum ” in ph . d . thesis , katholieke universiteit leuven , leuven , pp . 43 - 65 , belgium , 2002 ), botta et al . (“ mechanochemical synthesis of hercynite ”, materials chemistry and physics , vol . 76 , pp . 104 - 109 ), or chen et al . (“ synthesis of hercynite by reaction sintering ”, journal of the european ceramic society , vol . 31 , pp . 259 - 263 , 2011 ). in one embodiment , the shell of the sgan is believed to be a carbon fullerene or fullerene - like structure . in some embodiments , the carbon source is believed to be converted to pahs in situ as disclosed by bohme (“ pah and fullerene ions and ion / molecule reactions in interstellar and circumstellar chemistry ”, chem . rev ., vol . 92 , pp . 1487 - 1508 , 1992 ), mansurov (“ formation of soot from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as well as fullerenes and carbon nanotubes in the combustion of hydrocarbon ”, journal of engineering physics and thermodynamics , vol . 84 , pp . 125 - 159 , 2011 ), or ravindra et al . (“ atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons : source attribution , emission factors and regulation ”, atmospheric environment , vol . 42 , pp . 2895 - 2921 , 2008 ) to form graphene sheets , wherein the graphene is then converted to a fullerene in the presence of iron by a mechanism such as the one disclosed by chuvilin et al . (“ direct transformation of graphene to fullerene ”, nature chemistry , vol . 2 , pp . 450 - 453 , 2010 ). in one embodiment , the carbon deposits on the surface of an iron particle are believed to be in the form of coke such as disclosed by meima et al . (“ catalyst deactivation phenomena in styrene production ”, applied catalysis a : general , vol . 212 , pp . 239 - 245 , 2001 ). in one embodiment , the sgan is believed to be surface graphitized . in one embodiment , the carbon may be deposited on the surface of an iron particle in the form of a cross - linked styrene sphere , such as the process of friedel - crafts alkylation , cross - linking and polymerization described by barar et al . (“ freidel - crafts cross - linking for polystyrene modification ”, ind . eng . chem . prod . res . dev ., vol . 22 , pp . 161 - 166 , 1983 ). in the observed sgans , at least some of the measured iron is expected to be in the form of magnetite , which would make sgans ferrimagnetic . in other embodiments , the sgan or crosslinked styrene spheres may include one or more ferromagnetic , paramagnetic , or superparamagnetic particles . in one embodiment , the sgans are believed to form in situ , agglomerate , and are coated with graphitic carbon in the form of one or any combination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( pahs ), graphene , graphene oxide ( go ), microtubule , and fullerene to form larger microparticles . under sheer , these agglomerates are believed to break down into smaller units or shed surface layers but re - agglomerate once removed from the high - sheer environment . the magnetic nature of the sgans or iron - containing crosslinked styrene spheres makes them attractive to each other , to graphitic carbon , and to iron - containing surfaces and iron - containing particles suspended in the lubricating composition . when a ferric sgan or larger aggregate nears a steel friction surface , the particle would then be attracted to the surface and serve both to aid in lubrication and to micro - polish the friction surface . the core supporting the shell of the sgan would provide the strength required to polish steel parts . the disclosed sgans are superior nano - polishers to nanodiamonds . since the core of the sgan is not believed to be chemically bonded to its shell , the shell is believed to be able to spin independently of the core , so as to act as a nano - ball bearing . additionally , the unbound shell of the sgan is believed to be less rigid than nanodiamond and thus more able to diffuse impact forces . in one embodiment , rather than the crystalline metal - containing cores described above , the sgan may have an aromatic carbon ring - containing core . in one embodiment , the aromatic carbon ring - containing core may be a styrene - or styrene derivative - containing core . in one embodiment , the aromatic carbon ring - containing core may form in situ in the lubricating composition by self - assembly of aromatic carbon ring - containing amphiphilic molecules . in one embodiment , the aromatic carbon ring - containing amphiphilic molecules may be styrene or styrene derivative amphiphilic molecules . in one embodiment , the self - assembled core may contain reactive groups that allow the molecules to chemically cross - link to each other once self - assembled . in one embodiment , a fullerene shell may form around the self - assembled core to form a nanoparticle similar to the above - described sgans to form a nano - polishing agent . in addition to the tested additives , many other classes of additives may be used in lubricating compositions to achieve similar results . the additive preferably has a structure with at least one cyclic ring , which may be aromatic or non - aromatic , and at least one functional group extending from the ring or from a chain extending from the ring . in one embodiment , the structure includes fused rings . the additive preferably has a structure including at least one oxygen atom in addition to carbon and hydrogen . in one embodiment , other heteroatoms may be present in the chemical structure , although they may not be required to achieve the desired results and may be disfavored . in one embodiment , the additive is dissolved in the lubricating composition . in one embodiment , the additive is a liquid that is miscible with the lubricant . in one embodiment , the additive includes a particulate . since conventional engine oil filters are designed to filter out substantially all particles greater than ˜ 40 μm in size , about half of the particles ˜ 20 μm in size , and about 10 - 20 % of particles ˜ 10 μm in size , the particulate additives to the engine oil preferably have an average particle size less than ˜ 10 μm to prevent clogging of an oil filter . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 10 μm . in one embodiment , the particulate additives have an average particle size less than ˜ 5 μm . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 5 μm . in one embodiment , the particulate additives have an average particle size less than ˜ 1 μm . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 1 μm . in one embodiment , the additive comprises powdered sugar ( sucrose ). powdered sugars are commercially available in a variety of fineness and are commonly used for baking . 6 × powdered sugars have an average particle size of less than ˜ 200 μm . 10 × powdered sugars have an average particle size of less than ˜ 150 μm . fondant sugars are powdered sugars with an average particle size under ˜ 50 μm . commercially available fondant sugars include “ celebration ” ( british sugar , peterborough , uk , great britan ), a superfine sugar with an average particle size of ˜ 11 μm , “ silk sugar ” ( british sugar , peterborough , united kingdom , great britain ), an ultrafine sugar with an average particle size of ˜ 8 μm , and c & amp ; h baker &# 39 ; s drivert ( c & amp ; h sugar company , inc ., crockett , calif ., united states ) with an average particle size of ˜ 5 - 7 μm . in one embodiment , the powdered sugar has an average particle size less than ˜ 5 μm . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 5 μm . in some embodiments , the powdered sugar has an average particle size less than ˜ 1 μm . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 1 μm . in one embodiment , the powdered sugar is formed to the predetermined particle size by grinding crystalline sucrose in a dry environment . in one embodiment , the powdered sugar is ground using a known dry micro - milling technique of grinding crystals to micron or sub - micron particle sizes . in one embodiment , the powdered sugar is formed to the predetermined particle size by evaporative techniques such as evaporation of solvent from microdroplets of a dissolved sugar solution or lyophilization ( freeze - drying ) of a dissolved sugar solution . in one embodiment , sugar , preferably micro - powdered or nano - powdered sucrose , is added to a conventional lubricating fluid to serve as the carbon source for in situ formation of graphitic carbon while the lubricating composition lubricates an operating engine . in one embodiment , only sugar is added to a conventional base lubricant . in one embodiment , sugar and marvel mystery oil ( original formula , turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states , naphthenic hydrocarbon and terpene source ) are added to a conventional base lubricant . in one embodiment , sugar and mineral oil are added to a conventional base lubricant . in one embodiment , sugar is combined with an oil surfactant to compatibilize the sugar prior to addition to the base lubricant ( see hiteshkumar et al ., “ self - assembly in sugar - oil complex glasses ”, nature materials , 6 , pp . 287 - 290 , 2007 ). in one embodiment , compatibilization of the sugar prevents the sugar from clogging a filter in the lubricated system as a gel or solid . in one embodiment , the oil surfactant is a terpene . in one embodiment , the terpene is limonene . in one embodiment , the sugar and oil surfactant are combined in a ratio less than about 1 : 1 . in one embodiment , the sugar - oil surfactant mixture is in a liquid state at the time of being added to the lubricating fluid . in one embodiment , the sugar is a sugar amphiphile . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a pyranose , a furanose , a cyclic carbomer , or a benzenoid ( see katritzky et al ., “ aqueous high - temperature chemistry of carbo - and heterocycles . 20 . 1 reactions of some benzenoid hydrocarbons and oxygen - containing derivatives in supercritical water at 460 ° c .”, energy & amp ; fuels , vol . 8 , pp . 487 - 497 , 1994 ), including , but not limited to , oxygen - containing benzenoids . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a sugar other than sucrose . in one embodiment the sugar comprises a molasses or molasses substitute , which may comprise , but is not limited to , sweet sorghum , sugar beet molasses , pomegranate molasses , mulberry molasses , carob molasses , date molasses , grape molasses , backstrap molasses , black treacle , bee &# 39 ; s honey , maple syrup , or corn syrup , including , but not limited to , high - fructose corn syrup . in some embodiments , the sugar comprises an invert sugar , which may comprise , but is not limited to , inverted sugar syrup . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a deoxy sugar , which may comprise , but is not limited to , deoxyribose , fucose , or rhamnose . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a monosaccharide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , glucose , fructose , galactose , xylose , or ribose . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a disaccharide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , sucrose , lactulose , lactose , maltose , trehalose , cellobiose , or sophorose . in one embodiment , the sugar comprises a polysaccharide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , starch , glycogen , arabinoxylan , cellulose , chitin , or pectin . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a sugar alcohol , which may include , but is not limited to , erythritol , threitol , arabitol , xylitol , ribitol , mannitol , sorbitol , dulcitol , iditol , isomalt , maltitol , or lactitol . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a sugar substitute , which may include , but is not limited to , stevia , aspartame , sucralose , neotame , acesulfame potassium , or saccharin . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a sugar derivative , which may include , but is not limited to , sophoritol , a phenolic glycoside , a steviol glycoside , a saponin , a glycoside , a glucoside , or amygdalin . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a cyclomethicone , which may include , but is not limited to , phenyl trimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a steroid , which may include , but is not limited to , sapogenin or diosgenin . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a cinnamate , which may include , but is not limited to , methyl or ethyl cinnamate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises cinnamic acid . in one embodiment , the additive comprises cinnamon oil . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a phenylphopanoid , which may include , but is not limited to , cinnamic acid , coumaric acid , caffeic acid , ferulic acid , 5 - hydroxyferulic acid , sinapic acid , cinnamaldehyde , umbelliferone , resveratrol , a monolignol , which may comprise , but is not limited to , coniferyl alcohol , coumaryl alcohol , or sinapyl alcohol , or a phenylpropene , which may comprise , but is not limited to , engenol , chavicol , safrole , or estragole . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a benzoate , which may include , but is not limited to , ferric , benzyl , ethyl , methyl , phenyl , cyclohexanol , 2 - phenyl -, pentaerythritol tetra -, sodium , or potassium benzoate . in one embodiment , the additive includes benzoic acid . in some embodiments , the additive comprises aminobenzoic acid . in one embodiment , the additive comprises 2 - hydroxymethyl benzoic acid methyl ester . in one embodiment , the additive includes ubiquinone . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a carboxylate , including but not limited to trimethyl cis , cis - 1 , 3 , 5 - cyclohexanetricarboxylate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a benzopyran , which may include , but is not limited to , chromene , isochromene , or a substituted benzopyran . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a naturally - occurring or synthetic flavone or isoflavone , which may include , but is not limited to , flavan - 3 - ol or flavanone . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a salicylate , which may include , but is not limited to , ferric , methyl , ethyl , butyl , cinnamyl , cyclohexyl , ethylhexyl , heptyl , isoamyl , octyl , benzyl , phenyl , p - cresol , o - cresol , m - cresol , or sodium salicylate . in one embodiment , the additive includes salicylic acid . in one embodiment , the additive includes aminosalicylic acid . in one embodiment , the additive comprises an antioxidant . in one embodiment , the antioxidant is a cyclic antioxidant . in one embodiment , the antioxidant is a phenolic antioxidant , which may include , but is not limited to , 2 , 6 - di - terti - butylphenol , 2 - tert - butyl - 4 , 6 - dimethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - ethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - n - butylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - 1 - butylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - cyclopentyl - 4 - methylphenol , 2 -( α - methylcyclohexyl )- 4 , 6 - dimethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - octadecyl - methylphenol , 2 , 4 , 6 - tri - cyclohexylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methoxymethylphenol , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methoxyphenol , 2 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - hydroquinone , 2 , 5 - di - tert - amyl - hydroquinone , 2 , 6 - diphenyl - 4 - octadecyloxyphenol , 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 4 - methylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 4 - ethylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -[ 4 - methyl - 6 - α - methylcyclohexyl )- phenol ], 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 4 - methyl - 6 - cyclohexylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - nonyl - 4 - methylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -[ 6 - α - methylbenzyl )- 4 - nonylphenol ], 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis [ 6 -( α , α - dimethylbenzyl )- 4 - nonylphenol ], 2 , 2 ′- methylene - bis -( 4 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- ethylidene - bis -( 4 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol ), 2 , 2 ′- ethylidene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 4 - isobutylphenol ), 4 , 4 ′- methylene - bis -( 2 , 6 - di - tert - butylphenol ), 4 , 4 ′- methylene - bis -( 6 - tert - butyl - 2 - methylphenol ), 1 , 1 - bis -( 5 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - 2 - methylphenyl )- butane , 2 , 6 - di -( 3 - tert - butyl - 5 - methyl - 2 - hydroxybenzyl )- 4 - methylphenol , 1 , 1 , 3 - tris -( 5 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - 2 - methylphenyl )- butane , and any naturally - occurring plant - based phenolic antioxidant , which may include , but is not limited to , ascorbic acid , a tocopherol , a tocotrienol , rosemarinic acid , and other phenolic acids and flavonoids , such as those found , for example , in grapes , berries , olives , soy , tea leaves , rosemary , basil , oregano , cinnamon , cumin , and turmeric . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a cyclic amino acid , which may include , but is not limited to , phenylalanine , tryptophan , or tyrosine . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a cyclohexane derivative , which may include , but is not limited to , 1 , 3 - cyclohexadiene or 1 , 4 - cyclohexadiene . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a benzene derivative which may include , but is not limited to , a polyphenol , benzaldehyde , benzotriazole , benzyl 1 - naphthyl carbonate , benzene , ethyl benzene , toluene , styrene , benzonitrile , phenol , phthalic anhydride , phthalic acid , terephthalic acid , p - toluic acid , benzoic acid , aminobenzoic acid , benzyl chloride , isoindole , ethyl phthalyl ethyl glycolate , n - phenyl benzamine , methoxybenzoquinone , benzylacetone , benzylideneacetone , hexyl cinnamaldehyde , 4 - amino - 2 - hydroxytoluene , 3 - aminophenol , or vanillin . in one embodiment , the benzene derivative additive comprises a benzenediol , which may include 1 , 2 - dihydroxybenzene ( catechol ), 1 , 3 - dihydroxybenzene ( resorcinol ), or 1 , 4 - dihydroxybenzene ( hydroquinone ). in one embodiment , the additive comprises a naphthoate , including but not limited to methyl 2 - methoxy - 1 - naphthoate or methyl 3 - methoxy - 2 - naphthoate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises an acrylate , including but not limited to benzyl 2 - propylacrylate or 2 - naphthyl methacrylate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a phthalate , including but not limited to diallyl phthalate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a succinate , including but not limited to bis ( 2 - carboxyphenyl ) succinate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a carpate , including but not limited to methyl o - methylpodocarpate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a fluorophore , which may include , but is not limited to , fluorescein isothiocyanate , rhodamine , phthalocyanine , or copper phthalocyanine . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a pharmaceutical , which may include , but is not limited to , acetylsalicylic acid , acetaminophen , ibuprofen , or a benzodiazepine . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a phosphate , which may include , but is not limited to , a cresyldiphenyl phosphate , a dicresyl phosphate , a triorthocresyl phosphate , a tricresyl phosphate , a paracresyl phosphate , an orthocresyl phosphate , or a metacresyl phosphate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a compound that degrades to one or more of the above - mentioned additives under the heat of the operating conditions of the engine or mechanical system , such as certain terpenes or certain natural aromatic or non - aromatic cyclic esters , ketones , or aldehydes , which may include , but is not limited to , methyl salicylate ( wintergreen oil ), cinnamon leaf / bark oil ( cinnamaldehyde ), limonene ( dipentene ), pinene , and camphene . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial edible personal / sexual lubricating composition including a sugar or sugar - substitute amphiphile . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial ultraviolet ray sunscreen formulation , which may include octyl methoxycinnamate ( oxctinoxate ), butyl - methoxydibenzoylmethane ( b - mdm , avobenzone ), octyl - dimethyl - para - aminobenzoic acid ( od - paba ), octocrylene , oxybenzone , alkyl benzoate , diethylhexyl 2 , 6 - naphthalate , phenoxy - ethanol , homosalate , ethylhexyl triazone , 4 - methyl - benzylidene camphor ( 4 - mbc ), or a polysorbate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial skin cream formulation , which may include , but is not limited to carbomer , ascorbyl palmitate , tocopheryl acetate , ketoconazole , or mineral oil . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial hand sanitizer formulation , which may include carbomer , tocopheryl acetate , or propylene glycol . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial human or animal hair care product , which may include benzophenone , alkyl benzoate , phenoxyethanol , sorbitan oleate , a styrene copolymer , propylene glycol , hydroxyisohexyl - 3 - cyclohexene carboxaldehyde , butylated hydroxytoluene , ketoconazole , petrolatum , mineral oil , or paraffinum liquidum . in one embodiment , the commercial hair care product is a curl activating or relaxing solution , which may include carbomer , hexyl cinnamal , benzyl salicylate , trolamine salicylate , benzyl benzoate , limonene , eugenol , 1 , 3 - bis ( hydroxymethyl )- 5 , 5 - dimethyl - limidazolidine - 2 , 4 - dione ( dmdm hydantoin ), para - aminobenzoic acid ( paba ), 2 - ethylhexyl 4 - dimethylaminobenzoate ( padimate o ), butylphenyl methylpropional , propylparaben , phenolsulfonphthalein ( psp , phenol red ), or a polysorbate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial hair dye formulation , which may include hydrated iron oxide ( fe ( oh ) 3 ), para - phenylenediamine , ortho -, meta -, or para - aminophenol , 4 - amino - 2 - hydroxytoluene , trideceth - 2 carboxamide mea , phenyl methyl pyrazolone , phenoxyethanol , a polyquaternium , hexyl cinnamal , butylphenyl methylpropional , phenolsulfonphthalein ( psp , phenol red ), hydroxyisohexyl 3 - cyclohexene carboxaldehyde , titanium dioxide , or iron oxide . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a commercial pesticide , which may include , but is not limited to , ortho - phenylphenol ( opp ), phenylhydroquinone ( phq ) or phenylbenzoquinone ( pbq ). in one embodiment , the additive comprises a compound with a two - dimensional structure , which may include , but is not limited to , lignin , graphene , or graphene oxide . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a carbon form , which may include , but is not limited to , peat , lignite , bituminous coal , sub - bituminous coal , pulverized coal , nano - coal , steam coal , cannel coal , anthracite , charcoal , carbon black , activated charcoal , black liquor , graphite , graphene , graphene oxide , or sugar char . in one embodiment , the carbon form serves as a heat transfer agent in the lubricating composition . in one embodiment , the carbon form comprises a nanopowder . in one embodiment , the carbon form has an increased surface area . in one embodiment , the carbon form comprises a nano - activated charcoal . the nano - activated charcoal may comprise particles of activated charcoal that have been ground from a conventional activated charcoal to nanoparticle size . the activated charcoal may be ground using any conventional method to produce nanometer - sized particles . in one embodiment , the activated charcoal is ground using known wet or dry nano - milling techniques of grinding solids to sub - micron particle sizes . in one embodiment , the nano - activated charcoal has an average particle size less than ˜ 100 nm . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 100 nm . in some one embodiment , the nano - activated charcoal has an average particle size less than ˜ 50 nm . in one embodiment , substantially all of the particles have a size less than ˜ 50 nm . in one embodiment , the carbon form comprises graphitic carbon . in one embodiment , the graphitic carbon comprises at least one pah , which may include , but is not limited to , naphthalene , acenaphthylene , acenaphthene , fluorine , phenanthrene , anthracene , fluoranthene , pyrene , benzo [ a ] anthracene , chrysene , benzo [ b ] fluoranthene , benzo [ k ] fluoranthene , benzo [ j ] fluoranthene , benzo [ a ] pyrene , benzo [ e ] pyrene , dibenz [ a , h ] anthracene , benzo [ g , h , i ] perylene , indeno [ 1 , 2 , 3 - c , d ] pyrene , tetracene , coronene , corannulene , pentacene , triphenylene , and ovalene . in one embodiment , the carbon form comprises a biochar or biocoal product of a hydrothermal carbonization process . in one embodiment , the additive provides the same benefits provided by tricresyl phosphate ( tcp ) to the lubricating system . tcp is considered a carcinogen and a factor in aerotoxic syndrome and is being phased out of use in many lubricating systems . in some embodiments , the additive comprises a “ dirty ” or poorly - refined form of mineral oil with high levels of pah contamination . industrially - produced white mineral oil includes very low levels of pahs , which must be essentially completely removed in order to sell the mineral oil as “ usp ” or “ food grade ”. in one embodiment , the separated waste mineral oils from these processes ( having the highest concentrations of pahs ) are used unprocessed and directly as additives or in combination with other additives . the white mineral oil component in this waste product serves as a wetting agent in the lubricating composition and the pahs serve as a heat transfer agent and graphitic carbon source in the formation of sgans and sgan - containing microsphere agglomerates . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a compatibilizer . a compatibilizer , as used herein , refers to a compound that aids in the dispersal of a carbon source in a lubricant or lubricating composition . in some embodiments , the compatibilizer is an amphiphile . in some embodiments , the compatibilizer comprises a surfactant . in some embodiments , the compatibilizer comprises a lipid . in some embodiments , the compatibilizer comprises a polymer . in some embodiments , the compatibilizer also serves as a carbon source . in some embodiments , the compatibilizer comprises a sugar amphiphile . a sugar amphiphile or a sugar - like amphiphile may be any molecule with a hydrophilic sugar portion and a hydrophobic portion , including , but not limited to , those described by fenimore (“ interfacial self - assembly of sugar - based amphiphiles : solid - and liquid - core capsules ”, university of cincinnati ph . d . thesis dated oct . 16 , 2009 ), jadhav et al . (“ sugar - derived phase - selective molecular gelators as model solidifiers for oil spills ”, angew . chem . int . ed ., vol . 49 , pp . 7695 - 7698 , 2010 ), jung et al . (“ self - assembling structures of long - chain sugar - based amphiphiles influenced by the introduction of double bonds ”, chem . eur . j ., vol . 11 , pp . 5538 - 5544 , 2005 ), paleta et al . (“ novel amphiphilic fluoroalkylated derivatives of xylitol , d - glucose and d - galactose for medical applications : hemocompatibility and co - emulsifying properties ”, carbohydrate research , vol . 337 , pp . 2411 - 2418 , 2002 ), germaneau (“ amphiphilic sugar metal carbenes : from fischer type to n - heterocyclic carbenes ( nhcs )”, rheinische friederich - wilhems - universitat bonn ph . d . thesis , 2007 ), and ye et al . (“ synthesis of sugar - containing amphiphiles for liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide ”, ind . eng . chem . res ., vol . 39 , pp . 4564 - 4566 , 2000 ). sugar amphiphiles may also include , but are not limited to , sophorolipids ( zhang et al ., “ synthesis and interfacial properties of sophorolipid derivatives ”, colloids and surfaces a : physicochem . eng . aspects , vol . 240 , pp . 75 - 82 , 2004 ), or rhamnolipids ( christova et al ., “ rhamnolipid biosurfactants produced by renibacterium salmoninarum 27bn during growth on n - hexadecane ”, zeitschrift fur naturforschung teil c biochemie biophysik biologie virologie , vol . 59 , pp . 70 - 74 , 2004 ). in one embodiment , the compatibilizer comprises a non - sugar graphene - promoting amphiphile . a graphene - promoting amphiphile may be any molecule with a hydrophilic graphene - promoting portion and a hydrophobic portion , which may include , but is not limited to , cetyltrimethylammonium bromide or those marketed by dow chemical company ( midland , mich ., united states ) under the trademarks triton ™ or tergitol ™, including , but not limited to , the triton ™ x series of octylphenol ethoxylates and the tergitol ™ np series of nonylphenol ethoxylates . in some embodiments , the graphene - promoting amphiphile is a non - ionic amphiphile . graphene - promoting amphiphiles may also comprise , but are not limited to , glycerol monostearate and nonoxyphenol surfactant . in one embodiment , the compatibilizer is used in combination with a particulate additive . in one embodiment , the compatibilizer promotes solubilization of the particulate additive in the base lubricant . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a metal oxide , which may comprise , but is not limited to , iron oxide , aluminum oxide , copper oxide , nickel oxide , titanium oxide , and lead oxide . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a form of iron . in some lubricating systems , such as many jet engine turbines , little or no iron is inherently present in the system . carbon - encapsulated iron particles formed in situ , however , are believed to provide the nano - polishing ability to lubricating compositions of the invention . therefore , in one embodiment , the lubricating fluid is supplemented with an iron - containing additive . in one embodiment , the iron - containing additive comprises an iron oxide . in one embodiment , the iron oxide is bayferrox ® iron oxide powder pigment ( lanxess , cologne , germany ). in one embodiment , the iron - containing additive comprises an iron oxide nanopowder . in one embodiment , the iron source comprises an iron complex molecule . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a cyclic iron - containing compound , including , but not limited to , ( η 2 - trans - cyclooctene ) 2 fe ( co ) 3 ; ( benzylideneacetone ) iron tricarbonyl , ferric enterochelin , tricarbonylbis [( 1 , 2 - h )- cycloctene ]- iron , iron ( 4 +) cyclooctane - 1 , 2 - diide — carbon monoxide , sodium ferrate ( 1 -); sodium bis ( 3 -( 4 , 5 - dihydro - 4 -(( 2 - hydroxy - 5 - nitrophenyl ) azo )- 3 - methyl - 5 - oxo - 1h - pyrazol - 1 - yl ) benzene - 1 - sulphonamidato ( 2 -)) ferrate ( 1 -); ferritin ; ( cyclo - 1 , 3 - c 4 h 8 — s 2 ) fe ( co ) 4 ; iron 2 , 4 - dinitrobenzene - 1 , 3 - diol ; iron phthalocyanine ; ferrocene ; ferric benzoate ; ferric salicylate ; cyclic ferrates ; or iron protein succinylate . in one embodiment , the additive comprises an acyclic iron - containing compound , including , but not limited to , diiron nonacarbonyl , iron pentacarbonyl , acyclic ferrates , liquid iron , iron oxalate , hydrated iron oxide ( fe ( oh ) 3 ), or an iron - containing nutritional supplement . in one embodiment , the iron - containing nutritional supplement comprises carbonyl iron . in one embodiment , the iron - containing complex is a catecholate - iron complex . in one embodiment , the additive comprises a siderophore , which may include , but is not limited to , 2 , 3 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( 2 , 3 ′- dhb ), n , n ′, n ″-(( 3s , 7s , 11s )- 2 , 6 , 10 - trioxo - 1 , 5 , 9 - trioxacyclododecane - 3 , 7 , 11 - triyl ) tris ( 2 , 3 - dihydroxybenzamide ) ( enerobactin ), or 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( 2 , 4 ′- dhb ). in one embodiment , the additive comprises an anthelmintic , including , but not limited to , 2 - deoxy - paraherquamide ( phq ). in one embodiment , the additive comprises an aromatic amino acid precursor , including , but not limited to , ( 3r , 4r )- 3 -[( 1 - carboxyvinyl ) oxy ]- 4 - hydroxycyclohexa - 1 , 5 - diene - 1 - carboxylic acid ( chorismic acid ). in one embodiment , the additive comprises a molecule capable of sequestering iron , which may include , but is not limited to , ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid , 2 - aminophenol ( see pulgarin et al ., “ iron oxide - mediated degradation , photodegradation , and biodegradation of aminophenols ”, langmuir , vol . 11 , pp . 519 - 526 , 1995 and andreozzi et al ., “ iron ( iii ) ( hydr ) oxide - mediated photooxidation of 2 - aminophenol in aqueous solution : a kinetic study ”, water research , vol . 37 , pp . 3682 - 3688 , 2003 ), or tetraphenyl oxo - metalloporphyrins . in one embodiment , the additive comprises nanodiamond intended to serve as the nucleating core of nanoparticles or microparticles incorporating the graphitic carbon formed in situ in the lubricating composition . the ex situ pyrolytic synthesis of sgans and sgan - containing agglomerates also accommodates the use of such molecules in non - lubricating applications . in one embodiment , the particles or agglomerates can be applied to the surface of a material as a coating to strengthen the material or increase the heat shielding or heat absorption of the material . in one embodiment , the coating can be a thermal coating , a drill coating , or a torch - resistant coating . in one embodiment , the material can be a ballistic projectile , which may include , but is not limited to , bullets and missiles . in one embodiment , the material can be an anti - ballistic device , including , but not limited to , military tank armor or personal armor , including , but not limited to , bullet - resistant vests or plates . in one embodiment , the material can be a tool , including , but not limited to , a cutting bit , a tunneling device , an abrasive polish , an abrasive paper , or a boring device . in one embodiment , the material can be a thermal shield , such as a re - entry heat shield panel , a nosecone , or a rocket engine cone for a spacecraft . in one embodiment , the particles or agglomerates can be combined with a material to form a composite material with greater strength or greater heat shielding or heat absorption properties than the base material itself . in some embodiments , the material can be a tire , fireproofing , firefighting equipment , or firefighting apparel . in one embodiment , the sgans or sgan - containing agglomerates of the invention can be used in electrochemical systems . in one embodiment , the sgans or sgan - containing agglomerates of the invention can be used as nano - batteries to hold an electrical charge . several lubricating compositions , including sacrificial carbon sources with structures expected to promote graphitic carbon formation under engine operating conditions , were tested in a series of motor scooters or motorized dirt bikes . these tests were conducted to test the efficacy of the compositions in small internal combustion engines , engines of a size and configuration such that improvements in friction reduction would be sufficiently obvious to a mechanic or operator without employing an external dynamometer to measure the changes . the conventional valvoline ® ( ashland inc ., lexington , ky ., united states ) 10w - 40 motor oil of a poorly functioning 8 , 850 mile 1999 honda elite 80 ( model ch80 ) ( honda de mexico , s . a . de c . v ., guadalajara , jalisco - mexico ) motor scooter was replaced with a lubricating composition of the invention . prior to addition of the lubricating composition , the engine of the motor scooter would barely maintain idle . when tested , the scooter would start , but soon after , would stall . when the motor scooter did operate , the top indicated speed was approximately 30 miles per hour . the lubricating composition tested included several hundred milligrams of whole foods market ( austin , tex ., united states ) organic powdered sugar ( powdered sucrose and tapioca ) mixed with walgreens ( deerfield , ill ., united states ) intestinal lubricant ( usp mineral oil ) mixed into motul ( aubervilliers , france ) 5100 10w - 40 semi - synthetic motor oil . the lubricating composition had an opaque appearance due to the large presence of sugar suspended in the solution . upon addition of the lubricating composition to the motor scooter , the engine was started and was then able to maintain an idle . immediately thereafter , the motor scooter was taken for a performance evaluation test ride . the lubricating composition was found to almost instantly increase the top speed of the motor scooter from 30 to 35 mph indicated . a distinct difference in the sound of the engine was also noted , with the engine sounding much smoother and quieter with use of the lubricating composition . after the test ride , the lubricating composition was drained from the engine when a characteristic epoxy - like smell was noted in the oil . this characteristic epoxy - like odor was expected and is believed to indicate the presence of epoxy - type precursor compounds in the oil , having formed from the incomplete pyrolysis of some of the remaining sugar molecules in the lubricating composition . another lubricating composition tested in the same 1999 honda elite 80 motor scooter ( model ch80 ) ( honda de mexico , s . a . de c . v ., guadalajara , jalisco - mexico ) consisted of one individual serving packet ( one gram ) of sweet &# 39 ; n low ( cumberland packing corp ., brooklyn , n . y ., united states ) zero calorie sweetener ( dextrose , saccharin , cream of tartar , calcium silicate ) in a few milliliters of citrasolv ® ( danbury , conn ., united states ) natural cleaner and degreaser ( d - limonene source ), that was then combined with a valvoline ® ( ashland inc ., lexington , ky ., united states ) 10w - 40 conventional motor oil . the motor scooter operated similarly on the saccharin - containing lubricating composition to the sugar - containing lubricating composition described above . after testing , this lubricating composition was drained from the motor scooter with little visible particulate noted . the drained oil was otherwise unremarkable , save the strong citrus smell from the limonene - containing citrasolv ® cleaner and degreaser . yet another lubricating composition was tested in the same 1999 honda elite 80 ( model ch80 ) ( honda de mexico , s . a . de c . v ., guadalajara , jalisco - mexico ) motor scooter , that included whole foods market ( austin , tex ., united states ) organic powdered sugar ( powdered sucrose and tapioca ) mixed with activated charcoal as an additive to valvoline ® ( ashland inc ., lexington , ky ., united states ) 10w - 40 conventional motor oil . according to the valvoline ® motor oil &# 39 ; s material safety data sheet , the oil has a reported flash point of 204 ° c . ( 399 . 2 ° f .) and a reported boiling point of 299 ° c . ( 570 . 2 ° f .). the normal operating temperature of the air - cooled engine &# 39 ; s cylinder head was measured to be ˜ 80 ° c . ( 176 ° f .). during the test , the engine cowling was modified to completely block all air flow from the cooling fan to the cylinder head . this meant that as the engine ran , the air surrounding the cylinder head was trapped and began to heat - up . the rising temperature of the cylinder head was monitored by a cen - tech ( zhangzhou eastern intelligent meter co . ltd ., zhangzhou , fujian , china ) 96451 non - contact infrared thermometer with laser targeting . the engine was run in this condition until the cylinder head reached a measured temperature of approximately 225 ° c . ( 437 ° f .). at this point in temperature , smoke was observed billowing from the crankcase breather valve and the plastic cowling around the engine was seen to begin melting . while in this condition and at this temperature , the engine was again run wot ( wide - open throttle ) and the engine continued to run without seizing . a short time thereafter , the engine was turned off and allowed to cool down . then the motor scooter was test ridden for a few miles during which it was observed to run perfectly smoothly with no noted degradation in performance . in yet another lubricating composition , ˜ 200 ml of whole foods market , lp ( austin , tex ., united states ) apricot kernel oil ( amygdalin source ) was combined with ˜ 550 ml of valvoline ® ( ashland inc ., lexington , ky ., united states ) 10w - 40 conventional motor oil . this lubricating composition was placed in a 125 mile 2011 jmstar ( shanghai jmstar motorcycle co ., ltd ., shanghai , china ) 150 cubic centimeter displacement gy6 - style engine motor scooter . although no measured increase in indicated top speed of the motor scooter was discernible during the evaluation test ride , the engine sounded qualitatively better and smoother using the lubricating composition , than with the conventional oil alone . in another lubricating composition , several ounces of roddenberry &# 39 ; s cane patch invert sugar cane syrup ( bay valley foods , llc , green bay , wis ., united states ) and ˜ 100 ml of marvel ® mystery oil ( turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states , naphthenic carbon source ) were combined with valvoline ® ( ashland inc ., lexington , ky ., united states ) 10w - 40 conventional motor oil . this lubricating composition was placed in a baja motor sports ( phoenix , ariz ., united states ) dirt runner 125 cubic centimeter displacement motorized dirt bike . prior to the test , the dirt bike ran , but not particularly well . once the lubricating composition was added to the engine , the engine sounded qualitatively better and ran smoother than with the conventional lubricant . at the conclusion of the performance evaluation test rides , the oil was drained from the dirt bike &# 39 ; s engine and the anticipated and characteristic epoxy - like smell was again noted , indicating the presence of phenolic resin / epoxy precursors in the lubricant . in another lubricating composition , approximately 50 ml of spectrum usp - grade benzyl benzoate ( spectrum chemical mfg . corp ., new brunswick , n . j ., united states ) was mixed with 50 ml of 5w - 30 g - oil ® ( green earth technologies , celebration , fla ., united states ) ultimate biodegradable green motor oil , a conventional tallow - based motor oil . the approximately 100 ml of lubricating composition was then added to the existing engine oil in a 125 mile 2011 jmstar ( shanghai jmstar motorcycle co ., ltd ., shanghai , china ) 150 cubic centimeter displacement gy6 - style engine motor scooter . this lubricating composition qualitatively seemed to perform the best of all the lubricating compositions tested . a significant change in engine noise was observed after addition of the lubricating composition and the maximum engine rpms were later noted to have increased by 1000 rpm from approximately 10 , 000 rpm to 11 , 000 rpm . in another lubricating composition , approximately 20 drops of aura cacia organic cinnamon leaf oil ( frontier natural products co - op , norway , iowa , united states , methyl cinnamate source ) and approximately 10 ml of walgreens ( deerfield , ill ., united states ) intestinal lubricant ( usp mineral oil ), were combined with ˜ 200 ml of green 5w - 30 g - oil ® ( green earth technologies , celebration , fla ., united states ) ultimate biodegradable green motor oil . this lubricating composition was placed in a baja motor sports ( phoenix , ariz ., united states ) dirt runner 125 cubic centimeter displacement motorized dirt bike . this lubricating composition performed similarly to the previous lubricating composition including benzyl benzoate , yet a pungent cinnamon - like odor was noted while operating . in another lubricating composition , approximately 100 ml of a mixture of spectrum ® usp - grade benzyl benzoate ( spectrum chemical manufacturing corp ., new brunswick , n . j ., united states ), walgreens ( deerfield , ill ., united states ) intestinal lubricant ( usp mineral oil ), and lucas automatic transmission fluid conditioner ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states , antioxidant source ) was added to the engine base lubricant of a new ( 2 - mile ) 2011 50 cc - engine scooter , model gmw - m2 ( taizhou zhongneng motorcycle company , ltd ., taizhou , china ) with a modified transmission and exhaust system . an almost instant increase in horsepower of the engine was noted and the top speed of the scooter almost instantly increased from 33 to 39 mph , indicated , an 18 % increase . in another lubricating composition , a formulation comprising three quarts of a zddp - containing high grade synthetic motorcycle motor oil mixed with about one quart of a mixture comprising marvel mystery oil original formula , turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states ), lucas synthetic oil stabilizer ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states ), lucas automatic transmission fluid conditioner ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states ), and zmax ® ( oil - chem research corporation , bedford park , ill ., united states ), in a volume ratio of about 60 : 17 : 70 : 30 was used to replace the existing motor oil in a 1999 yamaha r1 ( yamaha motor co ., ltd ., iwata , japan ) test motorcycle with a 1000 cc engine . engine performance testing with this formulation was accomplished using a dynojet 250i dynamometer ( dynojet research inc ., las vegas , nev ., united states ) to measure the power and torque output at the rear wheel of the test motorcycle both 10 minutes after the oil change and again one week after the oil change . a summary of the dynamometer test results for these two test runs is shown in table 2 ( a ) and table 2 ( b ): as can be seen in table 2 ( a ), an increased output of about 1 horsepower and about 1 ft - lb of torque is observed in the 10 - minute test , in comparison to the horsepower and torque previously measured on the motorcycle using another commercially - available high grade motorcycle motor oil . the effect of the new lubrication composition was even more dramatic after 7 days of use . at the subsequent 1 - week test , an additional increase in registered horsepower and torque output of 3 % to 4 % over the 10 - minute test values was observed . specifically , the registered horsepower increased by about 3 to 5 hp across the entire range of engine speeds tested ( 4500 rpm to about 11 , 000 rpm ). as seen in table 2 ( b ), a horsepower output of 102 . 96 was measured at 7500 rpm during the 10 - minute test , compared to a horsepower output of 107 . 90 measured at 7500 rpm during the subsequent 1 - week test . the maximum torque increased from about 74 . 04 to about 75 . 3 ft - lbs from the 10 - minute test to the 1 - week test . in another lubricating composition , about three to about four ounces of a mixture of marvel mystery oil ( original formula , turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states ), lucas synthetic oil stabilizer ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states ), lucas automatic transmission fluid conditioner ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states ), zmax ® micro - lubricant ( oil - chem research corporation , bedford park , ill ., united states ), were combined with marvel air tool oil ( turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states ), in a volume ratio of about 12 : 3 : 14 : 10 : 9 and then added to the existing engine lubricant in a 2006 audi a4 2 . 0 liter turbo ( audi ag , ingolstadt , germany ) test automobile , producing phenomenal performance and fuel economy results . this additive package , as well as similar additive concentrate formulations , may be added directly to the motor oil already in a vehicle to improve engine performance without the need for replacing the existing motor oil . in yet another lubricating composition , a concentrated additive package not intended to influence the performance of any existing base motor oil or its additives , was accomplished by using about one quart of a mixture of marvel mystery oil ( original formula , turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states ), lucas synthetic oil stabilizer ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states ), lucas automatic transmission fluid conditioner ( lucas oil products , inc ., corona , calif ., united states ), and marvel air tool oil ( turtle wax , inc ., westmont , ill ., united states ), in a volume ratio of about 12 : 3 : 14 : 16 . this concentrated additive package was added to a high - quality , non - zddp - containing , synthetic motor oil and introduced into a 2006 audi a4 2 . 0 liter turbo ( audi ag , ingolstadt , germany ) test automobile , producing phenomenal performance and fuel economy results . this additive package , as well as similar additive concentrate formulations , may be added directly to the motor oil already in a vehicle to improve engine performance without the need for replacing the existing motor oil . subsequently , metal engine components from the audi a4 test automobile ( audi ag , ingolstadt , germany ) were removed and subjected to non - destructive scientific analyses . in this case , a machined steel camshaft cam follower and cam follower retaining ring were removed from the test automobile after 150 , 000 miles of use with various incarnations of the lubricating composition . according to the manufacturer , these parts are made of stainless steel . the results of those analyses follow . the first of the scientific analyses of the engine components was a surface roughness analysis using a newview ™ 7300 white light optical surface profiling interferometer ( zygo ® corporation , middlefield , conn ., united states ). the removed cam follower &# 39 ; s friction and non - friction surfaces were evaluated and compared using the interferometer . the arithmetic mean ( r a ), peak - valley ( pv ), and root - mean - squared ( rms ) average surface roughnesses were determined . the results and findings are summarized in fig2 , fig2 , and table 3 . as can be seen , an almost two order of magnitude improvement in surface smoothness was achieved using formulations of the present invention . average surface roughness ( r a ) was reduced from a minimum starting value of at least r a = 221 . 6 nm to a measured end value of r a = 3 . 44 nm . fig2 shows that the non - wear surface , which did not make repeated close contact with the walls of the cylinder head during operation of the automobile , was measured to have an r a value of 221 . 6 nm , which is typical for such an engine part in a high - quality automobile ( average automobile cam follower tolerances r a = 300 to 400 nm ). the graphical representation in the bottom left quadrant of fig2 shows what can be considered an estimation of the approximate beginning surface roughness measurements for the cam follower section evaluated , that is to say , its estimated relative condition upon assembly into the test automobile &# 39 ; s engine . fig2 , however , shows that the wear surface , which was in constant frictional contact with the walls of the cylinder head during operation of the engine , was measured to have an r a value of 3 . 44 nm , almost two orders of magnitude lower than the measured roughness of the non - wear surface , which indicates the approximate and estimated original state of the cam follower at time of manufacture and assembly of the engine . the original machining asperities observed in fig2 are oriented perpendicularly to the asperities observed in fig2 , indicating that the original machining asperities in the wear surface were completely removed at one point in the polishing process . these data indicate that the wear surface of the cam follower has been super - polished during operation of the engine . while super - polishing of surfaces of materials such as fused silica , silicon , and silicon carbide down to a surface roughness r a value of 0 . 4 nm is possible under highly controlled laboratory circumstances , polished metal surfaces typically have a much higher r a value in the range of hundreds of nanometers . liu et al . ( simtech technical reports , vol . 8 , no . 3 , pp . 142 - 148 , july - september 2007 ) report a two - step super - polishing process capable of producing ( under laboratory conditions ) a stainless steel lens mould insert with a surface roughness r a value of 8 . 5 nm . since two pieces of metal in contact are not capable of producing surfaces of the smoothness observed in fig2 without a polishing agent , the wear surface of the cam follower was tested further to try to determine the polishing agent in the lubricating composition capable of producing a surface as smooth as surface achieved in the test of the invention . the wear surface of a cam follower is typically made of surface - hardened steel , and the nanoparticle polishing agents , one of which is referenced herein as an sgan , in order to be able to polish a surface , is expected to be harder than the surface being polished . the 2 - dimensional surface topology of the wear surface in fig2 shows a number of circular features in the size range of one or two nanometers in diameter , which is on the scale of the expected size of the sgan or other abrasive nanoparticles that would be necessary in order to achieve such a low surface roughness r a value . the non - wear surface from a retaining ring of the cam follower was studied using a philips ® xl series xl 30 esem - feg ( fei ™ company , hillsboro , oreg ., united states ), using edax ® genesis ™ version 4 . 61 software ( amatek ® inc ., mahwah , n . j ., united states ) and a scandium imaging platform . the resulting electron microscope images of surfaces of the retaining ring are shown in fig2 through 41 . the accompanying elemental analysis from energy - dispersive x - ray spectroscopy ( eds ) for the four surfaces showed only carbon , oxygen , and iron in the weight ( wt %) and atomic ( at %) percentages shown in table 4 ( a ) for the areas in the black boxes sampled in fig2 through 25 , respectively , except for fig2 , which showed traces (& lt ; 1 at %) of potassium and chromium . the images show spheroid structures on the non - wear surface with diameters in the range of ˜ 2 - 3 microns . fig2 through 37 show additional sem images of the cam follower retaining ring surface . in fig2 through 37 , the length scale “ mm ” in the figures is actually in micrometers . during the lubrication process , these larger structures are broken down into smaller nanostructures . since the sampled areas from fig2 through 25 showed varying ratios of carbon , oxygen , and iron , subsequent experiments were run to sample different areas of the same structure to determine whether the structures were homogeneous . fig3 a - c , fig3 a - g , and fig4 a - c show the structures with the areas in the black boxes being the sampled areas . fig3 a , 38 b , and 38 c show three different sampled areas from a single large spheroid , that is ˜ 2 microns in diameter . as shown in table 4 ( b ), only carbon , oxygen , and iron were detected . in fig3 a , an average of most of the surface was taken , whereas in fig3 b , a smaller portion of the surface was sampled with similar results . finally , a small protrusion extending from the bottom of the spheroid was sampled as shown in fig3 c . this small protrusion has almost ten times the amount of iron as in the other two sampled areas . fig3 a , 39 b , 39 c , 39 d , 39 e , 39 f , and 39 g show seven different sampled areas of a large , irregular crystalline structure that is more than 13 microns wide . as shown in table 4 ( c ), carbon , oxygen , calcium , and iron were detected in all of the samples except for fig3 e , which had no iron . additionally , chlorine was detected in each of these samples in an amount to bring the totals to 100 %. the ratio of calcium to chlorine ranged from about 1 : 1 to about 6 : 1 . within this range , ratios of calcium to chlorine of about 1 . 5 : 1 , about 2 : 1 , and about 3 : 1 were also observed . the amount of iron detected was fairly minimal in comparison to the fig3 series , except for the 12 . 69 at % for the sampled area of fig3 c . fig4 a , 40 b , and 40 c show three different sampled areas from a single smaller spheroid that is ˜ 1 . 3 microns in diameter . as shown in table 4 ( d ), only carbon , oxygen , and iron were detected . as shown in fig4 a , the spheroid was sampled in the middle with results similar to that of the sampled area of fig3 a , although the iron content was higher and the oxygen content was lower . as shown in fig4 b , the spheroid was sampled at the upper right edge with an iron content almost five times higher than the area shown in fig4 a , similar to what was observed for the area in fig3 c . finally , as shown in fig4 c , the spheroid was sampled at the left edge with an iron content almost twice as high as in the area of fig4 a but much lower than the area of fig4 b . finally , fig4 shows a large sampled area of a large , rhombus - shaped crystalline structure that is between 4 and 5 microns wide . as shown in table 4 ( c ), only carbon , oxygen , and iron were detected . the ratios were similar to those of the low - iron areas of the spheroids , except the iron content was even lower in this case . subsequently , hexane was added to a sample of the used lubrication composition . the mixture was centrifuged , and a sediment fraction and a fluid fraction of the centrifuged mixture were tested with time - of - flight ( tof ) secondary ion mass spectrometry ( sims ) and transmission electron microscopy ( tem ) with an fei ™ cm20 tem with edax ® genesis ™ software . although these tests did not identify any particular structures in the lubricating composition , interestingly , no measurable iron was detected in either the sediment fraction or the fluid fraction of the oil . only carbon , oxygen , and in some cases , zinc , calcium , or chromium were detected in the sample . from these tests , as evidenced by the lack of iron , it became clear that the features observed by sem on the surfaces of the cam follower retaining ring are not present in detectable levels in the fluid itself . a sample of the material on the cam follower surface was obtained for tem observation by gently rubbing the tem mesh grid on the surfaces of the cam follower and then viewing the features on the grid with the tem . representative images of the observed features are shown in fig4 through 49b , revealing a number of different morphologies and structures . the images confirm the presence of graphene or graphene oxide sheets , carbon nanotubes , carbon nanospheroids , carbon nano - onions , and other fullerene structures and precursors . the dark areas in the images are believed to represent higher concentrations of iron , based on elemental analysis . graphene is known to encapsulate iron particles ( see , for example , cao et al ., “ synthesis and characterization of graphene encapsulated iron nanoparticles ”, nanoscience , vol . 12 , no . 1 , pp . 35 - 39 , 2007 ). fig4 shows a relatively flat sheet morphology in the lower part of the image and a more crumpled sheet in the upper part of the image . smaller spheroid structures in the range of ˜ 5 nm to ˜ 50 nm in diameter are also visible on the image . fig4 shows primarily a moderately - crumpled sheet morphology with nanotubular structures near folds of the sheets . fig4 shows a higher magnification of an area with similar morphology to fig4 . in fig4 , spheroid , tubular , and sheet morphologies are visible . fig4 shows some tortuous tubular structures at high magnification . fig4 shows a dark globular mass with an indistinct morphology at high magnification , which may be an aggregation of sgans based on the dark interior of the structure . fig4 shows a large carbon nanotube structure . fig4 shows two carbon nano - onion structures . finally , fig4 a and 49b show a crystalline - looking mass with tubular and spheroid morphologies but no apparent sheet morphology . accordingly , it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention . reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims , which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

fig1 a , 1 b , and 1 c illustrate various elements , structurally and functionally , of beverage dispensing apparatus that may comprise applicants &# 39 ; recirculation loop 10 . as stated above , the recirculation loop 10 is designed to help prevent heat loss in the valve and manifold assembly and the elements downstream thereof , including the python and bar gun assembly 13 . this function is achieved through the use of an in line 42 carrying incoming cool fluid ri coming off trunk line 40 entering and passing through valve / manifold assembly 12 and into the bar gun assembly 13 in conjunction with a recirculation channel 30 , which in the illustrated example is in the bar gun assembly 13 , and which joins recirculation in line ri to recirculation out line ro in the bar gun handle as illustrated in fig1 c . ro then exits bar gun assembly 13 , passes through a line situated in python 28 , through valve / manifold assembly 12 , to out line 44 , and into a trunk line return 40 a ( for coolant recirculation ). the embodiment illustrated in fig1 a and 1b is an open system where the recirculating cool fluid is a fluid that may be dispensed through the bar gun . suitable fluids include , but are not limited to : soda water , carbonated water , water , consumable liquefied gases , or consumable gaseous fluids such as carbon dioxide , which when mixed with the other liquids in the bar gun carbonates the dispensed beverage . when referring to consumable liquefied gases and consumable gaseous fluids the applicant is referring to such gases and fluids which are known to be consumable in certain proportions by human beings without harm . additional elements may be seen with reference to fig1 a - 1c . more particularly , in line 42 may take recirculation fluid ri into a splitter 26 having branch 26 a and branch 26 b . recirculation fluid ri will pass through v 1 and as dispensed coolant ; typically carbonated water through v 2 , which are two of a multiplicity of valves 18 . valves 18 may be of the flow control type or adjustable / fixed orifice type , but in any case are valves known in the art to control the flow of fluids therethrough . in conjunction with a multiplicity of valves 18 ( engaged with channels therethrough ) may be shutoff or ball valves 20 as known in the art . it is not necessary that all the coolant passing through in line 42 should pass through the recirculation channel 30 . a bypass line 46 may extend between the in line 42 and the out line 44 . hence , whilst some of the coolant passes through the recirculation channel 30 , some of the coolant passes directly into the out line , without passing through the recirculation channel 30 . the relative proportion of coolant passing through the recirculation channel 30 and the bypass line 46 maybe influenced by the setting of valves v 1 and v 3 , the relative sizes of the in line 42 , out line 44 and bypass line 46 for example . at splitter 26 , recirculation fluid ( coolant ) passing through branch 26 a will be destined to return through v 3 and out line 44 as ro ( recirculation of the fluid out ). when the bar gun is not being used , that is , none of the beverages are being dispensed , then it may be seen that substantially no flow will occur through branch 26 b , valve v 2 , and the line marked “ carb ” ( for carbonated water or soda water ). that is to say , the recirculation loop operates primarily in a mode in which none of the buttons ( actuating valves as known in the art ) of the bar gun are being depressed and no beverage is being dispensed . in such a condition , recirculating fluid ri will circulate in the channels and lines as illustrated up to recirculation channel 30 where it will perform a substantial “ u - turn ” and return as recirculation out or ro through line 44 and into the trunk return line 40 a . the trunk line typically carries chilled carbonated fluid and thus has an out line 40 which services a number of bar gun assemblies 13 ( see fig1 f ) and a return line 40 a engaging a source 1 of carbonated water or soda cooled by a chiller 1 as known in the art and including a recirculation pump 3 as known in the art . valves v 1 and / or v 3 may be adjusted to control the flow rate of recirculation fluid therethrough . indeed , valves v 1 and v 3 may be used , but it is not necessary that they are adjusted — the recirculation fluid may flow through valves v 1 and v 3 with the valves open . indeed , valves v 1 and v 3 may be no more than openings of a specified size to give a desired flow rate with no facility to adjust for adjustment to control the flow rate . valve v 2 , where such a valve is adjustable to control the flow of fluid flowing therethrough , may be adjusted to control said flow of the fluid . a splitter is not necessary to the recirculation loop , line 42 may go directly into the fitting that , in illustration fig1 a , engages branch 26 a and the fitting engaging branch 26 b will receive the product from the trunk line as known in the art . such an arrangement also provides for a closed system where the coolant fluid is not used in the mixing of beverages . such coolant fluid could be ethylene glycol or another known refrigerant . fig1 f illustrates multiple ( four ) flow control / python / bar gun assembly systems 60 a / 60 b / 60 c / 60 d . each is comprised of at least elements 12 / 13 / 28 / 42 / 44 / 46 / v 1 / v 3 . that is to say , coming off the trunk line or coolant main line , the system 60 a / 60 b / 60 c / 60 d comprising a flow control / python / bar gun assembly is typically provided at multiple places . it is seen that adjusting either v 1 or v 3 at 60 a will affect the crossover or bypass coolant fluid going through 46 and back into the main coolant line . specifically , either v 1 or v 3 may be adjusted to choke down or reduce the flow of coolant therethrough and therefore to the recirculation loop of the python and / or bar gun assemblies . then , more of that fluid will go through line 46 and be available as fluid typically a little bit cooler than the fluid that went through the python 28 of 60 a . increasing the flow of fluid through python 28 of 60 a will provide a cooler temperature at the elements downstream of 46 on 60 a , but will provide a slightly higher temperature to downstream elements 60 b / 60 c / 60 d . thus , it is seen that by adjusting either or both of valves v 1 or v 3 at each of the stations , the amount of cool fluid going into the recirculation loops at each station can be controlled and the flow to the recirculation loop can be increased for more coolant or decreased . however , it is also recognized that increased flow at any recirculation loop will slightly decrease the ability for downstream stations ( for example , station 60 b / 60 c / 60 d which are downstream from 60 a ) to cool themselves . a number of the other elements illustrated in fig1 a - 1c are known in the art . locking slides 22 and fittings 24 removably engage a number of typically flexible fluid lines to the valve and manifold assembly 12 . pythons 28 are known in the art and include outer sheath 34 and carry a number of fluid bearing lines therethrough , here four syrup lines and a carb line . however , the python of the present invention is also carrying a line for recirculation fluid ri designated 50 and a line for ro designated 52 as illustrated . lines 50 and 52 originate at the manifold assembly , run through the python , and in one embodiment engage recirculation channel 30 , and in a second embodiment ( fig4 a - 4c ) engage a “ u ” shaped fitting 54 outside of bar gun body 13 a . both a “ u ” shaped fitting 54 and the recirculation channel 30 will signify a structural member or element adapted to reverse the flow of coolant from towards the dispensing nozzle to away from the dispensing nozzle . additional features of applicants &# 39 ; present device are also provided in an effort to achieve a reduction of heat loss to the environment from the fluids in the lines and valves and other elements of the valve and manifold assembly , python and / or bar gun assembly . an additional feature includes the use of insulation including , typically , tubular insulation at least partially within python 28 as illustrated in fig2 a and 2b . that is to say , python 28 may , in addition to having outer sheath 34 , carry insulation 36 , which may be tubular and which may be located within or on the outside of outer sheath 34 ( illustrated is an inner python sheath insulation 36 ). in the manner illustrated , insulation preferably wraps or at least partially wraps the multiplicity of lines within the python , including ri and ro , those lines carrying the recirculated fluid ( coolant ). the sheath 34 may be combined with sheath insulation 36 as a single unit combining flexibility , insulation and an annulus or channel therethrough . as can be seen in fig2 a , python insulation sheath 30 may extend slightly beyond outer sheath 34 ( upstream end ) and may be wrapped with an insulated tape 38 to help protect and further insulate the lines within the python and extending past the python into body 13 a of the bar gun . tape 38 may be an insulation type tape ( preferably adhesive bearing ) and may help prevent chafing of the lines . the insulation 36 may in addition to preventing heat loss may also increase heat transfer between conduits carrying cooled fluid and those carrying uncooled fluid by bringing them into closer proximity . the fluid carrying lines and the insulation 36 , 38 may be so shaped and dimensioned as to squeeze together ( but not crush ) fluid carrying conduits so that heat exchange between adjacent conduits is at least partially by conduction . referring to fig2 c the parts illustrated are essentially the same as shown in fig2 b , except that the recirculation channel 30 is situated in the python proximate the heel 32 of the bar gun assembly . turning to fig3 , it may be seen that manifold insulation 48 may be used in conjunction with any of the other elements of applicants &# 39 ; design . more particularly , fig3 . illustrates the use of manifold insulation at least partially within manifold covers 14 a / 14 b , which covers comprise a manifold housing . manifold insulation 48 may be internal , that is to say , within the housing and may at least partially rest adjacent the multiplicity of lines passing through the manifold from the valve assembly 16 to manifold 14 into python 28 . fig1 d illustrates alternative embodiments for bringing cool recirculation fluid and product ( or multiple products ) to the valve and manifold assembly from a source . the recirculation fluid used will be chilled , before entering the recirculation loop , product dispensed may or may not be . types of insulation that may be used include , but are not limited to , foam , armaflex , fiberglass , flat , tubular tape , etc . where the product dispensed for example syrup is not cooled , this product may be delivered via a fluid line other than trunk line 40 in ways known in the art . fig1 e illustrates an alternative embodiment where a separate supply of product 2 ′ is delivered to the bar gun assembly 13 by a pump 3 ′ from a chiller 1 ′. such an arrangement provides for a closed system as described above . recirculation fluid passing through branch 26 a and v 1 as ri will be destined to return through v 3 and out line 44 as ro ( recirculation of the fluid out ). when the bar gun is not being used , that is , none of the beverages are being dispensed , then it may be seen that substantially no flow will occur through branch 26 b , valve v 2 . in this embodiment , the recirculation loop operates in the same manner whether buttons to dispense beverage are actuated or not , i . e . whether product flows through branch 26 b or not . recirculating fluid ri will circulate in the channels and lines as illustrated up to recirculation channel 30 where it will perform a substantial “ u - turn ” and return as recirculation out or ro through line 44 and into the trunk return line 40 a . in this example , the trunk line typically carries glycol or the like and has an out line 40 which services a number of bar gun assemblies 13 and a return line 40 a engaging a source of glycol 2 cooled by a chiller 1 as known in the art and including a recirculation pump 3 as known in the art . valves v 1 and / or v 3 may be adjusted to control the flow rate of recirculation fluid therethrough . indeed , valves v 1 and v 3 may be used , but are not necessary — the recirculation fluid may flow unvalved . valve v 2 may be adjusted to control flow of the product flowing therethrough . fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c illustrate an alternate preferred embodiment from that described above and as set forth in the previous figures . in the alternate preferred embodiment , the rerouting or reversal of the incoming fluid ri to the outgoing fluid ro occurs not in bar gun body 13 a , like described above . as can be seen from fig4 a - 4c , u - shape fitting 54 typically engages the removed ends of lines 50 and 52 between the heel 32 of the bar gun assembly and the removed end of the sheath . that is to say , u - shape fitting 54 engages the removed ends 50 a / 52 a in a fluid sealing fashion and when heel 32 is attached , through fasteners to the rear of body 13 a of the bar gun assembly , u - shape fitting 54 is typically located substantially in the space just beyond the end of python 28 and the mounting plate 58 . fig4 c shows the fitting attached , as in use ( but for clarity deletes heel , insulation , and python ). with the u - shape fitting 54 mounted as illustrated in fig4 a - 4c , when assembled the u - shape fitting is covered by heel 32 . u - shape fitting 54 is substantially hollow and incoming fluid from line 50 enters the leg attached to line 50 and passes through body 54 c , and into line 52 . in other words , u - shape fitting 54 recirculates incoming fluid from line 50 to line 52 as outgoing fluid ro . moreover , this recirculation occurs without the recirculation fluid ( typically cool fluid recirculating at times when the bar gun is not in use ) entering body 13 a of the bar gun assembly . moreover , the insulation ( tape , foam or other suitable insulation ) that is illustrated as used with the sheath can be used to at least partially cover u - shape fitting 54 . in this fashion , with the coolant fluid avoiding contact with the bar gun body itself , the problem of bar gun “ sweating ” is avoided . with the embodiment of the previous illustration , wherein the recirculation fluid actually enters body 13 a of the bar gun assembly , there has been some experience where the bar gun assembly is left overnight , for instance , “ sweats ” at the portion of the bar gun that is adjacent the recirculation channel . the use of the u - shape fitting upstream of the bar gun body as illustrated is one method of avoiding the “ sweating ” issue . thus , it is seen that the construction of u - shape fitting 54 having hollow legs 54 a with barbs 54 b at the removed end thereof and having hollow body 54 c would provide for snug fit of ends 50 a and 52 a over barbs 54 b . moreover , it can be seen that slidable , flexible collars 56 may , after the ends of lines 50 and 52 are engaged to legs 54 a , be moved up and to partially engage the outside of ends 50 a and 52 a and , optionally , part of legs 54 a to provide a snug , slip - resistant fitting of lines 50 and 52 to u - shape fitting 54 . in another embodiment of the invention , instead of the u - shape fitting 54 being situated just outside the end of the outer sheath 34 of the python 28 , the u - shape fitting may be situated within the sheath 34 , preferably proximate the end thereof which attaches to the bar gun assembly . although the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment , it is not intended to limit the invention &# 39 ; s particular form set forth , but on the contrary , it is intended to cover such alterations , modifications , and equivalences that may be included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

hereinafter , preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description and drawings , the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components , and so repetition of the description on the same or similar components will be omitted . fig1 is a graph for explaining a method for realizing gray levels according to the first embodiment of the present invention . according to the first embodiment of the present invention , one frame for data input to a specific pixel is divided into a plurality of sub - frames , gamma voltages having different levels a , b , c , and d are applied to the pixel during a fixed specific sub - frame ( reference numeral e ), and the pixel is disabled at the end time point of the specific sub - frame . at this time , different gamma voltages applied to the pixel change the reaction degree of liquid crystal reacting during a specific frame . in other words , although the pixel to which voltages having different levels are applied is disabled at the same time point , different reactions of liquid crystal may be obtained . in detail , when gray voltages having levels of “ a ” and “ d ” are applied to the pixel , the reactions of liquid crystal shown by reference numerals 1 and 2 are obtained . accordingly , different gray levels may be realized through different gamma voltages applied to a pixel . fig2 is a graph for illustrating a method for realizing gray levels according to the second embodiment of the present invention . according to the second embodiment of the present invention , one frame for data input to a specific pixel is divided into a plurality of sub - frames e , f , g , h , and i according to time intervals , gamma voltages having the same levels are applied to a pixel during each sub - frame , and the pixel is disabled at a predetermined sub - frame . at this time , although the same gray level voltages are applied to the pixel , the reaction degree of the liquid crystal varies dependent on sub - frames at which the pixel is disabled . for example , when the pixel is disabled at the second sub - frame ( reference numeral f ) as shown by reference numeral 71 or at the third sub - frame ( reference numeral g ) as shown by reference numeral 4 , the reaction degree of liquid crystal is shown by areas corresponding to reference numerals 3 and 4 . accordingly , gray levels may be realized by determining a sub - frame at which a pixel is disabled . fig3 is a graph for explaining a method for realizing gray levels according to the third embodiment of the present invention . the third embodiment of the present invention relates to a method obtained by combining the methods of realizing gray levels described with reference to fig1 and 2 . according to the third embodiment of the present invention , one frame is divided into a plurality of sub - frames ( reference numerals e , f , g , h and i ), gamma voltages ( reference numerals a , b , c , and d ) having mutually different levels are applied to a pixel during each of the sub - frames , and the pixel is disabled at a predetermined sub - frame . herein , the reaction degree of liquid crystal varies depending on the gamma voltages applied to the pixel and types of the sub - frames at which the pixel is disabled . for example , a gamma voltage to be applied to the pixel at the first sub - frame ( reference numeral e ) is selected and the selected gamma voltage is applied to the pixel . herein , gray level voltages for a pixel are planned in such a manner that a gray level voltage corresponding to input data is selected in a look - up table ( lut ). when the pixel is disabled at the second sub - frame ( reference numeral f ), the reaction degree of liquid crystal for each gray level voltage varies depending on the selection of a gray level voltage at the first sub - frame ( reference numeral e ). when the pixel is disabled at the third sub - frame ( reference numeral g ), the reaction degree of liquid crystal varies according to the levels of the gray level voltage . accordingly , if timing required for disabling the pixel is controlled at each of intersections ( reference numeral a ) between gray level voltages and sub - frames , more gray levels may be realized . in detail , if m ( 1 , 2 , 3 , . . . , m ) gamma voltages having different levels and n ( 1 , 2 , 3 , . . . , n ) sub - frames are used , ( m − 1 )*( n + 1 ) gray levels may be realized . fig4 is a view for explaining a method for disabling a pixel . in the method for disabling each pixel at each frame , black data is used for each pixel to be disabled . in other words , a sub - frame used for disabling each corresponding pixel is determined in a look - up table and a voltage higher than that of the black data is applied to the last sub - frame for data ( in a case of a tn mode ), thereby reducing reaction time of liquid crystal and allowing the liquid crystal to completely react until the start time point of a next frame . this makes liquid crystal in a reference state , thereby solving the problem of showing different brightness according to start time points of frames even when each pixel is disabled at the same time point and each gamma voltage has the same level . fig5 to 8 are graphs for explaining a method for finely realizing gray levels according to the control of frame time . referring to fig5 , each sub - frame has a data addressing time interval and a blank time interval for the sub - frame duration . herein , it is possible to finely realize gray levels by fixing the data addressing time interval and adjusting the blank time interval . referring to fig6 , in the method for finely realizing gray levels according to the control of frame time , a gamma voltage is applied to a pixel for the sub - frame duration , and the pixel is disabled at the end time point of the sub - frame . herein , gray levels having the reaction degrees of liquid crystal corresponding to areas shown by reference numerals 5 and 6 may be realized by adjusting the blank time interval of each frame . herein , the blank time interval is adjusted by regulating the number of a main clock , and the main clock is planned in such a manner that the number thereof is programmable in a timing controller . referring to fig7 , a frame is divided into four sub - frames ( reference numerals e , f , g , and h ) and two gamma voltages having mutually different levels are applied to a pixel for each sub - frame duration , so that two gamma curves gamma 1 and gamma 2 are formed . herein , a dotted curve represents a reference gamma curve . the two gamma curves have the same gray level ( k ) because the two gamma curves have the same transmissivity at intersections b and c between a sub - frame and the two gamma curves showing the transmissivity of liquid crystal . accordingly , the number of gray levels ( which may be realized ) is reduced by one and becomes six . referring to fig8 , in order to reduce the number of gray levels to be realized as described above and finely control the gray levels , frame time is controlled by adjusting a blank time interval of the third sub - frame ( reference numeral g ). therefore , it is possible to realize a new gray level ( reference numeral k ′) and realize gray levels in more detail by increasing the number of gray levels which can be realized . in a method for realizing gray levels of a lcd device according to the present invention as described above , it is possible to realize ( m − 1 )*( n + 1 ) gray levels by interworking m gamma voltages and n sub - frames . a gray level at each intersection is matched with each gray level in a look - up table , and it is possible to more finely realize gray levels by adjusting a blank time interval of each frame or each sub - frame . accordingly , in the present invention , a gamma gray level is given to the digital operation scheme enabling the realization of the gray level through an on / off operation at each sub - frame as operated through a field sequential color scheme , thereby solving problems according to a high speed operation of a driver ic and reducing the size of the driver ic . as described above , according to the present invention , a gamma voltage is combined with a sub - frame in order to realize gray levels , thereby reducing power consumption according to the high - speed operation of a driver ic and the size of the driver ic in realization of the gray levels . although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes , those skilled in the art will 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 .

6Physics

a mouse hybridoma cell line has been established and given the designation hapc 1555 . the hapc 1555 cell line was deposited under the provisions of the budapest treaty with the american type culture collection ( atcc ), 10801 university boulevard , manassas , va . 20110 - 2209 on nov . 7 , 2000 , and has been given the atcc designation pta - 2658 . the hapc 1555 mouse hybridoma cell line was derived from balb / c mouse spleen cells and myeloma cell line p3x63ag8 - 653 . this cell line produces the monoclonal antibody we have designated as hapc 1555 , and the isotype of the antibody produced is igg i kappa . the cell line can be grown utilizing standard culturing techniques , with rpmi 1640 and 10 % bovine calf serum ( with appropriate antibiotics ) as an acceptable culture and storage medium . large - scale production of the monoclonal antibody hapc 1555 was accomplished by growing cell line hapc 1555 in serum - free medium in roller bottles . purification of hapc 1555 was accomplished by loading filtered media on mep hyper - cel resin ( gibco , brl ), washing with 4 column volumes of tbs and eluting with 50 mm sodium acetate , ph 4 . 0 . after reading the absorbance at 280 nanometers , the peak fractions were pooled and dialyzed against 10 mm mops , 0 . 1 m nacl and frozen for later use . the monoclonal antibody hapc 1555 has been shown to have high specificity with respect to binding to activated protein c (“ apc ”). thus , it can be used in assays to detect apc in a patient sample , using any methodology known in the art which employs specific antibodies for detection of proteins . an example of such an assay is given in example 1 . it is preferred that hapc 1555 be bound to a solid support and incubated with a patient plasma sample suspected of containing apc in a reaction zone . because of the high specificity of hapc 1555 , apc in the patient plasma sample will bind with the immobilized hapc 1555 , and other substances in the reaction zone can be washed away . an appropriate substrate for apc can then be added to the reaction zone to determine if any apc has bound to the hapc 1555 . such reactions are well documented . because the monoclonal antibody hapc 1555 does not interfere with the activity of apc , any direct assay for apc can be used to detect and quantitate apc . there are several comniercially - available kits and systems for this purpose . a suitable chromogenic substrate for the determination of apc is spectrozyme pca , available from american diagnostica ( greenwich , conn .). there are other substrates available which are either chromogenic or fluorogenic which can also be used . the important factor in choosing a substrate is that apc acts upon it to cleave a leaving group that emits a detectable signal . in working with plasma samples , it is desirable to prepare plasma with standard citrate anticoagulant . to the plasma , a reversible inhibitor of apc should be added in order to prevent the covalent inhibition of apc by plasma proteinase inhibitors , for example , alpha - 1 - antitrypsin and protein c inhibitor . a preferred reversible inhibitor of apc is benzamidine , but any reversible active site inhibitor of apc can be used . an excess amount of the inhibitor is used , and this is determined by published values on the possible amount of apc that could be present in a given sample . an appropriate amount of benzamidine to use is about 20 mm . the plasma sample is also desirably prepared with a substance to prevent clotting of recalcified plasma , and heparin is conveniently used for this purpose in an amount to accomplish this purpose . it has been found that 2 units per ml of heparin provides the desired functionality , but other amounts can be used if they also do so . it is also desirable to add a source of calcium ions to the plasma preparation , and calcium chloride is conveniently used for this purpose . calcium levels can vary as long as they are in excess of the citrate anticoagulant . in the assay of the present invention , it is not necessary to dilute the plasma sample to be tested , which is an advantage over other assays reported prior to the present invention . the ability to use the plasma sample without or with minimal dilution provides a rapidity to the analysis of apc , permitting analysis in a matter of just less than an hour to several hours as opposed to up to three weeks for previously reported enzyme capture assay for apc . it is expected that the quantitation of apc can be made known to the clinician very rapidly , therefore permitting selection of appropriate therapy for the patient . the hapc 1555 antibody can also be used for protein purification , as a laboratory reagent where it is desirable to bind apc , and for other utilities for which a specific antibody is appropriate . surface plasmon resonance ( spr ) was used to measure the affinity of binding of hapc 1555 to human activated protein c ( apc ) and human protein c . real time biomolecular interactions between apc / protein c and hapc 1555 were studied using a biacore ™ 1000 biosensor instrument ( biacore international ab , uppsala , sweden ). hapc 1555 was covalently coupled to a carboxymethyl dextran ( cm5 ) sensor chip through its primary amine groups according to the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions . binding of apc or protein c to immobilized hapc 1555 was monitored by measuring changes in ru ( 1000 ru corresponds to ≈ 1 ng of bound protein / mm 2 ). unless otherwise stated , all experiments were performed at 25 ° c . at a flow rate of 10 μl / min in 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 150 mm nacl , 3 nm cacl 2 , and 0 . 005 % surfactant p - 20 ( biacore grade , biacore international ab , uppsala , sweden ). for each set of experiments , the proteins were introduced onto the surface of a sensor chip that lacked inmmobilized hapc 1555 ( control sensor chip ). the sensograms of the control sensor chip were subtracted from the sensograms of the hapc 1555 - containing flowcells to remove the effects of nonspecific binding to the dextran surface . after each protein injection , the sensor chips were regenerated by the injection of 20 μl of 1m glycine ph 2 . 5 , followed by washing for 3 min with buffer before reinjecting apc for the next cycle . the interaction between apc or protein c and hapc 1555 was monitored by flowing various concentrations of apc ( from 8 . 1 nm to 68 . 5 nm ) or protein c ( from 35 nm to 274 nm ) over a sensor chip containing immobilized hapc 1555 . the overlaid dose - response binding curves for apc and protein c are shown in fig1 a and 1b , respectively . to determine the k d values for the interaction between apc or protein c and hapc 1555 , the maximum rus of the binding isotherms shown in fig1 a and 1b were plotted versus apc or protein c concentration . the k d values were calculated by non - linear regression analysis of the curves . the k d value of apc binding to hapc 1555 was calculated as k d = 6 . 2 ± 0 . 9 nm , whereas the affinity of protein c for hapc 1555 was approximately 10 - fold lower ( k d = 65 ± 3 nm ). each k d value represents the mean and standard deviation of two separate surface plasmon resonance binding studies . in the absence of cacl 2 , there is no binding of apc nor protein c to immobilized hapc 1555 . to localize the hapc 1555 binding domain on apc / protein c , surface plasmon resonance binding studies were performed using two protein c derivates : ( a ) gdpc , i . e ., gla - domainless protein c , and ( b ) e2pd , i . e ., protein c lacking the gla - domain and the first egf domain . as shown in fig2 both derivatives bind to immobilized hapc 1555 , suggesting that the hapc 1555 binding domain on apc / protein c is localized in the protease domain and / or the egf - 2 domain . although the interaction of apc , protein c , gdpc , and e2pd with inmuobilized hapc 1555 requires the presence of cacl 2 , dissociation of bound ligands was not achieved by the addition of 5 mm edta ( fig2 ). the chromogenic activity of 5 mm apc in 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 150 mm nacl , 5 mm cacl 2 , 0 . 5 % ( w / v ) gelatin was determined with 0 to 1 mm spectrozyme pca ( american diagnostica , greenwich conn .) in the absence or presence of 400 nm of hapc 1555 . a 50 μl aliquot of reaction solution was mixed with 50 μl of chromogenic substrate on a microtiter plate , and the change in absorbance with time at 405 nm was determined on a vmax microplate reader ( molecular devices corp ., sunnyvale , calif .). all samples were assayed in duplicate . the k m values were calculated by nonlinear regression analysis using the michaelis - menten equation in tablecurve ( jandel scientific , san rafael , calif .). the effect of hapc 1555 on the rate of apc - mediated hydrolysis of spectrozyme pca is shown in fig3 . the results show that the kinetic parameters of apc toward the synthetic substrate are not affected by the presence of hapc 1555 . thus , it is possible to utilize hapc 1555 to quantitate apc levels in human plasma using an enzyme capture assay . initially , 96 - well vinyl microtiter plates ( costar , cat # 2596 ) were coated with 100 μl of hapc 1555 ( 5 μg / ml ) in coating buffer ( 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 150 mm nacl , 5 mm cacl 2 ) for 2 hours at 37 ° c . as negative controls , microtiter plate wells were coated with either 5 μg / ml hpc4 monoclonal antibody or 1 % bovine serum albumin ( bsa ) in the same buffer . the plates were then blocked for 1 hour at 37 ° c . or overnight at 4 ° c . with 200 μl of blocking buffer ( coating buffer containing 1 % bsa ). the solutions were gently removed from the plates by vacuum . to generate a standard curve for the quantitative measurement of apc in plasma , increasing amounts of apc ( from 0 to 250 ng / ml ) were spiked into normal pooled plasma containing 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 2 units / ml heparin , 20 mm benzamidine , and 10 mm cacl 2 . the spiked plasma ( 100 μl ) were transferred to the plates and incubated at room temperature for 1 hour . the wells were then washed three times with wash buffer ( 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 150 mm nacl , 0 . 05 % tween - 20 , and 5 mm cacl 2 ). the chromogenic activity of apc was determined by the addition of 100 μl of spectrozyme pca ( 1 mm ) in 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 150 mm nacl , 5 mm cacl 2 . the plates were immediately placed at 37 ° c ., and substrate hydrolysis was monitored at 405 nm over time using a vmax microplate reader ( molecular devices corp , sunnyvale , calif .). all samples were assayed in duplicates or triplicates . the apc enzyme capture assay is usefuil to quantitate apc levels in human plasma . as shown in fig4 the assay is sensitive to plasma apc levels of ≦ 3 ng / ml with an incubation time of 1 hour . substrate hydrolysis was linear for concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 ng / ml at incubation times of up to approximately 6 hours . further , measured apc in plasma did not vary when protein c concentration varied from 0 to 200 % of normal ( data not shown ). the specificity of the hapc 1555 antibody was further confirmed by the results obtained from the plate wells set up as the negative controls . when hpc4 ( an anti - protein c monoclonal antibody ) or bsa was coated on the microtiter wells , the chromogenic activity of the apc - spiked plasma was reduced to background . as further confirmation of the specificity of hapc 1555 , apc - spiked plasma was pre - incubated with 300 nm of hapc 1555 and used instead of plasma samples not subjected to pre - incubation in the assay described above . it was found that use of pre - incubated apc - spiked plasma resulted in a measure of amidolytic activity essentially equivalent to that of background . this indicates that the pre - incubated apc - spiked plasma did not bind to the wells coated with hapc 1555 due to saturation of the binding sites with the hapc 1555 added to the plasma . after washing of the reaction zone , no bound apc was present to exhibit chromogenic activity in the presence of the substrate . the procedure of example 1 can be used to test human plasma for apc . in example 1 , human plasma was spiked with apc , but to assess a clinical specimen for its apc content , a specimen is collected from the patient in standard citrate anticoagulant that also contains 20 mm benzamidine hcl . the blood cells are removed by centrifugation using standard techniques . the plasma is used in the assay after standard preparation ( e . g ., 20 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 , 2 units / ml heparin and 10 mm cacl 2 ). the plasma sample is then analyzed for apc using an assay such as described in example 1 . a mouse hybridoma cell line useful in the assay of the present invention has been established and given the designation hapc 1555 . the hapc 1555 cell line was deposited under the provisions of the budapest treaty with the american type culture collection ( atcc ), 10801 university boulevard , manassas , va . 20110 - 2209 on nov . 7 , 2000 , and has been given the atcc designation pta - 2658 . the hapc 1555 mouse hybridoma cell line was derived from balb / c mouse spleen cells and myeloma cell line p3x63ag8 - 653 . this cell line produces the monoclonal antibody we have designated as hapc 1555 , and the isotype of the antibody produced is igg i kappa . the cell line can be grown utilizing standard culturing techniques , with rpmi 1640 and 10 % bovine calf serum ( with appropriate antibiotics ) as an acceptable culture and storage medium .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

while the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms , there are shown in the drawings , and will be described in detail herein , specific embodiments of the present invention , with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention , and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein . as stated above , the basis of mda is the economic event data sheet ( eeds ). a first basic feature of the present invention is the use of categories called “ mit ”, “ transaction object ”, “ transaction subject ”, “ uom ”, and “ value ” as economic event attributes . although these attributes are typically present in primary documentation forms of the regular ( traditional ) accounting , the inventive mda model is substantially distinct therefrom by providing an essentially different registration method of these attributes . as depicted on fig1 , eeds with the dimension tables collectively form a basic logical structure of data organization in mda . the following elements are shown in fig1 : eeds ( 10 ); and the dimension tables of eeds : dimension table ( 30 ) “ mit ”, dimension table ( 40 ) “ transaction subject ”, dimension table ( 50 ) “ transaction object ”, and dimension table ( 20 ) “ uom ”. according to a user &# 39 ; s requirements , there may be indicated not only the date , but also the posting time . table ( 30 ) can have a hierarchical structure , wherein the dates are grouped in periods : week , decade , month , accounting period , year , and others . table ( 40 ) may contain : transaction details by subject units and subject details ( address , registration numbers and so on ), relation to accounting area and other information , relative to transaction subject . table ( 50 ) can contain properties of transaction object , such as : an inventory number , physical and other characteristics ( for example , start - up date , registration date , maintenance date ; membership of the object in various asset groups : fixed assets , raw materials , unfinished goods , cash assets and others ). uom table ( 20 ) can be used for registration of existing transaction units of measurement : natural , monetary , and others . as noted above , the basic logic structure of data organization in mda is of the “ star ” type . nonetheless , the extension of properties , registered in the dimension tables , often results in formation of hierarchical structures in the dimension tables . in this case , the logical structure of data organization in mda represents a “ snowflake ” schema for arrangement of tables in a multidimensional database . the second major development in mda is a method of double entry implementation . the double entry , known in the accounting for 500 years , is implemented in a new way in mda . the double entry is implemented as a tool for registering changes that occurred as a result of the business transaction . mda allows one to register all the changes of attribute values occurred as a result of the business transaction and the volume ( amount ) of these changes . another distinct feature of mda is a specific form of the double entry record : it does not include the debit and credit , but instead uses a positive and a negative numeric value of the transaction amount , which positive and negative values are equal by modulus . fig2 . shows the general structure of eeds ( 70 ) taking into consideration the double entry characteristic of mda . each business transaction in eeds reflects two states of an accounting item . the first state is “ from ” ( 80 ); the second state is “ to ” ( 90 ). the first state “ from ” precedes the business transaction and completes as a result of the business transaction , while its transaction numeric value is always negative ( 100 ). the second state “ to ” ( 90 ) is a result of the business transaction and its transaction numeric value of is always positive ( 110 ). an arrow ( 85 ) marks the transition from one state to the other as a result of the business transaction . a transaction number ( transaction n ), mit ( 120 ) and ( 130 ) are equal for all the lines , within one registered business transaction . the values of the “ from ” and “ to ” states ( positive and negative ) are described for the accounting of the economic events . for the registration of planned ( scheduled ) events the number “ value ” will have the opposite sign . the sign can also be opposite for other extensions of the possibilities of mda , which is beyond the modern understanding of accounting . in case if this is envisaged by the accounting rules , the description of both the “ from ” and “ to ” states can include several lines of data sheet for one transaction , analogously to the multiple account correspondence in the traditional accountancy . the total value of measure of “ from ” “ to ” lines should be equal to zero regardless of the number of lines , describing the transaction . the order of “ from ” and “ to ” lines does not matter . in practice , it is convenient to follow one chosen order of the registration . the multidimensional data organization technically allows placing lines “ from ” and “ to ” of one operation not next to , but mixed up with the lines of other transactions , though this option complicates the understanding and the data verification of eeds . in the general structure of the eeds ( 70 ) the changes that occurred as a result of the business transaction are displayed in the attribute value of transaction subject ( 135 ) or in the attribute value of transaction object ( 155 ) or in both attributes ( 135 ) and ( 155 ). the change of transaction subject ( 135 ) attribute marks the change of asset ownership . in this case the subject of the transaction “ a ” ( 140 ) does not match the transaction “ b ” ( 150 ). the change of “ transaction object ” ( 155 ) attribute marks the change in asset . in this case the object of transaction “ x ” ( 160 ) will not correspond to the object of transaction “ y ” ( 170 ). a movement of assets between units of registration ( company divisions ) within one company can be registered by the mda tools . in this case the data sheet can be extended by including in eeds an additional business transaction characteristic “ transaction subject unit ”. when the unit is changed , the “ transaction subject unit ” values of the field for lines “ from ” ( 80 ) and “ to ” ( 90 ) will differ . the third significant development of mda is a method for producing the accounting balance sheet . for obtaining the balance sheet in the multidimensional data model , it is needed to single out one characteristic , whereas a subdivision based on this characteristic should form two parts of the balance equation . according to the present invention , such characteristic is chosen to be an attribute of transaction subject dimension table , named an “ accounting area ” and assuming one of two possible values . one of the values is assigned to a single subject or multiple subjects of transaction ( in case of accounting in aggregated structures ) and separates this subject ( subjects ) from calculations with agents , owners , and financial results . the two possible values of this characteristic form a dichotomic dividing of the business transactions and allow for producing a balance sheet . to provide such characteristic , eeds is extended by the “ accounting area ” attribute . fig3 shows the structure of extension ( 190 ) of the data sheet ( 200 ) by the “ accounting area ” attribute ( 185 ) of the dimensional table “ transaction subject ” ( 180 . the result of the extension of eeds ( 210 ) is shown in fig4 . the balance sheet is formed on the basis of the dichotomy of the accounting area : the internal area objects form the balance sheet assets , the external area objects form the liabilities and owner &# 39 ; s equity . separate pivot tables are created to reflect the balance sheet assets and liabilities . an example of the balance sheet , produced with the olap tools , is shown in fig6 . the basis of obtaining the balance sheet is eeds with extensions ( fig5 ). in this example , the accounting is performed on behalf of company 0 ( 350 ). for this company , a value of internal area ( 330 ) of the accounting area attribute is indicated . the rest of business transactions subjects receive a value of external area ( 340 ) of the accounting area attribute . the balance sheet form allows managing the depreciation separately ( 360 ). the liabilities of the balance sheet are subdivided into two main parts depending upon a value of the “ relations ” attribute . these are parts of “ ownership ” ( 370 ) and “ counterpart ” ( 380 ). this subdivision allows for separating the shareholder &# 39 ; s equity of company 0 , marked as “ ownership ” relations , from settlements with counterparts and with fiscal authorities . a characteristic of the produced balance sheet is that the accounts receivable ( 385 ) are located in the liabilities of the balance sheet . another characteristic of the balance sheet consists in that the assets part ( and in the total ) of the balance sheet contains positive numbers , whereas the liabilities part ( and in the total ) of the balance sheet contains negative numbers ( other than accounts receivable ). the accounts receivable ( 385 ) are placed in the liabilities part and have a positive value . standard balance sheet forms are produced as a result of primitive transactions : by carrying forward the accounts receivable into the assets part and changing the sign of liabilities items . the balance sheet total for assets is positive ( 390 ), the balance sheet total for the liabilities is negative ( 400 ). the total sum of the assets and liabilities is equal to zero . the results of assets and liabilities of balance sheet are equal in absolute numbers ( modulus ). all the significant properties of business transactions are reflected in the attribute values . however , it is possible to add a field with a textual comment or textual description of the transaction to eeds . additional fields may be needed for connections of accounting with planning , business project management , etc . mda has a typical multidimensional data structure that can be implemented in a relational database in the form of relational tables . this multidimensional data structure can also be implemented with other types of databases that have necessary functionalities . a user inputs a basic data volume into the data sheet . it is possible to use a special interface and other methods that simplify the input . data for dimension tables are specified initially , or when registering a new property , not encountered previously . the user gets data directly from the data sheet . the user can determine the report method either by prepared report templates or by an interface of the universal data processing olap . in the prepared report forms ( report templates ) special formatting elements can be employed , such as particular fonts , highlighting , different types of grid lines etc , as well as additional arithmetic operations upon the data . a disadvantage of the prepared report forms ( report templates ) is the necessity to update the forms and to check them out if there are changes in the dimension tables . it should be however emphasized that the preferable main tool of mda is the olap technology that provides for maximum freedom in data processing within the multidimensional data model . the user can set up his / her own definitions for data input and can define extensions of the database structure . mda makes it possible to obtain a structure replicating the subdivision of data into traditional bookkeeping accounts . however , such replicating would generally make no sense , because the multidimensional structure can register not only all the analytical properties , implied in the bookkeeping accounts , but many other functionalities described above . in case of spreading the mda practice , the bookkeeping accounts might become obsolete . the normative base and national accounting standards might be reviewed taking into consideration the characteristics of mda . as shown above , the advantages of this invention are as follows : 1 . according to characteristics of the olap processing , all accounting reports can be created dynamically upon a user &# 39 ; s request . 2 . as opposed to the traditional accountancy , the multidimensional data structure allows adding new structured information to each transaction record , enabling the accountant to create analytical tools that significantly exceed the analytical capacities of current reporting practice . 3 . intellectual analysis of data can be done within the limits of inputted information . 4 . the use of positive and negative measurement values in different lines allows for visual control of the accuracy of records , as it is done in the accounting postings on debit of one account and on credit of another account . 5 . the use of olap as a report generator ensures the accuracy of results and the equality of total amounts in the balance sheets . the bookkeeping accounts are derived dynamically from the multidimensional data structure . 6 . simplicity . the use of universal tools for creation of pivot tables , various filters and selections covers most of the needs in accounting data analysis without further programming by computer programmers .

6Physics

an inventive solution is presented to the need for a method for resource security in a dbms . in an exemplary embodiment , a table load module , called rhdcsrtt , comprises security information for resources in a ca idms ™ dbms . the rhdcsrtt module is created by assembling a series of assembler macros , called # secrtt macros , along with corresponding data section definitions . a # secrtt macro with type initial is the first macro assembled into the rhdcsrtt module , and a # secrtt macro with type final is the last macro in the module . the remaining macros have type entry or occurrence . each # secrtt macro , other than those of type initial and final , corresponds to a specific resource and contains parameters to describe or define the specific resource , including how it should be secured , e . g ., not secured , internally secured , or externally secured . other parameters can be coded for each macro to provide more detailed information for execution time security checking . these parameters can include resource type , resource class name , and external name such as activity , application name , database name , data definition name , environment , resource external name , resource external type , schema , ssname , system , version , etc . fig1 illustrates the flow of the process for creating the table load module rhdcsrtt . in step s 1 , the # secrtt macro with type initial is created . this macro includes environmental parameters , system and user profile information or parameters , and default information including the total number of resources in the load module . in step s 2 , the macro is converted into a corresponding data section definition ( dsect ) that will be assembled into the rhdcsrtt module . in one embodiment , the dsect created from the # secrtt macro with type initial is called secrtthd , and the dsect indicates that the header is initial and the offset is 30 . next , # secrtt macros for all resources are created . in step s 3 , the macro type is set , e . g ., type = entry or type = occurrence , along with the resource name and its parameters . in one embodiment , the # secrtt macro is known as a security resource type table entry ( secrtted ). in step s 4 , a dsect for the # secrtt macro is created . the program checks for additional resources in step s 5 . if more resources exist ( s 5 = yes ), processing continues at step s 3 . otherwise ( s 5 = no ), in step s 6 the # secrtt macro with type final is created , along with its dsect . in step s 7 , all of the dsects created from the # secrtt macros are assembled into the rhdcsrtt module . the simplest description of the rhdcsrtt module is that the readable source , i . e . # secrtt macros , is converted into a collection of hexadecimal strings with characters 0 through 9 then a through f in any combination . this basically describes the appearance of a load module such as rhdcsrtt . after its creation , the rhdcsrtt module can be read using its dsects . a dsect can be thought of as a map that can be superimposed over the hexadecimal characters of the rhdcsrtt module to decipher the meaning of the characters . as discussed above , the dsects are generated into the rhdcsrtt load module from the # secrtt source . each dsect is similar to a data record . when a resource needs to be added or changed , the program or routine of the present invention reads the rhdcsrtt module &# 39 ; s strings of hexadecimal characters and converts them back to the series of # secrtt macros from which they were generated . the regenerated source code can then be modified and re - assembled to recreate a new load module with the required changes . fig2 illustrates the flow of the process for regenerating source code from the table load module rhdcsrtt . in step s 8 , the rhdcsrtt module is loaded . in step s 9 , the header or first dsect in rhdcsrtt is read and the total number of resources defined in the rhdcsrtt module is retrieved . as discussed above , this first dsect is secrtthd , which corresponds to # secrtt type = initial . in step s 10 , the resource number is set to one ( 1 ). in step s 11 , the next dsect , secrtted having type = entry or type = occurrence ( or occur ) is read . in step s 12 , the program checks each entry in the dsect for the parameters available for the resource type of the dsect , and each parameter that is found is stored in another dsect created to hold the parameters and flags . the resource number is incremented by one in step s 13 and if the incremented resource number is less than the total number of resources ( s 14 = yes ), then processing continues at step s 11 . otherwise ( s 14 = no ), all of the dsects in the load module have been processed . the process concludes in step s 15 , when the # secrtt with type = final is read . the regenerated source code obtained from the process can be modified to add new resources and / or to change the security parameter ( s ) of one or more existing resources . this modified source code can then be re - assembled to recreate a new load module reflecting the desired changes . the ( re -) assembly can be performed as described and shown in fig1 . in one embodiment , the inventive routine to process the load module is embedded in a ca idms ™ module , e . g . in the # look macro from which idmslook and rhdclook are assembled . the routine loads the rhdcsrtt module simply by coding the syntax look rhdcsrtt online in idm s ™ from enter next task code , or in batch by specifying in the sysipt dd rhdcsrtt . read the header secrtthd dsect noting what parameters were coded for the # secrtt type = initial statement . this statement corresponds to the secrtthd dsect . this dsect stores additional information such as the number of occurrences of secrtted dsect for each # secrtt type = entry or # secrtt type = occur statement . the secrtthd dsect is immediately followed by a series of secrtted dsect &# 39 ; s . store the parameters coded on # secrtt type = initial from secrtthd to the srtdsect dsect which is working storage for the routine . if “ envname =” was coded write a “,” after “# secrtt type = initial ” followed by an “ x ” in column 72 and write “ envname =” on the next line of output . if “ sgnretn =” was coded write “,” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . if “ sysprof =” was coded write “,” followed by an “ x ” in column 72 . write “ sysprof =” parameter on the following line . write “(” after “ sysprof =” followed by the option that was coded which could be “ off ”, “ null ”, “ user ”, “ group ”, “ system ” or an actual “ profile name ”. if “ on ” was coded write after the option coded for “ sysprof =” then write “ on )” else write “)” if usrprof = was coded write “,” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . write “ usrprof =” parameter on the following line . write “(” after “ usrprof =” followed by the option that was coded which could be “ off ”, “ null ”, “ group ”, “ system ” or an actual “ profile name ”. if “ on ” was coded write after the option coded for “ usrprof =” then write else write “)” if “ dfltsgn = yes ” was coded write followed by “ x ” in column 72 . if “ dfltuid =” was coded write “,” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . write “ dfltuid =” parameter on the following line . if “(” was coded after dfltuid then a parameter list of vtamnode and / or ptermid and / or ltermid was coded . if “ extruid =” was coded write “.” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . if “ svcnum =” was coded write “.” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . the program then goes through a repeated cycle ( loop ) based on the number of secrtted entries in secrtthd . if “ secby =” was coded write “,” followed by “ x ” in column 72 then if “ extcls =” was coded write “.” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . if “ extname =” was coded write “.” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . write the parameters that were coded separated by commas and end with “)”. if “ extcls =” was coded write “.” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . if “ extname =” was coded write “.” followed by “ x ” in column 72 . write the parameters that were coded separated by commas and end with “)”. various aspects of the present disclosure may be embodied as a program , software , or computer instructions embodied in a computer or machine usable or readable medium , which causes the computer or machine to perform the steps of the method when executed on the computer , processor , and / or machine . the terms “ computer system ” and “ computer network ” as may be used in the present application may include a variety of combinations of fixed and / or portable computer hardware , software , peripherals , and storage devices . the computer system may include a plurality of individual components that are networked or otherwise linked to perform collaboratively , or may include one or more stand - alone components . the hardware and software components of the computer system of the present application may include and may be included within fixed and portable devices such as desktop , laptop , and / or server . a module may be a component of a device , software , program , or system that implements some “ functionality ”, which can be embodied as software , hardware , firmware , electronic circuitry , or etc . the embodiments described above are illustrative examples and it should not be construed that the present invention is limited to these particular embodiments . thus , various changes and modifications may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .

6Physics

referring to fig1 - 14 , which show illustrative embodiments of the heater in accordance with the present invention , the heater has ceramic substrate 1 and resistive heating elements 2 . in this embodiment , substrate 1 provides physical support for resistive heating elements 2 . the ceramic substrate 1 , while being rigid enough to physically support the resistive heating elements 2 , can also be made flexible enough to facilitate easy handling and resist fracture during the manufacturing process . ceramic substrate 1 is thermally stable at elevated temperatures and will not deform or become chemically reactive at the temperatures that are encountered when resistive heating element 2 is active . each of the heating segments may be switchably connected to a power source in a manner which would allow current from the power source to be directed through a given resistive heating element 2 to heat it . this switching of power to a particular segment could be directly controlled by the smoker or triggered by control circuitry . the interconnections between resistive elements 2 and an electrical power source and the control circuitry may be made by conventional wires attached to each of the segments or by using wiring embedded in socket 6 . in either case , contact is made to conductor bus bar 4 and contacts 3 . if it is desired to reduce the contact resistance between contacts 3 and the wires or the conductive elements of socket 6 , metal coating 5 , which is a thin film (. sup .˜ 200 å ) of a relatively inert metal such as gold , may be deposited onto the surface of contacts 12 by , for instance , sputter coating , evaporation , electroplating or other conventional techniques . the resistivity of an individual resistive heating element 2 must be such that when current flows through the segment a temperature sufficient to induce the tobacco flavor - generating medium to produce an aerosol or vapor is achieved . typically this temperature is between about 100 ° c . and 600 ° c ., preferably between 250 °- 500 ° c . and most preferably between about 350 °- 450 ° c . the resistivity cannot be so high as to be incompatible with available batteries , nor can it be so low that the power consumption requirement of the segment exceeds the capacity of the source . typically , resistive heating elements 2 having resistances between 0 . 2 and 5 . 0 ω preferably between 0 . 5 and 1 . 5 ω and most preferably between 0 . 8 and 1 . 2 ω , can achieve such operating temperatures when connected across a potential of between 2 . 4 and 9 . 6 volts . throughout their range of operating temperatures , resistive heating elements 2 must be chemically non - reactive with the tobacco flavor - generating medium being heated , so as not to adversely affect the flavor or content of the aerosol or vapor produced by the tobacco flavor - generating medium . in a smoking article in which a flavor dot of tobacco or tobacco - derived material is heated without combustion of the tobacco or tobacco - derived material to release tobacco flavors , the flavor dot must be heated to a temperature of at least 300 ° c . and more preferably in the range of 500 °- 600 ° c . a heater for such a smoking article should be able to reach a peak temperature , within 0 . 5 to 2 . 0 seconds , and more preferably within 1 second . because a smoker expects multiple releases of tobacco flavor each heater includes a plurality of resistive heating elements 2 , only one of which is energized at a time . the size and power requirements of the heater are dictated by the size of the smoking article , because the heater and its power source must fit within the smoking article . in general , each resistive heating element 2 should provide a uniform temperature distribution across its surface with only minimal thermal gradients . similarly , each resistive heating element 2 should provide a uniform voltage drop and current flow between its power contacts . each resistive heating element 2 should be thermally isolated by substrate 1 from other resistive heating elements 2 . the heater should be designed to minimize heat loss to substrate 1 , which acts as a thermal sink , by employing a high electrical resistance , low thermal conductivity material for substrate 1 . contacts 3 at which power is supplied to the heater should have significantly lower resistances than the heating elements , so that contacts 3 do not heat needlessly . substrate 1 acts as a base member to hold a plurality of resistive heating elements 2 , conductive interconnections , and the contact terminals through which power is supplied to each of heating elements 2 . substrate 1 should be strong , thermally stable , and electrically insulating . a ceramic substrate material provides strength as well as excellent thermal and electrical insulation for the discrete resistive heating elements 2 . typical examples of suitable ceramic substrates are alumina , zirconia ( partially or fully stabilized either with yttria , calcia or magnesia ), magnesia , yttria , corderite , mullite , forsterite , or steatite . ceramics have advantage over other substrate materials such as metals and polymers . for instance , metallic substrates generally must be both thermally and electrically insulated from the heating zones , because the high thermal conductivity of metals absorbs the heat generated by a heating element too rapidly during energization . most metallic substrates also require electrical insulation because of their electrical conductivity . in contrast , most polymeric films are dielectrics requiring little electrical insulation . however , polymeric films require thermal insulation because they lack thermal stability above approximately 350 ° c . ceramic substrates are available in the form of fired ceramic sheets or green tape . the resistive and conductive elements can be printed directly onto a fired ceramic sheet substrate , with no additional processing steps required to strengthen the substrate . fired ceramic sheets comprising 96 % al 2 o 3 are available from kyocera corporation , at 5 - 22 kitainoue - cho , higashino , yamashina - ku , kyoto 67 , japan . green tapes are available from dupont corporation of wilmington , delaware . the properties of kyocera sheets and dupont green tape that are 10 mils thick are shown below . ______________________________________ thermal heat density conductivity capacitytype ( g - cm . sup .- 3 ) ( w - m . sup .- 1 k . sup .- 1 ) ( cal - g . sup .- 1 k . sup .- 1 ) ______________________________________kyocera 3 . 80 21 . 0 0 . 19dupont 3 . 08 2 . 0 0 . 21______________________________________ green tapes may be used for the continuous manufacturing of a large number of heaters simultaneously , and are available in rolls . the substrate is preferably sintered before the resistive and conductive elements are formed . ceramic substrates that may be sintered at low temperatures are preferred , because low temperature sintering reduces energy consumption . acceptable substrates include specialty alumina tapes such as 851a2 tape manufactured by dupont corporation of wilmington , del ., which is cast on a mylar backing . this borosilicate tape contains between 10 - 30 % al 2 o 3 with the remaining portion comprising compounds of al , b , ca , mg , k , na , sio 2 , and pb and requires a sintering temperature of about 850 ° c . in contrast , alumina tapes manufactured by ceramtec corporation of salt lake city , utah at 90 % and 96 % loadings require sintering temperatures in the range of 1400 ° to 1700 ° c ., typically around 1550 ° c . for a pure ceramic substrate , sintering is generally carried out in an oxygen rich environment . however , if heating elements are printed on the green tape prior to sintering , an atmosphere that is overly rich in oxygen could oxidize the elements excessively . in the case of alumina , sintering can be carried out either in an oxygen rich atmosphere or in a hydrogen atmosphere . for green tape , firing is preferably carried out in a 1 : 2 mixture of air and nitrogen . some oxygen is required to ensure complete combustion of carbonaceous compounds , although this is primarily of importance with respect to conductive pastes , since the incomplete burning of these compounds might result in an excessive resistivity . excessive oxidation may also cause the resistivity of a conductive paste to become too high during sintering . the thermal conductivity of the substrate should be tailored to match that of resistive heating elements 2 to prevent the elements from peeling off of substrate 1 during use due to a mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients . alumina is a preferred substrate material , because its thermal conductivity and strength can be varied by adjusting the alumina loading in the green tape . the thermal conductivity of alumina in the temperature range 20 ° c . to 400 ° c . is shown below . ______________________________________ conductivity ( w / cm . sup . 2 ) temperature , ° c . 99 . 9 % 96 % 90 % 85 % ______________________________________ 20 0 . 39 0 . 24 0 . 16 0 . 14100 0 . 28 0 . 19 0 . 13 0 . 12400 0 . 13 0 . 10 0 . 08 0 . 06______________________________________ the thermal conductivities of mullite and corderite are similar to alumina whereas the thermal conductivity of zirconia is lower . in contrast , ceramic materials like si 3 n 4 , sic , tic , tac , and tib 2 , exhibit higher thermal conductivities than alumina . thermal stability of the substrate is an important consideration . the vapor pressure of the substrate material should be very low at temperatures of up to 900 ° c . although the heater is designed to operate below about 600 ° to 700 ° c ., momentarily higher temperatures during energization of the heater should not result in oxidation of resistive heating elements 2 ( including oxidation due to dielectric breakdown ). oxidation which would increase the vapor pressure of the substrate , can be expected from carbides and nitrides of ti , mo , si , and possibly zirconium . a preferred embodiment according to the invention includes an alumina substrate having a thickness of about 1 mil ( 25 μm ) and generally not greater than 10 mils ( 250 μm ). substrates thinner than 5 mils ( 125 μm ) tend to be too fragile . a substrate thickness greater than 30 mils ( 750 μm ) is not necessary and may occupy too much space or may not be sufficiently flexible to avoid cracking during the manufacturing process . as shown in fig1 and 12 , substrate 1 may be provided with slots between adjoining heating elements 2 and heating elements 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 to increase thermal isolation between each of the heating elements . the presence of slots further reduces thermal conduction away from the heating elements , so that for a given applied current , the maximum temperature that is attained by an element is increased . the configuration shown in fig1 , in which the slots in substrate 1 extend completely through one end of substrate 1 , allows the resistive heating element to which power is being applied to expand freely . since the heating elements that are not being powered remain in an unexpanded state , stresses may develop in the absence of this feature when powering only one of the heating elements . as shown in fig1 , it is also possible to mount two sets of heating elements back - to - back on spacer 7 , which may be formed from the same material as substrate 1 . as shown in fig1 , a circularly shaped heater may also be provided with openings 8 . in the circular heater configuration , openings 8 allow the free passage of the tobacco flavored aerosol through the body of the smoking article in addition to providing thermal isolation between the heating elements 2 . slots may be formed in green tape substrates by cutting with a blade prior to sintering . after cutting the slots in green tape , the tape may be sintered in a belt furnace that provides a temperature profile such as shown in fig1 . slots may be formed in fired ceramic sheet substrates by using a co 2 laser . the heater should operate with low voltage batteries and generate heat through resistive heating to a maximum temperature in the range of 400 ° to 650 ° c . within a span of 2 seconds . the power needed to raise the temperature of the heater to its peak should be in the range of 10 to 20 watts . the power requirements of the heater determine the number of heating elements that a fully charged set of batteries set can energize . in a preferred embodiment , the batteries supply approximately 10 watts operating at 5 volts . therefore , the desired resistance of a heater operating under the power constraint set by the batteries can be determined as follows : ## equ1 ## from the above equations it can be seen that a 30 % reduction in voltage reduces the power that a 2 . 5 ω resistance draws by 50 % to 5 w . for a resistance of 1 . 2 ω , a voltage of 3 . 46 v suffices to produce the desired power of 10 w . the example above demonstrates that the electrical resistance of resistive heating elements 2 must not change significantly during heating . conventional resistive heater materials such as graphite , ni -- cr alloys , metallic strips , mosi 2 , zro 2 , and lanthanum chromate are generally not suitable because their low electrical resistivities may require excessive power to reach a temperature of 600 ° c . acceptable heater materials include metallic or organometallic inks . a typical resistive ink comprises 10 - 30 % ag , 30 - 60 % pd , and 10 - 30 % compounds of al , b , ca , mg , zn , ba , sio 2 , and tio 2 . a typical conductive ink comprises greater than 60 % ag , 0 . 1 - 1 % pt and compounds of al , b , bi , ca , mg , zn , cu , na , sio 2 , pb and ru . a preferred embodiment uses 7125d ink available from dupont electronics , wilmington , del . other acceptable inks are available from electro - scientific industries , mount laurel , n . j . resistive heating elements 2 generally have a thickness in the range of 0 . 2 mil ( 5 μm ) to 5 mil ( 125 μm ), widths in the range of 1 . 0 mm to 2 . 0 mm , and lengths in the range of 10 mm to 16 mm . in a preferred embodiment , shown in fig1 resistive heating elements 2 are 1 - 4 mils ( 25 - 100 μm ) thick , 1 . 3 mm wide and about 13 mm long , and are separated by slots approximately 0 . 5 mm wide . the illustrative embodiments shown in fig1 - 14 have various advantages which may be particularly useful for specific applications . for instance , as shown in fig5 the heater may be constructed so that both surfaces of the substrate are used , which allows a larger number of heating elements to be provided . as shown in fig2 a smoking article may contain socket 6 for making the necessary electrical connections for use of a heater , although other techniques may also be used to make the necessary lead connections , such as conventional wire bonding . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the resistive and conductive layers can be applied to the substrate in several ways , including techniques such as sputtering , physical vapor deposition , chemical vapor deposition , thermal spraying , and dc magnetron sputtering . however , most require the use of fairly expensive instruments , and involve processing the material in a vacuum . a preferred technique for high - speed production of heaters is screen - printing , which allows resistive and conductive materials to be screen - printed to desired thicknesses on green tape . the screen - printing process involves forcing a viscous thick film paste through a stencil screen to form a pattern on the substrate . the screen may be constructed of a stainless steel wire mesh or cloth , polyester or nylon filaments , or metallized polyester filaments . the mesh size may be tailored to the properties of the paste to be used . the resistive paste , which can consist of a combination of metals , non - metals , metal oxide and glass , is commercially available from dupont corporation of wilmington , del . in a variety of resistivity values . the sheet resistance of the paste increases with the loading concentrations of oxides and glass relative to the metals in the paste . the thick film paste exhibits high viscosity , but its viscosity decreases sharply upon application of a shearing force , such as that applied to the paste when a rubber squeegee blade forces the paste through the screen . thus , upon the application of force , the paste flows rapidly through the screen and prints a pattern on the substrate . viscosity increases again when the force is withdrawn so that the paste retains its pattern . the viscosity of the thick film paste may be adjusted by the addition of solvents or thinners such as pine oil , terpinol , butyl carbitol acetate or dibutylphthalate . temporary binding materials such as polyvinyl acetate , ethyl cellulose or carboxy methyl cellulose ( cmc ) may be used to increase the cohesion of the paste during screen printing and sintering . a permanent binder , such as glass , fuses the printed material to the substrate and remains after sintering . after printing , the paste is allowed to settle for approximately 10 minutes . the paste may then be dried in a 120 °- 150 ° c . oven for about 10 - 15 minutes before firing or may be dried during the firing process . the paste is typically fired using the same temperature profile that is used for the ceramic firing stage , shown in fig1 . in this step temporary organic binders are removed from the films by decomposition and oxidation , when the temperature is generally at 200 °- 500 ° c . at temperatures from 500 °- 700 ° c ., the permanent binder within the resistive ( or conductive ) thick - film paste , which is glass frit in a preferred embodiment , melts and wets the surface of the substrate and the particles within the paste . during the sintering stage , the temperature is raised to 850 ° c ., which causes the particles to become interlocked with the glass frit and the substrate . although adequate results may be achieved by printing the second layer after drying the first layer , the most consistent results are achieved by performing the reprinting step after firing the first resistive layer . the conductive elements , including the lead terminals for energizing the heaters , are screen printed next . the thickness of the conductive layer is generally in the range of 0 . 2 mils ( 5 μm ) to 5 mils ( 125 μm ). the thick film paste used to print conductive elements may incorporate silver , gold , platinum , palladium , copper , tungsten or combinations of these metals , together with solvents and binders . at this point , the printed tape may be cut , for instance by a laser , into individual heaters each having a plurality of resistive heating elements 2 . this cutting step may also be performed after sintering the conductive paste . the heater is placed on a support , preferably graphite or another high temperature insulator that can withstand a subsequent heating step , where a second cutting operation further trims the heater to its final size , which is preferably less than the 8 mm diameter of conventional smoking articles . the trimming operation can be carried out by a laser or by a punch . after trimming , the conductive layer may be fired using the temperature profile of fig1 . the conductive paste reacts similarly to the resistive paste during firing , although the final resistance is much lower . the firing step also forms good ohmic contacts between the resistive and conductive elements . although in the heater fabrication process illustrated above , the ceramic , resistive paste , and conductive paste were fired in three separate firing stages , it is also possible , in accordance with the invention , to easily modify the process . for instance , the conductive paste could be fired before the resistive paste , or the resistive and conductive pastes could be fired simultaneously . the present invention may be more readily understood by reference to fig1 - 18 , which detail the measured performance of heaters constructed in accordance with the invention . for instance , fig1 shows the temperature attained by a heating element versus time as a result of applying a 5 . 0 v potential for 1 . 0 s across a heating element heaving a 1 . 21 ω resistance . the heater temperature , which was measured by a thermocouple , rises to a maximum of approximately 400 ° c . after the potential is removed , the temperature decays . fig1 shows the effect of creating slots in the substrate between heating elements . the 1 . 25 ω resistance of the heater used for the measurements of fig1 is essentially the same as the resistance of the heater used for the measurements of fig1 . however , the greater thermal isolation that results from providing slots in the substrate between heating elements causes the temperature of the heater to rise to an approximately 700 ° c . maximum . thus , by reducing thermal diffusion away from a heated resistive heating element , the temperature rise is produced more efficiently . because the heater provides a temperature that is sufficiently high to create a tobacco aerosol for significantly longer than the non - slotted heater , even when drawing the same amount of battery power , battery life can be greatly extended by using slots . referring to fig1 and 18 , when current is applied to heating element 10 , temperature response 20 is produced . due to thermal diffusion , the temperature of adjacent heater 11 is also raised ( see thermal response 21 ). thermal responses 22 and 23 show the effect of heat diffusing to heating element 12 and heating element 13 . although adjacent heating elements are not entirely thermally isolated from each other , they are isolated enough that the tobacco flavor - generating medium of adjacent elements will not be affected inadvertently when one of the heating elements is powered . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments , which are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation , and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow .

0Human Necessities

a reactive power control system that provides an optimum control of the reactive power compensation in a wind farm is described below . several drawings will be referenced only as illustration for the better understanding of the description . furthermore , the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings and in the description to refer to the same or like elements . an exemplary topology of the wind farm with the reactive power control system is shown in fig6 . this system is comprised of a plurality of wind turbines ( 600 a through 600 e ) and two subsystems : the wind farm central control ( wfcc ) ( 100 ), shown in fig1 - 4 , which might be located in the substation or point of common coupling ( pcc ) ( 601 ), and the wind turbine relative control ( wtrc ) ( 500 ), shown in fig5 , which is carried out in at least one of the wind - turbines in the wind farm ( see 500 a through 500 e in fig6 ). the objective of this system is to follow a given setpoint of reactive power for the wind - farm as a whole while at the same time keeping account of the possible reactive power reserve that can be delivered in the short term . moreover , this reserve of maximum reactive power can be managed by the wfcc ( 100 ). the wind farm reactive power setpoint ( sp_q ) and the wind farm reactive power reserve setpoint ( sp_qres ) can be received either from the utility ( sp_q utility and sp_q resutility ) or generated by the wind farm central control ( sp_q wfcc and sp_q reswfcc ) according to several criteria predefined in an optimization algorithm ( 101 ). for instance , the power setpoint ( sp_q wfcc ) and reactive power reserve setpoint ( sp_q reswfcc ) can be generated by the optimization algorithm ( 101 ) based on , for example , production optimization , power reserve , grid voltage stability and economic profit optimization . in one embodiment , illustrated in fig1 , for example , the wfcc ( 100 ) receives various information ( 106 ) used to optimize the reactive power setpoint . such information ( 106 ) includes relevant tariff information from the utility , e . g . kwh - kvarh tariff depending on the time , short term demand , bonus because of reactive power reserve , grid capacity , production optimization information , grid voltage stability information , profit optimization information , etc . in addition , the wfcc ( 100 ) receives measurements of the actual real ( av_p ) and reactive ( av_q ) power . the wfcc ( 100 ) includes an optimization algorithm ( 101 ) which is based on economic profit optimization . this algorithm takes into account the aforementioned inputs to generate the reactive power setpoint ( sp_q wfcc ) and the reactive power reserve setpoint ( sp_q reswfcc , shown in fig3 ) in order to maximize the economic profit of the wind farm . in one embodiment , these criteria could require prioritizing either the reactive power production or the management of a reactive power reserve over the real power production in order to contribute to the electrical grid stability or maximize the economic profit of the wind farm . referring to fig1 , the reactive power setpoint sp_q managed by the wfcc ( 100 ) is regulated by a pid controller ( 104 ) or a more complex structure , by using a value av_q which represents the instantaneous reactive power measurement of the wind farm . a selector 102 selects one of two values , s p — q wfcc and s p — q utility , that are input to the selector and outputs that selected value as the reactive power setpoint sp_q . in one embodiment the selector ( 102 ) outputs s p — q wfcc unless a s p — q utility is received . a subtractor ( 103 ) subtracts the instantaneous reactive power value ( av_q ) from the reactive power setpoint value ( sp_q ) to produce an error value ( ε_q ). the output of the wfcc controller will be a percentage ( sp_ % q max ) to be applied to the maximum instantaneous reactive power that each wind turbine can produce ( q wt — max ). this relative reactive power command ( sp_ % q max ) is fed to a limiter ( 105 ) which establishes the maximum and minimum allowed percentage . these limits may be either fixed or dynamically adjusted in order to enhance the lifetime of the wind turbine components . furthermore , these limits can be used in the anti wind - up logic of the controller . the aforementioned value q_wt — max , which is shown in fig5 , will be calculated continuously by each wind turbine according to the local conditions , e . g ., ambient temperature , grid conditions , etc . finally , all the wind turbines will receive a unique command . thus , the wind farm communication network requirements are not very strict . in some cases , the total commanded reactive power sp_q can not be met by the wfcc ( 100 ). in one embodiment , this situation may occur if the value of sp_q is higher than the value of av_q during a specified time and the set point sp_ % q max has reached the thresholds ( maximum or minimum values ) imposed by the aforementioned limiter block ( 105 ). then , in an optional embodiment , shown in fig2 , it is possible to prioritize the reactive power production over the real power generation . hereinafter , this option will be referred as reactive power priority ( rpp ). in this case , in which real power production can be decreased to allow a higher production of reactive power , the difference between sp_q and av_q , namely , the error value ( ε_q ) which is generated by subtractor 103 , is input to a pid controller ( 201 ) or a more complex structure , which may include a non - linear gain . a selector ( 202 ) selects either the output of pid controller ( 201 ) or a value representing 100 % in response to the rpp value output from the optimization algorithm ( 101 ). in the case where rpp is enabled , the selector ( 202 ) selects the output of pid controller ( 201 ). the value the selector 202 selects is output as a unique command (% p wt rated ) that is distributed to all the wind turbines . each wind turbine will reduce its maximum power output in accordance to its rated power and the commanded percentage (% p wt rated ). otherwise , if rpp is not enabled , % p wt rated will be 100 %. referring to fig3 , a reactive power reserve regulation can be selected . in this case , the reactive reserve priority ( rrp ) mode is selected . in one embodiment , the reactive power reserve setpoint ( sp_q res ) is output by a selector 301 which selects as the output either sp_q reswfcc or sp_q resutility . in one embodiment the selector ( 301 ) outputs sp_q reswfcc unless a sp_q resutility is received . the reactive power reserve setpoint ( sp_q res ) is regulated by a pid controller ( 305 ) or a more complex structure , by using an estimation of the instantaneous reactive power reserve of the wind farm ( av_q res ). the value of av_q res is worked out by means of a function block ( 302 ) according to the following formula : in the case where the reactive power regulation is not being carried out by the wfcc or the value of sp_q is negligible , the value of av_q res can be calculated as : wherein qwt_max i is the maximum instantaneous reactive power that each wind turbine can produce , where i indicates a particular one of the wind turbines in the wind farm . in this particular case , each wind turbine must continuously communicate to the wfcc its reactive power capacity . subtractor 303 outputs the difference between sp_qres and av_qres , shown as error value _ε_q res , which is input to a pid controller ( 305 ) or a more complex structure , which may include a non - linear gain unit ( 304 ). the optimization algorithm 101 outputs an active rrp value if the reactive reserve priority ( rrp ) is enabled . a selector ( 306 ), in response to an active rrp value , selects the output of such controller to output a % p wt rated value that is distributed as a unique command to all the wind turbines . otherwise , if rrp is not enabled , the selector selects the value of 100 % for the value of % p wt rated . each wind turbine will reduce its maximum power output in accordance to its rated power and the commanded percentage (% p wt rated ). this is an operational mode wherein the reactive power reserve is prioritized over the real power production . the reactive power regulation and reactive power reserve regulation operational modes can be enabled or disabled by the wfcc . these modes are not exclusive , but can be combined in an arbitrary way . for example , fig4 shows the case where both operational modes are activated and the reactive power priority ( rpp ) is enabled . here , a minimum value selector ( 401 ) will determine whether the output of the selector 202 or the output of selector 306 is commanded as % p wt rated to the wind turbines based on whichever one is smaller . referring to fig5 , a wind turbine relative control ( wtrc ) ( 500 ) system includes a reactive power capacity electrical system ( 501 ) and a voltage limit surveillance unit 502 . the wtrc ( 500 ) system receives relative power commands ( sp_ % qmax and % p wt rated ) from the wfcc . these commands , which are expressed in relative terms as percentages instead of using physical absolute units , are fed to the wind turbine power regulation system . the wind turbine relative control ( wtrc ) is continuously calculating its reactive power capacity ( qwt_max ) and generates the reactive power setpoint to the power control unit by multiplying ( 512 ) it by the relative reactive power command ( sp_ % qmax ). in such a way , the final conversion of the reactive power setpoint to physical units is carried out in the individual wind turbines . thereby , the wfcc is decoupled from the wind turbines &# 39 ; technology allowing the use of wind turbines from different manufacturers . qwt_max is the maximum reactive power that the wind turbine can deliver while keeping safety conditions within specified operational limits . therefore , it includes both the electrical system and the grid conditions . in one embodiment , the calculation of the reactive power capacity of the electrical system ( 501 ), qwt_max_ele_sys , is carried out by using multivariable functions ( 503 ). said functions may have as inputs real power , temperatures ( temp wt ) and voltages ( av_pwt , av_vwt ). in a preferred embodiment , the multivariable functions ( 503 ) are calculated for the main components ( generator , power converter , electrical cabinet , etc ) of the electrical system . these functions are not independent of the sign of sp_qmax . that is , there might be different maximum and minimum limits depending on if the reactive power is consumed or produced by the generator . grid conditions are taken into account by a voltage limit surveillance algorithm unit ( 502 ). in a preferred embodiment , measured grid voltage ( av_vwt ) is compared , using comparators ( 504 ) and ( 505 ), with the voltage operational limits of the wind turbine . measured grid voltage is both compared ( 504 ) with the upper limit ( vmax - av_vwt ), and compared ( 505 ) with the lower limit ( av_vwt - vmin ). these differences are input , respectively , to pid controller ( 506 ) and pid controller ( 507 ) or more complex structures which output can limit the output , such as limiters ( 508 and 509 ). the sign of sp_ % qmax is input to a selector ( 510 ). in the case where the sign sp_ % qmax is positive , the selector ( 510 ) selects the output of limiter ( 508 ) ( supply of reactive power to the grid ). in the case where the sign of sp_ % qmax is negative , the selector ( 510 ) selects the output of limiter ( 509 ) ( consumption of reactive power from the grid ). the output of selector ( 510 ), gv , is a percentage factor to be applied in a multiplier block ( 511 ) to the aforementioned reactive power capacity of the electrical system ( qwt_max_ele_sys ). the output of multiplier block ( 511 ) is multiplied by the sp_ % qmax value in another multiplier block ( 512 ) to obtain the reactive power setpoint ( sp_qwt ) to the power control unit . according to a non - limiting example , a wind farm of two wind turbines ( wt_a and wt_b ) is considered . the wfcc sends sp_ % qmax = 0 . 75 ( 75 %) to each wind turbine . wt_a is producing 3mw and according to its local conditions has calculated a reactive power capacity of qwt_max = 1mvar . wt_b is producing 2 . 4mw and according to its local conditions has calculated a reactive power capacity of qwt_max = 2mvar . the reactive power setpoint applied to the power control unit of wt_a is sp_qwt = qwt_max · sp_ % qmax = 1mvar · 0 . 75 = 750 kvar . the reactive power setpoint applied to the power control unit of wt_b is sp_qwt = qwt_max · sp_ % qmax = 2mvar · 0 . 75 = 1500 kvar . the wind turbine relative control ( wtrc ) ( 500 ) system receives % p wt rated from the wfcc ( 100 ). usually , this command is 100 % but can be decreased in the case where the reactive power reserve or reactive power production is prioritized over real power generation . the wtrc calculates the maximum real power production limit by multiplying the % p wt rated by the rated power of the wind turbine in multiplier ( 513 ) shown in fig5 . this limit is input to the power control algorithm of the wind turbine . the wind turbine will follow its normal operation if its real power setpoint ( sp_p ) is lower than the calculated maximum real power production limit . otherwise , the real power setpoint will be limited to the maximum real power production limit in the power control algorithm of the wind turbine . numerous modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present invention as defined in the following claims .

7Electricity

preferred embodiments of the present invention can be described by reference to the figures . the natural interrelated mechanisms involved in the deposition of semen in the vagina by the natural means of copulation can be described by reference to the diagram in fig1 . erection of the penis 2 is generally a necessary prerequisite for penetration of the vagina . the stimuli for this reflex may involve either peripheral nerve receptors on or around the penis or mental stimulation . the stimuli are in the form of electrical signals . these signals are transmitted via routes 4 and 6 , respectively , to central connections located in the sacral part of the spinal cord as shown at 8 . from these central connections electrical signals are transmitted via the pelvic splanchnic nerves ( the nervi ergentes ) 9 to the penis . the pelvic splanchnic nerves provide electrical signals to the penis arteries ( including the dorsal artery 10 shown in fig1 and 2 and a very large number of smaller arteries inside the penis ). these electrical signals result in a dilation of the arteries permitting an increase of blood flow into the penis which in turn increases the blood pressure which has the effect of partially restricting the veins 11 ( including the dorsal veins shown in fig1 and 2 ) taking blood out of the penis . as a result there is a rapid filling of blood spaces in the corpora cavernosa 12 and corpus spongiosum 13 areas of the penis . the net effect is erection . fig2 shows a cross section view of the penis including the corpora cavernosa 12 and corpus spongiosum 13 . also shown are the two limbs of the dorsal artery 10 and the dorsal nerve 9 , side by side at the top of the penis , the dorsal veins 11 and the urethra 14 . emission is the movement of spermatozoa and secretions from the testes and other accessory glands into the urethra . this is entirely a reflex process . the afferent side of the reflex arc is initiated by touch receptors in the genital area such as receptors in the penis glans 15 . in coming electrical signals travel via the pudendal nerves 17 to central relays in the upper lumbar segments 18 of the spinal cord . from there electrical signals travel via the pelvic plexus nerves 19 to stimulate parasympathetic fibres which in turn stimulate the ductus deferens 20 to slowly pump sperm and the seminal vesicles 22 to slowly pump siminal fluid into the urethra . ejaculation is the propulsion of semen out of the urethra . the same afferent paths are involved . central connections are located in the lower lumbar and upper sacral segments of the spinal cords . efferent stimuli are conveyed by parasympathetic fibres of the pelvic splanchnic nerves 9 and by somatic motor fibres 23 in the pudendal nerves 17 . ejaculation is caused by the rhythmic contraction of the bulbocavernosus muscles 24 , while the internal vesicle sphincter 26 closes to prevent retrograde ejaculation into the bladder 28 . fig3 is a block diagram of a device which the inventors call a potency package . a preferred prototype embodiment comprises a modified commercial pacemaker model 600av manufactured by seimens . the device is designed to be installed under the patient &# 39 ; s abdominal muscle rectus , but it could be installed in several other convenient places . the unit comprises battery 40 , programable signal circuit 42 , infrared detector 44 and pulse generator 46 . the unit is controlled with an external control unit shown in block diagram for in fig4 . the unit comprises a start button and an interrupt button . a preferred sequence of pulses which should provide good results for many patients is shown in fig1 . the package can be reprogrammed to change any of the parameters shown in fig1 which are pulse height , pulse width , frequency , duration and sequence . the best program for each individual patient can only be determined by testing . these parameters such as number of pulses group , voltage , pace , pulse duration are well within the ranges available with the above seimens device . these parameters and any others within the range of the device can be programmed into it with commercially available pacemaker programmer such as model # 3cmhk 850 supplied by mifi . the programmer transmits programming information via a pulsating magnetic field generated in the programmer to an electromagnetic detector in programmable signal circuit 42 . this device shown in fig3 comprises one electrode 48 . the electrode should preferably be run from under the just patient &# 39 ; s abdominal muscle rectus at position 30 , under the abdominal skin tissue to location 34 as shown in fig5 and there connect with the pelvic splanchnic nerves 9 . the pelvic splanchnic nerve is located about one centimeter under the skin at the location shown on fig5 . the procedure can be accomplished in a medical doctors office or hospital , under local anesthesia . the nerve is located by a 5 cm incision at location 34 . the nerve may be clamped between electrode leads as shown in fig6 a and 6b . ( persons skilled in the art will recognize that many other surgical techniques for connecting electrodes to nerve tissue could be used .) the recommended electronic pulse series is shown in fig5 . if this series does not produce the desired effect , the doctor can vary the parameters . if an erection is produced by any of the tests , then the doctor continues the process and installs the potency package as described above . if the doctor is unable to produce an erection , he may choose not to proceed with the operation . a second preferred embodiment of our potency package is shown in fig7 . this embodiment is just like the first embodiment except the potency package comprises a second pulse generator 47 which is programmed to simulate emission . a second electrode 49 from the device is connected to the pudendal nerves 17 at location 36 as shown in fig9 . location 36 is also shown on fig1 . this nerve can most easily be reached by making a 1 cm incision of the skin in the pubic area just at the location shown at 36 in fig1 . then make an incision of the rectal muscle ligament and reach the nerve - vessel - ductus deferens bundle . make a 0 . 5 cm incision in the cover of the bundle and attach the electrode to the pelvic plexus nerve . the place of attachment is also shown in fig9 at 36 . as above , if the doctor is uncertain if the patient is a good candidate for the procedure , applicants recommend that a patient be tested prior to installation of the device to determine if the emission can be stimulated the particular patient . applicants recommend that initially the potency package be programmed to produce the pulse trains shown in fig1 in this embodiment the device , shown in fig1 contains a chamber 60 for storage within the body of a suitable drug such as papaverine , a small electronic pump 62 and a very thin tube 64 for delivering the drug to the penis . the tube is run under the skin of the abdomen to the upper part of the penis . the tube then branches into 3 branches , one each to the two corpora cavernosa and one for the corpus spongiosium . as with the two previously described embodiments , the delivery of the drug is initiated by an electronic signal transmitted by a hand held transmitter within the control of the patient . for this embodiment the two electronic circuits are programmed as described for the second preferred embodiment as described above . the potency package is programmed to deliver the drug at time zero . drug delivery chambers consists of a plastic refillable containers which is placed into hermetic chamber 62 . the bottom of the chamber is a piston with a coil and electromagnet step driver . as the first step of the erection stimulation is a vasoactive drug delivered by sending an electrical potential to the driver . the driver pulls the coil into the electromagnet up to a definite distance squeezing the drug into the tube attached to the plastic container with one end and implanted into cavernous bodies of the penis at the other end of the tube . the other drug chambers for various health condition correction are built similarly . they are refillable as well by injection through the skin with a syringe injector . the potency package components can be standard off - the - shelf components . the components include : a lithium battery lbsar 5 made by saratof with a lifetime of 5 to 8 years , a pulse generator clg 445 made by mifi , a receiver / transmitter mc145027 made by motorola and ir remote control receiver u338m made by aeg corporation , a fast ir photodiode detector s1133 - 11 made by hamamatsu , ir remote control transmitter u327m made by aeg corporation , stepping motor 155 nl micro slide made by toshiba corporation , silicon tubing catheter t5715 made by dow corning silasastic and elastomer q7 - 4750 silicon pack made by dow corning silastic . the surgery to provide implantation is described with respect of the sixth embodiment which includes electrodes for erection and for emission and a thin tube for drug delivery to the penis . the potency package should be surgically implanted by a trained physician . the operation is very similar to the implantation of a heart pacemaker . a skin dissection is performed on the alba line below the umbilical . the peritoneal cavity is dissected and the path to the retroperitoneal is opened on the level of l4 - s2 . the electrodes are passed from the retroperitoneal to the subcutaneous layer of the frontal abdominal wall , where they are connected with the stimulator . using micro surgical techniques , the carbonic electrode 28 is sewn to the parasimpatic nerve fiber and carbonic electrode 30 is sewn to the simpatic nerve fiber . the electrodes are passed from the retroperitoneal to the subcutaneous layer of the frontal abdominal wall where they are connected with the chambers 10 and 12 of the potency package . the tube carrying the drug is connected to the corpora cavernosa so as to deliver this drug to directly to the penis . the potency package is implanted subcutaneously to the frontal abdominal wall either to the right or to the left above the umbilical . the package has no contact with the operational wound . the wound is sewn layerly . many other embodiments of the present invention are provided by various combinations of the above described embodiments . a forth embodiment would provide for emission stimulation only , a fifth is drug only . ______________________________________vasoactive agent average dose per injection______________________________________papaverine 15 mgphentolamine 0 . 5 mgprostaglandin e1 20 μgvasoactive intestinal polypeptide 5 μg______________________________________ additional embodiments are provided by providing more than one drug . for example a drug such as nitroglycerine could be provided to be released into the blood stream to provide protection of patients against heart attack during sex . the following table shows some drugs recommended for the correction of health conditions which are the most common appeared during sex intercourse . additional embodiments are provided by using many different drugs which are known to induce erection . also , there are many electronic pulse sequences which would work well to produce erection , emission and ejaculation for many different patients in addition to the sequences described above . electrodes may also be provided to stimulate the penal muscles . medical doctors will recognize that electrodes can be connected at many locations other than the ones shown . to correct the arterial circulatory problem of impotence the arterial anastamosis should be performed at the same time as potency pack implantation . anastomosis between inferior hypogastric artery and the central and dorsal artery and dorsal vein of penis is preferable . to correct the diabetic circulatory problem of impotence the arterial anastamosis should be done as distal to the penile glans as possible and same time as potency pack implantation . anastomosis between the hypogastric artery and dorsal artery end - to - end or end - to - side . penile veins of diabetic patients could usually provide blood flow and their surgical correction is not required in most cases . the teachings of the present invention can be applied to many animals other than man . it should be especially valuable for use with breeding animals such as prize bulls . it could also be used in the breeding programs of captured members of endangered species of wild animals . while the above description contains many specificities , the reader should not construe these as limitations on the scope of the invention , buy merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof . those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations are within its scope like pacemaker implantation in other location than under the rectal muscle of abdomen , design different types of electrodes and pacemakers , to use different voltage , amplitude , pulse group , repetition rate , pulse duration , remote control with more or less functions , fully automatic preprogrammed pacemaker without external control , etc . persons skilled in art will recognize that the teachings of this invention can be applied to treat frigidity in women by clitoris erection stimulation . in this case an electronic device is provided with two electrodes : one provides for erection of the clitoris and the other for pudendal muscle contraction around the vaginal entrance . other elements in the women &# 39 ; s device might provide for an electrode for urethra muscle contraction for urine incontinence correction during sexual intercourse . accordingly the reader is requested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , and not by the examples which have been given .

0Human Necessities

referring to fig1 - 8 , a body support for suntanning 10 according to the present invention is an elongate structure , for instance wedge - shaped as illustrated , formed to provide a comfortable back and side rest for a sunbather assuming a position orienting his or her body to tan side portions and constructed to be portable , easily handled and conveniently configured with an enclosable compartment for storing and transporting small items . the flat bottom , or base , 12 rests on a generally horizontal foundation 14 , typically the sand of a beach or the grass or pavement surrounding a pool , but including the platforms or carpeted floors of tanning salons , the decks of ships or boats , or any suitably flat surface . the back 16 of support 10 is flat and forms a perpendicular abutment with the back edge 18 of base 12 . ends 20 and 22 are parallel generally isosceles right triangles , perpendicular to both base 12 and back 16 , similar but not necessarily congruent in shape . a non - planar support surface 24 extends between the ends , base and back completing the generally wedge - shaped body support and forming approximately 45 ° angles with the base and back . the specific contour of support surface 24 is ergonomically designed to provide comfortable support to the back and sides of a sunbather 26 assuming a posture between the prone and supine positions , particularly the sides of the body and limbs , to allow better orientation with respect to the sun of these typically difficult to tan body portions . as best illustrated in fig3 and 6 , support surface 24 includes first and second expanded sections , or portions , 32 and 34 , respectively , enlarged in both width and depth with respect to three more constricted or narrowed sections or portions 36 , 38 and 40 . as shown in fig7 the first narrowed portion 36 , adjacent end 20 supports the sunbather &# 39 ; s head . adjacent expanded portion 32 cradles the small of the neck and the rather long gentle swail of the second narrowed portion 38 is proportioned to correspond to the shape of the back . the second expanded portion 34 rises to support the small of the back or waist and the surface then recedes to the third narrowed portion 40 conforming to and supporting the lower body or buttocks of the sunbather . the exact dimensions of this contoured support surface can vary with body type and size but a representative set of dimensions found to provide comfortable support for a wide range of users is shown in table 1 . longitudinal distances are measured from head support end 30 along the structure elongate axis to the maximum or minimum width of each sequentially adjacent support section as designated by lettered arrows shown in fig6 and the contour of support surface 24 at each position is defined by the length of the legs 42 of the isosceles triangular cross - sections , as shown in fig5 . ______________________________________ longitudinal cross - sectional distance widthportion ( inches ) ( inches ) ______________________________________a : head 0 . 0 9 . 1b : neck 4 . 2 10 . 7c : back 11 . 8 7 . 7d : small of back 23 . 0 9 . 8 or waiste : lower body 29 . 0 8 . 7 or buttocks______________________________________ in addition to varying the depth and separation of the contours of support surface 24 , the triangular ends need not have equal length arms , thus the slant or angle assumed by the surface can be varied to values greater or less than 45 °, generally between about 30 ° and 60 °, to suit conditions and personal comfort . moreover , the cross - section of the body support for suntanning need not be specifically triangular , rather any sufficiently strong yet lightweight structure having at least one surface inclined with respect to the foundation and contoured to provide uniform body support would fall within the scope of this invention . a first slot 44 formed in the back surface 16 and a second slot 45 formed in the bottom or base 12 are proportioned to form carrying handles by which the suntanning body support can be easily grasped for transporting . a hollow compartment 46 is also formed within the structure with access provided by a removable panel 48 cut into the back surface 16 . the compartment sides have insets 50 to position and support panel 48 and access indentations 52 beveled into the back surface adjacent the ends of panel 48 to facilitate placement and removal of the panel . compartment 46 is sized to provide storage for such items as suntan lotion , towels , reading material , beverage containers and dark glasses that are frequently used during tanning sessions . in one preferred embodiment the body support for suntanning of the present invention is formed of 3 / 4 &# 34 ; thick polystyrene foam , or the like , for instance arcel ™, a copolymer of expanded polystyrene and expanded polyethylene , manufactured by the arco chemical company . such a material selection enhances the utility of the storage compartment as an insulated beverage cooler . alternatively , any sufficiently strong lightweight material , preferably water and sun resistant , can be used as can a solid body with a preformed interior compartment rather than walls . dependent upon the circumstances and the preferences of the sunbather , the support can be made of rigid , flexible or cushioned material to maximize individual comfort , or may conveniently have cushioning material 49 applied over the rigid contoured support surface , as shown in fig7 . in use , a sunbather loads his or her desired sunbathing accoutrements into compartment 46 , secures access panel 48 into insets 50 , grasps the body support by a handle 44 or 45 , and transports the support to the selected sun session site . the various required notions are removed for handy access and the support is aligned with the elongate axis generally perpendicular to the path of the sun and with the angled support side directed roughly toward the source of radiation . the sunbather then assumes a comfortable posture intermediate prone and supine with a first side of his or her head , neck , back , small of the back or waist and lower torso or buttocks resting against the corresponding portions of the support and the opposite sides exposed to the direct tanning rays . periodic reversals of the radiated side ultimately produce the desired even tan , equally distributed over all the desired body surfaces . having described preferred embodiments of a new and improved body support for suntanning according to the present invention , it is believed that other modifications , variations and changes will be suggested to persons skilled in the art in view of the teachings contained herein and that all such variations , modifications and changes fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .

0Human Necessities

the present invention is a method for recycling occ comprising the following process : ( b ) a process wherein the reject portion containing fines separated in the said floatation treatment process is treated with polysaccharide hydrolase ; and ( c ) a process wherein the long fiber portion from the said floatation process is refined . hereunder is given a detailed explanation of each process of the present invention . this invention is highly characterized by using floatation treatment applied commonly in the deinking process of printedwaste for separation of occ fines . the floatation treatment in a deinking process is conducted in order to separate the ink particles with different fiber and surface properties from the stock . although various kinds of deinking agents must be added for this flotation in deinking process to decrease the flotation of wood fiber and promote desorption of ink particles and formation and stabilization of foams , the flotation process for occ according to the present invention is fundamentally different from the flotation in a deinking process , in that it is conducted for the separation purpose only on the basis of size of fibers which has the same surface property without any chemical additives under relative low flow rate and air flux condition . this is the excellence of the present invention . the flotation treatment according to the present invention is carried out preferably under the condition of 0 . 5 - 2 . 0 % occ concentration , a temperature range of 20 - 55 ° c ., a flow rate of 10 - 50 l / min , and an air flux of 5 - 20 l / min , and fines cannot be separated effectively if the flotation treatment is carried out outside the above limiting ranges . meanwhile , if the reject separated in a concentrated state in flotation treatment is left in the stock , it induces serious drainage load and increases the contamination of the process water and the amount of waste . this problem is prevented in this invention by selective enzymatic treatment to the reject separated from the said flotation stage . in the polysaccharide hydrolase treatment according to this invention , fines originating from natural corn starch adhesive of corrugated part inside occ and wood fines are hydrolyzed . since this hydrolase treatment is partially applied only to the concentrated reject portion , it is very effective in comparison with the conventional enzymatic method applied to the whole stock and has advantage of saving the treatment cost due to the decrease of enzyme input amount . additionally , since the drainage property is remarkably enhanced as a result of hydrolase treatment , there is no need of additional input of drainage - promoting chemical additives . therefore , the deteriorating the formation of base paper of corrugated board due to the use of drainage - promoting chemical additives does not matter any more , and the contamination of the process water can also be prevented . mixed enzyme of amylase , cellulase and hemicellulase are used as polysaccharide hydrolase in this invention and the treatment is preferred to be in the temperature range of 20 - 55 ° c . amylase is used to decompose natural corn starch adhesive and preferred to be treated in the range of 0 . 01 - 0 . 06 weight % with respect to the reject portion in the flotation process . cellulase and hemicellulase are used to decompose the fines originating from wood fiber and preferred to be treated in the range of 0 . 01 - 0 . 1 weight % with respect to the reject portion in the said flotation process . in enzymatic treatment , if the amount of enzyme is too small the starch adhesives and fines can not be decomposed effectively , and if it is too large the fines elimination effect by enzymatic treatment is not to be offset by the enzyme input costs . also , in this invention , the refining is conducted selectively to the long fiber portion . the same is conducted for the purpose of recovering the flexibility of fiber which is at a very inflexible state due to the hornification caused by repeated recycling treatment . in the refining process of this invention , the floatated long fiber portion is concentrated to the range of 2 - 6 % consistency and then refined under a temperature condition of 20 - 70 ° c . in case the refining is performed outside the said limiting ranges , effective refining of fiber is impossible due to excessive cutting of fiber and etc .. meanwhile , if the stock which did not go through the flotation process is refined , the drainage time of the stock increases rapidly so that sufficient mechanical treatment becomes impossible . however , in the case of the flotation process according to this invention , the drainage property is not lowered so that sufficient pulverization is possible , whose result is that the strength of base paper for corrugated board is not decreased . as explained above , in this invention the hydrolysis effect is maximized by the selective polysaccharide hydrolysis of the reject portion only separated from the flotation process of occ . also the strength is increased without lowering the drainage property by selective refining of the long fiber portion with the fines separated . so it is especially useful for the recycling of korean old corrugated contained ( kocc ). the following specific examples are intended to be illustrative of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims . after picking the bottom stock of testliner from the headbox in the production line of two - ply base paper for corrugated board , 17 % of the reject was separated by 2 - minute flotation treatment under the condition of 1 % concentration , 45 ° c . of temperature , 30 l / min of flow rate and 15 l / min of air flux using e - type laboratory flotation cell ( voith , germany ). in order to decompose fiber fines and adhesive starch of the separated reject which was concentrated to 3 %, 0 . 05 weight % of cellulase and hemicellulase enzyme complex separated and refined from trichoderma longibrachiatum ( pergalase fl - 60 , genencor , finland ) and 0 . 03 weight % of α - amylase family enzyme separated and refined from bacillus licheniformis ( termamyl ls , novo , denmark ; 1 , 4 - α - d - glucan - glucano - hydrolase ) was added and ripened with slow agitation for 1 hour at 45 ° c . subsequently , the stock was prepared by mixing the fines hydrolyzed by the enzymes with long fiber portion , and then the handsheet was prepared with a basis weight of 150 g / m 2 according to tappi standard test method t - 205 om - 88 . flotation and polysaccharide hydrolase treatment was performed in the same manner as in example 1 . subsequently , the flotated long fiber portion was concentrated to 4 %, and refined 2 times at 45 ° c . using disk refiner ( daeil khigong co ., korea ). and then , the refined stock was diluted again to 1 % concentration with white water taken from the concentration process , and mixed with hydrolyzed fines and handsheeted with a basis weight of 150 g / m 2 according to tappi standard test method t - 205 om - 88 . after picking the bottom stock of testliner from the headbox in the production line of two - ply base paper for corrugated board , the same was handsheeted with a basis weight of 150 g / m 2 according to tappi standard test method t - 205 om - 88 . after picking the bottom stock of testliner from the headbox in the production line of two - ply base paper for corrugated board , the same was concentrated to 4 %, and refined 2 times at 45 ° c . using disk refiner ( daeil khigong co ., korea ). subsequently , the refined stock was diluted again to 1 % concentration with white water taken from the concentration process , and then , the same was handsheeted with a basis weight of 150 g / m 2 according to tappi standard test method t - 205 om - 88 . in order to confirm the various physical property changes of occ caused by the hydrolase treatment to the fines separated by flotation treatment , the drainage time in the papermaking process was compared with example 1 and comparative example 1 . burst strength and compression strength of the handsheet were also measured according to tappi standard test methods t - 403 om - 85 and t - 818 om - 87 , respectively . the results are given in table 1 . also , in order to confirm the various physical property changes of occ caused by the refining to the long fiber portion treatment , drainage time in the papermaking process was compared with example 2 and comparative example 2 . burst strength and compression strength of the handsheet were also measured according to tappi standard test methods t - 403 om - 85 and t - 818 om - 87 , respectively . the results are given in table 2 . table 1______________________________________ example 1 comparative example 1______________________________________drainage time ( sec ) 149 . 8 196 . 6compression strength ( n ) 125 . 1 118 . 5burst strength ( kpa · m . sup . 7 / g 1 . 82 1 . 80______________________________________ table 2______________________________________ example 2 comparative example 2______________________________________drainage time ( sec ) 197 . 9 245 . 3compression strength ( n ) 143 . 6 137 . 5burst strength ( kpa · m . sup . 2 / g ) 2 . 35 2 . 22______________________________________ as can be confirmed in table 1 and 2 , the selective polysaccharide hydrolase treatment to reject separated by flotation treatment of kocc had the effect of reducing drainage time more than 23 %, and saved the enzyme input cost more than 80 %, in comparison with the conventional enzyme treatment . the reason of this reduction in drainage time is that fines of corn starch adhesive and wood fiber present in occ pulp and hindering drainage were cleared by flotation treatment and then eliminated by effective enzymatic hydrolysis . meanwhile , example 1 wherein long fiber content increased relatively since the content of the fines inducing drainage load of occ decreased by the floatation treatment according to the recycling method of this invention . the result shows increased strength of used papermaking stock in comparison with comparative example 1 , however the extent of the increase was insignificant , and the strength could not be sufficiently enhanced by enzyme treatment only . on the contrary , it was confirmed that when examining the measured values of example 2 and comparative example 2 , wherein the refining was conducted to enhance the strength of handsheet , the compression strength and burst strength increased by more than 20 % and 30 %, respectively , in comparison with those of example 1 and comparative example 1 . especially example 2 comprising preceding flotation treatment followed by polysaccharide hydrolase treatment for the reject portions had the effect of saving refining power more than 20 % and improving drainage property and strength . in addition , it was confirmed from the drainage time measurement results of comparative example 2 that if flotation and hydrolase treatments are not preceded , the refining induces rapid increase of drainage time and then it cannot be applied to the actual papermaking process . as stated in detail and proved above , the present invention provides a recycling method of occ by flotation treatment and followed by selective treatment of enzyme and refining . the recycling method of occ of the present invention has the following advantages compared with the conventional recycling method : ( a ) the drainage property is improved by separating and removing the fines in kocc without adding any chemical additives ; and ( b ) the strength is enhanced by refining for the fractionated long fiber portion only ; and ( d ) the imported occ and unbleached kraft pulp required for the manufacture of high - strength base paper for corrugated board could be replaced by kocc .

3Textiles; Paper

the following description relates to a specific and non - limiting example of the above - described principles , where an asl correction was experimentally investigated for correcting dsc mri cbf images . this particular method can be referred to as cad - cbf for combined asl and dsc cbf . to summarize the following , we have compared the cad - cbf method to gold - standard xenon computed tomography ( xect ) in 20 patients with cerebrovascular disease using a range of tmax threshold levels . cad - cbf demonstrated quantitative accuracy as good as the asl technique but with improved correlation in voxels with long tmax . the ratio of mri - based cbf to xect cbf ( coefficient of variation [ cov ]) was 90 ± 30 % ( 33 %) for cad - cbf ; 43 ± 21 % ( 47 %) for dsc ; and 91 ± 31 % ( 34 %) for asl ( tmax threshold 3 s ). these findings suggest that combining asl and dsc perfusion measurements improves quantitative cbf measurements in patients with cerebrovascular disease . bolus dynamic susceptibility contrast ( dsc ) perfusion - weighted imaging ( pwi ) and arterial spin labeling ( asl ) are two methods of measuring cerebral blood flow ( cbf ) using mri , each with different strengths and weaknesses . asl cbf levels are reliable in regions with rapidly arriving flow , but suffer from reduced snr , cbf underestimation , and artifacts in regions with long arterial arrival times . in theory , dsc - based cbf measurements are unaffected by long arrival times if fourier - based or delay - invariant block - circulant singular value decomposition deconvolution methods are used . however , absolute quantitation is challenging for many reasons , including uncertainties regarding the arterial input function ( aif ) partial volume amount , the effect of vessel orientation on contrast relaxivity , the nonlinear relationship between transverse relaxivity and contrast concentration , clipping of aif signal due to high tracer concentrations , and susceptibility - based voxel shifting . for these reasons , both techniques have yet to be fully embraced by the neuroimaging community for evaluating patients with cerebrovascular disease . this study describes a calibration method that uses asl cbf measurements in regions with short transit delays ( as measured by the aif - normalized time - to - peak of the residue function [ tmax ]) to provide a patient - specific correction factor ( cf ) for dsc cbf measurements . we have termed this method “ combined asl and dsc cbf ,” or cad - cbf . we hypothesize that in patients with cerebrovascular disease , the cad - cbf method will have less bias and is more precise with respect to a gold - standard cbf method . we also hypothesize that application of such a correction factor will improve cbf measurements in long arterial arrival time regions compared with asl . to test this , we have evaluated 20 patients with known cerebrovascular disease who received xenon ct ( xect ) and mr perfusion imaging . xect is a gold - standard perfusion measurement which uses a diffusible tracer ( xenon gas ) that is inhaled by the patient , and which permits cbf measurement using the autoradiographic (“ kety - schmidt ”) method . the study was approved by the institutional review board and was hipaa compliant . patients were enrolled if they had symptoms concerning for cerebral ischemia ( acute , subacute , or chronic ) or transient ischemic attack , and were willing to undergo the xect cbf study . to be included in the study , the stable xect and mri studies had to occur within a 48 hr period . 20 patients met the inclusion criteria ( 11 men , 9 women ; mean age 53 yrs , range 25 - 74 yrs ). their clinical indications were as follows : 13 moyamoya disease , 4 acute ischemic stroke , 3 transient ischemic attacks ( tia ); of these , 5 had unilateral internal carotid occlusion , while 2 had bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion . the root - mean - squared time difference between the xect and mri studies was 27 hrs . in 11 of 20 patients ( 55 %), xect was acquired before mri . computed tomography ( ct ) was performed using a ge lightspeed 8 detector scanner ( ge healthcare , waukesha , wis ., usa ) integrated with a stable xenon enhancer system ( diversified diagnostic products , inc ., houston , tex ., usa ). the xect protocol interrogated 4 contiguous slices ( axial mode , slice thickness 10 mm , fov 25 cm , 80 kvp , 240 ma ) beginning at the level of the basal ganglia , aligned with the superior orbitomeatal axis . 8 sets of images were acquired at 45 s intervals , and the total time for the xect examination was 6 min . the first 2 time points were acquired while the patient breathed room air , and the remaining 6 time points were acquired with the patient breathing 28 % xenon ( xe ) gas , 20 % oxygen , remainder air through a snug facemask . an end - tidal gas analyzer recorded expired xe concentration , which was associated with the alveolar xe concentration . the alveolar xe concentration was assumed to correspond to the arterial xe concentration , a reasonable approximation except in patients with severe respiratory disease and abnormal alveolar - to - arterial gradient . cbf was calculated using the kety - schmidt method by the manufacturer &# 39 ; s dedicated commercial software ( diversified diagnostic products , inc ., houston , tex ., usa ). the output was cbf maps with in - plane spatial resolution on the order of 2 - 3 mm . all mri scans were performed at 1 . 5t ( signa lx / i , ge medical systems , waukesha , wis ., usa ). anatomic imaging was performed in addition to the perfusion measurements , and always included fluid - attenuated inversion recovery ( flair ) and diffusion - weighted imaging ( dwi ) with a b - value of 1000 s / mm 2 . dsc was performed using gradient - echo ( gre ) echo planar imaging ( epi ) during passage of 0 . 1 mmol / kg of either gadopentetate dimeglumine ( magnevist , berlex laboratories , wayne , n . j .) or gadodiamide ( omniscan , ge healthcare , waukesha , wis .) delivered using a power injector at 4 cc / s . image readout was performed using a multishot , multiecho grappa epi sequence with an acceleration factor of 3 and tr / te of 1225 /( 17 , 30 , 52 ) ms . 12 - 15 axial slices of 5 mm thickness separated by 1 . 5 mm interslice gap covered the entire supratentorial brain . in - plane resolution was 2 . 6 mm ( matrix 96 × 96 , fov 240 mm ). the dsc images required 2 min to acquire . again , the slices were aligned with the superior orbitomeatal axis . automated aif and venous output function ( vof ) detection and deconvolution with block - circulant singular value decomposition ( svd ) were performed , using a regularization threshold of 15 % of the maximum singular value , to create maps of cbf , cerebral blood volume ( cbv ), mean transit time ( mtt ), and aif - corrected time - to - peak of the residue function ( tmax ). transverse relaxivity change ( δr 2 *) was calculated using a weighted least - squares fit of the signal intensity from the three acquired echoes . a nonlinear relationship between blood tracer concentration and transverse relaxivity was assumed for tissue , according to the literature . for the tissue signal , a linear relationship between the change in transverse relaxation rate , δr 2 *, and gadolinium concentration , c ( t ), was used : where a relaxivity of r 2 = 0 . 044 ( ms mm ) − 1 was assumed for gadolinium at 1 . 5 t . for the aif , a quadratic relationship between relaxivity and concentration was used : δ r 2 *( t )= ac ( t )+ bc ( t ) 2 ( 2 ) where a = 7 . 6 × 10 − 3 ( ms mm ) − 1 and b = 574 × 10 − 6 ( ms mm 2 ) − 1 for 1 . 5 t gre . pulsed continuous asl was performed using a labeling period ( tl ) of 1500 ms , followed by a 2000 ms post - label delay ( w ). readout was accomplished with a 3 dimensional ( 3d ) background suppressed fast - spin - echo ( fse ) stack - of - spirals method . multi - arm spiral imaging was used , with 8 arms and 512 data points acquired on each arm ( bandwidth ± 62 . 5 khz ), yielding in - plane spatial resolution of 3 mm . forty 4 - mm thick slices in the axial plane were acquired without intraslice gaps . because the spirals are interleaved , both echo time ( te ) ( 2 . 5 ms ) and total readout time ( 4 ms ) could be kept quite short , resulting in excellent performance in high susceptibility regions . repetition time ( tr ) was approximately 5 . 5 s . a high level of background suppression was achieved by the use of 4 separate inversion pulses placed after the labeling pulse during the post - label delay period ( at 1 . 49 s , 0 . 68 s , 0 . 25 s , and 0 . 06 s before readout ). the sequence required 6 min to acquire , which included proton density images required for cbf quantitation . post - processing was performed using an automated reconstruction script that returned cbf images directly to the scanner console within 1 min . cbf ( in ml / 100 g / min ) was calculated in each voxel using the following equation : where λ is the brain : blood partition coefficient ( 0 . 9 ml / g ), w is the post - label delay ( 1 . 5 s ), t 1blood is the t 1 of arterial blood at 1 . 5 t ( 1 . 4 s ), α is the labeling efficiency ( 0 . 85 ), tl is the labeling duration ( 1 . 5 s ), δs is the asl difference signal ( i . e . label - control image ), and s 0 is the proton density signal intensity . the term ( 1 − exp (− 2 . 0 s / 1 . 2 s )) in the numerator reflects the presence of a saturation pulse that is applied in the proton - density images and allows conversion between measured mr signal ( s 0 ) and the unperturbed longitudinal gray matter magnetization . to determine an asl - based global correction factor ( cf ), we determined the location of all voxels with relatively rapid arterial arrival time as measured by the dsc tmax maps . multiple different tmax thresholds ( tmax thresh ) were examined , ranging from & lt ; 1 . 5 s to & lt ; 6 s at 0 . 5 s intervals , as well as an infinite tmax ( i . e ., all voxels were used for determining the cf ). we found that shorter tmax thresh ( i . e ., less than 1 . 5 s ) did not reliably include voxels in all patients for the subsequent calculations . while in practice , it is reasonable to choose only voxels with the shortest tmax , we examined these other conditions to evaluate the sensitivity to tmax threshold choice and any potential tradeoffs . after 3d rigid body registration of asl and dsc , the mean cbf calculated from only the voxels that met the tmax criteria were calculated for both the asl and dsc , yielding a patient - specific correction factor : which is the mean of voxels r in which tmax & lt ;= tmax thresh . this dimensionless scaling factor was then multiplied with the dsc cbf map to determine the “ corrected ” hybrid asl - dsc cbf , which we term cbf cad : fig1 is a schematic of the steps taken during this process . rigid body rotation based on mutual information using spm5 ( wellcome department of imaging neuroscience , university college of london ) was used to co - register the mr and xect images . typically , flair anatomical images were co - registered to the 4 contiguous xect slices , and this transformation was then applied to the dsc and asl cbf maps . each slice was then divided into 1 cc cubic regions of interest ( rois ) using a “ battleship grid ” consisting of contiguous square regions - of - interest . this yielded a large number of voxels with equal spatial resolution ( about 400 voxels per patient ) that were free of any possible roi selection bias . voxels belonging to the ventricles and cortical sulcal csf were excluded by thresholding the diffusion - weighted images manually . in each patient , scatter plots of the individual dsc and asl cbf maps with xect were created , yielding slope , intercept , and correlation coefficient ( r ). the global mean cbf was calculated by averaging the (˜ 400 ) individual roi measurements described above in each patient . the mri - based cbf measurements were normalized by the xect cbf value using the cbf ratio : where all values are global means . ideally , this value should be 1 , which would represent exact correspondence ( i . e ., no bias ) between the two techniques . to determine the precision of the cbf between patients , the coefficient of variation ( cov ), or normalized between - patients standard deviation , was used : where the overbar represents the mean of all n patients . lower cov represents a more precise measurement . a cov of 0 % means that each mri - based cbf measurement corresponds to the xect cbf measurements to the level of a patient - independent scaling factor . cbv was also calculated from the dsc maps before correction , using the ratio of the integrated tissue and vof concentration - time curve ; post - correction cbv maps were created by multiplying the pre - correction dsc images by the same correction factor described above . linear regression was performed comparing the mean xect - based and mri - based cbf measurements between patients . all post - processing was performed using matlab 7 . 3 ( mathworks inc ., natick , mass ., usa ). stata release 9 . 2 ( statacorp llp , college station , tex .) was used for all statistical calculations . all values are reported as mean ± sd . p & lt ; 0 . 05 was considered significant . fig2 a - d demonstrate the effect of varying tmax thresh . more specifically , these figures show the effect of tmax threshold on ( a ) the mean correction factor , ( b ) the percentage of total voxels satisfying the inclusion criteria , ( c ) the coefficient of variation of the cbf ratio , and ( d ) measured cbf . here the dashed lines relate to dsc results , the circles relate to cad - cbf results , and the squares relate to xect results . in short , we found that the precise threshold was not critical : within the range from 2 to 6 s , the mean cf ranged between 2 . 28 ± 1 . 32 and 2 . 53 ± 1 . 37 . without any thresholding based on the tmax lesions ( i . e ., using all co - localized voxels in the asl and dsc scans ), cf was 2 . 48 ± 1 . 32 . however , the cf in individual patients varied significantly , consistent with the idea that this is a patient - specific factor ; for example , using a tmax threshold of 3 s , the range of the cf in the different patients ranged from a low of 1 . 02 to a high of 6 . 71 . as the threshold increases , more voxels are included in each patient for the calculation of cf ( fig2 b ), with about 50 % of voxels included for tmax between 3 and 4 s . based on the improved precision and low bias , we believe that a tmax of about 3 s ( i . e ., in a range from 2 s to 4 s ) represented the best operational choice for tmax thresh in this patient population . table 1 below presents the mean cbf data for xect , uncorrected dsc , asl , and the combined method for a range of tmax thresh , including non - thresholded ( i . e ., tmax thresh = infinity ). cbf measured using the cad approach had a bias roughly equivalent to the asl method , but the precision of the measurement , as reflected by the cov improved , decreasing to 32 % from 47 % for tmax thresh of 3 s . fig3 shows a comparison of asl ( triangles ), uncorrected dsc ( squares ), and cad ( circles ) mean global cbf compared with gold - standard xect cbf . data points shown are mean cbf values , which include all imaged tissue , and are a mixture of gray and white matter for each patient . note the improved bias in the measurement of the asl and cad cbf methods compared with the uncorrected dsc method . the correlation of both the asl and the cad cbf maps was 0 . 23 ( p & lt ; 0 . 05 ), while the correlation of the uncorrected dsc cbf images was 0 . 04 ( p = ns ). fig4 a - b show a comparison of correlation between the mri techniques and xect cbf in regions with long arterial arrival delays ( tmax & gt ;= 7 . 5 s ) before ( fig4 a ) and after ( fig4 b ) asl - based correction in all patients ( n = 289 regions ). the solid line on fig4 a is the dsc fit . the solid line on fig4 b is the cad - cbf fit . the dashed lines on fig4 a - b show the asl fit . tmax thresh was 3 s . note the improved correlation of cad - cbf ( r = 0 . 64 ) over either the asl ( r = 0 . 32 ) or the dsc uncorrected ( r = 0 . 44 ) method alone . in individual patients , both asl and uncorrected dsc had similar correlation for all voxels ( r = 0 . 34 ± 0 . 16 for asl , r = 0 . 39 ± 0 . 13 for dsc ). multiplication of the dsc images by a global correction factor will not improve correlation of individual cbf roi measurements in individual patients ; however , when rois from all patients are combined , there was a significantly improved correlation of the cbf cad maps ( r = 0 . 32 for cad - cbf , r = 0 . 30 for asl , r = 0 . 26 for dsc ; n = 6496 voxels , p & lt ; 0 . 05 for all values being different from each other ). this effect was particularly evident when considering only voxels with long tmax ( one example is shown as fig4 a - b , for tmax thresh of 3 s , examining only voxels with tmax & gt ; 7 . 5 s ). in these regions , the correlation of combined maps is higher than that of the asl cbf maps . while we did not have a gold - standard for evaluating cbv , we note that the correction factor above can be applied to these maps , and can be compared with literature values . the mean cbv in the brain increased from 1 . 63 ± 0 . 79 % ( pre - correction ) to 3 . 50 ± 1 . 42 % ( post - correction ) for a tmax thresh of 3 s . asl has been shown to accurately measure quantitative cbf in normal volunteers , but it has not been validated in a patient population with a wide variety of cerebrovascular disease and extensive collateral flow . in particular , cbf errors are known to occur in regions with prolonged arterial arrival times , which may lead to cbf under - or overestimation , depending on the precise relationship between arterial arrival time and the sequence &# 39 ; s post - label delay time , as well as whether vessel suppression techniques are used . this can lead to a confusing picture and for this reason , many have doubted whether asl could play a role in the diagnosis and management of patients with severe cerebrovascular disease , particularly acute stroke patients . some of these problems can be mitigated by the use of asl sequences with multiple post - label delay times . improved estimation of cbf in the setting of variable delay can be accomplished by non - linear fitting of the asl difference signal data to a generalized kinetic model or by using a “ model - free ” approach , in which the difference between non - vessel suppressed and vessel suppressed images acts as an aif . however , this method cannot be used for regions supplied by very slow collateral pathways , in which no asl difference signal is observed even for the longest post - label delays . also , multiple post - label delay asl sequences necessarily have either reduced snr for individual time points or an overall increase in scan time . dsc cbf methods yield robust relative cbf maps , especially if delay - invariant deconvolution methods are performed . however , prior studies have shown that the inter - subject variability with dsc cbf measurements is significant , which has been attributed to a host of factors , including aif partial volume , vessel orientation sensitivity , aif clipping due to signal saturation , non - linear contrast relaxivity , susceptibility - induced voxel location shifting , and differences in large vessel / small vessel hematocrit , such that absolute cbf quantitation is challenging in individual patients . while degradation of the aif shape and regularization will contribute to quantitation errors , we hypothesize that the major contribution to cbf quantitation errors emanates from scaling issues due to the aforementioned effects on the aif . both dsc and asl , when used in isolation , thus have difficulties measuring quantitative cbf in patients with cerebrovascular disease . however , the strength of each measurement can be leveraged using a combined asl - dsc approach , we have termed cad - cbf . asl quantitation is robust in regions with normal arrival times ; dsc can be used to identify precisely these voxels , e . g ., by using the timing information that can be obtained from tmax maps . thus , a patient - specific cf can be determined by equating the mean cbf obtained from each method only in voxels with tmax below a prespecified threshold . it is important to note that the precise cf is dependent upon any corrections that have been applied to scale the dsc data ( e . g . brain density factor , relaxivity and relaxation rate look up table , and small / large vessel hct correction ) and therefore would likely vary depending on the exact implementation and post - processing steps used calculate absolute cbf . the method is only predicated on the assumption that the relative cbf maps produced by dsc are accurate , or at minimum , are more accurate than asl . the cf value is applied to the entire dsc cbf data set , taking advantage of the better relative cbf properties of dsc in regions with long delay times , where asl suffers from t 1 - based label decay and arterial transit artifacts ( e . g . incomplete arterial bolus arrival to the capillaries ). this general approach is flexible , and a similar cf can also be derived from and applied to spin - echo ( se ) dsc sequences . in fact , this may be preferable , given that gre - epi is sensitive to large blood vessels ( which should not be included in the perfusion measurement , as this would , in theory , lead to a “ flow through artifact ”). asl and se - dsc also share the characteristic of being most sensitive to perfusion at the microvascular level . this may explain the remaining small underestimation of cbf by about 10 % in the combined cbf maps . the use of a patient - specific cf also obviates the need for determining the magnitude of the aif , which is fundamentally problematic for se acquisitions . this , in turn , would enable truly quantitative measurements of both microvascular cbf and cbv . we found that the specific choice of tmax thresh was not critical . this may seem non - intuitive , but we believe is due to the relatively small number of voxels with long tmax in most patients with cerebrovascular disease . thus we found that good results were achieved even without using a threshold ( i . e ., determining the cf based on all the voxels within the co - localized dsc and asl volumes ); such an approach might be feasible in most patients , and could reduce computational time and errors from noise in the tmax maps . however , we believe the current approach is most prudent , given that the cf is likely to be sensitive to tmax thresh for patients with large and / or bilateral lesions , such as those seen in moyamoya disease or carotid terminus occlusions . we believe that the optimal level for tmax thresh is around 3 s , as this resulted in the lowest intersubject variability accompanied by reasonably low bias compared with gold standard xect cbf . also , at this threshold , 41 . 1 ± 14 . 3 % of voxels are used in the calculation , thus minimizing issues with noise that could occur with shorter tmax thresh . the combined asl - dsc method yields a better estimate of gold - standard cbf compared with either asl or dsc used alone . specifically , the cad - cbf method has a bias and precision equal to or better than that for asl , with improved correlation in voxels with long tmax . the correlation of all voxels in all patients was also significantly increased using the combined method , though the overall difference was slight and may not be clinically relevant . however , this improvement was more pronounced in voxels with long tmax ( see fig4 a - b ), as expected , given the challenges of asl imaging in such regions . finally , while we could not compare the corrected cbv values with a gold - standard , the use of the correction factor did increase the mean whole - brain cbv ( 3 . 5 ± 1 . 4 %) to the level of literature values ( 3 . 8 ± 0 . 7 %) as measured by c 15 o pet . the method does require that two perfusion studies be obtained , adding either 2 or 6 minutes to the protocol , depending on which sequence one considers to have added . the asl sequence used in the current study obtains 3 nex to increase snr . this was done because we ask our clinicians to examine both asl and dsc hemodynamic studies , and only 1 average for the asl study results in poor image quality . however , for the purposes of measuring the cf , it is likely that fewer nex are required , since the cf is derived from mean values calculated in a large roi ( usually about half of the total imaged volume ); this would lead to a reduction in imaging time and could be incorporated into a “ pre - scan ” module of the dsc measurement . for the same reason , larger voxels can be used . the added snr affords the use of parallel imaging which would further reduce scan time . we have demonstrated a method that we have termed cad - cbf based on combined dsc and asl imaging methods , which has reduced bias and precision when compared to gold - standard xect cbf . a patient - specific scaling factor is derived from equating the cbf levels on the asl and dsc images in regions with short arterial arrival times . correlation between cad - cbf method and xect cbf is improved , particularly in regions with long arterial arrival times . we believe the approach supports the use of both asl and dsc in patients with cerebrovascular disease . for scaling purposes we anticipate that an asl scan with a coarser resolution than used in this study would be sufficient . thus , a much more time - efficient asl method could be used that would minimize the additional time needed for this calibration measurement .

6Physics

the first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig1 to 3 . in this first embodiment , the present invention is applied to a document processing system in which a font server ( letter data controller ) 101 is connected to a plurality of work stations 102 , 103 , 104 , and to a printer 105 via a communication circuit 106 forming a transmission path for data . the font server 101 will be discussed in more detail later . each of the work stations 102 , 103 , 104 and the printer 105 may be conventional , and contain a font cache to store letter data temporarily . the work stations permit documents to be created , and edited , and the work stations can then cause the documents to be printed by the printer 105 . the operation of the system of fig1 will now be described . users create documents , or edit documents already made , using the work stations 102 , 103 , 104 . when it is necessary to display letter data on the display of a given work station 102 , 103 , 104 , the first step is to check whether or not the letter data to be displayed is present in the font cache of that work station . if that data exists , the letter data may be immediately displayed using the information in that cache . if the data is not present , a signal 107 is sent from the work station to the font server through the communication circuit 106 . the font server 101 then transmits the request letter data or data in which the requested data has been converted , to the work station 102 through the communication circuit 106 . this is indicated by arrow 108 . the work station 102 can then out put the letter data using the letter data received , and at the same time can store that letter data in the font cache in case that letter data is needed again . to print that document , a command signal to control the printer is transferred to the printer by converting the document data in the work stations , or by transmitting the document data itself to the printer 105 as illustrated by step 111 . when the printer has been requested to print a document it first checks whether or not the letter data corresponding to the characters of that document are present in its font cache . if the data is present , the printer 105 can print the characters using the letter data . if not , the printer 105 signals , via the communication circuit 106 , to the font server 101 , as illustrated by arrow 110 . the font server 101 transmits the requested letter data , or data in which the required character is converted , to the printer 105 , as indicated by arrow 109 . the printer outputs the characters using the received letter data and at the same time stores that letter data in its font cache . it should be borne in mind that the font server 101 stores letter data in a plurality of font files , and there are normally different fonts in those font files . thus , dot font and vector fonts ( stroke fonts , outline fonts , meta fonts ) are stored in the font server 101 . the work stations 102 , 103 , 104 and / or the printer 105 request letter data from the font server 101 by designating the type of letter ( e . g . gothic or other forms as appropriate , the size of the letter , the shape of the letter , etc ). the font server 101 then retrieves the appropriate font data , and normally converts vector fonts to dot fonts , and transmits the converted data to the work stations 102 , 103 , 104 , printer 105 . the system of fig1 may be used in a different way , however , when the letter data to be used by the work stations , 102 , 103 , 104 and the printer 105 is at least partially predetermined ( e . g . because it is known that part of the letter data is commonly used ). in this case , the font server 101 may automatically output that predetermined letter data to the communications network 106 , for storage in the cache memories of the work stations 102 , 103 , 104 and the printer 105 . that stored font data may then be used . in a further variation , the stations and / or printer may signal to the font server 101 if the font file is to be transmitted , again that font file being transmitted and stored in the cache memory . it should be remembered that it is not necessary that the whole of the font file be transmitted . in cases where it is known that only a limited number of characters is to be used from a font file ( either generally throughout the network or at a given work station or printer ) it is then possible for the font server 101 to transmit only a part of the letter data in any given font file , for example transmitting only the most commonly used japanese characters . the structure of the font server 101 will now be described in more detail with reference to fig2 . as illustrated , the font server 101 has a network control device 201 which connects the font server 101 to the communication network 106 . the font server 101 also has a letter data converter 202 , a main control device 203 , and a letter data storage device 204 which are interconnedted via a bus 205 . the letter data storage device 204 stores letter data in a plurality of font files , e . g ., in dot font format , stroke font format , and outline format . normally , the letter data storage device will store letter date in vector format , because although that format requires a long time for letter display , it permits the letters to be expanded as desired , and their shapes changed . the letter data storage device stores a large quantity of letter data and may be , e . g ., a hard disc . the main control device 203 and the network control device 201 may be conventional . as can be seen from fig2 the letter data controller has a data conversion device 202a and a data compression device 202b . the function of the letter data conversion device 202a is to convert the letter data to a suitable form for transmission , e . g ., to convert vector data to dot data . the function of the data compression device 202b is to compress the letter data , e . g ., by known data compression techniques involving the selection of key components of the data . such compression speeds up data transmission . when the network control device 201 receives a command requesting letter data via the network 106 , the main control device 203 selects the requested letter data from the letter data storage device 204 , and transmits the data either directly to the network control device for sending to the network 106 , or transmits the letter data to the letter data converter 202 . the letter data converter 202 converts the letter data in accordance with predetermined procedures , and then the converted letter data is output into the network 106 . although as mentioned above , the work stations 102 , 103 , 104 and the printer 105 may be conventional , fig3 illustrates the relevant structure of the printer . referring to fig3 a network control device 301 receives data from the network 106 , of transmits data to the network 106 , a main control device 302 controls the whole printer . an image storage device 303 stores data fop printing output data in the form of a bit map , and that bit map is transmitted to a printing device 304 which prints characters onto paper 305 using the data stored in the image storage device 303 . a font data control device 306 makes dot format data from the requested font by controlling the font cache of font conversion derive . the font conversion device is shown at 307 , and converts font data other than dot font data which has been received by network control device 301 into dot font data stored as temporary fonts 308 , 309 , 310 , and 311 in font cache 312 . that font cache is controlled by a font cache control table 313 . when the network control device 301 receives a letter output command from e . g . a work station , the main control device 302 analyzes the command , determines the type , shape , size and sort of letter to be output , and requests the font data control device 306 to obtain the character from the appropriate dot font . using the cache control table 313 , the font data control device 306 checks whether the requested font has been converted into dot font format and is stored in the font cache 312 . if the requested font is stored in the font cache 312 , the image is printed using dot font . however , if the requested font is not stored in the cache 312 , a signal is sent to the font server 101 to signal for the transmission of the appropriate letter data . to achieve this , a command is transferred to the network control device 310 , which sends a signal by the network 106 . the font data sent through the network 106 is stored in the font cache 312 , if necessary , with that data being converted by the font conversion device to a dot font format . the main control device 302 transmits the received dot font to the designated territory of the image storage device 303 . after the appropriate number of characters have been transferred to that device 303 , the printer 304 prints the characters using the data stored . this structure illustrates how letter data can be centrally controlled , and transmitted to an appropriate device that is to use that data ( in this case the printer ) for use . as was mentioned earlier , it is not necessary that the font server be a separately identifiable component of the system , but its functions may be carried out by a part of a standard main - frame computer . fig4 illustrates such an arrangement . in fig4 a main - frame computer 401 is connected to a plurality of work stations 403 , 404 , 405 , and to a printer . letter data is stored in a letter data storage device 402 . the work stations 403 , 404 , 405 , and the printer 406 may be conventional ones , as discussed earlier . in operation , new text is created , or already existing text is edited , using the work stations 403 , 404 , 405 . during that time , or when it is necessary to display letter data on a display of the work station , it is first checked whether or not the appropriate letter data exists in a font cache inside the appropriate work station 403 , 404 , 405 . if that data exists , the letter may be immediately output . if not a signal is sent to the main - frame computer 401 , which obtains the necessary data from the letter data storage device 402 and then transmits that data to the work station 403 , 404 , 405 , or printer 406 as appropriate . that letter data is then stored in the corresponding cache , and can then be output when needed . similarly , text created or edited at a work station 403 , 404 , 405 can be transmitted to the printer 406 for printing , with again the printer checking if the letter data is stored in the appropriate font cache , and if not signaling to the main - frame computer 401 to transmit the appropriate letter data to the printer 406 . thus , all the functions of the font server are carried out by the computer 401 and letter data storage device 402 . the processing necessary to achieve functions of the font server are achieved by suitable programming of a computer 401 . as was described above , the font server may compress the data as well as converting it to a suitable dot format , as was described with reference to fig2 . fig5 illustrates two cases in which this system has been used . in fig5 the font server converts from an appropriate font ( e . g . an outline font ), to a dot font , and then the dot font data is compressed . this is carried out , e . g ., by the data conversion device 202a and data compression device 202b in fig2 . in this converted and compressed form , the letter data is transmitted to a work station . the two cases then illustrated in fig5 show what may then happen . in the first case , discussed with reference to work station 501 , the converted and compressed data is immediately expanded when it is received by the work station so that the complete dot font data is re - created . in this form the data is stored in dot font format . in the second case , illustrated with reference to work station 502 , the data from the font server 101 is stored in compressed form , and then expanded to dot font format only when it needs to be used . as can be imagined , the second case needs less memory space . fig6 illustrates another alternative , in which the font server 101 converts all the various stored fonts to , e . g ., an outline font format , and data is transmitted in outline font format to the work stations . again , there are two possibilities for subsequent processing . in the first case illustrated with reference to work station 601 , the outline font transmitted is converted to dot font format , and stored in that form . in the second case , illustrated with reference to work station 602 , the out line font data is stored in that form , and is only expanded and converted to dot font when it is to be used . although fig5 and 6 have been described with reference to transmittal of data to work stations , the same procedures can apply for transmission to the printer . similar conversion and expansion options may also be used in the main - frame computer based system of fig4 . in this case , there is a further possibility . when information is transmitted from the work stations 403 , 404 , 405 , to the printer 406 for printing , it may first be converted to &# 34 ; page description language &# 34 ;, which is primarily used for graphics . this conversion to page description language may occur at the work station or at the computer 401 . thus , in conclusion , the present invention makes use of a font server to transmit letter data to work stations , printers , etc . it provides a centralized store for that letter data , and permits only that letter data that is to be used by the work stations , printer etc to be stored at distributed locations . thus , the present invention permits the following advantages to be achieved : 1 . it is unnecessary to store all the font data at a plurality of locations within the system , and therefore savings in memory space can be made . 2 . as the same letter data can be transmitted to a plurality of letter output devices in this system , the same output results can be obtained even if different printers , work stations , etc ., are used . 3 . as letter data are centrally stored and controlled , any letter data conversion can be central also , thereby simplifying changes between font formats . 4 . as letter data is centrally controlled , if letter data is to be changed it is only necessary to change that letter data at one location , not at several locations .

6Physics

referring now to the drawings in detail , wherein like numerals designate like elements , or parts , there is depicted in fig1 a percussive drill bit 12 of the first embodiment , which comprises of a solid metal elongated shaft , or shank , 14 adapted for connection at its distal end to a drill string and a source of fluid pressure ( not shown ), conveniently high pressure air , sufficient to activate the drill bit . the proximal or working end has an enlarged head portion 16 presenting a generally planar working face 18 . symmetrically arrayed about the periphery of sidewall 19 of head 16 are curvilinear - shaped undercuts , 20 , which define a peripheral passageway 22 , between the recessed shoulder portion 24 of head 16 and the peripheral beveled edge 26 of the bit working face 18 . arrayed alternately with undercuts 20 in the head sidewall , and aligned in cater - corner fashion , are larger semi - cutting flow exit troughs 28 , which bridge between the working face 18 and the sidewall 19 of head 16 . mounted in a somewhat organized pattern across the drill working face 18 are a plurality of &# 34 ; buttons &# 34 ; 30 , usually carbide tipped inserts , most of which are axially oriented so as to provide direct drilling contact with an opposing bore hole surface . the inner buttons are encompassed by a circular array of peripheral , or gage buttons , like 32 , which engage the bore hole surface , but at an inclined posture relative to the bore hole sidewall . disposed on either side of the geometric axis of the drill bit face are a pair of exhaust ports , 34 and 36 , representing the outer terminals of two linear bores ( not shown ) that are included within the shank with the main exhaust fluid supply bores and connecting with the main exhaust fluid supply bore to the bit head 16 . these linear bores communicate with a larger axial bore , the configuration and function of which ( exhaust fluid supply ) will be described in relation to the sectional views of fig3 and 4 . in fig2 the generally cylindrical drill bit head 18 is shown as encased in the bore hole 38 . it will be seen that ( of the four ) peripheral exhaust flow channels 22a to 22d are preferably aligned in diametrically opposing fashion , and so to present an aggregate cross - sectional area ( four main ports ) for exhaust fluid supply into the working face 18 . this flow area is several times greater than the cross - sectional flow area of the two central ports 34 and 36 . the four somewhat larger exit troughs 28 , also have cross - sections at their peripheral ends 29 , that are somewhat larger than the combined exhaust flow channels 22 and central exhaust ports 34 , 36 . this variance in the flow areas facilitates the escape of cuttings - loaded exhaust fluid from the working face 18 . a plurality of inwardly pointing directional arrows 39 - 43 ( fig2 ), indicate how , under typical drilling conditions , entering exhaust fluid sweeps across the working face , generally inwardly , and thus largely avoids abrasive contact with the peripheral beveled edge 26 , sidewall 19 , and game button 32 . the directional flow across the working face 18 permits only minimal overflow of the inner array of aligned buttons 30 . all of the exhaust fluid introduced across the working face 18 then exits via the inclined troughs 28 to the head periphery through the trough ends 29 . to recapitulate the pathways of the exhaust fluid in flushing the bit face , reference should be made to fig3 . exhaust fluid flows down via central bore hole 44 which itself dead ends well short of working face 18 on the head 16 . two linear passages 48 and 50 extend axially between the central bore end 46 and the exit , or exhaust ports 34 , 36 , permitting fluid flow to the working face . also two generally radially aligned secondary passages 52 , 54 , both of which are preferably forwardly inclined , are coupled between the proximal closed end 46 of central bore 44 and to the machined channels 22 in the peripheral sidewall 19 of bit head 16 . channels 22 communicate between the proximal working face headroom 60 and the rearwardly - located annular channel 56 , that is cut back in the distal sidewall of the bit head . the axially aligned cutting bits 30 span the receding gap 60 between working face 18 and bore hole facade 62 during drilling . in the alternate sectional view of fig4 the configuration of cuttings flow exhaust troughs 28 is better seen . they communicate directly with the rearward , annular channels 56 in the shank for facilitating transport of exhaust fluid and debris uphole to the surface . in this view , central bore 44 is fully isolated accessing the bit face only via the passageways 48 , 50 , 52 , 54 , exhaust flow channels 22 and exhaust ports 34 , 36 of fig3 . in the third sectional view of the drill bit ( fig5 ), the erosion - vulnerable inclined gage buttons 32 are noted as making an essentially abrasive contact between the drill bit peripheral edge 26 and the bore hole 62 perimeter . such contact requires inlet exhaust fluid to enter the working gap 60 of bit face 18 mostly via the intervening peripheral channels 22 and the central exhaust ports 34 , 36 . the cuttings - loaded exhaust fluid then exits through the four cater - cornered troughs 28 . referring now to fig6 an alternate method of delivering the exhaust fluid to the working face 18 through the central exhaust ports 34 , 36 is to arrange the central passages 48 , 50 in a manner such that there exists a divergent angle between the passages 48 , 50 from the end 46 of the central bore 44 and the working face 18 of the drill head 16 . this divergence adds to the flow of the exhaust fluid across the working face 18 which will lengthen the service time of the drill inserts by reducing the abrasive force . as to materials of construction , the bit inserts are customarily of tungsten carbide , as is well - known in the art . the drill bit and shank are of steel . as to the configuration of the internally located flow inlet passages , radial bores 52 , 54 are necessarily inclined toward the working face to an appreciable degree . the most acute angle , measured relative to the shank axis , is preferable to insure optimum inlet fluid flow and sweep efficiency across the working face periphery . the acute angle of radial passages 52 , 54 is the maximal consistent with intercepting the peripheral channels behind the working face and between the carbide tipped bit inserts . concurrently , at its distal ( inner ) end , the radial passages must be fashioned so as to avoid a weakened wall between the passage itself and the greatly reduced diameter of the drill shank somewhat rearward of the working face . comparative tests have shown that a drill bit fabricated in accordance with the present invention can offer appreciable practical advantages over a conventional dhd hammer drill fitted with a bit exhausting to the periphery . in preliminary trials of drills under simulated operating conditions , it was noted that erosion and wear of bits have been substantially reduced , in some instances increasing the service life of the gage buttons more than 50 % compared to using state of the art bits .

4Fixed Constructions

reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . fig1 represents schematically a key agreement according to ieee802 . 11i , in a network standardized according to ieee802 . 1x . hereby can be seen that it is a system limited to single hops , as the hop is reduced to one intermediate station , namely the shown access point ap , which serves to bridge a subscriber terminal t and a so - called radius server rs or to establish a wireless data transmission between the radius server rs and the subscriber terminal ( terminal ) t . in addition can be seen that in a first step s 1 using the so - called “ extensible authentication protocol ” eap an authentication takes place over the shown network arranged according to iee802 . 1x , which serves to agree a shared key , which is called a “ pairwise master key ” ( pmk ) or in short master key . in a second step s 2 , the agreed master key pmk is now conveyed to the access point ap , so that in the subsequent steps s 3 to s 6 the access point ap , in a so - called handshake ( exchange of information ) generates a necessary key for a transmission session for the communication between terminal t and access point ap . to this end , in the third step s 3 a random sequence is generated in access point ap and transmitted to the terminal t , which , in the fourth step s 4 , likewise generates a random sequence and using the random sequence of access point ap transmits this in encrypted form to access point ap , so that in the fifth step s 5 , in conjunction with the master key , a valid key , designated the group key , can be generated in access point ap for the connection between access point ap and terminal t and conveyed encrypted to terminal t with its random sequence and terminal t and access point ap both have the information available that enables a so - called “ pairwise transient key ” ( ptk ) to be generated , which ptk is valid for the duration of the session . the successful conclusion of this generation culminates in its acknowledgement in the sixth step s 6 with a confirmation message encrypted with the ptk sent to the access point ap . in a seventh step s 7 , the data transmission between radius server rs and terminal t , which is now secured by encryption , can now take place . for the transmission according to an embodiment , which is based on a network arranged according to ieee802 . 11 , the data is divided into packets , like the one represented in fig2 , which has a payload data portion n , and at least one first control data portion mh , which is necessary to effect the multi - hop method , and a second control data portion ih , which is formed in accordance with ieee802 . 11 . further , in fig3 there is a schematic representation of the security hierarchy on which the embodiment is based . as shown , data encryption starts from the first level ei , which is characterized by a master key ( pairwise master key — pmk ), from which by a subsequent generation of random numbers ( pseudo random number generator )— pnrg ) in the second level e 2 results a group key ( pairwise transient key — ptk ), which can be 512 bits long according to tkip or 384 bits long according to aes - ccmp , from which as can be seen in the fourth level e 4 , one part of which is used respectively for the encryption of specific types of data , e . g . 128 bits for eapol encryption fi , 128 bits for eapol mic f2 and 128 bits for data encryption f 3 . finally fig4 shows a flow chart produced on the basis of the method using the above mentioned system . it can be seen that at a first point in time t 1 a connection set up to a target node d is initiated from a source node s . thereby in the embodiment a reactive routing protocol such as , for example aodv , is assumed , implicitly and without limiting general application . the connection set up starts with a route request message being broadcast to find a suitable adjacent node to forward to d . the message is forwarded by the intermediate node i to the target node d . keys derived from the master key gmk available for group communication are used to encrypt these messages . subsequent to that , at a second point in time t 2 , target node d reports back to the source node s that a route was found . node d sends this message directly to node i node i forwards the message directly to node s . thereby the route found is switched to active and can then be used for data traffic . the encryption of the messages at the point in time t 2 is implemented as follows : the message from node d to node i is encrypted using a key derived from the master key pmk ( i , d ) to be used for the communication between d and i . the message forwarded from node i to node s is encrypted using a key derived from the master key pmk ( i , s ) to be used for the communication between i and s . at a third point in time t 3 , it is then possible to have a secure data connection between the source node s and target node d via which , with the mechanisms described in ieee 802 . 11i and with the aid of an aaa server accessible from the multi - hop network , a master key pmk ( s , d ) is agreed between source node s and target node d . a common example that is used in ieee 802 . iii for the agreement of master keys is a radius server and communication over eap , 802 . 1x . this master key pmk ( s , d ) to be used for communication between s and d , is used at a fourth point in time t 4 as follows : data packets for transmitting between source node s and target node d include , among other things , header information which must be used by each forwarding node ( in the example node i ) for the targeted forwarding of the data in a multi - hop network . the data portion of the data packets must first be able to be read again in the target node d . for that reason , the header information for the transmission from s to i is encrypted using a key derived from the key pmk ( s , i ), decrypted in intermediate node i and encrypted using a key derived from key pmk ( i , d ) for forwarding to target node d . the data portion of the data packet is encrypted in source node s using the key derived from the master key pmk ( s , d ) agreed at the third point in time t 3 between s and d . thus for the forwarding of the data packet from node i to target node d there is no need for cryptographic operations on the data portion of the data packet in node i . the data portion can be forwarded transparently and without changes to the target node d , where it is decrypted using a key derived from the master key pmk ( s , d ). the system also includes permanent or removable storage , such as magnetic and optical discs , ram , rom , etc . on which the process and data structures of the present invention can be stored and distributed . the processes can also be distributed via , for example , downloading over a network such as the internet . the system can output the results to a display device , printer , readily accessible memory or another computer on a network . a description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “ at least one of a , b and c ” as an alternative expression that means one or more of a , b and c may be used , contrary to the holding in superguide v . directv , 358 f3d 870 , 69 uspq2d 1865 ( fed . cir . 2004 ).

7Electricity

the present invention provides an oral pharmaceutical composition which contains an effective amount of nalbuphine , nalbuphine derivatives , or pharmaceutically acceptable nalbuphine salts thereof . a nalbuphine monoester prodrug has the following generic chemical formula ( ii ): in which r is r ′ co , wherien r ′ is a straight or branched alkyl group of 2 - 36 carbon atoms or a phenyl group . ( yoa - pu et al ., u . s . pat . no . 5 , 750 , 534 ). the preferred nalbuphine monoester prodrugs which include , but are not limited to , nalbuphine propionate , nalbuphine pivalate , nalbuphine enanthate , nalbuphine decanoate , nalbuphine behenate , nalbuphine erucicate , nalbuphine arachidate , and nalbuphine benzoate . a nalbuphine polyester prodrug has the following generic chemical formula ( iii ): wherein n is an integer from 2 to 4 and wherein r is a saturated or unsaturated , substituted or unsubstituted , aliphatic or aromatic group having 1 to 40 carbon atoms . ( hu et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 225 , 321 ). the preferred nalbuphine polyester prodrugs include adipoyl dinalbuphine ester , sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester , 1 , 3 - cyclohexane diacid dinalbuphine ester , docosanodic dinalbuphine ester , 3 , 3 - dimethylglutaric diacid dinalbuphine ester , trinalbuphine trimesoyl ester , 1 , 3 , 5 - cyclohexane triacid trinalbuphine ester , pyromellitoyl tetranalbuphine ester . the most favorable nalbuphine polyester prodrug is sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester ( sdn ). the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention contains three major components : ( 1 ) an active ingredient ; ( 2 ) an oily substance ; and ( 3 ) a solubility - assisting agent . the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition includes nalbuphine , nalbuphine monoester , and nalbuphine polyester , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts of nalbuphine , nalbuphine monoester , and nalbuphine polyester . the preferred active ingredient is nalbuphine polyester . among nalbuphine polyester , the most favorable one is sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester . the amount of nalbuphine or nalbuphine ester prodrug used in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is about 1 % to 15 % by weight of the composition . the preferred concentration of sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is 100 mg / ml . the oily substance in the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention includes a vegetable oil . the vegetable oil used in the present invention include , but are not limited to , sesame oil , soybean oil , peanut oil , or an ethyl ester of sesame oil , soybean oil , or peanut oil . the preferred oily substance is sesame oil . the pharmaceutical composition contains about 30 % to 90 % by weight of vegetable oil . the solubility - assisting agent of the pharmaceutical composition is benzyl benzoate . the pharmaceutical composition contains about 5 % to 50 % by weight of the solubility - assisting agent . each and every one of these nalbuphine and / or nalbuphine ester prodrugs as listed above has been tested for suitability as an orally administered pharmaceutical composition for use in animals and humans . the efficacy and bioavailability of these nalbuphine ester prodrugs have been studied . the results indicate that the addition of the solubility - assisting agent to the nalbuphine and / or nalbuphine ester prodrugs and an oily substance substantially improves the bioavailability and half - life of nalbuphine in blood . among the nalbuphine active ingredient , sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester ( sdn ) appears to be the best in terms of longer half - life and greater bioavailability rate . the studies using sdn as an example are therefore provided below . please note that the following examples are illustrative only , and should not be viewed as limiting the scope of the present invention . reasonable variations , such as those occur to reasonable artisan , can be made herein without departing from the scope of the present invention . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is prepared as follows : 1 . mixing 5 . 5 ml sesame oil with 4 . 5 ml benzyl benzoate and stirring well to form an oily mixture . 2 . adding 1 g of sdn to 10 ml of the oily mixture with further stirring to produce a homogeneous pharmaceutical composition containing about 100 mg sdn per ml of the oily mixture . to assess the effects of various pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention on beagles . the compositions were orally administered into beagles , and the concentration of nalbuphine in vivo was monitored in the animals as follows : 1 . three pharmaceutical compositions were tested in this study , which include : ( 1 ) the pharmaceutical composition described in example 1 ( the “ complete sdn ” group ); ( 2 ) pure sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester powder without any oily substance or solubility - assisting agent ( the “ sdn powder ” group ); and ( 3 ) sebacoyl dinalbuphine ester with verapamil ( which is used as an oily substance ) ( the “ sdn + verapamil ” group ). 2 , in each study group , the pharmaceutical composition that contained 30 mg / kg of sdn were orally given to beagles . 3 . blood samples were taken from the forearm vein at 0 . 167 , 0 . 33 , 0 . 5 , 0 . 75 , 1 , 1 . 5 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 12 , 15 , 24 , 30 , and 48 hours after the oral administration . 4 . the blood samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography ( hplc ) to determine the pharmacokinetics ( including the half - life and bioavailability of nalbuphine ) in vivo . as shown in fig1 the concentration of nalbuphine in the three groups peaked about 1 - 2 hours after oral administration of the pharmaceutical compositions . among the three groups , both the complete sdn group and the sdn + verapamil group had about the same concentration of nalbuphine in plasma 1 - 3 hours after the oral uptake of sdn . the concentration of nalbuphine in the sdn powder was much less than the other two groups . however , the concentration of nalbuphine in the sdn powder and the sdn + verapamil group decreased substantially whereas the concentration of nalbuphine in the complete sdn group still maintained at high percentage . verapamil is α -[ 3 -[[ 2 -( 3 , 4 - dimethoxyphenyl ) ethyl ] methylamino ] propyl ]- 3 , 4 - dimethoxy - α -( 1 - methylethyl )- benzeneacetonitrile . it is a viscous , pale yellow oil . verapamil is a well - known cytochrome p 450 3a ( cyp 3a ) inhibitor . cyp 3a is known to be responsible for metabolism of a large number of drugs in vivo , thus , reducing the bioavailability of drugs . the drugs that are know to be affected by cyp 3a include nifedipine , macrofide antibiotics such as erythromycin and troleandomycin , cyclosporin , fk506 , teffenadine , tamoxifen , lidocaine , midazolam , triazolam , dapsone , diltiazem , lovastatin , quinidine , ethylestradiol , testosterone , and alfentanil . a cyp 3a inhibitor can be used to inhibit the enzymatic activity of cyp 3a and thus improve the bioavailability of the drugs . assuming that the bioavailability of nalbupine is also affected by cyp 3a , an inclusion of verapamil ( the cyp 3a inhibitor ), together with sdn , should further improve the bioavailability of nalbupine ( if there is an synergistic effect between verapamil and sdn ). the results in fig1 suggest that without the solubility - assisting agent ( benzyl benzoate ), the addition of verapamil did not improve the bioavailability of nalbupine . table 1 shows the results of the pharmacokinetic studies of the three pharmaceutical compositions . as shown in table 1 , the nalbuphine half - life ( t 1 / 2 ) in the complete sdn group is 23 . 9 ± 3 . 0 hours , which was about 3 times longer than that of the sdn powder group and about 2 . 5 times longer than that of the sdn + verapamil group . the bioavailability of nalbuphine , as determined by auc ( area under curve ) and by % of decrease (% bioavailability ) also shows that the complete group is far much better than the rest of the two group ( auc - 171 [ complete group ] vs . 39 [ sdn powder group ] or 83 [ sdn + verapamil group ]; % bioavailability : 67 % [ complete group ] vs . 14 . 6 [ sdn powder group ] or 30 . 0 [ sdn + verapamil group ]). the results of fig1 and table 1 show that the addition of an oily substance to sdn greatly improve the half - life and bioavailability of nalbuphine in plasma ( as comparing the sdn powder group and sdn + verapamil group ). but the half - life and bioavailability rate of nalbuphine is far much greater when benzyl benzoate as a solubility - assisting agent is added to sdn with oil ( as comparing the complete sdn group with the sdn powder group and sdn + verapamil group ). while the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of the preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications 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 .

0Human Necessities

the present invention claims a method for increasing stability in process salt solutions of mining systems by adding to the solution an effective amount of polyol , distributing the polyol through the solution ; and stabilizing the salt in the process solution . the invention further involves the use of a pregnant liquor from the bayer process . the method for improving aluminate stability in pregnant liquor comprising adding to the pregnant liquor an effective amount of polyol , distributing the polyol through the pregnant liquor ; and stabilizing the aluminate in the pregnant liquor . the invention as claimed wherein the polyol contains 5 to 30 milli equivalents of hydroxyl units per gram of active polymer , preferably 8 to 18 milli equivalents of hydroxyl units per gram of active polymer . the invention wherein the polyol is linear , branched , hyperbranched or dendrimeric . the polyol of the claimed invention is synthesized by an addition polymerization or a condensation polymerization preferably from 25 to 12 , 000 monomeric units and most preferably from 42 to 7 , 200 monomeric units . the claimed invention further includes a polyol which maybe is synthesized from a single monomer or a combination of multiple monomers wherein the monomers can be organized randomly or in discrete blocks or groups and the polyol has a molecular weight of 500 up to 1 , 000 , 000 . the invention wherein the polyol is a linear polyglycerol , branched polyglycerol , hyper - branched polyglycerol , dendrimeric polyglycerol , a linear polysorbitol , branched polysorbitol , hyper - branched polysorbitol or a dendrimeric polysorbitol . the invention when used in the bayer process is effective when the pregnant bayer liquor has no less than 0 . 1 ppm , preferably the pregnant bayer liquor is at 0 . 1 to 100 ppm and most preferably the pregnant bayer liquor is at 5 to 50 ppm . the foregoing may be better understood by reference to the following examples , which are intended to illustrate methods for carrying out the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention . it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its intended advantages . it is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims . tests were conducted to examine the effect of polysaccharide derivatives ( a , b , c , d ), pva derivative ( e ) and polyglycerol ( f ) on the control of liquor stability ( alumina loss and scaling rate ). the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrates into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 80 ° c . in a water bath for approximately 29 hours . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 ml of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . the results ( table 1 ) showing a / c breakpoints were obtained . as shown in table 1 , it is apparent that the a / c of the blank ( without polymer addition ) dropped dramatically within the 20 hr period . the liquors dosed with pva derivative ( e ) behaved slightly better than the blank . however , the a , b , c , d and f dosed samples can hold a / c for 20 hours . in addition , the addition of 10 ppm a , 10 ppm c , 20 ppm d and 54 ppm f can keep the a / c constant over the whole 29 hr period . but for the 10 ppm b dosed sample , the a / c start to drop after 20 hours . tests were conducted to examine the effect of polysaccharide derivatives ( a and c ), different polyglycerols ( f , g and h ) and polydextrose j on the control of liquor stability ( alumina loss and scaling rate ). the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 55 ° c . in a water bath for approximately 27 hours . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as shown in table 2 , the a / c of the blank ( without polymer addition ) dropped significantly within a 27 hr period . the liquor dosed with 10 . 43 ppm a behaved similarly to the blank . the a / c of j dosed liquor dropped slightly after 22 hrs . however , the addition of c , c , f and h can keep the a / c constant over the whole 27 hr period . tests were conducted to examine the effect of dosage of polyglycerols ( f , g and h ) on the control of liquor stability ( alumina loss and scaling rate ). the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 55 ° c . in a water bath for approximately 28 hours . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as shown in table 3 , the a / c of the blank ( without polymer addition ) dropped significantly within a 28 hr period . the liquors dosed with 10 . 43 ppm a , 0 . 54 ppm g and 0 . 54 ppm h behaved similarly to the blank . for h , the performance was slightly improved with an increase of dosage from 0 . 54 ppm to 2 . 16 ppm . for g dosed liquors , a / c was increased as dosage increased . moreover , the addition of 0 . 54 , 2 . 16 and 5 . 4 ppm f can keep the a / c constant over 25 hr period . further tests were conducted to examine the effect of bauxite addition on the liquor stability ( ls ) control with polyglycerols using bauxite spent liquor as initial liquor . the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 70 ° c . in a water bath . after 30 minutes , 0 . 1 g bauxite powder was added into each bottle . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as the results shown in table 4 , for the liquor with 0 . 5 g / l bauxite , the a / c of the blank ( without polymer addition ) dropped significantly within a 16 hr period . the liquors dosed with a , g , i and h behaved similarly to the blank . for f dosed liquor , at 70 ° c ., a / c stay constant over 20 hrs . further tests were conducted to examine the effect of bauxite addition on the liquor stability ( ls ) control with polyglycerols using bauxite spent liquor as initial liquor . the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 55 ° c . in a water bath . after 30 minutes , 0 . 1 g bauxite powder was added into each bottle . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as the results shown in table 5 , for the liquor with 0 . 5 g / l bauxite , the a / c of the 10 . 8 ppm f dosed liquor started to drop after 4 . 5 hrs . as the increase of f dosage from 10 . 8 ppm to 21 . 6 ppm , the liquor was stabilized over the whole 8 . 75 hr period . further tests were conducted to examine the effect of bauxite addition on the liquor stability ( ls ) control with polyglycerols using bauxite spent liquor as initial liquor . the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 70 ° c . in a water bath . after 30 minutes , 0 . 4 g bauxite powder was added into each bottle . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as the results show in table 6 , for the blank liquor with 2 g / l bauxite , the liquor starts to break immediately after solid addition . the addition of a , g , i and h cannot hold the a / c from dropping . but the 21 . 6 ppm f dosed liquor can hold a / c up to 4 . 5 hours . further tests were conducted to examine the effect of solid loading on the liquor stability ( ls ) control with polyglycerols using bauxite spent liquor as initial liquor . the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminium trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 70 ° c . in a water bath . after 30 minutes , 0 . 01 g bauxite powder was added into each bottle . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as the results show in table 7 , for the liquor with 0 . 05 g / l bauxite , the a / c of the blank ( without polymer addition ) dropped significantly within a 24 hr period . for f dosed liquor , at 70 ° c ., a / c stays constant over 24 hrs . however , the a / c of the 10 . 5 ppm a , g , i and h ( 10 ppm and 20 ppm ) dosed liquor started to drop after 16 hrs . as the dosage of a and g increases from 10 . 8 ppm to 21 . 6 ppm , the liquor was stabilized over an 18 hr period . further tests were conducted to examine the effect of molecular weight of partially branched polyglycerols on the liquor stability ( ls ) control using bauxite spent liquor as initial liquor . the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 70 ° c . in a water bath . after 30 minutes , 0 . 01 g bauxite powder was added into each bottle . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as the results show in table 8 , the a / c of the blank ( without polymer addition ) dropped significantly within a 24 hr period . in addition , the stabilization efficiency of polyglycerols was increased as the increase of molecular weight ( from 200 of k to 100 , 000 of o ) and reached a plateau between o and p . further tests were conducted to examine the effect of molecular weight of hyperbranched polyglycerols on the liquor stability ( ls ) control with polyglycerols using bauxite spent liquor as initial liquor . the tests utilized bayer pregnant liquor prepared via dissolving a certain amount of aluminum trihydrate into spent liquor to obtain the desired starting a / c ( aluminum to caustic ratio ). liquor stabilization reagents were pre - dosed into 250 ml nalgene bottles . then 200 ml prepared liquor was decanted into each of the bottles , which were subsequently rotated at 70 ° c . in a water bath . after 30 minutes , 0 . 01 g bauxite powder was added into each bottle . at specific time intervals over this test period , 10 mls of liquor was sampled from each bottle and analyzed for a / c . as the results show in table 9 , for the blank liquor with 0 . 05 g / l bauxite , the a / c dropped significantly within a 24 hr period . compared to a , the addition of hyperbranched polyglycerols with mw of 1000 - 50 , 000 ( u , v ) significantly improved the liquor stability at a much lower dosage . moreover , for the high mw hyperbranched polyglycerols ( q , s , r , t , mw : 50 , 000 - 1 , 000 , 000 ), they performed better than a at the same dosage .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

the following is a description of exemplifying embodiments in accordance with the present invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense , but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention . thus , although particular types of heart stimulators will be described , such as biventricular pacemakers with or without atrial sensing and / or stimulation , the invention is also applicable to other types of cardiac stimulators , such as univentricular or dual chamber pacemakers , implantable cardioverter defibrillators ( icd &# 39 ; s ), etc . with reference first to fig1 , there is shown a stimulation device 10 in electrical communication with a patient &# 39 ; s heart 1 via two leads 20 and 30 suitable for delivering multi - chamber stimulation ( and possible shock therapy ). the heart illustrated portions of the heart 1 include the right atrium ra , the right ventricle rv , the left atrium la , the left ventricle lv , cardiac walls 2 , the ventricular septum 4 , the valve plane 6 , and the apex 8 . the valve plane 6 refers to the annulus fibrosis plane separating the ventricles from the atria and containing all four heart valves , i . e . the aortic , pulmonary , mitral , and tricuspid valves . in order to sense right ventricular cardiac signals and to provide stimulation therapy to the right ventricle rv , the stimulation device 10 is coupled to an implantable right ventricular lead 20 having a ventricular tip electrode 22 , a ventricular annular or ring electrode 24 , and a cardiac wall movement sensor 21 . the ring electrode 24 is arranged for sensing electrical activity , intrinsic or evoked , in the right ventricle rv . the right ventricular tip electrode 22 is arranged to be implanted in the endocardium of the right ventricle , e . g . near the apex 8 of the heart . thereby , the tip electrode 22 becomes attached to the cardiac wall and follows the cardiac wall movements , which movements can be sensed by the sensor 21 arranged near the tip electrode . in this example , the sensor is fixedly mounted in a distal header portion of the lead 20 , in which the tip electrode 22 is also fixedly mounted . furthermore in this example , the sensor is in the form of an accelerometer . however , other arrangements sensor types are contemplated for the cardiac wall motion sensor 21 . in order to sense left ventricular cardiac signals and to provide pacing therapy for the left ventricle lv , the stimulation device 10 is coupled to a “ coronary sinus ” lead 30 designed for placement via the coronary sinus in veins located distally thereof , so as to place a distal electrode adjacent to the left ventricle . also , additional electrode ( s ) ( not shown ) could thereby be positioned adjacent to the left atrium . the coronary sinus lead 30 is designed to receive ventricular cardiac signals from the cardiac stimulator 10 and to deliver left ventricular lv pacing therapy using at least a left ventricular tip electrode 32 to the heart 1 . in the illustrated example the lv lead 30 comprises an annular ring electrode 34 for sensing electrical activity related to the left ventricle lv of the heart . furthermore , a cardiac wall movement sensor 31 is arranged at the tip electrode 32 for sensing left ventricular lv cardiac wall movements . turning briefly to fig2 and 3 , two alternative embodiments for placement of cardiac leads , cardiac electrodes and sensors for sensing cardiac wall movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements are illustrated . in fig2 , the rv and lv leads 20 , 30 have been supplemented with a right atrial ra lead 80 . the lead comprises an ra tip electrode 82 positioned in the patient &# 39 ; s right atrial appendage for delivering electrical stimuli to the right atrium , and an ra ring electrode 84 for sensing and conducting cardiac signals from the right atrium to the cardiac stimulator . a cardiac wall motion sensor is provided at the ra tip electrode 82 for sensing cardiac wall movements of the ra wall . furthermore , the lv lead 30 is provided with an additional cardiac wall movement sensor 33 arranged at the valve plane 6 , as well as an additional stimulating electrode , of the ring type , arranged distally of the movement sensor 33 . thereby , cardiac wall movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements at a plurality of locations , i . e . three or four , may be sensed and conducted via the cardiac leads 20 , 30 , 80 to the cardiac stimulator . furthermore , fig3 illustrates yet another example of lead , electrode and sensor placements . here , the rv , ra and lv leads 20 , 30 and 80 have been supplemented by , an external epicardial lead 90 connected to the implantable stimulator 10 . the epicardial lead 90 may be arranged for delivering stimulation pulses to the left ventricle lv of the heart , but is in this example only arranged for sensing cardiac wall movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements and comprises a cardiac wall motion sensor 91 . thus , even though the lv lead 30 terminates and the stimulation electrode 32 for stimulation of the left ventricle arranged at a position near the valve plane 6 of the heart , local wall movements occurring in the lv cardiac wall further down towards the apex 8 may still be sensed . although three examples have been illustrated in fig1 - 3 , the invention is not restricted to the illustrated examples of lead , electrode and sensor placement . for example , several epicardial electrodes and / or wall motion sensors could be used , wall motion sensors could be arranged at plural positions in the ventricles only , all wall motion sensors could be arranged in the same ventricle , plural atrial wall sensors could be used , etc . also , in the illustrated examples , the wall motion sensors are of accelerometer type . however , other types of sensors for sensing and measuring wall movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements are to be comprised in the scope of the present application . further examples of sensor placements will be presented in relation to the further embodiments that will be described below . turning now to fig4 , the heart stimulator 10 of fig1 is shown in a block diagram form . for illustrative purposes , reference is made to fig1 for the elements of the leads that are intended for positioning in or at the heart . the heart stimulator 10 is connected to a heart 1 in order to sense heart signals and emit stimulation pulses to the heart 1 . a first tip electrode 22 is anchored in the right ventricle rv of the heart 1 and connected , via a first electrode conductor in the lead 20 , to a first pulse generator 26 in the heart stimulator 2 . a first ring electrode 24 is connected near the first tip electrode 22 and , via a second electrode conductor in the first lead 20 , to the first pulse generator 26 . a stimulation pulse to the right ventricle can be delivered to heart tissue by the first pulse generator via the first lead 20 and the first tip electrode 22 . the stimulation pulse is then returned , via the first ring electrode 24 and the first lead 20 , to the first pulse generator 26 . alternately , the stimulation pulse can be delivered via the first tip electrode 22 and an indifferent electrode 12 which , in this instance , consists of the enclosure of the heart stimulator 10 but can also consist of a separate electrode located somewhere in the body . the indifferent electrode 12 is connected to the first pulse generator 26 via an electrode conductor 14 in order to return stimulation pulses from the right ventricle . a first detector 28 is connected in parallel across the output terminal of the first pulse generator 26 in order to sense right ventricular activity in the heart . in corresponding manner , a second tip electrode 32 is positioned in a vein distally of the coronary sinus and , thus , connected to the left ventricle lv of the heart 1 , and , via a conductor in the second lead 30 , to a second pulse generator 36 . a second ring electrode 34 is located near the second tip electrode 32 and connected , via a further conductor in the second electrode lead 30 , to the second pulse generator 36 . delivery of a stimulation pulse to the ventricle can be bipolar via the second tip electrode 32 and the second ring electrode 34 , or unipolar via the second tip electrode 32 and the indifferent electrode 12 . a second detector 38 is connected in parallel across the output terminal of the second pulse generator 36 in order to sense left ventricular activity in the heart . the pulse generators 26 and 36 and the detectors 28 and 38 are controlled by a control unit 40 which regulates the stimulation pulses with respect to amplitude , duration and stimulation interval , the sensitivity of the detectors 28 and 38 etc . a physician using an extracorporeal programmer 56 can , via a telemetry unit 54 , communicate with the heart stimulator 10 and thereby obtain information on identified conditions and also reprogram the different functions of the heart stimulator 10 . fig4 further shows a first embodiment of an analysis device . the analysis device 50 is connected via the first electrode lead 20 to a first cardiac wall motion sensor 21 for sensing cardiac wall movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements , and via the second electrode lead 30 to a second cardiac wall motion sensor 31 for sensing cardiac wall movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements . the analysis device 50 includes a measurement unit 52 which is capable of selectively receiving signals from any of the sensors , and which filters and amplifies the incoming signals in an appropriate manner . the output signal from the measurement unit 52 , which is proportional to the measurement signal , is then sent to a buffer 54 and to a differentiating circuit 56 . buffering is performed so that the differentiated signal is in phase with the proportional signal when they are sent to a calculator unit 58 . the calculator unit 58 calculates a synchronization or synchrony value or signal based on the output signals from the respective sensors . the calculated synchronization signal 58 is sent to a comparator 60 for comparison with a threshold value , for instance indicative of when insufficient cardiac synchrony is present . the output signal from the comparator comprises information of whether the synchronization signal passes the threshold value , or one of the threshold values for embodiments where a number of threshold values are utilized , and is forwarded to a microprocessor 62 which communicates with the control unit 40 . if , e . g ., an asynchrony is identified , the control device 40 can institute therapeutic treatment with stimulation pulses in order to restore cardiac synchrony . the microprocessor 62 further controls the measurement unit 52 with respect to the measurement signal to be sent to the analysis device 50 and can also control the comparator 60 , for example for varying threshold values in response to altered pacing therapy or due to altered settings by the physician . with reference now to fig5 , there is shown an alternative analysis device 51 . this alternative analysis device 51 basically comprises the same or similar elements as described in relation to the measurement unit analysis device 50 of fig4 . however , the alternative analysis device 51 is arranged for receiving output signals from three cardiac wall motion sensors via conductors 70 , 72 and 74 , the analysis device thus being arranged to provide a synchronization signal indicative of cardiac synchrony between three different locations of the heart . furthermore , a fourth conductor 76 provides an iegm signal for the measurement unit . the iegm signal may provide an indication related to when the output signals of the sensors may be used for determining cardiac synchrony for a particular portion of the heart cycle . thus , the iegm signal may for instance be used by the analysis device 50 , or rather by the differentiating circuit 54 and the calculator unit 58 , as an aid in discriminating between the systolic and the diastolic phases of the heart cycle . thereby , the analysis device can for instance be configured to process only sensor output signals provided during the diastolic phase . then , there will be no risk of misinterpreting an asynchrony that may be present in the systolic phase as an asynchrony in the diastolic phase . turning now to fig6 - 6 c and 7 a - 7 c , there will be shown in schematic form the presence and determination of cardiac synchrony and asynchrony , respectively . in fig6 a , 6 b , 7 a , and 7 b , a heart is schematically illustrated with three cardiac wall motion sensors a , b and c positioned in the left ventricle lv of the heart . in fig6 a , the position of the sensors , i . e . the cardiac wall portions in which the sensors are arranged , are illustrated at an instant when the myocardium is fully dilated , in particular during the diastolic phase of the heart cycle . thus , the sensors and the wall portions thereof are in a respective position obtained from the longitudinal or long - axis valve plane movements as a result of myocardial relaxation . in fig6 b , an instant when the myocardium is at a state of myocardial contraction is illustrated , in particular during the systolic phase of the heart cycle . thus , the movement of the sensors and the wall portions into the contracted positions have ceased and they are in a respective position obtained from the longitudinal valve plane movements as a result of myocardial contraction . the output signals of the sensors are illustrated in fig6 c , and it can be seen that the movements sensed by the three sensors are substantially simultaneous throughout the heart cycle . therefore , the processing circuitry , or analysis device , of the cardiac stimulator determines that there is cardiac synchrony . as a consequence , no further actions related to change in pacing therapy is performed . it should be noted that the determination of cardiac synchrony can be determined for the entire heart cycle , for the systolic phase , the diastolic phase , the transitions between diastolic and systolic phase , and vice versa , or any other time interval of the heart cycle that may be of particular interest for the determination of cardiac synchrony . in fig7 a , the position of the sensors and the respective cardiac wall portions thereof correspond to that of fig6 a at an instant when the myocardium is fully dilated . thus , the sensor positions are derived from the longitudinal valve plane movements resulting from myocardial relaxation . however , at the particular instant illustrated in fig7 b , only sensor b , and the cardiac wall portion to which sensor b is attached , has reached the position derived from the longitudinal valve plane movements obtained in the fully contracted state of the myocardium . hence , there is lack in synchrony between the longitudinal valve plane movements for the cardiac wall portions at which the sensor a , b and c are attached , respectively . this lack in synchrony also appears in the output signals a , b and c of the cardiac wall motion sensors a , b and c , respectively . thus , upon performing a synchronicity analysis for the output signals , for instance in the systolic phase of the heart cycle , it can be determined that cardiac asynchrony is present and that suitable measures should be taken . such measures could include restoring the cardiac synchrony or to derive an alarm signal indicative of the cardiac asynchrony . turning now to fig8 a - 8 c , there is shown a further example of the occurrence and detection of cardiac asynchrony related to longitudinal valve plane movements . in fig8 a , the positions of the cardiac wall motion sensors a , b and c at an instant where the myocardium has assumed a contracted state is shown . in fig8 b , a post - systolic contraction psc occurs in the cardiac wall portion where sensor a is arranged for sensing cardiac wall movements derived from longitudinal valve plane movements . consequently , sensor a is subjected to a longitudinal movement at an instant when sensors b and c remain substantially stationary during diastole . this appears in the combined sensor signal outputs a , b and c , and can be detected and determined as an asynchrony in the diastolic phase by the analysis device 50 of the stimulator 10 . in the signal diagram of fig8 c , the portion comprising the signal output during the psc is encircled . thus , as a result of the determined asynchrony , appropriate adjustment of the pacing therapy may be executed in order to restore the cardiac synchrony . in fig6 a through 8 b , substantially only one example of the positioning of cardiac wall motion sensors for sensing movements related to the longitudinal movements of the valve plane is provided . however , there are a vast number of sensor positioning alternatives that are contemplated within the scope of the present application . in fact , any placement of sensors for measuring cardiac wall motions occurring during the heart cycle may be used , as long as there is in fact movements of the particular portion to which the sensor is located and attached in relation to the longitudinal movements of the valve plane during the heart cycle , or any portion thereof . thus , the present application is not limited to a particular number of wall motion sensors , or to particular positioning thereof . turning to fig9 a - 9 d , further examples of wall motion sensors are provided . in these examples , the sensors a , b and c are arranged at the same ventricle , i . e . for measuring cardiac wall movements at several locations in the left ventricle lv of the heart . fig9 a is intended to illustrate the orientation of the valve plane , which is indicated by numeral 6 in fig1 . in the example illustrated in fig9 b , the sensors are positioned in the actual valve plane , which of course is suitable for detecting valve plane movements . then , the sensors could in one alternative be positioned in the actual annulus fibrosis tissue , or epicardially outside the annulus fibrosis plane . in fig9 c and 9 d , two alternative examples of sensor positionings are presented . in fig9 c , the sensors a , b and c have been positioned at equal distances from the valve plane , thus forming a sensor plane parallel to the valve plane . thereby , the sensors are assumed to be subjected to movements related to the longitudinal valve plane movements of substantially the same distance during the heart cycle , which may be beneficial when calculating and determining synchrony and possible sudden or expected appearance of asynchrony in the valve plane movements . in the example shown in fig9 d , the sensors are positioned at different levels at one ventricle along the longitudinal axis , or long - axis , of the heart . in this example , the physician has positioned the sensors at selected regions of interest , for instance regions suffering from a conductive disorder or having hibernating tissue which is expected or suspected to become active during remodulation of the heart due to progressing stimulation therapy . turning now to fig1 a to 10 d , further examples of sensor positioning are illustrated . in the examples , the sensors are arranged in or at both ventricles of the heart . first , fig1 a illustrates the valve plane and the longitudinal direction of the heart . then , fig1 b illustrates the example where the cardiac wall motion sensors are positioned and arranged to sense longitudinal cardiac wall movements of the valve plane . the benefits thereof would of course be similar to the placement in the same ventricle as illustrated in fig9 b . furthermore , in the same manner as mentioned above in relation to fig9 b , the sensors could in one alternative be positioned in the actual annulus fibrosis tissue , or epicardially outside the annulus fibrosis plane . suitably , the right ventricular sensor a is arranged endocardially in the valve plane , and the left ventricular sensor c is arranged epicardially . the sensor b arranged at the septum 4 could be arranged epicardially either directly or via a coronary vein , or endocardially , via the right atrium and ventricle . possibly , the rv sensor a arranged at the valve plane could be replaced for an ra sensor arranged in or at the valve plane , e . g . in the annulus fibrosis tissue . in fig1 c , the sensors a , b and c have been positioned in or at the right and the left ventricle , respectively , at equal distances from the valve plane , thus forming a sensor plane parallel to the valve plane . thereby , similar to the example shown in fig9 c , the sensors are assumed to be subjected to movements of substantially the same distance during the heart cycle , which may be beneficial when calculating and determining synchrony and possible sudden or expected appearance of asynchrony in the longitudinal valve plane movements . in the example illustrated in fig1 d , the sensors are positioned at different levels , in or at the right and the left ventricle , along the longitudinal axis of the heart . in this example , similar to the example shown in fig9 d , the physician has positioned the sensors at selected regions of interest , for instance regions suffering from a conductive disorder or having hibernating tissue which is expected or suspected to become active during remodulation of the heart due to progressing stimulation therapy . when the signal output from the sensors a , b and c is received by the analysis device 50 , a calculation of a synchronization index or signal is performed , which can be used for determining synchrony of the heart . in fig1 a , the output signals a , b and c , stemming from the sensors a , b and c , respectively , indicative of cardiac wall movements are illustrated in a diagram . in the portion of the diagram illustrating sensor output signal a , the sensor output signal b has been added as shown by the dotted line . similarly , the sensor output signal c has been added to the portion of the diagram illustrating sensor output signal b . in this example , the difference between the sensor output signals a and b and the difference between the sensor output signals is calculated . this is performed by simply subtracting sensor output signal b from a and sensor output signal c from b . the resulting difference signals are shown in fig1 b . these signals could be further added to each other in order to arrive at the synchronization index or signal . alternatively , the difference signals could be used separately in order to provide dual synchronization indices or signals . furthermore , statistical calculations could be applied to the difference signal ( s ) to arrive at a suitable value indicative of the level of synchronization . fig1 a and 12 b illustrate a further example of deriving one or more synchronization indices or signals . here , the upper and lower portions of the diagram in fig1 a illustrates two signals obtained from two sensor output signals , respectively . one signal is indicated with a solid line , and the other one with a dotted line , respectively . these pairs of sensor output signals are cross - correlated in order to arrive at a cross - correlation result which is used as said synchronization indices or signals . in the illustrated example , two cross - correlation results in the form of synchronization index a and synchronization index b are obtained . the synchronization signals can then be compared with a threshold value , which is illustrated in fig1 b with the dotted straight line , and appropriate measures be taken when the synchronization signal exceeds the threshold level . when the monitoring of cardiac synchronization has revealed that a cardiac asynchrony has arisen , or that a reduction of cardiac synchrony has occurred , the parameters for timing of stimulation pulse delivery may be changed in order to restore or improve the cardiac synchrony . such an indication could in exemplifying embodiments of the invention be used for triggering a change in the stimulation therapy . such a change could for example refer to an adjustment in the vv - interval , e . g . for a biventricular heart stimulator ; a change in the av - interval , e . g . for a dual chamber or an av - sequential heart stimulator ; or combinations thereof . thereby , the cardiac synchrony can be monitored during remodulation of the patient &# 39 ; s heart , and the pacing therapy can be adjusted in adaptation to the remodulation of the heart . for heart stimulators in which the pacing therapy may be automatically adjusted by the heart stimulator in order to optimize or maximize cardiac output , a synchronized and elongated diastolic phase may be given priority over the optimization of cardiac output . for instance , in patients suffering from ischemic heart disease , it may be more important to ensure synchronized diastole and , thereby , adequate coronary flow at all times rather than maximized cardiac output . in further embodiments , the indication of cardiac asynchrony could be used for triggering an alarm signal to the patient . this alarm signal could be intended for prompting the patient to seek medical assistance for care or follow - up . it should be noted that the sensors may be subjected to pressures , movements and / or accelerations that are not derived from or related to the intrinsic movements of the myocardium and the cardiac walls thereof . for instance , accelerations derived from extra - cardiac movements of the patient , such as from running , vibrations in the patient environment , thoracic movements etc . however , output signal contributions deriving from intrinsic movements of the myocardial tissue can easily be discriminated from signal contributions from such extra - cardiac movements since the latter have a substantially identical impact on the respective sensor . furthermore , by designing the sensors to be sensitive for certain frequency ranges , the majority of the extra - cardiac signal contributions may be omitted . furthermore , band - pass filtering of the sensor outputs may also be used for discriminating or filter out the signal contribution from extra - cardiac movements . although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art , it is the intention of the inventors to embody within the patent warranted heron all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution to the art .

0Human Necessities

more particularly according to the present invention , the pressure under discussion is always absolute pressure . and by &# 34 ; water present in the reaction mixture &# 34 ; is intended the water which is formed during the polycondensation of the short - chain acid ( s ) with hexamethylenediamine , plus , if appropriate , the water initially introduced with the constituents of the reaction mixture . the amount of water which may be introduced at the outset is not critical and can vary over wide limits . by &# 34 ; copolyamide of the required viscosity &# 34 ; is intended a copolyamide which has a sufficiently high melt viscosity as to be capable of being injection - molded or extruded in a convenient manner . more precisely , it is intended to define a copolyamide having a melt viscosity ( measured under conditions which are defined hereinafter ) of at least 1 , 500 poises and preferably of from 3 , 000 to 60 , 000 poises . as regards the loss of hexamethylenediamine , referred to above , this can arise , for example , when the apparatus employed does not incorporate a distillation column ; under these conditions , for a given apparatus and for given charges , simple methods may be used to determine the amount of hexamethylenediamine entrained during each operation and , consequently , the excess of this reactant to be introduced into the starting reaction mixture to preserve the equivalence between the amino groups and the carboxy groups which react . in general , when a loss of hexamethylenediamine occurs , it is moderate , and it has been found that the use of amounts of this reactant which result in the ratios r 1 and r 2 having values ranging from a number greater than 1 to 1 . 3 are suitable . it is obvious that &# 34 ; short - chain acid ( s )&# 34 ; is intended to denote adipic acid by itself or mixed with at least one other short - chain dicarboxylic acid of a saturated alicyclic or aromatic nature . more precisely , alicyclic and / or aromatic dicarboxylic acids which are within the scope of the present invention are compounds containing at most 12 carbon atoms ; 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid , isophthalic acid , and terephthalic acid are representative of suitable diacids of this type . the proportion of adipic acid in the mixture of short - chain diacids which may be employed usually represents at least 70 mole %. it is believed that during the homogenization step employed in the above - mentioned french patent , the amino and carboxy groups , which no longer undergo an amidification reaction at this time , are used to form breaks in the block oligomers of adipic acid with hexamethylenediamine and / or oligomers of dimer acid with hexamethylenediamine and that , as a result , a homogeneous random prepolymer is formed . it is also believed that in the process according to the present invention , the prepolymer formed in step ( a ) is in the form of a homogeneous preformed polyhexamethylene amide structure whose homogeneity , surprisingly , is not altered by the subsequent addition of dimer acid whose oligomers with hexamethylenediamine are , however , incompatible with those of the preformed polyhexamethylene amide . the dimer acids employed are obtained by polymerization of compounds containing 80 to 100 % by weight of monomeric fatty acid ( s ) containing from 16 to 20 carbon atoms and 20 to 0 % by weight of monomeric fatty acid ( s ) containing from 8 to 15 carbon atoms and / or from 21 to 24 carbon atoms . by &# 34 ; monomeric fatty acids &# 34 ; are intended saturated or unsaturated , straight or branched chain aliphatic monoacids . among the straight - chain or branched saturated monomeric fatty acids , representative are : caprylic , pelargonic , capric , lauric , myristic , palmitic and isopalmitic , stearic , arachidic , behenic and lignoceric acids . among the straight - chain or branched monomeric fatty acids containing ethylenic unsaturation ( s ), representative are : 3 - octenoic , 11 - dodecenoic , oleic , lauroleic , myristoleic , palmitoleic , gadoleic , cetoleic , linoleic , linolenic , eicosatetraenoic and chaulmoogric acids . some acids containing acetylenic unsaturation may also result in polymeric acids , but they do not occur naturally in quantities of interest and as a result their economic interest is very low . the polymeric fatty acids obtained by thermal polymerization , in the presence of catalysts such as peroxides or lewis acids if appropriate , may be fractioned , for example , by conventional vacuum distillation or solvent extraction methods . they can also be hydrogenated to reduce their degree of unsaturation and thus to reduce their coloration . the dimer acids which are preferably used in the present invention are fractionated polymeric fatty acids , the difunctional acid fraction of which is greater than 94 % by weight , the monofunctional acid fraction is less than 1 % by weight and still more preferably does not exceed 0 . 5 % by weight , the fraction of acid having a functionality greater than 2 is less than 5 % by weight and still more preferably does not exceed 3 % by weight . still more preferably , the dimer acids employed are those species obtained by fractionation ( resulting in the fractions indicated above ) of polymeric fatty acids which have additionally been subjected to hydrogenation . the dimer acids which are most especially suitable are those species obtained by fractionation of a hydrogenated composition originating from the catalytic polymerization of monomeric fatty acid ( s ) containing 18 carbon atoms . in this respect , because of their ready availability of supply and their relatively easy polymerization , oleic , linoleic and linolenic acids , taken by themselves or in pairs or preferably in the form of a ternary mixture , are the starting materials which are most especially preferred for the preparation of the polymeric fatty acids . concerning the strong organic or inorganic oxyacid ( alpha ) which is employed as catalyst , use is made , as indicated above , of an oxygen - containing mono - or polyacid in which at least one of the acid groups thereof has an ionization constant pka in water at 25 ° c . which does not exceed 4 . ( 1 ) among the inorganic oxyacids : sulfurous , sulfuric , hypophosphorous , phosphorous , orthophosphoric or pyrophosphoric acids ; ( i ) the organosulfonic acids of the formula r 1 -- so 3 h ( i ), in which r 1 denotes : a straight - chain or branched alkyl radical containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms ; a phenyl radical optionally substituted by 1 to 3 alkyl radicals containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms ; a phenylalkyl radical containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety and in which the benzene nucleus may optionally be substituted by 1 to 3 alkyl radicals containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms , or a naphthyl radical optionally substituted by 1 to 4 alkyl radicals containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms ; ( ii ) the organophosphonic acids of the formula r 2 -- p ( o )( oh ) 2 ( ii ), in which r 2 denotes an alkyl radical , a phenyl radical or a phenylalkyl radical , each of these radicals having the definition given above for r 1 ; ( iii ) the organophosphinic acids of the formula r 3 r 4 -- p ( o )( oh ) ( iii ), in which r 3 and r 4 , which are identical or different , each denote : a straight - chain alkyl radical containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms ; a phenyl radical or a phenylalkyl radical , each of the latter two radicals having the definition given above for r 1 ; ( iv ) the organophosphonous acids of the formula r 5 h -- p ( o )( oh ) ( iv ), in which r 5 denotes : a straight - chain or branched alkyl radical containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms ( the branching being excluded for an alkyl radical containing 4 carbon atoms ); a phenyl radical or a phenylalkyl radical , each of the latter two radicals having the definition given above for r 1 . as a strong acid ( alpha ), it is preferred to use the acids derived from phosphorus , and more particularly the hypophosphorous , phosphorous , orthophosphoric , pyrophosphoric , methylphosphonic , phenylphosphonic , benzylphosphonic , dimethylphosphinic , diphenylphosphinic , methylphenylphosphinic , dibenzylphosphinic , methylphosphonous , phenylphosphonous or benzylphosphonous acids . where the acid salt ( beta ) is concerned , use is generally made of alkali or alkaline earth metal salts derived from inorganic or organic oxyacids ( alpha ). salts which are completely soluble in the reaction mixture are preferably used as the salt ( beta ). among these preferred salts ( beta ), the sodium and potassium salts derived from the particular suitable types of inorganic or organic oxyacids ( alpha ), referred to above , are very suitable . the salts ( beta ) which are especially suitable are sodium and potassium salts originating from the preferred phosphorus - derived acids referred to by name above . the proportions of strong acid ( alpha ) or salt ( beta ), expressed as a weight percentage relative to the final copolyamide , generally range from 0 . 01 to 1 %, and preferably from 0 . 01 to 0 . 5 %. in addition to a catalytic action during the polycondensation reaction , the strong acids ( alpha ) or their salts ( beta ), and especially the phosphorus - derived compounds of this type , have the advantage of providing the final copolyamide with some protection against degradation due to light . if good operation of the process according to the present invention is to be ensured , care will be taken to observe the corresponding proportions of the various constituents employed as perfectly as possible . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , in step ( a ) the short - chain diacid ( s ) is ( or are ) used in the form of its ( or of their ) salt ( s ) with hexamethylenediamine [ variant ( ii )]. in order to ensure , on the other hand , stoichiometry in the production of the salt ( s ) of short - chain acid ( s ) with hexamethylenediamine and , on the other hand , the stoichiometry or the intended stoichiometric excess between free hexamethylenediamine and the dimer acid , the operation may be carried out by precise weighing of the reactants ( the assay of which is known accurately at the time of use ). the stoichiometry of the salt ( s ) of the short - chain acid ( s ) can be monitored by measuring the ph of specimen solutions produced by diluting the salt ( s ) in a suitable solvent . it is also possible to monitor the stoichiometry or the intended stoichiometric excess in the amidification reaction between the free amino groups in the prepolymer and the dimer acid , by control of the viscosity which may be advantageously assessed by in situ measurement of the resistant torque of mechanical stirring of the polycondensation mixture in step ( b ). to carry out the process according to the invention , hexamethylenediamine may be used in solid form , in melt form , or in the form of an aqueous solution . the salt ( s ) of short - chain acid ( s ) and hexamethylenediamine may also be used in solid form , in melt form or in the form of an aqueous solution . concerning step ( a ) of the process according to the invention , the operation is preferably carried out in a closed system under an autogenous water vapor pressure which is above atmospheric pressure and does not exceed 2 mpa . it will be appreciated that the autogenous water vapor pressure which is required to conduct the distillation is produced by gradual heating , for example , over a period of time ranging from 10 minutes to 2 hours , up to a temperature ranging from 150 ° to 220 ° c . as regards step ( b ) of the process according to the present invention , which follows step ( a ), carried out in the preferred manner as indicated above , this operation is preferably carried out by linking the following steps : ( 1 ) either all of the dimer acid , or a part of the dimer acid representing , for example , 70 to 95 % of the total amount to be introduced into the polymer , is added gradually , for example , over a period of time ranging from 10 minutes to 2 hours , while the pressure is at the same time reduced from the initial prepolymerization value down to the value of atmospheric pressure , while the temperature of the reaction mixture is also raised for the same period of time to a value above the temperature reached at the end of step ( a ) and lying in the range of from 250 ° to 280 ° c ., ( 2 ) when the aforesaid addition of dimer acid is completed , after stirring of the reaction mixture has continued , if appropriate , at the aforementioned temperature and at atmospheric pressure for a period of time ranging , for example , from 10 minutes to 1 hour , a reduced pressure not exceeding 200 · 10 2 pa is then gradually established over a period of time ranging , for example , from 5 minutes to 1 hour ; and ( 3 ) when the reduced pressure has been established , the remainder of the dimer acid is added where applicable and the polycondensation is completed by continuing to stir the mixture at the aforementioned temperature which lies in the range of from 250 ° to 280 ° c ., at the reduced pressure indicated above , for a period of time ranging , for example , from 10 minutes to 1 hour , while simultaneously ensuring a distillation of residual water . in the case where step ( a ) is carried out under an autogenous pressure above atmospheric pressure , it may be advantageous , when this pressure is close ( or equal ) to the maximum value of the pressure indicated above in the present description , to carry out , before introducing all or part of the dimer acid , a slight pressure reduction which reduces the autogenous water vapor pressure to a value p 1 which is from 5 to 30 % lower than the prepolymerization pressure . it should then be understood , within the scope of the preferred application of the step ( b ) referred to above , that all or part of the dimer acid is added gradually while the pressure is reduced at the same time , no longer from the initial prepolymerization value , but from the value p 1 down to the value of atmospheric pressure . it is possible to add to the mixture for preparing the copolyamides according to this invention , without inconvenience , one or more additives such as especially : stabilizers or inhibitors of degradation due to oxidation , to ultraviolet , to light or heat ; lubricants ; colorants ; nucleating agents ; antifoaming agents and inorganic fillers . the process according to the invention enables production of homogenous copolyamides which have good thermal resistance and mechanical strength due to their high melting points and an improved flexibility at the same time . being perfectly homogeneous , they have improved transparency properties and may be used in the usual injection - molding , extrusion or spinning methods to provide shaped articles : components , films or fibers of very high uniformity . in order to further illustrate the present invention and the advantages thereof , the following specific examples are given , it being understood that same are intended only as illustrative and in nowise limitative . a number of controls were carried out in these examples . similarly , various properties were measured . the operating methods and / or the standards according to which these controls and measurements were carried out are indicated below . the polymers were characterized by melting characteristics such as the melting endotherms em and the crystallization exotherms ec . these determinations were carried out using a specimen subjected to temperature variations of 10 ° c ./ minute both upwards and downwards . in this manner , a differential microcalorimetry curve was determined , on which it was possible to observe the melting ( tm ) and crystallization on cooling ( tc ) points . this was measured at 260 ° c . under a variable shear gradient ( indicated in the examples below ) with the aid of a davenport rheometer . the results are expressed in poises . the method described below made it possible to estimate both types of end groups on a single test sample and with a single acidimetric titration . the polyamide was dissolved with stirring in a mixture of trifluoroethanol and chloroform at ambient temperature . after it had dissolved , a 0 . 05n aqueous alcoholic solution of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide was added and a potentiometric titration was finally carried out using a standardized solution of 0 . 05n hydrochloric acid under a stream of nitrogen . the use of the potentiometric curve exhibiting two potential steps enabled the two types of end groups to be determined . these were determined at 25 ° c . on specimens conditioned at an rh of 0 according to the french standard nf t 51 034 ( in an instron - type tensometer at a traction speed of 10 mm / min ). conditioning at an rh of 0 : the specimens were placed over silica gel in a desiccator and were dried for 24 hours at ambient temperature at 0 . 66 to 1 . 33 · 10 2 pa before the measurements were carried out . this was determined at several temperatures (- 20 ° c ., 0 ° c ., + 20 ° c ., + 40 ° c ., + 60 ° c .) with an automatic torsion pendulum at a frequency on the order of 1 hertz in accordance with the standard iso r 537 . the specimens were conditioned at an rh of 0 . the results are expressed in mpa . in the following examples , wherever reference is made to the dimer acid employed , the compound used was that marketed by unichema chemie under the trademark pripol 1010 , in which the difunctional acid fraction was greater than 95 % by weight . this difunctional acid fraction consisted of a mixture of isomers containing 36 carbon atoms , in which the predominant species was a saturated compound of the formula : ## str1 ## the monofunctional acid fraction ( the weight proportion of which will be detailed later ) consisted substantially of oleic acid ; as for the fraction of acid with a functionality greater than 2 ( the weight proportion of which will also be detailed later ), this consisted substantially of a mixture of isomeric trimers containing 54 carbon atoms ; the mean molecular weight of this dimer acid was on the order of 571 . the operation was carried out in a 7 . 5 liter stainless steel autoclave fitted with mechanical stirring , a heating system and a system which made it possible to operate at a pressure above atmospheric pressure , or at a pressure below atmospheric pressure . the following charges were introduced into the apparatus at ambient temperature : ( i ) hexamethylenediamine salt of adipic acid , in dry solid form : 2 , 086 . 7 g ( 7 . 955 moles ); ( iii ) aqueous solution containing 32 . 5 % by weight of hexamethylenediamine : 746 . 5 g ( 2 . 088 moles ); ( iv ) aqueous solution containing 50 % by weight of hypophosphorous acid : 6 g ; and ( v ) silicone antifoam marketed by rhone - poulenc specialites chimiques under the trademark rhodorsil si 454 : 0 . 3 g . stirring was commenced and five nitrogen purges were carried out by pressurization to 7 · 10 5 pa , followed by pressure release . the temperature of the stirred mixture was gradually raised to 217 ° c . over 1 hour , 15 minutes , while the autogenous pressure was maintained ; this reached 1 . 8 mpa . water was distilled off under pressure over 2 hours to attain a mixture temperature of 250 ° c . the pressure was released down to 1 . 5 mpa while the temperature was maintained at 250 ° c . 885 g ( 1 . 567 moles ) of fatty acid dimer marketed by unichema chemie under the trademark pripol 1010 , having a monomer content of 0 . 03 % by weight and a trimer content of 3 % by weight were then added to the stirred mixture by steady pouring over 1 hour , 35 minutes ; during the time when the dimer acid was being added , the autoclave pressure was gradually reduced to atmospheric pressure and the temperature of the mixture was gradually raised to 270 ° c . a pressure of 133 · 10 2 pa was then gradually established over 40 minutes , while the mixture was maintained at 270 ° c . when the reduced pressure had been established , an additional 90 g ( 0 . 158 mole ) of dimer acid were added by steady pouring . the polycondensation was completed by continuing to stir the mixture for 30 minutes at 270 ° c . under 133 · 10 2 pa . stirring was stopped , and then a nitrogen pressure of 5 · 10 5 pa was established in the autoclave and the polymer was drawn off . the latter , extruded from the autoclave in lace form , was cooled by passing same through a cold water bath , and it was then granulated and dried . the polymer obtained was perfectly transparent and consequently homogeneous . it had the following characteristics , measured on dry granules : the operation was carried out in a 7 . 5 liter stainless steel autoclave equipped as stated in example 1 . the following charges were introduced into the apparatus at ambient temperature : ( i ) hexamethylenediamine salt of adipic acid , in dry solid form : 1 , 043 . 3 g ( 3 . 978 moles ); ( ii ) aqueous solution containing 32 . 15 % by weight of hexamethylenediamine : 1 , 424 g ( 3 . 939 moles ); ( iii ) aqueous solution containing 50 % by weight of hypophosphorous acid : 6 g ; and stirring was commenced and five nitrogen purges were carried out by pressurization to 1 mpa , followed by pressure release . the temperature of the stirred mixture was raised gradually to 217 ° c . over 1 hour , while autogenous pressure was maintained . this reached 1 . 8 mpa . water was distilled off under pressure over 1 hour , such that the mixture attained a temperature of 230 ° c . pressure was reduced to 1 . 5 mpa while the temperature was maintained at 230 ° c . 1 , 566 g ( 2 . 743 moles ) of pripol 1010 fatty acid dimer described earlier in example 1 were then added to the stirred mixture by steady pouring over 1 hours , 30 minutes ; during the time when the dimer acid was being added , the autoclave pressure was gradually reduced to atmospheric pressure and the temperature of the mixture was gradually raised to 260 ° c . the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at 260 ° c . at atmospheric pressure . a pressure of 133 · 10 2 pa was then established gradually over 30 minutes while the mixture was maintained at 260 ° c . when the reduced pressure had been established , an additional 220 g ( 0 . 385 mole ) of dimer acid were added by steady pouring . the polycondensation was completed by continuing to stir the mixture for 30 minutes at 260 ° c . under 133 · 10 2 pa . stirring was stopped , and then a nitrogen pressure of 5 · 10 5 pa was established in the autoclave and the polymer was drawn off . the latter , extruded from the autoclave in lace form , was cooled by passing same through a cold water bath and it was then granulated and dried . the polymer obtained was perfectly transparent and consequently homogeneous . it had the following characteristics , measured on dry granules : by way of a comparative test , the above example was reproduced , but this time without the use of catalyst ( hypophosphorous acid ); the reactant charges were as follows : ( i ) hexamethylenediamine salt of adipic acid , in dry solid form : 1 , 043 . 3 g ( 3 . 978 moles ), ( ii ) aqueous solution containing 32 . 15 % by weight of hexamethylenediamine : 1 , 244 . 8 g ( 3 . 450 moles ), the polymer obtained was perfectly transparent and consequently homogeneous . but the end group contents which were obtained , namely : were high , and this result is indicative of a slowing down of the polycondensation in the absence of hypophosphorous acid . it was noted , furthermore , that the melt viscosity , measured at 260 ° c ., under a gradient γ = 10 s - 1 , was low , being on the order of 900 poises . while the invention has been described in terms of various preferred embodiments , the skilled artisan will appreciate that various modifications , substitutions , omissions , and changes may be made without departing from the spirit thereof . accordingly , it is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited solely by the scope of the following claims , including equivalents thereof .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

the present invention puts forward changes in the processing approach that result in a reduced fabrication cost , complexity , and processing time . it was found surprisingly that transparent polycrystalline sintered magnesium - aluminate spinel ceramic , displaying almost full density and very high light transmission level , can be obtained from commercial oxide powders in a one - heating - step process . field assisted sintering technology ( fast ) was applied in processing magnesium and aluminum oxides , mixed with lithium fluoride , in a process employing a simple but unexpectedly efficient temperature regimen , while obtaining sintered spinel materials having high transparency in the whole range of visible light ( see , for example , fig1 ). all the required effects , converting the oxides powder to a transparent body , were integrated essentially into a single - thermal treatment process , saving time and energy . in contrast to known processes used for manufacturing transparent sintered spinel ceramics , via more complex techniques , using at least two different two processes . the herewith described approach is capable to provide by one heating process a transparent spinel body out of two oxides . in one aspect of the invention , a transparent polycrystalline sintered spinel is produced from a binary mechanical mixture comprising oxide powders displaying less than 5 micrometer size . said polycrystalline sintered body is produced in a one - step thermal process using field assisted sintering technology ( fast ). no traces of either the sintering aid ( added to accelerate the densification process ) or carbon inclusions were detectable in the product obtained in the novel process . in the present invention , a composition comprising conventional mgo and al 2 o 3 powders are thoroughly mixed in a 1 : 1 molar ratio in the presence of 0 . 5 to 2 . 0 wt % of lif additive , for example 1 wt %. the additive may be added in powder form or as an aqueous solution . the powder is inserted in the graphite die of the fast apparatus described herewith . the thermal processing makes use of the fast . the present technology relies on the concomitant application of elevated temperature , axial pressure , and passage of very intense direct or pulsed electrical current , importantly combined with a quick temperature increase . the powder sample is enclosed in a graphite die . the heat released by the current raises the temperature in the graphite dies enclosing the sample , and / or within samples that display some electrical conductivity . it has been alleged but not proved that when a pulsed current is applied , plasma generation may occur between the powder particles that may involve surface activation and promote consolidation . whatever the exact mechanism , sintering is promoted and full densification achieved at lower temperatures and within shorter time than in a conventional sintering process . known processes usually employ heating regimens comprising temperatures 1700 ° c . and higher . when employing lower temperatures , dense samples may be sometimes obtained but with no or low transparency . the present invention comprises a maximal temperature of only about 1600 ° c . ambient atmosphere is removed from the heating chamber and replaced by ar before the onset of heating and a dynamic vacuum of 10 − 2 torr is maintained during the heat treatment . as mentioned previously , the graphite die containing the sample also acts as the heating element . thus the fast atmosphere contains , beside ar , also carbon oxides co / co 2 which are formed during the interaction of carbon with the residual oxygen . the reversible reaction : takes place in the later stages of the densification process . the reaction ( eq . 1 ) is endothermic , shifts to the left with increasing temperature and to the opposite direction with increasing total pressure of the gaseous components . it is supposed that when spinel , undergoing densification under the ar — co — co2 atmosphere reaches about 80 % relative density , the pressure within the closing pores starts to increase at a relatively low temperature . with further consolidation , the volume of the pores decreases significantly with concomitant increase of the total pressure within the pores . following the reaction shown in eq . 1 , carbon starts to precipitate in lif - free spinel , most likely on the free surface of the pores . the precipitation of free carbon on the free surface of the pore system is probably further enhanced by the high current , and by plasma - induced reactions that take place at the spinel inner and external free surfaces within the fast apparatus . the precipitation of carbon stands behind the gray color of the specimens and the formation of dark spots . the lack of optical transmittance according to the above assumption is linked to the carbon precipitation from the residual gaseous atmosphere , containing carbon species . sessile drop experiments have shown that the wetting angle of liquid lif on the spinel substrate is close to zero and leads to full spreading of the molten phase . sessile drop experiments , called wetting experiments , enable to determine the extent of wetting a solid by the liquid . the criterion is the so - called wetting angle , which when & lt ; 90 deg . indicates that wetting may take place . moreover , liquid lif also wets and actually cleans spinel surfaces coated with a thin carbon deposit . thus , liquid lif may easily infiltrate the porous spinel preformed and spread completely over the pore surfaces . the beneficial effect of the lif additive on the transparency of spinel is due to its propensity to fully cover the free spinel surfaces in the pore system as long as the latter is still open . the lif additive melts at about 850 ° c . and , therefore , it is imperative to avoid closing the pores at that temperature . this is achieved by the high heating rate 100 ± 30 ° c ./ min in the fast apparatus . liquid lif easily infiltrates the porous spinel preform and spreads over the pore surfaces , even surfaces contaminated with carbon . at higher temperature , extensive lif evaporation takes place in the 1100 - 1200 ° c . range and the partial pressure of the gaseous lif dwarfs that of the residual carbon containing gases and expels the latter , thereby eliminating the source of carbon precipitation . finally , on account of its high vapor pressure , lif also evaporates in the course of last stages of the densification process , leaving a gas - free pore network free of any carbon containing residues and resulting in a nearly fully dense , carbon - free and lif - free , spinel . pressure is applied gradually starting at when the temperature reaches 1600 ± 20 ° c ., and leads to full densification of the spinel perform . after appropriate and conventional polishing procedures , the discs display good transparency values for a thickness up to 5 mm . the present invention provides a method of producing a polycrystalline transparent spinel sintered body ( hereafter transparent spinel body ) comprising essentially a one - step thermal processing of a mixture of magnesium oxide ( mgo ) and aluminum oxide ( al 2 o 3 ) powders supplemented by a sintering additive , wherein said powders may have a grain size in a wide range , for example , from 0 . 2 to 2 μm was used for mgo , and from 0 . 3 to 0 . 7 μm for al 2 o 3 . and wherein lithium fluoride ( lif ) is used as sintering additive . lif is preferably added in an amount of 0 . 5 to 2 wt % and most preferably at an amount of 1 wt %, as a powder , liquid or a distinct layer of said mixture . the axial pressure in a preferred arrangement is applied gradually , starting from the ambient pressure , after reaching a temperature of about 1600 ± 20 ° c . ; the pressure should reach at least 50 mpa , for example 80 mpa , at a preferable rate of 8 ± 2 mpa / min . after a holding time of about 60 min at the maximal temperature and maximal pressure , the samples are cooled to the ambient temperature . the invention will be further described and illustrated in the following examples . a transparent magnesia - aluminate spinel sintered body , was fabricated and its properties tested . the body was manufactured using a mixture of commercially available alumina magnesia powders . the alumina powder had less then 10 parts per million by weight of oxides of any of the following elements na , si , fe , ca , mg , ga , cr , ni , ti , cu , zn , zr . the alumina powder had an average 0 . 5 micrometer grain size and 8 m 2 / g surface area . the magnesia powder contained less the 2500 parts per million of na , less then 100 parts per million of cl and ca , and less then 10 parts per million of no 3 , so 4 , n , pb , as , cu , fe , k , mn , zn , ba and sr . the magnesia powder consisted of 5 micrometers size agglomerates of smaller particles and 40 m 2 / g surface area . a molar ratio of 1 : 1 of the said magnesia and alumina were mixed in a polypropylene container using a vibration mixer with no spheres . sintering additive , 1 wt % lif , was added while mixing with the oxide premixture . the powder was loaded into a graphite die of the said sps apparatus and was cold pressed at 8 mpa in the apparatus itself . the temperature was raised to 400 ° c . for 5 minutes ( as required by the standard operation of the sps apparatus ), and then raised to 1600 ° c . at a rate of 100 ° c ./ min . after 10 minutes of holding at 1600 ° c . the pressure was slowly raised to 80 mpa . the total “ soak ” time at 1600 ° c . was two hours . after cooling , the body was polished by grinding on increasingly fine sic papers followed by polishing with diamond - paste , in order to achieve the least amount of reflectance due to surface roughness . the same powder and the same mixture procedures , as described in example 1 , were used . next , the powder was loaded into a graphite die of the said sps apparatus and was cold pressed at 6 mpa in the apparatus itself . the temperature was raised to 400 ° c . for 5 minutes ( as required by the standard operation of the sps apparatus ), and then raised to 1600 ° c . at a rate of 100 ° c ./ min . after the temperature had reached 1600 ° c . the applied pressure was slowly raised to 80 mpa at a rate of 5 mpa / min . the total “ soak ” time at 1600 ° c . was 60 minutes . after cooling , the sample was polished by applying an initial grinding stage of sic on increasingly fine sic papers followed by polishing with diamond - paste , in order to achieve the least amount of reflectance due to surface roughness . while this invention has been described in terms of some specific examples , many modifications and variations are possible . it is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be realized otherwise than as specifically described .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

it has now been found that hepatitis a antigen usable in an immune adherence hemagglutination assay and for the preparation of hepatitis a vaccine is obtained from the stools of patients in the acute phase of hepatitis a disease . according to the present invention the stools are homogenized mechanically in an aqueous medium such as a physiological salt solution , e . g . saline or phosphate buffered saline ( pbs ). the homogenate is centrifuged to separate solids and the supernate is assayed for hepatitis a content according to the method described in the copending patent application of william j . miller and william j . mcaleer filed dec . 9 , 1974 as ser . no . 531 , 020 . extracts having antigen titers of 1 : 4 or greater are usable as hepatitis a antigen in the foregoing assay . the antigen extracts can be further purified by extraction with ether at lowered temperatures with recovery of the aqueous layer . the antigen can further be heated to reduce non - specific activity of the antigen preparation . anitgen preparations obtained as described above , with or without ether and heat treatments , have been found to have hepatitis a antigen activity because they give positive immune adherence reactions with human sera known to contain hepatitis a antibody , and negative immune adherence reactions with human sera known to be devoid of hepatitis a antibody . the antigen extract can also be used in the preparation of immunizing antigen , i . e ., vaccine . for this purpose the stools are extracted and centrifuged as described above and the extracts having immune adherence hepatitis a antigen titer of 1 : 4 or greater are treated with ultrasound . the sonicated extract is centrifuged . sediment is recovered with the aid of ultra - sound and resuspended in pbs . the suspension is filtered and the filtrate applied to a cesium chloride gradient having a density range of from about 1 . 1 to about 1 . 4 grams / cm 3 and centrifuged . fractions containing viral antigen ( with densities in the region of from about 1 . 32 to about 1 . 36 g / cm 3 ) are collected and dialyzed against distilled water . the antigen preparation is then extracted with an equal volume of ethyl ether at about 4 ° c . for from about 10 to about 30 hours . the aqueous phase is recovered , acidified to a ph of from about 2 to about 4 and allowed to stand at ambient temperature for a period of from about 1 hour to about 5 hours . the ph is then re - adjusted to approximately 7 . 0 . the resulting antigen is then heated to from about 50 to about 65 ° c . for from about 0 . 5 to about 2 hours . the antigen preparation is clarified by centrifugation at about 2500 rpm for about 15 minutes . the supernate is reacted with 1 : 4000 formalin at about 37 ° c for about 72 hours . the excess formaldehyde is neutralized with sodium bisulfite . the resulting preparation consists of the immunizing antigen ( vaccine ). the disclosure of the above - mentioned copending patent application ser . no . 531 , 020 filed dec . 9 , 1974 is hereby incorporated by reference . the following examples illustrate the present invention without , however , limiting the same thereto . all temperatures are expressed in degrees celsius unless otherwise indicated . one gram of feces collected from a patient on the day that clinical symptoms of hepatitis a are first manifested is homogenized in a 10 ml ten broeck tissue homogenizer in 4 ml of physiological saline . the slurry is clarified in a 5 ml sw65 tube at 10 , 000 rpm for 30 minutes and the pellet is discarded . the 3 . 5 ml extract is tested for the presence of hepatitis a antigen by the immune adherence assay described in copending application ser . no . 531 , 020 , and is found to have a hepatitis a antigen level of 1 : 8 . the extract is confirmed for the presence of antigen by its location in cscl at a density of 1 . 34 , its reversal in the reverse passive hemagglutination assay by convalescent marmoset serum and by immune electron microscopy . one gram of the feces yields 16 ml of test solution antigen at the immune adherence use - level concentration which is sufficient antigen to perform 600 single well assays . a 100 g fecal sample from this patient supplies sufficient antigen to perform 60 , 000 single well hepatitis a assays . human stools are collected within the period of 7 days before to 7 days after clinical onset of illness in a group of hepatitis a patients . the stools are extracted by mechanical means ( ten broeck homogenizer or sorvall omni - mixer ) to yield 20 % ( w / w ) homogenates in phosphate - buffered saline . the homogenate is centrifuged at 10 , 000 rpm for 30 minutes in a beckman type 30 angle head rotor . the supernatants are retained and assayed for hepatitis a antigen content by the immune adherence ( ia ) assay . extracts giving antigen titers of 1 : 4 or greater are usable as hepatitis a antigen . about 1 in 5 to 1 in 10 stools examined by the above criteria yield usable antigen extracts . a part of the antigen preparation is further processed by overnight extraction with an equal volume of ether at 0 ° c with recovery of the aqueous layer . another part of the antigen is heated at 56 ° c for 1 hour . some of the antigen extracted with ether is also subjected to this heat treatment . these processes help to reduce non - specific activity of the antigen preparations . antigen preparations as above , both with and without ether and heat treatment , have been found to have specific hepatitis a antigen activity , because they give positive ia reactions with human sera known to contain hepatitis a antibody , and negative ia reactions with human sera known to be devoid of hepatitis a antibody . human stools collected within the period of 7 days before to 7 days after clinical onset of illness in hepatitis a patients are extracted and homogenized and centrifuged as described in example 2 . one hundred milliliters of pooled extracts with ia hepatitis a antigen titer of 1 : 4 or greater are treated with ultrasound ( model w185 , heat systems - ultrasonics , with bell cup ) at full power for 1 minute . the sonicated extract is centrifuged at 75 , 000 × g for 3 hours . sediment is recovered with the aid of ultrasound and resuspended to 20 ml . this material is filtered through a 0 . 45 μ millipore filter ( pretreated with veal infusion broth ) with a pre - filter . the filtrate is then applied to cesium chloride gradients ( 36 ml volume , density 1 . 1 to 1 . 4 gm / cm 3 ) and centrifuged in a sw27 beckman rotor for 18 hours at 27 , 000 rpm . fractions containing viral antigen ( cuts with densities in the region of 1 . 32 - 1 . 36 gm / cm 3 ) are collected and dialyzed against distilled water . the volume of the preparation of this stage is 60 ml . the antigen preparation is then extracted with an equal volume of ethyl ether at 4 ° c for 18 hours . the aqueous phase is recovered . the antigen preparation is next acidified to ph 3 . 0 for a period of 3 hours at room temperature . the ph is then re - adjusted to approximately 7 . 0 . the resulting antigen is heated to 60 ° c for 1 hour . the antigen preparation is spun at 2500 rpm - 15 minutes to clarify , and the supernatant is retained . at this stage the antigen preparation is reacted with 1 : 4000 formalin at 37 ° c for 72 hours . excess formaldehyde is neutralized with bisulphite . the resulting preparation constitutes the immunizing antigen ( vaccine ). by subcutaneous injection of this material into guinea pigs and marmosets ( 4 × 1 ml , subcutaneous , at days 0 , 13 , 27 and 59 ) both species of animals develop hepatitis a antibody ( measured by ia ). the marmosets do not develop hepatitis a when subsequently challenged with a known infectious dose of hepatitis a .

0Human Necessities

referring now to the drawings in detail , and firstly to fig1 thereof , it will be seen that a washing material 2 is fed from a supply roll 1 via an elastic hollow member 7 loaded with pressure medium and arranged on a printing cylinder 6 to be cleaned . the washing material is transported by means of a periodically driven transporting roller 8 , which cooperates with a counter pressure roller 9 , from the hollow member 7 to a cutting device 10 . the supply roll is arranged in two opposite plates 4 with the aid of a shaft butt 11 ( fig4 ) which is provided with a brake and a shaft butt 12 in which a locking device 13 is employed . the hollow member 7 which is loaded with pressure medium as mentioned above is positioned between two plates 4 . the hollow member 7 is comprised in the exemplified embodiment of a base member 14 and two clamping strips 15 to which an elastic material 16 is secured at the front side of the base member 14 so that escape of the pressure medium from the hollow body or member 7 is impossible . as shown in fig5 a scanning device 5 is arranged in plates 4 . furthermore , a bearing pin 19 is also positioned in plates 4 . two opposite plates 4 are held together by means of traverses 17 , 18 . traverse 18 is provided at two sides with a locking device which can be actuated by means of a lever 20 . the counter pressure roller 9 is positioned in the plates 4 so that it is biased against the transporting roller 8 by a compression spring 21 . the function unit which is limited by the plates 4 is identified in the description as a washing unit or washing beam . fig2 shows a cleaning device without the washing unit . the side walls 22 of the device are provided each with a bearing shell 23 and a mounting 24 and are connected with walls 32 , 33 ( fig3 ) of the printing press by means of bolts 26 . the above mentioned cutting device 10 , a spraying hopper 29 with spraying tubes 25 , a cutting or terminal strip 31 , a washing material - container 34 and the transporting roller 8 are all positioned between the side walls 22 . the transporting roller 8 has axial extensions by means of which as clearly shown in fig3 this roller is rigidly secured to respective inner rings of two opposite direction - of - rotation - switching couplings 27 and 28 . the outer ring of the direction - of - rotation switching coupling 28 is rigidly connected to the wall 32 of the printing press whereas the outer ring of the direction - of - rotation switching coupling 27 is connected via a crank 36 and a link or joint 37 with a work cylinder 35 which is hinged in the wall 33 of the printing press and is pivotally supported in and operatively connected to the side wall 32 . a gear 38 is rigidly secured to one axial extension of the transporting roller 8 , this gear being rigidly connected ( when the washing unit is inserted in the cleaning device ) with the axle of the counter pressure roller 9 and is in cooperation with a counter gear not shown herein . the mode of operation of the cleaning device of this invention is as follows : after the washing unit has been provided with the supply roll 1 outside the printing machine ( fig5 ) this unit is inserted with its bearing pins 19 into bearing shells 23 of the side walls 22 , then it is pivoted about these pins to the position immediately against the cylinder 6 and is locked in this position by levers 20 and by means of the non - illustrated but any suitable conventional locking device and the mounting 24 . thereby the counter gear rigidly mounted to the axle of the counter pressure roller 9 is automatically brought into engagement with the gear 38 so that the washing material 2 is pressed by the spring - biased pressure roller 9 against the transporting roller 8 and the connection to the pressure medium feeding is established . furthermore , the connection between the scanning device 5 and an end switch is also extablished automatically so that the control is possible via the washing material supply on the supply roll 1 . during the washing process the washing liquid or water is sprayed from the spraying tubes 25 onto the upper surface of the printing cylinder 6 . thereafter or simultaneously therewith the hollow member 7 is periodically filled with a pressure medium and thereby brings the washing cloth or material 2 in contact with the upper surface of the cylinder 6 . the washing material 2 is rolled from the supply roll 1 in accordance with a contamination degree of the printing cylinder 6 in respective intervals and is fed to the hollow member 7 and further between the counter pressure roller 9 and transporting roller 8 , which is driven in the transport direction by the work cylinder 35 . after the completion of the cleaning process the circular blade 30 is fed by the non - shown but any suitable conventional means along the strip 31 so that the contaminated portion of the washing cloth is cut off . then the separated washing cloth which falls into the container 34 is removed from the latter . after the washing material of the supply roll 1 is used up the washing unit is removed from the side walls 22 and a new supply roll is installed into the unit , which roll is held by the shaft butts 11 and 12 . the brake positioned on the shaft butt 11 is adjusted so that the washing material 2 is continually transported without any problems . the supply roll 1 is axially fixed on the shaft butt 12 by the locking device 13 of any suitable design . in order to ensure a better access to the cylinder 6 the side walls 22 can be pivoted away about an axis parallel to the cylinder 6 , this axis being formed by the two opposite bolts 26 . the control of the whole device is obtained by a non - shown but any suitable conventional means . the succession of individual operation steps , their timing and adjustment as well as their number can be defined by various programs which can be selected in accordance with operation requirements . 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 devices for cleaning cylinders of a printing machine differing from the types described above . while the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a device for cleaning cylinders of a printing machine , 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 .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

in brief , articles are decontaminated by the present invention by using either a variable pressure solvent spray , or by using high frequency ultrasonic agitation in a solvent bath . decontamination is performed in a sealed cleaning chamber , whereby the operator and the surrounding areas are protected from the spread of contaminants . contaminants removed during the cleaning process are transported by the solvent to the systems &# 39 ; s solvent reservoir . contaminants in the solvent are then removed and isolated by filtration and / or distillation for safe disposal . the cleaning chamber is designed to allow flexibility as to the cleaning process utilized , the region of the chamber in which cleaning is performed , and the chamber volume available for cleaning . the chamber is divided into an upper and lower region by a removable grating . when using the solvent spray cleaning process , the operator rests the article being decontaminated on the grating in the upper portion of the chamber . the operator then reaches into the chamber and manipulates a manually operable spray gun to direct the spray against the article . where the operator is threatened with excessive exposure from radiation or other hazards , a spray manifold may be incorporated to spray the contaminated item remotely . the mechanical action of the spray and the chemical action of the solvent act remove the contaminants from the surface of the object . the solvent flushes the contaminants from the surface of the object , then falls through the grating to the floor of the chamber . the floor of the chamber is sloped toward one end where a large opening is provided for draining the solvent directly to the solvent reservoir . a cooling coil is installed below the opening in the chamber ( between the chamber and solvent reservoir ) so that all solvent drained from the chamber by gravity , must pass through this coil before returning to the solvent reservoir . the ultrasonic cleaning tank rests on the floor of the cleaning chamber , in the lower region below the grating . to use the ultrasonic cleaning tank , the operator will normally remove only the section of grating directly above the tank . articles to be cleaned are loaded through the cleaning chamber door and stacked on the grating adjacent to the tank . as they are cleaned , they are placed on the grating on the opposite side of the tank for drying . in this manner , large numbers of items may be cleaned in the ultrasonic tank without continuously reloading through the chamber door . the ultrasonic cleaning function allows for the cleaning of articles too delicate or intricate for cleaning by the solvent spray process . ultrasonic cleaning utilizes the scrubbing action of imploding liquid vapor bubbles to loosen and remove contaminants from an article . the ultrasonic cleaning tank is filled with solvent by means of the same manually operated spray gun used in the solvent spray process . the tank is equipped with a drain so that it may be periodically emptied and refilled with fresh solvent . approximately 16 cubic feet of space is available for cleaning volume inside the cleaning chamber . however , the operator may remove the grating and ultrasonic cleaning tank from the chamber to provide another 2 . 5 cubic feet for purposes of cleaning larger objects . a transducer for the ultrasonic cleaning tank is removable from the chamber by unplugging it from a receptacle mounted on the chamber &# 39 ; s rear wall . solvent drained from the cleaning chamber int the solvent reservoir is continuously pumped from the reservoir by a low pressure pump through a filter , and returned to the reservoir . this process removes particulate contaminants from the solvent . the filter ( s ) may also be replaced or operated in series with adsorbers which remove soluable contaminants by physical and / or chemical adsorption . the low pressure pump also communicates filtered and / or adsorbed solvent to a high pressure pump . the high pressure pump , in turn , communicates solvent to the cleaning chamber for the solvent spray cleaning process and / or for the purpose of filling the ultrasonic cleaning tank . this process assures that only clean solvent will contact of the contaminated articles . the small latent heat of vaporization and low boiling point of the solvent allows decontaminated articles to be dried rapidly . after decontamination is complete ( using either solvent spray or ultrasonics ), the operator starts a drying fan . air is circulated into the cleaning chamber via ports at the top of the chamber through the chamber ( where it evaporates residual liquid solvent ) across the cooling coil , and back to the inlet of the fan . the cooling coil condenses solvent vapors from the recirculating air , communicates the liquid solvent to the solvent reservoir , and leaves the air with additional capacity to transport solvent vapor . the present invention is also adapted to operate external cleaning chambers . this enables specialty cleaning chambers to be built to accommodate articles for decontaminating that are too large or cumbersome for the cleaning chamber . when operating external equipment , solvent is communicated via high pressure hose to the external chamber for spraying . the expended solvent is collected and pumped back to the solvent reservoir on the apparatus via a portable hose , where it is filtered and processed in the usual manner before being reused . fittings are provided so that drying air may also be recirculated from the external chamber to the apparatus and back to the external chamber by employing flexible air ducts . when solvent is first sprayed into the cleaning chamber of the apparatus , a pressure surge is created by the partial vaporization of the solvent . this pressure is relieved by passing the vapor / air mixture across the condensing coil , through a high efficiency particulate air ( hepa ) filter to remove potential vapor / air suspended particulate contaminants , and then an activated carbon vapor trap that removes solvent vapors . this initial venting is automatic and causes a major portion of the system &# 39 ; s air to be communicated outside the machine in a safe and contamination - free fashion . the remaining atmosphere is largely solvent vapor which condenses rapidly due to the condensing coil and absence of air . this condensation creates a negative atmospheric pressure relative to the outside atmosphere . the frictional resistance through the hepa filter and carbon column impede the complete equalization of atmospheric pressure between the invention and the outside environment . this slight negative pressure is beneficial since it aids in preventing the escape of solvent vapors and contaminants from the apparatus . referring now to the drawings , the apparatus of the present invention is illustrated perspectively in fig1 and 2 , showing therein front and rear views respectively . fig3 is schematically illustrative of the system disclosed herein . such illustrations are adapted to depict the present decontamination apparatus and are shown for purposes of convenience in understanding the operation and function of the invention . the system includes a cleaning chamber 11 which is adapted to contain the articles to be cleaned . the cleaning chamber 11 includes a cabinet 13 with a door 15 hingedly connected thereto . a gasket 17 is provided to form a gas tight seal between cabinet 13 and door 15 when cleaning chamber 11 is closed . hinges 12 are slotted and bolted to cabinet 13 so that adjustments may be made as gasket 17 compressibly changes with use . a plurality of latches 19 are provided for securely latching door 15 in the closed position . door 15 includes a window 14 through which an operator may view the interior cleaning chamber 11 when door 15 is closed . window 14 has mounted thereto a pair of glove port rings 20 to which are attached a pair of impermeable gloves 20a , by which the operator may manipulate articles within the cleaning chamber 11 from the exterior of the chamber 11 so as to keep the chamber 11 sealed during the cleaning process . the interior of cabinet 13 includes a bottom 16 which slopes downwardly toward drain opening 21 . mounted in drain opening 21 is trap 18 adapted to capture macroscopic objects removed in the cleaning process , and which , if allowed to leave chamber 11 via drain 21 , might damage cooling coil 31 or solvent pump 34 . drain opening 21 allows solvent to pass from cleaning chamber 11 through vertical duct 21a directly into solvent reservoir 35 . resting on cabinet bottom 16 is ultrasonic cleaning tank 25 . supported in ultrasonic cleaning tank 25 is an ultrasonic transducer 26 , such transducer 26 being operatively connected to ultrasonic generator 27 by cable 28 . to provide additional cleaning volume within cleaning chamber 11 , ultrasonic transducer 26 and tank 25 may be removed from cabinet 31 through door 15 . in order to accomplish such removal , cable 28 must be unplugged from receptacle 29 which is liquid and vapor tight so as to prevent the escape of cleaning solvent from cleaning chamber 11 . grating 22 is provided in cleaning chamber 11 and is mounted above the region in which ultrasonic cleaning tank 25 is located . objects to be decontaminated are passed into the cleaning chamber 11 through door 15 , which is then latched and sealed shut by clamps 19 . the operator has the choice of decontaminating objects by either solvent spray , or by ultrasonic cavitation . if the operator chooses solvent spray , the object is rested on grating 22 and the operator reaches into the cleaning chamber 11 through gloves 20 to manipulate solvent spray gun 24 to direct the high pressure solvent spray 23 against the object . the hydraulic pressure of the solvent spray may be adjusted by changing the nozzle 45 or the high pressure pump unloader valve 42 . hydraulic pressures ranging between 0 psig and 2150 psig are achieveable with this system . the operator has the additional advantage of being able to manipulate the object while spraying . due to the solvent &# 39 ; s proper ties , the spraying process generates vapors of the solvent . by performing the spraying inside sealed cleaning chamber 11 , none of the solvent nor contaminants escape to the outside environment during the cleaning process . grating 22 is provided in three removable sections , so that if the operator chooses to decontaminate by ultrasonic cavitation he removes only the section of grating 22 above tank 25 . the operator then reaches into cleaning chamber 11 through the gloves 20 and immerses the object into tank 25 to perform the ultrasonic decontamination . by performing the ultrasonic decontamination inside sealed cleaning chamber 11 , none of the solvent vapors generated by the process can escape to the outside environment . the apparatus herein has the capability to decontaminate by using either of two processes . in the solvent spray process , solvent sprayed by spray gun 24 against the article inside cleaning chamber 11 passes through grating 22 onto chamber bottom 16 , carrying with it contaminants removed from the article being cleaned . the solvent / contaminant mixture flows through drain 21 at a rate at least as great as that at which solvent is sprayed into chamber 11 . the solvent / contaminant mixture flows through cooling coil 31 . the cooling coil 31 serves to maintain the solvent in the apparatus at a temperature substantially below its boiling point , thus minimizing the amount of solvent vapors generated during the decontamination process . cooling coil 31 is operated by conventional refrigeration equipment 30 . it is then collected by pan 79 and communicated to solvent reservoir 35 via drain pipe 80 . the combination of pan 79 and drain pipe 80 also serves as a vapor shield for solvent reservoir 35 in that the surface area of solvent in the reservoir being exposed to the system &# 39 ; s air flow is limited to the cross sectional area of drain pipe 80 as opposed to the entire surface area of the reservoir . this minimizes the formation of solvent vapors when the fan is operating and consequently reduces condensing requirements as well as accelerates the drying cycle . the mounting of cleaning chamber cabinet 13 directly atop solvent reservoir 35 accomplishes two objectives , to wit : the economic utilization of space and the elimination of piping between the two components . solvent reservoir 35 is a tank having a capacity of approximately 35 gallons . its v - bottom construction causes particulate contaminants to settle toward solvent reservoir recess 32 . solvent reservoir 35 is covered by insulation 81 and its outside walls to minimize heat gain of the solvent from the outside environment . a pump 34 is provided to withdraw solvent and contaminants from recess 32 , through pickup tube 33 . the discharge from pump 34 is connected to a circulating conduit 38 , which is connected through a filter 37 back to solvent reservoir 35 . filter 37 is adapted to remove particulate matter suspended in the solvent down to and including 0 . 2 microns . filter 37 may also be substituted with absorber 37a or operated in series with absorber 37a for removal of soluable contaminants . pump 34 is a high volume , low pressure pump . the volume delivered by pump 34 is sufficient to recirculate the entire capacity of solvent reservoir through filter 37 at least once every minute . accordingly , the solvent in solvent reservoir 35 is continuously decontaminated so that the level of contamination therein is kept quite low . the contaminants are collected in filter 37 and / or absorber 37a which can be changed as necessary . conduit 45 is provided so that filter 37 can be drained for purposes of changing said filter . high pressure pump 39 is supplied with solvent from recirculation conduit 38 by a supply conduit 36 . supply conduit 36 is connected to recirculation conduit 38 downstream from filter 37 , whereby the solvent supply to high pressure pump 39 has been filtered and / or absorbed , and is therefore clean when used for the decontamination of articles . since pump 39 pumps a volume substantially smaller than that pumped by pump 34 , pump 39 is always supplied with a positive pressure with which to satisfy its requirements . pump 39 is a positive displacement pump which has been designed to pump solvent at any and all hydraulic pressures between 0 psig and 2150 psig through conduit 41 to cleaning chamber 11 . unloader valve 42 is provided in conduit 41 so that when spray gun 24 is not operated , the pressure solvent from pump 39 is diverted to solvent reservoir 35 through conduit 43 . conduit 41 is connected to conduit 44 located inside cleaning chamber 11 . conduit 44 is a flexible hose with sufficient strength to withstand the hydraulic pressure delivered by pump 39 . the purpose of using flexible hose is to allow the operator to manipulate spray gun 24 . spray gun 24 is equipped with nozzle 78 that has an orifice of small diameter . when solvent is pumped through conduit 44 , a high pressure is generated because of the restriction created by the orifice . said solvent emerges from nozzle 45 as high pressure spray 23 , which can be directed against the object to be decontaminated . nozzle 45 can be interchanged with other nozzles that have varying orifice diameters to achieve a range of pressures in solvent spray 23 . this allows the operator to select a lower pressure for cleaning delicate objects , or a higher pressure for cleaning objects that have more tightly adhered contaminants . in the ultrasonic decontamination process , ultrasonic cleaning tank 25 is filled with solvent by spray gun 24 . articles are decontaminated through this process by immersing them in tank 25 and energizing ultrasonic generator 27 . at the completion of cleaning , the operator opens valve 46 and drains the solvent / contaminant mixture from tank 25 through conduit 47 . said solvent / contaminant mixture flows through drain 21 into solvent reservoir 35 . when the ultrasonic cleaning process is to be used again , the operator closes valve 46 and pumps more solvent into said tank through spray gun 24 . by this process , cleaning tank 25 is replenished with decontaminated solvent . after articles have been decontaminated , by either solvent spraying or ultrasonics , they must be dried of solvent for the purpose of preventing removal of solvent liquids from cleaning chamber 11 . fan 55 serves in the capacity of drying articles by pulling solvent vapor / air mixtures out of cleaning chamber 11 through drain 21 and across cooling coil 31 . cooling coil 31 condenses the solvent vapor components out of said mixture , which then drain into solvent reservoir 35 . the remaining components are recirculated through conduit 53 and discharged into plenum 51 . the plenum 51 is equipped with multiple openings 52 that communicate directly with cleaning chamber 11 . plenum 51 is conformed to distribute the discharge of fan 55 evenly across cleaning chamber 52 . when using the solvent cleaning process , a large internal pressure surge is created by solvent spray 23 . this pressure surge is relieved through conduit 73 , which is connected to a column of activated charcoal ( carbon ) 76 . carbon column 76 removes solvent vapors that would otherwise be released to the environment . the gases then fed through conduit 74 to high efficiency particulate air ( hepa ) filter 77 , that remove 99 . 97 % of all suspended particulate contaminants measuring 0 . 3 microns and larger , whereupon the gas which is now clean air , is vented to the atmosphere . after the initial surge of pressure , substantially all of the air in cleaning chamber 11 is removed , and the atmosphere within cleaning chamber 11 consists primarily of solvent vapors . the solvent condenses quickly , causing a relative negative pressure to be created within cleaning chamber 11 . air is prevented from re - entering cleaning chamber 11 and equalizing the pressure inside by the resistance of filter 77 and carbon column 76 . the relative negative pressure inside cleaning chamber 11 provides a safety feature in that it prevents leaks of contaminants from the interior of the chamber . after a period of operation , the level of dissolved , rather than suspended , contaminants in the solvent may increase to a level such that when the objects are dried after cleaning , a film of contaminants is left thereupon . in order to remove the dissolved contaminants from the solvent , a still 40 is provided . still 40 has the capacity to distill at one time the entire volume of solvent in the system . still 40 comprises generally a vessel having a false bottom 54 which forms a cavity 56 . cavity 56 is filled with a heat transfer oil and has disposed therein a plurality of heating elements 57 . heating elements 57 are designed to heat the heat transfer oil to a desired temperature at or above the boiling point of the solvent . still 40 is covered by insulation 81 , which minimizes heat loss during distillation . still 40 is connected to recirculation conduit 38 by a conduit 48 , which has therein electrically operated valve 49 . when it is desired to distill the solvent , valve 49 is opened automatically and valve 50 is shut . pump 34 is started to pump the entire contents of solvent reservoir 35 and filter 37 into still 40 . heating elements 57 are then actuated to be at the oil bath and thereby heat the solvent contained within still 40 . when the temperature within still 40 reaches the boiling point of the solvent , that temperature is maintained according to the laws of the thermodynamics until substantially all of the solvent has been evaporated , whereupon the temperature begins to rise . when the temperature reaches a preselected setpoint above the boiling point of the solvent , thermostat 58 automatically deenergizes heaters 57 . the solvent vapor from still 40 is removed by conduit 59 , which is connected to solvent reservoir 35 . the solvent vapors from still 40 are condensed by cooling coil 31 to form pure liquid solvent , and return to solvent reservoir 35 . cleaning chamber 11 is also equipped with a means for lighting the interior of said chamber so that the operator may better view the articles being decontaminated . light housing 60 is mounted atop cabinet 13 . two fluorescent light bulbs 63 are provided in said housing , which shine through transparent window 65 and an opening 65a provided in the top of cabinet 13 . gasket 61 is provided to seal window 65 against cabinet 13 for the purpose of preventing leakage of solvent and contaminants from cleaning chamber 11 . fluorescent light bulbs 63 can be accessed for changing through the top of light housing 60 without having to disturb gasket 61 or cabinet 13 . cleaning chamber 11 is also equipped with two electrical switches , which are mounted on the inside wall of said chamber . electrical switch 62 is designed to start and stop ultrasonic generator 27 . electrical switch 64 is operated to start and stop high pressure pump 39 . electrical switches 62 and 64 are located inside cleaning chamber 11 to allow the operator to conveniently operate equipment necessary to perform decontamination . these switches are sealed to preclude leakage of solvent and contaminants from cleaning chamber 11 . control panel 72 is mounted on the machine as shown in fig1 . various switches and alarm lights are mounted on said panel . the preferred embodiment is equipped to allow the solvent spray process to be performed in special equipment remote from the cleaning chamber 11 . said special equipment may be adapted to clean objects that are too large or cumbersome to be cleaned inside cleaning chamber 11 , and may take the form of very large cleaning chambers , or special chambers equipped to handle long tubular objects such as pipe or hose . when remote equipment is used , the apparatus functions in the same manner as described previously herein , except hose from the remote equipment is connected to special fitting 68 ( fig2 ) provided for such purpose . special fitting 68 operates in such a manner that is automatically remains shut when remote equipment ( not shown ) is not being used . solvent from high pressure pump 39 is thereby diverted to the remote equipment for the purpose of decontaminating articles . solvent sprayed in the remote equipment and the contaminants thereby collected are returned by means of a pump located within the remote equipment . solvent is returned from the remote equipment by means of flexible conduit that connects to fitting 66 located on cabinet 13 . the returned solvent / contaminant mixture flows through drain 21 and is processed in the same manner as described before herein . drying ventilation may also be provided when remote equipment is operated . conduit for fresh air to the remote equipment is connected at fitting 67 , located on plenum 57 . doors 70 are provided to shut and seal openings 52 in cleaning chamber 11 , causing exhaust air from fan 55 to be diverted to the remote equipment . air is returned from the remote equipment by means of conduit connected to fitting 69 . the return air / vapor mixture flows through drain 21 and thereby processed in the same manner as described before herein . components of the apparatus as described herein are mounted on frame 75 , which is constructed of rugged steel of sufficient strength to support the weight of said components . frame 75 is supported by casters 71 , so that the apparatus can be rolled from one location to another as necessary . casters 75 can be locked as necessary to prevent them from rolling . the apparatus as described herein measures approximately 36 &# 34 ; wide and 70 &# 34 ; long , and the volume of cleaning chamber 11 is approximately 18 . 4 cubic feet . the arrangexent of components on the apparatus is judicious and economical so as to provide a compact apparatus that is easily maneuvered about on casters 71 . the 36 inch width of the apparatus enables it to pass through standard door openings . the primary thurst in achieving compactness is by the judicious location of solvent reservoir 35 and still 40 . cleaning chamber 11 is disposed vertically so that glove ports 20 and gloves 20a are at the comfortable height for arms on an average operator . the space below cleaning chamber 11 is then used to locate solvent tank 35 , still 40 , and refrigeration package 30 . by locating solvent tank 35 below cleaning chamber drain 21 , solvent can communicate from cleaning chamber 11 without utilizing conduits . the function and arrangexent of cooling coil 31 is particularly unique . the judicious location of cooling coil 31 in the region between cleaning chamber 11 and solvent reservoir 35 enables it to perform four separate functions without the need of complex piping and valving arrangements : 1 . it communicates closely with solvent drained from cleaning chamber 11 to solvent reservoir 35 , thus keeping the solvent cool . 2 . it is located in the flow path of the air / vapor mixture recycled through cleaning chamber 11 during drying , and thereby condenses vapors from the mixture . 3 . it condenses vapors passing from still 40 to solvent reservoir 35 during the distillation process . 4 . it condenses solvent vapor normally given off by solvent stored in solvent reservoir 35 due to solvent vapor pressure . the location and diversity of utilization of cooling coil 31 also accomplishes economical use of space . the judicious location of cooling coil 21 precludes the need for a cooling coil for each separate function , thus minimizing space requirements . the location also eliminates the need for a separate housing , and piping to such housing , further minimizing space requirements . it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be taken as being limited to the accompanying drawings and specification . while a particular embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described , it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure , but changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto . it is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology herein employed are for purposes of description and not of limitation , since the scope of the present invention is denoted in the appended claims .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

improved throttle control 10 of the present invention , as shown in the drawings , includes the metal bracket 12 having a generally triangular shape as best seen in fig1 mounting flange 14 extending at right angles to the main portion of bracket 12 , stop tab 16 which extends at right angles to the main portion of bracket 12 in the opposite direction from flange 14 and throttle cable sheath engaging means 18 which includes the two fingers 20 , extending at right angles to bracket 12 , which are spaced to tightly engage the end of throttle cable sheath 22 . it should be noted that any suitable means may be provided to secure cable sheath 22 to bracket 12 , such as , for example , a rolled clip which is integral with the bracket or secured thereto and through which sheath is inserted and thereafter secured therein by staking . control 10 also includes throttle operating lever 24 which is pivotally connected to bracket 12 by rivet 26 , which extends through lever mounting opening 24a , bracket mounting opening 12a and detent pad mounting opening 28a , plastic detent pad 28 which is positioned between lever 24 and bracket 12 and biasing means 30 , shown as a spring washer or wave washer , to provide a biasing force urging lever 24 against plastic detent pad 28 . lever 24 includes operating arm 32 and cable arm 34 having opening 34a to which throttle cable 36 is connected providing the lever with cable connecting means . the outer end of operating arm 32 includes a suitable handle or knob 38 to be grasped by the operator when moving lever 24 . as seen in fig2 and 3 , rivet 26 is a shoulder type rivet including head 40 , large shank 42 , reduced shank 44 with shoulder 46 between the two shanks 42 and 44 and recessed forming end 48 . as seen in fig2 the distance from the inner surface of rivet head 40 to shoulder 46 ( the length of large shank 42 ) is preselected so that lever 24 , plastic detent pad 28 and biasing means 30 are positioned on that portion of rivet shank 42 so that biasing means 30 exerts the preselected biasing force on lever 24 against plastic detent pad 28 . as shown in fig3 and 5 , plastic detent pad 28 is generally segmentally shaped and includes opening 50 through which rivet 26 extends with annular ridge 52 surrounding opening 50 and in engagement with lever 24 and arcuate ridge 54 on the outer portion of pad 28 and on the side facing lever 24 . lever 24 includes detent 56 projecting from lever 24 and spaced from the pivot axis the same distance as arcuate ridge 54 so that it engages ridge 54 throughout the full range of its movement . arcuate ridge 54 includes radial groove 58 which when detent 56 on lever 24 is positioned therein defines the desired full throttle position of lever 24 . projections 60 extend from the opposite side of pad 28 and are positioned in openings 62 extending through bracket 12 to assist in the positioning of pad 28 on bracket 12 . projections 60 are sized with respect to opening 62 so that when they are pressed into openings 62 pad 28 will remain in its desired position on bracket 12 unless it is positively removed . detent pad 28 is made of a plastic material such as nylon , polytetrafluoroethylene , polypropylene , acetal , or polyethylene and may include suitable fillers , such as mineral fibers , glass fibers and other filler materials which , when embedded in the plastic material , impart to the material of pad 28 the surface characteristics and resistant to environment desired or needed in its application . plastic detent pad 64 , as shown in fig6 is a modified pad in comparison to pad 28 in that it includes all of the components of pad 28 including annular ridge 66 , arcuate ridge 68 , mounting opening 70 and projections 72 which fit into the openings 62 of bracket 12 . the substantial difference in the configuration of pad 64 is that arcuate ridge 68 includes two radial notches or grooves 74 and 76 which represent the full speed engine position of lever 24 and the engine idle speed position of lever 24 . further , it should be noted that there is additional travel available for movement of lever 24 beyond groove 74 to the full choke position and for movement of lever 24 beyond groove 76 to the engine stop position . the end of sheath 22 which extends beyond fingers 20 of sheath engaging means 18 provides a stop for lever 24 at the stop position when cable arm 34 engages the end of sheath 22 and tab 16 provides a stop which operating arm 32 engages at full choke position . throttle control levers contemplated generally by the present invention are preferred to have a minimum force of five pounds and a maximum force of fifteen pounds needed to be exerted thereon for movement . also , in such applications it is desired that there be a suitable means , such as groove 74 shown in fig6 at the full speed throttle position with movement of the throttle control beyond such position being possible to move the throttle to the full choke position . an additional means , such as groove 76 shown in fig6 at an engine idle position is advantageous with additional movement beyond such stop being available to move the throttle control lever to the engine stop position . another possible feature which is available with the structure of the present invention is to provide recesses or grooves in the arcuate ridge of the detent pad which have shapes other than the truncated v shape shown in the drawings and particularly in fig7 . for example , if it is desired to require additional force to move the lever beyond its groove , the shape of the groove is changed as shown in fig8 . groove 80 in arcuate ridge 82 of detent pad 84 includes tapered surface 86 , flat bottom portion 88 and vertical wall 90 . when lever detent 92 of control lever 94 is engaged within groove 80 as shown , it is relatively easy to move it toward and over tapered surface 86 but in contrast it is relatively hard to move it toward and past vertical wall 90 . with wall 90 being vertical and detent having a vertical surface , the movement of lever 94 may require a side loading by the operator to move it past wall 90 . variations of the contour of the grooves in which the lever detent engages for preselected control position can be used to control the force or difficulty required to move the lever beyond such position . while the drawings illustrate one and two recesses in arcuate ridges 54 and 68 , respectively , in some applications , the arcuate ridge may have no recesses . an example of such application is a case in which the lever control is used to control a transmission which has its position locating means included in its mechanism . such locating means may include two , three or more preselected lever positions which are easily felt by the operator . the improved lever control of the present invention provides advantages which result from its unique structure . this control provides a means of having the resistance to the movement between the lever and its mounting bracket at a larger radius from the pivot axis of the lever and between a metal lever and a plastic detent pad . this provides the advantages of making the lever resistance of the control substantially the same all of the time and independent of use or abuse by the operator and the vagaries of the environment in which it has to operate . the control also offers the feature that it is simple to change the resistance to the movement of the lever and when changed such resistance is substantially constant . the change can be accomplished by the substitution of a different spring or wave washer . also , variations of the thickness of the plastic detent pad can increase or decrease the resistance since an increase of the pad thickness causes the lever to have to deflect slightly more than with a thinner pad . the critical factor in determining such force is to control the distance between the shoulders which engage the wave spring and the back side of the bracket . variation of this distance controls the force exerted by wave spring and thus the force with which lever detent engages the arcuate ridge of the detent pad . thus , a different type of rivet could be used than a shoulder rivet so long as the distance which determines the preloading of wave spring is controlled to provide the desired resistance to the movement of the control lever . with the single or multiple notches or positioning recesses in the arcuate ridge on the detent pad , the full speed position and sometimes the idle position of a throttle lever are preset which simplifies the assembly of the throttle control to the engine . an additional advantage of the present invention is that the throttle lever has a positive and quality feel which is sufficiently easy for anyone to operate but has adequate resistance so that the throttle lever does not move when movement is not desired . an additional advantage of the preferred form of the present invention is achieved with the snap on feature of the pad to the bracket so that it is properly positioned during assembly and riveting . an additional advantage of the present invention is that the friction contact area between the lever projection and the detent pad is minimal and acts as a wiper , cleaning foreign material from the detent pad arcuate surface and maintaining the frictional parameters between the detent pad arcuate surface and the lever projection . while the preferred form of the present invention discloses a lever control having a metal bracket , a metal lever and a detent pad of a plastic material with an arcuate ridge engaged by a projection , it is contemplated that the advantages of the present invention may be obtained by a structure in which only a lever and a bracket are used and either the arcuate surface or the lever projection is of a plastic material and the other is metal . a further modification which is contemplated is that the detent pad may have a uniform thickness without the annular ridge and the arcuate ridge but with such uniform thickness the area immediately surrounding the pivoting mechanism serves as the annular ridge and the surface of the pad which is engaged by the throttle detent serves as the arcuate ridge which may include one , two or multiple recesses or no recesses depending upon its intended application as hereinbefore explained . a further contemplated modification would be to use suitably selected plastic materials , usually expected to be different materials but possibly the same material , for both the bracket and the lever . it is believed to be within the contemplation of the present invention to include and teach structures and to cover such structures which have a mere reversal of parts . examples of some of the part reversal is that the lever may include a plastic projection while the arcuate surface engaged by the lever projection is a metal surface or a suitable plastic surface coacting with the plastic lever projection to provide the desired resistance to lever movement . the improved throttle control 110 shown in fig9 is identical with throttle control 10 previously described except that bracket 112 does not include the mounting openings 62 for mounting pad 28 thereon but does include recesses 111 , 113 and 115 which provide the stop , normal and full choke positions for lever 124 . projection 156 on lever 124 is position to engage bracket 112 in the arcuate area 112a on its surface so that projection 156 will come into engagement with recesses 111 , 113 and 115 as it is pivoted about its mounting opening 124a . additionally , plastic detent pad is not included in this form of the invention as projection 156 may be provided with plastic insert 156a which engages arcuate area 112a so that there is no metal - to - metal engagement between lever projection 156 and arcuate bracket area 112a . this structure provides a suitable structure which does not have the disadvantages of the prior art devices and which provides the biasing of the lever 24 against the bracket area 112a so that there are preselected operating positions such as mentioned .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

referring more specifically to the drawings , fig1 is a partially exploded view of a four - way catv subscriber tap utilizing the present invention . in fig1 a unitary housing 10 which can be cast of a zinc alloy , for example , is provided . a pair of oppositely disposed threaded extensions 11 and 12 extend on either side of housing 10 to allow for the insertion of the sections of a coaxial cable to which the tap is coupled . a seizure post holder 13 which can be machined or molded , for example , from a resilient dielectric material is located in a recessed portion within housing 10 and axially aligned with extensions 11 and 12 . seizure post holder 13 , shown in greater detail in fig2 is held loosely in position by means of guides 14 in the recessed portion of housing 10 . also forming a portion of unitary housing 10 are threaded screw posts 15 which project from the base of the housing and facilitate the mounting of the printed circuit board of fig3 . coaxial terminals 16 are mounted in and extend through the base of housing 10 . the center conductors of terminals 16 extend upward from the base also to facilitate connection to the printed circuit board . the threaded portions of terminals 16 extend downwardly from the base of housing 10 and are not shown in the drawing . a circular groove 17 extends around the outer periphery of housing 10 to facilitate the placement and mounting of a cover . also integral to housing 10 is a mounting tab 18 which is provided with a guide post 19 and screw hold 20 for a mounting clamp not shown . shown in their exploded disassembled position on the right are a cylindrical guide clamp 21 with concave indentations on either end ; a serrated ferrule 22 ; a crimp nut 23 ; and o - ring seal 24 ; closure nut 25 and coaxial cable 26 . coaxial cable 26 further consists of a solid outer conductor 27 and solid inner conductor 28 separated by a suitable low loss dielectric medium as is well known in the art . an identical combination of elements comprise the assembly on the right hand portion of body 10 . the operation of the present invention will be better understood after the remaining figures are considered . in this connection , fig2 is a pictorial representation of the seizure post holder 13 showing the details thereof . as mentioned previously , seizure post holder 13 is preferably fabricated of delrin or other suitable resilient dielectric material . seizure post holder 13 comprises two bifurcated clamping portions separated by a narrow waist 30 which when assembled is mated to guides 14 . each of the clamping portions comprise a pair of tines 31 , 32 and 31 &# 39 ;, 32 &# 39 ; through which is formed a transverse , generally circular aperture 33 , 33 &# 39 ; which accommodates the posts to be secured . a pair of second flex aperture are formed through each of the clamping portions of seizure post holder 13 to reduce the section in those regions to provide for improved flexibility . a longitudinally extending circular aperture 34 is formed between the tines to accommodate the inner conductors of coaxial cable sections 26 . a bevel 35 of partial conical shape is formed at the ends of seizure post holder 13 . the angle of bevel 35 is substantially the same as the internal concave indentations in guide clamps 21 . in fig3 there is shown a pictorial view of a printed circuit board 40 on which is mounted the various electrical components of the subscriber tap . for the sake of clarity , the components are not shown . apertures 41 are provided through the printed circuit board 40 to accommodate the mounting screws also not shown . another set of apertures are provided in the printed circuit board to accommodate the center conductors of coaxial terminals 16 . a pair of seizure posts 42 extend downwardly from printed circuit board 40 . these seizure posts , which can be fabricated of brass or other suitable resilient conductive material are also bifurcated or split to form a pair of tines . apertures 43 of generally circular shape ar provided in posts 42 between the tines to accommodate inner conductors 28 of coaxial cables 26 . the diameters of posts 42 are substantially the same as the diameters of apertures 33 of seizure post holder 13 . due to the resiliancy of the seizure posts 42 and the seizure post holder 13 and their construction , it is apparent that the dimensional tolerances here need not be precise . seizure posts 42 serve in a multiple capacity . first , the posts serve as the electrically conductive medium for coupling radio frequency wave energy to and from inner conductor 28 of coaxial cable 26 to the components on the circuit board . secondly , the seizure posts can serve to couple low frequency or direct current energy to and from the coaxial cable such as for powering purposes . the posts also serve the primary mechanical means for retaining the inner conductor 28 of coaxial cable 27 although , as will be seen , some of the clamping action is provided by seizure post holder 13 . in its assembled state , the printed circuit board 40 with its components mounted thereon is mated with housing 10 so that seizure posts 42 extend into apertures 33 in seizure post holder 13 . the board is further secured by screws , not shown , extending through apertures 41 into screw posts 15 . the center conductors of the coaxial terminals 16 are soldered to the printed circuit in the region of their respective apertures . seizure posts 42 are also connected to the components of the subscriber tap by means of the printed circuitry on printed circuit board 40 . a plan view in broken - away cross section of the assembled subscriber tap is shown in fig4 . after the printed circuit board 40 is mounted on body 10 , a weathertight substantially dome - shaped cover 50 is positioned on the body 10 . cover 50 is provided with a flange 51 which fits within circular groove 17 . generally , a gasket or other suitable seal can be provided within groove 17 to further improve the weather - tight cover seating . when pressed into groove 17 , the flange 51 on cover 50 seats itself in the manner of a &# 34 ; belleville spring &# 34 ; and is thus clamped in position . in assembling the subscriber tap of fig4 the outer conductors 27 and dielectric material of coaxial cables 26 are trimmed back so that the inner conductors 28 extend through the central apertures of guide clamps 21 , aperture 34 of seizure post holder 13 and apertures 43 in posts 42 . when crimp nut 23 is tightened , its axial motion forces the bevelled ends of serrated ferrule 22 to clamp and securely hold the outer conductor 27 of coaxial cable 26 . the tightening of the crimp nut also forces the tines of seizure post holder 13 together thereby clamping the inner conductor 28 of coaxial cable 26 in place . the o - ring 24 and closure nut 25 provide a weather - tight seal for the completed assembly . electrical continuity to the outer conductor 27 of coaxial cable 26 is provided through serrated ferrule 22 , which is of conductive material , and the extensions 11 or 12 on housing 10 . as previously mentioned , electrical continuity between the inner conductor 28 and the printed circuitry is provided through seizure posts 42 . in all cases it is understood that the above - described embodiment is merely illustrative of but one of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention . numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . what is claimed is :

7Electricity

referring now to the drawings and first more particularly to fig1 a tinted contact lens of the present invention is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 20 . the contact lens 20 comprises a contact lens substrate 22 and an iris - simulating design , generally indicated at 24 , on the lens substrate . the contact lens substrate 22 is preferably a conventional clear contact lens . the lens substrate 22 may be a corrective or non - corrective lens . the iris simulating design 24 is generally annular in shape and is sized to cover or enhance a wearer &# 39 ; s iris . the iris simulating design 24 may be opaque to partially or completely mask the wearer &# 39 ; s iris or may be at least somewhat translucent so that some of the wearer &# 39 ; s iris may show through the design . it is to be understood that the term “ tinted ” is intended to encompass both iris simulating designs of translucent and / or opaque pigmentations . preferably , the iris - simulating design 24 is multi - colored and is more preferably comprised of four or more separate colors . a pad printing process is preferably used to print the iris - simulating design 24 on the lens substrate 22 . as described in greater detail below , four or more separate design portions ( each preferably of a different color ) are serially printed on the lens substrate 22 during the printing process . the design portions ( colorant patterns ) combine to form the multi - colored iris - simulating pattern 44 . generally speaking , two sub - processes are used for making the tinted contact lens 20 . the first sub - process is formation of a plurality of depressions 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ( fig2 a - d ) in one or more printing plates ( cliché s ) 30 . the second sub - process is using the cliché ( s ) 30 in a pad printing process to transfer ink ( or some other suitable fluent colorant ) from the depressions to the lens substrate 22 ( fig1 ). preferably , the ink is of a type well known in the tinted contact lens industry having binding properties enabling it to adhere to the lens substrate via a polymerization process . the ink may be opaque or translucent after being transferred to the lens substrate . the first sub - process is generally indicated at 40 in the flow - chart of fig3 . in the first step , represented by box 42 , an iris image is digitized into a computer . digitizing the iris image may be accomplished by scanning a photograph or rendering of a human iris into the computer , or by use of a digital camera , or by using appropriate software to create an image by the computer itself . it is to be understood that the methods of digitizing an iris image mentioned herein are merely exemplary , and other methods of digitizing an iris image may be employed without departing from the scope of this invention . the digitized iris image may also comprise a hybrid image formed from different aspects of two or more iris images . the computer is preferably any commercially available computer having a suitable processor such as an intel pentium - 3 ® processor . as represented by box 44 , the colors of the digitized iris image are separated into selectively distinctive layers by use of commercially available software , such as adobe illustrator ® or adobe photoshop ®. in practice , the iris image is comprised of thousands of tiny colored regions and the colors of the regions may encompass thousands of different colors . the iris image is preferably analyzed by a designer for determining where color separations are to be made . preferably the image is separated into four , five , six , seven , eight , nine , ten , eleven , twelve , or more distinct color regions . each color region is preferably mapped via a raster - based image editor , such as adobe photoshop ®. each color region is then converted to grayscale and then converted to a halftone pattern ( box 46 ). each halftone pattern is then passed through a vector - based computer drawing program , such as adobe illustrator ®. with the use of the drawing program , the halftone pattern ( or digitized image portion ) is adjusted and sized for export , preferably as an encapsulated postscript file , to a laser control unit of a suitable laser ( indicated by box 48 ). each digitized image portion comprises the combination of all of the tiny regions of the digitized iris image assigned to one of the selected color ranges . preferably , the laser is a yttrium aluminum garnet ( yag ) laser , such as an electrox ® scriba ii , commercially available from electrox usa , indianapolis , ind . the laser control unit is preferably operated with suitable software , such as that commercially available from electrox usa . the cliché 30 ( e . g ., fig2 a ) is then aligned with the yag laser . referring to box 50 , the laser is then operated with appropriate aperture and power settings to meet the pattern width and depth requirements suitable to form the depressions 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 in the portions of the cliché 30 . by adjusting the various power settings and / or incorporating multiple passes to the patterns , an operator is able to use the laser to vaporize finite layers of the plate conforming to the exact depression shapes desired . preferably , the laser is operated using baselines of 2 kilohertz , aperture of 3 . 8 mm , yielding { fraction ( 5 / 1000 )} particle beam , power at 70 watts , and speed frequency of 8 hits per second . the laser forms each depression in an iris portion pattern to correspond to each digitized image portion . in other words , the digitized image portions combine to represent the digitized iris image , and the iris portion patterns of the depressions combine to represent the iris image to be printed on the contact lens substrate . as discussed above , fig2 a - d show depressions 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 formed in cliché portions . it is to be understood that the cliché portions may be portions of a single cliché or may be portions of multiple clichés . in other words , the depressions may all be formed in a single cliché 30 or may each be in a separate cliché without departing from the scope of this invention . use of a laser to form a depression in a cliché has several advantages over forming a depression by photo etching . to begin with , a depression formed with a laser is capable of greater resolution than a depression formed with a photo etching process . in particular , the resolution capabilities with the laser process is more than 9 times greater than that of the photo etching process . the corrosive nature of the photo etching process applied at higher resolution tends to completely obscure and break down the pattern &# 39 ; s definition . the resolution limitation of the photo etching process creates barriers to achieve resolutions requiring increased color variations for multicolored contact lenses . by using a laser process to overcome the limitations in pattern resolution , a broader range of blending colors may be employed to create a tinted contact lens that provides a more natural appearance . another advantage of forming a depression with a laser rather than photo etching is elimination of the need to use toxic and hazardous chemicals , such as ferric nitrate , hydrochloric acid , and nitric acid . these chemicals increase chances of work related accidents or health issues . these chemicals are also hazardous to the environment and require epa regulatory compliance for removal and disposal . also , the unpredictability inherent in the photo etching process makes it difficult to produce depressions of desired depth . the desired depth of a typical depression used in a pad printing process to tint a contact lens is 17 - 25 microns . depth variances with a photo etching process are generally ± 3 - 5 microns . if the photo etching process does not achieve the desired depth , the pattern rendered is useless ; the plate must be resurfaced and re - lapped and the complete process repeated . conversely , if the pattern achieves too much depth ( which is the tendency in the industry ), the evaporation of the excess ink thinners / retardant and polymers are released into the air , thereby decreasing air quality . use of the laser process also increases the speed in which depressions may be formed in the cliché . in particular , the labor required to prepare a typical pattern in the cliché via a photo etching process is 3 - 6 man - hours . the labor to prepare such a pattern via the laser method of the present invention is less than one man - hour . thus , use of the laser process results in a depression of greater resolution , reduces health risks and decreases cost of manufacture . the second sub - process ( i . e ., transfer of ink from a depression in the cliché to the lens substrate 22 ) is schematically shown in fig4 a - e . in fig4 a , the cliché 30 is shown having a depression 32 flooded with ink 60 . a doctor blade 62 is swept across the cliché 30 to wipe the ink 60 from the cliché in a manner so that the ink is in only the depression . as shown in fig4 b , a conventional pad - printing pad 64 is aligned with the depression 32 and pressed against the cliché 30 to pick up the ink in the depression . the pad 64 is then brought into registration ( fig4 c ) with a contact lens substrate 22 held on a lens holder 66 and then pressed ( fig4 d ) against the lens substrate to deposit the ink on the substrate in a pattern which constitutes a first design portion 70 of the iris simulating design ( fig1 ). the pad 64 is then released from the lens substrate 22 and the ink is allowed to dry . the first design portion 70 printed on the lens substrate 22 in this manner preferably has substantially the same shape as the pattern of the depression 32 . although not shown , additional design portions are then serially printed on the lens substrate 22 by transferring ink from depressions 34 ( fig2 b ), 36 ( fig2 c ), 38 ( fig2 d ) in substantially the same manner as transferred from depression 32 . preferably , different ink colors are used for each printing pattern . the design portions ( colorant patterns ) combine to form the multi - colored iris - simulating pattern 44 . although the iris - simulating pattern 44 has been described as being formed by the combination of four different colorant patterns printed on the contact lens substrate 22 , it is to be understood that more or fewer colorant patterns may be combined to form an iris - simulating pattern ( e . g ., three , five , six , seven , eight , nine , ten , eleven , twelve , or more colorant patterns ) without departing from the scope of this invention . preferably , however , four to twelve colorant patterns are printed on the lens substrate to form the iris simulating pattern . also preferably , each colorant pattern is a different color . in view of the above , it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained . as various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention , it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

while the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications , it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto . those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications , applications , and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility . fig1 is a diagram of a first exemplary network printing system 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention that includes components installed on devices and printers connected to a common network 20 . for clarity , various well - known components , such as computer operating systems , power supplies , processors , and so on , have been omitted from fig1 and 2 , however those skilled in the art with access to the present teachings will know which components to implement and how to implement them to meet the needs of a given application . in the present embodiment , the devices connected to the network 20 include an internet appliance 12 and a handheld computer 14 . the printers connected to the network include a first printer 16 and a second printer 18 . the handheld computer 14 includes a user - interface 22 that communicates with a thin client 24 . the thin client 24 is wirelessly connected to the network 20 via a wireless modem 26 . the second printer 18 includes a document pull module 28 that may communicate with the thin client 24 via the network 20 . for the purposes of the present discussion , a ‘ thin client ’ is any computer or software package whose capabilities are limited to those required for a given implementation or application and that is adapted to communicate via a network with another computer , such as a server , from which files and data are received . in many applications , the thin client 24 will be implemented as low - cost communications module , such as a browser , devoid of compact disk controllers , printer drivers , or other software not required by the present invention . in these applications , the thin client 24 is ‘ thin ’ since it includes only those capabilities and functionality essential to a given application or implementation of the present invention . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the thin client 24 may be implemented as any software or hardware module that can communicate over a network via a modem or other network connection without departing from the scope of the present invention . for example , the thin client 24 may be implemented as a full - featured server or browser complete with plug - ins and other modules that are not required for the purposes of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof . the handheld computer 14 and the second printer 18 are shown for illustrative purposes . the thin client 24 running on the handheld computer 14 is shown in more detail running on the internet appliance 12 . the document pull module 28 running on the second printer 18 is shown in more detail running on the first printer 16 . the user - interface 22 running on the internet appliance 12 may selectively access a document 30 to be printed and may access a printer selector module 40 and a message broadcaster 34 running on the thin client 24 . the thin client 24 also includes a file transfer module 32 that may access memory associated with the document 30 . the file transfer module 32 also communicates with the message broadcaster 34 . the message broadcaster 34 communicates with a message receiver 36 . the message receiver 36 provides output to a printer list 38 , which is accessible by the printer selector 40 . the printer selector 40 is user - configurable via the user - interface 22 . the first printer 16 includes an embedded web server 54 that runs the document pull module 28 . the document pull module 28 includes a message transceiver 42 and a document request generator 44 . the message transceiver 42 is connected to the network 20 and communicates with the document request generator 44 and a master driver 46 running on the first printer 16 . the master printer driver 46 also communicates with the document request generator 44 and a printer controller 48 . the printer controller 48 communicates with a printing system 50 that includes mechanical and electrical components required to provide printed output 52 . in operation , the handheld computer 14 prints a document via the first printer 16 or the second printer 18 . the user sends a print command to the thin client 24 via the user interface 22 . the thin client 24 then broadcasts a printer - querying message via the wireless modem 26 and the network 20 , to the printers 16 and 18 that are connected to the network 20 . the document pull module 28 running on each printer 16 and 18 then broadcasts a printer - availability reply message in response to the printer - querying message . the printer - availability reply message indicates that associated printer 16 or 18 is available to print . the user selects , via the user - interface 22 and / or the thin client 24 , from among the available printers in the printer list 38 that have sent printer - availability reply messages . alternatively , the thin client 24 automatically selects an available printer in response to a predetermined configuration as discussed more fully below . when an available printer has been selected via the handheld computer 14 , a printer - selected message is sent to the selected printer . the associated document pull module 28 then sends a request - for - document message to the thin client 24 to pull the document from the client to print the document . the thin client 24 then transfers the requested document to the selected printer via one of various network file transfer methods , such as http ( hypertext transfer protocol ) post or ftp ( file transfer protocol ) methods . the selected printer then prints the desired document . printing operations implemented via the internet appliance 12 are similar to printing operations implemented via the handheld computer 14 . when a user of the internet appliance 12 decides to print the document 30 , the user activates the message broadcaster 34 of the thin client 24 via the user - interface 22 . the message broadcaster 34 generates the printer - querying message , which is broadcast to the first printer 16 and the second printer 18 . the message receiver is activated 36 in response to an activation signal from the message broadcaster 34 or is always active when the internet appliance 12 is connected to the network 20 . the document pull modules 28 running on the first printer 16 and the second printer 18 respond to the printer - querying message from the internet appliance 12 with a printer - availability reply message . the printer - availability reply message is generated by the document request generator 44 and forwarded to the internet appliance 12 via the message transceiver 42 and the network 20 . the printer - availability reply message includes printer status information , such as the number of printers in the current print queue . the document request generator 44 communicates with the master driver 46 and the printer controller 48 to obtain the printer status information for incorporation into the printer - availability reply message . the message receiver 36 runs on the thin client 24 of the internet appliance 12 and receives printer - availability reply messages from available ( online ) printers 16 and 18 that are connected to the network 20 . the message receiver 36 builds the printer list 38 based on the printer - availability reply messages . the printer list 38 is a list of all printers 16 , 18 responding to the printer - querying message with a printer - availability reply message . the printer selector 40 then selects the most desirable printer from the printer list 38 based on predetermined selection criteria . the predetermined selection criteria and associated selection process may be configured via the user - interface 22 . the predetermined selection criteria may depend on printer availability status , printer type , printer location , and other information , which may be encoded in the printer - availability reply message or obtained via other mechanisms ( not shown ). the other mechanisms may include printer databases having records that may be selectively accessed based on header codes received via the printer - availability reply messages . assume that the first printer 16 is selected as the desired printer via the printer selector 40 and / or the user . software associated with the user - interface 22 then forwards a printer - selected message to the selected printer 16 indicating that the printer 16 has been selected to print a the document 30 . if the selected printer 16 is still able to accommodate the document as determined by the document request generator 44 with reference to printer availability information from the master driver 46 , the document request generator 44 generates a request - for - document message . the request - for - document message is then forwarded to the internet appliance 12 and received by the message receiver 36 before being forwarded to the user - interface 22 via the message broadcaster 34 . the user - interface 22 then sends the document 30 to the file transfer module 32 , which transfers the document 30 to the message transceiver 42 of the document pull module 28 via the message broadcaster 34 and the network 20 . the message transceiver 42 then transfers the document 30 to the master driver 46 , which employs the printer controller 48 and the printing system 50 to print the document 30 , providing the printed output 52 in response thereto . the exact details of the various messages , including the printer - querying message , the printer - availability reply message , and the request - for - document message , are application - specific and may be determined by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation to meet the needs of a given application . for example , in some applications , the printer - availability reply message may include additional information , such as the size of the printer queue , printer capabilities , gps ( global positioning system ) coordinates of the printer , and so on . this additional information may be employed by the printer selector 40 and the user via the user - interface 22 to select the most desirable printer for a given application . those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the relative orientation and connections between various modules may be altered , and more or fewer modules may be included without departing from the scope of the present invention . for example , the embedded web server 54 may be implemented in a device not running on the first printer 16 . alternatively , the embedded web server 54 may be omitted , and the document pull module may run as software installed on the printer controller 48 . fig2 is a diagram of a second exemplary network printing system 60 , which includes components installed on network devices and includes an intermediate printing module running on a server 70 connected to the network . the network devices include the internet appliance 15 , a third printer 62 , and a fourth printer 66 . the printers 62 and 66 include corresponding printer controllers 64 and 68 . the document pull module 28 and a master driver 46 run on the server 70 . in operation , the server 70 acts as an intermediate device to facilitate remote printing to network printers 62 and 66 via devices , such as the internet appliance 15 connected to the network 20 . a user of the internet appliance 15 decides to print the document 30 , activating the message broadcaster 34 . the message broadcaster 34 then broadcasts a printer - querying message to the document pull module 28 running on the server 70 . the document pull module 28 may then poll the various printers 62 and 66 to determine availability status , such as whether the printers 62 and 66 are connected to the network 20 . alternatively , the server 70 may maintain a database ( not shown ) with information about printers that are connected to the network 20 . the database may be manually updated . the information about printers connected to the network 20 is forwarded from the service request generator 44 to the internet appliance 15 in response to the receipt of the printer - querying message by the document pull modu 1 e 18 . the forwarded information is sent to the internet appliance 15 via the message transceiver 42 , which is running on the document pull module 28 of the server 70 . the message receiver 36 of the internet appliance 15 receives the printer - availability reply message ( s ) and forms the printer list 38 based on the printer - availability reply message ( s ). the user and / or printer selector 40 then selects one or more desirable printers from the printer list 38 . subsequently , a printer - selected message is forwarded to the document pull module 28 specifying the selected printer . the document pull module 28 may then check the status of the selected printer via polling or other techniques . the document pull - module then replies with a request - for - document message , requesting the document 30 from the internet appliance 15 . the internet appliance 15 then transfers the document 30 to the document pull module 28 . implementing a document request and pulling the document 30 from the internet appliance 15 helps ensure that only available printers are assigned print jobs . the document 30 is routed to an appropriate driver on the server 70 corresponding to the selected printer . the appropriate driver is implemented via the master driver 46 . the master driver 46 then forwards appropriate control signals and data to the selected printer to print the document . the printer controller 64 or 68 of the selected printer processes the control signals and data corresponding to the document 30 and then prints the document in response thereto . the printer controllers 64 and 68 are responsive to appropriate printer driver commands received from associated printer drivers . the master driver 46 includes appropriate drivers required to print via the printers 62 and 66 . the master driver 46 may include a driver database ( not shown ) that maintains different drivers for different printers connected to the network 20 . the appropriate driver is employed from the master driver 46 to control the selected printer via commands and information sent to the printer controller 64 or 68 of the selected printer via the message transceiver 42 and network 20 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the internet appliance 15 may print to plural printers simultaneously or in parallel without departing from the scope of the present invention . furthermore , the internet appliance 15 may be replaced with another type of device , such as a desktop computer , without departing from the scope of the present invention . fig3 is a flow diagram of a method 70 according to the teachings of the present invention and adapted for use with the network printing systems 10 and 60 of fig1 and 2 , respectively . with reference to fig1 , 2 , and 3 , in an initial step 72 , a user of a device , such as the handheld computer 14 or the internet appliance 12 wishes to print a document via one or more of the printers 16 , 18 , 62 , and / or 66 . in a subsequent print - command step 74 , the user enters a print command via the user interface 22 . the print command triggers generation of a print request broadcast message called the printer - querying message . the printer - querying message is broadcast over the network 20 directly to the printers 16 and 18 or to associated printer drivers of the printers 62 and 66 , such as the master driver 46 of fig2 . in a subsequent printer - availability step 76 , messaging software , such as the document pull module 28 , determines printer availability in response to the receipt of the printer - querying message and then sends a printer - availability reply message back to the device in response thereto . in a subsequent list - generating step 78 , the thin client 24 generates a list 38 of available printers based on printer - availability reply messages received from printers connected to the network . in a following user - selection step 80 , the user selects a desirable printer from the list 38 of available printers via the user - interface 22 and / or the printer selector module 40 . in a subsequent printer - notification step 82 , the thin client 24 generates and forwards printer - selected message to the selected printer . the printer - selected message indicates to the selected printer that the printer has been selected to print the document 30 . in a subsequent request - for - document step 84 , messaging software 28 running on the selected printer 16 , 18 , 62 , or 66 or running on an intermediate device , such as the server 70 of fig2 , sends a request ( request - for - document message ) to the thin client 24 requesting that the document 30 be transferred to the selected printer 16 , 18 , 62 , or 66 or corresponding driver 46 for printing . in a final printing step 86 , the device 12 or 14 transfers the document 30 to the selected printer 16 , 18 , 62 , or 66 or corresponding driver 46 in response to the receipt of the request - for - document message . the selected printer 16 , 18 , 62 , or 66 then prints the document via the appropriate driver 46 , and the method 70 is complete . while the present invention has been described above with regard to selecting a single printer , in another embodiment a plurality of printers can be selected . in this embodiment , printer notification messages may be sent to one or more of the available printers . fig4 is a ping - pong diagram summarizing messaging occurring between the internet appliance 12 , the document pull module 28 , and printers or master drivers 46 of fig1 and 2 . the document pull module 18 facilitates pulling the document from the internet appliance 12 in response to a printer - querying message broadcast from the internet appliance 12 . the messaging sequence 90 implements a document pull ( instead of a conventional push ) from the internet appliance 12 to the master driver 46 via the document pull module 18 in response to printer - querying and printer - selected messages sent to the document pull module 18 via the internet appliance 12 . only printers or associated printer drivers that are online , i . e ., on and available to print , can pull from the internet appliance 12 . consequently , print jobs are less likely to be placed on a queue or sent to a printer that is offline or not functioning properly . those skilled in the art will appreciate that for some applications , the terms printer driver and printer may be employed interchangeably . thus , the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application . those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications , applications , and embodiments within the scope thereof . it is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications , modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention .

6Physics

relative placement information generates a structure of the instances and controls the placement of the instances . the resulting annotated netlist is used for physical optimization , during which the placement , routing , and optimization tool preserves the structure . fig1 shows the overall flow for using relative placement . relative placement usually is applied to datapaths and registers , but relative placement can be applied to any cells in a circuit design , controlling the exact relative placement topology of gate - level logic groups and defining the circuit layout . at 110 , a mapped netlist ( a structural interconnection of library cells ) is read . at 140 , a netlist annotator adds annotations of the relative placement constraints to the mapped netlist . the relative placement constraints may have come from an automatic rule creator 120 , which generates automatically created relative placement rules 125 . also , the relative placement constraints may have come from the circuit designer / custom tool 130 , which generates relative placement rules created by the circuit designer 135 . based on the mapped netlist 110 and the relative placement rules , the netlist annotator 140 generates a netlist annotated with relative placement rules 145 . the netlist annotator 140 , which may be gui - based or text - based provides a way create relative placement structures for the placement , routing , and optimization tool 150 . in a gui - based annotator , the relative placement can be specified by drag - and - drop of circuit elements into positions relative to other circuit elements . clicking multiple circuit elements and assigning an identifier such as a color , a pattern , or a name can define multiple groups with respective relative placement rules . with a text - based annotator , relative column and row positions can be specified of instances with respect to each other . these placement constraints create relative placement structures that are preserved during placement and legalization . whether gui - based or text - based , the cells in each structure group are placed as a single entity . the placement , routing , and optimization tool 150 receives the netlist annotated with relative placement rules 145 and generates the placed , routed , and optimized netlist obeying relative placement rules 155 . the optimization includes , for example , orientation optimization . fig2 shows an exemplary process flow of a placement , routing , and optimization tool . at 201 , an annotated netlist is preprocessed for the relative placement annotation . data structures are created to carry relative placement information . at 202 , the sizes of relative placement blocks and aspect ratios are estimated by applying relative placement rules for each relative placement block . any hierarchical relative placement blocks are estimated also . at 204 , each of the estimated relative placement blocks is modeled for coarse placement purposes , for example as a macro with pin locations visible but the internal cells hidden from the coarse placer . at 206 , the relative placement blocks are placed within the context of entire design , including the cells which have the relative placement rules simultaneously along with the cells which do not have relative placement rules . among the relative placement blocks of cells , the blocks are placed one at a time . at 208 , if needed another incremental placement is done for area recovery of sparse relative placement blocks . one block at a time is fixed based on the locations returned by the coarse placer . individual relative placement instances are fixed before such area recovery . at 210 , individual instances of cells are readjusted within each relative placement block , based on new locations determined by the placer according to the optimization constraints . user constraints are respected for each relative placement block . at 212 , the nearest legal locations for all the relative placement cells are found , and the relative placement cells fixed there . any overlaps of relative placement blocks are resolved by checking each of the already fixed blocks and making sure that the moved blocks do not overlap with them . if overlaps occurs , the moved blocks are moved with minimal movement as the cost . at 214 , detailed placement is done for the non - relative placement cells , considering the fact that cells with relative placement are already fixed . at 216 , all relative placement cells are unfixed . if optimization and relative placement constraints are met , then the tool can stop , finish writing out the placed and routed netlist , and exit the placement and optimization process . at 218 , physical optimization is done for all the instances , including relative placement instances , to meet timing or any other user specified goals . this could focus on the most critical objectives such as timing , respecting design rules , congestion , wire length etc . the optimization includes , for example , orientation optimization . at 220 , relative placement constraints are reapplied , and locations readjusted based on optimization results . thus , the relative placement constraints specified in the annotated netlist are preserved . the process then loops back to 212 . the above process can be rearranged , for example by combining , adding , removing , or modifying steps . for example , 212 - 216 can be rearranged , depending on the design , and 208 and 210 can be combined into one step . various embodiments that implement relative placement provide one or more of the following benefits : 1 ) provides a method to maintain structured placement for legacy or intellectual property ( ip ) designs using a placement , routing , and optimization tool . 3 ) for complex designs , a typical design can have many engineers working on it and many blocks . hierarchical relative placement enables placing those blocks together relative to each other more easily . any number of levels of hierarchies are allowed . 4 ) reduces the placement search space in critical areas of the design resulting in greater predictability of qor ( wire length , timing , power ) and congestion . various embodiments that implement relative placement require one or more of the following considerations : 1 ) when the placement , routing , and optimization tool estimates that the size of a relative placement block is not suitable to the given floorplan , the placement , routing , and optimization tool can fail in placement . to maintain relative placement information precisely , there should be enough space for relative placement blocks without overlapping placement obstructions in the design floorplan . 2 ) if the design contains multiheight cells and exact relative placement ( perfect alignment of the cells on one or more sides of the row or column ) is used , the current relative placement implementation might not get perfect alignment in every case . 3 ) there is no limit on the number of cells in a relative placement group . however , if the design has many relative placement groups , at times coarse placement returns overlapping group locations , resulting in misalignment . in these cases , a warning appears after coarse placement . the following is a specific exemplary implementation of the discussed process flow . many of the examples which follow are implemented with a text - based shell . the text - based examples are provided for in an exemplary synopsys ™ design environment for the purposes of illustration . the examples are also applicable to a gui - based environment , in which the text - based commands are replaced or complemented with a mouse - driven interface . 1 . in a design environment that permits a user to decide whether or not to use relative placement , relative placement is enabled . relative placement is enabled by entering “ xg mode ”, performed by entering the shell command : psyn_shell - xg - t & gt ; set physopt_enable_rp_in_xg_mode “ true ” 2 . the gate - level netlist is prepared and read it in to the placement , routing , and optimization tool , using the read_milkyway or read_db command . the netlist annotator annotates the netlist with the relative placement information , and generates a placed netlist containing the data . 4 . preserve the relative placement information in the annotated netlist . use set_size_only to preserve relative placement information for cells that contain it . for example , enter 5 . set the block utilization of the relative placement block . the block utilization is how densely a block is packed . a value of 1 indicates no gap between columns . it could vary between 0 and less than or equal to 1 . enter 8 . analyze the design using the placement , routing , and optimization tool gui . 9 . if the relative placement result is not acceptable , modify the relative placement file and run this procedure again . if the relative placement is acceptable , then perform optimization , by running physopt . the following is a sample script for running a relative placement flow . a design can contain both structured and unstructured items ( leaf cells , keepouts , hierarchical groups ). control of which cells are to be structured is accomplished by including the cells to be structured in a relative placement group . determining which portions of the module need to be structured is beneficial . providing relative placement information for cells that would have been placed better by allowing the placement , routing , and optimization tool to place the cells can produce poor results . some designs are appropriate for structured placement ( for example , datapaths ), whereas others are more appropriate for usual placement by the placement , routing , and optimization tool . relative placement requires a gate - level netlist . the format can be any format read by the placement , routing , and optimization tool . the basic functionality for relative placement is carried out by way of dedicated tcl commands used within the placement , routing , and optimization tool . the commands create groups and add leaf cells , hierarchy , and keepouts to the groups . in addition , a script of annotated information can be generated , edited , and reapplied to the design , and relative placement groups can be removed . in addition to these dedicated commands , physical synthesis commands are available . the relative placement information for an instance is attached to the instance . during optimization , relative placement cells can be optimized or removed . when an instance with relative placement information is removed during optimization , relative placement information attached to the instance is also removed . to prevent relative placement cells from being removed during optimization , apply set 13 size_only to true on leaf cells to preserve relative placement information for cells that contain it . if relative placement cells are upsized or downsized , the relative placement cell alignment is maintained for placement . the placement of relative placement cells is constrained by defining placement bounds . to do this , use the create_bounds command . both soft bounds and hard bounds are supported for relative placement cells and both rectangular bounds and rectilinear bounds are supported . note : in relative placement , only move bounds ( with fixed coordinates ) are supported for relative placement cells . group bounds are not supported . in other embodiments , group bounds are supported in relative placement . specify individual cell names as provided in an add_to_rp_group command with the create_bounds command . for example , enter psyn_shell - xg - t & gt ; create_bounds - coordinates { 100 100 200 200 } u 1 u 2 u 3 u 4 if some cells of a relative placement group are specified to be inside a bound and some cells are not specified to be inside the bound , cells that are not constrained by the bound are placed as loose cells . this can lead to legally correct but possibly poor placement qor . the tool can be directed to ignore relative placement information annotated to the design , for example , when to confirm that relative placement is helpful to qor . to do this , set the variable physopt_ignore_structure to true ( default is false ). setting this variable to true causes the placement , routing , and optimization tool not to do structured placement for any relative placement groups in the design . when the tool is directed to ignore relative placement information , the parts of the relative placement groups are placed as if the group has no relative placement information . relative placement annotation can be removed from an annotated database for one or more relative placement groups . to do this , use the remove_rp_group command . note : when a relative placement group is removed , the memory it occupies is freed to be reused by this same process . however , memory is not returned to the operating system until exit from psyn_shell . to remove the relative placement group named grp_ripple and confirm its removal , enter remove the group to be changed , then create a new group that incorporates the changes . generate a script ( using write_rp_group ) and edit the information in the generated script . a relative placement group is an association of cells , other groups , and keepouts . during placement and legalization , the group structure is preserved and the cells in the group are placed as a single entity . to create a group , use the create_rp_group command . the group is placed as a single entity , as shown in fig3 . in fig3 , floorplan 302 is shown . the group 306 includes cells 310 and obstructions 312 . the group can be moved 308 as a single unit . the floorplan 302 also has ram 304 which is fixed in place . fig4 shows the positions for columns and rows in relative placement data 400 . columns count from column 0 ( the leftmost column ). rows count from row 0 ( the bottom row ). the width of a column is the width of the widest cell in that column . the height of a row is determined by the height of the tallest cell in that row . in fig4 , positions 0 3 ( column 0 , row 3 ) and 4 1 ( column 4 , row 1 ) are not used and therefore are not specified . position 1 2 occupies ( straddles ) columns 1 and 2 in row 2 . position 4 3 in column 4 straddles rows 3 and 4 . straddling is described in “ creating relative placement structures containing multiple column or row positions ”. a new group is empty . to add leaf cells , hierarchy ( other groups ), and keepouts to the group , use the add_to_rp_group command . relative placement groups are persistently stored using the write_milkyway command and read using the read_milkyway command . the create_rp_group command returns a collection handle ( identifier ) to the relative placement groups that are created . if no objects were created , the empty string is returned . to create the group named rp 1 for designa having 1 column and 3 rows , enter a group cannot be renamed directly . to rename a group , remove the group and create a new group that duplicates the removed group but has the new name . alternatively , generate a script ( using write_rp_group ) and edit the name in the generated script . in other embodiments , the group can be renamed directly . to add leaf cells , hierarchy groups , and keepouts to relative placement groups ( created using create_rp_group ), use the add_to_rp_group command . when adding an item to a relative placement group , the following points can apply : the relative placement group in which the item is added must exist . in another embodiment , a default group is created . switches identify whether the item added is a leaf cell (- leaf ), hierarchical group (- hierarchy ), or a keepout (- keepout ). the syntaxes for adding leaf cells , hierarchy groups , and keepouts differ . table 3 provides a quick look up of the options allowed for each syntax . if an item already exists in the group at the given column and row location or if the item to be inserted is already positioned , an error message appears . the command returns a collection handle ( identifier ) to the relative placement groups in which the objects are added . if no objects are created , the empty string is returned . use appropriate options as shown previously in the syntaxes to add items to a relative placement group . the options used depend on the item to be added to the group . table 3 provides a quick look up for the options available for each add_to_rp_group syntax . table 3 provides a quick lookup of the options available for the add_to_rp_group syntaxes . hierarchical relative placement allows relative placement groups to be embedded within other relative placement groups . the embedded groups then are handled similarly to leaf cells . to add hierarchical groups , use the add_to_rp_group command with its - hierarchy or - hierarchy and - instance switches , depending on the type of hierarchical group wanted . hierarchical relative placement simplified expression of relative placement constraints . with hierarchical relative placement , providing relative placement information multiple times is unnecessary for a recurring pattern . various embodiments that implement hierarchical relative placement provide one or more of the following benefits : 1 ) allows organization of relative placement in a manner that is easier to maintain and understand . for example , the relative placement group can bed created to parallel verilog or vhdl organization . 2 ) allows reuse of a repeating placement pattern , for example , an adder . 3 ) can reduce the number of lines of relative placement information to be written . hierarchical relative placement in different ways , depending on whether the relative placement group is used in the same design or in different designs : applies to a relative placement group in the same design as the group in which it is included . an included group is used one time in the same design . applies to a relative placement group that is not from the design in which it is instantiated . an instantiated relative placement group can be used multiple times and in multiple places up to the number of times the design of the group is instantiated in the netlist . the syntaxes for creating the hierarchical group definitions for inclusion and for instantiation are the same except the use of - instance switch for instantiation . to specify that a group is a hierarchically included group , specify hierarchy by using the - hierarchy switch with the add_to_rp_group command . when a group is included in a parent group , it is as if the group is directly embedded within the parent group . an included group can be used in another group of the same design one time . however , the new group that contains the included group can be further included in another group in the same design or instantiated in another group of a different design . see the syntax provided in “ syntax for adding a hierarchical group ” and the options summary provided in table 3 . to include the relative placement group named rp 3 as a hierarchical group for inclusion in group rp 4 , enter the script in the following example defines the input for a hierarchical relative placement definition for inclusion . groups rp 1 , rp 2 , rp 3 , and rp 4 are all defined as being part of design top ( shown in bold ). the contents of groups rp 1 , rp 2 , and rp 3 are treated as leaf cells when they are included in group rp 4 . groups rp 1 , rp 2 , and rp 3 are each defined as having two columns and one row . group rp 4 , in which groups rp 1 , rp 2 , and rp 3 are included ( each group used one time ), is defined as having one column and three rows . each included group is defined as a hierarchical subgroup ( group rp 1 as subgroup rp 1 , group rp 2 as subgroup rp 2 , and group rp 3 as subgroup rp 3 ). group rp 4 can be further included as a hierarchical subgroup in another group in the same design . the construction of the resulting hierarchical relative placement structure is shown in fig5 . groups rp 1 , rp 2 , and rp 3 are from the same design , top_design . they are included in group rp 4 , which can be further included one time in top_design . specify that a group is a hierarchically instantiated group by specifying hierarchy plus an instance name with the add_to_rp_group command . instantiating a group is a useful way to replicate relative placement information across multiple instances of a design and to create relative placement relationships between those instances . an instantiated group can be used multiple times and in multiple places . for example , various embodiments use hierarchy instantiation for one or more of these cases : 1 ) multiple relative placement layouts are to be used for different instances of a design . 2 ) despite one layout , relative placement is to be specified between instances of that layout or between instances and other cells and groups . the syntax for instantiation is the same as the syntax for inclusion but provides the - instance switch in addition to the - hierarchy switch . the - instance switch specifies the hierarchical cell upon which to instantiate the given hierarchical relative placement group . the instance is within the design of the group to which it is added and is an instance of the same design of the group being added hierarchically . when uniquified , instantiated groups are dropped unless they are required for the newly uniquified group ; that is , each instantiation will go to one uniquified design . see the syntax provided in “ syntax for adding a hierarchical group ” and the options summary provided in table 3 . to instantiate the relative placement group named rp 1 using a hierarchical cell instance named i 1 in the relative placement group named rp 2 , enter the script in the example below provides a definition for hierarchical relative placement for instantiation . group rp 1 is in the design pair_design ( shown in bold ) and defines leaf cells u 1 and u 2 as the group . group rp 2 is in the design mid_design ( shown in bold ) and instantiates three instances of group rp 1 from pair_design , named i 1 , i 2 , and i 3 . each instance is defined as a subgroup plus an instance name and each is treated as a leaf cell . instances i 1 , i 2 , and i 3 are hierarchical cells instantiating the design pair_design . groups rp 1 is defined as having two columns and one row and contains leaf cells u 1 and u 2 . group rp 2 , in which group rp 1 is instantiated three times , is defined as having one column and three rows . each instantiated group is defined as a hierarchical subgroup containing a named instance . group rp 2 is treated as a leaf cell , and can be used multiple times if it is further instantiated . the construction of the resulting hierarchical relative placement block is shown in fig6 . group rp 1 belongs to the design pair_design . it is instantiated three times in group rp 2 , which can be further instantiated in different designs . after using ungroup , hierarchical relative placement instantiation is converted to hierarchical relative placement inclusion because the design is flattened and all the groups are now of the same design . instantiation of hierarchical modules no longer exists . relative placement groups affected by an ungroup command are renamed to show the path to the group before flattening followed by a slash (/) and the original group name . if this results in a name collision , a numbered suffix is added to create a unique name . for example , rp 2 rp 1 ( i 3 ) 0 2 becomes rp 2 i 3 / rp 1 0 2 after ungrouping . using the hierarchical block shown in fig6 , the relative placement definition is now as shown in the example below . after ungroup - flatten - all , the resulting ungrouped hierarchical placement block is as shown in fig7 . the uniquify command can change each instantiation of hierarchical relative placement structure . hard keepouts can be specified within relative placement blocks . to do this , use the add_to_rp_group command with its - keepout switch . when defining keepouts , the one or more of the following points can apply : keepouts are not objects . a name is to be provided for reference . in other embodiments , object keepouts are created . the unit of width for a keepout is the number of placement sites . if the width is not specified , the default width is the width of the widest cell in that column . the unit of height for a keepout is one row . if the height is not specified , the default height is the height of the tallest cell in that row . see the syntax provided in “ syntax for adding a keepout ” and the options summary provided in table 3 . to create the hard keepout named gap 1 shown in fig8 , enter fig8 shows a relative placement block containing keepouts 800 ( named gap 1 . . . gap 5 in this example ). the input to define the keepouts 800 is provided in the example below , following the figure . the script in the example below provides the definition for the relative placement block containing keepouts shown in fig8 . a cell can occupy multiple column positions or multiple row positions , which is known as straddling . to define straddling , use the inclusion hierarchical relative placement syntax ( see “ defining hierarchical groups for inclusion ”). when a group is an included group , it can be used once in the design in which it is defined . however , the new group in which it is included can be included or instantiated in another group . fig9 shows a relative placement group in which cells straddle columns ( instance u 2 901 ) and rows ( instance u 7 902 ). the script in the example below provides the definition for the relative placement block shown in fig9 . to construct the hierarchy needed for straddling , the leaf cell groups are defined for rp 1 , rp 2 ( the cell that straddles columns 0 and 1 ), and rp 3 , then define group rp 4 to contain groups rp 1 , rp 2 , and rp 3 . finally , rp 5 is defined to contain group rp 4 and leaf cell u 7 ( the cell that straddles rows 0 , 1 , and 2 ). fig1 shows the construction of the hierarchy defined in the example above . by default , the placement , routing , and optimization tool does orientation optimization ( automatic orientation ) for cells in relative placement groups but orientation can be specified for cells on a per - cell basis , use a mix of user - specified orientation and automatic orientation , or disable orientation on cells in relative placement groups . you cannot specify orientation for a group . in some embodiments , specifying orientation for a group specifies that orientation for all cells of the group . if an orientation is not specified for a cell , by default , the tool uses either orientation optimization or the default orientation for the cell . orientation optimization can flip a cell from its default orientation to improve wire length . to specify orientation for leaf cells , use the add_to_rp_group command with its - orientation switch and the syntax for defining a leaf cell . in addition , direct the placement , routing , and optimization tool is to be directed regarding orientation optimization . when specifying orientation , one or more of the following points can apply : if an orientation that is not valid is specified , that orientation is ignored and a valid orientation is used . specifying both pin alignment and orientation in the same invocation might be contradictory . although every attempt is made to honor such a request , honoring both might not be possible . in this case , the orientation specification takes precedence over the pin alignment specification . if orientation is not specified for a cell and automatic orientation is done , pin alignment is honored . orientation optimization can flip a cell to improve relative placement wire length , thereby improving qor for the design . orientation optimization is enabled by default . the physopt_rp_enable_orient_opt variable controls whether orientation optimization is enabled ( default true ). orientation optimization is enabled or disabled according to whether to specify the orientation for some cells or disable orientation optimization . orientation can be specified for some cells in a group and automatic orientation allowed for the other cells . to do this , ensure that the physopt_rp_enable_orient_opt variable is set to true ( the default ). this ensures that orientations specified are respected and automatic orientation is done for the other cells . orientation optimization can be disabled by setting physopt_rp_enable_orient_opt to false ( default is true ), for example , when pin alignment is to have precedence . when this variable is set to false , the specified orientation is respected if the orientation is valid . if no user - specified orientation exists , a default valid orientation is chosen . both orientation and pin alignment can be specified in the same invocation but doing this might be contradictory . when used with pin alignment , in various embodiments the priorities for orientation are as follows , in this order : if orientation is not specified for a cell and orientation optimization is done , pin alignment is honored . fig1 shows orientation optimization used with pin alignment , in particular pin a 1100 . in such a case , both orientation and pin alignment are honored . ( not all leaf cells listed in the example that follows the figure are shown in the figure .) the example below provides the definition for the relative placement shown in fig1 . specified relative placement groups can be written to a named file , creating a tcl - format script for recreating relative placement groups and their items on the same design . to do this , use the write_rp_group command . the command returns a collection handle ( identifier ) of relative placement groups written out . if no objects were written , the empty string is returned . to save all the relative placement groups to disk , remove the information columns can be aligned by pins instead of by the lower - left corner ( the default ). this capability increases the probability of straight routes and can result in less congestion , lower power , and lower routing resources by eliminating vias . to align a group by pins , use the create_rp_group command with its - pin_align_name switch . when aligning by pins , one or more of the following points can apply : when specifing a pin name , the tool determines the location for that pin in cells in the column , then aligns the column based on the pin locations . if cells in a column do not have the pin specified , the column is aligned as follows : if some cells in a column do not have the pins specified , those cells are aligned with a default position ( e . g ., the lower - left corner ) and an information message appears . if no cells in a column have the pins specified , the cells are aligned with a default position ( e . g ., the lower - left corner ) and a warning appears . both pin alignment and orientation can be specified in the same invocation but doing this might be contradictory . although every attempt is made to honor such a request , honoring both might not be possible . in this case , the orientation specification takes precedence over the pin alignment specification . fig1 shows a relative placement group aligned by pins . the script in the example below defines the relative placement group shown in fig1 , which is aligned by pin a 1201 . a column can be aligned within a placement group by a specified pin and align cells within the column by a different pin as shown in fig1 , with pin a 1301 and pin b 1302 . the alignment pin name specified for particular cells in the column overrides the alignment pin name specified for the group . a set of cells can be specified to align over specified pins . for example , pins a and b can be aligned in a group by specifying a different pin alignment name for some cells . the script in the example below defines the relative placement group shown in fig1 . in the example , the group misc 1 is aligned by pin a and instances i 5 and i 6 within the group are aligned by pin b , overriding the group pin alignment name a for those instances . example definition to align a group and leaf cells by pins fig1 shows a relative placement block that contains a group aligned by pins , in particular pin clk 1401 — the column named bank 1 ( col 0 ). it is included in the group named final . group final can also be used further for instantiation or inclusion in another group . the script in the example below provides the definition for the relative placement block shown in fig1 . example definition for hierarchical relative placement block with column aligned by pins a single relative placement block can be anchored at a location specified . anchoring allows controlled placement of the relative placement block with respect to other relative placement blocks , macros , or to the edges and origin of the core area . to anchor a relative placement group , use the create_rp_group command with its - x_offset and - y_offset switches . when specifying an anchor point , one or more of the following points can apply : provide anchor points for top level groups . anchor points are allowed at the top level . both the x - and y - coordinates or either the x - or y - coordinate can be specified . specifying one coordinate as fixed allows the unspecified coordinate to slide . the offset is an integer , in microns , relative to the chip &# 39 ; s origin . if an anchor point outside the design boundary is specified , relative placement alignment for the block fails , a warning appears , and the cells are clustered inside the boundary . if an anchor point is specified for a group that is not a top - level group or that causes placement that is not valid , a warning appears and relative placement continues . fig1 shows a relative placement block anchored at both the x - coordinate and the y - coordinate . the script in the example below provides the definition for anchoring relative placement block misc 1 in block 1 at both x - coordinate 100 and y - coordinate 100 . ( in both the figure and the example , not all rows are shown .) fig1 shows 12 relative placement blocks aligned and anchored vertically at four coordinates . blocks 1 , 2 , and 3 1601 have - x_offset 100 . blocks 4 , 5 , and 6 1602 have - x_offset 200 . blocks 7 , 8 , and 9 1603 have - x_offset 300 . blocks 10 , 11 , and 12 1604 have - x_offset 400 . the script in the example below defines the locations of the 12 vertically aligned and anchored relative placement blocks shown in fig1 . for brevity , not every group is listed in the example . using compression to remove empty space in a relative placement group by default , construction for relative placement aligns cells from their bottom - left corner . compression removes empty space in rows to create a more compact structure . the compressed columns are no longer aligned and utilization is higher in the area of the compressed cells . if compression is needed , use hierarchical relative placement to construct the pattern , using the syntax for hierarchical inclusion . fig1 shows the same cells aligned without compression 1701 and with compression 1702 . the cells are bottom - left aligned . alternatively , compression can be accomplished by using bit - stack placement . set the variable physopt_bit_stacked_placement to true ( the default is false ). setting this variable to true causes the empty space to be removed , compressing the group as shown in fig1 . the columns are no longer aligned and utilization is higher . during placement , relative placement groups can avoid placement keepouts ( obstructions ) that are defined in the pdef file or created by a the placement , routing , and optimization tool keepout command ( create_placement_keepout , create_wiring_keepout ). a relative placement group can be broken into pieces that straddle obstructions . fig1 shows the placement of relative placement cells in a design containing keepouts 1801 that were either defined in the pdef file or created by a the placement , routing , and optimization tool keepout command . rows 0 and 2 and column 5 are placed to avoid the keepouts but relative placement alignment is maintained . use the following transformations to convert existing rp_reader text files to tcl syntax to use within the placement , routing , and optimization tool : insert the - design switch before the design name when creating a relative placement group insert the - column and - row switches in front of those values insert the - width and - height switches in front of those values alternatively , the following command can be used that runs a script to do the conversion : the following tables show the rp_reader file format elements for groups , leaf cells , hierarchy groups , and keepouts . fig1 is a simplified block diagram of a computer system 1910 suitable for use with embodiments of the technology . computer system 1910 typically includes at least one processor 1914 which communicates with a number of peripheral devices via bus subsystem 1912 . these peripheral devices may include a storage subsystem 1924 , comprising a memory subsystem 1926 and a file storage subsystem 1928 , user interface input devices 1922 , user interface output devices 1920 , and a network interface subsystem 1916 . the input and output devices allow user interaction with computer system 1910 . network interface subsystem 1916 provides an interface to outside networks , including an interface to communication network 1918 , and is coupled via communication network 1918 to corresponding interface devices in other computer systems . communication network 1918 may comprise many interconnected computer systems and communication links . these communication links may be wireline links , optical links , wireless links , or any other mechanisms for communication of information . while in one embodiment , communication network 1918 is the internet , in other embodiments , communication network 1918 may be any suitable computer network . user interface input devices 1922 may include a keyboard , pointing devices such as a mouse , trackball , touchpad , or graphics tablet , a scanner , a touchscreen incorporated into the display , audio input devices such as voice recognition systems , microphones , and other types of input devices . in general , use of the term “ input device ” is intended to include all possible types of devices and ways to input information into computer system 1910 or onto computer network 1918 . user interface output devices 1920 may include a display subsystem , a printer , a fax machine , or non - visual displays such as audio output devices . the display subsystem may include a cathode ray tube ( crt ), a flat - panel device such as a liquid crystal display ( lcd ), a projection device , or some other mechanism for creating a visible image . the display subsystem may also provide non - visual display such as via audio output devices . in general , use of the term “ output device ” is intended to include all possible types of devices and ways to output information from computer system 1910 to the user or to another machine or computer system . storage subsystem 1924 stores the basic programming and data constructs that provide the functionality of certain embodiments . for example , the various modules implementing the functionality of certain embodiments may be stored in storage subsystem 1924 . these software modules are generally executed by processor 1914 . memory subsystem 1926 typically includes a number of memories including a main random access memory ( ram ) 1930 for storage of instructions and data during program execution and a read only memory ( rom ) 1932 in which fixed instructions are stored . file storage subsystem 1928 provides persistent storage for program and data files , and may include a hard disk drive , a floppy disk drive along with associated removable media , a cd - rom drive , an optical drive , or removable media cartridges . the databases and modules implementing the functionality of certain embodiments may be stored by file storage subsystem 1928 . bus subsystem 1912 provides a mechanism for letting the various components and subsystems of computer system 1910 communicate with each other as intended . although bus subsystem 1912 is shown schematically as a single bus , alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may use multiple busses . computer readable medium 1940 can be a medium associated with file storage subsystem 1928 , and / or with network interface 1916 . the computer readable medium can be a hard disk , a floppy disk , a cd - rom , an optical medium , removable media cartridge , or electromagnetic wave . the computer readable medium 1940 is shown storing a circuit design 1980 created with the described technology . also shown is a circuit 1990 created with the described technology . computer system 1910 itself can be of varying types including a personal computer , a portable computer , a workstation , a computer terminal , a network computer , a television , a mainframe , or any other data processing system or user device . due to the ever - changing nature of computers and networks , the description of computer system 1910 depicted in fig1 is intended only as a specific example for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments . many other configurations of computer system 1910 are possible having more or less components than the computer system depicted in fig1 . relative placement rules can be generated the rtl - level . rp takes advantage of inherent structure at the rtl - level of behavioral description , in addition to at the netlist cell level . when relative placement rules can be generated at the rtl - level , the rp constraints are not required to be specific to the netlist , as the rp constraints are not required to be tied to the instance names of the cells in the netlist . thus , every time a new netlist is synthesized , and the netlist has different instance names from a previously synthesized netlist despite functionally identical designs , the rp constraints are not invalidated and need not be re - written to reference new cell instance names . this process is easily repeatable . rp constraints at the rtl - level are portable even when a new netlist is created through additional synthesis . when relative placement rules can be generated at the rtl - level , then corresponding rp constraints at the cell instance level do not have to be written . this saves time , because writing rp constraints at the cell instance level is a very detailed and tedious task . this technology focuses on rp specification on high level rtl constructs and subsequent automatic cell level rp generation from the specification . it frees the user from writing the cell level rp constraints and rewriting them when the design is re - synthesized . the solution also has the full implementation flow support from rtl synthesis to place and route . in one example design flow , an rtl hardware description is processed by a synthesis tool such as synopsys design compiler into a netlist . the synthesis tool automatically creates rtl - level rp rules . when the synthesis tool creates the netlist , the corresponding netlist - level rp rules are automatically created based on the rtl - level rp rules . a place and route and optimization tool such as synopsys ic compiler then generates the placed , routed , and optimized design from the netlist and the netlist - level rp rules . generated netlist - level rp rules are automatically updated reflecting name changes on composing cells when design hierarchy is being ungrouped , uniquified , change_named or change_linked . the rp constraints are propagated to synthesis and place and route tools such as dct and icc . the application of automatic relative placement to clock trees helps to prevent overdesign from adding too many levels of buffers to the clock network , and helps to prevent oversizing the drivers of the buffers . because overdesign is reduced , the clock tree can handle higher fanouts from the clock drivers for relative placement . fig2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process of the placement , routing , and optimization tool with clock tree synthesis clustering being performed during placement . the process flow of fig2 is similar to the process of fig2 , and adds clock tree synthesis clustering during placement . in 2002 , coarse placement is performed on the netlist . in 2004 , during placement , clock tree synthesis is applied to cluster leaf - level clock flip - flops . in 2006 , during placement , relative placement groups are automatically defined based on the results from the clock tree synthesis clustering of leaf - level clock flip - flops . there are four cases shown — the four combinations of netlists with and integrated clock gating , and clock tree buffers added or not added . in 2006 a , the netlist is without integrated clock gating , and buffers are added before each of the relative placement groups . clock buffers amplify clock signals degraded by interconnect impedance , and isolate clock nets from upstream load impedance of the clock tree . because buffers are added , the nets are broken between the clock and the relative placement groups . in 2006 b , the netlist is without integrated clock gating , and buffers are not added before each of the relative placement groups . because buffers are not added , the nets are not broken between the clock and the relative placement groups . in 2006 c , the netlist is with integrated clock gating , and integrated clock gating is added in each of the relative placement groups . in 2006 d , the netlist is with integrated clock gating , and integrated clock gating is not added in each of the relative placement groups , such that the integrated clock gating is freely movable by the placer . in 2009 , incremental placement of relative placement blocks , and detailed placement of non - relative placement cells , is performed . in 2018 , physical optimization of cells is performed . in 2020 , relative placement constraints are applied . in 2030 , clock tree synthesis is applied to build the complete clock tree ( s ). fig2 is a flow diagram illustrating another exemplary process of the placement , routing , and optimization tool with clock tree synthesis clustering being performed during placement . in 2101 , the annotated netlist is preprocessed for relative placement annotation . data structures are created to carry relative placement information . in 2102 , clock drivers such as integrated clock gating are scanned in the netlist ( or user input received for a given clock net , clock pin , or clock name ), etc ., and clock sinks for a given clock object ( integrated clock gating , clock pin , clock name , clock pin , etc .) are collected for post - initial placement . in 2104 , user clock tree synthesis constraints are read in , such as clock tree references . clock tree constraints are specified early for relative placement , rather than waiting for post - placement full clock tree synthesis . clock tree constraints are listed as follows , with a description of constraint . none , one , or more of the clock tree constraints can be in effect . the scope of each constraint can be global or per clock . various constraints specify : clock trees that the options apply to ; maximum capacitance constraint ; maximum fanout constraint ; maximum transition time constraint ; maximum skew goal ; minimum insertion delay goal ; maximum number of clock tree levels ; preferred layers for clock tree routing ; nondefault routing rule used for clock tree routing ; whether default routing rules are used for the clock tree levels closest to the clock sink ; whether to enable / disable boundary cell insertion ; whether to cluster based on minimum wire length ; whether to cluster based on on - chip variation ; whether to enable / disable logic - level balancing ; whether to enable / disable buffer relocation during optimization ; whether to enable / disable buffer sizing during optimization ; whether to enable / disable delay insertion during optimization ; whether to enable / disable gate relocation during optimization ; whether to enable / disable gate sizing during optimization ; the clock configuration file to read ; and the name of the clock configuration file that is written after clock tree synthesis . in 2106 , clock tree synthesis clustering is performed . prior to clustering , pre - existing relative placement cells , invalid relative placement objects etc . are filtered out of list of flip - flops to be clustered . responsive to calling the compile clock tree clustering algorithm , the clock tree synthesis clusters are returned . multiple cluster handling includes checking all elements in a cluster to verify that they belong to the same hierarchy . if all elements do not belong to the same hierarchy , then a relative placement group is not created from the cluster . in 2108 , clusters from the clock tree synthesis clustering are processed , and relative placement groups are formed form the clusters ; geometric compression is performed ; and the shapes of relative placement groups is automatically determined . example geometric compression details follow . existing rp elements are filtered from collection . sorting is performed based on x location of each cell ( alternatively , y location ). the number of rows and columns is automatically determined based on the total number of elements . an example of this determination follows : maxrows = f ( rpshape , userinput ); formfactor = f ( macflops , maxrows ); numrows = f ( formfactor , numflops ); numcols = f ( numflops , clockdriver , numrows ). finally , elements are sorted within each column based on y location of each cell ( alternatively , x location ). in 2110 , integrated clock gating is added , or clock drivers are added to the clusters from clock tree synthesis clustering . nets are broken as needed to make such additions of the integrated clock gating and the clock drivers . for example , if a buffer needs to be inserted , then the net is broken , the buffer is created , and the buffer is connected . in another example , clock drivers of correct size are chosen and inserted . in 2112 , relative placement options are set for each relative placement group . examples of relative placement options are bottom left alignment ( alternatively bottom right , top right , top left ), pin alignment ( such as clock pin ), orientation ( such as to minimize wire crossing within a relative placement group ), x offset and / or y offset ( in case of anchored locations , anchor of rp group derived based on initial locations of flip - flops and icg , and center of gravity used to determine x and / or y offsets ), routing and optimization options , move values for rp groups ( how much a group can move while doing overlap removal , etc . in 2114 , the coarse placement is refined . in the next pass of coarse placement , the relative placement groups are placed . relative placement groups are legalized respecting all automatically generated or manually specified relative placement constraints . in 2116 , optimization occurs . in 2118 , size is fixed / marked for the relative placement groups for clock tree synthesis . in 2120 , the full clock tree synthesis is performed . while the present invention is disclosed by reference to the embodiments and examples detailed above , it is to be understood that these examples are intended in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense . it is contemplated that modifications and combinations will readily occur to those skilled in the art , which modifications and combinations will be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims .

6Physics

in vitro testing is an absolutely essential part of the process of discovering new compounds for use in fighting the ravages of cancer . without screening , the process of obtaining new candidate drugs would be even more complex and expensive . however , to understand this process , and recognize the outstanding results demonstrated by some of the compositions disclosed herein , one must understand the procedures , the nomenclature , and the data analysis involved . a brief description of the appropriate terminology follows : ed 50 ( p388 ) and gi 50 ( htcl ) identify the drug dose which reduces the percent tumor / cell growth to 50 %. there is no mathematical difference between ed 50 and gi 50 , both of which are calculated using the same formula . the only difference is historical usage . tgi , means &# 34 ; total growth inhibition &# 34 ;, and identifies the drug dose needed to yield zero percent growth , i . e . there are just as many cells at the end of the experiment as were present at the beginning . whether just as many cells were killed as were produced ( steady state ), or no growth occurred ( total inhibition ) cannot be distinguished . lc 50 , means &# 34 ; lethal concentration 50 %&# 34 ;, and identifies the drug concentration which reduces to one - half of the cells originally present at the beginning of the experiment . each drug is tested at five ( 5 ) doses : 100 - 10 - 1 - 0 . 1 - 0 . 01 -- μg / ml . percent growths are calculated for each dose . the two ( or three ) doses with growth values above , below , ( or near to ) 50 % growth are used to calculate the ed 50 / gi 50 values using a linear regression computation . if no dose yields a growth value under 50 %, the results are expressed as : ed 50 & gt ;( highest dose ). if no dose yields growth higher than 50 % growth , then ed 50 & lt ;( lowest dose ). similar calculations are performed for the tgi at 0 % growth , and at - 50 % growth for the lc 50 . at the start of each experiment , cells from the in vitro cell cultures are inoculated into the appropriate tubes or microtiter plates . one set of control tubes / plates is immediately counted to determine the number of cells at the start of the experiment . this is the &# 34 ; baseline count &# 34 ;, or &# 34 ; tzero reading &# 34 ;. at the end of the experiment ( 48 hrs later ), a second set of control tubes / plates is analyzed to determine the &# 34 ; control growth &# 34 ; value . the growth ( or death ) of cells relative to the initial quantity of cells is used to define the &# 34 ; percent of growth .&# 34 ; ______________________________________ example : baseline count 20 control count 200 ( 10 - fold growth ) ______________________________________ 100 % growth = control growth 100 % growth = 200 50 % growth = tzero + 50 % growth = 110 ## str4 ## 0 % growth = tzero 0 % growth = 20 - 50 % growth = tzero / 2 - 50 % growth = 10______________________________________ now that the relevant definitions and data analysis techniques have been disclosed , this disclosure can now turn to the particular compounds disclosed herein . the synthesis of potentially useful peptides presents one of the most essential and promising sources for new types of anticancer and immunosuppressant drugs . the dolastatins , an unprecedented series of linear and cyclic antineoplastic and / or cytostatic peptides isolated from indian ocean sea hare dolabella auricularia represent excellent leads for synthetic modification . the very productive sea hare dolabella auricularia has produced a number of structurally distinct peptides with excellent antineoplastic activity . presently dolastatin 10 , a linear pentapeptide , represents the most important member and is a potentially useful antineoplastic agent . dolastatin 10 shows one of the best antineoplastic activity profiles against various cancer screens presently known . recently the total synthesis and absolute configuration of this structurally unique and biologically active peptide was discovered . this compound has been tested in vivo and demonstrated significant activity , as shown below . ______________________________________experimental anticancer activity of dolastatin 10 inmurine in vivo systems , t / c ( μg / kg ) ______________________________________ b16 melanomap388 lymphocytic 238 and 40 % cures ( 11 . 11 ) leukemia 182 ( 6 . 67 ) toxic ( 13 . 0 ) 205 ( 4 . 0 ) and 17 % cures ( 6 . 5 ) 171 ( 3 . 4 ) and 17 % cures ( 3 . 25 ) 142 ( 1 . 44 ) 137 ( 1 . 63 ) m5076 ovary sarcomal1210 lymphocytic toxic ( 26 ) leukemia 166 ( 13 ) 152 ( 13 ) 142 ( 6 . 5 ) 135 ( 6 . 5 ) 151 ( 3 . 25 ) 139 ( 3 . 25 ) lox human melanoma xenograph120 ( 1 . 63 ) ( nude mouse ) toxic ( 52 ) 301 and 67 % cures ( 26 ) 301 and 50 % cures ( 13 ) 206 and 33 % cures ( 6 . 5 ) 170 and 17 % cures ( 3 . 25 ) lox in separate experiments 340 and 50 % cures ( 43 ) 181 and 33 % cures ( 26 ) 192 ( 15 ) 138 and 17 % cures ( 9 . 0 ) human mammary xenograph nude mouse toxic ( 26 ) 137 ( 13 ) 178 ( 6 . 25 ) ovcar - 3 human ovary xenograph nude mouse 300 ( 40 ) mx - 1 human mammaryxenograft ( tumor regression ) 14 ( 52 ) 50 ( 26 ) 61 ( 13 ) 69 ( 6 . 25 ) ______________________________________ t / c = test control , both bearing tumor , expressed in time of survival . t / c - 100 = % life extension . dolastatin 10 has also been tested against a minipanel from the nci primary screen . these results appear below , showing the amount of dolastatin 10 required to attain gi 50 in μg / ml , against the cell lines set forth below . ## equ1 ## similarly , compounds 12 , 14 , 16a , 16b and 16c of the present invention have also been tested against an nci in vitro mini panel . for each of six cell lines , gi 50 , tgi , and lc 50 amounts were also calculated for each of the compounds . each compound was also tested against the ps - 388 cell line and for this test an ed 50 was calculated . the protocols followed , for the nci minipanel are , except for the number of cell lines , those established by m . r . boyd ph . d ., and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . the procedure followed for the test against ps - 388 leukemia is the same that was followed in the superseded nci p - 388 screening test , which is also well known to those having ordinary skill in the art . table 1__________________________________________________________________________the human cancer cell - line and p - 388 mouse - leukemia data for thecompounds 12 and 14 . cell type cell line 12 14__________________________________________________________________________gi - 50 ( μg / ml ) ovarian ovcar - 3 0 . 0000000091 0 . 000067 cns sf - 295 0 . 000000025 0 . 00025 renal a498 0 . 000000058 0 . 00027 lung - nsc nci - h460 0 . 0000000058 0 . 00012 colon km20l2 0 . 0000000072 0 . 000034 melanoma sk - mel - 5 0 . 0000000048 0 . 000044tgi ( μg / ml ) ovarian ovcar - 3 0 . 000000060 0 . 00067 cns sf - 295 0 . 00000025 & gt ; 1 renal a498 0 . 017 0 . 035 lung - nsc nci - h460 0 . 000000065 0 . 00013 colon km20l2 0 . 0000001 0 . 0013 melanoma sk - mel - 5 0 . 00000015 0 . 022lc - 50 ( μg / ml ) ovarian ovcar - 3 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 cns sf - 295 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 renal a498 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 lung - nsc nci - h460 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 colon km20l2 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 melanoma sk - mel - 5 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1ed - 50 ( μg / ml ) mouse leukemia ps - 388 0 . 0000248 0 . 00032__________________________________________________________________________ table 2__________________________________________________________________________the human cancer cell - line and p - 388 mouse - leukemia datafor the compounds 16a - c . cell type cell line 16a 16b 16c__________________________________________________________________________gi - 50 ( μg / ml ) ovarian ovcar - 3 0 . 00052 0 . 0031 0 . 0005 cns sf - 295 0 . 00033 0 . 0054 0 . 0011 renal a498 & lt ; 0 . 0001 0 . 025 0 . 0019 lung - nsc nci - h460 0 . 00034 0 . 0042 0 . 00071 colon km20l2 0 . 00033 0 . 0017 0 . 00092 melanoma sk - nw - 5 0 . 00066 0 . 0027 0 . 00058tgi ( μg / ml ) ovarian ovcar - 3 0 . 0011 0 . 04 0 . 0039 cns sf - 295 0 . 021 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01 renal a498 0 . 18 0 . 55 & gt ; 0 . 01 lung - nsc ncl - h460 0 . 0011 0 . 058 0 . 0051 colon km20l2 0 . 013 0 . 13 0 . 0066 melanoma sk - nw - 5 0 . 031 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01lc - 50 ( μg / ml ) ovarian ovcar - 3 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01 cns sf - 295 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01 renal a498 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01 lung - nsc nci - h460 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01 colon km20l2 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01 melanoma sk - nm - 5 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 1 & gt ; 0 . 01ed - 50 ( μg / ml ) mouse leukemia ps - 388 0 . 021 0 . 029 0 . 00227__________________________________________________________________________ in the process of synthesizing the compounds disclosed in this application , certain general procedures are followed . these general procedures are as set forth below . the synthesis of n - z - ile - dil - obu t ( 3 ) was accomplished as follows : to a solution of the hydrochloride salt of dolaisoleuine t - butyl ester ( 2 , 1 mm ) and n - z -( l )- isoleucine ( 1 , 1 . 1 mm ) in dry dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), cooled to ice - bath temperature ( 0 °- 5 ° c .) was added diisopropylethylamine ( 3 mm ) followed by brop ( 2 mm ) and the resulting solution was stirred at the same temperature for 2 hours . the solvents were removed under reduced pressure and the residue was chromatographed on a silica gel column using 1 : 3 acetone - hexane as the solvent to obtain the required dipeptide as an oily substance ( 3 , 40 %); r f 0 . 34 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane );[ α ] d 25 - 7 . 5 ° ( c 1 . 19 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 3393 , 3374 , 3295 , 2967 , 2934 , 2878 , 1724 , 1638 , 1528 , 1501 , 1456 , 1412 , 1383 , 1368 , 1296 , 1250 , 1229 , 1153 , 1099 , 1038 , 1028 , 980 , 959 , 845 , 777 , 739 , 698 and 619 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 7 . 25 ( m , 5h , arh ), 5 . 37 ( d , j = 9 . 5 hz , 1h , nh ), 4 . 99 ( s , 2h , arch 2 ), 4 . 60 ( m , 1h , dil n -- ch ), 4 . 43 ( dd , j = 6 . 8 and 9 . 5 hz , 1h , ile c a h ) , 3 . 79 ( m , 1h , ch -- ome ), 3 . 24 ( s , 3 h , ome ), 2 . 34 ( brd , j = 15 . 5 hz , 1h , hch -- co ), 2 . 20 ( dd , j = 9 . 3 and 15 . 5 hz , 1h , hch -- co ), 1 . 50 - 0 . 9 ( m , 6h , 2 × ch 2 , 2 × ch ), 1 . 35 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 0 . 88 ( d , j = 8 . 1 hz , 3h , ch -- ch 3 ), 0 . 86 ( d , j = 7 . 2 hz , 3h , ch -- ch 3 ), 0 . 78 ( t , j = 7 . 4 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ) and 0 . 73 ( t , j = 7 . 6 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 506 ( m . sup . + , 0 . 1 ), 433 ( 0 . 8 ), 393 ( 0 . 7 ), 347 ( 12 ), 279 ( 2 ), 276 ( 3 ), 248 ( 1 ), 239 ( 2 ), 236 ( 1 ), 230 ( 1 ), 220 ( 6 ), 190 ( 4 ), 186 ( 6 ), 177 ( 3 ), 176 ( 18 ), 172 ( 3 ), 171 ( 1 ), 155 ( 2 ), 154 ( 6 ), 146 ( 9 ), 143 ( 3 ), 141 ( 1 ), 130 ( 1 ), 128 ( 4 ), 108 ( 4 ), 107 ( 4 ), 103 ( 6 ), 101 ( 10 ), 100 ( 100 ), 99 ( 2 ), 98 ( 2 ), 97 ( 1 ), 96 ( 1 ), 95 ( 1 ), 92 ( 9 ), 91 ( 78 ) and 57 ( 18 %). the synthesis of dov - ile - dil - obu t ( 5 ) was accomplished as follows : a solution of z - ile - dil - obu t ( 3 , 0 . 2 mm ) was dissolved in anhydrous methanol ( 2 ml ) and cyclohexene ( 2 ml ) was added in an argon atmosphere . to the solution was added 10 % pd - c ( 0 . 05g ) and the mixture was heated at reflux for 10 - 15 minutes . the catalyst was removed by filtering through a layer of celite , the solvent removed under reduced pressure , and the residue dried in high vacuum for 2 hours . to a solution of the above free base and n , n - dimethyl - ( l )- valine ( 4 , 0 . 2 mm ) in dry dichloromethane ( 2 ml ) was added triethylamine ( 0 . 8 mm ) followed by decp ( 0 . 22 mm ) at 0 °- 5 ° c . under argon atmosphere . after stirring at the same temperature for 2 hours , the solvent was removed and the residue chromatographed on a silica gel column with 1 : 3 acetone - hexane as solvent to give the required tripeptide t - butyl ester as a colorless solid ( 5 , 65 %); m . p . 64 °- 65 ° c . ; r f 0 . 27 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 40 ° ( c 0 . 12 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3302 , 2967 , 2934 , 2878 , 1732 , 1661 , 1622 , 1526 , 1485 , 1462 , 1454 , 1416 , 1383 , 1368 , 1300 , 1283 , 1258 , 1200 , 1153 , 1101 , 1037 and 619 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 6 . 78 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 1h , nh ), 4 . 79 ( dd , j = 7 . 2 and 9 . 3 hz , 1h , ile c . sup . a -- h ), 4 . 7 ( m , 1h , dil chn ), 3 . 86 ( m , 1h , ch -- ome ), 3 . 33 ( s , 3h , ome ), 2 . 99 ( s , 3h , dil n -- me ), 2 . 2 - 2 . 5 ( m , 2h , ch 2 -- co ), 2 . 21 ( s , 6h , nme 2 ), 2 . 05 ( m , 1h , dov c a -- h ), 1 . 2 - 1 . 8 ( m , 7h , 2 × ch 2 , 3 × ch ), 1 . 43 , 1 . 54 ( s , 9h , t - bu ) and 0 . 75 - 0 . 99 ( m , 18h , 6 × ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 499 ( m + , 0 . 3 ), 456 ( 0 . 6 ), 241 ( 3 ), 186 ( 1 ), 128 ( 1 ), 125 ( 1 ), 103 ( 2 ), 101 ( 10 ), 100 ( 100 ), 99 ( 1 ), 98 ( 1 ), 91 ( 2 ), 86 ( 2 ), 85 ( 3 ), 84 ( 2 ), and 57 ( 8 %). the synthesis of t - boc - dolaproine esters / amides was accomplished as follows : to a solution of t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 , 1 mm ) in dry dimethylformamide ( 5 ml ) was added the alkyl iodide ( 7 , 1 . 2 mm ) and sodium bicarbonate ( 2 mm ) and the resulting solution was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours . dichloromethane ( 50 ml ) was added and the organic phase was with water ( 2 × 25 ml ) and dried . removal of the solvent in vacuo left behind a residue which was chromatographed on a silica gel column with suitable solvent systems to obtain the required esters . to a solution of t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 , 1 mm ) and the amine ( 7c ) in dry dichloromethane ( 5 ml ), cooled to ice - bath temperature under argon atmosphere , was added triethylamine ( 2 mm ) and diethylcyanophosphonate ( 1 . 1 mm ). the resulting solution was stirred at the same temperature for 1 . 5 hours . removal of the solvent in vacuo left a residue which was chromatographed on a silica gel column with suitable solvent system to obtain the required amide . the t - boc - dap pentyl ester ( 8a ) is prepared by reacting t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 ) with pentyl iodide ( 7a ) following the general procedure c which gave a residue which was purified on a silica gel column with 1 : 3 acetone - hexane as the eluent to obtain the required octyl ester as a colorless liquid ( 8a , 50 %); r f 0 . 52 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 46 . 8 ° ( c 0 . 37 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 2959 , 2932 , 2876 , 1734 , 1697 , 1460 , 1397 , 1366 , 1341 , 1283 , 1258 , 1167 , 1136 , 1098 and 772 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 3 . 5 - 4 . 1 ( m , 4h , n -- ch , ch -- ome , och 2 ), 3 . 40 ( s , 3h , ome ), 3 . 2 ( m , 2h , n -- ch 2 ), 2 . 45 ( m , 1h , ch -- co ), 1 . 55 - 2 . 0 ( m , 4h , 2 × dap ch 2 ), 1 . 46 , 1 . 56 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 1 . 32 ( m , 6h , 3 × ch 2 ), 1 . 21 ( d , j = 6 . 8 hz , 3h , ch 3 ) and 0 . 88 ( t , j = 6 . 9 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 325 ( m + - meoh , 4 ), 284 ( 1 ), 225 ( 1 ), 171 ( 3 ), 170 ( 27 ), 169 ( 2 ), 168 ( 1 ), 158 ( 1 ), 154 ( 1 ), 138 ( 5 ), 136 ( 1 ), 126 ( 1 ), 118 ( 1 ), 117 ( 10 ), 115 ( 7 ), 114 ( 95 ), 113 ( 1 ), 110 ( 4 ), 103 ( 2 ), 86 ( 2 ), 85 ( 4 ), 83 ( 1 ), 82 ( 3 ), 70 ( 100 ) and 57 ( 66 %). the t - boc - dap octyl ester ( 8b ) is prepared by reacting t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 ) with octyl iodide ( 7b ) following general procedure c which gave a residue which was purified on a silica gel column with 1 : 3 acetone - hexane as the eluent to obtain the required octyl ester as a colorless liquid ( 8b , 63 %); r f 0 . 56 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 39 . 5 ° ( c 0 . 76 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 2957 , 2930 , 2874 , 2859 , 1734 , 1698 , 1458 , 1395 , 1366 , 1341 , 1256 , 1167 , 1136 , 1099 and 772 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 3 . 5 - 4 . 1 ( m , 4h , n -- ch , ch -- ome , och 2 ), 3 . 40 ( s , 3h , ome ), 3 . 21 ( m , 2h , n -- ch 2 ), 2 . 45 ( m , 1h , ch -- co ), 1 . 55 - 2 . 0 ( m , 4h , 2 × dap ch 2 ), 1 . 46 , 1 . 60 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 1 . 24 ( m , 15h , 6 × ch 2 , ch -- ch 3 ) and 0 . 85 ( t , j = 6 . 9 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 367 ( m + - meoh , 4 ), 326 ( 2 ), 298 ( 1 ), 267 ( 2 ), 170 ( 33 ), 169 ( 2 ), 158 ( 2 ), 154 ( 2 ), 138 ( 5 ), 136 ( 1 ), 126 ( 2 ), 118 ( 1 ), 117 ( 8 ), 116 ( 10 ), 115 ( 8 ), 114 ( 100 ), 113 ( 2 ), 103 ( 2 ), 86 ( 2 ), 85 ( 4 ), 83 ( 2 ), 82 ( 3 ), 70 ( 78 ) and 57 ( 56 %). the t - boc - dap - hexylamide ( 8c ) is prepared by reacting t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 ) with hexylamine ( 7c ) following general procedure d which gave a residue which was purified on a silica gel column with 1 : 4 acetone - hexane as the eluent to obtain the required hexyl amide as a colorless liquid ( 8c , 90 %); r f 0 . 25 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 47 . 1 ° ( c 0 . 21 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 3308 , 2965 , 2932 , 2874 , 1695 , 1670 , 1649 , 1549 , 1456 , 1400 , 1366 , 1286 , 1256 , 1227 , 1171 , 1105 , 1063 , 668 , 773 and 725 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 6 . 26 , 5 . 65 ( brs , 1h , nh ), 3 . 3 - 3 . 9 ( m , 2h , n -- ch , ch -- ome ), 3 . 41 ( s , 3h , ome ), 3 . 20 ( m , 4h , 2 × n -- ch 2 ), 2 . 35 ( m , 1h , ch -- co ), 1 . 55 - 2 . 0 ( m , 4h , 2 × dap ch 2 ), 1 . 46 , 1 . 61 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 1 . 26 ( m , 11 h , 4 × ch 2 , ch -- ch 3 ) and 0 . 85 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 338 ( m + - meoh ), 297 , 269 , 238 , 210 , 201 , 186 , 170 , 154 , 138 , 114 , 111 , 91 , 70 ( 100 %) and 57 . the synthesis of the tripeptide trifluoroacetate salt ( 9 ) was accomplished as follows : to a solution of the tripeptide t - butyl ester ( 5 , 0 . 1 mm ) in dichloromethane ( 2 ml ) cooled to ice - bath temperature was added trifluoroacetic acid ( 2 ml ) under argon atmosphere and the solution was stirred at the same temperature for 1 hour . the solvents were then removed under reduced pressure , the residue was dissolved in toluene and solvent again removed under reduced pressure . the residue was dried in vacuo to obtain the tripeptide trifluoroacetate salt ( 10 ) as a light yellow sticky mass . the synthesis of the dap ester / amide trifluoroacetate salts ( 10a - c ) was accomplished as follows : to a solution of t - boc - dap ester / amide ( 8a - c , 0 . 1mm ) in dichloromethane ( 2 ml ) cooled to ice - bath temperature was added trifluoroacetic acid ( 2 ml ) under an argon atmosphere and the solution was stirred at the same temperature for 1 hour . the solvents were removed under reduced pressure , the residue was dissolved in toluene and solvent again removed under reduced pressure . the residue was dried in vacuo to obtain a light yellow sticky mass of the respective dap ester / amide trifluoroacetate salts ( 10a - c ). the synthesis of the tetrapeptide esters / amides ( 12 , 14 , 16a - c ) were accomplished as follows : to a solution of dipeptide or dap - ester / amide tfa salt ( 11 , 13 , 10a - c , 0 . 1mm ) and the tripeptide tfa salt ( 9 , 15 , 0 . 1 mm ) in dry dichloromethane ( 2 ml ), cooled to ice - bath temperature ( 0 - 5 c ) was added triethylamine ( 4 mm ) followed by diethyl cyanophosphonate ( 1 . 1 mm ). the solution was stirred at the same temperature for 1 - 2 hours . the solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue chromatographed on a silica gel column using the solvents noted below to obtain the respective pentapeptides or tetrapeptide esters / amide ( 12 , 14 ,& amp ; 16a - c ). compound 12 was synthesized as follows : coupling of the dipeptide tfa salt ( 11 ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 9 ) following the general procedure g which gave , following purification on a silica gel column with acetone - hexane ( 3 : 2 ) as the eluent , the required pentapeptide as a colorless solid ( 12 , 55 %); m . p . 103 °- 107 ° c . ; r f 0 . 55 ( acetone - hexane 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 67 . 5 ° ( c 0 . 08 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3295 , 2965 , 2934 , 2878 , 1620 , 1535 , 1499 , 1452 , 1418 , 1381 , 1202 , 1136 and 1099 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 798 ( m + , 2 ), 756 ( 2 ), 755 ( 4 ), 707 ( 1 ), 496 ( 1 ), 495 ( 5 ), 459 ( 1 ), 458 ( 2 ), 303 ( 1 ), 242 ( 1 ), 241 ( 80 , 231 ( 1 ), 214 ( 1 ), 213 ( 3 ), 205 ( 1 ), 198 ( 1 ), 189 ( 1 ), 188 ( 10 ), 187 ( 1 ), 186 ( 10 ), 170 ( 4 ), 169 ( 2 ), 168 ( 2 ), 155 ( 1 ), 154 ( 6 ), 140 ( 2 ), 138 ( 3 ), 128 ( 4 ), 114 ( 1 ), 113 ( 3 ), 112 ( 2 ), 110 ( 1 ), 102 ( 26 ) and 101 ( 100 %). compound 14 was synthesized as follows : coupling of the dipeptide tfa salt ( 13 ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 9 ) following the general procedure g which gave after purification on a silica gel column with acetone - hexane ( 3 : 2 ) as the eluent the required pentapeptide as a colorless thick liquid ( 14 , 86 % ); r f 0 . 55 ( acetone - hexane 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 45 ° ( c 0 . 06 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3314 , 3300 , 2967 , 2934 , 1744 , 1640 , 1628 , 1545 , 1441 , 1414 , 1381 , 1277 , 1202 , 1167 , 1098 , 1038 and 984 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 757 ( m + , 1 ), 715 ( 2 ), 714 ( 6 ), 496 ( 1 ), 495 ( 5 ), 417 ( 1 ), 241 ( 4 ), 213 ( 1 ), 186 ( 4 ), 170 ( 2 ), 154 ( 2 ), 138 ( 1 ), 128 ( 2 ), 127 ( 2 ), 102 ( 10 ) and 101 ( 100 %). compound dov - val - dil - dap pentyl ester ( 16a ) was synthesized as follows : coupling of the dap pentyl ester tfa salt ( 10a ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 15 ) following the general procedure g and purification using chromatography on a silica gel column with hexane - acetone ( 3 : 2 ) as eluent gave the required tetrapeptide ester as a colorless thick liquid ( 16a , 30 %); r f 0 . 39 ( hexane - acetone 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 69 . 1 ° ( c 0 . 23 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3312 , 3295 , 2961 , 2934 , 2876 , 1728 , 1640 , 1452 , 1412 , 1389 , 1262 , 1200 , 1169 , 1132 , 1098 and 1038 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 668 ( m + , 1 ), 625 ( 2 ), 482 ( 3 ), 227 ( 3 ), 154 ( 2 ), 128 ( 2 ), 102 ( 9 ) and 101 ( 100 %). compound dov - val - dil - dap octyl ester ( 16b ) was synthesized as follows : coupling of the dap pentyl ester tfa salt ( 10b ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 15 ) following the general procedure g and purification using chromatography on a silica gel column with hexane - acetone ( 1 : 1 ) as eluent gave the required tetrapeptide ester as a colorless thick liquid ( 16b , 99 %); r f 0 . 23 ( hexane - acetone 3 : 1 ); [ α ] d 25 - 51 . 3 ° ( c 0 . 08 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3295 , 2961 , 2932 , 2876 , 2834 , 1730 , 1643 , 1622 , 1526 , 1454 , 1416 , 1385 , 1343 , 1304 , 1262 , 1200 , 1173 , 1134 , 1099 , 1038 and 721 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 710 ( m + , 0 . 7 ), 667 ( 2 ), 481 ( 3 ), 227 ( 4 ), 199 ( 1 ), 186 ( 4 ), 184 ( 0 . 9 ), 155 ( 1 ), 154 ( 2 ), 128 ( 2 ), 117 ( 1 ), 102 ( 10 ) and 101 ( 100 %). compound dov - val - dil - dap hexylamide ( 16c ) was synthesized as follows : coupling of the dap - hexylamide tfa salt ( 10c ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 15 ) following the general procedure g and purification using chromatography on a silica gel column with hexane - acetone ( 3 : 2 ) as eluent gave the required tetrapeptide amide as a colorless thick liquid ( 16c , 65 %); r f 0 . 23 ( hexane - acetone 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 48 . 8 ° ( c 0 . 5 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3308 , 3295 , 2961 , 2930 , 2876 , 1620 , 1545 , 1535 , 1452 , 1416 , 1383 , 1200 , 1167 , 1134 and 1099 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 681 ( m + ), 666 , 650 , 638 , 525 , 481 , 449 , 412 , 355 , 341 , 269 , 253 , 227 , 214 , 199 , 186 , 170 , 154 , 128 , 114 , 102 and 101 ( 100 %). to further aid in the understanding of the present invention , and not by way of limitation the following examples are presented . reaction of t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 ) with pentyl iodide ( 7a ) following the general procedure c which gave a residue which was purified on a silica gel column with 1 : 3 acetone - hexane as the eluent to obtain the required octyl ester as a colorless liquid ( 8a , 50 %); r f 0 . 52 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 46 . 8 ° ( c 0 . 37 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 2959 , 2932 , 2876 , 1734 , 1697 , 1460 , 1397 , 1366 , 1341 , 1283 , 1258 , 1167 , 1136 , 1098 and 772 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 3 . 5 - 4 . 1 ( m , 4h , n -- ch , ch -- ome , och 2 ), 3 . 40 ( s , 3h , ome ), 3 . 2 ( m , 2h , n -- ch 2 ), 2 . 45 ( m , 1h , ch -- co ), 1 . 55 - 2 . 0 ( m , 4h , 2 × dap ch 2 ), 1 . 46 , 1 . 56 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 1 . 32 ( m , 6h , 3 × ch 2 ), 1 . 21 ( d , j = 6 . 8 hz , 3h , ch 3 ) and 0 . 88 ( t , j = 6 . 9 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 325 ( m + - meoh , 4 ), 284 ( 1 ), 225 ( 1 ), 171 ( 3 ), 170 ( 27 ), 169 ( 2 ), 168 ( 1 ), 158 ( 1 ), 154 ( 1 ), 138 ( 5 ), 136 ( 1 ), 126 ( 1 ), 118 ( 1 ), 117 ( 10 ), 115 ( 7 ), 114 ( 95 ), 113 ( 1 ), 110 ( 4 ), 103 ( 2 ), 86 ( 2 ), 85 ( 4 ), 83 ( 1 ), 82 ( 3 ), 70 ( 100 ) and 57 ( 66 %). reaction of t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 ) with octyl iodide ( 7b ) following general procedure c which gave a residue which was purified on a silica gel column with 1 : 3 acetone - hexane as the eluent to obtain the required octyl ester as a colorless liquid ( 8b , 63 %); r f 0 . 56 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 39 . 5 ° ( c 0 . 76 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 2957 , 2930 , 2874 , 2859 , 1734 , 1698 , 1458 , 1395 , 1366 , 1341 , 1256 , 1167 , 1136 , 1099 and 772 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 3 . 5 - 4 . 1 ( m , 4h , n -- ch , ch -- ome , och 2 ), 3 . 40 ( s , 3h , ome ), 3 . 21 ( m , 2h , n -- ch 2 ), 2 . 45 ( m , 1h , ch -- co ), 1 . 55 - 2 . 0 ( m , 4h , 2 × dap ch 2 ), 1 . 46 , 1 . 60 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 1 . 24 ( m , 15h , 6 × ch 2 , ch -- ch 3 ) and 0 . 85 ( t , j = 6 . 9 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 367 ( m + - meoh , 4 ), 326 ( 2 ), 298 ( 1 ), 267 ( 2 ), 170 ( 33 ), 169 ( 2 ), 158 ( 2 ), 154 ( 2 ), 138 ( 5 ), 136 ( 1 ), 126 ( 2 ), 118 ( 1 ), 117 ( 8 ), 116 ( 10 ), 115 ( 8 ), 114 ( 100 ), 113 ( 2 ), 103 ( 2 ), 86 ( 2 ), 85 ( 4 ), 83 ( 2 ), 82 ( 3 ), 70 ( 78 ) and 57 ( 56 %). reaction of t - boc - dolaproine ( 6 ) with hexylamine ( 7c ) following general procedure d which gave a residue which was purified on a silica gel column with 1 : 4 acetone - hexane as the eluent to obtain the required hexyl amide as a colorless liquid ( 8c , 90 %); r f 0 . 25 ( 1 : 4 acetone - hexane ); [ α ] d 25 - 47 . 1 ° ( c 0 . 21 , chcl 3 ); ir ( neat ): 3308 , 2965 , 2932 , 2874 , 1695 , 1670 , 1649 , 1549 , 1456 , 1400 , 1366 , 1286 , 1256 , 1227 , 1171 , 1105 , 1063 , 668 , 773 and 725 cm - 1 ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 300 mhz ): 6 . 26 , 5 . 65 ( brs , 1h , nh ), 3 . 3 - 3 . 9 ( m , 2h , n -- ch , ch -- ome ), 3 . 41 ( s , 3h , ome ), 3 . 20 ( m , 4h , 2 × n -- ch 2 ), 2 . 35 ( m , 1h , ch -- co ), 1 . 55 - 2 . 0 ( m , 4h , 2 × dap ch 2 ), 1 . 46 , 1 . 61 ( s , 9h , t - bu ), 1 . 26 ( m , 11h , 4 × ch 2 , ch -- ch 3 ) and 0 . 85 ( t , j = 7 . 0 hz , 3h , ch 2 -- ch 3 ); eims ( m / z ): 338 ( m + - meoh ), 297 , 269 , 238 , 210 , 201 , 186 , 170 , 154 , 138 , 114 , 111 , 91 , 70 ( 100 %) and 57 . coupling of the dipeptide tfa salt ( 11 ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 9 ) following the general procedure g which gave , following purification on a silica gel column with acetone - hexane ( 3 : 2 ) as the eluent , the required pentapeptide as a colorless solid ( 12 , 55 %); m . p . 103 °- 107 ° c . ; r f 0 . 55 ( acetone - hexane 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 67 . 5 ° ( c 0 . 08 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3295 , 2965 , 2934 , 2878 , 1620 , 1535 , 1499 , 1452 , 1418 , 1381 , 1202 , 1136 and 1099 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 798 ( m + , 2 ), 756 ( 2 ), 755 ( 4 ), 707 ( 1 ), 496 ( 1 ), 495 ( 5 ), 459 ( 1 ), 458 ( 2 ), 303 ( 1 ), 242 ( 1 ), 241 ( 80 , 231 ( 1 ), 214 ( 1 ), 213 ( 3 ), 205 ( 1 ), 198 ( 1 ), 189 ( 1 ), 188 ( 10 ), 187 ( 1 ), 186 ( 10 ), 170 ( 4 ), 169 ( 2 ), 168 ( 2 ), 155 ( 1 ), 154 ( 6 ), 140 ( 2 ), 138 ( 3 ), 128 ( 4 ), 114 ( 1 ), 113 ( 3 ), 112 ( 2 ), 110 ( 1 ), 102 ( 26 ) and 101 ( 100 %). coupling of the dipeptide tfa salt ( 13 ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 9 ) following the general procedure g which gave after purification on a silica gel column with acetone - hexane ( 3 : 2 ) as the eluent the required pentapeptide as a colorless thick liquid ( 14 , 86 %); r f 0 . 55 ( acetone - hexane 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 45 ° ( c 0 . 06 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3314 , 3300 , 2967 , 2934 , 1744 , 1640 , 1628 , 1545 , 1441 , 1414 , 1381 , 1277 , 1202 , 1167 , 1098 , 1038 and 984 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 757 ( m + , 1 ), 715 ( 2 ), 714 ( 6 ), 496 ( 1 ), 495 ( 5 ), 417 ( 1 ), 241 ( 4 ), 213 ( 1 ), 186 ( 4 ), 170 ( 2 ), 154 ( 2 ), 138 ( 1 ), 128 ( 2 ), 127 ( 2 ), 102 ( 10 ) and 101 ( 100 %). coupling of the dap pentyl ester tfa salt ( 10a ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 15 ) following the general procedure g and purification using chromatography on a silica gel column with hexane - acetone ( 3 : 2 ) as eluent gave the required tetrapeptide ester as a colorless thick liquid ( 16a , 30 %); r f 0 . 39 ( hexane - acetone 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 69 . 1 ° ( c 0 . 23 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3312 , 3295 , 2961 , 2934 , 2876 , 1728 , 1640 , 1452 , 1412 , 1389 , 1262 , 1200 , 1169 , 1132 , 1098 and 1038 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 668 ( m + , 1 ), 625 ( 2 ), 482 ( 3 ), 227 ( 3 ), 154 ( 2 ), 128 ( 2 ), 102 ( 9 ) and 101 ( 100 %). coupling of the dap pentyl ester tfa salt ( 10b ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 15 ) following the general procedure g and purification using chromatography on a silica gel column with hexane - acetone ( 1 : 1 ) as eluent gave the required tetrapeptide ester as a colorless thick liquid ( 16b , 99 %); r f 0 . 23 ( hexane - acetone 3 : 1 ); [ α ] d 25 - 51 . 3 ° ( c 0 . 08 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3295 , 2961 , 2932 , 2876 , 2834 , 1730 , 1643 , 1622 , 1526 , 1454 , 1416 , 1385 , 1343 , 1304 , 1262 , 1200 , 1173 , 1134 , 1099 , 1038 and 721 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 710 ( m + , 0 . 7 ), 667 ( 2 ), 481 ( 3 ), 227 ( 4 ), 199 ( 1 ), 186 ( 4 ), 184 ( 0 . 9 ), 155 ( 1 ), 154 ( 2 ), 128 ( 2 ), 117 ( 1 ), 102 ( 10 ) and 101 ( 100 %). coupling of the dap - hexylamide tfa salt ( 10c ) with the tripeptide tfa salt ( 15 ) following the general procedure g and purification using chromatography on a silica gel column with hexane - acetone ( 3 : 2 ) as eluent gave the required tetrapeptide amide as a colorless thick liquid ( 16c , 65 %); r f 0 . 23 ( hexane - acetone 3 : 2 ); [ α ] d 25 - 48 . 8 ° ( c 0 . 5 , chcl 3 ); ir ( thin film ): 3308 , 3295 , 2961 , 2930 , 2876 , 1620 , 1545 , 1535 , 1452 , 1416 , 1383 , 1200 , 1167 , 1134 and 1099 cm - 1 ; eims ( m / z ): 681 ( m + ), 666 , 650 , 638 , 525 , 481 , 449 , 412 , 355 , 341 , 269 , 253 , 227 , 214 , 199 , 186 , 170 , 154 , 128 , 114 , 102 and 101 ( 100 %). from the foregoing , it is readily apparent that a useful embodiment of the present invention has been herein described and illustrated which fulfills all of the aforestated objectives in a remarkably unexpected fashion . it is of course understood that such modifications , alterations and adaptations as may readily occur to the artisan confronted with this disclosure are intended within the spirit of this disclosure which is limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto .

2Chemistry; Metallurgy

for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention , reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written specification . it is understood that no limitation to the scope of the invention is thereby intended . it is further understood that the present invention includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the invention as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains . a bail arm assembly 50 is shown in fig3 which includes an adjustable arm coupling 52 connecting the lower arm 15 to the upper arm 18 . it is understood that the lower and upper arms may be similar to the bail arm components shown in fig1 and 2 , or any other bail arm construction used for retractable / extendable tarping system . in one embodiment , the adjustable arm coupling 52 includes an upper component 54 and a lower component 55 that are pivotably and adjustably engaged , as explained in more detail herein . in one aspect , the two components 54 , 55 may be identically configured for ready interchangeability when installing the arm coupling in a bail arm assembly . the two components 54 , 55 include an elongated body 57 , 67 that is adapted for a close - fit engagement within the hollow passage 72 , 74 in a respective lower or upper bail arm 15 , 18 . it can be appreciated that the elongated bodies 57 , 67 exhibit a profile or cross - sectional shape that may generally conforms to the profile or cross - sectional shape of the hollow passage 74 . this conformity helps seat the body 57 , 67 within the bail arm component 28 , 30 and prevents relative rotation between the parts . the cross - sectional shape of the elongated bodies 57 , 67 may be modified to reduce the amount of material while retaining sufficient strength to endure the bail arm loads without compromise . thus , as shown in the cross - sectional view of fig4 , the body 57 may incorporate a hollowed portion 57 a on opposite sides of the body to reduce the material requirements . the elongated bodies are fastened to the corresponding bail arm component by appropriate fasteners 77 , which may be , for instance , sheet metal screws . returning to fig3 , the components 54 , 55 include head portions 58 , 68 that are configured for adjustable mating engagement . in one embodiment , the head portions define an engagement face 59 , 69 adapted for selective adjustable engagement at various discrete relative angular orientations . in one specific embodiment the engagement faces 59 , 69 may incorporate a series of radial splines or teeth 59 a adapted for interdigitating engagement , as shown in fig6 . the head portion may incorporate an angle indicator with visible indicia indicative of the relative angle defined by the engagement of the two components 54 , 55 . once the two components are oriented at a desired angle , as shown in fig7 , the upper and lower components 54 , 55 can be clamped together using a clamping assembly 75 . the clamping assembly extends through a corresponding bore 58 a , 68 a in the two components . in one embodiment the clamping assembly 75 may include a carriage bolt , washer and nut , as shown in fig3 . one or both of the bores 58 a , 68 a may be configured with a square cross - section to mate with a corresponding square cross - section on the carriage bolt of the clamping assembly 75 . tightening the clamping assembly fixes the interdigitating engagement between the engagement surfaces 59 , 69 . the clamping assembly may be spring biased so that when the assembly 75 is loosened the two components are pushed slightly apart so that the engagement faces are clear of each other to permit relative rotation of the components . as shown in fig4 , one of the bores 58 a may include a countersink within which the head of the carriage bolt of the assembly 75 may reside . the engagement faces 59 , 69 are configured to permit discrete gross or fine angular adjustments . in the present embodiment , the teeth or radial splines 59 a ( fig6 ) are configured and arranged to provide a five degree ( 5 °) resolution , meaning that the relative angle between bail arms components can be adjusted at five degree increments . in one specific embodiment , the angles can range from 180 ° in which the bail arms 15 , 18 are in a straight line , plus or minus 102 . 5 ° upward or downward . in other words , the head portions 58 , 68 may be configured for a 205 ° range of relative angular motion between the components . as shown in fig3 , 6 , the inter - engagement features on the engagement faces 59 , 69 may extend a full 360 °, even though the relative range of motion may be limited to 205 °. the full 360 ° engagement feature ensures a firm engagement between the bail arm members so that the relative angular positions do not slip when the bail arm is under load . in one embodiment , 72 teeth or splines are arranged around the circumference of the engagement faces 59 , 69 . the teeth or splines can have a height of about 5 / 16 in . as shown in fig4 , the head portion 58 , 68 of the components 54 , 55 are sized so that when the two head portions are inter - engaged at the engagement faces 59 , 69 the overall width is approximately equal to the width of the corresponding elongated bodies 57 , 67 . thus , in one embodiment the head portions 58 , 68 each have a width of about ⅞ in . while the elongated bodies have a width of about 1 23 / 32 in ., which is slightly less than the combined width of the inter - engaged head portions . the head portions are thus sized to provide a smooth transition with a corresponding bail arm , as shown in fig7 . the adjustable arm coupling 52 may be formed from a material strong enough to withstand the static and vibrational loads of the typical bail arm assembly . for instance , the upper and lower components 54 , 55 of the coupling may be formed of the same material as the bail arms 15 , 18 , such as aluminum or stainless steel . the components may be extruded , forged or cast , with appropriate machining . alternatively , the components may be cast from a hard polymer or plastic material . the angle indicia on the angle indicators 60 , 70 may be formed in the head portions 58 , 68 or may be independently applied , such as a sticker or label . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character . it is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes , modifications and further applications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

turning to the drawings in detail in which like numerals indicate the same or similar elements in each of the several views , fig1 schematically depicts an optical amplifier configuration 10 which will be used to demonstrate the principles of the modular optical amplifier system of the present invention . optical amplifier 10 comprises first and second stages 20 and 60 selected from optical waveguides doped with a material which can produce optical gain in the waveguide . such materials include rare earth dopants such as erbium , neodymium , praseodymium , ytterbium , or mixtures thereof . pumping of the doped waveguide at a specific pump wavelength causes population inversion among the electron energy levels of the dopant , producing optical amplification of the wavelength division multiplexed optical signals . for doped fiber amplifiers employing erbium as the dopant , a wavelength band between approximately 1500 nm and approximately 1590 nm provides gain to optical signals when the doped fiber is pumped . to supply the amplifier stages with pump energy , connecting elements 30 and 70 are provided . these are typically wavelength selective multiplexers which permit pump radiation to enter the doped fiber sections without allowing transmission channel radiation to pass into the pump . the connecting elements optically communicate with optical pumps ( not shown ). the optical pumps are generally selected from 980 and 1480 nm laser sources . in one embodiment , a 980 nm laser is used to pump the first stage of the amplifier while a 1480 nm laser is used to pump the second stage of the amplifier . to increase the gain in the second stage of the amplifier , light from the 980 pump can be used to pump both the first and second stages of the amplifier while the 1480 pump is simultaneously used to pump the second stage of the amplifier . optical isolators 40a , 40b and 40c are respectively positioned before the first stage , between the first and second amplifier stages , and following the second stage of the optical amplifier . optical isolators prevent backscattered radiation from travelling upstream in the optical system . optical isolators positioned between the stages of multiple - stage optical amplifiers improve amplifier performance by preventing second stage amplified spontaneous emission ( ase ) from reaching the first stage of the optical amplifier . note that each &# 34 ; x &# 34 ; depicted along the fiber transmission path indicates an optical splice or other interconnection element between adjacent amplifier constituents . optionally , optical taps 50a and 50b are positioned before the first amplifier stage and following the second amplifier stage for monitoring amplifier performance . optical tap 15b is further divided into two optical streams by 50 : 50 optical splitter 90 . when the optical amplifier is employed in an optical communication system which employs an optical service channel , the optical service channel may be optionally inserted and removed between the two amplifier stages through the use of four - port wavelength division multiplexer 80 the amplifier stages are interconnected through interconnection element 80 , selected to be a four - port wavelength division multiplexer . multiplexer 80 includes at least one wavelength selective member 82 , such as a multilayer interference filter , for selecting one or more optical service channels to enter and exit the communication system . for the amplifier of fig1 a service channel wavelength of 1625 nm is selected . this wavelength is outside the gain band of the erbium - doped optical fiber , ensuring survival of the service channel in the event of an optical pump failure . further description of the positioning of service channel add / drop elements between the stages of an optical amplifier are described in commonly - assigned u . s . pat . no . 5 , 532 , 864 , incorporated by reference above . additionally or alternatively , an add - drop multiplexer , such as that disclosed in co - pending , commonly assigned u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 784 , 909 , ( attorney docket no . 119mab ), may be optionally positioned between the stages of the optical amplifier . as depicted in fig1 each optical amplifier stage is positioned in a separate cassette . to further simplify amplifier manufacture , the components located between the two amplifier stages are themselves positioned in a separate cassette . although the three - cassette implementation decreases the complexity of individual amplifier cassettes , the only requirement of the modular amplifiers constructed in accordance with the present invention is that each amplifier stage be housed in a separate cassette . consequently , it is understood that the components positioned between the amplifier stages can be located in either of the two amplifier stage cassettes or divided between the two cassettes . it is further understood that the optical amplifier schematically depicted in fig1 is merely exemplary . further descriptions of optical amplifiers suitable for construction in accordance with the modular cassette system of the present invention are found in commonly - assigned , copending u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 554 , 976 ( attorney docket no . 106mab ), gowar , ed . optical communication systems , bjarklev , optical fiber amplifiers : design and system applications , ( artech house , norwood , mass . ), c . 1993 , and desurvire , erbium - doped fiber amplifiers , ( john wiley & amp ; sons , inc ., n . y . ), c . 1994 , the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference . fig2 depicts an optical amplifier module 100 for assembling the optical amplifier of fig1 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . amplifier module 100 includes first , second , and third amplifier cassettes 120 , 180 , and 160 which respectively house first amplifier stage 20 , interstage components 80 , 40b , and second amplifier stage 60 . amplifier module 100 is retained in a compact , vertically - stacked arrangement by fasteners 170 which engage through holes positioned in the corners of each cassette ( best seen in fig3 ). fig3 depicts the amplifier module of fig2 with parts separated ( but without optical fiber and optical components ) to illustrate cassette construction and interengagement with adjacent cassettes . as seen in fig3 each cassette includes a flat , tray - like base 111a , b , c , for receiving optical components and optical fiber . cassette walls 112a , b , c define an interior curved surface which corresponds to a permissible bend radius for the optical fiber employed in the amplifier . a pair of retaining walls 123a , b , and c in each cassette ( top walls are shown in fig3 bottom wall 123c is depicted in cassette 160 ) define an outer track for fiber retention against the interior cassette walls and additionally serve to separate the fiber from other optical components within the cassette . fiber retaining clips 115a , b , c extend from the cassette walls to assist in fiber guidance and organization within the cassette . fiber guiding projections 116a , b , and c extend from the base of the cassette for directing the fiber toward the fiber retaining clips to further aid in fiber organization within the cassette , particularly for fibers which extend to or from optical components placed within the cassette . to maintain fiber placement between the fiber guiding projections , resilient fiber retainers such as sponges ( not shown ) may be placed between the fiber guiding projections to hold the fiber between the projections . the configuration of the optical cassettes permits fiber to be wound within the cassette or , alternatively , pre - spooled fiber may be placed within the cassette and under the fiber retaining clips . it is noted that although fiber projections 116 and retaining walls 123 are shown as being integrally formed with the cassette these elements can alternatively be detachable from the cassette base such that retaining / guiding elements can be attached to the cassette base during assembly of the optical device within the cassette . for example , guiding projections 116 could be snap - fit into mating holes or recesses within the cassette base or could be glued to the cassette base . such detachable guiding / retaining projections may be desirable for example when using pre - wound fiber which is assembled simultaneously with the projections against the cassette base . wall channels 117a , b , c permit optical fibers from one cassette to pass to adjacent cassettes without the necessity of guiding fiber perpendicularly into through - holes within base plate . a second set of wall channels 117a , b , and c ( best seen in fig4 - 6 ) is provided in the opposing cassette wall . wall channels 117 intersect through - holes 122 ( best seen in fig4 - 6 ) formed in cassette base 111 . through this configuration , discussed below , optical fiber guided into wall channels 117 passes in the through - holes 122 of the cassette base , permitting simple interconnection of fiber from adjacent cassette levels . note that the vertical and horizontal configuration of the amplifier cassettes permits a sufficiently large bend radius for the fiber in both the vertical and horizontal directions . the edges of both the through - holes and the wall channels are rounded , preventing damage to the fibers which pass through the channels . cassette walls 112 further include projections 113a , b , c and recesses 114 a , b , c which interengage with adjacent cassette recesses and projections to interlock cassettes . projections 113 include a central through hole for receiving a threaded fastener . optionally , engagement / alignment pins ( not shown ) may be provided on the cassette base to interengage with recesses 114 to further assist in interlocking adjacent cassettes . through this cassette interengagement , the base of one cassette forms a top wall for the adjacent cassette . a cassette cover plate 118 forms the final wall of the top cassette following assembly of the vertically - stacked array . it is important to note that although the amplifier cassettes are vertically stacked in the exemplary embodiment , the cassettes can be mounted horizontally , with each cassette being provided with a cover plate . since the cassette layout is frequently dictated by overall optical system space constraints , the use of modular amplifier cassettes advantageously promotes overall design flexibility for an optical system and permits a variety of amplifier sizes and shapes . additionally each cassette may correspond to a particular function within an optical system ( e . g ., stand - alone gain block , add - drop multiplexer , pre - amplifier , etc .) allowing custom system configurations with minimal re - tooling . it is noted that although the cassettes are depicted as having a rectangular shape other shapes are possible including square , circular , triangular , etc . the organization of individual cassette components will be described with reference to fig4 , and 6 which depict top views of the amplifier stage cassettes and the inter - stage component cassette . fig4 depicts optical cassette 120 which includes first amplifier stage 20 as well as optical tap 50a , optical isolator 40a , and pump interconnection element 30 . to enable system component modularity , optical connectors , rather than optical splices , are provided for interconnecting the optical amplifier with an optical transmission line and for interconnecting the optical amplifier with optical pumps . to this end , pigtail fibers 51 and 52 extending from 2 % optical tap 50a and pigtail fiber 31 extending from 980 / 1550 wdm optical coupler 30 are connectorized prior to placement within amplifier cassette 120 . optical tap pigtail fiber 51 is provided with an fc / upc connector 53 , commercially available from seiko instruments , for connection with the optical system transmission path . pigtail fiber 52 is provided with an sc / apc connector 54 , commercially available from molex , for connection with an optical monitor . 980 / 1550 wdm optical coupler pigtail fiber 31 is provided with a diamond e2000 connector 32 , commercially available from diamond corp ., for connection with a 980 optical pump . the 980 nm optical pump is housed in an optical package separate from the optical amplifier to enhance system modularity and to permit easy service and replacement of the pump laser when required . the connectorized optical components are placed on cassette base 111a and retained in position through the use of a resilient adhesive such as rtv . alternatively , the optical components can be held against the cassette base through the use of mechanical fasteners integrally formed with the cassette base or received into retaining slots formed in the base . the connectorized component pigtails are positioned outside the amplifier cassette by placing the pigtail fibers 51 , 52 , and 31 through fiber ports 119a . excess pigtail fiber is looped around the interior cassette wall and passed under fiber retaining clips 115a . if insufficient fiber length is available for a complete fiber loop around the perimeter , the pigtail fiber is routed through central fiber guiding projections 121a and through guiding projections 116 to form an s - shaped fiber path each curve of which does not exceed the permissible bend radius of the optical fiber . fibers are optionally retained between the guiding projections with resilient retainers such as anti - static sponges . it is noted that the various retaining means in the cassette ( and in the vertical assembly of adjacent cassettes ) enable only vertical and horizontal routing combinations having a 2 . 5 inch bend radius , a permissible bend radius for the fiber employed . in this manner , all fiber routing will result only in acceptable fiber curvature , ensuring proper operation of the resultant devices . to create the optical amplifier of fig1 the pigtail fiber 55 of 2 % tap 50a and the pigtail fiber 41 of optical isolator 40a are spliced together . similarly , pigtail fiber 42 of optical isolator 40a is spliced to pigtail fiber 32 of 980 / 1550 wdm optical coupler 30 . the remaining pigtail fiber 33 of 980 / 1550 optical coupler 30 is spliced to the erbium fiber 20 which comprises the first stage of the optical amplifier . for clarity of presentation , erbium fiber 20 is not depicted in fig4 but is shown in fig7 a - 7c where the assembly of cassettes 120 , 160 , and 180 is depicted . the unspliced end of the erbium fiber 20 is routed through one of wall channels 117a for later splicing to the pigtail fiber of optical isolator 40b . it is noted that during construction of the optical cassette , the strength and optical power transmission of each optical splice ( or other optical connection ) is tested before moving on to the next optical splice in order to permit resplicing ( if necessary ) prior to connection with a further optical component . in this manner , the overall splice loss and power transmission for each optical cassette is determined prior to its assembly with other cassettes or into a device system . the determination of individual cassette performance permits uncomplicated troubleshooting within the individual cassette and facilitates rework of unacceptable cassettes before they are fabricated into a larger system . fig5 depicts amplifier cassette 180 for housing optical components positioned between the stages of the optical amplifier . as with amplifier cassette 120 , optical components are connectorized or to positioning within the optical cassette . to this end , pigtail fibers 81 and 82 of 1550 / 1625 wdm coupler 80 are respectively provided with bsc connectors 83 and 84 , commercially available from molex . these connectors will couple the optical signal to and from a service channel modem for receiving and transmitting the optical service channel . as with the connectorized pigtail fibers in the first amplifier cassette , pigtail fibers 81 and 82 are retained in fiber port 119b to permit connector placement outside the amplifier cassette . optical isolator 40b includes pigtail fiber 45 for splicing to the erbium fiber from the first amplifier cassette ( not depicted in this fig . for clarity of presentation . the interconnection of the erbium fiber comprising the first and second stages and its routing between cassettes is depicted in fig7 a - 7c ). a second isolator pigtail fiber 46 is routed around the optical cassette and spliced to 1550 / 1625 wdm coupler pigtail fiber 85 . the last wdm pigtail fiber 86 will be spliced to the erbium fiber which forms the second stage of the optical amplifier . fig6 depicts the third optical amplifier cassette 160 . amplifier cassette 160 houses 1480 / 1550 wdm optical coupler 70 , isolator 40c , 2 % optical tap 50b and 50 : 50 optical splitter 90 . as in the previous cassettes , each component is secured to the cassette base through adhesives . wdm optical coupler 70 includes pigtail fiber 71 for splicing to erbium fiber 60 ( not shown ) which forms the second stage of the optical amplifier . pump energy from a 1480 pump ( not shown ) enters coupler 70 through second pigtail fiber 73 which is provided with diamond connector 75 . the amplified optical signal exits the 1480 / 1550 optical coupler through third pigtail fiber 72 which is spliced to input pigtail fiber 48 of isolator 40c . the output pigtail fiber 49 of isolator 40c is spliced to pigtail fiber 57 of optical tap 50b . the majority of the optical signal is output by the optical tap onto tap output pigtail 58 which is provided with fc connector 65 for interconnection with the primary optical transmission path of an optical system . the 2 % portion of the optical signal is output onto optical tap output pigtail 59 which is spliced to pigtail fiber 91 of optical splitter 90 . first splitter output pigtail 92 is provided with sc connector 93 for interconnection with an optical monitor for analyzing the amplifier performance . second splitter output pigtail 94 is provided with fc connector 96 for routing a portion of the amplifier output signal to an external signal monitor ( e . g ., a customer spectrum analyzer or power monitor ). as discussed previously , the individual optical cassettes of fig4 - 6 can be assembled vertically to form a stacked cassette arrangement . the interconnection of the optical fibers between adjacent cassettes will be discussed with reference to this vertical assembly , depicted in fig7 a - 7c . however , it is understood that the interconnection of the fibers between the cassettes applies equally to cassettes formed into adjacent horizontal arrays ( with cassette covers provided for each individual cassette ). fig7 a shows the interconnection of the erbium fiber from the first cassette ( cassette 120 ) to the second cassette . erbium fiber 20 is spliced to pigtail fiber 33 of 980 / 1550 coupler 30 ( not shown in fig7 a for clarity ) at a first end and is spliced to pigtail fiber 45 of optical isolator 40b . the erbium fiber and the pigtail fiber are respectively routed through channels 117a and 117b of cassettes 120 and 180 where they pass into through - holes 122 . sufficient slack fiber is provided to allow the vertical assembly of the cassettes . in fig7 b , cassette 180 is stacked upon cassette 120 . as can be seen from the relative position of the pigtail fiber from isolator 40b in cassette 180 , the cassettes are rotated during the stacking operation . this rotation relieves the stress produced in the fiber during the splicing operation . the slack fiber is taken up during the rotation to form at least a portion of a fiber loop within the second cassette . following rotation and stacking , the fiber which straddles the two cassettes rises at an acute angle through the passage formed by through - holes 122 . this gradual rise of the fiber between adjacent cassettes is best seen in fig8 . it is important to note that the intersection of wall channels 117 and through holes 122 permits the low - angle rise whereas through - holes alone subject interconnecting fiber to high angles as it passes between levels . fig7 c depicts the addition of cassette 160 to the vertically - stacked array and the routing of the first and second stages of erbium fiber within the array . erbium fiber 60 is spliced to pigtail fiber 71 of 1480 / 1550 wdm optical coupler in cassette 160 ( not shown for clarity ); the unspliced end is routed through channel 117c where it is spliced to the pigtail fiber 86 from 1550 / 1625 wdm optical coupler 80 . as with the assembly of cassettes 120 and 180 , the assembly of cassettes 180 and 160 involves the rotation of the cassette 160 relative to cassette 180 to relieve the built in stress and take up the fiber slack . following the vertical assembly of cassettes 120 , 180 , and 160 , the fibers pass through a vertical channel formed by vertically - stacked through holes 122 , as shown in fig8 . although the fibers passed through channels 117 during assembly , they are now completely retained internally within the interior vertical channel . the gradual rise of the fibers is within the permissible bend radius ; thus the cassette design ensures both horizontal and vertical conformance with bend radius standards . after the vertical assembly of the cassettes , cover 118 is placed over cassette 180 and fasteners are inserted into the through - holes of wall projections 113 to retain the vertical cassette assembly . to permit the optical amplifier module 100 to be mounted in standard telecommunications racks and to provide a fixture for the various optical connectors , circuit board 200 is provided as depicted in fig9 and 10 . as shown in fig9 two amplifier modules 100 are mounted on circuit board 200 . each amplifier module amplifies signal traffic in a particular direction , west - east or east - west , within an optical communication system . circuit board 200 interconnects with front cover 210 through which fc connectors 53 , 65 , and 96 project for respectively passing the wdm signal input , the amplified wdm signal output , and the optical monitoring wdm signal portion output . diamond connectors 32 and 75 also project through the front cover for respectively interconnecting with the 980 and 1480 optical pumps . on the optical backplane , optical connectors 83 and 84 are mounted for interconnection with a service channel modem . fig1 depicts the reverse side of circuit board 200 . as seen in fig1 , optical connectors 93 and 54 are pass through circuit board apertures 220 and 230 . these connectors , which interconnect with optical taps 50a and 50b , are mounted adjacent optical monitors for measuring amplifier performance . while the foregoing invention has been described in terms of the embodiments discussed above , numerous variations are possible . for example , the individual optical cassettes used to create a two - stage amplifier can also be used to create amplifiers having three or more stages . the compact design of the individual amplifier stages provides great flexibility in the cassette mounting in standard telecommunication rack systems , whether stacked in a horizontal or vertical array . each individual cassette may correspond to a functional module within an optical system an can therefore be used individually at any given point in a system . the fiber optic cassettes can be used for various purposes besides optical amplifiers . such applications include add / drop multiplexers , splice organizers , service channel insertion / removal modules , circulator - based optical subsystems , optical circuits , and the like . accordingly , modifications and changes such as those suggested above , but not limited thereto , are considered to be within the scope of following claims .

7Electricity

referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings , the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described . referring to fig1 , a rail 1 includes a body portion 3 and a detent portion 5 . the body 3 of the rail 1 is elongated , flat and generally rectangular in cross - section . the detent portion 5 is formed adjacent only one end of the body 3 . the rail 1 of the present invention can be formed of any material that can provide the necessary rigidity to a windshield wiper blade , while permitting the windshield wiper blade to conform to the curvature of the windshield of a vehicle . it is preferred that the rail 1 of the present invention be constructed from stainless steel ; however , other materials will be readily understood to one having ordinary skill in the art . referring to fig1 a , the detent portion 5 includes a pair of cut - outs 7 , which form a pair of hooks 9 on each side of the detent portion 5 . referring to fig3 - 5 of the present invention , a rail 1 is received in a windshield wiper blade 13 of a windshield wiper assembly on each of opposite sides thereof . the windshield wiper blade 13 can also be referred to as a squeegee or rubber squeegee . specifically , the rails 1 are received in slots 15 formed in sides of the windshield wiper blade 13 . a claw 17 of the windshield wiper assembly is received in the detent portions 5 of each of the rails 1 . specifically , the outer openings 7 in each of the detent portions 5 of the rails 1 receive the claw 17 of the windshield wiper assembly , while the inner hooks 9 of the detent portion in each of the rails 1 cooperate with each other to secure the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . referring to fig2 a and 3 of the present invention , the rails 1 according to the first construction of the first embodiment of the present invention include hooks 9 extending outwardly from a top of the detent portion 5 and hooks 9 extending from a bottom of the detent portion 5 . when the rails 1 are mounted to the windshield wiper blade 13 , the top hooks 9 in one rail 1 are oriented to extend toward a center of the windshield wiper assembly and the top hooks 9 in the opposite rail 1 are oriented to extend away from the center of the windshield wiper assembly . in view of this , when the claw 15 is received within the cut - outs 7 , the hooks 9 in each of the rails 1 cooperate with each other to secure the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . referring to fig3 , the windshield wiper blade 13 is made of a flexible material . in view of this , when the claw 17 is secured within the detent portions 5 of the rails 1 , the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 flexes and the hooks 9 push into the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 to secure the windshield wiper blade 13 to the windshield wiper assembly in a secure manner . in view of this , the windshield wiper blade 13 is prevented from sliding with respect to the claw 17 and therefore the windshield wiper assembly . it should be noted that it is preferred that the hooks 9 of the opposite rails 1 overlap each other with the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 being located therebetween . in fig3 , the hooks are not illustrated in overlapping manner ; however , it is preferred that each of the hooks 9 of the rails 1 cross over the center line 19 , so that the hooks 9 overlap each other . this provides a more secure attachment of the rails 1 to the windshield wiper blade 13 . referring to fig3 , the material of the windshield wiper blade 3 bulges at 21 to permit the hooks 9 to overlap with each other when the rails are secured by the claw 17 . since the opposite rails 1 include hooks that are displaced vertically from each other , rather than aligned with each other , the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 is allowed to be displaced to form the bulges 21 . this bulging of the windshield wiper blade 13 further secures the rails 1 to the windshield wiper blade 13 . referring again to fig1 of the present invention , a central portion of the detent portion 1 is formed to have a width which is greater than a width of the body 3 . in view of this , when the claw 17 is mounted within the cut - outs 7 of the detent portion 5 of the rails 1 , a force applied to rails 1 is increased , such that the rails 1 are pushed further inward toward the center of the windshield wiper assembly . it should be understood that increasing the width of the central portion in conjunction with decreasing the width of the claw 17 will control the amount of overlap , if any , of the hooks 9 of the cooperating rails 1 . referring to fig2 b of the present invention , the second construction of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described . fig2 b is a cross - section along the lines 2 - 2 of fig1 a and illustrates the second construction of the first embodiment of the present invention , which includes a top portion of the detent portion 5 having a thickness which is decreased across an entire width . in view of this , the hooks 9 on one side of the rail 1 are thicker than the hooks 9 on the opposite side of the rail 1 . accordingly , when the rails 1 according to the second construction of the first embodiment of the present invention are mounted to the windshield wiper blade 13 , the thicker hooks 9 on one rail cooperate with the thinner hooks of the opposite rail to secure the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . the second construction of the first embodiment of the present invention has not been illustrated in use with the windshield wiper blade 13 ; however , the operation can easily be understood from a review of fig3 . of course , as would be understood to one having ordinary skill in the art , when the rails 1 of fig2 b are mounted to the windshield wiper blade 13 , the pair of rails 1 are oriented so that the hooks 9 on one side of the detent portion 5 of a first of the pair of rails 1 extend outwardly from a top of the first rail 1 to engage the windshield wiper claw 17 and the hooks 9 on one side of the detent portion 5 of a second of the pair of rails 1 extend outwardly from a bottom of the second rail 1 to engage the windshield wiper claw 17 . in this way , as mentioned above , the thicker hooks 9 on one rail 1 cooperate with the thinner hooks 9 of the opposite rail 1 to secure the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . referring to fig2 c of the present invention , the third construction of the first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated . fig2 c is also a cross - section along the line 2 - 2 of fig1 a . referring to fig2 c , the cross - section of the detent portion 5 of the rail 1 is the same as the second construction of the first embodiment of fig2 b , except that the hooks 9 on one side have been bent upwardly and the hooks 9 on the opposite side have been bent downwardly . referring to fig4 of the present invention , the third construction of the first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically in use . specifically , the rails 1 are mounted in the slots 15 of the windshield wiper blade 13 . the rail 1 on one side of the windshield wiper blade 13 is mounted such that the hooks having an upward bend extend toward the center line 19 , while the rail 1 on the opposite side is mounted such that the hooks having a downward bend extend toward the center line 19 . in view of this , when the claw 17 is received within the openings 7 in each of the rails 1 , the inner hooks of the rails 1 overlap each other and secure the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween the rail 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is manufactured by forming a generally rectangular base member . a portion of the base member is stamped to decrease the thickness of the base member and therefore form the base portion 3 and the decreased thickness portion which will be used for the detent portion 5 . in fig2 a , the stamping is carried out by a top die and a bottom die ( not shown ) that have raised portions to form the decreased thickness portion to have the cross - sectional shape illustrated in fig2 a . specifically , the stamping is carried out to form a decreased thickness portion 23 on the bottom on one side of the detent portion 5 and a decreased thickness portion 25 on the top on the opposite side of the detent portion 5 . as an alternative , the bottom die can be flat and the top die can have raised portions to form the decreased thickness portion into the shape illustrated in fig2 b . specifically , the stamping is carried out to form a decreased thickness portion 23 on one side of the detent portion 5 which is thinner than a decreased thickness portion 25 on the opposite side of the detent portion 5 . the next step in the manufacture of the rail 1 is to cut out portions of the decreased thickness portions 23 , 25 on each side of the detent portion 5 to form the cut - outs 7 . in fig2 a and 2b , the cut - outs are formed without bending the hooks 9 , while in fig2 c , the cut - outs are formed at the same time as the hooks on one side of the rail 1 bent upwardly and the hooks 9 on the opposite side are bent downwardly . the cutting and bending in the third construction of the first embodiment of fig2 c can easily be performed by a die having a cutting portion and a bending portion ( not shown ). referring to fig5 , the first construction of the first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in perspective view along with a windshield wiper blade 13 . as identified by the arrow , the rail 1 is inserted into the slot 15 on each side of the windshield wiper blade 13 . the inner hooks 9 of the illustrated rail 1 ( the other rail is not shown ) engage a bottom of the inner wall of the slot 15 , since the inner hooks 9 extend from a bottom of the detent portion 5 . as can be understood , the rail on the opposite side would have the inner hooks 9 extending from the top side of the detent portion 5 so that the inner rails 9 of the two rails cooperate with each other to secure the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . this arrangement is clearly illustrated in fig3 . after the rails 1 are inserted into the slots 15 , the claw 17 is secured within the outer cut - outs in each of the rails 1 . this forces the inner hooks 9 to overlap with each other to strongly secure the windshield wiper blade 13 to the rails 1 to prevent sliding of the windshield wiper blade 13 . referring to fig6 - 10 , a second embodiment of the present invention will be described . the second embodiment is similar to the operation of the second construction of the first embodiment of the present invention that is illustrated in fig2 b . the same reference numerals have been used in fig6 - 10 to identify the same or similar elements . therefore , only the differences between the first and second embodiments will be described in detail . referring to fig9 , a cross - section along the lines 9 - 9 of fig6 a is illustrated . cut - outs 7 are formed on each side of the detent portion 5 . however , four hooks 9 are formed on the inside ( the side intended to face the windshield wiper blade 13 ) of each rails 1 and two hooks are formed on the outside ( the side intended to face the claw 17 ) of each of the rails 1 ( see fig8 ). in addition , a top portion of the detent portion 5 has a thickness , which is decreased across an entire width . however , the hooks 9 on one side of the rail 1 are the same thickness as the hooks 9 on the opposite side of the rail 1 . when the rails 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention are mounted to the windshield wiper blade 13 , the hooks 9 on one rail cooperate with the hooks of the opposite rail to secure the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention can be understood from a review of fig1 . specifically , when the rails 1 of the second embodiment are mounted to the windshield wiper blade 13 , the pair of rails 1 are oriented so that the hooks 9 on one side of the detent portion 5 of a first of the pair of rails 1 extend outwardly from a top of the first rail 1 to engage the windshield wiper claw 17 and the hooks 9 on one side of the detent portion 5 of a second of the pair of rails 1 extend outwardly from a bottom of the second rail 1 to engage the windshield wiper claw 17 . in this way , as mentioned above , the four hooks 9 on one rail 1 cooperate with the four hooks 9 of the opposite rail 1 to secure the material of the windshield wiper blade 13 therebetween . in addition , the two hooks 9 of each of the rails 1 extend outwardly to cooperate with the windshield wiper claw 17 . the second embodiment of the present invention is advantageous , since four hooks 9 on each rail 1 are provide facing the windshield wiper blade . this construction improves the holding strength of the rails 1 , since four hooks engage the windshield wiper blade 13 . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

[ 0011 ] fig1 and fig2 depict two block diagrams of an apparatus and corresponding method for managing and routing data streams to one or more output ports having one or more output links . as depicted in fig1 an output port 102 includes a plurality of output links 104 , 106 , and 108 . each of the output links 104 , 106 , and 108 includes an integer counter 110 , 112 , and 114 associated therewith . each of the integer counters is incremented in response to a predetermined event associated with transmission of data to the respective link . each of the integer counters 110 , 112 , and 114 have a corresponding sample logic module 116 , 118 , and 120 associated therewith . the sampling logic periodically samples the integer counter and latches the integer count contained therein . the integer count is provided to a calculation logic 122 . the calculation logic 122 uses the data rate information from each link to determine the link usage parameters associated with the particular link . in particular , the link calculation logic 122 determines a mean data rate value , a data rate error value , and a deviation error value for the corresponding link . as will be explained in more detail below , the calculation logic 122 provides one or more of these determined link usage parameters to a port routing logic 124 that is used to route an incoming data stream 101 to a particular link . the sampling logic 116 , 118 , and 120 are used to periodically sample the integer counter 110 , 112 , and 114 associated therewith at a particular sample rate . in general the data stream is divided into a series of consecutive time slots , wherein the integer counter is sampled at substantially the same point within each timeslot . the selection of a timeslot size is a system specific parametric and is determined by the counter size , the size of a data input memory data buffer , and the data rate . in general , the data input memory buffer is able to absorb some variation in the data throughput rate , such that the timeslot size and sample period should be selected to avoid deviations in data rate that are unable to be absorbed by the buffer . the calculation logic 122 first determines an error value for timeslot “ n ” that is equal to the quantity of data transferred in the timeslot minus the historical mean data rate value , i . e ., the mean data rate value as determined in the previous timeslot . the current mean data rate value is equal to the mean data rate value of the previous timeslot minus the error value of the current timeslot times a first predetermined multiplier . the current deviation data rate value is equal to the deviation value of the previous timeslot plus the product of a second predetermined multiplier multiplied by the difference of the absolute value of the error value of the current timeslot minus the deviation value of the previous timeslot . these equations are illustrated below . d n = d n − 1 + g *(| err n | d n − 1 ) ( 3 ) where n is the current time slot and n — 1 is the previous time slot , and h and g are typically negative powers of two . in general h is greater than g . in a preferred embodiment h is equal to ¼ th and g is equal to ⅛ th . accordingly , the preferred embodiment of the system is able to advantageously provide data in a more timely fashion than current systems that use floating point calculations by using integer calculations . each link therefore has associated therewith an estimated mean and an estimated deviation of the data rate through the link that may be used by a data stream management system . in particular , a data stream management system can include routing logic that receives a data stream as an input and provides a portion of that data stream to a predetermined port or link , wherein the port or link is selected as a function of the current mean data rate value and the current deviation data rate value of the available port or link . in particular , a bandwidth metric for each port or link may be determined by adding the current mean data rate value to the product of a third predetermined multiplier , “ k ”, and the current deviation data rate value . this is equivalent to expressing the data rate value within a selected confidence interval , such that for a particular value of k , the probability that the mean data rate value will be within that range is predetermined . for example , for k = 1 the mean data rate value will be within plus or minus one deviation of the calculated value with a probability of approximately 0 . 7 . for k = 2 , the probability that the mean data rate value will be within the particular confidence interval that is plus or minus two deviations of the mean data rate value with a probability that is approximately 0 . 95 , and for k = 3 , the probability that the data rate mean value will be within the confidence interval that is plus or minus three deviations of the mean data rate value with a probability that is 0 . 99 . thus , the bandwidth metric calculated above can be used as an estimate of the traffic carried on a particular link within specific confidence intervals . using the above calculated metric , load balancing may be performed by the data stream management system . in particular , data rate estimators , i . e ., the mean data rate value and a deviation data rate value are calculated for each link and the utilized bandwidth metric described above is calculated for each link as well . when a data stream is received by the routing logic , the routing logic is provided with the utilized bandwidth metrics calculated for each of the links connected thereto . the routing logic is configured and arranged such that the incoming data stream is routed to the link having the lowest utilized bandwidth metric as calculated using the methods described above . in this way the incoming data stream is provided to the link having the most available bandwidth out of the selection of links . in one embodiment , a value of k = 3 is used to provide a confidence interval as described above of approximately 0 . 9973 . selecting a higher confidence interval , i . e ., selecting a larger value of k , allows for a higher probability that the particular link will be able to handle the bandwidth and data rate of the switched traffic and that there is a lower probability that the particular link will be blocked or otherwise overtaxed and result in the loss of data . in the event that two links have the same value of the bandwidth metric calculated above , a predetermined criteria can be used to select which of the two links receives the data stream . [ 0017 ] fig2 depicts another embodiment of the presently described data stream management system 200 in which data rate parameters are determined for one or more output ports each of which includes a plurality of links associated therewith . the data rate parameters calculated for each output port are used to route additional data streams to a particular output port but not necessarily to an individual link within that port . in particular , as depicted in fig2 the plurality of output ports 202 , 204 , and 206 each include a link routing module 208 , 210 , and 212 respectively , and a plurality of links associated with each output port and coupled to the respective link routing module . in particular , port 202 includes links 201 , 203 , and 205 , port 204 includes links 207 , 209 , and 211 , and port 206 includes links 213 , 215 , and 217 . each port 202 , 204 , and 206 has associated therewith an integer counter 214 , 216 , and 218 respectively that receives an incoming data stream 218 from port routing logic 228 . each counter 214 , 216 , and 218 has associated therewith sampling logic 220 , 222 , and 224 respectively . the integer counters each respond to a predetermined event associated with a transmission of data by incrementing its internal counter . the sampling logic is configured and arranged to periodically sample the corresponding integer counter and to provide this data count to a calculation logic 226 . the calculation logic 226 determines parameters associated with each output port and provides this data to the port routing logic 228 . in particular , the calculation module 226 determines the aggregate port parameters using equations 1 , 2 , and 3 above . in one embodiment , the calculation logic module 226 also computes the bandwidth metric as described above for each port . the calculation module then subtracts the bandwidth metric for each port from the total available bandwidth of that port and provides this difference for each port to the port routing logic 228 . the port routing logic 228 receives an incoming data stream and switches this incoming data stream to the port having the largest difference value calculated above . in this way , the port routing logic 228 switches the incoming data stream to the output port having the largest available bandwidth . by selecting k sufficiently large in the formula above for the bandwidth metric , i . e ., 3 or 4 , a large confidence interval of the upper and lower values of the data is established . thus , there will be a high probability that the average data rate for the corresponding port will be within the upper and lower values determined by the end points of the confidence interval . accordingly , a higher probability can assure that the particular output port will not need extra bandwidth above that which has been already allocated . therefore based on the upper and lower end points determined above , lower priority data may be transmitted through a port that has been reserved for higher priority data with a high probability that the port will not be overtaxed with the concomitant loss of data and blockage . in this way , telecom and data service providers may utilize these data links for other , lower priority traffic . this allows the telecom and data service providers an opportunity to increase the revenue available from these data links by utilizing more of the available bandwidth with a high degree of confidence that the lower priority data added to the link will not result in the blockage and potential loss of higher priority data . [ 0020 ] fig3 depicts a flow chart illustrating a method for generating a plurality of metrics indicative of link utilization via integer operations for use in load balancing . in particular , a plurality of output ports receives a corresponding plurality of data streams , as depicted in step 300 . each data stream is transmitted from the corresponding output port , as depicted in step 302 . for each of the plurality of output ports , an integer counter associated with the respective output port is incremented in response to the transmission of the data stream from the output port , as depicted in step 304 . for each of the plurality of output ports , the respective integer counters is periodically sampled and a value indicative of the quantity of data transmitted through the respective output port is obtained , as depicted in step 306 . for each of the plurality of output ports , the metric is calculated from a current error value , a current mean value , and a current deviation value as discussed above and as depicted in step 308 . more specifically , the current error value is equal to the quantity of data transmitted through the respective output port in the last sampling period minus a historical mean value of the data transmitted through the respective output port over one or more sampling periods . the current mean value is equal to the historical mean value of the data transmitted through the respective output port over one or more sampling periods plus the product of a first predetermined multiplier times the current error value of the respective output port . the current deviation value is equal to a historical deviation value , which is the deviation value over one or more sampling periods , plus the product of a second predetermined multiplier multiplied by the difference of the absolute value of the current error value for the respective output port minus the historical deviation value for the respective output port . based on the metrics for the respective ports , a determination may be made as to which output port the next incoming data stream is to be routed , as depicted in step 310 . [ 0021 ] fig4 depicts a flow chart illustrating a method for generating at least one metric indicative of the link utilization via integer operations for assigning unused transmission bandwidth . in particular a data stream is received by an output port , as depicted in step 400 . the data stream is transmitted from the output port , as depicted in step 402 . an integer counter associated with the output port is incremented in response to the transmission of the data stream from the output port , as depicted in step 404 . the integer counter is sampled and a value indicative of the quantity of data transmitted through the output port during the sampling period is obtained , as depicted in step 406 . a metric is generated for the output port , based on a current error value , a current mean value , and a current deviation value , as depicted in step 408 . the current error value is equal to the quantity of data transmitted through the output port in the last sampling period minus a historical mean value of the data transmitted through the port over one or more sampling periods . the current mean value is equal to the historical mean value of the data transmitted through the output port over one or more sampling periods plus the product of a first predetermined multiplier times the current error value . the current deviation value is equal to a historical deviation value , which is the deviation value of the output port over one or more sampling periods , plus the product of a second predetermined multiplier multiplied by the difference of the absolute value of the current error value minus the historical deviation value . the metric indicative of link utilization is generated as discussed above . based on the link utilization metric , a determination is made as discussed above , whether lower priority data traffic is to be transmitted via the output port . those of ordinary skill in the art should further appreciate that variations to and modifications of the above described methods and apparatus for data stream management system and method can be made . accordingly , the invention should not be viewed as limited except by the scope and spirit of the appended claims .

7Electricity

fig1 schematically illustrates an example gas turbine engine 20 that includes a fan section 22 , a compressor section 24 , a combustor section 26 and a turbine section 28 . alternative engines might include an augmenter section ( not shown ) among other systems or features . the fan section 22 drives air along a bypass flow path b while the compressor section 24 draws air in along a core flow path c where air is compressed and communicated to a combustor section 26 . in the combustor section 26 , air is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high pressure exhaust gas stream that expands through the turbine section 28 where energy is extracted and utilized to drive the fan section 22 and the compressor section 24 . although the disclosed non - limiting embodiment depicts a turbofan gas turbine engine , 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 ; for example a turbine engine including a three - spool architecture in which three spools concentrically rotate about a common axis and where a low spool enables a low pressure turbine to drive a fan via a gearbox , an intermediate spool that enables an intermediate pressure turbine to drive a first compressor of the compressor section , and a high spool that enables a high pressure turbine to drive a high pressure compressor of the compressor section . the example 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 connects a fan having fan blades 42 and a low pressure ( or first ) compressor section 44 to a low pressure ( or first ) turbine section 46 . the inner shaft 40 drives the fan blades 42 through a speed change device , such as a geared architecture 48 , to drive the fan blades 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 a high pressure ( or second ) turbine section 54 . the inner shaft 40 and the outer shaft 50 are concentric and rotate via the bearing systems 38 about the engine central longitudinal axis a . a combustor 56 is arranged between the high pressure compressor 52 and the high pressure turbine 54 . in one example , the high pressure turbine 54 includes at least two stages to provide a double stage high pressure turbine 54 . in another example , the high pressure turbine 54 includes only a single stage . as used herein , a “ high pressure ” compressor or turbine experiences a higher pressure than a corresponding “ low pressure ” compressor or turbine . the example low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about 5 . the pressure ratio of the example low pressure turbine 46 is measured prior to an inlet of the low pressure turbine 46 as related to the pressure measured at the outlet of the low pressure turbine 46 prior to an exhaust nozzle . 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 further supports bearing systems 38 in the turbine section 28 as well as setting airflow entering the low pressure turbine 46 . the core airflow c is compressed by the low pressure compressor 44 then by the high pressure compressor 52 mixed with fuel and ignited in the combustor 56 to produce high speed exhaust gases that are then expanded through the high pressure turbine 54 and low pressure turbine 46 . the mid - turbine frame 57 includes vanes 59 , which are in the core airflow path and function as an inlet guide vane for the low pressure turbine 46 . utilizing the vane 59 of the mid - turbine frame 57 as the inlet guide vane for low pressure turbine 46 decreases the length of the low pressure turbine 46 without increasing the axial length of the mid - turbine frame 57 . reducing or eliminating the number of vanes in the low pressure turbine 46 shortens the axial length of the turbine section 28 . thus , the compactness of the gas turbine engine 20 is increased and a higher power density may be achieved . the disclosed gas turbine engine 20 in one example is a high - bypass geared aircraft engine . in a further example , the gas turbine engine 20 includes a bypass ratio greater than about six ( 6 ), with an example embodiment being greater than about ten ( 10 ). the example geared architecture 48 is an epicyclical gear train , such as a planetary gear system , star gear system or other known gear system , with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2 . 3 . in one disclosed embodiment , the gas turbine engine 20 includes a bypass ratio greater than about ten ( 10 : 1 ) and the fan diameter is significantly larger than an outer diameter of the low pressure compressor 44 . it should be understood , however , that the above parameters are only exemplary of one embodiment of a gas turbine engine including a geared architecture and that the present disclosure is applicable to other gas turbine engines . 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 pound - mass ( lbm ) of fuel per hour being burned divided by pound - force ( lbf ) of thrust the engine produces at that minimum point . “ low 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 . 50 . in another non - limiting embodiment the low fan pressure ratio 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 ° r )/( 518 . 7 ° r )] 0 . 5 . the “ low corrected fan tip speed ”, as disclosed herein according to one non - limiting embodiment , is less than about 1150 ft / second . the fan section 22 is shown in more detail in fig2 a - 2c . the fan section 22 includes multiple circumferentially arranged fan blades 42 . platforms 60 , or spacers , are arranged between adjacent fan blades 42 and may be integral with or discrete from the fan blades 42 . referring to fig2 a and 2b , the fan blades 42 are mounted to a fan hub 62 . a nose cone 64 is arranged forward of the fan blades 42 to provide an aerodynamic inner flowpath through the fan section 22 along with the platforms 60 . the nose cone 64 is provided by a spinner 66 and a cap 70 . the nose cone 66 is secured to the fan hub 62 , via a lock ring 96 ( fig2 b ), by fasteners 68 . the cap 70 is secured to the spinner 66 by fasteners 72 . a one - piece nose cone may also be used in which the cap 70 is integrated with the spinner 66 . referring to fig2 b , the platform 60 includes first and second flanges 74 , 76 secured to corresponding attachment features on the fan hub 62 respectively by fasteners 78 , 80 . the fasteners 68 , 72 , 78 , 80 are schematically depicted in fig2 a and 2b by simple , thickened lines for clarity . the arrangement shown in fig2 b is exemplary , and other platform configurations may be used , if desired . referring to fig2 c , each fan blade 42 has an airfoil 82 . each platform 60 has an outer surface 84 , which together form a ring with the other platforms 60 , spaced about axis a to provide an aerodynamic inner flow path surface . though close fitting , a circumferential gap 86 exists between each platform outer surface 84 and an adjacent fan blade 42 . each gap 86 is blocked with a seal 88 to minimize a loss of airflow through the gas turbine engine 10 . as shown in fig3 , a single lock ring 96 is used to axially retain the fan blades to the fan hub 62 . the spinner 66 is secured directly to the lock ring 96 using first and second fastening elements 100 , 108 . in the example shown , an integral flange 110 of the spinner 66 is secured to the lock ring 96 . a separate bracket may be used if desired . access to the second fastening element 108 is provided through a cavity 109 of the spinner 66 with the cap 70 ( illustrated in fig2 a ) removed . referring to fig4 a and 4b , the fan hub 62 includes an annular recess 92 that receives the lock ring 96 in a locked position . an unlocked position is illustrated in fig4 a . circumferentially spaced apart hub tabs 94 are provided on the fan hub 62 . in the unlocked position , circumferentially spaced ring tabs 98 are received in the gaps provided between the hub tabs 94 to permit the lock ring 96 to be slid into the annular recess 92 . the lock ring 96 is rotated from this unlocked position to at least partially align the hub tabs 94 and the ring tabs 98 , which prevents axial movement of the lock ring 96 with respect to the fan hub 62 . in this position , a back side of the lock ring 96 abuts the roots 99 of the fan blades 42 , as shown in fig4 b . with continuing reference to fig4 b , the first fastening element 100 , which is a bolt in the example , extends through a hole 106 in the lock ring 96 . as best shown in fig5 , a back side of the lock ring 96 includes a locating feature 104 , such a notch , which cooperates with a head 102 of the first fastening element 100 to prevent rotation of the first fastening element 100 during tightening of the second fastening element 108 . returning to fig4 b , the flange 110 includes an inner diameter 124 , which cooperates with an annular shoulder 122 of the fan hub 62 to precisely locate the spinner 66 relative to the fan hub on the common axis a . the spinner could be radially located with respect to the lock ring 96 , if desired . a corresponding aperture 112 in the flange 110 receives the first fastening element 100 . the flange 110 is secured to the first fastening element 100 by tightening of the second fastening element 108 , which is a nut in the example . multiple circumferentially arranged locating elements , in this example , pins 118 are used to circumferentially lock the lock ring 96 with respect to the fan hub 62 , as shown in fig6 . first and second slots 114 , 116 , which are arcuate in shape in one example , are respectively provided in the lock ring 96 and the fan hub 62 to receive discrete pins 118 in an interference fit relationship . in the example , the pins 118 prevent rotational movement of the lock ring 96 relative the fan hub 62 . an end of each pin 120 is generally flush with respect to a front face of the lock ring 96 , as best shown in fig7 . the flange 110 abuts the ends 120 to prevent the pins 118 from backing out of the first and second slots 114 , 116 . 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

fig1 a illustrates a general partial fragmentary schematic view of a gas turbofan engine 10 suspended from an engine pylon 12 within an engine nacelle assembly n as is typical of an aircraft designed for subsonic operation . the turbofan engine 10 includes a core engine within a core nacelle c that houses a low spool 14 and high spool 24 . the low spool 14 includes a low pressure compressor 16 and low pressure turbine 18 . the low spool 14 drives a fan section 20 connected to the low spool 14 either directly or through a gear train 25 . the high spool 24 includes a high pressure compressor 26 and high pressure turbine 28 . a combustor 30 is arranged between the high pressure compressor 26 and high pressure turbine 28 . the low and high spools 14 , 24 rotate about an engine axis of rotation a . the engine 10 in one non - limiting embodiment is a high - bypass geared architecture aircraft engine . in one disclosed , non - limiting embodiment , the engine 10 bypass ratio is greater than about six ( 6 ), with an example embodiment being greater than about ten ( 10 ), the gear train 25 is an epicyclic gear train such as a planetary gear system or other gear system with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2 . 3 and the low pressure turbine 18 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about 5 . in one disclosed embodiment , the engine 10 bypass ratio is greater than ten ( 10 : 1 ), the turbofan diameter is significantly larger than that of the low pressure compressor 16 , and the low pressure turbine 18 has a pressure ratio that is greater than 5 : 1 . the gear train 25 may be an epicycle gear train such as a planetary gear system or other gear system with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2 . 5 : 1 . 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 . airflow enters the fan nacelle f which at least partially surrounds the core nacelle c . the fan section 20 communicates airflow into the core nacelle c to the low pressure compressor 16 . core airflow compressed by the low pressure compressor 16 and the high pressure compressor 26 is mixed with the fuel in the combustor 30 where is ignited , and burned . the resultant high pressure combustor products are expanded through the high pressure turbine 28 and low pressure turbine 18 . the turbines 28 , 18 are rotationally coupled to the compressors 26 , 16 respectively to drive the compressors 26 , 16 in response to the expansion of the combustor product . the low pressure turbine 18 also drives the fan section 20 through gear train 25 . a core engine exhaust e exits the core nacelle c through a core nozzle 43 defined between the core nacelle c and a tail cone 33 . with reference to fig1 b , the low pressure turbine 18 includes a low number of stages , which , in the illustrated non - limiting embodiment , includes three turbine stages , 18 a , 18 b , 18 c . the gear train 22 operationally effectuates the significantly reduced number of stages within the low pressure turbine 18 . the three turbine stages , 18 a , 18 b , 18 c facilitate a lightweight and operationally efficient engine architecture . it should be appreciated that a low number of stages contemplates , for example , three to six ( 3 - 6 ) stages . low pressure turbine 18 pressure ratio is pressure measured prior to inlet of low pressure turbine 18 as related to the pressure at the outlet of the low pressure turbine 18 prior to exhaust nozzle . thrust is a function of density , velocity , and area . one or more of these parameters can be manipulated to vary the amount and direction of thrust provided by the bypass flow b . the variable area fan nozzle (“ vafn ”) 42 operates to effectively vary the area of the fan nozzle exit area 44 to selectively adjust the pressure ratio of the bypass flow b in response to a controller c . low pressure ratio turbofans are desirable for their high propulsive efficiency . however , low pressure ratio fans may be inherently susceptible to fan stability / flutter problems at low power and low flight speeds . the vafn 42 allows the engine to change to a more favorable fan operating line at low power , avoiding the instability region , and still provide the relatively smaller nozzle area necessary to obtain a high - efficiency fan operating line at cruise . a significant amount of thrust is provided by the bypass flow b due to the high bypass ratio . the fan section 20 of the engine 10 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 (‘ tsfct ’)”— is the industry standard parameter of lbm of fuel being burned divided by lbf of thrust the engine produces at that minimum point . “ low fan pressure ratio ” is the pressure ratio across the fan blade alone , without the fan exit guide vane (“ fegv ”) system 36 . 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 [( tambient 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 . as the fan blades within the fan section 20 are efficiently designed at a particular fixed stagger angle for an efficient cruise condition , the vafn 42 is operated to effectively vary the fan nozzle exit area 44 to adjust fan bypass air flow such that the angle of attack or incidence on the fan blades is maintained close to the design incidence for efficient engine operation at other flight conditions , such as landing and takeoff to thus provide optimized engine operation over a range of flight conditions with respect to performance and other operational parameters such as noise levels . the engine static structure 44 generally has sub - structures including a case structure often referred to as the engine backbone . the engine static structure 44 generally includes a fan case 46 , an intermediate case ( imc ) 48 , a high pressure compressor case 50 , a combustor case 52 a , a high pressure turbine case 52 b , a thrust case 52 c , a low pressure turbine case 54 , and a turbine exhaust case 56 ( fig1 b ). alternatively , the combustor case 52 a , the high pressure turbine case 52 b and the thrust case 52 c may be combined into a single case . it should be understood that this is an exemplary configuration and any number of cases may be utilized . the fan section 20 includes a fan rotor 32 with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending fan blades 34 . the fan blades 34 are surrounded by the fan case 46 . the core engine case structure is secured to the fan case 46 at the imc 48 which includes a multiple of circumferentially spaced radially extending struts 40 which radially span the core engine case structure and the fan case 20 . the engine static structure 44 further supports a bearing system upon which the turbines 28 , 18 , compressors 26 , 16 and fan rotor 32 rotate . a # 1 fan dual bearing 60 which rotationally supports the fan rotor 32 is axially located generally within the fan case 46 . the # 1 fan dual bearing 60 is preloaded to react fan thrust forward and aft ( in case of surge ). a # 2 lpc bearing 62 which rotationally supports the low spool 14 is axially located generally within the intermediate case ( imc ) 48 . the # 2 lpc bearing 62 reacts thrust . a # 3 fan dual bearing 64 which rotationally supports the high spool 24 and also reacts thrust . the # 3 fan bearing 64 is also axially located generally within the imc 48 just forward of the high pressure compressor case 50 . a # 4 bearing 66 which rotationally supports a rear segment of the low spool 14 reacts only radial loads . the # 4 bearing 66 is axially located generally within the thrust case 52 c in an aft section thereof . a # 5 bearing 68 rotationally supports the rear segment of the low spool 14 and reacts only radial loads . the # 5 bearing 68 is axially located generally within the thrust case 52 c just aft of the # 4 bearing 66 . it should be understood that this is an exemplary configuration and any number of bearings may be utilized . the # 4 bearing 66 and the # 5 bearing 68 are supported within a mid - turbine frame ( mtf ) 70 to straddle radially extending structural struts 72 which are preloaded in tension ( fig1 c - 1d ). the mtf 70 provides aft structural support within the thrust case 52 c for the # 4 bearing 66 and the # 5 bearing 68 which rotatably support the spools 14 , 24 . a dual rotor engine such as that disclosed in the illustrated embodiment typically includes a forward frame and a rear frame that support the main rotor bearings . the intermediate case ( imc ) 48 also includes the radially extending struts 40 which are generally radially aligned with the # 2 lpc bearing 62 ( fig1 b ). it should be understood that various engines with various case and frame structures will benefit from the present invention . the turbofan gas turbine engine 10 is mounted to aircraft structure such as an aircraft wing through a mount system 80 attachable by the pylon 12 . the mount system 80 includes a forward mount 82 and an aft mount 84 ( fig2 a ). the forward mount 82 is secured to the imc 48 and the aft mount 84 is secured to the mtf 70 at the thrust case 52 c . the forward mount 82 and the aft mount 84 are arranged in a plane containing the axis a of the turbofan gas turbine 10 . this eliminates the thrust links from the intermediate case , which frees up valuable space beneath the core nacelle and minimizes imc 48 distortion . referring to fig2 a - 2c , the mount system 80 reacts the engine thrust at the aft end of the engine 10 . the term “ reacts ” as utilized in this disclosure is defined as absorbing a load and dissipating the load to another location of the gas turbine engine 10 . the forward mount 82 supports vertical loads and side loads . the forward mount 82 in one non - limiting embodiment includes a shackle arrangement which mounts to the imc 48 at two points 86 a , 86 b . the forward mount 82 is generally a plate - like member which is oriented transverse to the plane which contains engine axis a . fasteners are oriented through the forward mount 82 to engage the intermediate case ( imc ) 48 generally parallel to the engine axis a . in this illustrated non - limiting embodiment , the forward mount 82 is secured to the imc 40 . in another non - limiting embodiment , the forward mount 82 is secured to a portion of the core engine , such as the high - pressure compressor case 50 of the gas turbine engine 10 ( see fig3 ). one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure would be able to select an appropriate mounting location for the forward mount 82 . referring to fig4 a , the aft mount 84 generally includes a first a - arm 88 a , a second a - arm 88 b , a rear mount platform 90 , a whiffle tree assembly 92 and a drag link 94 . the rear mount platform 90 is attached directly to aircraft structure such as the pylon 12 . the first a - arm 88 a and the second a - arm 88 b mount between the thrust case 52 c at case bosses 96 which interact with the mtf 70 ( fig4 b - 4c ), the rear mount platform 90 and the whiffle tree assembly 92 . it should be understood that the first a - arm 88 a and the second a - arm 88 b may alternatively mount to other areas of the engine 10 such as the high pressure turbine case or other cases . it should also be understood that other frame arrangements may alternatively be used with any engine case arrangement . referring to fig4 d , the first a - arm 88 a and the second a - arm 88 b are rigid generally triangular arrangements , each having a first link arm 89 a , a second link arm 89 b and a third link arm 89 c . the first link arm 89 a is between the case boss 96 and the rear mount platform 90 . the second link arm 89 b is between the case bosses 96 and the whiffle tree assembly 92 . the third link arm 89 c is between the whiffle tree assembly 92 rear mount platform 90 . the first a - arm 88 a and the second a - arm 88 b primarily support the vertical weight load of the engine 10 and transmit thrust loads from the engine to the rear mount platform 90 . the first a - arm 88 a and the second a - arm 88 b of the aft mount 84 force the resultant thrust vector at the engine casing to be reacted along the engine axis a which minimizes tip clearance losses due to engine loading at the aft mount 84 . this minimizes blade tip clearance requirements and thereby improves engine performance . the whiffle tree assembly 92 includes a whiffle link 98 which supports a central ball joint 100 , a first sliding ball joint 102 a and a second sliding ball joint 102 b ( fig4 e ). it should be understood that various bushings , vibration isolators and such like may additionally be utilized herewith . the central ball joint 100 is attached directly to aircraft structure such as the pylon 12 . the first sliding ball joint 102 a is attached to the first a - arm 88 a and the second sliding ball joint 102 b is mounted to the first a - arm 88 a . the first and second sliding ball joint 102 a , 102 b permit sliding movement of the first and second a - arm 88 a , 88 b ( illustrated by arrow s in fig5 a and 5b ) to assure that only a vertical load is reacted by the whiffle tree assembly 92 . that is , the whiffle tree assembly 92 allows all engine thrust loads to be equalized transmitted to the engine pylon 12 through the rear mount platform 90 by the sliding movement and equalize the thrust load that results from the dual thrust link configuration . the whiffle link 98 operates as an equalizing link for vertical loads due to the first sliding ball joint 102 a and the second sliding ball joint 102 b . as the whiffle link 98 rotates about the central ball joint 100 thrust forces are equalized in the axial direction . the whiffle tree assembly 92 experiences loading only due to vertical loads , and is thus less susceptible to failure than conventional thrust - loaded designs . the drag link 94 includes a ball joint 104 a mounted to the thrust case 52 c and ball joint 104 b mounted to the rear mount platform 90 ( fig4 b - 4c ). the drag link 94 operates to react torque . the aft mount 84 transmits engine loads directly to the thrust case 52 c and the mtf 70 . thrust , vertical , side , and torque loads are transmitted directly from the mtf 70 which reduces the number of structural members as compared to current in - practice designs . the mount system 80 is compact , and occupies space within the core nacelle volume as compared to turbine exhaust case - mounted configurations , which occupy space outside of the core nacelle which may require additional or relatively larger aerodynamic fairings and increase aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption . the mount system 80 eliminates the heretofore required thrust links from the imc , which frees up valuable space adjacent the imc 48 and the high pressure compressor case 50 within the core nacelle c . it should be understood that relative positional terms such as “ forward ,” “ aft ,” “ upper ,” “ lower ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude of the vehicle and should not be considered otherwise limiting . fig6 shows an embodiment 200 , wherein there is a fan drive turbine 208 driving a shaft 206 to in turn drive a fan rotor 202 . a gear reduction 204 may be positioned between the fan drive turbine 208 and the fan rotor 202 . this gear reduction 204 may be structured and operate like the gear reduction disclosed above . a compressor rotor 210 is driven by an intermediate pressure turbine 212 , and a second stage compressor rotor 214 is driven by a turbine rotor 216 . a combustion section 218 is positioned intermediate the compressor rotor 214 and the turbine section 216 . fig7 shows yet another embodiment 300 wherein a fan rotor 302 and a first stage compressor 304 rotate at a common speed . the gear reduction 306 ( which may be structured as disclosed above ) is intermediate the compressor rotor 304 and a shaft 308 which is driven by a low pressure turbine section . the foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within . many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . the disclosed embodiments of this invention have been disclosed , however , one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention . it is , therefore , to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described . for that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention .

5Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting

as shown by fig1 to 3 , a preferred embodiment of the contact carrier 9 may include a frame 1 having gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c which are mounted eccentrically on the sides of the frame 1 . in its central region , the contact carrier 9 has a plurality of contacts 3 on its underside , the contacts being arranged resiliently in the vertical direction . on its front end in the push - in direction r of the contact carrier 9 , the contact carrier 9 may be provided with two rollers 4 which are connected to one another by means of an axle 5 and which are respectively mounted on two forward - extending parts of the frame 1 . their axle therefore extends at right angles to the push - in direction r . cylindrical attachments 13 may in each case be provided laterally over the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c , in a manner such that they project outwardly and are connected concentrically to the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c . center rings 7 are provided on the top side of the contact carrier 9 to enable correct placement of a printed circuit board supporting the contact pins 3 . referring now to fig4 the cylindrical attachments 13 of the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c may run on guideways 15 which are arranged horizontally in the reading unit . the teeth 11 of the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c may roll on one or two correspondingly toothed tracks 10 , which are located above and laterally adjacent to guideway 15 . the two tracks 10 , shown for example in fig5 and 6 , extend in the push - in direction r and are separated in accordance with the axial distance between the gearwheel pairs 2 , 2b ; 2a , 2c serve as guide parts for the contact carrier 9 . due to the eccentric mounting ( eccentric axle 6 ) of the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c on the frame 1 as well as the concentric arrangement of the cylindrical attachments 13 on the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c , the contact carrier 9 moves vertically as a function of the distance moved by the frame 1 in a horizontal direction . when the eccentric axle 6 is located at its lowest point relative to the frame as shown in fig4 the contact carrier 9 is lowered , and hence so are the contacts 3 . similarly , when the eccentric axle 6 is located at its highest point relative to the frame 1 , the contact carrier 9 is lifted . this movement is illustrated in fig7 through 9 . the pitch line of the teeth 11 of the track 10 is designated by reference numeral 32 in these figures . in its initial position , shown at the far right of fig7 the contact carrier 9 is located in a central position . the eccentric axles 6 of the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c are located in their rear position referring to the push - in direction r . when the code card 8 is introduced into the reading unit it makes contact with two rollers 4 . the code card 8 may be pulled in , for example , in a known manner such as by means of a friction drive . once the code card 8 makes contact with the rollers 4 , the contact carrier 9 will be pushed along by the motion of the card in the push - in direction r . the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c , which are illustrated by broken lines in fig7 roll in the clockwise direction in the track 10 . in the illustrated embodiment , the contact carrier 9 describes an epicycloid path b as illustrated in fig8 ( note however that the direction of movement illustrated in fig8 is opposite that illustrated in fig7 ). referring further to fig7 and 8 , the point 33 represents a position of the axle ( not shown ) when the code card 8 first makes contact with the rollers 4 . at this point the contact carrier 9 is in a vertically central position . during the further progression of the code card , as shown in the middle portion of fig7 the contact carrier 9 is lowered further until the spring - loaded contacts 3 begin to make contact with a contact - making area ( not shown ) of a code card 8 . this position is identified in fig8 by reference numeral 30 . the effective contact - making length is designated in fig8 by l k . this is the region in which it is ensured that contact is established between the contact area of the code card and the contacts 3 so that the code card 8 can be read . during further progression as shown in the left - most portion of fig7 the contact carrier 9 begins to be lifted from the code card 8 , the contacts 3 relinquishing contact with the contact - making area on the code card at the point designated in fig8 by position 31 . the total distance of movement of the frame l tot is covered when the eccentric axles 6 of the gearwheels 2 , 2a , 2b , 2c have reached top dead center . at this point in time , the contact carrier 9 has been lifted to an extent such that the code card 8 may be transported further in the push - in direction r , for example by sliding under the rollers 4 . since the rollers 4 will roll on the code card , virtually no wear occurs on the code card 8 . alternatively , if the code card 8 is to be returned rather than retained , it may be driven from the central position in accordance with fig7 in a direction opposite that of the push - in direction r . the contact carrier 9 is pulled back into its initial position , for example , by means of spring forces . for the purpose of reliably initiating the reading operation , a switch 20 as shown in fig9 may be provided on the frame 1 . the switch may be located on the frame 1 so as to be activated when the contacts 3 are securely placed on the code card 8 within the contact - making range l k . only then will the reading operation be initiated . the disclosed embodiment thus serves to vary the position of the contact relative to a code card received horizontally by the code card reader as a function of distance of horizontal movement of said code card received by the device . it will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced in the form of other code card reading devices which include alternative means for varying the position of the contact relative to a code card received horizontally by the code card reader as a function of distance of horizontal movement of said code card received by the device . the entirety of german application 196 08 403 . 2 , filed mar . 5 , 1996 , is expressly incorporated herein by reference .

6Physics

referring first to fig1 prior art nozzle of the type described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 772 , 964 is shown . a nozzle body 10 has a solvent / sample inlet tube 20 which receives a flow of material sample dissolved in a solvent , in the flow direction indicated by arrow 22 . the material is passed through a capillary tube 24 and is emitted from the capillary tube 24 through its end 25 . the capillary tube is typically sized between 50 and 300 micro - meters , and is typically 30 cm . in length . as the material leaves the end of the capillary tube it is broken into droplets by the flow of the pressurized air through the nozzle body 10 , and therefore becomes atomized at the tip 25 of the capillary tube 24 . the orifice in the nozzle outlet 30 surrounding the capillary tip 25 forms the resulting jet of atomized droplets into a narrow conical spray pattern . the sprayed material is deposited in a narrow pattern on a collection foil 40 which has previously been coated with matrix reagent , and which is translated in a direction into and out of the paper while the material is being sprayed . between spray tracks , the foil 40 is repositioned in the direction of arrow 42 , so the next subsequent spray track is deposited along a track parallel to the first track . this activity is continued until the foil is covered with the desired number of tracks for subsequent processing , and it is then removed and a new foil placed under the nozzle body 10 . a source of air or other gas such as nitrogen is fed into a preheater 44 , where it is heated to a predetermined temperature and then passed into the interior of spray body 10 through inlet 50 . the temperature of the preheated gas is controlled by a temperature controller 60 , which monitors the temperature of the heated gas immediately above the nozzle outlet 30 . a block heater 62 is mounted in the body 10 , and its temperature is also controlled by the controller 60 , so that the temperature of the sprayed material is very closely controlled . [ 0010 ] fig2 shows a simplified diagram of the present invention , with the improvements over the prior art nozzle of fig1 . the nozzle of fig2 is designed to spray matrix and solvent , whereas the nozzle of fig1 is designed to spray a solvent and sample . the nozzle of fig2 also has a block heater in the nozzle body comparable to heater 62 ( see fig1 ) which serves the purpose of “ buffering ” or smoothing the gas temperature . a nozzle body 100 has an interior chamber 102 and a number of inlet and outlet openings . an inlet 120 is connected to receive a flow of matrix reagent via inlet tube 121 , in a flow direction shown by arrow 122 . the material is passed into a capillary tube 124 which passes through chamber 102 and , at least along part of its distance , is coiled along a helical path . capillary tube 124 has an outlet end 125 through which the matrix reagent is ejected . a second inlet 144 into nozzle body 100 receives a flow of heated gas through a gas heater 145 , in the flow direction shown by arrow 146 . this heated gas flows through the chamber 102 and out the nozzle body outlet 130 , where it shears off droplets of the matrix reagent being ejected through end 125 and forms the ejected reagent into an atomized spray having a conical pattern . the heated gas also heats the chamber 102 and the capillary tube 124 , as well as the matrix reagent flowing through the capillary tube 124 . a further source of independently controllable gas is passed through a heater 150 in the flow direction shown by arrow 151 . this heated gas is passed through conduits 152 and 153 to a pair of respective spray jets 154 and 155 , placed on respective sides of the spray nozzle outlet . these spray jets are angled obliquely to the axis of the emitted spray , and are positioned to impinge on the conical spray pattern emitted from the nozzle , and to deform the pattern into a flattened , elongated pattern . the flattened , elongated matrix pattern is then deposited on a collector foil for subsequent use as described herein . the air jets 154 and 155 are , in the preferred embodiment , angled at 45 degrees relative to the axis of the emitted conical spray from the capillary tube 124 , and are positioned several centimeters above the foil collection material . an oval pattern , approximately 30 mm wide along its major axis and 8 mm wide along its minor axis is deposited on the foil . the thickness of the applied spray pattern is not perfectly uniform ; the deposit is heaviest at the center and tapers off at the edges . thickness uniformity is increased by making two or three overlapping passes . in one experiment , a material sample comprised of a matrix of a - cyano cinnamic acid and a solvent of 70 % acetonitrile and 30 % ethanol was sprayed through the nozzle . the gas passing through inlet 144 was maintained at a pressure of 5 psi , and a temperature of 45 ° c . ; the gas passing through conduits 152 and 153 was maintained at a pressure of 35 psi and a temperature of 30 ° c . the flow rate of the material sample through the capillary tube 124 was controlled at 1 milliliter per minute ( ml / min ), and the collection foil was moved at 50 mm / min . this experiment produced a continuous adherent film of uniform distribution on the foil collector , and the coating rate was greatly improved over the prior art . the nozzle tip is designed such that the capillary tip is centered within an orifice in the nozzle tip . the sheath gas flows concentric to the capillary tube outlet , and its relatively high velocity shears emergent liquid off the capillary tip , producing a fine nebulized spray of small diameter droplets . the sensible heat of the sheath gas provides evaporative energy for the liquid spray droplets . this is a sensitive control parameter , as we have observed changes in deposition characteristics by simply changing sheath gas temperature by as little as 1 ° c . sheath gas temperature may be sensed and controlled via a temperature probe situated in the nozzle tip . experimentation has shown that successful spray coating is achieved when almost , but not quite all , of the matrix reagent evaporates before the matrix reagent impacts the foil . the matrix chemicals are low molecular weight readily crystallizable solutes , and are unlike polymeric paints applied in spray applications , because a solution of matrix reagent will not appreciably increase viscosity as solvent is evaporated . it will remain a low viscosity solution right up to saturation ; and as such will tend to run under the pneumatic forces of the sheath gas stream impinging on the foil surface , except that the hot sheath gas , properly applied , will evaporate most of the solvent during the droplet &# 39 ; s flight to the foil . therefore , careful adjustment of sheath gas temperature is a critical success factor in the deposition of uniform , coherent and adherent matrix coatings . electron micrographs of the matrix coating applied with the present invention reveal a mat of microscopic , irregularly shaped granules of matrix . the granules are discrete , but are adhered to one another . it is believed that the following process steps occur during matrix deposition : 1 ) droplets of matrix solution are formed while still in the lower section of the capillary ; some , but not all , of the solvent is evaporated , and the droplets are liquid concentrates of matrix . 2 ) as the droplets leave the nozzle tip , the solvent continues to evaporate , resulting in still higher concentration of the matrix in each droplet . 3 ) at some point the droplets become saturated , and matrix solid precipitates within the droplets ; although the matrix chemicals are inherently crystalline , the very short time of evaporation precludes orderly crystal growth . 4 ) the droplets impact the foil surface as a series of “ paste ” or “ mud ” particles ; the small amount of remaining solvent promotes adhesion of the “ mudball ” to the foil surface and / or previously deposited matrix particles . 5 ) over the period of several seconds , all residual solvent evaporates , leaving a coating of co - adhered , microscopic , matrix granules . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof ; and it is , therefore , desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

this invention relates to a solid state measuring device for use in the electrical and electronic fields to determine and measure various parameters of a . c . power lines . these parametrs include : power factor , phase angle , true power , apparent power , a . c . voltage , a . c . current , and phase lead / lag . the invention is so designed that it can be used to measure the above parameters directly without physically breaking into the power lines . because of the exclusive use of modern state of the art type integrated circuits , the invention is physically small in size and weight . this feature renders it excellent for field use , as well as permanent installations . the invention is simple and straight forward to operate . a person with the most basic knowledge of electricity is capable of using it . the invention accomplishes the measurements of the above stated parameters by taking a sample of the a . c . line voltage by means of a voltage probe and a sample of the line current by means of a clamp type current probe . the output of the current probe is a voltage proportional to the current . the outputs of the voltage and current probes are applied to appropriate circuits in the invention to generate the desired output parameters . the circuits used to generate the desired parameters are so configured as to electronically represent the mathematical equations used to define and calculate the desired parameters . the invention consists of the following components : the voltage squaring circuit 3 ; the current squaring circuit 4 ; the voltage compensated low pass active filter 5 ; the current compensated low pass active filter 6 : the analog summing amplifier 9 : the scaled multiplier 14 : the phase lead / lag detector 11 : and the calibrated output indicator 12 . multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 36a is used as a function select switch . since this invention is a multi - function device , each individual function will be described separately . the order of descriptions will be as follows : to perform any of the above measurements the voltage probe is connected across the a . c . line to be measured and the clamp type current probe is connected around one of the a . c . lines . no interruption of power or disconnection of the a . c . line under test is necessary to perform any of the above mentioned measurements . the voltage input at 1 will be defined as em v cos ( wt ) ( equation 1 ), and the current input at 2 will be defined as em i cos ( wt + p ) ( equation 2 ). the wave form for em v cos ( wt ) is 15 and the wave form for em i cos ( wt + p ) is 16 . with the multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 35a , 36a placed in the 7b , 8b , 10b , 34b , 35b , 36b position respectively , the multi - function ac power meter is configured as a power factor meter . the input voltage 1 and input current 2 , are connected to squaring circuits 3 and 4 respectively . the squaring circuits transform the incoming signals from sinewaves to squarewaves . waveforms 17 and 18 illustrate the outputs of the squaring circuits 3 and 4 . the purpose of the squaring circuits is to nominalize the amplitudes of the incoming voltage and current waveforms 15 and 16 and present a constant amplitude signal to the appropriate compensated low pass active filters 5 and 6 . note that even though the input voltage and input current waves 15 and 16 are transformed into square waves 18 and 19 respectively , the zero - crossing points are not affected . this is extremely important in maintaining the original phase relationship of the input signals . the compensated low pass active filters 5 and 6 have a cutoff frequency equal to the a . c . line frequency and thus remove all the harmonic components of the applied squarewaves and present at their respective outputs 7b and 8b constant equal amplitude reconstituted sinewaves 18 , 19 , of the applied input voltage and input current wave forms 15 and 16 with the original phase angle difference 25 . the outputs of the compensated low pass active filters are applied to the analog summing amplifier . for power factor measurements the analog summing amplifier 9 is configured as a phase detector and calibrated output amplifier . the output of the phase detector will be e o = e v e i cos ( wt ) cos ( wt + p ) ( equation 3 ) where e v cos ( wt ) is the voltage wave 18 and e i cos ( wt + p ) 19 is the current wave . since e v = e i = e because of the signal processing described above equation 3 reduces to e o = e 2 cos ( wt ) cos ( wt + p )( equation 4 ). by trigometric identity equation 4 becomes e o = e 2 [ cos ( p )+ cos ( 2wt + p )] ( equation 5 ). the input of the calibrated output amplifier is filtered to remove the 2nd harmonic component of equation 5 and the resulting output applied to the calibrated output indicator 12 will be e d . c . = e 2 cos ( p ) ( equation 6 ) wherein the difference angle αθ25 is p . this output 21 , 22 is directly proportional to the cosine of the difference angle between the voltage intput 15 and the current input 16 and is the power factor . with the multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 35a , 36a , placed in the 7c , 8c , 10c , 34c , 35c , 36c positions respectively , the multi - function a . c . power meter is configured as a phase angle meter . in this configuration the compensated low pass active filters 5 , 6 , are bypassed , and the analog summing amplifier is connected as an summing amplifier . refer to fig1 . ## equ1 ## t26 is defined as the period of time the leading edge of the voltage waveform 17 at the output of the voltage squaring circuit 3 , to the end of one complete cycle . equation 7 and equation 8 by integration reduce to e v = 0 . 5t ( equation 9 ) and e i =( 0 . 5t - t 1 ) t ( equation 10 ). the inputs , equation 9 and equation 10 , to the analog summing amplifier 9 are algebraically added and the output of the analog summing amplifier is e o = e v e i = 0 . 5t 2 ( 0 . 5t - t 1 ) ( equation 11 ). in this mode of operation the output of the analog summing amplifier 23 , 24 will vary linearly from 0 ° to 90 ° as t , 27 varies from 0 to 0 . 5t . the output of the analog summing amplifier 9 is applied to the calibrated output indicator . with the multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 35a , 36a , placed in the 7d , 8d , 10d , 34d , 35d , 36d positions respectively , the multi - function a . c . power meter is configured as an a . c . watt meter and will measure true power . in this mode of operation , the analog summing amplifier 9 is configured as an phase detector and calibrated output amplifier mode , the same as for power factor measurements . the analog summing amplifier 9 is disconnected from the calibrated output indicator 12 and connected 13 to the scaled multiplier 14 . the scaled multiplier 14 is an analog multiplier , which multiplies its inputs and gives a d . c . level output proportional to the product of the inputs . refer to fig3 . the inputs to the scaled multiplier 14 come from the voltage input 1 and the current input 2 . these inputs 1 , 2 , are individually scaled by scaling circuits 28 30 , depending on their respective amplitudes and then rectified and filtered 29 , 31 . the resulting signals applied to the multiplier section 32 of the scaled multiplier 14 are k 1 e v and k 2 e i where k 1 and k 2 are the respective scaling factors . the output of the multipler section 32 will be e out = k 1 k 2 e v e i ( equation12 ). this signal is applied to the gain controlled output amplifier 33 of the scaled multiplier . the gain of this amplifier is linearly proportional to an applied voltage at its gain control input 13 . the output of the analog summing amplifier is applied to this point . the final output of the scaling multiplier will then be e out = k 1 k 2 e v e i cos ( p ) ( equation 13 ). equation 13 is by definition an expression for true power . the output 39 of the scaled multiplier 14 is applied to the calibrated output indicator 12 . with the multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 35a , 36a , placed in the 7e , 8e , 10e , 34e , 35e , 36e positions respectively , the multi - function a . c . power meter is configured as an apparent power meter . in this configuration both the inputs 7a , 8a , and the outputs 10a of the analog summing amplifier 9 are disconnected completely from the rest of the circuit . the scaled multiplier 14 , functions identically as it does for measuring true power except that the gain control line 13 is set at unity gain . the output of the scaled multiplier will then be e out = k 1 k 2 e v e i ( equation 14 ). this equation is by definition the expression for apparent power , voltage times current ( va ). the output 39 of the scaled multiplier 14 is applied to the calibrated output indicator . with the multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 35a , 36a , placed in the 7f , 8f , 10f , 34f , 35f , 36f position , the multi - function a . c . power meter is configured as an a . c . voltmeter . in this configuration the current input 2 to its respective scaling circuit 30 in the scaled multiplier 14 is disconnected an a fixed reference voltage 37 is applied to the scaling circuit input 35a . the gain control input 38 is set for unity gain . the output of the scaled multiplier will then be e out = k 1 k 3 e v where k 3 is a constant ( equation 15 ). this output is directly proportional to the input voltage and is applied to the calibrated output indicator . with the multi - gang rotary switch 7a , 8a , 10a , 34a , 35a , 36a , placed in the 7g , 8g , 10g , 34g , 35g , 36g position , the multi - function a . c . power meter is configured as an a . c . current meter . in this configuration the voltage input 1 is disconnected from its respective scaling circuit 28 in the scaled multiplier 14 and fixed reference voltage 37 is applied to the scaling circuit input 36a . the gain control input 28 is set for unity gain . the output of the scaled multiplier will then be e out = k 2 k 3 e i ( equation 16 ). this output is directly proportional to the input current and is applied to the calibrated output indicator . the phase lead / lag detector 11 , which functions in all modes of operation consists of 2 resettable mono - stables inter - connected in such a way as to have only one of the mono - stables triggerable depending on the relationship of the phase between the input voltage and input current . fig . no . 4 is a simplified block diagram of the phase lead / lag detector 11 . fig . no . 5 is a simplified truth table for the phase lead / lag detector . mono - stable 51 is used as an enable / disable command and is only triggerable in an inphase condition . the inputs 40 , 41 to the phase lead / lag detector 11 , come from the voltage squaring circuit 3 and the current squaring circuit 4 respectively . the mono - stables 42 and 43 are configured in such a way that they will trigger on the leading edge of an input signal . in a phase lead condition mono - stable 42 will trigger and its q output 44 will go to an &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; state . this output which is coupled to the calibrated output indicator signifying a phase lead condition . the q output 46 will go to a &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; state and is coupled to the reset input of mono - stable 43 inhibiting it . in a phase lag condition mono - stable 43 will trigger and its q output 45 will go to an &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; state . this output which is coupled to the calibrated output indicator signifying a phase lag condition . the q output 47 will go to a &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; state and is coupled to the reset input of mono - stable 42 inhibiting it . in out - of - phase conditions mono - stable 51 has it s q output 52 in the &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; state ; this output is coupled to both mono - stables 42 and 43 an puts them in the enable state . in an in - phase condition , the leading edge outputs of squaring circuits 3 and 4 arrives at capacitors 48 and 49 at the same time . capacitors 48 and 49 differentiate the outputs of squaring circuits 3 and 4 and apply the differentiated pulses to nand gate 50 . since in an in - phase condition both pulses arrive at the nand gate simultaneously , the output of the nand gate will momentarily go from an &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; state to an &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; state . this will trigger mono - stable 51 and it s q output will go to an &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; state disabling mono - stables 42 and 43 . the q outputs 44 , 45 of mono - stables 42 and 43 will remain in an &# 34 ; o &# 34 ; state and the calibrated output indicator will indicate an in - phase condition . the calibrated output indicator 12 consists of an output indicator which depending on the function selected , will display the value of the parameter under test . the output indicator can be either a calibrated analog meter movement or as a calibrated digital readout . phase lead / lag is indicated by &# 34 ;+&# 34 ; or &# 34 ;-&# 34 ; readouts . from the foregoing technical description of the multifunction a . c . power meter it can be seen that this invention is a novel and unique device capable of directly measuring all parameters associated with a . c . power and a . c . power lines . these include power factor , phase angle , true power , apparent power , a . c . voltage , a . c . current and phase lead / lag . the invention requires no external calibration and is simple to use . while the foregoing illustrates a particular embodiment of the invention , it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof .

6Physics

fig1 and 2 were discussed previously with reference to the prior related art . a display in accordance with a preferred embodiment has the capability of displaying information as multi - dimensional , visual information . in addition the display can also convey audio or tactile information to present for example , surround sound location , environmental feel and even such qualities as heat or texture . fig3 displays a relevance field versus topic space mapping as a table in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . multi - dimensional as used in this document refers to information spans at least two axes providing an ordering in as many dimensions as there are axes . thus , two - dimensional organization refers to two axes providing a two dimensional ordering . three - dimensional organization refers to three axes providing a three dimensional ordering . four - dimensional organization refers to four axes providing a four dimensional ordering . five - dimensional organization refers to five axes providing a five dimensional ordering . and so on . a field of relevance as used in this document refers to axes in a multi - dimensional organization . two or more fields of relevance may be either interdependent or independent . a topic refers to any entity that may appear on a display or is associated with content that appears on the display , which may be either a single location or a collection of locations in a multi - dimensional organization . content entities may further be related to topics that provide an organizational mechanism for information . the term mapping as used in this document refers to translating a particular dimension to a particular content entity to provide organization and navigational features for the content . the first row 100 of the table in accordance with a preferred embodiment contains headings for the various columns of the table 102 , 104 , 106 , 108 and 110 . cell 102 contains a heading for a field of relevance also labeled as field 1 . cell 104 contains a heading for a field of relevance also labeled as field 2 . cell 106 contains a heading for a field of relevance also labeled as field 3 . cell 108 contains a heading for a field of relevance also labeled as field 4 . cell 108 contains a heading for a topic also labeled as topic description . in accordance with a preferred embodiment , there may be fewer fields of relevance evidenced by fewer columns in such a table . there may be more fields of relevance evidenced as more columns in such a table . all the topics may be present in a single table similar to this , or at least two tables , with different fields of relevance , may be used to map some or all of the topics to these different collections of fields of relevance or the number of fields of relevance in these different tables may vary from one table to another . what has been described above as columns can be implemented as rows and what has been described above as rows may instead be implemented as columns . in other alternative embodiments , what has been described as a row may be implemented as an instance of a data structure or object class . in other alternative preferred embodiments of the invention , what has been described as a row may be implemented as a linked list , with the entire table being further implemented as a linked list of linked lists . in accordance with a preferred embodiment , the cells of a specific column of the table are associated with a field of relevance . cells of a specific column can be organized as a specific collection of acceptable values in certain preferred embodiments of the invention . the acceptable value collection may be implemented as a binary set . examples of such preferred embodiment implementations include but are not limited to { 0 , 1 }, { true , false } or finite set of discrete elements in certain further preferred embodiments of the invention . examples of such preferred embodiment implementations include but are not limited to { red , green , blue } or { canada , france , mexico , uk , us }. alternatively , the acceptable value collection may be implemented as a set of numeric elements . examples of such preferred embodiment implementations include but are not limited to a specific numeric notation , such as bit length of integers or a specific floating pointing notation . the acceptable value collection may be further implemented as a set , which is a specified numeric range , in certain further preferred embodiments of the invention . examples of such preferred embodiment implementations include but are not limited to a percentages ( which may be represented as integers , fixed point or floating point numbers ) or a specific floating pointing range [− 1 . 234 to π / 4 ]. the acceptable value collection may be implemented as a set of elements , each element being a specific numeric range , in certain further preferred embodiments of the invention . examples of such preferred embodiment implementations include but are not limited to sets of percentage ranges with elements such as [ 0 % to 10 %] and [ 15 % to 100 %] as well as numeric ranges with elements such as [− 5 to + 3 . 12159 ] and [ all numbers at least as big as 10 . 512 ] and [ all numbers not larger than − 1234 ]. fig4 displays an independent salience weighting mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . a field of relevance field 1 , denoted by 102 , has an associated slider represented by line 154 with endpoints 150 and 156 . slider 154 uses points 152 and 153 representing a range of relevance in certain preferred embodiments . in certain preferred embodiments , point 153 is not visible and point 152 then represents a specific relevance value . field of relevance field 2 , denoted by 104 , has an associated slider represented by line 160 with endpoints 158 and 164 . slider 160 setting 162 is shown at the endpoint 164 . in certain further preferred embodiments , additional interface controls , such as arrow buttons are implemented to extending the range of the slider on one or both ends of the line 160 . field of relevance field 3 , denoted by 106 , has an associated slider represented by line 170 with endpoints 166 and 172 . slider 170 setting 168 is between endpoints 166 and 172 . in certain preferred embodiments , the setting 168 may visit a limited collection of values , sometime as little as two values . field of relevance field 4 , denoted by 108 , has an associated slider represented by line 178 with endpoints 174 and 180 . slider 178 setting 176 is approximately at endpoint 174 . in certain further preferred embodiments , additional interface controls , such as arrow buttons are implemented to extending the range of the slider on one or both ends of the line 178 . fig5 a displays an interdependent salience weighting of two relevance fields 190 in accordance with a preferred embodiment . the points 192 , 194 , 195 and 196 represent particular data associated with a field of interest . fig5 a illustrates that data split between two vertices can be represented on a line . the closer to one end of the line or another is an indication of how strong the influence of the end &# 39 ; s characteristics play in the datum being represented . points 192 and 196 represent the endpoints of the range of relevance between the two fields of relevance in certain preferred embodiments . points 194 and 195 represent a range of relevance in certain preferred embodiments . in certain preferred embodiments , point 195 is not visible and point 194 then represents a specific ratio of relevance between the two relevance fields . fig5 b displays an independent salience weighting of two relevance fields in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the first relevance field is plotted on the x axis 200 and the second relevance field is plotted on the y axis 198 . the intersection of a particular relevance field in the y axis 204 and a relevance field in the x axis 206 is shown at point 202 which represents the interdependent salience weighting . fig6 a displays an interdependent salience weighting of three relevance fields in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the three relevance fields represent a way of plotting three vectors 240 , 242 and 244 which determine a unique area 230 determined by the points 232 , 234 and 236 that form a triangle . certain unique areas within the relevant field are also defined 238 . data split between three vertices can be represented in a triangle as shown in fig6 a . data points located at the vertex 232 , 234 and 236 are wholly related to one variable and not at all to the other two . moreover , data points located on one edge may be influenced by two of the vertices but not at all by the third , and data points located with the space of the triangle 238 would be to varying degrees influenced by all three of the vertices 232 , 234 and 236 . finally a data point located at the center of the triangle , would be equally influenced by the three vertices 232 , 234 and 236 . fig6 b displays an independent salience weighting of three relevance fields represented as a three dimensional plot in accordance with a preferred embodiment . a first relevance field is plotted on the x axis 254 , a second relevance field is plotted on the y axis 250 and a third relevance field is plotted on the z axis 252 . a particular set of defining vectors 260 , 262 and 258 uniquely define a volume 256 representing a particular independent salience weighting in accordance with a preferred embodiment , where the defining vectors 260 , 262 and 258 are seen as ranges on the respective coordinate axes . fig7 a displays an interdependent salience weighting of four relevance fields using a triangle and a slider in accordance with a preferred embodiment . three relevance fields are plotted as a triangle as described with reference to fig6 a . then , a slider 270 represented as a line segment with endpoints 272 and 274 is used to provide a fourth relevance field and when a point such as 276 is selected on the slider bar , it uniquely defines the area 238 in the triangle . area 238 may be regarded as the product of ranges of interdependent fields of relevance in certain preferred embodiments . fig7 b displays an independent salience weighting of four relevance fields using a tetrahedron in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . in this figure , three triangles 230 , 242 and 280 are combined with two points 298 and 300 just below the face of the triangle 242 to uniquely define an enclosed region 290 . region 290 in certain preferred embodiments may be chosen to be a rectangular prism or “ cube ”. region 290 in certain preferred embodiments may be chosen to be a tetrahedron . adding a fourth vertex naturally results in a tetrahedron as illustrated in fig7 b where the rules of a three sided form would be multiplied by four ( one set of three for each side ), and thickened by the three dimensional space residing within the tetrahedron , the space providing a space for varying degrees of influence by all four vertices . a problem arises in trying to fit this model onto a two dimensional display device using opaque representations such as photographic or video still images . to begin to solve this problem , the model was simplified by eliminating the inner space where all four vertices interact and by placing data at discrete locations between vertices . effectively , a surface is defined on which data points can be located and modeling this surface as a virtually three dimensional object . a camera , represented by the screen display , is placed at the center of the object looking out at the surface and the observer is given a means for moving around the outside of the object to view all the sides of the surface . this allows the user to navigate around the space , select and focus on data points of interest residing on the virtual display surface and observe the object in detail . the model utilizes the limited placement of data points , so for example , a point located on the vertex , a point halfway between two vertices and a point midway between three vertices . the resultant form is one in which each potential datum placement location forms a flat side of a fourteen sided object as illustrated in fig8 a and fig8 b . on these flat sides sit the opaque representations . the space of a vertex is represented by a hexagon , the space between two vertices is a square and the space between three is again a hexagon . fig8 a illustrates a truncated octahedron composed of planar faces as used in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the surfaces that make up the truncated octahedron are shaped much like a soccer ball , and when they are cut to transform a three - dimensional object into a two - dimensional object , the resultant surface is illustrated in fig8 b . fig8 b displays the planar faces of the truncated octahedron of fig8 a in accordance with a preferred embodiment . fig9 displays the system block diagram of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention supporting the making , displaying , traversal and playing of a multi - dimensional topic space . the apparatus includes an external interface circuit 500 , writeable content store 502 , digital controller 504 , display circuit 518 and selector circuit 522 and speaker circuit 524 . digital controller 504 embodiments include but are not limited to one or more of the following : general purpose microprocessors , dsps , parallel processors , embedded controllers and special purpose system controllers . general purpose microprocessors include but are not limited to various word width cisc and risc . dsps include but are not limited to various word width computers employing instruction sets allowing at least one add / subtract operation as well as at least one operation comparable to multiplication to be performed in a single instruction cycle . parallel processors include but are not limited to simd , mimd , and hybrid simd / mimd organizations of either uniform or non - uniform processors . digital controller 504 embodiments further include but are not limited to one or more microprocessors or dsps along with additional circuitry performing specialized data processing . digital controller 504 embodiments may further include but are not limited to capabilities for mpeg stream partitioning and / or decoding , copy protection processing , decryption , authentication and block data error detection and correction . digital controller 504 embodiments may further include but are not limited to various implementations as plas , cplds , fpgas , asics and assps . digital controller 504 embodiments may further include but are not limited to local memory resources in the form of ram and / or nonvolatile memory and may further include but are not limited to various forms of ram and one or more caching banks of ram . digital controller 504 embodiments of the invention may further include but are not limited to one or more of memory caches physically proximate to and possibly contained within the digital controller 504 embodiments package or packages . memory caching may include but is not limited to separate caching of memory and data . memory caching may further include but is not limited to multiple layers of cache structures . distinct processors within the digital controller 504 embodiments of the invention may further possess distinct caches as well as further localized memory which may in turn include ram and / or nonvolatile memory . digital controller 504 embodiments of the invention nonvolatile memory may further include but is not limited to boot roms and flash memory circuits which may further emulate disk drives with a form of file management system . the external interface circuit 500 is coupled to digital controller 504 as shown by arrow 508 . one external interface circuit 500 embodiment of the invention incorporates a rf tuner including but not limited to demodulators and / or modulators for various broadcast protocols such as fm , fdma , tdma , various spread spectrum protocols , wavelength division multiple access and wavelet division multiple access . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 rf tuners may employ wireline or wireless physical transport layers . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 , wireline physical transports include but are not limited to twisted pair , coaxial cable and various optical fiber mechanisms . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 , wireless physical transports include but are not limited to contemporary broadcast television , hdtv , as well as various radio frequency , microwave and infra red implementations which incorporate an antenna , sensor or array of antennas or sensors . certain preferred embodiments of external interface circuit 500 include but are not limited to modems . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 , modems include but are not limited to telephone line modems incorporating various transceiver rates which may not be the same for reception as for transmission , as well as various dsl , adsl , xdsl , isbn , ethernet , token ring and atm interfaces . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 , modem physical transport layers include but are not limited to wire line and wireless transport layers . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 , modem wire line physical transport layers include but are not limited to telephone lines , twisted pair wire lines , coaxial cabling and various optical fiber technologies . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 , modem wireless transport layers include but are not limited to directional and non - directional radio , microwave , infrared and optical schemes . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 may access external content located at a substantial distance , often embodied within a server supporting a network of user systems via interconnections embodiments of external interface circuit 500 . such networks may further support tcp / ip thereby enabling support for the internet . such networks may further support one or more intranets . such networks may further support one or more extranets . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 may include but are not limited to video input devices , often possessing external interfaces including video frame capturing circuitry . embodiments of external interface circuit 500 may further include image processing circuitry further supporting mpeg compatible compression and / or decompression of the captured video stream . coupling 508 can be implemented as a set of connections directly between external interface circuit 500 and digital controller 504 in certain preferred embodiments of the invention . this coupling 508 can also be implemented as a shared set of connections with other circuitry in other preferred embodiments of the invention . further preferred embodiments include effecting these couplings as transactions on the shared set of connections . further preferred embodiments of the invention include these shared connections forming a bus possessing a bus protocol . further preferred embodiments of the invention include the bus supporting a digital bus protocol . other preferred embodiments of the invention include the bus supporting and encoded digital signaling within an essentially analog protocol , including but not limited to protocols such as firewire ( p1394 ) and other optical fiber communications protocols . the external interface circuit 500 is also coupled to writeable content store 502 as shown by arrow 512 . coupling 512 may be effected by a dedicated interconnection in certain preferred embodiments of the invention . coupling 512 may be further effected by a shared interconnection with other couplings , such as coupling 508 in certain further preferred embodiments . the writeable content store 502 is coupled to a digital controller 504 as shown by arrow 510 . this coupling 510 may be a direct interface to digital controller 504 as a collection of electrical connections to electrical contacts between the package of digital controller 504 and writeable content store 502 . in certain other preferred embodiments of the invention , the coupling 510 may be effected by a high speed communications line including but not limited to fiber channel or atm - sonet between digital controller 504 and writeable content store 502 . the writeable content store 502 is coupled to a display circuit 518 as shown by arrow 514 . this coupling 514 in certain preferred embodiments of the invention may be a direct interface between display circuit 518 and writeable content store 502 . in certain other preferred embodiments of the invention , the coupling 514 may be effected by a high speed communications line including but not limited to fiber channel or atm - sonet between display circuit 518 and writeable content store 502 . display circuit 518 is coupled to digital controller 504 as shown by arrow 516 . this coupling 516 in certain preferred embodiments of the invention may be a direct interface between display circuit 518 and writeable content store 502 . in certain other preferred embodiments of the invention , the coupling 516 may be effected by a high speed communications line including but not limited to fiber channel or atm - sonet between display circuit 518 and writeable content store 502 . display circuit 518 embodiments may further include but are not limited to capabilities for mpeg stream partitioning and / or decoding , copy protection processing , decryption , authentication and block data error detection and correction . selector circuit 522 is coupled to digital controller 504 by arrow 520 . this coupling 516 in certain preferred embodiments of the invention may be a direct interface between display circuit 518 and writeable content store 502 . in certain other preferred embodiments of the invention , the coupling may be effected by a communications line protocol including but not limited to rs - 232 , usb or rs - 485 between display circuit 518 and writeable content store 502 . note that in certain preferred embodiments of the invention , display circuit 518 includes but is not limited to format translation capabilities . in further preferred embodiments of the invention , the format translation capabilities further include and are not limited to mpeg stream decompression capabilities . in other further preferred embodiments of the invention , the format translation capabilities include wavelet algorithmic decompression capabilities . in other further preferred embodiments of the invention , the format translation capabilities include fractal algorithm decompression capabilities . further preferred embodiments of the invention include but are not limited to 3 - d displays as well as multiple perspective displays of higher dimensional continuous content . speaker circuit 524 is coupled to digital controller 504 as shown by arrow 526 . in certain preferred embodiments of the invention , coupling 526 is implemented as a separate physical interface such as wires directly coupling speaker circuit 524 to digital controller 504 . in other preferred embodiments of the invention , coupling 526 is implemented as a collection of at least one kind of bus transaction on a shared bus . in further preferred embodiments of the invention , the shared bus is a usb bus . in other further preferred embodiments of the invention , the shared bus is an isa bus . in certain preferred embodiments of the invention , speaker circuit 524 may share coupling 514 to topic space content store 502 with display circuit 518 . in certain preferred embodiments , this shared coupling may be implemented as a shared bus with addressable devices . note that further preferred embodiments include but are not limited to audio presentation circuitry . further preferred embodiments include but are not limited to force feedback tactile interfaces . fig1 a is a user &# 39 ; s view of a display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . box 600 depicts a region of display 12 further partitioned into regions 602 , 604 , 606 , 608 , 610 , 612 , 614 and 616 corresponding to faces 402 , 404 , 406 , 400 , 414 , 416 , 420 and 418 of fig8 b , respectively . the user has selected a focal point and orientation in which these faces are visible at the relative proportions projected as displayed . fig1 b is another user &# 39 ; s view of a display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . box 600 depicts a region of display 12 further partitioned into regions 602 , 604 , 608 , 612 , 614 and 616 corresponding to faces 402 , 404 , 400 , 416 , 420 and 418 of fig8 b , respectively . the user has selected a focal point and orientation in which these faces are visible at the relative proportions projected as displayed . in comparing this figure with fig1 a , it can be seen that the orientation has essentially not changed from the previous figure , but the focal point has moved closer to the face 402 of fig8 b as shown in the enlargement of region 602 . alternatively , the change in view may be effected by narrowing the field of view in certain preferred embodiments . fig1 a is a three dimensional cube diagram in accordance with a preferred embodiment . the cube contains points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 . these points are connected by lines 750 , 752 , 754 , 756 , 758 , 760 , 762 , 764 , 766 , 768 and 770 . fig1 b is a three dimensional cube diagram superimposed on another three dimensional cube diagram displaced 772 from the first cube diagram in a fourth dimension in accordance with a preferred embodiment . the first cube contains points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 . the second cube contains points 716 , 718 , 720 , 722 , 724 , 726 , 728 and 730 which have been displaced from points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 , respectively of the first cube in a fourth dimensional direction 772 . fig1 is a four dimensional cube diagram formed by the translation of the first three dimensional cube diagram to the displaced second three dimensional cube diagram as used for user navigation in accordance with a preferred embodiment . the first cube contains points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 . the second cube contains points 716 , 718 , 720 , 722 , 724 , 726 , 728 and 730 which have been displaced in parallel from points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 , respectively of the first cube in a fourth dimensional direction 772 . displacement 772 connects points 700 and 716 along a fourth dimension . displacement 774 connects points 702 and 718 along this fourth dimension . displacement 776 connects points 704 and 720 along this fourth dimension . displacement 778 connects points 706 and 722 along this fourth dimension . displacement 780 connects points 708 and 724 along this fourth dimension . displacement 782 connects points 710 and 726 along this fourth dimension . displacement 784 connects points 712 and 728 along this fourth dimension . displacement 786 connects points 714 and 730 along this fourth dimension . the points of the first three - dimensional cube are connected by lines 750 , 752 , 754 , 756 , 758 , 760 , 762 , 764 , 766 , 768 and 770 . the points of the second three - dimensional cube are connected by lines 800 , 802 , 804 , 806 , 808 , 810 , 812 , 814 , 816 , 818 and 820 . the parallel displacements along this fourth dimension provide the remaining lines of the four - dimensional cube , namely displacements 772 , 774 , 776 , 778 , 780 , 782 , 784 and 786 . note that in certain embodiments , the dimensions of the topic space are not related to physical dimensions , such a length , width , depth or temporal displacement . they often refer to other entities , such as coloration , scores on specific tests , etc . fig1 is a tabular graph of points of the four dimensional cube of fig1 and the locations of those points in the four dimensional space in accordance with a preferred embodiment . associated with each point is a location , denoted by four numerals . each numeral component of a location is either ‘ 0 ’ or ‘ 1 ’. the first cube contains points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 which share a first location component of ‘ 0 ’. the second cube contains points 716 , 718 , 720 , 722 , 724 , 726 , 728 and 730 which have been displaced from points 700 , 702 , 704 , 706 , 708 , 710 , 712 and 714 , which share a first location component of ‘ 1 ’. the choice of these designations is in accordance with a preferred embodiment chosen to minimize notational and conceptual complexity . the four dimensional cube is the cube occupying the range from 0 to 1 in each of the four dimensions . the original is point 700 , with location ‘ 0000 ’. the four coordinate axes are associated with lines through origin 700 to 702 , 704 , 706 and 716 . fig1 is a tabular graph of the two dimensional faces of the four dimensional cube , their identification numbers and the named points and their locations in each two dimensional face in accordance with a preferred embodiment . examining fig1 shows that the four dimensional cube can be seen to contain 24 two - dimensional faces , known hereafter as faces . these faces will be identified by the numbers : 900 , 902 , 904 , 906 , 918 , 910 , 912 , 914 , 916 , 918 , 920 , 922 , 924 , 926 , 928 , 930 , 932 , 934 , 936 , 938 , 940 , 942 , 944 and 946 . each face is determined by four points of the four dimensional cube . the four points determining a face vary in only two of the location components across all four of these points . the provided table shows the four points , both in terms of the point identifiers and also in terms of the location notation presented in fig1 . face 900 is determined by points 700 , 702 , 704 and 708 . face 902 is determined by points 700 , 702 , 706 and 714 . face 904 is determined by points 700 , 704 , 706 and 710 . face 906 is determined by points 706 , 710 , 712 and 714 . face 908 is determined by points 704 , 710 , 712 and 708 . face 910 is determined by points 702 , 714 , 712 and 708 . face 912 is determined by points 716 , 718 , 720 and 724 . face 914 is determined by points 716 , 718 , 722 and 730 . face 916 is determined by points 716 , 720 , 722 and 726 . face 918 is determined by points 722 , 726 , 728 and 730 . face 920 is determined by points 720 , 726 , 728 and 724 . face 922 is determined by points 718 , 730 , 728 and 724 . face 924 is determined by points 700 , 716 , 718 and 702 . face 926 is determined by points 700 , 716 , 722 and 706 . face 928 is determined by points 702 , 718 , 730 and 714 . face 930 is determined by points 706 , 714 , 730 and 722 . face 932 is determined by points 704 , 720 , 724 and 708 . face 934 is determined by points 704 , 720 , 710 and 726 . face 936 is determined by points 708 , 724 , 728 and 712 . face 938 is determined by points 726 , 712 , 728 and 710 . face 940 is determined by points 700 , 716 , 704 and 720 . face 942 is determined by points 706 , 722 , 710 and 726 . face 944 is determined by points 702 , 718 , 708 and 724 . face 946 is determined by points 714 , 730 , 712 and 728 . the contents of the four - dimensional cube can be examined by presenting the projections of those contents upon one or more of these faces . such a representation is two - dimensional , since the projections onto each face must be two - dimensional . fig1 a is a diagram of a user interface showing the two dimensional faces of the four dimensional cube of fig1 , topic space parameter controls , focal location and orientation controls in accordance with a preferred embodiment . regions 1000 , 1002 , 1004 , 1006 , 1018 , 1010 , 1012 , 1014 , 1016 , 1018 , 1020 , 1022 , 1024 , 1026 , 1028 , 1030 , 1032 , 1034 , 1036 , 1038 , 1040 , 1042 , 1044 and 1046 are used to display the four - dimensional cube contents onto faces 900 , 902 , 904 , 906 , 918 , 910 , 912 , 914 , 916 , 918 , 920 , 922 , 924 , 926 , 928 , 930 , 932 , 934 , 936 , 938 , 940 , 942 , 944 and 946 . identifier 1048 will hereafter represent the collection of displayed face projections , which will be considered to be all of the regions 1000 , 1002 , 1004 , 1006 , 1018 , 1010 , 1012 , 1014 , 1016 , 1018 , 1020 , 1022 , 1024 , 1026 , 1028 , 1030 , 1032 , 1034 , 1036 , 1038 , 1040 , 1042 , 1044 and 1046 . note that in certain preferred embodiments , each of the regions corresponds to a distinct face projection of the four dimensional cube . in certain other embodiments , there are fewer than 24 regions , so that less than all the face projections are displayed . in certain other embodiments , one or more of the regions may display the same face . in certain further embodiments , there are more than the displayed 24 regions , with the contents of certain regions being identical , except perhaps for being rotated or flipped . in certain preferred embodiments , the regions are not all the same size . sliders 1050 , 1052 , 1054 and 1056 control the range of each coordinate axis of the topic space four - dimensional cube as diagrammed and discussed in fig1 a , 11 b , 12 , 13 and 14 above . slider 1050 contains a selection range 1060 . slider 1052 contains a selection range 1062 . slider 1054 contains a selection range 1064 . slider 1056 contains a selection range 1066 . sliders 1070 , 1072 , 1074 and 1076 control the focal point with regards to the four - dimensional cube as diagrammed and discussed in fig1 a , 11 b , 12 , 13 and 14 above . slider 1070 contains setting 1080 . slider 1072 contains setting 1082 . slider 1074 contains setting 1084 . slider 1076 contains setting 1086 . dials 1090 , 1092 , 1094 and 1096 control and display the current orientation of the focal point with regards to the four - dimensional cube as diagrammed and discussed in fig1 a , 11 b , 12 , 13 and 14 above . fig1 b is a diagram of a user interface showing the display region 1048 of two - dimensional faces , topic space parameter controls , focal location and orientation controls in accordance with another preferred embodiment . sliders 1050 , 1052 , 1054 and 1056 controlling the range of each coordinate axis of the topic space four - dimensional cube are distributed along each side of display regions 1048 . sliders 1070 , 1072 , 1074 and 1076 each controlling one coordinate setting of the focal point of the four - dimensional cube are distributed along each side of display regions 1048 . dials 1090 , 1092 , 1094 and 1096 control and display the current orientation of the focal point with regards to the four - dimensional cube are distributed in each of the comers of the display regions 1048 . fig1 c is a detail diagram showing a portion of the display region 1048 in which four exemplary two - dimensional faces , 1000 , 1002 , 1012 and 1014 are displayed in accordance with a preferred embodiment . region 1000 presents the projection upon face 900 , as determined by points 700 , 702 , 704 and 708 . region 1002 presents the projection upon face 902 , as determined by points 700 , 702 , 706 and 714 . region 1012 presents the projection upon face 912 , as determined by points 716 , 718 , 720 and 724 . region 1014 presents the projection upon face 914 , as determined by points 716 , 718 , 722 and 730 . note that each region is oriented in its display by the comer placement of each determining point in certain preferred embodiments . certain further preferred embodiments use a location notation such as found fig1 to denote the determining points of a region &# 39 ; s face . these point notations may appear outside their associated region in certain preferred embodiment . in certain further preferred embodiments , these locations are denoted by graphical symbols . in certain preferred embodiments , adjacent regions may share a pair of common points , thus share a common line segment . fig1 is a diagram showing several transformations of selected content as displayed in response to changes in focal location and / or orientation in accordance with a preferred embodiment . by way of example , three content representations a , b and c are presented in the presentations 1100 , 1102 , 1104 , 1106 , 1108 , 1110 and 1112 . lines 1120 , 1122 , 1124 , 1126 , 1128 , 1130 , 1134 , 1136 , 1138 , 1140 , 1142 and 1144 represent display transitions effected by motion of the focal point determined by the system . a user or software agent may effect such focal point motion in certain preferred embodiments . transition 1120 is between display combination 1100 and 1102 . display combination 1100 shows a large displayed content region a , with smaller regions b and c . display combination 1102 shows displayed content regions a and c comparable in size and slightly overlapping , with region b being smaller and non - overlapping . suppose that display combination 1100 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region c . the system would display combination 1102 by way of transition 1120 . suppose instead that display combination 1102 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region a . the system would display combination 1100 by way of transition 1120 . note that this symmetry of moving a pointing device toward something and a particular transition occurs , move it in the opposite direction and the reverse transition occurs will be assumed from hereon in the discussion of this and other figures . this has been done to simplify the discussion and is not meant to communicate a lack of symmetry between the motion of the focal point and the displayed contents . transition 1122 is between display combination 1102 and 1106 . transition 1124 is between display combination 1100 and 1106 . display combination 1106 shows displayed content regions a , b and c where the three regions are approximately the same size and all of them overlap . suppose that display combination 1100 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward midpoint between display region b and c . the system would display combination 1106 by way of transition 1124 . suppose instead that display combination 1102 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region b . the system would display combination 1106 by way of transition 1122 . transition 1126 is between display combination 1102 and 1104 . transition 1128 is between display combination 1106 and 1104 . display combination 1104 shows a large displayed content region c , with smaller regions b and a . suppose that display combination 1102 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward display region c . the system would display combination 1104 by way of transition 1126 . suppose instead that display combination 1106 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region c . the system would display combination 1104 by way of transition 1128 . transition 1130 is between display combination 1104 and 1108 . transition 1134 is between display combination 1106 and 1108 . display combination 1108 shows displayed content regions b and c approximately the same size and overlapping with displayed content region a smaller and non - overlapping . suppose that display combination 1106 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse downward near the midpoint between display regions b and c . the system would display combination 1108 by way of transition 1134 . suppose instead that display combination 1104 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region b . the system would display combination 1108 by way of transition 1130 . transition 1136 is between display combination 1108 and 1112 . transition 1138 is between display combination 1106 and 1112 . display combination 1112 shows displayed content region b larger in size and overlapping with displayed content regions a and c , which are smaller and overlap with b . suppose that display combination 1106 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward display region b . the system would display combination 1112 by way of transition 1138 . suppose instead that display combination 1108 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region b . the system would display combination 1112 by way of transition 1136 . transition 1142 is between display combination 1106 and 1110 . transition 1140 is between display combination 1112 and 1110 . display combination 1110 shows displayed content regions a and b comparable in size and slightly overlapping , with region c being smaller and non - overlapping . suppose display combination 1106 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the midpoint between display regions a and b . the system would display combination 1110 by way of transition 1142 . suppose instead that display combination 1112 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward the display region a . the system would display combination 1110 by way of transition 1140 . transition 1144 is between display combination 1100 and 1110 . suppose that display combination 1100 is presented , and that a user moves a pointing device such as a mouse toward display region b . the system would display combination 1110 by way of transition 1144 . fig1 a is a diagram depicting the display of several content representations in accordance with a preferred embodiment . display region 1210 contains regions 1200 , 1202 , 1204 , 1206 and 1208 . content 1200 is approximately the same size as 1202 , 1204 , 1206 and 1208 . note that the sides of content 1200 are not parallel to the sides of 1202 , 1204 , 1206 and 1208 . regions 1200 , 1202 , 1204 , 1206 and 1208 show diverse forms of content . region 1200 may present objects which may each expand into their own presentations . region 1202 may represent a multimedia sequence in motion . region 1204 may represent a program interface , such as a user interface to a simulation environment or video game . region 1206 may represent a text window , which may automatically be scrolling . region 1208 may represent a still frame , such as a map of san francisco . suppose the user directs a pointing device to move the focal point closer to the content 1200 . fig1 b is a diagram further depicting a transformation of several content representations in accordance with a preferred embodiment , which results from moving the focal point closer to content 1200 . note that content region 1200 has grown significantly larger than regions 1202 , 1204 , 1206 and 1208 . fig1 a is a diagram showing interrelationships between content 1302 and a map 1300 in accordance with a preferred embodiment . a preferred embodiment alternatively displays map 1300 and content 1302 . the map 1300 influences the traversal and display of content 1302 as represented by arrow 1306 . arrow 1304 represents the referencing of the map 1300 by movement and manipulation of content 1302 . fig1 b is a diagram showing interrelationships between content 1302 and a map 1300 in accordance with another preferred embodiment , where map 1300 and content 1302 are displayed simultaneously . boundary 1308 between the displayed content region 1302 and the displayed map region 1300 may be further shown with additional attributes in certain preferred embodiments . fig1 c is a diagram showing interrelationships between content 1302 and a map 1300 in accordance with another preferred embodiment , where content 1302 is displayed within map 1300 . boundary 1308 between the displayed content region 1302 and the displayed map region 1300 may be further shown with additional attributes in certain preferred embodiments . fig1 d is a diagram showing interrelationships between content 1302 and a hidden map 1310 in accordance with another preferred embodiment . the hidden map 1310 interacts with displayed content 1302 in a fashion transparent to a user as represented by the ‘+’ sign 1312 . a selector device 1314 may be used to direct the system to present content 1302 based upon the hidden map 1310 across a transport mechanism 1316 . alternatively , a system agent may direct the system to present content 1302 based on the hidden map 1310 . fig1 is a diagram showing the relationship between content in a multi - dimensional topic space and the traversal of content by a viewer over time . content presentations a , b , c and d each take place of a perceptible interval of time for a user . during each presentation , any moment in a presentation may vary in relevance to the presented material the other content presentations . by way of example , a presentation sequence on thomas jefferson may at certain times be close in relevance to the subject of patents , and at other moments in the presentation , be close to the subject of religion , slavery , architecture or languages . this diagram shows by way of example how four illustrative content presentations might be annotated and display such relationships . line 1400 shows the time line for a user viewing presentation a , with a user progressing forward in time by progressing from left to right along line 1400 . line 1402 shows the time line for a user viewing presentation b , with a user progressing forward in time by progressing from left to right along line 1402 . line 1404 shows the time line for a user viewing presentation c , with a user progressing forward in time by progressing from left to right along line 1404 . line 1406 shows the time line for a user viewing presentation d , with a user progressing forward in time by progressing from left to right along line 1406 . box 1410 represents a given moment 1412 for a user viewing presentation a with presentations b and c being close to presentation a as shown in box 1414 . box 1420 represents a given moment 1422 for a user viewing presentation a with only presentation b being close to presentation a as shown in box 1424 . box 1430 represents a given moment 1432 for a user viewing presentation a with only presentation d being close to presentation a as shown in box 1434 . box 1440 represents a given moment 1442 for a user viewing presentation a with presentations d and b being close to presentation a as shown in box 1444 . in certain preferred embodiments , more than one content region would be essentially displayed at the same time . in certain other preferred embodiments , the relations of where content is displayed within the display content boxes may be governed by the geometry inherent in a multi - dimensional space such as displayed and discussed in fig8 a , 8 b , 10 a and 10 b . in certain other preferred embodiments , the relations of where content is displayed within the display content boxes may be governed by the geometry inherent in a multi - dimensional space such as displayed and discussed in fig1 a , 11 b , 12 as well as fig1 , 14 , 15 a , 15 b and 1 sc . fig2 is a flowchart of a method of displaying , traversing , and displaying content in a multi - dimensional topic space in accordance with a preferred embodiment . operation 1500 starts the method , which in certain preferred embodiments , incorporates temporary allocation of required system resources for the operations to follow . arrow 1502 is the first iteration point of this flowchart , directing execution toward operation 1504 , which determines topics in the field of relevance . operation 1504 will be discussed in greater detail during the discussion of fig2 a and 21b . operation 1505 determines content related to the topics determined by operation 1504 . operation 1506 causes the retrieval of content representations . this operation effects transfers between external interface circuit 500 , topic space content store 502 , controlled by digital controller 504 . operation 1508 maps the retrieved content representations into topic space and displays the results . operation 1508 will be discussed in greater detail during the discussion of fig2 . arrow 1510 directs execution to operation 1512 , which determines whether there has been a change in the field of view . in certain preferred embodiments , such changes may be determined by action of a selector device such as 1314 in fig1 d . in certain other preferred embodiments , changes in the field of view may be determined by sliders such as shown in fig4 a and 7 a . in certain other preferred embodiments , changes in the field of view may be determined by sliders such as 1070 , 1072 , 1074 and 1076 as well as dials 1090 , 1092 , 1094 and 1096 as shown in fig1 a and 15b . in certain other preferred embodiments , changes in the field of view may be determined by one or more system agents . if there has been no change in the field of view , arrow 1514 directs execution to operation 1516 , which determines whether content has been selected . such selection may be determined by the use of a selection device 1314 in fig1 d , or by a system agent . if no content has been selected , arrows 1518 and 1510 direct execution to iterate by executing operation 1512 again . if operation 1516 determines that some content has been selected , arrow 1520 directs execution to operation 1522 , which displays the selected content . this operation may present content including but not limited to motion video , audio sequences and programs executing to portray interactions , such as simulations . if operation 1512 determined a change of field of view has occurred , arrows 1526 , 1524 and 1502 direct execution to operation 1504 , discussed above . in certain preferred embodiments , arrows 1524 and 1502 direct execution to operation 1504 before completion of operation 1522 . in certain other preferred embodiments , operations 1512 and / or 1516 may occur essentially concurrently with operation 1522 . in certain preferred embodiments , more than one content may be displayed at essentially the same time . fig2 a is a detailed flowchart showing a preferred determination of content related to topics with reference to operation 1504 in fig2 in accordance with a further preferred embodiment supporting a projection method of mapping the retrieved content representations into topic space and displaying the results . operation 1602 determines the orientation and zoom level from the focal point . the zoom level is inversely proportional to the distance between a face and the focal point . this determination can be performed by monitoring sliders and / or dials of a user interface as shown in fig1 a or 15 b . operation 1604 calculates the field of view given the zoom level and orientation . the field of view will intersect with some , or all , of the bounding surface of the topic space such as the results shown in fig8 a , 8 b , 10 a and 10 b or alternatively as shown in fig1 , 15 a and 15 c . operation 1606 calculates the visual surface area based upon the field of view , zoom level and orientation such as shown in fig8 a , 8 b , 10 a and 10 b or alternatively as shown in fig1 , 15 a and 15 c . operation 1608 determines which topics and subtopics are present in the visible surface area . fig1 , 17 a , 17 b and 19 provide examples of the results of such determinations . fig2 b is another detailed flowchart showing a preferred determination of content related to topics with reference to operation 1504 in fig2 in accordance with an alternative further preferred embodiment supporting a volumetric projection method of mapping the retrieved content representations into topic space and displaying the results . this approach is particularly useful when the topic space contents contains a large number of items . operation 1620 determines the location , orientation , zoom level , depth of field and focus . these parameters operate similarly to comparable imaging parameters in cameras in certain preferred embodiments . in other preferred embodiments , the depth of field and focus can work to chop out rather than fade or blur anything not within a given range of a parameter including but not limited to radial distance from the focus . this determination can be performed by monitoring sliders and / or dials of a user interface as shown in fig1 a or 15 b . operation 1622 calculates the field of view given the location , orientation , zoom level , depth of field and focus . operation 1624 calculates the visible spatial boundary area determined by field of view , depth of field and focus . the field of view will intersect with some , or all , of the bounding surface of the topic space such as shown in fig8 a , 8 b , 10 a and 10 b or alternatively as shown in fig1 , 15 a and 15 c . operation 1626 determines which topics and subtopics are present in the visible boundary area . fig1 , 17 a , 17 b and 19 provide examples of such determinations . fig2 is a detailed flowchart mapping a representation of content in topic space and display with reference to operation 1508 in fig2 in accordance with a further preferred embodiment . operation 1640 determines salience of found content objects to currently present topics and subtopics . found content objects may represent the coordinate axes in certain preferred embodiments . examples of these embodiments may be seen in fig4 a , 5 b , 6 b , 11 a and 12 . found content objects may represent interdependent relationships in certain alternative embodiments as shown in fig6 a , 7 a and 7 b . operation 1642 calculates the spatial location of each content object on relative position to spatial location of each element topic and subtopic and operation 1644 displays each content object representation . examples of the results of these operations are seen in fig7 b , 16 , 17 a and 17 b . fig2 a is a diagram showing a topic space with a focal point and three topics , each possessing a voice in accordance with a preferred embodiment . the topic space 1700 is an interrelated topic space with topical objects 1704 , 1706 and 1708 . the focal point 1702 is a distance from each of the topic objects 1704 , 1706 and 1708 . each voice can be considered to be playing a different melodic component , so that the user virtually located at focal point 1702 experiences proximity and direction based upon the mixing of the voices of the content objects in proportions relative to the respective distances from topics 1704 , 1706 and 1708 . fig2 b is a block diagram showing one channel of the displayed ( generated ) audio content as a function of focal point and the voices of displayed topics in accordance with fig2 a in a preferred embodiment . box 1710 generates the voice for topic object 1704 as signal 1720 which is amplified by 1730 based upon control signal 1750 from box 1760 to create signal 1740 . box 1712 generates the voice for topic object 1706 as signal 1722 which is amplified by 1732 based upon control signal 1752 from box 1760 to create signal 1742 . box 1714 generates the voice for topic object 1708 as signal 1724 which is amplified by 1734 based upon control signal 1754 from box 1760 to create signal 1744 . node 1762 effectively adds signals 1740 , 1742 and 1744 to generate signal 1764 which then drives output speaker 1766 . note that node 1762 may further incorporate power amplification in certain preferred embodiments . in certain other preferred embodiments , signal 1720 , 1722 and 1724 are combined prior to amplification . the invention is implemented on an interactive video composition tool built in macromedia director on a powerpc processor utilizing a macos operating system . the topic space was modeled in strata studio pro and rendered into a quicktime virtual reality scene with hot - spots using apple &# 39 ; s quicktime vr software development toolkit extensions to the macintosh programmers workshop application . pan and zoom controls are provided to facilitate direct manipulation navigation and a set of four topic focusing toggle buttons are provided for specifying interest in the presence of individual vectors or intersections of the vectors which can be set by a user to rotate and zoom the view to focus on that surface of the topicspace . a status bar is also provided to indicate and detail the current topic focus . one of ordinary skill in the art will readily comprehend that a vrml version of the system could place a user in the center of a volumetric representation and provide the illusion of the display occurring around the user . as the video which is annotated with topics distributed in the space is played , the user &# 39 ; s point of view traverses the space coordinated with the track of the video . an alternative embodiment consists of a series of software filters set by check boxes or state buttons with resultant intersections displayed in a dedicated window pane . this technique requires a targeted search and a separate visualization step to allow a user to navigate through the information . because the range of potential advantage extends across a variety of applications for a variety of media types , operating system and development system vendors will incorporate this functional capability into products to provide application developers access to these powerful tools . while various embodiments have been described above , it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only , and not limitation . thus , the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments , but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents .

6Physics

for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention , reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended , such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device , and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates . referring to fig1 , there is shown a schematic top diagram of a geothermal system connected to a building . the building or house 20 is constructed on lot 21 having side boundaries on 22 and 23 along with end boundaries 24 and 25 . a driveway extends from the building to the street or road . six separate geothermal lines 26 - 31 extend beneath ground level and fan out from a pit 32 . each geothermal line 26 - 31 is formed by digging a blind hole into the ground with a separate geothermal tube positioned within each hole forming the geothermal lines 26 - 31 . the tubes within the holes are then connected together funneling into an outlet tube 34 and an inlet tube 35 leading to a conventional heat exchanger 36 located within or adjacent building 20 . pit 32 is formed by rolling back a 4 × 6 foot area of sod using conventional tools , such as , a backfill blade on an excavator . pit 32 is then dug to a depth of five feet and provides a starting point for the six holes leading to the six geothermal lines 26 - 31 . as each hole is dug , pit 32 provides a storage area for the removed dirt and water in a confined area and also allows material to drain back into each bored hole as needed to pack around u - shaped tubes inserted into the six bored holes . while the drawings show a total of six geothermal lines , it is to be understood that the present invention includes less than or more than six lines depending upon the amount of heat exchange required for building 20 . typically , each line must be approximately 150 feet in length to provide one ton of air conditioning . in order to minimize the horizontal space occupied by the lines , the bored holes are drilled downward at an angle relative to horizontal . for example , in fig2 , line 26 includes a bored hole 36 at an approximate angle 17 of 19 degrees relative to a horizontal line 18 . by extending the bored holes down at an acute angle relative to the horizontal , the length of the hole may be optimized given the limitation of the horizontal distance between the boundary lines 24 and 25 of the lot upon which the facility is located . in many cases , rock formations are located beneath ground level 33 . for example , in the event a rock formation or rock layer exists 100 feet below ground level , then if the bored holes are drilled only in a vertical direction , difficulty is incurred for drilling of a 150 foot hole as the drill bit drills through the rock . thus , by orienting the bored hole at an acute angle relative to horizontal , difficulties may be avoided from a rock formation while also maximizing the length of the hole relative to the boundaries of the lot . in the event the bored holes extend beyond the lot boundary line , then covenants may limit the sizing of the length of the hole . the method of the present invention therefore includes the step of orienting the drill rod with attached drill bit at an acute angle relative to horizontal as the hole is drilled in the ground . in order to determine angle 17 , the desired length of the bored hole must first be selected with the acute angle then being calculated given the desired length and either the horizontal distance , permissible by the lot boundaries , of the desired bored hole or the vertical distance , permissible by the depth of rock formations , beneath ground to which the hole is to extend . since pit 32 is only four to six feet across and five feet deep , it is necessary to start boring the hole at a distance from the pit in order to orient the hole at a 19 degree angle relative to horizontal . thus , the drill bit is rotated into the ground at location 86 ( fig2 ) apart from the hole creating a 19 degree hole 85 which enters the pit side wall 87 at location 88 . the drill bit continues to rotate and moves into the pit engaging the bottom wall of the pit creating entrance 55 of hole 36 also oriented at a 19 degree angle relative to the horizontal . it is desirable that hole 55 be created in the bottom wall of the pit in order to allow the material from the hole to exit the hole into the pit and eventually move back into the hole once the heat exchange tube is located in the hole . referring to fig3 , drill rod 42 has one end 41 attached to a conventional hole boring machine 39 such as available from vermeer corporation of pella , iowa . machine 39 has a rotatable output releasably connected to end 41 of rod 42 with the opposite end 43 of the rod connected to a conventional drill bit end portion 38 . in the preferred embodiment shown in fig3 , rod 42 and drill bit end portion 38 are rotated by machine 39 through the bottom of pit 32 ( fig2 ) creating a hole approximately four inches in diameter at a 19 degree angle depending upon the conditions of the ground . each line is sized for approximately one ton of cooling / heating for the geothermal system installed . the entrance 55 of the hole 36 associated with line 26 is provided at the bottom of pit 32 . likewise , each hole created for lines 27 - 31 has a separate entrance . once a hole is created , the drill rod 42 and drill bit 38 are removed from the hole . drill bit 38 is then unthreaded from rod 42 and a drill end portion 37 having a cone shaped closed end 46 ( fig4 ) is mounted to rod 42 . bit 38 and end portion 37 have an internally threaded socket into which the external threaded male end of rod 42 extends . a hooked shaped arm 56 has a proximal end 53 mounted to end portion 37 and forms an open end 52 facing away from rod 42 . arm 56 is used to pull the u - shaped tube 45 ( fig4 ) into the hole once the hole has been bored and the drill rod 42 with end portion 37 is inserted into the hole . after end 46 reaches the blind end of the hole , the rod 42 with end portion 37 is pulled outward leaving the u - shaped tube 45 within the hole . the u - shaped coolant tube 45 is mounted to the arm 56 by any number of fastening means . for example , a cable 47 is extended through the space between tube portion 48 and tube portion 49 of tube 45 . the cable is extended around arm 56 between the space existing between arm 56 and the main body of end portion 37 . a conventional cable clamp 50 then joins the opposite ends of cable 47 securing the u - shaped tube 45 to rod 42 by hooking the tube 45 to arm 56 . so long as rod 42 and end 46 move downward into the bored hole , the arm 56 is operable to pull tube 45 into the hole . once the drill rod 42 is moved in a direction opposite to arrow 51 , cable 47 moves through open end 52 of arm 56 thereby disengaging cable 47 and tube 45 from the arm leaving in place , within the hole , tube 45 while the drill rod and drill end portion are completely removed from the bored hole . excellent results have been obtained by using a 3 / 16 inch braided cable for cable 47 . the width of the cone shaped end 46 must be smaller than the diameter of drill bit end portion 38 so that the bored hole is sufficiently large relative to cone shaped end 46 to prevent interference of end 46 with tube 45 as end 46 is pulled outward from the hole . the opposite end portions 48 and 49 ( fig2 ) of tube 45 extend outward through the entrance 55 of the bored hole and are connected to lines 34 and 35 , in turn , connected to heat exchanger 36 ( fig1 ). the opposite end portions 45 and 49 are connected together by joint coupler 54 . thus , the heat exchange medium is circulated through outlet tube 34 in the direction of arrow 51 , through the tube portion 49 and then back through coupler 54 through tube portion 48 in the direction opposite of arrow 51 to tube 35 , in turn , connected to the heat exchanger . in a similar fashion , a hole is bored for line 27 and then line 28 etc . until all of the bored holes are completed as just described with the drill rod and drill bit then being withdrawn sequentially from each bored hole with a separate u - shaped tube connected to arm 56 and inserted into each bored hole thereby forming geothermal lines 26 - 31 . as each u - shaped tube is inserted in the particular bored hole , the water and dirt within the pit is allowed to flow back into the bored hole . once the inlet tube portion and outlet tube portion of each of the six u - shaped tubes 45 are connected respectively to tubes 34 and 35 , pit 32 may be filled with the sod being replaced . each of the bored holes forming lines 26 - 31 has a bottom blind end against which each coupler 54 may rest . a universal coupler is used to join the end portions 49 to line 34 and end portions 48 to line 35 . an alternate embodiment for installing a geothermal closed loop employs the tool shown in fig5 and 6 . the tool allows for the u - shaped tube to be installed into the bored hole at the same time the hole is being created thereby eliminating one of the steps of the previously described method . further , the drill bit is not removed from the drill rod . thus , drill rod 42 ( fig5 ) has one end 43 connected to drill end main body 95 whereas the opposite end 41 is connected to boring machine 39 . a bearing 70 has an inner race 71 ( fig6 ) fixedly secured to the drill end main body 95 to prevent relative motion between race 71 and the drill rod and drill end main body . the bearing includes an outer race 72 which freely rotates on race 71 . bearing 70 employs conventional bearing construction techniques and is commercially available . fixedly mounted to the outer race 72 of bearing 70 is arm 56 having its proximal end 53 fixedly secured to race 72 . cable 47 mounts the u - shaped tube 45 to arm 56 in an identical manner as previously described . thus , with rod 42 and drill end main body 95 rotating , outer race 72 will remain stationary thereby allowing tube 45 to be in a non - rotating condition . a ¾ inch hose 76 has a proximal end 77 mounted by a conventional clamp 78 to the outer race 72 . the opposite end 79 of hose 77 extends outward from the entrance 55 of the hole and it is connected to a conventional pump to facilitate extraction of water and dirt from the hole as the hole is being bored and to also allow the pump to force the water and dirt back into the bored hole as the drill rod and drill bit are removed . each hole is drilled by rotating rod 42 and drill bit main body 95 while at the same time carrying the u - shaped tube 45 into the bored hole being created . end 98 of drill bit main body 95 is fixedly attached to a conventional flat drill bit 94 to rotate therewith . the blind holes are formed in a manner identical as previously described . for example , bored hole 36 has an entrance 55 located at the bottom of pit 32 and is angularly positioned relative to the horizontal at angle 17 . the length of the bored hole and the acute angle 17 are calculated as previously described . drill bit 94 advances into the ground creating the bored hole with the u - shaped tube 45 pulled into the hole behind the drill bit at the same time that the hole is being bored . once drill bit 94 reaches the desired length of the bored hole creating a blind hole end , the drill bit and drill rod are pulled in a direction opposite of arrow 51 thereby allowing the u - shaped tube to remain in the bored hole since cable 47 disengages arm 56 . drill bit 94 ( fig7 ) has a flat blade boring head operable to bore a hole having a diameter equal to the length 95 of the blade . thus , the hole is sized to allow for movement of tubes 45 and 76 into the hole as it is bored . when withdrawing the blade from the hole it may be necessary to rotate the blade until the blade is past the tube 45 which remains in the hole . since hose 76 is fixedly fastened to the outer bearing race 72 , the hose is withdrawn from the bored hole along with the drill rod and drill bit . commercially available monitors are available for locating and for determining the depth and horizontal distance the drill bit extends . likewise , the angular position of the drill bit about its longitudinal axis may also be determined by such monitors . for example , digital controls , inc ., kent , wash . distributes a directional drill locating system under the model , name and number digitrack f2 . the digitrack f2 directional drill locating systems includes a sensor mountable within the drill rod that is operable to transfer back to a remote monitor the roll , pitch , signal strength , temperature and real time as well as indicate the horizontal distance of the drill bit from the monitor and the depth beneath the ground . the drill rod , drill bit and hose are extracted from the bored hole while the slurry water mixture is pumped back into the bored hole ensuring the void in the soil is completely filled . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character , it being understood that only the preferred embodiments has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected .

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

a proposed intraocular lens variant is depicted in fig1 . the lens has a plano - convex shape formed by two external refractive surfaces , one of which is represented by a sphere ( 1 ), and the other one is represented by a plane ( 2 ) with a diffractive structure microrelief in the form of rings superimposed all over its surface , the radii of these rings coinciding with the radii of the fresnel zones ( 3 ). inside the lens there is one ( 4 ) or two refractive surfaces ( 4 , 5 ) represented by spheres . the external refractive surface , represented by a sphere , creates the main optical power by refraction phenomena . the additional optical power is provided by diffraction on the diffractive structure microrelief ( 3 ) and refraction on one or two internal surfaces ( 4 , 5 ). the microrelief is superimposed on the plane surface of the lens ( 2 ) in such a way that ring - type diffractive zones are formed on its surface ( fig2 ): the central zone ( 9 ) having the radius n and the ring - type concentric zones ( 10 ) with the radii r2 , . . . rk . the fresnel zones &# 39 ; radii depicted in fig2 have been calculated with the help of computer modelling , taking into account the spherical aberration of the optical system of the eye , in such a way that the prescribed optical power of the diffractive structure is ensured within the interval of 8 to 12 diopters . the statistical average for the human eye refraction is 20 - 22 d ( diopters ). the optical power of the diffractive part being 8 to 12 d makes it possible to decrease the thickness of the lens approximately by half . the diffractive structure , similar to the one depicted in fig2 , provides for additional optical power of 10 diopters on condition that the radius of the first ring - type fresnel zone r1 = 0 . 25 mm . the number and positioning of the diffraction zones depend on the needed value of the additional optical power that the lens needs to provide , the diameter of the lens , the light wave length , and the degree of influence on the spherical aberration of the optical system of the eye . the proposed lens variant depicted in fig2 and the variant depicted in fig3 differ from each other in the ways of minimizing the influence on the diffraction image of the spherical aberration of the optical system of the eye . the lens proposed in fig2 has the diffractive structure superimposed on almost its entire plane surface . the elimination of the spherical aberration &# 39 ; s influence is achieved , in this case , by selecting , with the help of computer modelling , a special law regulating the dependency of the diffractive relief rings &# 39 ; radii on the rings &# 39 ; numbers . the lens proposed in fig3 has the diffractive structure superimposed on just the central part of the plane surface of the lens . this kind of the proposed lens design makes it possible to minimize the spherical aberration &# 39 ; s influence on the diffraction image . this is illustrated by fig4 , which shows the dependencies of the rings &# 39 ; radii on their numbers , calculated both according to the formula rk = r1 √ k ( curve 1 ) and with the help of computer modelling , taking into account the spherical aberration ( curve 2 ). in fig4 it is evident that in the central part of the lens , where the spherical aberration is small , both of the curves almost coincide ; if the diffractive relief ( 3 ) is superimposed only on the central part of the plane surface of the lens , then the spherical aberration &# 39 ; s influence on the diffraction image will be insignificant . the design in fig3 actualizes this very way of minimizing the spherical aberration &# 39 ; s influence on the diffraction image . one of the variants of the proposed lens has the right - angled profile of the diffractive structure ( fig5 ). a lens with the right - angled profile of the diffractive structure without any additional refractive surfaces provides three diffraction maximums — the plus first - order diffraction maximum (+ 1 ), the zeroth - order diffraction maximum ( 0 ), and the minus first - order diffraction maximum (− 1 ). another variant of the proposed lens has the triangle profile of the diffractive structure ( fig6 ). a lens with the triangle profile of the diffractive structure without any additional refractive surfaces provides two diffraction maximums — the plus first - order diffraction maximum (+ 1 ) and the zeroth - order diffraction maximum ( 0 ). the power distribution among the diffraction maximums may vary . the power distribution is influenced by the depth of the diffractive structure microrelief hmax ( fig6 ). the depth of the right - angled diffractive structure microrelief is determined with the help of computer modelling in such a way that the intensity of the plus first - order (+ 1 ) diffraction maximum and of the minus first - order (− 1 ) diffraction maximum be at their maximum levels , and the intensity of the zeroth - order ( 0 ) diffraction maximum be equal to zero . with the depth of the right - angled profile microrelief calculated according to the formula micrometers ( n1 is the refraction index of the lens zone that has the diffractive structure on it , n is the refraction index of ocular fluid equal to 1 . 336 ), the minus first - order (− 1 ) diffraction maximum is located beyond the retina and is not involved in the image formation , the intensity of the zeroth - order ( 0 ) diffraction maximum with the calculated microrelief depth equals zero , so this maximum does not influence the quality of the image formed by the lens either , only the plus first - order (+ 1 ) diffraction maximum participates in forming the image on the retina . for the proposed lens the microrelief depth constitutes 1 . 65 micrometers . the depth of the triangle profile of the diffractive structure microrelief for the proposed lens is calculated according to the formula micrometers { n1 the refraction index of the lens zone , which has the diffractive structure on it , n is the refraction index of ocular fluid equal to 1 . 336 ) ( fig6 ). with the calculated microrelief depth , the intensity of the zeroth - order ( 0 ) diffraction maximum equals zero , and this maximum does not influence the quality of the image formed by the lens ; practically all of the power is concentrated within the plus first - order (+ 1 ) diffraction maximum actually forming the image on the retina . for the proposed lens the triangle profile microrelief depth constitutes 3 . 3 micrometers . in one of its variants ( fig5 ) the proposed lens has one additional internal refractive surface ( 4 ), which divides the lens volume into two zones ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) made of materials with different refraction coefficients m , n2 , with a right - angled profile microrelief on the plane surface of the lens . in this case each diffraction maximum bifurcates due to the additional refractive surface in the central part of the lens . one part of the light flux going though the central part of the lens goes through two spherical refractive surfaces and forms diffraction maximums in one set of places on the longitudinal axis l . the other part of the light flux , going through the peripheral part of the lens , encounters on its way only one external spherical refractive surface and forms diffraction maximums in another set of places on the longitudinal axis l . thus , this lens variant provides bifocal vision by using the plus first - order (+ 1 ) bifurcated diffraction maximum . for example , the axial light intensity distribution for this variant , received with the help of computer modelling of the optical system of the eye , is depicted in fig7 . in particular , in fig7 one can see that on the retina ( the retina coordinate is 23 . 5 mm as related to the frontal surface of the cornea ) there is one of the two diffraction maximums of the plus first - order (+ 1 ) that provides a sharp image of distant objects . the zeroth - order maximum is completely suppressed by the microrelief depth that has been selected . the two minus first - order (− 1 ) maximums are far beyond the retina and beyond the drawing in fig7 . further , in fig7 one can see that the plus first - order diffraction maximum is divided into two approximately equal intensity maximums . this division is conditioned by the influence of the additional internal refractive surface ( 4 ), because of which both the central and the peripheral parts of this lens focus light in two different points on the optical axis . the second maximum provides the near vision ( at a 30 - 33 cm distance ). in the other variant ( fig1 ) the proposed lens has two additional internal refractive surfaces ( 4 , 5 ) that divide the lens volume into three zones ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) made of materials with different refraction coefficients n2 , n3 , with the right - angled profile microrelief on the plane surface of the lens . this variant of the lens provides trifocal vision due to the fact that the plus first - order (+ 1 ) diffraction maximum is divided into three approximately equal intensity maximums . this division is conditioned by the influence of the two additional internal refractive surfaces ( 4 , 5 ), because of which both the middle and the peripheral parts of this lens focus light in three different points on the optical axis bifocal and trifocal vision can also be provided by the proposed lens variants with the triangle profile of the diffraction relief . a lens , similar to the one in fig5 , but with a triangle relief of the diffraction profile , provides bifocal vision by the bifurcated plus first - order (+ 1 ) diffraction maximum , too . this bifurcation is conditioned by the influence of the additional internal refractive surface ( 4 ), because of which both the central and the peripheral parts of this lens focus light in two different points on the optical axis . the zeroth - order diffraction maximum is completely suppressed in this case , due to the selected depth of the triangle profile diffraction relief grooves . in the other variant , the proposed lens ( fig6 ) has two additional internal refractive surfaces ( 4 , 5 ) that divide the lens volume into three zones ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) made of materials with different refraction coefficients n , n2 , n3 , with the triangle profile microrelief on the plane surface of the lens . this variant of the lens provides trifocal vision due to the fact that the plus first - order (+ 1 ) diffraction maximum is divided into three approximately equal intensity maximums . this division is conditioned by the influence of the two additional internal refractive surfaces ( 4 , 5 ), because of which both the middle and the peripheral parts of this lens focus light in three different points on the optical axis . the zeroth - order diffraction maximum is completely suppressed in this case , due to the selected depth of the diffraction profile microrelief . in general , independent from the embodiment of fig6 and independent from the microrelief structure , the curvature c 1 ( i . e ., radius of curvature ) of the first internal refractive surface 5 may be larger than the curvature c 2 ( i . e ., radius of curvature ) of the second internal refractive surface 4 . that is , in either case the curvature in the plane of the drawing of fig6 as shown ( paper plane ) is perpendicular to the external front surface of the lens 2 . this may hold especially in a region at or close to the optical axis ( i . e ., longitudinal axis l ) of the lens or at height of central zone 9 . in some instances , depending on the desired optical properties of the lens , the curvature c 2 of an internal refractive surface may be smaller than the curvature c 1 . in general , this relation may be given referring to each pair of surfaces being adjacent in the longitudinal axis , if the lens comprises more than one internal zone . the proposed lens contains one additional refractive surface in the central part of the lens , which is represented by the spherical segment with the diameter d 1 within the range of 2 . 0 to 2 . 2 mm , further changing into a plane ( fig8 ). in humans the pupil diameter depends on the intensity of light entering the eye — the higher the intensity of light , the smaller is the diameter of the pupil . in a healthy human eye the minimum diameter of the pupil is approximately 3 . 0 mm , the maximum diameter is approximately 6 . 0 mm . if d 1 & gt ; 3 . 0 mm , then in bright light ( minimum pupil diameter ) the human being will not be able to see objects clearly either at long or at short distances , depending on the implanted iol type . the solution in the proposed lens lies in the fact that d 1 is within the range of 2 . 0 to 2 . 2 mm . with d 1 ≈ 2 . 0 mm and in bright light ( pupil diameter ˜ 3 mm ) the light energy entering the eye is approximately equally divided between the two foci . in the other variant ( fig9 ) the proposed lens contains two additional refractive surfaces , the first of which , counting from the lens &# 39 ; external surface with the diffractive structure , is located in the central part and is represented by the spherical segment with the diameter d 2 within the range of 1 . 7 to 1 . 8 mm , further changing into — a plane , and the second additional surface in the central part is represented by the spherical segment with the diameter d 3 within the range of 2 . 4 to 2 . 5 mm , further changing into a plane ( fig9 ). the method of manufacture of the proposed multifocal intraocular lens ( fig6 ) with two external refractive surfaces , on one of which there has been superimposed a diffractive structure in the form of rings , the radii of which coincide with the radii of the fresnel zones , and between its external refractive surfaces additional refractive surfaces have been inserted , that divide the lens volume into zones manufactured from materials having different refraction coefficients , comprises formation of the optical part by using different photocurable materials with refraction indices n , n2 , n3 , their casting , uv treatment , and removal of the uncured material , all of this being done consecutively in several stages using quartz casting mold assemblies . the quartz casting molds comprise interchangeable halves , on the work surface of one of which there is a relief presetting the external refractive surface , and on the other off which there is a diffractive structure in the form of rings , the radii of which coincide with the radii of the fresnel zones . the other halves have work surfaces , on which the internal refractive surfaces of the lens are formed that have spherical holes with the diameter either d 1 or d 2 or d 3 further changing into planes . additionally , on the work surface of the form half there is a pattern corresponding to the haptic part of the lens . the first stage is the formation of the lens component representing the lens zone ( 8 ) restricted by the external refractive surface ( 1 ) and the first internal refractive surface ( 5 ) made of a photocurable material with the refraction index n3 . the casting mold is assembled from two halves , the first of which presets the form of the external refractive surface of the lens ( 1 ), and the second one of which presets the form of the first internal refractive surface of the lens ( 5 ). the material is photocured by uv light , the two halves of the casting mold are divided in such a way that the resultant component stays on that half , which forms the external refractive surface of the lens ( 1 ), the uncured material is removed from the surface ( 5 ) of the resultant component with the help of an appropriate solvent — isopropyl alcohol , for instance , and the component is dried until the solvent is gone . the second stage is the formation of the lens component representing the lens zone ( 7 ) restricted by the first internal refractive surface ( 5 ) and the second internal refractive surface ( 4 ), made of a photocurable material with the refraction index n2 . the manufacturer takes the half of the casting mold with the lens zone formed on it during the first stage ( 8 ), casts the photocurable material with the refraction index n2 and closes it with the other half that presets the form of the second internal refractive surface of the lens ( 4 ). the material is photocured by uv light , the two halves of the casting mold are divided in such a way that the resultant component — zone ( 7 )— stays on that half of the mold on which a zone has already been formed ( 8 ), the uncured material is removed from the surface ( 4 ) of the resultant component with the help of an appropriate solvent — isopropyl alcohol , for instance ,— and is dried until the solvent is gone . the third stage is the formation of the lens component representing the lens zone (. 6 ); restricted by the external refractive surface with the diffractive structure in the form of rings , the radii of which coincide with the radii of the fresnel zones ( 2 ). the manufacturer takes the half of the casting mold with the lens zone formed on it during the first stage ( 8 ) and the lens zone formed on it during the second stage ( 7 ), casts the photocurable material with the refraction index n3 and closes it with the half of the form that contains the diffractive structure in the form of rings , the radii of which coincide with the radii of the fresnel zones . the material is photocured by uv light , the two halves of the casting mold are divided in such away that all the resultant components — zone ( 8 ), zone ( 7 ), zone ( 6 )— stay on that half of the mold , which was used during the first stage , the uncured material is removed from the surface ( 2 ) of the resultant lens with the help of an appropriate solvent — isopropyl alcohol , for instance ,— and is dried until the solvent is gone . after that the resultant lens goes through additional uv treatment , then the resultant lens is placed into a closed container with isopropyl alcohol at a temperature of no lower than − 20 ° c . and is held there for no longer than 24 hours , then it goes through thermal vacuum drying at a temperature no higher than 70 ° c . for no longer than 6 hours . the elements of the lens support can be formed during any one of the three stages of making the lens , either from the corresponding zone material ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) with the refraction index n1 , n2 , n3 , respectively ( as a monolith ), or from different - materials ( for example , polymethylmethacrylate or polypropylene ). this method makes it possible to produce thin multifocal lenses that provide high visual function . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof . it is understood , therefore , that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed , but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims .

0Human Necessities

a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises computer - executable instructions which implement a simulator - independent environment for use in design verification . the simulator - independent environment provides a platform for running a test case on any simulator which is supported . fig1 shows a high - level functional block diagram of an embodiment . the model 103 represents a hdl description of a logic design . an hdl description can describe the function of a design at varying levels of abstraction , prior to its actual physical implementation in silicon . the model 103 is input to simulator 102 . simulator 102 interprets the hdl descriptions in the model 103 to simulate the behavior of a hardware device corresponding thereto , in response to a test stimulus which is input from a test case generator 101 via the simulator - independent environment ( sie ) 100 . the stimulus generated by test case generator ( tcg ) 101 typically takes the form of a generic , high - level request for access to the model which is applied by a bus functional model ( bfm ) in a specific bus protocol , to verify that the model can communicate in that bus protocol . a verification test comprising the application of a sequence of such stimuli typically produces , as output , results data representing the response of the simulated design which is compared to expected results , to determine whether the design functions as expected . the design may subsequently be revised to improve performance or de - bug errors . the sie 100 comprises computer - executable instructions for enabling the bfm to apply a stimulus to the model 103 on behalf of the tcg 101 without having to provide any simulator - specific information . a more detailed representation of the sie 100 is shown in fig2 . the sie 100 comprises a simulator supervisor 201 which configures the sie 100 by initializing other components of the sie 100 , using configuration , control and support functions 204 . the sie 100 further comprises simulator - independent clocks 202 which enable bfms 200 to run at any clock speed used by the simulator 102 , as described in greater detail hereinafter . the bfms 200 use the simulator - independent interface ( sii ) 203 to perform requests to the simulator 102 on behalf of the tcg 101 and to feed back information to the tcg 101 , thereby isolating the tcg 101 from the specific simulator used in the verification and allowing a developer of bfms to concentrate on a specific bus protocol used by the bfm without being concerned about specific simulator details . bfms are used at both the unit level of testing and in tests of soc designs comprising core combinations to generate specific processor bus cycles to emulate the behavior of a processor which will eventually interface with the designs under test . there are a plurality of bfm types , each corresponding to either a master or slave of a hardware bus which may be internal or external to the design . a p - bus ( processor - bus ) master bfm , a dcr ( device control register ) master bfm ( for soc designs having a dcr bus , such as those using power pc ® architected processors ), and a plb ( processor local bus ) slave bfm are three examples . in a typical verification methodology , bfms are not portable across different simulator types , since the bfms are usually written in a simulator - specific hdl ( e . g ., verilog or vhdl ) at a behavioral rtl ( register transfer language ) level of abstraction . ( generally , an rtl style of behavioral description describes an input / output relationship for a design in terms of dataflow operations on signal and register values .) in contrast , the bfms 200 according to the present invention may be designed without consideration for simulator - specific detail , as described hereinafter . in a preferred embodiment , the computer - executable instructions which implement the sie 100 are written in a high - level object - oriented language such as c ++. however , the programming structures and functionality disclosed herein for practicing the invention may find specific implementations in a variety of forms using other programming languages , which implementations are considered to be within the abilities of a programmer of ordinary skill in the art after having reviewed the specification . object - oriented programming techniques involve the creation and use of independent software entities known as “ objects ”. each object typically comprises a grouping of data generally referred to as “ attributes ” and software routines for manipulating the data known as “ member functions ”. a “ class ” refers generally to a grouping of related objects . a class serves as a general template from which particular objects are said to be “ instantiated ” by a “ constructor ” for a particular application . typically , a programmer conceives classes and objects so as to provide an interface to users which “ abstracts ” details of functionality . that is , software which invokes a class or object need only be aware of a general property or functionality of that class or object to utilize it , while the details of implementation are transparent to the invoking software . as shown in fig3 classes and objects may be conceived of in terms of hierarchical relationships . fig3 represents a simulator class hierarchy of the sii 203 including a base or parent simulator class 300 . derived or child classes 301 - 303 ( i . e ., classes lower in the hierarchy ), for example , may correspond to distinct simulator types , such as event , cycle or instruction set simulators . each derived class may include member objects representing distinct simulators ; thus , simulator objects 1 , 2 , 3 ( ref . no . s 304 - 306 ) represent three distinct simulators . the simulator classes and member objects exemplified above are arbitrary and not limited to three . examples of distinct commercially - available simulators include the model technology , inc . ( mti ) verilog programming language interface ( pli ) simulator , the mti foreign language interface ( fli ) simulator , and the ibm cycle simulator . under a concept in object - oriented methodology known as inheritance , a derived class or object includes the attributes of its base class or classes . thus , for example , simulator classes 301 - 303 are said to “ inherit ” simulator class 300 . an inherited class is a member object of its derived class . thus , simulator class 300 is a member object of each of simulator classes 301 - 303 . the simulator class 300 is one aspect of the sie 100 which abstracts the simulator - specific detail from a bfm . a bfm can call generic member functions in the simulator class 300 to access a model 103 for purposes of applying a stimulus on behalf of the tcg 101 , while the simulator - specific details of implementation are carried out by a simulator object such as 304 - 306 . a high - level flow diagram of a stimulus generated by a tcg 101 and applied by a bfm which uses a specific simulator object to access a model 103 during a simulation session is illustrated in fig4 . the tcg 101 generates a stimulus 400 (“ s ”) by issuing a request ( in the form of a function call , for example , in a c ++ implementation , to perform a dcr access , memory - mapped i / o , or a memory access ) to the bfms 200 . the particular bfm 200 which is responsible for driving signals to the particular model 103 for which the stimulus 400 is intended invokes an access function in the simulator object 304 corresponding to the specific simulator being used ( in this case , for example , simulator object 1 corresponding to simulator class 1 ). the simulator object 304 obtains simulator - specific information 401 for the bfm needed to service the request from the tcg , from objects built in the sii 203 during an initialization process for the simulation session . the simulator - specific information 401 is correlated with high - level symbols used by the sie 100 to refer to design elements being simulated . most commercially - available simulators include an application program interface ( api ), for enabling communication between the simulator 102 and a high - level programming language such as c ++. examples include the programming language interface ( pli ) for verilog simulators , and the foreign language interface ( fli ) for vhdl simulators . such an api is represented in fig4 by api 102 a . the simulator object 304 passes the simulator - specific information corresponding to the stimulus 400 to the api 102 a , which uses the information to access the corresponding element in the model 103 to apply the stimulus . typically , the model will change its state in response , and the tcg or bfm may request the new state from the simulator . in an embodiment , additional hierarchical structures in the sie 100 implement the simulator - specific information 401 . as shown in fig5 these include a model facility class hierarchy . “ model ” refers to a design under test such as model 103 . “ facility ” refers to a design element within the model as it is defined within a particular simulator 102 for purposes of simulating a corresponding hardware element . thus , “ facility ” may refer , for example , to a logic input or output signal of the model , a register , or a hdl “ entity ”, i . e ., a portion of hdl code identifying and defining a design at some level or levels of abstraction . a facility may exist at some hierarchical level within the model . as noted above , hdl code describing a logic design typically comprises entities . entities may be arranged hierarchically , with a top - level entity being logically connected to a set of lower - level entities , each of those lower - level entities being logically connected to still lower - level entities , and so on down to a gate level of description . a facility has various attributes which are simulator - specific , including the facility &# 39 ; s data type ( e . g ., register , net , enumeration , etc . ), the kind of facility ( e . g ., signal or variable ), and how it is to be written ( e . g ., as a temporary or stuck value ). model facility classes of the sie 100 , as exemplified in fig5 are used to abstract the simulator - specific information associated with corresponding facilities in a simulator model , such as model 103 . the model facility classes include integer facility class 502 and character facility class 506 . the integer facility class inherits the integer class 500 and the facility class 501 , and the character facility class inherits the character class 504 and the facility class 501 . integer facility objects such as 503 correspond to facilities in a model on which a test case needs to perform arithmetic operations without being concerned with non - binary values . character facility objects such as 507 represent model facilities which take on binary and non - binary values . other facility objects ( not shown ) supported by the sie 100 include long integer facility objects , floating point facility objects , and string facility objects . long integer facility objects correspond to model facilities used in arithmetic and logical operations greater than 32 bits . floating point facility objects correspond to floating point model facilities , and string facility objects correspond to string model facilities . the above - described classes are passed to a simulator object when obtaining simulator - specific information for a bfm as described above , and the simulator object converts them to a specific simulator &# 39 ; s api . for example , in the case of accessing an integer facility in the model , the instantiated simulator object will use the facility class portion and a value from the integer class inherited by the integer facility class 502 to perform the necessary conversion . “ alias ” files in the sie 100 associate high - level programming language symbols used by the sie , e . g ., simple character strings , with corresponding model facilities . in particular , hierarchical facilities in a model may be associated with a character string in the high - level programming language . this allows re - compilation of the sie code to be avoided in case of hierarchical name changes in the model . the alias file also can be used to specify how the facility is represented in the corresponding high - level code , for example , as an integer facility . the alias files are used to initialize the facility objects described above with the simulator - specific information , including a facility &# 39 ; s “ handle ” or identifier , its length in bits , and other simulator - specific information as noted above during an initialization process for a simulation session on a specific simulator . the facility objects are used by a simulator object to respond to a stimulus as described in connection with fig4 . fig6 illustrates the initialization process . the process includes constructing a bfm 200 for applying a bus protocol to a facility or facilities in a model 103 . during construction of the bfm , an alias file object 601 is invoked which reads the alias file 600 and creates a corresponding model facility object 603 , which is passed to a simulator object 304 . a specialization portion of the simulator object invokes functions in the simulator api 102 a to initialize the model facility object 603 with simulator - specific information . this model facility object is then added to a facility table 602 . after the facility table is built , the bfm 200 is initialized with references to the model facility objects which enable the bfm to use the references throughout a simulation session without having to look up model facility objects in the facility table . in view of the above description , an implementation of the application of a stimulus discussed earlier in connection with fig4 may be described more particularly as follows , referring to fig7 : the simulator class 300 includes generic member functions for accessing facilities in the model 103 being simulated by simulator 102 , termed herein for purposes of illustration “ write facility ” and “ read facility ”, for example . these member functions can be passed different types of facility objects as described above , e . g ., integer facility objects , character facility objects , long integer facility objects , etc . the simulator supervisor 201 obtains the specific simulator type being used in a simulation session during initialization , and instantiates the corresponding simulator object from corresponding simulator class , which defines how “ write facility ” and “ read facility ” are implemented for that specific simulator . the simulator supervisor passes the bfms 200 only the generic simulator class 300 ; due to the abstraction provided by the simulator class and object , the bfm need only call “ write facility ” or “ read facility ” without needing to provide any details of implementation . the tcg 101 issues a stimulus 400 in the form of a request to bfm 200 to access a facility in the model 103 , for example , to read from or write to the facility . the particular bfm which is configured to drive the facility being accessed services the request by passing a model facility object 603 corresponding to the request to the simulator object 304 corresponding to the specific simulator being used for the simulation session ( in this example , simulator object 1 ). the bfm uses the references 700 obtained from the facility table 602 built during the initialization process to obtain the model facility object corresponding to the request . as described above , the model facility object 603 contains information including the handle , length and simulator - specific information relating to the facility being accessed . the simulator object uses the information in the model facility object to invoke the appropriate access function in the specific simulator &# 39 ; s api 102 a . the api accesses the facility in the model 103 to service the request . during a simulation session , multiple models or different portions of a model are typically required to be simulated at different clock speeds . the simulator - independent clocks 202 ( fig2 ) represent software structures which simplify bfm development and execution by abstracting clocking details using a base clock - triggered model ( ctm ) class to include all bfms . as illustrated in fig8 bfms 200 are all members or specializations of the ctm class 800 . member bfms , the p - bus master bfm 200 . 1 , dcr master bfm 200 . 2 , and plb slave bfm 200 . 3 mentioned above are shown as examples , although the member bfms of the ctm class are not limited to these . “ clock - triggered ” refers to bus protocol , i . e ., whether bus operations are performed on a rising edge or a falling edge of the clock . the ctm class includes functions relating to both of these protocols , which are referred to herein as “ run rising edge ” and / or “ run falling edge ” functions , respectively . each member bfm object includes its own version of one or both of these functions . the ctm further includes a parameter table ( not shown ) and code to initialize the parameter table via a configuration file class ( not shown ). the parameter table is used to uniquely configure the bfms . using a base ctm class which includes the clock - triggered functions described above allows the use of “ polymorphism ” by a clock model object , as described hereinafter , to invoke a linked bfm without having to know what kind of bfm it is . polymorphism refers to a concept in object - oriented programming in which a generic interface may be provided to a group of related functions . additionally , because as a member object of the ctm class the bfm inherits the attributes of the ctm class , a bfm developer can utilize the all of the features of the ctm class , and yet not be concerned with any of its details . the foregoing simplifies bfm development by providing for clocking details to be abstracted from a developer of a bfm . when the sie 100 is initialized for a simulation session as discussed in connection with fig6 above , the simulator supervisor 201 instantiates clock model objects , and then instantiates bfm objects , passing each bfm object a parameter which creates a pointer , via the ctm class , that links the bfm with a clock model object representing a clock speed at which the bfm is to execute . linking via the generic ctm class interface allows the use of polymorphism by the clock model objects as described above . the clock model objects correspond with a range of user - specified clock frequencies at which a model or models are to be driven during a simulation session . multiple bfms of the same type may be linked to different clock model objects . the linking permits a clock model object to invoke a linked bfm using functions in the clock model object that correspond to a clock edge function in the bfms . to invoke its attached bfms , a clock model object may use a table containing pointers to all bfm objects that are linked to that particular clock model object . the foregoing is illustrated conceptually in fig9 . simulator 102 generates distinct clock frequencies 1 through n for purposes of simulating the behavior of design components of a model 103 running at these distinct clock speeds . clock model objects 1 - n correspond to the distinct clock frequencies 1 - n . the clock model objects are each linked to one or more bfms 200 . multiple bfms of the same type ( e . g . bfm type 1 ) may be linked to different clock model objects . a bfm may include a set of functions each representing a state of the bus being modeled . during a simulation cycle performed by the simulator in which the bfm is executed , a bus state function monitors the state of the bus and decides whether to perform some work required of it or to change its state . a change of state may be implemented by a function jump table using a bus state variable as its index , to effect a jump to a function representing a different bus state . in the overall flow of execution of simulation cycles using the simulator - independent clock structures as described above , once the sie 100 has been initialized , control begins in the simulator 102 . the simulator begins to execute simulation cycles to simulate the response of a model being stimulated by a test case generator . the simulator generates different clock speeds to drive different portions of the model . when the simulator generates a clock edge in a clocking sequence at a frequency corresponding to a particular clock model object , the simulator turns over control to the sie 100 for execution of the bfms linked to that clock model object . fig1 illustrates an example of the foregoing . for simplicity , a single clock frequency 1 is illustrated , which is represented by clock model object 1 , although typically each simulation cycle involves executing all the bfms active in the session at their respective clock speeds , which are linked to a plurality of clock model objects as shown in fig9 . fig1 shows simulator 102 invoking clock model object 900 corresponding to clock frequency 1 of the simulator . the clock model object 900 invoked by the simulator includes functions corresponding one - to - one with the “ run rising edge ” and “ run falling edge ” functions in the base ctm class . in the example of fig1 , the clock model object is invoked by the clock rising edge . the clock model , using pointers obtained via the base ctm class 800 to all of its linked bfms 200 , serially invokes each of its linked bfms using its “ run rising edge ” function . each of the invoked bfms 200 executes its own specialized version of a “ run rising edge ” function , which includes invoking its current bus state function , e . g ., one of bus state functions 1003 . the invoked bus state function may then perform some work required of it by a stimulus from the tcg 101 , which typically entails reading model facilities in the design and deciding whether to drive other model facilities or enter another state . after doing any required work , the invoked bfm returns control to the clock model so that the other linked bfms are executed . once all bfms linked to all clock models invoked by the simulator have executed , control is returned by the sie 100 to the simulator 102 . it may be appreciated from the foregoing that the simulator - independent environment according to the present invention allows a test case generator to apply test cases to a model without having to be concerned with any simulator - specific detail . test cases can be written in a high - level language , using , for example , simple character strings to refer to corresponding design elements in a model . the simulator - independent environment allow the tests case to be run on any simulator supported by the environment . further , the simulator - independent clocking mechanisms described above enables a general bfm , i . e ., a bfm which is not specific to an hdl or a simulator , to be configured to run at any clock speed , simply by being associated with the appropriate clock model object as described above . fig1 illustrates a general purpose computer system which can be used to practice the invention . the system includes a computer 1100 comprising a memory 1101 and a processor 1102 which may be embodied , for example , in a workstation . the system further includes a user interface 1103 comprising a display device 1104 and user - input devices such as a keyboard 1105 and mouse 1106 for purposes of , for example , initiating and controlling a simulation session and observing simulation status and results . the sie 100 , as noted above , may be implemented as computer - executable instructions which may be stored on a computer - usable medium such as disk 1107 , tape 1108 or cd - rom 1109 . the instructions may be read from a computer - usable medium as noted into the memory 1101 and executed by the processor 1102 to effect the advantageous features of the invention . the simulator 102 may be any of a variety of commercially - available simulators , including event simulators , cycle simulators and instruction set simulators . the simulator may run on the same workstation 1100 as the sie 100 . the processor 1102 would execute the simulator ( simulation software ) 102 , which would use the input simulatable model 103 to simulate the behavior of a corresponding hardware device in response to instructions executed by the tcg 101 . the foregoing description of the invention illustrates and describes the present invention . additionally , the disclosure shows and describes only the preferred embodiments of the invention , but it is to be understood that the invention is capable of use in various other combinations , modifications , and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein , commensurate with the above teachings , and / or the skill or knowledge of the relevant art . the embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain best modes known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such , or other , embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses of the invention . accordingly , the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein . also , it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments .

6Physics

now , the embodiment of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description , the component elements possessing an identical or similar function will be denoted by the like reference numerals unless in the presence of a special reason . fig1 illustrates a unit display device 1 which partakes in the construction of the image display apparatus of this invention . when the image display apparatus to be constructed is fated to assume a tetragonal display region having a large image plane , the unit display devices 1 are severally disposed from the left lower corner toward upward , rightward and obliquely rightward and wired . when this procedure is repeated on each of the unit display devices , the image display apparatus having a necessary display region is constructed . though the display device 1 is depicted as possessing four inputs , it is required to have at least one input . the inside structure of the unit display device 1 partaking in the construction of the image display apparatus of this invention is illustrated in fig2 . the unit display device 1 illustrated in fig2 comprises a receiving part 2 for simultaneously receiving a plurality of image signals of the form of an image signal packet , a processing part 3 for dividing the image signal packet into the interior and the exterior of display range and processing the data on the position for starting display of that packet ( address ) of the image signal packet outside the display range , a transmitting part 4 for outputting the processed image signal packet , and a display part 5 for displaying the image signal packet judged to fall in the display range . the construction of fig2 enables expansion of the display range by causing a plurality of such unit display devices to be mutually connected . while various methods are available for realizing the display part that serves to display the image signal packet falling in the display range , the method disclosed in japanese patent no . 3520318 directed to an image synthesizing and processing system , for example , may be adopted for this realization . in case display of two image signal packets at the same position is required , the content of display , namely the kind of image to be displayed , is decided by giving to the display part a synthetic control command data prepared in advance or a synthetic control command data synthesized from the relevant image signal packet . an embodiment of the image display apparatus according to the present invention will be described . fig3 illustrates an image display apparatus 20 obtained by connecting five unit display devices 21 to 25 of this invention individually provided with four inputs and input - output terminals of upper , right upper and right sides and consequently enabled to acquire a display image plane of a rectangle lacking the right upper part . the unit display devices have their respective display - limiting positions input and memorized in advance therein . fig3 depicts the flow of the images of a video camera 11 , tuners 12 and 13 , a digital camera 15 and a personal computer 16 as inputs partly via a hub 14 . the input signals from these component devices are invariably in the form of “ an image signal packet having designated the position for starting display ” which will be specifically described herein below . from the personal computer , two , i . e . one elliptic and one quadrilateral , signals are output . the input signals may be entered into the image display apparatus via any of the input terminals thereof . when the input terminals are not sufficient in number , the insufficiency may be coped with by branching the relevant wire by means of the hub 14 . in the case of the image signal which has a larger number of pixels than one image display device can display , the digital camera 15 in fig3 , for example , when handing the image signal having such a number of pixels , causes this image signal to be automatically broken by the information of the position for starting display of the image signal and displayed in four image display devices . when the image of a popular song broadcast received by the tuner 13 and the image of a person photographed by the video camera 11 are so displayed as to allow the positions of their display to overlap , it is made possible to obtain an image illustrating a scene as though the photographed person was dancing on a stage together with the person appearing in the popular song broadcast . the image received by the tuner 12 of fig3 is displayed on the unit display device 23 . the image signal in one line of this display is illustrated in fig4 . the following description will be made with attention focused on the image signal indicated by a horizontal line drawn across an image plane . it is assumed that the position for starting display of the image signal of this one line falls at ( 1310 , 400 ), i . e . the right end of the line of ( x , y ), and the image plane of the image display device measures 640 dots in width and 480 dots in height . the left lower image display device judges this image signal packet to fall outside the range of image display , alters the value of the x coordinate to 670 (= 1310 − 640 ) resulting from deducting the value of the size of the image plane , and outputs this result via the right output terminal . the second image display device which has received this image signal packet similarly alters the value of the x coordinate to 30 (= 670 − 640 ) resulting from deducting the value of the size of the image plane and outputs the result via the right output terminal . the third image display device which has received this image signal packet , owing to the fact that the position for starting display falls in the range of display , divides the image signal packet into the part inside and the part outside the range of display ( the part outside the range is empty in the illustrated case ) and displays the part inside the range in the display part . the automatic transfer of the image signal packet in the upper direction has the same mechanism as above . the vertically and bilaterally connected image display devices altogether complete an image exhibiting a matching property . fig5 illustrates a mechanism for enabling an image of a digital camera , for example , to be displayed as divided in four unit display devices as in an example of the image display apparatus of this invention . the following description will be made with attention focused on the image signal indicated with a horizontal line in the image plane . it is assumed that the position for starting display ( x , y ) of the image signal of this one line falls at ( 50 , 900 ), the image has a length of 1024 dots , and the image plane of the image display device measures 640 dots in width and 480 dots in height . the left lower image display device judges this image signal packet to fall outside the range of image display and alters the value of the y coordinate to 420 (= 900 − 480 ) resulting from deducting the value of the size of the image plane . further , since the width exceeds the size of the image plane , this image display device divides the image signal packet into image signal packets having image lengths of 590 (= 640 − 50 ) dots and 534 (= 1024 − 490 ) dots and fixes the position for starting display ( x , y ) of the latter signal packets at ( 50 , 0 ). the former one of the divided image signal packets is output via the output terminal for the upper side of the display device 21 . the latter one of the divided image signal packets is output via the output terminal for the right upper side of the display device 21 . the upper and the right upper image display devices which have received these image signal packets , owing to the fact that the positions for starting display both fall in the range of display , divide the image signal packets each into a part inside and a part outside the range of display ( the part outside the range is empty in this case ) and display the parts inside the range in the display part . fig6 illustrates one example of the procedure to be followed in causing an image received by the tuner 12 to be displayed by the display device 23 in accordance with the user &# 39 ; s instructions . the tuner 12 comprises a radio receiving part for receiving a television broadcast and outputting such an image signal packet as allows an origin ( 0 , 0 ) to fall on the left lower side and a packet processing part for processing a position for starting display in accordance with the external instructions from the user . since the tuner 12 is consequently enabled to output such an image signal packet as allows an origin ( 0 , 0 ) to fall on the left lower side , the output is displayed in the image display apparatus 20 as illustrated in fig5 . the case in which the user of this image display apparatus 20 instructs the display position of his own choice by the use of a mouse , for example , will be described below . when the user designates ( 1310 , 450 ) as the display position of the left upper side of an image , for example , the click he gives to the mouse causes the designated data to be transmitted to the tuner 12 . the packet processing part of the tuner 12 which has received the designated data adds ( 1310 , 50 ) to the position for starting display of the image signal packet output by the radio receiving part so as to allow coincidence of the position ( 0 , 400 ) of the left upper side of the output image of the tuner 12 with the designated position ( 1310 , 450 ) and outputs the result of this addition . in the television broadcast image plane of fig4 , the position ( x , y )=( 0 , 350 ) for starting display of the image signal from the radio receiving part in one line indicated by a horizontal line is altered by the packet processing part to ( 1310 , 400 ) and output in the altered form . though the display part of fig2 is assumed to have one display image plane in the foregoing description , an alignment having a deviating phase as shown in fig7 ( b ) may be obtained by repeating such a unit display device as shown in fig7 ( a ), for example . in this case , the unit display device as shown in fig7 ( a ) may be configured by the method of this invention or by the conventional method . further , this unit display device has only to produce an output for use in each of the directions possessing translational objectivity . a distinction button so to speak can be established by designating an optional region on a display and providing this region with a button , the depression of which results in enhancing the resolution of an image in that region , and rendering the image in that region distinct or , in the case of a moving image , this distinction button can be established by using means to heighten the refresh rate of the image instead of or in conjunction with the enhancement of the resolution . as regards this concept , the practice of varying the resolution of an image wholly in conformity with instructions has been in vogue heretofore . the adoption of this option , in an environment in which the communication band as utilized for a network is restricted , enables the whole communication band to be suppressed to a low level while allowing a necessary part of an image to be displayed with high definition and ensures ideal response and accomplishes provision of service at a low communication charge . for the purpose of realizing this option , an apparatus as the source of transmission of an image or a projected image is instructed to send the data exclusively in the designated region with high definition by the use of a circuit of fig8 or fig9 . the source of transmission transmits high - definition data containing the coordinates of the relevant part . as a result , it is made possible to increase the amount of the data and enhance the resolution in the designated part while the resolution in the remainder of the region is kept at a suppressed level . a method for sending such partial high - definition data as mentioned above , when the high - definition data is in a rectangular shape , consists in first giving notice of the information concerning the position of the origin of a rectangle ( the right upper apex , for example ), the length of the rectangle and the resolution and subsequently sending the data exclusively ( the sequence of sending the data is properly decided as from the right upper side toward the left and , when the left side is reached , again from the right in the first row directly below , for example ), with the result that the rectangular range will be successfully displayed . when the resolution of the data in this case falls short of the resolution of the display apparatus , the shortage may be properly complemented . in the recognition of disposition of a multiplicity of image planes by a method using connecting ports corresponding to relevant positions , when a multiplicity of image planes are used wholly as a large image plane , it is necessary that the individual display device be so prepared as to recognize their positional relations and function collectively . preferably , this preparation is effected by a simple adjustment . the display device to be connected to another display device , for example , necessitates preparation of four connection ports for use at vertical and bilateral points , uses as the origins the coordinates of the display device that has entered an image signal , obtains image data resulting from rewriting the image signal into position data by subtracting the number of pixels of the display device in the vertical and lateral directions in accordance with the connecting ports of the display device in the vertical and bilateral directions from the origins , and transmits the image data . simultaneous input to a plurality of display devices is also feasible , on the condition that the image signal devices individually have origins of their own . the positions for display of images that are obtained by this method are initialized values . the user is allowed afterward to alter these positions for display of the images to suit his convenience . in this case , the user has only to alter the position data of images while the positions of the origins on the display device side are kept intact . in accordance with the method proposed above , the simultaneous display in the plurality of display devices is accomplished by merely connecting the display devices to the vertical and bilateral ports in confornity with the positions of the image planes without requiring any special procedure for the recognition of dispositions . in the recognition of the dispositions of a multiplicity of image planes by a method using a camera , all the connected display devices are enabled to comprehend automatically the information of their own positions ( also detect the resolution ) by connecting a camera to any of the display devices as illustrated in fig1 ( a ), keeping the whole group of display devices cast in that display image , and issuing to that display device instructions to effect automatic recognition of dispositions . after the display device has been connected , it is made to exchange the information such as of the id and the resolution proper to the device and have the new information registered . the display device , on receiving instructions to effect automatic recognition of dispositions , sends to the display devices of varying ids including itself a projected image capable of discriminating them from the other display devices ( indicating the display devices required to be discriminated in red and the other display devices in blue , for example ) and detects the position of the device by processing the camera image . by informing all the display devices of the result of detection , the individual displays are enabled to know the information of their own positions . since this function resides wholly on the display device side , the camera may be of an ordinary grade . in the recognition of dispositions of a multiplicity of image planes by a method using id display , the display devices are so adapted that when instructions to effect automatic recognition of disposition is issued to any of the display devices through a circuit illustrated in fig1 ( b ), the other display devices are caused to output pertinent numbers . meanwhile , the display device that has received the instructions to effect automatic recognition of disposition is adapted to show the group of icons of the display devices containing corresponding numerals . then , the user is enabled to recognize the dispositions of the multiplicity of image planes by arranging by remote control these icons in the actual positional relation of the display devices . these icons are enabled to reflect their actual sizes by dint of display information , such as the resolution , for example . thus , the recognition of dispositions can be realized without requiring a camera . though the individual displays are mutually connected and are consequently exchanged in information , they are ignorant of their positional relations . the user , therefore , is required to teach them the positional relations by using a representative display device .

7Electricity

hereinafter , a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig2 is an embodiment of a dll circuit according to the present invention . the clock buffers 211 and 212 are internal buffers that receive external clocks / clk and clk . the clock signal / clk ( pronounced as “ clock bar ” or as “ clock complement ”) is an inverted form of the clock signal , clk . the clock signals / clk and clk , which have passed through the clock buffers 211 and 212 respectively , are indicated by internal clock signals fclkt 2 and rclkt 2 . unlike fig1 , it should be noted that the clock buffers 211 and 212 in fig2 are controlled by an inverted signal ckeb of a clock enable signal cke . the signal ckeb is a low level or logic zero when a memory device is in normal operation mode . the signal ckeb is a high level or logic 1 , when the memory device is in a power - down mode . for reference , the clock buffers 211 and 212 are disabled when the device enters into power - down mode . a delay circuit or delay line 213 receives the internal clock signal fclkt 2 at an input end of the delay line 213 in order to delay the internal clock signal fclkt 2 for a predetermined period of time . the delay circuit / delay line 214 receives the internal clock signal rclkt 2 at an input end of the delay line 214 and delays the internal clock signal rclkt 2 for a predetermined period of time . for reference , the delay times in the delay lines 113 and 114 are varied by a delay line controller 217 as will be described later . a replica delay unit 215 receives an output signal from the delay line 214 and provides a fixed delay time that nearly coincides with the sum of a delay time t 1 of the clock buffer 211 and a delay time t 2 of a dll driver 218 . a phase comparator 216 compares the phase of the internal clock signal rclkt 2 , which is an output signal of the buffer 212 , with a phase of an output signal fb_clk of the replica delay unit 215 . the delay line controller 217 controls the delay time of the delay lines 213 and 214 in response to the output signal of the phase comparator 216 . dll drivers 218 and 219 receive the output signals of the delay lines 213 and 214 . the dll drivers also output the internal dll signals fclk_dll and rclk_dll . the controller 220 receives a signal ckeb and a signal fb_clk and outputs a signal cke_dll to the phase comparator 216 to control operation of the phase comparator 216 . when a signal ckeb for entering the power - down mode is applied at a high level , the controller 220 outputs the signal cke_dll to the phase comparator at a low level to block operation of the phase comparator 216 ( refer to fig3 ). that is , unlike conventional cases , the phase comparator 216 according to the present invention is disabled by the controller 220 upon entering into the power - down mode . an example of the controller 220 depicted in fig2 is illustrated in fig3 . fig3 is an example of a controller suggested in this invention . as illustrated in the drawing , a controller is comprised of a d flip - flop 31 and a nor gate 32 . the input terminal ( in ) of d flip - flop 31 receives the signal ckeb , and the clock terminal ( clk ) receives the signal fb_clk . the nor gate 32 receives the signal ckeb and an output signal cked_d of the d flip - flop 31 , and an output signal cke_dll of the nor gate 32 controls operation of the phase comparator 216 shown in fig2 . for reference , the phase comparator 216 is disabled when the output signal cke_dll of the nor gate 32 is a low level . hereinafter , an operation of the embodiment suggested in fig2 will be divided for explanation into normal operation mode and power - down mode . first , the operation of a dll circuit in normal operation mode will be described . in normal operation mode , the signal ckeb is low level and therefore the clock buffers 211 and 212 are in enable state and the controller 220 is in disable state . since the controller 220 is in disable state , the operation of a circuit of fig2 is same as the operation of a typical dll circuit . in other words , internal clock signals fclkt 2 and rclkt 2 output from the clock buffers 211 and 212 pass through the delay lines 213 and 214 respectively to be applied to dll drivers 218 and 219 . an output signal of the delay line 214 is also applied to the replica delay unit 215 . the phase comparator 216 compares a phase difference between an output signal fb_clk of the replica delay unit 215 and an output signal rclkt 2 of the clock buffer 212 . the delay line controller 217 controls the delay times of the delay lines 213 and 214 in response to an output signal of the phase comparator 216 . the above - mentioned operation will be repeated until the phases of the signals rclkt 2 and fb_clk applied to the phase comparator 216 coincide with each other within error range . next , the operation of a dll circuit in power - down mode will be described . upon entering the power - down mode , an inverted signal ckeb of the clock enable signal is changed to a high level . in this case , the clock buffers 211 and 212 are disabled by the signal ckeb . when both clock buffers 211 and 212 are in a disable state , the power consumed in a dll circuit of fig2 can be reduced . upon entering into the power - down mode , since the signal ckeb is at a high level , an output signal cke_dll of the controller 220 is at a low level ( refer to fig3 .) when the signal cke_dll is low level , the phase comparator 216 will be in the disabled state . unlike conventional cases , therefore , the power consumption of the phase comparator 216 can be also reduced . next , upon exiting from power - down mode , an inverted signal ckeb of the clock enable signal is changed to a low level . therefore , the clock buffers 211 and 212 will be changed from disable state to enable state . concerning this , the phase comparator 216 of this invention will operate after a predetermined period of time passes since the signal ckeb of low level is applied ( in this regard , the operation is greatly different from the prior art ). concerning this it will be more specifically described in detail . in conventional cases , upon exiting from power - down mode , the phase comparator operates immediately , thereby causing a malfunction . this malfunction is generated because an abnormal signal fb_clk is applied . in the invention disclosed and claimed herein , however , phase comparator operation 216 is controlled by the controller 220 . concerning this , as illustrated in fig3 , an embodiment of the controller will be described . as described above , since an output signal cke_dll of the controller 32 maintains low level just prior to exiting from power - down mode , the phase comparator 216 is in disable state . upon exiting from the power - down mode , the signal ckeb is changed to a low level . an output signal ckeb_d of the d flip - flop 31 will be changed to low level after a signal fb_clk is applied to a clock terminal . therefore , after an output signal rclkt 2 of the clock buffer 212 , which is enabled upon exiting from power - down mode , passes through the delay line 214 and the replica delay unit 215 to be applied to a clock terminal of the d flip - flop 31 , the output signal ckeb_d of d flip - flop 31 becomes low level . as a result , an output signal cke_dll of the controller becomes high level after the signal rclkt 2 passes through the delay line 214 and the replica delay unit 215 to be applied to a clock terminal of d flip - flop 31 . as described above , when the output signal cke_dll of the controller becomes high level , the phase comparator is enabled to operate . therefore , a malfunction caused by operating the phase comparator upon exiting from power - down mode can be prevented . fig4 is another embodiment of a dll circuit according to the present invention . as can be seen in fig4 , there is provided a controller 420 for controlling a delay line controller 417 . clock buffers 411 and 412 are internal buffers for receiving external clocks / clk and clk . the clock buffers 411 and 412 also receive the signals ckeb . the clock signal / clk is an inverted signal of the clock signal clk . the clock signals / clk and clk which have passed through the clock buffers 411 and 412 respectively are indicated by internal clock signals fclkt 2 and rclkt 2 . as illustrated in fig2 , it should be noted that the clock buffers 411 and 412 in fig4 are controlled by an inverted signal ckeb of a clock enable signal cke . the signal ckeb is low level when a memory device is in normal operation mode , and the signal ckeb is high level when it is in power - down mode . for reference , the clock buffers 411 and 412 become disable state upon entering into power - down mode . a first delay line 413 receives the internal clock signal fclkt 2 at the input end of the delay line 413 in order to delay the signal fclkt 2 for a predetermined period of time . a second delay line 414 receives the internal clock signal rclkt 2 at the input end of the delay line 414 to delay the rclkt 2 signal for a predetermined period of time . for reference , the delay times in the delay lines 413 and 414 are varied by a delay line controller 417 as will be described later . a replica delay unit 415 receives an output signal of the delay line 414 . the replica delay unit 415 is a delay unit having a fixed delay time , which nearly coincides with the sum of a delay time t 1 of the clock buffer 411 and a delay time t 2 of a dll driver 418 . a phase comparator 416 compares a phase of the internal clock signal rclkt 2 , which is an output signal of the buffer 412 , with a phase of an output signal fb_clk of the replica delay unit 415 . the delay line controller 417 controls the delay time of the delay lines 413 and 414 in response to the output signal of the phase comparator 416 . dll drivers 418 and 419 receive the output signals of the delay lines 413 and 414 to output internal dll signals fclk_dll and rclk_dll . the controller 420 receives a signal ckeb and a signal fb_clk and outputs a signal cke_dll for controlling an operation of the delay line controller 417 . when a signal ckeb for noftifying power - down mode entry is applied at high level , the controller 220 outputs the signal cke_dll at low level to block an operation of the delay line controller 417 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig4 , a wrong phase detection result is output from the phase comparator 416 upon exiting from a power - down mode as in the prior to be applied to the delay line controller . however , for the delay line controller 417 according to the present invention , the delay line controller 417 is enabled after the signal fb_clk is normally applied . therefore , the possibility of generating a malfunction as in the prior art is reduced or eliminated . fig5 is an embodiment of a controller illustrated in fig4 . the controller of fig5 includes latches 51 , 52 and 53 , inverters 54 and 56 , a nor gate 55 , and transmission switches 57 a , 57 b and 57 c . when a signal fb_clk , which is a delay signal of an internal clock signal rclkt 2 , is changed to high level for the first time after exiting from power - down mode , a clock signal ckeb will be stored in latch 51 . when a signal fb_clk is changed to low level after a half cycle of the internal clock signal rclkt 2 , the signal ckeb stored in latch 51 will be stored in or shifted to latch 52 . next , when the signal fb_clk is changed again to high level after a half cycle of the internal clock signal rclkt 2 , the signal ckeb stored in the latch 52 passes into latch 53 and an inverter 54 to be applied to a nor gate 55 . an output signal of the inverter 54 is “ ckeb_d .” the nor gate 55 receives the signal ckeb and the output signal ckeb_d of the inverter 54 , and the delay line controller 417 will be enabled when an output signal cke_dll of the nor gate 55 is high level . as a result , it is seen that the delay line controller is enabled after one cycle of a clock signal clk or / clk . as seen in fig4 and 5 , a malfunction of the dll circuit can be prevented by delaying a timing of operating a delay line controller upon exiting from power - down mode . according to the present invention , in power - down mode , the power consumed in a dll circuit can be reduced , and furthermore a malfunction of the dll circuit which may be generated upon exiting from power - down mode can be prevented in advance . the embodiments described above and depicted in the figures are merely examples of the invention . the true scope of which is defined and determined by the appurtenant claims .

7Electricity

fig1 shows a block diagram of a plant 1 according to the disclosure for the recycling of pet , to obtain a recycled product which is suited for the production of containers usable in the food industry . however , the disclosure can also be used for those plants that provide recycled pet for a non - sterile application , or it may be employed for the recycling of other plastics . plant 1 according to the disclosure comprises a conventional grinder , not illustrated in fig1 , in which pet products are ground to material shred or so - called flakes . a washing plant for removing label residues or dirt is not shown in fig1 either . plant 1 according to fig1 first comprises , for example , a sifter 2 of the washing device , by means of which visible impurities are removed . at the outlet of the sifter 2 a switching device is located , e . g . in the form of a first material flow switch 3 conducting the material flow into a first process line a , which is shown by a dashed line , and into a second process line b , which is shown by a continuous line . in the exemplary embodiment shown , the first process line a comprises the plant components for the production of a first recycling product , preferably pellets . the plant components of process line a , which are passed through in the order specified below , are a sifter 4 for fines , a sieve 5 for removing the fines , a color sorter 6 for sorting out discolored or false color flakes , and a silo 7 for collecting the cleaned and washed flakes , followed , for example via another material flow switch 18 , by a decontamination stage 8 . in the exemplary embodiment shown , the decontamination stage 8 is formed of a first heating screw 9 , a second heating screw 10 and a vacuum reactor 11 . the flakes are heated in the heating screws . next , residual contents are extracted in the vacuum reactor 11 . the vacuum reactor 11 is associated with a switching device , e . g . in the form of another material switch 12 explained in more detail below , leading into an extruder 13 for the production of pellets . in the extruder 13 the flakes are plasticized by the supply of heat and brought into a shape from which pellets may be formed . these pellets subsequently run through a cooler 14 , and are transported by another material flow switch 15 either into packaging containers 16 , or as bulk cargo into transport containers 17 , or are directly introduced into a further processing machine ( not illustrated in fig1 ), e . g . an injection molding machine for the production of preforms for beverage bottles . the second process line b comprises the plant components for the production of a second recycling product , preferably flakes , and employs the plurality of the plant components of process line a , however , with some of the plant components being run through in a different order . the non - illustrated grinder and the sifter / washing device 2 are run through in the same order as in process line a . the material flow switch 3 is set in such a way that the flakes leaving the sifter 2 are immediately transported into the silo 7 , and from there into the decontamination device 8 comprising the first heating screw 9 , the second heating screw 10 and the vacuum reactor 11 . the decontamination process is carried out analogously to the pellet production process in process line a . then , the material flow switch 12 is set to make the flakes run through the sifter 4 , the sieve 5 , and the color sorter 6 so that flakes that were possibly discolored during the heating can be sorted out . from the color sorter 6 the flakes are transported via a bypass route 12 a , bypassing extruder 13 and cooler 14 , directly to the material switch 15 , which distributes the flakes to the containers 16 , 17 or to the injection molding machine . fig2 schematically shows the material switch 12 associated with the vacuum reactor 11 . the vacuum container 11 comprises a vacuum bottom 11 a , which has two outlet openings 18 and 19 spaced away from each other . both outlets 18 , 19 are designed as bulk material feeders and can be locked , for example , by a slide or a blind cover accessible through an access opening . the outlet 18 leads into process line a , i . e . to the extruder 13 , for example through a conduit 20 . the outlet 19 leads into process line b for flakes , and is connected , e . g . by a chute 21 , to the sifter 4 for fines . the controller of the plant 1 is configured such that the user merely has to preselect a specific process line a or b so as to start the desired process . where necessary , a manual switching may be required , e . g . at material flow switch 12 , for opening and closing special access openings and for inserting and removing blind covers . moreover , the controller ensures that plant components such as the sifter 4 , the sieve 5 , the color sorter 6 and the decontamination device 8 are operated in accordance with the production process for the first recycling product ( pellets ) or the second recycling product ( flakes ) with different parameters , adapted to the selected process . such parameters are , for example , the conveying speed in a continuous or discontinuous operation , holding times , temperatures such as drying temperatures or temperatures of conveyor members , parameters of sorters or the like . the switching operations will be explained in more detail below by means of examples . the plant is operated in the flake process and is to be switched to the pellet process . the following operations take place : 2 . the vacuum reactor 11 no longer delivers flakes and breaks the vacuum . 3 . the sifter / washing device 2 interrupts the transport to the decontamination device 8 . 4 . after the vacuum in the vacuum reactor 11 was broken ( which is signaled to the user ), the material flow switch 12 is switched over . to this end , the access opening at the pellet process outlet has to be opened and the blind cover for the material flow has to be removed . after that , process line a is open , and this access opening is closed again . next , the access opening at the flake process outlet is opened , and the outlet is closed with the blind cover . thus , product line b is locked . the access opening of the flake process is now closed again . 5 . the sifter 4 for fines , the sieve 5 for fines and the color sorter 6 continue to operate until they are empty . 6 . the other material switches 3 and 15 are switched over . 7 . after the sifter 4 , the sieve 5 and the color sorter 6 have been emptied , the parameter sets for the operating state of the first process line a for pellets are automatically loaded into the plant components used for both product lines . 8 . the controller is being signaled as soon as all manual alterations are concluded . 9 . the sifter / washing device continues the transport to the decontamination module 8 . 10 . the production process for pellets is now initiated , and the alteration is concluded . the controller detects which one of the production processes is in operation , and it is capable without any further intervention to automatically switch the relevant parameter set required therefor and change over the switch position for the different product lines . the plant is operated in the pellet production process and is to be switched to the flake production process . the following operations are necessary : 2 . the vacuum reactor 11 no longer delivers pellets and breaks the vacuum . 3 . the sifter / washing device interrupts the transport to the decontamination module 8 . 4 . after the vacuum in the vacuum reactor 11 was broken ( which is signaled to the user ), the vacuum bottom 11 is converted . to this end , the access opening at the flake process outlet has to be opened and the blind cover for the material flow has to be removed . after that , product line b is open , and this access opening is closed again . next , the access opening at the pellet process outlet is opened , and the outlet is closed with the blind cover . thus , process line a is locked . the access opening of the pellet process is now closed again . 5 . the sifter 4 for fines , the sieve 5 for fines and the color sorter 6 continue to operate until they are empty . 6 . the material switches 3 and 15 are switched over . 7 . after the sifter 4 , the sieve 5 and the color sorter 6 have been emptied , the parameter sets for the production process for flakes are automatically loaded into the plant components used for both product lines a and b . 8 . the controller is being signaled as soon as all manual alterations are concluded . 9 . the sifter / washing device continues the transport to the decontamination module 8 . 10 . the production process for flakes is now initiated , and the alteration is concluded . the controller detects the currently used production process , and it is capable without any further intervention to automatically switch the relevant parameter set and change over the switch position for the different product lines a , b . according to a modification of the exemplary embodiments described and illustrated above , the product lines may , on the one hand , be provided with different plant components according to requirements and , on the other hand , also be designed for the production of other recycling products . further , the switching can be accomplished fully automatically by the process controller , also in the region of the material switch at the vacuum reactor , with two controllable outlets of the vacuum reactor being optionally provided .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

with reference now to the drawings , and in particular to fig1 - 4 thereof , a new adjustable horse bit embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described . the adjustable horse bit 10 comprises a mouthpiece 12 which may be inserted into a mouth of a horse 14 , as depicted in fig3 . threadably connected to respectively opposed ends of the mouthpiece 12 are a pair of bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 which allow a width of the mouthpiece to be adjusted thereby . the bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 allow the mouthpiece 12 to be adjusted to fit into narrow mouths , wide mouths , and various widths therebetween . the adjustable horse bit 10 may be adjusted to provide an appropriate fit within a mouth of any particular animal and re - adjusted as the animal grows . more specifically , it will be noted that the adjustable horse bit 10 comprises a pair of center eyelets 20 , 22 which are interlocked together as shown in fig1 . a pair of center shanks 24 , 26 are fixedly secured to respective center eyelets 20 , 22 and are each provided with unillustrated threaded apertures therein . the bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 are received within the threaded apertures of the center shanks 24 , 26 , respectively , and are further received within unillustrated threaded apertures present in a pair of outer shanks 28 , 30 , as illustrated in fig2 . the outer shanks 28 , 30 are integrally or otherwise connected to a pair of outer eyelets 32 , 34 which are operable to capture a pair of strap anchors , illustrated in the first embodiment as bridle rings 36 , 38 , therein , respectively . the bridle rings 36 , 38 are substantially 0 - shaped , but it is within the intent and purview of present invention to include bridle rings of various shapes , including such bridle rings which are d - shaped . the bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 are substantially identical in function and design and therefore only one bit adjustment assembly 16 will be described in detail . fig4 illustrates the bit adjustment assembly 16 and it can be seen from this drawing that the bit adjustment assembly comprises a rod 40 which includes both threads having a first direction 42 and threads having a second direction 44 integrally present thereon at respectively opposed ends . a pair of nuts 46 , 48 , having appropriate unillustrated threads present therein , are engaged to the threads having a first direction 42 and the threads having a second direction 44 of the rod 40 , respectively . the bit adjustment assembly 16 serves to connect the center shank 24 of the mouthpiece 12 to the outer shank 28 of the outer eyelet 32 and may be adjusted to change the distance between the center shank and the outer shank , thereby varying a width of the horse bit 10 . the nuts 46 , 48 may be utilized to secure the bit adjustment assembly 16 in an appropriate position . a second embodiment of the present invention as generally designated by the reference numeral 50 is illustrated in fig5 - 8 . the second embodiment 50 is comprised of a mouthpiece 52 having a center shank 54 which includes an offset port area 56 integrally present therein . the center shank 54 includes threaded apertures at respectively opposed ends thereof which are operable to receive a portion of the bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 . a pair of connectors 58 , 60 , also having threaded apertures therein , are engaged to the bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 , respectively , as best shown in fig8 . a pair of strap anchors , illustrated in the second embodiment as a pair of side arms 62 , 64 , are captured upon respective connectors 58 , 60 by a pair of spherical nuts 66 , 68 which engage threads 70 present on each of the connectors as illustrated for one of such connectors 58 in fig8 . each of the side arms 62 , 64 has a plurality of apertures 72 therethrough which facilitate a connection of reins and other straps to the adjustable horse bit 50 . the bit adjustment assemblies 16 , 18 of the second embodiment 50 are substantially identical to those present in the first embodiment 10 . the horse bit 50 may be adjusted through a rotation of the bit adjustment assembly 16 to accommodate various widths of horses &# 39 ; mouths . an appropriate position may be secured by a tightening of the nuts 46 , 48 in a well understood manner . as to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention , the same should be apparent from the above description . accordingly , no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided . 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 .

1Performing Operations; Transporting

at the outset , it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements , portions or surfaces , consistently throughout the several drawing figures , as such elements , portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification , of which this detailed description is an integral part . unless otherwise indicated , the drawings are intended to be read ( e . g ., cross - hatching , arrangement of parts , proportion , degree , etc .) together with the specification , and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention . as used in the following description , the terms “ horizontal ”, “ vertical ”, “ left ”, “ right ”, “ up ” and “ down ”, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ”, “ rightwardly ”, “ upwardly ”, etc . ), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader . similarly , the terms “ inwardly ” and “ outwardly ” generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation , or axis of rotation , as appropriate . referring now to the drawings and , more particularly , to fig1 and 2 thereof , this invention provides an improved ozone applicator cup , of which the presently preferred embodiment is generally indicated at 15 . cup 15 is shown as broadly including a body 16 and a liner 17 . body 16 and liner 17 are generally cylindrically shaped members . fig4 shows body 16 of cup 15 . fig5 is a sectional view of body 16 shown in fig4 , taking generally on line 5 — 5 of fig4 . referring to fig5 , body 16 is a specially configured member elongated along axis x — x and is bounded by a rightwardly - facing annular vertical surface 18 , a rightwardly and outwardly - facing frusto - conical surface 19 , an outwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 20 , a leftwardly - facing annular vertical surface 21 , an inwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 22 , a rightwardly - facing annular vertical surface 23 , an inwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 24 , a leftwardly - facing annular vertical surface 25 , and an inwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 26 , joined at its right marginal end to the inner marginal end of surface 18 . surface 26 generally defines cup chamber 28 . fig6 shows liner 17 of cup 15 . fig8 is a sectional view of liner 17 , taken generally on line 8 — 8 of fig7 . referring to fig8 , liner 17 is a specially - configured solid member elongated along axis x — x , and is bounded by a rightwardly - facing annular vertical surface 29 , an outwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 30 , a leftwardly - facing annular vertical surface 31 , an inwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 32 , a rightwardly - facing annular vertical surface 33 , an inwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 34 , a leftwardly - facing annular vertical surface 35 , and an inwardly - facing horizontal cylindrical surface 36 , joined at its right marginal end to the inner marginal end of surface 29 . as shown in fig1 – 2 , liner 17 is encased in the bottom portion of body 16 . in particular , liner 17 fits within the recess defined by surfaces 23 , 24 and 25 of body 16 . thus , surface 29 of liner 17 abuts surface 25 of body 16 , surface 30 of liner 17 abuts surface 24 of body 16 , and surface 31 of liner 17 abuts surface 23 of body 16 . thus , when fully formed , the diameter of cylindrical surface 32 and the diameter of cylindrical surface 22 are the same . also , the diameter of cylindrical surface 36 is approximately the same as the diameter of the cylindrical surface 26 . cup 15 is manufactured using a two - part molding process in a controlled and clean environmental . the first step of the process is to form liner 17 . liner 17 is formed by conventional injection molding . the injection mold is a 32 - cavity , hot runner spi 102 production mold . thus , each cycle produces 32 liners and the plastic remains molten right up to injection into the part . spi refers to the society of plastics industry , inc . classifications . a class 102 mold generally has a cycle life of less than one million cycles and a minimum base hardness of 280 bhn . the material used to form liner 17 is a plastic material . it has a good abrasion resistance and overmold adhesion to polypropylene and good compression set . in the preferred - embodiment , it has the following characteristics : specific gravity 0 . 89 ref . astm d792 , 23 / 23 ° c . shore a hardness 68 ref . astm d2240 , 10 sec . tensile strength ( psi ) 952 ref . astm d412 - die c , 2 hrs , 23 ° c . elongation (%) 639 ref . astm d412 - die c , 2 hrs , 23 ° c . modulus @ 300 % ( psi ) 551 ref . astm d412 - die c , 2 hrs , 23 ° c . viscosity @ 11170 / sec ( pa - sec ) 6 . 4 200 ° c . as a result , it will not unduly deform when fit onto the outlet of a handpiece for an ozone delivery device . the versalloy xl 9070x - 1 product sold by gls corporation , of 833 ridgeview dr ., mchenry , ill . 60050 may be employed in the preferred embodiment . the second step is the overmold of body 16 . liner 17 is insert molded with body 16 being formed over it ( overmolded ). in the preferred embodiment , the injection mold is a 16 - cavity , hot runner spi 102 production mold with interchangeable 16 - cavity sets for each of the desired sizes . a snap core pin protrudes up from the bottom of the cavity to simulate the outlet of the handpiece and has the same features as the particular handpiece with which the cup will be used . the liner is positioned on the pin and then overmolded with body 16 . using this type of overmolding , the physical characteristics of liner 17 and body 16 can be different . accordingly , liner 17 is designed with features , such as higher resiliency to deformation , to allow for an appropriate fit of cup 15 onto a handpiece , while body 16 is designed with features , such as higher pliability and softness , to allow for cup 15 to create a seal around a tooth surface to expose the subject area to gas circulated in chamber 28 . the material used to form overmolded body 16 is a thermoplastic rubber compound . in the preferred embodiment , it has the following characteristics : specific gravity 0 . 86 ref . astm d792 , 23 / 23 ° c . shore a hardness 3 ref . astm d2240 , 10 sec . tensile strength ( psi ) 300 ref . astm d412 - die c , 2 hrs , 23 ° c . elongation (%) 1 , 516 ref . astm d412 - die c , 2 hrs , 23 ° c . modulus @ 300 % ( psi ) 25 ref . astm d412 - die c , 2 hrs , 23 ° c . viscosity @ 11170 / sec ( pa - sec ) 2 . 3 200 ° c . color clear the versaflex cl2000x compound sold by gls corporation , of 833 ridgeview dr ., mchenry , ill . 60050 may be employed in the preferred embodiment . with respect to both liner 17 and body 16 , a color concentrate may be added , with different colors identifying different part sizes . the present invention contemplates that many changes and modifications may be made . for example , the particular dimensions of the preferred embodiment may be altered as may be the cross - sectional geometry . for example , body 16 and liner 17 may have an oval geometry rather than a cylindrical geometry , or surface 26 may be tapered with a leftwardly and inwardly - facing frusto - conical surface . therefore , while the presently - preferred form of the cup has been shown and described , and several modifications thereof discussed , persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications made be made without departing from the spirit of the invention .

0Human Necessities

fig1 is a schematic bottom view of a typical , mass - produced , commerciallyavailable , residential smoke alarm 20 , powered by a 9 - volt battery 22 , and comprising a detector circuit board 24 , onto which are affixed an alarm horn 26 , and a co sensor and converter circuit module 28 , which replaces the original smoke detector ( not shown ). battery 22 and circuit board 24 are affixed onto a detector base 30 . a detector cover 32 is attached to base 30 by means of a hinge 34 which permits it to be swung open as shown or swung shut with the aid of latches 36 . a test button 38 and an optionalindicator light 40 serve to verify the functionality of the co alarm . as shown in the magnified cross - sectional view of fig2 module 28 comprises a co sensor 42 that is electrically connected to a circuit board44 through pins 46 , 46 &# 39 ; and 46 &# 34 ;. pin 46 is connected inside sensor 42 to the sensing electrode 48 , whereas pins 46 &# 39 ; and 46 &# 34 ; are connected to the reference electrode 50 and the counter electrode 52 , respectively . sensingelectrode 48 , comprising a layer of platinum black mixed with a hydrophobicpolytetrafluoroethylene binder , is contacting a gas - permeable electrolyte - impermeable porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane 54 on its upper side 55 and a separator 56 on its lower side 57 . separator 56 , made of an electrically insulating , highly porous , hydrophilic material , is contacted at its lower surface 59 by the reference and counter electrodes 50 and 52 , both of which also comprise platinum black . the electrically insulating property of the separator material prevents electronic conductivity between the three electrodes 48 , 50 , and 52 within sensor 42 . however , thanks to the hydrophilicity of its pores , separator 56 is soaked with the cell electrolyte 58 , thereby assuring good ionic conductivity between these electrodes . a part of separator 56 , not shown in cross - section , extends to the base 61 of the electrolyte chamber 60 , thereby assuring that the separator remains soaked , through a wicking action , even when the electrolyte level drops well below the surface 59 . the operation of sensor 42 is based on the electrochemical oxidation of co at the sensing electrode 48 . to prevent false alarms due to other oxidizable compounds that may be generated from cooking , such as nitric oxide , nitrogen dioxide , alcohols or aldehydes , a chemical filter 62 that reacts with such possibly interfering compounds , is interposed between theambient air and the gas - permeable membrane 54 . this assures that sensor 42 responds solely to co . filter 62 may comprise a mixture of charcoal or activated carbon , potassium permanganate , and / or other adsorbents and reactants that can eliminate unwanted gases from entering the sensor . manyexamples are found in the art of filters and chemical reagents on charcoal cloth or filter paper that can remove chemical contaminants and enhance the air - cleaning properties of this type of filter . the electrolyte 58 is contained in a tightly sealed case 64 , made of polypropylene or other electrically insulating , readily machinable or moldable , electrolyte - impervious material . it is of utmost importance thatcase 64 with membrane 54 form an absolutely leakproof enclosure , as the electrolyte 58 may comprise highly corrosive sulfuric acid , so that any likelihood of electrolyte leakage would render sensor 42 unsuitable for residential use . to eliminate any possibility of corrosive electrolyte leakage , an alternative sensor 42 &# 39 ; is shown in the magnified cross - sectional view of fig3 . in this embodiment of the invention , a single counter electrode 51 , also referred to as auxiliary electrode , faces the sensing electrode 48 &# 39 ;. pins 47 and 47 &# 39 ; are connected within sensor 42 &# 39 ; to electrodes 48 &# 39 ; and51 and externally to circuit board 44 &# 39 ;. furthermore , an ionically conductive sheet 66 , made of polytetrafluoroethylene sulfonic acid ( nafion )---- a room - temperature solid electrolyte ---- replaces the separator56 of fig2 . however , in order to remain ionically conductive , the nafion must be wetted with water . therefore , chamber 60 &# 39 ; is filled with distilledwater 68 , and sheet 66 extends all the way down to the bottom 61 &# 39 ; of chamber 60 &# 39 ; to insure wetting of the nafion , through a wicking action , even when the bulk of the water 68 fails to make direct contact with the auxiliary electrode 51 . to prevent excessive loss of water through evaporation , the sealed case 64 &# 39 ; has an air access opening 70 that is much narrower than that provided for the porous membrane 54 of fig2 . consequently , the areas of the sensing electrode 48 &# 39 ; and of the chemical filter 62 &# 39 ; are much smaller than those of the corresponding components 48 and 62 of fig2 . alternative amperometric co sensors may be obvious to those skilled in the art . such sensors can be constructed with nonaqueous , preferably gelled , electrolytes , or with other noble metal and metallo - organic catalysts or with other auxiliary or reference electrodes . the board 44 or 44 &# 39 ; of fig2 or 3 includes the circuit shown in fig4 . also shown in fig4 are the electrodes 48 , 50 and 52 for the sensor of fig2 or 48 &# 39 ; and 51 for that of fig3 and the corresponding pin connections 46 and 46 &# 39 ;- 46 &# 34 ; or 47 and 47 &# 39 ;. this circuit has been designed for adequate performance with a minimum number and minimum cost of parts , thus greatly simplifying the practical commercial manufacture . the typicalcircuit used to operate amperometric gas sensors is much more complex and is used to maintain a constant potential between the reference and workingelectrodes . a carbon monoxide sensor whose working and reference electrodescontain platinum black may be operated at an applied bias potential of 0 volts between the sensing electrode 48 and the reference electrode 50 . thecircuit of fig4 accomplishes the same purpose , because the reference electrode of the sensor is connected directly to ground , and the working electrode is held at a voltage very close to ground by the dynamic operation of the circuit . hence the potential of the working electrode , relative to the reference electrode , is very near zero . when co is oxidized at the sensing electrode 48 ( or 48 &# 39 ;), a negative current is generated in the direction of pin 46 ( or 47 ), the inverting input 86 of the operational amplifier 81 , and the resistors 82 , 83 , and 84 . the integrated - circuit operational amplifier 81 is configured as a current - to - voltage converter . the three resistors r1 ( 82 ), r2 ( 83 ), and r3 ( 84 ) constitute a feedback circuit . they are connected in such a way as to emulate a single resistor of much higher resistance . this makes it possible to avoid the use of high - value variable resistance components that are expensive and unstable . the positive voltage v o that appearsat the output 82 of the operational amplifier is proportional to the current i s from the sensor 42 ( or 42 &# 39 ;) according to the relationship : for the preferred resistance values that are indicated in fig4 r 1 = 500 , 000 ohms , r 2 ≦ 10 , 000 ohms , and r 3 = 1 , 000 ohms , equation 1 yields v 0 ≦ 5 . 51 volts for i s = 1 μa . since the current output of amperometric co sensors is usually in the range of 0 . 1 - 1 μa / ppmv co , the amplification obtained with the circuit of fig4 can be seen to be fully adequate for residential alarm purposes . of course , minor modifications to the circuit would be obvious to accommodate sensors whose output falls outside the range of 0 . 1 - 1 μa / ppmv . the output v 0 , relative to ground , can be measured with a volt meter for testing purposes or it can be carried to the input ( pin 15 of mc 14467 - 1 ) of a smoke detector circuit , such as that shown in fig6 . other necessary connections of the operational amplifier must be made for correct operation . the circuit is powered by a 9 - volt dry cell through connections 88 and 89 . the non - inverting amplifier input 87 must be connected to ground . it is important that the operational amplifier 81 be of a type in which the input voltages can closely approach the voltage of the negative battery or power supply terminal ( which is ground in this instance ). the part no . tlc271 ( supplied by texas instruments , austin , tex .) is an example of this type of operational amplifier . a preferred layout of the circuit components of fig4 on board 44 ( of fig . 1 ) or 44 &# 39 ; ( of fig3 ) is shown in fig5 . the adjustable resistor 83 is placed near the rim of the board for easy access to its adjusting screw 93 . three tiny receptacles 96 , 96 &# 39 ;, and 96 &# 34 ; are provided for insertion of sensor pins 46 ( or 47 ), 46 &# 39 ; ( or 47 &# 39 ;), and 46 &# 34 ; ( or none ), respectively . terminals 91 and 92 affixed to an insulating support 116 are provided for checking the output of the converter module . terminals 98 and 99 affixed to an insulating support 115 are provided for connections to the positive and negative terminals , respectively , of a 9 - volt dry cell that usually serves to power a residential smoke alarm system . holes 111 , 112 , 113 , and114 are provided for the board to be held in place bolts or screws . also provided is a terminal 100 for connection to pin 15 of the integrated circuit ( motorola ) mc14467 - 1 of fig6 . in fig6 the output of the simple circuit of fig4 is connected to the input of the integrated circuit mc14467 - 1 at pin 15 . guard rings are connected to pins 14 and 16 so that small currents can be measured withoutelectrical interference . thus co sensors of lower output than those given in the following example 1 can be designed and used with this circuit . other parts of the circuit of fig6 are already known to provide low battery indication and audio or visual alarm functions . the resistance values r 4 and r 5 of the respective resistors 102 and 104 in fig . 6 are chosen to be suitable for the particular application , with 500 kω - 1 mω being typical values . further , direct connections of the analog signal ( bypassing the guard rings ( 105 &# 39 ;, 105 , and 106 ) illustrated in fig6 ) to pin 15 is possible . also , a simple jumper or switch can be used to silence the alarm during qa / qc testing and setup andthis modification is a procedure of convenience that can be easily used by those skilled in the art . of course , other circuits are known in the art that can provide simple operation and alarm capability and other conveniences such as those described above . those described above were selected because they provide a device that is easily calibrated , maintenance free , and relatively inexpensive and they require few modifications to existing technology to achieve a significant new capability . the following example illustrates the performance of a typical module of this invention : the output voltage of a sensor module of the type shown and described in conjunction with fig2 and 4 was measured at 0 ° c ., 25 ° c . and 40 ° c . upon exposure to air and to 20 ppmv of co . the results are summarized in table 1 . table 1______________________________________effect of temperature on the background and outputvoltages of a co sensor moduletemperature output voltage ( v ) upon exposure to (° c .) pure air 20 ppmv co______________________________________0 0 . 22 3 . 7225 0 . 35 5 . 2040 0 . 55 6 . 50______________________________________ therefore , according to table 1 , regardless of the ambient temperature , a triggering voltage of 3 . 5 v will set off an alarm when the co concentration is in the range of 10 - 20 ppmv but not when the co concentration is below that range . the same module was provided with a chemical filter comprising activated charcoal ( made by cabot carbon corporation ) and its measured response to various potentially interfering gas mixtures was found to be as listed in table 2 . table 2______________________________________responses of co module to potential interferencesinterference concentration response ( v ) ______________________________________laboratory air -- 0 . 35hydrogen sulfide 100 0 . 62sulfur dioxide 100 0 . 20ammonia 100 0 . 45alcohol 100 0 . 85gasoline 500 0 . 81carbon dioxide 1 , 000 0 . 33natural gas 10 , 000 4 . 67cigarette smoke -- 8 . 16______________________________________ according to table 2 , only cigarette smoke generated directly next to the sensor module or natural gas in the dangerously high concentration of 1 % ( not far from the 5 % explosion threshold ) would generate a triggering voltage in excess of 3 . 5 v . in an alternative embodiment of the invention , the circuits of fig4 and 6 may be combined into a single module . there will now be obvious to those skilled in the art many modification or variations of the afore - disclosed embodiments which , however , shall remainwithin the scope of the invention if defined by the following claims .

6Physics

referring now to fig1 a typical exercise machine 10 is illustrated , which may be a recumbent bicycle - type exercise machine in which an individual 12 is located on a seat 14 on frame 16 which houses a braking device for pedals 18 that revolve around a shaft 20 . the pedals are coupled to a wheel 22 mounted for rotation in the housing , with wheel 22 being braked as illustrated in fig2 by a braking system 30 which includes an eddy current brake 32 including electromagnetically actuated coils 34 to either side of a flat aluminum disc 36 which is mounted for rotation about a shaft 37 . in the illustrated embodiment , a spin up 8 : 1 reduction system is illustrated in which there is an 8 to 1 difference in diameter between pulley 38 and wheel 22 . note the linkage between the two is via a belt drive 40 . in the embodiment shown , the aluminum disc has a diameter 42 of 14 inches , whereas each electromagnet is maintained at a distance of 12 inches from shaft 37 as illustrated by arrow 45 . the eddy current brake 32 is under control of a control unit 44 which is supplied with a . c . as illustrated at 46 . this control is settable from instrument cluster 48 in fig1 so as to provide a constant braking torque to disc 36 and thus pedals 18 for constant current . because the disc is made out of aluminum , as will be demonstrated in fig5 and 6 , the torque applied to disc 36 is flat over the operating speed range of the disc . what this means is that for a pedaling speed range of 40 to 100 rpm , the corresponding speed of the disc is between 320 and 800 rpm . as will be demonstrated for almost all constant current settings , there is very little change in torque versus speed . thus , unlike prior art systems in which there is either a linear or hyperbolic relationship between speed and torque , in the subject system it has been found that the torque is relatively flat over the operating speeds of interest due to the use of aluminum for the disc . this provides user 12 of fig1 with an exceptional amount of consistency of applied torque regardless of the pedaling speed . this in turn makes adjustment of the braking force for exercise much easier and more predictable than in prior art eddy current devices . moreover , measurement of the actual work done is more accurately predictable from the power consumed in the braking system so that critical medical measurements can be made for exercise devices utilizing the eddy current brake in combination with the rotating aluminum disc . brake away torque is virtually non - existent in aluminum disc systems and , because the aluminum disc is non - magnetic , there is no residual magnetism for which compensation is necessary . also it is a feature of the subject invention that any aluminum moving member may be utilized in the subject eddy current brake , regardless of shape . moreover , because the pole pieces of the opposed magnets which sandwich the aluminum disc are to either side of the disc , as opposed to being positioned at its periphery , and since thermal expansion occurs in the radial direction only , the spacing between the pole pieces and the disc surface is maintained relatively constant regardless of the amount of heating accompanying the exercise . one of the features of the subject system is illustrated in fig3 in which the electromagnets which sandwich disc 36 have a three pole e - shaped yoke configuration to magnify the eddy current effect by 3 times over a single pole piece yoke . in this embodiment three pole pieces 50 , 52 , and 54 , respectively north , south , and north , are opposed by opposite polarity pole pieces 56 , 58 , and 60 , with the e - shaped yoke oriented such that a line through the ends of the pole pieces is perpendicular to the radius of the disc for maximum braking torque . it will be noted that each of the electromagnets includes an energizing coil 62 and 64 respectively , each of which is energized through the supply of current from a controlled current supply 66 which has a . c . power 68 applied thereto and which is settable as illustrated . disc 36 is rotated about a shaft which is mechanically coupled as illustrated at 70 to an exercise device 72 . because of the triple pole configuration of the yoke for each electromagnet , for a given amount of current , the eddy current effect is magnified by 3 times over that associated with a single pole electromagnet . the purpose of utilizing the triple pole configuration is in part to reduce the amount of power necessary to provide the predetermined braking force . however , a more important reason for the utilization of the triple pole magnet is to permit the utilization of the aluminum disc and the advantages which flow therefrom . it can therefore be seen that the eddy current effect takes place over a larger portion of the aluminum disc than heretofor performed . the result in that the amount of torque is multiplied over the utilization of a single pole . as illustrated in fig4 one type of prior art eddy current system , that shown in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 442 , 131 issued to jay leyton of may 6 , 1969 , describes the extreme dependence of torque on speed . while in this patent it is said that it is preferable to operate the system at a linear portion of the curve , there is still an increase in torque of for an increase in pedal speed . thus , rather than providing a constant torque for all usable pedal speeds , the leyton device describes an increase in torque with pedal speed , albeit quasi - linear . in contradistinction to this prior art torque versus speed characteristic , in the subject system for a single reduction ratio of 8 ; 1 the response of the torque is relatively flat for increased current settings . one plausible reason for the flatness of the torque versus speed characteristic is the lower electrical conductivity of the aluminum itself . this same flat response is illustrated in fig6 for a double reduction system in which the total reduction is 21 . 8 : 1 , with a 10 inch diameter disc and magnets located on 8 inch diameters to either side of the disc . note that the speeds of the discs are as indicated and correspond to a normal pedaling range of between 40 and 100 rpm . while the subject invention has been described in connection with a rotary aluminum disc powered via bicycle type exercise apparatus , it will be appreciated that other types of exercise apparatus are within the scope of this invention , assuming that the exercise apparatus requires a constant torque braking system . having above indicated a preferred embodiment of the present invention , it will occur to those skilled in the art that modifications and alternatives can be practiced within the spirit of the invention . it is accordingly intended to define the scope of the invention only as indicated in the following claims :

8General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology

embodiments of the present invention provide a method , system and computer program product for dynamic optimization of dram controller page policy . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , a state can be assigned to each page opened in a bank managed by a memory controller in a memory module . the state can change for each page depending upon whether a page hit or page miss condition arises in the managing memory controller . thereafter , the state can transition and the page can be closed or remain open as dictated by the state and rules for leaving open or closing pages having particular ones of the states . in this way , the controller page policy can be granularly tuned according to dynamic conditions sensed for the pages of the bank . in further illustration , fig1 is a schematic illustration of a memory management data processing system configured for dynamic optimization of dram controller page policy . the memory management data processing system can include a memory module 100 including one or more memories 110 , such as drams . each of the memories 110 can include a set of memory arrays 160 and corresponding sense amplifiers 170 . address decoding logic 150 further can be provided to receive a row select instruction 150 a and a column select instruction 150 b to retrieve a page of data from a specified one of the memory arrays 160 into a corresponding one of sense amplifiers 170 . a memory controller 120 can be configured to manage the movement of data to and from the memory 110 of the memory module 100 . in this regard , data latched in the sense amplifiers 170 further can be shepherded into a data - in buffer 140 a by the memory controller 120 for processing a read operation from the memory module 100 , or into a data - out buffer 140 b by the memory controller 120 for processing a write operation in the memory module 100 . importantly , whether or not a pre - charge signal is provided subsequent to latching a page in the sense amplifiers 170 and the choice of address hashing scheme utilized during read and write operations can depend on the page policy applied by the memory controller 120 . in this regard , open page policy manager 130 can be coupled to the memory controller 120 and can alternately provide for degrees of an open page mode in performing read operations , and write operations in the memory 110 depending upon a tendency of locality detected for a given page of memory . the tendency can be recorded in a locality tendency state 180 b applied to a page 180 a in a bank 180 latched by a corresponding one of the sense amplifiers 170 . specifically , the locality tendency state state 180 b can range from an open state , a weakly open state , a strongly open state and a closed state , and the locality tendency state state 180 b can transition from state to state depending upon the occurrence of a page hit or a page miss . in addition , a last page record 180 c can be provided for the bank to indicate a last page opened and then closed in the bank 180 . notably , when the a page 180 a is written back to a respective one of the memory arrays 160 , the locality tendency state state 180 b also can be written back in association with the page 180 a . consequently , pages 190 in each of the memory arrays 160 can include not only individual pages 190 a of memory , but also corresponding locality tendency states 190 b . in operation , when a data request is received in the memory controller 120 , both the requested page 190 a and its corresponding locality tendency state 190 b can be latched into bank 180 as page 180 a and locality tendency state 180 b by a corresponding one of the sense amplifiers 170 . the locality tendency state 180 b can be updated depending upon whether a page hit or page miss has occurred . the locality tendency state 180 b can range from open , to strongly open , to weakly open , to closed . in the open state , if a page hit is generated on an open page 180 a , a strongly open state will result indicating a potential locality of access within the page 180 a that could be exploited by leaving the page 180 a in an open state . in contrast , in the open state if a page miss is generated , a weakly open state can result and the page 180 a can be closed . in the strongly open state , a page hit does not change the locality tendency state 180 b , though a page miss reduces the locality tendency state 180 b to an open state while the page 180 a is closed . by comparison , in a weakly open state — the default locality tendency state for a page 180 a — the page 180 a remains open until a page request is received for the bank 180 . thereafter , a page hit results in a transition to the open state while a page miss results in a transition to the closed state and the closing of the page 180 a . finally , in a closed state , a page 180 a will be closed immediately after the first access to the page 180 a . in the unlikely event of a page miss , the locality tendency state 180 b of the page 180 a will remain closed , while a page hit will result in a transition to the weakly open state only if additional requests to the request are detected by the open page policy manager 130 in a request queue , or if the page 180 a had previously been opened as indicated by the last page record 180 c for the bank 180 . in yet further illustration , fig2 is a state diagram illustrating a process for dynamic optimization of dram controller page policy . as shown in fig2 , an initial state of weakly opened 230 can be assigned to a page latched in a memory bank . a page hit promotes the latched page to a state of open 220 , while a page miss demotes the page into a state of closed 240 . in the former circumstance , the page can remain open while in the latter circumstance the page can be closed . when in the state of open 220 , a page hit results in a transition to the state of strongly opened 210 , while a page miss results in a demotion to a state of weakly opened 230 . in the former circumstance , the page can remain open , while in the latter circumstance the page can be closed . in the state of strongly opened 210 , a page hit results in no transition and a page miss results in a transition to the state of open 220 . in the former circumstance , the page can remain open , while in the latter circumstance the page can be closed . finally , in the state of closed 240 , a page miss results in no state transition . however , a page hit unto itself also results in no state transition . rather , a state transition to the state of weakly opened 230 only arises where a page hit occurs whilst an additional page request for the page exists in a request cache for the memory controller . alternatively , a state transition to the state of weakly opened 230 can arise where a page hit occurs on a page that had immediately previously been opened . the persistence of an indication of locality tendency for each page provides the ability for the memory controller to granularly control the open page policy for memory paging . whereas conventional memory controllers are configured statically as open page mode controllers or closed page mode controllers , the consideration of locality tendency and the support of the state machine transitioning to different states of locality tendency permit a finer management of open page mode memory control . embodiments of the invention can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements . in a preferred embodiment , the invention is implemented in software , which includes but is not limited to firmware , resident software , microcode , and the like . furthermore , the invention can take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer - usable or computer - readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system . for the purposes of this description , a computer - usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus 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 medium can be an electronic , magnetic , optical , electromagnetic , infrared , or semiconductor system ( or apparatus or device ) or a propagation medium . examples of a computer - readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory , magnetic tape , a removable computer diskette , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk . current examples of optical disks include compact disk - read only memory ( cd - rom ), compact disk - read / write ( cd - r / w ) and dvd . a data processing system suitable for storing and / or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus . the memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code , bulk storage , and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution . input / output or i / o devices ( including but not limited to keyboards , displays , pointing devices , etc .) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening i / o controllers . network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks . modems , cable modem and ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters .

6Physics

this is a device for sealing the rim space 20 between a tank wall 22 , and a floating cover 24 . the floating cover 24 typically has a top plate 26 , a bottom plate 28 , and an outer wall 30 enclosing an airspace 32 , or other means of buoyancy , such that the cover 24 floats on the liquid contents 34 of a storage tank , as illustrated in fig1 . a series of flexible shoes 36 are disposed around the periphery of the tank wall 22 and are frictionally engaged with the wall 22 . shoes 36 may be made of metal or other suitable flexible material that is non - reative with the storage contents . in the preferred embodiment , shoes 36 are made of stainless steel or of galvanized sheet . the shoes 36 are lapped 38 ( best seen in fig1 and 11 ) at approximately 10 to 12 foot intervals to form a sealing ring that completely encircles the inner circumference of the tank wall 22 . larger or smaller shoe segments may be used . the top edge of each shoe segment 36 is bent inward 40 as is the bottom edge 42 which allows the sealing ring of shoe segments 36 to slide up and down the inner tank wall 22 without the edges catching on imperfections or irregularities in the contour of tank wall 22 . the inward bends 40 and 42 also provide a means of controlling the vertical movement of the overlapping shoe segments 36 and 38 on each other . in the preferred embodiment , each shoe segment 36 is 10 to 12 feet long , 3 to 4 feet high , and has an overlap 38 of about 6 inches . these measurements may be varied and are not to be taken as restrictions . fig1 and 11 illustrates the areas of shoe 36 overlap 38 and a series of one or more retention plates 44 at the edge of each shoe segment 36 which are bolted 46 ( or otherwise attached ) to the shoe 36 so as to create an expansion - contraction space 48 between the retention plate 44 and the shoe 36 which defines the area of expansion and contraction of the adjacent shoe overlap . in the preferred embodiment , a six inch overlap is anticipated . a shim or crimp 50 is placed in each of the retention plates 44 to provide pressure on the underlying shoe 36 forcing the two overlapping shoe segments 38 together and thus forming a no - gap flexible joint . the retention plates 44 may be attached to the shoe 36 near the lower edge of the shoe 36 as illustrated in fig9 and 11 . the space 54 between the sealing ring of shoe segments 36 and the outer wall of the floating cover 30 is sealed by flexible material 56 , which may be fabric , plastic , or other suitable material best seen in fig1 and 3 . the outer edge of the flexible material 56 is fastened near the upper inward bend 40 of the shoe plates 36 by a series of upper fabric clips 58 . the upper fabric clips 58 are attached to the shoes 36 by bolts 60 , or other fastening means . the inner edge of the flexible material 56 is connected to a rim plate 62 on the upper edge of the outer wall 30 of the floating cover 24 . connection to this plate 62 is made by a series of lower fabric clips 64 . periodically , strips of conductive material are attached between the upper fabric clips 58 and the lower fabric clips 64 to form static drain strips 66 . the strips of flexible material 56 may be fastened together ( not shown ) by any suitable means such as adhesive , clips , and the like . the sealing ring of shoe segments 36 is urged outward and upward by a series of spring loaded hanger pushers 68 which are attached to the lower edge of the outer wall 30 of the floating cover 24 by a pivot housing 70 , best seen in fig2 and 5 . the upper end of the spring loaded hanger pusher 68 is attached to the shoe 36 by a shoe hanger bracket 72 . this arrangement of spring loaded hanger pushers 68 keeps the sealing ring of shoes 36 in frictional contact with the tank wall 22 and also keeps the ring of shoes 36 in vertical alignment with the floating cover 24 . further outward pressure on the sealing ring of shoe segments 36 may be maintained by a series of horizontal pusher springs 74 which extend horizontally between the outer wall of the floating cover 30 and the shoe segments 36 , best seen in fig1 and 4 . the attachment of the spring 74 to the shoe 36 may be accomplished by a pigtail attachment 76 to a bolt , or other fastening means , 78 in the shoe segment 36 . the other end of the spring 74 is fastened to the outer wall of the floating cover 30 by a pin 80 or other means . as mentioned previously , vertical movement of the shoe segments 36 is limited in the areas of overlap 38 by the upper 40 and lower 42 inward bends in the shoe segments 36 . as a further means of limiting the vertical movement of the overlapping shoe segments 38 in relation to each other , a series of retainer rods 82 are placed around the circumference of the inner surface of the shoes 36 . the means of holding these rods 82 is best illustrated in fig6 . the upper fabric clip 58 has two legs 90 which form a space 92 between the leg 90 , the bolt 60 , and the underlying flexible material 56 and shoe 36 . it is within space 92 that rods 82 are movably retained . in the preferred embodiment , a plurality of rods 82 are used . each overlap area 38 has two rods 82 placed so as to extend for the length of the overlap area 38 plus added length for retention in the upper fabric clips 58 on each side of the overlap 38 . thus the length extends from the edge 37 of the fabric clip 58 through the clip 58 , across the overlap 38 and through the next clip 58 to its end 37 . the sequence is repeated at the next overlap 38 . the rods 82 may be formed of steel , or other suitable material , and should be of sufficient size to fit snugly within the fabric clip 58 space 92 , but allowing horizontal movement when the overlap 38 expands or contracts . in addition to preventing vertical slippage of the shoes 36 over each other , rods 82 also help to keep flexible material 56 pressed against shoe 36 . when there is contraction of the ring of shoes 36 , the overlying flexible material 56 may tend to &# 34 ; pucker &# 34 ; and rods 82 help to correct this . additional sealing may be accomplished by adding a second sealing device 94 , as illustrated in fig1 attached to the rim plate 62 of the floating cover 24 ( the illustrated seal 94 is taken from u . s . pat . no . 4 , 397 , 399 of wagoner issued on 08 / 09 / 1983 ). other types of seals may be used . fig9 illustrates one of the shoe segments 36 with countersunk areas and holes 97 for upper fabric clip 58 bolts 60 . a second array of countersunk areas and holes 98 is present for attaching the shoe bracket 72 of the spring - loaded hanger - pusher 68 . a third series of holes 100 and countersunk areas is present for attaching the pigtails 76 of the springs 74 by bolts 78 . finally , holes 52 and countersunk areas are provided for attaching retention plates 44 to shoe 36 by bolts 46 . fig7 illustrates a cross - sectional side view of the countersunk area 96 and hole 97 for the upper fabric clip 58 . fig8 illustrates the same area in a frontal view . the countersunk areas 96 and holes 97 , 98 , 100 , 52 provide a smooth surface on the reverse of the shoe segments 36 so there is no interference with the sliding of the shoes 36 on the tank wall 22 . finally , it should be noted that the elevation provided by the countersunk area around hole 52 for the retention plates 44 , provides spacing 48 between shoe segment 36 and retention plate 44 to receive the next shoe segment 36 . if additional spacing is required , spacers may be used . the claims and the specification describe the invention presented and the terms that are employed in the claims draw their meaning from the use of such terms in the specification . the same terms employed in the prior art may be broader in meaning than specifically employed herein . whenever there is a question between the broader definition of such terms used in the prior art and the more specific use of the terms herein , the more specific meaning is meant . while the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure . it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification , but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims , including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled .

1Performing Operations; Transporting