samples/sft_train.sample.jsonl

{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: System And Method For Managing Game-Playing Experiences\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nHuman beings naturally enjoy interacting in social groups, mutually sharing their knowledge and experience, as well as exhibiting competitive behaviour in order to define a hierarchy of respect within the social groups. Such interaction occurs in many different contexts, amongst which are included competitive sports and competitive games, including electronic games requiring player skill and aptitude. Within a given social group, it is not sufficient for a given individual merely to try to assert their position within a given hierarchy of the given social group, but requires evidence of a given degree of skill in playing games having been achieved. Similar parallels are to be found in physical sports by awarding of medals in recognition of independently-verified performance having been achieved, for example Olympic gold medals. Electronic games are susceptible to being played within social groups, either with multiple users playing temporally simultaneously or by multiple users playing at mutually different times and then comparing their attained results, for example highest achieved scores, when playing the electronic games. However, merely comparing attained scores is not regarded socially as being most exciting, whereas highlights of game-playing resulting in highest achieved scores being achieved both proves attainment of the highest scores, as well as being inspiration to other players for improving their skills and game playing technique. In practice, considerable time is potentially expended playing electronic games, such that recording such game-playing experiences results in considerable recorded content, which, for example, needs to be edited to filter out therefrom game playing highlights which might be of interest and inspiration to other players of the game. At present, facilities for providing such identification of highlights are not sufficiently well developed. In U.S. Pat. No. 81,387,104B, there is described a system and method for creating, editing, and sharing video content pertaining to video game events. The method results in a relatively limited amount of metadata associated with video content pertaining to video game events being generated for enabling the events to be edited and shared with other users. For example, one set of metadata is generated which describes a game-playing encounter, instead of a stream of metadata events; the set of metadata allows mapping of metadata events directly to a timeline through one or more timestamps included in the set of metadata, thereby enabling features beneficial to implementing automated editing of recorded video content to identify interesting moments within the recorded video content based in the set of metadata. Thus, summarizing above, sharing game-playing experiences of an original player as multiple linked streams of video content, audio content and game data enables other players to replay and thereby appreciate the original player's game-playing experiences. For contemporary electronic games, it takes a long time to replay gaming-experiences for many such games, resulting in recorded game-playing experiences of long viewing duration. Moreover, a problem encountered in practice is that it is difficult and time-consuming for a given player to edit his/her game-playing experience to include only certain types of events, for example based upon their potential interest or appeal to other players to whom the game-playing experience is to be presented. Moreover, it is also difficult for other players replaying game-playing experiences of other players to discover relevant game-playing experiences, or sub-parts thereof, by reviewing algebraic or social recommendations that are imprecise or difficult to interpret. Furthermore, contemporary searching for interesting game-playing experiences is difficult because game-playing experiences can only be searched using text descriptions entered manually by a given player desirable to appreciate other players' experiences. Additionally, even if the aforesaid difficulties are overcome, it is difficult to navigate within a given game-playing experience identified by aforementioned searching, to find interesting parts to watch.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA system for managing game-playing experiences includes one or more game-playing devices provided with communication interfaces for exchanging game-playing experiences therebetween. Each device includes computing hardware coupled to a graphical interface for presenting an interactive game thereupon. The computing hardware is operable to execute one or more game software products recorded on machine-readable data storage media for generating the interactive game. The one or more game software products include a game experience software module (GESW) for generating metadata concurrently with recording the game-playing experience substantially as presented via the graphical interface which enables the recorded game-playing experience to be subsequently managed prior to communication for distribution for viewing. Optionally, the metadata includes one or more metadata events which are searchable when subsequently viewing the game-playing experience."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A system for managing game-playing experiences, comprising:\na game playing device configured to execute an interactive computer game, record an execution of the computer game and record an image of a user of the game playing device during execution of the computer game, the recorded execution of the computer game and image of the user during execution of the computer game comprising a gameplay experience;\nanother game playing device configured to record a gameplay experience;\na communication interface for exchanging game-playing experiences between the game playing devices;\nthe game playing devices comprising computing hardware coupled to a graphical interface for presenting the interactive computer game thereupon, and wherein the computing hardware is configured to execute a game software product recorded on machine-readable data storage;\nthe one or more game software products include a game experience software module (GESW) for generating metadata concurrently with recording the game-playing experience substantially as presented via the graphical interface which enables the recorded game-playing experience to be subsequently managed prior to communication for distribution for viewing.\n\n2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metadata is generated by the user or generated automatically by the game experience software module.\n\n3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the metadata is recording during execution of the interactive computer game.\n\n4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the metadata includes timestamps for synchronizing with timestamps included in the recorded game-playing experience.\n\n5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the metadata is configured to describe a corresponding game-playing experience; edit the game-playing experience; annotate the game-playing experience; highlight the game-playing experience; to execute searches; navigate contents of the game-playing experience; share the game-playing experience; describe the user through his gameplay in one or multiple games; and recommend to a user interesting other users or game-play experiences that are relevant based on the metadata collected about users and game-play experiences and correlations between them.\n\n6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metadata is linked to the user that generated the game-playing experience and an interactive game from which the metadata was recorded.\n\n7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the game experience software module includes computer executable instructions, that when executed by the computing hardware are configured to:\nrecord multiple streams of data corresponding to the game playing experience comprising a video content corresponding to the game playing experience, an audio content corresponding to the game playing experience, a video content of the user captured using a camera recording device during execution of the interactive computer game, screen shots of the execution of the interactive game including graphical user interface elements, and a stream of metadata events corresponding to the game playing experience.\n\n8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metadata includes one or more metadata events which are searchable when subsequently searching for gameplay experiences and while viewing the game-playing experience.\n\n9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication interfaces are configured to communicate the recorded game-playing experience via a database arrangement for selective distribution therefrom to viewers.\n\n10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the database arrangement is configured to generate one or more social groups of users and related properties for selective distribution of game-playing experiences therebetween.\n\n11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the devices are implemented using at least one of: smart telephones, pad computers, tablet computers, lap-top computers, personal computers, game-playing consoles.\n\n12. A method of managing game-playing experiences in a system, wherein the system includes one or more game-playing devices provided with communication interfaces for exchanging game-playing experiences therebetween, wherein each device includes computing hardware coupled to a graphical interface for presenting an interactive game thereupon, and wherein the computing hardware is configured to execute one or more game software products including a game experience software module recorded on machine-readable data storage media for generating the interactive game, wherein the method comprises:\nrecording an execution of the computer game and an image of a user of the game playing device during execution of the computer game on a recording device of the game playing device, the recorded execution of the computer game and image of the user during execution of the computer game comprising a gameplay experience;\nusing the game experience software module to generate metadata concurrently with recording the game-playing experience substantially as presented via the graphical interface for enabling the recorded game-playing experience to be subsequently managed prior to communication for distribution for viewing.\n\n13. The method as claimed in claim 12, comprising arranging for the metadata to include timestamps for synchronizing with timestamps included in the recorded game-playing experience.\n\n14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising arranging for the metadata to include one or more metadata events which are searchable when subsequently searching for gameplay experiences and while viewing the game-playing experience.\n\n15. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising generating one or more metadata events automatically by the game experience software module (GESW).\n\n16. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising operating the communication interfaces to communicate recorded game-playing experiences via a database arrangement for selective distribution therefrom to viewers.\n\n17. A method as claimed in claim 16, comprising operating the database arrangement to generate one or more social groups of users and related properties for selective distribution of game-playing experiences therebetween.\n\n18. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the devices comprise one or more of smart telephones, pad computers, tablet computers, lap-top computers, personal computers or game-playing consoles.\n\n19. The method as claimed in claim 12, comprising filtering and editing the recorded game-play experience prior to broadcasting the recording game-play experience to others by splitting the recorded game-playing experience into segments, where each segment is associated with a metadata event, the metadata event defining a starting point and an ending point of the segment and an annotation of the segment.\n\n20. The method as claimed in claim 12, comprising:\nrecord multiple streams of linked data corresponding to the game playing experience, the multiple streams of linked data comprising a video content corresponding to the game playing experience, an audio content corresponding to the game playing experience, a video content of the user captured using a camera recording device during execution of the interactive computer game, and screen shots of the execution of the interactive game including graphical user interface elements; and\nrecording a stream of metadata events corresponding to the game playing experience concurrently with the recording of the multiple streams of linked data.\n\n21. A software product (GESW) recorded on a non-transitory machine-readable data storage media, wherein the software product is executable upon computing hardware for managing game-playing experiences in a system,\nwherein the system includes one or more game-playing devices provided with communication interfaces for exchanging game-playing experiences therebetween,\nwherein each device includes computing hardware coupled to a graphical interface for presenting an interactive game thereupon, and\nwherein the computing hardware is configured to execute one or more game software products including a game experience software module recorded on machine-readable data storage media for generating the interactive game, by:\nrecording an execution of the computer game and an image of a user of the game playing device during execution of the computer game on a recording device of the game playing device, the recorded execution of the computer game and image of the user during execution of the computer game comprising a gameplay experience;\nusing the game experience software module to generate metadata concurrently with recording the game-playing experience substantially as presented via the graphical interface for enabling the recorded game-playing experience to be subsequently managed prior to communication for distribution for viewing."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Electromyographic Lead Positioning And Stimulation Titration In A Nerve Stimulation System For Treatment Of Overactive Bladder\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nTreatments with implantable neurostimulation systems have become increasingly common in recent years. While such systems have shown promise in treating a number of conditions, effectiveness of treatment may vary considerably between patients. A number of factors may lead to the very different outcomes that patients experience, and viability of treatment can be difficult to determine before implantation. For example, stimulation systems often make use of an array of electrodes to treat one or more target nerve structures. The electrodes are often mounted together on a multi-electrode lead, and the lead implanted in tissue of the patient at a position that is intended to result in electrical coupling of the electrode to the target nerve structure, typically with at least a portion of the coupling being provided via intermediate tissues. Other approaches may also be employed, for example, with one or more electrodes attached to the skin overlying the target nerve structures, implanted in cuffs around a target nerve, or the like. Regardless, the physician will typically seek to establish an appropriate treatment protocol by varying the electrical stimulation that is applied to the electrodes. Current stimulation electrode placement/implantation techniques and known treatment setting techniques suffer from significant disadvantages. The nerve tissue structures of different patients can be quite different, with the locations and branching of nerves that perform specific functions and/or enervate specific organs being challenging to accurately predict or identify. The electrical properties of the tissue structures surrounding a target nerve structure may also be quite different among different patients, and the neural response to stimulation may be markedly dissimilar, with an electrical stimulation pulse pattern, pulse width, frequency, and/or amplitude that is effective to affect a body function of one patient and potentially imposing significant discomfort or pain, or having limited effect, on another patient. Even in patients where implantation of a neurostimulation system provides effective treatment, frequent adjustments and changes to the stimulation protocol are often required before a suitable treatment program can be determined, often involving repeated office visits and significant discomfort for the patient before efficacy is achieved. While a number of complex and sophisticated lead structures and stimulation setting protocols have been implemented to seek to overcome these challenges, the variability in lead placement results, the clinician time to establish suitable stimulation signals, and the discomfort (and in cases the significant pain) that is imposed on the patient remain less than ideal. In addition, the lifetime and battery life of such devices is relatively short, such that implanted systems are routinely replaced every few years, which requires additional surgeries, patient discomfort, and significant costs to healthcare systems. Furthermore, since the morphology of the nerve structures vary considerably between patients, placement and alignment of neurostimulation leads relative the targeted nerve structures can be difficult to control, which can lead to inconsistent placement, unpredictable results and widely varying patient outcomes. For these reasons, neurostimulation leads typically include multiple electrodes with the hope that at least one electrode or a pair of electrodes will be disposed in a location suitable for delivering neurostimulation. One drawback with this approach is that repeated office visits may be required to determine the appropriate electrodes to use and/or to arrive at a neurostimulation program that delivers effective treatment. Often, the number of usable neurostimulation programs may be limited by imprecise lead placement. The tremendous benefits of these neural stimulation therapies have not yet been fully realized. Therefore, it is desirable to provide improved neurostimulation methods, systems and devices, as well as methods for implanting and configuring such neurostimulation systems for a particular patient or condition being treated. It would be particularly helpful to provide such systems and methods so as to improve ease of use by the physician in positioning and configuring the system, as well as improve patient comfort and alleviation of symptoms for the patient.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nThe present invention provides improved methods for positioning of an implantable lead in a patient with an integrated EMG and stimulation clinician programmer. The integrated clinician programmer is coupled to the implantable lead, wherein the implantable lead comprises at least four electrodes, and to at least one EMG sensing electrode minimally invasively positioned on a skin surface or within the patient. The method comprises delivering a test stimulation at a stimulation amplitude level from the integrated clinician programmer to a nerve tissue of the patient with a principal electrode of the implantable lead. Test stimulations are delivered at a same stimulation amplitude level for a same period of time sequentially to each of the four electrodes of the implantable lead. A stimulation-induced EMG motor response is recorded with the integrated clinician programmer for each test stimulation on each electrode of the implantable lead via the at least one pair of EMG sensing electrodes so as to facilitate initial positioning of the implantable lead at a target stimulation region."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A method for improved positioning of an implantable neurostimulation lead in a patient with clinician programmer coupled to the implantable lead for treatment of bladder and/or bowel dysfunction, wherein the implantable lead comprises at least four neurostimulation electrodes, and at least one EMG sensing electrode minimally invasively positioned on a skin surface or within the patient, the method comprising:\ndelivering a first test stimulation at a stimulation amplitude level from the clinician programmer to a nerve tissue of the patient with a principal electrode of the implantable lead, wherein the principal electrode is selected from the at least four neurostimulation electrodes of the implantable lead;\ndelivering another test stimulation at a same stimulation amplitude level for a same period of time sequentially to each remaining electrode for the at least four electrodes of the implantable lead from the clinician programmer;\nreceiving, with the clinician programmer, EMG information based on recording a stimulation-induced EMG motor response for each test stimulation on each electrode of the implantable lead via the at least one EMG sensing electrode so as to provide improved lateral and/or axial resolution of the at least four electrodes relative to a target nerve for positioning of the implantable lead at a target stimulation region along the target nerve for treatment of bladder and/or bowel dysfunction;\noutputting feedback on a graphical user interface of the clinician programmer, the feedback based on the EMG information associated with the first test stimulation of the principal electrode and the other test stimulations of remaining electrodes, the feedback indicating proximity of the at least four electrodes relative the target nerve so as to facilitate improved placement of the at least four electrodes along the target nerve; and repeating steps of: delivering a test stimulation to the principle electrodes and each remaining electrode at a same stimulation and period of time, receiving EMG information based on recording a stimulation-induces EMG motor response for each test stimulation, and outputting feedback on the graphical user interface of the clinician programmer based on the EMG information until the EMG information is indicative of multiple electrodes of the at least four neurostimulation electrodes being within the target stimulation region along the target nerve.\n\n2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\nselecting a principal electrode based on a user input received via the graphical user interface of the clinician programmer.\n\n3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\nautomatically adjusting the stimulation amplitude level of the test stimulation for the principal electrode until a desired stimulation-induced motor response is detected by use of EMG and received by the clinician programmer.\n\n4. The method of claim 3, wherein automatically adjusting comprises increasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.05 mA for a test stimulation less than or equal to 1 mA.\n\n5. The method of claim 3, wherein automatically adjusting comprises any of:\nincreasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.05 mA for a test stimulation less than or equal to 1 mA;\nincreasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.1 mA for a test stimulation more than or equal to 1 mA and less than or equal to 2 mA;\nincreasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.2 mA for a test stimulation more than or equal to 2 mA and less than or equal to 3 mA; and\nincreasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.25 mA for a test stimulation more than or equal to 3 mA.\n\n6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user input related to adjustment of the stimulation amplitude level of the test stimulation for the principal electrode in increments in a range from 0.05 mA to 0.25 mA to achieve a desired stimulation-induced motor response indicated via an EMG and shown on a graphical user interface of the clinician programmer.\n\n7. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time is such that a sweeping cycle of the implantable lead is completed in 5 seconds or less.\n\n8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\ncalculating an EMG response value for each test stimulation delivered at a given stimulation amplitude level to each electrode based on a maximum EMG response amplitude associated with each electrode.\n\n9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\ncalculating an EMG response value for each test stimulation delivered at a given stimulation amplitude level to each electrode based on a maximum EMG response amplitude associated with each electrode which is normalized relative to an EMG response amplitude associated with the principal electrode.\n\n10. The method of claim 9, wherein the visual feedback is based at least in part on the EMG response value associated with each electrode and indicates to a user on how to laterally or axially position the implantable lead at the target stimulation region via a graphical user interface of the clinician programmer.\n\n11. The method of claim 9, further comprising calculating a relative distance or position of each electrode to the target stimulation region based on the EMG response value associated with each electrode.\n\n12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:\nrepeating the delivering test stimulations to each of the at least four electrodes of the implantable lead and recording steps after lead re-positioning to confirm the calculated EMG response value for each electrode are within a desired value range, or to confirm the maximum EMG response amplitude for each electrode are within a desired response range and the associated stimulation amplitude for each electrode is within a desired stimulation range.\n\n13. The method of claim 1, wherein the lead is inserted through a foramen of a sacrum of the patient and positioned in proximity of a sacral nerve root of the patient so as to treat bladder and/or bowel related dysfunction of the patient.\n\n14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a visual image of the recorded stimulation-induced motor response during each test stimulation on a graphical user interface of the clinician programmer, wherein the visual image includes a waveform comprising a compound muscle action potential (CMAP).\n\n15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\nvalidating lead placement by testing for a stimulation amplitude threshold for each electrode.\n\n16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:\nreceiving a user input related to an adjustment of the stimulation amplitude threshold of the test stimulation for each electrode in increments in a range from 0.05 mA to 0.25 mA to achieve a desired stimulation-induced motor response at a minimum stimulation amplitude threshold via a graphical user interface of the clinician programmer.\n\n17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying visual feedback to a user on the stimulation amplitude threshold for each electrode via a graphical user interface of the clinician programmer, wherein the visual feedback comprises color coding from at least three contrasting colors.\n\n18. A method for improved positioning of an implantable neurostimulation lead in a patient with an integrated electromyography (EMG) and stimulation clinician programmer coupled to the implantable lead for treatment of bladder and/or bowel dysfunction, wherein the implantable lead comprises at least four neurostimulation electrodes, and the integrated clinician programmer is further coupled to at least one EMG sensing electrode minimally invasively positioned on a skin surface or within the patient, the method comprising:\ndelivering a first test stimulation at a stimulation amplitude level from the integrated clinician programmer to a nerve tissue of the patient with a principal electrode of the implantable lead, wherein the principal electrode is selected from the at least four neurostimulation electrodes of the implantable lead;\ndelivering another test stimulation at a same stimulation amplitude level for a same period of time sequentially to each remaining electrode of the at least four electrodes of the implantable lead from the integrated clinician programmer;\nrecording via EMG a stimulation-induced motor response with the integrated clinician programmer for each test stimulation on each electrode of the implantable lead via the at least one EMG sensing electrode so as to provide improved lateral and/or axial resolution of the at least four electrodes relative a target nerve for positioning of the implantable lead at a target stimulation region along the target nerve for treatment of bladder and/or bowel dysfunction;\noutputting feedback on a graphical user interface of the integrated clinician programmer, the feedback based on the EMG information associated with the first test stimulation of the principal electrode and the other test stimulations of remaining electrodes, the feedback indicating proximity of the at least four electrodes relative the target nerve so as to facilitate improved placement of the at least four electrodes along the target nerve; and repeating steps of: delivering a test stimulation to the principle electrode and each remaining electrode at a same stimulation and period of time, recoding via EMG a stimulation-induces motor response for each test stimulation, and outputting feedback on the graphical user interface of the clinician programmer based on the EMG recordings until the EMG recording are indicative of multiple electrodes of the at least four neurostimulation electrodes being in the target stimulation region along the target nerve the second occurrence of.\n\n19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:\nselecting a principal electrode based on a user input received via the graphical user interface of the integrated clinician programmer.\n\n20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:\nautomatically adjusting the stimulation amplitude level of the test stimulation for the principal electrode until a desired stimulation-induced motor response is detected.\n\n21. The method of claim 20, wherein automatically adjusting comprises any of: increasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.05 mA for a test stimulation less than or equal to 1 mA; increasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.1 mA for a test stimulation more than or equal to 1 mA and less than or equal to 2 mA; increasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.2 mA for a test stimulation more than or equal to 2 mA and less than or equal to 3 mA; increasing the stimulation amplitude in increments of 0.25 mA for a test stimulation more than or equal to 3 mA; or any combination thereof.\n\n22. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a user input related to adjustment of the stimulation amplitude level of the test stimulation for the principal electrode in increments in a range from 0.05 mA to 0.25 mA to achieve a desired stimulation-induced EMG motor response via a graphical user interface of the integrated clinician programmer.\n\n23. The method of claim 18, wherein the period of time is such that a sweeping cycle of the implantable lead is completed in 5 seconds or less.\n\n24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:\ncalculating an EMG response value for each test stimulation delivered at a given stimulation amplitude level to each electrode based on a maximum EMG response amplitude associated with each electrode, or\ncalculating an EMG response value for each test stimulation delivered at a given stimulation amplitude level to each electrode based on a maximum EMG response amplitude associated with each electrode which is normalized relative to an EMG response amplitude associated with the principal electrode.\n\n25. The method of claim 24, wherein the visual feedback is based at least in part on the EMG response value associated with each electrode and indicates to a user on how to laterally or axially position the implantable lead at the target stimulation region via a graphical user interface of the integrated clinician programmer.\n\n26. The method of claim 25, further comprising calculating a relative distance or position of each electrode to the target stimulation region based on the EMG response value associated with each electrode.\n\n27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:\nrepeating the delivering test stimulations to each of the at least four electrodes of the implantable lead and recording steps after lead re-positioning to confirm the calculated EMG response value for each electrode are within a desired value range, or to confirm the maximum EMG response amplitude for each electrode are within a desired response range and the associated stimulation amplitude for each electrode is within a desired stimulation range.\n\n28. The method of claim 27, further comprising displaying a visual image of the recorded stimulation-induced EMG motor response during each test stimulation on a graphical user interface of the integrated clinician programmer, wherein the visual image includes a waveform comprising a compound muscle action potential (CMAP).\n\n29. The method of claim 18, wherein the least one EMG sensing electrode comprises one or more EMG sensing electrode patches that are minimally invasively positioned on a skin surface of the patient.\n\n30. The method of claim 18, wherein the feedback of the proximity of the at least four electrodes relative the target nerve is based on a single sweep of the single test stimulation at the same stimulation amplitude level through each of the at least four neurostimulation electrodes."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Optical Receiver With Multiple Transimpedance Amplifiers\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nField of the Disclosure The present disclosure relates generally to optical communication networks and, more particularly, to an optical receiver that includes multiple transimpedance amplifiers and a feedback control loop. Description of the Related Art Telecommunication, cable television and data communication systems use optical networks to rapidly convey large amounts of information between remote points. In an optical network, information is conveyed in the form of optical signals through optical fibers. Optical fibers may comprise thin strands of glass capable of communicating the signals over long distances. Optical networks often employ modulation schemes to convey information in the optical signals over the optical fibers. Such modulation schemes may include phase-shift keying (PSK), frequency-shift keying (FSK), amplitude-shift keying (ASK), pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM), and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). Optical networks may also include various optical elements, such as amplifiers, dispersion compensators, multiplexer/demultiplexer filters, wavelength selective switches (WSS), optical switches, couplers, etc. to perform various operations within the network. In particular, optical networks may include optical-electrical-optical (O-E-O) regeneration at reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs) when the reach of an optical signal is limited in a single optical path. As data rates for optical networks continue to increase, reaching up to 1 terabit/s (1 T) and beyond, the demands on optical signal-to-noise ratios (OSNR) also increase. High-speed optical receivers might include a photo detector that senses the incoming analog optical power and converts it into electrical current. In order to convert such a small current into a large voltage, some optical receivers include a circuit commonly referred to as a transimpedance amplifier (TIA).\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA method and system for amplifying small optical currents in an optical receiver front end system may employ multiple transimpendance amplifiers (TIAs) and feedback control loops. For example, the front end system may include a main feedback control loop (having a main TIA) and a replica feedback control loop (having a replica TIA) that, collectively, generate an optimum input common mode level for a differential amplifier operating at high data rates (e.g., speeds up to tens of gigabits per second). The replica TIA may track the noise from the power supply of the optical receiver in the substantially same manner as the main TIA. Therefore, the differential signals produced by the main control loop may not be degraded at the input to the high-speed differential amplifier. The outputs of the high-speed differential amplifier may be symmetric about the common mode level and may be suitable inputs for voltage sampling."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. An optical receiver, comprising:\na photo detector to convert an optical signal into a first electrical current signal;\na transimpedance amplifier, included in a main feedback control loop, to:\nreceive, as input, the first electrical current signal; and\noutput a first voltage signal having a first DC component;\na replica transimpedance amplifier to:\nreceive, as input, a second electrical current signal; and\noutput a second voltage signal, wherein the first DC component of the first voltage signal and a second DC component of the second voltage signal are substantially equal; and\na first differential amplifier to:\nreceive, as inputs from the transimpedance amplifier and the replica transimpedance amplifier, the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal, respectively; and\noutput a pair of output voltage signals that are symmetric about a common mode voltage,\nthe main feedback control loop comprising a third differential amplifier to:\nreceive, as input signals, the pair of output voltage signals output by the first differential amplifier; and\namplify the received input signals.\n\n2. The optical receiver of claim 1,\nwherein the optical receiver further comprises a voltage sampler; and\nwherein the pair of output voltage signals output by the first differential amplifier are inputs to the voltage sampler.\n\n3. The optical receiver of claim 1, wherein the transimpedance amplifier and the replica transimpedance amplifier are inverter-based resistive feedback amplifiers.\n\n4. The optical receiver of claim 1, wherein the photo detector comprises a photodiode.\n\n5. The optical receiver of claim 1,\nwherein the replica transimpedance amplifier is included in a replica feedback control loop;\nwherein the replica feedback control loop further comprises a second differential amplifier to:\nreceive, as inputs, the output of the replica transimpedance amplifier and a reference voltage.\n\n6. The optical receiver of claim 5, wherein the replica feedback control loop causes a common mode voltage of the output of the replica transimpedance amplifier to match the reference voltage.\n\n7. The optical receiver of claim 5, wherein the value of the reference voltage causes the second differential amplifier to operate in a linear gain region.\n\n8. The optical receiver of claim 5,\nwherein the replica feedback control loop further comprises a transistor to operate as a switch current source; and\nwherein the second electrical current signal is provided by the switch current source.\n\n9. The optical receiver of claim 1, wherein the main feedback control loop causes a DC output of the main control loop to follow the output of the replica transimpedance amplifier.\n\n10. A method of optical communication, the method comprising:\nin a main feedback control loop:\nreceiving, by a transimpedance amplifier as input from a photo detector, a first electrical current signal representing an optical signal; and\noutputting, by the transimpedance amplifier, a first voltage signal;\nin a replica feedback control loop:\nreceiving, by a replica transimpedance amplifier as input, a second electrical current signal; and\noutputting, by the replica transimpedance amplifier, a second voltage signal, wherein a first DC component of the first voltage signal and a second DC component of the second voltage signal are substantially equal;\nreceiving, by a first differential amplifier circuit as inputs from the transimpedance amplifier circuit and the replica transimpedance amplifier circuit, the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal, respectively;\noutputting, by the first differential amplifier circuit, a pair of output voltage signals that are symmetric about a common mode voltage,\nreceiving, by a third differential amplifier as inputs, the pair of output voltage signals output by the first differential amplifier; and\ncausing the output of the transimpedance amplifier to follow the output of the replica transimpedance amplifier.\n\n11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:\nin a voltage sampler:\nreceiving, as input signals, the pair of output voltage signals;\nsampling the input signals; and\ndetermining, dependent on said sampling, information encoded in the optical signal.\n\n12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:\nin the replica feedback control loop:\nreceiving, by a second differential amplifier as inputs, the output of the replica transimpedance amplifier and a reference voltage; and\ncausing a common mode voltage of the output of the replica transimpedance amplifier to match the reference voltage.\n\n13. The method of claim 10, wherein the photo detector comprises a photodiode or a phototransistor.\n\n14. The method of claim 10, wherein the transimpedance amplifier and the replica transimpedance amplifier comprise operational amplifiers.\n\n15. A method of designing an optical receiver, the method comprising:\ndesigning an inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier;\ndesigning a first differential amplifier to operate at data rates up to multiple gigabits per second;\ndesigning a second differential amplifier to operate at data rates lower than those at which the first differential amplifier operates;\ndesigning a third differential amplifier to operate at data rates lower than those at which the first differential amplifier operates;\ndesigning a feedback control loop comprising the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier, the first differential amplifier, and the second differential amplifier; and\ndesigning a replica feedback control loop comprising a replica of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier and the third differential amplifier;\nwherein an output of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier and an output of the replica of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier are inputs to the first differential amplifier; and\nwherein the feedback control loop is designed such that, once settled, it causes the output of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier to follow the output of the replica of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier,\nthe designing the replica feedback control loop comprises:\nchoosing a common mode selector reference voltage for input to the third differential amplifier; and\nthe replica feedback control loop is designed such that, once settled, it causes a common mode voltage of the output of the replica of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier to match the common mode selector reference voltage.\n\n16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:\ndetermining whether the feedback control loop is stable over a wide range of processes, voltages, temperatures, and common mode selector reference voltages; and\nin response to determining that the feedback control loop is not stable over a wide range of processes, voltages, temperatures, or common mode selector reference voltages, modifying the design of the feedback control loop to improve stability, wherein modifying the design comprises modifying a structure, an input, or an operating parameter of one or more of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier, the first differential amplifier, or the second differential amplifier.\n\n17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:\ndetermining whether the replica feedback control loop is stable over a wide range of processes, voltages, temperatures, and common mode selector reference voltages; and\nin response to determining that the replica feedback control loop is not stable over a wide range of processes, voltages, temperatures, or common mode selector reference voltages, modifying the design of the replica feedback control loop to improve stability, wherein modifying the design comprises modifying a structure, an input, or an operating parameter of one or more of the replica of the inverter-based resistive feedback amplifier or the third differential amplifier."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Solid State Power Controller For Aerospace Led Systems\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nThe present disclosure relates to solid state power control systems, and more specifically, to a solid state power controller (SSPC) for aerospace light emitting diode (LED) systems. Modern aircraft lighting systems (internal and external lighting systems) are moving to LED based solutions due to the increased efficiency, reliability, and controllability of LEDs. LED lights are typically arranged in series strings of LEDs that are driven with a controlled current to ensure consistent intensity of each LED element. Traditional aircraft power systems are developed around incandescent lights driven directly from the distributed aircraft voltage. Current LED lighting systems fit into a traditional aircraft electrical power system as shown in FIG. 1 . Conventional electrical power distribution systems may include a circuit protection device 1 to disconnect a load such as, for example, LED light string 2 in case of a fault. This protection device in modern aircraft is often a solid state power controller (SSPC). Circuit protection device 1 often connects to a LED light power conversion module 3 , which controls LED light string 2 . As shown in FIG. 2 , electrical power distribution systems may include a circuit protection device 206 to disconnect the load 208 from the aircraft power 202 in case of fault. Circuit protection device 206 , found in most modern aircrafts, is often a solid state power controller (SSPC). The SSPC typically protects the aircraft wiring and electrical power system from faults in the load or load wiring by implementing I 2 t protection circuitry. Retrofitting LED lighting solutions to existing SSPCs requires additional power electronics to convert the distributed voltages into a controlled current. The addition of additional power control elements can add weight to the aircraft and may further add complexity in maintaining the various components.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA light emitting diode (LED) control system may include a LED control system for an aircraft. The LED control system may include an LED power controller, and a solid state power controller (SSPC) that includes a processor in communication with the LED power controller, where the LED power controller and the solid state power controller are integrated onto a single power module. The LED control system is configured to receive DC power from a power source, determine, via the processor, current flow through a series MOSFET element connecting to at least one LED, to control operational voltage across the at least one LED, and adjust, via the processor, a gate voltage of the series MOSFET element with the LED power controller."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A light emitting diode (LED) control system for an aircraft comprising:\nan LED power controller; and\na solid state power controller (SSPC) comprising:\na processor in communication with the LED power controller, wherein the LED power controller and the SSPC are integrated onto a single power module; and\na shunt MOSFET element and an inductive element connected between a series MOSFET element and a ground;\nwherein the LED control system is configured to:\nreceive DC power from a power source;\ndetermine, via the processor, a current flow through the series MOSFET element connecting to at least one LED, to control operational voltage across the at least one LED; and\nadjust, via the processor, a gate voltage of the series MOSFET element with the LED power controller.\n\n2. The LED control system of claim 1, wherein the single power module is configured to operate as part of a secondary power distribution assembly (SPDA).\n\n3. The LED control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to pass a predetermined current through the series MOSFET element by either increasing or decreasing a total circuit impedance via the series MOSFET element.\n\n4. The LED control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to modulate at least one of the series MOSFET element and the shunt MOSFET element with a pulse modulation signal.\n\n5. The LED control system of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to pass a predetermined current to the at least one LED by pulsing either a buck current or a boost current.\n\n6. The LED control system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive feedback information from the LED power controller, wherein the feedback information is indicative of a status of the at least one LED.\n\n7. The LED control system of claim 6, wherein the status includes brightness information indicative of a relative brightness of the at least one LED.\n\n8. The LED control system of claim 6, wherein the status includes aging data indicative of an age of the at least one LED.\n\n9. The LED control system of claim 6, wherein the status is indicative of a health and status of the at least one LED.\n\n10. A computer-implemented method for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) control system for an aircraft comprising:\nconfiguring a processor in an LED power controller to be in communication with a solid state power controller (SSPC), wherein the LED power controller and the SSPC are integrated into a single power module;\nreceiving, at the single power module, DC power from a power source;\ndetermining, via the processor, current flow through a series MOSFET element connecting to at least one LED, to control operational voltage across the at least one LED; and\na shunt MOSFET element and an inductive element connected between a series MOSFET element and a ground; and\nadjusting, via the processor, a gate voltage of the series MOSFET element with the LED power controller.\n\n11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the single power module is configured to operate as part of a secondary power distribution assembly (SPDA).\n\n12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, comprising:\npassing, via the processor, a predetermined current through the series MOSFET element by either increasing or decreasing a total circuit impedance via the series MOSFET element.\n\n13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising modulating, via the processor, at least one of the series MOSFET element and the shunt MOSFET element with a pulse modulation signal.\n\n14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising passing, via the processor, a predetermined current to the at least one LED by pulsing either a buck current or a boost current, or both of the buck current and the boost current.\n\n15. The computer-implemented method of claim of claim 10, further comprising receiving feedback information from the LED power controller, wherein the feedback information is indicative of a status of the at least one LED.\n\n16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the status includes brightness information indicative of a relative brightness of the at least one LED.\n\n17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the status includes aging data indicative of an age of the at least one LED.\n\n18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein status is indicative of a health and status of the at least one LED."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Robot Apparatus, Exchanger Apparatus And Robot System\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a robot apparatus, an exchanger apparatus and a robot system capable of exchanging an operating unit that operates an operating object. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, work such as assembling and processing of industrial products having a small-size complicated structure, such as a camera and a printer, is automated. Components used for industrial products of this type are small-size precision components in many cases, and have a wide variety of shapes. Meanwhile, it is required to consecutively manufacture various kinds of products using a single robot apparatus, and, in manufacturing sites, a step change including exchanging end effectors and tools of the robot apparatus according to a workpiece type and a process flow change is necessary in more and more scenes. Efforts and working time are required for a worker to manually change the configuration of the robot apparatus of this type, and hence there is an increasing demand for a so-called automatic step change in which a step change is performed by programming of the robot apparatus as much as possible. Under the circumstances, robot apparatuses are required to have a small-size and simple configuration as well as specifications and performance that enable gripping of a wide variety of workpieces and work such as assembling and processing. At the same time, it is desired to: automatically exchange tools for gripping of workpieces and work such as assembling and processing, without the need for work and assistance by a worker; perform an automatic step change by changing the apparatus configuration as little as possible; and enhance the operating rate of the entire robot apparatus. With regard to the automatic exchange of an operating unit (such as the tools (end effectors) of the robot apparatus and constituent elements of the tools), it is required to reduce the size and weight of each tool, shorten the time to exchange one of the tools and the constituent elements thereof, and enhance the attachment accuracy at the time of the exchange. The tools (end effectors) include a (robot) hand for gripping/transportation, a spray gun for paint application, a welding machine and various other apparatuses, and are exchangeable with respect to a (robot) arm according to a workpiece type and a process flow change. Moreover, in the case of a tool such as a (robot) hand, portions of fingers (which may be referred to as tweezers) for handling a workpiece are exchangeable in some cases. In particular, in order to exchange the portions of the fingers of the hand, such structures as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-125867 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-091121 are proposed. For example, in a hand apparatus of an industrial robot described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-125867, a nail lock mechanism at a hand leading end is released by an arm movement, whereby old fingers are detached. Then, new fingers are attached by a similar process on the lock mechanism and a similar arm movement. In an exchanging module for a robot hand described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-091121, modularized fingers are attached and detached with respect to a hand, whereby the plurality of fingers can be collectively exchanged. The configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-125867 has a problem that: each of finger detachment and finger attachment requires one arm movement; and the finger exchanging motion thus takes time. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-125867 does not particularly devise how to enhance the positioning accuracy in coupling. In general, there is a limit on the positioning accuracy of a robot arm, and a positioning error occurs in the operation position of a fingertip. Hence, in the case of attaching a tool by a motion of the robot arm, it is necessary to provide a certain dimensional allowance (clearance) between a tool attaching portion and a tool attached portion. Particularly in the case of repetitively performing an automatic tool exchange, the possibility that mispositioning might occur in a coupling portion within the range of this dimensional allowance remains. Meanwhile, according to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-091121, when a finger module is first attached to the hand, the attachment is possible by one arm movement.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA hand at a robot arm leading end is provided with a mounting portion for a finger. The mounting portion includes a guiding unit that guides a supported portion of the finger so as to enable the supported portion to pass through from one end part of the guiding unit 31 to another end part thereof. The mounting portion further includes a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism moves the supported portion from any of end parts of the guiding unit 31 toward a mount position between the end parts, to thereby bring the supported portion of the finger into a restricting state at the mount position. Moreover, the lock mechanism moves the supported portion toward any of the end parts from the restricting state, to thereby bring the supported portion from the restricting state into a releasing state."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A robot apparatus comprising a mounting portion that detachably supports a supported portion of an operating unit that operates an operating object, wherein\nthe mounting portion includes:\na guiding unit that guides the supported portion so as to enable the supported portion to pass through from one end part of the guiding unit to another end part thereof; and\na lock mechanism that moves the supported portion from the one end part of the guiding unit toward a mount position between the one end part and the another end part, to thereby bring the supported portion into a restricting state at the mount position, and moves the supported portion toward the another end part from the restricting state, to thereby bring the supported portion from the restricting state into a releasing state.\n\n2. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opening space of each of the end parts of the guiding unit is larger than a cross-sectional space of the mount position.\n\n3. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guiding unit includes, between the guiding unit and the supported portion, a concave structure or a convex structure that restricts a guiding track along which the supported portion moves.\n\n4. The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein one of the concave structures or the convex structures included in the guiding unit is provided for each one of the supported portions.\n\n5. The robot apparatus according to claim 3, wherein four of the concave structures or the convex structures included in the guiding unit is provided for each one of the supported portions.\n\n6. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion has a tapered portion formed thereon.\n\n7. The robot apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the supported portion has a tapered portion formed thereon to be fitted to the tapered portion of the mounting portion.\n\n8. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein\nthe operating unit is fingers of an end effector, and\nthe fingers are attached and detached with respect to the guiding unit provided to the end effector.\n\n9. The robot apparatus according to claim 8, wherein\na plurality of the guiding units are arranged such that guiding directions of the guiding units are parallel to each other, and\nthe fingers are respectively attached and detached with respect to the guiding units.\n\n10. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein\nthe operating unit is an end effector of the robot apparatus, and\nthe end effector is attached and detached with respect to the guiding unit provided to an arm of the robot apparatus.\n\n11. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in one of a case of mounting the operating unit on the mounting portion and a case of removing the operating unit from the mounting portion, a position or orientation of an arm of the robot apparatus is controlled such that a guiding direction of the guiding unit is different from a direction in which a joint of the arm is pivoted.\n\n12. An exchanger apparatus adaptable to a robot apparatus comprising a mounting portion that detachably supports a supported portion of an operating unit that operates an operating object, wherein\nthe mounting portion includes:\na guiding unit that guides the supported portion so as to enable the supported portion to pass through from one end part of the guiding unit to another end part thereof; and\na lock mechanism that moves the supported portion from any of end parts of the guiding unit toward a mount position between the end parts, to thereby bring the supported portion into a restricting state at the mount position, and moves the supported portion toward any of the end parts from the restricting state, to thereby bring the supported portion from the restricting state into a releasing state,\nin a state where the supported portion is guided by the guiding unit, the robot apparatus moves the supported portion and the guiding unit relative to each other, and controls the supported portion into the restricting state via the lock mechanism, to thereby mount the operating unit on the mounting portion, and\nin the state where the supported portion is guided by the guiding unit, the robot apparatus moves the supported portion and the guiding unit relative to each other, and controls the supported portion into the releasing state via the lock mechanism, to thereby remove the operating unit from the mounting portion, wherein\nthe exchanger apparatus comprises a holding unit that holds a second operating unit different from a first operating unit mounted on the mounting portion of the robot apparatus and wherein\nthrough a relative movement between the holding unit and the mounting portion, the exchanger apparatus causes the second operating unit to: enter the guiding unit from one end part thereof; abut against the first operating unit; and push the first operating unit, to thereby cancel a restricting state of the first operating unit by the lock mechanism, and\nthrough the relative movement between the holding unit and the mounting portion, the exchanger apparatus feeds the second operating unit toward the mount position, brings the second operating unit into a restricting state by the lock mechanism, mounts the second operating unit on the mounting portion, and ejects the first operating unit from another end part of the guiding unit.\n\n13. The exchanger apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a re-holding unit that retrieves the first operating unit removed from the mounting portion and re-holds the retrieved first operating unit at a holding position of the holding unit.\n\n14. A robot system comprising:\na robot apparatus comprising a mounting portion that detachably supports a supported portion of an operating unit that operates an operating object, wherein\nthe mounting portion includes:\na guiding unit that guides the supported portion so as to enable the supported portion to pass through from one end part of the guiding unit to another end part thereof; and\na lock mechanism that moves the supported portion from any of end parts of the guiding unit toward a mount position between the end parts, to thereby bring the supported portion into a restricting state at the mount position, and moves the supported portion toward any of the end parts from the restricting state, to thereby bring the supported portion from the restricting state into a releasing state,\nin a state where the supported portion is guided by the guiding unit, the robot apparatus moves the supported portion and the guiding unit relative to each other, and controls the supported portion into the restricting state via the lock mechanism, to thereby mount the operating unit on the mounting portion, and\nin the state where the supported portion is guided by the guiding unit, the robot apparatus moves the supported portion and the guiding unit relative to each other, and controls the supported portion into the releasing state via the lock mechanism, to thereby remove the operating unit from the mounting portion;\nan exchanger apparatus adaptable to the robot apparatus, and comprising a holding unit that holds a second operating unit different from a first operating unit mounted on the mounting portion of the robot apparatus, and wherein\nthrough a relative movement between the holding unit and the mounting portion, the exchanger apparatus causes the second operating unit to: enter the guiding unit from one end part thereof; abut against the first operating unit; and push the first operating unit, to thereby cancel a restricting state of the first operating unit by the lock mechanism, and\nthrough the relative movement between the holding unit and the mounting portion, the exchanger apparatus feeds the second operating unit toward the mount position, brings the second operating unit into a restricting state by the lock mechanism, mounts the second operating unit on the mounting portion, and ejects the first operating unit from another end part of the guiding unit; and\na controlling unit configured to control the robot apparatus and the exchanger apparatus.\n\n15. The robot system according to claim 14, wherein,\nthrough the relative movement between the holding unit and the mounting portion, the controlling unit exchanges the first operating unit mounted on the robot apparatus for the second operating unit held in the holding unit of the exchanger apparatus.\n\n16. The robot system according to claim 14, wherein\nthe exchanger apparatus further comprises a re-holding unit that retrieves the first operating unit removed from the mounting portion and re-holds the retrieved first operating unit at a holding position of the holding unit."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Method For Controlling An Engine During A Restart\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nVehicle engines may be configured to shut-off during idle conditions when the vehicle comes to a stop while a brake is applied and restarted once the brake is released (e.g., a stop/start system) in order to reduce fuel consumption. Fuel consumption may be further reduced by shutting down the engine during braking or by shutting down the engine when the operator is not braking and not requesting torque, before the vehicle has come to a stop. One approach to shutdown and subsequently restart the engine while the vehicle is traveling is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,525. In the cited reference, the engine is restarted prior to a transition from free-wheel mode to engaged clutch travel mode by employing the fuel injection system using a charge regulator and/or an electric motor. In one embodiment the charge regulator reactivates the engine by sequentially activating a fuel injection system. In an alternative embodiment, engine restart may be supported by an electric motor. After the engine is restarted, the reference describes using a throttle to bring the engine speed closer to the speed of the transmission before a transmission clutch is engaged. However, it may take more time than is desired to bring the speed of the engine close to the speed of the transmission, and as a result, the clutch engagement may be delayed. On the other hand, if the clutch is engaged before the engine speed is close to the transmission speed, clutch degradation may increase. The inventors herein have recognized the above problems and have devised an approach to at least partially address them. Thus, a method for controlling an engine coupled to a transmission in a vehicle is disclosed. A method for controlling a vehicle engine, the engine being coupled to a transmission, comprising: in response to a first operating condition, restarting the engine by at least partially engaging the transmission to assist in spinning-up of the engine from rest while the vehicle is traveling; and adjusting at least one of a throttle position, spark advance, cam angle, and fuel timing in response to a second operating condition. Thus, in one example embodiment, an engine is restarted by engaging the transmission and positioning the engine controls when the engine is at rest. For example, while the vehicle is moving, the wheel torque can be supplied to the engine by engaging a clutch between the engine and the transmission. Further, engine controls can be adjusted during the start to limit engine torque during the start. Adjusting the engine controls at engine start can reduce vehicle surge and lower the amount of clutch slippage that provides a smooth the transition between non-combusting and combusting engine modes. In this way, the transmission and engine are controlled so that the engine is quickly started and so that the operator experiences less torque at engine restart. It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nVarious systems and methods are described for controlling an engine in a vehicle, the engine being coupled to a transmission. One example method comprises, under selected braking conditions, shutting-off the engine and spinning-down the engine to rest while the vehicle is traveling, and in response to a foot-off-brake event, restarting the engine by at least partially engaging the transmission and adjusting engine torque control actuators."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A system for controlling a vehicle engine, comprising:\nan engine;\na transmission;\na pump; and\na controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory that cause the controller to respond to a first operating condition by restarting the engine by at least partially engaging the transmission to assist in spinning-up of the engine from rest while a vehicle is traveling, the controller further configured to adjust at least one of a throttle position, spark advance, cam angle, and fuel timing in response to a second operating condition, and the controller further configured to control operation of the pump.\n\n2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission has a plurality of gears.\n\n3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is an engine oil pump.\n\n4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is a transmission fluid pump.\n\n5. The system of claim 1, further comprising additional instructions to adjust output of the pump responsive to ambient temperature while the engine is at rest.\n\n6. The system of claim 1, further comprising additional instructions to adjust output of the pump responsive to ambient air pressure while the engine is at rest."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Bicycle Battery Holder, Bicycle Battery, And Retaining Member For Bicycle Battery\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Field of the Invention This invention generally relates to a bicycle battery holder, a bicycle battery, and a retaining member for a bicycle battery. 2. Background Information Recently, some bicycles include electrical components that require a power source such as a bicycle battery. Conventionally, a bicycle battery holder is mounted to the bicycle to detachably hold the bicycle battery on the bicycle. One example of a bicycle battery holder is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,602,837.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA bicycle battery holder is configured to be mounted to a bicycle. The bicycle battery holder includes a first support portion and a second support portion. The first support portion is configured to support a battery at a first supporting position. The second support portion is configured to support the battery at a second supporting position, along with the first support portion. At least one of the first supporting position and the second supporting position is adjustably mounted."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A bicycle battery holder configured to be mounted to a bicycle, the bicycle battery holder comprising:\na first support portion configured to support a battery at a first supporting position, the first support portion configured to be detachably connected to a bicycle frame;\na second support portion configured to support the battery at a second supporting position, along with the first support portion; and\na moving mechanism having a rail, the second portion being slidably connected to the rail such that the rail is configured to enable the second portion to move with respect to the first portion.\n\n2. The bicycle battery holder as recited in claim 1, further comprising\na securing structure selectively securing a position of the second support portion with respect to the rail.\n\n3. The bicycle battery holder as recited in claim 1, wherein\nthe rail is configured to be detachably mounted to the bicycle frame.\n\n4. The bicycle battery holder as recited in claim 1, wherein\nthe first support portion is configured to support one end of the battery, and\nthe second support portion is configured to support the other end of the battery.\n\n5. The bicycle battery holder as recited in claim 1, wherein\nthe second support portion has one of a convex shape and a concave shape that is configured to mate with one of a protrusion and a recess of the battery having one of a convex shape and a concave shape.\n\n6. The bicycle battery holder as recited in claim 1, wherein\nthe first support portion comprises a terminal that is configured to be electrically connected to the battery.\n\n7. The bicycle battery holder as recited in claim 1, wherein\nthe second support portion comprises a lock mechanism that is configured to fix a position of the battery with respect to the second support portion.\n\n8. A bicycle battery holder comprising:\na first support portion configured to support a battery at a first supporting position;\na second support portion configured to support the battery at a second supporting position, along with the first support portion, at least one of the first supporting position and the second supporting position being adjustably mounted; and\na retaining part configured to support the battery in a portion that is different from the first support portion or the second support portion,\nthe retaining part being configured to couple the first support portion and the second support portion and change in length, corresponding to changes in a distance between the first support portion and the second support portion.\n\n9. A bicycle battery comprising:\na housing having a plurality of battery cells configured to provide electric power to an electric component of a bicycle, the housing having a first portion configured to be supportable by a bicycle battery holder and a second portion configured to be connected to another battery in a portion beside the first portion, the battery cells being configured to provide electric power to the electric component independently from another battery in a state where the another battery is connected to the second portion.\n\n10. The bicycle battery as recited in claim 9, further comprising\na first terminal provided at the first portion, which is configured to be connected to a terminal provided to one of the bicycle battery holder and a terminal of another battery.\n\n11. The bicycle battery as recited in claim 10, wherein\nthe second portion includes a second terminal configured to be connected to a first terminal of another battery.\n\n12. The bicycle battery as recited in claim 11, wherein\nthe first portion comprises a first fitting portion having one of a convex shape and a concave shape, and\nthe second portion comprises a second fitting portion having one of a convex shape and a concave shape that can be fitted with one of a protrusion and a recess of the first portion.\n\n13. The bicycle battery as recited in claim 12, wherein\nthe first fitting portion is formed around the first terminal, and\nthe second fitting portion is formed around the second terminal.\n\n14. A bicycle battery retaining member used in the bicycle battery as recited in claim 9, and comprising\na plurality of attaching portions that are attachable to another battery and the bicycle battery."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Multi-Layered Fuel Tubing\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nMultilayered or laminated rubber tubing serving as a fuel transporting hose for an automotive fuel feed line into a vehicle reservoir are available. The conduit wall may have three or more layers; a heat and gasoline-resistant inner tube; a gasoline impermeable barrier layer, an intermediate elastomeric tie layer; a weather-resistant outer tube and a reinforcing fiber matrix or layer interposed and integrated between the outer and intermediate tie layers. Even so, oxygenated fuel adversely affect a fuel hose life so that enhanced gasoline-resistant features are needed. The US EPA is in the process of establishing new, more restrictive requirements on non-automotive fuel systems that will limit the release of hydrocarbons into the environment. The State of California, through the California Air Resources Board (CARB), has taken this permeation requirement a step further by requiring a maximum permeation rate of 15 g/m 2 /day, but the test involves a 1,000 hour pre-test soak step. In addition, the test is performed on circulating fuel, measuring the capture of hydrocarbons permeating through the tube wall and the test temperature is elevated to 40\u00b0 C. The marketplace does not want to be in a position of having to use one tube/hose for California and another for the rest of the US, so it is critical that a small engine, non-automotive fuel line meets the most rigorous requirement of CARB. It is difficult to pass the CARB requirement with tube/hose made of thermoplastic materials. Most tubes/hoses that would meet such stringent requirements are made of thermoset materials. Thermoset tubes do not lend themselves easily to flexibility, sizing, continuous length, customization and are opaque. Therefore, a need remains for tubing that would meet the CARB requirements and fulfills one or more of the current disadvantages of current products.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nThe invention describes a flexible tubular article for transport of volatile hydrocarbons comprising: (a) an inner layer of a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) polymer or a polyvinylidene difluoride copolymer; (b) an intermediate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer extruded in tubular form over the inner PVDF layer, and (c) a polyvinyl chloride polymer extruded in tubular form over the outside surface of the intermediate layer and being coextensive therewith. The tubular articles of the invention have a maximum permeation rating of 15 g/m2/day under SAE J1737 test conditions."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A multi-layer tubular article consisting essentially of: (a) an inner layer of a polyvinylidene difluoride polymer (PVDF) or a polyvinylidene difluoride copolymer; (b) an intermediate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer covering the inner PVDF or polyvinylidene difluoride copolymer layer; and (c) a polyvinyl chloride polymer layer, wherein the polyvinyl chloride polymer layer covers the outside surface of the intermediate TPU layer, wherein the polyvinyl chloride polymer optionally contains a stabilizer or a plasticizer or mixtures thereof.\n\n2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the TPU is a polyester polyurethane.\n\n3. The article according to claim 1, wherein the optional stabilizer is an organo tin or Ba\u2014Zn composition.\n\n4. The article according to claim 1, wherein the optional plasticizer is a polyol diester.\n\n5. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article has a maximum permeation rating of 15 g/m 2 /day.\n\n6. The article according to claim 1, where in the article has a maximum permeation rating of 7 g/m 2 /day.\n\n7. The article according to claim 1, where in the article has a maximum permeation rating of 5 g/m 2 /day.\n\n8. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article has a maximum permeation rating of 15 g/m 2 /day when the optional stabilizer, plasticizer or mixtures thereof is present.\n\n9. The article according to claim 1, where in the article has a maximum permeation rating of 7 g/m 2 /day when the optional stabilizer, plasticizer or mixtures thereof is present.\n\n10. The article according to claim 1, where in the article has a maximum permeation rating of 5 g/m 2 /day when the optional stabilizer, plasticizer or mixtures thereof is present."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Shipping And Dispensing Carton\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nCartons are typically shipped in bulk quantities. During shipping, the cartons may be vertically stacked upon each other in order to maximize the amount of product shipped in a particular vessel. The amount of product shipped may depend, however, on the load-bearing capacity of the stacked cartons. It is therefore desirable to produce cartons having high rigidity and/or strength in compression for shipping, and for other purposes such as the protection of the carton contents in general. A conventional method for increasing the strength of a carton is to produce the carton from a blank of a different, stronger board material, or to produce the blank from the same carton material but of greater thickness. Such methods typically increase the costs associated with manufacturing the carton, with the material costs of manufacture generally increasing according to the cost of increasing the strength and/or thickness of the entire blank. Some sections of the blank, however, may not be load-bearing, and the additional costs associated with increasing the strength of non-load bearing sections of the blank are wasted.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA carton for holding a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a first side panel, a bottom panel, a second side panel, a first top panel, and a second top panel. The bottom panel comprises a first portion and a second portion. The carton comprises a first proximal side end flap, a first distal side end flap, a second proximal side end flap, a second distal side end flap, a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the first portion of the bottom panel, and second bottom end flap foldably connected to the second portion of the bottom panel. The first distal side end flap is in face-to-face contact with the second distal side end flap, the first bottom end flap is in face-to-face contact with the first proximal side end flap, and the second bottom end flap is in face-to-face contact with the second proximal side end flap."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A carton for holding a plurality of articles, the carton comprising:\na plurality of panels that extends around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprises a first side panel, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, the bottom panel comprises a fold line that divides the bottom panel into a first portion and a second portion foldably connected to the first portion at the fold line; and\na plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and being at least partially overlapped to close an end of the carton, the plurality of end flaps comprises a first proximal side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, a first distal side end flap foldably connected to the first proximal side end flap, a second proximal side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, a second distal side end flap foldably connected to the second proximal side end flap, a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the first portion of the bottom panel, and second bottom end flap foldably connected to the second portion of the bottom panel,\nthe first distal side end flap is in face-to-face contact with the second distal side end flap, the first bottom end flap is in face-to-face contact with the first proximal side end flap, and the second bottom end flap is in face-to-face contact with the second proximal side end flap.\n\n2. The carton of claim 1, wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel and a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel.\n\n3. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first distal side end flap is adhesively attached to the second distal side end flap.\n\n4. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first bottom end flap and the second bottom end flap are separated by a cut.\n\n5. The carton of claim 2, wherein the first top end flap is in face-to-face contact with the second proximal side end flap and the second top end flap is in face-to-face contact with the first proximal side end flap.\n\n6. The carton of claim 5, wherein the plurality of panels comprises a third top panel foldably connected to the first top panel.\n\n7. The carton of claim 6, wherein the third top panel is in face-to-face contact with the second top panel.\n\n8. The carton of claim 7, wherein the second top panel is adhesively attached to the third top panel.\n\n9. A method of forming a carton for containing a plurality of articles, the method comprising:\nobtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a first side panel, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, the bottom panel comprises a fold line that divides the bottom panel into a first portion and a second portion foldably connected to the first portion at the fold line, the blank comprises a plurality of end flaps respectively foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, the plurality of end flaps comprises a first proximal side end flap foldably connected to the first side panel, a first distal side end flap foldably connected to the first proximal side end flap, a second proximal side end flap foldably connected to the second side panel, a second distal side end flap foldably connected to the second proximal side end flap, a first bottom end flap foldably connected to the first portion of the bottom panel, and second bottom end flap foldably connected to the second portion of the bottom panel;\npositioning the plurality of panels to form an interior of the carton;\npositioning the plurality of end flaps to at least partially close an end of the carton, the positioning the plurality of end flaps comprises positioning the first distal side end flap to be in face-to-face contact with the second distal side end flap, positioning the first bottom end flap to be in face-to-face contact with the first proximal side end flap, and positioning the second bottom end flap to be in face-to-face contact with the second proximal side end flap.\n\n10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of end flaps comprises a first top end flap foldably connected to the first top panel and a second top end flap foldably connected to the second top panel.\n\n11. The method of claim 10, wherein the positioning the plurality of end flaps comprises positioning the first top end flap to be in face-to-face contact with the second proximal side end flap and positioning the second top end flap to be in face-to-face contact with the first proximal side end flap.\n\n12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of panels comprises a third top panel foldably connected to the first top panel and the positioning the plurality of panels comprises positioning the third top panel to be in face-to-face contact with the second top panel."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Liquid Ejecting Head And Method Of Manufacturing Liquid Ejecting Head\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Technical Field The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting head including a wiring substrate on which wires to be connected to a driver IC have been formed and a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting head. 2. Related Art As liquid ejecting apparatuses including liquid ejecting heads, for example, there exist image recording devices such as ink jet printers, ink jet plotters and the like, however, recently, liquid ejecting apparatuses have been applied to various manufacturing devices by utilizing their advantage of being able to make a minute amount of liquid precisely land onto a designated position. For example, liquid ejecting apparatuses have been applied to display manufacturing devices that manufacture color filters of liquid crystal displays and the like, electrode forming devices that form electrodes of organic electroluminescence (EL) displays, field emission displays (FEDs) and the like, and chip manufacturing devices that manufacture biochips. In addition, a recording head for image recording devices ejects liquid ink, and a color material ejecting head for display manufacturing devices ejects solutions of individual color materials of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). Moreover, an electrode material ejecting head for electrode forming devices ejects a liquid electrode material and a bioorganic matter ejecting head for chip manufacturing devices ejects a solution of bioorganic matter. The above-described liquid ejecting heads are formed by stacking a pressure chamber forming substrate formed of pressure chambers that communicate with nozzles, piezoelectric elements (a type of driver element) that cause a change in pressure in the liquid inside the pressure chambers, a sealing plate which is arranged so as to be separated at a distance from the piezoelectric elements, and the like. The above-described piezoelectric elements are each driven by a driving signal that is supplied from a driver IC. This driver IC, in the related art, is arranged outside the liquid ejecting head. For example, there is known a liquid ejecting head in which a driver IC is provided on a flexible substrate that connects to the liquid ejecting head (for example, JP-A-2011-115972). To date, with the reduction in the size of liquid ejecting heads, techniques for joining a driver IC onto a sealing plate that covers piezoelectric elements have been developed. In such a structure, a wire that supplies electrical power to the driver IC is formed on a surface on one side (driver IC side) of the sealing plate. If, with nozzle densification, the number of nozzles increases, the electrical power supplied to the driver IC also increases. Consequently, reducing the electrical resistance (hereinafter simply called resistance) of the wire formed on the sealing plate has been considered. However, to date, when the width of the wire has been increased in order to lower the resistance of the wire, the wire area has become large. Consequently, it has been difficult to decrease the resistance of the wire without changing the size of the sealing plate.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA liquid ejecting head and a method of manufacturing the liquid ejecting head are provided. The liquid ejecting head has a pressure chamber forming substrate that includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements and that is connected to a first surface of a sealing plate, a driver IC that outputs signals that drive the piezoelectric elements and that is provided on a second surface of the sealing plate that is on the opposite side to the first surface, and a power supply wire that supplies electrical power to the piezoelectric elements, that is formed in the second surface of the sealing plate, and that has at least one portion thereof embedded in the sealing plate and a surface thereof exposed on the second surface side."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A liquid ejecting head comprising:\na driver element forming substrate in which rows and a plurality of driver elements are provided, a part of the plurality of driver elements being included in the rows;\na driver IC that outputs signals that drive the driver elements in the rows;\na wiring substrate having a first surface that is connected to the driver element forming substrate, and a second surface that is on the opposite side of the wiring substrate relative to the first surface and that is connected to the driver IC, the wiring substrate being a board made of a silicon single crystal substrate;\nwherein a wire that supplies electrical power to the driver elements and is formed in the second surface of the wiring substrate,\nat least one portion of the wire is embedded in the wiring substrate and a surface of the wire is exposed on the second surface side, and\nwherein the wire is connected to a second wire formed on the first surface of the wiring substrate via a through wire of a plurality of through wires that pass through the wiring substrate.\n\n2. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1,\nwherein the wire is formed of an embedded wire that is composed of a conductive material and that is embedded inside the wiring substrate and an outer layer wire that is composed of a conductive material that is different from the conductive material of the embedded wire, the outer layer wire covering a surface of the embedded wire facing the second surface side of the wiring substrate.\n\n3. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1,\nwherein the driver IC includes a plurality of circuit blocks that generate the signals that individually drive the driver elements and a plurality of bump electrodes that connect to the circuit blocks, and\nwherein the wire extends in the first direction and is connected to the plurality of bump electrodes.\n\n4. The liquid ejecting head according to claim 1,\nwherein the driver IC, the driver element forming substrate, and the wiring substrate are stacked and are at least partially overlapped."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Liquid Crystal Display Device Having Dual Link Structure And Method Of Manufacturing The Same\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Field of Technology The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a LCD device having a dual link structure which includes a plurality of link lines disposed at dense intervals on a first layer and a second layer different from the first layer. The present invention provides an LCD device having a dual link structure, and particularly, provides a method of manufacturing an LCD device which proposes a new manufacturing process for reducing the number of masks used in a manufacturing process and can easily manufacture the LCD device in consideration of the possibility of misalignment of exposure equipment. 2. Discussion of the Related Art FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an array substrate in which a plurality of switching elements are provided, in a general LCD device. In the LCD device, two substrates with electrodes formed therein face each other and are adhered to each other by a sealant, and liquid crystal is injected therebetween. The liquid crystal is a material having light transmittance anisotropy, and changes a phase of light according to a direction in which the light passes through the liquid crystal. The operation principle of LCD devices is that a polarizer, which changes a phase of light and transmits only specific directional light, transmits and blocks light to realize an image. Also, an alignment direction of the liquid crystal is adjusted by selectively applying voltages to the electrodes formed on the two substrates, in which case the liquid crystal is driven with electric fields generated by the voltages applied to the electrodes and thus the alignment direction of the liquid crystal is changed. A panel, which is configured with the two coupled substrates and the liquid crystal injected therebetween, is called a LCD panel. A process of manufacturing the LCD panel includes: a process of manufacturing an array substrate in which a plurality of pixel electrodes (first electrodes) for applying an electric field to the liquid crystal and a plurality of thin film transistor (TFTs, switching elements) for selectively supplying a voltage to a corresponding pixel electrode are provided; a process of manufacturing a color filter substrate, facing the array substrate, in which a plurality of common electrodes (second electrodes) for applying the electric field to the liquid crystal and a plurality of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filters are provided; and a process of injecting the liquid crystal between the two substrates. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a plan view of an array substrate. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of an area A illustrated in FIG. 1 . Referring to FIG. 1 , an array substrate 1 is divided into an active area AA, in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged, and an inactive area NA disposed outside the active area AA. In the active area, a plurality of gate lines GL are laterally arranged, and a plurality of data lines DL are vertically arranged to perpendicularly intersect the gate lines GL. One area defined by the gate line GL and the data line DL is a unit pixel area C. An area C of FIG. 1 illustrates the enlarged unit pixel area C. In the one unit pixel area, one pixel electrode P for applying an electric field to liquid crystal is provided, and a thin film transistor (switching element) Tr for selectively applying a voltage to the pixel electrode P is provided at a corner portion of the unit pixel area. The thin film transistor Tr includes a gate electrode connected to a corresponding gate line GL, a source electrode connected to a corresponding data line DL, a drain electrode facing the source electrode, and an active layer that is a semiconductor layer formed of amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon. In the thin film transistor Tr, when a scan signal is applied from the gate line to the gate electrode, a channel of the active layer is opened by the scan signal, and simultaneously, when a pixel signal is applied from the data line, the pixel signal is transferred to the drain electrode through the source electrode and the active layer. Since the drain electrode is connected to the pixel electrode, the pixel signal is applied to the pixel electrode. A driving circuit unit (D-IC) for supplying signals to the gate lines GL and data lines DL disposed in the active area AA is disposed in the inactive area NA.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nDisclosed is an LCD device having a dual link structure and a method of manufacturing the same, which can reduce a width of a bezel. A link line structure includes a plurality of first and second link lines which are alternately disposed. The first and second link lines are formed on different layers. Also, embodiments herein provide a method which can reduce the number of masks used in a manufacturing process and can easily manufacture the LCD device in consideration of the possibility of misalignment of exposure equipment."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) device having a dual link structure, comprising:\npreparing a first substrate that comprises a pixel area comprising a switching unit and a non-pixel area which comprises a link part and surrounds the pixel area;\nforming a gate electrode in the switching unit on the first substrate, and forming a first link line in the link part;\nforming a first insulating layer covering the first substrate;\nsequentially forming an active layer, an ohmic contact layer, and a source metal layer on the first insulating layer;\npatterning the active layer, the ohmic contact layer, and the source metal layer in one mask process to form a data line, a channel pattern branching from the data line, and a second link line, the channel pattern being formed in the switching unit and the second link line being formed in the link part;\nforming a second insulating layer on the first substrate to cover the channel pattern and the second link line;\nremoving the second insulating layer formed on the channel pattern and the link part;\nforming a transparent electrode layer on the first substrate from which the second insulating layer on the channel pattern and the link part has been removed;\nforming a first photoresist pattern on the transparent electrode layer for a channel to be defined on the gate electrode and a second photoresist pattern on the transparent electrode layer above the second link line; and\nsequentially removing the transparent electrode layer, the source metal layer, and the ohmic contact layer formed on the channel by using the first and the second photoresist pattern as an etching mask to define the channel, form a pixel electrode by a remaining transparent electrode layer under the first photoresist pattern, and complete the second link line comprising a remaining transparent electrode layer, a remaining source metal layer, a remaining ohmic contact layer, and the active layer that are under the second photoresist pattern.\n\n2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\nforming a photosensitive organic protective layer on the second insulating layer;\npatterning the photosensitive organic protective layer to expose the channel pattern and the link part; and\nremoving the second insulating layer formed on the channel pattern and the link part by using the photosensitive organic protective layer as an etching mask.\n\n3. The method of claim 2, wherein the photosensitive organic protective layer is formed of photoacryl.\n\n4. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing of the second insulating layer comprises:\nforming a photoresist pattern, exposing the channel pattern and the link part, on the second insulating layer;\netching an exposed portion of the second insulating layer on the channel pattern and the link part by using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask; and\nremoving the photoresist pattern.\n\n5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second photoresist pattern above the second link line has a width narrower than a line width of the second link line.\n\n6. The method of claim 5, wherein a width of the remaining transparent electrode layer under the second photoresist pattern, a width of the remaining source metal layer under the second photoresist pattern, and a width of the remaining ohmic contact layer under the second photoresist pattern are narrower than a width of the active layer under the second photoresist pattern.\n\n7. The method of claim 6, wherein a width of the remaining transparent electrode layer under the second photoresist pattern, a width of the remaining source metal layer under the second photoresist pattern, and a width of the remaining ohmic contact layer under the second photoresist pattern are substantially the same.\n\n8. The method of claim 6, wherein the entire width of the remaining transparent electrode layer under the second photoresist pattern is on the remaining source metal layer under the second photoresist pattern.\n\n9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second link lines are alternately disposed in plurality.\n\n10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first link line and a gate line are formed on the same layer.\n\n11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second link line and the data line are formed on the same layer.\n\n12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first link line and the second link line comprises a gate link line and a data link line.\n\n13. The method of claim 1, wherein in the defining of a channel, the source metal layer is separated from a source electrode and a drain electrode of the switching unit.\n\n14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are inorganic insulating layers.\n\n15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\nforming a third insulating layer on the first substrate in which the channel is defined and the pixel electrode is formed; and\nforming a common electrode on the third insulating layer.\n\n16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:\nforming a third insulating layer on the first substrate in which the channel is defined and the pixel electrode is formed; and\nforming a common electrode on the third insulating layer.\n\n17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second link line is not horizontally overlapped with the first link line."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Well Tree Hub And Interface For Retrievable Processing Modules\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nThe present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for coupling fluid processing or other apparatus into a production flow at or near a production tree, manifold or other equipment. The present disclosure also relates to apparatus and methods for diverting fluids, recovery, and injection. Christmas trees or valve trees are well known in the art of oil and gas wells, and generally comprise an assembly of pipes, valves and fittings installed in a wellhead after completion of drilling and installation of the production tubing to control the flow of oil and gas from the well. Subsea christmas trees typically have at least two bores one of which communicates with the production tubing (the production bore), and the other of which communicates with the annulus (the annulus bore). Typical designs of christmas trees have a side outlet (a production wing branch) to the production bore closed by a production wing valve for removal of production fluids from the production bore. The annulus bore also typically has an annulus wing branch with a respective annulus wing valve. The top of the production bore and the top of the annulus bore are usually capped by a christmas tree cap which typically seals off the various bores in the christmas tree, and provides hydraulic channels for operation of the various valves in the christmas tree by means of intervention equipment, or remotely from an offshore installation. As technology has progressed for subsea installations, subsea processing of fluids is now desirable. Such processing can involve adding chemicals, separating water and sand from the hydrocarbons, pumping the produced fluids, analysing the produced fluids, etc.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nThe present disclosure relates to providing a hub coupled into a production tree, manifold, or other equipment, and a base module that is attachable to and retrievable from the hub. The base module may be reconfigurable. The base module may be configured to receive other modules that are reconfigurable, wherein the other modules are retrievable from the base module. The hub provides a dedicated space or support at or near the production tree or equipment for using the base module. An interface is provided between the base module and the production tree. A fluid conduit provides a fluid path across or through the interface. The hub may be part of the interface such that the module can fluidly couple to the fluid conduit and the production tree across the interface via the hub."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A wellhead system comprising:\na wellhead valve tree;\na hub laterally spaced from the wellhead valve tree and connected into the wellhead valve tree by a fluid conduit; and\nan interface including the hub and a support structure;\nwherein the interface support structure is configured to receive a fluid processing module such that the fluid processing module is in direct contact with both the interface support structure and the hub;\nwherein the fluid conduit and the hub are configured to fluidly couple the fluid processing module to the wellhead valve tree across the interface;\nwherein the fluid processing module includes a water damper comprising a water chamber and a piston rod slidably disposed in the water chamber to provide a passive soft landing of the fluid processing module onto the hub.\n\n2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface separates a wellhead valve tree space from a space receiving the fluid processing module.\n\n3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hub and the fluid conduit are configured to communicate fluid across the interface between the spaces.\n\n4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface support structure includes a receptacle for the fluid processing module.\n\n5. The system of claim 4, wherein the receptacle includes a capture plate, a load bearing plate, and cylindrical receptacles having landing bases.\n\n6. The system of claim 4 wherein the receptacle is not connected to the hub.\n\n7. The system of claim 4 wherein the receptacle is coupled to and supported by the wellhead valve tree.\n\n8. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface support structure includes a support frame coupled to and supported by the wellhead valve tree.\n\n9. The system of claim 8 wherein the hub is disposed on a floor of the support frame.\n\n10. A wellhead system comprising:\na wellhead valve tree;\na hub connected into the wellhead valve tree by a fluid conduit; and\nan interface including the hub and a support structure;\nwherein the interface support structure is configured to receive a fluid processing module;\nwherein the fluid conduit and the hub are configured to fluidly couple the fluid processing module to the wellhead valve tree across the interface;\nwherein the fluid processing module is configured to engage the interface support structure to resist movement of the fluid processing module before engaging the hub for a fluid connection;\nwherein the fluid processing module includes a water damper comprising a water chamber and a piston rod slidably disposed in the water chamber to provide a passive soft landing of the fluid processing module onto the hub;\nwherein the fluid processing module includes an end member contacting the piston rod, and wherein the interface support structure comprises a receptacle configured to receive the end member.\n\n11. The system of claim 10, wherein the receptacle includes a capture plate, a load bearing plate, and cylindrical receptacles having landing bases.\n\n12. The system of claim 10, wherein the receptacle is not connected to the hub.\n\n13. The system of claim 10, wherein the receptacle is coupled to and supported by the wellhead valve tree.\n\n14. The system of claim 10, wherein the fluid processing module includes a hydraulic cylinder configured to control movement of the fluid processing module toward the hub.\n\n15. A method of connecting a fluid processing module to a wellhead valve tree, the method comprising:\nengaging the fluid processing module with an interface support structure having a support structure and a hub connected into the wellhead valve tree by a fluid conduit;\nresisting movement of the fluid processing module toward the hub;\nsliding a piston rod of a water damper of the fluid processing module through a water chamber of the damper to provide a passive soft landing of the fluid processing module onto the hub;\nreceiving an end member in contact with the piston rod in a receptacle of the interface support structure; and\nengaging the fluid processing module with the hub to fluidly connect the fluid processing module with the wellhead valve tree;\nwhereby the fluid processing module is in direct contact with the interface support structure at the hub.\n\n16. The method of claim 15, wherein the receptacle of the interface support structure is coupled to and supported by the wellhead valve tree.\n\n17. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid processing module includes a hydraulic cylinder configured to control movement of the fluid processing module toward the hub."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Vehicle Monitoring Apparatus And Vehicle Monitoring Method\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nSystems that photograph a roadway or the like using a camera, detect a vehicle in an imaged image, and read in information described on a license plate, are known. Such systems may be mounted at an entrance or an exit or a toll road, for example, in order to recognize a passing vehicle. Reading information described on a vehicle license plate from a cameran image and then performing character recognition processing on the overall image may cause the processing load to become excessive, and information may not be able to be read in efficiently. Refer to JP 4690657 .\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nAn embodiment of a vehicle monitoring apparatus has a determiner and a reader. The determiner determines whether or not a specific site of a vehicle exists at least in an area of an image, the image imaged by an imager, the area being one of multiple areas into which the image is divided by dividing line that are substantially orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle. The reader reads information on a license plate mounted to the vehicle from the area in case that the determiner determines the specific site of the vehicle is determined to exist in the area."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A vehicle monitoring apparatus comprising:\nan imager that comprises a first imager that images an image of a front of a vehicle approaching a predefined location, a second imager that images an image of a top of a vehicle passing through the predefined location and a third imager that images an image of a rear of a vehicle moving away from the predefined location,\na determiner that determines whether or not a specific site of a vehicle exists at least in an area of the image imaged by the imager, the area being one of multiple areas into which the image is divided by one or more dividing lines that are substantially orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle;\na reader that reads information on a license plate mounted to the vehicle from the area in case that the determiner determines the specific site of the vehicle exists in the area;\na vehicle location estimator that identifies a location of the vehicle in vicinity of the area at each time measurement based on the image imaged by the second imager, the vehicle being detected from the image imaged by the first imager; and\na vehicle type allocator that allocates information at the location of the vehicle, the information read from the image imaged by the first imager.\n\n2. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein\nthe vehicle location estimator detects changing lanes or passing other vehicle of a vehicle in the vicinity of the area, based on the image imaged by the second imager.\n\n3. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:\na speed measurer that measures a speed of the vehicle of which location was identified by the vehicle location estimator, based on a movement amount of location of the vehicle per unit time.\n\n4. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein\nthe speed measurer reports a warning device of a possibility that a vehicle may have stopped due to a malfunction or an accident for cases where the speed measured by the speed measurer is greatly skewed between vehicles.\n\n5. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:\na camera controller that controls the imager, and\na vehicle information combiner that combines exit time information and a lane in which a vehicle is moving which information allocated by the vehicle type allocator for each vehicle that exists from an area beneath a gantry on which the first imager, the second imager and the third imager are mounted, wherein\nthe camera controller increases a shutter speed of the imager when the vehicle information combiner finds that there is a vehicle passing through at a conspicuously high speed.\n\n6. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:\na camera controller that controls the imager, wherein\nthe camera controller estimates a timing at which a vehicle will enter the area and let a lighting apparatus light at the timing, the lighting apparatus is located in the vicinity of the area.\n\n7. A method of monitoring a vehicle comprising:\nimaging an image of a front of a vehicle approaching a predefined location, an image of a top of a vehicle passing through the predefined location and an image of a rear of a vehicle moving away from the predefined location;\ndetermining whether or not a specific site of a vehicle exists at least in an area of the image, the area being one of multiple areas into which the image is divided by one or more dividing lines that are substantially orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle;\nreading information on a license plate mounted to the vehicle from the area in case it is determined that the specific site of the vehicle is exists in the area;\nidentifying a location of the vehicle in vicinity of the area at each time measurement based on the image of the top of the vehicle, the vehicle being detected from the image of the front of the vehicle; and\nallocating information at the location of the vehicle, the information read from the front image of the vehicle."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Lifting Structure With Adjustable Bearing Capacity\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lifting structure, more particularly, to a lifting structure with adjustable bearing capacity for a display with a variety of size and weight. 2. Description of Related Art A stand for a display has been disclosed in US patent NO. 2013/0233984A1, wherein the stand includes a height-adjustable structure for adjusting the height of the display when equipped with the stand. Accordingly, the bearing capacity is adjustable for various weights of displays with different sizes. The stand of the aforementioned technique includes a plurality of springs that are arranged in parallel, and each of the spring is correspondingly connected with a force member (such as a bolt or a button). The users may selectively insert the force members for controlling the actuation of the springs. In detail, when anyone of the force members is pressed by the user, the corresponding springs and the sliding stand are driven by the inserted force members to actuate the springs, so that the corresponding springs will be stretched when the display is moved up and down. The springs may have different bearing capacity respectively, and may be chosen from the user by pressing their corresponding force member for displays with different weight; alternatively, the combinations of multiple force members may be executed by users as needed to provide an accumulated spring force for displays with larger size and weight. In the aforementioned prior art, the height-adjustable structure utilizes the force member as a switch for actuating the springs, however, the structural accuracy thereof is less than ideal. Also, the width of the stand cannot be reduced due to the springs and the force members which are arranged in parallel, whereas the location of the switch is inconvenient to reach by the users. These drawbacks of the prior art restrict the design of the stands and result in failing to meet the user's needs. Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel lifting structure that is desirable and has potential in the technical field.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA lifting structure with adjustable bearing capacity is provided. The lifting structure comprises a main body, a carrier, a main constant force spring, and at least one auxiliary constant force spring. The main body comprises at least one slide and at least one actuating module. The main constant force spring connects to the carrier. The actuating module is able to be selectively switched between a non-actuating position and an actuating position. When the carrier is driven from the top of the lifting structure along the slide, at least the main constant force spring provides a constant force to the carrier."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A lifting structure with adjustable bearing capacity for supporting a variety of displays, comprising:\na main body comprising at least one slide;\na carrier connected to the slide and being able to move along the slide for supporting the display;\na main constant force spring connected to the carrier for constantly providing a main elastic force;\nat least one linkage module including a column body, an upper element, and a lower element, wherein the column body passes through the upper element and has two end portions in which one is connected to the carrier and the other one is connected to the lower element; and\nat least one auxiliary constant force spring comprising a main portion and a fixed end for providing an auxiliary elastic force, wherein the fixed end and the main portion of the auxiliary constant force spring are secured to the upper element and the lower element respectively, and the fixed end is driven by the upper element to move along the column body;\nwherein the main body further comprises at least one actuating module being able to be selectively switched between a non-actuating position and an actuating position; and both the main portion and the fixed end of the auxiliary constant force spring simultaneously move along with the carrier when the actuating module is at the non-actuating position so that the auxiliary constant force spring fails to provide the auxiliary elastic force to the carrier; and wherein only the main portion of the auxiliary constant force spring simultaneously moves along with the carrier and the fixed end of the auxiliary constant force spring is abutted to the main body when the actuating module is at the actuating position so that the auxiliary constant force spring provides the auxiliary elastic force to the carrier.\n\n2. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises a releasing module which includes a releasing element and a first return spring connected to the releasing element, wherein the first return spring pushes the releasing element in a first direction; and wherein the actuating module drives the releasing module to overcome an elastic force provided by the first return spring and to move along the first direction when the actuating module switches from the non-actuating position to the actuating position.\n\n3. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating module comprises an actuating block and a second return spring connected to the actuating block to push the actuating block in a second direction; and wherein the actuating block is able to move along the second direction and selectively abuts against the releasing element or the upper element when the actuating block is driven to overcome an elastic force provided by the second return spring.\n\n4. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upper element, the lower element, and the auxiliary constant force spring simultaneously move along with the column body in which the auxiliary constant force spring maintains in an original state when the actuating block is at the non-actuating position and the column body is driven by the carrier which is originally located at a top portion of the lifting structure; and wherein the upper element is restricted by the actuating block, and the lower element and the main portion of the auxiliary constant force spring simultaneously move along with the column body when the actuating block drives the releasing element to overcome the elastic force provided by the first return spring and moves to the actuating position, and the column body is driven by the carrier which is originally located at the top portion of the lifting structure, so that the elastic force provided by the auxiliary constant force spring is transferred to the carrier.\n\n5. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein an upper protrusion extends from the upper element, a release protrusion extends from the releasing element, and a first protrusion and a second protrusion extend from the actuating block, in which the first protrusion and the upper protrusion are able to relatively abut against or slide against each other, and the second protrusion and the release protrusion are able to relatively abut against or slide against each other.\n\n6. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first protrusion has a first propped surface and a first inclined surface; the second protrusion has a second propped surface and a second inclined surface; the upper protrusion has a third propped surface and a third inclined surface; and the release protrusion has a fourth propped surface and a fourth inclined surface.\n\n7. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the actuating block is at the non-actuating position, the upper protrusion and the first protrusion are not overlapped in the first direction.\n\n8. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface slide relatively against each other so as to drive the release protrusion to overcome the elastic force provided by the first return spring when the actuating block is driven from the non-actuating position to the actuating position; once the second protrusion and the release protrusion are no longer overlapped in the first direction, the releasing element is returned by the first return spring, and the second propped surface and the fourth propped surface abut against each other due to the second return spring.\n\n9. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first propped surface and the third propped surface contact and abut against each other to restrict the upper element when the actuating block is at the actuating position.\n\n10. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the actuating block is driven by the second return spring to return to the non-actuating position when an external force is applied to the releasing element to overcome the elastic force provided by the first return spring and to drive the releasing element to move to an extent that the release protrusion and the second protrusion are no longer overlapped in the second direction.\n\n11. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the actuating block is at the non-actuating position and the carrier departs from the top portion of the lifting structure to drive the upper element, the lower element, and the auxiliary constant force spring to move simultaneously along with the column body in advance, and when the actuating block is subsequently driven to switch from the non-actuating position to the actuating position and the column body subsequently drives the upper element, the lower element, and the auxiliary constant force spring to return, the first inclined surface and the third inclined surface contact with and relatively slide against each other so as to drive the actuating block to overcome the elastic force provided by the second return spring until the first protrusion and the upper protrusion are no longer overlapped in the first direction, and then the second return spring drives the actuating block returning back to the actuating position.\n\n12. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the releasing element further comprises a releasing button, so that the releasing element is able to move along the first direction when the releasing button is pressed to overcome the elastic force provided by the first return spring.\n\n13. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one slide comprises two slides, the at least one linkage module comprises two linkage modules, the at least one actuating module comprises two actuating modules, and the at least one auxiliary constant force spring comprises two auxiliary constant force springs disposed respectively at two opposing sides of the lifting structure.\n\n14. The lifting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting structure is applied in a supporting device which comprises a base and a joint plate, wherein the main body of the lifting structure further comprises a column connected to the base, and the carrier of the lifting structure is connected to the joint plate."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Method And System For Determining Quality Of Markings Applied To Food Products\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nThe disclosure relates generally to the field of food product processing, and more particularly methods and systems for monitoring food product processing operations and facilities. The disclosure further relates to methods and systems for examining or analyzing the food products with respect to the quality and integrity of the processing thereof and any markings that may be applied to the food products and/or associated packaging. While reference is made herein to eggs in particular, it should be understood that this disclosure is directed to all food processing operations. In the egg packing industry, eggs typically undergo a great deal of processing before they are ready to be sold to the consuming public. In many circumstances, for example, eggs pass through several processing stations where they are washed, candled, weighed, graded, and packed into packages (e.g., cartons, crates, or other commercially distributed containers). Examples of such processing stations and mechanisms for conveying eggs from station to station are described, for instance, in the following U.S. patents assigned to Diamond Automations, Inc. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,189,898; 4,195,736; 4,505,373; 4,519,494; 4,519,505: 4,569,444; 4,750,316; 5,321,491; and 6,056,341) and TEN Media LLC (U.S. Pat. No. 8,455,030), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. As a reference, it is not uncommon for a facility in which these stations operate to output about one million eggs in a single day. Accordingly, to be commercially acceptable, the throughput of the stations needs to be quite high, with some stations typically processing on the order of 20,000 eggs per hour. The egg packing industry uses devices known as \u201cpackers\u201d to pack the eggs into the packages. Typically, a packer includes a conveyor (e.g., a belt conveyor, roller conveyor, chain conveyor, etc.) that moves empty packages through an egg loading section (where the eggs are loaded into the egg loading section from above) and then moves the filled packages to a package closing section that is responsible for closing the lids of the packages. The eggs may be supplied to the egg packer via a grader system. An egg packing process that uses \u201cpackers,\u201d typically uses bulk belts to bring eggs from a bulk supply location. The eggs are cleaned or disinfected, in some instances using UV light while clamped to transport chains, and in some instances through immersion in sanitizing wash water. The eggs are then inspected either electronically or manually, they are weighed to establish size, inspected for cracks using ultrasonic inspection and loaded into a chain driven carriage mechanism (\u201cTransfer Loader\u201d). The egg is then normally transported to one of a plurality of packing machines by the aforementioned carriage mechanism. The particular packing machine to which any individual egg may be transported is determined by a computer. This process or elements thereof up to, but not including the packing machine, constitute grading (\u201cGrading\u201d and the \u201cGrader\u201d). The carriage mechanism typically consists of one or a plurality of chains, running the length of the Grader past all the packing machines in the horizontal plane (\u201cGrader Chains\u201d). The packing machines are usually configured with an egg flow perpendicular to the Grader Chain in the horizontal plane. The egg industry widely uses marking devices to print Size, Grade and Date information together with other information or images and logos (\u201cData\u201d) on to the surface of an egg shell of a fresh egg travelling through an egg grading machine. The marking devices are traditionally placed in a location on the production line that is responsible for grading the eggs and the site for such installation is chosen to minimize the number of marking devices required for a given installation. Marking devices have typically been installed on the Grader Chains as near to the Transfer Loader as practical, and typically (although not always), prior to all the packing machines to which almost all eggs are later diverted. Due to variances in egg type, size, age, moisture content, and other biological and process factors, the markings applied may not be consistent. As such, the eggs are typically examined or analyzed during and/or after the marking process to determine the position and/or characteristics of the eggs that are to be marked and/or the quality and integrity of the information that is marked on the eggs.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nThe present disclosure includes a method and system for monitoring food product processing operations and facilities. The food products are examined and/or analyzed with respect to the quality and integrity of the processing thereof, any markings applied thereto, and compliance with commercial, regulatory, or customer requirements. The present disclosure provides a machine vision system that is used in connection with the food processing operations to examine and analyze the eggs being processed. In a preferred embodiment, the machine vision system includes at least one imaging sensor for capturing images of the processing thereof and is positioned above the path along which the food products are conveyed."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A system for determining the quality of markings applied to individual objects at a marking station while the objects travel along at least one path through a processing system, wherein the marking station includes at least one marking unit positioned adjacent at least one path along which the objects are conveyed, the at least one marking unit operable to mark the objects as the objects pass through the marking station, the system comprising:\nat least one processor;\nat least one image capture device operatively coupled to the at least one processor and controlled in part by the at least one processor, the at least one image capture device positioned adjacent the at least one marking unit, the at least one image capture device operable to capture image data representative of at least one area adjacent to the at least one marking unit, wherein the at least one area is defined such that at least one of objects to be marked by the at least one marking unit, objects marked by the at least one marking unit, and combinations thereof will pass therethrough;\nat least one image analysis unit operatively coupled to the at least one processor and controlled in part by the at least one processor, the at least one image analysis unit operable to analyze at least a portion of the captured image data with respect to at least one of position of objects to be marked with respect to the at least one marking unit, characteristics of objects to be marked, quality of markings which have been applied to the objects, integrity of the objects to which markings have been applied, and combinations thereof, and generate quality data therefrom;\na non-transient memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor and operable to store data associated with the captured images; and\nat least one input/output interface operatively coupled to the processor;\nwherein the at least one processor is operable to:\nobtain at least one quality data analysis parameter with respect to selected analysis to be performed on at least a portion of the generated quality data;\nanalyze at least a portion of the generated quality data in accordance with at least one quality data analysis parameter;\ndetermine an adjustment to be made to least one operational parameter of the processing system based on the analysis of at least a portion of the generated quality data; and\nadjust the at least one operational parameter of the processing system such that the objects are processed in accordance with the at least one adjusted opertational parameter.\n\n2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image capture device is positioned above the path on which the objects are conveyed.\n\n3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one image capture device is mounted on a traversing mechanism above the path on which the objects are conveyed, wherein the traversing mechanism is operable to move the at least one image capture device across at least a portion of the path.\n\n4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image capture device is operable to capture image data of objects within the at least one area while the objects are stationary with respect to the at least one image capture device, while the objects are moving with respect to the at least one image capture device, and combinations thereof.\n\n5. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of image capture devices are positioned above the path on which the objects are conveyed, and each of the plurality of image capture devices captures image data representative of a discrete area along the path on which the objects are conveyed.\n\n6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image capture device is positioned upstream of the at least one marking unit, downstream of the at least one marking unit, and combinations thereof.\n\n7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is operable to store at least a portion of the quality data generated by the at least one image analysis unit in memory.\n\n8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the memory is implemented in a cloud-based component communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, and operable to store at least a portion of the data associated with the captured images.\n\n9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to transmit at least at portion of the quality data generated by the at least one image analysis unit to the associated marking station for further analysis thereof.\n\n10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a calibration unit operatively coupled to the at least one processor and controlled in part by the at least one processor, the calibration unit positioned adjacent to the at least one image capture device, the calibration unit operable to capture image data representative of an area in which the at least one image capture device is located, an area in which the at least one image capture device captures image data, and combinations thereof, and wherein the image analysis unit is further operable to analyze at least a portion of the image data captured by the calibration unit.\n\n11. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects to be marked are eggs.\n\n12. A method for determining the quality of markings applied to individual objects at a marking station while the objects travel along at least one path through a processing system, wherein the marking station includes at least one marking unit positioned adjacent at least one path along which the objects are conveyed, the at least one marking unit operable to mark the objects as the objects pass through the marking station, the method comprising:\ncapturing image data by at least one image capture device from at least one area adjacent to the at least one marking unit, wherein the at least one area is defined such that at least one of objects to be marked by the at least one marking unit, objects marked by the at least one marking unit, and combinations thereof will pass therethrough;\nanalyzing at least a portion of the captured image data with respect to at least one of position of objects to be marked with respect to the at least one marking unit, characteristics of objects to be marked, quality of markings which have been applied to the objects, integrity of the objects to which markings have been applied, and combinations thereof, and generating quality data therefrom;\nobtaining at least one quality data analysis parameter with respect to selected analysis to be performed on at least a portion of the generated quality data;\nanalyzing at least a portion of the generated quality data in accordance with at least one quality data analysis parameter;\ndetermining an adjustment to be made to least one operational parameter of the processing system based on the analysis of at least a portion of the generated quality data; and\nadjusting the at least one operational parameter of the processing system such that the objects are processed in accordance with the at least one adjusted opertational parameter.\n\n13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one image capture device is positioned above the path on which the objects are conveyed.\n\n14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one image capture device traverses across at least a portion of the path.\n\n15. The method of claim 12, wherein image data associated with the objects is captured area while the objects are stationary with respect to the at least one image capture device, while the objects are moving with respect to the at least one image capture device, and combinations thereof.\n\n16. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising storing at least a portion of the quality data generated in memory.\n\n17. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising storing at least a portion of the data associated with the captured images in a cloud-based component.\n\n18. The method of claim 12, the method further comprising transmitting at least at portion of the quality data to the associated marking station for further analysis thereof.\n\n19. An apparatus for determining the quality of markings applied to eggs at a marking station while the eggs travel along at least one path, wherein the marking station includes at least one marking unit positioned adjacent at least one path along which the eggs are conveyed, the at least one marking unit operable to mark the objects as the objects eggs through the marking station, the system comprising:\nat least one processor;\nat least one image capture device operatively coupled to the at least one processor and controlled in part by the at least one processor, the at least one image capture device positioned adjacent the at least one marking unit, the at least one image capture device operable to capture image data representative of at least one area adjacent to the at least one marking unit, wherein the at least one area is defined such that at least one of eggs to be marked by the at least one marking unit, eggs marked by the at least one marking unit, and combinations thereof will pass therethrough;\nat least one image analysis unit operatively coupled to the at least one processor and controlled in part by the at least one processor, the at least one image analysis unit operable to analyze at least a portion of the captured image data with respect to at least one of position of eggs to be marked with respect to the at least one marking unit, characteristics of eggs to be marked, quality of markings which have been applied to the eggs, integrity of the eggs to which markings have been applied, and combinations thereof, and generate quality data therefrom;\na non-transient memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor and operable to store data associated with the captured images; and\nat least one input/output interface operatively coupled to the processor;\nwherein the at least one processor is operable to:\nobtain at least one quality data analysis parameter with respect to selected analysis to be performed on at least a portion of the generated quality data;\nanalyze at least a portion of the generated quality data in accordance with at least one quality data analysis parameter;\ndetermine an adjustment to be made to least one operational parameter of the processing system based on the analysis of at least a portion of the generated quality data; and\nadjust the at least one operational parameter of the processing system such that the objects are processed in accordance with the at least one adjusted opertational parameter.\n\n20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one image capture device is mounted on a traversing mechanism above the path on which the eggs are conveyed, wherein the traversing mechanism is operable to move the at least one image capture device across at least a portion of the path."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Connector\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector. 2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-043649 discloses a connector with a female first housing and a male second housing including a fitting tube portion. The first housing includes a terminal accommodating tube portion for accommodating terminal fittings and a tubular front holder surrounding the terminal accommodating tube portion. The front holder is mounted onto the terminal accommodating tube portion from front. The front holder has a function of retaining the terminal fittings and other functions. As a means for locking the front holder in a state mounted on the terminal accommodating tube portion, it is considered to form a resilient locking portion resiliently deflectable toward an outer peripheral side on a peripheral wall portion constituting the front holder and lock this resilient locking portion to a receiving portion on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating tube portion. In this locking structure, the resilient locking portion is resiliently deflected to project toward the outer peripheral side of the peripheral wall portion by interfering with the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating tube portion in the process of mounting the front holder onto the terminal accommodating tube portion. When the front holder is properly mounted on the terminal accommodating tube portion, the resilient locking portion resiliently returns toward an inner peripheral side to be locked to the receiving portion. The terminal accommodating tube portion having the front holder mounted thereon in this way is fitted into the fitting tube portion of the second housing. A clearance is secured between the outer periphery of the front holder and the inner periphery of the fitting tube portion in consideration of dimensional tolerances so that a connecting operation smoothly proceeds. Thus, the terminal accommodating tube portion may be accommodated into the fitting tube portion despite an incompletely connected state where a part of the resilient locking portion is protruding from the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion of the front holder without the front holder reaching a proper mount position. The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to prevent improper assembling.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA first housing (10) of a connector includes a housing main body (11) with a receiving portion (17) and a tubular member (20) surrounding the housing main body (11). A peripheral wall (22) of the tubular member (20) has a resilient lock (24) configured to deflect resiliently out when assembling the tubular member (20) and the housing main body (11) and to return resiliently to lock with the receiving portion (17) when the tubular member (20) is assembled properly with the housing main body (11). A protrusion (31) is formed on the outer periphery of the resilient locking portion (24) and is configured to interfere with a receptacle (61) while fitting the tubular member (20) into the receptacle (61) so that an improperly assembled tubular member (20) is corrected into a properly assembled state."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A connector, comprising:\na female first housing that includes:\na housing main body having a terminal accommodating portion with opposite front and rear ends and configured to accommodate a terminal fitting, the terminal accommodating portion having an outer periphery formed with a recessed receiving portion; and\na tubular member having a peripheral wall configured to be assembled to surround the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body, the peripheral wall including a resilient lock with a locking projection projecting in and configured to interfere with the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body and to deflect resiliently out when the tubular member is being assembled to the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body and the resilient lock returning resiliently so that the locking projection locks with the recessed receiving portion when the tubular member is assembled properly to the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body;\na male second housing having a receptacle configured to fit and surround the tubular member that is assembled to the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body; and\na protrusion formed on an outer periphery of the resilient lock and configured to interfere with a front end of receptacle when fitting the tubular member and the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body into the receptacle, if the tubular member is left in an improperly assembled state on the terminal accommodating portion of the housing main body so that the front end of the receptacle pushes the protrusion rearward on the terminal accommodating portion and into a position where the locking projection locks with the recessed receiving portion.\n\n2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is in contact with an inner periphery of the receptacle while being pressed with the properly assembled housing main body and tubular member fit in the receptacle, thereby regulating relative displacements of the first and second housings.\n\n3. The connector of claim 2, wherein an area of the resilient lock opposite the protrusion is in contact with the outer periphery of the housing main body when the first and second housings are connected.\n\n4. The connector of claim 3, wherein a facing surface of the protrusion facing the receptacle is in surface contact with the inner periphery of the receptacle when the properly assembled housing main body and tubular member are fit in the receptacle.\n\n5. The connector of claim 4, wherein:\nthe resilient lock is resiliently deflected about a support; and\nthe protrusion is formed on the support.\n\n6. The connector of claim 2, wherein a facing surface of the protrusion facing the receptacle is in surface contact with the inner periphery of the receptacle when the properly assembled housing main body and tubular member are fit in the receptacle.\n\n7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the tubular member has opposite front and rear ends, a front wall formed at the front end of the tubular member and covers the front end of the terminal accommodating portion.\n\n8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the peripheral wall of the tubular member extends rearward from the front wall to the rear end of the tubular member, a rear cut extending forward in the peripheral wall from the rear end of the tubular member, the peripheral wall including a support forward of and adjacent to the rear cut, the resilient lock projecting rearward from the support into the rear cut.\n\n9. The connector of claim 8, wherein the protrusion is formed on the support of the peripheral wall.\n\n10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the protrusion has a front end that is sloped to project farther from the peripheral wall at more rearward positions on the protrusion to define a pushing surface that can be pushed by the front end of the receptacle.\n\n11. The connector of claim 9, wherein the support defines a portion of the peripheral wall that extends continuously around the terminal accommodating portion.\n\n12. The connector of claim 8, wherein an outer surface of the resilient lock is substantially aligned with the support in an unbiased condition of the resilient lock, and wherein the resilient lock is resiliently deflectable to project outward from the support when the tubular member is being mounted on to the terminal accommodating portion.\n\n13. The connector of claim 1, wherein the resilient lock is spaced from the terminal fitting accommodated in the terminal accommodating portion.\n\n14. The connector of claim 1, wherein the recessed receiving portion has a closed bottom.\n\n15. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a tubular fitting connected to the rear end of the terminal accommodating portion and projecting forward therefrom while being spaced out from the terminal accommodating portion at positions forward of the rear end of the terminal accommodating portion and outward of the resilient lock.\n\n16. The connector of claim 1, wherein the locking projection of the resilient lock engages a surface of the recessed receiving portion to prevent movement of the tubular member in a direction away from the rear end of the terminal accommodating portion."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Metal-Based Microchannel Heat Exchangers Made By Molding Replication And Assembly\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nThe nearly exponential growth in the heat generated by miniaturized electronic devices in recent years demands significant improvements in cooling technology. Existing fan-assisted air cooling methods will be insufficient for the next generation of microprocessors. Only liquid-cooled heat exchangers will be able to absorb and dissipate heat rapidly enough to maintain safe microprocessor operating temperatures. A stringent requirement of high efficiency is imposed on such a heat exchanger. The cooling system must be small and must be a closed loop, so that it may: a) fit within a desktop or laptop computer; and b) not require external cooling water.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nCompression molding of metals is used to make microchannel heat exchangers. Heat transfer can be improved by employing controlled microchannel surface roughness. Flux-free bonding is achieved using a eutectic thin-film intermediate layer. Seals are leak-tight, mechanically strong, and uniform across multiple contact areas. The metal heat exchangers may be mass-produced inexpensively, and are useful for applications including the cooling of computer chips and other high-power electronic devices, air conditioning, refrigeration, condenser plates, radiators, fuel cell heat management, and instant water heating."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A process for making a metal microchannel heat exchanger, the process comprising:\nforming one or more open microchannels on a surface of a first homogeneous metal piece, wherein at least one of the one or more open microchannels has a width between about 30 \u03bcm and about 1000 \u03bcm, and a depth between about 30 \u03bcm and about 1000 \u03bcm;\nproviding a second homogeneous metal piece that, when bonded to the first homogeneous metal piece, will convert one or more open microchannels on the first homogeneous metal piece into one or more closed microchannels, wherein the one or more closed microchannels are adapted to transport liquid without substantial leakage;\nproviding a eutectic layer or a eutectic precursor layer at one or more of the following locations: a surface of the first homogeneous metal piece, a surface of the second homogeneous metal piece, or between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces;\nsimultaneously applying pressure to and heating the first and second homogeneous metal pieces, wherein:\nthe pressure pushes the first and second homogeneous metal pieces toward each other, with the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces;\nthe first and second homogeneous metal pieces are heated to a eutectic melting temperature at which the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer melts, or at which the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer interacts with the first and second homogeneous metal pieces to form a molten eutectic composition between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces; and\nthe eutectic melting temperature to which the first and second homogeneous metal pieces are heated is sufficiently below a melting temperature of the first and second homogeneous metal pieces that no substantial deformation of the one or more open microchannels occurs;\ncooling the first and second homogeneous metal pieces to a cooling temperature substantially below the eutectic melting temperature, while maintaining the pressure during at least a portion of the cooling; such that the first and second homogeneous metal pieces fuse together;\nsuch that the one or more open microchannels are converted into one or more closed microchannels, wherein the one or more closed microchannels are adapted to transport liquid without substantial leakage; and\nwherein no substantial blockage of the one or more closed microchannels occurs as a result of the heating, applying pressure, and cooling;\nand wherein:\nthe one or more closed microchannels are enclosed entirely by the fused first and second homogeneous metal pieces and the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer; and whereby the fused first and second homogeneous pieces and the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer, together with the enclosed one or more closed microchannels, form a microchannel heat exchanger; and\nwherein at least one of the closed microchannels has a surface roughness between about 3 \u03bcm and about 15 \u03bcm.\n\n2. The process of claim 1, wherein the microchannel heat exchanger is capable of withstanding an internal pressure in the one or more closed microchannels of 100 atmospheres or greater.\n\n3. The process of claim 1, wherein forming the one or more open microchannels on the surface of the first homogeneous metal piece comprises compression molding of the first homogeneous metal piece with a refractory metal mold insert.\n\n4. The of claim 1, wherein the one or more closed microchannels discharge into a fluid drain plenum.\n\n5. The process of claim 1, wherein the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer comprises a eutectic nanocomposite thin film.\n\n6. The process of claim 5, wherein a domain size of the eutectic nanocomposite thin film is in a range from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.\n\n7. The process of claim 5, wherein flux-free bonding of the first and second homogeneous metal pieces is achieved using the eutectic nanocomposite thin film.\n\n8. The process of claim 1, further comprising forming one or more open microchannels on a surface of the second homogeneous metal piece prior to simultaneously applying pressure to and heating the first homogeneous metal piece and the second homogeneous metal piece.\n\n9. The process of claim 1, wherein the first homogeneous metal piece and the second homogeneous metal piece are dissimilar metals.\n\n10. A metal microchannel heat exchanger, wherein the metal microchannel heat exchanger is produced by a process comprising:\nforming one or more open microchannels on a surface of a first homogeneous metal piece, wherein at least one of the one or more open microchannels has a width between about 30 \u03bcm and about 1000 \u03bcm, and a depth between about 30 \u03bcm and about 1000 \u03bcm;\nproviding a second homogeneous metal piece that, when bonded to the first homogeneous metal piece, will convert one or more open microchannels on the first homogeneous metal piece into one or more closed microchannels, wherein the one or more closed microchannels are adapted to transport liquid without substantial leakage;\nproviding a eutectic layer or a eutectic precursor layer at one or more of the following locations: a surface of the first homogeneous metal piece, a surface of the second homogeneous metal piece, or between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces;\nsimultaneously applying pressure to and heating the first and second homogeneous metal pieces, wherein: the pressure pushes the first and second homogeneous metal pieces toward each other, with the eutectic layer or eutectic precursor layer between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces; the first and second homogeneous metal pieces are heated to a eutectic melting temperature at which the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer melts, or at which the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer interacts with the first and second homogeneous metal pieces to form a molten eutectic composition between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces; and the eutectic melting temperature to which the first and second homogeneous metal pieces are heated is sufficiently below a melting temperature of the first and second homogeneous metal pieces that no substantial deformation of the one or more open microchannels occurs;\ncooling the first and second homogeneous metal pieces to a cooling temperature substantially below the eutectic melting temperature, while maintaining the pressure during at least a portion of the cooling; such that the first and second homogeneous metal pieces fuse together; such that the one or more open microchannels are converted into one or more closed microchannels, wherein the one or more closed microchannels are adapted to transport liquid without substantial leakage; and wherein no substantial blockage of the one or more closed microchannels occurs as a result of the heating, applying pressure, and cooling;\nand wherein:\nthe one or more closed microchannels are enclosed entirely by the fused first and second homogeneous metal pieces and the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer; and whereby the fused first and second homogeneous pieces and the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer, together with the enclosed one or more closed microchannels, form a microchannel heat exchanger;\nwherein the one or more closed microchannels discharge into a fluid drain plenum; and\nwherein the one or more closed microchannels comprise at least one microchannel that discharges into the fluid drain plenum via a fluidic transition that widens outward from an end of the at least one microchannel.\n\n11. The metal microchannel heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the first and second homogeneous metal pieces are brazed to one another by the eutectic layer.\n\n12. The metal microchannel heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the one or more closed microchannels comprise a plurality of substantially parallel microchannels.\n\n13. The metal microchannel heat exchanger of claim 12, wherein the plurality of substantially parallel microchannels as supplied by a common fluid supply channel.\n\n14. The metal microchannel heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the one or more closed microchannels comprise a meandering microchannel.\n\n15. A process for making a metal microchannel heat exchanger, the process comprising:\nforming one or more open microchannels on a surface of a first homogeneous metal piece, wherein at least one of the one or more open microchannels has a width between about 30 \u03bcm and about 1000 \u03bcm, and a depth between about 30 \u03bcm and about 1000 \u03bcm;\nproviding a second homogeneous metal piece that, when bonded to the first homogeneous metal piece, will convert one or more open microchannels on the first homogeneous metal piece into one or more closed microchannels, wherein the one or more closed microchannels are adapted to transport liquid without substantial leakage;\nproviding a eutectic layer or a eutectic precursor layer at one or more of the following locations: a surface of the first homogeneous metal piece, a surface of the second homogeneous metal piece, or between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces;\nsimultaneously applying pressure to and heating the first and second homogeneous metal pieces, wherein:\nthe pressure pushes the first and second homogeneous metal pieces toward each other, with the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces;\nthe first and second homogeneous metal pieces are heated to a eutectic melting temperature at which the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer melts, or at which the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer interacts with the first and second homogeneous metal pieces to form a molten eutectic composition between the first and second homogeneous metal pieces; and\nthe eutectic melting temperature to which the first and second homogeneous metal pieces are heated is sufficiently below a melting temperature of the first and second homogeneous metal pieces that no substantial deformation of the one or more open microchannels occurs;\ncooling the first and second homogeneous metal pieces to a cooling temperature substantially below the eutectic melting temperature, while maintaining the pressure during at least a portion of the cooling; such that the first and second homogeneous metal pieces fuse together;\nsuch that the one or more open microchannels are converted into one or more closed microchannels, wherein the one or more closed microchannels are adapted to transport liquid without substantial leakage; and\nwherein no substantial blockage of the one or more closed microchannels occurs as a result of the heating, applying pressure, and cooling;\nand wherein:\nthe one or more closed microchannels are enclosed entirely by the fused first and second homogeneous metal pieces and the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer; and whereby the fused first and second homogeneous pieces and the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer, together with the enclosed one or more closed microchannels, form a microchannel heat exchanger; and\nwherein forming the one or more open microchannels on the surface of the first homogeneous metal piece comprises compression molding of the first homogeneous metal piece with a refractory metal mold insert; and\nwherein the refractory metal mold insert is fabricated to impart surface roughness in the one or more open microchannels formed on the surface of the first homogeneous metal piece, the surface roughness being 5 \u03bcm or higher, measured as mean peak-to-valley roughness.\n\n16. The process of claim 15, further comprising forming one or more open microchannels on a surface of the second homogeneous metal piece prior to simultaneously applying pressure to and heating the first homogeneous metal piece and the second homogeneous metal piece.\n\n17. The process of claim 15, wherein the first homogeneous metal piece and the second homogeneous metal piece are dissimilar metals.\n\n18. The process of claim 15, wherein the eutectic layer or the eutectic precursor layer comprises a eutectic nanocomposite thin film.\n\n19. The process of claim 18, wherein a domain size of the eutectic nanocomposite thin film is in a range from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.\n\n20. The process of claim 18, wherein flux-free bonding of the first and second homogeneous metal pieces is achieved using the eutectic nanocomposite thin film."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Automatic Injection Device With Delay Mechanism Including Dual Functioning Biasing Member\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nThe present invention pertains to pharmaceutical injection devices, and, in particular, to an automatic injection device. Patients suffering from a number of different diseases frequently must inject themselves with pharmaceuticals. A variety of devices have been proposed to facilitate these injections. One type of device is an automatic injection device. This type of device, when triggered by a user, automatically inserts into the user a needle of a syringe that prior to triggering was disposed within the device housing, and then automatically injects a dose of medication through that inserted needle. One known type of automatic injection device then automatically advances a shroud to cover the needle when the dose is completed. In another type of automatic injection device having a configuration more desirable to some, and instead of having an advancing shroud, the device will automatically retract the needle into the housing when the dose is completed. One difficulty with designing an automatic injector with a needle retracting feature is ensuring both that the full desired contents of the syringe have been injected and that the syringe needle is properly retracted into the device housing after use. International Publication Number WO 2005/115516 explains in additional detail such design difficulty, and further proposes solutions using a type of delay mechanism involving a highly viscous fluid damping. While perhaps functional, these solutions are not without their own shortcomings, such as the delay mechanism being used to transfer force to the syringe during injection. International Publication Number WO 2008/112472 discloses an automatic injector with delay mechanism which has desirable capabilities but which is of larger diameter than may desirable for some. Further, the number of parts, and the camming motion of the delay mechanism with parts sliding against each other, complicates assembly and operation. Automatic injectors frequently are provided with a lock feature that frustrates device triggering prior to a user having prepared for such triggering. One known way of triggering an automatic injector is for a manually operable button to unlatch prongs of a spring-loaded plunging element of the device, such as by the splaying outward or squeezing inward of such prongs to allow passage of the prongs through one or more openings in the surface to which the prongs releasably latch. Various means to prevent this plunger unlatching from occurring too soon have been employed in the past, but such means are not without their shortcomings, such as due to increasing the device complexity or adding undesirable size to the device. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an automatic injection apparatus that can overcome one or more of these and other shortcomings of the prior art.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nAn automatic injection apparatus including a delay mechanism for properly delivering medication prior to the needled syringe of the apparatus being retracted. In one form, the delay mechanism includes a shuttle for the syringe, a follower, a locking member, a damping compound between the follower and a supporting surface to dampen rotation of the follower relative to the shuttle, and a dual functioning biasing member acting between the shuttle and the follower. When the locking member moves to a release position during an injection, the dual functioning biasing member first provides a torsional force to force the follower to rotate relative to the shuttle from a latching position to an unlatching position, and then the dual functioning biasing member provides an axial force to force the shuttle axially relative to the follower to move the shuttle for retracting the syringe needle into the housing of the apparatus after injection."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. An automatic injection apparatus comprising a housing including a main body, a needled syringe with a plunger that has a plurality of latching prongs, the plunger prongs extending through at least one opening in a latchable element within the housing main body, a button rotatable between first and second angular positions relative to the housing main body and the plunger prongs, the prongs having latching surfaces in releasable engagement with the latchable element, the prongs including ramp surfaces, the button including at least one activating element for engaging the ramp surfaces during manual plunging of the button relative to the main body to cam the prongs so as to move the prong latching surfaces out of engagement with the latchable element such that the prongs can pass through the at least one opening in the latchable element, and at least one biasing element for moving the needled syringe within the housing, when the prongs are released from engagement with the latchable element, to extend the needle of the syringe beyond the housing with the prongs passing through the at least one opening in the latchable element, and to advance the plunger to force syringe contents through the needle for an injection, the improvement comprising:\nlocking protuberances integrally formed with the prong ramp surfaces and projecting upwardly from the ramp surfaces toward the button, wherein upward tips of said locking protuberances are in spaced relationship with upward tips of the ramp surfaces to define radial gaps therebetween in which extend the at least one activating element of the button when the button is in the first angular position, whereby abutment of the at least one activating element of the button by the locking protuberances resists movement of the prong latching surfaces out of engagement with the latchable element; and\nthe at least one activating element of the button further comprising clearance slots, said slots extending within the radial gaps when the button is in the second angular position, whereby the locking protuberances fit within the clearance slots to not resist movement of the prong latching surfaces out of engagement with the latchable element.\n\n2. The automatic injection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upward tips of said locking protuberances are disposed radially outward of said upward tips of the ramp surfaces, and wherein radially outwardly facing surfaces of said upward tips of said locking protuberances are rounded to facilitate insertion through the at least one biasing element during apparatus assembly.\n\n3. The automatic injection apparatus of claim 2 wherein each prong includes a leg with a spring-centering boss integrally formed with and axially extending on a radially outwardly facing surface of said leg."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Method Of Producing Silicon Single Crystal\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\n1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus of producing a silicon single crystal and a method for producing a silicon single crystal that can provide high-quality silicon single crystals having designated crystal properties based on critical control of surface position of silicon melt during pulling the silicon single crystals from the silicon melt by the Czochralski method. Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-277212, filed Dec. 13, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 2. Description of Related Art Conventionally, silicon single crystals have been produced through various methods. The Czochralski method (hereafter referred to as CZ method) is the most representative method for producing silicon single crystals. In the growth process of a silicon single crystal by the CZ method, a silicon melt is formed by melting polysilicon in a crucible. Then, a seed crystal is dipped in the silicon melt and is pulled up with a predetermined pulling speed while rotating the seed crystal with a predetermined rotation rate. As a result, a silicon single crystal of columnar shape is grown below the seed crystal. In a silicon single crystal grown by the CZ method, species and distribution of the defects depend on the ratio of the pulling rate V of the silicon single crystal and thermal gradient G in the silicon single crystal along the growth direction. The ratio is hereafter referred to as V/G. Under large V/G conditions, the silicon single crystal is in excess of vacancies, resulting in generation of small voids (defects generally called COPs) as agglomerates of the vacancies are formed in the crystal. On the other hand, under small V/G conditions, the silicon single crystal is in excess of interstitial silicon atoms, resulting in generation of dislocation clusters as agglomerates of the interstitial silicon atoms. Therefore, in order to grow a crystal that does not include COPs and dislocation clusters, it is necessary to control the radial distribution and axial distribution of V/G in an appropriate range. With respect to the radial distribution, pulling rate V is constant in any positions along the radial direction in the single crystal. Therefore, it is necessary to design a structure of high temperature zone (hot zone) in the CZ furnace such that the thermal gradient G is within a predetermined range. With respect to axial distribution, G depends on the pull length of the single crystal. Therefore, it is necessary to change V along the lengthwise direction of the single crystal so as to control V/G in a predetermined range. Currently, mass production of COP-free and dislocation clusters-free crystals is realized even in production of silicon single crystals of 300 mm in diameter based on the control of V/G. However, even though a silicon single crystal that does not include COPs and dislocation clusters is grown by controlling V/G, a silicon wafer obtained from the crystal does not have a homogeneous property throughout the wafer plane, but includes a plurality of regions that exhibits different behaviors under a heat treatment. For example, when V/G is varied from COP generation conditions to dislocation cluster generation conditions, three regions consisting of so called OSF region, Pv region, and Pi region appear with decreasing V/i between the COP generation region and the dislocation cluster generation region. The OSF region denotes a region which includes platy oxygen precipitates (OSF nuclei) under an as-grown state (a state at which the single crystal is not subjected to any heat treatment after the growth of the crystal) and generates OSFs (Oxidation Induced Stacking Faults) when the crystal is subjected to thermal oxidation. A Pv region denotes a region that includes oxygen precipitation nuclei under an as-grown state and easily generates oxygen precipitates when the crystal is subjected to two step heat treatment at low temperature and high temperature (for example, at 800\u00b0 C. and 1000\u00b0 C.). A Pi region denotes a region that is almost free of oxygen precipitation nuclei under an as-grown state and hardly generates oxygen precipitates even when the crystal is subjected to heat treatment. There is a demand to provide high-quality silicon single crystal in which the above-described Pv region and the Pi region are formed as distinguishable regions (hereafter, such crystal is referred to as a PvPi crystal).\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA method of producing a silicon single crystal is provided. The method may include taking a real image of a heat shield including a circular opening and a mirror image of the heat shield reflected on a surface of the silicon melt, measuring a spacing between the real image and the mirror image, calculating a position of the surface of the silicon melt, taking an image of a bright zone that appears in a vicinity of an interface between the silicon melt and the silicon single crystal, calculating a position of the surface of the silicon melt based on a center position of the silicon single crystal determined from the image of the bright zone, and controlling the position of the surface of the silicon melt during a pulling of the silicon single crystal while referring to data of the calculated positions of the surface of the silicon melt."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. A method of producing a silicon single crystal, comprising pulling a silicon single crystal from a silicon melt formed in a crucible, the method comprising:\nperforming a first operation, with an imaging device, including taking a real image of a heat shield including a circular opening and a mirror image of the heat shield reflected on a surface of the silicon melt, measuring a spacing between the real image and the mirror image, and calculating a position of the surface of the silicon melt;\nperforming a second operation, with the imaging device, including taking an image of a bright zone that appears in a vicinity of an interface between the silicon melt and the silicon single crystal, and calculating a position of the surface of the silicon melt based on a center position of the silicon single crystal determined from the image of the bright zone; and\ncontrolling, with a controller, the position of the surface of the silicon melt during the pulling of the silicon single crystal while referring to data of the position of the surface of the silicon melt obtained by the first operation and data of the position of the surface of the silicon melt obtained by the second operation, wherein\nin performing the first operation:\ntransforming contours of the real image and the mirror image of the heat shield obtained by the imaging device to project the contours of the real image and the mirror image to a plane corresponding to a lower end position of the heat shield,\ncalculating a center position of the projected real image of the heat shield through circular approximation of the contour of the opening of the real image of the heat shield that appears as an elliptic shape,\ncalculating a center position of the projected mirror image of the heat shield through circular approximation of the contour of the opening of the mirror image of the heat shield, and\nmeasuring the spacing between the real image and the mirror image based on a spacing between the center positions of the projected real image and the projected mirror image of the heat shield.\n\n2. The method of producing the silicon single crystal according to claim 1, wherein\nin performing the first operation:\ndetermining the contours of the real image and the mirror image of the heat shield based on differential data of the real image and the mirror image taken by the imaging device.\n\n3. The method of producing the silicon single crystal according to claim 1, wherein\nin performing the first operation:\nselecting a contour from contours of each of the real image and the mirror image obtained by the imaging device such that the selected contour encloses an area of not smaller than a predetermined area, and\ncalculating the center position of each of the real image and the mirror image of the heat shield using the selected contour.\n\n4. The method of producing the silicon single crystal according to claim 1, wherein\nin performing the first operation:\nthe imaging device takes an image from an angle such that a deviation between the contour of each of the real image and the mirror image of the heat shield and a circular approximated image of the opening of the heat shield is minimized.\n\n5. The method of producing the silicon single crystal according to claim 1, wherein\nin an initial stage of pulling a silicon single crystal, the first operation performs:\nperforming setting of the position of the surface of the silicon melt based on the spacing between the real image and the mirror image of the heat shield,\nfrom an end on the initial stage to a stage where a diameter of the silicon single crystal reaches a predetermined value, the first operation performs:\ncontrolling the position of the surface of the silicon melt through the controller based on the spacing between the real image and the mirror image of the heat shield, and\nin a stage after the diameter of the silicon single crystal reaches the predetermined value, the second operation performs:\ncontrolling the position of the surface of the silicon melt through the controller based on the center position of the silicon single crystal determined from the image of the bright zone.\n\n6. The method of producing the silicon single crystal according to claim 1, further comprising:\ncalibrating a difference between the position of the surface of the silicon melt determined in the first operation and the position of the surface of the silicon melt determined in the second operation when the diameter of the silicon single crystal reaches a predetermined value."}]}
{"messages": [{"role": "system", "content": "You are an expert US patent attorney. Draft a set of independent and dependent claims based on the provided invention description. Use correct USPTO formatting."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Title: Image Processing Apparatus, Image Processing System, And Image Processing Method\n\nTechnical Field and Background:\nThe present disclosure relates to image processing apparatuses, image processing systems, and image processing methods. There are various kinds of techniques for searching for a read and stored image on an image processing apparatus, such as a scanner, a copier or a multifunction peripheral. For example, a printer is disclosed which is capable of searching for pieces of document information (images) containing particular date information among those registered in a particular memory, assigning identification information to the pieces of document information containing the particular date information, and displaying a list of all the pieces of document information so that the pieces of document information having identification information assigned thereto are higher on the list. Thus, pieces of document information likely to be used at regular intervals can be easily retrieved.\n\nInvention Disclosure:\nA document image reading section is configured to read, among documents constituting a book, an image of a document of one page of the book. A document image checking section is configured to check the read image of the read document against registered images of documents stored in a server to determine whether or not the registered image matching the read image exists. When the registered image matching the read image exists, a document image acquisition section acquires the matching registered image. A document image printing section forms an image on a paper sheet using the acquired registered image."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "1. An image processing apparatus connected to a server, the image processing apparatus comprising:\na document image reading section configured to read, among documents constituting a book, an image of a document of at least one page of the book; and\na control circuit that includes a CPU and, based on operation of the CPU in accordance with a program, operates as:\na document image checking section configured to (1) OCR the read image of the document read by the document image reading section to detect a plurality of characters existing in the read image and acquire, among the plurality of characters, a predetermined number of characters beginning with a character located at a predetermined location, (2) acquire, among a plurality of characters contained in each of registered images of respective documents stored in the server, the same predetermined number of characters beginning with a character located at the predetermined location, and (3) determine whether or not the characters acquired from the read image match the characters acquired from the one registered image, thus determining whether or not the registered image matching the read image exists in all of the registered images of the documents stored in the server;\na document image acquisition section configured to, when the document image checking section determines that the registered image matching the read image exists, acquire the matching registered image; and\na document image printing section configured to form an image on a paper sheet using the registered image acquired by the document image acquisition section.\n\n2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein\nthe control circuit further operates, based on operation of the CPU in accordance with the program, as a number-of-page acceptance section configured to accept an entry of a number of pages from a user,\nwhen the document image checking section determines that the registered image matching the read image exists, the document image acquisition section acquires, from the server, the registered images of the number of pages the entry of which has been accepted by the number-of-page acceptance section and which begins with the page indicated by the matching registered image, and\nthe document image printing section forms images on paper sheets using the registered images of the number of pages acquired by the document image acquisition section.\n\n3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein\nthe control circuit further operates, based on operation of the CPU in accordance with the program, as a chapter number acceptance section configured to accept an entry of a chapter number indicating a chapter from a user,\nwherein the document image acquisition section is further configured to acquire, from the server, one or more of the registered images of the documents stored in the server, the one or more registered images containing the chapter number the entry of which has been accepted by the chapter number acceptance section, and\nthe document image printing section forms one or more images on one or more paper sheets using the one or more registered images acquired by the document image acquisition section.\n\n4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein\nthe document image checking section comprises a check target table in which check targets each consisting of one or any combination of a page number, a chapter title, a chapter number, a figure, a table, a number of characters, and a total number of characters are stored together with respective different priorities given to the respective check targets, and\nthe document image checking section is further configured to:\nsearch the registered images of the documents stored in the server for the registered image matching the read image of the document read by the document image reading section in terms of the highest priority check target stored in the check target table and acquire the matching registered image from the server;\nwhen the registered images of the documents stored in the server include no registered image matching the read image of the document read by the document image reading section in terms of the highest priority check target, search for the registered image matching the read image of the document read by the document image reading section in terms of the next highest priority check target stored in the check target table and acquire the matching registered image from the server;\ncontinue to check the read image against the registered images of the documents stored in the server until the registered image matching the read image in terms of the check target is searched out of the registered images of the documents in the server, and stop checking the read image against the registered images of the documents when the read image has been checked against the registered images of the documents in terms of all the priority check targets indicated in the check target table but no registered image matching the read image has been searched out;\nwhen the check target is the number of characters, determine whether or not the predetermined number of characters acquired from the read image and beginning with the character located at the predetermined location match the same predetermined number of characters acquired from the one registered image and beginning with the character located at the predetermined location, thus determining whether or not the registered image matching the read image exists; and\nwhen the check target is the total number of characters, acquire all characters existing in the read image, acquire all characters existing in the one registered image of the document stored in the server, and determine whether or not all the characters acquired from the read image match all the characters acquired from the one registered image, thus determining whether or not the registered image matching the read image exists.\n\n5. An image processing system comprising an image processing apparatus and a server,\nthe server comprising a storage section configured to store registered images of documents constituting a book,\nthe image processing apparatus comprising:\na document image reading section configured to read, among the documents constituting the book, an image of a document of at least one page of the book; and\na control circuit that includes a CPU and, based on operation of the CPU in accordance with a program, operates as:\na document image checking section configured to (1) OCR the read image of the document read by the document image reading section to detect a plurality of characters existing in the read image and acquire, among the plurality of characters, a predetermined number of characters beginning with a character located at a predetermined location, (2) acquire, among a plurality of characters contained in each of registered images of respective documents stored in the server, the same predetermined number of characters beginning with a character located at the predetermined location, and (3) determine whether or not the characters acquired from the read image match the characters acquired from the one registered image, thus determining whether or not the registered image matching the read image exists in all of the registered images of the documents stored in the server;\na document image acquisition section configured to, when the document image checking section determines that the registered image matching the read image exists, acquire the matching registered image; and\na document image printing section configured to form an image on a paper sheet using the registered image acquired by the document image acquisition section."}]}