Split (3)

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text stringlengths 1.55k 332k	label int64 0 8
in fig1 a device to be controlled which , for purposes of this description will be considered to be a camera 10 is positioned by an actuator 14 , in the form of a voice coil having an stator 16 and a movable armature 18 , which operates to position camera 10 through a mechanical connection shown as dashed line 20 . a position controller , 22 , which may be a computer , is shown having a first output on a line 24 which feeds the input of an amplifier 26 . amplifier 26 provides an output current , i coarse , at two output terminals 30 and 32 which are connected to a wire 34 wrapped a number of times , n , around the armature of the voice coil 14 . amplifier 26 preferably has an associated low pass filter , 35 , which filters out the noise , and the output current , i coarse , acting through n turns , causes the armature 18 to exert a force f , on camera 10 through the mechanical connection 20 . a position feedback shown by box 40 returns a signal via line 42 to controller 22 so that the motion caused by force , f , controls the camera 10 to the desired position . a sensor shown by box 46 , which may be an accelerometer , produces a signal on a line 48 to controller 22 informing the computer of the vibration which the camera 10 may be experiencing . since the vibration effect is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the position effect , if the two signals were added directly , the noise in the position signal would be of the same magnitude as the vibration signal and would tend to mask it out . to avoid this , controller 22 produces an antivibration signal on an output line 50 which generally will be smaller in magnitude than the position signal on line 24 . the signal on line 50 is presented to an amplifier 52 which produces an output current , i fine , at output terminals 54 and 56 connected to a wire 58 which is wrapped a number of times , n , around the armature of the voice coil 14 . in the normal situation , the output of amplifier 52 is of the same general order of magnitude as the output of amplifier 26 and accordingly , the number of turns , n , is made to be much larger than the number of turns , n . in some cases , amplifier 52 may have a very small output compared to the output of amplifier 26 in which case , the number of turns , n , need not be so very much larger than n . the important feature is that the force produced by the antivibration signal be proportionately smaller than the force produced by the position control signal . this would normally be at least one order of magnitude . this is most easily accomplished by adjusting the number of turns n , to the number of turns n . amplifier 52 may have an associated low pass filter , 59 , therein to filter out any noise but the magnitude of this noise is so small that filter 59 is probably not necessary . the output current i fine adds a small force to the positioning force f which operates to null the vibration . where b is a constant of magnitude which depends on the size and geometry of the magnetics in voice coil actuator , 14 . it is seen that by using a single actuator with two coils activating the armature , one coil having many turns and exerting a large influence on the movement of the armature and the other coil having few turns and exerting a proportionately smaller influence on the movement of the armature , a single actuator may be used . the position being controlled by the larger armature movement and any vibration which may exist being cancelled by the smaller movement . it is also seen that the noise in the larger signal can be filtered out without affecting the smaller signal for the vibration . if desired , a third correction could be added in cases where a third and yet smaller variable is desired to be added to the force f . in this event , as seen in fig3 a third output , 65 , from controller 22 would feed a third amplifier , 67 , to produce a third , and yet smaller , current into a third winding , 70 , around armature 18 to produce a third factor into the force f of considerably less effect than the position signal and the antivibration signal . when the third output is small enough to be swamped by the noise in the second signal , then the second output would be separately filtered , as shown , and the third output independently connected to the coil 70 , as shown , to provide protection in the same manner as the first and second outputs avoid the second output from being swamped by the first output . it is therefore seen that i have provided a novel actuator requiring only one movable force exerting device and which produces an output force of magnitude dependent upon the main force plus additional smaller forces that might be desirable to use without allowing the noise which may exist in the larger force to mask the effect of the smaller forces . many changes will occur to those having skill in the art . for example , while a camera - positioning device has been used in the description of the preferred embodiment , there are many other devices such as telescopes , mirrors , antennas etc ., which can use the present invention , and while a voice coil type actuator has been used in the description of the preferred embodiment , there are many other actuators such as piezoelectric , electrostatic , motors , etc ., which can use the present invention . i therefore do not wish to be limited to the structures and methods described in presenting the preferred embodiment but rather intend to rely on the claims to define the scope of the invention .	7
fig4 illustrates the structure of the pulse shrinking delay element of this invention and its signal flow diagram . the present pulse shrinking delay element 5 consists of 3 not gates as shown in fig4 ( a ), wherein all of the not gates are identical except the inhomogeneous second not gate 52 with different dimension or driving capability . the applied input pulse t ina will be shrunk by a designated width and propagates to the output terminal to form output pulse t outa after a specified delay time , the shrinking or expanding capability depend on the dimension ratio between the adjacent elements instead of the adjustment of an external bias voltage . for convenience we are intended to derive only the first order approximate formulas for the pulse shrinking mechanism by assuming all inputs to the not ( rates are of stepwise pulses . as shown in fig4 ( b ), when the pulse goes from the first homogeneous not gate 51 to the second inhomogeneous not gate 52 , the falling time and rising time are : t phl1 = 2  c 2  v tn k n1  ( v dd - v tn ) 2 + c 2 k n1  ( v dd - v tn )   ln  [ 1 . 5  v dd - 2  v tn 0 . 5  v dd ] ( 1 ) t plh1 = - 2  c 2  v tp k p1  ( v dd + v tp ) 2 + c 2 k p1  ( v dd + v tp )   ln  [ 1 . 5  v dd + 2  v tp 0 . 5  v dd ] ( 2 ) respectively , where k n1 and k p1 are the transconductance parameters of n - type and p - type transistors in the first not gate 51 , and c 2 is the equivalent input capacitance of the second not gate 52 . assuming − v tp = v tn , the difference in pulse width of an input pulse propagated from the first homogeneous not gate 51 to the second inhomogeneous not gate 52 can be calculated as t plh1 − t phl1 : δ   w 1 = c 2  ( 1 k p1 -  1 k n1 )   [  2  v tn ( v dd - v tn ) 2 +  1 ( v dd - v tn )   ln   { 1 . 5  v dd - 2  v tn 0 . 5  v dd } ] ( 3 ) similarly , the pulse shrinking time for the input pulse propagating from the second inhomogeneous not gate 52 to the third homogeneous not gate 53 can be calculated as t phl2 − t plh2 : δ   w 2 = - c 2  ( 1 k p2 -  1 k n2 )   [  2  v tn ( v dd - v tn ) 2 +  1 ( v dd - v tn )   ln   ( 1 . 5  v dd - 2  v tn 0 . 5  v dd ) ] ( 4 ) where c 3 = c 1 . the total pulse shrinking time before and after passing through the present element is : δ   w = δ   w 1 + δ   w 2 = ∂ i  [ c 2  ( 1 k p1 -  1 k n1 ) - c 1  ( 1 k p2 -  1 k n2 ) ] ( 5 ) where c 1 , k p1 , k n1 are the equivalent input capacitance and transconductance parameters of those two identical not gates 51 and 53 , c 2 , k p2 , k n2 are those of the interpolated inhomogeneous not gate 52 ; and ∂ i  = 2  v tn ( v dd - v tn ) 2 +  1 v dd - v tn   ln   ( 1 . 5  v dd - 2  v tn 0 . 5  v dd ) is a constant factor which is more or less layout independent . thus , by varying the dimension ratio of the not gates , the pulse shrinking capability of the present element can be easily controlled . for example , in the case that transistors in these three not gates are made of the same length ( l ), while the width ( w ) of the transistors in the second inhomogeneous not gate 52 is β - times of that in the rest two homogeneous not gates , then k n2 = β × k n1 , k p2 = β × k p1 , c 2 = β × c 1 × c 3 , and formula ( 5 ) may be further simplified as : δ   w = ( β - 1 β )  c 1  ( 1 k p1 -  1 k n1 )  ∂ i ( 6 ) if β = 1 , it means all those three not gates are identical , in which case δw = 0 , and input pulse will be neither shrunk nor enpanded , if β ≠ 1 , the shrinking or expanding of the input pulse depends on the value of β . for example , let the size of p - type and n - type transistors in the first not gate 51 and the third not gate 53 be 3 μm / 1 μm and 1 m / 1 μm respectively , the simulation result for different β value is shown in fig5 the result obtained is well conformed with formula ( 6 ). for more accurate analysis , some other factors must be taken into consideration , such as the rising and falling edge of the input pulse actually having an of exponential - decay rather than being stepwise ; the impedance reflection effect in serial stages ; and the dependence of the threshold voltage v t on the device geometry , etc . fig6 is an embodiment of a cyclic delay line of this invention , wherein an inhomogeneous not gate 52 with different dimension or driving capability is inserted into the cyclic delay line 2 c constructed by homogeneous not gates in series . the delay line 2 c is used to shrink the input pulse t in to a desired extent and delay it by a designated time period to form the output pulse t out . the output pulse t out is cycled back to the input of the delay line 2 c via the coupling circuit , and the shrinking or expending capability of this construction can be controlled by proper arrangement of the dimension ratio between the inhomogeneous not gate 52 and its adjacent gates . it is expectable to improve the abovesaid delay line 2 b in a prior cyclic tdc to obtain easier design and control of pulse shrinking and to waive the need of external bias voltage adjustment by virtue of this invention . fig7 indicates an extended application of the cyclic delay line in fig6 . though the number of inhomogeneous gates in the delay line is increased to two , the input pulse still undergoes different rising and falling times at the interface boundaries around the inhomogeneous gates . the pulse shrinking mechanism still works , and the number of the inhomogeneous gates in the delay line can be varied favorably on demand . a cyclic cmos tdc shown in fig8 is derived directly from the structure shown in fig7 wherein a coupling control circuit 6 consists of two nand grates 61 and 62 ; the output pulse t out is coupled back to the input end of the delay line by gate 61 for pulse shrinking in the next cycle ; and the other nand gate 62 provides a reset terminal for resetting the delay line 2 d . to simplify the tdc circuit , those coupling nand gates 61 and 62 not only can form the coupling circuit 6 but also serve as inhomogeneous elements in delay line 2 d , similar to elements 52 and 54 in fig7 counter 4 is used to count the circulation times of pulse t in in the cyclic delay line 2 d to indicate the measurement output of the time - to - digital conversion . the cyclic delay line 2 d comprises 2 k ( even number ) homogeneous not gates as well as two inhomogeneous nand gates 61 and 62 to shrink the input pulse t in by a specific amount from cycle to cycle until it vanishes . fig9 indicates the measured reverse output waveform of the cyclic cmos tdc based on this invention for a narrow t in which is gradually shrunk to final disappearance in in compliance with our inference . if t cyclic represents the cycle period for the input pulse to circulate the delay line 2 d once , then the largest width of input pulse t in must be equal to or less than t cyclic , otherwise , the whole delay line 2 d will be entrapped into a failure state v 0 = v 1 = . . . = out = low . in other words . t cyclic is the maximum measurement range of the cyclic cmos tdc based on this invention . when a wider tdc measurement range is desired , the delay line 2 d should be lengthened . besides , the initial calibration of the cyclic cmos tdc of this invention is just the same as that of the prior cyclic cmos tdc suppose n is the count obtained from a reference pulse t ref by the present tdc , and n ′ is that from 2t ref ( by dividing the frequency of t ref by 2 ), the effective resolution ca and measurement offset t offset of the present tdc will be : α = t ref n ′ - n ( 7 ) t offset = n ′ - 2  n n ′ - n   t ref ( 8 ) the measurement width of an input pulse t in with a measured count is is : t in = n + n ′ - 2  n n ′ - n   t ref ( 9 ) fig1 indicates the enlarged micro - photograph of the realized cyclic cmos tdc ic shown in fig8 based on this invention , which is fabricated by the 0 . 35μ spdm process , and wherein the aspect ratios of adopted transistors are 12 μm / 1 μm for p - mos and 8 μml / 1 μm for n - mos respectively in those two nand gates of the control circuit 6 ; the delay line 2 k comprises 86 homogeneous not gates with aspect ratios 6 μm / 1 μm for p - mos and 2m / 1 μm for n - mos respectively ; and a 10 - bit ripple counter 4 is included to form a total chip area of 350 μm × 90 μm ( i / o pads excluded ), far smaller than any prior cmos tdc . moreover , the idle current of the tdc ic is mere 0 . 3 μa under 3 . 3 v power supply . and an average conduction current is no more than 370 μa under measurement rate 100 k / sec and output code 200 ( the ratio of operation time over idle time is 3 . 8 μs / 6 . 2 μs ). fig1 depicts the single - shot measurement results along with the theoretical prediction line of a cyclic cmos tdc based on this invention . to explore the effective resolution of the new cyclic tdc , a series of input pulses with different width were sent to this tdc for coding . the same input pulses were also measured by a standford research system sr620 universal counter and a tektronix tds680b real - time digital oscilloscope for reference . though , no calibration is done during the whole measurement process , the experimental data agrees with the linear prediction very well . the effective lsb width is calculated by eq . ( 9 ) to be 68 picoseconds , very close to the simulated value and far below the record 286 picoseconds — the lowest of the prior cmos tdcs . fig1 shows the error between the single - shot measurements and the theoretical calculation . all the single - shot errors are around ½ lsb width ( 34 ps ). in reality , the tdc with cyclic delay line structure possesses perfect linearity it is reasonable to postulate that most of the errors , corresponding to such deep sub - nanosecond resolution , may be induced by the jitter effect of the pulse generator and the inherent measurement error of the universal counter . the dead time of single - shot measurements is at most a few microseconds , depending on the width of the measured pulse . a measurement rate of 100 khz at least is promised for the present tdc . fig1 shows the supply voltage sensitivity of the present cyclic cmos tdc . to verify the supply voltage dependence of the new tdc , another series of experiments were conducted for supply voltages ranging from 1 . 5 v to 4 . 5 v ( the maximum supply voltage for 0 . 35 μm spdm chips ) with 0 . 1 v increment . for each supply voltage , two different single - shot pulses were coded by the tdc and the effective resolution was estimated as the ratio of the pulse width difference over the output code difference . the present tdc can sustain fine resolution around 65 ˜ 69 picoseconds for a wide supply voltage range of 2 . 5 v to 4 . 5 v , therefore , it is quite insensitive to supply voltage variation . the only feature seriously affected by the supply voltage variation is the measurement range . if necessary , a built - in multiplexer may be used to alter the effective delay line length to accommodate the measurement range variation . fig1 shows the temperature sensitivity of the present cyclic cmos tdc . another series of temperature dependence experiments were conducted similarly . the effective resolution was calibrated for every other 10 ° c . the present tdc retains resolution of around 65 ˜ 72 picoseconds for − 20 ° c . to 40 ° c . ambient temperature range . it is rather temperature insensitive . fig1 illutrates the resolution distribution of the realized ics of the present cyclic cmos tdc . to test the robustness of the fabricated tdc , the effective resolution of the other five available chips , numbered from 2 to 6 . are measured to investigate the influence of the process variation . the effective resolutions reveal a satisfactory range of 46 ˜ 72 picoseconds . function assessments of the representative tdcs are listed in fig1 for reference . in comparison with prior cmos delay elements , the advantages of the cmos pulse shrinking delay element with deep subnanosecond resolution of this invention can be summarized as : 1 . converting the pulse shrinking delay element of the linear time - to - digital converter from analog type into digital type elements the problems in bias voltage adjustment , continuous calibration , and trial - and - error design process . 2 . the shrinking or expanding capability of the cyclic cmos tdc based on this invention is controlled by the dimension ratio between the inhomogeneous gate and its adjacent elements . no dll is needed for continuous calibration , and the circuit can be greatly simplified to reduce chip size , power consumption , and to improve the resolution and accuracy . 3 . the delay element of the invention is insensitive to supply voltage and ambient temperature variations . based on the above description , although at least one preferred embodiment has been elucidated with reference to relating drawings annexed , it is apparent that numerous variations or modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof , as set forth in the following claims . k . m { umlaut over ( aa )} ttä , j . kostamovaara . m . koskinen , and r . myllylä , “ time - to - digital converter for fast , accurate laser range finding ,” in proc . spie industrial inspection , september 1988 . vol . 1010 , pp . 60 - 67 . a . rothermal hid f . dell &# 39 ; ova “ analog phase measuring circuit or digital cmos ic &# 39 ; s ,” ieee jssc , vol . 28 no . 7 , pp . 853 - 856 , july 1993 . rapeli et al . “ method and circuitry for demdulation of angle modulated signals by measuring cycle time ,” u . s . pat . no . 5 , 270 , 666 , december 1993 . elvi räisänen - ruotsalainen , etc . “ a low - power cmos time - to - digital converter ,” ieee jssc , vol . 30 no . 9 , pp . 984 - 990 , september 1995 . timo e . rahkonen , etc . “ the use of stabilized cmos delay lines for the digitization of short time intervals ,” ieee jssc . vol . 28 . no . 8 , pp . 887 - 894 , august 1993 . poki chen , shen - iuan liu and jingshown wu , “ a low power high accuracy cmos time - to - digital coniverter ,” iscas &# 39 ; 97 , vol . 1 , pp . 281 - 284 , june 1997 . kalisz r . szplet , j . pasirbinski , and a . poniecki . “ field - programmable - gate - array - based time - to - digital converter with 200 - ps resolution ,” ieee trans . im , vol . 46 , pp . 51 - 55 . february 1997 . t . a . demiassa , and z . ciccone , “ digital integrated circuits ,” john wiley & amp ; sons , inc ., 1996 .	7
now referring to the drawings , preferred embodiments of the invention are described below . fig1 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of a facsimile apparatus 1 in one embodiment of the invention . in the facsimile apparatus 1 of the embodiment , the conventional telephone answering connection mode is eliminated so that reception modes comprise a manual reception mode , a telephone / facsimile select mode , and a facsimile reception mode . the facsimile apparatus 1 comprises a main control unit 2 which is responsible for control of the entire apparatus , a reading unit 3 , a recording unit 4 , an operation panel 5 , a ram ( random access memory ) 6 , a timer 7 , and a modem 8 are connected to the main control unit 2 . the reading unit 3 may be , for example , a ccd ( charge coupled device ) sensor , and reads the document to be transmitted . the recording unit 4 , containing a thermal head , for example , reproduces the received data as an image output on recording paper not shown herein . the operation panel 5 includes plural keys for inputting various instructions such as input of the destination telephone number and command of the facsimile apparatus . the ram 6 stores various conditions / parameters of the automatic answering telephone function provided along with telephone set 31 shown in detail in fig2 . the timer 7 detects the actual condition of the automatic answering telephone function , the activation period during action of this function , and other parameters . as described below , filters f1 , f2 , f3 built in the modem 8 permits detection of , the frequency fp of the beep sound p sent out from a transmitter 37 of the answering function of the telephone set 31 . a transmission amplifier 9 and a reception amplifier 10 are connected to a connection jack 23 connected to public telephone network circuits through a transformer 14 and a circuit changeover switch 15 . the transmission amplifier 9 , reception amplifier 10 and transformer 14 are connected through switches 11 , 12 , 13 . the switches 11 , 12 , 13 are switches for changing over the signal sent out from the telephone set 31 connected through the connection jack 20 to be entered into the main control unit 2 , and they execute the actions individually as described later . the circuit changeover switch 15 is a switch for closing the direct - current circuit between the public telephone circuits and the modem 8 for transmitting and receiving the facsimile or the external telephone set 31 . resistance r1 and capacitor c1 only permit transmission of the alternating - current component of the signal on the public telephone circuits in the open state of the switch 15 to the transformer 14 , and further transmitting to the modem 8 . the switch 11 connects the public telephone circuits and modem 8 , when the direct - current circuit is closed , through the transformer 14 . the switch 12 prevents undesired noise signal produced from the telephone set 31 from being transmitted to the modem 8 during service of the telephone set 31 connected to the connection jack 20 . the switch 13 connects public telephone circuits and modem 8 , or to connect the telephone set 31 and modem 8 , when the direct - current circuit is open . between the switch 11 and switch 13 , resistance r2 and capacitor c2 determine the connection impedance to the public telephone circuits in the open state of the switch 15 and to adjust the level and frequency characteristic of the signal sent from the resistance r1 or capacitor c1 provided in the switch 15 . therefore , the switches 11 to 13 are connected as shown in table 1 below . table 1______________________________________ switch switch switchstate 11 12 13 connection state______________________________________waiting c b c connection of public telephone circuit and modem 8 in dc circuit open statecommunicating b c c connection of public telephone circuit and modem 8 in dc circuit closed statedetection c b b connection ofregistration telephone set 31 and modem 8______________________________________ a hook detector 16 detects the state of the hook switch of the telephone set 31 , and delivers the detection signal to the main control unit 2 . a dummy ringer generator 17 generates a dummy ringer voltage corresponding to the ringer voltage entered from the public telephone circuits . the hook detector 16 and dummy ringer generator 17 are connected to the connection jack 20 to which the telephone set 31 is connected through a switch 18 . the switch 18 connects the telephone set 31 to the hook detector 16 or dummy ringer generator 17 . the switch 18 and connection jack 20 are connected through a switch 19 . the switch 19 connects the telephone set 31 via the connection jack 20 to the public telephone circuit or to the facsimile apparatus 1 . a polarity inversion detector 21 monitors the direction of the current flowing in the public telephone circuits to detect the polarity inversion of the direction of flow of the current when outgoing or when incoming as well as the state of the hook switch of the telephone set 31 . between the polarity inversion detector 21 and connection jack 23 , there is an arrester 24 for protecting the facsimile apparatus 1 by absorbing voltage surges or the like that may be generated on the public telephone circuits . the incoming detector 22 detects whether a call is incoming or not by responding to the call signal from the caller ( exchange ). fig2 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of the telephone set 31 connected to the facsimile apparatus 1 . the telephone set 31 possesses the so - called automatic answering telephone function , and is furnished with a telephone unit 32 and a control circuit 33 . the telephone unit 32 comprises , among others , a dialer for converting the telephone number entered by the user into pulse signals or tone signals and sending them out to the public telephone circuits , and transmission and reception amplifiers of voice signals . a handset 34 for communicating is also connected to the telephone unit 32 . the control circuit 33 is a circuit for controlling the automatic telephone answering function a voice message store unit 35 , a voice store unit 36 , and a transmitter 37 . the voice message store unit 35 is for example , a ram . a stored voice message states , for example , &# 34 ; i &# 39 ; m away from home now . leave your message after the beep sound .&# 34 ; the voice store unit 36 is for example , a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus , where the received caller &# 39 ; s message is recorded and reproduced . the transmitter 37 sends out a beep sound p to begin storing a received voice message in voice store unit 36 after the voice message announcement is over . the telephone unit 32 and control circuit 33 are connected to a connection jack 39 through a network control circuit 38 . the network control circuit 38 control operation of the handset 34 through the telephone unit 32 or execution of the automatic telephone answering function . the connection jack 39 is connected to the connection jack 20 of the facsimile apparatus 1 . fig3 is a flow chart schematically showing the detection and registration action of parameters of the automatic telephone answering function of the telephone set 31 . at step a1 , an answering record mode of the telephone set 31 is set by the user . by this setting , as the action parameter , the number n of received ring signals until the voice message is sent out , the send - out period t1 of voice message , and recording time t3 of addresser &# 39 ; s message are determined . at step a2 , a register mode of the facsimile apparatus 1 is specified from the operation panel 5 of the facsimile apparatus 1 . when the register mode is specified , the main control unit 2 connects the terminal 19a and terminal 19c of the switch 19 , and terminal 19d and terminal 19f , respectively . at step a3 , the telephone set 31 is called . calling of the telephone set 31 is executed by applying a dummy ringer voltage generated in the dummy ringer generator 17 to the telephone set 31 . when this voltage is applied , the terminal 18a and terminal 18c of the switch 18 are connected , but while voltage is not applied , the terminal 18a and terminal 18b are connected , and the state of the hook switch of the telephone set 31 is monitored by the hook detector 16 . calling of the telephone set 31 is executed by a present number n of rings . this number is counted by a counter in the main control unit 2 . at step a4 , it is judged if the telephone set 31 has responded to the call or not . this judgement is executed by detecting the on state of the hook switch of the telephone set s1 by the hook detector 16 . when incoming , the operation advances to step a5 , otherwise returning to step a3 . at step a5 , detection and registration of action parameters of the automatic answering telephone function of the telephone set 31 are executed . this action is executed in the conditions of ( a ) the number n of rings up to send - out of the voice message , ( b ) send - out period t1 corresponding to voice message , and ( c ) frequency fp and send - out period t2 of beep sound p . these detection data are stored in the ram 6 . when the detection and registration action is over , advancing to step a6 , the end of registration is displayed . as for condition ( a ), on the basis of the detection signal from the hook detector 16 at step a4 , the main control unit 2 stores the number n of rings until the detection signal is received , in the ram 6 . conditions ( b ) and ( c ) are executed as follows . as for ( b ), the timer 7 is started by the timing of receiving the detection signal from the hook detector 16 , and the send - out period t1 of the voice message is measured . at the same time , ( c ) the frequency fp and send - out period t2 of the beep sound p are detected . the frequency fp is detected by the modem 8 , and a facsimile modem for g3 is , for example , executed by using a built - in programmable filter f . the band width fs of the filter f is set as ( fpmax - fpmin )/ x = fs , supposing the range of the detection frequency fp within fpmin ≦ fp ≦ fpmax . herein , fpmin expresses the minimum value of detection frequency , and fpmax is the maximum value of detection frequency . meanwhile , x denotes the number of divisions of the frequency band divided for the purpose of detection . besides , supposing the number y of filters f detected simultaneously by the modem 8 , the division number x is expressed as x = a · y - b . here , y is defined as y & gt ; b . therefore , by repeating the detection action a times , detection of beep sound p in one unit of band width fs of filter f is executed . for example , provided fpmax = 2100 hz , fpmin = 900 hz , x = 6 , y = 3 , the band width fs of filter f is fs = 200 hz (=( 2100 - 900 )/ 6 ), so that a = 2 . therefore , by executing the detection action twice , detection of frequency fp can be executed in one unit of 200 hz in a range of 2100 hz to 900 hz . as shown in fig4 by the first detection action , bands f1 , f3 , f5 are set in filters f1 , f2 , f3 of the modem 8 , and by the second detection action , bands f2 , f4 , f6 are set in the filters f1 , f2 , f3 of the modem 8 , respectively . the first and detection actions are divided into the bands f1 , f3 , f5 , and the bands f2 , f4 , f6 , which is intended to prevent simultaneous detection by two filters if there is the frequency fp to be detected in the boundary of the filter detection bands . moreover , by varying the division number x , the range of band width fs of the filter f can be changed . on the other hand , the send - out period t2 is measured by starting the timer 7 after the send - out period of the response message . fig5 is a flow chart showing the detection and registration action in detail . at step b1 , the register mode of the facsimile apparatus 1 is set from the operation panel 5 of the facsimile apparatus 1 . in succession , at step b2 , the number of repetitions a = 2 of the detection action is set . at step b3 , a dummy ringer voltage generated in the dummy ringer generator 17 is entered in the telephone set 31 . at step b4 , it is judged by the main control unit 2 if the telephone set 31 has responded to the voltage or not depending on presence or absence of the detection signal from the hook detector 16 . if incoming , the operation advances to step b5 , otherwise skipping to step b21 . at step b5 , the hook switch is turned on , and the automatic answering telephone function of the telephone set 31 is actuated , and the send - out period t1 of the voice message is measured by the timer 7 . at step b6 , 1 is subtracted from the count a by the main control unit 2 , and it is judged if the number of repetitions a is 0 or not . if 0 , the operation advances to step b7 , and if 1 , to step b14 . at step b7 , the bands f1 , f3 , f5 are set in the filters f1 , f2 , f3 incorporated in the modem 8 , thereby advancing to step b8 . at step b14 , the bands f2 , f4 , f6 are set in the filters f1 , f2 , f3 , thereby advancing to step b8 . at step b8 , it is judged if the filter f1 is turned on or not . it is turned on when the frequency band fi set in the filter f1 coincides with the frequency fp of the beep sound f , and turned off if not coinciding . the operation advances to step b9 when the filter f1 is not on , and to step b15 if on . at step b9 , the same judgement as in step b8 is executed on the filter f2 . the operation advances to step b10 when the filter f2 is not on , and to step b15 when on . at step b10 , the same judgement as in steps b8 , b9 is executed on the filter f3 . the operation advances to step b11 when the filter f3 is not on , and to step b15 when on . at step b11 , it is judged if the detection signal from the hook detector 16 is turned off or not . the operation advances to step b12 if off , and returns to step b8 otherwise . at step b12 , it is judged if the detection action is over to turn on the end flag . the operation advances to step b23 if on , and to step b13 if not on . at step b13 , it is judged if the number of repetitions a is 0 or not . the operation advances to step b22 if 0 , and returns to step b3 if 1 . at step b15 , as any one of the filters f1 , f2 , f3 of the modem 8 is turned on , the send - out period t2 of beep sound p is measured by the timer 7 . at step b16 , it is checked if the &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; filter fi of the modem 8 has been turned off or not . herein , the subscript i is from 1 to 3 . if turned off , the operation advances to step b17 , and if not off , returning to step b16 , the judgement is continuously repeated . at step b17 , the predetermined recording period t3 of the caller &# 39 ; s message is measured by the timer 7 . at step b18 , it is judged if there is any voice signal in the recording period t3 . if voice signal is not produced , the operation advances to step b19 , and if voice signal is produced , it goes to step b11 . at step b19 , it is judged if the predetermined recording period t3 is terminated or not . this judgement is conducted whether the hook switch is turned off or not . if terminated , advancing to step b20 , and the operation returns to step b18 if not terminated . at step b20 , the end flag is set and turned on , thereby moving to step b11 . at step b21 , as the detection signal from the hook detector 16 at step b4 continues to be in off state , it is judged if the preset number n of calls is finished or not . the operation advances to step b22 if finished , and returns to step b3 if not finished . at step b22 , the display telling it is impossible to register , and it is over . at step b23 , the voice message send - out period t1 , beep sound p send - out period t2 , caller &# 39 ; s message recording time t3 , and band f1 of &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; filter fi which have been recorded in a series of actions are recorded in the ram 6 . at step b24 , the display showing the end of registration is shown . fig6 is a timing chart showing the detection and registration action . calling is made by the dummy ringer voltage generated in the dummy ringer generator 17 . at this time , the terminal 19a and terminal 19c , and terminal 19d and terminal 19f of the switch 19 are connected respectively . the switch 18 intermittently connects the terminal 18a and terminal 18c in order to send out the ringer voltage . the dummy ringer voltage is applied to send out , for example as shown in fig6 ( 2 ), a ringing signal of 16 hz for 1 second , and send out the same ringing signal again 2 seconds later . this ringing signal is sent on preset number of times n . when called n times , the voice announcement message is sent out for period t1 from the telephone answering unit . at this time , the hook detector 16 produces a detection signal at a high level , and the terminal 13a and terminal 13b of the switch 13 are connected , and the signal from the telephone set 31 is fed into the reception amplifier 10 . when the voice announcement message is completed , the beep sound p is produced for period t2 , and then the caller &# 39 ; s incoming message is recorded for period t3 . after recording for period t3 , the terminal 19a and terminal 19b , and terminal 19d and terminal 19e of the switch 19 are connected respectively , and the hook detector 16 produces a detection signal of low level , and further the terminal 13a and terminal 13c of the switch 13 are connected . thus , during the period of detection and registration action , the terminal 11a of the switch 11 is connected with the terminal 11c , whereas the terminal 15a of the switch 15 is not connected to the terminal 15b . fig7 is a flow chart showing the operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 . the reception mode of the facsimile apparatus 1 is set in one of the three modes mentioned above . at step c1 , it is judged if the registration mode is set in the facsimile apparatus 1 or not , and the operation advances to step c2 if registered , and is over if not . at step c2 , it is judged if the telephone set 31 is called or not . the operation advances to step c3 if called , and returns to step c2 if not . at step c3 , the number m of rings is counted by a counter in the main control unit 2 . at step c4 , it is judged if the telephone set 31 has responded to the call , and the operation advances to step c5 if responding , and returns to step c2 if not . at step c5 , band fi is set in filter f1 of the modem 8 . at step c6 , the voice message send - out period t4 is measured by the timer 7 . at step c7 , it is judged if the filter f1 is on or not , and the operation advances to step c8 if on , and to step c17 if not on . at step c8 , simultaneously when the filter f1 is turned on , the send - out period t5 of beep sound p is measured by the timer 7 . at step c9 , it is judged if the period t4 satisfies the registered condition of t1min ≦ t4 ≦ t1max , where t1min is the value of t1 provided with a minus allowance and t1max is the value of t1 provided with a plus allowance . when this condition is satisfied , the operation advances to step c10 , and when not satisfied , the action is terminated . at step c10 , it is judged if the period t5 satisfies the registered condition of t2min ≦ t5 ≦ t2max , where t2min is the value of t2 provided with a minus allowance and t2max is the value of t2 provided with a plus allowance . when this condition is satisfied , the operation advances to step c11 , and when not satisfied , the action is terminated . at step c11 , it is judged if the number m of rings is within the registered number n , and if the judgement is affirmative , the operation advances to step c12 , and if negative , the action is terminated . at step c12 , the detection of the answering mode is displayed in the display unit not shown herein . at step c13 , the recording time t6 of the caller &# 39 ; s message is measured by the timer 7 . at step c14 , it is judged if there is voice signal in period t6 , and the operation skips to step c18 if absent , and goes to step c15 if present . at step c15 , it is judged if a cng signal sent out from the caller has been detected or not . if cng is not detected , the operation advances to step c16 , and if cng is detected , changeover to facsimile reception is executed . at step c16 , it is judged if the specified time , that is , the predetermined time for judging the voice signal or cng signal , is over or not , and the action is terminated if over , and returns to step c14 if not over . at step c17 , as the filter f1 is not on , it is judged if the predetermined specified time is over or not . the action is terminated if over , and returns to step c7 if not over . at step c18 , as there is no voice signal at step c14 , it is judged if the measured recording period t6 is over the preset recording period t3 or not . the connection is changed over to the facsimile reception if exceeding the period t3 , and the operation returns to step c14 if not . fig8 is a timing chart during operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 . during operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 , the terminal 19a and terminal 19d of the switch 19 are connected to the terminal 19b and terminal 19e , respectively , and the terminal 18a of the switch 18 is connected to the terminal 18b . the detection signal from the hook detector 16 is low level . the terminal 13a of the switch 13 is connected to the terminal 13c , and the terminal 11a of the switch 11 is connected to the terminal 11c . the terminal 15a of the network changeover switch 15 is not connected to the terminal 15b . when calling is executed , the incoming detector 22 is turned on . when the telephone set 31 responds to the call , the polarity inversion detector 21 is turned on , and the voice message is sent out for the period t4 , and the beep sound p is sent out for the period t5 . after the beep sound p , the caller &# 39 ; s message is recorded for the period t6 , and then the terminal 11a of the switch 11 is connected to the terminal 11b , and the terminal 15a of the network changeover switch 15 is connected to the terminal 15b , thereby changing over to the facsimile reception . afterwards , a ced signal and dis ( nsf , csi ) signal are sent out . thus , according to the embodiment , when the operator sets the automatic answering telephone set in the answering record mode , he is liberated from the trouble of also setting the facsimile to the answering telephone connection mode . moreover , the problem of unexpected change to the facsimile apparatus during telephone service is solved . if the manual reception mode is set at the facsimile , after the automatic answering telephone function is actuated to record the caller &# 39 ; s voice message , the no - signal detection function preset in the facsimile apparatus 1 changes the connection of the public telephone network to the facsimile so as to be ready for facsimile reception . hence , it is not necessary to change over the mode setting , and the controllability and convenience are enhanced . the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and the range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein .	7
fig1 shows an axial piston machine 1 with an electrically actuatable control valve 2 according to the present invention . the invention includes a control valve , which is shown as rotary disk valve 3 , which can be actuated by a stepper motor 4 . the diagonal position of the swash plate 5 can be adjusted by a plurality of positioning pistons 6 which is located on both sides of a pivoting axis of the swash plate 5 . the rotary disk valve 3 contains a rotatable control shaft 7 and a rotatable sleeve 8 which surrounds the control shaft 7 on the outside periphery thereof . on the control shaft 7 there is a groove 9 which can be pressurized with a supply pressure supplied by an auxiliary pump 32 , through a ring - shaped groove 10 located on the sleeve 8 and a supply pressure line 11 . a groove 12 , which is axially offset from the groove 9 , is connected to the housing of the axial piston machine 1 by a ring - shaped groove 13 located on the sleeve 8 and a line 14 . there are two additional ring - shaped grooves 15 , 16 on the sleeve 8 . the grooves 15 and 16 can be connected to the grooves 9 , 12 which are located on the control shaft 7 , and each of which can be connected to the positioning pistons 6 by lines 17 and 18 , respectively . in the illustrated embodiment , the output shaft 19 of the stepper motor 4 is non - rotationally connected to the control shaft 7 of the rotary disk valve 3 . located on the swash plate 5 is a component 20 which is non - rotationally connected to the sleeve 8 . the rotary disk valve 3 and the stepper motor 4 are located on the housing of the axial piston machine 1 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 the rotary disk valve 3 is oriented so that the longitudinal axis 21 of the stepper motor 4 and of the rotary disk valve 3 runs perpendicular to an axis of rotation 22 of the axial piston machine 1 and is aligned with the pivoting axis of the swash plate 5 . in this embodiment , the angle of rotation set by the stepper motor 4 on the rotary disk valves corresponds to the pivoting angle of the swash plate 5 with reference to its pivoting axis . the embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig2 consists of an arrangement in which the longitudinal axis 21 of the stepper motor and of the rotary disk valve is parallel to the axis of rotation 22 of the axial piston machine 1 . for purposes of simplification in the following description , the components illustrated in fig2 are identified by the same reference numbers as the identical components in fig1 . fastened to the swash plate 5 is a transmission component 23 which is connected to the sleeve 8 of the rotary disk valve 3 . as shown in fig3 the transmission component 23 includes a spherical - shaped end in the vicinity of the rotary disk valve 3 and is connected to the sleeve 8 of the rotary disk valve 3 by a groove - shaped recess 24 . in this embodiment , there is also a translation ratio in the range of 1 : 2 between the diagonal position of the swash plate 5 and the angle of rotation of the rotary disk valve 3 . therefore , as a function of the transmission ratio , an angle of rotation of 40 ° of the rotary disk valve 3 corresponds to a displacement of the swash plate 5 by 20 °. fig4 illustrates one possible circuit diagram of the control valve . the control shaft 7 of the rotary disk valve 3 has two grooves 9 a , 9 b which are offset from one another by 180 ° and which are pressurized with a supply pressure generated by the auxiliary pump 32 through the line 11 . offset by 90 ° from the grooves 9 a and 9 b , there are an additional two grooves 12 a , 12 b , which are connected by the line 14 with a tank 33 or with the housing of the axial piston machine 1 . the sleeve 8 of the rotary disk valve 3 has two grooves 15 a , 15 b and two grooves 16 a , 16 b which are offset from one another by 180 °, and which are connected by lines 17 and 18 with the positioning pistons 6 a , 6 b which are located on either side of the pivoting axis of the swash plate 5 . to adjust the position of the swash plate 5 , an electrical input signal is formed by counting pulses . the input signal is converted in the stepper motor 4 to an angle of rotation of the output shaft 19 and of the control shaft 7 of the rotary disk valve 3 which is non - rotationally connected to the output shaft 19 . the angle of rotation of the control shaft 7 corresponds to the number of counting pulses . if the control shaft 7 is moved in the clockwise direction as shown in fig4 for example , control pressure flows from the auxiliary pump 32 through the line 11 and the grooves 9 a and 9 b into the groves 15 a and 15 b and thus via the line 17 into the piston chamber of the positioning piston 6 b . simultaneously , a connection is created between the positioning piston 6 a and a tank 33 via the line 18 , the grooves 16 a and 16 b , the grooves 12 a and 12 b and the line 14 . the swash plate 5 thereby pivots in the direction 34 . as a result of the mechanical coupling of the sleeve 8 of the rotary disk valve 3 and the swash plate 5 , by the components 20 and 23 illustrated in fig1 and fig2 respectively , the sleeve 8 is simultaneously rotated as a function of the position of the swash plate 5 , and when it has reached the desired position of the swash plate 5 , closes the control edges on the rotary disk valve 3 . the stepper motor output shaft 19 may be effectively connected to a device 30 , shown schematically in fig1 which places the output shaft in a neutral position . this guarantees that the stepper motor output shaft 19 and the corresponding component of the rotary disk valve 3 are pulled back into the neutral position , e . g ., in the event of a power failure , and then the swash plate 5 will pivot into the neutral position . furthermore , the stepper motor output shaft may be connected to a device 40 , shown schematically in fig1 which monitors the angle of rotation and / or the neutral position of the output shaft . it is thereby possible to monitor the angle of rotation and / or the neutral position of the output shaft 19 , if the stepper motor 4 does not convert electrical counting pulses into a rotational movement of the rotary disk valve 3 . it is thereby possible to correct the neutral position in safety routines . it is anticipated that the control shaft 7 , which is connected to the output shaft 19 could alternatively be connected to device 30 and / or device 40 . while the invention is described in detail herein , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to the arrangements can be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure . accordingly , the particular arrangements are illustrative only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof .	5
fig1 schematically shows device 10 which includes inlet line 12 drawing the fuel into fuel pump 14 and the line 16 to the entrance of treating assembly 18 . the treated fuel exits through line 20 and flows into carburetor 22 . fig3 is a cross - sectional view of treating device 18 and along with fig2 and 4 - 5 , show the details thereof . the upstream end of device 18 includes an inlet chamber 24 closed off by a distributor plate 26 . as shown in fig2 - 3 , distributor plate 26 includes a series of coarcuate holes 28 and a central hole 30 . plate 26 may be made of any suitable material such as metal . a first set of magnets 32 is provided downstream from distributor plate 26 and spaced therefrom by screen or filter material 34 which is compressed between magnets 32 and plate 26 and thereby in contact therewith . as shown in fig3 an annular space 36 is between the outer periphery of magnets 32 and the inner surface of casing 38 . additionally , magnets 32 are ring magnets with an axial passage 40 in line with central opening 30 of distributor plate 26 . a second set of magnets 42 is provided spaced from first set of magnets 32 again with screen material 44 therebetween and in contact with both sets of magnets . similarly , a third set of magnets 46 is provided downstream from magnets 42 and spaced therefrom by screening 48 which is in contact with both sets of magnets 42 and 46 . finally , additional screen material 50 is provided downstream from the various sets of spaced magnets at the end of the magnetic chamber formed in casing 38 . screen material 50 is preferably in the form of a thick bundle of screen having undulations of cutouts 52 to permit the screen material 50 to be pressed against magnet assembly 46 and thus also permitting compression of screen material 50 . after assembly of the distributor plate and the various sets of magnets and screen material in casing 38 , a sleeve 54 is inserted downstream therefrom in electrode chamber 56 to retain the various components in a relatively stable axial position in the magnetic treating chamber without separate mounting means . the provision of the screen material which presses against the various magnet assemblies permits the magnet assemblies to be relatively tightly held in axial position while still spaced from each other . the fuel entering inlet chamber 24 flows through distributor plate 26 and more particularly through its openings 28 , 30 so that some fuel flows in the annular space 36 and the remaining fuel flows through the aligned axial openings 40 before exiting into electrode chamber 56 . while thus flowing , the fuel is subjected to the magnetic force applied to the individual magnets . after being so subjected to the magnetic flux , the fuel is subjected to an electrical force applied by , for example , a pair of spark plugs 58 . the fuel then discharges through outlet 60 connected to line 20 ( fig1 ). fuel treating device 18 may take various forms and be of various sizes in accordance with the desired end results . for example , casing 38 may have a 3 inch inside diameter . the ring magnets may have , for example , an outside diameter of about 23 / 4 inches . where used for automobiles , the length of casing 38 may be , for example , 6 inches or 9 inches and may be 12 inches for diesel trucks . where a 6 inch length is used for automobiles , the fuel may be pumped therein at a rate of 5 gallons per hour . the sets of magnets may include 3 sets as illustrated with 4 magnets in each set ( for unleaded gas ) or only 2 sets of magnets with 6 individual magnets in each set ( for leaded gas ). the magnets in all embodiments are arranged with a polarity of one magnet opposed to its adjacent magnet as illustrated . where a 9 inch length is used then , for example , 9 gallons per hour would be fed and the magnet assemblies could include 3 sets of magnets with each set having 6 magnets or 3 sets of magnets with the first and third sets having 6 individual magnets and the central set having 4 magnets . where only 2 sets of magnets are used , such as for leaded gas , each set has 9 magnets . for diesel fuel with casing 38 being 12 inches long , 26 gallons per hour fuel would be fed and the magnet assembly could include 3 sets of magnets with each set having 8 magnets or 3 sets of magnets with 8 magnets in each end set and 6 magnets in the central set or 2 sets of magnets with 12 magnets in each set . advantageously , each magnet is mounted on a hollow sleeve 41 so that its aligned central openings form the axial passageway 40 . the clearance between the outer periphery of the magnets and the inner surface of casing 38 would be , for example , 1 / 4 inch so that the annular space 36 would be half of that clearance or 1 / 8 inch . insert or retainer 54 is advantageously made of a suitable material such as pvc and is 2 inches in length . it is to be understood that the various dimensions and materials previously referred to are merely exemplary and are given so that one may practice the invention .	7
fig1 schematically depicts a sending unit 12 and a receiving unit 13 . in a method according to the present invention , sending unit 12 sends radio signals to receiving unit 13 . sending unit 12 can , however , also receive data from receiving unit 13 , and receiving unit 13 can correspondingly send data to sending unit 12 . arrow 14 schematically depicts this bidirectional data exchange between receiving unit 13 and sending unit 12 . receiving unit 13 can , however , also receive data from other devices , as arrow 15 depicts . receiving unit 13 can furthermore also send data to other devices , as arrow 16 depicts . data transmission between receiving unit 13 and the other devices can occur in cable - based fashion and / or by way of a radio transmission . another device can be , for example , a memory device that counts and / or stores the radio signals of sending unit 12 . fig2 schematically depicts an execution diagram of a method for controlling an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention . the method begins , for example , at step 1 , in which receiving unit 13 waits for radio transmission of a signal from sending unit 12 . in step 2 , receiving unit 13 receives a first signal portion , the first signal portion being transmitted in a first time interval . transmission of the first signal portion in the first time interval is represented by step 3 . in the first time interval , for example , radio signals are transmitted as a first signal portion ; the radio signals can be processed or not processed by receiving unit 13 . in embodiments of the present invention , processing of the radio signals occurs in such a way that the number of radio signals that , for example , exceed a threshold value or exhibit a specific carrier frequency as a carrier id is counted . counting of these radio signals takes place in step 4 . the number of radio signals counted in the first time interval is stored as , for example , value n . in embodiments , receiving unit 13 waits until the end of the first time interval for the transmission of further radio signals , as depicted by step 5 . in embodiments , the second time interval begins with step 6 . in embodiments , in step 7 , radio signals are received in the second time interval . in embodiments of the present invention , these radio signals are counted if they exhibit the same carrier frequency , or exceed the same threshold value , as the radio signals in the first time interval . the number of radio signals counted is stored as , for example , value m . in embodiments , in step 8 , all the radio signals received by the end of the second time interval are correspondingly counted or not . in embodiments , after the second time interval , values n and m are compared . at point 9 , for example , the number of radio signals counted in the first and in the second time interval is the same . in embodiments , this is then followed by step 10 in which , for example , various operating modes of the apparatus are started . in embodiments of the present invention , different operating modes of the apparatus are selectable in step 10 as a function of values n , m . if n and m denote , for example , three counted radio signals , then , for example , a measurement of a tire pressure of a vehicle is performed . in embodiments , if the number of radio signals counted in the first and in the second time interval is not the same , as depicted by point 11 , no change occurs in the operating mode of the apparatus . receiving unit 13 instead waits , for example , once again for the radio transmission of sending unit 12 , as in step 1 . in embodiments , there are as many different variations of values n , m as there are operating modes of the apparatus . for three operating modes of the apparatus , for example , three different numbers of radio signals can be stored as values n , m . as a result of the uncomplicated method , the apparatus according to the present invention can have an economical sending unit 12 and an economical receiving unit 13 . in embodiments , the energy consumption of the receiving unit 13 and sending unit 12 that are used is very low , so that the apparatus can be operated using a battery for power supply or energy delivery purposes . in embodiments , because a change in the operating mode of the apparatus occurs only when a predefined number of counted radio signals is present in the first time interval and in the second time interval , the apparatus changes over into a different operating mode only in the context of a double query performed in such a fashion . in embodiments , the apparatus embodiment becomes more reliable as a result , since the probability of a changeover into an erroneous operating mode as a result of an erroneous signal transmission between sending unit 12 and receiving unit 13 is reduced . in embodiments , energy is saved at the same time as a result , since , for example , other components of the apparatus are not started in error if the apparatus is changed over into an erroneous operating mode . such components can be , for example , microcontrollers .	1
referring to the drawings , particularly fig1 and 2 , the letter a indicates generally one embodiment of the optical pyrometer and sight tube assembly of this invention . numeral 10 refers to the optical pyrometer unit , and a tubular member extending from the pyrometer unit defines a coupler neck 11 . the flanged end of coupler neck 11 is connected to one of the flanged ends of the valve 12 . a sight glass ( pressure seal ) 13 is sandwiched between the flanged ends of the coupler neck 11 and valve 12 . the pyrometer unit 10 and sight glass 13 can be isolated from the environment of the turbine inlet section 19a by closing valve 12 . valve 12 can be operated manually or automatically , by electrical or pneumatic control systems . suitable valves for this purpose are those in which there is a clear line of sight through the valve bore when the valve is in open position . examples of such valves are gate valves , ball valves , and plug valves . the sight tube assembly is made up basically of the sight tube 15 and a tubular member which defines a nozzle 14 . the front end of the nozzle 14 , which is flanged , fastens to the flanged end of valve 12 , which is opposite from coupler neck 11 . the opposite end of the nozzle 14 ( not flanged ) is fastened to the turbine casing 16 . the sight tube 15 fits inside the nozzle 14 , and the flange on the front end of this tube is clamped between the flanged ends of the nozzle and valve . the outside diameter of the sight tube 15 is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the nozzle 14 , such that an annular space 17 is defined between the sight tube 15 and nozzle 14 , as best shown in fig4 . the lower end of sight tube 15 extends through a hot gas duct member 18 and prevents excessive leakage of compressor discharge air into the turbine inlet section 19a . as best shown in fig2 it is preferred that the lower end of the sight tube be flush with the inside surface 18a of the duct member 18 . beyond the surface 18a is the turbine inlet section 19a , where the gas temperatures are extreme . in the practice of this invention , the reason for not allowing the sight tube 15 to extend into the hot gas duct is to lessen the chance that thermal degradation will cause the end of the tube to fragment and break off . the sight tube 15 also has several small openings , indicated by numeral 20 , which are located near the flanged end of the tube . the compressor discharge section of the turbine compressor 21 is an area that lies between casing 16 and the hot gas duct 18 ( or ducts ), as indicated generally by the numeral 21a . within the turbine section 19 there are several rows of stationary guide vanes , as indicated by numeral 22 , and several rows of rotating turbine blades , indicated by numeral 23 . as best shown in fig1 each row of turbine blades is mounted on a rotor shaft 24 , and each row of the stationary guide vanes 22 is mounted within the turbine section , such that a row of guide vanes 22 is positioned before each row of the turbine blades 23 . the invention can be illustrated by describing a typical operation in which the pyrometer unit continuously monitors the temperature of the first row of the rotating turbine blades 23 , and utilizes this data to automatically control the firing temperature of the turbine . there are several commercially available optical pyrometer systems that may be used in the practice of this invention . one of these systems , known as a two - color pyrometer , is preferred as the primary temperature monitoring system in this invention . the detector of this unit responds to two wavelength bands of radiation , in which the temperature data is calculated as a ratio product of the two wavelengths . a particular advantage of this unit is its ability to compensate for changes in emissivity from the rotating blades . another advantage is that the unit can compensate for variations in the transmission of the radiation through the sight glass , which can be caused by films or other materials that might obscure the view through the glass . since the detector has a slow speed of response , a profile of individual blade temperatures cannot be obtained , but it does have the capability of reading out average temperature values . other conventional optical pyrometer systems utilize a single band wavelength to detect radiation . a particular advantage of some of these systems is that the detector has a high speed of response to the radiation . this enables the pyrometer unit to &# 34 ; read &# 34 ; individual blade temperatures and thus find the hottest blades in the turbine section . one of the drawbacks of this unit is the emissivity variable , which is an integral part of the detector function . this variable makes the unit less reliable over a long period of time for obtaining average blade temperature readings . to provide for the temperature monitoring operation , the optical pyrometer unit 10 and the sight tube assembly are installed , as previously described , in a position such as that shown in fig1 and 2 . when the installation is complete , the turbine is started and valve 12 is moved to its open position . the pyrometer unit 10 is then adjusted to give a direct and clear view of a selected target spot on the first row of the rotating turbine blades 23 . in fig3 a typical target spot is indicated schematically by a small &# 34 ; s &# 34 ; that appears on one of the turbine blades that is passing through the field of view . as illustrated in the drawings , the line of sight , indicated by numeral 26 , follows a direct path from the pyrometer unit 10 , through valve 12 , sight tube 15 , and passes through the opening between two of the stationary guide vanes 22 in the first row of the vanes . as mentioned earlier , the first row of the stationary guide vanes 22 is positioned ahead of the first row of turbine blades 23 . it is the actual positioning of the sight tube 15 in the turbine engine that enables the pyrometer unit 10 to view the rotating turbine blades 23 along a direct line of sight . this capability of the optical pyrometer 10 to view the turbine blades 23 along the direct line of sight , which does not pass through any component of the turbine section , as illustrated herein , is believed to be a unique improvement over any known technique for measuring turbine blade temperatures by optical pyrometry . as explained earlier , the function of the optical pyrometer unit 10 is to continuously monitor and sense the temperature of the turbine blades 23 . the temperature data is transmitted to an electronic control circuit ( not shown ), which controls various turbine operating conditions , such as inlet gas temperature , outlet gas temperature , fuel input , and the like . this enables the control circuit to automatically regulate the fuel supply to the turbine , and thus maintain the firing temperature at a desired level . during operation of the turbine , water vapor inside the turbine structure can move upwardly through the sight tube 15 and valve 12 and condense on the inside of the sight glass 13 . the resulting condensate film on the sight glass usually obscures the line of sight sufficiently to produce incorrect temperature readings . this problem is solved by purging the sight tube 15 with pressurized air from the compressor discharge section 21a . for example , air in the compressor discharge section 21a is at about 150 psi , which is about 5 psi higher than the inlet pressure of the gas in the turbine inlet section 19a . this pressure differential allows the air in the compressor discharge section 21a to flow back through the annular space 17 between nozzle 14 and sight tube 15 . the air in space 17 passes through the openings 20 , and flows through the sight tube 15 to the turbine section . as the air moves through the sight tube 15 , it carries any water vapor with it . the sight glass 13 has the function of a viewing window for the pyrometer unit 10 . since the sight glass 13 is a solid piece of material with no openings therein , it functions as the critical pressure seal between the turbine and the pyrometer unit 10 when valve 12 is in the open position . in the preferred embodiment of this invention , as described and illustrated herein , valve 12 provides a means for isolating the sight glass 13 and pyrometer unit 10 from the turbine engine environment . as pointed out earlier , this is an important feature of this invention , because it makes it possible to remove and replace the pyrometer unit 10 or the sight glass 13 , or to service the instrument while the turbine is running . the scope of this invention also includes a second embodiment in which the isolation valve 12 is omitted from the structure illustrated herein . in this embodiment the coupler neck 11 of the pyrometer unit 10 connects directly to the flanged ends of the nozzle 14 and sight tube 15 , with the sight glass 13 being positioned between the flanged ends of the coupler neck and the sight tube . as described earlier , it is the actual positioning of the sight tube in the turbine engine that enables the pyrometer unit to view the rotating turbine blades along a direct line of sight . the practice of this invention also includes being able to install the sight tube in a position that will allow the pyrometer unit , or another sensing instrument , to view other components internal to the engine , such as the stationary guide vanes , the hot gas duct , the combustors , or other parts . for example , as shown in fig3 the sight tube 15 provides a direct pathway that permits the pyrometer 10 to view both the rotating turbine blades and at least part of adjaent guide vanes 22 that are located in the first row of the stationary guide vanes . for the sake of simplicity , the present invention has been illustrated in the drawings as a gas turbine utilizing a single hot gas conduit . the invention is applicable to gas turbines that include a plurality of hot gas conduits , as indicated by the description herein . in fact , the invention was first utilized in a multiple - conduit turbine . the number of hot gas conduits is a matter of gas turbine design , and bears no relationship to the subject matter of the present invention .	6
the illustrative embodiments provide a method , a data processing system , and a computer program product ( embodied in a computer - readable storage device ) for automatically generating new testcases from existing testcases based on noun - verb pairings . in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention , specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical , architectural , programmatic , mechanical , electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense , and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof . it is understood that the use of specific component , device and / or parameter names are for example only and not meant to imply any limitations on the invention . the invention may thus be implemented with different nomenclature / terminology utilized to describe the components / devices / parameters herein , without limitation . each term utilized herein is to be given its broadest interpretation given the context in which that term is utilized . as may be utilized herein , the term ‘ coupled ’ encompasses a direct electrical connection between components or devices and an indirect electrical connection between components or devices achieved using one or more intervening components or devices . as used herein , the terms ‘ data ’ and ‘ evidence ’ are interchangeable . as may be used herein , the terms ‘ testcase ’, ‘ test code ’, and ‘ test automation code ’ are interchangeable . traditionally , testers have spent considerable time creating test automation code ( i . e ., testcases ) to test software . graphical user interface ( gui ) testing is one example in which a great deal of time has been spent creating and maintaining testcases , often requiring very specialized expertise . automation recorders are one approach that has been used to reduce the time spent creating testcases for guis . unfortunately , automation recorders typically produce code that requires renewed attention with each new feature or slight alteration to a gui . according to the present disclosure , new testcases may be created by extending already existing test automation code . in various embodiments , new testcases are generated using logic from existing testcases that is modified based on new specifications for new features that require testing . the disclosed techniques generate new testcases by extending test automation code coverage with reduced or no additional manual effort . according to one aspect of the present disclosure , machine learning is employed to facilitate the automatic generation of new testcases . in various embodiments , specifications for an existing product and testcases used to test features of the existing product are loaded into an automated testcase generation system that executes a machine learning application . in one or more embodiments , the testcase system is configured to extract noun - verb pairings from specifications of an existing product using standard natural language processing ( nlp ) techniques . existing testcases are then matched with respective noun - verb pairings ( during a training process ) by a machine learning application to produce a classification model ( classifier ). when a new feature is added to a product , specifications for the new feature are provided as input to the classifier , and the classifier is configured to create a new testcase by adapting one or more existing testcases ( associated with the existing product specifications ) with similar features . the approach generally reduces the overall manual effort required to extend testcase coverage or repair testcases whose features have changed . conventionally , the watson system has explored large amounts of structured and unstructured data to find candidate answers for a question ( or a problem ). according to various embodiments of the present disclosure , a watson system may be modified to receive input other than questions . for example , in one or more embodiments , a watson system is modified to receive original product specifications and related original testcases . upon receipt of the original product specifications and the related original testcases , the modified watson system is configured to match noun - verb pairings in the original product specifications with the related original testcases . a classifier of the modified watson system is then trained on the matched noun - verb pairings and related original testcases . when one or more new product specifications are received by the modified watson system , noun - verb pairings in the new product specifications are matched with similar noun - verb pairings in the original product specifications . the modified watson system then generates new testcases from the original testcases that are associated with the similar noun - verb pairings ( e . g ., by substituting nouns and verbs from noun - verb pairings in the new product specifications for nouns and verbs associated with appropriate ones of the original testcases and / or by combing multiple ones of the original testcases to generate new testcases ). while the various techniques are described herein as being implemented in a modified watson system , it is contemplated that the disclosed techniques may be implemented in any cognitive nlp system . as noted above , a data processing system configured to build new testcases loads specifications ( and related testcases ) associated with a product and creates noun - verb pairings for the specifications . the creation of noun - verb pairings typically involves parsing natural language of the information and pairing ‘ nouns ’ ( e . g ., ‘ radio button ’, ‘ dialog box ’, or ‘ alert message ’) with associated ‘ verbs ’ ( e . g ., ‘ click on ’, ‘ drag ’, or ‘ delete ’) in a conventional manner . in various embodiments , the information is representative of its purpose , i . e ., the information encompasses the breadth , if not the specific detail , of the kinds of automation tasks for which test automation code is to be generated . for example , if the software is configured to generate test automation code for clicking ( verb ) on buttons ( noun ), then examples of buttons and clicking should usually exist within the load specifications in some form . it should be noted , however , the nouns and verbs do not necessarily have to be already associated in the specifications and do not necessarily have to be exact matches ( e . g ., nouns and verbs may correspond to synonyms and / or nouns and verbs may be singular or plural ). according to the present disclosure , subsequent to product specification generation , machine learning models are trained to generalize the knowledge stored within the product specifications . in a typical implementation , the software is fed a ‘ ground truth ’ ( i . e ., a set of pairings between specification functionality and automation test code that validates the functionality ). in at least one embodiment , the ‘ ground truth ’ is manually maintained training data for the machine learning application . the ‘ ground truth ’ includes a mapping between automation test code and noun - verb pairings included in product specifications and can be extracted from known valid testing repositories , e . g ., git ™ version control system or rational team concert ™ ( rtc ) work items and associated change sets . the data processing system then runs standard machine learning classification algorithms to train models that use the features extracted from the specification to select the most relevant test automation code ( modeled as a dependent variable using any of a plurality of machine learning mechanisms , e . g ., bayesian classification ) when presented with noun - verb pairings from a new specification . as described above , noun - verb pairings are used in combination with existing testcases to produce new testcases . using conventional natural language processing ( nlp ) techniques , loaded specifications are disassembled into component nouns and verbs that are used to locate potential matches . a solution is selected , based on the models generated , to serve as a template for final test automation code . using the nouns and verbs isolated by the nlp analysis , a ‘ template ’ code ( i . e ., an existing testcase that has similar functionality to the desired functionality ) is adjusted to fit the new specifications . as one example , assume a ‘ search feature ’ in a product is being tested , a testcase for a simple search is already coded for an original product specification , and a new feature for ‘ categorized search ’ is being added that allows a user to select a search target from a drop - down list of available categories ( e . g ., ‘ blogs ’, ‘ activities ’, ‘ mail ’, etc .) to constrain a search . further , assume a repository of test automation code and specifications from various past projects are available that include tests of various features across various kinds of software ( including different kinds of ‘ search features ’, as well as other features that use drop - downs , select links , verify pages , etc .). according to an embodiment of the present disclosure , the information is loaded into the system with the repository of test automation code and the specifications being stored in an internal representation of noun - verb pairings ( e . g ., ‘ click on ’, ‘ search button ’, and ‘ select text from drop down ’ and ‘ select text from combo box ’). implementing standard nlp techniques , similar terms , such as ‘ select ’ & amp ; ‘ pick ’ and ‘ drop down ’ & amp ; ‘ combo box ’ may be associated while distinguishing ‘ selecting text from drop down ’ and ‘ clicking ’ on a link . a training set of samples of the test automation code with the associated specifications may then be created . for example , assume a project in the repository has a feature that uses a drop - down menu to select filters for spreadsheet - style data and another project that allows a user to ‘ search ’ a document for string - matches . these features also have automation test code and specifications that can be mapped . in this case , a training set is built by pairing the specification for the filter selection feature with the test automation code for the filter selection feature . following training of the model on the training set , a new specification that includes a new feature for a current project is loaded into the system . the new specification is then searched and analyzed and new test automation code is generated by modifying old test automation code that has similar nouns and verbs ( in its associated specification ) to include the new nouns and verbs that define a new project . by reviewing the existing test automation code base , the system may ascertain how to ‘ search ’ ( a verb ) and ‘ select ’ ( a verb ) from a ‘ drop - down list ’ ( a noun ). in general , modern automation tools facilitate querying applications under test and dynamically performing an action . in various embodiments , test automation code that performs an action is matched with language used to describe the action . for example , in the case of a drop down list , the verb ‘ select ’ and which element to select is translated into test automation code such that an automation tool may dynamically search for the element and select the element . in this case , when a new specification that involves ‘ selecting ’ from a ‘ drop - down list ’ to ‘ search ’, existing test automation code that is already associated with known nouns and verbs is used to create new test automation code that tests a new feature in the new specification . according to various aspects of the present disclosure , techniques for performing high performance computing ( hpc ) or network computing ( using one or more nodes ) is described herein that advantageously automatically generates new testcases from existing testcases based on noun - verb pairings . as used herein , a ‘ node ’ may include one or more symmetric multiprocessors ( smps ). with reference to fig1 , an example topology for a relevant portion of an exemplary hpc cluster ( supercomputer ) 100 includes a number of nodes ( n 1 - n 18 ) that are connected in , for example , a three - dimensional ( 3d ) torus topology . while eighteen nodes are illustrated in fig1 , it should be appreciated that more or less than eighteen nodes may be present in an hpc cluster configured according to the present disclosure . with reference to fig2 , each of the nodes n 1 - n 18 of fig1 may include a processor system , such as data processing system 200 . as is illustrated , data processing system 200 includes one or more chip - level multiprocessors ( cmps ) 202 ( only one of which is illustrated in fig2 ), each of which includes multiple ( e . g ., eight ) processors 204 . processors 204 may , for example , operate in a simultaneous multithreading ( smt ) mode or a single thread ( st ) mode . when processors 204 operate in the smt mode , processors 204 may employ multiple separate instruction fetch address registers to store program counters for multiple threads . in at least one embodiment , processors 204 each include a first level ( l1 ) cache ( not separately shown in fig2 ) that is coupled to a shared second level ( l2 ) cache 206 , which is in turn coupled to a shared third level ( l3 ) cache 214 . the l1 , l2 , and l3 caches may be combined instruction and data caches or correspond to separate instruction and data caches . in the illustrated embodiment , l2 cache 206 is further coupled to a fabric controller 208 that is coupled to a main memory controller ( e . g ., included in a northbridge ) 210 , which supports a main memory subsystem 212 that , in various embodiments , includes an application appropriate amount of volatile and non - volatile memory . in alternative embodiments , fabric controller 208 may be omitted and , in this case , l2 cache 206 may be directly connected to main memory controller 210 . fabric controller 208 , when implemented , facilitates communication between different cmps and between processors 204 and memory subsystem 212 and , in this manner , functions as an interface . as is further shown in fig2 , main memory controller 210 is also coupled to an i / o channel controller ( e . g ., included in a southbridge ) 216 , which is coupled to a host channel adapter ( hca )/ switch block 218 . hca / switch block 218 includes an hca and one or more switches that may be utilized to couple cmp 202 to cmps in other nodes ( e . g ., i / o subsystem nodes and processor nodes ) of hpc cluster 100 . fig3 illustrates relevant components of an automated testcase generation system pipeline 300 for an exemplary automated testcase generation system . as is illustrated in fig3 , a new product specification ( nps ) analysis block 302 of pipeline 300 receives input ( e . g ., in the form of new product specifications ) and generates an output representing its analysis of the input . it should be appreciated that original product specifications and testcases are required to have been previously loaded and acted upon by the system , as discussed above . a candidate generation block 304 of pipeline 300 receives the output from nps analysis block 302 at an input and generates candidate testcases . the candidate testcases are provided to an input of a testcase scoring block 306 , which is configured to initiate a supporting evidence search ( by supporting evidence search block 308 ) in order to score the various generated testcases . the results of the testcase scoring are provided to a final testcase block 310 , which is configured to provide a final testcase based on the scoring of the candidate testcases . it should be appreciated that blocks 302 - 310 may be implemented in program code executing on one or more processor cores or may be directly implemented in dedicated hardware ( logic ). fig4 illustrates relevant components of exemplary automated testcase generation system pipeline 300 in additional detail . as is illustrated , nps analysis block 402 receives an nps . an output of block 402 is provided to an nps decomposition block 404 , which further analyzes the nps to create one or more noun - verb pairings . block 404 provides inputs to multiple hypothesis generation blocks 406 , which perform parallel hypothesis generation . hypothesis generation blocks 406 each perform a primary search , collect reference data from different structured and unstructured sources , and generate candidate testcases . for example , data generated by hypothesis ‘ i ’ may be referenced as ‘ d_i ’, and data generated by hypothesis ‘ j ’ may be referenced as ‘ d_j ’. the data ‘ d_i ’ and ‘ d_j ’ may be the same data , completely different data , or may include overlapping data . as one example , an automated testcase generation system may be configured , according to the present disclosure , to : receive an nps ; create ‘ n ’ hypotheses ( 1 . . . n ) to locate candidate testcases ( e . g ., n = 10 ) in the existing testcases ; and load information for each hypothesis ‘ i ’ on which to operate into a shared cache . for example , assuming a shared cache across all hypotheses , 1 / nth of the shared cache may be loaded with data for each hypothesis to operate on . the automated testcase generation system may be further configured to execute the ‘ n ’ hypotheses to return ‘ m ’ candidate testcases ( in this case , each hypothesis generates one or more candidate testcases ). for example , the notation ‘ ans_i ’ may be employed to denote a set of candidate testcases generated by hypothesis ‘ i ’. in various embodiments , hypothesis and evidence scoring for each hypothesis is initiated in hypothesis and evidence scoring blocks 408 . that is , the automated testcases system is further configured to score all the candidate testcases using hypothesis and evidence scoring techniques ( e . g ., providing ‘ m ’ scores for ‘ m ’ candidate testcases ). in synthesis block 410 the qa system evaluates the candidate testcases with the highest scores and determines which hypotheses generated the highest scores . following block 410 , the automated testcase generation system initiates final confidence merging and ranking in block 412 . finally , in block 414 , the automated testcase generation system provides a testcase ( and may provide a confidence score ) for the new feature in the new specification . assuming , for example , the candidate testcases ‘ j ’, ‘ k ’, and ‘ l ’ have the highest scores , a determination may then be made as to which of the hypotheses generated the best candidate testcases . as one example , assume that hypotheses ‘ c ’ and ‘ d ’ generated the best candidate testcases ‘ j ’, ‘ k ’, and ‘ l ’. the automated testcase generation system may then upload additional data required by hypotheses ‘ c ’ and ‘ d ’ into the cache and unload data used by other hypotheses from the cache . according to the present disclosure , the priority of what data is uploaded is relative to candidate testcase scores ( as such , hypotheses producing lower scores have less associated data in cache ). when a new specification is received , the above - described process is repeated . if the hypotheses ‘ c ’ and ‘ d ’ again produce best candidate testcases , the automated testcase generation system loads more data that is relevant to the hypotheses ‘ c ’ and ‘ d ’ into the cache and unloads other data . if , on the other hand , hypotheses ‘ h ’ and ‘ g ’ produce the best candidate testcases , the automated testcase generation system may load more data relevant to the hypotheses ‘ h ’ and ‘ g ’ into the cache and unload other data . it should be appreciated that , at this point , hypotheses ‘ c ’ and ‘ d ’ probably still have more data in the cache than other hypotheses , as more relevant data was previously loaded into the cache for the hypotheses ‘ c ’ and ‘ d ’. according to the present disclosure , the overall process repeats in the above - described manner by basically maintaining data in the cache that evidence scoring indicates is most useful . the disclosed process may be unique to an automated testcase generation system when a cache controller is coupled directly to an evidence scoring mechanism of the automated testcase generation system . with reference to fig5 a process 500 for associating noun - verb pairings with related testcases , according to aspects of the present disclosure , is illustrated . process 500 may be implemented , for example , through the execution of one or more program modules ( that are , for example , configured to function as a testcase training engine ) by one or more processors 204 of data processing system 200 . process 500 is initiated in block 502 and then proceeds to block 504 , which illustrates a data processing system 200 receiving as inputs one or more existing product specifications and one or more existing testcases that test features defined in the product specifications . next , in block 506 , data processing system 200 performs noun - verb parings for nouns and verbs located in the existing product specifications . next , in block 508 , data processing system 200 matches the noun - verb pairings with related ones of the testcases . then , control transfers from block 508 to block 510 , where data processing system 200 trains or continues to train a machine learning application classifier based on the matched noun - verb pairings and related testcases . next , in decision block 512 , data processing system 200 determines whether training is complete . if an additional noun - verb pairing and related testcase are located ( e . g ., within a predetermined time period ), training is not complete and control transfers from block 512 to block 510 . if an additional noun - verb pairing and related testcase are not located ( e . g ., within the predetermined time period ), control transfers from block 512 to block 514 , where process 500 terminates until additional existing product specifications and related existing testcases are received for classifier training . with reference to fig6 a process 600 for generating new testcases for new features specified in a new product specification , according to aspects of the present disclosure , is illustrated . process 600 may be implemented , for example , through the execution of one or more program modules ( that are , for example , configured to function as a testcase generation engine ) by one or more processors 204 of data processing system 200 . process 600 begins at block 602 and then proceeds to block 604 , which depicts a data processing system 200 receiving as input one or more new product specifications for an existing product whose original product specifications and original testcases have already been loaded into and processed by data processing system 200 . next , in block 606 , data processing system 200 performs noun - verb parings for nouns and verbs located in the new product specifications then , control transfers from block 606 to block 608 , where data processing system 200 attempts to located similar noun - verb pairings in the existing product specifications . next , in decision block 610 , data processing system 200 determines whether similar noun - verb pairings were located in the existing product specifications . if similar noun - verb pairings are not located in the existing product specifications , control transfers from block 610 to block 612 , where an inability to generate a new testcase is reported to a user of data processing system 200 . from block 612 control transfers to block 616 where process 600 terminates . if similar noun - verb pairings are located in the existing product specifications in block 610 , control transfers from block 610 to block 614 . in block 614 , data processing system 200 generates one or more new testcases from the existing testcases that are associated with the similar noun - verb pairings . from block 614 control transfers to block 616 where process 600 terminates . accordingly , techniques have been disclosed herein that advantageously facilitate generating new testcases while generally reducing the manual effort required to produce new testcases . the present invention may be a system , a method , and / or a computer program product . the computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium ( or media ) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention . the computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device . the computer readable storage medium may be , for example , but is not limited to , an electronic storage device , a magnetic storage device , an optical storage device , an electromagnetic storage device , a semiconductor storage device , or any suitable combination of the foregoing . a non - exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following : a portable computer diskette , a hard disk , a random access memory ( ram ), a read - only memory ( rom ), an erasable programmable read - only memory ( eprom or flash memory ), a static random access memory ( sram ), a portable compact disc read - only memory ( cd - rom ), a digital versatile disk ( dvd ), a memory stick , a floppy disk , a mechanically encoded device such as punch - cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon , and any suitable combination of the foregoing . a computer readable storage medium , as used herein , is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se , such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves , electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media ( e . g ., light pulses passing through a fiber - optic cable ), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire . computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network , for example , the internet , a local area network , a wide area network and / or a wireless network . the network may comprise copper transmission cables , optical transmission fibers , wireless transmission , routers , firewalls , switches , gateway computers and / or edge servers . a network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device . computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions , instruction - set - architecture ( isa ) instructions , machine instructions , machine dependent instructions , microcode , firmware instructions , state - setting data , or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages , including an object oriented programming language such as smalltalk , c ++ or the like , and conventional procedural programming languages , such as the “ c ” programming language or similar programming languages . the computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user &# 39 ; s computer , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer , as a stand - alone software package , partly on the user &# 39 ; s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server . in the latter scenario , the remote computer may be connected to the user &# 39 ; s computer through any type of network , including a local area network ( lan ) or a wide area network ( wan ), or the connection may be made to an external computer ( for example , through the internet using an internet service provider ). in some embodiments , electronic circuitry including , for example , programmable logic circuitry , field - programmable gate arrays ( fpga ), or programmable logic arrays ( pla ) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry , in order to perform aspects of the present invention . aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods , apparatus ( systems ), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention . it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams , can be implemented by computer readable program instructions . these computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer , special purpose computer , or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine , such that the instructions , which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus , create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . these computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer , a programmable data processing apparatus , and / or other devices to function in a particular manner , such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function / act specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer , other programmable data processing apparatus , or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer , other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process , such that the instructions which execute on the computer , other programmable apparatus , or other device implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks . the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture , functionality , and operation of possible implementations of systems , methods , and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention . in this regard , each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module , segment , or portion of instructions , which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function ( s ). in some alternative implementations , the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures . for example , two blocks shown in succession may , in fact , be executed substantially concurrently , or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order , depending upon the functionality involved . it will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration , can be implemented by special purpose hardware - based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions . while the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular system , device or component thereof to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . moreover , the use of the terms first , second , etc . do not denote any order or importance , but rather the terms first , second , etc . are used to distinguish one element from another . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms “ comprises ” and / or “ comprising ,” when used in this specification , specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , integers , steps , operations , elements , components , and / or groups thereof . the corresponding structures , materials , acts , and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below , if any , are intended to include any structure , material , or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed . the description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description , but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed . many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application , and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated .	6
the following examples 1 through 21 , describing preparation of certain presently preferred compounds according to the invention , are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention . unless otherwise indicated , all reactions were carried out at room temperature ( 20 ° c . ), without added heat . unless otherwise indicated , all thin layer chromatographic ( tlc ) procedures employed to check the progress of reactions involved the use of a pre - coated silica - gel plate and a mixture of acetone and chloroform ( 1 : 1 by volume ) as a developing solvent . a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of allyl alcohol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 500 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of potassium hydroxide ( koh ) in allyl alcohol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . it was then isolated on a silica gel plate using ether , which elutes the allyl alcohol to the top of the plate ( the plate was developed several times ), followed by chcl 3 - acetone 1 : 1 which elutes the product . this procedure gives 45 mg ( 42 %) of the title compound , having a melting point of 106 °- 111 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 due to the 6 - methoxy group in mitomycin a and the appearance of new signals at 4 . 4 - 4 . 85 ( m , 4 ), 5 . 15 - 5 . 3 ( dd , 1 ), 5 . 3 - 5 . 5 ( dd , 1 ) and 5 . 8 - 6 . 2 ( m , 1 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of propargyl alcohol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 500 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in propargyl alcohol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . it was then isolated on a silica gel plate using ether , which elutes the propargyl alcohol to the top of the plate ( the plate was developed several times ), followed by chcl 3 - acetone 1 : 1 which elutes the product . this procedure gives 33 mg ( 31 %) of the title compound , having a melting point of 77 °- 80 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 ( due to the 6 - methoxy group in mitomycin a ) and the appearance of a group of peaks at 4 . 5 - 4 . 9 ( m , 4 ) and a singlet at 2 . 5 . a solution of mitomycin a ( 64 mg ) in 4 ml of cyclobutane methanol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 500 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in cyclobutane methanol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . it was then isolated on a silica gel plate using ether , which elutes the cyclobutane methanol to the top of the plate ( the plate was developed several times ). this procedure gives 21 . 5 mg ( 29 %) of the title compound , having a melting point of 83 °- 88 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of the singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new bands at 3 . 9 - 4 . 4 ( m , 3 ) and 1 . 65 - 2 . 10 ( s , 7 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of diethylene glycol monoethyl ether was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 480 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in diethylene glycol monoethyl ether . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . it was then isolated on a silica gel column using chcl 3 - meoh 9 : 1 as solvent . final purification was achieved by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel with a mixture of chcl 3 - meoh 9 : 1 . this procedure resulted in 80 mg ( 62 %) of the title compound , having a melting point of 140 °- 143 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a sharp singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of peaks at 4 . 15 ( m , 2 ), 3 . 45 - 3 . 9 ( m , 11 ) and 1 - 1 . 6 ( t , 3 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 480 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the product was chromatographed on a silica gel column using chcl 3 - meoh 9 . 5 : 0 . 5 as solvent . further purification of the product was done by preparative thin layer chromatography ( silica gel , chcl 3 - meoh 9 . 5 : 0 . 5 ). this procedure resulted in 72 mg ( 60 %) of the desired product having a melting point of 128 °- 133 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 ppm and the appearance of new peaks at 4 . 2 - 4 . 35 ( d , 2 ), 4 . 00 - 4 . 2 ( m , 1 ), 3 . 7 - 3 . 9 ( t , 2 ), 1 . 75 - 2 . 00 ppm ( s , 7 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 480 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in 2 , 2 - dimethyl - 1 , 3 - dioxolane . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the product was first isolated on a silica gel column , then on a silica gel plate using chcl 3 - acetone 7 : 3 as solvent system in both isolations . thus , 38 mg ( 30 %) of the desired product was produced , having a melting point of 136 °- 138 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 1 . 5 ( s , 6 ), 3 . 9 - 4 . 25 ( m , 3 ), and 4 . 25 - 4 . 6 ( m , 3 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of tetrahydropyran - 2 - methanol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 240 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in tetrahydropyran - 2 - methanol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the reaction mixture was chromatographed on a silica gel column using chcl 3 and then chcl 3 - meoh 9 . 5 : 0 . 5 . the product was further purified by preparative thin layer chromatography ( silica gel , chcl 3 - meoh 9 . 5 : 0 . 5 ). thus , there was obtained 57 mg ( 46 %) of the desired product having a melting point of 135 °- 138 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new groups of peaks at 1 . 3 - 1 . 6 ( s , 6 ), 3 . 35 - 3 . 75 ( m , 4 ), and 3 . 9 - 4 . 3 ( m , 4 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of glycidol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 500 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in glycidol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the crude reaction product was chromatographed on a silica gel column using first chcl 3 - meoh 9 . 5 : 0 . 5 , which elutes glycidol and pink by - products , and then chcl 3 - meoh 9 : 1 , which elutes the product . the product was further purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel with a mixture of chcl 3 and methanol 9 : 1 as the solvent . thus , there was obtained 71 mg ( 33 %) of the desired product , which gave indefinite decomposition on heating and provided the following compound analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of a sharp singlet at 4 . 02 and increase in the proton intensity of the group of peaks between 3 . 5 - 4 . 5 by 5 . a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of 2 - hydroxyethyldisulphide was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 240 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in 2 - hydroxyethyldisulphide . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the reaction mixture was chromatographed on a silica gel column using chcl 3 - acetone 1 : 1 and the chcl 3 - meoh 9 : 1 as solvent systems . the product was further purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel using chcl 3 - acetone 3 : 7 . thus , there was obtained 23 mg ( 44 %) of the desired product , having a melting point of 87 °- 95 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of strong absorption at 4 . 3 - 4 . 8 ( m , 4 ), 4 . 3 - 4 ( m , 3 ), and 2 . 5 -( m , 6 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 200 mg ) in 10 ml of ethylene glycol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 480 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in ethylene glycol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the reaction mixture was chromatographed on a column packed with neutral alumina using chcl 3 - meoh 8 : 2 as the solvent . this process separates the reaction products which are pink in color from ethylene glycol . the product from the pink fraction was rechromatographed on a silica gel plate with acetone to give two major bands . the product obtained from the second band was rechromatographed on a silica gel plate with a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 to give the desired product . this procedure gave 64 mg ( 29 %) of the desired product , having a melting point of 72 °- 74 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a sharp singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of a band at 3 . 9 - 4 . 5 ( m , 5 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of 3 - hydroxy tetrahydrofuran was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 500 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in 3 - hydroxy tetrahydrofuran . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the product was isolated twice on silica gel plates . in the first isolation , the solvent was ether , which elutes 3 - hydroxy tetrahydrofuran while the pink product stayed on the base line . in the second isolation a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 was used as solvent . this procedure resulted in 36 mg ( 31 %) of the desired product , having a melting point of 68 °- 75 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a sharp singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 2 . 00 - 2 . 20 ( m , 2 ), 3 . 7 - 4 . 00 ( m , 4 ), and 5 . 4 - 5 . 6 ( m , 1 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg or 0 . 286 mmole ) in 4 ml of propane - 1 , 3 - diol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 300 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in propane - 1 , 3 - diol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the product was isolated on a silica gel column using 1 % methanol in ether , which elutes propane - 1 , 3 - diol , followed by a mixture of chloroform and methanol 6 : 4 , which elutes the product , as the solvent systems . the product was then isolated twice on silica gel plates . in the first isolation , the solvent was 1 % methanol in ether , which elutes any contaminants of propane - 1 , 3 - diol while the product stayed on the base line . in the second isolation a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 was used as the solvent . this procedure gives 26 mg ( 23 %) of the desired compound , having a melting point of 80 °- 100 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 2 . 0 - 2 . 2 ( m , 2 ), 3 . 7 - 3 . 9 ( t , 2 ), and 4 . 25 - 4 . 45 ( t , 2 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 79 mg ) in 4 ml of 2 - hydroxyethyl ether was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 560 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in 2 - hydroxyethyl ether . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the reaction mixture was chromatographed on a silica gel column using 10 % acetone in ether , which elutes 2 - hydroxyethyl ether , and then a mixture of chloroform and methanol 6 : 4 , which elutes the pink product , as solvent systems . the isolated product was chromatographed on a silica gel plate using 10 % acetone in ether to remove any 2 - hydroxyethyl ether from the product which stays on the base line . final purification of the product was made by preparative thin layer chromatography on a silica gel plate with a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 . this procedure gives 45 mg ( 47 %) of the desired product , having a melting point of 125 °- 128 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a sharp singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 3 . 4 - 3 . 85 ( m , 9 ) and 4 . 4 - 4 . 7 ( m , 4 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 200 mg ) in 4 ml of n , n - dimethyl ethanolamine was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 480 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in n , n - dimethyl ethanolamine . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the crude reaction mixture was evaporated under reduced pressure . the residue was triturated with ether and the resulting solid was filtered off . this procedure produced 167 mg ( 71 %) of crude product , which was crystallized from ether or ether - acetone ( least amount of acetone ) to give reddish brown crystals , having a melting point of 140 °- 143 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 2 . 25 ( s , 6 ), 2 . 55 - 2 . 65 ( t , 2 ), and 4 . 33 - 4 . 45 ( t , 2 ). 3 -( 2 , 2 - dimethoxy ) ethyl - 1 - phenyltriazine was prepared as follows . a cold solution of 7 . 5 g of benzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate in 100 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide as added at 0 ° c . to a solution of 3 . 25 g of aminoacetaldehyde dimethylacetal in 100 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide containing excess potassium carbonate . after 2 hours the mixture was poured into ice water and extracted with hexane . this extract was dried and concentrated under reduced pressure to give 3 . 0 g of the desired product as a red oil . a solution of 3 g of 2 , 2 - dimethoxyethylphenyltriazine in 75 ml of dry methylene chloride was added to a solution of 7 - hydroxy mitosane ( obtained from the hydrolysis of 0 . 3 g of mitomycin c ) in 75 ml of dry methylene chloride . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 48 hours . the solvent was then evaporated and the residue was purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel with a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 . this procedure gave 136 mg ( 36 % based on mitomycin c ) of the desired compound , having a melting point of 68 °- 75 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of the peak at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 3 . 4 ( s , 6 ), 4 . 25 - 4 . 3 ( d , 2 ) and 4 . 4 - 4 . 9 ( m , 5 ). 3 - furfuryl - 1 - phenyltriazine was prepared as follows . a cold solution of 10 g of benzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate in 25 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide was added in portions at 0 ° c . to a mixture of 3 . 88 g of furfurylamine in 25 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide containing excess potassium carbonate . after 2 hours the mixture was poured into ice water . the resulting precipitate was collected and crystallized from hexane to give 1 g of the desired product as yellow needles . a solution of 0 . 7 g of 3 - furfuryl - 1 - phenyltriazine in 15 ml of dry methylene chloride was added to a solution of 7 - hydroxy mitosane ( obtained from the hydrolysis of 0 . 5 g of mitomycin c ) in 15 ml of dry methylene chloride . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 72 hours . the solvent was then evaporated and the residue was purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel with a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 . the material obtained from purification on silica gel was further purified on a precoated neutral alumina plate using a mixture of chloroform and acetone as solvent . this procedure gave 16 mg ( 4 . 3 %) of the desired compound , having a melting point of 110 °- 117 ° c . ( decomposition ) and showing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of the peak at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 5 . 45 ( s , 2 ), 6 . 5 ( s , 2 ) and 7 . 4 - 7 . 55 ( d , 1 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg ) in 4 ml of 2 -( 2 - methoxyethoxy ) ethanol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 240 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in 2 -( 2 - methoxyethoxy ) ethanol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . it was then isolated on a silica gel plate using ether , which elutes the allyl alcohol to the top of the plate ( the plate was developed several times ), followed by chloroform - methanol 9 : 1 which elutes the product . this procedure gives 72 mg ( 58 %) of the desired compound , having a melting point of 102 °- 104 ° c . and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new bands at 3 . 4 ( s , 3 ), 3 . 5 - 3 . 85 ( m , 8 ), and 4 . 35 - 4 . 55 ( t , 2 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg ) in 4 ml of 3 - chloropropanol was stirred at room temperature and under nitrogen for 45 minutes with 240 mg of a 1 . 6 % solution of koh in 3 - chloropropanol . the reaction mixture was decomposed with excess dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . it was then isolated on a silica gel plate using ether , which elutes the allyl alcohol to the top of the plate ( the plate was developed several times ), followed by a mixture of chloroform - methanol 9 : 1 which elutes the product . this procedure gives 75 mg ( 64 %) of the desired product , having a melting point of 142 °- 145 ° c . ( decomposition ) and providing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of a singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 2 . 15 - 2 . 25 ( t , 2 ), 3 . 4 - 3 . 8 ( m , 4 ) and 4 . 35 - 4 . 5 ( t , 2 ). 3 -( 2 - cyanoethyl )- 1 - phenyltriazine was prepared as follows . a solution of 3 . 2 g of 3 - aminopropionitrile fumarate in methanol was treated with 1 . 35 g of sodium methoxide . the mixture was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure . the residue was dissolved in 15 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide , treated with excess potassium carbonate , cooled to 0 ° c ., and treated with a solution of 6 . 25 g of benzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate in 50 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide . after one hour the mixture was poured into ice water and extracted with hexane and ether . the combined extracts were dried and concentrated to an oily residue , which gave 1 . 2 g of the desired product as yellow needles after crystallization from 500 ml of hexane . a solution of 3 -( 2 - cyanoethyl )- 1 - phenyltriazine in 15 ml of dry methylene chloride was added to a solution of 7 - hydroxy mitosane ( obtained from the hydrolysis of 0 . 1 g of mitomycin c ) in 15 ml of dry methylene chloride . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 96 hours . the solvent was then evaporated and the residue was purified by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel with a mixture of chloroform and methanol 9 : 1 . this procedure gave 21 mg ( 18 %) of the desired compound , having a melting point of 76 °- 79 ° c . ( decomposition ) and showing the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . the disappearance of the peak at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 2 . 65 - 2 . 80 ( t , 2 ) and 4 . 37 - 4 . 5 ( t , 2 ). a solution of mitomycin a ( 100 mg ) and 240 mg of 1 . 6 % koh in excess 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- thiodiethanol was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 45 minutes . the reaction mixture was decomposed with dry ice while immersing the flask into a water bath at room temperature . the product was then isolated by chromatography on a silica gel column with elution first by ether containing 6 . 3 % of methanol and then by ether containing 20 % methanol . purification by chromatography on a silica gel plate with chcl 3 -- meoh 9 : 1 gave the title product as a pink solid , which provided the following analysis : disappearance of the singlet at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new bands at 4 . 4 - 4 . 55 ( t , 2 ), 3 . 7 - 3 . 85 ( t , 2 ) and 2 . 65 - 3 . 0 ( t , 4 ). 3 -( 2 , 3 - dihydroxypropyl )- 1 - phenyltriazine was prepared as follows . a cold solution of 10 g of benzenediazonium hexafluorophosphate in 50 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide was added in portions to a solution of 3 . 6 g of 3 - amino - 1 , 2 - propanediol in 75 ml of n , n - dimethylformamide at 0 ° c . after 3 hours the mixture was poured onto ice water and extracted with ether . this extract was dried and concentrated and the residue was treated with boiling hexane . the insoluble viscous oil was crystallized from chloroform . this procedure gave 1 . 0 g of the desired triazine as a yellow solid with a melting point of 97 °- 98 ° c . a solution of 7 - hydroxymitosane ( obtained from the hydrolysis of 0 . 2 g of mitomycin c ) in the minimum volume of methylene chloride was treated with a solution of 0 . 3 g of 3 -( 2 , 3 - dihydroxypropyl )- 1 - phenyltriazine in 200 ml of ether . after 40 hours the insoluble product was collected by filtration , washed with ether , and air dried . this procedure gave 24 mg of the desired compound , which showed the following analysis : nmr ( cdcl 3 , ts ) ` δ ` values in ppm . disappearance of the peak at 4 . 02 and the appearance of new peaks at 3 . 3 - 3 . 5 ( m , 5 ) and 4 - 4 . 5 ( m , 2 ). with specific reference to the compounds comprehended by formula iv , the above examples illustrate the following structural variations . 1 . compounds wherein z is a mono - or di - hydroxy lower alkoxy radical represented by examples 10 , 12 and 21 . 2 . compounds wherein z is a hydroxy lower alkylthio lower alkoxy radical represented by example 20 . 3 . compounds wherein z is a halo lower alkoxy radical represented by example 18 . 4 . compounds wherein z is a cyano lower alkoxy radical represented by example 19 . 5 . compounds wherein z is a dilower alkoxy lower alkoxy radical represented by example 15 . 6 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkylamino lower alkoxy radical represented by example 14 . 7 . compounds wherein z is a hydroxy or lower alkoxy substituted lower alkoxy lower alkoxy radical represented by examples 4 , 13 and 17 . 8 . compounds wherein z is a cyclo lower alkyl substituted lower alkoxy radical represented by example 3 . 9 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkenyloxy radical represented by example 1 . 10 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkynyloxy radical represented by example 2 . 11 . compounds wherein z is a tetrahydro furanyloxy radical or lower alkyl substituted derivative thereof represented by examples 5 and 11 . 12 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkyl substituted oxiranyloxy radical represented by example 8 . 13 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkyl substituted dioxolanyloxy radical represented by example 6 . 14 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkyl substituted pyranyloxy radical represented by example 7 . 15 . compounds wherein z is a lower alkyl substituted furfuryloxy radical represented by example 16 . 16 . compounds wherein z is a hydroxy lower alkyl dithio lower alkoxy radical represented by example 9 . while none of the foregoing examples are illustrative of compounds wherein y is other than hydrogen , compounds wherein y is lower alkyl are nonetheless within the comprehension of the invention , reference being made to analogously substituted compounds of my aforesaid u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 268 , 676 and 4 , 460 , 599 and co - pending patent applications ser . nos . 264 , 187 and 464 , 612 . compounds according to the present invention are believed to possess anti - bacterial activity against gram - positive and gram - negative microorganisms in a manner similar to that observed for the naturally occurring mitomycins and are thus potentially useful as therapeutic agents in treating bacterial infections in humans and animals . usefulness of compounds of formula iv in the antineoplastic therapeutic methods of the invention is demonstrated by the results of in vivo screening procedures wherein the compounds are administered in varying dosage amounts to mice in which a p388 leukemic condition is induced . the procedures were carried out according to &# 34 ; lymphocytic leukemia p388 - protocol 1 . 200 &# 34 ;, published in cancer chemotherapy reports , part 3 , vol . 3 , no . 2 , page 9 ( september , 1972 ). briefly put , the screening procedures involved administration of the test compound to cdf 1 female mice previously infected with 10 6 ascites cells implanted intraperitoneally . test compounds were administered on the first day of testing only , and the animals were monitored for vitality , inter alia , over a 35 - day period . results of screening of compounds of examples 1 through 21 are set forth in table i below . data given includes optimal dose (&# 34 ; o . d .&# 34 ;), i . e ., that dosage in mg / kg of body weight of the animal at which the maximum therapeutic effects are consistently observed . also included is the maximum survival time (&# 34 ; mst &# 34 ;) expressed as the mst of the test animals compared to the mst of controls × 100 (&# 34 ;% t / c &# 34 ;). within the context of the in vivo p388 procedure noted above , a % t / c value of 125 or greater indicates significant anti - neoplastic therapeutic activity . the lowest dose in mg / kg of body weight at which the 125 % t / c value is obtained is known as the minimum effective dose (&# 34 ; med &# 34 ;). these doses also are listed in table i . it is worthy of note that the exceptionally high mst values obtained in the p388 screenings reported in table i are also indicative of the absence of substantial toxicity of the compounds at the dosages indicated . table i______________________________________example optimal dose mstno . mg / kg as % t / c med______________________________________1 1 . 6 156 0 . 12 0 . 8 150 & lt ; 0 . 053 1 . 6 144 0 . 44 1 . 6 167 & lt ; 0 . 015 0 . 8 239 & lt ; 0 . 056 0 . 8 178 & lt ; 0 . 057 0 . 8 161 0 . 18 1 . 6 129 1 . 69 1 . 6 259 & lt ; 0 . 02510 0 . 8 300 & lt ; 0 . 012511 3 . 2 178 & lt ; 0 . 0512 1 . 6 175 0 . 0513 0 . 4 210 0 . 114 3 . 2 281 & lt ; 0 . 02515 1 . 6 200 & lt ; 0 . 116 3 . 2 150 0 . 217 0 . 4 200 0 . 0518 1 . 6 269 & lt ; 0 . 02519 6 . 4 139 6 . 420 3 . 2 240 & lt ; 0 . 121 12 . 8 225 0 . 2______________________________________ clearly among the most preferred compounds employed as antineoplastic agents according to the invention are those exhibiting more than twice the relative life - extending capacity generally characterized as evidencing significant therapeutic potential , i . e ., those having an mst % t / c value greater than 2 × 125 . the class of such compounds is seen to include the compounds of examples 9 , 10 , 14 and 18 . as may be noted from table i , initial single dosages of as little as 0 . 4 mg / kg showed substantial long term antineoplastic activity . accordingly , the methods of the invention may involve therapeutic administration of unit dosages of as little as 0 . 001 mg or as much as 5 mg , preferably from 0 . 004 mg to 10 mg , of the compounds as the active ingredient in a suitable pharmaceutical preparation . such preparations may be administered in a daily regimen calling for from 0 . 1 mg to 100 mg per kg ., preferably from about 0 . 2 to about 51 . 2 mg per kg , of the body weight of the animal suffering from neoplastic disease . it is preferred that the compounds be administered parenterally . pharmaceutical compositions suitable for use in practice of methods of the invention may comprise simple water solutions of one or more of the compounds of formula iv , but may also include well known pharmaceutically acceptable diluents , adjuvants and / or carriers such as saline suitable for medicinal use . further aspects and advantages of the present invention are expected to occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the foregoing description and consequently only such limitations as appear in the appended claims should be placed thereon .	2
those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting . other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure . network devices , such as lan switches , may be configured and managed using either out - of - band or in - band techniques . out - of - band configuration and management are typically performed by connecting to the console port on the network device and using the management console locally from a terminal or remotely through a modem . alternatively , network devices may be configured and managed “ in - band ,” either by connecting via telnet to the network device and using a management console , or by communicating with the network device &# 39 ; s in - band management interface using the industry standard simple network management protocol (“ snmp ”). this can be accomplished by using an snmp - compatible network management application and the network device &# 39 ; s management interface base (“ mib ”) files . normally , however , in order to perform in - band administrative tasks of a network device , such as configuration and management , the network device must first be assigned an ip address . additionally , in order to use in - band configuration and management capabilities , the snmp management platform of the network device must be configured to understand and be able to access the objects contained in the network device &# 39 ; s mib . embodiments of the present invention use a subset of the transmission control protocol / internet protocol (“ tcp / ip ”) suite as the underlying mechanism to transport the snmp configuration and management data . without limitation , the protocols implemented in embodiments of the present invention include the internet protocol (“ ip ”), the internet control message protocol . (“ icmp ”), the user datagram protocol (“ udp ”), the trivial file transfer protocol (“ tftp ”), the bootstrap protocol (“ bootp ”), the address resolution protocol (“ arp ”), and the reverse address resolution protocol (“ rarp ”). the management information base (“ mib ”) variables of network devices according to embodiments of the present invention are accessible through snmp . snmp is an application - layer protocol designed to facilitate the exchange of management information between network devices . snmp is used to monitor ip gateways and their networks , and defines a set of variables that the gateway must keep and specifies that all operations on the gateway are a side effect of fetching or storing to data variables . snmp consists of three parts : a structure of management information (“ smi ”), a management information base (“ mib ”) and the protocol itself . the smi and mib define and store the set of managed entities , while snmp itself conveys information to and from the smi and the mib . instead of defining a large set of commands , snmp places all operations in a get - request , get - next - request , and set - request format . for example , an snmp manager can get a value from an snmp agent or store a value into that snmp agent . the snmp manager can be part of a network management system (“ nms ”), and the snmp agent can reside on a networking device such as a lan switch . the switch mib files may be compiled with network management software , which then permits the snmp agent to respond to mib - related queries being sent by the nms . an example of an nms is the ciscoworks ™ network management software , available from cisco systems , inc . of san jose , calif . ciscoworks ™ uses the switch mib variables to set device variables and to poll devices on the network for specific information . among other tasks , the ciscoworks ™ software permits the results of a poll to be displayed as a graph and analyzed in order to troubleshoot internetworking problems , increase network performance , verify the configuration of devices , and monitor traffic loads . other products known to those of ordinary skill in the art , available from several other vendors , provide similar functionality . referring now to fig6 , an exemplary snmp network 84 is shown . the snmp agent 86 in network device 88 gathers data from the mib 90 , also in network device 88 . the mib 90 is the repository for information about device parameters and network data . the snmp agent 86 can send traps , or notification of certain events , to the snmp manager 92 , which is part of the network management software (“ nms ”) 94 running on the management console 96 . the snmp manager 92 uses information in the mib 90 to perform the operations described in table 1 . embodiments of the present invention support the following configuration and management interfaces : html ( web - based ) interfaces , snmp , and a proprietary internet operating system (“ ios ”) command line interpreter (“ cli ”). each of these management interfaces can be used to monitor and configure a lan switch or a group of switches , known as a cluster . the cluster management tools are web - based , and may be accessed via an ordinary browser , such as netscape navigator ™ or microsoft internet explorer ™. embedded html - based management tools display images of switches and graphical user interfaces . when lan switches are grouped into clusters , one switch is called the commander switch , and the other switches are called member switches . referring now to fig7 , an exemplary switch cluster 98 is shown which includes a commander switch 100 and one or more member switches 102 - a - 102 - n . management station 104 is connected to the commander switch 100 , which redirects configuration requests to the member switches 102 - a - 102 - n . according to the present invention , a single ip address for the entire cluster 98 is assigned to the commander switch 100 , which distributes configuration information to the other switches in the cluster . in one embodiment , a cluster with up to 15 member switches may be configured and managed via the ip address of the commander switch 100 . the member switches 102 - a - 102 - n in the cluster do not need individual ip addresses , and may be managed through the ip address of the commander switch . however , if so desired ( e . g ., if ip addresses are available ), any of member switches 102 - a - 102 - n may be assigned its own ip address as well . in such a case , a member switch may be configured and managed either through the ip address of the commander switch or through its own ip address . according to embodiments of the present invention , the web - based management features are based on an embedded html web site within the flash memory of each network device in the cluster . web - based management uses the hypertext transfer protocol (“ http ”), an in - band form of communication , which means that the web - based management features of the network device are accessed through one of the ethernet ports that are also used to receive and transmit normal data in each network device . http is an application - level protocol for distributed , collaborative , hypermedia information systems . http allows an open - ended set of methods that indicate the purpose of a request . it builds on the discipline of reference provided by the uniform resource identifier (“ uri ”), as a location (“ url ”) or name (“ urn ”), for indicating the resource to which a method is to be applied . messages are passed in a format similar to that used by internet mail as defined by the multipurpose internet mail extensions (“ mime ”). according to aspects of the present invention , a cluster is a group of connected network devices such as lan switches that are managed as a single entity . the switches can be in the same location , or they can be distributed across a network . according to one embodiment of the present invention , all communication with cluster switches is through a single ip address assigned to the commander switch . clusters may be configured in a variety of topologies . as an example , fig8 illustrates a switch cluster 106 configured in a “ star ,” or “ radial stack ,” topology . in this configuration , each of the eight member switches 102 - a - 102 - h in cluster 106 is directly connected to one of the ports 108 a - 108 - h of commander switch 100 . a second example of a cluster configuration , known as a “ daisy chain ” configuration , is shown in fig9 . in cluster 110 , only member switch 102 - a is directly connected to the commander switch 100 . member switches 102 - b - 102 - g are each connected to an “ upstream ” switch ( one that is fewer “ hops ” away from commander switch 100 ) and to a “ downstream ” switch ( one that is more “ hops ” away from commander switch 100 ). finally , the last switch in the chain ( member switch 102 - h ) is only connected to its upstream “ neighbor ” 102 - g . as a third example , fig1 illustrates a “ hybrid ” cluster configuration with one commander switch 100 and seven member switches 102 - a - 102 - g . in cluster 112 , member switches 102 - a and 102 - e are in a star configuration with respect to commander switch 100 . member switch 102 - b is in a daisy chain configuration with respect to member switch 102 - a , while member switches 102 - c and 102 - d are in a star configuration with respect to member switch 102 - b . finally , member switches 102 - f and 102 - g are in a star configuration with respect to member switch 102 - e . thus , hybrid cluster 112 as shown in fig1 consists of a combination of star and daisy chain configurations . it is to be understood that many more cluster configurations are possible , and that the above examples are not in any way limiting . the commander switch is the single point of access used to configure and monitor all the switches in a cluster . according to one embodiment of the present invention , member switches are managed through a commander switch . the commander switch is used to manage the cluster , and is managed directly by the network management station . member switches operate under the control of the commander . while it is a part of a cluster , a member switch is not managed directly , unless it has been assigned its own ip address , as mentioned earlier . rather , requests intended for a member switch are first sent to the commander , then forwarded to the appropriate member switch in the cluster . when switches are first installed , they are cabled together according to the network configuration desired for a particular application , and an ip address is assigned to the commander switch . in addition , the commander switch must be enabled as the commander switch of the cluster . once the commander switch has been enabled , it can use information known about the network topology to identify other network devices in the network that may be added to the cluster . according to one embodiment of the present invention , the commander switch uses the cisco ™ discovery protocol (“ cdp ”) to automatically identify candidate network devices . however , other similar products known to those of ordinary skill in the art are available from other vendors to accomplish the same task . alternatively , discovery of candidate network devices may be performed manually by inspecting the network topology and the network devices attached to the network . cdp is a media - independent device discovery protocol which can be used by a network administrator to view information about other network devices directly attached to a particular network device . in addition , network management applications can retrieve the device type and snmp - agent address of neighboring network devices . this enables applications to send snmp queries to neighboring devices . cdp thus allows network management applications to discover devices that are neighbors of already known devices , such as neighbors running lower - layer , transparent protocols . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to devices that are compatible with cdp . cdp runs on all media that support the subnetwork access protocol (“ snap ”), including lan and frame relay . cdp runs over the data link layer only . each network device sends periodic messages to a multicast address and listens to the periodic messages sent by others in order to learn about neighboring devices and determine when their interfaces to the media go up or down . each device also advertises at least one address at which it can receive snmp messages . the advertisements contain holdtime information , which indicates the period of time a receiving device should hold cdp information from a neighbor before discarding it . with cdp , network management applications can learn the device type and the snmp agent address of neighboring devices . this process enables applications to send snmp queries to neighboring devices . once a switch cluster is formed , any of the switches in the cluster may be accessed by entering the ip address of the commander switch into a web browser . the single password that is entered to log in to the commander switch also grants access to all the member switches in the cluster . the method of creating a cluster of ethernet switches depends on each particular network configuration . if the switches are arranged in a star topology , as in fig8 , with the commander switch at the center , all of the member switches may be added to the cluster at once . on the other hand , if the switches are connected in a daisy - chain topology , as in fig9 , the candidate switch that is connected to the commander switch is added first , and then each subsequent switch in the chain is added as it is discovered by cdp . if switches are daisy - chained off a star topology , as in the exemplary hybrid configuration shown in fig1 , all the switches that are directly connected to the commander switch may be added first , and then the daisy - chained switches may be added one at a time . in embodiments of the present invention , there can be a maximum of sixteen switches in a cluster : fifteen member switches and one commander switch . if passwords are defined for the candidate member switches , the network administrator must know them all before they can be added to the cluster . in addition , a candidate switch according to embodiments of the present invention must not already be a member switch or a commander switch of another active cluster . if the commander switch of a cluster fails , member switches continue forwarding but cannot be managed through the commander switch . member switches retain the ability to be managed through normal standalone means , such as the console - port cli , and they can be managed through snmp , html , and telnet after they have been assigned an ip address . recovery from a failed command switch can be accomplished by replacing the failed unit with a cluster member or another switch . to have a cluster member ready to replace the commander switch , the network administrator must assign an ip address to another cluster member , and know the command - switch enable password for that switch . according to embodiments of the present invention , when a cluster is formed , the commander switch automatically changes three parameters on all the member switches in the cluster : the ios host name , the enable password , and the snmp community string . if a switch has not been assigned an ios host name , the commander switch appends a number to the name of the commander switch and assigns it sequentially to the member switches . for example , a commander switch named eng - cluster could name a cluster member switch eng - cluster - 5 . if an ios host name has already been assigned to a switch , the switch retains its ios host name . once a cluster has been created , network management software such as the cluster manager ™ program , available from the assignee of the present invention , may be used to monitor and configure the switches in the cluster . fig1 shows a switch cluster with one commander switch 100 and four member switches 102 - a - 102 - d as it is displayed on a sample cluster manager ™ page . one advantage of the present invention is that a network administrator need set only one ip address , one password , and one system snmp configuration in order to manage an entire cluster of switches . a cluster can be formed from switches located in several different buildings on a campus , and may be linked by fiber optic , fast ethernet , or gigabit ethernet connections . clusters may be managed from a management station through ascii terminal consoles , telnet sessions , snmp management stations and web consoles . all configuration and management requests are first directed to the cluster commander . any required authentication is done by the commander . if necessary , the commander acts as a redirector and forwards requests to the appropriate member switch and forwards the reply to the management station . according to embodiments of the present invention , a member switch can be in only one cluster at a time and can have only one commander . there is no restriction on the types of connections between a commander switch and member switches . in one embodiment of the present invention , a cluster can be formed for a fully interconnected group of cdp neighbors . a network device can join a cluster when the network device is a cdp neighbor of the cluster . without limitation , switches in a cluster may be interconnected using 10 mbps ethernet , 100 mbps fast ethernet , or 1000 mbps gigabit ethernet . the primary external configuration and management interface to the cluster is a tcp / ip connection to the commander switch . http , snmp , and telnet protocols run on top of the ip stack in the operating system . alternatively , the cluster may also be managed via the console port of the commander . thus , as shown in fig7 , a web browser on the management station 104 communicates with the switch cluster 98 by establishing an http connection to the commander switch 100 . special cli commands help present output from the commander switch 100 to the browser in a format that is easily processed on the browser . communication between the commander switch 100 and member switches 102 - a - 102 - n is accomplished by the commander switch 100 translating the desired actions into commands the member switches 102 - a - 102 - n would be able to interpret if they were acting as stand - alone switches , i . e ., if they were not part of a cluster . the commander switch 100 manages snmp communication for all switches in the cluster 98 . the commander switch 100 forwards the set and get requests from snmpn applications to member switches 102 - a - 102 - n , and it forwards traps and other responses from the member switches 102 - a - 102 - n back to the management station 104 . in one embodiment of the present invention , read - write and read - only community strings are set up for an entire cluster . community strings provide authentication in the exchange of snmp messages . the commander switch appends numbers to the community strings of member switches so that these modified community strings can provide authentication for the member switches . when a new switch is added to the cluster , a community string is created for it from the community string for the cluster . only the first read - only and read - write community strings are propagated to the cluster . configuration and management data packets are sent between the commander 100 and member switches 102 - a - 102 - n via the network connection . the commander 100 identifies each member switch 102 - a - 102 - n by the mac address of the port on the member switch that is connected to the commander 100 . fig1 illustrates in block diagram form how a packet intended for a member switch is processed by the commander . a command from the management station 104 is received by the ethernet module 122 of the commander switch 100 . the command is processed at the ip layer 124 , udp or tcp layer 126 , and management application layer 128 of the commander switch 100 . the management application layer 128 determines that the command is intended for member switch 102 , and performs redirection by translating the port number in the received command to the appropriate port for member switch 102 . the redirected command flows down through the udp or tcp layer 126 , the ip layer 124 , and the ethernet layer 122 of the commander switch 100 , and is passed on via ethernet to the member switch 102 . in embodiments of the present invention , internet protocol (“ ip ”) is the transport mechanism used to communicate between the commander switch and member switches in a cluster . to distinguish between normal ip packets and the cluster management ip packets , a special snap header is used for the cluster management ip packets . in one embodiment of the present invention , private ip addresses (“ 10 . x . y . z ”) are used for intra - cluster communication . each cluster member , including the commander , is assigned a private ip address , known as the cluster ip address , or cluster management protocol (“ cmp ”) address . these private ip addresses are maintained internally by the commander . as described below , when a member switch is added to a cluster , the commander generates a unique cluster ip address and assigns it to the member switch . the commander &# 39 ; s cluster ip address is also passed to the member switch . these cluster ip addresses are dynamically assigned . when the commander finds a conflict with one of the assigned cluster ip addresses ( such as when some other ip station , not part of the cluster , is using the same ip address as one of the cluster ip addresses ), then the commander resolves the conflict by selecting another cluster ip address and assigning it to the corresponding member switch . in one embodiment of the present invention , both the commander switch and the member switches use cmp addresses to send and receive management data within the cluster . a cmp address is a private ip address in “ 10 . x . y . z ” format , where x , y , and z , are integers between 0 and 255 . the commander switch automatically generates a cmp address and assigns it to the member switch when the switch first joins the cluster . since cmp addresses are automatically generated , there can be conflicts between the ip address used by a cluster network device and the ip address of a network device outside the cluster . for example , some other ip station can be using the same address as an automatically assigned cmp address . thus , both the commander switch and the member switches constantly check for conflicts , and in case of a conflict a new cmp address is generated . the commander switch assigns the cmp address to the member switch using the cmp / rarp protocol . cmp / rarp is a variation of the normal rarp ( reverse arp ) protocol . as described below , cmp / rarp uses a different snap encapsulation , and it has provisions to carry variable list of cluster parameters as type length value (“ tlv ”) fields . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating the cmp / rarp packet format according to aspects of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , a cmp / rarp packet 1300 comprises an ethernet header 1310 , an llc / snap header 1320 , and a rarp portion 1330 . as known to those skilled in the art , ethernet header 1310 comprises a 6 - byte destination mac address 1340 , a 6 - byte source mac address 1345 , and a 2 - byte length field 1350 . llc / snap header 1320 comprises a 3 - byte header field 1355 ( set to equal 0xaa - aa - 03 in one embodiment ), a 3 - byte oui field 1360 ( set to equal 0x00 - 00 - 0c in one embodiment ), and a 2 - byte cmp / rarp identifier field 1365 ( set to equal 0x0114 in one embodiment ). rarp portion 1330 of the cmp / rarp packet 1300 comprises a 28 - byte rarp packet 1370 , described below , and a variable length cmp / rarp extension field 1375 . as shown in fig1 , cmp / rarp packets 1300 use a separate snap encapsulation 1320 to distinguish them from normal rarp packets . also , it should be noted that at the end of the cmp / rarp packet , there is a variable length extension field 1375 to pass cluster parameters according to aspects of the present invention . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating a cluster add message format according to aspects of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , a cluster add message 1400 is one specific example of a type of cluster message that may be transmitted in the rarp portion 1330 of the cmp / rarp packet 1300 shown in fig1 . referring back to fig1 , cluster add message 1400 comprises a 28 - byte cmp / rarp part 1370 and a variable length cluster - parameter extension part 1375 . cmp / rarp part 1370 is used for assigning a cmp address to a cluster member switch , while the cluster parameter extension part 1375 is used to transmit cluster parameters to a member switch . cluster add message 1400 is sent to a member switch when the member switch first joins a cluster . fig1 a is a block diagram illustrating the format of the cmp / rarp portion 1370 of a cluster add message 1400 according to aspects of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the cmp / rarp portion 1370 has the same format as a regular rarp packet , and comprises a 2 - byte hardware type field 1510 ( set to equal 0x0001 , i . e ., “ ethernet type ,” in one embodiment ), a 2 - byte protocol field 1515 ( set to equal 0x0800 , i . e ., “ ip type ,” in one embodiment ), a 1 - byte hardware length field 1520 ( set to equal “ 6 ,” i . e ., “ ethernet type ,” in one embodiment ), a 1 - byte protocol length field 1525 ( set to equal “ 4 ,” i . e ., “ ip type ,” in one embodiment ), a 2 - byte opcode field 1530 ( set to equal 0x04 , i . e ., “ rarp reply ,” in one embodiment ), a 6 - byte source hardware address field 1535 ( which equals the mac address of the cluster commander switch ), a 4 - byte source protocol address field 1540 ( which equals the cmp address of the commander switch ), a 6 - byte target hardware address field 1545 ( which equals the mac address of the member switch ), and a 4 - byte target protocol address field 1550 ( which equals the cmp address of the member switch ). fig1 b is a block diagram illustrating the format of the cluster parameter extension portion 1375 - of a cluster add message 1400 according to aspects of the present invention . the cluster parameter extension portion 1375 of a cluster add message 1400 is used to set cluster parameters on a member switch . as shown in fig1 , cluster parameter extension portion 1375 comprises a fixed length portion 1552 and a variable length portion 1554 . the fixed length portion 1552 comprises a 2 - byte cluster member number field 1555 , a 2 - byte password length field 1560 , a 4 - byte command switch management ip address field 1565 , and a 4 - byte total parameter length field 1570 . the variable length portion 1554 comprises a variable length password string field 1575 for authentication , and a variable length list of cluster parameter type value fields (“ tlvs ”) 1580 . each cluster parameter tlv 1580 further comprises a 1 - byte cluster parameter type field 1582 , a 1 - byte cluster parameter length field 1582 , and a variable length ( up to 255 - bytes ) cluster parameter value field 1586 . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating the format of an address conflict detection message 1600 according to aspects of the present invention . this message format is used when a member switch detects a conflict with one of the cmp addresses ( either its own address or the commander switch &# 39 ; s address ). as shown in fig1 , address conflict resolution message 1600 comprises a 2 - byte hardware type field 1610 ( set to equal 0x0001 , i . e ., “ ethernet type ,” in one embodiment ), a 2 - byte protocol field 1620 ( set to equal 0x0800 , i . e ., “ ip type ,” in one embodiment ), a 1 - byte hardware length field 1630 ( set to equal “ 6 ,” i . e ., “ ethernet type ,” in one embodiment ), a 1 - byte protocol length field 1640 ( set to equal “ 4 ,” i . e ., “ ip type ,” in one embodiment ), a 2 - byte opcode field 1650 ( set to equal 0x03 , i . e ., “ rarp request ,” in one embodiment ), a 6 - byte source hardware address field 1660 ( which equals the mac address of the cluster commander switch ), a 4 - byte source protocol address field 1670 ( which equals 255 . 255 . 255 . 255 if the member switch found a conflict with its own cmp address ), a 6 - byte target hardware address field 1680 ( which equals the mac address of the member switch ), and a 4 - byte target protocol address field 1690 ( which equals 255 . 255 . 255 . 255 if the member switch found a conflict with the cmp address of the commander switch ). fig1 is a flow chart illustrating an automatic ip address generation algorithm according to one embodiment of the present invention . when a member switch first joins a cluster , the commander switch generates a cmp address for the member switch by adding last three bytes of the member switch &# 39 ; s mac address to the number “ 10 . 0 . 0 . 0 .” thus , as shown in fig1 , at step 1700 the commander switch reads the mac address of a member switch from an ethernet frame received from the member switch . next , at step 1710 , the commander switch adds the last three bytes of the member switch &# 39 ; s mac address to the number “ 10 . 0 . 0 . 0 .” then , at step 1720 , the commander switch assigns the resulting number to be the cmp ip address of the member switch . for example , if the mac address of the member switch is “ 00 - e0 - 1e - 01 - 02 - 03 ,” then the generated cmp address will be “ 10 . 01 . 02 . 03 .” at step 1730 , the commander switch communicates its own cmp address to the member switch . finally , at step 1740 , once a member switch has been assigned a cmp address , the commander switch and the member switch use cmp addresses to communicate with each other . however , as discussed above , since cmp addresses are dynamically and automatically generated , they are subject to conflicts . to avoid potential conflicts and to correct any conflicts promptly if they occur , once part of a cluster , both the commander switch and member switches constantly monitor for address conflicts . this is done by monitoring all input ip packets destined to each switch and checking whether the source ip address of the input packet matches any of the cmp addresses . if there is a match , then a conflict is declared . if the conflict is found on a member switch , the member switch informs the command switch about the conflict using the cmp / rarp protocol . the conflict is reported by setting the protocol address field to all ‘ 1s ’ ( i . e ., “ 255 . 255 . 255 . 255 ”). the conflict could be either with a member switch &# 39 ; s cmp address or with the commander switch &# 39 ; s cmp address . if the conflict is with the commander switch &# 39 ; s cmp address , the target protocol address field of the cmp / rarp packet is set to “ 255 . 255 . 255 . 255 .” similarly if the conflict is with the member switch &# 39 ; s cmp address , the source protocol address field of the cmp / rarp packet is set to “ 255 . 255 . 255 . 255 .” fig1 is a flow chart illustrating an automatic ip address conflict correction algorithm according to one embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , after detecting the conflict , the commander switch generates a new cmp address according to the algorithm shown in fig1 . first , at step 1800 , three counters are initialized to zero , each representing the number of address correction attempts for the second byte , third byte , and fourth byte of the ip address , respectively . next , at step 1805 , the value of the second byte counter is compared to the highest possible value ( 255 ). if the value is less than 255 , then at step 1810 , the second byte of the ip address is incremented by one , “ modulo 256 ,” such that the number wraps back to zero if the present number is 255 and the second byte counter is less than 255 . at step 1820 , a new cmp address corresponding to the result is assigned to the switch that caused the conflict . at step 1830 , if a conflict is still detected , the algorithm loops back to step 1805 . otherwise , the algorithm terminates at step 1899 . if at step 1805 the value of the second byte counter is determined to be greater than or equal to 255 , then at step 1840 , the third byte counter is compared to the highest possible value ( 255 ). if the value is less than 255 , then at step 1850 , the third byte of the ip address is incremented by one , “ modulo 256 ,” such that the number wraps back to zero if the present number is 255 and the third byte counter is less than 255 . at step 1860 , a new cmp address corresponding to the result is assigned to the switch that caused the conflict . at step 1870 , if a conflict is still detected , the algorithm loops back to step 1840 . otherwise , the algorithm terminates at step 1899 . if at step 1840 the value of the third byte counter is determined to be greater than or equal to 255 , then at step 1880 , the fourth byte counter is compared to the highest possible value ( 255 ). if the value is less than 255 , then at step 1885 , the third byte of the ip address is incremented by one , “ modulo 256 ,” such that the number wraps back to zero if the present number is 255 and the fourth byte counter is less than 255 . at step 1890 , a new cmp address corresponding to the result is assigned to the switch that caused the conflict . at step 1895 , if a conflict is still detected , the algorithm loops back to step 1880 . otherwise , the algorithm terminates at step 1899 . if at step 1880 , the value of the fourth byte counter is determined to be greater than or equal to 255 and there is still a conflict , then the algorithm proceeds to step 1900 , where an error condition is declared , meaning that the conflict could not be resolved . however , the probability of such an error condition occurring is extremely low , as discussed below . in the embodiment described above and illustrated in fig1 , a total of ( 256 * 3 ), i . e ., 768 , different ip address combinations are attempted , including the originally - assigned ip address that caused the conflict . thus , for example , if the original generated cmp address is “ 10 . x . y . z ,” then the next cmp addresses attempted are “ 10 . x + 1 . y . z ,” “ 10 . x + 2 . y . z ,” . . . , “ 10 . (( x + 255 ) mod256 ). y . z ,” “ 10 . x . y + 1 . z ,” “ 10 . x . y + 2 . z ,” . . . , “ 10 . x . (( y + 255 ) mod256 ). z ,” “ 10 . x . y . z + 1 ,” “ 10 . x . y . z + 2 ,” . . . , “ 10x . y . (( z + 255 ) mod256 ).” this method has proven to be satisfactory in field tests . however , those skilled in the art will realize that many other methods for attempting new ip address combinations may be implemented , depending on the requirements of each particular application . for example , a method in which ( 256 ^ 3 ), i . e ., 16 , 777 , 216 , different ip addresses are attempted may be implemented by “ nesting ” the incrementing loops of each byte of the ip address . in other words , this can be implemented by first incrementing the second byte of the ip address up to 256 different times , then incrementing the third byte by one and then incrementing the second byte of the ip address up to 256 different times again . this part of the method alone will result in ( 256 ^ 2 ), i . e ., 65 , 536 , attempts . if a conflict is still detected , then the fourth byte may be incremented by one , whereupon the process of incrementing the second byte , then the third byte , may be repeated , thus resulting in a total of ( 256 ^ 3 ), i . e ., 16 , 777 , 216 , different ip address combinations . other address correction methods may be employed by those skilled in the art within the spirit of the present invention . after generating the new cmp address , the commander switch uses the cmp / rarp protocol to assign the new address to the switch whose cmp address caused a conflict . while embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described , it would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein . the invention , therefore , is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims .	7
in the embodiments below , the invention can apply to a network that includes an office terminal and multiple terminals connecting to the office terminal . hardware that applies in the related art can also be disposed at the office terminal and the multiple terminals to carry out this network if appropriate . for example , the applied network can be a passive optical network ( pon ), so there can be an optical line terminal ( olt ) at the office terminal and an optical network unit ( onu ) at each terminal . the optical network unit and the optical line terminal can separately have their own central processing unit ( cpu ) to control an operation of the media access control ( mac ) logic circuit . among them , every mac logic circuit can be included in one single integrated circuit ( ic ), such as the mpc860tzp50 interface , the rs232 interface and the 10baset interface from motorola . besides , the optical network unit and the optical line terminal also can include a network processor chip such as the ixp1200 from intel , the mxt - 4000 series and the mxt - 5000 series from maker ( conexant ), the prism from sitera and the np3400 from mmc to perform the ethernet network &# 39 ; s packaging process . here , the network processor chip also can include a mac chip such as an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) or a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) to provide the access to the network . also , these optical network units and the optical line terminal can further include a memory ( ex . read - only memory , rom ) or a random - access memory ( ram ) or can use an optical transponder to perform two way transmissions by an optical fiber . although the network mentioned in this specification can use any kind of optical transponders , one of methods can include using a transponder that is capable of using in an integrated circuit and transmitting and receiving with 1 . 3 μm wave meter and 1 . 55 μm wave meter respectively ( ex . a planar light wave circuit ( plc )), and using a forward feedback circuit ( ex . a rom ) to work not instantaneously with a bursting first bit to work under a transmission speed of 1 . 25 gbps . however , the hardware used in the optical network unit or the optical line terminal is not the key component of the invention , which means the invention can use any known hardware adapted to the invention . the processes mentioned below are generally performed by the above mac chip , including the access to the network . it also can be performed by software which is executed and loaded by a cpu . the cpu is separated from but coupled to the mac chip of the network . in order to accomplish a network transmission bandwidth allocation method of the invention , there are three bandwidth allocation methods provided respectively for adjusting the transmitting sequence based on the amount of uploading data , predicting the bandwidth allocation ratio based on the extent of network loading and allocating the transmitting bandwidth for conforming to the fairness of bandwidth allocation . in an embodiment , the allocation for the network transmitting bandwidth is improved by the estimate of the predicting bandwidth . here , the predicting bandwidth can be estimated by the following formula . in this formula , r j is the estimated requested bandwidth of the terminal , q j is the data amount waiting for transmission in the terminal , e j is the data amount expected to reach the terminal in a holding time , l is the extent of network loading in this transmitting cycle and w ( l ) is the weight value changed with the extent of the network loading . thus , according to the formula ( 6 ), the allocation ratio of the predicting bandwidth will be adjusted based on the extent of the network loading . j is the number of service terminals requesting bandwidth as well as the number of the terminal of request bandwidth . therefore , in a network , the office terminal can base on the estimated requested bandwidth to estimate the requested bandwidth of the terminal one by one by the formula ( 6 ) and further determine the amount of data ( i . e . transmitting bandwidth ) can be upload for uploading messages sent by the corresponding terminal . please refer to fig4 . in a transmitting cycle , first receive the transmittable bandwidth and the predicting bandwidth of the terminal ( step 110 ); then adjust the predicting bandwidth based on a weight value ( step 120 ); next estimate the terminal &# 39 ; s requested bandwidth by the formula ( 6 ) and add the transmittable bandwidth to the modified predicting bandwidth to obtain the final requested bandwidth ( step 130 ). here , in order to prevent wasting the bandwidth , which is contributed by the prediction error in predicting the bandwidth e j , a larger weight value w ( l ) can be introduced when the loading of the network is low ; on the other hand , a smaller weight value w ( l ) can be introduced when the loading of the network is heavy . that is , the weight value w ( l ) decreases with the increase of the extent of network loading l . the relationship between w ( l ) and l are shown in fig5 , 6 and 7 . as a result , the bandwidth will not be wasted when the network loading is heavy , and the transmission delay can be shortened when the network loading is low by the prediction of the bandwidth . next , the predicting bandwidth can be a transmitting bandwidth in the last transmitting cycle for every terminal , which is the data uploading amount in the last transmitting cycle . in other words , the weight value in step 120 can be obtained by calculating the loading extent of the network ( step 140 ) first and then by using the loading of extent as a basis ( step 150 ). this weight value can be obtained before step 110 or until before step 120 , as shown in fig8 a and 8b . practically , the above steps can be continuously repeated to estimate the requested bandwidth for terminals to which uploading messages are delivered , as shown in fig9 a . or , receive the transmittable bandwidth and the predicting bandwidth for terminals to which uploading messages are delivered first , then followed by continuously repeating steps 120 to 130 to estimate the requested bandwidth for terminals to which uploading messages are delivered , as shown in fig9 b . please refer to fig1 . obtain the requested bandwidths of at least one terminal to which uploading messages are delivered ( step 210 ), then calculate the transmitting bandwidth allocated to the terminals requesting bandwidth based on the obtained requested bandwidth . here , the transmitting bandwidth is the data amount allowable for the corresponding terminal uploading through the network . every terminal has its useable bandwidth range , and the useable bandwidth range is between an assured bandwidth and a maximum bandwidth . after obtaining the requested bandwidth , the initial bandwidth allocation will first proceed . this cycle &# 39 ; s usable bandwidth will be allocated to every terminal based on the requested bandwidth and the assured bandwidth of each terminal , which means allocating every terminal &# 39 ; s transmitting bandwidth one by one ( step 220 ). compare every terminal &# 39 ; s requested bandwidth and assured bandwidth ( step 221 ). the comparison result is the basis for distributing a transmitting bandwidth that conforms either to the requested bandwidth or to the assured bandwidth to the corresponding terminal . if the requested bandwidth is smaller or equal to the assured bandwidth , the transmitting bandwidth allocated to this terminal will be the requested bandwidth for this terminal ( step 223 ). if the requested terminal is larger than the assured bandwidth , the transmitting bandwidth allocated to this terminal will be the assured bandwidth for this terminal ( step 225 ), as shown in fig1 . also , the above steps ( the step 221 and the step 223 or the step 221 and the step 225 ) can be repeated to accomplish the initial allocation of the transmitting bandwidth for every terminal to which uploading messages are delivered . when the requested bandwidth is larger than the assured bandwidth , an additional excess bandwidth will be allocated to this terminal in addition to the transmitting bandwidth that conforms to the assured bandwidth . thus , after the initial bandwidth allocation ( i . e . step 220 ), whether there is an unsatisfied requested bandwidth or not will be confirmed one by one ( step 230 ). when there is an unsatisfied requested bandwidth , the remaining bandwidth will be further allocated to the terminal with the unsatisfied bandwidth , meaning an excess bandwidth will be further allocated to every terminal with unsatisfied requested bandwidth to obtain the reallocated transmitting bandwidth of every terminal ( step 240 ), as shown in fig1 . in other words , step 230 is to compare the allocated transmitting bandwidth and the requested bandwidth , where if the requested bandwidth is larger than the allocated transmitting bandwidth , an unsatisfied requested bandwidth exists . the remaining bandwidth is the result by the usable bandwidth of the cycle subtracting the allocated transmitting bandwidth ( i . e . the remaining bandwidth amount ) after the initial bandwidth allocation . that is , distribute the usable bandwidth of this cycle to every terminal based on the assured bandwidth and the requested bandwidth by the following formula first . formula ( 7 ) is the basic method of allocating the transmitting bandwidth , where r j is the requested bandwidth , b_min j is the assured bandwidth , b_excess j is the excess bandwidth obtained by the reallocation of the remaining bandwidth , and b_grant j is the bandwidth actually allocated to the terminal ( i . e . the transmitting bandwidth ). in the formula ( 7 ), if the requested bandwidth r j is smaller or equal to the assured bandwidth b_min j , this terminal will get the bandwidth it requests ( i . e . the requested bandwidth r j ); otherwise this terminal will get the assured bandwidth b_min j plus the excess bandwidth b_excess j . compared to the related art , regarding to the calculation of the excess bandwidth , one of the invention &# 39 ; s embodiment is to calculate the excess bandwidth based on the maximum bandwidth and the bandwidth compensation value of the terminal with unsatisfied requested bandwidth . therefore in step 240 , the calculation of the excess bandwidth will be based on the usable bandwidth of the network in this cycle and the allocated transmitting bandwidth ( step 241 ). then calculate every terminal &# 39 ; s allocatable extra bandwidth one by one based on the remaining bandwidth , the maximum bandwidth and the bandwidth compensation value of every terminal ( with unsatisfied requested bandwidth ) ( step 243 ). finally , further distribute the excess bandwidth one by one based on the extra bandwidth and the unsatisfied bandwidth of every terminal for adjusting the transmitting bandwidth of terminals with unsatisfied requested bandwidth ( step 245 ), as shown in fig1 a . the number for the excess bandwidth allocation in the detailed description is only one . however practically , according to the invention , whether there is an unsatisfied requested bandwidth or not will be confirmed after the allocation ( step 246 ). if there is an unsatisfied requested bandwidth , it will perform the excess bandwidth allocation once more by executing the above steps ( i . e . the step 241 , the step 243 and the step 245 ) as shown in fig1 b . besides , in order to prevent the number of the excess bandwidth reallocation from being to many , the number of allocation will be accumulated after every time of excess bandwidth allocation ( step 247 ). while whether there is any unsatisfied requested bandwidth or not is confirmed , whether the number of the reallocation reaches a predetermined value or not will also be confirmed ( step 249 ). if there exists an unsatisfied requested bandwidth and the number of the reallocation doesn &# 39 ; t reach a predetermined value , step 241 , step 243 and step 245 will then proceed to perform the excess bandwidth allocation once more , as shown in fig1 c . generally , the allocation method for the excess bandwidth is represented by the following formulas . here , formula ( 8 ) is for calculating the remaining bandwidth , where b_min j is the transmitting bandwidth allocated to the terminal ( i . e . the assured bandwidth ), b_total is the usable bandwidth of the network in the nth transmitting cycle ( n is a positive ), b_left is the remaining usable bandwidth in this network at present ( i . e . the remaining bandwidth after the initial allocation of the usable bandwidth of the network in this transmitting cycle ). according to this formula ( 8 ), the remaining bandwidth is the result of the usable bandwidth of the network subtracting the sum of the transmitting bandwidth allocated to every terminal . formula ( 9 ) is for calculating the extra bandwidth , where b_max k is the maximum bandwidth transmittable by the terminal , b_add k is the sum of the overspent bandwidth of the terminal cumulated until this transmitting cycle ( i . e . the bandwidth compensation value of the terminal ), b_extra k is the extra bandwidth presently allocatable to the terminal , and k is a class of terminals with unsatisfied requested bandwidth ( i . e . when the requested bandwidth r j is larger than the assured bandwidth b_min j ), where k ={ r j & gt ; b_min j }. according to the formula ( 9 ), obtain a ratio of remaining bandwidth allocatable to each terminal by the maximum bandwidth b_max k and the bandwidth compensation value b_add k of every terminal first , then base on the ratio and the remaining bandwidth b_left n to calculate the extra bandwidth b_extra k allocatable to the terminal . the remaining bandwidth here is obtained by the formula ( 8 ). k and k are both positives . formula ( 10 ) is for allocating the excess bandwidth , where r_left j is the remaining requested bandwidth by the requested bandwidth r j subtracting the allocated transmitting bandwidth ( i . e . the assured bandwidth b_min j ), which is r_left j = r j − b_min j . according to the formula ( 10 ), if the remaining requested bandwidth r_left j is smaller or equal to the extra bandwidth b_extra j obtained from the formula ( 9 ), an excess bandwidth b_excess j corresponding to the remaining requested bandwidth r_left j will be further allocated ; otherwise an excess bandwidth b_excess j corresponding to the extra bandwidth b_extra j will be further allocated . here , every terminal &# 39 ; s maximum bandwidth b_max j and assured bandwidth b_min j can be determined by the costumer contract . in step 245 calculate the remaining requested bandwidth based on the requested bandwidth and the allocated transmitting bandwidth first ( step 2451 ), then followed compare the remaining requested bandwidth and the extra bandwidth ( step 2453 ). if the remaining requested bandwidth is smaller or equal to the extra bandwidth , an excess bandwidth corresponding to the remaining requested bandwidth will be further allocated to this terminal ( step 2455 ); otherwise an excess bandwidth corresponding to the extra bandwidth will be further allocated to this terminal ( step 2457 ) as shown in fig1 . also , by repeatedly performing the above steps ( i . e . steps 2451 , 2453 and 2455 or 2457 ), the excess bandwidths will be reallocated to all terminals with unsatisfied bandwidth one by one again . after adjusting the transmitting bandwidth of the terminal with unsatisfied requested bandwidth , every terminal &# 39 ; s bandwidth compensation value can be further adjusted based on the maximum bandwidth and the transmitting bandwidth , as shown in fig1 . step 250 includes updating the bandwidth compensation value according to the overspent extent of the allocated transmitting bandwidth , which means the excess bandwidth will be added to the bandwidth compensation value and the bandwidth which should give but without giving will be subtracted from the bandwidth compensation value in the next transmitting cycle . please refer to fig1 . in step 250 , compare every terminal &# 39 ; s last transmitting bandwidth and the maximum bandwidth ( step 251 ). when the transmitting bandwidth is larger than the maximum bandwidth , the excess portion , which is the excess bandwidth obtained from the transmitting bandwidth subtracting the maximum bandwidth , will be added to the bandwidth compensation value ( step 253 ) to update the bandwidth compensation value ( step 257 ). on the other hand , if the requested bandwidth is smaller than the maximum bandwidth ( i . e . the allocated transmitting bandwidth is smaller than the maximum bandwidth ), the allocatable bandwidth ( i . e . the un - used bandwidth obtained from the maximum bandwidth subtracting the transmitting bandwidth ) or the allocated remaining requested bandwidth ( i . e . the un - used bandwidth obtained from the requested bandwidth subtracting the transmitting bandwidth ) will be subtracted from the bandwidth compensation value ( step 255 ) to update the bandwidth compensation value ( step 257 ). similarly , every terminal &# 39 ; s bandwidth compensation value can be updated one by one by repeatedly performing the above steps ( i . e . steps 251 , 253 and 257 , or 253 and 257 ). in order to prevent transmission delay from jiggering over , a maximum transmission bandwidth limitation will be previously set up , which means every terminal has one maximum transmission bandwidth limitation in one transmitting cycle . therefore , before or after the initial bandwidth allocation ( i . e . step 220 ), every terminal &# 39 ; s requested bandwidth can be previously adjusted based on the maximum transmission bandwidth limitation for the terminal ( step 260 ), as shown in fig1 a and 15b . please refer to fig1 a and 16b . the adjusting method in step 260 is to compare every terminal &# 39 ; s maximum transmission bandwidth limitation and requested bandwidth one by one ( step 261 ), and use the maximum transmission bandwidth limitation to replace the requested bandwidth being used in the following procedures when the requested bandwidth is larger than the maximum transmission bandwidth limitation ( step 263 ). otherwise , the original requested bandwidth will be sustained ( i . e . doesn &# 39 ; t use the maximum transmission bandwidth limitation to replace the requested bandwidth ) ( step 265 ). they are represented in the following formulas . in the formula ( 11 ), r ′ j is the modified requested bandwidth , r j is the original requested bandwidth , and b_bound j is the maximum transmission bandwidth limitation of the terminal . here , the maximum transmission bandwidth limitation can be a bandwidth between the maximum bandwidth and the twice the maximum bandwidth . according to the description above , in the transmitting bandwidth allocation method according to the invention , when a terminal requesting a bandwidth smaller or equal to the assured bandwidth , the bandwidth requested will be given . however if the bandwidth requested is larger than the assured bandwidth , the remaining bandwidth of the network will be first calculated after all the terminals have their assured bandwidth ( or requested bandwidth ), which will be further allocated based on a ratio of a value obtained from the maximum bandwidth of the terminal which has not finished the allocation subtracting the overspent bandwidth ( i . e . bandwidth compensation value ). in other words , the larger the maximum bandwidth the terminal has , the more bandwidth the terminal can get . the more overspent extent the terminal has , the less bandwidth the terminal can get . because the maximum bandwidth is mostly set up based on the costumer contract , this method can accomplish the purpose of determining the remaining bandwidth allocation based on how important the client is and the excess use extent of the bandwidth so that the usable bandwidth of the network can be more fairly to be allocated to every terminal . due to the set up of the maximum transmitting bandwidth limitation , the overspent bandwidth ( i . e . bandwidth compensation value ) will be limited in the maximum bandwidth . therefore when the maximum bandwidth minus the cumulated overspent bandwidth ( i . e . the bandwidth compensation value ) is zero , this terminal will not be able to be included in the allocation of the remaining bandwidth so that a costumer &# 39 ; s usable transmitting bandwidth can be effectively restricted , improved the fairness of the bandwidth allocation . next , focus on using the uploading order to improve the network transmitting bandwidth allocation , which adjusts the transmitting sequence mainly based on the data uploading amount of the terminal . this transmitting sequence is an order that the office terminal depends on to determine which uploading requested terminal to upload the data . here , every terminal will deliver an uploading message to inform the office terminal before uploading the data to the office terminal through the network , where this uploading message includes a requested bandwidth to inform the office terminal the amount of the prepared uploading data . please refer to fig1 . the office terminal will then obtain the requested bandwidths of all the terminals to which uploading messages are delivered ( step 310 ). next , arrange the uploading order of the terminals to which uploading messages are delivered to get a transmitting sequence ( step 320 ). sequentially adjust the uploading order for every terminal in the transmitting sequence based on the size of the requested bandwidth ( step 330 ), where the office terminal can then determine which terminal to upload data one by one . the adjusting method in step 330 is to compare the requested bandwidths of the two terminals abutting each other in uploading order ( step 331 ). if the requested bandwidth of a terminal with a lower uploading order is smaller than that of a terminal with a higher uploading order , the uploading orders of these two terminals will exchange ( step 333 ). otherwise the original uploading sequence will maintain the same ( step 335 ) to get the modified transmitting sequence as shown in fig1 a . the above steps will repeat until all the terminals &# 39 ; uploading orders are adjusted . for example , an embodiment is shown in fig1 b . presume that there are j pieces of terminals to which uploading messages are delivered ( i . e . the last uploading order is j ). when comparing the requested bandwidths of a terminal with n − 2 uploading order and a terminal with the n − 1 uploading order ( step 431 ) ( where n ≦ j ), and the requested bandwidth of the terminal with n − 1 uploading order is smaller than that of the terminal with the n − 2 uploading order , these two terminal &# 39 ; s uploading order will switch ( step 333 ). the uploading order of the terminal with the n − 2 uploading order will change to the n − 1 uploading order and the uploading order of the terminal with the n − 1 uploading order will change to the n − 2 uploading order . on the other hand , if the requested bandwidth of the terminal with n − 1 uploading order is not smaller than that of the terminal with the n − 2 uploading order , these two terminal &# 39 ; s uploading order will not switch ( step 335 ). next , when the order has been switched , make sure whether the n + 1 uploading order is the last uploading order or not ( i . e . make sure whether n + 1 equals to j or not ) ( step 437 ). if the n + 1 uploading order is not the last uploading order ( i . e . n + 1 ≠ j ), continue to compare the requested bandwidth of a terminal with n uploading order and a terminal with the n + 1 uploading order ( step 441 ); otherwise ( i . e . n + 1 = j ), don &# 39 ; t continue . if there is no switch between two orders , make sure whether the n uploading order is the last uploading order or not ( i . e . make sure whether n equals to j or not ) ( step 439 ). if the n uploading order is not the last uploading order ( i . e . n ≠ j ), continuously compare the requested bandwidth of a terminal with n − 1 uploading order and a terminal with the n uploading order ( step 443 ); otherwise ( i . e . n = j ), don &# 39 ; t continue . the step of confirming whether the n + 1 uploading order is the last uploading order or not also ( i . e . confirm whether n + 1 equals j or not ) can be performed after step 333 or step 335 ( step 437 ). if the n + 1 uploading order is not the last uploading order ( i . e . n + 1 ≠ j ), continue to compare the requested bandwidth of a terminal with n uploading order and a terminal with the n + 1 uploading order ( step 439 ); otherwise ( i . e . n + 1 = j ), don &# 39 ; t continue , as shown in fig1 c . only one modification of the transmitting sequence is described . however , according to the embodiment of the invention , the step 330 can be repeatedly performed to make every terminal &# 39 ; s uploading order changed and become a better sequence by the proposed uploading data amount . however , in order to prevent the uploading order of each terminal from changing too much , a predetermined value can be set up previously . also , after a modified transmitting order is received ( i . e . step 330 ), make sure whether the modified transmitting order and the original transmitting order are the same or not ( step 350 ). if they are not the same , cumulate the number of changing ( step 360 ), and confirm whether the cumulated number of changing reach the predetermined value or not ( step 370 ). if the cumulated number of changing does not reach the predetermined value , go back to the step 330 to adjust the transmitting sequence based on the requested bandwidth again . on the other hand , if the cumulated number of changing does reach the predetermined value , stop adjusting the transmitting sequence . the office terminal will then use the last adjusted transmitting sequence to determine which terminal should upload data , as shown in fig1 . in summary , compared to the related art , the invention provides a method for allocating bandwidth of a network which is capable of adjusting the transmitting sequence based on the uploading data amount of the terminal . the invention further provides a method for allocating bandwidth of a network which is capable of adjusting the predicting bandwidth allocation ratio based on the loading extent of the network for effectively reducing the average transmission delay . according to the invention , the bandwidth efficiency , the fairness of the bandwidth allocation and the jittering of transmission delay can be improved . the embodiments mentioned in this specification can be arbitrarily combined or used alone when applied in a network to improve the efficiency of data uploading . while the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure , modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments , which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention .	7
in the following detailed description , only the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described , simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by the inventor ( s ) of carrying out the invention . as will be realized , the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects , all without departing from the invention . accordingly , the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature , and not restrictive . fig3 shows a block diagram of a blind rate detector of an asynchronous mobile communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown , the blind rate detector comprises : an add - compare - select ( acs ) unit 100 ; a trace - back unit 200 ; a crc checker 300 ; a symbol error rate ( ser ) calculator 400 ; and a controller 500 . the acs unit 100 calculates a branch metric value from the variable data stream transmitted from the transmitter , performs an acs process on the calculated branch metric value and a path metric value , and outputs metric data . the metric data include a maximum path metric value a max , a minimum path metric value a min , and a path metric value a 0 in the 0 state . the trace - back unit 200 uses the data output from the acs unit 100 to trace them back to a predetermined length , and outputs data . the crc checker 300 performs a crc check on the data output from the trace - back unit 200 , and outputs checking results . the ser calculator 400 calculates the ser of the data output from the trace - back unit 200 , and outputs results . the controller 500 controls the acs unit 100 , the trace - back unit 200 , the crc checker 300 , and the ser calculator 400 to determine the blind rate of the variable data transmitted from the transmitter . referring to fig4 , a blind rate detection method of an asynchronous mobile communication system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail . first , the controller 500 resets various parameters needed for detecting the blind rate in step s 201 . here , the parameters include : a last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end ; a minimum value s min of path selection values ; and a last detection position n detected — end . the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end and the last detection position n detected — end are reset to be 1 , and the minimum value s min of the path selection values is reset to be a path selection threshold value th path - selection that is previously set as a predetermined value . next , the acs unit 100 performs viterbi decoding by control of the controller 500 so that an accurate trellis path may be terminated in the 0 state at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end in step s 203 . in this step , the acs unit 100 calculates branch metric values of the input data , and performs add , compare , and select operations ( i . e ., acs ) on the calculated metric value to generate a maximum path metric value a max , a minimum path metric value a min at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end , and a path metric value a 0 in the 0 state . next , the controller 500 uses the parameters generated by the acs unit 100 , that is , the maximum path metric value a max , the minimum path metric value a min at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end , and the path metric value a 0 in the 0 state , to find a path selection value s ( n end ) at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end by equation 2 in step s 205 . by finding the path selection value s ( n end ) at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end by equation 2 and not by a conventional logarithmic function , the hardware is implemented using adders and inverters , thereby reducing hardware complexity . next , in order to remove the generation of a detection error , the controller 500 determines whether the path selection value s ( n end ) at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end is equal to or less than the path selection threshold value th path - selection in step s 207 . that is , according to the path selection threshold value th path - selection , it is determined whether the trellis path connected to the 0 state is to be traced back to the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end . if the path selection value s ( n end ) fails to satisfy equation 2 , that is , when the path selection value s ( n end ) is greater than the path selection threshold value th path - selection the controller 500 determines whether the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end is a maximum value in step s 223 , and when the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end is not the maximum value , the controller 500 increases the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end by 1 in step s 225 , and repeats the steps s 203 , s 205 , s 207 , and s 223 so that the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end may be the maximum value . accordingly , when the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end is the maximum value , the controller 500 outputs the maximum value to the last detection position n detected — end in step s 227 , and terminates the blind rate detection process . in this instance , in the step s 225 , the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end is increased by 1 , but the technical scope of the present invention is not restricted to this , and by setting gaps of the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position its increase ranges may be varied . when the path selection value s ( n end ) satisfies equation 2 in the step s 207 , that is , when the path selection value s ( n end ) is less than or equal to the path selection threshold value th path - selection , the controller 500 controls the trace - back unit 200 so that the path may be traced back from the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end , in order to restore frame data in step s 209 . next , the controller 500 controls the crc checker 300 to calculate the crc parity from the data restored by the trace - back unit 200 in step s 211 , and performs a crc check in step s 213 . if a crc error occurs in the crc check step s 213 , the controller 500 executes the step s 223 , and if no crc error occurs , the controller 500 controls the ser calculator 400 to calculate the ser of the restored data in step s 215 . after this , the controller 500 determines whether the ser calculated in step s 215 is less than or equal to the ser &# 39 ; s threshold value th ser in step s 217 , and if the ser is greater than the ser &# 39 ; s threshold value th ser , that is , when the radio channel environment is very bad and is not reliable , the controller 500 executes the step s 223 . however , if the ser is less than or equal to the ser &# 39 ; s threshold value th ser , that is , when the radio channel environment is good and reliable , the controller 500 determines in step s 219 whether the path selection value s ( n end ) at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end is less than the minimum value s min of the path selection values reset in the reset step s 201 . in this instance , when the path selection value s ( n end ) is equal to or greater than the minimum value s min , of the path selection values , the controller 500 executes the step s 119 , and if the path selection value s ( n end ) is less than the minimum value s min of the path selection values , the controller stores the path selection value s ( n end ) of the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end as the minimum value s min of the path selection values , stores the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end as the last detection position n detected — end in step s 221 , and executes the step s 223 . since the hardware for finding the path selection value s ( n end ) at the last bit &# 39 ; s possible position n end can be implemented by use of adders and inverters according to the present invention , its complexity is greatly reduced . further , by performing a crc check and then comparing sers , the present invention differently processes the case when the radio channel environment is bad and unreliable and the other case when the radio channel environment is good and reliable , thereby greatly increasing reliability . while this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments , but , on the contrary , is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims .	7
the polyamine according to the invention is distinguished by a molecular weight mn of 500 - 6 , 000 and a basic amine content of 0 . 3 - 4 mmol of nh 2 / g . their consistency can be varied within a wide range . while the polyamines according to the invention containing ether groups have a viscosity of 50 , 000 - 10 6 mpa . s , the polyamines containing isocyanurate groups are high - melting compounds having a melting point & gt ; 150 ° c . according to the polyamine of formula ( i ), when 2 ≦ n ≦ 6 , the group r 1 is an n - valent organic radical . a suitable example is the organic radical formed by removing n hydroxy groups from a polyhydroxy compound which optionally contains ether oxygen atoms . suitable polyhydroxy compounds include ethylene glycol , glycerol , hexanediol , di - and triethylene glycol , neopentylglycol , trimethylolpropane , octadecanediol , pentaerythritol , sorbitol , mannitol , maltitol and glycosides . the reaction between the nco prepolymer or diisocyanate and the schiff base depends on the state of aggregation of the diisocyanate or nco prepolymer used . the reaction can be carried out without solvent or in aprotic solvents at temperatures of from 20 ° to 80 ° c . in the case of low - viscosity nco prepolymers , solvent can be omitted ; in the case highly viscous and solid nco prepolymers , however , solvent must be used . possible solvents are , in principle , all those which contain no functional groups which react with nco groups . solvents which have proven particularly suitable ketones , such as acetone , methyl ethyl ketone , and aromatic hydrocarbons , such as toluene . the isocyanate prepolymers ( ia ; iia ) used for the process of the invention are prepared according to methods known per se by reaction of polyhydroxy compounds with diisocyanates or by trimerization of diisocyanates . the isocyanate prepolymers ( ia , iia ) employed for the process according to the invention can be prepared by conventional methods which are known per se . more specifically they can be prepared by reaction of polyhydroxy compounds with diisocyanates or by trimerization of diisocyanates . suitable polyhydroxy compounds are polyols having a molecular weight of 60 - 600 , such as , for example , ethylene glycol , hexanediol , di - and triethylene glycol , neopentylglycol , trimethylolpropane , octadecanediol and c 36 - diol . polyether - polyols having a molecular weight mn of 200 - 5 , 000 and 2 - 5 , preferably 2 - 3 hydroxyl groups are preferably suitable . the polyethers containing hydroxyl groups which are possible according to the invention are those of the type which are known per se and are prepared by conventional methods . for example , suitable polyethers may be prepared by polymerization of epoxides , such as ethylene oxide , propylene oxide , tetrahydrofuran or styrene oxide , with themselves , for example in the presence of lewis acids such as , for example , bf 3 , or by addition of these epoxides , if appropriate as a mixture or in succession , onto initiator components containing reactive hydrogen atoms , such as water , alcohols and amines . polybutadienes containing oh groups furthermore are employed for the isocyanate prepolymers . suitable starting components for the preparation of the isocyanate prepolymers ( ia ) required for the process according to the invention are ( cyclo ) aliphatic , araliphatic and aromatic diisocyanates , such as are described , for example , by w . siefken in justus leibigs annalen der chemie , 562 , pages 75 - 136 . suitable examples include hexamethylene 1 , 6 - diisocyanate , 2 - methylpentamethylene diisocyanate , dodecane 1 , 12 - diisocyanate , isophorone diisocyanate , tetramethylxylene diisocyanate , tolylene 2 , 4 - and 2 , 6 - diisocyanate and diphenylmethane 2 , 4 &# 39 ;- and / or 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- diisocyanate . the isocyanate prepolymers ( ia ) are prepared by conventional means in a manner such that 2 nco equivalents of the diisocyanate per 1 oh equivalent of the polyol are reacted with one another in a known manner . the isocyanate prepolymers thus prepared still contain about 2 - 8 % wt of free diisocyanate , depending on the molecular weight . in some cases , it has proved to be expedient to employ isocyanate prepolymers having a monomer content of & lt ; 0 . 5 % wt for the process according to the invention . such low - monomer isocyanate prepolymers are prepared in a manner such that a diisocyanate is reacted in a large excess with the polyol in a 1st stage , and in a 2nd stage , the unreacted diisocyanate is separated off from the reaction product by thin film distillation . the isocyanate prepolymers thus prepared contain & lt ; 0 . 5 % wt of diisocyanate , regardless of their molecular weight . the isocyanate prepolymers iia employed for the process according to the invention are prepared by conventional means in a known manner by trimerization of the diisocyanates already mentioned for the preparation of the isocyanate prepolymers ia , as described , for example , in de - c 26 44 684 and de - c 29 16 201 . the following schiff base is employed as a reaction component for the isocyanate prepolymers ( ia , iia ) in the process according to the invention : ## str11 ## the preparation of the schiff base can be carried out either in solution or without solvent . when the reaction is carried out in solution , toluene or xylene is preferred as ( inert ) solvent . the azomethine formation can be accelerated by addition of 0 . 01 - 0 . 1 % by weight of acid such as h 3 po 4 . this is advantageous when sluggishly reacting components are used , as is the case with sterically hindered amines and ketones . ipaa and toluene are mixed at room temperature and admixed with an equimolar amount of the carbonyl compound . the concentration of toluene is from about 50 to 80 % by weight . the solution is then slowly heated to reflux and heated further with a water separator attached until the calculated amount of h 2 o has been distilled off . the toluene is then distilled off in vacuo . the concentration of the schiff base so prepared is ≧ 99 % (% by area in the gas chromatogram ). in general , this purity is sufficient for further reaction of the schiff base with nco prepolymers to form poly - schiff bases . in the preparation without solvent , equimolar amounts of ipaa and the carbonyl component are mixed at room temperature and slowly heated to reflux and heated further until the calculated amount of h 2 o has been distilled off . it has proven advantageous to add the carbonyl component in an excess of from 10 to 30 wt . %. after the distillative separation of the water of reaction and the excess carbonyl component , vacuum is applied for a short time . the product of the process , thus prepared , according to the invention , has a purity of ≧ 99 % and generally needs no further purification . as the carbonyl component , in principle , all aldehydes and ketones are suitable for blocking the nh 2 function , provided that the carbonyl compound is capable of forming an azomethine group with the primary amine . blocking agents which have proved to be particularly suitable are for example , from the aldehydes : acetaldehyde propionaldehyde , n - butyraldehyde and i - butyraldehyde , and from the ketones : methyl ethyl ketone , methyl n - propyl ketone , diethyl ketone , methyl isobutyl ketone and diisobutyl ketone . when the reaction of the isocyanate prepolymers ( ia , iia ) with the schiff base ( i ) has been carried out , the reaction mixture of the 1st stage is now hydrolyzed in a 2nd process step : ## str12 ## the carbonyl compounds are split off in a manner such that the blocked polyamine , if appropriate in the presence of 0 . 1 - 0 . 5 % of emulsifiers , is heated with excess h 2 o ( 2 - 3 times the molar amount of the blocked polyamine ) while stirring intensively , h 2 o , the carbonyl compound liberated and , if appropriate , the solvent being distilled off simultaneously under atmospheric pressure . after removing the last residues of h 2 o , the polyamine is further heated in vacuo at 100 °- 140 ° c . for about 2 - 4 hours . the polyamines thus prepared no longer contain azomethine groups ; rather exclusively primary nh2 groups are present . the h 2 o content is 0 . 1 - 0 . 6 % wt . the present invention furthermore relates to a method of curing epoxy resins using the compounds according to the invention . suitable epoxy resins are in principle all those which contain ≧ 2 epoxide groups per molecule ; the epoxy resins based on bisphenol a and f have proved to be particularly suitable . since the polyamines according to the invention are highly viscous or solid substances , they are as a rule employed in solvent - containing form . suitable solvents are , for example benzyl alcohol , nonylphenol , toluene , xylene and n - methylpyrrolidone . the polyamines according to the invention can be reacted with the epoxy resin either by themselves or in combination with a diamine or primary monoamine , if appropriate in the presence of known catalysts , such as 2 , 4 , 6 - trisdimethylaminomethylphenol , salicylic acid or dimethylbenzylamine . by suitable choice of the combination of components : polyamine , diamine and monoamine , coatings having good mechanical properties and of any desired flexibility can be produced at room temperature ( with a constant ep resin ). suitable diamines which can be employed with the polyamines according to the invention are , for example , the following : ethylenediamine , 1 , 2 -( 1 , 3 )- diaminopropane , 1 , 3 -( 1 , 4 )- diaminobutane , 3 -( isopropylamino ) propylamine , 1 - cyclohexylamino - 3 - aminopropane , 1 , 4 - diaminocyclohexane , 1 , 3 - diaminocyclohexane , isophoronediamine , 2 - methylpentamethylenediamine , 2 , 2 , 4 ( 2 , 4 , 4 )- trimethylhexamethylenediamine , hexamethylenediamine , n - aminoethylpiperazine and m - xylylenediamine . suitable monoamines which can be employed with the polyamines according to the invention and if appropriate with the diamines mentioned for preparation of the coatings according to the invention are : decylamine , dodecylamine , tridecylamine , butoxyproplyamine , hexyloxypropylamine , 3 -( 2 - ethylhexyloxy ) propylamine , lauryloxypropylamine and diethylaminopropylamine . having generally described this invention , a further understanding can be obtained by reference to certain specific examples which are provided herein for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be limiting unless otherwise specified . a mixture of 342 parts by weight of 3 - aminomethyl - 3 , 5 , 5 - trimethylcyclohexanol and 260 parts by weight of methyl isobutyl ketone is boiled under reflux , using a water separator , until 36 parts by weight of water have been separated off . the excess mibk is then distilled off under reduced pressure . as a rule , further purification can be omitted . the oh number of the reaction product is 221 mg of koh / g . 254 parts by weight of schiff base a and 560 parts by weight of an nco prepolymer which has been prepared by known processes from 444 parts by weight of ipdi and 650 parts by weight of a polytetrahydrofurandiol with an average molecular weight of 650 are heated together at 50 ° c . until no further nco can be detected ( about 20 hours ). 2 , 000 parts by weight of h 2 o are added to this poly - schiff base and the mixture is heated at the boiling point , while stirring vigorously , the h 2 o being distilled off continuously under atmospheric pressure . when the reaction under atmospheric pressure has ended , the mixture is further heated at 100 ° c . under 0 . 1 torr for about another 4 hours in order to bring the reaction to completion . the reaction product thus obtained contains exclusively primary amino groups . the azomethine group can no longer be detected by nmr measurement . the basis amine content is 1 . 3 mmol / g ; the viscosity at 25 ° c . is 1 . 2 × 10 6 mpa . s . the h 2 o content is 0 . 3 % wt . 254 parts by weight of schiff base a and 737 parts by weight of an nco prepolymer which has been prepared by known processes from 444 parts by weight of ipdi and 1 , 000 parts by weight of a polytetrahydrofurandiol with an average molecular weight of 1 , 000 are reacted analogously to example b1 and the product is then hydrolyzed with 2 , 500 parts by weight of h 2 o under the reaction conditions described in example b1 . the reaction product has a content of basic amine of 1 . 05 mmol of nh 2 / g and a viscosity of 10 6 mpa . s ( at 25 ° c .). the h 2 o content is 0 . 5 % wt . 254 parts by weight of schiff base a and 1 , 313 parts by weight of an isocyanate prepolymer which has been prepared by known processes from 444 parts by weight of ipdi and 2 , 000 parts by weight of a bifunctional polypropylene glycol with an average molecular weight mn of 2 , 000 are reacted analogously to example b1 and the product is then hydrolyzed with 3 , 000 parts by weight of h 2 o under the reaction conditions described in example b1 . the reaction product has a content of basic amine of 0 . 6 mmol of nh 2 / g and a viscosity of 1 . 6 × 10 5 mpa . s ( at 25 ° c .). the h 2 o content is 0 . 4 % wt . 244 parts by weight of trimeric ipdi containing 17 . 2 % of nco ( vestanat t 1890 , commercial product from huls ag ) are dissolved in 300 parts by weight of acetone and reacted with 254 parts by weight of schiff base a analogously to example b1 , and the product is then hydrolyzed with 1 , 500 parts by weight of h 2 o under the reaction conditions described in example b1 . the reaction product has a content of basis amine of 1 . 4 mmol of nh 2 / g and a melting range of 180 °- 190 ° c . ; the h 2 o content is 0 . 2 % wt . __________________________________________________________________________c . ii curing of epikote ® 828 with the hardeners according to theinvention ( epoxy : nh = 1 : 1 ); 7 days , room temperature din 53 515 din 53 504 tear tensile tear propagationhardener comp . strength tensile strength elongation resistanceparts by weight nmm . sup . 2 elongation % nmm . sup . 2 at break % nmm . sup . 2 shore d__________________________________________________________________________hardener 1 hardener 280 20 19 . 4 ± 0 . 8 118 . 7 ± 17 . 7 19 . 4 ± 0 . 8 118 . 9 ± 17 . 3 50 . 4 ± 3 . 9 6050 50 15 . 7 ± 0 . 7 174 . 7 ± 11 . 3 15 . 7 ± 0 . 7 174 . 7 ± 11 . 3 53 . 7 ± 2 . 5 5525 75 11 . 6 ± 0 . 4 276 . 8 ± 8 . 9 11 . 6 ± 0 . 4 276 . 8 ± 8 . 9 33 . 0 ± 1 . 9 3920 80 10 . 1 ± 0 . 2 277 . 4 ± 6 . 2 10 . 1 ± 0 . 2 277 . 5 ± 6 . 1 36 . 0 ± 1 . 2 37hardener 3 hardener 4 shore a100 -- 25 . 7 ± 0 . 9 15 . 6 ± 1 . 4 21 . 8 ± 0 . 3 38 ± 2 . 5 73 . 7 ± 9 . 2 -- 7075 25 17 . 5 ± 0 . 9 113 . 3 ± 9 . 2 17 . 5 ± 0 . 9 113 . 3 ± 9 . 2 50 . 2 ± 1 . 8 -- 6350 50 14 . 6 ± 1 . 1 212 . 1 ± 1 . 1 14 . 6 ± 1 . 1 212 . 1 ± 12 . 5 45 . 8 ± 3 . 9 -- 4525 75 14 . 6 ± 1 . 1 327 . 5 ± 12 . 5 9 . 3 ± 0 . 5 327 . 5 ± 12 . 5 30 . 7 ± 1 . 8 85 35 -- 100 1 . 0 ± 0 185 . 9 ± 7 . 8 1 . 0 ± 0 186 . 3 ± 7 . 6 16 . 2 ± 2 . 8 61 -- __________________________________________________________________________ obviously , numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in 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 herein .	2
the invention summarized above and defined by the enumerated claims may be better understood by referring to the following description , which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols are used for like parts . this description of an embodiment , set out below to enable one to build and use an implementation of the invention , is not intended to limit the enumerated claims , but to serve as a particular example thereof . those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention . those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form . fig1 is a right - side perspective view of a typical prior art miter saw design that shows a circular saw blade 10 affixed to a rotating motor shaft at 13 . this assembly is mounted to an arm 15 that is pivotably attached to a stationary table 18 at a single pivot point 20 . pivot point 20 becomes the origin of the xyz axes where the cutting surface is defined by the x - z plane . the cutting path , indicated generally at 22 , is described by an arc of radius r , which is the fixed distance between the pivot point 20 and the motor shaft 13 in the y - z plane . the depth and width of cut is defined by a chord of the saw blade as it passes into a slot on the stationary table 18 and the distance from the motor shaft 13 to the surface of the table 18 . fig2 is a right - side perspective view of a typical prior art sliding miter saw design that shows the circular saw blade 10 affixed to rotating motor shaft 13 . this assembly is mounted to an arm 15 that is pivotably mounted to the front part of the sliding rail assembly 25 at a single pivot point 20 . rail assembly 25 is constrained along the z - axis by a stationary bearing assembly 28 . the lateral movement of rail assembly 25 produces an action that causes the pivot point 20 to move along the cutting plane for a distance l . this increases the width of cut by enabling the cutting path 22 with radius r to traverse across the work surface . fig3 shows a right - side perspective of one example of an improved miter saw that employs a “ floating pivot ” as contemplated by the present invention . the saw , indicated generally as 30 , comprises blade 33 affixed to motor shaft 35 to form a blade and motor assembly 37 , which is affixed to a rigid arm 40 . the rigid arm 40 is movably attached to a stationary bracket 43 on the back of stationary table 46 . referring to fig4 , arm 40 is attached to post 43 by a pivot assembly 51 comprising two bearing surfaces 53 , 54 . such bearing surfaces 53 , 54 may be rolling bearings or other suitable bearings . in a preferred embodiment , the pivot assembly 51 further comprises a fixed track 58 , such that bearings 53 , 54 are constrained in the fixed track 58 in the post 43 . such track 58 is sized and configured to enable the bearings 53 , 54 to move within the track 58 , causing the pivot point of arm 40 to shift . as shown in fig4 , the bearing surfaces 53 , 54 may comprise toothed gears or pinions and the track 58 may also include a toothed rack that enables the toothed gears or pinions to engage therein . for purposes of illustration , the drawings show the use of straight cut pinions and a linear gear for the pivot track . typically , the gear in the track 58 will only be included on one side of the track 58 . one skilled in the relevant art can readily determine whether the gear should be on the top or bottom side of the track 58 . in some embodiments , such gear may be on the top side for one portion of the track 58 and on the bottom side for another portion of the track 58 . as the blade and motor assembly 37 moves down towards a work surface , the bearings 53 , 54 and track 58 in pivot assembly 51 cause the effective ( or floating ) pivot 60 to move in an eccentric arc . this in turn produces a cutting path 63 with radius r that is not semicircular . instead , the cutting path 63 follows an eccentric path in the y - z plane that results in an increased width of cut at the work surface . the disclosed embodiment shows the pivot assembly comprising a pair of toothed gears and a toothed rack . in an alternate embodiment , the floating pivot can be achieved by a cam assembly , by a pulley system , or by a gear assembly . other methods of achieving such floating pivot will become apparent to those skilled in the art by following the teaching of the present invention . in some embodiments , the track 58 will be contained in the post 43 and the bearings 53 , 54 will be contained in the arm 40 . in other embodiments , the track 58 will be contained in the arm 40 and the bearings 53 , 54 will be contained in the post 43 . in operation a user operates the improved miter saw 30 in a normal manner by placing the material to be cut on the stationary saw table 46 and moving the blade assembly 37 and arm 40 down toward the material using a typical handle assembly ( not shown ). as the user applies downward pressure on the blade assembly 37 , the pivot assembly 51 described by bearings 53 , 54 and fixed track 58 enables the blade 33 to move along the cutting arc 63 without deviation . the user is able to make a wider cut because the blade 33 moves parallel to the surface of table 46 as the cutting path 63 changes from an eccentric curve to a straight path along the z - axis . in an alternate embodiment , a biasing mechanism , such as a spring assembly , can be incorporated into the pivot assembly 51 to enable the cutting arm 40 to return to the upright position easily and safely . the invention has been described with references to a preferred embodiment . while specific values , relationships , materials and steps have been set forth for purposes of describing concepts of the invention , it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and / or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the basic concepts and operating principles of the invention as broadly described . it should be recognized that , in the light of the above teachings , those skilled in the art could modify those specifics without departing from the invention taught herein . having now fully set forth the preferred embodiments and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention , various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept . it is intended to include all such modifications , alternatives and other embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof . it should be understood , therefore , that the invention might be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth herein . consequently , the present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive .	8
in accordance with the present invention a disinfectant concentrate consists essentially of : 1 . from about 99 to 99 . 9 percent by weight of inert ingredients , such as , water , emollients , surface active agents ( surfactants ) hydrotropes and the like , and 2 . from about 0 . 1 to 1 percent by weight of active ingredient , based on the total weight of the composition . preferably , the concentrate consists essentially of from about 99 . 5 to 99 . 9 percent by weight of inert ingredients and from about 0 . 1 to 0 . 5 percent of active ingredient . the active ingredient contemplated for use herein consists essentially of a mixture of : b . a mixture of n - alkylated benzyl alkyl ammonium halides or n - alkylated benzyl alkyl ammonium halides or n - alkyl benzalkonium halides . the chelating agent deployed herein is , preferably , either ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid or the alkali metal salts thereof such as disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid . other useful compounds include the sugar acids or alkali metal salts thereof , such as , gluconic acid , lactic acid , citric acid , sodium or potassium gluconate , lactate , citrate and the like . as noted , though , either ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid or the disodium salt thereof is the preferred chelating agent . the n - alkyl benzalkonium halides contemplated for use herein correspond to the general formula : ## spc1 ## wherein r is hydrogen or lower alkyl having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms , r 1 is lower alkyl having from about 1 to 4 carbon atoms , r 2 and r 3 are each , individually , lower alkyl having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms , preferably , 1 carbon atom , r 4 is n - alkyl having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms or mixtures thereof , an x is halogen . preferably , in the practice of the present invention r is hydrogen or lower alkyl having up to two carbon atoms , r 1 is alkyl having from 1 to 2 carbons , r 2 and r 3 are , each , alkyl having one carbon atom , r 4 is n - alkyl having from about 10 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof , and x is chlorine . as is known to those skilled in the art , these compounds , which are quaternary ammonium halides , are generally prepared by the reaction of an alkyl halide with a tertiary amine , e . g . a benzyldialkylamine or a ethylbenzyldialkylamine . the tertiary amino compounds are , generally , prepared by the reaction of either ethylbenzyl chloride or benzylchloride with ammonia to form a secondary benzylamine or ethylbenzylamine . this secondary amine is then reacted with an alkyl chloride , e . g . methylchloride , to form the tertiary amine , and as contemplated herein , either dimethylbenzylamine or dimethylethylbenzylamine . all these reactions are on a molar basis . in preparing the present benzalkonium compounds , the starting material is usually an n , n - dialkybenzylamine which is a commercially available product . the preferred compounds , the quaternary ammonium chlorides are also , usually , commercially available products . it has been found in the practice of the present invention that a mixture of three particular quaternary ammonium chlorides is extremely efficacious . the first two such compounds can be designated as : ## spc2 ## wherein r is hydrogen and r 5 is n - alkyl having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof . these compounds are prepared by the above defined procedure , using a commercially available mixture of n - alkyl chlorides , having a distribution of c 12 -- 0 to 10 percent ; c 13 -- 0 to 10 percent ; c 14 -- 0 to 90 percent ; c 15 -- 0 to 90 percent ; c 16 -- 0 to 50 percent ; c 17 -- 0 to 10 percent ; c 18 -- 0 to 10 percent , which are reacted with dialkylbenzylamine . the resulting quaternary compounds are commercially available compounds , and are sold under varying tradenames . it is apparent that each one of the compounds , is in and of itself a mixture of quaternary ammonium chlorides , due to the distribution of n - alkyl groups in the alkyl chloride used to prepare it . within the broad classification , two preferred products are found . the first preferred compound is prepared from an alkyl chloride having the following weight distribution : c 12 about 5 percent ; c 14 about 60 percent ; c 16 about 30 percent ; and c 18 about 5 percent ; the second preferred compound has an n - alkyl weight distribution of c 12 about 50 percent ; c 14 about 30 percent ; c 16 about 15 percent ; and c 18 about 5 percent . the third quaternary ammonium chloride used in the present composition corresponds to the formula : ## spc3 ## wherein r 6 is n - alkyl having from about 12 to 14 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof . as above , these compounds are prepared by reacting the dialkylethylbenzylamine with a molar quantity of n - alkyl chloride , wherein the alkyl portion thereof comprises a mixture of n - alkyl groups having a general weight distribution of c 12 -- 0 to 90 percent ; c 13 -- 0 to 50 percent ; c 14 -- 0 to 50 percent ; and , preferably , having weight distribution of c 12 -- 65 to 75 percent , and c 14 -- 25 to 35 percent . also , as above , this benzalkonium chloride is a commercially available product . in formulating the present active ingredient a weight ratio of quaternary ammonium chlorides of about 2 : 1 : 2 is employed . the active ingredient contains from about 50 to 75 percent , by weight , of the mixture of quaternary ammonium chlorides and from about 25 to 50 percent by weight of chelating agent . preferably , the active ingredient contains from about 50 to 60 percent by weight of the mixture of quaternary ammonium chlorides and from about 40 to 50 percent by weight of chelating agent . in preparing the disinfectant concentrate , as noted , above , the active ingredient is mixed , under ambient conditions , with the inert ingredients such as surfactants , emollients , corrosion inhibitors and the like . the useful surfactants can be either nonionic , cationic , anionic , amphoteric , as well as mixtures thereof . preferred surfactants are the amphoteric and anionic surfactants as well as mixtures thereof . suitable amphoteric surfactants are those which co - act as emulsifiers , such as , the alkylated amino propionic acid derivatives , such as , the neutralized alkali metal salts thereof . exemplifying such compounds are the sodium salt of n - coco - b - amino propionate , n - lauryl -, n - myristyl - and the like , as well as the dialkali metal salts of the alkylated amino propionic acid derivates , such as , disodium - n - tallow - b - amino dipropionate . useful anionic surfactants are those which , also , function as corrosion inhibitors . suitable anionic surfactants are the alkanolamines , such as , ethanolamine , diethanolamine , triethanolamine and the like . the surfactants are generally deployed in a respective weight ratio of amphoteric to anionic surfactant of from about 50 : 1 to 100 : 1 , with the total surfactant concentration in the concentrate or composition ranging from about 4 to 6 percent by weight , based on the total weight of the composition . an emollient , such as , glycerine is , also , preferably , included within the final concentrate to prevent skin irritation to the user . the emollient is normally deployed in an amount ranging from about 3 to 5 percent based on the total weight of the composition . to prepare a use solution from the above - defined composition , the concentrate is mixed with water , under ambient conditions , to a minimum dilution of concentrate of at least 100 ppm of concentrate per one million parts of use solution . generally , the concentrate will be present in the use solution in an amount ranging from about 100 to 2000 ppm thereof , and preferably 250 to 1500 ppm of concentrate per one million parts of use solution . the present use solution has been found to be effective in killing off both gram - negative and gram - positive bacterium and fungi such as , pseudomonas aeruginosa , trichophyton interdigitale strain 640 , staphylococcus aureus , salmonella choleraesius , escherichia coli and other similar microbial contaminants . thus , the present use solutions are effective disinfectants in hospitals , clinics , nursing homes , for cleaning dietary utensils , in industrial food processing plants and institutions , as an algae growth in swimming pools , as a surgical scrub and skin cleanser , and the like . for a more complete understanding of the present invention reference is made to the following examples which are to be construed as exemplifying rather than limitative of the present invention . in the examples all parts are by weight absent indication to the contrary . into a suitable vessel equipped with stirring means was added the following : ingredient amount , pbw______________________________________quaternary ammonium chloride a . sup . ( 1 ) 0 . 050quaternary ammonium chloride b . sup . ( 2 ) 0 . 025quaternary ammonium chloride c . sup . ( 3 ) 0 . 050chelating agent . sup . ( 4 ) 0 . 090 0 . 215______________________________________ these ingredients were then mixed to form a homogeneous mixture of active ingredients . this active ingredient was then blended with the following inert ingredients . ______________________________________ingredient amount , pbw______________________________________amphoteric surfactant . sup . ( 5 ) 4 . 780glycerine , as an emollient 4 . 070anionic surfactant . sup . ( 6 ) 0 . 148chelating agent . sup . ( 7 ) 0 . 108water 90 . 779 99 . 785______________________________________ the resulting product was a disinfecting composition in accordance with the present invention . 1 . an n - alkyl ( c 12 5 %, c 14 60 %, c 16 30 %, c 18 5 %) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride ; 2 . an n - alkyl ( c 12 50 %, c 14 30 %, c 16 17 %, c 18 3 %) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride ; 3 . an n - alkyl ( c 12 68 %, c 14 32 %) dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride ; the product of example i was mixed with water containing 500 parts per million aoac synthetic hard water to prepare a use solution thereof . the use solution , which contained 200 ppm of the mixture of alkylated benzalkonium chlorides , was then tested for effectiveness against staphylococcus aureus atcc no . 6538 . the test method employed was a modification of the official methods of analysis of the aoac , eleventh edition , chapter 4 , paragraphs 4 . 023 - 4 . 032 , using platings of 10 . sup . - 3 , 10 . sup . - 4 and 10 . sup . - 5 dilution of the culture and a five - minute exposure period . in addition to the product of example i , similar tests were conducted using a sample of the product of example i which was approximately one year old , and a sample which was heated to about 90 ° f . after five minutes each sample demonstrated greater than 99 . 999 percent kill off of the inoculum , thus , evidencing the efficacy of the instant product .	0
hereinafter , the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to attached drawings : referring to fig1 a , 1 b , fig2 and fig3 a , 3 b simultaneously , the socket stand for extension wires for use in outdoor garden and lawn comprises a main body 1 of the socket stand , a shaped pull lever 2 , a conical sustainer 3 , a photo emission equipment 4 , a light focusing plate 5 , an insulated transparent cover 6 , a main switch 7 for power supply , and a shielding cover 8 for individual socket . the main body 1 further includes a front case 11 and a rear case 12 combined together . semi - circular recessed slots 113 , 124 having screw threads on their inner surfaces are formed at the respective bottoms of both the front and the rear cases 11 and 12 . two grooves 112 and 113 are formed along respective bonding side edges of the front and the rear cases 11 , 12 for two sliding portions 21 a and 21 b at both lower ends of the shaped pull lever 2 to slide along . an opening 122 is provided on the surface of the rear case 12 for engaging several stoppers 51 protruded out of the circumference of the light focusing plate 5 with corresponding engaging holes 1221 disposed around the edge of the opening 122 such that the light focusing plate 5 is able to stride thereover and fixed to the rear case 12 . the main switch 7 is mounted over another opening 111 formed on the surface of the front case and protected by an insulated transparent cover 6 so as to ensure water tightness and reliable electrical insulation . the socket 9 is also protected by a shielding cover 8 so that the socket 9 can be shielded at the time it is not in use thereby it is protected from possible injury to a third person or infringement of foreign substances . the photo emission equipment 4 , which including a photo emission element 41 and a photo sensor 42 , is located at the back of the surface where the main switch 7 and the sockets 9 are disposed such that it is accommodated in the main body 1 . when the photo emission equipment 4 is located in a dark place so that the senser 41 can not detect light , the photo emission element 42 which belongs to a high intensity led functions to emit light for illuminating the surrounding . as the front and the rear cases 11 and 12 are combined together , two sliding portions 21 a and 21 b at both lower ends of the shaped pull lever 2 are able to slide along two grooves 112 and 113 formed at the two sides of the main body 1 . when the two cases 11 and 12 are fitted each other , the photo emission element 42 aligns with the light focusing plate 5 mounted on the rear case 12 thereby the brightness of light is intensified . the light focusing plate 5 is made water tight and the sensor 41 exposedly mounted on a circular hole 121 formed on the rear case 2 . there are two semi - circular recessed slots 113 and 114 having screw threads on their inner surfaces formed at the respective bottoms of the two cases 1 and 12 joining into a resultant threaded hole for screw combining with an upper threaded portion 32 of the conical sustainer 3 so that the socket stand is able to stand on the ground of lawn or garden by insertion of the conical sustainer 3 thereinto . meanwhile , a warning mark 31 is provided at a proper height on the conical sustainer 3 to warn the user in the case the conical sustainer 3 is inserted too much into the ground so as to prevent water infringement to the socket stand . as a result , danger of short circuit is eliminated . fig4 a and 4b are embodiment of the removable socket stand according to the present invention . as shown in fig4 the main body 1 can be made fixedly standing on muddy ground 10 or on lawn with the conical sustainer 3 inserted thereinto such that the main body 1 is isolated from the puddles on the ground and the user &# 39 ; s security is assured . in the evening , the surrounding is illuminated by the photo emission element 42 , and moreover , brightness is further intensified by the light focusing function of the light focusing plate 5 so as to help the night work . when it is intended to pull out the main body 1 from the ground 10 , the user may draw it up by grasping the shaped pull lever 2 without directly touching the main body 1 to prevent possible danger . from the above description , it is understood that with the function of a plurality of attached elements , the shaped pull lever , the conical sustainer , the insulated transparent cover on the main switch , the shielding cover for individual socket , the removable socket stand for extension wires of the present invention can successfully protect the user &# 39 ; s security from an electric hazard . in addition , the photo emission equipment together with the light focusing plate is able to help performing night work securely and efficiently . other embodiments of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art in light of above disclosure . it is of course also understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be limited by the foregoing description , but only by the following claims .	7
the embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting in scope . while the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity , it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the construction and the arrangement of its components without departing from the scope of the invention . it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification . the description of the invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention . in the description , relative terms such as “ front ,” “ rear ,” “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the machine be constructed or the method to be operated in a particular orientation . terms , such as “ connected ,” “ connecting ,” “ attached ,” “ attaching ,” “ join ” and “ joining ” are used interchangeably and refer to one structure or surface being secured to another structure or surface or integrally fabricated in one piece . referring to the figures of the drawings , wherein like numerals of reference designate like elements throughout the several views , and initially to fig1 depicting a sectional view of a downhole filtration tool 10 and downhole equipment used to raise production fluids to the surface . a subterranean well 12 includes a casing 14 which extends from the surface downhole . the casing 14 includes perforations 16 that allow production fluids to pass through the casing 14 . an electrical submersible pump 18 is lowered into the well 12 beneath the level of fluid . the pump 18 is suspended from a string 20 which may be composed of a series of tubes or tubing suspended from the surface , such as from a rig or derrick ( not shown ). the pump 18 includes a motor ( not shown ) that is sealed from the fluids . the motor is powered by electrical energy supplied by an energy source at the surface , such as a generator ( not shown ). the pump 18 is connected to the downhole filtration tool 10 by way of a seating nipple 22 and / or a tubing sub 24 . the pump 18 , the motor , the seating nipple 22 , the tubing sub 24 and other downhole equipment each has an external diameter less than an interior diameter of the casing 14 . downhole fluid enters the filtration tool 10 and is forced by the motor upward through an axial flow passage 26 of the downhole filtration tool 10 to the pump 18 , which draws the fluid through the string 20 to the surface where it is collected in a tank ( not shown ) or otherwise delivered by a pipeline or other known means . fig2 through 10 illustrate the downhole filtration tool 10 having a first end terminating in an upper end fitting 28 , which connects with an intake end of the pump 18 or may be connected to other downhole equipment , such as the tubing sub 24 . as illustrated , the end fitting 28 has a reduced diameter neck 30 with internal threads 32 that are connected to a first terminating end of a mandrel 34 with external threads 36 . a sealing element 38 may be supported within a circular seal groove 40 of the neck 30 , which establish sealing engagement with an external cylindrical sealing surface 42 of the end fitting 28 and an internal cylindrical sealing surface 44 on a first terminating end of a vortex flow disrupter section 46 of the downhole filtration tool 10 . the end fitting 28 is also provided with circular sealing elements or seal assemblies 48 located intermediate of an external , circular stop shoulder 50 of the end fitting 28 and the flow disrupter section 46 . the seal assemblies 48 may be carried within a circular seal groove 52 . the sealing element 38 and / or the sealing assemblies 48 can be constructed from elastomer and polymer materials capable of accomplishing effective sealing at normal to high operating temperatures and at all pressure ranges . the end fitting 28 also includes an internally threaded section 54 that receives an externally threaded section 56 of the tubing sub 24 and other downhole equipment . additionally , the end fitting 28 may include a threadlock channel 58 having internal threads 60 . the downhole filtration tool 10 has a second end terminating in a lower end fitting 62 , which connects with the motor or other downhole equipment . the lower end fitting 62 has a first terminating end with a reduced diameter neck 64 having external threads 68 that are connected to the motor or other downhole equipment . the lower end fitting 62 also includes a second terminating end with a reduced diameter neck 70 having internal threads 72 that are connected to a second terminating end of the mandrel 34 with external threads 74 . similarly to the upper end fitting 28 , the lower end fitting 62 may include a sealing element 76 supported within a circular seal groove 78 of the neck 70 , which establish sealing engagement with an external cylindrical sealing surface 80 of the end fitting 62 and an internal cylindrical sealing surface 82 on a second terminating end of the vortex flow disrupter section 46 of the downhole filtration tool 10 . the end fitting 62 is also provided with circular sealing elements or seal assemblies 84 located intermediate of an external , circular stop shoulder 86 of the end fitting 62 and the flow disrupter section 46 . the seal assemblies 84 may be carried within a circular seal groove 66 . the sealing element 76 and / or the sealing assemblies 84 can be constructed from elastomer and polymer materials capable of accomplishing effective sealing at normal to high operating temperatures and at all pressure ranges . additionally , the end fitting 62 may include a threadlock channel 88 having internal threads 90 . the mandrel 34 is connected intermediate of and juxtaposed between the upper end fitting 28 and the lower end fitting 62 . an interior chamber 98 within the mandrel 34 is axially aligned along the flow passage 26 through the downhole filtration tool 10 . in addition , a central bore 97 in the upper end fitting 28 and a central bore 99 in the lower end fitting 62 have opposing generally planar axial or open ends that are axially aligned and coaxially spaced along the flow passage 26 . the mandrel 34 includes the first terminating end with external threads 36 and the second terminating end with external threads 74 . in addition , the first terminating end and / or the second terminating end of the mandrel 34 include a mandrel threadlock 92 and 94 , which is axially aligned with the threadlock channel 58 in the upper end fitting 28 and the threadlock channel 88 in the lower end fitting 62 , respectively . the mandrel 34 includes a plurality of diametrical perforations 96 along its length to permit fluids to pass from the well 12 into the interior chamber 98 within the mandrel 34 . the perforations 96 may be round as illustrated or may be slotted or a combination of holes and slots that are punched or drilled through the mandrel 34 . the mandrel 34 may be fabricated from investment cast precipitation - hardening corrosion - resistant steel , such carbon steel accompanied with steel upper and lower end fittings 28 and 62 . a removable filter element 100 concentrically surrounds the mandrel 34 . a separating annulus 102 is formed between the filter element 100 and the mandrel 34 , and the upper end fitting 28 and the lower end fitting 62 close a first terminating end and a second terminating end of the annulus 102 . the filter element 100 includes a plurality of angularly biased passages 104 extending upwardly at an angle 106 of approximately 10 degrees and approximately tangentially 108 in relation to the annulus 102 . if the filter element 100 becomes clogged or damaged , the filter element 100 may be removed and replaced as necessary . in addition , the filter element 100 may be constructed as single standalone elements or as stackable elements . a first end and a second end of the filter element 100 each respectively terminate with the vortex flow disrupter section 46 . the flow disrupter section 46 is constructed of a rigid resin that forms a terminal end collar . the inner periphery of the disrupter section 46 may include an annular shoulder 118 that contacts the neck 30 of the end fitting 28 . the filter element 100 is an open weave fiberglass filter constructed to withstand very high or low ph environments as well as elevated temperatures and high pressure differentials . the filter element is constructed of a polymeric composite that is reinforced by a continuous fiber such as glass , carbon , or aramid , for example , having a porosity of between about 33 % to about 43 % per linear foot . the individual fibers are typically layered parallel to each other , and wound layer upon layer . however , each individual layer is wound at an angle of about 45 degrees to provide additional strength and stiffness to the composite material in high temperature and pressure downhole conditions . the polymeric composite may be polyurethane , a phenolic , an epoxy resin , such as a low viscosity , liquid epoxy resin manufactured from bisphenol a or f and epichlorohydrin ( e . g ., epon ™ resin 862 , momentive specialty chemicals , inc .) or a blended epoxy resin . prepreg strands and rovings ( e . g ., advantax ®, owens corning composite materials , llc ; 346 type 30 ® roving , owens corning composite materials , llc ) can also be used to form a matrix or the fibers can be wet wound . a post cure process may be performed to achieve greater strength of the material , and heat can be added during the curing process to provide the appropriate reaction energy to drive the cross - linking of the matrix to completion . the composite may also be exposed to ultraviolet light or a high - intensity electron beam to provide the reaction energy to cure the polymeric composite . the foregoing materials are merely examples that may be utilized in constructing the downhole filtration tool 10 and other materials may be employed to suit the particular usage of the downhole filtration tool 10 . referring now to fig1 through 13 illustrating an embodiment of the downhole filtration tool 10 having an additional tight meshed screen or other filter media 110 positioned within the separating annulus 102 . the screen 110 may be constructed from stainless steel , a meta - aramid fiber ( e . g ., nomex ®, du pont ) or a meta - aramid fiber blended with a para - aramid , antistatic or other synthetic fibers . the screen 110 may be supported by a mesh standoff 112 along the perforations 96 of the mandrel 34 . in addition , the terminating ends of the screen 110 may include a double fold 114 . terminating ends of the screen 110 and the mesh standoff 112 may be respectively secured to the mandrel 34 above the uppermost and below the lowermost perforations 96 by a suitable easily removable tape , band , strap or the like 116 . as illustrated , the filter element 100 , the screen 110 and the mesh standoff 112 concentrically surround the mandrel 34 . during operation , fluid from the well 12 will sequentially flow through the perforations 16 in the casing 14 , through the filter element 100 , through the screen 110 , if present , and / or the mesh standoff 112 , through the perforations 96 in the mandrel 36 , through the interior chamber 98 of the mandrel 36 and through the upper end fitting 28 to an intake nut ( not shown ) and the pump 18 . the casing perforations 16 will filter out larger solids and the filter element 100 will filter out smaller sand and other solid particles . the screen 110 and the standoff 112 , if present , prevent loss of filter media through the perforations ( 16 ). whereas , the embodiments have been described in relation to the drawings , it should be understood that other and further modifications , apart from those shown or suggested herein , may be made within the scope of this invention .	4
referring to the drawing and to fig1 in particular , shown therein and generally designated by the reference character 10 is an automotive hoist constructed in accordance with the invention . the automotive hoist 10 is of the two - post type , that is , it includes identical pistons 12 and 14 that are telescopically arranged with respect to identical cylinders 16 and 18 . the cylinders 16 and 18 are positioned below the surface of the ground . although , not shown , it will be understood that an appropriate system is provided for causing the telescoping of the pistons 12 and 14 within the cylinders 16 and 18 . at the upper end of the pistons 12 and 14 is a superstructure that is generally designated by the reference character 20 . the superstructure 20 is provided to engage the underside of the automotive vehicle to be lifted by the hoist 10 . mounted on the hoist 10 , and externally of the piston 12 and cylinder 16 , is a rack gear 22 . the rack gear 22 is arranged to move with the piston 12 and extends through a housing 24 , which is mounted on the cylinder 16 . the housing 24 contains a pinion gear ( not shown ) that is in mesh with the rack gear 22 . similarly , a rack gear 26 is mounted externally of the piston 14 in the cylinder 18 . the rack gear 26 is mounted for movement with the piston 14 and extends through a safety latch assembly 27 . the latch assembly 27 includes a housing 28 that is mounted on the cylinder 18 . the housing 28 has a pinion gear 30 therein that is in mesh with the rack gear 26 . the pinion gear 30 in the housing 28 and the pinion gear in the housing 24 are mounted on a shaft 32 that extends therebetween . the mounting of the two pinion gears on the shaft 30 , in mesh with the rack gears 22 and 26 , assures that the pistons 12 and 14 move in concert . the foregoing description makes reference to the two - post hoist 10 as shown in fig1 . however , it should be understood that the safety latch apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention herein can be utilized in conjunction with a single - post hoist as well as with the two - post hoist 10 illustrated . fig2 and 4 show , in more detail , the structure of the safety latch assembly 27 . in addition to the housing 28 , the pinion gear 30 and the shaft 32 , the latch assembly 27 also includes a slip clutch mechanism 34 that is located on one end of the shaft 32 . in order to make the slip clutch 34 operate properly , the end of the shaft has been formed into a square as is shown more clearly in fig3 . friction discs 36 and 38 are provided with square holes to fit the end of the shaft 32 so that the discs rotate therewith . located between the friction discs 36 and 38 is a latch operating member 40 that is provided with a circular hole 42 ( see fig3 ) which is sized to receive the rectangular end of the shaft and to rotate thereon . since the latch operating member 40 has the circular hole 42 , it is not connected to the shaft 32 except frictionally through the friction discs 36 and 38 . referring again to fig2 it can be seen that a compression spring 44 encircles the shaft 32 . the spring 44 has one end disposed in engagement with the friction disc 38 and the opposite end disposed in engagement with a washer 46 that is held in place on the shaft 32 by a threaded nut 48 . the end of the shaft 32 is provided with threads 50 to permit the adjustment of the nut 48 inwardly and outwardly to vary the force exerted by the spring 44 on the friction disc 38 . the spring 44 thus provides the force to cause the latch operating member 40 to be moved by the friction discs 36 and 38 . referring to fig3 it can be seen that a stop pin 52 is located in the housing 28 in a position to engage the latch operating member 40 . the engagement of the pin 52 in the latch operating member 40 limits the rotational movement of the latch operating member 40 in one direction . since the clip clutch 34 is provided , the pinion 30 can continue to rotate even though the latch operating member 40 is held from rotating by the stop pin 52 . in fig3 it can also be seen that the lower end of the latch operating member 40 is pivotally connected with an elongated connecting member 54 . the connecting member 54 extends from the latch operating member 40 to a generally u - shaped latch dog 56 that is pivotally supported in the housing 28 by a pivot pin 58 . the pivot pin 58 is disposed on the side of the rack gear 26 opposite to the teeth thereon so that the latch dog 56 is &# 34 ; overcenter &# 34 ; with respect to the rack gear 26 . the connecting member 54 extends through an opening in a bracket 60 that is mounted on the latch dog 56 . the connecting member 54 is slidable with relation to the bracket 60 , but is prevented from being moved outwardly therethrough by an enlargement 62 formed on the free end of the connecting member 54 . a compression spring 64 encircles the connecting member 54 and is disposed between a shoulder on the connecting member 54 and the bracket 60 to resiliently bias the latch dog 56 relatively toward the rack gear 26 . in operation of the lift 10 , a car or other vehicle ( not shown ) would be placed on or over the superstructure 20 . the hoist power system ( not shown ) is activated to provide fluid to the hoist raising the pistons 12 and 14 relative to the cylinders 16 and 18 and , thus , lifting the vehicle . the safety latch assembly 27 is engaged with the rack 26 by positioning the latch operating member 40 in the position shown in fig3 and 5 . with the operating member 40 in the position illustrated , the connecting member 54 extends through the bracket 60 on the latch dog 56 so that the compression spring 64 thereon biases the latch dog 56 into engagement with the rack gear 26 . in this position , the tooth on the latch dog is in engagement with one of the teeth in the rack gear 26 . as the rack gear 26 moves upwardly with the piston 14 , the latch dog 56 is biased relatively away from the rack gear 26 due to the angle of the teeth thereon . stated in another way , the rack gear 26 &# 34 ; ratchets &# 34 ; upwardly . such ratcheting action is possible due to the location of the pivot pin 58 on the latch dog 56 . in other words , clockwise rotation of the latch dog 56 tends to move the latch dog 56 relatively away from the rack gear 26 , but the latch dog 56 engages each tooth of the rack gear 26 placing the safety latch assembly 27 in position to function in the event of a failure of the power system in all positions of the hoist 10 . it will be seen that any attempt of the rack gear 26 to move downwardly causes the latch dog 56 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot pin 58 which tends to bring the latch dog 56 into tighter engagement with the rack gear 26 thus locking the rack gear 26 and preventing downward movement of the piston 14 . as shown in fig6 the downward movement of the rack gear 26 relative to the cylinder 18 and the safety latch assembly 27 , rotates the spur gear 30 , which forms part of the safety latch assembly 27 , in a clockwise direction and through the slip clutch 34 rotates the latch operating member 40 in a direction to pull the latch dog 56 out of engagement with the rack gear 26 . however , it will be noted that considerable distance or &# 34 ; lost motion &# 34 ; is provided between the latch dog 56 and the abutment 62 on the latch connecting member 54 . thus , the &# 34 ; lost motion &# 34 ; permits the latch operating member 40 to rotate slightly in a clockwise direction as shown in fig6 without disengaging the latch dog 56 from the rack gear 26 . the length of the lost motion has been designed so that the self - energizing forces between the latch dog 56 and the rack gear 26 occur prior to the engagement of the enlargement 62 on the latch connecting member 54 with the latch dog 56 . accordingly , the latch assembly 27 is constantly engaged with the rack gear 26 and in a position to prevent downward movement of the rack gear 26 in the event of a power failure . in fig7 the latch operating member 40 has been moved in a clockwise direction until the enlarged portion 62 on the latch connecting member 54 engages the latch dog 56 . when this occurs , the latch dog 56 is manually moved out of engagement with the rack gear 26 so that the piston 14 can be lowered relative to the cylinder 18 . stated another way , manual disengagement of the latch dog 56 from the rack gear 26 permits the superstructure 20 and the vehicle mounted thereon to be lowered . it should be pointed out that because of the self - energizing characteristic of the latch dog 56 and the rack gear 26 upon downward movement of the rack gear 26 , it may be necessary to move the rack gear 26 slightly upwardly to relieve the load on the latch dog 56 before the latch operating member 40 can be moved to the position illustrated in fig7 . as mentioned earlier , the shaft 32 connects the spur gear 30 in the safety latch assembly 27 with a similar spur gear located in the housing 24 which is mounted on the cylinder 16 . since the gears are mounted on a common shaft , both the pinion 12 and the piston 14 will be lowered or raised simultaneously , thus assuring that the superstructure 20 remains level to prevent dropping the vehicle located thereon . from the foregoing , it will be apparent that a hoist having an improved safety latch apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention will operate at any elevated stage of the hoist and that such operation is fully automatic not necessitating the manual actuation by the hoist operator after the initial engagement of the safety latch mechanism . the improved safety latch apparatus is relatively simple and requires little or no maintenance during its operating life . it will also be apparent from the foregoing that the embodiment of safety latch apparatus described in detail hereinbefore is presented by way of example only and that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	1
the high - temperature lubricant composition according to the invention surprisingly exhibits excellent lubricating and separation properties as a lubricant which can be universally employed in relation to a very wide range of qualities of steel in hot shaping , in particular in rolling processes for the production of seamless pipes . the lubricant according to the invention is stable at high temperatures , provides constant rolled products when dealing with the most widely varying qualities of steel and with changing wall thicknesses , and , in spite of the high carbon or graphite content , does not lead to cementation phenomena to a relatively high degree , which damage the rolled material . the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention has the substantial advantage over previously known lubricants for the hot shaping of metals that only a single lubricant composition needs to be used in a rolling mill for the most widely varying qualities of steel . by virtue thereof , upon a change in the kind of steel in the working process , long interruptions in production , an increased amount of working expenditure for changing the lubricant and storing different lubricants are avoided . furthermore , by virtue of the fact that the lubricant according to the present invention can be universally employed , there is no need for separate apparatuses for producing , storing and applying further lubricants to be provided in a rolling mill . that means that a considerable cost saving can be achieved . the graphite with its excellent lubricating properties is contained in the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention , in relation to the solids content , in an amount of 40 to 90 % by weight . with an amount of less than 40 % by weight graphite , the lubricating properties of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention are inadequate , the drive forces for the outside tools are increased and the material which is to be shaped ‘ flows ’ too little . with an amount of more than 90 % by weight graphite it is not possible to guarantee an adequate separation effect between the rolled material and the mandrel bar . in particular high - grade steels have a tendency to adhere to the tools . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the high - temperature lubricant contains 50 to 80 % by weight graphite with respect to the solids content . in a further preferred embodiment of the invention the graphite used in the high - temperature lubricant is crystalline or macrocrystalline graphite , preferably crystalline or macrocrystalline natural graphite . the use of amorphous graphite has proven to be inappropriate as the lubricating properties of the high - temperature lubricant become worse when using amorphous graphite and that has a directly detrimental effect on the service life of the tool . the use of spheroidal graphite has been found to be completely unsuitable . in a further preferred embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention the graphite has a purity & gt ; 90 %, preferably & gt ; 95 %, with respect to the carbon content of the graphite . the use of graphite with a purity of less than 90 % has proven to be inappropriate as the attendant substances and impurities promote the formation of cementation effects with a simultaneous reduction in the lubricating action by virtue of the lower graphite content in the composition . a crystalline natural graphite which is suitable in accordance with the invention usually has a purity of about 96 %. in a further embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention the graphite has a mean particle size ( d50 ) of 5 to 40 μm , preferably 10 to 25 μm . the use of graphite with a mean particle size of less than 5 μm is unsuitable as there is no longer sufficient flake structure and that results in a lesser lubricating effect . the use of graphite with a mean particle size of more than 40 μm is unsuitable as that entails flake sizes with which disadvantages occur in handling , by virtue of a severe tendency to sedimentation . natural graphite of the aforementioned state of purity contains further constituents as impurities or admixed substances such as inter alia silicon in the form of silicon carbide ( sic ) or silicon oxide ( sio 2 ). as silicon carbide and silicon oxide have a strongly abrasive action , an excessively high silicon content in the graphite used in accordance with the invention leads to an undesirably high level of abrasion of the tool and / or the workpiece . in a further preferred embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention therefore the graphite used contains silicon as an impurity or admixture in an amount of not more than 2 . 0 % by weight , preferably not more than 1 . 5 % by weight , particularly preferably not more than 0 . 2 % by weight . the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention contains organic blowing agent in an amount of 2 to 50 % by weight . the organic blowing agent is selected from nitrogen compounds in accordance with the above - specified definition . in a preferred embodiment of the invention the organic blowing agent contains more than 70 % by weight , preferably more than 80 % by weight , particularly preferably more than 90 % by weight , melamine isocyanurate . in a quite particularly preferred feature the organic blowing agent consists of 100 % by weight melamine isocyanurate . the organic blowing agent used in the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention liberates gas at elevated temperatures , preferably temperatures & gt ; 350 ° c ., and thus forms a gas cushion between the tool and the workpiece during shaping of the workpiece at the usual shaping temperatures . gas formation is effected either by decomposition of the organic blowing agent , by sublimation or both . an amount of less than 2 % by weight of organic blowing agent leads to inadequate gas formation or gas liberation so that an adequate gas cushion cannot be formed between the tool and the workpiece . an amount of more than 50 % of organic blowing agent is unfavourable as that can involve an uncontrolledly high level of gas formation and consequential disturbance in the rolling process by gas expansion . melamine isocyanurate is quite particularly suitable for that purpose . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the high - temperature lubricant contains organic blowing agent in an amount of 3 to 10 % by weight , preferably 4 to 6 % by weight . an amount of about 5 % by weight organic blowing agent has proven to be particularly suitable . the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention further contains a sheet silicate or a mixture of sheet silicates as an inorganic separation agent in an amount of 5 to 50 % by weight . a proportion of the inorganic separation agent in an amount of less than 5 % by weight is inappropriate as an adequate separation effect is not achieved . an amount of more than 50 % by weight of inorganic separation agent leads to a reduced lubricating action . in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention the high - temperature lubricant contains inorganic separation agent in an amount of 10 to 40 % by weight , preferably 15 to 30 % by weight . in a further preferred embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention the inorganic separation agent is selected from kaolinite , antigorite , hydrohalloysite , serpentine , greenalite , pyrophyllite , talc , margarite , vermiculite , sudoite and chlorite . particularly preferred are kaolinite and antigorite alone or as a mixture . in a further particularly preferred embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention the inorganic separation agent is selected from the group of alkali - free aqueous sheet silicates with a double - single sheet such as for example kaolinite , antigorite and halloysite . the clay mineral kaolinite , an aluminium hydrosilicate of the general formula al 2 [ si 2 o 5 ( oh ) 4 ] is quite particularly preferred among the sheet silicates . kaolin is obtained either by elutriation of the argillaceous rock kaolin or synthetically from polysilicic acid and aluminium hydroxide . as kaolins predominantly consist of the mineral kaolinite ( about 88 %) kaolin can also be used in place of pure kaolinite in specific implementations of the present invention . the advantage of using the argillaceous rock kaolin is the lower costs for the raw material in comparison with the use of pure or for example synthetically produced kaolinite . in accordance with the invention therefore kaolin is preferably used . in comparison however the higher purity of the mineral kaolinite or the highest possible purity of the synthetically produced kaolinite can also be desired for the purposes of more exact reproducibility of products of uniform quality . in a further preferred embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention the inorganic separation agent has a mean particle size ( d50 ) of 0 . 5 to 15 μm , preferably 1 to 10 μm , particularly preferably 1 to 7 μm . smaller particle sizes than 0 . 5 μm suffer from the disadvantage that agglomerate formation of the raw material takes place and that cannot be homogenised sufficiently well in the powder mixture . particle sizes of more than 15 μm suffer from the disadvantage that as a result the separation action of the separation agent is partially superposed by an abrasion effect , which has a detrimental action , and in addition it is not possible to produce a homogeneous mixture when greatly different particles sizes are involved . in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention the high - temperature lubricant contains 1 to 20 % by weight organic adhesive which is selected from alkylene homopolymers and copolymers . the adhesive can be suspended in water and forms on the substrate ( tool and / or workpiece ) a film which contributes to the other constituents of the composition of the lubricant being held . an amount of less than 1 % by weight of the organic adhesive is inadequate as that means that the layer thicknesses of the lubricant used are reduced to an inadequate value . an amount of more than 20 % of organic adhesive suffers from the disadvantage that the lubricating action is reduced as a result of the missing graphite proportion and the tool service lives are accordingly reduced . in a preferred embodiment of the invention the high - temperature lubricant contains the organic adhesive in an amount of 2 to 10 % by weight , preferably 2 to 5 % by weight . in a further preferred embodiment of the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention the organic adhesive is selected from homo - and copolymers of arylalkenes , α , β - unsaturated acids and esters , β , γ - unsaturated acids and esters , alkenes , vinyl esters , vinyl alcohols , unsaturated dibasic acids and esters , alkyl esters and acyclic acids and esters . quite particularly preferably the organic adhesive is selected from polyethylene , polymethyl methacrylate , polystyrene , polybutadiene , polyvinyl acetate , polyvinyl proprionate , copolymer of methyl methacrylate and styrene , copolymer of methylene methacrylate and alphamethyl styrene , polydiallyl phthalate , polypropylene , copolymer of styrene and butadiene , polymethyl methacrylate , copolymer of vinyl acetate and dibutyl maleinate , copolymer of vinyl acetate and ethylene and polyisobutylene . in a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention the high - temperature lubricant further contains 2 to 15 % by weight inorganic or organic stabiliser , the stabiliser being selected from polysaccharides , alkyl celluloses , hydroxycelluloses and clay minerals . the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention in use is frequently or usually employed in the form of a suspension or dispersion in a liquid , preferably in water . the inorganic stabiliser increases the viscosity in that suspension or dispersion and thus serves as a thickening agent and prevents or reduces sedimentation and thus separation of the other constituents of the high - temperature lubricant . an amount of less than 2 % by weight of the stabiliser is undesirable as then the increase in viscosity is not sufficient to adequately prevent sedimentation of the constituents of the high - temperature lubricant and to ensure homogeneity of the lubricant . an amount of not more than 15 % by weight of the stabiliser leads to an increase in the viscosity of the suspension or dispersion so that it can only be poorly applied to the tool by a spray process . furthermore an excessively high viscosity can adversely affect the formation of a sufficiently cohesive and uniformly thick film of lubricant . in a preferred embodiment of the invention the high - temperature lubricant contains the stabiliser in an amount of 3 to 10 % by weight , preferably 4 to 6 % by weight . particularly preferably the stabiliser is an inorganic material which is selected from clay minerals on a silicate basis or mixtures thereof , preferably from bentonites and organically modified bentonites . quite particularly preferably the stabiliser is selected from clay minerals from the class of smectites , preferably the class of montmorrionites . smectites substantially comprise sheet silicates and by virtue of the structure involved are distinguished by a high cation exchange capability and a high degree of swellability in water . in the class of smectites , montmorrionites are particularly preferably used , which have a swelling capacity ( 1 g of montmorrionite in distilled water ) of 3 to 50 . by virtue of the above - mentioned cation exchange capability the smectites or montmorrionites can be ‘ modified ’ with inorganic or organic cations . the clay minerals advantageously used in the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention are distinguished by excellent binding properties and also enjoy the advantage that , in contrast to organic stabilisers , they are not subject to pyrolysis . furthermore the use of the specified clay minerals leads to a surprisingly fast drying time for the film of lubricant on the workpiece and / or the tool within a few seconds . the use of those stabilisers makes it possible with the lubricant according to the invention to produce a uniform and dry lubricant film on the tool and / or the workpiece within a very short time , even before the tool and the workpiece are brought into contact . desirably , as a commercial product , the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention is prepared in the form of a dry solid material in powder form . it can also be used directly as such a solid material , but it is advantageous for it to be employed in the situation of use in the form of a suspension or dispersion in a liquid , preferably water , with a solids content of 5 to 50 % by weight , preferably 15 to 40 % by weight , particularly preferably 25 to 30 % by weight . in that way the high - temperature lubricant can be uniformly sprayed on to the tool and / or the workpiece . by virtue of the elevated temperature of the tool and / or the workpiece the liquid evaporates and leaves behind a uniform firm coating of the lubricant . it will be appreciated that the high - temperature lubricant according to the invention can also be marketed in the form of such a suspension or dispersion . in a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the solid constituents of the high - temperature lubricant are of a mean particle size & lt ; 200 μm , preferably & lt ; 150 μm , particularly preferably 100 & lt ; mm . if the solid constituents of the high - temperature lubricant are of a greater mean particle size , that suffers from the disadvantage of increased tendency to sedimentation in a suspended form of application . further advantages , features and embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the examples hereinafter . four different lubricant recipes were tested in longitudinal rolling processes . the recipes were each used in the form of 30 % aqueous suspensions . all percentages by weight relate in each case to the solids content . in the longitudinal rolling processes , pipes with thin walls ( wall gauge = 4 . 1 mm ) were produced at mandrel bar temperatures of 80 - 100 ° c . about 90 g of lubricant suspension per m 2 was applied . the flow time of the suspensions in accordance with en - iso 2431 ( 6 mm ) was about 50 sec . the rolling batches included in each case about 50 to 2000 pipes . the materials used were a carbon steel of the quality p110 and an alloyed steel of the quality p91 . the recipes , produced by mixing of the constituents , of the dry lubricants in powder form and the rolling results are set forth in table 1 hereinafter . as thin wall gauges , by virtue of the greater degree of stretching , require better lubrication than thick wall gauges , the results of the lubricating action can also be transferred on to the thick wall range . in a seamless pipe production line in which , after piercing of the preliminary material on a skew rolling mill , elongation of the hollow blocks produced in that way is effected by means of continuously operating , respectively separately driven roll stands on a freely movable tool ( mandrel bar ), the mandrel bar was coated at a temperature of about 110 to 130 ° c . by means of an airless spray installation ( 4 × 0 . 7 / 0 . 9 mm nozzles / 40 - 80 bars ) prior to the operation of elongating the hollow blocks , with the lubricant suspension produced in accordance with recipe 1 from example 1 . the material used was ferritic steel with 9 and 13 % cr respectively and the hollow blocks weighed from 250 to 270 kg and were from 6 to 8 m in length . the shaping temperature was 1150 to 1200 ° c . the wall gauges of the finished pipes were 2 . 7 to 7 . 3 mm , predominantly however 4 . 1 mm , and the outside diameter of the finished pipes was 152 mm at a maximum . seamless pipes of carbon steel were produced on the same production line as in example 2 , while retaining the set installation rolling adjustments . coating of the mandrel bars was effected with the lubricant of recipe 1 from example 1 and in the manner described in example 2 . the material was steel of the quality p110 and p91 respectively and the hollow blocks weighed from 250 to 300 kg and were from 6 . 5 to 8 m in length . the shaping temperature was 1250 to 1280 ° c . the wall gauges of the seamless pipes produced were in the range of 2 . 7 to 4 . 1 mm and the finished pipes were of an outside diameter of 152 mm maximum .	2
embodiments consistent with the present invention are more specifically set forth in the following description with reference to the appended figures . wherever possible , the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts . fig1 shows an exemplary configuration 100 including a data distribution device having a plurality power supplies consistent with an embodiment of the invention . configuration 100 may include a data distribution device 105 , an independent power supply 115 , a remote data distribution device 110 , one or more network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n , and one or more externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n . data distribution device 105 may exchange data with remote data distribution device 110 over a connection through a wall plate 114 . wall plate 114 may be physically attached to wall 112 , and may typically be in local proximity to data distribution device 105 and remote proximity power from independent power supply 115 . additionally , operational power for the data distribution device 105 may be provided by remote data distribution device 110 over the same connection used for data through wall plate 114 . alternately , data distribution device 105 may select power over a dedicated power line connected to independent power supply 115 . data distribution device may make this selection using an internal switch , the details of which are presented below . data distribution device 105 may also exchange data with one or more externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n and with one or more network device 125 - 1 - 125 - n . typically , data distribution device 105 may not provide power to externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n . data may be exchanged may with other devices and / or networks through remote data distribution device 110 , or may be exchanged with other devices directly connected to data distribution device 105 . additionally , data distribution device 105 may provide power to one or more network device 125 - 1 - 125 - n over the same connection used to exchange data . this power originates from the power source data distribution device 105 has selected . moreover , data distribution device 105 may sense the amount of power required by one or more network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n , and provide power accordingly . data distribution device 105 may be any type of network device for distributing data using any physical networking standards and data communication protocols , including , for example , ethernet and tcp / ip . data distribution device 105 may be a switch , a hub , a router , a patch panel , or any other type of network device known by one of ordinary skill in the art . data distribution device 105 may exchange data with remote data distribution device 110 , externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n , and / or network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n using any known physical networking standards and data communication protocols , including , for example , ethernet and / or tcp / ip . data distribution device 105 may exchange data utilizing standard ethernet cables and connectors , such as , for example , cat5 / 5e , and / or cat6 cabling , in conjunction with , for example , standard rj - 45 connectors . data distribution device may operate at 10 / 100 / 1000 mbit / sec data rates for data exchange , and thus , for example , may serve as a so called gigabit switch . data distribution device may select from one of a plurality of power supplies to supply its own internal power , and / or to supply power to one or more network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n . this switching may be performed using relays , transistors , or any other known switching devices . details of one hardware switching approach are presented below in the description of fig3 . for sake of clarity , only two sources of power are illustrated in fig1 . as shown , data distribution device 105 may select power from independent power supply 115 or from remote data distribution device 110 . this selection may be based upon pre - defined logic rules within data distribution device 105 , and can be based upon the source of incoming power and / or the maximum available power from each power source . for example , if only one source of power is present , then data distribution device 105 will utilize that source for internal power . if both remote data distribution device 110 and independent power supply 115 are supplying power , logic within data distribution device may switch to using power from independent power supply 115 to reduce the power draw from remote data distribution device 110 , as it may be powering other devices over other power over ethernet ( poe ) network connections ( not shown ). additionally , data distribution device 105 may provide the appropriate feed - back to remote data distribution device 110 as to how much power it needs to allocate and / or offer to data distribution device 105 . this may be done , for example , using known ieee 802 . 3af techniques by having data distribution device 105 present the appropriate resistive signature to remote data distribution device 110 based upon which power supply was selected . this signature may be in accordance with signatures associated with any class prescribed by 802 . 3af , including class 0 , 1 , 2 , and / or 3 power signatures . data distribution device 105 may obtain power from remote data distribution device 110 operating in any configuration , including midspan and endspan configurations , associated with poe under ieee 802 . 3af . using the selected power supply , data distribution device 105 can subsequently provide power for network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n , if present . independent power supply 115 may supply power to data distribution device 105 using either standard or customized cabling and connectors . remote data distribution device 110 may supply power using the same physical medium used to exchange data . power may be delivered over the physical data connection media using any technique known to one of ordinary skill in the art . such techniques include , for example , techniques and configurations which comply with the ieee 802 . 3af power over ethernet ( poe ) standards , or any other power over data line techniques know in the art . data distribution device 105 may in turn provide power to network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n over the same physical media used to exchange data , and may use ieee 802 . 3af poe standards , or any other power over data line techniques know in the art . in accordance with the 802 . 3af standard , data distribution device 105 may first sense how much power network devices 125 - 1 - 1225 - n require for proper operation , and allocate and / or offer power in accordance with the sensed requirements . techniques used to sense the power requirements are known and may be defined according to ieee 802 . 3af standards , and may include class 0 , 1 , 2 , and / or 3 power signatures . moreover , data distribution device may provide a different power signature to remote distribution device 110 than it receives from one or more network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n . furthermore , the power signature which may be provided by the data distribution device to the remote data distribution device 110 may not depend upon the value or presence of any other power signature request received by the data distribution device 105 from one or more network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n . remote data distribution device 110 may be any type of network device for distribution data ( e . g ., a switch , a hub , a router , and / or a patch panel , etc .) using any known physical networking standards and data communication protocols , including , for example , ethernet and / or tcp / ip typically , remote data distribution device may be housed in a dedicated enclosure ( such as , for example , a “ closet ”), and be used for a high speed communications ( such as , for example , gigabit ethernet ), to serve as an interchange between upstream data communications with other networks and / or network devices ( such as , for example , other local area networks , wide area networks , and / or the internet , possibly through other external switches , routers , firewalls , patch panels , and / or hubs , etc ., which are not shown in fig1 ), and downstream data communication with plurality of downstream network devices ( e . g ., externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n and / or network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n ) through data distribution device 105 . remote data distribution device 110 may have one or more dedicated power sources ( not shown ). remote data distribution device 110 may have a main power source , such as a standard power source driven by ac wall power , or other standard power supplies known in the art . remote data distribution device 110 may also include one or more backup power sources for redundancy or emergency purposes , such as for example , an uninterruptible power supply , which may include generator and / or battery backup , and / or any other type of backup known to those skilled in the art . remote data distribution device 110 may interface with other devices to deliver power utilizing the same physical connection media for which data is exchanged . typically , the physical connection media may be standard ethernet cables and connectors ( such as , for example , cat5 , cat5e , and / or cat6 cabling , using , for example , standard rj - 45 connectors ). power may be delivered over the physical connection media using any technique known to one of ordinary skill in the art . such techniques include , for example , techniques and configurations which comply with the ieee 802 . 3af power over ethernet ( poe ) standards , which include sensing the power requirements of any downstream device requiring power ( for example , data distribution device 105 ) and allocating and / or offering power in accordance with the sensed requirements . such requirements may be defined according to ieee 802 . 3af standards , and may include class 0 , 1 , 2 , and / or 3 power signatures . independent power supply 115 may be any type of power supply known in the art , and can include , for example , ac / dc power converters ( such as , for example , so called “ wall warts ”), dc / dc power converters , switching power supplies , battery power supplies , and / or capacitive power supplies , etc .). while only one independent power supply is shown , one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that various embodiments of the invention could include more than one independent power supply . independent power supply 115 may interface with data distribution device 105 using any method known in the art , including standard and / or custom power cables and connectors . network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n may be any type of networkable device known in the art , using any known physical networking standards and data communication protocols , including , for example , ethernet and tcp / ip . network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n may exchange data using 10 / 100 / 1000 mbit / sec rates using known cabling and connectors ( such as , for example , cat5 , cat5e , and / or cat6 cabling , using , for example , standard rj - 45 connectors ), and may receive operational power supplied by data distribution device 105 using the same cabling and connectors which are used for data exchange . power may be supplied using any known methods , included ieee 802 . 3af poe . network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n may include voice over internet protocol ( voip ) telephones , video cameras , still cameras , wireless access points , and / or remote telemetry data collection devices . externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n may be any type of networkable device known in the art , using any known physical networking standards and data communication protocols , including , for example , ethernet and tcp / ip . network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n may exchange data using 10 / 100 / 1000 mbit / sec rates using known cabling and connectors ( such as , for example , cat5 , cat5e , and / or cat6 cabling , using , for example , standard rj - 45 connectors ). externally powered network devices 120 - 1 - 120 - n may not receive power directly from data distribution device 105 , but will have power supplied to them through an external power supply which is not associated with data distribution device 105 . externally powered network devices 125 - 1 - 125 - n may include personal computers , workstations , and / or laptops , routers , switches and / or hubs . fig2 a depicts a gigabit ethernet switch having selectable power supplies for use with voip telephones in a configuration 200 a having an independent power supply . this configuration includes a closet gigabit switch 210 , a gigabit switch 205 , an independent power supply 115 , a personal computer 220 , and a voip telephone 215 . all of the data communications within this embodiment may utilize ethernet and tcp / ip communication protocols . in configuration 200 a , gigabit switch 205 exchanges data over an ethernet connection , through wall plate 114 , with closet gigabit switch 210 . wall plate 114 may be mounted wall 112 which may be proximately located to gigabit switch 205 , and distally located to closet gigabit switch 210 . closet gigabit switch 210 can serve a number of other connected devices throughout a network with data and power using ieee 802 . 3af poe ( not shown ). gigabit switch 205 may further exchange data with personal computer 220 , and with voip telephone 215 . in one embodiment , gigabit switch 205 may exchange data with personal computer 220 and closet gigabit switch 210 at higher data rates , such as , for example , 1000 mbps . data exchanged between gigabit switch 205 and voip telephone 215 may occur at lower rates , such as , for example , 10 / 100 mbps . because the independent power supply 115 is present in this configuration , gigabit switch 205 may sense power present at independent power supply 115 and select power from this source for use as operational power , and may not select poe power from closet gigabit switch 210 . additionally , gigabit switch 205 may initially determine how much power voip telephone 215 requires using standard 802 . 3af sensing techniques , and subsequently supply power to voip telephone 215 using standard 802 . 3af poe . fig2 b depicts another configuration 200 b of gigabit switch 205 which does not have an independent power supply connected thereto . here , gigabit switch 205 would not sense power coming from the independent power supply , and would then select power from closet gigabit switch 210 . upon initialization , closet gigabit switch can determine how much operation power gigabit switch 210 requires utilizing 802 . 3af techniques , and allocate and supply the appropriate power amount over the same physical connection used for exchanging data . as described above , gigabit switch 205 can in - turn provide power to voip telephone 215 using 802 . 3af , poe as described above , however , in configuration 200 b , the power would be sourced from closet gigabit switch 210 . as described above gigabit switch 205 may initially determine how much power voip telephone 215 requires using standard 802 . 3af sensing techniques , and subsequently supply the requested power thereto . the operation of gigabit switch 205 with respect data communication would be the same as described above for configuration 200 a shown in fig2 a . one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciated that configuration 200 b may also include the case where independent power supply 115 is present , but for whatever reason ( s ), is not providing power to gigabit switch 205 . in this case , power from closet gigabit switch 210 may serve as backup power for the independent power supply . one practical advantage of configurations 200 a and 200 b is that they can permit high speed network communications with pc 220 , while permitting the user to maintain the use of existing voip telephones which may have an internal switches operating at lower bit rates . this permits high speed communications for pc 220 through a relatively inexpensive upgrade by adding gigabit switch 205 , while preserving the investment in the existing , slower speed voip telephone 215 . in other words , this allows the user to upgrade pc 220 , while avoiding having to upgrade to a relatively more expensive voip telephone having a high speed internal switch . a practical advantage of gigabit switch 205 having the capability of selecting different power supplies is that it affords greater operational reliability to voip telephone 215 . for example , independent power supply 115 may be utilized if closet gigabit switch 210 does not offer poe , or in the event its poe capabilities are overburdened by other connected devices . also , independent power supply may be provided as a battery backup by the user in the event close gigabit switch 210 has a failure and cannot supply poe . fig3 shows a further detail of gigabit switch 205 consistent with an embodiment of the invention . gigabit switch 205 may exchange data through uplink port 320 , unpowered port 310 , and powered port 315 . these ports may be any type of data port known in the art , and can include , for example , rj - 45 connectors . data exchanged through uplink port 320 may originate from closet gigabit switch 210 and may operate at lower and higher data rates , such as , for example , 10 / 100 / 1000 mbps . one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that closet gigabit switch 210 may be any type of data distribution device . once presented at uplink port 320 , data from closet switch 210 may pass through poe controller 360 and then through an impedance matching circuit 335 , and then onto data distributor module 305 . data exchanged through unpowered port 310 may originate from personal computer 220 which may also operate at lower and higher data rates , such as , for example , 10 / 100 / 1000 mbps . one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that personal computer 220 may be any type of network based device . once presented at uplink port 310 , data from personal computer 220 may then pass through an impedance matching circuit 325 prior to being exchanged with data distributor module 305 . data exchanged through powered port 315 may originate from voip telephone 215 which may operate at lower data rates , such as for example , 10 / 100 mbps . one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that voip telephone may also be any type of networked device . once presented at powered port 315 , data from voip telephone 215 may pass through an impedance matching circuit 330 and then onto data distributor module 305 . data distributor module 305 may serve as an ethernet switch which directs packets based upon their , mac addresses and various routing tables and / or rules . additionally , data distributor module 305 may also implement the features of a so called multi - layer switch , and provide routing based on vlans and the ip addresses themselves . a process controller 340 may provide one or more control signals to data distributor module for purposes configuration and operating parameters , either at initialization time or during the course of normal operation of the system . data distributor module 305 may take the form of an integrated circuit and be any type of data distributor module known in the art , including multi - port gigabit ethernet switch controllers . process controller 340 may also receive signals from power detectors 350 and 355 which may indicate a source of power , and based upon these signals , process controller may select a power source through switch 380 . power detectors may be either voltage or current detectors , and may be of any appropriate type known to one of ordinary skill in the art . over uplink port 320 , power may be received using ieee 802 . 3af poe standards , which can be supplied by closet gigabit switch 210 . if power is present at this port , power detector 350 , which may connected to outputs coming from poe controller 360 , will sense the power signal from uplink port 320 , and send a signal notifying process controller 340 that the closet gigabit switch 210 is providing a power signal . similarly , power detector 355 may sense a power signal provided by independent power supply 115 , which may be fed power through standard a / c wall socket over plug and connector 390 . power sensor 355 will then send a signal to process controller 340 that independent power supply 115 is providing a power signal which may be used for operational power . as discussed above , independent power supply could be any known power source , and additional independent power supplies may be utilized , along with additional power sensors , to accommodate additional power supply sources . process controller 340 may then exercise various logic to determine which power supply to select . such logic may be in the form of a program stored in on - board memory ( not shown ) within the process controller . process controller and memory may be of any type known to one of ordinary skill in the art , and include . one form of logic which may be used could be to have process controller 340 use either poe power from uplink port 320 , or power from independent power supply 115 , if only one of which is present . if both are sources are present , process controller 340 may select power from independent power supply 115 in order to minimize any aggregate poe power draw closet gigabit switch 210 may experience . details of the logic which may be used in this embodiment are further presented below in the description of fig4 . one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that other logic schemes may be used in accordance with the invention . once process controller 340 determines which power supply to select , the selection may occur by process controller 340 sending a command signal to switch 380 . switch 380 may be a relay , one or more transistors , or any other type of switch which may be controlled by an electronic signal . if process controller 340 selects independent power supply 115 , it may open switch 380 so that current flows through a diode assembly 385 to a power sourcing equipment ( pse ) controller and power controller 370 , hereinafter referred to as pcpc 370 . if process controller 340 selects poe power over uplink port 320 , process controller 340 may close switch 380 , and current from uplink port 320 will flow through diode assembly 385 into pcpc 370 . note that the voltage of independent power supply 115 may be chosen so , that if the independent power supply 115 is present and providing power , the appropriate diodes are back - biased , allowing current to flow from uplink port 320 into pcpc 370 , and blocking current from independent power supply 115 . process controller 340 may provide a signal to poe controller 360 in order to provide feedback to closet gigabit switch 210 regarding how much power to allocate and supply to gigabit switch 205 . poe controller 360 may set up a signature resistance in accordance with ieee 802 . 3af , to signal a class 0 , 1 , 2 , and / or 3 power signatures . the signature resistance may be sensed by closet gigabit switch 210 during initialization so the appropriate amount of power is provided to gigabit switch 205 . moreover , close gigabit switch 210 may provide power in any configuration permitted under 802 . 3af , including , but not limited to endspan and / or midspan configurations . poe controller 360 may take the form of an integrated circuit , or any other form known to one of ordinary skill in the art . the poe controller may signal the process controller various conditions , which may include normal status , overload , instability of voltage source , voltage sag and others . additionally , the process controller may calculate the total power needed by switch 205 and provide that information to the poe controller 360 so that the poe controller 360 may report that information back to the closet switch in accordance with ieee 802 . 3af or any other appropriate standards . process controller 340 may also provide control signals to pcpc 370 which may include instructions for providing the appropriate amount of power to voip telephone 215 . initially , pcpc 370 may first sense the power voip telephone 215 is requesting by measuring the signature resistance presented at powered port 315 by voip telephone 215 . this may be done in accordance with poe standard 802 . 3af . once the power signature is requested , which may be class 0 , 1 , 2 , or 3 , process controller 340 may instruct the power controller in pcpc 370 to provide powered port 315 with the appropriate amount of power for use by voip telephone 215 . this power may be provided over powered port 315 using poe . the pse controller may collect requested powering information from the device ( 215 ) connected to powered port 315 and report that information to process controller 340 for various purposes , including to report back to the closet switch 210 via poe controller 360 for power of switch 205 . in addition to receiving power from either uplink port 320 via closet gigabit switch 210 or independent power supply 115 , pcpc 370 may also receive initialization power from optional energy store 375 . optional energy store 375 provides initialization power to gigabit switch 250 for a short period of time so that it may perform the power supply selection . because only a small amount of power needs to be provided for a short period of time ( for example , on the order of milliseconds ), optional energy source does not have to supply a large amount of energy , and can take the form of a battery , a capacitor , or any other appropriate storage device known in the art . fig4 depicts logic flow 400 consistent with an embodiment of the invention . this diagram shows an exemplary sequence gigabit switch 205 may execute in order to select a power supply . this logic sequence may assume that an administrator &# 39 ; s overall power management strategy for a network is to minimize the power draw from closet gigabit switch 210 , and have independent power supply 115 selected whenever its power signal is detected , so other devices connected to closet gigabit switch 210 may benefit from sourcing power utilizing poe . one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate other logic sequences may be performed to accomplish other power management strategies . one of ordinary skill in the art would also appreciate that , since a power supply has yet to be selected , the logic 400 would be accomplished by the components in gigabit switch 205 using power supplied by optional energy store 375 . initially , process controller 340 may scan each power detector 350 and 355 for an active power signal ( s 410 ). process controller 340 may then make the determination if power is present on power detector 355 , which monitors power signals coming from independent power supply 115 ( s 415 ). if power is present on power detector 355 , process controller 340 may source power from independent power supply 115 ( s 420 ). this can be accomplished by having process controller 340 send a signal to switching circuit 380 to open and prevent current from flowing from uplink port 320 . process controller 340 may then send another signal to poe controller 360 , which can set a signature resistance on uplink port 320 ( in accordance with ieee 802 . 3af standards ) for signaling closet gigabit switch 210 that gigabit switch 205 does not require any power over the data line through uplink port 320 ( s 425 ). alternatively , if in step s 415 , power detector 350 signals process controller 340 that power is present on uplink port 320 , process controller 340 may send a signal to poe controller 360 to configure the signature resistance across uplink port 320 , so that it will signal closet gigabit switch 210 to allocate and offer power to gigabit switch 205 ( s 430 ). the amount of power offered may depend on the value of the signature resistance value presented by poe controller 360 ( which may be based upon ieee 802 . 3af standards ). process controller 340 may then source power from the closet gigabit switch 210 over uplink port 320 ( s 435 ). this may occur by having process controller 340 signal switching circuit 380 to close , thus allowing current to flow though diode arrangement 385 . independent power supply 115 may be configured so that the two diodes in series with its current supply will be back - biased when power is being supplied through uplink port 320 , thus providing a way to economically and effectively block the power being supplied by independent power supply 115 . although detailed embodiments and implementations of the present invention have been described above , it should be apparent that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention .	7
although the present invention is described below by way of various embodiments that include specific structures and methods , embodiments that include alternative structures and methods may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein . in general , embodiments described below feature a network - based application that collects remote network connection performance data and modifies a priority list of network connection points based on the collected data . a preferred embodiment of the present invention features a network - based application for monitoring quality of remote network connections . before describing embodiments of the present invention in detail , it may be helpful to discuss some of the concepts on which the present invention is based . a component of one embodiment of the present invention is a computer server . servers are computer programs that provide some service to other programs , called clients . a client 505 and server 510 of fig5 communicate by means of message passing often over a network 500 , and use some protocol , ( i . e ., a set of formal rules describing how to transmit data ), to encode the client &# 39 ; s requests and / or responses and the server &# 39 ; s responses and / or requests . the server may run continually waiting for client &# 39 ; s requests and / or responses to arrive or some higher level continually running server that controls a number of specific servers may invoke it . client - server communication is analogous to a customer ( client ) sending an order ( request ) on an order form to a supplier ( server ) dispatching the goods and an invoice ( response ). the order form and invoice are part of the protocol used to communicate in this case . another component of one embodiment the present invention is an internet service provider ( isp ). an isp is a service that provides access to the internet . for a monthly fee , a service provider gives a customer a software package , username , password and internet access phone number . equipped with a modem ( e . g ., a dial - up , dsl , isdn or wireless ), a customer can then log onto the internet and browse the world wide web ( www ) and usenet , send and receive e - mail , and access a particular network . in addition to serving individuals , isps also serve large companies , providing a direct connection from the company &# 39 ; s networks to the internet . isps themselves are connected to one another through network access points ( naps ). nap is a public network exchange facility where isps can connect with one another in peering arrangements . the naps are a key component of the internet backbone because the connections within them determine how traffic is routed . they are also the points of most internet congestion . an exemplary diagram of customer to isp relation is shown in fig6 . isps generally provide a plurality of point of presence gateways ( pop ) in order for a customer to gain an internet access by making a local call . a pop ( point - of - presence ) is an access point to the internet that is associated with a phone number . a connection established via such a pop causes a unique ip address to be assigned to a machine that accesses the internet utilizing the established connection . the number of pops that an isp has and the number of subscribers are usually used as a measure of its size or growth rate . yet another component one embodiment of the present invention is a servlet . servlets are java applications , which run on a web server or application server and provide server - side processing , typically to access a database . it is a java - based alternative to common gateway interface ( cgi ) scripts , interface programs , usually written in c or perl , which enables an internet server to run external programs to perform a specific function . the most important difference between servlets and cgi scripts is that a java servlet is persistent . this means that once it is started , it stays in memory and can fulfill multiple requests . in contrast , a cgi script disappears once it has fulfilled a request . with these concepts in mind , an embodiment of a system architecture of the present invention can be explored . a remote network connection can be established from a client machine 101 of fig1 that runs a dialer 102 to establish a network connection via a pop 103 and network 104 and to collect network connection performance data . the dialer 102 includes ( 1 ) a service quality management ( sqm ) agent 90 for collecting network connection performance data and for maintaining files storing the collected information , ( 2 ) phonebook 92 , which includes a copy of a pop priority list 112 that may be stored at a server machine 105 and ( 3 ) a graphical user interface 94 that allows a user to identify his / her current location and select an access point in order for the dialer 102 to apply local dialing rules , enter user name and password , and connect to the internet and corporate virtual private network ( vpn ). in one embodiment of the present invention the server machine 105 includes a web server 118 and a database server 119 . the web server 118 includes such components of the present invention as load servlet 107 and report servlet 108 database applications . the database server 119 includes an sqm process application 120 consisting of a main sqm thread 109 , process thread 110 and purge thread 111 . these components are responsible for storing and normalizing data for service quality analysis . it will be appreciated that these components may run on a single server . in an embodiment of the present invention , database tables for storing collected and analyzed data , ( e . g ., raw_sqm table 115 , sqm table 114 , pop priority list 112 ) are also stored at the server machine 105 . however , it will be appreciated that databases may be stored at other machines and database data may be uploaded to the server machine 105 when necessary . with these concepts in mind , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be further explored . in one embodiment of the present invention a user invokes a dialer 102 at the client machine 101 of fig2 . the dialer 102 attempts to establish a connection with one of the pops in a priority order established in the pop priority list 203 . for example , if pop 1 is not available then the dialer 102 selects the next pop ( pop 2 ) from the list and attempts to establish a network connection with pop 2 and so on . the next embodiment of the present invention is described with the reference to a simplified flow diagram shown in fig3 a and 3b . at operation 302 , the sqm agent 90 collects network connection performance data of a number of pops with which the dialer 102 attempts to establish a connection and stores the data in the files on the client machine 101 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the network connection performance data includes a number of parameters related to a user , software and hardware configurations of a client machine 101 , a user location , a network access location ( e . g ., a location dialed by modem ), the timing of various operations in a connection process , pop related information , client and server ip addresses , baud rates , and error codes reflecting connection errors . an exemplary listing of parameters that may be collected as part of the network connection performance data is provided below in table 1 : the error codes returned to the user upon a connection attempt may broadly be divided into three categories namely ( 1 ) successful dial in connection , ( 2 ) user errors and ( 3 ) network problems . the user errors typically occur due to a user name and password problems , missing or disconnected modems , incorrect dialing codes , or incorrect or hand - edited phone numbers . examples of the user errors include : 1 . access denied due to invalid user name or password ; 2 . the user cancelled operation ; 3 . device / configurations error ( e . g ., port not ready , port already opened , modem not connected , no dial tone detected ); and 4 . person answered instead of modem ( e . g ., incorrect phone number dialed ). 1 . line busy ; 2 . no answer ; 3 . ppp time out ; 4 . connection dropped ; 5 . remote access server not responding ; and 6 . port disconnected by remote computer . when a successful network connection with one of the pops is established , the sqm agent 90 transmits the collected data to the server machine 105 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the dialer 102 selects one of the available servers for data transmission based on a data load , thus performing a load balancing function . in one embodiment of the present invention , the sqm agent 90 collects network connection performance data relating to every pop via which it tries to establish a network connection . upon establishment of a successful network connection with one of the pops , the sqm agent 90 composites a message comprising network connection performance data along with software and hardware configuration data and the pop identification numbers to which the network connection performance data relates and transmits the message to the server 105 . the web server 118 , upon receiving the collected data at the server machine 105 , at operation 304 invokes the load servlet 107 that stores received data in the raw sqm table 116 . after the network connection performance data is successfully stored in the raw sqm table , at operation 307 the load servlet 107 sends a message to the dialer 102 at the client machine 101 with the code number symbolizing successful storage of data on the server machine 105 . at operation 308 , the dialer 102 deletes data in the files stored at the client machine 101 upon receiving the message with the code number . at operation 309 , the database server 119 invokes the sqm process application 120 , which invokes the main sqm thread 109 . the main sqm thread 109 searches raw sqm table 116 for records , which have not been processed , and at operation 310 appoints the process thread 110 to normalize the data from the raw sqm table . in one embodiment of the present invention the process thread 110 , at operation 311 , performs data normalization by parsing the data and adding a customer identification number and pop identification number to the data . the process thread 110 then stores normalized data in the sqm table 114 at operation 312 . if the data has errors or customer identification number cannot be identified , the data is stored in an sqm exception table 113 at operation 313 . at operation 311 , the process thread may further optionally aggregate and process the normalized data , so as to facilitate convenient analysis thereof . for example , totals may be generated for particular types of errors for each of multiple pops , averages may be generated for performance measures ( e . g ., baud rate ), and access times may be calculated . further , totals and averages may also be calculated based on other criteria , such as time , date and geographical criteria . the data in the sqm exception table 113 is reviewed manually and re - processed or discarded . the process thread 110 marks the normalized records in the raw sqm table 116 . the purge thread 111 runs periodically and searches the raw sqm table 116 for the marked records and deletes them at operation 314 . at operation 315 the data stored in the sqm table 114 , reflecting pop performance information collected by multiple clients , is ready for human access . in one embodiment a data summarization process is performed on the data in the sqm table 114 to support data analysis and reporting . multiple tables that contain summarized data are generated as a result of the summarization process that may run on a separate server . the variety of queries and reports can be generated at this point . in one embodiment of the present invention , the types of the reports that are available are : list of single pops by phone number with the performance information , list of pop groups with the performance information on a group of pops , end user assistance report including a variety of data on the user , e . g . quantity of dial - ins a day , number of password problems , etc ., customer service level agreement ( sla ) performance information by month . it will be appreciated that these reports may be generated manually by human operators and automatically by components running on the server machine 105 . at operation 316 a team of experts monitors the collected network performance data and analyzes it periodically . the team &# 39 ; s purpose is to identify the network connection problems experienced by the user and proactively respond before the remote network connection service is noticeably affected . any suspected problems may be tested using a dialer application . a group of phone numbers , representing pops with problematic performance , may be loaded into the dialer application for test purposes and the dialer application may dial each one in order to check pops performance . based on the test results and on the collected network performance data any pops that are not performing to the quality standards may be moved to the end of the pop priority list 112 . the pop priority list 112 may be sorted by using a number of different criteria such as quality rating , speed , price , provider , etc . these sorting criteria may be applied at an individual city level as well as on the entire phonebook level . in one embodiment manually selected sort order within a city may also be applied . the above process facilitates the identification of the best performing pops for any given area and the assignment to such best performing pops of a high priority number . at the same time , low performing pops may be identified , and assigned a lower priority number . in an embodiment of the present invention if the quality of service of a pop is so poor that it is not worth maintaining in the pop priority list 112 , the expert team deletes the pop from the list temporarily until the pop &# 39 ; s performance is improved . it will be appreciated that the analysis and pop priority list 112 can be updated automatically without human help by developing an application that updates the pop priority list 112 based on an advanced - specified criteria . for example , the criteria may be an acceptable average number of failed attempts to establish a network connection a day , or an acceptable number of interrupted network connection sessions , etc . at operation 317 the phonebook 92 on the client machine 101 is automatically updated after the user establishes a successful internet connection . the updating of the phonebook 92 may be performed by modifying an existing phonebook 92 stored on the client machine 101 , or may be performed by uploading a complete and new phonebook 92 , as generated on the server machine 105 , to the client machine 101 . for example , upon the generation of a complete and new phonebook 92 , the new phonebook 92 may be “ pushed out ” from the server machine 105 to multiple client machines 101 . in one embodiment of the present invention , the user may choose not to receive an automatic update of the phonebook 92 . in this embodiment the user may access a web site maintained at the server machine 105 where a copy of the latest phonebook may be viewed and downloaded . an exemplary data flow diagram of the above - described process is illustrated in fig4 . it will be appreciated that the operations 315 – 317 may be automated , with certain criteria extracted from the collected connection performance data being used automatically to prioritize pops . such criteria may include any of the information items identified above , and the automated process may be customizable so as to allow certain criteria to be user - selected to be prominent in the prioritization of pops . the prioritization of pops may be even performed according to any number of well - known ranking or prioritization algorithms . it will be appreciated that the above described database applications do not need to run on the server machine 105 . the above - described process may run on the client machine 101 with an automatic pops performance analysis . moreover , the above described databases and tables do not need to be stored at the server machine 105 . they may be stored at other machines that are accessible by the server machine 105 and uploaded to the server machine 105 when necessary . in the foregoing specification the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof . it will , however , be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . accordingly , the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense .	7
fig1 shows a side view of an embodiment of the subject invention being used to clean an exposed heat exchanging coil 62 in an air conditioning unit 22 . as shown in fig1 , the embodiment comprises a low - pressure cleaning system 20 . low - pressure cleaning system 20 comprises a pressure source 24 , such as a centrifugal fan , for creating the movement of air . pressure source 24 is coupled to an air admitting end 28 of a discharge tube 26 . discharge tube has a flexible portion 30 and has a discharge orifice 32 . in this embodiment , discharge tube 26 has a flexible portion 30 . further , a handle 35 is attached to discharge tube 26 to aid in the operation of low - pressure cleaning system 20 . although handle 35 and flexible portion 30 are not required , they do allow the discharge tube 26 to be aimed in different directions . in this embodiment , discharge tube 26 and discharge orifice 32 have approximately the same diameter of at least approximately two and three - eighths inches ( 2⅜ ″). however , the diameter of the discharge tube can be adjusted to any diameter to adjust the volume and velocity of the discharge air flow , as needed . ideally , the diameter of the discharge tube and / or discharge orifice will be between one inch and two - and - a - half inches ( 1 – 2½ ″) in size . it will also be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the capacity of the pressure source can be adjusted to adjust the volume and velocity of the discharge air flow . moreover , it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the low - pressure cleaning system is not limited to air conditioning units but , rather , can be utilized to clean anything with a heat exchanging coil that allows air to pass through it . during operation , pressure source 24 causes air to travel through discharge tube 26 so that a discharge air flow 36 emits from discharge orifice 32 at a low pressure . “ low pressure ” comprises a pressure of less than about 50 psi . while the low - pressure cleaning system emits an air stream at a low pressure , the total energy of the air velocity and volume is sufficient to dislodge dirt and debris from the heat exchanging coil . thus , the low - pressure cleaning system will emit air at not only a low pressure but also a high velocity and a high volume . while the velocity and volume can be any level sufficient to dislodge dirt and debris from the heat exchanging coil , it is recommended that the velocity be greater than about 180 mph and the volume be greater than about 440 cfm . for example , low - pressure cleaning system 20 of fig1 could comprise a gas - powered leaf blower of a type known in the art . such as a gas powered leaf blower produces a pressure of less than 5 psi while moving about 640 cfm of air at a velocity of approximately 210 mph . discharge air flow 36 will enter air conditioning unit 22 at a sufficient pressure , velocity and volume to dislodge dirt and debris from the heat exchanging coil 62 . fig1 shows the dirt and debris being blown out of the top of the air conditioning unit through the exhaust fan of the unit with exiting air 38 . the low pressure of discharge air flow 36 reduces the possibility of damaging the heat exchanging coil . further , the large diameter of discharge orifice 32 provides a larger area of discharge air flow 36 and makes cleaning the heat exchanging coil faster . flexible portion 30 of discharge tube 26 and handle 34 allows the operator to direct the air flow 36 in different directions . fig2 shows a side cross - sectional view of the discharge tube of another embodiment of the low - pressure cleaning system . as shown in fig2 , low - pressure cleaning system 20 further comprises an injector 40 that can inject a cleaning fluid into discharge air flow 36 to improve or alter the cleaning characteristics of the air . for example , a small amount of water or a water / detergent mixture can be provided as a mist 48 ( or a low volume stream ) to improve cleaning of some surfaces and to help remove oily residue in some cases . as shown in fig2 , the cleaning fluid is induced through injector 40 located inside and attached to discharge tube 26 . injector 40 has a spray nozzle 46 connected to one end of a hose 44 that connects the spray nozzle to a valve 42 . valve 42 can be connected to a reservoir that contains the cleaning fluid . in operation , the operator of this embodiment of the low - pressure cleaning system can open valve 42 and cause the cleaning fluid to be fed through hose 44 and into and out of spray nozzle 46 so that mist 48 of the cleaning solution can be injected into the discharge air flow 36 . other nozzles can be placed in the discharge tube or can engage the discharge tube so that not only cleaning agents can be injected into the discharge air flow , but also so that other useful substances , such as rinsing agents , fogging agents , and dry powders can be injected into the discharge air flow . a variety of attachments can be attached to discharge orifice 32 to improve / modify operation of low - pressure cleaning system 20 . for example , as shown in fig3 , an attachment 50 , having a horizontal opening 52 and an open end 54 that fits over discharge orifice 32 , can be attached to the discharge orifice to focus and direct discharge air flow 36 horizontally relative to the axis of the discharge tube . alternatively , as shown in fig4 , an attachment 58 , having a vertical opening 56 and an open end 54 that fits over discharge orifice 32 , can be attached to the discharge orifice to focus and direct discharge air flow 36 vertically relative to the axis of the discharge tube . other attachments may engage discharge orifice 32 to aid in directing the discharge air at variable angles from the horizontal axis of the discharge tube or to improve the cleaning of the heat exchanging coil . for example , an attachment that causes the air to exit discharge tube 26 at a forty - five degree angle or a ninety degree angle relative to the axis of the discharge tube can be used to fit into tight spaces in order to effectively clean all of the heat exchanging coil . moreover , an attachment with an opening and a brush around the opening may be engaged with the discharge orifice to help remove surface residue . while fig3 and 4 show attachments 50 and 58 being used with discharge tube 26 without injector 40 , such attachments can be used with a discharge tube that has injector 40 attached thereto . furthermore , any fan or blower capable of producing low pressure at a high volume and a high velocity can be used as a pressure source . alternatively , an air compressor of a type known in the art that produces high velocity compressed air can be used along with a pressure - reducing attachment so that the air emanating from the discharge tube is of the desired pressure . while the subject invention has been described in considerable detail with references to particular embodiments thereof , such is offered by way of non - limiting examples of the invention as many other versions are possible . it is anticipated that a variety of other modifications and changes will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art and that such modifications and changes are intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the pending claims .	5
with reference to fig1 an example planter or seeding machine 101 , shown containing the seed delivery system of the present invention . planter 10 includes a tool bar 12 as part of a planter frame 14 . mounted to the tool bar are multiple planting row units 16 . row units 16 are typically identical for agree planter but there may be differences . a row unit 16 is shown in greater detail in fig2 . the row unit 16 is provided with a central frame member 20 having a pair of upwardly extending arms 21 ( fig4 ) at the forward end thereof . the arms 21 connect to a parallelogram linkage 22 for mounting the row unit 16 to the tool bar 12 for up and down relative movement between the unit 16 and toolbar 12 in a known manner . seed is stored in seed hopper 24 and provided to a seed meter 26 . seed meter 26 is of the type that uses a vacuum disk as are well known to meter the seed . other types of meters can be used as well . from the seed meter 26 the seed is carried by a delivery system 28 into a planting furrow , or trench , formed in the soil by furrow openers 30 . gauge wheels 32 control the depth of the furrow . closing wheels 34 close the furrow over the seed . the gauge wheels 32 are mounted to the frame member 20 by arms 36 . the toolbar and row unit are designed to be moved over the ground in a forward working direction identified by the arrow 38 . the row unit 16 further includes a chemical hopper 40 , a row cleaner attachment 42 and a down force generator 44 . the row unit 16 is shown as an example of the environment in which the delivery system of the present invention is used . the present invention can be used in any of a variety of planting machine tapes such as but not limited to , row crop planters , grain drills , air seeders , etc . with reference to fig3 , the seed delivery system 28 is shown in greater detail . delivery system 28 includes a housing 48 positioned adjacent the seed disk 50 of the seed meter . the seed disk 50 is a generally flat disk with a plurality of apertures 52 adjacent the periphery of the disk . seeds 56 are collected on the apertures from a seed pool and adhere to the disk by air pressure differential on the opposite sides of the disk 50 in a known manner . the disk may have a flat surface at the apertures 52 or have seed cells surrounding the apertures 52 . the disk rotates clockwise as viewed in fig3 as shown by the arrow 54 . at the top of fig3 , seeds 56 are shown adhered to the disk . the seed delivery system housing 48 has spaced apart front and rear walls 49 and 51 and a side wall 53 therebetween . an upper opening 58 in the housing side wall 53 admits the seed from the metering disk 50 into the housing . a pair of pulleys 60 , 62 are mounted inside the housing 48 . the pulleys support a belt 64 for rotation within the housing . one of the pulleys is a drive pulley while the other is an idler pulley . the belt has a base member 66 to engage the pulleys and elongated bristles 70 extending therefrom . the bristles are joined to the base member at proximal , or radially inner , ends of the bristles . distal , or radially outer , ends 74 of the bristles touch , or are close to touching , the inner surface 76 of the housing side wall 53 . a lower housing opening 78 is formed in the side wall 53 and is positioned as close to the bottom 80 of the seed trench as possible . as shown , the lower opening 78 is near or below the soil surface 82 adjacent the trench . the housing side wall forms an exit ramp 84 at the lower opening 78 . returning attention to the upper portion of fig3 , a loading wheel 86 is provided adjacent the upper opening 58 . the loading wheel is positioned on the opposite side of the seeds 56 from the brush 64 such that the path of the seeds on the disk brings the seeds into a nip 88 formed between the loading wheel and the distal ends 74 of the bristles 70 . at the location of the nip 88 , the air pressure differential across the seed disk 50 is terminated , freeing the seed from the apertures 52 in the disk . the bottom surface of the loading wheel , facing the seed disk 50 , has recesses 90 formed therein . the recesses 90 receive seed agitators 92 projecting from the seed disk 50 . the moving agitators , by engagement with the recesses in the loading wheel , drive the loading wheel in a clockwise rotation . in operation , the belt 64 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction . as the belt curves around the pulleys , the bristles will naturally open , that is , separate from one another as the distal ends of the bristles travel a larger circumferential distance around the pulleys than the inner ends of the bristle at the belt base member . this produces two beneficial effects as described below . the seeds are transferred from the seed meter to the delivery system as the seeds are brought by the disk into the nip 88 . there the seeds are pinched off the seed disk between the loading wheel and the bristles 70 to remove the seed from the seed disk and seed meter . the seeds are captured or entrapped in the bristles by insertion of the seed into the bristles in a radial direction , that is from the ends of the bristles in a direction parallel to the bristle length . this occurs just as the belt path around the pulley 60 ends , when the bristle ends are closing back together upon themselves , allowing the bristles to close upon , and capture the seeds therein . as the belt continues to move , the bristles more or convey the seeds downward to the housing lower opening . the side wall 53 of the housing cooperates with the bristles 76 to hold the seed in the brush bristles as the seed is moved to the lower opening . the lower opening 78 and the ramp 84 are positioned along the curved belt path around the pulley 62 . the bristle distal ends thus cause the linear speed of the seeds to accelerate relative to the speed of the belt base member 66 and the housing as shown by the two arrows 94 and 96 . the seeds are then propelled by the bristles over the ramp 84 and discharged through the lower opening 78 into the seed trench . the angle of the ramp 84 can be selected to produce the desired relationship between the seed vertical and horizontal speeds at discharge . the forward travel direction of the row unit is to the left in fig3 as shown by the arrow 38 . at the discharge , the horizontal speed of the seed relative to the ground is minimized to reduce roll of the seed in the trench . the belt shown in fig3 has relatively long bristles . as a result of the long bristles and the seed loading point being at the end of the curved path of the brush around the pulley 60 results in the seeds being loaded into the belt while the bristles have slowed down in speed . the bristle speed at loading is thus slower than the bristle speed at the discharge opening as the belt travels around the pulley 62 . this allows in the seed to be loaded into the belt at a relatively lower speed while the seed is discharged at the lower end at a desired higher speed . as described above , it is preferred that the horizontal velocity of the seed at the discharge be equal to the forward travel speed of the planter but in the rearward direction such that the horizontal velocity of the seed relative to the ground is close to or equal to zero . the long bristles can be used to increase the speed of the seed as it travels around the pulley . however , a short bristle brush can be used as well . with a short bristle brush , there will be little acceleration in the speed of the seed as the seed travels around the pulleys . the belt will have to be driven at a speed to produce the desired horizontal velocity of the seed at the discharge . even with a short bristle brush , the seed is still accelerated in the horizontal direction . as the belt travels around the pulley , the direction of travel of the seed changes from the predominantly vertical direction , when the seed is moved downward from the seed meter , to a predominantly horizontal direction at the discharge . this produces an acceleration of the seed velocity in the horizontal direction . with the delivery system 28 , the seed is captured by the delivery system to remove the seed from the seed meter . the seed is then moved by the delivery system to the seed discharge point where the seed is accelerated in a rearward horizontal direction relative to the housing . from the seed meter to the discharge , the seed travel is controlled by the delivery system , thus maintaining the seed spacing relative to one another . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the seed disk and the front and rear was 49 , 51 of the housing 48 lie in planes that are generally parallel one another . as shown , the plane of the delivery system is generally parallel to the direction of travel of the row unit . other relationships between the seed meter and delivery system are shown and described below . as shown in fig3 , the side wall 53 is divided by the upper and lower openings 58 , 78 into two segments , 53 a and 53 b . segment 53 a is between the upper and lower openings in the direction of belt travel while the segment 53 b is between the lower and upper openings in the direction of belt travel . it is the gaps in the side wall 53 that form the upper and lower openings . it should be understood , however , that the delivery system will function without the segment 53 b of the side wall . it is only the segment 53 a that functions together with the belt bristles to deliver the seed from the meter to the seed trench . thus , the term “ upper opening ” shall be construed to mean a open area before the side wall segment 53 a in the direction of belt travel and the term “ lower opening ” shall mean an open area after the side wall segment 53 a in the direction of belt travel . with reference to fig4 - 7 , the delivery system 28 is shown in combination with the seed meter and row unit structure in an alternative arrangement of the seed meter and delivery system 28 . the seed meter 200 is shown mounted to the row unit with the seed disk 202 in a vertical orientation but at an angle to the forward travel direction shown by the arrow 38 . fig4 shows of the seed meter orientation in the row unit without the delivery system 28 . the seed meter includes a housing having two halves 204 and 206 releasable joined together in a known manner . the seed meter is driven through a transmission 208 coupled to a drive cable , not shown . in fig5 only the seed disk 202 of the meter is shown with the seed delivery system 28 . as previously mentioned , the seed disk 202 is in a vertical orientation but it does not lie in a plane parallel to the forward direction 38 . instead , the meter is oriented such that the disk is at a 60 ° angle relative to the forward direction when viewed from above . the seed of delivery system 28 is generally identical to that shown in fig3 and is driven by a motor 65 . the delivery system , including of the brush belt 64 , is generally vertical and aligned with the fore and aft direction of the planter such that the angle between the brush and the seed disk is approximately 60 °. the angle between the delivery system and a seed disk produces a partial “ cross feed ” of the seed into the brush . that is , the seed is fed into the brush at an angle to the lengthwise direction of the bristles . this is in contrast to fig3 where the seed enters the brush in a direction substantially parallel to the lengthwise direction of the brush bristles . if the brush and seed disk were oriented at 90 ° to one another , a total cross feed would be produced with seed entering the brush perpendicular to the bristles . the seed disk 202 is shown enlarged in fig7 and 8 . the disk 202 has opposite sides , a vacuum side 216 and seed side 218 . the seed side 218 has a surface 219 near the periphery that defines a reference plane . the reference plane will be used to describe the features of the disk near the disk periphery . an outer peripheral lip 220 is recessed from the reference plane . the peripheral lip 220 creates a radially outward edge face 222 . a circumferential row of spaced apart apertures 224 is arranged around a circular path radially inward of the edge face 222 . each aperture extends through the disk between the vacuum side 216 and the seed side 218 . radially inward of each aperture 224 , there is a radially elongated recess 226 . the recess 226 is recessed axially into the disk from the reference plane . in operation , the disk rotates in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 228 . during rotation , the recesses 226 agitate the seed in the seed pool . surrounding each aperture 224 is a tapered recess , or shallow seed cell , 232 that extends axially into the disk from the reference plane . seed cell 232 begins at a leading edge 234 in the direction of rotation of the disk and is progressively deeper into the seed side 218 to a trailing edge formed by an axially projecting wail 236 . the tapered recess or seed cell 232 reduces the vacuum needed to pick - up and retain seed in the apertures 2 , 4 . the seed cell also enables the seed to sit lower relative to the seed side 218 of the disk , allowing the seed to be retained while the seed singulator removes doubles or multiples of seed from the apertures 224 . in addition , the recess well 236 agitates seed in the seed pool , further aiding in seed pick - up . the wall 236 extends lengthwise in a predominately radial direction as shown by the dashed line 238 . the walls 236 , while predominately radial , are inclined to the radial direction such that the inner end of the wall 236 is leading the outer end of the well in the direction of rotation . immediately following each well 236 , as the disk rotates , is a projection , or upstanding peg 240 extending axially from the disk seed side . the pegs engage seed in the seed pool for agitation to aide in seed pick - up . the pegs 240 are located slightly radially inward of the circular path of apertures 224 to avoid interference with the seed singulator . with reference to fig8 , the disk 20 e is shown in operation and in position relative to the belt 64 in the delivery system 28 . as seeds 244 are carried by the disk 202 into the bristles of the brush 64 , the wall 236 and the pegs 240 act to push the seed 244 into the bristles of the brush 64 and assist in keeping the seed from being knocked of the disk upon the seed &# 39 ; s initial contact with the brush bristles . once the seed is inserted into the brush bristles , the vacuum from the opposite side of the disk is cut - off , allowing the brush to sweep the seed off the disk in a predominately radial direction relative to the disk . an insert 246 overlies the lip 220 at the point of seed release to hold the seed in the brush bristles in the transition between the disk and the side wall 53 ( fig3 ) of the delivery system housing . the disk 202 is inclined to the length of the brush bristles at approximately a 60 degree angle . this produces the partial cross - feed of the seed into the brush bristles . fig9 shows the brush belt seed delivery system 28 in combination with a vacuum belt metering system having a metering belt 302 . the vacuum belt meter is fully described in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 363 , 968 , filed feb . 2 , 2009 , now u . s . pat . no . 7 , 918 , 168 and incorporated herein by reference . the belt 302 picks - up seed at a pick - up region 304 at a lower , front location of the belts path and transports it to the delivery system at a release region 306 at an upper , rear location of the belt &# 39 ; s path . in this arrangement of the belt meter and the brush delivery system , the delivery system is again partially cross fed with seeds from the meter . another arrangement of the delivery system together with a vacuum meter belt is shown in fig1 . the delivery system 28 is in - line with the belt meter 124 . this allows the distal ends of the brush bristles to sweep over the surface of the metering belt 126 to capture the seed therefrom . the meter belt 126 is wrapped around pulleys 128 . the metering belt 124 is similar and functions as the belt 302 mentioned above . the delivery system of the present invention can also be used with seed meters other than air pressure differential meters . for example , with reference to fig1 , a finger pick - up meter 130 is shown , such as that described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 552 , 601 and incorporated herein by reference . seed is ejected from the meter through an opening 132 . the delivery system 134 has a brush belt 136 wrapped about pulleys 138 and 140 . as shown , the belt pulley 138 shares a common drive shaft with finger pick - up meter 130 . a hub transmission such as a spherical continuously variable transmission or a three speed hub can be used to drive the belt 135 at a different speed from the meter 130 . the delivery system housing includes a side wail 142 . a ramp 146 is formed at the lower end of the wall 142 adjacent the lower opening 148 . at the upper end of the delivery system , the upper opening is formed in the housing rear wall adjacent the opening 132 through which seeds are ejected from the seed meter . the seeds are inserted laterally into the brush bristles in a complete cross - feed . as in the other embodiments , the seed is captured in the brush bristles , moved downward to the lower opening , accelerated rearward and discharged through the lower opening 148 . the endless member of the delivery system has been described as being a brush belt with bristles , in a broad sense , the bristles form an outer periphery of contiguous disjoint surfaces that engage and grip the seed . while brush bristles are the preferred embodiment , and may be natural or synthetic , other material types can be used to grip the seed such as a foam pad , expanded foam pad , mesh pad or fiber pad . having described the preferred embodiment , it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims .	0
examples of an implementation of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings fig1 - 5 . in the figures , reference 10 generally refers to the screw lead of the system according to the present invention . the lead 10 comprises a lead body 12 which structure is in itself known , usually a polyurethane sheath to reduce friction when the catheter is inserted into a guide catheter , and to provide better sensitivity and better transmission of torque torsion . the diameter of the sheath of the lead body 12 is chosen to be thin enough to be compatible with the sub - selection catheters of veins of the coronary network , typically less than or equal to 5 french ( 1 . 65 mm ). the lead 10 is terminated at its distal end by a helical anchoring screw 14 made of a conductive material , connected through a metal tip 16 to an inner conductor 18 such as a spiral conductor providing electrical continuity between the anchoring screw 14 that is an electrode for collection and stimulation and a generator located at the proximal end ( not shown ) of the lead 10 . it should be understood that lead body 12 made of a polyurethane sheath provides rigidity in torsion to transmit torque from the proximal end to the distal end and to rotate the screw 14 to make it penetrate into the heart tissue . the conductive material of the screw is advantageously a niti alloy ( nitinol ), which has a capacity to transmit a sufficient torque for the intended application . the main advantage of this material is its extreme fatigue endurance . the disadvantage of nitinol is its relative high electrical resistance , but this drawback may be compensated by a bi - material structure comprising a silver core ( for electrical conductivity ) wrapped or coated by nitinol ( for properties of resistance to mechanical stress ) such that the less mechanically tough material ( silver ) is encapsulated in a sheath of nitinol . for bipolar stimulation , the lead is also provided with a ring electrode 20 connected to the generator by a separate conductor ( not shown ) in a manner well known to persons of ordinary shell in the art . the anchoring screw 14 is advantageously carried out with a distal portion 22 formed of non - touching turns over a length of about 1 . 5 to 2 mm . the distal portion 22 is connected to the lead body 12 via a mechanical transition portion 24 having flexibility in flexion , for example , a part formed by adjacent turns in the absence of stress of the screw . the purpose of this transition portion 24 is to introduce between the screw 14 itself ( the part that will penetrate into the tissues ) and the lead body 12 an elastic function to limit the mechanical action of the distal part of the lead 10 on the cardiac tissues and / or the veins . advantageously , this elastic feature ( i ) does not alter the torque transmission between the lead body 12 and the screw 14 under the two aspects of efficacy and safety ( coring effect ); ( ii ) does not alter the transmission of the electrical pulse , and ( iii ) is extremely resistant to flexion / compression events . on the other hand , the screw 14 is advantageously insulated over its length , for example , by a coating of parylene , except on the last millimeter of the distal part , which is the only electrically active part of the screw 14 . this structure reduces the stimulation surface and thereby reduces the risk of phrenic nerve stimulation . this electrically active part will also be buried deep into the wall of the epicardium , thereby concentrating the electric flow to the target tissue and stimulate a deep and more physiological zone . a long screw ( in the order of 10 - 15 mm ) penetrates deeply into the ventricular wall and performs a localized endocardial stimulation ensuring during stimulation a faster wave of depolarization from the endocardium to the epicardium . to avoid the risk of coring , the internal lumen of the flexible portion of the screw 14 is equipped with a silicone cartridge ( possibly filled with a steroid ) to maximize the effect of abutment to the transmission of torque . in the illustrated drawings , the screw 14 is an active screw playing ( at least at its distal end ) the role of a stimulation electrode . alternatively , the screw 14 is an electrically passive screw used for anchoring the lead 10 against the wall of the epicardium . the lead 10 may be provided at its end with a distal electrode in the shape of a ring electrode , a second electrode , or other suitable configurations . for the implantation of the lead 10 in the chosen stimulation site , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention , a guide catheter 26 with a double curvature is used . with reference to fig2 , the guide catheter 26 is illustrated with the lead 10 inserted inside . the distal portion 28 of the guide catheter 26 is open at its end , so as to bring out the distal end of the lead 10 and its anchoring screws 14 by relative axial movement of the lead body 12 inside the guide catheter 26 . in addition , a stylet 30 is inserted inside an inner lumen 32 of the lead 10 so as to stiffen it and straighten the natural curvature of the catheter 26 by more or less axially sliding the stylet 30 within the lead 10 . as indicated above , the catheter 26 has at its distal end 28 a double curvature , each curvature being inscribed in a separate area 38 and 40 . the curved surface 38 is an orientation curvature that follows the natural curvature of the coronary veins during the progression of the catheter 26 into the coronary sinus , while the curved surface 40 is a curve for supporting the orientation of the distal portion of the lead 10 once the site of stimulation is reached . more specifically , this supporting curvature 40 has the effect of directing the axis of the anchoring screw 14 not in line with the target vein 34 , but instead , as shown in fig3 ( after removal of the catheter 26 ), to the wall facing the epicardium 36 of the target vein . according to this method , the anchoring of the screw 14 and the subsequent screwing of the screw 14 along a direction d makes an angle a with the axial general direction of the lead 10 , roughly corresponding to the direction of progression of target vein 34 . the implantation procedure of the screw 14 at the selected site will now be described . this procedure is described in its most complete aspect , but it should be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that certain steps or the use of certain elements may be omitted , adapted , or modified without deviating from the scope of the present invention . according to one embodiment , a technique called otw ( over - the - wire ) is used . otw involves introducing into the coronary sinus and then in the coronary network a very thin guide wire provided at its distal end with a flexible termination that is not traumatic . previously , the practitioner arranges a main catheter to reach the outlet of the coronary sinus , insert the guide wire into the catheter , and pushed into the coronary venous system . the practitioner inserts the guide catheter 26 according to the invention . the guide catheter 26 may be used as a sub - selection catheter to choose , under fluoroscopy , the path of the venous network that will allow reaching the target vein corresponding to the chosen stimulation site . the self - orientation of the catheter 26 during this phase of positioning results from the principle of least energy , especially during the “ left turn ” in the area of intersection of the great cardiac vein and a lateral vein . the self - orientation of the orientation curve locally generates enough torque to force the orientation of the support curvature in the desired position . the predominance of the torque effect of the orientation curvature relatively to the support curvature is related to the fact that , in terms of dimensions : the radius of curvature of orientation is greater than the support radius curvature , and the length of the orientation curvature is greater than the support curvature length . the distance between the area generating the drive torque ( orientation curvature ) and the area to be controlled ( support curvature ) is thus extremely limited ( a few millimeters ). it should be noted that the present invention requires a single catheter to determine the relative positions of the two curvatures . thus , as stated above , the lead solution of the present invention is not operator - dependent : the practitioner just pushes catheter into the target vein for the catheter 26 to self - orient in the desired position after a few beats , frees both hands for the screwing operation , while ensuring a secure and accurate positioning of the screw 14 and holding it in this position during the screwing phase that follows . according to one embodiment , a hollow dilator catheter is used in the sub - region to establish a gradual transition between the guide wire and the tip of the sub - catheter , particularly to prevent the catheter tip , while sliding on the guide wire , from crashing against the wall of the vein , for example , where a curvature is met at a blocking point in the course of traversing the tortuous vein . this dilator catheter is advantageously preformed in its distal part to facilitate cannulation of the lateral veins . this option allows to compensate the self - positioning of the sub - catheter into the left atrium as it moves into the large vein ( because of the principle of least energy , but implemented in the great cardiac vein ). this behavior of the dilator catheter enables placement of a left atrial lead even in the proximal part of the great cardiac vein . once the desired stimulation site is reached , the practitioner slides the lead 10 inside the catheter 26 until the distal end of the lead 10 and its anchoring screws 14 emerge from the corresponding end of the catheter 26 ( configuration illustrated in fig2 ). because of the double curvature described above , the distal end of catheter 26 , the distal orifice of the catheter 26 is directed toward the epicardium 36 making an angle a compared to the general direction of the target vein . the catheter 26 is introduced into the lead 10 until it emerges from the catheter housing and its anchoring screw 14 comes in contact with the epicardium . an initial mapping is conducted to electrically test the contact point ( s ) and validate the chosen stimulation site . if the position is not satisfactory , the practitioner moves the catheter along the vein and test a new site until a suitable location is found . the final anchoring is obtained by imparting an axial rotation to the lead body in the case of a fixed screw lead . for a pin - driven lead , the axial rotation is imparted to the connector plug , where at the proximal side the connection plug is secured to a conductor extending axially within the lead body . the surgeon holds in one hand the proximal end of the lead body and turns a pin at the proximal end with the other hand , directly or through the intermediary of a tool . the pin is secured to an axial conductor extending within the lead body , and this conductor is free in rotation and is connected at its distal end to the connector plug deployment mechanism of the screw . another possibility is to introduce a specific screwing stylet into the lumen 32 of the lead body , especially in case when the sheath does not have a sufficient torsional rigidity to drive the screw directly from the proximal end . in an alternative embodiment , a retractable screw is used instead of a fixed screw . in this case , the rotation first deploys the screw out of its slot and subsequently penetrates the screw into the wall of the epicardium . after the screw 14 is anchored into the wall of epicardium , the catheter 26 is removed . the removal of the catheter 26 is performed according to a standard procedure of cutting through a slitter tool , as described , for example in , ep 2039390 a1 and its us counterpart u . s . published application 2009 / 0071012 ( sorin crm s . a . s . formerly known as ela medical ). the final and definitive installed configuration is illustrated in fig3 . advantages of using the present invention include the following improvements over the prior known coronary venous leads : the quality of the fixation for anchoring screws ; the stability of the electrical contact with the tissue regardless of the size of the vein ; the ability to map large portions of the vein before the final fixation ; the possibility to expand the exploitable part of the vein , particularly towards the proximal part of the venous system , known to be the least exposed to the risk of phrenic nerve stimulation , but having with traditional leads , the disadvantage of a lower stability due to a larger diameter ; the concentration of the electrical stimulation in a deep region of the epicardium , decreasing the risk of phrenic nerve stimulation ; the improved extraction capacity , by a simple unscrewing of the distal end ; the mechanical simplicity of the system , a low manufacturing cost and a high reliability . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the embodiments disclosed herein , which are provided for purposes of illustration and not of limitation .	0
it has been observed generally that the presence of oxygen in hot water in contact with reactor containment elements results in higher stress corrosion rates of these elements as compared to hot water in which little or no oxygen is present . it has been further observed that stress corrosion cracking of the containment for high - temperature , high - pressure water such as is used for nuclear reactors is subject to change in rate depending on whether the electrochemical potential of the exposed stainless steel of such containment is above or below a critical potential range of values of - 230 to - 300 mv based on the standard hydrogen electrode ( she ). stress corrosion cracking proceeds at a more accelerated rate in systems in which the electrochemical potential is above the critical range of values and at a substantially lower rate in systems in which the electrochemical potential is below the critical range of values . water containing oxygen tends to result in potentials above the critical range while water in which little or no oxygen is present tend to have potentials below the critical range . one way in which corrosion potentials of stainless steels in contact with reactor water containing oxygen can be reduced below the critical range is by injection of hydrogen into the water generally in amounts that stoichiometrically exceed the amount of oxygen in the water . this tends to lower the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water and also the corrosion potential of the metal . this injection of hydrogen into the high - temperature , high - pressure water in reactor containments has been effective in reducing stress corrosion . it has been found , however , that varying amounts of hydrogen have been required for different reactors in order to reliably and efficiently achieve the desired low potentials . what i have proposed in combination with hydrogen injection is the modification of the internal surfaces of the stainless steel containment system in boiling water reactors , in order to improve the catalytic activity of the surface toward the hydrogen - water redox couple and thereby the reliability and efficiency of achieving corrosion potentials below the critical value . as noted above , the injection of hydrogen into the high - temperature , high - pressure water has been effective in reducing the stress corrosion cracking of the containment for such high - temperature , high - pressure water . however , it was my belief that the increase in the catalytic activity at the surface of the containment exposed to the hydrogen - containing water would improve the effectiveness of the so - called &# 34 ; hydrogen water chemistry &# 34 ;. there is thus a distinction between conventional &# 34 ; hydrogen water chemistry &# 34 ; which has been recognized in the past and the catalyzed &# 34 ; hydrogen chemistry &# 34 ; which i have proposed . by conventional &# 34 ; hydrogen water chemistry &# 34 ; is meant that there is a different chemistry in water which contains hydrogen usually to the extent of 150 parts / billion or more than there is when the hydrogen is at lower values . for this conventional hydrogen water chemistry to be effective the hydrogen must always be present in stoichiometric excess of the oxygen present and in such case there is a reduction or suppression of stress corrosion cracking as a result of the presence of the dissolved hydrogen . however , it was my belief that this stress corrosion cracking could be reduced to an even greater extent by increasing the catalytic activity at the metal surface in contact with the high - temperature , high - pressure water . in particular , i have found that the deposition of a small amount of a catalytically active material such as at least one metal of the platinum group of metals on the surface exposed to bulk high - temperature , high - pressure water is effective in the presence of less than a stoichiometric amount of hydrogen in reducing the corrosion potential or electrochemical potential at the surface and thereby in reducing the stress corrosion cracking which emanates from the surface . i refer to this as catalyzed hydrogen water chemistry . thus , although i have found that the conventional injection of higher concentrations of hydrogen into the high - temperature , high - pressure water can be effective in reducing the stress corrosion cracking , i have found that the effectiveness of the hydrogen in this role is limited by the irreversibility of the hydrogen - water redox couple on oxidized stainless steel surfaces . what i have proposed and what i have demonstrated experimentally through catalyzed hydrogen water chemistry is that the improvements in the reversibility of the hydrogen - water redox couple on oxidized stainless steel surfaces can be achieved by reducing the concentration of injected hydrogen and increasing the catalytic activity at the surface , thus facilitating the achievement of a desired lower corrosion potential , even with presence of higher residual oxygen concentrations than can be tolerated in the absence of the catalyst . further , i have found , through catalyzed hydrogen water chemistry , that this lower potential can be achieved with lower concentrations of hydrogen than have been needed and have been used in the prior art hydrogen water chemistry without the catalyst . thus , i have recognized that the low corrosion potentials which are the objectives of the conventional hydrogen water chemistry efforts to reduce stress corrosion cracking can be achieved more reliably and in the presence of relatively high residual oxygen concentrations by increasing the catalytic activity at the metal surface coupled with the presence of lower concentrations of hydrogen in the water . i have discovered that it is possible to achieve the lower corrosion potentials more efficiently and with less hydrogen than in the absence of the catalyst . i have proposed to improve the catalytic activity at metal surfaces by circulating a very dilute solution of a soluble salt of a metal of the platinum group of metals within the reactor vessel and piping prior to initiation of the operation of the reactor . in this way , a finely divided deposit of the platinum metal will form on the surfaces through a displacement reaction of the stainless steel components , or with the aid of an appropriate electroless reducing agent . alternatively , replacement parts may be coated with a catalytic deposit prior to installation in a reactor ; e . g . nozzles and recirculation piping . some of the beneficial effects of catalyzed hydrogen water chemistry will be made evident through the practice of the following examples : two coupons of 316 stainless steel were prepared for testing . both coupons were 2 &# 34 ; long , 3 / 8 &# 34 ; wide , and 1 / 8 &# 34 ; thick . the surfaces of the coupons were cleaned by grit blasting with fine alumina powder and were then etched for one minute in 1 : 1 hcl immediately prior to a plating operation . the plating operation employed was designed to deposit palladium by electroless plating processing onto the grit blasted coupons . the electroless plating process employed was a commercial procedure of the callery chemical company , of callery , pa ., and known as &# 34 ; first choice &# 34 ; electroless palladium p - 83 . one of the two coupon samples was premounted in a conax fitting while the other coupon was free . the electroless plating treatment was concurrent for both coupons and both were plated concurrently in the same bath . on the basis of weight change of the free sample of 4 . 9 milligrams , a film thickness of 0 . 4 μm was estimated for the unmounted sample . this thickness of deposit was assumed to be the same for both samples . the thickness falls within the range anticipated for the electroless palladium plating process . however , to determine more precisely the thickness of the palladium coating on the coupon sample , tests were made to determine thickness employing a seiko x - ray thickness gauge which was available for this purpose . a thickness of 0 . 79 μm ( micrometer ) was determined . the sample on the conax fitting was immediately transferred to a test loop which had been set up for a series of water chemistry studies . this loop was a closed loop provided with a pump to circulate water through an autoclave where the water was maintained at high - temperature , high - pressure and passed over the test specimens . the conax mounted coupon was placed in the autoclave along with a second identical but palladium - free sample which had been used in earlier tests , and a platinized platinum electrode . the system was brought to a temperature between 280 ° and 285 ° c . and water containing 150 ppb ( parts per billion ) of dissolved hydrogen was circulated to flow over the specimen coupons at a flow rate of 200 milliliters per minute . following a day &# 39 ; s operation in this fashion , oxygen gas was also introduced into the feed water and the level of the oxygen gas was increased incrementally over a period of days . electrical measurements using a zirconia reference electrode as described in l . w . niedrach and n . h . stoddard , corrosion , vol . 41 , no . 1 ( 1985 ) page 45 , were made and data was plotted on a graph as depicted in fig1 . fig1 is a graph in which the electrical potential is plotted against the concentration of oxygen in the test water in parts per billion of oxygen . the potentials of the two specimens and the platinum electrode , converted to the she ( standard hydrogen electrode ) scale , are shown as points 1 - 5 on the three separate plots representing the three different specimens on fig1 . as indicated by the legend , the open circles correspond to the electrical potential of the stainless steel sample with no palladium ; the filled circles to the platinum reference electrode ; and the open triangles to the stainless samples coated with palladium . following point 5 , problems were encountered with the test system thus necessitating a shut - down for about a month . the system was then restarted and operated under simulated normal water chemistry conditions . these normal water chemistry conditions correspond to 200 - 300 parts / billion of dissolved oxygen with no added hydrogen . the system was operated with the normal water chemistry conditions as indicated for two days before reintroducing 150 ppb dissolved hydrogen into the feed water . the data points for the system before the introduction of the hydrogen are points 6 of fig1 for the three specimens . the oxygen level was then reduced step - wise over a period of several days to zero ppb . the step - wise reduction of oxygen is represented by the points 7 - 13 of fig1 for the three specimens . one intermediate step was taken back to normal water chemistry during this period and the data points for this step are points 9 for each of the three specimens . while still retaining the 150 ppb dissolved hydrogen , the dissolved oxygen level was then again increased to 256 ppb and the data for these changes are data points 14 - 16 of the figure for each of the three specimens . after these changes , the system was again returned to normal water conditions for a period of 8 days to determine whether the normal water conditions would have a deleterious effect on the palladium treated sample . at this point , conditions were returned again to hydrogen water chemistry , i . e ., to hydrogen in the water at 150 ppb and the oxygen at 325 ppb . under these conditions , the electrical potential of the palladium - treated coupon essentially followed that of the platinum electrode as the potential moved to a low value represented by the triangular point 18 for the palladium treated coupon on fig1 while the untreated stainless steel coupon ( open circle point 18 ) did not register a low potential . accordingly , from the results obtained from these tests , it became evident to me that the palladium - treated sample reached low potentials under the catalyzed hydrogen water chemistry conditions and had electrical potential essentially equivalent to the potential of the platinum electrode . both were below the range of critical potential of - 230 mv to - 300 mv for the prevention of stress corrosion cracking . during this same period , the palladium - free sample polarized to much more positive potentials even at low levels of oxygen in the presence of hydrogen . the magnitude of this polarization was greater when an operating point was approached from normal water chemistry conditions than when lower oxygen levels were prevalent in the presence of hydrogen . the data obtained from this example and plotted in fig1 clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the palladium treatment . the palladium treatment is deemed to be representative of treatment with any of the platinum family metals . further , from the data obtained from this test , i have judged that even deposited thicknesses smaller than the 0 . 79 μm ( 7900 angstroms ) should be effective in protecting the stainless steel containment exposed to high - temperature high - pressure water from the influences which increase the level of stress corrosion cracking . i estimate that as little as 50 angstroms of a platinum metal should be effective in significantly reducing stress corrosion cracking when used in combination with injected hydrogen in stoichiometric excess of the dissolved oxygen concentration . in all of the testing of which i am aware of the stainless steel containment for high - temperature high - pressure water , there has never been a response in terms of the factors which reduce stress corrosion cracking equivalent to the response exhibited in the performance of this example . as can be seen from the example , the electrical potential of the palladium - coated sample tracks the electrical potential of the platinized - platinum electrode even with more than 300 parts / billion dissolved oxygen in the feed water . it will be noted that 300 parts / billion of oxygen is equivalent to 38 parts / billion of hydrogen and therefore the hydrogen is still in stoichiometric excess . in fig2 the effect of palladium treatment is illustrated in a different fashion . the tests carried out which resulted in these data involved increasing the amounts of hydrogen which were added to water containing a fixed amount of oxygen rather than the reverse as was the practice in example 1 . in contrast to the unpalladinized sample , in which case only small transitions of potential occur , with palladium on the surface a large shift from the higher potential range to a low potential range occurs abruptly at about 24 ppb hydrogen . the concentration of hydrogen that is stoichiometrically equivalent to 300 ppb oxygen for the formation of water is 37 . 5 ppb or 1 . 56 times the measured amount . since the recombination reaction is believed to occur only on the metal surface , the lower observed value for hydrogen is deemed to reflect the fact that the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen in water is considerably higher than that of oxygen . as a result , the hydrogen and oxygen in this example arrive at the electrode surface in stoichiometric ratios for the formation of water even though the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen in the bulk water is substoichiometric . it is likely that the sharp change in potential of the catalyzed surface does indeed correspond to the point where the flux of the hydrogen and the oxygen to the electrode surface are in stoichiometric balance . from these data , we then see that with the catalyzed surface the potential can be reduced to the desired level with far less hydrogen than is required in the absence of the catalyst . it should be beneficial with regard to the control of nitrogen shine in the turbine building since there is considerable evidence that low hydrogen levels in the water result in less production of volatile nitrogen species . two additional sets of data analogous to those of fig1 and 2 are shown in fig3 and 4 . these were obtained after a total of 13 months of operation of sample 316ss - cont - pd and indicate that the behavior produced by the palladization is retained for extended periods . further , only marginal losses of palladium seem to have occurred as evidenced by the final column of thickness gauge data in table i . table i__________________________________________________________________________palladium thickness measurements ( micrometers ) initial after 7 months after 6sample side values of operation additional months__________________________________________________________________________316ss - 47 - 3 1 0 . 00 ± 0 . 05 * 0 . 00 ± 0 . 05 * -- 2 0 . 00 ± 0 . 05 0 . 00 ± 0 . 05 -- 316ss - cont - pd 1 ( 0 . 78 ± 0 . 03 )+ 0 . 86 ± 0 . 04 0 . 79 ± 0 . 03 * 2 ( 0 . 79 ± 0 . 01 ) 0 . 84 ± 0 . 04 0 . 80 ± 0 . 03__________________________________________________________________________ * one standard deviation + the initial thickness measurement was obtained indirectly from a duplicate of 316sscont - pd treated in parallel a number of constant extension rate ( cert ) tests were performed in a separate system using an instron model 1131 test machine and a small autoclave with an external silver / silver chloride reference electrode as previously described in the literature : p . l . andresen , &# 34 ; environment - sensitive fracture : evaluation and comparison of test methods &# 34 ;, astm stp 821 , s . w . dean et al . eds ., am . soc . for testing materials , philadelphia ( 1984 ) page 271 . in order to perform the cert testing , cylindrical tensile specimens 0 . 2 &# 34 ; gauge diameter × 1 &# 34 ; length were machined from welded aisi 304 stainless steel 102 millimeter diameter schedule 80 ( heat no . 04836 ). these pipe samples were from a group previously used in extensive work reported in the literature by andreson . see in this regard p . l . andresen , in epri report np - 2424 - ld ( june 1982 ) page 3 -- 3 . the well - sensitized specimens were further heat treated at 500 ° c . for 24 hours in an argon atmosphere . sensitization was confirmed by an oxylic acid etch test . immediately prior to use -- either directly in a cert or for pre - palladinization -- the samples were polished with wet 600 grit paper . palladinization was performed as described in example 1 , but with variations in the plating , time , and temperature . during the tests , the water was equilibrated with a mixture of nitrogen , hydrogen , and / or oxygen . a sulfuric acid concentration of 0 . 3 × 10 - 6 molar was maintained by injection of a more concentrated solution into the main stream at a constant rate . this supply of sulfuric acid established a conductility of approximately 0 . 3 microsiemen / centimeter in the feed water to the autoclave . the potential of the insulated sample and of the autoclave were monitored against the reference electrode throughout the tests . before the strain was applied to the test specimens , the specimens were exposed to normal water conditions at an oxygen level of 100 or 200 ppb for about 24 hours and then to the test conditions . the test conditions provided for the same level of oxygen in the water with hydrogen also in the water . the strain rate used in all of the testing was 1 × 10 - 6 / s . after the specimens broke under tension , the fracture surface and adjacent surfaces were examined with the scanning electron microscope . results of these tests are summarized in table ii . although aisi 304 ss samples were employed for the certs , their potentials were in accord with those of the aisi 316 flag - type samples used for the electrochemical measurements under similar water chemistry conditions . the relation to the critical potential for protection from scc is shown more clearly in fig5 . here , it is to be noted that the potential of the aisi 316 ss autoclave remained above the critical potential in all cases because it was not palladinized . in all of the certs , the oxygen concentration in the water was maintained at a much higher level than is usually considered acceptable under bwr operating conditions employing hwc . it is also to be noted that the first two tests , which included the unpalladinized control , were performed at high hydrogen to oxygen ratios . for the remainder , the molar ratio of hydrogen to oxygen at the sample surface was held close to the stoichiometric value ( 2 : 1 ) for the formation of water based upon a ratio of 1 . 83 for the diffusion coefficients of hydrogen and oxygen . when the molar ratio at the sample surface was & gt ; 2 . 0 the potential of the palladinized samples was well below the critical value even with only a 0 . 03 micrometer thick palladium coating . with a ratio of & lt ; 2 . 0 the potential of the sample with a 0 . 77 micrometer thick coating was above the critical value . inspection of the fractured specimens with a scanning electron microscope revealed that only the unpalladinized control and the palladinized sample from test 4 , which was performed with the substoichiometric ratio of hydrogen to oxygen , showed extensive intergranular stress corrosion cracking . a number of intergranular cracks were also evident on the free surface near the break in both cases . in all other tests ductile fracture occurred accompanied by some transgranular cracking on the fracture and free surfaces , as has been extensively observed in other tests at low potentials . it is , therefore , clear that the palladium coatings were successful in facilitating the achievement of corrosion potentials lower than those of the control specimens and , indeed , below the critical value for the prevention of scc even with relatively high oxygen concentrations and low hydrogen concentrations in the water . further , this behavior was achieved and sustained with a palladium coating as thin as 0 . 03 micrometer . in agreement with the potentials , the control sample and the palladinized sample deliberately held at a high potential ( with an h 2 : o 2 ratio at the sample surface of & lt ; 2 ) manifested intergranular stress corrosion cracking while the remainder of the palladinized samples did not . this clearly demonstrates that the combination of the palladium coating coupled with the presence of the injected hydrogen is responsible for the improved behavior . table ii__________________________________________________________________________results of constant extension rate testst = 287 ° c . 0 . 3 × 10 . sup .- 6 m h . sub . 2 so . sub . 4conductivity : 0 . 3 microsiemen / cmstrain rate : 1 × 10 . sup .- 6 / sec . molar ratio of h . sub . 2 : o . sub . 2 potential vs . she time to max strain tocert pd thick . ppb ppb in water at surface sample autocl . failure stress failure igscno . ( μm ) h . sub . 2 o . sub . 2 ( calc . ) ( calc .#) ( mv ) ( mv ) ( hrs ) ( ksi ) (%) (%) __________________________________________________________________________1 0 ( control ) 161 95 27 . 1 49 . 6 - 102 ± 12 31 ± 11 70 59 25 262 0 . 77 161 104 24 . 8 45 . 3 - 535 ± 45 - 110 ± 20 124 67 45 03 0 . 77 16 196 1 . 3 2 . 4 - 515 ± 25 - 100 ± 30 125 69 45 04 0 . 77 9 196 . 7 1 . 3 50 ± 30 - 102 ± 32 76 59 27 335 0 . 07 19 251 1 . 2 2 . 2 - 490 ± 30 - 150 ± 20 118 68 42 06 0 . 03 20 263 1 . 2 2 . 2 - 400 ± 30 - 110 ± 10 126 70 45 0__________________________________________________________________________ molar ratio in water = 16 × ppb h . sub . 2 / ppb # molar ratio at surface = 1 . 83 × molar ratio in water ; where 1 . 83 is the ratio of the diffusion coefficients for h . sub . 2 and o . sub . 2 in water derived from : p . t . h . m . verhallen et al ., chem . eng . science , vol . 171 ( 1989 ) page 323 the results obtained and listed in the above examples clearly establish the value of the combination of hydrogen injection and a platinum metal in facilitating the establishment of low potentials for extended periods of time .	6
the following detailed description illustrates the invention and a variety of embodiments by way of example and is not limited to the particular limitations presented herein as principles of the invention . this description is directed to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention by describing embodiments , adaptations , variations and alternatives of the invention . any potential variations of the limitations herein described are within the scope of the invention . in general terms , the instant invention is directed to a gauze pad holder , useful in holding a gauze pad , which is intended to be pressed or bitten in a post - surgical precise location inside the mouth , just after a surgical dental procedure has been performed . thus , a section of the holder has been intended to be used intraoral and for instance , after tooth extraction . the instant invention comprises different embodiments able to adapt to the particular intraoral postsurgical location due to the curvature of the oral cavity and different elements may be included to further secure said gauze pad firmly in a particular mouth area after a surgical procedure . the first embodiment of the invention 10 is illustrated in fig1 and 2 . a second embodiment of the invention 25 is illustrated in fig3 and 4 . embodiments 10 and 25 are very similar , as explained below and are intended to be used in any tooth extraction process , but are particularly more convenient to be used after molar and premolar extractions at the intraoral cavity . fig1 illustrates a perspective view of embodiment 10 while fig2 illustrates a frontal view of said embodiment 10 . it comprises a handle 11 , which is illustrated having a preferably flat , oval shape with a concave center surrounded by round edges ; although it may have any other suitable shape . extending from handle 11 , there is connecting unit 12 , which has an elongated body 14 , having a preferably cylindrical shape . it has a first end 15 , wherein it is connected to handle 11 and a second end 16 , wherein it is connected to a first c - shaped holding unit 17 , which since it is connected at such end 16 is thus aligned or substantially aligned to handle 11 . embodiment 10 also comprises a flat supporting section 18 , which is connected to and extending outwardly from the right side near said second end 16 of the connecting unit 12 . flat supporting section 18 preferably has a rectangular or near rectangular shape having the back right corner 19 preferably round and a thin width without having any sharp edges . it also comprises a front right corner 20 wherein a second c - shaped holding unit 21 is connected . said second holding unit 21 is located in a parallel position to the first c - shaped holding unit 17 . in this manner , first c - shaped holding unit 17 and second c - shaped holding unit 21 creates cavity 22 , wherein a set of gauze pad 23 may be securely held , as illustrated in fig8 . said first and second c - shaped holding units 17 and 21 are preferably identical in shape and size and their bodies are preferably cylindrical having its ends 23 pointing to near the interior of cavity 22 , as illustrated in fig2 . a second embodiment 25 according to the invention is illustrated in fig3 and 4 . fig3 illustrates a perspective view while fig4 illustrates a frontal view of embodiment 25 . the difference between embodiment 10 and embodiment 25 is that embodiment 25 comprises a series of multiple sharp pointed projections 26 , coming from the top and bottom internal surface of each of the first and second holding units 17 and 21 , respectively , to the interior of said c - shaped structures simulating teeth ; thus providing or creating cavity 27 as a toothed cavity . projections 26 provides an additional support to a gauze pad 24 , since such projections 26 impale the fibers of the gauze pad 24 , providing an extra secure holding to said gauze pad 24 . the instant invention also comprises embodiments 30 and 45 , which are illustrated diagrammatically in a perspective view in fig5 and 6 . embodiment 30 , illustrated in fig5 comprises handle section 31 preferably having a flat , oval shape with a concave center surrounded by round edges even though it may have any other suitable shape . extending from handle 31 , there is connecting unit 32 , which has an elongated body 33 , having a preferably cylindrical shape . it has a first end 34 , wherein it is connected to handle 31 and a second end 35 having a flat round shape comprising a lower surface 36 and an upper surface 37 . on said lower surface 36 is connected a c - shaped holding unit 38 , which , since it is connected at such lower surface 36 of second end 35 , being thus aligned or substantially aligned to handle 31 . main body of the c - shaped structure 38 is preferably cylindrical and has its ends 39 pointing inwardly to the interior space 40 of said c - shaped holding unit 38 as illustrated in fig5 . said internal space 40 is suitable to hold and firmly secure a set of gauze pad 24 as illustrated in fig9 . on the other hand , the instant invention also comprises embodiment 45 which is illustrated in fig6 as a perspective view . it is similar to embodiment 30 however it comprises a series of multiple sharp pointed projections 46 , coming from the top and bottom internal surface of the interior of said c - shaped holding unit 38 which simulate teeth ; thus providing or creating cavity 47 as a toothed cavity . as previously indicated for embodiment 25 , projections 46 as in the case of projections 26 provides an additional support to a gauze pad 24 , since such projections 46 impale the fibers of the gauze pad 24 , providing an extra secure holding to said gauze pad 24 , as illustrated in fig9 . the herein disclosed embodiments may be made of any suitable strong material , such as plastic , foam , or noncorrosive metal , preferably plastic via suitable known in the art molding techniques . even more preferably such embodiments may be made of plastic or noncorrosive metal . it is contemplated that the embodiments may have different sizes since the holder may be used in patients of different ages . it is contemplated that the herein disclosed holder may be for disposable use or alternatively , it may be for non - disposable use after being properly disinfected or sterilized . it is also contemplated that the embodiments within the scope of the instant invention may be sold in enclosed , sanitary and hygienic kits or packages . said kits may comprise multiple individually wrapped gauze pads that have been already and properly disinfected and sanitized by known methods in the art and each pad being already assembled to the disclosed holder as illustrated in fig8 and 9 in order to avoid potential health risks caused by microorganism such as germs and / or bacteria . similarly , said kits may comprise individually wrapped gauze pad holders without the gauze pad 24 . in operational terms , gauze pad 24 is properly folded and assembled to the holder and after the surgical procedure has been performed , it is introduced and placed over the surgical area inside the patient &# 39 ; s mouth using the handle section of the holder , thus avoiding introducing the fingers inside the oral cavity of the patient . fig1 and 11 illustrated the accommodation of the holder and gauze pad 24 in the patient &# 39 ; s mouth 50 . fig1 , illustrates the embodiment type 10 and 25 after an extraction or surgical procedure has been done in a molar tooth site . alternatively , fig1 shows the use of embodiment types 30 and 45 after a surgical procedure or extraction has been performed in a premolar tooth site . as indicated previously , each type of embodiment is ergonomically designed according to the anatomy of the oral cavity and the surroundings of the given surgical site . after the pad is accommodated on the pertinent surgical area , and the patient presses the gauze pad by closing the jaws as illustrated in fig1 , using embodiment 10 as an example , said pad should be maintained in the surgical area for about 30 minutes to maintain a dry field and allow the blood clot to form . while the patient is using the herein described holder , the patient may secure said holder at any given time if necessary by holding the handle section , thus the patient may even talk carefully without the gauze pad being displaced from its holder . if necessary , the gauze pad 24 may be substituted by a new one by just repeating the described process . although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail , it is to be clearly understood that such description is for purposes of illustration and example and it is not intended to be taken by way of limitation . for instance , some sections of the gauze holder such as the elongated body , the handle and the holding unit may have alternatives shapes and / or configurations and still be within the spirit of the invention . therefore , it is recognized that multiple variations exist , including both narrowing and broadening variations of the appended claims .	0
other than where otherwise indicated or understood , all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients or reaction conditions used herein are to be understood as modified in all instances by the term “ about ”. in addition , it is understood that the term “ metals ” also includes metalloids . in formula ( ii ), when r 1 is methyl or ethyl , and in formula ( v ), m is preferably 1 . 5 to 3 , more preferably 2 to 3 . the styryleneoxy groups may be unsubstituted , or may contain substituents on the phenyl group , such as one or more c 1 - c 6 - alkyl groups , c 1 - c 6 - alkoxy groups , and / or other groups that will not interfere with electrolysis . the compounds of formula ( ii ), in which r 1 is methyl or ethyl , i . e ., sulfonate - or sulfate - capped , alkoxylated trimethylol - ethane or - propane compounds , are preferred compounds of the invention . such compounds , in which ao is eo or po , are preferred , and those in which ao is eo are more preferred . most preferred are the propane derivatives of formula ( ii ), in which r 1 is ethyl . electrolyte solutions containing , and methods of reducing misting in electrolyte solutions by adding , either alone or in a mixture with one or more compounds of formula ( i ), one or more compounds of formula ( ix ), in which r 3 is represented by formula ( xi ), r 5 is preferably c 3 - c 6 alkyl , and z is preferably 2 to 3 , more preferably 3 , as well as those in which the r 3 group is represented by formula ( x ), where r 3 is hexyl , octyl , an octyl / decyl mixture , or decyl , and where the r 4 group is represented by formula ( xii ), are preferred . the above alkoxylated compounds may be readily produced by alkoxylating the corresponding alcohols and / or amines by methods well known to those skilled in the art , e . g ., by reacting the alcohols and / or amines with the desired quantities of alkylene oxides . the compounds in formula ( ix ), in which the r 3 group is represented by formula ( x ), where r 3 is decyl , and where the r 4 group is represented by formula ( xii ), may be readily produced by reacting a n , n - dimethyl tertiary amine with either 1 , 3 - propanesultone or with sodium chloroacetate , according to standard techniques described in the literature . the anti - misting agents — the novel compounds and / or the compounds not previously known to be useful as anti - misting agents — according to this invention are useful in reducing or minimizing the misting problems that may be present in electrowinning compositions , electroplating compositions , and / or electroforming compositions and / or in procedures that utilize aqueous electrolyte solutions of metals ions or aqueous electrolyte dispersions of metals in metallic form , as well as with waste solutions containing dissolved metals . in all cases , it being understood that the metals / metalloids may be present in ionic form and / or in elementary form . and in the electrolysis of metals from aqueous electrolyte solutions containing the metal ( s ) to be captured , the utility of the compounds according to the present invention is not dependent on the particular metal ( s ) present in the electrolyte solutions . the anti - misting agents of the present invention are effective in quantities as low as a few parts per million , based on the electrolyte composition , e . g ., from 2 - to - 100 ppm , preferably from 2 - to - 30 ppm , and most preferably from 5 - to - 25 ppm . in an electrowinning application , they may be added to the aqueous strip solution used in the stripping stage following the solvent extraction stage , or to the metal - pregnant aqueous solution that results from the stripping of the organic phase in the stripping stage , or , preferably , to the metal - containing electrolyte / strip aqueous phase in the electrowinning tankhouse . there are a number of electroplating methods for which the demisting agents of the invention may be used . materials , such as strip steel , may be plated in plating tanks where coils of steel are unrolled in a continuous basis , fed through a series of preparation steps , and then into the plating tank . wire that is uncoiled from the spools or reels on which it was wound , may be passed through various processing steps and then plated , with metals , such as copper , copper alloys , zinc , iron , iron alloys , nickel , nickel alloys , gold , or silver , as individual strands . stampings , moldings , and castings are typically mounted onto specially - designed plating racks for electroplating . small parts , e . g ., dipping baskets and plating barrels made of inert plastic materials , may be electroplated using bulk plating methods . where parts are large and only smaller areas of the parts are to be plated , brush plating is used , i . e ., using plating tools which are shaped anode materials covered with an absorbent material saturated with the plating solution . insoluble anodes are used exclusively in the plating baths of the present invention . chromium plating solutions utilize lead - tin , lead - antimony , or just lead anodes ; gold and other precious metal plating processes use stainless steel anodes , keeping inventory costs down . however , the use of insoluble anodes may , unfortunately , also result in side effects . in alkaline cyanide solutions , the generation and buildup of carbonates is accelerated as a result of the use of insoluble anodes , along with a significant reduction in alkalinity . in acidic solutions , the ph decreases , requiring frequent adjustments . in sulfamate nickel plating solutions , insoluble anodes , and even slightly passive soluble anodes , partially oxidize the sulfamate ion to form sulfur - bearing compounds which change the character and performance of the deposit . ( see kirk - othmer , supra ). the synthesis of the sulfoalkyl derivatives of the compound of formula i ( i . e ., those in which b =( ch 2 ) q so 3 y ) may typically be accomplished as a two - step reaction that may be performed in the same reaction vessel . the first step of the reaction involves the addition of sodium metal to the alkoxylated polyol ( i . e ., one of the compounds from formula ( ii )-( vi )) to form the corresponding terminal sodium alkoxide . the second step of the reaction is the addition of 1 , 3 - propane sultone to the sodium alkoxide formed in the first step . toluene ( or other inert organic solvent ) is used as the solvent throughout the process . the sulfonate - capped derivatives of the compounds of formula ( i ) in which b = ch 2 chohch 2 so 3 y ( 2 - hydroxypropanesulfonate ) may also typically be accomplished as a two - step reaction ( known as a williamson synthesis ) that may be performed in the same reaction vessel , preferably in an inert organic solvent , such as toluene . the first step of the reaction involves the addition of sodium metal to the alkoxylated polyol ( i . e ., one of the compounds from formula ( ii )-( vi )), as above , in order to form the corresponding terminal sodium alkoxide . the second step of the reaction is the addition of 3 - chloro - 2 - hydroxy - 1 - propanesulfonic acid sodium salt to the sodium alkoxide formed in the first step , and the product is recovered by addition of water to the organic phase after cooling . the aqueous phase is then isolated . the production of the sulfate - capped derivatives of the compounds of formula ( i ), in which b = so 3 y , may be accomplished by starting with the same ethoxylated polyols ( i . e ., one of the compounds from formula ( ii )-( vi )) described above and converting their terminal hydroxyl groups to sulfates by reactions known in the art . alternatively , the terminal hydroxyl may be capped by reacting them with allyl chloride , and then adding sulfuric acid across the double bond to give a slightly different type of sulfate cap . the alkoxylated compounds of formula ( i ) above , may be readily prepared by alkoxylating the corresponding alcohols and / or amines by methods well known to those skilled in the art , e . g ., by reacting the alcohols and / or amines with the desired quantities of alkylene oxides . such syntheses are illustrated and / or exemplified in synthetic detergents , a . s . davidsohn and b . milwidsky , seventh edition , longmanscientific and technical , 1987 , pp . 178 - 191 , and kirk - othmer , encyclopedia of chemical technology , 3rd edition , volume 9 , john wiley and sons , new york , 1980 , p . 437 , among other places . the compounds of formula ( ix ) are classified as betaines . the compounds , in which the r 3 group is represented by formula ( xi ) and the r 4 group is represented by formula ( xiii ), are called sulfobetaines betaines . such compounds , where z = 3 , are called 3 -[( 3 - alkylamino - propyl )- n , n - dimethylammonio ]- propane sulfonates or 2 - hydroxy - 3 -[ 3 - alkylamino - propyl )- n , n - dimethylammonio ]- propane sulfonates ( if the r 5 group is c 1 , then replace “ alkyl ” with “ methyl ”; if the r 5 group is c 2 , then replace “ alkyl ” with “ ethyl ”; if the r 5 group is c 3 , then replace “ alkyl ” with “ propyl ”, and so on ) the first step in the synthesis in both cases is the reaction of 3 -( dimethylamino ) propyl amine with an ester under standard transamidification conditions to generate the corresponding amide . in the second step , the resulting amide is reacted with either the 1 , 3 - propane sultone or 2 - hydroxy - 3 - chloropropanesulfonic acid under conditions known in the art . the compounds of formula ( ix ), in which the r 3 group is represented by formula ( x ) and the r 4 group is represented by formula ( xiii ), are classified as alkyl n , n - dimethylsulfonates . the synthesis of the compounds is accomplished by the reaction of 1 , 3 - propane sultone or 2 - hydroxy - 3 - chloropropanesulfonic acid with a n - alkyl - n , n - dimethyl amine in anhydrous acetone using , conditions known in the art . these compounds of formula ( ix ), in which the r 3 group is represented by formula ( x ) and the r 4 group is represented by formula ( xii ), are classified as alkyl n , n - dimethylglycines . the synthesis of the compounds is accomplished by the reaction of sodium chloroacetate with a n - alkyl - n , n - dimethyl amine in water . after the reaction is complete , there is no need to further purify of the product . the invention is further illustrated , but not limited , by the following examples , the compounds for which were prepared by first reacting ethylene oxide with triethanolamine , then reacting the resulting product with 1 , 2 - propylene oxide . to a 5000 ml round bottom flask equipped with a dean - stark trap / condenser / drying tube , a mechanical stirrer , and a pressure - equalizing funnel , was added 199 . 5 g ( 0 . 45 mol ) trimethylolpropane that has reacted with seven moles of ethylene oxide and 2 . 75 - 3 l of toluene . the solution was refluxed for four hours to remove any water ( azeotrope using the dean - stark trap ). the dean - stark trap was then removed , and the condenser was replaced with a dry condenser . the temperature of the reaction flask was kept at just the refluxing temperature of toluene ( overheating causes the solution to darken considerably ). to the reaction flask was then added 31 . 05 g ( 1 . 35 mol , 1 mol equivalents to the hydroxyl groups of the trimethylolpropane containing seven ethyleneoxy groups ) of sodium metal , washed with hexane prior to use , over a one hour period . addition of the sodium metal resulted in a substantial increase in temperature . the solution was then stirred for four additional hours . while there was some sodium still in the reaction vessel , it was completely consumed in the next phase of the reaction . 1 , 3 - propane sultone ( 165 . 0 g , 1 . 35 mol ) was transferred to the addition funnel along with 400 ml of toluene . the addition of the 1 , 3 - propane sultone was performed over a 20 - 30 minute period . addition of the 1 , 3 - propane sultone was carefully monitored because of the extreme temperature increase at the beginning of the addition , and the formation of an intractable solid at the end of the addition . the solution was stirred as the 1 , 3 - propane sultone was added , and continued to be stirred until the formation of the solid product caused the mechanical stirrer to stop , then the toluene was decanted off while still hot . to remove the solid , the contents of the flask had to be dried using a vacuum pump and the solid broken apart with a steel rod . the solid was collected , crushed , and washed with hot toluene . the crushed solid was dried using a vacuum of 500 millitorr , and was pulverized using a mortar and pestle . the yields from three runs of this preparation were 95 . 45 %, 91 . 37 %, and 97 . 8 % respectively ( this preparation is typical for formula i compounds ). the following is a typical reaction for the synthesis of the alkyl n , n - dimethylglycines . to a 500 ml flask 3 necked flask equipped with a condenser , a mechanical stirrer , and the other opening sealed with a teflon stopper was added 92 . 70 g n - decyl - n , n - dimethyl amine ( 0 . 50 mol ) and 58 . 25 g sodium choloroacetate ( 0 . 50 mol ) dissolved in 151 . 0 g of water . the solution was heated to 90 ° c . using a silicon oil bath . the temperature was kept constant throughout the reaction using a temperature probe connected to the hotplate . the stirring rate was kept at 250 rpm throughout the reaction . after three hours a sample was taken and potentiometrically titrated with 0 . 1 m naoh using standard techniques . since there was no free amine present (& lt ; 1 %) the reaction was terminated . the yield from the reaction was quantitative . ( this preparation is typical for alkyl n , n - dimethylglycines .) in order to demonstrate the anti - misting characteristics of these products , two compounds of the invention : the tri - sodium sulfopropyl ether of trimethylolpropane containing seven ethyleneoxy groups ( compound a ) and the tri - sodium sulfopropyl ether of triethanolamine containing six polyoxypropylene groups and eleven polyoxyethylene groups ( compound b ) were tested against five hundred ml samples of copper electrolyte solution ( 50 g / l cu + 2 , 0 . 2 g / l co + 2 , 1 . 5 g / l fe + 3 , 170 g / l sulfuric acid ) in a jacketed beaker controlled at 45 ° c ., with mist being generated by passing air through a fine frit ( 4 - 8 micron ) scintered glass bubbler in the copper electrolyte . the mist was sampled by suctioning air through a sampling tube 1 . 5 inches above the liquid level , the tube being connected to a water trap . at timed intervals , the water from the trap was titrated with sodium hydroxide to a bromphenol blue endpoint to determine the amount of acid contained therein , the results in the table being calculated in millimoles of sulfuric acid captured per hour . the results of the anti - misting tests are shown in table 1 : three anti - misting agents according to the invention ( compound a [ from example 2 , where m is ˜ 3 ], the sodium sulfopropyl ether of monoethanolamine containing six propylene oxide groups and eleven ethylene oxide groups , where m is ˜ 3 [ compound c ] and monoethanolamine containing six propylene oxide groups and eleven ethylene oxide groups reacted with only two moles of propane sultone for each mole of the monoethanolamine , where m is ˜ 2 [ compound d ]) and monoethanolamine contacted with six moles of propylene oxide and eleven moles of ethylene oxide ( compound 1 , the preferred embodiment from u . s . pat . no . 6 , 843 , 479 ), and a blank run with no anti - misting agents , were tested in an electrowinning apparatus with guar added as a smoothing agent . the basis for all three new molecules is either compound 1 or trimethylolpropane containing seven ethyleneoxy groups . the three anti - misting agents according to the invention tested were : the results demonstrated that compound a provided a clean , even plate . the plate of compound b was almost as good quality as that of compound a . however , the plate of compound c showed that it had a slight tendency to form nodules . earlier testing demonstrated that the plate for compound 1 contained substantial nodule growth which not only results in a poor plate quality for copper recovery , but also can produce hazardous electrical conditions in the cell . for each 16 - hour run , 35 l of electrolyte was prepared with concentrations of 38 g / l cu , 2 g / l fe 3 + , 0 . 1 g / l co , 0 . 01 g / l cl , and 175 μl h 2 so 4 . this was accomplished by dissolving appropriate levels of cuso 4 , fe 2 ( so 4 ) 3 , coso 4 , nacl , and h 2 so 4 in deionized water . each solution was then split into two 5 - gal buckets to feed the electrowinning for two days at eight hours each day . an electrowinning cell , housing one cathode and two anodes , was made from pvc plastic and fitted with a water jacket in order that the cell could be maintained at a given temperature . the cathodes were cut from stainless steel with a surface plating area of about 3 in × 3 in ( 0 . 0625 ft 2 counting both sides ) and a thickness of slightly less than one - sixteenth inch ; the anodes were lead plates and slightly smaller in width and height than the cathode . the electrolyte in the cell , while running , measured 11 cm deep × 8 cm wide × 12 . 5 cm long , for a volume of 1 . 1 l , and it was pumped into and out of the cell at a rate of 28 ml / min , in order to achieve a 3 g / l drop in cu concentration across the cell . the current density used in the experiments was 30 a / ft 2 ( within the typical tankhouse current densities of between 12 and 38 a / ft 2 ), and based on the surface area of the cathode , the current needed to flow to the cell was calculated to be 3 . 75 a . at the beginning of each test , 0 . 07 g ( 4 ppm ) of galactasol ® 40h 4 cd guar gum derivative and 0 . 175 g ( 10 ppm ) of the potential demisting agent for that run were added , while stirring with an impeller , to one of the two buckets containing the electrolyte . the jacket for the electrowinning cell was filled with deionized water and hooked up to a recirculating water bath in order to maintain the electrolyte in the cell at 45 ° c . the inlet tube for the cell was run through a peristaltic pump set to 28 ml / min and placed into the bucket containing the spiked electrolyte , which had been warmed up on a hot plate to ˜ 45 ° c ., with the exit tube being placed in a clean , empty 5 - gal bucket . the 1200 ml of warm electrolyte was added to the cell to fill it to the appropriate level ( in order that the submerged area of the cathode was 0 . 0625 ft ). the anode and cathode were hooked up to a constant current power supply , and the pump was turned on . once the lines were full and the electrolyte was flowing through the cell , the power supply was turned on and set to 3 . 75 a continuous current . this arrangement was run for eight hours before turning off the power supply , the water bath supplying the jacket , and the peristaltic pump , and the wire to the cathode from the power supply was unhooked in order to prevent current backflow . after allowing the cathode to sit in the bath overnight , the cathode was dried , weighed , and photographs were taken of it . the above procedure was repeated the following day with the second batch of tests solutions . again , after allowing the cathode to sit in the bath overnight , the cathode was dried , weighed , and photographs were taken of it . the electrowinning tests for compound a and compound d ( compound c was not checked ) were repeated in a 40 - hour run in order to ensure no obvious negative characteristics of the copper deposit . each 40 - hour run required 70 l of electrolyte , split into five 14 - l batches , each batch receiving 0 . 056 g ( 4 ppm ) of the guar polymer and 0 . 14 g ( 10 ppm ) of the demisting agent being evaluated . these runs confirmed that compound a produces high quality plates and compound d tends to produce plates having a limited number of small nodules . the extraction circuit kinetics tests were run using the cognis standard quality control test method in order to determine whether the tested anti - misting agents were too soluble in the organic phase or have an adverse effect on phase separation in the extraction stripping phase . a 4 - l batch of 10 v / v % lix ® 984n mixed ketoxime / aldoxime extraction reagents was made up in conoco ® 170exempt aliphatic diluent . one - liter of cognis qc electrolyte ( i . e . solution contains 35 ± 0 . 7 g / l cu ( as the sulfate ) and 160 ± 2 g / l h 2 so 4 ) batches ( six in total ) were spiked to levels of 20 and 50 ppm ( three with 20 ; three with 50 ), respectively , with each of compounds a , c and d ( from example 3 ). one liter of qc electrolyte , without any demisting agent , was run through the qc test as a control batch . a 400 - ml sample of the uk 984n reagent solution was contacted with 400 ml of one of the electrolyte solutions for 3 minutes by shaking vigorously in a 1 - l separatory funnel . the solutions were allowed to separate , a sample of the equilibrated organic ( e . o .) was taken , and 350 ml of the organic was placed in a 1 - l baffled beaker . an impeller was lowered into the organic solution in order that the top of the polypropylene hub of the impeller was at the surface level of the organic . the impeller was started up at 1750 rpm and 350 ml of a control feed ( 6 . 0 g / l cu , 3 . 0 g / l fe + 3 , ph = 2 . 0 ) was added over five seconds . a sample of the emulsion was taken at 30 seconds to obtain a sample of the organic ( e30 ). the mixing continued for 300 seconds total at which time the mixer was stopped . the time required for a complete separation of the phases was then determined ( phase break time ). a sample of the organic after 300 seconds of mixing ( e300 ) was then taken . the organic and aqueous phases were transferred to a 1 - l separatory funnel and allowed to separate again . a 325 - ml sample of that organic was placed in a 1 - l baffled beaker and a clean impeller was placed at the same level as the extraction test . the impeller was started up at 1750 rpm and 325 ml of the same qc electrolyte as the first contact was added over 5 seconds . a sample of the emulsion was taken at 30 seconds to obtain a sample of the organic ( s30 ). the mixing continued for 300 seconds total , at which time the mixer was stopped , and the phase break time was then determined . a sample of the organic phase was then taken ( s300 ), with the results for the seven kinetics tests shown in table 1 . the above extraction circuit kinetics data demonstrates that compound a and compound c do not have any substantial impact on the solvent extraction performance . however , compound d does appear to have a small negative impact on phase separation . surface tensions were measured on qc electrolyte with compounds a , c and d , fc1100 , and mistop at levels of 5 , 10 , 20 , and 40 ppm . the results are shown in table 3 . based on the above surface tension comparisons , compounds a , b , and c are equally effective in lowering the surface tension of the electrolyte as the commercially - accepted fc1100 . surface tension measurement of qc electrolyte containing various concentrations of anti - misting agents were performed as the reduction in surface tension is a good indicator of mist suppression behavior . these measurements were carried out utilizing a fisher surface tensiomat 21 in manual mode utilizing the du nouy methodology ( standard method ). results for the most preferred compounds of the invention may be found in table 1 ; compound e ( n - decyl - n , n - dimethylglycine ), compound f ( n - octyl - n , n - dimethylglycine ), compound g ( n - dodecyl - n , n - dimethylglycine ). fc - 1100 , from 3m , is the commercially accepted anti - misting agent . in order to measure acid mist suppression of anti - misting agents of formula ( in these compounds were added to an operating electrowinning cell . the electrolytic cell was made of 3 / 16 ″ thick lexan plastic and measured 3 . 5 ″ in width , 8 . 5 ″ in length , and 6 . 5 ″ in depth . an overflow weir was placed near the exit side of the cell and measures five inches in height . an entrance baffle , also 5 ″ in length , was placed near the electrolyte entrance . along the top of the cell , nine square - cut grooves were cut to allow the anode and cathode busbars to sit on cell . centered 0 . 5 ″ beneath the 4 1h groove cut , a 5 / 16 ″ hole was bored out to serve as a sample port . two 0 . 5 ″ holes were bored in the opposite ends of the cell to serve as feed entrance and exits . the entrance hole was bored at 4 . 25 ″ from the bottom of the cell , and the exit hole was bored at 2 . 5 ″ above the bottom of the cell . teflon - taped fittings were screwed into the ends to provide for tubing attachments . anodes and cathodes were cut in order to fit the electrowinning cell . lead anodes were cut from 1 / 16 ″ thick lead sheet and measure 3 ″× 5 . 25 ″. the anodes were attached to a copper busbar with two small threaded screws and 12 gauge copper wire was run between the two anodes in series . the last anode was connected with 12 gauge copper wire to the positive terminal of the dc power supply . cathodes were made from 1116 ″ thick stainless steel 316 ( ss316 ), and had the same dimensions as the anodes . similarly to the anode , the cathode was attached to a copper busbar with a threaded screw with 12 gauge copper wire connections between cathodes . the busbar was connected to the negative terminal on the dc power supply . the collection of acid mist was accomplished by drawing the mist through a reservoir of water in an erlenmeyer flask at a constant flow rate ( 1800 ml / min through a 1 / 16 ″ inlet nozzle ). after a timed interval , the water from the reservoir was titrated with a standardized sodium hydroxide solution to a phenolphthalein endpoint . the amount of sodium hydroxide used in the titration was then used to determine the relative amount of acid mist . copper electrolyte was prepared in 40 l batches and included : 35 g / l cu , 2 g / l fe 3 + , and 1780 g / l h 2 so 4 . this was done by dissolving appropriate levels of cuso 4 , fe 2 ( so 4 ) 3 , and h 2 so 4 in deionized water . analysis of the solution was performed prior to running by aas . approximately 15 ppm of galactasol ® 40h 4 cd guar solution was added to the electrolyte for cathode smoothing purposes . an anti - misting agent was then added at the appropriate concentration , and the entire solution was thoroughly mixed prior to introduction into the ew cell . the electrolyte was introduced into the electrolytic cell at a flow rate of 30 ml / min via a peristaltic pump . the electrolyte reservoir was placed in a re - circulating water bath in order to control the temperature to between 40 ° c . and 42 ° c . a stir bar was placed in the electrolytic cell to ensure proper mixing . once the electrolyte had reached 40 ° c ., the dc power was turned on and voltage and amperage adjusted to give 4 . 10 a at 5 . 0 to 5 . 2 v . this should provide a current density of 300 a / m 2 , in a single - cathode arrangement . the electrolytic reaction was allowed to proceed for three hours . after three hours , the sample probe and tubing were rinsed with a few aliquots of di water into the water trap to qualitatively transfer any residual acid on the interior surfaces of the probe and tubing . a few drops of phenolphthalein were added to the water in the erlenmeyer flask . the acid mist / water sample was then titrated with standardized 0 . 1 m naoh . the endpoint of the titration is indicated by a change in color of the solution from clear to pink . the amount of naoh is proportional to the acid mist generated and the results of the analysis are shown in table 2 for the most preferred betaines ( compounds e , f , and g ). mist values for the 40 and 50 ppm concentrations of compound g in table 2 were very low due to foaming on the surface of the electrowinning solution . at no other time was any foaming noticed for the other compounds in the electrowinning trials at concentrations up to 100 ppm . effect of anti - misting agent on extraction circuit kinetics of compounds of formula ( ix ) extraction circuit kinetics were obtained using a two extraction / one strip stage ( 2e / 1s ) circuit in order to determine whether the anti - misting agents had a negative effect on the organic phase or the phase separation times . the counter - current 2e / 1s system was comprised of lexan mix boxes ( 180 ml capacity ), each containing an impeller mixer which agitates the solution in the mix - box portion of the stage . the residence time of the cell was 180 seconds . the impellers were run at 1750 rpm and the continuity of the system was kept organic continuous . initial levels of pregnant leach solution ( pls ), strip electrolyte ( se ), and loaded organic ( lo ) were added to the appropriate mix boxes . an initial equilibrium was established with the organic by pre - contacting fresh organic reagent with strip electrolyte prior to addition into the circuit . pls was fed into the system at a rate of 15 ml / min . organic ( either 10 % v / v or 30 % v / v lix ® 984n in shellsol d70 ) was pumped from an overflow surge tank into the circuit at a rate of 30 ml / min . strip electrolyte was also pumped in at a rate of 30 ml / min . all circuit stages were kept at ambient temperature with the exception of the strip stage . the strip stage was heated to between 40 ° and 42 ° c . the circuit was run for a minimum of 24 hours of operation . synthetic electrolyte (˜ 35 g / l cu , 2 g / l fe 3 + , 180 g / l h 2 so 4 , 15 ppm guar ) was pre - dosed with a specific concentration of mist suppressant . as this solution was run through the circuit , samples were taken to determine if there were any issues with kinetics or circuit metallurgy . overall organic entrainment and phase - break times were determined for the two lix ® 984n concentrations ( 10 % and 30 %). samples were taken after approximately 24 hours of total circuit run time and analyzed for metal concentrations in the various circuit operations ( strip , e1 , e2 , raffinate streams ). the results of the analysis may be found in table 3 . the only negative impact on solvent extraction by the most preferred anti - misting agents ( compounds e , f , and g ) occurred when using compound g . at low concentration ( 10 ppm ), compound g was noted to cause a stable emulsion layer to form in the strip stage . this emulsion layer did not break and was stable for well over 24 hours , filling the settler box nearly to its full depth . no emulsion layers were noted with compounds e or f at any dosage concentration . entrainments for compounds e or f were in the 100 - 300 ppm range , which is consistent with industrial levels . all other results in table 3 are consistent with normal operating values . copper was plated for 8 - 22 hours using the same conditions as described in example 1 in order to inspect the quality of the copper deposited . the quality of the cathode was determined by a visual inspection using microscopy at low power ( approximately 125 × magnifications ). the cathode produced using compounds e , f , g and fc - 1100 was of high quality and had essentially smooth plates with little to no nodulation .	2
in one aspect of the invention , a client using a computer connected to a high bandwidth network at a remote location generates a multimedia request to the claimed multimedia distribution system . upon authentication of the client ( the “ customer ”) by the automated session manager , an automated financial transaction is commenced based upon the price for the multimedia file , set by the administrator ( the “ seller ”) of the claimed multimedia distribution system . upon successful completion of the transaction process , the automated session manager generates a web page that contains the multimedia file requested by the customer . the multimedia file includes an embedded system that authenticates the customers licensing prior to opening the multimedia stream port . upon authentication by the embedded system , the multimedia stream port is opened creating a virtual circuit to connect to the remote customer &# 39 ; s computer to the claimed cross platform multimedia system over the high bandwidth network . at the completion of the licensed multimedia session , the session manager then closes the stream port to terminate the connection to the customer over the high bandwidth network . in another aspect of the invention , the administrator of the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system manages the operation and functionality of the cross platform multimedia system . the administrator may insert , edit and or / delete multimedia files from the data storage system . upon insertion , a multimedia files is instantaneously available to all customers accessing the cross platform multimedia server over a high bandwidth network through the automated processes of the session manager . the administrator also controls customer access to multimedia files and may edit , disable or delete individual customers from the claimed cross platform multimedia system . in another aspect of the invention , the super administrator of the claimed cross platform multimedia system controls all operation and automated functionality of the invention . the super administrator &# 39 ; s commands are prioritized by the automated session manager and supersede commands entered by the administrator . the super administrator controls administrator access to the management of the claimed cross platform multimedia system and may disable access or delete administrators . [ 0017 ] fig1 illustrates a presently preferred architecture for implementing the cross platform multimedia system over a high bandwidth network . the web server is made of modular units called server elements , which are comprised of the web server hardware , web server operating system , claimed cross platform multimedia system and a data storage system . each of the web server elements , excluding the claimed cross platform multimedia system , can be fabricated using off - the - shelf computer components and software . [ 0018 ] fig2 illustrates the three components within the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system ( the “ sub - elements ”), which are comprised of a consumer interface , administrator interface and a super administrator interface . [ 0019 ] fig3 illustrates the basic flow of a request from a customer to the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system . the consumer interface fig1 through fig1 depicts a block diagram illustrating how the consumer interface is interleaved in accordance with the invention . the session manager automatically performs primary authentication of the customer to customize the consumer interface based on customer preference and / or administrator predetermined settings . during the authentication process , the session manager accesses the data storage system ( the “ database ”) for information about the customer &# 39 ; s multimedia preferences , multimedia files that meet the customer &# 39 ; s preferences and administrator predetermined settings . a webpage is dynamically generated containing the preferred multimedia and displayed over the high bandwidth network on the customers remote terminal . the automated session manager performs this task for every customer that accesses the multimedia distribution system , providing customer specific multimedia presentation for each individual customer . once authenticated , a customer may create and / or edit personal account information , payment preferences and multimedia preferences . these actions insert and edit the customer information stored in the database . the customer may also perform a multimedia content search to locate specific types of multimedia files . this action queries the database for multimedia matching the search parameters and dynamically generates a webpage containing the said multimedia . the webpage is then displayed over the high bandwidth network on the customer &# 39 ; s remote terminal . the customer may also view specific information about the multimedia . this action produces an additional database query that returns specific information about the multimedia , dynamically generating a webpage for display over the high bandwidth network on the customer &# 39 ; s remote terminal . the customer may then commence a financial transaction to rent or purchase a specific multimedia file . this action queries database for the customer &# 39 ; s payment information and the price set by the administrator for the multimedia file . the automated session manager submits this information over a secure network connection to the credit card clearing house for automated authorization . once the transaction has been authorized by the credit card clearing house , information about the transaction is stored in the database . the automated session manager then verifies the multimedia license and then generates a webpage that either contains an embedded media player and multimedia file or a notification that the license has expired . the webpage is then displayed over the high bandwidth network on the customer &# 39 ; s remote terminal . if the customers license is authenticated the automated session manager opens a stream port , creating a virtual circuit and displaying the multimedia within the embedded media player . at the completion of the licensed multimedia session , the automated session manager then closes the stream port to terminate the virtual circuit to the customer over the high bandwidth network . the entire interface is presented and displayed on the remote customer terminal using an internet browser . the presentation is manipulated by the customer using a mouse or other pointing device to access hyperlinks within the presentation . the customer moves the pointing device over and selects hyperlinks . each hyperlink connects the customer to additional embodiments of the claimed multimedia distribution system . upon customer selection of multimedia licensing , the customer must authorize the commencement of a financial transaction using a keyboard or other device to enter text . once the financial transaction is authorized and the delivery of the multimedia is authenticated , an additional hyperlink in automatically invoked by the automated session manager that contains an embedded media player , a stream port is opened and multimedia is streamed to the remote customer &# 39 ; s terminal over the high bandwidth network . the administrator interface fig1 through fig9 depicts a block diagram illustrating how the administrator interface is interleaved in accordance with the invention . the session manager authenticates the administrator to authorize access to the administrator interface ( the “ management console ”). during authentication , the session manager accesses the database for information about the administrator and the permission level . on authentication , a webpage is dynamically generated containing hyperlinks to various management tasks and displayed over a secure network connection on the administrators remote or local terminal . once authenticated , the administrator may select from specific categories . the administrator may access information about the multimedia files stored within the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system . this action queries the database and dynamically generates a webpage that contains general information about the multimedia files entered into the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system and displays the webpage on an internet browser over the secure network connection . the administrator may then perform various tasks including adding , editing and deleting multimedia files stored within the claimed multimedia distribution system . each request invokes an individual hyperlink that performs a specific task utilizing the database to return information for viewing , add information or delete information . the administrator may access information about the users ( the “ customers ”) stored within the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system . this action queries the database and dynamically generates a webpage that contains general information about the customers using the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system and displays the webpage on an internet browser over the secure network connection . the administrator may then perform various tasks including viewing , editing and deleting customer files stored within the claimed multimedia distribution system . each request invokes an individual hyperlink that performs a specific task utilizing the database to return information for viewing , editing , disabling , reactivating or deleting customers . the administrator may access information about the sales transactions stored within the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system . this action queries the database and dynamically generates a webpage that contains general information about multimedia sales transactions using the claimed cross platform multimedia distribution system . the data is formatted and displayed on a webpage using an interned browser over the secure network connection . the administrator may then edit or delete the transaction information , invoking an individual hyperlink that performs a specific automated task to allow customers to obtain additional access to expired multimedia files ( renewing the license ) or deleting failed transactions . the entire interface is presented and displayed on the administrator &# 39 ; s terminal using an internet browser . the presentation is manipulated by the administrator using a mouse or other pointing device to access hyperlinks within the presentation . the administrator moves the pointing device over and selects hyperlinks . each hyperlink connects the administrator to additional embodiments of the claimed multimedia distribution system . a secure network connection is not a required embodiment of the claimed multimedia distribution system but is essential to safeguard sensitive information when the administrator accesses the claimed multimedia distribution system from a remote location . a high speed network connection to the management console is not a required embodiment of the claimed multimedia distribution system but is essential if multimedia files are being added from a remote location . the super administrator also has default permission to access the administrator interface . the super administrator interface fig1 through fig3 depicts a block diagram illustrating how the super administrator interface is interleaved in accordance with the invention . the session manager authenticates the super administrator to authorize access to the super administrator interface ( the “ management console ”). during authentication , the session manager accesses the database for information about the super administrator and the permission level . on authentication , a webpage is dynamically generated containing hyperlinks to various management tasks and displayed over a secure network connection on the super administrators remote or local terminal . the super administrator may perform various tasks including disabling access to the claimed multimedia distribution system for both the administrator and customers by invoking a hyperlink to commence the automated process . the super administrator may also view various general sales reports and perform automated administrator billing . the entire interface is presented and displayed on the super administrator &# 39 ; s terminal using an internet browser . the presentation is manipulated by the super administrator using a mouse or other pointing device to access hyperlinks within the presentation . the super administrator moves the pointing device over and selects hyperlinks . each hyperlink connects the super administrator to additional embodiments of the claimed multimedia distribution system .	7
as required , one or more detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein ; however , it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the principles 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 . referring now to fig1 - 3 , wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts through the several views , an embodiment of the present invention is displayed therein . fig1 depicts a first embodiment of the invention comprising a measuring cup 10 having a wall 12 shaped as a pyramid section ( four wall segments sloping at similar angles from a larger rectangular end toward a smaller rectangular end , as shown in fig1 ) and having interior and exterior surfaces . the cup 10 further comprises a substantially planar bottom 14 on its closed end . opposite the bottom 14 , and defining the open end of the measuring cup 10 , is the rim 16 which , in this embodiment , forms the shape of a rectangle . the rim 16 shown in fig1 is comprised of two longer segments and two shorter segments . the rim 16 further comprises a transfer edge 18 along one of its longer segments . opposite the transfer edge 18 and fixed to the exterior surface of the wall 12 is a grip 20 . the embodiment of fig1 is a preferred embodiment of a dry measuring cup 10 having a generous transfer edge 18 in addition to shorter rim 16 segments which help facilitate dumping the solids out of the measuring cup 10 after measurement has been achieved . in operation , the preparer grasps the grip 20 , lifts the grip 20 such that the transfer edge 18 is deelevated to a level adjacent a substantially flat surface — often a cutting board — where the solids sit . with the transfer edge 18 substantially flush against the flat surface , a knife or similar utensil ( or even the hand ) may be used to push the solids from the flat surface , across the transfer edge 18 , and into the measuring cup 10 . also , the angle between the wall 12 and the bottom 14 of the embodiment of fig1 may be manipulated to increase the range of angles the cup 10 may be held at relative to the flat surface during transfer of materials . the greater the angle between the bottom 14 and the wall 12 , up to 180 degrees , generally the greater the range of motion enjoyed by the measuring cup 10 relative to the flat surface . lowering the grip 20 relative to the flat surface during use encourages solids which are being pushed into the measuring cup 10 to move further into the cup 10 and away from the transfer edge 18 , which makes room for more solids along the transfer edge 18 . similarly , elevating the grip 20 will urge the solids back toward the transfer edge 18 and perhaps even across it onto the flat surface . the wall 12 may also be comprised of an angled receiving surface ( not shown ) associated with the transfer edge 18 to further facilitate transfer of dry materials across the transfer edge 18 when scooping or pushing dry materials into the cup 10 . further , the grip 20 of fig1 is on the wall 12 segment opposite the transfer edge 18 , which allows a preparer to be in an optimal position to apply pressure on the transfer edge 18 to maintain its substantially flush position against the flat surface during transfer of the solids into the cup 10 . also , once the solids have been transferred into the cup 10 , and measurement has occurred , for example using known methods and volumetric indicia , the grip 20 of the embodiment of fig1 also allows the preparer , by for example rotating the wrist , to elevate a short segment of the rim 16 relative to the opposing short segment , thus urging the solids to dump over the lower short segment and out of the cup 10 . to further facilitate dumping the solids from the cup 10 , a preparer may use fingers or utensils to urge the solids over the short segment of the rim 16 . of course , the solids may also be dumped from the cup 10 over any of the other rim 16 segments as desired . another embodiment of the present invention comprises the embodiment of fig1 without the grip 20 attached to its wall 12 segment . such an embodiment would more easily allow the cup 10 to be stacked with additional cups 10 , which may provide for easier storage . preparers may grasp the cup 10 of such an embodiment at any number of surfaces during use , including by squeezing the exterior surfaces of opposing wall 12 segments . the cup 10 may be comprised of any number of solid materials such as glass , plastic , or metals . the embodiment of fig1 is comprised of copper or copper alloy , metals with antimicrobial properties which are desirable for use in the food - related embodiment of fig1 . further , the cup &# 39 ; s 10 grip 20 may take any of a number of shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention , such as a substantially planar flange or roughly that of a horseshoe as depicted in fig1 - 3 . fig2 depicts another embodiment of the invention which provides for dual use of the measuring cup 10 with wet and dry materials . it comprises a wall 12 with exterior and interior surfaces and having planar and rounded segments , a bottom 14 , a rim 16 having a straight transfer edge 18 associated with the planar wall 12 segment and a rounded segment associated with the rounded wall 12 segment , and a grip 20 fixed to the exterior surface of the rounded wall 12 segment between the planar wall 12 segment and the opposing “ apex ” of the rounded wall 12 segment . the embodiment of fig2 broadens the utility of existing measuring cups by allowing for use with wet and dry materials . the preferred embodiment is comprised of glass or other known transparent material allowing for comparison of volume indicia on the cup 10 with the “ level ” or top surface presented by the cup &# 39 ; s 10 contents . this embodiment &# 39 ; s straight transfer edge 18 is shown associated with a planar segment of the wall 12 . by laying the cup 10 on its side and placing the transfer edge 18 adjacent to a flat surface such as a cutting board , the preparer may scoop or push dry materials across the transfer edge 18 and into the cup 10 . once an appropriate amount of dry materials is placed in the cup 10 , the preparer may either compare the level or height of the materials against volumetric indicia located on the cup 10 along its wall 12 , or against the rim 16 of the cup 10 as in traditional dry material measurement . if the former is chosen , these indicia may be in addition to any wet markings and may optionally be located along the height of the wall 12 by taking into account density variations common among dry materials ( due to “ settling ” or simply to the size and shape of the constituent pieces of dry material which may result in pockets of unoccupied space between them sometimes referred to as “ packing efficiency ”) without departing from the spirit of the invention . likewise , if the latter is chosen , the overall volume of the cup may be similarly adjusted to compensate for density variations common among dry materials . the embodiment of fig2 also comprises a rim 16 with a rounded segment associated with the rounded segment of the wall 12 . in other embodiments ( not shown ), the rounded segment of the rim 16 may further comprise a spout located opposite the transfer edge 18 which helps facilitate pouring of wet materials from the cup 10 . the location of the spout need not be opposite the transfer edge 18 , it may be located elsewhere along the rounded segment of the rim 16 without departing from the spirit of the invention . in operation with wet materials , the cup 10 is filled with said materials to a desired level or height , whether that level is judged by comparison with volumetric indicia appearing on the wall 12 of the cup 10 or its rim 16 . if the indicia appear on the wall 12 , they may be located along the wall 12 according to an assumption of consistent density of wet materials . said indicia may be in addition to other , dry material indicia which may also appear on the cup 10 of an embodiment of the invention . once measurement has been achieved , the wet materials may be poured from the cup 10 over its rim 16 , and preferably across a spout ( not shown ). fig3 shows another embodiment of the embodiment of fig2 which further comprises a lid 22 for substantial sealing against the cup 10 . this embodiment increases utility of the cup 10 by enhancing its ability to further serve as a container for material storage . the lid 22 may be comprised of glass , plastic , or other materials suitable for use in such applications . it may be fixed to the cup 10 by a hinge , flexible flange , or similar structure which allows the lid 22 to be applied and removed from the cup &# 39 ; s 10 rim 16 while remaining attached to the cup 10 . alternatively , the lid 22 may attach via friction fit or may otherwise be removable from the cup 10 without permanent or semi - permanent affixation thereto . it may also contact interior or exterior surfaces of the wall 12 , the rim 16 , or portions thereof , in sealing thereagainst . these and other uses of , and modifications to , the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure . having now described the features , discoveries and principles of the invention , the manner in which the invention 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 there between .	6
a fuel processor system contains a first reactor that produces a first hydrogen - rich gas stream . the first hydrogen - rich gas stream contains varying amounts of carbon monoxide , depending on the conditions of reaction and the fuel used in the first reactor . an adsorption apparatus downstream from the first reactor comprises a vessel housing an adsorbent or combination of adsorbents adapted to adsorb carbon monoxide and any other impurities in the hydrogen - rich gas stream such as carbon dioxide , nitrogen , and water . the adsorbent apparatus purifies the first stream to produce a near - pure hydrogen stream with less carbon monoxide . the system further comprises a methanation reactor downstream from the adsorbent apparatus . the downstream adsorbent apparatus and methanation reactor act together to reduce the carbon monoxide concentration of the hydrogen - containing gas stream produced by the first reactor to a level acceptable for use as anode fuel for a pem fuel cell . in one embodiment of the invention , the system further comprises a water gas shift reactor situated between the first reactor and the adsorbent apparatus . conventional pressure swing adsorption ( psa ) systems are very large and consist of a minimum of two separate adsorption vessels requiring numerous valves and manifolds . in a two - vessel system , one vessel would be in the adsorption mode and the second vessel would be in various stages of depressurization or blowdown , purge , and pressurization . many commercial hydrogen psa cycles use four beds , with one bed in the production stage at any given time , and the other three beds in various stages of equalization , blowdown , purge , and pressurization . see , for example u . s . pat . no . 3 , 453 , 418 issued to wagner ; and u . s . pat . no . 3 , 564 , 816 issued to batta , each of the disclosures of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . also , some commercial hydrogen psa cycles use twelve beds , with four beds in the production stage at any given time , and the other eight beds in various stages of equalization , blowdown , purge , and pressurization . see for example u . s . pat . no . 3 , 846 , 849 issued to fuderer et al ., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . these psa cycle stages are described in detail below . it is well known that psa systems with more than two vessels exhibit higher hydrogen recoveries and reduced power consumption by incorporating pressure equalization steps . these multiple , staged fixed bed psa systems , however , contain complex valve arrangements and are non - continuous due to the cycling of these valves . in a preferred embodiment , the adsorbent apparatus is a pressure swing adsorber , described further below . the pressure swing adsorber comprises multiple fixed beds containing adsorbent and valves that direct the flow of gas through the adsorbent beds in accordance with a pressure swing adsorption cycle . said cycle will include psa steps as described below . preferably , the valves are two rotary valves to enable the most compact apparatus . a preferred pressure swing adsorber is described in applications ser . no . 09 / 780 , 079 , published on aug . 15 , 2002 , as u . s . application ser . no . 2002 / 011 , 503 and u . s . ser . no . 09 / 780 , 184 , published on aug . 15 , 2002 , as u . s . application ser . no . 2002 / 110 , 504 , the disclosures of which are useful as background and are incorporated by reference . alternatively , rotating adsorber vessels allow for continuous production in a relatively small system with minimum valving . rotating pressure swing adsorption systems are described by petit et al in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 441 , 559 ; and by keefer et al . in pct publication no . wo 99 / 28013 , each of the disclosures of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . rotation of the vessel allows the adsorbent mixture to cycle between various regions for adsorption , depressurization , purge , and pressurization ( as described below ) with cycle times much smaller than those of conventional psa systems . the cycle in which the adsorber is used will now be described . during the adsorption step , a stream containing carbon monoxide , such as the reformate effluent from a water gas shift reactor , is fed over the adsorbent ( s ) at the higher feed pressure . carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide adsorb on the adsorbent , and the product gas contains nearly pure hydrogen . the remainder of the adsorber product is primarily nitrogen . the adsorber product gas will contain a reduced level of carbon monoxide , for example below 400 ppm and preferably less than about 100 ppm . the production step is stopped before carbon monoxide breaks through the outlet of the adsorber vessel . at the end of the production step , the adsorbent is nearly saturated with the adsorbed gases and the vessel is at elevated pressure with hydrogen , carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide , water , and nitrogen . the adsorber vessel is depressurized from the feed pressure to the purge pressure by exhausting the gas in the direction counter - current to the adsorption direction . during depressurization , the outlet of the adsorber vessel is sealed . alternatively , the vessel can be depressurized co - currently , and the vessel inlet is sealed . the depressurization exhaust gas contains hydrogen , carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide , water , and nitrogen . the exhaust will exit the adsorber vessel at atmospheric pressure and can be sent to the combustor or recycled into another part of the adsorber or the fuel processor system . the adsorber vessel is purged with the expanded exhaust from the pem fuel cell stack , low pressure superheated steam , or other suitable purge gas ( such as a fraction of the co - free reformate ). the purge stream flows at ambient pressure in the direction counter - current to the adsorption direction . the adsorber may also be purged by pulling a vacuum from the direction counter - current to the adsorption direction using a vacuum pump . the exhausted purge gas will contain most of the adsorbed carbon monoxide and other adsorbed gases . the purge step is terminated when essentially all of the carbon monoxide and other adsorbed gases have been desorbed from the adsorbent ( s ). the adsorber vessel is pressurized back up to the adsorption pressure in the same direction as the adsorption step using , for example , a cooled hydrogen - rich product from a water gas shift reactor . during pressurization , the outlet of the vessel is sealed . alternatively , the vessel may be pressurized using a fraction of the hydrogen - rich product from the adsorber in a direction counter - current to the production direction , and the vessel inlet is sealed . after pressurization , the adsorber returns to the adsorption step and the cycle continues indefinitely . equalization stages , which are well known to those skilled in the art of psa systems , may be added to the adsorption cycle to enhance hydrogen recovery and reduce the compressor power consumption . for example , one vessel or section of the rotating vessel that has just completed the adsorption step may be equalized , or connected via the outlets of both sections , with another section that has just completed the purge step . during this equalization , the pressure in the first section is reduced and the pressure in the second section is increased accordingly . also , the hydrogen remaining in the first section of the vessel at the end of adsorption is partially recovered in the second section , which has completed the purge step . the adsorbent apparatus contains an adsorbent adapted to adsorb carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide and any other impurities in the hydrogen - rich gas stream such as nitrogen and water . suitable adsorbers include , without limitation , 5a zeolite , 13x zeolite , and lix zeolite . these adsorbents selectively adsorb carbon dioxide over carbon monoxide ; in use they will tend to adsorb carbon dioxide in the feed gas before adsorbing carbon monoxide . other suitable adsorbents adsorb carbon monoxide preferentially , but can also adsorb carbon dioxide . non - limiting examples include oxides or salts of copper impregnated or exchanged on activated carbon , alumina and zeolites ; oxides or salts of silver impregnated or exchanged on activated carbon , alumina , and zeolite ; and oxides or salts of tin impregnated or exchanged on activated carbon , alumina , or zeolite . mixtures of adsorbents may be used as well . in other preferred embodiments , the fuel processor system further comprises a heat exchanger disposed between the adsorbent apparatus and the methanation reactor . the heat exchanger raises the temperature of the second hydrogen - rich stream before it enters into the methanation reactor . in some embodiments , the system further comprises a recuperator disposed in such a way that the output stream of the adsorbent apparatus is heated in the recuperator by the output stream of the methanator before being input into the methanation reactor . the methanation reactor contains a catalyst that catalyzes co methanation and also typically co 2 methanation . in co methanation , carbon monoxide and hydrogen react to form methane and water , while in co 2 methanation , co 2 and hydrogen react to form methane and water . it can be seen that hydrogen loss in the methanation reaction is related to the amount of carbon monoxide being removed , but there is also the possibility of losing hydrogen through methanating co 2 . three hydrogen molecules are required to convert carbon monoxide to methane and four hydrogen molecules for carbon dioxide . to minimize hydrogen loss from reaction with carbon dioxide , it is preferred to use an adsorbent apparatus , preferably a pressure swing adsorber to remove carbon dioxide upstream . further , because hydrogen is consumed in the reaction , it is preferred to use the methanation reactor in systems of the invention in situations where the input stream has a relatively low concentration of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide . the adsorbent apparatus , preferably a pressure swing adsorber , may be sized optimally for the tradeoffs between acceptable low level of carbon monoxide for input into the methanation reactor ( hydrogen consumption ), size of the adsorption apparatus and methanation reactor , and cost . conventional methanation catalysts may be used . some suitable catalysts are described for example in the “ methanation ” chapter of the wiley - interscience encyclopedia of catalysis , the disclosure of which is useful as background and is hereby incorporated by reference . among suitable catalysts are fischer - tropsch catalysts containing cobalt or iron . other examples include precipitated catalysts and nickel catalysts such as raney nickel . other potential catalysts , including , without limitation rh , ru , pt , or alloy catalysts , co , mo , or other promoted catalysts , on various supports including , but not limited to al 2 o 3 , sio 2 , ceo 2 , and tio 2 have been reported in the literature . the catalyst is often coated on a monolithic type substrate , for example but not limited to cordierite or metallic monoliths or foams . a typical operating temperature range for such catalysts is 190 - 450 ° c . catalysts having a wide range of properties and activities may be selected according to particular requirements . in some embodiments , the catalyst may be chosen to optimize activity at low operating temperature , to minimize reactor size , and / or to reduce costs . the stage where hydrogen is first extracted from the hydrogen - carbon fuel is referred to as reforming . subsequent conditioning of the hydrogen - rich stream for use in a fuel cell is referred to as co clean - up . because air and water are readily accessible materials for practical applications , extraction of hydrogen from hydrocarbons may be achieved by reacting the hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen or water with suitable catalysts . in a partial oxidation reaction , hydrocarbon is reacted with oxygen to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide as major components . the reaction is exothermic , releasing energy as it proceeds . steam reforming , on the other hand is an endothermic reaction , absorbing energy as it proceeds . in steam reforming , hydrocarbon is reacted with water to form hydrogen , carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide . although the exothermic and endothermic reactions may be carried out in separate stages , it is possible to combine the reactions in a single catalytic process called autothermal reforming ( atr ). in a preferred embodiment , the first reactor of the fuel processor system is an atr reactor . in this embodiment , the first reactor is known as an autothermal reformer . the thermodynamics of the partial oxidation and steam reforming reactions are such that at high temperatures where efficiency is highest ( i . e ., producing minimum ch 4 ), a relatively greater amount of carbon monoxide is produced . optionally , the system of the invention includes one or more water gas shift reactors , preferably placed downstream of the first reactor and upstream of the adsorbent apparatus . the partial oxidation , steam reforming , or autothermal reforming reaction carried out in the first reactor produces a first hydrogen stream containing some level of carbon monoxide , depending on the equilibrium conditions . the carbon monoxide in this stream can react with water according to the water gas shift reaction , co + h 2 o ←→ co 2 + h 2 , therefore reducing the amount of co fed to the adsorbent apparatus . the water can be present from the prior reactor or added just upstream of the wgs reactor ( s ). the extent of the reaction , and the relative removal of co , is limited by the thermodynamic equilibrium , which is determined by the temperature of the wgs reaction . co is preferably converted to co 2 at low temperature . at the elevated temperatures of the autothermal reactor , the yield of hydrogen is limited by the equilibrium . the wgs reactor is either a high temperature wgs reactor ( 320 ° c .- 500 ° c . ), a medium temperature wgs reactor ( 250 ° c .- 400 ° c . ), or a low temperature wgs reactor ( 150 ° c .- 250 ° c .). alternately , the reactor can include a combination of high , medium and low temperature wgs reactors that employ a technique for cooling the reformate gas as it flows between the different temperature reaction zones . generally , the temperature of the wgs reactor decreases with the direction of the reformate gas flow . according to the invention , it is possible to employ a single high temperature wgs reactor or a single medium temperature wgs reactor . these types of reactors are generally smaller than a low temperature wgs reactor or a system with one or more wgs reactors , even though the high temperature wgs reactor does not reduce the co to very low levels because of equilibrium constraints . this is possible because of the ability of the psa device to handle relatively high co levels that cannot be tolerated by conventional systems that use prox reactors to convert co to co 2 . conventional catalysts , such as fe 3 o 4 / cr 2 o 3 for high temperature shifts or cuo / zno / al 2 o 3 for low temperature shifts , may be used , as well as any other known wgs catalyst . in a potential embodiment , the water gas shift catalyst is one described in chintawar , et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 524 , 550 , the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference . the catalyst is based on a platinum group metal selected from the group consisting but not limited to , platinum , palladium , iridium , osmium , rhodium , and mixtures thereof and mixtures of various promoters . the platinum group metal may be supported on an oxide of titanium , zirconium , or cerium . the catalyst can be coated on a monolith substrate . the wgs reactor generates a hydrogen - rich stream that is primarily hydrogen , nitrogen , carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide and water . the reformate gas will typically include about 0 . 3 - 3 mole percent co depending on the exit temperature of the wgs reactor , the space velocity of the reformate gas in wgs reactor , the steam to carbon ratio , and the catalyst used . the adsorbent apparatus preferably operates on a principle of pressure swing adsorption . as noted above , the adsorbent apparatus may be sized to produce an output stream ( referred to as a “ second hydrogen - rich stream ”) with a co level suitable for clean up in the downstream components of the system . in some embodiments , that level is less than 400 ppm carbon monoxide . the level of carbon monoxide will be determined by the trade off between the size of adsorbent apparatus , the size of the downstream methanation system , the system efficiency and cost from the adsorbent apparatus , the second hydrogen - rich stream enters the methanation reactor , wherein the co concentration is reduced to a level below that which would poison the catalyst in a fuel cell stack . in a preferred embodiment , the fuel system of the invention further comprises a fuel cell stack disposed in such a way as to receive the output of the methanation reaction as an input fuel . preferably the input fuel to the fuel stack contains carbon monoxide at a level of 5 ppm or less ; more preferably the concentration of co is 1 ppm or less . referring to fig1 , hydrocarbon fuel , for example gasoline , methanol , ethanol , mixtures of gasoline and alcohol , natural gas , methane , or propane and the like , is fed into a first reactor 22 through a stream 9 . the stream 9 enters an inlet 10 of the reactor 22 , where as shown it is warmed to the desired temperature by heat exchange from a compressed air stream 5 and steam stream 6 that flow through a heat exchanger 30 to warm up . the stream 11 passes through a reaction chamber 20 — which may be an autothermal reactor — to produce an output stream 21 that next flows through a heat exchanger 30 to produce a first hydrogen - rich stream 31 . as shown , the first hydrogen - rich stream 31 is combined with a stream of water 33 by water injector 35 to produce an input stream 37 into an optional series of water gas shift reactors 52 . as shown , the stream 37 first enters a first water gas shift reactor 40 to produce an output stream 41 . the reaction chamber 20 contains a steam - reforming and / or partial oxidation catalyst suitable for the specific fuel used . the temperature of the first reactor 22 depends on the nature of the fuel and the relative compositions of fuel , air and water . typically the temperature of reaction is between about 300 ° c . and about 1200 ° c . in the first reactor 22 , the fuel is converted to a first hydrogen - rich stream 31 by partial oxidation , stream reforming , or autothermal reforming . in general , the water gas shift reactors may be a high temperature water gas shift reactor ( 320 ° c .- 500 ° c . ), a medium temperature reactor ( 250 - 400 ° c . ), or a low temperature reactor ( 150 ° c .- 250 ° c .). alternatively , as shown in fig1 , the water gas shift reactor may consist of a series of reactors . as shown , the second water gas shift reactor 60 operates at a lower temperature than the first water gas shift reactor 40 to promote co conversion . to cool the output stream 41 of the first gas shift reactor 40 , advantage is taken of the cooling capacity of stream 72 derived from vaporizer 70 and vaporizer 120 . the steam stream 72 is fed to the heat exchanger 50 to lower the temperature of the stream 51 for input into the second gas shift reactor 60 . the output stream 61 is preferably fed into a vaporizer where water input stream 75 provides cooling . water vapor stream 71 from the vaporizer provides cooling to the water gas shift reactor as discussed above . the output stream 73 of the vaporizer is fed into a condenser 80 , where excess water can be condensed before input to the adsorbent apparatus . as shown , the condenser 80 is cooled with air at input stream 82 and output stream 83 . water may be removed at stream 84 . the output stream 81 of the condenser , containing a level of carbon monoxide it is desired to reduce , is passed through an optional heater 90 to prepare an input stream 91 of an adsorbent apparatus 100 . the adsorbent apparatus produces a stream 105 containing primarily hydrogen , but also some nitrogen , and low levels of carbon monoxide . the stream 105 may be fed to a fuel stack if the co level is low enough . although the output stream 105 of the adsorbent apparatus 100 contains some carbon monoxide , the majority of the carbon monoxide and all of the carbon dioxide of the second hydrogen - rich stream 61 exits the adsorbent apparatus in the stream 101 that is fed to a combustor 110 . the output of the combustor forms an output stream 111 that is fed into a vaporizer . as shown , the hot stream 111 from the combustor 110 passes through the vaporizer and exits as an exhaust stream 121 . at the same time , heat from the stream 111 is used to vaporize an input water stream 123 . that heat is reused in the system as shown to provide a heat exchange stream 125 , which is combined with water vapor stream 71 , and further heated by heat exchangers 50 and 30 to the desired inlet temperature of reactor 22 . fig2 shows an embodiment of the invention wherein a methanation reactor 145 — shown as encompassing an upstream heat exchanger 130 and a downstream heat exchanger 150 in addition to the methanation reaction chamber 140 containing the methanation catalyst — is placed downstream of the adsorbent apparatus shown in fig1 . the second hydrogen - containing gas stream 105 that is output of the adsorbent apparatus of fig1 is fed into a heat exchanger 130 for the methanator reactor 145 . conveniently , the exhaust stream 121 containing waste heat may also feed into the heat exchanger 130 . the output stream 131 of the heat exchanger is fed into the methanation reaction chamber 140 . the output stream 141 of the methanation reaction chamber 140 , preferably containing carbon monoxide at levels below 5 ppm and more preferably below 1 ppm , is next passed through a second methanator heat exchanger 150 in order to reduce the temperature of the third hydrogen - containing stream 151 to a temperature suitable for use as an anode fuel of a fuel cell . such a temperature may be about 80 ° c ., whereas the methanation may be efficiently carried out at about 300 ° c . while the methanation reactor typically operates at about 300 ° c ., the typical temperature of the output stream 105 of the adsorbent apparatus is about 65 ° c . as shown in fig2 , the adsorbent apparatus output stream can be preheated in heat exchanger 130 by the combustor exhaust stream 121 to 300 ° c . before entering the methanation reaction chamber 140 . the methanation product stream 141 can be cooled by air stream 83 from the condenser 80 to a desirable fuel cell stack inlet temperature , e . g . about 80 ° c . the cooled methanation product stream 151 can either be fed directly to a fuel cell engine ( not shown ) or stored for future delivery to a fuel cell engine . if there is enough heat released from the methanation reaction , for example , in the case of a relatively high co concentration in the input stream 105 , a simpler heat exchanging scheme can be utilized , as shown in fig3 . fig3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention , where the stream 105 is fed into a recuperator 160 . the output stream 162 of the recuperator is then fed into a methanation reactor 170 . the output of the methanation reactor 171 then flows through the recuperator 160 , which serves as a heat exchanger to bring the temperature of the output stream 161 to a suitable temperature for use in the hydrogen fuel cell . the methanation product stream 161 can either be fed directly to a fuel cell engine ( not shown ) or stored for future delivery to a fuel cell engine . because systems of the invention contain a methanation reaction downstream of the adsorbent apparatus , it has been found that the adsorbent apparatus can be made smaller , while the system still achieves the same low level of carbon monoxide in the third gas stream . with the system shown in fig2 , carbon monoxide levels below 5 ppm may be readily achieved . system modeling may be performed on the system shown in fig1 and fig2 to integrate mass and heat , and to quantify the size reduction of the adsorbent apparatus that comes as a consequence of incorporating the methanation reactor and the associated heat exchanger . in the fig1 simulation ( not including a methanator ), the psa outlet stream is 95 % hydrogen , 5 % nitrogen , and 5 ppm co . in the fig2 simulation ( with a methanator ), the psa outlet stream is 95 % hydrogen , 5 % nitrogen , and 400 ppm co . results of the modeling are shown in table 1 . in the embodiment modeled , a volume savings of 42 . 3 % is achieved , with a penalty of a loss of only 0 . 1 % in fuel processor efficiency . here efficiency is given as the low heating value of hydrogen divided by the low heating value of fuel , times 100 . the very small loss in efficiency is due in part to the consumption of a small amount of hydrogen by the methanator as it removes the final traces of co from the stream and there is no carbon dioxide in the input stream of methanation reactor . by placing the methanator downstream of the adsorbent apparatus , overall efficiency can be maintained while still allowing for an overall downsizing of the adsorbent apparatus , reaction chambers , and heat exchangers . as shown in table 1 , integrating the methanation reactor with the adsorbent apparatus ( shown as a pressure swing adsorber or psa in the table ) can achieve a 42 % savings in total volume of the psa + auxiliary equipment . the fuel processor efficiency penalty ( a reduction by 0 . 1 ) is small due to the low inlet carbon monoxide concentration and the absence of carbon dioxide in the input stream to the methanation reactor . the carbon monoxide concentration in the input stream of methanation reactor was 400 ppm in the table . the system may be optimized to determine a desirable inlet carbon monoxide concentration to the methanation reactor . in general , a higher inlet co concentration to the methanation reactor would result in a smaller psa , but a higher fuel processor efficiency penalty would result due to the higher consumption of hydrogen during co methanation . however , where the co concentration is higher , a simpler recuperating heat exchange scheme as shown in fig3 may be used . on the other hand , where the inlet co concentration to the methanation reactor is lower , there is a smaller fuel processor efficiency penalty , but a larger psa would be required and a more complicated heat exchanging scheme would be required as shown in fig2 . another trade - off in determining the optimal psa size is the desired h 2 concentration in the methanator product stream fed to the fuel cell system . as the psa is made smaller , the content of other impurities in the second hydrogen - rich gas stream , such as nitrogen , will increase . said nitrogen content will not be reduced in the methanation reactor , and thus would be passed through to the fuel cell or storage vessel .	2
a system of coupled masses that can be driven at varying frequencies is provided . the masses may be coupled to a motor and have an axis of rotation such that some frequencies produce vibration while others produce a reduced vibration amplitude and still others may produce no vibration at all . in one embodiment , two coupled masses may be provided with one configured to be driven at various frequencies . the other mass may be passively attached or otherwise movably attached so that , in some embodiments , it may displace from a rest position due to centrifugal force as the first mass spins and a centripetal force ( such as exerted by the first weight ) may hold the second weight in the curved rotational path about the axis of rotation . in one embodiment , the first weight is driven on an axis that does not go through the center of the mass for the coupled masses , thus generating vibration when driven at low frequencies or any frequency . in another embodiment , the first weight may be driven on an axis near or through the center of the mass . hence , at low rotational speed , the weight produces little or no vibration . the second weight may be displaced , thereby shifting the center of mass from being at or near the center of the axis of rotation to generate vibration . in some embodiments , the shifting of the second weight is caused by centrifugal force . for example , the second weight may be located at or near an axis of rotation and is pulled away from the center as the weights spin . in other embodiments , the shifting of the second mass may be prompted by other forces . for example , a magnetic force may push or pull the second mass to a displaced position . additionally , a restorative force may return the second weight to its original or resting position . this force may be provided by a spring , by the second weight itself or by a magnet . the shifting of the center of mass of the coupled weights allows selective harmonic response of the vibration system to user input , alerts and so forth . that is , the weights may be configured to alter the center of mass at select frequencies to obtain a desired result . for example , the weights may reconfigure at a select frequency or over a range of frequencies that may alter an effect of the spinning weights . for example , the reconfigured weights may correspond to a high amplitude vibration output . turning to the drawings and referring to fig1 , an isometric view of an example mobile electronic device 100 is illustrated . the mobile electronic device 100 may include one or more haptic devices that may serve as alerts to a user and / or function to alter angular momentum of the device to help reduce damage or likelihood of damage to the device 100 ( or select components of the device 100 ) upon impact from a free - fall . it should be appreciated that the mobile electronic device 100 may take any suitable form , including but not limited to a digital music player ( e . g ., mp3 player ), a digital camera , a smart phone ( e . g ., iphone ® by apple , inc . ), a laptop computer , or tablet computer . the mobile electronic device 100 may include a display screen 102 , an enclosure 104 , and an input member 106 . generally , the display screen 102 provides a visual output for the mobile computing device 100 and may take the form of a liquid crystal display screen , plasma screen , organic light emitting diode display , and so on . additionally , in some embodiments the display screen 102 may provide both input and an output functionality . for example , the display screen 102 may include a capacitive input sensor so to receive input form a user upon the user touching the display screen with his or her finger . the enclosure 104 defines a structure that may at least partially enclose the various components of the mobile computing device 100 . the input member 106 permits a user to provide input to the mobile computing device 100 . the input member 106 may include one or more buttons , switches , or the like that may be pressed , flipped , or otherwise activated in order to provide an input to the mobile computing device 106 . for example , the input member 106 may be a button to alter the volume , return to a home screen , or the like . additionally , the input member 106 may be any suitable size or shape , and may be located in any area of the mobile computing device 100 . furthermore , the input member 106 may be combined with the display screen 102 as a capacitive touch screen . fig2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the mobile computing device 100 illustrating select electrical components . the mobile computing device 100 may include a processor 110 , sensors 112 , memory 114 , and a network / communication system interface 116 . the mobile computing device 100 may also include a controller 118 , a motor 120 and weights 122 . the controller 118 may be coupled to the processor 110 and configured to operate the motor 120 . the motor 120 may drive the weights 122 in order to generate a vibration alert , tactile feedback to a user , and / or to alter the angular momentum of the device 100 in the event of a free - fall . as such , the mobile device 100 may be configured to operate the motor 120 to provide an appropriate response to user input ( e . g ., via the sensors ), to incoming data ( e . g ., an incoming text , call , email , and so forth via the network communication system interface 112 ), to a free - fall event ( e . g ., as sensed by one or more of an accelerometer , gyroscope , and so forth ), or other events . the configuration of the device 100 may be performed at least in part by programming the device upon manufacture . additionally , certain configurations may be performed by an end user . for example , and end user may be able to selectively configure alerts indicated by operation of the motor 120 . it should be appreciated that the device 100 may include more or fewer components and fig2 is intended to be exemplary only . fig3 a illustrates an example of the weights 122 . the weights may 122 take the form of a coupled mass . specifically , the weights 122 may include two or more distinct weight members that are coupled together or placed together so as to form a mass having a center of mass . as illustrated , for example , the weights 122 may include a first weight 130 and a second weight 132 . the first weight 130 may generally be larger than the second weight 132 and may have more mass than the second weight . additionally , the first weight 130 may house the second weight 132 . that is , the second weight 132 may be located within the first weight 130 . in fig3 a , for example , the second mass 132 may reside within a slot 134 of the first mass 130 . it should be appreciated that the weights 122 may be coupled together in a variety of different manners to achieve the desired purposes . that is , the second weight 132 and the first weight 130 may be coupled together in any suitable manner that allows for one or both of the weights to displace from a rest position relative to the other weight to change a center of mass for the weights 122 . the second weight 132 may be secured within the slot 134 of the first weight 130 in any suitable manner . for example , the second weight 132 may be coupled at its base within the slot 134 to allow displacement of the second weight through deflection or displacement of the second weight . in other embodiments , the slot 134 may be provided with retaining features ( not shown ) such as one or more tabs located about the edge of the slot and extending into the slot , to prevent the second weight from exiting the slot . in still other embodiments , the second weight may be formed from the first weight by removing material of the first weight to form the slot 134 and leaving the second weight in some embodiments , the first and second weights 130 , 132 may be made of the same material . for example , in some embodiments , tungsten may be used for each weight . further , one or more of the weights may be magnetic . in other embodiments , the first and second weights 130 , 132 may be made from different materials . for example , the first weight 130 may be made from tungsten and the second weight 132 may be made from a magnetic material . generally , the materials selected for use as the weights 122 will be dense materials so that they have a high weight to volume ratio . this allows for smaller sized weights while still providing a desired output vibration or effect upon angular momentum . additionally , the weights 122 may take any suitable shape . as shown , the first and second weights 130 , 132 are cylinders . however , other shapes may be implemented . moreover , the first weight 130 and the second weight may take different shapes . a geometric center 136 of an end of the first weight 130 is illustrated at the intersection of the dashed cross - hairs . additionally , a center of mass 137 is shown as being slightly offset to the left of the geometric center 136 . due to the slot in the first weight 130 and the positioning of the second weight 132 , the geometric center may not correspond with a center of mass of the weights 122 . in some embodiments , the geometric center 136 may correspond to an axis of rotation . in other embodiments , the axis of rotation may correspond to a center of combined mass of the weights 122 . further , in some embodiments , one or more of the center of mass , axis of rotation , and geometric center may coincide . fig3 b - 3f illustrate several different alternative example embodiments of coupled weights . in each , first and second weights may displace relative to each other as the weights are spun . in each of fig3 b - c , an axis of rotation is perpendicular to the drawing ( e . g ., extends out from the sheet ), whereas in fig3 d the axis of rotation is shown as being parallel to the drawing ( e . g ., runs left to right ). in fig3 b , second weight 200 is external to the first weight 202 . a geometric center 204 of the first weight 202 is shown as well as a center of mass 206 for the coupled weights . as the weights spin , the second weight 200 separates from the first weight 202 as shown by the arrows . in fig3 c , the second weight 210 may be located within the first weight 212 while at rest and may exit or separate from the first weight when spun . in this embodiment , the center of mass and axis of rotation may each be near the geometric center 214 of the first weight 212 . in fig3 d , the second weight 220 may be disposed within a slot 228 of the first weight 222 but may displace towards a geometric center 224 of the first weight 222 when the weights are spun . in this example , the axis of rotation may be at or near a center of the second weight when at rest . in some embodiments , the second weight &# 39 ; s position may be actively controlled using magnets , for example . in fig3 e , the second weight 230 may again be external to the first weight 232 and axis of rotation 238 may pass through one or both of the weights . as the weights are spun , the second weight 230 may displace along a surface of the first weight 230 to change the center of mass relative to the axis of rotation 238 . in still other embodiments , the first weight 242 may take an annular shape into which the second weight 240 is disposed , as shown in fig3 f . fig4 illustrates the weights 122 with the first weight 130 attached to a shaft 138 . in particular , the shaft 138 may be coupled the geographic center of the first weight 130 . the shaft 138 may also be coupled to the motor 120 and the motor may drive the shaft so that rotates about its longitudinal axis . as mentioned previously , the second weight 132 may be passively coupled to the first weight so that it may move relative to the first weight . in some embodiments , the second weight 132 is at rest at or near an inner position within the slot 134 . that is , a center of the second weight 132 may rest at or near the geometric center of the first weight . as shown in fig5 , as the shaft 138 and the first weight 130 rotate , centrifugal force may push the second weight 132 to an outer position within the slot 134 . the displacement of the second weight 132 causes a shift in the center of the mass of the coupled weights . as such , the center of mass is moved further away from the axis of rotation , thereby providing an output with an increased amplitude . specifically , as the center of mass shifts due to the shifting of the second weight away from the axis of rotation , the angular velocity of the second weight and therefore the angular momentum of the second weight increases to increase the amplitude of vibration . the increased amplitude may better alert and obtain the attention of the user . additionally , in embodiments , where the weights are utilized to alter the angular momentum of the falling device , the altered center of mass and increased amplitude output may help to better alter the angular momentum . fig6 illustrates an embodiment that includes a spring 150 located within the slot 134 to hold the second weight 132 in the resting position . in particular , the spring 150 may be attached within the slot at or near an outer wall 152 of the slot . although a single spring 150 is illustrated , multiple springs may be utilized some embodiments . additionally , it should be appreciated that in other embodiments one or more springs may be located within the slot 134 at or near the inner wall in addition to or instead of the spring 150 . generally , the springs may be configured to hold the second weight 132 in place until the centrifugal force exceeds , and thereby overcomes , the restraining force of the spring and the second weight is displaced . more particularly , the spring 150 may be configured to exert a force on the second weight hold it in its resting position until the centrifugal force exceeds the restoring force of the spring and the second weight displaces . it should be appreciated that as the spring is compressed , the force required to compress the spring increases , as such , the second weight may displace over a range of frequencies until the spring reaches a maximum compressed state that may correspond to a rotational frequency that produces a desired vibration . for example , the spring may be configured to hold the second weight in its rest position until a frequency is reached at which the weights 122 produce the desired vibrational amplitude in the device 100 . fig7 is a cross - sectional view taken along line vii - vii in fig3 showing another embodiment . in particular , in fig7 , the second weight 132 ′ is shown as a deflecting beam . the second weight 132 ′ may be attached at its base 160 to an interior surface 162 of the slot 134 of the first weight 130 . the second weight may be hinged , or otherwise movably attached the interior surface 162 . for example , a spring hinge may be implemented to provide a restoring force . in some embodiments , ball and socket joint may movably attach the first and second weights . alternatively , the second weight may be slideably attached to the interior surface 162 . in other embodiments , the second weight may be formed from the same block of material as the first weight . for example , the second weight may be formed as material is removed from the first weight to create the slot 134 . in embodiments where the first and second weights 130 ′, 132 ′ are made of the same material , this may be a more efficient way to manufacture the weights 122 . however , where the first and second weights are made of different materials , the second weight is attached within the slot 134 . as the weights are spun by the motor 120 , the second weight 132 ′ deflects within the slot 134 to move from its resting position to the outer position . therefore , the slot 134 may be tapered in some embodiments and still accommodate displacement of the second weight . in other embodiments , the slot may have squared edges rather than tapered edges . as with the previous embodiment , the second weight 132 ′ may displace when the centrifugal force exceeds a restoring force that may correlates to a frequency that generates a desired result . in some embodiments , the second weight 132 ′ may act as a spring as it deflects and , as such , may be configured to deflect after a certain frequency of rotation is reached which generates centrifugal force that overcomes the force of the second weight 132 ′. referring to fig8 , another embodiment is illustrated in which magnetic force is used to hold the second weight 132 in place or displace it . in fig8 , for example , the first weight 130 ″ may include a magnet 170 having north and south poles . the second weight 132 ″ may include a magnet 172 as well having north and south poles , but with the poles oriented oppositely from that of the magnet 170 of the first weight . as such , the south pole of magnet 170 may be oriented toward the north pole 172 so that the second weight is held in a resting position . again , as the weights 122 spin centrifugal force will pull the second weight to a displaced position . however , the centrifugal force generally must exceed the magnetic force holding the second weight in the rest position before the second weight will move . the magnets 170 , 172 may be embedded in the first and second weights 130 ″, 132 ″ or may be adhered or otherwise attached to a surface of the respective weights . several alternative embodiments may be implemented as well . for example , in one embodiment , one or both of the first and second weights 130 ″, 132 ″ may be magnets . alternatively , one of the weights may be a magnet and the other a magnetic material . in yet another embodiment , one or more weights may be an electromagnet that may be selectively magnetized to hold the second weight in a desired position . the controller may be used in some embodiments to control the magnetism of the weights . in some embodiments , the poles of the electromagnet may be reversed to repel the second weight to a displaced position . additionally , the first weight may include magnets near the displaced position of the second weight to either hold or repel the second weight . further , in some embodiments , the motor 120 may be used to provide the magnetism for the weights 122 . fig8 b illustrates the motor 120 generating magnetic flux lines which may influence the positioning of the second weight 132 ′″ located within the first weight 130 ′″. magnetic flux lines 189 are illustrated to show how a magnetic field from operation of the motor 120 may reach the first and second weights . further , a magnetic member 190 may be provided within the first member and which may be influenced by the magnetic field of the motor to either displace or hold the second weight 132 ′″ in a desired location . the weight spins in synchronization with the motor , and the motor &# 39 ; s magnetic coils are driven in a pattern similar to a sinusoid . therefore in the weight &# 39 ; s rotating reference frame , the magnetic field from the motor is always in approximately the same direction , assuming the weight is attached directly without a gearbox . when the motor is off or driven at low power , the movable weight 132 will not shift , while the magnetic field will shift the weight when the motor is driven at a higher power . fig9 illustrates yet another alternative embodiment in which detents are used to hold the second weight in a desired position . in particular , the slot 134 may include one or more detents 182 that correspond to apertures 180 in the second weight 132 ′″. in one embodiment , a detent may help secure the second weight in a rest position . in another embodiment , a detent may help secure the second weight in a displaced position . the detents may be made of any suitable material and in one embodiment may be made of the same material as one of the first or second weights . additionally , the detents may take any suitable shape , such as triangular , square and so forth . the use of a detent in the resting position helps to hold the second weight in the rest position when the weights are spun at a relatively low frequency and up until some threshold frequency is reached . upon reaching the threshold frequency , centrifugal force may displace the second weight . similarly , the detent in the displaced position may be used to hold the second weight in the displaced position at lower frequencies . in particular , the motor may initially operate at a high frequency to displace the second weight , the motor may then reduce its frequency and the second weight may maintain its displaced position . this may be useful to help conserve power , as the motor may operate at lower speeds and still achieve a high amplitude output due to the displaced second weight . a spring or other device ( not shown ) may provide a restorative force to help return the second weight to its resting position once the motor stops . the foregoing describes some example embodiments of coupled masses used to generate vibration and / or alter angular momentum of a falling device . although the foregoing discussion has presented specific embodiments , persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments . additionally , one or more of the embodiments may be combined together to achieve a desired performance . for example , a spring maybe implemented with an embodiment utilizing magnets to help hold and return the second weight to a resting position . accordingly , the specific embodiments described herein should be understood as examples and not limiting the scope thereof .	7
a cell culture assembly 10 according to the invention is shown in fig1 and 7 . the assembly includes a base 12 and a cell culture insert 14 , as best shown in fig2 . a cover 16 fits over the base and insert . the parts of the assembly are preferably thermoformed or molded from a transparent , plastic material such as polystyrene or petg . this allows all portions of the assembly to be easily viewed , even when the cover is employed . the base 12 of the assembly is most clearly shown in fig2 and 4 . the base includes two pairs of opposing , generally parallel side walls 18 , a bottom wall 20 , and a peripheral flange 24 including a horizontal portion 24a and a downwardly extending portion 24b in opposing relation to the side walls 18 . the side walls 18 define a substantially rectangular opening at the top end of the base . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , the side walls are equal in length , and accordingly define a substantially square opening . the side walls adjoin each other at rounded corners . the dimensions of the bottom wall 20 are slightly smaller than those of the top opening as the side walls 18 taper inwardly from top to bottom . the bottom and side walls define a well which is capable of retaining a liquid or solid medium . each side wall includes a protrusion 26 in the form of a rounded column extending within the well . the protrusions are located substantially at the midpoint of each side wall . each protrusion is accordingly positioned in opposing relation to the protrusion extending from the opposing side wall . a step including a horizontal surface 28 and a vertical surface 30 is formed at the top of each protrusion 26 . the vertical surface 30 extends substantially parallel to the side wall from which the protrusion extends . each protrusion 26 includes a rounded inner surface extending between the bottom wall 20 and the top of the base . the outer surface of each protrusion forms a corresponding rounded , elongate depression within the outer surface of each side wall . the depressions 32 and flange 24 facilitate handling of the base 12 . a plurality of discrete , frustoconical projections 34 extend upwardly from the bottom wall 20 of the base . the projections are all substantially the same height , and are substantially shorter than the height of the side walls 18 . the configurations and locations of the projections may be varied if desired . it is important that the projections allow a liquid introduced into the well to spread over the entire bottom surface of the well . in other words , the projections should not be connected in such a manner that they would prevent liquid from passing into any otherwise open space at the bottom of the well . the cell culture insert 14 includes a body 36 having two pairs of opposing side walls 38 . a permeable membrane 40 is secured to the bottom end of the body . the membrane may be made from any material suitable for growing or maintaining the particular cells or tissues deposited thereon . a variety of membranes are commercially available , some of which are more suitable for certain procedures than for others . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 366 , 893 , the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference , discloses several membrane materials . polycarbonate micropore filters , for example , have been used for cell cultures including endothelial cells . the side walls of the cell culture insert , being substantially equal in length , define substantially rectangular openings at the top and bottom ends thereof . the membrane 40 is accordingly substantially rectangular . a substantially annular rim 42 extends outwardly from the top end of the body 36 . the diameter of the rim is slightly less than the distance between the opposing vertical surfaces 30 of each pair of opposing protrusions 26 . the rim accordingly rests upon the horizontal surfaces 28 of the respective steps when the insert is mounted to the base . the edge of the rim adjoins the vertical surfaces 30 of each step . the insert is accordingly maintained in place by the steps , with the membrane 40 positioned slightly above the upper surfaces of the projections 34 . while the insert could be supported by legs engaging the bottom wall of the well , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 366 , 823 , the use of a rim extending from the insert body is preferred . the thickness of the rim is approximately the same as the height of the vertical surface 30 of each step . the top surface of the rim is accordingly substantially coplanar with the top surface of the base . a pair of notches 44 extend through the side walls and rim of the insert at diagonally opposing corner portions of the side walls . each notch includes a bottom wall and a pair of opposing side walls , all extending below the rim . the size of the insert is selected in accordance with the particular test or other procedure to be conducted . in a preferred embodiment according to the invention , the maximum diameter of the insert 14 is about one hundred fifty millimeters . the height is about twenty - four millimeters . by providing a diameter at least three times the height of the insert , a relatively shallow pan is provided , which facilitates certain test procedures . the cover 16 is designed to fit over the base and insert . referring to fig2 and 6 , the cover includes a top wall 46 and a downwardly extending flange 48 . as shown in fig6 a peripheral ridge 50 is formed in the top wall 46 . the ridge extends above the plane of the center portion of the top wall . each corner portion of the top wall includes a generally triangular depression 52 having an arcuate inner edge 52a . these depressions assist to hold the insert in place during shipment to assure integrity of the insert . two pairs of opposing protrusions 54 , each having arcuate inner edges , extend above the plane of the top wall . each protrusion 54 is located mid - way between each corner portion of the cover 16 . four small circular depressions 56 are formed at the respective corners of the cover , just outside the ridge 50 . when the cover 16 is mounted to the base 12 , the small , circular depressions 56 rest upon the horizontal portion 24a of the peripheral flange 24 of the base . this arrangement facilitates removal of the cover which , in the absence of such depressions , would be more likely to stick to the base . the opposing pairs of protrusions 54 of the cover are positioned directly over the column - like protrusions 26 of the base . the triangular depressions 52 extend into the well such that the arcuate inner edges thereof adjoin the outer edge of the rim 42 of the cell culture insert 14 . the cover accordingly prevents lateral or vertical displacement of the insert 14 with respect to the base . the ridge and depressions also make the covered assembly relatively easy to handle . the flange 48 of the cover extends over the downwardly extending portion 24b of the flange 24 of the base 12 . each flange 48 , 24 includes a small , outwardly extending lip designated by numerals 48a and 24c , respectively . the lips 48a , 24c are separated by a small space when the cover is applied , as shown in fig3 . in use , the well defined by the base 12 may be partially filled with a selected medium . this may be accomplished with the insert in place through the generally triangular openings defined between the rim 42 and the corner portions of the base . tissues or cells may be deposited on the top side of the membrane . the insert 14 may be rotated into a position where the side walls of the insert are parallel to the side walls of the base . the notches 44 facilitate manipulation of the insert within the well . while shown as a single well assembly 10 , the principles of the invention can be applied to a multi - well assembly . by providing wells having non - circular top openings including one or more corner portions , a relatively large opening or openings can be provided between a base and the outer edges of a cell culture insert . square well openings provide an efficient design for both single and multi - well applications . although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments , and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention .	1
referring more specifically to the pomological details of this new and distinct variety of grapevine , the following has been observed under the ecological conditions prevailing at a vineyard which is located near the southeast corner of woollemes and wallace avenues in delano , calif . with due regard for cultural practices . all major color code designations have been enumerated by reference to the dictionary of color by maerz and paul , second edition , published in 1950 . common color names are also employed occasionally . form : upright , dense and tender ; the subject variety was bilateral cordon trained and spur pruned . productivity : variable , productive to very productive . the subject variety produces approximately 26 to 30 clusters per vine . it has been further determined that nearly all buds are fruitful , therefore the subject variety has a potential for producing a large crop . as a general matter only one cluster per shoot was produced . occasionally two clusters per shoot were observed , however , the second cluster was always smaller in overall size . trunk diameter .-- variable , approximately 7 to 9 . 2 cm . ; average trunk diameter is approximately 8 . 2 cm . at the point of cordon branching . the bilateral cordon training and spur pruning of the subject variety produced vines having approximately 14 to 18 arms per vine and one spur per arm . diameter .-- medium ; the cane diameter is variable , approximately 9 . 1 to 13 . 2 mm ., the average cane diameter is approximately 10 . 7 mm . internode length .-- approximately 11 to 15 cm . ; average length is approximately 12 . 9 cm . tendril length .-- variable , medium to long ; approximately 7 . 6 cm . through 13 . 9 cm . ; average length is approximately 10 . 7 cm . date of bloom .-- generally -- medium to late as compared with the other varieties . the date of bloom in 1987 was observed on may 9 and 10 . the date of bloom is approximately two or three days after the emperor variety of grapevine which has a date of bloom which is considered medium to late . on may 9 , 1987 approximately 80 % of the clusters were in full bloom while 10 % were in a pre - bloom stage and the remaining 10 % were at a berry - set stage . the stamens were erect and displayed good amounts of viable pollen . the date of bloom of may 9 or 10 may be approximately seven to ten days early inasmuch as 1987 was considered an early year . lobes .-- numbers -- variable , generally five - lobed leaves were found although occasionally a three - lobed leaf would be discovered . petiolar sinus -- shape .-- the petiolar sinus has a characteristically wide v or u - shape . maturity when described : ripe for commercial harvesting and shipment ; the ripening date of the subject variety is affected by the climatic conditions in the san joaquin valley of central california . the 1987 growing season was considered an early season , and therefore the instant variety of grapevine was mature for harvesting and shipment before sept . 1 , 1987 . however , the anticipated ripening date during an average season is estimated to be approximately september 10 through 17 . the ripening date is medium to late as compared with other varieties . generally .-- the cluster of the subject variety is hereinafter described as it would be observed in its natural state , and further as it would be observed after treating it with normal cultural practices which include girdling , tipping , and applying predetermined amounts of gibberellic acid . size .-- generally -- large ; natural cluster weight -- approximately 1060 grams to 1935 grams , with an average cluster weight of approximately 1431 . 2 grams . treated cluster weight -- approximately 628 to 1518 grams , with an average treated cluster weight of approximately 1991 grams . natural cluster length .-- approximately 33 to 44 . 5 cm . ; average length of a natural cluster is approximately 38 . 9 cm . as part of the various cultural manipulations performed by the inventor , the clusters are tipped and thinned . therefore , the length of a treated cluster has been altered . cluster form .-- broad and tapering . medium and well filled but not compact . this parameter does not appear to be affected by cultural ; practices . peduncle -- length .-- long , approximately 5 . 6 cm . to 11 . 5 cm . ; average length -- approximately 8 . 04 cm . the peduncle length is not affected by the cultural practices set forth above . peduncle -- thickness .-- medium to thick ; approximately 4 . 3 to 7 . 0 mm . in natural vines ; average thickness approximately 5 . 4 mm . the peduncle thickness is affected by the cultural practices ; peduncle thickness -- treated vines -- approximately 3 . 4 to 7 . 6 mm . ; average peduncle thickness for a treated vine is approximately 6 . 0 mm . pedicle -- diameter .-- slender , approximately 1 . 3 mm . the pedicle length , and diameter , set forth above were not noticeably affected by the cultural practices which included girdling and the application of predetermined amounts of gibberellic acid . uniformity .-- variable on clusters procured from natural vines , however , increased uniformity is apparent on clusters gathered from treated vines . berry color .-- red , ( 56 - l - 7 ) [ pg . 135 ]; the color of the berries is somewhat variable ranging from 56 - l - 5 to 56 - l - 8 , most of the berries , however , display the red color which is most closely similar to ( 56 - l - 7 ). juice production .-- average to juicy . the juice of the subject variety is clear and sweet . seeds : the tudor premium red variety of grapevine is substantially seedless , that is , natural vines produce berries which have one or two seed traces . the seed traces which are found in these berries , are not otherwise noteworthy , inasmuch as they are soft . they are however visually detectable . it has been determined that seed traces were substantially undetectable in the berries which are produced from vines which were treated with the standard cultural practices which include girdling and the application of predetermined amounts of gibberellic acid . use : dessert and fresh market for both local and long distance markets . although the new variety of grapevine possesses the described characteristics as a result of the growing conditions prevailing in delano , calif ., it is to be understood that variations of the usual magnitude and characteristics incident to growing conditions , fertilization , pruning and pest control are to be expected .	0
the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure , its application , or uses . for purposes of clarity , the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements . as used herein , the phrase at least one of a , b , and c should be construed to mean a logical ( a or b or c ), using a non - exclusive logical or . it should be understood that steps within a method may be executed in different order without altering the principles of the present disclosure . as used herein , the term module refers to an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), an electronic circuit , a processor ( shared , dedicated , or group ) and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs , a combinational logic circuit , and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality . in an internal combustion engine , fuel and spark are relatively fast actuators . the term fast is used in contrast to air flow ( which may be measured as air per cylinder ), which changes slowly as the throttle valve opens or closes . removing fuel from one or more cylinders ( deactivating the cylinders ) and decreasing ( retarding ) the spark advance can both be used to achieve fast changes in brake torque . when controlling an internal combustion engine , a rapid transition to minimum torque may be requested . the minimum torque the engine can produce with all cylinders on is limited by the minimum amount of air flow needed to maintain adequate combustion in all cylinders . to reduce the torque of the engine even further , cylinders are deactivated . a minimum torque request may be made when the vehicle is decelerating , such as when the driver has removed their foot from the accelerator pedal . minimum torque may be especially helpful for engine braking when traveling on downgrades . a smooth transition to minimum engine off torque can also be used when shutting down the engine , such as in a hybrid application . for example , in a hybrid application , the engine may be powered down when the vehicle comes to a stop . rapid torque reductions may also be used to prevent engine flare when the clutch pedal of a manual transmission is depressed . cylinders can be individually turned off for a step - wise reduction in torque . however , abrupt changes in torque may be transmitted through the frame and perceived as a noise , vibration , or harshness issue . to create a smooth torque ramp , cylinder deactivation can be combined with changes in spark advance to produce a smooth torque reduction without points of discontinuity . in order to achieve this smooth response , spark advance is closely synchronized with cylinder deactivation . instead of experiencing an abrupt torque reduction when a cylinder is deactivated , the ignition system can advance the spark at the same time that the cylinder is deactivated . the increased spark advance offsets the torque reduction from the cylinder deactivation . the spark advance can then be ramped to a lower value . at this time , the next cylinder can be turned off , with another corresponding increase in spark advance . this can be repeated for each cylinder , with the spark advance smoothing the transitions when cylinders are deactivated . a similar scheme can be used for smoothing increasing torque as cylinders are reactivated . for example , this may be used when the internal combustion engine in a hybrid application is restarted or when a driver once again depresses the accelerator pedal on a downgrade . an example of a strategy where spark advance offsets large decreases in torque from cylinder deactivation is shown in fig1 . fig1 also depicts the difference between when a cylinder is commanded to be deactivated and when the cylinder actually is deactivated . because of the close coupling between cylinder deactivation and spark advance , fig1 shows how spark advance is affected by the delay in actual cylinder deactivation . in addition to the coordination between spark advance and cylinder deactivation for torque control , coordination is also useful for torque estimation . torque estimation is used to control engine parameters , and may be used by a hybrid controller to determine current or future torque requested from an electric motor . if the torque estimation function receives notice of a cylinder being deactivated without receiving notice of the corresponding increase in spark advance , torque estimation may erroneously estimate a negative spike in torque . therefore , when control is able to provide cylinder deactivation information at the same time as the corresponding spark advance , torque estimation may be able to incorporate the combined effects of both changes . fig2 shows an exemplary cylinder firing diagram for a v8 engine , which illustrates why there may be a delay between a cylinder deactivation command and actual cylinder deactivation . fig3 depicts an engine system where fuel control is coordinated with spark control . fig4 depicts exemplary components of an engine control module of the engine system . fig5 depicts in greater detail certain components that are used to coordinate fueling and spark advance for the exemplary engine system . fig6 depicts exemplary control steps used in determining and applying coordinated fueling and spark advance parameters . referring now to fig1 , a graphical depiction of a decreasing torque request , cylinder deactivation , and spark advance for an exemplary 4 - cylinder engine is presented . the torque request begins at a minimum air torque , which is − 10 nm in this example . the minimum air torque represents the torque produced when all cylinders are fueled and the minimum amount of air for proper combustion is provided to the cylinders . the torque ramp then decreases until the minimum engine off torque is reached , which is − 30 nm in this example . at the minimum engine off torque , no fuel is provided to the cylinders and therefore no torque is being generated . negative torque is created by friction in the engine , and may also be created by pumping losses resulting from the pistons drawing in , compressing , and expelling air . also indicated are the approximate average torques of the engine with 3 , 2 , and 1 cylinders activated , which are − 15 nm , − 20 nm and − 25 nm , respectively . at time t 1 , the number of cylinders is instructed to reduce from four to three . after a delay 10 , the number of cylinders actually activated decreases from four to three . at time t 2 , the number of cylinders instructed to be activated is decreased from three to two . after a delay 20 , the actual number of cylinders activated decreases from three to two . as seen in fig1 , delays , such as delay 10 and delay 20 , are not necessarily equal . this will be explained below with respect to fig2 . fig1 also shows an uncoordinated spark advance , where the spark advance is set based upon the instructed number of activated cylinders . therefore , at time t 1 , the uncoordinated spark advance increases to offset the decrease in torque caused by the cylinder reduction . however , because the cylinder was not actually deactivated until after the delay 10 , the increase in the uncoordinated spark advance would cause a spike in engine torque . the spark advance then ramps to a minimum level , where the next cylinder can be deactivated . the minimum level may represent the lowest spark advance that will still result in stable combustion . a coordinated spark advance is shown , which increases spark advance at times when the number of cylinders being fueled actually decreases . a graph of torque estimation ( not shown ) based on coordinated spark and fuel control will be fairly smooth . this is because torque estimation receives the decreased number of cylinders as spark control provides torque estimation with the newly updated spark advance . by contrast , a graph of torque estimation ( also not shown ) corresponding to the uncoordinated spark advance would have downward torque spikes as each cylinder was deactivated . referring now to fig2 , a graphical depiction of cylinder event timing in an exemplary v8 engine is presented . at the top of fig2 is a square wave indicating teeth on a crankshaft wheel . the x axis represents crankshaft angle , and is shown between 0 and 720 degrees because cylinders fire every two crankshaft revolutions . the 8 cylinders are labeled with letters , from a to h . there are two gaps shown in the crankshaft teeth , one at top dead center ( tdc ) of cylinder d , and one at tdc of cylinder h . these gaps may be used for synchronizing the crankshaft signal . the time when the piston is at its topmost position , which is the point at which the air / fuel mixture is most compressed , is referred to as tdc . a portion of the crankshaft period on the right of fig2 is repeated on the left of fig2 . this explains why tdc of cylinder h appears at both the left and the right . ignition timing control may occur at a defined time for each cylinder . for example only , these events may be defined at 72 ° or 73 . 50 ° before tdc of each cylinder . timelines of the four strokes ( intake , compression , power and exhaust ) are shown for each cylinder . the cylinders are arranged in firing order from top to bottom , a to h . the physical cylinder number is indicated at the left of each timeline . the end of the intake stroke for a cylinder may be defined as the time when the corresponding intake valve closes . the fuel boundary represents the last time at which fuel released from the fuel injectors will make it into the combustion chamber in that intake stroke . normally , this will be slightly before the end of the intake stroke . for applications where fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber , the fuel boundary may be at or after the end of the intake stroke . after the fuel boundary , the fuel injector corresponding to the cylinder can begin spraying fuel for the next intake stroke . the fuel injector may spray fuel during the exhaust stroke so that a fuel - air mixture will be ready when the intake valve opens . fuel may be sprayed earlier , such as in the compression or power strokes , to allow for more mixing of air and fuel and / or to allow for more time in which to inject a greater amount of fuel . because of the long period during which fuel may be sprayed , deactivating fuel to a cylinder may be done at the fuel boundaries . therefore , when a request to deactivate cylinder 1 is received , the fuel injector for cylinder 1 is not deactivated until the next fuel boundary is reached . if the request is received slightly after a fuel boundary , nearly two crankshaft revolutions will occur before the fuel boundary is again reached . even after the fuel injector is disabled following the fuel boundary , the combustion chamber will already contain the previously sprayed fuel . the compression , power , and exhaust strokes therefore operate with the fuel that was previously injected . when the next intake stroke is reached , there is little or no fuel , as the fuel injector has been disabled for the last four strokes . at this point , the combustion chamber contains only air . the compression stroke then compresses the air in the cylinder , and during the power stroke , no fuel - air mixture is present to ignite . this is the time at which the reduced torque from deactivating the cylinder is actually realized . as seen in the example timing diagram of fig2 , cylinder 8 fires before cylinder 1 would have fired , while cylinder 2 fires after cylinder 1 would have fired . the spark can be advanced starting with either the firing of cylinder 8 or the firing of cylinder 2 . in four - cylinder applications , there may not be enough time to advance the spark for the cylinder firing before cylinder 1 . in such cases , the spark will be advanced for the cylinder firing after cylinder 1 . the spark advance can then be gradually reduced by following the torque command through the use of a torque model until the next cylinder is deactivated . the variable delay in fig1 can now be understood . if a cylinder deactivation request is received immediately after the fuel boundary for that cylinder , two crankshaft revolutions will pass before the fuel injector for that cylinder can be disabled . in the next two crankshaft revolutions , the fuel previously sprayed is combusted and exhausted . the following intake and compression strokes operate on air that does not have injected fuel . at the power stroke , one crankshaft revolution after the intake stroke , there is no air / fuel mixture to ignite , and the average torque of the engine is therefore reduced . on the other hand , if a cylinder deactivation request is received immediately before a fuel boundary , when the fuel boundary is reached , the fuel injector for that cylinder will be disabled . then , after two crankshaft revolutions , the intake stroke draws in air , and after one more crankshaft revolution , the air mixture is not ignited . therefore , the variable delay shown in fig1 may vary between three and five crankshaft revolutions . referring now to fig3 , a functional block diagram of an exemplary engine system 100 is presented . the engine system 100 includes an engine 102 that combusts an air / fuel mixture to produce drive torque for a vehicle based on a driver input module 104 . air is drawn into an intake manifold 110 through a throttle valve 112 . an engine control module ( ecm ) 114 commands a throttle actuator module 116 to regulate opening of the throttle valve 112 to control the amount of air drawn into the intake manifold 110 . air from the intake manifold 110 is drawn into cylinders of the engine 102 . while the engine 102 may include multiple cylinders , for illustration purposes , a single representative cylinder 118 is shown . for example only , the engine 102 may include 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 10 , and / or 12 cylinders . the ecm 114 may instruct a cylinder actuator module 120 to selectively deactivate some of the cylinders to improve fuel economy . air from the intake manifold 110 is drawn into the cylinder 118 through an intake valve 122 . the ecm 114 controls the amount of fuel injected by a fuel injection system 124 to achieve a desired air / fuel ratio . the fuel injection system 124 may inject fuel into the intake manifold 110 at a central location or may inject fuel into the intake manifold 110 at multiple locations , such as near the intake valve of each of the cylinders . alternatively , the fuel injection system 124 may inject fuel directly into the cylinders . the cylinder actuator module 120 may control to which cylinders the fuel injection system 124 injects fuel . the injected fuel mixes with the air and creates the air / fuel mixture in the cylinder 118 . a piston ( not shown ) within the cylinder 118 compresses the air / fuel mixture . based upon a signal from the ecm 114 , a spark actuator module 126 energizes a spark plug 128 in the cylinder 118 , which ignites the air / fuel mixture . the timing of the spark may be specified relative to tdc . the combustion of the air / fuel mixture drives the piston down , thereby driving a rotating crankshaft ( not shown ). the piston then begins moving up again and expels the byproducts of combustion through an exhaust valve 130 . the byproducts of combustion are exhausted from the vehicle via an exhaust system 134 . the intake valve 122 may be controlled by an intake camshaft 140 , while the exhaust valve 130 may be controlled by an exhaust camshaft 142 . in various implementations , multiple intake camshafts may control multiple intake valves per cylinder and / or may control the intake valves of multiple banks of cylinders . similarly , multiple exhaust camshafts may control multiple exhaust valves per cylinder and / or may control exhaust valves for multiple banks of cylinders . the cylinder actuator module 120 may deactivate cylinders by halting provision of fuel and spark and / or disabling their exhaust and / or intake valves . the time at which the intake valve 122 is opened may be varied with respect to piston tdc by an intake cam phaser 148 . the time at which the exhaust valve 130 is opened may be varied with respect to piston tdc by an exhaust cam phaser 150 . a phaser actuator module 158 controls the intake cam phaser 148 and the exhaust cam phaser 150 based on signals from the ecm 114 . the engine system 100 may include a boost device that provides pressurized air to the intake manifold 110 . for example , fig1 depicts a turbocharger 160 . the turbocharger 160 is powered by exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust system 134 , and provides a compressed air charge to the intake manifold 110 . the turbocharger 160 may compress air before the air reaches the intake manifold 110 . a wastegate 164 may allow exhaust gas to bypass the turbocharger 160 , thereby reducing the turbocharger &# 39 ; s output ( or boost ). the ecm 114 controls the turbocharger 160 via a boost actuator module 162 . the boost actuator module 162 may modulate the boost of the turbocharger 160 by controlling the position of the wastegate 164 . an intercooler ( not shown ) may dissipate some of the compressed air charge &# 39 ; s heat , which is generated by air being compressed and may by the air &# 39 ; s proximity to the exhaust system 134 . alternate engine systems may include a supercharger that provides compressed air to the intake manifold 110 and is driven by the crankshaft . the engine system 100 may include an exhaust gas recirculation ( egr ) valve 170 , which selectively redirects exhaust gas back to the intake manifold 110 . in various implementations , the egr valve 170 may be located after the turbocharger 160 . the engine system 100 may measure the speed of the crankshaft in revolutions per minute ( rpm ) using an rpm sensor 180 . the temperature of the engine coolant may be measured using an engine coolant temperature ( ect ) sensor 182 . the ect sensor 182 may be located within the engine 102 or at other locations where the coolant is circulated , such as a radiator ( not shown ). the pressure within the intake manifold 110 may be measured using a manifold absolute pressure ( map ) sensor 184 . in various implementations , engine vacuum , which is the difference between ambient air pressure and the pressure within the intake manifold 110 , may be measured . the mass of air flowing into the intake manifold 110 may be measured using a mass air flow ( maf ) sensor 186 . in various implementations , the maf sensor 186 may be located in a housing with the throttle valve 112 . the throttle actuator module 116 may monitor the position of the throttle valve 112 using one or more throttle position sensors ( tps ) 190 . the ambient temperature of air being drawn into the engine system 100 may be measured using an intake air temperature ( iat ) sensor 192 . the ecm 114 may use signals from the sensors to make control decisions for the engine system 100 . the ecm 114 may communicate with a transmission control module 194 to coordinate shifting gears in a transmission ( not shown ). for example , the ecm 114 may reduce torque during a gear shift . the ecm 114 may communicate with a hybrid control module 196 to coordinate operation of the engine 102 and an electric motor 198 . the electric motor 198 may also function as a generator , and may be used to produce electrical energy for use by vehicle electrical systems and / or for storage in a battery . in various implementations , the ecm 114 , the transmission control module 194 , and the hybrid control module 196 may be integrated into one or more modules . to abstractly refer to the various control mechanisms of the engine 102 , each system that varies an engine parameter may be referred to as an actuator . for example , the throttle actuator module 116 can change the blade position , and therefore the opening area , of the throttle valve 112 . the throttle actuator module 116 can therefore be referred to as an actuator , and the throttle opening area can be referred to as an actuator position or actuator value . similarly , the spark actuator module 126 can be referred to as an actuator , while the corresponding actuator position may be the amount of spark advance . other actuators may include the boost actuator module 162 , the egr valve 170 , the phaser actuator module 158 , the fuel injection system 124 , and the cylinder actuator module 120 . the term actuator position with respect to these actuators may correspond to boost pressure , egr valve opening , intake and exhaust cam phaser angles , air / fuel ratio , and number of cylinders activated , respectively . referring now to fig4 , a functional block diagram of an exemplary engine control system is presented . an engine control module ( ecm ) 300 includes an axle torque arbitration module 304 . the axle torque arbitration module 304 arbitrates between driver inputs from the driver input module 104 and other axle torque requests . for example , driver inputs may include accelerator pedal position . other axle torque requests may include a torque reduction requested during wheel slip by a traction control system and torque requests to control speed from a cruise control system . torque requests may include target torque values as well as ramp requests , such as a request to ramp torque down to the minimum engine off torque or ramp torque up from the minimum engine off torque . axle torque requests may also include requests from an adaptive cruise control module , which may vary a torque request to maintain a predetermined following distance . axle torque requests may also include torque increases due to negative wheel slip , such as where a tire of the vehicle slips with respect to the road surface when the torque produced by the engine is negative . axle torque requests may also include brake torque management requests and torque requests intended to prevent vehicle over - speed conditions . brake torque management requests may reduce engine torque to ensure that engine torque does not exceed the ability of the brakes to hold the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped . axle torque requests may also be made by body stability control systems . axle torque requests may further include engine cutoff requests , such as may be generated when a critical fault is detected . the axle torque arbitration module 304 outputs a predicted torque and an immediate torque . the predicted torque is the amount of torque that will be required in the future to meet the driver &# 39 ; s torque request and / or speed requests . the immediate torque is the amount of currently required to meet temporary torque requests , such as torque reductions when shifting gears or when traction control senses wheel slippage . the immediate torque may be achieved by engine actuators that respond quickly , while slower engine actuators may be targeted to achieve the predicted torque . for example , a spark actuator may be able to quickly change spark advance , while cam phaser or throttle actuators may be slower to respond because of air transport delays in the intake manifold . the axle torque arbitration module 304 outputs the predicted torque and the immediate torque to a propulsion torque arbitration module 308 . in various implementations , the axle torque arbitration module 304 may output the predicted torque and immediate torque to a hybrid optimization module 312 . the hybrid optimization module 312 determines how much torque should be produced by the engine and how much torque should be produced by the electric motor 198 . the hybrid optimization module 312 then outputs modified predicted and immediate torque values to the propulsion torque arbitration module 308 . in various implementations , the hybrid optimization module 312 may be implemented in the hybrid control module 196 of fig1 . the predicted and immediate torques received by the propulsion torque arbitration module 308 are converted from the axle torque domain ( at the wheels ) into the propulsion torque domain ( at the crankshaft ). this conversion may occur before , after , or in place of the hybrid optimization module 312 . the propulsion torque arbitration module 308 arbitrates between the converted predicted and immediate torque and other propulsion torque requests . propulsion torque requests may include torque reductions for engine over - speed protection , torque increases for stall prevention , and torque reductions requested by the transmission control module 194 to accommodate gear shifts . propulsion torque requests may also include torque requests from a speed control module , which may control engine speed during idle and coastdown , such as when the driver removes their foot from the accelerator pedal . propulsion torque requests may also include a clutch fuel cutoff , which may reduce engine torque when the driver depresses the clutch pedal in a manual transmission vehicle . various torque reserves may also be provided to the propulsion torque arbitration module 306 to allow for fast realization of those torque values should they be needed . for example , a reserve may be applied to allow for air conditioning compressor turn - on and / or for power steering pump torque demands . a catalyst light - off or cold start emissions process may directly vary spark advance for an engine . a corresponding propulsion torque request may be made to balance out the change in spark advance . in addition , the air - fuel ratio of the engine and / or the mass air flow of the engine may be varied , such as by diagnostic intrusive equivalence ratio testing and / or new engine purging . corresponding propulsion torque requests may be made to offset these changes . propulsion torque requests may also include a shutoff request , which may be initiated by detection of a critical fault . for example , critical faults may include vehicle theft detection , stuck starter motor detection , electronic throttle control problems , and unexpected torque increases . in various implementations , various requests , such as shutoff requests , may not be arbitrated . for example only , shutoff requests may always win arbitration or may override arbitration altogether . the propulsion torque arbitration module 306 may still receive these requests so that , for example , appropriate data can be fed back to other torque requesters . for example , all other torque requestors may be informed that they have lost arbitration . an actuation mode module 314 receives the predicted torque and the immediate torque from the propulsion torque arbitration module 306 . based upon a mode setting , the actuation mode module 314 determines how the predicted and immediate torques will be achieved . for example , changing the throttle valve 112 allows for a wide range of torque control . however , opening and closing the throttle valve 112 is relatively slow . disabling cylinders provides for a wide range of torque control , but may produce drivability and emissions concerns . changing spark advance is relatively fast , but does not provide much range of control . in addition , the amount of control possible with spark ( spark capacity ) changes as the amount of air entering the cylinder 118 changes . according to the present disclosure , the throttle valve 112 may be closed just enough so that the desired immediate torque can be achieved by retarding the spark as far as possible . this provides for rapid resumption of the previous torque , as the spark can be quickly returned to its calibrated timing . in this way , the use of relatively slowly - responding throttle valve corrections is minimized by using the quickly - responding spark retard as much as possible . the approach the actuation mode module 314 takes in meeting the immediate torque request is determined by a mode setting . the mode setting provided to the actuation mode module 314 may include an indication of modes including an inactive mode , a pleasible mode , a maximum range mode , and an auto actuation mode . in the inactive mode , the actuation mode module 314 may ignore the immediate torque request . for example , the actuation mode module 314 may output the predicted torque to a predicted torque control module 316 . the predicted torque control module 316 converts the predicted torque to desired actuator positions for slow actuators . for example , the predicted torque control module 316 may control desired manifold absolute pressure ( map ), desired throttle area , and / or desired air per cylinder ( apc ). an immediate torque control module 320 determines desired actuator positions for fast actuators , such as desired spark advance . the actuation mode module 314 may instruct the immediate torque control module 320 to set the spark advance to a calibrated value , which achieves the maximum possible torque for a given airflow . in the inactive mode , the immediate torque request does not therefore reduce the amount of torque produced or cause the spark advance to deviate from calibrated values . in the pleasible mode , the actuation mode module 314 may attempt to achieve the immediate torque request using only spark retard . this may mean that if the desired torque reduction is greater than the spark reserve capacity ( amount of torque reduction achievable by spark retard ), the torque reduction will not be achieved . the actuation mode module 314 may therefore output the predicted torque to the predicted torque control module 316 for conversion to a desired throttle area . the actuation mode module 314 may output the immediate torque request to the immediate torque control module 320 , which will retard the spark as much as possible to attempt to achieve the immediate torque . in the maximum range mode , the actuation mode module 314 may instruct the cylinder actuator module 120 to turn off one or more cylinders to achieve the immediate torque request . the actuation mode module 314 may use spark retard for the remainder of the torque reduction by outputting the immediate torque request to the immediate torque control module 320 . if there is not enough spark reserve capacity , the actuation mode module 314 may reduce the predicted torque request going to the predicted torque control module 316 . in the auto actuation mode , the actuation mode module 314 may decrease the predicted torque request output to the predicted torque control module 316 . the predicted torque may be reduced only so far as is necessary to allow the immediate torque control module 320 to achieve the immediate torque request using spark retard . the immediate torque control module 320 receives an estimated torque from a torque estimation module 324 and sets spark advance using the spark actuator module 126 to achieve the desired immediate torque . the estimated torque may represent the amount of torque that could immediately be produced by setting the spark advance to a calibrated value . when the spark advance is set to the calibrated value , the resulting torque ( maintaining the current apc ) may be as close to mean best torque ( mbt ) as possible . mbt refers to the maximum torque that is generated for a given apc as spark advance is increased while using high - octane fuel . the spark advance at which this maximum torque occurs may be referred to as mbt spark . the torque at the calibrated value may be less than the torque at mbt spark because of , for example , fuel quality and environmental factors . the immediate torque control module 320 can demand a smaller spark advance than the calibrated spark advance in order to reduce the estimated torque of the engine to the immediate torque request . the immediate torque control module 320 may also decrease the number of cylinders activated via the cylinder actuation module 120 . the cylinder actuator module 120 then reports the actual number of activated cylinders to the immediate torque control module 320 and the torque estimation module 324 . when the number of activated cylinders changes , the cylinder actuator module 120 may report this change to the immediate torque control module 320 before reporting the change to the torque estimation module 324 . in this way , the torque estimation module 324 receives the changed number of cylinders at the same time as the updated spark advance from the immediate torque control module 320 . the torque estimation module may estimate an actual torque that is currently being generated at the current apc and the current spark advance . the predicted torque control module 316 receives the estimated torque and may also receive a measured mass air flow ( maf ) signal and an engine speed signal , referred to as a revolutions per minute ( rpm ) signal . the predicted torque control module 316 may generate a desired manifold absolute pressure ( map ) signal , which is output to a boost scheduling module 328 . the boost scheduling module 328 uses the desired map signal to control the boost actuator module 162 . the boost actuator module 162 then controls a turbocharger or a supercharger . the predicted torque control module 316 may generate a desired area signal , which is output to the throttle actuator module 116 . the throttle actuator module 116 then regulates the throttle valve 112 to produce the desired throttle area . the predicted torque control module 316 may use the estimated torque and / or the maf signal in order to perform closed loop control , such as closed loop control of the desired area signal . the predicted torque control module 316 may also generate a desired air per cylinder ( apc ) signal , which is output to a phaser scheduling module 332 . based on the desired apc signal and the rpm signal , the phaser scheduling module 332 commands the intake and / or exhaust cam phasers 148 and 150 to calibrated values using the phaser actuator module 158 . the torque estimation module 324 may use current intake and exhaust cam phaser angles along with the maf signal to determine the estimated torque . the current intake and exhaust cam phaser angles may be measured values . further discussion of torque estimation can be found in commonly assigned u . s . pat . no . 6 , 704 , 638 entitled “ torque estimator for engine rpm and torque control ,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . referring now to fig5 , a functional block diagram of selected elements of the exemplary engine control system of fig4 is presented . a torque ramp module 402 provides a ramping axle torque request to the axle torque arbitration module 304 of the ecm 300 . the torque ramp module 402 may request an increasing or decreasing torque ramp from the axle torque arbitration module 304 . for example only , this torque ramp may be in response to the driver removing their foot from the accelerator pedal or a hybrid engine controller instructing the engine to shut down , for example . the immediate torque control module 320 receives an immediate torque request via the hybrid optimization module 312 , propulsion torque arbitration module 308 , and the actuation mode module 314 . the immediate torque request may include the torque ramp from the axle torque arbitration module 304 . the immediate torque control module 320 produces a desired spark advance for the spark actuator module 126 based on the number of cylinders that are activated . the immediate torque control module 320 also outputs the desired number of activated cylinders to the cylinder actuator module 120 . the cylinder actuator module 120 includes a fueling control module 410 , a firing sequence dectection module 412 , and a cylinder power determination module 414 . the fueling control module 410 instructs the fuel injection system 124 as to which cylinders should receive fuel . the firing sequence detection module 412 determines which of the four strokes each cylinder is currently performing , which may be determined from a number of degrees of rotation of the crankshaft of the engine . the firing sequence detection module 412 may receive a signal for each degree of rotation of the crankshaft or after every predetermined number of degrees of the crankshaft . the firing sequence detection module 412 may also receive signals indicating the angular position of the crankshaft after a larger number of degrees of rotation . for example only , the firing sequence detection module 412 may receive a signal at each cylinder firing event . for example only , in a v8 , cylinder firing events may occur every 90 degrees of crankshaft rotation . the firing sequence detection module 412 outputs cylinder event information to the fueling control module 410 and to the cylinder power determination module 414 . when the fueling control module 410 receives a decreased desired number of cylinders from the immediate torque control module 320 , the fueling control module 410 waits for the next fuel boundary . the fueling control module 410 may deactivate a predetermined cylinder , or may deactivate the cylinder whose fuel boundary next occurs . once the fuel boundary occurs , the fueling control module 410 instructs the fuel injection system 124 to stop providing fuel to that cylinder . the fueling control module 410 informs the cylinder power determination module 414 when each cylinder is deactivated . the fueling control module 410 may wait until the next intake cycle of the recently deactivated cylinder before indicating to the cylinder power determination module 414 that fueling of the cylinder has been stopped . the cylinder power determination module 414 outputs the number of activated cylinders to the immediate torque control module 320 . the cylinder power determination module 414 may wait to output the reduced number of activated cylinders until it is time to determine a new spark advance . this new spark advance is generated to offset the reduction in torque realized at the time the now - deactivated cylinder fails to fire . for example , the new spark advance may be used for the cylinder that fires before or the cylinder that fires after the now - deactivated cylinder . the cylinder power determination module 414 may send the reduced number of activated cylinders to the torque estimation module 324 after or when the new spark advance is generated . in this way , the torque estimation module 324 receives the reduced number of activated cylinders along with the corresponding increased spark advance . this may prevent the torque estimation module 324 from estimating a torque glitch , where an abrupt drop in torque caused by the cylinder deactivation is then offset by an increased spark advance . the estimated torque may be provided to the immediate torque control module 320 and to other modules , such as the hybrid optimization module 312 shown in fig4 . referring now to fig6 , a flowchart depicts exemplary steps performed by the elements shown in fig5 to coordinate cylinder deactivation and spark advance . when a decreasing torque ramp to engine off minimum torque is requested by the torque ramp module 402 and received by the immediate torque control module 320 , control begins in step 502 . in step 502 , control initializes a variable numcylinders to the total number of cylinders in the engine . control continues in step 504 , where numcylinders is reported to spark control ( the immediate torque control module 320 ) and torque estimation ( the torque estimation module 324 ). control continues in step 506 , where control determines whether numcylinders is equal to zero . if so , all cylinders are off and control ends ; otherwise , control continues in step 507 . in step 507 , control ramps the spark advance to a minimum value . for example only , the minimum value may be the minimum spark advance available where stable combustion is maintained . in step 508 , control instructs cylinder x to be deactivated . cylinder x , which is the next cylinder to be deactivated , may be chosen so that cylinders with adjacent firing times are not deactivated consecutively . for example , in the v8 timing diagram of fig2 , cylinders 3 or 4 may be deactivated after cylinder 1 . deactivating cylinder 2 after cylinder 1 may result in added vibration , as six cylinders will fire followed by a gap where two cylinders do not fire . control continues in step 510 , where control waits until the fuel boundary of cylinder x is reached . as described in fig2 , this may require up to two crankshaft revolutions . control continues in step 512 , where fuel is disabled for cylinder x . control continues in step 514 , where control waits for two crankshaft revolutions . at this point , cylinder x has finished an intake stroke where no fuel was sprayed . control then continues in step 516 , where numcylinders is decremented . control then continues in step 518 , where numcylinders is reported to spark control . control continues in step 520 , where spark control advances the spark for a cylinder that fires adjacently to when cylinder x would have fired if it contained an air - fuel mixture . this adjacent cylinder may be the cylinder that would fire immediately before cylinder x or the cylinder that would fire immediately after cylinder x . the spark will remain advanced for future cylinder firing , although the spark advance will decrease to continue the decrease in torque ramp . the spark advance of step 520 may be an abrupt , discontinuous jump , while the spark advance otherwise follows a continuous downward contour that follows the downward ramp of the torque request . control continues in step 522 , where numcylinders is reported to torque estimation . torque estimation will now have received the advance spark timing , which combined with the reduced numcylinders , will allow the torque estimation to accurately estimate engine torque . control then returns to step 506 . when only a single cylinder change in deactivation is requested , steps 508 to 522 may be performed , without placing them in a loop that deactivates all cylinders . the steps of fig6 can be easily adapted to achieve an increasing torque ramp . in such a case , the spark advance would be reduced as a cylinder is activated . in various implementations , such as a port fuel injection engine , an array of boolean flags may be defined , one for each cylinder . the flag corresponding to a cylinder is updated at the end of the cylinder &# 39 ; s intake stroke . the flag is set to true if the cylinder had been fueled during its last intake stroke . the array can be summed to determine the number of cylinders that were fueled during their last intake stroke . this count may be placed into a circular buffer , which is updated and read on a cylinder synchronous basis . the circular buffer introduces a delay , which may be measured in terms of cylinder events , from the end of the intake stroke until the time at which a spark change would be necessary to account for that cylinder &# 39 ; s fueling change . in various implementations , the delay may be from the intake stroke until an event that is used to schedule spark . the delay may be reduced to account for time used in switching domains from cylinder synchronous to time - based , which is the domain in which the torque control operates , and back to cylinder synchronous , which is the domain in which spark control operates . the delayed cylinder count is referred to as the powered count . this is the count that can be used in the cylinder fraction term for spark control . to coordinate this cylinder fraction term with torque estimation , the cylinder fraction term may be saved from its time domain calculation into another variable at the time when the cylinder synchronous spark scheduling event occurs . this ensures that the time domain determination is able to be used by the time domain spark torque controller and then be consumed by the spark advance controller . those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms . therefore , while this disclosure includes particular examples , the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings , the specification , and the following claims .	5
illustrated in fig3 is a switching device adapted to perform link management burst control in accordance with the preferred embodiment . in the preferred embodiment , the switching device is a bridge 300 although the invention is equally applicable to routers and multilayer switches adapted to provide forwarding and routing operations at layers 2 and 3 of the open systems interconnection ( osi ) reference model . the switch 300 in the preferred embodiment includes a plurality of layer 2 interfaces represented by mac entities 302 , a mac relay entity 306 , and higher layer entities 308 . each of the mac entities 302 includes a frame receiver 310 and frame transmitter 312 operably coupled to a local area network ( lan ) 304 a - 304 b via an external port 300 a - 300 b , respectively . the mac entity 302 handles all media access method dependent functions ( mac protocol and procedures ) in accordance with the rstp standard including the inspection of all frames received on the attached lan and transmission of frames received from the mac relay entity 306 and higher layer entities 308 . the mac relay entity 306 interconnects the plurality of ports 304 a - 304 b and handles the media access method independent functions of relaying frames between bridge ports including filtering frames and source learning . the mac relay entity 306 includes a filtering database 314 and a plurality of port state information ( psi ) tables 316 . the filtering database 314 retains filtering information including known forwarding address and applicable ports 304 a - 304 b to which received frames may be forwarded . the psi table 316 associated with a port includes a record of the learning and forwarding states of the port , i . e ., whether the port is currently in the disabled , blocking , listening , learning , forwarding state . in the preferred embodiment , the psi table 316 also maintains a record of burst control information ( bci ) 318 including “ burstavoidancecontrol ” and “ burstavoid ” parameters described in more detail below . the higher layer entities 308 include logical link control ( llc ) entities 320 and a bridge protocol entity 322 . the llc entities 320 encompasses both the link layer capabilities — which include demultiplexing , for example — provided by llc as specified in international organization for standards ( iso )/ international electrotechnical commission ( iec ) 8802 - 2 as well as the type interpretation of the length / type field specified in ieee std 802 . 3 . the bridge protocol entity 322 maintains a plurality of rstp state machines including a port information state machine ( pism ) adapted to execute the burst avoidance protocol , and maintains rstp protocol parameters and configuration timers . the pism is defined in the rstp standard and for replying to configuration bpdus and responding to transmit topology change notification ( tcn ) bpdus . in the preferred embodiment , the enhanced pism includes a burst control state machine ( bcsm ) 324 that modifies the timing of topology changes notifications bpdus to prevent potentially injurous bpdu traffic bursts . in the preferred embodiment , the bcsm 324 is an improvement upon the pism set forth in the rstp standard hereby incorporated herein by reference . in particular , the bcsm 324 causes the switching device 300 to test for various conditions upon receipt of a tcn bpdu at a designated port and , if those conditions are met , the device 300 induces a delay in the transmission of configuration bpdus from the same designated port . the induced delay , referred to as a burstavoiddelay , prevents the particular switching device from transmitting a configuration bpdu identifying its own superior priority vector from the switching device before a configuration bpdu is received from the root bridge or an alternate port . in this manner , the switching device suppresses the transmission of one or more bpdus identifying itself as the root before the identity of the true root bridge is advertised by the root bridge or the alternate port . depending on the topology of the network and the mac addresses of the bridges in the network , the preferred embodiment may significantly reduce the number of bpdus transmitted and therefore potentially reduce the time required to determine the proper spanning tree topology . each of the bridge ports of switching module 300 is adapted to invoke the burst avoidance process in response to the receipt of a bpdu under the proper conditions . in the preferred embodiment , the burst avoidance process may be invoked by a port upon receipt of a bpdu if : ( a ) the receiving port is a root port in the forwarding state that is transitioning to the designated role as part of a topology change , and ( b ) the port has received current ( not aged out ) information from the designated bridge , i . e , infois has the “ received ” value . however , the burst avoidance process may not be invoked while any port of a bridge is attempting to propagate a topology change notification through the network , i . e ., the tcprop should not be set , and may not be invoked if the port from which the bpdu is received is attempting to become a designated bridge , i . e ., the proposal flag of the received bpdu should not be set . under the preceding conditions , the switch 300 of the preferred embodiment is adapted to delay the time to transmit a bpdu in the direction of the link failure by suppressing the time at which the newinfo is set . that is , the newinfo , which is a boolean variable used to signal when a bpdu with changed topology information is to be transmitted , is not set true in accordance with the psim of the prior art . instead , the switch 300 sets the newinfo to true after a period of time not to exceed a burstavoiddelay , the burstavoiddelay not to exceed the hello time . assuming the hello time is set to a default value of two seconds , the bc switch 300 may delay the transmission of the bpdu by as much as two seconds . in some embodiments , the bust control processing of the preferred embodiment is implemented as an improvement to the port information state machine ( pism ) illustrated in fig4 , particularly the functionality associated with update state 402 as well as the conditions associated with the transition from the current state 404 to the update state 402 . the improved pism is referred to herein as the burst control state machine ( bcsm ) 500 , which is illustrated in fig5 . the bcsm 500 in the preferred embodiment includes two update states for state variables associated with the transmission of bpdus from the bc switch 300 , namely an the update state 402 consistent with the rstp standard as well as an update_burst_avoidance state 502 . the update_burst_avoidance state 502 and the update state 402 represent alternative states , i . e ., only one of the two being implemented at any given time . which of the two states being implemented is dictated a burstavoid parameter whose value is determined as a function of the burst control conditions discussed above . the bcsm 500 in the preferred embodiment further includes the following : disabled state 506 , aged state 508 , superior_designated state 510 , repeated_designated state 512 , interior_designated state 514 , not_designated state 516 , other state 518 , current state 520 , and receive state 522 . the states 506 , 508 , 510 , 512 , 514 , 516 , 518 , 520 , 522 are defined in the rstp standard and are well understood by those skilled in the art . the update state 402 illustrated in fig6 employed in the present invention ( see fig5 ) is substantially the same as the update state of the prior art pism ( see fig4 ). in particular , the bcsm 500 in the update state 402 is adapted to define or redefine the following system parameters set forth in the rstp standard : proposing = proposed = false ; agreed = agreed & amp ;& amp ; betterorsameinfo ( ) where betterorsameinfo ( ) is true or false depending on the value of the function argument , the infois value , and whether the mpv is better or the same as the ppv ; synced = synced & amp ;& amp ; agreed ; portpriority = designatedpriority ; porttimes = designatedtimes ; updtinfo = false ; infois = mine ; and newinfo = true , each of these system parameters and functions being defined in the rstp standard . in contrast to the prior art , the bcsm 500 is adapted to transition from the current state 520 to the update state 402 if the selected & amp ;& amp ; uptdinfo & amp ;& amp ; ! burstavoid evaluate to true . while the selected & amp ;& amp ; uptdinfo are defined in the prior art , burstavoid is a new parameter introduced to regulate which of the two update states is to be executed . in the preferred embodiment , burstavoid is false unless the burst control conditions discussed below are satisfied , that is : if ( burstavoidancecontrol ) { if ( infois == received ) { if ( selectedrole == designated ) { if (( role == root ) & amp ;& amp ; ( state == forwarding )) { if ( proposing == false ) { if ( tcprop == false ) { burstavoid = true ; }}}}}} where burstavoidancecontrol is a user - defined parameter set equal to true to configure burst control in the preferred embodiment , or set equal to false if burst control is to be disabled . the default value of the burstavoidancecontrol is true in the preferred embodiment , and the default value of burstavoidancecontrol is false signifying that the instant protocol has not been activated by default . in the alternative to the prior art update state 402 , the preferred embodiment is enabled to invoke the update_burst_avoidance state 502 if selected & amp ;& amp ; uptdinfo & amp ;& amp ; burstavoid evaluate to true . as illustrated in fig7 , the update_burst_avoidance state 502 is adapted to define or redefine the following system parameters set forth in the rstp standard : proposing = proposed = false ; agreed = agreed & amp ;& amp ; betterorsameinfo ( ) where betterorsameinfo ( ) is true or false depending on the value of the function argument , the infois value , and whether the mpv is better or the same as the ppv ; synced = synced & amp ;& amp ; agreed ; portpriority = designatedpriority ; porttimes = designatedtimes ; updtinfo = false ; and infois = mine . in contrast to the update state 402 of the prior art , the bcsm 500 does not set newinfo = true , thereby preventing the bcsm 500 from immediately transmitting a bpdu in the direction of the link failure . as a consequence , any bpdu transmitted from the associated port is delay a maximum of two seconds in accordance with the hello time . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , burstavoid is a port parameter , defined with respect to each switch port , authorizing the burst avoidance protocol to be activated on the associated port . the burstavoid parameter may be initially set to false in the disabled state 506 of the bcsm 500 which is otherwise identical to the port information state machine illustrated in fig4 . the value of burstavoid may be set to true , if applicable , in a function referred to herein as burstavoidfunc ( ) invoked in the receive state 802 of port role selection state machine set forth in the rstp standard . as illustrated in port role selection state machine 800 of fig8 , the burstavoidfunc ( ) is perferably executed concurrently with the clearreselecttree ( ), the updtrolestree ( ), and the setselectedtree ( ) functions . the burstavoid parameter may be set back to false , if applicable , in a function referred to herein as clearburstavoidfunc ( ) upon conclusion of the receive state 802 . as stated above , the burstavoidfunc ( ) procedure is performed on the port that receives the incoming bpdu if the received bpdu does not contain tc flag set or a proposal flag set , while the clearburstavoidfunc ( ) procedure clears all burstavoid parameters on each of the plurality of ports of the bc switch 300 . as the burst avoidance protocol of the preferred embodiment is activated , the fact that the newinfo parameter is not set immediately means that the bpdu is delayed utmost of two seconds in accordance with the hello timer . the fact that proposing is not set on the port that has received the bpdu also means that the protocol applies only if there is no alternate port on that bridge . an alternate port , which is becoming root port , triggers reroot , meaning that any recent root port must become discarding and needs to send a proposal immediately to become designated forwarding again . also if tcprop is set on the port that receives the bpdu , tc bpdus should be sent from the port and the burst avoidance protocol not activated . in the preferred embodiment , a two seconds delay is not induced in the complete spanning tree computation . the actual delay , referred to as the burstavoiddelay , is preferably the delay associated with the elapse time necessary for the tc bpdu to propagate to the alternate bridge 111 and for the alternate bridge to send a bpdu back to the bridge that initially detected the failure and believed itself to be the new root bridge . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the bcsm 500 of the preferred embodiment is backward compatible , i . e ., the burst avoidance protocol applies on an rstp port even if that rstp port is facing an conventional spanning tree protocol ( stp ) port . illustrated in fig9 is an rstp message exchange between the bc bridges of a data communications network . for convenience , the rstp message exchange represented corresponds to a data communications network 100 having the ring topology illustrated in fig1 , where each of the bridges 100 - 120 is a burst control switch adapted to execute the burst avoidance protocol of the preferred embodiment . as with the previous example described above , failure of any of the communications links with the root bridge 101 breaks an active transmission path in the spanning tree . if and when the communications link 130 a fails — indicated by the dashed line 902 — bc bridge 120 losses its root bridge and initiates a topology change to re - establish a spanning tree within the bc bridges 100 - 120 . the bc bridge 120 immediately sends a bpdu 904 declaring that it is the new root bridge from port 120 a . upon receipt of the bpdu 904 , bc bridge 119 compares 905 the mpv with its own ppv and determines that it has a better priority vector than bc bridge 120 . port 119 b of bc bridge 119 immediately transitions from a “ root forwarding ” to a “ designated forwarding ” port . although bc bridge 119 proceeds to transmit a bpdu 906 declaring that bridge 119 is the new root bridge from port 119 a , the bridge 119 refrains from transmitting a bpdu from port 119 a if the burst control conditions discussed above apply . that is , port 119 a withholds transmission of bpdu 206 sent in the prior art ( see fig2 ) assuming that : ( a ) port 119 a was a root port in the forwarding state prior to the failure of communications link 130 a , ( b ) port 119 a would transition to the designated role after the spanning tree topology converges , ( c ) the forwarding information at port 119 b has not aged out , i . e ., infois is equal to “ received ,” ( d ) the tcprop flag of the received bpdu had not been set , ( e ) the proposal flag of the received bpdu had not been set , and ( f ) the user had enabled the burst avoidance protocol by setting burstavoidancecontrol equal to true . while scenario described immediately above gives rise to a temporary situation in which there are two “ designated forwarding ” ports face - to - face — namely port 120 a of bc bridge 120 and port 119 b of bc bridge 6 — one skilled in the art will appreciate that there is no detrimental impact on forwarding operations since those two ports were already in the forwarding state before . upon receipt of the bpdu 906 , bc bridge 118 compares 907 the received mpv with its own ppv , determines that it has a better priority vector than bc bridge 119 , transitions from a “ root forwarding ” port to a “ designated forwarding ” port , transmit a bpdu 908 declaring that bridge 118 is the new root bridge , and withholds transmitting a bpdu to bc bridge 119 advertising that it is the new root bridge . similar , each of the bc bridges 117 - 112 conducts the priority vector comparison 907 , 909 , 911 , 913 , 915 , 917 upon receipt of the a bpdu on the interface in the direction of the link failure 902 , determines that it has a superior priority vector , and forwards a bpdu advertising it is the new root bridge . the sequence of bpdus transmitted away from the link failure continues until a bpdu 913 from bc bridge 112 is received by the alternate port 111 b of bc bridge 111 . upon recognition 919 of its superior priority vector , port 111 b of bc bridge 111 attempts transition to a designated role and forwarding state , i . e ., a “ designated forwarding ” port . as such , bc bridge 111 transmits a “ proposal ” bpdu 910 to bc bridge 112 . port 112 a of bc bridge 112 — which is currently a “ designated forwarding ” port — immediately assumes a root role and forwarding state , i . e ., a “ root forwarding ” port . in accordance with rstp standard , bc bridge 112 sends a “ proposal ” bpdu 912 to bc bridge 113 , and each of the successive bc bridges 113 - 120 forwards a “ proposal ” bpdu 916 , 918 , 920 , 924 , 926 until the “ proposal ” bpdu is received by the last bc bridge 120 . the receiving port of each of the bc bridges 113 - 120 from a “ designated forwarding ” port to a “ root forwarding .” one skilled in the art will appreciate that bc bridges 112 - 120 generally respond to the “ proposal ” bpdus with “ agreement ” bpdus ( not shown ) in accordance with the rstp standard . the spanning tree has converged upon receipt of the “ proposal ” bpdu 926 at bc bridge 120 and transmission of the associated “ agreement ” bpdu from bc bridge 120 . as one skilled in the art will appreciate , the final spanning tree topology is reached without the excessive number of bpdus exchanged in the exemplary situation illustrated in fig2 . for example , the number of bpdus transmitted to port 120 b of bc bridge 120 is one , in contrast to the eleven bpdus transmitted to port 120 b of the prior art bridge 120 discussed in reference to fig2 above . in addition to the reduced bandwidth requirements , the preferred embodiment of the present invention also significantly reduces the chance of any bridge reaching the burst limiter , i . e ., txholdcount , thereby reducing the delay necessary for the spanning tree to converge in a single failure scenario like that discussed above . although the description above contains many specifications , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention . therefore , the invention has been disclosed by way of example and not limitation , and reference should be made to the following claims to determine the scope of the present invention .	7
it will be appreciated that the following description is intended to refer to specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings and is not intended to define or limit the invention , other than in the appended claims . this invention improves the optical performance of the components of the state of the art by improving the readability of the coloration changes . this invention in its most general sense pertains to an optical security component , the high index layer of which is first coated by a low optical index layer and then by a colored contrast layer . the colored layer has the unexpected effect of significantly increasing the coloration differences upon changes in orientation . according to one aspect , the contrast layer has transparent zones and colored zones . certain of the zones preferably have a recognizable form . the forms can be alphanumeric characters , microlettering , geometric figures , drawings , photographs or the like . the colored layer is preferably obtained with black pigments . according to one aspect , the component has a diffusion layer between the stamped surface and the viewing surface . the purpose of the layer is to limit specular reflection . according to another aspect , the component has the form of a thread of a width comprised between about 1 . 2 and about 4 millimeters . turning to the drawings , fig1 represents a view along a sectional plane . the component is formed by a polyester film coated with a layer of stamping varnish ( 3 ) embossed by stamping in a known manner for the creation of holograms or diffraction structures intended for the authentication of documents . the stamped surface is coated by vacuum depositing a layer of a transparent dielectric material ( 4 ) with a high optical index , e . g ., zinc sulfide ( zns ) or the like , then by application of a low optical index layer ( close to the index of the stamping varnish ). the component then comprises a colored layer ( 2 ) arranged behind the low index layer . this layer is a varnish layer comprising black pigments . the assembly prepared in this manner is then coated with an adhesive film ( 7 ) deposited , e . g ., by coating , complexing , laminating or the like . the component produced in this manner can then be affixed to a document or product to be protected , e . g ., by gluing or the like . it can also be sealed between an object or a document and a sealing film protecting the object or the document , and enabling detection of any attempt to remove this film . fig2 shows a variant of implementation for the creation of a hot marking film or a transfer film . the stamping varnish ( 3 ) is layered on a detachment layer ( 10 ), which is itself supported by a transparent film ( 11 ), e . g ., a polyester film . the contrast layer is positioned behind the low optical index layer . in one particular application of the invention , the optical component is created in the form of a thread with a thickness of at least about 5 mm . such a component is intended for the creation of security documents having opposing surface intended for a stamping ensuring identification of a document formed from the paper . the component according to the invention is placed between the two surfaces of the paper as a security characteristic . it is positioned at least partially between the surfaces of the paper . the visible parts comprise between about 10 and about 50 % of the surface of the optical component . the visible parts form a motif , a design or repetitive signs . fig3 and 4 represent two other variants of implementation comprising an intermediary layer respectively continuous ( 6 ) or discontinuous ( 6 bis ), positioned on the adhesive layer ( 7 ). layer ( 6 , 6 bis ) is formed in a first example in a metallic layer the presence of which can be monitored by machine , implemented notably for a fiduciary application . layer ( 6 , 6 bis ) is formed in a second example by a reflecting layer which , when the component is inserted in a thin ( noncontinuous opaque ) medium , considerably reduces the visibility of the component when viewing the back of the component by reflecting the light in a diffuse manner rather than absorbing it . this is the case , e . g ., of the thread in a banknote which must be as non - perceptible as possible when observing the verso of the note ( the optical component being active in the recto view ) ( principal application : fiduciary ). layer ( 6 , 6 bis ) is formed in a third example by a partially metallized layer in a manner to add a complementary security . this partial metallization , optionally designed with reference to the stamping of the opaque layer or with the motif of the optical component , of significant characters such as alphanumeric characters , microlettering , a logo , geometric figures or any other design or photo ( principal application : identity or protection of trademarks ). the security of this particular optical component is based on the observation at zero order of the grating . generally speaking , at zero order “ direct reflection ” a grating acts like a mirror . however , the particular grating used in this invention acts at zero order like a subtractive filter due to the alternation of the different indices . in contrast , when a metallic layer ( 6 , 6 bis ) is added behind the low index transparent layer ( 5 ), the effect of the subtractive filter disappears and the mirror effect is restored . this characteristic makes it very easy to design motifs on a uniform grating surface by combining the localized stamping of the contrast layer ( 2 ) on the areas where the optical effect must be visible and the visible metallization ( 6 , 6 bis ) in the unstamped zones of the layer ( 5 ). this layer ( 6 , 6 bis ) is formed in a fourth example by a layer reacting to the laser in manner to allow individual personalization of the optical component . it is again possible for this layer to be a metallic layer . in this specific case it is preferred to add a layer of pigment which will be stripped off during the personalization or to tint the adhesive layer . this layer is especially advantageous in applications related to identity . this layer ( 6 , 6 bis ) is formed in a fifth example by a colored layer ( of a color different from the contrast layer ). this color visible through the stamped pattern of the contrast layer can have one of the following characteristics : thermochrome color , transparent in the visible light spectrum but which can be made visible in uv light , or a luminescent layer . a similar effect can be obtained by incorporating this tint in the adhesive layer . the invention can be implemented under three different types of products : thread , track or patch . thus , it can be used to make the following secure : a banknote ( fiduciary domain ) in which the security is intrinsic to the paper , an identity document ( passport , identity card ) in which the security is brought to the document , a product ( protection of trademarks ) in which the security is brought either to the product itself or to the packaging . this improvement can be applied to transfer films ( hot or cold ) as well as to labeling films or threads .	6
to understand the variation solutions of the present invention , a clear awareness of the present state of the art of in - line skates would seem to be worthwhile . significant to that perception would be the part of the skate ( left or right ) that is provided to control speed , be able to stop and the method of initiating that desired procedure . accordingly , fig1 a is an illustration of typical in - line skates comprised of boot 2 , wheel frame 4 , wheels 3 and rubber heel braking pad 1 ( illustrated on the right boot ). in fig1 b an individual 5 is shown in a typical awkward braking position . the reason it is so awkward and unnatural ( as well ) to do is that , as you are accelerating forward , one has to extend their right leg ( as illustrated ), raising their boot toe and lean backward as you are going forward , trying to put pressure on the heel brake , which effort ( depending on your speed ) is fundamentally ineffectual . by comparison in skiing ( and similarly in ice skating ) as shown in fig1 c , as you are accelerating forward and want to slow down and stop , you assume a more natural athletic stance by leaning forward and sideward 6 , pressure edging your skis 7 ( or ice skates ) and effectively slowing down or safely coming to an abrupt stop . obviously , any method of slowing down and stopping , whether on skis , ice skates or on in - line skates depends upon friction . the rubber heel brake pad and contorted position that are required for control when using in - line skates , simply does not does not achieve that result . that fact is obvious , considering the serious injuries that all too commonly occur . trying for a number of years to think of a better way to achieve that friction control function in a relatively simplistic way , the idea finally materialized . the inventive solution was to have a skate wheel that would have the means to rotate both vertically and at an inclination around a rigid , fixed axle . in doing so , the wheel would be able to make interactive contact with the inside surface of the skate frame &# 39 ; s wheel - well . with that basic concept in mind and many different attempts at a solution , a preliminary cross section detail ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) was completed as shown in fig2 a , illustrating the fundamental concepts of the invention . as conceived , in order for the wheel 10 to revolve around the axle 13 at an inclination you would need concave space 12 at both center sides of the wheel 10 for axle clearance to do so . however , in providing those required depressions 12 and still have the required width for intended hub axle 13 bearings , it was reasoned that the wheel 10 would need to be in a parabolic shape to have that necessary center wheel hub 13 width . further , you would need a dynamic type of hub bearing 15 that would allow both vertical and inclined rotation around the stationary axle . the elementary hub solution was a solid stainless steel ball 15 welded to a standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle 13 and for the steel ball to be enclosed in a stainless steel outer casing 16 that would be an integral part of the wheel 10 . as to the friction surface interaction between the inclined wheel 10 and the inside of the frame &# 39 ; s 8 wheel - well 9 to achieve the desired edging effect , you would need a friction band 11 a on each side of the tire 10 and friction strips 11 b within the wheel - well 9 . it was also recognized that when the wheel 10 was in an inclined edging mode , you would need some means in addition to centrifugal force to return the wheel back into a vertical coasting position . to do so , it was reasoned that some type of self - aligning springs 14 , at each end of the axle 13 , would result in equal and opposite tension and compression forces effectively resolving that self - aligning function . fig2 b is a perspective view of a parabolic wheel 10 displaying friction band 11 a , concave depression 12 , stainless steel ball hub bearing 15 and axle 13 welded to the hub bearing 15 . fig3 a is a composite illustration of an individual on in - line skates 19 a in a coal ( vertical wheel rotation ) position and a reduced cross section view of fig2 a , depicting wheel 10 in a comparable vertical , coasting position . all the other identifiable component parts as shown in the reduced cross section view , remain the same as presented and described in the preceding full size cross section view of fig2 b . fig3 a - 2 ), depicts the angle of wheel 10 in an inclined striding and editing position , making friction contact at 11 c . in that inclined edging friction control ™ contact position at 11 c , the self - aligning springs 14 are in an equal and opposite compression 14 a and tension 14 b state , which ( as soon as the edging control force is released ), will resultantly return to a state of equilibrium , wherein the wheel is back into a vertical , coasting position . fig4 a is a perspective view of a plain spherical bearing 20 . fig4 b is a perspective view illustrating the dynamic functionality of a spherical bearing &# 39 ; s 20 a interrelated parts : the outer ring 20 b ; the bore 20 c ; and , the inner ring 20 d . fig4 c is an exampled illustration ( just one of many types of applications ) of an industrially used “ rod end ” spherical bearing 20 e . fig5 a is a perspective view of a state of the art in - line skate wheel 21 , having a uniformly flat service ( both sides ) with a standard , single element , fixed , rigid plastic hub 22 , integrally cast with the wheel 21 . fig5 b is a perspective view of a parabolic in - line slate wheel 10 in accordance with the invention , having a friction contact band surface 11 a , centered concave depression 12 ( symmetrically on both sides ), and a spherical bearing 2 - element dynamic hub 20 a . fig6 a is a perspective exampled view of the roller ball bearing . fig6 b is a perspective exampled view of a constant force ( open coil ) self - aligning spring 24 with a needle roller axle bearing 25 a on the wheel axle 13 in accordance with the invention . fig6 c is a perspective exampled view of a needle roller bearing 25 . fig7 a is the first resolved cross section view in accordance with the invention ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) of a wheel frame 8 , wheel - well 9 with friction strips 11 b and parabolic shaped wheel 10 ( in a vertical coasting position ) with friction bands 11 a . as shown , the wheel hub is a dynamic 2 - element spherical bearing 20 a of a stock size , such that its bore will accommodate two standard state of the art ⅞ ″ o . d . roller ball axle bearings 23 a . the width of the spherical bearing wheel hub 20 a is significantly less than the overall center axle width of the wheel 10 . the resulting concave depression frames 28 provide retention for the constant force , open coil self - aligning springs 24 ( which have needle roller axle bearing 25 a cores ) and dust covers 30 . indicated as well is the axle sleeve spacer 27 as required to accommodate varying core diameters of the different assembled parts to the standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle 13 a . fig7 b is the same cross section view of fig7 a , except that the parabolic wheel 10 is in the inclined edging friction control ™ position 11 c . as shown , the only purpose for the dynamic 2 - element spherical bearing hub 20 a is to allow wheel 10 to rotate at an inclination . wheel rotation is provided solely by the roller ball axle bearings 23 a . also , when the wheel 10 is at an inclination , the compression in the self - aligning springs 14 a are equal and opposite to each other on each side of the axle 13 a , as it is in tension 14 b , forcing the rotating wheel ( in conjunction with centrifugal force ) back into the vertical position when edging force is released . fig8 a is the second resolved cross section view in accordance with the invention ( drawn to graphic scale 17 in inches ) of wheel frame 8 and wheel 10 ( in a vertical coasting position ), using a smaller stock sized dynamic 2 - element spherical bearing hub 20 a , having a smaller size that will accommodate atypically smaller stock size ¾ ″ o . d . roller ball axle bearings 23 b . all other component parts displayed , remain the same kind , use and size as shown in fig7 a . fig8 b is the same cross section view of fig8 a , except that parabolic wheel 10 is in the inclined edging friction control ™ position 11 c and the opposite reacting self - aligning springs 24 in compression 14 a and tension 14 b , are set to return wheel 10 to the vertical coasting position as soon as edging force is released . fig9 a is the third resolved cross section view in accordance with the invention ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) of wheel frame 8 and wheel 10 ( in a vertical coasting position ), using the next smaller stock sized 2 - element spherical bearing wheel hub 20 a , having a smaller bore size that will accommodate e . g . stock sized novel use { fraction ( 7 / 16 )}″- ½ o . d . needle roller axle bearings 25 b . all other component parts remain the same in kind , use and size as shown in fig7 a and 8a . fig9 b is the same cross section view of fig9 a , except that parabolic wheel 10 is in the inclined edging friction control ™ position 11 c and the opposite reacting self - aligning springs 24 in compression 14 a and tension 14 b , are set to return wheel 10 to the vertical coasting position as soon as edging force is released . fig1 a dual appearing perspective view in accordance with the invention , depicting both a constant force , accordion pleated sheet alloy self - aligning spring / dust cover 26 a or the similarly appearing accordion pleated reinforce rubberized self - aligning spring / dust cover 26 b . as indicated , at the core of the accordion pleated self - aligning spring is a needle roller axle bearing 25 a . fig1 b is a partial cross section view specifically of the accordion pleated sheet alloy self - aligning spring / dust cover 26 a and related partial section views of : wheel frame concave frame and retainer 28 a for spring / dust cover 26 a ; needle roller axle for 26 a ; spherical bearing hub 20 a ; needle roller bearings 25 b ; axle sleeve spacer 27 and , axle screw and axle 13 a . fig1 c is the same cross section view as fig1 b , except that the self - aligning spring indicated is the accordion pleated reinforced composition type spring 26 b . fig1 a is the fourth resolved cross section view in accordance with the invention ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) of wheel frame 8 , wheel - well 9 and wheel 10 ( in a vertical coasting position ), using the same smaller stock sized 2 - element spherical bearing wheel hub 20 a and and having the same size needle roller axle bearings 25 b as used and shown in fig9 . the prime difference of the cross section view of fig1 a as compared to fig9 a is that , self - aligning spring 26 a / b is a dual purpose accordion pleated spring / dust cover , as compared to to the open coil spring and separate entity dust cover of fig9 a . as such , concave frame 28 a and wheel 10 are marginally different in form than those similar components as shown in fig9 a . fig1 b is the same cross section view of fig1 a , except that wheel 10 is in the inclined edging friction control ™ position 11 c and the opposite reacting self - aligning springs 26 a / b in compression 14 a and tension 14 b , are set to return wheel 10 to the vertical coasting position as soon as edging force is released . fig1 a is a longitudinal section view of fig1 a in accordance with the invention ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) wherein all the identified components are identical to those identified in 11 a and wherein the wheel 10 is displayed in the vertical coasting position . fig1 b is a plan cross section view of fig1 a in accordance with the invention ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ), wherein all the identified components are identical to those in fig1 a and 12a . fig1 a is a composite view , illustrating the typical in - line skate , state of the art wheel assembly component parts . the state of the art wheel frame and boot , previously indicated in fig1 a ( with particular emphasis to the boot and heel pad brake ) is not indicated , since it is not relevant to this wheel assembly illustration . the parts indicated and identified are : the standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle 13 ; axle screw 13 b ; roller ball bearing 23 a ( each symmetrical side of the single element , fixed , rigid hub 22 ); industry standard , reducing sleeve spacer 29 ( to accommodate different i . d . parts to the standard ¼ ″ o , d . axle ); and , standard in - line skate wheel 3 ( wherein the sides of wheel 3 are in one plane and the integral , single element , rigid hub 22 is flush with the flat sides of the finished wheel 3 . fig1 b is a composite illustration of reduced cross section view fig1 b of the interactive wheel to frame &# 39 ; s wheel - well variation solution ( all parts previously described in full size fig1 b with wheel 10 in the edging friction control ™ position 11 c ). adjacent is a clarifying perspective view of the same wheel assembly component axle parts indicated in the cross section . the wheel axle parts are arranged below fig1 a on the same sheet for ease of comparison to the state of the art . the parts illustrated are primarily on one symmetrical side of the dynamic 2 - element spherical bearing hub 20 a . for simplicity of illustration , the bore 20 c ( of the inner ring ) or hub of the spherical bearing is neither in a vertical nor an inclined angular position , but rather in an assembly , pictorial position . in sequence , the wheel assembly parts are : needle roller axle hub bearing 25 b ( to the left of the symmetrical hub ); dynamic spherical bearing hub 20 a ; needle roller axle hub bearing 25 b ; needle roller axle bearing 25 a for core 20 c of accordion pleated self - aligning spring 26 a / b ; and , wheel axle 13 . fig1 a is a cross section view of a novel dual purpose spherical bearing 32 used for the hub of in - line skates ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) in accordance with the invention . instead of having external , separate entity self - aligning springs e . g . 26 a / b the spring 36 or 36 a would be an internal part of the spherical bearing 32 . enclosed within an evenly split circular channel shaped void 33 , one half within the inner concave surface of the outer ring 33 a and one half within the convex surface of the inner ring 33 b of the spherical bearing 32 , would be a self - lubricated compression spring e . g . 36 or 36 a . when the spherical bearing rings 32 a and b are in a vertically aligned position ( as are the split circular channel shapes ), the enclosed compression spring 36 / 36 a would be in a designed minimal dynamic force state 34 . fig1 b is the same cross section view of fig1 a , except that the outer ring 32 a is in an inclined angular position and the split circular channels become misaligned . at maximum inclination , the compression spring 36 or 36 a is also in a maximum dynamic force state . as a result , when the skate wheel 31 rotates , the compression spring 36 or 36 a of the dual purpose spherical bearing hub is in a constant state of equal and opposite , compressive self - aligning forces . fig1 d is a perspective view of a self - lubricated accordion pleated sheet alloy or urethane compression spring 36 in a minimal dynamic force state 34 . fig1 e is a perspective view of a self - lubricated wire coil compression spring 36 a in a minimal dynamic force state 34 . fig1 a is the fifth resolved cross section view in accordance with the invention ( drawn to graphic scale in inches ) of a wheel frame 8 , wheel - well 9 and wheel 10 ( in a vertical coasting position ), using the same smaller stock sized 2 - element spherical bearing wheel hub 20 a and the same size needle roller axle bearings 25 b , as used in fig9 a and fig1 a . the prime difference of this cross section view fig1 a as compared to fig9 a and 11a is that : instead of having separate entity , external self - aligning springs 14 or 26 a / b , a dual purpose spherical bearing hub is used 32 with an integral self - aligning , self - lubricated spring 36 or 36 a ; and , an accordion pleated dust cover with a self - lubricated collar 30 . fig1 b is the sane cross section view of fig1 a , except that wheel 10 is in the inclined edging friction control ™ position 11 c and the equal and opposite reacting self - aligning compression spring 34 a is set ( in that maximum compressive state ) to return wheel 10 to the vertical position as soon as edging force is released . fig1 a is the sixth resolved cross section view ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) in accordance with the invention as an alternate variation solution , wherein the edging friction control ™ contact locations 11 c are entirely self - contained within the wheel assembly components . as such , the wheel frame 38 , not being relevant to this variation solution ( other than supporting the wheel assembly components ), is indicated by broken lines . this alternate variation solution uses the same dual purpose , spherical bearing hub 32 and needle roller axle bearings 25 b as shown in fig1 a . in this variation solution , the standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle is modified 40 by being fine threaded ( e . g . ¼ - 28 ) on the surface 40 a from each end of the axle to the outside faces of the hub axle bearings 25 b . inside fine threads ( e . g . 8 - 32 ) 40 c are set into each end of axle 40 to receive cap screws 40 b . a solid disk ( e . g . ⅛ ″ w .×{ fraction ( 27 / 32 )}″ o . d .) 41 with a center core that is fine threaded ( e . g . ¼ - 28 ) is screwed onto the axle 40 against washer spacer 39 , which is against hub axle bearing 25 b . on the other side of disk 41 , is a locknut spacer ( e . g . ¼ - 28threaded fineal nut ) that is screwed onto axle 40 against the solid disk 41 , locking it in place . on the other side of the fineal locknut is wheel frame 38 . the assembly at that symmetrical end side is completed by the installation of axle cap screw 40 b . disk 41 has a friction surface material 41 a ( e . g . ⅛ ″ wide ×{ fraction ( 2 / 32 )}″ thick ) bonded and keyed into the perimeter of the disk ( now named , “ friction disk ”) 41 a . wheel 31 has a concave frame 28 b with a continuous indentation for a bonded friction band , surface material 43 ( e . g . ⅛ ″ wide ×{ fraction ( 2 / 32 )}″ thick ). when the wheel 31 is in a vertical coasting position , the diameter of the friction disk 41 is such that there is designed clearance between the friction disk &# 39 ; s perimeter surface and the concave frame &# 39 ; s 28 b indented friction surface 43 . fig1 b is the same cross section view of fig1 a , except that wheel 31 is in the inclined edging friction control ™ position 11 c at two simultaneously responsive locations : one friction contact 11 c is at the top of the friction disk &# 39 ; s perimeter 41 and the wheel frame &# 39 ; s indented friction band 43 on one side and simultaneously at the bottom of the friction disk &# 39 ; s perimeter and the wheel frame &# 39 ; s indented friction band 43 on the opposite friction contact side 11 c . in that inclined edging friction control ™ position , the integral self - aligning spring 34 a of dual purpose spherical bearing hub 32 are in an equal and opposite maximum compressive strength state and set to return wheel 31 to the vertical coasting position as soon as the edging force is released . all the remaining interrelated component parts are identical to those that have been identified and functionally described in fig1 a . fig1 a is a duplication of a composite perspective view , illustrating the typical in - line skate , state of the art wheel assembly component parts to clarify the distinct differences of the self - contained wheel assembly , alternate variation solution in accordance with the invention as compared to the state of the art . the duplicated parts displayed are : the standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle 13 ; axle screw 13 b ; roller axle bearing 23 a ( each symmetrical side of the single element , fixed , rigid hub 22 ); industry standard , reducing sleeve spacer 29 ( to accommodate different i . d . parts to the standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle ); and , standard in - line skate wheel 3 , wherein the sides of wheel 3 are in one plane and the integral , single element , rigid hub 22 is flush with the flat sides of the finished wheel . fig1 is a perspective view of the component parts of the self - contained wheel assembly , alternate variation solution , in accordance with the invention and as shown in cross section views 16 a and b . the indicated and identified components are : modified standard ¼ ″ o . d . axle 40 ; modified thread size , standard axle cap screw b ; locknut 42 ; fixed friction disk 41 ; washer spacer 39 ; needle roller axle bearing 25 b ; indentation for continuous friction band 43 in concave frame 28 b of wheel 31 ; novel dual purpose , dynamic 2 - element spherical bearing wheel hub ; broken line indication of conforming but non - functioning in - line skate frame ; and , graphic scale 17 in inches . fig1 a is the seventh resolved cross section view ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) in accordance with the invention as an alternate variation solution , wherein two progressive alternate solutions are combined : the interactive wheel to frame &# 39 ; s wheel - well alternate solution as illustrated in fig1 a and b ; and , self - contained wheel assembly alternate solution as illustrated in fig1 a and b . these conjoined solutions would consist of : wheel frame 8 and wheel - well 9 with friction strips 11 b ; wheel 10 ( in a vertical coasting position ), having friction bands 11 a on its sides ; an indentation in concave frame 23 b for continuous friction band surface 43 ; and , including the complete self - contained wheel assembly components in accordance with the invention and as indicated and described in perspective view fig1 ( wherein the 2 - element dual purpose spherical bearing hub 32 is used ). fig1 b is the same cross section view of fig1 a , except that wheel 10 is in an inclined edging friction control ™ position , which in this conjoined variation solution of fig1 achieves the edging friction control ™ 11 c contact locations : one between the wheel &# 39 ; s 31 b friction band 11 a and the wheel well &# 39 ; s 9 friction strip 11 b ; and , two between the friction disk &# 39 ; s 41 perimeter friction surface 41 a and the indented friction band surface 43 in concave frame 28 b ( at the top of the disk &# 39 ; s perimeter 41 a on one side and the bottom of the disk &# 39 ; s perimeter 41 a on the opposite side ). fig1 a is the eighth resolved cross section view ( drawn to a graphic scale 17 in inches ) in accordance with the invention with wheel 10 in a vertical coasting position . as a culminating alternate variation this solution is based upon the combined resolution as detailed in fig1 a and b . this resulting final combination was achieved by resurrecting the previously ignored external self - aligning springs 26 a and 26 b . adding those external springs in conjunction with the integral self - aligning spring of the dual purpose spherical bearing hub 32 , creates an all encompassing solution that has three edging friction control ™ contact locations 11 c ( as in fig1 a and b ); plus the combined enhanced force of two distinct self - aligning spring functional locations . the combined self - aligning springs not only maximize the force to initiate edging friction control ™ but equally maximizes the rapid responsiveness in returning wheel 10 back to the vertical coasting position . other than the incremental additional inside face to face width at the axle location of frame 8 ( allowing for the external springs ), this cross section fig1 a has the same conjoined components as indicated and identified in fig1 a with the additional exception of fineal nut 42 . that locknut is replaced by an inside threaded alloy sleeve 39 a ( e . g . ¼ - 28 ) that matches the surface threads 40 a on the ¼ ″ o . d . axle 40 . the smooth outside surface sleeve serves a dual purpose . it provides the required minimal friction surface for the needle roller axle bearing core of the self - aligning spring 26 a / b ( which bearing has required axle play on each side ). in addition , when the sleeve is screwed tight against friction disk 41 to lock it in place , sleeve 39 a serves the same purpose as fineal nut 42 as shown in fig1 a . fig1 b is the same cross section view of fig1 a , except that wheel 10 is in an inclined edging friction control ™ position providing three simultaneous contact locations 11 c as indicated 11 c at each friction disk &# 39 ; s perimeter 41 a ( top and bottom of friction disk 41 on each side of the axle assembly ) and between the friction band surface 11 a on wheel 10 and the friction strip surface 11 b on the inside face of wheel - well 9 . fig2 a is a side elevation view ( drawn to a graphic scale 51 in feet ) of a downhill in - line ski 44 having a plurality of wheel assembly devices 47 in accordance with the invention . also indicated for illustration purposes is ski boot 45 with release binding 46 . fig2 b is a side elevation view ( drawn to a graphic scale 51 in feet ) of a downhill in - line skateboard 48 having a plurality of wheel assembly devices 47 in accordance with the invention . fig2 c is a side elevation view ( drawn to a graphic scale 51 in feet ) of an in - line skateboard having a plurality of wheel assembly devices 47 in accordance with the invention . fig2 d is a cross section view of fig2 b ( drawn to a graphic scale 51 in feet ). fig2 e is a cross section view of fig2 a ( drawn to a graphic scale 51 in feet ). fig2 f is a cross section view of fig2 c ( drawn to a graphic scale 51 in feet ). fig2 g is a representative cross section view of fig2 a , 20 b and 20 c displaying the typical parts that comprise one of the alternate variation solutions of wheel assembly 47 in accordance with the invention . while the invention and its alternate variation solutions has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those 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 . for example , the wheels described herein are not limited for use with in - line skates , in - line skateboards , downhill in - line skis , and downhill in - line skateboards , but may be used whenever both vertical and inclined rotation is required around an axle .	0
such sequestrant agents present in the gastrointestinal tract are mainly understood as deriving from diet , such as , for example , fibres like bran , or coffee , or from pharmaceutical products used for other therapies employed at the same time , such as antacids . the thus - prepared formulations of thyroid hormones for oral use include both solid forms , namely capsules , and liquid forms , such as solutions to be administered in drops or in disposable containers . the characteristics and advantages of this invention are explained in detail in the following description . the following examples are provided to aid disclosure , and do not limit this invention . soft gelatine capsule with a shell and fill , or inner phase , containing 100 μg levothyroxine t4 have been prepared as follows : 27 . 6 kg of anhydrous glycerine are added to 45 . 6 kg of purified water in a 150 litre turbo emulsifier ( olsa - italia ). the mixture is well shaken and taken to a temperature of 70 ° c . 46 . 8 kg gelatine is then added and the mixture continually shaken for a further 15 - 60 minutes . the mass is then de - aerated by applying a progressive vacuum until reaching a value ranging between + 0 . 8 and − 0 . 9 bars . b ) preparation of the fill ( for 100 mcg dose with 50 mg fill ) the levothyroxine is dissolved in 2 . 5 kg of 85 % glycerine , mixing with a mechanical stomacher until fully dissolved . separately , in a 25 litre turbo emulsifier ( olsa italia ), 2 . 48 kg of water and 1 . 0 kg of 85 % glycerine are suctioned . this mix is heated to 65 ° c .± 5 °. having reached the temperature , 3 . 5 kg of hydrolysed gelatine and 0 . 5 kg of gelatine 80 bloom are suctioned , mixed and de - aerated until a clear product is obtained with no agglomerates . at this point , the product , which has been kept at the temperature of 65 ° c .± 5 °, is cooled to 45 ° c .± 3 ° c . once this temperature has been reached , the solution containing the levothyroxine is added , mixing for at least 30 minutes . during this phase , both the vacuum and cooling are kept active , in order to take the product to the temperature of 38 ° c .± 2 °. the product obtained is discharged into a thermostat container and kept at 38 ° c .± 2 °. soft gelatine capsules were prepared with a 10 oval format and in accordance with the method known as the ‘ rotary die process ’. preparation of a glycerol - ethanol solution of sodium levothyroxine ( t4 ) with the addition of gelatine . 90 % of the ethanol ( 5 . 49 litres ) are poured into a 10 - litre steel container equipped with blade stomacher and lid . whilst being shaken , the t4 is added . shake slowly , keeping a flow of nitrogen until fully dissolved . the glycerol and hydrolysed gelatine , together with the ethanol solution containing the t4 , are poured into a 25 - litre turbo emulsifier ( olsa - italia ). wash the 10 - litre container with the remaining ethanol ( 0 . 61 litres ) and pour into the 25 - litre turbo emulsifier . continue to shake reasonably gently for 15 minutes in nitrogen atmosphere , and protected from the light . preparation of a glycerol - ethanol solution of sodium levothyroxine ( t4 ) with the addition of starch hydrolysates the final formula is obtained as described for example 2 , using the starch hydrolysate in lieu of the gelatine . experimental study on the sequestrant effect of fibres ; dissolution test with the aim of testing the effect of the formulae prepared in accordance with the previous examples , a dissolution test was carried out with increasing quantities of microcrystalline cellulose fibre ( 1 and 2 % p / v ). the test is based on the fact that an increasing concentration of cellulose in the system involves a proportional decrease of the t4 in the solution after filtration . the effect is entirely inhibited by the addition of a surfactant like sodium dodecyl sulphate sds 0 . 2 %. we can therefore conclude that the missing t4 is sequestered by the cellulose . the dissolution test for the solid oral forms is used as a quality test that shows the dissolution of the oral form and the quantitative liberation of the active ingredient available for the pharmacokinetics ( dissolution test euph 6 . 0 ( 2 . 9 . 3 ) and usp 30 ( 711 ). in the case of solid oral t4 tablets , the existing dissolution methods ( usp 30 - levothyroxine sodium tablets ) set out , as per protocol , the use of hydrochloric acid 0 . 01 n as a dissolution buffer in the presence of sds . given , however , the effect inhibiting sequester by the surfactant , as discussed above , the method must be altered , eliminating the sds from the buffer . the following equipment is used for the test : the figures of the attached drawings compare the dissolution curves with the percentage quantity of t4 passed in the solution on the y - axis , and the time ( t , minutes ) on the x - axis , as follows : fig1 compares the two dissolution curves of a famous t4 tablet available on the market ( eutirox ®), respectively without and with cellulose 2 %. the curves are obtained with the usp method modified without the addition of sds . fig2 compares the three dissolution curves of a t4 formula according to example 1 of this invention , respectively without and with cellulose , in one case 1 % and in the second case 2 %. in fig1 , the sequestrant effect of the cellulose with regards to t4 is clearly visible , with a dissolution profile lowered by approximately 10 up to 20 % as compared with the dissolution profile without cellulose . in fig2 , the graph shows that in the presence of 1 or 2 % microcrystalline cellulose , the t4 dissolution profile does not vary significantly as compared with the absence of fibre , as the curves can be almost superimposed . as such , it is clear how the invention allows for the attainment of the aim discussed initially .	0
a gate valve , generally shown as 10 in fig1 includes a housing 11 made up of opposed housing halves 23 and 24 . the housing halves have opposed interior flanges 27 and 28 which are spaced from one another by spacer strips 31 . this defines a central gap through which the plate gate 13 can move up or down to either open or restrict the passageway through the gate valve . the opposed housing halves 23 and 24 are secured together by a plurality of nut and bolt arrangements , generally shown as 21 . a sealing sleeve , generally shown as 40 , is associated with each housing half 23 and 24 . these sealing sleeves include a sealing end portion 42 , an intermediate section 46 which is the section which will accommodate compressive movement of the sleeve when the plate gate 13 is moved between the sealing sleeves , and an anchoring flange 48 . the anchoring flange 48 not only anchors the sleeve , but forms a gasket for sealing with pipe flanges when the outer circular flanges 25 and 26 are brought into engagement with opposed pipe flanges . a flanged anchoring end is shown , but other anchoring ends can be used , depending upon the structure of the gate valve . the structure of the particular sealing sleeve is shown in fig2 . the upper portion of fig2 shows a cutaway of the sealing member and the lower portion shows the entire sealing member . it can be appreciated that when the gate 13 is in a cleared position , sealing ends 42 of opposed sealing sleeves 40 abut and form a seal therebetween . as the gate 13 is moved between the sealing sleeves , each sealing sleeve undergoes a compressive distortion movement to accommodate the thickness of the gate 13 . to accommodate the compressive distortion movement required of the sealing sleeve 40 , the intermediate section has been provided with a spring collar 50 . fig3 shows the sealing sleeve with the gate 13 fully withdrawn , with fig4 illustrating the movement of the sealing sleeve with the gate partially closed . in the embodiment shown in fig2 two metal members 52 and 54 are provided in back - to - back relationship and have a corrugated center portion defined by aligned ` v ` shaped portions 55 . each of these ` v ` shaped portions produce a spring type bias during compression of the intermediate section and cause an inward buckling of the intermediate section such that the intermediate section distorts radially inwardly , as shown in fig4 . this radial inward distortion is preferable , as it will be opposed by the pressure of the fluid within the seal which , again , will create a strong bias trying to return the seal to its original position . to further ensure the inward buckling of the intermediate section , a stiff backing member 56 can be provided to avoid outward buckling of the intermediate section . the use of this backing member may be required in larger sleeves . the backing member 56 is received within the walls of the sleeve and a small space is provided to allow movement of the intermediate section and the end seal without compressive forces being applied axially to the backing member 56 . the backing member also serves to stiffen the sleeve to avoid inward collapse of the sleeve during movement of the gate . it can be seen with this arrangement that the compressible spring collar 50 opposes axial compression or distortion of the sealing sleeve 40 and provides a strong bias urging the sealing sleeve to return to its original condition . it can also be seen that the spring collar 50 is positioned between the anchoring flange 48 and the sealing end 42 to direct the compressive force towards the portion of the sealing end 42 effecting a seal either with the gate or a like sealing end of an opposed sealing sleeve . the seal end also includes a force distributing plate 57 such that end 59 of spring collar 50 does not cut through the sealing end 42 . this force distributing plate 57 can be made integral with end 59 if desired . a similar force distributing arrangement can be provided adjacent the anchoring end , if required . the spring collar 50 is easily inserted within the sealing sleeve due to the end seal 42 including a flange 43 defining a closed pocket 47 between the intermediate section 46 and the flange 43 into which one end of the backing member 56 and the spring collars 52 and 54 are inserted and maintained . the other end of the backing member and the spring collars are appropriately anchored adjacent the anchoring flange 48 . thus , these members can be inserted into the resilient body of the sealing sleeve 40 . as can be appreciated from the above , the inward buckling of the intermediate section , which is predetermined by the shape and relationship with the spring collar 50 , advantageously uses the fluid pressure between the sealing sleeve to oppose this inward buckling and create a further force encouraging an effective seal with either the gate valve or with an opposed sealing end of a further sleeve . this fluid pressure creating a bias in combination with the mechanical bias created by the spring collar makes the response of the sealing sleeve positive and does not rely on the inherent resiliency of the rubber type sealing material of conventional sealing sleeves . as the pressure of the fluid increases , a larger sealing force is created . the backing member , generally shown in fig2 will preferably be of a ring configuration to provide the backing to the spring collar 52 and 54 . one type of spring collar is shown in fig5 through 8 . in this case , the spring collars are preferably made in a flat configuration and have ` v ` shaped portions 55 which can be deformed into the flat material in a conventional manner . the ` v ` shaped portions include gaps 62 to allow the flat members shown in fig5 to be deformed into the generally circular - like configuration of fig8 and also accommodate any inward buckling of the intermediate section during movement of the gate 13 and allow the sections to function generally independently of the adjacent ` v ` shaped portions . preferably , the spring collar will then be secured in some suitable manner for insertion within the sealing sleeve . although the spring collar is preferably made of a metal material , it could also be made of a plastic material and possibly could be of an extruded plastic material which is subsequently cut or punched to produce the gap 62 . it can also be appreciated that the spring collar could be injected moulded . gaps 62 are preferably retained to allow the individual segments of the spring collar to act independently and accommodate gate movement . the spring collar could also be formed in axial strips which collectively form a collar type member . these axial strips could collectively form a ring or merely be spaced in a ring pattern . each strip would create its own bias and respond to movement of the gate in the same manner . it is believed that the combination of a resilient rubber - like material for the end seal and for the body portion of the intermediate section and for the anchoring and in combination with a spring collar , shaped to produce a particular deformation and preferably a radially inward buckling of the intermediate section , produces an effective system which can be manufactured at costs very similar to conventional sleeves while providing more positive sealing and more ability to satisfy the widely varying operating conditions of a gate valve . the combination of the created mechanical force and the resilient material of the sleeve simplifies the selection of the resilient material and allows more exotic , highly temperature resistant and / or chemical resistant materials to be used , as the other desired properties are provided by the spring bias . for example , the intermediate can have only a thin section of resilient material effectively covering the spring collar , with the spring collar urging the seal to the less stressed state during withdrawal of a gate . this thin wall also accommodates inward buckling of the intermediate section . although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims .	5
the conventional practice of compression of plaque by expansion pressure during balloon angioplasty , i . e ., by applying a high pressure expansion force equally in all directions radially from the inside to a heterogeneous , roughly circumferential plaque - structure , can produce unpredictable and inconsistent results . in typical treatment of atherosclerotic plaques , the angioplasty balloon is inflated with 4 to 8 atmospheres of pressure , and pressures up to 22 atmospheres may be required in some cases . such high pressures can cause injury to the intima and media in the artery at the treatment location . arterial wall injury is one of the major stimulants to intimal hyperplasia , smooth muscle cell replication and intravascular scarring causing occlusion . plaque is heterogeneous in nature composed of varying masses of soft and hard materials , calcium and highly variable topography , and can give way along paths of least resistance . therefore , when standard balloon angioplasty is performed , some of the plaque inevitably fractures . the extent and severity of the fracture , the angiographic result and the morphology of the artery surface that result will vary significantly from one patient to the next . this leads to many cases in which stents are required to be implanted , which prolongs the surgical procedure , and increases medical risk and costs . moreover , the clinical evidence indicates substantial disadvantages with using stents , including body rejection of a large mass of foreign material , and the emplacement of extensive surface area of a stent that may become sites for re - accumulation of plaque and re - stenosis . there is some evidence that stents may stimulate biological reaction that limits the long - term patency of the procedure . stent also cause problems with kinking of the artery in areas where the artery is significantly flexed , such as at the knee joint . stents may also fracture and break due to material stress . in the present invention , the plaque is treated by a perforation and serration procedure that forms lines or patterns of microperforations which act as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque . the serrations will result in more predictable and more uniform expansion characteristics in the plaque during a subsequent balloon angioplasty , thereby helping to make the balloon angioplasty a more consistent and predictable process . it is expected that plaque prepared by the perforation and serration procedure can be dilated with a much lower pressure during angioplasty , i . e ., less than 4 atmospheres , and as low as 2 atmospheres or less . the ability to perform angioplasty at lower pressures will create less plaque dissection and less arterial injury . less arterial injury may lead to better rates of acute success because there is less dissection , and may also lead to better long - term results since there is less injury to the intima and media in the artery at the treatment location . the forming of serrations in the plaque through microperforation is deemed to provide a line along which expansion energy may be released . the microperforations are formed in a pre - angioplasty procedure of inserting a carrier carrying an array of small , sharp spikes which are pressed under a slight expansion force to pierce partway into the plaque and without causing injury to the arterial walls . since plaque usually fractures longitudinally during standard balloon angioplasty , the spikes are preferably arranged in a mostly longitudinal pattern . other variations include configurations with a diagonal or zig - zag pattern consistent with the expected ways that plaque commonly fractures . the height of the spikes is designed to pierce the plaque surface to create serrations for expansion lines , but not deep enough to cut though the plaque thickness . materials research on crack propagation can be applied to select the optimal configurations for spike patterning to obtain the best characteristics in plaque compression . artery vessels are comprised of organized lamellar structure with repeating structural and functional units of elastin , collagen and smooth muscle cells . the lamellar structure is prone to split and create a cleavage between adjacent elastic lamellae . basically , in angioplasty the expansion is partly due to the arterial stretching . in addition the plaque material has low ductility and fracture stresses can propagate non - uniform cracks in the brittle material . in the pre - angioplasty preparation of the plaque material , the microperforations act as nucleation sites for void formation . in the subsequent application of balloon angioplasty , stress energy for compressing the plaque is released along the serration created by the series of pinpoint voids formed in the plaque to control crack propagation . if balloon angioplasty is applied without the plaque serration step , the amount of stress energy applied can be very high prior to initiation of crack formation , and once the crack begins the energy can quickly propagate along brittle crack areas , leading to unpredictable plaque ripping , tearing , or dissecting . the pre - angioplasty preparation of the plaque with microperforations avoids high stress concentration at an initial point of fracture , and assists stress release along the series of voids designed to guide the fissure event and provide more predictable cleavage lines in the plaque . the perforation and serration procedure will promote more uniform compression of the plaque under expansion pressure during angioplasty . the portion of the plaque that does not compress will expand better and will be less likely to break or fracture . forming serrations in the surface of the plaque is expected to provide better and more uniform compression under low pressures in angioplasty and will produce better plaque compression characteristics than the standard approach of applying high expansion pressures against the full length , width , and thickness of the plaque . this is expected to result in compressing the plaque with fewer tendencies for dissection , allowing the plaque to open along more natural lines , and therefore expanding the lumen larger and without causing arterial injury . the perforation and serration procedure is expected to provide significant advantages as compared to prior proposals for cutting or scoring the plaque with blades or sharp edges . some prior proposals have called for performing balloon angioplasty with longitudinal cutting blades affixed to the sides of the angioplasty balloon . however , when the balloon is expanded , the cutting blades are forced into the walls of the artery . moreover , at the typical high pressures for balloon angioplasty , the cutting blades may be forced into the arterial walls at high pressure , because all the force of the balloon is concentrated on the projecting cutting blades . because the cutting action of the blade is performed at the same time as the expansion of the artery with balloon angioplasty , there is no a prior preparation of the plaque before balloon angioplasty and there is a risk that the artery itself may be cut and forced open and will expand as it is forced . the artery may thus be injured in a traumatic manner and at high pressures . cutting blades or edges also have relatively long linear lengths that will cut across non - uniform plaque material , producing uneven cuts . even smaller cutting blades will encounter at times areas of dense calcification among softer masses that could be fractured by the linear cutting blades or edges . in contrast , microperforations form tiny holes at specific prick points across the plaque mass and taken together as a line or pattern of perforations result in more reliable serrations . other prior proposals have suggested scoring the plaque with a metal wire or tabs arranged around an angioplasty balloon in a spiral or double spiral manner . the outer wire or tabs may be forced into the wall of the artery when the balloon is expanded during angioplasty at high pressure . the orientation of the wire on the outside of the angioplasty balloon focuses the expanding balloon pressure on the wire . therefore the pressure exerted by the wire against the wall of the artery far exceeds the pressure in the balloon generating a very high localized pressure at the working tip of the wire . the wire or tabs may cut deeply into the wall and may cause increased injury beyond that caused by the high pressure alone . in addition , because the wire is wrapped around the balloon in a spiral manner , the distance between the wire windings around the outside of the balloon will change at different balloon diameters . this causes some axial displacement of the wires so that it may actually undermine artery plaque by causing it to “ dig up ” the plaque . this may even create dissection planes that are more circumferentially oriented ( as opposed to longitudinal ) and may be more likely to function as flow limiting dissections . in contrast , the perforation and serration procedure can be performed at low balloon or other expansion pressures . the microperforations are formed by small sharp spikes which can pierce into the plaque without digging it up . forming tiny prick points with the small spikes will leave most of the surface of the plaque intact , will not injure the arterial wall , and will leave most of the plaque structure intact for more predictable and better compression characteristics . the serrations allow the plaque to be compressed at lower pressures during the following angioplasty . the plaque is also less likely to form dissections , both because it can be treated at lower pressures , and because the plaque has expansion lines serrated in it that allow it to expand in a more orderly manner . because the perforation and serration procedure forms small prick points in the plaque , it may also afford a very effective means of distributing anti - plaque medication into the plaque from a drug - eluting balloon during angioplasty or from a drug - eluting stent after angioplasty . the microperforations may serve to retain more medication within the plaque mass , acting as a portal to the inner structure of the plaque for the medication to work . in the pre - angioplasty procedure , the spikes may also be used as a carrier for drug delivery by - coating the spikes themselves with drugs . the perforation and serration procedure is thus designed as a minimally invasive approach for creating predictable cleavage planes in atherosclerotic plaque in preparation for balloon angioplasty . the cleavage planes are enabled by the serrations formed by numerous small perforations into the plaque in a predetermined pattern on the plaque surface . by creating a preformed expansion line or line of cleavage prior to angioplasty , the artery is prepared so that it will respond to balloon dilatation in a more predictable manner with less likelihood of dissection or elevated surface flaps . the need for stent placement to smooth the artery surface and retain plaque dissections or flaps can thus be significantly decreased . a suitable device for performing the perforation and serration procedure may be designed in a number of ways , as described below for the following preferred embodiments which are illustrative of the principles of the present invention . three different methods for spike deployment , through mechanical , balloon , and balloon - assist deployment , are described with respect to certain preferred delivery designs . the locations , length , and configuration of the spikes may be designed for varying types of lesions and arterial sites being treated . for example , heavily calcified lesions may require that the spikes be more closely spaced and penetrate a little deeper into the plaque . some device designs may only be partially covered with spikes so that the hardest part of the plaque is left alone and serrations are created along a softer portion of the plaque surface . lesions that are more longitudinally oriented may require spike placements that are farther apart and arranged in a gradual twirling configuration . fig1 shows a schematic illustration of the invention method for perforation and serration treatment of plaque 10 at a site in an artery 11 with a delivery device 12 for serration and dilatation of the plaque . the lumen l is the flow opening in the artery that has been occluded by plaque 10 . the device 12 has one or more arrays 12 a , 12 b , and 12 c of small , sharp spikes carried on carrier strips of surfaces which are seated on the outer surface of an expansion balloon 14 or other expansion device . the spikes are mounted on the carrier strips at spaced intervals and extend typically a distance 0 . 05 mm to 1 . 0 mm beyond the carrier surface for piercing into the plaque and forming microperforations across the surface of the plaque . the delivery device 12 may be carried in a catheter and positioned at the plaque site by insertion into the artery through a surgical incision ( not shown ) and manipulated into position by a wire 13 to the location of the plaque . the spikes and expansion balloon are initially in a deflated or collapsed state to allow threading of the device 12 through the artery . when the delivery device is in position , and a catheter shield ( if used ) is retracted , the expansion balloon is inflated through an inlet tube 13 at low gas or fluid pressures to gently push the spike arrays against the plaque 10 . gas or fluid pressures in the range of 1 to 4 atm may be used for the pre - angioplasty procedure . the spikes create series of microperforations which act as serrations along the horizontal length of the plaque . the serrations allow cleavage lines or planes to be formed in the plaque at these locations under compression forces during a following angioplasty procedure . as the spikes are pressed into the plaque , the plaque is also compressed gently for a given measure of dilatation . when the serration has been performed , the balloon is deflated by suction of fluid or gas out through the tube , such that the delivery device 12 can resume its collapsed state so that it can be withdrawn from the artery . a standard angioplasty balloon may thereafter be used to compress the plaque against the artery walls to open the lumen . the compression of the plaque during angioplasty can take place evenly and with minimal dissection or cracking along the cleavage lines formed by the microperforations . due to the pre - angioplasty preparation of the plaque , the balloon angioplasty can be performed at low pressures of less than 4 atmospheres , and as low as 2 atmospheres of pressure or less . if the pre - angioplasty procedure has compressed the plaque sufficiently , it may not be necessary to follow it with a standard angioplasty . fig1 a illustrates a preferred embodiment of the delivery device in which the spikes are formed like polymer gum drops 15 on a narrow ribbon 16 . the polymer is heated and fed in liquid form to an ejector that ejects a drop in position on the ribbon . the drop rapidly cools as it is ejected , and forms an inverted cone shape that comes to a hard sharp point by tapering off the fluid from the ejector . the potential shape of the spike can include other types of pointed shapes , such as a long , pyramidal shape , a tri angle shape , an arrow shape ( longer and sharp in one axis and narrow and dull in the perpendicular axis ), a gum drop shape , a narrow rectangle shape , a pin shape , a needle shape , and others . other materials could be used to form the spike , including a pliable metal , such as nitinol , or carbon nanotubes . after hardening and processing of the polymer , the narrow strip 16 is annealed to the surface of an expansion balloon or other mechanically expansive carrier . the strips may also be interwoven into a mesh ( polymer , metallic , or fabric ). the strips or mesh are arranged in a pattern that envelopes the surface of the expansion balloon or other mechanically expansive structure . fig1 b shows attachment of the strips 16 ( end view ) along the longitudinal length of a balloon 17 at a number ( 8 ) of circumferential positions . the balloon may be folded at folds 18 to bring the sharp points 15 on four adjacent strips to nest with those of the other strip , and then the two lobes of the balloon are folded over again to bring the sharp points of the other four adjacent strips into nested configuration . fig1 c illustrates the resulting , compact folded balloon in which all the sharp points are folded within to avoid engaging the plaque material when the device is being moved into position . fig2 a illustrates another preferred embodiment in which the spike is in the shape of a sharp pin 21 that has a lower end bonded to a mesh 22 that is annealed to the surface of the expansion balloon . the lower end of the pin 21 is held by the polymer mesh so that the spike stands erect 011 the surface of the balloon when the balloon is inflated . the pin 21 may be constructed of polymer , metal composite , silicon or carbon composite or carbon nanotubes ( single or multi wall ). fig2 b illustrates how the pin 21 is folded by pressing it into the mesh 22 . in fig2 c , the mesh 22 is shown annealed to the outer surface of the expansion balloon 23 . in fig2 d , the pin 21 is laid down laterally and perpendicularly to the axis of the balloon - center line for placement , so that the pin is folded into the mesh and under a flap of the balloon . the entire mesh in the depressed mode is nearly swallowed up by the balloon material . with the pin laid down flat within the mesh , the balloon is protected from puncture of the balloon surface . the flap on the balloon unfolds during balloon expansion , and the meshes are unfolded so that the pins are quickly popped out straight and erect . fig2 e shows the pins 21 deployed and standing erect on the expansion balloon 23 after the catheter shield 24 is withdrawn and the balloon is inflated . the pins are exposed and stand erect on the mesh sheets 22 that are mounted on the balloon surface . the pins stick out peripherally and can pierce into the plaque as the balloon is further inflated . fig2 f shows a detail of the base of the pin 21 entwined in the mesh weaving to center the lower end of the pin on the mesh 22 and hold the pin erect when the mesh is unfolded and the balloon is expanded . in fig3 , arrays of pins 21 are shown folded within accordion - like flaps of a pre - angioplasty expansion balloon 23 of the device which are folded in alignment with a longitudinal axis lg of the balloon . in this design , half the flaps and pins are folded toward one end of the balloon , and the other half are folded toward the other end of the balloon . when the balloon is expanded , the mesh strips will reorient with respect to the surface of the balloon and face outward toward the plaque on the artery walls . the flaps of balloon material between parallel rows of spikes can be made extra flexible and pliable and may be formed as a folding crease . when gas or fluid pressure is injected in the balloon , the flaps are the first areas to pop out and help to point the spikes outwardly toward the plaque . fig4 a and 4b illustrate another embodiment of the delivery device in which an expansion balloon is not used but rather the spikes 41 are deployed from and retracted back into a mechanical carrier 40 . the carrier has a plurality of tunnels 42 a in its interior each of which holds a spike in a ready position within and has a spike exit hole 42 b with its axis oriented radially to the outer surface of the carrier . when the carrier 40 is in position at a plaque site , the spikes are mechanically or hydraulically actuated , such as by a gas or fluid pressure force indicated by arrows 43 , to travel through the tunnels and project radially from the spike exit holes 42 b . the spikes have sharp points at their tips for creating microperforations in the plaque , but are flexible in their shafts so that they can be deployed from a laying down position and turned to a 90 degree standing up position . in that position , the spikes are pointed toward the wall of the artery and the plaque . as an alternative for mechanical actuation , the spikes may be actuated by respective levers which are pulled or pushed by a cable . other types of mechanisms similarly may be used for mechanically deploying the spikes from the carrier . fig5 a - 5d illustrate other embodiments of the delivery device for pre - angioplasty serration and dilatation . in the embodiment shown in fig5 a , rows of spikes 51 are bonded to a ribbon , rod , tri angle or other shaped carrier 50 . an outer balloon 52 is divided into quadrants and shaped with cutout areas that conform to spaces in between the spikes . the balloon 52 is inflatable in quadrants circumferentially around the carrier 50 . as one quadrant of the balloon 52 is inflated , the spikes on the opposing side of the carrier 50 are pressed into the plaque on the artery wall . the balloon 52 on the side of the one quadrant is deflated , then the next quadrant is inflated to press the spikes on another opposing side into a next section of the plaque . this is repeated for the other quadrants as needed until the spikes on all sides have been pricked into the circumference of the plaque surface . in fig5 b , another embodiment of the delivery device has rows or ribbons of spikes 53 bonded to an internal carrier balloon 54 sleeved inside of a tube 55 which has spike holes 55 a aligned with the positions of the spikes spacing found on the internal carrier balloon 54 . an outer balloon 56 is shaped with cutout areas that conform to the spaces between the spike holes . the outer balloon is able to be filled in quadrants circumferentially around the carrier device . as one quadrant expands , the tube is pressed on its opposing side against the plaque . the internal carrier balloon 54 is inflated and the spikes are pressed out of the holes and pierce into the plaque on the side in contact with the plaque . this is repeated for the remaining quadrants until the spikes have been pricked into the circumference of the plaque surface . in the above - described embodiments , the multi - lobed segments of the expanding balloon stabilize and support the spikes as they enter the plaque to cause perforation . the spikes may be constructed of any suitable material , such as polymer , pliable metal , or carbon nanotubes , and may have one of many possible shapes , including a pin shape , a needle shape , a long , pyramidal shape , a triangle shape , an arrow shape , a gum drop shape , a narrow rectangle shape , and others . the balloon , as it is expanded , is also used to compress the plaque to a certain degree and dilate the lumen of the artery . the balloon may be manufactured to be inflated with c02 or with liquid . fig5 c shows another embodiment where rows of spikes 57 are bonded to or etched out of a ribbon , rod , triangle or other shaped carrier 58 . an outer balloon 59 is multi - lobed capable of being inflated in sections and conforming to spaces in between the spikes . fig5 d shows a further embodiment in which the spikes 57 are seated on an inner balloon in a delivery catheter 58 . the catheter walls have holes 58 a located to allow the spikes to poke through when the inner balloon is inflated . on the outside of the catheter in this embodiment is multi - lobed external balloon 59 which is inflatable in sections . as one section is inflated , the catheter wall on the opposite side is pushed against the plaque on the arterial wall , and when the inner balloon is inflated , the spikes 57 are pressed out to pierce into the plaque mass . this procedure is repeated in sections circumferentially around the catheter until all areas of the plaque have been pierced by the spikes . fig6 a - 6c show another embodiment for the delivery device in which the spikes ( welded , bonded , or shaped out - of - plane ) are married at joints on the circumference of an accordion - like structure provide for a mechanical expansion engagement with the plaque . in the pre - loaded delivery position shown in fig6 a , the accordion - like structure 60 is stretched longitudinally over the surface of the delivery catheter 61 , and the spikes 62 lay flat against the catheter sheath . this position of the spike structure is used when the catheter is inserted and withdrawn . once the spike structure is in position at the plaque site , the accordion - like structure 60 has its opposite ends moved together , such that the spikes 62 are pressed out radially to pierce the plaque , as shown in fig6 b . the compression of the accordion - like structure 60 may be actuated by mechanical pulley , polymer fiber or wire attached at points a disposed symmetrically around the circumference of the catheter . the wires are pulled uniformly at one end of the accordion - like structure to compress lattice segments of the structure and decrease the distance between the spike connector joints , thereby forcing the spikes outwardly toward the lumen wall . in fig6 c , the accordion - like structure is shown laid out in plan view and elevation view , and pre - loaded in end view . fig7 a - 7c show three variations for mounting a spike on a carrier . in fig7 a , the spike 70 ( pyramid point ) is mounted on a button 71 having lower shanks 71 a for seating on a carrier . in fig7 b , the spike 72 ( pin ) is mounted on a button 73 having button holes 73 a for attachment by fasteners to the carrier . in fig7 c , the spikes 74 ( sharp tips ) are mounted on a button 75 having holes 75 a for fastening to the carrier . the buttons may be entwined within a fabric , woven pattern or bag structure using the button holes or mounting shanks on the buttons . these spike - mounting buttons may be used with any of the above - described embodiments for the delivery device . fig8 shows an embodiment in which the spikes are carried on a stretchable mesh structure 80 surrounding an expansion balloon which is inflated to stretch the mesh outwardly on all sides and push the spikes into the surrounding plaque mass . the spikes may be interwoven into the mesh structure . when the balloon is deflated , the mesh snaps back with the collapsed surface of the expansion balloon . in all the embodiments described above , the spikes may be made from metal , polymer , silicon or carbon composite ( with or without an inert coating ), a super - elastic material , or carbon nanotubes . the spikes may have a preferred height ( from base to tip ) of 0 . 05 mm to 1 . 0 mm . the spike tip may be needle - like with a needle head for mounting . as an alternative , the tip can be shaped with a thin tubular cross - section ( as in a needle for transporting fluid through it ), or a groove of slot having one dimension that is much larger than the other where the larger dimension of the groove is less than 2 mm and the smaller dimension is much less than the first , and a point where the overall head radius is small less than 0 . 4 mm ( as in a pin head ), or a collection of very small points where the overall head radius is less than 0 . 05 mm ( as in carbon nanotubes ). it may instead be formed by carbon nanotubes presenting a collection of very small points to form a sharp tip . the spikes may also be coated with , or provide transport for , plaque - inhibiting medication for deposition into the plaque site . in the preferred embodiments described above , the spikes may be mounted on the surface of a balloon , or on a catheter , or may be mounted on a mechanically actuated surface . the spikes may have various shapes , may be made from a variety of materials , may be deployed in different ways , and may be attached to the delivery device using different methods . the spikes are arrayed in any desired pattern to create a cut - along - the - dotted - line serration in the plaque mass so that it can become a cleavage plane or expansion plane during dilatation by balloon angioplasty . the configuration of the spikes may be oriented in different manners depending upon the arterial disease and the plaque formation requiring treatment . the spikes may also have through - holes or inner channels for eluting medication through the spike to the surface of the plaque . fig9 a - 9e illustrate various patterns for arrangement of the spikes on the delivery device , i . e ., circumferential , partial circumferential , patch , spiral / diagonal , and longitudinal . the configurations are designed for different functional purposes in managing atherosclerotic plaque or in ease of manufacture or ease of use . plaque with certain characteristics , such as very heavy calcification , may be treated with spikes that are configured in more of a circumferential or diagonal pattern , crossing the line of blood flow , since this morphology of plaque tends to form clusters or mounds of calcium . the spikes that may not be able to perforate this type of plaque or portions of this type of plaque very readily , but may be able to cut around the areas of worse disease and permit the inner circumference of the whole artery to expand . the spikes are arranged generally longitudinally , consistent with the fracture characteristics of plaque in most situations and with most plaque morphologies , and may be configured in a straight line . the straight , longitudinal lines of spikes may be very short , consisting of five spikes or less and may be quite long , consisting of 100 spikes or more . the longitudinal lines of spikes may be very dose together , with as many as 20 lines distributed on the circumference of the artery luminal surface , or there may be as few as a single line of barbs or spikes . the lines of spikes may also be in a slight diagonal or in a zig - zag fashion . the configuration of the barbs or spikes is determined in accordance with the best expected mechanism for post - angioplasty plaque dissection . they are designed to create cleavage planes or expansion lines suitable for the expected composition of the plaque and the pressures expected to be exerted upon it . the orientation and depth of desired cleavage planes may vary significantly with the parameters for balloon angioplasty . the spikes may also be constructed so that they may provide delivery of medications . a cooperative structure such as a double - walled balloon for pressure infusion of a small amount of medication agent into the plaque wall or other functionality may also be included . fig1 a - 10c show another embodiment for the spike carrier of the delivery device . in fig1 a , the spikes are carried on ribbon strips of a slitted metal sheet which has opposite ends that are joined by either welding into a tube or the strips are cut out of a tube leaving one end intact . the spikes may have various profiles , such as where the length of the spike base or head is equal to the width of the ribbon strip , or the spike base length is a fraction of the ribbon width and is centered at the middle of the ribbon strip , or where the spike base is a fraction of the ribbon width and positioned at varying locations across the ribbon width or may have multiple spikes at any given ribbon section of width . fig1 b is an elevation view of the sheet . fig1 c shows the sheet after heat treatment to provide a shape memory in which the ribbons are spring - biased radially outward toward the arterial wall for generating perforations in the plaque . the shape memory may be used alone for mechanical engagement of the spikes , or may be combined with an expansion balloon to allow greater control of forces to be applied . fig1 a - 11c show a variation of the above - described embodiment in which the ribbons of the carrier sheet contain a series of holes . the holes serve as points for attachment of strings , cables , or wire elements , configured in such a way , that when pulled can provide additional “ support and force outward against the lumen wall . fig1 b is an elevation view of the sheet . fig1 c shows the sheet after heat treatment to provide a shape memory for spring - biasing the ribbons radially outward . the shape memory may be combined with an expansion balloon to allow greater control of forces to be applied . fig1 a - 12c show another variation of the above - described embodiment in which both longitudinal ends of the tube are kept intact , leaving only the middle region with slitted ribbons . one end contains a series of holes which serve as points for attachment of strings or wire elements that when pulled can provide additional support and force outward against the lumen wall . fig1 b is an elevation view of the sheet . fig1 c shows the sheet after heat treatment to provide a shape memory for spring - biasing the middle section of ribbons radially outward . a general procedure for the pre - angioplasty perforation and serration of a plaque site will now be described . a delivery catheter is constructed for the purpose of plaque perforation in an endovascular environment . a guidewire is threaded along an artery from a percutaneous access site or a surgical incision to a lesion intended for treatment . a catheter is passed over the guidewire with an end of its sheath maintained gas - tight and fluid - tight for operational control externally by an operator . once the catheter is in position at the lesion site , a spike delivery device is advanced down the hollow , tubular shaft of the sheath over the guidewire . the delivery device for the typical perforation - serration catheter is intended to be as large as 8 fr and more likely 5 fr or less in diameter . the guidewire lumen may be 0 . 014 inches or up to 0 . 035 inches in diameter . the length of the delivery catheter may be as short as 40 cm but more likely 75 to 80 cm for a short length and 120 to 135 cm for a long length . the catheter has another tubular channel for inflating or actuating the expansion balloon or apparatus on the delivery end of the catheter . when the expansion balloon , mechanical expansion apparatus or other apparatus is actuated , the spikes on the delivery device are pressed toward the plaque . the spikes are driven into the plaque and create multiple perforations forming intended serrations in the surface of the plaque in a proscribed pattern . the expansion balloon or apparatus is somewhat compliant and may be inflated further to compress the plaque and enlarge further . when the desired perforation of the plaque has been achieved , the expansion balloon or apparatus is de - actuated , disengaging the spikes from the plaque , and once collapsed is withdrawn through the catheter sheath . after the preparation procedure for the plaque , the plaque can be compressed and the artery lumen safely and accurately dilated and stretched during standard balloon angioplasty to its intended diameter without creating numerous and substantial dissections and elevated flaps . the perforation and serration enable the plaque to be dilated more evenly and smoothly and avoid forming random cracks that may lead to dissection , arterial injury , and residual stenosis . the plaque , after it has been pre - treated with perforation and serration , may also be dilated with lower pressure ( usually 2 atmospheres or less ) than that which is used in standard balloon angioplasty . the lower intra - balloon pressure causes less injury to the artery wall . this “ low pressure ” or “ minimal injury ” angioplasty is less likely to cause the biological reaction that often follows balloon angioplasty with neointimal hyperplasia or smooth muscle cell replication . in addition , the plaque is likely to expand with less fracturing or dissection during balloon angioplasty . this decreases the need for stent placement to be used to treat dissection or residual stenosis after balloon angioplasty . if extensive dissections and non - smooth luminal wall surfaces require a stent to be placed , the improved dilatation of the lumen obtained with pre - angioplasty perforation and serration would allow a stent to be more fully opened . in cases where one or more local sites of post - angioplasty dissections or flaps present themselves , a thin , ring - shaped tack device may be placed at only the location of each specific problem site , so that the amount of foreign material emplaced as a retaining structure for plaque in the blood vessel can be minimized and exert only low lateral pressures against the post - angioplasty surface . a novel method and device for applying a ring - shaped tack device as a retaining structure for plaque in the blood vessel is described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 955 , 331 , filed dec . 12 , 2007 , entitled “ device for tacking plaque to blood vessel wall ”, which is incorporated by reference herein . the described procedure for perforation and serration of the plaque performed with a given amount of arterial dilatation may be sufficient to obtain compression of the plaque sufficiently that no balloon angioplasty or stent emplacement is required . only one or a few of the ring - shaped tacks may be needed to secure the compressed plaque to the artery wall , thereby obtaining the desired medical treatment with minimal forces being applied to the arterial walls and with a minimum of foreign material emplaced in the body . the present invention is therefore deemed to include the alternative of combining the perforation and serration procedure with the procedure for applying localized tacks at specific locations for plaque retention . it is to be understood that many modifications and variations may be devised given the above described principles of the invention . it is intended that all such modifications and variations be considered as within the spirit and scope of this invention , as defined in the following claims .	0
as a preliminary matter , it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (“ ordinary artisan ”) that the present invention has broad utility and application . furthermore , any embodiment discussed and identified as being “ preferred ” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention . other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the present invention . moreover , many embodiments , such as adaptations , variations , modifications , and equivalent arrangements , will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention . accordingly , while the present invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments , it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present invention , and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the present invention . the detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended , nor is to be construed , to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention , which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof . it is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself . thus , for example , any sequence ( s ) and / or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive . accordingly , it should be understood that , although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order , the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order , absent an indication otherwise . indeed , the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present invention . accordingly , it is intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the present invention is to be defined by the appended claims rather than the description set forth herein . additionally , it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which the ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein . to the extent that the meaning of a term used herein — as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term — differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term , it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail . furthermore , it is important to note that , as used herein , “ a ” and “ an ” each generally denotes “ at least one ,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise . thus , reference to “ a picnic basket having an apple ” describes “ a picnic basket having at least one apple ” as well as “ a picnic basket having apples .” in contrast , reference to “ a picnic basket having a single apple ” describes “ a picnic basket having only one apple .” when used herein to join a list of items , “ or ” denotes “ at lease one of the items ,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list . thus , reference to “ a picnic basket having cheese or crackers ” describes “ a picnic basket having cheese without crackers ”, “ a picnic basket having crackers without cheese ”, and “ a picnic basket having both cheese and crackers .” finally , when used herein to join a list of items , “ and ” denotes “ all of the items of the list .” thus , reference to “ a picnic basket having cheese and crackers ” describes “ a picnic basket having cheese , wherein the picnic basket further has crackers ,” as well as describes “ a picnic basket having crackers , wherein the picnic basket further has cheese .” fig1 is a front plan view of a device 10 for independently tensioning lines in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , while fig2 is a front plan view of an interior of the device 10 of fig1 , and fig3 is a side plan view of rotatable components of the device 10 of fig2 . as collectively shown therein , the device 10 includes a base 12 and a cover 14 , mounted within which are a drive assembly 20 , one or more spool assemblies 30 , 50 , a ratcheting assembly including a pawl 40 , 60 for each respective spool assembly 30 , 50 , and a release assembly including release member 72 , 82 for each respective spool assembly 30 , 50 . each of these components of the device 10 is described in detail hereinbelow . the drive assembly 20 includes a dial 22 , a drive gear 24 and a pinion 26 mounted on a pivot arm 28 . the dial 22 includes a drive shaft 23 extending therefrom , and the dial 22 and drive shaft 23 are rotatable about a drive axis . the outer surface of the dial 22 may include indentations 21 or other features to make it possible for a user to grasp and turn it easily . the drive gear 24 is fixed on the drive shaft 23 for rotation with the drive shaft 23 about the drive axis . a proximal end of the pivot arm 28 is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 23 , while the pinion 26 is mounted on the distal end of the pivot arm 28 and is rotatable relative to the pivot arm 28 about a pinion axis . the teeth of the pinion 26 are arranged for a purpose made apparent hereinbelow . the end of the drive shaft 23 is preferably bifurcated and provided with a wedge - shaped retention flange 25 , wherein the wedge - shaped retention flange 25 may be forced into a corresponding opening in the pivot arm 28 , thereby deflecting the two bifurcated portions of the shaft 23 inward , toward each other , thus permitting the wedge - shaped retention flange 25 to pass there through . once the flange 25 has passed completely through the opening , the two bifurcated portions of the shaft 23 are biased outward again , thereby retaining the pivot arm 28 on the drive shaft 23 . similarly , the cover 14 and the base 12 , which collectively form a housing and are described in further detail below , include coaxial openings through which the end of the drive shaft 23 extends . furthermore , because the dial 22 is located generally exterior to the cover 14 , when the wedge - shaped retention flange 25 is forced through the openings in the cover 14 and the base 12 , and is retained to the base 12 by the snap - fit connection of the retention flange 25 to the flanged opening of the base 12 , the base 12 and cover 14 are securely coupled together and preferably retain all of the components therein without aid of additional fasteners , such as screws . indeed , due to this design , the device 10 may be constructed without use of any metallic fasteners , and the device 10 may be constructed solely from injection molded components . such a construction is particularly beneficial when the device 10 is utilized , for example , with ballistic vests or other body armor , where the use of a screw poses an unnecessary risk to a wearer . each spool assembly 30 , 50 includes a spindle ( not shown ) upon which a respective spool 32 , 52 , gear 34 , 54 and ratchet wheel 36 , 56 are all fixed . two or more of the spindle , spool 32 , 52 , gear 34 , 54 and ratchet wheel 36 , 56 of a respective spool assembly may be integrally formed , or all of the components may comprise separate pieces that are connected together . in any event , a respective spool assembly 30 , 50 includes a spindle , spool 32 , 52 , gear 34 , 54 and ratchet wheel 36 , 56 that all rotate together about a respective spindle axis , with each spool 32 , 52 arranged between a respective gear 34 , 54 and ratchet wheel 36 , 56 . furthermore , each gear 34 , 54 includes a plurality of gear teeth adapted to couple with the teeth of the pinion 26 when the pinion 26 is positioned next to the gear 34 , 54 . the teeth of each ratchet wheel 36 , 56 are arranged to be engaged by a respective pawl 40 , 60 , as will be more fully described hereinbelow . each spool 32 , 52 further includes a pair of openings 42 to permit a cable to be routed there through and for winding on the spool 32 , 52 during rotation of the spool in a particular direction , as more fully described hereinbelow . fig4 is a front plan view of the interior of the device 10 of fig1 , shown with most of the rotatable components removed therefrom . with particular reference to fig2 and 4 , the pawls 40 , 60 are shown arranged in , and optionally contiguous to , the base 12 . as will be appreciated , the pawls 40 , 60 furthermore extend upwardly ( are raised ) from the base for selective engagement by the release members 72 , 82 and for engagement with the ratchet wheels 36 , 56 . each pawl 40 , 60 further comprises a gooseneck structure extending from a central region of the base 12 and curving around so as to be adapted to engage the teeth of a respective ratchet wheel 36 , 56 . when so engaged , each pawl 40 , 60 prevents its respective ratchet wheel 36 , 56 from rotating in a particular rotational direction , while permitting rotation in the opposite rotational direction , due to the engagement between the pawl 40 , 60 with the ratchet teeth . with reference now to fig1 , 2 and 4 , a release member 72 , 82 is shown for each spool assembly 30 , 50 . each release member 72 , 82 comprises a horseshoe - shaped ( or “ u ” shaped ) member that is slidably contained between the base 12 and the cover 14 . the release members 72 , 82 are preferably operable independently of each other . the movement of each the release members 72 , 82 may be best understood as shown in fig2 or fig4 . in each case , a first release member 72 is configured in its retracted position , wherein no contact is made between the open ends of the release member 72 and the adjacent pawl 40 , while a second release member 82 is configured in its depressed position , wherein one of the open ends of the release member 82 has been placed in contact with its adjacent pawl 60 , thereby displacing the gooseneck assembly of the pawl 60 from its normal position in engagement with ratchet teeth . as best seen in fig4 , this has the effect of displacing the second pawl 60 from its position against one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 56 , while the first pawl 40 remains in its previous state ( i . e ., in contact with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 36 ). as will be apparent , when a pawl 40 , 60 remains in contact with one of the teeth of its respective ratchet wheel 36 , 56 , the ratchet wheel 36 , 56 is thereby prevented from rotating in a particular rotational direction , while if a pawl 40 , 60 is displaced from its position against one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 36 , 56 by the corresponding release member 72 , 82 , then the ratchet wheel 36 , 56 is allowed to rotate by the pawl 40 , 60 freely in either rotational direction . fig5 and 6 are front plan views of the device 10 of fig1 that serve to illustrate the movement of the respective release members 72 , 82 relative to the rest of the device 10 , and in particular , relative to the cover 14 . as shown , and with reference also to fig1 , each release member 72 , 82 includes an elastic component in the form of a pair of spring arms 74 that extend therefrom and are arranged to receive and engage the rounded end surface of the cover 14 . in normal operation , the spring arms 74 tend to bias the respective release members 72 , 82 out of the housing of the device 10 and away from the ends of the cover 14 , thereby keeping ( with reference to fig2 and 4 ) the open ends of the release members 72 , 82 from engaging the respective pawls 40 , 60 . however , if it is desired to release one or both pawls 40 , 60 from the ratchet wheels 36 , 56 , then pressure sufficient to overcome the biasing strength of the spring arms 74 may be applied , thereby causing the selected release member ( s ) 72 , 82 to move toward the cover 14 until the spring arms 72 are pressed into the inner curve of the horseshoe - shape of the release member . by this stage , the open end of the selected release member ( s ) 72 , 82 preferably have engaged a respective pawl 40 , 60 , and the pawl 40 , 60 has been forced out of engagement with the teeth of a respective ratchet wheel 36 , 56 , thereby providing for ( i . e ., permitting by a pawl ) the free rotation of the respective spool assembly 30 , 50 of the ratchet wheel 36 , 56 . this effect may be seen by comparing and aligning the relative positions of the components in fig4 with those in fig5 , as each shows the second release member 82 in its depressed position and the resulting disengagement of the second pawl 60 from the ratchet wheel 56 . on the other hand , fig6 illustrates an opposite situation , wherein the first release member 72 is in its depressed position , resulting in the disengagement of the first pawl 40 from the first ratchet wheel 36 . notably , although not specifically illustrated herein , it also will be apparent that both release members 72 , 82 may be depressed simultaneously , as described previously , thereby releasing both ratchet wheels 36 , 56 simultaneously . referring generally to fig1 and 2 , the base 12 may be seen to include appropriate mounting features to receive the various other components of the device 10 . such mounting features may include contours shaped to receive and retain the components of the device 10 when the cover 14 is securely coupled to the base 12 and retained thereto by the snap - on attachment of the retention flange 25 to the base 12 . these features will generally be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure herein , and are likely to include features for coupling to the cover 14 , for receiving the ratchet wheels 36 , 56 in snug fit , for receiving the drive shaft 23 and pivot arm 28 , and the like . as illustrated , the base 12 may also include features for receiving , guiding and routing lines or cables from the spools 32 , 52 to the lateral edges of the device 10 . these features may take the form of conduits , passageways , cable guides , openings , tube - like structures , and the like , and may be formed in the body of the base 12 or separately attached thereto . the purpose and use of these features will become evident hereinbelow . likewise , referring generally to fig1 , the cover 14 may be seen or understood to include its own appropriate mounting features to receive the various other components of the device 10 . these features will generally be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art , but are likely to include corresponding features for coupling to the base 12 , for receiving the gears 34 , 54 , for receiving the pinion 26 and the pivot arm 28 , and the like . in order to operate the device 10 , a separate line or cable capable of experiencing tension ( not shown ), which once routed may or may not be in the form of a continuous loop , is first routed through each spool assembly 30 , 50 and through the guide features in the base 12 as well as any other components as appropriate . once the cables are installed , each cable may be tightened ( placed in greater tension ) by turning the dial 22 in one direction or the other . more specifically , turning the dial 22 in one rotational direction causes a first cable ( i . e ., the one routed through the first spool assembly 30 ) to be tightened , while turning the dial in the opposite rotational direction causes a second cable ( i . e ., the one routed through the second spool assembly 50 ) to be tightened . this is accomplished as follows . with reference to fig7 a , 7 b , 8 a , 8 b , 9 a and 9 b , which are all front and side plan views of the pivot arm 28 together with the various gears 24 , 26 , 34 , 54 , all shown in isolation from the rest of the components of the device 10 . beginning with fig7 a and 7b , the various components are shown in a neutral state , wherein the pinion 26 is not meshed or engaged with either of the gears 34 , 54 of the respective spool assemblies 30 , 50 . in this intermediate position , rotation would not be applied to either of the gears 34 , 54 by the pinion 26 during rotation of the dial 22 , drive shaft 23 , and drive gear 24 . indeed , rotation of the dial 22 , drive shaft 23 , and drive gear 24 results in pivoting of the pivot arm 28 upon which the pinion is 26 is carried , and does not result in rotation of the pinion 26 itself about the pinion axis . as will be appreciated , this is a temporary , transient position only , as rotation of the dial 22 in one rotational direction or the other causes the drive shaft 23 to rotate and in turn tends to cause the pivot arm 28 to rotate and carries the pinion 26 along with it . when the pinion 26 reaches one or the other of the gears 34 , 54 , further rotation of the pivot arm 28 is thereby prevented . at this point , continued rotation of the dial 22 causes the drive gear 24 , which is constantly engaged with the pinion 26 , to rotate relative to the pinion axis . the pinion 26 then tends to settle into meshed relationship with the first gear 34 , thereby causing rotation , in turn , of the gear 34 . this relationship is illustrated in fig8 a and 8b . conversely , if the dial 22 is rotated in the opposite rotational direction , the drive shaft 23 is caused to correspondingly rotate , in turn tending to cause the pivot arm 28 to rotate and carry the pinion 26 along with it . when the pinion 26 reaches the opposite gear 54 , further rotation of the pivot arm 28 is again prevented . at this point , continued rotation of the dial 22 causes the drive gear 24 , which is meshed with the pinion 26 , to rotate relative to the pinion axis . the pinion 26 then tends to settle into meshed relationship with the gear 54 , thereby causing the gear 54 itself to rotate . this relationship is illustrated in fig9 a and 9b . fig1 - 14 are plan views of elements of a device 110 for independently tensioning lines in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention . the device 110 shares substantial similarity in design and characteristics of operation with regard to those of device 10 . with regard to this second embodiment , fig1 is a front plan view of a device 110 for independently tensioning lines in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention , while fig1 is a front plan view of the rear half of the device 110 of fig1 , and fig1 is a rear plan view of the front half of the device 110 of fig1 . as collectively shown therein , the device 110 includes a rear housing 112 and a front housing 114 , mounted within which are a drive assembly 120 , spool assemblies 30 , 50 , a ratcheting assembly including pawls , and a release assembly 90 . each of these elements is described in detail hereinbelow . the drive assembly 120 includes a dial 122 , a drive gear 124 and a pinion 126 . the dial 122 includes a drive shaft ( not shown ) extending therefrom , and the dial 122 and drive shaft are rotatable about a drive axis . the outer surface of the dial 122 may include indentations or other features 121 to make it possible for a user to grasp and turn it easily . as in the first device 10 , the drive gear 124 is fixed on the drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft about the drive axis . on the other hand , the pinion 126 , which is carried on a pivot arm in the device 10 , is rotatable around a spindle that is allowed to move along curved slots in the top and bottom casings 114 , 112 in the device 110 . the teeth of the pinion 126 are arranged for a purpose made apparent hereinbelow . similar to the first device 110 , each spool assembly 130 , 150 preferably includes a spindle ( not shown ) upon which a respective spool ( not shown ) and a respective gear 135 , 155 are all fixed . the relationship of the spindle , spools , and gears 135 , 155 is all generally similar in arrangement and function to that of the spindle , spool 32 , 52 , gears 34 , 54 and ratchet wheel 36 , 56 of the first device 10 , except that in device 110 , the gears 135 , 155 serve the function of gears 34 , 54 and ratchet wheels 36 , 56 . in this respect , each spool assembly 130 , 150 , is rotatable about a respective spindle axis , with each spool arranged concentric with its respective gear 135 , 155 . each gear 135 , 155 includes a plurality of gear teeth adapted to couple with the teeth of the pinion 126 when the pinion 126 is positioned next to a gear 135 , 155 . the teeth of each gear 135 , 155 also are arranged to be engaged by a respective pawl 141 , 161 . each spool further includes a pair of openings ( not shown ), similar to the openings 42 of the first device 10 , to permit a cable to be routed there through and then wound on the spool . referring generally to fig1 , the ratcheting assembly 85 includes a pawl 141 , 161 for each spool assembly 130 , 150 . each pawl 141 , 161 comprises a lever - like structure extending from a respective rotating cylindrical base 143 , 163 and having a curved tip at the distal end thereof so as to be adapted to engage the teeth of a respective gear 135 , 155 . when so engaged , each pawl 141 , 161 inhibits rotation of a gear 135 , 155 in a respective first rotational direction . still referring generally to fig1 , the release assembly 90 includes a dual function release lever 92 having a tab or pad 93 , 94 at each end thereof . the release lever 92 , when selectively depressed , in turn selectively depresses one or both of the pawls thereby freeing , in turn , one or both of the gears 135 , 155 for rotation uninhibited by a respective pawl . the pinion 126 is illustrated in a neutral position in fig1 , wherein it is disengaged from both of the gears 135 , 155 . the pinion 126 is illustrated in a first engaged position with one of the gears 135 , 155 in fig1 , and the pinion 126 is illustrated in a second engaged position with the other gear in fig1 . the pinion 126 is moved into and between these positions by rotation of the drive assembly . while having some differences in design from that of device 10 , the device 110 operates to draw lines into the housing and release lines for withdrawal from the housing in similar manner to device 10 . in this regard , operation of the device 110 is illustrated in fig1 - 19 and is exemplary of the operation of many different devices in accordance with embodiments of the invention . based on the foregoing description , it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application . many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those specifically described herein , as well as many variations , modifications , and equivalent arrangements , will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof , without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention . accordingly , while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention . the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments , adaptations , variations , modifications or equivalent arrangements , the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof .	0
a novel amusement device or puzzle constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 , and is depicted as wood head of a golf club , such as a driver or a fairway wood . however , though the amusement device or puzzle 10 is preferably a golf head in external appearance and configuration , other configurations are contemplated , such as the fishing lure and heart - shaped configurations mentioned earlier herein . the amusement device 10 is defined by a plurality of plates including a top plate 11 , a bottom or base plate 12 , a first upstanding end plate or toe plate 13 spaced from a second upstanding end plate or heel plate 14 and a plurality of intermediate plates 15 through 18 ( fig1 ). an uppermost one of the intermediate plates 15 carries in spaced generally parallel depending relationship thereto a front plate or face plate 20 ( fig8 and 12 ) and a rear plate 21 . the intermediate plates 16 through 18 have circular right - cylindrical bores or apertures 26 , 27 and 28 , respectively ( fig4 , 8 and 12 ) which collectively define a generally cylindrical &# 34 ; secret &# 34 ; compartment or chambers in which is housed one or more articles a , which in the present embodiment of the amusement device 10 is a golf ball a . preferably , the plates 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 and 18 are each formed from a single piece of wood or each is formed from a plurality of pieces of similar wood laminated together , and in either case the plates 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 and 18 are carved or machined to the appropriate golf head contour or configuration . the plate 15 is also a single piece of wood or a plurality of pieces of wood laminated together , and glued or bonded thereto are the rear plate 21 and the front plate 20 ( fig8 ). however , the front plate 20 is preferably formed from lighter and darker wood to provide the appearance of a typical golf club &# 34 ; face ,&# 34 ; and in this regard two vertical wall portions 22 , 23 of the face plate 20 are formed from very light wood and sandwiched therebetween is another vertical wall portion 24 formed of a very dark or reddish appearing wood , such as mahogany . by including a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally disposed grooves 25 in the wall portions 22 through 24 , the face plate or front plate of the amusement device 10 takes on the appearance of the typical &# 34 ; face &# 34 ; of a golf driver or fairway wood head . however , while in the preferred embodiment of the amusement device 10 , the various components thus far described and others to be described hereafter are preferably constructed from wood to lend an authentic appearance to the amusement device 10 , these components can be constructed from polymeric or copolymeric synthetic plastic material appropriately injection molded or from compression molded materials , such as admixtures of shells and adhesives which are conventionally utilized to manufacture life - like mock wood statutes . irrespective of the particular materials or methods of manufacture , the top plate 11 includes an upper contoured surface 30 , a lower flat surface 31 and a generally truncated upwardly converging frusto - conical neck 32 terminating in a flat annular surface or face 33 . a cylindrical bore 34 passes completely through the neck 32 and is in alignment with an upwardly opening blind bore 35 ( fig4 and 6 ) of the second end plate or heel plate 14 when the top plate 11 is in the position illustrated in fig1 and 4 of the drawings . however , the top plate 11 can be pivoted from the position shown in fig1 and 4 to the position thereof shown in fig6 and 10 , and when thus positioned , the bores 34 , 35 are not in alignment . means generally designated by the reference numeral 40 are provided for pivoting the top plate 11 relative to the remaining plates . the pivotally mounting means 40 includes a pivot pin or stem 41 and a cylindrical bore or opening 42 in the heel plate 14 opening through an upper relatively flat surface 43 thereof ( see fig4 and 11 ). the pivot pin or stem 41 includes a reduced medial portion 44 merging with an enlarged cylindrical head 45 having an annular abutment ledge or shoulder 46 ( fig4 and 11 ) which functions in a manner and for a purpose to be described hereinafter . a hosel portion or element 50 forms a frusto - conical continuation of the neck 32 of the top plate 11 but is a separate element formed of wood and has - wound thereupon thread t to provide the hosel portion with the appearance of an authentic golf club hosel . the hosel portion 50 includes a planar circular end 51 and a flat surface 52 ( fig4 ) through which opens a blind bore 53 into which is inserted and cemented a pin 54 . the pin 54 cooperates with the blind bore 35 of the heel plate 14 to define means for preventing the top plate 11 from pivoting about the axis of the stem 41 relative to the remaining plates when the pin 54 is seated in the blind bore 35 . however , when the hosel portion 50 is pulled upwardly and removed , as shown in fig9 the end of the pin 54 is retracted from the blind bore 35 of the heel plate 14 and the top plate 11 can be pivoted to the position shown in fig9 to expose the uppermost intermediate plate 15 and the end plate or toe plate 13 , particularly flat coplanar respective surfaces 57 , 58 thereof . the surfaces 57 , 58 are in intimate contacting relationship with the surface 31 of the top plate 11 when the top plate 11 is in the &# 34 ; locked &# 34 ; position of fig1 and 2 which virtually precludes an observer from noticing any significant differences in appearance or line of demarcation between the top plate 11 and the end plates 13 , 14 to thereby preclude rapid solving of the &# 34 ; puzzle &# 34 ; associated with disassembling the amusement device 10 and locating the article a within the secret compartment s . means 60 ( fig3 and 9 through 12 ) define dovetail connecting means between the first end plate or toe plate 13 and each of the intermediate plates 15 through 18 . the means 60 effects selective coupling and uncoupling of the toe plate 13 relative to the intermediate plates 15 through 18 simply through an upward or downward sliding motion relative therebetween ,, as is best illustrated in fig1 and indicated by the double headed arrows ( unnumbered ) associated with the toe plate 13 . the dovetail connecting or coupling means 60 is preferably defined by a dovetail slot 61 ( fig1 ) running the full length of the toe plate 13 between the surface 58 and a lowermost flat surface 62 ( fig4 ). each of the intermediate plates 15 through 18 is provided with a corresponding dovetail innerlocking portion or tongue designated by the reference numerals 63 through 66 , respectively . also , the intermediate plates 15 through 18 include a set of aligned dovetail slots 73 through 76 , respectively ( fig3 and 12 ) which correspond in shape and configuration to a dovetail portion or tongue 77 of the heel plate 14 . thus , the dovetail tongues 63 through 66 and 77 intimately engage with and slide relative to the dovetail slots 61 and 73 through 76 , respectively , to effectively selectively couple and uncouple the toe plate 13 relative to the intermediate plates 15 through 18 , as is best illustrated in the comparative illustrations of fig9 and 10 of the drawings . the purpose of removing the toe plate 13 is to facilitate the total removal of the top plate 11 , as shown in fig1 . in order to accomplish the latter , the intermediate plate 17 must be shifted from a locked position ( fig4 ) to an unlocked position ( fig6 ) and the structure for accomplishing the latter is best illustrated in fig4 through 7 of the drawings . the intermediate plate 17 includes a reduced flat projecting portion 80 ( fig5 and 7 ) which is received in a chamber 81 of the heel plate 14 which is of a generally polygonal configuration ( fig5 ) and opens to the left , as viewed in fig5 . the chamber 81 is closed at its top by a wall 82 and its bottom by a wall 83 ( fig4 ). a slot 84 formed in the projecting portion 80 opens to the right , as viewed in fig4 and 7 , and is of a width slightly greater than that of the diameter of the head 45 of the pivot stem 41 carried by the top plate 11 . when the intermediate plate 17 is in its locked position with the projecting portion 80 thereof seated fully within the chamber 81 , a lower abutment surface or undersurface 89 ( fig4 ) of the projecting portion 80 overlies the abutment ledge 46 of the head 45 ( fig5 ) and prevents any upward force applied to the top plate 11 from moving the latter in an upward direction . however , if the intermediate plate 17 is shifted to the left , as indicated in fig6 and 7 , the undersurface 89 of the intermediate plate 17 no longer overlies the head 45 ( fig7 ) of the stem 41 and the top plate 11 can be lifted vertically upwardly in the manner illustrated in fig1 to disassemble the top plate 11 which permits the subsequent removal of the uppermost intermediate plate 15 and the plates 20 , 21 carry thereby , as will be apparent more fully hereinafter . however , without removing the top plate 11 , the uppermost intermediate plate 15 cannot be removed because no matter in which position the top plate 11 is rotated , a portion of the top plate 11 will always overlie the uppermost intermediate plate 15 , as is clearly illustrated in fig6 and 10 of the drawings . the intermediate plates 16 , 18 each have projecting portions 86 , 88 , respectively , identical in size and configuration to the projecting portion 80 . furthermore , each of the projecting portions 86 , 88 includes relatively large circular slot means or aperture means ( unnumbered ) which will allow the head 45 to at all times pass therethrough freely without interference . therefore , the abutment ledge 46 of the head 45 and the lower abutment surface 89 of the projecting portion 80 of the intermediate plate 17 constitute the means for selectively holding these plates assembled when interlocked , as shown in fig5 and for effecting separation thereof when released in the manner illustrated in fig7 . preferably the intermediate plates 16 and 18 are held immobilized after the toe plate 13 has been removed . this is accomplished by simply bonding / gluing the lowermost intermediate plate 18 to the base plate 12 . in order to immobilize the intermediate plate 16 after the removal of the toe plate 13 , a downwardly projecting pin or stem 90 ( fig1 ) of the uppermost intermediate plate 15 is received in a bore 91 ( fig1 ) of the intermediate plate 16 . as can be best visualized with respect to fig1 and 12 , once the pin 90 is in the bore 91 ( fig1 ) and the components are in the position shown in fig1 , a leftward pull on any of the dovetail portions 65 through 66 will result only in the leftward movement of the intermediate plate 17 because the lowermost intermediate plate 18 is adhesively secured to the base plate 12 , and the intermediate plates 15 , 16 are interlocked together by the pin or stem 90 and the bore 91 and the stem 41 in the circular bore ( unnumbered ) of the projecting portion 86 of the intermediate plates 16 . however , once the intermediate plate 17 is shifted to the left ( fig6 ) to create : the unlocking heretofore described relative to fig7 the top plate 11 can be removed followed by an upward lifting of the uppermost plate 15 , as shown in fig7 which carries therewith the face plate 20 and the rear plate 21 to expose the secret compartment s and the article / golf ball a therein . at this point ( fig1 ) the golf ball a can be removed from the secret compartment s and , if desired , the intermediate plates 16 , 17 can be removed , as also might be the heel plate 14 . at this point the amusement device 10 is in eight separate pieces , namely , ( 1 ) the base plate 15 and the lowermost intermediate plate 18 bonded thereto , ( 2 ) the heel plate 14 , ( 3 ) the intermediate plate 17 , ( 4 ) the intermediate plate 16 , ( 5 ) the intermediate plate 15 carrying the plates 21 , 21 , ( 6 ) the toe plate 13 , ( 7 ) the top plate 11 and ( 8 ) the hosel portion 50 . in order to reassemble the eight components , the heel plate 14 is slipped upon the base plate 15 with the projecting portion 81 of the lowermost intermediate plate 18 being received in the chamber 81 , after which the projecting portions 80 , 86 of the intermediate plates 17 , 16 , respectively , are inserted into the chamber 81 . the golf ball a is inserted in the chamber s , and the plate 15 is descended from the position shown in fig1 to the position shown in fig1 . the dovetail portion 65 of the intermediate plate 17 is pulled slightly to the , left , as shown in fig6 and 11 , and the stem 41 is inserted into the bore 42 of the end plate 14 until the components reach the position shown in fig6 after which the intermediate plate 17 is shifted to the right ( fig4 ) blocking the head 45 of the stem 41 beneath the projecting portion 80 of the intermediate plate 17 . the toe plate 13 is then slid downwardly from the position shown in fig1 to that shown in fig9 after which the top plate 11 is pivoted to its closed position ( fig1 through 3 ) and locked therein by positioning the hosel portion 30 with its stem 54 in the blind bore 35 to prevent rotation of the top plate 11 . although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein , it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined the appended claims .	0
referring now to the accompanying diagrams , a description will be given of the preferred embodiments of the present invention . fig1 illustrates an arrangement of a preferred embodiment of the present invention . in this drawing , reference numeral 150 denotes a wire supplying bobbin ; 151 , a brake pulley ; 152a , 152b , and 152c denote pulleys ; 153 denotes a rotary encoder secured to the pulley 152a ; and 154 , a known numerical controller . fig2 is a block diagram of a controller 160 which comprises an input gate 161 , a counter 162 , a register 163 , a comparator 164 , and a control circuit 165 . the input gate 161 receives as its input an output from the rotary encoder 153 . the counter 162 counts the number of pulse trains sent from the rotary encoder 153 via the input gate 161 . the register 163 temporarily stores the counted result of the counter 162 . the comparator 164 makes a comparison between the counted result of the counter 162 and a set value . here , by the set value is meant a value corresponding to the length of a wire electrode 103 fed ( i . e ., the amount of feed ) from the feeding start and until the tip of the wire electrode 103 reaches an optimum position for the jetting of the working fluid . the comparator 164 delivers the result to the numerical controller 154 . the control circuit 165 sends a gate signal to the input gate 161 to open the gate . in addition , at the same time as the feeding of the wire electrode 103 is commenced , the control circuit 165 sends a reset signal to the counter 162 to set an initial state , and sends a latch signal to the register 163 to temporarily store the data . a description will be given hereinunder of the operation of supplying the wire electrode by the wire electrode supplying apparatus having the above - described configuration . at the start of the operation of inserting the wire electrode 103 , the numerical controller 154 sends a signal at a voltage v 1 to a feed motor 133 . the voltage v 1 is used to run the feed motor 133 so that the speed of feeding the wire electrode 103 becomes high , e . g ., 50 mm / sec . concurrently , the control circuit 165 issues a signal to the counter 162 to initialize it . the tip of the wire electrode 103 advanced downward through guide pipes 140 , 141 , passes through guide dies 108 , is introduced into an upper wire guide 106 , and reaches a first speed - changing point . since a short period of time is required for changing the rotational speed of the feed motor 133 to change the speed of feeding the wire electrode 103 , the first speed - changing point is set at a position above a dies guide 107 , located at a tip of the upper wire guide 106 , by a length of the wire electrode 103 fed during this period for changing the rotational speed . the arrival of the tip of the wire electrode 103 at the first speed - changing point is detected when the counter 162 of the controller 160 sends a signal representing its counted result to the numerical controller 154 , which in turn determines that the counted result coincides with a predetermined value n . at the first speed - changing point , the numerical controller 154 starts supplying a voltage v 2 , so that the rotational speed of the feed motor 133 is changed to one corresponding to the low speed of feeding the wire electrode 103 , e . g ., 5 mm / sec . accordingly , the tip of the wire electrode 103 passes through the dies guide 107 with the feeding speed set at low speed , and then reaches a second speed - change point . the second speed - changing point is set below the dies guide 107 by a distance which allows the controller 160 to effect a determination on the basis of its minimum resolution , or by a distance incorporating slight leeway . at the second speed - changing point , the numerical controller 154 sends the voltage v 1 , so that the rotational speed of the feed motor 133 is changed to high speed . after passing through the dies guide 107 , the tip of the wire electrode 103 passes a jet nozzle 110 . concurrently , the counter 162 is counting the number of pulse trains sent from the rotary encoder 153 in correspondence with the feeding of the wire electrode 103 . the arrival of the tip of the wire electrode 103 in the vicinity of an exit of the jet nozzle 110 is determined on the basis of the set value n stored in the counter 162 . that is , if the counted result of the counter 102 coincides with the set value n , which corresponds to a predetermined length of the wire electrode 103 fed from the feeding start and until the tip reaches the vicinity of the exit of the jet nozzle 110 , a signal representing the arrival is issued to the numerical controller 154 which makes the determination . subsequently , in response to this signal the numerical controller 154 sends a signal to an unillustrated working fluid supplying unit , instructing the supplying unit to start supplying a jet of working fluid . the working fluid then flows into a support member 105 via the working fluid introducing passage 113 , and the jet nozzle 110 receives the hydraulic pressure on its flange surface and is thereby pressed down . as a result , a sufficient gap is created between the opening of the jet nozzle 110 and the upper wire guide 106 , and the working fluid is jetted through the opening of the jet nozzle 110 so that it will advance straightforward to a far distance without being scattered . hence , the wire electrode 103 is conveyed to a wire electrode receiving - side wire guide section 120 while being constrained by the jet of working fluid . at the time of the spouting of the jet , it is most preferable for the tip of the wire electrode 103 to be located in the range between the lower end surface of the jet nozzle 110 and the vicinity of the lower end surface of a working fluid injection nozzle 112 with the jet nozzle 110 set at its lowermost limit . when the tip of the wire electrode 103 reaches a third speed - changing pint set above a lower wire guide 122 , the feeding speed is set to low speed , and when it reaches a fourth speed - changing point set below the lower wire guide 122 , the feeding speed is changed to high speed . the operation of these speed changes is similar to the operation for the first and second speed - changing points described above . since there is a slight time lag after the numerical controller 154 sends a signal to the working fluid supplying unit and until the working fluid is actually jetted , the set value of the aforementioned counter 162 is corrected by a value corresponding to the length of the wire electrode 103 fed during this time lag . it should be noted that although in the above - described arrangement the pulley 152a serves as the member which undergoes displacement in correspondence with the feeding of the wire electrode 103 , the displaying member may be either one of the other pulleys 152 , 152c , or any one of the brake pulley 151 , a pinch roller 134 , a capstan roller 132 , the feed motor 133 , and the wire supplying bobbin 150 , and by securing an encoder ( corresponding to the rotary encoder 153 in fig1 ) to any one of these members , it is possible to attain an object similar to that of the arrangement shown in fig1 . fig3 illustrates an arrangement of another embodiment in which a wire electrode 203 is fed by means of a pair of endless belts . a wire feed motor 233 is secured to a drive pulley 270 . guide pulleys 271a , 271b , 271c and tension pulleys 272a , 272b are mounted on a mounting plate 230 and apply appropriate tension to a pair of belts 274a , 274b via compression springs 273a , 273b . the compression springs 273a , 273b are mounted on the mounting plate 230 using spring accommodating blocks 275a , 275b disposed on the mounting plate 230 . in other words , the compression springs 273a , 273b are accommodated in holes provided in the spring accommodating blocks 275a , 275b . the wire electrode 203 is clamped by the belts 274a , 274b , and is fed as the belts 274a , 274b are rotated by the rotation of the feed motor 233 . an encoder 253 is connected to the feed motor 233 . as a member which undergoes displacement in correspondence with the feeding of the wire electrode 203 , it is possible to select any one of the drive pulley 270 , guide pulleys 271a , 271b , 271c , and tension pulleys 272a , 272b . in this case , the encoder 253 is secured to the selected member . although in the above - described embodiment the encoder serves as the means for detecting displacement , a resolver or the like may be used . an arrangement of an embodiment in which a detecting means using the encoder is illustrated in fig4 . in this embodiment , a pair of belts 380a , 380b , guide pulleys 381a , 381b , 381c , 381d , and tension pulleys 382a , 382b are mounted on a mounting plate 330 . the tension pulleys 382a , 382b are mounted on the mounting plate 330 via compression springs 383a , 383b accommodated in spring accommodating blocks 386a , 386c mounted on the mounting plate 330 . the belts 380a , 380b are adapted to rotate as a wire electrode 303 is fed . the belt 380a is coated with white paint 384 at equal intervals . a reflection type photosensor 385 is disposed in proximity to the belt 380a . accordingly , as the wire electrode 303 is fed , when the white paint 384 on the belt 380a passes by the vicinity of the reflection type photosensor 385 , a pulse signal is delivered from the reflection type photosensor 385 . as this pulse signal is counted by the controller , it is possible to detect the length of the wire electrode 303 fed . instead of using the white paint 384 and the reflection type photosensor 385 , it is possible to adopt a combination of a metal plate and a magnetic sensor , a combination of an optical sensor and small holes formed in the belt at equal intervals , or another similar combination . alternatively , a revolution sensor may be attached to either one of the pulleys 381a , 381b , or 381c , 381d between which the belt 380a or 380b is trained . although in the foregoing embodiments the speed of feeding the wire electrode is changed over in two stages , i . e ., between high speed and low speed , the speed change may be effected in a greater number of stages , depending on the relative weight of load acting on the wire electrode with respect to the direction of its feed . for instance , with reference to fig1 in a section between the cutting position of the wire electrode 103 and the first feed speed - changing point , pressing forces applied by the pinch roller 134 and the capstan roller 132 are merely transmitted to the wire electrode 103 . however , when the tip of the wire electrode 103 is located downwardly of the second feed speed - changing point , a hydraulic shearing force of the jet is applied to the tip , so that the wire electrode 103 is pulled downward . as a result , when the tip of the wire electrode 103 passes the lower wire guide 122 , the load applied to the wire electrode 103 entailed in its passage is alleviated as compared with the time when the tip passes through the upper wire guide 106 . accordingly , in the section between the cutting position of the wire electrode 103 and the first feed speed - changing point , the speed of feeding the wire electrode 103 may be set to a low speed , e . g ., 5 mm / sec ., while in the section between the third speed - changing point to the fourth speed - changing point , the feeding speed may be set to an intermediate speed , e . g ., 20 mm / sec . in effecting wire electric discharge machining , it is a general practice to change the distance between the upper and lower wire guides depending on the thickness of the workpiece and jigs . that is , in an ordinary wire electric discharge machine , the position of one of the two wire guides is changeable . in the embodiment shown in fig1 the mounting plate 130 is secured to an unillustrated movable shaft which is vertically slidable and can be secured an an arbitrary position . accordingly , since the distance between the second speed - changing point and the third speed - changing point can be changed from time to time , the distances from the cutting position of the wire electrode 103 to the third speed - changing point and to the fourth speed - changing point can also be changed . to cope with these changes , the distance between the upper and lower wire guides 106 and 122 is input in advance to the numerical controller 154 via a keyboard , an nc program or the like , and set values of the counter 162 are changed on the basis of the input values . at this time , the distance l 1 from the cutting position of the wire electrode 103 to the upper wire guide 106 is a value peculiar to the apparatus and is fixed , while the distance l 2 from the upper wire guide 106 to the lower wire guide 122 is a variable value corresponding to the aforementioned input value . if it is assumed that the third and fourth speed - changing points are set upwardly and downwardly of the lower wire guide 122 by a fixed distance , e . g ., l 3 , respectively , and that the length of the wire electrode 103 to be fed per unit pulse signal sent from the encoder 153 is d , a set value for determining the arrival at the third speed - changing point can be calculated as n 1 = l 1 + l 2 - l 3 , and a setting for determining the arrival at the fourth speed - changing point as n 4 = l 1 + l 2 + l 3 . in addition , a linear scale may be provided on the aforementioned movable shaft , and l 2 may be determined by reading a coordinate output signal from the linear scale . furthermore , if the movable shaft can be driven by a motor , l 2 may be similarly calculated on the basis of a signal from a revolution sensor , such as an encoder , attached to the motor . as described above , in accordance with the present invention , at the time when the wire electrode is fed , the speed of feeding the wire electrode is lowered immediately before the tip of the wire electrode is passed through at least either one of the feeding - side wire guide and the receiving - side wire guide , and the feeding speed is increased immediately after passage of tip of the wire electrode therethrough . accordingly , the duration of feeding the wire electrode can be reduced , thereby making it possible to supply the wire electrode efficiently . in addition , in accordance with the present invention , the arrangement is such that when the tip of the wire electrode fed has reached a predetermined position after passing through a tip of the jet nozzle , the working fluid is jetted to convey the wire electrode , and the wire electrode is thereby conveyed while being constrained and is introduced into the receiving - side wire guide section . hence , the operation of supplying the wire electrode can be carried out positively , and highly reliable operation can be effected .	1
referring more specifically to fig1 - 5 , the invention is there exemplified in an illustrative valve - in - head , reciprocating internal combustion engine 10 which may have one or more cylinders and , in this case , four in line , with associated pistons 13 . the engine 10 is capable of using a variety of hydrocarbon fuels . in this instance , it is powered by regular unleaded gasoline and operated through a conventional carburetor and ignition system . a novel low profile cylinder head 11 containing ca driven valve and combustion chamber means is superimposed upon conventional cylinder block 12 of the engine . each cylinder 14 has a cooperating increment 15 of the cylinder head 11 associated with it . for purposes of simplifying the description , reference will be made to that portion of the cylinder head associated with the foremost cylinder 14 , it being understood that the remaining head increments associated with the other cylinders will be substantially identical with the increment 15 . the latter comprises a well 16 through which camshaft 18 extends longitudinally of the cylinder head , being journaled in bearings 19 , 20 recessed in the front and rear walls of the well ( fig1 - 3 ). the camshaft 18 includes a pair of cams 21 , 22 which respectively operate a pair of valve trains 24 , 25 of identical construction . the rearmost valve train 24 operates intake valve 26 , while the foremost valve train 25 operates exhaust valve 28 ( fig2 ). in accordance with the present invention , each head increment 15 has a &# 34 ; thin &# 34 ; combustion chamber 29 which in the present instance extends perpendicular to the bottom face of the cylinder head 11 and also perpendicular to the axis of the crankshaft . its width is equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the cylinder 14 and its thickness may fall within the range of 10 - 15 % of the cylinder diameter . in one exemplary engine embodying the invention , the thickness of the combustion chamber may be on the order of 3 / 8 of an inch . a sparkplug 23 is situated at the top center or apex of the combustion chamber ( fig3 ). two header tubes 30 , 31 , one defining intake port 32 and the other exhaust port 33 , are mounted side by side in the wall 43 of the combustion chamber farthest from the camshaft . these header tubes have suitable watertight seals 30a , 31a at each end to preclude leakage of fluid coolant from the surrounding coolant jacket 35 and are retained in place by means of a manifold mounting plate ( not shown ). intake valve 26 and exhaust valve 28 of unique configuration are mounted on the opposite wall 43a of the combustion chamber in axial alignment with the intake and exhaust ports , respectively . the intake and exhaust valves 26 , 28 are of the poppet type and may be identical in construction . they differ materially from conventional poppet valves , however . each valve has a head 27 with a flattened oval contour on its outer face and a generally flat contour on its under face . it has a frustoconical sealing surface 36 located adjacent the peripheral edge on its outer face ( relative to the valve stem ) rather than on its opposite face as in a conventional internal combustion engine valve . the stem 34 of the valve includes a short neck 37 of double concave or spool shaped cross section adjacent the valve head , and a longer hollow tubular portion 40 of annular cross section adjoining the double concave neck portion 37 . two oil sealing rings 38 are situated on the valve stem 34 adjacent the spool shaped neck to preclude leakage of oil into the combustion chamber or leakage of gases out of the combustion chamber ( fig2 , 5 ). the annular portion 39 of the stem is perforated throughout a substantial part of its length and its intermediate tubular portion 40 is of slightly reduced outer diameter , all to facilitate abundant lubricating oil flow and cooling . pressurized oil is supplied to the valve by inlet port 53 in the valve guide sleeve . referring more specifically to fig2 and 3 , it will be noted that each poppet valve 26 , 28 is slidably mounted in a respective valve guide sleeve 41 , 42 for reciprocating travel transversely of the combustion chamber . each guide sleeve has a respective shoulder 44 , 45 and pressure seal 47 at its end adjoining the combustion chamber 29 , and a respective retainer nut 46 , 48 at its opposite end . as shown in fig2 the intake valve 26 is in closed position with its frustoconical sealing surface 36 pressed against the frustoconical intake port 32 of the intake header tube . the double concave neck 37 of intake valve 26 is thus positioned across the combustion chamber . the exhaust valve 28 is disposed with its head still in the combustion chamber , its neck 37 withdrawn into the valve guide sleeve 42 , but still in a full open position relative to the exhaust header tube 31 ( fig2 ). both valves 26 , 28 are opened by cams 21 , 22 on camshaft 18 journaled in the cylinder head and acting on a valve follower cage 49 against the pressure of the valve spring 50 . the follower cage is connected at its forward end to the end of the tubular portion 39 of the valve stem by means of a vertical pin 51 and a hexagonal shoe 52 . at its rearward end , the follower cage 49 has a hardened steel wear plate 54 , engageable by the cam , and a rearwardly extending dowel engaging tube 55 . the latter slidably engages a fixed dowel pin 56 secured in the valve spring retainer collar 58 fixed to the cylinder head 11 . optimum axial alignment of all reciprocating parts is thus maintained a each end of the valve train . it will be apparent from the foregoing that each valve is positively opened in properly timed relation by means of its associated cam . upon rotation of its cam 21 , 22 out of contact with the wear plate 54 , the valve will be permitted to close under the pressure of the valve spring 50 . each valve stem on the outside and inside surface , and each cam , cam follower cage , dowel tube and dowel pin is flooded with lubricating oil from a pressurized oil circulating system . referring further to fig4 it will be noted that upon the compression and power strokes of the piston both valves will be closed . during compression and upon ignition by the sparkplug 23 of the explosive charge in the combustion chamber 29 , each valve neck 37 will serve as a center of swirl . three paths of swirl will thus occur , one between each valve neck and the adjacent outer peripheral wall of the combustion chamber , and the third extending downwardly between the two valve necks . these respective swirls , plus the residual micro - turbulence from the compression &# 34 ; squish &# 34 ; action , will blend into complex a pattern of extremely high vorticity , and this will result in improved fuel - air mixing , improved combustion process , and greatly reduced emissions of co , hydrocarbons , and oxides of nitrogen . referring next to fig6 and 7 , there is shown a novel valve 60 of the poppet type which may be used in an internal combustion engine as an intake or an exhaust valve . the valve 60 comprises a hollow unitary stem 61 of generally cylindrical cross section with a stepped axial bore 62 running the full length of the stem . the stem 61 is mounted for reciprocation in bore 64 of annular valve guide sleeve 65 . the guide sleeve 65 is rigidly mounted in a relatively thick partition wall 66 formed in the cylinder head and has its left end face flush with the right hand wall 68 of the combustion chamber 69 ( as viewed in fig7 ). adjacent its left hand end , the valve stem 61 has a locating bore 70 slightly in excess of 1 / 2 inch in diameter and beyond the bore a threaded section 71 somewhat smaller in diameter ( fig6 a ). the bore 70 and threaded section 71 receive valve head retainer bolt 72 which centers the valve face 74 and secures it to the forward end of the valve stem 61 . the valve head 74 carries a small positioning pin 75 which fits into a corresponding pin bore 76 in the front face of the valve stem . this precludes any rotation of the valve head once the retainer bolt is tightened . the valve head 74 has a frustoconical sealing surface 77 on its periphery which sealingly engages the frustoconical sealing surface 32 or 33 of the opposed port , intake or exhaust , with which it coacts . externally , the valve stem 61 is formed with an integral pin carrier 78 of hexagonal shape situated at its right hand end as shown in fig6 and 7 . the pin carrier has a pair of diametrically opposed holes 79 extending vertically through its upper and lower faces for engagement by the connecting pin 51 of valve follower cage 63 . these latter two members and the valve train drives are substantially identical with those of the embodiment disclosed in fig1 - 5 above . to the left of the pin carrier 78 , the valve stem has a land section 80 with a diameter which slidably fits the bore 64 of the valve guide sleeve . to the left of the land section 80 is a recessed section 81 of slightly smaller diameter to facilitate the distribution of pressurized lubricating oil from the inlet port 82 . both the land section 80 and the recessed section 81 are formed with longitudinal , circumferentially spaced grooves 83 , which extend along both sections 80 , 81 . the land section 80 also includes longitudinal , circumferentially spaced grooves 84 which do not extend beyond the section 80 . all of these grooves provide augmented surface area to facilitate dissipation of heat from the valve . to the left of the recessed section 80 is another land 85 with a diameter which slidably fits the bore of the valve guide sleeve . this land includes a pair of shallow grooves which in this instance are approximately 0 . 0485 - 0 . 0495 inches in width , and approximately 0 . 1036 - 0 . 0990 inches in depth . these grooves accommodate a pair of oil sealing rings , 86 , 88 to preclude leakage of oil into the combustion chamber or escape of gases from the chamber . the foremost portion of the valve stem 61 between the valve head 74 and the land 85 is a neck 89 of double concave cross section ( fig6 a ). the neck 89 extends across the combustion chamber 69 when the valve 60 is closed and thereby augments the swirl pattern , fuel - air mixing , and combustion , greatly reducing emissions . turning now to fig8 - 14 , another novel valve 90 of the poppet type is there shown . this valve , like the others described earlier herein , may be used as an intake or an exhaust valve . the valve 90 has a hollow unitary stem 91 of generally cylindrical cross section with a stepped axial bore 92 extending from its rearward face to a point a short distance back from the shoulder 94 and hub 95 on which the valve head 96 is seated . the hub 95 has a small radially extending locating pin 98 and a threaded extension 99 of slightly smaller diameter . the valve head 96 has a bore 101 adapted to fit closely on the hub 95 and also includes a radial slot 102 which registers with the locating pin 98 . the valve head is precisely positioned axially against the shoulder 94 and centered radially upon the hub 95 . it is secured in that condition by means of nut 104 and lock washer 105 . the exterior of the valve stem 91 , starting to the rear of the valve head 96 , has a sealing ring 106 designed to prevent leakage of lubricating oil into the combustion chamber 108 or leakage of gases out of the combustion chamber . further toward the rear , the valve stem is formed with a peripheral recess 109 of double concave cross section and which relates to operation of the lubricating system . at the extreme rear , the valve stem includes an integral hexagonal portion 110 for engagement with a wrench when attaching or detaching the valve head 96 . the interior of the valve stem 91 , starting at the rear , includes a plain cylindrical bore 92 and a threaded bore 112 extending forwardly from the bore 92 . the bores 92 , 112 are adapted to receive a mating extension of a generally t - shaped pin carrier and valve adjuster 114 . the adjuster 114 is used to adjust the valve stem 91 and valve head 96 axially for proper engagement with the frustoconical sealing surfaces 115 of the valve head and 116 of the aligned header tube 118 . the adjuster 114 is also used to connect the valve stem 91 to the associated cam driven valve follower cage 119 by means of pin 120 . the valve 90 , including the valve stem 91 , is adapted for reciprocation in bore 121 of annular valve guide sleeve 122 . the valve guide sleeve has a generally cylindrical body with an enlarged shoulder portion 124 at one end . the guide sleeve 122 is rigidly mounted in an appropriate recess in partition wall 125 of the cylinder head with its enlarged shoulder portion flush with the right hand wall 126 of the combustion chamber 108 ( as viewed in fig9 ). pressurized lubricating oil is supplied to the valve guide sleeve 122 via a supply line 128 from a pump ( not shown ) on the engine . the supply line 128 connects directly with an internal line 129 in the valve sleeve which lubricates the valve stem 91 . in order to avoid build - up of an excessive amount of oil between the valve guide sleeve bore 121 and the valve stem 91 with possible leakage into the combustion chamber , the valve sleeve bore 121 is provided with three individual drain lines 130 , 131 , and 132 distributed over a 50 degree arc in the lower sector of the valve sleeve ( fig1 ). in combination with such arrangement , the medial portion of the valve stem 91 is formed with a necked down portion 109 of double concave cross section . referring to the three sequential views in fig1 , 12 and 13 , as the valve stem 91 reciprocates , it captures a substantial increment of oil in the necked down portion 109 and &# 34 ; pumps &# 34 ; it into the three drain lines 130 , 131 , and 132 in the lower segment of the guide sleeve this action enhances the circulation of lubricating oil around the valve stem and oil between the valve stem and the bore of the valve sleeve . installation or removal of any of the valves 26 , 28 , 60 or 90 may be accomplished quickly and easily without removing the cylinder head from the engine block . in the case of the valves 26 and 28 , removal may be effected by draining the cooling fluid from the coolant jacket of the cylinder head ; removing the connecting pins 51 from the valve follower cages 49 and right hand end of each valve ; removing the header tubes 30 and 31 ; and sliding the valves 26 , 28 out of their valve guide sleeves and through the header tube apertures ( fig2 ). installation of the valves 26 , 28 , or new valves , may be accomplished by reversal of the foregoing procedure . installation or removal of the valves 60 may be accomplished in a manner similar to the foregoing except that the valve guide sleeves 65 must be pushed to the left ; the header tubes 67 removed ; and the valves 60 and their guide sleeves 65 are slid out through the header tube apertures . installation of the valves 60 may be effected by reversal of the foregoing steps . installation or removal of the valves 90 may be done in a manner similar to the procedure for the valves 26 , 28 . in this instance , after the connecting pin 120 is removed from the cam follower cage and the pin carrier and valve adjusters 114 are unscrewed from their respective valve stems the removal procedure is similar to that for the valves 26 , 28 . installation of the valves 90 is accomplished by reversal of the foregoing steps . in a situation where the cylinder head is removed from the engine block and placed on a workbench , a different installation or removal procedure may be followed for the valves 60 and 90 which have detachable heads . in both of these cases , the camshaft is removed along with the valve follower cages 63 , 100 ; the valve heads 74 and 96 are unbolted from their respective valve stems ; and the valve stems are slid to the right and withdrawn from their valve guide sleeves . installation may be accomplished by reversal of this procedure .	5
the various features and methods of the invention will now be described in the context of a recommendation service , including two specific implementations thereof , that is used to recommend book titles , music titles , video titles , and other types of items to individual users of the amazon . com web site . as will be recognized to those skilled in the art , the disclosed methods can also be used to recommend other types of items , including non - physical items . by way of example and not limitation , the disclosed methods can also be used to recommend authors , artists , categories or groups of titles , web sites , chat groups , movies , television shows , downloadable content , restaurants , and other users . throughout the description , reference will be made to various implementation - specific details of the recommendation service , the amazon . com web site , and other recommendation services of the web site . these details are provided in order to fully illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention , and not to limit the scope of the invention . the scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims . the amazon . com web site includes functionality for allowing users to search , browse , and make purchases from an online catalog of several million book titles , music titles , video titles , and other types of items . using a shopping cart feature of the site , users can add and remove items to / from a personal shopping cart which is persistent over multiple sessions . ( as used herein , a “ shopping cart ” is a data structure and associated code which keeps track of items that have been selected by a user for possible purchase .) for example , a user can modify the contents of the shopping cart over a period of time , such as one week , and then proceed to a check out area of the site to purchase the shopping cart contents . the user can also create multiple shopping carts within a single account . for example , a user can set up separate shopping carts for work and home , or can set up separate shopping carts for each member of the user &# 39 ; s family . a preferred shopping cart scheme for allowing users to set up and use multiple shopping carts is disclosed in u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 104 , 942 , filed jun . 25 , 1998 , titled method and system for electronic commerce using multiple roles , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . the site also implements a variety of different recommendation services for recommending book titles , music titles , and / or video titles to users . one such service , known as bookmatcher ™, allows users to interactively rate individual books on a scale of 1 - 5 to create personal item ratings profiles , and applies collaborative filtering techniques to these profiles to generate personal recommendations . the bookmatcher service is described in detail in u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 040 , 171 filed mar . 17 , 1998 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . the site may also include associated services that allow users to rate other types of items , such as cds and videos . as described below , the ratings data collected by the bookmatcher service and similar services is optionally incorporated into the recommendation processes of the present invention . another type of service is a recommendation service which operates in accordance with the invention . the service (“ recommendation service ”) is preferably used to recommend book titles , music titles and / or videos titles to users , but could also be used in the context of the same web site to recommend other types of items , including authors , artists , and groups or categories of titles . briefly , given a unary listing of items that are “ known ” to be of interest to a user ( e . g ., a list of items purchased , rated , and / or viewed by the user ), the recommendation service generates a list of additional items (“ recommendations ”) that are predicted to be of interest to the user . ( as used herein , the term “ interest ” refers generally to a user &# 39 ; s liking of or affinity for an item ; the term “ known ” is used to distinguish items for which the user has implicitly or explicitly indicated some level of interest from items predicted by the recommendation service to be of interest .) the recommendations are generated using a table which maps items to lists of “ similar ” items (“ similar items lists ”), without the need for users to rate any items ( although ratings data may optionally be used ). for example , if there are three items that are known to be of interest to a particular user ( such as three items the user recently purchased ), the service may retrieve the similar items lists for these three items from the table , and appropriately combine these lists ( as described below ) to generate the recommendations . in accordance with one aspect of the invention , the mappings of items to similar items (“ item - to - item mappings ”) are generated periodically , such as once per week , from data which reflects the collective interests of the community of users . more specifically , the item - to - item mappings are generated by an off - line process which identifies correlations between known interests of users in particular items . for example , in the embodiment described in detail below , the mappings are generating by analyzing user purchase histories to identify correlations between purchases of particular items ( e . g ., items a and b are similar because a relatively large portion of the users that purchased item a also bought item b ). the item - to - item mappings could also reflect other types of similarities , including content - based similarities extracted by analyzing item descriptions or content . an important aspect of the recommendation service is that the relatively computation - intensive task of correlating item interests is performed off - line , and the results of this task ( item - to - item mappings ) are stored in a mapping structure for subsequent look - up . this enables the personal recommendations to be generated rapidly and efficiently ( such as in real - time in response to a request by the user ), without sacrificing breadth of analysis . in accordance with another aspect of the invention , the similar items lists read from the table are appropriately weighted ( prior to being combined ) based on indicia of the user &# 39 ; s affinity for or current interest in the corresponding items of known interest . for example , in one embodiment described below , if the item of known interest was previously rated by the user ( such as through use of the bookmatcher service ), the rating is used to weight the corresponding similar items list . similarly , the similar items list for a book that was purchased in the last week may be weighted more heavily than the similar items list for a book that was purchased four months ago . another feature of the invention involves using the current and / or recent contents of the user &# 39 ; s shopping cart as inputs to the recommendation service . for example , if the user currently has three items in his or her shopping cart , these three items can be treated as the items of known interest for purposes of generating recommendations , in which case the recommendations may be generated and displayed automatically when the user views the shopping cart contents . if the user has multiple shopping carts , the recommendations are preferably generated based on the contents of the shopping cart implicitly or explicitly designated by the user , such as the shopping cart currently being viewed . this method of generating recommendations can also be used within other types of recommendation systems , including content - based systems and systems that do not use item - to - item mappings . using the current and / or recent shopping cart contents as inputs tends to produce recommendations that are highly correlated to the current short - term interests of the user — even if these short term interests are not reflected by the user &# 39 ; s purchase history . for example , if the user is currently searching for a father &# 39 ; s day gift and has selected several books for prospective purchase , this method will have a tendency to identify other books that are well suited for the gift recipient . another feature of the invention involves generating recommendations that are specific to a particular shopping cart . this allows a user who has created multiple shopping carts to conveniently obtain recommendations that are specific to the role or purpose to the particular cart . for example , a user who has created a personal shopping cart for buying books for her children can designate this shopping cart to obtain recommendations of children &# 39 ; s books . in one embodiment of this feature , the recommendations are generated based solely upon the current contents of the shopping cart selected for display . in another embodiment , the user may designate one or more shopping carts to be used to generate the recommendations , and the service then uses the items that were purchased from these shopping carts as the items of known interest . as will be recognized by those skilled in the art , the above - described techniques for using shopping cart contents to generate recommendations can also be incorporated into other types of recommendation systems , including pure content - based systems . fig1 illustrates the basic components of the amazon . com web site 30 , including the components used to implement the recommendation service . the arrows in fig1 show the general flow of information that is used by the recommendation service . as illustrated by fig1 , the web site 30 includes a web server application 32 (“ web server ”) which processes http ( hypertext transfer protocol ) requests received over the internet from user computers 34 . the web server 34 accesses a database 36 of html ( hypertext markup language ) content which includes product information pages and other browsable information about the various products of the catalog . the “ items ” that are the subject of the recommendation service are the titles ( regardless of media format such as hardcover or paperback ) that are represented within this database 36 . the web site 30 also includes a “ user profiles ” database 38 which stores account - specific information about users of the site . because a group of individuals can share an account , a given “ user ” from the perspective of the web site may include multiple actual users . as illustrated by fig1 , the data stored for each user may include one or more of the following types of information ( among other things ) that can be used to generate recommendations in accordance with the invention : ( a ) the user &# 39 ; s purchase history , including dates of purchase , ( b ) the user &# 39 ; s item ratings profile ( if any ), ( c ) the current contents of the user &# 39 ; s personal shopping cart ( s ), and ( d ) a listing of items that were recently ( e . g ., within the last six months ) removed from the shopping cart ( s ) without being purchased (“ recent shopping cart contents ”). if a given user has multiple shopping carts , the purchase history for that user may include information about the particular shopping cart used to make each purchase ; preserving such information allows the recommendation service to be configured to generate recommendations that are specific to a particular shopping cart . as depicted by fig1 , the web server 32 communicates with various external components 40 of the site . these external components 40 include , for example , a search engine and associated database ( not shown ) for enabling users to interactively search the catalog for particular items . also included within the external components 40 are various order processing modules ( not shown ) for accepting and processing orders , and for updating the purchase histories of the users . the external components 40 also include a shopping cart process ( not shown ) which adds and removes items from the users &# 39 ; personal shopping carts based on the actions of the respective users . ( the term “ process ” is used herein to refer generally to one or more code modules that are executed by a computer system to perform a particular task or set of related tasks .) in one embodiment , the shopping cart process periodically “ prunes ” the personal shopping cart listings of items that are deemed to be dormant , such as items that have not been purchased or viewed by the particular user for a predetermined period of time ( e . g . two weeks ). the shopping cart process also preferably generates and maintains the user - specific listings of recent shopping cart contents . the external components 40 also include recommendation service components 44 that are used to implement the site &# 39 ; s various recommendation services . recommendations generated by the recommendation services are returned to the web server 32 , which incorporates the recommendations into personalized web pages transmitted to users . the recommendation service components 44 include a bookmatcher application 50 which implements the above - described bookmatcher service . users of the bookmatcher service are provided the opportunity to rate individual book titles from a list of popular titles . the book titles are rated according to the following scale : users can also rate book titles during ordinary browsing of the site . as depicted in fig1 , the bookmatcher application 50 records the ratings within the user &# 39 ; s items rating profile . for example , if a user of the bookmatcher service gives the book into thin air a score of “ 5 ,” the bookmatcher application 50 would record the item ( by isbn or other identifier ) and the score within the user &# 39 ; s item ratings profile . the bookmatcher application 50 uses the users &# 39 ; item ratings profiles to generate personal recommendations , which can be requested by the user by selecting an appropriate hyperlink . as described in detail below , the item ratings profiles are also used by an “ instant recommendations ” implementation of the recommendation service . the recommendation services components 44 also include a recommendation process 52 , a similar items table 60 , and an off - line table generation process 66 , which collectively implement the recommendation service . as depicted by the arrows in fig1 , the recommendation process 52 generates personal recommendations based on information stored within the similar items table 60 , and based on the items that are known to be of interest (“ items of known interest ”) to the particular user . in the embodiments described in detail below , the items of known interest are identified based on information stored in the user &# 39 ; s profile , such as by selecting all items purchased by the user or all items in the user &# 39 ; s shopping cart . in other embodiments of the invention , other types of methods or sources of information could be used to identify the items of known interest . for example , in a service used to recommend web sites , the items ( web sites ) known to be of interest to a user could be identified by parsing a web server access log and / or by extracting urls from the “ favorite places ” list of the user &# 39 ; s web browser . in a service used to recommend restaurants , the items ( restaurants ) of known interest could be identified by parsing the user &# 39 ; s credit card records to identify restaurants that were visited more than once . the various processes 50 , 52 , 66 of the recommendation services may run , for example , on one or more unix or nt based workstations or physical servers ( not shown ) of the web site 30 . the similar items table 60 is preferably stored as a b - tree data structure to permit efficient look - up , and may be replicated across multiple machines ( together with the associated code of the recommendation process 52 ) to accommodate heavy loads . the general form and content of the similar items table 60 will now be described with reference to fig1 . as this table can take on many alternative forms , the details of the table are intended to illustrate , and not limit , the scope of the invention . as indicated above , the similar items table 60 maps items to lists of similar items based at least upon the collective interests of the community of users . the similar items table 60 is preferably generated periodically ( e . g ., once per week ) by the off - line table generation process 66 . the table generation process 66 generates the table 60 from data that reflects the collective interests of the community of users . in the embodiment described in detail herein , the similar items table is generated exclusively from the purchase histories of the community of users ( as depicted in fig1 ). in other embodiments , the table 60 may additionally or alternatively be generated from other indicia of user - item interests , including indicia based on users viewing activities , shopping cart activities , and item rating profiles . for example , the table 60 could be built exclusively from the present and / or recent shopping cart contents of users . the similar items table 60 could also reflect non - collaborative type item similarities , including content - based similarities derived by comparing item contents or descriptions . each entry in the similar items table 60 is preferably in the form of a mapping of a popular item 62 to a corresponding list 64 of similar items (“ similar items lists ”). as used herein , a “ popular ” item is an item which satisfies some pre - specified popularity criteria . for example , in the embodiment described herein , an item is treated as popular of it has been purchased by more than 30 customers during the life of the web site . using this criteria produces a set of popular items ( and thus a recommendation service ) which grows over time . the similar items list 64 for a given popular item 62 may include other popular items . in other embodiments involving sales of products , the table 60 may include entries for most or all of the products of the online merchant , rather than just the popular items . in the embodiment described herein , several different types of items ( books , cds , videos , etc .) are reflected within the same table 60 , although separate tables could alternatively be generated for each type of item . each similar items list 64 consists of the n ( e . g ., 20 ) items which , based on correlations between purchases of items , are deemed to be the most closely related to the respective popular item 62 . each item in the similar items list 64 is stored together with a commonality index (“ ci ”) value which indicates the relatedness of that item to the popular item 62 , based on sales of the respective items . a relatively high commonality index for a pair of items item a and item b indicates that a relatively large percentage of users who bought item a also bought item b ( and vice versa ). a relatively low commonality index for item a and item b indicates that a relatively small percentage of the users who bought item a also bought item b ( and vice versa ). as described below , the similar items lists are generated , for each popular item , by selecting the n other items that have the highest commonality index values . using this method , item a may be included in item b &# 39 ; s similar items list even though item b in not present in item a &# 39 ; s similar items list . in the embodiment depicted by fig1 , the items are represented within the similar items table 60 using product ids , such as isbns or other identifiers . alternatively , the items could be represented within the table by title id , where each title id corresponds to a given “ work ” regardless of its media format . in either case , different items which correspond to the same work , such as the hardcover and paperback versions of a given book or the vcr cassette and dvd versions of a given video , are preferably treated as a unit for purposes of generating recommendations . although the recommendable items in the described system are in the form of book titles , music titles and videos titles , it will be appreciated that the underlying methods and data structures can be used to recommend a wide range of other types of items . for example , in the system depicted by fig1 , the recommendation service could also be used to recommend authors , artists , and categorizations or groups of works . the general sequence of steps that are performed by the recommendation process 52 to generate a set of personal recommendations will now be described with reference to fig2 . this process , and the more specific implementations of the process depicted by fig5 and 7 ( described below ), are intended to illustrate , and not limit , the scope of the invention . the fig2 process is preferably invoked in real - time in response to an online action of the user . for example , in an instant recommendations implementation ( fig5 and 6 ) of the service , the recommendations are generated and displayed in real - time ( based on the user &# 39 ; s purchase history and / or item ratings profile ) in response to selection by the user of a corresponding hyperlink , such as a hyperlink which reads “ instant book recommendations ” or “ instant music recommendations .” in a shopping cart based implementation ( fig7 ), the recommendations are generated ( based on the user &# 39 ; s current and / or recent shopping cart contents ) in real - time when the user initiates a display of a shopping cart , and are displayed on the same web page as the shopping cart contents . the instant recommendations and shopping cart based embodiments are described separately below under corresponding headings . any of a variety of other methods can be used to initiate the recommendations generation process and to display the recommendations to the user . for example , the recommendations can automatically be generated periodically and sent to the user by e - mail , in which case the e - mail listing may contain hyperlinks to the product information pages of the recommended items . further , the personal recommendations could be generated in advance of any request or action by the user , and cached by the web site 30 until requested . as illustrated by fig2 , the first step ( step 80 ) of the recommendations - generation process involves identifying a set of items that are of known interest to the user . the “ knowledge ” of the user &# 39 ; s interest can be based on explicit indications of interest ( e . g ., the user rated the item highly ) or implicit indications of interest ( e . g ., the user added the item to a shopping cart ). items that are not “ popular items ” within the similar items table 60 can optionally be ignored during this step . in the embodiment depicted in fig1 , the items of known interest are selected from one or more of the following groups : ( a ) items in the user &# 39 ; s purchase history ( optionally limited to those items purchased from a particular shopping cart ); ( b ) items in the user &# 39 ; s shopping cart ( or a particular shopping cart designated by the user ), ( c ) items rated by the user ( optionally with a score that exceeds a certain threshold , such as two ), and ( d ) items in the “ recent shopping cart contents ” list associated with a given user or shopping cart . in other embodiments , the items of known interest may additionally or alternatively be selected based on the viewing activities of the user . for example , the recommendations process 52 could select items that were viewed by the user for an extended period of time and / or viewed more than once . further , the user could be prompted to select items of interest from a list of popular items . for each item of known interest , the service retrieves the corresponding similar items list 64 from the similar items table 60 ( step 82 ), if such a list exists . if no entries exist in the table 60 for any of the items of known interest , the process 52 may be terminated ; alternatively , the process could attempt to identify additional items of interest , such as by accessing other sources of interest information . in step 84 , the similar items lists 64 are optionally weighted based on information about the user &# 39 ; s affinity for the corresponding items of known interest . for example , a similar items list 64 may be weighted heavily if the user gave the corresponding popular item a rating of “ 5 ” on a scale or 1 - 5 , or if the user purchased multiple copies of the item . weighting a similar items list 64 heavily has the effect of increasing the likelihood that the items in that list we be included in the recommendations that are ultimately presented to the user . in one implementation described below , the user is presumed to have a greater affinity for recently purchased items over earlier purchased items . the similar items lists 64 are preferably weighted by multiplying the commonality index values of the list by a weighting value . the commonality index values as weighted by any applicable weighting value are referred to herein as “ scores .” in other embodiments , the recommendations may be generated without weighting the similar items lists 64 . if multiple similar items lists 64 are retrieved in step 82 , the lists are appropriately combined ( step 86 ), such as by merging the lists while summing the scores of like items . the resulting list is then sorted ( step 88 ) in order of highest - to - lowest score . in step 90 , the sorted list is filtered to remove unwanted items . the items removed during the filtering process may include , for example , items that have already been purchased or rated by the user , and items that fall outside any product group ( such as music or books ), product category ( such as non - fiction ), or content rating ( such as pg or adult ) designated by the user . the filtering step could alternatively be performed at a different stage of the process , such as during the retrieval of the similar items lists from the table 60 . the result of step 90 is a list (“ recommendations list ”) of other items to be recommended to the user . in step 92 , one or more additional items are optionally added to the recommendations list . in one embodiment , the items added in step 92 are selected from the set of items ( if any ) in the user &# 39 ; s “ recent shopping cart contents ” list . as an important benefit of this step , the recommendations include one or more items that the user previously considered purchasing but did not purchase . the items added in step 92 may additionally or alternatively be selected using another recommendations method , such as a content - based method . finally , in step 94 , a list of the top m ( e . g ., 15 ) items of the recommendations list are returned to the web server 32 ( fig1 ). the web server incorporates this list into one or more web pages that are returned to the user , with each recommended item being presented as a hypertextual link to the item &# 39 ; s product information page . the recommendations may alternatively be conveyed to the user by email , facsimile , or other transmission method . further , the recommendations could be presented as advertisements for the recommended items . iv . generation of similar items table ( fig3 and 4 ) the table - generation process 66 is preferably executed periodically ( e . g ., once a week ) to generate a similar items table 60 that reflects the most recent purchase history data . the recommendation process 52 uses the most recently generated version of the table 60 to generate recommendations . fig3 illustrates the sequence of steps that are performed by the table generation process 66 to build the similar items table 60 . the general form of temporary data structures that are generated during the process are shown at the right of the drawing . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , any of a variety of alternative methods could be used to generate the table 60 . as depicted by fig3 , the process initially retrieves the purchase histories for all customers ( step 100 ). each purchase history is in the general form of the user id of a customer together with a list of the product ids ( isbns , etc .) of the items ( books , cds , videos , etc .) purchased by that customer . in embodiments which support multiple shopping carts within a given account , each shopping cart could be treated as a separate customer for purposes of generating the table . for example , if a given user ( or group of users that share an account ) purchased items from two different shopping carts within the same account , these purchases could be treated as the purchases of separate users . the product ids may be converted to title ids during this process , or when the table 60 is later used to generate recommendations , so that different versions of an item ( e . g ., hardcover and paperback ) are represented as a single item . this may be accomplished , for example , by using a separate database which maps product ids to title ids . to generate a similar items table that strongly reflects the current tastes of the community , the purchase histories retrieved in step 100 can be limited to a specific time period , such as the last six months . in steps 102 and 104 , the process generates two temporary tables 102 a and 104 a . the first table 102 a maps individual customers to the items they purchased . the second table 104 a maps items to the customers that purchased such items . to avoid the effects of “ ballot stuffing ,” multiple copies of the same item purchased by a single customer are represented with a single table entry . for example , even if a single customer purchased 4000 copies of one book , the customer will be treated as having purchased only a single copy . in addition , items that were sold to an insignificant number ( e . g ., & lt ; 15 ) of customers are preferably omitted or deleted from the tables 102 a , 104 b . in step 106 , the process identifies the items that constitute “ popular ” items . this may be accomplished , for example , by selecting from the item - to - customers table 104 a those items that were purchased by more than a threshold number ( e . g ., 30 ) of customers . in the context of the amazon . com web site , to resulting set of popular items may contain hundreds of thousands or millions of items . in step 108 , the process counts , for each ( popular_item , other_item ) pair , the number of customers that are in common . a pseudocode sequence for performing this step is listed in table 1 . the result of step 108 is a table that indicates , for each ( popular_item , other_item ) pair , the number of customers the two have in common . for example , in the hypothetical table 108 a of fig3 , popular_a and item_b have seventy customers in common , indicating that seventy customers bought both items . in step 110 , the process generates the commonality indexes for each ( popular_item , other_item ) pair in the table 108 a . as indicated above , the commonality index ( ci ) values are measures of the similarity between two items , with larger ci values indicating greater degrees of similarity . the commonality indexes are preferably generated such that , for a given popular_item , the respective commonality indexes of the corresponding other_items take into consideration both ( a ) the number of customers that are common to both items , and ( b ) the total number of customers of the other_item . a preferred method for generating the commonality index values is set forth in the equation below , in which n a represents the number of customers of item_a , n b represents the number of customers of item_b , and n common represents the number of customers of item_a and item_b . ci ⁡ ( item_a , item_b ) = n common n a × n b fig4 illustrates this method in example form . in the fig4 example , item_p ( a popular item ) has two “ other items ,” item_x and item_y . item_p has been purchased by 300 customers , item_x by 300 customers , and item_y by 30 , 000 customers . in addition , item_p and item_x have 20 customers in common , and item_p and item_y have 25 customers in common . applying the equation above to the values shown in fig4 produces the following results : thus , even though items p and y have more customers in common than items p and x , items p and x are treated as being more similar than items p and y . this result desirably reflects the fact that the percentage of item_x customers that bought item_p ( 6 . 7 %) is much greater than the percentage of item_y customers that bought item_p ( 0 . 08 %). because this equation is symmetrical ( i . e ., ci ( item_a , item_b )= ci ( item_b , item_a )), it is not necessary to separately calculate the ci value for every location in the table 108 a . in other embodiments , an asymmetrical method may be used to generate the ci values . for example , the ci value for a ( popular_item , other_item ) pair could be generated as ( customers of popular_item and other_item )/( customers of other_item ). following step 110 of fig3 , each popular item has a respective “ other items ” list which includes all of the other_items from the table 108 a and their associated ci values . in step 112 , each other_items list is sorted from highest - to - lowest commonality index . using the fig4 values as an example , item_x would be positioned closer to the top of the item_b &# 39 ; s list than item_y , since 0 . 014907 & gt ; 0 . 001643 . in step 114 , the sorted other_items lists are filtered by deleting all list entries that have fewer than 3 customers in common . for example , in the other_items list for popular_a in table 108 a , item_a would be deleted since popular_a and item_a have only two customers in common . deleting such entries tends to reduce statistically poor correlations between item sales . in step 116 , the sorted other_items lists are truncated to length n to generate the similar items lists , and the similar items lists are stored in a b - tree table structure for efficient look - up as indicated above , any of a variety of other methods for evaluating similarities between items could be incorporated into the table generation process 66 . for example , the table generation process could compare item contents and / or use previously - assigned product categorizations as additional indicators of item similarities . an important benefit of the fig3 method , however , is that the items need not contain any content that is amenable to feature extraction techniques , and need not be pre - assigned to any categories . for example , the method can be used to generate a similar items table given nothing more than the product ids of a set of products and user purchase histories with respect to these products . another important benefit of the recommendation service is that the bulk of the processing ( the generation of the similar items table 60 ) is performed by an off - line process . once this table has been generated , personalized recommendations can be generated rapidly and efficiently , without sacrificing breadth of analysis . a specific implementation of the recommendation service , referred to herein as the instant recommendations service , will now be described with reference to fig5 and 6 . as indicated above , the instant recommendations service is invoked by the user by selecting a corresponding hyperlink from a web page . for example , the user may select an “ instant book recommendations ” or similar hyperlink to obtain a listing of recommended book titles , or may select a “ instant music recommendations ” or “ instant video recommendations ” hyperlink to obtain a listing of recommended music or video titles . as described below , the user can also request that the recommendations be limited to a particular item category , such as “ non - fiction ,” “ jazz ” or “ comedies .” the instant recommendations service generates the recommendations based exclusively on the purchase history and any item ratings profile of the particular user . the service becomes available to the user ( i . e ., the appropriate hyperlink is presented to the user ) once the user has purchased and / or rated a threshold number ( e . g . three ) of popular items within the corresponding product group . if the user has established multiple shopping carts , the user may also be presented the option of designating a particular shopping cart to be used in generating the recommendations . fig5 illustrates the sequence of steps that are performed by the instant recommendations service to generate personal recommendations . steps 180 - 194 in fig5 correspond , respectively , to steps 80 - 94 in fig2 . in step 180 , the process 52 identifies all popular items that have been purchased by the user ( from a particular shopping cart , if designated ) or rated by the user , within the last six months . in step 182 , the process retrieves the similar items lists 64 for these popular items from the similar items table 60 . in step 184 , the process 52 weights each similar items list based on the duration since the associated popular item was purchased by the user ( with recently - purchased items weighted more heavily ), or if the popular item was not purchased , the rating given to the popular item by the user . the formula used to generate the weight values to apply to each similar items list is listed in c in table 2 . in this formula , “ is_purchased ” is a boolean variable which indicates whether the popular item was purchased , “ rating ” is the rating value ( 1 - 5 ), if any , assigned to the popular item by the user , “ order_date ” is the date / time ( measured in seconds since 1970 ) the popular item was purchased , “ now ” is the current date / time ( measured in seconds since 1970 ), and “ 6 months ” is six months in seconds . in line 1 of the formula , if the popular item was purchased , the value “ 5 ” ( the maximum possible rating value ) is selected ; otherwise , the user &# 39 ; s rating of the item is selected . the selected value ( which may range from 1 - 5 ) is then multiplied by 2 , and 5 is subtracted from the result . the value calculated in line 1 thus ranges from a minimum of − 3 ( if the item was rated a “ 1 ”) to a maximum of 5 ( if the item was purchased or was rated a “ 5 ”). the value calculated in line 1 is multiplied by the value calculated in lines 2 and 3 , which can range from a minimum of 1 ( if the item was either not purchased or was purchased at least six months ago ) to a maximum of 2 ( if order_date = now ). thus , the weight can range from a minimum of − 6 to a maximum of 10 . weights of zero and below indicate that the user rated the item a “ 2 ” or below . weights higher than 5 indicate that the user actually purchased the item ( although a weight of 5 or less is possible even if the item was purchased ), with higher values indicating more recent purchases . the similar items lists 64 are weighted in step 184 by multiplying the ci values of the list by the corresponding weight value . for example , if the weight value for a given popular item is ten , and the similar items list 64 for the popular item is the numerical values in the weighted similar items lists are referred to as “ scores .” in step 186 , the weighted similar items lists are merged ( if multiple lists exist ) to form a single list . during this step , the scores of like items are summed . for example , if a given other_item appears in three different similar items lists 64 , the three scores ( including any negative scores ) are summed to produce a composite score . in step 188 , the resulting list is sorted from highest - to - lowest score . the effect of the sorting operation is to place the most relevant items at the top of the list . in step 190 , the list is filtered by deleting any items that ( 1 ) have already been purchased or rated by the user , ( 2 ) have a negative score , or ( 3 ) do not fall within the designated product group ( e . g ., books ) or category ( e . g ., “ science fiction ,” or “ jazz ”). in step 192 one or more items are optionally selected from the recent shopping cart contents list ( if such a list exists ) for the user , excluding items that have been rated by the user or which fall outside the designated product group or category . the selected items , if any , are inserted at randomly - selected locations within the top m ( e . g ., 15 ) positions in the recommendations list . finally , in step 194 , the top m items from the recommendations list are returned to the web server 32 , which incorporates these recommendations into one or more web pages . the general form of such a web page is shown in fig6 , which lists five recommended items . from this page , the user can select a link associated with one of the recommended items to view the product information page for that item . in addition , the user can select a “ more recommendations ” button 200 to view additional items from the list of m items . further , the user can select a “ refine your recommendations ” link to rate or indicate ownership of the recommended items . indicating ownership of an item causes the item to be added to the user &# 39 ; s purchase history listing . the user can also select a specific category such as “ non - fiction ” or “ romance ” from a drop - down menu 202 to request category - specific recommendations . designating a specific category causes items in all other categories to be filtered out in step 190 ( fig5 ). another specific implementation of the recommendation service , referred to herein as shopping cart recommendations , will now be described with reference to fig7 . the shopping cart recommendations service is preferably invoked automatically when the user displays the contents of a shopping cart that contains more than a threshold number ( e . g ., 1 ) of popular items . the service generates the recommendations based exclusively on the current contents of the shopping cart . as a result , the recommendations tend to be highly correlated to the user &# 39 ; s current shopping interests . in other implementations , the recommendations may also be based on other items that are deemed to be of current interest to the user , such as items in the recent shopping cart contents of the user and / or items recently viewed by the user . further , other indications of the user &# 39 ; s current shopping interests could be incorporated into the process . for example , any search terms typed into the site &# 39 ; s search engine during the user &# 39 ; s browsing session could be captured and used to perform content - based filtering of the recommended items list . fig7 illustrates the sequence of steps that are performed by the shopping cart recommendations service to generate a set of shopping - cart - based recommendations . in step 282 , the similar items list for each popular item in the shopping cart is retrieved from the similar items table 60 . the similar items list for one or more additional items that are deemed to be of current interest could also be retrieved during this step , such as the list for an item recently deleted from the shopping cart or recently viewed for an extended period of time . in step 286 , these similar items lists are merged while summing the commonality index ( ci ) values of like items . in step 288 , the resulting list is sorted from highest - to - lowest score . in step 290 , the list is filtered to remove any items that exist in the shopping cart or have been purchased or rated by the user . finally , in step 294 , the top m ( e . g ., 5 ) items of the list are returned as recommendations . the recommendations are preferably presented to the user on the same web page ( not shown ) as the shopping cart contents . if the user has defined multiple shopping carts , the recommendations generated by the fig7 process may be based solely on the contents of the shopping cart currently selected for display . as described above , this allows the user to obtain recommendations that correspond to the role or purpose of a particular shopping cart ( e . g ., work versus home ). the various uses of shopping cart contents to generate recommendations as described above can be applied to other types of recommendation systems , including content - based systems . for example , the current and / or past contents of a shopping cart can be used to generate recommendations in a system in which mappings of items to lists of similar items are generated from a computer - based comparison of item contents . methods for performing content - based similarity analyses of items are well known in the art , and are therefore not described herein . although this invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments , other embodiments that are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are also within the scope of this invention . for example , although the embodiments described herein employ item lists , other programming methods for keeping track of and combining sets of similar items can be used . accordingly , the scope of the present invention is intended to be defined only by reference to the appended claims . in the claims which follow , reference characters used to denote process steps are provided for convenience of description only , and not to imply a particular order for performing the steps .	6
an extended keyboard modified from the keyboard in fig1 a is illustrated in fig2 a . a voltage line , vcc , which is connected to a voltage source , is incorporated to form a new row . a ground line , vss , which is connected to ground , is incorporated to form a new column . therefore , eight input keys are added to the keyboard , a1 to a4 and b1 to b4 . or , in other words , the new keyboard has eight keys more than the original keyboard shown in fig1 a . fig3 shows a first embodiment of a keyboard scanning circuit for operating with the extended keyboard shown in fig2 a according to the present invention . the scanning circuit includes a scanning circuit 1 for scanning the status of the keys on the keyboard , memory devices 2 coupled to the scanning circuit 1 for storing the status of the keys , and two extended line detectors 3 and 4 connected to the memory devices 2 for detecting the extended keys ( b1 - b4 ) on the voltage line ( vcc ) or the extended keys ( a1 - a4 ) on the ground line ( vss ). the circuit is controlled by control clocks s1 , s2 , s3 and s4 as shown in fig4 which are generated by a clock generator ( not shown ). the scanning circuit 1 mainly consists of a flip - flop 11 , a plurality of pmos transistors 12 and 13 , a plurality of nmos transistors 14 and 15 , a plurality of resistors 16 and 17 , and three logic gates 18 , 19 , and 111 as shown in fig3 . the flip - flop 11 has two inputs connected to clocks s1 and s3 respectively , and two outputs k1 and k2 . four pmos transistors 12 , each serially coupled with a resistor 16 , are respectively coupled between the row ports r1 to r4 and the voltage source vcc , with their gate electrodes connected to k1 . four pmos transistors 13 are respectively coupled between four row ports r1 to r4 and the voltage source vcc directly , with their gate electrodes connected to k2 . and gate 18 has four inputs connected to four row ports r1 to r4 respectively , with its output connected to one of the input of nand gate 111 . in a similar way , with some differences , four nmos transistors 14 are respectively coupled between four column ports c1 to c4 and the ground vss directly , with their gate electrodes connected to k2 . four nmos transistors 15 , each serially coupled with a resistor 17 , are respectively coupled between the column ports c1 to c4 and the ground vss , with their gate electrodes connected to k1 . nor gate 19 has four inputs connected to the column ports respectively , with its output connected to one of the inputs of nand gate 111 . the memory devices 2 comprises a plurality of latches , which are well known by those skilled in the art . latches 20a to 20d are respectively connected to the row ports r1 to r4 and driven by clock s2 , with their inverted output being connected to the row lines qr1 to qr4 which indicate the row in which a key is pressed . latches 30a to 30d are respectively connected to the column ports c1 to c4 and driven by clock s4 , with their non - inverted outputs being connected to the column lines qc1 to qc4 which indicate the column in which a key is pressed . latch 10 is used to detect whether there is any key pressed down . the output of the nand gate 111 is connected to the latch 10 . the clock input of the latch 10 is connected to k2 . if any key has been pressed in a scanning sequence , the output of the nand gate 111 will go high , and it is stored in latch 10 . the non - inverted output of the latch 10 is connected to akd ( any key down ). extended line detectors 3 and 4 are both nor gates . the inputs of the nor gate 3 are connected to the outputs of latches 20a to 20d . the output of the nor gate 3 is connected to qr5 . therefore , if no high level occurs on qr1 to qr4 , the output of the nor gate 3 , i . e . qr5 , will go high . the inputs of the nor gate 4 are connected to the outputs of latches 30a to 30d . the output of the nor gate 4 is connected to qc5 . therefore , if no high level occurs on qc1 to qc4 , the output of the nor gate 4 , i . e . qc5 , will go high . at the beginning of a scan , clock s1 is at a high level and clock s3 is at a low level , so that k1 is low and k2 is high . pmos transistors 12 and nmos transistor 14 are on . pmos transistors 13 and nmos transistors 15 are off . row ports r1 to r4 are set to high level with high impedance , and column ports c1 to c4 are set to low level with low impedance . if any key is pressed down , one of the row ports r1 to r4 will go to a low level , unless the key is in the vcc row of fig2 a . when clock s2 is at a high level , the status of the row ports is stored into latches 20a to 20d . the particular row which goes low corresponds to the row in which the key is pressed , and the corresponding output , i . e . one of qr1 to qr4 , will become high . if the key in the vcc row is pressed , then qr1 to qr4 all stay low and qr5 goes to a high level . when clock s3 is at a high level and clock s1 is at a low level , k1 will be high and k2 is low . then pmos transistors 12 and nmos transistor 14 are off , and pmos transistors 13 and nmos transistors 15 are on . row ports r1 to r4 are set to high level with low impedance , and column ports c1 to c4 are set to low level with high impedance . if the key is still pressed down , one of the column ports c1 to c4 will go to a high level , unless the key is in the vss column . when clock s4 is at a high level , the status of the row ports is stored into latches 30a to 30d . the particular column which goes high corresponds to the column in which the key is pressed , and the corresponding output , i . e . one of qc1 to qc4 , will become high . if the key in the vss column is pressed , then qc1 to qc4 all stay low and qc5 goes to a high level . as shown in fig4 clocks s1 to s4 will repeatedly cause the circuit to scan the keyboard . if a key is pressed for a period of time , the state of the row and column ports will decode the position of the key on row lines qr1 to qr5 and column lines qc1 to qc5 , where qr5 represents the keys on the vcc line , and qc5 represents the keys on the vss line . the row lines and column line corresponding to the pressed key will become high level , others will remain low level . akd ( any key down ) line will become high if any key is pressed . it should be noted that logic gates 18 , 19 and 111 , and latch 10 can be omitted when akd is not needed . it should also be noted that the scanning circuit 1 can be easily be modified to use nmos transistors on row ports and pmos transistors on column ports , by exchanging the pmos transistors 12 and 13 with nmos transistors 14 and 15 , and exchanging k1 and k2 at the same time . a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in fig5 . the circuit of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment , except that the row ports and column ports are exchanged . the second embodiment is used to incorporate with another extended keyboard shown in fig2 b . the extended keyboard shown in fig2 b is different from that shown in fig2 a only in that the voltage line vcc and ground line vss are exchanged . the circuit is controlled by control clocks s1 , s2 , s3 and s4 as shown in fig6 which are same as the clocks shown in fig4 . the function of the circuit should now be readily apparent to those skilled in the art since it is so similar to that of the first embodiment . while the invention has been described by way of an example and in terms of several preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiment . on the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims , the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures .	7
the illustration in the drawing is schematically . in different drawings , similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs . in the following an authentication method 100 based on a zero knowledge proof of knowledge protocol according to an exemplary embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to the flow chart of fig1 . in a first step 101 a manufacturer defines a primary base point g of a mathematical group g , e . g . on an elliptic curve . in a next step 102 a private key x is chosen for every security token a having a serial number id . afterwards a public key y is calculated 103 according g ′= g id and y = g ′ x , wherein g ′ represents a secondary base point which is unique for every security token , since id is unique for every security token . then the serial number id , the public key y and a certificate for y is stored on the security token 104 . the certificate may be issued for example by the security token &# 39 ; s manufacturer or any other trusted third party in the authentication system . for authentication the security token a sends its serial number id , its public key y and the certificate to a reader b 105 . the reader b verifies the certificate 106 and in case of a valid certificate b computes g ′= g id 107 as the base point for the following protocol . in case the certificate is not valid the authentication method aborts 113 . furthermore , a chooses a number r , computes g ′ r and sends the results to the reader b 108 . after receiving the result of g ′ r b randomly chooses a challenge c and sends the challenge c to the security token a 109 . then a computes wherein n is the order of the mathematical group g , and sends resp to b 110 . in a next step b verifies the response resp by checking whether g ′ resp equals g ′ r · y c 111 . in case the verification is positive the security token a is authentic 112 . in case the verification is not positive the security token a is not authentic 113 . an algorithm according to an exemplary embodiment may be used in every system where a serial number infrastructure exists and a strong cryptographic proof of authenticity is needed . assuming a token reader system where every security token is equipped with a unique 8 byte serial number an actual implementation may have the following steps : a manufacturer of the security tokens defines a cryptographic system based on elliptic curves , i . e . the manufacturer publishes the parameters of an elliptic curve , a base point g and its public key for certificate verification . to have a reasonable level of security parameters of 160 bits may be chosen . elliptic curve cryptography using 160 bits are typically considered to be even good enough for qualified digital signatures . thus , it may be possible to choose even shorter values than 160 bits , since the security level may not need to be so high . in both , security token and readers , an algorithm to perform point multiplication on elliptic curves may be implemented . for every security token the manufacturer may generate a unique identification ( uid ), a secret key y , may compute or generate a public key y = g uid * x and may issue a certificate for y , i . e . the manufacturer signs y with his own private key . assuming 8 bytes for the uid and a very high security level of 160 bits , the secret key may have 96 bits and the corresponding key may have 160 bits . whenever an entity wants to proof for the originality of the security token , the entity performs the protocol described with reference to the flow chart shown in fig1 . if the security token passes the test , it is original , if it fails then it is not . the protocol is correct since an attacker who can properly reply to every challenge c “ knows ” the private exponent . fig2 schematically illustrates a security token . such a security token may be a smart card or a usb security token . in particular , fig2 shows a schematically usb security token 200 . the usb security token 200 comprises an interface portion 201 adapted to be plugged to a usb port of a reading device and a body 202 building a housing for integrated circuits being part of the security token 200 . in particular , a memory 203 is schematically depicted in fig2 in which a private key , a base point for an authentication algorithm , a public key , a certificate for the public key , a serial number uid , and further data may be stored . finally , it should be noted that the above - mentioned embodiments illustrate rather then limit the invention , and that those skilled in the art will be capable of designing many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . in the claims , any reference signs placed in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claims . the word “ comprising ” and “ comprises ”, and the like , does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the specification as a whole . the singular reference of an element does not exclude the plural reference of such elements and vice - versa . in a device claim enumerating several means , several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of software or hardware . the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage .	7
preferred embodiments of the invention are able to decode a received dv audio stream based on analysis of a single dif block rather than on an entire audio frame as per the prior art solutions . for ∀ m , nεn , or in other words , for any m , n is a natural number , and n =└ n / m ┘* m + n % m ( 7 ) the constants c 1 and c 2 can be excluded from equations ( 1 )-( 6 ) without any loss of generality . the equations may therefore be re - written as follows , although the byte positions and sync block number are now offset . { t 1 = [ ⌊ n / 3 ⌋ + 2 * ( n  % 3 ) ]  %  t ( ch1 )  ( 8 ) t 2 = [ ⌊ n / 3 ⌋ + 2 * ( n  % 3 ) ]  %  t + t ( ch2 ) ( 9 ) s 1 = 3 * ( n  % 3 ) + ⌊ ( n  %  k 1 ) / k 2 ⌋ ( 10 ) ( byte   1 ) ( 11 ) b 1 = b * ( n  %  k 1 ) ( byte   2 ) ( 12 ) b 1 ′ = 1 + b * ( n  %  k 1 ) ( byte   3   for   4  -  ch  ( 13 ) the various constants which were included in equations ( 1 ) to ( 6 ) can be excluded at this stage as they are invariant within a particular format of dv data ( e . g ., 2 - channel 525 / 60 ). the sync block number and byte positions are effectively offset to absorb c 1 and c 2 . as all data bytes belonging to the same audio sample are distributed consecutively within the same dif block , ( from equations ( 11 )-( 13 )), once the first byte in a sample is located , the other bytes may be easily located . the following derivation is for channel one and the first data byte only . the other bytes may be found as described from this information . n % k 1 = k 2 x 2 + c ( cεz and 0 ≦ c & lt ; k 2 ) ( 15 ) from equations ( 14 )-( 16 ) and equation ( 10 ), it can be seen that : ⌊ n / 3 ⌋ = ⌊ ( k 1  x 1 ) / 3 ⌋ + ⌊ ( k 2  x 2 ) / 3 ⌋ + ⌊ c / 3 ⌋   t 1 = [ ⌊ n / 3 ⌋ + 2 * ( n  % 3 ) ⌋  %  t   ⇒ ⌊ n / 3 ⌋ = m * t + t 1 - 2 * ( n  % 3 ) equation   ( 14 ) }  ⇒ ⌊ c / 3 ⌋ = m * t + t 1 - 2 * ( c  % 3 ) = m * t + t 1 - 2 * ( s 1 / 3 ) ,  where   m ′ = m - ⌊ ( k 1  x 1 ) / 3 ⌋ / t - ⌊ ( k 2  x 2 ) / 3 ⌋ / t . ( 22 ) in order to evaluate m , the constraints of the various parameters may be used as follows : - ( t - 1 ) ≤ m ′  t ≤ ( t + 3 ) ⇒ m ′ ∈ { 0 , 1 } m ′ * t + t 1 - 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ = ⌊ c / 3 ⌋ ⇒ 0 ≤ m ′ * t + t 1 - 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ & lt ; t }  ⇒ { if  ( t 1 - 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ ) & lt ; 0 , m ′ = 1 else   if  ( t 1 - 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ ≥ 0 , m ′ = 0 ) ( 23 ) equations ( 16 )-( 18 ), ( 22 ) and ( 23 ) can then be used to define the reverse mapping , f 1 as : n =  f - 1  ( t 1 , s 1  b 1 ) =  k 1  x 1 + k 2  x 2 + c =  k 1  ( b 1 / b ) + k z  ( s 1  % 3 ) + ( m ′ * t + t 1 - 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ ) *  3 + ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋   where  { if  ( t 1 = 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ ) & lt ; 0 , m ′ = 1 else   if  ( t 1 - 2 * ⌊ s 1 / 3 ⌋ ) ≥ 0 , m ′ = 0 ( 24 ) [ 0074 ] fig5 illustrates the 525 / 60 system . it is apparent that suitable changes may be made in order to adapt the process for other previously mentioned systems such as 625 / 50 . 1 . the explicit de - shuffling expression is determined from the shuffling equations . this process to find f 1 from f has already been described , and is performed off - line , i . e ., it is not necessary to perform the operation in real - time as it may be performed in advance of receipt of the dv data stream . 2 one dif block at a time is read from the external data stream . the indices of the dv data ( t 1 , s 1 , b 1 ) are used as the input arguments to the f 1 process . this allows the position n of the appropriate byte in the pcm data to be determined . the same value n is then also used for the subsequent ( b - 1 ) byte ( s ). 3 . if the system is operating 2 - channel mode , then pcm [ n ]= dv ( t 1 , s 1 , b 1 ) ⊕ dv ( t 1 , s 1 , b 1 + 1 ). if the system is not operating in 2 - channel mode , then pcm [ n ]= dv ( t 1 , s 1 , b 1 ) ⊕ dv ( t 1 , s 1 , b 1 + 1 ) ⊕ dv ( t 1 , s 1 , b 1 + 2 ). 4 . steps 2 and 3 above are repeated until all the dif blocks in the received dv audio frame are de - shuffled . 5 . post process the de - shuffled data , if necessary , and output as a pcm frame . a preferred method of performing the de - shuffling operation is to use a suitably programmed dsp ( digital signal processor ). a single dif block may be fetched from an external memory to an internal memory of the dsp . the dif block includes system specific information from which the constants k 1 , k 2 , t and b may be determined . these constants are used in the subsequent processing . for the first dif block of a new frame , the sync block number si , track number t 1 , and the dif block counter are reset to zero . whenever a new dif block is received , s 1 is incremented by 1 , and is reset to zero every nine dif blocks . then t 1 is incremented by 1 every nine dif blocks . each received dif block includes 72 data bytes which correspond to 72 / b samples . the shuffling equations reveal that individual data bytes belonging to the same data sample are distributed consecutively in the same dif block . making use of this fact , equation 24 is applied to only the first byte of each sample . this first byte , together with the b - 1 bytes which follow it are used to determine the pcm sample with index n calculated by the de - shuffling equations . the pointer to the dif block data is then incremented by b so that it points to the first byte of the next sample . when all the dif blocks in a dv frame have been processed as described , the desired number of samples which have been stored in the pcm buffer are written to the external memory , as shown in fig6 . in contrast to prior art decoding systems , therefore , embodiments of the present invention do not require an entire dv audio frame to be received before the decoding process can begin . also , them is no need to prepare and store a large look up table , saving the overhead of providing relatively large amounts of memory . many embodiments of the invention , using the explicit reverse mapping relationships described previously , are able to directly compile pcm data from incoming dv audio data , requiring only a single dif block at any one time . the indices t 1 , s 1 , b 1 are all that is required to determine the position of the data in the original pcm frame . the following table shows the reduction in memory which can be achieved through use of embodiments of the invention with different video standards . conventional embodiments of the memory method ( entire dv invention ( dif reduction system frame basis ) block basis ) factor ntsc 10 * 9 dif blocks = 1 dif block = 90 10 * 9 * 80 bytes = 80 bytes 7200 bytes pal 12 * 9 dif blocks = 1 dif block = 108 12 * 9 * 80 bytes = 80 bytes 8640 bytes the following table illustrates the reduction in different processing operations which can be achieved through use of embodiments of the invention . conventional embodiments of the method ( entire dv invention ( dif operation frame basis ) block basis ) reduction factor modular 3 / sample 1 / sample 67 % operation division 3 / sample 2 / sample 33 % it can be see that embodiments of the invention are able to provide decoding of dv audio data using significantly less physical memory , and requiring significantly fewer processing operations to achieve the same resultant data as can be achieved by prior art solutions . all of the above u . s . patents , u . s . patent application publications , u . s . patent applications , foreign patents , foreign patent applications and non - patent publications referred to in this specification and / or listed in the application data sheetare incorporated herein by reference , in their entirety . in the light of the foregoing description , it will be clear to the skilled person that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention . the present invention includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or any generalization thereof irrespective of whether or not it relates to the claimed invention or mitigates any or all of the problems addressed .	6
the priority control valve herein is adapted to be used as in the hydraulic system of a fork lift truck or like mobile equipment in which the priority circuit is the power steering circuit and the auxiliary circuit includes the lift , tilt , etc . cylinders , said priority control valve being operative to satisfy the flow demands of the power steering circuit with the balance of the pump output being diverted to the auxiliary circuit . priority control valve for use with a variable displacement pump and with a four - way closed center steering control valve defining a variable area meter - in orifice the priority control valve 1 shown in fig1 and 1a comprises a housing 2 having priority circuit supply and return ports 3 and 4 which in the power steering circuit of a fork lift truck or the like are connected to the respective inlet and return ports of a four - way closed center steering control valve 5 having a variable area meter - in orifice for controlling the direction and speed of operation of the steering cylinder 6 . the housing 2 also has an auxiliary circuit supply port 7 which is adapted to be connected to supply fluid under pressure to the auxiliary circuit 8 which by way of example may be an integrated pressure compensated load sensing system as disclosed in the co - pending application of john c . paul , ser . no . 394 , 560 , filed sept . 6 , 1973 , now u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 , dated feb . 18 , 1975 . fluid under pressure is conducted to the priority and auxiliary circuits through an inlet port 9 which is adapted to be connected to a variable displacement pump 10 such as disclosed in said u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 and in malott , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 726 , 093 . said auxiliary circuit 8 is herein shown as comprising a directional control valve 8 &# 39 ; having a three way spool for controlling a lift cylinder 8 &# 34 ; and a four way spool for controlling a mast tilt cylinder 8 &# 39 ;&# 34 ;. as disclosed in said u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 the directional control valve 8 &# 39 ; has a low signal port lo - s which is connected as shown to the low signal line lo - s of the pump 10 controller , and which is downstream of variable area orifices 62 &# 39 ; and 83 &# 39 ; ( corresponding to the orifices 62 and 83 in fig3 and 4 of said u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 ) defined by actuation of the spools of valve 8 &# 39 ;, there being check valves 60 &# 39 ; and 82 &# 39 ; ( see check valves 60 and 82 in fig3 , and 7 of u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 ) similar to check valve 17 ( fig1 a ) downstream of the respective variable area orifices 62 &# 39 ; and 83 &# 39 ;. the lift spool circuit is shown in position to lift the piston in cylinder 8 &# 34 ;. the orifice 83 &# 39 ; also corresponds to the orifice in the steering control valve 5 . also , as disclosed in said u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 , the lift and tilt spools will have pressure compensating spools associated therewith to maintain selected speeds of actuation of the respective lift and tilt cylinders 8 &# 34 ; and 8 &# 34 ;&# 39 ; irrespective of variation of cylinder loads . the housing 2 has a bore 11 which is intersected axially therealong by a passage 12 which communicates by way of conduit 13 and passage 14 with the downstream side of a variable area meter - in orifice defined by operation of the closed center power steering control valve 5 ( also see malott u . s . pat . no . 3 , 726 , 093 and u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 449 for examples of closed center variable area meter - in valves ), by a priority circuit supply passage 3 which also is the hi - s high signal passage which senses the fluid pressure upstream of the aforesaid variable area meter - in orifice of the power steering control valve 5 , by a pressure inlet passage 9 for connection with the variable displacement pump 10 , by an auxiliary circuit 8 supply passage 7 , and by a passage 15 which is not used in the fig1 embodiment but is used in the fig2 embodiment . if it be desired to provide a maximum pressure limit in the priority circuit , the housing 2 may be bored as shown in fig1 to receive a relief valve 16 which relieves excess pressure from the passage 12 to the return passage 4 . as shown in fig1 a , the lo - s signal passages 14 and 12 are communicated with the controller for the variable displacement pump 10 through a check valve 17 . by reference to said u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 it can be seen that the check value 17 functions in the manner of the check valves employed in the auxiliary directional control valve 8 &# 39 ; and in connection with the directional control valve assembly of u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 whereby in the present case when the steering control valve 5 is operated by itself , the lo - s signal pressure is conducted to the pump controller to upstroke the pump to maintain a predetermined flow to the priority circuit according to the size of the variable area meter - in orifice of the power steering control valve 5 . reciprocable in the bore 11 is a flow divider and priority control spool 18 which is actuated by the spring 19 and which at its opposite ends is exposed to lo - s pressure in the passage 12 and to hi - s pressure which reaches the chamber 15 through the spool orifice 20 . the priority spool 18 has an intermediate land 21 provided with metering notches which pinch down the flow from the inlet passage 9 to the auxiliary supply passage 7 so that the demand set by the meter - in orifice of the power steering control valve 5 is satisfied and , when the flow demand , and hence the hi - s to lo - s pressure drop across said meter - in orifice , is satisfied , the priority spool 18 moves against the spring 19 to pinch down the flow to the priority circuit and to increase the flow from the inlet passage 9 to the auxiliary supply passage 7 . by way of illustrative example , the pump controller may be operative to maintain a pressure drop of 75 psi whereas the priority spool is operative at a lower pressure drop , for example , from 25 to 50 psi . thus , when the power steering control valve 5 is the only valve which is actuated , the variable displacement pump 10 will be upstroked until the pressure drop between hi - s and lo - s via the check valve 17 is 75 psi , but , because the priority spool is set at a lower pressure drop the flow to the priority circuit is restricted by the metering land 21 to create a pressure drop in addition to the desired pressure drop across the meter - in orifice . when the directional control valve 8 in the auxiliary circuit 8 is actuated to operating position to control cylinder 8 &# 34 ; ( or cylinder 8 &# 34 ;&# 39 ;) or both of them at the same time that the power steering control valve 5 is in operating position , the auxiliary circuit 8 can receive fluid only in excess of that demanded by the priority circuit . the fig2 priority control valve for use with a variable displacement pump and with a four - way closed center power steering control valve having a variable area meter - out orifice the priority control valve 1 &# 39 ; shown in fig2 uses basically the same housing 2 as fig1 having a bore 11 intersected by an lo - s signal passage 12 , a priority circuit supply passage 3 , an inlet passage 9 from the variable displacement pump 10 , an auxiliary circuit supply passage 7 , and a hi - s signal passage 15 . in this case , because the priority circuit supply passage is connected to a closed center power steering control valve 25 having a variable area meter - out orifice , the lo - s signal passage 12 is communicated with tank pressure via an orifice 26 in a plug 27 installed in the housing 2 in place of the relief valve 16 in fig1 . thus , the chamber 12 senses pressure downstream of the variable area meter - out orifice of the power steering control valve 25 . the housing 2 of fig2 has a port 28 which is connected to the power steering control valve 25 to sense pressure upstream of the variable area meter - out orifice of valve 25 whereby the pressure sensed in the chamber 15 is the pressure upstream of the meter - out orifice . reciprocable in the bore 11 is the priority spool 29 which is actuated by the spring 30 and which has its opposite ends exposed to hi - s and lo - s pressure in chambers 15 and 12 which are the pressures respectively upstream and downstream of the variable area meter - out orifice in the power steering control valve 25 . the priority spool 29 is in this case of solid construction and the metering land 31 with the metering notches enables pinching down of the flow either to the priority circuit or to the auxiliary circuit thus to assure satisfaction of the flow demand set by the priority circuit control valve 25 with the excess being available for use in the auxiliary circuit 8 . in this case , the steering circuit hi - s controls the variable displacement pump 10 when no other functions are actuated . when other functions of any pressure level above say 100 to 200 psi are actuated , they control the variable displacement pump 10 , locking out the steering hi - s signal at the ball check 32 between the passage 15 and the auxiliary supply passage 7 but the priority spool 29 yet directs the priority flow to the steering circuit until it is satisfied and , of course , the balance is available to the other functions . as evident , the check valve 32 permits flow of the hi - s signal from the steering circuit into the hi - s circuit of the pump auxiliary controller ( see , u . s . pat . no . 3 , 866 , 419 , for example ) when no other functions are actuated . the fig3 and 3a priority control valve for use with four - way open center power steering control valve the priority control valve 1 &# 34 ; of fig3 and 3a employs a housing 2 basically of the same construction as that of fig1 and 2 and if it is desired to limit the priority circuit pressure , a relief valve 16 may be installed as in fig1 between the lo - s passage 12 and the return passage 4 . in this example , the priority circuit supply passage 3 is connected to an open center power steering control valve 40 and the priority flow is of fixed value as determined by a fixed orifice 41 in the spring 42 actuated priority spool 43 in bore 11 . the lower end of the priority spool in chamber 15 is exposed to hi - s pressure upstream of the fixed orifice 41 and the downstream pressure in passage 3 to which the upper end of the priority spool 43 is exposed in chamber 12 through the orifice 45 is the lo - s pressure signal to pump 10 . referring to fig3 a , the lo - s pressure in passage 3 is conducted to the pump controller by way of the passage 49 , the check valve 46 , and the conduit 44 . if the pressure drop across the fixed orifice 41 increases above the predetermined value , flow to the priority circuit is pinched down at the openings 47 in the spool land 48 with excess flow being available in the auxiliary circuit 8 from passage 3 . when the pressure drop across the fixed orifice 41 is less than the predetermined amount , the priority spool 41 is urged downwardly whereby the flow to the auxiliary circuit 8 is pinched down by the metering notches in said land 48 until the priority circuit is supplied with predetermined flow as determined by the fixed orifice 41 and the pressure drop thereacross . when the fig3 priority control valve 1 &# 34 ; is used with the inlet port 9 connected to a fixed displacement pump ( not shown ) the passage 49 and check valve 46 are not required .	5
the various objectives assigned to the subject of the invention are a result of the deficiencies displayed by the devices for dispensing shaped objects singly , described in the prior art . the deficiencies ascertained in the prior art devices for dispensing shaped objects singly constitute , by their juxtaposition , a problem that simultaneously relates to : the lack of organisation in the travel of the objects to be dispensed , their orientation , the means for picking them out from a standby region , the absence of treatment of gaseous pollutants ; all these deficiencies being able to cause irreversible chemical and mechanical damage to the shaped objects to be dispensed singly . according to the invention , the device for dispensing shaped objects singly is very different from the prior art due to the fact that its new architecture provides it with the means for solving the problem raised by the deficiencies noticed in the prior art dispensing devices . the device according to the invention for dispensing shaped objects singly is made up of two coaxial parts , a female part and a male part . the female part of the device according to the invention constitutes , in the sequence of travel of the shaped objects to be dispensed , the face for entry into the device of a stream of objects to change from a disordered into an ordered state . this female part is formed by an external cylindrical casing that is open at both ends , equipped on its external face with a ring connected to said casing and forming a stop when this female part of the dispensing device is mounted on the opening of a tubular casing of a bulk packaging container for shaped objects to be dispensed , and provided with a cap for receiving the dispensed shaped object on its exit or downstream face . inside this external cylindrical casing there is another casing , coaxial with the first , which is closed at its upstream end and open at its downstream end . this coaxial internal casing is a casing which is generated by geometric revolution and is of the cylindrical , cylindrical / truncated cone shaped , cylindrical / conical , truncated cone shaped , conical or parabolic type . the upstream part of this coaxial internal casing can be the region where the section of said casing is reduced , and in this case it can be of a truncated cone shaped , conical , hemispherical or parabolic type . the section of this internal coaxial casing , which can change in its geometry , is such that the free annular space created between the coaxial external casing and internal casing allows travel organised by gravity for moving the shaped objects from the region they where are packaged in bulk to the region they are dispensed singly , this organised travel passing through stages for collecting the bulk shaped objects and selectively orienting these objects . to arrange the collection and selective orientation of the shaped objects to be dispensed by gravity , the free space created between coaxial external casing and internal casing achieves a minimum thickness at its part furthest downstream but slightly greater than the smallest dimension of the object to be dispensed , forcing said object to place itself in a position of selective orientation to enable it to continue on its subsequent travel from upstream to downstream . inside the female part and connecting the coaxial external casing and internal casing a first plane has been developed , close to the upstream end of said female part and perpendicular to the axis of the casings . this first plane is shaped as a circular sector , of which the angle α at the top has a value in degrees which is a resultant of the diameter of the shaped objects to be dispensed and the diameter of the female part . this first plane , by virtue of its circular sector shape , creates a means for controlling the rate of flow and orientation of the stream of shaped objects to be dispensed and adheres to the free space for orientation and organised movement between the two coaxial casings into which said stream of shaped objects is directed and channelled . a second plane , perpendicular to the axis of the coaxial casings and connecting them to each other , is situated inside the female part and placed between the first plane and the downstream end of said female part . this second plane is also shaped as a circular sector , having an angle β at the top of which the value in degrees is a resultant of the values of the diameters of the shaped objects to be dispensed and the female part . this second circular sector of angle β occupies a position opposite the first circular sector of angle α . this second plane is equipped at its periphery and close to the external casing with at least one opening , of which the section is dimensioned to allow the passage downstream singly of the shaped objects which are oriented in the space for orientation and organised movement : this section of the at least one opening is greater than the smallest section of the objects but such that two shaped objects to be dispensed cannot pass through together and preferably very slightly greater than the smallest section of the shaped objects to be dispensed . if the second plane has two openings at the periphery and close to the external casing , these two openings are mutually spaced by an angle γ delimited by its two sides passing through the centre of symmetry of each of these openings : the angle γ may vary between a value of approximately 0 ° when the two openings are juxtaposed up to 180 degrees when the two openings are diametrically opposed , this range of variation being the same regardless of the direction of rotation of the male part in the female part . once the two planes in the shape of a circular sector , spaced from each other along the axis of the female part , have their vertex angles α and β opposite each other , there is a constant relationship between these two angles so that the total of angles α + β is at most 360 ° c . the combination of these two offset planes , each shaped as an opposing circular sector and connected to the coaxial external casing and internal casing , creates organised travel for the selective orientation of the objects according to their smallest dimension and their path towards the at least one opening in the second plane . inside the female part , and between the second plane and the downstream end of said female part , there is at least one chute mounted on the at least one opening in the second plane and downstream of said plane , this at least one chute fulfilling the function of packaging in a queue the singly stacked shaped objects originating from the free space for orientation and organised movement . this at least one chute , which is open at each of its ends , is delimited at its periphery by the coaxial external and internal casings and by two planar lateral walls connecting said coaxial casings and extending as far as the downstream end of said female part , these two walls being able to be parallel or concurrent with each other from upstream to downstream of the at least one chute . substantially the same as the section of the at least one opening present in the second plane , so that said section is invariable along the whole length of the at least one chute and very slightly greater than the smallest section of the shaped objects to be dispensed , this smallest section being the one used for the orientation and organised movement of the shaped objects to be dispensed , during their travel in the dispensing device according to the invention . or else different along the whole length of the at least one chute , said section decreasing , in particular homothetically , from upstream to downstream of the at least one chute , and becoming , at the downstream exit , a section that is very slightly greater than the smallest section of the shaped objects to be dispensed . inside the at least one chute , the shaped objects to be dispensed singly are stacked there according to their smallest section to be released singly when the device is used , at the downstream end of the at least one chute . the opposing planar lateral walls , as well as the walls formed by the coaxial internal casing may be restricted in their downstream length in the direction of travel of the shaped objects to be dispensed . the male part of the device according to the invention constitutes , in the sequence of travel of the shaped objects to be dispensed , the face for single discharge , or downstream face , of the device , for objects of which the stream has changed from a disordered to an ordered state . this male part according to the invention is formed by a base platform in the shape of a circular disk acting as a stop for the external main cylindrical casing of the female part when the two parts that constitute the device according to the invention are assembled . said platform is provided with an opening dimensioned for the passage of a shaped object released singly through the at least one chute when said opening is made congruent by rotation with the open downstream end of the at least one chute . this male part according to the invention is also formed by a casing coaxial with the base platform to which it is connected , which casing is closed at it upstream end and open at its downstream end and has substantially the geometry of the internal casing of the female part of the device in which it inserts itself coaxially to enable the male part to rotate relative to the female part . this casing that is coaxial with the platform is a casing having a geometry generated by revolution that is cylindrical , cylindrical / conical , truncated cone shaped , conical or parabolic , the upstream part of this casing being the one with a section that may be reduced . this male part according to the invention comprises a guide means connected to the base platform and mounted vertically on said platform . the free end of the guide means is inserted into the opening shaped as an arc of a circle in the first plane of the female part and its purpose is : to facilitate the rotation of the male part when it is in place in the female part . to restrict the angle of rotation in both directions by means of a stop at each end of the opening shaped as the arc of a circle in the first plane of the female part , so that the opening in the platform is congruent with the downstream end of the at least one chute . with regard to the part that emerges from the opening that is shaped as an arc of a circle in the first plane of the female part , to agitate the shaped objects packaged in bulk and to facilitate their orientation and movement in the upstream inlet part of the device according to the invention . the guide means , connected to the base platform of the male part , is provided with a crown segment which moves between the two planes of the female part of the device when the male part is driven by a rotating movement . this crown segment may be bevelled at each of its ends , and this assists the local agitation of the shaped objects to be dispensed , and selects one of the objects that it guides towards the upstream opening in the at least one chute depending on the direction of rotation of the male part . when said male part is caused to rotate in either direction and comes to the end of its travel , the crown segment blocks , at least partially and in one direction of rotation of the male part , the inlet orifice of the at least one chute . consequently , when the user turns the male part in one direction and when said male part reaches the end of its travel , the crown segment blocks , at least partially , the inlet orifice of the at least one chute and when the user turns the male part in the opposite direction , and when said male part reaches the end of its travel , the crown segment opens the inlet orifice of the at least one chute . if the device has two chutes the crown segment , mounted on the guide means which moves freely during rotation of the male part between the two planes of the female part , blocks the upstream opening in the chutes , at least partially and alternately at the end of its travel . finally , the male part according to the invention comprises a guide means for the objects to be dispensed singly , this guide means being connected to the external wall of the casing coaxial with the platform , in the axis of the dimensioned orifice of the platform to grip and eject a single object that originates from the at least one chute , depending on the direction of rotation used for the male part . said guide means may have a semi - polygonal , semicircular or semi - elliptical cross section . according to the invention , the restricted range of the angle of rotation of the male part , from one end stop to the other end stop , is between a value of approximately 0 degrees and 180 degrees , i . e . this angle has the value substantially of the angle γ . the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention is generally connected at the top to a packaging container for said objects stored in bulk which feeds the device for dispensing objects to be dispensed and , at the bottom , to a cap for receiving the singly dispensed shaped object . the invention also relates to a closed unit for packaging and dispensing shaped objects singly which comprises a container formed by a casing that is open at one if its ends for packaging the bulk objects to be dispensed , the device for dispensing the objects to be dispensed singly being mounted by its female part on the opening in the tubular casing , and a cap mounted on the male part of the device , said cap being able to rotate the moving male part of said device partially in either direction and to cause the picking out of shaped objects to be dispensed from the casing then the dispensing thereof singly by the device and finally receipt of the dispensed shaped object in the cap . however , the shaped objects to be dispensed singly using the device according to the invention may be sensitive to gaseous pollutants present in the ambient air within their packaging container . these above - mentioned gaseous pollutants which may be present in the ambient atmosphere of the packaging containers for the shaped objects could be , for example , water vapour , oxygen ( o 2 ), ammonia ( nh 3 ), alcohol , aldehydes , ketones , sulphur dioxide ( so 2 ), hydrogen sulphide ( h 2 s ), thiols , alkenes including in particular ethylene , acetylene hydrocarbons , carbon dioxide ( co 2 ), carbon monoxide ( co ), nitrogen dioxide ( no 2 ), alkanes including in particular methane ( ch 4 ), halogens including in particular fluorine , bacteria suspended in the ambient air and others . for this reason the closed unit for packaging and dispensing said objects singly may include treatment means containing one or more agents for treating gaseous pollutants to allow the rapid purification of the ambient gaseous atmosphere by removing said gaseous pollutants , in particular water vapour that is particularly harmful to the sensitive objects packaged in said casing . to achieve this , appropriate recesses , situated in the tubular casing of the packaging container for the bulk objects to be dispensed and / or in the cap for receiving the singly dispensed shaped objects , may be made in the closed packaging and dispensing unit , in order to receive one or more agents for treating gaseous pollutants and to allow the removal thereof by rapid treatment of the ambient gaseous atmosphere . the specific position of these recesses is decisive for increasing the kinetics of elimination of gaseous pollutants , more particularly water vapour . in the particular case of treating the water vapour present , so that the closed unit for packaging and dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention has effective drying properties , the choice of drying agent is crucial . according to the invention , the drying agent used in the closed unit for packaging and dispensing shaped objects singly is chosen from the group that consists of silica gels , molecular sieves and clays . these closed drying units have internal drying means which may be present in the form of a covering , an insert or a part of the dispensing device , formed by a drying thermoplastic polymer composition . these drying agents are placed inside the containers on the internal surface of their bottom and / or on the internal surface of their lateral wall or else in a specific recess situated at the bottom of the containers and / or on the internal surface of the cap , if they are in a powdery form or else in the form of compacted pellets . all these drying agents are put in separately or simultaneously to increase the efficacy of their drying action through a mass effect . when treating gaseous pollutants other than water vapour , so that the closed unit for packaging and dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention is also very effective with regard to said pollutants , known treatment agents that are appropriate for treating all pollutants are used in said unit : either mixed with the drying agent , or separately from the drying agent by creating open compartments in the appropriate recess , dividing said recess into sectors , enabling a plurality of treatment agents or mixtures of treatment agents that are compatible with each other to be received , or else in the form of compacted pellets prepared from the treatment mixture . the dispensing device and the closed unit for packaging and dispensing shaped objects singly may be formed by plastics processing procedures using materials which are thermoplastic polymers and / or copolymers such as , for example , polyethylenes ( pe ), polypropylenes ( pp ), ethylene / propylene copolymers and mixtures thereof , polyamides ( pa ), polystyrenes ( ps ), acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene copolymers ( abs ), styrene acrylonitrile copolymers ( san ), polyvinylchorides ( pvc ), polycarbonates ( pc ), polymethyl methacrylate ( pmma ), polyethyleneterephthalates ( pet ) used individually or mixed , depending on their compatibility . at least one natural or synthetic thermoplastic elastomer may be associated with these polymers and / or copolymers to make the device and depending on the desired mechanical characteristics . the elastomer ( s ) used should preferably be chosen from the group consisting of elastomers of the natural rubber type or synthetic rubber type , in particular olefin - based rubbers , such as , for example , isobutylene / isoprene polymers , ethylene - vinyl acetate ( eva ), ethylene - propylene ( epr ), ethylene - propylene - diene ( epdm ), ethylene - acrylic esters ( ema - eea ), fluoropolymers , diene rubbers , such as , for example , polybutadienes , butadiene - styrene copolymers ( sbr ), rubbers based on condensation products such as , for example , thermoplastic polyester and polyurethane rubbers , silicones , styrene rubbers , styrene - butadiene - styrene ( sbs ) and styrene - isoprene - styrene ( sis ) and others . according to the invention , the device for dispensing shaped objects singly , the tubular casing of the bulk packaging container and the cap for receiving the shaped object dispensed singly by the dispensing device may be produced from polymer materials with the same composition or from polymer materials with different compositions . more generally , all the sides of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention depend on the dimensions of the shaped objects to be dispensed . a better understanding of the invention will be achieved by using the numbered description of the figures set out below , these figures simply being used to illustrate but not limit a device according to the invention . fig1 is a perspective view of the female part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , with a view of the upstream face or inlet face for the bulk objects , the longitudinal axis of which is almost vertical . fig2 is also a perspective view of the female part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , when said female part has a single opening and a single chute in its second plane , with a view of the inlet face for the bulk objects , said fig2 showing angles α and β . fig3 is a perspective view of the female part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , when said female part is provided with a single chute , with a view of the downstream face or the exit face for the objects . fig4 is a perspective view of the device for dispensing singly according to the invention , when said female part is provided with a single chute , after assembly of the female and male parts , with a view of the inlet face for the bulk shaped objects . fig5 is also a perspective view of the female part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , when said female part is provided with two openings and two chutes in its second plane , with a view of the inlet face for the bulk objects , of which the longitudinal axis is almost horizontal . fig6 is a cut - away perspective view of the female part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , when said female part is provided with two chutes , with a view of the downstream face or the exit face for the objects which have been oriented and placed in an organised queue . fig7 is a perspective view of the female part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , when said female part is provided with two chutes , with a view of the downstream face or the exit face for the objects which have been oriented and placed in the two chutes . fig8 is a perspective view of the male part of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention , showing the means for guidance in rotation of the male part . fig9 is a perspective view of the male part of the device according to the invention , showing the guide means for the objects to be dispensed singly . fig1 is a perspective view of the device for dispensing singly according to the invention , after assembly of the female and male parts , with a view of the inlet face for the bulk shaped objects . fig1 is a perspective view of the device for dispensing singly according to the invention , after assembly of the female and male parts , with a view of exit face for discharging shaped objects singly . fig1 is a section along the longitudinal axis of the closed unit for packaging and dispensing shaped objects singly including , in sequence , a tubular casing for bulk packaging of said objects , the device for dispensing said objects and the cap mounted on the male part of the dispensing device . according to fig1 to 12 , the device for dispensing shaped objects singly comprises a female part ( 1 ) and a male part ( 2 ). the female part ( 1 ) comprises in the sequence of travel of the objects to be dispensed singly from the region where they are packaged in bulk : an external cylindrical casing ( 5 ), open at its upstream end ( 6 ) and downstream end ( 7 ). an internal casing ( 8 ) in the form of a cylinder / truncated cone coaxial with the closed external cylindrical casing ( 5 ) at its upstream end ( 9 ) and open at its downstream end ( 10 ). the free space ( 11 ) created between the external casing ( 5 ) and internal casing ( 8 ), mutually spaced by a distance at least equal to the smallest dimension of the object to be dispensed , provides a space for orienting the bulk shaped objects and for the organised movement of the oriented shaped objects from upstream to downstream . a first plane ( 12 ), which is close to the upstream end ( 6 ), connects the external casing ( 5 ) and internal casing ( 8 ), is placed perpendicularly to the common axis , has the shape of a circular sector of angle α of , for example , 120 degrees , and is provided with an opening in the shape of an arc of a circle ( 13 ), leaving the free space ( 11 ) clear from upstream to downstream . a second plane ( 14 ), which is placed between the first plane ( 12 ) and the downstream end ( 7 ), and also connects the external ( 5 ) and internal ( 8 ) coaxial casings perpendicularly to the axis , in the shape of a circular sector of angle β of , for example , 220 degrees , this second plane being provided with : either a single opening ( 15 ), dimensioned for the passage of single shaped objects present in the free orientation and movement space ( 11 ) singly from upstream to downstream , according to fig2 to 4 . or two openings ( 15 ) and ( 16 ), dimensioned for the passage of shaped objects present in the free orientation and movement space ( 11 ) singly from upstream to downstream , according to fig5 to 7 . between the second plane ( 14 ) and the downstream end ( 7 ): according to fig2 to 4 , a single chute ( 17 ) mounted on a single opening ( 15 ) in the second plane ( 14 ), to allow storage in a queue of the objects to be dispensed that originate from the free space ( 11 ), this chute being delimited by the coaxial casings ( 5 ) and ( 8 ) and by two lateral walls ( 19 , 21 ); according to fig5 to 7 , two chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ) mounted on the openings ( 15 ) and ( 16 ) in the second plane ( 14 ), to allow storage in a queue of the objects to be dispensed that originate from the free space ( 11 ), these two chutes being delimited by the coaxial casings ( 5 ) and ( 8 ) and by two lateral walls ( 19 , 21 ) and ( 20 , 22 ) of each of the two chutes . fig6 , showing a device comprising two chutes according to the invention , shows the planar lateral walls ( 19 ) and ( 20 ) that are furthest apart and belong to the two chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ), whilst the lateral walls ( 21 ) and ( 22 ) that are the closest to each other and belong to the chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ) are not visible in said fig6 due to it being a broken away perspective view , but are visible in fig7 . according to fig8 and 9 , the rotatable male part ( 2 ) of the dispensing device according to the invention is just as suitable if it has a single chute as it is if it has two chutes . this male part constitutes the downstream exit part for the singly dispensed shaped objects and comprises : a base platform ( 23 ) in the shape of a circular disc , the periphery ( 24 ) of which is grooved , forming a stop for the external cylindrical casing ( 5 ), this platform being provided with an opening ( 25 ) dimensioned for the passage of an object delivered by the at least one chute ( 17 ) and / or ( 18 ) when said opening ( 25 ) is made congruent with either of the downstream exits of said at least one chute by rotation of the female part ( 2 ) in either direction . a casing ( 26 ) which is coaxial with the platform ( 23 ) to which it is connected , is cylindrical / truncated cone - shaped ( 26 - 27 ), is closed at its upstream end ( 28 ) and , when the male part ( 2 ) is mated with the female part , is inserted in the internal cylindrical / truncated cone - shaped casing ( 8 ) of the female part ( 1 ). this coaxial casing ( 26 ) constitutes the downstream part of one of the walls of the at least one chute ( 17 ) and / or ( 18 ). a means for guidance in rotation ( 29 ) of the male part ( 2 ) mounted perpendicularly on the platform ( 23 ), the extreme part ( 30 ) of said guide means ( 29 ) being inserted when the female ( 1 ) and male ( 2 ) parts are fitted in the opening shaped as an arc of a circle ( 13 ), the ends of which constitute end of travel stops for the male part rotating in either direction . the extreme part ( 30 ) of the means for guidance in rotation ( 29 ) which emerges from the opening in the shape of an arc of a circle ( 13 ) constitutes a “ stud ” that is able to agitate the shaped objects , packaged in bulk in the front region of the dispensing device . according to fig2 to 4 , i . e . for a device with a single chute ( 17 ): a crown segment ( 31 ), mounted on the guide means ( 29 ), which moves freely between the two planes ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) of the female part when the male part ( 2 ) rotates and which blocks , at least partially and at the end of its travel , the upstream opening in the chute ( 17 ), in the appropriate rotational direction of the male part . according to fig5 to 7 , i . e . for a device with two chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ): a crown segment ( 31 ), mounted on the guide means ( 29 ) which moves freely between the two planes ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) of the female part when the male part ( 2 ) rotates and which blocks the upstream openings of the chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ), at least partially and alternately , at the end of its travel . this crown segment ( 31 ) may be bevelled ( 32 ) at each of its ends ( 32 ), and this allows the bulk shaped objects to be agitated and guided singly towards the at least one chute ( 17 ) or ( 18 ) in which said objects are stacked in a queue . according to fig5 to 7 , i . e . for a device with two chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ): a guide means ( 33 ) for the object to be dispensed placed in the axis of the opening ( 25 ) of the platform ( 23 ) which is able to release a shaped object , by providing the exit opening of the chute ( 17 ) whilst the exit of the other chute ( 18 ) is closed by the internal face of the base platform ( 23 ) and which , by reversing the direction of rotation , releases a shaped object through the exit opening of the chute ( 18 ), whilst the exit of the chute ( 17 ) is in turn closed by the internal surface of the base platform ( 23 ). according to fig2 to 4 , i . e . for a device with a single chute ( 17 ): the same guide means ( 33 ) for the object to be dispensed placed in the axis of the opening ( 25 ) of the platform ( 23 ) which is able to release a shaped object , by providing the exit opening of the chute ( 17 ) and making it congruent with the opening ( 25 ) of the platform ( 23 ) and which , by reversing the direction of rotation , closes the exit opening of the chute ( 17 ). therefore , with every restricted rotation of the moving male part ( 2 ), a shaped object is dispensed by either of the chutes ( 17 ) and / or ( 18 ). according to fig1 , which shows an axial section of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly with two chutes , said device is mounted on a container ( 35 ) and a cap ( 36 ), which constitutes a closed packaging unit , optionally for the treatment and dispensing singly of shaped objects to be dispensed , this unit comprising in the container ( 35 ) an internal recess means ( 37 ) for receiving the appropriate treatment agents in the form of a powdery mixture . finally , the mode of operation of the device for dispensing shaped objects singly according to the invention can be seen in fig1 to 12 . the shaped objects to be dispensed singly that are packaged in bulk in the container ( 35 ) are guided into the external casing ( 5 ) of the female part ( 1 ) and oriented by the cylindrical / truncated cone - shaped casing ( 8 ) in the free space ( 11 ), defined by these two coaxial casings , according to their position ( 38 ). placed between the two planes ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) in the shape of circular sectors with opposing angles α and β , the crown segment ( 31 ) with bevelled ends ( 32 ), rotated in either direction by the male part ( 2 ), agitates the bulk shaped objects and guides them singly towards the chutes ( 17 ) and ( 18 ) in which said objects ( 39 ) and ( 40 ) are stacked in a queue . once the guide means ( 33 ) for the object to be dispensed placed in the axis of the opening ( 25 ) of the platform ( 23 ) is congruent with the exit opening of the chute ( 17 ), a shaped object is released once the exit of the other chute ( 18 ) is closed by the internal surface of the base platform ( 23 ). by reversing the direction of rotation , a shaped object is released through the exit opening of the chute ( 18 ), whilst the exit of the chute ( 17 ) is closed by the internal surface of the base platform ( 23 ).	1
in fig1 , a telephone system is shown that employs an ain 100 . the ain 100 is a telecommunications switching network that utilizes the well - known ss 7 protocol to connect switching centers and other telecommunications resources to provide call routing and various other services . essentially , the ain 100 is a collection of telecommunications components and interconnections that support the generation of ain messages known as triggers and enable the components to respond to generated triggers by generating responsive messages or by executing an associated instruction . a conventional voice line telephone 102 is connected to the ain 100 through a telephone line 120 . telephone line 120 leads to a central office 104 that maintains a switch known as an ssp 106 . the ssp 106 may have a plurality of subscriber lines connected to it , such as the telephone line 120 establishing wireline telephone service . likewise , a voice line telephone or other voice line capable device such as a computer 118 may be linked to another central office 108 and ssp 110 through a telephone line 128 . the ain can have an indefinite number of ssps 106 , 110 . the ssps 106 , 110 communicate with each other over an ss 7 protocol data communication link 122 which may be established through an stp , such as but not necessarily stp 112 , that routes the data packets between the two ssps 106 , 110 . ain messages may be passed between ssps 106 , 110 through the communication link 122 , and these messages may include data such as the calling party &# 39 ; s telephone number or other identifier . voice connections between ssps 106 , 110 are established through a voice trunk 130 which carries the voice communication that occurs between the two end devices 102 , 118 . a data communication link 124 is used to connect an ssp 110 to an stp 112 . the stp 112 selects an appropriate scp 114 to route the message from the ssp 110 , such as in relation to the calling party &# 39 ; s identifier . messages are delivered from the stp 112 to an appropriate scp 114 through a data communication link 126 . the scp 114 then responds to the message from the ssp 110 with a responsive message . the responsive message travels back to the stp 112 and then back to the ssp 110 . much of the intelligence of the ain 100 used to switch calls and provide other telecommunications services resides in the scp 114 . as is known to those skilled in the art , scps 114 were initially integrated into the ain 100 to handle message translations and billing transactions for the implementation of 800 - number services . an 800 number subscriber has at least one telephone number that can be called by a telephone user . because there is no physical central office or geographic area that corresponds to the 800 - area code , it is more economical to provide a few central locations at which a lookup of the directory number for an 800 call can be made . scps 114 may have associated databases for directory numbers corresponding to functional 800 numbers . scps 114 also may have databases that contain additional data for enhanced telecommunications services such as caller id . for example , the cnam database 116 contains the name corresponding to the telephone number of a calling party . this name can be provided to a called party from the cnam database 116 when ringing the called party &# 39 ; s telephone device 118 . additionally , scps may be used to track the services to be provided to a particular subscriber line , such as whether or not a particular subscriber line has caller id service . in summary , the ain 100 is a complex , high - speed , high call volume , packet - switched messaging system that provides a great deal of versatility in the handling of telephone calls . the ssp 106 , 110 can generate a message to the scp 114 in response to the notification of an incoming call , or call trigger , and then wait for a response from the scp 114 before proceeding with call processing . more detailed information regarding the ain 100 can be found in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 430 , 719 , which is commonly assigned to bellsouth intellectual property management corporation and is incorporated herein by reference . in the example of fig1 , a user of the telephone 102 can ring another telephone or equivalent device 118 by dialing a directory number associated with the telephone 118 . a voice link can be created between the calling telephone 102 and the called telephone 118 , if the called telephone 118 answers in response to the ring . in addition to creating the voice link between the calling telephone 102 and called telephone 118 , the additional services such as caller id may be provided , as may be embodiments of location id service discussed herein . fig2 shows a first portion of an exemplary operational flow employed by the ain 100 to provide the location id service . as shown in fig2 - 4 , the location id service may be employed by the ain 100 in conjunction with conventional caller id service and / or call privacy service , but one skilled in the art will recognize that location id service may also be employed alone . the operational flow of this example begins by the calling device 102 placing a call over the telephone system at call operation 202 . the originating ssp 106 detects that the calling device 102 is placing a call to the called device 118 by dialing the telephone number of the called device 118 , with the dialed number becoming a call trigger . at transfer operation 204 , the originating ssp 106 communicates with the called party &# 39 ; s ssp 110 by transmitting the call trigger to signal that a call to the called party device 118 has been placed . during the communication between the originating ssp 106 and the called party ssp 110 , the originating ssp 106 forwards the calling party &# 39 ; s telephone number . the ssp 106 may also forward a privacy indicator to the ssp 110 if a privacy indicator is appropriate . at query operation 206 , the ssp 106 detects whether a privacy indicator is appropriate such as by referring to local service tables , or by querying an appropriate scp with knowledge of the calling party &# 39 ; s services . a privacy indicator is appropriate where the calling party has subscribed or otherwise initiated privacy service to block distribution of caller id and location id data . calling parties may subscribe to a continually functioning privacy service or may initiate privacy service on a call - by - call basis using a star code , where an asterisk and specific numbers are dialed prior to dialing the number of the called party . fig5 shows an example of a service table 500 residing at the originating ssp 106 or at the scp 114 associated with the calling party and containing an indication 506 of privacy service in relation to the telephone number 502 for subscribers . at query operation 206 the telephone number 502 of the calling party is referenced to determine if the calling party has privacy service . if query operation 206 detects that a privacy indicator is present , then at call operation 208 the ssp 110 rings the called device 118 to allow the call to be answered . however , no caller id or location id data is transferred to the called device 118 when ringing the called device 118 . if at query operation 206 the ssp 110 detects that a privacy indicator is not present , then operational flow transitions to query operation 210 . at query operation 210 , ssp 110 and / or an scp associated with the called party , which may or may not be scp 114 , detects whether the called party has subscribed to location id service by referring to its local service tables . with reference to fig5 , the telephone number 502 of the called party may be referenced against the id services information 504 of a service table 500 for the called party &# 39 ; s ssp 110 or scp associated with the called party to determine whether the called party subscribes to location id service . if at query operation 210 the ssp 110 finds that the called party has not subscribed to location id service , then operational flow transitions to query operation 212 . at query operation 212 , the ssp 110 detects whether the called party has caller id service . the called party &# 39 ; s telephone number 502 is referenced against the id services information 504 within the service table 500 of fig5 maintained by the called party &# 39 ; s ssp 110 or the scp associated with the called party . if the called party does not have caller id service , then ssp 110 rings the called device 118 at call operation 208 , but no caller id or location id data is delivered to the called device 118 . if query operation 212 detects that the called party has subscribed to caller id service , then operational flow transitions to message operation 214 of fig3 . at message operation 214 , the ssp 110 generates a query for the caller id data of the calling party and sends the query message to the stp 112 . the query contains the calling party &# 39 ; s telephone number or other identifier that has been received from the originating ssp 106 . at transfer operation 216 , the stp 112 forwards the query to the appropriate scp 114 that has access to a database containing the caller id data for the calling party , such as cnam database 116 . at look - up operation 218 , the scp 114 references the calling party &# 39 ; s number in the data table of database 116 to find the proper caller id data . fig6 shows an example of a data table 600 of database 116 , which contains the caller id data 604 such as the name that is associated with the telephone number 602 of the calling party . once the caller id data has been obtained , the scp 114 sends the caller id data back to the stp 112 at send operation 220 . the stp 112 then provides the caller id data to the ssp 110 at send operation 222 . after receiving the caller id data from the stp 112 , the ssp 110 delivers the caller id data to the called device 118 when ringing the called device 118 at call operation 224 . the called device 118 displays the caller id information so that the called party can see who is calling prior to answering the call . if at query operation 210 the ssp 110 finds that the called party has subscribed to location id service , then operational flow transitions to message operation 226 of fig4 . at message operation 226 , the ssp 110 generates a query for the location id data for the calling party and sends it to the stp 112 . the query contains the calling party &# 39 ; s telephone number or other identifier that has been received from the originating ssp 106 . at transfer operation 228 , the stp 112 forwards the query to the appropriate scp 114 that has access to a database containing the location id data for the calling party , such as cnam database 116 that has been adapted to contain location id data in addition to caller id data . at look - up operation 230 , the scp 114 references the calling party &# 39 ; s number in the data table of database 116 to find the proper caller id data . the data table 600 of fig6 contains the location id data 606 such as the 9 - digit zip code , latitude and longitude coordinates , or street address data that is associated with the telephone number 602 of the calling party . once the location id data has been obtained , the scp 114 sends the location id data back to the stp 112 at send operation 232 . the stp 112 then provides the location id data to the ssp 110 at send operation 234 . after receiving the location id data from the stp 112 , the ssp 110 delivers the location id data to the called device 118 when ringing the called device 118 at call operation 236 . the called device 118 displays the location id information so that the called party can see where a party is calling from prior to answering the call . the called party may be employing a standard caller id device to display the location id information . in that case , 9 - digit zip code location id data or planar coordinate data may be delivered to the called party for display within the limited character spaces available as if it were caller id data . however , the called party may employ a more sophisticated display device , such as a computer terminal that is capable of displaying many more characters than the standard caller id display device . in that case , the full street address may be delivered to the calling party . furthermore , the called party &# 39 ; s computer terminal may employ geographic informational system ( gis ) software or an equivalent to provide more detail about the location of the calling party . for example , the gis software may operate upon the location information that is received through the location id service to map the location of the calling party . telephone ordering / delivery services , such as food delivery , can thereby determine the proper route to deliver the ordered goods without receiving verbal instruction from the caller . likewise , emergency services other than 911 , such as poison control centers , can dispatch assistance to the location of the calling party without verbal instruction from the caller . to facilitate data transmission of the location information beyond the called party &# 39 ; s computer terminal , such as to gis software that is externally provided , the location data in the cnam database may be encoded in various formats . one example of encoding would be binary coded decimal ( bcd ), where each decimal number of the 9 - digit zip code or planar coordinate is represented by a nibble ( 4 bits ). other encoding schemes are also applicable . although the present invention has been described in connection with various exemplary embodiments , those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that many modifications can be made thereto within the scope of the claims that follow . accordingly , it is not intended that the scope of the invention in any way be limited by the above description , but instead be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow .	7
fig1 is a schematic representation of the computer network associated with a preferred embodiment of the method and system of the present invention . specifically , each individual user associated with a company has access to the internet 110 . via the internet 110 , companies can access a web server 130 hosting the web site of the method and system of the present invention . however , as shown in fig1 , to protect the web server 130 from unauthorized access , the server 130 is preferably secured behind a firewall 121 . associated with the web server 130 is an integral database 150 , which is the storage location for all data about users and companies of the system , along with all pertinent data and information associated with the services 220 , analysis , and exchange process . the specific architecture and design of this database is not essential to the method and system of the present invention provided that the database can meet the storage and retrieval requirements set forth herein . various commercial software packages and / or programming techniques could be used by those skilled in the art to develop this database without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . lastly , with respect to the schematic representation of fig1 , one or more servers 140 160 165 may provide direct access to the web server 130 and associated integral database 150 . the most widely used portion of the internet is the world wide web (“ www ”) which provides for navigation through the selection of , or “ clicking ” of , hypertext images and text . such hypertext images and text are an important feature of standard hypertext markup language ( html ), the programming language that forms the backbone of the www . to carry out execution of the routines and subroutines of the preferred system as described herein , it is understood that standard hypertext markup language ( html ) and associated programming languages and techniques would be used . with benefit of the following description , such programming is readily accomplished by one of ordinary skill in the art . fig1 illustrates a system 100 that optimizes business operations for services 220 from distinct companies when analyzed together . examples of service types include transportation and storage . this invention has two parts . the first is to identify the opportunities to optimize operations 140 across company boundaries via analysis on multi - company aggregated data . the second is an exchange system 130 to manage the inter - company exchange of said services . prior to viewing the various components and features of the preferred method and system as implemented through an internet web site , the operation of the method and system is best explained by an example : abc company is a waste hauler who picks - up waste from several customers and dumps the waste into one or more landfills . each of these customers has a service 220 that defines the specific needs for a waste hauler to perform the waste removal . users in abc company prepares its list of customer services in electronic form and uploads or enters them in manually 610 620 and for viewing through the internet web site 130 implementing the method and system of the present invention . specifically , services 220 are stored in an integral database 150 resident on the internet - accessible web server 130 . through the internet web site 130 , participating waste haulers can view each and every detail of their services 220 , including locations , baseline costs , types of material , pick - up schedule , etc . moreover , participating waste haulers can quickly and easily filter and / or sort service 220 information , viewing only services meeting certain criteria , such as area , location , mileage , and / or equipment . through such filtering and sorting techniques , each waste hauler can identify which services 220 it would like routed , and which services it would like to be considered for optimization / outsourcing with / to other waste haulers . after making such determinations , rather than preparing a complete manually written outsource package , each waste hauler can receive automatically generated optimized routes 225 500 and cost saving outsource opportunities 300 from the system , via a communication device such as the web site 130 interface or asynchronous message 165 . if two companies wish to participate in the exchange , each company can execute and monitor the agreement 223 through the web site 130 . as abc company continues to gain new business or loose business the system will continually and automatically search for new opportunities to optimize 630 640 . furthermore , with respect to current business , abc company can compare proposed routes 225 with existing routes . agreements 223 persist until they are automatically terminated when their effective dates expire . through the same web site interface 130 , both companies can terminate specific agreements 223 or have agreements terminate automatically by new outsourced agreements . in this regard , depending on company preferences , the method and system of the present invention conducts the automated selection process though a “ most efficient ” algorithm 640 or in a quasi - reverse auction format . specifically , a company wishing to receive new outsource business may choose to lower their profit goals to view information associated with more opportunities 222 to widen their availability via the web site 130 to create a “ fishing ” process . in any event , most companies have a variety of selection criteria and preferences with respect to increasing the scope of opportunities , and , as such , lower overhead does not guarantee a more efficient company to gain specific business . an explanation of the various components and features of the preferred method and system as implemented through an internet web site , the operation of the method and system is explained here : the exchange system 130 is software that will allow companies to manage 610 620 their service 220 data by transmitting to the communications device via the internet 190 191 192 110 and exchange services with other companies . this can be done either by a human user 180 through a user interface or by via a company &# 39 ; s system 170 through an api 160 . the system will allow companies to manage their data by : loading in existing service data 620 or creating new ones 610 edit services or delete them 620 cleanse data 610 620 to correct elements such as but not limited to addresses & amp ; geographic positions . normalize their data 610 620 into a format that is standard across all participating companies the system has an optimization analysis server 140 that will use criteria to identify what services have the potential to be exchanged . a list of matching 630 services called candidates 221 will be created from this criterion . the criteria for which services can be analyzed consists of but is not limited to : schedule ( one - time or reoccurring ) capabilities of equipment needed to perform the service the physical requirements of the service ( location to be performed , dimensions , weight ) material or product attributes a service has a single location where the service 220 has significance . a service may have an optional disposition 224 , which is where the service 220 may start or end but is not important to the service itself . an example for a waste collection operation , which has a service 220 . that has an end disposition 224 associated where the primary location is where the waste needs to be picked - up but the disposition 224 is of little consequence as it can go to any landfill . another example is of a fuel distribution operation where a service 220 has a start disposition 224 associated and the primary location is where the fuel needs to be delivered but the start disposition is of little consequence as it can come from any fuel depot . an example of a service 220 that has no disposition 224 is a snow plowing service where the primary location is where the truck needs to plow but there is no start or end location . a second analysis 640 will determine if there is a benefit for a service 220 ( or subsets of services ) to be performed by another company . the benefit analysis 640 will use a number of tools and criteria that are dependent on the service 220 type . the benefit analysis 640 will use the optimization server 140 , which in turn uses pluggable software 141 and 142 that are algorithms and processes specific to a particular service type . for transportation type services a company &# 39 ; s services transportation costs will be calculated with a routing algorithm that will combine candidate 221 service locations from other companies with their own . the analysis will also consider disposition 224 scenarios to find the best distribution network for further optimization . the criteria for analysis consists of but is not limited to : the system will then 150 the lowered cost services as opportunities 222 300 400 to be subsequently used by the system &# 39 ; s exchange system 130 . the system will also save 150 proposed routes 225 500 that were used as part of the analysis to determine best cost and operational efficiency gains . the system will also transmit the results to the appropriate company 650 660 . the system will restrict access to data so that each company will only see their own information . the system will leverage the optimization analysis 640 to automatically identify opportunities where services could be exchanged between companies . these are transmitted 650 660 165 as opportunities 222 to the receiving company with only the absolute necessary information provided to accept the exchange . the system will allow both parties to accept 670 an opportunity 222 to exchange a service 220 through an agreement 223 . agreements 223 will have details that define their financial details , duration , and other contractual aspects of the deal . the system will persist 150 and maintain 670 opportunities 222 and agreements 223 to perform historical analysis on business performance , performance against peers , system performance , and other metrics . the system has a communication server 165 that can be used to send asynchronous messages consisting of but not limited to email , sms , and publish and subscribe technologies .	7
in the following description , for purposes of explanation and not limitation , specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details . in other instances , detailed descriptions of well - known methods and devices are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail . fig1 is a block diagram of a hearing aid 10 with which with the present invention may be practiced . hearing aid 10 includes a microphone 12 for reception of ambient sound . the signal from microphone 12 is amplified by amplifier 14 , which drives a miniature loudspeaker , or receiver , 16 . the output signal of amplifier 14 is applied to adaptive feedback canceller 18 , the output of which is fed back to amplifier 14 . the decorrelation processing of the present invention is performed as follows ( illustrated in fig2 ): 1 . if dir is “ down ”, increment d by r . if dir is “ up ”, decrement d by r . 2 . if d & gt ; r · t · sr , set d = r · t · sr and set dir =“ up ”. 3 . if d & lt ; 0 , set d = 0 and set dir =“ down ”. 4 . set d i = integer part of d and d f = fractional part of d . 5 . separate x ( n ) into low - and high - frequency bands , x l ( n ) and x h ( n ). 6 . set y ( n )= x l ( n )+ x h ( n − d i )+ d f ·[ x h ( n − d i − 1 )− x h ( n − d i )]. r = frequency shifting ratio ( typical value 0 . 003 , or 0 . 3 %) t = time interval for switching direction , in seconds ( typical value 0 . 5 ) sr = sampling rate d = current delay , in samples dir = current frequency shifting direction (“ up ” or “ down ”) x ( n )= input signal , sample n y ( n )= output signal , sample n there are several benefits to the decorrelation method . first , the use of a much smaller frequency shifting ratio in comparison to the teachings of joson et al . reduces the first two artifacts described above . the pitch change associated with a 0 . 3 % frequency shift is 1 / 20 of a musical half - step , which is undetectable even for musical input signals . likewise , acoustic mixing of processed and unprocessed signals that differ in frequency by 0 . 3 % does not produce an “ out of tune ” percept . this small frequency difference does produce amplitude modulation (“ beating ”), but most input signals contain natural amplitude modulation that will mask this artifact . an important indirect benefit of the small frequency shifting ratio is that it makes it feasible to alternate between upward and downward frequency shifting , rather than shifting in one direction only . alternating direction creates the percept of alternating pitches . for larger frequency shifting ratios , the result would sound something like a european police siren , which would be highly objectionable . by contrast , alternating pitches that differ only by 1 / 10 of a musical half - step ( i . e ., ± 1 / 20 ) is a subtle effect which is masked by the natural frequency modulation present in most input signals . the benefit of alternating the direction of frequency shifting is that shifting can be accomplished without use of the “ sampling method ”. shifting frequencies downward requires temporal stretching of the input , while shifting upward requires temporal compression . if shifting is only performed in one direction , segmentation of the input signal is required . for example , for a constant downward shift without segmentation , the output delay relative to the input would constantly increase over time , eventually overflowing the memory buffer . segmentation is required to allow the output to periodically “ catch up ” and to reset the buffer . the opposite problem occurs for a constant upward shift : the input falls behind the output until the memory buffer underflows , at which point segmentation is required . as discussed above , segmentation creates discontinuities at segment boundaries , with consequent artifacts . in the present invention , alternating shift direction allows the input / output delay to alternate between gradually increasing and decreasing . there is no need for segmentation , and thus no artifacts associated with segment boundaries . another benefit of the present invention results from replacing the complex interpolator with a simple two - point linear interpolator . interpolators designed for sampling rate conversion typically require several multiplies and moderate amounts of memory . by contrast , a two - point linear interpolator requires only a single multiply and two words of memory . ( additional memory is required to accommodate the input / output delay , but this is required regardless of the choice of interpolation technique .) this type of interpolator is known to generate artifacts due to the time - varying degree of high - frequency attenuation as the interpolator progresses between adjacent buffer samples . however , the attenuation of these artifacts by the lowpass characteristic of typical hearing aid receivers renders the artifacts largely inaudible , and thus a two - point linear interpolator is feasible for hearing aid applications . the resulting decrease in computational and memory requirements is an important benefit , given the power , size , and real - time constraints of hearing aids . a final benefit of the present invention results from limiting the action of the frequency shifter to the high - frequency portion of the signal . as discussed above , frequency shifting introduces a time - varying itd , which creates the illusion of moving sound sources because itd is a perceptual cue for lateral position of sound . however , the impact of itd on perceived lateral position is strongest for low - frequency inputs and minimal for high - frequency inputs . thus , the illusion of motion can be largely eliminated by dividing the input signal into low - and high - frequency bands , applying frequency shifting to the high band only , and then adding the bands back together . a reasonable cutoff frequency between the two bands is approximately 1 khz . a variety of filtering methods may be used to accomplish the separation of the bands . one effective method is to create a lowpass / highpass pair of power complementary filters by taking the sum and difference of two allpass filters . it will be recognized that the above - described invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the disclosure . thus , it is understood that the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details , but rather is to be defined by the appended claims .	7
the present invention will be explained in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings . referring to fig1 and 2 , a device for sampling blood and measuring erythrocyte sedimentation rate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a tube 1 with one end closed . the tube 1 comprises a blood sampling portion 2 at the open end of the tube 1 and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate measuring portion 3 extending from the blood sampling portion 2 . the measuring portion 3 has the same diameter over the entire length , and the blood sampling portion 2 has a greater diameter than that of the measuring portion 3 . a partition member 10 is located within the tube 1 . the tube 1 is evacuated in the production step of the device , and the open end of the tube 1 is stoppered with a stoppering means 4 to keep the inside of the tube 1 a vacuum state . the partition member 10 may have any shape such as plate , pipe or rod . however , a partition member 10 in the form of a plate is preferred , because it produces a loop - like flow of blood in the mixing operation as described below . hereinafter a plate - shaped partition member 10 is more fully explained . the partition member 10 preferably has such a length that the top end of the partition member 10 is positioned above the surface of the blood contained in the tube 1 when the tube 1 is stood vertically with the measuring portion 3 on the lower side and there is provided a space 5 between the tope end of the partition member 10 and the stoppering means 4 . the partition member 10 may have such a width that the member 10 can be readily inserted into the measuring portion 3 of the tube 1 . however , a partition member 10 having a much smaller width tends to be attached as a whole to the inner wall of the tube 1 , so that the member 10 cannot perform its function . from this standpoint , it is preferable that the width of the partition member be substantially equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the measuring portion 3 of the tube 1 . the thickness of the partition member 10 is preferably not less than 0 . 2 mm , more preferably from 0 . 5 to 1 mm . any material can be used for the partition member 10 , unless it destroys blood cells . however , a transparent or translucent material is preferable , because the measurement is easy . examples of the material include glass and plastics such as rigid vinyl chloride resin , polypropylene , polystyrene , polyamide , polycarbonate , polymethyl methacrylate and styreneacrylonitrile copolymer . the tube 1 is made of a transparent or translucent material to make it easy to observe erythrocyte sedimentation rate . examples of the material include glass and plastics such as polypropylene , acryl resins , polystyrene , butadiene - styrene copolymer ( commercially available under the name &# 34 ; asaflex &# 34 ; made by ashai chemical industry co ., ltd . and &# 34 ; k - resin &# 34 ; made by phillips chemical company ) and styrene - acrylonitrile copolymer . the inner diameter of the measuring portion 3 preferably ranges from 3 to 6 mm . a measuring portion 3 having an inner diameter of more than 6 mm requires a large amount of blood . a measuring portion 3 having an inner diameter of less than 3 mm makes the mixing of blood difficult . it is preferable that the inner diameter of the blood sampling portion 2 is from 8 to 14 mm , the length of the tube 1 is from 220 to 250 mm , and the volume of blood to be measured is from 1 to 7 ml . it is preferable that there is provided a space 5 &# 39 ; between the lower end of the partition member 10 and the bottom of the tube 1 , which readily produces a loop - like flow of blood in the longitudinal direction of the tube 1 . this will be explained in detail below . the effect of the partition member 10 is shown in test example 1 . ten devices as shown in fig1 and 2 in accordance with the present invention were provided . the particulars thereof are as follows : into the tube 1 of each device was introduced 2 . 5 ml of blood . then the tube 1 was turned upside down . a time required for the air trapped at the one end of the tube 1 to be moved to the other end of the tube 1 was measured . for comparison , using ten devices wherein no partition member was located in the tube 1 , the same procedures as above were repeated . table 1______________________________________ mixing timesample presence of absence ofno . partition member partition member______________________________________1 3 &# 34 ; 5 &# 39 ; 32 &# 34 ; 2 3 &# 34 ; 5 &# 39 ; 06 &# 34 ; 3 2 &# 34 ; 4 &# 39 ; 58 &# 34 ; 4 3 &# 34 ; 5 &# 39 ; 45 &# 34 ; 5 3 &# 34 ; 6 &# 39 ; 12 &# 34 ; 6 2 &# 34 ; 5 &# 39 ; 14 &# 34 ; 7 2 &# 34 ; 4 &# 39 ; 20 &# 34 ; 8 3 &# 34 ; 4 &# 39 ; 37 &# 34 ; 9 3 &# 34 ; 6 &# 39 ; 08 &# 34 ; 10 3 &# 34 ; 5 &# 39 ; 13 &# 34 ; average 3 &# 34 ; 5 &# 39 ; 20 &# 34 ; value______________________________________ the results of table 1 reveal that the use of the partition member exhibits unexpected effect on the speed of mixing of blood . a test for comparing the device of the present invention with a conventional tube for measuring erythrocyte sedimentation rate was conducted in test example 2 . there were prepared ten devices in accordance with the present invention ( the same as those in test example 1 ) and ten westergren tubes each having an inner diameter of 2 . 55 mm and a length of 300 mm . ten blood samples were placed into the tubes and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate thereof were measured . the results are shown in table 2 . table 2______________________________________ erythrocyte sedimentation distanceblood for an hour ( mm ) sample no . the invention westergren tube______________________________________1 5 42 5 53 38 404 67 645 6 66 13 127 91 888 4 59 3 210 25 27______________________________________ as is clear from table 2 , with respect to the same blood sample , the measurement obtained using the device of the present invention is substantially the same as that obtained using the westergren tube . those results reveal that the partition member exerts no adverse effect on the measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate . the partition member 10 used in the present invention will be explained in more detail . it is preferable that both side ends of the partition member 10 located in the tube 1 come in close contact with the inner wall of the tube 1 . when both side ends of the partition member 10 come in close contact with the inner wall of the tube 1 , a loop - like flow of blood in the longitudinal direction of the tube 1 is produced as shown in fig3 . the numeral 6 indicates an air bubble . however , when both side ends of the partition member 10 do not come in close contact with the inner wall of the tube 1 , the blood leaks from the one side of the partition member 10 to the other side of the partition member 10 through a clearance between the side end of the partition member 10 and the inner wall of the tube as shown in fig4 which hinders the formation of the above - mentioned loop - like flow of blood in the longitudinal direction , so that the mixing speed is reduced . from this standpoint , it is preferable that the width of the partition member 10 is closer to the inner diameter of the tube 1 , so long as the partition member 1 is easily inserted into the tube 1 . usually a difference between the inner diameter of the tube 1 and the width of the partition member 10 is selected from 0 to 0 . 5 mm . fig5 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the partition member 10 in accordance with the present invention . this partition member 10 has a cut portion 11 at the lower end thereof . a sectional area 7 of blood flow at the lower end of the tube 1 during the mixing operation is enlarged by providing the cut portion 11 as shown in fig6 whereby the flow rate of the blood at that portion is reduced , which results in the prevention of air bubble from being broken into minute air bubbles during the mixing operation . minute air bubbles tend to remain on the blood surface in the measurement , because they hardly disappear , which causes an error in measurement . however , this defect is overcome by providing the cut portion 11 . further , by providing the cut portion 11 , the blood or trapped air starts to move immediately after the tube 1 is turned upside down , which results in incresed mixing speed , though the mechanism thereof is not clear . it is preferable that a total sectional area including the cut portion 11 between the lower end of the partition member 10 and the inner wall of the lower end of the tube 1 , which area is indicated by the numeral 7 in fig6 is about 1 / 2 as large as or slightly more than the cross - sectional area of the measuring portion 3 of the tube 1 to exhibit sufficiently the above - mentioned functions . fig7 is a plan view showing still another embodiment of the partition member 10 in accordance with the present invention . this partition member 10 has a neck portion 12 at the upper part thereof in addition to the cut portion 11 . the neck portion 12 is provided so that the blood surface is positioned at the neck portion 12 . the functions of the neck portion 12 are as follows : ( 1 ) in the case of a partition member 10 having no neck portion , a gap between a meniscus level of the blood on the one side of the partition member 10 and a meniscus level of the blood on the other side of the partition member 10 tends to be produced . however , both meniscuses are of the same level by providing the neck portion 12 , which ensures an exact measurememt . ( 2 ) when the tube 1 containing a partition member 10 with no neck portion , which is in the inverted position , is turned to the normal position , the blood on the one side of the partition member 10 tends to flow into the other side of the partition member 10 together with air bubbles due to an inertial force . in that case , the air bubbles are divided into minute air bubbles . however , in the case of using the partition member 10 having a neck portion 12 , there is produced a blood flow which acts to cancel the flow of blood into the other side of the partition member 10 due to the presence of cut portions 13 , 14 on both sides of the neck portion 12 , thereby preventing the air bubbles from being divided into minute air bubbles . thus an exact measurement is ensured . usually the width of the neck portion 12 is from 1 / 4 to 1 / 6 the width of the partition member 10 . the neck portion 12 may be provided such that the cut portion 13 and the cut portion 14 are symmetric with respect to the bisector 15 of the partition member 10 in the longitudinal direction , as shown in fig7 . however , as shown in fig8 the neck portion 12 is preferably provided such that the center 16 of the upper end of the neck portion 12 is on the bisector 15 and the center 17 of the lower end of the neck portion 12 is offset rom the bisector 15 , whereby the neck portion 12 is inclined against the bisector 15 . in that case , the flow rates of the bloods which flow through the cut portion 13 and the cut portion 14 on both sides of the inclined neck portion 12 are different from each other , which causes a disorder of blood flow and reduces the rate of main loop - like blood flow . thus the above - mentioned flowing of air bubbles into the other side of the partition member 10 is more effectively prevented . an angle between the neck portion 12 and the bisector 15 is preferably from 1 ° to 6 °. the neck portion 12 is preferably formed such that a portion 18 which has the same width as that of the major portion of the partition member 10 remains at the upper end portion thereof . the wide end portion 18 functions as follows : after the mixing operation is completed , some quantity of blood is trapped under the rubber plug 4 and the blood hardly drops due to the surface tension thereof . if the blood is left as it is , there is a danger that the blood drops down gradually along the inner wall of the tube 1 , which causes an error in measurement . in contrast thereto , if the wide end portion 18 is positioned beneath the under surface of the rubber plug 4 , the blood trapped under the rubber plug 4 drops in a short time along the wide end portion 18 . however , the entire upper end portion of the partition member 10 may be narrowed to form a narrow end portion 19 , as shown in fig9 . various partition members were produced and the effects thereof were confirmed as shown in test example 3 . each partition member 10 was made of a rigid polyvinyl chloride . the entire length was 214 mm and the thickness was 0 . 5 mm . the other particulars are shown in table 3 . five species were used with respect to each partition member 10 . the mixing speed was measured in the same manner as in test example 1 . this was evaluated in terms of the time required for the blood to start to move after the tube 1 was turned upside down . it was determined whether or not minute air bubbles were formed during the mixing operation it was determined whether air bubbles on the one side of the partition member 10 flowed into the other side of the partition member 10 . it was determined whether the blood was trapped under the rubber plug 4 . table 3__________________________________________________________________________ a b c d e f g__________________________________________________________________________shape fig2 fig2 fig5 fig7 fig7 fig9 fig8 width of partition 3 . 00 4 . 06 4 . 06 4 . 06 4 . 06 4 . 06 4 . 06member ( mm ) cut portion 11 -- -- 3 × 3 3 × 3 3 × 3 3 × 3 3 × 3 ( mm × mm ) neck portion 12length ( mm ) -- -- -- 10 17 -- 17width ( mm ) -- -- -- 1 1 -- 1inclination angle α ( degree ) -- -- -- 0 0 -- 3narrow end portion 19length ( mm ) -- -- -- -- -- 26 -- width ( mm ) -- -- -- -- -- 1 -- inclination angle α ( degree ) -- -- -- -- -- 0 -- __________________________________________________________________________ table 4______________________________________ sample partition member no . a b c d e f g______________________________________mixing speed 1 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 ( sec ) 2 4 4 3 2 3 3 2 3 7 3 4 4 3 2 3 4 5 5 2 2 3 3 3 5 2 4 3 2 3 2 3start of 1 x δ ○ δ ○ ○ ○ movement 2 δ x ○ ○ δ ○ ○ of blood 3 x δ δ δ ○ ○ ○ 4 δ x ○ ○ ○ δ ○ 5 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ δformation of 1 x x x ○ ○ ○ ○ minute air 2 x x x ○ δ ○ ○ bubbles 3 x x ○ δ ○ δ ○ 4 x x δ δ δ ○ ○ 5 x x δ ○ ○ δ ○ shape of 1 x x x ○ ○ ○ ○ meniscus 2 x x x ○ ○ ○ ○ 3 x x x ○ ○ ○ ○ 4 x x x ○ ○ ○ ○ 5 x x x ○ ○ ○ ○ turning of 1 x x x x ○ x ○ air bubble 2 x x x ○ x x ○ 3 x x x x x ○ ○ 4 x x x x x ○ ○ 5 x x x ○ ○ x ○ trapping 1 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ x ○ blood 2 ○ ○ ○ ○ δ x ○ 3 ○ ○ ○ δ ○ x ○ 4 ○ ○ ○ ○ δ x ○ 5 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ x ○ total δ δ δ ○ ○ δ ⊚ evaluation______________________________________ as is clear from the results of table 4 , the partition member 10 shown in fig8 which has a width approximately equal to the inner diameter of the measuring portion 3 and has a cut portion 11 at the lower end thereof and an inclined neck portion 12 at the upper end thereof reveals excellent results in all test items . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above examples , and various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof . in addition to the elements used in the examples , other elements can be used in the examples as set forth in the specification to obtain substantially the same results .	8
the cyclic amidines of formula a that comprise this invention are synthesized via several distinct chemical syntheses which are described in detail in the examples set forth below . in general , each synthetic route consists of several sequential chemical operations which are outlined in schemes 1 - 8 and which can be generalized as described below : introduction of the α - cyanomethyl group onto a β - tetralone nucleus . concomitant reductive amination / cyclization to produce amidine intermediates . acylation of cyclic amidine intermediates to afford compounds of formula a in which y = carbonyl ( c ═ o ). reduction of the amide to generate the cyclic amidines of formula a in which y = methylene (— ch 2 —). it is generally preferred that the respective product of each process step be separated from other components of the reaction mixture and subjected to purification before its use as a starting material in a subsequent step . separation techniques typically include evaporation , extraction , precipitation and filtration . purification techniques typically include column chromatography ( still , w . c . et . al ., j . org . chem . 1978 , 43 , 2921 ), thin - layer chromatography , crystallization and distillation . the structures of the final products , intermediates and starting materials are confirmed by spectroscopic , spectrometric and analytical methods including nuclear magnetic resonance ( nmr ), mass spectrometry ( ms ) and liquid chromatography ( hplc ). in the descriptions for the preparation of compounds of this invention , ethyl ether , tetrahydrofuran and dioxane are common examples of an ethereal solvent ; benzene , toluene , hexanes and cyclohexane are typical hydrocarbon solvents and dichloromethane and dichloroethane are representative halohydrocarbon solvents . in those cases wherein the product is isolated as the acid addition salt , the free base is obtained by techniques known to those skilled in the art . specifically , an appropriately substituted β - tetralone ( i ) is reacted with a secondary amine such as pyrrolidine in an inert halohydrocarbon solvent such as , for example , dichloromethane or a hydrocarbon solvent such as benzene for example , under dean - stark conditions ( removal of water ) or in an ethereal solvent such as tetrahydrofuran or an alcohol solvent such as methanol , at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to reflux , to afford enamine ( ii ). cyanomethylation of enamine ( ii ) is accomplished by reaction with an α - haloacetonitrile , such as bromoacetonitrile , in an inert solvent such as acetonitrile , at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to reflux , to afford the iminium salt ( iii ). the iminium salt is hydrolyzed by treatment with an aqueous acid solution , such as hydrochloric or acetic acid , which may contain an organic solvent such as an alcohol or dioxane to facilitate dissolution and reaction , to afford the α - cyanomethyl - β - tetralone ( iv ). reductive amination and concomitant cyclization of tetralone ( iv ) is accomplished by reaction with a reducing agent such as , for example , sodium cyanoborohydride , and an ammonium equivalent such as , for example , ammonium acetate , in an alcohol solvent such as methanol or in a halohydrocarbon solvent such as dichloromethane , at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to reflux . an organic acid , such as acetic acid for example , may be added to facilitate this transformation ; cyclization under these reaction conditions typically affords the cis - amidine ( v ) as the major product . amidine ( v ) may be converted to its acid addition salt upon treatment with organic acids such as trifluoroacetic acid , or via treatment with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid , to afford the corresponding amidine salt ( vi ) ( scheme 1 ). hx in scheme 1 represents the hydrochloride salt . the amidine products described above (( v ) and ( vi )) are acylated via suitable amidation methods ( see gross and meienhofer , eds ., “ the peptides ”, vols . 1 - 3 , academic press , new york , n . y ., 1979 - 1981 ). a carboxylic acid is converted to an activated ester via peptide coupling methods known to those skilled in the art , and the product of this reaction is subsequently reacted with amidine ( v ) or ( vi ) to afford the corresponding amide product . for example , trans - 4 -( benzenesulfonamido ) methylcyclohexane carboxylic acid is reacted with hbtu ( 2 -( 1h - benzotriazole - 1 - yl )- 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 - tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate and amidine ( vi ) in the presence of a base such as diisopropylethylamine , in an inert solvent such as n , n - dimethylformamide , at a temperature from ambient temperature to reflux , to afford sulfonamides ( vii ) of formula a in which y = carbonyl and z =( aryl ) sulfonamido ( scheme 2 ). reaction of amidine ( vi ) or ( v ) with alkyl - or heteroaryl - sulfonyl halides , under similar conditions , affords sulfonamides ( viii ) of formula a . during these transformations , minor amounts of regiomers ( ix ) and ( x ) are formed respectively ; compounds of this type are considered to be part of this invention as well . alternatively , a sulfonamido - carboxylic acid is first treated with an amine base , such as triethylamine , in an inert hydrocarbon , ethereal or halohydrocarbon solvent , such as dichloroethane , and subsequently reacted with isobutyl chloroformate at a temperature from about − 20 ° c . to 80 ° c . this resulting mixture is then reacted with amidine ( v ), in a suitable inert solvent such dichloromethane at a temperature from about − 20 ° c . to reflux , to afford the sulfonamides ( vii ) and ( viii ) of formula a respectively , in which y = carbonyl and z =( aryl ) sulfonamido or sulfonamido . the amidino sulfonamides of formula a in which y = methylene are prepared via reduction of amidino amides ( vii ) and ( viii ) by reaction with a suitable reducing agent such as borane - tetrahydrofuran complex or lithium aluminum hydride in an inert hydrocarbon solvent such as toluene or ethereal solvent such as tetrahydrofuran , at a temperature from ambient temperature to reflux . the crude product is treated with an aqueous acid solution such as hydrochloric acid ( 3m - 6m ) in order to cleave any boron complexes ; neutralization affords sulfonamides ( xi ) and ( xii ) as corresponding free bases . preferably , these materials are isolated as an acid addition salts upon treatment with a suitable organic acid such as trifluoroacetic acid or inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid ( scheme 3 ). reduction of the regiomeric amides ( ix ) and ( x ) by the methods described above in scheme 3 , affords amines ( xiii ) and ( xiv ) ( scheme 4 ). compounds of formula a in which z = 2 , 3 - dihydro - 2 - oxo - 1h - benzimidazol - 1 - yl and l =( n - methylene ) piperidin - 4 - yl are prepared from amidines ( v ) or ( vi ) and [ 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ] acetic acid . for example , 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidine is reacted with a bromoacetic acid ester , such as ethyl bromoacetate , in the presence of an amine base , such as diisopropylethylamine , in an inert solvent such as acetonitrile , at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to reflux , to afford ethyl [ 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ] acetate . this ester is subjected to hydrolysis under basic conditions , for example , by treatment with sodium hydroxide in an alcoholic solution such as aqueous methanol , to yield , upon acidification with an inorganic or organic acid such as hydrochloric or acetic acid for example , [ 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ] acetic acid . this carboxylic acid is reacted directly with amidine ( v ) or ( vi ), in the presence of an amine base , under peptide coupling conditions described above , to afford amidino benzimidazolinones ( xv ) of formula a in which y = carbonyl and l =( n - methylene ) piperidin - 4 - yl ( scheme 5 ). compounds ( xvi ) of formula a in which y = methylene and l =( n - methylene ) piperidin - 4 - yl and z = 2 , 3 - dihydro - 2 - oxo - 1h - benzimidazol - 1 - yl are prepared by reduction of amides ( xv ) with a reducing agent such as borane - tetrahydrofuran complex or lithium aluminum hydride as described above ( scheme 6 ). compounds of formula a in which y = carbonyl , l =( n - methylene ) piperazin - 4 - yl and z = phenyl are prepared by reacting a phenylpiperazine with a haloacetic acid ester , such as , for example , ethyl bromoacetate , in the presence of an amine base , such as diisopropylethylamine , in an inert solvent such as acetonitrile , at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to reflux , to afford ethyl ( 4 - arylpiperazin - 1 - yl ) acetate . this ester is subjected to hydrolysis under basic conditions , for example , by treatment with sodium hydroxide in an aqueous methanol , to yield , upon acidification with an inorganic or organic acid such as hydrochloric or acetic acid for example , ( 4 - arylpiperazin - 1 - yl ) acetic acid . this carboxylic acid is reacted directly with amidine ( v ) or ( vi ) in the presence of a base , such as triethylamine for example , under peptide coupling conditions described above , to afford arylpiperidines ( xvii ) of formula a in which y = carbonyl , l =( n - methylene ) piperazin - 4 - yl and z = aryl or substituted aryl ( scheme 7 ). compounds ( xviii ) of formula a in which y = methylene , l =( n - methylene ) piperazin - 4 - yl and z = aryl are prepared by reduction of amides ( xvii ) with a reducing agent such as borane - tetrahydrofuran complex or lithium aluminum hydride ( scheme 8 ). replacement of ( 4 - arylpiperazin - 1 - yl ) acetic acid with a ( 4 - arylpiperidin - 1 - yl ) acetic acid in schemes 7 and 8 affords compounds of formula a in which l =( n - methylene ) piperidin - 4 - yl and z = aryl . compounds of formula a in which y = carbonyl , l =( n - methylene ) piperidin - 4 , 4 - diyl and z = 1 - aryl - 2 , 3 - dihydro - 4 - oxo - imidazol - 5 , 5 - diyl are prepared by reacting 1 - aryl - 1 , 3 , 8 - triazaspiro -[ 4 , 5 ] decan - 4 - one with a haloacetic acid ester , such as ethyl bromoacetate , in the presence of an amine base , such as diisopropylethylamine , in an inert solvent such as acetonitrile , at a temperature from ambient temperature to reflux , to afford ethyl ( 1 - aryl - 1 , 3 , 8 - triazaspiro -[ 4 , 5 ] decan - 4 - one - 8 - yl ) acetate . this ester is subjected to hydrolysis under basic conditions , for example , by treatment with sodium hydroxide in an alcoholic solution such as aqueous methanol , to yield upon acidification with an inorganic or organic acid such as hydrochloric or acetic acid for example , ( 1 - aryl - 1 , 3 , 8 - triazaspiro -[ 4 , 5 ] decan - 4 - one - 8 - yl ) acetic acid . this carboxylic acid is reacted directly with amidine ( v ) or ( v ), in the presence of a base such as triethylamine for example , under peptide coupling conditions described above , to afford amides ( xix ) of formula a in which y = carbonyl , l =( n - methylene ) piperidin - 4 , 4 - diyl and z = 1 - aryl - 2 , 3 - dihydro - 4 - oxo - imidazol - 5 , 5 - diyl ( scheme 9 ). other compounds of this invention having the formula a can be prepared using the methods described herein ; modifications of the experimental protocols described above are known or obvious or within the ability of those skilled in the art . for example , a variety of β - tetralones are known or readily prepared by reaction of phenylacetic acids with ethylene gas in the presence of a lewis acid ( for example , stjernlof , p . et . al . j . med . chem . 1995 , 38 , 2202 ). compounds in which the r 1 group ( s ) is varied are obtained using this chemistry ; in some cases , protecting group manipulations are used and these are obvious or known to those skilled in the art . examples include masking an amine group as a carbamate , amide or phthalamide , and masking an hydroxyl group as an ether or ester . other r 1 substituents are available through ( other ) functional group manipulations such as , for example , reduction of a nitro group to an amine or dehydration of an amide to a nitrile . compounds in which the l group is varied , are derived from amino - carboxylic acids or piperazines or piperidines ; hundreds of such compounds are commercially available and many more are known . compounds of formula a where z = sulfonamido or ( aryl ) sulfonamido , in which either the r 3 or the r 4 group is varied , are accessible by sulfonylation ; there are hundreds of sulfonyl halides or sulfonic acids that are commercially available and more that are known . compounds of formula a where z = sulfonamido or ( aryl ) sulfonamido , in which the r 3 substituent is heteroaryl can be prepared by substituting a pyridinyl , thienyl or furyl sulfonylchloride for a benzenesulfonamide as described in scheme 2 . n - alkylimidazolylsulfonyl chlorides can be used to prepare sulfonamides of formula a in which the r 3 substituent is imidazolyl . similarly , alkylsulfonyl and cycloalkylsulfonyl halides , alone or in the presence of an activating agent such as a lewis acid , can be used to prepare sulfonamides of formula a in which the r 3 substituent is alkyl or cycloalkyl respectively . compounds of formula a with l groups other than methylene are prepared by substituting bromoacetic acid esters with other ω - bromo acid esters in schemes 5 , 7 and 9 . there are hundreds of ω - bromo acids and esters that are either commercially available or known . compounds of formula a in which the l group is alkylene are derived from arylalkylenecarboxylic acids ; many compounds of this structural type are either commercially available or known . similarly , arylalkenylene -, arylalkynylene - and arylcycloalkylene - carboxylic acids are known or available and can be used to make compounds of formula a in which l is alkenylene , alkynylene or cycloalkylene respectively . compounds in which b 2 is other than hydrogen are made starting from an appropriate α - methylated - β - tetralone and carrying out the chemistry described in scheme 1 and subsequent schemes and examples . compounds in which r 2 is other than hydrogen are made by reaction of a cyclic amidine with an alkylation agent such as methyl iodide . the following examples describe the invention in greater detail and are intended to illustrate the invention , but not to limit it . all compounds were identified by a variety of methods including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , mass spectrometry and in some cases , infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis . nuclear magnetic resonance ( 300 mhz nmr ) data are reported in parts per million downfield from tetramethylsilane . mass spectra data are reported in mass / charge ( m / z ) units . unless otherwise noted , the materials used in the examples were obtained from readily available commercial sources or synthesized by standard methods known to those skilled in the art . a solution of 6 - methoxy - 3 , 4 - dihydro - 1h - naphthalen - 2 - one ( 1 ) ( 5 . 64 g , 32 mmol ) in methanol ( 60 ml ) was treated with pyrrolidine ( 3 . 5 ml , 41 . 6 mmol ) and the resultant mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 . 5 h . the product precipitated from solution within minutes of the addition of pyrrolidine . the resultant suspension was cooled in an ice bath and the enamine product ( 2 ) was collected by filtration as a white solid ( 5 . 6 g , 76 %). nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 86 - 1 . 94 ( m , 4 h ), 2 . 46 ( t , 2h ), 2 . 80 ( t , 2 h ), 3 . 19 - 3 . 25 ( m , 4 h ), 3 . 77 ( s , 3 h ), 5 . 10 ( s , 1 h ), 6 . 59 - 6 . 65 ( m , 2 h ) and 6 . 78 d , 1 h ). a solution of 1 -( 3 , 4 - dihydro - 6 - methoxynaphthalen - 2 - yl )- pyrrolidine ( 2 ) ( 5 . 6 g , 24 . 4 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 60 ml ) was treated with bromoacetonitrile ( 2 . 21 ml , 31 . 7 mmol ). the resultant solution was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 h . the pyrrolidinium salt ( 3 ), was collected by filtration and washed with diethyl ether , to give the pyrrolidinium bromide as a hygroscopic colorless solid which was used directly in the subsequent reaction . ms 269 ( m + ). a solution of 1 -[ 1 -( cyanomethyl )- 3 , 4 - dihydro - 6 - methoxy - 2 ( 1h )- naphthalenylidene )] pyrrolidinium bromide ( 3 ) ( 24 . 4 mmol ) and acetic acid ( 5 ml ) in dichloromethane / methanol / water ( 60 ml / 100 ml / 50 ml ) was stirred at ambient temperature for 18 h . an organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with dichloromethane ( 100 ml ). the combined organics were washed with water , then washed with a saturated solution of aqueous sodium bicarbonate , and dried over magnesium sulfate . the solvent was evaporated in vacuo to give the α - cyano - β - tetralone product ( 4 ) as a brown oil ( 3 . 3 g , 63 %, 2 steps ). ir ( neat ): 1715 , 1722 , 2251 cm − 1 ; nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ 2 . 47 - 2 . 58 ( m , 1 h ), 2 . 67 - 2 . 80 ( m , 1 h ), 2 . 88 - 3 . 13 ( m , 4 h ), 3 . 77 ( t , 1 h ), 3 . 77 ( s , 3 h ), 6 . 81 - 6 . 90 ( m , 2 h ), 7 . 19 ( d , 1 h ). a solution of ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - tetrahydro - 6 - methoxy - 2 - oxo - naphthalen - 1 - yl )- acetonitrile ( 4 ) ( 3 . 5 g , 16 . 2 mmol ) and ammonium acetate ( 18 . 8 g , 0 . 24 mol ) in methanol ( 50 ml ) was stirred at ambient temperature for 15 min . sodium cyanoborohydride ( 5 . 11 g , 0 . 081 mol ) was added and the resultant solution was heated at reflux for 1 h . the solvent was evaporated in vacuo , and the residue was treated with a solution of sodium hydroxide ( 12 g , 0 . 3 mol ) in water ( 100 ml ) at 0 ° c . a pale gray solid precipitated out of solution and was collected by filtration , washed with water and triturated in diethyl ether to give the crude cyclic amidine ( 5 ) ( 3 . 5 g , 100 %). this material ( 3 . 0 g , 13 . 8 mmol ) was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran / methanol (˜ 9 : 1 , 75 ml ) and treated with 1 m hydrochloric acid in diethyl ether ( 40 ml ) at 0 ° c . to induce precipitation . the resultant precipitate was collected by filtration and washed with diethyl ether to give 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benzo [ e ] indol - 2 - yl )- amine hydrochloride ( 6 ) ( 1 . 57 g , 45 %) as an off white solid . ir ( kbr ): 1611 , 1681 , 1703 , 2832 , 3106 cm − 1 ; nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 1 . 79 - 1 . 91 ( m , 2 h ), 2 . 60 - 2 . 74 ( m , 3 h ), 3 . 33 - 3 . 46 ( m , 1 h ), 3 . 63 - 3 . 73 ( m , 1 h ), 3 . 71 ( s , 3 h ), 6 . 80 ( d , 1 h ), 6 . 71 ( d of d , 1 h ), 7 . 17 ( d , 1 h ), 9 . 08 ( br s , 1 h ), 9 . 34 ( br s , 1 h ) and 10 . 06 ( br s , 1 h ); ms 217 ( m + h ) + . ( fig1 ). a solution of trans - 4 -( benzenesulfonamido ) methylcyclohexane carboxylic acid ( 1 . 16 g , 4 . 15 mmol ), o - benzotriazol - 1 - yl - n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate ( 1 . 58 g , 4 . 15 mmol ) and n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 2 . 41 ml , 13 . 8 mmol ) in n , n - dimethylformamide ( 15 ml ) was stirred at ambient temperature for 15 min . after this time , 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benzo [ e ] indol - 2 - yl )- amine hydrochloride ( 6 ) ( 1 . 0 g , 3 . 96 mmol ) was added , and the resultant solution was heated to 45 ° c . for 1 . 5 h . the solution was then poured into ice water and the product which precipitated was collected by filtration , washed with water and air dried . this solid was triturated in diethyl ether to give trans - 4 -[[( phenylsulfonyl ) amino ] methyl ]- n -( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) cyclohexanecarboxamide ( 7 ) as a colorless solid ( 1 . 87 g , 95 %). nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 0 . 69 - 0 . 89 ( m , 2 h ), 1 . 10 - 1 . 34 ( m , 3 h ), 1 . 63 - 1 . 88 ( m , 5 h ), 2 . 10 - 2 . 27 ( m , 1 h ), 3 . 24 - 3 . 50 ( m , 3 h ), 3 . 70 ( s , 3 h ), 4 . 04 - 4 . 13 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 63 ( d , 1 h ), 6 . 74 ( d of d , 1 h ), 7 . 05 ( d , 1 h ), 7 . 54 - 7 . 67 ( m , 4 h ) and 7 . 74 - 7 . 83 ( m , 2 h ); ms 496 ( m + h ) + . ( fig2 ). trans - 4 -[[[( phenylsulfonyl ) amino ] methyl ]- n -( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ] cyclohexanecarboxamide ( 7 ) ( 1 . 6 g , 3 . 22 mmol ) was added in portions , with stirring , to a solution of lithium aluminum hydride ( 16 . 1 mmol ) in tetrahydrofuran ( 36 ml ) at ambient temperature . the resultant solution was heated at reflux for 45 min . the solution was then cooled on an ice bath , and then a solution of water ( 0 . 65 ml ) in tetrahydrofuran ( 5 ml ) was carefully added , followed by the addition of ten percent aqueous sodium hydroxide ( 0 . 65 ml ) and water ( 2 . 1 ml ). the resultant suspension , which formed , was stirred at ambient temperature for 30 min and then dried over sodium sulfate . the insoluble inorganic material was removed by filtration , and washed generously with tetrahydrofuran . the solvent was evaporated in vacuo , the residue was dissolved in a minimum amount of isopropanol and this solution was treated with a concentrated solution of hydrogen chloride in isopropanol . the solvents were evaporated in vacuo to give crude give n -[[ trans - 4 -[[( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) amino ] methyl ] cyclohexyl ] methyl ] benzenesulfonamide hydrochloride salt as a pale pink solid ( 1 . 38 g ; estimated purity ˜ 75 % by hplc ). a 300 mg . portion of this material was purified by preparative hplc on a c18 reverse phase column ( 4 cm by 45 cm ), eluted with a gradient of water / acetonitrile / trifluoroacetic acid from 90 / 10 / 0 . 1 to 10 / 90 / 0 . 1 ( v / v ) ( flow rate of 40 ml per minute ) over 50 minutes . the product obtained was converted to the hydrochloride salt with ethanolic hydrogen chloride to give pure give n -[[ trans - 4 -[[( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) amino ] methyl ] cyclohexyl ] methyl ] benzenesulfonamide hydrochloride ( 8 ) as a colorless solid ( 0 . 15 g ). nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 0 . 70 - 0 . 94 ( m , 4 h ), 1 . 20 - 1 . 50 ( m , 2 h ), 1 . 62 - 1 . 77 ( m , 4 h ), 1 . 80 - 1 . 94 ( m , 2 h ), 2 . 55 - 2 . 73 ( m , 5 h ), 3 . 03 - 3 . 16 ( m , 2 h ), 3 . 31 - 3 . 46 ( m , 1 h ), 3 . 63 - 3 . 73 ( m , 1 h ), 3 . 71 ( s , 3 h ), 4 . 24 - 4 . 32 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 70 ( d , 1 h ), 6 . 79 ( d of d , 1 h ), 7 . 14 ( d , 1 h ), 7 . 55 - 7 . 67 ( m , 4 h ), 7 . 74 - 7 . 82 ( m , 2 h ), 9 . 66 ( br t , 1 h ) and 10 . 09 ( br s , 1 h ); ms 482 ( m + h ) + . ( fig2 ). a suspension of trans - 4 -[[( phenylsulfonyl ) amino ] methyl ]- n -( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) cyclohexanecarboxamide ( 7 ) ( 0 . 200 g , 0 . 403 mmol ) in dichloromethane ( 2 ml ) was added dropwise with stirring , to a solution of boron tribromide ( 1 . 6 mmol ) in dichloromethane ( 12 ml ) at 0 ° c . the resultant suspension was stirred at 0 ° c . for 30 min . methanol (˜ 1 ml ) was added at which point the mixture became a clear yellow solution . the solution was stirred for 30 min at 0 ° c . the solvents were evaporated in vacuo , and the residue was purified by preparative hplc on c 18 reverse phase column , using water / acetonitrile / trifluoroacetic acid ( 50 : 50 : 0 . 1 ) as the eluent . the product obtained was dissolved in a minimum amount of methanol and converted to the hydrochloride salt by treatment with ethanolic hydrogen chloride . the solvents were evaporated in vacuo and the residue was triturated with diethyl ether to give trans - 4 -[[( phenylsulfonyl ) amino ] methyl ]- n -( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - hydroxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) cyclohexanecarboxamide ( 9 ) as a beige solid ( 0 . 093 g , 45 %). nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 0 . 77 - 0 . 95 ( m , 2 h ), 1 . 20 - 1 . 37 ( m , 3 h ), 1 . 64 - 1 . 80 ( m , 2 h ), 1 . 83 - 1 . 98 ( m , 3 h ), 2 . 43 - 2 . 64 ( m , 5 h ), 2 . 91 ( d of d , 1 h ), 3 . 48 - 3 . 74 ( m , 4 h ), 4 . 37 - 4 . 47 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 54 ( d , 1 h ), 6 . 65 ( d of d , 1 h ), 7 . 03 ( d , 1 h ), 7 . 53 - 7 . 83 ( m , 6 h ), 9 . 37 ( br s , 1 h ), 11 . 56 ( br s , 1 h ), 13 . 22 ( br s , 1 h ); ms 482 ( m + h ) + ( fig3 ). a solution of boron tribromide ( 3 . 4 mmol ) in dichloromethane ( 3 . 4 ml ) was added to a solution of n -[[ trans - 4 -[[( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) amino ] methyl ] cyclohexyl ] methyl ] benzenesulfonamide hydrochloride ( 8 ) ( 0 . 37 g , 0 . 714 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 0 . 235 ml , 1 . 69 mmol ) in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ) at 0 ° c . the resultant mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 1 h , and stirring was continued at room temperature for an additional 1 h . the mixture was cooled on an ice bath and methanol was added . after stirring for several minutes , the solvents were evaporated in vacuo . the residue was purified by preparative hplc on a c18 reverse phase column , eluted with waterlacetonitrile / trifluoroacetic acid (˜ 50 : 50 : 0 . 1 ). the product was dissolved in a minimum amount of methanol and converted to the hydrochloride salt with ethanolic hydrogen chloride . the solvents were evaporated in vacuo to give n -[[ trans - 4 -[[( cis - 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - hydroxy - 1h - benz [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) amino ] methyl ] cyclohexyl ] methyl ] benzenesulfonamide hydrochloride as a colorless solid ( 0 . 15 g , 42 %). nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 0 . 67 - 0 . 98 ( m , 4 h ), 1 . 21 - 1 . 50 ( m , 2 h ), 1 . 58 - 1 . 97 ( m , 6 h ), 2 . 50 - 2 . 75 ( m , 5 h ), 3 . 03 - 3 . 23 ( m , 2 h ), 3 . 31 - 3 . 46 ( m , 1 h ), 3 . 55 - 3 . 67 ( m , 1 h ), 4 . 17 - 4 . 33 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 53 ( s , 1 h ), 6 . 64 ( d , 1 h ), 6 . 99 ( d , 1 h ), 7 . 52 - 7 . 83 ( m , 6 h ), 9 . 34 ( br s , 1 h ), 9 . 76 ( br s , 1 h ) and 10 . 24 ( br s , 1 h ); ms 468 ( m + h ) + ( fig4 ). a solution of 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidine ( 10 . 0 g , 46 mmol ), ethyl bromoacetate ( 5 . 1 ml , 46 mmol ) and n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 8 . 8 ml , 50 . 6 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 200 ml ) was heated at reflux for 1 hour . the solvent was evaporated in vacuo , and the residue was suspended in water (˜ 200 ml ). the suspension was made basic with the addition of a saturated aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate . the resultant solid was collected by filtration , washed with water and dried in vacuo to give the ethyl ( 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ) acetate as a colorless solid ( 13 . 2 g , 94 %). ms m / z 304 ( mh +); nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 32 ( t , 3 h ), 1 . 84 ( br d , 2 h ), 2 . 40 - 2 . 66 ( m , 4 h ), 3 . 13 ( br d , 2 h ), 3 . 31 ( s , 2 h ), 4 . 23 ( q , 2 h ), 4 . 45 - 4 . 49 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 99 - 7 . 10 ( m , 2 h ), 7 . 12 - 7 . 19 ( m , 1 h ), 7 . 27 - 7 . 34 ( m , 1 h ) and 10 . 54 ( brs , 1 h ). a solution of ethyl ( 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ) acetate ( 13 . 0 g , 42 . 8 mmol ) in methanol ( 150 ml ) was treated with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide ( 3 n , 30 ml , 90 mmol ) and heated at reflux for 2 hours . the solution was cooled to room temperature and neutralized with the addition of concentrated hydrochloric acid ( 12 n , 7 . 5 ml ). the solvent was evaporated in vacuo , and the resultant amorphous solid was dried in vacuo with heating (˜ 50 ° c .) overnight to give ( 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ) acetic acid ( 17 . 2 g ) which was used in the subsequent step without purification . ms m / z 304 ( mh +); nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 1 . 74 ( br d , 2 h ), 2 . 53 - 2 . 67 ( m , 2 h ), 2 . 74 - 2 . 86 ( m , 2 h ), 3 . 33 ( s , 2 h ), 4 . 29 - 4 . 42 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 97 - 7 . 05 ( m , 3 h ) and 7 . 38 - 7 . 43 ( m , 1 h ). a mixture of ( 4 -( 2 - keto - 1 - benzimidazolinyl ) piperidin - 1 - yl ) acetic acid ( 2 . 34 g , ˜ 5 . 83 mmol ), 2 -( 1h - benzotriazole - 1 - yl )- 1 , 1 , 3 , 3 - tetramethyuronium hexafluorophosphate ( 1 . 87 g , 4 . 93 mmol ) and n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 3 . 1 ml , 17 . 9 mmol ) in n , n - dimethylformamide ( 15 ml ) was stirred at 45 ° c . for 10 min . after this time , 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 1h - benzo [ e ] indol - 2 - yl ) amine ( 1 . 0 g , 4 . 49 mmol ) was added to the mixture , and the resultant solution was stirred at room temperature for an additional two hours . a white precipitate was collected by filtration and washed with water . the product was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel using 5 to 10 % methanol in dichloromethane as the eluent . the product was triturated with diethyl ether and dried in vacuo to give 2 -[[ 4 -( 2 , 3 - dihydro - 2 - oxo - 1h - benzimidazol - 1 - yl1 - piperidinyl ] acetyl ]- 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 1h - benzo [ e ] indol - 2 - yl )- amine ( 11 ) as a colorless solid , ( 0 . 23 g , 9 %). an additional 0 . 6 g of product was recovered from the mother liquor as well as several impure fractions of the chromatography . ms m / z 444 ( mh +); nmr ( cdcl 3 ): δ 1 . 78 ˜ 2 . 10 ( m , 4 h ), 2 . 34 - 2 . 83 ( m , 6 h ), 3 . 00 - 3 . 17 ( m , 3 h ), 3 . 20 ( s , 2 h ), 3 . 56 - 3 . 78 ( m , 2 h ), 4 . 27 - 4 . 45 ( m , 2 h ) and 7 . 00 - 7 . 23 ( m , 8 h ), ( fig5 ). 2 -[[ 4 -( 2 , 3 - dihydro - 2 - oxo - 1h - benzimidazol - 1 - yl )- 1 - piperidinyl ] acetyl ]- 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benzo [ e ] indol - 2 - yl )- amine ( 0 . 500 g , 1 . 13 mmol ) was carefully added in portions , with stirring , to a solution of lithium aluminum hydride ( 4 . 0 mmol ) in tetrahydrofuran ( 20 ml ). considerable foaming occurred with each addition . the resultant mixture was heated at reflux for 1 . 5 hours . the resultant solution was cooled on an ice bath , and a solution of water ( 0 . 16 ml ) in tetrahydrofuran ( 5 ml ) was carefully added , with stirring , to the solution . with care , 15 % aqueous sodium hydroxide ( 0 . 16 ml ) was added followed by the addition of another aliquot of water ( 0 . 5 ml ). the inorganic salts were removed by filtration and washed successively with tetrahydrofuran and dichloromethane . the organic solutions were combined , and the solvents were evaporated in vacuo . the residue was purified by preparative hplc on a c18 reverse phase column eluted with a gradient of acetonitrile / water / trifluoroacetic acid from 10 / 90 / 0 . 1 ( v / v ) to 90 / 10 / 0 . 1 to give 2 -[[ 4 -( 2 , 3 - dihydro - 2 - oxo - 1h - benzimidazol - 1 - yl )- 1 - piperidinyl ] acetyl ]- 3a , 4 , 5 , 9b - tetrahydro - 7 - methoxy - 1h - benzo [ e ] indol - 2 - yl )- amine ( 12 ) as a trifluoroacetic acid salt , ( 0 . 166 g , 29 %). ms m / z 430 ( mh +); nmr ( dmso - d 6 ): δ 1 . 86 - 2 . 03 ( m , 4 h ), 2 . 58 - 2 . 83 ( m , 4 h ), 3 . 15 - 3 . 87 ( m , 11 h ), 4 . 33 - 4 . 45 ( m , 1 h ), 4 . 47 - 4 . 60 ( m , 1 h ), 6 . 94 - 7 . 04 ( m , 3 h ), 7 . 11 - 7 . 38 ( m , 5 h ), 10 . 03 ( br s , 1 h ), 10 . 41 ( br s , 1 h ) and 10 . 98 ( br s , 1 h ). ( fig6 ). the following compounds of this invention were prepared from appropriately substituted β - tetralones as the starting material using the experimental protocols described above . the compounds described in this invention were evaluated for binding to the human neuropeptide y5 receptor . the human npy5 receptor cdna ( genbank accession number u66275 ) was inserted into the vector pclneo ( invitrogen ) and transfected into human embryonic kidney cells ( hek - 293 ) via calcium phosphate method ( cullen 1987 ). stably transfected cells were selected with g - 418 ( 600 μg / ml ). stably transfected cells served as the source for the membranes for the npy5 receptor binding assay . npy5 - transfected hek293 cells were grown to confluence in 150 cm 2 culture dishes . cells were washed once with phosphate - buffered saline ( gibco cat # 14040 - 133 ). cells were then incubated in phosphate - buffered saline without calcium and without magnesium , supplemented with 2 mm edta . cells were incubated for 10 minutes at room temperature and the cells were collected by repetitive pipeting . cells were formed into pellets and then frozen at − 80 ° c . until needed . frozen pellets were homogenized with a polytron at full speed for 12 seconds in a homogenization buffer ( 20 mm tris hcl , 5 mm edta , ph 7 . 4 ). homogenates were centrifuged for 5 minutes at 4 ° c . at 200 g . supernatants were transferred to corex tubes and centrifuged for 25 minutes at 28 , 000 g . pellets were re - suspended in binding ( 20 mm hepes , 10 mm nacl , 0 . 22 mm kh 2 po 4 , 1 . 3 mm cacl 2 , 0 . 8 mm mgso 4 , ph 7 . 4 ). membranes were kept on ice until use . a competition binding assay , known to those skilled in the art , was used in which compounds of formula a compete with 125 i - pyy for binding to cell membranes . in simple terms , the less 125 i - pyy bound to the membranes implies that a compound is a good inhibitor ( competitor ). bound 125 i - pyy is determined by centrifugation of membranes , aspirating supernatant , washing away residual 125 i - pyy and subsequently counting the bound sample in a gcounter . compounds to be tested were prepared as 10 × stocks in binding buffer and added first to assay tubes ( ria vials , sarstedt ). twenty ( 20 ) μl of each 10 × compound stock is pipeted into vials and 80 μl of 125 i - pyy ( nen catalog number nex240 ), which has been diluted to a concentration of 200 pm in 0 . 25 % bsa in binding buffer , is added to the compound tubes ( final concentration of 125 i - pyy is 80 pm ). to each tube is added 100 μl of membranes and the mixture is agitated by pipeting 2 times . samples are incubated for 1 hr at room temperature . aluminum cast plates ( sarstedt ) containing the vials are then centrifuged 10 minutes at 3200 rpm in a sorvall rt6000 . supernatant is then aspirated . to each vial 400 μl pbs is added and this is then aspirated again . vials are then put in carrier polypropylene 12 × 75 tube and counted in gamma counter ( packard ). non - specific binding is determined in the presence of 300 nm npy . percent inhibition of 125 i - pyy binding is calculated by subtracting non - specific binding from the test samples ( compound ( i )), taking these counts and dividing by total binding , and multiplying by 100 . inhibitory concentration values ( ic 50 ) of compounds that show appreciable inhibition of 125 i - pyy binding are calculated by obtaining percent inhibition of 125 i - pyy binding values at different concentrations of the test compound , and using a graphing program such as graphpad prism ( san diego , calif .) to calculate the concentration of test compound that inhibits fifty - percent of 125 i - pyy binding ( table 4 ). binding affinities of compounds of formula a for the human npy y5 receptor ( expressed as % inhibition of 125 i - pyy binding ) male long - evans rats ( 180 - 200 grams ) are housed individually and are maintained on once - a - day feeding schedule ( i . e ., 10 a . m . until 4 p . m .) for five days following quarantine to allow the animals to acclimate to feeding on powdered chow (# 5002 pmi certified rodent meal ) during the allotted time . the chow is made available in a open jar , anchored in the cage by a wire , with a metal follower covering the food to minimize spillage . water is available ad - libitum . animals are fasted for 18 hours prior to testing . at the end of the fasting period , animal are administered either compounds of the invention or vehicle . vehicle and test compounds are administered either orally ( 5 ml / kg ) 60 minutes prior to the experiment , or 30 minutes prior when given subcutaneously ( 1 ml / kg ) or intraperitoneally ( 1 ml / kg ). compounds of the invention are administered orally as a suspension in aqueous 0 . 5 % methylcellulose - 0 . 4 % tween 80 , or intraperitoneally as a solution or suspension in peg 200 ; compound concentrations typically range from 1 mg / kg to 100 mg / kg , preferably from 10 - 30 mg / kg . food intake is measured at 2 , 4 , and 6 hours after administration by weighing the special jar containing the food before the experiment and at the specified times . upon completion of the experiment , all animals are given a one - week washout period before retesting . percent reduction of food consumption is calculated subtracting the grams of food consumed by the treated group from the grams of food consumed by the control group divided by the grams of food consumed by the control group , multiplied by 100 . a negative value indicates a reduction in food consumption and a positive value indicates an increase in food consumption . % ⁢ ⁢ change = treatment - vehicle vehicle × 100	2
referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first , particularly , to fig1 thereof , there is seen a case 1 for a portable digital media player , such as an apple ipod . the case 1 has a front panel 2 defining a front surface in which a window 3 for a display screen and a window 4 for a click wheel of the portable digital media player are formed as cutouts . a rear panel 8 of the case , which is illustrated in fig6 , defines a rear surface that accommodates a winder 9 which will be explained in more detail below . the case may be formed of rigid plastic , a rigid or flexible clear panel may be placed in the window 3 , but the window 4 normally remains an open cutout . fig2 shows an upper panel 5 of the case 1 defining an upper surface having an opening 13 for a headphone port and a slot 14 for a hold switch , of the ipod . the upper panel 5 also has a finger grip 6 for removing the panel 5 . fig3 shows the bottom of the case 1 defining a bottom surface having a cover 15 with a live hinge for covering an opening 29 above a dock connector port of the ipod . it is understood , however , that other openings , covers and / or windows may be formed in the case to accommodate components of any generation ipod or other digital media player . it may be seen from the left and right sides of the case which define side surfaces and are respectively illustrated in fig4 and 5 , as well as from fig2 and 3 described above , that both the front panel 2 and the rear panel 8 wrap around to the sides and the bottom and are joined at a parting line 7 . the parting line 7 divides the case into two half shells formed of the front panel 2 and the rear panel 8 . the winder 9 , which is shown in fig5 and 6 in a closed storage position , is shown in fig7 and 9 in an open position . the winder 9 has a finger grip 10 which facilitates sliding the winder from the closed to the open position . the winder 9 has two legs 11 , 12 with respective forked prongs 13 , 14 . the legs 11 , 12 slide in respective channels 15 , 16 in the rear panel 8 to open and close the winder 9 toward the right side of the case while the prongs grip surfaces in the channels . it is , however , understood that the winder could also open towards the left side or towards any surface not having openings to accommodate components of the digital media player . it is also understood that only one leg and only one channel or more than two legs and more than two channels could be provided . the rear panel 8 also has a recess 17 formed therein which is contiguous with the channels 15 , 16 . the recess 17 receives a handle 18 of the winder 9 . the handle 18 has an outer surface 19 which is contoured to match a given shape of the rear panel 8 , so that when the winder is retracted in the closed storage position , the outer surface 19 of the handle 18 is flush with the rear panel 8 , as is seen in fig5 and 6 . fig1 discloses that earbud headphones 20 have a plug 21 to be inserted in the opening 13 and a cord 23 to be wrapped around the winder 9 when in the open position . earbuds 22 on the cord 23 are held in place by inserting the cord 23 into one or two slots 24 formed in the winder 9 . as is seen in fig1 , a belt clip 36 is conventionally removably mounted on the rear panel 8 between the legs 11 , 12 of the winder 9 . the belt clip 36 has an outer arm 37 and an inner arm 38 pivoted about a pin 39 having a non - illustrated spring for biasing the arms together to grip a belt . a mounting 40 is disposed in the rear panel 8 for attachment of the belt clip 36 , as is seen in fig9 . the clip and mounting are manufactured by krusell under the designation multidapt ®. fig1 is an exploded view of the case 1 illustrating how the two panels 2 , 8 come together at the parting line 7 with prongs 25 , 26 disposed alongside the panel 5 as seen in fig3 . it may also be seen that the legs 11 , 12 of the winder 9 slide into and out of the channels 15 , 16 along a line 30 and that the upper panel 5 slides along grooves 31 , 32 in the panels 8 , 2 along a line 33 for insertion of the portable digital media player . fig1 shows an l - shaped stand 41 having a short leg 42 and a long leg 43 . a recess 44 has a shape matching that of the stand 41 so that the stand 41 can be pushed and snapped into the recess 44 for storage or hinged at the top into the position shown for allowing the case to stand at a slight incline , but substantially upright , on a flat surface . a bevel 45 allows the user of the case to lift the stand 41 out of the recess 44 with a finger . the invention provides a rigid case for preventing shocks from reaching the digital media player . the case can be easily snapped together at the parting line . the winder 9 may receive the cord 23 in an open position or be stored in a closed position when not in use , so that it is unobtrusive and virtually disappears into the case .	0
some aspects of the invention will now be described based on the embodiments , which do not intend to limit the scope of the present invention , but exemplify the invention . all of the features and the combinations thereof described in the embodiment are not necessarily essential to the invention . reviewing the conventional step of dehydrating and transparently vitrifying as described above , the following result is obtained . that is , when the distribution of transmission losses of the optical fiber base material with a high transmission loss is examined longitudinally , the transmission loss is higher at a starter in the upper portion than in the lower portion of the optical fiber base material as shown in fig1 . in fact , the base material is transparently vitrified from the lower portion to the upper portion . crystallized by heating , fused silica composing the furnace tube becomes porous , and then , heavy metal impurities contained in the fused silica is discharged into the furnace tube . alternatively , heavy metals heated at a high temperature is discharged from the refractory lining into the atmosphere in the furnace tube , dispersed along the grain boundary of the crystallized quartz , and discharged into the furnace tube . in any case , these heavy metals are taken into the optical fiber base material , which causes a high transmission loss . the fused silica is progressively crystallized in the step of transparently vitrifying at a high temperature . in addition , the heavy metals are much faster dispersed under a high temperature . in any case , the step of transparently vitrifying where the temperature of the furnace tube becomes high has a greater risk of discharging the heavy metals into the furnace tube . in the step of transparently vitrifying , the porous base material suspended from above is usually moved downwardly . in other words , firstly , the lower portion of the porous base material is transparently vitrified , next , the upper portion is transparently vitrified . meanwhile , since the ambient gas is supplied from the lower portion of the furnace tube and flows upwardly , the heavy metals discharged from the heating region at a high temperature basically exists only in the upper portion of the furnace tube . accordingly , the upper the level of the portion of the porous base material is , the longer a time period over which the porous base material is exposed to the atmosphere containing the heavy metals without being transparently vitrified . this theory is consistent with the result of the distribution of transmission losses as shown in fig1 . in addition to the above consideration , the following invention is achieved as a result of further consideration . that is , in the step of transparently vitrifying , the porous base material is conventionally moved downwardly , however , the moving direction is inversed , namely , the porous base material is moved upwardly . therefore , since the base material which passed through the heating region has been transparently vitrified , the base material is not contaminated even if it is exposed to the atmosphere containing heavy metals . meanwhile , a porous portion which has not been transparently vitrified is disposed lower than the heating region , and there is a flow of clean gas from bottom toward top . therefore , the heavy metals discharged from the heating region do not flow downwardly , so that the porous base material is not contaminated . in addition , when the step of dehydrating is performed by moving the porous base material downwardly and the step of transparently vitrifying is performed by moving the porous base material upwardly , the lower portion of the base material is dehydrated before being transparently vitrified . meanwhile , the upper portion of the base material is transparently vitrified before being dehydrated . in this case , a time period until the base material is transparently vitrified after the step of dehydrating is different between the upper portion and the lower portion of the base material . since the porous base material contains chlorine after the step of dehydrating and remains partially the high temperature , the base material is continuously treated with chlorine while it is porous . consequently , the treating time with chlorine is different between the upper portion and the lower portion of the base material . moreover , the treating with chlorine causes not only the base material to be dehydrated but also geo 2 forming the core to be volatilized . therefore , not only the residue of moisture is different but also a refractive index distribution is different between the upward direction and the downward direction . consequently , it is preferable that the step of dehydrating is performed in the same direction as the step of transparently vitrifying . the present invention is achieved base on the above described finding . the feature of the present invention includes dehydrating a base material which is suspended in a furnace tube by passing the base material through a heating region as moving the base material upwardly ; and transparently vitrifying the base material by moving downwardly the base material to a starting position of transparently vitrifying while the temperature is maintained and passing the base material through the heating region as moving the base material upwardly again . at this time , it is preferable that the gas is supplied from the lower portion of the furnace tube and the moving direction of the porous base material is the same as the direction in which the gas flows in the furnace tube in both the step of dehydrating under the atmosphere containing chlorine at 900 to 1200 degrees celsius and the step of transparently vitrifying under the atmosphere containing inert gas at 1300 to 1600 degrees celsius . a porous base material is transparently vitrified using an electric furnace with a quartz furnace tube . the porous base material is configured to move downwardly in the furnace tube while it is shut out the air . the porous base material progressively passes through a region heated at a high temperature with a heater which is provided on a part of the furnace tube , so that the porous base material is dehydrated and transparently vitrified . in addition , a first port for introducing ambient gas is provided on the lower portion of the furnace tube . the top of the furnace tube can be covered with a lid , and a shaft to which the porous base material is attached can go up and down through the lid . the lid has a second port for exhausting the gas in the furnace tube . the porous base material which is formed by depositing glass particles by vad is suspended in the above described electric furnace . then , the porous base material is dehydrated at 1100 degrees celsius as being moved upwardly under the atmosphere containing chlorine of 10 % and helium of 90 %. next , after the porous base material moves downwardly to a starting position of transparently vitrifying once while the temperature is maintained , the porous base material is transparently vitrified at 1500 degrees celsius as being moved upwardly again under the atmosphere containing he of 100 % as shown in fig2 a , 2 b and 2 c in the order named . therefore , a core member for an optical fiber is formed . the obtained core member has the ratio of the core diameter to the cladding diameter being 0 . 20 . since this is not sufficient for a single - mode optical fiber , a cladding is added to the core member by ovpo ( outside vapor phase oxidation ) in order to form a complete glass base material for an optical fiber . when the cladding is added to the core member by ovpo , it is necessary to draw the core member once , and the core member is drawn by oxyhydrogen flame with a glass lathe . next , the porous base material which is obtained by depositing glass particles by ovpo is dehydrated and transparently vitrified under the atmosphere containing helium and chlorine . when the glass base material for an optical fiber manufactured as described above is drawn , an optical fiber having a good loss characteristic can be obtained . specifically , the transmission loss for the full length 1310 nm of the glass base material is stabilized around 0 . 32 db / km . when one hundred glass base materials are manufactured as well , a variation in the loss characteristic is significantly small as shown in fig3 . a porous base material manufactured by the same process as embodiment 1 is inserted into the furnace from above . the porous base material progressively dehydrated from the bottom end thereof as being fallen down at an appropriate speed . after the dehydration is completed , the base material is pulled up to the upper portion of the furnace once . then , the base material is transparently vitrified progressively from the bottom end thereof as being fallen down at an appropriate speed again as shown in fig4 a , 4 b and 4 c in the order named . therefore , a core member for an optical fiber is formed . further , a cladding is added to the core member by ovpo , and then , the core member with the cladding is dehydrated and transparently vitrified , so that a glass base material for an optical fiber can be obtained . the glass base material manufactured as described above is drawn , and then , the loss characteristic of the obtained optical fiber is examined . as a result , the transmission loss for the length of 1310 nm is varied between 0 . 32 db / km and 0 . 34 db / km . among one hundred optical fibers manufactured as well , one or more exhibits a high transmission loss such as 0 . 36 db / km as shown in fig3 . viewed in the longitudinal direction , many glass base materials show that the transmission loss is higher in the upper portion than in the lower portion as shown in fig1 . the porous base material manufactured by the same process as comparative example 1 is used . in a step of dehydrating , the base material is dehydrated as moving downwardly in the same manner as comparative example 1 . next , in a step of transparently vitrifying , the temperature rises to transparently vitrify the base material while the base material is held in the lower portion of the furnace tube . after the temperature is sufficiently increased , the base material is transparently vitrified as being moved upwardly , so that a core member for an optical fiber is formed . further , a cladding is added to the core member by ovpo , and then , the core member is dehydrated and transparently vitrified to obtain a glass base material for an optical fiber . an optical fiber obtained by drawing the glass base material shows that the refractive index of the core is higher than usual in the upper portion of the base material as shown in fig5 . in addition , the base material is not sufficiently dehydrated and has a higher loss for the length of 1383 nm due to hydroxy group in the upper portion as shown in fig6 . the above - described embodiments do not limit the invention . the above - described embodiments are only illustrative , and includes a configuration substantially the same as the technical concept recited in the claims of the invention . any configuration that has the same effects or advantages is intended to be included in the technical concept of the present invention . the method of manufacturing the present invention provides an optical fiber having an excellent transmission characteristic .	2
hereafter , it explains the embodiments of this invention with reference to the drawings . hereafter , it explains embodiment 1 of executing this invention by using fig1 to fig7 . in this embodiment , the width of the trench put from the display side to the diffusion board is the same as the width of a black matrix or example of assumption as the angle of trench achieving the total reflection of the incident light from inside of the diffusion board to the oblique side of the trench is the same . in the embodiment all , the point part of the trench may not be a pointed one , and may have a width , and worn roundness . moreover , the trench of the embodiments is an isosceles triangle whose center line is perpendicular to the display , passing the center of the black matrix between pixels ; however , the requirement need not be strictly met . fig1 is an outline chart where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display in the embodiment 1 is shown . the above mentioned image display part is an installation of diffusion board 102 between lens sheet 101 and display 106 in fig1 . display 106 is the one that two or more pixels such as pixel 107 a , 107 b , and 107 c are spread . pixel 107 a consists of red subpixel 104 ra , green subpixel 104 ga , blue subpixel 104 ba , and black matrix 105 which is the non - display part between each subpixel . diffusion board 102 has trench 103 put from a side of display 106 having the same width as the width of black matrix 105 at the position of each black matrix 105 between pixels on the display , and the trench angle of each trench 103 is a total reflection angle for an incident light from the inside of the diffusion board of each pixel to the oblique side of trench 103 . fig2 is a plan view where it explains the pixel on the display and the arrangement of a black matrix used by the embodiments of the invention . each three primary color display part ( subpixel ) r , g , and b queue up at equal intervals , and black matrix 105 , which is non - display part , exists between each . length of the short side of each three primary color display part r , g , and b is assumed to be p 1 , and length of the long side is assumed to be p 2 . the width of black matrix 105 in the direction of the short vicinity of each three primary color display part r , g , and b is assumed to be d 1 , and the width of black matrix 105 in the direction of the vicinity of length is assumed to be d 2 . in the each embodiment , it is assumed p 1 = 35 . 5 μm , p = 143 μm , d 1 = 28 μm , and d 2 = 47 . 5 μm . fig1 is a cross section in one point dot - dashed curve x - x ′ shown in fig2 . fig3 is an outline chart where it explains the ray which passes in the diffusion board in the embodiments . though ray 501 , 502 diffuses in direction 503 of diffusion in diffusion board 102 , the direction of the ray treated in this text is assumed to be a direction of each ray 501 , 502 which passes in the medium without diffusive . in a general diffusion board such as the becoming frosted glass , the direction of each ray 501 , 502 is strong direction of strength of light , and it assumes that it uses such a diffusion board most in the embodiments . it explains the shape of trench 103 in this embodiment in detail by using fig1 , fig4 , and fig5 . fig4 is an outline chart where it explains the angle and the length used by the embodiment . in fig4 , ray 308 emitted with the angle θ from display 106 can be reflected to the oblique side of trench 103 which has angle φ , height h , and d in width . ray 308 has a reflection angle θi as same as an incident angle θi . moreover , the thickness of diffusion board 102 is assumed to be h = 100 μm , and the refractive index is assumed to be n = 1 . 7 in the example of each embodiment . when the ray starts going out from the object with the refractive index n into the air , the incident angle θi that provides the total reflection of the ray in the boundary of the object and air should be a critical angle θ m or more given by next formula ( 1 ). it becomes θ m ≈ 36 . 03 ° in the embodiments . fig5 is an outline chart where it explains the viewing angle on the display used by the embodiments . when the display viewing angle on display 106 to observer 1501 is θdp , ray 401 from display 106 is emitted by angle θo or more to display 106 in this figure . θo is given by next formula ( 2 ). in the embodiments , it becomes θo = 20 ° assuming display viewing angle θdp = 140 °. in fig1 , if trench 103 is put in diffusion board 102 with the angle φ that provides the total reflection of ray 108 emitted with angle θo from display 106 , the total reflection of all of incident lights from display 106 to trench 103 can occur . such angle φ should fit next formula ( 3 ). moreover , height h of trench 103 with this angle φ is given by next formula ( 4 ). it is φ & gt ; 32 . 06 °, and when assuming φ = 32 . 1 ° for instance , it becomes h = 48 . 66 μm in this embodiment because of d = d1 = 28 μm . fig6 is an outline chart where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display seen from the side of red display part 104 ra in this embodiment is shown , and the cross section in one point dot - dashed curve y - y ′ shown in fig2 . angle φ ′ of trench 703 for the total reflection of all of incident lights to the oblique side of trench 703 only has to fit “ φ ′& gt ; 32 . 06 °” in fig6 as the embodiment using trench 103 . because the above mentioned formula are similar , when assuming d ′ ( width of the trench 703 )= d 2 = 47 . 5 μm , and φ ′= 32 . 1 °, it becomes h ′ ( height of the trench 703 )= 82 . 55 μm . fig7 is a simplified drawing where the configuration of the trench of the diffusion board in this embodiment is shown . due to the total reflection of the light incident from each pixel to the oblique side of the trench , the mixture of the color of the pixel is reduced and the image quality of the reproduction stereoscopic image can be improved . hereafter , it explains the modified embodiment of the embodiment 1 by using fig8 to fig1 . in fig8 , the height of the trench is enlarged , and the modified embodiment 1 of increasing the incident light to the oblique side of the trench is shown . this modified embodiment is an example of explaining the effect when height h of the trench is predetermined . though only the example of the cross - sectional view along point dot - dashed line x - x ′ shown in fig2 is shown according to this modified embodiment , cross - sectional view along point dot - dashed line y - y ′ shown in fig2 as shown in fig6 is clear . fig8 is a simplified drawing where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display when the width of the trench of the diffusion board is equal to the width of a black matrix is shown in this modified embodiment 1 . it is assumed that the trench has height h = 80 μm , and width d = d 1 = 28 μm here . when h and d are given , the angle φ of the trench is given by next formula ( 5 ). it becomes angle φ = 19 . 85 ° of trench 903 in fig8 . at this time , ray 908 emitted from display 106 at angle θo = 20 ° does not only have the reflection at the oblique side of trench 903 but also the refraction penetration . moreover , angle θ 1 that ray 909 from display 106 has the total reflection at the oblique side of trench 903 should fit next formula ( 6 ). as a result , θ 1 & gt ; 26 . 11 ° can be filled , and all incident ray to the oblique side of trench 903 can be reflected . fig9 is an outline chaff of the modified embodiment 2 of the width of the trench of the diffusion board showing the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display when it is smaller than the width of a black matrix . it is assumed that the trench has height h = 80 μm and width d = 18 μm & lt ; d 1 here . in fig9 , angle θ 1 that provides the total reflection of ray 1009 from display 106 at the oblique side of trench 1003 should fit θ 1 & gt ; 29 . 61 ° because it becomes angle φ = 12 . 84 ° of trench 1003 . in this modified embodiment , the mixture of the color of the pixel is reduced by enlarging the height of the trench , and increasing an incident ray to the oblique side of the trench , and the image quality of the reproduction stereoscopic image can be improved . moreover , because the effect of the improvement is achieved even if the width of the trench is reduced more than the width of a black matrix , accuracy , by which the trench is put , need not be strict . it explains the modified embodiment 3 by using fig1 . this modified embodiment enlarges the height of the trench as modified embodiment 1 , and increases an incident ray to the oblique side of the trench . the embodiment provides the angle of the trench and an incident ray to have a total reflection angle from the inside of the diffusion board to the oblique side of the trench . this modified embodiment is an example of explaining the effect when height h of the trench and the angle φ of the trench are predetermined . fig1 is an outline chart where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display in this modified embodiment is shown . trench 1103 a has height h = 80 μm , angle φ = 32 . 1 °, and the total reflection of all incident rays from display 106 through the diffusion board 102 to the slope of the trench 1103 a occurs . here , when h and φ are given , width d of the trench is given by next formula ( 7 ). it becomes width d = 46 . 03 μm & gt ; d 1 of trench 1103 a in fig1 . at this time , because a part of red subpixel 104 rb and blue subpixel 104 ba overlaps with trench 1103 a , incident ray 1109 comes out of red subpixel 104 rb , and incident ray 1107 comes out from blue subpixel 104 ba through the inside of trench 1103 a to the oblique side of trench 1103 a . they have an incident reflection and refractive penetration to the oblique side of trench 1103 b adjacent thereto . in this modified embodiment , by making the height of the trench enlarged , and an incident ray to the oblique side of the trench increased , the angle of the trench providing full reflection of all incident light can be achieved . the mixture of the color of the pixel is reduced , and the image quality of the reproduction stereoscopic image can be improved . moreover , because the effect of the improvement is achieved even if the width of the trench is enlarged more than the width of a black matrix , accuracy of the trench needs not be strict . it explains the modified embodiment 4 by using fig1 . in the modified embodiment , the height of the trench is enlarged and an incident ray is increased to the oblique side of the trench as the modified embodiment 1 . additionally , not only does total reflection occur , but also the angle of the trench and an incident ray from the inside of the diffusion board to the oblique side of the trench are provided . also , an incident ray from a part of the display through the trench to an oblique side of the trench may have a refraction penetration and an adjacent trench having an angle can provide a total reflection of the incident ray at the oblique side of the adjacent trench . fig1 is an outline chart where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display in this modified embodiment 4 is shown . trench 1203 a can have h = 80 μm in height . ray 1209 comes from red subpixel 104 rb at angle θo can be partially reflected to display 106 . a part of ray 1209 having the refraction penetration in the oblique side of trench 1203 a can have a total reflection at the oblique side of trench 1203 b next to trench 1203 a . the angle φ of the trench should fit next formula ( 8 ). it is φ & gt ; 34 . 37 °, and when assuming φ = 34 . 38 ° for instance , it becomes d = 49 . 5 μm & gt ; d 1 from formula ( 8 ) in this modified embodiment . in this modified embodiment , the height of the trench is enlarged and an incident ray is increased to the oblique side of the trench . in addition , a light comes from the part of the display in the trench and is an incident ray reaching the oblique side of the trench from the inside of the diffusion board . the incident ray can have a total reflection including the part of the ray which has the refraction penetration ( because it goes out of the part of the display in the trench and strength of the light is weak , the ray , which reflects in the oblique side of the trench , is disregarded ). the mixture of the color of the pixel is reduced , and the image quality of the reproduction stereoscopic image can be improved . hereafter , it explains the embodiment 2 of the invention by using fig1 . this embodiment is an example of forming to the trench the shading layer where light is absorbed . fig1 is an outline chart where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display in this embodiment is shown . fig1 ( a ) is an example of filling shading layer 1308 a to trench 1303 a of the same type as the modified embodiment 3 of the embodiment . moreover , fig1 ( b ) is an example of forming shading layer 1308 b thinly to the inner wall of trench 1303 b of the same type as the modified embodiment 3 . moreover , fig1 ( c ) is an example of thinly forming shading layer 1308 c under the inner wall of trench 1303 c of the same type as the modified embodiment 3 . ray 1302 c emitted from blue subpixel 104 b in trench 1303 c is absorbed by shading film 1308 c , and ray 1301 c emitted from red subpixel 104 r in trench 1303 c has the refraction penetration . moreover in fig1 ( d ), the width of trench 1303 d is smaller than the width of black matrix 105 , and example of filling shading layer 1308 d to trench 1303 d whose shape is a rectangle is provided , when the shading layer is formed . thus , when the reflection layer is formed , the shape of the trench can be freely decided . the shading layer is formed to the trench , the mixture of the color of the pixel is reduced , and the image quality of the reproduction stereoscopic image can be improved in this execution example above . hereafter , it explains the embodiment 3 of the invention by using fig1 . this embodiment is an example of forming the reflection layer where light is reflected to the trench . fig1 is a simplified drawing where the part of the display of the image of the autostereoscopic display in this embodiment is shown . fig1 ( a ) is an example of filling reflection layer 1409 a to trench 1403 a of the same type as the modified embodiment 3 above described . moreover , fig1 ( b ) shows that reflection layer 1409 b is thinly formed to the inner wall of trench 1403 b of the same type as modified embodiment 3 . it is an example of thinly forming shading layer 1408 b . in addition , an incident ray from inside of diffusion board 102 reflects to the oblique side of trench 1403 b , and the ray in trench 1403 b is absorbed . moreover , fig1 ( c ) is an example of thinly forming reflection layer 1409 c under the inner wall of trench 1403 c of the same type as modified embodiment 3 , and forming shading layer 1408 c thinly . in addition , ray 1402 c emitted from blue display part 104 b in trench 1403 c is absorbed by shading film 1408 c , and ray 1401 c emitted from red display part 104 r in trench 1403 c has the refraction penetration . moreover , fig1 ( d ) is an example that the width of the trench 1403 d is smaller than the width of black matrix 105 . also , fig1 ( d ) is an example of filling reflection layer 1308 d to trench 1403 d whose shape is a rectangle . thus , when the reflection layer is formed , the shape of the trench can be freely decided . the reflection layer is formed to the trench , the mixture of the color of the pixel is reduced , and the image quality of the reproduction stereoscopic image can be improved in this embodiment . in setting up the diffusion board which puts the trench along the black matrix between pixels between the display and the lens sheet according to the embodiments , a black matrix and the color separation can be desirably achieved . the blot of the color of the reproduction stereoscopic image by the color of the pixel which is mutually adjacent mixing can be improved . according to this invention above , the phenomenon that a black matrix and the color separation stand out with the lens is not caused because the pixel is separated mutually though three primary colors of each pixel are diffused , moreover , the reproduction stereoscopic image does not cause the phenomenon in which blotting by the mixture of the color of the pixel , and be able to display a & lt ; high - resolution & gt ; stereoscopic image .	6
the following description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of one or more embodiments and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed herein . further , particular features described herein can be used in combination with other described features in each of the various possible combinations and permutations . unless otherwise specifically defined herein , all terms are to be given their broadest possible interpretation including meanings implied from the specification as well as meanings understood by those skilled in the art and / or as defined in dictionaries , treatises , etc . fig1 illustrates a front perspective view of an example embodiment of a dishwashing apparatus 10 . the apparatus 10 comprises a housing 11 with an interior cavity 15 for maintaining at least one dish rack 20 , and a dishwasher door 5 pivotally coupled to the housing 11 . for example , the apparatus 10 may include a first dish rack 30 and a second dish rack 40 , wherein the second dish rack 40 is positioned above , and substantially horizontal to , the first dish rack 30 . each dish rack 20 has a rack layout that may be manually adjusted to receive and maintain objects of various shapes and sizes , such as plates , cups , bowls , pots , pans , etc . the apparatus 10 further comprises at least one utensil rack 90 shaped to receive and maintain smaller sized objects , such as cutlery , flatware and other utensils . the utensil rack 90 is positioned above , and substantially horizontal to , the second dish rack 40 . when the door 5 is open , each rack 20 , 90 is horizontally slidable into and out of the interior cavity 15 . for example , as shown in fig1 , the racks 20 and 90 are slid out of the interior cavity 15 , permitting easy access to the racks 20 and 90 for loading objects onto , or unloading objects from , the racks 20 and 90 . the racks 20 and 90 may be slid into the interior cavity 15 after a user has completed loading objects onto , or unloading objects from , the racks 20 and 90 . if the objects loaded onto the racks 20 and 90 are unwashed , a wash cycle for washing the objects may be initiated when the user closes the door 5 . fig2 and 4 - 6 illustrate different top perspective views of an example embodiment of a utensil rack configuration 150 for the utensil rack 90 . fig3 illustrates a top view of the example embodiment of the utensil rack configuration 150 . when configured in accordance with the utensil rack configuration 150 , the utensil rack 90 includes a rack frame 91 ( fig4 ) with multiple sides . the rack frame 91 includes a first pair of opposing sides 91 a and 91 b ( fig6 ), and a second pair of opposing sides 91 c and 91 d ( fig6 ), wherein each side 91 a , 91 b is substantially perpendicular to the sides 91 c and 91 d . the side 91 a and the side 91 b represent the front side and the rear side of the rack frame 91 , respectively . the rack frame 91 further includes a support member 91 k ( fig6 ). in one example embodiment , the support member 91 k may be substantially perpendicular to the sides 91 a and 91 b . the support member 91 k may include one or more sets of recessing pins 240 ( fig6 ). each set of recessing pins 240 may comprise at least two recessing pins . a set of recessing pins 240 may be located along a lengthwise edge of the support member 91 k . for example , in one embodiment , the support member 91 k includes two sets of recessing pins 240 — a first set of recessing pins 240 ( pin set 1 ) located lengthwise along a first lengthwise edge of the support member 91 k , and a second set of recessing pins 240 ( pin set 2 ) located lengthwise along an opposite lengthwise edge of the support member 91 k . the second set of recessing pins 240 may be parallel to the first set of recessing pins 240 . each set of recessing pins 240 is shaped to receive cutlery , flatware or other utensils . in another embodiment , the support member 91 k includes only one set of recessing pins 240 located lengthwise along a center of the support member 91 k . in yet another embodiment , the recessing pins 240 may be slightly offset such that objects loaded onto the utensil rack 90 may be staggered . the utensil rack 90 further includes a handle bar 93 ( fig6 ) coupled to the side 91 a of the rack frame 91 . when the door 5 is open , a user may utilize the handle bar 93 to horizontally slide the utensil rack 90 into , or out of , the interior cavity 15 . the utensil rack 90 further comprises one or more removable trays for maintaining objects . as shown in fig2 , in the example rack configuration 150 , the utensil rack 90 includes a first removable tray 160 and a second removable tray 170 . in fig4 , the first tray 160 is shown removed from the rack frame 91 . in fig5 , the second tray 170 is shown removed from the rack frame 91 . in fig6 , both the first tray 160 and the second tray 170 are removed from the rack frame 91 . a bottom portion of each tray 160 , 170 may include wires , holes , staggered hexagons or other structural configurations that allow water to pass through during a wash cycle . in one embodiment , a member 91 e ( fig6 ) of the rack frame 91 extending between the sides 91 a and 91 b , and substantially parallel to the sides 91 c and 91 d , partitions the first tray 160 from the second tray 170 . other configurations of the member 91 e may be used to accommodate different shapes or sizes of the first tray 160 and the second tray 170 . in another embodiment , a member 91 e is not needed ( e . g ., the first tray 160 and the second tray 170 fit to the remaining sides of the utensil rack 90 , or using each other as support / boundary ). in one embodiment , the first tray 160 may be larger than the second tray 170 , such that the first tray 160 can accommodate placement of more objects than the second tray 170 . in fig4 , the first tray 160 is shown removed from the rack frame 91 . the first tray 160 includes a removable tray frame 161 ( fig4 ) for maintaining objects loaded / placed onto the first tray 160 . the tray frame 161 may include openings shaped to receive recessing pins 240 of the support member 91 k . in one example embodiment , the tray frame 161 includes a first opening 163 ( opening 1 ) and a second opening 163 ( opening 2 ) that are spaced apart . when the tray frame 161 is inserted into the rack frame 91 , the first and the second openings 163 are shaped to receive the first and second sets of recessing pins 240 , respectively . in one embodiment , the sets of recessing pins 240 may serve as dividers that partition the first tray 160 into multiple sections . for example , the first and second sets of recessing pins 240 partition the tray frame 161 into multiple rack columns 162 , such as a first rack column 162 ( rack column 1 ), a second rack column 162 ( rack column 2 ) and a third rack column 162 ( rack column 3 ). each rack column 162 accommodates placement of objects . the second tray 170 includes a removable tray frame 171 for maintaining objects loaded / placed onto the second tray 170 . the second tray 170 may further include at least one movable / adjuster divider 175 ( fig5 ) for partitioning the second tray 170 into multiple rack rows 172 . each rack row 172 may accommodate placement of objects . in one embodiment , the second tray 170 includes a first movable divider 175 ( movable divider 1 ) and a second movable divider 175 ( movable divider 2 ). the dividers 175 partition the second tray 170 into multiple rack rows 172 , such as a first rack row 172 ( rack row 1 ), a second rack row 172 ( rack row 2 ) and a third rack row 172 ( rack row 3 ). each divider 175 may be slidably coupled to a guide track 176 ( fig5 ) along a portion of the removable tray frame 171 . each divider 175 may be manually slidable back and forth in a direction 177 ( fig2 ) along the guide track 176 to adjust a layout configuration of the second tray 170 . for example , if the second tray 170 is positioned horizontally , the dividers 175 are movable along the guide track 176 in a horizontal direction to adjust the sizes of the rack rows 172 to accommodate contents of various shapes and sizes . the size of the first rack row 172 may be minimized by sliding the first movable divider 175 to one end aaa ( fig2 ) of the guide track 176 . the size of the third rack row 172 may be minimized by sliding the second movable divider 175 to an opposing end bbb ( fig2 ) of the guide track 176 . minimizing the size of both the first and third rack rows 172 maximizes the size of the second rack row 172 . each divider 175 may comprise a set of recessing pins 240 shaped for receiving cutlery , flatware or other utensils . the utensil rack 90 further includes a detergent dispenser 350 with an interior cavity 360 ( fig3 ) for maintaining detergent . in one embodiment , the detergent dispenser 350 is integrated with the rack frame 91 . the detergent dispenser 350 further includes a set of openings 370 ( fig3 ) for dispensing detergent loaded into the detergent dispenser 350 . the apparatus 10 further includes an actuator unit configured to actuate the openings 370 to dispense the detergent during a wash cycle ( e . g ., the actuator unit may send a current to cause the openings 370 to open during a wash cycle ). the actuator unit may be activated by water spray pressure during a wash cycle . in one embodiment , the actuator unit may be an electromechanical or electromagnetic solenoid . in another embodiment , the actuator unit may be a bi - metallic strip , a switch , a spring or a magnet activated by water spray pressure during a wash cycle . the actuator unit may be integrated into the detergent dispenser 350 , or may be disposed within proximity of the detergent dispenser 350 . fig7 illustrates a top perspective view of another example embodiment of a utensil rack configuration 200 . when configured in accordance with the utensil rack configuration 200 , the utensil rack 90 includes a rack frame 95 with multiple sides . the rack frame 95 includes a first pair of opposing sides 95 a and 95 b , and a second pair of opposing sides 95 c and 95 d , wherein each side 95 a , 95 b is substantially perpendicular to the sides 95 c and 95 d . the side 95 a and the side 95 b represent the front side and the rear side of the rack frame 95 , respectively . the utensil rack 90 further includes a handle bar 96 coupled to the side 95 a of the rack frame 95 . when the door 5 is open , a user may utilize the handle bar 96 to horizontally slide the utensil rack 90 into , or out of , the interior cavity 15 . the utensil rack 90 further comprises one or more trays for maintaining objects . unlike the example utensil rack configuration 150 in fig2 - 6 , the trays in the example rack configuration 200 are non - removable . as shown in fig7 , the utensil rack 90 includes a first tray 230 and a second tray 220 . a side 95 e of the rack frame 91 extending between the sides 95 a and 95 b , and substantially parallel to the sides 95 c and 95 d , partitions the first tray 230 from the second tray 220 . the first tray 230 includes a bottom surface 231 for maintaining objects loaded / placed onto the first tray 230 . the first tray 230 may further include one or more sets of recessing pins 240 fixedly coupled to the bottom surface 231 of the first tray 230 . each set of recessing pins 240 may comprise at least two recessing pins . a set of recessing pins 240 may be located lengthwise along the first tray 230 . for example , in one embodiment , the first tray 230 includes two sets of recessing pins 240 — a first set of recessing pins 240 ( pin set 1 ) located lengthwise along the first tray 230 , and a second set of recessing pins 240 ( pin set 2 ) located lengthwise along the first tray 230 , wherein the second set of recessing pins 240 may be parallel to the first set of recessing pins 240 . in another embodiment , the first tray 230 includes only one set of recessing pins 240 located lengthwise along the first tray 230 . in yet another embodiment , the recessing pins 240 may be slightly offset such that objects loaded onto the first tray 230 may be staggered . in one embodiment , the sets of recessing pins 240 may serve as dividers that partition the first tray 230 into multiple sections . for example , the first and second sets of recessing pins 240 partition the first tray 230 into multiple rack columns 232 , such as a first rack column 232 ( rack column 1 ), a second rack column 232 ( rack column 2 ) and a third rack column 232 ( rack column 3 ). each rack column 232 accommodates placement of objects . each set of recessing pins 240 is shaped to receive cutlery , flatware or other utensils . the second tray 220 includes a bottom surface 221 for maintaining objects loaded / placed onto the second tray 220 . the second tray 220 further includes at least one movable / slidable divider 175 for partitioning the second tray 220 into multiple rack rows 222 . each rack row 222 accommodates placement of objects . in one embodiment , the second tray 220 includes a first movable divider 175 ( movable divider 1 ) and a second movable divider 175 ( movable divider 2 ). the dividers 175 partition the second tray 220 into multiple rack rows 222 , such as a first rack row 222 ( rack row 1 ), a second rack row 222 ( rack row 2 ) and a third rack row 222 ( rack row 3 ). each divider 175 is slidably coupled to a guide track 226 along a portion of the side 95 c of the rack frame 95 . each divider 175 is manually slidable back and forth along the guide track 226 to adjust a layout configuration of the second tray 220 . for example , the dividers 175 are movable along the guide track 226 to adjust the sizes of the rack rows 222 to accommodate placement of objects of different shapes and sizes . each divider 175 may comprise a set of recessing pins 240 shaped for receiving cutlery , flatware or other utensils . the utensil rack 90 further includes a detergent dispenser 300 with one or more interior compartments 320 ( fig9 ) for maintaining detergent . the detergent dispenser 300 includes a sliding door 310 that is manually slidable back and forth along a direction 360 between a closed position a as shown in fig7 , and an open position b as shown in fig9 . in one embodiment , the detergent dispenser 300 is integrated with the rack frame 95 . the detergent dispenser 300 further includes a set of openings 370 ( fig3 ) for dispensing detergent loaded into the detergent dispenser 300 . the apparatus 10 further includes an actuator unit configured to actuate the openings 370 to dispense the detergent during a wash cycle ( e . g ., the actuator unit may send a current to cause the openings 370 to open during a wash cycle ). in one embodiment , the actuator unit may be an electromechanical or electromagnetic solenoid . in another embodiment , the actuator unit may be a bi - metallic strip , a switch , a spring or a magnet activated by water spray pressure during a wash cycle . the actuator unit may be integrated into the detergent dispenser 300 , or may be disposed within proximity of the detergent dispenser 300 . fig8 illustrates a front perspective view of an example embodiment of a utensil rack configuration 400 . when configured in accordance with utensil rack configuration 400 , the utensil rack 90 includes a rack frame 97 with multiple sides . the rack frame 97 includes a first pair of opposing sides 97 a and 97 b , and a second pair of opposing sides 97 c and 97 d , wherein each side 97 a , 97 b is substantially perpendicular to the sides 97 c and 97 d . the side 97 a and the side 97 b represent the front side and the rear side of the rack frame 97 , respectively . the utensil rack 90 further includes a handle bar ( coupled to the side 97 a of the rack frame 97 . when the door 5 is open , a user may utilize the handle bar 98 to horizontally slide the utensil rack 90 into , or out of , the interior cavity 15 . the utensil rack 90 further comprises one or more trays for maintaining objects . unlike the example utensil rack configuration 150 in fig2 - 6 , the trays in the example rack configuration 400 are non - removable . in the example rack configuration 400 shown in fig8 , the utensil rack 90 includes a first tray 430 and a second tray 420 . in one embodiment , a member 97 e of the rack frame 97 extending between the sides 97 a and 97 b , and substantially parallel to the sides 97 c and 97 d , partitions the first tray 430 from the second tray 420 . other configurations of the member 97 e may be used to accommodate different shapes or sizes of the first tray 430 and the second tray 420 . in another embodiment , a member 97 e is not needed ( e . g ., the first tray 430 and the second tray 420 fit to the remaining sides of the utensil rack 90 , or using each other as support / boundary ). the first tray 430 further includes a support member 97 k . in one example embodiment , the support member 97 k may be substantially perpendicular to the sides 97 a and 97 b . the support member 97 k may include one or more sets of recessing pins 240 . each set of recessing pins 240 may comprise at least two recessing pins . a set of recessing pins 240 may be located lengthwise along the support member 97 k . for example , in one embodiment , the support member 97 k includes two sets of recessing pins 240 — a first set of recessing pins 240 ( pin set 1 ) located lengthwise along the support member 91 k , and a second set of recessing pins 240 ( pin set 2 ) located lengthwise along the support member 91 k . the second set of recessing pins 240 may be parallel to the first set of recessing pins 240 . each set of recessing pins 240 is shaped to receive cutlery , flatware or other utensils . in another embodiment , the support member 97 k includes only one set of recessing pins 240 located lengthwise along a center of the support member 97 k . in yet another embodiment , the recessing pins 240 may be slightly offset such that objects loaded onto the utensil rack 90 may be staggered . in one embodiment , the sets of recessing pins 240 may serve as dividers that partition the first tray 430 into multiple sections . for example , the first and second sets of recessing pins 240 partition the first tray 430 into multiple rack columns 432 , such as a first rack column 432 ( rack column 1 ), a second rack column 432 ( rack column 2 ) and a third rack column 432 ( rack column 3 ). each rack column 432 accommodates placement of objects . a layout configuration of the first tray 430 is adjustable . specifically , the first rack column 432 has a corresponding first adjustable segment 436 . the third rack column 432 has a corresponding second adjustable segment 436 . in one embodiment , one end of the first adjustable segment 436 is pivotally coupled to a first slide adjuster 440 ( fig9 ) via one or more swing hinges 470 and a first rotatable member 471 . the first slide adjuster 440 is slidably coupled to a guide track 445 ( fig9 ) disposed along a portion of the side 97 d . an opposing end of the first adjustable segment 436 is coupled to the support member 97 k via one or more hinges 480 . manually sliding the first slide adjuster 440 back and forth in a direction 455 along the guide track 445 rotates the first adjustable segment 436 along a direction 465 ( fig1 ) between different positions . in one embodiment , the first adjustable segment 436 may be positioned anywhere along the direction 465 between a raised tilt position ss ( fig1 ) through a lowered tilt position uu ( fig1 ). for example , the first adjustable segment 436 may be lowered , from the raised tilt position ss , or raised , from the lowered tilt position uu , to a substantially horizontal position tt ( fig1 ). one end of the second adjustable segment 436 is pivotally coupled to a second slide adjuster 440 via one or more swing hinges 470 and a second rotatable member 471 . the second slide adjuster 440 is slidably coupled to a guide track 445 disposed along a portion of the side 97 e . an opposing end of the second adjustable segment 436 is coupled to the support member 97 k via one or more hinges 480 . manually sliding the second slide adjuster 440 back and forth in a direction 456 along the guide track 445 rotates the second adjustable segment 436 along a direction 460 ( fig1 ) between different positions . in one embodiment , the second adjustable segment 436 may be positioned anywhere along the direction 460 between a raised tilt position s ( fig1 ) through a lowered tilt position u ( fig1 ). for example , the first adjustable segment 436 may be lowered from the raised tilt position s , or raised from the lowered tilt position u , to a substantially horizontal position t ( fig1 ). in other embodiments , other mechanisms may also be used to raise / lower the adjustable segments 436 , such as mielie &# 39 ; s mechanism , hooks , etc . the first adjustable segment 436 and the second adjustable segment 436 may be individually rotated to adjust a depth of the first and third rack columns 432 , respectively , to accommodate objects of various shapes and sizes . the second tray 420 includes a bottom surface 421 for maintaining objects loaded / placed onto the second tray 420 . the second tray 420 further includes at least one movable divider 175 for partitioning the second tray 420 into multiple rack rows 422 . each rack row 422 accommodates placement of objects . in one embodiment , the second tray 420 includes a first movable divider 175 ( movable divider 1 ) and a second movable divider 175 ( movable divider 2 ). the dividers 175 partition the second tray 420 into multiple rack rows 422 , such as a first rack row 422 ( rack row 1 ), a second rack row 422 ( rack row 2 ) and a third rack row 422 ( rack row 3 ). each divider 175 is slidably coupled to a guide track 476 ( fig9 ) disposed along a portion of the side 97 c . each divider 175 may be manually slidable back and forth in a direction 477 along the guide track 476 to adjust a layout configuration of the second tray 420 . for example , if the second tray 420 is positioned horizontally , the dividers 175 are movable along the guide track 476 in a horizontal direction to adjust the sizes of the rack rows 422 to accommodate placement of objects of different shapes and sizes . the size of the first rack row 422 may be minimized by sliding the first movable divider 175 to one end aa ( fig9 ) of the guide track 476 . the size of the third rack row 422 may be minimized by sliding the second movable divider 175 to an opposing end bb ( fig9 ) of the guide track 476 . minimizing the size of both the first and third rack rows 422 maximizes the size of the second rack row 422 . each divider 175 may comprise a set of recessing pins 240 shaped for receiving cutlery , flatware or other utensils . the utensil rack 90 further includes a detergent dispenser 300 with one or more interior compartments 320 for maintaining detergent . in one embodiment , the detergent dispenser 300 is integrated with the rack frame 97 . fig9 illustrates a top view of the example rack configuration 400 for the utensil rack 90 , wherein the adjustable segments 436 are raised , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the first adjustable segment 436 may be raised to the raised tilt position ss to minimize the depth of the first rack column 432 , thereby allowing more room to load large and / or tall objects ( e . g ., long - stemmed wine glasses or tall glasses ) onto the second dish rack 40 . similarly , the second adjustable segment 436 may be raised to the raised tilt position s to minimize the depth of the third rack column 432 , thereby allowing more room to load large and / or tall objects ( e . g ., long - stemmed wine glasses or tall glasses ) onto the second dish rack 40 . in one embodiment , manually sliding the first slide adjuster 440 to a first position xx along the guide track 445 raises the first adjustable segment 436 to the raised tilt position ss , manually sliding the first slide adjuster 440 to a second position yy along the guide track 445 lowers the first adjustable segment 436 to the substantially horizontal position tt , and manually sliding the first slide adjuster 440 to a third position zz along the guide track 445 lowers the first adjustable segment 436 to the lowered tilt position uu . in one embodiment , manually sliding the second slide adjuster 440 to a first position x along the guide track 445 raises the second adjustable segment 436 to the raised tilt position s , manually sliding the second slide adjuster 440 to a second position y along the guide track 445 lowers the second adjustable segment 436 to the substantially horizontal position t , and manually sliding the second slide adjuster 440 to a third position z along the guide track 445 lowers the second adjustable segment 436 to the lowered tilt position u . the first adjustable segment 436 may be lowered to the substantially horizontal position tt to increase the depth of the first rack column 432 , thereby allowing more room to load objects onto the first rack column 432 . similarly , the second adjustable segment 436 may be lowered to the substantially horizontal position t to increase the depth of the third rack column 432 , thereby allowing more room to load objects onto the third rack column 432 . the first adjustable segment 436 may be further lowered to the substantially horizontal position uu to maximize the depth of the first rack column 432 and maximize the amount of room available for loading objects onto the first rack column 432 . similarly , the second adjustable segment 436 may be further lowered to the substantially horizontal position u to maximize the depth of the third rack column 432 and maximize the amount of room available for loading objects onto the third rack column 432 . fig1 illustrates example rotation ranges for the adjustable segments 436 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the first adjustable segment 436 may be positioned anywhere along the direction 465 between the raised tilt position ss through a lowered tilt position uu . for example , the first adjustable segment 436 may be raised to the raised tilt position ss , wherein one end of the first adjustable segment 436 lies flush against an end 91 fa of an underside 91 g of the side 97 b . from the raised tilt position ss , the first adjustable segment 436 may be lowered along a rotation angle l1 to the substantially horizontal position tt . from the raised tilt position ss , the first adjustable segment 436 may also be lowered along a rotation angle l2 to the lowered tilt position uu , wherein the rotation angle l2 is larger than the rotation angle l1 . the second adjustable segment 436 may be positioned anywhere along the direction 460 between the raised tilt position s through a lowered tilt position u . for example , the second adjustable segment 436 may be raised to the raised tilt position s , wherein one end of the second adjustable segment 436 lies flush against an end 91 fb of an underside of the side 97 b . from the raised tilt position s , the second adjustable segment 436 may be lowered along a rotation angle m1 to the substantially horizontal position t . from the raised tilt position s , the second adjustable segment 436 may also be lowered along a rotation angle m2 to the lowered tilt position u , wherein the rotation angle m2 is larger than the rotation angle m1 . though the one or more embodiments have been described with reference to certain versions thereof ; however , other versions are possible . therefore , the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein .	0
referring now to the drawings in detail , fig1 is a flow chart of the inventive method . block 1 indicates the use of an inhaler 12 whose mouthpiece 14 has been adapted for the purpose of measuring flow through inhaler 12 ( shown in fig2 ). the mouthpiece 14 is used to interface the aerosol drug delivery device to the oral or nasal cavity during a dosing event . a canister 10 containing an aerosol formulation including a contrasting agent such as gadolinium , or other substance suitable for purpose , producing a plume through mouthpiece 14 would be the preferred method of administration . however , alternative methods , suitable for purpose may be used . block 2 of fig1 is the application of magnetic imaging to the patient . this application is simultaneous with the application in block 1 . the patient is placed within the bore of a large circular magnet . an antenna is positioned within the bore of the magnet and is used to create an oscillating radio - frequency field that selectively excites hydrogen atoms in the patients head to detect images of the oropharynx and trachea relative to the lips of the patient . the oscillations are measured throughout a three - dimensional area such that when the intensities are displayed as a function of position , the result is an image very similar to the actual anatomic features in that area . block 3 indicates the preferred mr image acquisition . images may be acquired using time and weighting sequences that allow acquisition of images at least 50 to 1200 milliseconds apart , but preferably an image is taken every 100 milliseconds . the method should also acquire midsagittal images in a three - dimensional area to observe changes in the configuration of the nasopharynx , oropharynx , larynx , and hypopharynx over time . at the onset of the study , axial “ scout ” images should be taken through the upper airway to document normal variants of airway anatomy as well as to detect any abnormalities . dynamic images should be taken of the mid - sagittal area in resting and then with the use of the inhaler 8 . block 4 of fig1 represents the synchronization of the actuation of inhaler 8 and subsequent plume development with mr image acquisition . mr images of a three - dimensional area are synchronized with the production and flow of labeled aerosol ( e . g ., using gadolinium ) from inhaler 8 in real - time . dynamic imaging with the use of inhaler 8 is repeated to determine variations in the use of inhaler 8 between different test subjects . dynamic imaging operation would be performed using inhalers with different attributes ( e . g ., pressure drop , mouthpiece shape , etc .) to determine their effectiveness as a delivery mechanism as will be discussed . block 5 is accomplished simultaneously with the mr image acquisition of block 3 and the inhaler use of block 4 , wherein block 5 measures the flow rate during inhalation . flow rate is determined through the use of an inhaler 8 as shown in fig2 . the patient would depress canister 10 in the inhaler 12 while inhaling through mouthpiece 14 . when the patient inhales through inhaler 8 provided that there is at least some minimal restriction , the pressure at mouthpiece 14 will be lower than the pressure surrounding the inhaler 8 . in this case , inhaler 8 is acting as a venturi producing a differential pressure which can be converted by equation to determine flow rate . when monitoring the pressure changes in adapted mouthpiece 14 , dual lumen tubing 18 is routed from the device 8 to outside the mri chamber to an electronic differential pressure transducer 20 . single lumen tubing may also be used provided the pressures are equal between the mri chamber and the location of pressure transducer 20 . one bore at end 19 of tubing 18 connects to pressure port 22 and another bore at end 19 of tubing 18 is open to atmosphere . both bores at the other end 24 of tubing 18 are connected to pressure transducer 20 . the pressure measurement range of pressure transducer 20 is matched to the maximum pressure drop in mouthpiece 14 based on maximum flow through inhaler 8 and known resistances in mouthpiece 14 . pressure transducer 20 is interfaced to a personal computer 26 . personal computer 26 acquires the pressure signal via tubing 18 and pressure transducer 20 and an analog to digital convertor . personal computer 26 then with the appropriate algorithm converts the pressure data to flow data . calculations of flow rate are contemporaneous with acquisition of the mr image sets . this integration is effected using an appropriate electronic trigger from the mr equipment to the personal computer 26 . similar devices that are suitable for this purpose may be used for determining the flow rate during inhalation and drug administration . block 6 is a review of the images taken , to determine different tissue types . since different types of tissues have different proton densities , different tissue types have different image intensities based on their physical and chemical properties and therefore appear as distinct structures in the mr image . block 7 is a review of the images taken specifically the intensity of proton oscillations . the intensity of proton oscillations at a given point in the patient &# 39 ; s body is proportional to the proton density at that point so that geometric alignment , spatial configuration , volumetric descriptors could be applied to the tissues and organs in the orpharynx ; therefore , an assessment of the impact of geometric and spatial orientation of the orpharynx or trachea can be determined during inhalation through an aerosol drug delivery system . block 8 couples the findings of blocks 3 , 4 , and 5 to provide a capture of the real - time mobility of oropharyngeal and laryngeal structures during inhalation through an aerosol drug delivery system . block 9 indicates a capability to label different inhaled material with some type of contrast to evaluate the distribution of the inhaled material as it should be visible as a plume being inhaled or a coating on the mucosa . this would be best obtained with images in a three - dimensional area from the nasopharynx to trachea , or potentially even lower if possible . block 10 indicates that with the capability of real - time mr imaging during the use of inhaler 8 of fig2 differences in the inhalation techniques can be determined between genders , age groups , and healthy volunteers versus patients . block 11 of fig1 indicates that after a review of the imaging , the amount of aerosol drug eliminated during delivery can be determined . block 12 indicates that after a review of the imaging , the amount of aerosol drug administered to specific areas in the lung can be determined . block 13 is the creation of a database of flow rates during the acquisition of various mr images with amounts of aerosol drugs in the images indicated . the database is created by integrating the mri computer with personal computer 26 of fig2 . the database will also indicate this information for various device attributes along with different types of medicine being dispensed . for example , for a particular dispenser and mouthpiece combination , x percent of the medicine being dispensed is delivered to targeted locations in the lungs . this provides an objective standard that can be referred to when designing the delivery device for a particular medicine . in addition , dose requirements can be determined and repeatability achieved . block 14 is the final stage where the information from capturing the real - time mobility of oropharyngeal and laryngeal structures during inhalation through an aerosol drug delivery system , the state of aerosol drug delivered , and the database which is obtained from the practice of this method can yield the criteria that can be used to design more efficient aerosol drug delivery to optimize the amount of the particular medicine to be delivered to the specific targets in the lung . this criteria can also be used to develop an aerosol administration procedure that is insensitive to gag and cough reflexes of the body so that aerosolized medicament exiting an aerosol generator effectively escapes filtration and swallowing mechanisms of the oropharynx . fig3 - 26 are dynamic images taken of a single patient . note that while two - dimensional images are shown , as will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan , the information regarding these images can be manipulated or otherwise used to create 3 - d images providing volume and other viewing perspectives . in general , these images depict the capture of changes in size and shape of the upper airway during the use of an inhaler over the course of inspiration , breathhold , and expiration . as indicated in fig1 the collection and analysis of this information from a representative sampling of patients will be useful in establishing a database . fig3 - 8 which depict the shape of the upper airway during inspiration , it can be seen that the tongue t creates a blockage or occlusion near the roof of the mouth and in the larynx . fig9 - 17 which depict the shape of the upper airway during a breathhold , it can be seen that the tongue t creates a complete blockage near the back of the roof of the mouth . fig1 - 23 which depict the shape of the upper airway during a slow expiration , it can be seen that tongue t no longer blocks the roof of the mouth or the larynx . fig2 - 26 which depict the shape of the upper airway at the end of expiration , it can be seen that the tongue creates a noticeable blockage near the roof of the mouth or larynx . in addition , it is envisioned that coupled with the foregoing method and information obtained thereby , is the use of existing nuclear medicine methodologies for tracing the medicine being dispensed as it passes through one &# 39 ; s air ways and is deposited at various sites along the administration route . accordingly , included in the dispensed material would be a trace element ( e . g ., gadolinium , technetium ) the presence of which can be monitored in the body through the use of appropriate imaging tools . after collecting the mri and flow data pertaining to the inhalation and administration of the dispensed material containing the trace element , the patient would then be imaged using an appropriate nuclear medicine tool ( e . g ., gamma camera ). information pertaining to the locations where the material is deposited and to the relative amounts of this material in each location would be generated . such information , when combined with the dynamic mr image and inhalation flow data , will enhance the understanding of the effectiveness of a particular aerosol delivery system in administering medicine to targeted pulmonary sites as well as the dose size necessary for effective treatment , among other things . thus by the present invention its objects and advantages are realized and although preferred embodiments have been disclosed and described in detail herein , its scope should not be limited thereby , rather its scope should be determined by that of the appended claims .	8
with reference to fig2 a preferred embodiment of sram control circuit with a power saving function in accordance with the present invention is shown , wherein , same as in the prior art , all control signals are active low , i . e ., enabled at low level and disabled at high level . as shown in fig2 a read operation is performed when the chip select signal ˜ cs and the output enable signal ˜ oe are active ( logic 0 ), and a write operation is performed when the chip select signal ˜ cs and the write enable signal ˜ we are active ( logic 0 ). as shown in fig2 the inventive sram control circuit with a power saving function includes an address decoder 10 , an address register 20 , an address comparator 22 , a memory unit 14 , a buffer 18 and a mask logic 24 . the address decoder 10 reads the address on address lines and decodes the address to output an address signal to select a specific memory area in the memory unit 14 . the address register 20 stores the current address and outputs a previous address , wherein the previous address is the address for accessing the memory unit 14 at the latest time . the address comparator 22 inputs the current address and the previous address and compares the two . when the current address is the same as the previous address , it indicates that data in the same address is accessed at successive time and an address comparison signal representing same address ( signal ˜ cmp with low level ) is outputted . otherwise , an address comparison signal representing different address ( signal ˜ cmp with high level ) is outputted . the mask logic 24 is constituted by a nor gate 241 and an or gate 242 . the nor gate 241 receives the address comparison signal ˜ cmp and the output enable signal ˜ oe to perform a nor operation and outputs the result of the nor operation to the or gate 242 . the or gate 242 performs an or operation on the result of the nor operation and the chip select signal ˜ cs to produce an internal chip select signal ˜ cs ′. the internal chip select signal ˜ cs ′ enables the memory unit 14 , so as to read data from or write data to the selected memory area . when the internal chip select signal ˜ cs ′ and the output enable signal ˜ oe are active , a read operation is applied to the memory unit 14 , so that data stored in the specific memory area is buffered by the buffer 18 and outputted to an external circuit . when the internal chip select signal ˜ cs ′ and the write enable signal ˜ we are active , a write operation is applied to the memory unit 14 , so that data in the buffer 18 inputted by the external circuit is written into the specific memory area . with the mask logic 24 , when the current memory address to be read and the previous memory address are the same , the address comparison signal ˜ cmp is at a low level ( logic 0 ), and the output enable signal ˜ oe is also active ( logic 0 ). thus , the nor gate 241 outputs a high level ( logic 1 ). therefore , the chip select signal ˜ cs and the internal chip select signal ˜ cs ′, generated by the or gate 242 processing the output of the nor gate 241 , change from active to inactive ( logic 1 ). that is , the mask logic 24 masks the chip select signal ˜ cs , so as not to enable the memory unit 14 . since the current memory address to be read and the previous memory address are the same , the buffer 18 is still stored with data at previous memory access . therefore , data in the buffer 18 can be directly output as data to be currently read . on the other hand , when a write operation is performed or when the current memory address to be read and the previous memory address are different , the mask logic 24 does not mask the chip select signal ˜ cs , and thus the data read / write process is the same as in the prior art . in view of the foregoing , it is known that , by comparing the current address with the previous address , the invention masks the chip select signal ˜ cs when memory address currently to be read is the same as the previous memory address , so as not to enable the memory unit and to read required data directly from the buffer . as compared with the prior memory control circuit , power consumption is reduced because the operation of reading data from the buffer consumes power much lower than from the memory unit . although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed .	6
now referring to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like matter throughout , and more specifically referring to fig1 there is shown a system of the present invention generally designated 100 , including a rack 102 for retaining industrial pcs . an industrial pc 104 is shown having been removed from a slot 105 in rack 102 . pc 104 has a front end 106 and a rear end 107 . pc 104 preferably is a general purpose pc having a cpu 111 and a plurality of expansion cards 113 disposed therein and coupled to the cpu 111 via an internal buss 115 . front end 106 has a handle 108 thereon . also shown in fig1 is keying plate 110 and a quick connecting blind mating connector 112 . keying plate 110 will mate with latching plate 114 when pc 104 is placed within slot 105 . now referring to fig2 there is shown an exploded view of the keying plate and locking plate portion of the system of fig1 . there is shown keying plate 110 , which is coupled to the pc 104 ( fig1 ) and locking plate 114 , which is coupled to the rack 102 ( fig1 ). disposed on keying plate 110 are keying slots 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 . slots 210 , 212 , and 216 are shown having keying inserts 211 disposed therein . these keying inserts 211 may be any type of device which occupies space in and prevents reception of a keying pin into the slots 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 . in a preferred embodiment , the keying insert 211 may have a protuberance , raised region 213 or a pin disposed thereon . preferably when the slot is unoccupied by a keying insert , it is capable of receiving a locking pin therein . also shown in fig2 is a locking plate 114 containing locking slots 230 , 232 , 234 , and 236 . locking slots 230 , 232 , and 236 are shown as unoccupied ; i . e ., not having a locking pin insert disposed therein . locking slot 234 is shown as occupied with a locking pin insert . preferably both keying inserts and locking pin inserts are removable slide or snap inserts ; however , any means of coupling these inserts to the plates is intended to be covered within the scope of the claims . in operation , keying plate 110 and locking plate 114 are shown in fig2 to be uniquely configured so as to permit mating . unoccupied slot 214 permits reception of the locking pin disposed in slot 234 . likewise , the fact that slots 230 , 232 , and 236 are unoccupied permits reception of the keying pins on the keying inserts disposed in slots 210 , 212 and 216 , respectively . for example , if locking plate 114 were configured for another pc , it might have an additional locking pin in slot 232 . if this were the case , the keying insert in slot 212 would prohibit the reception of the locking pin in slot 232 , and thereby prohibit the mating of keying plate 110 with the locking plate 114 . the number , shape orientation , and placement of slots in the locking and key plates may differ from the 4 slots shown . in a preferred embodiment , a repair technician may employ a master - keyed pc , which would be accepted into any slot , irrespective of the particular locking plate associated with that slot . this master - keyed pc may be as simple as a pc with all slots 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 being unoccupied . it is contemplated that numerous alternate approaches could be used , all of which are intended to be included within the scope of the claims . for example , any variation of blind matable connectors could be used which have the ability to identify a pc and a slot and to permit rejection of the pc if it were not the proper pc for the slot . preferably , the plates 110 and 114 are mounted and configured so that a failure to mate will result in an inability to connect any blind - matable electrical connectors on the pc and in the slot . one method of controlling the mating of electrical blind - mating connectors is to have the slots be sufficiently long so that the difference in permissible travel of the pc within the slot is significantly longer when the ids match and insertion is permitted . throughout this description , reference is made to an industrial pc because it is believed that the beneficial aspects of the present invention would be most readily apparent when used in connection with industrial pcs . however , it should be understood that the present invention is not intended to be limited to industrial pcs , and should be hereby construed to include other non - industrial pcs . throughout this description , the term “ industrial pc ” is used to represent a general purpose pc of the type which is capable of being stored in racks of multiple rows of pcs where each row has multiple pcs , and where the pcs are coupled to wiring associated with the rack and other equipment by at least one connector at the rear end of the pc . this definition of industrial pcs is not intended to include laptop pcs which have connectors on the rear end of the laptop for coupling with a docking station or a port replicator . consequently , the term “ industrial pc ” will specifically exclude any computer which has along its top side a hinged display screen hinged along the rear end of the pc . it is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form , construct steps , and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof , without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages . the form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof .	7
the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings . in the following description , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . it will be apparent , however , to one skilled in the art , that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details . in other instances , well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention . various embodiments are described herein below , including methods and techniques . it should be kept in mind that the invention might also cover articles of manufacture that includes a computer readable medium on which computer - readable instructions for carrying out embodiments of the inventive technique are stored . the computer readable medium may include , for example , semiconductor , magnetic , opto - magnetic , optical , or other forms of computer readable medium for storing computer readable code . further , the invention may also cover apparatuses for practicing embodiments of the invention . such apparatus may include circuits , dedicated and / or programmable , to carry out tasks pertaining to embodiments of the invention . examples of such apparatus include a general - purpose computer and / or a dedicated computing , device when appropriately programmed and may include a combination of a computer / computing device and dedicated / programmable circuits adapted for the various tasks pertaining to embodiments of the invention . in accordance with embodiments of the invention , there are provided methods and arrangements for controlling the electron loss to the upper electrode such that the plasma density can be increased without the need to unduly increase the power to the plasma . by increasing the plasma density without a concomitant increase to the rf power requirement , the target layer can be etched at a higher rate without unduly degrading the photo resist selectivity . in an embodiment , the upper electrode is configured such that the upper electrode is negatively biased , thereby allowing electrons present in the plasma chamber to be repelled from the upper electrode and trapped within the plasma volume for a longer period of time as the negatively charged electrons are trapped for a longer period of time , the plasma density is increased . generally speaking , during plasma processing the bombardment mechanism causes electrons to be emitted from the substrate . as discussed earlier , electron loss to the upper electrode limits the increase in plasma density since the electron loss creates saturation point effect which limits the plasma density increase irrespective of the rf power provided to the plasma . by driving the upper electrode more negatively , the electrons are thus repelled from the upper electrode instead of being , quickly lost to the upper electrode , resulting in a greater number of electrons in the plasma , thereby increasing the plasma density . the higher plasma density then can more effectively etch the target layer to achieve the desired high etch rate . since it is unnecessary to increase the rf power to achieve the high level of plasma density , photo resist selectivity is not adversely affected to the same degree as might have been in the prior art . the above summary relates to only one of the many embodiments of the invention disclosed herein and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention , which is set forth in the claims herein . these and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures . fig3 shows , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , a simplified diagram of an implementation wherein a mirroring circuit is employed to detect an rf signal from the lower electrode and to provide the upper electrode with a transformed rf signal that is in - phase with the rf signal of lower electrode during plasma processing . as the term is employed herein , in - phase denotes the implementation wherein the phase difference between the rf signal to the lower electrode and the rf signal to the upper electrode is within about 1 %. in the implementation of fig3 , lower electrode 304 is provided with multiple rf frequencies signal 302 such as 2 megahertz , 27 megahertz , and 60 megahertz . in an embodiment , the rf signal from lower electrode 304 may be detected by probe 306 , wherein probe 306 is a phase and amplitude detector designed to pick up low frequency rf signal , i . e ., frequencies less than 10 megahertz . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , the signal from the probe 306 is directed . to a control circuit 308 . the control circuit 308 is provided with the capability for phase and amplitude adjustment allowing for the modification of the phase . and / or amplitude of the rf signal depending on whether the rf signal is to be in - phase or out - of - phase with the rf signal from the lower electrode 304 . the control signal coming out of control circuit 308 is directed to an rf signal generator 310 for generating an rf signal . thereafter , the rf signal generated by rf generator is optionally amplified ( via amplifier 320 ) to the desired phase or amplitude . in the context of the embodiment of the present invention , the amplitudes of the rf signals from the upper and lower electrodes are considered to be the same when the values of the amplitudes are within about 1 % of each other . in the implementation of fig3 , the amplified rf signal from the amplifier 320 is directed to the upper electrode 312 . consequently , the rf signal being directed to the upper electrode is in - phase with the rf signal being supplied to the lower electrode in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the features and advantages of having the rf signal directed to the upper electrode running in - phase with the rf signal from lower electrode in - phase can be better understood through fig4 a and 4 b . fig4 a shows an example plot of an rf signal from the lower electrode , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . fig4 b shows an example plot of an rf signal directed to the upper electrode running in phase with the rf signal from the lower electrode of fig4 a , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention / as mentioned previously , in - phase denotes the implementation wherein the phase difference between the rf signal to the lower electrode 304 and the rf signal to the upper electrode 312 is within about 1 %. at the minimal points during the negative cycles of the implementation of fig4 a and 4 b , the rf signal 410 of the lower electrode and the rf signal 450 of the upper electrode are at the most negative voltage values with respect to the plasma . referring back to fig3 when both rf signals are in - phase and at their minimal , as shown in fig4 a and 4 b , during plasma processing in the plasma chamber 314 , the upper electrode 312 and lower electrode 304 are at their most negative values . the positive charged argon particles ( not shown ) in the plasma chamber 314 will accelerate and bombard the upper electrode 312 and the substrate 316 , which is disposed above the lower electrode 304 , to generate primary electrons which are low energy electrons and secondary embedded electrons which are high energy electrons . since both the substrate 316 , disposed atop the lower electrode 304 , and the upper electrode 312 , during this negative cycle of rf signals , are at their most negative values , the maximum potential between the upper electrode 312 and lower electrode 304 with the plasma creates the highest electron trapping . the electrons that come off of the upper electrode 312 or the substrate 316 tend to be trapped between the negatively biased upper electrode 312 and the negatively biased substrate 316 , which is disposed above the lower electrode 304 . since the electrons are negatively charged , the electrons might repel in between the two negatively charged upper electrode 312 and lower electrode 304 . instead of being immediately lost to upper electrode 312 ( as may be the case if upper electrode 312 is grounded , for example ) the negatively biased upper electrode 312 may repel the negatively charged electrons , thereby causing the electrons to be trapped in between upper electrode 312 and lower electrode 304 for a longer period of time . it is believed that eventually , through the mechanism of random collision , the negatively charged electrons are eventually lost to rf ground 318 . the longer residence time of the negatively charged electrons within plasma chamber 314 contributes to a higher plasma density without requiring a corresponding increase in the amount of rf power supplied to plasma processing chamber 300 . note that the mechanism to increase the plasma density of fig3 does not require the increase in the rf power supplied to the rf signals . consequently , the photo resist selectivity is not negatively impacted to the same degree that might have been impacted had the higher plasma density been achieved by increasing the rf power level . at the maxima points during the positive cycles of the implementation of fig4 a and 4 b , the rf signal 420 of the lower electrode and the rf signal 460 of the upper electrode are at the highest positive voltage values with respect to the plasma . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , secondary electrons are not being emitted during this time because the potential between the upper electrode 312 and the lower electrode 304 with respect to the plasma is low . further , during the positive cycle , the plasma potential in the plasma volume is substantially higher than the potential of the peripheral ground plate . it is believed that secondary electrons ejected from these peripheral ground plates ( e . g ., ground plates 318 and 322 ) are also trapped in the plasma volume between the ground plates , resulting also in a longer residence time and a higher plasma density . over the entire cycle ( both negative and positive ), the average plasma density is thus increased . in an embodiment , the phase difference between the rf signal from the lower electrode and the rf signal from the upper electrode can be used as a knob to control the uniformity of etching , i . e ., better photo resist selectivity to the underlying layer being etched . in the implementation of fig3 , an arrangement where the phase of the rf signal directed to the upper electrode 112 can be adjusted to the phase of the rf signal of the lower electrode 304 during part of the cycle where the rf signals are at their most negative values . for example , it is known that lower energy electrons and higher energy electrons impact the etch process in different ways . since a high density of higher energy electrons is believed to be beneficial for photo resist selectivity , it is desirable in many cases to negatively bias upper electrode 312 to cause more of the higher energy electrons to be trapped . it has been observed that unexpected beneficial etching uniformity may be achieved by adjusting the phase difference between the rf signal directed to the upper electrode 312 and the rf signal from the lower electrode 304 during the negative cycle . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , the phase shifting is found to be beneficial to etching uniformity for phase difference of less than about 10 %. as can be appreciated from the foregoing , embodiments of the invention achieve a higher level of plasma density to improve etching through the target layer in the capacitively - coupled plasma processing chamber without unduly damaging the photo resist during etching . by providing a mechanism for increasing the plasma density without requiring a concomitant increase in the rf power level of the rf signals provided to the plasma processing chamber , plasma density is increased while pr photo resist is maintained the same or is minimally impacted . furthermore , the uniformity of etching is further enhanced through the control of the phase difference between the rf signal directed to the upper electrode and the rf signal to the lower electrode . in an embodiment , the phase of the upper electrode rf signal may he adjusted to either lag or lead the phase of the lower electrode rf signal . when the upper electrode rf signal is out of phase with the lower electrode rf signal , it is observed that photoresist selectivity is reduced . for certain applications such as photoresist ( pr ) or polymer strip , controlling the relative phases between the upper electrode rf signal and lower electrode rf signal may improve the desired result of removing more pr or polymer . alternatively or additionally , the amplitude of the upper electrode rf signal may be adjusted to either exceed or to be lower than the amplitude of the lower electrode rf signal . when the amplitude of the upper electrode rf signal is not equal to the amplitude of the lower electrode rf signal ( defined herein as being different by more than 5 %), it is observed that photoresist selectivity is reduced as in the case with the phase difference , for certain applications such as photoresist ( pr ) or polymer strip , controlling the relative amplitudes between the upper electrode rf signal and lower electrode rf signal may improve the desired result of removing more pr or polymer . while this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments , there are alterations , permutations , and equivalents , which fall within the scope of this invention . also , the title , summary , and abstract are provided herein for convenience and should not be used to construe the scope of the claims herein . it should . also he noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention . although various examples are provided herein , it is intended that these examples be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the invention . it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations , permutations , and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention .	7
despite the efforts of processor design houses to build correct designs , bugs do escape the verification process . in this section , reported escaped errors of a number of commercial processors are examined . these bugs are classified and it is shown that a fairly large fraction of them is related to the control portion of the design . processor &# 39 ; s control logic : these bugs are the result of incorrect decisions made at the occurrence of important execution events , and of interactions between simultaneous events . an example of this type of escape may be found in the opteron processor , where a reverse rep movs instruction may cause the following instruction to be skipped . functional units : these are design errors in units which can cause the production of an incorrect result . this category includes bugs in such components as branch predictors and translation lookaside buffers ( tlbs ). an example of this type of bug is the pentium fdiv bug , where a lookup table used to implement a divider srt ( sweeney , robertson and tocher ) algorithm contained incorrect entries . memory system control : these are bugs in the implementation of the on - chip memory system , including caches , memory interface , etc . an example of this type of bug is an error in the pentium iii processor , where certain interactions of instruction fetch unit and data cache unit could hang the system . microcode : these are ( software ) bugs in the implementation of the microcode for a particular instruction . an example may be found in the 386 processor , where microcode incorrectly checked the minimum size of the tss ( task state segment ), which must be 103 bytes , but , due to a flaw , segments of 101 and 102 bytes were also incorrectly allowed . electrical faults : these are design errors occurring when certain logic paths do not meet timing under exceptional conditions . consequently , if a processor runs well below its specified maximum frequency , these faults will often not occur . an example is the load register signed byte ( ldrsb ) instruction of the strongarm sa - 1100 which does not meet timing when reading from the pre - fetch buffer . as the above analysis demonstrates , control logic escapes dominate the errata reports for these processors . the high frequency of such escapes can be explained by the complexity of the control logic blocks that handle interactions between multiple instructions and the inability of formal techniques to handle complex interactions between multiple logic blocks in a design . correctness of the datapath , on the other hand , can frequently be proven formally . in certain techniques discussed herein , this capability is used to prove a datapath &# 39 ; s correctness when no control logic interactions are present in the system . functional correctness may be an attribute of hardware designs . unfortunately , due to extremely complex architectures , widespread components , such as microprocessors , are often released with latent bugs . the inability of modern verification tools to handle the fast growth of design complexity may exacerbate the problem even further . here , embodiments of a hardware patching mechanism , some times referred to as field - repairable logic ( frl ), is described . it may be designed for in - the - field correction of errors in microprocessor systems , for example , but not exclusively , errors in the design &# 39 ; s control logic and errors due to the interaction between multiple instructions in execution at the same time . certain embodiments introduce an additional component in the processor &# 39 ; s hardware , a state matcher , that may be programmed to identify erroneous configurations using signals in the control state of the processor . once a flawed configuration is “ matched ”, the processor may switch , for example , into a degraded or trusted mode , a mode of operation , in some embodiments , which excludes most features of the system , is simple enough to be formally verified , yet still capable to execute the full instruction - set architecture ( isa ), possibly at a reduced performance level . once the program segment triggering the design flaw has been executed while in degraded mode , the processor may be switched back to the mode of execution in which it was operating before the configuration was “ matched ”, or to another mode of execution . in other embodiments the state matcher may be programmed to encode processor configurations which have not been verified during the design of the system , and are thus considered “ untrusted ,” that is , potentially exposing a design flaw . a variant of this embodiment would match “ trusted ” instead of “ untrusted ” configurations , that is , only those configurations that have been indeed verified at design time . it is also possible to have embodiments where two state matchers are present together . for example , one may be used to flag untrusted configurations and the second to overrule the first once additional system configurations are verified after the processor is released to the customer . state matchers may also be designed as hardware logic circuits that “ match ” certain processor configurations and are developed during the design phase of the processor and become part of the final design . other possible embodiments include those where a recovery controller is triggered directly by a signal controlled directly by a user of the processor , or by an operating system or by firmware routines and no state matchers are used . obviously , it is possible to use several of the structures above and other embodiments in a network or hierarchical connection within the same design , particularly when this may be needed to address extremely complex systems with large physical layouts . other configurations are also possible . as explained below , a range of approaches to selecting signals comprising the processor &# 39 ; s control state and evaluating their effectiveness in representing a variety of design errors are analyzed . a metric ( average specificity per signal ), that encodes the bug detection capability and amount of control state carried by a particular signal set of the processor is also introduced . frl may support the detection and correction of multiple design errors with a performance impact of less than 5 % if , for example , the incidence of flawed configurations is below 1 % of dynamic instructions . in addition , the area impact may be less than 2 % for the two microprocessor designs discussed herein and may be much lower than 1 % in other embodiments . in some embodiments , a reliable , low - cost and expressive control logic patching mechanism for microprocessor pipelines is provided . these embodiments may enable the correction of a wide range of control logic - related design bugs in parts deployed in the field after manufacturing . in this framework , when an escaped bug is found in the field , a support team investigates it and generates a pattern describing the control state of the processor which causes the bug to manifest itself . the pattern is then sent to end customers as a patch and is loaded into an on - die state matcher at startup . the matcher may monitor the state of the processor and compare it to the patterns encoded or stored in the matcher itself to identify when the pipeline has entered a state associated with a bug or a precursor to a bug . once the matcher has determined that the processor is ( or about to be ) in a flawed control state , the processor &# 39 ; s pipeline may be , for example , flushed and forced into a trusted mode of operation for the execution of the next instruction . as mentioned above , the matcher may also monitor the state of the processor and compare it to its internal patterns to identify when the pipeline has entered a state that has not been verified at design time ( before processor release ). that is , the patterns may be indicative of verified states of the processor . if the matcher finds the processor to be in a verified state , the processor &# 39 ; s pipeline is unaffected . if , however , the matcher finds the processor to be in a non - verified state ( it does not find a match ), the processor &# 39 ; s pipeline may be flushed and forced into , for example , the trusted mode of operation . other configurations of the matcher are also possible , including those that match the complement of the sets of configurations discussed previously ( patterns indicative of non - verified states of the processor , for instance ). in certain embodiments of the degraded or trusted mode of operation , the processor starts execution from the first un - committed instruction and allows only one operation to traverse the pipeline at a time . therefore , much of the control logic that handles interactions between operations can be turned off , which in turn enables a complete ( or more extensive ) formal verification of the trusted mode at design time . in other words , it is possible to guarantee that instructions running in this mode complete properly , and thus ensure forward progress , even in the presence of design errors , by forcing the pipeline to run in the trusted mode . after the error is bypassed while operating in the trusted mode , the processor may return to , for example , a high - performance mode of operation or the previous mode of operation until the matcher detects another processor state indicating a bug , a precursor of a bug , a verified and / or a non - verified state . an additional hardware block , a recovery controller , may be included in certain embodiments to control the mode of operation of the system . in certain embodiments , the recovery controller receives an output signal from the state matcher indicating when a match has been detected between the processor state and a bug pattern . the output of the recovery controller may be connected to the signal that controls the flushing of the pipeline and to the fetch unit of the processor . most modern processors already include logic to flush a pipeline to manage events such as external interrupts and branch mispredictions . the recovery controller may connect also to this signal to trigger a pipeline squashing when the system must be switched to degraded mode . the recovery controller may also connect to the fetch unit of the processor in certain embodiments where the trusted mode requires regulating the arrival of instructions in the pipeline . in these embodiments , one of the recovery controller &# 39 ; s outputs connects to the fetch unit and may disable or enable the fetching of instructions . for example , it may allow only one instruction to enter the processor pipeline at any given clock cycle , or may only allow one instruction in flight at any given time by enabling the fetch unit only when the previous instruction is committed . for cases where the number of patterns of design errors exceeds the capacity of a particular stored - pattern matcher architecture , a pattern compression algorithm , which compacts the encoded state patterns while minimizing the number of false - positives introduced by the compression process , may be used . as such , errors and combinations of errors relating to particular instructions or combinations of instructions , or that are not associated with any specific instruction ( for instance a non - maskable interrupt ), may be addressed . certain embodiments of field - repairable logic may be designed to handle flaws in processor control circuitry for components already deployed in the field . when an escaped error is detected by an end customer , a report containing the error description , such as the sequence of executed operations and the values in the status registers , may be sent to a design house . engineers on the product support team may investigate the issue , identify the root cause of the error and which products are affected by it , and decide on a mechanism , such as frl , to correct the bug . by knowing the cause of the bug and which signals are monitored by the matcher in the defective processors , the engineers can create patterns that describe the flawed control state configuration . the patterns may then be compressed by the algorithm presented below , and sent to the customers as a patch . the patches in the end system may be loaded into the state matcher at startup . every time the patched error is encountered at runtime , a recovery via degraded mode , detailed below , is initiated , effectively fixing the bug . other embodiments are also possible whereby the patterns are encoded and integrated in the processor at design time . in this latter scenario , the patterns could encode the configurations verified ( or not verified ) at design time . the pattern to address a design error may be created from the state transition graph ( stg ) of a device . the correct stg may consist of all the legal states of operation , where each state is a specific configuration of internal signals , that are , for example , crucial to the proper operation of the device . in addition , these states are connected by all the legal transitions between them . within this framework an error may occur because of an additional erroneous transition from a legal state to an illegal state that should not be part of the stg , or when an invalid transition connects two legal states , or by the lack of a transition that should exist between states . hardware support which uses patterns to detect both the illegal states and the legal states which are sources of illegal transitions may be added . a pattern may be a bit - vector representing the configuration of the internal signals that is associated with erroneous behavior of the processor . note that in this framework a single bug can be mapped to multiple patterns , if it is triggered , for example , by multiple illegal states . to cope with this issue , a pattern compression algorithm , discussed below , may be used . in certain scenarios , after receiving a bug report , a product support team would analyze the issue , try to reproduce the error and understand what caused it . tools capable of reducing the length of a simulation trace may be helpful for this analysis , since they can significantly simplify the debugging effort and process . moreover , some of these tools are capable of investigating alternative scenarios that reach the same bug , thus strengthening the bug characterization . this allows the support team to pinpoint multiple processor control states associated with the bug and identify how these states map to the critical signals that the system will be designed to monitor at runtime . afterwards , the configurations of the control signals may be compactly encoded and issued as a patch to the end customer . the process may be repeated when new bugs or new scenarios exposing known bugs are discovered . these patterns may be used in many ways to initiate a system &# 39 ; s recovery when they are encountered at runtime . in some embodiments , for example , they may be stored in a state matcher using dynamic storage elements ; in others , they may be encoded in the circuit logic implemented or they may used by a firmware or software routine to determine directly when to initiate recovery . as mentioned above , design errors ( or verified states ) and patterns describing them may be defined through configurations of control signals of the processor and transitions between these configurations . at run - time these signals may be continuously observed by a state matcher and compared to preloaded patterns describing bugs , pre - cursors to bugs , etc . all of the design &# 39 ; s control signals could be used for this purpose . complexity and stringent timing constraints of modern chips , however , may prevent such extensive monitoring , allowing only for a small portion of the actual control state to be routed to the matcher . below , techniques to select state bits among the large control state of a processor are presented . in certain embodiments , the state matcher may be thought of as a fully - associative cache with the width of the tag being equal to the width of the control state vector . the tag in this case is a pattern describing an erroneous configuration or a pattern describing a verified or non - verified configuration . thus , if such a tag exists in the cache , then a hit occurs and a potential bug is recognized . in certain embodiments , the matcher may be structured to allow the use of “ don &# 39 ; t care ” bits in the patterns to be matched . the don &# 39 ; t care bits help to make a compact representation of multiple individual configurations of the critical control state that differ in just a few bits . using these embodiments of the state matcher , designers issuing a patch can specify a bug pattern ( verified pattern ) through a vector of 0 &# 39 ; s , 1 &# 39 ; s and don &# 39 ; t care bits ( x ): 0 &# 39 ; s and 1 &# 39 ; s represent the fixed value bits , while x &# 39 ; s can match any value in the corresponding control signal . referring now to fig1 , an embodiment of a computer 10 encompasses several logic circuits , including a microprocessor 12 , a state matcher 14 and a recovery controller 16 . the microprocessor 12 includes one or more pipelines as 18 . as known to those of ordinary skill , the pipeline 18 includes several stages , e . g ., an instruction fetch stage 20 , a decode stage 22 , an execute stage 24 and a memory access stage 26 . the stages 20 - 26 are separated by respective pipeline latches 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 . the latches 30 - 36 each assume the values output by the preceding pipeline stage after each count of the program counter 38 . in other embodiments , however , the logic circuit 12 may have any suitable configuration . the state matcher 14 may be electrically connected with some of the latches 30 - 36 and other processor storage elements . as discussed below , the state matcher 14 detects signal values associated with some of the latches 30 - 36 and other processor storage elements . these signal values form a state vector indicative of the control state of the microprocessor 12 . referring now to fig2 , in certain embodiments , the state matcher 14 includes several matcher entries 40 n ( 40 a , 40 b , 40 c , 40 d ). in the embodiment of fig2 , the state matcher 14 includes four ( 4 ) matcher entries 40 n . in other embodiments , however , any suitable number of matcher entries 40 n may be used . each of the matcher entries 40 n of fig2 includes a set of logic gates 42 configured to compare a state vector 44 with fixed bits 46 and wildcard bits 48 stored in storage cells 50 . in the embodiment of fig2 , the logic gates 42 include a set of xnor gates 52 in series with a set of or gates 54 . the output of the or gates 54 is fed into a bit - wise and gate 56 . the respective bit - wise and gates 56 of each of the matcher entries 40 n is fed into an or gate 58 to detect if any of the entries is matched to the processor control state . the output of the or gate 58 is fed into an and gate 60 to allow bypassing of the state matcher 14 from a processor status register 62 . the processor status register 62 outputs a control signal that controls whether the output of the matcher entries 40 n is expressed by the matcher 14 . other embodiments of the state matcher 14 may have a different structure , possibly encoding the patterns in a hardware logic circuit having the match signal of fig2 as output and the control signals as inputs . another example structure could simply read the match signal from a status register bit deferring the task of asserting and de - asserting this signal to a firmware or software - level application . a single patch may consist of multiple bug patterns since a single bug may be associated with several patterns , as was mentioned above , or the design may contain multiple unrelated bugs . with reference to the embodiment of fig2 , to handle such situations , the matcher 14 includes multiple independent entries 40 n . on startup , each of the matcher &# 39 ; s entries 40 n is loaded with an individual pattern containing fixed bits and don &# 39 ; t cares . at run - time , the matcher 14 simultaneously compares the actual control bit values to all of the valid entries and asserts a signal if at least one entry matches the control state subject to the control signal output by the processor status register 62 . the number of entries 40 n in the matcher 14 may be set at design time . a larger matcher 14 may be loaded with more patterns ; it , however , may also occupy a larger area on the die and may have longer propagation delay . a smaller matcher 14 , on the other hand , may not be able to load all of the patterns and compression may be needed . certain embodiments of the algorithm compress a number k of patterns into a state matcher with r - entries , where k & gt ; r . this process , however , often over - approximates the bug pattern and introduces false positives , i . e . error - free configurations that will be misclassified as buggy , and incur some performance impact . nevertheless , this compression may be necessary to fit the patching patterns into an available matcher of smaller size . note that the compression process will not generate false negatives , that is , it will not re - classify buggy patterns or portions of buggy patterns as non - buggy . to map k patterns into an r - entry matcher , the algorithm may first build a proximity graph . the graph is a clique with k vertices , one for each of the k patterns , and weighted edges connecting the vertices . edges have weights associated with them ; the weight of each edge may be computed using a variant of the hamming distance metric between the adjacent vertices . for example , a distance metric may be used whereby patterns are compared bit - wise : each 0 - 1 pair contributes , for example , 1 to the weight , each 1 - x or 0 - x pair contributes 0 . 5 to the weight , and each identical pair ( 0 - 0 and 1 - 1 ) contributes 0 to the weight . as an example , consider the two patterns 101xx1 and 1001x1 illustrated in fig3 a . the two leftmost and two rightmost bits of the patterns are identical , thus they contribute 0 to the weight . bits 3 of the patterns , on the other hand , form a 0 - 1 pair , contributing 1 to the weight , while bits 4 form a x - 1 pair , making the total weight on the edge between these patterns 1 . 5 . the reasoning behind this weighing structure is fairly straightforward : if the two patterns connected by an edge were to be compressed into one , every discording pair ( 0 - 1 , x - 0 , and x - 1 ) would have to be replaced with an x , basically creating the minimum common pattern that contains both of the initial ones . matching pairs , however , would retain the values they had in the original patterns . for example , for the two patterns 101xx1 and 1001x1 mentioned above , the common pattern is 101xx1 , since there are two discording pairs in the third and fourth bit positions . with this algorithm , each 0 - 1 pair contributes the same degree of approximation in the resulting entry generated . however , pairs such as 1 - x or 0 - x , will only have an approximating impact on one of the patterns ( the one with the 0 or 1 ), leaving the other unaffected , hence the corresponding weight is halved . an exception to the above metric may be a case where one pattern is a subset of another pattern . this is possible because patterns are allowed to have don &# 39 ; t care bits that essentially represent both 0 and 1 values . in this framework , the distance between such proximity graph vertices is set to − 1 , guaranteeing that these vertices will be chosen for compression , and the more specific pattern be eliminated from the graph . once the proximity graph is built , the two patterns connected by the minimum - weight edge may be merged together . if r ≦ k , the compression is completed , otherwise the graph is updated using the compressed pattern just generated , instead of the two original ones , and the process is repeated until a number of patterns that fits in the matcher is left . an example compression is illustrated in fig3 a through 3c . here , it is assumed that the goal is to compress four patterns into only two patterns . after the proximity graph is initially built and edges are labeled as illustrated in fig3 a , the algorithm selects the edge with the smallest distance ( d = 1 . 5 ) and merges patterns 101xx1 and 1001x1 connected by it as illustrated in fig3 b . as discussed above , the resulting pattern is 10xxx1 . when the graph is updated after the first step , it has three vertices and is still too large for the matcher . note , however , that the pattern that was added ( 10xxx1 ), completely overlaps pattern 100001 , thus the edge between them is labeled with weight − 1 . when the algorithm searches for the edge with the smallest weight for the second step , this edge is selected and vertex 100001 is eliminated as illustrated in fig3 c . compression then terminates , since the resulting set of patterns can fit into a two - entry matcher similar to the one illustrated in fig2 . 1 patterncompress ( input target_size ){ 2 for each ( pattern i ) 3 for each ( pattern j != i ) { 4 if ( contains ( i , j )) weight ( i , j )= − 1 5 else weight ( i , j ) = compute_distance ( i , j ) 6 } 7 while ( num_patterns & gt ; target_size ) { 8 ( i , j ) = edge_with_minimum_weight 9 pattern i = merge ( pattern i , pattern j ) 10 delete pattern j 11 update_graph_weights 12 num_patterns -- 13 }} lines 2 to 6 generate the initial proximity graph by computing the weights of all the edges either by detecting that vertex i contains vertex j ( contains function ) or computing the distance using the algorithm described above ( compute_distance function ). lines 8 to 11 select the pair to merge , remove one pattern from the set and update the graph . the procedure is repeated until the desired number of patterns is reached . function merge in line 9 , generates a pattern that is the minimum over - approximation of the two input patterns . the function first must check for containment , in which case it returns the former one . if there is no containment between the two patterns , their approximation is computed by substituting each non - matching bit pair with a don &# 39 ; t care bit ( x ). it is worth noting that the performance of the algorithm described may be optimized in several ways , for instance by eliminating all edges with d =− 1 in the graph at once . as was mentioned before , the compression algorithm generates a set of patterns that may over - approximate the number of erroneous configurations . the resulting pattern will still be capable of detecting all the erroneous configurations . it , however , may also flag additional known - correct configurations that have been included through the compression ( false positives ). the impact on the overall system will not be one of correctness , but one of performance , particularly if the occurrence of the additional configurations is frequent during a typical execution . the amount of approximation in the matcher &# 39 ; s detection ability is measured by its specificity . the specificity is the probability that a state matcher will not flag a correct control state configuration as erroneous . specificity may also be thought of as 1 − false_positive_rate . hence , when there is no approximation , the matcher has an ideal specificity of 1 ; increasing over - approximation produces decreasing specificity values . by virtue of the design and the pattern compression algorithm , the system may not produce a false negative . that is , it may never fail to identify any of the bug states observable through the selected control signals . referring again to fig1 , at this point , the set of patterns generated and compressed may be issued to the end customers as a patch . this may be similar to current microcode patching flow , where a patch for the processor 12 is included into bios ( basic input - output system ) updates . updates may be distributed by operating system or hardware vendors and may be saved in non - volatile memory on the motherboard . at startup , when bios firmware executes , the patches may be loaded into the processor 12 by a special loader . frl may use a similar mechanism . frl patches may be approximately the same size as a microcode update (˜ 2 kb or less ). after the patch is loaded at startup into the matcher 14 , the processor 12 may start running . while none of the configurations recorded in the matcher 12 is detected , activity proceeds normally ( this mode of operation may be referred to as high - performance ). when a buggy state ( or potentially buggy state ) is detected , the pipeline 18 is flushed and the processor 12 is switched to a reliable mode of execution . fig4 a through 4d illustrate an example execution flow when a bug pattern is matched in the frl - equipped processor 112 . ( numbered elements that differ by 100 relative to the number elements of fig1 have similar , although not necessarily identical , descriptions to the numbered elements of fig1 .) in this example , a simple in - order single - issue pipeline 118 is considered . it is further assumed that the interaction between a particular pair of instructions inst 2 and inst 3 triggers a control bug which has been detected and encoded in a pattern already uploaded in the matcher 114 . when the pattern is detected by the matcher 114 ( fig4 a ), the pipeline is flushed ( fig4 b ), and the processor 112 is switched to the degraded / trusted mode . this mode is formally verified at design time ; hence , it may be relied upon to correctly complete the next instruction ( fig4 c ). finally , the high - performance mode of operation , or the mode in use before the buggy configuration was detected , is restored ( fig4 d ). note that it may be sufficient to complete only one instruction before re - engaging normal operation since , in the event that the pipeline 118 steps again into an error state , it will once again enter the degraded mode to complete the following instruction . on the other hand , a designer may choose to run in trusted or degraded mode for several instructions to guarantee bypassing the bug entirely in a single recovery . certain techniques described herein do not introduce new flaws into the processor 112 , since the patches only specify when a processor 112 switches to trusted mode . in the worst case , the processor 112 runs in trusted mode all the time , with notable performance impact , but providing correct functionality . referring now to fig5 , the use of field - repairable logic is shown through an example within the context of a multi - stage pipeline 218 . ( numbered elements that differ by 200 relative to the numbered elements of fig1 and 2 have similar , although not necessarily identical , descriptions to the numbered elements of fig1 and 2 .) in this example , the processor 212 has a flow that does not always enforce a necessary stall between two successive memory accesses . a stall is required for this example design , since all memory operations are performed in two cycles : during the first cycle , the address is placed on the bus and the data from or to memory follows during the second cycle . if a memory operation is followed by a non - memory instruction , they are allowed to proceed back to back , since the second operation does not require memory access while advancing through the memory ( mem ) stage 226 of the pipeline 218 . in this example , the program that is being run contains a store and a load back to back , which triggers a bug . the matching logic 214 in this embodiment contains four entries 244 a , 244 b , 244 c , 244 d that describe all possible combinations of having two memory instructions in the instruction decode ( id ) stage 222 and execute ( ex ) stage 224 of the pipeline 218 . for instance , given the assumed encoding of the instruction set architecture ( isa ) for this example processor , the first entry 244 a matches valid instructions in the id and ex stages 222 , 224 of the pipeline , which are both memory reads . the second entry 244 b matches a store in ex 224 followed by a load in id 222 , which corresponds to the situation triggered during the program execution in the example . the other two entries describe a load followed by a store and two stores back to back . when the situation shown in the example arise , the matcher detects a match with the second entry 244 b , the pipeline 218 is flushed , then the recovery controller 216 starts execution at the instruction preceding the store , that is , the first uncommitted instruction . note that in this case the bug is fully and precisely described by the four patterns loaded in the matcher 214 , thus no false - positive matches are produced . moreover , any attempt to compress this set of patterns using the techniques described herein will introduce false - positives , as can be noted by observing the patterns illustrated in fig5 . as mentioned above , verification of complex hardware components , such as microprocessors , relies today on a variety of formal and simulation - based methods . the deployment of frl technology in a processor design may require the addition of two steps to the mainstream design flow . the first step may require a formal verification of the trusted or degraded mode of operation of the processor ( the mode used by frl to recover from patched design errors .) one embodiment of the trusted mode is set up so that only one instruction is in execution at any point in time in the processor . in this embodiment of the trusted mode instructions do not interact , hence verification is greatly simplified . for the most part this verification effort is reduced to the verification of individual functional blocks , which are , already today , heavily addressed by formal verification techniques . other embodiments are also possible where the trusted or degraded mode includes a large subset of system components , and possibly allows multiple instructions to be executed concurrently . a requirement of the trusted or degraded mode of operation may be that its execution is fully verified completely , so that at runtime correct forward progress is guaranteed while in this mode . the system - level verification of the entire processor may still be performed using , for example , a mix of random simulation and formal property verification . the second additional task during the system design may include the selection of the signals that should become part of the control state . these signals are then routed to a state matcher , such as the state matcher 14 illustrated in fig2 . the number of entries in the matcher may be subject to a tradeoff between total design area and overall performance of the deployed component , since a smaller matcher may require compression and reduce the processor &# 39 ; s performance because of increased false positives . in addressing the formal verification of the trusted mode of operation , a series of optimizations made available by its specific setup may be exploited . in certain embodiments , most of the complex functionality of the processor is disabled in the trusted mode and only one instruction is allowed in the pipeline at any time , greatly reducing the fraction of the design involved in each individual property proof . to this end , it is important to note that it may not be necessary to create a new , simplified version of the design . instead , all of the simplifications could be achieved either as a direct consequence of the nature of the input stream ( only one instruction is in flight at any one time ) or by simply disabling the advanced features through a few configuration bits . for example , modules such as branch predictors and speculative execution units can be turned off through dedicated control bits used in many designs to enable and disable features . on the other hand , control logic responsible for data forwarding , pipeline flushing and out - of - order execution may be abstracted away by the formal tools , if the system is constrained so that only one instruction appears in the pipeline at a time , which makes these blocks irrelevant . these two simplifications may make the trusted / degraded mode of operation simple enough for traditional formal verification tools to handle . in experiments described herein , magellan from synopsys was used to verify testbed processor designs . magellan is a hybrid verification tool that employs several techniques , including formal and directed - random simulation . since in the testbed designs , the trusted mode forces instructions to be executed independently , magellan may be used to verify the functionality of each instruction in the isa , one at a time . for each instruction , assertions in the verilog hardware design language were written to specify the expected result . constraint blocks fixed the instruction &# 39 ; s opcode and function field , while immediate fields and register identifiers were symbolically generated by magellan to allow for verification of all possible combinations of these values . deploying certain embodiments of field - repairable logic may include determining which control state signals are to be monitored by a matcher . on one hand , it may be ideal to monitor all the sequential elements of a design ; given the amount of control state in complex designs , however , such an approach may be either infeasible or extremely costly . as such , the set of control signals may be just a handful , selected among any internal net of the design ; although this limitation could potentially be the source of false positives at runtime . other embodiments may monitor many signals in a distributed fashion through several state matchers , which may be connected together . an example of the impact of a poor signal selection is discussed below , where a bug , r31 - forward ( used in the experimental evaluation discussed herein ), describes an incorrect implementation of data forwarding through register 31 . in the alpha isa , register 31 has a fixed value 0 , and hence cannot be a reference register for data forwarding . if the control signal set does not include the register fields of the various instructions in execution , it is impossible to repair this bug without triggering all those configurations which require any type of forwarding , causing an extremely high rate of false positives . at least two possible solutions to address this problem are envisioned . the first and simplest is to monitor the destination register indices of the instructions at the ex / mem and mem / wb stage boundaries by including them in the control signal set . the downside of this solution is that the control signal pool would grow and possibly impact the processor &# 39 ; s performance . for the in - order experimental testbed described herein , this would be a 30 % increase in the signals monitored . an alternative solution entails including a comparator asserting its output when data forwarding on register 31 is detected and including this output signal to the critical set . the additional overhead in this case would be less than the previous alternative . both approaches would eliminate the false positives for the r31 - forward bug and hence improve the processor &# 39 ; s performance . therefore , a designer using certain frl approaches should keep in mind possible corner cases such as these and design and select his control signal pool for a broad range of bugs . a possible approach for this task consists of analyzing previous designs &# 39 ; escaped bugs to determine which signals are most influential . since the control signal selection is of importance for certain implementations of frl , a software tool to support a designer in this task has been developed . the tool considers the register - transfer level ( rtl ) description of the design and it narrows the candidate pool for the desired control set . it does so by first automatically excluding poor candidates such as wide buses , and then ranking the remaining candidates in decreasing relevance . the rank is computed based on the width of the cone of logic that a signal drives and the number of sub - modules that they feed into . for example , for the following rtl block module example ( a , b , c ) input [ 64 : 0 ] a ; input b ; output c ; assign c = ! b & amp ; ( a == 64 ′ h0 ); endmodule the control state selection tool may mark signal a as data , and signals b and c as control . however , b will have a higher control signal ranking , since it drives more signals than c . when comparing a manually selected control signal set with the output of the automatic signal selector tool , an 80 % overlap was observed . it should be noted that the manual selection was performed by a designer who had full knowledge of the micro - architecture , while the automatic selection tool was only analyzing the rtl design . below , an experiment comparing the performance , in terms of specificity ( precision of the bug detection mechanism ), of a range of variants of manual and automatic selection is presented . in particular , the average specificity per signal , or the measure of how much each signal is contributing to the precision of the matcher is observed . solutions with higher average specificity per signal provide higher specificity , which translates into higher performance , and require less area , for fewer signals need to be routed to the matcher . in some systems , execution performance may be more critical than its correctness . for example , in some real - time systems , it is important to guarantee task completion at a predictable time in order to meet scheduling deadlines . in streaming video applications , the correctness of the color of a particular pixel may also be less crucial than the jitter of the stream . in these situations , field - repairable logic approaches that trade off performance for correctness may be undesirable . for these scenarios , an extra bit , such as the bit exerted by the processor status register 62 illustrated in fig1 , may be used to enable / disable the matcher . in some embodiments , the matcher - enable bit , however , should only be modifiable in the highest privileged mode of the processor operation , to ensure that user code cannot exploit design errors for malicious reasons . in this section two prototype systems with field repairable logic support are detailed . using simulation - based analysis , the error detection accuracy of frl for a number of design error scenarios and varied state matcher storage sizes are examined . different criteria for selecting the control state , including an automatic selection heuristic outlined above , are also examined . in addition , the area costs of adding this support to simple microprocessors is examined . finally , the performance impact of degraded mode execution is analyzed , to determine the extent of error recovery that can be tolerated before overall program performance is impacted . to gauge the benefits and costs of the field - repairable logic , this support was added to two prototype processors . although experimental in nature , these processors have been already deployed and verified in several research projects . while these prototype processors do not have the complexity of a commercial offering , they are non - trivial robust designs that can provide a realistic basis to evaluate the field - repairable logic solution . for the experiments , two variants of the state matcher , with four and eight entries , were implemented and integrated into the two baseline processor designs . the first design is a 5 - stage in - order pipeline implementing a subset of alpha isa with 64 - bit address / data word and 32 - bit instructions . the pipeline had forwarding from mem and wb stages to alu and resolves branches in ex - stage . the pipeline utilizes a simple global branch predictor and 256 - byte direct mapped instruction and data caches . for this design , 26 control bits were hand picked , which govern operation of different logic blocks of the pipeline ( datapath , forwarding , stalling , etc . ), to be monitored by the matcher . these signals were selected through a two - step process : documented bugs were studied and then control signals were selected that are good indicators of those bugs . this analysis relies on the assumption that future escaped bugs are correlated to past escapes . in addition , in making the selection , signals were chosen which encoded critical control situations in compact ways : for instance the indices of source and destination registers of each instruction ( which require several bits each ) were not monitored , but instead occurrence of each data forwarding ( only a handful of bits ) was tracked . to limit the monitoring overhead , the instruction opcode bits that are marched down each pipeline stage were not monitored . as detailed in table i below , the majority of the control signals were drawn from the id and ex stages of the pipeline , where the bulk of computation occurs . for example , in id stage some of the output bits of the decoder were selected , which represent in compact form what type of operation must be executed , and in ex stage the alu control signals were selected . although this potentially limited the capability to recognize a buggy state before the instruction is decoded in id stage , it allowed for the reduction of the number of bits monitored . note also that , while the original design was not modified in any way , it could be possible to enhance the specificity of the error detection by adding minimal additional logic . examples are the solution to the r31 - forward bug described above , and also the inclusion of additional pipeline latches to propagate more complete information on the instruction being executed through the pipeline , with the result that it would become possible to capture more precisely the specifics of an instruction leading to a bug . the second processor is a much larger out - of - order 2 - way super - scalar pipeline , implementing the same isa . the core uses tomasulo &# 39 ; s algorithm with register renaming to re - order instruction execution . the design has four reservation stations for each of the functional units and a 32 - entry re - order buffer ( rob ) to hold speculative results . the flushing of the core on a branch mispredict is performed when the branch reaches the head of the rob . the memory operations are also performed when a memory instruction reaches the head of the rob , with a store operation requiring two cycles . the re - order buffer can retire two instructions at a time , unless one is a memory operation or a mispredicted branch . the design also includes 256 - byte direct mapped instruction and data caches and a global branch predictor . the signals hand selected for the control pool include signals from the retirement logic in the rob as well as control signals from the reservation stations and the renaming logic as reported in table ii . similarly to the in - order design , no opcodes and instruction addresses were monitored , to minimize the number of observed signals . the embodiment of the state matcher developed for this design was capable of correctly matching scenarios involving branch misprediction , memory operations , as well as corner cases of operation of the rob and reservation stations , for example , when they were full and the front - end needed to be stalled . again , a larger set of signals could be used to gather more detailed information about the state of the machine , however , for this design , the benefit would consist of a shorter recovery time by recognizing problems earlier on . on the other hand , the ability to identify erroneous configurations precisely would not improve significantly , since errors can still be detected when instructions reach the head of the rob . the processor prototypes were specified in synthesizable verilog , and then synthesized for minimum delay using synopsys design compiler . this produces a structural verilog specification of the processor implemented with artisan standard logic cells in a tsmc 0 . 18 um fabrication technology . for performance analysis , a set of 28 microbenchmark programs was run , designed to fully exercise the processor while providing small code footprints . these programs included branching logic and memory interface tests , recursive computation , sorting , and mathematical programs , including integer matrix multiplication and emulation of the floating point computation . in addition , both of the designs were simulated for 100 , 000 cycles with an interactive stimulus generator stresstest to verify correctness of operation as well as provide a more diverse stream of instruction combinations . to evaluate the performance of the field - repairable logic solution , the designs were equipped with an embodiment of the state matcher as discussed herein , a variety of bugs were inserted into the designs , the appropriate patches were downloaded to the matcher , and then their overall performance was examined . for each bug or set of bugs , a variant of the design that included them was created . in crafting the bugs , the bugs reported in errata documents were emulated . all levels of the design hierarchy were targeted . usually , high - level bugs were the result of bad interactions between multiple instructions in flight at the same time . for example , opa - forward - wb breaks forwarding from wb stage on one operand , and 2 - branch - ops prevents two consecutive branching operations from being processed properly under rare circumstances . medium - level bugs introduced incorrect handling of instruction computations , such as store - mem - op , which causes store operations to fail . low - level bugs were highly - specific scenarios in which an instruction would fail . for example , r31 - forward is a bug causing forwarding on register 31 to be performed incorrectly . finally , the multi - bugs are combined bugs , where the state matcher is required to recognize larger collections of bug configurations . for instance , multi - all is a design variant including all bugs that we introduced . a summary of the bugs introduced in both of the designs is given in the table iii . it can be noted that even for these simple designs , some of the bugs require a very unique combination of events to occur in order to become visible . table iii bugs introduced in in - order and out - of - order pipelines . bug description in - order pipeline 2 - mem - ops two consecutive memory operations fail opa - forward - wb incorrect forwarding from wb stage on operand a opa - forward - conf incorrect hazard resolution on operand a 2 - branch - ops two consecutive taken branches fail store - mem - op store followed by another memory operation fails load - branch a conditional branch depending on a preceding load fails mult - branch a branch following a multiply instruction fails mult - depend multiply followed by a dependent instruction fails r31 - forward forwarding on register 31 is done incorrectly multi - 1 2 - mem - ops + opa - forward - wb + opa - forward - conf + 2 - branch - ops multi - 2 store - mem - op + load - branch + mult - branch multi - 3 mult - depend + r31 - forward multi - 4 2 - branch - ops + mult - branch + load - branch out - of - order pipeline rob - full - store store operation fails when rob is full rob - full - mem any memory operation fails when rob is full double - retire double - issue and double - retirement in the same cycle fails double - retire - retirement of two instructions fails if two non - branch full instructions are added to full rob at the same time double - mispred rob incorrectly flushes the pipeline if two branches are mispredicted at the same time rs - flush reservation stations do not get flushed on a branch mispredict if rs_full signal is asserted load - data loaded data is not forwarded to dependent instructions in the reservation stations multi - all all out - of - order bugs combined the control state matcher has the task of identifying when the processor has entered a buggy control state , at which point the processor is switched into a degraded mode that offers reliable execution . in this section the specificity of the state matcher is studied . that is , its accuracy in entering the degraded mode only when an erroneous configuration is observed . fig6 and 7 graph the specificity of the state matcher for bugs in the in - order and out - of - order processor designs . recall that the specificity of a bug is the fraction of recoveries that are due to an actual bug . thus , if the specificity is 1 , the state matcher only recovers the machine when the bug is encountered . on the other hand , a matcher with low specificity would be overconservative and enter the degraded mode more often than necessary . for instance , a specificity of 0 . 40 indicates that an actual bug was corrected only during 40 % of the transitions to degraded mode , while the other 60 % were unnecessary . in order to gather a sense of the correlation between specificity and matcher size , results considering a 4 - entry , 8 - entry and a infinite - entry matcher are plotted and discussed below . it can be noted that for both processors , many of the bugs can be detected and recovered with a specificity of 1 . 0 , even when using the smallest matcher , thus no spurious recoveries were initiated . some combinations of multiple bugs ( e . g ., multi - 1 and multi - 2 ) had low specificities , but when the matcher size was increased , the specificity reached again 1 . 0 . for these combinations of bugs , a four entry matcher was too small to accurately describe the state space associated with the bugs , but the larger matcher overcame this problem . finally , for a few of the bugs , e . g ., multi - depend in fig6 and load - data in fig7 , even an infinite - size state matcher could not reach the perfect specificity . for these particular bugs , the lack of specificity was not the result of pressure on the matcher , but rather insufficient access to critical control information , as was described above . thus , these experiments had to initiate recovery whenever there was a potential error , leading to the lower specificities . to evaluate the impact of various critical control signal selection policies and compare them to the automatic approach described above , a range of frl implementations were developed over the in - order pipeline using different sets of control signals . the results of this analysis are illustrated in fig8 . in the first configuration developed , single - instr , the control consists exclusively of the 32 - bit instruction being fetched . the second solution , called double - instr monitors the instructions in the fetch and decode stages ( 64 instruction bits and 2 valid bits ). the third configuration ( auto - select ) includes all of the signals selected automatically by the heuristic algorithm discussed above for a total of 52 bits . for this set up , the automatic selection algorithm was configured to return all rtl signals with non - zero control rank and width less than 16 bits . the manual - select implementation corresponds exactly to the one from the experiment , including all the signals of table i , thus its matcher performance is the same as in the experiments above . the final configuration , manual - select w / id is a manual - select , but it includes 10 extra signals to monitor the destination registers in stages mem and wb . matcher sizes for all of the variants contained a sufficient number of entries to accommodate even the largest patches , so pattern compression was never required . for each design variant , individual patches were developed for the first 9 bugs listed in table iii ( all but the multi - bugs ). for each bug and each design variant , the average specificity per signal was measured , that is , specificity divided the number of signals in the critical control pool . this measure gives an intuition on how to select the approach with the best performance / area tradeoff . as illustrated in fig8 , the manual - select variant produces the best results for most bugs . the manual - select / w id solution has better specificity than manual - select , but at a higher price . its main advantage is the good result over r31 - forward , which is made possible by its tracking destination register indices . note also that the automatic selection algorithm performs quite well , especially taking into account that this approach does not require any engineering effort . implementing a field - repairable logic solution may require the addition of control matcher logic , that is , the matcher itself and the recovery controller , which may cause an area overhead for the final design . table iv tabulates the area overheads of a range of frl implementations , including matcher size of 4 and 8 entries built over both the in - order and out - of - order designs and considering 256 b and 64 kb instruction and data caches . as shown in the table , the overhead of frcl is uniformly low . even the larger state matcher , deployed in a processor with a small pipeline and caches ( in - order - 256 b ), results in an overhead of only about 2 %. designs with larger caches and more complex pipelines have even lower overhead . given the simplicity of the baseline designs discussed herein , it is expected that the overhead for commercial - grade designs would be even lower . table iv also presents the propagation delays through the matcher block . note that all solutions have propagation delays that are well below the system &# 39 ; s clock frequency , hence they do not impact the overall system &# 39 ; s performance when no bug is detected . note that the matcher for the out - of - order processor performs faster because it monitors fewer control signals . it should also pointed out that , in some embodiments , matching is performed in parallel with normal pipeline operation , and given the observed propagation delays through the matcher , they do not affect the overall design frequency . table iv area overheads and propagation delays for a range of frl implementations on the in - order and out - of - order pipeline when synthesized on 180 nm technology . critical control state matcher area (% design area ) in - order out - of - order 256 b 64 kb 256 b 64 kb 4 entry matcher 1 . 10 % 0 . 01 % 0 . 34 % 0 . 01 % 8 entry matcher 2 . 20 % 0 . 02 % 0 . 68 % 0 . 02 % propagation delay of the matcher ( ns ) in - order out - of - order ( clk = 11 . 5 ns ) ( clk = 6 . 5 ns ) 4 entry matcher 1 . 18 ns 1 . 17 ns 8 entry matcher 1 . 43 ns 1 . 21 ns during recovery , the processor is switched into trusted mode to execute the next instruction , and then returned to normal operation or to the mode of operation that was in use before the recovery was initiated . in certain embodiments of the trusted mode , only one instruction is permitted to enter the pipeline , thus instruction - level parallelism may be lost and program performance may suffer accordingly . other embodiments may also affect overall system performance . fig9 graphs the performance of the in - order and out - of - order processors as a function of increasing recovery frequency . as shown in the graph , for performance impact to be contained under 5 %, the rate of recovery should not exceed 6 per 1000 cycles for the in - order pipeline and 1 per 1000 cycles for the out - of - order pipeline . for a more stringent margin of 2 % impact , recovery rates should not exceed 2 / 1000 and 4 / 1000 for the in - order and the out - of - order processors , respectively . note that the in - order pipeline suffers more heavily from the frequency of the recovery , as it can be easily derived from its higher sensitivity to instruction latencies . finally , fig1 and 11 show the cpi ( clock cycles per instruction ) of the frl - equipped in - order and out - of - order pipelines . the cpi has been normalized to the average cpi achieved when no patch was uploaded on the matcher ( hence degraded mode was never triggered ). by comparison with fig6 , it can be noted that low specificity often results in increased cpi . however , the worst case scenario ( 4 entry matcher and multi - 1 bug ) occurs because of an insufficiently sized matcher and not because of the control selection . while embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention . rather , the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation , and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	6
the embodiments of the present invention are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , which form a part hereof , and which show , by way of illustration , specific exemplary embodiments by which the invention may be practiced . this invention may , however , be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein . rather , the disclosed embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art throughout the specification and claims , the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein , unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . the phrase “ in one embodiment ” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment , though it may . furthermore , the phrase “ in another embodiment ” as used herein does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment , although it may . thus , as described below , various embodiments of the invention may be readily combined , without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . thus , as described below , various embodiments of the invention may be readily combined , without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . as used herein , the term “ or ” is an inclusive “ or ” operator , and is equivalent to the term “ and / or ,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . the term “ based on ” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described , unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . in addition , throughout the specification , the meaning of “ a ,” “ an ,” and “ the ” include plural references . the meaning of “ in ” includes “ in ” and “ on .” in one embodiment of the present invention , a method of selecting the - ye samples from the images that were used as + ve samples for other object classifiers is shown . the number of samples selected from each object may be automatically determined according to the percentage of false positives . fig1 illustrates a flowchart depicting steps of a method for object classification within an object recognition system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . exemplary step 110 collects positive ( p ) samples of images of the given current object under training ( o ) by downloading them from open imaging sources on the web such as , for example , the stanford imagenet image library , flickr , any image database , or results of image searches on the internet via a search engine , such as , for example google , bing or any other sources . exemplary step 120 describes a process to select negative samples ( g ) for negative training of object 0 which takes the said p positive images of o , the current recognition engine e with its existing set of priori - trained objects in the current version of the object recognition engine , and generates a set of g negative samples for object o to use for negative training 120 . in exemplary step 120 p positive images and said g negative images for the new object o are input into a standard process of local feature extraction extracting typical computer vision features such as color histogram , edge histograms , etc . the feature vectors may be used for training according to a standard classifier training algorithm such as support vector machine , or viola jones , etc . to produce a model file 130 . said model file may be added to the object recognition engine , and the engine is therefore now able to detect objects o 140 . a random test set of t test images containing the new object 0 are then passed as inputs to the updated object recognition engine e for detection to measure its recognition perfomance using precision and recall measurements ( as defined in the computer vision literature using the true positive , false positive , true negative and false negative counts ) 150 . the measured precision and recall on the t images is compared against the required threshold values passed as inputs 170 . in the preferred embodiment , said required threshold values can be in the range 70 - 99 % precision and 70 - 99 % recall . if said measured precision and recall don &# 39 ; t meet the threshold requirements , we repeat the entire process starting with collecting an additional set of positive sample images 110 . fig2 depicts an object ontology and inter - object correlation graph that may be used in negative training methods . several academic object ontology , also commonly referred to as taxonomy , are available . for efficiency and run time optimization purposes , a narrow taxonomy is used to optimize the look up and correlation calculations . an exemplary subset of object ontology is shown 200 . the root of this subtree is the exemplary category man - made - objects 205 . such category can be further subdivided into out - doors man - made objects 210 , and in - doors man - made objects 215 . within the out - doors category 210 , there may be further sub - categories for example , transportation objects 220 , city related objects 223 , and rural objects 225 . transportation 220 may be further divided into marine transportation objects 230 , and vehicles 235 . marine transportation objects 230 may be further divided into the final actual object names in this category such as but not limited to sailboats 240 , kayaks 245 , and ferries 247 . vehicle category 235 may also be further divided into 4 - wheel 250 and 2 - wheel 260 . the 2 - wheel vehicles category 260 may be further divided into all the actual objects in that category such as scooters 265 , and mountain bikes 2 ? 0 and similar 2 - wheel objects that are of interest to include in the recognition engine . it will be understood that objects such as indoors 215 , and rural 225 that have a dangling connections 219 and 229 , are there to indicate that they may be further expanded to their subcategories and eventually the final list of objects , as described above in connection with transportation 220 . it is also understood that a new object 0 that gets added to the engine is insetted in this object ontology at its appropriate level in the hierarchy as a sibling of similar type objects . for example a new touring bicycle would be added as a sibling to mountain bike with 2 - wheel vehicle 260 as its parent category . fig3 depicts an embodiment of a method algorithm for negative training for object o 300 . the input is the p positive images for object o collected from the web for positive training , t set of test images for object o , the existing object recognition engine e with its a - priori trained n classifiers which doesn &# 39 ; t include object o 310 . p images may be processed for object detection on the current set of n classifiers in the object recognition engine e_i , which does not include o , by iterating on all classifiers e_i for all i 320 . the entire set of p images is processed against classifier e_i and match computations are reported 330 , this count is recorded as the false positive count for this classifier fpcount_i 340 . care is taken in this step to make sure that such matches are indeed false positive matches , in other words , said image didn &# 39 ; t have both objects simultaneously . the false positive percentage is computed as a percentage of fpcount_i to the total set p as fpp_i 350 . this process is iterated for all n classifiers , and hence the array fpp_i has all the false positive percentages for all classifiers and said array is sorted in descending order 360 . logically this implies that the first element in this array is the classifier that caused the highest percentage of false positives , therefore the example illustrated earlier for training of mountain bikes , if classifier for scooter is the one generating a 65 % false positive rate , that means of the set p images of mountain bikes , 65 % of those p images were misconstrued as scooters . therefore the method will proportionately select a large quantity of images of scooters to use in the negative training of mountain bikes to ensure the engine learns that scooters are not mountain bikes , and similarly , mountain bikes are used in the negative re - training of scooters . in a non - limiting example , object o is a mountain bike , thus it &# 39 ; s important that when the p mountain bikes images are collected 110 , they are processed against all the existing objects in the recognition engine ( for example , car , jet - plane , flower , scooter ) to ensure those p images don &# 39 ; t have these objects . therefore any matches reported by the engine are surely all false - positives , i . e ., the mountain bike is misconstrued as a scooter , or a car . the sorted array is divided into 4 quadrants 370 . where the top quadrant is the most offending objects that cause highest false positive , second quadrant is the second most offending , etc . the lowest quadrant may optionally be ignored completely because it contains the least offending , and hence including them in the negative training is a lower priority and depends on the count threshold constraint . fig4 . depicts a continuation flowchart of the negative training process , 400 , where the number of classifiers in each quadrant is counted and recorded in a new array of counts classifiercount - per - quadrant [ i ] 410 . quadrant - count [ j ] is computed as an allocation of total number of negative samples to allocate to the respective quadrant 420 . this computation in the preferred embodiment is a function of the number of classifiers in the quadrant and their ratio to the total number of classifiers , and also the range of percentages in the quadrant . for example if the top offending quadrant has a high false positive of 85 % and the lowest in the quadrant is 70 %, then this set of classifiers is problematic and causes extreme mismatches in the engine . say also the number of classifiers in this set was 7 different classifiers out of 500 classifiers in the engine . then one can allocate a very high number of negative samples to this quadrant and the respective classifiers in this group , because a small concentration of highly offending ( i . e ., high false - positive rate ) generate classifiers . subsequently , the samplecountperclassifier the number of negative samples is computed to allocate to each classifier in each quadrant j by dividing quadrant - count [ j ] by classifiercountperquadrant [ j ] 430 . a running count is initialized 440 . for each quadrant j of the 4 quadrant , 440 , and each classifier c in the j quadrant 450 are looped , and a number of positive samples equal to samplecountperclassifier is selected and copied from the classifier c &# 39 ; s positive training samples as negative samples for the classifier under training 0 . in a non - limiting preferred embodiment , four quadrants are selected , i . e ., dividing the false positive rate ranges into four batches , however many other variants are possible , and in fact some offer desired flexibility and tine grain control . for example , the rate ranges can be divided up into 8 batches hence the ranges are as follows 0 - 12 . 5 %, 12 . 5 %- 25 %, 25 %- 37 . 5 % up to the last batch at the range 87 . 5 %- 10 %. similarly if one divides up the ranges into i 0 batches , then it &# 39 ; s every 10 % i . e ., 0 - 10 %, 10 %- 20 % up to 90 %- 100 %, and so on . the finer granularity of the rate range , as for example the 10 - batch scheme , allows one for example to completely ignore the batch at the lowest range , because a false positive rate between 0 - 10 % is very low , and isn &# 39 ; t considered of any material impact . a number of different variants of fig4 are also possible in which intelligent pruning is performed in order to optimize the number of classifier from which to select samples for the negative training as described below . these embodiments are exemplar and other variations are contemplated within the scope of the present embodiments . in this embodiment , the lowest quadrant , i . e ., the one with classifiers having false positive rates in the range 0 - 25 % is dropped in the negative sample selection . in case of batches with 10 % ranges , then classifiers in the false positive range 0 - 10 % are dropped . in this embodiment , in the object ontology network each object classifier &# 39 ; s false positive rates is noted on it . the ontology tree is traversed using standard tree traversal methods , and the classifier with the lowest false positive rate in each subtree in the hierarchy is pruned , i . e ., dropped and not used for negative sample selection process . according to certain additional aspects , embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for structuring an object recognition engine that can implement the object recognition techniques described above . these embodiments include a method for efficiently implementing a computer vision object recognition engine that is capable of recognizing very large number of objects across large number of domains with very different visual characteristics such that the response time is constant and independent of the number of object detectors in the engine . fig5 is a block diagram illustrating an example system including an object recognition engine 050 that is structured according to embodiments of the invention . as shown , engine 050 is structured to include domain - specific sub - engines 054 , 056 and 058 . in this illustrative example , sub - engine 054 performs scene recognition , sub - engine 056 performs fashion recognition and sub - engine 058 performs product recognition . in embodiments , each domain - specific sub - engine is trained and implemented separately and each domain - specific sub - engine is unaware of the other sub - engines . moreover , each domain - specific sub - engine can be shut - down , restarted , or changed independently of the other domain - specific sub - engines without impacting them . fig6 is a block diagram illustrating an example system that can implement an object recognition engine 050 such as that shown in fig5 . as shown , the central intelligence 602 of the overall engine is comprised of a master centralized node which is responsible for communicating the input image 040 to all the sub - engines 054 , 056 , 058 and aggregating the resulting tags 043 back to the user . as further shown in fig6 , each sub - engine 054 , 056 , etc . is implemented by a respective independent computer cluster 055 , 057 , etc . in one preferred embodiment , engines 054 , 056 , etc . are comprised of domain - specific neural networks that are run concurrently on the independent compute clusters 055 , 057 , etc . each neural network is assigned one domain of object detectors that have shared visual characteristics or are typically correlated to one another , for example fashion objects , or home decor objects , or scenery objects , etc . each neural network is capable of running all of its underlying object detectors concurrently or it can run a subset of those object detectors based on a specified input parameter . the overall engine 050 &# 39 ; s response time is equal to the response time of the slowest domain - specific neural network 054 , 056 , etc . in other embodiments , the domain - specific engines 054 , 056 , 058 , etc . are not implemented using neural - networks but are implemented using different classification algorithms such as those described above . these algorithms can include support vector machines , boosting , haar , decision trees , etc fig7 is a block diagram illustrating another example system including an object recognition engine 750 that is structured according to additional embodiments of the invention . as shown in fig7 , in these embodiments , the domain - specific sub - engines 754 , 756 , 758 are aware of each other and that they are being run in parallel on the same image 740 and are allowed to communicate their results amongst each other via communication hub 700 to resolve conflicts . for example , engine 750 can use object - correlation intelligence to ensure final results are coherent before communicating the final result tags 743 back to the master engine and the end user . as shown in fig7 , and similar to fig5 , each sub - engine 754 , 756 , 758 is run on a respective independent computer cluster 753 , 755 , 757 . in this embodiment , central intelligence 602 can further include the functionality of communication hub 750 . in these and other embodiments the communications hub uses an object taxonomy to resolve conflicting object tags that have a very low co - occurrence likelihood ( such as high - rise - building and cruise - ship , etc ). furthermore , the communications hub 750 can resolve conflicting objects tags using a variety of different mechanisms including , but not limited to : a ) using the individual object detectors confidence scores to eliminate the lower confidence classifier . b ) using the over sub - engines quality score to eliminate the result of a sub - engine , for example food recognition engine , that generally makes more errors compared to a sub - engine that &# 39 ; s generally more accurate , for example scenes or products sub - engines furthermore , the communications hub 750 can resolve conflicts by partitioning the input image into patches , using fixed partitioning ( for example 8 patches of 8 × 8 pixels ) or variable partitioning using standard sliding window schemes in the computer vision literature , and then ordering the conflicting sub - engines to re - run object recognition on the image &# 39 ; s underlying patches in order to isolate the specific image patch where the conflicting tags occur , and determine which tag to eliminate based on the score on that specific patch although a specific embodiments of the present invention have been described , it will be understood by those of skill in the art they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings , including equivalents . accordingly , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments , but only by the scope of the appended claims .	6
fig1 illustrates the skeleton of a metal stud wall 10 according to the present invention . the metal stud wall 10 generally comprises a base member 12 , a plurality of metal studs 14 disposed in a row , at least one spacer member 16 , and wall panels ( not shown ). the wall panels , such as wall board , may be secured in well known manner to one or both sides of the metal studs to close the wall and form the exterior surface or surfaces of the wall . the studs 14 , as illustrated in fig1 are generally c - shape . the studs 14 have a web 18 and a pair of l - shape flanges 20 perpendicular to the web 18 . there is also one or more openings 22 in the web 18 . the openings 22 heretofore have been provided in metal studs to permit electrical conduit and plumbing to be run within the stud wall . since the openings 22 are located in the same position in the individual studs forming the wall as is conventional , the openings 22 are horizontally aligned with each other as shown in fig1 . in the assembly of the metal stud wall 10 , the metal studs 14 are secured at their lower ends to the base member 12 by fastening means 24 , such as screws , rivets , etc . the base member 12 is a u - shape channel having a central planar strip with upstanding legs thereon . the studs forming the wall are secured by the fastening means 24 to the upstanding legs of the base member 12 that normally will be anchored to the floor . the stud spacer member 16 is inserted through openings 22 located near the upper ends of the metal studs 14 , and notches 26 in the stud spacer member are aligned with the web 18 of respective studs 14 , or vice versa . the stud spacer member is moved downwardly , as by tapping , to move the webs 18 of the metal studs 14 into engagement with the notches 26 . in this manner the stud spacer member 16 sets the spacing of the top ends of the studs 14 , thus making it unnecessary to manually mark off the stud spacing at the top . as will be appreciated , only one stud need be plumbed and secured to surrounding structure , such as at its top to the ceiling track . with one stud plumbed and fixed in place , all of the other studs will be held plumb by the spacer member or chain of overlapping spacer members . the stud spacer member 16 also functions to maintain the metal studs 14 at the prescribed spacing as during application of the wall panels to the studs thereby eliminating the need to secure the top end of each stud 14 to an upper channel or header . although the wall panels once applied will maintain the spacing of the metal studs as well , the stud spacer member 16 may still function to assist in resisting relative movement of the metal studs in the plane of the wall and to resist bowing of the studs . in fact , additional spacer members may be provided at different heights to add strength to the metal stud wall skeleton . as illustrated in fig1 each stud spacer member 16 spans three metal studs 14 as is preferred , although longer spacer members may be used , if desired , to span four , five or more studs , or even shorter spacer members spanning only two studs . when forming a wall system having a number of metal studs exceeding the length of a single stud spacer member 16 , a plurality of stud spacer members 16 are used in end - to - end relationship with relatively adjacent ends overlapped and secured to at least one common stud 14 so as to maintain continuity of the stud spacer members 16 over the length of the stud wall 10 . referring now to fig2 - 4 , a preferred embodiment of stud spacer member 16 can be seen to include a bar - like elongate member 30 which is generally v - shape in cross - section along its length . the v - shape functions to rigidify the elongate member 30 against lateral flexure , i . e ., flexure perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spacer member . the v may have an included angle in the range of about 45 ° to 135 °, more preferably in the range of about 60 ° to 120 °, and most preferably about 90 °. the elongate member 30 need not necessarily be v - shape as shown in fig3 . the elongate member 30 alternatively could be generally planar with one or more bosses running ( and overlapping if plural bosses are provided ) the length of the elongate member 30 . the boss or bosses ( deflected out of the planar portions of the elongate member ) would serve to rigidity the elongate member 30 . of course , other means may be provided to rigidify the elongate member 30 against lateral flexure , such as the use of stiffening ribs , a thicker stock , etc . as illustrated in fig3 the notches 26 preferably are provided in each planar side portion of the v - shape elongate member with the notches 26 opening to the longitudinal outer edge 32 of the respective side portion . the notches 26 are designed to engage and to retain the web 18 of the stud 14 . as shown , the notches 26 have one side thereof formed by a resiliently flexible tab or flap 36 that functions to resiliently bias the web 18 against an abutment 38 formed by the opposite side of the notch . the flap 36 is formed by bending a portion of the respective side portion of elongate member 30 out of the plane of the side portion . the opposite edge of the notch preferably remains in the plane of the relatively adjacent region of the side portion to form a positive positioning stop or abutment 38 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member 30 against which the web 18 of the stud 14 will be held by the flexible flap 36 . as is preferred , the corners of the flap 36 at its free end are preferably relatively sharply angled , as at an included angle of 60 degrees or less , to form a barb that will aid in holding the spacer member 16 engaged to the webs 18 of the metal studs 14 . although the notches 26 are shown disposed along the outer edge 32 of each side portion , it should be realized that the notches 26 could be formed elsewhere , such as along the crease 40 of the v - shaped elongate member 30 . however , preferably the notches 26 open to the outer edge of each side portion , with the notches 26 of one side portion being laterally aligned with corresponding notches of the other side portion . the pairs of laterally spaced notches 26 , as opposed to a single notch , provide two points of contact for the stud spacer member 16 . the two points of contact aid in preventing the studs 14 from pivoting or twisting , thus adding greater stability to the wall 10 . the distance between abutments 38 will equate to a distance between webs 18 of the studs 14 which form the skeleton of the wall 10 , as the flap 36 will force the web 18 against the abutment 38 . as will be appreciated , the distance between the cuts that form the abutments 38 and flaps 36 can be controlled within tight tolerances and this translates to accurate spacing of the studs in a row thereof forming a wall . for example , in the united states , walls 10 are generally constructed with studs spaced on 16 or 24 inch centers . therefore , a cut in the elongate member 30 will be made at 16 or 24 inch intervals , thus ensuring that the web to web spacing of the studs 14 will be 16 or 24 inches . as illustrated in fig4 the stud spacer member 16 preferably includes 4 notches 26a - 26d spaced at 16 inch intervals , and 1 notch 26e equal spaced between the two central notches 26b and 26c . this particular arrangement of notches 26 creates a stud spacer member 16 which can be used in metal stud walls 10 which have a stud spacing of either 16 or 24 inches . if the wall 10 is to have a stud spacing of 16 inches , notches 26a - 26d engage the webs 18 of the studs 14 . if the wall 10 is to have a stud spacing of 24 inches , notches 26a , 26d , and 26e engage the webs 18 of the studs 14 . the overall length of the preferred stud spacer member 16 is about 50 inches , this leaving about one inch outside the outermost notches . the spacer member 16 is also sufficiently narrow to fit within the dimensions of the openings 22 in the webs 18 . also , it is particularly advantageous for the spacer member to be dimensioned so that it may be received in the reduced width conduit slot forming the lower portion of the stud opening as is often provided in the metal studs to centrally space conduit between the outer side edges of the metal studs . the reduced width conduit slot is typically one inch square . accordingly , the width of the spacer member 16 in the preferred embodiment is approximately 1 . 25 inches when oriented as shown in fig2 ( i . e ., from outer edge to outer edge ), and the slots are formed in both legs of the v - shape elongate member to a depth from the edge of about 1 / 3 of an inch . thus , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the member 16 has an overall length to width ratio of about 35 to 1 . the metal which forms the stud spacer member 16 has a thickness ranging , for example , from about 22 gauge to 16 gauge . preferably , the stud spacer member 16 is constructed from about 20 gauge metal , which has a thickness of about 0 . 036 inch . referring now to fig5 another form of notch 26 &# 39 ; can be seen to have a slot portion 42 and a relatively wider inner portion 44 . the slot extends from the enlarged inner portion 44 to the outer longitudinal edge 32 . the distinct transition from the slot portion 42 to the enlarged inner portion 44 forms angled shoulders 46 which &# 34 ; bite &# 34 ; into the metal of the web 18 , thereby retaining the web 18 in the notch . the slot portion 42 of notch 26 &# 39 ; should have a width which corresponds to and preferably is slightly less than the thickness of the metal forming the web 18 , so that the slot portion 42 fits tightly over the web 18 . the enlarged inner portion 44 and the outer longitudinal edge 32 of the side portion 42 define therebetween a resilient flap portion of the side portion that can flex away from the opposed flap portion to receive therebetween the web 18 of a metal stud 14 . preferably , the outer corners of the opposed flap portions are flared slightly out of the plane of the side portion to form slightly out - turned ears 48 that define therebetween a widened mouth 50 for receiving and guiding the web 18 of the stud 14 into the narrower throat section of the slot portion 42 . although the invention has been shown and described with respect to several preferred embodiments , it will be apparent that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification . the present invention includes all such equivalent alterations and modifications , and is limited only by the scope of the following claims .	4
the subject information - transmitting apparatus is successively supplied with , for example , the four records or unit record information groups i , ii , iii , iv of fig2 distinguished from each other by positioning codes re , each of which consists of , for example , five concrete column data corresponding to the five heading items of fig1 and separated from each other by positioning codes cp . as is apparent from fig2 some of the heading items , for example , the customer code represented by a heading item number ( 0 ) indicates a 3 - digit numeral and the consecutive number denoted by a heading item number ( 1 ) shows a 4 - digit numeral , and some of the respective corresponding arithmetical places of a column data representing the customer code ( 0 ) and a column data constituting the consecutive number ( 1 ) indicate the same group of digits . upon receipt of a column select instruction , therefore , the memory 1 of fig5 is successively stored with the numbers ( 0 ), ( 1 ) of the heading items , that is , the customer code and consecutive number such that the column data constituting said heading items ( 0 ), ( 1 ) can be later specified for deletion . when the memory 1 is stored with a record - positioning code re ahead of an item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; corresponding to the foremost heading item ( 0 ), that is , the customer code included in the first one of a series of said records , which are later successively stored in the memory 1 , then said positioning code re , after being read out therefrom , is detected by an information judgement code detector 2 . at this time , the memory 1 is preset at its original condition . an output signal from said code detector 2 showing the detected positioning code re resets a counter 3 and also a flip - flop circuit 5 through an or circuit 4 , the reset counter 3 generates an output of zero . when preset by an output signal showing the detected positioning code re , the memory 1 already stored with the customer code ( 0 ) generates an output showing said heading item number ( 0 ). &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; outputs from the counter 3 and memory 1 are supplied to a coincidence detector 6 , which in turn sends forth an output showing coincidence between both zero outputs . said coincidence output is conducted to one of the gates of an and circuit 7 . when the memory 1 is supplied with the item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the foremost customer code ( 0 ) in succession to the record - positioning code re , then the information judgement code detector 2 detects the presence of a numeral . a detection output is transmitted to the other gate of the and circuit 7 . as the result , a shift instruction is supplied through the and circuit 7 to a buffer memory 8 , which in turn is successively stored with the three digits &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the foremost customer code ( 0 ). when the record - positioning code re is detected , the flip - flop circuit 5 remains reset by said positioning code re , and is not set , until it receives an output signal from a coincidence detector 11 . therefore , the gates of an and circuit 9 are not opened , preventing a series of rcords from being transmitted to an information - processing device through the and circuit 9 and or circuit 10 . when the item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; stored in the buffer memory 8 by a shift instruction delivered from the and circuit 7 upon receipt of the record - positioning code re represents the customer code ( 0 ) of the first one of a series of records , then said buffer memory 8 is not stored with any other information . while said item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; is supplied not only to the buffer memory 8 but also to the coincidence detector 11 , the buffer memory 8 does not give forth any output signal . accordingly , the coincidence detector 11 produces an output signal of noncoincidence to set the flip - flop circuit 5 , which in turn sends forth a set output to one of the gates of the and circuit 9 . at this time , an output signal of coincidence corresponding to the foremost customer code ( 0 ) which is delivered from the coincidence detector 6 is conducted to another gate of the and circuit 9 to open it . as a result , the item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; is drawn out in succession to the record - positioning code re through the or circuit 10 to be later processed . the data - positioning code cp in succession to the item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; is detected by the information judgement code detector 2 . an output signal showing said detected positioning code cp is supplied as a reset signal to the flip - flop circuit 5 through the or circuit 4 , preventing any input information from being read out through the and circuit 9 and or circuit 10 . the column data - positioning code cp is also supplied as an advance instruction to the counter 3 , which in turn is advanced in counting from the reset state of &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; to a count of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;. this output signal showing a count of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; is delivered to the coincidence circuit 6 . said column data - positioning code cp is directly supplied to one of the gates of an and circuit 12 , which in turn is opened , because the other gate thereof is supplied with the aforesaid output signal of the coincidence detector 6 showing coincidence between the &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; output signals from the counter 3 and memory 1 . as a result , the memory 1 in which heading item numbers being compared are specified is supplied with a shift instruction , and consequently sends forth to the coincidence detector 6 an column data - specifying output signal corresponding to the consecutive number ( 1 ). when supplied with an output signal showing a count of 1 from the counter 3 , and also with an output signal specifying the consecutive number ( 1 ) from the memory 1 , then the coincidence detector 6 generates a coincidence output signal of &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, which in turn is conducted to one of the gates of the and circuits 7 , 9 , 12 respectively . the column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; of the second heading item in succession to the preceding column data - positioning code cp is detected by the information judgement code detector 2 . a detection output signal from said detector 2 proving the presence of the aforesaid numeral &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; opens the and circuit 7 , which allows a shift instruction to be delivered to the buffer memory 8 . the column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; is stored in the buffer memory 8 in succession to the column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ;. the buffer memory 8 has a sufficient capacity to store a maximum number of digits among at least those of the column data included in the respective records which should be compared . even when , therefore , stored with the column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ;, the buffer memory 8 does not yet produce any output . the coincidence detector 11 does not generate an output showing coincidence between any of the digits of column data of the preceding detail information group in which said column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; is included and any of the digits of those column data of the succeeding record which are arranged in the corresponding sequential positions in said preceding record , but gives forth an output of noncoincidence . this output of noncoincidence sets the flip - flop circuit 5 , a set output from which is supplied as a gating signal to the and circuit 9 together with an output of coincidence from the coincidence detector 6 which specifies the second heading item ( 1 ), that is , the consecutive number for comparison . as a result , the column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; is read out in succession to the column data positioning code cp as information being processed through the and circuit 9 and or circuit 10 . when the information judgement code detector 2 detects a column data - positioning code cp preceding the column data &# 34 ; 25 &# 34 ; of the third heading item ( 2 ), that is , the merchandise code in succession to the column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ;, then a detection output from said detector 2 resets the flip - flop circuit 5 as previously described through the or circuit 4 , temporarily preventing column data following the above - mentioned column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; from being sent forth from the and circuit 9 . under this condition , the column data positioning code cp following said column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; is delivered as an advance instruction to the counter 3 and also as a shift instruction to the memory 1 through the and circuit 12 . at this time , the counter 3 is advanced from a count of 1 to a count of 2 and generates an advance output . even when , therefore , a shift instruction is supplied to the memory 1 which is not stored with an instruction for specifying any column data following the column data &# 34 ; 25 &# 34 ; of the merchandise code ( 2 ), the coincidence detector 6 does not generate a coincidence output . an output from an inverter 13 connected to the output terminal of the coincidence detector 6 is transmitted to one of the gates of an and circuit 14 . since the other gate of said and circuit 14 is already supplied with all the column data of the first record the column data which were not specified for comparison , such as the column data &# 34 ; 25 &# 34 ; of the third heading item ( 2 ), that is , the merchandise code and the column data &# 34 ; 250 , 000 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 3 &# 34 ; of the following heading items ( 3 ), ( 4 ), namely , the sales amount and sales date are later read out to the information - processing device in succession to the aforesaid column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ;. all the serially arranged column data of the first record read out for processing collectively present a pattern indicated in i of fig3 as like as i of fig2 . since at this time , the coincidence detector 6 does not produce any output , the and circuit 7 is not supplied with an input . nor the buffer memory 8 is supplied with a shift instruction . among the column data of the first record , therefore , only the column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; of the first and second heading items ( 0 ), ( 1 ), that is , the customer code and consecutive number which are already specified for comparison remain stored in the buffer memory 8 . when the second record shown in ii of fig2 is stored in the memory 1 in succession to the corresponding positioning code re , then this positioning code re is detected by the information judgement code detector 2 which generates a detection output which resets the counter 3 and presets the memory 1 at its original state . zero outputs from the counter 3 and memory 1 cause the coincidence detector 6 to give forth a coincidence output , which in turn is supplied as a gating signal to the and circuits 7 , 9 . the first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the foremost column data &# 34 ; 125 ∞ of the second record is read out to the coincidence detector 11 and is also detected by the information judgement code detector 2 . a detection output from said detector 2 opens one of the gates of the and circuit 7 and is transmitted as a shift instruction to the buffer memory 8 . as a result , the first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the foremost column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the second record group already stored in the buffer memory 8 is delivered to the coincidence detector 11 , which detects coincidence between the first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the foremost column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the first record and the first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the corresponding foremost column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the second record . however , the coincidence detector 11 which sets the flip - flop circuit 5 only when detecting noncoincidence does not generate any output when detecting coincidence between the above - mentioned first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of both records . since , at this time , the flip - flop circuit 5 does not produce an output , the first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the foremost column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the second record is prevented from being read out to the separately provided information processing device through the and circuit 9 and or circuit 10 . since coincidence is similarly established between the second and third digits &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 5 &# 34 ; of both records , the coincidence detector 11 does not send forth an output . further , the coincidence detector 6 generates an output showing coincidence between the digits of the foremost column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of both records , and in consequence the inverter 13 does not produce an output . thus , the column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the foremost heading item ( 0 ), that is , the customer code of the second record is not delivered either from the and circuit 9 or and circuit 14 , but is deleted in transmitting said second record to the information - processing device . when the memory 1 is stored with a column data - positioning code cp preceding the column data &# 34 ; 1109 &# 34 ; of the second heading item ( 1 ), that is , the consecutive number of the second record , then said positioning code cp , after being read out from the memory 1 , is detected by the information judgement code detector 2 , causing the counter 3 to be advanced in counting , and also the memory 1 to have its contents shifted . as a result , the coincidence detector 6 sends forth an output showing coincidence between outputs from the counter 3 and memory 1 , which opens the and circuit 7 . the other gate of the and circuit 7 is supplied with the first digit &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; of the column data &# 34 ; 1109 &# 34 ; as an indication of the presence of a numeral in the memory 1 . an output from the and circuit 7 is supplied as a shift instruction to the buffer memory 8 . comparison is made by the coincidence detector 11 between the respective digits of the column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; of the second heading item ( 1 ), that is , the consecutive number of the first record group and the digits occupying the respective corresponding arithmetical places of the column data &# 34 ; 1109 &# 34 ; of the second heading item ( 1 ), that is , the consecutive number of the second record . since the first three digits of both column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1109 &# 34 ; are respectively the same , the flip - flop circuit 5 is not set , preventing the first three digits of the second record from being transmitted to the separately provided information - processing device . when the fourth digit &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; of the second column data &# 34 ; 1109 &# 34 ; of the second record is received , the coincidence detector 11 issues an output , because the fourth digit &# 34 ; 8 &# 34 ; of the second column data &# 34 ; 1108 &# 34 ; of the first record does not coincide with the fourth digit &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; of the second column data &# 34 ; 1109 &# 34 ; of the second record , thereby setting the flip - flop circuit 5 . a set output from said flip - flop circuit 5 is supplied as a gating signal to the and circuit 9 . as a result , the digit &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; is transmitted to the information - processing device immediately after the column data positioning code cp . since no column designation is made in the memory 1 with respect to the item numeral &# 34 ; 10 &# 34 ; of the third heading item ( 2 ), that is , the merchandise code of the second record which the operator judges need not be subjected to comparison , the coincidence detector 6 does not give forth an output , and in consequence the and circuit 9 is not supplied with a gate input . absence of an output from the coincidence detector 6 causes the inverter 13 to generate an output which in turn is supplied as a gating signal to the and circuit 14 . therefore , the above - mentioned column data &# 34 ; 10 &# 34 ; is transmitted to the information - processing device through the and circuit 14 and or circuit 10 . the column data &# 34 ; 180 , 000 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 3 &# 34 ; of the fourth and fifth heading items , that is , the sales amount and sales date of the second record are transmitted to the information - processing device through the above - mentioned operation in the form preceded by the corresponding positioning code cp . eventually , the second record is conducted to the information - processing device in the partially deleted form as shown in fig4 with a positioning code re disposed immediately behind the second record to distinguish it from the third record . the third and fourth records are delivered to the information - processing device in the partially deleted form as illustrated in fig3 in which the digits enclosed in the dotted lines are omitted . as mentioned above , the information - transmitting apparatus of this invention enables a series of records to be transmitted to the information - processing device in the form wherein the same digit is deleted which appears in the respective corresponding arithmetical places of column data arranged in the same sequential position of the respective records . therefore , processing can be effected at a higher speed and the amount of information being stored in a memory for subsequent processing is decreased , thereby enabling a memory to be used which has a smaller capacity than can be used in the prior art . there will now be described by reference to fig6 the operation of the embodiment of this invention which can restore , as occasion demands , the partially deleted form in which a series of records were previously stored in a memory back to the original nondeleted form . now let it be assumed that a main memory 15 has already received from the or circuit 10 of fig5 a comprehensive piece of information being processed which comprises a series of a nondeleted records and a plurality of partially deleted records . namely , the main memory 15 is stored first with the first nondeleted record i of fig3 and then with the second , third and fourth records ii , iii , iv in the partially deleted form wherein the digits enclosed in dotted lines are omitted . when a processing instruction is supplied to one of the gates of an and circuit 17 , the other gate of which is connected to an inverter 16 , an output from said and circuit 17 causes the above - mentioned series of records to be read out from the main memory 15 . the information thus read out is again written in a buffer memory - i 18 upon receipt of a write - in instruction . the buffer memory - i 18 is chosen to have a sufficient capacity to store a maximum number of digits ( with the positioning codes cp , re regarded as digits ) among the respective column data of the plural records , for example , screen digits in the case of the present embodiment . the positioning code re of the first record i detected by the information judgement code detector 19 resets a counter 20 and also passes through an and circuit 39 and or circuit 35 to preset the memory 21 to its original condition in which fully or partially deleted column data are specified for comparison . now the memory 21 is assumed selectively to specify for comparison the first and second heading items ( 0 ), ( 1 ), that is , the customer code and consecutive number as in the embodiment of fig5 . outputs from the counter 20 and memory 21 are supplied to the coincidence detector 22 . when coincidence is established between said outputs , the coincidence detector 22 generates a coincidence output , which in turn is conducted through an and circuit 23 to the buffer memory - i 18 as an instruction to write information delivered from the main memory 15 in said buffer memory - i 18 . at this time , the and circuit 39 is closed upon recepit of an output from the coincidence detector 22 through an or circuit 34 and inverter 38 . as a result , the positioning code re of the first record and the succeeding item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the first heading item ( 0 ), that is , the customer code are written in the buffer memory - i 18 . an output showing the positioning code re of the first record which was detected by the information judgement code detector 19 is supplied to one of the gates of an and circuit 25 through an or circuit 24 . the other gate of the and circuit 25 is supplied with a coincidence output from the coincidence detector 22 . an output from the and circuit 25 is supplied as a set input to a flip - flop circuit 27 through a delay circuit 26 . one of the gates of the and circuit 25 is supplied with an output from the coincidence detector 22 , and both gates of said and circuit 25 are opened upon receipt of the positioning code cp following the first item numeral &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ;. said positioning code cp is stored in the buffer memory - i 18 after the first column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; of the customer code ( 0 ) whose digits are to be deleted is stored therein . when read out from the buffer memory - i 18 , said positioning code cp is detected by the information judgement code detector 19 , an output from which is supplied as a gating signal to the and circuit 25 through the or circuit 24 . an output from the and circuit is conducted to the delay circuit 26 . after the buffer memory - i 18 is stored with the aforesaid positioning code cp following the first column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ;, the delay circuit 26 generates an output , which in turn sets the flip - flop circuit 27 . detection of the above - mentioned positioning code cp causes the counter 20 to be advanced to a count of 1 . a signal showing the detected positioning code cp and an output from the coincidence detector 22 cooperate to open the gates of the and circuit 37 and also cause shifting to take place in the memory 21 . as a result , the memory 21 produces an output of 1 , which is used to determine whether the second column data should be partially deleted . a set output from the flip - flop circuit 27 prevents the inverter 16 from generating a write - in instruction , and consequently the second column data following the information &# 34 ; 125 cp = from being stored in the buffer memory - i 18 . an output delivered from the flip - flop circuit 27 at this time is supplied as a readout instruction to the first buffer memory - i 18 , and also as a shift instruction to a second memory - ii 28 which is stored with the nondeleted column data specified for subsequent partial deletion and read out from the first buffer memory - i 18 . while the first buffer memory - i 18 only has a sufficient capacity to store a maxinumber of digits ( with positioning codes re , cp regarded as digits ) among the respective column data of a plurality of detail information groups , the second buffer memory - ii 28 as large a capacity as an integral multiple of that of the first buffer memory - i 18 . when information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ; is read out from the first buffer memory - i 18 , the column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; is detected by an information and code detector 29 , a detection output from which sets a flip - flop circuit 30 . an output from this flip - flop circuit 30 is conducted to one of the gates of an and circuit 31 , the other gate of which is supplied with the information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ;. as a result , said and circuit 31 gives forth an output which in turn is stored in the second buffer memory - ii 28 through an or circuit 32 . the column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; sent forth from the or circuit 32 is carried to one of the gates of an and circuit 33 , the other gate of which is supplied with an output from the flip - flop circuit 27 through an or circuit 34 . accordingly , the and circuit 33 produces an output , which in turn is transmitted to the information - processing device through an or circuit 35 . a detection output from the information and code detector 29 which denotes the positioning code cp read out from the first buffer memory - i 18 is supplied to the reset terminal of the flip - flop circuit 27 through a delay circuit 36 , preventing a shift instruction from being supplied to the second buffer memory - ii 28 . therefore , no shifting takes place therein , with the column data &# 34 ; 125 &# 34 ; still stored . when the flip - flop circuit 27 is reset , the inverter 16 again produces an output which is delivered to one of the gates of the and circuit 23 . at this time the and circuit 17 is opened , causing the succeeding information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; to be read out from the main memory 15 . since the coincidence detector 22 generates an output showing coincidence between outputs from the counter 20 and memory 21 , the and circuit 23 remains opened . said coincidence output from the coincidence detector 22 is supplied as a write - in instruction to the first buffer memory - i 18 , causing the information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; to be stored in the first buffer memory - i 18 . when the column data - positioning code cp is detected , a set output from the flip - flop circuit 27 is supplied to the inverter 16 , preventing the information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; from being stored in the first buffer memory - i 18 for the second time . detection of the above - mentioned code cp causes the counter 20 to be advanced in counting and also shifting to take place in the memory 21 through the and circuit 37 . a set output from the flip - flop circuit 27 is supplied as a readout instruction to the first buffer memory - i 18 . the information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; read out from said buffer memory - i 18 is stored in succession to the information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ; through the and circuit 31 and or circuit 32 in the second buffer memory - ii 28 which is already supplied with the aforesaid set output as a shift instruction . thereafter , like the preceding information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ;, the following information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; is transmitted to the information - processing device through the and circuit 3 and or circuit 35 . a detection output from the information and code detector 29 which denotes the column data positioning code cp passes through the delay circuit 36 , interrupting the supply of a shift instruction from the flip - flop circuit 27 to the second buffer memory - ii 28 . as a result , two equal half sections of the second buffer memory - ii 28 representing its capacity , for example , two - fold larger than that of the first buffer memory - i 18 are successively stored , as illustrated in fig7 with two pieces of column data information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; in such a manner that said two pieces of column data information are stored in the above - mentioned two equal half sections respectively at such locations as admit of the provision of a surplus storing space relative to the specified length of each equal half section of the second buffer memory - ii 28 or in some cases cause the entire storing space to be filled with digits and that the last digit ( with the positioning code cp regarded as a digit ) of said two pieces of column data information is disposed at the end location of each equal half section of the second buffer memory - ii 28 . when the information judgement code detector 19 gives forth an output showing a detected positioning code cp , then the counter 20 is further advanced from a count of 1 . at this time the memory 21 is still stored only with the column data of the first and second heating items , that is , the customer code and consecutive number . therefore , even when a shift instruction is supplied to the memory 21 through the and circuit 37 , a signal specifying any of the column data of the third and following heading items is not read out from the memory 21 . accordingly , the third column data information &# 34 ; 25 cp &# 34 ; is not written in the first buffer memory - i 18 , but is conducted as a gating signal to the and circuit 39 together with an output from the inverter 38 connected to the or circuit 34 . an outpt from the and circuit 39 which denotes a piece of column data information &# 34 ; 25 cp &# 34 ; is preceded by &# 34 ; re &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; already conducted through the or circuit 35 and followed by another piece of column data information &# 34 ; 250 , 000 cp 3 &# 34 ;. all these pieces of column data information are transmitted to the information - processing device . thereafter , the positioning code re of the second record which is now rearranged in the partially deleted form illustrated in fig4 is read out from the main memory 15 . when detecting said positioning code re , the information judgement code detector 19 produces a detection output , which in turn resets the counter 20 and causes the memory 21 to be preset at its original condition . in the same manner as mentioned above , the coincidence detector 22 generates an output denoting coincidence between &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; outputs from the counter 20 and memory 1 . as a result , a write - in instruction is supplied to the first buffer memory - i 18 through the and circuit 23 and also as a gating signal to one of the gates of the and circuit 25 . in this case , the record - positioning code re and the positioning code cp of the second column data of the second record are read out in succession as shown in fig4 . the other gate of the and circuit 25 is supplied with a signal showing the detected positioning code cp through the or circuit 24 . when said positioning code cp is stored in the first buffer memory - i 18 , the and circuit 25 generates an output which in turn is sent forth as a shift instruction to the second buffer memory - ii 28 through the delay circuit 26 and flip - flop circuit 27 . a set output from the flip - flop circuit 27 when set by a delayed output from the delay circuit 26 is supplied as a readout instruction to the first buffer memory - i 18 to read out the positioning code cp therefrom . the positioning code cp thus read out is detected by the information judgement code detector 29 , a detection output from which is delayed by the delay circuit 36 . a shift instruction continues to be supplied to the second buffer memory - ii 28 until the flip - flop circuit 27 is reset by a delayed output from the delay circuit 36 . column data information &# 34 ; re 125 &# 34 ; read out from the second buffer memory - ii 28 is sent forth to one of the gates of the and circuit 40 , the other gate of which is supplied with an output from an inverter 41 connected to the output terminal of the flip - flop circuit 30 . as a result , the and circuit 40 produces an output , which in turn is conducted to one of the gates of the and circuit 33 through the or circuit 32 . the other gate of the and circuit 33 is supplied with a set output from the flip - flop circuit 27 through the or circuit 34 . thus an output from the and circuit 33 which denotes column data information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ; is transmitted to the information - processing device through the or circuit 35 . when the column data - positioning code cp delayed by the delay circuit 36 is supplied to the reset input terminal of the flip - flop circuit 27 , the inverter 16 again issues an output to read out the digit &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; and the succeeding column data - positioning code cp from the main memory 15 . these pieces of information thus read out , that is , &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; cp &# 34 ; are stored in the first buffer memory - i 18 upon receipt of a write - in instruction from the and circuit 23 and later read out from said buffer memory - i 18 upon receipt of a set output from the flip - flop circuit 27 and finally supplied to one of the gates of the and circuit 31 . a shift instruction continues to be supplied to the second buffer memory - ii 28 to read out therefrom item information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; following the preceding column data information &# 34 ; 125 cp &# 34 ; already read out from said second buffer memory - ii 28 , until the supply of a shift instruction from the flip - flop circuit 27 is stopped by the positioning code cp read out from the first buffer memory - i 18 . when the pieces of information &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ;, and &# 34 ; cp &# 34 ; are read out from the buffer memory - i 18 , a detection output from the information and code detector 29 which denotes the digit &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; sets the flip - flop circuit 30 . a set output from the flip - flop circuit 30 prevents the inverter 41 from producing an output , and also the digit &# 34 ; 8 &# 34 ; following &# 34 ; cp &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 110 &# 34 ; already read out from the second buffer memory - ii 28 from being read out from the and circuit 40 . an output from the flip - flop circuit 30 is delivered to one of the gates of the and circuit 31 . the digit &# 34 ; 9 &# 34 ; which was read out from the first buffer memory - i 18 follows the previously read out &# 34 ; 110 &# 34 ; in place of &# 34 ; 8 &# 34 ; whose readout was prevented by the and circuit 40 . thus , a piece of column data information &# 34 ; 1108 cp &# 34 ; is transmitted to the information - processing device through the and circuit 31 , or circuit 32 , and circuit 33 and or circuit 35 in turn . the foregoing description applies to other column data . namely , those column data which are first stored in the main memory 15 in the fully or partially deleted form are read out in the original nondeleted form and transmitted to the information - processing device .	7
the amino nitrile can be virtually any α - aminonitrile corresponding to the acylated α - amino carboxylic acid amide desired , and can be prepared from the corresponding ketone or aldehyde by conventional means well known to those skilled in the art . for example , the ketone in a suitable solvent such as methanol can be reacted with an ammonia source ( such as ammonia and ammonium chloride ) and a cyanide source ( such as alkali metal cyanide ), and the resulting amino nitrile can be recovered by extraction with methylene chloride and dried . dialkyl aminonitriles such as acetone aminonitrile , acetophenone aminonitrile , methyl ethyl aminonitrile are suitable , as are monoalkyl aminonitriles such as benzaldehyde aminonitrile and acetaldehyde aminonitrile . n - substituted aminonitriles are also suitable , including n - methyl glycinonitrile , n - butyl aminonitrile and n - phenyl aminonitrile . cyclopentanone aminonitrile is particularly preferred . suitable acyl groups for the acyl halide are straight or branched aliphatic or aromatic groups containing from 1 to 40 carbon atoms , preferably acyl groups that are carboxylic acid derivatives . examples of preferred acyl groups are valeroyl , pentanoyl , hexanoyl , heptanoyl , octanoyl , nananoyl , decanoyl , lauroyl , myristoyl , palmitoyl , oleoyl , stearoyl , nonanoyl , neopentanoyl , neoheptanoyl , neodecanoy , iso - octanoyl , iso - nananoyl , isotridecanoyl , benzoyl and naphthoyl . valeryl chloride is particularly preferred . in accordance with the present invention , the ph of an aqueous solution of the amino nitrile is adjusted within a range of 9 - 12 ( standard schotten - baumann conditions ) to effect acylation , and the temperature is maintained between about 0 ° and 30 ° c ., preferably at about 10 ° c . the amino nitrile should be used in slight excess to the acid halide , preferably 1 . 05 or less / 1 . 00 . larger excesses of the amino nitrile are operable but wasteful . the acyl halide is slowly added to the amino nitrile aqueous solution at a rate such that the temperature of the reaction medium is kept to 200 ° c . or lower . the ph of the reaction medium is preferably maintained in the above range , more preferably in a range between 9 . 5 - 10 . 5 , by co - feeding base , preferably alkali metal hydroxide , to the reaction medium with the acyl halide . the base serves to scrub the acid ( hcl in the case of acyl chloride ) generated from the acylation and thus maintain the ph within the operable range . as a result , operable amounts of base will vary depending upon the amount of acid generated , but are generally between 1 - 2 times the number of equivalents of acid halide . failure to co - feed the base with the acyl halide results in the hydrolysis of the acyl halide as a competing reaction . preferably the reaction is stirred at 20 ° c . and is held for at least two hours while maintaining the ph within the aforementioned range . hydrolysis is then carried out by adjusting the ph , preferably to less than about 0 . 5 with a suitable acid , such as hcl , sulfuric or phosphoric acid , preferably hcl , to hydrolyze the nitrile to the carboxylic acid amide . higher ph &# 39 ; s in the range of 0 . 5 - 4 could be used , but result in longer reaction times . alternatively , hydrolysis could be conducted under basic conditions , such as with the addition of 0 . 1 to 4 equivalents of alkali metal hydroxide . the reaction is then heated to reflux to affect complete hydrolysis of the nitrile to the carboxylic acid . temperatures of 30 °- 1000 ° c . are suitable , with the higher end of the range being preferred in order to minimize reaction times . hydrolysis is generally completed in under two hours . the resulting solids ( acylated amino carboxylic acid amide ) are isolated and can be collected by filtration . the theoretical reaction mechanism can be illustrated as follows for the preparation of valeryl cycloleucine amide : ## str1 ## the amino nitrile of cyclopentanone was prepared using methods commonly found in the literature . the amino nitrile of cyclopentanone ( 30 . 00 g , 0 . 273 mole ) and water were added to a 500 ml 5 - neck round bottom flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , a ph meter , a thermometer , and two additional funnels . the ph was then adjusted to 10 . 00 with 50 % naoh and the reaction cooled to 10 ° c . valeryl chloride ( 31 . 60 g , 0 . 262 mole ) was then slowly added to the reaction at such a rate as to maintain the temperature at 20 ° c . or below . the ph of the reaction was maintained from 9 . 5 - 10 . 5 by co - feeding 25 % naoh ( 10 . 91 g , 0 . 272 mol ) to the reaction with the valeryl chloride . the reaction was stirred at 20 ° c . for one hour maintaining a ph of 9 . 5 - 10 . 5 with 25 % naoh . after one hour , the ph was adjusted to 0 . 5 with concentrated hcl , the reaction heated to reflux for one hour , cooled to room temperature , and the resulting solids collected by filtration . the aminonitrile was acylated as described previously on a 0 . 455 mole scale . 0 . 437 moles of naoh ( 50 % aqueous ) were then added and the reaction warmed to 70 c . for ten hours . the resulting solution contained approximately a 50 % conversion to the valeryl cycloleucine amide .	2
the organic electroluminescent device of the invention is an organic electroluminescent device comprising at least one organic compound layer containing a light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes , wherein the light emitting layer contains a host material and a phosphorescent material ; a five - coordinate metal complex is used as the host material ; and an ir complex having a partial structure represented by any one of formulae ( 2 ) to ( 5 ) is used as the phosphorescent material . the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 2 ) will be described below in detail . the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 2 ) can be specifically represented by formula ( 22 ): in formulae ( 2 ) and ( 22 ), x 201 , x 202 , x 203 , and x 204 each independently represents a nitrogen atom or c — r ; x 201 , x 202 , x 203 , and x 204 forms a nitrogen - containing heteroaryl 6 - membered ring together with — c ═ n ; at least one of x 201 , x 202 , x 203 , and x 204 represents a nitrogen atom ; and r represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent . examples of the substituent include an alkyl group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 10 ; for example , methyl , ethyl , isopropyl , tert - butyl , n - octyl , n - decyl , n - hexadecyl , cyclopropyl , cyclopentyl , and cyclohexyl ), an alkenyl group ( preferably having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 10 carbon atoms ; for example , vinyl , allyl , 2 - butenyl , and 3 - pentenyl ), an alkynyl group ( preferably having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 10 carbon atoms ; for example , propargyl and 3 - pentynyl ), an aryl group ( preferably having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 6 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , phenyl , p - methylphenyl , naphthyl , and anthranyl ), an amino group ( preferably having from 0 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 0 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 0 to 10 carbon atoms ; for example , amino , methylamino , dimethylamino , diethylamino , dibenzylamino , diphenylamino , and ditolylamino ), an alkoxy group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 10 carbon atoms ; for example , methoxy , ethoxy , butoxy , and 2 - ethylhexyloxy ), an aryloxy group ( preferably having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 6 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , phenyloxy , 1 - naphthyloxy , and 2 - naphthyloxy ), a heteroaryloxy group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , pyridyloxy , pyrazinyloxy , pyrimidyloxy , and quinolyloxy ), an acyl group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , acetyl , benzoyl , formyl , and pivaloyl ), an alkoxycarbonyl group ( preferably having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , methoxycarbonyl and ethoxycarbonyl ), an aryloxycarbonyl group ( preferably having from 7 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 7 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 7 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , phenyl - oxycarbonyl ), an acyloxy group ( preferably having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 10 carbon atoms ; for example , acetoxy and benzoyloxy ), an acylamino group ( preferably having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 10 carbon atoms ; for example , acetylamino and benzoylamino ), an alkoxycarbonylamino group ( preferably having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , methoxycarbonylamino ), an aryloxycarbonylamino group ( preferably having from 7 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 7 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 7 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , phenoxyloxycarbonylamino ), a sulfonylamino group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , methylsulfonylamino and phenylsulfonylamino ), a sulfamoyl group ( preferably having from 0 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 0 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 0 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , sulfamoyl , methylsulfamoyl , dimethylsulfamoyl , and phenylsulfamoyl ), a carbamoyl group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , carbamoyl , methylcarbamoyl , diethylcarbamoyl , and phenylcarbamoyl ), an alkylthio group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , methylthio and ethylthio ), an arylthio group ( preferably having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 6 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , phenylthio ), a heteroarylthio group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , pyridylthio , 2 - benzimidazolylthio , 2 - benzoxazolylthio , and 2 - benzthiazolylthio ), a sulfonyl group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , mesyl and tosyl ), a sulfinyl group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , methanesulfinyl and benzenesulfinyl ), an ureido group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , ureido , methylureido , and phenylureido ), a phosphoric amide group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; for example , diethylphosphoric amide and phenylphosphoric amide ), a hydroxy group , a mercapto group , a halogen atom ( for example , a fluorine atom , a chlorine atom , a bromine atom , and an iodine atom ), a cyano group , a sulfo group , a carboxyl group , a nitro group , a hydroxamic acid group , a sulfino group , a hydrazino group , an imino group , a heterocyclic group ( preferably having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , and more preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms ; examples of the hetero atom include a nitrogen atom , an oxygen atom , and a sulfur atom ; and specific examples thereof imidazolyl , pyridyl , quinolyl , furyl , thienyl , piperidyl , morpholino , benz - oxazolyl , benzimidazolyl , and benzthiazolyl ), and a silyl group ( preferably having from 3 to 40 carbon atoms , more preferably from 3 to 30 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 3 to 24 carbon atoms ; for example , tri - methylsilyl and triphenylsilyl ). as the nitrogen - containing heteroaryl 6 - membered ring and its fused ring , pyrazine , pyrimidine , pyridazine , triazine , quinoxaline , quanozoline , phthalazine , and cinnoline are preferable . in formulae ( 2 ) and ( 22 ), z 201 represents an optionally substituted atomic group for forming an aryl ring or a heteroaryl ring . the aryl ring formed by z 201 preferably has from 6 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 6 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms . examples thereof include a phenyl group , a naphthyl group , an anthryl group , a phenanthryl group , and a pyrenyl group . further , the aryl ring formed by z 201 may form a fused ring together with a carbon ring or a hetero ring . the heteroaryl ring formed by z 201 preferably represents a heteroaryl group composed of a carbon atom , a nitrogen atom , an oxygen atom , or a sulfur atom , and more preferably a 5 - membered or 6 - membered heteroaryl ring . further , the heteroaryl ring formed by z 201 may form a fused ring . the heteroaryl ring formed by z 201 preferably has from 2 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 2 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 2 to 10 carbon atoms . examples thereof include pyrazine , pyrimidine , pyridazine , triazine , quinoxaline , quinazoline , phthalazine , cinnoline , perimidine , phenanthroline , pyrrole , imidazole , pyrazole , oxazole , oxadiazole , triazole , thiadiazole , benzimidazole , benzoxazole , benzthiazole , phenanthridine , a thienyl group , and a furyl group . the ring formed by z 201 is preferably an aryl group . in formula ( 22 ), l 202 represents a ligand . examples of the ligand include ligands necessary for forming an orthometalated iridium complex and other ligands . the term “ orthometalated metal complex ” as referred to herein is a general term of the group of compounds described in , for example , akio yamamoto , yukikinzoku - kagaku , kiso to oyo ( metalorganic chemistry , foundation and application ), pp . 150 - 232 , published by shokabo publishing co ., ltd . ( 1982 ); and h . yersin , photochemistry and photophysics of coordination compounds , pp . 71 - 77 and pp . 135 - 146 , published by springer - verlag ( 1987 ). though the valence of iridium of the orthometalated iridium complex is not particularly limited , it is preferably trivalent . the ligand of the orthometalated iridium complex is not particularly limited so far as it can form an orthometalated complex . examples thereof include aryl group - substituted nitrogen - containing heterocyclic derivatives ( the aryl group is substituted on carbon adjacent to the nitrogen atom of the nitrogen - containing hetero ring ; examples of the aryl group include a phenyl group , a naphthyl group , an anthracenyl group , and a pyrenyl group ; and examples of the nitrogen - containing hetero ring include pyridine , pyrimidine , pyrazine , pyridazine , quinoline , isoquinoline , quinoxaline , phthaladine , quinazoline , naphtholidine , cinnoline , perimidine , phenanthroline , pyrrole , imidazole , pyrazole , oxazole , oxadiazole , triazole , thiadiazole , benzimidazole , benzoxazole , benzthiazole , and phen - anthridine ), heteroaryl group - substituted nitrogen - containing heterocyclic derivatives ( the heteroaryl group is substituted on carbon adjacent to the nitrogen atom of the nitrogen - containing hetero ring ; and examples of the heteroaryl group include groups containing the foregoing nitrogen - containing heterocylic derivatives , a thiophenyl group , and a furyl group ), 7 , 8 - benzoquinoline derivatives , phosphinoaryl derivatives , phosphinoheteroaryl derivatives , phosphinoxyaryl derivatives , phosphinoxyheteroaryl derivatives , aminomethylaryl derivatives , and aminomethylheteroaryl derivatives . of these , aryl group - substituted nitrogen - containing aromatic heterocyclic derivatives , heteroaryl group - substituted nitrogen - containing aromatic heterocyclic derivatives , and 7 , 8 - benzoquinoline derivatives are preferable ; phenylpyridine derivatives , thiophenylpyridine derivatives , and 7 , 8 - benzoquinoline derivatives are further preferable ; and thiophenylpyridine derivatives and 7 , 8 - benzoquinoline derivatives are especially preferable . the iridium complex of the invention may have other ligand than the ligand necessary for forming an orthometalated complex . as other ligand , various known ligands are useful . examples thereof include ligands described in h . yersin , photochemistry and photophysics of coordination compounds , published by springer - verlag ( 1987 ); and akio yamamoto , yukikinzoku - kagaku , kiso to oyo ( metalorganic chemistry , foundation and application ), published by shokabo publishing co ., ltd . ( 1982 ). of these , halogen ligands ( preferably a chlorine ligand ), nitrogen - containing heterocyclic ligands ( for example , bipyridyl and phenanthroline ), and diketone ligands are preferable ; and a chlorine ligand and a bipyridyl ligand are more preferable . the kind of the ligand of the iridium complex of the invention may be single or plural . the number of ligands in the complex is preferably from 1 to 3 , more preferably 1 or 2 , and especially preferably 1 . n 202 represents an integer of from 0 to 5 ; m 202 represents 1 , 2 or 3 ; and the combination of n 202 and m 202 is preferably a combination of the number upon which the ir complex becomes a neutral complex . next , the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 3 ) will be described below in detail . the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 3 ) can be specifically represented by the following formula ( 23 ): in formulae ( 3 ) and ( 23 ), z 201 is synonymous with that described in formula ( 2 ). in formulae ( 3 ) and ( 23 ), z 301 represents an atomic group for forming an aryl ring or a heteroaryl ring to be fused with the pyridine ring ; and the aryl ring or the heteroaryl ring to be formed is the same as the aryl ring or the heteroaryl ring formed by z 201 in formulae ( 2 ) and ( 22 ). the ring formed by z 301 is preferably an aryl ring . in formula ( 23 ), l 203 , n 203 , and m 203 are synonymous with l 202 , n 202 , and m 202 in formula ( 22 ), respectively . next , the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 4 ) will be described below in detail . the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 4 ) can be specifically represented by the following formula ( 24 ): in formulae ( 4 ) and ( 24 ), z 201 is synonymous with that described in formula ( 2 ). in formulae ( 4 ) and ( 24 ), z 401 represents an atomic group for forming an aryl ring or a heteroaryl ring to be fused with the pyridine ring ; and the aryl ring or heteroaryl ring to be formed is the same as the aryl ring or heteroaryl ring formed by z 201 in formulae ( 2 ) and ( 22 ). the ring formed by z 401 is preferably an aryl ring . in formula ( 24 ), l 204 , n 204 , and m 204 are synonymous with l 202 , n 202 , and m 202 in formula ( 22 ), respectively . next , the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 5 ) will be described below in detail . the ir complex having a partial structure represented by formula ( 5 ) can be specifically represented by the following formula ( 25 ): in formulae ( 5 ) and ( 25 ), z 201 is synonymous with that described in formula ( 2 ). in formulae ( 5 ) and ( 25 ), z 501 represents an atomic group for forming an aryl ring or a heteroaryl ring to be fused with the pyridine ring ; and the aryl ring or heteroaryl ring to be formed is the same as the aryl ring or heteroaryl ring formed by z 201 in formulae ( 2 ) and ( 22 ). the ring formed by z 501 is preferably an aryl ring . in formula ( 25 ), l 205 , n 205 , and m 205 are synonymous with l 202 , n 202 , and m 202 in formula ( 22 ), respectively . next , specific examples of the compound which is used in the invention will be given below , but it should not be construed that the invention is limited thereto . the five - coordinate metal complex as the host material which is used in the light emitting layer will be described blow . as the central metal of the five - coordinate metal complex , al , ga , in , and the like can be selected . of these , al and ga are preferable ; and al is more preferable . as the five - coordinate al complex , for example , compounds enumerated in jp - a - 2001 - 284056 can be suitably used . also , as the five - coordinate ga complex , for example , compounds enumerated in jp - a - 2003 - 142264 can be suitably used . as the five - coordinate metal complex , a compound represented by formula ( 101 ) can be preferably used . in formula ( 101 ), m represents al , ga , or in ; r 3 to r 8 each independently represents a hydrogen atom , an alkyl group , or an alkoxy group ; a represents — o — ar or a halogen atom ; and ar represents an optionally substituted aryl group . the alkyl group preferably has from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 10 carbon atoms ; and examples thereof include methyl , ethyl , isopropyl , tert - butyl , n - octyl , n - decyl , n - hexadecyl , cyclopropyl , cyclopentyl , and cyclohexyl . the alkoxy group preferably has from 1 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 1 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 1 to 10 carbon atoms ; and examples thereof include methoxy , ethoxy , butoxy , and 2 - ethylhexyloxy . the aryl group preferably has from 6 to 30 carbon atoms , more preferably from 6 to 20 carbon atoms , and especially preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms ; and examples thereof include phenyl , p - methylphenyl , naphthyl , and anthranyl . examples of the halogen atom include a fluorine atom , a chlorine atom , a bromine atom , and an iodine atom . examples of the substituent which ar optionally have include the same as the substituent represented by r in formula ( 2 ) or ( 22 ). specific examples of the compound represented by formula ( 101 ) will be given below . of these , balq 2 ( i . e ., compound ( 9 )) is the most preferable from the standpoints of an enhancement of durability and an enhancement of luminous efficiency . the organic electroluminescent device of the invention will be described below in detail . the position of the organic compound layer to be formed in the organic electroluminescent device is not particularly limited and can be adequately selected depending upon the application and purpose of the organic electroluminescent device . but , it is preferable that the organic compound layer is formed on a transparent electrode or a back electrode ( i . e ., on an anode or a cathode ). in this case , the organic compound layer is formed entirely or partially on the surface of the transparent electrode or on the surface of the back electrode . the shape , size , thickness , etc . of the organic compound layer are not particularly limited and can be adequately selected depending upon the purpose . specific examples of the organic compound layer construction including electrodes ( i . e ., anode and cathode ) include anode / hole transporting layer / light emitting layer / electron transporting layer / cathode , anode / hole transporting layer / light emitting layer / block layer / electron transporting layer / cathode , anode / hole transporting layer / light emitting layer / block layer / electron transporting layer / electron injection layer / cathode , anode / hole injection layer / hole transporting layer / light emitting layer / block layer / electron transporting layer / cathode , and anode / hole injection layer / hole transporting layer / light emitting layer / block layer / electron transporting layer / electron injection layer / cathode . however , it should not be construed that the invention is limited thereto . the hole transporting layer which is used in the invention contains a hole transporting material . as the hole transporting material , any material can be used without particular limitations so far as it has either a function to transport a hole or a function to block an electron injected from the cathode , and all of low molecular hole transporting materials and high molecular hole transporting materials can be used . examples thereof include as follows . that is , examples of the hole transporting material include carbazole derivatives , triazole derivatives , oxazole derivatives , oxadiazole derivatives , imidazole derivatives , polyarylalkane derivatives , pyrazoline derivatives , pyrazolone derivatives , phenylenediamine derivatives , arylamine derivatives , amino - substituted chalcone derivatives , styrylanthracene derivatives , fluorenone derivatives , hydrazone derivatives , stilbene derivatives , silazane derivatives , aromatic tertiary amine compounds , styrylamine compounds , aromatic dimethylidene compounds , porphyrin compounds , polysilane compounds , conductive high molecular oligomers such as poly ( n - vinylcarbazole ) derivatives , aniline copolymers , thiophene oligomers , and polythiophenes ; and high molecular compounds such as polythiophene derivatives , polyphenylene derivatives , polyphenylenevinylene derivatives , and polyfluorene derivatives . these compounds may be used singly or in combinations of two or more kinds thereof . the thickness of the hole transporting layer is preferably from 10 to 200 nm , and more preferably from 20 to 80 nm . when the thickness of the hole transporting layer exceeds 200 nm , the drive voltage may possibly increase . on the other hand , when it is less than 10 nm , the organic electroluminescent device may possibly cause short circuit . in the invention , it is possible to provide a hole injection layer between the hole transporting layer and the anode . the hole injection layer as referred to herein is a layer for making it easy to inject a hole from the anode into the hole transporting layer . specifically , of the hole transporting materials , materials having a low ionization potential are suitably used . examples of the material which can be suitably used include phthalocyanine compounds , porphyrin compounds , and starburst triarylamine compounds . the thickness of the hole injection layer is from 1 to 30 nm . the light emitting layer which is used in the invention contains a host material and a phosphorescent material , the host material is a five - coordinate metal complex , and the phosphorescent material is at least one ir complex having a partial structure represented by any one of the foregoing formulae ( 2 ) to ( 5 ). in the invention , besides the five - coordinate metal complex , other host materials may be added as the host material . the host compound as referred to herein is a compound having a function to undergo energy transfer into the fluorescent material or phosphorescent material from the host compound in the excited state , resulting in undergoing of light emission from the fluorescent material or phosphorescent material . as the other host materials , any compound capable of undergoing energy transfer of exciton energy into a light emitting material can be adequately selected without particular limitations depending upon the purpose . examples thereof include metal complexes of carbazole derivatives , triazole derivatives , oxazole derivatives , oxadiazole derivatives , imidazole derivatives , polyarylalkane derivatives , pyrazoline derivatives , pyrazolone derivatives , phenylenediamine derivatives , arylamine derivatives , amino - substituted chalcon derivatives , styrylanthracene derivatives , fluorenone derivatives , hydrazone derivatives , stilbene derivatives , silazane derivatives , aromatic tertiary amine compounds , styrylamine compounds , aromatic dimethylidene compounds , porphyrin compounds , anthraquinodimethane derivatives , anthrone derivatives , diphenylquinone derivatives , thiopyrane dioxide derivatives , carbodiimide derivatives , fluorenylidenemethane derivatives , distyrylpyrazine derivatives , heterocyclic tetracarboxylic anhydrides such as naphthaleneperylene ; phthalocyanine derivatives , various typified by metal complexes of 8 - quinolinol derivatives , metal phthalocyanines or metal complexes having benzoxazole , or benzothiazole as a ligand ; polysilane compounds , conductive high molecular oligomers such as poly ( n - vinylcarbazole ) derivatives , aniline based copolymers , thiophene oligomers , and polythiophenes ; and high molecular compounds such as polythiophene derivatives , polyphenylene derivatives , polyphenylenevinylene derivatives , and polyfluorene derivatives . in the invention , in addition to the ir complexes having a partial structure represented by any one of formulae ( 2 ) to ( 5 ), other light emitting materials may be contained . the other light emitting materials which are used in the invention are not particularly limited , and any material can be used so far as it is a fluorescent material or a phosphorescent material . examples of the fluorescent light emitting compound include benzoxazole derivatives , benzimidazole derivatives , benzothiazole derivatives , styrylbenzene derivatives , polyphenyl derivatives , diphenylbutadiene derivatives , tetraphenylbutadiene derivatives , naphthalimide derivatives , coumarin derivatives , perylene derivatives , perynone derivatives , oxadiazole derivatives , aldazine derivatives , pyrralizine derivatives , cyclopentadiene derivatives , bisstyrylanthracene derivatives , quinacridone derivatives , pyrrolopyridine derivatives , thiadiazolopyridine derivatives , styrylamine derivatives , aromatic dimethylidene derivatives , various metal complexes typified by metal complexes of 8 - quinolyl derivatives and rare earth metal complexes ; high molecular compounds such as polythiophene derivatives , polyphenylene derivatives , polyphenylenevinylene derivatives , and polyfluorene derivatives . these compounds can be used singly or in admixture of two or more kinds thereof . the phosphorescent material is not particularly limited , but orthometalated metal complexes and porphyrin metal complexes are preferable . the ratio of the host material to the light emitting material to be used in the invention is from 99 . 9 / 0 . 1 to 50 / 50 , preferably from 99 . 5 / 0 . 5 to 70 / 30 , and more preferably from 99 . 0 / 1 . 0 to 80 / 20 on a weight basis . the thickness of the light emitting layer of the invention is preferably from 10 to 200 nm , and more preferably from 20 to 80 nm . when the thickness of the light emitting layer exceeds 200 nm , the drive voltage may possibly increase . on the other hand , when it is less than 10 nm , the organic electroluminescent device may possibly cause short circuit . in the invention , it is possible to provide a block layer between the light emitting layer and the electron transporting layer . the block layer as referred to herein is a layer for suppressing diffusion of an exciton formed in the light emitting layer and is also a layer for suppressing punch - through of the pole into the cathode side . as the material to be used in the block layer , any material which can receive an electron from the electron transporting layer and transfer it into the light emitting layer can be used without particular limitations , and general electron transporting materials can be used . examples of the material include metal complexes of triazole derivatives , oxazole derivatives , oxadiazole derivatives , fluorenone derivatives , anthraquinodimethane derivatives , anthrone derivatives , diphenylquinone derivatives , thiopyrane dioxide derivatives , carbodiimide derivatives , fluorenylidenemethane derivatives , distyrylpyrazine derivatives , heterocyclic tetracarboxylic anhydrides such as naphthaleneperylene ; phthalocyanine derivatives , various metal complexes typified by metal complexes of 8 - quinolinol derivatives , metal phthalocyanine or metal complexes having benzoxazole , or benzothiazole as a ligand ; conductive high molecular oligomers such as aniline based copolymers , thiophene oligomers , and polythiophenes ; and high molecular compounds such as polythiophene derivatives , polyphenylene derivatives , polyphenylenevinylene derivatives , and polyfluorene derivatives . these compounds may be used singly or in combinations of two or more kinds thereof . in the invention , it is possible to provide an electron transporting layer containing an electron transfer material . as the electron transporting material , any material can be used without particular limitations so far as it has either a function to transport an electron or a function to block a hole injected from the anode , and the electron transporting materials enumerated in the foregoing description of the block layer can be suitably used . the thickness of the electron transporting layer is preferably from 10 to 200 nm , and more preferably from 20 to 80 nm . when the thickness of the electron transporting layer exceeds 200 nm , the drive voltage may possibly increase . on the other hand , when it is less than 10 nm , the organic electroluminescent device may possibly cause short circuit . in the invention , it is possible to provide an electron injection layer between the electron transporting layer and the cathode . the electron injection layer as referred to herein is a layer for making it easy to inject an electron from the cathode into the electron transporting layer . specifically , lithium salts such as lithium fluoride , lithium chloride , and lithium bromide ; alkali metal salts such as sodium fluoride , sodium chloride , and cesium fluoride ; insulating metal oxides such as lithium oxide , aluminum oxide , indium oxide , and magnesium oxide ; and the like can be suitably used . the thickness of the electron injection layer is from 0 . 1 to 5 nm . the organic compound layer can be suitably subjected to film formation by any of the dry film formation process ( for example , vapor deposition process and sputtering process ) and the wet film formation process ( for example , dipping , spin coating process , dip coating process , casting process , die coating process , roll coating process , bar coating process , and gravure coating process ). of these , the dry process is preferable from the standpoints of luminous efficiency and durability . as a material of the substrate , materials which do not permeate moisture or materials having an extremely low permeability of moisture are preferable . also , materials which do not scatter and / or decay light emitted from the organic compound layer are preferable . examples thereof include inorganic materials such as ysz ( yttrium stabilized zirconia ) and glass ; and organic materials such as polyesters ( for example , polyethylene terephthalate , polybutylene terephthalate , and polyethylene naphthalate ) and synthetic resins ( for example , polystyrene , polycarbonates , polyether sulfones , polyacrylates , allyl diglycol carbonates , polyimides , polycycloolefins , norbornene resins , and poly ( chlorotrifluoroethylene )). in the case of the organic material , it is preferable that the material is excellent with respect to heat resistance , dimensional stability , solvent resistance , electric insulating properties , processability , low air permeability , low hygroscopicity , etc . of these , in the case where the material of the transparent electrode is indium tin oxide ( ito ) which is suitably used as the transparent electrode , materials having a small difference in lattice constant from the indium tin oxide ( ito ) are preferable . these materials may be used singly or in combinations with two or more kinds thereof . the substrate is not particularly limited with respect to the shape , structure , size , etc . and can be adequately selected depending upon the application , purpose , etc . of the organic electroluminescent device . in general , the shape may be a plate - like shape . the structure may be a single - layered structure or a laminated structure , and the substrate may be made of a single material or two or more materials . the substrate may be colorless and transparent , or may be colored and transparent . however , a colorless and transparent substrate is preferable from the standpoint that it does not scatter or decay the light emitted from the light emitting layer . it is preferable that the substrate is provided with an ant - permeable layer ( or gas barrier layer ) on the front surface or rear surface ( or in the transparent electrode side ). as a material of the anti - permeable layer ( or gas barrier layer ), inorganic materials such as silicon nitride and silicon oxide are suitably used . the anti - permeable layer ( or gas barrier layer ) can be formed by , for example , the high - frequency sputtering process . if desired , the substrate maybe provided with a hard coat layer , an undercoat layer , etc . as the anode , in general , any material having a function as an anode to feed a hole into the organic compound layer may be employed and is not particularly limited with respect to the shape , structure , size , etc . it can be adequately selected among known electrodes depending upon the application and purpose of the organic electroluminescent device . as a material of the anode , for example , metals , alloys , metal oxides , organic conductive compounds , and mixtures thereof are suitably enumerated . of these , materials having a work function of 4 . 0 ev or more are preferable . specific examples thereof include semiconducting metal oxides such as tin oxide doped with antimony , fluorine , etc . ( ato or fto ), tin oxide , zinc oxide , indium oxide , indium tin oxide ( ito ), and indium zinc oxide ( izo ); metals such as gold , silver , chromium , and nickel ; mixtures or laminates of these metals with conductive metal oxides ; inorganic conductive substances such as copper iodide and copper sulfide ; organic conductive materials such as polyaniline , polythiophene , and polypyrrole ; and laminates thereof with ito . it is possible to form the anode on the substrate according to a method which is adequately selected among wet systems ( for example , printing system and coating system ), physical systems ( for example , vacuum vapor deposition process , sputtering process , and ion plating process ), and chemical systems ( for example , cvd and plasma cvd process ) while taking into consideration adaptivity with the foregoing material . for example , in the case where ito is selected as the material of the anode , the formation of the anode can be carried out according to the direct current or high - frequency sputtering process , the vacuum vapor deposition process , the ion plating process , etc . also , in the case where an organic conductive compound is selected as the material of the anode , the formation of the anode can be carried out according to the wet film formation process . the position at which the anode is formed in the organic electroluminescent device is not particularly limited and can be adequately selected depending upon the application and purpose of the organic electroluminescent device . however , it is preferable that the anode is formed on the substrate . in this case , the anode may be formed entirely or partially on the one surface of the substrate . the patterning of the anode may be carried out by chemical etching by photolithography , etc . or physical etching using laser , etc . also , the patterning of the anode may be carried out by vacuum vapor deposition or sputtering by superimposing a mask , or may be carried out by the lift - off process or the printing process . the thickness of the anode can be adequately selected depending upon the foregoing material . though the thickness of the anode cannot be unequivocally defined , it is usually from 10 nm to 50 μm , and preferably from 50 nm to 20 μm . the resistance value of the anode is preferably not more than 10 3 ω /□, and more preferably not more than 10 2 ω /□. the anode may be colorless and transparent , or may be colored and transparent . in order to take out light emission from the anode side , its transmittance is preferably 60 % or more , and more preferably 70 % or more . this transmittance can be measured according to a known method using a spectrophotometer . the anode is described in detail in tomei - denkyokumaku no shintenkai ( new development of transparent electrode films ), supervised by yutaka sawada and published by cmc publishing co ., ltd . ( 1999 ), and the described materials can be applied in the invention . in the case where a plastic substrate having low heat resistance is used , an anode prepared by film formation at low temperatures of not higher than 150 ° c . using ito or izo is preferable . as the cathode , in general , any material having a function as a cathode to inject an electron into the organic compound layer may be employed and is not particularly limited with respect to the shape , structure , size , etc . it can be adequately selected among known electrodes depending upon the application and purpose of the organic electroluminescent device . as a material of the anode , for example , metals , alloys , metal oxides , electrically conductive compounds , and mixtures thereof are suitably enumerated . of these , materials having a work function of not more than 4 . 5 ev are preferable . specific examples thereof include alkali metals ( for example , li , na , k , and cs ), alkaline earth metals ( for example , mg and ca ), gold , silver , lead , aluminum , sodium - potassium alloys , lithium - aluminum alloys , magnesium - silver alloys , and rare earth metals ( for example , indium and ytterbium ). though these materials may be used singly , they are preferably used in combinations of two or more kinds thereof from the viewpoint of coping with both stability and electron injection properties . of these , alkali metals and alkaline earth metals are preferable from the viewpoint of electron injection properties , and materials composed mainly of aluminum are preferable because they have excellent storage stability . the term “ material composed mainly of aluminum ” as referred to herein means aluminum alone or an alloy or mixture of aluminum and from 0 . 01 to 10 % by weight of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal ( for example , lithium - aluminum alloys and magnesium - aluminum alloys ). the material of the cathode is described in detail in jp - a - 2 - 15595 and jp - a - 5 - 121172 . the formation method of the cathode is not particularly limited and can be carried out according to known methods . for example , the cathode can be formed on the substrate according to a method which is adequately selected among wet systems ( for example , printing system and coating system ), physical systems ( for example , vacuum vapor deposition process , sputtering process , and ion plating process ), and chemical systems ( for example , cvd and plasma cvd process ) while taking into consideration adaptivity with the foregoing material . for example , in the case where a metal , etc . is selected as the material of the cathode , the cathode can be formed by sputtering one or two or more kinds thereof simultaneously or successively . the patterning of the cathode may be carried out by chemical etching by photolithography , etc . or physical etching using laser , etc . also , the patterning of the anode may be carried out by vacuum vapor deposition or sputtering by superimposing a mask , or may be carried out by the lift - off process or the printing process . the position at which the cathode is formed in the organic electroluminescent device is not particularly limited and can be adequately selected depending upon the application and purpose of the organic electroluminescent device . however , it is preferable that the cathode is formed on the organic compound layer . in this case , the cathode may be formed entirely or partially on the one surface of the organic compound layer . also , a dielectric layer made of a fluoride of the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal may be inserted in a thickness of from 0 . 1 to 5 nm between the cathode and the organic compound layer . the dielectric layer can be , for example , formed by the vacuum vapor deposition process , the sputtering process , the ion plating process , etc . the thickness of the cathode can be adequately selected depending upon the foregoing material . though the thickness of the cathode cannot be unequivocally defined , it is usually from 10 nm to 5 μm , and preferably from 50 nm to 1 μm . the cathode may be transparent or opaque . the transparent cathode can be formed by subjecting the material of the cathode to film formation into a thin thickness of from 1 to 10 nm and further laminating a transparent conductive material such as ito and izo thereon . other layers can be adequately selected without particular limitations depending upon the purpose , and examples thereof include a protective layer . as the protective layer , those described in , for example , jp - a - 7 - 85974 , jp - a - 7 - 192866 , jp - a - 8 - 22891 , jp - a - 10 - 275682 , and jp - a - 10 - 106746 are suitably enumerated . the protective layer is formed on the superficial surface layer in the organic electroluminescent device . for example , in the case where the substrate , the anode , the organic compound layer , and the cathode are stacked in this order , the protective layer is formed on the cathode ; and in the case where the substrate , the cathode , the organic compound layer , and the anode are stacked in this order , the protective layer is formed on the anode . the shape , size , thickness , etc . of the protective layer can be adequately selected , and any material having a function to suppress invasion and / or permeation of a substance which likely deteriorates the organic electroluminescent device ( for example , moisture and oxygen ) into the organic electroluminescent device can be used without particular limitations . examples thereof include silicon oxide , silicon dioxide , germanium oxide , and germanium dioxide . the formation method of the protective layer is not particularly limited , and examples thereof include vacuum vapor deposition process , sputtering process , reactive sputtering process , molecular epitaxy process , cluster ion beam process , ion plating process , plasma polymerization process , plasma cvd process , laser cvd process , heat cvd process , and coating process . further , in the invention , it is also preferred to provide a sealing layer for the purpose of preventing invasion of moisture or oxygen into the respective layers in the organic electroluminescent device . examples of a material of the sealing layer include copolymers containing tetrafluoroethylene and at least one comonomer , fluorine - containing copolymers having a cyclic structure in the copolymer principal chain thereof , copolymers of two or more kinds selected from polyethylene , polypropylene , polymethyl methacrylate , polyimides , polyureas , polytetrafluoroethylene , polychlorotrifluoroethylene , polydichlorodifluoroethylene , chlorotrifluoroethylene and dichlorodifluoroethylene ; water absorbing substances having a water absorption of 1 % or more , moisture - proof substances having a water absorption of not more than 0 . 1 %, metals ( for example , in , sn , pb , au , cu , ag , al , tl , and ni ), metal oxides ( for example , mgo , sio , sio 2 , al 2 o 3 , geo , nio , cao , bao , fe 2 o 3 , y 2 o 3 , and tio 2 ), metal fluorides ( for example , mgf 2 , lif , alf 3 , and caf 2 ), liquid fluorinated hydrocarbons ( for example , perfluoroalkanes , perfluoroamines , and perfluoroethers ), and liquid fluorinated hydrocarbons having dispersed therein an adsorbing agent capable of adsorbing moisture or oxygen . in the organic electroluminescent device of the invention , light emission can be obtained by applying a voltage ( usually from 2 to 4 volts ) of direct current ( which may contain an alternating current component , if desired ) or a direct current between the anode and the cathode . with respect to the drive of the organic electroluminescent device of the invention , methods described in jp - a - 2 - 148687 , jp - a - 6 - 301355 , jp - a - 5 - 29080 , jp - a - 7 - 134558 , jp - a - 8 - 234685 , jp - a - 8 - 241047 , u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 828 , 429 and 6 , 023 , 308 , and japanese patent no . 2 , 784 , 615 can be utilized . the organic electroluminescent device of the invention will be described below with reference to the following examples , but it should not be construed that the invention is limited to these examples . a glass sheet of 0 . 5 mm in thickness and 2 . 5 cm in square was used as a substrate . this substrate was introduced into a vacuum chamber , and an ito thin film ( thickness : 0 . 2 μm ) was formed as a transparent electrode using an ito target ( indium / tin = 95 / 5 by mole ) having an sno 2 content of 10 % by weight by means of dc magnetron sputtering ( condition : substrate temperature of 250 ° c . and oxygen pressure of 1 × 10 − 3 pa ). the ito thin film had a surface resistance of 10 ω /□. next , the substrate having the transparent electrode formed thereon was charged in a cleaning vessel , cleaned with ipa , and then subjected to uv - ozone processing for 30 minutes . on the resulting transparent substrate , a hole injection layer was provided in a thickness of 0 . 01 μm using copper phthalocyanine by the vacuum vapor deposition process at a rate of 1 nm / sec . further , a hole transporting layer was provided in a thickness of 0 . 03 μm on the hole injection layer using n , n ′- dinaphthyl - n , n ′- diphenylbenzidine by the vacuum deposition process at a rate of 1 nm / sec . the foregoing compound ( 4 - 1 ) as phosphorescent materials and balq 2 were subjected to co - vapor deposition at a co - vapor deposition ratio of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) to balq 2 of 5 / 95 to form a light emitting layer having a thickness of 0 . 03 μm on the hole transporting layer . a block layer was provided on the light emitting layer . that is , the block layer was provided in a thickness of 0 . 01 μm using balq 2 as an electron transporting material at a rate of 1 nm / sec . on the block layer , an electron transporting layer was further provided in a thickness of 0 . 04 μm using tris -( 8 - hydroxyquinolinato ) aluminum ( alq 3 ) as an electron transporting material by the vacuum vapor deposition process at a rate of 1 nm / sec . on the electron transporting layer , an electron injection layer was further provided in a thickness of 0 . 002 μm using lif as an electron injection material by means of vapor deposition at a rate of 1 nm / sec . on the electron injection layer , a patterned mask ( a mask having a light emitting area of 5 mm × 5 mm ) was further placed , and aluminum was subjected to vapor deposition in a thickness of 0 . 25 μm within a vapor deposition unit , to form a back electrode . aluminum wires were respectively wire bound from the transparent electrode ( functioning as an anode ) and the back electrode to form a light emitting laminate . the resulting light emitting laminate was charged into a glove box purged with a nitrogen gas . 10 mg of a calcium oxide powder as a moisture adsorbing agent was charged in a stainless steel - made seal cover provided with a concave therein within the glove box , which was then fixed by an adhesive tape . this seal cover was sealed by a uv curable adhesive ( xnr5516hv , manufactured by nagase - ciba ltd .) as an adhesive . there was thus prepared an organic electroluminescent device of example 1 . using a source measure unit mode 2400 , manufactured by toyo technica inc ., a direct current was applied to the organic el device for light emission , thereby measuring an initial light emitting performance . at that time , the maximum luminance is defined as l max , and the voltage at which l max was obtained is defined as v max . further , the luminous efficiency at the time of 300 cd / m 2 is shown as an external quantum efficiency ( η 300 ) in table 1 . also , a drive durability test was carried out at an initial luminance of 300 cd / m 2 , and after a lapse of 2 , 000 hours , a luminance maintenance rate (%) was determined . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , 4 , 4 ′- n , n ′- dicarbazolebiphenyl ( cbp ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , the foregoing compound ( 3 - 1 ) was used as the phosphorescent material in place of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 2 , except that in example 2 , 4 , 4 ′- n , n ′- dicarbazolebiphenyl ( cbp ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , the foregoing compound ( 5 - 1 ) was used as the phosphorescent material in place of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 3 , except that in example 3 , 4 , 4 ′- n , n ′- dicarbazolebiphenyl ( cbp ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , the foregoing compound ( 2 - 11 ) was used as the phosphorescent material in place of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 4 , except that in example 4 , 4 , 4 ′- n , n ′- dicarbazolebiphenyl ( cbp ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , the foregoing compound ( 3 - 6 ) was used as the phosphorescent material in place of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 5 , except that in example 5 , 4 , 4 ′- n , n ′- dicarbazolebiphenyl ( cbp ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , the foregoing compound ( 5 - 7 ) was used as the phosphorescent material in place of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 6 , except that in example 6 , 4 , 4 ′- n , n ′- dicarbazole - biphenyl ( cbp ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , a ga complex represented by formula ( a ) was used as the host material in place of balq 2 and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . a device was prepared in the same manner as in example 1 , except that in example 1 , a porphyrin pt complex light emitting material represented by formula ( c ) was used as the phosphorescent material in place of the compound ( 4 - 1 ) and then evaluated . the results obtained are shown in table 1 . as is clear from these results , it is noted that the organic electroluminescent devices of the invention comprising a light emitting layer containing a five - coordinate metal complex , especially balq 2 as a host material and an ir complex having a partial structure represented by any one of the foregoing formulae ( 2 ) to ( 5 ) as a light emitting material are excellent with respect to the luminous efficiency and durability as compared with the devices which are free from such compounds . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover all modifications and variations of this invention consistent with the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . this application is based on japanese patent application nos . jp2004 - 53158 and jp2004 - 271134 , filed on feb . 27 , 2004 and sep . 17 , 2004 , respectively , the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference .	7
the selectivity towards , for example , 3 - pentenoic acid or derivatives thereof , expressed as a percentage , is defined as ## equ1 ## wherein &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; is , for example , the quantity of 1 , 3 - butadiene that is coverted into 3 - pentenoic acid or derivatives thereof , and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; the total converted quantity of 1 , 3 - butadiene . it will be clear that the very high selectivity that has been found for the conversion of , for example , 1 , 3 - butadiene into 3 - pentenoic acid and derivatives thereof is achieved at the cost of the 3 , 8 - nonadienic acid or derivatives thereof additionally and simultaneously formed in the known processes . a particularly preferred group of said compounds comprises the group according to a general formula i , wherein q is phosphorus and wherein the aryl groups contain up to a maximum of 18 carbon atoms in the ring , such as anthryl , naphthyl and phenyl , preferably phenyl . greater preference is given to the phosphines according to formula i wherein r 1 , r 2 and r 3 each represent individually a phenyl group substituted with one or more electron - attracting groups . examples of such electron - attracting groups are chlorine , bromine , fluorine , monochloromethyl , trichloromethyl , trifluoromethyl , nitroand m - methoxy groups . examples of phosphines suitable for use in accordance with the present invention are : very good conversion results can be achieved with halogen , monohalogen methyl , dihalogen methyl , trihalogen methyl groups as substituents , particularly with chloro - or trifluoromethyl groups . the most highly preferred phosphines are tri ( m - chlorophenyl ) phosphine , tri ( p - chlorophenyl ) phosphine and tri ( m - trifluoromethylphenyl ) phosphine . the substituted benzoic acids used in accordance with the invention have a pka value & lt ; 4 . 0 an preferably between 2 . 5 and 4 , measured at 18 ° c . in aqueous solution . examples of such acids are benzoic acids having the phenyl group substituted with one or more electron - attracting groups such as halogen and , in particular , chlorine , such as o - chlorobenzoic acid , m - chlorobenzoic acid , p - chlorobenzoic acid , o - hydroxybenzoic acid , o - methoxybenzoic acid , o - bromobenzoic acid , m - bromobenzoic acid , 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid and 9 - anthracenecarboxylic acid . according to a further embodiment of the process according to the invention , apart from the monodentate phosphines referred to hereinbefore bidentate phosphines can also be used with attractive results . in particular , apart from one or more of the monodentate phosphines referred to hereinbefore , bidentate phosphines can be used wherein the phenyl groups have been optionally substituted with electron - attracting groups a such as : both homogeneous and heterogeneous palladium catalyst components can be used for the process according to the invention . homogeneous catalyst components are preferred . suitable homogeneous catalyst components are formed by salts of palladium with , for example , nitric acid , sulphuric acid or alkanecarboxylic acids containing not more than 12 carbon atoms per molecule . salts of hydrohalogens are not preferred on account of the corrosive effect caused by halide ions . a catalyst component preferred for use is palladium acetate . palladium complexes may also be used , such as palladiumacetyl acetonate , bis - tri - o - tolylphosphinepalladium acetate or bistriphenylphosphinepalladium acetate . the quantity of palladium is not critical . in the event that a bivalent palladium compound is used , preference is given to the use of quantities in the range between 10 - 5 and 10 - 1 gram atom palladium per mole conjugated diene , preferably butadiene . the molar ratio of the organic phosphorus , arsenic or antimony compound to palladium is not critical and can vary between wide limits . preferably , more than 2 moles of the preferably used phosphine is used per gram atom palladium in order to achieve a very high selectivity in conjunction with a good conversion rate . very high selectivities and very high conversion rates are achieved if more than 2 and less than 20 moles of the organic phosphine is used per gram atom palladium . the number of equivalents used of the organic phosphine per protonic acid equivalent is not critical either and can vary between wide limits . quantities of 0 . 1 to 10 substituted benzoic acid equivalents per organic phosphine equivalent used are suitable . in general , it is desirable to use a separate solvent in said conversion process . any inert solvent may be used for this purpose . this may , for example , be selected from sulfones , for example diisopropyl sulfone ; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene , toluene , xylenes ; esters such as methylacetate and butyrolactone ; ketones such as acetone or methyl isobutyl ketone ; and ethers such as anisole , 2 , 5 , 8 - trioxanone ( also referred to as diglyme ), diphenyl ether , diisopropyl ether and tetrahydrofuran . preferably , an ether such as diphenyl ether is used . the process according to the invention allows the use of relatively mild reaction conditions . temperatures in the range from 50 ° c . to 200 ° c ., particularly from 50 ° c . to 155 ° c ., are suitable . the quantity of , for example , the 1 , 3 - butadiene can vary over a wide range . the carbon monoxide pressure will generally be lower than that according to the processes known hitherto . pressures of 5 to 60 bar are preferred . the molar ratio of the alcohol , phenol , water or carboxylic acid to the conjugated diene and , in particular , butadiene can vary between wide limits and generally lies in the range from 0 . 1 : 1 to 10 : 1 . according to one of the preferred embodiments of the process according to the invention , an alcohol can be used as hydroxyl - containing reactant . the alcohol can be aliphatic , cycloaliphatic or aromatic and can , if necessary , carry one or more inert substituents . a suitable alcohol can contain up to 20 carbon atoms . one or more hydroxyl groups can be present , in which case various products can be formed , depending on the molar ratio of the reactants used . for example , a polyvalent alcohol such as ethylene glycol , glycerol , butane diol , 2 , 2 - dihydroxymethyl - 1 - butanol can be allowed to react with a suitable quantity of butadiene to form a monoester or a polyvalent ester . the choice of alcohol will therefore depend solely on the product desired . alkanols such as methanol , ethanol , propanol or 2 , 2 - dihydroxymethyl - 1 - butanol and alcohols containing ether bridges such as triethylene glycol all yield valuable products . according to another embodiment of the process according to the invention , a wide variety of carboxylic acids can be used as reactant . for example , the carboxylic acids can be aliphatic , cycloaliphatic or aromatic and may optionally carry inert substituents . suitable carboxylic acids contain not more than 25 carbon atoms . the carboxylic acids used as reactant are preferably alkanecarboxylic acids or alkenecarboxylic acids . examples of suitable carboxylic acids are formic acid , acetic acid , propionic acid , n - butyric acid , isobutyric acid , pivalic acid , n - valeric acid , n - caproic acid , caprylic acid , capric acid , lauric acid , myristic acid , palmitic acid , stearic acid , phthalic acid , terephthalic acid . examples of alkenecarboxylic acids are acrylic acid , propiolic acid , methacrylic acid , crotonic acid , isocrotonic acid , olic acid , maleic acid , fumaric acid , citraconic acid and mesaconic acid . the process according to the invention may , in principle also be applied with polyvalent carboxylic acids whereby , depending on the reaction conditions selected , including the molar ratio of the reactants used , various products can be obtained as required . if an alkanecarboxylic acid is converted according to the process of the invention with 1 , 3 - butadiene , a symmetrical or composite anhydride can be formed . it will be clear that another aspect of the invention in question is formed by the catalyst systems referred to hereinbefore that are to be used for the selective conversion of conjugated dienes , as such or in the form of a solution in one of the solvents referred to hereinbefore suitable for that purpose . the invention is expounded with the aid of the following examples without the scope thereof being limited to them . more than 90 % of the pentenoate formed in the course thereof consists of 3 ( cis and trans ) pentenoate . the ranges and limitations provided in the instant specification and claims are those which are believed to particularly point out and distinctly claim the instant invention . it is , however , understood that other ranges and limitations that perform substantially the same function in substantially the same manner to obtain the same or substantially the same result are intended to be within the scope of the instant invention as defined by the instant specification and claims . a 250 ml magnetically stirred hastelloy ® autoclave was successively filled with 15 ml ethanol , 40 ml diphenyl ether , 1 mmole palladium acetate , 6 mmole tri ( meta - chlorophenyl ) phosphine and 20 mmole 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid . the autoclave was vacuum - evacuated , whereupon butadiene ( 8 ml ) and carbon monoxide were added to an initial pressure of 30 bar . the autoclave was closed and heated to 135 ° c . after a reaction time of 3 hours the contents of the autoclave were analysed by means of gas - liquid chromatography . the selectivity of butadiene conversion towards pentenoates was found to be 95 %, while the pentenoate yield , more than 90 % of which consisted of ethyl 3 -( cis and trans ) pentenoates , was 85 % of the butadiene starting quantity . a comparative experiment was performed in a virtually analogous manner as described hereinbefore , but with 2 , 4 , 6 - trimethylbenzoic acid ( 20 mmole ) as catalyst component instead of 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid , which after a reaction time of 5 hours resulted in a selectivity of butadiene to pentenoate conversion of 50 % ( as a result of nonadienoate formation ) and a pentenoate yield of 10 %, calculated in terms of the butadiene starting quantity , which clearly indicates the specificity of the protonic acids to be used in accordance with the invention . the same effect transpires from a comparative experiment performed in a virtually analogous manner wherein triphenyl phosphine ( 6 mmole ) was used instead of the tri ( meta - chlorophenyl ) phosphine as catalyst component , methanol ( 10 ml ) instead of ethanol and 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid ( 20 mmole ) as promoter acid . after a reaction time of 5 hours , this resulted in a selective conversion of butadiene into pentenoates of & lt ; 50 % and a pentenoate yield , calculated in terms of the butadiene starting quantity , of 10 %. in a virtually analogous manner as described in example 1 , an experiment was performed with a catalyst system composed of palladium acetate ( 1 mmole ), tri ( para - chlorophenyl ) phosphine ( 8 mmole ), 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid ( 7 . 5 mmole ) and 15 ml ethanol , while the reaction temperature was 125 ° c . and the reaction time 2 . 5 hours . the initial carbon monoxide pressure in this experiment was 60 bar and the butadiene starting quantity 17 ml . the selectivity of butadiene to pentenoate conversion was 95 %, while the pentenoate yield was 48 % in terms of the butadiene starting quantity . in a virtually analogous manner as described in example 1 , an experiment was performed with a catalyst system composed of palladium acetate ( 1 mmole ), tri ( meta - chlorophenyl ) phosphine ( 6 mmole ) and 9 - anthracenecarboxylic acid ( 20 mmole ). the reaction temperature was 135 ° c . and the reaction time 5 hours . the selectivity of butadiene to pentenoate conversion was 90 % and the pentenoate yield , calculated in terms of the starting butadiene quantity , was 70 %. for comparison , a virtually analogous experiment was performed as in example 1 , except that no acid was used in the catalyst system . after a reaction time of 5 hours at 155 ° c ., selectivity in respect of pentenoates was found to be 90 %, but the pentenoate yield , calculated in terms of the starting butadiene quantity , was merely 25 %. in a virtually analogous manner as described in example 1 , an experiment was performed with a catalyst system composed of palladium acetate ( 1 mmole ), tri ( meta - chlorophenyl ) phosphine ( 4 mmole ), 1 , 4 - butanediyl - bis - diphenyl - phosphine ( 4 mmole ), 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid ( 20 mmole ) and 10 ml methanol . initial carbon monoxide pressure was 60 bar , reaction time 5 hours and reaction temperature 155 ° c . the selectivity of butadiene conversion towards pentenoates was 95 % and the pentenoate yield in terms of the starting butadiene quantity was 85 %. in a virtually analogous manner as described in example 1 , an experiment was performed with a catalyst system composed of palladium acetate ( 1 mmole ), tri ( para - fluorophenyl ) phosphine ( 6 mmole ) and 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid . initial carbon monoxide pressure was 60 bar , reaction time 5 hours and reaction temperature 135 ° c . selectivity of butadiene conversion towards pentenoates was 95 % and the pentenoate yield in terms of the starting butadiene quantity was 87 %. in a virtually analogous manner as described in example 1 , an experiment was performed with a catalyst system composed of palladium acetate ( 1 mmole ), tri ( para - chlorophenyl ) phosphine ( 6 mmole ), 9 - anthracenecarboxylic acid ( 20 mmole ) and 15 ml acetic acid . initial carbon monoxide pressure was 60 bar , reaction temperature 115 ° c . and reaction time 5 hours . selectivity of butadiene conversion towards pentenoic acid and derivatives thereof was 90 % and the yield of pentenoic acid and derivatives thereof , calculated in terms of the starting butadiene quantity , was 60 %. in this experiment , acetic anhydride was formed apart from pentencic acids and derivatives thereof . in a virtually analogous manner as described in example 1 , an experiment was performed with a catalyst system consisting of 0 . 4 mmole palladium acetate , 6 mmole tri ( meta - chlorophenyl ) phosphine , 4 mmole 2 , 6 - dichlorobenzoic acid and 10 g phenol . initial carbon monoxide pressure was 40 bar , reaction time 5 hours and temperature reaction 115 ° c . selectivity of butadiene conversion towards phenyl pentenoate was 80 % and the pentenoate yield , calculated in terms of the butadiene starting quantity , was 60 %.	2
the following steps are followed when preparing knit vascular grafts starting from the appropriate yarns . the proper denier yarns for the specific construction have to be knit . if the denier to be used can only be obtained by using three or more ends , the yarn must be ply - twisted together . for example , if the construction is a 330 - denier pga and 100 - denier textured dacron ™, and the only available pga is 110 - denier , it is necessary to twist three ends of 110 - denier pga and the one end of 100 - denier dacron ™. other variations can be used , depending on the type of construction called for . after ply - twisting onto a king spool , the twisted yarn is transferred to a model 50 cone , using a coning machine . it is preferred that any material that is not twisted and is to be used for knitting be transferred to a cone , or to a similar type package from which the yarn may easily be removed . the yarn is then set up on the knitting machine . the knitting machine can be commercially available . it can be a floor - type self - contained unit , completely assembled , with exception of the yarn tension or stop - motion assembly . a direct v - belt drive from a fractional horsepower motor to the knitting head allows for a quiet knitting speed up to about 1100 r . p . m . a variable speed take - down assures minimum breakdowns and absolute quality stitch control . operating speeds can vary depending on cylinder size and also the type of yarn or fibers used . the proper density of the graft construction is obtained by changing the stitch cam and take - down settings . the stitch cam controls the length of the stitch , and the take - down controls the tension of the tubular fabric being knit . after knitting , the graft material is scoured in xylene under ultrasonic agitation for two ten - minute baths . the material is allowed to dry in a fume hood until no xylene odors can be detected . the graft material is then cut to appropriate lengths ( e . g . 4 mm × 60 mm ; and / or 8 mm × 80 mm ) and then reversed . reversing involves turning the graft inside out to have a smooth inner surface , and a rougher outer surface to promote ingrowth . any graft containing pga is then post - treated on stainless steel mandrels at temperatures of about 115 ° c . to 150 ° c ., under a vacuum approximately equal to 1 torr or lower . the post - treatment process seems to increase the tensile strength retention for the absorbable component , up to about 60 days after implant . a graft that does not contain pga may not undergo the post - treatment process . the ends of the graft may then be heat - sealed on a hot surface to prevent unravelling . during heat - sealing , the ends of the graft are melted only slightly . following scouring in xylene or another medically approved nonaqueous solvent and drying , the graft is then packaged in a polycarbonate folding container , which is then placed in a foil inner pouch . the graft is then sent through an absorbable device eto - sterilization cycle . after sterilization , the graft is repacked in a 2 - web tyvek ® ( a spun bonded polyolefin manufactured by e . i . dupont & amp ; co ., wilmington , del ., u . s . a . )/ mylar ™ ( a polyethylene terephthalate also manufactured by e . i . dupont & amp ; co .) pouch , sealed and eto - sterilized a second time . a series of in vivo studies with woven vascular grafts in several configurations was completed . the following materials , although not exclusive , were included : ( a ) pga / dacron ™ 80 / 20 low and high porosity , 4 and 6 mm in diameter ( b ) pga / copolymer having glycolic acid ester , and trimethylene carbonate linkages , 4 mm ( d ) gore - tex ( a trademark of wil - gore & amp ; associates , inc .) 4 , 8 and 10 mm . the overall patency rate for pga containing grafts was substantially higher than controls : 58 % vs . 41 %. bi - and tri - component vascular grafts made of biodegradable and non - degradable fibers have been studied in the beagle . observations carried out from ˜ 30 days to ˜ 7 months showed that as the absorbable component left the graft structure , organized and oriented tissue invaded the graft approximating the location of the degraded material . the tissue ingrowth appeared to mobilize as a neointima with the lumenal surface covered by cells strongly resembling endothelium . the non - degradable component exhibited dispersed fibers within a matrix of mature , highly vascularized granulation tissue . this rich blood supply persisted for the period of maximum observation . the graft structures were provided in two diameters : 4 and 8 mm id . the former were studied as interpositional grafts in both carotids of the host ; the latter as interpositional grafts in the thoracic aorta . the 4 mm grafts ( 40 - 60 mm in length ) were examined at 1 and 2 months and showed high degrees of patency . the tissue reaction showed progressively increasing tissue incorporation although endothelization was absent at 1 month and only partially manifest at 2 months . the 8 mm grafts examined at ˜ 3 -˜ 7 months were uniformly patent and showed uninterrupted complete endothelization of the graft lumen and complete replacement of the degradable material by the tissue elements noted above . the present invention is illustrated by the following examples which can be useful in peripheral vascular surgery , as coronary artery bypasses or in general arterial or venous grafting . this graft is a double - walled structure consisting of a 100 % pga woven inner tube and a 100 % texturized knit dacron ™ velour outer tube . the structure was designed so that the inner wall , being pga , would become absorbed and be replaced by a smooth , well - organized tissue at least partially consisting of endothelial cells . this inner wall would become the new intima . the outer wall , being constructed of porous nonabsorbable dacron ™ material , would allow tissue and capillary ingrowth and , at the same time , add support to the newly - grown neointima to prevent aneurysms . the dacron ™ outer wall material is a sauvage filamentous velour ® fabric supplied by u . s . c . i ., a division of c . r . bard co ., inc ., billerica , mass ., u . s . a . the inner wall fabric is a woven tube having a 1 × 1 plain weave construction using 5 - ply , 46 - denier , 21 filament ( pga ) polyglycolic acid yarn in both the warp and filling direction . the graft materials were scoured in xylene in an ultrasonic bath -- 2 baths of fresh xylene for 10 minutes each -- to remove fiber spin finish . the outer and inner tubes for the 4 mm i . d . grafts were cut to approximately 45 mm in length . the tubular woven pga material was mounted on stainless steel rods , placed in a vacuum chamber and treated at 130 ° c . for 3 hours under a vacuum of less than 1 torr ( a similar treatment was done for the 8 mm tubes , except they were cut to 80 mm length ). next , the inner and outer tubes were stitched together by placing either 3 ( 4 mm i . d .) or 4 ( 8 mm i . d .) longitudinal rows of stitches between inner and outer wall . the double tube grafts were then packaged and eto - sterilized prior to use as implants . following graft construction and sterilization , the 4 mm grafts were implanted in the left and right carotid arteries of thoroughbred beagle dogs . the 8 mm i . d . grafts were implanted in the thoracic aorta . the grafts were left in the animal for periods of up to 90 days , at which time the dogs were sacrificed , and the grafts were dissected and removed for subjective and histological examination . examination of the implant sites revealed absorption of the pga fiber and replacement with a smooth , glistening endothelial - like neointima . the dacron ™ outer wall was ingrown with tissue and small blood vessels . there was little , if any , indication of aneurysmal dilation . exclusive of technical error during implant , grafts were patent and blood flow , as determined by doppler recordings , was satisfactory . a 3 - ply yarn , consisting of 110 - denier / 50 - filament pga , 105 - denier / 25 - filament maxon ™ ( a copolymer having glycolic acid ester and trimethylene carbonate linkages , e . g . as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 429 , 080 issued jan . 31 , 1984 and incorporated herein by reference ), and 100 - denier texturized dacron ™, was plied together at approximately 2 turns per inch of twist and knit into ( a ) 4 mm and ( b ) 8 mm inside diameter ( i . d .) tubes . the knitting machine used was a lamb st3a circular weft knitting machine . the needle cylinder used had 25 needles per inch of circumference . following knitting , the tubular graft material was scoured , cut , post - treated , packaged and sterilized as described in example 1 . the tricomponent structure , being comprised of both maxon ™ ( glycolide - tmc ) and polyglycolic acid yarns , after post - treatment attains a tighter , more pebbly velour - like appearance , due to the differential shrinkage between the two absorbable fibers in the presence of textured dacron ™. the 4 mm and 8 mm grafts were implanted in beagle dogs , as described under example 1 . examination of the implant sites following sacrifice revealed partial to complete absorption of the bioabsorbable yarns , excellent patency , no noticeable aneurysmal formation and a uniform granular tissue forming the neointima and extending through the wall to the advential surface . table 1 is a summary of the in vivo animal data for the knit grafts constructed according to example 2 . table 1__________________________________________________________________________summary of animal data on knit grafts aneurysmalgraft number number tendency number numbercomposition implanted implant site patent 0123 . sup . a occluded unsacrificed__________________________________________________________________________33 / 33 / 33 pga / 6 thoracic aorta 5 0041 -- 1maxon ™/ textured 4 left carotid artery 3 2010 1 -- dacron ® 6 right carotid artery 3 0031 2 1__________________________________________________________________________ ( a ) rating : 0 = none 1 = possible 2 = slight 3 = significant a 4 - ply yarn consisting of three ends of 105 - denier maxon ™ ( as described in the background and in example 2 , above ) and one end of 100 - denier texturized dacron ™ was plied together at a twist level of approximately 2 turns / inch . the yarn was knit into 4 and 8 mm i . d . tubes on separate lamb st3a circular weft knitting machines , using 25 - needle per inch knitting cylinders . these grafts had wall thicknesses of between 650 and 850 microns . following knitting , the graft material was scoured , cut to 45 and 80 mm lengths , heat - set at 110 ° c . for 1 to 3 minutes on stainless steel sizing rods , helically wrapped with 2 - 0 monofilament maxon ™ suture material as a means of external support , packaged and sterilized . the external support material was attached to the outside surface of the vascular graft , using polymeric glycolide / trimethylene carbonate ( tmc ) dissolved in methylene chloride as an adhesive . alternatively , poly - tmc dissolved in methylene chloride can be used as an adhesive . table 2 is a summary of the in vivo animal data for the knit grafts constructed according to example 3 . table 2__________________________________________________________________________summary of animal data on knit grafts aneurysmalgraft number number tendency number numbercomposition implanted implant site patent 0123 . sup . a occluded unsacrificed__________________________________________________________________________75 / 25 maxon ™/ 6 thoracic aorta 6 2022 -- -- textured dacron ® 3 left carotid artery 2 1010 1 -- with external 4 right carotid artery 4 0112 -- -- support * __________________________________________________________________________ ( a ) rating : 0 = none 1 = possible 2 = slight 3 = significant * external support of monofilament maxon ™ absorbable suture material . a 4 - ply yarn consisting of two ends of 46 - denier pga , one end of 62 - denier pga and one end of 100 - denier texturized novafil ® was assembled at approximately 2 turns per inch of twist . the texturized novafil ® yarn was false - twist texturized , using the helanca ® ( trademark of heberlein corp ., wattwil , switzerland ) process in order to provide a surface texture that would encourage maximum tissue ingrowth . the combined yarn was knit into 4 and 8 mm i . d . tubes similar to example 3 , except that the cylinder had a needle spacing of 33 needles per inch . following knitting , the graft materials were scoured , cut to 45 and 80 mm length tubes , post - treated on stainless steel rods under vacuum of 1 torr at 130 ° c . for 3 hours , cooled , helically wrapped with 3 - 0 maxon ™ monofilament suture material , attached to the surface of the graft using poly - tmc as an adhesive and , finally , packaged and sterilized . in this warp knit example , 70 - denier texturized dacron ™ was combined with 105 - denier maxon ™ multifilament yarn on a 48 - gauge raschel knitting machine in the following construction : ______________________________________front bar 2 / 0 2 / 4 70 - denier textured dacron ™ back bar 2 / 0 4 / 6 105 - denier maxon ™ ______________________________________ this construction is similar to example 5 , except that the stitch construction is reversed as follows : ______________________________________front bar 2 / 0 4 / 6 105 - denier maxon ™ back bar 2 / 0 2 / 4 70 - denier textured dacron ™ ______________________________________ examples 5 and 6 , although formed on a 48 - gauge raschel machine can be made on a 56 -, 60 - or 64 - gauge raschel machine , having 14 or more guide bars , positive feeds and stitch combs . two 3 - plied yarns each comprised of 50 denier maxon ® 46 denier pga and 20 denier textured dacron ® twisted at 2 . 3 turns per inch ` z ` twist were fed separately to a lamb st - 3a circular knitter along with one end of 70 denier lycra ® t - 126c . the yarns were knit on a 25 needle per inch cylinder in a single jersey stitch to form ( 1 ) a 4 mm i . d . and ( 2 ) an 8 mm i . d . tube , the wall thickness of which was between 0 . 60 and 0 . 70 mm . following knitting , the graft material was scoured in xylene , cut to length , reversed and post treated in a vacuum oven at 130 ° c .± 5 ° c . for 21 / 2 ± 1 / 2 hours . these grafts were evaluated in dogs in both the carotid artery and thoracic aorta . the results revealed 11 of 12 grafts to be patent with little or no dilation and good tissue ingrowth after sacrifice time periods of 1 and 2 months . a graft was made and processed as in example 7 but using 25 denier textured novafil ® in place of dacron ®. a graft was made and processed as in example 7 but using a 33 needle / inch cylinder and the following supply yarns : ( 1 ) 3 - ply yarn containing 25 denier maxon ® 26 denier pga and 30 denier textured dacron ® twisted at 1 . 8 turns per inch &# 34 ; s &# 34 ; twist ( 2 ) 3 - ply yarn containing 2 ends of 25 denier maxon ® and 1 end of 20 denier pga twisted at 1 . 8 t . p . i . &# 34 ; s &# 34 ; and ( 3 ) 1 end of 40 denier lycra ® t - 146c . the wall thickness of the graft was 0 . 40 - 0 . 50 mm . a graft as in example 9 but using 25 denier textured novafil ® to replace the 30 denier textured dacron ®. a graft construction was made on a 60 gauge ( 30 needle / inch ) double needle bar raschel warp knitting machine by supplying the following yarns to the inside guide bars ( bars 2 + 7 ): a 3 - ply yarn consisting of 80 denier textured maxon ® 62 denier textured pga and 30 denier textured dacron ®, plied together at 4 turns / inch ` z ` twist and the following yarns to the outside guide bars ( bars 1 + 8 ): 40 denier t - 146c lycra ®. a graft was made as in example 11 except that 46 denier textured pga was used to replace the 62 denier textured pga . a graft was made as in example 11 except that 25 denier textured novafil ® was used to replace 30 denier textured dacron ®. a graft was made as in example 12 except that 25 denier textured novafil ® was used to replace 30 denier textured dacron ®. a graft was made as in example 11 except that the knit construction was as follows : a graft was made as in example 15 except that 46 denier textured pga was used to replace 62 denier textured pga . a graft was made as in example 15 except that 25 denier textured novafil ® was used to replace 30 denier textured dacron ®. a graft was made as in example 16 except that 25 denier textured novafil ® was used to replace 30 denier textured dacron ®.	0
it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that a hail resistant roof assembly and a wind blown debris resistant roof assembly are related in that the top layer of these assemblies is configured to absorb an impact from a solid object . the roof embodiments that are considered to be wind blown debris resistant roof assemblies further include an additional waterproofing membrane in a protected location in a roof construction . the distinction is that while the hail resistant roof assemblies are intended to absorb impact there are some impacts sustainable from wind blown debris that will be far in excess of the capability of the hail resistant roof assembly to prevent the waterproofing membrane from rupturing . in order to avoid the deleterious effects of water coming through the roof membrane into a building , an additional membrane is provided to prevent water infiltration to the building . where significantly large wind blown debris is not anticipated , a hail resistant roof assembly will be sufficient . referring to fig1 , the general concept of the hail resistant roof assembly is ascertainable from review of the first embodiment thereof . in order to more clearly illustrate the roof assembly , walls 10 and roof deck 12 provide an indication of the basic structure . above the roof deck 12 is sufficient material to make the roof deck monolithic . this may be either strips of membrane material 14 as shown , a polyurethane foam or other material sufficiently impermeable to create an air sealed deck or substrate surface . it is noted that inherently air sealed decks such as concrete ( poured - in - place ) are also contemplated . once the deck or substrate above the deck has been sufficiently air sealed , an insulation layer 16 is loose laid thereupon . the insulation can also be adhered entirely or spot adhered as illustrated at 18 to the air sealed roof deck 12 . adherence may be effected by glue or other substance or configuration that does not render the air seal configuration ineffective . mechanical fasteners are only employed if they too are sealed so the substrate air seal is not lost . the insulation is a rigid roof insulation having a minimum one pound density 11 / 2 inch thickness in expanded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate . above and supported by the insulation 16 is an impact absorber dissipater 20 . in one embodiment absorber / dissipater 20 is gypsum board . the board in one embodiment is about ½ ″ thick . in the case of gypsum board , energy absorption / dissipation occurs in the form of a successive breaking of the board which is illustrated in drawings fig2 and 4 in sequence . breakage may be generally concentric or spiral for individual locations . during the rapid stepwise breakage following an impact from a hail stone or other similar object , kinetic energy is absorbed . more specifically , some of the total kinetic energy of the object is absorbed with each breakage until sufficient kinetic energy has been absorbed that the hailstone can no longer break the board . the stone has thus been effectively stopped . gypsum board is particularly effective because small sections break at the break site so that the roof structure “ bounces back ” to some extent . although three breakages are illustrated in fig2 - 4 this is but one example . more or fewer breakages are possible and correspond to the amount of energy in the solid object . as illustrated , fig2 shows one breakage 42 ; fig3 shows two breakages 42 and 44 ; and fig4 shows three breakages 42 , 44 and 46 . as illustrated sequentially in fig2 - 4 , the object 40 is protruding farther into absorber / dissipater 20 . referring back to fig1 , a waterproofing membrane 22 is loose laid on absorber / dissipater 20 . further , in one embodiment a wrinkle 24 is intentionally created in membrane 22 to keep additional membrane material “ in reserve ”. the excess membrane in wrinkle 24 provides material that can be “ pulled ” by object 40 into a depression created thereby preventing rupture of membrane 22 . in combination with wrinkle 24 or in another embodiment not having wrinkle 24 , a fold 26 is created for the same purpose as wrinkle 24 . in both cases , the provision prevents membrane 22 being held taught . if membrane 22 is taught , it is more likely to rupture because incident to the impact , a depression will be formed in the roof assembly . in the event membrane 22 cannot move into the depression , it will be caused to stretch into the depression , and rapidly , making rupture more likely . the foregoing is illustrated in fig2 - 4 wherein the membrane material may be pulled into a depression 48 formed by object 40 . referring to fold 26 , it is noted that the fold is located beneath inverted “ l ” metal 28 and that metal 28 is configured , including attachment to the roof deck 12 if any , not to inhibit the movement of membrane 22 from fold 26 . in the event metal 28 is adhered to membrane 22 it will be with an adhesive which can be defeated by an anticipated magnitude of pull on membrane 22 as is generated by a hypothetical object 40 . in one embodiment , the adhesive is butyl rubber . referring now to fig5 , an alternate embodiment directed to wind blown debris resistance as well as hail resistance is illustrated . several of the elements of fig5 are identical to those discussed with respect to fig1 . these elements are identified with identical numerals to fig1 . the distinction , as will be readily appreciated from perusal of fig1 and 5 simultaneously . atop roof deck 12 is a membrane 50 which in one embodiment is adhered to deck 12 . as illustrated the adhesive 52 extends to all locations under membrane 50 . it is also possible to spot adhere membrane 50 to deck 12 but is still desirable to maintain the placement of adhesive on deck joints as in fig1 to prevent air from migrating to locations under membrane 50 from within the building structure weather sealed by the roof depicted . in this embodiment , membrane 50 provides additional water proofing for the roof in that in the event that wind blown debris impacts the membrane 22 with energy sufficient to rupture membrane 22 , membrane 50 will prevent interior building damage until the roof system can be repaired . the system of fig5 works identically to that of fig1 for smaller impacts but provides the additional protective margin of membrane 50 for eventualities rupturing membrane 22 . referring to fig6 , an alternate windblown debris resistant roof assembly with a deck that could be impacted or penetrated by flying debris and an additional strengthening board of plywood , osb wafer , gypsum or similar is added to the deck is illustrated wherein the assembly is configured for a building 10 having a parapet 60 . membrane 50 is brought up parapet 60 to a level above the “ field ” of membrane 22 such that membrane 22 is securable and air sealable to membrane 50 by adhesive 62 . adhesive 62 , and adhesive 64 at an opposite roof edge maintain an air sealed roof assembly between membrane 22 and membrane 50 . it may additionally be desirable to mechanically attach membranes 50 and 22 to parapet 60 with fastener 66 with appropriate sealing compound such as butyl rubber . in other respects the embodiment is similar to the foregoing . referring to fig7 , a pitched roof assembly is illustrated in a configuration allowing for hail resistance . building 70 includes parapet 72 and a roof deck 74 . above roof deck 74 is an angled layer of insulation 76 . above the insulation 76 is an absorption / dissipation layer 78 , which in one embodiment is gypsum board . a membrane 22 is lose laid thereover except proximate the parapet 72 where adhesive 80 is placed to maintain membrane 22 in a desirable position during normal operation and configured to fail under shear load in the event of a hailstone impact to allow fold 82 to be “ pulled ” out across the roof assembly . this is similar to foregoing embodiments and does not require further detailed discussion here . it is noted that in this embodiment adhesive 80 is also placed between layers of the membrane 22 . after fold 82 membrane continues onto parapet 72 and is adhesively affixed to membrane section 84 , which itself is adhesively affixed to parapet 72 and to deck 74 in an air sealed manner . in one embodiment , membrane 22 and section 84 are also mechanically affixed to parapet 72 with fastener 86 . in this illustration a further water proofing member 88 , which may be membrane or metallic , or other waterproofing , environment - resisting material is adhesively affixed on the top of parapet 72 and extends down beyond fastener 86 to shed water over the fastener helping to avoid leaks . referring now to fig8 , another alternate embodiment is illustrated . in this embodiment , the structural components of the building are identical and are thus labeled identically . the roof assembly is distinct however . in this embodiment , angled insulation is used as in a foregoing embodiment , however the insulation is specifically configured to receive a fold of membrane 22 . insulation perimeter section 100 is undercut at 102 to leave space for a mechanical fastener 104 fastening a perimetral edge of roof membrane 22 and is installed after the installation of the field section of the roof assembly including insulation 106 , absorption / dissipater board 108 and membrane 22 . as it appears to one of ordinary skill in the art from a review of fig8 , membrane 22 is loose laid over board 108 and insulation 106 similar to foregoing embodiments . at a perimeter edge of field section 110 . membrane 22 is folded on itself as 112 before being fastened to deck 74 with fastener 104 and adhesive 114 . subsequent to such securement , insulation 100 is installed over termination 104 and weighted in place with board 116 insulation 100 and a portion as illustrated of membrane 22 ( and sub assembly ). this board 116 may also be gypsum board . finally , an additional waterproofing material , being membrane or metal or equivalent is adhered to membrane 22 at 118 and to board 116 parapet 72 with adhesive 120 . it will be appreciated from the foregoing discussion that 118 is an adhesive designed to fail under shear such that fold material at 112 can be pulled out onto the roof field in the event of age related shrinkage and / or a hail stone impact to reduce tensile force on the membrane thereby averting a membrane rupture . while preferred embodiments have been shown and described , modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation .	4
referring to the drawings in particular , fig1 schematically shows a longitudinal section of a connection head 1 with a valve means 2 and with an absorber 4 accommodated in a pivotable mount 3 . fig2 schematically illustrates the connection area between the connection head 1 and the absorber 4 . the connection head 1 has a housing 5 with a connection piece 6 for connection to an anesthetic breathing system , not shown more specifically in fig2 ; a guide sleeve 7 , which accommodates the valve means 2 , and an annular locking element 8 within the housing 5 with a release button 9 . the mount 3 , which receives the absorber 4 , has a barb 10 , which snaps into a wall section 11 of the locking element 8 . to connect the absorber 4 to the connection head 1 , the absorber 4 is pushed into the mount 3 and pivoted in the direction of the connection head 1 . reference is made in this connection to the disclosure of de 10 2004 020 133 b3 , which is part of this specification ( and is incorporated by reference and corresponding u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 058 , 624 filed feb . 15 , 2005 , is also hereby incorporated by reference . the absorber 4 has an inner gas duct 12 with an inner valve crater 13 and an outer gas duct 14 arranged concentrically thereto with an outer valve crater 15 . the gas ducts 12 , 14 describe the flow paths through the absorber 4 . the inner gas duct 12 passes within the connection head 1 through the interior space of the valve means 2 , and the outer gas duct 14 in an annular space between the valve means 2 and the guide sleeve 7 . a sealing ring 16 , which has an outer sealing lip 17 directed towards the absorber 4 , and an inner sealing lip 18 , which is in contact with an outer ring section 19 of the valve means 2 , is located on the underside of the guide sleeve 7 . the ring section 19 is located between a first cylindrical wall section 20 of the valve means 2 with the larger cross section and a second cylindrical wall section 21 with a smaller diameter , which latter wall section adjoins same . the wall sections 20 , 21 and the ring section 19 together form a valve housing 201 of the valve means 2 . the inner sealing lip 18 and the ring section 19 form a second sealing area 24 and are designed to interrupt the gas flow in the annular space as a shut - off means when the absorber 4 has been removed from the connection head 1 . the second wall section 21 is provided with an elastomer ring 22 at its free end , which extends in the direction of the absorber 4 . when the absorber 4 is pivoted in the direction of the connection head 1 , the outer sealing lip 17 lies on the outer valve crater ( seat ) 15 and forms a first sealing area 23 . the elastomer ring 22 is located on the inner valve crater 13 in this position of the absorber 4 . a flow valve 31 with a valve body 25 , which is in contact with a sealing lip 26 , is located on the top side of the first wall section 20 of the valve means 2 . the valve body 25 is pressed by a compression spring 27 against the sealing lip 26 . the valve body 25 is in contact with a projection 29 of the housing 5 via spacers 28 . due to the fixation by means of the spacers 28 , the valve body 25 always has a fixed position in relation to the housing 5 . the flow valve 31 opens when the valve housing 201 is displaced in the direction of the spacers 28 . in the position of the absorber 4 shown in fig2 , the path of gas 30 extends via the inner gas duct 12 through the free spaces between the spaces 28 to the outer gas duct 14 . fig3 shows the connection head 1 with the connected absorber 4 . fig4 shows the connection area between the connection head 1 and the absorber 4 corresponding to fig3 in a longitudinal section . identical components are designated by the same reference numbers as in fig1 and 2 . the barb 10 has snapped into the wall section 11 of the spring element 8 in the coupled state . the outer valve crater 15 is in contact with the outer sealing lip 17 . the inner valve crater 13 is located at the elastomer ring 22 and presses the valve housing 201 of the valve means 2 upward against the force of the compression spring 27 . since the valve body 25 is supported at the projection 29 via the spacers 28 and thus remains in its original position , the sealing lip 26 lifts off from the valve body 25 and the flow valve 31 is opened . at the same time , the ring section 19 separates from the inner sealing lip 18 and the second sealing area 24 is opened . the path of gas 30 from the anesthetic breathing system now leads via the opened flow valve 31 in the inner gas duct 12 and to the absorber 4 . the backflow takes place via the outer gas duct 14 , the opened second sealing area 24 and the annular gap between the valve means 2 and the guide sleeve 7 back to the anesthetic breathing system . the outer sealing lip 17 is designed in this embodiment as a lip seal with a large deformation area in order to reduce the sealing forces that must be overcome when the mount 3 is coupled with the connection head 1 and to compensate differences in height in the form of manufacturing tolerances . with the absorbed 4 uncoupled , the sealing ring 16 is pulled off from the guide sleeve 7 downward for cleaning purposes and the valve means 2 can be removed and taken apart for cleaning purposes . no tool is necessary for disassembly . the components of the connection head 1 may be manufactured from plastic according to the injection molding process and can be manufactured at a very low cost as a result . fig5 shows a bottom view of the connection head 1 with the valve means 2 removed and with the bracket 3 removed in view “ a ” according to fig2 . the mount 3 is fastened pivotably in the bushes 32 of the housing 5 . the locking element 8 has spacing elements 33 , which are in contact with a leaf spring 36 , the leaf spring 36 being supported at projections 34 of the housing 5 . fig6 shows the locking element 8 in a perspective view . the locking element 8 comprises a rigid frame 35 , to which the likewise rigid spacing elements 33 are fastened . when pressure is applied to the release button 9 , the frame 35 deforms and the wall section 11 is displaced in the direction of arrow 37 against the spring force of the leaf spring 36 , fig5 . the stroke of the locking element 8 is limited by a contact surface 38 , which is in contact with the housing 5 , fig5 , at maximum deflection . when pressure is applied to the release button 9 , the barb 10 , fig2 , is released . fig7 illustrates the absorber 4 in a perspective view . a guide plate 40 is fastened to the top side of an absorber housing 39 , and guide grooves 41 , 42 arranged opposite each other are provided between the guide plate 40 and the absorber housing 30 . the guide plate 40 has upper positioning grooves 43 , 44 arranged opposite each other in the area of the guide grooves 41 , 42 and lower positioning grooves 45 , 46 extending flush with the upper positioning grooves 43 , 44 . fig8 shows the absorber 4 in the area of the guide plate 40 in a perspective view . identical components are designated by the same reference numbers as in fig7 . fig9 shows the absorber 4 before insertion into the mount 3 of the connection head 1 . the connection head 1 has centering pins 47 , 48 , which are arranged opposite each other and of which only the front centering pin 47 is shown in fig9 . the centering pins 47 , 48 are designed as pins tapering in a wedge - shaped manner towards the free end . to connect the absorber 4 to the mount 3 , the absorber is pushed into the underside 50 of the mount 3 along arrow 49 . the underside 50 is beveled for this inwardly , so that the guide plate 40 is held by the underside 50 . the guide grooves 41 , 42 extend in the area of the centering pins 47 , 48 . fig1 shows the mount 3 with the absorber 4 pushed in . fig1 shows the mount 3 with the absorber 4 inserted , the mount being cut open along the section lines 51 , 52 . the centering pin 47 is located in the area of the upper positioning groove 44 of the guide plate 40 . identical components are designated by the same reference numbers as in fig8 and 9 . the mount 3 is fastened such that it can be pivoted about a pin joint fastened to the connection head 1 . fig1 shows the mount 3 connected to the connection head 1 . the front centering pin 47 is located completely within the upper positioning groove 44 and lies with its tip within the lower positioning groove 46 . the rear centering pin 48 , not shown in fig1 , is located within the rear upper positioning groove 43 and lies with its tip within the lower positioning groove 45 . the free ends of the centering pins 47 , 48 taper in a wedge - shaped manner , and the inner walls of the upper positioning grooves 43 , 44 and of the lower positioning grooves 45 , 46 are designed corresponding thereto , so that the absorber 4 has only a very small clearance in relation to the connection head 1 . while a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention , it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles .	1
the present invention relates to software configured to manage a storage volume . the management software includes a configuration software module and a processing software module . the configuration software module enables a user to generate constrained and unconstrained sub - volumes for storing data . examples of data include , but are not limited to , documents , emails , image files , presentations , and other data files . the processing module analyzes an amount of data to be stored in the sub - volumes and executes predetermined action policies if certain criteria are met with respect to the sub - volumes . fig1 shows a fixed storage volume 10 having an overall storage capacity ( e . g ., 100 megabytes ). within the fixed storage volume 10 are a number of sub - volumes 14 a , 14 b , 14 c ( only three are shown for clarity ) that have a storage capacity ( e . g ., 5 megabytes each ) that is a portion of the overall capacity of the fixed storage volume 10 . any portion of the fixed storage volume 10 that is not designated as a sub - volume 14 is referred to as unallocated capacity 18 . examples of the fixed size storage volume 10 can include , but are not limited to , a hard disk , a removable disk , a server , a flash memory device , a network storage device , and any other device capability of storing data . as used herein , sub - volume refers to a defined portion of the fixed volume . examples of a sub - volume 14 can include , but are not limited to a folder , a partition , and the like . each sub - volume 14 can also have additional sub - volumes 14 therein that divide the storage capacity of sub - volume 14 . said another way , each sub - volume 14 can have nested sub - volumes 14 . during operation , each sub - volume 14 stores data according to the preferences of the user . additionally , the unallocated capacity 18 can store data . the size of each sub - volume 14 is either constrained by the user in accordance with the principles of the invention or left unconstrained . as used herein , constrained refers to the state having a not - to - exceed size for the sub - volume 14 . it should be understood , that the not - to - exceed size of the constrained sub - volume 14 can be dynamically reconfigured as part of the normal operation of the software of the present invention . for example , a sub - volume 14 can be originally configured to have a not - to - exceed size of 5 megabytes . however , during operation the user can dynamically reconfigure the not - to - exceed size to a larger value . fig2 depicts a configuration software module 22 constructed according to principles of the invention . the configuration software module includes an allocater module 26 , a notification module 30 , and an action policy module 34 . the allocater module 26 provides for the creation of sub - volumes 14 and allocates the not - to - exceed size of the sub - volumes 14 . the notification module 30 allows the user to assign a notification policy to each sub - volume 14 . the action policy module 34 allows the user to assign a predefined action policy or a default action policy to each sub - volume 14 . fig3 shows a flow chart depicting an embodiment of the operation of the configuration software module 22 . the user determines ( step 100 ) whether to create a sub - volume 14 within the fixed storage volume 10 . the not - to - exceed size of the sub - volume 14 is either declared ( step 110 ) to limit the capacity of the sub - volume 14 or the sub - volume 14 is configured ( step 120 ) as an unconstrained sub - volume . as used herein , unconstrained sub - volume refers to a sub - volume 14 that does not have an associated not - to - exceed size . as additional data is added to the unconstrained sub - volume , the capacity of the unconstrained sub - volume is increased accordingly . once the not - to - exceed size of the sub - volume 14 is declared , the allocater module 26 determines ( step 130 ) whether the total capacity of any existing constrained sub - volumes , unconstrained sub - volumes , and the newly created sub - volume 14 and the unallocated capacity of the of the fixed storage volume 10 exceeds the capacity of the fixed storage volume 10 . if so , an error message is displayed ( step 140 ) to the user that states that the size of total capacity of the fixed storage volume 10 is exceeded . also , the allocater module 26 determines ( step 150 ) whether the not - to - exceed size exceeds the remaining unallocated capacity of fixed storage volume 10 . when the not - to - exceed size exceeds the remaining unallocated capacity of fixed storage volume 10 , an error message is displayed ( step 140 ) to the user that states that the not - to - exceed size exceeds the size of the remaining unallocated capacity of fixed storage volume 10 . if creation of the new sub - volume 14 does not result in an error , the not - to - exceed size is applied to the sub - volume 14 to create constrained storage volume having a fixed capacity that is equal to the not - to - exceed size . after creating the sub - volume 14 , the user decides ( step 170 ) whether to apply a notification policy to the sub - volume 14 using the notification module 30 . if a notification policy is not desired , then a notification policy is not applied and the process continues to step 210 . to apply a notification policy to the sub - volume 14 , a threshold ( or trigger ) is communicated to the notification module 30 . the threshold is analyzed ( step 190 ) to determine if the threshold exceeds the capacity of the sub - volume 14 . an error is displayed ( step 140 ) to the user if the threshold exceeds the capacity of the sub - volume 14 , otherwise , the threshold is applied ( step 200 ) to the sub - volume 14 . the threshold defines two states for the sub - volume . in the first state , the amount of data stored in the sub - volume 14 does not exceed the threshold , and in the second state the amount of data stored in the sub - volume 14 exceeds the threshold . adding new data to the sub - volume 14 or removing data from the sub - volume 14 can cause a transition between the states of the sub - volume 14 . if a state transition occurs , a notification policy assigned to the sub - volume 14 is executed . the action policy module 34 allows the user to define a predetermined action policy and associate the action policy with the sub - volume 14 . in general , an action policy is a set of commands that perform a specific function to provide a desired result . for example , deleting data until a certain amount of unused capacity is reached . as used herein , a default predetermined action policy refers to an action policy that does not request permission from the user before executing or is assigned by an entity other than the user ( e . g ., a system administrator ). a user defined predetermined action policy allows the user to configure the commands to produce the desired result . the user predefined action policy can operate by requesting permission from the user or the user predefined action policy can operate automatically if configured to do so . the user determines ( step 210 ) whether to apply a default predetermined action policy ( step 220 ) or a user directed predetermined action policy ( step 230 ). fig4 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a processing software module 40 constructed according to principles of the invention . the processing software module 40 includes a determination module 44 , a calculation module 48 , and a triggering module 52 . the determination module 44 is configured for analyzing a sub - volume 14 prior to storing new data therein . functionality provided by the calculation module 48 includes , but is not limited to , determining whether adding data to the sub - volume 14 exceeds the capacity of the sub - volume 14 and whether adding data to the sub - volume 14 exceeds the threshold , if a threshold is associated with the sub - volume 14 . the triggering module 52 provides functionality such as executing the predetermined action policy of the sub - volume 14 , notifying the user of the execution of the predetermined action policy , notifying the user of the determination made by the calculation module , and receiving user input responsive to the notification . fig5 shows a flow chart depicting an embodiment of the operation of the processing software module 40 . initially , the user receives ( step 300 ) new data to store in a sub - volume 14 or begins to transfer existing data into the sub - volume 14 from another storage location . the determination module 44 analyzes ( step 310 ) the sub - volume 14 to determine whether it is constrained or unconstrained , and to determine its capacity . if the sub - volume 14 is constrained , then the capacity of the sub - volume 14 equals the allocated capacity as configured by the configuration software module 22 . if the sub - volume is unconstrained , the capacity equals the capacity of the fixed storage volume 10 less the capacity that is storing existing data . the calculation module 48 calculates ( step 320 ) a total amount of data that will be stored in the sub - volume 14 by adding the amount of the new data to the amount of any preexisting data stored in the sub - volume 14 . the calculation module then compares ( step 330 ) the total amount of data to the capacity of the sub - volume 14 . if the total amount of data exceeds the capacity of the sub - volume 14 , the triggering module 52 executes ( step 340 ) the predetermined action policy associated with sub - volume 14 . one example of a predetermined action policy is deleting data from the sub - volume 14 to generate additional capacity to store the new data on a first - in , first out ( fifo ) basis . that is , the oldest preexisting data of the sub - volume 14 is deleted first . another example of a predetermined action policy is deleting data from the sub - volume 14 on a last - in , first - out ( lifo ) basis . that is , the most recent preexisting data of the sub - volume 14 is deleted from the sub - volume first . another predetermined action policy can be moving preexisting data from the sub - volume 14 to another sub - volume 14 . this can be done on either a fifo or lifo basis . in another example , a predetermined action policy dynamically reconfigures the capacity of the sub - volume 14 . as used herein , dynamic reconfiguration refers to increasing or decreasing the capacity of the sub - volume 14 in real - time . the triggering module may notify ( step 350 ) the user after executing the predetermined action policy . if the calculation module 48 ascertains ( step 330 ) that the total amount of data does not exceed the capacity of the sub - volume 14 , the calculation module 52 then compares ( step 360 ) the total amount of data to the threshold of the sub - volume 14 otherwise the new data is stored in the sub - volume 14 . if the total amount of data exceeds the threshold , the user receives ( step 370 ) notification . in response , the user inputs ( step 380 ) a desired action ( e . g ., acknowledging the threshold will be exceeded ) through a graphical user interface ( not shown ). after execution of the triggering module , the new data is stored ( step 390 ) in the sub - volume 14 . the following description provides one example application of principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention . one use for the present invention is with electronic mail systems , such as hotmail ®, yahoo mail ®, and the like . hotmail provides a user with a fixed size storage volume 10 having an overall capacity of 100 megabytes . the user creates folders ( i . e ., sub - volumes 14 ) that store emails according to subjects as directed by the user . with reference to fig6 , the user is assigned an in - box folder 14 a and a sent folder 14 b by the electronic mail system . using the configuration software module 22 , the user creates a spam folder 14 c and allocates 5 % of the overall capacity of the spam folder 14 c . as a result the capacity of the spam folder 14 c is constrained to a size of 5 megabytes . prior to setting the capacity of the spam folder 14 c , the allocater module 26 checks the requested allocation size of the spam folder 14 c to ensure that the requested capacity does not exceed the overall capacity allowed by the electronic mail system . also , the allocater 26 module ensures that the requested capacity does not exceed the available capacity ( i . e ., the capacity that is not currently storing data or assigned to other constrained sub - volumes 14 ). next , the user interacts with the notification module 30 and chooses not to assign a threshold to the spam folder 14 c . as a result , the user will not be notified when the spam folder 14 c reaches capacity . using the action policy module 34 , the user chooses not to define an action policy for the spam folder 14 c . as a result , a default action policy d is assigned to the spam folder 14 c . in this example , the default action policy d is to delete an email from the respective folder 14 on a fifo basis . as shown , the spam folder 14 c is currently at capacity and therefore any additional received spam email will result in the deletion of the first received spam email presently in the spam folder 14 . next , using the configuration software module 22 , the user creates a shopping folder 14 d to store electronic messages related to the user &# 39 ; s shopping activities . for this folder 14 d , the user allocates 25 % of the 100 megabytes ( i . e ., 25 megabytes ), assigns a threshold of 75 % ( i . e ., 18 . 75 megabytes ), and associates a user defined action policy u . in this example , the user defined action policy u requests an increase in capacity for the shopping folder 14 d . as shown , the amount of email stored in the shopping folder 14 d exceeds the assigned threshold ( i . e ., presently 19 megabytes of email are stored in the shopping folder 14 d ). a request for an increase in the capacity of the shopping folder 14 d may be presented to the user for acceptance or processed automatically without requesting action by the user . the user also creates a banking folder 14 e for storing email related to the user &# 39 ; s banking activities . the user allocates 20 % of the 100 megabytes ( i . e ., 20 megabytes ) as capacity of the banking folder 14 e , assigns a threshold of 75 % ( i . e ., 15 megabytes ), and associates a user defined action policy u . in this example , the user defined action policy u moves the first received email in the folder to another location ( e . g ., a network storage device or forwards the email to another account for archiving ). as shown , 10 megabytes of email stored in the banking folder 14 e does not exceed the threshold . if a new email related to banking is received and has a size greater than 5 megabytes , the user is presented with a notification that the threshold will be exceeded and that an existing email will be moved to another location when the new email is stored in the banking folder 14 d . while the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific preferred embodiments , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims . although described as a method and data file the invention can be embodied as instructions on a computer readable medium ( e . g ., compact disk , dvd , flash memory , and the like ) that is sold and distributed in various commercial channels . also , the instructions contained on the computer readable medium can be downloaded across a network ( e . g ., internet ). additionally , the invention can be embodied as a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for managing a storage volume .	6
fig1 illustrates the system configuration of the laser according to the present invention . in this figure , reference numeral 101 indicates a microchip laser source , illustrated in greater detail in fig2 and 2 ( a ). it should be noted that , as used herein , the term “ micro chip laser ” refers to a laser of small device size , where at least some of the components , such as the gain medium and the end mirror , are monolithic . in this specification , the terms “ microchip laser ” and “ microlaser ” are used interchangeably to refer to a laser having these characteristics . as described in detail below , the micro chip laser 101 according to the invention is an actively q - switched laser which is typically diode pumped . in order to achieve excitation of only the fundamental mode in a multimode - core fiber amplifier , the beam waist ω input of a mode coupled into the amplifier from a microchip laser has to approximately match the beam waist ω mode of this fundamental mode : ω input ≈ ω mode . note , that for the step - index fiber ω mode = 0 . 7 r core , where r core is the radius of a fiber core . therefore , the output of the microchip laser 101 has to be directed into the fiber amplifier input ( fig4 ) through properly designed mode - matching optics 102 . the essential function of this mode - matching optical arrangement is to transform the mode size of an optical beam at the output of a microchip laser ω output into the proper beam size ω input at the input of the fiber amplifier . this imaging function can be achieved by a variety of optical arrangements , one example of which is schematically represented in fig1 . note that the focusing lens in this arrangement is also used to focus the pump light from a laser diode , and that it is essential for our invention to achieve focusing of these two input beams at two different planes , as described below . the inventors have determined experimentally that limitations on the maximum extractable energies in a fiber amplifier originate from a number of effects , two significant ones being the raman gain and surface damage at the input and output facets of the fiber core . the optical damage threshold at the surface of a glass is characterized by the optical intensity i th damage of an optical beam at this surface . generally , this threshold intensity is determined by the type of material used and by its surface quality . it also depends on the duration of the pulse and average power ( repetition rate ) of the pulse train . as is known , the threshold intensity for optical damage in the nanosecond range decreases as the reciprocal of the square root of the laser temporal pulsewidth : i th damage ∝ 1 /√ t pulse . the inventors have demonstrated that the optical surface damage threshold can be significantly increased by using a beam expansion technique , as shown schematically in fig4 and in greater detail in fig4 a . here , the fiber - end is bonded to a buffer of the same material as the fiber . at the end surface , the optical beam will be expanded to ω expanded according to : ω expanded = ω mode √{ square root over (( 1 + 2 l / ω mode 2 k ))} here , k = 2πn / λ , n is the glass refractive index , λ is the wavelength of the amplified signal and l is the thickness of the buffer . it is critical that the quality of the bond between the surfaces of the fiber and the buffer be sufficiently high to eliminate any optical interface , and , thus , to eliminate surface damage at this surface . various known bonding techniques can be used to achieve this quality . in the present case , a silica - glass rod of the same diameter as the outer diameter of the pump - cladding was spliced to the end of the fiber . the maximum improvement η of the damage threshold is determined by the square of the ratio between the radius of the buffer rod r buffer and the size of the core mode ω mode : η =( r buffer / ω mode ) 2 . in the case of a 50 micron core and a 300 micron buffer pigtail as used in our experimental configuration the improvement was found to be ˜ 70 times . such buffer - pigtail protection is required for both input and output ends of an amplifier . in the case signal and pump beams are entering the same end of a fiber ( copropagating configuration ) the incoming laser beam has to be focused on the end of the fiber , as shown in fig4 a , inside the bonded buffer , where there is no interface . if the bonded buffer is a coreless rod of the same diameter as fiber - amplifier inner cladding ( pump cladding ), as shown in fig4 a , the pump beam should be focused at the entrance facet of this silica rod . note , that generally this buffer can be a slab with transverse dimension much larger than the pump cladding . in this case pump beam could be directly focused into the pump cladding . in the case side pumping is used via a v - groove or a fiber pigtail the corresponding element can be either placed directly in the fiber amplifier after the buffer bonding point , or ( if a silica rod is used as a buffer ) in this coreless pigtail . the raman effect causes the spectrum of the amplified pulse to shift towards the longer wavelengths and outside the amplification bandwidth of the yb - fiber amplifier . raman effect onset is characterized by a threshold intensity i th raman in the fiber core which , as is known in the prior art , is inversely proportional to the effective propagation length l eff of an amplified pulse and the raman gain coefficient : i th raman ∝ 1 / l eff g raman . since the raman gain coefficient is determined by the fiber glass properties , in order to maximize extractable peak powers and , hence , pulse energies , one has to increase the core size and decrease the interaction length . the interaction length can be reduced by using fibers with high doping level which lowers the fiber length , propagating amplified pulses opposite to the direction of the pump beam which lowers the pulse energy until the end of the fiber where the gain will be higher . also , use of multimode large core fibers in the double clad configuration facilitates pump absorption and allows shorter amplifier lengths . it is important to note that for certain applications the presence of strong raman components in the amplified pulses does not reduce the usability of these pulses . one example is laser marking . the inventors demonstrated experimentally that surface marking is not sensitive to the raman spectral shift and there is no degradation in the marking quality even for pulses with only a small fraction of the total energy in non - raman shifted spectral components . in one specific example , this allowed use of ˜ 150 μj of total pulse energy vs ˜ 40 μj that was available without raman shifting . thus , for this type of application significantly higher energies are available from this particular fiber amplifier . however , many applications are sensitive to the presence of the raman shift . for example , when wavelength shift is required prior to end use , via second - harmonic or other frequency conversion methods , the raman component would significantly reduce the efficiency of this conversion and would produce large amplitude fluctuations . for such applications , a number of existing techniques currently employed in fiber telecommunication systems ( see , ofc &# 39 ; 95 tutorial session ) could be used for raman - effect reduction in the fiber amplifiers , in addition to the methods described in this invention for optimizing fiber amplifiers in order to minimize their susceptibility to raman effect . the fiber amplifier 103 is a yb - doped large - core cladding - pumped fiber amplifier . the core diameter of this fiber is approximately 10 micrometers - 1 mm in diameter and thus is a true multimode fiber . however , this multimode fiber performs single mode amplification using the techniques described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 818 , 630 , herewith incorporated by reference . reference numeral 104 illustrates the pump for the yb multimode fiber laser . the pump is advantageously configured as a side - pumping broad area laser diode , the details of which are well known in the art . the yb fiber amplifier can transform the pump power into an optical output with an extremely high efficiency of 90 %. in addition , the multimode yb amplifier fiber produces an output which is higher by more than an order of magnitude over that obtainable with a corresponding conventional single mode fiber amplifier . the combination of extremely high efficiency and high gain allows the source microchip laser to operate in a relatively low energy , higher efficiency regime with little input power . fig2 and 2 ( a ) illustrate two preferred embodiments of the micro - laser or microchip laser used according to the invention . these devices are extremely compact , simple , inexpensive and have low power requirements , yet produce extremely short high peak power pulses . according to the invention , the microlasers employed are diode pumped lasers which are actively q - switched . a primary advantage of these miniature lasers is that they readily provide output laser pulses of very short duration as a consequence of their short laser cavities . active q - switching gives good control over the repetition rate and the number of pulses delivered at a time , which is useful in marking and micromachining applications . the microchip laser is a solid - state device designed to provide nanosecond laser pulses at 1064 nm wavelength . diode pumping enables high pump - to - laser efficiency , compact design , and reduced thermal problems in the gain material . the cavity is designed to provide the shortest possible pulse duration achievable with active q - switching with moderate ( 3 micro j ) pulse energy . two representative laser cavity designs are shown in the figures . the gain material is nd doped yttrium orthovanadate ( nd : yvo 4 ) at 1 % doping level . it is cut and oriented in a way ( a - cut ) to provide maximum absorption at the pump wavelength . in addition , the crystal is wedge shaped in fig2 a , which allows the laser to operate only in one linear polarization . the crystal is pumped longitudinally through its coated dichroic dielectric mirror surface 201 . the pump laser 203 is a 100 micron wide laser diode with 1 watt cw pump power . the coating 201 provides passage of pump light at 808 nm and reflection of laser light at 1064 nm . this surface acts also as a laser cavity mirror . the laser has a flat output coupler . some thermal focusing in the cavity tends to stabilize the laser cavity mode , but it is basically an unstable resonator . a pockels cell 207 and a quarter - wave plate 209 inside the cavity form an electro - optic q - switch . the pockels cell is made of linbo 3 , in the transversal field configuration . the pockels cell at the off state has zero retardation . the quarter - wave plate provides a static half wave retardation of light in a round trip , which means changing the polarization of light inside the cavity . this opposite polarization is then deflected out of the cavity ( fig2 a ) by the wedge shaped gain material acting as a polarizer , or a polarizer is placed inside the cavity ( fig2 ). the laser is in the static off state with the voltage off at the pockels cell . when the gain material is pumped continuously , the pump energy is stored in the gain material for approximately 100 microseconds , the fluorescence lifetime of the gain material . to q - switch the laser , a fast , 2 . 5 ns rise time high voltage pulse ( 1200 v ) is applied to the pockels cell . the voltage on the pockels cell introduces a quarter - wave retardation , which compensates the retardation of the wave plate . the intra - cavity laser field then builds up unimpeded until it finally reaches saturation by depleting the gain . the laser pulse leaves the cavity through the output coupler 211 , which has 70 % reflectivity and 30 % transmission . the resulting laser pulse has 750 ps pulse duration and 3 micro j energy ( fig3 ). a solid - state driving electronics circuit provides the fast , high voltage switching pulses for the pockels cell with a repetition rate up to 15 khz . to operate the laser as a cw source a static voltage can be applied to the pockels cell . single longitudinal mode operation is often desired in lasers . besides the favorable spectral properties to the laser , single - mode operation reduces the timing jitter . in single longitudinal mode operation there is no mode competition and gain cross - saturation between modes . as a result , the uncertainty of the turn - on time of the laser relative to the trigger pulse , the jitter , is reduced . timing jitter of less than 100 ps is obtained when the laser operates in single mode . the laser cavity is designed for single - longitudinal - mode operation . for long term stability it is particularly important that the laser cavity is stabilized against temperature induced changes . the cavity is designed so that temperature induced effects do not cause mode - hopping in the laser . the mechanical and optical construction of the laser is such that the thermal expansion of the base whereon the laser in mounted compensates for the thermal effects in the materials . in addition to thermal expansion , further consideration was given to high thermal conductivity and good electrical and mechanical properties of the base material , which enables temperature stabilization of the components . because the length of the resonator is approximately 8 mm , the laser can support 4 to 6 longitudinal modes at this cavity length . to achieve single mode operation we employed a resonant reflector etalon output coupler . the use of an resonant reflector etalon to maintain single mode operation is described in koechner pp . 242 - 244 . the output coupler is a solid fabry - perot etalon working in the reflection mode . its reflectivity r is modulated as a function of wavelength . the maximum value of reflectivity occurs at the resonant wavelengths given by where δ etalon the phase difference between interfering optical beams in the etalon at consecutive reflections m is a half integer number ( m = ½ , 3 / 2 , 5 / 2 , . . . ). on the other hand , resonant wavelengths of the laser cavity are determined by the total optical phase difference between beams of consecutive reflections inside the cavity , δ cav , the summation takes into account all the optical materials ; gain material , pockels cell , polarizer and quarter - waveplate material and air with their respective optical thickness n i l i . the resonant condition for the cavity is where n is an integer value ( n = 1 , 2 , 3 , . . . ). lasing occurs essentially when the resonant wavelength of the output coupler etalon coincides with the resonant wavelength of the laser resonator cavity . this is given by simultaneous satisfaction of the above half - integer and integer conditions for m and n respectively . the number of allowable modes under the gain profile can be restricted to 1 by proper choice of the output coupler etalon . in our embodiment of the microlaser a single uncoated linbo 3 plate of 1 mm thickness provides sufficient mode selectivity to allow the laser to operate in a single longitudinal mode . the resonance conditions ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) are temperature dependent , since the thermal expansion and the thermal change of the refractive index changes the optical path - length in the laser cavity and in the resonant reflector output coupler . these effects combine to shift the resonance peaks of the resonant reflector and the laser cavity . we have a limited choice of the optical materials from which the laser is constructed . their thermal expansion constants and thermal induced refractive index coefficients determine the thermal change of resonance conditions , which in general results in a mismatch of resonances ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) as the temperature changes and causes mode hopping of the laser . the thermal expansion of the base on which the laser is constructed also contributes to the change of the wavelength of the laser . we have a rather free choice of the base material . by using aluminum nitride ceramic as the laser base we achieved that the thermal shift of the laser wavelength was matched to the thermal shift of the resonance condition of the resonant reflector output coupler and mode hopping has not occurred within a 4 degree c . temperature interval . temperature stabilization of the laser cavity within 1 degree c . resulted in continuous single longitudinal mode operation of the laser . an alternative source may be a passively q - switched microchip laser , which can be very inexpensive and may be preferred in some cases for this reason . the primary reason to use a miniature source is to keep the laser cavity short which reduces the pulse width of the laser . the miniature laser is coupled to a doped fiber gain medium . in the invention this medium is a yb : fiber . in order to reach higher peak powers , the invention utilizes a multi - mode fiber to propagate single mode pulses as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 818 , 630 . as described above a mode converter is used to convert the single mode input to excite the fundamental mode of the multimode fiber . the mode converter 102 used in this case is a combination of lenses which mode - matches the output of the microchip laser to the beam diameter for single mode excitation of the multimode fiber . in addition to the lenses for mode - conversion , gain guiding in the yb : fiber can be used to relax the tolerances on mode matching . without gain in the yb fiber , robust fundamental - mode excitation becomes increasingly difficult to achieve for the increasing core size of a fiber amplifier . we found experimentally that it is particularly advantageous to employ specially designed fibers in which yb - doping in the center of the core has a significantly smaller diameter than the core itself . in this case , the fundamental mode light experiences significantly higher gain than multimode light . in our experimental configuration , we used 50 μm diameter core with 25 μm diameter doped region in the center , which exhibited a significantly more robust performance compared to 25 μm homogeneously doped core . besides relaxing the alignment tolerances , the beam parameters of the source are also relaxed . as the microchip laser may not have a perfect diffraction limited beam output , gain guiding can be used to correct for this . also , gain guiding can correct the distortion expected from digiovanni pump couplers . the yb fiber in this example had a 300 μm outer diameter and a 50 μm core . the use of relatively small cladding / core area ratios enabled by double - clad fibers , together with a large multi - mode core , allows for the efficient absorption of the pump with , for example , a gear - shape cladding cross section . the resultant yb amplifier can be as short as 1 . 5 m long , as compared to 5 - 40 m which would be required of a typical single mode yb amplifier . another advantage of this optical source is the ease of adding a multimode fiber delivery system which propagates a single - mode . in many applications fiber delivery is very important , such as in surgery , dentistry and marking in confined spaces . an example of marking in confined spaces is the marking of assembled automotive or other parts for antitheft purposes . an additional advantage of the shorter pulse is that nonlinear processes for frequency conversion are more efficient with the higher peak powers which come from shorter pulses with similar energies . for certain applications where wavelength conversion is necessary , for example in uv - range radiation for via hole drilling , the output of the laser must be frequency tripled to create the uv radiation . this source , could , for example , replace frequency tripled q - switched nd : yag lasers and eximer lasers for this application . another application where frequency conversion is important is dentistry . for example , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 720 , 894 , it is described that uv radiation performs relatively damage free material removal by hard tissue ablation primarily due to the stronger absorption of that wavelength regime . three preferred wavelengths for applications in medicine and dentistry are 2 . 1 μm , 2 . 9 μm and 1 . 55 μm . like uv radiation , the preference is due to the strong absorption coefficient of biological tissues at these wavelengths . the most straight forward means for generating 1 . 55 μm radiation is to use a laser source which emits at 1 . 55 μm and a doped fiber which amplifies 1 . 55 μm radiation . a microchip laser which emits 1 . 55 μm radiation is known , and described in thony et al . it is well known that erbium fiber amplifies 1 . 5 μm radiation . an alternative source could be a compact erbium doped waveguide laser as described in ; h . suche , t . oesselke , j . pandavenes , r . ricken , k . rochhausen , w . sohler , s . balsamo , i . montrosset , and k . k . wong “ efficient q - switched ti ; er : linbo 3 waveguide laser ”, electron . lett ., vol . 34 , no . 12 , 11th jun . 1998 , pp 1228 - 1230 . another alternative is to use a laser source which emits a different wavelength , such as that of the invention , and use a frequency conversion step to generate the 1 . 5 μm radiation . examples of a nonlinear conversion step at the output include doubling , tripling , quadrupling , raman shift , opo , opa or opg . to generate 1 . 55 μm radiation , converting a 1 . 06 source in a ppln opg is quite convenient . in order to generate other wavelengths such as 2 . 1 and 2 . 9 μm similar methods can be applied to this laser concept . the multimode amplifier of the invention can also amplify a cw source or operate as a cw source . for example , a marking laser often has the option of being operated in a cw mode for generating more of a heat type mark . for the design of high - power cw lasers the use of mm fibers is advantageous as the reduced cladding / core area ratio reduces the absorption length in such structures . for very high cw laser powers , nonlinear effects can indeed occur and thus mm fibers can be used for the construction of compact ultra - high power cw fiber lasers . the mm fibers can then be effectively used for the pumping of fiber raman amplifiers or for the construction of raman lasers operating at wavelength regions shifted away from the gain band of the doped fibers . as previously indicated , a number of major advantages are achieved according to the invention by employing the combination of a q - switched microchip laser and a yb : fiber amplifier . because of the efficiency and gain of the yb fiber amplifier , the output power of the microchip laser need not be large . the peak power of this amplifier is limited by nonlinear effects in the fiber and by the optical damage thresholds primarily at the fiber ends . the delivery fiber may be a simple multimode undoped fiber spliced to the end of the amplifier fiber , or the amplifier 103 can itself constitute the fiber delivery system . thus , a simple , inexpensive laser system suitable for a wide variety of applications can be efficiently produced .	7
[ 0013 ] fig1 shows a general block diagram , comprising an integrated circuit , hybrid circuit or trimmable card 10 , containing circuitry 12 using trimming . a shift register circuit 14 allows the serial input of data 16 describing trim bit values . however , input of data 16 may be , just as well , parallel and / or mixed ( serial and / or parallel ). since it is usually more convenient to use a single input port or pad for data entry , shift register circuit 14 is employed to accomplish serial to parallel conversion of data 16 , by shifting it serially from one bit to the next . this happens at alternate clock cycles in most cases in which a bistable circuit is employed to construct shift register circuit 14 . thus , a trim bit word can be sent to the circuit 10 , and its effect on circuit performance and / or circuit parameters can be evaluated . a clock signal 18 is employed by the shift register circuit 14 . shift register circuit 14 also facilitates the use of trim in two distinct modes of operation , hereinafter referred to as the online mode and the offline mode . the online mode of operation is characterized by the fact that the trim bit signals , typically high or low voltages that are near the upper rail voltage and ground , respectively , are determined exclusively by the data 16 . that is , the trim bit combination in effect , is the one sent to the circuit 10 from outside . consequently , this trim bit combination can be changed at will , experimented with , and evaluated as to its effect on the trim circuit . in the diagram of fig1 trim bit lines are represented by the lines 20 , in various numbers , between the shift register circuit 14 and a plurality of functional circuit blocks 22 to be trimmed . a very important consequence is that all available trim combinations can be evaluated in a fully determinative fashion , without the need for guesswork . thus the present method can always identify the optimum trim bit sequence available for each individual die , circuit or card , independent from process and / or component variations . it also facilitates a determination of the optimum trim bit sequence for whatever hardware is implemented , taking full advantage of the embedded structure and obtaining maximum performance available from that hardware . this online mode of operation usually employs an ate machine to vary the trim bit sequence , apply it to the device under test ( dut ) and evaluate its impact on the parameter that is targeted for trimming . because all of these measurements are electrical , they can be performed quickly , so little time is consumed for this purpose . since ate machine test time cost often exceeds the actual die cost , minimizing the test time is very important for many circuits . the same consideration applies to hybrid circuits , assembled boards , etc . another important consideration , regardless of the type of test equipment used in the procedure ( ate , manual , etc . ), is the fact that all of these measurements and evaluations are performed without physically altering any of the trim elements ; these measurements can be performed multiple times , as they preserve the circuit “ virgin ” state , all its trim elements being left intact ( not programmed ). the data collected during this online phase of the trim procedure , such as die location ( in the case of integrated circuits ) and optimum trim bit sequence , as determined for each circuit , is stored in a data base , as it is commonly done in the vast majority of situations involving the use of an ate machine . in the case of integrated circuits , the database is often called a wafer map . the offline mode of operation is characterized by the fact that trim bit signals are determined exclusively by the status of the permanent ( or irreversible ) trim elements , such as fuses , diodes , non - volatile memory cells , etc ., included within the shift register circuit 14 . in the offline mode operation , the shift register section of the circuit 14 and all related circuitry have no effect on trim bit values . trim bit values are determined exclusively by the status of the trim elements themselves . the actual trimming , performed by adjusting the trim elements for each circuit or die , in accordance with the optimum trim bit sequence determined in the online mode of operation , takes place offline — since there is nothing to be measured in the actual trimming phase , costly use of an ate machine is not required for this phase of the trimming procedure . the appropriate trim bit sequence is associated with each circuit and / or die , using the database ( wafer map in the case of integrated circuits ) generated during the online mode of operation described above . performing the trimming offline is particularly important from a cost standpoint , as this is a relatively slow procedure , due to the need for mechanical and / or optical tool positioning . shift register circuit 14 includes provisions to allow the permanent disabling of the online mode of operation and the permanent enabling of the offline mode of operation , which occurs after the optimum trim bit sequence has been determined . referring now to the circuit diagram of fig2 device m 2 acts as a controlled current source such that when a signal nbt is present ( on ), device m 2 is a current mirror , and when signal nbt is not present ( off ), device m 2 is also off a device m 1 acts as a simple switch , controlled by a signal t , such that when signal t is low , device m 1 is on , and when signal t is high , device m 1 is off . the circuit of fig2 has two modes of operation , in the first of which both devices m 1 and m 2 are off . in this mode of operation , called online , the upper terminal of a fuse rf is open , so that it has no impact on the voltage present at a trim node . since device m 2 is off , it does not affect the voltage at the trim node . at the same time , signals t and its complement , tn , serve to turn on a pair of transmission gates tg 1 and tg 2 . as a result , the voltage at the trim node is determined exclusively by the output q of a d - latch flip - flop d . in the second mode of operation of the circuit of fig2 called offline , both devices m 1 and m 2 are on . in this mode , signals t and tn turn off transmission gates tg 1 and tg 2 , thus preventing the d - latch flip - flop d from having any effect on the voltage at the trim node . signal t turns on device m 1 , thereby connecting the upper terminal of the fuse rf to the power supply rail vdd . at the same time , signal nbt causes device m 2 to act as a current mirror . consequently , in the offline mode of operation , the voltage at the trim node is determined by the status of the fuse rf , which is connected between the power supply vdd and the trim node . if fuse rf is intact , the voltage at the trim node is high , because the voltage drop across switch m 1 and the voltage drop generated by the current in device m 2 , across the fuse rf , are both very small . if fuse rf is cut ( blown ), device m 2 goes into saturation , and the voltage at the trim node becomes low . [ 0021 ] fig3 shows an example of a trim control circuit that may be employed with the single fuse trim circuit of fig2 . the trim control circuit takes care of the bias , power supply and various other signals sent to the shift register circuitry 14 of fig1 . in the online mode of operation ( the first mode of operation described above ), fuses rft and rfd are both intact . device m 1 operates as a current mirror , signal t is high and signal tn is low . at the same time , signal nbt is low . signals t and tn control transmission gates tg 1 and tg 2 of fig2 . signal t also controls device m 1 of fig2 while signal nbt controls device m 2 of fig2 . after the trimming process is completed , fuses rft and rfd are cut . when fuse rft is cut , device m 1 goes into saturation , and an inverter , comprising devices m 2 and m 3 , forces signal t low . another inverter , comprising devices m 4 and m 5 , forces signal tn high . this turns off transmission gates tg 1 and tg 2 of fig2 . with signal t low , device m 6 of fig3 turns off , allowing signal nbt to rise to a voltage dictated by a device m 8 acting as a current reference , thereby turning on device m 2 of fig2 . the voltage to which signal nbt rises , is determined by the current injected by a device m 7 into a diode connected device m 8 . fuse rfd is cut in order to remove a bias voltage vcg from a clock generator module . this action is supplementary to turning off the transmission gates tg 1 and tg 2 . in addition , clock generator power supply line vcg of fig3 is grounded by a device m 9 . referring now to fig4 there is shown an example of a circuit that employs two fuses , rfxa and rfxb , around the d - latch flip - flop associated with each trim bit . the advantage of the circuit of fig4 is that it consumes no current after trimming is performed . this is unlike the circuit of fig2 which will continue to consume current after trimming is completed , for the case in which the fuse rf is not cut , due to the current flow in device m 2 , as the result of the trim bit being set to high . on the other hand , the disadvantage of the circuit of fig4 is the need to employ two fuses for each trim bit and the need to always trim a fuse , regardless of whether the final state of the trim bit is high or low . [ 0024 ] fig5 shows an example of a detailed schematic diagram of a d - latch flip - flop circuit , using two non - overlapping clock signals , that may be employed to implement each of the d - latch flip - flop blocks , d 1 - d 4 , of fig4 . the two non - overlapping clock signals are labeled cl and ck in fig4 - 6 . their complements are cln and ckn , respectively . terminals outa and outb for the circuit of fig5 are connected to the set of fuses rfxa and rfxb of fig4 . the online mode of operation of the circuit of fig5 is determined by a signal nvn being high . signal nvn is the complement of a non - volatile signal nv . signal nvn going high turns off a pair of devices m 11 and m 13 . in this mode , the output voltage at terminals outa and outb ( fig4 and fig5 ) is determined exclusively by the state of the d - latch flip - flop of fig5 . the offline mode of operation of the circuit of fig5 is entered when the nvn signal goes low . in this mode of operation , devices m 11 and m 13 are both on , and device m 18 is off , thereby causing nearly the full power supply voltage vdd to appear at output terminal outa . in this mode of operation , device m 12 is also turned on , thereby causing the voltage at output terminal outb to be near ground voltage . this offline mode of operation of the circuit of fig5 is in effect after trimming is completed , so the trim bit status for each bit is determined exclusively by which of the two fuses — rfxa or rfxb — is cut . referring now to fig6 there is shown a detailed schematic diagram of a circuit that may be employed for generating , from an input clock signal clk , the two non - overlapping clock signals cl and ck , as well as their complements , cln and ckn , that are required for the operation of the d - latch flip - flop circuit shown in fig5 the circuit of fig6 also serves to generate the signal nvn that is applied to the d - latch flip - flop circuit shown in fig5 . after all of the trim bits are set to their desired values , a fuse rnv of fig6 is cut , thus forcing signal nvn low , due to the saturation of a device m 1 of fig6 which cannot sink a mirrored current , determined by the current reference represented by a device m 2 . [ 0028 ] fig7 a shows an example of a circuit that uses trimming to adjust a parameter — in this case , the amount of current injected into the bottom node ( wire ) of the schematic . this current is marked itrim in the schematic . the circuit in fig7 a can be a part of or one of the functional blocks 22 of fig1 . five trim bit signals , tr 1 through tr 5 in fig7 a , are applied to a series of five devices , m 11 through m 15 , acting as switches . devices in the top row , m 1 through m 5 , are five current mirrors , with weighed current mirror ratios . when the gate node common to the current mirrors , m 1 through m 5 , is properly biased by a current reference device , for instance , the current mirrors inject current in the bottom node ( wire ) of the schematic diagram , depending on the status of the switch devices m 11 through m 15 . for example , if tr 3 voltage is high , then switch m 13 is off , hence , the current source in series with it , m 3 , will not inject any current in the bottom node ( wire ) of the schematic . various combinations of open and closed switches allow control of the amount of current injected — by current sources m 1 through m 5 — into the bottom node ( wire ) of the schematic shown in fig7 a , thus trimming the value of the itrim current . trim bit values tr 1 through tr 5 control m 11 through m 15 switches status , in fig7 a . [ 0029 ] fig7 b shows an example of using trimming to adjust component values in a circuit . fig7 b shows a section of a voltage divider resistor string . the circuit in fig7 b can be a part of one of the functional blocks 22 of fig1 . switches m 1 through m 5 are controlled by trim bit signals tr 1 through tr 5 . a high trim bit value will turn on its corresponding switch . when a switch is on , it will shunt the resistor encompassed by its drain and source terminals . the rdson of the switch is much less than the resistance of the resistor it shunts , so , from a practical standpoint , that segment is shorted out of the string of resistors . while the rdson of the switch can be taken into account , it can be approximated with an ideal short circuit if its value is much smaller than the least significant “ bit ” adjustment that the resistor string provides . the least significant bit adjustment is the smallest of all resistor segments , with shunt switches across , which are part of the resistive voltage divider ( including r 1 , r 2 , r 3 r 4 , r 5 ), even if not represented in fig7 b .	6
the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure , application , or uses . with reference to fig1 , a portion of an automatic transmission incorporating the present invention is illustrated and generally designated by the reference number 10 . the automatic transmission 10 includes a housing 12 , a portion of which is illustrated in fig1 . the housing 12 encases and protects various components of the automatic transmission 10 such as a vane pump housing 14 and a drive shaft 16 which is supported in the vane pump housing 14 . a front plate 18 , retained by suitable fasteners such as bolts 19 , closes off the front of the vane pump housing 14 . the drive shaft 16 drives a vane pump 20 incorporating the present invention . the vane pump 20 draws hydraulic fluid or oil from a sump ( not illustrated ) within the transmission housing 12 and provides such hydraulic fluid or oil under pressure to the various control circuits and devices ( not illustrated ) of the automatic transmission 10 as well as to the bearings , clutches and brakes ( also not illustrated ) to lubricate and cool them . referring now to fig2 , the vane pump 20 includes , as noted , a housing 14 which includes an elliptical or oval pump cavity 22 defined by an elliptical or oval wall 24 . it should be appreciated that wall profiles other than elliptical or oval may also be utilized . centrally disposed for rotation within the pump cavity 22 is a hollow cylindrical pump rotor 26 . the pump cavity 22 is thus defined by the outer surface of the pump rotor 26 and the elliptical or oval wall 24 and therefore takes the shape of two opposed and symmetrical arcuate or crescent like first and second pumping chambers 28 a and 28 b . adjacent the two regions where the first and second pumping chambers 28 a and 28 b are the narrowest , are disposed a plurality of ports which provide fluid communication into and out of the chambers 28 a and 28 b . for purposes of explanation , it will be assumed that the pump rotor 26 rotates clockwise as viewed in fig2 . so driven , a first inlet port 32 a provides hydraulic fluid or oil to the first pumping chamber 28 a and a first outlet port 34 a exhausts the pressurized hydraulic fluid or oil from the first pumping chamber 28 a . likewise , a second inlet port 32 b provides hydraulic fluid or oil into the second pumping chamber 28 b and a second outlet port 34 b exhausts the pressurized hydraulic fluid or oil from the second pumping chamber 28 b . rotation of the pump rotor 26 in the opposite direction , i . e ., counter - clockwise when viewed in fig2 , will reverse the function and thus the designation of the inlet ports 332 a and 32 b and the outlet ports 34 a and 34 b as those familiar with vane pumps will readily appreciate . the pump rotor 26 includes a plurality of , but preferably four as illustrated , equally circumferentially spaced axially extending and radially oriented slots 36 which each receive one of a like plurality of pump vanes 40 . it will be appreciated the more or fewer slots 36 and pump vanes 40 may be utilized depending upon the design criteria of the vane pump 20 . any pressure generated by the vane pump 20 is routed by a passageway ( not illustrated ) to the center of the pump 20 to drive the pump vanes 40 radially outwardly to aid sealing . as the pump rotor 26 rotates , the pump vanes 40 slide radially in and out and contact the elliptical or oval wall 24 of the pump cavity 22 due to the centrifugal force and the centerline pressure generated by rotation of the rotor 26 . clearly , in order for the vane pump 20 to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid or oil , a reasonably good seal must be maintained between the outer edges of the pump vanes 40 and the elliptical or oval wall 24 of the pump cavity 22 . when the pump rotor 26 is rotating relatively rapidly , the necessary seal quality is achieved by centrifugal force and centerline pressure . at low speeds , pump efficiency may drop due to reduced centrifugal force and increased leakage . a worst case scenario is the startup of an unprimed pump . if sufficient suction cannot be generated in spite of the lack of oil or fluid , reduced operating speed , reduced centrifugal force and thus reduced seal quality , the vane pump may take an undesirably long time to prime . referring now to fig2 , 3 and 4 , the pump rotor 26 is , as noted , hollow and includes a stepped , inner wall 44 having a first , smaller diameter shoulder 46 adjacent the mid - point of its axial length . the shoulder receives and supports a nominally circular spring 50 , i . e ., a spring which is circular in its relaxed state . the spring 50 may be a garter spring or it may be an annulus of a resilient material such as an elastomer , e . g ., rubber or neoprene . in fact , any suitably rugged and durable material or spring configuration capable of providing a radially outward biasing force to the pump vanes 40 is suitable . preferably , the spring 50 is located axially so that it engages the axial midpoint of the pump vanes 40 in order to bias and maintain them parallel to the elliptical or oval wall 24 of the pump cavity 22 . referring now to fig4 and 5 , the spring 50 is retained in position on the shoulder 46 of the inner wall 44 and in contact with the inner edges of the pump vanes 40 by a disc or collar 52 . the disc or collar 52 includes a plurality of , preferably four as illustrated , narrow slits 54 which accept and provide clearance for each of the pump vanes 40 as they reciprocate in the pump rotor 26 . the disc or collar 52 will include a number of slits 54 at least equal to the number of pump vanes 40 and the slits 54 will be arranged similarly in order to provide clearance for the pump vanes 40 . the disc or collar 52 is preferably a circular , relatively thick metal disc which has an outside diameter just slightly larger than the larger diameter portion of the stepped inner wall 44 of the pump rotor 26 such that it may be pressed in place to bottom out on a second , larger diameter shoulder 56 . thus it will be appreciated that a vane pump 20 including a spring 50 according to the present invention exhibits improved seal quality both when the pump is not primed and when it is operating at low speeds due to the radially outwardly directed force imposed on the pump vanes 40 by the spring 50 which maintains them in close contact with the elliptical or oval wall 24 of the pump cavity 22 . the description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention .	5
please refer to fig1 the structure of the neural - fuzzy classifier of the present invention for handwriting recognition is illustrated , which comprises an extraction unit 10 , a membership function generator 19 , a clock generator and logic controller 13 , a column decoder 14 , an i / o circuit 18 , and k - wta circuit 17 , wherein the i / o circuit 18 , and k - wta circuit 17 have 11 ports . the extraction unit 10 further comprises a ccd extractor 11 and a compression unit 12 , wherein the ccd extractor is 24 bits . the membership function generator 19 further comprises a 10 × 10 programmable membership function generator ( mfg ) array 15 , and a si integrator 16 , wherein the si integrator 16 has 10 switches . in the membership function generator 19 , the weighted - sum synthetic membership function used is shown in equation ( 2 ): [ 0028 ] μ  ( x ) = ∑ j = 1 j  w i   j  ∑ k = 1 k  m j   k . x  x   μ i   j   k  ( m k ) where i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n is the index of class number , j is the number of feature groups , w ij is the weight of the j th groups feature belonging to the i th class , k is the length of each group feature codes , m jk . x is the input feature code and μ ijk ( m ij ) is the membership of feature code m i belonging to the i th class . for the present invention , n = 10 , j = 8 , and k = 10 are used in the preferred embodiment . en is an enable signal for enabling mfg array 15 via i / o circuit 18 to control the operation of the classifier . the logic operations of the classifier are controlled by a number of non - overlapping clock signals ck 1 and ck 2 by the clock generator and logic controller 13 . the 24 - bit ccd extractor 11 is a cellular neural network structure that can be easily implemented in cmos circuitry . the ccd extractor 11 scans a normalized 24 pixels × 24 pixels handwritten black and white image of a numeral in two directions and two diagonal lines . the pixels of the normalized numeral consisting of different features are black and the rest of the image pixels is white , however inverted images can also adapted . the raw data of the scanned image from the 24 - bit ccd extractor 11 is sent to the compression unit 12 for compression into smaller data . the peripheral edge pixels of the image are always white so the effective image size decreases to 22 pixels × 22 pixels . the scanned image therefore contains 80 bits of ccd feature codes which includes two added dummy bits . these compressed codes will be fed into the 10 × 10 pre - programmed mfg array in eight time cycles which are controlled by the clock generator and logic controller 13 . the i / o circuit 18 provides the programming codes of the membership functions under the control of the column decoder 15 . the results μ ( x ) is immediately outputted to and stored in the 10 si integrator 16 until all the features codes are transmitted . the maximum membership function is applied to the results of the weighted sum synthetic membership function by the k - wta circuit 17 to generate the highest matching results . the results are then sent to the i / o circuit 18 to give the final recognizing results . [ 0032 ] fig2 illustrates a single cell circuit of the ccd of the present invention . the 24 - bit ccd extractor is constructed by 24 cascaded cells to form the 24 × 24 pixels feature extractor . each cell circuit comprises 4 cascaded current mirrors connected to the output of the cell circuit . there are 4 transmission gates controlling the input of the ccd extractor . the input signal of the ccd extractor 11 is connected to the input of transmission gate 20 , transmission gate 21 and 23 through a transistor . the output of transmission gate 20 is connected to a node further connected to the input of transmission gates 21 and the gate of transmission gate 22 , and the gate of transmission gate 20 is connected to a st signal . the input of transmission gate 21 is connected to the input signal , the gate of the transmission gate 21 is connected to the output of the transmission gate 20 , the other gate of transmission gate 21 is connected to ground , and the output of transmission gate 21 is connected to the current mirror 24 . the input of transmission gate 22 is connected to the output of transmission gate 20 , the gate of the transmission gate 22 is connected to a wr signal . the input of transmission gate 23 is input signal of the ccd extractor 11 , the gate of transmission gate 23 is connected to the output of transmission gate 12 , the other gate of transmission gate 13 is connected to ground , and the output of transmission gate 13 is connected to current mirror 17 and further to the output of the ccd extractor . current mirrors 14 , 15 , 16 , and 17 are connected in cascaded manner . hspice simulation of this ccd extractor gives good performance . the ccd feature extractor scans a normalized 24 × 24 pixels handwritten black numeral image row by row in horizontal direction and two diagonal lines . the peripheral pixel of the image is always white so the effective image size is 22 × 22 pixels . there are 4 bits in each feature code but the first bit is discarded because it only provides information of normalization of the image , therefore each feature code has 3 bits because the scanned images are normalized in the preferred embodiment . the 3 × 22 bit feature codes are thus obtained after scanning all the rows of the image and the feature codes are read into a corresponding 4 × 22 register array in the proper order . a diagonal line is obtained by scanning and shifting the i th original pixel in the i th row of the image to the corresponding bit of the last register column . after scanning all the rows of the image , the data in the register array is sent back into the ccd feature extractor column by column to get 9 bits of ccd features , where the diagonal line gives 3 bits results and the other three columns give 6 bits . furthermore , the edge bits in each column are left idle and therefore the data is reduced to 20 bits . the 20 bits of the middle of each column are compressed by the feature compression unit 12 to 10 bits . [ 0034 ] fig3 shows the logic circuit of the feature compression unit 12 . the feature compression unit 12 comprises at least 3 xor gates connected together to control the logic of the templates a , b , and c . xor gates 31 , 32 , and 33 are coupled together like a triplet , wherein xor gates 31 , 32 share an input a 1 , and xor gates 32 , 33 share an input b 1 . xor gates 37 , 38 , and 39 are coupled together like a triplet , wherein xor gates 37 , 38 share an input a 1 , and xor gates 38 , 39 share an input b 1 . xor gates 34 , 35 , and 36 are coupled together like a triplet and their outputs are the templates a , b , and c respectively . wherein the input of xor gate 34 is coupled to both the output of xor gate 33 , 37 , the input of xor gate 35 is coupled to both the output of xor gate 32 , 38 , and the input of xor gate 36 is coupled to both the output of xor gate 31 , 37 . since both the template b and bias input i of the ccd extractor 11 are zero , only one row of the template a takes effect . this feature compression unit is easily implemented in cmos circuit . as a result , the feature compression unit 12 outputs 39 bits where 10 bits are from each of the 3 columns and 9 bits are from the diagonal line are acquired each in the horizontal and vertical directions . a total of 80 bits including 78 scanned bits and 2 dummy bits are sent to the programmable mfg under control of clock generator and logic controller 13 . 10 × 10 bits are sent to the programmable mfg every clock cycle , and the 78 bits of scanned data requires 8 clock cycle to complete , wherein 1 dummy bit is added every four cycles . [ 0036 ] fig4 shows one column of the 10 × 10 mfg array 15 with 3 membership function memory units shown and the 10 si integrator 16 . the circuit unit a 40 is a fully symmetrical membership function array in which all the nmos transistors are of the same size . there are 10 columns in the 10 × 10 mfg array and each column has 10 membership function memory units which store the membership degree corresponding to the i th feature value of the j th feature of the i th standard character . the membership function memory unit comprises at least 9 transistors , wherein 8 transistors are used in pairs in the aspect ratio 0 . 5 : 1 : 2 : 4 and controlled by control signals d 0 , d 1 , d 2 , and d 3 , respectively and one transistor such as m 0 , m 1 , and m 9 acts as a gate by receiving high and low signals . the mfg array are addressed by the input feature signals f 0 - f 9 from the feature compression unit 12 in combination with the adjacent but non - overlapping timing signals ck 1 and ck 2 pulses , each corresponding to an input feature . thttth tjsadfthe 80 bits scanned image is sent to the programmable mfg for feature recognizing . the 10 columns of feature codes calculate the fuzzy weighted sum core of the membership function generation using fuzzy logic from equation ( 2 ). an off - chip eprom unit stores the genetic algorithm off - line learning which will later become control codes for the membership function generator . the feature codes are compared by the membership functions against the standard characters stored in the eprom . the membership functions are programmable and controlled by digital control signals d 0 - d 3 and the value of all the membership function ranges from 0 to 7 . 5 × i ref in steps of 0 . 5 × i ref , wherein the i ref is a reference current set at 4 μa . the weight w ij is programmable and realized by part in dashed box and the value ranges from 0 to 3 . 75 in steps of 0 . 25 . a group of 10 - bit feature codes are sent to the 10 × 10 programmable mfg 15 array generating 10 weighted part - sum currents in every clock cycle . in fig5 the si integrator 16 performs an accumulation operation on the current - type values of weighted membership degrees to obtain the current - type value of a synthesis membership . the si integrator 16 is implemented by a switched - current technique which introduces the second generation switched - current storage to overcome disadvantages of the first generation switched - current storage . to stabilize the drain voltage of a storage transistor , a rgc ( regulated - gate cascode ) structure is adopted to construct a storage unit . although the fully differential integrator can be adopted in this classifying system , the single ended rgc integrator is preferably used because of its simplicity . the si integrator 16 accumulates the input current one by one in each cycle . therefore the 80 - bit scanned image requires 8 clock cycles to complete the transmission . timing controls of the switches are controlled by two non - overlapped clocks ck 1 and ck 2 shown in fig4 . in the ck 1 clock cycle an input current i 1 is sent to the integrator , and in ck 2 clock cycle the output current i low is generated . the switched - current integrator 16 will accumulate all the weighted part - sum currents in every clock cycle and the total weighted sum currents are obtained and outputted to the 11 - port k - wta 17 after 8 cycles . the output of si integrator 16 is regulated by a current mirror with a 1 : 1 ratio with a current source of i connected to the output . the 11 - port k - wta circuit 17 is shown in fig6 which comprises a circuit unit a 62 , a circuit unit b 64 , and a circuit unit c 66 . the k - wta circuit is used to compare and sort the synthesis membership degree currents corresponding to the n standard characters and the to - be - recognized character to sequentially output high voltage pulses on the outputs corresponding to the n standard character in order of magnitude of the current as a recognition result . if the classifier is used in parallel or cascade to improve system performance , the k - wta circuit must be expanded in order to compare and sort m number of classifiers times n standard characters . therefore the circuit unit a is easily expandable to a larger network depending on its application . all transistors work in strong inversion therefore the wta network is high speed . the circuit unit a 62 comprises three identical input units where i 0 , i 1 , and i 2 designate three input currents representing three synthesis membership degrees which are directed and output to the circuit unit c 66 . the k - wta circuit 17 receives the input currents to find the maximum among them and output three voltage signals indicating the maximum one . a number of control logic signals b 1 and b 2 are sent to the circuit unit a for enabling the individual maximum - finding circuit by a “ high ” signal . a voltage v b is applied to circuit unit a so a current is flown through the differential transistors having the maximum input voltage and produce a drain current i i when the drain current of other differential transistors are zero . the circuit unit b is an output circuit of the k - wta network . the clock cycle ck 1 and ck 2 controls the current source of the diodes and the final output i o of the 11 - port k - wta circuit 17 is passed through a 1 : 1 current mirror . the k - wta selects largest k value of each group of feature codes at one time from k classes with a simple set of complementary features . if signals b 1 and b 2 are zero voltage levels , the value of k is 1 so the wta is reconfigured as 1 - wta . when any one of the b 1 or b 2 is high voltage level , the value of k becomes 2 so the wta becomes 2 - wta . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . in view of the foregoing , it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents .	6
the illustrative embodiments described in the following detailed description and claims are not meant to be limiting . other embodiments can be utilized , and other modifications can be made , without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein . unless specified otherwise , the terms “ comprising ” and “ comprise ” as used herein , and grammatical variants thereof , are intended to represent “ open ” or “ inclusive ” language such that they include recited elements but also permit inclusion of additional , un - recited elements . as used herein , the term “ about ”, in the context of amounts of components of formulations , conditions , other measurement values , etc ., means +/− 5 % of the stated value , or +/− 4 % of the stated value , or +/− 3 % of the stated value , or +/− 2 % of the stated value , or +/− 1 % of the stated value , or +/− 0 . 5 % of the stated value , or +/− 0 . 4 % of the stated value , or +/− 0 . 3 % of the stated value , or +/− 0 . 2 % of the stated value , or +/− 0 . 1 % of the stated value , or +/− 0 % of the stated value . throughout this disclosure , certain embodiments may be disclosed in a range format . it should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the disclosed ranges . accordingly , the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible sub - ranges as well as individual numerical values within that range . for example , description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed sub - ranges such as from 1 to 3 , from 1 to 4 , from 1 to 5 , from 2 to 4 , from 2 to 6 , from 3 to 6 etc ., as well as individual numbers within that range , for example , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and 6 . this applies regardless of the breadth of the range . the present disclosure relates to a reflow encapsulant material that can include an epoxy resin , a curing agent , a catalyst , a fluxing agent , and an inorganic additive / inorganic filler . in embodiments , the epoxy resin of the reflow encapsulant material can be a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin , a bisphenol a epoxy resin , a bisphenol f epoxy resin , a naphthalene epoxy resin , a dicyclopentadiene - phenol epoxy resin or a combination of one or more thereof . in embodiments , the epoxy resin can be a mixture of different epoxy resins , wherein such a mixture of epoxy resins can support or facilitate the control of curing kinetics , which allows the reflow encapsulant material of the present disclosure to be useful in the packaging of electronic products . in embodiments , an epoxy resin including a mixture of epoxy resins and having a weight of 100 grams can have one of the epoxy resins present in an amount of about 25 to 75 grams . the remaining amount can include other epoxy resins . in embodiments , the epoxy resin can include a mixture of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and a cycloaliphatic epoxy , such as , 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate in the ratio of 1 : 3 to 3 : 1 . in a preferred embodiment , the epoxy resin can include diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate in a ratio of 2 : 1 . in a preferred embodiment , the epoxy resin of the encapsulant material can be a mixture of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate , wherein diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a is present in an amount of about 35 . 7 % by weight of the encapsulant material and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate is present in an amount of about 17 . 6 % by weight of the encapsulant material . in embodiments , the epoxy resin can include diglycidyl ether of bisphenol f mixed with a cycloaliphatic epoxy , such as , 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate in the ratio of 1 : 3 to 3 : 1 . in embodiments , the ratio of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol f and the cycloaliphatic epoxy , such as , 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate can be 2 : 1 . in embodiments , the epoxy resin of the encapsulant material can be a mixture of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol f and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate , wherein diglycidyl ether of bisphenol f is present in an amount of about 35 . 7 % by weight of the encapsulant material and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate is present in an amount of about 17 . 6 % by weight of the encapsulant material . in embodiments , the curing agent can be an anhydride curing compound such as a hexahydrophthalic anhydride , a methyl hexahydrophthalic anhydride or a combination of one or more thereof . in embodiments , the anhydride curing compound can be present in an amount of about 20 grams to about 80 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the anhydride curing compound can be present in an amount of about 65 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the anhydride curing compound can be present in an amount of about 65 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the ratio of the anhydride curing compound to the epoxy resin can be about 2 : 3 . in embodiments , the anhydride compound can be present in an amount of about 34 . 5 % by weight of the encapsulant material . these values are based on an uncured epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , the curing compound can be 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride . in a preferred embodiment , 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride is present in an amount of about 65 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , the 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride compound is present in an amount of about 65 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride can be present in an amount of about 34 . 5 % by weight of the encapsulant material . these values are based on an uncured epoxy resin . in embodiments , the catalyst for the curing process can be a metal acetylacetonate , a metal acetate or a combination of one or more thereof . in embodiments , the metal of the metal acetylacetonate can be a metal ion such as sc 3 + , cu 2 + , mo 2 + , ru 3 + , rh 3 + , cd 2 + , co 2 + , co 3 + , fe 2 + , fe 3 + , pd 2 + , pt 2 + , zn 2 + , mg 2 + or a combination of one or more thereof . in embodiments , the metal of the metal acetate can be a metal ion such as sc 3 + , cu 2 + , mo 2 + , ru 3 + , rh 3 + , cd 2 + , co 2 + , co 3 + , fe 2 + , fe 3 + , pd 2 + , pt 2 + , zn 2 + , mg 2 + or a combination of one or more thereof . in embodiments , the catalyst can be present in an amount of about 0 . 2 grams to about 5 . 0 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the catalyst can be present in an amount of about 1 . 0 gram to about 1 . 5 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the catalyst is present in an amount of about 1 . 4 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the catalyst can be present in an amount of about 1 . 4 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the catalyst can be present in an amount of about 0 . 7 % by weight of the encapsulant material . in a preferred embodiment , the catalyst can be cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate . in a preferred embodiment , cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate can be present in an amount of about 1 . 4 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate can be present in an amount of 1 . 4 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate can be present in an amount of about 0 . 7 % by weight of the encapsulant material . these values are based on an uncured epoxy resin . in embodiments , the fluxing agent can have a hydroxyl group . in embodiments , the fluxing agent having a hydroxyl group can be ethylene glycol , propylene glycol , glycerol d - ribose , diethylene glycol or a combination of one or more thereof . in embodiments , the fluxing agent amount can affect and / or influence the storage modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure . in embodiments , the fluxing agent can be present in an amount of about 1 gram to about 15 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the fluxing agent can be present in an amount of about 3 grams to about 10 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the fluxing agent can be present in an amount of about 8 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the fluxing agent can be present in an amount of about 8 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the fluxing agent can be present in an amount of about 4 . 3 % by weight of the encapsulant material . in a preferred embodiment , the fluxing agent can be glycerol . in embodiments , the amount of glycerol present in the encapsulant material can affect and / or influence the storage modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure . in a preferred embodiment , glycerol can be present in an amount of about 8 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , glycerol can be present in an amount of 8 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , glycerol can be present in an amount of about 4 . 3 % by weight of the encapsulant material . these values are based on an uncured epoxy resin . in embodiments , the inorganic additive / inorganic filler is used for improving the mechanical and thermal properties of the reflow encapsulant material . in embodiments , the inorganic additive / inorganic filler can be a nanoscale inorganic additive / inorganic filler . in embodiments , the nanoscale inorganic additive / inorganic filler of the encapsulant material described above can be alumina nanoparticles . other inorganic additives / inorganic fillers are also contemplated . other nanoscale additives / inorganic fillers are also contemplated . in embodiments , the alumina nanoparticles can have an average particle size of about 800 nanometers or less . in embodiments , the alumina nanoparticles can have an average particle size of about 50 nanometers or less . in a preferred embodiment , the alumina nanoparticles have an average particle size of about 50 nanometers . in embodiments , the alumina nanoparticle amount can affect and / or influence the glass transition temperature of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure . in embodiments , the alumina nanoparticles can be present in an amount of about 1 gram to about 30 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in embodiments , the alumina nanoparticles can be present in an amount of about 10 grams to about 15 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , the alumina nanoparticles can be present in an amount of about 13 . 6 grams per about 100 grams of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , the alumina nanoparticles can be present in an amount of 13 . 6 % by weight of the epoxy resin . in a preferred embodiment , the alumina nanoparticles are present in an amount of 7 . 2 % by weight of the encapsulant material . these values are based on an uncured epoxy resin . in embodiments , the viscosity of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure at room temperature can be less than about 8000 cp ( centipoise ). in embodiments , the viscosity of the encapsulant material at room temperature can be about 3000 cp to about 5000 cp . in embodiments , the viscosity of the encapsulant material at room temperature can be about 2500 cp to about 4100 cp . in embodiments , the viscosity of the encapsulant material at room temperature can be about 4000 cp . in embodiments , the glass transition temperature of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure can be about 127 ° c . to about 130 ° c . in embodiments , the storage modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure can be about 2 gpa to about 2 . 4 gpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ). in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure , the encapsulant material can include : a mixture of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate , wherein diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a is present in an amount of about 35 . 7 % by weight of the encapsulant material and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate is present in an amount of about 17 . 6 % by weight of the encapsulant material ; 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride present in an amount of about 34 . 5 % by weight of the encapsulant material ; cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate present in an amount of about 0 . 7 % by weight of the encapsulant material ; glycerol in an amount of about 4 . 3 % by weight of the encapsulant material ; and alumina nanoparticles present in an amount of 7 . 2 % by weight of the encapsulant material . an encapsulant material having the above mentioned components in the above mentioned amounts results in an improved adhesive encapsulant material having a glass transition temperature of about 130 ° c ., a thermal expansion coefficient or coefficient of thermal expansion of about 53 . 23 ppm /° c ., a viscosity of about 4100 cp ( at room temperature ), a loss modulus of about 90 mpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) and / or a storage modulus of about 2 . 4 gpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) that are suitable and / or advantageous for application of the adhesive encapsulant material in the packaging of electronic products . a reflow encapsulant material having the above mentioned components in the above mentioned amounts results in an unexpected and surprising synergy of thermal properties ( i . e ., glass transition temperature and coefficient of thermal expansion ) and rheological properties ( i . e ., loss modulus , storage modulus and viscosity ) that provide improved results with respect to solder bumps being reflowed and with respect to a substrate and flip - chips effectively attaching . the glass transition temperature of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the dynamic mechanical analysis ( dma ) technique . the glass transition temperature value ( s ) was obtained from tan delta at 1 hz . the coefficient of thermal expansion of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the thermomechanical analysis ( tma ) technique . the viscosity of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using a rheometer with a parallel plate fixture at room temperature . the loss modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the dma technique . the storage modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the dma technique . the loss modulus relates to and / or measures the ability of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure to dissipate energy as heat . the storage modulus relates to and / or measures the elasticity of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure . in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure , the encapsulant material can include : a mixture of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate , wherein diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a is present in an amount of about 67 grams and 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate is present in an amount of about 33 gram ; 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride present in an amount of about 65 grams ; cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate present in an amount of about 1 . 4 grams ; glycerol in an amount of about 8 grams ; and alumina nanoparticles present in an amount of 13 . 6 grams . an encapsulant material having the above mentioned components in the above mentioned amounts results in an improved adhesive encapsulant material having a glass transition temperature of about 130 ° c ., a thermal expansion coefficient or coefficient of thermal expansion of about 53 . 23 ppm /° c ., a viscosity of about 4100 cp ( at room temperature ), a loss modulus of about 90 mpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) and / or a storage modulus of about 2 . 4 gpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) that are suitable and / or advantageous for application of the adhesive encapsulant material in the packaging of electronic products . a reflow encapsulant material having the above mentioned components in the above mentioned amounts results in an unexpected and surprising synergy of thermal properties ( i . e ., glass transition temperature and coefficient of thermal expansion ) and rheological properties ( i . e ., loss modulus , storage modulus and viscosity ) that provide improved results with respect to solder bumps being reflowed and with respect to a substrate and flip - chips effectively attaching . the glass transition temperature of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the dynamic mechanical analysis ( dma ) technique . the glass transition temperature value ( s ) was obtained from tan delta at 1 hz . the coefficient of thermal expansion of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the thermomechanical analysis ( tma ) technique . the viscosity of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using a rheometer with a parallel plate fixture at room temperature . the loss modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the dma technique . the storage modulus of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure was measured using the dma technique . the loss modulus relates to and / or measures the ability of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure to dissipate energy as heat . the storage modulus relates to and / or measures the elasticity of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure . the encapsulant material of the present disclosure can be used in conventional processes for fabricating flip - chip microelectronic assemblies . however , in contrast to conventional encapsulant materials , the encapsulant material of the present disclosure can also be effectively used in one - cycle heating processes for fabricating flip - chip microelectronic assemblies , for example , the hybrid no - flow process or the no - flow underfill process . conventional encapsulant materials typically cannot be used effectively in one - cycle heating processes for fabricating flip - chip microelectronic assemblies such as the hybrid no - flow process or the no - flow underfill process . in particular , the encapsulant material of the present disclosure is the only encapsulant material that can be effectively used in the novel and inventive single - stage heating method or hybrid method disclosed in the inventors &# 39 ; patent application entitled “ method and encapsulant for flip - chip assembly ” having the same filing date as the present patent application . on the other hand , conventional encapsulant materials cannot be used in the novel and inventive single - stage heating method or hybrid method disclosed in the inventors &# 39 ; patent application entitled “ method and encapsulant for flip - chip assembly ” having the same filing date as the present patent application . the inventors &# 39 ; patent application entitled “ method and encapsulant for flip - chip assembly ” having the same filing date as the present patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . in general , with conventional encapsulant materials in the art , efforts are typically made to lower the coefficient of thermal expansion and increase the glass transition temperature of the conventional encapsulant material to make the conventional encapsulant material suitable for use in the packaging of electronic products . in an unexpected and surprising finding , the inventors of the present disclosure discovered that while the coefficient of thermal expansion and the glass transition temperature are important in determining the suitability and effectiveness of an encapsulant material , the loss modulus and storage modulus are also important in determining the suitability and effectiveness of the encapsulant material for use in the packaging of electronic products . for example , while the coefficient of thermal expansion of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure can be about 53 . 23 ppm /° c . and the glass transition temperature can be about 127 ° c . to about 130 ° c ., the unexpected and surprising synergy of these thermal properties with the loss modulus measurement of about 90 mpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) and the storage modulus measurement of about 2 gpa to about 2 . 4 gpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) allows the encapsulant material to be effectively used in conventional processes , the hybrid no - flow process and / or the no - flow underfill process for fabricating flip - chip microelectronic assemblies . while the coefficient of thermal expansion of the encapsulant material of the present disclosure can be about 53 . 23 ppm /° c . and the glass transition temperature can be about 127 ° c . to about 130 ° c ., the unexpected and surprising synergy of these thermal properties with the loss modulus measurement of about 90 mpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) and the storage modulus measurement of about 2 gpa to about 2 . 4 gpa ( at 30 ° c ., 1 hz ) allows the encapsulant material to be effectively used in the novel and inventive single - stage heating method or hybrid method disclosed in the inventors &# 39 ; patent application entitled “ method and encapsulant for flip - chip assembly ” having the same filing date as the present patent application . the inventors of the present disclosure found that the unexpected and surprising synergy of the thermal properties ( i . e ., the glass transition temperature and the coefficient of thermal expansion ) and the rheological properties ( i . e ., the loss modulus , the storage modulus and the viscosity ) of the reflow encapsulant material of the present disclosure provides the best result with respect to solder bumps being reflowed and the substrate and flip - chips effectively attaching when compared to conventional encapsulant materials . the present technology is further illustrated by the following examples , which should not be construed as in any way limiting . in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure , a reflow encapsulant material was prepared with a fluxing agent and alumina nanoparticles as detailed in the following table immediately below : the reflow encapsulant material of example 1 of the present disclosure was prepared by initially stirring a mixture of cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate and 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride at a temperature of about 150 ° c . until a homogeneous mixture a was formed . subsequently , alumina nanoparticles were added to the homogenous mixture a at a temperature of about 150 ° c . and stirred until a homogeneous mixture b was formed . homogenous mixture b was then sonicated by using a sonicator at a frequency of about 40 kilo hertz for 1 hour to effectively or appropriately disperse the alumina nanoparticles in the homogenous mixture b . next , diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a , the cycloaliphatic epoxy resin , and glycerol were added to the homogenous mixture b and stirred at ambient temperature for about 1 hour in a vacuum atmosphere to eliminate air bubbles that can be produced during the mixing or stirring thereby forming the reflow encapsulant material of the present disclosure . finally , any air bubbles present in the reflow encapsulant material were removed by using a vacuum pump . after removal of the air bubbles the reflow encapsulant material was loaded into a container and stored at a temperature of about − 35 ° c . a reflow encapsulant material was prepared without a fluxing agent and without an inorganic filler as detailed in the following table immediately below : the reflow encapsulant material of comparative example 1 was prepared by stirring a mixture of cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate and 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride at temperature of about 150 ° c . until an homogeneous mixture a was formed . subsequently , diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and cycloaliphatic epoxy were added to the homogenous mixture a and stirred at ambient temperature for about 1 hour in a vacuum atmosphere to eliminate air bubbles that can be produced during mixing or stifling thereby forming the reflow encapsulant material . finally , any air bubbles present in the reflow encapsulant material were removed by using a vacuum pump . after removal of the air bubbles the reflow encapsulant material was loaded into a container and stored at a temperature of about − 35 ° c . a reflow encapsulant material was prepared by adding alumina nanoparticles but not adding a fluxing agent as detailed in the following table immediately below : the reflow encapsulant material of comparative example 2 was prepared by stirring a mixture of cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate and 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride at a temperature of about 150 ° c . until an homogeneous mixture a was formed . subsequently , alumina nanoparticles were added to the homogenous mixture a at a temperature of about 150 ° c . and stirred until a homogeneous mixture b was formed . homogenous mixture b was then sonicated by using a sonicator at the frequency of about 40 kilo hertz for 1 hour to effectively or appropriate disperse the alumina nanoparticles in the homogenous mixture b . then , diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a and cycloaliphatic epoxy were added to the homogenous mixture b and stirred at ambient temperature for 1 hour in a vacuum atmosphere to eliminate air bubbles that can be produced during mixing or stirring . finally , any air bubbles present in the reflow encapsulant material were removed by using a vacuum pump . after removal of the air bubbles the reflow encapsulant material was loaded into a container and stored at a temperature of about − 35 ° c . a reflow encapsulant material was prepared by adding a fluxing agent and silica nanoparticles as detailed in the following table immediately below : the reflow encapsulant material of comparative example 3 was prepared by stirring a mixture of cobalt ( ii ) acetylacetonate and 4 - methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride at a temperature of about 150 ° c . until a homogeneous mixture a was formed . subsequently , silica nanoparticles were added to the homogenous mixture a at a temperature of about 150 ° c . and stirred until a homogeneous mixture b was formed . homogenous mixture b was then sonicated using sonicator at a frequency of about 40 kilo hertz for about 1 hour to effectively or appropriately disperse the silica nanoparticles in the homogenous mixture b . then diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a , cycloaliphatic epoxy , and glycerol were added to the homogenous mixture b and stirred at ambient temperature for about 1 hour in a vacuum atmosphere to eliminate air bubbles that can be produced during mixing or stirring . finally , any air bubbles present in the reflow encapsulant material were removed by using a vacuum pump . after removal of the air bubbles the reflow encapsulant material was loaded into a container and stored at a temperature of about − 35 ° c . table 1 below shows the thermal properties of the reflow encapsulant material of example 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure and the thermal properties of the reflow encapsulant materials of comparative examples 1 to 3 . although the reflow encapsulant material of comparative example 2 exhibited the best glass transition temperature and thermal expansion coefficient values , the inventors found that if a fluxing agent was not incorporated into reflow encapsulant material , then the solder bumps will not reflow and there will be no attachment between the substrate and flip - chips . moreover , critically , the unexpected and surprising synergy of the thermal properties ( i . e ., the glass transition temperature and the coefficient of thermal expansion ) and the rheological properties ( i . e ., loss modulus , the storage modulus and the viscosity ) of the reflow encapsulant material of example 1 of the present disclosure provide the best result with respect to the solder bumps being reflowed and the substrate and flip - chips effectively attaching . the reflow encapsulant material of the present disclosure exhibited a glass transition temperature of about 130 ° c ., a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 53 . 23 ppm /° c ., a loss modulus of about 90 mpa , a storage modulus of about 2 . 4 gpa , and a viscosity of about 4100 cp . while various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein , it will be apparent that various other modifications and adaptations of the invention will be apparent to the person skilled in the art after reading the foregoing disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended that all such modifications and adaptations come within the scope of the appended claims . the various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting , with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the appended claims .	7
a description will now be given , with reference to the accompanying drawings , of embodiments of the present invention . fig1 shows a saw filter in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention . the saw filter includes a piezoelectric substrate 10 , multiple saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 that are provided on the piezoelectric substrate 10 , a signal input terminal 12 , and a signal output terminal 14 . these saw resonators are connected in the ladder structure . the piezoelectric substrate 10 is made of a piezoelectric single crystal such as lithium tantalate ( lt ) or lithium niobate ( ln ). each of the above - mentioned saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 includes an idt electrode 16 and reflection electrodes 18 and 20 that are arranged on both side of a propagation direction . for simplicity of the drawing , the referential numerals 16 , 18 , and 20 are shown in the saw resonator s 3 only . the idt electrode 16 includes a pair of comb - like electrodes . the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 are disposed in series arms in the ladder - type structure , and the saw resonators p 1 and p 2 are disposed in parallel arms . therefore , the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 are especially referred to as series - arm resonators or series - type resonators , and the saw resonators p 1 and p 2 are especially referred to as parallel - arm resonators or parallel - type resonators . hereinafter s 1 through s 3 are referred to as series - arm resonators , and p 1 and p 2 are referred to as parallel - arm resonators . the series - arm resonators s 1 through s 3 and the parallel - arm resonators p 1 and p 2 determine the filter characteristics . the saw filter as shown in fig1 serves as a bandpass filter . in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention , the saw filter includes discharge induction patterns 22 and 24 . the discharge induction pattern 22 , which has multiple gaps gap 2 , is arranged between the signal input terminal 12 and a ground g 1 . the discharge induction pattern 24 , which has multiple gaps gap 2 , is arranged between the signal output terminal 14 and a ground g 2 . the gap 2 is narrower than a gap 1 that exists in each of the electrode patterns of the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 . the gap 2 is narrower than the gap 1 , and the discharge induction pattern 22 induces the discharge caused by the static electricity applied to the signal input terminal 12 . this prevents the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 from being broken by the discharge . in the same manner , the discharge induction pattern 24 induces the discharge caused by the static electricity applied to the signal output terminal 14 . this prevents the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 from being broken by the discharge . here , the gap that exists in the electrode pattern is formed not only in the above - mentioned gap 1 but also between alternately interleaved electrode fingers . the first embodiment of the present invention is applied to the case where gap 2 is narrower than the gap between the electrode fingers . therefore , gap 1 & gt ; gap 2 is satisfied . fig2 is a top view of the saw filter shown in fig1 . the whole page corresponds to the piezoelectric substrate 10 . the discharge induction pattern 22 includes electrodes 22 a and 22 b . the electrodes 22 a and 22 b face each other , and are formed to be included in an interconnection pattern . the electrodes 22 a and 22 b respectively include multiple sharp - pointed portions . the sharp - pointed portions of the electrode 22 a and those of the electrode 22 b face each other through the gap 2 . the discharge induction pattern 24 has the same structure as that of the discharge induction pattern 22 . as far as the gap 1 & gt ; the gap 2 is satisfied , the gap 2 of the discharge induction pattern 22 and the gap 2 of the discharge induction pattern 24 may have the same size or may have different sizes . the gap 1 as shown in fig1 and 2 denotes the minimum gap between electrode ends of the respective saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 and bus bars that respectively face the electrode ends of the above - mentioned resonators . here , there is another case where the electrode ends of the respective saw resonators face the electrode fingers that extend from the above - mentioned bus bars , instead of facing the bus bars . in this case , the gap 1 denotes the minimum gap between the electrode finger ends that face each other . the adjacent sharp - pointed portions are arranged at an interval ( pitch ) d 2 , which may be sufficiently greater than the gap 2 . in addition , preferably , the interval d 2 is sufficiently greater than a gap d 1 , for example , 10 times or more . the gap d 1 is the distance between the electrode finger ends of the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 . this makes it possible to surely induce the electrostatic discharge to the discharge induction patterns 22 and 24 , and also makes it possible to cause the electrostatic discharge at only one of the gaps gap 2 . thus , the electrostatic discharge may break only one pair of the sharp - pointed portions , and the other gaps gap 2 remain unbroken . the discharge induction patterns 22 and 24 in fig1 and 2 respectively include six gaps gap 2 . thus , even if the electrostatic discharge that can break a pair of the sharp - pointed portions is induced six times , it is possible to protect the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 . it is thus possible to realize the highly reliable measure against the static electricity . taking an example of dimensions , gap 1 ( the length of gap 1 ) is equal to 1 . 5 μm , gap 2 ( the length of gap 2 ) is equal to 0 . 35 μm , d 1 is equal to 1 . 0 μm , d 2 is equal to 10 μm , and a width w of the sharp - pointed portion is equal to 0 . 35 μm . additionally , one of the discharge induction patterns 22 and 24 may be omitted . there is a case where it is sufficient if the measure against the static electricity is taken to one of the signal input terminal 12 and the signal output terminal 14 , according to the usage . further , the number of the gaps is not limited to six , an arbitrary number of gaps , which is at least two , may be employed . the gaps in the discharge induction pattern 22 and that of the discharge induction pattern 24 may have the same number or may have different numbers . fig3 a and 3b show the saw filter in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention . fig3 a is a block diagram of the entire saw filter . fig3 b shows an enlarged view of the discharge induction pattern . the saw filter includes discharge induction patterns 32 and 34 in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention . the discharge induction pattern 32 is arranged between the signal input terminal 12 and the ground g 1 . the discharge induction pattern 34 is arranged between the signal output terminal 14 and the ground g 2 . the discharge induction pattern 32 includes a pair of electrodes 32 a and 32 b that face each other . the electrodes 32 a and 32 b respectively include multiple sharp - pointed portions . the discharge induction pattern 32 includes multiple gaps having different sizes , which is different from the gaps in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention . the discharge induction pattern 32 includes three different gaps , gap 2 , gap 3 , and gap 4 , as shown in fig3 . as to the sizes of the above - mentioned gaps , gap 4 & gt ; gap 3 & gt ; gap 2 is satisfied . these gaps are narrower than those of the saw resonators s 1 through s 3 , p 1 , and p 2 . gap 1 & gt ; gap 4 & gt ; gap 3 & gt ; gap 2 is satisfied . by providing different gaps , it is possible to induce the electrostatic discharge in order of the gap starting from the narrowest one . it is thus possible to prevent multiple gaps from being broken simultaneously once the static electricity is discharged , and thereby to realize the highly reliable measure against the static electricity . as shown in fig3 b , the discharge induction pattern 32 includes six pairs of the sharp - pointed portions . two pairs of the six pairs of the sharp - pointed portions form gap 2 , and another two pairs form gap 3 , and the remaining two pairs form gap 4 . instead of the above - mentioned configuration , all the gaps may have different sizes . the number of the gaps having different sizes is not limited to three , and the number of the gaps may have two or four or more . the discharge induction pattern 34 has the same configuration as that of the discharge induction pattern 32 . however , the discharge induction patterns 32 and 34 may not be identical , and the sizes of the gap , the number of the gaps , the types of the gap , and the number of the gaps included in a pair of gaps may be different . the present invention has been described . in accordance with the first and second embodiments of the present invention , the discharge induction pattern is provided for the ladder - type structure . the discharge induction patterns 22 and 24 , 32 and 34 , or a variation thereof may be provided for the multi - mode or other arbitrary structures . the present invention is not limited to the above - mentioned embodiments , and other embodiments , variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . the present invention is based on japanese patent application no . 2003 - 428288 filed on dec . 24 , 2003 , the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference .	7
referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements , fig1 illustrates a computer system generally designated 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention . system 10 comprises a firewall 12 for a cluster 14 of servers 20 a , b , c , d . . . n . ( as shown in fig1 , server 20 a is initially outside of cluster 14 , but later joins the cluster 14 pursuant to the steps of fig2 .) servers 20 a - n reside on a network such as ethernet , token ring or fddi . however , the present invention works at layer three of the osi reference model , so layer two media such as token ring , ethernet , fddi are transparent . firewall 12 comprises a computer and a known filtering program 22 which filters incoming messages from internet 24 , for security reasons . the known filtering program may base its filtering decisions on the ip protocol , protocol port , source ip address , destination ip address and known state of the message . firewall 12 also includes a load balancing program 30 according to the present invention . a storage device 34 includes a configuration file 36 for load balancing program 30 . storage device 34 includes a variety of different load balancing program routines for servers 20 a - n . by way of example , one load balancing routine is a simple “ round robin ” algorithm where incoming work requests are assigned sequentially to the servers in the cluster . another load balancing routine assigns new work requests to the server with the shortest current work queue . another load balancing routine assigns new work requests to the server with the fastest current response time . configuration file 36 includes load balancing parameters for servers 20 a - n , as described in more detail below . load balancing program 30 is initially configured with default parameters and / or by an administrator of the firewall 12 who can override the default parameters and supply other parameters . the following is an example of parameters of an initial configuration for cluster 14 of servers : identity of a load balancing routine for the cluster . the load balancing routine is configured by an administrator at start up to use a specific load balancing algorithm . the initial setup of a device that wants to be load balanced can request the use of a different load balancing algorithm during the join - request process . identity ( ip address ) of each server in the cluster load threshold for each server , i . e . the number of message packets over a certain time interval that represent work requests and can be handled by the respective server . this incoming message packet rate loosely correlates to the amount of work required of the respective server to respond to the request . different servers in the cluster can have different load thresholds . hello interval , i . e . each server in the cluster is expected to send to the load balancing program a “ hello ” message periodically , for example , every ten seconds , to prove that the server is still “ up ” and available to handle work requests from the load balancing program . time - out , i . e . how long the load balancing program will wait after receipt of each hello message for the next hello message before assuming that the server is down or severely overloaded . when a hello message is received , the load balancing program initiates a time - out clock , for example , thirty seconds . if the next hello message is not received before expiration of the time - out clock , then the load balancing program will assume that the server is down or severely overloaded , and remove the server from the cluster . once removed , the load balancing program will not assign any subsequent work requests to this server , unless it rejoins the cluster . any work requests previously assigned to this server that are not completed ( as indicated by an acknowledgment by the server at the tcp / ip layer ) will be reassigned by the load balancing program to another server in the cluster . authentication , i . e . the shared password used to authenticate members of the cluster who wish to participate . fig2 illustrates a join function 40 within load balancing program 30 . the join function is invoked by a join request initiated by ( a ) programming within a server not currently in a cluster or ( b ) an administrator of the server , to join the server into a specific cluster . when the decision is made by programming within the server , the decision can be based on under utilization of the server as measured by cpu monitoring hardware or software . when the decision is made by an administrator of the server , the decision can be based on under utilization of the server or installation / building of a new server that is looking for a cluster to join . in the case of the server programming making the decision , the server programming creates a request , including the requisite cluster parameters , to join a named cluster . in the case of the administrator making the decision , the administrator enters into server 20 a a command to join a named cluster and other cluster parameters ( as described below ), and programming within server 20 a generates the join request . ( the load balancing program 30 can periodically broadcast to the available servers the identities of the existing clusters , or the administrator can learn the identities of the existing clusters by manually checking the configuration of the load balancer 30 .) after the join request is created , it is sent to the join function 40 within load balancing program 30 within firewall 22 ( step 50 ). the join request includes a pass phrase ( i . e . a sophisticated pass word ) of the server , an identity ( for example , a group identity ) of a cluster that the server wants to join , a load threshold for the server , a time - out for the server , a “ hello interval ” for the server , a desired load balancing algorithm for the cluster and optionally , other user definable parameters for the server or cluster . the load balancing algorithm is the algorithm that server 20 a requests to be used for the cluster , such as round robin , shortest work queue , fastest response time , etc . in response to the join request , join function 40 first determines if the server is authentic by looking up the pass phrase in a list of authentic ones maintained in storage device 34 ( decision 52 ). if not , join function 40 returns a failure message to the server 20 a ( step 54 ). if so , join function 40 checks its database 36 to determine if the cluster identity in the request exists ( step 56 and decision 58 ). if not , join function 40 returns a failure message to the server 20 a ( step 60 ). if so , join function 40 compares the load threshold , time - out , hello interval , load balancing algorithm and other user definable parameters specified in the join request to those in the existing cluster configuration file 36 ( step 70 ). if any of the server specific parameters , i . e . load threshold , time - out or hello interval are not the same as those in the existing configuration file 36 ( decision 80 , no branch ), then join function 40 determines which server specific parameter should apply to server 20 a when part of the named cluster ( step 82 ). in the case of a difference in the load threshold , time - out or hello interval , the join function will select the lower of the thresholds specified by the existing configuration file 36 and the join request . the load threshold is specified for each server , such that different servers in the same cluster can have different load thresholds . so , if the existing configuration file 36 specifies a default value of six hundred packets per second and the server 20 a join request specifies five hundred packets per second , then the configuration file 36 will be updated with a load threshold of five hundred packets per second for server 20 a . for example , if the existing configuration file 36 specifies a default time - out of thirty seconds , and the join request specifies a time - out of twenty seconds , then the configuration file 36 will be updated with a time - out of twenty seconds . however , if the existing configuration file specifies a default hello interval of ten seconds , and the join request specifies a hello interval of fifteen seconds , then the configuration file 36 will remain with ten seconds for the hello interval . next , join function 40 determines if the load balancing algorithm specified in the join request is the same as that listed in the existing configuration file 36 ( decision 85 ). if so , then join function 40 adds server 20 a to the named cluster , i . e . will add the ip address of server 20 to a list of servers in the named cluster ( step 86 ). then , join function 40 returns a message to server 20 a indicating that server 20 a has been added to the named cluster ( step 88 ). thereafter , load balancing program 30 will send server 20 a work requests along with the other servers in the cluster according to the load balancing algorithm . referring again to decision 85 , in the case of a difference in the load balancing algorithm specified in the join request compared to that in the existing configuration file 36 , join function 40 will notify the server 20 a of this difference ( step 90 ). join function 40 will use the load balancing algorithm listed in the existing configuration file for the cluster when there are other servers in the cluster . the only time a server requesting to join a cluster can select the load balancing algorithm for the cluster , is if the server is the first server in the cluster . if server 20 a returns with an agreement message ( decision 92 , yes branch ), then join function 40 will add server 20 to the named cluster , as described above ( step 86 ). if server 20 a does not return an agreement message ( decision 92 , no branch ), then join function 40 sends a failure message to server 20 a . fig3 is a flow chart illustrating a causal remove function 150 initiated by load balancing program 30 to remove a server from a cluster for security reasons of if the server is down . if the time - out expires without receipt of the expected hello message ( decision 152 , no branch ), then causal remove function 150 deletes the server from the cluster ( step 154 ). thereafter , load balancing program 30 will not send any work requests to this server . if the hello message is received before the time - out ( decision 152 , yes branch ), then causal remove function 150 will check the pass phrase which accompanies or is included in the hello message ( step 158 ). if the sender is not authentic ( decision 160 , no branch ), then causal remove function 150 will send a failure message to the sender ( step 162 ). then , the sender will have the remainder of the time - out period to submit another hello message with a proper pass phrase . referring again to decision 160 , yes branch , where the hello message includes an authentic pass phrase , then causal remove function will reset the timer ( step 164 ) and leave the server in the cluster ( step 166 ). fig4 is a flow chart illustrating a server initiated , discretionary remove function 100 within load balancing program 30 . the discretionary remove function 100 is called by programming within a server currently within a cluster or by an administrator of the server to remove the server from the cluster . when the decision is made by programming within the server , the decision can be based on over utilization of the server . when the decision is made by an administrator of the server , the decision can be based on over utilization of the server or a desire to power - off the server or use the server for other purposes . in the case of the server programming making the decision , the server programming creates a request to remove the server from the cluster . in the case of the administrator making the decision , the administrator enters into the server , for example , server 20 a , a command to remove server 20 a from a named cluster , and programming within server 20 a generates the remove request . after the remove request is created , it is sent to the discretionary remove function 100 within load balancing program 30 within firewall 22 ( step 102 ). the remove request includes a pass phrase of the server and an identity of the cluster from which the server wants to be removed . in response to the remove request , remove function 100 checks the pass phrase of the server . if it is not authentic ( decision 104 , no branch ), then discretionary remove function 100 sends a failure message to server 20 a ( step 106 ). however , if server 20 a is authenticated , then discretionary remove function 100 removes server 20 a from the named cluster ( step 110 ). discretionary remove function 100 also notifies server 20 a that the remove request was fulfilled ( step 112 ). thereafter , load balancing function 30 will not send any work requests to server 20 a that are to be handled by the named cluster . fig5 is a flow chart illustrating a join invitation function 200 initiated by load balancing program 30 when the load balancing program needs one or more additional servers to handle a high level of work requests for the cluster . load balancing program 30 periodically checks its current work load for each existing cluster and the servers in each cluster ( step 202 ). if the current work load for each server in a cluster is below the respective load threshold ( decision 204 , no branch ), then join invitation function 200 will terminate itself ( step 206 ). however , if the current work load for any server in a cluster is above the respective load threshold , then join invitation function 200 sends a request to all servers that are potentially available to join the cluster , and not already in the cluster ( step 208 ). it is presumed that if one server in the cluster is above the respective load threshold , that the other servers will be above or near their respective load thresholds . this is because it is presumed that the load balancing algorithm effectively balances the load amongst the servers in the cluster in proportion to their load thresholds or capabilities . the join invitation specifies the cluster that needs one or more additional servers and invites the available servers to volunteer to join the cluster . if none of the available servers that were sent the join invitation responds , then join invitation function 200 terminates itself ( step 206 ). however , if one or more of the available servers that were sent the invitation respond that it / they will comply , then join invitation function 200 records that when they subsequently join the cluster , their membership will be temporary , i . e . only as long as the work load exceeds the load threshold ( step 212 ). after responding that it / they will comply with the join invitation issued in step 208 , the server ( s ) ( either the programming within the server or an administrator of the server ) will send a join request to the load balancing program 30 , and this join request will be processed by join function 40 as described above with reference to fig2 . fig6 is a flow chart illustrating a release function 300 initiated by load balancing program 30 for one or more servers temporarily added pursuant to the join invitation issued by join invitation function 200 . as explained in more detail below , release function 300 releases these one or more additional servers from a cluster when they are no longer needed . load balancing program 30 periodically compares the current work load for the cluster and the servers in the cluster ( step 301 ). if the current work load for any server in a cluster is above the respective load threshold ( decision 302 , no branch ), then server release function 300 will terminate itself ( step 306 ). however , if the current work load for all servers in the cluster is below the respective load threshold for each server , then release function 300 sends a removal request to all servers that are listed as temporary members of the cluster ( step 308 ). the removal request indicates that the cluster no longer needs their membership and invites these servers to volunteer to be removed from the cluster . if none of these servers responds ( decision 310 , no branch ), then release function 300 terminates itself ( step 306 ). however , if one or more of the temporary members respond that it / they agree to be removed from the cluster ( decision 310 , yes branch ), then release function 300 removes the server ( s ) from the cluster ( step 312 ). thereafter , load balancing function 30 will not send to these server ( s ) any work requests that are to be handled by the cluster . based on the foregoing , a system , method and program product for joining and removing servers from a cluster have been disclosed . however , numerous modifications and substitutions can be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention . for example , customized fields can be added to the cluster protocol to handle security management , encryption , and external authentication . therefore , the present invention has been disclosed by way of illustration and not limitation , and reference should be made to the following claims to determine the scope of the present invention .	6
the present invention includes a technique for measuring the solid - to - solid contact forces between the head and the disc in a disc drive data storage system . to accomplish this , the present invent - ion includes a micro - force transducer fabricated using head processing techniques . the micro - force transducer is preferably fabricated by forming a flexible beam on the trailing edge / abs corner of a slider body , and thus a deflection sensor on the slider body . the deflection sensor measures the small motions of part of the beam as either changes in capacitance or as changes in resistance . the capacitance or resistance changes can be calibrated to read out the force on the deflecting beam caused by head / disc contact . a preferred method of fabricating the head / disc force transducer of the present invention ( hereinafter &# 34 ; force transducer &# 34 ;) begins with a standard base - coated slider body substrate . preferably , this is a wafer substrate having an insulator on top of a ceramic body conductor . fig1 illustrates slider body 102 having trailing edge surface 104 and abs 106 . in preferred embodiments , force transducer 124 ( illustrated in a substantially final form in fig5 and 7 ) of the present invention will be formed at or near corner 103 between trailing edge 104 and abs 106 . while a method of fabricating force transducer 124 of the present invention is illustrated with reference to a discrete slider body for clarity , it is intended that the force transducer actually be fabricated while the slider body is embedded in a full wafer having a large number of slider bodies . as illustrated in fig2 a patterned metal layer 108 is plated on trailing edge 104 of the slider , preferably on top of the insulating base coat ( base coat not shown for ease of illustration ). metal layer 108 need only be a reasonable conductor material , and must be electrically insulated from the conducting slider body 102 . in preferred embodiments , metal layer 108 can be , for example , nickel - iron ( nife ) , sendust ™, or copper ( cu ). preferred thicknesses for metal layer 108 are , for example , 10 - 40 microns . at the sides of trailing edge 104 of slider body 102 are wiring pads 110 and 112 , included in metal layer 108 , for making electrical connections to the remainder of the metal layer . in fig2 pads 110 and 112 are shown only in the conducting metal layer for the sake of clarity . however , in preferred embodiments , pads 110 and 112 will be gold - plate for easy wire bonding . in other words , as the layers are built - up during the fabrication of force transducer 124 and slider body 102 , the gold pads are added at or near the last step and used to attach wires to metal layer 108 . in this manner , capacitance or resistance determining drive circuitry , located off of slider body 102 , is connectable to force transducer 124 . as illustrated diagrammatically in the perspective view of fig3 after metal layer 108 is plated on trailing edge 104 , the wafer is overcoated with alumina ( or some other electrical insulator ) 114 and then planarized . the overcoat of alumina effectively becomes the new position of trailing edge 104 . with the trailing edge surface of alumina overcoat 114 planarized , the slider can be processed at the wafer level using known processes and alignment features which are not relevant to the present invention , and which are therefore not illustrated in the figures . next , flexible beam 120 ( first illustrated in fig5 ) is formed at trailing edge 104 to act as force transducer 124 . this is best illustrated in fig4 and 5 . beam 120 is formed in trailing edge 104 of the slider body 102 near corner 103 . in the embodiment illustrated in the figures , beam 120 is formed at the center of the slider and is intended to be on the center pad of a conventional proximity slider air bearing . however , the exact location of the beam along corner 103 of the slider is not of particular importance and can be selected to conform to the particular air bearing type . as illustrated in fig4 a first step in freeing beam 120 from the bulk of the head is to mill pocket 116 inward from trailing edge 104 into the slider . preferably , a focused ion beam ( fib ) is used to mill pocket 116 . as illustrated in fig5 an fib mill is also used to form pocket 118 inward from abs 106 . fig6 illustrates a close - up view of force transducer 124 at trailing edge / abs corner 103 of slider body 102 . preferably , pockets 116 and 218 are formed to be thin as possible . pocket 116 must be deep enough ( i . e ., far enough into slider body 102 from trailing edge 104 ) to completely separate metal layer 108 into two electrically isolated areas , beam 120 and plate 122 . pocket 118 is milled into alumina overcoat 114 and metal layer 108 deep enough to free beam 120 so that it can flex or bend in either of two typically perpendicular directions , a direction parallel to abs 106 and a direction parallel to trailing edge 104 . in other words , beam 120 can bend inward and outward from trailing edge 104 and simultaneously upward and downward from abs 106 . the portion of beam 120 farthest away ( farthest upward ) from abs 106 is a region where the two electrically isolated areas ( beam 120 and plate 122 ) are nearly in contact . in capacitive force transducer embodiments , this area will dominate the capacitance between electrical connection pads 110 and 112 . when a force is applied by the disc surface to beam 120 from the abs side of slider body 102 , beam 120 will flex and the spacing will change , thus changing the capacitance between electrical pads 110 and 112 as well . this capacitance change can be sensed using capacitance determining circuitry 125 of the type known in the art which can be coupled to force transducer 124 through pads 110 and 112 . with the range of capacitance changes correlated to a range of possible force magnitudes which can be encountered causing the beam to flex , the sensed change in capacitance can be used to measure the solid - to - solid contact forces between the head and the disc . care should be taken to design the system to make it insensitive to friction forces ( forces in the plane of the abs ) acting on beam 120 . fig7 is a diagrammatic abs view of head / disc force measuring apparatus 100 . apparatus 100 can be fabricated as discussed above with reference to fig1 - 6 and includes slider body 102 and force transducer 124 . force transducer 124 includes flexible beam 120 formed , at corner 103 between trailing edge 104 and abs 106 , by plating metal layer 108 and subsequently milling pockets 116 and 118 to allow be ( am 120 to flex . capacitance detecting circuitry of the type known in the art can be coupled to transducer 124 through electrical pads 110 and 112 . in the alternative , apparatus 100 can be fabricated with the additional teachings of fig8 and 9 as discussed below such that force transducer 124 can be coupled to resistance determining circuitry 136 ( illustrated in fig9 ) of the type known in the art . in modern inductive magnetic heads , up to four layers of inductive coils are typically included in the head . instead of putting a capacitor plate on top of the beam , an electrical resistance strain gauge can be fabricated . a single conductor can be formed to wind back forth along one edge of the beam to increase the sensitivity of the strain gauge . the conductor can be fabricated in the same manner as conventional thin film inductive heads , and can wind back and forth as many times as there are layers in the conventional thin film inductive head process used . after the many conductor layers and vias are plated , and before the alumina overcoat is applied , a process similar to conventional pole trimming processes is used to form a crisp or sharp edge of the strain gauge . conformal alumina overcoat then forms the bulk of the beam . as discussed above , subsequent fib milling releases the beam and strain gauge from the rest of the head . there , forces causing the beam to flex cause the length of the conductor to change , resulting in resistance changes . thus , the forces can be measured by measuring these resulting resistance changes . fig8 and 9 illustrate the relevant changes between the resistive strain gauge force transducer fabrication process from the process illustrated in fig1 - 6 . as was the case with metal layer 108 in the capacitive force transducer , metal layer 126 is plated on trailing edge 104 of slider body 102 . however , plating of metal layer 126 occurs in multiple plating and masking operations to form a serpentine resistor configuration or region 127 . electrical wiring or access pads 128 and 130 are also formed in metal layer 126 and subsequent layers to provide electrical connections to the two ends of serpentine resistor region 127 . the serpentine geometry of metal layer 126 in region 127 causes the conductor to be many times longer than force transducer beam 120 ( formed by subsequent fib milling steps as discussed above ). this is consistent with conventional electrical resistance strain gauges . also , as is known in the resistance strain gauge art , the parasitic resistance of the circuit out of the sensing area should be minimized . this suggests extending fatter lead regions 132 and 134 coming out of wiring pads 128 and 130 toward the active area . fig9 is a more detailed close - up view of metal layer 126 . to better illustrate the serpentine nature of the resistive element , the length scale has been distorted . also , for clarity , fig8 and 9 illustrate serpentine region 127 passing only three times over what will eventually be beam 120 . however , in preferred embodiments , the number of times that region 127 crosses over the active region of the force transducer ( i . e ., over beam 120 ) will be maximized in order to increase the sensitivity of the transducer . the limits to the number of times that serpentine region 127 crosses over beam 120 are primarily related to the capabilities of the thin film processing techniques , to the precision of the ion milling techniques , and to the size of the active area on the air bearing surface portion of the transducer . the procedures for forming beam 120 in the resistive strain gauge embodiment are the same as discussed above for the capacitive embodiment . standard thin film photolithographic processing is preferably used . trailing edge pocket 116 and abs pocket 118 are once again preferably formed using fib milling . however , in the resistive strain gauge embodiment , trailing edge pocket 116 not only forms the opening which frees beam 120 such that it can bend , but also defines the thickness of the conductors in the strain gauge . of course , since a resistance is going to be measured by resistance determining circuitry 136 instead of a capacitance as was the case in the capacitive force transducer embodiment , pocket 116 in trailing edge 104 does not separate metal layer 126 between pads 128 and 130 . instead , pocket 116 serves to tree beam 120 so that it can flex in response to head - to - disc contact . although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	6
a first embodiment will be described with reference through fig1 to 7 . fig7 shows a tractor body 1 , and a front loader 2 and a backhoe attached respectively to the front and rear ends of the body 1 . with reference to fig7 the tractor body 1 has front wheels 4 , rear wheels 5 , and a hydraulic unit 6 at its rear portion . indicated at 7 is a bonnet , and at 8 a steering wheel . the rear wheels 5 are supported by a rear axle case 9 on the tractor body 1 and are each covered with a rear wheel fender 10 from inside . an awning 11 comprises a pair of front posts 12 , a pair of rear posts 13 , and a roof 14 supported by the posts 12 , 13 and is mounted on the tractor body 1 so as to cover from above a seat 15 disposed between the opposite rear fenders 10 . the rear posts 13 serve also as a safety frame and are attached to the rear axle case 9 . each front post 12 is attached to the top of the rear wheel fender 10 . as will be described later , the seat 15 is mounted on the tractor body 1 by a reversibly supporting device 16 and is reversible from a forward position to a rearward position . the front loader 2 comprises a boom 18 pivoted to the upper ends of a pair of opposed masts 17 upwardly and downwardly movably , a bucket 19 pivoted to the front end of the boom 18 , a boom cylinder 20 conntected between the boom 18 and the mast 17 , and a bucket cylinder 21 connected between the boom 18 and a bucket 19 . each mast 17 is removably attached to a mount 22 provided at the middle portion of the tractor body 1 , and a brace 23 extending forward from the mast 17 is removably attached at its front end to a bracket 24 at the front end of the tractor body 1 . the backhoe 3 is removably attached to the tractor body 1 by connecting means 25 . the backhoe 3 comprises a machine frame 26 , swivel frame 27 , boom 28 , arm 29 , bucket 30 , boom cylinder 31 , arm cylinder 32 , bucket cylinder 33 , and control box 34 . the device 16 for reversibly supporting the seat 15 has the construction shown in fig1 through 6 . with reference to fig1 through 3 , a platelike fixed table 35 is fixed to the tractor body 1 by the hydraulic unit 6 . a support table 37 is mounted on the fixed table 35 by a parallel link assembly 36 which is pivotally movable longitudinally of the tractor body . the parallel link assembly 36 comprises a pair of opposed front links 38 and a pair of opposed rear links 39 . each front link 38 is connected at its one end to a bracket 40a at the midportion of the fixed table 35 and at the other end thereof to the front end of the support table 37 by pivots 42 , 44 , respectively . each rear link 39 is connected at its one end to a side plate 41 of a support frame 40 on the fixed table 35 and at the other end thereof to the rear end of the support table 37 by pivots 43 , 45 , respectively . the support table 37 has cushions 46 on its bottom and can be placed in a front position on the fixed table 35 or in a rear position on the support frame 40 , with the cushions 46 provided therebetween . the support frame 40 comprises the pair of opposed side plates 41 each bent outward at its upper end . the side plates 41 are interconnected by a connecting plate 48 . a spring engaging rod 49 and a release rod 53a are connected between the pair of opposed rear links 39 . the pivot 43 has fitted therearound two pairs of helical springs 51a , 52a . the springs 51a , 52a are engaged , each at its one end , with the fixed table 35 on the front and rear opposite sides of the pivot 43 , respectively , and have the other ends thereof engaged with the spring engaging rod 49 . the parallel link assembly 36 is biased toward an upright position by each pair of springs 51a , 52a . a positioning mechanism 57 for positioning the parallel link mechanism 36 in its upright position is provided between the front link 38 and the bracket 40a as seen in fig4 . the positioning mechanism 57 has an engaging recessed portion 58 formed in the base end of the front link 38 , a ball 56a accommodated in a holding tube 55a on the bracket 40a so as to be releasably engageable with the recessed portion 58 , and a spring 57a for biasing the ball 56a upward . a swivel table 60 has fixed to its central portion a vertical shaft 61 which is supported by a ball bearing 61a on a bearing case 60a secured to the support table 37 centrally thereof and which is only rotatable . accordingly , the swivel table 60 is swivelable freely about the axis of the shaft 61 relative to the support table 37 . a slide plate 64 slidable forward or rearward along a pair of opposite guide rails 63 or alternatively lockable is mounted on the swivel table 60 . the seat 15 is mounted on the slide plate 64 by a pivot 65 and cushion spring 65a . the support table 37 and the swivel table 60 are provided with a positioning mechanism 67 for positioning the swivel table 60 in a position as swiveled through 180 degrees about the vertical shaft 61 , lock means 68 for locking the swivel table 60 in this position against swiveling , and means 81 for unlocking the swivel table . more specifically stated with reference to fig5 the positioning mechanism 67 has two engaging holes 69 , 70 formed in the swivel table 60 and arranged symmetrically with respect to a point , i . e ., the shaft 61 , a ball 72 accommodated in a holding tube 71 of the support table 37 so as to releasably engage in one of the holes 69 , 70 , and a spring 73 for biasing the ball 72 upward . the lock means 68 comprises a lock pin 76 provided on the support table 37 so as to releasably engage in the other of the holes 69 , 70 and is constructed as shown in fig6 . the lock pin 76 is upwardly or downwardly slidably supported by the support table 37 and a bracket 74a and is biased upward by a spring 75a . the bracket 74a is fastened by bolts 77a to bosses 76a secured to the support table 37 . the unlocking means 81 has a spring retainer 78a secured to the lock pin 76 and having one end which is bent to an l - shape to provide a release engaging portion 79a . the release engaging portion 79a is positioned under the release rod 53a on the rear links 39 . when the parallel link assembly 36 is raised to its upright position , the release rod 53a comes into engagement with the engaging portion 79a to depress the lock pin 76 and unlock the swivel table . a clamp lever 82a is attached by a pivot 81a to the front end of the swivel table 60 and biased downward by a spring 83a . the clamp lever 82a has an arcuate guide portion 84a and an engaging recessed portion 85a adjacent thereto . the recessed portion 85a is releasably engageable with an engaging member 86a or 87a on the fixed table 35 or the support frame 40 . the engaging members 86a , 87a are each an inverted u - shaped . the engaging member 86a is secured to the fixed table 35 , and the engaging member 87a to a plate 88a projecting rearward from the connecting plate 48 . the first embodiment will be used in the following manner . the seat is locked in the solid - line position of fig1 and 7 during working with the loader or normal operation . it is fixed in the phantom - line position shown in fig1 and 7 during working with the backhoe . in the solid - line position , the swivel table 60 is locked to the support table 37 by the lock means 68 against swiveling , and the engaging recessed portion 85a of the clamp lever 82a is in engagement with the engaging member 86a on the fixed table 35 . when the seat 15 is to be reversed from the solid - line position rearward to the phantom - line position , the clamp lever 82a is first pushed upward ( as indicated by an arrow a ) to unlock the swivel table 60 from the fixed table 35 , whereupon the front and rear links 38 , 39 of the parallel link assembly 36 are pivotally moved upward about the pivots 42 , 43 , respectively , as indicated by arrows b and c , by means of the springs 51a . consequently , the link assembly 36 is raised . when the assembly is brought to its upright position , the ball 56a engages in the recessed portion 58 of the positioning mechanism 57 , while the springs 51a , 52a act in opposite directions , so that the link assembly 36 is held in the upright position . on the other hand , during the pivotal movement of the rear links 39 before the assembly is brought to the upright position , the release rod 53a of the unlocking means 81 comes into engagement with the release engaging portion 79a to pull down the lock pin 76 against the spring 75a , with the result that the lock means 68 is unfastened to unlock the swivel table 60 from the support table 37 and thereby render the swivel table 60 free to swivel . further since the swivel table is fully lifted by the rise of the link assembly 36 , the seat 15 can be swiveled to the rearward position without contacting the levers in the neighborhood . when the seat 15 is reversed rearward , the ball 72 of the positioning mechanism 67 engages in the hole 70 to position the swivel table 60 in place . next , the parallel link assembly 36 is inclined rearward against the springs 52a . in a manner reverse to the above , the lock pin 76 of the lock means 68 then engages in the hole 69 to lock the swivel table 60 to the support table 37 . when the link assembly is further inclined to place the support table 37 on the support frame 40 , the engaging portion 85a of the clamp lever 82a engages with the engaging member 87a to lock the support table 37 onto the support frame 40 against upward or downward movement , whereby the seat 15 is completely reversed to its rearward position . when the backhoe is used for working , the position of the seat 15 becomes higher by an amount corresponding to the level of the support frame 40 . a second embodiment will be described with reference to fig8 through 13 . fig1 shows a tractor body 1 , and a front loader 2 and a backhoe 3 attached to the front and rear ends of the body 1 , respectively . with reference to fig1 , the second embodiment has the same construction as the first except for the device for reversibly supporting the seat , so that like parts ar designated by like reference numerals and will not be described again . the seat reversing - supporting device 16 of the second embodiment has the construction shown in fig8 through 12 . referring to fig8 and 9 , a platelike fixed table 35 is secured to the tractor body 1 by a hydraulic unit 6 . a support table 37 is mounted on the fixed table 35 by a parallel link assembly 36 which is pivotally movable longitudinally of the tractor body . the assembly 36 comprises a pair of front links 38 and a pair of rear links 39 . the front link 38 and the rear link 39 are supported , each at its one end , by pivots 42 , 43 , respectively , on a pair of opposed side plates 41 of a support frame 40 mounted on the fixed table 35 , and are supported at the other ends thereof by pivots 44 , 45 , respectively , on the support table 37 . the support table 37 has cushions 46 on its bottom and is spaced apart from the fixed table 35 thereabove when in a forward position . when in a rearward position , the support table 37 can be placed on the top of the support frame 40 with the cushions provided therebetween as seen in fig1 . the support frame 40 comprises a pair of opposed side plates 41 each bent at its upper end as indicated at 47 . the side plates 41 are interconnected by a connecting bar 48 . spring engaging rods 49 , 50 , as well as engaging rods 51 , 52 , are connected between the pair of front links 38 and the pair of rear links 39 , respectively . in the vicinity of the pivot 45 , a release rod 53a is connected between the rear links 39 . helical springs 53 , 54 fitted around the respective pivots 42 , 43 are held , each at one end thereof , by spring engaging portions 55 , 56 of the fixed table 35 , respectively , and have the other ends thereof engaged by the respective spring engaging rods 49 , 50 . the parallel link assembly 36 is biased toward an upright position by these springs 53 , 54 . with reference to fig1 , a mechanism 57 for positioning the link assembly 36 in its upright state is provided between the front link 38 and the support table 37 . the positioning mechanism 57 has an engaging recessed portion 58 formed in the upper end of the front link 38 , and a resilient engaging plate 59 attached to the support table 37 . as shown in fig8 through 10 , a swivel table 60 has attached to its central portion a vertical shaft 61 , which is supported by a bearing boss 62 secured to the support table 37 centrally thereof and which is only rotatable . accordingly , the swivel table 60 is free to swivel about the axis of the shaft 61 relative to the support table 37 . a slide plate 64 slidable forward or rearward along a pair of opposed guide rails 63 or lockable is mounted on the swivel table 60 . the seat 15 is mounted on the slide plate 64 by a pivot 65 and rubber cushion 66 . the support table 37 and the swivel table 60 are provided with a mechanism 67 for positioning the swivel table 60 as swiveled through 180 degrees about the vertical shaft 61 , lock means 68 for locking the table 60 in this position , and means 81 for unlocking the table 60 . more specifically stated with reference to fig1 , the positioning mechanism 67 has two engaging holes 69 , 70 formed in the swivel table 60 and arranged symmetrically with respect to a point , i . e ., the shaft 61 , a ball 72 accommodated in a holding tube 71 of the support table 37 so as to releasably engage in one of the holes 69 , 70 , and a spring 73 for biasing the ball 72 upward . the lock means 68 has two engaging holes 74 , 75 arranged symmetrically with respect to a point , i . e ., the center of the vertical shaft 61 , and a lock pin 76 provided on the support table 37 upwardly or downwardly slidably so as to releasably engage in one of the holes 74 , 75 . the means is so constructed as seen in fig1 . more specifically , the lock pin 76 is upwardly or downwardly slidably supported by the support table 37 and a bracket 78 and is biased upward by a spring 79 . the bracket 78 is secured to the support table 37 . the unlocking means 81 has a release engaging plate 80 provided on the lock pin 76 . the engaging plate 80 is positioned under the release rod 53a on the rear links 39 , such that when the parallel link assembly 36 is raised to its upright position , the release rod 53a comes into engagement with the engaging plate 80 to pull down the lock pin 76 and unfasten the lock . thus , the unlocking means 81 comprises the release rod 53a and the release engaging plate 80 . the plate 80 is movable only upward or downward by being guided by the bracket 78 . an engaging member 83 is movably attached to the rear end of the swivel table 60 by a pivot 82 . the engaging member 83 releasably engages with the engaging rod 51 or 52 of the parallel link mechanism 36 so as to permit the seat 15 to move upward or downward in the range of up to the solid - line level thereof shown in fig8 when the seat is in the forward position or up to the phantom - line level of the seat when it is in the rearward position . a release handle 84 for moving the engaging member 83 is disposed at the midportion of the front end of the swivel table 60 . the handle 84 is operatively connected to the engaging member 83 by a coupling rod 85 and a pin 86 . the coupling rod 85 is inserted through a pair of front and rear guide plates 87 , 88 on the swivel table 60 and is slidable forward or rearward . a spring 89 is provided around the rear end of the coupling rod 85 for biasing the member 83 toward the engaging direction . a suspension spring 90 is attached to a spring bearing plate 91 interconnecting the pair of front links 38 . a spring cover 92 made of synthetic resin or the like is fitted over the lower end of the spring 90 . on the other hand , the fixed table 35 is provided with a spring bearing portion 93 for the spring cover 92 to bear thereagainst . the second embodiment is used in the manner to be described below . the seat 15 is locked in the solid - line position of fig8 and 13 for working with the loader or for the usual operation , or is locked in the phantom - line position of fig8 and 13 for working with the backhoe . in the solid - line state , the swivel table 60 is locked to the support table 37 by the lock means 68 against swiveling , with the engaging member 83 in engagement with the engaging rod 52 of the link assembly 36 . in this cse , the support table 37 , etc . are movable upward or downward below the solid - line level of the seat , so that when the operator is seated in the seat 15 , the device lowers in its entirety with the cover 92 of the suspension spring 90 bearing on the spring bearing portion 93 on the fixed table 35 . the spring 90 therefore produces a suspension effect . to rearwardly reverse the seat 15 from the solid - line position to the phantom - line position , the release handle 84 is first pulled forward ( in the direction of arrow a in fig8 ), moving the engaging member 83 about the pivot 82 toward the direction of arrow b out of engagement with the engaging rod 52 to release the seat 15 in the solid - line level . the front and rear links 38 , 39 of the parallel link assembly 36 are therefore pivotally moved upward in the direction of arrows c and d about the pivots 42 , 43 , respectively , by the springs 53 , 54 , whereby the link assembly 36 is raised . when the assembly is brought to its upright position , the resilient engaging plate 59 engages in the recessed portion 58 of the positioning mechanism 57 , so that the link assembly 36 is held in the upright position . on the other hand , during the pivotal movement of the rear links 39 before the assembly is brought to the upright position , the release rod 53a of the unlocking means 81 comes into engagement with the release engaging plate 80 to pull down the lock pin 76 ( as indicated by arrow e in fig1 ) against the spring 79 , with the result that the lock means 68 is unfastened to unlock the swivel table 60 from the support table 37 and thereby render the swivel table 60 free to swivel . further , since the swivel table is fully lifted by the rise of the link assembly 36 , the seat 15 can be swiveled to the rearward position without contacting the levers in the neighborhood . when the seat 15 is reversed rearward , the ball 72 of the positioning mechanism 67 engages in the hole 70 to position the swivel table 60 in place . next , the parallel link assembly 36 is inclined rearward against the springs 53 , 54 . in a manner reverse to the above , the lock pin 76 of the lock means 68 then engages in the hole 75 to lock the swivel table 60 to the support table 37 against swiveling . when the link assembly 36 is further inclined to place the support table 37 on the support frame 40 , the engaging member 83 engages with the engaging rod 51 of the link assembly 36 to lock the support table 37 onto the support frame 40 against upward or downward movement , whereby the seat 15 is completely reversed to its rearward position . when the backhoe is used for working , the operator is seated in the seat 15 in the phantom - line position . according to the second embodiment , the seat 15 in the rearward position is locked to the support frame 40 , whereas the seat in the rearward position may be supported upwardly or downwardly movably , with a suspension spring also provided on the frame 40 . the suspension spring 90 may be attached to the spring bearing portion 93 . to render the swivel table 60 smoothly swivelable , a seat ring 100 of synthetic resin is provided on the bottom face of the table 60 . a third embodiment will be described with reference to fig1 through 17 . the third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in the construction of support frame 40 , the construction of lock means 68 and the construction of the unlocking means 81 but otherwise has the same construction as the second , so that like parts are designated by like reference numerals and will not be described again . the support frame 40 of the third embodiment has opposed side paltes 41 having a smaller height than those of the second embodiment . a stopper 41a is provided between and attached to the side plates 41 . the rear links 39 of the parallel link assembly 36 as pivotally moved rearward bear on the stopper 41a , whereby the seat 15 is located in the phantom - line position in fig1 . the stopper 41a which is prepared by bending a strip to a v - shape interconnects the opposed side plates 41 for reinforcement . the lock means 68 of the third embodiment has two engaging holes 74 , 75 arranged symmetrically with respect to a point , i . e ., the center of the vertical shaft 61 , and a lock pin 68a releasably engageable with one of the holes 74 , 75 . the lock pin 68a is provided on the support table 37 by a guide tube 76a upwardly or downwardly slidably . the unlocking means 81 has an engaging pin 77a at the lower end of the lock pin 68a . the engaging pin 77a is slidably inserted through a slit 79a in a release lever 78a . the release lever 78a has a front end upwardly or downwardly supported by the pivot 44 and a rear end extending rearward under the release rod 53a . when the parallel link assembly 39 is raised to its upright position , the release lever 78a is engaged by the release rod 53a and moved downward , thereby pulling the lock pin 68a downward and unlocking the swivel table 60 from the support table 37 . the release lever 78a is biased upward by a helical spring 80a wound around the pivot 44 . to rearwardly reverse the seat 15 from the solid - line position to the phantom - line position by the third embodiment , the release handle 84 is first pulled forward ( in the direction of arrow a in fig1 ), moving the engaging member 83 about the pivot 82 toward the direction of arrow b out of engagement with the engaging rod 52 to release the seat 15 in the solid - line level . the front and rear links 38 , 39 of the parallel link assembly 36 are therefore pivotally moved upward in the direction of arrows c and d about the pivots 42 , 43 , respectively , by the springs 53 , 54 , whereby the link assembly 36 is raised . when the assembly is brought to its upright position , the resilient engaging plate 59 engages in the recessed portion 58 of the positioning mechanism 57 , so that the link assembly 36 is held in this position . on the other hand , during the pivotal movement of the rear links 39 before the assembly is brought to the upright position , the release rod 53a on the rear links 39 engages the release lever 78a from above , moving the release lever 78a downward ( as indicated by arrow e in fig1 ) about the pivot 44 against the spring 80a to pull down the lock pin 68a as indicated by arrow f . the lock pin 68a is therefore released from the hole 74 in the swivel table 60 to unlock the swivel table 60 from the support table 37 and thereby render the swivel table 60 free to swivel . further , since the swivel table is fully lifted by the movement of the assembly 36 to the upright position , the seat 15 can be swiveled to the rearward position without contacting the levers in the vicinity thereof . when the seat 15 is reversed rearward , the ball 72 of the positioning mechanism 67 engages in the hole 70 to position the swivel table 60 in place . next , the parallel link assembly 36 is inclined rearward against the springs 53 , 54 . in a manner reverse to the above , the release lever 78a is moved upward by the spring 80 , with the result that the lock pin 76a engages in the hole 75 to lock the swivel table 60 to the support table 37 against swiveling . when the assembly 36 is further inclined to bring the rear links 39 into contact with the stopper 41a , the engaging member 83 engages with the engaging rod 51 of the link assembly 36 to lock the support table 37 against upward or downward movement , whereby the seat 15 is completely reversed to its rearward position . the roof 14 of the first embodiment is provided on each of its opposite sides with a work light 189 which is reversible from a forward position to a rearward position . more specifically stated with reference to fig1 through 20 , a u - shaped bracket 191 is attached to a side wall portion 189a of the roof 14 with bolts 190 . a vertical fixed rod 192 is connected between the outer ends of arms of the bracket 191 , with a positioning member 193 provided on the lower arm . the positioning member 193 is in the form of a cam having two protrusions arranged on its upper side symmetrically with respect to a point . a boss 194 is rotatably provided around the fixed rod 192 and positioned on the positioning member 193 . the boss 194 is biased downward with a spring 195 . the work lamp 189 is mounted on the outer end of an arm 196 projecting forward from the boss 194 . a downwardly extending handle 197 is attached to an intermediate portion of the arm 196 . by virture of the engagement of the boss 194 with the positioning member 193 , the arm 196 can be positioned in a forward position or a rearward position along the roof 14 as specified . accordingly , when the front loader 2 is used for working , the work light 189 is brought to the forward position as indicated in solid line in fig7 while when the backhoe 3 is used for excavation , the work light 189 is brought to the phantom - line rearward position shown in fig7 . thus , the work light 189 is usable for either type of work . the wiring for the work light 189 is provided preferably via a portion close to the fixed rod 192 . the safety frame can be in the form of a two - post safety frame 198 as shown in fig2 and 22 . the frame 198 has a lower end fixed to the rear axle case 9 by a bracket 199 and an upper end connected to the corresponding one on the other side by a connecting portion 200 . a vertically intermediate portion of the safety frame 198 is connected to the top front portion of the rear wheel fender 10 by a handrail member 201 . the handrail member 201 has a vertical rod portion 203 and a slanting rod portion 204 which are interconnected by an arcuate bent portion 202 . the vertical rod portion 203 has at its lower end a connecting plate 205 fastened to the rear wheel fender 10 with bolts . the rear end of the slanting rod portion 204 is fixed to the safety frame 198 . with the structure described , the handrail member 201 serves to reinforce the safety frame 198 , while if a force of impact acts on the upper end of the safety frame 198 from the rear in the direction of arrow d , the force is absorbed by the deformation of the bent portion 202 of the handrail member 201 . with the second embodiment , the rear post 13 has a lower end fixed to the rear axle case 9 by a bracket 394 and is connected at its upper end to the corresponding one on the other side by a connecting portion 395 . a vertically intermediate portion of the rear post 13 is connected to the top front portion of the rear wheel fender 10 by a handrail member 395 as seen in fig2 . the rear posts 13 and the connecting portion 395 are formed by bending a tube of rectangular cross section to the shape of a gate , and a reinforcement rib 397 is welded to each bent corner portion 396 on the inner side thereof as seen in fig2 and 24 . the reinforcement rib 397 is u - shaped in cross section and has at its opposite ends projecting pieces 398 , 399 which are joined to the rear post 13 and the connectiong portion 395 , respectively . the invention is applicable to vehicle seats which are to be changed over between a forward position and a rearward position for the operator .	4
in describing and claiming the present invention , the following terminology is used in accordance with the definitions set out herein . as used herein , the term “ active ingredient ”, “ drug ” or “ pharmacologically active ingredient ” or any other similar term means any chemical or biological material or compound suitable for administration by the methods previously known in the art and / or by the methods taught in the present invention , that induces a desired biological or pharmacological effect , which may include but is not limited to ( 1 ) having a prophylactic effect on the organism and preventing an undesired biological effect such as preventing an infection , ( 2 ) alleviating a condition caused by a disease , for example , alleviating pain or inflammation caused as a result of disease , and / or ( 3 ) either alleviating , reducing , or completely eliminating the disease from the organism . the effect may be local , such as providing for a local anaesthetic effect , or it may be systemic . as used herein , the term “ controlled release delivery ” or “ controlled release ” means that the release of the active ingredient out of the dosage form is controlled with respect to time or with respect to the site of delivery . the term “ coat ” is used herein to encompass coatings for solid supports and also capsules enclosing fluids and / or solids and the term “ coated ” is used similarly . the expression “ water insoluble polymer ” should be understood broadly , this expression refers to polymers that do not completely dissolve in water , such as for example ethyl cellulose , certain starch derivatives or acrylic acid / methacrylic acid derivatives . the term “ indigestible polysaccharide ” as used in the present invention refers to saccharides which are not or only partially digested in the intestine by the action of acids or digestive enzymes present in the human upper digestive tract ( small intestine and stomach ) but which are at least partially fermented by the human intestinal flora . indigestible polysaccharide that may be employed in preferred embodiments of the invention are polysaccharides containing indigestible glucosidic linkages conferring on those saccharides additional properties identical to dietetic fibers such as “ branched polysaccharides ”. in the sense of the invention , by branched maltodextrins or dextrins is meant maltodextrins or dextrins , of which the content of glucosidic linkages 1 → 6 is greater than that of standard maltodextrins or dextrins . for example , standard maltodextrins are defined as purified and concentrated mixtures of glucose and glucose polymers essentially linked in 1 → 4 with only 4 to 5 % glucosidic linkages 1 → 6 , of extremely varied molecular weights , completely soluble in water and with low reducing power . examples of those indigestible polysaccharides are polydextrose , branched dextrins or branched maltodextrins such as those described in patent ep 1 006 128 , of which the applicant company is the proprietor . in practice , the number average molecular mass ( mn ) and the weight average molecular mass ( mw ) values which allow a better definition of the polymolecular species of the polymer mixtures , are measured by gel permeation chromatography , on chromatography columns calibrated with dextrans of known molecular weight ( alsop et al ., process biochem , 12 , 15 - 22 ; 1977 or alsop et al ., chromatography 246 , 227 - 240 ; 1982 ). this method of measurement is very suitable for glucose polymers and is the method used within the context of the present invention . the index of polymolecularity ( i . p .) that is the ratio mw / mn makes it possible to characterize overall the distribution of the molecular weights of a polymer mixture . the indigestible polysaccharide according to the present invention have a total fiber content of greater than or equal to 50 % on a dry basis , determined according to aoac method no . 2001 - 03 ( 2001 ). the invention provides novel polymeric film coatings for colon targeting which are adapted to the disease state of the patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases . in the following , the invention will be illustrated by means of the following examples as well as the figures . aminosalicylic acid ( 5 - asa ; falk pharma , freiburg , germany ); glyceryl behenate ( compritol ® 888 ato ) and glyceryl palmitostearate ( precirol ® ato 5 ) ( gattefosse ®, st . priest , france ); hydrogenated soybean oil ( sterotex ® hm ) and hydrogenated cottonseed oil ( sterotex ® nf ) ( abitec , janesville , wis ., usa ); glyceryl trimyristate / glyceryl tripalmitate / glyceryl tristearate / hardened soybean oil ( dynasan ® 114 / 116 / 118 / 120 ) and synthetic hard paraffines ( sasolwax ® spray 30 and synthetic wax ) ( sasol , witten , germany ); ips ( nutriose ® fb 06 ; roquette freres , lestrem , france ); microcristalline cellulose ( mcc , avicel ph 101 ; fmc biopolymer , brussels , belgium ); poly ( vinylpyrrolidone ) ( pvp , povidone ® k30 ) ( cooperation pharmaceutique francaise , melun , france ); chitosan ( protasan ® c1 213 ; novamatrix ®, fmc biopolymer , drammen , norway ); microwax ® hg and microwax ® hw ( paramelt , heerhugowaard , the netherlands ); pancreatin ( from mammalian pancreas = mixture of amylase , protease and lipase ) and pepsin ( fisher bioblock , illkirch , france ). 5 - asa loaded matrix pellets were prepared by extrusion - spheronisation . the drug , ips and the respective lipid ( s ) were blended and granulated manually with demineralized water in a mortar with a pestle . the obtained wet mass was extruded using a cylinder extruder with two counter - rotating rollers ( 1 mm orifice , 3 mm thickness , extrusion speed = 32 rpm , ga 65 extruder ; alexanderwerk , remscheid , germany ). the extrudates were subsequently spheronised ( caleva model 15 ; caleva , dorset , uk ) for 180 s at 364 rpm . the obtained pellets were dried for 24 h in an oven at 40 ° c . and sieved ( fraction : 0 . 71 - 1 . 00 mm ). if indicated , the pellets were cured for specific time periods at defined temperatures in an oven . 5 - asa , ips and the respective lipid ( s ) were blended manually in a mortar with a pestle . mini tablets were prepared by : ( i ) direct compression on a frank 81802 ( karl frank , birkenau , germany ), equipped with a 2 mm diameter punch set ( korsch , berlin , germany ), or ( ii ) compression of granules obtained via melt granulation . if not otherwise stated , the respective compounds were heated and mixed on a water bath at 85 ° c . after cooling to room temperature , the obtained mass was ball milled , sieved ( fraction 50 - 100 μm ) and compressed using the same equipment as in ( i ). the tablet height was 2 mm . optionally , the tablets were cured in an oven for different time periods at various temperatures , as indicated . drug release from matrix pellets was measured in 120 ml cylindrical plastic flasks ( diameter : 5 . 5 cm , height : 6 . 5 cm ) containing 100 ml release medium : 0 . 1 n hcl ( optionally containing 0 . 32 % w / v pepsin ) for 2 h and phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 ( usp 32 ) ( optionally containing 1 . 0 % w / v pancreatin ) for 8 h ( complete medium change after 2 h ). the flasks were agitated in a horizontal shaker ( 37 ° c ., 80 rpm , n = 3 ) ( gfl 3033 ; gesellschaft fuer labortechnik , burgwedel , germany ). at pre - determined time points , 3 ml samples were withdrawn ( replaced with fresh medium ), filtered and analyzed uv - spectrophotometrically at λ = 302 . 4 nm ( 0 . 1 n hcl ), or λ = 331 . 2 nm ( phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 ) ( uv - 1650pc ; shimadzu , champs - sur - marne , france ). in the presence of enzymes , the samples were centrifuged at 13 , 000 rpm for 10 min ( universal 320 centrifuge ; hettich , tuttlingen , germany ) and filtered ( 0 . 2 μm , ptfe ) prior to uv measurements . drug release from mini tablets was measured using the usp 32 apparatus 3 ( bio dis ; varian , les ulis , france ) ( 37 ° c ., 5 dpm , n = 3 ) in 200 ml release medium : 0 . 1 n hcl for 2 h and phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 ( usp 32 ) for 8 h ( complete medium change after 2 h ). at pre - determined time points , 3 ml samples were withdrawn ( replaced with fresh medium ), filtered and analyzed uv - spectrophotometrically as described above . excess amounts of 5 aminosalicylic acid were placed in contact with 0 . 1 n hcl and phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 at 37 ° c . in a horizontal shaker ( 80 rpm , gfl 3033 ). samples were withdrawn every 12 h , filtered and analyzed for their drug content as described in section 2 . 4 . until equilibrium was reached . thermograms of different types of pellets and raw materials ( for reasons of comparison ) were measured by differential scanning calorimetry ( dsc1 ; stare software ; mettler toledo sas , viroflay , france ). pellets were gently crushed in a mortar with a pestle and approximately 7 mg samples were heated in sealed aluminum pans ( investigated temperature range : 20 to 90 ° c ., heating rate : 10 ° c ./ min ). extrusion - spheronisation allowed obtaining spherical pellets in all cases . the systems contained 60 % 5 asa , 15 % ips and 25 % lipid ( s ) ( optionally partially replaced by mcc or pvp ). the high drug loading is of great practical importance , because 5 asa is highly dosed ( up to 4 . 8 g per day ). the presence of ips in the pellets aims at providing colon specific drug delivery : this polymer has been reported to be degraded by enzymes present in feces of inflammatory bowel disease patients . the lipids , mcc and pvp aim at avoiding immediate drug release upon contact with aqueous body fluids ( note that the drug and ips are both water soluble at 37 ° c .). fig1 shows the release of 5 asa from pellets containing 25 % ( w / w ) of the following lipids : ( a ) hardened soybean oil , ( b ) glyceryl tristearate , ( c ) sasolwax ® or synthetic wax , or ( d ) microwax ® hg or microwax ® hw . the systems were cured at different temperatures for 1 , 2 or 3 min ( as indicated ) in order to allow for a more homogeneous lipid distribution , more efficient embedding of the drug particles and eventually the ( partial ) transformation of a lipid into a more stable modification . the melting points of the investigated lipids ( glyceryl tristearate : 70 - 73 ° c ., hardened soybean oil : 67 72 ° c ., sasolwax ®: 96 100 ° c ., synthetic wax : 94 97 ° c ., microwax ® hg : 80 86 ° c ., microwax ® hw : 75 80 ° c .) were close to or well below the investigated curing temperatures . as it can be seen in fig1 , immediate drug release is avoided and the release rate generally decreased with increasing curing temperature and time , irrespective of the type of lipid . thus , in principle the applied strategy is successful . however , in all cases drug release was too rapid and most of the drug was released during the observation period ( corresponding to the simulated transit period through the upper git ; note that long residence times have been assumed , simulating unfavorable conditions for the drug delivery system ). hence , premature drug release in vivo is highly likely . the fact that after complete medium change ( at t = 2 h ), the release rate decreased in most cases can probably ( at least partially ) be attributed to the lower aqueous solubility of 5 asa in phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 compared to 0 . 1 n hcl at 37 ° c . : 4 . 4 mg / ml versus 10 mg / ml . in order to reduce the undesired premature drug release in 0 . 1 n hcl and phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 , parts of the lipid were substituted by mcc or pvp . fig2 shows 5 - asa release from pellets containing 60 % drug , 15 % ips , 15 % hardened soybean oil and 10 % mcc or pvp . for reasons of comparison , also drug release from mcc / pvp - free systems ( containing 25 % hardened soybean oil ) is shown . all pellets were cured for 3 min at 70 , 80 or 90 ° c . ( as indicated ). interestingly , the replacement of 10 % ( w / w , referred to the total system mass ) lipid by mcc resulted in accelerated drug release , irrespective of the curing conditions . thus , the lipid is more efficient in hindering drug release from these pellets than mcc . in contrast , the partial replacement of hardened soybean oil by pvp led to slightly / moderately decreased drug release rates , if the systems were cured at 70 and 80 ° c . however , upon curing at 90 ° c ., also in this case drug release was accelerated upon lipid substitution . thus , these approaches are not suitable to effectively minimize premature drug release in the upper git . in a further attempt to avoid the observed undesired drug release in 0 . 1 n hcl and phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 , a short term curing for 3 min at 90 ° c . was followed by a long term curing at 40 ° c . for 7 days . fig3 shows 5 - asa release from pellets containing 25 % glyceryl trimyristate , hardened soybean oil , glyceryl behenate , glyceryl palmitostearate , glyceryl tripalmitate , hydrogenated cottonseed oil , or glyceryl tristearate upon exposure to 0 . 1 n hcl for 2 h , followed by phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 for 8 h ( dotted curves ). for reasons of comparison , also drug release from pellets , which were only cured for 3 min at 90 ° c . are shown ( solid curves ). clearly , the release rate significantly decreased in most cases upon long term curing . this can at least partially be attributed to changes in the modifications of the lipids : fig4 shows exemplarily dsc thermograms of pellets consisting of 60 % 5 - asa , 15 % ips and 25 % glyceryl palmitostearate or tripalmitate ( as indicated ). the pellets were cured for 3 min at 90 ° c . and optionally subsequently for 7 days at 40 ° c . for reasons of comparison , also thermograms of 5 - asa , ips and of the lipid powders as received are shown in fig4 . the melting peaks of the powders as received correspond to the melting peaks of the stable β - modifications of these lipids . in contrast , pellets which were only cured for 3 min at 90 ° c . also showed the melting / transformation of a less stable modification , irrespective of the type of lipid . importantly , pellets cured for 7 days at 40 ° c . again only showed the melting of the stable lipid modification ( in both cases ). it has to be pointed out that the curing temperature during long term curing was well below the melting point of the respective lipids . hence , the observed changes in the resulting drug release rates during long term curing are probably not caused by potential redistributions of the lipids . as lipids were used to slow down drug release within the upper part of the git , it was important to measure the effects of the presence of enzymes in the bulk fluids on drug release . fig5 shows 5 - asa release from pellets consisting of 60 % drug , 15 % ips and 25 % hydrogenated cottonseed oil , glyceryl tripalmitate or glyceryl palmitostearate ( as indicated ). the release medium was either 0 . 1 n hcl for the first 2 h , followed by phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 for the subsequent 8 h ( solid curves ), or 0 . 1 n hcl containing 0 . 32 % w / v pepsin for the first 2 h , followed by phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 containing 1 % w / v pancreatin for the subsequent 8 h ( dotted curves ). all pellets were cured for 3 min at 90 ° c ., followed by 7 days at 40 ° c . clearly , drug release significantly increased in the presence of enzymes in the case of hydrogenated cottonseed oil and glyceryl tripalmitate , due to the ( at least partial ) degradation of these lipids . in contrast , the release rate only slightly increased in the case of glyceryl palmitostearate . thus , this lipid seems to be much less affected by the added enzymes under these conditions . for this reason , glyceryl palmitostearate was used as standard lipid in all further experiments ( if not otherwise stated ). when developing controlled drug delivery systems , special care needs to be taken with respect to potential changes in the systems &# 39 ; properties during long term storage . modifications in the molecular structures might alter the resulting matrix permeability for the drug and , thus , the release rate . for these reasons , it is of great practical importance to measure drug release before and after long term storage from such dosage forms . storage under stress conditions ( e . g ., elevated temperature ) can allow obtaining results more rapidly than under ambient conditions . fig6 shows the release of 5 - asa from pellets consisting of 60 % drug , 15 % ips and 25 % glyceryl palmitostearate . the pellets were cured for 3 min at 90 ° c ., followed by 7 days at 37 , 40 and 45 ° c . ( as indicated ) ( the melting range of glyceryl palmitostearate is 53 57 ° c .). for reasons of comparison , also drug release from pellets , which were only cured for 3 min at 90 ° c . and from pellets , which were cured for 3 min at 90 ° c ., followed by 6 months at 37 , 40 and 45 ° c . is illustrated . clearly , a days curing is required to slow down drug release , irrespective of the curing temperature . interestingly , the resulting release profiles do not overlap , indicating possible differences in the lipid distribution within the system . importantly , drug release further slowed down when increasing the curing period to 6 months in the case of curing at 37 ° c ., but not in the case of curing at 40 or 45 ° c . thus , the latter pellets are likely to be stable during long term storage at room temperature . as an alternative to matrix pellets , also mini tablets ( diameter : 2 mm ; height : 2 mm ) consisting of 50 % 5 - asa , 15 % ips and 35 % lipid were prepared . again , the high drug loading was important because of the high daily doses of 5 - asa . ips was the colon targeting compound and the lipid was intended to minimize drug release in the upper git . to evaluate the suitability of different types of lipids in these dosage forms , hardened soybean oil , glyceryl tristearate , glyceryl tripalmitate , glyceryl behenate , glyceryl palmitostearate , hydrogenated cottonseed oil as well as hydrogenated soybean oil were studied ( fig7 ). the mini tablets were prepared by direct compression , followed by a curing for 24 or 48 h at 60 , 65 , 70 or 75 ° c . ( as indicated ), according to the melting points of the lipids : hardened soybean oil 67 72 ° c ., glyceryl tristearate 70 73 ° c ., glyceryl tripalmitate 63 ° c ., glyceryl behenate 69 74 ° c ., glyceryl palmitostearate 53 57 ° c ., hydrogenated cottonseed oil 60 62 . 5 ° c . hydrogenated soybean oil 66 . 5 69 . 5 ° c . as it can be seen in fig7 , drug release upon 2 h exposure to 0 . 1 n hcl , followed by 8 h exposure to phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 is considerable in all cases . generally , the release rate decreased with increasing curing time and temperature , due to altered lipid modifications and / or lipid distribution within the system . as in the case of matrix pellets , glyceryl palmitostearate showed the most promising potential as release rate controlling lipid . for this reason it was studied in more detail . in order to minimize the undesired , premature drug release in the upper git , the curing time and temperature were further increased . fig8 shows 5 - asa release from mini tablets consisting of 50 % drug , 15 % ips and 35 % glyceryl palmitostearate . the systems were cured for 3 min at 90 ° c ., followed by 7 days , 14 days or 1 month at 40 ° c ., or by 12 , 24 or 48 h at 60 ° c . for reasons of comparison , also 5 - asa release from mini tablets cured for 24 h at 60 ° c . is shown . clearly , the release rate was not very much affected by the curing conditions , except for the 1 month curing . as the latter is difficult to realize at an industrial scale and as the release rate still remains considerable , this approach was not further investigated . since the distribution of the lipid within the mini tablets can be expected to significantly alter its ability to hinder drug release , four different preparation techniques were studied , which are likely to result in a more or less intense embedding of the drug within the glyceryl palmitostearate : ( i ) direct compression , ( ii ) partial melt granulation & amp ; compression , ( iii ) separate melt granulation & amp ; compression , and ( iv ) melt granulation & amp ; compression . in the case of “ partial melt granulation & amp ; compression ”, 5 - asa , ips and 60 % of the glycerol palmitostearate were molten at 85 ° c . on a water bath , cooled down to room temperature , ball milled and sieved ( fraction 50 - 100 μm ). the obtained powder was blended with the remaining glyceryl palmitostearate and compressed . in the case of “ separate melt granulation & amp ; compression ”, glyceryl palmitostearate and ips were blended in equal parts and molten at 85 ° c . on a water bath . the remaining glyceryl palmitostearate was blended with the drug and also this blend was molten at 85 ° c . on a water bath . both melts were cooled down to room temperature , ball milled , sieved ( fraction 50 - 100 μm ), blended and compressed . in the case of “ melt granulation & amp ; compression ”, all compounds were molten together at 85 ° c . on a water bath , cooled down to room temperature , ball milled , sieved ( fraction 50 - 100 μm ) and compressed . the mini tablets were optionally cured for 24 h at 60 ° c . as it can be seen in fig9 , the drug release rate decreased in the following ranking order : direct compression & gt ; partial melt granulation & amp ; compression & gt ; separate melt granulation & amp ; compression & gt ; melt granulation & amp ; compression . this was true for uncured as well as for cured mini tablets and can probably be attributed to a more and more intense embedding of the drug within the lipid . as also chitosan has been reported to allow for site specific drug delivery to the colon , the partial substitution of glyceryl palmitostearate by chitosan was studied . fig1 shows drug release from mini tablets consisting of 50 % asa , 15 % ips , 30 % glyceryl palmitostearate and 5 % chitosan . for reasons of comparison , also drug release from mini tablets free of chitosan ( containing 35 % glyceryl palmitostearate ) is shown . all systems were prepared by melt granulation & amp ; compression . the tablets were either uncured or cured for 24 h at 60 ° c . ( as indicated ). clearly , the presence of only 5 % chitosan significantly increased the resulting drug release rate , leading to undesired , premature drug release . this was true for uncured as well as for cured tablets and can be attributed to the higher permeability of the hydrogel chitosan for the low molecular weight drug 5 - asa and / or rapid leaching of this compound into the surrounding bulk fluid at low ph . it has to be pointed out that an enteric coating can avoid an undesired dissolution of chitosan at low ph . such composition is suitable for a use in a coated form . fig1 shows the effects of the ips content ( while keeping the “ ips + glyceryl palmintostearate content ” constant at 50 %) and of the curing conditions on the resulting drug release kinetics from mini tablets prepared by melt granulation & amp ; compression upon exposure to 0 . 1 n hcl for 2 h and subsequent exposure to phosphate buffer ph 6 . 8 for 8 h . the ips content was increased from 15 to 25 % ( while the glyceryl palmitostearate content was decreased from 35 to 25 %), the tablets were optionally cured for 24 or 48 h at 60 ° c . ( as indicated ). as it can be seen , the release rate increased with increasing ips content , because glyceryl palmitostearate is more effectively hindering drug release than ips . note that ips is more effectively hindering drug release than chitosan in this type of dosage forms : when comparing 5 - asa release from mini tablets cured for 24 h at 60 ° c ., containing 50 % drug , 30 % glyceryl palmitostaerate and 20 % ips ( open squares and solid curves in fig1 ) versus 15 % ips + 5 % chitosan ( open squares in fig1 ), it can be seen that drug release was slower in the case of 20 % ips . furthermore , the release rate decreased with increasing curing temperature and time , irrespective of the ips content ( fig1 ). importantly , at a ips level of 15 %, 5 - asa release from mini tablets cured at 60 ° c . for 24 and 48 h is virtually overlapping ( open triangles : dotted and solid curves ), indicating that a stable system is likely to be achieved . thus , mini tablets consisting of 50 % 5 - asa , 15 % ips and 35 % glyceryl palmitostearate prepared by melt granulation & amp ; compression and subsequent curing for 24 h at 60 ° c . show an interesting potential for colon specific drug delivery .	0
as the titanium material of the chemical apparatus according to the invention may be used such titanium alloys as ti - 5ta , ti - 6al - 4v , ti - 5al - 2cr - fe , ti5al - 2 . 5sn , ti - 15mo - 5zr , ti - 15wo - 5zr - 3al as well as pure titanium , and it is of course possible to use combination of these alloys . while these titanium material constitute part or all of the inner surface of the chemical apparatus , part or all of the crevice surfaces must of course be constituted by the titanium material as is apparent from the purport of the instant invention . examples of the oxide of the platinum group element used according to the invention are those of iridium , platinum , ruthenium , rhodium , palladium and osmium , and from the standpoint of economy palladium oxide is most preferred . while examples of the oxide of the anti - corrosion metal are those of titanium , tantalum , zirconium , niobium , silicon and aluminum , it is possible to use any other oxide of an anti - corrosion metal as well . the method of covering the chemical apparatus surface of the titanium material with a mixture of oxide composed of a platinum group element oxide and an anti - corrosion metal oxide is not limitative of the invention . the most effective method is to apply , for example , a solution containing a palladium salt and a titanium salt dissolved in a suitable solvent such as alcohol over the titanium material surface at least constituting the crevice portion . the coating is then subjected to a thermal oxidation treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere , for instance in atmosphere at 200 to 900 ° c . and for 10 to 30 minutes . it is further effective to form a preliminary titanium oxide layer on the ti surface , which has previously been polished and washed with acid , by heating at 500 to 600 ° c . in the atmosphere prior to the step of coating with the aforementioned solution . of course it is possible to coat with a mixture the oxides directly . while in this case an apparently uniform mixed oxide layer can be obtained , microscopically it has local pinholes which expose the base titanium material . even in this case , however , the effect of preventing the corrosion of the crevice is not adversely affected by the local microscopic exposure of the titanium material . in the former case , that is , in the method based on oxidation treatment in the atmosphere , the mixed oxide layer is formed on the titanium material surface through chemical reactions . thus , even if macroscopic defects result in this process , the titanium base in the defective portions is oxidized to form a stable oxide layer , for instance tio 2 layer , so that very reliable suppression of the phenomenon of active dissolution ( i . e ., corrosion ) of the titanium material itself can be advantageously achieved . electronic spectrum analysis of the structure of the coating layers obtained by these methods reveals that there is some crystallographical coupling between the platinum group element oxide and the anti - corrosion metal oxide . more particularly , the platinum group element oxide is firmly bonded to the titanium material via the anti - corrosion metal oxide , thus providing not only electrochemical corrosion resistance and hydrogen absorption suppressing effect but also excellent mechanical properties such as wear resistance and shock resistance . while oxides of platinum group elements have generally been known to have good corrosion resisting properties , they have been mainly noted for low threshold value of dissociation in electrolyte liquids ( for instance chlorine over - voltage ) compared to the pure metals . their practical application , heretofore known , is as the electrolytic electrode ( anode ), where the property of anodic reactions is important and no problem is posed in connection with the corrosion of a titanium base . however , in the field of chemical apparatus using ti - pd alloys or palladium diffusion treated titanium , it was not been known as to whether or not such apparatus would exhibit sufficient corrosion resistance even under such corrosive conditions as where corrosion resistance is otherwise insufficient and also whether corrosion resistance of the titanium base can be ensured with the aforementioned mixed oxide layer . neither was it totally known as to whether or not such layer has the effect of preventing hydrogen absorption . the fact that according to the invention excellent corrosion resistance is achieved even under severe corrosive conditions such as those encountered with hydrochloric acid or sulfric acid is thought to result from the pronounced effect of forming a galvanic couple between the mixed oxide layer and the non - treated titanium surface portion . more particularly , the mixture of platinum group element oxide and the anti - corrosion metal oxide is thought to provide a very noble potential under the afore - mentioned corrosive conditions . hence it has the excellent ability of rendering the galvanically coupled non - treated titanium material anodically polarized into a passive state . the fact that the effect of preventing hydrogen absorption is improved according to the invention , is thought to be due to the very noble potential developed in the region of the mixed oxide layer coated titanium material in contact with the solution . in other words , while the platinum group element oxide in the mixed oxide layer has the main effect of producing hydrogen when cathode is formed , the speed of diffusion of hydrogen atoms into the anti - corrosion metal oxide in the coating is low enough to suppress the coupling of the hydrogen atoms to the base titanium material . in regions where the mixed oxide layer is not formed only the anodic reactions take place , so that these regions are apparently free from hydrogen absorption . it is an important part of the invention to provide a mixed oxide layer composed of a platinum group element oxide and a corrosion resisting metal oxide on the surface of ti material , whereby it is possible to obtain practically perfect prevention of crevice corrosion and tendency of becoming fragile due to hydrogen absorption even under severe conditions . the molar ratio of the platinum group element oxide to the anti - corrosion metal oxide in the mixture ranges from 1 : 99 to 95 : 5 , more preferably from 10 : 90 to 95 : 5 , as will be understood from an example given hereinunder . since the excellent effects can be obtained even with a small proportion of the platinum group element oxide , and also , since only a very small area of the material surface has to be covered with the coating , the economical value of the invention is very great . where the proportion of the platinum group element oxide is less than 1 mol percent or greater than 95 mol percent , no considerable improvement can be obtained although it is possible to obtain some effect . the coating layer according to the invention need not be provided over the entire area of the titanium material surface but may be provided only over no less than 1 / 1 , 000 of the total area , more preferably no less than 1 / 500 of the total area . while the thickness of the coating layer is not particularly limited , it is suitably not less than 0 . 01 micron in case where the improvement of the corrosion resistance is the primary aim and is suitably not less than 0 . 1 micron in case where the effect of preventing hydrogen absorption is primarily desired . the upper limit of the thickness is not critical , but 3 microns may be thought to be the upper limit because of economics . the thickness may be suitably adjusted by appropriately selecting , for instance , the method , number of times , density , etc ., of coating solution containing the platinum group element salt and the corrosion resisting metal salt . the following examples are given to illustrate the effects of the invention . pure titanium pieces 2 mm in thickness were subjected to sand blast treatment and then washed with hydrochloric acid , and then they were covered with respective pdo / tio 2 mixture layers of compositions listed in table 1 . the resultant wafers were then individually coupled to pure titanium to prepare samples a . also , there were prepared sample b by coupling pdo coated ti to ti , sample c by coupling pd coated ti to ti , sample d by coupling pd to ti , sample e of the sole ti - 0 . 15 % pd alloy , and sample f of the sole ti . table 1 shows the results of measurements of the corrosion weight loss and hydrogen absorption of these samples , as measured after immersing them in boiling liquid containing 10 % sulfuric acid for 20 hours . table 1______________________________________ hydrogen corrosion weight absorp - loss tionsample structure ( mg / 15cm . sup . 2 . 20hr ) ( ppm ) ______________________________________a ti coupled with pdo / tio . sub . 2 4 . 1 6 ( 1 / 99 ) coated ti ti coupled with pdo / tio . sub . 2 4 . 1 0 to 3 ( 10 / 90 ) coated ti ti coupled with pdo / tio . sub . 2 4 . 0 0 to 3 ( 30 / 70 ) coated ti ti coupled with pdo / tio . sub . 2 4 . 0 0 to 3 ( 95 / 5 ) coated tib ti coupled with pdo coated 25 . 0 20 tic ti coupled with pd coated ti 27 . 0 28d ti coupled with pd 25 . 0 10e ti - 0 . 15 % pd alloy ( alone ) 32 . 5 36f ti ( alone ) 1120 640______________________________________ note 1 ) in the coupled samples the area ratio of ti to coupled material is 10 : 1 note 2 ) the proportions of pdo and tio . sub . 2 in the samples a are in mol %. note 3 ) figures of the hydrogen absorption in the samples a , b and c represent th hydrogen absorption in non - coated ti . it will be seen from table 1 that the corrosion weight loss and hydrogen absorption are least with the samples a according to the invention . fig1 shows results of tests conducted under the same conditions with samples coated with pdo - tio 2 mixture layers with various proportions of pdo and tio 2 , including the samples a in table 1 . it will be understood from fig1 that the molar ratio of pdo to tio 2 in the mixture is suitably within a range from 1 : 99 to 95 : 5 , more suitably within a range from 10 : 90 to 95 : 5 . corrosion weight loss of pure ti , ti - 0 . 15 % pd alloy and 70 mol % pdo / 30 mol % tio 2 mixture coated ti were measured after immersing the samples in various boiling liquids containing 5 to 10 % of sulfric acid for 20 hours , and fig2 shows the results . as is seen from fig2 in case of pure ti corrosion increased sharply from the sulfric acid concentration of 0 . 5 %, and in case of ti - 0 . 15 % pd alloy corrosion began to increase sharply from a concentration of 2 % but with less corrosive weight reduction compared to the case of pure ti . in contrast , the mixture layer coated titanium according to the invention showed excellent corrosion resisting property even at a sulfric acid concentration of 10 %. this steady corrosion resistance offered by the mixture layer coated titanium over a board sulfric acid concentration range is presumably owing to low hydrogen overvoltage in the coating layer compared to metallic palladium and also to excellent durability of the layer as the negative electrode . square pieces of titanium material , 25 mm long on each side ( with a surface area of 13 . 5 cm 2 ) and 1 mm in thickness , were covered over the entire surface with a pdo / tio 2 layer ( with molar ratio of 70 / 30 ) and then coupled by galvanic coupling to non - treated ti plates of different sizes to prepare samples of different area ratios . these samples were then immersed in boiling 10 % sulfric acid solution for 20 hours , and then the corrosion weight loss and hydrogen absorption of their non - treated ti were measured to obtain results as shown in fig3 . it will be seen that the area ratio of the mixture oxide layer according to the invention to the titanium material may be no less than 1 / 1 , 000 for obtaining satisfactory effects of preventing corrosion and hydrogen absorption and no less than 1 / 500 for obtaining more satisfactory effects . square pieces of titanium material , 25 mm long on each side and 1 mm thick , were covered over the surface with pdo / tio 2 layer ( with molar ratio of 50 / 50 ) to various thicknesses and then individually coupled by galvanic coupling to pure ti . these samples were then immersed in boiling 10 % sulfric acid solution for 20 hours , and then the corrosion weight loss and hydrogen absorption of their non - treated ti were measured to obtain results as shown in fig4 . it will be seen that satisfactory results are obtainable when the thickness of the coating layer is greater than 0 . 01 micron , and particularly both corrosion and hydrogen absorption prevention effects are excellent with a thickness greater than 0 . 1 micron . mixture oxide coated titanium samples were prepared by using platinum group element oxides other than pdo and corrosion resisting metal oxides other than tio 2 , and their anti - corrosion and hydrogen absorption preventive property were measured under the same conditions as in example 2 to obtain results as shown in table 2 . ( the molar ratio between the platinum group element oxide and corrosion resisting metal oxide was set to 1 : 1 , and the area ratio between coated portion and non - coated portion was also set to 1 : 1 .) table 2______________________________________ hydrogen corrosion weight loss absorptionsample ( mg / 15cm . sup . 2 . ( ppm ) ______________________________________pto / tio . sub . 2 4 . 1 0 - 3ruo . sub . 2 / tio . sub . 2 4 . 2 0 - 3iro . sub . 2 / tio . sub . 2 4 . 5 0 - 3rho . sub . 2 / tio . sub . 2 4 . 0 0 - 3o . sub . 3 o . sub . 2 / tio . sub . 2 6 . 4 0 - 5pdo / ta . sub . 2 o . sub . 5 4 . 0 0 - 3pdo / zro . sub . 2 4 . 1 0 - 3pdo / nb . sub . 2 o . sub . 5 4 . 1 0 - 3contrast pdo / tio . sub . 2 4 . 0 0 - 3______________________________________ it will be seen from table 2 that both corrosion resistance and hydrogen absorption resistance were pronounced in all samples except for the sample of oso 2 / tio 2 , in which slightly high values resulted . pure titanium pieces 2 mm in thickness were washed in the manner as described in example 1 and then covered with a pdo / tio mixture layer ( with the molar ratio of the components of the layer per to 1 : 1 , the thickness of the layer to 1 micron and the area ratio between coated portion and non - coated portion to 1 : 1 ) under various heating conditions . the layer of mixture oxide was formed by applying a methanol solution containing palladium chloride and titanium chloride dissolved therein over the surface of the piece . table 3 shows results of measurements of the corrosion weight loss and hydrogen absorption of the samples , the measurement being conducted in the manner as described in example 1 . table 3______________________________________ hydrogenconditions for thermal corrosion weight loss absorptionoxidation ( mg / 15 cm . sup . 2 . 20 h ) ( ppm ) ______________________________________1 ) 300 ° c . 10 minutes 28 . 4 232 ) 500 ° c . 10 minutes 4 . 0 0 to 33 ) 500 ° c . 30 minutes 2 . 2 0 to 34 ) 700 ° c . 10 minutes 2 . 5 0 to 35 ) 900 ° c . 10 minutes 19 . 3 17______________________________________contrast actively non - coated ti dissolved 640 ti - pd alloy 32 . 5 36______________________________________ as is seen from table 3 , the most excellent corrosion resistance and hydrogen absorption resistance were obtained when the thermal oxidation was carried out under conditions of 500 to 700 ° c . and 10 to 30 minutes . at heating temperatures below 300 ° c . the percentage of conversion of pd into pdo was reduced to result in slightly interior corrosion resistance . also , the corrosion resistance was slightly reduced with temperature conditions above 900 ° c . square pieces of titanium material , 25mm long on each side and 1mm in thickness , were covered over the entire surface with a mixture oxide layer which is shown in table 4 and then coupled by galvanic coupling to non - treated ti plates of the same size . these samples were immersed in boiling 10 % sulfuric acid solution for 20 hours , and then the corrosion weight loss and hydrogen absorption of their non - treated ti were measured to obtain results as shown in table 4 . table 4______________________________________ hydrogen ab - corrosion weight loss sorptionsample ( mg / 15m . sup . 2 / 20 hours ) ( ppm ) ______________________________________pdo 30 / pto 20 / tio . sub . 2 50 4 . 3 0 - 3pdo 30 / ruo . sub . 2 20 / tio . sub . 2 50 4 . 2 0 - 4pdo 70 / ruo . sub . 2 10 / tio . sub . 2 20 4 . 3 0 - 3pto 40 / iro . sub . 2 20 / ta . sub . 2 o . sub . 5 40 4 . 3 0 - 5rho . sub . 2 30 / ruo . sub . 2 10 / zro . sub . 2 60 4 . 1 0 - 4rho . sub . 2 70 / iro . sub . 2 10 / tio . sub . 2 20 4 . 3 0 - 3pdo 40 / ruo . sub . 2 20 / iro . sub . 2 10 / tio . sub . 2 30 4 . 2 0 - 3pdo 40 / tio . sub . 2 20 / ta . sub . 2 o . sub . 5 40 4 . 3 0 - 3pdo 70 / tio . sub . 2 30 4 . 0 0 - 3______________________________________ it will be seen from table 4 that the prevention of corrosion and hydrogen absorption can be effectively achieved by covering the ti plate with the mixture oxide composed at least two platinum group elements and a anti - corrosion metal or at least two anti corrosion metals and platinum group element . crevice corrosion test pieces were prepared by forming pdo / tio 2 mixture layers ( 3 microns thick ) of various pdo contents on respective inch square piece assemblies consisting of two overlapping thin titanium plates having a central aperture as shown in fig5 . in the figure , designated at 1 is the thin titanium plates , at 2 teflon insulators , at 3 a titanium bolt , and at 4 a titanium nut . the pdo / tio 2 mixture layer was formed by applying a solution containing palladium chloride and titanium chloride dissolved therein over the surface of each assembly , followed by thermal oxidation in an atmosphere at 550 ° c . for 10 minutes . the crevice corrosion of the samples prepared in this way was then observed after immersing them in a boiling aqueous solution containing 44 % of ammonium chloride for 240 hours , and table 5 shows the results . a non - coated piece assembly was also tested as contrast in the same manner . table 5______________________________________ test con - specimen trast coated specimens______________________________________pdo ( mol %) in coatinglayer -- 0 . 5 1 30 70 95 97crevice pre - corrosion sent slight non non non non slight______________________________________ as is seen from table 5 , the crevice corrosion was reduced by the provision of the mixture coating layer , and particularly it was suppressed substantially perfectly when the pdo content was 1 to 95 mol %. as has been described in the foregoing , according to the invention it is possible to achieve reliable prevention of crevice corrosion and hydrogen absorption in a very economical method and also steadily ensure this even under considerably severe corrosive conditions , which is very beneficial in industry in view of the safety and extension of life of chemical apparatus .	8
turning now to fig1 there is shown a printed wiring board 10 interconnecting four integrated circuit packages 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 . each package is electrically and mechanically connected to the printed wiring board by pins or leads 15 which extend or depend from the outer periphery of the package . the printed wiring board is constructed of laminated layers of epoxy - fiberglass upon which copper traces ( not shown ) are defined using a photolithographic process . the copper traces provide electrical connections between selected pins of the chip packages . to enable the printed wiring board to be installed in a system ( not shown ), the printed wiring board has an edge portion 16 formed with a multiplicity of contact fingers 17 . the contact fingers 17 are connected to some of the copper traces ( not shown ) and are defined to mate with an edge connector ( not shown ) which connects the board 10 into the system ( not shown ). turning now to fig2 there is shown a cross - section of the package 11 mounted on the board 10 . the package 11 has an internal cavity 21 receiving an integrated circuit chip 22 . the cavity 21 is closed by a cover 23 facing the board 10 . this mounting arrangement , with the cover 23 facing the printed wiring board 10 , is known as a &# 34 ; cavity down &# 34 ; arrangement . the present invention , however , is also applicable to packages designed for &# 34 ; cavity up &# 34 ; mounting . whether &# 34 ; cavity down &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; cavity up &# 34 ; is preferred is dependent upon the desired construction of the pins 15 and the cooling or heat - sinking requirements for the integrated circuit chip 22 . on the side of the package 11 opposite the cavity 21 here are mounted a number of ceramic chip capacitors 24 , 25 . preferably there are four such capacitors mounted near the four corners of the package , as shown in fig1 . the capacitors 24 and 26 are connected between external ground and external supply , and the capacitors 25 and 27 are connected between internal ground and internal supply . as introduced above and as shown in fig2 a , the input / output stages 28 , 29 of the integrated circuit chip 22 use the external ground and external supply , and the other circuits 30 on the chip use internal ground and internal supply . dual grounds and supplies are used to decouple noise from the output drivers of the input / output stages and also to permit the internal circuits to use a supply voltage that is different from that of the external circuits . turning now to fig3 there is shown a view of the integrated circuit package 11 with the cover 23 removed and looking into the central cavity . the cover attaches to the package 11 via a thick film metal seal ring 31 which is connected to external ground . the package 11 has 56 pins on each side for a total of 224 pins . the pins 15 are connected by signal leads ( shown in fig5 and described further below ) to &# 34 ; outside lead bond &# 34 ; ( olb ) areas 32 spaced around the central cavity of the package 11 . the olb areas are connected by bonding wires 33 to respective bonding pads on the integrated circuit chips 32 . the bonding pads are 100 micron square metalization areas near the chip &# 39 ; s edges . the bonding wires 33 are connected to the olb &# 39 ; s and the bonding pads by thermocompression bonding . referring now to fig4 there is shown a cross - section of the package 11 and the chip 22 . the thickness of the package and the chip has been exaggerated in fig4 in order to illustrate the internal structure of the package . preferably the package is about 38 . 5 mm by 38 . 5 mm square and has a thickness of about 1 . 8 mm . the package 11 is made of alternate conducting and nonconducting layers , formed of thick conductive film and nonconductive ceramic , respectively . considering first the conducting layers 41 - 45 beginning from the cavity side of the package , layer 41 is an external ground plane which is directly connected to certain external pins such as the pin 46 . layer 42 is a signal layer including the leads ( shown in fig5 ) which directly connect the pins 15 to respective outer lead bond areas 32 . layer 43 is an external power ( vdd ) plane which is directly connected to certain external pins such as the pin 47 . layer 44 is an internal ground plane to which the substrate of the chip 22 is connected by conductive epoxy 48 . the last layer 45 is an internal power ( vdd ) plane . in addition to the conductive layers 41 - 46 which provide horizontal connections , the package 11 includes vertical connections called &# 34 ; vias &# 34 ; which extend through the ceramic layers separating the conductive layers 41 to 45 . each of the external pins 15 , for example , is connected by a via to its respective lead on the signal layer 42 . in particular , the pin 47 is bonded to an external pad 49 aligned with and connected to a via 50 that extends vertically to the level of the external ground layer . the via 50 connects the pin 47 to its respective trace 51 in the signal layer . in addition , since the pin 47 has been preassigned to function as an external supply pin , the via 50 also intersects the external supply layer 43 . the vias extending vertically from the external pins 15 extend all the way to the level of the external ground plane so that each pin could be preassigned either to external ground , external supply , internal ground , or internal supply , by extending a portion of the respective conductive layer so that the respective via intersects the extended portion of the respective conductive layer . the extended portions 51 for the external ground plane , for example , are more precisely shown in fig7 . a certain number of outer lead bond areas 32 are required for supplying external power and ground to output drivers on the chip 22 . one output driver is required for each output signal or pin and each input / output signal or pin , but an output driver is not required for an input only signal or pin . typically one external power and ground pair is required for every eight output drivers . internal ground and supply pairs are also required , but the precise number is dependent on the power requirement of the internal circuitry . since it is desirable to use as many of the pins as possible for input and outputs , only a minimum number of olbs should be preassigned for supplying power and ground . for enabling the package 11 to accommodate a variety of chip designs , it has been necessary to modify a plurality of the conductive layers 41 , 43 , 44 and 45 in order to assign a different set of pins to the external and internal grounds and supplies . the modifications have required changes in the masks which are used during the fabrication of the conductive layers . mask changes , however , are relatively expensive . to minimize the changes needed in the masks for the external ground and supply layers 41 , 43 , a first standardized set of external ground and supply layer masks are used to provide a number of preassigned external supply and ground pins for chips using primarily &# 34 ; standard cell &# 34 ; integrated circuit designs . for chips using primarily custom integrated circuit designs , however , it is undesirable to require certain pins to be preassigned to external power and ground , since the circuit designer would like the option of freely selecting the location of all of the signals and supply connections to the chip . in either case it is economically unfeasible to make a sufficient number of standardized internal supply and ground layer masks that would provide efficient pin allocation in most cases . in accordance with an important aspect of the present invention , the need for modifying the masks for the conductive layers 41 - 45 is eliminated by programming vias 53 , 54 , 55 in the ceramic layer 56 between the signal layer 42 and the external supply layer 43 . by programming the &# 34 ; via layer &# 34 ; 56 , only a single layer of the chip package il need be redesigned for most new integrated circuit designs , and in addition the inductance of the internal supply and ground connections is minimized . as shown in fig4 the programmed vias 53 extend from selected signal traces to internal ground bus bars 57 which are transverse to the signal leads and disposed at the level of the external supply layer 43 . the internal ground bus bars 57 are connected by vias 58 to the internal ground layer 44 . in a similar fashion programmed vias 54 extend from other selected signal leads to internal supply bus bars 59 which are also transverse to the signal leads and disposed at the level of the external supply layer . the internal supply bus bars 58 are connected by vias 60 to the internal supply layer 45 . the programmable &# 34 ; via layer &# 34 ; 56 can also be programmed with vias 55 between selected leads in the signal layer 42 and the external supply layer , although in these cases it is necessary to provide additional external ground connections , which are preferably made by forming vias 61 in the ceramic layer 62 between the signal layer 42 and the external ground layer 41 . alternatively , external ground bus bars could be formed at the level of the external supply layer 43 to permit external ground connections to be programmed in the programmable via layer 56 . turning now to fig5 there is shown the &# 34 ; standard cell &# 34 ; mask generally designated 70 for defining the signal layer ( 42 in fig4 ). the mask includes dots 71 for defining portions of the vias 50 leading to the external pins 15 , and patterns 72 which define the signal leads 51 . the patterns 72 terminate with end portions 73 which define the outer lead bonding areas 32 . as should be evident from fig5 the mask 71 provides a pattern 72 to define a signal trace from each pin to a respective outer lead bonding area . in addition , the mask 70 includes a respective pair of patterns 74 and 75 for defining respective outer lead bonding areas for external ground and external supply at the corners of the central cavity in the package . any additional outer lead bonding areas for the external supply pads are providing by programming the via layer to connect selected signal leads to the external supply layer ( 43 in fig4 ). the mask 70 for the signal layer in addition includes dots 76 near the outer corners which define portions of vias that connect the external or internal ground layers ( 41 , 44 in fig4 ) to the chip capacitors ( 24 to 27 in fig1 ). turning now to fig6 there is shown a mask generally designated 80 which defines the vias layer . the dots in the mask define conductive areas and otherwise the mask 80 defines nonconductive ceramic in the via layer ( 56 in fig4 ). in particular , the mask 80 includes dots generally designated 81 which define portions of the vias ( 50 in fig4 ) leading to the external pins ( 15 in fig4 ). the mask 80 also includes dots 82 near the external corners to define portions of vias which connect the external or internal ground layers ( 41 , 44 in fig4 ) to the chip capacitors ( 24 to 27 in fig1 ). more importantly , the mask 80 has respective rows of dots 83 and 84 for defining the programmable vias ( 53 , 54 in fig4 ) connecting selected signal leads to the internal ground bars 57 or the internal supply bars 59 . the mask 80 also has dots 85 for defining vias ( 55 in fig4 ) connecting lead bonding areas or leads to the external supply layer 43 , respectively . turning now to fig7 there is shown the &# 34 ; standard cell &# 34 ; mask generally designated 90 which defines the external supply layer ( 43 in fig4 ). the mask 90 includes dots 91 for defining portions of the vias ( 50 in fig4 ) connected to the external pins ( 15 in fig4 ). the external supply layer 43 is defined by a planar portion 92 of the mask 90 . the mask 92 includes apertures 93 in which dots 94 are centered for defining the vias connecting the external or internal ground planes ( 41 , 44 in fig4 ) to the chip capacitors ( 24 - 27 in fig1 ). more importantly , the planar portion 92 includes apertures 95 into which are placed elongated areas 96 and 97 for defining the internal ground bars 57 and the internal supply bars 59 , respectively . turning now to fig8 there is shown a &# 34 ; custom design &# 34 ; mask for defining the signal layer ( 42 in fig4 ). the mask 100 includes dots 101 defining portions of the vias ( 50 in fig4 ) leading to the external pins ( 15 in fig4 ), but all of these vias do not extend up to the external ground plane ( 41 in fig4 ). the mask 100 includes two hundred elongated areas 102 for defining signal leads from two hundred of the pins to terminal portions 103 defining outer lead bond areas . however , there are thirty - two patterns which are used to define outer lead bonding areas which are not connected by signal leads to the external pins , and instead are connected by vias 61 to the external ground layer 41 , or vias 55 to the external supply layer 43 ( see fig4 ) to define external supply and ground pairs . these outer lead bonding areas for external ground and supply are defined by four patterns 104 , 105 , 106 and 107 at each corner , and two pairs of outer lead bonding areas which are spaced between each pair of neighboring corners and are defined by patterns 108 , 109 and 110 , 111 . the mask 100 in fig8 includes some dots 101 which define portions of the vias ( 50 in fig4 ) leading to the external pins ( 15 in fig4 ) but which are not connected by leads to the outer lead bonding areas ( 32 in fig4 ). there are a total of eight such dots , including two on each side , such as the dots 112 and 113 . these dots define portions of the vias connecting the external ground plane ( 41 in fig4 ) to the external pins ( 15 in fig4 ). on each side of the mask 101 there are also positions such as the positions 114 , 115 , 116 and 117 where dots are missing from the positions of the vias ( 50 in fig4 ) leading to the external pins ( 15 in fig4 ). the positions 114 and 117 correspond to vias connecting external pins to the external supply layer ( 43 in fig4 ), and the vias at the positions 115 and 116 connect the internal supply and internal ground to external pins . the mask 100 also has dots 118 near the outer corners defining vias connecting the external or internal ground layers ( 41 , 44 in fig4 ) to the chip capacitors ( 24 to 27 in fig1 ). the standardized mask 100 defining the signal leads in the custom design mask set imposes a limited set of constraints on the ability of the chip designer to select the assignments of the outer lead bonding areas . the chip designer has a free hand in selecting the location of all the signals and the internal supply connections to the integrated circuit chip . however , the chip designer is required to work with a fixed number of outer lead bonding areas which are preassigned to external supply and ground and their corresponding pin locations . since these outer lead bonding areas for the external supply and ground are connected by the vias 61 or 53 to the external ground or supply plates 41 , 43 ( see fig4 ), the inductance of the external power and ground connections is much lower than it would be if the connections were provided by signal leads . turning now to fig9 there is shown the custom design mask generally designated 120 for defining the external supply layer ( 43 in fig4 ). the mask 120 in fig9 is similar to the mask 90 in fig7 except for the fact that the mask 120 includes a planar area 121 having protrusions 122 defining connections to a different set of pins assigned to external supply , and the mask 120 has twelve pairs of elongated areas 123 , 124 defining twelve separate pairs of internal supply and internal ground bars , instead of the four pairs defined by the mask 90 in fig7 . from the above , it is apparent that the programmed via layer reduces the design and tooling cost for making a package for a newly designed integrated circuit . only the programmed via layer need be redesigned . desired variations in the other layers can be provided by selecting a standardized mask set . in a standardized mask set especially adapted for &# 34 ; standard cell &# 34 ; integrated circuit designs only the corner outer lead bonding areas are preassigned to power and ground . in a standardized mask set especially adapted for custom integrated circuit designs , an additional number of outer lead bonding areas are connectable to power and ground through the programmed via layer , but they are not connected by signal leads to the external pins . when a new integrated circuit design is completed , the most appropriate standardized mask set is selected . next , a mask is designed to program the via layer then the masks are used to deposit vias and conductive layers on ceramic layers . the ceramic layers are aligned and integrally bonded together using a conventional co - firing process that is typically used for manufacturing laminated ceramic electrical components . finally , the integrated circuit chips are assembled into the packages in the conventional fashion ; the substrate of the chip is mounted on the internal ground layer , the chip &# 39 ; s bonding pads are connected by bonding wire or tape to corresponding outside lead bond areas on the signal layer of the package , and then the package is hermetically sealed by soldering or thermally attaching the cover or lid over the chip cavity . co - fired ceramics -- packaging technology which is based on multiple overlaid ceramics layers simultaneously fired to form a monolithic body . custom package -- a package specifically designed for a particular integrated circuit chip . external supply -- power and ground feeding the input / output , input only and output only drivers on chip . input signals -- signals which are only received by the chip and never driven by it . i / o signals -- signals which are both driven and received by the chip . outer lead bond ( olb )-- the locus of all the traces &# 39 ; edges on the inside of the package . the olb areas are connected by bonding wires to respective pads on the chip . output signals -- signals which are only driven by the chip and are never driven by the environment . pad -- a relatively large ( 100 micron square ) metallization area placed near the chip &# 39 ; s edge to which external wires are bonded . pin -- a piece of metal coming out of the package . the pins provide mechanical and electrical connections from the package to a printed wiring board or other circuit module . trace -- a long metallization geometry which provides an electrical connection between an olb and a package pin . via -- a vertical metallization ; conductor which enables an electrical connection between horizontal conductive layers .	7
first , the applicant will describe some of the many different types of concrete masonry blocks that can be formed with external plates anchored through the concrete masonry blocks . second , a detailed description of one of the many blocks will be given as further reference . third , illustrative sections of walls will be shown to demonstrate how m / bed blocks made according to the present invention would be used . fourth , how the m / bed blocks that have external plates and internal anchors are formed will be illustrated and discussed in a series of views . in fig2 a , a full length block 10 is shown with double sided external plates and end cap 12 . the full length block 10 has vertical holes 14 and 16 therein as is standard in most blocks . one end of the full length block 10 has flutes 18 on either side thereof . imbedded in the concrete of the full length block 10 are four identical 20 . the anchors 20 depicted here are of the type shown in fig1 a . the anchors 20 are welded to the left side 24 and right side 26 of the double sided external plates and end cap 12 . the anchors 20 are shown as perpendicularly extending between the external plates but the could alternatively be at an obtuse angle with respect to said plates 12 ( see fig2 g and 2 h ). the anchors 20 located at the fluted end 28 are imbedded in the fluted concrete 30 . the anchors 20 located at the center of the full length block 10 are imbedded in the center concrete 32 . the end cap 34 is formed integrally with the left side 24 and right side 26 of the double sided external plates and end cap 12 . while the double sided external plate and end cap 12 may vary in thickness and material , it is presently envisioned that { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} inch thick steel plates will be used . the top edge of these steel plates may have a chamfer 45 ( see fig3 c ) which is an inclination of about 45 ° sloping downward to the interior space of the full length block . such an inclination at this edge may accommodate receipt of concrete during the molding process and contribute to an eventual flushness of the steel plates with the external concrete portions of the m / bed block . the types of anchors and the thickness thereof can vary . however , it is currently envisioned that the anchors 20 will be either { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} inch steel plates in the configuration as shown in fig1 a , ribbed re - bar as shown in fig1 b , or { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} inch steel plates cut to the configuration as shown in fig1 c . in referring to the subsequent fig2 b through 21 , the same numbers that were used to designate the same parts in connection with fig2 a will be used for subsequent figures . only the parts that are different will be described in detail hereinbelow . in fig2 b , a full length block 10 is shown that has half length , double sided plates with end caps 36 . again , the anchors 20 extend through the center concrete 32 and are welded on either end to the left side 38 and right side 40 of the half length , double sided plates 36 . the end cap 34 is the same as previously described . because the left side 38 and right side 40 of half length , double sided plates 36 are placed in the concrete masonry at the same time the full length block 10 is formed , the external surfaces of the block are basically smooth even at the terminal end 42 of the left side 48 and right side 40 of half length , double sided plates 36 . in fig2 c , a full length block 10 is shown with double sided external plates with a left plate 44 and a right plate 46 . the left plate 44 and the right plate 46 are connected together by anchors 20 welded to the respective left plate 44 or right plate 46 . the anchor 20 on the fluted end 28 extends through fluted concrete 30 . anchors 20 that are in the middle extend through the center concrete 32 . anchors 20 that are on the flat end 48 of full length block 10 extend through flat end concrete 50 . in fig2 d , a full length block 10 is shown with double sided half plates having a left half plate 52 and a right half plate 54 . anchors 20 that are located at the center of the full length block 10 extend through the center concrete 32 . anchors 20 that are at the flat end 48 extend through the flat end concrete 50 . again , the anchors 20 are connected to the left half plate 52 and the right half plate 54 by welding the ends thereto . fig2 e shows a full length block 10 with a full length , single sided plate 56 . the anchors 58 are made from an appropriate size steel to withstand the stress . it is believed that { fraction ( 3 / 16 )} inch steel cut and bent to the configuration as shown will withstand the stress . however , anchors of other styles may be used . the anchors 58 only have end lips 22 on the right side of the full length , concrete masonry block 10 . the anchors 58 are abutted against and welded to the full length , single sided plate 56 . the anchors 58 at the fluted end 28 extend through fluted concrete 30 with the end lips 22 being imbedded in concrete on the right side of the full length block 10 . likewise , anchors 58 at the center of full length concrete masonry block 10 extend through center concrete 30 with the end lips 22 being imbedded in concrete on the right side of full length block 10 . the anchors 58 located on the flat end 48 of the full length block 10 extend through the flat end concrete 50 with the end lips 22 being anchored in concrete on the right side of full length block 10 . in fig2 f , a full length block 10 is shown with a single sided , half length plate 60 . anchors 58 are welded to the single sided plate 60 with the center anchors extending though center concrete 32 and the flat end anchors 58 extending through flat end concrete 50 . again , the end lips 22 are imbedded in the concrete on the right hand side of the full length concrete masonry block 10 . additionally , the single sided , half length plate with anchors may be in the form of an end cap positioned at the end of a block ( not shown ). alternatively , as shown in fig2 g and fig2 h , use of anchors 20 of the type depicted in fig1 c could provide sufficient support when attached to plate 56 or plate 60 near its center and angled toward the opposing corners of the full length block 10 . this particular embodiment adds to the overall soundness and strength of structure of the completed concrete masonry block in two ways . first , obtuse anchors 20 aid in securing the plate 56 ( or alternatively plate 60 ) attached thereto within the structure of the completed block . second , utilizing an anchor 20 of a type having a nonuniform surface ( as depicted in 1 b or 1 c ) aids in securing the anchor itself within the completed block . fig2 i shows a half length block 62 that has double sided , external plates with end cap 64 . anchors 66 extend through the fluted concrete 30 at the fluted end 28 and are welded on either end thereof to the left side 68 and the right side 70 of the double sided , external plates with end caps 64 . the double sided external plates 64 have an end cap 72 similar to the end cap shown in fig2 a . fig2 k shows a half length block 62 having double sided , external plates made up of left side 68 and right side 70 . again , anchors 66 are welded on either end thereof to either the left side 68 or the right side 70 of the external plates . on the fluted end 28 , the anchor 66 extended through the fluted concrete 30 . on the flat end 48 , the anchors 66 extend through the flat end concrete 50 . in both fig2 i and 2 j , a vertical hole 74 extends upward through the half length block 62 . in fig2 j , a full length block 10 is shown with an upper half , single sided plate 76 . anchors 58 hold the upper half , single sided plate 76 in position . the anchors 58 extend through fluted concrete 30 , center concrete 32 , and flat end concrete 50 . anchors 20 of the type depicted in fig1 b are shown , but alternate anchors may be used . the end lips 22 , of the anchor type shown , are imbedded in the concrete on the right hand side of full length block 10 . the anchors 58 are welded to the upper half , single sided plate 76 . the anchors 20 may be angled other than perpendicularly with respect to the upper half , single sided plate 76 . fig2 shows a full length concrete masonry block 10 with single sided plate 46 on one side and an upper half single sided plate 76 on the other side . the lower anchors 58 have end lips 22 to hold in the concrete . upper anchors 66 used in fig2 consist of a flat piece of metal cut and welded to plate 46 and plate 76 . again , the anchors 66 are imbedded in fluted concrete 30 , center concrete 32 , and flat end concrete 50 . alternatively , the lower anchors may be of the types depicted in fig1 b and 1 c and may be angled toward the lower corner of block 10 opposite the single sided plate 46 . to illustrate in more detail the physical construction of one of the concrete masonry blocks shown in fig2 a through 21 , fig2 c has been selected for illustration purposes . referring to fig3 a , b , and c in combination , the physical layout of a typical concrete masonry block having external steel plates is illustrated . again , the same numbers will be used as were used in fig2 c for illustration purposes . the anchors 58 , as they connect from left plate 44 to right plate 46 , are clearly illustrated . also , the burying of the anchors 58 in either the fluted concrete 30 , center concrete 32 , or flat end concrete 50 is also illustrated . additionally , a 45 ° chamfer 45 is shown . by viewing fig2 a through c in combination , the physical structure of a typical block having external plates and anchors as shown in the present invention is clearly illustrated . assume that blocks such as illustrated in fig2 a through 21 have been made . the purpose of fig4 a through 4 g is to illustrate how those blocks would be used in a typical wall . like numbers that are used to illustrate wall sections will be used in all of the fig4 a through 4 g . only a short section of the wall will be illustrated to demonstrate the different types of uses of blocks having external plates as shown in the present invention . referring to fig4 a , a block wall section 80 is illustrated . the plain blocks 82 do not have any external plates formed therein . however , two blocks are made according to the present invention and have external plates 84 . the external plates 84 are at a height that is typically used to mount shelves . shelf hooks would be welded or anchored to external plates 84 by any convenient means . in the typical block wall section 80 , the wall would need to be poured and reinforced with reinforcing rods to maintain the structural integrity of the wall . this is especially true when an object of heavy weight is to be supported from the external plates 84 . block wall section 80 as shown in fig4 b has a total of four half plates 86 . the half plates 86 are arranged in such a configuration that two of the half plates are located one above the other with the other two half plates being on the same plane , but a few feet apart . the half plates 86 as illustrated in fig4 b are of a typical height on which a television stand could be mounted . by simply attaching mounting brackets to the half plates 86 , a television stand could then be supported by the block wall section 80 . again , all the remainder of the blocks will be plain concrete masonry blocks 82 . referring to fig4 c , half plates 86 are mounted in the wall and arranged so that they are paired with each pair having two half plates in a vertical arrangement . all of the pairs of half plates 86 are on the same plane . the configuration as shown in fig4 c is arranged at a typical height so that bunk beds could be attached to the wall 80 . by welding or attaching appropriate hooks to the half plates 86 , bunk beds could then be suspended from the wall 80 . again , the remainder of the blocks could be plain concrete masonry blocks 82 . fig4 d shows a wall section 80 constructed primarily of plain blocks 82 , but having two half plates 86 arranged a couple of feet from the bottom of the wall . the half plates 86 are in the same plain and would typically be used to attach grab bars thereto . in fig4 e , a wall section 80 is illustrated constructed primarily of plain concrete masonry blocks 82 . however , in fig4 e , vertical rows 88 of half plates 86 are shown . the vertical rows 88 are used to attach privacy panels or other types of dividers as may typically be used in restrooms . referring to fig4 f , the wall section 80 is shown that has a doorway 92 located therein . surrounding the doorway are a combination of full length blocks having half length , double sided plates with end caps 36 and half length blocks having double sided , external plates with end caps 64 . the door structure ( not shown ) would be attached to the combination of half length , double sided plates with end caps 36 and the double sided , external plates with end caps 64 . if the door is a sliding door , the lower part could have a full length , double sided external plate and end cap 12 with full length , double sided plate 94 . at the top of the doorway 92 , full length , double sided plates 94 may be mounted in a row . these full length , double sided plates 94 that are mounted in the horizontal row at the top of the doorway 92 can be used for a number of different purposes . first , if the door is a sliding type door , it can be used to mount the door ( not shown ). second , if some type of sliding device needs to be suspended from the wall , full length , double sided plates 94 provide an excellent way to mount the sliding devices . while fig4 f has been described as full length , double sided plates 94 , they could be single sided , full length plates . fig4 g shows a corner section 96 of a typical wall utilizing the present invention . in the corner section 96 , there are two horizontal rows 98 and 100 of full length plates made according to the present invention . the horizontal row 100 of the external plates could be used to mount sliding devices thereto . the upper horizontal row 98 would be what is typically used in prisons to mount ceiling plates to prevent escape of the prisoners . it should be realized that any number or combination of external plates made according to the present invention could be installed in the wall depending on what the end user wants to accomplish with the invention . fig5 shows a typical concrete masonry block casting machine illustrated by reference numeral 102 . while many different types of casting machines could be used , for the purposes of the present illustration , a fleming machine is illustrated . however , concrete casting machines made by columbia or besser could also be used . concrete mix 104 is stored in a hopper 106 . the concrete mix 104 feeds from the hopper 106 , on the belt conveyor 108 , to the intake 110 of the concrete casting machine 102 . pallets 112 also feed into the casting machine 102 by means of conveyor 114 . mold 116 is positioned in the concrete casting machine 102 in the conventional way . mold 116 determines the type of concrete masonry block being case . the operation of the concrete casting machine 102 is typical with the exception of the portions described hereinbelow . referring to fig6 a and 6 b , perspective views of a typical pallet 112 that would be used to form concrete masonry blocks according to the present invention are shown . the pallet 112 may have a combination of rounded humps 118 , as in fig6 a , that would typically extend about one eighth of an inch high . alternatively , the pallet 112 may have a combination of depressed grooves 119 carved therein , as in fig6 b , that could be of a one eighth inch depth . the rounded humps 118 , or the depressed grooves 119 , can then be used to position the external plates on the pallet 112 . for example , a double sided external plate with end cap 12 is illustrated on pallet 112 of fig6 a and 6 b . the double sided external plate and end cap 12 is pushed securely against the corner humps 120 and the side humps 122 or pushed securely into the depressed grooves 119 as in fig6 b . the humps 120 and 122 are inside the steel plates in fig6 a . if outside , the mold 116 must be indented to accommodate the humps 120 and 122 . if inside , the concrete in the formed block will contain an indentation when formed , but the indentation will be filled with mortar when the block is installed in a wall . inside of the concrete masonry casting machine 102 , the external plates and / or anchors must be located inside of the mold 116 . referring to fig7 an exploded perspective view of how the external plates and molds fit together is illustrated . as fig7 shows , an external plate ( double sided with end cap shown 12 ) is positioned on the pallet 112 within the depressed grooves 119 . alternatively , the pallet 112 may be of the type securing the double sided , external plate and end cap with corner humps 120 and side humps 122 ( not shown in fig7 ). when the lower part of the mold box 124 moves down , the double sided , external plates and end cap 12 are received inside of the mold box 124 . if it is necessary to secure the double sided , external plates and end cap 12 in position , electromagnets 126 may be included in the mold box 124 to aid in securing external plates 12 . the electromagnets may also allow for the securing of external plates 12 in the absence of the pallet 112 . this mold securing means could be used in securing external plates whether or not the plates were of the double sided with end cap 12 ( as shown ) configuration . once the lower part of the mold box 124 is filled , the upper portion of the mold 128 comes down and presses the concrete mix to form a block in the desired shape as dictated by the mold 116 including the lower part 124 and upper part 128 . between the making of concrete masonry blocks by the concrete casting machine 102 , the number and shape being determined by the mold 116 , the operator must position the external plates into position on the pallet 112 . in the fleming machine , it is open for a period of time during which the steel plates may be inserted and positioned on the pallet 112 . this is illustrated in fig8 . the pallet also must rest in a very accurate position against side rails 130 and against a stop 132 so that everything is properly aligned with the mold 116 . the stop 132 may be lowered by motor 134 when the cast masonry blocks are to be removed .	1
the present invention will now be described with respect to fig1 . the fuel flow for many gas turbine engines at full load , or base load are controlled with an exhaust temperature control curve . fig1 represents exhaust temperature control curves establishing a relationship between exhaust temperature on the left axis and compressor pressure ratio ( cpr ) on the horizontal axis . a representative standard oem gas turbine exhaust control curves is shown as 101 in fig1 . for a nominal base load operation , a representative gas turbine engine is operating at point 102 , with a cpr of 15 . 8 , an exhaust temperature ( or ttxm ) of 1127 deg . f . and a firing temperature ( or ttrf1 ) of 2410 deg . f . ( as shown on the right side axis ). when a mass flow , such as air , is injected into the compressor exit section of the gas turbine , the cpr increases accordingly . when operating on the dry curve ( with air injection ), the operating point would move to 105 which , for the example disclosed herein , is a cpr of 16 . 3 , an exhaust temperature ( or ttxm ) of 1095 deg . f . and a firing temperature ( or ttrf1 ) of 2385 deg . f ., both lower due to the additional mass flow . the present invention employs an air injection system such as an auxiliary , external system for supplying the additional air being injected into the gas turbine engine . when such additional air is provided , it may be at a lower temperature than that of the air from the engine compressor . for example , air can be provided at 50 - 100 deg . f . cooler than the compressor discharge air . however , when cooler air is added to the gas turbine engine , the standard control curve on which the gas turbine engine operates does not account for this temperature difference . the fluid being injected is air and not steam . rather than reducing the firing temperature further to help preserve hot gas path parts life , a new curve 104 called an air injection bias is introduced to boost the reduced firing temperature back to the original 2410 deg . f . through the air injection bias curve 104 , the bias is shifted up to maintain the original firing temperature during air injection . therefore , instead of shifting to a lower firing temperature ( from 103 to 107 ), by applying the bias the operating point is shifted back to the same firing temperature 108 as without the air injection . one such source of compressed air for adding to the compressor discharge air is compressed air produced by an external compressor that is powered by a fueled engine . the applicant of the present invention has developed this auxiliary air source technology which is described in more detail in co - pending patent application ser . nos . 14 / 350 , 469 , 14 / 351 , 245 , 14 / 329 , 340 , 14 / 329 , 433 , and 14 / 462 , 000 . air produced from this system can be provided to the gas turbine engine at an elevated temperature and pressure similar to that of the compressor discharge air . the effect of this supplemental air injection is shown graphically in fig1 . to correct for this “ underfire ” condition while injecting heated dry air , an exhaust temperature control bias algorithm is developed as a function of the injection flow to bring the firing temperature up to the intended constant firing temperature . table 1 below shows the improvement in heat rate ( hr ) versus percent air injection when the air bias curve is employed to meet a constant ttrf1 of 2420 deg . f . as one skilled in the art can appreciate and calculate , when air injection is introduced the cpr increases , resulting in a small temperature increase in the air that is used to cool the hot gas path parts . theoretically this will also slightly increase the hot gas path parts metal temperature resulting in reduced life . however , a similar issue happens to a gas turbine engine operating on a hot day and the original equipment manufacturer does not debit the life of the components as a result . as one skilled in the art can appreciate , it would be well understood to introduce a “ wet curve ” bias that took this into account and would result in constant metal temperature ( and life ) of the most critical components in the hot gas path . to quantify this effect , a 5 % air injection into the gas turbine will result in metal temperatures equal to the gas turbine engine operating on a 15 deg . f . hotter ambient day , but without the injection . there are different scenarios for how the gas turbine is controlled at base load and maximum firing temperature . each scenario will result in a slightly different exhaust control curve bias implementation . one such scenario is when the gas turbine engine is controlled with exhaust curves as described above . in this case , the air injection bias is a function of the amount of air injection being added to the gas turbine . this bias ( in deg . f . or deg . c .) is added to the baseload exhaust curve during air injection . specifically , the air injection exhaust curve bias = air injection flow rate × air injection exhaust bias gain + air injection exhaust bias offset ( or utilizing a y = mx + b approach ), where the air injection bias gain = gas turbine inlet temperature × gas turbine inlet temperature gain + air injection exhaust bias compensation offset , where this compensation offset is the portion of the bias gain not influenced by the gas turbine inlet temperature and is a function of the air injection temperature . the air injection exhaust bias gain has a maximum and minimum value depending on the type of gas turbine engine . the air injection flow rate is measured by a flow meter or calculated using pressure transducers and a cv curve . for example , for a flow rate increase of 10 pounds per second of air injection results in a 2 . 1 degree f . bias ( where air injection exhaust curve bias = 10 ( the air injection flow rate )× 0 . 21 ( the air injection exhaust bias gain )+ 0 ( air injection exhaust bias offset )) where the exhaust bias gain = gas turbine inlet temperature × 0 ( gas turbine inlet temperature gain )+ 0 . 21 ( air injection exhaust bias compensation offset ). each of these gains and offset values are preprogrammed values entered into a control system and are selected when predetermined criteria are met . that is , during operation , the controller reads in gas turbine inlet temperature measurements and uses the constants to determine the air injection exhaust bias gain . once calculated , the controller reads in the measured or calculated air injection flow rate and uses this value to determine air injection exhaust curve bias . the bias is then added to the existing turbine exhaust curve . depending on the engine model and hardware configuration , the offsets and gains used for the air injection exhaust curve bias will change . that is , control logic varies between different gas turbine manufacturers . some manufacturers use gas turbine firing temperature and gas turbine exhaust temperature to control the engine . other manufacturers control fuel splits using a normalized load curve , where a normalized load curve represents the actual load ( in mw ) divided by the theoretical load ( in mw ). the theoretical full load curve ( mw at 100 % load v . inlet temperature ) is adjusted over time to account for engine degradation and maintenance . however , the theoretical full load curve needs to be adjusted to account for the increase in output associated with this air injection . for example , if the air injection results in 5 % increase in output at full load , an unadjusted normalized load curve will calculate out to 105 %. however , after the mw bias is applied to the normalized load curve , it will calculate out to 100 %. in an alternate embodiment of the present invention , the gas turbine engine is controlled with normalized load curves . for gas turbine engines which are controlled based on a normalized load , additional control modifications may be necessary to help with combustion stability . more specifically , the normalized load curve bias = air injection flow rate × air injection mw gain + air injection mw bias offset where the air injection mw gain = gas turbine inlet temperature × gas turbine inlet temperature mw compensation + air injection mw compensation offset . depending on the engine model and hardware configuration , the offsets and gains used for the air injection exhaust curve bias will change . yet another scenario is when the gas turbine is controlled with a max load control parameter . in this case , the operation is the same as the previous embodiment discussed above , but to allow the gas turbine to produce additional power and not be limited by a max mw set point in the controls . while the invention has been described in what is known as presently the preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment but , on the contrary , is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements within the scope of the following claims . the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments , which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive . 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 sub - combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub - combinations . this is contemplated by and within the scope of the claims .	5
referring first to fig1 which is introduced for explanatory and comparative purposes , this shows in schematic form a typical communications network arrangement in which an atm core network 11 provides a transport medium for narrow band traffic originating from a tdm network 12 having an ss7 signalling network associated therewith . the narrow band , i . e . voice , traffic is packaged into ata adaptation layer two ( aal2 ) minicells for transport over the atm core . traffic is multiplexed so that a number of sources can occupy minichannels within a virtual circuit connection . access of narrow band traffic to the atm core is provided via gateways 14 , 15 and associated atm switches 16 , 17 . each gateway incorporates a connection admission control to ensure that a new connection or call is admitted only if sufficient bandwidth is available to support the quality of service guarantees for that new connection and for existing connections . the operation of the connection admission control will be described below . control and management of the atm network is provided by service managers 18 , 19 which , in response to isup signalling messages from the ss7 signalling network , allocate virtual channels for establishing voice connections . as shown in fig1 the network also serves a number of small business users each having a number of lines deriving from a pbx 20 which has a tdm link to an adaptation interface ( ish ) 31 between the local tdm environment and the broadband asynchronous environment . each such user effectively comprises a number of independent sources sharing a common aal2 virtual channel connection ( vcc ). referring now to fig2 this illustrates in schematic form the adaptation of voice traffic from a number of sources s 1 , . . . sn , into a shared aal2 virtual channel connection ( vcc ). each source has a respective bandwidth requirement b 1 , . . . bn . at the adaptation interface 31 , the traffic is packaged into aal2 minicells which are assembled into atm cells . the interface incorporates a timer 32 having a predetermined period t cu and whose purpose is to limit the assembly delay for the atm cells . under busy traffic conditions , cells will be fully filled and will be launched as soon as they are filled with the minimum of delay . however , under less busy conditions , the time required to fill a cell may be unacceptable for voice applications . the purpose of the timer is to ensure that , if a cell has not been filled within the period t cu , it is then filled with padding or null information and dispatched without further delay . the total bandwidth demand for the currently active sources s 1 , . . . sn is determined by calculating the sum σb of the aggregate bandwidth requirements b 1 , . . . bn of those sources , and then determining from σb via a protocol overhead calculation function a value f ( σb ) which represents the vcc equivalent cell rate to be used in voice connection admission control . it should be noted that σb will not in general be a linear summation of b 1 , . . . bn . an exemplary method of determining f ( σb ) will be described below . as illustrated in fig2 a new request changes the bandwidth requirement from f ( σb ) to f ( σb )′, and it is this latter value that is used to determine whether or not a new request may be accommodated . this new request may be a new call requesting admission , or an existing call may arrive in the network which then has to determine whether that call can be maintained . the term ‘ request ’ is used herein in this broader sense . we have found that , for a number of independent voice sources sharing a common aal2 vcc as illustrated in fig2 the problem of determining the bandwidth demand in order to provide effective connection admission control is complex . this is partly due to the ‘ bursty ’ nature of these sources which will generally be g . 72 sources or g . 711 sources .. while the aal2 overhead ( 3 octets ) is fixed for each source s 1 . . . sn and thus adds a known bandwidth requirement ( bw ), e . g . a bursting g711 source is equivalent to 64 kpbs . 43 / 40 , the amount of atm overhead these sources &# 39 ; share is not fixed but will depend on timer t cu value , their own packetisation period and the output of all the other sources . we have established that initial step in maximising the level of efficiency of aal2 multiplexing is the definition of three traffic conditions , these being illustrated in fig3 . in the worst case there is only one packet per cell when the cell is dispatched , while in the best case , all the cells are fully filled . there is an intermediate region where the cells contain more than one packet , but are only partly filled when they are dispatched . the transitions between these regions are a function of the packet arrival rate , which is determined by the number of active channels , the packetisation interval etc ., and the timer period t cu . for a large number of active sources , it can be safely assumed that the timer never expires and that all the cells are fully filled thus allowing a standard traffic model to be employed to calculate the aggregate bandwidth σb in order to determine whether or not this would exceed the overall ‘ pipe ’ capacity . in this standard model , f ( σb ) can be calculated as σb . 53 / 47 . this takes into account the additional overhead requirement associated with the traffic . the problem is thus exacerbated for smaller numbers of sources , as further illustrated in fig4 where there is insufficient traffic to fill atm cells within the pre - set period t cu of the timer . indeed , in the worst case there may be only one packet per cell . at a low number of bursting sources ( n ′), the timer period t cu will have a dominant factor and cells will be sent not completely full . for very low values of t cu with respect to packetisation time , one has a scenario where as one cannot make any assumptions about the phase relationship of sources and the worst case must be assumed , i . e . one packet per cell for all bursting sources ( n ′). the first issue to decide is what is n ′, the number of bursting sources . for fluid flow n ′= number of active sources = number of connections ( n ), whereas for stationary flow n ′= σb / average bw per bursting source . an approximation will be taken that n ′= n * σb / σb f where σb f is deemed to be sum of all sources bursting . the next issue arises due to the fact that packetisation period ( p ) is not the same for all sources . the exemplary algorithm described below addresses this issue by taking a normalised packetisation period and counting sources that produce j packets within this period as j independent sources . so , for example , where p g . 72x = 10 ms and p g . 711 = 5 ms , then f ( σb )′& lt ;= 53 * 8 * σb / σb pk (# g . 72 × source + 2 # g . 711 sources )/ p . where t cu & gt ; packetisation time but σb & lt ; 47 * 8 / t cu , it can be assumed that cells will continue to be sent incompletely filled , therefore f ( σb )′= 53 * 8 / t cu ( except for the case where n ′= 0 ). for intermediate values between these two extremes , there are two possible conditions , also illustrated in fig4 . for the range where n ′* timer cu & gt ; packetisation period and σb & lt ; σb 1 = k 1 ( 47 8 )/ t cu where k 1 is greater than unity and is typically less than three . we have two extreme options to take that bound the equation in this condition , packets arrive in a uniformly distributed fashion . cells go every timer period t cu and on average we get no more cells until on average all cells are full . thereafter the timer t cu never expires and f ( σb )′= σb ′* 53 / 47 here ( x − 1 ) packets go one per cell where x * t cu = packetisation period , and all other packets arrive simultaneously and are sent 100 % packed ( except for last cell ) in our arrangement and method , we determine the bandwidth requirement for performing connection admission control by treating the three regions separately . for the best region where all cells are fully filled , we determine for the worst region where there is only one packet per cell , we determine for the intermediate region , we determine f ( σb )′ by interpolating between the above two ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). this is illustrated in fig5 . a preferred algorithm for calculating the bandwidth requirement is detailed below : advantageously , the algorithm is provided in the form of machine readable operating instructions on a storage medium . having determined the bandwidth requirement via the above algorithm , the connection admission control can then determine whether sufficient bandwidth is available to accommodate a new connection . referring now to fig6 this is a flow chart diagram illustrating the operation of the connection admission control of fig1 . the flow chart comprises a number of steps and decision points . in step 61 , a request is received for a new connection . at decision point 62 , the fill level of the cells for that connection is determined and the appropriate one of three outputs is enabled . where there is a single packet per cell , f ( σb )′ is calculated at step 63 using the first algorithm . where the cells are fully filled , f ( σb )′ is calculated at step 64 using the second algorithm . where the cells are partly filled , f ( σb )′ is calculated at step 65 by interpolating between the first and second algorithm . the resultant determination of f ( σb )′ is fed to decision point 66 which determines whether sufficient resources are available to admit the new connection . if sufficient resources are available , an accept connection response is generated at step 67 . if however there are insufficient resources available to support the new connection , a refuse connection response is generated at step 68 . if the connection request represents an existing call which cannot be maintained , then this refusal results in the return of busy tone . it will of course be understood that that the above description of the application of the technique to aal2 transport in an atm network is given by way of example only , and that the technique has a broader application to cell based transport mechanisms in which high priority traffic is carried in variable length minicells . it will further be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .	7
fig1 a - 1d show an instant messaging broadcast system 100 embodiment in accordance with the present invention . as best shown in fig1 a , this broadcast system 100 embodiment comprises a plurality of client computers 102 ( for clarity , only one shown in detail ) connected to a server computer 103 by an appropriate communications medium 104 . each of the client computers 102 comprises a central processing unit 110 connected to a main memory 112 , a mass storage interface 114 , a network interface 116 , and an input / output (“ i / o ”) interface 118 by a system bus 122 . the memory 112 in each client computer 102 comprises an operating system 124 and an instant messaging broadcast client 128 . the server computer 103 similarly includes a central processing unit 130 connected to a main memory 132 , a mass storage interface 134 , a network interface 136 , and an i / o interface 138 by a system bus 142 . the memory 132 in the server computer 103 contains an operating system 144 , an instant messaging broadcast server 148 , a channel database 150 , and a broadcast database 170 . as best shown in fig1 b , the channel database 150 comprises a plurality of channel records 152 , each of which contains a channel name field 154 , a linked - list of subscriber records 155 , and a pointer indicating the next subscriber scheduled to receive a message on that channel (“ next_subscriber ”) 156 . as best shown in fig1 c , each subscriber record 155 comprises an address field 157 , a last - time - contacted field 158 , a knowledgeable subject area field 159 , and a pass - by credit (“ pass_credit ”) score 160 . as best shown in fig1 d , the broadcast database 170 comprises a plurality of message records 172 , each of which comprises a message identifier field 174 , a message text field 176 , an unanswerable message indicator (“ unanswerable ”) 178 , round count (“ round_count ”) field 180 , an answer count (“ accepted_answers ”) field 184 , a first subscriber contacted (“ first_contacted ”) field 186 , and a new request indicator (“ new_request ”) field 188 . in operation , the broadcast system 100 of the present invention broadcasts inquiries to subscribers in series of waves and rounds until the sender receives a valid answer . for example , where there are dozens of people subscribed to a broadcast channel , the broadcast system 100 will first send the inquiry to a first “ wave ” of subscribers , then another wave , then another wave , until a subscriber answers the inquiry or until every subscriber to the channel receives the inquiry . each wave in this embodiment will comprise a different handful of subscribers . if the original sender receives and accepts an answer to the inquiry , the broadcast is halted so that other participants do not waste time with a question that has already been satisfactorily answered . if the original sender does not receive a satisfactory answer , the broadcast system 100 resends the inquiry to the same channel in a new series of waves , together with an indication that the sender did not receive an answer during the first “ round ” of broadcast waves . if nobody satisfactorily answers the inquiry after the second round of broadcast waves , the broadcast system 100 broadcasts a final round of messages to a small group of people who are most - likely to know the answer . some embodiments of the present invention record who was the last subscriber to receive an inquiry . these embodiments use this information to start future waves and rounds with the next person on the channel &# 39 ; s subscriber list . in this way , questions that can be answered by almost anyone are spread out among the populace . some embodiments may also allow for the sender to request a number of ‘ acceptable ’ answers and may send the secondary rounds / waves after a short delay to allow for a change in the makeup of people at their terminal . fig2 illustrates one embodiment of the instant messaging broadcast client 128 in more detail . the process begins when a user of the system (“ sender ”) drafts an inquiry at block 202 . next , at block 204 , the sender instructs their broadcast client 128 a to download a list of available channels from the channel database 150 and / or to read a local cache of channel list from memory 112 . the sender then selects at least one channel on which to broadcast the inquiry at block 206 . in some embodiment , the broadcast client 128 a may also include an option to broadcast on “ all available channels ” and / or to “ all subscribers .” at block 207 , the broadcast client 128 asks the sender how many acceptable answers (“ requested_answers ”) are needed . in most cases , the sender &# 39 ; s response will be one . however , other values will be appropriate for certain questions , such as “ i need six volunteers for a task ” or “ i have 5 pairs of tickets to give away .” at block 208 , the sender instructs the broadcast client 128 a to broadcast the inquiry on the selected channel or channels , or onto all channels . in response , the sender &# 39 ; s broadcast client 128 a transmits the inquiry , the name of the selected channel or channels , and the number of desired answers to the broadcast server 148 . as will be discussed in more detail with reference to fig3 - 6 , the broadcast server 148 rebroadcasts the inquiry to the subscribers to the channel ( s ) and forwards the responses , if any , back to the sender &# 39 ; s client 128 a . at blocks 209 - 212 , the sender &# 39 ; s broadcast client 128 a receives and displays the responses , and then asks the sender whether or not each response answered the question satisfactorily ( i . e ., was the answer “ acceptable ”). at block 214 , the broadcast client 128 a transmits the acceptability of an answer to the broadcast server 148 . the broadcast client 128 a repeats blocks 209 - 214 each time it receives a response from the broadcast server 148 . fig3 illustrates the instant messaging broadcast server 148 in more detail . at block 302 , the broadcast server 148 receives the inquiry from the sender &# 39 ; s broadcast client 128 a . at block 304 , the broadcast server 148 creates a new message record 172 n in the broadcast database 170 for the new inquiry . as part of this process , the broadcast server 148 initializes : ( i ) the unanswerable flag 178 n to ‘ false ’ to indicate that the message is not yet considered to be unanswerable ; ( ii ) the round_count counter 180 n to ‘ 1 ’ to indicate that the broadcast server 148 is beginning to process the first round of waves ; ( iii ) the accepted_answer count 184 n to ‘ 0 ’ to indicate that the sender has not accepted any answers at this time ; ( iv ) the first_contact pointer 186 n to the individual currently indicated by the channel &# 39 ; s next_subscriber pointer 156 ; and ( v ) a new_request indicator 188 n to ‘ true ’ to indicate that the broadcast server 148 is beginning to process a new request . next , at block 310 , the broadcast server 148 sends the message to the first wave of subscribers , starting with the subscriber indicated by the next_subscriber pointer . the exact number of subscribers in a wave (“ max_wave ”) can vary , but is usually set by a system administrator to be between about 5 - 20 recipients or between about 5 - 25 % of the total subscribers to the channel . at block 312 , the broadcast server 148 waits for a recipient to respond to the inquiry and processes the responses , if any . if the sender has not received enough acceptable answers ( determined at block 306 ), the broadcast server 148 repeats blocks 308 - 312 until it has sent out a number of rounds equal to a maximum number of rounds allowed (“ max_rounds ”), typically two or three rounds . after the broadcast server 148 has broadcast the maximum number of rounds allowed without receiving enough responses ( determined at block 308 ), the server 148 then broadcasts one final round to a group of recipients (“ experts ”) it deems most likely to give an acceptable response at block 314 . if this last wave is still unsuccessful , the broadcast server 148 resets the expert list at block 316 transmits an error message back to the sender at blocks 318 - 320 . fig4 illustrates the send to next wave block 310 in more detail . at block 402 , the broadcast server 148 initializes a counter (“ wave_count ”). at block 406 , the broadcast server 148 determines if next candidate recipient (“ next_subscriber ”) is the same as the first candidate subscriber to receive this inquiry , as indicated by the first_contact pointer 186 n . if so , the broadcast server 148 increments round_count 180 n and returns to block 310 in fig3 , otherwise the broadcast server continues to block 408 . at block 408 , the broadcast server 148 checks the candidate recipient &# 39 ; s pass - by credit 160 . if the candidate does not have a positive pass - by credit 160 , the broadcast server sends the inquiry to that the candidate at block 410 , updates that the candidate &# 39 ; s last contacted field 158 at block 412 , and increments the wave_count counter by one at block 414 . if the candidate has a positive pass_credit 160 , the broadcast server 148 decrements their pass_credit by one point at block 416 . next , at block 418 , the broadcast server changes the next_subscriber pointer to indicate the next subscriber in the channel &# 39 ; s list of subscribers 155 at block 418 . the broadcast client 148 then repeats blocks 404 - 418 until it broadcasts to the entire wave ( i . e ., wave_count is greater than max_wave at block 404 ) or until has sent the message to the entire subscriber list ( i . e ., next_subscriber = first_contact at block 406 ). the broadcast client 148 then sets the wave_size variable equal to the current wave_count variable at block 422 , increments round_count at block 420 if the round was determined to be complete at block 406 , and then returns to block 310 in fig3 . fig5 a and 5b illustrate the message processing block 312 in more detail . at block 500 , the broadcast server 148 checks to see if the message is marked as unanswerable . at block 501 , if the message not marked as unanswerable ( i . e ., unanswerable = false ), the broadcast server 148 sets a wave size variable (“ wave_size ”) equal to the number of messages sent out in the wave being processed ( set in block 310 or block 314 ) and initializes a counter for the number of answers processed (“ answer_count ”). next , at blocks 504 - 506 , the broadcast server 148 waits for a predetermined amount of time to see if any of the recipients of the broadcast wave (“ recipients ”) will start to answer the inquiry . at blocks 508 - 510 , the broadcast server 148 receives a response from one of the recipients , increments answer_count , and forwards the response to the original sender . this action , in turn , causes the sender &# 39 ; s broadcast client 128 a to display the response on the sender &# 39 ; s computer 102 a and , as shown in blocks 210 - 214 , to ask the sender whether the response answered their question . the broadcast server 148 then waits for a predetermined amount of time to receive an acceptability response from the original sender at blocks 511 - 512 . if an acceptability response is received but the answer is not acceptable ( determined at blocks 511 - 513 ), or if the broadcast server 148 does not receive an acceptability response ( determined at block 511 ), the broadcast server 148 increments the respondent &# 39 ; s pass - by credit 160 by two points at block 514 and waits for additional responses . if an acceptability response was received and the answer was acceptable ( determined at blocks 511 - 513 ), the broadcast server 148 increments the accepted_answers counter 184 n at block 515 , and increments the respondent &# 39 ; s pass - by credit 160 by three points at block 516 . next , at block 518 , the broadcast server 148 analyzes the acceptable answer to determine its subject matter and stores the result in the respondent &# 39 ; s knowledge subject area field 159 ( see fig1 c ). one suitable method for determining the subject matter is to parse the text of the response and / or the original inquiry for keywords , and then storing the keywords in the subject area field 159 . however , other methods of determining subject matter are within the scope of the present invention . after analyzing the accepted answer , the broadcast server 148 determines whether or not the sender has received enough acceptable answers at block 520 ( i . e ., accepted_answers is greater than or equal to requested_answers ). if the sender has received enough answers , the broadcast server 148 can end its processing of this wave . if not , the broadcast server 148 continues to wait for additional answers at blocks 502 - 506 for a predetermine amount of time or until it has processed answers from all of the recipients of the wave ( i . e ., the broadcast server 148 determines if answer_count is less than wave_size at block 502 , then waits to receive an answer at blocks 504 - 506 ), then returns to block 312 in fig3 . fig6 illustrates the send to experts block 314 in more detail . if the broadcast server 148 determines at block 602 that this is the first entry into block 314 for the inquiry , it first initializes a number of variables for the expert wave and generates a list of experts . accordingly , if the broadcast server 148 determines that new_request 188 n equals ‘ true ’ at block 602 , the broadcast server 148 proceeds to set the new_request 188 n indicator to ‘ false ’ at block 604 and then set the wave_size variable to “ 1 ” at block 606 to indicate that the messages will be sent to one expert at a time . next , at block 608 , the broadcast server 148 analyzes the inquiry to determine to what subject matter it pertains . the broadcast server 148 then searches at block 610 for a list of subscribers (“ experts ”) who have answered similar questions in the past and / or have had those answers accepted by the sender . for embodiments using keywords , one suitable method for blocks 608 and 610 is to first parse the inquiry for keywords using an appropriate selection algorithm , and then search the channel database 150 for subscribers having similar keywords in their knowledgeable subject matter field 159 . some embodiments may also require that there be a threshold number of common keywords before identifying the subscriber as an expert . at block 612 , the broadcast server 148 then sorts the list of experts identified at block 610 , first by lowest pass credit , then by the closest subject matter fit ( e . g ., closest match between the sets of keywords ). at blocks 614 - 616 , the broadcast server 148 initializes a counter for the number of experts to whom it has sent the inquiry (“ expert_count ”) and initializes a pointer (“ next_expert ”) to the first expert in the list . the broadcast server 148 then sends the inquiry to the first expert at block 618 , together with an indication that this inquiry is part of the ‘ expert round .’ next , the broadcast server 148 updates the first expert &# 39 ; s last contacted field 158 at block 620 , increments the first expert &# 39 ; s pass_credit score by one point at block 622 to credit the subscriber for being an expert , and then returns to block 314 in fig3 if the broadcast server 148 determines at block 602 that this is not first entry into block 314 for the inquiry ( i . e ., new_request equals ‘ false ’), the broadcast server 148 gets the next expert at block 624 from the sorted list of experts generated at blocks 610 - 612 . if there are experts remaining in the list , the broadcast server 148 then sends the inquiry to the next expert at block 618 , together with an indication that this inquiry is part of the expert wave ; updates the next expert &# 39 ; s last contacted field 158 at block 620 ; increments the next expert &# 39 ; s pass_credit score by one point at block 622 , and then returns to block 314 in fig3 . if there are no experts remaining in the list , the broadcast server 148 sets the unanswerable indicator 178 to “ true ” at block 628 to indicate that it was unable to find an answer to the inquiry . referring again to fig1 a - 1c , the processors 110 , 130 in this embodiment may be any devices capable of executing the program instructions stored in the main memories 112 , 132 ; and may be constructed from one or more microprocessors and / or integrated circuits . furthermore , although the computer systems 102 , 103 are shown to contain only a single processor and a single system bus , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced using a computer system that has multiple processors and / or multiple buses . in addition , the interfaces may each include their own separate , fully programmed microprocessors that are used to off - load compute - intensive processing from the main processors 110 , 130 . when the computers 102 , 103 start up , the processors 110 , 130 initially execute the program instructions that make up the operating systems 124 , 144 . the operating systems 124 , 144 are sophisticated programs that manage the resources of computer systems 102 , 103 , including : the processors 110 , 130 ; the main memories 112 , 132 ; the mass storage interfaces 114 , 134 ; the i / o interfaces 118 , 138 ; the network interfaces 116 , 136 ; and the system buses 122 , 142 . the users may enter commands for the operating system using appropriate i / o devices , such as a keyboard or mouse ( not shown ), connected to the i / o interfaces 118 , 138 . the computer systems 102 , 103 in this embodiment utilize well - known virtual addressing mechanisms that allow the programs of computer systems 102 , 103 to behave as if they have access to a large , single storage entity instead of access to multiple , smaller storage entities such as main memories 112 , 132 and a direct access storage device (“ dasd ”) device ( not shown ). therefore , while the operating systems 124 , 144 , the broadcast client 128 , the broadcast server 148 and their associated data , are shown to reside in main memory 112 , 132 , those skilled in the art will recognize that these items are not necessarily all completely contained in main memory 112 , 132 at the same time , and may also reside in the virtual memory of other computer systems coupled to the computer system 102 , 103 . one suitable server computer 103 is an eserver iseries ® computer running the os / 400 ® multitasking operating system , both of which are produced by international business machines corporation of armonk , n . y . one suitable client computer 102 is a thinkpad ® computer running the linux ™ operating system , both of which are also available from international business machines of armonk , n . y . however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms and apparatus of the present invention apply equally to any computer system and operating system , regardless of whether the computer system is a complicated multi - user computing apparatus , a single workstation , or an embedded control system . the present invention also applies to other client devices 102 capable of receiving and transmitting user input , including without limitation , pervasive computing devices , such as cellular telephones , personal digital assistants (“ pda ”), and the like . the communication medium 104 can be any device or system that allows the computers 102 , 103 to communicate with each other . the network interfaces 116 , 136 , accordingly , can be any device that facilitates such communication . suitable communication mediums include , but are not limited to , the internet , intranets , cellular transmission networks , networks using the ieee 802 . 11 specification , and the like . those skilled in the art will appreciate that many different network protocols can be used to implement the communication medium 104 . transmission control protocol / internet protocol (“ tcp / ip ”) is an example of a suitable network protocol for internet communication . the embodiment described with reference to fig1 - 6 uses a client - server network architecture . these embodiments are desirable because the broadcast client 128 can utilize the service of the broadcast server 148 without either computer requiring knowledge of the working details about the other . however , those skilled in the art , will appreciate that other network architectures are within the scope of the present invention . examples of other suitable network architectures include peer - to - peer architectures and three - tier architectures . the address field 157 may contain any information capable of identifying resources on the communication medium 104 . the message identifier 174 , similarly , may contain any information capable of identifying individual broadcast messages . for embodiments using the internet , the address field 157 may contain an electronic mail address associated with the user . these mail addresses are typically in the form user_name @ mail_server_name , where mail_server_name specifies the name of a mail server for the user , and user_name is the name of the user known to the mail server . for embodiments using the cellular telephony networks , the address field 157 may contain the telephone number associated with the pervasive device . suitable information for the message identifier field 174 includes a serial number and sender / timestamp information . the present invention offers numerous advantages over conventional broadcast systems . for example , the broadcast system 100 described with reference to fig1 - 6 reduces number of times it will interrupt each subscriber by sending inquiries to a subset of subscribers at a time and then halting the broadcast once the sender receives enough acceptable answers . the present invention also reduces interruptions by shifting the broadcast starting point among the subscribers . that is , the present invention will start the broadcast with the individual indicated by the next_subscriber pointer 156 , which will point at a random subscriber . in addition , the present invention increases the chance that the sender will receive an acceptable answer by ensuring that the broadcast goes to substantially all of the subscribers , and by targeting a final broadcast round at individuals who are most likely to know the answer . yet another advantage of the present invention is that its pass - by credit system rewards recipients who respond to questions frequently and knowledgeably by directing future questions to others . although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to certain examples thereof , it may be also embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential spirit or attributes thereof . for example , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms , and applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media used to actually carry out the distribution . examples of suitable signal bearing media include , but are not limited to : ( i ) information permanently stored on non - writable storage media ( e . g ., read - only memory devices within a computer such as cd - rom disks readable by a cd - rom drive ); ( ii ) alterable information stored on writable storage media ( e . g ., floppy disks within a diskette drive , a cd - r disk , a cd - rw disk , or hard - disk drive ); or ( iii ) information conveyed to a computer by a transmission medium , such as through a computer or telephone network , including wireless communications , and specifically includes information downloaded from the internet and other networks . such signal - bearing media , when carrying computer - readable instructions that direct the functions of the present invention , represent embodiments of the present invention . in addition , those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the present invention is suitable for use with communications other than inquiries . for example , the present invention could be used to communicate announcements to an organization , such as “ it is your turn to receive your holiday gift .” these embodiments may be desirable because the present invention will reduce the peak load on the network associated with the broadcast and because the present invention can encourage employees to come to the physical location in manageable groups . the accompanying figures and this description depicted and described embodiments of the present invention , and features and components thereof . those skilled in the art will appreciate that any particular program nomenclature used in this description was merely for convenience , and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and / or implied by such nomenclature . thus , for example , the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the invention , whether implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application , component , program , module , object , or sequence of instructions could have been referred to as a “ program ”, “ application ”, “ server ”, or other meaningful nomenclature . therefore , it is desired that the embodiments described herein be considered in all respects as illustrative , not restrictive , and that reference be made to the appended claims for determining the scope of the invention .	7
we have found by a combination of theory and numerical simulations that when using a borehole tool with a sampling probe device having an inner probe and an outer probe surrounding the inner probe to obtain a sample of formation fluid having a given low level of contamination by borehole fluid and filtrate ( that is , borehole fluid that has seeped into the so - called invaded zone around the borehole ), the time taken to obtain the sample not only varies widely with the viscosity of the filtrate and the radial extent of the invaded zone , but is also significantly affected by the ratio of the flow rate of the fluid flowing into the inner sampling probe to the total flow rate into the outer probe and the inner sampling probe . the present invention is based on the appreciation that varying this ratio in dependence upon such parameters as the relative viscosities of the formation fluid and the filtrate , the radial extent of the invaded zone , and the permeability and the anisotropy of the formation , which are often known in advance , can significantly reduce the time taken to obtain the sample . with reference now to the drawings , the apparatus shown in fig1 comprises an elongate modular borehole tool 10 suspended on a wireline or slickline 12 in a borehole 14 penetrating an earth formation 16 believed to contain exploitable , ie recoverable , hydrocarbons . surrounding the borehole 14 , to a radial distance of up to several tens of centimetres , is an invaded zone 18 of the formation 16 into which contaminants , typically filtrate from drilling mud used in the drilling of the borehole , have penetrated from the borehole . the borehole tool 10 is provided with a sampling probe device 20 which will be described in more detail hereinafter and which projects laterally from the tool . the sampling probe device 20 is urged into firm contact with the wall of the borehole 14 adjacent the formation 16 by an anchoring device 22 , which is mounted on the side of the tool 10 substantially opposite the sampling probe and which presses against the borehole wall . as will become apparent , the sampling probe device 20 includes inner and outer probes 24 , 26 having respective flow areas whose ratio can be varied . the inner probe 24 is selectively connectable via an outlet conduit 28 containing a pair of changeover ( or diverter ) valves 30 either to a sample chamber 32 or to a dump outlet ( not shown ), while the outer probe 26 is coupled via an outlet conduit 34 to a dump outlet ( not shown ). both of the probes 24 , 26 are arranged to draw fluid samples from the formation 16 , under the control of respective pumps 38 and a control system 40 which controls the valves 30 and the pumps 38 . in the event it is determined that a sample of the formation having an acceptably low level of contamination can be obtained via the inner probe 24 , the control system 40 operates pumps 38 to control the relative flow rates or pressures at the inner and outer probes 24 , 26 , and sets the valves 30 to direct the sample from the inner probe 24 into the sample chamber 32 . it will be appreciated that in the borehole tool 10 of fig1 a , fluid is drawn into the sample chamber 32 without passing through the relevant pump 38 . in the modification of figure of fig1 b , the fluid passes through the relevant pump 38 en route to the sample chamber . other modifications which can be made include using a single pump in place of the two pumps 38 , and providing the conduit 34 with valves and a sample chamber analogous to the valves 30 and sample chamber 32 , so that the fluid obtained via the outer probe 26 can be selectively retained or dumped , rather than always dumped . as can be seen in fig2 the inner and outer probes 24 , 26 of the sampling probe device 20 can be either circular and concentric , with the outer probe completely surrounding the inner probe , as shown in fig2 ( a ), or rectangular , again with the outer probe completely surrounding the inner probe , as shown in fig2 ( b ). fig3 shows a preferred implementation of the sampling probe device of fig2 ( a ), in which the inner probe 24 is replaceable by virtue of having a screw - threaded connection 42 with the end of its conduit 28 , so that the aforementioned variable flow area ratio feature can be achieved simply by changing the inner probe 24 for one having a different diameter . it will be appreciated that the outer wall of the outer probe 26 can alternatively or additionally be made replaceable by use of a similar screw - threaded connection with the outer wall of its conduit 34 , thus permitting the range of variation of the flow area ratio to be widened . in another implementation , the whole probe device 20 can be made replaceable , so that the variable flow are feature is achieved by selecting one of several sampling probe devices 20 each having inner and outer probes of different flow area ratio . the alternative implementation of the sampling probe device 20 shown in fig4 and 5 comprises inner , intermediate and outer probes 44 , 46 and 48 , which are substantially circular and concentric with each other . the intermediate probe 46 completely surrounds the inner probe 44 , while the outer probe 48 completely surrounds the intermediate probe 46 . all three of the probes 44 , 46 , 48 withdraw fluid samples from the formation 16 under the control of the pump 38 and the control system 40 of fig1 but the outlet conduit 50 of the intermediate probe includes a valve 52 , also controlled by the control system 40 , by which the fluid sample withdrawn via the intermediate probe 46 can be selectively combined either with the sample in the conduit 28 from the inner probe 44 , or with the sample in the conduit 34 from the outer probe 48 . it will be appreciated that these alternatives are equivalent to increasing the flow area of the inner probe 44 by the flow area of the intermediate probe 46 on the one hand , and increasing the flow area of the outer probe 48 by the flow area of the intermediate probe 46 on the other hand , thus achieving the aforementioned variable flow area ratio mentioned earlier . one way of implementing the valve 52 of the sampling probe device 20 of fig4 and 5 is shown in fig6 . thus the conduits 28 , 50 and 34 of the probes 44 , 46 and 48 respectively are coaxially internested , and a shuttle valve member 54 is axially movable in the conduit 50 between a first position , in which it opens a port 56 between the conduit 50 and the conduit 28 while closing a port 58 between the conduit 50 and the conduit 34 , and a second position , in which it closes the port 56 and opens the port 58 . it will be appreciated that the principles underlying the probe sampling device 20 of fig4 to 6 , which provides two different flow area ratios , can readily be extended by using more than three concentrically arranged probes communicating with a corresponding number of coaxially internested outlet conduits and having an appropriate number of shuttle or other switchover valves . and although it is convenient for the probes and their outlet conduits to be circular in section , it is not essential : as already described , rectangular sections can also be used . fig7 to 13 , each of which is made up of four separate figures referenced ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ), show different implementations of variable area probes , each of which can be used as the inner probe 24 of the sampling probe device 20 of fig1 ( as shown ), and / or as the outer probe 26 . thus the probe 24 of fig7 comprises a tube 60 made of a soft deformable compound , and is shown undeformed in fig7 ( a ), with its flow area in its undeformed state shown in fig7 ( b ). applying an axial force to the tube 60 to press it more firmly against the borehole wall deforms the probe and reduces its flow area as shown in fig7 ( c ) and 7 ( d ) respectively . the axial force can be applied by any suitable mechanism , eg a mechanical , electromechanical or hydraulic mechanism . the probe 24 of fig8 comprises a tube 62 made from a semi - stiff deformable material which is thinner than the material of the probe of fig7 . otherwise , its mode of use is basically similar to that of the fig7 probe , and the views of fig8 ( a ) to 8 ( d ) correspond to those of fig7 ( a ) to 7 ( d ). the probe 24 of fig9 comprises an array of close - fitting coaxially - internested cylinders 64 , which are arranged such that an increasing axial force progressively increases the number of them , from the outer one towards the inner one , in contact with the borehole wall , thus progressively decreasing the flow area of the probe . the maximum flow area state of the probe is shown in fig9 ( a ) and 9 ( b ), while a reduced flow area state is shown in fig9 ( c ) and 9 ( d ). [ 0040 ] fig1 shows a variation of the fig9 probe , in which the cylinders 64 are coupled together at each of their ends 66 , but which otherwise operates in substantially the same manner . the probe 24 of fig1 comprises a single spirally - wound cylinder 68 , whose staggered inner turns respond to an axial force in a manner analogous to the interested cylinders of fig9 and 10 . again , the maximum flow area state of the probe is shown in fig1 ( a ) and 11 ( b ), while a reduced flow area state is shown in fig1 ( c ) and 11 ( d ). [ 0042 ] fig1 and 13 show probes 24 both made from a cylindrical tightly coiled spring 70 with a trumpet - shaped end 72 for contacting the borehole wall : in the former , the spring has a flat coil at its borehole contact end , while in the latter , the spring is potted in a suitable elastomer . in both cases , axial force increases the number of coils of the spring in contact with the borehole wall , so decreasing the flow area of the probe . several modifications can be made to the described embodiments of the invention . for example , the inner and outer probes need not be circular or rectangular in section , but can be elliptical , ellipsoidal , polygonal or any other convenient shape , or even different from each other , as long as the outer probe surrounds the inner probe . in practice , the geometry of the probes is typically selected in dependence upon such parameters as the depth of invasion of the filtrate , the ratio between the viscosity of the filtrate and the viscosity of the formation fluids , and the permeability and anisotropy of the formations .	4
the following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention . although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred , the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted , or otherwise used , as limiting the scope of the disclosure , including the claims . in addition , one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application , and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment , and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure , including the claims , is limited to that embodiment . embodiments of the invention comprise a soldermask abutting a substrate ( e . g ., a fcbga substrate ) having multiple metal traces . portions of some of the metal traces may be exposed from underneath the soldermask by way of one or more apertures in the solder mask . the apertures may be substantially rectangular in shape and may expose a plurality of metal traces , although other shapes also may be used . each of the apertures may be separated from another aperture by a segment of the soldermask situated therebetween . solder bumps may be formed abutting alternating metal traces in each aperture , although other solder bump arrangements also may be used . in alternate embodiments , sections of metal traces not having solder bumps may be covered with the soldermask . the various embodiments are , at least to some extent , made possible by the realization that surface tension causes a melted solder bump on a substrate to cease flowing once the solder reaches an equilibrium point . for this reason , soldermasks with precisely - defined openings are unnecessary for fine pitch substrates and present higher production costs . thus , a soldermask having less - precisely - defined openings than those described in the background may be used to prevent short circuits caused by solder reflow . presented herein is such a soldermask design that reduces cost , prevents short - circuits on fine pitch substrates during solder reflow processes , and protects the substrates from damage during various portions of the package assembly process . fig2 a shows a cross - sectional side view of a flip - chip ball grid array (“ fcbga ”) package 96 comprising a substrate 100 partially covered by a solder mask 104 abutting the substrate 100 . the substrate 100 comprises a plurality of metal traces 102 . the metal traces 102 are electrically coupled to an ic 106 by way of solder bumps 108 . the substrate 100 is electrically coupled to a printed circuit board (“ pcb ”) 98 by way of solder bumps 110 situated therebetween . the metal traces 102 are used to receive electrical signals from the ic 106 . in turn , the metal traces 102 carry the electrical signals through the substrate 100 to the pcb 98 . fig2 b shows a top view of the package 96 of fig1 during electrical connection of the ic 106 ( not shown ) to the metal traces 102 . specifically , fig2 b illustrates the substrate 100 partially covered by the solder mask 104 abutting the substrate 100 . the solder mask 104 comprises apertures 1 - 4 that expose the substrate 100 . each of the apertures 1 - 4 also exposes multiple metal traces 102 , wherein at least some of the metal traces 102 are electrically coupled to solder bumps 108 . more particularly , the apertures 3 and 4 are situated beneath a core 105 of the die 106 and expose multiple metal traces 102 on the substrate 100 . the apertures 1 and 2 preferably are substantially continuous , concentric rectangles . each of the apertures 3 and 4 preferably are continuous , substantially linear apertures , although the apertures 3 and 4 also may be arrange in a concentric rectangular configuration or any other suitable configuration . any shape that enables the apertures 1 - 4 to be substantially continuous channels may be used . the ic 106 ( not shown ) couples to the metal traces 102 preferably , but not necessarily , at the solder bumps 108 . whereas currently used soldermasks have precisely - defined solder bump openings for the solder bumps 108 , the soldermask 104 permits the solder bumps 108 to be deposited on the metal traces 102 and flow until the solder reaches a state of equilibrium and ceases to flow . the solder of the solder bumps 108 ceases to flow before establishing contact ( i . e ., an electrical connection ) with an adjacent metal trace 102 and / or an adjacent solder bump 108 , thus reducing or eliminating the possibility of a short - circuit on the substrate 100 . in at least some embodiments , the solder bumps 108 are staggered such that the possibility of a short circuit caused by excessive solder flow is further reduced . more specifically , and referring to aperture 1 , in accordance with at least some embodiments , no two adjacent metal traces 102 have a solder bump 108 . likewise , no two adjacent metal traces 102 in aperture 2 of the substrate 100 have a solder bump 108 . although not required , staggering the solder bumps 108 in this way further decreases the chances that solder may flow to electrically connect with an adjacent metal trace 102 and / or an adjacent solder bump 108 and cause a short circuit . as previously mentioned , the solder bumps 108 represent preferred solder bump locations . the scope of disclosure is not limited to these sites ; a solder bump may be coupled to any suitable location on the metal traces 102 . in the various embodiments mentioned above , and as indicated by the arrows shown in fig2 b , the spacing between adjacent solder bumps 108 may be approximately 120 micrometers , the width of the soldermask 104 situated between apertures 1 and 2 may be approximately 105 micrometers , and the width of the apertures 1 - 4 may be approximately 105 micrometers each . furthermore , the width of the metal traces 102 may be between approximately 30 and 45 micrometers , and the spacing between adjacent metal traces 102 ( i . e ., metal traces in the same unmasked portion of the substrate 100 ) may be between approximately 15 and 30 micrometers . the scope of disclosure is not limited to these parameters . the risk of a short - circuit caused by electrical contact between a solder bump 108 and an adjacent solder bump 108 and / or an adjacent metal trace 102 may be mitigated further by adjusting the width of one or more of the apertures 3 and 4 . specifically , the flow of the solder bumps 108 may be controlled by adjusting the width of the apertures 3 and / or 4 . referring to fig2 a and 2 b , for example , reducing the width of the aperture 3 may cause the solder bumps 108 in the aperture 3 to flow less than if the aperture 3 was widened . because the solder bumps 108 flow less , the heights 180 of the solder bumps 108 may increase . conversely , increasing the width of the aperture 3 may cause the solder bumps 108 in the aperture 3 to flow more than if the width of the aperture 3 was decreased . because the solder bumps 108 flow more , the heights 180 of the solder bumps 108 may decrease . when the heights 180 of the solder bumps 108 in the aperture 3 are increased , the clearance height 182 between the die 106 and the metal traces 102 also increases . conversely , when the heights 180 of the solder bumps 108 in the aperture 3 are decreased , the clearance height 182 is decreased . an increase in the clearance height 182 , as illustrated in fig2 c , alleviates the pressure of the die 106 on the solder bumps 108 in the apertures 1 , 2 and 4 . this decrease in pressure keeps each solder bump 108 from flowing a substantial distance away from the corresponding metal trace 102 , thus further reducing the likelihood of a short circuit . a decrease in clearance height 182 , as illustrated in fig2 d , increases the pressure of the die 106 on the solder bumps 108 in the apertures 1 , 2 and 4 . this increase in pressure forces each solder bump 108 to flow a greater distance from the corresponding metal trace 102 than that shown in fig2 c . although the risk of a short circuit is somewhat increased , the die 106 is closer to the substrate 100 , thus reducing overall size of the package 96 . because the risk of short circuits and the importance of the size of a package is largely application - specific , the width of the aperture 3 ( and / or the apertures 1 , 2 and 4 ) may be adjusted accordingly . although the widths of some or all of the apertures 1 - 4 may be adjusted , adjusting the apertures 3 and 4 generally is preferred , since in some embodiments , circuit design rules may be more lenient in the core 105 than in other portions of the die 106 . the soldermask 104 may be fabricated using a process shown in fig3 . the process may begin with the coating of the substrate surface with liquid soldermask material ( block 300 ). any suitable material may be used . the process may be continued by exposing the soldermask material to light in accordance with the design of the soldermask 104 ( block 302 ). in this way , portions of the soldermask are chemically altered . the process may be further continued by processing or developing the soldermask using etchants , such that at least some of the portions of the soldermask are etched away , leaving a soldermask having a pattern substantially similar to the pattern of the soldermask 104 or some other desired soldermask pattern ( block 304 ). finally , the soldermask is cured , such as by heating the soldermask in an oven until the soldermask is dry and adhering to the substrate surface ( block 306 ). once solder bumps are affixed to the metal traces on the substrate , an integrated circuit or any such suitable device may be electrically coupled to the solder bumps . the above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention . numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated . it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications .	7
referring now in detail to the drawings and initially to fig1 , an exemplary valve according to the invention is designated generally by reference numeral 10 . the valve 10 generally comprises a valve body 11 having a fluid inlet 12 and a fluid outlet 13 . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , the valve may be used in systems where flow is from the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet , although for most freeze - proof applications flow will be from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet . a valve seat 15 , which may also be referred to as a valve orifice , is located in the valve body 11 between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet , and a valve member 17 is movable towards and away from the valve seat 15 for controlling the flow of fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet . the valve member 17 may be actuated by any suitable means such as by a solenoid , fluid pressure , etc ., depending on the particular application . in most fuel cell applications , the valve member will be actuated by electromagnetic means , such as a solenoid or the like that may be controlled by the overall system controller . in the illustrated embodiment , the valve member 17 is a diaphragm valve that is sealed to the valve body 11 to prevent fluid such as water from entering the actuator 18 . as will be appreciated , moisture inside the actuator could cause freeze - up of a solenoid armature or other actuating component . as shown , the diaphragm valve may be provided with an arrow - shape tab or button 19 that can be pressed into a correspondingly shaped socket in the end of a solenoid armature ( not shown ). in the illustrated embodiment , the valve body 11 is composed of several parts including a housing structure 20 that may be part of an overall housing ( e . g . a manifold block ) containing various other components and / or flow passages in addition to those associated with the illustrated valve 10 . the housing structure 20 includes a stepped chamber 21 for receiving various other components of the valve 10 . the stepped chamber 21 is open at its lower end to the fluid inlet 12 and has assembled therein , going from bottom to top , a valve seat stem seal 22 , an insulating support washer 23 , and a valve body insert 24 that has a stepped interior chamber 25 in which other components of the valve are assembled and carried thereby . the components assembled in the valve body insert 24 include , going from bottom to top , an electrical contact 26 , a resilient member 27 , a heater 28 , the valve seat 15 , the valve member 17 , and retention ring 29 that serves to hold the radially outer peripheral portion of the valve member ( a diaphragm in the illustrated embodiment ) in sealed engagement with the valve body , in particular the valve body insert thereby closing off the otherwise open end of the chamber 25 in the valve body insert . the valve body insert 24 has recesses at opposite axial sides of a drain passage 30 leading to the fluid outlet 13 , which recesses accommodate respective annular seals 32 and 33 that seal the valve body insert to the interior surface of the chamber 21 in the housing structure 20 . in the illustrated embodiment , the electrical contact 26 , resilient member 27 and heater 28 are annular and telescoped over a valve seat stem 35 the depends from a main portion 36 of the valve seat 15 . the main portion 36 may be externally threaded as shown for threaded receipt in a correspondingly threaded portion of the valve body insert 24 . when the valve seat is threaded into the valve body insert , the electrical contact 26 , resilient member 27 and heater 28 will be sandwiched between an annular bottom surface of the main portion 36 that surrounds the valve seat stem 35 and a radially inturned shoulder 39 at the lower end of the valve body insert . in addition , the resilient member 27 will be compressed whereby the electrical contact 26 will be resiliently biased against the insulating washer 23 , and the heater will be resiliently biased against the underside of the main portion 36 of the valve seat . the valve seat may also have an annular recess for accommodating an annular seal 41 for sealing the valve seat to the valve body insert at a location between the fluid inlet 12 and an annular well 42 that surrounds an upwardly protruding portion 44 of the valve seat that terminates at a valve seat surface 45 that can be engaged by the valve member 17 to close the open upper end of an inlet passage 47 in the valve seat . as shown , the inlet passage 47 may extend axially to a lower end of the valve seat stem for communication with the fluid inlet 12 , and the annular well 42 may be connected by the drain passage 30 to the fluid outlet 13 . as will be appreciated , the resilient member 27 will hold the heater 28 into intimate contact with the heater to establish a good thermally conductive path therebetween , and also to establish an electrically conductive path in the illustrated embodiment . in addition , the heater 28 will be located in close proximity to the valve seat surface 45 for localized heating that enables a reduction in power requirements and a reduction of thaw time . moreover , the valve body insert 24 may be formed by a plastic or other thermally insulating material to minimize heat loss . also , the resilient member 27 may be formed by one or more thin springs as shown that leave an air gap of significant size that further prevents the escape of heat . in the illustrated embodiment , the heater 28 is of a type wherein the electrical contacts therefor are provided at opposite axial ends of the heater . this enables electrical connection of the heater to a power source through the valve seat 15 and the electrical contact 26 via the resilient member 27 . if power is supplied in this manner , the valve seat at least in part is made of an electrically conductive material for making an electrical connection to one side of the heater . for example , the entire valve seat may be made of an electrically conductive material , and consequently an electrical lead can be connected to any convenient portion of the valve seat , such as to the valve seat stem 35 . likewise , the resilient member and the electrical contact may be made of an electrically conductive material , and a suitable power lead may connected conveniently to the electrical contact . by way of a specific example , the valve seat and electrical contact may be made of an electrically conductive metal such as electrically conductive steel , and the resilient member may be one or more electrically conductive springs , such as wave or belleville springs . the springs 27 and contact 26 of course should be electrically isolated from the valve seat 15 in this exemplary electrical circuit to prevent short circuits . as shown , the springs and contact are radially spaced from the valve seat stem 35 . electrical isolation of the valve seat in the illustrated embodiment is effected by the valve body insert 24 which is made of an electrically nonconductive material such as plastic . similarly , the insulating support washer 23 may be made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic . those skilled in the art will appreciate that other arrangements may be used to effect electrical connection of the heater to an external power source , including other arrangements using one or more of the valve seat and resilient member as part of the electrical circuit that supplies power to the heater . in a preferred embodiment , the heater 28 is a positive coefficient ( ptc ) heater such as a ptc pill of a commonly available type . such a heater includes a material that exhibits a positive temperature coefficient such as barium strontium - titanate . such material may have at least its upper surface covered with a heatsink material having high heat conductivity . the temperature of the heater 28 , and consequently the valve seat 15 , is controlled by the heating value of the ptc heater / pill which has the property of increasing its electrical resistance with temperature so that the temperature cannot exceed a certain value . this advantageously provides efficient power management and further prevents overheating of the valve seat . the illustrated valve 10 is particularly suited for use in a fuel cell system . in a drain valve application , fluid ( e . g . water ) flows upwardly through the inlet passage 47 . when the valve is open , fluid can flow over the valve seat surface 45 and down into the well 42 for draining to the fluid outlet 13 . as will be appreciated , the illustrated design is self - draining and thus reduces if not eliminates pooling of water around the valve seat surface . during freezing conditions , electrical current can be passed through the valve seat 15 to the top side of the heater 28 and from the bottom side into the resilient member 27 , such elements forming part of an electrical circuit . this will heat the valve seat locally near the source of the valve seat surface thereby melting any frozen water that could interfere with proper operation of the valve . as will be appreciated , other types of heaters and circuit configurations may be used , with fig2 showing another exemplary valve 60 according to the invention . in this embodiment , a valve body 61 made of plastic includes a locating pocket for receiving a heater 62 , in particular a ptc pill . the heater has a central aperture through which the stem 63 of a valve seat 64 extends . the valve seat is made of an electrically conductive material such as an electrically conductive metal and has an axially extending inlet passage 67 . the inlet passage is connected at one end to a fluid inlet 68 , while the other open end is surrounded by a raised annular valve seat surface 70 that can be engaged by a valve member 71 to open and close the valve . in the illustrated embodiment , the valve member is provided at the end of the plunger 72 of a solenoid 73 assembled to the valve body 61 . when the valve member is unseated from the valve seat surface , fluid can flow from the inlet passage to a fluid outlet 75 . power to the heater is supplied by power leads 77 and 78 that pass through a bore / passage 80 in the valve body 61 . one lead 78 is connected by suitable means , such as by soldering , to the bottom side of the heater pill 62 . the other lead 77 is connected to the valve seat stem 63 which electrically connects via the head portion of the valve seat to the top side of the heater pill . after the electrical connections have been made and the valve seat and heater are positioned in the valve body as shown , the bore / passage for the leads may be filled with a potting compound 83 that may surround and bond to insulation covering the leads 77 and 78 . turning now to fig3 and 4 , another exemplary valve according to the invention is indicated generally at 90 ( fig4 ). like the valve 10 shown in fig1 , the valve 90 generally comprises a valve body 91 having a fluid inlet 92 and a fluid outlet 93 . as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , the valve 90 may be used in systems where flow is from the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet , although for most freeze - proof applications flow will be from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet . a valve seat 95 is located in the valve body 91 between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet , and a valve member 97 is movable towards and away from the valve seat 95 for controlling the flow of fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet . the valve member 97 may be actuated by any suitable means such as by a solenoid , fluid pressure , etc ., depending on the particular application . in most fuel cell applications , the valve member will be actuated by electromagnetic means , such as a solenoid or the like that may be controlled by the overall system controller . the valve member 97 , for example , is a diaphragm valve that is sealed to the valve body 91 to prevent fluid such as water from entering the actuator 98 . the diaphragm valve may be provided with an arrow - shape tab or button 99 that can be pressed into a correspondingly shaped socket 100 in the end of a solenoid armature 101 . in the illustrated embodiment , the valve body 91 is composed of several parts including a housing structure 120 that may be part of an overall housing ( e . g . a manifold block ) containing various other components and / or flow passages in addition to those associated with the illustrated valve 90 . the housing structure 120 includes a stepped chamber 121 for receiving various other components of the valve 90 . the stepped chamber 121 is open at its lower end to the fluid inlet 92 and has assembled therein , going from bottom to top , a valve seat stem seal 122 , a valve seat housing insert 124 , and a valve body insert 125 . the valve body insert 125 carries the valve member 97 and closes the outer end of the chamber 121 . the valve body insert has an annular recess for an annular seal 127 that seals to the wall of the chamber 121 . as shown , the valve body insert may have at the axially outer end thereof an attachment device 128 , such as the illustrated catches for engaging a shoulder surface on a mounting plate 129 to which the actuator 98 may be connected . the valve seat housing insert in the illustrated embodiment is made of an electrically nonconductive material , in particular plastic , although any suitable material may be used . the valve seat housing insert 124 has an interior chamber 135 in which other components of the valve are assembled and carried thereby , thereby forming the subassembly illustrated in fig3 . the components assembled in the valve seat housing insert 124 include the valve seat 95 , a heater 137 and a heater clip 138 for holding the heater to the valve seat . in the illustrated embodiment , a tubular stem portion 140 of the valve seat protrudes from a bottom end of the valve seat housing insert 124 and is sealed to the housing structure by the seal 122 . another annular seal 142 also is provided to seal the valve seat housing insert to the housing structure 120 . the valve seat housing insert may be secured in the housing structure by any suitable means , such as by press fitting of a lower axial end portion into a receiving portion of the housing structure . likewise , the valve seat may be secured by any suitable means in the valve seat housing insert , such as by press fitting of a collar portion thereof into a corresponding receptacle portion of the valve seat housing insert . the valve seat may be provided with a recess for receiving an annular seal 144 that seals the valve seat to the valve seat housing insert . in the illustrated embodiment , the heater clip 138 has an insulating portion 146 that may be press - fitted or otherwise assembled on the stem portion 140 of the valve seat 95 , and an electrically conductive spring finger portion 147 attached to the insulating portion . the spring finger portion has one or more spring fingers 148 that hold respective heating elements 150 of the heater to the valve seat . as shown , the spring fingers may hold the heating elements to respective flats on the sides of the valve seat that may be provided with pockets for receiving and locating the heating elements . as will be appreciated , the spring fingers 148 will hold the heater elements 150 in intimate contact with the valve seat to establish a good thermally conductive path therebetween , and also to establish an electrically conductive path in the illustrated embodiment . this provides for localized heating of the valve seat within the interior of the valve body , thereby enabling a reduction in power requirements and a reduction of thaw time . moreover , the valve body insert 124 may be formed by a plastic or other thermally insulating material to minimize heat loss . in the illustrated embodiment , the heater elements 150 are of a type wherein the electrical contacts therefor are provided at opposite axial ends . this enables electrical connection of each heater element to a power source through the valve seat 95 and the heater clip 138 via the respective spring finger 148 . if power is supplied in this manner , the valve seat at least in part is made of an electrically conductive material for making an electrical connection to one side of each heater element . if desired , the entire valve seat may be made of an electrically conductive material , and consequently an electrical lead 153 can be connected to any convenient portion of the valve seat , such as to the valve seat stem as seen at 154 in fig3 . likewise , the spring finger portion of the heater clip may be made of an electrically conductive material , and a suitable power lead 156 may connected conveniently to the clip portion of the clip as seen at 157 in fig3 . by way of a specific example , the valve seat and spring finger portion may be made of an electrically conductive metal such as electrically conductive steel . in a preferred embodiment , the heater elements 150 are positive coefficient ( ptc ) heater elements such as a ptc pills of a commonly available type . such heater elements includes a material that exhibits a positive temperature coefficient such as barium strontium - titanate . the temperature of the heater , and consequently the valve seat 15 , is controlled by the heating value of the ptc heater / pill which has the property of increasing its electrical resistance with temperature so that the temperature cannot exceed a certain value . this advantageously provides efficient power management and further prevents overheating of the valve seat . the illustrated valve 90 is particularly suited for use in a fuel cell system . in a drain valve application , fluid ( e . g . water ) flows upwardly through an inlet passage 160 in the valve seat . when the valve is open , fluid can flow over a valve seat surface 161 and down along a downwardly sloped skirt portion 162 of the valve seat that overlaps the upper end of the valve seat housing insert for draining to the fluid outlet 13 . as will be appreciated , the illustrated design is self - draining and thus reduces if not eliminates pooling of water around the valve seat surface . during freezing conditions , electrical current can be supplied to the heater for melting any frozen water that could interfere with proper operation of the valve . the foregoing exemplary embodiments are simply that , i . e . examples of how the principles of the invention can be applied for particular applications . as above indicated , the valve has particular application in fuel cell systems , such as for use as a drain valve . valves in accordance with the invention may have other applications such as for use as vent valves , particularly where water or water vapor may be vented through the valve . although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments , it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings . in particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements ( components , assemblies , devices , compositions , etc . ), the terms ( including a reference to a “ means ”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond , unless otherwise indicated , to any element which performs the specified function of the described element ( i . e ., that is functionally equivalent ), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention . in addition , while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments , such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments , as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application .	8
fig1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the fuel delivery system of the present invention for use in an engine . the fuel delivery system includes a fuel pump 2 located in a fuel tank 4 and having an electronic fuel pump motor 6 contained therein . fuel pump 2 is connected to the beginning of a fuel delivery line 8 which extends from fuel pump 2 to a plurality of fuel injectors 12 . positioned along fuel delivery line 8 is an accumulator 10 which can also be positioned in fuel pump 2 as shown in fig2 in each of the fuel injectors 12 as shown in fig3 or in fuel tank 4 as shown in fig4 . accumulator 10 shown in fig3 - 5 can be in the form of one of the types of accumulators described below . in the embodiment of fig1 accumulator 10 includes an expansible tubing member 14 having an air bubble 16 and a reserve amount of fuel 18 contained therein . air in air bubble 16 is compressed or expanded according to the various pressure changes in fuel delivery line 8 . for example , if the engine is suddenly accelerated , there is a sudden large demand for fuel caused by rapid and expansive opening of fuel injectors 12 . such an opening of injectors 12 results in all of the fuel in fuel delivery line 8 being supplied to injectors 12 and a resulting loss in pressure in fuel delivery line 8 . fuel pump motor 6 may not be able to operate fuel pump 2 quickly enough to supply all of the sudden large demand to injectors 12 . when a pressure in fuel delivery line 8 decreases , air in air bubble 16 expands to force reserve fuel 18 into fuel delivery line 8 to compensate for the latency period of fuel pump 2 . accumulator 10 ensures sufficient fuel is immediately supplied to injectors 12 despite a delay in fuel pump 2 reaching a required pumping capacity . once the fuel pump reaches a required pumping capacity and the reserve fuel 18 is replenished to the original level , the pressure of the air in air bubble 16 is equal to the pressure of the fuel in fuel line 8 . because of this pressure equilibrium , no more fuel from reserve 18 is supplied to fuel line 8 . accumulator 10 also allows for a simpler fuel pump 2 and fuel pump motor 4 to be used , as the response time requirements for fuel supplying are substantially reduced . that is , fuel pump 2 is not required to immediately provide the exact amount of fuel demanded as fuel reserve 18 makes up for any deficiency cause by a latency period of fuel pump 2 . the amount fuel and pressure which must be provided by air bubble 16 depends on the size and capacity of accumulator , which is designed according to the particular fuel delivery system in which it is implemented . fig5 depicts a second embodiment of the present invention wherein parts corresponding to those in fig1 are denoted with the same reference numerals . accumulator 10 in fig5 comprises a sealed tank 20 having fuel reserve 18 and a supply of compressible gas 22 contained therein . also provided in tank 20 is a membrane 24 for preventing compressible gas from being adsorbed in the liquid fuel of fuel reserve 18 . however , membrane 24 allows for compressible gas to be compressed and expanded as describe above . as shown in fig6 compressible gas 22 could also be provided in a bladder 30 and therefore , membrane 24 would not be required . bladder 30 is responsive to pressure provided by fuel in fuel line 8 and compresses and expands without allowing gas to be adsorbed into the liquid fuel as in the second embodiment . a fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in fig7 in which pressure in accumulator 10 is provided by a spring 44 rather than by a compressible gas . accumulator 10 of the fourth embodiment comprises a housing 40 having reserve fuel 18 , a piston 42 and a coil spring 44 contained therein . coil spring 44 is attached to piston 42 to force piston 42 against the pressure of the fuel in fuel delivery line 8 . the constant of elasticity k for spring 44 is selected so as to maintain piston 42 in a neutral position when a pressure in fuel delivery line is at a predetermined value . similar to the previously described embodiments , as fuel pressure in fuel delivery line 8 decreases below the predetermined value , spring 44 expands to force piston 42 to force fuel from fuel reserve 18 into fuel delivery line 8 . also , when fuel pressure in fuel delivery line 8 increases beyond a predetermined value , spring 44 is compressed to allow piston 42 to be forced upwardly in housing 40 by pressure in fuel delivery line . thus , excess fuel is accommodated in fuel reserve 18 of housing 40 to compensate for the latency period of pump motor 6 . fig8 depicts a fifth embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the fourth embodiment . instead of piston 42 , an expandable and compressible bellows 52 is provided in housing 50 with a spring 54 provided inside bellows 52 . the spring constant for spring 54 is selected as previously described . bellows 52 and spring 54 operate just as piston 42 and spring 44 operate as described above . fig9 illustrates a sixth embodiment of the present invention having an accumulator device 10 similar to that shown in fig1 . this embodiment includes a relief valve 60 in the form of a vent outlet or a pressure outlet which can be a spring loaded valve or diaphragm relief valve 60 is set to allow fuel to return to the fuel tank when a certain threshold fuel pressure has been exceeded . relief valve 60 includes a sensor 62 for sensing when the predetermined threshold pressure has been reached and an indicator 64 for indicating when the excess fuel is returning to the fuel tank . the sensor 62 can be in the form of a switch or a transducer . the indicator 64 can be in the form of a multiplexer or an indicator light . the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , which are illustrative and not limiting . various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims .	5
the subject invention establishes and manages voip traffic in a network ( for example an internet protocol ( ip ) network ) by monitoring certain criteria indicative of network capability and instantaneous load . accordingly , an exemplary telecommunications system is described as one potential environment in which a subject invention operates and exists . fig1 depicts an exemplary telecommunications system 100 for routing telephone calls between a first wire line subscriber 102 and a second wire line subscriber 104 in a pstn 110 . such telephone calls are routed across an intermediate data network 118 implementing a network layer protocol , such as ip ( or a link layer protocol such as asynchronous transfer mode ( atm ) or both ). the telecommunications system 100 includes a first subscriber end office unit 106 connected to the first subscriber 102 and a second end office 108 connected to the second subscriber 104 . interconnection of these components is achieved via conventional local loop subscriber lines ( 103 and 105 respectively ). for example , such first subscriber line 103 and second subscriber line 105 would typically be implemented using two - element twisted pair wires carrying analog information or basic rate isdn digital information depending on the configuration of the wire lines subscriber units 102 and 104 . communication between the pstn 110 and first end office 106 and second end office 108 would typically utilize trunk groups 124 carrying pcm digital voice traffic on multiplexed channels at a primary rate of 1 . 544 mbps , 2 . 048 mbps or better via a plurality of switches 126 . it is also possible to bypass the pstn 110 using the data network 118 . such an alternate communication path is established by connecting the first end office 106 to a first gateway 114 and likewise connecting the second end office unit 108 to a second gateway 116 . first gateway 114 and second gateway 116 may be a single unit ( as shown as a single structure 114 or may be represented by one or more independent structures a , b and c of second gateway 116 . first and second gateways 114 and 116 respectively reside as hosts on the network 118 . they provide voip services on behalf of the first wire line subscriber 102 and second wire line subscriber 104 and other users ( not shown ) communicating over the network 118 . during voip communications between the first wire line subscriber 102 and the second wire line subscriber 104 , pcm traffic is routed from the first end office 106 and second end office 108 to the respective gateways 114 and 116 for routing across the data network 118 . call control is managed through the softswitch 112 . when a new call is set up or a completed call is torn down , signaling messages are exchanged between the first end office 106 and the softswitch 112 and between the softswitch 112 and the second end office 108 . the softswitch 112 also acts as a gateway controller and exchanges messages with each gateway . in some networks there may be different softswitches 112 controlling each gateway ( 114 , 116 or the like ) and these softswitches exchange signaling messages with each other . fig2 depicts a detailed schematic of the first and second gateways ( 114 and 116 respectively ) and their interconnection within the ip network 118 . specifically , first gateway 114 includes a plurality of ports 206 x that provide access to and from the network 118 . similarly , the second gateway 116 also has a plurality of ports 208 x for interfacing with the network 118 . between the first gateway 114 and network 118 and the second gateway 116 and the network 118 there may be one or more edge routers 202 x that exist to manage the traffic flow between the respective gateways and the network 118 . specifically , data paths are established between the first gateway 114 and for example first edge router 2021 ( denoted as e1 and e2 ). similar pathways ( such as path e3 is established between first gateway 114 and second edge router 2022 . likewise similar pathways are established between the second gateway 116 and a third edge router 2023 ( denoted as e4 ) and a fourth edge router 2024 ( denoted as e5 and e6 ). within each gateway ( 114 and 116 ) is a corresponding admission control module ( first admission control module 204 1 is in first gateway 114 and second admission control module 2042 is in second gateway 116 ). these admission control modules 204 x monitor voip traffic and generate the necessary reports to decide which calls will be granted access through the network 118 to maintain overall quality of service for all subscribers . a measurement - based call admission control ( mbcac ) algorithm contained within said admission control modules 204 x is described in greater detail below . the mbcac algorithm operates in each gateway ( 114 , 116 ) independent of the other gateways in the network . call quality statistics for a real time transport protocol ( rtp ) stream reflect the congestion status of the path followed by that stream . thus , by observing these statistics , one can decide on the congestion status of the network paths . fig2 depicts exemplary rtp flows 210 and 212 between two gateways over the ip network 118 . each gateway , ( 114 , 116 ) has a number of dsp chips ( described in greater detail below ), which convert voice streams in tdm format into ip packets . these packets are sent to destination gateways using the necessary protocols and in one embodiment is a rtp / udp / ip protocol stack over a link protocol such as ppp . packets traveling to a destination gateway can follow different paths based on the port 206 x chosen for the specific rtp flow . the mbcac algorithm assumes that the selection of a port 206 x for an incoming call request is under the control of a call controller in the gateway . hence , the mbcac algorithm keeps separate admission policies for the paths from different ports to the same destination gateway . it is also assumed that multiple calls going from a particular port to the same destination gateway follows the same path , i . e ., there is no load balancing within the network other than provided by the gateways through the selection of an egress port . this assumption can be satisfied if the gateways use the system ip address of the destination gateway as opposed to the ip addresses of its ports . in this framework , load balancing is supported by controlling the egress port at the source gateway ( i . e ., first gateway 114 ). since each egress port would map into a unique path in the ip network 118 , the load from source gateway 114 to a destination gateway ( i . e ., second gateway 116 ) can be partitioned into different paths , resulting in load sharing in the network . the destination gateway 116 receives the rtp packets generated by the source gateway 114 ( e . g ., at port e2 ) and addressed to itself . for each rtp stream , the receiver measures call quality statistics like packet loss ratio , delay and interarrival jitter for the stream . the measured statistics are sent back to the source gateway 114 periodically in a special field within the rtp packets or in rtcp packets . in one example , these statistics reflect the network conditions for the path following ( e2 - er1 - network - er3 - e4 ). thus , the mbcac algorithm utilizes the call quality statistics of this flow to derive the congestion status of the directed path , uniquely defined by the source gateway e2 , destination gateway pair . the call quality statistics sent by the destination gateway 116 are collected by an rtp termination point in this gateway and formed into a call quality report . to support the mbcac function , rtp flows are grouped into sets represented by ( egress port , remote gateway )- pair , i . e ., there is a list of rtp flows for each ( egress port , remote gateway )- pair . using the example introduced in fig2 , there is a set of rtp flows that are uniquely specified by the ( source gateway interface e2 , destination gateway )- pair . when a call quality report for a particular rtp stream arrives at the source gateway 114 , this information is processed based on the ( egress port , destinations gateway )- pair . for each such pair , the maximum observed packet loss ratio is reported to the call control logic ( as seen in fig3 and explained in greater detail below ) periodically . the period for the reporting is referred to as “ cac update interval ”. at the end of each such interval , the maximum packet loss ratio over the set of rtp flows related to each ( egress port , destination gateway )- pair is determined using the most recent measurements for each flow . the result is reported to the call control logic , where the admission control decisions are made . an alternative to periodic reporting of the rtp performance information is to set the thresholds and policy so that only exceptions are reported to the call control logic . this has the advantage of reducing the messaging within the gateway and speeding up the responsiveness of the algorithm to congestion . when there are many flows associated with the same path , it would be computationally expensive to determine the maximum packet loss over all associated flows . to address this problem , the maximum packet loss can be determined for a subset of these flows . moreover , the cac update windows can be made independent for each path . fig3 depicts a detailed schematic of the internal arrangement and connection of components in one of the gateways associated with the subject invention . specifically , fig3 depicts the inner connections of elements in first gateway 114 ; however , this arrangement can also be duplicated in second gateway 116 or any number of other gateways extending from the network 118 . the first gateway 114 consists of , among other things , a plurality of circuit cards interconnected in a manner so as to facilitate the passing of information packets to and from the network 118 as well as make determinations on the level of congestion on pathways in which said information packets are passed . the plurality of cards includes a shelf control card 302 , one or more madd cards 304 x and one or more port cards 306 x . in one embodiment of the invention , the port cards 306 x are interface cards operating in accordance with known ethernet protocols for interfacing with the ip network 118 . on each of said madd cards 304 x there is a plurality of strong arm ( sarm ) cards 310 x connected to a host cpu card 312 . the shelf control card 302 contains three basic circuit components : the mbcac algorithm circuitry or processor 204 , a rules database 314 and a call control circuit 308 . these three components interact with each other as explained in greater detail below to process voip traffic and new call requests into the network . fig4 depicts a call set up signaling scenario between a first gateway 114 and second gateway 116 via soft switch 112 in accordance with the subject invention . while the discussed example of call flow is based on h . 248 protocol , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other types of protocols can be used in conjunction with the subject invention and achieve the desired results . examples of such additional protocols are selected from the group consisting of sip and h . 323 . the flow diagram begins at step 402 with the soft switch 112 receiving a call set of requests from the pstn network 110 ( as per fig1 ) resulting in a message being sent to first gateway 114 . said message contains incoming call information that includes which voice trunk of first gateway 114 the voice call will arrive on . at step 404 , first gateway 114 creates a rtp port ( one of the egress ports 206 x ) and maps it to the tdm trunk based upon the incoming message from the soft switch 112 . first gateway 114 then prepares a response message which contains information including for example context , rtp termination id , ip address and ports and list of supported codecs chosen from the list presented by soft switch 112 . this message is sent back to soft switch 112 acknowledging that the tdm trunk to rtp port mapping has been accomplished . at step 406 , the soft switch 112 sends a message to second gateway 116 that includes the ip address and rtp port of first gateway 114 upon which the call is being set up as well as information about the destination pstn switch . since second gateway 116 now has information about first gateway 114 , second gateway 116 checks the admission control policy of the path to first gateway 114 . if the path is congested , an error message is generated at step 408 indicating that there is insufficient bandwidth to establish the desired path . if the call is to be accepted ( i . e ., there is sufficient bandwidth available to set up the call ), second gateway 116 creates an rtp port ( one of the egress ports 206 x ) and maps this into a voice trunk to the destination pstn switch . this information is sent back to soft switch 112 as an “ add response ” message at step 410 . this message is forwarded by the soft switch 112 to first gateway 114 so that the rtp port in first gateway 114 can be modified to include a transmit direction . at step 412 the necessary modifications are made to the tdm trunk based on the response from second gateway 116 . next , first gateway 114 consults with the admission control algorithm to see if there is a path to the second gateway 116 that is not congested . if first gateway 114 is unable to find an uncongested path to second gateway 116 it sends an error message at step 414 to the soft switch 112 . in such a scenario where the call attempt has been denied the call set up process is terminated by “ subtract command ” messages sent by the soft switch 112 to the first and second gateways , 114 and 116 respectively at step 416 . in response to the subtract command messages of step 416 , first gateway 114 and second gateway 116 provide subtraction command responses to the soft switch 112 at step 422 thereby completing the denied call set up attempt . if there is sufficient bandwidth available to set up the incoming call based on the first gateway 114 admission control algorithm results , a “ modify response ” message is sent back to the soft switch 112 at step 418 . this signals the soft switch 112 that the data path for the voice call is ready for data transmission in both directions . resultantly , an rtp session is established at step 420 and the voice call begins . fig8 depicts a flow chart of the decision process executed by the admission control module 204 when practicing the admission policy ( mbcac algorithm in accordance with the subject invention ). there are two separate asynchronous processes that operate . one is the updating of admission control policy based on rtp performance reports that are received . the other is the application of the admission control policy when a new call request arrives . specifically , fig8 depicts the first process whereby the admission control policy is updated . this is shown through a series of method steps 800 that begins at step 802 . the method then proceeds to step 804 where quality of service ( qos ) information is obtained for further evaluation . in one embodiment of the invention , the host cpu 312 of one of the madd cards 304 x will poll one of the strong arm cards 310 to receive the quality of service information from the network 118 . quality of service information is for example packet loss information ( i . e ., packets that were known to be transmitted from a first point , for example first gateway 114 but not received at its destination point for example second gateway 116 ). once the quality of service information is obtained , the method moves to step 806 where a quality statistic is computed based upon the quality of service information . in one embodiment of the subject invention , the quality statistic is a packet loss ratio which is defined as plr = ( lost ⁢ ⁢ packets + late ⁢ ⁢ packets ) ( received ⁢ ⁢ packets + lost ⁢ ⁢ packets + late ⁢ ⁢ packets ) for the purposes of the subject invention , late packets are defined as packets that are discarded at the destination gateway ( for example second gateway 116 ) since they are too late to be played or otherwise incorporated into the active voice call . additionally , it should be noted that lost , late and received packets ( collectively “ sent ” packets ) are defined for the outgoing direction of a voice call , measured by the destination gateway ( second gateway 116 ) and reported back to a source gateway ( for example first gateway 114 ) in the opposite direction . since each direction of the call takes a separate path through the ip network , there is a separate admission control decision for each direction of the call . all packet counts are defined per rtp connection . furthermore , packet counts used in the packet loss ratio computation are counts measured over the most recent reporting period . in one embodiment of the invention , the reporting period is approximately two seconds ; however , one skilled in the art will realize that various other reporting periods are possible dependent upon hardware and software being used in the overall system and network as long as the desired results are achieved . other quality information could involve delay or delay variation . the method continues at step 808 where a first admission policy is established . in one embodiment of the invention , the admission policy consists of two threshold values . in the first decision step 808 , the first threshold value ( a lower threshold p_low is introduced . the computed plr is compared to the lower threshold p_low . if the plr is less than p_low , the method proceeds to step 810 where the policy is set to accept new calls without any limitations . the method then awaits the next reporting period and loops back to step 804 to obtain the new quality of service information to continue evaluation . a reporting period is in the range of approximately 5 - 60 seconds and in one embodiment is 5 seconds . the exception reporting option will make this updating faster during congestion . should the plr be higher than the lower threshold , the method proceeds to step 812 where the plr is compared to a second threshold ( a high threshold p_high ). if the plr is larger than the lower threshold p_low , but lower than the higher threshold p_high , the method proceeds to step 814 where the policy is set to admit new calls at reduced bandwidth . such action reduces the bandwidth of new incoming calls to an extent that still allows quality of service . similar to the accepted call scenario , accepted - bandwidth limited call step 814 loops back to step 804 to await the next reporting period to attain quality of service information . should the plr be higher than the high threshold , the method proceeds to step 816 where the policy is set to block all or some percentage of new call requests from entering the network . in other words , path congestion has reached such a limit that an unacceptable number of packets are either being lost or received too late to be part of a call . as such , it is realized that no new calls can enter the network and maintain an acceptable quality of service level ; therefore , such calls are not allowed into the network until path congestion is sufficiently reduced and quality of service can be maintained for all subscribers . the method ends at step 818 . bandwidth reduction ( as discussed above in step 814 of method 800 ) is achieved in a few different methods . one method is to physically change the encoder that is being used for the particular voice call . that is , there may be two or more encoders in a gateway ( 114 or 116 ) that carry out encoding tasks ( one encoder having high bit rate characteristics and another having lower bit rate characteristics ). if a bandwidth - reduced call is accepted , the encoder with the lower bit rate characteristics is used . when conditions allow for non - bandwidth limited channels , the system can switch back to the higher bit rate encoder . another way in which bandwidth can be reduced is to use the same codec but increase the packet size . this will reduce the relative packet overhead . another way of reducing bandwidth as per step 814 is to reduce the bitrate by activating silence suppression for the voice call . briefly , silence suppression results in reducing bandwidth requirements since no packets are sent during silence periods . in most conversations only one person is talking so that , on average , in any one direction there is speech to send at most half the time . thus suppressing packets representing silence can save considerable bandwidth . note that silence suppression does not apply to fax calls , where picking a very large packet size would be more useful . the above calculations were given in terms of packet loss ratios . the computation of packet loss ratios involve a division operation , which can be avoided if a loss and late packet count is used . in this case , p_low and p_high are converted to low and high packet count thresholds using the packet generation rate of the flow . it is assumed that the sum of received , lost , and late packets will be fixed , and equal to the number of packets transmitted by the local gateway in rtpqos reporting period . for example , if a codec for a rtp flow is to generate 50 packets per second , there will be 100 packets transmitted every 2 - second interval . using this assumption , it is possible to use the number of lost and late packets instead of packet loss ratio . thus , it is possible to define packet loss ratio thresholds in terms of packet count thresholds . continuing in the example , the lower threshold would be ( lost + late ) _low = 100 * p_low , and the higher threshold would be ( lost + late ) high = 100 * p_high . this way , the sarm 310 x can decide if an exception report ( a block - call message explained in greater detail below ) should be generated or not without performing any division operation . a variation to this would be to use a computed value for the sum of lost and late packets such that this sum is equal to the “ number of packets sent by the local gateway in the rtpqos reporting interval - local . received ”. this way , the inaccuracies related to loss packet estimation in the remote gateway are avoided . different rtp flows would have different packet rates ; hence , the sarm 310 x should take the packet rate of each flow into account . for example , with a 2 - second measurement interval 1 % packet loss ratio corresponds to only 1 lost packet if the packet rate is 50 , while it corresponds to 2 lost packets if the packet rate is 100 . the threshold values in terms of number of packets per flow will be provided by the call control during the call set - up . moreover , if a flow is using silence suppression , the number of packets sent by the local gateway ( 114 in the above example ) should be adjusted to reflect the silence suppression . quantization of the packets may cause inaccuracies . as such , sarm 310 x compares the value of local . received with the expected value , and if there is a large difference , it sets a flag or uses fraction and computes the packet loss ratio . another technique omits the first set of measurement values for a newly set - up call . this way , the effect of network delay on the expected local . received is avoided . the sarms 310 x send blocking rules to the admission control module 204 1 in the shelf controller 302 as a result of the analysis conducted by method 800 . to reduce the amount of transmitted data , the blocking rules may be reported as exceptions . if the determined admission rule is accept , nothing is reported to admission control module 204 1 . however , if the rule is reduce or block , the sarm 310 x reports the value to the admission control module 2041 through the host cpu 312 as an exception report . once an exception report ( reduce or block ) is sent to the admission control module 204 1 for a flow , there should be no reporting for the same rtp flow for a time interval of length t_u , which is called “ exception update interval ”. this update interval could be different than the periodic update interval if periodic updates are used instead of exception reports . one exception to this rule is if the last reported rule is reduce and the newly computed rule is block , the new value should be passed to the admission control module 204 1 immediately . ( note that this is not applicable when reduce rule is disabled by setting p_low to zero .) in this case , there should be no more reporting for the same rtp flow for a time interval equal to the update interval . a new exception report should be generated if the reduce or block rule is determined using a qos report that was received after the update interval is over . this type of periodic exception reporting should be continued until an accept rule is detected for the rtp flow . there is no need to report an accept rule . an alternative to the exception reporting per rtp is to perform exception reporting per ( local interface , remote ip address ). this way , the number of update messages can be greatly reduced . this approach results in a maximum of two reports generated within an update interval per ( local interface , remote ip address )- pair as opposed to being per rtp flow . the exception report , delivered to the admission control module 2041 , includes the routeid of the flow that the measurement belongs to and the blocking rule . the admission control module 204 1 uses routeid to determine the local interface and remote ip address of the flow . note that the information regarding the mapping between the routeid and the ( local interface , remote ip address )- pair should be located in the shelf controller 302 . if this is not possible , the host cpu 312 should provide the explicit information as local interface and remote rtp address when submitting an exception report to the admission control module 2041 . when the admission control module 204 , is initialized , the rules database 306 is empty . with time , blocking rules will be reported by the sarms 310 x . this blocking information is kept in the rules database 306 which is used by the admission policy function . an entry in this database is indexed by the remote ip address . moreover , each entry consists of subentries . each subentry contains a blocking rule , an index to a local ethernet interface , and a timestamp for the subentry . this way , each subentry shows the admission rule for the path defined by ( local interface , remote ip address )— pair . the number of subentries for remote ip address is variable , where the maximum number is equal to the number of local interface cards , configured in the system . note that the rules database 306 reflects the congestion status of the network paths from the local gateway to remote gateways . the opposite direction is handled similarly in the remote gateway . when the admission control module 204 1 is initialized , information about the existing interfaces is determined . the admission control module 204 1 continuously listens to the exception reports from the host cpus 312 . when an exception report is received for an rtp flow , the blocking rule for the endpoints of the flow is updated . a method of updating the blocking rules is shown in fig9 as a series of method steps 900 . specifically , the method starts at step 902 and proceeds to step 904 where a search of the rules database entries is performed to search for the remote gateway ip address reported in the exception report . the method proceeds to step 906 where a first decision is invoked to determine whether the reported ip address is found . if the remote ip address is not found , the method proceeds to step 908 where a database entry is created for the remote gateway ip address in the exception report . further in that step , a subentry is created . the subentry includes the index to the local egress ports ( e . g ., 208 x ), blocking rule and the timestamp ( set equal to the current time ). at this step , it is also possible to create other subentries with indices to other local egress ports with a blocking rule of “ accept ”. after such entries are created , the method proceeds to step 916 . should the ip address of the remote gateway be found at step 906 , the method proceeds to step 910 where a second decision step is invoked . the second decision step 910 determines if a subentry for the local egress port 208 x is found . if such subentry is found , the method proceeds to step 914 where the admission policy is updated and the timestamp is reset to the current time . if the subentry is not found , the method proceeds to step 912 where an appropriate subentry is created and the timestamp is set to the current time . at the conclusion of either of steps 912 or 914 , the method proceeds to its final step at 916 . admission control module 204 1 periodically revises its database to remove subentries that were not updated in the last t_u + delta seconds . the interval t_u is the time window where the sarms 310 x suppress reporting packet loss values for a connection following a report for the same connection . here , delta should be slightly larger than the qos reporting period of the gateways , so that sarm 310 will have a chance of sending a second exception report before the admission control module 204 1 removes the blocking rule . delta can be 3 seconds since the rtp qos reporting is done every 2 seconds . based on this scheme , the admission control module 204 1 assumes that a path is not congested if there is no exception report within the most recent time interval of length last t_u + delta seconds . this action is beneficial because the host cpu 312 does not report when the packet loss ratio goes below the threshold value . reporting of the below threshold value crossing is not needed since there might be more than one flow responsible for the blocking rule , which should be relaxed only if there is no update for the rule in the last t_u + delta time interval by none of the related flows . since the mapping of a rule for a path to all the flows , which reported exceptions for the path , would be computationally inefficient , an indirect method is used to remove the blocking condition . the period to revise the database to detect aged blocking rules should be chosen as small as possible to keep the database size small so that search operations will be efficient during a call to function as explained below . fig5 depicts a graph of the probability of blocking calls and packet loss ratios versus the offered load of the network employing the method and apparatus of the subject invention . that is , graph 500 depicts four plots showing results when using the algorithm of the subject invention . specifically , the first plot 502 plots the packet loss ratio versus the offered load using the subject invention . it can be seen that as the offered load exceeds up to 20 % of network capacity , very few packets are lost ( much less than 1 % of packets are lost ). first plot 502 can be compared to second plot 504 for direct comparison of results of using the subject invention versus not using the subject invention . that is , the second plot 504 plots packet loss ratio without using the admission control protocols or algorithm . as can be seen from the graph 500 , as the system capacity approaches 100 %, almost 2 % of packets are lost . this number grows to more than 16 % as offer load increases to 20 % over capacity . the third plot 506 plots the call blocking probability when using the admission control algorithm . this plot is compared to fourth plot 508 which plots blocking probability for an ideal algorithm in which the exact configuration of calls that is known . as can be seen , third plot 506 and fourth plot 508 are nearly identical . as such , the algorithm is sufficiently characterized and developed so as to effectively block calls to maintain a quality of service based on current network conditions . fig6 depicts the corresponding results for the case where the update interval of the reports is varied while the offered load is kept constant at approximately 10 % over capacity . graph 600 depicts four plots that show the results of the packet loss ratio with and without employing the subject invention as well as the blocking probabilities using the subject algorithm . specifically , first plot 602 shows packet loss ratio using the algorithm in accordance with the subject invention as the update intervals are increased from approximately 5 to 60 seconds . as can be seen , there is very little increase in the packet loss ratio as this parameter is varied . second plot 604 depicts packet loss ratio without using the algorithm in accordance with the subject invention . as can be seen packet loss ratio is significantly higher when not using the algorithm . third plot 606 depicts the blocking probability when using the algorithm in accordance with the subject invention while fourth plot 608 depicts the same blocking probability when the exact number of calls moving the network is known . as can be seen by inspection of the third and fourth plots 606 and 608 respectively , the blocking probability tends to increase as the report interval increases . this occurs because once a packet loss ratio of 1 % is detected , the admission policy is set to block new call arrivals . all new calls arriving during the update interval thus are blocked ( resulting in the increase in blocked call numbers ) thus , the admission policy update interval is an important performance variable when examining a blocked call probability more than packet loss ratio . fig7 depicts a graph 700 of packet loss probability in relation to burst losses . in other words , the graph shows the percentage or likelihood of losing a consecutive number of packets when using and not using the algorithm in accordance with the subject invention . specifically , along the x axis of the graph is an increasing number of consecutive packets lost . the percentage of losing a number of consecutive packets is shown by vertical bars extending upward from the x axis . lightly colored bars 702 denote percentage of loss of consecutive packets when not using the admission control protocols in accordance with the subject invention . darker colored bars 704 denote probabilities or percentage of consecutive lost packets when using the admission control protocols . as can be seen , there is a significant number of consecutive packets that are lost when not using the admission control protocols in accordance with the subject invention as opposed to when these protocols are in use . for example , the likelihood of losing three or more consecutive packets when not using the admission control protocols is approximately 1 %. however , the likelihood of losing the same number of consecutive packets when using the admission control protocol is nearly zero . therefore , the admission control protocol or algorithm presents a significant advantage when considering of consecutive lost packets that may occur . this is important as the number of consecutive lost packets can seriously degrade voice call quality . although various embodiments which incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein , those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings .	7
the above objects can be achieved , in accordance with the invention , by a composite preparation characterized in that it comprises at least two layers , namely a layer of a macro - molecular substance having pressure - sensitive adhesiveness at ordinary temperatures and a polymer layer adjacent to said macromolecular substance layer , that at least one of the macro - molecular substance layer and polymer layer at least contains a percutaneously absorbable drug and the other at least contains an adjuvant capable of increasing percutaneous drug absorption , and that the drug and adjuvant respectively can migrate into the adjacent macromolecular substance layer and polymer layer . in the practice of the invention , the polymer layer is only required to be adequately compatible with the drug and adjuvant , allow diffusion and migration of the drug and adjuvant in contact therewith and be in the form of film or sheet . no other particular requirements are essential for said layer . preferably , however , said layer is a film ( preferably having a thickness of about 10 - 1 , 000 microns ) of a polymer or copolymer having a glass transition point ( tg ) of not lower than - 50 ° c ., preferably - 45 ° c . to + 75 ° c ., practically - 40 ° c . to + 45 ° c ., or a polymer mixture containing at least 10 weight percent of such polymer or copolymer . examples of said polymer or copolymer are polyvinyl acetate , copolymers of vinyl acetate and a monomer copolymerizable therewith and alkoxy ( meth ) acrylate - containing polymers . the monomer copolymerizable with vinyl acetate includes ethylene , acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters . the alkoxy ( meth ) acrylate has the following formula ## str1 ## wherein r 1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group , r 2 is an alkylene group containing 2 - 18 carbon atoms or a group of the formula : -- o -- ch 2 -- ch 2 ) n , wherein n is 1 to 30 and r 3 is an alkoxy group containing 1 - 4 carbon atoms . to said polymer , there may be added a natural rubber , a synthetic rubber such as silicone rubber , polyisobutylene rubber , chloroprene rubber or styrene - isoprene - styrene block copolymer rubber , or a synthetic resin such as a polyacrylic , polyurethane or polyolefin resin . the level of addition of such natural and / or synthetic rubber and / or synthetic resin should not exceed 90 weight percent . the resulting polymer mixture should preferably have a tg of not lower than - 50 ° c . when the tg is not lower than - 50 ° c ., the polymer allows an increased degree of diffusion therein of the drug and adjuvant , hence an increased extent of migration of the drug and adjuvant , but is not deteriorated in physical strength by the incorporation of adjuvant , drug and so on ; the polymer is excellent in flexibility and scarcely irritates the skin and therefore is preferred . the above polymer layer is preferably supported , on one side thereof , by a film or sheet substantially impermeable to the drug and adjuvant , whereby a self - supporting property is given to the composite preparation . said film or sheet is made of polyacrylate , polyethylene , ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymer saponification product , polypropylene , polyvinylidene chloride , polyester , polyamide , cellophane or metal foil , for instance . the macromolecular substance is required among others , to have pressure - sensitive adhesiveness at ordinary temperatures , to secure adhesion of the preparation to the skin for a required period of time , to be adequately compatible with the drug and adjuvant , to allow diffusion and migration of the drug and adjuvant in contact therewith and to allow release of the drug and adjuvant . no other particular limitations are placed on said substance . however , a synthetic resin and / or a rubber having a tg of - 70 ° c . to - 10 ° c . is a preferred macromolecular substance . when the macromolecular substance has a tg of not lower than - 70 ° c ., the base composition has an increased shape - holding property , leaves no residue on the skin and causes no skin irritation at the time of peeling off . accordingly such material is preferred . that the tg of the macromolecular substance is not higher than - 10 ° c . is desirable because of improvement in adhesion to the skin . the most preferable tg range is - 55 ° c . to - 18 ° c . a macro - molecular substance having a tg within the range of - 70 ° c . to - 10 ° c . may be selected from the group consisting of the following synthetic resins and rubbers . the synthetic resins include polyvinyl alkyl ether , poly ( meth ) acrylate , polyurethane , polyester , polyamide , ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymer , and so on . the rubbers include styrene - isoprene - styrene block copolymer rubber , styrene - butadiene rubber , polybutene rubber , polyisopren rubber , butyl rubber , silicone rubber , natural rubber , and so forth . in case a desired tg value cannot be obtained with a single member of each of the above subgroups , the member may be used in combination with a member of the other subgroup or a well known additive may be added so as to adjust the tg to a required value . experiments by the present inventors have revealed that acrylic copolymers are the most satisfactory macromolecular substances in that they can meet the above - mentioned requirements with regard to close adhesion , compatibility , solubility and releasability in a most reliable manner by a relatively simple manufacturing procedure . said copolymers are acrylic copolymers containing at least 50 weight percent of an alkyl ( meth ) acrylate in which the average number of carbon atoms contained in the alkyl group is not less than 4 . the &# 34 ; average number of carbon atoms &# 34 ; as used herein means the weight average number of carbon atoms contained in the ester moieties when two or more alkyl esters different in the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety are used . the preferred number of carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety is 2 - 12 . said copolymers are favorable with respect to close adhesion to the skin and solubility of the drug and adjuvant . they scarcely irritate the skin and hold the drug and adjuvant stably . the above copolymers also include copolymers of an alkyl ( meth ) acrylate with a functional monomer copolymerizable therewith . such monomer is used in ah amount of 0 - 20 weight percent , preferably 0 . 5 - 15 weight percent . the functional monomer includes acrylic acid , methacrylic acid , maleic acid , maleic anhydride , itaconic acid , acrylamide , methacrylamide , acrylonitrile , glycidyl acrylate , hydroxyalkyl acrylate , alkoxy acrylate etc . since the cohesiveness of the copolymers can be varied by varying the level of addition of said monomer , the rates of release or release amounts of the drug and adjuvant from the base can be controlled . furthermore , the hydrophilic property of the copolymers may be increased by adequate selection of said monomer . for instance , the hydrophilic property can be increased by varying the weight ratio of octyl acrylate to acrylic acid in copolymerization thereof from 95 : 5 to 85 : 15 . the hydrophilic property can further be increased by using ethyl acrylate in place of the above octyl acrylate . the above - mentioned copolymers further include copolymers of an alkyl ( meth ) acrylate with a vinyl ester monomer copolymerizable therewith in an amount of 0 - 40 weight percent , preferably 10 - 30 weight percent . the drug and adjuvant are highly soluble in the copolymers containing such monomer . examples of said vinyl ester monomer are vinyl acetate and vinyl propionate . in view of the foregoing , it will readily be understood that those acrylic copolymers mainly composed of at least 50 weight percent of an alkyl ( meth ) acrylate , 0 - 20 weight percent of the above functional monomer copolymerizable therewith and 0 - 40 weight percent of the above vinyl ester monomer copolymerizable with the above ester are suited as the macromolecular substances for carrying the adjuvant and drug . furthermore , for improvement in shape - holding property or adhesiveness or for controlled release of the drug , the above - mentioned macromolecular substance layer and polymer layer each may be crosslinked , for example , by using a chemical crosslinking agent or by irradiation with ultraviolet light or electron rays . by the &# 34 ; adjuvant &# 34 ; is meant a substance capable of directly or indirectly increasing percutaneous absorption of the drug . the adjuvant which directly causes increased percutaneous absorption is , for example , an absorption promoter having the function of providing the horny layer ( skin ) with water - holding property , accelerating the swelling or hardening of the horny layer , increasing the wettability of the horny layer and / or opening pores of the skin . in many cases , one substance can have a plurality of such functions . the adjuvant which indirectly promotes percutaneous absorption is , for example , a substance capable of causing increased diffusion of the drug in each layer or increasing the solubility of the drug in each layer . examples of the adjuvant for indirect increase in percutaneous absorption are liquid paraffin , vaseline , lanolin , olive oil , glycerin , benzyl alcohol , butyl benzoate , isopropyl myristate , octanol , 1 , 3 - butanediol , ( poly ) propylene glycol , ( poly ) ethylene glycol , other alcohols and surface active agents , and oligomers such as low - molecular - weight ( number average molecular weight = not greater than 30 , 000 ) polyacrylate , polymethacrylate and polyvinyl ethers . examples of the adjuvant for direct increase in percutaneous absorption are dimethyl sulfoxide , dodecyl sulfoxide , methyl octyl sulfoxide , dimethyl decyl phosphoxide , mono - or diethylacetamide , n - hydroxyethyllactamide , dimethylacetamide , n , n - dimethyldodecamide , dimethylformamide , diethyltoluamide , tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol , tetrahydrofuran , sorbitol , dodecylpyrrolidone , methylpyrrolidone , urea , diethyl adipate , squalene , acetylated lanolin , cetyl lactate , dioctyl sebacate , ethoxylated stearyl alcohol , lanolinic acid , lanolinyl alcohol , higher fatty alcohol , salicylic acid , liquid paraffin , vaseline , amino acids , protease , methyl nicotinate , 1 - menthol , camphor , salocolum , sodium lauryl sulfate , sodium laurate , stearin , glycerol stearate , higher fatty acid triglyceride , polyoxyalkylene glycol , fatty acid mono ( or di ) ethanolamide , ethylene glycol monoethyl ether , polyoxypropylene alkyl ether , higher alkyl sulfone , etc . the drug may be any one percutaneously absorbable to a therapeutically effective concentration by itself or with the assistance of a percutaneous absorption promoter ( adjuvant ). no other particular limitations are placed thereon . thus , it includes , among others , the following : a ) corticoids : hydrocortisone , prednisolone , paramethasone , beclomethasone propionate , flumethasone , betamethasone , dexamethasone , triamcinolone , triamcinolone acetonide , fluocinolone , fluocinolone acetonide , fluocinolone acetonide acetate , clobetasol propionate , etc . ; b ) analgesics and antiinflammatory agents : acetaminophen , mefenamic acid , flufenamic acid , indomethacin , diclofenac , alclofenac , oxyphenbutazone , phenylbutazone , ibuprofen , flurbiprofen , salicylic acid , 1 - menthol , camphor , combinations thereof , etc . ; c ) hypnotics and sedatives : barbiturates such as phenobarbital amobarbital and cyclobarbital , etc . ; d ) tranquilizers : fluphenazine , thioridazine , benzodiazepines ( e . g . diazepam , lorazepam , flunitrazepam ), chlorpromazine , etc . ; g ) antibiotics : beta - lactam antibiotics ( penicillins and cephalosporins ), oxytetracycline , fradiomycin sulfate , erythromycin , chloramphenicol , etc . ; m ) coronary vasodilators : nitroglycerin , nifedipine , dipyridamole , isosorbide dinitrate , erythritol tetranitrate , pentaerythritol tetranitrate , etc . ; and as necessary , these drugs may be used in combination of two or more of them . furthermore , a filler may be formulated as an optional component for retaining the shape - holding property of the macromolecular substance layer . small amounts of common additives such as adhesiveness - imparting resin and softening agent may also be added to said layer . the filler includes finely divided silica , titanium white , calcium carbonate , etc . the filler may be added in an amount of not more than 30 weight percent based on the composition . the adhesiveness - imparting resin includes rosin , hydrogenated rosin , rosin ester , polyterpene resin , aliphatic or aromatic petroleum resin , coumarone - indene resin , xylene resin , terpene - phenol resin , etc . the softening agent includes polybutene , abietyl alcohol , liquid paraffin , liquid resin , etc . the amount of the drug to be contained in the preparation of the invention depends on the kind of drug , solubility thereof in the macromolecular substance and in the polymer , thickness of each layer and other factors . generally , the amount is about 0 . 1 - 20 weight percent , preferably 0 . 5 - 15 weight percent , based on the total weight of both the layers . the adjuvant is used generally in an amount of 1 - 30 weight percent , preferably 3 - 20 weight percent , on the same basis . the macromolecular substance layer generally has a thickness of 5 - 500 microns , preferably 20 - 200 microns , and the polymer layer generally has a thickness of 10 - 1 , 000 microns , preferably 30 - 500 microns . the macromolecular substance layer is formed on the whole or part of the polymer layer . the preparation of the invention is produced , for example , by directly applying a macromolecular substance layer - forming composition to the polymer layer or by preliminarily forming a macromolecular substance layer on a release liner followed by transfer of said layer onto the polymer layer for lamination . since the preparation of the invention contains the drug and adjuvant in the respective different layers , the preparation can contain greater amounts of drug and adjuvant as compared with the case where the drug and adjuvant are contained in a single layer . furthermore , even when the macromolecular substance layer or polymer layer contains the drug in an amount exceeding the solubility limit , the excess drug can migrate into the polymer layer or macromolecular substance layer , respectively , before crystallization thereof takes place . such migration of course can occur also when the amount of the drug is below the solubility limit . similarly , the adjuvant also migrates from the layer originally containing the same to the other layer not only in the case of addition at a level exceeding the solubility limit but also in the case of addition at a level below the solubility limit . as a result , neither the drug nor the adjuvant can crystallize out in the preparation of the invention . the composite preparation of the invention is applied to the skin at an adequate site , where the drug in the macro - molecular substance layer is gradually absorbed through the skin and at the same time the adjuvant is partly absorbed and partly migrates . the thus - caused change in the adjuvant ratio and drug ratio in the macromolecular substance layer in turn induces supply of the drug and adjuvant from the polymer layer to the macromolecular substance layer so as to compensate for the decrease in the amounts the drug and adjuvant . the effects thus producible are equivalent to substantial increases in the amounts of the drug and adjuvant per unit area of the composite preparation . accordingly , a fast - acting composite preparation can be obtained by satisfying the relation that the solubility of the drug in the macromolecular substance layer is much greater than the solubility of the drug in the polymer layer and the relation that the macromolecular substance layer thickness is smaller than the polymer layer thickness ; a slow - acting composite preparation can be produced when the relation that the solubility of the drug in the macromolecular substance layer is much smaller than the solubility of the drug in the polymer layer and the relation that the macro - molecular substance layer thickness is smaller than the polymer layer thickness are satisfied ; and furthermore a fast - and long - acting composite preparation can be obtained if the drug is contained in the macromolecular substance layer and polymer film at the respective levels of saturation ( with the solubility of the drug in the macromolecular substance layer being greater than that in the polymer layer ) and the macromolecular substance layer thickness is smaller than the polymer film thickness . in addition , as can readily be understood , the drug release can be finely controlled by combinedly utilizing the difference in solubility of the drug and adjuvant between the macromolecular substance layer and polymer layer , the equilibrium resulting therefrom and the miscibility of the adjuvant with the drug . it is to be understood that the preparation of the invention also covers the mode in which both the macromolecular substance layer and polymer layer contain the drug and adjuvant as a result of migration of the drug and / or adjuvant and further the mode in which one of the layers contains the drug and adjuvant and the other contains one of the drug and adjuvant . the following examples illustrate the invention in more detail , wherein &# 34 ; part ( s )&# 34 ; means &# 34 ; parts ( s ) by weight &# 34 ;. a three - necked flask is charged with 96 g of isooctyl acrylate , 4 g of acrylic acid and 25 g of ethyl acetate containing 0 . 2 g of azobisisobutyronitrile . after purging with an inert gas , the mixture is heated in the inert gas atmosphere to 60 ° c . for initiation of reaction , and the reaction is carried out at 62 °- 65 ° c . for 5 hours with dropwise addition of ethyl acetate and further at 75 °- 77 ° c . for 2 hours for aging . a copolymer solution having a solid content of 30 % by weight and a viscosity of 195 poises as measured at 30 ° c . is obtained . flunitrazepam is added to the above solution in an amount of 5 . 0 parts per 100 parts of the solid in said solution . the resulting mixture is applied to a release liner to an extent such that the coated layer after drying has a thickness of 60 microns . drying of the coated layer gives a base film ( tg - 55 ° c .). separately , a laminated film is prepared by laminating a 50 - micron - thick ethyl acrylate - vinyl acetate copolymer film ( ethyl acrylate : vinyl acetate weight ratio = 2 : 1 ; tg - 13 ° c .) containing 4 weight percent of diethyl sebacate as the polymer film layer , into which the drug and adjuvant can migrate , onto one side of a 12 . 7 - micron - thick corona - treated polyester film . the above base film is placed on and pressed against the copolymer film layer side of the laminated film . a composite preparation is thus obtained . to the copolymer solution as used in example 1 , there is added 7 parts of propatyl nitrate per 100 parts of the solid in said solution and the resulting mixture is applied to a release liner to a thickness ( after drying ) of 40 microns . drying gives a base film ( tg - 55 ° c .). separately , a 100 - micron - thick laminated film is produced by coextrusion of a mixture ( tg - 25 ° c .) of an ethylene - vinyl acetate copolymer ( vinyl acetate content 40 weight %) and 10 parts by weight of olive oil and polyethylene ( eva film layer thickness 40 microns ). the above base film is placed on and pressed against the copolymer film layer side of the laminated film . a composite preparation is thus obtained . a composition composed of 45 parts of polyisoprene rubber , 15 parts of liquid paraffin , 10 parts of lanoline and 30 parts of an aliphatic petroleum resin is heated under an inert gas at 110 °- 125 ° c . for 5 hours for dissolution and then cooled to 80 ° c . then , thereto is added 5 parts of indomethacin as a dispersion in 7 parts of propylene glycol . the resulting mixture is applied to a release liner to a thickness of 100 microns . there is obtained a base film ( tg - 18 ° c .). separately , a laminated film is prepared by laminating with heating under pressure a 40 - micron - thick film made of a vinyl acetate - butyl acrylate - methoxyethyl acrylate ( 40 : 30 : 30 weight ratio ) copolymer ( tg - 33 ° c .) containing 4 weight percent of ethylene glycol monosalicylate to a 50 - micron - thick polyvinylidene chloride film . the above drug - containing base film is placed on and pressed against the copolymer film layer side of the laminated film . there is thus obtained a composite preparation . tables 1 - 3 show the test results for the composite preparations of examples 1 - 3 . table 1 shows , for each preparation , the time for the drug to crystallize out . table 2 shows the adhesiveness to the skin , the preparation - to - bakelite plate adhesive strength and durability of the adhesive bond . table 3 illustrates the blood level of the drug at timed interval after application of each sample . comparative examples 1 - 3 in tables 1 and 2 correspond to examples 1 - 3 , respectively , and therefore the samples were prepared by laminating under pressure the respective base films to a polyester film , a polyethylene film and polyvinylidene chloride film , respectively , without using any polymer layer . table 1______________________________________ storage period 1 day 3 days 5 days 10 days 30 days 90 days______________________________________example 1 no no no no no nocomparative no no partly partly partly aboutexample 1 halfexample 2 no no no no no nocomparative no partly about mostly mostly mostlyexample 2 halfexample 3 no no no no no nocomparative partly partly about about about aboutexample 3 half half half half______________________________________ notes : storage conditions : 25 ° c . × 65 % r . h . no no crystallization ; partly , etc . partly crystallized , etc . table 2__________________________________________________________________________ adhesion to bakelite retention to adhesion to skin plate ( g / 12 mm ) bakelite plate ( min ) storage days storage days storage days 1 10 90 1 10 90 1 10 90 day days days day days days day days days__________________________________________________________________________example 1 good good good 620 620 600 17 15 18comparative good fair bad 650 490 410 17 break breakexample 1example 2 good good good 620 610 600 13 12 15comparative good fair bad 600 300 60 20 break breakexample 2example 3 good good good 400 410 390 50 40 43comparative good fair bad 410 390 260 40 170 breakexample 3__________________________________________________________________________ methods for measuring adhesion and retention shown in table 2 are as follows . a 12 mm wide sample was applied to a bakelite plate and press bonded thereonto by rolling back and forth , one time , a 2 . 0 kg rubber roller . after storing for 30 minutes , the sample was peeled at one end from the plate to determine the adhesion ( peeling angle : 180 °; peeling speed : 300 mm / min ; 20 ° c ., 65 % rh ). one end of a sample ( width : 10 mm ; length : 100 mm ) was applied to an end of a bakelite plate by 20 mm and , after storing for 20 minutes , a 300 g load was applied to the other end of the sample to measure the time by which it was fallen down from the bakelite plate ( at 40 ° c .). additionally , &# 34 ; break &# 34 ; in table 2 indicates interlayer break between the base material layer and the film layer or interfacial break from the bakelite plate . table 3______________________________________ blood level ( in ng / ml ) after application for ( hours ) 0 . 5 1 2 5 10 24 48______________________________________example 1 7 14 16 14 19 18 13comparative ˜ 1 4 7 9 7 6 4example 1example 2 3 6 7 8 9 8 3comparative 2 3 3 4 3 3 2example 2example 3 3 9 9 10 16 19 15comparative 0 2 2 5 4 4 1example 3______________________________________ each composite medicinal preparation ( 6 cm × 6 cm ) was adhered to the clipped back of each rabbit ( weighing 2 kg ) and blood sampling ( 3 ml ) was conducted at specified intervals . for flunitrazepam : to 1 ml of blood were added 2 ml of saturated ammonium chloride and 6 ml of 8 : 2 toluene - heptane . after shaking for 15 minutes , the mixture was centrifuged , the organic layer was extracted with 6n hcl , and the extract fraction separated by centrifugation was neutralized with 6n naoh under ice cooling . thereto was added 5 ml of the above solvent mixture , the organic layer was evaporated , and the residue was dissolved in 250 μl of ethanol and analyzed by gas chromatography using prazepam as the internal standard . for propatyl nitrate : blood was sampled ( 3 ml ), the plasma was separated and extracted with 2 ml of n - hexane , and the extract separated by centrifugation was concentrated to 0 . 5 ml under an inert gas . the concentrate was further extracted with 1 ml of acetonitrile , the acetonitrile layer was concentrated to dryness under an inert gas , and the residue was dissolved in 100 μl of benzene and assayed by gas chromatography . for indomethacin : to 1 ml of plasma was added 2 ml of 0 . 5m citrate buffer ( ph 5 . 0 ) and the mixture was extracted with 10 ml of 1 , 2 - dichloroethane . following addition of 2 , 4 , 6 - triphenylnitrobenzene as the internal standard to the organic layer , the solvent was distilled off and then diazomethane was added . the reaction mixture was analyzed for indomethacin methyl ester by gas chromatography . a three - necked flask is charged with 93 g of isooctyl acrylate , 7 g of acrylic acid and 25 g of ethyl acetate containing 0 . 2 g of azobisisobutyronitrile . after purging with an inert gas , the mixture is heated in the inert gas atmosphere to 60 ° c . for initiation of reaction , and the reaction is carried out at 62 °- 65 ° c . for 7 hours with dropwise addition of ethyl acetate and the reaction mixture is further maintained at 75 °- 77 ° c . for 2 hours for aging . there is obtained a copolymer solution having a viscosity of 460 poises ( 30 ° c .) and a solid content of 30 % by weight . to this solution is added diethyl adipate in an amount of 7 parts per 100 parts of the solid in said solution . the resulting mixture is applied to a release liner to a thickness ( after drying ) of 30 microns upon drying , there is obtained a base film ( tg - 50 ° c .) separately , a laminated film is prepared by laminating a 50 - micron - thick ethyl acrylate - vinyl acetate copolymer film ( ethyl acrylate vinyl acetate weight ratio = 3 : 1 ; tg - 17 ° c .) containing 5 weight percent of flunitrazepam as the polymer film layer , into which the adjuvant and drug can migrate , to one side of a 12 . 7 - micron - thick polyester film . the above base film is adhered to the copolymer film layer side of the laminated film under pressure to give a composite preparation . to the copolymer solution as used in example 4 , there are added 2 parts of ethylene glycol monosalicylate and 4 parts of propylene glycol per 100 parts of the solid in said solution and the resulting mixture is applied to a release liner to a thickness ( after drying ) of 40 microns . a base film is thus obtained . separately , a 100 - micron - thick laminated film is prepared by coextruding an ethylene - acrylic acid copolymer ( acrylic acid content 12 % by weight ; tg - 10 ° c .) containing 5 weight percent of indomethacin and polyethylene ( copolymer film thickness 50 microns ). the above base film is adhered under pressure to the copolymer film layer side of the laminated film to give a composite preparation . a composition composed of 45 parts of polyisoprene rubber , 15 parts of liquid paraffin , 10 parts of lanoline and 30 parts of an aliphatic petroleum resin is heated under an inert gas at 110 °- 125 ° c . for 5 hours for dissolution and then cooled to 80 ° c . thereafter , 8 parts of dimethyl sulfoxide is added and the resulting mixture is applied to a release liner to a thickness of 50 microns . there is obtained a base film ( tg - 48 ° c .). separately , a laminated film is prepared by laminating with heating under pressure a 40 - micron - thick film made of polyvinyl acetate ( tg 33 ° c .) containing 12 weight percent of propatyl nitrate to a 50 - micron - thick polyvinylidene chloride film . the above base film is adhered under pressure to the polyvinyl acetate film layer side of the laminated film to give a composite preparation . tables 4 - 5 show the test results for the composite preparations of examples 4 - 6 . for each preparation , table 4 shows the time for the drug to crystallize out and table 5 shows the blood level of the drug in the rabbit . comparative examples 4 - 6 in tables 4 - 5 correspond to examples 4 - 6 and refer to the cases where the respective polymer layers alone were used . in the comparative examples , the samples were fixed with an adhesive tape where they were difficult to adhere to the skin . the blood level determination was performed in the same manner as mentioned for examples 1 - 3 . table 4______________________________________ storage period 1 day 2 days 4 days 10 days 30 days______________________________________example 4 no no no no nocomparative partly about mostly crystal - crystal - example 4 half lized lizedexample 5 no no no no nocomparative no partly about mostly mostlyexample 5 halfexample 6 no no no no nocomparative no partly about about aboutexample 6 half half half______________________________________ notes : storage conditions : 25 ° c . × 65 % r . h . no no crystallization ; partly , etc . partly crystallized , etc . table 5______________________________________ blood level ( in ng / ml ) after application for ( hours ) 0 . 5 1 2 5 10 24 48______________________________________example 4 3 8 18 22 22 21 7comparative 0 2 6 7 6 3 4example 4example 5 1 3 8 9 7 8 7comparative 0 0 3 3 4 4 4example 5example 6 5 10 15 18 15 16 12comparative 2 4 4 3 2 1 1example 6______________________________________	0
catalysts of the invention comprise an activator and an inorganic compound comprising iron and a tridentate ligand . the inorganic compound contains a tridentate ligand . the tridentate ligand is a substituted or unsubstituted n -( 2 - ethylamino )- 2 - pyridylmethanimino ligand or a substituted or unsubstituted n , n - bis ( 2 - pyridylmethyl ) amino ligand . members of the n -( 2 - ethylamino )- 2 - pyridylmethanimino class of ligands have the basic chemical structure : where any carbon and the primary nitrogen of the basic structure can be substituted or unsubstituted . members of the of n , n - bis ( 2 - pyridylmethyl ) amino class of ligands have the basic chemical structure : where any carbon and the secondary nitrogen of the basic structure can be substituted or unsubstituted . typical substituents on the carbon or nitrogen atoms of the basic structures include halogens , hydroxides , sulfoxides , c 1 - c 20 alkoxys , c 1 - c 20 siloxys , c 1 - c 20 sulfoxys , c 1 - c 20 hydrocarbyl , or a condensed ring attached to the pyridyl groups . these substituents replace the hydrogen atom of the unsubstituted structure . r 1 and r 9 , are the same or different , and are h , f , cl , br , i , c 1 - c 20 hydrocarbyl , or a condensed ring ; r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 , r6 , r 7 , and r 8 , are the same or different , and are h or c 1 - c 20 hydrocarbyl ; and the tridentate ligands are well known and easily prepared from known methods . in one convenient method described in hinman , et . al ., organometallics , 2000 , 19 , 563 , at 568 , a pyridinecarboxaldehyde is reacted directly with a diamine , such as n , n - diethylethylenediamine , in an inert organic solvent . stoichiometric quantities are typically used . the reactions are typically performed at room temperature , but temperatures of − 20 ° c . to 150 ° c . can also be used . the solvent is typically removed by evaporation and the tridentate ligand is collected . in the inorganic compound of the invention , the tridentate ligand is coordinated to iron such that iron is bound to the three nitrogen atoms of the ligand . the iron may also have other ligands . suitable additional ligands include halides , nitrates , sulfates , carboxylates ( e . g . acetate ), acetylacetonates , and amines . particularly preferred ligands are halides , such as chloride , bromide , and iodide . a preferred catalyst comprises an activator and an inorganic compound of the formula : r 10 and r 11 are the same or different , and are h or c 1 - c 20 hydrocarbyl ; and the inorganic compound is prepared by any suitable method . in one convenient method , the inorganic compound is made by reacting a tridentate ligand with one equivalent of an iron complex such as iron dichloride in an inert organic solvent . preferred solvents include diethyl ether , tetrahydrofuran , hexane , and toluene . the reactions typically occur at room temperature , but temperatures of − 20 ° c . to 150 ° c . can also be used . the product can be used in polymerization without isolation from the solvent . however , the solvent can also be evaporated and the inorganic compound can be collected . the inorganic compound is combined with an activator to give a catalyst of the invention . suitable activators are well known in the art . they include alumoxanes . preferred alumoxanes ( methyl alumoxane ( mao ), pmao , ethyl alumoxane , and diisobutyl alumoxane ), aluminum alkyls ( e . g ., triethyl aluminum , triisobutylaluminum ), alkyl aluminum halides ( e . g ., diethylaluminum chloride ), and the like . suitable activators include acid salts that contain non - nucleophilic anions . these acid salts generally consist of bulky ligands attached to boron or aluminum . examples include lithium tetrakis ( pentafluorophenyl ) borate , lithium tetrakis ( pentafluorophenyl ) aluminate , anilinium tetrakis ( pentafluorophenyl ) borate , and the like . suitable activators also include organoboranes , which include boron and one or more alkyl , aryl , or aralkyl groups . suitable activators include substituted and unsubstituted trialkyl and triarylboranes such as tris ( pentafluorophenyl ) borane , triphenylborane , tri - n - octylborane , and the like . these and other suitable boron - containing activators are described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 153 , 157 , 5 , 198 , 401 , and 5 , 241 , 025 , the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . the amount of activator needed relative to the amount of inorganic compound depends on many factors , including the nature of the inorganic compound and the activator , the desired reaction rate , the kind of polyolefin product , the reaction conditions , and other factors . generally , however , when the activator is an alumoxane , an aluminum alkyl , or a dialkylaluminum halide , the molar ratio of activator to inorganic compound will be within the range of about 0 . 01 : 1 to about 5 , 000 : 1 , and more preferably from about 0 . 1 : 1 to 500 : 1 . when the activator is an organo borane or an ionic borate or aluminate , the molar ratio of the boron of the activator component to the inorganic compound will be within the range of about 0 . 01 : 1 to about 100 : 1 , and more preferably from about 0 . 3 : 1 to 10 : 1 . if desired , a catalyst support can be used . however , the use of a support is generally not necessary for practicing olefin polymerization using the catalyst of the invention . the inorganic compound and the activator may be immobilized on a support , which is preferably a porous material . a support may be required for some processes . for example , a support is generally needed in gas phase and slurry polymerization processes to control polymer particle size and to prevent fouling of the reactor walls . the catalysts may be supported using any of a variety of well - known immobilization techniques . in one method , the inorganic compound is dissolved in a solvent and is deposited onto the support by evaporating the solvent . an incipient wetness method can also be used . the activator can also be deposited on the support or it can be introduced into the reactor separately from the supported inorganic compound . the support can be inorganic oxides , inorganic chlorides , and polymeric resins such as polystryrene , styrene - divinylbenzene copolymers , or the like , or mixtures thereof . preferred supports are inorganic oxides , which include oxides of group 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 13 , or 14 elements . more preferred supports include silica , alumina , silica - alumina , magnesia , titania , and zirconia . the support can be used without any pre - treatment prior to immobilization of the inorganic compound and activator , but a support pre - treatment step is preferred . the support may be calcined and / or modified by a chemical additive . if the support is pre - treated by calcination , the calcination temperature is preferably greater than 150 ° c . the chemical additives used to pre - treat the support include organoaluminums , organoboranes , organomagnesiums , organosilanes , and organozinc compounds . preferred chemical additives include alumoxanes , hexamethyldisilazane , trimethylchlorosilane , grignard reagents , and triethylboron . support modification techniques are taught in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 211 , 311 , the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . the catalyst is particularly valuable for polymerizing olefins , preferably α - olefins . suitable olefins include , for example , ethylene , propylene , 1 - butene , 1 - hexene , 1 - octene , and the like , and mixtures thereof . the catalyst is valuable for copolymerizing ethylene with α - olefins or di - olefins ( e . g ., 1 , 3 - butadiene , 1 , 4 - hexadiene , 1 , 5 - hexadiene ). processes of the invention include gas phase , slurry , and bulk monomer processes . gas and slurry phase processes are preferred . they can be used in a liquid phase ( slurry , solution , suspension , bulk ), high - pressure fluid phase , or gas phase polymerization processes , or a combination of these . the pressure in the polymerization reaction zones typically ranges from about 15 psia to about 15 , 000 psia , and the temperature usually ranges from about − 100 ° c . to about 300 ° c . a slurry process involves pressures in the range of about 1 to about 500 atmospheres and temperatures in the range of about − 60 ° c . to about 100 ° c . the reaction medium employed should be liquid under the conditions of polymerization and relatively inert . preferably , it is an alkane , a cycloalkane , or an aromatic hydrocarbon such as toluene , ethylbenzene , or xylene . more preferably , hexane or isobutane is employed . the following examples merely illustrate the invention . those skilled in the art will recognize many variations that are within the spirit of the invention and scope of the claims . this example describes the synthesis of a variety of tridentate ligands according to the general procedure of hinman , organometallics , 2000 , 19 , at 568 . ligands 1a - 1d have the structural formula : ligand 1a is prepared by mixing 6 - methyl - 2 - pyridinecarboxaldehyde ( 0 . 56 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) and n , n - diethylethylenediamine ( 0 . 65 ml , 4 . 6 mmol ) in diethyl ether ( 75 ml ). the mixture is stirred for 24 hours at room temperature with excess magnesium sulfate . the magnesium sulfate is then filtered off and the solvent is removed by vacuum to give ligand 1a as an oil . ligand 1b is prepared according the above procedure except that 2 - quinolinecarboxaldehyde ( 0 . 72 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) is used in place of 6 - methyl - 2 - pyridinecarboxaldehyde . ligand 1c is prepared according the above procedure except that 4 , 6 - dimethyl - 2 - aminopyridine ( 0 . 56 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) is used in place of n , n - diethylethylenediamine . this example describes the synthesis of a variety of inorganic compounds . compounds 2a , 2d , and 2f and comparative compounds 2b , 2c , and 2e have the following structural formula : toluene solutions of inorganic compounds 2a - 2f are prepared by reacting 0 . 4 mmol of the corresponding ligand with 0 . 4 mmol of fecl 2 , cocl 2 , or nicl 2 in toluene for 16 hours . compound 2a is prepared from fecl 2 and ligand 1a . compound 2b is prepared from nicl 2 and ligand 1a . compound 2c is prepared from cocl 2 and ligand 1a . compound 2d is prepared from fecl 2 and ligand 1b . compound 2e is prepared from fecl 2 and ligand 1c . compound 2f is prepared from fecl 2 and ligand 1 d . polymerization is conducted in a stirred 2 - liter , stainless - steel reactor . reactions are run at 70 ° c . and 350 psi . hydrogen ( 20 psi from a 300 - ml vessel ) is added to the reactor . dry , oxygen - free isobutane ( 900 ml ) is charged to the dry , oxygen - free reactor at room temperature along with 7 . 5 ml of 4 . 2 m pmao in toluene solution ( from akzo chemicals ). the reactor is heated to 70 ° c . and allowed to equilibrate . ethylene is then introduced to give a total pressure of 350 psig , and the reactor is allowed to equilibrate again . the inorganic compound ( 0 . 055 mmol of compound in 0 . 75 ml of toluene and 100 ml of isobutane ) is injected into the reactor . ethylene is fed to the reactor to maintain a constant pressure of 350 psi . at the end of 0 . 5 hour , ethylene flow is stopped , the reaction mixture is cooled to room temperature , and the polymer is recovered after venting the reactor . the polymer is collected and weighed . six runs ( runs 3a to 3f ) are conducted using inorganic compounds 2a - 2f . table 1 shows the results of polymerization . the examples show that inorganic iron compounds of the invention are active in olefin polymerization , while comparable nickel and cobalt compounds show no activity . also , comparative example 2e demonstrates that an iron compound that does not contain a n -( 2 - ethylamino )- 2pyridylmethanimino or n , n - bis ( 2 - pyridylmethyl ) amino ligand is inactive in ethylene polymerization .	2
the following is a description of exemplary embodiments , reference being made to the drawings in which the same reference numerals identify the same elements of structure in each of the several figures . where they are used in the present disclosure , the terms “ first ”, “ second ”, and so on , do not necessarily denote any ordinal , sequential , or priority relation , but are simply used to more clearly distinguish one element or set of elements from another , unless specified otherwise . the exploded view of fig1 shows , in simplified form , some of the electrically active internal components of a dr detector 10 that are protected within an enclosure or housing 14 formed using multiple parts , including top and bottom covers 16 and 18 . a detector array 20 includes a scintillator and imaging pixels for capturing image signals from received radiation . a circuit board 22 provides supporting control electronics components for image data acquisition and wireless transmission to an external host system . a battery 24 provides power , acting as the voltage source for detector 10 operations . a port 26 extending through bottom cover 18 is provided to allow electrical connection for receiving and transmitting data , and / or receiving power such as from a voltage supply . the port may have an optional sealing cap 28 , which may be a rubber seal or other liquid - proofing material . in addition to the illustrated components , a number of interconnecting cables , supporting fasteners , cushioning materials , connectors , and other elements may be used for packaging and protecting the dr detector circuitry . an optional antenna and transmitter for wireless communication may alternately be provided within or as part of the housing 14 . top and bottom housing covers 16 and 18 may be fastened together along a mating surface 48 . the exploded view of fig2 shows an alternate embodiment of dr detector 10 , in which detector array 20 , circuit board 22 , and battery 24 , along with interconnection and other support components , slide into an encased cavity in an enclosure or housing 30 through an open end thereof . a lid 32 may be fastened to cover 30 to provide a protective seal . moisture and other liquid ingress is a concern for either of the fig1 or fig2 embodiments . typically , as shown in the partial side view of fig3 , a gasket or o - ring 12 is provided to fit within a groove along mating surface 48 between covers 16 and 18 of the enclosure or housing 14 of dr detector 10 as shown in fig1 or , with the alternate embodiment of fig2 , along the mating surface where lid 32 joins cover 30 . fasteners 34 , such as a screw for securing top 16 and bottom 18 covers , require secure mating connections to keep out moisture and other liquids . in order to properly seat o - rings or gaskets , mating surfaces 48 of covers 16 and 18 must be machined to a fine finish , with very low tolerances . it can be appreciated that , over time , some degradation of gaskets and seals is likely to occur , such as with standard handling of the detector , after disassembly for battery replacement or for firmware upgrade , or for other maintenance function , and with repeated connection and disconnection at port 26 . embodiments of the present invention address the need for improved moisture protection of the dr detector using hydrophobic treatment of various surfaces and interfaces of the dr detector device enclosure . hydrophobic surfaces provide an interface that is highly repellent to bodily fluids and water . on a hydrophobic surface , water and water - based liquids tend to bead rather than to spread across such a surface because the liquids are repelled by the surface . the hydrophobic surface is thus often described as having low “ wettability ”. hydrophobic behavior is quantified in terms of a contact angle θc at the liquid / surface interface , based on a formula known as young &# 39 ; s equation . fig4 a , 4 b , 4 c , and 4 d illustrate , for a droplet 40 on a surface 42 , how contact angle θc is measured for an increasing hydrophobic property of the surface 42 , from the relatively low contact angle θc of fig4 a that is typical of most untreated surfaces along which water spreads freely , to the highly hydrophobic surfaces shown in fig4 c and 4d , where the interface energy that relates to reduced wettability causes water to bead . by definition , hydrophobic behavior begins when the contact angle θc of water is about 90 degrees , as shown in fig4 b . as a familiar point of reference , poly ( tetrafluorethene ) ( ptfe , commercially provided as teflon ( r ) material , a registered trademark of e . i . du pont de nemours and company ) has a water contact angle near 110 degrees . as the contact angle θc increases toward 120 degrees , as shown in fig4 c , the wettability of the surface decreases due to its greater hydrophobic property . when hydrophobicity provides extreme contact angles θc ( such as that of a bird feather ) in the superhydrophobic 150 degree contact angle example of fig4 d , the surface is considered to be highly resistant to the spread of moisture thereover . embodiments of the present invention use a hydrophobic coating or other treatment on selected surfaces of , and interfaces of , the dr detector 10 in order to prevent or significantly limit liquid ingress along mating surfaces , such as where top and bottom covers 16 , 18 are adjacent or where they may partially abut or contact each other in some regions of the mating surfaces , and along connector interfaces . where a hydrophobic treatment or a coating is used on one or both surfaces that define a gap in the housing that is defined between two covers or other components , the resulting hydrophobic property can be sufficient to keep water or other liquid from entering the dr detector through the gap . this can help to obviate the requirement for an additional gasket or sealant material to seal the gap . the need for precision adjustment and fitting of mating surfaces , mounting screws , and other hardware can also be significantly reduced . referring to fig5 a , mating covers 16 and 18 of the enclosure are treated with a hydrophobic coating 50 along one or more mating surfaces 48 . in addition , screw holes and other features for accepting fasteners 34 are also conditioned with a suitable treatment such as coating 50 . optionally , fasteners 34 themselves may have an applied coating . with hydrophobic coatings that provide a contact angle in excess of about 100 degrees , a small airspace distance d in gap 52 may be tolerated between treated mating surfaces while still preventing ingress of liquids and moisture therethrough . a treated gap 52 with distance d smaller than about 0 . 010 to about 0 . 020 inches , or preferably smaller than about 0 . 005 in ., for example , can be sufficient to prevent liquid flow between two treated surfaces or along the surfaces of screws or other fasteners that are fitted into orifices of the covers 16 , 18 . components such as sealing cap 28 ( fig1 ) can be at least partially coated with a hydrophobic coating to obviate the need for seals or gasketing around electrical or data connectors . other alternative arrangements for hydrophobic treatment of gap 52 are shown in fig5 b and 5c . fig5 b is an enlarged side view that shows a portion of mating surfaces and a fastener , with a hydrophobic surface treatment applied to one of the mating surfaces . the mating surface 48 of cover 16 has an applied hydrophobic coating ; cover 18 is not treated in the fig5 b example . using fastener 34 , which may include a machine screw , for example , gap 52 can be kept small enough that fluid ingress through gap 52 is prevented . a pre - formed hydrophobic film , gasket , or other hydrophobic material can alternately be pressed within the gap between cover portions . fig5 c is an enlarged side view that shows a portion of mating surfaces and a fastener , with a layer 60 of hydrophobic material sandwiched between mating surfaces . layer 60 can be applied in partially cured form or have an adhesive backing or may be conditioned and inserted to adhere to either or both mating surfaces 48 , effectively forming a coated surface under compressive force exerted by tightening fastener 34 . one advantage of hydrophobic coatings for waterproofing gaps relates to air flow , such as for cooling or venting . using conventional gasket and sealing techniques , both air / gas and liquid flow across the interface are constrained . however , using conventional machining practices and following close tolerances , a selected coating thickness , positioned within air passages or passages or vents for other gases can be liquid - proofed and yet allow air passage without requiring air - tight sealing . thus , for example , the use of hydrophobic coatings can allow venting of the dr detector battery 24 ( fig1 and 2 ) using small sized orifices for air passage , while keeping out liquid and / or moisture at the same time . in one embodiment , hydrophobic coated surfaces ( e . g ., mating surfaces ) can provide air passages or conduits ( e . g ., internal , or internal extending to an exterior surface ) for the dr detector 10 that can block liquid ( e . g ., liquid - proof ) yet allow gases to pass therethrough ( e . g ., not air - tight ). a number of hydrophobic coating materials use nanoparticles , which , by definition , are generally between 1 and 100 nm in diameter , in various arrangements . some of the nanoparticle - based hydrophobic coatings can exhibit contact angles in a range of 120 degrees or more . superhydrophobic materials can have contact angles of 150 degrees or more . a contact angle in excess of 150 degrees provides a hydrophobic treatment that is particularly advantageous for the dr detector . a contact angle in excess of 120 degrees can also provide good performance . a contact angle in excess of about 100 degrees provides a measure of protection but may constrain allowable tolerances related to gap distance of the housing . the choice of a particular material to be applied as a hydrophobic treatment depends on factors such as a selected design tolerance between mating surfaces . a number of types of hydrophobic materials are applied under high energy conditions , such as using plasma - assisted deposition under vacuum for various carbon - based materials , such as materials formed from carbon nanotubes , for example . coatings can be applied to covers 16 and 18 or to individual components of housing 14 separately , to selected portions or surfaces thereof , or to the assembled dr detector 10 in order to render the assembled dr detector 10 hydrophobic . hydrophobic materials that can be used as coatings include polysiloxanes and other organosilicon polymers , poly ( tetrafluorethene ) ( ptfe ) or polypropylene ( pp ); coatings formed from reactive inorganic nanoparticles ; compositions that comprise a plurality of nano - fillers dispersed within a fluoroelastomer matrix ; compositions with a nano - filler having a core - shell structure with a silica shell over a metal oxide core ; multilayered film coatings such as the polyelectrolyte layers described in us patent application publication no . 2006 / 0029808 a1 entitled “ superhydrophobic coatings ” by zhai et al ., which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety ; sol - gel foam coatings , and sol - gel alumina coatings . nano - fillers used within the hydrophobic material can have any of a variety of structures , including nanospheres , nanotubes , nanofibers , nanoshafts , nanopillars , nanowires , nanorods , nanoneedles , and nanowhiskers , for example . coatings formed using nanoparticles appear to be particularly promising , since a number of coatings of this type provide treated hydrophobic surfaces with high water repellent contact angles , with some materials exceeding 120 degrees . a variety of deposition techniques can be used to provide exemplary embodiments of hydrophobic coatings on components and / or surfaces of the dr detector 10 . coating methods can include spin - coating , dip - coating , brush or roller application , gap coating , extrusion coating , aerosol spraying , ink jet printing , and doctor blade - casting , in which the coating solution is deposited on a substrate and a straight edge then used to spread the solution . for a number of coating types , the coating or a precursor is applied using a vacuum chamber . application steps for many of these coating techniques can include baking , sintering , and other methods for curing or otherwise conditioning the applied coating . application may require one or more base coatings including an adhesion promoting resin to pre - condition the surface , followed by one or more applications of the hydrophobic material itself . various curing agents can be incorporated in the nanoparticle formulation , including monomer and fluoroelastomer materials , for example . the surface of interest may also be plasma treated , which may help to remove organic contamination and increase surface reactivity . plasma treatment can include air plasma , oxygen plasma , or carbon dioxide plasma , for example . advantageously , the use of nanotechnology and coatings with substantial nanoparticulate content can reduce the weight of the dr detector and can help to eliminate at least a portion of seals , gaskets , and other preventive devices and treatments that have previously been used for protection of dr detectors from liquids . these coatings can withstand heat , cleaning , and abrasion , and allow disassembly of the dr detector , such as for battery replacement , upgrade , or repair , for example . in one embodiment , hydrophobic coatings can be re - applied to selected surfaces of the housing or to the detector or detector components . for example , hydrophobic coatings can be repeatedly or periodically applied to help renew water repellent behavior , such as when the detector is disassembled for service or battery replacement . while coatings that are hydrophobic can be particularly useful with dr detectors , these coatings can also be - used for properly designed film or computed radiography ( cr ) cassettes that use a removable medium that is developed , scanned , or otherwise processed to obtain image data following exposure . the applied hydrophobic material can include any of a number of solvents to help disperse the nanoparticles or other components along the surface to be treated . solvents can include water or organic solvents , such as methyl isobutyl keytone , acetone , methyl ethyl ketone , and other solvent materials . the dr detector covers 16 and 18 ( fig1 ) may be metal , such as aluminum , magnesium or their alloys , or some other metal or metal alloy ; alternatively , one or both covers 16 and 18 can be a composite material , such as a plastic or carbon fiber material . the area of concern for moisture ingress into the housing is at the interface between the covers 16 and 18 , where gap 52 has been described herein ; the covers 16 , 18 themselves are impervious to moisture and may not require hydrophobic treatment except near the gap 52 . by hydrophobic treatment of areas adjacent to gap 52 , embodiments of the present disclosure reduce or eliminate the need for gaskets , o - rings , seals , and sealants as features for keeping moisture from seeping into the dr detector . hydrophobic treatment can also allow relaxed mechanical tolerances for covers , particularly with respect to mating surfaces . this , in turn , reduces or eliminates machining costs and may allow the use of cast or molded plastic or composite materials for covers , instead of requiring more costly metal materials . according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure , as shown in the partial exploded view of fig6 a , a dr detector 10 may have a number of parts , including covers 16 and 18 , for protecting the photoimaging detector array 20 and control electronics of circuit board 22 . battery 24 may be removably mounted against the outside of cover 18 . battery 24 may be seated against one of covers 16 and 18 and may be held in place by a clamp or other suitable fastener ( not shown ). fig6 b shows a number of surfaces and interfaces of the dr detector of fig6 a that have hydrophobic treatment . the treated surfaces are highlighted in fig6 b , using expanded lines . treated areas can include : mating surfaces 48 of covers 16 and 18 ; exposed portions of port 26 and along the periphery of this connection port ; along a connector interface 62 for battery 24 ; and within and along vent orifices 64 that are located along one or more edges of battery 24 . one or more optional vent orifices 66 can also be provided in detector housing 14 . in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure , the hydrophobic treatment that is used is applied in a multi - stage process , using dipping where practicable , in order to achieve full coverage of the highlighted areas . first , a base coat is applied in one or more applications . dry time between base coat applications at room temperature is on the order of about 15 minutes . the base coat provides a suitable adhesive that conditions the treated area for better adhesion of the top coat . the top coating layer , applied to surfaces treated with the base coat , can be added in one or more applications . the top coating layer includes a nanoparticle - based hydrophobic material that is capable of providing superhydrophobic performance , with contact angles of up to 165 degrees . with contact angles in this range , vent openings of small enough diameter , such as less than about 0 . 020 in . diameter , are able to allow cooling air flow or allow exhaust gas passage , while at the same time fluid ingress through the same orifices is blocked . advantageously , the hydrophobic treatment can be applied at the parts fabrication stage , such as just after covers 16 and 18 are machined or molded and before they are used to form housing 14 , rather than following later stages of dr detector assembly . fig6 c shows the assembled dr detector of fig6 a and 6b , with battery 24 fitted into position against the housing 14 . it can be appreciated that the fluid protection approach that is used in embodiments of the present disclosure has advantages over conventional gasketing and sealing techniques . the treated areas are along interfaces that offer some measure of protection against abrasion and damage , rather than extending across broad areas where a coating or other hydrophobic treatment could easily be scratched or worn away . venting areas are unobstructed to gases but block water and other fluids . disassembly and re - assembly can be performed without requiring renewal of the hydrophobic treatment . if necessary to remove and renew the treatment , mild solvents such as mineral spirits or xylene can be used , with light abrasion , to restore the original surface of the housing components preparatory to re - application . advantageously , the base coating and hydrophobic top coating can be reapplied to mating and connector surfaces without requiring separate high - energy application or vacuum equipment . as noted previously , there are a number of different materials that can be used for providing hydrophobic behavior along mating surfaces between parts of the dr detector housing and along electrical contacts , signal ports , and ventilation orifices . there are , similarly , a number of different application technologies and methods that can be used for depositing hydrophobic materials at suitable locations along mating surfaces and interfaces for providing increased protection from moisture ingress . electrical contacts for data signals or power signal connection can also be provided with hydrophobic treatment , along and adjacent to the point of contact . hydrophobic treatment can be used with various types of pin connectors , including connections that employ spring - loaded pins that require only a minimal contact area between conductors . embodiments of the application provide a radiographic imaging detector including : a first cover ; a second cover that seats against the first cover along a mating surface when the imaging detector is assembled ; a detector panel that lies between the first and second cover ; and a hydrophobic coating applied to at least one mating surface . the radiographic imaging detector may further comprise an input / output port that is accessible within at least one of the first and second covers ; a removable cover plate that seals against the input / output port , wherein at least one of the cover plate or an edge of the input / output port further have the applied hydrophobic coating . the radiographic imaging detector may further comprise one or more fasteners that have an applied hydrophobic coating . the applied hydrophobic coating can be formed from carbon - based nanoparticles and can also be applied to one or more fasteners of the imaging detector . the coating can be applied to both the first and a second mating surface that seats against the first mating surface . the detector panel may alternately house a computed radiography or a film medium . the hydrophobic coated mating surface of the digital radiographic detector 10 is liquid - proof and not air - tight between the first cover and the second cover . embodiments of the present invention provide a method for fabricating a digital radiography detector , the method comprising conditioning mating surfaces of first and second housing covers by applying one or more coating materials under vacuum ; and fastening the first and second housing covers wherein a gap between the first and second housing covers is greater than about 0 . 005 and less than about 0 . 020 inches when the digital radiography detector is assembled . the one or more coating materials may comprise carbon nanotubes . the invention has been described in detail , and may have been described with particular reference to a suitable or presently preferred embodiment , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention . in addition , while a feature ( s ) of the invention can have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations / embodiments , such feature can be combined with one or more other features of other implementations / embodiments as can be desired and / or advantageous for any given or identifiable function . the term “ at least one of ” is used to mean one or more of the listed items can be selected . the term “ about ” indicates that the value listed can be somewhat altered , as long as the alteration does not result in nonconformance of the process or structure to the illustrated embodiment . finally , “ exemplary ” indicates the description is used as an example , rather than implying that it is an ideal . the presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims , and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein .	6
referring to fig5 of the drawings , a random access memory device embodying the present invention largely comprises a data storage facility and a peripheral unit . the data storage facility has a plurality of regular memory cell blocks 301 , 302 , 303 . . . and 30n respectively assigned block addresses , and each of the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n is fabricated from a plurality of regular memory cells arranged in rows and columns . bubbles in fig5 stand for the regular memory cells . a redundant memory cell block 31 is provided in association with the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n . is broken down into a plurality of redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 , 312 , 313 and 31n respectively associated with the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n . the redundant memory cell block 31 is fabricated from columns of redundant memory cells , and each of the columns of the redundant memory cells forms one of the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n in this instance . any column of defective regular memory cells is replaceable with one of the columns of the redundant memory cells . in other words , the redundant memory cell block 31 is shared between all of the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n . a plurality sets of word lines are respectively associated with the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n , and the word lines wl1 to wls of each set are coupled with the respective rows of the regular memory cells of the associated regular memory cell block as well as the respective redundant memory cells . a plurality sets of digit line pairs are further associated with the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n , and the digit line pairs d1 to dt of each set are coupled with the columns of the regular memory cells of the associated regular memory cell block . however , the columns of the redundant memory cells are coupled with redundant digit line pairs rd , respectively . row addresses are assigned to the corresponding word lines of all the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n , and column addresses are also assigned to the corresponding columns of all the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n , respectively . therefore , a row address and a column address select a regular memory cell from every regular memory cell block 301 , 302 , 303 , . . or 30n . the peripheral unit is broken down into an addressing sub - unit and a data transmission sub - unit . in detail , external row address bits ax0 to axi and external column address bits ay0 to ayj are respectively stored in a row address buffer circuit 33 and a column address buffer circuit 34 , and the row and column address buffer circuits 33 and 34 produce row address predecoded signal acx0 to acxi / adx0 to adxi and column address predecoded signals acy0 to acyi / ady0 to adyj . the row address predecoded signals adx0 to adxi are complementary signals of the row address predecoded signals acx0 to acxi , respectively , and the column address predecoded signals ady0 to adyj are the complementary signals to the column address predecoded signals acy0 to acyj . the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n are respectively associated with regular row address decoder circuits 351 , 352 , 353 , . . . and 35n , and the row address decoder circuits 351 to 35n selectively drive the associated sets of word lines wl1 to wls . the address predecoded signals acx0 to acxi / adx0 to adxi are indicative of a row address assigned to the corresponding word lines of the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n , and are supplied to the regular row address decoder circuits 351 to 35n . however , any redundant row address decoder circuit is not incorporated in the random access memory device according to the present invention . the column address buffer circuit 34 is associated with a column address decoder circuit 36 , a block address decoder circuit 37 and a program circuit 38 . each of the memory cell blocks 301 to 30n is assigned a block address , and the columns of the regular memory cells of each regular memory cell block 301 , 302 , 303 , . . . or 30n are respectively assigned column addresses as described hereinbefore . the external column address bits consist of higher order bits indicative of a block address and lower order bits indicative of a column address , and the address predecoded signals acy0 to acyj and ady0 to adyj are supplied partially to the column address decoder circuit 36 , and the column address decoder circuit 36 produces column selecting signals css for selecting corresponding columns of the regular memory cells from the respective regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n . the remaining part of the address decoded signals acy0 to acyj and ady0 to adyj are supplied to the block address decoder circuit 37 , and the block address decoder circuit 37 produces block selecting signals bss0 to bssn for selecting one of the memory cell blocks 11 to 1n . however , all of the address decoded signals acy0 to acyj and ady0 to adyj are supplied to the program circuit 38 , and the program circuit has been able to store a plurality sets of column and block addresses assigned to columns of defective regular memory cells replaced with the columns of the redundant memory cells . the program circuit 38 is similar in circuit arrangement to that of the first prior art random access memory device shown in fig2 and 3 , and produces a disable signal kl and redundant column selecting signals sy1 to syn when the external column address bits are indicative of block and column addresses assigned to one of the columns of the defective regular memory cells . fig6 illustrates a decoder unit 37m incorporated in the block decoder circuit 37 , and comprises a nand gate na3 , nor gates nr1 and nr2 and an inverter iv4 . the decoder unit 37m is assumed to be associated with one of the regular memory cell blocks 30i , and , accordingly , the subscript m is selected from 1 to n . the other decoder units are respectively associated with the other regular memory cell blocks , and the other decoder units are similar in circuit arrangement to the decoder unit 37m . the higher order bits of the column address predecoded signals are selectively supplied to the nand gate na3 , and the disable signal kl and one of the redundant column selecting signals sym are supplied to the nor gates nr1 and nr2 . the subscript m is also selected from 1 to n . if the higher order bits of the column address predecoded signals are indicative of the regular memory cell block 30m , all of the column address predecoded signals supplied to the nand gate na3 are logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , and the nand gate na3 supplies logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; bit to the nor gate nr1 . if the external column address bits are not indicative of one of the columns of the defective regular memory cells , the disable signal kl remains in logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level , and the nor gate nr1 supplies a logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; bit to the next nor gate nr2 . in this situation , the redundant column selecting signal sym remains in logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level , and the nor gate nr2 supplies a logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; bit to the inverter iv4 . the redundant column selecting signal sym is indicative of the redundant memory cell sub - block 31m where the subscript m is between 1 to n . then , the inverter produces the block selecting signal bssm where the subscript m is also between one and n . however , if the external column address bits are indicative of the block and column addresses assigned to one of the columns of the defective regular memory cells , the disable signal kl is shifted to logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , and the nor gate nr1 produces a logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; bit regardless of the logic level at the other input node . in other words , the nand gate na3 is not responsive to the higher order bits of the column address predecoded signals , and the nr gate nr2 is enabled with the logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; bit . if the program circuit 38 acknowledges the block and column addresses indicated by the external column address bits to be consistent with one of the plurality sets of block and column addresses stored in the program circuit 38 , the program circuit 38 shifts the redundant column selecting signal sym to logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level , the nor gate nr2 supplies a logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; bit to the inverter iv4 , and the inverter iv4 shifts the block selecting signal bssi to active logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; level . on the other hand , if another redundant memory cell sub - block is selected by the program circuit 38 , the redundant column selecting signal bssm remains in logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level , and the nor gate nr2 causes the inverter iv4 to shift the block selecting signal bssi to inactive logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level . thus , the block address decoder circuit 37 allows one of the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n to becomes accessible . even if the column of the defective memory cells and the redundant memory cell sub - block are associated with different regular memory cell blocks , the block address decoder circuit 37 of the present invention replaces the column of the defective regular memory cells with the redundant memory cell sub - block . the data transmission sub - unit comprises regular column selector circuits 391 , 392 , 393 , . . . and 39n respectively associated with the regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n , transfer gates 401 . 402 , 403 , . . . and 40n respectively coupled with the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n , sense amplifier / write driver circuits 411 , 412 , 413 , . . . and 41n coupled with the regular column selector circuits 391 to 39n as well as with the transfer gates 401 to 40n , and an input / output data buffer circuit 43 shared between the sense amplifier / write driver circuits 411 to 41n . however , any redundant sense amplifier / write driver circuit is provided for the redundant memory cell block 31 . the row address decoder circuits 351 to 35n and the sense amplifier / write driver circuits 411 to 41n are selectively enabled with the block selecting signals bss0 to bssn , and the column selector circuits 391 to 39n are responsive to the column selecting signals css for selecting the columns assigned the column address from the respective regular memory cell blocks 301 to 30n . the transfer gates 401 to 40n are responsive to the redundant column selecting signals sy1 to syn , and selectively couple the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n with the associated sense amplifier / write driver circuits 411 to 41n . in this instance , the sense amplifier / write driver circuits 411 to 41n serve as a plurality of amplifier means , and one of the transfer gates 401 to 40n serves as a transfer means . the random access memory device thus arranged behaves as follows . if any column of the regular memory cells is not replaced with the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n , the column address decoder circuit 36 and the block address decoder circuit 37 are enabled without the disable signal kl at all times , and the block address decoder circuit 37 enables one of the regular row address decoder circuits 351 to 35n and one of the sense amplifier / write driver circuits 411 to 41n on the basis of the external column address bits ay0 to ayj . in the read - out phase of operation , the enabled regular row address decoder circuit is responsive to the address predecoded signals acx0 to acxi / adx0 to adxi , and drives one of the word lines wl1 to wls . then , data bits are read out from the regular memory cells coupled with the selected word line of the associated memory cell block to the associated digit line pairs d1 to dt . the associated column selector circuit is responsive to the column selecting signals css , and transfers one of the data bits on the digit line pairs d1 to dt to the associated sense amplifier / wire driver circuit . the differential voltage indicative of the selected data bit is developed by the sense amplifier and the developed differential voltage is relayed to the input / output data buffer circuit 43 . the read - out data bit is delivered from the input / output data buffer circuit 43 . on the other hand , if the random access memory device entered in the write - in phase of operation , a write - in data bit is relayed vice versa , and written into one of the regular memory cells of the selected regular memory cell block coupled with the selected word line . on the other hand , if columns of defective regular memory cells are respectively replaced with the columns of the redundant memory cells or the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n , the program circuit 38 stores sets of block and column addresses assigned to the columns of the defective regular memory cells by selectively breaking fuse elements . if the random access memory device is established in the read - out phase , the address predecoded signals acy0 to acyj / ady0 to adyj supply the block and column addresses indicated by the external column address bits ay0 to ayj to the program circuit 38 , and the program circuit 38 compares the block and column addresses with the sets of block and column addresses stored therein . if the block and column addresses are not consistent with any one of the sets of block and column addresses , the block and column address decoder circuits 37 and 36 behave as those described hereinbefore . however , if the block and column addresses are matched with one if the sets of block and column addresses , the program circuit 38 disables the column and block address decoder circuits 36 and 37 with the disable signal kl , and shifts one of the redundant column selecting signals sy1 to syn to an active level . the block address decoder circuit 37 is not responsive to the higher order bits of the column address predecoded signals acy0 to acyj / ady0 to adyj , and becomes responsive to the redundant column selecting signal of the active level . then , the block address decoder circuit 37 shifts one of the block selecting signal corresponding to the redundant column selecting signal to the active level , and the block selecting signal of the active level enables the row address decoder circuit as well as the sense amplifier / write driver circuit . one of the transfer gates 401 to 40n turns on with the redundant columl selecting signal of the active level , and a data bit is transferred from the associated redundant memory cell sub - block to the associated sense amplifier / write driver circuit . the data bit read out from the redundant memory cell sub - block is developed by the sense amplifier / write driver circuit , and is transferred to the input / output data buffer circuit 13 . if the random access memory device is established in the write - in phase , a write - in data bit is propagated vice versa , and stored in one of the redundant memory cells . as will be understood from the foregoing description , block decoder circuit 37 incorporated in the random access memory device allows a data bit to be read out from any one of the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 311 to 31n even if the column of defective regular memory cells and the redundant memory cell sub - block are associated with different regular memory cell blocks , and improves the production yield . turning to fig7 of the drawings , another random access memory device embodying the present invention is illustrated . the random access memory device shown in fig7 is similar in circuit arrangement to the first embodiment except for a redundant memory cell sub - blocks 51a and 51b selectively associated with the regular memory cell blocks , and a block address decoder circuit 52 comprises first decoder units for the regular memory cell blocks 303 to 30n associated with the redundant memory cell sub - blocks 51a and 51b , and second decoder units for the regular memory cell blocks 301 and 302 without any redundant memory cell sub - block . the first decoder units are similar in circuit arrangement to the decoder unit 37m shown in fig6 and each of the second decoder units comprises nand gates na4 and na5 and inverters iv5 , iv6 and iv7 as shown in fig8 . the nand gate na5 produces a logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; bit regardless of the column address predecoded signals supplied to the nand gate na4 in the presence of the disable signal kl , and the inverter iv7 shifts the block selecting signal bss1 or bss2 to logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level . for this reason , the associated row address decoder circuit and the sense amplifier / write driver circuit are not enabled . however , if the disable signal kl goes down to logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; level , the inverter iv6 enables the nand gate na5 with the logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; bit , and the inverter iv7 shifts the block selecting signal bss1 or bss2 between logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; depending upon the column address predecoded signals supplied to the nand gate na4 . the other circuit behavior is analogous , and no further description is incorporated hereinbelow for the sake of simplicity . although particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described , it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . for example , a random access memory device according to the present invention may be incorporated in an ultra large scale integration together with other component devices .	6
for a more adequate understanding of the invention , reference should be had to the drawing wherein there is shown an anti - pilfering device 10 to be employed with a plurality of items 12 displayed in a row , as is common merchandising practice with items of the type shown . the items 12 generally comprise a product 14 which is contained in a shrink package , or bubble pack type packaging on a card 15 , the card 15 having a plurality of holes 16 formed therein such that the item 12 may be supported from a rod , or arrangement of rods , for display purposes . as best shown in fig3 the single central opening 16 is received onto a single rod 18 having an upwardly directed portion 19 at its free end . at the opposite end of the rod 18 , a downwardly projecting leg 20 is affixed to a u - shaped element 22 having a pair of upwardly directed free ends 23 one of which is visible in fig2 of the drawing , the other being identical and lying behind the free end 23 shown . the rod 18 is mounted on the wall surface of a peg board 24 having a plurality of holes 25 formed therein . in assembling the rod 18 to the peg board 24 , the rod is tipped upwardly and the free ends 23 inserted through a pair of openings 25 in the peg board , such that when the rod is dropped to a position shown in fig2 the free ends 23 lie behind the peg board 24 and the downwardly projecting leg 20 rests against the wall surface of the peg board to support the rod 18 substantially at right angles from the surface of the peg board . the structure thus far described is similar to that employed in many stores and outlets , and from which products such as the items 12 are displayed . the items 12 are generally removed in any quantity desired by grasping the number of items and in one motion pulling them forwardly away from the surface of the peg board 24 and from the free end 19 of the rod 18 . in order to limit the number of items which may be removed from the rod 18 in a single gesture , or motion , the present invention provides an anti - pilferage fixture which is generally formed of a plurality of wire members bent to produce the desired configuration and / or welded or soldered for attachment one to the other to form the fixture . as best shown in fig1 the fixture comprises a pair of elongated side members 26 and 28 which extend outwardly from the surface of the peg board 25 and are connected at the forward ends by a substantially horizontal front member 29 . a substantially rectangular frame 30 is attached to the side members 26 and 28 at a predetermined location spaced rearwardly from the front member 29 . the rectangular frame 30 comprises an upper arm 32 , a pair of side arms 33 and 34 , and a pair of lower arms 35 and 36 which form the bottom member of the rectangular frame . the lower arms 35 and 36 each terminate substantially near the center of the rectangular frame 30 and are connected to a pair of bottom members 38 and 40 respectively , each extending rearwardly from the rectangular frame 30 toward the surface of the peg board 24 . as is shown , the free end of the bottom member 38 is directed toward the peg board 24 while the free end of the bottom member 40 is bent at a right angle to the member 40 to lie parallel to the surface of the peg board 24 . referring still to fig1 it will be noted that the rearwardly extending ends of the side members 26 and 28 each are bent inwardly towards one another and substantially parallel to the surface of the peg board 24 . a pair of loops 42 and 44 are formed at each free end of the side members 26 and 28 respectively , each forming an opening for receiving a headed fastener 46 . the headed fastener 46 is provided with a plurality of outwardly projected protuberances 48 on its shank which are dimensioned for interference fit when extended through a respective opening 25 in the peg board 24 . referring now to fig1 and 2 , with the rod 18 mounted as previously described to the peg board 24 , in order to accommodate the anti - pilferage fixture , a spring 50 is threaded along the rod 18 and has its free end inserted between the u - shaped element 22 and the peg board 24 . the items 12 are attached to the rod 18 in alignment by inserting the free end of the rod through the center opening 16 in each of the cards 15 , onto which the product 14 is mounted . with the items 12 in place , the fixture is held as shown in fig1 and the headed fasteners 46 inserted through the loops 42 and 44 . the loops 42 and 44 are aligned with a pair of openings 35 in the peg board 24 and the free end of the bottom member 38 has been formed such that it is also in alignment with another opening 25 in the peg board 24 . the loops 42 and 44 are then placed in contact with the surface of the peg board and the fasteners 46 are forced through openings 25 to retain the fixture in place with the free end of the bottom member 38 extending through an opening 25 in the peg board 24 , and the free end of the bottom member 40 resting on the surface of the peg board 24 . as is shown in fig3 taken in conjunction with fig2 with the fixture so located , the upwardly directed portion 19 of the rod 18 extends beyond the rectangular frame 30 a predetermined distance as does the front member 29 , to inhibit more than a predetermined number ( for example one or two ) of the items 12 to be moved forward of the rectangular frame 30 and rearwardly of the front member 29 which is the area permitting removal of the items from the upwardly directed portion 19 of the rod 18 . in operation , the anti - pilferage device 10 offers the plurality of items 12 in view of the customer and allows the customer to peruse the information contained on the card 15 and to examine the product 14 with relative ease . should the customer desire to purchase an item , or in some cases a pair of items , depending on the area provided between the upwardly directed portion 19 of the rod 18 and the front member 29 , the items are grasped and moved forwardly and upwardly from the space between the upwardly turned end 19 and the front member 29 . however , should a person desire to remove a great number , or all of the items 12 from the rod 18 , it would require that he perform a number of separate removal operations requiring a length of time which would enhance the opportunity to be detected by store personnel , thus lessening the likelihood of pilferage . additionally , due to the side members 26 and 28 , and the bottom members 38 and 40 , the items are inhibited from movement either in the lateral direction or in the downward direction should the person desire to force the items 12 from the rod 18 in the downward or sidewise direction by tearing the card 15 adjacent the opening 16 . although it is apparent that changes and modification may be made within the spirit and scope of the present application , it is my intention , however , only to be limited by the appended claims . as my invention ,	0

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